At that moment, Wendel felt his calves trembling slightly, as if they could no longer support his body weight.
After leaving Utopia, he had considered the worst possible outcome: that he might suddenly die one day for no apparent reason.
However, he never expected that he would encounter people from Utopia in the real-world metropolis of Backlund.
More importantly, the visitor invited him to visit Utopia again.
For Wendel, this was an extremely terrifying nightmare; the fact that he didn't break down on the spot was a testament to his strong mental fortitude.
Maintaining basic composure, Wendel forced a troubled expression and said:
"I've had a lot going on lately..."
The policeman named Byers immediately said:
"The court hearing is in two weeks; here are the relevant documents."
As he spoke, he handed the documents in his hand to Wendel.
Frankly, Wendel didn't want to take the job, but he had no choice.
Byers then took a step back:
"This concerns a woman's future, and I sincerely hope you can appear in court to testify."
"It depends..." Wendel neither wanted to agree nor dared to refuse.
Byers didn't say much, but bowed and said:
I'll be waiting for you in Utopia, hoping to have the chance to meet again.
After saying that, he turned around, left the house, and entered the street.
Throughout the entire process, Wendel seemed to have been Freezing, turned into a statue, and stood there without blinking.
After another ten seconds or so, he seemed to finally wake up from the nightmare, his body limp as he slumped to the side, bracing his right hand against the door.
Just now, he was so afraid, afraid that Byers would forcibly take him back to Utopia that never existed.
In this way, Wendel didn't know if he would have another chance to leave, or if he would simply disappear forever.
He was more terrified of this unpredictable but clearly unpleasant outcome than of a sudden death.
"Quickly, report this matter immediately! Catch that policeman from Utopia, find out the truth about this strange town, and find a suitable way to completely solve the problem!" After regaining his senses, Wendel forced himself to stay alert and prepared to notify the Military Intelligence Section 9 personnel who were secretly monitoring him.
At this moment, he finally realized that his response had been seriously flawed. He hadn't seized the opportunity to use the agreed-upon gesture to signal to his colleagues in the shadows that the visiting police were suspicious, nor had he tried to stall for time until the monitors realized something was wrong. He also failed to utilize his past experience as an intelligence officer to subtly find out which hotel Byers was staying at in Backlund and what day and train he had booked.
He was so terrified that he could only instinctively resort to the least likely course of action.
Thinking of this, Wendel walked out of the room and glanced in the direction Byers had left, but he couldn't even see the other's back.
This policeman from Utopia has blended into the passing carriages and pedestrians.
Turning his gaze away, Wendel looked down at the document in his hand, a sudden unease creeping into his heart:
"What will happen if I don't go to Utopia to testify in court two weeks from now?"
Wendel grew increasingly frightened, and his calves went weak again. He quickly gestured to his colleagues hiding nearby to let them know that he was feeling unwell.
West Borough, 9 Rue Bellotto Street.
Hugh was both shocked and bewildered upon learning that residents of Utopia had arrived in Backlund.
Based on her previous observations, Utopia should be hidden in some Concealment place, or somewhere between reality and illusion, allowing outsiders to enter and exit through random entrances.
As for why outsiders are allowed to enter and exit, it is probably a requirement of the ritual.
Therefore, in Hugh's mind, the residents of Utopia shouldn't leave their hometown and wander around.
Was this also a requirement of the ritual? And what were the true identities of these residents—followers of " The Fool," companions of "The World" Gehrman Sparrow? After getting a general idea of what the visitors from Utopia looked like, Hugh, lacking further intelligence, had no choice but to return to Military Intelligence Section 9 headquarters, hesitating whether to send his subordinates to conduct a large-scale search.
She wasn't sure if Mr. World would be happy to see such behavior, and she was also worried that it would affect the ceremony.
After pacing back and forth in his office a few times, Hugh prepared to pray to Mr. The Fool, asking Him to pass his questions on to "The World" Gehrman Sparrow.
As he walked toward the chair, Hugh's gaze swept over the report on the table.
That was an investigation report prepared by her two subordinates. On the one hand, it confirmed that all the passengers who arrived in Backlund were safe and sound, and on the other hand, it pointed out that one passenger was stranded in Utopia.
The passenger... Hugh's gaze narrowed slightly, and based on his intuition, he made a guess:
The resident of Utopia came to Backlund with his own purpose, not just to wander around, and his purpose was likely related to a passenger who had left Utopia earlier.
Hugh was startled and quickly sat down, trying to pray.
Just then, there was a knock on her office door.
"... Please come in," Xiu said after a moment's hesitation.
As the door opened, Hugh saw Locke with his goatee and Wendel, a survivor of the Utopia incident.
"Colonel, Wendel met someone from Utopia, and he came to visit him directly!" Locke said, his words somewhat jumbled.
This development also took him by surprise.
As expected... Hugh wasn't surprised at all; on the contrary, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
She looked at Wendel and said:
Why did he visit you?
"He asked me to testify in Utopia regarding the Trissy murder case mentioned in my report." Wendel was noticeably calmer than before.
He then added:
"He was a policeman named Byers. I didn't dare ask him where he lived, when he planned to leave, or which Steam train he intended to take."
To show that he valued it, Hugh stood up, thought for a moment, and said:
" Locke, immediately gather your squad members and find the coachmen who frequently wait for customers around Wendel's residence, as well as the public carriage drivers who pass through the area. Ask them if they have seen Byers. If so, take him there. Also, send someone to the Steam train station to wait at the entrance and observe the passengers coming and going..."
After giving his instructions to his subordinates, Xiu turned to look at Wendel:
"You cooperate with them and draw a picture of Byers."
"Yes, Colonel," Locke Wendel replied simultaneously.
After they left and closed the door, Hugh sat down again and began to pray.
Soon, she received a response from Mr. The Fool and saw "The World" Gehrman Sparrow praying in the Gray Fog.
Gehrman Sparrow told her:
"The survey can be conducted normally."
"The idea of a ritual can be raised if necessary, but it must be included among several options."
Hugh breathed a sigh of relief and patiently waited for his subordinates to report on the investigation.
As night fell, Locke returned to Bellotto Street and reported to Hugh:
"We've found the coachman who took that Utopia!"
"Hmm?" Hugh showed that she cared.
Locke explained simply:
"The Utopia man named Byers originally intended for the coachman to go to the Dock Borough, but as soon as the carriage entered the area, he asked to get off, saying that they had arrived."
The street was quite unfamiliar to the driver, making him feel like he was lost.
Once he left that street, he found himself surrounded by familiar surroundings again.
"Our men accompanied him back there, but he couldn't find the street no matter what he tried."
Hugh nodded slightly and said in a solemn tone:
"This initially matches the descriptions of entering and leaving Utopia in previous cases."
"Colonel, you mean, we can enter or leave Utopia from any street in any city?" Locke was still a little incredulous.
Xiu hesitated for a moment and said:
"That seems to be the case for now, but I still feel there's something wrong... How does Utopia connect with different places, and what does it rely on for its location...?"
After his voice trailed off, Hugh said to Locke:
"Go tell Wendel that he will be spending the next two weeks here, until that document expires."
"Yes, Colonel." Locke immediately turned and left Hugh's office.
Wendel had no objection to Derecha's arrangements; in fact, one could say that he only felt safe at Military Intelligence Section 9 headquarters.
His temporary lodging was a slightly modified watchman's room with a view of the lawn, garden, and trees outside through the window.
At a glance, Wendel spotted a completely black raven perched on a branch, quietly watching them.
Bansy was unusually eerie at night, with the cries of crows or other seabirds echoing from time to time.
Verdue stood at the window, watching the dilapidated docks and the desolate city that had become ruins draw ever closer, and the pressure in his heart grew.
After several days at sea, his ship was about to arrive at Bansy Harbor.
The captain had told Verdue during the day that they would only wait two hours; after that, Verdue would have to wait on this deserted island for the next ship, whose arrival time was uncertain.
Taking a breath, Verdue looked away and took off his coat.
Then, he opened his suitcase, took out a long black robe with a classic feel, and put it on.
The robe is embroidered with gold and silver threads and inlaid with various rice-grain-sized gemstones; it is Sealed Artifact belonging to the Abraham Family.
After making preparations, Verdue left the pirate ship and entered Bansy Harbor.
Along the way, the classic robe kept tightening, making his face turn purple and nearly causing him to faint.
As he walked, Verdue, following the map he had bought, found the former Bansy Telegraph Office. In the middle of the collapsed building, he saw two still vivid, blood-red marks, as if two people had been crushed into mincemeat.
Beside the two shadows, on a dilapidated wall, was painted an octopus-headed Monster wearing armor, riding on waves, and holding a trident.
Verdue raised the lantern in his hand, about to examine it closely, when he suddenly felt a drop of cold liquid fall onto his neck.
He was startled and instinctively reached out to touch it, only to find it sticky, unlike rainwater, and colorless, not blood.
It looks a bit like... saliva... Verdue's brow twitched slightly, and he slowly raised his head to look at where the drop of liquid might have fallen.
It was a deep black night sky, without the Moon or the Star.