After a moment of clarity, Caine rubbed his temple, gradually calming his emotions, and realized that this matter had little to do with him. He had no desire to get involved—whether or not the Roon military found Turanee von Helmothiyin made no difference to him, as he felt a deep sense of detachment from the Roon kingdom. The actions he had taken in the past were simply driven by a desire for social stability and to protect the people from unforeseen harm. If possible, he would have welcomed change, striving to ensure that the lower-class poor could live with dignity. "I never thought coming to this world would make me more of an internationalist," he chuckled to himself, preparing to return to the real world, ready to turn off the lights and sleep, letting the waves rise and storms rage outside. At that moment, his peripheral vision caught the largest item among the clutter—the radio receiver. "By the way, which faction actually controls Turanee von Helmothiyin?" If the people from the "Mysterious Queen" Bernadette's side, there wouldn't be much of a problem—she is someone who strictly adheres to the principle of "acting as one wishes, but without causing harm," and thus never goes beyond what is necessary. "But if it's the Rose School, represented by the 'General of the Blood,' that's quite problematic. Aside from the more restrained faction suppressed within their ranks, the ones who venerate the 'Bound God' or the 'Mother Tree of Desire' are no less evil than the Aurora Society. If we allow them to command the most advanced technologies, we risk a catastrophe..." Caine paused mid-motion of enveloping himself in spiritual energy, his fingers lightly tapping the weathered edge of the long table. He quickly formed a plan: to bring the radio transmitter back into the real world, tune it to the appropriate frequency, and see whether he could receive telegrams from the 'General of the Blood' faction, then decode them using the cipher book he currently held. "Tonight, a full-scale sweep across the city—this moment is both highly delicate and critically significant. If they control Hermosuin, essential telegraphic exchanges might be disrupted... Given that neither the Governor's office, the Royal Army, nor the Storm Church has yet recognized or adopted this technology, this approach is exceptionally secure. Therefore, following the death of the old Quin, the 'General of the Blood' faction has a strong likelihood of maintaining its unchanged frequency and cipher. In short, let's give it a try." After careful consideration, Caine made no delay and returned to the real world, busily preparing for the ceremony of receiving the gift. Once the radio receiver was placed in the room, he did not use it immediately, but instead drew out the ritual silver dagger to create a spiritual barrier sealing the room. This was his way of dispersing the lingering "flavor" of the gray mist! For him, it actually didn't take much effort to determine which power controlled Helmosaurus—simply by sensing the aura of the gray mist and connecting to the "Mirror" Arōdes, he could have obtained a clear answer. However, the issue was that this was too close in time to the last inquiry, and the recurring presence of this "scent" might have drawn the attention of the "True Maker," the "Primordial Witch," and other deities, making it quite unsafe. Therefore, Cline opted for caution and decided to rely on himself. After several minutes, when he felt the "scent" had dispersed sufficiently, he removed the spiritual barrier and operated the radio receiver, beginning to listen. Unexpectedly, after an unknown duration, clear radio signals suddenly appeared on the corresponding frequency! Cline suppressed his inner excitement and carefully took notes, then opened his previously prepared cipher book, which had been reconstructed through divination, to interpret the messages. Soon, he wrote down a line of words on his notepad: "32 Black Pepper Avenue, at 7 a.m. tomorrow." Indeed, it was the "Champions of Blood" who controlled Helmuth, possibly with strong backing from the Rose School... Klein made this judgment instantly. It wasn't derived from the content of the telegram, but rather from a simple logical inference based on the very existence of this telegram. ——If unrelated to the "Champions of Blood," how could they so coincidentally receive or send a telegram involving Bayam Street during that night! In the hazy world, he saw a vast underground hall filled with countless gas-lamp fixtures. Inside, a massive and intricate machine occupied two-thirds of the space, composed of slender copper columns, numerous control levers, interconnected arms, and an endless array of tightly meshed gears. A slender, elderly man with white, tousled hair, dressed in a thick coat, walked back and forth in front of the machine, occasionally plucking a fruit from his mouth and crunching it with a satisfying sound. "No, it shouldn't still be called the Difference Engine—it's a charming little machine that analyzes problems and computes answers according to a set process. Yes, its name must be the Analytical Engine!" the man kept murmuring, and as Klein's perspective rose, he stepped out of the underground hall and onto the upper building. It was a three-story villa with gardens and lawns, bearing a plaque outside that read: "No. 32 Black Pepper Avenue." "There he was indeed... Caine opened his eyes and slowly exhaled. Then, he found himself at a loss about how to proceed. "Such a prominent scientist—so much of a burden, really—would be a source of trouble rather than utility. I couldn't simply leave him stranded in the gray mist indefinitely. So, there was no need for me to personally intervene and remove him. Hmm. Should I pass the information to the Roon military or the Storm Church? That would prevent the Rose School from gaining any advantage. Yet, within the military there's a faction likely connected to the true culprits behind the Beckland smog crisis—shouldn't I be wary of that? And the Storm Church is known for its impulsiveness; a sudden visit might well send this esteemed scientist off to meet his deity. After careful consideration, Caine gradually formed a bold idea." That is to bring the matter into the open, making Turanee von Helmeroy's presence and status no secret to the Roon military or to the major churches—thus ensuring the great scientist's capabilities serve the Kingdom of Roon itself, rather than any particular faction! Balance is key... Klein smiled and murmured softly, then waved his hand, summoning the "God of the Sea Staff." Previously, to make things public, he had had to carefully distribute flyers throughout the entire city. Now, he had a simpler, more effective method! He selected a believer who was praying, then expanded his view to include the scene within a five-kilometer radius. Then, using the "God of the Sea Staff," he captured the surrounding wind. Once the wind had settled slightly, Klein submerged his consciousness into the scene, changed his tone, and spoke in a low, gravelly voice: "Helmeroy is at 32 Black Pepper Avenue!" Hoo! In Bayam, the wind suddenly grew fierce, whipping in all directions, accompanied by a deep, resonant voice: "Helmosuvin is at No. 32 on Black Pepper Avenue!" "Helmosuvin is at No. 32 on Black Pepper Avenue!" ... The voice quickly spread throughout the city, as if the entire city had just been broadcasted. Odler, the "Silver Coin Snake," was draped in a cloak, pretending to be Helmosuvin, hiding among the crowded, bustling tenements of the poorer districts, occasionally stepping out to guide officers from the Ninth Bureau and the Governor's police force. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept past, carrying a voice directly into his ears: "Helmosuvin is at No. 32 on Black Pepper Avenue!" ... What? Amid the echoing sound, Odler stood stunned and amazed. In his moment of surprise, he lost his balance and tumbled off the roof, nearly sustaining serious injuries. Near the back of the Church of the Sea and close to the Governor's Office, Ayn Cortman and Robert Davis heard voices carried on the wind, one after the other. Their first instinct was to look up at the sky, then toward the district along Black Pepper Avenue. After making the broadcast, Kline felt pleased and tossed the "Staff of Neptune" into a pile of clutter, returning to the real world. He didn't rush to carry the radio transmitter above the gray mist; instead, he left it where it was, continuing to listen to the radio waves. "That way, even if there are powerful members of the 'Rose School' hidden in Bayam, they won't dare to appear—hah, and no matter who succeeds, they'll ultimately have to yield to public opinion and report back to the nation! Unfortunately, I don't write diaries like the Emperor does. Otherwise, I could simply say: 'Today, another good deed has been accomplished!'” Kline murmured silently, removed his coat, and went to bed, paying no attention to what might happen outside—after all, it had nothing to do with him. He didn't know how long he had been asleep until he suddenly woke up, sat up in bed, and then a steady knocking sound began at the door. Who could it be? Knocking at midnight... Now I'm John Jorale... Klein put on "The Crawling Hunger," pulled out the "Great Bell" revolver from beneath the pillow, and went to the door. In his mind, the visitor's image quickly formed: a thin, elderly man with gray, tousled hair, wearing a slightly oversized coat and a wool overcoat, busy tossing a brown-colored fruit into his mouth. Turani von Hermosin! Wow! Why is he coming to me? I'm just an ordinary John Jorale! And how did he escape the half-god's pursuit? Klein's first instinct was to tell the visitor that he had knocked on the wrong door, but he held back and instead asked, "Who are you looking for?" Hermosin smiled weakly, "I've noticed you at the Seaweed Bar, though I didn't get the chance to speak to you at the time." "Heh, my life has now reached its end, so lately I've recalled many things. "Allow me to introduce myself—you may call me 'Akari' Shirayurin." 'Akari' Shirayurin? Caine was first taken aback, then asked with curiosity, "What is it?" Hermosyin chuckled and said, "I'm here to remind you—be cautious of the 'Tree of Desire'!" He paused and added, "Well, I should be going now. I'm about to pass on and return to the spiritual realm." "Who do you have enemies against here?" "Why do you ask that?" Caine asked, puzzled. Hermosyin cleared his throat and said, "I can quietly pass away at his doorstep—then you'll have achieved your vengeance." PS: First publish, then revise.