Joey had not taken Katrin's situation to heart. With a Sheriff handling things, he doubted anyone would notice a nobody like him.
An ordinary citizen's life was supposed to be uneventful, wasn't it?
In the basement, Alisa excitedly cradled a fully ripened fruit.
"Joey, we did it!"
"Alisa, it looks like we were lucky enough today."
Having come from Huaxia, a culinary paradise, he had long since grown sick of this world's mutated food. It was either highly poisonous or impossible to stomach.
After experimenting over the past few days, Joey had discovered that his Fortune Teller attributes allowed certain things he attempted to go remarkably smoothly.
The first thing he did every morning was toss a coin and pray to the great being Above the Gray Fog.
There was something else he had to admit: Alisa was a genius, at least when it came to farming.
The experiment had been a great success. She had not only rewritten the plants' genetic code but also found a reliable cultivation method.
These seeds could now survive not only in sterile culture dishes but also thrive in the mutated black soil.
"Alisa, this is a moment worthy of going down in history. Everyone in Senegal will remember you."
Although they had successfully cultivated only one plant so far, Joey could already envision a beautiful future, with no more hunger and no more plundering.
Once Senegal solved its food problem, it could devote more time to exploring the depths of the darkness. The day they emerged from that darkness would not be far off.
Alisa lifted her skirt and twirled like a happy little sprite.
As long as they made this discovery public, official support would surely allow it to spread rapidly throughout Senegal.
Everything was taking a turn for the better.
In a district of Senegal's outer city, inside a narrow, filthy sewer filled with a foul stench.
Katrin Winter ran, drenched in blood. Only after she escaped the sewer and stood on dry ground again did she let out a long breath.
She looked up at the sky to get her bearings, then Katrin quickened her pace and hurried away, paying no heed to her bleeding wounds.
After she left, two shadowy figures emerged.
One of them asked tentatively in a low voice:
"Why don't we kill her?"
The other wore a cloak that concealed his face, but his voice was steady, suggesting he was no longer young.
"Killing an officer of the Survey Corps would alert them. Besides, Nightmare has already confirmed that Major Katrin knows nothing. Go to the West Borough and take care of that loose end."
"Yes!"
Katrin rushed into the West Borough's Sheriff's Office, gasping for breath.
Vade Wisker had been run ragged during Katrin's disappearance. Seeing her suddenly return left him stunned.
"Major Katrin, what happened to you?"
Wounds of every size covered Katrin's body.
"Captain, there's no time. Get to the West Borough. Joey might be in danger."
Joey?
Why did that name sound so familiar?
Vade Wisker thought for a moment, then froze. Katrin had already collapsed, and he hurried to catch her.
"Katrin?"
He called for a doctor, then took two men and headed straight for the West Borough.
Joey had been in excellent spirits lately. Not only had their farming experiments made a major breakthrough, but his father, Tony Crevi, had also recovered enough through rest that he no longer needed a magical paper figure to communicate.
Joey had also made him a simple wheelchair and set aside time every day to take Old Tony out for a stroll.
That day was no different. He took his father out for a walk early in the morning, and by the time they returned, Alisa had prepared a lavish breakfast.
They no longer needed to ration their food, and their standard of living was gradually improving.
At the table, Joey lavished praise on Alisa's cooking.
Suddenly, someone knocked at the door.
Knock, knock!
"Strange. We seem to be getting visitors all the time lately."
Joey gave Alisa a meaningful look. Reluctantly, she picked up her dishes and went down to the basement.
There was no helping it. Alisa's identity was far too sensitive. He had suggested several times that she dye her hair another color, but she always refused.
Golden-brown hair was a mark of nobility. If anyone discovered her presence, it would bring unnecessary trouble.
He opened the door to find a short fellow with a face covered in pockmarks. A long trench coat enveloped his entire body, leaving only his head exposed.
"Who are you?" Joey asked warily.
The man at the door grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and replied in an even tone.
"Do you know Katrin Winter?"
Joey paused. Katrin again? Had the Sheriff's Office uncovered something new?
This man didn't look like a Sheriff, either.
Joey remained cautious, putting on a blank expression.
"No. What can I do for you?"
He dared to answer that way because he had already given Vade Wisker a truthful account. In other words, it was on record, so even if his lie was exposed, he would have an excuse to fall back on.
On the other hand, if this man was not from the Sheriff's Office, Joey had to pretend he knew nothing for his own safety.
Joey had already decided to go straight to Vade Wisker afterward.
"Good children don't tell lies."
The man in the trench coat adjusted his collar, then formally extended a hand. "Hello, my name is Wayne. I'm from the Survey Corps."
Not the Sheriff's Office, but the Survey Corps?
The Survey Corps? Thinking back, Joey recalled that Katrin apparently belonged to that organization.
Joey extended his hand and politely returned the greeting.
"Joey Clive."
"Mr. Keliwei, aren't you going to invite me in?" Wayne asked with a courteous smile.
Joey stepped aside and gestured for him to enter, clearing the way.
He was still trying to figure out how to talk the man into leaving.
Tony, who was eating, suddenly shouted in terror.
"Joey, run! He's a follower of the Necromancer Sect!"
In a flash, Old Tony lunged at Wayne. But against a Sequence 8 Apostle of Evernight, he was like an ant trying to topple a tree.
The Necromancer Sect was a cancer lurking deep within Senegal's darkness. They worshipped the Defiler, Julius, a former Archangel and the traitor the Ancient Sun God hated most.
Joey froze on the spot. By the time he came to his senses, Tony Clive was already dangling in the air, held by the throat in Wayne's grip.
A sinister, cold smile curled Wayne's lips. "Who would have thought there was a little Sequence 9 rat here, too? The Sun Pathway is as revolting as ever."
If necromancy represented darkness, then the Sun represented justice and light. Transcendents of these two Pathways had rejected and hated one another from the very beginning, misled by their Beyonder Characteristics. There was an issue where some versions of Safari on iPhones would freeze. The site has already been optimized; if you still experience similar problems, try another browser, such as Google's Chrome, or switch back to the default font (yes, it was caused by the font), and contact us. We'll try to improve it!