Night Watchman

The people below turned their eyes toward the entrance, and unease spread like a virus.

Gais remained composed and made a gesture for silence.

Then he gave his assistant a look, and the assistant immediately carried the donation box into the storage room in the corner to hide it.

He strode forward and opened the main doors.

In the moonlight, two figures appeared before the entrance, one behind the other.

The man in front wore a dark gray uniform, with a silver-shining badge pinned at his waist, engraved with the image of a sword and shield.

The man behind him looked younger. The bronze badge on his light gray uniform showed that his rank was slightly lower.

They were Night Watchmen from St. Peter's Cathedral in Trino City.

"Good evening, officers! Is there anything I can help you with?"

Gais's voice carried just the right amount of respect. With an innocent, peaceful smile on his face, he met their cold gazes.

The Night Watchman captain, Abel, said nothing. His sharp eyes swept over Gais from head to toe.

His grayish-white short hair still bore the marks left by his top hat, and his gold-rimmed glasses had a few stains that had not been wiped clean.

He wore a somewhat worn tailcoat, and his wrinkled collar clearly had not been specially tended to. His hands were loosely clasped together.

"We received a report that people were gathering here late at night under suspicious circumstances."

Abel's voice was cool and carried unquestionable authority.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, officer, I believe there must be some misunderstanding."

Gais did not look flustered in the slightest at having been reported. Clearly, this was not the first time he had dealt with such a situation.

He politely stepped aside, placed his right hand over his chest, and made an inviting gesture.

"Please come in, officers. We are merely a group of biology enthusiasts gathered here today to admire some marvelous marine life."

"You know, officer, Trino is not a coastal region.

It is difficult for everyone's enthusiasm for marine life to be satisfied."

Abel exchanged a glance with the younger man behind him.

Their hard, tube-shaped boots thudded as they stepped inside.

Their gazes swept over the residents seated below and the black cloth on the stage.

Seeing the residents' shabby clothes and the grime on their faces, the young man could not help letting out a mocking snort.

"You mean this group of workers who have just finished their factory shifts.

Instead of going home to rest late at night, or heading to a tavern for a drink.

They have the leisure to come here and admire so-called marine life?"

The residents below silently lowered their heads. No one dared meet the Night Watchmen's eyes.

Their hands clenched into fists beneath the tables.

Abel frowned and turned to glare fiercely at the young man.

Realizing he had said the wrong thing, the man hurriedly stepped back a few paces.

Gais's smile grew even brighter.

"Of course, officer. I do not believe anyone has decreed that appreciating marine life is an amusement reserved for nobles and officials.

Our workers also have the right to choose their hobbies."

"Wouldn't you agree?"

He did not look at the man who had spoken. Instead, he smiled warmly at Abel.

"Gais really has a silver tongue. No wonder he makes a living off it."

Though Ivan could not see what was happening outside, he could roughly guess that the Night Watchmen's expressions must have been quite something.

"Of course, the Church will not restrict the freedom of its citizens."

Abel composed himself, then changed the subject.

"Faith is an exception."

"On behalf of the Night Watchmen, I suspect that you are conducting a cult ritual here.

You are now obligated to cooperate with our investigation. Otherwise..."

He did not finish.

Gais nodded obediently, indicating that they could search wherever they pleased.

Seeing this, Little George felt that his luck could not possibly be worse.

How had he run into the Night Watchmen the very first time he attended a gathering?

He quietly discussed it with the people around him.

"We're done for. They won't drag us off to the cathedral for trial, will they?"

"Don't worry. The Lord's spirit will surely protect us."

The others around him were clearly much calmer than he was.

The young Night Watchman quickly searched the entire chapel and pushed the donation box out from the storage room in the corner.

"Captain, this is all there is. There are a few Copper Pennies inside."

He shook his head at Abel, indicating that he had found nothing resembling an item used in a cult ritual.

Abel walked onto the stage, steeled himself, and yanked away the black cloth.

Inside the tank beneath the cloth, only a glowing Jellyfish floated quietly. There was nothing else.

"As you can see, officer, we were merely observing this Jellyfish.

As for those Copper Pennies, they were voluntarily donated by enthusiasts to cover the cost of maintaining the Jellyfish."

"Is that so?"

Abel raised a brow. Since they had found nothing suspicious,

and with so many people watching, he had no way to directly convict the man before him.

"Dismiss them all. Tell them to go home early and stop looking at these strange things.

I still have some questions for this gentleman."

Abel waved his hand, unwilling to entangle himself further with the residents below.

Even if they had all participated in a cult ritual, he had no way to arrest every last one of them.

The crowd was ushered out by the young Night Watchman.

Many people looked reluctantly at the Jellyfish, continuing to pray silently in their hearts.

"Not bad, not bad. The quality of these believers is quite high. They even knew to contribute another wave of prayer energy before leaving."

Watching the people gradually disperse, Ivan devoured the remaining energy with lingering satisfaction.

Only Abel and Gais remained before him, and the atmosphere sank into an eerie silence.

"Tsk, tsk. It looks like Gais has run into trouble this time. This officer doesn't seem willing to let him off."

A thin sheen of sweat formed on Gais's palm. He, too, vaguely sensed that this Night Watchman captain would not be easy to handle.

Abel took a cigarette from his pocket. Seeing this, Gais hurriedly pulled out a small flint stone and struck sparks with a steel strip to light it for him.

He slowly exhaled a ring of smoke.

"All right. There are no irrelevant people left here now. I think we can speak frankly."

"Of course, officer. We certainly must have a good talk."

As he spoke, Gais took a Gold Pound from his pocket and slipped it into Abel's palm before the young man returned.

It pained him a little. A single gathering brought in fewer than a hundred Copper Pennies in donations.

This one Gold Pound had made all the effort he had put into this gathering go to waste.

Still, as long as the Night Watchmen did not arrest him, he would earn the money back sooner or later.

Thinking this, Gais's smile became even more natural.

Abel rubbed the Gold Pound in his hand and said thoughtfully,

"Is this how you have avoided arrest all this time?"

"It seems there are traitors within the Night Watchmen who are unfaithful to their faith."

Ding~

The Gold Pound suddenly sprang from Abel's hand, its crisp chime echoing through the air.

"Let lies vanish from this place, and let truth endure!"

In an instant, an invisible force field spread outward from him.

Ivan was startled inside the tank, his tentacles lightly stirring up a vortex.

He felt the power of a rule enveloping the area.