Exiting the bar through the back door, a staircase leading to the second floor appeared before them.
However, Officer Natalie didn't go upstairs. Instead, she led Lynch into a small door beneath the staircase.
Inside was an ordinary storage room, but when the officer pulled a lever on the wall, it ceased to be ordinary.
With a grinding sound of gears within the wall, the opposite wall split open, revealing a spiral staircase that descended into the depths.
A secret base for a secret organization.
Lynch instantly felt like he was entering the Men in Black headquarters, his heart quickening with excitement. He took a deep breath to suppress his overly eager emotions and followed the officer through the secret door.
The secret door closed, but light still remained.
Beneath grated glass lampshades, gas nozzles hissed with flames, illuminating the deep space as they lined the walls all the way down.
“I’ve already reported everything about you to him. While it’s a bit troublesome, there should be a solution. He’ll explain it in detail to you shortly, so don’t worry.”
Lynch managed a smile. He felt like he was on his way to the hospital to get a pathology report; even the bravest person would feel uneasy, and the path ahead seemed exceptionally long.
After descending the stairs, there were five or six branching paths underground. Knowing he was an outsider, Lynch followed closely behind Officer Natalie, not looking left or right, and took the left fork.
This was a typical underground corridor. Even with gas lamps lit on the walls, it still felt dark and oppressive. Not far away, a door stood ajar, letting out a warm orange glow.
Natalie knocked on the door. A nasal male voice, with the distinctive accent of Norin, the capital of Lande, answered from within.
“Come in.”
The voice carried a sternness that immediately gave Lynch a headache. He instinctively frowned but followed Natalie inside.
Inside, it was a very typical office space: a large desk, a large bookcase, a high-backed leather chair, and two long sofas opposite. Two gas lamps extended from the walls, illuminating the entire office.
A middle-aged man sat behind the desk, his hair neatly combed back. He wore a white shirt, with his formal attire and top hat hanging on a rack. He had a monocle and a cane resting beside his desk.
The man wore a very serious expression, looking at a report on his desk. The moment Lynch saw him, he felt a heavy sense of oppression wash over him, making his heart race and his palms sweat.
“Travel Companion, what’s going on?”
“That’s a prompt from your inspiration, Awakened. You’ve sensed the mystery hidden within him.”
“A Soul Severer? But I didn’t feel this way with Natalie.”
“He is more powerful.”
“Please, have a seat, Mr. Lynch Levive.”
The man rose and nodded, gesturing to the sofa opposite before closing the report on his desk:
“I am Victor, the head of the Watchers in Rhine City. My codename is V, so you can call me Mr. V, or simply Victor.”
Lynch bowed slightly and sat next to Natalie.
“I’m aware of what happened yesterday. Let’s get straight to the point and discuss your experience. This case, based on initial assessment, was a sacrificial ritual planned by followers of the evil god, the Ancient Flicker.”
Lynch had also carefully searched his original body’s memories regarding evil gods and cultists last night. Evil gods, like mysteries, were only spread as folk legends, and cultists were a group of fanatics obsessed with the stories of evil gods, hiding among the populace and causing destruction everywhere.
This was the common understanding most people had of forbidden knowledge related to mysteries. Few truly believed that countless strange things stirred beyond common sense. Therefore, even though he already bore the mark of an evil god, he couldn’t help but ask, “Are there really so many evil gods in the world? What exactly are they?”
“Many. Besides the ancient and mysterious fallen gods, there are hundreds of evil gods hiding in the Dreamlands’ memories in the form of Great Old Ones. As for what they are, someone will tell you later. Among evil gods, the Ancient Flicker is not considered too powerful, but because he once usurped authorities like 'transmission' and 'diffusion' for a period, he has many cultists who worship him, including some emerging ca—ca—”
“Capitalists?” Lynch somewhat understood why Randall’s identity would turn him into a cultist.
“Exactly. You are, after all, moderately educated.” Mr. V nodded. “So, it’s not surprising that they have ample funds and cause trouble in secret. In fact, if they only performed a few sacrifices, we generally wouldn’t seriously intervene; that’s a task for ordinary police.”
“Cough, cough.” Lynch’s expression was a bit subtle.
“Mr. Levive, this is the truth: cultists who only perform a few sacrifices to appease an evil god are the most 'adorable' cultists. They merely kill a few ordinary people. If not for concerns about public perception, I’d be willing to give each of them a medal. But unfortunately, they often get involved in more complex and dangerous objectives, and those are the cases we need to intervene in. Otherwise, if we mobilized for every few ordinary people sacrificed, ten times our current manpower wouldn’t be enough.”
Considering the difference between ordinary police and special police, Lynch still nodded.
“Now, let’s talk about your own situation. I know you must complete soul alienation within a month to survive. Natalie hopes I can help solve this problem, but unfortunately, theoretically speaking, it’s impossible.”
Lynch’s expression remained calm; he hadn’t overlooked the keyword “theoretically.”
“Soul alienation requires using a deity that resonates with one’s inner self as a template, whether that deity is one of the twelve major gods enthroned in power or an ancient fallen god who has long departed. You need to read the holy information from the mysteries they left in the Dreamlands, and those holy mysteries that allow you to complete your first soul alienation are rare. The easiest to encounter are the initial holy mysteries of the twelve major gods, but those are all controlled by their respective churches. They maintain very strict control over them; even if one becomes a devout follower of a certain major god, they still need to undergo years of trials before being qualified to access a holy mystery. A month is far from enough.”
Lynch pursed his lips. Even though he knew the other party might be playing hard to get, he was still nervous, as this directly concerned his life and death. Moreover, everything the man said made sense; if it were him, he wouldn’t easily allow outsiders to access something directly related to his own cohesion.
“It seems you understand. It’s not that there’s absolutely no room for them to be accommodating, but it requires a high-cost exchange of benefits, which isn’t worth it for an ordinary civilian. Even for a civilian favored by Natalie, it’s the same; no one would agree to such a request. There’s no room for negotiation.”
“Commander…”
Officer Natalie suddenly looked up, frowning as if to say something, but before she could speak, Lynch stomped hard on her foot. The officer hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head again, though she shot Lynch a fierce glare.
“Therefore, Natalie’s request cannot be approved, unless a royal family member or a senior government official speaks up, or if there is indeed a reason for the Kingdom to pay such a price.” Mr. V clasped his hands together, resting his chin on them, and gazed at Lynch, saying, “Do you have one?”
Lynch’s heart stirred; he suddenly realized the hint the other party was giving. He smiled and nodded, saying, “I do.”
“Oh?”
“Randall has a ‘master’ behind him who specifically targeted me. He even sent me a letter just now as proof. He’s not a lunatic, and I’ve never even met him, so he must have a purpose in targeting me. We must uncover this purpose, find out what threat he intends to pose to the Kingdom and His Majesty’s subjects by using my death. Therefore, the investigation must continue, and that is precisely the Watchers’ duty. I am the breakthrough point for this investigation, and I must be alive to do it.”
“I see, that does make sense. So, your survival is directly related to the investigation of this case, and possibly to the Kingdom’s safety. Therefore, for the sake of the Kingdom’s interests, your survival must be ensured, otherwise the investigation will hit a dead end.”
“Yes.”
“In that case, there’s no other option. Natalie, you will continue to liaise with Mr. Levive. Once there’s a breakthrough, you two will immediately proceed with the follow-up investigation. During this period, to ensure Mr. Lynch’s survival…”
Even though he already had a good idea, Lynch still held his breath nervously, waiting for the rest. Then, he saw Mr. V casually toss a large, pre-prepared envelope from a drawer, landing squarely on the coffee table in front of him:
“This is a letter of introduction from the Watchers. Although the Lande Royal Court and the Churches of the Major Gods only have a cooperative relationship, Lande is, after all, one of the seven great powers, and major forces will grant it sufficient respect. With this letter of introduction, as long as your soul is compatible, for just an initial soul alienation, those churches won’t make things difficult for you. If your soul truly isn’t compatible with any of the twelve major gods, go to Natalie; she’ll connect you with some secret societies where you can find some holy mysteries of the fallen gods. This letter of introduction is also effective with those secret societies—oh, partially effective.”
Lynch looked at the envelope, then at Mr. V, realizing he now owed a huge favor. The weight of this item was palpable just by hearing about it, let alone its direct link to his life; calling it priceless wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Although Mr. V had been playing hard to get, the fact that the item was already prepared spoke volumes about his true intentions.
Lynch thought for a moment, said nothing, and then rose to bow deeply. He then took the envelope. He never liked owing favors, especially one so significant, so he had already made up his mind: if the opportunity arose in the future, he would repay it with all his might.
“It’s not as serious as you think, because a person cannot choose two divine templates for alienation, so you can only use it once. The Watchers only need to exchange benefits with one faction, not all of them.” Mr. V, instead, lightly offered a few words of reassurance before tapping on the table. “Now we need to discuss a second, more serious issue: Natalie’s request regarding the mystery relic’s expenses.”
Lynch’s mouth twitched. He sat up straight like a primary school student, hands on his knees, his expression unusually focused.
“These requests are neither compliant nor reasonable, Natalie Angel. I’m very disappointed that you would make such demands. The Ghost of the Dannis Residence was stolen property from the Randall family. Although you found it, it has nothing to do with you and should be confiscated. Compensation is impossible. As for the statue itself, it was cultist contraband. Mr. Levive acquired it, and not pursuing his responsibility for trading dangerous goods is already leniency. You want compensation of six Lande pounds for the purchase? Which rule did you base this on? Who do you think would approve such an unreasonable request? Find it for me in the regulations, and I’ll approve the money immediately.”
The officer’s face flushed crimson, and she hung her head, unable to utter a word.
Lynch also sighed softly to himself. Although he had been mentally prepared, it was a time when he desperately needed money, so he couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. However, looking at Officer Natalie beside him, Lynch felt a warmth in his heart. It turned out that she, who seemed so nonchalant, actually cared about everything. She was a good friend.
“Furthermore, Natalie Angel, you’ve made an even more serious error in your report.”
The officer was a little stunned, blinking blankly.
V tapped on the report on the desk, emphasizing his words, “You said you hired a private detective to assist with the investigation to track the statue. You can’t just report such things to me verbally; why don’t I see it in your report? Where did you write it?”
Lynch’s eyes lit up. He took a deep breath, realizing for the first time that there were interesting individuals even among officials. But Officer Natalie still tilted her head in confusion, as if a tangible question mark had appeared above her head, seemingly asking: When did I say that?
“And when you hired a private detective, did you apply for funds for the commission in advance? If you didn’t apply, do you expect them to work for free, or do you plan to pay out of your own pocket?”
V angrily tossed the report back to Natalie:
“Take it back and rewrite it. Fill in all the details about how you hired a private detective to assist with the investigation; don’t make your superior guess. Also, add a situation report and self-reflection. Even if the situation was urgent last night and there wasn’t time to apply for funds in advance, what were you doing this morning? Do I have to remind you? Once it’s written, submit it along with the funding request—no, give me the funding request immediately. Settle the commission fee for them quickly; our government agencies cannot owe people money. By the way, how much is the commission fee?”
By this point, Natalie had understood. She shot Lynch a fierce glare and whispered, “Six Lande pounds, fifteen shillings.”
“Say that again? Do you know what six Lande pounds means?” V showed a strange expression. “It means I’ll also have to write a situation report and self-reflection to headquarters, and I’ll be the one getting chewed out in your place. Is that what you want to see? So, four Lande pounds at most. No negotiation.”
“Four Lande pounds is enough.”
Lynch let out a long breath in his heart. With three Lande pounds to circulate, most problems could be solved. At least he wouldn’t starve on the street or have to sleep rough.
“This is where you’re wrong, Mr. Lynch Levive.” V’s face darkened, and he said sternly, “Are you not prepared to continue serving the Kingdom, serving His Majesty Emperor Rudolph?”
“Hm?”
“Or do you think the Watchers would treat their collaborators unfairly?” V tapped the table. “As agreed, you will continue to assist Natalie in investigating this case. This, then, is a second commission beyond tracking the statue, and the commission fee… government departments aren’t flush with cash, so you’ll have to understand us. We’ll advance you six Lande pounds for now. If there are any changes later, we’ll adjust accordingly. Natalie, write up the funding request for this part as well, and disburse the money together. Also, for the two commissions from last night and today, you two will complete two commission contracts shortly to finalize all procedures. We must live up to His Majesty’s trust and withstand the oversight of the House of Commons.”
Lynch was already breaking out in a cold sweat, with only one thought in his mind.
So this is how administrative regulations could be manipulated.
And officials in this other world were surprisingly adept, finding justifications both forwards and backward, executing everything flawlessly, leaving no room for fault.
But regardless, he finally had money in his pocket. Damn Randall, heh heh, the money you swindled is back!
“I advise you not to rejoice too soon, Mr. Levive, because you will soon realize that in the world of mystery, ten Lande pounds might be considered abject poverty; you won’t even be able to buy anything truly useful.”
Only then did Mr. V lean back in his chair, revealing a gentle smile:
“Mr. Lynch, what I said at the beginning wasn’t a pretense; it was indeed our normal stance. However, you earned our respect with your actions last night. We believe you are qualified to be a Watchers’ collaborator, and worthy of us issuing this letter of introduction. So, I sincerely look forward to having the opportunity to continue working with you a month from now. As for the fees, according to regulations, we truly cannot give you a single penny, but collaboration fees are, of course, another matter. After all, you’ve been such a great help.”
Lynch rose, held his hat to his chest, and bowed again. “I will firmly remember this kindness shown today.”
“Haha, no need to be polite. Go upstairs and have a couple of drinks, enjoy yourselves. I won’t disturb you young people’s fun.”
Both men had smiles on their faces, but only Officer Natalie, looking at the report on the table, sank into deep melancholy.
Finally, they had reached the most criticized part: settling the gains. He felt anxious.
Rate on N.U.
