Bang!
Eric, the highly vigilant captain of the "Red Gloves," shuddered inexplicably as he saw the wandering magician who called himself Merlin Hermes explode right behind the astronomical telescope.
But no blood or flesh splattered; the shattered limbs vanished into the air like soap bubbles.
"..." Eric and the team members who turned at the sound were all stunned, unable to understand what had just happened.
A second later, Eric said in a deep voice:
"Withdraw!"
He wanted to lead the team out of the apartment before the danger could truly spread.
Just then, a figure walked into Room 403 through the open door—it was Merlin Hermes, who had seemed to explode out of nowhere a moment ago.
The wandering magician, wearing a top hat and black robe, spoke as if nothing had happened:
"The root of the problem is indeed that astronomical telescope."
As he spoke, Klein walked over to the balcony and lightly tapped the telescope with his right hand.
With another bang, the telescope suddenly disintegrated into metallic specks, releasing a bit of foul-smelling cyan-black gas.
After a flash of grayish-white mist, the stench dissipated, the darkness vanished, and the room returned to normal.
"...What exactly happened here?" Eric forced himself to forget the magician's death and reappearance and asked carefully.
As an experienced captain of the "Red Gloves," he had some idea of the truth; he only asked for confirmation.
Klein smiled slightly:
"Simply put, this astronomical telescope mutated for some unknown reason, causing the room's owner to see something he shouldn't have.
"If you want more details, you'll have to gather the clues yourselves. I don't know much more either."
Eric nodded and signaled his team to continue investigating.
After some work, Eric said to Merlin Hermes:
"There are few clues left in the room. We can only confirm a few things:
"First, John is a local resident who served in the war, and his mental state seems to have suffered as a result. Second, he's been an astronomy enthusiast for a long time and joined an academic organization called the 'Society for Celestial Studies' after the war, but we haven't found any information about it. Third, John seems to be looking for a way to see the real starry sky."
When he said "starry sky," Eric paused slightly, as if he had been warned by the higher-ups of the Church of the Goddess of the Night.
Joined an organization called the "Society for Celestial Studies" after the war... looking for a way to see the real starry sky... Combining that with his recent "experience," Klein understood the situation to some extent and nodded lightly:
"You should all understand that the 'starry sky' means danger. You can't even learn about it."
"We'll report this case to the archbishop as soon as possible and designate the 'Society for Celestial Studies' as a dangerous organization," Eric said as if reporting to a superior who wasn't directly in charge of the Nighthawks.
Klein didn't respond. As he walked to the door, he sighed:
"The war has truly had irreversible effects on every aspect..."
After the fall of the God of War, the already precarious original barrier lost part of its support, and the Goddess of the Night had yet to fully grasp the corresponding "Uniqueness." As for becoming an "Old One," no one knew how long that would take. Under such circumstances, the Outer Deities naturally intensified their erosion of this world, combining with the war trauma suffered by many ordinary people.
Klein suspected that during the postwar reconstruction, many cults targeting the "starry sky" and various Outer Deities had secretly emerged throughout Loen. If they were allowed to develop followers and conduct high-risk experiments, the apocalypse would surely come early.
With a sigh, he walked out of Room 403 step by step, his figure quickly blurring, turning transparent, and disappearing.
In a hotel near Praia Street, Klein, who had already checked in, took a sip of the coffee placed before him.
Since it was still early, he went out again and took a carriage to the outskirts of the riverside district of Constance City.
There was a cemetery there, with gravestones standing like a low forest.
Klein walked through the cemetery, guided by his spirituality, and found a tombstone.
The tombstone read:
"Welch McGowan."
This was the college classmate of Klein's original body, who had bought the Antigonus family notes and died mysteriously in Tingen, indirectly leading to Zhou Mingrui's "transmigration."
Welch McGowan's father was a banker in Constance City. He paid to bring his son's body back and buried it in this cemetery.
Klein stared at the photo on the tombstone for a few seconds, then bent down and placed a white bouquet on Welch's grave.
He was about to leave when he suddenly stopped. Twenty to thirty seconds later, an old man carrying a black cane approached from the other direction.
Klein recognized him as Welch's father, the banker from the Inner Sea County who had once treated him and his classmates to a big meal.
But compared to a few years ago, the gentleman had aged considerably. He had been a spirited middle-aged gentleman, but now his hair was half white, and wrinkles had appeared around his eyes, mouth, and forehead.
"Who are you?" Welch's father looked at the stranger by the grave, both puzzled and wary.
Klein sighed:
"Uncle, I'm a friend of Welch. I just happened to be passing through Constance City."
Welch's father nodded slightly and said in a low voice:
"He was a person who liked making friends. I only know some of them."
He said this as a way of explaining why he hadn't invited this guest to the funeral and apologizing for it.
Klein said nothing more, looked around, and asked:
"Is there anything you need help with? Or any wish you'd like fulfilled? I'd like to help out."