After克莱恩 recovered the hat, the extraordinary nature of Bishop Miller had fully coalesced into a compact, thumb-sized sphere—translucent pale blue, with occasional streaks of bright green sweeping across it like surging waves of deep, nearly black water. He opened the revolver's cylinder, applied a firm shake, and sent the empty cartridge casings—some golden, others silvery-white, or yellow-bronze—tumbling to the ground with a crisp, clear clink. Then, without haste, he retrieved the pre-prepared cartridge loader and loaded the next set of extraordinary bullets into the gun. Once finished, he closed the revolver, bent down, picked up Bishop Miller’s extraordinary essence, and casually tucked it into his coat pocket. Stepping a few paces diagonally, he retrieved his staff, turned toward Crevits and the others, and, as he did so, casually drew a paper figure from his sleeve, then waved his wrist with the motion of a whip. *Crack!* The paper figure ignited instantly, soared into the air, and then burst into scattered crimson sparks before dissolving into dust. "That's amazing," Danton said, completely forgetting the pain from his earlier fall, his eyes fixed on the spectacle. Uncle Spalro seemed to be releasing a steady stream of smoke—Dona nodded in agreement with her brother's words. After disrupting the on-site information and residual traces using the "paper man substitute technique," Caine calmly and succinctly said, "Leave here." Then he turned directly and walked steadily, receiving the "Sun Brooch" from Elran and the Azk copper whistle from Daniz along the way. The others—Uldi and the rest—said nothing, didn't complain, and moved silently, like hens in quiet procession. During the battle, they had fully witnessed the extraordinary nature of the beings, especially Daniz's flame abilities, which stood out vividly and left a deep impression. They now clearly understood that this was no ordinary human endeavor—what they could do was simply follow instructions and do their best to keep up. Only then could they ensure their survival. In comparison to Daniz's side, Klein and Bishop Miller's battle unfolded primarily through nearly invisible gusts of wind and genuine, intangible spiritual realms. Aside from the divine radiance that seemed to descend from the heavens and Bishop Miller's terrifying appearance when he lost control, the entire encounter was unremarkable and calm—leaving the spectators neither deeply moved nor profoundly impressed. As they passed by the area where the battle had taken place, Krivis, Cecil, and the others suddenly paused, noticing countless jagged streaks etched across the ground, dense and widespread throughout. They instantly realized that the fight between Germain Sparo and the fallen bishop had been far more intense and terrifying than the performance on the other side. A sense of both fear and security surged through them, prompting them all to quicken their pace. Twenty or thirty seconds later, Klein stood still on the street outside the telegraph office, expression neutral, and said to Captain Elran, "Shall we send a telegram?" "Then he couldn't help adding, 'Don't force your way in.'" "Understood." Even in this strange night, Aelran remained cautious. He hurried a few steps and reached the front door of the telegraph office, raising his hand to knock three times. Ding! Ding! Ding! The slightly dull echoes resonated, and someone inside spoke: "Who is it?" Aelran's already alert demeanor suddenly tightened—he had expected a woman's voice! Aelran himself found it odd: "I'd like to send a telegram." "Who are you? I remember the previous duty officer was a woman." The man inside replied calmly: "I'm Pavot Kort, Melanie's colleague. She's right beside me—she's doing very well." As soon as Pavot Kort finished speaking, the woman's voice immediately followed: "Yes, I'm doing very well. You needn't pay any more attention—Pavot Kort has returned." Friend, don't you usually have your customs of not answering or not opening the door? How did Pavlo Kaut get in? Caine restrained himself from asking. Ailran stepped back, cleared his throat: "I'd like to send a telegram to the headquarters of the Storm Church." "I'm sorry, but we can't open the door," Pavlo Kaut replied, his tone steady and emotionless. Ailran sensed the strangeness and, unwilling to press further, offered an alternative: "Would you be able to send it for me and pass me the copy through the gap in the door? The message is about the unusual events at Bances Port—the death of Bishop Miller and Reverend Jess—signed by Ailran." "Certainly," Melanie's voice faded, as if she had already returned to the telegraph machine. After a moment of waiting, a steady tapping sound came from within. Soon, a telegram copy emerged through the gap at the base of the main door. Ailran bent down to pick it up, holding back the urge to peer through the opening. He glanced at the copy, and suddenly his nose twitched—he smelled a faint scent of blood on the paper! He hurried to turn his head toward Germán Sparrow, using his gaze to indicate that something was wrong inside the telegraph office. But in response, he received a steady, composed look devoid of any ripple, and a calm, detached remark: "Return to the ship." With that, Caine turned immediately and walked steadily toward the end of the street, his figure gradually blending into the thin mist. Danzis, holding the broken lantern, promptly took off after him without hesitation, and so did the others. Erlan paused for two seconds, then picked up the telegraph draft and joined the main group. There was no sound inside the telegraph office—utterly quiet. …… Perhaps because the fallen Bishop Miller had been removed, on their way back, they encountered no more figures in black cloaks with heads missing, and the moldy-headed ones appeared only twice, easily dispatched. After walking for what seemed like a long time, they finally spotted the dock, and saw the "White Chalcedony" glowing with a series of candlelight. This renewed strength enabled Urdi and the others to accelerate from a brisk walk to a light jog, racing all the way to the ladder leading down to the deck. Kline carried his blood-stained staff, standing below, until every last person had boarded the ship, then pulled and leapt several steps back to the deck. By then, Elran had begun gathering the first mate, second mate, chief navigator, and gunnery officer, assigning them to organize the crew, adjust the cannons, and prepare for immediate departure—though nighttime departure carried notable safety risks, it would be the most effective way to mitigate danger should the situation clearly deteriorate! "Uncle Sparrow..." Tanah pulled her brother Danton, jogging over to Kline's side, eager to ask a dozen questions. Kline nodded, pointing toward the ship's cabin. "Go back to your rooms. We'll talk about it tomorrow." The danger had not yet passed! Tanah nodded obediently, and together with Danton, raised a finger to her lips, pressing it gently. "Hush!" "Once the Blanch and Dimerdo families had entered the ship's cabin, Caine walked over to Eirlan and tossed the extraordinary trait of Bishop Miller across: 'If any "Substitutes" still survive, hand them over.' An extraordinary trait bequeathed by a bishop of perhaps Sequence 6 would inevitably be pursued by the Storm Church, making everyone aboard the 'White Chalcedony' a suspect. Caine didn't want to be summoned by the Church's premier force just as they set sail. If no 'Substitutes' remained in Banxi Port, the headquarters' support would have to arrive later, giving Caine ample time to handle matters and depart—so he'd certainly hold onto them, finding reasons to reclaim them later. Eirlan caught the small object, about the size of a thumb, and glanced at it with mild curiosity. He didn't ask what it could be used for, but smiled and said: 'Don't worry about the Storm Church's investigation—I'll hint to them that you and I are allies.'" So, I'm now considered a MI9 agent in the eyes of the storm? Kline nodded slightly, saying nothing further. Ailran glanced at Daniz beside him and asked tentatively, "The Flame?" "Ha ha," Daniz chuckled, mimicking someone else, "You guess." "I think not," Ailran replied in默契. After briefly explaining the situation, Kline walked to the ship's side and looked out toward Bansi Harbor, shrouded in mist, remaining alert for any hidden dangers. Time passed slowly. Once again, the peaks of the mountain range along the shore flashed with thunderstorm light. A series of bright, fierce lightning strikes swept across the peaks, gradually subsiding. The mist over Bansi Harbor began to lift, and the glow of the red moon became increasingly clear. Was it over? Kline watched this scene, yet dared not fully relax. Half an hour later, three men who identified themselves as "The Sentencers" arrived at the dock to see Captain Ailran. After being confirmed by Gorman Sparrow's divination and having once deceived the other party, Ailran instructed the sailors to lower the gangplank. The three "Penitents" first signaled for the crew members nearby to step back, then lowered their voices to inform the captain of the situation. Kline didn't move closer to listen; instead, he patiently waited for the matter to conclude. A few minutes later, Ailran returned the residual traits left by Bishop Miller to the "Penitents," watched them depart from the White Chalcedony, and proceed to address the aftermath in various locations. Huffing out a breath, Ailran came over to Kline and Daniz, speaking with a sense of relief and lingering apprehension. "The matter is settled. Everything's fine." Had it truly been settled?... Kline suddenly remembered Pavlo Kort and Melanie behind the telegraph office, and Fox, the owner of the Green Lemon restaurant, and the guests who had quietly watched him during his stays. Ailin continued: "Specifically, Jés discovered that the ancient cannibal customs and practices of living sacrifice were reviving, confirming that a small number of residents in Banxi Port had become cultists. He rushed back to the church to report to Bishop Miller, only to find that the very man before him was the cult's leader—the true fallen one—who was instantly severed at the neck by Miller's wind blade and died within the church itself. While Miller was attending to the body, he was discovered by the servants, and thus the situation spiraled out of control. Some of the servants had been transformed into monsters, while others, under the guidance of the priests, fled underground. Seeing that he could no longer conceal the truth, Miller left the church and gathered the cultists, heading toward the summit altar. As a result, the weather changed. The 'Vindicator' retrieved the three seals and hastened there, where a fierce battle erupted. During this process, Miller was wounded and forced to flee, while the remaining cultists held firm at the altar and were eventually overwhelmed." "The headquarters has returned our call, and they are sending someone to thoroughly investigate the reasons behind Bishop Miller's decline. Oh, I told them that it was only because Bishop Miller was seriously injured that we were able to unite and eliminate him. By the way, the 'Substitute for Punishment' also asked me to have confidentiality agreements signed by the Blanch family and the Dimerdo family." After roughly explaining the situation, Ailran took a long, deep breath and settled into handling the remaining tasks. Klein didn't dare fully relax—he remained on the deck until the clouds at the horizon burned golden and the sun rose slowly, casting light over the entire harbor. He watched as residents began to step out, enjoying the golden sunlight, chatting and heading off to their respective workplaces. Banshi Harbor regained a human touch. ... It's really over... Klein turned around, slightly puzzled, preparing to catch a nap once the ship had departed. As for Daniz, though he had already yawned several times, he didn't dare move, seeing that Germán Sparro remained still. On the way into the ship's cabin, Caine encountered Elran, who had also not slept all night. "Good morning," Elran greeted with a smile, "we're about to sail, so there's no need to worry anymore." As he spoke, the steam whistle of the "White Malachite" emitted a soft "whoosh." Hearing the sound, Caine quietly exhaled, deciding to set all his doubts aside and no longer dwell on matters concerning Bansi Port. He nodded in response. Elran then moved his neck and remarked, "Last night, I had a peculiar sensation—like ancient Bansi and modern Bansi Port were overlapping." Caine had intended to simply pass by, but then caught a specific word, and with a serious expression, asked, "Bansi?" "Ah, yes," Elran replied casually, "that's the old name for Bansi Port. Back in the 14th or 15th century, this place was known as Bansi Town. Over time, due to various factors including pronunciation, it gradually evolved into Bansi." Upon hearing this answer, Caine's eyes narrowed instantly. He remembered clearly that the spirit within the underground ruins of Beckland had said that to find one of the founders of the "Rose of Redemption"—the former "King of Angels," Medici, and his descendants— one should venture to Binsy! Binsy! Caine's mind seemed to freeze, inch by inch, and a coldness radiated from his very bones. He suddenly turned back toward the port, once again seeing the telegraph office with its closed doors and the quiet guests in the lemon-leaf restaurant, gazing at him with steady attention.