Chapter 806: “Seeking Guidance

"He may not go by that name in Morola; I just knew him from before. I ran into him again yesterday at this bar when I challenged the owner to a duel. His distinguishing feature is his hair, dyed a shade of red—haha, in Morola, anyone with red hair, no matter what shade, is trouble…" Lu Mi detailed Albus Medich's physical appearance.

The chef Les nodded:

"I'll remember."

"Really? Should I sketch portraits of these people for you?" Lu Mi asked with unusual sincerity.

He wasn't just asking Les—he was also watching Julie, who had descended the stairs again but was now moving with increasingly slow steps.

He wanted to give this "witch" something to do, hoping she'd soon notice Vanack and Albus and others, letting trouble collide with trouble to see which was the biggest.

Les slowly shook his head:

"No need. Remember them as different ingredients—their traits become clear that way."

"Different ingredients, like a turkey?" Lu Mi mentally merged Albus Medich's image with a turkey, and laughed out loud.

He then pulled out 200 Sarsen gold for Les—payment to replenish the bar's meat and alcohol supplies.

After turning away from the kitchen, Lu Mi "happened" to see Julie finish descending the stairs, her feet touching the floor.

The "witch" had changed into a fresh set of clothes—somehow acquired—wearing a white women's shirt paired with a brown-green ankle-length skirt, perfectly highlighting her gentle, refined charm.

Lu Mi suddenly recalled the voice he'd heard last night, a stark contrast to Julie's current demeanor and state.

His mouth went dry.

Shit, this "witch" is secretly using "Charm" on me! Lu Mi wasn't immune to such effects—but such a strong reaction was definitely problematic for a "Penitent."

He looked at Julie and raised an eyebrow:

"Remember the bar's second rule?"

Compared to yesterday, Julie's face seemed to glow, radiating joy from within.

This made Lu Mi instinctively want to rub his temples:

Sister, are you really that unconcerned about exposing that Sylister came to see you last night?

Even though you don't know I watched you charge at Sylister and suffer a crushing blow…

Julie pressed her lips together and smiled demurely:

"I can't harass you, boss."

"You just used 'Charm' on me," Lu Mi stated plainly.

Julie immediately shrank back, asking fearfully:

"W-what punishment do you have for me?"

She acted timid, but her eyes sparkled with amusement—as if flirting with Lu Mi.

Lu Mi sighed, half-serious, half-deliberate:

"First offense—forgiven."

"But don't let it happen again, or…"

He left the threat unfinished, cultivating an atmosphere of unknown dread.

"Yes, boss!" Julie beamed.

Her eyes flickered as she pointed toward the door:

"Boss, the bar doesn't open until noon—can I go out for a bit?"

"Sure," Lu Mi teased. "Planning to satisfy your collector's urge again? Do you have a morning exercise routine?"

"No," Julie shook her head lightly. "I want to learn more about this city."

After watching her leave the bar, Lu Mi immediately "teleported" ahead, shifting into a shadow-being and preparing to tail her.

But Julie vanished.

"Invisibility," then erased traces, performed anti-divination? Lu Mi stepped out of the shadows, frowning slightly.

This meant Julie's morning task was extremely important—she didn't want anyone to know!

Of course, this was also because she'd finally met her lover, her spirit soothed, her entire state improving instantly—she'd become professional enough, no longer as erratic and emotionally out of control as last night.

This was the proper demeanor of a Rank 5 "Pain Witch."

Lu Mi wasn't overly disappointed—at least Julie now knew about Vanack and Albus Medich.

He walked along the nearest road toward the cemetery, but upon arrival, he didn't dig up any graves or sneak underground—instead, he turned directly into the library-like Knowledge Church.

Today's outing—tracking Julie—was merely incidental; his main goal was to visit Morola's Archbishop Heraberg.

—"Archbishop of Morola" was a title Lu Mi had coined for Heraberg, since this puppet-like clergyman of the Knowledge Church claimed to oversee all theological affairs in Morola.

Lu Mi figured that since the Knowledge Church had "delivered" him to Morola without even confiscating his artifacts, a direct inquiry about the underground mausoleum might yield better results than indirect probing.

It was also a test—he wanted to see whether the "0—01" sealing records had been given only to him, or distributed to all who met the qualifications. Was the Knowledge Church betting heavily on him alone—or spreading its eggs across multiple baskets?

Inside the radiant, sacred church, Lu Mi found Heraberg among rows of brass bookshelves and stained-glass windows—his hair silvered, his eyes gentle, clad in a plain white robe edged with golden brass threads.

The Knowledge Church clergyman stood before a brass bookshelf, quietly flipping through a thick volume.

"Archbishop," Lu Mi ventured.

Heraberg lifted his head, smiling warmly:

"What's your question?"

Lu Mi carefully chose his words:

"If I want to enter the underground section of the cemetery and retrieve something, how can I avoid the dangers?"

Heraberg smiled.

He pointed to the nearby brass bookshelf:

"This one, this one, this one… take these books back, read them thoroughly, master them."

Lu Mi followed the clergyman's finger and mentally read the titles:

The Morola Resident Code

The Making and Maintenance of Puppets

Examples of Underground Mausoleum Construction

Principles of Sealing…

…What do I, a "Hunter," need with these books? I'm not on the "Reader" Path—I can't directly manifest knowledge as power… So does this mean absorbing the knowledge in these books will let me roughly understand the mausoleum's layout, grasp the sealing mechanisms, and learn how to leave a mark on "0—01"? Lu Mi withdrew his gaze, thoughtful.

Heraberg continued:

"Once you've finished these books, take these exams—every single one must be perfect."

Lu Mi stared at the shelf packed full of exam papers, his temple twitching involuntarily, awakening unpleasant memories.

He kept his expression neutral, confirming:

"After reading these books and passing all these exams, I'll be able to avoid all dangers in the underground cemetery?"

Heraberg raised his right hand again, pointing to another brass bookshelf:

"These, these, these—master the knowledge on these three shelves, and you'll be about ready."

Three shelves? Lu Mi's lips twitched slightly.

That's two or three hundred books, over a thousand exams?

Heraberg sighed with a smile:

"Remember: knowledge equals power, knowledge equals wealth. All answers lie within knowledge."

Lu Mi's expression shifted several times; he gritted his teeth:

"I'll start with these."

He pulled out the first few books Heraberg had indicated from the brass shelf.

Heraberg nodded approvingly:

"A 'Hunter' who learns, who pursues knowledge, is the strongest 'Hunter.'"

"It's been years since a 'Hunter' came to me seeking guidance, willing to patiently read assigned books. The others—the redheads and the coarse-haired ones—won't even step into the Holy Library, let alone approach these shelves."

That's because Aurora gave me a solid foundation, instilling my reading habit from childhood… Lu Mi boasted inwardly, then felt a pang of sadness.

He shoved the books into his "Traveler's Satchel," bid farewell to Heraberg, and walked toward the church's exit.

Along the way, he spotted a familiar figure.

It was Gei, exiled to Morola alongside him.

The mild-looking Gei now wore thick cotton clothing, standing before a brass bookshelf, absorbed in his book under the sunlight streaming through the stained glass.

Lu Mi pondered for a few seconds, then walked over and smiled:

"Small world—what are you doing reading in a church?"

Gei smiled faintly:

"Didn't I tell you yesterday I regret not knowing enough? Now that there's such a vast library, how could I pass up the chance to learn?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Asking if it's too late to convert to the 'God of Knowledge and Wisdom,'" Lu Mi joked, then changed the subject. "Found a job yet?"

"Not yet," Gei shook his head. "I won't work on farms or in factories like some exiled slave. I'll study for now—luckily, I made some money yesterday, so I won't starve."

Lu Mi chatted briefly with Gei, then waved goodbye to the enigmatic serial killer, returning to the "Carnivore" bar. He took a window seat and pulled out the borrowed books, settling into the most comfortable posture to read.

Morola's sunlight alternated between bright and obscured by storms, but it didn't affect Lu Mi—he carried his own blazing white lantern-light.

Near noon, Julie returned from outside, light-footed and smiling, radiating intense charm—even the meat-cooking chef Les couldn't help glancing at her multiple times.

Julie glanced at Lu Mi and asked curiously:

"You're reading?"

"Nothing else to do," Lu Mi replied casually.

Julie had no interest in books; she turned away and headed upstairs, searching for female servant attire.

Lu Mi silently clicked his tongue:

Really, knowledge is power, knowledge is wealth—yet none of them were curious about what book I was reading…

At that moment, Lies came over to his side and said:

"Boss, it's time for lunch."

Lu Mi nodded, put away the book, and stood up.

He paused, then said thoughtfully to Lies:

"Get a piece of red cloth and hang it by the door."

PS: Beginning of the month, requesting monthly votes~

(End of Chapter)