The anomaly vanished. Klein exhaled slightly, surveyed the interior of the house, and chose a spot where a gentle moonlight fell, casting only moderate shadows, to stand—thus avoiding an unexpected assault. In those few seconds, he formed a hunch about the figures faintly visible beyond the curtains and the low, animal-like roars: they were precisely the corpses previously suspended inside the church, murmuring "Hornachis... Freglah..." As Klein passed through the wall and left the church, all the suspended bodies had turned toward the burning candle. On the street, no figures came and went—until Klein remotely extinguished the flame, at which point everything returned to its former state. When the red moon was clear and the spiritual energy heightened, would the church's "magnet" at its apex deepen its influence over the misty town, enabling it to move those corpses and make them appear as if walking normally? If that were truly the case, the brilliance might draw the attention of the "operator." In such a scenario, if the flames weren't promptly extinguished and their source locked down, something profoundly terrifying might unfold. Indeed, one couldn't rely on their ability to manipulate the flames to constantly shift the figures' gaze. Klein reminded himself, then used the unbroken "spiritual thread" vision to examine the bread, beef stew with potatoes, and deep red wine on the table. He suspected these dishes were part of the "magnet" at the church's apex. Should they be consumed, the "spiritual thread" would become contaminated and inevitably drift toward the church—thus explaining why those who ate here would vanish entirely, as the food would hang suspended inside the church, drying out. Only when the red moon became clearly visible could they reappear, aligning perfectly with Mr. A's observation that the missing individuals would reappear under bright moonlight. At first glance, Caine noticed that the foods seemed alive, each radiating "spirit threads" extending from within toward the ancient church. What was most remarkable was that each food had only a single "spirit thread," a clear distinction from the dense, countless threads typical of ordinary living beings. Indeed, this matched my expectations quite well—his initial hypothesis was now confirmed. With his gaze returning to the scene, Caine began pondering how to address the challenge of confronting the "Despair Mage" Panatia. Beside him, the "Soul-Spirit" Senior—wearing an old triangular hat and a dark red coat—materialized with a subtle creaking of bones and subtle facial movements, quickly transforming into the likeness of Germán Sparrow. This was the secret figure utilizing the power of the "Faceless One!" Caine examined the "double" closely and observed a few imperfections: the clothing remained unchanged. If he attempted to conceal this with magic, it would not be sufficient to deceive the half-god-level "Despair Mage," and even Mr. A might not be fooled. After a brief consideration, he had the外形 of the "wandering spirit" Senyor remove his garments, and himself shed his clerical black robe, exchanging clothes with one another! As they dressed and donned their attire, Caine's expression grew increasingly odd—because for the past two months, the mannequin had always worn the same clothes, having gone through sewers, endured explosions, and absorbed a myriad of odors that were far from pleasant. Ah, now the suffering he endured was the consequence of his own past laziness... Caine sighed silently and completed the transformation, now embodying the image of Captain Germán Sparrow. At that moment, the "wandering spirit" Senyor also donned the black clerical robe, his spirit now vibrant and no longer cold, indistinguishable from a living person. Caine paused to consider, then removed the "creeping hunger" and placed it upon the left palm of the "Lord of Blood." Thus, the mannequin became a fully authentic Germán Sparrow. One must go all out in the performance… And if, during this process, the "creeping hunger" turns against them, then even the secret figure—this very figure—will be the one consumed, hah! When the time comes to end, will it feel deceived, as though it had taken a placebo? While克莱恩 carefully guides the "spirit of resentment," Senior, to adapt and removes fish and other items, he is seriously formulating a strategy: With such a secret figure capable of wielding my extraordinary abilities, it would be nearly impossible—not to defeat the "Magistra of Despair," but merely to steal that obsidian stone from her. She is truly a half-god. Even if this highly deceptive secret figure achieves tactical success—say, drawing attention, enabling a sudden assault, and constantly shifting positions to confuse Panatia, making it hard for her to accurately judge the situation or compensate for her inherent level and strength disadvantages—strategic objectives will still remain unmet. Perhaps, instead, the secret figure could engage in close combat, attempting to manipulate Panatia’s "spirit threads." Since he is already a corpse, he will no longer be affected by diseases or plagues—this could be a fresh and unexpected Well, let me first mentally compile a list—writing down the areas where I hold an advantage or are on par with the "Lady of Despair." Maybe that will offer some insights... Secret companions who can disguise themselves and wield their extraordinary abilities at a semi-divine level, or who can instantly swap places with one another—those are the only ones. Hmm. Considering Pannatia's current condition, I seem to have one more strength over her... She's in a semi-frenzied state, her rationality fluctuating, often acting impulsively, driven more by instinct than thought. Yes, she still excels at persuading and guiding, but that's part of her hunting instinct. In contrast, I remain stable—my intellect is intact, my thinking and analytical abilities fully functional. Could it be—that this time, I'll win by sheer intelligence? She surely shares the same yearning to escape the misty town—deep within her, this instinct surpasses even the need for food! And now, she's quite full! I could absolutely try to collaborate with her: she offers that obsidian stone, and I sketch the special, hidden symbol—just what's needed to fulfill the "opening" condition. Moreover, I'm not entirely confident in that Zarathustra. Who knows—might he harbor ill intentions, perhaps a hidden scheme to draw in the "Despair Witch," thereby confusing the situation and effectively tying down the Divine One? Collaboration is a matter of subtlety, not direct confrontation. A perfect, half-divine substitute can achieve far more than a direct battle—this combines both of my strategic advantages! Klein made a swift decision, carefully refining the details of the collaboration negotiations while patiently awaiting the return of the crimson moon to the misty town. After some time, the deep crimson moonlight filtering through the dark curtains finally faded, and Klein immediately summoned the secret figure to pass through the wall, sending her away from the hidden house where he had been concealed. Then, the "wandering spirit" Senior, resembling Germán Spalro, walked out onto the street and made his way toward the dark church. In just a matter of ten to twelve seconds, the one manipulating the automaton, Klein, noticed that Senior was being afflicted by illness. While this had no effect on the deceased, Klein faintly sensed that over time, the illness would grow more severe and more peculiar, eventually affecting the body's nerves and spirit—causing the corpse's movements to grow stiff and mechanical, until even the knees could no longer bend, forcing it to move hop by hop. Fortunately, I had not chosen the automaton manipulation scheme involving the "spirit thread." Immediately, Klein had the "wandering spirit" Senior speak aloud: "I stayed inside the church for a while—I did not die. I've found a way to escape!" Upon finishing these words, the "Germán Spalro" took a deep breath, clearly weakened by his declining health, and his resistance to the illness seemed to be fading. And at that moment, the "Magistra of Despair," Panatia, clad in a pure white robe, suddenly appeared at the church's entrance, her hair now neatly coiffed, her appearance clean and fresh. With eyes that still held a touch of wild beauty, she gazed steadily at Germain Spalro, and from the inner folds of her garments, she produced a deep, strange obsidian stone. The stone's outline perfectly matched the indentation on the wall behind the church's statue! "Do you need it?" Panatia asked calmly. Cain noticed that the "Magistra of Despair" had now recovered from the plague and illness, and quickly urged the "Specter" Senior to give a slight nod. "Yes," he said, "as long as we place it at the correct position within the church and combine it with a special symbol, we can open a door that will allow us to escape from here. I know that the interior of the church poses a great danger to you—especially along the 'Veil of Spirits.' But I am a Master of Secret Figures, and I can manipulate the 'Veil of Spirits,' ensuring you won't be suspended as fate has otherwise foreseen." "Despair Maiden" Panatia remained silent for a few seconds, then smiled brightly, asking with a radiant tone: "Then I'll become your mere servant? Or will you abandon me at the crucial moment, leaving me as a figure wandering beneath the moonlight?" "Once we're inside, if I show any signs of cursing you, you'll release your 'spirit thread' control and reverse the situation—should I display even the slightest anomaly, I'll immediately curse you." "Once the door to escape is opened, I'll go first, and at the same time, I'll return your flesh and hair to you." "Germán Sparo" carefully considered the details, discussed them further with the "Lady of Despair," and finally nodded: "Very well. That's the agreement." Pannatia was about to speak when her eyes suddenly narrowed, and she spoke slowly: "For some reason, I still feel a bit uneasy." PS: The final push for monthly subscriptions, and due to technical reasons, Audrey's birthday celebration begins on June 6—just let everyone know.