Can certain paths after Sequence 5 be interchanged? That's quite different from what the Night Watchers themselves claim! Isn't it supposed that once a path is chosen, it can never be changed again? Isn't it said that straying off course grants strange, unusual abilities—but at the cost of partial madness, making further advancement impossible? Yet there are clear exceptions here! Caine looked at the journal, his eyes narrowing slightly. He didn't doubt that Emperor Rosel might have fabricated details on this matter—the surprise conveyed in the text was so genuine. But he didn't believe the information Rosel had received was absolutely accurate; it was possible that Rosel himself had been deceived or misunderstood. This needs to be verified... Let me jot it down... Klein reminded himself mentally and delved deeper into the matter: If Roser's description is accurate, then the depth of the pathways within the Sequence is profound—there are many secrets hidden beneath. The Watchers hold the complete pathway known as "The Unsleepers," while the more complete one reaches at least Sequence 4, "The Dead Bearers." Yet, beyond Sequence 5, these two pathways can serve as interchangeable alternatives. The other chains' potion recipes are notably incomplete, sometimes even limited to just the initial stages. Similarly, the Church of the Gods of Steam and Mechanism holds the complete pathway known as "The Inquirers," with a more complete one being "The Observers," which also become interchangeable at higher levels. Interesting. I wonder which pathway my "Seer" sequence can substitute with—specifically, the "Apprentices" and "Thieves" mentioned by the Emperor himself? Well, the "Seer" path likely offers each of the first five sequences a distinct ability, and when Sequence 4 comes together, that particular potion should be irreplaceable. Caine gathered his thoughts and refocused his attention on the journal. At this moment, he noticed that the two pages appeared joined, yet their content was actually discontinuous, representing records from two different periods—an error committed during the later copying and transcriptions. "Indeed, it holds secrets beyond imagination, hehe—perhaps one day I'll create my own亵渎石板, no, a set of them, each one concealing a final secret!" Goodness, Emperor, you finally tell me what the name of that ancient organization is! You're making me feel quite uncomfortable! Maybe, maybe, Roscel was motivated by certain reasons—perhaps he simply didn't write down the name, or was too hesitant, even when using Chinese... Cline found himself both curious and puzzled. Nevertheless, from this journal entry, he finally confirmed that Emperor Roscel had viewed the second亵渎石板 and later replicated it into a set of playing cards, each card corresponding to one of the divine pathways. Hmm—perhaps each card embodies the ultimate secret of that divine pathway... He wondered who currently held these twenty-two cards. The ancient organization had actually preserved the second亵渎石板... Cline's thoughts raced, sparking numerous connections. But he soon settled his thoughts, shifting his gaze from the journal to the cards—The Hanged Man, Justice, and The Sun—and smiled, saying, "In fact, you needn't wait for me." "That's our pleasure," replied The Hanged Man, Aljer, now having smoothed out his initial displeasure with humility. Audrey thought for a moment, then smiled gently, "Mr. Fool, the method you described for publicly selecting civil officials has already gained the approval of both the King and the Prime Minister and is set to pass through both Houses of Parliament. It is expected to enter formal implementation early next year." "Well, the King and the Prime Minister do seem to have some sense," Aljer remarked with his usual dry wit. Well, by early next year, with Baines' intelligence, his diligence, and his hard work, he should at least meet the passing standards in both grammar and accounting... Still, as long as both houses approve, the newspapers will surely highlight his early advantage—though it's unclear how long that edge will last. Better to take the exams as early as possible... Oh, within such a short timeframe, Baines simply can't hope to outperform the graduates from various universities. Yet he doesn't need to—after all, the positions they're competing for aren't even the same. They're likely fixated solely on roles like Cabinet Secretary or Secretary of the Ministry of Finance. In his heart, the silent, unassuming "simpleton" Klein—never speaking, only smiling—worryingly frets over his brother. With a nod that seemed as if from a simple-minded person, Audrey straightened her posture and smiled, saying, "Mr. The Hangman, the matter you asked me to confirm earlier has now been resolved. The king has been convinced by the prime minister and will not launch a retaliatory campaign against the Fossac Empire along the Bayland coast in the near term. I believe you should now pay the additional compensation you previously promised." After a moment of thoughtful silence, Algier replied, "Madam Justice, thank you very much for your answer—it relieves me of several concerns. What would you like as additional compensation? As long as it is reasonable, I will consider it." Audrey smiled with clear anticipation, saying, "The leads regarding the psychological alchemy society, or the key ingredients for the 'Mind-Reader' potion—of course, these can be pursued after I receive the full recipe from 'The Sun.' " "No problem," Algier responded promptly and without hesitation. Derek Berg, the Sun positioned two places away from the Tower of Strength, listened with growing confusion and profound bewilderment. Though he understood nearly every word individually, he struggled to grasp the overall meaning. He had no idea what the public examination process for selecting civil servants was, nor what the King and the Prime Minister, the Upper House and the Lower House, the Bay of Blyant, the Fyssak Empire, or the Psychological Alchemy Society meant. What was Fyssak, a variant of the root word for "giant"? How did it relate to the fallen court of the Giant King? Derek glanced at Justice, then at the Tower of Strength, and suddenly felt as though he might not be in the same world as either of them. Could it be that somewhere deep within the land of curses, far from the Silver City, there existed not just one, but several city-states—perhaps even entire nations? Derek remained silent, listening attentively, and gradually began to understand the mysterious Fool’s reference to the cash compensation granted by Justice—compensation that he might never actually receive. The Fool might indeed be a divine being, an ancient deity—someone who could draw such distant people together, disregarding the terrifying monsters dwelling in the dark depths of the cursed land. That’s what he thought. Audrey, who had planned to remain a quiet observer, suddenly remembered another matter and spoke up: "Recently, I’ve been in contact with circles of extraordinary individuals. I’ve learned of a powerful figure known as Mr. A. The Fool, the Pendragon, the Sun—do any of you know his background or true identity?" I have no idea what you’re talking about… Deryck remained silent. Mr. A? I only know Mr. Z… Such similar titles—could they also be from the Aurora Circle? Klein made these mental conjectures, yet said nothing. He had to preserve his image, refrain from making responses without confidence, and if faced with uncertainty, present his descriptions vaguely—like a mere mystic. Alder glanced at the Fool, noting that he remained calm and unchanged, his true thoughts difficult to discern. "The Radiant Veil has been consistently targeting the Church of the Storm Sovereign, the Church of Eternal Sun, and the Church of Knowledge and Wisdom. Therefore, compared to other organizations, these three churches know the Radiant Veil better, and from them I've gathered some information." No need to explain—I know you're aligned with the Storm, of course, though you could also be a double agent... Yet, why have the Radiant Veil's enemies precisely been these three oldest and most venerable churches? Kline smiled quietly, gazing steadily at the 'Hanged Man'. Aljer knew his sequence path would certainly not escape the Fool's notice, and continued with little concern: "The Aurora will have five saints and twenty-two divine messengers. These messengers are designated by letters, calling themselves Mr. A, Mr. X, and so on. At the very least, they are extraordinary beings of Sequence 7; the strongest among them are of Sequence 5—highly adept at concealing themselves. When one messenger dies, another will step in to take their place." "I'm not entirely certain whether the Mr. A you mentioned is the same Mr. A from the Aurora, but I believe it's very likely. As for the current situation at the Aurora, I've already informed you of it." Audrey nodded slightly, growing more cautious about Mr. A. With a touch of concern, she said: "Thank you for your explanation, Mr. The Turned One. Regarding that additional compensation—please, you needn't pay it." "No," Aljer replied in a steady tone. "I would like to use the response I just gave, along with further additional compensation, to request a favor from you." "What kind of favor?" Audrey asked, slightly puzzled. Aljer paused for a few seconds, then said, "I've received intelligence that the renowned pirate, known as the 'Admiral of the Hurricane,' Zinglars, has secretly landed in Beckett, making a stealthy incursion into the city. I don't yet know what he intends to do. I'd like you to help me locate him. As for what happens afterward, I won't require you to take any further risks." "The 'Admiral of the Hurricane' Zinglars? One of the seven Pirate Generals?" Audrey's eyes widened slightly, nearly losing her focus as a spectator. Since becoming a非凡者, what had been her greatest desire? To meet the figures who had only existed in noble legends before! "Yes, he is also a Sequence 6 Exceptional One of the 'Seafarer' Path, the 'Wind-Weaver.' He possesses a magical item—indeed, a kind of seal item—and is both cunning and ruthless. Don't attempt to confront him directly," Aljer said seriously. At this point, he suddenly turned to look at Caine and asked, "Sir Fool, may I request that your Companion provide assistance at a critical moment?" "I'll pay the price you're interested in." My only follower is myself... Clary lightened the mood with a casual remark, offering a gentle smile. "On the condition that my follower is actually in Bekkanth." "Alright," Aljer returned, a mix of disappointment and anticipation in his gaze.