An endless stream of faint lights surged toward him, and the chaotic, fragmented murmurs of a million voices poured into his ears—yet Caine paid them no heed. The abilities of the "Clown" informed him that his ethereal form was being gradually enveloped and consumed by the spreading, expanding shadow. This shadow took the shape of a vast cruciform structure, as if a person were inverted and suspended upon it! Crackle! The turbulent storm of fragmented thoughts reversed direction, aligning into a unified flow, and Hude Egen's "inner world" crumbled, inch by inch. Caine realized he had surpassed the peak speed he had achieved during that earlier experiment. His ethereal form, briefly integrating with the subtle forces of the mysterious space above the gray mist, had now gained a distinct and tangible strength. As the cruciform shadow neared complete envelopment, he broke free from that hazy realm, reestablishing contact with his physical body. Dropping swiftly and gracefully, Klein's eyes instantly revealed Hude Egen—lean-faced, with tousled yellow hair—alongside three candles burning steadily on the windowsill. He had broken free of the spirit state in time! In an instant, Klein saw black scales sprouting across Hude Egen's face, his once茫然 pupils rising upright, transforming into an unusually cold and unyielding gaze. Disaster! Hude Egen was about to lose control! As Klein's pupils contracted, barely able to react, he saw a figure in a knee-length black coat, wearing a matching silk hat, stride two steps to Hude Egen's side and raise a specially crafted revolver, pressing the barrel firmly against the man's head. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Dunne Smith fired five consecutive shots, and Hude Egen's head instantly swelled out, like a watermelon falling from a height, splashing red and white rain across every corner of the room. He had subdued Hude Egen before the latter completely lost control. On Klein's face and body, spots of blood and stains covered every inch, as he stared in wonder at Denne Smith, now seeming so strikingly handsome. As long as memory wasn't discussed, Smith was truly trustworthy—this thought warmed him deeply. "What happened?" Denne set down his revolver, watching as the nearly headless body of Hude Egen slowly collapsed, then within just a few breaths transformed into a pool of bloodied flesh and the hospital gown covering it, as though even its most basic structure had been utterly destroyed. Hude Egen's body soon remained only a few intact elements: dozens of shimmering black scales, and his heart, now tinged with a pale blue hue, becoming translucent and luminous. This heart flowed with a dreamlike radiance, like diamonds illuminated by light. It sometimes calms, sometimes agitates, sometimes creates tension, sometimes brings chaos—but beyond that, it shows no other distinct behavior. "This should be a manageable item," Dunn said, securing the revolver, pulling on black gloves and donning them on his right hand, then crouching down to pick up the luminous heart. A manageable item... According to the captain's earlier description, this could serve as the primary ingredient in the Sequence 7 "Psychologist" formula... But might this make the extraordinary individuals promoted through this process more prone to instability? Kline took a handkerchief, wiping the bloodstains from his face and body, then retrieved the specially crafted Tarot cards, carefully cleaning their surfaces. He looked down at the ground, curious to ask: "What kind of item are these black scales?" "This material has acquired a certain extraordinary potency and is ideal for crafting durable items—such as our elemental bullets. Once these bullets have been in use for more than three months, their effectiveness against undead and similar creatures significantly diminishes, leaving only the inherent elemental properties of the material itself. If instead we use black scales as the base material, the effectiveness can last for a year or even two years, with the effects being even more potent. Of course, due to their inherent properties, these black scales are clearly unsuitable for use in elemental bullets." Dunning explained while taking the paper from Caine, wrapping the pale blue heart and the black scales securely. "Much like the parts of an extraordinary being that can serve as auxiliary components in potion-making?" Caine asked, offering an example. Dunning straightened up and nodded gently. "Yes." "Once it goes out of control, it truly becomes a monster... Kline sighed, taking advantage of the fact that the room was still sealed by the ethereal wall, and quickly recounted his experience: "While communicating with Hude Egen's consciousness, I saw a figure resembling the true Creator—different from the mainstream depictions. Instead of the giant chained and inverted, or the eyes behind the veil of shadows, it was similar to what Captain you saw in Heinrich VanSente's dream." Heinrich VanSente is a member of the Aurora Circle, whose private incantations were discovered and fully analyzed by Serenela, leading to an investigation by the Watchers at night. Meanwhile, Dune Smith saw in his dream a vision of the true Creator that differed from the widely known image, resulting in one of them being injured and the other mysteriously dying. Regarding the events that had occurred earlier, when Hude Egen drew the "Hanged Man" card from the Tarot, Caine had already anticipated something, though he hadn't expected it to unfold quite that way—this was an indirect contact, unlike his direct "glimpse" of the "Eternal Sun," which could only result in minor injuries or slight contamination. Upon hearing Caine's description, Dunn's expression immediately grew serious. He furrowed his brows and said in a low tone: "A massive cross, black iron nails, a naked man covered in blood, suspended upside down?" "I didn't see it clearly, which is also why I wasn't injured—I only noticed the large cross and a figure that seemed to be hanging upside down," Caine replied gently. He had been too focused on "fleeing" at the time. Dunn nodded thoughtfully: "Does the visit by Lan'Urus to Hude Egen have anything to do with the 'True Creator'? With the Aurora Society?" Klein hurriedly described in full detail the conversations he had experienced during the spirit communication and the images he had seen, concluding with: "...Lan'luus used the 'role-playing' technique to entice Hude Egen, presenting a touch of immortality—yet I can't understand why he referred to it as the worst time, also the best time. Perhaps this is simply the distinctive way of speaking characteristic of a 'con artist'? "...The assistance Hude Egen provided involved eerie, dark altars... I suspect Lan'luus is planning something dreadful... As he spoke, an idea struck him: "Captain, do you remember the letter addressed to Mr. Z that I found on the member of the Aurora Circle I killed? In that letter, he wrote that when the right moment arrived—when some great day of destruction came—he would offer all the sheep of Tinggen City to the so-called 'Master.' Could this be connected to Lan'luus's plans? Could Lan'luus be Mr. Z of the Aurora Circle?" "Denis Smith thought carefully and said, 'I don't believe that. Lan'luus isn't the Z gentleman, otherwise he wouldn't have established a fictitious steel company while carrying out his duties at the Aurora Society, diverting others' funds—this would introduce unpredictability into his primary mission. A minor disruption in the steel company's operations would expose him to both police and our attention, forcing him to flee Tinggen and interrupt his plans.' 'Of course, if he were a complete madman, any illogical actions would be entirely normal.' 'But from the calm, calculated, and astute manner in which he orchestrated the deception and steadily siphoned off funds, it's clear he's not truly mad.' 'Therefore, I believe he isn't the Z gentleman of the Aurora Society. Indeed, he is very likely involved in the matter mentioned in the letter—the dedication of all the sheep of Tinggen to the so-called chief.'" "With that," Duan paused, pacing back and forth, "this situation might be quite serious. We need to re-investigate Larnuus and strive to uncover some clues. You know, we'll handle the scene, conceal the traces here, make everyone aware that Hude Egen has died—but we won't be able to determine who killed him. That way, the Psychological Alchemists or any other extraordinary individuals closely monitoring the asylum will be prompted to step forward—they might hold the answers. "After speaking, Dunning turned to Cline and paused thoughtfully, asking, 'Do you have anything you'd like to add?' 'Everything's been covered by you,' Cline said seriously, shaking his head. 'Nothing at all!' He made the most of the still-disordered, modest altar, using ritual magic to erase key traces, ensuring that under normal circumstances, no one would be able to uncover that he and Captain Dunning had eliminated Hude Egen. Then, gathering his materials, he extinguished the candles and dissolved the spiritual barrier, and together with Dunning Smith, they quietly left the ward and exited the asylum. 'Go rest now,' Dunning said, standing in the corner of the wall where there were no streetlights, and gently touching his black silk hat. 'Many things will unfold tomorrow.' 'Certainly,' Cline replied. Though not someone who slept only two or three hours a night, he immediately took his leave and boarded the night-watch team's dedicated carriage waiting nearby, returning to the street of Narcissus." As he stepped into the carriage, he glanced back and saw the captain still standing in the darkness where even the moonlight had been blocked, as if quietly pondering something. The streets at dawn were quiet and deserted, the carriage speeding forward, now straight, now turning. Klein was thinking about Lan'urus, and his mind suddenly grew hazy. The colors before him suddenly deepened—red became richer, black deeper—like an abstract oil painting. Everything around seemed to slow down, as if the carriage had entered a strange world. Suddenly, Klein grasped the "Yingyan Seal" firmly and drew his revolver. At that moment, a massive bone-hand pierced through the carriage window and deposited a folded letter inside. As the hand withdrew and vanished, the painting-like scene snapped back to normal, and the carriage continued its steady journey along the streets. "...Indeed, a most subtle way," Klein said, staring at the letter beneath his feet, his lips twitching slightly.