Chapter 142: Associations

Chapter One Hundred Forty-Two
Associations

Of course Klein could not possibly begin by mentioning the Telepathist formula. But he did not try to conceal that he had other intentions either. After all, the man opposite him was a Spectator; it would not be easy to fool him.

“Has Hood Eugen shown any unusual behavior recently?” he first asked about the asylum “patient” who had developed Daxter Guderian into a member of the Psychology Alchemists.

Daxter studied Klein’s eyes, expression, and movements. After some thought, he said, “No. He is the same as before. To be honest, I believe that if he wanted to leave the asylum, he could immediately behave in a perfectly healthy, normal manner. But he has not done so. He still remains there, as though trying to cure every patient. Mm, those chaotic, violent, or mentally abnormal fellows have shown some slight improvement. Perhaps—perhaps Hood Eugen is using this method to train his Beyonder abilities.”

Sequence 7 corresponding to Spectator: Psychiatrist? Or perhaps even higher…

The fact that Hood Eugen was not serving as an asylum doctor, but had instead disguised himself as a patient and infiltrated the place, showed that he did not truly grasp the acting method. He was likely as Daxter guessed: training his own Beyonder abilities. That training was close to the acting method, and to a certain degree it could alleviate the negative effects of the potion. So Hood Eugen had simply taken the asylum as his home…

Klein calmly displayed that he had considered Hood Eugen’s matter in depth.

This would make Daxter Guderian feel that he knew much, understood much, and was inscrutably profound.

Thinking along those lines, Klein also deduced another matter: the Psychology Alchemists had not grasped the acting method. After all, if a powerful member who was at least Sequence 7 did not know it, then in an era where Beyonders were scarce, no matter which secret organization one belonged to, Sequence 7 would at least count as middle-rank. Such a person would be qualified to learn certain important matters—especially matters that could effectively help members resist loss of control.

Of course, that also made sense. The Psychology Alchemists had been founded only in the last two or three hundred years, perhaps even later. It was perfectly normal that they had not grasped the acting method, or rather had not summarized it. At present, the only organization known to have explicitly proposed that method was the Secret Order, an ancient organization with a history exceeding fifteen hundred years, one that could be traced back to the previous epoch.

Wait. The Church of the Goddess is even more ancient than the Secret Order. The history explicitly recorded in the “Letters of the Saints” section of The Revelation of Evernight already stretches close to three thousand years, and that does not include the earlier myths and legends… Why would a Church like that fail to discover the acting method?

Across such a long history, inside such an enormous organization, there would always be members with unusual ideas who unconsciously, or with experimental intent, tried all sorts of possibilities. Just like Spirit Medium Daly. They might not have clearly proposed the acting method, but they would have started from the name of the potion, touched the correct path, and gradually explored something through positive feedback. One generation accumulating after another, one example piling on top of the next—unless the higher-ups were all curly-haired baboons, it would be impossible for them not to summarize the acting method!

Klein’s thoughts scattered outward through association, and he abruptly shuddered.

In the eyes of other Nighthawks who did not understand the acting method, people like Spirit Medium Daly were geniuses, existences ordinary members could not imitate. Therefore, no one would question why Daly’s experience was so difficult to transfer to themselves.

But in the mind of someone who had grasped the acting method, that was very strange.

Klein believed that in the long history of the Church of the Evernight Goddess, Spirit Medium Daly was absolutely not the first member to use an acting-like method to quickly digest a low-Sequence potion. She might not even rank in the top ten—or top fifty.

“From the perspective of probability, that simply does not make sense… Unless Daly did not comprehend the acting method herself, and someone else gave her guidance. That would explain why the Church of the Evernight Goddess failed to summarize it: their old path restricted them. Every member followed the will of their predecessors and believed in the experience of those before them, not daring to rebel even slightly. After all, rebellion often means losing control… Mm. Aside from that explanation, there is another possibility: the Church’s higher-ups concealed the acting method because of certain problems…”

“I need to look through the relevant information, search for cases of Beyonders belonging to the Church of the Goddess quickly digesting potions, and clarify what happened to them afterward…”

Klein pondered gravely.

Daxter watched his expression and waited for a minute or two before asking in puzzlement, “Officer, is there something wrong with Hood Eugen’s behavior?”

“Not for now. I merely associated it with another matter,” Klein answered with a smile, pushing his doubts aside for the moment.

He turned to another question.

“Have the Psychology Alchemists taken any action recently?”

“No. Aside from a small Awwa County gathering for exchanging items and experiences,” Daxter answered without concealment.

Klein nodded gently.

“And how is your own condition?”

Daxter controlled his expression and said, “Not very good. I still often hear ravings and see illusions. If I were not a psychiatrist, I might even believe I had developed a similar kind of illness.”

As he spoke, his face grew a little heavier.

“I have followed Hood Eugen’s and your instructions, paying no attention to those illusions and ravings. That has made me feel much better. But they still affect my sleep. They make me irritable. They make me angry. They make me unlike myself, as though a brand-new me is growing inside my body. Or perhaps it can be described as a new personality. I am very worried and afraid. Perhaps one day, I will suddenly lose control.”

Just as I expected. I did not even need divination to predict that…

Klein had long prepared for this. He smiled.

“You do not need to worry. You are now a peripheral member of the Nighthawks, and you have benefits that belong to you. As an ancient organization, we possess quite a few methods for avoiding loss of control. They may not be one hundred percent effective, but they can definitely help you.

“In addition, I am personally willing to share my experience with you. You must understand that the gentleman standing before you spent only one month completely escaping the illusions and ravings, making them stop appearing entirely. You should know from Hood Eugen and your other companions just how difficult that is.”

For the sake of the Sequence 8 Telepathist corresponding to Spectator, Klein praised himself a little—and he did so openly and frankly.

“Officer, there are lies in your words, but the main part is true,” Daxter abruptly said calmly. “What do you want from me?”

Spectators are truly difficult to deceive…

Klein answered with a smile, “It is not only what I want.”

There was also Miss Justice.

Of course, he knew Daxter would definitely assume it was what the Nighthawk team wanted.

“If your method is truly effective, and if the item or intelligence you want is something I can access…” Daxter said carefully.

“I will advance your benefits to you,” Klein said calmly. “We want the Telepathist formula.”

He would not conceal this potion formula. He would hand it over to the Captain, saying that Daxter had used it in exchange for his experience in mastering a potion.

And in the process, Klein would certainly verify the formula and “accidentally” memorize it.

In addition, a formula gained through his personal experience could also accumulate further merit for him.

At that point, combined with his earlier achievements, he might not even need to take on extra tasks before applying for the Clown formula and its main ingredients.

One formula, traded twice. What a bargain…

Klein’s mood improved.

Daxter stared into his eyes. After several moments of silence, he said, “You are very candid… I will work hard to obtain this formula, but I cannot be certain how long it will take. If it becomes too dangerous, I hope to replace it with other compensation.”

“No problem.”

Klein had no intention of pressing him too hard. He then began describing the acting method in a veiled way.

“The key to resisting loss of control lies in the potion’s name. We must understand it, grasp its true meaning. And that is not something that can be achieved by thinking alone. It must be truly experienced. For example, as a Spectator, you must understand that you are only a Spectator, not an actor. As for what a Spectator should be like, you need to discover it in life, attempt it, summarize its code of conduct, and strictly hold yourself to it.”

Daxter listened with great concentration. Only after quite some time did he say, “What a brand-new theory. Heh, I prefer using the word theory to describe what you just said. This is like the corresponding theories for theater and opera actors… I will try it. I hope it brings good changes.”

“If—if it truly proves effective, I will do my utmost to help you obtain the Telepathist formula!”

“May the Goddess protect you.”

Klein drew a crimson moon over his chest.

He did not add the Psychiatrist potion formula, because he knew that, at Daxter’s current status, that task would definitely be impossible. A single careless move could expose him.

Therefore, he intended to take things slowly, helping Daxter rise step by step within the Psychology Alchemists.

In that way, the long-term benefits would be extremely, extremely generous.

Klein did not linger. First, he observed the outside through the peephole in the door. Then he quickly left, turning toward the small shooting range belonging to the Nighthawks.

After entering and locking the door, his face darkened again. In his earlier speculation about why the Church of the Goddess had failed to summarize the acting method, he had associated it with another matter he had previously overlooked.

The reason he had overlooked it was that the two matters that should have been connected had been obtained in reverse order, so he had not thought any further about them.

The first matter: the Antigonus family had been destroyed by the Church of the Evernight Goddess.

The second matter: the Antigonus family controlled the Seer Sequence, or at least a very large portion of it.

Because he had learned about the two matters far apart in time, Klein had hardly put them together and analyzed them, thereby overlooking the strangeness hidden within. But now, listed side by side, the problem became extremely obvious.

Since the Antigonus family had at least controlled a large part of the Seer pathway, how could the Church of the Evernight Goddess, which had completely destroyed them, have obtained only Sequence 9, Seer?

The spoils of war could not possibly amount to only that.

The Aurora Order member who had obtained only one magical notebook from the Antigonus family had managed to get the Clown formula from it. What about the Church of the Evernight Goddess, which destroyed the entire Antigonus family?

Even if the Antigonus family had prepared in advance and hidden the most valuable things on the main peak of the Hornacis mountain range, the Church of the Evernight Goddess should still have gained more than this. After all, they had killed many members of the Antigonus family—and the dead could speak.