Bolen tapped his cane lightly on the floor.
“It’s best if the Vice Director goes. There are some things that aren't convenient for me to say.”
The topic of the pipe network was set aside.
During a lull in the conversation, Lu Yuan’s gaze naturally fell upon Kail, who was standing beside Bolen’s chair.
Kail was less than two meters away, and the change in his aura hit Lu Yuan directly.
There was something very faint and very new about him.
However, compared to the steady, deep blue inscription aura around Bolen, it seemed quite infantile.
A line of greyish-white text flickered.
【Target Detected: Kail (Knowledge Transcendent · Inscription · Entry)】
【A child who stood outside the door for many years has finally been allowed to enter.】
The corner of Lu Yuan’s mouth twitched slightly.
“Kail, you’ve set foot on a transcendent pathway?”
Kail nodded, his fingers fiddling with the latch of the toolkit, but he didn't speak.
Hearing this, Bolen couldn't help but smile, the corners of his mouth curling upward.
He raised his hand and patted Kail on the shoulder.
“The boy finally lived up to expectations. After what happened the other day, he finally set foot on the path of Inscription.”
Kail tucked his neck in slightly.
“I’ve only just reached Entry rank...”
“That’s great.” Seeing Kail reach Entry rank, Lu Yuan was sincerely happy for Bolen.
Kail looked up at him, his mouth curving into a small smile before he quickly lowered his head again.
After following Bolen for so long, he had finally crossed that threshold.
The incident in the pipe network where Bolen overextended his mental strength was likely the final push.
Lu Yuan poured a cup of water for Bolen. He didn't have anything fancy, but Bolen didn't mind and took a sip.
Setting the cup down, Bolen leaned forward slightly, bracing his cane in front of him.
“I didn't come here today just to ask you about those things.”
He glanced at Kail, then looked back at Lu Yuan.
“According to the rules, after a newcomer sets foot on the path of Inscription, someone from the Dwarves should come to perform a stone tablet assessment and recommend a direction. I sent out a call long ago.”
“But the aura over at the Polymath Tower hasn't been right lately, and the transcendent aura of the entire Bronze City has become chaotic because of it. No one from the Dwarves has come, and my old contacts aren't nearby.”
Lu Yuan’s expression remained unchanged.
The aura at the Polymath Tower was wrong.
“Don't you have a copper whistle? Could you lend it to me?”
“Sure.”
It just so happened that he also wanted to find the Dwarves to ask about taking on some missions.
Lu Yuan walked to the desk and pulled open a drawer. The copper whistle lay in the corner, thumb-length and crude, its surface symbols shimmering with a layer of dark gold in the morning light.
He picked it up, walked to the window, and pushed it open a crack. The air outside poured in, carrying the metallic scent unique to the Bronze City at dawn and the faint aroma of cooking fires in the distance.
He placed the whistle to his lips.
He blew.
The sound wasn't loud, like a copper pipe being struck—short, dull, and then dissipating into the air.
Bolen and Kail watched him.
There was no reaction outside the window. The footsteps in the branch's inner courtyard remained steady and unhurried, just as usual.
Lu Yuan placed the whistle back on the desk.
All that was left was to wait.
When the knock sounded at the door, Lu Yuan was just setting the copper whistle down.
He walked over and pulled the door open.
Standing outside was Hank, the Nightwatcher who had the nosebleed last night.
The color in his face was much better than when he had returned the night before, no longer that deathly pale.
He held a bottle of fruit wine in his left hand, the neck of the bottle wrapped twice with coarse hemp rope and tied in a knot at the end, looking like he had done it himself.
“Captain.”
Hank grinned and raised the bottle of wine.
“Logistics gave me a slightly stronger stabilizing potion. I drank it this morning. Since I’m barred from missions for three days anyway, I’ve got nothing but time. I brought a bottle of fruit wine for you to try.”
He paused, his tone shifting from casual to a bit more serious.
“Also, when you mentioned having some ‘insights on Sanity cultivation’ to share when there was time... I took that to heart.”
Lu Yuan smiled and stepped aside to let him in.
Hank stepped through the door, his eyes sweeping across the room. When he saw Bolen sitting in the chair and Kail standing beside him, his footsteps faltered for a moment.
He subconsciously swallowed the rest of his sentence.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan took the opportunity to introduce them.
“This is Bolen, a Knowledge transcendent, rank 3 in Inscription, and a future Inscription Master. It’s already been reported, so it’s fine for you to know.”
“This is Kail, Bolen’s apprentice. He just set foot on the path of Inscription a few days ago.”
Lu Yuan paused.
“They’re my own people.”
Only then did Hank relax his shoulders and nod to Bolen. “Mr. Bolen.” Then he nodded to Kail. “Little brother.”
Bolen nodded in return, his gaze lingering on the bottle of fruit wine for half a second before he said nothing.
Kail whispered a soft “Brother Hank,” not quite daring to speak loudly.
Hank walked to the desk, found a chair to sit in, and placed the bottle of fruit wine in the center of the table before reaching out to pull the cork.
A sweet fragrance wafted from the mouth of the bottle.
“Want to try some?”
As Hank spoke, he glanced at Lu Yuan’s desk; there were only three cups.
“Alright then,” he muttered to himself. “Little brother Kail, I’ll have to trouble you to share with your master.”
Kail waved his hands frantically. “No, no, no, I don't drink.”
Hank was already smiling as he poured him a little, only about half a finger high.
Then he filled Lu Yuan’s and Bolen’s cups before finally pouring for himself. His movements were practiced; it was clear he opened this kind of wine often.
Kail picked up the cup with the small amount of wine, just about to bring it to his lips.
Bolen reached out a hand.
Without a word, he simply extended his hand and gently nudged Kail’s cup to the side.
He didn't move it far, just from Kail’s natural reach to a spot where he would have to stretch to get it.
Kail’s hand froze in mid-air.
Bolen still said nothing, merely picking up his own cup and taking a sip.
Kail withdrew his hand and stood back obediently.
Seeing this, Hank suppressed a laugh but said nothing.
Lu Yuan picked up his wine cup and took a sip.
The fruit wine was on the sweeter side with low acidity, and a hint of astringency lingered at the back of his tongue for a moment.
“Not bad.”
He set the cup down.
Hank burst out laughing.
“Captain, if you call this wine ‘not bad,’ the brothers back in my hometown could talk about it for half a day.”
He took another sip from his own cup, his gaze circling the room before landing on the desk.
Kraus’s manual, the half-open toolkit, and a copper whistle.
“Captain, the furnishings in your room really are sparse...”
Hank shook his head slightly.
“One book, one toolkit. It seems the rumors are true.”
Kail couldn't help but steal a glance at his moved wine cup, swallowed his saliva, and looked down.
Lu Yuan smiled.
“What rumors about me?”
“That you’re an ascetic who came out of that church.”
Hank took a drink and sighed.
“Last night gave me quite a scare. When I woke up, I thought I’d lost half my life. No missions for three days, nothing to do... Luckily, a few bards arrived at a nearby tavern these past few days. I’ll head over in the evening to listen to some tunes and pass the time.”
Lu Yuan nodded.
“Oh? Bards?”
“Yeah, a group of travelers. Quite a few of them have already become transcendents, though most of them are the type proficient in music.”
Lu Yuan’s eyes lit up at this. Since he had no other way to improve his Ancient Music Theory skill, he wondered if these bards might know a bit of it or have some relevant information.
After some simple small talk, the atmosphere gradually quieted down.
Hank set his wine cup down and rubbed his hands against the outside of the glass, as if deciding how to start.
“Captain.”
He looked up at Lu Yuan, then glanced at Bolen and Kail.
“About that matter of Sanity... if it’s convenient, I really would like to chat with you about it.”
Lu Yuan had long since seen through Hank’s intention and nodded.
Hank still seemed a bit hesitant.
Lu Yuan signaled again that they were all his own people.
Only then did Hank truly relax his shoulders, resting his hands on the tabletop.
“I’m not one to hide things, so please don't laugh at me, Captain.”
“I follow an Eerie Pathway. As for the specific direction, I won't go into details, but it’s not exactly strong. My talent is average too.”
“Reaching rank 2 is already the limit of my life. As for rank 3...”
He shook his head with a smile.
“Rank 3 is out of the question.”
Lu Yuan didn't respond this time.
Hank picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and continued.
“Every time I go on a mission, I leave with a full supply of potions. If I’m not fully stocked, I can't hold out. That eerie stuff... once pollution touches you, it drills straight into your brain. Trying to tank it with sheer willpower has its consequences.”
He paused for a moment.
“Captain, you’ve been at the branch for a while now. Those brothers of mine, from rank 1 to rank 2... not many died at the hands of the eerie. So what happened to most of them?”
“Their Sanity became unstable. They’re still alive, but being transferred to logistics is considered a good ending.”
Hank seemed to think of something, his tone carrying a trace of melancholy.
“The hardest part is for those who can't even transfer to logistics...”
Bolen leaned back against his chair, his finger tapping silently on the head of his cane.
Kail had long since lowered his cup from his lips, forgetting to drink, his eyes fixed on Hank.
Hank smiled and continued.
“And potions... if you drink too many, you develop a dependency.”
“So I’ve been looking for other ways for a long time.”
He held up his fingers, counting them one by one.
“To raise Sanity, there are only so many ways to follow this path to the end.”
“First, top-grade potions. One bottle costs more than the rest of your life’s salary. With my current pay, I could only buy one every few years.”
“Second is talent. That’s something you’re born with; if you don't have it, you don't have it.”
“Third, a strong pathway. But switching pathways is impossible; you’re stuck with whichever one you set foot on.”
“Fourth, items. That depends on luck. Although you can exchange for them in the Nightwatchers, it’s too hard to get anything good with so few points...”
He laughed self-mockingly.
“Finally, there’s only one way left: cultivation methods.”
Hank lowered his hand, his face showing a look of helplessness.
“The Nightwatchers have cultivation methods specifically for my pathway, more than one set.”
“I’ve tried every single one of them.”
“I haven't reached Entry rank in any of them.”
The room fell silent for a moment.
“Captain, do you know what the most ironic part is?”
Hank looked at the wine in his cup.
“The cultivation methods didn't help me increase my Sanity. Instead, it feels like my resistance to the eerie actually dropped a little.”
“I’ve asked some seniors. They said it’s not a problem with the method, but a problem with me.”
“I found several more seniors. Some said, ‘You have to find one that resonates with you,’ some said, ‘I haven't walked your path, so I can't help,’ and then there were others.”
He stopped for a moment.
“Others simply had great talent or strong pathways; I couldn't replicate their paths at all.”
“This mission was the most direct proof.”
Hank touched the bridge of his nose.
“Out of ten brothers, I was the most heavily injured. If you hadn't come back, Captain...”
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