I'm in Mota, and they all want me to confess my feelings!

He picked up the instruction manual again and carefully read through it, suddenly noticing a small supplementary note on the last page:

[Note: As the device is still under development, it may cause significant noise interference to those resonating with it during startup; this is normal. Ordinary people and afterimages cannot perceive this frequency.]

This device is only for avoiding afterimages and echoes. Please avoid using it near the person experiencing the resonance to prevent alerting them.

Duanmu Yan: "?"

You mean, the real purpose of this thing is to tell the enemy that I'm going to infiltrate and let them get ready?

Volume 1: Chapter 34 Are you here to argue with me?

"So, this thing is not only useless to those who resonate with it, but it might even have the opposite effect?"

After hearing Duanmu Yan's explanation, Rococo and Brandt both began to have doubts about the reliability and practicality of the device.

"That's what the instruction manual says." Duanmu Yan gently placed the instruction manual aside, his tone calm. "But it doesn't matter. As long as it allows me to remain hidden in front of the sound fragments and afterimages, that's enough."

After all, his mission was to infiltrate Giacomo's inner circle.

According to current intelligence, Giacomo almost never allows non-close associates to enter the core area.

The security measures there most likely rely on sound fragments rather than resonance.

If that's the case, then this device might just be useful.

"Should we go outside and try it out?" Brandt asked Duanmu Yan.

Duanmu Yan nodded: "That's exactly what I was thinking. Let's go to the island and find some remaining images to see for ourselves whether this device works or not."

They left the theater troupe's base together and headed towards the shore shrouded in thick fog.

The mist, like gauze, spread from the sea of ​​clouds—it was the hazy mist known as "echo clouds," and countless afterimages, attracted by its frequency, lingered on the island, echoing mournful and desolate whispers day and night.

What was once a sacred site has now become an "island of lamentation."

The three stood on high ground, facing the endless, lingering eerie tides along the coastline.

“This place is perfect,” Duanmu Yan said to the two of them. “I’ll go try it out now.”

"Don't worry, leave your back to us." Brandt patted his chest, his tone resolute. "If anything happens, the first mate and I will step in immediately."

Duanmu Yan smiled slightly at them, then took a deep breath and leaped into the swirling sea fog.

The fog was eerily silent; almost no sound could be heard. Only a few blurry figures occasionally moved silently through the fog—wandering afterimages.

"Then now..."

He muttered to himself and started the device.

In an instant, a strange frequency was released from the device, enveloping him. Duanmu Yan tentatively took a few steps forward, but the afterimages in the surrounding clouds and mist still lingered, showing no reaction to him.

Normally, these residual images would have sensed his frequency and aura long ago and rushed towards him.

"It actually worked!"

Duanmu Yan walked a distance deeper into the clouds and mist.

The lingering afterimages around him seemed oblivious to his presence, as if he were nothing more than an insignificant wisp of wind.

Of course, this does not mean that he is completely invisible in front of the afterimage.

As long as they are close enough, they can still sense his presence.

"That concludes the test; it's time to head back."

A moment later, Duanmu Yan calmly emerged from the thick fog. Brandt and Rococo, who had been waiting in place, visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Looks like the result was good?" Brandt stepped forward and asked.

“Yes, it’s better than I expected,” Duanmu Yan replied, “but we still can’t get too close to the remaining elephants, or they will still detect us.”

“It’s already quite remarkable. If everyone in the troupe could be equipped with this device, there would be no need to worry about the threat of afterimages.” Brant’s tone carried a hint of regret. “Unfortunately, this thing is still in the experimental stage. According to Miss Koleta, even she spent a lot of money to get the test version.”

"Brother Duanmu, do you want to go back now, or rest here for a while?" Rococo looked up at him. "You've been at sea for so long and just went through a battle. You must be very tired, right? The troupe has already prepared a room for you to rest in."

Brandt added from the side, "I also suggest you take a break with the troupe. Even a captain who has weathered storms needs calm seas."

Upon hearing this, Duanmu Yan felt that what they said made sense.

Having spent so long at sea and endured a series of battles, he was indeed feeling exhausted.

Besides, there's no point in rushing back to Raguna now.

The concert is still in the planning stages.

"In that case, I'll rest here for a while before continuing my journey." Duanmu Yan nodded with a smile. "Thank you for your help."

……

……

Laguna.

Koleta sat quietly by the floor-to-ceiling window, her posture elegant.

A soft melody filled the restaurant as she picked up her teacup and took a sip of the steaming black tea.

This tea comes from Huanglong, a distant place. Compared to the local black tea in Laguna, it has an indescribable, elegant aroma.

Ten minutes ago, she received a message from Duanmu Yan, who had obtained the device, completed testing, and was about to return home.

The operation went smoothly.

The preliminary work is halfway done, and the next step is the most important one.

—Bringing a highly anticipated performance to Laguna.

click, click, click—

A slow, deliberate footstep echoed through the empty restaurant.

Koleta gently set down her teacup, looked at the girl before her, and gave a polite but restrained smile: "Please sit down, Miss Floro."

Floro's expression was indifferent. Instead of taking a seat as instructed, she looked around and asked in a clearly questioning tone, "I remember... the person who asked me to meet him was Duanmu Yan. Where is he?"

“Perhaps you’re mistaken.” Koleta remained composed and elegant, unperturbed by her rudeness. “He invited you here—to meet me.”

Floro frowned slightly upon hearing this, but still sat down as instructed: "So, what do you want to talk about? Cooperation?"

“To show my sincerity,” Coleta smiled at her, “but before that, please allow me to apologize for my behavior at the dessert shop earlier.”

"Apologize?" This intrigued Floro. "To me?"

“Of course,” Koleta said calmly. “I heard about what happened between you and him from Duanmu. I sympathize with what you’ve been through, but Duanmu Yan is not the person you think he is. As his girlfriend, it is my responsibility to stand up for him.”

She pronounced the words "girlfriend" very clearly, as if to emphasize her own status to her.

“Therefore, business is business, and life is life,” she continued. “I hope Miss Floro will not take your personal emotions out on Duanmu.”

Floro picked up her black tea, took a small sip, and said, "Did you come here to argue with me?"

“Of course not.” Koleta said calmly. “I just hope that after the cooperation ends, he won’t be bothered with this for no reason anymore.”

Floro crossed his legs, a noncommittal smile on his face: "What if I said... I'm going to keep bothering him? Are you going to kill me and sink me to the bottom of the dock?"

Koleta shook her head slightly, her voice still gentle: "The Motari family is not a gang, and I would never do such a thing. I just hope that Miss Floro can distinguish the boundaries and not project her personal emotions onto others."

“Is that so?” Floro stood up, clearly unwilling to linger any longer. “It seems our conversation shall end here. But rest assured, the cooperation will continue.”

She walked toward the door, but then stopped and turned back to give it a meaningful glance.

"Furthermore, I advise you, Miss Koleta—before you have learned the full extent of someone's experiences, don't jump to conclusions."

"What if I said..."

"Duanmu Yan, is that the person?"

Volume 1: Chapter 35 She's Different!

"After drifting all night, we're almost there."

On the sea, bathed in the first light of dawn, Duanmu Yan rowed a gondola alone, heading towards the gradually clearer city of Laguna in the distance.

He let out a soft sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally relaxing slightly.

Yesterday, he spent a leisurely and peaceful day at the Fools' Theatre.

After bidding farewell to Rococo and Brandt, he set off back to Laguna.

The sea breeze was cool, the night was long, and now we were finally about to reach the shore.

According to the agreement, Coleta should already be waiting for him at the dock.

Before long, the gondola slowly docked.

In the morning light, Duanmu Yan vaguely saw a slender figure leaning against the dock, holding a bottle of milk in her hand, waving gently at him.

"You've worked hard." As soon as he stepped ashore, Koleta came up to him and handed him another bottle of milk. "Here, drinking some milk in the morning is good for your health."

milk?

Duanmu Yan took the glass bottle, which was still slightly cool and damp, and his gaze inadvertently swept over Koleta.

A thought suddenly popped into his mind: Is it a bit late to start drinking milk now? After all, he's long past puberty.

Koleta keenly noticed his shifty gaze and narrowed her eyes slightly: "I have a feeling... you're thinking about something quite rude?"

Duanmu Yan was slightly taken aback, then immediately shook his head, his eyes firm: "Absolutely not."

"Really?" Koleta leaned closer, standing on tiptoe to examine his eyes closely.

After a moment of fruitless searching, she turned around, casually twirling a strand of hair with her fingers, and said in a deliberately nonchalant tone, "I just simply like drinking milk, that's all. Understand? Just like some people like coffee in the morning, some prefer energy drinks—and me, I just like milk. Got it?"

Duanmu Yan saw through it but didn't point it out, only smiling slightly: "I understand, Second Miss, I understand."

"That's good." Koleta nodded in satisfaction, then changed the subject, "By the way, the device should have been tested before, right?"

“It’s been tested,” Duanmu Yan replied. “It’s quite effective at concealing itself from sound fragments and afterimages. However, the noise it releases can still be detected by the Resonators, easily alerting them.”

Koleta said thoughtfully, "I see... But considering Giacomo's cautious nature, his core area, apart from his confidants, should be mostly secured by sound-based security measures. You just need to be more careful in your actions. Even if there are occasional noises, those who resonate will mostly just wonder if they misheard. So the key is speed—quiet, efficient, and without leaving a trace."

Duanmu Yan nodded: "I understand. By the way, Miss, how did your talk with Floro go?"

Koleta leaned gently against the dock railing, her tone seemingly devoid of much emotion: "Everything has been largely agreed upon, and the cooperation has been arranged. It's just... I still feel something's off."

"strangeness?"

“Hmm.” Coleta pondered for a moment. “I offered her many generous terms, but she didn’t want any of them. Money, status, fame… things that ordinary people pursue, she seemed to care nothing for. Floro… is unlike anyone I’ve ever dealt with before.”

"Oh?" These words indeed piqued Duanmu Yan's curiosity. Although he was the one who asked Floro for help, the specific terms of the cooperation were all negotiated by Koleta herself, and he was not clear about the details. "Then... what exactly does she want?"

"Yes, what exactly does she want?" Koleta turned around, a meaningful smile on her face. "Why don't you guess?"

"Uh……"

Duanmu Yan suddenly felt a slight chill on his back, and a sense of foreboding quietly emerged.

Could it be that……

Flolo, are you really interested in me?

The topic of meal replacement literature.

“Alright, just kidding.” Koleta chuckled, her tone softening. “Actually, Floro didn’t make any explicit demands. But… I have a feeling she has some special feelings for you. She might come looking for you again after the collaboration ends. Of course, how you deal with it is your own business. But if she really bothers you… you can come to me anytime, and I’ll help you solve this problem.”

"How about we solve it physically? Invite her fishing in the Rijoli Islands?"

"Oh dear, the Motari family isn't a gang, why would they do such violent things?" Koleta blinked innocently. "It's just inviting her to dinner, having a good chat—maybe she'll back off on her own after we talk?"

“I have a feeling that this is not just a simple meal,” Duanmu Yan said. “However, Floro… doesn’t seem to have any bad intentions.”

"Perhaps it's just that I was hurt too deeply by the past and lost all hope in this world, which is why I seem so indifferent. Besides, this time I took the initiative to approach her, not the other way around."

"If possible, becoming friends with her and helping her gradually emerge from the shadows of the past might be a good option."

Upon hearing this, a playful glint flashed in Koleta's eyes, and she chuckled teasingly, "Looks like you have a good impression of that woman. You're already planning for the future?"

"That's true... She's very beautiful, with a unique kind of beauty. It's not surprising that you'd like her. Oh, by the way, I just remembered, you seemed to have a good relationship with a priestess at the religious order."

“Why do I feel… Miss, your tone is a little strange?” Duanmu Yan said seriously, “As for Phoebe, the relationship between her and me is even simpler.”

“Being innocent now doesn’t mean you won’t change in the future.” Koleta snorted and cast her gaze toward the distant Cathedral of Mercury. “You’ve been to the Island of Lamentation, so you must have already seen the other side of the Order’s glamorous exterior—what kind of bloody and terrifying rule is hidden beneath those gorgeous robes.”

Her tone grew colder: "They call themselves messengers of God, yet secretly commit all sorts of despicable acts. In the eyes of the religious order, any questioning or criticism is absolutely forbidden; only the constant praise of the Lord's virtues is the eternal truth of Raghu."

"How hypocritical!"