Looking into Caine's eyes, Dunn took a deep breath, leaned back, and then slowly exhaled, "Are you sure?" His expression remained largely unchanged, as though he had long anticipated this special request, even if he hadn't expected it to come so soon. Captain, you seem to have finally exhaled, as though your mind has settled... Caine smiled without reservation, "I'm certain, Captain. When you fully master the elixir, you experience a unique, wonderful sensation—undeniably certain that you have truly mastered it." "A unique, wonderful sensation..." Dunn murmured the phrase, his brow gradually furrowing. Hmm, hadn't the Captain been promoted twice before, without having fully absorbed the elixir yet? Indeed, without mastering the art of "playing the part," it's difficult to achieve true assimilation—only through prolonged refinement and some instinctive performances can one mitigate the risk of losing control. How pitiful for the captain... Caine silently watched Dunning Smith, saying nothing, adding no further words, allowing him to think carefully. After nearly a minute, the depth of Dunning's gray eyes once again reflected Caine's image. Carefully choosing his words, he said: "Perhaps, waiting another year would be a better choice." The captain meant that, after one more year, he wouldn't stand out too much—given the example set by Miss Dail, the senior management would not pay him excessive attention, at most placing him on a list for further observation. Caine thought it over and responded calmly: "I originally intended to make my special request next year as well, since there are still many things I need to master—such as combat, which is only just beginning." "But, Captain, don't you find that we've experienced an unusually number of coincidences over the past couple of months?" Pursuing the kidnapper, I ended up encountering the notes of the Antigonus family right across the room; the sealed item '2—049' was delayed in delivery, yet Riel Bibber hadn't fled Tinggen at all—she began attempting to absorb her strength right at the dock; I went to a birthday party, and there I learned about Hinas Vanzente's story; I went to the library to investigate, and there I met the member of the Aurora Circle right away... "I don't know what these coincidences mean, but I always feel uneasy, so I'm determined to strengthen myself as much as possible." Seizing this opportunity, Caine made a subtle reference to the unseen force behind the scenes—something he had originally planned to include in his schedule. Without revealing his own special abilities, he reminded the night-watch team to look for additional clues from other angles. In the eyes of others, his earlier remarks only suggested one conclusion: keen intuition and a talent for organizing information. After Klein uttered the word "but," Dunn's body gradually leaned forward, until finally he held his mouth with crossed hands. His gaze remained steady and focused, as if pondering the words just spoken. After several seconds, Dunn lifted his head and spoke in a smooth, low tone: "Very perceptive... perhaps, there truly is something hidden deep in the darkness." Without waiting for Klein to respond, he then instructed: "You can go write the special application now." "Yes," Klein replied with a warm smile. He smiled and rose to his feet, heading toward the door, where he inevitably heard the familiar addition. "Wait," Dunn called out to the one about to step out, pausing to consider his words. "Pay close attention to your wording." Rest assured, Captain—I value this even more than you do! Klein nodded enthusiastically, his smile bright. He had originally thought that Dunning would propose another plan—namely, to bypass the Sanctum and directly promote to Sequence 8 on a private basis, then follow the standard procedure after three years. But upon closer examination, he realized this was impossible, because whether through special application or regular application, all candidates had to undergo evaluation by the Sanctum-appointed staff—though one process was extremely complex, the other quite straightforward. Once the secret of their Sequence 8 status was revealed, it would no longer be concealed, and the entire Tingen Valley Night Watch team would be affected. Klein didn't linger to chat with them. He found an empty table and quickly began drafting the "Special Request." Having a clear plan in mind, he completed the initial work in just ten minutes. After reviewing and revising several times, he sat at the 1346-model mechanical typewriter and transformed the draft into a final copy. The rhythmic tapping of the keyboard drew a glance between the two new clerical staff members, who then rose simultaneously, walked out of the office, and headed to the reception area to chat with Rosan, leaving Klein alone in the room. Reserved, yet clearly attentive to confidentiality... Klein glanced at their backs and quietly admired the scene. He turned his attention back to the keyboard and continued typing. Just as he was about to finalize the special request, Leonard Mitchell stepped out of the break room, glanced around, and smoothed his shirt collar, his hair slightly disheveled yet exuding a free-spirited grace. "What are you working on?" he asked. Leonard glanced toward the clerical office, leaning against the doorframe with his right foot lightly resting on the floor and his hands in his pockets, asking. His bright green eyes studied Caine with keen interest. After finishing the last word and punctuation mark, Caine turned his head and smiled. "A special application." "A special application?" Leonard replied, clearly puzzled. Caine picked up the paper, quickly scanned it, and explained casually, "For a special application under Promotion Sequence 8." Cough! Cough! Leonard suddenly coughed violently, struggling to calm down before finally saying, "Have you just finished digesting the potion?" Digesting? Classmate, you know so much... Caine, holding the "special application," walked toward Leonard and raised an eyebrow. "Yes." Then he locked eyes with the other person, lowered his voice, and smiled warmly, adding, "I remember someone once telling me that there are always certain people in this world who are special—people capable of accomplishing things others simply can't." "Like me," he said. "Or like you." Leonard was suddenly at a loss for words, only able to shift his stance, drawing his hands from his pockets and bringing them to rest around his chest. He cleared his throat, finally finding his voice, and asked in a steady tone, "Don't you find this rather risky?" Since he's able to digest this, he must clearly understand that my promotion isn't a risky endeavor... Well, he means the watchful eyes of the church hierarchy, perhaps? Klein mused and explained, "Leonard, do you remember our very first joint assignment? We were simply tracking a kidnapper, and yet we discovered traces of the Antigonus family's records hidden in the room across from us..." He then recounted verbatim what he had told Dunning earlier. Leonard's expression grew gradually more serious, subtly nodding in agreement. He murmured, "Perhaps I should speed things up myself..." As soon as he finished, he suddenly turned to Caine, beaming with a bright smile. "Won't you share your experience with us? Your insights on quickly mastering potions and minimizing the risk of loss of control!" How quickly he can shift his demeanor! Caine chuckled. "I'd be delighted to." He had intended to use this opportunity to offer some guidance to the night-watch team members, helping reduce their risk of losing control. Of course, for his own safety, he couldn't be as direct as he would have been with Dunning Smith—only sharing the initial groundwork, which would be sufficient for senior-level personnel to be aware of. "Now, then!" Leonard eagerly pulled Caine toward the Night Watch recreation room. At this very moment, aside from Lo Yao, who was on duty at the Charnel Gate, Frey, Coen Li, and Xica T'ong were all present, leisurely playing cards. "Everyone, everyone!" Leonard knocked gently on the half-shuttered door, speaking in a measured, recital-like tone, "Allow me to formally introduce the gentleman beside me—Mr. Kline Moretti, who has fully mastered the art of potion-making in just under two months!" ...He's so grandiose... Kline suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. "What?" Xica T'ong, the relatively unknown and not particularly popular writer, tilted her head slightly, as if testing her hearing. "Leonard, stop being so theatrical—your performances are always this flamboyant," Coen Li said, patiently settling her hand cards. Frey held her cards, glanced at Kline, and after a quiet pause, murmured: "Are you absolutely certain you've fully mastered potion-making?" "Yes," Kline, sensing their genuine interest, nodded firmly. "There are clear indicators of that." "Really?" Koehn Li suddenly gasped, rising to her feet with a start. Leonard chuckled and pointed to the papers in Cline's hands. "This is his special application for promotion to Sequence 8!" "How did he manage that?" Xiga T'On thought deeply, but after taking a deep breath, settled only on the question most pressing to her. Even her usually composed and graceful demeanor was now visibly warmed by intense focus. Cline sat down at a chair, speaking softly. "I drew inspiration from the motto of the 'Seers.'" "Do as you wish, but do not harm?" Leonard responded diligently. "Yes," Cline said, sharing what he learned from Old Neil, "our internal records show that 'Seers' who adhere to this motto have a lower rate of instability than the average. Later, I gained further insight from the case of Lady Daili." "Lady Daili?" Koehn Li asked, seeking confirmation. "Well, Miss Daili also submitted a special application—she transformed from a 'body collector' to a true 'seer' in just two years. She once told old Neil that she wanted to become a genuine seer." Cline explained in detail. "Plus, the experiences and feedback I've gathered from my time at the Divination Club have led me to gradually formulate the 'Divination Principles,' which I now strictly follow, striving to become a true diviner. When I actually live by these principles, I find my progress in mastering potions is remarkably swift—so swift that I can hardly call it mastery at all." After listening to Cline's account, Frey, Sichá, and the others all fell into thoughtful silence, while Leonard pretended to be deeply engaged in thought. "I'll submit my special application," Cline said, lifting the paper in his hands. "Should there be any questions, feel free to ask me privately." "Understood," Frey replied, his tone seemingly cold. After stepping out of the lounge, Cline once again knocked on the captain's office door. He sat across from Dunn at his desk, picked up a pen and ink stamp, signed first, then pressed his fingerprint. "Captain, my 'special application.'" After completing these steps, he held the paper in both hands and presented it to Dunn. Dunn read it carefully, then set it down. "I'll get it to the chapel as soon as possible. You'll be ready for evaluation—perhaps next week, or the week after." "Understood," said Cline, took a deep breath, and nodded firmly. He stood up, walked out of the captain's office, and gently closed the door behind him. As he went through this process, he glanced back at his own application, and a thought naturally arose: I wonder what kind of evaluation I'll receive... ps: An extra update scheduled for tomorrow and the day after—please support with a monthly subscription! The updates will be at noon 12:30, 7 p.m., and early morning, and also on the day after.