Mystery: Starting from the Shadow World

Chapter 8 Nightmare

Crown jellyfish, black-spotted frog.

Philip resisted the urge to rub his temples and prepared to leave, but the man in black spoke again: "However, it is said that there are black-spotted frogs five kilometers across the Hoy River northeast of Tingen."

"How many people have you said this to?" Philip stood up and asked, his sapphire blue eyes lowered, looking at the other person with a hint of wariness and speechlessness.

"Not much." The man in black robes opened his hand, handing over a silver plaque engraved with an unknown black symbol. "You don't need to overthink it; this is just a reminder. What good thing doesn't come without risk, right?"

His response was to the young man turn and leave with a flourish.

This left the black-robed man, who was frozen in place, stunned for a full two seconds before he slowly clenched his fist and pulled his hand back into the spacious, cool robe.

"Tsk, it's only half a Sequence 9, I didn't expect it to be this troublesome. Oh well, whatever."

He carefully collected the valuable and extraordinary materials from the stall into his various tools, preparing to end his fishing trip for the day, but suddenly his mind began to feel foggy.

He instinctively covered his face with his hand, but then his eyes widened as if he had discovered something, and he ran off in a panic.

But then, a lullaby-like melody echoed through the vast space.

"Come on, fishing like this isn't fashionable these days," Philip thought helplessly after leaving the Dragon Bar, then raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight that inexplicably made him feel drowsy.

The goods in this underground shopping mall are all of good quality, but they are of no use to him now. Although he saw a main material, he knew it was a trap.

"Are you looking to buy the Heart-Binding Grass?"

Just as he was reviewing his harvest, a middle-aged man with deep gray eyes appeared beside him and asked him questions as naturally as if they were old friends having a casual chat.

"Another one?" Philip raised an eyebrow speechlessly, then nodded and said, "I'm sorry, sir. If you're after money, we can talk. But if you're like the last one, I have no interest in putting myself in danger."

"Of course, it only costs 100 pounds, but there's a condition: you have to tell me what you're going to do with it."

"Uncle, you're not much different from that cultist-looking guy from before." Philip's previously brisk action of pulling out money froze. He looked at the still expressionless man, tapped his teeth lightly left and right in frustration, and finally spoke:

"I'm sorry, I can't comment on that."

"Is that so?" The gray-eyed man raised his hand, stroked his chin, and nodded slightly. "Indeed, after all, it's not something that normal people can just know about concocting potions."

Philip was about to say something more, but after hearing what the other person said, he was completely stunned. Then, in a flash, he feigned confusion and asked, "Potion? What's a potion?"

"Sir, please introduce yourself." The gray-eyed man stretched out his hand and snapped his fingers. The next moment, ripples appeared in the surrounding space, and a black top hat appeared in his hand and was slowly put on.

"Night Watchman, Dunn Smith."

I was just getting ready to focus on developing my character because I wasn't too worried about the Rose School's pursuit, and then your official Extraordinary Ones showed up? Where's mine? Where's my map cheat?!

Philip cursed inwardly and began to think frantically, trying to find a way out, but the oppressive feeling caused by the other party's previous methods made him not even have the thought of resisting.

"Okay, I surrender."

He raised his hands, resigned.

"There's no need for this. In fact, if it weren't for your special status as 'half a Sequence 9,' I wouldn't even have bothered with you." Dunn's tone was calm, soothing his emotions. "But please tell me your background."

"Half of Sequence 9?" Philip blinked, realizing what he meant, then gave a wry smile. "That's not something I can decide."

"As for my origins, I come from Backlund. My parents were members of the Temperance faction of the Rose School, but they are dead. I escaped by chance and came to Tingen today. I swear, I have not done anything wrong."

"Then why did you search for materials and concoct potions using the 'Prisoner' pathway to avenge your parents?" Dunn stared at Philip with his grey eyes.

"."

Upon hearing this, the latter remained silent for several seconds before raising both hands, his fingers trembling slightly with a hint of helplessness, and said in a low voice, "I just don't want this life to be taken away without any suspense when an accident happens."

"And, a peaceful life."

Dunn didn't speak, but simply raised his hand to adjust the brim of his top hat, his fingers gently stroking it. All his actions culminated in a softer statement: "Sir, thank you for your cooperation."

"What?"

Philip instinctively looked up to ask the other person a question, but the next moment, the world spun around him, and he sat up abruptly from the ground. Looking around, he found himself still in the underground shopping mall.

What's going on?

Just as he was feeling lost, he was suddenly patted on the back. A handsome young man with black hair and green eyes, resembling a romantic poet, walked up to him, squatted down, touched his chin, and smiled:

"Hello, my name is Leonard Mitchell, and I am also a night watchman, the 'Midnight Poet'."

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

"Philip Howard." Philip nodded blankly, stood up, looked around at all the guests who were peacefully asleep, and his eyes widened in surprise: "They've all been hypnotized?"

"That's right, you were the first to wake up."

Leonard clapped his hands and sighed, "This is terrible. I was supposed to be living a peaceful life. After dealing with things here, I still have to go to the lower street of Iron Cross Street to pretend."

Leonard.

Dunn Smith, the same person from the dream, walked over, interrupting the conversation. He then looked at Philip, straightened the collar of his black trench coat, and said, "Old Neil will be here soon. He and Frye will take care of the cleanup here. Let's go."

"Okay." Leonard shrugged and smiled, "Anyway, this expense falls within the scope of reimbursement, so Old Neil's reimbursement application has no problem."

"Us?" Philip's lips twitched. He saw the young man named Leonard smiling and gesturing for him to follow. Only then did he realize that his matter couldn't be left unresolved, so he had no choice but to step forward.

The group returned to the original secret door and, amidst the stiff, constipated expressions of the bar patrons, exited into the outside world and boarded a four-wheeled carriage with the police logo of "crossed swords surrounding a crown" painted on the side.

The carriage began to move, and amidst the slight jolts, Dunn looked at Philip, who had just taken his seat, and said, "Mr. Howard, I think you must have some questions for me at this point."

Um, what should I, or can I, ask? Philip was conflicted. He glanced at Leonard beside him, hoping that this enthusiastic young man could give him some hints or assists at this moment.

However, the black-haired, blue-eyed young man smiled without saying a word, simply turning his head naturally to look out the window, resting half his face on his hand, calmly appreciating the rapidly passing scenery.

(End of this chapter)