"We are guardians, but also a bunch of pitiful wretches that are constantly fighting against danger and madness."
The corridor outside the window was sealed, and the stone walls were ice-cold. The room was illuminated by a bright yellow light. Dunn Smith's recount lingered in such an environment, striking Klein's heart again and again, rendering him momentarily speechless.
Seeing Klein's silence, Dunn shook his head and smiled.
"Are you disappointed? Beyonders are different from what you imagine them to be. We are always walking with danger. "
"There's definitely a price to gain." Klein calmed down from the shock and replied in a measured tone.
He really didn't expect that other than the glorious, extraordinary, and extraordinary side of Beyonders, there would also be such hidden dangers. However, perhaps it was because he had only heard the description and hadn't truly encountered it, or perhaps it was because he had already been embroiled in this vortex, and there was no telling when a strange incident would befall him. His fear, anxiety, worry, and fear quickly reduced to a manageable level.
Of course, it was inevitable that the thought of retreating arose. He was entangled and refused to leave.
"Not bad. Very mature and very rational …" Dunn finished the remaining mouthful of coffee and added, "Also, Beyonders aren't as powerful as you imagine them to be. Low-Sequence Beyonders, heh, why do you use 1 to represent the highest grade and 9 to represent the lowest? This goes against intuition and logic. The Low-Sequence we usually talk about refers to the lower grade, and the higher number is the beginning of the Sequence chain. "
"Alright, where was I? Yes, Beyonders aren't as powerful as you imagine them to be. The 'strength' of Low-Sequence Beyonders can't compare to firearms, much less cannons. It's just that in certain aspects, they are more magical than firearms and harder to guard against. If you have the chance to become a Beyonder in the future, you must consider what I said today carefully. Don't make a rash decision. "
Klein gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"I still don't know when I'll have the chance."
If there was such an opportunity, he felt that he would not miss it. Consuming the wrong potion or a potion of a higher level could be avoided to the greatest extent. The main hidden dangers were the subtle effects of the potion itself and the unknown "danger" he heard and saw after his spiritual perception was enhanced.
The former had generations of experience as a reference. As long as he wasn't in a hurry to improve himself and steadily grasped his strength, the chances of him losing control should be relatively low. Furthermore, his main goal was to resolve the potential danger at hand, understand the essence of mysticism, and find a way to transmigrate back. That was why he had taken this step. He wasn't aiming for the "position" of a High-Sequence Beyonder. If it was really easy to lose control, he could just not advance and stay in his original Sequence, relying on his knowledge to plan his "return home."
There was no need to even mention the latent dangers. Klein still had fresh memories of the luck enhancement ritual that drove him to the brink of insanity, to the point where his head was about to explode. This wasn't something that could be avoided just by not becoming a Beyonder. In that case, he might as well grasp some strength that could resist it.
Thinking of this, Klein only felt that the pros and cons were so clear that most of the thoughts of retreating in his heart disappeared.
Dunn picked up his pipe again. There was a smile in his gray eyes as he said,
"Regarding this matter, I can't give an accurate answer. To become a Beyonder, firstly, you have to make enough contributions. Perhaps tomorrow or the day after, you will be able to decipher a key ancient document, or provide us with extremely useful suggestions for the case? Secondly, it depends on whether the higher-ups have any new ideas. No one can say for sure. "
"Alright, I believe you should have a better understanding of Beyonders now. In the future, you won't make any rash decisions. Now, I'll introduce you to the clerical work of our Nighthawks team."
He stood up, walked to the door, and pointed in the opposite direction of Chanis Gate.
They are all professionals, so there's no need for them to take turns. They rest on Sundays every week. The remaining three clerical jobs are Roshan, Bright, and Old Neil. Their jobs include: receiving visitors, cleaning rooms, writing case files and item declaration lists, as well as guarding the warehouse of weapons, materials, and documents. They are strictly responsible for entry, exit, and return registration. Each of them takes a day off every week. Other than Sundays, there's also the rotation of night duty and rest. It's up to them to decide. "
I'm doing the same thing as Roshan and the rest? Klein stopped thinking about Beyonders and confirmed his job responsibilities.
"No, you don't need to. You're a professional." Dunn smiled and said, "You currently have two things to do. First, every morning or afternoon, go out for a walk. The focus is on the various paths from Welch's residence to your house."
"Ah?" Klein was dumbfounded.
What kind of "job" is this?
Is it very professional?
Dunn stuffed his hands into the pockets of his black trench coat and said,
"After confirming that you've really lost your memories, Welch and Naya's case is considered closed. Similarly, the Antigonus family's diary has completely disappeared. We suspect that you took it with you and hid it on your way home. That's why we didn't find any clues at your house. This should also be the possible reason why you weren't at the scene of the crime, but committed suicide at home."
"Although you've been mysteriously influenced and have completely forgotten these memories, the human spirit and brain are very strange. There might still be some traces left behind. Daly couldn't obtain them using her Spirit Medium means, but that doesn't mean that they definitely don't exist. Perhaps, you might have the feeling that you've seen or done something before in a familiar place or at a key location."
"That's what we want."
"Got it." Klein was enlightened.
The Nighthawks' deduction of the diary's whereabouts was indeed reasonable.
Among the people present, he was the only one who was still alive. Only he had the time and motive to take the diary away and hide it midway!
"If you can find the diary this way, you should be able to gain enough credit to become a Beyonder," Dunn Smith encouraged him, indirectly hinting at the importance of the diary.
"Let's hope so." Klein nodded.
Dunn changed the topic back to the previous topic.
"Second, you will take a day off every week. You can temporarily decide which day it is. When you're not outside, go to the armory and read the documents and classics we preserve. This is the job of a professional historian. When you're done, you will take turns with Old Neil and the rest."
"Alright, no problem." Klein heaved a sigh of relief.
It's not too difficult …
At this moment, Dunn turned his body halfway and pointed at the black iron door with seven Sacred Emblems engraved on it.
"This is the Chanis Gate. It comes from the name of the founder of the modern Nighthawks, Archbishop Chanis. There's one under the central cathedral of every major city."
"It's guarded by official Nighthawks members on a rotation basis. There are at least two Keepers from the Church inside, as well as countless traps. You must not approach it casually, or you'll be tainted by bad luck."
"Sounds impressive." Klein expressed his thoughts.
"It's divided into a few areas. They keep certain Sequence potion formulas and all kinds of magical ingredients. They temporarily imprison heretics, mutants, cultists, and secret organization members. Heh heh, they'll eventually be sent to the Holy Cathedral," Dunn introduced casually.
Holy Cathedral? The headquarters of the Church of the Evernight Goddess in the Winter County in the north of the kingdom, the Cathedral of Serenity? Klein nodded slightly as though he was in thought.
"In addition, there are all kinds of high-secret documents and classics inside. You might have a chance to read them when your clearance is raised." Dunn pondered for a moment and said, "There are some Sealed Artifacts in the bottom level behind Chanis Gate."
"Sealed Artifacts?" Klein ruminated on the term.
It sounded like a proper noun.
"Some of the Beyonder items we collect and obtain are too important and magical. If evil were to obtain them, they would cause great damage. Therefore, they have to be kept strictly confidential and guarded. Even we ourselves can only use them under certain circumstances. Also …" At this point, Dunn paused before continuing, "And there's a portion of them that are very special. They have a certain 'living' characteristic. They will lure the Keepers and affect the surroundings. They will escape on their own, causing catastrophic consequences. They have to be kept under strict control."
"It's very magical," Klein said wistfully.
"The Nighthawks headquarters has divided these Sealed Artifacts into four levels. Grade 0 means that they are extremely dangerous, highly valued, and highly confidential. They cannot be inquired about, divulged, described, or spied on. They can only be sealed under the Holy Cathedral." Dunn explained in detail, "Grade 1 means that they are highly dangerous. They can only be used in limited amounts. The confidentiality level is for diocesan bishops and Nighthawks deacons and above. The central cathedrals of diocesan headquarters such as Baekeland can store one or two of them. The rest have to be handed over to the Holy Cathedral."
"Grade 2 means that they are dangerous. They have to be used carefully and in moderation. The confidentiality level is for bishops and Nighthawk team captains and above. The central cathedrals of the major cities can store three to five of them. The rest have to be handed over to the Holy Cathedral or the parish headquarters. Grade 3 means that they are dangerous. They have to be used carefully. It can only be applied for in a three-person operation. The confidentiality level is for official Nighthawks members."
"In the future, when you see the corresponding documents, you should understand what they represent through the numbers. For example, 2-125 is a Dangerous Grade Sealed Artifact 125."
As Dunn spoke, he suddenly turned around and walked back to his room. He took out a piece of paper from the bottom of the drawer.
"By the way, take a look at this. Three years ago, a new archbishop lost control. It's unknown how he broke through the layers of protection, but he mysteriously disappeared with a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. Remember his picture. If you discover anything, do not alarm him or disturb him. Come back and report it. Otherwise, there's a 1000% chance that you will die in the line of duty."
"What?" Klein took the piece of paper and realized that there wasn't a header. There was only a black-and-white photo and a few lines of text.
"Ince Zangwill, male. Forty years old. Former archbishop. Gatekeeper who failed to advance. Seduced by a devil, he degenerated into evil. He escaped with Sealed Artifact 0-08. The specific characteristics are …"
In the photo, Ince Zangwill was wearing a double-breasted pure black clergyman robe and a bonnet. His hair was dark gold, and his pupils were so blue that they were almost black. His nose bridge was high, and his lips were tightly pursed. His facial features were like a classical sculpture without any wrinkles. The most eye-catching feature was that he was blind in one eye.
"The description of the degenerate is very detailed, and there's only a codename for the Sealed Artifact …" Klein truthfully expressed his first impression.
"Therefore, it's of the highest level of confidentiality. The search for Sealed Artifact 0-08 is all verbal descriptions and not written in text. Furthermore, there's only a little information about it." Dunn sighed and said, "0-08 has the appearance of a common quill, but it doesn't need ink to write. That's all."
Dunn didn't elaborate on this matter. He followed the golden chain on his black trench coat and took out a gorgeous pocket watch of the same color. He snapped it open and took a look. He pointed outside the door and said, "I've said everything that needs to be said.
Go to the armory and find Old Neil. Get him to arrange for you to read the specific literature. He's not an ordinary civilian worker. He was once an official member, but he's old and hasn't been promoted. His physical condition isn't good, and he's no longer suitable for handling cases. Furthermore, he's unwilling to become an internal Keeper or recuperate at home. He only wishes to be accompanied by literature. "
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
