028 Esoteric Order

**Thump! Thump! Thump!**

Klein's heart suddenly began to beat violently, contracting into a ball and then forcefully expanding, causing his body to tremble slightly.

For a moment, he almost forgot what he was supposed to do, until the shadow of the intruder paused, tilting his ear as if he had heard some change.

"Blood" receded from his brain, and Klein regained his basic thinking ability, reaching for the wooden handle of the revolver under his pillow.

The firm and smooth texture came through his fingers, quickly stabilizing his emotions. With a calm and silent motion, he drew out the revolver, aiming it at the intruder's head.

Honestly, he had no confidence in hitting the other party. Although he had been able to hit the target steadily before, shooting at a moving target was a completely different concept. He wasn't arrogant enough to confuse the two.

However, he vaguely remembered a phrase from his past life, which roughly meant that the greatest power of a nuclear bomb only exists before it's detonated.

In this moment and environment, the principle was the same: the best deterrence was before the bullet was fired!

Without pulling the trigger, without blindly shooting, the other party wouldn't be sure if he was a novice. There was a great chance he would miss the shot. He would be worried, he would be fearful, he would consider many things, to the point of imposing restrictions on himself!

In an instant, one thought after another surfaced, prompting Klein to make a decision immediately. He wasn't the kind of person who grew calmer the more dangerous the situation became; he had long anticipated the scenario of encountering the observer and had envisioned non-attack as the main form of intimidation.

As the proverb goes in the country of gourmands, "Being prepared wards off worry!"

When Klein's gun was aimed at the intruder, the thin man suddenly froze, seeming to sense something.

Then, he heard a voice with a hint of laughter:

"Good evening, sir."

The thin man's hands quietly gripped, his body seemed tense, while Klein sat on the bunk bed, aiming the gun at his head. He spoke in a relaxed and natural tone:

"Please raise your hands, turn around, as slowly as possible. Honestly, I'm a timid and nervous person. If you move too quickly, I'll be scared, and I can't guarantee that there won't be a misfire. Yes, just like that."

The thin man raised his hands halfway beside his head, slowly turning his body bit by bit. The first thing that came into Klein's eyes was the neatly buttoned black tight-fitting suit, then the two sharp and bushy brown eyebrows.

Klein couldn't see fear in his azure eyes. Instead, he felt like he was being stared at by a fierce wild beast. It seemed that with just a slight mistake, he would be pounced on by the other party and torn to pieces.

He tightened his grip on the gun handle, trying hard to keep his expression calm and indifferent.

Only when the thin man was facing him directly did Klein raise his chin slightly, pointing to the door, and said softly and gently:

"Sir, let's go outside and talk. Let's not disturb others' sweet dreams. Hmm, move slowly, step lightly. This is the most basic courtesy of a gentleman..."

The cold gaze of the thin man swept over Klein for a moment. Still with his hands half raised, he took slow steps toward the door.

Under the aim of Klein's revolver, he turned the doorknob, slowly opening the door.

Just as the door was halfway open, he suddenly squatted down and rolled forward, while the door seemed to be pulled by a strong wind, slamming shut again with a loud bang.

"Hmm..." Benson on the upper bunk was startled by the loud noise, waking up groggily.

At this moment, a melodious and peaceful melody floated in from outside, accompanied by a deep and soothing voice singing:

"Oh, the threat of fear, the crimson hope!

At least one thing is true: this life flies by.

One thing is true, the rest are lies,

Once the flowers bloom, they bid farewell to the world..."

This poem seemed to possess a power to relax and soothe, causing Benson on the upper bunk and Melissa in the inner room to fall back into a drowsy sleep.

Klein was calm in body and mind, almost yawning.

The agile move the thin man just made caught him off guard. He almost didn't react in time.

Looking at the closed door, he smiled faintly to himself and muttered:

"You might not believe it if I say it, but this gun of mine is actually loaded with blanks."

Blanks to prevent accidental firing!

Next, Klein listened to the midnight verses, patiently waiting for the battle outside to end.

But only a minute later, the tranquil melody, akin to moonlit waters, ceased, and the night returned to its deepest silence.

Klein silently slid the cylinder, moving the empty chamber away, waiting for the outcome to reveal itself.

Ten minutes of waiting felt like an eternity. Just as he was getting increasingly restless, debating whether to go out and investigate, the voice of Dun Smith finally came from the door:

"It's taken care of."

Exhaling, Klein breathed a sigh of relief, grabbed his revolver, took the keys, and tiptoed barefoot towards the door, opening it soundlessly. He saw Dun Smith, standing opposite him, in a black knee-length overcoat and a half-high top hat, his gray eyes deep in the crimson moonlight outside.

Closing the door behind him, he followed Dun to the end of the corridor, standing in the faint crimson moonlight.

"We wasted some time entering his dreams," Dun said calmly, looking at the red moon outside the window.

"Do you know his origins?" Klein relaxed a bit.

Dun nodded slightly:

"He's from an ancient organization called the 'Mystery Society,' established in the Fourth Era, associated with the Solomon Empire and some fallen nobles of the time. Oh, the notes of the Antigonus family originated from them because of a member's negligence, which ended up in the hands of Welch. They had to send people everywhere to track it down."

Before Klein could ask, he paused and continued:

"We will capture some of their members based on the clues. Well, it may not yield very good results. These guys are as adept at hiding as rats in the sewers. But at least they will understand that the notes of the Antigonus family are likely in our possession, or we have crucial clues. In that case, unless it's something very crucial, they will completely abandon this operation. That's their philosophy of survival."

"...What if the notes are indeed very crucial?" Klein asked with concern.

Dun smiled without answering, instead saying:

"We know very little about the 'Mystery Society.' This success is largely due to your ingenuity. It's your merit. Considering the potential hidden dangers and the assistance in finding the notes after your inspiration increased, you have a chance to make a choice."

"A chance to choose?" Klein vaguely guessed what was coming, his breath becoming heavier subconsciously.

Dun restrained his smile, his expression solemn and serious:

"Do you want to become an extraordinary person? You can only select the beginning extraordinary from the incomplete sequence."

"Of course, you can also give up this opportunity, accumulate merits until it's enough

 to become a 'Sleepless,' the initial night guard granted by the goddess, mastering the complete sequence taught by the church."

Indeed... Klein's heart stirred with joy, temporarily without any hesitation. He asked proactively:

"From which 'Sequence 9' can I choose?"

Detailed information was needed to determine whether to accept or decline, and which one to choose specifically!

Dun turned his body, draped in scattered crimson "veil," looked into Klein's eyes, and slowly said:

"In addition to the Sleepless, the church also has three other 'Sequence 9' potion formulas. One is called the 'Clairvoyant,' the ability mastered by Old Neil, heh, Roselle should have mentioned it to you. She always can't keep her mouth shut."

Klein smiled awkwardly, unsure how to respond, but fortunately Dun didn't mind and continued:

"Our 'Clairvoyant' potion formula and the disconnected subsequent parts were obtained from the 'Moses Ascetic Society.' At that time, they were said to be uncorrupted, still adhering to morals and disciplines, persisting in the pursuit of knowledge, and strictly keeping secrets. Every member, after becoming a 'Clairvoyant,' had to take a vow of silence for five years, learning to be silent in order to cultivate and enhance concentration. The motto of the 'Clairvoyant,' 'Do what you will, but harm none,' originated from them."

"The 'Clairvoyant' has a comprehensive but preliminary understanding and mastery of mysterious knowledge such as magic, witchcraft, and astrology. They understand many ritual magics but are easily aware of certain presences hidden behind things. They must be cautious and full of awe towards extraordinary powers."

"We lack most of this sequence, so it's scattered and incomplete, like its Sequence 8. Of course, maybe the 'Cathedral' has it."

This almost meets all of my requirements... Klein nodded slightly, feeling the urge to choose.

Fortunately, he remembered something else:

"What about the other two?"

"The second one is called the 'Gravekeeper,' chosen by many cultists in the Southern Continent who worship the god of death. After taking this potion, they will be mistaken for one of the mindless undead by unintelligent spirits, thereby avoiding attacks. They can endure the erosion of cold, decay, and the aura of death, directly see some evil spirits, understand the characteristics and weaknesses of many undead creatures, and gain some improvement in physical qualities. We have its Sequence 8 and Sequence 7 afterward. Hehe, you can probably guess its Sequence 7, the 'Spirit Medium!' That was Daisy's initial choice." Dun described in detail.

The 'Spirit Medium' indeed seems mysterious and cool, but what I most want is mastery of occult knowledge... Klein remained silent, listening quietly.

Dun Smith turned his head and glanced at the crimson moonlight:

"The third one we only have Sequence 9, whether the 'Cathedral' has hidden others, I'm not sure. It's called the 'Diviner.'"

The Diviner? Klein's pupils contracted slightly, thinking of the regret left by Emperor Roselle in his diary:

He regretted not choosing among the Apprentice, Thief, and Diviner!