Chapter 379: Bold Speculation |
Alone Bar? Lumian was taken aback by the answer.
Loki, the founder of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society's April Fools' team, is actually in Trier and connected to the Alone Bar?
Isn't this a little too coincidental?
Lumian's impression of the Alone Bar was that it stood diagonally opposite Salle de Bal Unique. In the basement, there was a theater for marionette shows. The lighting was dim, and the colors were dark, giving it a slightly sinister appearance.
Initially, he didn't see it as a problem, but now that he knew that the monocle-wearing patrons of Salle de Bal Unique were in a superimposed state of being "Amon" and "Not Amon," he believed that the Alone Bar, which could compete with this dance hall and survive, wasn't simple.
Moreover, he had once observed Leah from Bureau 8 entering the bar. He suspected it to be Bureau 8's covert hideout, designed to keep an eye on the Amons at Salle de Bal Unique.
Could Loki also be a member of Bureau 8, a true official Beyonder?
Or was it possible that he merely resided in Quartier de l'Observatoire and recognized the uniqueness of Alone Bar? Was that why he used the mechanical typewriter there to create a copy of the information, preventing anyone from tracing it back to him?
Lumian contemplated for a moment and said, "There's a significant issue with this bar."
"You're familiar with this bar?" Franca looked surprised.
This man appeared to harbor many secrets she was unaware of!
A soft chuckle escaped Lumian's lips.
"We'll need to start with Madame Hela and me searching for the Samaritan Women's Spring."
Franca was taken aback. "How many times do I need to have you give out every detail? Are you a tube of toothpaste, giving out a little with each squeeze?"
"The focus was on the situation at the Samaritan Women's Spring, and this all happened along the way," Lumian explained, without feeling embarrassed.
Starting from his encounter with the Islander swindler, Monette, and his repeated scares, he connected Charlie being swindled, the uniqueness of Salle de Bal Unique, and Madam Magician's connection to Amon. Finally, he mentioned that Alone Bar was diagonally opposite Salle de Bal Unique, and an official member of Bureau 8 had once entered and exited.
Franca felt like she was listening to a ghost story. She subconsciously wanted to hug a pillow, but there was none on the recliner.
Quickly shaking off her daze, she straightened her back, trying to maintain an expression that suggested a "true man" wouldn't be frightened by such a terrifying incident.
All this was used to torment Jenna!
After Lumian finished speaking, Franca hissed and said, "You've had quite the array of experiences. You've even encountered an old monster that only exists in horror stories."
"Why didn't you warn me earlier? That Islander swindler shows up in the market district from time to time. What if I run into him one day?"
"It's for your own safety. If you didn't suspect anything when you encountered him, he wouldn't pay you any attention. But now, if your demeanor changes when you see him, he might become suspicious and involve you in his Parasitism," Lumian warned, half-scaring Franca.
"That's true." Franca gritted her teeth and added, "The next time I meet him, I'll pray for the angel's protection from Mr. Fool when I get home!"
She pushed aside her fear of the Amons and steered the conversation back to the main topic.
"This all ties into the Alone Bar. Investigating it in the future is going to be very challenging…"
Franca suddenly had an imaginative guess.
"Do you think Loki has already been parasitized by an Amon?"
Lumian struggled to follow Franca's train of thought and responded, "Huh?"
Franca continued, her tone grave, "Consider this. The books and legends of the Ancient Sun God have been missing for two to three thousand years, and since the Churches of the Seven Gods' bibles are copied from Him, they must have erased relevant information. How did Loki come by this information?
"While there are various possibilities, if he is indeed Amon, it would make sense. No one knows His father's situation better than Him.
"As a child of a transmigrator, not to mention that He can obtain Loki's memories through Parasitism, even if He can't, He can perfectly act as our companion. You also mentioned that He enjoys deceit and has frightened you a few times. This is very similar to Loki's usual behavior.
"And when Amon from Salle de Bal Unique created the duplicate, he deliberately went to the Alone Bar diagonally opposite to use a mechanical typewriter to mislead potential tracing. This also fits with this style."
Franca's bold imagination surprised Lumian. After a moment of thought, he responded, "This does explain why this information oddly points to the Alone Bar.
"Under the guidance of this evil angel, the April Fool's team gradually felt despair for the future and pursued their own joy. It was a reasonable development for them to start targeting other members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society.
"However, Amon wouldn't intentionally lead the information to the Alone Bar, as that would naturally make investigators suspect Him, who resides diagonally opposite…
"Perhaps He anticipated the investigators' thoughts," Franca countered.
Lumian shook his head slowly.
"If it were Amon, your divination would have been misled or you wouldn't have received an answer.
"Yes, regardless, this is indeed a possibility. I plan to visit the Alone Bar for a drink in the next two days and investigate the situation on the ground, but I won't delve further."
Franca acknowledged his words tersely and sighed.
"In truth, I also realize that the likelihood of Loki being parasitized by an Amon is very low. Our primary purpose in attending the gathering is to transition into a special state. In this state, the Sealed Artifact borrowed from Madame Hela should be able to detect any abnormalities in each member's bodies. It won't transform the corresponding object and leave it where it is.
"Sigh, I'm just finding excuses for myself. It's not wise for us to pursue Loki without substantial evidence and strong suspicion.
"It makes me feel like I've betrayed the Research Society and my companions. That's why I hope that Loki was indeed parasitized by Amon. That way, I won't experience a similar sense of guilt. I'd be helping the Research Society eliminate hidden dangers."
Filtering abnormalities in the body by entering a special state and attending the gathering? But nothing happened to Termiboros… Lumian wondered if it was because Mr. Fool's seal was unique or if Madame Hela's Sealed Artifact lacked the ability to filter abnormalities and guard against parasitic angels like Amon.
However, he didn't voice any objections at the moment and instead smiled.
"In my view, there's definitely something amiss with Loki. It's just a question of whether it's a major or minor issue.
"When he sold you the information, did he encourage you to explore the underground and seek out more remnants of the Ancient Sun God?"
"He did," Franca confirmed. "He also mentioned that in such places, the higher the Sequence, the more dangerous it is. It's easier to lose control. Only Low-Sequence Beyonders like us can approach it."
"That's only a relative perspective. Did you find it dangerous when I explored the Samaritan Women's Spring earlier?" Lumian inquired.
"It was extremely dangerous," Franca acknowledged, knowing much about the matter.
And you don't even know that the Blood Emperor's apparition nearly caught me… Lumian muttered, "Searching for the remnants of the Ancient Sun God will likely be even more dangerous.
"If Loki doesn't make an attempt, he'll be essentially using you as cannon fodder by encouraging you to explore underground. And if he does try, he'll inevitably be corrupted and gradually mutate. He lacks the purification of a great existence like Mr. Fool.
"So, it's crucial to locate Loki as soon as possible. It's in both your and his best interests."
Franca bit her lip and agreed, "You're right. Loki clearly has malicious intentions in this matter. The other members of the April Fool's team might be curious and willing to participate, but I believe they're cooperating with him."
After persuading Franca, Lumian asked curiously, "Tell me, the prerequisite for entering the gathering is to enter a special state. What state is it?"
Franca, no longer hesitating, shared eagerly, "I've asked my Major Arcana card holder about it before. Although I couldn't reveal the incantation or provide a detailed description of the gathering, she speculated that it involves a 'Concealment' power based on my description and its effects."
"Concealment" power… Lumian nodded.
It was indeed well-concealed. Even the incantation had been hidden, preventing anyone from discovering it.
Franca went on, "The power of Concealment is associated with the Evernight pathway, which is the divine pathway controlled by the Evernight Goddess Church."
She lowered her voice and added, "I suspect that Madame Hela is affiliated with the Church of Evernight."
"Similar to 007?" Lumian inquired. He hadn't encountered 007 today, as too many people had participated in the gathering, and he didn't know the usual attire or team of 007.
Franca tersely confirmed his assumption.
"Something along those lines, but she may hold a more significant position. She's at a higher level and has access to more concealed knowledge."
Recalling Madame Hela's actions in obtaining the Samaritan Women's Spring, Lumian couldn't help but agree with Franca's assessment.
Indeed, the lady possessed a wealth of secret knowledge. Moreover, she wore a black diamond ring that clearly exceeded ordinary mystical items and was suspected to possess godlike powers.
Additionally, the Sealed Artifact she had borrowed to convene the gathering was beyond Lumian's imagination.
In a casual manner, Lumian asked, "What are the primary manifestations of the Evernight pathway's powers?"
According to Aurore's grimoires, the first three Sequences of this pathway were Sleepless, Midnight Poet, and Nightmare. They primarily involved enhancing spirituality, increasing mental strength, reducing the need for sleep, the mystical application of poetry, and the unique ability to induce sleep in others.
Franca thought for a moment and replied, "The power of Concealment, command over spirits, and the ability to create realistic dreams…"
Realistic dream… Lumian was taken aback by the answer.
He couldn't help but recall the realistic dream he had experienced in the ruins of Cordu.
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