SWNOVELXO Chapter 18: 18
Chapter 86 The Second Stage of the CommissionTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 2993 words Update time: 2025-05-28 13:16:50
Taking advantage of the darkness and silence of the night, Butch Spott, hidden in his night suit, quickly crossed the streets lit by kerosene lamps and arrived at the target of action where he had already surveyed the terrain in advance.
Glancing around the neighborhood, all he could see was the quiet nighttime streets.
He had calculated the patrol cycles of the police officers from the East District Police Station early in the morning. These cops, who had become impatient with his actions, would not come near here in a short time.
"Haha, the police officers at Sierra Vista Field are no better than that."
Butch Spott thought with great satisfaction. As a thief who had recently caused unrest in the East District of Backlund, he had already developed a sense of satisfaction and joy that was difficult to obtain from ordinary things.
As a "thief", he not only has confidence in his own methods of handling cases, but also has a strong ability to predict possible dangerous situations.
He tiptoed into the alley and found the dilapidated window by feeling the wall.
Due to his frequent attacks recently, the residents of Tuckerton block almost all have their doors and windows tightly closed. But even so, he has found some loopholes and locked on a target that suits his taste very well.
Finding a gap in the window on the windowsill, Butch Spott took out a small homemade crowbar from his pocket, reached into the gap, and operated it slightly. With almost no sound, the window that had been locked was opened silently.
"Haha, I succeeded."
Butch Spott couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth. He put away the props and was ready to break into the target's house.
However, the next second, Butch Sbert suddenly heard an extremely discordant sound of wind coming from above his head.
The prediction of the dangerous situation made Butch Sbert's forehead feel cold instantly. Before he could react to what was happening, his body almost subconsciously wanted to leave the place.
but...
"Shua——"
In an instant, Butch Spert's eyes were plunged into darkness. He felt something falling from the sky, directly covering his head and almost his entire body. It was just like...
It's like being put into a bag!
"Hmm!"
Without caring about keeping his actions secret, Butch Spott quickly began to resist.
But his hands were restrained in bags and his vision was completely obscured, so he had no idea where the attack came from.
More importantly, Butch Sbert soon realized that his body was being tightly controlled by someone from the outside, and the opponent's power was so great that he could not resist at all.
How is this possible! He is an extraordinary person!
Wait a minute! The question is how could someone suddenly attack him? He has never revealed his whereabouts!
Could it be that the person who was targeting him was also a——
Before Butch Spert had time to process his current situation, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head.
After a dull sound, Butch Spott collapsed, and his consciousness and vision entered the darkness.
...
Looking at the thief lying on the ground, completely covered by a sack, Caroline wiped the sweat off her forehead with satisfaction and threw aside the wooden stick she had picked up.
After noticing from the "map" that someone had broken into the neighborhood, she had been observing the guy's actions from the cover of the roof.
It wasn't until she saw him open the window of this house that Caroline was truly sure that he was the recently famous thief.
Without waiting too long, she chose the most appropriate time, jumped directly from the roof, and put a sack on the thief.
The opponent's resistance was very fierce, but Caroline was undoubtedly stronger than him.
When she saw that the other party refused to surrender, she simply found a stick in the alley and hit him on the back of the head, asking him to go to sleep.
"I almost couldn't keep the Void Cube from unfolding. I came at the perfect time."
Caroline exhaled and turned to look at the opened window.
Because of the noise just now, the owner of the house seemed to be a little awakened and was making some rustling noises.
"It's really dangerous. If he gets inside, it will be difficult for me to catch him."
"Well, but this result did not happen. Caroline Williams' first hunt was a perfect success!"
The energy that had been consumed by maintaining the "Void Cube" now became abnormally abundant. Caroline excitedly kicked the thief who had fallen to the ground and was trapped in the sack and fainted.
Just leave him here and let the police call it a day?
Caroline thought for a moment, then stretched out her finger to wipe the dust accumulated on the wall next to her, and then used the dust to write something on the outside of the sack.
Well, that makes me feel more at ease.
Caroline nodded in satisfaction and wiped her fingers clean on the sack.
Then, she took a breath and shouted to the sky:
"Someone come! Catch the thief——!"
After these shouts, almost all the sleeping residents in the surrounding blocks were awakened.
In a daze, they only heard someone shouting "Catch the thief".
Thief? The thief who has been acting so arrogant recently?!
All the residents were awakened and they rushed out of their homes one after another with limited self-defense weapons.
This somewhat contagious mass reaction quickly spread to nearby blocks until even the police officers who had just finished their patrols knew about it.
When the patrolmen hurriedly arrived at the scene, they saw a circle of people gathered outside the alley next to a residential building.
After finally squeezing in and taking a closer look, the police only saw a huge sack lying on the ground with what appeared to be a human-shaped object inside.
And on the outside of the sack, there is a word written in a flowing style and in a slightly lighter color.
"Thief"
...
"The Backlund Police Department's Eastern District Tuckerton Branch announced this morning that the suspect who had committed multiple burglaries at the junction of the Eastern District and the Docklands was successfully arrested yesterday morning."
"The suspect's real name is Butch Spert, a local of Backlund. According to relevant sources, Butch was found unconscious in an alley in the Tuckerton neighborhood in the early hours of last night, wrapped in a sack. Next to him was a house with its windows pried open. It seemed that he was about to commit a crime, but was stopped by an unknown person."
"People living in the Tuckerton neighborhood claimed that they heard someone shouting "Catch the thief" last night, and when they walked out of their homes, they found Butch Spert, who was already unconscious."
"According to police, Butch Spert confessed to his crimes and will face multiple charges and criminal prosecution."
"The thief who had been plaguing the neighborhood for many days was finally caught, and the residents of the East District and the dock area were very happy about this. Most people agreed that Butch Spert was stopped by a righteous person, and finally someone could not stand his crimes and stood up to seek justice for everyone."
"For this, the Backlund Police Department expressed its gratitude to the righteous man who did not leave his name."
——"Joker, I'm at Backlund Street. Where are you?"
The righteous man in the eyes of the East District residents was just having a good night's sleep. He was brushing his teeth happily while unfolding the "Void Cube" to read the updated "reports".
Yesterday she left the scene directly after attracting residents of the neighborhood and returned to the Cherwood area without being witnessed by anyone.
The first hunt was very successful. After waking up, Caroline indeed felt an indescribable mysterious change occurring deep within her body.
But this change was very subtle and did not actually bring her much feedback. What she felt more was the satisfaction of doing good things.
Is it because she didn't hand Butch Spott over directly to the police and isn't technically a "bounty hunter"?
Caroline couldn't guess the specific reason, but she had proved that the idea that Xio taught her was correct.
The "arbitrator" must do what an "arbitrator" would do, and the "hunter" must do what a "hunter" would do.
Perhaps after she conducts a few more similar "hunts," she'll be able to get some more obvious gains.
After all, this was her first time to go on such a "hunt". To be honest, she had not yet fully recovered from the excitement of last night. This was more thrilling and full of joy than any entertainment activity she had done on Earth before.
Although she didn't want to admit it, Caroline still had to face her own mentality. She was indeed falling in love with this feeling.
However, more "hunting" operations would depend on her future schedule, as she had other things to do today.
After putting away the "Void Cube", washing up and eating some bread, at around noon, Caroline changed her clothes and walked out of the house.
Caroline rode in a carriage and headed straight for the Backlund Bridge District. She got off at Iron Gate Street and then walked all the way to the secret entrance of the underground trading market.
Walking into the secret passage and knocking on the secret door regularly, the door to the underground trading market opened again for Caroline.
She walked to the corner of the underground market with a clear purpose, where Ovis Wein, still dressed in a shirt and overalls, was sitting there leisurely.
"Good afternoon, beautiful lady. Today is a wonderful day."
Ovis greeted Caroline happily. When he saw Caroline walk up to him and squat down, he smiled and leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice and saying:
"So, are you planning to take on the second phase of the commission?"Chapter 87 Second Trip to TingenTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3267 words Update time: 2025-05-28 18:24:32
"We don't need to keep it a secret anymore."
Caroline glanced at Orvis, who was in high spirits, and as she spoke, she reached out and picked up the bottles and jars on Orvis's stall and looked at them casually.
"Oh, Emperor Roselle, do you think I have such a reliable and trustworthy relationship in your eyes? This is really gratifying. It is my honor to be appreciated by a beautiful lady like you... In addition, this bottle of star crystal weighs 50 grams in total and costs 120 pounds."
Ovis praised with great emotion, then he changed the subject and pointed at the bottle in Caroline's hand.
Caroline paused as she swung the bottle, then gave a polite smile and carefully placed the bottle of jelly-soft crystal back on the stand.
Caroline cleared her throat and said:
"Let's talk about the commission."
Ovis laughed, took out the ring from his pocket and showed it to Caroline.
"The divination results are out. Although there is no need for divination given so many conditions... Well, the guy named Lanevus you found is indeed the hateful swindler."
"So before we proceed with the second phase of the commission, I have to confirm that you haven't aroused that guy's suspicion, right?"
Caroline nodded and said:
"I can be sure of that. Before I found him, I had already visited several merchants in Tingen in the name of an interview. Even if he thought my background was suspicious and wanted to investigate me, he would get the result I deliberately disguised."
"That's great, Miss, you are really reliable."
Ovis sighed happily, then he put the ring away and continued:
"Next, I need you to go to Tingen to monitor that guy's movements and try your best to delay him and prevent him from leaving Tingen."
"I know the guy's pattern of action. Once he feels that his scam is almost done, he will suddenly disappear without any warning and leave the crime scene to go to other cities. Whether it was the last time in Trier or the previous scams he committed that I investigated, he did this all the time."
"And during this time, I will contact an old friend of mine as quickly as possible and ask him to help me catch that guy in Tingen."
Caroline listened to the details of the commission assigned by Ovis, and she asked curiously:
"Why not report him directly to the Tingen police? Wouldn't that be safer?"
Ovis touched his chin and raised a somewhat weird smile:
"That would be too easy for him."
"Miss, do you know how many people besides me are waiting to settle accounts with him?"
"I see..."
Caroline couldn't help but shudder when she saw Ovis' villainous smile.
"Haha, and if that guy is caught by the police, how can we recover my losses from him?"
Caroline nodded thoughtfully, but then she immediately reacted and pointed at Ovis and said:
"Those of your friends...could it be that they were also defrauded of their money because of your guarantee?"
Ovis' smile froze for a moment, and he coughed several times, explaining with a wandering look in his eyes:
"This is the problem that businessmen often encounter, and I have learned a lot from it. Emperor Roselle once said that only after learning a lesson can people become more wise."
Every failure brings a new wisdom. It is possible that the emperor was deceived in the past, so he had the opportunity to say this classic aphorism...
"I understand. I will try my best to monitor his every move."
After thinking about the relationships she had developed in Tingen, Caroline felt that it would not be a difficult task for her to just keep an eye on Lanevus.
But having said that, Caroline still had to clarify the division of responsibilities with Ovis.
"But can you move faster? I can't guarantee when that guy will disappear. Even though he thinks I am a naive girl who has just entered society and knows nothing and has been almost completely controlled by him, I don't think he will come to inform me before he is about to run away."
Caroline meant that if Lanevus ran away because of his slow movements, it couldn't be blamed on her.
"Well..."
Ovis showed a slightly embarrassed expression, scratched his head and said:
"It depends on when I can contact my friend. He is probably somewhere in the Feysac Empire right now. I need to use some means to find him."
Caroline asked in confusion:
"Do we have to find your friend to do it?"
"Haha, Miss, you should know how important the so-called trust relationship is. Just like the transaction and entrustment between you and me, it is based on our mutual trust, and I trust my friend just as much, or even more."
Ovis stretched out a finger and waved it in front of Caroline's eyes.
"As long as he takes action, I believe the matter can be resolved perfectly."
Is this true? Is it that powerful?
Looking at the pride in Ovis' eyes, it was unclear whether he was proud of his friend or proud of his connections and ability to judge people.
An Intis merchant who is currently in Loen and has a reliable friend in Feysac?
This is truly a wonderful international relationship. How many surprises does Ovis Vine have hidden?
Caroline looked at a bottle of pure water on the stall and asked casually:
"That friend of yours... is he also a Beyonder?"
"He is indeed a powerful Beyonder, but due to confidentiality between friends, I cannot tell you about his sequence pathway, just like I will not reveal your information to others."
Ovis said, giving Caroline a meaningful look.
Interesting, Mr. Ovis is really a hidden talent...
So Caroline stopped asking questions. She restrained her attitude, nodded and said:
"Okay, then I plan to head to Tingen again tomorrow morning."
"That's great, I wish you a safe journey young lady."
"Don't rush to bless you yet. I still need to confirm one thing with you."
Caroline made a downward gesture with her palm and asked Ovis:
"What if, I mean what if, for some reason or another, the swindler suddenly disappears, how can I report this news to you as quickly as possible?"
Ovis thought for a moment, then turned around and found a piece of paper from the sundries behind him. He then took out a pen and wrote something on it while saying:
"If such an unfortunate thing really happens, then you can send a telegram to this address, describing the weather conditions in Tingen that day. When I see this telegram, I will know that there is a problem with the commission."
After writing, he handed the note to Caroline.
After taking a look at the address on the note, Caroline nodded and put it away.
"Got it, I hope that won't happen."
"That would naturally be the best case scenario."
Ovis smiled and held out his hand to Caroline.
"Once I catch that swindler, I will tell you the formula for the Hunter Path Sequence 8 potion."
"Of course, if the commission fails, you can still choose to obtain the formula by paying 400 pounds."
"But I think you don't need to be so anxious."
"Haha, anyway, I wish you all the best in your operation."
Seeing the hand that Ovis extended to her, Caroline gladly shook it with him.
...
Queens, Earl Hall's home.
Audrey took the letter brought to her by her personal maid with surprise. After confirming that the reply was from Caroline, she hurried back to her room with the letter.
Audrey carefully opened the envelope with a letter opener, still expecting whether Caroline would discover her secret message. Her keen observation had already made her notice the Hermes text on the inside of the envelope.
"Sure enough, I knew Caroline would be able to find it!"
Audrey clenched her fist and celebrated a little, feeling happy for her cleverness in writing the letter and for Caroline's living up to her expectations.
Audrey opened the letter first and quickly read the text.
Caroline's handwriting is more elegant than I thought. It's graceful, but less soft and more sharp... well, just like what she looks like.
Audrey wondered if she should imitate Caroline's handwriting, then focused most of her attention back on the content of the letter.
Hmm, Caroline didn't come back until Thursday night? She went to Tingen.
This is great. Since she can travel far away by herself, it means that her guardians don't restrict her too severely...
Well, actually I also want to go traveling by myself, it must be much better than being bored at home, well, if I take Susie with me...
Audrey quickly finished reading the body of Caroline's letter, which was full of greetings and cover-ups. She put the letter down, then immediately picked up the envelope, opened it, and read the ciphertext written in Hermes.
Oh? Has Caroline already found a way to become a Beyonder? Sure enough, she is also trying to find a way to solve the problem!
"Hunter"? I remember Mr. "Hanged Man" seemed to have recommended this path. Maybe he has some clues about this path. Maybe at the next Tarot meeting, I can ask for Caroline...
By the way, since Caroline is about to become a Beyonder, she must not know the "acting method" yet. I have to tell her this method too!
Thinking of this, Audrey couldn't help but feel a little fortunate. She was fortunate that she had such an adventure as Mr. Fool and had gained so much valuable knowledge from him.
If Mr. Fool hadn't shared the "acting method" with her, she might still be struggling with the remaining spirit and influence in the potion.
No, if there was no Mr. Fool and no Tarot Club, she would probably not even be a Beyonder now...
As she pondered over it, Audrey became more determined to share her "acting method" with Caroline.
Hmm... But I still don't fully understand the "acting method". I need to ask Mr. Fool for more in-depth advice.
Let's ask all these questions at the next Tarot meeting...
Audrey's thoughtful gaze moved randomly and happened to meet the gaze of Susie, a big golden retriever who was squatting in the corner and quietly observing her.
The man and the dog suddenly began to look at each other awkwardly.Chapter 88 Tarot ClubTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3029 words Update time: 2025-05-29 13:36:21
Caroline, who was immersed in darkness, suddenly felt a great sense of oppression.
It was like something enveloped her body, obscuring her facial features, making it difficult for her to breathe and cope.
Her consciousness seemed to have lost most of her self, and she was drowsy and swallowed up by the darkness, floating in the endless chaos, sinking forever.
Gradually, twisted lines appeared before her eyes, like flames or snakes. They coiled, crawled, and entangled in her vision, flashing yellow, strange light.
At the same time, mysterious whispers, as if someone was having a conversation, rang in her ears again.
Troubled by multiple tortures, Caroline finally felt the mental burden and influence, but more importantly, it was an indescribable sense of crisis hidden somewhere.
She could only endure this feeling silently, but was unable to make any reaction, or even wake up.
until...
"Buzz——!"
The whistle of the steam train broke the relative tranquility of the outskirts of Tingen, and also woke up Caroline who was trapped in a dream.
Caroline, who had been dozing off against the car window with her chin supported by one hand, slowly opened her heavy eyes. She had no idea when the cold sweat had soaked her back and wet the hair on her forehead.
Did you have a nightmare?
Caroline slowly moved her limbs and back, which were a little sore and stiff from not exercising for a long time. She looked around in confusion, and then she gradually recalled everything she had felt in her sleep just now.
Why did I suddenly have a nightmare...is it because of the potion?
Caroline couldn't help but recall some of the knowledge about potions in her original body's incomplete memories. It was said that the potion not only contained powerful power, but also had some residual spiritual imprints.
This part of the mental imprint comes from the main material of the potion, which may be the "legacy" left by those extraordinary creatures. They will secretly affect the spirit of the extraordinary people at all times.
Therefore, extraordinary people must master the power of potions while being wary of the impact of these mental imprints on themselves.
Caroline thought that this might be one of the reasons why Extraordinary people had to slowly master the power of the potion. Only when they had fully mastered the power of the potion could they suppress these spiritual remnants and continue to advance to the next stage.
It was because she was troubled by these things that she went to seek advice from Xiu.
The result was that she'd better do more things a "hunter" should do.
"Buzz——!"
The steam train whistle sounded again, and Caroline felt the train was slowing down.
She looked out the window and saw that the train had already pulled into the station in Tingen.
After being away for about three days, she returned to Tingen again.
"Once we're in Tingen, let's deal with Lanevus's affairs while looking for local bounty missions suitable for 'hunting'."
Unlike Backlund, the constraints and dangers facing her here are much smaller, and she has more opportunities to show her skills.
Putting aside the unpleasantness that had just occurred, Caroline's optimism once again took over her mood.
She packed her luggage and waited for the train to stop completely on the platform.
...
Klein, who had Monday off, stayed home.
After making up for the sleep he had missed from working for a few days, he spent some time learning and consolidating his meditation skills, as well as other skills that a "fortune teller" should have.
This excessive self-discipline and eagerness to learn made Klein feel like he was continuing to study for exams at home on his days off. However, compared to the boring knowledge in the books and the examples on the test papers that he had done over and over again, the practice of these extraordinary abilities was more vivid and interesting.
After finishing practice, Klein looked at the current time.
The "Tarot Meeting" has not yet been held, so he can use this time to solve a problem first.
He had thought before about how to contact him if Miss Justice, Mr. Hanged Man, and his fellow time travelers suddenly had something to do and were unable to attend the party as scheduled.
Klein found some inspiration from old Neil's teaching of ritual magic.
He could easily design a spell that could point to himself, or in other words, to the gray fog, so that the members of the Tarot Club could call upon that spell and thus produce a corresponding response from him.
It's like praying to God...
The process of designing a spell was not complicated. With a little inspiration and a little imitation, Klein, after some trial and deliberation, designed a three-part spell for himself that should be feasible.
"You are a fool who does not belong to this era. You are the mysterious master above the gray fog. You are the yellow and black king who controls good luck..."
Klein silently read the description and felt a little ashamed.
After all, spells similar to this description are all directed at the gods.
After refreshing himself, Klein checked the time again... 2:57 p.m.
Then, he began to walk four steps backwards, preparing to go above the gray fog.
...
Caroline seemed familiar with the place when she came to Tingen for the second time.
After arriving in the West End by carriage, she quickly found the hotel on Zouteland Street where she had stayed last time.
The receptionist at the front desk obviously had some impression of her. After quickly checking her in, Caroline went up to her room with her luggage.
After putting her luggage away, Caroline glanced at the time on her pocket watch and found that it was almost three o'clock in the afternoon.
Every Monday at 3:00 p.m., Mr. Fool would hold a party on time.
Caroline recalled her conversation with The Fool in the mysterious gray fog that day. She hurried to the window, drew all the curtains, hung a Do Not Disturb sign on the door, and locked the door.
After making all these arrangements, Caroline lay down on the bed, waiting quietly for the party to begin.
She was very curious about how The Fool would gather them together. Would she need to recite the four names of "Fusheng Xuanhuang Tianzun" again?
But soon, Caroline was no longer curious about it.
The time came to three o'clock in the afternoon, almost at the moment when the minute hand crossed twelve o'clock, pushing the hour hand to point to "3".
In front of Caroline's eyes, endless crimson burst out and was about to drown her in an instant.
Caroline didn't have much time to react. Her "hunter" instinct made her tremble subconsciously, but she still took the initiative to restrain the impulse and allowed herself to be swallowed by the crimson.
...
Above the gray fog, in a palace that looked like the residence of the Giant King, beside an ancient bronze table, three figures were outlined very quickly and appeared.
As the figures in the three positions gradually appeared, the bright stars behind the high-back chairs they were sitting on also began to move and change rapidly, forming fantastic constellations of different shapes.
Klein, who was sitting at the head of the table, focused his attention and first cast his gaze towards the back of the chair of his fellow time traveler, Miss Chariot.
Learning was still very helpful. At least now Klein was no longer a novice who knew nothing about the mysticism.
He saw clearly that the constellation behind Miss Chariot showed a sharp pattern that seemed to have countless spears.
That is a symbol of "war".
Hunters and war... Klein thought calmly, then he looked at the seats of the other two.
The back of Miss Justice's chair has the symbol of the "dragon", while the back of Mr. The Hanged Man's chair still has the symbol of the "storm".
Could it be that these symbols have some connection to the extraordinary paths they belong to...
Klein didn't have time to think too much about this. When the three figures fully appeared, he activated his spiritual vision and quietly observed their appearances.
...
Coming once again to this magical and secretive gray fog, Audrey's excitement was much less than before.
When the screen began to come into view, she was about to turn to Mr. Fool, who was sitting at the head of the long table, to greet him for the afternoon, but she discovered that there was suddenly another person beside her.
Is it a new member? Has Mr. Fool summoned a new person to join the Tarot Club?
Audrey was surprised for a moment, then immediately entered the "audience" state and began to observe this new member.
Due to the obstruction of the gray fog, Audrey could not observe as well as she could in reality, but she still roughly saw some information.
She was also a woman, not too old, with beautiful long light blonde hair. Hmm... She seemed a little nervous, but also a little excited. Was it because it was her first time attending a "Tarot Club"?
Audrey was sorting out the information when she heard Mr. Fool tapping on the table at the top of the long table.
Then, she heard Mr. Fool say to them:
"Congratulations, Miss Justice, you are now a Beyonder."
Huh? Can Mr. Fool see it directly?
Audrey was surprised, but before she could express her gratitude, the mysterious Mr. Fool continued:
"It seems that you have adjusted your condition well."
Huh? That's not talking to me.
Audrey keenly noticed that Mr. Fool's direction had shifted, and she quickly looked at the "new member" beside her.
The Hanged Man, who was sitting on the other side of the long table, noticed this newcomer early in the morning, but he never expressed his opinion and just watched The Fool's movements quietly.
The new member was suddenly called out, and stood up nervously, bowing to The Fool and saying:
"Thank you for your help, Mr. Fool. I am now in much better condition."
The Fool nodded, then turned to the two old Tarot Club members and said:
"This is the new member of the party, Miss Chariot."Chapter 89 ActingTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3809 words Update time: 2025-05-29 18:20:35
As soon as the vision recovered from the crimson explosion, the scene in front of him was occupied by the endless rolling gray fog and the tall palace that looked like a temple.
Caroline was a little nervous when she first arrived above the gray fog and sat in front of the long bronze table. After all, this was her first time to participate in such a mysterious gathering, and the organizer of the gathering was a person with an even more mysterious origin.
Caroline looked calmly across the long table, where sat a man whose face was obscured by gray fog and whose features could not be clearly seen, but from his figure, it could be determined that he was a man.
In the "Tarot Club", are the identities of the members kept secret from each other... Yes, no wonder they use Tarot cards as code names to address each other. I guess my face is also covered by gray fog in the eyes of the gentleman opposite me.
As Caroline was thinking, she heard the Fool's voice, neither hurried nor slow, with a hint of smile coming from the head of the long table.
"Congratulations, Miss Justice, you are now a Beyonder."
Miss Justice, isn't that Audrey?
Caroline turned around and looked, and only then did she realize that there was someone sitting next to her.
Although her appearance was blurred by the gray fog, Caroline still recognized some of Audrey's shadow from the figure of the person next to her, knowing her own identity.
Women sit on one side, men sit on the other side...
"Ms. Audrey probably doesn't know that I've joined the Tarot Club yet... Hehe, she definitely wouldn't have thought that I knew her identity from the very beginning..."
Caroline inexplicably felt a strange sense of accomplishment. She lowered her head and tried to hold back her laughter. Then she heard The Fool talking to her.
Faced with Mr. Fool's sudden concern and inquiry, Caroline was stunned for a moment, then quickly stood up and expressed her gratitude to the person at the head of the long table.
"This is the new member of the party, Miss Chariot."
Caroline was caught off guard when The Fool considerately introduced her to the other two members. She could clearly see that the gentleman opposite her and Audrey, the Justice next to her, were both looking at her.
While praying that Audrey would not discover her identity so quickly, Caroline nodded to "Justice" Audrey and the gentleman opposite her and said:
"Hello, I'm the new 'Chariot'."
Caroline's slightly nervous tone made Klein, the Fool, who was sitting at the top, feel a little embarrassed.
My friend, why are you acting like a new transfer student in the class? Well, the current situation does seem to be like introducing a transfer student...
Klein controlled his expression and then introduced Caroline:
"This is Mr. The Hanged Man, and to your left is Miss Justice."
The Hanged Man and Justice... Caroline silently memorized the two code names, greeted them both again, and then sat back in her seat.
"This new friend is indeed quite nervous... Hmm, Mr. Hanged Man's attitude seems a little strange. Is he a little reluctant to have a new member join us?"
Audrey quietly observed the performance of the two members, and then she heard The Fool continue to say:
"Ma'am, sir, have you found Roselle's diary?"
The Fool asked in a casual manner, displaying a very casual attitude, as if he didn't really care what kind of answers people would give.
"I got two diaries of Emperor Roselle and have written down their contents."
Alger was silent for a while, then he answered.
Seeing that the Hanged Man had already answered, Audrey, who had been observing, did not hide anything and said frankly:
"I only collected one."
Facing the two members' answers, Klein nodded naturally:
"Very good."
Roselle's diary? Mr. Fool is collecting the Emperor's diary?
Mr. Fool had communicated with her in Chinese before, so it was not surprising that he could understand Chinese and knew that it was a diary and not a note with mysterious words.
At first, Caroline was a little surprised, but after thinking about it carefully, it didn't seem difficult for the mysterious and powerful "Fool", who could possibly cause her to travel through time, to know the words of another world.
It is also possible that he does not "understand" Chinese directly, but can "decipher" the information conveyed in the text through some other means, so that he looks like he "understands" Chinese... Well, just like he saw at a glance that Audrey had become an extraordinary person.
By the way, Audrey has become a Beyonder. How did she become one? Does her family know about this?
Caroline's thoughts flew for a while. She took a deep breath, raised her hand, and said to The Fool with a cautious and careful tone:
"I just happened to buy a three-page diary... So, is that actually a diary?"
The new member actually brought Emperor Roselle's diary as well? What a coincidence.
Was it because Mr. Fool had already told her about this? No, judging from her expression, it seemed like this was just a coincidence...
Audrey quickly observed Miss Chariot's appearance, and then kindly reminded her:
"Mr. Fool can understand the mysterious words of Emperor Roselle. This is the knowledge he taught us. Those notes with mysterious words are actually the diaries written by Emperor Roselle."
"So that's how it is..."
Caroline pretended to know this for the first time and showed just the right amount of surprise and thought.
After revealing a little about the previous party to "Chariot", Audrey couldn't help feeling a little proud when she saw her surprised expression.
Emperor Roselle's diary, we have known this news for a long time, and it is information that outsiders do not know!
After feeling a little pleased with herself, Audrey looked at The Fool and asked:
"Mr. Fool, shall we express it now?"
Klein didn't expect that Caroline happened to have the emperor's diary, but then he thought, as a time traveler, if she happened to know that Russell was a senior time traveler, she would definitely collect his diary. It was not surprising that there were just two or three pages.
He nodded slightly and replied:
"That's right."
As he finished speaking, several pieces of yellow-brown parchment and pens instantly appeared in front of the three people.
Alger and Audrey quickly picked up their writing tools and began to try to recall the contents of their diaries while facing the parchment. With a strong desire to express themselves, they soon "printed" the contents of the diaries onto the parchment line by line.
Caroline was stunned when she saw the skillful movements of "Justice" and "The Hanged Man".
Is it still possible to perform such an operation?
Noticing that The Fool's gaze was slightly cast towards her, Caroline quickly picked up the pen and tried hard to recall the contents of the two pages of the diary, just like when she was taking dictation in high school.
She didn't know exactly how to do it, but she saw that the other two people didn't actually write with pens, so she kept thinking about the original text of the diary.
Soon, driven by her strong desire to retell the contents of the diary, she saw lines of Chinese appearing on the parchment as her pen tip moved.
This is amazing!
Caroline couldn't help but sigh.
Before long, the three of them completed their respective rubbings.
Audrey raised her head, put down her pen, and turned around to see that "Tank" had already retold the diary.
No one has ever taught her how to do this, she is so talented...
Audrey was a little surprised, but as a "spectator", she quickly controlled her emotions.
Seeing that the three of them had completed the diary display work, Klein thought about it, and the five pieces of parchment flew in front of him.
There are six pieces of parchment with different fonts. Some are dignified and majestic, some are delicate and graceful, and some are crooked. Especially three of them, not only are there typos and missing words, but the order of sentences in some places is also reversed.
But it doesn't matter, as long as the overall content is not a problem, it will not affect the reading.
At the same time, Klein looked at the other three pieces of parchment. There were no typos or missing characters, and the fonts looked most like the original parchment of the emperor's diary.
Without a doubt, these were the three copies that Caroline had made. As it was her first time doing this and she was nervous, she simply copied out the Emperor's diary in her mind without improving it herself.
"Fellow villagers are more reliable..."
Klein couldn't help but think so, and then he focused on reading the contents of the diary.
After The Fool entered his reading time, the three people at the long table fell into a strange silence.
Caroline looked at Justice and The Hanged Man, who were both silent. They were waiting quietly, as if they were not surprised that The Fool could decipher the Emperor's diary.
She glanced at The Fool, who was reading quietly, and found that the gray fog surrounding him seemed to be a little thicker than last time.
Is this an outward manifestation of the Fool's increased power?
As she thought about it, Caroline couldn't help but cast her eyes on the other three pieces of parchment in the Fool's hand.
That is the Roselle diary collected by Justice and the Hanged Man...ah, I also want to see what is written on it.
I wonder if Mr. Fool is interested in recruiting an assistant. I can help him organize the information and content in the diary...
"My friend, could you please stop looking at me so intently? These diaries were collected by Miss Justice and Mr. Hanged Man at their own expense..."
Klein took in Caroline's purposeful gaze. He suppressed the attempt to raise the corners of his mouth and continued to browse the Emperor's diary.
The three members of the "Tarot Club" remained quiet, each focusing on their own projects to pass the time.
After a while, The Fool finally put down the parchment in his hand.
It took Klein a lot of time to read and understand the six pages of the diary, but he also learned a lot about the emperor's past.
For example, the information before he launched the coup, his ambition when he led people out to sea to search for treasure, his interesting personal stories, and the considerations when choosing the sequence path.
It must be said that Emperor Roselle was a very interesting person. His lifestyle and behavioral habits were completely different from Klein's.
But it was precisely these differences that made him the great emperor.
Klein thought about the contents of the diary and said with a slight smile:
"Sorry that took a while."
Audrey was somewhat envious of Mr. Fool for being able to read those mysterious words. She smiled calmly and said:
"I really hope that we can have a chance in the future to exchange the contents of Emperor Roselle's diary with you."
"That comes at a price."
Klein said as he glanced at Justice, then at the silent Hanged Man.
Price? I don't think I can spend too much, I can buy those diaries...
Caroline pondered this to herself.
The reading time of "The Fool" ended, and the quiet "Tarot Club" returned to the main topic.
Audrey, who had been waiting for a long time, calmed down, crossed her hands in front of her, and said:
"Mr. Fool, Mr. Hanged Man, and Ms. Chariot, I have a few questions for you..."
Question? Ask me? I don't know anything...
Caroline thought about it, but still nodded.
Alger, who had been silent the whole time, replied calmly and naturally:
"no problem."
Klein also nodded slightly, signaling Audrey to continue.
"That's right."
Audrey thought for a few seconds and said:
"I would like to ask about the details of the 'acting method'. Recently I have found that the residual spirit in the potion has little effect on me. I think it may be because I have been acting as the audience."
"I am very curious about this and would like to learn more about the role and principle of acting."
"Roleplay"? Can it reduce the impact of the residual spirit in the potion?
After hearing Audrey's speech, Caroline suddenly became interested.
This is what she has been looking for, trying to figure out how to master the potion!
She quickly focused her attention and listened attentively to Audrey's speech.Chapter 90 The Secret of the PotionTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3603 words Update time: 2025-05-30 13:11:00
Klein wasn't surprised by Audrey's question.
During this period of time, he has conducted a lot of research on role-playing. Combined with the new information he just got from the emperor's diary, he replied with ease:
"Let me use a more vivid example to illustrate..."
Caroline listened carefully to the Fool's explanation, in which he compared the power of the potion to a heavily guarded castle.
If you want to obtain the power of the potion, you must become the master of this castle. However, there are already some beings living in the castle, and the identities of those beings are the residual imprints that will affect the spirit of the extraordinary people.
Only by successfully dealing with these residual spirits and entering the castle can the Beyonder truly possess the power of the potion without being harmed by it.
As for how to enter the castle and deal with these residual spirits, The Fool provides two methods.
One of them was to attack head-on, break through the defense of the Magic Potion Castle, and force his way into the castle. But it was obvious that doing so would be very difficult and would most likely hurt oneself, so it was the worst option.
The other one is the "acting method" that "The Fool" really wants to talk about.
"Disguised as a guest on the castle invitation, he deceived the guards and sneaked into the castle..."
The Fool sat at the head of the long bronze table and explained the working principles of the "Acting Method" in a relaxed manner. Caroline, sitting below, repeated in her mind this valuable and precious knowledge that she had never heard of before.
Disguise is acting, the invitation letter is the name of the potion, occupying the castle is digesting the potion, and the core is to trick the potion and become its master... I never thought that the real behavioral logic of being an extraordinary person is like this!
Caroline suppressed her inner excitement, and her hands on her legs were clenched tightly out of joy.
If you think about it carefully, the methods Xio told her are actually very close to acting, but she doesn't know the real secret. With time, maybe she and I can slowly figure it out...
No, if we don't know the details, even if we know how to do it, we will only have a partial understanding, just like imitating the answers to similar example questions to do other questions. Even if we can get it right, it is just a guess.
Only when you truly understand the problem-solving method and the knowledge can you truly solve the problem.
"Who on earth came up with this ingenious method?"
"Well, I have to reveal this method to Xio later. She has helped me so much, and I should give her some rewards."
"Speaking of which, this is all thanks to the mysterious Mr. Fool..."
Caroline thought so and looked at The Fool at the top again.
Being able to master all the secrets of extraordinary potions, the true level of the "Fool" is becoming more and more elusive...
After answering the questions about the role-playing method, everyone in the Tarot Club gained something from it.
Alger, the Hanged Man, was a little more cheerful, while Audrey, the Justice, was even more pleased.
She nodded to The Fool sincerely and praised him:
"Thank you for your answer. I think it is a very valuable answer... Well, I don't think I can just accept it so easily. Mr. Fool, what do you want in exchange?"
Audrey wanted to exchange this knowledge with The Fool, so Klein naturally wouldn't be too polite. He said lightly:
"More of Roselle's diary, or any information about the Antigonus family, it doesn't matter if I know it now or in the past."
Mr. Fool seems to be very interested in the Emperor's diary. Did he know the Emperor before? Did the Emperor write bad things about him in his diary?
Caroline thought a little boldly, and she couldn't help but recall the mysterious man named Zaratul mentioned by the emperor in his diary.
Is there any connection between Zaratul and "The Fool"...
Just as Caroline was daydreaming, Alger, who was sitting on the other side of the long table, thought for a moment, looked cautiously at The Fool above him, and spoke calmly:
"Mr. Fool, I can now pay you for your answer."
Alger's speech attracted the attention of Audrey and Caroline. They looked at him and considered his words for a while, then said:
"The Antigonus family is a very old family. Their history is quite long, and can even be traced back to the cataclysmic era before the Fourth Epoch. Moreover... their family is related to the second 'blasphemous slate'."
...What is the "blasphemous tablet"? Is there a difference between the first and second tablets?
Caroline looked at Alger who was talking with a bewildered look on her face. Many of the words he said were quite unfamiliar to her. She only knew those historical terms at most.
Is this all about mysticism? Damn, it looks like I need to spend some time to catch up on this knowledge. I've been a bit lazy lately…
Only then did Caroline realize that the Tarot Club she was attending was different from any extraordinary gathering in reality. It was more secretive and involved a higher level. If she did not have sufficient knowledge of mysticism, she would suffer a loss at the party!
After silently making arrangements for herself, Caroline focused on another noun.
The Antigonus family, this name was not unfamiliar to her, she had seen it before.
The local "Night Watchers" in Tingen seem to be tracking down a mysterious notebook from this family. The holder of the notebook seems to be an unlucky guy named Riel Bibb, who killed the innocent Charlie Workman because of an unnecessary conflict a week ago.
I know this information, but compared to the information that The Hanged Man is telling...
Caroline looked at Alger, who was already talking about the time when the two "blasphemous slabs" appeared and their related significance, and suddenly she felt like she was watching a top student answering the teacher's questions in school.
"The information on the two 'blasphemous tablets' is strictly confidential among the seven major churches. I only know a little bit about them. As for the difference between them, I don't know."
Alger spread his hands and ended his speech.
"What fascinating knowledge…"
Caroline sighed casually, and her words aroused Audrey's curious question:
"I'm curious, was the 'blasphemous slate' that Emperor Roselle looked at the first or second one?"
Oh wow, the emperor also read the "blasphemous slate" back then? Then I have to pay attention to the amount of information in this regard and see if he will write the information in his diary...
Caroline noted this key point, and at the same time she heard Alger's reply to Audrey:
"The second one."
Alger continued to speak gently about some information about the Antigonus family. He also mentioned things about the Solomon Dynasty in the Fourth Epoch. The Antigonus family was already a noble family at that time.
Caroline became interested when it came to historical matters. Unlike mystical knowledge, she knew a little about these historical information. While studying political economy, she had also been studying historical matters.
Antigonus, Amon, Abraham, Jacob, Tudor... These names sound more familiar than the other. Of course, on the one hand, it is because these are all well-known noble surnames in history, and on the other hand, it is because some of these surnames were once famous in the history of the earth.
However, Caroline only knew that these nobles all fell into decline due to the fall of the Tudor Empire in the Fourth Epoch. After all, that was what was written in the textbooks.
But in Alger's story, part of the reason these nobles fell into desolation was because they were hunted by the Seven Gods.
The nobles' desolation actually involves the gods! Is it because the gods are too narrow-minded, or is it because these nobles did something they shouldn't have done...
Listening to Alger's words, Caroline couldn't help but think of things related to herself.
The Williams family was once a prominent noble family, but is now equally desolate.
Could it be that gods are involved in this?
Caroline didn't dare to think about it any further. She had planned to ask this question after the "Hanged Man" finished his story, but when she thought that this might expose her identity, she gave up the idea.
It didn't matter if Audrey discovered her identity, after all, they knew each other offline, but the relationship between her and the "Hanged Man" was just like that of group friends, so she had to be cautious.
The Hanged Man's answer ended with a description of the unknown sequence pathway mastered by the Antigonus family. Mr. Fool seemed quite satisfied with this answer and tapped the long table lightly with his fingers.
Then, Audrey asked a new question, and Alger, who seemed particularly kind-hearted in some ways, generously answered it for her, and Caroline learned the details of Audrey's sequence pathway.
"Audience", "Mind Reader", "Psychologist", these all sound like interesting names... well, but they don't seem to have much fighting power.
Caroline was collecting her thoughts when she heard Audrey ask another strange question.
"What would happen if an ordinary animal drank a sequence 9 potion?"
Caroline paused while adjusting her sitting position, and subconsciously looked at Audrey.
Not only Caroline, but Alger on the opposite side was also stunned for a moment. Klein, who was sitting at the top, slightly clenched the hand that was supporting his forehead.
For a moment, Audrey felt three pairs of eyes falling on her at the same time, which made her almost unable to maintain her audience status, but even so, her cheeks turned red uncontrollably.
Don't look at me like that, everyone makes mistakes...
Audrey quickly evaded the question, trying to downplay its severity.
Fortunately, no one at the Tarot Club showed any strange reaction to this. The Fool remained calm and relaxed, while Alger answered seriously. As for Caroline...
She was intrigued by Audrey's remarks, and she was curious about what effect it would have if an animal drank the potion.
Animals can do things that some people cannot do, and magic potions can make animals have the same intelligence as humans, or even more powerful strength. Doesn't that mean... well, but the formula and materials of the magic potion are not cheap, and the investment in cultivating an extraordinary animal is not something that ordinary people can afford.
Shaking her head, Caroline put the interesting thought behind her.
On the other hand, Alger's answer put Audrey at ease. What she was most worried about was that her golden retriever Susie would turn into a monster after drinking the potion.
But according to what the Hanged Man said, Susie has been safe and sound for so long, which means it should have survived the impact of the potion.
So what kind of changes will happen to Susie next?
Audrey thought about it and let out a breath quietly.
After calming herself down and regaining some control over her audience, she looked at The Fool and The Hanged Man and said:
"I have one more question. Well, this is really the last question. Please forgive me for having too many questions today."
Klein didn't think there was anything wrong with this. Audrey would sometimes ask questions that he also wanted to know the answer to, which was a great help for him to maintain his identity as the Fool.
"It doesn't matter."
Klein said with a chuckle.
Audrey felt a little relieved after receiving the Fool's comfort.
She nodded and asked a few people:
"I'd like to ask for information on the 'Hunter' pathway, including the sequence name after it, and how to obtain the potion formula."