A.M. didn't wait for him to answer, continuing on his own.
"Everyone who has entered that sea brings something back with them, though it's different for everyone." His gaze lingered on Lu Yuan for a moment. "For example, that mass of resentment you brought out from that sea, the one that's been following you ever since."
He raised his hand, palm upward.
A droplet of clear liquid condensed out of thin air above his palm, suspended and unmoving, with a faint shimmer swirling inside it.
"Or, for example, this thing of mine."
A.M. closed his hand, and the droplet vanished without a trace.
"However, that thing of yours is basically harmless to you." A.M. leaned back against the chair again, his hands folded over his knees. "I can only say 'basically.' As for the rest, be careful yourself. I'll give you one more piece of advice for free: that kind of thing can't be washed off or wiped away unless you enter the Sea of Knowledge once more."
Lu Yuan lowered his eyes, and the stone that had been hanging in his heart sank halfway down.
He had never been afraid that The Suspended Drowner would harm him right now; the grey-white text had stated clearly that it was currently only parasitic, and the so-called changes had not manifested in any specific way.
As for asking this question, Lu Yuan was merely testing whether there was any truth in A.M.'s words.
After all, Lu Yuan maintained absolute vigilance toward this so-called Forbidden Lore Society. Trust? It didn't exist, at least not after A.M. had pulled him in to recite the oath and he had seen that existence imprisoned by chains.
Lu Yuan didn't believe for a second that this Forbidden Lore Society was anything good.
The third question sat on the tip of Lu Yuan's tongue, but he didn't ask it.
There was still too much he wanted to know. What exactly was suppressed beneath Bronze City? What were the rules of the deals with The Man on the Wall? Were there hidden restrictions? What was the Forbidden Lore Society actually planning to do in Bronze City? The Great Ascendant's goal was obvious and didn't need asking, but what about A.M.?
But for these things, A.M. would most likely not speak, and even if he did, he would probably speak in riddles.
"The third one, I'll save for now." Lu Yuan looked at A.M. and gave a cold snort as if thinking of something. "I'll ask when I've thought it through."
A.M. raised an eyebrow, not expecting him to take back a free favor that was already at his lips. That hint of surprise flashed through his expression, but he said nothing.
Having finished the two questions, A.M. didn't stay much longer.
He stood up, smoothed the hem of his overcoat, and walked toward the door. At the doorway, he looked back.
"One more thing, on the house." A.M. looked at him. "If you don't want to sink any deeper into this mess, leave Bronze City as soon as possible."
Lu Yuan looked up, waiting for him to continue.
"Because a certain something's scheme," A.M. paused for a beat, "calculating the time, is about to be achieved."
"What thing?" Lu Yuan pressed.
But as soon as the words left his mouth, A.M.'s figure blurred. When Lu Yuan looked again, the chair in the living room was empty. The man was gone, leaving only the empty soup bowl on the table, the warmth of the ceramic not yet dissipated.
Lu Yuan stared at the empty chair, his brow furrowed tight.
He hated people like this most—speaking only half the truth, leaving you hanging, forcing you to guess the rest yourself.
But since A.M. had left those words, it certainly wasn't a casual attempt to scare him.
Following Margaret, this was the third person to advise him to leave. Neither had spoken plainly, yet they both pointed in the same direction: Bronze City was currently far from peaceful, perhaps even more perilous than he had originally thought.
But what did that 'something' refer to?
Was it the seal beneath the ground that could last two months at most? Was it that world composed of trees? Or was it The Man on the Wall suppressed at the top of the tower? Lu Yuan went through them one by one, but he couldn't pin it down, feeling his head begin to throb again.
He raised a hand to rub his brow. How did all these chaotic matters manage to pile up at the same time?
As he was thinking, a knock sounded at the door.
Lu Yuan answered.
The door pushed open, and a Nightwatcher entered carrying a neatly folded set of clothes. It was a brand-new Nightwatcher captain's overcoat, dark grey and made of thick material.
The visitor set the coat down and also placed a bowl of steaming meat soup on the table, saying there was more if it wasn't enough. Additionally, they mentioned that yesterday's coat was damaged and had tested positive for slight pollution.
Lu Yuan looked down at himself.
The old overcoat he had worn back from the Polymath Tower, covered in grey-black stains, had already been thrown into the basket for washing yesterday, but the casual clothes he had changed into weren't exactly formal either.
He put the chaotic matters aside for the moment.
He sat down and picked up the bowl of meat soup to line his stomach first.
Halfway through the soup, another person arrived.
This time it was a fellow Nightwatcher sent by Kraus, saying the Vice Director requested his presence.
Lu Yuan set down the bowl, having a general idea of what was happening. For Kraus to seek him out at this juncture, it was ten to one about the matter of the Guardian.
Lu Yuan gave his assent, then quickly finished the meat soup. After changing his clothes, he walked briskly toward Kraus's office.
Kraus was alone in his office.
As Lu Yuan entered and closed the door, Kraus motioned for him to sit. He didn't beat around the bush or offer pleasantries.
"The Guardian's life," he said, looking at Lu Yuan, "what price did you pay to bring it back?"
Lu Yuan sat across from him, thought for a moment, and spoke.
"It wasn't a great price." Lu Yuan's fingers tapped lightly on his knee. "If there was one, I had to use a Seed of Wish."
Lu Yuan looked at Kraus, intending to attribute his success as much as possible to that Grudge.
"That thing essentially absorbed the power of The Man on the Wall. Aside from its own inherent power, it is a rare medicinal ingredient in itself. Anything that has touched a forbidden existence still possesses powerful origin energy; that's not surprising."
"Plus my insect." Lu Yuan spoke very softly. "I had it share some of the speed and pressure of absorbing the medicine for the Guardian. That's how I luckily pulled him back from the brink."
Kraus nodded, not appearing surprised by this explanation.
He had personally handed the seed back, and he had seen that insect; in his eyes, it was a multi-colored knowledge-derived insect. Lu Yuan didn't bother to correct the name.
But Kraus's expression immediately turned serious.
"Whether it's the seed or the insect, I believe you." He stared at Lu Yuan. "I want to ask you about something else."
"In such a short time, how did you determine how this medicine should be prepared?" Kraus's tone deepened. "How were you so certain that putting these things together would give you even a ten percent chance?"
Lu Yuan stiffened slightly upon hearing this, realizing in his heart that his Specialized Research might not be hidden anymore.
Kraus had ultimately asked the truly critical question.
No matter how rare the ingredients were, they were only materials.
What was truly lethal was the person who prescribed the formula based on the symptoms.
The inhibitors, holy water, and Sanity restoration fluid were all standard Nightwatcher stocks, but combining them with the Grudge and the insect, and then determining the method with that ten percent chance, was a decision he had made on the spot.
A Rank 2 with mediocre medicinal skills had somehow managed to customize a functioning formula for a Rampaging Rank 5 for the second time. This flaw was spread out clearly before Kraus's eyes.
Kraus didn't pressure him, only sighing as he continued on his own.
"I've looked at your usual medicinal logs." Kraus looked at Lu Yuan and said slowly, "Your techniques aren't particularly sophisticated; they aren't even as good as some veteran craftsmen. This shows your skills are quite average."
"But someone of your level managed to brew it regardless."
He paused, his gaze fixed on Lu Yuan's face.
"So you have a certain ability, a way to see through the person before you and customize a medicinal method based on their foundation, right?"
Lu Yuan could only remain silent, not speaking to deny it.
This point couldn't be hidden; it wasn't difficult for Kraus to guess this far based on the medicine. However, he didn't reveal everything.
"Something like that, but there are significant restrictions." Lu Yuan added a sentence, proactively drawing the boundary. "When encountering people or things that exceed my own knowledge, it's almost impossible for it to take effect."
He only mentioned what the ability could and couldn't do, not its name, and certainly didn't mention a single word about the Forbidden Lore pathway.
Kraus wasn't surprised. "There's no such thing as a heaven-defying ability without shackles. Every pathway is the same."
He leaned back against his chair, his expression relaxing slightly.
"Fine, stop looking so tense." Kraus's tone suddenly softened. "I don't intend to report this matter up."
Lu Yuan looked up at Kraus.
"You're only Rank 2 right now." Kraus leaned forward, his finger tapping twice on the desk. "If word of this ability leaked out, those seeking you out would line up from the branch entrance to the city walls—especially those old fossils whose lamps are running dry and who are waiting for a way to extend their lives."
"Among those people, the ones who are already dead are clean enough." His voice turned cold. "What I fear is someone thinking you're advancing too slowly, kidnapping you, and using external force to push you to Rank 3. That would be equivalent to severing your future path at the root."
Lu Yuan's heart sank.
Forced advancement would ruin one's future; this was the first time he had heard this, but Kraus's tone didn't sound like he was joking.
"Besides, your ability can't help them much at this stage anyway." Kraus cut the topic short. "Since you chose to hide it, I'll act as if I don't know. Just one thing: in the future, when your rank is higher and you have strength to spare, give those seniors a hand."
Lu Yuan remained silent and nodded. He had received much care from the Nightwatchers; if he could contribute, he naturally would.
For a moment, the office fell silent.
Kraus didn't keep Lu Yuan, signaling for him to get lost.
By the time he walked out the door, the sky was pitch black. Lu Yuan knew clearly that relying on others was not as good as relying on himself; he had to hurry to Rank 3. Only then would he have the ability to protect himself.
Fortunately, the matter in Bronze City should be smoothed over for now; Kraus would likely handle it.
But he also knew that throughout this entire day, Margaret, A.M., and Kraus had all circled around the same point from three different directions.
His act of healing the Guardian had pushed him from an inconspicuous Rank 2 right into everyone's line of sight.
And those who were eyeing this ability of his hadn't truly begun to make their move yet.
Rate on N.U.
