Chapter 72

Chapter 72

"Is this moral blackmail?" Archie asked.

"You could interpret it that way," Eugene said, unabashed.

Archie stared coldly at the two men, recalling the words in his father's note, filled with disdain and icy contempt for the Inspection Bureau.

Charlie and Albert... were they struggling for this kind of organization?

It was, frankly, laughable.

"I don't know," Archie said icily.

Eugene sighed, glancing at Jobe, "It seems mere words won't persuade you."

He placed his fingers back on his glasses frame. Archie noticed this gesture, and alarm bells rang in his mind.

He had made this move before but was stopped by Jobe. What was this? What would happen? Was it an origin ability?

"Don't worry, Dr. Archie. My ability is different from that disgusting pollutant; it won't harm you," Eugene moved closer to Archie, slowly removing his glasses. Beneath the black frames, his black eyes seemed like tangled coils, ready to draw in anyone they beheld, "Consider it a nightmare that’s hard to wake from."

Sphinx! I must convey what I've heard to Lann!

Archie thought rapidly in his mind, unsure if Sphinx would understand his intention, but intuition told him that if this man's ability was indeed related to hypnosis, it would be disastrous.

He had too much information that absolutely couldn't be revealed, especially since Archie's own ability was a significant source of intelligence.

Ding—

Suddenly, a text message alert sounded in the room. Eugene paused for two seconds, straightened up, and put his hand in his pocket to pull out his phone.

Whatever Eugene saw made his eyes widen slightly, and a hint of a smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

"Interesting..."

What? What's happening?

Eugene tossed the phone to Jobe, then turned to leave the room, "Come on, let's wake up that hacker. No time to let him sleep now."

Jobe caught the phone Eugene threw and saw the text message on it.

[Leave Archie now, or I will destroy the Foreigners' legacy.]

"Is this... a message from Albert?" Jobe's eyes widened, he glanced at Archie, who looked confused, pursed his lips, and followed Eugene's steps.

Once they left, Archie immediately started brainstorming.

What did Jobe just say? A message from Albert? But isn't he still in Lord Lann's divine realm...

Gritting his teeth, Archie quickly closed his eyes and went to the Dream Gap. Sphinx, without needing further explanation, saw Archie's figure and knew what he wanted to do, stepping into the fog.

I must inform Lord Lann of this development quickly!

Sphinx re-entered the divine realm through the fog. The moment he stepped in, Lann sensed his arrival, looking at him curiously. Before Lann could ask, Sphinx urgently said, "Something's wrong, Lord Lann. There’s trouble with Archie!"

Sphinx relayed to Lann how Archie was interrogated, and how a text message interrupted Eugene's attempt to use his ability, not omitting the name Jobe had quietly mentioned at the end.

"Albert?" Lann's eyes held deep surprise, "But, that's impossible."

"Because Albert has been in a deep coma all this time and hasn't woken up."

Albert was currently in Lann's divine realm, and no slight movement could escape Lann's notice. During this time, Albert had been as still as if unable to awaken.

But if the text message wasn't sent by Albert, then who did it?

……

Eugene and Jobe returned to the hospital, only gone for an hour. Edmund looked perplexed to see them leave and then return so quickly.

"What happened?"

"No time to waste talking to you," Eugene, grabbing Jobe by the collar, barged into the ICU, and said brusquely, "Use your ability on him, we must wake him up!"

Jobe, though displeased with Eugene's attitude, knew the urgency of the situation and, disregarding his own weakness, used his ability on Iddy again.

A faint white light illuminated the ICU and then dimmed, the process lasting at least an hour.

An hour later, Jobe was nearly unconscious, Iddy's complexion had improved significantly, but he still showed no sign of waking. Eugene summoned several doctors for a diagnosis. The medical staff, having never seen a patient nearly dead one day and significantly better the next, were dumbfounded. Under Eugene's threats, they nervously speculated, "This... this might be due to the patient's respiratory and cardiac arrest upon arrival, causing brain hypoxia."

"When can he possibly wake up?"

"Well... it's uncertain. It could be the next second, or he might not wake up for a very long time." The doctors, though not explicitly stating it, implied a grim prognosis known to those with medical knowledge.

That Iddy might become a vegetative patient.

Eugene, unflinching at this news, shooed the extra medical staff out, took off his black gloves, and placed his hands on Iddy's head.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Jobe asked with difficulty.

"Shut up," Eugene said coldly. "We don't have time to let him lie in bed now."

"You need to wake up, Iddy."

Eugene's origin ability [Hypnotist] allows him to invade another's consciousness and spirit through eye contact or physical touch, performing mind modification, hypnosis, suggestion, etc.

Origin abilities evolve with deeper incursions into the Dream Gap. For example, Edmund's [Jester] initially awakened to superior physical abilities and proficiency with knives, but later evolved to include limb control and self-healing in the second layer.

Likewise, Eugene's [Hypnotist] ability evolved beyond basic suggestion to include clarifying or muddling consciousness.

He previously invaded Jobe's mind to force him awake, and now he was using the same method on Iddy.

Iddy's previously peaceful expression twisted in pain, his brow furrowing, and the lines on the brainwave monitor began to fluctuate violently. Jobe wanted to stop this rough method, but he couldn't stand up at the moment.

Five minutes later, Iddy screamed and finally opened his eyes, sitting up abruptly.

"Finally awake," Eugene snorted and tossed a phone to Iddy. "Time to work. Track the address from where this text was sent."

Iddy, still dazed, didn't react when the phone fell into his hands. Impatient, Eugene grabbed his face, removing his glasses, "Now, use your ability to find the address from where this text was sent. Understand?"

His dark eyes seemed to swirl with tangled coils, engulfing everything, Iddy shuddered and picked up the phone, instinctively doing as told.

Forcibly activating his [Cyber Ghost] ability, Iddy texted while simultaneously tracking the address through the exchange of messages.

[Are you Albert? What are you planning?]

【^-^】

[The item is indeed with me. I've left Archie's side. Hand it over to us.]

Watching the continuous flow of text messages, a rare black-haired man chuckled softly, tossing the phone into the walls of Arkham Hospital. Humming a light tune, he walked briskly along the road, his steps shadowed by the trees.

Passersby couldn’t help but look at him, for no other reason than the man's striking appearance. He had a rare delicacy and gentleness in his eyes, uncommon in Western men, surrounded by a faint floral scent.

Alchi Hayes.

"Amos silently repeated the name in his mind, recalling the aloof, icy man. Though not the focus of their last mission, various reasons had kept him lingering on the ambiguous edge."

"He was Albert's best friend, childhood companion, and first love."

"At the same time, his father was an undercover agent sent by the Bureau of Inspection to infiltrate the foreigners."

"But for Amos, at this moment, Alchie's most important identity was that of a follower of Ranen."

"'Saving Alchie Hayes must be a significant help to him,' Amos thought."

"Murmuring softly, he closed his eyes, standing under the leafy shade on the street. Today's rare sunny weather in Akam brought warm sunlight filtering through the trees, casting uneven patches of light that fell gently on Amos’s deceptive, tender features."

"Passersby were invariably drawn to him, stopping in their tracks. This peculiar allure was more than just the sight of a beautiful flower on the road; it was deeper, as if this man could effortlessly become the center of attention."

"Or perhaps... become an unnoticed, peripheral figure, a ghost without presence."

"Amos opened his eyes, and the crowd that had been captivated as if nothing had happened continued on their way, not even remembering they had stopped to gaze at a handsome man."

"Ranen."

He silently repeated the name in his heart, his fair face flushing with an infatuated red. The thought of that mysterious, unattainable flower, a rarity impossible to find in the real world, tickled his mind like ants crawling over his skin.

After plundering the Soul Flower of Soren, the leader of the strangers, Amos disappeared for a long time to assimilate the peculiar petals.

He gleaned much information beyond the imagination of others, which intensified his resolve to find Lan.

He had a premonition that this was the ultimate goal of his pursuit.

No one, not even a god, could be more special than Lan.

But how to proceed was a challenge.

However, it didn't matter; Amos was never afraid of overcoming challenges.

He could spend years in disguise by the side of the strangers' leader and dedicate his life to chasing the ultimate flower.

And the next target...

Amos glanced at the walls of Arkham Hospital, a slight smirk curling his lips.

Let the Inspection Bureau take this journey on his behalf.

……

"Found it," said Iddy, struggling, his eyes bloodshot and weary. His physical and mental state could barely sustain the use of Origin Power. But spurred by Eugene's hint, he overexerted his drained body and mind.

"The location is... within this area," Iddy pointed to a spot on the map with his last bit of strength, then could no longer hold on and fainted.

"Tsk," Eugene frowned as he looked at the map, glancing towards the two people in the ICU ward.

Both Job and Iddy had fallen into a coma due to forcefully activating their abilities.

Outside, Diana and Eunice were still recovering from their injuries.

"Really, not a single usable person."

……

When Iddy regained consciousness, he had already been moved to another ward.

"I, I just..."

"Oh, Iddy, you're awake," Diana brought him water and fruit, "How do you feel?"

"A bit better," Iddy managed a weak smile, sitting up in bed, then suddenly clutched his head, "What's the situation now? My head hurts so much..."

"That bastard earlier forced hypnosis on you, I'm sorry, I couldn't stop him."

Job's voice came from the next ward. Iddy turned his head in shock to the person lying in the adjacent bed, "Captain?"

He could barely recognize the person on the bed as Job. Just a few days ago, Job was the epitome of health and strength, a man anyone would call 'mighty'.

But now, Job had shrunk in size, his face gaunt and withered like a dried-up tree.

"What happened!?"

"Just a bit of side effects from overusing my powers," Job mumbled vaguely.

"This is more than just side effects," Diana, who was able to get out of bed and was among the least injured in the team, poured water for the awakened Iddy and Job, "I saw it with my own eyes, the captain's limbs were severed."

"Limbs?" Iddy's eyes widened as he noticed the skin on Job's arms and legs looked different, as if newly grown.

He remembered, before falling unconscious, they were battling the Secret Church.

Could the outcome be...

Iddy looked at Diana, who said flatly, "We lost. If it weren't for your distress signal, which prompted Edmund and the police to act, we probably would have died there."

"How dare that cult act so brazenly!" Iddy was visibly agitated, his chest heaving with anger.

"Yes, no one expected their counterattack to be so swift," Job said with a bitter smile, "I'm sorry, it was my misjudgment. I thought if we acted quickly enough, there wouldn't be any mishaps."

"Captain, it's not your fault," Diana sighed, "Who could have imagined that the leader of the Black Jacks could survive... how did he manage that?"

No one knew the answer to this question. It remained a mystery. How did an ordinary person, easily subdued just a while ago, manage such a sharp counterattack in such a short time?

"God..."

Eunice's voice drew everyone's attention. Numbly, she said, "Is there any other possibility than this?"

"A god..." Job murmured.

The deity of the Secret Church, they knew the cult had its deity. Did everything they suffered stem from the vengeance of this malevolent god?

Malevolent gods, rarely encountered even in the missions of the Inspection Bureau, and seldom recorded by investigators, for a simple reason.

Because those who have seen a malevolent god either went mad or died.

Completely unconventional, difficult to manifest in reality, but once involved in an incident, any level of mission automatically escalates to 'unknown'. Very few investigators live to tell the tale.

Thus, the Inspection Squad had never initially considered this direction.

In the silence, Iddy struggled to rise and grabbed a computer nearby.

Job was startled: "Iddy! You can't use your powers in your current state."

"But I can't accept this!" Iddy knew his condition without needing Job to elaborate. Just focusing on the screen was enough to give him an unbearable headache.

Yet, he couldn't stand doing nothing. At the very least, he needed to investigate what the Secret Church really was. This organization was not just some newly established small church. No small church had so many fanatical followers willing to die for it!

"What's with all the wailing and howling?" Eugene entered the ward, seeing Iddy's state, he mocked, "Seems like you're recovering well, that's good."

"Time to get back to work."

……

"Their target is the strangers' legacy?" Lan mumbled the information previously told by Sphinx.

Returning to Albert's ward, as expected, the blond man still lay critically ill in bed.

Strangely, Albert's wounds neither worsened nor showed signs of healing. Stuck in limbo, sometimes Lan almost forgot he had a patient in his own divine realm.

Old Luke often lingered here, but since Lan couldn't communicate with him, he didn't know why Luke had saved Albert in the first place.

Information from Archie and Edmund made Lan realize that Albert had become the center of another conspiracy. If left unattended, they would eventually find this place.

But Lan couldn't bring himself to abandon Albert, not just because Albert was Archie's friend, but also because he couldn't discard such a righteous investigator.

Hmm, although, to some extent, their positions seemed, probably, to be antagonistic.

But still...

Remembering how Albert, in the confrontation with Soren, the leader of the strangers, had selflessly sacrificed himself to save Arkham, Lan couldn't bear to leave him behind.

Regardless, Albert played a significant role in Arkham's salvation.

Lan tried summoning his staff, taking a seed in his left hand.

His recent experiments in his divine realm had enabled him to cultivate various plants with different effects, much easier than enchanting weapons. Perhaps his divine gift lay in flora and fauna?

The spirit seed in Lan's hand gradually glowed, sprouting a tender shoot. He plucked a leaf and pried open Albert's mouth to insert it.

Miraculously, the chaotic scars of burns on Albert's body began to turn grey and flake off like dead skin, revealing fresh, new flesh underneath.

After consuming two or three seeds, Albert's burn scars were nearly invisible, and his face regained its former handsomeness.

Yet, there were no signs of him waking up.

Lan tried everything, but the blond man remained like Sleeping Beauty, unable to open his eyes, puzzling Lan greatly.

"Master, master," Sphinx rubbed against Lan's leg, eagerly offering himself.

"I almost forgot about you," Lan turned to Sphinx: "Do you have a way to wake him up?"

Sphinx put on a serious face: "May I ask, Lord Lan, what kind of cat do you like?"

"Hmm, one that's affectionate with me," Lan pondered, "I'm not fond of aloof cats."

Hearing this, Sphinx instantly petrified on the spot.

Is it over then? Is the Cat Cult going to be disqualified before it even starts?

"Your answer?"

Sphinx struggled to reply: "This person is currently in a state of assessment, which is why he can't wake up."

"Assessment?" Lan was taken aback.

"Yes, so even if you heal his physical injuries, he can't awaken. His soul is currently entrenched in the third layer of the Dream Rift's trials."

Sphinx gazed intently at the blond man on the bed: "Moreover, this level is the most unpredictable and dangerous one in the Dream Gap."

Lan frowned: "Could he die?"

"Die? No, not really. In a way, no one dies in this level," Sphinx swished its tail, "Everyone can return safely... But whether they return as their former selves is another matter."

Lan paused, a flurry of past information flashed through his mind about the Faceless Ones, the oddities starting from the second level of stairs.

"You mean..."

"You are correct," Sphinx nodded, "This trial takes place in the subconscious, possibly in dreams or memories. Those greedy oddities invade human subconscious to attack and consume them. If one fails this level, the monsters lingering on the stairs, the specters in the dreams, will take their place... and return to reality!"

Sphinx stood up and circled Albert's bed, clucking its tongue: "He's in grave danger now, just like the previous level. The shorter the time spent in the third level of the Dream Gap, the better. If it's too long, more oddities will be attracted into the fog of his subconscious, battling in his dreams. And now, how many days has he been lying here?"

Lan: "At least a week..."

Sphinx gasped: "Well, I think we can prepare his body for burial. The one waking up won't be him anymore. At this point, even an A-class oddity might appear. No hope, bury him."

Lan looked at Albert, who was sleeping peacefully, his blue eyes closed.

He remembered the first time he saw Albert, a sunny policeman, an undercover in the dark. Which side of him was the real one?

"Master?" Sphinx couldn't help but speak up.

Lan came back to his senses, realizing he was unconsciously caressing Albert's face.

If he never wakes up, the legacy of the strangers might never see the light of day again.

Lan had many questions, about Midas, about the strangers.

Could his dream provide the answers?

As the thought struck him, a secretive presence responded to Lan again. A dense fog surrounded him, connecting him to Albert on the bed. Sphinx instinctively stretched out its paw but grasped at nothing.

Lan was gone.