Thorn Manor

The accompanying image was a photo of the dockside fish market. Piles of sea fish lay heaped on the ground like little mountains, the fishmongers grinning from ear to ear while workers crowded around to snatch them up.

Lu Yuan fell silent.

No wonder every Night Watcher had been mobilized.

The contamination had been spreading unchecked through this cheap fish.

Such an important matter, yet he had received no warning beforehand?

Lu Yuan's gaze turned profound as a terrifying thought surfaced in his mind.

"I understand. Brent, hurry back. Remember, don't open the door for anyone tonight."

"I will. I know."

Brent carefully shielded the medicine in his arms as though clutching his only hope.

He gave Lu Yuan a deep bow, then turned and rushed into the thick curtain of rain.

Watching the boy's retreating figure, Lu Yuan's expression darkened to a frightening degree.

This rain had come at far too inopportune a time.

Just as Lu Yuan was about to shut and lock the door—

Tap-tap-tap—

A rapid clatter of hooves pierced the rain and stopped outside the clinic.

A messenger in a dark red uniform, thorn patterns embroidered across his chest, jumped down from the carriage.

Holding an umbrella, he slowly approached with a stiff smile on his face.

"Are you Doctor Lu Yuan?"

The messenger dipped slightly and presented a black invitation embossed in gold.

"My master, Baron Thorn of Thorn Manor, has long admired your medical skill."

"His nephew has recently contracted a strange illness. He has seen many doctors, yet none have helped him improve. My master specially sent me to request that you visit the manor tonight without fail."

Lu Yuan looked at the invitation.

A faint, barely perceptible strand of Black Qi emanated from the seemingly noble, gold-embossed card.

Lu Yuan lifted his head, glanced at the messenger's fake smile, then at the pitch-black rainy night in the distance.

The base was empty; the main force was all out.

On this rainy night, when everyone was too busy to look after themselves, had someone finally made their move to take advantage of the chance and clear out this "bug" of his?

"And if I refuse?" Lu Yuan asked flatly.

"My lord baron said that you may refuse, but that would cause him great distress. It may be regarded as disrespect toward the nobility, and might even..."

The messenger's smile deepened, revealing several somewhat sharp teeth.

"...lead to suspicion that you are connected to this strange illness."

At that, disdain flashed through Lu Yuan's eyes. They could not even be bothered to keep up the pretense?

That made sense. He had called him Lu Yuan directly rather than Laisen's friend. Mo Shui had been right—the files had indeed been turned upside down.

He reached out and accepted the fishy-smelling invitation.

"Since Baron Thorn thinks so highly of me, I would be impolite to refuse. But I need to make some preparations first. Please wait."

Lu Yuan turned and entered the clinic, tucking the newly purchased Revolver into his waistband.

Then he slipped a hand into his pocket, making sure the black sphere was still there.

Only then did Lu Yuan properly pick up his medical case and head outside. With the messenger's assistance, he climbed into the carriage.

The moment the carriage rolled into the darkness—

A faint sound of leather rubbing came from the darkness all around.

Several crisp whistles, like birdsong, followed, and the surroundings sank back into silence.

At the base, Old Morgan listened to the report from the Hidden Sentry, then turned and spread out a map of Grim Port's inner city.

A trace of gloom flashed through those eyes hidden beneath his brow.

"The fish has taken the hook. I just wonder whether this has anything to do with you... Viscount..."

The black carriage passed through layer upon layer of rain, crushing over muddy stone-slab roads before finally stopping before a manor at the edge of the inner city.

Thorn Manor lived up to its name. Towering iron fences were covered in thorny rose vines.

In the black rainy night, those vines resembled tangled black snakes, coiling tightly around the ancient residence.

"Doctor Lu, this way."

The messenger driving the carriage jumped down, opened a black umbrella, and wore the same stiff, standard smile.

Lu Yuan tightened his trench coat and stepped down from the carriage.

The instant he entered the manor gates, a smell of damp soil mixed with an intense rose fragrance rushed at him.

The scent was so rich it was almost pungent, as if it were meant to conceal something.

Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

Through the perspective of [Deep Study], an almost imperceptible gray-black mist shrouded the seemingly luxurious manor.

The color of that mist looked familiar. Lu Yuan recalled the traces he had seen in the sewers beneath the Black Pine Forest Water Plant.

It seemed the visitors had indeed come with ill intent.

As they continued onward, beneath the heavy scent of roses in Thorn Manor, an elusive stench occasionally surfaced.

"This smell..."

Lu Yuan frowned.

The messenger seemed to notice something. His pace slowed slightly as he explained, "Since the young master fell ill, the house has indeed become somewhat... damp."

"This way, please."

The hall was brightly lit.

A massive crystal chandelier cast down golden light. The carpet was soft Persian red velvet, and everything looked steeped in aristocratic luxury and refinement.

But Lu Yuan keenly noticed that something was wrong with the manor's servants.

Whether the maids carrying silver trays or the male servants standing in the corners—

They all wore uniforms with extremely high collars, thick white gloves on their hands, and some even wore scarves indoors.

Their heads were lowered, their walking stiff and sluggish, like puppets whose joints had rusted shut.

[Target observed: Deep Sea Polluted Entity (Elementary)]

[Status: A human contaminated by a strange substance from the Deep Sea, gradually slipping into the Deep Sea's embrace.]

[Weaknesses: Any object touched by holiness, blunt weapons]

"So it really is a wolf's den..."

Seeing the prompts appearing over every person before him, Lu Yuan's gaze darkened slightly.

"Doctor Lu, I have long heard of your reputation."

At the end of the dining room's long table, a middle-aged man in a dark red velvet formal suit rose to his feet.

He held a wineglass, the scarlet liquid within swaying beneath the lights.

The master of Thorn Manor—Baron Thorn.

"You flatter me, Baron Thorn." Lu Yuan did not step forward to perform a hand-kiss. He merely nodded slightly where he stood.

That alone made Lu Yuan's attitude clear.

"Sit."

The baron casually waved a hand as though he did not care in the slightest, the gesture carrying an innate arrogance.

In his eyes, this young doctor was merely a "dessert" delivered right to his doorstep.

Since the prey had already entered the cage, he did not mind displaying a little aristocratic generosity and elegance before dining.

Lu Yuan pulled out a chair and sat down, his gaze sweeping over the plate before him.

There was a piece of raw meat on it.

It had not been cooked in any way. The bright-red slab was still streaked with blood and gave off the salty, fishy stench of seawater.

"This is a Deep-Sea Red Trout freshly caught from the nearby waters. It is exceedingly rare."

The baron cut off a bloodied piece of meat and put it into his mouth. Without even chewing, he let it slide straight down his throat.

He closed his eyes, a trace of sickly intoxication appearing on his face as though he were savoring some peerless delicacy.

"What vibrant life force... Doctor Lu, won't you have a taste?"