Chapter 173: A Nightmare

Chapter 173: A Nightmare

The City of Silver.

Derrick Berg did not know how he had returned home. All he remembered was that indescribable fear.

Compared with the past, Dark Regence’s personality and behavior had not changed all that much, yet there had indeed been a disturbing difference. Derrick feared that the City of Silver had been targeted by the evil god known as the Fallen Creator. He feared that before he could become the Sun, before he could rescue the City of Silver from the curse that had lasted more than two thousand years and bring its people hope and sunlight, the city would already be completely destroyed.

At this moment, he hated, more than ever, that he was still not strong enough—that he was only Sequence 8.

No! I can’t just stand by and watch! Derrick abruptly rose to his feet, ready to rush to the Round Tower and tell the other elders of the Six-Member Council what he had discovered, to tell the Chief, Colin Iliad.

But Derrick was very clear that such abnormalities could hardly count as evidence. Every exploration into the depths of the darkness was accompanied by days, a dozen days, or even more than a month of extreme tension for the team members. At any time and in any place, they might encounter monsters, whether powerful or bizarre.

In addition, the desolation of an uninhabited wilderness and the journey without the slightest visible hope would bring extreme oppression. Furthermore, for the sake of safety, members of an exploration team were not allowed any sexual release during the time they were away. This meant that after every expedition, their minds might undergo a certain degree of reshaping. If they also encountered great danger that left more than half the team dead or injured, it was not especially rare for the survivors’ personalities to change drastically.

The way to deal with such people was simply routine isolation and treatment. There were almost no exceptions.

The City of Silver possessed the first three Sequences of the Dragon pathway, so it did not lack Psychoanalysts.

Derrick rushed to the doorway, then suddenly slowed his steps.

He knew that reporting to the Six-Member Council like this would most likely be ineffective. There was also a considerable chance he would attract suspicion, perhaps even the danger of being watched by Elder Lovia the Shepherd.

After pacing for more than ten seconds, Derrick clenched his teeth and pulled the door open.

He believed he had to warn the elders of the Six-Member Council, even if he would have to bear no small risk because of it.

For the vast majority of the City of Silver’s residents, using sacrifice to maintain the city’s existence and the continuation of its civilization was a belief carved into their bones after years of constant exposure.

In an environment like this, both internally and externally, selfish people usually did not live long.

Of course, Derrick was not entirely reckless. Through the words and examples of the Tarot Club’s members—especially the Hanged Man—he clearly understood that at certain times, one had to know how to endure, to preserve oneself appropriately, and not make pointless, unnecessary sacrifices. This was all for the sake of better protecting the City of Silver.

I’m only reporting the abnormality I observed. There shouldn’t be any danger… Derrick consoled himself as he ran faster and faster.

At last, he saw the Round Tower that symbolized the City of Silver’s highest authority.

He found the Beyonder on duty there and requested to meet the Chief.

To Derrick’s surprise, the Beyonder did not ask why as he normally would. After a simple notification, he brought Derrick up the spiral staircase until they arrived at the room belonging to the Chief.

How strange… This is different from before… Derrick felt the change in this detail make him even more uneasy.

Entering the room, he saw the Chief, Colin Iliad, standing before one wall.

The tall old man, whose nasolabial folds were very deep, whose blue eyes were weathered, and whose white hair was messy, had his back to two crossed straight swords hanging on the wall. He wore his usual linen shirt and brown coat. It was hard to believe that he was a powerhouse who had hunted down countless demons and monsters.

“Derrick Berg, what matter must you tell me face-to-face?” Colin asked in a mellow voice.

“Your Excellency Chief.” Derrick gave a bow. “Today, at the training grounds, I met the team that explored that temple. I—I discovered that Dark Regence, whom I know, had changed in a strange way. He is no longer as cheerful as before. His smile was polite, like that of a stranger. Also, Elder Lovia no longer frequently changes the state in which she speaks.”

Colin looked deeply at Derrick and asked in a low voice, “Only these two things?”

“Yes, yes,” Derrick said, lowering his head. “I believe there may be something abnormal.”

Colin waved a hand.

“I understand. I will have Aiflor perform an examination. You may go back. In the future, report matters like this directly to the guardians of the Round Tower.”

Aiflor was the City of Silver’s most senior Psychoanalyst and the one closest to Sequence 6. Unfortunately, the City of Silver did not have the potion formulas beyond Sequence 7 in that pathway.

Having received such a response, Derrick left in low spirits.

Colin watched his back disappear through the doorway. Then, as though deeply disappointed, he suddenly sighed.

…

After discussing Will Auceptin’s situation with Dr. Allen for a while and finding nothing additional, Klein got out of the carriage midway, took the steam subway, and, three stops later, arrived near Minsk Street. From there, he transferred to a trackless public carriage and returned home.

Since it was still early, he first used divination to confirm that the previous tenant had not lied. Then, with admirable diligence, he continued studying The Book of Secrets.

Ever since obtaining this book, which could almost be called a complete course from beginner to mastery in mysticism, Klein had become increasingly skillful in his use of the mysterious space above the gray fog and had completed quite a few outstanding operations.

“What limits me now is my own Sequence, my own strength, and my own spirituality.” Late that night, Klein hid The Book of Secrets. As he sighed, he went to the washroom to clean himself up and prepare for sleep.

That night, he slept very soundly. Even the church bells marking the hour early in the morning only made him roll over.

Winter really is made for staying under the blankets… Klein mumbled as he got out of bed.

To reward the chivalrous bandit “Black Emperor,” his breakfast included an extra soft-boiled egg sweetened with sugar, as well as strawberry jam bought especially for his white bread.

Just as he leisurely enjoyed his food, the doorbell was suddenly rung.

“Didn’t I tell Mike to come after breakfast?” Klein muttered. He took a sip of the sweet soup, then wiped his mouth with a napkin.

According to his arrangement with Reporter Mike, the other man would arrive half an hour after breakfast and begin interviews with the East Borough girls who had been rescued. If Mike had still not appeared after half an hour, it would mean the matter had been delayed by a day.

Klein walked to the door. Before he even reached out, the visitor outside was naturally outlined in his mind.

It was not Reporter Mike Joseph, but Dr. Allen Kress.

“Good morning, Allen. Did you sleep very late last night?” Klein noticed that Allen’s complexion was rather poor, so he quietly activated Spirit Vision and took a look.

Allen removed his hat and put away his cane. He had been about to take off his coat as well, but the cold air inside the room persuaded him otherwise.

Klein gave two dry laughs.

“I planned to go out today. You know, Mike might come looking for me, so I didn’t light the fireplace.”

Allen nodded without saying much. He followed Klein into the living room and found a seat before speaking.

“Sherlock, I had a nightmare last night. I dreamed of that child, Will Auceptin!”

A nightmare? That falls within my field of expertise… I’m a professional when it comes to dream interpretation. More professional than I am at deduction… Klein leaned forward, interlacing his hands.

“What kind of nightmare?”

Allen recalled and said, “I can no longer remember some of the details and the process. What left the deepest impression was a pitch-black, towering spire. Coiled around it was an enormous silver-white serpent. It slowly writhed while staring at me with cold, ruthless red eyes.

“I don’t know why, but I entered that spire. I went up and down along the staircases, passed through one wall after another, and went through one locked door after another. In the end, in a dark corner, I discovered that child named Will Auceptin. He hopped a few steps on one leg and curled up against the wall. That deck of tarot cards was scattered beside him.

“When he saw that it was me, he looked both frightened and happy. He called out, ‘Dr. Allen’… That’s more or less the entire dream. After that, I woke up.”

Klein listened carefully and asked thoughtfully, “Did Will Auceptin say anything else?”

Allen frowned and thought for a while before suddenly blurting out, “Yes. He said, Dr. Allen, there’s a snake that wants to eat me!

“Then that silver-white serpent hung down from the ceiling, its head facing me…

“Its mouth was huge, but inside there were no teeth and no tongue. It was completely blood-red!”

A silver-white serpent… A pitch-black tower… Will Auceptin hidden behind layer after layer of defenses… Klein weighed his words and said to Dr. Allen, “This is not too strange a dream. It should be that when you were interacting with Will Auceptin, you unconsciously noticed he was in some sort of predicament and being threatened by something. That is why you dreamed of a similar scene: a child hiding deep in a tower, hiding behind countless walls and doors, and a silver-white serpent coiled at the top of the tower…

“Heh, as a detective, one has to know at least a little psychology. The newspapers often introduce such things as well.

“What I find puzzling is why you only had this dream today.”

Klein had not lied in his interpretation. He had simply avoided speaking of the possible true reason.

Allen opened his mouth and said, “I was too anxious just now. I forgot something.”

As he spoke, he took out his leather wallet and removed from it a well-made paper crane.

“After discovering that Will Auceptin’s family had already moved away, I remembered that before he left the hospital, he gave me this. He said, Doctor, this can bring you good luck.

“I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time and casually tossed it into a drawer in my office. Only after parting with you last night did I take it back and place it in my wallet. As a result, that very night, I had the nightmare I just described.”

Klein looked at the paper crane and nodded thoughtfully.

“Dr. Allen, it seems Will Auceptin did not intentionally bring you misfortune. He made amends afterward. The paper crane that Emperor Roselle invented carries the meaning of bestowing good wishes, and he also said it would bring you good luck.”

Allen instinctively asked, “The folding method for paper cranes was invented by Emperor Roselle?”

I don’t know if it was him, but I feel like it should have been him… Klein’s lips curled up.

“Probably.”