Outside the northern district, in the three-story teaching building of the now nearly abandoned medical college. Even at just three in the afternoon, the fog and layered clouds had already cast a gloomy, dim light over Beckland, as though a major downpour were imminent. Inside the decaying corridors, cold, subdued light slanted through the windows, creating a quiet, wounded stillness that was both serene and eerie. For the second time visiting this place, Audrey no longer felt as nervous or tense as she had before. With her surgical cap and large mask, she habitually tilted her head left and right, taking in the details of the environment—every corner, every feature. Viscount Glaringt walked beside her, growing increasingly uneasy and murmuring softly, "Something about this place feels a bit odd... Could there be ghosts or specters?" As a semi-enthusiastic follower of the esoteric arts, he had only personally witnessed two extraordinary phenomena—Folth's ability to walk through walls and open doors—and remained uncertain about the very existence of spirits and shadows. Yet this did not diminish his sense of fear regarding such creatures. Forsyth glanced at him, holding back a smile. "Most of the guests at the gathering are extraordinary beings. If there truly are malevolent spirits and ghosts, they'd certainly be thrilled—meaning we'd have a shortage of materials or servants." Seeing the baron clearly exhale in relief, she deliberately added, "Of course, I'm referring only to the weaker kind of ghosts. True, fully formed shadows might silently claim every single life here, trapping people between the floors, unable to escape, as though they'd entered a maze." Hux heard and nodded in agreement. "I've encountered similar restless spirits before—circulating through the cemetery for hours, always unable to escape. Throughout the process, people would inexplicably turn around and suddenly pass away. Had it not been for one extraordinary being carrying a 'solar sigil,' perhaps you wouldn't be seeing me today." Viscount Glairint shivered and quickly turned toward the window, just as a withered branch, swayed by the cold wind, lightly struck the glass with a soft sound. Glairint nearly gasped, hurriedly drawing closer to the two extraordinary beings, Fores and Tho. Audrey held back a smile that was nearly at her lips, quietly observing the scene, thinking to herself: I've seen the "Fool" of near-divine stature, known the Silver City of the abandoned gods, heard tales of monstrous horrors deep in the dark—what could possibly frighten me now with spectral ghosts and shadows? Yet... I haven't truly encountered a ghost yet. Pah! Audrey, what are you thinking? One shouldn't stumble upon such things at random! Unless I've become a psychiatrist, endowed with the extraordinary ability to influence other beings, or unless I've obtained a magical artifact that can counteract ghostly creatures... The group of four quickened their pace and soon arrived at today's gathering place. As they approached the door, Firth found an opportunity, slightly bent forward, and whispered to Thew’s ear: “You did quite well just now—managed to compose a story on the spot and scare someone quite effectively.” “He looks pale as white as a sheet, especially where the mask doesn’t cover him—almost no other color is visible.” Thew turned his head, slightly puzzled, and replied: “I didn’t make up a story at all.” “That was something that happened to me before I came to Beckland.” “….” Firth paused, and asked aloud, “Is that really true?” “What’s there to deceive anyone about?” Thew’s confusion was completely masked by the mask. Firth turned his head and took a few steps forward, then suddenly felt a tremor run through him. At that moment, having grown tired of lingering in the eerie, oppressive corridor, Lord Glayntr pushed open the door to the gathering hall. With the creak of the hinges echoing, he was greeted by the concrete floor and the unpleasant, musty smell of preservatives that filled his nostrils. Next, he spotted a larger pool at the center, filled with a transparent, yellowish liquid, with figures floating in it like layers of translucent membranes. These figures were completely naked—some intact, others partially stripped of their outer skin, appearing like dried beef, brown and crusted. They were all corpses! "Ah!" A sharp cry echoed through the room. Gazes turned toward Glayntrit. These were the white coats surrounding the pool, wearing surgical caps and full masks, only their eyes and a few patches of skin exposed. Glayntrit swayed slightly, wanting to turn and flee, yet he saw Odile, Firth, and Hugh moving past him as if unharmed, stepping into the pool with the calm demeanor of companions who had simply arrived together. He took a deep breath, nearly retching. He looked back out into the corridor, where it was dark and cold, shadowed and indistinct—no living person in sight. Then shivered again, Glayntr stepped up his pace, catching up with Audrey and the others, and settled down at the farthest point from the pool. A few minutes later, a figure in a white coat stepped forward, using a wooden pole with a hook beside the pool to pull a body close to the edge, then immediately reached in, dragging the corpse onto the cement ground. He paused for a few seconds, then produced a surgical knife and opened the abdomen of the body. As the incision deepened, a cold, raspy voice suddenly emerged from within: "The gathering begins." ……around four in the afternoon, the sky was growing ever more like night. "How come nothing at all...?" Glairint didn't maintain his noble composure, leaning slightly against the wooden carriage walls with a faint sense of weariness, and murmured a sigh. This extraordinary gathering had left a deep impression on him, making him feel he had taken on considerable risk. Yet even so, he still hadn't managed to secure either the horn of an adult unicorne or the toxic crystal of the crown jellyfish. Forth sighed quietly: "This is quite normal. Though Beckland is the most accessible source for materials, if one doesn't participate in every single gathering, it's entirely possible to face prolonged difficulties in finding the items one desires—this either requires luck or patience." "Lord Glairint, we still have no leads on the 'audience' formula that Miss Odile wishes for." Sometimes, one encounters something—but simply doesn't have the funds to purchase it... thought Hough, sitting beside him, with a sense of resignation. Audrey comforted Gleantrt with, "When I return, I'll go through my family's vault and see if I can find something you're looking for." She had brought the pituitary gland of the rainbow lizard today, but hadn't encountered the spinal fluid of the Farsman rabbit, so she settled for 320 pounds in cash—this was for Suzy's promotion. Gleantrt nodded, about to speak, when suddenly, Hugh sat up straight, his brow furrowed. "It seems someone's been following us!" "I trust your instinct," Firth said, glancing around. Following us? What could we possibly have that would warrant attention? We'd sold a remarkable item and received several hundred pounds in cash. Even if someone wanted to rob us, we shouldn't be among the prime targets. Though Gleantrt seemed inexperienced, we hadn't been—indeed, the host had taken several measures to ensure the safety of the members, anticipating the possibility of someone being followed. Unless, of course, the very person who had arranged all this was the one sending someone to follow us! Everything had been normal last time, hmm—what was different this time... Audrey's thoughts raced, and suddenly she had an idea: perhaps my pursuit of the "audience" formula has drawn the attention of the Psychological Alchemy Circle. They couldn't simply sell the "audience" formula at random; inevitably, it would lead to invitations to join. And inviting people to join wouldn't be easy—there would have to be vigilance to ensure the recipients weren't potential night-watchers, designated penance-bearers, or spies sent by some hidden faction. Without observing targets and conducting thorough assessments, the organization would quickly be dismantled! After a moment's reflection, Audrey said to Forse and the others: "Be ready for an attack." "Act as if you haven't noticed the followers." "If you can safely return to the Queen's District, don't worry about my or Glantrit's identities being exposed—your task is to remain concealed and leave quietly." Her emerald eyes swept over Glairinthe, and with a gentle smile she added, "We're well-known among the mystical enthusiasts. It's quite normal to find opportunities to attend extraordinary gatherings—especially if we're following official extraordinary individuals. We wouldn't raise any suspicion, since we're still just ordinary people. They might only issue a few warnings through other channels." Yet now I've reached Sequence 8... Heavens, to connect with the Psychological Alchemy Circle, I have to take some risks... The official extraordinary individuals shouldn't suspect me simply because I'm merely seeking recipes. They shouldn't be able to track us through the event organizers. I must trust my instincts! Audrey steadied herself mentally. "Very well," the Viscount murmured, agreeing. The carriage proceeded as usual, making several loops, and eventually, as planned, they switched to a new one. Throughout this entire process, the trackers never launched an attack. After reaching the back entrance of the Viscount's manor in Queens' Glantrit, the two nobles returned by conventional means, while Fols and Hugh each departed using their own skills. Fifteen or twenty minutes later, Audrey, accompanied by her golden-haired dog Susie and her personal maids, left openly through the main entrance in her own carriage. Listening to the sound of the wheels rolling, she could not be certain whether anyone was still following them, and thus allowed her thoughts to drift: Clearly, the daughter of Lord Hall could not be a spy for any significant power—her past was impeccable, her passion for esoteric studies well known, and her status and position offered her unique advantages. Perhaps, within a couple of days, a member of the Psychological Alchemy Circle would reach out to her. Audrey found herself both eager and slightly nervous about this prospect. ……… claiming to be making preparations, Kline simply spent two days at the Crag Club, even joining a card game with the horsemanship instructor Talim and a few others, winning a few sulers in the process. Before going to bed, he didn’t forget to stop by the outside of Jurgen’s lawyer’s house, checking whether there was any light and whether he should feed the cat. At 8 p.m. on Friday, he donned his iron mask and donned his black, hooded robe, entering the living room of the elder from "The Eye of Wisdom."