I didn't need you to tell me—I'd already pretty much confirmed it myself… Upon hearing Anderson Hude's words, Caine remained calm on the surface, murmuring quietly to himself. Since their first encounter in the Spirit Realm, where he'd seen Rénit Tiniçol's immense physical form and her Gothic-style castle, Caine had always sensed she was no ordinary being. But just now, when the messenger lady had so effortlessly nearly killed the strongest hunter, it solidified his conviction beyond doubt: she was a half-god, at the very least, a Sequence 4. Was a half-god going to send me messages just for one coin each time? Just by thinking with my toes, I know things won't be simple. The messenger girl must have her own motives—of course, it's also possible that I keep running into odd, strange incidents that amuse her, and since she's naturally quite idle, she's ended up taking on the role of messenger herself. Similar situations include the attentiveness of "The Mirror" Arordes and the goodwill of "The Mercury Serpent" Wil. Aunseit. Anyway, I still need to remain vigilant and not trust too easily. Until we've had a chance to discuss and settle matters, I shouldn't even consider the question of whether to blow my recorder—perhaps the messenger girl will show up and simply tear me apart. In that moment, Caine thought of countless things, yet his expression remained calm and composed. To the astonished Anderson, he only gave a slight nod: "This has nothing to do with you." What a mysterious fellow! He even has a half-divine, ethereal being serving as his messenger! Moreover, he casually knew a half-god skilled in fortune-shifting—no wonder he remained so composed and calm after offending the "King of Immortality." No wonder the "King of Immortality" had not sought retaliation, nor even appeared at all! Anderson suddenly had it all clear and couldn't help but glance at Gorman Sparrow again and again. "Hmm?" Kline glanced at the strongest hunter with neutral expression. Anderson quickly shifted his gaze, clearing his throat and smiling awkwardly. "I've noticed you'd be an excellent protagonist for a character portrait—especially one with a gloomy, muted background. It truly complements your demeanor. How about it? Would you be interested? I can paint your portrait. Believe me, I have master-level skill in this!" Kline didn't listen to his rambling. He pulled out his gold-case pocket watch, opened it and glanced at the time. "Go back to your room. I'll come find you five minutes later." "Certainly," Anderson replied with a bright smile. Once the strongest hunter had departed, Caine produced the Azkran copper whistle and the paper crane from Will. Oncetin, then turned and entered the bathroom to set up the ritual. After bringing the pearl earrings of "Admiral Ice" Edwena to the gray mist, Caine seated himself at the head of the bronze long table, materialized a quill and ink, and inscribed a simple divinatory phrase: "Edwena Edwards' whereabouts." Holding the parchment and the earrings, Caine leaned back against the chair, silently reciting the incantation while entering a meditative state, drifting into dream. At first, the hazy realm filled his "vision," then a vast plain covered in snow came into view. A storm of howling winds enveloped everything, the surrounding mist deep and ethereal, as though not truly defining boundaries. Caine quickly spotted Edwena's figure—her long brown hair simply tied at the back of her head, then dancing wildly in the wind and snow. She wore a white fitted blouse with intricate patterns at the collar and sleeves, and a dark-colored long pants, giving off a visibly thin impression in such a setting. Edwena's feet, constantly moving across the snow in her boots, left a clear trail of footprints, yet in the raging blizzard, these were easily erased. The scene gradually blurred, and Klein opened his eyes, realizing he could no longer pinpoint the exact location of the "ice mountain figure" from his divination vision. "The polar region? The eternal night plain of Vosak? I can't be certain—besides the wind and snow, there are no other symbols..." Klein sat up straight, setting down his pearl earrings and the sheet bearing the divination text. After a moment's reflection, he confirmed another fact: Edwena Edwards had indeed gone missing, not aboard the "Golden Dream." This suggested that the situation was likely not a trap. Klein carefully consulted the oracle on this matter and received the conclusion that the ship, "Golden Dream," held no traps. After some contemplation, he left the mysterious space above the gray mist, went through a series of busy activities, and returned with the pearl earrings. Recalling the coastal map of the area near Orlavi Island and the current position of the "Golden Dream," Klein selected a remote island—frequently used by offshore fishermen to shelter from storms—and instructed Danyz and the crew to sail the ship to a location not too far away. Folding the letter, he blew on his mouth organ and once again saw the messenger lady carrying four heads. As he handed over the reply letter, Klein cleared his throat lightly and asked, "Can we still confirm Danyz's current position?" Renee Tini科尔 nodded her head once, and then others spoke in turn: "We can..." "As long as..." "Within the limits..." Seeing the messenger girl still hovering there, not showing any sign of departure, Caine glanced at his neighbor and said, "The coin shall be paid by Daniz." "Good," Renee Tini科尔's form faded swiftly. Exhaling a long breath, Caine, having carefully prepared everything and settled the scene, carried his neatly packed luggage and stepped out of the room, knocking on the door of Anderson Hude. "Go to another place first, then to Bayam," he calmly announced his decision to the strongest hunter. "You may choose to wait for me in Bayam, or follow me." Anderson smiled and said, "I feel my adventurer's blood is blazing—I'm curious about what kind of matter the messenger has brought. I thought I'd never get the chance to learn, yet you've invited me!" "No, I only have two options for you... Caine turned coldly and walked toward the stairway, Anderson hurriedly lifting his newly purchased suitcase and quickly following behind. It was a deep blue throughout, its mouth suddenly opening wide to reveal snowy white teeth and blood-red interior. Cain walked to the cliff's edge and leapt directly downward, drifting gently into the massive underwater creature's mouth with the aid of the incantation's power. Anderson first stared in bewilderment, then, with growing excitement, followed suit and jumped down, landing beside Cain. The enormous creature closed its mouth, plunging the interior into complete darkness. Then it submerged and began swimming toward its designated destination. Within the creature's mouth, Cain's eyes flashed with lightning, piercing through the darkness and finding a tooth to rest upon, settling comfortably. Thanks to the protection of the "deep-sea membrane," he had no concern about his clothes getting damp. "Hmm, this is quite interesting," Anderson said, surveying the scene with curiosity, "How did you come up with this idea? How did you manage it?" "Of course, I pray to myself and then use the 'Rod of Neptune' to summon a suitable marine creature nearby... I haven't answered Anderson's questions; I've half-closed my eyes, as if resting." "It's just a bit stuffy..." Anderson pulled out a cigarette box and a match from his pocket. "Would you like a cigarette?" "Ask it," said Caine, without opening his eyes. Anderson chuckled dryly and then put the cigarette and match back. "I think it won't appreciate the taste of cigarettes." In the deep, dark, dimly lit sea, the massive creature swam swiftly, occasionally using specialized organs to efficiently extract oxygen from the surrounding water. After an indeterminate length of time, it surfaced, revealing a deserted island ahead. With the power of incantations, Caine ascended to the island and, upon the creature, removed his hat and bowed. "You're quite polite," Anderson remarked, smiling at the scene. "I've always been polite, even when facing my prey." Kline glanced at the other man, as if saying, "Just like you." Anderson cleared his throat and pointed toward the other side of the island. "There's a ship over there." "Oh, the *Golden Dream*!" At that moment, Kline spotted the clean, well-kept sailing vessel stretching several dozen meters long, its main cannon adorned with layered symbols that shimmered and glowed. He immediately picked up his luggage and walked toward it, reaching the ship's mooring spot without much delay. Then he saw Daniz jump down from the deck and run toward him. As Daniz approached General Sparlo, hesitating over what to say, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure. "Anderson Hude!" he called out, pointing to the strongest hunter. Anderson burst into laughter. "Didn't see that coming, did you?" Though he wasn't entirely sure why he had ended up meeting the "Golden Dream," that didn't prevent him from forcing the initiative. "Know each other?" Klein glanced at Daniz with a detached air. Daniz instinctively shivered and smiled politely, "He's not exactly a good guy. In the Fog Sea, he's always being chased by a group of pirates, and then, mysteriously, those very pirates become bounty targets. You might not know this, but he used to come from the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. After failing his exams repeatedly, he was expelled—this is what I heard from the captain. They used to be classmates." He delivered this with a look of disdain toward Anderson's intelligence, and the officers on board, especially the one wearing the tie, Yodsen, mirrored the same expression. Anderson slowly scanned their faces, then sighed, "That's not the point. The point is, I once pulled the captain's hair!" The atmosphere instantly grew very quiet, and Daniz's expression could hardly be contained. PS: First post, then edit.