Chapter 203: “Mutants”

Chapter Two Hundred Three
“Mutants”

Filled with both anticipation and unease, Klein unfolded the paper and began reading Azik’s reply:

“…The scene you described reminds me of several possibilities—of vampires and mutants.

“Natural vampires had already been close to extinction before dragons and giants withdrew from the stage of history. Only occasionally were they discovered afterward. The vampires we usually discuss, those found in folk legends, are closer to Beyonders. I remember that there is a potion of a certain Sequence on one pathway called Vampire.

“If your superior is already in a half-mad state, then it is very possible that he mistakenly consumed this potion. When potions from two different pathways mix, half-madness is the inevitable result. Mm, I vaguely remember that the Evernight pathway—the one you call the Sleepless pathway—can interchange with the Death pathway and Giant pathway at high Sequences, but this does not include the pathway where Vampire belongs.

“Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that your superior consciously accepted it. After all, Vampires can possess long lives, excellent constitutions, and outstanding appearances. Compared with those benefits, a half-mad state is not necessarily unacceptable.”

Klein was briefly stunned. He had not expected Azik to provide such useful information.

The Death pathway refers to the Corpse Collector pathway. It can interchange with the Sleepless pathway at high Sequences—this was a secret I already learned from Roselle’s diary. But I did not expect those two could also interchange with the Giant pathway after Sequence 4… The Giant pathway is the one held by the City of Silver, and also the current God of Combat pathway… I have always suspected that Giant King Aurmir was the ancient God of Combat…

Mm. In Roselle’s diary, there was a description about how the Church of Evernight and the Church of the God of Combat are irreconcilable enemies… Could it be because their Sequences can be exchanged at high levels?

If I use that guess as a premise, then the mutual hostility between the Church of the Lord of Storms, the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun, and the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom can be explained to a certain extent—because the Sailor, Bard, and Reader pathways they respectively control can also be interchanged at high Sequences!

And during the Pale Disaster at the end of the previous epoch, the principal forces behind Death’s fall were very likely the Evernight Goddess and the God of Combat…

The Captain’s usual state is very normal. Aside from his poor memory, he shows no half-mad behavior at all. That allows me to eliminate the possibility that he consumed a Vampire potion.

Mr. Azik seems to have remembered quite a lot lately… Did Creeping Hunger really stimulate him?

Klein nodded lightly and continued reading:

“Mutant is not the name of a single race. Rather, it describes many similar creatures. Under normal circumstances, they are no different from humans. But within their hearts, there always hide instinctive, distorted, suppressed desires. Once they encounter a specific scene or a specific object’s stimulation, those desires will erupt. They will become monsters and recklessly satisfy cravings such as bloodlust and slaughter.

“Once everything calms, they return to normal. Yet each eruption makes them a little colder and more merciless, until in the end their minds become thoroughly twisted.

“The most common example among them, and the only one I can currently recall, is the werewolf. Most of the time, they are equivalent to humans and cannot be identified by the majority of Beyonder abilities. However, during the full moon, the twisted desires in their hearts will intensify, and their bodies will undergo certain changes accordingly.

“Your superior may be a hidden ‘mutant.’ The death of a teammate may have awakened his nature.

“All of the above are only personal conjectures. Because my memories are incomplete, I cannot guarantee that there are no other possibilities. Perhaps your guess of early signs of loss of control can explain it as well.

“And regardless of whether he consumed a Vampire potion or is himself a mutant, neither situation can be saved. Of course, someone once conjectured that mutants were originally normal humans, but because they suffered strange curses or contamination from evil gods and demons, they transform into different monsters under specific conditions.

“As for whether loss of control in the preliminary stage can be treated, I do not know. I suggest you report directly to your superior’s superior. I hope everything is still in time.”

Klein set down the paper. With a grave expression, he stared at the desk, thinking for a long time.

He had to admit that the possibility of “mutant” existed. But the factor of early signs of loss of control still could not be ruled out.

“I can only wait for Madam Daly’s feedback… The letter I sent the night before last should have reached her yesterday morning. If she replied promptly, I should have seen it last night or this morning… It is already almost noon… Does that little messenger not dare approach Chanis Gate? Or did Madam Daly have something else that delayed her?”

Klein shook his head, feeling that he remained exhausted. Relying on meditation, he once more forced himself into sleep.

Inside the hazy world of dreams, he suddenly became clear-headed and knew he was dreaming.

Then he saw Dunn Smith appear before him, wearing a thin black windbreaker.

Following a normal dream reaction, Klein slowly greeted him:

“Good morning… Captain…”

Dunn nodded lightly.

“While investigating the Lanevus case, Leonard discovered a clue. He needs your help.

“The Mystery Pryer sent by the Sanctuary has been delayed because the steam train broke down. He will only arrive tomorrow morning.”

“All right…”

Klein answered in a drifting tone.

Dunn thought for a moment and added, “You do not need to return to Zouteland Street. Go directly to 62 Howes Block. Leonard will be waiting for you there.

“Thank you for the trouble.”

The instant his voice faded, Klein’s dream shattered inch by inch, and his eyes instinctively opened.

Howes Block… Is that not where the Divination Club, my classmate Welch, and the previous Aurora Order member were located? There really have been many things lately, one after another, as if something is being brewed…

Thoughtful, Klein slowly got up. He first went to the washroom to clean himself, then changed into a white shirt, brown waistcoat, and thin black windbreaker for going out. Taking his half-top silk hat, he went downstairs to the living room.

At this time, it was not yet eleven. Benson and Melissa had not returned. Klein gave the maid Bella a brief instruction, saying she need not consider his lunch.

Then he took a trackless public carriage to Howes Block and, before the doorplate of No. 62, saw the Midnight Poet Leonard Mitchell, whose hair possessed a messy beauty.

In September’s cooling weather, Leonard still wore only a thin white shirt paired with beige trousers. His green eyes swept over Klein as he said, “This is very likely the house Lanevus rented under an alias.”

“How did you find it?” Klein asked, somewhat curious.

Leonard pointed at his own head.

“Since you obtained clues from Hood Eugen and suspected that Lanevus was very likely connected to that Aurora Order member—hm, the cloth merchant Sirius Arapis—then when the normal investigation produced no results, I could only change direction and look through the Aurora Order line.

“The previous report showed that Sirius had dealings with many residents in Howes Block. I checked them one by one again and discovered that there are some issues here.”

“What issues?” Klein nodded slightly.

Leonard lifted an eyebrow.

“A very obvious issue. The tenant here seldom appeared. After Hynas Vincent died, he claimed he was going to the Southern Continent for business and never returned. His documents were very real, so the police did not discover anything.”

“That can only be called a slight coincidence,” Klein said with a frown.

“Of course, only a coincidence. But when I showed Lanevus’s photograph to the surrounding residents, one old gentleman felt that it looked very much like the tenant of No. 62, except for the glasses being somewhat different.”

Leonard took a black-and-white photograph from the pocket of his trousers.

Why not say that earlier…

Klein muttered inwardly, then followed Leonard into 62 Howes Block. According to Leonard’s request, he began divining whether there was a hidden compartment or secret room.

And the result was: yes.

“The hidden compartment or secret room of this house.”

Klein wrote down the new divination statement, sat on the sofa, silently recited it, and closed his eyes.

After seven repetitions, he entered the dream. The scene before his eyes was hazy.

Inside that gray world, Klein saw an oak bookshelf, saw rows of books, saw one book being pulled away, and saw the wooden surface beside it suddenly open, revealing a hidden compartment.

The image soon vanished. Klein opened his eyes and said to Leonard, “In the study.”

He wrapped the citrine pendant back in place and followed Leonard into the study, seeing the oak bookshelf he had dreamed of.

“Pull out that book. The area it conceals has a hidden compartment,” Klein said, pointing to the book at the far edge.

“So it is here… I searched the whole house earlier and found nothing, so I had no choice but to return to Zouteland Street and ask for help.”

Leonard muttered as he walked over and removed the book Klein had indicated.

He felt around for a while before finally finding the mechanism. With a click, the hidden compartment opened.

Inside the compartment, a letter lay quietly.

A letter? Lanevus hid a letter here?

Klein was extremely astonished.

After he divined whether the letter contained any dangerous item and obtained a negative answer, Leonard reached out, grabbed the letter, and opened the envelope that bore no address or recipient.

Pulling out the paper, Leonard shook it once and unfolded it.

Klein leaned closer and focused his attention. He saw the first few paragraphs written on the letter:

“Hahaha. Congratulations. Congratulations on finally finding this letter!

“This means you are not too foolish, not too sluggish, and are qualified to participate in this game of life and death I have designed.

“Child laborers who keep dying young. Factory workers who, because of the environment and exhaustion, rarely live past ten years. Female workers who risk grave illness yet receive only meager wages. I see every factory shrouded in countless grievances, making the surroundings oppressive and gloomy. This is the worst age, and also the best age. Our game will begin against this background.

“Fools, prepare yourselves. I am going to give you a hint!”