The Shadow Alliance.
Lynch felt a chill run down his spine as he realized he was facing a monumental scheme.
The entire plot was like an iceberg; everything he had encountered so far was merely the tip above the water. Beneath the surface, hidden from sight, lurked a terrifying malice.
This plan had been unfolding for decades, if not longer. Lynch himself was merely a small cog within it, swept along by an immense force like a tiny boat in a storm, drifting helplessly without knowing where he would land.
“The Shadow Alliance.”
While Lynch was lost in thought, Miss Valente knit her dark, beautiful eyebrows tightly, voicing her own surprise.
“You know about them too?”
“Mm. They approached Elder Nikolai before. It was through them that we learned Chairman Grant had the support of another ghoul tribe behind him. That’s why I’ve been investigating their connections these past few days.”
“Even you?” Lynch said with a grim expression. “Unless I’m mistaken, the Bru tribe got information from them as well. Even Maya reportedly came into contact with them—supposedly by accident. When Elder Nikolai went to the cabin in the woods to find Maya, the journalist, last time, they warned her of danger in advance so she could leave early.”
“Phew... Wait... Could it be that the Bru tribe and Grant learned about Zur Baha Sahr from the Shadow Alliance in the first place?”
“Hm? They didn’t know before?”
“I’m not sure, but the existence of Zur Baha Sahr has always been a secret. Even the high-ranking officials of Lande only knew that an avatar of an evil god slept in this region; they had no idea Zur Baha Sahr existed. The Bru tribe hasn't caused trouble for all these years, so their sudden involvement now means they likely only received this news recently.” Miss Valente exhaled a cold breath and said softly, “If that’s really the case, it means the Shadow Alliance has been instigating this entire affair behind the scenes. And judging by this letter, they’ve been laying their trap for at least twenty years. What on earth is their goal?”
Lynch stared at the letter and the empty picture frame, falling into thought for a moment. “Actually, it’s not impossible to figure out.”
“You can figure it out?” Miss Valente’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“A detective’s investigation relies heavily on logical deduction—it’s how I make a living, nothing to be surprised about. First, let’s confirm: what is the ultimate goal of the Bru tribe’s interference? To awaken Mordiggian?”
“Probably not, though that’s just my estimate—I can’t say for certain. As far as I know, most ghouls have no interest in summoning Mordiggian’s advent. However, they desperately want Zur Baha Sahr excavated. The act itself seems to hold great significance for them, regardless of whether it results in awakening Mordiggian.”
“So the Shadow Alliance likely provoked this conflict intentionally, pitting you against each other to achieve their own ends.” Lynch racked his brains, drawing on the political dramas he had watched in his past life, rapidly analyzing the situation. “Since they’re playing both sides, it means their goal will be achieved no matter which side succeeds.”
Miss Valente frowned in thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
“So, setting aside all possibilities, coincidences, and variables, let’s analyze purely based on concrete facts: what happens if we succeed?”
“But there are so many coincidences involved...”
“Ignore the possibilities; consider only what has already happened.”
Miss Valente thought for a moment and said, “We destroy the evil god’s avatar and completely eliminate the threat.”
It was an obvious answer, yet Lynch’s eyes were filled with doubt. He pondered for a long while before speaking hesitantly, “And what if the Bru tribe succeeds?”
“They will excavate Zur Baha Sahr as quickly as possible, forcing Lande—or even all of Middle Earth—to mobilize their top combat forces. They would take advantage of the window before Mordiggian fully descends to destroy his avatar and completely eliminate...”
Her voice trailed off. Lynch sat with a grave expression, silent.
No matter who won, the fundamental outcome was identical.
Lynch narrowed his eyes; the answer was thoroughly unexpected.
Could this dark organization—the one that had nearly killed him, provoked various factions to fight one another, and indirectly caused the deaths of hundreds of people so far—have the exact same goal? To destroy the evil god’s avatar and stop the sacrifices?
What a joke.
Lynch instinctively rejected his own deduction. There were too many unknown factors, and it was far too early to jump to conclusions—especially regarding an enemy involved in a life-or-death feud with them.
Yet he knew full well that once you eliminated all irrelevant noise, whatever remained, no matter how bizarre, was likely the truth—or at least close to it. Perhaps...
Seeing the same bewildered look on Miss Valente’s face, Lynch frowned and hesitated for a long while before tentatively suggesting, “How about... we give it a try too?”
“Huh?”
Lynch pointed to the empty picture frame discarded on the ground. “You should know how to contact the Shadow Alliance, right?”
Miss Valente caught her breath, looking at Lynch in surprise. “Are you sure? I’ve always felt they weren’t good people, so I’ve deliberately avoided deep contact with them. Even if your analysis makes sense and their goal aligns with ours...”
“...there are two of us.”
Lynch’s words made Miss Valente pause, falling silent. She understood what Lynch meant. The question Charles had posed in his letter had already been answered, even if the details weren't written out. Charles’s biggest obstacle had been that he was alone, whereas the two of them suffered no such limitation. As long as they knew the method, it was truly possible to unravel the mystery of why the evil god’s avatar couldn't be harmed.
“Right. Whether our guess is true or false, at least we can learn the method through them. This is our only known chance, and we have to grab it. At the very least, let's understand the cause first. As for whether to follow through afterward, we can make our own judgment. We won't be led astray by them.”
Miss Valente blinked, clearly tempted. What Lynch said made complete sense. The most pressing issue right now was resolving the threat of the evil god’s avatar; as for their grievances with the Shadow Alliance, they could address those after making contact.
“Mm, I do know the method... Should we really give it a try?”
Giving it a try wouldn't hurt.
Things had already reached this point, so there was no longer any reason to hesitate. The two quickly reached an agreement.
Lynch placed the box on the ground, his eyes darting around as he adjusted its angle slightly, pointing the empty picture frame sideways toward the orb of light.
This thing was practically a conceptual weapon—the lingering imagery alone harbored corrupting power capable of breaking a mind. Looking directly at it carried an intense impact. If he faced the picture frame directly toward the screen, it might blow the other party away immediately. Positioned at this angle, however, a slight flick of a finger could turn the frame toward the avatar of the evil god, forcing the contact on the other end to stare straight at it before they even had time to react.
“Ready?”
Miss Valente bit her lip nervously.
“Yeah. Twenty years have passed—let’s hope they still have successors.”
Though he knew they undoubtedly had successors, Lynch’s heart still pounded nervously. He stared intently as Miss Valente used the Torch of Light to illuminate the frame, then used Lynch’s coat to cover the front, casting a dark shadow over the blank canvas.
A flash, a flash, a flash.
Following a strange rhythm, she repeatedly lifted and lowered the coat, revealing and blocking the frame in a manner similar to Morse code. After a dozen iterations, Miss Valente stopped and nodded to Lynch.
Both held their breath, eyes glued to the picture frame.
Neighbor protect us, please let this work.
After an indeterminate length of time, the shadows within the picture frame writhed, gradually coalescing into a clear image that surfaced upon the blank canvas.
“You’ve finally reached this step, Mr. Lynch Levive. Give my regards to that lady, and welcome her back on her journey home.”
Rate on N.U.
