Old Morgan still didn't defend himself, merely nodding.
"Yes."
Lu Yuan stood to the side without speaking.
He could understand Old Morgan's situation.
The losses from this incident were indeed catastrophic, but no matter who was in charge, the outcome wouldn't have been much better.
Moreover, the Deep Sea Church had been operating for so many years, and the Viscount was the actual controller of the inner city; being able to stabilize the situation was already a significant achievement.
But logic was logic, and responsibility was responsibility.
As the head of the Nightwatchers in Gelimu Port, Old Morgan had to take responsibility for these losses.
However, seeing that the man didn't continue after mentioning the punishment, Lu Yuan understood that the so-called punishment would likely be all bark and no bite—just a formality.
The man withdrew his gaze, his tone softening considerably.
"However, the matter of your punishment will wait until everything is over. I've come this time for three main things."
"First, to respond to your request and help you thoroughly investigate the Deep Sea Church's contingencies. If there are pollutants exceeding a certain threshold, I will step in to clear them."
"Second, to evaluate the current status of Gelimu Port and decide whether to shift imperial resources here to assist in reconstruction."
"Third, to take the Viscount away."
"Old Morgan, remember this," the man said in a very low voice, continuing: "No matter who asks you later, stick to the story that you know nothing. Once the people in the Empire find out what the Viscount did, though he won't die, his title might be stripped and passed to his son."
"Make absolutely sure you don't get dragged into this. The current situation in the Empire is not optimistic, and anything involving that kind of existence must not be touched."
Old Morgan nodded. "I will. Also, the Viscount is already under control and can be handed over at any time."
"Good."
The man paused and looked at Old Morgan.
"Is there anything else?"
Old Morgan didn't hesitate, taking a folded map from his breast pocket and handing it over.
"I must trouble you to take a trip."
The man took the map, unfolded it for a glance, and his brow furrowed slightly.
"These places... you suspect there's a problem?"
"It's just a suspicion," Old Morgan said. "But with my ability, I have no way to confirm it. And if it turns out to be true, the price of an outbreak would be catastrophic."
The man fell silent for a moment before putting the map away.
"Headquarters is taking this very seriously," he said. "They specifically had me bring something along."
He didn't explain further, turning to walk back into the rain.
"Wait for my word."
His figure soon disappeared at the end of the street.
Lu Yuan watched him leave.
"Who was that?"
"A direct member of headquarters, Allen Kraus," Old Morgan said in a low voice. "A peak rank 4 Eerie transcendent. One more step and he'll be rank 5."
"Even in the entire western part of the Empire, he is considered among the powerful."
Lu Yuan committed the name to memory.
After the reinforcer left, Old Morgan turned to Lu Yuan.
"The screening point in the inner city has been set up. Go there now."
Lu Yuan nodded and didn't ask further.
In the inner city, at the temporarily erected screening point.
The fine rain was still falling, but the queue of people already stretched to the street corner.
Inside a tent, a sphere the size of a fist sat on a simple table.
The sphere emitted a soft glow, and its surface looked as if something was slowly flowing, appearing quite strange.
This was a screening tool of the Nightwatchers.
According to Old Morgan, this thing was refined from multiple metals and special materials, making it extremely sensitive to eerieness and pollution. If there was an issue, the sphere would react.
The clerical staff of the Church were responsible for the first checkpoint, letting residents touch the sphere in sequence.
Lu Yuan was responsible for the second.
As a Knowledge Pathway transcendent, he could sense the aura of other transcendents, so he only needed to stand by and observe to prevent any members of the Deep Sea Church from hiding in the crowd.
Along the way, he would also check if anyone among these people had stepped onto a transcendent pathway without knowing it.
The process was simple.
One after another, residents stepped forward to touch the sphere. When the sphere didn't react, the deacons would nod and let them through, and Lu Yuan would take a glance to confirm.
【Observation Target: Gelimu Port Resident】
【Status: Healthy】
Next.
【Observation Target: Gelimu Port Resident】
【Status: Healthy】
And the next.
【Observation Target: Gelimu Port Resident】
【Status: Healthy】
This process was very dull.
"Next."
A middle-aged woman walked forward, looking somewhat nervous.
She reached out and touched the sphere.
The sphere did not react at all.
"No problem, you can go," the deacon waved his hand.
The woman breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave.
Lu Yuan's gaze swept over her, but this time, the text manifested slightly slower than before.
【Observation Target: Gelimu Port Resident】
【Status: Believer Transcendent (Bountiful)】
【Analysis: Individual has passively entered the transcendent realm; contains faint fluctuations of life force within their body, source unknown.】
Lu Yuan's brow furrowed.
It was different from before.
This woman... had entered the transcendent realm?
"Wait a moment."
Lu Yuan spoke up, stopping the woman.
"You stay behind for now. Wait over there."
The woman froze, her face showing a look of terror. "I... Is there something wrong with me? Didn't that ball not react?"
"It's just a routine re-examination, don't be nervous."
The deacon glanced at Lu Yuan and didn't ask further, gesturing for the woman to go to the nearby waiting area.
Perhaps it was just an isolated case.
Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze and continued the screening.
"Next."
【Observation Target: Gelimu Port Resident】
【Status: Healthy】
Normal.
"Next."
A young man walked up and touched the sphere.
The sphere didn't react.
Lu Yuan looked at him.
【Observation Target: Gelimu Port Resident】
【Status: Believer Transcendent (Bountiful)】
Another one.
"Stay behind."
"Next."
【Status: Believer Transcendent (Bountiful)】
"Stay behind."
Lu Yuan's expression gradually changed.
Not everyone had an issue, but the number of people with problems was increasing.
One, five, ten, twenty...
He began to question those who had been held back.
"Have you been sick recently?"
"I was. I had a bad chill last year."
"Who treated you?"
"Doctor Brin."
Lu Yuan asked a few more people.
"Who saw you for your illness?"
"Uh... I think it was a doctor named Evans from the inner city."
"The one responsible for my area was Doctor Roberts. He was a very good doctor."
"I remember it was Doctor Brin's apprentice, what was his name again..."
The answers weren't identical.
But they had one thing in common.
These doctors were all from the group that had disappeared in the inner city.
Lu Yuan's heart sank.
Had all these people unknowingly entered the transcendent realm?
And it was the same type of Believer transcendent.
He didn't know what this meant, but it was definitely not a good thing.
Lu Yuan didn't dare make a scene; he immediately requested to pause the screening point and hurried back to the base.
Old Morgan was in the meeting room processing documents. Seeing Lu Yuan come in, he looked up.
"What is it?"
Lu Yuan closed the door and lowered his voice.
"A portion of those who passed the sphere test have a transcendent aura on them."
Old Morgan's hand stopped, and he looked up at Lu Yuan.
"Are they people from the Deep Sea Church? Or what?"
"It's not the Deep Sea Church, but there are transcendent fluctuations on them," Lu Yuan continued. "I screened fewer than fifty people, and at least half of them have transcendent fluctuations! This isn't normal!"
"And they have one thing in common: they all received treatment from that group of doctors in the inner city."
Old Morgan's expression changed instantly.
Rate on N.U.
