For a brief moment, Caine's casually glancing gaze paused, freezing on the familiar figure. He soon realized he had exhibited a slight anomaly—something utterly imperceptible in a half-god's intuitive awareness. A tightening in his back muscles sent thoughts racing through his mind, sparking like flames. Instead of instinctively snapping his gaze away, he remained fixed on that figure, the one seemingly journeying toward the "Black Emperor," and smiled gently at the Senator Macht. "Indeed, it's not just retired officers who have come here." This was a seemingly thoughtful remark that, in reality, carried no substantive meaning. Senator Macht chuckled. "Any club, in time, inevitably expands beyond its original boundaries." His words appeared to convey little, yet upon closer reflection, one sensed they carried depth—or perhaps, quite the opposite. At that moment, the man with broad shoulders, slightly longer arms, and wearing a black formal suit naturally turned his head and glanced at the spot where the two were standing. He noticed a wealthy patron, who had donated fifteen thousand pounds, curiously observing him and his companions, and engaged in a low conversation with the Member of Parliament, Machet. This made him feel that the earlier surprise in the patron's gaze was now a natural reaction after having learned of his position. Then, he turned back and continued with the topic he had been discussing. Meanwhile, Caine's vest was already damp with a dense layer of cold sweat, and he felt his legs growing weak. Though he had faced half-gods before, even engaging in combat, this kind of close-up, intimate setting—where danger hung in the balance with just a single thought—was entirely new to him. More importantly, he was far from prepared to face a half-god at this moment. He had no secret figures at all, and all he carried were the "Hourglass" revolver, the Azk copper whistle, and the adventurer's harmonica. — The "God of the Sea's Staff" cannot be carried physically and demands stringent environmental conditions; otherwise, it would result in significant casualties. The "Grosel Travelogue" tends to gradually draw Caine into the world of the book itself if worn for an extended period, making it difficult to return to the real world afterward. The "Crawling Hunger" remains unsealed and restless, never truly at rest unless it has a pressing need—so it cannot be retrieved in advance. The "Staves of the Thieves" are crafted from the "Clockwork Insects," and there's a risk of drawing the attention of Amun. Unless they are used soon, Caine simply won't dare to carry them constantly. Should the semi-god, rumored to be the "Black Emperor," detect any issues, the only solution he can conceive of would be to blow his flute, summoning the Messenger Miss, and asking her to carry him safely out of Beckland via the spiritual realm! He hadn't anticipated having Renette Tini科尔 engage the other directly, instead taking out his "Bell of Doom" revolver and firing precise, well-timed shots from the sidelines. After all, this was Beckettland—the official stronghold of the extraordinary beings. With the messenger girl's unusual appearance, the gentleman could simply charge her with any offense he pleased, and the result would inevitably be a siege, with more and more half-gods and powerful seals joining the pressure. Truly thrilling. Clary moved logically, using the "Jester's" ability to steady his legs, stepping calmly toward the main entrance without any sign of disturbance. He didn't ask the neighboring Mahert Senator any questions, nor did he inquire about the identities of the people who had just arrived—showing no interest at all, thus proving that his earlier glance had indeed been nothing more than a casual one. Yet, the other’s gaze revealed his features clearly to Caine: dense yet orderly black eyebrows, a short, firm crew cut of the same hue, deep blue eyes nearly black, a high, mountain-like nose, a broad beard extending outward from the corners of his mouth, a well-defined contour, a longer facial structure, and a cool, resolute line. He was a man of solid, rugged presence—likely in his thirties or forties, though it was hard to pinpoint exactly. At first glance, Caine believed he resembled a half-god of the "Arbitrator" path more than the "Black Emperor" path. Of course, the half-god’s overall demeanor leaned more toward that of a warrior, though he was notably short. With this clear and distinct appearance, Caine no longer needed to ask questions—he could simply approach Arodes for answers, even while still remaining cautious about the "Mirror." He could delegate the task of basic background checks to Miss Hurod, Miss Sharon, and others. — He believed that no matter how well a half-god concealed themselves, their position could never be too low, and they would soon be uncovered. Taking one step, then two, then three, Caine moved normally away from the "East Baring Club of Retired Officers." Once aboard the carriage, he leaned against the side wall, closed his eyes, and remained silent for several seconds, then sighed deeply within himself: "The long-lost thread of the Beckland Great Haze incident has finally been reconnected." He stayed without opening his eyes or speaking for a long time, as though still reflecting on the business matters they had discussed earlier—though in truth, he was more focused on calming the emotions he had suppressed just moments before. During this time, Caine noticed his personal servant, Richard, attempting to speak several times, only to close his mouth again, as though troubled by something. In the end, Richard said nothing and quietly prepared the Marquis'红茶 for his employer. Caine, still affected by what had just happened, was not in the mood to attend to Richard's concerns at the moment, and thus appeared completely unaware of them. In the quiet atmosphere, punctuated only by the sound of wheels turning, they returned to 160 Berkland Street. As far as the third floor, Crane was heading toward a bathtub that had been prepared by the housemaid with the water at the ideal temperature. Richardson, holding his hat and cane, hurried forward a few steps and respectfully inquired, "Mr. Crane, are you planning to travel to the Southern Continent soon?" "Yes," Crane replied calmly, already having arranged to pay Miss Tania, the housekeeper, an additional 500 pounds in cash for the daily expenses of his stay at the D'Orleans estate in the Southern Continent. At the same time, he gained a deeper appreciation for the importance of the positions of a senior housekeeper and a personal servant: the household staff often remained unaware of many of the master's private matters, and thus, when irreconcilable differences in beliefs or political outlooks arose, a change of staff was inevitably required. Richardson hesitated slightly and then added, "Mr. Crane, I was born in the Southern Continent, speak fluent D'Orleans dialect, and am well-versed in its customs—so I believe I could be of real assistance to you." The Duntan language was the common tongue of the ancient Balar Empire, and today in both eastern and western Balar, ordinary people still speak it. Only those in the upper and middle classes are fluent in foreign languages such as the ancient Foskian, Runian, and Intisian. For Kaine, this feels like good fortune, since the ancient Balar once was a unified empire with true gods. Though the regional provinces had their own accents, they all used Duntan in daily communication, and the written language was consistent as well—this has spared him considerable effort. If there had been dozens or even hundreds of languages in use simultaneously, that would have been a real challenge. Nevertheless, Duntan and ancient Foskian are not part of the same linguistic system, so I cannot master them as quickly as I would have learned the various branches of Foskian. Translation is essential—well, Anderson seems particularly adept at Duntan, and I haven’t heard him mention any difficulties in communication in western Balar. After listening to Richard’s words, Kaine suddenly understood what had been troubling him. As a personal servant, he is required to accompany the employer when they are out on business, whereas the housekeeper is not. In essence, the personal servant functions not only as a domestic secretary but also, to some extent, as a business secretary. It is clear that Richardson enjoys life in Beckettland and everything about it, and is unwilling to return to the Southern Continent, not wanting to see any scenes or experiences that remind him of the past. Therefore, while traveling in the carriage, he several times wanted to express his strengths but found himself unable to speak, hoping that Daven Toutas would look elsewhere for a more suitable candidate. A rather plain sense of gratitude... If you don't mention it, no one would be certain you're truly open and honest, after all, you were born and raised in the colonial manor of Dong Bailang. Klein studied Richard's face for a few seconds, smiled silently, and murmured a few thoughts to himself. Still, he didn't intend to take Richard with him to the southern continent. First, it would make his own movements and activities less convenient; second, if Richard were recognized by someone familiar with the Reformed Church of the Spirit, it might well affect his life for the rest of his days. Klein smiled and said, "I have many friends there, all of whom speak the Tantian language and are well-versed in the local customs." "Well, you have more important matters to attend to—you'll need to stay in Beckland, visiting some of my friends' homes periodically to deliver gifts. I'll provide you with a list. Also, read the newspapers regularly, keep an eye out for valuable investment news, conduct on-site inspections, and submit reports accordingly. I'll have Miss Tania specifically set aside funds for these responsibilities." Richardson was first taken aback, then surprised and delighted, responding with: "Yes, sir. I will certainly make an effort!" At that moment, he felt truly entrusted, and his vision blurred unexpectedly. For the first time since his birth, he sensed a future full of promise and hope, one he now looked forward to. After sending Richardson away, Klein settled into a soothing bath to ease his tense spirit, then dressed in his nightwear and returned to his bedroom, where he took out paper and pen, sketching a complex symbol that blended the ideas of 'observation' and 'secrecy'. On the surface of the full-length mirror, ripples spread out suddenly in concentric circles, forming clusters of Runestones in silver light: "Most High, Most Noble Lord, your most faithful, humble servant, Arondes, has come at your call! Shall you be leaving Berkland once again?" Kaine nodded. "Yes." Before Arondes could ask a question, Kaine continued: "Will I be able to reach you on the Southern Continent?" "Of course! Simply present that magical telegraph machine." The silver words on the mirror's surface swiftly reorganized. "But do not keep it in the physical world for too long, nor use it too frequently—there are many 'Trees of Desire' on the Southern Continent, and they may sense your presence through it." Kaine nodded gently and then asked: "What do you know of the 'Trees of Desire'?" "Mirror" Arodese fell utterly silent, and only after a long while did the silver glow on the mirror's surface slowly shift and coalesce into a complete sentence: "I am not bold enough to say it, nor daring enough to display it." PS: Requesting a guaranteed monthly ticket for July~ (End of chapter) 894. June Summary and Request for Monthly Ticket (Chapter updated) June Summary and Request for Monthly Ticket (Chapter updated) I traveled out of town for fourteen days in June, with single updates posted each day, yet the mysterious still secured the top spot for monthly tickets, and consistently ranked second on the bestseller list—both deeply touching and humbling. You all have been so patient with my capriciousness and so generous. Throughout June, the daily demand peaked at over 55,000 units, and even after it gradually settled due to more steady pacing, it remained consistently above 50,000. This pattern has continued—up and down, back and forth—ever since the series launched. Overall, the demand has been on a steady upward trend, typically surging during major plot peaks, then slightly dipping before settling into a range, only to repeat the cycle. The narrative elements, visual compositions, and atmosphere of the "Mist Town" storyline—parts I've envisioned for a long time—have been well-received, which brings me great satisfaction. The closing of Book Four also features scenes that were originally envisioned at the beginning of the series. I hope to authentically convey the sense that "immortality is both a gift and a curse"—perhaps without explicitly stating it, simply by painting the scene vividly. Of course, this will still require several more chapters to fully unfold. This month, the most profound feeling in writing has been exhaustion. During travel, I wake up at around 7 a.m. and don't return to the hotel until late evening, around 7 or 8 p.m. There's only limited time to write, but fortunately, I can catch a nap on the bus or train in between—otherwise, I'd be writing while constantly yawning, and simply unable to get anything done. Nevertheless, stepping out and traveling has indeed alleviated the mental tension and sense of being stifled that come from staying at home for long periods. Since returning, several chapters feel like they've been written at a high level. Of course, there's certainly gathering of material. If I were to write about another foreign city-state in the future, I'd describe the brothel's sign as a stone projecting from the door, symbolizing the reproductive organ. Since most of the prostitutes were captured through war and thus spoke little or no local language, they would mimic the howl of a mother wolf to attract customers and communicate with the seafaring sailors arriving at port. The brothel itself would then be called the "wolf den." This kind of detail brings out the atmosphere and authenticity of that distant land. All of this I heard in Pompeii—there seem to be only three or four official tour guides there who speak Mandarin. It's pleasant to listen to, though a bit expensive; it becomes more worthwhile when groups are large, since the fees are charged per hour. Well, returning to the theme of fatigue—this isn’t just something that happens during travel; it also occurs after returning. Since the start of the fourth book, this feeling has become quite common. As the story grows more expansive, I don’t want to follow the pattern of the previous works, such as Arcane and One Life, where I focus solely on the protagonist, rushing forward relentlessly toward the end. Instead, I aim to deepen and bring to life the many interesting characters I’ve introduced earlier, making them more vivid and actively engaged in the world. With the life of a wealthy man, there are inevitably many banquets, meetings, and conversations. To generate scenes with meaningful conflict and strong emotional tension, I need ample time for preparation and gradual development. As a result, shifting perspectives, involving characters, and maintaining a steady rhythm of daily writing constantly require mental effort, and I often find myself struggling to manage them with ease—frequently feeling fatigued. Besides these reasons, this is also an inevitable state that arises after a book has been written for over a year—my procrastination is getting worse, I need longer to focus my attention, I'm finishing writing later each day, and fatigue accumulates steadily. I've even experienced this twice before, where I accidentally turn off the alarm and end up sleeping until noon, nearly missing updates. Currently, it seems only possible to now prioritize the things I've previously mentioned: taking one day off each week. My plan is to rest on Sundays, but to split one of the two chapters originally scheduled for Saturdays into a Sunday chapter—so that both weekend days feature single updates at noon. Otherwise, the schedule remains normal. This way, if I need to take further leave due to writer's block or travel, I can make up for those days. The first additional update in June will be scheduled for after July, during the period of heightened plot momentum. Alright, now that we're in July, I'm approaching the monthly ticket with a serious and steady attitude. Chapters have already been updated in advance; the midday update is now gone, with the second update scheduled for 7 p.m. Also, could you recommend some tickets for Monday?