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Chapter 1008: Aftermath

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At 160 Berkland Street, after watching Leonard single-handedly propel the "Voice of the Sea" cane out of this "hidden" world, Caine turned his attention back to the surroundings. He first examined "The Winner," Enyuni—having assumed that the secret figure, now parasitized by Amon, would be unusable, he was surprised to find that he could now manipulate Enyuni's "spirit threads"! That... Caine was momentarily stunned, then it all clicked into place: Amon's state had regressed due to Wil Aonsedt's "reboot," and this regression had also caused the things parasitized by Amon to undergo similar transformations—thus, Enyuni had once again become a secret figure! Indeed, the strongest ability of the "Monster" Path at Sequence 1. Caine exhaled in relief, his form rapidly becoming translucent before fading and vanishing into the space. He "transmitted" back to the master bedroom, leaving behind a scattering of secret figures stationed throughout to guard against unforeseen events. Next, Caine entered the bathroom, standing atop the gray mist, once again using the prayer light of the "Winner" Enyuni, holding the "Poseidon Staff," to inspect the condition of the entire neighborhood. Undoubtedly, his focus was on his own manor and the building at number 39. He observed clear signs of "parasitism" in the butler Walter, the housekeeper Taney, the Member of Parliament Mahert, Lady Liyan, and several male and female servants—each appearing slightly stiff and unresponsive. In contrast, Hayohir was nearly completely overwhelmed, her hands pressed against the ground as she retreated to a corner, clinging tightly to the wall, huddled into a tight ball, trembling violently. Mahert and the others noticed her distress and approached with concern, trying to understand what was wrong. Yet every time they attempted to draw near, Hayohir would scream loudly and resist fiercely, forcing them to remain several meters away, anxious and disoriented, unsure of what to do. Throughout this process, they would occasionally adjust their glasses or press on their eye sockets, only intensifying Hayohir’s fear, and soon, they feared she would lose control entirely. When Kline saw the scene above the gray mist, he too felt an unexpected chill, imagining a vivid picture: Amun, Amun, Amun—the father, the mother, the maid, the male servant—each circling around Hayur, trying to soothe her but unable to find a way. They all bore the same appearance, the same single eyeglasses, yet dressed in different garments. Even if Hayur held on and didn’t collapse, she would likely be mentally shattered, at least in a half-mad state—urgent intervention would be required. As Kline’s thoughts raced, he set down the "Rod of the Sea God" and returned to the present world. The area of Berkland Street and its surroundings remained shrouded in deep, dark stillness, exuding a quiet, serene, and profound sense of calm. It was a world that had become a secret. Kline removed his hat and placed it upon his head, and with a simple "transmission," he appeared inside a boardroom office of the "Rune Charitable Education Fund" at No. 22, Pesefer Street. Audrey had already changed into a light green dress, holding a pen, lost in thought, reliving each detail of the midday disciplinary action. Suzy, the golden retriever, had finished her task and was now heading out for a walk. Suddenly, the noble girl felt a sudden intuition and lifted her head. In her clear, emerald-green eyes, a figure swiftly came into focus—a tall, slender figure with black hair and brown eyes, with a strong, refined facial structure. He wore a white shirt, black jacket, black trousers, and black leather boots, his expression stern, one hand resting on his hat, his posture slightly bowed. Audrey was momentarily startled, then remembered who it was. Germán Sparrow! Though she had never met him face to face before, she had seen his portrait in several newspaper articles—realistic and striking, as if he were a man of urgent importance. From the way the lady, "Justice," had reacted, Caine realized he had not yet fully returned to D'Artagnan, but he didn't mind much. He released his hand from the hat, straightened himself, and nodded. "There's something I need your help with." — His disguise had indeed been stolen by Amun, but after Amun's "restart," it had been returned to him—though he had never quite managed to revert back into Daniel Tancrede. Does the already semi-divine "World" gentleman need my assistance? Is his spirit faltering, requiring treatment? No, that doesn't seem to be it... Audrey pursed her lips, a mix of curiosity and anticipation settling in as she set down her pen and stood up, responding seriously: "Nothing at all." Crawley didn't waste any time. He immediately walked over, grasped the "Justice" lady's arm, and then, step by step, their forms began to fade and vanish. Instantly, they appeared at the doorway of the living room of the house at 39 Berkley Street. So this is what "transportation" means? Audrey's bright eyes flickered slightly, intending to ask a question, but then sensed the growing stillness in the air, and heard a sudden cry—her face instantly grew serious. "Is the patient inside?" she asked, with confidence. Talking to the audience is effortless—little explanation is needed… Klein nodded. "Yes, she's experienced an extraordinary event, was deeply startled, and is now on the verge of losing control. "Can you make yourself invisible to the others inside?" The follow-up question wasn't really necessary; a large-scale illusion would suffice. Moreover, once the protection of 'Seclusion' is lifted, ordinary people might not even retain much of their memories. But Klein, having witnessed Adam's ability to vanish, was curious whether the Sequence 6 'Justice' lady had mastered a similar technique. The World gentleman was curious... he was curious... it was truly rare. He hadn't worn such a thick mask—he'd simply exchanged it for a thinner one. Indeed, he seemed to be a patient who strictly adhered to medical advice. Audrey gave a slight, subtle nod. "Yes, we can." As she spoke, she glanced at Germaine Spalro, received his look, and then extended her hand, turning the handle, pushing the door open. The member Mahert and Madame Lian completely ignored the beautiful young woman, hurriedly discussing the matter of summoning a doctor, while Hayour remained curled in the corner, trembling violently, as if abandoned like a young fawn. "Miss Hayour..." As a seasoned observer, Audrey never forgot anyone. She assessed Hayour's condition, furrowed her brows slightly, and then turned her head to Germaine Spalro, saying, "Now, Spalro, could you briefly explain what happened to her?" "Only by understanding fully can we act swiftly." Crain spoke promptly and concisely. "She is a unique one of the 'Theft Path,' a student of an unfriendly half-god. Her teacher drew the ire of a manifestation of Amon, the 'Disregarder,' who killed her and stole both her fate and identity." "Amun thus invaded her household, parasitizing her father, her mother, her housemaid, and her staff. When we just cleared Amun's manifestations earlier, she discovered that her father had become Amun, her mother had become Amun, and all her housemaids and staff had turned into Amun. She didn't recognize it as Amun, but she clearly sensed the presence of something strange. 'If you have any questions you'd like to explore that don't involve psychological treatment, you can ask them at our next gathering,' she said. 'The渎神者' Amun? The 'World' gentlemen have once again eliminated Amun's manifestations—no, manifestations? Audrey was slightly startled, instinctively turning her gaze toward the Member of Parliament Mahert and the others, unable to imagine that they too had once been invaded and transformed by Amun into someone else." The father was parasitized, the mother was parasitized, the maid was parasitized, the housekeeper was parasitized... Audrey reflected on the words of "The World," growing more afraid with each thought, growing colder, and finding herself imagining her own fate should such events unfold. It left her feeling suffocated, so she instinctively used her soothing technique on herself. "Is the extraordinary world always so cruel and terrifying, or only occasionally?" she whispered softly, after regaining her composure. She didn't wait for "The World" Germaine Sparrow to respond, for having witnessed so many things at the Tarot gathering, she already knew the answer: Always! She turned back to Hayourel, approached her with sympathy, and knelt down, applying her soothing technique first. Hayourel raised her head with a slightly puzzled expression, and there, before her, she saw a flawless face and eyes like emeralds. For a moment, she felt as though she had returned to that evening's ball, witnessing this young lady descend upon the scene like an angel. She instantly calmed down considerably. Glimpses of ripples spread gently through her clear, emerald eyes—calm, serene, deep. "Never fear, never be afraid—the event has passed," Audrey used the techniques of hypnosis to directly communicate with Haiyur's mental consciousness, hearing her frantic outbursts and feeling a fear as vast and profound as mountains and oceans. Drawing upon Haiyur's current state and experiences, she swiftly formulated a treatment plan and immediately hypnotized her, causing Haiyur to forget today's ordeal, to forget that she had a teacher, and only vaguely recall her status as a special being and basic knowledge. Haiyur grew increasingly tranquil and eventually drifted off to sleep. "When you awaken, those terrifying experiences will vanish—and I, will have never been here," Audrey finished the final step of the hypnosis with a soft, melodic voice. Then, she slowly rose and gazed at Haiyur for several seconds. She pressed her lips together, didn't turn her head, and spoke softly: "I've caused her to temporarily forget the corresponding memories, but those memories haven't vanished—they're merely dormant. In future gatherings, I'll continue treating her, guiding her to gradually recall and accept them. Only then will her psychological issues be truly resolved. Otherwise, even a familiar gesture or a well-known phrase might awaken her, triggering another collapse. At that point, she might simply lose control." "Madam Justice" is becoming increasingly professional... Caine said, half in admiration, half with caution. "Then you'll need to perform a hypnosis session for all the people who've been 'hosted'—ensuring they no longer develop hobbies that aren't truly theirs, such as a preference for wearing single-vision glasses. And also, at the one-minute mark, have them pray to 'The Night Goddess' for complete purification." Audrey nodded with exceptional seriousness: "No problem." Klein stepped aside and watched the noblewoman, expressing her deepest compassion through subtle gestures, implying that every person within the house who had once been parasitized. PS: Recommended book: "The Ming Dynasty's Unyielding Hope," featuring Li Laiheng, also known as Li Zhong'er, whose perspective is primarily from the peasant army's standpoint, narrating the story of a time-traveler seizing the fruits of the revolution. It's genuinely a heartfelt Ming-era novel—where the roaming rebels defend the nation's gates and the pirates sacrifice themselves for the state. A truly stirring and infuriating tale.