"What makes Mr. Zilinger's magical item special?" Audrey asked with growing confidence. She had just seriously considered the question and, surprisingly, felt she possessed solid abilities in finding people in Beckettland. First, her father was one of the wealthiest and most respected members of the nobility, with strong reputation and networks. And she herself was well-liked among the younger generation, so the resources she could access effortlessly within the upper and middle social circles were abundant. Second, her two remarkable friends each had their own networks. Fotherse, the "Apprentice," was once a clinic physician and is now a rising writer, giving her connections across the literary world and publishing industry, especially among the middle-class medical professionals. As for "The Arbiter," Hugh Dillchar, he had long been helping coordinate and mediate disputes among the lower and middle-income populations, gaining a solid reputation in the eastern district of Beckettland, particularly among the working class and various labor unions, with numerous hidden channels of access. Moreover, with the other extraordinary beings they encountered and the networks these beings extended, the energy of seeking out individuals is truly formidable. Regarding the question of "justice," the "Hanged Man" Aljer responded almost without hesitation, as if it had been instinctively known: "The true name of that magical object remains unknown to most, though those who are familiar with it refer to it as 'the Thirst that Crawls.' Every other day, Zinglitz must offer a living person's soul and flesh to satisfy it, or it will take over his own host." "This is a valuable clue for locating Zinglitz," Audrey remarked, her brow furrowed. She felt deeply uneasy and strongly repelled by such an evil object that craved living blood and souls. "Indeed, however, in a major city of five million people, the disappearance of a few homeless individuals would hardly draw any attention." "Aljer reminded, then added, 'Since acquiring 'The Thirsting Hunger,' Zinglungs has become extremely difficult to handle.' 'He was originally just a 'Wind-Weaver,' with solid exceptional abilities in water, wind, and weather. But later, it was discovered that he could drive targets into frenzied states, enter others' dreams, summon radiant light to purify undead, use song to strengthen himself, and even shift his appearance to resemble different people—almost anything became possible.' Aljer described this in great detail. 'We suspect all these abilities stem from the magical item, 'The Thirsting Hunger.' ' As he spoke, the quiet listener, Deric Berg of the 'Sun,' gasped in astonishment: 'The Shepherd!' 'The Shepherd?' A Sequence 5 on the 'Secret-Prayer' or 'Listener' path? Well, among the "Council of Six" in the City of Silver, there's a newly appointed elder known as the "Shepherd." It's said that this one is powerful enough to withstand a Sequence 4 warrior—indeed, even an evil spirit of the same rank.克莱恩's facial expression subtly shifted, but it was obscured by the gray-white mist. At that moment, the audience member didn't seem to be paying any particular attention to him. "the Shepherd?" "the Shepherd?" "Justice" and "The Hanged Man" both spoke up, expressing complete bewilderment—one utterly puzzled, the other slightly surprised, as though they had heard the name before and knew a bit about it, yet lacked specific details. When everyone's gaze turned to him, Drik felt a sudden sense of unease. Though he was usually quiet, introspective, and burdened with sorrow, he was still just a young man. He hurried to explain, stammering: "What I mean is that the traits listed under 'The Hangman' closely resemble the extraordinary abilities of the 'Shepherd' archetype—a shepherd who can absorb the souls of others, including restless spirits and malevolent entities, and then guide and harness these souls in unique ways, much like a divine shepherd tending to lambs." "Therefore, no one knows exactly how many abilities a shepherd possesses—it depends entirely on how many exceptional souls they have absorbed, which makes them appear remarkably powerful, even approaching the strength of high-tier characters." "Yet some suspect that the number of souls a shepherd can absorb and shepherd is finite, and that these souls can be replaced over time." "Ah, so that's what 'shepherd' really means..." The sequence pathways maintained by the 'Aurora Society' have always been strangely enigmatic. It's no wonder they revere either the 'True Creator'—or, more accurately, the 'Fallen Creator.' Klein suddenly understood, yet he didn't nod, instead projecting the air of someone who had known all along. In his mind, he sighed: "Sun, you truly are still just a child. This is such vital information—so crucial—something of immense value. You've simply let it slip out!" It's been said... Hmm, the abilities of the magical item that needs to be sealed—the "Thirsty That Moves"—are very similar to those of Sequence 5, "The Shepherd"... Perhaps many sealed items resemble a certain sequence profession in their uncontrolled state... I'm not sure which sequence profession the sealed item "2-049," the puppet from the Antigonos family, most closely resembles... After hearing "The Sun's" explanation, "The Hangman" Aljere nodded as if a mystery had been resolved, then fell into quiet contemplation. "Justice" Audrey asked with growing curiosity, "Which sequence path is 'The Shepherd' from? What sequence is it?" "The Path of the Secret Seekers, Sequence 5," said Kline, subtly adding the detail to indicate that he knew everything. "The Path of the Secret Seekers... from the Aurora Circle..." Audrey suddenly recalled Mr. A, who seemed to be the envoy of the Aurora Circle, and felt a sudden sense of weight settle upon her. She began to seriously consider what cost she could offer the Fool to secure his assistance in easily handling that unpleasant individual, yet no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't find a way to move him. Indeed, it wasn't easy to win over great figures near the divine—those who were naturally interested in few things and few objects. Odile murmured this to herself. Temporarily setting aside her impatience, she nodded gratefully to the "Sun," thanking him for helping everyone develop a fresh understanding of the "creeping hunger," which now enabled more reasonable and effective responses. "The Hangman, I accept this commission, but I cannot guarantee that I will find the 'Wind Commander' Zinglitz," Odile said, turning to face the one across from her. "There's no better answer than this—regardless of whether you succeed, as long as you make the effort, I will pay you a certain sum afterward, such as some secret knowledge or intelligence. And if you succeed, perhaps I can directly provide you with the primary materials of the 'Mind Reader,' of course, on the condition that we know exactly what they are." Aljer offered this with his rare generosity. "Deal," Odile replied, smiling slightly. Subsequently, with Klein's permission and assistance, Aljer materialized the portrait of Zilings. One of the seven naval admirals possessed a distinctive broad chin, his brown hair tied neatly at the back in the style of an ancient warrior, his deep green eyes seeming to hold a gentle smile yet remarkably cold. After concluding all that needed to be discussed and sharing all the relevant intelligence, the Fool, Caine, smiled and announced that the day's proceedings would conclude. Then he observed the "Justice" and the "Hanged Man" rising gracefully to offer their bows, while the "Sun" moved more slowly, following suit. With a gentle gesture, he lowered his right hand, severing the connection, yet did not immediately depart. Derek did not worry that the "Hymn-Bearer" formula he possessed might be questioned or doubted by the upper echelons of Silver City, since during each of their previous expeditions, members of the elite teams had, to some extent, gathered various recipes, materials, and odd items from monsters and from the abandoned or ruined cities. It was quite normal for individuals to quietly retain certain items, especially if they weren’t particularly significant—leaders and senior officials consistently refrained from pursuing such actions. Over time, certain recipes began circulating unofficially within Silver City, while others became the very foundation of the prosperity of specific families. The characteristics of dark entities surrounding Silver City remained relatively stable, with some materials being readily accessible and others requiring deep forays into the cursed lands to encounter. Setting down the parchment, Derek recalled the mysterious Fool’s instruction, and with the simplicity of his modest bedroom, bowed his head and offered a brief prayer: "The Fool who does not belong to this age." "The mysterious sovereign above the gray mist." "The king of yellow and black, ruler of fortune." ... —— Giant speech is an ancient language inherently imbued with the mysticism of ritual, prayer, and spellcasting, so Deryck did not need to translate it into ancient Hermes. ... "The fool who does not belong to this age." ... Silently seated at the head of the ancient bronze long table, Caine heard the murmuring prayers drifting through the air and observed the deep red star corresponding to 'Sun' expanding and contracting. Yet he made no attempt to engage, intending instead to respond a few minutes earlier than usual at the next gathering, thus allowing the silver-city youth time to prepare for solitude. Most importantly, this approach enabled him to avoid the complexities of time and date conversion, preserving the integrity of the fool's powerful image. Once this matter was confirmed, Caine enveloped himself in spiritual energy and plunged downward with sudden urgency. Upon returning to his room, he dismantled the spiritual barrier, rested briefly, and then prepared to go out once more. He no longer needs to play the role of a seer, nor does he have to schedule regular visits to the seer’s club—occasional trips there to earn a little extra income and fulfill the night watchman’s supervisory duties are sufficient. Originally, Klein had hoped to simply lounge lazily for the afternoon, but then he remembered there was one thing still pending, which compelled him to re-energize—by agreement, he needed to meet with detective Henry today and obtain the final report on the Red Chimney investigation. “Ah, it’s said that the prominent people are always very busy… and then, after all that, he’ll still have time to spare to join Bensen and Melissa at the ‘Tinggen City Help for Household Servants’ association, to find a reliable housemaid…” Klein struggled to change out of his shirt, donned a black tailcoat, held a half-high silk hat and a silver-handled cane, and stepped out of the door like a gentleman. On Bessic Street, beneath Henry’s private detective office, Klein donned his mask, lowered his hat, and swiftly crossed the street, entering the stairwell.