With deep, nearly black blue eyes and a short haircut uncommon among senior executives, Quonas Colg approached Doun Tangtases, holding a glass of champagne, and smiled gently. "Your luck today has been truly excellent, and you've shown remarkable courage." If, by "luck," he meant the situation where, after accepting a "bribe," one typically folds immediately on the next hand, choosing to lose the blind bet rather than risk it—then that wasn't luck at all, but knowledge. As for the other times, when playing against you, he often found himself draining the accumulated fortune of Enyui, the current winner, just by the course of the game. Kline gently stirred his glass filled with a pale golden liquid, sighed, and smiled. "For someone who doesn't care about the outcome, playing any way feels entirely fearless." "Ah, a compliment to the goddess!" This was his understated, Ruin-style way of signaling that today's primary purpose was to lose money—his good fortune, he believed, was simply divine protection, not something he could control. Qunnas lost only a few hundred pounds tonight, which, while considerable compared to his stated salary, was hardly significant for a Deputy Director of MI9—half-god in the making. Thus, he didn’t mind, merely smiled and shook his head: “Humans are always unable to see through the arrangements of fate. You’re an interesting person—I’m glad to have met you.” The last remark was partly praise, partly courtesy, signaling the close of the conversation. Yet, Caine had “performed” all evening, solely to meet this half-god from the Black Emperor’s path, and could not possibly let it end here. First, he responded with, “I’m likewise glad to have met you,” then casually inquired, “Director, do you have any knowledge of the country estates in the suburbs of Beckett? Preferably one with a hunting forest nearby.” According to information obtained from the "Justice" lady, Major General Kurnas Colg, the Deputy Director, either due to his personality or the special nature of his position, neither enjoys hosting banquets, galas, or salons at his own home nor frequently accepts such invitations. His preferences are remarkably simple: first, he loves to smoke cigars, particularly the "Chief Cigar" from the Dong Bailang Micoent region—widely regarded as the finest cigar in the world; second, he enjoys playing cards, primarily Texas hold'em; and third, he has a strong passion for hunting, often traveling to the outskirts of Beckland, as well as to Ahova and Dong Chester counties, especially during the autumn and winter seasons. Originally, Caine had planned to purchase the manor solely to integrate into the upper echelons of society, with no specific considerations in that regard. After meeting Quonás Colg, however, he had temporarily added this new objective, hoping to spark interest in the other party. Then, perhaps, he could extend an invitation to the Deputy Director of MI9 to join him for hunting outings in the countryside, enjoy a pleasant weekend, and create opportunities for meaningful interaction. Quonás Colg took a sip of champagne and thoughtfully replied, "I'll keep an eye out for something suitable and send someone if necessary—on Berkland Street, right? Yes, I'll send someone there to inform you." "Thank you so much," Caine said sincerely. At the same time, he felt a touch of pity for Richard, the former personal servant now serving as the new house steward assistant. The ambitious young man had recently been rising early and staying late, gathering information about the estates outside of Beckland—assessing which ones met the requirements and which were open to sale—and conducting on-site visits to ensure that every option submitted at the end was solid. He wanted to prevent the employer from discovering a property that seemed promising only to find out later that the owner had no intention of selling, or that the actual condition significantly differed from what was described in the materials. Now, with Crane having temporarily adjusted the requirements, all of Richard’s prior efforts would undoubtedly have to be completely redone. The arch-enemy of the client... well, once this matter is settled, he'll give Tania a five-pound salary increase—of course, a housekeeper and assistant earns more than a personal servant... Five pounds—on this very game of cards, that's just a couple of bets gone. Richardsons' annual salary wouldn't last more than a few hands. While Klein silently admired this, he suddenly noticed someone looking at him. Without hesitation, he turned to meet the gaze and found it was Admiral Emilius Levet. The reserved, serious middle-aged man gave a gentle nod, withdrew his attention, and showed no intention of speaking to Dowen Thon or summoning someone to capture the extraordinary wilder. After all, it was a natural occurrence—being a merchant and adventurer with an extensive network across the southern continent, it wasn't unusual for him to stumble upon a magical potion. At that moment, Colonel Calvin and Member Mahet each approached Dowen Thon with their wine glasses. "How could this have happened?" Calvin spoke softly, with a touch of resignation. Since Doun Thantès had won nearly 1,000 pounds, to prevent Admiral Emile from suffering a loss, both he and the Member of Parliament, Mahet, had been forced to shift their strategies—from cautious to more extravagant—and each had personally lost several hundred pounds, deeply regretting their outlays. As a result, combined with the losses of others, Admiral Emile ultimately ended up winning between two and three hundred pounds. To this, Cline simply spread his hands: "I didn't even look at my cards!" His implication was that this victory was purely due to the favor of the deities, angels, and 'hidden beings' in the Domain of Fate—such as the 'Goddess of Night,' the 'Fool,' the 'Mercury Serpent' Will O'Ceintin, Parles Soloyas, the 'Sacrilegious One' Amen, and the 'Angel of Fate' Ululios. "This truly is a source of great frustration," Mahet sighed, shaking his head. "I and Calvin have both lost so much that we're afraid to go home." They had essentially lost half of their annual visible income. Dawn Tancrède, his hair now streaked with silver, looked at him with a look of astonishment. "When exactly did this happen?" He then pointed to the stacks of chips piled in front of his seat. "I've just managed to hold onto the initial £1,000 I invested. The rest are all yours." Colonel Calvin and Member Mahet exchanged a moment of silence, then smiled in turn. "We were simply too tense and made a calculation error," Calvin nodded with approval. Klein chuckled and immediately changed the subject, searching for snacks placed on the side table. Derek bowed and replied calmly: "Yes, Your Excellency. To be promoted to 'Priest of Light,' I must endure pure darkness—yet once I enter it, the situation becomes very dangerous. I'm not sure how to resolve this issue." Colin Iliad listened carefully and nodded. "You need to clarify one point: are you referring to pure darkness, or to darkness devoid of light? These two concepts are quite distinct. If it's the latter, you can find it at the dungeon at the base of the Round Tower. You've spent time there, haven't you? You should know what I mean." Derek had a deep fear of the dungeon at the base of the Round Tower, where he had first encountered the 'Sunderer' Amon—not only seeing the transformed leader of his initial exploration team, but also suffering from being parasitized. He genuinely preferred not to recall those experiences unless absolutely necessary. At that moment, only after receiving the chief's reminder did he gradually summon the relevant memories, realizing that at the base of the circular tower, although each cell received candles, once they burned out, the inmates could only wait until the wardens brought food and medicine—occasionally, just three times a day, with long intervals in between. Yet, in such conditions, phenomena like the sudden appearance of monsters or the inexplicable disappearance of humans had never occurred. Derek remembered that at one point, he had once stayed in complete darkness without encountering any danger. After a moment of reflection, he hesitated before speaking: "Is there an additional force present within the darkness at the base of the tower?" Was it precisely this force that prevented the darkness from causing human disappearance or fostering monsters? Colin Iliad glanced at the two straight swords hung crosswise on the wall, nodded gently, and sighed: "Yes, that's exactly why it's called 'darkness without light'—not pure darkness." Derek's brow furrowed slightly, as though recalling something. After a few seconds, he said uncertainly, "If that's the case, then the darkness outside the base of the circular tower isn't purely dark. Many historical records indicate that during the pre-Deep-Dark era, nights didn't vanish like evaporation, nor did they give rise to monsters as if nurtured. The darkness we experience now must have undergone a transformation—or been blended with other forces—making it hazardous." "That's a good observation—shows you've made progress," said Colin, his light blue eyes conveying a touch of admiration. "So, then, what exactly are we looking for? Pure darkness, or darkness devoid of light?" Colin Iliad didn't ask any further questions, simply nodded. "Go ahead. Once you reach Sequence 5, even if it takes you a long time to become a half-god, you'll have the opportunity to oversee certain seals."