Klein finally couldn't fall asleep until dawn, despite his efforts, because he suspected that if most of the residents on the street had been startled by the underground disturbances and he remained undisturbed, it would raise suspicion. Indeed, as soon as he got up, walked to the balcony, and pulled back the curtains, pretending to search for the source of the noise, Walter, the butler, had already come to knock on the door, arranging two servants armed with double-barreled shotguns to guard the employer in case of unforeseen incidents. Soon after, the police arrived, gathering accounts from several residents in the neighborhood and pinpointing the sewer system as the likely cause. What they discovered afterward, and whether they requested assistance from the "Night Watchers," remained unknown. Once it was confirmed that no further incidents would occur, Klein sent away the butler and servants and hurried back to bed to catch up on his rest. When he awoke, the street had returned to normal—people moving about in small groups, carriages passing occasionally, and the rows of plane trees, the Tis trees, continuing to lend the area its quiet, serene atmosphere. "Have the results come in?" Klein asked his personal servant Richard, who was helping him adjust his attire, while gazing into the mirror. Richard had already gathered the information and was waiting for his employer to inquire. He replied promptly: "Apparently, some mob personnel were conducting arms transactions beneath the nearby sewer system, and an explosion accidentally occurred as a result." A perfectly reasonable explanation... Klein didn't press further. He didn't even consider where the "thief"—the one who had stolen his own ideas—had gone after reaching the half-divine, or whether the night watchmen had found him. He trusted that the very act of the thief deliberately triggering the explosion would inevitably have a severe impact on himself—should he possess sufficient capability or the right circumstances, the thief would have already "taken root" within Hefur by now, eliminating the need for such delays and complications. Therefore, within the next two to three weeks, or even a few months, Klein had no need to worry about any further actions from the thief. Secondly, as he continues to investigate, he is certain that the person he has pushed to the brink will eventually harm him as well. Once that individual no longer hesitates and begins to exert widespread influence over the surrounding areas, even if he remains anonymous, he will endure attacks from a half-god and will inevitably affect the innocent residents of this street. Beyond these two concerns, there is another matter that concerns Klein: the once-ordinary Berkland Street, if it begins to exhibit a series of anomalies in succession, will inevitably raise deep suspicions among the official extraordinary agents. Since all these disturbances have emerged only after Dauin Tangtse's arrival, no matter how many words Klein has, he will struggle to explain them clearly. At that point, he will be forced to abandon his current plan and reconsider alternative strategies. Recently, it's been impossible to enter the sewer—there's likely an official trap set in motion... All that needs to be done is one thing, yes, subtly keep an eye on Hayur, observing whether she shows any signs of distress. As soon as any ominous signs emerge, immediately transform into a "roving hero" and leave a "flyer" at the entrance of Saint Samuel's Church. Klein composed himself, descended to have breakfast, then returned to his master bedroom, where he asked his personal servant, Richard, to stand guard at the door while he himself withdrew the nearly frayed origami crane from his wallet. He intended to make one final use of it—relay the stake offered by the "Star Above" to the "Snake of Fate," Wil. Aonsedt, and see if He would agree. Normally, he could accomplish this through a personal visit. However, without an invitation from Dr. Allen and lacking sufficient personal grounds, a visit would be suspect, raising questions about his motives. He simply couldn't tell Dr. Allen that he wasn't coming to see him, but rather to see the fetus in his wife's womb. With careful attention, he unfolded the crane made of thousand folded paper. Klein glanced at the pencil notes left behind from before, and instinctively believed that as soon as he used the eraser, the paper would surely tear. Yet, this didn't trouble him much. He picked up a black, absorbent ballpoint pen and began writing words directly onto the paper: "The other side has already offered the exchange terms." The deep blue-black ink stood out in contrast to the pencil marks, several times more vivid. Even though the two sets of text completely overlapped, the upper words remained perfectly legible. There are always solutions—more than one, in fact—Klein nodded to himself contentedly, then folded the paper back into the crane shape along the creases. This time, however, he doubted that even unfolding it again would not cause damage. ........ Berg household, Silver City. Since the Tarot meeting had ended, Deryck had seemed to have turned into a statue, sitting silently by the bedside, motionless. It wasn't until much later that he was jolted awake by the sounds coming from the street outside, yet the sense of dread remained unshaken, making his steps toward the window feel heavy and deliberate. "Perhaps the God has already died..." "Perhaps He will never return..." These thoughts echoed continuously in Deric's mind, building an unyielding sense of despair and sorrow. Though at the moment he had personally killed his parents, he had already begun to question whether the God would ever return, whether He would still care for the people of the Dark Lands abandoned by Him. He had even hoped to become the true "Sun" through the "Fool," helping the people of Silver City break free from their destined curse. Still, the education he had received and the environment around him never ceased to influence him, keeping alive his hope that the Creator would return and that the sacrifices and repentance of Silver City would be answered. Now all hope is shattered, leaving only a final, fragile remnant—vulnerable to being swallowed by darkness at any moment. Silver City will endure thus, ultimately vanishing into the dark, forgotten by all, with no one remembering that we once existed, that we once struggled. Dariq turns his gaze to the window and sees many residents of his district gathering spontaneously, praying to the Creator, offering repentance. This is not a ritual organized by the Council of Six, but a tradition that has flourished in Silver City for two or three thousand years—prayers are offered for good news, for emotional instability, for injuries within the household, and for the arrival of new life. Lightning splits the sky, illuminating the streets, while Dariq stands in the darkness within his home, motionless, gazing outward for a long time—his hands, however, unconsciously clenched. Only when the residents disperse does he finally withdraw his gaze, his expression subtly distorted. He reached out and touched "The Thunderbolt's Roar." Daryl's gaze gradually grew resolute, ready to follow the "Emperor's" advice—building friendships from the sidelines to support himself. Yet soon, he found himself at a loss, for he simply didn't know how to proactively make friends or how to warmly greet others and start conversations. It went against his nature. After much deliberation, Daryl decided to head to the training ground, where he could reestablish connections with his longtime acquaintances through the medium of combat—the training ground being the hub of activity for people from Silver City, where he often encountered familiar faces. "This has been quite proactive and enthusiastic... but your reserved demeanor from Sequence 1? Well, that's just how children are—your attitude has been solid.克莱恩 gave a quiet chuckle and said, "Two options. Choose one. First, a viewing of the 'Wheel of Fate' card. Second, a temporary method to restore strength during the early stages of weakness."威尔.昂赛汀 paused for a moment, then chuckled, "That's Bernadette over there. 'My intuition was right—this time I'm going to get something worthwhile.'" He then asked, "Which option do you think I'll pick?"克莱恩's initial thought was, "Now I have one question," but he quickly self-mockingly added, "The second one."威尔.昂赛汀 scoffed, "Do I seem like a mythical being without any such methods? I've restarted countless times—I'm certainly making deliberate preparations!" "That makes sense... Caine nodded. "Would you like to see the 'Wheel of Fortune' card, or would you like them to exchange chips again?" Will. Aunseitin sucked on his fingers and said, "I'll go with two." "...” Caine's expression instantly stiffened. At that, Will. Aunseitin smiled. "Each additional method I learn gives me one more card in my hand—doesn't that make sense?" Yes, you're absolutely right... Caine replied with a sigh. "Then, when shall we finalize the transaction?" Will. Aunseitin waved his short arms. "Of course, when I'm born—when I have my umbilical blood!" "That would be around early July, possibly earlier." Then, he settled back, his voice calm and light. "If they'd like to bring that method to me sooner, I wouldn't mind at all." "Them?" "Klein subconsciously asked, puzzled as to why the 'Silver Serpent' knew it was them, rather than just her, the 'Mysterious Queen' Bernadette. Will Angestin lifted his finger, speaking indistinctly: 'Bernadette has long since passed the stage requiring a drop of mythical being's blood—this should be something she prepared for her subordinates.' Ah, so the 'Recluse' needs one? Klein pondered. 'What role does a single drop of mythical being's blood play? Is it a primary ingredient of some magical potion?' He recalled the instance where a drop of divine blood served as the primary ingredient for the 'Eternal Radiant Sun' potion. 'No—wouldn't they be committing suicide if they simply consumed the blood through other means?' "Will. Onsight chuckled, saying, 'I heard that for a Sequence 5 to advance to Sequence 4 through the Path of the Observer, one must fully decode a single drop of mythic creature's blood, gaining complex and vast knowledge—this is part of the ritual. And since the specific mythic creature's blood used varies, the strengths developed during the stage of the Mystic Scholar also differ accordingly.' Even that... each path and sequence has its own distinct ritual! Clary nodded with a sense of clarity: 'Thank you for the explanation.' Will. Onsight waved a hand, saying, 'No further disturbance—letting me simply be born in peace is the greatest thanks!' Before Clary could respond, he added: 'And having that method is no disturbance at all!' With that, the black stroller reversed and disappeared into the shadows. Clary watched as the tower walls around him gradually collapsed, exhaled silently, and prepared to break free, settling back to sleep. At that moment, he suddenly became alert, realizing that a new force was seeping into his dreams. One after another, they kept arriving—more lively than even daytime! While克莱恩 guided the dreams according to his own vision, he feigned confusion, glancing around nervously. PS: Highly recommend a wonderful book by Keleihao, *The Demon King of the City*. Absolutely not to be missed!