Evening.
Work in the herb fields was entering its final stages. Most of the townspeople had already left, leaving only a few behind to handle the final cleanup.
Lu Yuan found Dunn by the creek.
The youth was squatting alone by the water, washing his hands. His sleeves were rolled up past his elbows, revealing mud stains and minor scratches from his labor. An empty bucket sat beside him; his work in the herb fields was done.
Lu Yuan walked over and squatted beside him, dipping his own hands into the cool water to wash them.
“Is the pest infestation mostly handled for today?” Lu Yuan asked casually.
“There’s still a patch in the southern garden that isn’t finished. I’ll wrap it up tomorrow.” Dunn’s answer was brief and direct—just like in the morning, he responded to each question without elaboration.
They exchanged a few more idle words.
Dunn’s tone remained steady throughout. He didn't try to curry favor just because he was speaking to a Nightwatcher, nor did he avoid the conversation because they were strangers. He possessed a level of composure that didn't quite match his age.
Then, Lu Yuan reached into his shirt.
His fingers brushed against the cold surface of the copper box. The latch clicked softly under his thumb.
Click.
A faint, eerie aura diffused into the air. It was very weak and only covered a range of two or three meters.
But Dunn reacted almost instantly.
His body jerked backward, and the motion of pulling his hands from the water sent a spray of droplets onto the rocks and his trouser legs. He practically sprang to his feet, retreating two steps. His heel caught on a smooth river stone, causing him to stumble, but he didn't fall.
A heavy shadow flickered in his eyes.
Then he turned and ran. He didn't hesitate or look back; he simply bolted for all he was worth.
His footsteps crunched loudly on the gravel as he ran five or six meters away.
But soon, he stopped.
Because nothing happened.
The surroundings remained quiet. The creek continued to flow, the wind continued to blow, and nothing had crawled out of the ground or pursued him.
Only Lu Yuan remained behind him, still squatting by the creek in the same position.
Dunn turned his head and glanced at Lu Yuan. His chest was heaving, his breath not yet steady.
Lu Yuan closed the copper box, and that cold aura withdrew.
Dunn stood several meters away. He didn't walk back, but he didn't keep running either. He watched Lu Yuan with an expression filled with confusion, alertness, and a trace of lingering fear.
Lu Yuan looked at him and asked, “Why did you just run?”
Dunn remained silent for two seconds. His breathing was still a bit ragged, but when he finally spoke, his voice had regained its stability.
“I’m just an ordinary person,” he said. “I’ve seen the eerie near the base. I know what the consequences are if you get caught by those things.”
He paused, his gaze fixed directly on Lu Yuan.
“You’re a Nightwatcher. If even you can’t beat it, there’s no reason for me to stay. If I stay there, I’m just a distraction to you. If I run, I might even be able to call for help.”
“Can you understand that?”
Lu Yuan didn't immediately respond.
It was something the children of Nightwatchers were taught from a young age: when encountering the eerie, an ordinary person’s first reaction should always be to run—run first, then observe. In the face of the eerie, overconfidence was the most useless trait one could possess.
Dunn’s parents had carved this survival logic into his very bones.
Even though they were gone, the habit remained.
Lu Yuan smiled faintly.
“I understand.”
Lu Yuan said nothing more and offered no explanation. He simply turned and walked away.
As the sky began to darken, Lu Yuan found Jurgen at the edge of the herb fields.
Jurgen hadn't headed back toward the town.
On the side of the herb fields closest to the tree line, the dense shadows of the trees loomed just outside the low fence.
The evening light couldn't penetrate the ancient forest. The boundary between light and shadow was stark—a single step's difference.
Jurgen stood alone by the fence, facing the forest. His hunting knife hung at his waist, and his hands hung loosely at his sides.
It was impossible to tell how long he had been standing there.
Lu Yuan walked over and stood beside him, also looking toward the forest.
Silence stretched between them for a moment. The wind blew from the direction of the woods, carrying the damp scent of rotting leaves and soil.
Lu Yuan didn't speak first.
Instead, it was Jurgen who broke the silence.
“In the city... do you encounter those things often?”
“What things?”
“The eerie.” Jurgen’s voice was flat. “The kind that comes out of the forest.”
Lu Yuan didn't give a direct answer. “Have you encountered them?”
Jurgen didn't speak, but his right hand instinctively pressed against the hilt of his hunting knife. His fingers brushed against the leather sheath before he let go.
In that brief gap.
Lu Yuan opened the copper box.
Again, it was without warning. The sound of the latch clicking was extremely soft, masked by the wind. The eerie aura seeped from the box, diffusing into the evening air.
Jurgen’s reaction was completely different from Dunn’s.
The instant the aura spread, he took a step back.
But he wasn't fleeing. As he retreated, his right hand had already gripped the hilt of his hunting knife. The blade was half-drawn, its worn surface glinting in the twilight.
He lowered his body, shifting his weight to his back foot and angling his shoulder. He was in a full combat stance.
A flash of ferocity crossed his eyes.
He was spacing himself for an attack.
A few seconds later, nothing happened. The eerie aura was faint and dissipating rapidly. Jurgen’s gaze swept back from the tree line and landed on Lu Yuan.
There was no fear in those eyes—only recognition, confirmation, and a trace of killing intent that hadn't quite faded.
Lu Yuan closed the copper box.
“Aren't you afraid of death? Why didn't you run?”
Jurgen slowly pushed the hunting knife back into its sheath. The sound of metal sliding against leather was soft.
“I’m not afraid of death.”
He paused.
“I’ve investigated all the eerie creatures around this forest. Except for the Ocular-Spine Centipede, I’ve hunted all of them.”
Lu Yuan didn't respond.
But his evaluation of this man shifted upward again.
When he first learned of Jurgen's situation, Lu Yuan had assumed he was just a reckless man driven by hatred.
But clearly, he had a brain. He had done his research and understood his opponents; he knew where his limits were.
The grey-white text he had seen that morning surfaced in his mind again: an Eerie Transcendent. That instinctive draw of the blade when faced with an eerie aura matched his various behaviors throughout the day.
He was an excellent prospect. This kind of person would be well-suited for Lake. Lake had gone through a similar ordeal; with Lake’s personality, the two of them together might produce some interesting results.
“So, what is this? Recruitment? Did I pass?”
Jurgen was quick to react, asking the question that had occurred to him.
“Haha, you’ll find out tomorrow.”
Lu Yuan didn't give a direct answer.
Night fell.
In a room on the second floor of the base, a window was half-open.
Outside, the warm yellow glow of a few oil lamps flickered in the direction of the town, separated by patches of darkness. The sound of the creek was distant, and an occasional insect chirped from the direction of the herb gardens.
Bol sat in a chair by the window, leaning back. He held a small flask in his hand but didn't drink from it.
Lu Yuan sat on the edge of the bed and recounted the results of the copper box test.
Dunn had bolted the moment the box opened, only stopping after running several meters and realizing there was no danger.
When asked why he ran, he said he was an ordinary person and that staying would only hinder the Nightwatchers. It was what his parents had taught him.
“Good reaction,” Bol commented. “Someone who knows when to run is much more useful than someone who doesn't. This kid is well-suited for leading missions—steady, rational. He fits us well.”
Lu Yuan nodded. “On Jurgen’s side, his first reaction when the box opened was to draw his knife.”
Bol’s eyebrows shot up. “Draw his knife?”
“He stepped back to space himself for an attack and had his blade halfway out,” Lu Yuan continued, his voice carrying a hint of irrepressible admiration.
“He wasn't running; he was preparing to fight. It matches our assessment from this morning—this man is highly aggressive. If we don't bring him into the system, he’ll charge in on his own the next time he encounters an eerie creature beyond his capabilities. It’s only a matter of time.”
Bol remained silent for a few seconds, his fingers tapping twice on the cap of his flask.
“Take them both?”
“Take them both. After we get back, report Jurgen’s situation to Kraus. The three-month probationary period shouldn't just be going through the motions.”
Lu Yuan added, “There’s also a girl in town. I detected weak perception fluctuations. She wasn't within the scope of this mission, but we should file a record when we return.”
Bol nodded and took a small sip from his flask. “And the Mayor’s side—he mentioned the forest hasn't been peaceful lately and that animals are fleeing. Pass the word to the branch when we get back and see if they want to supplement the equipment here.”
“I’ve noted it down.”
Bol tucked away his flask and stood up to stretch his shoulders. “So, we leave tomorrow?”
“We’ll tell them tomorrow morning, then head out.”
“Alright.”
Bol paused at the door and looked back. “How do you plan to handle Jurgen?”
“We’ll watch him first,” Lu Yuan said. “Get him into the system and let people stronger than him keep him in check while he learns. Learning when to sheath a blade is more important than learning how to draw one.”
Bol grinned but said nothing, turning to leave.
After the door closed, the room fell silent.
The faint chirping of insects outside was backed by the sound of the creek.
In the distance, the forest line was a dark silhouette, separated from the warm light of the window by the span of the herb gardens.
In such an environment, Lu Yuan quickly fell asleep.
The next morning.
【Sanity: +12... 118/130】
The sky was clear. Just like the past few days, the morning in Gubo Town was touched with patches of morning mist.
Lu Yuan and Bol waited at the entrance of the base.
Harold had gone to call Dunn and Jurgen.
Before long, the two of them approached from across the creek. Dunn walked in front, his pace slow but steady. Jurgen followed two steps behind, his hunting knife hanging at his waist as usual.
Lu Yuan didn't beat around the bush.
“Our visit to Gubo Town wasn't just to deliver medicine.” He looked at the two of them, his tone flat. “We are here to recruit. This is a formal conscription for the Nightwatchers.”
Dunn’s expression didn't change. He remained silent for two or three seconds, as if confirming what he had heard, but there was no surprise on his face—it was as if he had been waiting for this day.
“When do we leave?”
Jurgen didn't answer immediately. He looked at Lu Yuan for several seconds, his gaze searching.
Then, he asked a question.
“If I join the Nightwatchers, can I learn the real ways to deal with those things?”
“Yes,” Lu Yuan said.
“Good.”
Lu Yuan explained the three-month probationary period. After passing, they would be formally integrated into the Nightwatchers ranks. Neither of them asked further questions.
Harold stood to the side, his face showing little emotion.
Once both had agreed, he walked over to Dunn and patted him on the shoulder.
“Go on.”
His hand lingered on the shoulder for an extra second.
To Jurgen, Harold merely nodded without any further gesture, but Lu Yuan noticed a trace of relief in the look Harold gave him.
The Mayor didn't come to see them off, but as Lu Yuan passed the stone monument, he saw the Mayor standing at his doorway, watching from a distance.
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