Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 140 Divergence

"Isolate and observe, and if necessary—forcefully remove mental contamination."

Clarice's tone was calm, but very serious. "The process is extremely painful for the person involved, and there is a risk of failure. Failure means either becoming an idiot or completely losing control."

"No!"

Green rejected the proposal outright.

"I could never let her be a guinea pig; she's a victim, she's my family!"

He stepped forward, staring at Clarice. "The church's so-called standard procedure is to nip all potential risks in the bud, right? Even if that risk is just a subconscious lurking issue in a fourteen-year-old girl's mind?"

Clarisse frowned, meeting his gaze. "Green, I understand how you feel. But you must understand that mental pollution isn't an ordinary disease. It's contagious like a plague, and it worsens over time. If Sura really has been implanted with some kind of trigger," the consequences of letting it go unchecked could be disastrous—not only for herself, but also for those around her.

"So, before she shows any abnormalities, we need to prevent it by using methods that could potentially turn her into an idiot?"

Green shook his head. "Is this protection? This is sacrifice!"

"This is a necessary choice after weighing the pros and cons."

Clarice's voice was calm. "I've seen many similar cases. A Night Watchman corrupted by the whispers of the abyss acted perfectly normal for three days before going out of control, and then killed his entire squad of comrades overnight. A civilian infected by the mark of an evil god spread the corruption before the church intervened, causing half a block to go mad."

Green scoffed, "To hell with weighing the pros and cons!"

He took a deep breath, reached into his pocket, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag, trying to calm himself down.

"I don't care about others, I only know that she is my sister, and she may be the only family I have left in this world."

Clarisse didn't speak immediately. Looking at the somewhat agitated Green, she continued after a moment, "Green, I'm not cold-blooded. It's precisely because I've witnessed those consequences that I understand the importance of timely intervention. Vera is a Sequence 7 psychiatrist," she said; she's an expert, not a butcher. If she says the risks are manageable, I will trust her judgment.

Green remained silent.

He knew Clarice was right; the extraordinary world was fraught with unpredictable dangers, and the corruption of the spiritual realm was particularly insidious and difficult to guard against. But he couldn't accept the logic of viewing Sura as a "potential threat."

"If the risks are uncontrollable, I would rather take her away from here, away from this city, to find a solution. I would rather agree to the church's forced purge."

Clarice's eyes suddenly sharpened: "Leave? Green, do you know what you're saying? If Sura really has a problem, she's a ticking time bomb wherever she goes. And one..."

She lowered her voice and took a step closer: "If you take her away without permission, the Church will consider you a traitor. Then, it won't just be those in the shadows hunting you down, but also the Night's Watch."

Green's fingers, holding the cigarette, trembled slightly, and ash fell onto the expensive carpet. He ignored it, simply taking a deep drag and letting the nicotine burn in his lungs.

"Then let them come," his voice hoarse. "It's better than watching Sura get disposed of by you."

"Nobody wants to deal with her!"

Clarisse's voice finally crackled with anger. "I'm trying to save her! But saving her requires reason, professional judgment, not your kind of impulsive emotional outbursts!"

"Acting on emotion?"

Green stubbed out his cigarette. "Clarice," he said, "tell me, if it were your family member lying there, your sister, could you still talk so calmly about 'standard procedures' and 'weighing the pros and cons'?"

Clarice's expression froze instantly.

"Because I've lost before, I understand all too well what the right choice is. Green, I'm giving you one last chance. Have Vera examine Sura. If the risks are manageable, we'll handle it in the safest way possible. If the risks are too high—"

She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.

Green stared at her for a long time. Morning light slanted in through the window, drawing a bright dividing line between them. He could hear his own heartbeat, heavy and slow, as if counting down.

Just then, the doorbell of the villa rang.

The crisp sound of the doorbell broke the tense standoff in the restaurant.

Green and Clarice both turned to look towards the door. Clarice frowned slightly, clearly surprised by the visitor at this hour. She glanced at the clock on the wall; it was 9:15, five minutes before the appointed time.

"It must be Vera," Clarice said, letting out a soft sigh. "She always arrives early."

Green stubbed out his cigarette and stubbed it out in the crystal ashtray on the table. He took a deep breath, trying to appear less agitated.

Regardless of how much disagreement he has with Clarice, Sura is the most important person now.

Leonard appeared at the restaurant entrance, bowing slightly: "Miss, Ms. Vera Soren has arrived."

"Please let her in," Clarice said, straightening her collar and cuffs.

A moment later, a woman followed Leonard into the restaurant.

Vera Soren looked to be around forty years old, wearing a dark blue long dress with a light gray wool cardigan over it. Her hair was neatly pinned up at the back of her head with a simple wooden hairpin, a few strands of silver peeking out from her dark brown hair.

She wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, behind which were gentle light brown eyes, but Green could sense the penetrating power in her gaze.

"Clarice." Vera's voice was gentle, which made Green relax involuntarily.

"Vera, thank you for coming so quickly." Clarice stepped forward, and the two gave each other a brief, polite hug.

Vera released Clarice and turned her gaze to Green. Her eyes lingered on his face for a few seconds.

"Is this Mr. Green Morris?" Vera asked.

"Yes."

Clarice introduced, "Green, this is Ms. Vera Soren, the church's psychiatrist, a Sequence 7 psychiatrist."

Green nodded. "Hello, Ms. Soren."

Vera nodded slightly in response, then cut straight to the point: "I've already learned about the situation from Clarice's brief report. A fourteen-year-old girl, possibly suffering from mental contamination or manipulation, is linked to a murder involving extraordinary factors. I need to see her first and do an initial assessment."

She didn't engage in any unnecessary small talk. Green could sense that although the woman appeared gentle, she was quite pragmatic and efficient in her work.