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

With the offensive temporarily halted, Bronze City finally had a chance to catch its breath.

The ghouls and special individuals crushed by the black eyeballs in the inner city have turned into bits of flesh scattered all over the ground, with eyeballs growing on them, exuding some kind of malice.

The gray fog still shrouded most of the city, quiet and still, without a sound of wind.

Scattered remains of large ghouls still lingered on the streets of the outer city.

The thousands of residents at the branch office entrance gradually recovered from their shock.

The Night's Watch had already entered the area, and Glock, Bor, the Blue Knight, and others led the residents to take refuge in the temporary areas that had been prepared in advance around the Night's Watch's branch.

The branch has an underground level, which, although not large enough to accommodate thousands of residents, can still provide temporary shelter.

Lu Yuan stood on the steps, facing the direction of the branch.

At this moment, in his perception, the hope in room number seven of section C is growing wildly.

He tossed a sentence to Klaus: "Once you've settled things here, come to the seed room." Then he rushed over ahead.

There were only a few scattered night watchmen left in the logistics area, and that room was no longer guarded.

As Lu Yuan approached, he saw golden light seeping from below the door crack, which bathed the entire wall in a layer of light, giving it a strange luster.

The worm of knowledge writhes wildly deep within his left eye.

This thing has become active again since returning from the abyss, but it seems to be tired of the things outside, mostly disgusted by the flesh and blood in the abyss, which is why it has been too lazy to show itself.

But at this moment it was twisting extremely fiercely, its entire body, shimmering with colorful light, tumbling back and forth in its left eye, the colorful light flashing on and off, revealing an unconcealable excitement.

Lu Yuan carefully turned the key, and at the same time told the Knowledge Worm through the symbiotic connection not to eat things indiscriminately, as this thing was very important.

The worm of knowledge readily agreed.

As the key was fully turned, a blinding light burst forth from the room, illuminating the entire corridor.

The light fell on him, carrying an extremely noticeable warmth, a feeling Lu Yuan had never experienced before.

Warm, quiet, and full of a sense of security, somewhat like a mother's embrace. That was the only description he could come up with.

The golden light emanating from the worm of knowledge grew ever brighter under this halo.

Its original body was mainly green and light blue, but now, bathed in golden light, its luster has gradually turned golden.

It seemed to be thoroughly enjoying itself, stretching out its entire body and emerging from Lu Yuan's left eye, swimming in the golden light as if it were soaking in water.

A prompt appeared in gray and white text before Lu Yuan's eyes.

[Environmental perception has detected hope; this is something extremely rare. Please approach immediately.]

Immediately afterwards, several more lines of gray text appeared.

[Current Status of Bronze City: +1...45.2/51]

[Forbidden Studies - Seeker of Knowledge: +1...+1...83.9/100]

As Lu Yuan looked at those lines of text, he realized that his rationality was rising at a visible speed.

The few points that hadn't been used much were quickly filled to the maximum.

[Rationality: 140/140]

[Target detected: Hope (Growth Stage)]

[A special entity, conceived from the seed of desire, is now beginning to take shape, seemingly possessing the ability to propel humanity, or those following a similar, uncanny path, into a higher realm.]

Lu Yuan looked at the description and immediately understood.

If this thing were eaten, it might actually push a fourth-tier being to the fifth tier.

This is just a guess, but the gray text won't lie to him.

If Lu Yuan combined his research with human beings, he felt that he might be able to create a man-made fifth-order being, and a very strong one at that.

Before Lu Yuan could lock the door again, Klaus's footsteps were already approaching.

Klaus appeared at the door of room number seven in section C, looking at the overflowing golden light with a somewhat astonished expression.

He clearly hadn't expected that this tiny hope would grow into what it is now.

Bathed in this golden light, he could clearly feel his body, or rather his extraordinary path, stirring within him.

It wasn't an impulse to devour it, but rather a drive to grow upwards.

Klaus immediately realized that it was the fragment of his consciousness that he had sealed away in amber.

If his divine sense could truly break through that seal, he might actually reach the fifth rank, a fifth rank that only exists in records.

Lu Yuan noticed his confusion and explained, "If this tree continues to grow, the power it accumulates can directly elevate a fourth-tier cultivator to the fifth tier."

He looked at Klaus and added, "But I don't know the cost."

Klaus felt the changes in his body, looking at the hope that had almost reached the roof. "Are you sure?"

"I can only say it's possible, and quite possible," Lu Yuan said, not ruling out any possibility. "The longer this tree accumulates its power, the better, but right now, do we have that much time?"

Klaus remained silent for a moment.

His gaze shifted from Lu Yuan's face to the hazy horizon outside the window.

They don't have much time left.

The guardian's attack just now consumed a great deal of energy; no one can say how long he can last.

But what if this force of hope could truly propel someone to the fifth rank...?

Klaus's first thought was the Guardians.

If the old man could advance one more step and reach the almost legendary, near-forbidden sixth rank, then it wouldn't just be the Bronze City that would change.

The entire Night's Watch division, and even the entire Empire, may be rewritten as a result.

The second person that came to mind was Lake.

Rek is now at the peak of the fourth tier. If the path of the Swarming Insects can reach the fifth tier, it will be of far greater help to Bronze City than it would be to himself.

Finally, he thought of himself.

He remembered the vial of medicine in his arms; it was the last bargaining chip the empire had given him.

If I drink it, I will become a new guardian, and it is not impossible for me to reach the fifth rank.

If Bronze City can really gather three Tier 5 units in one go, then it wouldn't be impossible for the so-called Knowledge Sea Fishing Plan to give way to it.

Klaus turned his gaze back to Lu Yuan. "If people are to reach the fifth level from this tree, must it be destroyed?"

"Very likely." Lu Yuan nodded. "Besides, it's still growing, and I can't judge when the most suitable time is, nor do I know what the price will be if I use it. I can only delay as long as possible. But this step is up to you."

Klaus nodded slightly and did not ask any further questions.

He turned and walked towards the branch office gate, his pace much quicker than before. Clearly, he had already begun planning how to get this matter done.

As Lu Yuan watched his departing figure, he silently wondered, "Where exactly is my fifth fragment?"

The three underground levels of the Tower of Learning were now completely filled with nobles of all ranks, making the already small space feel even more crowded.

They were brought here by the Night's Watch after the blood and flesh had spread to the inner city streets.

The Tower of Learning is the most fortified building in the inner city and also the safest place.

Although most of the remaining inscriptions on the tower have faded, they still retain some protective power. With the guardians also present, it is one of the few safe places that can be found for the time being.

Count Helmut sat in a chair at the end of the corridor on the second floor of the third basement level, accompanied by only three people.

He had entrusted the squires and Blue Knights to the Night's Watch; all he could rely on were these few loyal family members.

His expression remained as somber as he looked down at the chaotic scene of nobles in the lobby below, his lips slightly downturned, clearly showing his displeasure.

The place below was in complete chaos.

A baron shouted at the top of his lungs, "Why are they locked up here? What's going on outside? What are the Night's Watch doing?"

Several viscounts nearby echoed him, their voices growing ever sharper.

Some people were clamoring, asking why he couldn't leave Bronze City. They said they could just give up their businesses, so why should he be locked up here?

However, there were still a few night watchmen watching, who completely ignored them and immediately chased back the nobles who tried to rush out.

After they were stopped and brought back, they shouted even louder.

Helmut, unable to contain himself any longer, stood up from his chair.

He took a few steps toward the stairwell, stood behind the second-floor railing, and looked down at the nobles below who were arguing heatedly.

His eyes flashed with anger and a hint of disappointment.

He didn't say anything, he just watched them quietly.

As that gaze fell upon him, the clamor below gradually subsided.

The barons closest to him were the first to shut up, their faces still flushed from shouting, but they dared not take another step forward.

The other viscounts also quieted down, one by one turning their gaze away from the doorway and standing obediently in place.

Helmut then spoke.

"What do you think was my reason for leaving Bronze City in the first place?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it could be heard clearly in the quiet underground hall.

The nobles below exchanged glances, none daring to speak. They all knew about this to some extent.

The Earl did indeed leave Bronze City for quite some time recently, as if he had been summoned by the Empire, but he later returned.

As for why they left and why they came back, no one really knows.

"The Empire's most crucial missions are issued directly by the central command," Helmut's tone was icy. "Any sacrifices made during the mission are within permissible limits. This includes all of you present here, including myself."

Someone below swallowed hard, but no one dared to utter a sound.

"The plan to harvest knowledge from the sea is progressing relatively smoothly." Helmut's gaze swept across the faces of the nobles, "but you should have known this day would come the moment you allowed the Gray Contract Society to take root in Bronze City and even do business with them."

The baron who had been shouting the loudest couldn't help but mutter, "Who cooperated with the Grey Pact? Weren't those people wiped out long ago...?"

Helmut chuckled coldly, offering no direct answer.

He knew perfectly well how many of his men were clean and how many were not.

But he didn't expect that these nobles had long forgotten why they became nobles, forgotten the imperial regulations, and forgotten the centuries-long deadly struggle between the empire and the strange forces. So they reached out their hands.

What truly enraged him was not just that. This group not only colluded with the Gray Pact, but they were also so stupid that they failed to notice anything amiss.