Build an ancient-level power in the nightmare world

Chris observed Valentine and the other man's reactions and was pleased; now they seemed willing to listen to his demands.

Chris pressed his advantage and asked directly, "Oh, by the way, what should I call you, friend with glasses?"

"Lawrence Hall." Lawrence, sitting opposite Chris, still looked surprised and doubtful, but answered in a deep voice.

He immediately retorted, "Where have you seen me wearing that brooch?"

Lawrence was almost certain that the brooch Chris described was the 3-036th relic, the Glimmer Matrix.

Although it's only a Tier 3 relic, their Torchbearer squad would need at least a vice-captain or higher to lead a team with at least three members to qualify for an application from their superiors if they wanted to use it.

Furthermore, after the mission is completed, the artifacts must be immediately returned to the Silent Chamber to prevent them from being exposed to the outside for a long time without the suppression of power of equal or higher level, which could cause the artifacts to go out of control.

This isn't something you can carry around with you all the time.

Relic No. 3-036, the Glimmer Matrix, is a Tier 3 relic. Its functions include purifying impurities, dispelling evil, and gathering protective glimmers to defend against physical and spiritual attacks from the outside. It is very suitable for Torchbearer squads like theirs to request when carrying out missions that may involve dangerous and extraordinary creatures.

But why would this guy, who has been under their surveillance since arriving in Rom City, know about this relic?

In their investigation, the young man named Chris Fisher had not been involved in any extraordinary events, nor had he been involved with any official or church-affiliated extraordinary organizations such as the Torchbearers.

The other person's resume is very clean.

Lawrence had felt Chris's gaze as he left the coffee shop, and he immediately felt exposed. He wondered if he had given himself away when they brushed past each other in the alley.

However, when faced with the possibility of being monitored, a normal person should seek protection from the local police station as soon as possible, rather than directly following and monitoring the person like the other party did.

That's dangerous, and it's idiotic.

So it's very unusual.

Although Lawrence was very surprised at the time, he did not panic. Behind him was Captain Valentine, who had not yet come out of the coffee shop because he had not finished his coffee.

So he played along and took Chris to their temporary base on Mink Street.

Valentine also noticed Chris following Lawrence, and after finishing his coffee, he quietly followed behind Chris.

Although this place was only a temporary base set up for this mission, it was equipped with all the necessary rune arrays, and there were also several other colleagues waiting here.

Although Chris Fisher himself was considered harmless, Lawrence was unsure whether the person following him was actually Chris Fisher, and dared not gamble on it.

Although he was young, he had carried out several cases involving extraordinary powers after joining the Torchbearer team. He knew very well that sometimes the people being investigated might not even realize that they were no longer the same people they used to be.

"Lawrence, right?"

Chris's gaze swept over the other man's monocle, and he said in a light tone, "So, can we now formally begin an equal communication aimed at exchanging information?"

After saying that, Chris gave Lawrence a deep look, and then his gaze shifted to Valentine.

The other person was still watching Chris warily, his hand tightly gripping something in his pocket.

"Mr. Valentine, it seems you're the boss here."

As Chris spoke, he leaned back against the soft sofa cushions, looking at Valentine standing there in the most comfortable position, waiting for the other's reply.

Since this isn't the real world, Chris doesn't need to worry about how to clean up the mess after his conversation with the other party.

His goal was simple: to obtain as much useful information as possible before the countdown ended.

He could understand that the other party was being wary of him, but he didn't want to continue this stalemate.

Valentine's gaze remained fixed on Chris, his eyes thoughtful.

"What exactly do you want to know?"

Valentine ultimately did not choose to use harsh methods against Chris.

This is the Torchbearer's temporary stronghold. He holds the artificial relic that controls all the runic arrays here. He did not sense any kind of evil aura from Chris, nor did he sense any special spiritual fluctuations belonging to an extraordinary being.

Valentine believed that the situation here was still under his control.

If the other party truly possesses some hidden power that even the formation here cannot detect, then going along with what they say and not actively provoking them is also the right approach.

Valentine's longevity as a veteran of the Torchbearer team, which has lasted for over thirty years, is inseparable from his prudence.

Their Torchbearer squad wasn't particularly adept at direct combat, so he had already sent his men to request support from the Hand of Eternity.

He and Lawrence were equally curious about how the other party knew about Relic No. 3-036.

Upon hearing Valentine's words, Lawrence frowned slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. He was ready to activate his ability at any moment, just waiting for Valentine's instructions.

But now, the captain of the Torchbearer squad seems unwilling to let him use his extraordinary abilities to interrogate this increasingly suspicious fellow.

"Who exactly are you people?"

Chris had thought it through. Before asking about the nightmares and headaches, he needed to find out who these guys were—whether they had official connections or belonged to some strange organization. This was important.

As for how to confirm whether the two people in front of him were telling the truth, Chris could only rely on his own judgment. With the image of the key in his mind, Chris could always stay in the most clear-headed state.

In this state, he can keenly detect even the slightest changes in the tone of voice and the smallest micro-expression on the other person's face.

"The Torchbearer".

Valentine didn't beat around the bush with Chris this time and answered directly.

Their existence is not exactly a secret among the upper echelons of the empire, but in order to maintain stability, any information related to extraordinary power must be hidden from the general public.

"The Torchbearer".

Chris softly repeated the three words the other person had just said. In Iva, the common language of the Im Empire, these three words did not have much ambiguity, and Chris could clearly understand what Valentine meant.

"The one who holds the torch?"

Chris looked at Valentine again; the name didn't sound like a villainous organization.

"To hold torches in the darkness and illuminate the path for the empire—that is the meaning of our existence," Valentine explained.