Secret Society II

"In my youth, I traveled far and wide and became acquainted with an alchemist. I saw with my own eyes how he turned stones into gold, and even how he used his own flesh to deflect bullets after consuming an alchemical potion..."

Mr. Stork recalled.

"Though I did not spend much time with him, in those few months, I never once saw him wear a hat while traveling, yet he never showed any signs of being tainted by the 'miasma'."

"Wow!" Miss Sparrow's beautiful eyes lit up. "How magical! If I could have such power, I would definitely turn all the dolls at home into gold!"

Mr. Stork shook his head with a hint of helplessness and spoke:

"Miss Sparrow, your family is already quite wealthy... Besides, by studying the 'True Film Reel', we may one day be able to seek out such mysterious powers ourselves."

Gilan glanced at Miss Sparrow without leaving a trace, secretly thinking that this woman was likely a wealthy heiress, and wondered why she would join a mysterious society like the "Record Society".

He was also quite interested in the alchemist Mr. Stork mentioned, so he asked:

"Mr. Stork, were you unable to learn anything from that alchemist?"

"No." Mr. Stork sighed with regret. "That is a mysterious power that requires extremely high talent to master; unfortunately, I lack such aptitude."

"That alchemist did not call himself an 'alchemist' either, but rather a 'Spirit Mystic'... He once told me cryptically that the process of mastering this mysterious power is like climbing a high peak, or trekking along a rugged path in the forest. All seekers who study the mysterious arts call this path the 'Path of the Flaming Sword'."

'Spirit Mystic', 'Path of the Flaming Sword'...

Gilan could not help but feel a sense of longing.

This was not merely about finding power to arm and protect himself, but also an instinctive curiosity and thirst for the mysterious.

He believed that with "Iridescence", he would one day be able to touch and master the mysterious as well.

*

*

*

After the carriage pulled away from Gray Stone Street, it followed the main road toward "Fengdeng Mountain", where the wealthy district was located.

The neighborhoods they passed through initially were still somewhat familiar to Gilan.

It was not until the carriage crossed "Daffodil Square" by the side of "Fengdeng Lake" that the streetscape and environment began to feel foreign to him.

Here, the buildings were tall, the streets were clean, and the shops were high-end and bustling.

Most of the pedestrians were dressed decently and behaved with courtesy.

Even the bumpy carriage became steady and comfortable once it entered the smooth roads here... It belonged here, as it was meant to be the luxury of the rich.

Gilan had never been here before, for the wealthy district was not a place one could enter at will.

Without proof of residence or employment, his lower-class attire would inevitably draw the scrutiny of patrolling officers.

The outcome was predictable; being forcibly driven out of the wealthy district would be considered lucky. If his luck were poor, he might be charged with "obstructing public order" or "suspicious behavior" and taken to the police station for detention.

The original owner's greatest dream was to one day live in the wealthy district, purchase a decent tombstone for his mother, and bury her in the "Fengdeng Cemetery" at the top of the mountain... But this dream was unreachable for him.

Gilan's eyes reflected the kaleidoscope of colors along the way, and ripples stirred within his heart.

He placed his hands on his warm legs and whispered to himself:

You fulfilled my dream... I will also fulfill yours.

This is a debt a man cannot forget.

Mr. Stork, sitting opposite, caught Gilan's distracted expression and, assuming he was yearning for the life of the rich, could not help but show a look of reflection.

However, at this moment, a squad of officers wearing black armbands with white "X" patterns passed by the roadside, causing Mr. Stork to narrow his eyes. He said in a low voice:

"A search party from the Horst Police Station."

Miss Sparrow, hearing this, reacted quickly. She immediately changed seats, sat down next to Gilan, and reached out to hook her arm through his, leaning her body against him.

Gilan instinctively felt a sense of resistance and wanted to push her away.

But Miss Sparrow, in his arms, looked up, blinked at him, and pressed a finger to her lips.

"Shh."

Gilan noticed the search party on the side of the road and felt a chill in his heart. He quickly lowered his head and pulled his black felt hat down.

Yet his body remained tense and stiff... Gilan had never had intimate contact with the opposite sex, which made him feel very uncomfortable.

The officers of the search party glanced over but paid no mind.

It was not until the carriage had traveled some distance that Gilan raised his head and said softly to Miss Sparrow:

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Mr. Snowy Owl." Miss Sparrow let go, sat up straight again, and giggled. "As members of the 'Record Society', we should look out for one another."

Gilan then caught sight of Miss Sparrow's clean mutton-leg sleeves and the mud from his own clothes staining her fair hands, so he said in a deep voice:

"I'm sorry, I dirtied your clothes."

"It's fine, I was going to change them anyway."

Miss Sparrow seemed to see his guilt and spoke quickly.

As she spoke, she took an exquisite glass perfume bottle from her satchel and placed it in Gilan's hand.

"Spray some; it can alleviate your dizziness and discomfort."

Gilan looked at the expensive perfume bottle in his hand, hesitated for a moment, then uncapped it and sprayed his foul-smelling body twice.

Instantly, a refreshing scent of mixed citrus notes rushed to his nose.

The aromas of orange, lime, lemon, grapefruit, and citron intertwined, seemingly creating a playful, youthful aura that eased Gilan's tense mental state.

Whether it was psychological or genuinely effective, Gilan truly felt his symptoms of dizziness and fever subside, and even his dry, itchy throat gradually calmed down.

"Thank you," Gilan said again, handing the perfume bottle back.

Miss Sparrow took it and responded with a smile.

Gilan couldn't help but be momentarily dazed.

He couldn't remember the last time he had seen someone smile at him so sincerely.

Yes, sincerely.

The carriage finally stopped in front of a detached apartment building in the middle section of Horst Third Street.

The ground floor was a coffee shop, and on one side of the dark brown floor-to-ceiling window hung a sign that read, "13 Horst Third Street."

Gilan followed Mr. Stork and Miss Sparrow off the carriage.

"Mr. Stork rented this entire apartment building; the annual rent is 85 Caesar... He even owns the coffee shop downstairs. He always calls me wealthy, but I think he's the real hidden tycoon," Miss Sparrow whispered to Gilan.

Mr. Stork walked ahead, opened the double doors of the apartment next to the coffee shop, and turned back with a smile.

"Talking about others behind their backs is not the behavior of a lady... Please, come in, both of you."

Miss Sparrow stuck her tongue out at him, then led Gilan into the apartment.

Upon entering, Gilan saw a spacious living room.

A massive leather sofa was arranged in an "L" shape around a glass coffee table, and a crystal chandelier nearly two meters in diameter hung from the ceiling.

The bright yellow light reflected off the floor, and a polished wooden spiral staircase wound its way upstairs, giving the entire place a sense of clean luxury.

"Mr. Snowy Owl, you may choose any room to stay in, except for '201', '202', and '205' on the second floor, and '302' on the third. Each room is equipped with a bathroom. You can go upstairs and take a shower first; I will have Old Jerry bring you some fresh clothes," Mr. Stork said to Gilan.

The "Old Jerry" he referred to was the coachman who had driven the carriage, who also served as Mr. Stork's assistant and butler.

"It's almost time for dinner, and I will introduce you to the other members of the society later," Mr. Stork said, checking his watch with a smile.

Gilan looked around, took a deep breath, nodded at Mr. Stork and Miss Sparrow, and then turned to head upstairs.