Chương 295: Attempt and Revelation
"I recently acquired the characteristic left behind by a Beyonder and intend to have it crafted into a corresponding magical item." Ebner got straight to the point, not leaving them in suspense.
Another Beyonder has fallen at the hands of "Tower"? The "Hanged Man" Alger's heart stirred as he asked gravely, "What Pathway is the characteristic from? What Sequence? I don't mean to pry into your personal matters… but the 'craftsman' I know has a rather peculiar temperament. Only characteristics that pique his interest would motivate him to take on the task."
Usually, "peculiar temperament" just means you haven't offered enough money... Pay him well enough, and I think this "craftsman" might set aside those little quirks.
Ebner couldn't help but think wryly. After considering for a moment, he realized this was a good segue to another topic, so he didn't hold back. "It's a Sequence 7 'Serial Killer' characteristic."
"Serial Killer?!" Mr. Tower has a grudge against the Blood Sanctify Sect? Or perhaps his organization is pursuing a case related to 'Demon'?
However, Beyonders of the "Demon" Pathway are notoriously difficult to deal with; they have outstanding skills in escaping and survival. Even an ordinary Sequence 5 would struggle to track their trail… So for Mr. Tower to be able to kill a "Serial Killer" speaks volumes about his strength.
As an official Beyonder, Alger had some knowledge of the "Demon" Pathway and the Blood Sanctify Sect. He silently made a note to inquire into any recent occurrences of serial killings in nearby cities—it might help him pinpoint Tower's identity.
Of course, there was a risk of offending Tower, but as long as it was done covertly, Tower probably wouldn't even realize he'd been investigated.
After a moment of deliberation, the Hanged Man Alger nodded and replied thoughtfully, "A Serial Killer characteristic is indeed quite rare. I think this 'craftsman' would be interested… However, I'd require 15% of the final value of the crafted magical item as a brokerage fee."
A Sequence 7 characteristic is worth at least a thousand pounds and is usually hard to come by… Although exceptions exist for Paths like "Demon" and "Aberration," as these Pathways carry curses and contaminations that make people reluctant to follow them.
Yet, once it's made into a magical item, if the negative effects aren't too severe and the abilities are practical, it could fetch a decent price—probably over fifteen hundred pounds at least.
Based on that calculation, the Hanged Man's intermediary fee would be around two to three hundred pounds… Acceptable, Ebner thought. After a quick mental tally, he nodded slightly and said, "Agreed."
Seeing their transaction conclude, Justice Audrey, unable to restrain her curiosity, asked, "The name 'Serial Killer' sounds rather wicked… Which Pathway does it belong to? And how would one act it out? Do you have to… actually kill?"
I know this one. Back when I was with the Night Watchers, I checked related materials… The Serial Killer is Sequence 7 of the Demon Pathway. They wield extensive knowledge and rituals of demon worship, and enjoy using serial murders to please demons… Beyond that, I don't know much…
At the head of the table, Klein inwardly answered the question but refrained from speaking. Though his new Fool persona wasn't "omniscient," not even knowing about mid-to-low Sequence information would make him seem too uninformed. So he decided not to risk it.
Before Ebner or Alger could answer Miss Justice's question, Judgment Xio, who had spoken little since joining the Tarot Club, suddenly took up the explanation and provided Audrey with a thorough "lesson" on the characteristics of the Serial Killer.
In fact, Xio hadn't learned everything she knew about the Demon Pathway and Blood Sanctify Sect from Ebner. Lately, Backlund had seen a string of demon-related murders, so MI9 had distributed some information to its official members, and Xio had recently read through it.
As he listened to Xio's detailed response, Ebner's expression turned subtly amused behind the gray fog, realizing her phrasing style had shifted noticeably.
"I reminded Xio to mind her language before she attended her first Tarot Meeting… I didn't expect her to take it so seriously… Is she planning to keep up this act permanently?"
After some internal muttering, Ebner decided to set aside these trivial matters—if Xio wanted to keep her disguise, he'd play along.
On the other side, Justice Audrey, after hearing Miss Judgment's explanation, couldn't help but think of the recent serial murders in Backlund. She couldn't resist asking, "Mr. Tower, did this characteristic come from the killer who's been committing these recent crimes in Backlund?"
Good question, Miss Justice! I was wondering how to steer the conversation that way.
Ebner's spirits lifted, and he smiled as he replied, "No, the one in Backlund is a real 'Demon,' and isn't so easy to capture."
Then, as if casually, he added, "The Serial Killer whose characteristic I obtained was someone I killed in Tingen."
There were multiple reasons Ebner decided to share this information. Primarily, he wanted the members of the Tarot Club to associate his "Dr. Strange" alias with his Tarot Club persona, Mr. Tower.
Of course, he couldn't say it outright—he'd have to leave clues for them to investigate and draw the connection themselves.
The core of Mr. Tower's persona within the Tarot Club was "erudition," which matched perfectly with his alias as Dr. Strange, who he had carefully crafted to convey the same quality.
This way, he could transfer the reputation and prestige of Mr. Tower to Dr. Strange whenever he eventually made his public appearance.
While the "Gray Fog" would obscure any direct association between Mr. Tower's learned reputation and Ebner himself, the same wouldn't apply to "Dr. Strange" in the outside world.
In other words, a rebranding!
With an inward smirk, Ebner observed the reactions of the other members.
Tingen! Sitting at the head of the table, the Fool, Klein, immediately perked up at this familiar term. Even though he knew the Serial Killer was dead, having been taken down by Mr. Tower, a twinge of anxiety and worry stirred within him.
A serial killer had actually infiltrated Tingen… I hope Melissa and Benson weren't caught up in it… and I wonder if Leonard, Frye, Royale, or Seeka were harmed because of it…
I need to find a way to check on Tingen's situation… But I can't rush it—I have to be cautious so that I don't endanger Benson and Melissa.
Tingen… Justice Audrey was initially disappointed that the villain in Backlund hadn't met their end. Then she mulled over the name, realizing she knew almost nothing about the city. Though she passed by it each year on her way to East Chester, she had never stayed there.
Actually, Konse studied at a university in Tingen and likely has connections there. Perhaps I could get some information from him… Hmm, since Mr. Tower brought it up, I assume he doesn't mind?
Audrey thought as she decided to accept Countess Galea's invitation to the ball on Tuesday evening when she returned.
Countess Galea, the wife of Earl Wolfe, had invited many familiar nobles and foreign ambassadors to her upcoming ball, including Becklund Jean Mardan, as well as Konse Leersen, who had recently been recovering at home from poor health.
Initially, Audrey had intended to decline the invitation by claiming she was ill, but now she felt much more interested in attending.
Tingen? Alger wasn't particularly familiar with the city, but he had vaguely heard that there had been a violent incident there over two weeks ago, resulting in the deaths of several Night Watchers…
However… Mr. Tower seems to have deliberately revealed the origin of the Serial Killer's characteristic. What could he be planning?
Just as Alger pondered, Tower suddenly looked at him and remarked meaningfully, "From this incident, I think I've deduced the reason 'Vice Admiral Hurricane' sought to assassinate Duke Negan."
By initially pulling back the curtain on the mysteries of the Twilight Hermit Order, Ebner was hoping to heighten Klein's vigilance—another goal behind steering the conversation.
"For what reason? Could it really have been an item that would quickly make him a demigod?" Mentioning Qilangos's secrets, even a seasoned character like Alger momentarily lost his calm.
"If I'm not mistaken…
"It should be a 'Blasphemy Card'!"
(End of Chapter)
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