absurd deduction game.

Marianne ordered the cheapest black coffee, while Carlos and Yu Xing opted for red tea.

“Bob… he really does like those mysterious things, just like the teachers say.” Marian held her warm coffee cup, organizing her thoughts. “He often dragged Charlie and Elliott along to study ancient symbols and dark legends, and even tried to do so-called ‘rituals’ with some simple materials… We all thought they were a bit silly, but not bad.”

She paused, her voice lowering further: "A few days before the incident, Bob did seem particularly excited. He secretly told me that they might have discovered the 'real secret' at school, and said something like 'this time it's definitely not a fantasy'... I just thought he was being silly again, and even laughed at him a few times... If only I had known..." She pursed her lips, a trace of self-reproach flashing across her face.

Although we were classmates, we were actually very good friends.

They were from the same neighborhood and had known each other since childhood, more so than ordinary classmates. However, Marianne was obsessed with mechanics and had no interest in Bob's "occultism," so when they entered college, they both had their own things to do, and she and Bob were not as close as they were when they were children.

But they still interacted regularly. Marian always felt that Bob had feelings for her. Sometimes, the silly boy would pick a few flowers from somewhere and throw them on her desk with a grin.

But she used to think that this kind of life would continue for a long time, and that she could focus on her studies and get her ideal job before thinking about relationships.

did not expect……

Upon hearing the news of Bob's death, she was stunned for several days. It wasn't until she met Bob's parents and heard the uncles and aunts who had held her when she was a child crying their hearts out that she began to realize that Bob was dead. Then came the absurdity.

Although she didn't like boys like Bob, for various reasons she still inquired a lot about Bob's death, which is why she was approached by two investigators to understand the situation, and she was very cooperative.

“This isn’t your fault, Miss Marian,” Carlos comforted her softly. “Could you be more specific about where the ‘strange sound’ and ‘shadow’ they mentioned are? The old archives on the west side of the fourth floor?”

“Yes, it should be there,” Marian confirmed. “That place is rarely visited. It’s piled with old exam papers and student files, and supposedly there are some bottles and jars left from an abandoned biology lab. It’s kind of eerie. Bob said they heard the sound of something being dragged upstairs when they passed by at night, and a very fast-moving dark shadow that flashed by, neither like a cat nor a dog…”

She tried to recall: "They also suspected that some thief or homeless person might have sneaked in, but although the school's security wasn't as strict as in the upscale district, there were guards patrolling at night, so it seemed unlikely. Therefore, they became even more convinced that it was a 'supernatural event'."

Yu Xing listened quietly, then suddenly spoke up: "How long ago was your school's old archives abandoned? Were all the files moved to the new archives? Since Bob and his friends are so interested in 'mysterious' events, they should be interested in these old places, right?"

He held a red teaspoon in one hand, slowly stirring the fragrant, clear liquid inside, subtly steer the conversation in another direction: "Are there any long-standing legends in your school? I think the monster that killed Bob and the others might be related to some kind of horror legend."

Marian was taken aback by the question, and thought about it carefully: "A long-standing horror legend? That's too far back... I haven't heard Bob mention anything from that long ago. They're usually only interested in recent, exciting new legends."

She wasn't interested in these things, and when asked, her mind went blank for a moment.

“But such legends must exist!” She seemed a little apologetic for not being able to offer more help, and quickly added, “I can ask again tomorrow… if you still need it.”

Of course they need to, as students are the best way to gather information, and Yu Xing and Carlos aren't really in a hurry to investigate this monster.

Seeing the two nod, Marian finally let out a breath, took a sip of black coffee, and slowly said, "As for the archives, I remember my mentor mentioning something to me. When the school was first established, because of a lack of experience, the files of faculty and students were very messy, and the old archives were too small to hold so many files."

"Later, the principal had an accident, and a new principal took office. He had more experience in the work, so he simply opened a new archive room and reorganized the archives from recent years. The archives from before that were simply left in the old archive room, since they were not usually needed anyway."

"How long ago was that?" Carlos asked casually.

“Ten years ago, I think.” Marian remembered it so clearly because it had been a topic of discussion recently; otherwise, it would have been difficult to answer. “A new archive opened ten years ago, and they spent about three years organizing the files. So, if you’re looking for something from thirteen years ago, you’ll have to try your luck in the old archive.”

"Thank you for your answer." Yu Xing rested her chin on her hand. "However, you just said that something happened to the old principal? Was it Principal Finkin?"

While strolling around the school, they saw the names of the past principals, only knowing that Principal Finkin stepped down ten years ago and the current principal was named Princeton.

“Yes, he is sick.” Marian said this as if it were a trivial matter. “I heard that Principal Finkin was involved in a strange incident. Although his life was not in danger, he was mentally harmed and became mentally impaired. He is no longer suitable to remain as principal. This is an incident that the Church of the Harvest Mother has made public.”

She told us almost everything she knew.

Seeing this, Carlos asked a few more questions about Bob's social circle and habits, then considerately ended the inquiry and paid for everyone's coffee.

After saying goodbye to Marianne and watching her walk away with her books in her arms, Carlos shrugged at Yu Xing: "Interesting. The old archives are exactly where we need to investigate, but it's too conspicuous during the day. Let's come back tonight?"

If the file of that unnamed astronomer is still preserved, it should be in the old archives.

However, their every move was too eye-catching. Putting aside others, the researchers who were also investigating the matter had already tried to cheat by doing some underhanded tricks, but before they could implement their methods, they were stopped by Carlos.

Therefore, it's better to come at night. If they encounter any scheming calculators again, they can take action without worrying about the indigenous people's opinions.

While investigating the astronomers, they could also take the opportunity to find the monster that killed the three students. If they made any discoveries, the contribution value should be quite high—because this monster was indeed special. Yu Xing's perception spread throughout the entire school through its tentacles, but he couldn't find any trace of the monster, as if it had never existed.

Yu Xing nodded and glanced through the fabric at the small paper figure Carlos had in his pocket: "Regarding the former principal, since it's a public event announced by the church, let Xiao Ququ inquire about it with the church."

……

Meanwhile, in a temporary morgue in the side chapel of the church in Yolikev, the atmosphere was cold and solemn.

Qu Xianqing stared expressionlessly at the three newly delivered corpses parked side by side in front of him.

They were found this morning near a sewer outlet on the edge of the slum, their deaths gruesome, seemingly mauled by some large wild animal, their limbs mutilated.

The air was thick with the smell of disinfectant and preservatives, yet it couldn't completely mask the faint odor of decay. A young pastor, pale-faced, was taking notes nearby, while Qu Xianqing carefully examined the wounds on the corpse, trying to determine the type of attacker.

This was originally the job of the town's mortician.

However, during this special period, bodies of those who die unnaturally are first sent to the church for a preliminary examination and purification before being taken to the mortician, who also works as a forensic pathologist. If no family members claim the body, it is stored in the mortuary of the mortician, and the final step is to send it to a suburban cemetery.

Qu Xianqing was determined to infiltrate the church, so she and Zeng Lai had been helping out at the church all day.

Just then, she felt a very slight movement coming from the inner pocket of her chest, as if a tiny paper hand was poking her.

She quietly walked to a corner, turned her back to the young priest, and took out the paper figure that had started to make a fuss.

The paper figure settled in her palm and said, "If I have the chance, I'd like to inquire about the incident from ten years ago concerning the former president of Yolikev University, Finkin."

"Okay, I understand." Qu Xianqing replied briefly and then put the paper figure away.

She refocused her attention on the corpse before her. The wounds... were torn in a peculiar way, unlike those of an ordinary wild animal, but rather carried a kind of human cruelty and mockery.

She stretched out her finger and gently brushed it across the deep, bone-revealing claw marks on a corpse's arm, feeling a faint, residual fluctuation of dark energy at her fingertips.

The church is inclined to believe that someone is doing evil, and its words point to esoteric Buddhism.

Tantric Buddhism...

There is no bishop in the Harvest Church in Yolikev; the high priest in his robes is the highest authority, followed by the priest.

Qu Xianqing pondered for a moment amidst the young pastor's muttering voice, then turned and headed towards the high priest's position.

The church's interior was complex, but she had an excellent memory and quickly passed through several corridors, arriving at a heavy wooden door carved with intricate patterns of wheat ears and grapevines.

Two church guards in white robes stood watch at the door. Upon seeing Qu Xianqing, they did not stop her, but merely nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Clearly, this capable female investigator, though aloof in demeanor, had already gained a certain degree of trust from the church in just over a day.

She knocked on the door, and a gentle, slightly aged voice came from inside: "Come in."

Qu Xianqing pushed open the door and entered.

The room was filled with a faint scent of herbs and old books, and the walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, crammed with all sorts of classics and documents.

An elderly man in a red robe, with a white beard, a kind face, and sharp eyes, was sitting behind a large desk. He was the high priest in charge of the church in Yolikev.

“Miss Investigator,” the High Priest put down his quill and looked at her gently, “is there something you need? Have you discovered anything about those newly arrived corpses?”

“There are some suspicious points, which may be related to esoteric Buddhist practices,” Qu Xianqing said succinctly. “In addition, I would like to ask you about an old matter.”

"Oh? Please speak." The high priest gestured for her to sit down.

"It's about the incident ten years ago involving Mr. Finkin, the former president of Yolikev University," Qu Xianqing asked directly. "The church announcement said he suffered mental damage due to his involvement in a strange event. I'd like to know, what exactly was that event? And is there any potential connection between it and what's happening in town now?"

Upon hearing this, the high priest's gentle expression softened slightly, and a hint of reminiscence and solemnity flashed in his eyes.

He hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking: "Principal Finkin... that was a regrettable thing. The church's internal records state that the specific circumstances at the time were 'contact with fragments of knowledge that should not have been touched, resulting in a spiritual backlash'."

He paused, as if choosing his words carefully: "You know, in our world, there is always some knowledge that is dangerous and taboo. It may be hidden behind ancient artifacts, broken documents, or even some seemingly ordinary natural phenomena. Principal Finkin is a learned and... curious scholar. He seems to have inadvertently come into contact with something far beyond his comprehension."

"Is that thing related to the starry sky?" Qu Xianqing asked tentatively, recalling the message Carlos had sent at noon.

The high priest glanced at her with slight surprise and nodded: “You seem to know something. That’s right, the records mention that Principal Finkin became unusually interested in celestial movements in his later years, and even privately collected some… fragments involving ancient astrological worship that were explicitly forbidden by the Church. We suspect that it was while he was studying those things that he suffered irreversible mental damage.”

“As for the connection…” the High Priest sighed, “it’s hard to say. But the contamination of knowledge often has its continuity. What Principal Finkin came into contact with back then, the ‘secrets’ that might have been hidden in the school afterward that attracted those unfortunate students, and even the increasingly frequent strange events in the town today… there might be some connection that we haven’t yet noticed. This is one of the reasons why the Church has always maintained a high level of attention to and protection for universities.”

He looked at Qu Xianqing with expectation in his eyes: "The arrival of your investigators may uncover more truths buried by time. If you find anything, please be sure to inform the church in time."

"I will." Qu Xianqing stood up. "Thank you for your answer."

Some key information was obtained, though still vague, but it at least confirmed that the events of ten years ago did indeed involve "taboo knowledge" and "the starry sky," which vaguely echoed the clues about the astronomer in that travelogue.

She left the high priest's room with a plan in mind. She needed to continue digging deeper into the information the church might have about those "forbidden knowledge" and the recent activities of the esoteric sect.

Tonight will be very busy.

Just as she turned the corner, an elderly nun hid behind a statue, watching her with emotionless eyes. (End of Chapter)