I can see experience bars after being transported to another world.

There was no response from within the fog.

The curious gaze lingered on him for a couple more moments, then slowly moved away, as if it had scrutinized him enough.

The slow, deliberate footsteps sounded again, this time receding into the distance.

It grew farther and farther away, lighter and lighter, until it finally blended into the depths of the thick fog and disappeared.

[Taboo Studies - Seeker of Knowledge: +1...77.9/100]

Lu Yuan's left leg began to twitch at that moment.

He knew that feeling all too well; it was the dangling object on his left leg, stirring restlessly again. Something was slowly writhing beneath his skin, drawn by the scent of that thing in the mist.

Lu Yuan frowned, and the key in his left eye suddenly emitted a faint light. The next moment, a faint aura spread through Lu Yuan's body—the power of authority.

The moment the person hanging felt this aura.

The trembling in his left leg subsided instantly, and he withdrew it immediately, not daring to move it again.

The thick fog still hadn't dissipated.

Even after that thing left, the fog remained thick and thick, a white expanse where nothing could be seen clearly.

Lu Yuan turned his head and looked at the crowd behind him.

Bor remained in a half-squatting position, knife in hand, but his face was blank, showing no sign of vigilance.

"Bohr," Lu Yuan called out.

Bor paused, then turned around. "Huh? What's wrong? Huh? What am I doing?"

Lu Yuan was taken aback upon hearing this, and took the opportunity to ask another question.

"Did you just hear something?"

Bor frowned, trying to think. "Just now?" His gaze swept around in the fog. "...I think I spaced out for a moment. What happened?"

Dunn and his brothers behind him had similar reactions; some rubbed their temples, while others looked confused and couldn't quite process what was happening.

Obviously, they don't remember.

The traces of that thing's passage were erased, and everyone present forgot what had just happened.

Everyone, except Lu Yuan.

The hidden witness's memories can never be affected or erased by external forces.

Unbeknownst to me, my memories have been altered... but thankfully, I still have the ability to control myself.

This involves something taboo again. Is the empire a sieve?

Lu Yuan kept all of this to himself.

"It's nothing." He looked away. "Let's keep going."

Bor responded with a sound of agreement, then picked up the reins again without asking any further questions. The carriage creaked and started moving, its wheels making a muffled sound as they rolled over the stone pavement in the mist.

The fog gradually thinned out.

Lu Yuan leaned against the carriage wall, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.

"Something is about to wake up." The words of that thing kept echoing in his mind.

Could it be the scene I saw when I first came into contact with the fragments?

Is the flesh and blood sealed beneath the Bronze City about to awaken?

Or is it the person on the wall? Or perhaps something sealed behind the copper wall of the pipeline layer?

He wasn't sure.

When the outline of Bronze City appeared on the horizon, Lu Yuan knew something was wrong.

A faint wisp of smoke drifted above the city wall, grayish and carrying the acrid smell of gunpowder.

The sky over the inner city was hazy, with wisps of smoke rising from between the buildings.

The streets were deserted.

When the three carriages drove into the city gate, there were only two night watchmen on duty. When they saw Lu Yuan and his party, one of them recognized them and then signaled to hurry back to the branch.

Occasionally, a few watchmen could be seen walking around on the street, their steps hurried. Some were carrying boxes, others were carrying parts of the alchemical cannon, and their expressions were all very tense.

This is clearly a city-wide martial law.

Bohr muttered a curse under his breath, flicked his whip, and sped up the carriage to its maximum speed.

The group didn't dare to delay and headed straight for the branch.

People were coming and going in the branch office. The logistics staff were busy moving supplies and medicines. People were passing by quickly in the corridor from time to time, carrying copper trays containing bandages and alchemical liquid.

Several transport trucks were parked in the yard, and the bloodstains on the truck beds had not yet been wiped clean.

Lu Yuan saw Klaus as soon as he entered the room.

He stood at the end of the corridor, holding something in his hand. His expression was not good. When he saw Lu Yuan, his expression changed slightly, showing a mixture of surprise and helplessness.

"I didn't expect... you still made it back." Klaus's tone was somewhat helpless. He clearly remembered how much effort he had put into getting Lu Yuan to go to Lilin City for safety, only for him to return at the worst possible time.

"What exactly is the situation now?" Lu Yuan didn't beat around the bush.

Klaus glanced at him, stuffed what he was holding into his pocket, turned and walked inside, gesturing for Lu Yuan to follow.

The two entered a small room and closed the door.

Klaus leaned against the table, arms crossed over his chest, and didn't say much.

"The situation isn't optimistic. We haven't dealt with that thing underground, and the city has been at a stalemate while you were gone." His gaze fell on Lu Yuan's face. "We've already gone down underground twice. You were there the first time, and the second time was after you left. A strong assault team went down with alchemical cannons and mithril, but..."

He paused for a moment.

"We encountered a unique entity that has never been recorded or seen before, and there are no records of it in our branch. Nobody can say for sure what it is." Klaus's tone was grave. "The assault team retreated with injuries; they didn't finish it off, they only severely wounded it."

Lu Yuan remained silent, waiting for him to finish speaking.

"We'll go down again today." Klaus's gaze darkened. "The third time. This time, I'll lead the team myself."

Lu Yuan looked into his eyes.

"I'm going down too."

Klaus frowned. "No."

His refusal was almost subconscious. He had gone to great lengths to get Lu Yuan out of the city and to keep him from the two most dangerous dives, all to help him avoid this danger. But Lu Yuan had walked right into the line of fire himself, so how could he possibly agree?

Lu Yuan did not back down.

"I can help." His voice wasn't loud, but his words were steady. "And the kind of help I can offer requires following up closely to be effective. Besides, have you forgotten my eyesight?"

"I can see some special information, like that special being, but I have to see it with my own eyes."

Lu Yuan didn't spell it out, but Klaus understood.

Klaus had long seen through Lu Yuan's ability to "see things others can't," but he had kept it a secret for him. When encountering a mysterious entity underground that no one could explain, having someone who could "see" it accompany you down there was definitely a different story.

But it's only different...

After all, there's something Klaus didn't say; just seeing it isn't enough.

Klaus stared at him, his gaze lingering on his face for several moments.

"...OK."

The response was very strong.

He picked up a list from the table and added a name to it.

"Get a general idea of ​​the lineup for now." Klaus turned the list over for him to look at. "Archbishop Adrian will be going down, the Blue Knight will be there too, and there will be squires and Margaret providing ranged support... We'll discuss the details once we've assembled. Since you're back, let's go together."

Lu Yuan nodded.

He didn't ask for more details about the lineup. Klaus said, "We'll talk about it when we get together," so he waited until they assembled.

Lu Yuan didn't have to wait long.

As soon as Klaus left the small room, he called out towards the end of the corridor. In less than a quarter of an hour, a more spacious room on the second floor of the branch's main building was filled with people.

Saying it was "full" is inaccurate; very few of those who could sit were actually sitting.

The Ascended One leaned against the windowsill, his silver mechanical body reflecting the dim light in the room.

But there were slight repair marks on his right wrist, from which wisps of steam occasionally escaping from the gaps. His mechanical eyes swept over Lu Yuan as he entered through the doorway, turning halfway around, seemingly somewhat surprised.

Adrian sat at one side of the long table, his grey-white bishop's robes clean and crisp. The book in front of him rested on the table, its bronze cover bearing a faint wear mark. He looked up and saw Lu Yuan, a kind smile appearing on his face as he nodded slightly.

The Blue Knight stood to Adrian's right rear, her body half-turned. Light blue threads slowly flowed along the seams of her armor. A light red patterned rapier hung at her waist, the patterns on its hilt faintly visible under the lamplight. She glanced at Lu Yuan as a greeting.

The attendant sat at the other end of the long table, his dark robe covering him completely. He sat upright, his face revealing nothing, but his left hand rested on his right forearm, his fingertips unconsciously pressing on a spot beneath his robe.

A faint purple light occasionally flashed below the right cuff, and as Lu Yuan's gaze swept over it, a mark indicating a minor injury appeared after the attendant's notification.

Clearly, during the days Lu Yuan was away, this believer had also experienced considerable battles.

Margaret leaned against the wall by the door, arms crossed, looking nonchalant. Her gaze swept over Lu Yuan, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly, but she didn't say anything.

Rick huddled in the deepest corner, his hood pulled down so low that his chin was completely hidden. The swarm of insects clinging to his skin beneath his coat remained motionless and silent.

Lu Yuan walked to a spot near the door and stopped, his gaze sweeping around the room.

Seven people, including himself.

This room probably contains all the bargaining chips that Bronze City can currently offer.

Klaus was the last to enter, closing the door behind him. But instead of sitting down, he walked to the short side of the long table, his face not looking too good, and stood there with his palms on the tabletop.

"Most people are aware of what happened last time," he said, glancing at the group present. "Right now, we need to go over the key points again."

The meeting room was quiet, and no one interrupted.

"A second strong attack, advancing to the second large cavity," Klaus began, speaking slowly and pausing between sentences, "and encountered a special individual."

He didn't read the report; in just a few words, he clearly described the thing's appearance, speed, and methods.

It has no mouth, only a single eye, and its entire body is covered in naked flesh and blood. It possesses the ability to extract flesh and blood and carries a strong pollutant, capable of contaminating corpses.

"We lost two alchemical cannons and several brothers at the same time." Klaus's gaze fell on the squire. "In close-quarters combat, one will be directly affected by its corrupting properties; the squire is a prime example."