Looking at Daniz's expression, Anderson carried on as if nothing had changed: "But their minds seem to have been completely consumed by the undead—so fervent, almost foolish, which doesn't quite suit my taste. I managed to secure a few things and then stepped away. "Hmm, your face looks a bit pale, and you're sweating profusely—do you have sunstroke? As a hunter, shouldn't adapting to the environment be instinctive?" Daniz raised his right hand to wipe away the sweat, muttered under his breath, and forced a smile: "I've heard that once you commit to a demonic deity, it's nearly impossible to shake off that devotion." As he spoke, he lifted his chin with a determined air, as though daring him to meet his gaze—completely unaware that Germain Sparo had recently clashed with the Aurora Society and was now being pursued by the followers of the 'True Maker,' and hadn't even recalled that he himself was now worshipping a figure suspected of being a demon. "That's quite accurate." "Anderson replied with a smile free of any cloud," I didn't truly believe in anything back then—I simply adapted the phrases I used from the names of the gods of knowledge and wisdom. After all, they didn't value thinking; no, they didn't have it at all. As long as they appeared sincere on the surface, they could easily fabricate any excuse to deceive people." Before Daniz could elaborate on this, Anderson turned and asked, "Why did you suddenly bring up the Aurora Circle?" Daniz bit into his roasted meat, chewed slowly, and deliberately paused for twenty or thirty seconds before saying, "I remembered something—Germán Sparo must have done something that made the Aurora Circle list him as a top priority to be eliminated. Oh, and the Spiritual Monastery as well. And both you and I are well-known to be closely connected to him." "Shall I be careful of people from the Aurora Circle and the Spiritual Monastery?" "Anderson nodded with sudden clarity, chuckling, 'Something similar—you've said it already recently, haven't you? The Rose School, the Storm Church, the Royal Army... Oh, sometimes I think Gelman Sparrow is actually better suited to be a Hunter than I am.'" Daniz, rarely failing to object, simply agreed with a firm nod. Anderson paused, then unexpectedly shifted the topic: "So, what exactly are you here in Westbarr to accomplish? To help Gelman Sparrow?" Upon hearing this, Daniz remained silent for a moment, set down the items in his hands, and neatly adjusted his clothes. "A survey of the religious affiliations among Westbarr's various social strata." This was the purpose confirmed after his discussion with the "Ice Admiral" Edwenna. In simpler terms, it meant investigating the development and influence of the city's major hidden organizations. Of course, this would also involve initial contact with the local ruling powers, to ascertain whether they have a demand for firearms and ammunition. "Survey of the religious affiliations among the various strata of the people in Xibayrang..." Anderson repeated Daniz's words, instinctively raising his right hand to rub his temple, as if quite troubled. ........ After concluding the Tarot gathering, reminding the "Starborne Generals" to pay close attention to the Aurora Society and the Spiritual Order's investigations, and ideally seeking assistance from the Moes Monastic Order, Caine then busily finalized the tripartite transactions involving the "World," "Moon," and "Sun," securing a cash payment of 5,000 pounds. Upon having dinner, he held his decorative, unlit pipe and read the newspaper, when suddenly his personal courier emerged from the void, delivering a letter. "From Leonard..." Caine took the letter, glancing to see if Renette Tiniel had paused, and noticed that the courier had promptly returned to the spiritual realm. This confirmed to him that Leonard Mitchell had paid the postage, so he drew his other hand from his pocket and unfolded the letter: "Inse Zangwei has appeared in Dong Bailang, reportedly meeting with Parank Tassib of the人造 God sect of the Spirit Fellowship..." Inse Zangwei... Caine chewed on the name slowly, leaning back gently against the chair's backrest. In the letter, Leonard hoped he would also conduct some discreet investigations to uncover Inse Zangwei's true intentions. "The problem is, we just discussed earlier that 'Zero-Zero Eight' possesses a quality akin to 'whatever is spoken shall be known,' meaning that once you learn of it, it simultaneously becomes aware of you, and moreover, it excels at arranging coincidences, guiding people subtly and unconsciously along its own path. Under such circumstances, initiating an investigation into Inz. Zangwei would inevitably draw the attention of 'Zero-Zero Eight'—not only would success be unlikely, but exposure itself would become probable." While pondering this, Kline moved Enzo, the 'Winner,' to stand behind him and gently pressed on his shoulders. He then reread Leonard Mitchell's letter from the beginning, hoping to extract further clues and potential entry points for the investigation from those few sentences: "East Bayrung... the Spiritual Order... the Artificial God Faction... Palenck Tassib... What exactly is Inz. Zangwei seeking from them? Is he attempting to secure allies for the royal faction behind the true perpetrators of the Becland smog crisis?" "The Artificial Death God faction... The Artificial Death God faction..." Klein thought, suddenly remembering a fact known to only himself and Mr. Azk: The "Night Goddess" has initially established control over the "uniqueness" of the "Death God" path—the "Artificial Death God"—and is now actively seizing, assimilating, and consolidating its authority. In other words, the object of veneration of the "Artificial Death God" faction is, to a significant extent, already being perceived as the "Night Goddess." Once the transfer and consolidation of authority are complete, the faction will undergo a certain level of purification and integration, either gradually merging into the Night Church or continuing to operate independently while discreetly coordinating with other branches of the Spiritual Order and various secret powers, supporting the "Watchers" in the background. To Kline, this wasn't the core issue—the real point was that he remembered from the ancient texts he had collected: the members of the Spirit Order daily prayed to "Uniqueness," treating it as a true deity, striving to gradually awaken its spiritual consciousness and bring it to life step by step. Of course, this was merely one part of the plan, not the crucial element. "So, could it be possible that, while praying to the 'man-made Death God,' Palenck Tassib mentioned the purpose of Inz. Zangewell, seeking protection from him?" "Unaware that the 'man-made Death God' on the other side had already been controlled by the 'Goddess of Night,' though not yet fully embodied, had lost its freedom." "From this perspective, if we directly establish a ritual and pray to the goddess, perhaps we could achieve Inz. Zangewell's purpose—this, surely, is not impossible!" Klein found himself increasingly convinced that his seemingly absurd plan might actually succeed. The foundation of this possibility lay in this truth: the enemy's "leader" was our "double agent!" Enzo's fingers stopped pressing. Klein rose slowly, pacing back and forth, considering whether or not to try, and how to try. "Zangwei is a traitor to the Church, a source of shame for all the 'Night Watchers.' If given the chance to remove him, the Goddess would surely be delighted and willing to offer a little assistance... "But now is precisely the critical period when the Goddess is consolidating her authority as the 'Artificial Death God.' For some time to come, she may not be able to respond promptly—she can only maintain the usual feedback from regular ritual magic. Moreover, I lack the necessary materials myself... "Also, I've been constantly reminding myself to remain vigilant, not to place complete trust or reliance on the Goddess. Directly appealing to her for a 'Divine Oracle' feels a bit too direct—perhaps I should maintain a safe distance..." As thoughts flowed in, Caine hesitated. He scattered his thoughts, seeking a more acceptable course of action. Suddenly, a more absurd idea struck him: why not directly appeal to the 'Artificial Death God' himself?" On one hand, there’s actually little danger, since the "man-made Death God" itself doesn’t respond to prayers or rituals; if there is any response at all, it means the essence is the "Goddess of Night" actively operating. On the other hand, Klein has retained feathers from the byproducts of the "Man-Made Death God Initiative," as well as the Aztec copper whistle—materials he can now use immediately to set up a ritual for seeking divine prophecy! "Moreover, there’s an intermediary layer—not a direct connection to the goddess—perhaps this could even help her further solidify her authority over the 'man-made Death Gods.'” Klein comforted himself with that thought and began to busy himself within the room. First, he used the "sacrifice and bestowal ritual" to bring one of the remaining feathers, along with the long-unused "Full Moon" essential oil and night-bloomed mint powder, back into the physical world. He then transformed the altar, completing the preliminary preparations of the ritual—since at its core it was a plea to the "Goddess of Night," he had no need to purchase additional materials from the "God of Death's" domain. This was no different in essence from a standard ritual magic. With practiced ease, Klein lit the candles, dripped the essential oils, and inscribed symbols such as "Human" and "Secret" on the simulated vellum. Amid the rising, thin mist, he gently placed the Azkian copper whistle upon it. Immediately afterward, he inserted the white feather, slightly stained with pale yellow oil, into the silver bowl where medicinal powders were already burning. To his satisfaction, the feather remained perfectly straight, showing no signs of curling or charring. Exhaling silently, Caine stepped back and recited in Hermes: "You are the essence of death; You are the sovereign of the departed; You are the ultimate destination of all living beings. I seek your aid, and I ask to know the purpose behind the connection between Ins. Zangwiel and the Spiritual Order. ..." As soon as he finished speaking, the three candles suddenly swelled, appearing noticeably brighter yet tinged with a deep, somber green, and the atmosphere around them instantly grew cold and still. Caine closed his eyes and meditated quietly for thirty seconds, then walked to the front of the altar, picked up the "Full Moon" essential oil, and dripped a drop onto each of the three candles. After completing this, he retrieved his Azkai copper whistle, grasped the vellum-like paper, and brought it close to the candle symbolizing "I," igniting it and tossing it into the silver bowl. With a sudden burst, the previously undamaged white feather rose, igniting with a pale flame that completely enveloped the silver bowl, obscuring Caine's view. A few seconds later, the flames completely subsided, leaving only a pile of powder in the silver bowl. The powder swayed without wind, forming one word after another: "Spirit affliction detected. Requires expulsion."