Chapter 745: Crow

Xia Er's words made Da Lei Er's complexion flash red and white in turn; after a while, he finally calmed his emotions and, as if just realizing, asked:

"You are worried that I might 'instigate' the ordinary people on the steam train, causing chaos, which is why you suggested traveling with me?" He paused, then added, "Are you official extraordinaires? When did you set your sights on me?"

As he spoke, his right hand gripping the leather satchel tightened its hold.

Xia Er shook his head and chuckled, "I suppose so. You needn't be so nervous; if we had ill intent or wanted to do something to you, we wouldn't have to wait until now, given the huge gap between us."

Da Lei Er's retreating steps unconsciously halted; he found the words of this middle‑aged gentleman named Xia Er quite reasonable and convincing.

After a brief daze, he seemed to suddenly come to his senses and stared at Xia Er in astonishment, saying:

"You are also an 'Instigator'? A higher‑rank 'Instigator'?"

Beside them, Lei Meng suddenly laughed out loud; Xia Er, who had kept a calm bearing, suddenly had his expression freeze, and, clenching his teeth, said in a deep voice, "I am not."

While speaking, he also glared at Lei Meng, who was still laughing, silently accusing him.

A Sequence Eight 'Instigator' could never detect my influence; it must be you, the perverse fellow, pulling some petty tricks.

Da Lei Er paid no attention to their exchange, seeming to have fully lowered his defenses, and, with a hint of sigh, said:

"I know that to fully master the power of the demon elixir, one must perform according to its name, gradually adapt to it, then seize it. I've been trying all along; you must have found me through these clues, right?"

Xia Er nodded, his tone calm as he replied, "That's about right; it seems you still have a teacher."

Da Lei Er's expression suddenly turned sorrowful; his right hand gripping the leather satchel tightened, as if he wanted to tuck the bag into his chest, but he restrained himself because others were nearby.

After hesitating and wrestling with his thoughts for a while, he suddenly spoke, "It's over now. I... I want to be alone for a while, then find an inn and get a good night's sleep. Since you don't intend to capture me, that should be fine, right?"

Xia Er gave a noncommittal nod, seeming truly to have no intention of doing anything to him.

Relieved, Da Lei Er turned and walked back the way he came; after slipping out of Xia Er's and Lei Meng's sight, he turned and slipped into a side alley.

Watching Da Lei Er's disappearing back, Lei Meng gave Xia Er a half‑smile, half‑scoff, and said offhandedly:

"The one from the Southern Continent moved much faster than we imagined."

Shrugging, Xia Er said evenly, "No matter how dire, he's still His son; how could He not help?"

"They are now father and son united, challenging the gods."

After a pause, he shifted the topic back to Da Lei Er:

"Someone who looks perfectly normal has actually long been influenced, polluted, turned into a monster wearing human skin. Hmm, are you curious how he delights with a wondrous item?"

"Not curious," Lei Meng shook his head.

Xia Er shook his head and sighed, "As a Seeker of Secrets, you lack the necessary curiosity."

"Curiosity isn't about looking at everything; that's courting death. A Seeker of Secrets' curiosity is an exploration, not a mere voyeuristic desire."

While the two talked, part of the crew on the Future had already arrived at the dock via the transparent starlight bridge.

Xia Er merely glanced, but his gaze was drawn to the leading sailor captain Nina, who bore Fusak lineage; his eyes roamed up and down her body, especially her breasts that far exceeded any permissible limits.

Noticing Xia Er's eyes bobbing with Nina's motions, Lei Meng cleared his throat lightly, "Your saliva is about to spill out; shall I inform Beiernad? Tell her that her father has taken a liking to the crew member of his adopted daughter."

"Cough cough~~" Xia Er coughed, reluctantly shifting his gaze, and kept exclaiming, "Don't sully anyone's innocence for nothing; I'm just appreciating something beautiful."

"Moreover, her looks among my former bedfellows were nothing remarkable, even plain, but her figure is definitely among the most outstanding—many witches can't compare."

At that moment, Xia Er seemed to recall something, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed his saliva.

Lei Meng, following his words, nodded and said, "Everyone knows your famous line: 'The taste of a witch is truly delightful.'"

Xia Er's expression froze momentarily, his face changing colors; after calming himself for some time, he gritted his teeth and said, "One day, I will destroy all the diaries and erase the memories of everyone who has read my diaries."

Lei Meng, expressionless, sighed, "That should be somewhat difficult."

A crow happened to fly over their heads, crossing the sky above Utopia and heading toward the Honachis Mountains.

Glancing at the departing crow, Xia Er withdrew his gaze and whispered, "Chala Tu actually found this place before A Meng; that's unbelievable—does that old fool who loves riddles have such skill and luck?"

Lei Meng pondered and said:

"Interactions between people are also interactions between souls; they feed back into the surrounding collective unconscious sea, forming a reef, an island, which is then observed by the ruler of the spiritual realm." Xia Er gave a noncommittal nod, "So you're saying Chala Tu has pledged to the True Creator? He knelt far too quickly!"

"The Lord of the Mysteries certainly needs attendants, and the emergence of the Fool must inevitably reclaim all the 'Mysterious Secret' servant attributes. He didn't choose A Meng, and can't outmaneuver them, so he can only await death."

As his words fell, Lei Meng's figure became ethereal, breaking into streams of data that merged into every corner of the city.

"I suddenly miss the quiet days in the tomb," Xia Er shook his head and sighed; his body grew markedly ethereal, as if becoming some illusion, his shadow drifting forward beyond the world's underlying rules.

On the deck of the Future, Jia Deli Ya suddenly sensed something, tilted her head, and a faint violet radiance streamed through her eyes before disappearing.

A moment later, she whispered with some doubt, "What was just now in this city? Is it related to the Future's sudden emergence from the misty sea into the inter‑sea?"

After pondering for two seconds, she used the Seeker of Secrets eye implanted in the crew to send them a message:

"Return immediately after procuring supplies; do not linger in this town."

"Don't worry, Captain, I'll keep an eye on them."

"Wait, what's that sound?"

Sailor Captain Nina's voice, transmitted through the Seeker of Secrets eye connection, reached Jia Deli Ya's ears; the images forming in her mind kept moving forward, turning left into a narrow alley before stopping.

At the deep end of the alley, a completely naked man leaned against the corner, cradling in his arms a delicate, beautiful doll about the height of an adult's forearm, and was engaging in some indescribable activity with it.

It was the lone Da Lei Er who had left earlier; at this moment he was immersed in extreme pleasure, completely unaware that another spectator had appeared behind him.

"Um, although I know that the customs of Indis are very open, isn't this a bit too open?"

Nina was slightly taken aback, and casually complained to Jia Deli Ya, who was linked with her,

In the midst of the conversation, the low, breathy sounds and that fishy smell from ahead perfectly covered her; for a moment she felt dazed, her body unnaturally hot, an urge to join him, to seize, to monopolize the doll.

She swallowed, her cheek temperature rising, tinged with a flush.

"This is abnormal; I clearly just two days ago was with..."

"Cough~ Captain, what's your take?"

On the Future, Jia Deli Ya, after the scene Nina saw flashed in her mind, instinctively averted her gaze; this action couldn't prevent the image from forming in her mind, and she could still see what Nina saw.

"Stay away from here; you have already been affected."

While warning Nina, Jia Deli Ya used the Seeker of Secrets eye placed on the other to exert influence, reducing the enchantment Nina was under.

Nina paused briefly, as if a basin of cold water had been poured over her head, the bodily heat eased; although she still had the urge to find someone to vent her desires, it was within tolerable limits.

"Too terrifying, what is this thing? It actually made me so hungry and thirsty that I ended up fighting a man over a masturbation tool."

Nina complained while distancing herself, stopping only when there was no more panting in her ears and she could no longer smell the fishy odor.

Gadeliya's calm, rational voice echoed in her ear through the Eye of Secrets:

"It is a miraculous item of the Witch pathway, but it seems mixed with something else, something that can arouse desire."

Above the gray mist, Klein, who also noticed this scene, raised his hand to cover his eyes.

"I feel my eyes are dirty."

"They've been following this guy all the way, yet neither of them dealt with this obviously problematic item—what other motive could they have? Or a hidden danger?"

After muttering a few sentences, to ensure no uncontrollable accident would happen in Utopia, Klein chose to perform a divination on that strange doll.

His divination went smoothly, without any interference, and he quickly obtained all the information about this strange doll:

An incomplete "Pleasure Witch" trait, combined with some extra things, granted this item some abilities beyond the twenty-two pathways.

As long as it is carried, it makes the body healthy and strong, but at the same time it constantly keeps the bearer in a state of hunger and thirst, always craving sexual intercourse; with increasing contact time, this desire grows stronger.

The wielder gains the ability to control black flame and frost, but is also cursed, gradually falling in love with the doll, becoming mad and obsessed, eventually becoming the doll's captured prey; in the end, the person who possesses this item will bear a child together with it.

(End of chapter)