Analysis (Thanks to Alliance Leader "Sè Diào Kāfēi" for the reward)

Dinner time arrived.

The members of the Record Society gathered in the first-floor dining room.

Old Jerry seemed to notice that everyone's spirits were low, so he had prepared a grand feast, hoping to use good food to lighten the mood.

"Mr. Snowy Owl, about the movie... thank you."

Miss Seagull toyed with the medium-rare steak on her plate with a fork, bit her lip, and looked up with shifty eyes to thank Gilan in a soft voice.

After resting all afternoon, her mental state was significantly better; aside from her face still being somewhat pale, the phantom pain in her abdomen had also eased.

Mr. Stork and the others at the table wore expressions of surprise in unison.

They exchanged quiet glances.

Since Miss Seagull had joined the Record Society, her impression on the others had generally been one of coldness, along with an inadvertently revealed, deep-seated arrogance.

They had not expected her to have such a girlish side.

"We are all members of the Society; it is only right that we look out for one another."

Gilan ate a chicken pot pie and smiled faintly.

He had no particular fondness for Miss Seagull, but the progress he had made in the White Cross Body-Forging Technique had put him in a good mood, so he offered a perfunctory, polite reply.

At this moment, Old Jerry brought another plate over and placed it in front of Miss Seagull. With a dramatic flourish, he lifted the metal cover to reveal a fist-sized piece of charred meat drizzled in brown sauce, which was still emitting a fragrant, hot steam.

"Truffle-roasted lamb kidneys, prepared especially for Miss Seagull. Enjoy your meal."

Old Jerry stood with one hand behind his back and smiled slightly.

Unexpectedly, Miss Seagull's expression turned strange. She opened her mouth several times but said nothing, until she finally couldn't help but explain:

"I was only shot in the abdomen in the movie; I don't need..."

"Yeah, I even took a punch to the face from Mr. Snowy Owl, and it still hurts... even if you can't see anything wrong in reality, you have to be vigilant. Who knows if there's internal organ damage?"

Mr. Oystercatcher pointed to his own face with a hearty laugh, gulping down his smoked fish bread.

He suddenly noticed Miss Seagull's gaze turn sharp as she stared right at him.

"Ah, sorry... I mean, actually, it only takes a few days of rest to recover, so dietary supplements don't really seem necessary! Haha!"

Mr. Oystercatcher quickly changed his tune.

He noticed, however, that Miss Seagull's expression had only grown uglier.

Seeing this, he immediately shut his mouth and obediently buried his head in his meal.

"Mr. Snowy Owl, you eat it." Miss Seagull took a deep breath, controlling her anger, then pushed the plate toward Gilan and smiled. "Old Jerry's cooking is quite good, better than many high-end restaurants in Horst."

Mr. Stork and the others exchanged glances once more.

Was Miss Seagull... hinting at something?

"Hm?" Miss Seagull noticed their expressions and immediately realized her actions had been misunderstood. She blushed with embarrassment and gritted her teeth. "I just..."

"Thank you." Gilan took the plate and nodded.

Miss Seagull was slightly startled, then let out a secret sigh of relief.

As if to ease the awkward atmosphere, Miss Sparrow quickly changed the subject:

"It's very strange... why was it that in the movie, only Mr. Oystercatcher and I were affected by that unknown mysterious power, while the rest of you were fine?"

"I read the intelligence file. When you explored the Black Lake last time, this situation didn't seem to occur..." Gilan looked thoughtful. "So it is very likely because you and Mr. Oystercatcher did something during this viewing that you didn't do last time."

Mr. Stork thought of something and said in a deep voice:

"Miss Sparrow drank Fima's beverage, and Mr. Oystercatcher drank the hotel's wine."

Everyone was stunned.

When they thought about it, it was indeed true.

"So the local beverages and alcohol in Fayelane Town possess mysterious power and trigger hallucinations?" Miss Sparrow's mouth hung slightly open.

Gilan stopped eating and voiced a chilling hypothesis:

"Perhaps the suspicious person you saw on the second floor of the hotel didn't exist at all, but was a hallucination you both shared... otherwise, there is no way to explain the fact that he suddenly disappeared."

"If your speculation is correct, Mr. Snowy Owl, then the most suspicious place would be that Black Lake deep in the forest park... According to my investigation, the water sources for the local Bright Moon Beverage Factory and the Black Lake Winery are both connected to the underground river of the Black Lake."

Mr. Stork frowned and spoke slowly.

The train of thought for the Society members cleared at this moment, and Miss Sparrow exclaimed in surprise:

"Ah? So the Black Lake water is actually the problem?!"

She then had a second thought and discovered something amiss.

"But... the people in the tavern drank the alcohol too, so why are they fine?"

"No, it's not that the people in the tavern are fine after drinking; it's that the locals are fine after drinking."

Mr. Oystercatcher seemed to have a sudden epiphany and said in wonder.

"Old Toto and the others are native residents born and raised here, while we are not, and neither are Sheriff Pierre and his lot... although I don't know the specific reason, it seems only outsiders are affected by the mysterious power."

"In that case..." Mr. Stork's expression shifted slightly as he followed the logic to its conclusion. "Then the so-called 'elixir of immortality' is likely nothing more than a hallucination induced by the lake water!"

"Anyone affected by the mysterious power of the lake sees parchment regarding the 'elixir of immortality,' which triggers an intense desire that drives them to kill and perform human sacrifices... Could this be the true reason for the birth of the Lake God Cult?!"

"The local tourism bureau and the police station are staffed by outsiders. Once influenced by the lake water, they transform into vicious Cultists, worshiping a 'Lake God' of dubious existence. They conspire to set a trap, promoting Fayelane Town as a beautiful tourist destination to lure in visitors, only to hunt for suitable targets among them..."

"If you explain it that way, everything makes sense."

Miss Seagull nodded, lost in thought.

The group fell into a brief silence, seemingly stunned by this deduction.

"But there is no denying that a demon truly exists within the Black Lake!"

Mr. Oystercatcher said in a deep voice.

"We all saw it with our own eyes; it couldn't have been a hallucination... In the end, it was thanks to Mr. Snowy Owl staying behind to cover us that we were able to buy enough time to return to reality."

"If we want to approach the Black Lake, we must face the demon." Mr. Stork rubbed his temples, a headache forming. "But the few of us are likely no match for it."

Gilan, however, had an idea and proposed:

"Perhaps we can start with Sheriff Pierre and conduct a deep investigation into the local police station and the tourism bureau... Since the Lake God Cult wanders through the woods, why are they never attacked by the demon? If those who drink the lake water and are influenced by its mysterious power are seen as 'kin' by the demon, then that theory doesn't hold up, as Mr. Oystercatcher and Miss Sparrow were also targets of the demon's attack... The Lake God Cult must have some special method or means to avoid the demon."

"Mr. Snowy Owl's words make sense."

Mr. Stork pondered for a moment.

"Then, the next time we enter the Black Lake, we will split up and start by investigating the police station and the tourism bureau..."

Thanks to "Se Diao Ka Fei" for the 100,000-point tip!

Thanks to "HHHH_Tian" for the 3,500-point tip!

Thanks to "Xing He You Ni Zu Yi" for the 500-point tip!