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Chapter 831: Infiltration (Monday recommendation and monthly subscription votes requested)

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The mirror on Cline's pillow instantly shimmered with a luminous glow, like flowing water, and a series of silver points pulsed and coalesced into the corresponding runic script: "Most High, Most Noble Lord, your most faithful and humble servant, Arodus, stands ever ready to serve you!" Cline stood by the bedside, gazing at the mirror, his outward demeanor calm as he asked, "In which location behind the Charnel Gate of the Saint Samuel Church is the family notebook of Antigonus?" He needed to confirm the exact spot in advance so he could proceed directly to his destination, minimizing the time required to execute his plan and thereby avoiding potential unforeseen complications. On the mirror's surface, the silver words wavered and reshaped themselves into a new line: "It is a first-level seal, located in the right section of the second level—more specifically, the details are now unclear." Cline nodded once and said, "Now it's your turn to ask." Arodus immediately caused the silver words to dissipate, and anew, they emerged in the rippling light, forming a question: "Do you have any further instructions?" "If everything were normal, Klein would have quietly murmured a赞赏 at this point, but under the intense mental strain, he could only nod and say: 'Watch my vision as before, and respond to any unexpected developments.' 'Yes, Master!' The mirror, Arordes, responded without hesitation, immediately adding a second line of words: 'I will, I will control my instincts. I swear to you, the Great Sovereign above the Spirit Realm!' Klein gave a gentle nod, then took two steps forward, allowing the image of Dauton Tangtse to appear in the mirror. The image grew increasingly clear and substantial, eventually becoming as real as life itself. With a slight adjustment, Klein had the dummy lie down on the bed, as though already asleep. At this moment, he noticed Dauton Tangtse turn his head and offer him a flattering, courtly smile, while extending both hands to pull the blanket up. “…” Kline said nothing. As he transformed into the stern, mad adventurer Germain Spalro, the "Crawling Hunger" still worn on his left hand suddenly became transparent. His figure swiftly faded, and he "traveled" to the other end of the Pesfeir Street where the Saint Samuel Church stood, then walked to the square where pigeons fluttered during the day, hiding in a shadowed corner. A while later, a group of faithful emerged from the church to attend the evening Mass. Soon afterward, several servants carried various items out of the church, heading toward the side alley’s trash bins, and dispatched others to manage the manure at the carriage stand. At this moment, one of the servants suddenly trembled, then bowed his head, carefully clearing the debris—so diligently that he even moved purposefully toward the square, gradually distancing himself and eventually fading into the deeper shadows. When no other servants paid him any attention, a hand suddenly took shape, as if reaching out from the void, grasping his shoulders and causing his form to fade and vanish. Cain materialized directly in a two-bedroom apartment room in the eastern district—a place he had rented several days earlier, having transformed his appearance and "transmitted" himself there. The ability of a "Traveler" is truly convenient; the only drawback is that each time he wishes to use it, a pirate must sacrifice their life. Cain eased his growing tension with internal murmurs, then laid the servant on the bed, and produced a long, slender metal tube, handing it to him. The servant caught it precisely, removed the stopper, and swallowed the sedative in a few seconds, promptly falling asleep. Instantly, the silhouette of the "Spirit of Resentment," Senyor, wearing an old triangular hat and a dark red coat, appeared beside him. Klein examined the servant lying on the bed, and his body suddenly softened, as though turning into a mud monster. Yet he did not collapse completely—he merely swayed slightly, shrinking instantly by fifteen centimeters, his skin darkening, and his facial features shifting, soon transforming fully into the servant's appearance. At that moment, Senior had already stripped the servant of all his clothing. Without delay, Klein swiftly donned the garments and transferred the iron cigarette box and other items. He picked up the broom, inspected it carefully, and confirmed everything was in order. Then he returned Seniors to the coins, while he himself lowered his left arm, spread his fingers, and watched as the "creeping hunger" diffused into an indescribable transparency. Returning to the shadowy corner of the square, Klein bent down to carefully clear the floor, gradually moving step by step toward the still busy servants, yet maintaining a respectful distance to avoid conversation and minimize exposure risk. About two hours later, the busy servants gathered together and made their way into Saint Samuel's Church, turning toward the side aisle. "Honestly, it's exhausting," one servant said, stretching his arms after stepping away from the clergy. Cain feigned exhaustion, barely nodding in agreement, remaining silent and uninvolved in the conversation. Soon, they returned to the servants' quarters—two spacious rooms filled with several bed frames, both high and low, each accompanied by wooden cabinets and boxes. Cain found himself at a loss, unsure whether to go to the left or the right. Fortunately, as a "seer," he could rely entirely on his intuitive spiritual sense for matters not involving extraordinary beings or mystical domains, and since he was holding a broom, he subtly performed a "broom-guided" gesture, discreetly seeking direction—thus receiving the clear indication to proceed to the right. Enter the room on the right. Caine deliberately delayed by two beats, observing the actions of the other servants, then imitated them—placing the broom in the area behind the door and going to the communal bathroom outside to wash his face, brush his teeth, and rinse his feet. When he finally finished his slow proceedings, his own bed stood out clearly—the one that remained unoccupied. Lying down on the bed, Caine felt a little more at ease, and quietly exhaled. The servants were all weary and fell asleep quickly, their snoring rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Caine remained awake, making only subtle movements to remove the "thirsty hunger," folding it into a small square and placing it inside the iron tobacco box, alongside the Azk copper whistle and the Senior gold coin. Time passed slowly; his mind too tense to allow sleep, he relied on meditation to force himself into a deep sleep for several hours. At the designated time, Caine released the "wandering spirit," Senio. The shadowy, cold aura of this spectral entity swiftly blended into the surrounding environment, the "spirit thread" collapsing inward until it formed a deep black expanse, losing its original point. Klein subtly nodded, indicating that the "spirit of resentment" should use the colorful stained glass windows above and the smooth stone floor to reach the staircase connecting the internal ward to the upper levels. He believed that if Senior had not already been eroded and if the sealing core behind the Charnel Gate had not treated him as an ally, a reaction would have surely been triggered, and he would have been eliminated. How could a mere "spirit of resentment" move freely within the great cathedral of the Divine Church! It was precisely due to the sealing core's passive acceptance and the interference of the paper-angel figures that the spiritual presence of a semi-divine archbishop residing somewhere within the cathedral remained undisturbed. Step by step, they reached the second floor. Guided by his sense of the encroaching aura, the spectral figure Senior, under Caine's direction, moved to the left and located the areas where the internal wardens resided. It was Monday tomorrow—this Monday should be the one I first encountered among the internal wardens. Caine had long mastered the shift schedule, enabling the spectral figure in the dark red coat to glide silently through wooden doors, drifting into various rooms to identify his targets. With only a few wardens present, he soon found the elderly man with loose facial skin, a broad nose, sparse hair the color of frost. Immediately, Senior retrieved a metal tube filled with a sedative and placed it beside him, then, before the warden could notice, directly assumed his form. The internal guardian who had been asleep had not yet woken up or mounted resistance when he lost control of his body, managing only to open his gray-blue eyes and see himself laboriously lift a metal test tube beside him, remove the soft stopper, and sip the liquid within. His body began to tremble in an uncoordinated, irregular manner, as though battling fiercely within itself. It took a full minute before he gradually softened, closed his eyes again, and slipped back into dreamless sleep. Having completed this, the "spirit of resentment," Senyor, departed from the body of the internal guardian, once more using various "mirrors" to leap back to the servant quarters, and then entered directly into Caine's body. Caine immediately exuded a cold, still, and detached atmosphere, as though even attempting to make an expression had become difficult. He rose slowly, moved silently from the servant's room, walking through the shadows and surrounded by murals where moonlight did not reach, and step by step ascended to the second floor, entering the target room. Standing by the bedside, Kline's figure suddenly grew taller, his hair thinning and turning white, his nose slightly broadened. In just a few seconds, he had become indistinguishable from the internal guard who had been taking a sedative—down to the very breath. Donning the black coat of the attendant beside him, Kline moved the internal guard's clothing and servant's garments to the floor, then lay down himself, silently counting the time. At 5:30, he had risen early, eaten the white bread prepared the night before, and sipped a glass of water, quietly gazing out the window. As the morning light began to brighten, Kline maintained his expressionless demeanor, opened the door, stepped out, descended to the first floor, and followed the route he had initially learned, turning left. After walking a while, he naturally encountered a priest—experience from his previous night shift, so Kline had no concern about being unable to find a path. The priest stood at the threshold of the entrance to the underground area, raised his right hand, and, in a clockwise motion, tapped it four times against his chest: "Wishing the goddess to protect you." "May the goddess be praised," replied Kline in a low, resonant voice, drawing a crimson moon in the air as well. He did not pause. He stepped past the priest, moving one step at a time under the glow of the side lights, until he reached the intersection. Based on his understanding of the surrounding geography, Kline believed that turning right would lead him away from the church—toward a security company or another organization where the night watchmen had assumed disguises—and thus, without hesitation, turned left. At that moment, he noticed a man approaching him, wearing red gloves. The man had dark hair and green eyes, a striking appearance, dressed in a relaxed manner—none other than Leonard Mitchell.