"You have to complete a task independently to become a full member?" Klein paused for a moment before asking, "But we might not even have a task once a week, and they're not always easy."
Doesn't this mean it will take me about a month or two before I can officially become Nighthawks and get a promotion and a raise...?
Old Neil, smelling the coffee, glanced at him:
"This is just a ritual among the Nighthawks. After all, we're at the forefront of fighting against supernatural dangers, and we certainly don't want our teammates to be children who need constant care. This doesn't affect your receiving a full member's salary, gaining corresponding rights, or fulfilling necessary obligations."
So it was a ritual to gain the approval of the other Nighthawks... But, Mr. Neil, why did you emphasize that it wouldn't affect my salary as a full member...? Did I make it that obvious? Klein touched his face, gave an awkward smile, and then asked:
"Does it have to be a mission with extraordinary characteristics?"
"That's how it should have been, but you performed exceptionally well yesterday, skillfully eliminating a Beyonder of at least Sequence 8. I think Frye and Loyao have already recognized your abilities, so Dunn might just assign you a regular mission." Old Neil suddenly exclaimed, "Double the salary! I'll never encounter anything like this again in my life."
Klein chuckled twice and brought up the matter of his own Sequence Pathway:
"Mr. Neil, do you think it's true that ' The Seer ' corresponds to Sequence 8, ' The Clown '?"
Actually, recalling the description in the classified documents, it does match quite well:
A "professional" skilled in technical combat...
"I can't guarantee it, but I think it's very likely. First, it matches the records, characterized by agile movements and skillful combat. Second, other Sequence Pathway have similar cases. Do you know what the Sequence 8 corresponding to ' The Mystery Pryer ' is called?" Old Neil asked with a smile.
"I don't know, it's not in the church's records." Klein shook his head frankly.
Old Neil chuckled and said:
"I'm acquainted with those two old guys from ' The Machinery Hivemind,' and they jokingly mentioned that the Sequence 8 Potion corresponding to ' The Mystery Pryer ' is... Combat Scholar. Did you hear that? Combat Scholar? Goddess, I don't like fighting at all! It doesn't fit the image of ' The Mystery Pryer ' at all!"
"I can understand... ' Those Mystery Pryer behind things' are looking for the secrets behind things, and combat is one of those things," Klein said after thinking for a moment.
"Alright, let's not waste any more time. Let's continue with the occult course. You still have a lot of Ritualistic Magic to master, and you must truly learn how to make talismans and amulets." Old Neil finished preparing the hand-ground coffee.
"Okay." Klein sat down, mentally planning his day:
In the morning, I studied mysticism, reviewed various historical materials, and submitted a reimbursement application. After lunch, I went to the shooting club to practice, and then headed to the Deville Library in the Golden Indus Borough to see if I could borrow academic monographs and corresponding journals related to Main Peak of Hornacis. After doing all this, if there was still time, I would go to the Divination Club to sit for a while. I couldn't relax at all while " Acting ".
Once the application was approved and I received the funds, I bought a formal suit on my way home.
Okay, I'll apply for the materials tomorrow morning and try to make amulets to protect Melissa and Benson from Calamity.
Inside a restaurant with hanging chandeliers and elegant decor.
Several friends are congratulating Joyce Meyer on escaping Calamity and returning to Tingen.
"We've all seen the newspapers; the descriptions alone are frightening," a man with a short beard remarked. " Joyce, it's hard to believe you've been through something like this, suffered such hardship. Cheers Misfortune is behind us; the sun is shining on us, Steam is rising."
Joyce and his fiancée Anna raised their glasses together, clinked them with their friends, and then downed the last of their champagne in one gulp.
" Anna has been so worried these past few days. I suspect she's been crying every night. She's always distracted when I invite her for afternoon tea. Luckily, you're finally back, otherwise I suspect she might have died." A young woman with brown hair tied up in a bun glanced at Anna and said to Joyce. She had a small, cute nose.
"If Anna were in a similar situation, I would have reacted the same way, perhaps even more erratically." Joyce, with his hooked nose, looked tenderly at his fiancée beside him.
Anna wasn't used to showing her emotions in front of others, and glanced at the other end of the long table before saying:
" Bogda, why are you keeping your head down? I can tell you're in a bad mood."
The young woman with the small nose answered on behalf of the other person:
" Bogda is sick. His Doctor told him that he has a serious liver problem. Medication can only relieve the pain, not really cure it. He needs surgery."
"Lord, when did this happen?" Anna and Joyce asked, both surprised and concerned.
Bogda was a young man with very short, light-colored hair. His face was sallow, and his usually shrewd red eyes had become dull.
"Regarding what happened last week, since Joyce hasn't returned yet, I told Irene and the others not to tell you," Bogda explained with a wry smile.
Joyce asked calmly:
Have you decided when to have the surgery?
Bogda's expression shifted several times before he said:
"No, I haven't made a decision yet. You know, those Doctor are nothing but butchers. The people they operate on are just pieces of meat on a chopping board, to be slaughtered at will! I've seen many reports of them even using axes to perform amputations! Lord, I suspect I'll die on the operating table."
"But if we delay any longer, even surgery might not be able to save you," the man with a short beard advised.
At this moment, Anna suddenly interjected:
" Bogda, perhaps you could consider having Divination done. If the Divination shows everything is going well, then proceed with the surgery as soon as possible. If the Divination doesn't go well, then look for other methods, following the Divination's guidance. I know a truly amazing Divination —no, he should be called Seer —and I think he can definitely help you."
"Really?" Bogda asked with obvious skepticism, as did his other friends.
"Really." Anna nodded without hesitation. "I had him Divination Divination Joyce, and he told me, 'Go home, your fiancé is waiting for you.' At the time, I was just like you, full of doubt. But when I got home, I really saw Joyce! He really came back!"
"I can testify to that," Joyce agreed.
He didn't mention that he had gone to the police station to have his dream interpreted because the police told him that Tris hadn't been caught yet, so he had to keep this a secret to avoid retaliation.
"Lord, this is simply unbelievable!"
Is Divination really that magical?
Amidst gasps of astonishment, Bogda pondered for a moment and said:
"Perhaps I really should get Divination, Anna. Joyce, could you tell me the Seer's address and name?"
Anna breathed a sigh of relief and said:
You made a wise choice.
"That Seer at the Divination Club in the Howes Street."
His name is Klein Moretti.
In the Golden Indus Borough, inside the Deville Library.
Klein successfully obtained a library card using the letter of introduction his mentor had tucked inside the letter.
As he flipped through the small cards in his hand, he asked the administrators:
"Do you have 'A Study of the Ancient Ruins of Main Peak of Hornacis ' here? It's published by Loen People Publishing House."
One of the administrators immediately replied:
"Please wait a moment, I'll look for it."
He turned around to face the drawers, opened the one corresponding to the first letter of " Hornacis," and then flipped out several cards filled with words according to a certain pattern.
After looking at it carefully, he shook his head and said:
"I'm sorry, sir, we don't have this book in our collection."
"That's a real shame," Klein replied, sounding slightly disappointed.
It seems the only options are to write to the Loen People Publishing House, or go back to Hoy University...
At the same time, he sighed inwardly, lamenting that the world's libraries were still managed in an ancient way.
"You need a computer, but unfortunately I can't get it out of the car..." Klein said self-deprecatingly, then asked:
"Are there journals like * New Archaeology * or * Archaeology Review *?"
"Yes," the administrator replied confidently, "A gentleman just returned it."
He retrieved the corresponding card and pointed out the location of the bookshelf to Klein.
Klein arrived there, scanned the issue numbers, and picked out a few books his mentor had mentioned.
Then, he casually found a seat by the window and sat down, enjoying the bright afternoon sunlight as he browsed through the materials in the quiet library.
"... Ancient ruins are not only found on the main peak of the Hornacis Mountain Range, but also widely distributed in the surrounding woodlands, valleys, and gentle slopes..."
"... These ruins, composed of towering domes and massive stone pillars, can be vividly described as 'magnificent'..."
"... What's puzzling is how the indigenous people here quarried and polished these stones? Let's first assume they quarried them locally, without needing to transport them up the mountain..."
"... A strange pattern is that the closer to the summit, the grander the ruins become. Surprisingly, however, there are no ruins at the summit. Based on our speculation, there should have been a palace here, unlike any human-built structure, a temple used for sacrifices..."
Unlike palaces built by humans... temples used for sacrifices... could this be the one I saw in my dream? As Klein's thoughts raced, he suddenly heard several footsteps approaching from afar.
He looked up and saw a familiar face, a face that often appeared in the newspaper.
Square face, thick eyebrows, a straight nose, short dark gold hair, blue eyes, and tightly pursed lips—all these belong to Sir Deville, a celebrity, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and owner of this library in Tingen City.
Beside Deville stood the middle-aged butler whom Klein had seen before.
Klein watched them pass by from about ten meters away, and curiously raised his right hand to tap his brow twice.