No. 2 Xian Street, the living room bathed in the hues of dusk. Caine, facing away from the bulging window, spoke to Fley and Leonard: "I've interpreted the outcome. In my dream, I saw a two-story house in a gray-blue tone. All the windows on the ground floor were closed, with drapes drawn. Within several meters around it, the soil was dark brown, devoid of any grass or flowers. There was also a neglected, gloomy garden—just like the kind commonly found in ghost stories. The only geographical marker indicating its location was a river nearby, a broader one. "This might be the Tassok River or the Hoy River—only through systematic investigation can we determine which. Hopefully, we still have time." The Tassok River, the largest river in the Kingdom of Run, originates in the Minerminsk Mountains to the northwest and flows southeastward, passing through the Intersea County and the Ahovah County, crossing the capital city of Bekland, and eventually entering the sea near the Port of Priz. It meets the city of Tingen at the southwest corner of the West District and the dock area south of the South District. The Hoy River originates in the northern Yorke Mountains, flows through the university district outside the East District, and then joins the Tassok River locally. These are the two main rivers surrounding Tingen; all others are merely small streams with narrow water surfaces. After hearing Kline's statement, Frey, pale-faced and with a cold demeanor, slightly nodded in agreement. Without any additional clues, investigation remains the only effective means! At that moment, Leonard smiled and spoke: "Perhaps we can narrow down the area where the incident occurred." "How so?" Kline, holding a silver watch engraved with vine patterns, furrowed his brow in query. Leonard chuckled: "For a deliberate, purposeful offender, the initial target chosen will invariably be located away from the area of the altar—this stems from an instinct for safety." “When there aren’t many ‘near-dead’ cases left in the other districts, and it becomes harder to find new ones, he’ll then consider areas nearby.” “So, we should go through the records again and identify districts where the number of deaths was normal at the beginning, but has been rapidly increasing over the past few days.” Klein listened intently, his eyes brightening: “Excellent reasoning!” At the same time, he silently sighed: “I’ve definitely never had the gift of a detective!” Fleisch nodded, picked up the stack of materials placed on the coffee table, and began flipping through them again. A few minutes later, his tone grew more serious. “There is indeed such a district—and only one.” “Which one?” Klein asked immediately. Fleisch handed the thick stack of documents to Leonard beside him, his lips slightly pressed. “The West District.” The West District? Klein clenched his fists and immediately proposed: “Then let’s start our investigation in the southwest corner of the West District—that area isn’t very large!” “I agree.” Leonard waved a folder in his hand, easily agreeing, as if the person who had just suggested narrowing the scope hadn't been him at all. The lightweight two-wheeled carriage moved slowly along a slightly muddy and dirty road, and in the distance, a broad river glowed with the last light of sunset. Kline and Fley each glanced out through the side windows, inspecting one building after another, with a particular focus on gray-blue structures—especially those showing signs of decline. If possible, they paid close attention to whether the curtains of the first floor were fully drawn. Leonard sat comfortably in his seat, leaning against the compartment wall, humming a local folk tune. As the dim scenery passed by, Kline's peripheral vision suddenly caught a gray-blue two-story house. In front of it stood a garden that conveyed a sense of decay and gloom. "Found it!" Kline said softly. Before he had finished speaking, both Frey and Leonard surged forward simultaneously, gazing toward the distance with such speed that it seemed as though there was no pause between them. As the carriage drew nearer to the house, the full scene of the ground floor, its dark drapes fully drawn, came into view for the three night-watchmen. No further divination was needed—Caine was certain beyond doubt that this was the very house he had seen in his dream, the very house where the evil altar stood! Neither he nor Leonard or Frey immediately ordered the carriage to stop; instead, they allowed the driver to continue, passing the house and moving away from it as though merely passing by. Only when they had completely lost sight of the building did Leonard call out to the driver, halting the carriage. "Caine, you'll take this carriage back to Zothlan Street to replace the captain and assist," Leonard said, tapping his finger and smiling at his teammate. Does he think I'm not up to the task, that I shouldn't be involved in such a dangerous matter? He's not half bad, after all... Leonard paused, then understood his meaning. Frey nodded in agreement beside him. "You're only just starting out with combat training, and you're a support-type specialist." "I know that. And someone who can generate so many death events to hold rituals—someone who's not easy to handle. Only the队长 can make things manageable..."克莱恩 took a deep breath and calmly agreed. Then, he glanced at Leonard, then at Frey, and managed a smile. "You two need to be careful." "Don't worry. I value my life. Before the队长 arrives, we'll only monitor—we won't get close." Leonard chuckled. Frey said nothing, simply lifting his suitcase.克莱恩 remained silent for a few seconds, then produced a copper penny. "I'll make a divination for you both." He silently murmured, "This situation will turn out well," and as his gaze deepened, he tossed the coin upward. Thump! The coin flipped, rolled, and settled steadily into the palm of Caine. Caine opened his eyes and saw the king's head facing up, instantly relieved. "This is only a vague symbol; there are other interpretations, but above all, it's always up to you to remain careful and cautious," he said to Fley and Leonard in the manner of a seer. Leonard had already turned around; upon hearing this, he waved and jumped toward the outside of the carriage. "Like my eighty-year-old grandmother—always so verbose," he remarked. Fley nodded seriously and carried his suitcase down. Watching his two teammates walk toward their destination, Caine ran his fingers along the left-hand revolver in his armpit and said to the driver, "Zotlan Street." The driver, hired by the hour, made no objection and urged the horses forward. ........ Zotlan Street, No. 36. When Caine entered the Black Thorns Security Company, Rosan and Mrs. Oliviana had already left for the day, and the place had become unusually quiet and dim. Duan sat on a sofa in the reception area, dressed in a black trench coat, without turning on the gas lamps, as if blending into the dim, unlit space. "Any leads?" he asked, his voice rich and warm, startling Cline, who had been looking for the captain. Cline quickly turned around and looked into Duan's gray eyes. "Yes, we...," he said, swiftly summarizing Leonard's "bold hypothesis," his own divination confirmation, and the subsequent on-site investigation. As for Leonard's confidence and the special qualities he had described, those were naturally considered less important. Duan occasionally interjected with a question. When Cline finished, Duan suddenly stood up and walked toward the door. "I almost forgot—stay here in case of any unexpected developments," he reminded as he was about to descend. "Understood," Cline nodded firmly. At that moment, aside from Coen Li, who was on duty at the Charnes gate, all the night watchmen were outside, busy. Dunne Smith descended a few stairs, then paused, adjusting his hat as he spoke to Cline at the door: "You've locked the door—come with me. Honestly, this isn't just about fighting. It's also about experiencing the atmosphere. And during the final search and inspection, ritual magic may be needed. Remember: until everything is settled, you must stay at least fifty meters away from us, and absolutely never approach that house!" Cline was momentarily stunned, then nodded firmly. "Understood!" He felt countless terrible things hidden there, waiting, waiting for a bloody feast. Under his watch, Dunning, Leonard, and Fley, almost blending into the darkness, moved carefully toward the target building. . . . On the second floor of the gray-blue house, a bedroom without light. A young girl with a round, gentle, and sweet face sat before a dressing table, studying the "complex" field of skin care under the dim starlight. A silver mirror stood beside her right hand, its surface so rough that it barely reflected any image. Suddenly, a blood-streaked trace appeared on the mirror. The gentle and sweet Thelis immediately grew serious, rose to her feet, and walked to the window, silently gazing outwards.