"What?" Old Koller asked, not quite hearing. Caine gazed ahead at the uneven road, gave a self-deprecating sigh: "Nothing. I hope Liv's family can break free from their current situation and thrive." He had indeed been moved—being the heir to the new era of the great eating empire, thoughts of revolution, mobilizing the people, and transforming the world were entirely natural. Yet upon reflection, he realized that relying solely on the poor was insufficient. The world harbored extraordinary powers, some of which were remarkably strange and could not be resolved merely by guns and cannons—much like the Sequence 5 "Ghosts of the Strange Path." On one hand, on the other hand, the extraordinary powers were constrained by the principle of conservation of exceptional properties and by the availability of materials. As a result, these powers could not be widely distributed, and the numerical advantage could not be translated into effective combat strength. Even if they were distributed, unless the issue of instability was resolved, they would still bring about disaster. If there were no powerful, high-tier sequence beings, these issues could be addressed to some extent. Yet, the real world not only features half-divine, half-human figures but also countless sealed entities that cause people to die without knowing how. Moreover, the deities are genuinely present and truly above all else. Under such circumstances, ordinary citizens can effectively resist through strikes and demonstrations without facing major obstacles. However, once they take up arms and establish armies, they inevitably face relentless counterattacks—large-scale natural disasters and widespread psychological conditioning are far from impossible. The organizations capable of challenging official extraordinary institutions are often secretive and inherently adversarial. Aligning with them may not result in the most dire outcomes, but still entail significant hardship. Therefore, for a revolutionary movement to succeed, the most promising path is securing support from one or several churches. How much concession can the established elite make simply through strikes and demonstrations? Buying in was a lot easier than expected… Indeed, the incident last time when the "True Maker" nearly descended upon Beckett through the suffering of the poor had clearly made the Divine Church and the informed nobility take notice—this is evident from the investigative assignment given to Mike the journalist and the updates provided by the "Justice" lady… Klein thought endlessly about matters in the Eastern District, the Port District, and the Industrial District. In the end, he couldn’t help but let out a short laugh, murmuring to himself: “After all, the threat of the chaotic gods descending upon them seems most likely to secure improvements for the poor. Yet, these chaotic gods are precisely the ones most eager to feed on their flesh and devour their souls—bringing a disaster that no one can escape. What a perfect irony.” … In the Royal District, at the luxurious manor of Count Holb. Since Dr. Island had other commitments, Audrey had taken the second session of her weekly psychology class earlier than scheduled. Suzy was even more excited and rushed straight into the study, leaving her favorite ball game behind. During the lesson, Audrey deliberately displayed curiosity, frequently asking Islanter about the psychological knowledge related to the mystical realms that he had mentioned earlier. Toward the end of the session, Islanter finally spoke with careful deliberation: "Miss Audrey, we're organizing a seminar on this topic. Many members have specialized research in the intersection of psychology and mysticism—would you be interested in joining?" "Of course!" Audrey immediately nodded, perfectly embodying her established persona of an innocent, curious young girl. Islanter smiled warmly: "Just keep it confidential, as you know, your elders have quite a prejudice against mysticism. I'll take you there next time." "No problem," Audrey replied, her voice slightly excited, with clear enthusiasm. After sending Islanter, whose hair reached her waist, out of the study, she closed the door and stood before the mirror by the bookshelf, pausing with grace and quiet composure for a few seconds. Then, she lifted her skirt and executed a graceful circular movement typical of courtly dance. Turning to gaze at her reflection, she smiled warmly, saying, "Audrey, you're absolutely wonderful!" Audrey knew she had taken the first step toward joining the Psychological Alchemy Circle, even though the seminar itself was mostly a peripheral gathering and further challenges were certain to follow. Yet, this moment had truly opened the door to the circle. Throughout the process, she had relied solely on her own observations and performances, completely fooling the psychologist, Islanter—thus, she felt deeply proud and accomplished. "That seminar sounds quite interesting," Suzy approached, her tail swaying. "Audrey, may I join as well?" Joining? Looking at her golden-furred dog with wide, curious eyes, Audrey found herself reflecting deeply. She gave a long, soft "hmm." "Suzy, it's not possible for now—you're too noticeable..." Her tone shifted, and she offered a gentle smile. "But I can take you with me." With swift, silent steps, he ascended to the second floor and took refuge in an empty guest room. Only after confirming that Dr. Allen and his wife had fallen asleep did he pass through the wall and entered their bedroom. His first action was to draw forth the "Sleeper Spell," softly reciting the incantation that plunged Dr. Allen's wife into a true, deep sleep—ensuring she would not wake suddenly and disrupt his subsequent efforts to help her husband enter a dream state. Then,克莱恩 sat down at the chair by the dressing table, holding the "Dream Spell" in his hands and softly uttering an ancient Hermes word: "Crimson!" As soon as he spoke, he felt the spell in his hands grow light, as though it had become a weightless, ethereal presence. With the infusion of spirit, a transparent flame enveloped the spell, burning with a deep, serene black. Under the guidance of his will, this black flame spread out, enveloping both Dr. Allen and himself. Klein, who swiftly entered a meditative state, saw an endless deep black and a solitary elliptical sphere of light. His spirit extended out, touching the ethereal, hazy presence. Suddenly, the world around him inverted and warped, and without realizing it, Klein found himself on a barren plain, beneath black stones with not a single blade of grass in sight. At the center of the plain rose a black spire, upon which coiled a massive silver-white serpent. Its head had now risen upright, its vivid red eyes coldly gazing in that direction. Unlike Dr. Allen's description, this great silver serpent lacked tangible scales; instead, its body was adorned with dense patterns and symbols that formed interconnected wheels, each wheel further marked by distinct identifiers. The rotational wheels at the tail and head of the great serpent each occupy only half their respective positions, appearing quite incongruous and almost overwhelming—seeming capable of driving an obsessive-compulsive patient to despair. Yet, Klein imagined that if the massive silver serpent could bite down on its own tail, the wheels would then complete their forms, and everything would be whole, no longer fragmented or in flux. Its mouth was wide open, yet no fishy scent wafted forth. Its red eyes were cold and impassive, gazing at every object as though each were prey—yet devoid of any trace of violence or cruelty. Before it, everything seemed small, and by being small, all things were equal. The great serpent ultimately chose not to attack. Caine followed Dr. Allen through a weathered, decaying wooden door and entered the dark, towering structure. As Dr. Allen had described, the layout was exceptionally disordered: staircases spiraled upward, then dipped downward at angles, halls, libraries, and rooms varied in orientation—some upright, some inverted, some embedded within others—making it an architectural marvel impossible to find in the real world. Passing through one door after another, crossing one wall after another, Caine had lost track of exactly where within the black tower he now stood—perhaps at the spire, perhaps deep in the basement. Amid the thick darkness, he suddenly noticed a human figure curled up in a corner ahead. The figure noticed Dr. Allen approaching and quickly pushed himself up, hopping on one leg to come closer. Only when the figure was close enough did Caine clearly see his features—robust and sturdy, about ten years old, with a childlike face, clearly frightened. The figure stood about one meter forty tall, with his left lower leg bare, unmistakably the child Wil O'Scattin who had undergone surgery. He held a set of tarot cards, his dark, ink-black eyes reflecting a mixture of surprise, joy, fear, and anxiety: "Dr. Allen, a snake wants to eat me!" Suddenly, he cried out, and in his eyes, the great, mysterious silver serpent became visible. Clatter! The tarot cards tumbled to the floor, leaving only one tightly held in his palm. Caine looked closely and noticed that the card in his hand bore a wheel. It was the "Wheel of Fortune" card. Clatter! The dream shattered, and Caine found himself still seated in the chair by the dressing table.