A mist enveloped the dimly lit town. As the woman stepped out from among the alleyways, she seemed out of place—pure, dignified, untouched by dust, her features radiant and striking, instantly arresting. Her simple white robe and loose, slightly untended hair added a quiet, relaxed grace to her presence. This luminous, serene figure also noticed the "wandering spirit" Senyol, her expression first startled, then softened into a smile. In a gentle, melodic voice, she said, "Senyol... When did you become a puppet? If not for the night's power having seeped into you and transformed you into this state, I would have scarcely recognized you." She appeared to be speaking directly to Senyol, yet in truth, she was communicating through the secret automaton to the unseen orchestrator behind the scenes. Oh, that still, cold aura simply couldn't be concealed—it was unmistakable to higher-tier extraordinary beings... I'd been planning to hide in a spot unnoticed, engaging the other party through Senior, the "Blood Above the General," so as to maximize my own safety... This place has severed the gray mist's influence; if I truly perished here, I'd likely never recover... Klein retreated into the gray-white mill, allowing the secret figure to speak in a low, muted tone: "Should you manage to step outside, you'd easily find out that I've been serving my master since about a month ago." He answered in the tone and terms befitting the "Blood Above the General," as though he himself were still alive. This is the fundamental principle of the "Master of Secret Figures"—each figure must possess an independent identity and narrative! At the same time, Klein had subtly embedded the keyword "step outside," laying the groundwork for future discussions on this very topic. — In such an enigmatic and mysterious town, he hadn't yet conceived the idea of killing any witches. Beyond the question of whether there were good witches available or whether he himself possessed the requisite strength, the very fact that everyone was trapped here, urgently exchanging information and seeking ways out, was enough to make him temporarily opt for peaceful coexistence. The plain white-robed woman chuckled warmly: "You're always eager to perform—by now, you'll surely master the 'Master of Secret Encounters' potion. "A member of the Secret Order?" She clearly knows well about the "Seer" path... Ah, the witch orders are one of the four most active secret organizations of the Fourth Age. Even if they don't maintain close ties with families like Charathus or Antigonus, they're certainly well-acquainted. It's entirely normal for her to be familiar with the "Seer" path. Of course, that depends on this lady actually being a witch. A spark of recognition passed through Caine's mind. He deliberately asked: "Is there any other possibility?" He wanted to extract information from the other, to find out which organizations and individuals still held the "Seer's Path." The bright, pure woman walked slowly, approaching Senior, the "One Above Blood," and smiled gently. "You don't need to tell me which organization you belong to," she said. "We've been exiled here, nearly forever imprisoned. The past no longer matters. What matters is the future—whether we can cooperate, whether we can find a way out." The probing fell short... Caine responded with the "Grieving Spirit." "Exactly my thought," he said. "By the way, how should I address you?" As the lady drew closer to Senior, he could now detect the fresh, delicate fragrance through the secret doppelgänger's sense of smell, and, inspired by her words, unexpectedly envisioned the image of them, in such a desperate situation, supporting one another, setting aside worldly ethics, and warming each other's hearts with their bodies. She really does resemble a sorceress... Hmm, the more I listen, the more familiar her voice seems, though I can't quite place where I've heard it before. Unfortunately, in this situation, I can't rely on "dream divination" to help—should the other side notice my momentary lapse, they'll seize the opportunity and the outcome will be unpredictable. Klein furrowed his brow slightly. Pannatia nodded and asked, "How did you get here?" Klein did not conceal the truth, speaking through the medium's mouth: "I encountered a lady of unknown origin. She wore a hood, her eyes seeming to hold an entire night, yet lacking spirit." Pannatia remained silent for two seconds before speaking: "Ah, there she is..." She paused and smiled, not elaborating further. "What exactly have you done to warrant the Night's Watch sending someone specifically to oppose you?" Pannatia subtly shifted her pronouns. *Him?* Was the lady an angel, a monk within the Church? Pannatia clearly knew her well. Klein thought for a moment and replied vaguely: "I infiltrated Saint Simon's Church, attempting to steal an item sealed within it—then..." He did not go into detail, for he himself did not fully understand why he had encountered that lady. Caine believed that, as an angel, that lady could not have lived continuously behind the Charnel Gate of Saint Samuel's Church—there simply weren't any grand matters worthy of constant attendance by someone of her stature! "Ah, so indeed—He is beneath Saint Samuel's Church." Pannatia seemed to confirm this. Within the secret organization, the word "Saint" was often dropped when referring to Saint Samuel's Church—something to keep in mind going forward. Caine quietly pondered her words. Pannatia did not pursue the topic further, but with a gentle smile said, "Now, don't dwell on the past. As I just mentioned, what matters is the future—how we escape." Caine then turned to the spirit, Senior, and asked, "What do you know about this place?" Pannatia glanced toward the dark, pointed spire of the church at the town's center and remarked, "This place does not exist in the material realm, nor in the spiritual realm, nor in the stellar realm—it exists in some hidden, intermediate state." "I've explored most of the area, including beyond the town, but have never found any clue about how to leave. Now only that church remains—perhaps all the secrets are hidden there." "Why haven't you explored it?" asked Kline through the guise of the secret companion. Pannatia tugged at her pure white robe, which seemed to bear several places where it had torn: "My intuition tells me that within lies great danger." At that, she shifted her tone and added: "Fortunately, now we have a way forward—your secret companion can guide us. Even if it is lost, it won't harm you in any way." "Rest assured," she continued, "as soon as we get a clear sense of what's inside, I'll find you a better one. After all, it seems to be on the verge of failing." That makes sense, yet I still don't trust you—after all, you're likely a mage. Kline neither accepted nor rejected the offer, instead using the opportunity to ask Senior: "What else should we be mindful of here?" "Panatia bit her lips and said, 'There are still many who have come here for various reasons, but now they've vanished.' 'Vanished?' Kenen was startled. 'What happened?' Panatia sighed softly. 'Some I don't fully understand; others came to the houses, ate part of the food, and then vanished—disappeared instantly. This time, the divination shows that they have lost their lives and now are in a deep sleep.' Could there be cases of people being erased or evaporated in this misty town? And not just temporarily, but completely extinguished? Kenen was deeply startled. Then, a thought came to him—almost ready to speak out—'Do you not feel hungry?' Afraid of triggering some change, he forced himself to keep his mouth shut and asked Senior, from the side, 'How long have you been here?' Panatia smiled gently, as if sighing. 'Perhaps for about six months.' "I have witnessed many people treat their peers as food, passing this on generation after generation. Fortunately, I require very little—just a small amount of sustenance allows me to survive for a long time, and there are still several foods that do not harm the essence of a human being." As she spoke, she raised her finger toward the crimson moon veiled in the mist above: "Another point to note: when the red moon becomes clear, something significant will happen here—transforming into something extremely dangerous. I have suffered serious injuries due to this." She then turned her gaze to a crack in the pure white robe she wore. Cain instinctively directed the gaze of "Soul-Shadow" Senior toward it, and there, at the location of her collarbone, the crack revealed smooth, pale skin and a deep, bone-seeing wound. At that very moment, the skin underwent a transformation, revealing an intricate network of mysterious patterns and deep, eerie, dark hues! Cain's thoughts exploded in a sudden surge, his mind filled only with murmurs and cries of agony. At the same time, his breathing grew difficult, his body rapidly weakened, and he fell unconsciously to the ground, coughing violently. Then, he saw the long white robe, the two straight female legs, and Panatia.