The Secret Cult Chronicles of the Decaying Lake Manor

As soon as the door closed, Douglas's serious expression didn't lessen; in fact, it became even more pronounced.

He leaned against the alchemy table, arms crossed, his gaze shifting between George and Bates before finally settling on Bates.

"Mr. Bates, I may be asking a bit abruptly, but are you a superhuman?" he asked bluntly. "The aura you exude is not that of an ordinary soldier."

Bates didn't answer immediately, but glanced at George before calmly responding.

"Yes, Your Excellency, I awakened unintentionally not long after returning from the imperial colony."

“In fact, he was my first guide, Mr. Douglas.” George stepped forward, interrupting the inspector’s possible questions. “Mr. Bates was a great help to me before I returned to Paradise Island.”

Douglas initially frowned, but his expression softened upon hearing George's explanation.

He looked at George, tapping his arm with his fingers clasped to his chest, and finally nodded slightly.

"Since it's the heir of the Delapoli family vouching for you, I'll trust him for now. The Anti-Extremist Bureau has mandatory registration procedures for superhumans, but you can complete them later; it's not too late."

He waved his hand, indicating that the matter was dropped.

Immediately, his tone turned stern, and his gaze fixed intently on George.

"Now, let's get down to business. George, I need to know what has been happening on the island lately. I sensed it as soon as I came out of your father's room and reached the door on the first floor—the scent of the Void Source Creation is unmistakable—it must be the filth of the 'Abyss' Principle."

"This evil creature should never appear on the edge of Highgarden's territory, let alone so close to the main residence!"

George's heart sank, but he maintained his composure.

Under the current circumstances, he can conceal the core secrets of the family, but he must provide a plausible and reasonable explanation.

"Inspector, you're right." George carefully chose his words, not denying it. "There have indeed been some unusual events on the island recently. The lake was polluted, and some creatures affected by the pollution appeared."

"An anomaly? Creatures affected by the filth?" Douglas repeated. "That sounds like some kind of passive, consequential description. And the source?"

"We are investigating and resolving this issue. My father had already begun addressing these sources of contamination before he fell into a coma," George replied briefly and firmly. "I am also taking over the relevant matters and looking for a way to completely clean up the mess."

Douglas stared intently into George's eyes, as if trying to detect even the slightest hint of panic or concealment, but George remained remarkably composed.

The inspector paused for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, "Has this kind of thing... happened before? Your father's unusual behavior..."

He stopped mid-sentence, as if he had remembered something.

He shook his head and sighed deeply: "Forget it, forget it. As long as you know what's going on, I won't dwell on the details of the past."

"But George, I must remind you that if those forces of the Void Source Siwei are not completely eliminated, the consequences will be dire. The Anti-Suppression Bureau can tolerate some of the nobles' borderline behavior for the time being, but only if you do not conceal any major threats to public safety."

"We understand, Inspector." George nodded solemnly. "If the situation gets out of our control, we will contact the Anti-Corruption Bureau immediately."

The inspector finally nodded, stood up, and shifted into a more relaxed posture, seemingly indicating the end of a serious matter.

But then his gaze became complicated as he looked at George.

"Since we've come this far... George, what do you think of your father's current situation?"

The question seemed a bit abrupt, so George thought for a moment and then threw it back at him.

"Inspector, you and my father must have known each other for many years. In your opinion, what kind of extraordinary person was my father?"

Douglas fell silent, gazing at the clear autumn clouds outside the alchemy room window, his eyes becoming distant.

"His Excellency the Viscount... he was once the most dazzling one, even in the Highgarden circle."

His tone was full of reminiscence: "He possessed rare talent and perseverance, and... he had an extremely strong determination that was enough to support his climb."

"Obsession?" George seized on this word.

“Yes, obsession.” Douglas turned to George. “On the path to the extraordinary, knowledge and talent are certainly important, but only obsession can allow us to maintain our ‘self’ after repeatedly encountering truths that can shatter the rationality that mortals have built up over decades in seconds.”

"To reach the end, one needs an intense, almost obsessive, desire, goal, and belief... For us, obsession is the anchor, the light, and the shield. A superhuman without obsession is like a kite without a string; in the pursuit of power, one is easily assimilated by the world, becoming a puppet of power or an alien god, or simply heading towards the end."

The inspector paused, his gaze dimming slightly: "His Excellency the Viscount once possessed the passion and almost obsessive dedication of an artist. Since we brought Gallia back, he has been among the few most promising to achieve immortality."

George listened intently, holding his breath.

Merit, a key promotion milestone mentioned multiple times by the Viscount in the book and in the information on his cane.

"But after your mother passed away, everything changed." Douglas shook his head. "His once burning, unwavering determination, capable of burning away all obstacles, was extinguished. His spirit was gone, his talent lay idle, his power stagnated, and even began to decline."

"I met him in person a few more times afterward, and he... had changed. The brilliance of the diamond had faded, replaced by a charcoal-like gray."

The inspector looked at George, his gaze becoming complex and helpless.

"Your parents were truly a perfect match, and I understand the pain of losing a loved one. But for people like us, dramatic changes can easily become a bridge to the abyss."

"His strength has declined, and his body has deteriorated. This is a natural result of the 'obsession' fading away. His vitality and extraordinary nature are also gradually disappearing." The inspector's voice lowered.

"As someone who was mentored by him back then, I didn't want to see him like this—but he chose his own end."

After he finished speaking, he let out a long sigh, and the alchemy room fell into a heavy silence.

George remained silent; he could tell that the inspector had also felt uneasy after meeting the Viscount.

The Viscount's "illness" appears to be not merely physical, but rather a fundamental exhaustion on the path to transcendence.

Witnessing the end of a powerful superhuman with whom he had a significant connection, this warning about "obsession" struck him like a wake-up call.

A superhuman without any obsession is like a kite with a broken string, destined to drift and sink.

George pondered to himself what his "obsession" was.

Is it survival, exploring the truth of this world, or... returning to the beginning?

Perhaps they all exist, or perhaps they haven't yet taken shape.

But one thing is certain: he must find and hold on to it, otherwise, the Viscount's present situation may be his future situation.

"Thank you for your honesty, Inspector." After a long silence, George spoke, his voice now more serious. "This has been very helpful to me."

Douglas waved his hand, seemingly unwilling to dwell too much on this pessimistic discussion.

He regained some of his inspector's efficiency: "Alright, that's all I have to say. Besides being here to witness as requested by the Viscount, I'm also here..."

Suddenly, there were loud footsteps outside the door, followed by a rapid knocking, and then the door was opened.

A strange male servant rushed in and quickly spoke to the three people who were acting strangely inside:

"Please leave immediately, everyone! The old lady is in grave danger!"