Conspiracy

Lu Yuan picked up the key but did not leave immediately.

"There are a few more things."

He pulled a small bundle from his coat and placed it on the table.

Inside the bundle was a silver badge engraved with the pattern of a moon and an eye—the Nightwatchers team badge.

There was also a piece of cloth with several lines written in blood.

The moment Old Morgan saw the badge, his movements froze.

He reached out, picked up the badge, and turned it over to the back.

Engraved there was a name: Gaowen.

"...Where did you find it?" Old Morgan's voice was slightly hoarse.

"On the Iron Whale," Lu Yuan said, looking at Old Morgan. "He and a priest from the Holy Church worked together to set up an array to seal the pollution, but they failed."

Old Morgan didn't speak, his gaze falling upon the blood-written note.

The handwriting was scrawled, but still legible:

"The plan failed. Someone betrayed us. The priest is dead, and I won't last much longer."

"They want to use our blood to complete the ritual. Do not come for us, and do not touch those ores."

"Burn this ship, burn everything."

"Tell Old Morgan... I did my best."

"—Gaowen"

Old Morgan stared at those lines of blood for a long time without moving.

His hand trembled slightly; Gaowen was someone he had trained personally.

That kid had no filter on his mouth, but he was skilled—a Gazer of the Eerie Pathway who was incredibly close to the third-rank, and he was quick-witted as well.

Sending him out to sea with the Iron Whale had been intended to help him gain seniority so he could eventually be transferred to headquarters...

In truth, when he was looking through the files, he already had a faint, ominous premonition.

The thing sealed beneath that sea region, even if only described in mere fragments of records, was enough to make one shudder.

But he had clung to hope.

After all, it was sealed; after all, it was in a deep sleep; after all, Gaowen was quite capable...

He had been unwilling to think in that direction.

Now, the blood-written note was before his eyes.

The worst possible outcome had happened.

After a long while, Old Morgan took a deep breath and carefully put away the badge and the note.

"...He was a good lad."

His voice was very soft, as if he were speaking to himself.

"Fighting to the bitter end, he did not shame the Nightwatchers."

Lu Yuan was silent for a moment before speaking again.

"On the ship coming back, I entered the Strange Dreams."

Old Morgan looked up, his gaze sharpening. "Strange Dreams? Your condition..."

"It's different from before," Lu Yuan continued. "This time I could move freely; the thing that trapped me has disappeared."

Old Morgan was thoughtful. "The heart was touched, so the shackles of the Strange Dreams were released accordingly..."

"But I saw someone in the dream," Lu Yuan went on.

"Who?"

"Someone wearing the Nightwatchers uniform, but their face was unclear," Lu Yuan recalled that blurry figure. "He said something to me."

"What words?"

Lu Yuan took a deep breath and recounted it word for word.

"This is just the beginning. The island is but one part of the plan; Gelimu Port is the real target."

"Before he could finish, he was dragged away by tentacles from the sea."

Old Morgan's expression suddenly shifted.

"Gelimu Port is the real... what?"

"I don't know." Lu Yuan shook his head. "He didn't have time to finish."

A silence fell over the command room.

Old Morgan turned his back, looking at the map on the wall that was marked with red dots.

The Deep Sea Church had launched its attack at the perfect time, right after the main force of the Nightwatchers had left.

From the ore to the Iron Whale, from the island to Gelimu Port...

Gaowen's blood-written note, combined with this warning.

All the clues pointed to a terrifying possibility—

From the very beginning, everything had been designed.

The ore was bait, the Iron Whale was bait, and the island was bait as well.

The true target, from start to finish, was Gelimu Port.

"...I see." Old Morgan turned around, his voice low. "I will report this matter to headquarters. Go and store the item first."

Lu Yuan nodded but did not leave immediately; instead, he spoke once more.

"There's one more thing."

"Hmm?"

"Marcus has blood as well," Lu Yuan's tone was very calm. "And he has more than what's in my bottle."

Old Morgan was stunned for a moment.

"Furthermore..." Lu Yuan continued. "The Ascension Society was very purposeful this time. From start to finish, it seems they were after that heart."

Old Morgan's brow furrowed, because before this, the Nightwatchers had not received any information regarding the island.

"Now that you mention it..."

He pondered for a moment, his gaze turning deep.

"Indeed, and Marcus actually managed to collect some."

"The Ascension Society likely knows much more than they are letting on." Old Morgan gave a cold laugh. "Those madmen, who knows how many forbidden things they've studied in private."

The corners of Lu Yuan's mouth curled up slightly.

"So, the Ascension Society will come asking for people sooner or later. If their attitude is poor... perhaps we can take a little bit for ourselves."

Old Morgan stared at Lu Yuan for several seconds.

Then, he laughed.

On that weathered old face, a rare look of approval appeared.

"You kid..." He then waved his hand. "Go on, store the item first."

Lu Yuan picked up the key and turned to leave.

Deep Warehouse.

Lu Yuan followed that familiar spiral stone staircase all the way down.

The surrounding air gradually became cold and damp, and that heavy feeling that faintly pressed on his heart returned.

【Environmental anomaly, high concentration of spirituality residue detected...】

He quickened his pace and arrived before that ancient door.

Turning the brass key, the heavy sound of gears echoed in the deathly silent basement.

The door opened.

The warehouse was still as bright as day.

This time Lu Yuan didn't look around much, walking straight to an empty shelf in the depths.

He took the glass bottle from his coat and carefully placed it into a specialized container on the shelf.

The container was covered in runes; once the bottle was inside, the runes began to glow slowly, enveloping it.

Lu Yuan looked at the bottle wrapped in runes and breathed a sigh of relief.

Carrying this thing on him was indeed dangerous because he couldn't see the name of its owner.

So Old Morgan's theory about it being an offspring was most likely true; it was a heart from some indescribable entity, yet he had used his pitiful Sanity to barge his way right in front of it.

Therefore, at least until this incident was over, Lu Yuan did not plan to touch this bottle of blood again.

Then there was Mina.

She had the Echo of All Things talent and could perceive such things. If he brought this blood to see her... it would likely kill her, wouldn't it?

Withdrawing his gaze, Lu Yuan turned to leave.

Just as he stepped out of the warehouse and returned to the surface, a low blast of a horn suddenly came from outside the base.

It was the assembly horn unique to the imperial military.

Immediately following it was the sound of rhythmic, synchronized footsteps, like the beating of war drums, making the ground tremble slightly.

Lu Yuan walked quickly toward the entrance.

Old Morgan and Alice were already standing there, looking outside.

An army was marching from the direction of the inner city.

Golden armor flashed in the firelight as well-trained soldiers formed neat phalanxes; spears were like a forest, muskets were on shoulders, and the air was thick with killing intent.