Upon hearing Anderson's question, Caine didn't know how to respond either—how could he tell him he had fallen out of a dream that seemed to belong to the "Mysterious Queen"? He glanced indifferently at the unfortunate "Strongest Hunter," then raised his right hand and pointed upward. "Ah, so it is..." Anderson Hood nodded, now understanding. What exactly have you come up with... I myself can't quite grasp what I'm trying to say... Caine gave his lips a barely perceptible twitch, changed the subject, and recalled: "I encountered someone just now." "Not someone we know? Not one of the 'Future Ship' crew? Not the one who came out from deep within this hall earlier?" Anderson suddenly became enthusiastic. Such a person—so unpretentious, so much more like a hot-topic journalist from a newspaper—wasn't at all what one would expect from the "Strongest Hunter." Caine muttered this under his breath without answering, and then said directly: "She asked me to pass on a prophecy to you." "She... what prophecy?" Anderson was somewhat surprised. If I were currently using the identity of Klein Moretti, I would have replied, "I'm sorry, I forgot—she only said it once." Klein, imagining a scenario that seemed unlikely, spoke softly, "The most deadly dangers often lie hidden within the most ordinary aspects of daily life." Anderson listened carefully and then exhaled, "That's absolutely spot-on! I was nearly a fool just now while drinking—how could anyone have imagined that most of the crew on the *Future* were drinking wine that was already compromised?" He paused a few seconds longer, still uncertain, and asked hesitantly, "Is that all? Have you forgotten any details or any crucial words? It seems like you're testing me." Klein didn't respond to Anderson Hood's remarks. Instead, he walked to the entrance of the mural hall and gazed out toward Frank and Nina. Previously, at the library, he had first found himself in a passive position when the "Mysterious Queen" suddenly identified him as the Robin Hood-like figure known as the "Black Emperor"—a situation he could not avoid. Then, in an effort to disrupt her rhythm and not follow her lead, he had consciously tried to steer the conversation, keeping his mind constantly alert and focused on how to respond and engage in verbal exchanges. As a result, he had no time or opportunity to reflect on the overall process or to uncover subtle details he had previously missed. Now, finally, he had the space and calm to do so. "Miss Sharon isn't a newcomer to the esoteric world, someone just beginning to grapple with complex matters. When she asked someone to fabricate my identity, she certainly wouldn't have revealed the identity of the client to that person, and the photographs I provided actually depict the image of Germán Sparro... That means the conclusion that 'The Queen of Mysteries' has reached—namely, that Sherlock Moriarty is equivalent to Germán Sparro—is not yet solid. Indeed, if she has already grasped this, then, as I had previously anticipated, a more fitting title would be 'The Black Emperor,' Mr. Sherlock Moriarty. This revelation would strike me with a psychological impact three to five times greater than if she had simply referred to the gentleman as 'The Black Emperor.' From her perspective, then, how exactly did she manage to extract meaningful insights from those scattered clues?" She recognized the bookmark as belonging to the "Black Emperor," thus linking the ethereal robber baron, the Black Emperor, with the strange spectral entity that had stolen the "Defilement Card" from the Royal Museum. Then, upon the unexpected appearance of Nastor, the "Lord of the Five Seas," in the waters off the Rosedale Islands, she invoked the Law of Convergent Phenomena and deduced that the Black Emperor might also appear in Bayam, within the群岛. Through investigation, she uncovered the identity of Germán Sparrow and, observing the consistency between his movements and those of the Black Emperor, she began to follow him, eventually reaching the "Future" and entering the ship to observe me up close. "It makes logical sense, yet there are certain coincidences here and there. 'Lord of the Five Seas' Nastor appears exactly where he wishes—perhaps he simply longs for a certain lady within the 'Red Theater,' and that longing guides the vessel through the spiritual realm into the waters of the Rosedale Islands. Perhaps Bayam happens to possess high-tier extraordinary materials that the 'Black Emperor' has passed through, drawing a strong attraction to him. Yet it's simply hard to directly connect this to the rogue hero, the 'Black Emperor.' Of course, it's entirely understandable that the 'Mysterious Queen' should make such associations—perhaps she is willing to misinterpret crucial clues, as long as she doesn't overlook them. Indeed, that's a commendable habit, though it does leave her quite exhausted. Moreover, she likely didn't initially single out Germain Sparo. But in the waters of the Rosedale Islands, in the city of Bayam, Germain Sparo's reputation as a daring adventurer is well known. As soon as she hears the name and cross-references it with the timeline, she can already form a solid judgment." "Hey, perhaps it's better to stay humble when it comes to personal matters. Fortunately, the role of the 'Star Admiral' has finally come to an end—now I can make the identity of Germaine Sparrow fade away!" Klein went through the entire situation in his mind, feeling as though he had finally grasped the core of the matter. Yet, he had another thought, another hunch: when 'Star Admiral' Gadeleya first invited Germaine Sparrow aboard, she had been far too conspicuous, afraid that others wouldn't realize the partnership between the daring adventurer and herself. "Maybe she made certain subtle hints—then, the 'Mysterious Queen' arrived, learned of Germaine Sparrow, and pieced together my movements at sea. With that comparison, she could now judge with confidence and claim she had deceived me!" Klein pulled his coat sleeve with one hand and stepped out of the hall of murals, heading straight for Gadeleya, the 'Star Admiral,' stationed outside the black monastery, intending to ask her directly, while she was still half-asleep. By this point, he had actually relaxed considerably, since the "Mysterious Queen" clearly only knew that Germán Sparro was equivalent to the daring thief known as the "Black Emperor," and that he served a prominent figure—without any deeper, more confidential details. Even if she linked the night the "Black Emperor" card was stolen to the prominent detective Sherlock Moriarty who happened to be nearby, that wouldn't pose a significant problem. Since early on, I've consistently identified Sherlock Moriarty as equivalent to the "World" and as the companion of the "Fool." Germán Sparro naturally extends from that identity—ah, this has always been a deliberate preparation. I've always believed one shouldn't treat others as fools. As long as someone is active, has a track record, and engages in interpersonal relationships, they inevitably reveal something. Therefore, I've always pre-arranged this identity for such astute individuals, and strictly adhered to the corresponding daily routines. It is entirely understandable and acceptable that the attendants of the prominent figures could initially grasp the contents of Rosel's diary—it is a natural gift of their specific existence. "Honestly, I never expected it! Even beneath the mask, there's still a mask!" As thoughts raced through his mind, Caine also felt the significant contributions of the gray mist's aid and his own careful vigilance. Had he not sensed someone observing him early on and instinctively followed his inner conviction, he might have summoned his messenger right under the watchful gaze of the "Mysterious Queen." While the messenger himself would remain unexposed, the real concern lay in whether the "Mysterious Queen" could track him, eventually uncovering Mr. Azk, and thus tracing through his recent movements to reveal Caine Moretti's identity. As Caine passed through the square, pierced by numerous great arrows, and stepped out of the black monastery, he found Gardele, the "Star General," still seated with her knees drawn up, gazing at the breathtaking view of the setting sun. Klein leapt onto the massive stone, standing beside the withered trees, gazing toward the grand complex of buildings on the opposite mountain peak, and asked in his usual composed tone: "In Nars, when you demonstrated the Star Bridge and established a path to the ships, did you have other intentions behind it?" Gardelie leaned her head slightly against the stone. "I won't tell you!" "...” Klein found himself at a loss for what to say. He had expected the "Star General" of the dream world to be particularly honest, but found himself in this situation—of course, this was a form of honesty, just one reflecting her personality. After a silence of two seconds, Klein decided to play his cards: "Do you intend to use this method to inform someone that I am someone worth paying attention to?" Gardelie exhaled, maintaining her posture of resting her knees: "That's about right. Primarily, it's to let others know that if I encounter a serious issue or show clear signs of abnormality, you will be one of the key leads." Indeed… Klein silently remarked to himself. He understood that the "Star Above the General" had taken a few subtle steps to protect himself, but as the " Fool," such actions were essential—yet he couldn't directly address them, for that would make it seem as though the "Fool" were overly protective of his beloved, lacking in stature. Ah, the "Star Above the General" had surely done more than just this one move; he could present these actions as a cohesive series, gently pressing the point without being too direct. With this in mind, Kline quickly found his footing and no longer felt overwhelmed by the events in the dream world. As for the "Mysterious Queen's" proposal, he had not even given it serious consideration. The Emperor Roser's journal contained records of the journey and Earth's history. If he taught the "Mysterious Queen" how to interpret these entries, she would surely notice—and then make even more damaging, far-reaching speculations! She was mindful of the powerful figures behind me—those who could casually lend out the Staff of the Sea God—so she never pushed too hard. If something truly required her assistance, or if she found herself caught in a position of leverage, she would agree to translate a few key pages from her diary that contained the information she wished to know. But she would never teach her Chinese. Indeed, even when translating, she would subtly water down the content, using similar but not identical terms, ensuring only the core meaning remained intact. This way, she would be unable to reverse-engineer the situation. Klein withdrew his gaze and casually asked the "Star Above," Gauthier, "It's said you've broken ties with the 'Mysterious Queen,' but from my observation, that doesn't seem to be the case." Gauthier's initially puzzled expression suddenly came alive. She pressed her lips together and said, "What qualification do I have to break with her? 'I am merely someone who has been exiled.'" Exiled... Just as Klein was about to ask further, the intense sunlight poured in, naturally awakening him. Gazing out at the brilliant sky, he wiped a strand of hair from his forehead and murmured silently, "What a terrifying dream." Setting aside his reflections, Caine rolled out of bed and made his way to the deck, continuing to observe his surroundings, waiting for the mermaid to appear. After nearly an hour, he finally heard the delicate, ethereal song drifting in from afar, carried gently on the waves. PS: It's been a long time now—still holding the first place! Requesting a guaranteed monthly ticket so we can stay a little longer~ Also, over 14,000 people have already sent their blessings for Xiao Ke. Just under 11,000 remain to go. Friends who haven't yet sent a blessing—please do so! It's completely free. For instructions on how to send, please refer to the end of the previous chapter.