"No, we don't..." Kline was about to finish his rebuttal when Bensen smiled and interrupted, "Although Elizabeth is a bit younger, and her family situation is certainly more favorable than ours, I believe you two would be a good match. Just perhaps you'll need to wait a few more years—she's currently in public school, aiming for university, and marriage won't be on the horizon for at least six or seven years. Of course, you could start with a engagement." ...You don't have to think so far ahead, please... Kline took a breath and said, "I don't particularly like Elizabeth. More accurately, I don't like girls who are much younger than me. I prefer someone more mature." Actually, within reasonable limits, I can accept that—but not right now... He added mentally, with a touch of resignation. "Someone more mature?" Melissa frowned, "Then you must address your marriage matters soon." Ah? Klein simply couldn't grasp his sister's line of thinking and asked in bewilderment, "Why?" Melissa explained seriously, "Once you've saved enough money for your future marriage, you'll be around twenty-five or twenty-six—by then, girls a bit more mature than you are either already married or have already committed to engagement. Wouldn't you rather pursue a widow?" That made absolutely no sense... Klein stared blankly, mentally responding in Chinese. Benson smiled and countered his sister, "Melissa, you don't realize that among today's middle-class women, it's quite common for someone to remain unmarried or engaged by thirty. Many of them are devoted to goddesses, possess strong financial independence, and prefer to stay single rather than settle for an unsatisfactory marriage—yes, I read about this in the magazine *Family*." "Really?" Melissa, still only sixteen, wasn't very familiar with such matters. Seeing how both his brother and sister were growing more enthusiastic, Caine cleared his throat and said, "By 'mature,' I mean a psychological state—not necessarily someone older than me. In fact, it's actually Bensen who should be more concerned about marriage issues." Apologizing silently to his brother, he added, "Sorry, brother—I had no choice." "...," Melissa paused, then nodded firmly, "Yes!" Just as she had intended to elaborate on middle-class marriage challenges, Bensen suddenly shivered, looking directly at his sister and said, "I'm currently going through a transitional phase and need to devote all my energy to studies. Only when I secure a satisfactory job and build up some savings will I feel confident enough to pursue a woman I truly admire and offer her a life of genuine beauty and comfort." Caine and Melissa both blinked in surprise, then said at the same time, "You already have someone in mind?" Bensen, who had only casually mentioned it earlier, was now startled and quickly shook his head, "No!" "I was just giving an example!" ……… Beckettland, Hillsdon district, in a slightly gloomy, dimly lit house. Before an unlit fireplace, an elderly man with white hair sat comfortably in a armchair, gazing intently at the visitors gathered on the sofa. He was the host, Esingh Stanton, a well-known private detective within his inner circle, though he had not established an office—instead, he employed a secretary to assist him. Wearing a white shirt and black jacket, Esingh brought his dark pipe to his lips, took a deep, leisurely draught, and then slowly exhaled: “The consulting fee for half an hour is one pound. If we were in your shoes, we’d certainly not waste a single second.” The two women on the sofa were Firth Vol and Hoo Dillchase, who had gathered information about the ‘Hurricane General’ Zilings, and wished to enlist the renowned detective, skilled in behavioral analysis, to help them identify the patterns of the target’s behavior. Of course, they omitted the name of Zhiling and altered the descriptions of the extraordinary elements. Seeing Esgar, thin-faced, with sharp features and pale blue eyes, Hu Di-Cha handed the file folder to her assistant, a well-dressed, composed young man with brown hair and gold-rimmed glasses. "Detective sir, I hope you can identify the patterns of the target's activities in Beckett." Though of average height, Hu Di-Cha exuded an air of authority when he sat upright and spoke with calm conviction, making it difficult to resist his presence. Esgar glanced at her intently, took the folder from her assistant, unrolled it, and extracted the documents. He set down his pipe and began reading carefully, one page at a time, without missing a single one. A few minutes later, the dignified gentleman with white hair slowly tapped the armrest: "The target has a strong preference for the wind... Therefore, in the 'City of Dust,' Beckland, he would certainly avoid areas with heavy pollution and settle in one of the cleaner districts—likely the Queens, the West, the Hillsdon, the Chorlton, or the northern outskirts." "The target is a psychopath who murders one living person every other day. A logical approach would be to target the homeless population, as in Beckland, even the police are uncertain about the exact number of homeless individuals." "The target's residence should be neither too close nor too far from areas with many homeless people, such as the East or the Beckland Bridge region. Frequent visits to the surrounding areas to find victims would indicate immaturity, which does not align with your descriptions. If it took him a long time to locate a suitable victim, he might find himself unable to control his impulses and commit a crime under circumstances that would expose him." "The target is an experienced seafarer with exceptional aquatic abilities. A reasonable inference is that his residence is not far from a river—should an emergency arise, it would be his best means of safe escape." "... "Although not entirely clear, it seemed quite logical... Hu and Folsworth exchanged a glance, nodded firmly, collected the materials, and rose to leave. Watching the assistant escort the two ladies out, Esingr, with his hair now white at the temples, withdrew a bronze artifact from his jacket pocket—a small, open book with a vertical eye at its center. Esingr gently rocked his armchair, stroking the artifact and murmuring softly: "Has Zingrass penetrated Beckett?" ... In a subterranean chamber of Prizh Port. "The Hangman" Aljer sat in his chair, calmly observing the man struggling and writhing before him. The man wore the attire of a seaman, his head completely enveloped in a pale blue membrane, his face flushed and purple with effort. His hands continuously reached and pulled at his face, yet could only release droplets of liquid. Eventually, he could no longer bear it and signaled his surrender. Aljer smiled slightly and casually raised his hand to clap. The pale blue water membrane instantly broke apart, transforming into droplets that fell to the ground. The man dressed as a sailor gasped heavily, his breath growing labored until he began to cough violently, coughing so intensely that it seemed as though his heart was being torn apart and his lungs shattered. Once he had calmed down, Aljer leaned back slightly, adopting the calm, composed tone of the Fool, and asked, "Tell me, what was Zilings' purpose in going to Beckland?" "He was fulfilling a commission," the pirate replied, now completely subdued and honest, "but I don't know the specifics. All I know is the benefits he might gain—Zilings had once proudly mentioned this to us. If this venture succeeds, he will obtain an item he has long dreamed of, and the 'Four Kings' of the pirates will become the 'Five Kings.'" An item he has long dreamed of? Aljer furrowed his brows, lost in thought. ……… On a Monday morning, Caine still couldn't rest, continuing his scheduled investigation of houses in Tinggen with red chimneys. Unfortunately, this time, he still failed to find his target. He returned home for lunch, reheated the leftovers from the previous night, ate a bowl of oat bread, and then dozed off for another hour. By 2:40, Caine set down his book, sealed the bedroom with spiritual energy, and once again stepped into the mysterious space above the gray mist. He casually sat at the head of the bronze long table, paying no attention to the number of heartbeats of the "Sun," and extended his right hand, offering an immediate response. When the "hallucination" faded, he silently counted his own heartbeat, holding his silver-white straight sword, and briskly walked toward the rest area. After one thousand heartbeats, he had locked himself alone in a private restroom. Waiting another dozen breaths, he saw deep red light surge from the void, instantly engulfing him. On top of the gray mist, Kline leaned back against the chair, lightly tapped his left teeth twice, and quietly activated his spiritual vision. He saw the ethereal form of "the Sun" deep within its essence grow brighter and purer, like dawn, and smiled, saying, "Congratulations, Songstress." At the same time, he noticed the brilliant stars behind the high-backed chair rapidly shifting and reorganizing into the symbol of the Sun. It changed naturally, without my intention—like a reflex… Well, except for the palace, the long table, and the chairs; all the other things that materialized fail to be preserved once I leave this place… They are truly special… There are quite a few secrets hidden in this gray mist… Caine pondered the scene before him. Derek lowered his head again, speaking with quiet humility: "All of this stems from your assistance—this is only the beginning." He was no surprise that the Fool had noticed he had taken the magical potion. At that moment, Caine produced his silver watch, wound it gently, and glanced at the time, smiling lightly. "Then let us begin our gatherings. Remember, the frequency will likely remain about the same—well, or rather, the intervals." As he spoke, he established a connection with the deep red star symbolizing "Justice" and "The Hangman," drawing both members back into the magnificent palace-like hall. Audrey had just taken in the scene before her and immediately greeted with a bright tone: "Good afternoon, Sir Fool, I still have one page from King Roxelan's diary here." "Good afternoon, Sun Sir, have you obtained the 'Mind-Reader' recipe yet?" ps: Monday request for a ticket and a monthly pass!