Unlike continental cities such as Beckland, Tinggen, and Prizh港, colonial islands like Banxi lack gas; street lamps on both sides are sparse, candles enclosed in glass shades, waiting to be lit. Unfortunately, the wind began early today, and by evening no one had ventured out—no candle flames had ignited by the scheduled time, leaving the roads dark, illuminated only by the faint, veiled crimson moon visible through the clouds. Compared to earlier, the wind had calmed somewhat, at least allowing Caine to no longer worry about his hat. A light mist gradually spread, and the houses, mostly two-storied, had their windows and doors tightly shut, dark and lifeless, as though long abandoned. Caine carried a dimly glowing lantern in one hand and a sturdy walking cane in the other, walking briskly along the quiet, still streets toward the green lemon restaurant indicated by Daniz, the "Flame." Whoo! A breeze swept in from within the mist, and Caine unexpectedly felt a chill along his neck. He lifted his right hand, holding the walking cane, straightening the double-breasted formal suit collar so that it completely covered his neck. At that very moment, a vivid image suddenly flashed into his mind! In the image, a dark silhouette the size of a watermelon burst forth from the mist and instantly landed at his ear. Without any thought, Crane swung his arm and forearm, sharply drawing the cane. Thud! As the sudden shadow approached, it was struck squarely and sent flying backward a good distance. With the light of the lantern, Crane finally made out what had attacked him. It was a head! A head detached from its body, suspended by its esophagus! The head floated in midair, its face resembling a dry, mold-covered cheese, its skin, though loose and sagging, clearly outlining the contours of the bones. The skin flowed with yellowish-green liquid. Its nose was reduced to just two black holes, its eyes mostly white with a few black streaks, bulging outward, and its lips half decayed, revealing sharp, blood-tinged teeth that had been polished to a fine edge! Dog dung! "Flame" Daniz watched this scene, his heart trembling slightly, muttering under his breath. Even though he had explored numerous treasures and battled countless monsters, something so repulsive and horrifying was rare. Without realizing it, he had picked up a classic revolver in his hand, his elbow pressed down, ready to fire. At that moment, he saw a pure, radiant light descend from the sky and land upon the somewhat stiffened head. Ah! A piercing cry erupted as the shriveled, grotesque head rapidly evaporated and dissolved, vanishing completely with no trace left behind. Truly weak! Daniz instinctively remarked. Was Germain Sparo, this monster, of the "Sun" path? Not at all... It should be some kind of magical artifact... I hadn't noticed it yet, but Germán Sparo had already detected the enemy and launched an attack—indeed, quite strong. Danyz quickly shifted his focus to another area. As his thoughts settled, a similar head emerged from the mist on the side, attempting to bite at his neck. *Thwack!* Danyz remained calm and pressed the trigger. The bronze-colored bullet struck precisely the moldy head, shattering its brow and sending it backward, suspended mid-air. Immediately, a deep red glow began to expand within the palm he had kept slightly open, flames spiraling around it. He leaned forward and extended his arm, "throwing" the flame, which crashed down onto the motionless head with a thunderous impact. The flames surged upward, the red fire blazing fiercely, and the head's skin blackened rapidly, crackling with a series of sharp hissing sounds. Yet, it surged forward with sudden force, jaws wide open, poised to bite Daniz's neck. This shift caught Daniz off guard, leaving him barely in time to duck—quickly arching his neck, rolling forward, and just narrowly avoiding the life-threatening blow. A deep crimson glow reappeared in his left palm, though the flame did not expand; instead, it contracted, layer upon layer. In just a single second, while dodging, Daniz launched a small orange flame the size of his eye. With the subtle guidance of his spirit, the flame arced through the air and precisely entered the hollowed-out head. Boom! A flash of light erupted, splintering the flying head from within outward, sending countless fragments and streams of blood cascading outward. Finally, it was dealt with—Daniz rolled to his feet, exhaled in relief. Only then did he realize how difficult it was to combat such a creature, reduced to mere head and limbs, and how effortlessly Germain Sparo had dispatched one. Above all, Daniz mentally added with dryness, "The Sun's extraordinary abilities are remarkably restrained!" As his thoughts turned, he glanced over and saw that Germaine Sparrow hadn't waited for him at all—she was briskly hurrying toward the distance, her black dress gently billowing behind her, holding her cane and lantern. ...Good heavens! Wait for me! Wait for me! Daniz's eyes narrowed as he strode after her, unwilling to be left alone in the thin mist and dim surroundings. ... At the Lemon Restaurant. Tanda looked at the white porcelain bowl before her, filled with dark red clots, and recalled the strange, eerie sensations she'd felt as guests ate—especially the steady gush of blood seeping from the cloak-wearer's neck. Her throat tightened, and she nearly retched. Tanda decided to abandon this dish, despite the strong aroma already drifting into her nose. She casually ate some salad and mashed potatoes, waiting for the wind outside to subside, and felt the clock on the wall move with such sluggishness. Minute after minute passed, one table after another of customers checked out and left the second floor, making the space grow quieter and more spacious. Ding-ding-ding! The sound of their footsteps descending the wooden stairs became increasingly irritating to Donna. Finally, she noticed the trees no longer swaying and the ground covered with all sorts of scattered items. "The wind has stopped!" Donna excitedly pointed to the window. Her father, the import-export merchant Urdi Blanch, pressed his forehead and growled lowly, "Donna, where's your table manners?" "But..." Donna was about to protest when Crivellis raised his hand and pressed it down. "It's 7:40 now, dinner is winding down—we should head back. There are many unpleasant legends about the night in Bayside Port." Every merchant who lives by the sea has, to some extent, a touch of superstition—especially when it comes to folk tales—and thus, Ulldio paused thoughtfully before agreeing to Crivellis's proposal. He quickly settled the bill, then led his family and bodyguards down to the ground floor. As Crivellis reached for the door to open it, a creaking sound suddenly came from an adjacent room, nearly sending Doña Crivellis into a shriek, and she clutched her brother, Dan-ton tightly. A figure stepped out, glanced at them briefly, and spoke calmly: "It's fogging up—best not to go out." The figure wore a black tailcoat, no hat, glasses perched on his broad, nearly round face. "Mr. Fox, what would you like to say?" Crivellis recognized him as the owner of the Lemon Green restaurant. Mr. Fox spoke without expression: "In Bansi, on nights when the fog is thick and the weather changes rapidly, it's best not to go out, not to answer the door—otherwise, you might encounter something unpleasant." "Already someone has left!" Dona grew more and more afraid as she listened, emphasizing loudly. Fox pointed to the rooms on the first floor: "They've decided to stay overnight." Creak! Clang! As soon as Fox finished speaking, one after another, the doors opened—some softly, some more heavily—and the earlier gentlemen and ladies came to the doorway, quietly observing Dona's family as they tried to leave, quietly observing. "Perhaps," Urdi Blanch mused, "we should respect the customs of this place. Staying overnight won't delay our departure." According to Krivits' usual experience, one should follow Fox's advice and stay at the Lemon Restaurant. But he recalled Germán Sparo's reminder—a reminder made by a strong adventurer who had successfully safeguarded "Flame" Daniz! Banshi Harbor holds hidden dangers…not specifically indoors or outdoors…Crevits made a swift decision and said to Uldi, "Mr. Blanch, please trust my professional judgment." "Indeed, I've witnessed many folk traditions, none of which have proven effective," agreed another bodyguard, Tige. As he spoke, a steady thudding sound suddenly emerged from the dining hall entrance, and faint, continuous cries came from the distance. "Look," Fox said calmly and deliberately, "there's now a knocking—don't respond." Uldi felt a tremor within himself and was about to decide to stay put. Meanwhile, Tana glanced at the gentlemen and ladies standing at their respective doorways, and found their gazes strangely unusual. "No," the young girl insisted, nearly shouting, "we must return!" Crevillés also felt that indescribable pressure and the deep, bone-seeping cold, and reiterated his point: "If there's any trouble, staying here would be more dangerous—there are cannons on board, and sailors armed with guns and knives." This argument convinced Ulde, who signaled Crevillés to open the door. Crevillés waited until the knocking had subsided, grasped his gun in one hand and pulled with the other, and opened the door. Outside, the wind was hushed, the darkness profound, and a dense mist spread, as though hiding countless monsters. Tondra pulled her brother Danet behind Cecil and moved step by step out of the dining room. Clang! The dining room door suddenly closed, sealing them in and cutting off any return path. At that moment, they were like ships caught in a storm, with the world around them reduced to silence and themselves alone. Crevillés carried his lantern ahead and suddenly saw something fly past, strike the ground, and roll several times. Dana and the others instinctively turned their gaze, instantly emitting cries of fear. There, a shriveled, moldy head! Then, light appeared—light descending from the sky, and with it, the repulsive heads dissolved and vanished. "Wha—?" Uldi and the others struggled to swallow, their bodies trembling slightly. At that moment, they noticed a yellowish glow approaching from deep within the mist. A figure emerged, holding a lantern, wearing a well-pressed silk hat, a long double-breasted suit blending seamlessly with the night, his face sharply defined, conveying a clear sense of composure and sharpness. "Uncle Sparrow!" Dana and Danet exclaimed aloud. They felt an immediate sense of calm settle within them. Klein tossed the lantern to Daniz beside him, took up his cane, and calmly addressed Crevits and the others: "Go to the telegraph office. Where is the Dimerdo family?"