Marco the Stud

"Rogeret, look... no one will ever stand in our way again."

When those words came from Lacy's mouth, Wei En felt only a chill down his spine, a coldness surging into his heart.

"She... she really said that?"

Lacy nodded calmly. "Only later did we learn that ever since the girl found out her family didn't approve of her relationship with Rogeret, her mind had slowly been polluted by the Red Moon."

The Red Moon, pollution?

Wei En thought of the bit of tenacity level he had lost after last night's wet dream. Perhaps that had been a kind of pollution too?

"And then?"

"Then Rogeret let her go!"

Bang!

Lacy slapped the table in anger and said, "Not only did he let her go, he helped cover it up. So many people died... he deserved to be polluted!"

Other people died too?

Wei En sighed inwardly. He hadn't expected Rogeret to be such a hopeless romantic. He had no idea what Rogeret had felt back then... perhaps only Rogeret himself could understand that feeling.

Falling in love with a fallen one—pitiful, and tragic.

"Captain, can mental pollution not be reversed?"

"Reversed? Of course it can be reversed, but it would require divine radiance on the same level as the Red Moon."

Wei En's expression shifted slightly. "Divine radiance? You mean the kind above Crims Cathedral last night?"

"Yes. It would have to be at least that level."

Lacy shook her head and said, "That kind of thing is extremely rare even in the Church of Dawn, let alone for unbelievers like us in the Secret Investigation Bureau."

It was obvious just thinking about it that such things were uncommon. At the very least, there had been no memory of Divine Grace Descent in his predecessor's mind.

"Then Rogeret's departure this time was..."

"Sealing."

"Sealing?"

Wei En had thought leaving meant being executed. He hadn't expected this answer.

"Mm."

At this point, Lacy's expression turned somewhat sorrowful.

"Although the process of aberration is almost irreversible, there are still a few ways to slow it down. Sealing is one of them."

"There are other methods?"

Wei En's spirits lifted. If reversing it was impossible, then delaying the process of aberration would do too.

"The most common is to increase one's own mental strength, and it has to double within a short period of time. That way, the polluting power can be expelled, achieving the effect of delay."

Lacy sighed. "But the conditions for that are just as harsh. Trying to create it artificially is almost impossible."

Wei En said thoughtfully, "It is harsh."

But it had also opened up some ideas for him. Increasing mental strength might be very difficult for others, but for him, it wasn't necessarily impossible.

After experimenting during this period, he had also figured out some patterns in how the panel was triggered.

That was, by directly or indirectly coming into contact with mysterious existences. The stronger they were, the greater the improvement they brought him.

Of course, correspondingly, he would also face greater danger.

"So, Wei En, no matter what predicament you face, you must stay clear-headed at all times. The Red Moon isn't the only thing that can pollute you."

"I understand," Wei En said with a nod.

"I hope you won't blame me in the future for not persuading you to leave yesterday."

"How could I? If I have to blame someone, I should blame Minister Yegor."

"We should blame him," Lacy said with a faint smile. "But in truth, we're all the same... Facing misfortune head-on and inviting ominous calamity—this is the common fate of everyone in the Secret Investigation Bureau."

Facing misfortune head-on, and inviting the ominous?

Wei En thought of the case files he had seen before. The people of this world truly were very unfortunate.

But fate... he did not have any deep understanding of that word.

As someone from his homeland, what he was most familiar with was defying the heavens and changing fate. Resistance was carved into his bones.

Just then, the office door was pushed open.

"Wow, look what I just heard."

A thin young man dressed in a flamboyant, seductive style walked in and said in a clowning tone, "Facing misfortune head-on and inviting the ominous—this is the common fate of everyone in the Secret Investigation Bureau..."

"Lacy, you're really becoming more and more like Old Jack."

"Marco!" Lacy squeezed the words out through gritted teeth. "Looks like your skin's itching again. How about you come with me to the Colosseum for some sparring?"

"N-No need. I was just joking."

Marco's expression changed, and he waved his hands again and again. "Officer Lacy, I just wanted to show off a little in front of the newcomer."

"Is that so? I thought you'd been leaving early and coming back late all this time because you'd made some progress."

"No. How could a little progress compare to you?"

"Hmph!" Lacy glared at him. "Where's Tina?"

"She probably hasn't come over yet. It's not like you don't know her sense of time is a little off."

Marco muttered, then looked toward Wain beside him. After sizing him up, he smiled brilliantly and said, "Marco Nascimento. I'm your senior."

"Wain Loft."

Wain was also looking at Marco. That photo had shown this man's figure as well.

He just hadn't expected him to be exactly like he appeared in the photo... mm, just as goofy.

The difference was that the current Marco looked much more mature than he had in the photo. His features were strong and stylish, with thick brows, large eyes, and healthy bronze skin. He could be called handsome.

But his outfit was truly hard on the eyes.

At that moment, Marco had long red hair, and had even tied it into a ponytail at the back of his head...

At the same time, he wasn't wearing the Investigation Department uniform.

His upper body was clad in a pink plaid shirt, matched with a pair of white trousers and sailor boots, making him look somewhat neither fish nor fowl.

Overall, he looked like a flirtatious young man on his way to fool around at a nightclub.

"Officer Lacy, I like him. Do you think maybe..."

"No!"

Lacy saw through his thoughts at a glance and refused, "Even if you kneel down and beg me this time, I won't let Wain team up with you."

Marco clutched his chest, looking deeply wounded. "Lacy, don't you see? Wain and I would make an extremely suitable team."

"Hmm?"

"Look at him, then look at me."

Marco pointed at Wain and said, "With our looks, our bearing, if the two of us went to Never—those strange things at night would have to keep well away from us."

"And besides, teaming up with Tina isn't suitable either. I..."

Bang!

Lacy shot to her feet. The two pear-like fruits before her chest swelled even fuller as she gritted her teeth and said, "Marco, forget the Colosseum. I'll see right now just how much progress you've made!"

"Huh?"

Marco reacted quickly, immediately turning to open the door. "I've still got things to do, I'll be going—"

Before he could leave the office, Lacy grabbed his braid first, and as she dragged him back, her fist had already swung out and slammed into his abdomen, producing a muffled thud.

Never-Night City?

Wain watched them with interest.

Teaming up with this guy might not be bad either...

Of course, it wasn't that he wanted to go to Never-Night City. He just felt that, like Marco had said, the two of them together would be invincible.

"Pain, pain, pain... I was wrong, I was wrong! Let go! I won't team up with him anymore..."