absurd deduction game.

"It's just a painting with even greater polluting power. What do you expect to see in me? So in fact, this painting isn't even worth the double price the actor paid you, right?"

He took a step forward, approaching "Starry Night," his gaze once again falling upon the wildly writhing colors and distorted stars.

"Dreaming and madness can indeed destroy the mind of an ordinary person, but to me, they are nothing. I have seen many monsters that are far more terrifying than that."

“But now this painting is mine. I will take it back and absorb the pollution within it. That way, it will just be a valuable work of art. Ah… I should thank you for your gift, which has allowed me to make a fortune.” He said softly, his tone full of meaning.

Evan's smile grew even brighter. He seemed to already see how, in the near future, this powerful... yet foolish investigator, under his guidance, would become a fanatical follower of the ancient gods and contribute to their grand plan.

Look at him, he doesn't even know he's dead, just like any other ordinary person.

Tonight is not a good opportunity.

Evan thought that later, after he heard the Lord's whispers and received the Lord's will, he would go to this foolish investigator to expose this matter and make the other party one of his own.

Threats, coercion, re-assimilation—whatever works.

Let him be arrogant for a while longer.

……

When Yu Xing followed Evan Clifford out of the lounge filled with invisible pollution once again, the noise in the Flowing Light Gallery had subsided considerably, but the exhibition had not officially come to an end.

Some lingering guests were still scattered throughout the exhibition hall. They were either appreciating the paintings that still showed some skill, or gathering in twos and threes to talk in hushed tones, their eyes occasionally glancing towards the lounge. They were clearly curious about the painting "Starry Night" that had changed hands before it even appeared on the exhibition hall and the ensuing events.

Aiven solemnly handed a slender tube made of dark hardwood, with simple runes engraved on its surface to protect against shock and isolate energy fluctuations, to Yu Xing.

“Mr. Yu Xing,” the painter said, his face bearing a mixture of exhaustion, excitement, and a strange, unspoken satisfaction, “I entrust ‘Starry Night’ to you. May it bring you… endless inspiration.”

He paused slightly on the last few words, a hint of barely concealed malicious expectation flashing deep in his eyes.

Yu Xing accepted the painting tube with a calm expression.

It felt slightly heavy in his hand, and the tube was icy cold. Even with the runes blocking it out, he could still vaguely feel the faint yet undeniable distorted fluctuations emanating from the painting inside, like the heartbeat of a living being.

He glanced at Evan indifferently, did not respond to the meaningful blessing, but simply nodded slightly before turning and walking towards the direction where Mrs. Funel was.

Madame Furnel was standing in front of a brightly colored still life painting, talking quietly with Monsieur Raphael.

Seeing Yu Xing approaching with a painting tube in her hand, she gracefully stopped the conversation and went to greet her.

"So you've already received that 'generous gift'?" Her gaze fell on the painting tube in Yu Xing's hand, with a hint of curiosity and a touch of regret for not being able to see it with her own eyes. "What a pity. I was really looking forward to appreciating with you the masterpiece that Mr. Clifford described as soul-stirring."

Her tone was relaxed, showing no displeasure at the painting's ownership; rather, it conveyed a sense of regret for the art itself and a subtle teasing about Yu Xing receiving this special "gift."

Yu Xing's face revealed a perfectly balanced expression, somewhere between calm and a hint of barely perceptible "satisfaction," as if she were genuinely pleased to have obtained the painting.

He shook the painting tube in his hand, his tone calm: "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Madam. However, since it is the buyer's wish not to exhibit it publicly, I can't break that wish now."

“I understand.” Mrs. Furnel smiled gently and tapped her palm with her folding fan. “Appreciating art requires a calm mind. So, shall we conclude our visit to the art exhibition tonight?”

She looked around and saw that about 70-80% of the guests had left, making the exhibition hall much emptier, with only staff members starting to do some finishing work.

“Yes, thank you for your invitation and company tonight, Madam.” Yu Xing bowed slightly, her manners impeccable. “It allowed me to appreciate the artistic charm of Yolikev Town, and… I gained a lot.”

“I am also very pleased to have such an excellent companion as Mr. Yu Xing.” Mrs. Furnel smiled brightly, clearly quite satisfied with the social success of the evening. “Well then, my carriage is outside, it’s time to go.”

"By the way, the investigation into my husband's infidelity will require your and Mr. Carlos's help. I will visit your studio again in a while to inquire about the investigation results."

The two said their goodbyes politely at the gallery entrance.

With the help of her maid, Madame Furner boarded the magnificent carriage bearing the family crest and quickly disappeared into the deepening night.

Yu Xing stood alone under the gallery's porch lights, holding the painting tube that carried the "starry sky" and the conspiracy in her hand.

A cool night breeze swept by, ruffling the stray hairs on his forehead, but it couldn't dispel the foul odor emanating from the painting tube, like an undercurrent beneath the ice.

He looked up at the night sky over Yolikev, shrouded in sparse stars and a hazy mist, and a smile curved his lips.

Without lingering, he strode off, his figure quickly disappearing into the sparse crowds and dim shadows of the streetlights in the town at night, carrying this special "gift" as he headed toward Carlos's office.

Inside the gallery, Evan Clifford stood by the second-floor window, watching through the glass as the black figure holding the paint tube disappeared around the street corner.

On his pale face, the twisted yet satisfied smile finally bloomed without any attempt to conceal it, like a poisonous mushroom quietly unfolding in the darkness.

“Go, go… take the ‘gift’ of our Lord and become one of us…” he murmured, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism. “Soon, you will understand what true…belonging is.”

Just then, the faintest footsteps came from behind.

His footsteps were steady and rhythmic, carrying a composure born of long-standing authority, which seemed completely out of place in this room filled with a frenzied artistic atmosphere.

Evan didn't turn around. The fervor on his face quickly subsided, replaced by a cautiousness tinged with detachment. He could sense that familiar aura, a mixture of money and hidden power.

"He's gone." A deep, magnetic voice sounded behind Evan. The person had quietly entered the room at some point and stood a few steps behind Evan, his gaze also fixed on the direction where Yu Xing had disappeared through the window.

“Yes.” Evan turned around, a slight smile playing on his lips, his tone tinged with suppressed excitement. “Everything went smoothly. He came into contact with ‘Starry Sky’ himself, completely unprepared. At this moment, he must have been molded into the ‘Headless One,’ the will of our Lord has already planted a seed in his soul!”

The man gave a soft "hmm," his face revealing neither joy nor anger. He walked to the window and stood beside Evan, gazing at the gradually deserting street below.

“The seeds are sown, but they need careful cultivation to grow into the big trees we need, rather than a useless weed, or even a poisonous vine that turns on itself.” The figure’s voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable sense of control. “A powerful investigator is far more valuable than those mediocre nobles. But correspondingly, the risks are also greater.”

The figure looked sharply at Evan: "Are you sure you can completely control him?"

Evan replied confidently, “Don’t worry. The corruption of ‘Starry Sky’ originates from a great ancient god, and is far beyond ordinary mind control. He may still retain some self-awareness at this moment, but the ‘headless’ rule has already bound him closely to our Lord. As time goes by, our Lord’s will will gradually permeate and assimilate him, and he will eventually become our most loyal and powerful servant and weapon.”

"That would be for the best," the figure said calmly, his tone unreadable, neither believing nor doubting. "What we need is controllable power. He almost ruined my plans once before. From now on, don't rush to contact him."

The figure paused, a cunning glint in his eyes: "Let him 'adapt' to his new state first. Let him be confused, let him struggle, let him experience the isolation and fear of being a 'headless'. When he is most helpless and most eager for 'guidance', that will be the best time for us to appear."

"At that time, you, Clifford, will approach him as a 'kindred spirit' and a 'guide'." The figure continued to deploy, his voice deep and clear, "Reveal the 'truth' to him, demonstrate the 'power' of our Lord, and promise him a way to escape his predicament and gain greater strength. Guide him step by step, so that he will willingly serve our Lord and us."

"As for me..." A cold, almost imperceptible smile curved the figure's lips. "I will appear at the appropriate time as a 'sponsor' and 'protector,' and I'm sure he won't refuse."

In the dim light, the two exchanged a knowing glance.

Evan's eyes were filled with longing for the future and a cruel anticipation, as if he could already see how, in the near future, this powerful investigator would become their most useful pawn under his and my lord's will.

……

As night deepened, the streets of Yolikev were nearly deserted.

The gas streetlights cast dim, yellowish halos in the damp air, barely illuminating the stone-paved road.

Yu Xing walked alone on the way back to Carlos's office, the paint tube in her hand casting a long shadow under the lamplight.

He chose a relatively secluded shortcut, with shops that had already closed and towering brick buildings on both sides of the street. In the silence, only the sound of his own footsteps echoed slightly between the walls.

Just as he passed a narrow street corner piled with several empty wooden crates, a figure seemed to materialize from the shadows themselves, silently blocking his way.

The man was dressed in a gray suit that blended into the night, with a long overcoat casually draped over his shoulders. His long black hair was tied back, with a few stray strands falling across his forehead, giving him an eerie and dangerous aura in the dim light.

He was a court entertainer.

He leaned against the wall, a smile that was undisguised, a mixture of pleasure and malice on his lips, as if he had been waiting there for a long time.

His gaze first fell on Yu Xing's face, then slowly moved down, settling on the slender painting tube in his hand, a hint of understanding and a deeper interest flashing in his eyes.

"How is it?" the performer's voice rang out from the quiet street corner. "Isn't this painting quite interesting?"

Yu Xing stopped in her tracks. Her face was indistinct in the dim light, but her eyes calmly looked back at the performer without the slightest surprise.

Instead of answering the question about the painting, he retorted, "What, didn't you even glance at it before trying to trick me?"

Upon hearing this, the actor let out a low chuckle, which echoed through the empty street, carrying an indescribable mockery.

He took two steps forward, closing the distance between himself and Yu Xing until they could almost feel each other's breath.

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze like the finest scalpel, as if trying to dissect Yu Xing's calm exterior and reach the madness and distortion that might exist within.

“If I had seen it,” he said, clearly and slowly, each word like a cold nail, “wouldn’t I be just like you now, a dead man?”

"—!"

The moment the words fell, the invisible rules that enveloped the painting came true!

Without any warning, the space around Yu Xing's neck seemed to twist slightly, emitting a very faint "pop" sound, like a ripe fruit falling from a branch.

The next moment, under the actor's keen and unwavering gaze, Yu Xing's head abruptly and inexplicably separated completely from his neck.

There was no splatter of blood, no cracking sound of bones breaking; it was as if the head had only been resting temporarily on the neck, and now, having lost its support, it naturally rolled downwards.

The head belonging to Yu Xing, with even a trace of the calm expression she had when facing the performers, fell with a dull thud onto the cold, rough stone pavement. It even bounced slightly, rolled half a circle, and came to rest face up, its empty eyes staring blankly at the dim night sky.

At the same time, the headless body stood still, as if it had not yet realized that it was "dead". The cut at the neck was incredibly smooth, with no flesh or bones visible, only a void of darkness, as if its existence had been forcibly erased by some rule.

This bizarre stalemate lasted for less than two seconds.

Immediately, the torso, having lost its core support, swayed slightly, then, like a sack stripped of all its bones, it limply and lifelessly tilted forward, crashing heavily to the ground with a dull thud.

The painting tube slipped from his hand and rolled off, making a few soft clattering sounds on the stone slab before coming to rest not far from the corpse.

Silence instantly swallowed the street corner.

Only the faint sounds of carriages and the indistinct clang of the night watchman's clapper in the distance accentuated the eerie silence of the place. (End of Chapter)