No response came from within the fog.
That curious gaze lingered on him for two more breaths, as if it had seen enough, before slowly moving away.
The heavy, slow footsteps sounded again, this time receding into the distance.
They grew further and lighter, finally blending into the depths of the great fog and vanishing.
【Forbidden Lore: Knowledge Seeker: +1... 77.9/100】
Lu Yuan’s left leg began to twitch restlessly at that moment.
The feeling was all too familiar; it was the Suspended Drowner on his left leg, acting up again. Something was slowly writhing beneath his skin, drawn by the aura of the entity in the fog.
Lu Yuan frowned, and the key within his left eye suddenly emitted a faint glimmer. In the next instant, an ethereal aura spread through his body—the power of Authority.
The moment the Suspended Drowner felt this aura...
The restlessness in his left leg instantly subsided as the entity retreated, not daring to move again.
Lu Yuan looked coldly at the Suspended Drowner in his left leg. If this thing hadn't been devoid of malice, he would have killed it right then and there.
The great fog still had not dissipated.
Even after that entity left, the fog remained so thick it seemed impossible to disperse, a vast expanse of white where nothing could be seen.
Lu Yuan turned around to look at the others behind him.
Bo Er was still in a half-squatting position, blade in hand, but his face was a mask of blankness, devoid of any alertness.
“Bo Er,” Lu Yuan called out.
Bo Er blinked and turned his head. “Hmm? What is it? Wait... what am I doing?”
Lu Yuan was taken aback and took the opportunity to ask more.
“Just now... did you hear anything?”
Bo Er frowned, trying hard to remember. “Just now?” His gaze swept through the fog. “...I think I spaced out for a moment. Why? Did something happen?”
Dunn and the other brothers behind him had similar reactions. Some were rubbing their temples while others looked utterly bewildered, unable to snap out of it for a moment.
Clearly, they didn't remember.
The traces of that entity passing by had been erased; everyone present had forgotten what had just occurred.
Everyone, except Lu Yuan.
As the 【Hidden Witness】, his memory would never be influenced or eliminated by external forces.
He had actually had his memory modified without even realizing it... but fortunately, he still had his passive.
Another existence involving some kind of taboo. Is the empire a sieve?
Lu Yuan pushed all these thoughts to the back of his mind.
“It’s nothing.” He withdrew his gaze. “Let’s keep moving.”
Bo Er acknowledged him and didn't press further, grabbing the reins once more. The carriage lurched forward with a creak, the wheels muffled as they rolled over the stone slabs in the fog.
The fog slowly began to thin out.
Lu Yuan leaned against the carriage wall, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.
“Something is about to wake up.” The entity’s words circled in his mind over and over again.
Could it be the scenes he saw when he previously came into contact with the fragment?
Was the flesh sealed beneath Bronze City about to wake up?
Or was it the Man on the Wall? Or perhaps the thing sealed behind the copper wall in the pipe network layer?
He wasn't sure.
By the time the silhouette of Bronze City appeared on the horizon, Lu Yuan knew something was wrong.
Faint wisps of smoke drifted above the city walls, grey and dusty, carrying the acrid, bitter smell of gunpowder smoke.
The sky over the inner city was hazy, with several columns of smoke visible rising from between the clusters of buildings.
The streets were completely deserted.
When the three carriages entered through the city gates, only two Nightwatchers were on duty. One of them recognized Lu Yuan’s group and signaled for them to return to the branch immediately.
Occasionally, a few Nightwatchers could be seen walking the streets, their steps hurried. Some carried boxes while others hauled components for alchemical cannons, their expressions tense.
Clearly, the entire city was under martial law.
Bo Er cursed under his breath, cracked his whip, and pushed the carriage to its maximum speed.
The group didn't dare delay, heading straight for the branch.
People were rushing back and forth within the branch. Logistics personnel were busy transporting supplies and potions. From time to time, people hurried through the corridors carrying copper trays filled with bandages and alchemical fluids.
Several transport wagons were parked in the courtyard, the bloodstains on their floorboards not yet wiped clean.
Lu Yuan saw Kraus as soon as he entered.
He was standing at the end of the corridor, clutching a document. His face looked grim. The moment he saw Lu Yuan, his expression shifted slightly—a mix of surprise and helplessness.
“I didn't expect... you to actually make it back.” Kraus’s tone carried a hint of exhaustion. He clearly remembered how much effort he had spent to send Lu Yuan to Oakwood City to avoid the danger, only for the man to return at the worst possible time.
“What exactly is the situation now?” Lu Yuan didn't beat around the bush.
Kraus glanced at him, stuffed the document into his pocket, and turned to walk further inside, signaling for Lu Yuan to follow.
The two entered a small room and closed the door.
Kraus leaned against the edge of the table, arms crossed over his chest, and kept his explanation brief.
“The situation is grim. The thing underground hasn't been dealt with. In the few days you were gone, the city has been in a stalemate.” His gaze fixed on Lu Yuan’s face. “We’ve already gone down twice. You were there the first time. The second time was after you left; an assault team went down with alchemical cannons and mithril, and the result was...”
He paused for a moment.
“They encountered a special individual, one never recorded or seen before. There are no records of it in our branch archives, and no one can say for sure what it is.” Kraus’s tone was heavy with gravity. “The assault team retreated with injuries. They didn't kill it; they only managed to wound it heavily.”
Lu Yuan remained silent, waiting for him to finish.
“We’re going down again today.” Kraus’s gaze darkened. “The third time. This time, I will lead the team personally.”
Lu Yuan looked into his eyes.
“I’m going down too.”
Kraus frowned. “No.”
His refusal was almost instinctive. He had gone through the trouble of getting Lu Yuan out of the city and keeping him away from the two most dangerous descents just so he could avoid this risk. He wasn't about to let him walk straight into it now.
Lu Yuan didn't back down.
“I can help.” His voice wasn't loud, but his words were steady. “And the kind of help I can provide requires me to be down there. Besides, have you forgotten my eyes?”
“I can see certain special information—like that special existence. But I have to see it with my own eyes.”
Lu Yuan didn't spell it out, but Kraus understood.
Kraus had long ago seen through Lu Yuan’s knack for “seeing things others couldn't” and had even helped suppress any reports on it. In an underground encounter with an eerie individual no one could identify, having someone who could “see” follow along would indeed make a difference.
But it was only a difference...
After all, there was one thing Kraus hadn't said: just seeing it wouldn't be enough.
Kraus stared at him, his gaze lingering on Lu Yuan’s face for several breaths.
“...Fine.”
The response was heavy.
He picked up a list from the table and added a name to it.
“You should know the general lineup for this mission.” Kraus turned the list toward him for a glance. “Archbishop Adrian will be going down. The Blue Knight is also coming. The attendant and Margaret will provide long-range support... We’ll go over the details once everyone has gathered. Since you’re back, let’s go together.”
Lu Yuan nodded.
He didn't ask for more details about the lineup. Kraus had said they would discuss it at the gathering, so he would wait until then.
He didn't have to wait long.
Kraus stepped out of the small room and shouted toward the end of the corridor. Within fifteen minutes, a spacious room on the second floor of the branch’s main building was filled with people.
To say it was “filled” wasn't quite accurate; few of those who could sit were actually sitting.
The Great Ascendant leaned against the windowsill, his silver mechanical body reflecting the dim yellow light of the room.
However, there were slight signs of repair on his right wrist, with occasional wisps of steam leaking from the gaps. His mechanical eyes swept over Lu Yuan as he entered, rotating halfway as if showing a hint of surprise.
Adrian sat on one side of the long table. His greyish-white archbishop robes were pristine, and the tome on the table before him bore a faint scuff mark on its copper cover. He looked up and saw Lu Yuan, a kind smile touching his features as he gave a slight nod.
The Blue Knight stood to the back-right of Adrian, her body half-turned. Pale blue threads slowly drifted along the seams of her armor, and the rapier with the faint red patterns hung at her waist, its hilt patterns shimmering indistinctly under the light. She cast a glance toward Lu Yuan as a form of greeting.
The attendant was at the other end of the long table, wrapped tightly in dark robes. He sat upright, his face unreadable, but his left hand rested constantly on his right forearm, his fingertips unconsciously pressing against the fabric at a certain spot.
An extremely faint purple light occasionally flashed below his right cuff. As Lu Yuan’s gaze swept over him, a minor injury marker appeared behind the attendant’s prompt.
Clearly, during the few days Lu Yuan was away, this Rank 4 Believer transcendent had also been through a significant battle.
Margaret leaned against the wall by the door, arms crossed, looking detached and casual. Her gaze flickered over Lu Yuan, the corner of her mouth curving slightly, though she didn't speak.
Lake was huddled in the deepest corner, his hood pulled so low his chin wasn't even visible. The Swarming Worms beneath his coat clung to his skin, motionless and silent.
Lu Yuan walked to a spot near the door and stood, his gaze circling the room.
Seven people, including himself.
The people gathered in this room were likely all the chips Bronze City could put on the table right now.
Kraus was the last to enter, closing the door behind him. He didn't sit; instead, looking grim, he walked to the head of the long table and rested his palms on the surface.
“Most of you know what happened on the last descent.” He scanned the room, his voice low. “Right now, we need to go over the key points once more.”
The meeting room was silent; no one interrupted.
“The second assault pushed into the second large void,” Kraus began, speaking slowly with a pause after every sentence. “There, we encountered a special individual.”
He didn't read from a report. In just a few sentences, he described the thing’s appearance, speed, and methods.
No mouth, a horizontal slit for an eye, covered in exposed flesh, possessing the ability to siphon flesh, carrying extremely strong pollution, and capable of polluting corpses.
“We lost two alchemical cannons and several brothers.” Kraus’s gaze fell on the attendant. “In close-quarters combat, one will be directly affected by its pollution attribute. The attendant is an example.”
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