A New Commission

At that moment, Lynch felt as if he were beholding the boundless cosmos, gazing upon an ocean of stars, witnessing the rising and setting of the sun, the shifting of the four seasons, the blooming and withering of flowers, and the endless cycle of life and death.

It was a deluge of incomprehensible forbidden knowledge, where every fragment of information interpreted the truth and essence of this world.

Without any warning or omen, Lynch instantly realized that everything before his eyes was greatness, sublimity, and the supreme will itself.

It represented the laws of the world, the origin of reality, and the authority of truth.

The moment it was perceived, understanding began—and the very act of understanding meant bearing witness to reality.

Yet the supreme was not a domain mortals could touch. The pursuit of such knowledge was a sin, for a mortal soul could not withstand even the faintest glimmer of truth’s radiance.

Lynch felt his soul slowly turning into nothingness, merging into the world. He wanted to look away from that bizarre phantom, but the process of comprehension had begun the very instant he laid eyes upon it; looking away would change nothing.

Under the onslaught of the supreme will, Lynch’s consciousness grew increasingly hazy and his mind hollowed out. He felt as though his soul would shatter at any second under the sheer weight of truth—yet right at that juncture, a gentle red moon rose slowly from the depths of his soul.

A mortal soul truly could not bear the radiance of truth, but the authority of a god could.

The light of truth, the supreme will—the instant these perilous onslaughts made contact with the Divine Authority, they permeated his soul and merged seamlessly with the crimson full moon.

His trembling soul stabilized once more, and his chaotic consciousness swiftly regained clarity. Lynch discovered that not only had the spiritual impact failed to weaken him, but having weathered it, his mind had grown even more resolute.

Before he could fully process what had happened, a shrill caterwaul pierced his ears.

The screech jolted his lingering confusion awake. The moment his sanity returned, a wave of lingering dread washed over him.

He had actually zoned out before such a terrifying entity. He didn't know how long he had lost focus, but if the other party harbored any hostility, she could have killed him dozens of times over.

His gaze snapped into focus. He found that the black cat beside him showed no sign of aggression; instead, it had retreated a few steps, watching him with an uncanny stare. In the phantoms overlapping the cat, the silhouette of the human woman remained, but the grotesque image of the cat-headed humanoid had completely vanished.

The phantom was blurry, identifiable only as a lady in noble attire. The black cat appeared to harbor no malice; it lay back down on the sofa, flicked its tail, yawned, and spoke in a human voice:

“Sigh, are you Soul Severers of fallen gods all this brave nowadays? You dare to look directly at anything? Even when realizing something was off, you kept staring instead of looking away, insisting on getting a clear look. Still, the fact that you endured it exceeded my expectations.”

“I didn’t expect it either,” Lynch replied, feigning a dazed expression while frantically inquiring in his mind, Neighbor, didn’t you say this was an ordinary cat?

【It was indeed an ordinary cat—until just now.】

Lynch had a realization and pieced together what had just occurred.

The cat was ordinary, and the human woman was likely the real Countess Anna Hathaway, using the cat as a medium to communicate with him. As for the third-layer cat-headed humanoid image, it was probably the entity backing the Countess, which Lynch had inadvertently glimpsed due to his high inspiration.

Damn it, having high inspiration let him see such terrifying things? Was there a way to lower it back down? On his way here, he had thought he wouldn't run into cultists. Well, he hadn't run into cultists—he had looked directly at an evil god instead.

【It is merely an evil god, not yet a true deity; there is no need to fret. As long as your will can endure the initial shock, it will be fine. It is not only harmless, but beneficial.】

Beneficial? Lynch paused. Recalling the sensation of the supreme will and the light of truth blending into his soul, he immediately focused his mind onto the soul manifestation deep within.

The soul manifestation was exceptionally solid. In particular, the activated Divine Authority of Concealment was so distinct it seemed on the verge of materializing, closely resembling its state when his soul had just underwent alienation. Could it be...

【Indeed. By safely gazing upon an evil god, comprehending the supreme will, and making it your own, your soul is now brimming with the power of Divine Authority. You may activate your soul manifestation at any time to summon the power of the red moon down upon the mortal world.】

【Yes.】

Lynch suddenly felt an urge to weep.

Ever since embarking on this path, as a Soul Severer who lacked even a single offensive ability, he had spent every day treading on thin ice. He had even spent every day pondering how he, unable to handle even a slightly formidable Soul Severer with his current strength, could ever hope to confront powerful high-tier experts, let alone evil gods.

He had never found an answer—until today, when facing an evil god directly had unexpectedly brought him a pleasant surprise.

【Please note, Lynch, this is a one-time effect lasting only three minutes. Afterwards, you will not be able to activate it again unless you complete your next alienation or gaze upon an evil god once more to fill your soul with the supreme will.】

【What takes effect is the comprehension born of your initial confrontation with the supreme, not the physical act of looking. That comprehension is also what drives one mad.】

【Correct.】

That was still pretty good—truly an unexpected windfall.

Lynch withdrew his consciousness, shook his head to look dazed and rattled, and managed a strained smile.

Looking at the black cat now, he could no longer feel the terror and pressure from before at all. Yet the more this was the case, the more unfathomable she seemed to Lynch.

Gleaning merely a sliver of the supreme will from her had already brought his soul to its peak. Just how terrifying was her true strength?

Lynch didn't want to find out. To avoid expending his freshly replenished Divine Authority, he asked cautiously, “My apologies. It seems I saw something I shouldn’t have.”

“No matter. I understand it was merely an accident; you were not actively seeking death, so I pay it no mind. Besides, my existence is hardly a secret to certain people, so you need not worry about me silencing you over this.”

Read like an open book. Lynch rubbed his nose and smiled awkwardly.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Countess Anna Hathaway, the one who invited you here. And as you have seen, I am a high-ranking vassal of a relatively gentle Great Old One.”

Lynch nodded and bowed slightly to the black cat. “In that case, Lynch Levive, private detective, at your service, Your Ladyship.”

“You do indeed qualify to be of service.” The black cat gave him a remarkably human-like glance and nodded. “I invited you here today for two purposes. First, you inadvertently did us a favor, and we wish to express our gratitude.”

“Hm?”

Lynch’s mind raced, swiftly running through everything he had done over the past few days. She had said “we.” While that could refer to her and the ordinary cat, Lynch thought it far more likely to mean her and that evil god. Since it involved the level of evil gods, there were very few possibilities. The most likely candidate was...

“The Weaver?”

“Heh, as expected of a detective. Quick on the uptake. That’s right. We dislike those cold spiders immensely and have long wanted to dig them out and drive them away, but we couldn’t find them. Who would have thought you would do it for us? I have never liked owing favors, which is why I asked you over to give you your reward.”

Lynch’s heart skipped a beat. An expert whose depth was impossible to gauge, who carried an evil god with her at all times, and who was a grand noble to boot—her reward was bound to be well worth looking forward to.

Still, at times like this, he couldn't afford to lose his composure. Lynch merely breathed a quiet sigh of relief and waited impassively for the countess to continue.

“So, what do you want? Money? Fame? Status? Power?”

“Power, naturally. Ideally, a holy mystery of the Lady of the Red Moon.”

Lynch did not hesitate. Having stepped onto the path of immortality, money and status were merely avenues to acquire greater strength; everything had to serve power.

“I see. It seems you intend to walk far on the path of a Soul Severer. However, this favor is far from worth a holy mystery of the red moon, and my other power-related gifts are far too dangerous for someone at your current level. Hmm... how about this: come closer, and I’ll give you a little plaything.”

Lynch wasn't worried that such an expert would launch a sneak attack against him, so he obediently stepped closer to the black cat—only to be ambushed immediately.

The beautiful black cat suddenly leaped up and bit down hard on Lynch’s right hand.

“Ow!”

Lynch’s very first thought was absurdly that there were no rabies vaccines in this world. Only then did it dawn on him: Wait, why did she bite me?

Having delivered the bite, the black cat had already curled back down. At first glance, four puncture marks were visible on his palm, but in the blink of an eye, the wound healed completely.

Without needing any prompting, Lynch intuitively inspected his own soul. Sure enough, beside his red moon soul manifestation, a luminous sphere shaped like a cat’s paw had appeared.

Cat's Favor: Blessing of Bastet, granting permanent cat-like balance and agility.

“This...”

Lynch’s expression turned subtle. It wasn't the offensive ability he had longed for, but on second thought, it seemed far better than an offensive ability or mystery relic usable only by a rank one authority novice.

Cat's Favor applied to any physical technique and remained equally useful no matter what rank of authority he advanced to; it was an ability that would last a lifetime.

Moreover, at his current stage, his most potent attacks involved lurking close before using his gun or cane. Cat's Favor aided both stealthy approaches and surprise strikes, making it exceptionally well-suited to him.

“A very fine gift.”

Lynch shook his arm, adjusting to the changes in his body. His raw strength hadn't increased, but his muscle control and physical coordination had noticeably improved. He could effortlessly perform maneuvers that had previously been impossible; Lynch even felt he could sprint across a tightrope. With his current agility and balance, he could easily scale up to the third-floor window of the Scarecrow Club—no, wait, what was he thinking?

Shaking the dangerous thought from his head, Lynch bowed to the lady's phantom overlapping the black cat. “Thank you for the gift, Your Ladyship. I am very pleased with it. So, what is the second purpose?”

“To ask you a question. I hope you can give a clear explanation as to why you carry the scent of Mordiggian on you. Have you been mingling with those ghouls?”

The black cat rested on its front paws, its vertical pupils fixing an eerie gaze upon Lynch. It seemed lazy, yet Lynch caught a distinct signal of danger in those eyes.

If he answered poorly, he would likely make a formidable enemy going forward.

What should he do?

Play dumb, or fabricate a story?

Lynch’s gears spun rapidly as he assessed the situation.

From the black cat’s phrasing, it was clear she disliked ghouls and had no love for the suspected evil god Mordiggian either.

While Lynch held no personal grudge against ghouls, saving Maya would inevitably bring him into conflict with them.

Although this black cat was also a cultist, she possessed immense power and high status, and had shown friendliness and sincerity throughout their encounter. Perhaps they could establish a long-term partnership. Moreover, since they shared similar goals, she might even provide unexpected assistance when he inevitably clashed with the ghouls.

However, earning her trust came first, which required demonstrating sufficient sincerity.

After a moment of deliberation, Lynch made his decision. Replacing Duke Vane’s commission with a consultative collaboration for the Watchers, he recounted everything else to Countess Hathaway.

“So, you picked up the ghoul scent at the female journalist’s cabin in the woods?”

“Yes.” Lynch sniffed himself again. “I had thought I was clean; I checked multiple times.”

“Don’t bother sniffing. Mortals cannot detect this concentration. It is the scent of a newborn ghoul, a minion of Mordiggian.” The black cat gave Lynch an indifferent glance and said approvingly, “A plausible explanation. It seems you have no ties to the minions of Mordiggian. In that case, my second purpose in inviting you today is to give you a commission.”

“Hm?” Knowing he had made the right choice, Lynch sat up straight.

“Find out what Mordiggian’s minions are planning, and thwart them regardless of their objective,” the black cat said coldly. “Mordiggian is hostile toward the Great Old One behind me. Given my status, it is inconvenient for me to act directly, so I can only leave it to you.”

“Can someone of my strength handle that?”

“That is your problem; I have no need to concern myself with it. Besides, I saw the red moonlight that night as well.” The black cat paused in thought before adding, “The value of this commission is well worth the holy mystery of the red moon you asked for earlier. As long as you complete the task, I will secure a holy mystery of the red moon for you.”

“I can accept that.” It didn’t conflict with his own goals anyway, effectively making it a free reward. Not wanting to pass up such a rare opportunity, Lynch agreed immediately, adding, “However, I will need some additional assistance.”

“Hm?”

“Information support. I have far too many questions.”

“Heh, no wonder. Neither the Churches of the Twelve Major Gods nor official organizations like the Watchers would ever let this kind of information spread. Even many within their ranks are kept in the dark, let alone an outsider like you.” The black cat stretched lazily. “I have no such qualms, however. The more it spreads, the livelier things get. Speak, what do you wish to know?”

“Information on Mordiggian and the ghouls.”

“Mordiggian, the King of Gloomy Cold Bones, Lord of Pestilence, King of Ghouls, governing the authorities of Cold, Disease, and Death. It is worshipped by the vast majority of ghouls.”

“The vast majority?” Lynch pressed.

“Yes. A tiny fraction of ghoul tribes are hostile toward Mordiggian, but the proportion is so negligible it is generally disregarded. Ghouls possess human forms and can reproduce just like humans, but they can also transform mortals into ghouls through Mordiggian’s power. The female journalist you mentioned is likely a victim. Most of the ghouls in Rhine reside in the city sewers, though some live in caves, albeit rarely. I received word that their movements have been unusually frequent lately, likely plotting something under Mordiggian’s instructions. That is why I sought you out—to nip their scheme in the bud.”

“What about the Valente family? With your standing, you should know something about them.”

“Aren't they in the capital?”

“Their eldest young lady, Diana, is in Rhine, and she is in contact with those hillmen ghouls.”

“Oh, I remember now. Part of the Valente family’s estate consists of mines in Bester Mountain. For many years, they have maintained deep ties with the hillmen. However, I have seen that Diana before; she is not a ghoul. I don’t know the finer details, so if you wish to investigate through her, you will have to look into it yourself.”

Lynch pondered carefully. Confirming that the black cat’s request did not conflict with his own objectives, he extended a hand toward the black cat.

“Pleasure doing business with you.”