Klaus looked at him.
The silence lasted several seconds. In the Pipe Network passage, there was only the faint crackle of the Marching Lamp's flame and the subtle rasp of inscriptions writhing across the distant copper walls.
Klaus's gaze rested on Lu Yuan's face without moving. Lu Yuan could not tell what lay in that look. It was more like Klaus was confirming something he had vaguely sensed but never spoken aloud.
"Yes."
Klaus nodded once.
"But before that, let's go take a look."
The three headed toward the Copper Wall.
Glock and the two Night Watchers were left at the edge of the Inscription spread zone. Klaus looked back at Glock.
"You stay here and keep watch. If anything changes, withdraw immediately."
Glock nodded, gripping the Communication Crystal in his hand as he leaned against the wall. The two Night Watchers stood guard on either side of the passage.
The three continued deeper in.
The suppression within the dense Inscription zone quickly made itself known. Leike's tentacles shrank back one after another, and the slow writhing that had returned to his surface stiffened again, as though something were cinching him tight from outside.
"The suppression is stronger than last time." Leike's voice was muffled, as if it came through a layer of cloth. "My abilities are being compressed badly."
Lu Yuan took a Silver Shard from the inner pocket against his chest and handed it to Klaus.
"Keep it on you. It can weaken the suppression. The suppression affecting me is minimal."
Klaus took it and weighed it in his hand. His fingertip brushed across the Inscription on its surface. Without asking where it had come from, he slipped it directly into the inner layer of fabric over his chest.
Lu Yuan noticed that Klaus's stride did not change