On the second day of their arrival in Enmat Harbor, the Nighthawks from Tingen City finally met the local captain, Edward Crawford.
"Welcome to Enmat Harbor."
He had thick brown hair and a handsome face, but his high cheekbones and narrow eyes made him look somewhat harsh. "I am the local Nighthawks Captain, a Sequence 6 Soul Assurer, Edward Crawford."
One Sequence higher than the Captain.
Caesar thought to himself. Enmat Harbor was relatively prosperous, with a large and complex urban area, so it indeed required more Nighthawks and higher-Sequence Beyonders to guard it. On another note, this was his first time learning the name of the Sequence 6 of the Sleepless Pathway. Soul Assurer, huh? It sounded like it was related to Wraiths.
After he finished speaking, the few people from Tingen City began to introduce themselves:
"Leonard Mitchell, Sequence 8 Midnight Poet."
"Klein Moretti, Sequence 9 Seer."
"Caesar Longdaoer, Sequence 9 Secrets Suppliant."
As soon as Caesar finished speaking, the atmosphere changed. The Nighthawks standing behind Edward subtly shifted their expressions, adjusting their bodies and exchanging glances, appearing surprised and uneasy.
Edward's lips curved almost imperceptibly.
"I heard before that Dunn made a very adventurous decision, allowing a Beyonder from a dangerous Pathway to join his team. I didn't expect it to be true. His courage truly impresses me."
His implication was that Dunn was reckless and imprudent, allowing someone like Caesar to join the Nighthawks team.
"I am very grateful for the help Captain Dunn provided me. His generosity and kindness are admirable," Caesar, hearing the hidden meaning in the other party's tone, retorted impolitely, "Wouldn't you agree, Ms. Daly?"
Hearing him say this, Daly, who was standing behind, seemed to want to laugh; her eyes curved slightly before she held it in.
Edward's face turned cold at such a rebuttal.
He was a Sequence 6 powerhouse, yet he was retorted by a low-level Beyonder in such a way. His expression looked somewhat displeased.
"Furthermore, this dispatch arrangement was proposed by His Excellency Crestet of the Holy Cathedral. If you have any objections, you can send a telegram to inquire." But Caesar didn't give him another chance to speak, continuing, "If you truly don't need our help, I'd be happy to return early."
This is a High-Ranking Deacon's order. Do you think I want to come and clean up your mess? You don't welcome me, and I don't care for you either. So what if you're Sequence 6? You're still not as powerful as that High-Ranking Deacon, are you?
The murmuring of the other Nighthawks grew louder, seemingly surprised by Caesar's attitude.
Edward narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at Caesar. After a moment, he finally smiled. "Of course, I support His Excellency Crestet's decision. Let's begin then."
With that, he turned around and led everyone toward the hidden underground space.
Similar to Blackthorn Security Company, the confidential matters of the Enmat Harbor Fishing Club were also hidden underground. Considering that the local Evernight Goddess Church was just across the street, the underground structure was probably largely the same.
Walking down the spiral staircase, gas lamps on the walls dispelled the darkness, and footsteps echoed chaotically between the stairs.
Caesar's brows gradually furrowed.
The further down they went, the stronger the corrupt aura of the True Creator became. Even with the footsteps covering it, he could still hear faint whispers. The Nighthawks around him, hearing this sound, began to show uncomfortable expressions.
The whispers gradually grew louder, like invisible tentacles carrying foul mucus pouring into their ear canals, licking back and forth on their eardrums, polluting everyone's mind. Leonard and Klein also showed clear signs of discomfort.
Reaching the bottom and walking along the central aisle to Chanis Gate, Caesar saw the thing imprisoned in front of the gate.
What should this thing be called? Perhaps it was once human, possessing a normal physique and limbs. But now, its body had swollen to more than double, its fresh red flesh bloated and twisted, and its protruding fingers at the ends writhed endlessly like some kind of flesh-colored earthworm. Looking closely, fragments of cloth still clung to the monster's body. The part that was originally its face had blurred into a mass, leaving only a gaping maw full of sharp teeth, emitting distorted and incomprehensible sounds.
Caesar heard the heavy breathing of the two people beside him; clearly, this twisted monster and the sounds it emitted made his two colleagues uncomfortable.
The monster was confined in a barred cage, similar to a birdcage. The surface of the cage exuded an inexplicable majesty, suppressing the monster, rendering it immobile, able only to emit terrifying sounds.
The two Nighthawks guarding both sides of the cage were pale, looking as if they were about to collapse, holding on only by sheer willpower.
"This is the only surviving crew member from that slave ship. Because he was controlled in time, he avoided being silenced."
Edward introduced, "But because he turned into this monstrous state, we can't get any useful information from him. Besides him, we haven't found any other clues, as they were all dealt with very cleanly."
In other words, this monster was the only breakthrough.
Caesar understood the situation and nodded.
"Haven't you tried Spirit Medium or divination?"
At this moment, Klein spoke up and asked.
"We had two brave auxiliary personnel attempt it, and both suffered varying degrees of contamination. They are still undergoing treatment to this day."
Daly, the Spirit Medium, said from the side, her expression solemn.
Contamination.
Klein couldn't help but gasp and stopped asking questions.
"Well, Mr. Secrets Suppliant, do you have any methods?"
After Edward finished introducing the situation, he turned to Caesar and asked with what seemed like a friendly attitude.
"Can I get a little closer?"
Caesar asked.
"Of course."
After receiving an affirmative answer, he approached the cage and circled the monster twice. He was so close to the monster that anyone else would probably have fainted from the whispers' attack, but the illusory tide in his mind shielded him from this influence.
The Nighthawks in the distance, seeing his composed expression, showed a hint of surprise in their eyes.
Caesar finished circling the cage, stared at the monster for a moment, then looked up and said, "No problem, I can get clues from him."
Hearing him say this, the crowd couldn't help but stir, but they quieted down again under Edward's staring gaze.
"How will you do it?"
Edward asked Caesar.
"His body has been implanted with flesh and turned into a bomb. I can use a ritual to extract this flesh and then use its spirituality to track its owner," Caesar slowly said, his extensive ritual library in his mind providing him with many options; he simply chose the most effective one.
Then he saw Edward opposite him shake his head with what seemed like regret.
"So you're saying you want to perform a fallen ritual of an evil god in front of the Goddess's sacred Chanis Gate?"
"I'm sorry, but if that's the case, allow me to refuse this ritual."
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