Mystery: Big Alarm Clock Ghroth Path

Chapter 260 Infiltrating the Military Base
Upon hearing Roger's question, Lindsay remained silent for a moment, then took a large gulp of wine.

Once the dizziness subsided, the blush on her face deepened.

“As you know, I used to be a man named Lindsay, Lindsay Louise.”

Linssaya slowly opened her mouth:
"I don't know if you know about the Gnostic organization, they really screwed me over."

"I was influenced by them and took the 'Assassin' potion without knowing the details."

Roger nodded upon hearing Lindsay's words:

“I know that this mentally ill organization has caused me a lot of trouble.”

The Gnostic originated in the early Fifth Age. This organization has a very morbid dualistic worldview, which holds that the core of human existence lies in the spiritual essence, while the physical body is merely a shell that imprisons the spirit.

They believe that the physical body possesses a certain original sin and that moral decay stems from the pollution of the biological body. Only by awakening spiritual intelligence through secret rituals, allowing the spiritual body to undergo the tempering of the astral plane, and ultimately achieving complete transcendence of the spiritual essence from the material dimension, can one reach eternal salvation.

Driven by this extreme ideology, some radical members developed a theory of violent purification, attempting to forcibly kill others and dismember their bodies, thus creating many horrific and bloody cases that caused great headaches for officials.

When Triss was still Triss, she was tricked by these people into drinking the "Assassin" potion, and was eventually chosen by the "Witch Cult" to become the vessel for the "Primal Witch" Chick's divine descent.

In fact, Roger, as a member of the Abraham family, knew very well that the "Assassin" pathway potions possessed by the Gnostic Society originated from the "Witch Family," the predecessor of the "Witch Cult." In addition, they also possessed some "Apprentice" pathway potion recipes, which originated from the Tamara family, which had a long-standing marriage alliance with Abraham. Therefore, in a broad sense, the Gnostic Society and the Abraham family also had a certain connection.

"...Yes, as I just said, I took the 'Assassin' potion."

Linssaya paused for a moment: "My girlfriend, Miranda, also took the 'Assassin' potion."

"Ah? How come?"

Roger suddenly felt his mind go blank.

For the "Witch Cult," the existence of female witches is a major taboo. Due to the prohibition of that madwoman Chik, they will purge any female witch they discover and will never allow her to exist.

"It seems you know the inside story."

Linselia sighed:
"It's my fault, really. I didn't understand anything back then and didn't know how much darkness was hidden on the path of the extraordinary."

"Because the 'Assassin' potion recipe was the first potion recipe I obtained, I wasn't sure if I could get something similar later. So, in order to give Miranda extraordinary abilities, I impulsively had her drink the potion as well."

"I thought nothing was wrong until we met members of the 'Witch Cult' and were recruited into it."

"Miranda and I were very happy at the time because we had finally found an organization after being lonely for a long time. However, the 'Witch Cult' always separated us to carry out missions, and even transferred me to a very far place."

"Looking back now, they must have discovered Miranda's identity as a female witch at that time."

"Miranda realized the problem faster than I did, but she probably betrayed me and broke off relations with me because she was afraid of upsetting me."

"But I was too slow to react and failed to decipher the anomaly. I was so angry that I went to Fenneport by myself for a long time."

Roger listened quietly without saying a word, simply staying by Lindsay's side and silently drinking his rum.

He now understood why Lindsay so hated being betrayed; it was because it constantly reminded her of everything about Miranda, made her feel utterly incompetent, and caused her to lose control of her emotions.

Especially when this betrayal is real, it gives Lindsay a twisted desire for revenge, because it contrasts sharply with Miranda's betrayal, making her want to kill her even more—this was the case with her mole "boyfriend" on the Obsidian.

After a long while, Linsaya finally spoke again:
"I don't know when she died; the whole thing was premeditated."

"I only heard that Miranda became an extraordinary object, in the form of the bracelet I gave her, which is also her only keepsake."

She suddenly clenched her teeth:

“That damned ‘Witch Cult’ not only killed Miranda, but also refused to give me her belongings, and even launched a hunt for me.”

"In a panic, I ran to the sea and hid in the cargo hold of a ship, which is how I managed to save my name."

"After that, I captured and executed a 'witch,' from whom I learned that the higher-ups of the 'Witch Cult' were telling the other 'assassins' that I was reflecting on my actions alone."

"...Reflection, what a ridiculous word. What are they pretending for? Do they think they are saints?"

"In short, I am not allowed to return to the Northern Continent because there are always people watching me there, and I will definitely be discovered once I go back."

“I’m so frustrated. I want to avenge Miranda, but I know I’m not strong enough to fight against the higher-ups of the ‘Witch Cult’.”

"Later, I kept seeking opportunities to become stronger, trying my best to digest the 'pleasure' potion. In the process, I met you and little Philip and the others... You know what happened after that."

After saying that, Linsaya lowered her head, her shoulders heaving, and it took her a while to calm down.

"Who is your superior in the 'Witch Cult'?"

Roger asked.

"Katerina Pelle"

"Few people know this name; most people just call her 'The White Saintess'."

When she said the word "Saintess," Linssaya's tone became noticeably more forceful.

What a coincidence, it's Katerina Pelle again...

Upon hearing this, Roger couldn't help but think to himself.

The "White Saintess" was the superior of the "Madame Sharon" in Tingen City, and the former caused great trouble for the Night Watch team, directly resulting in the loss of team members.

So, this guy, like the Gnostic Society, is a persistent ghost.

"Tell you a secret."

Roger suddenly pursed his lips and spoke.

"What secret?"

Linssaya looked up at Roger with bloodshot eyes, looking rather puzzled.

"You've been adrift at sea for so long, you should know about 'Admiral of Disease' Tracy, right?"

Roger paused, then said:

"It was the 'sick girl' who conquered his fleet after 'Hurricane' Zilingus died."

“I know, I’ve seen her once, and she was clearly a ‘witch’ as well.”

Linselia nodded: "But I don't know who her superior is..."

"Her mother is Katerina Pelle."

Roger smiled and told the truth before Lindsay could finish speaking.

"what?"

Linselia's mouth dropped open in disbelief.

"Yes, what's even funnier is that Katarina Pelle is a man turned witch, and Tracy's father also turned into a witch earlier and became 'sisters' with Katarina."

"After Tracy was born, she was tricked again and chose the 'assassin' path, turning into a woman. However, she is slightly more normal than her parents."

Roger said with a smile.

"Be more normal? What makes you say that?"

Linssaya pressed for an answer, her curiosity piqued.

"Even after she became a witch, her sexual orientation remained female."

Roger said with a smile.

Linssaya paused, then suddenly burst into laughter:

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Perhaps because she had been drinking, or perhaps to dispel her sadness, she laughed for a while before suddenly pausing, as if realizing something was amiss.

"Come to think of it, I think I'm like that myself, right?"

Linselia pointed to her own nose, with an expression that said, "Are you indirectly mocking me?"

"Don't overthink it, I'm just trying to have some fun for you, after all, she is the 'White Saintess'."

When Roger said the words "White Saintess," he deliberately emphasized the last two words, mimicking Linssaya's tone, making it sound rather sarcastic.

"Hahahahaha..."

Linsaya seemed very relieved, even though it was somewhat like hurting the enemy a thousand while losing eight hundred of her own, knowing these things still made her feel much better.

The two laughed for a while, then fell silent again.

"Don't worry, I won't let Katerina Pelle get away with this."

Roger paused for a moment, then said:
“I have another friend who probably also wants to see her die.”

To be honest, Roger was very frustrated by Frye's death. He had thought he could give Tingen a happy ending, but in the end, someone still died.

"Yeah, I believe it."

Lindsay nodded, spoke gently, and then suddenly leaned close to Roger's ear, whispering her breath reeking of alcohol:

"Captain, I know you're no ordinary person."

"Of course I'm not an ordinary person."

Roger chuckled and pushed the "Pleasure Witch," who was trying to influence him with the "pleasure" effect, aside slightly, saying in a joking tone:
“I am a pirate captain, a divine messenger of the Aurora Society, and I just killed Bratov.”

No, that's not what I meant.

Linselia shook her head:
"You are not an ordinary extraordinary person; you hold a great secret."

"Although I don't know why I have this feeling, my intuition is usually quite accurate."

"Based on my experience, John West shouldn't be your real name either. Can you tell me your name?"

She looked expectant. Roger remained silent for a moment before speaking:
"This is my real name."

After saying that, he stood up and patted Linssaya on the shoulder:

"Go back and rest early. The sea breeze is too cold at night, and it will be even colder when the tide comes in."

"Come with me to the western outskirts of Bayam tomorrow. There's a dangerous mission we need to carry out."

"it is good."

Linssaya nodded without asking what the mission was.

Roger, carrying the bottle of liquor, turned around, left the deck, and headed towards the captain's cabin on the lower deck.

……

Roger finally woke up the next afternoon.

He had been studying Sam's materials late into the night, so he ended up sleeping a little longer than usual.

Fortunately, both the Star Lord and Bandit were fine. The tabby cat went to Zeus and asked for a serving of bluefish, and even brought the fish bones back to the captain's cabin.

Roger sat up, washed up, and then called Bandit and Lindsay over.

After a quick disguise, the two walked alongside Bandit at a distance, passing through the dock area and heading towards the heart of Bayam.

According to Roger's prior knowledge, the military facility on the western outskirts of Bayam was normally guarded by soldiers every day. However, due to the recent attack on the Governor's Mansion, security at the Governor's Mansion and the City Hall was strengthened, resulting in a weaker guard force at the military facility than usual.

Even so, its two main import and export ports are always guarded by elite combat teams of at least 5 and at most 7 people. These combat teams have a minimum strength level of Sequence 8 and a maximum strength level of Sequence 6. In addition, there are two substitute combat teams of the same level that rotate at any time to ensure that there are no loopholes in the defense.

On the other hand, there are four watchtowers on each of the surrounding high points to monitor any unusual situations. If any suspicious person tries to break in or get close, they will be immediately interrogated.

As for the interior of the military facility, Roger's information was somewhat limited, but it was conceivable that the situation was far more complex.

Every day at 6:30 p.m., the security at that military facility would decrease to some extent because some of Bayam's suppliers with long-term contracts with the military would transport supplies in at this time, providing soldiers and officers with necessary clothing, daily necessities, food, vegetables, fruits, and so on.

Furthermore, since most of the suppliers who were able to secure contracts had some connections with the military, the guards were quite lenient with their behavior and would even allow them to enter on their own, as long as they left within the allotted time.

So Roger and his team's plan was to find a food transport truck, have Lindsay use the "witch's" invisibility ability to hide herself inside the truck, while Roger would possess the staff directly using the "parasite glove".

As for Bandit, it's even simpler.

As far as Roger knew, the military facility did not seem to have any special control measures for animals, and his and Bandit's divinations confirmed this.

Considering that extraordinary beings like "animal trainers" can incite their animal companions to attack, this rule is indeed very unusual.

But that's the truth. Although Roger was very curious about the reasons behind it, it was ultimately a good thing.

Because Bandit is a cat, unlike wolves or bears, it is not aggressive. Bayam already has many stray cats, so it is easy for people to subconsciously overlook it and take it lightly.

This means it can swagger in to conduct reconnaissance, and if anyone notices it, it can simply go up and act cute.

Anyway, this Sequence 6 cat now possesses the most basic survival skills—according to it, it has learned "Wand Substitute" and "Invisibility" from Linssaya, so even if it can't beat its opponent, escaping at a critical moment is still a piece of cake.

After squatting for a while on the main street outside Bayam, Roger, Linsaya, and Bandit quickly spotted a caravan of seven wagons marked "Charles Agricultural Products Company" heading out of the city. Each wagon was pulled by three horses and carried a huge box-shaped container at the back. Roger knew without looking that it was full of grain and vegetables.

Using the degree of bending of the horses' legs and the depth of their horseshoes embedded in the mud as references, Roger quickly identified the two lightest of the five carts.

This means that it is very likely filled with something like fruit.

Considering the hot weather in Bayam and the fact that fruit is prone to spoilage, and that the area is a fruit-producing region, the amount of fruit transported each time is not large. The supplier, on the other hand, focuses more on rotating the types of fruit daily to ensure the soldiers' diverse needs for sweets.

This also means that the fruit transport vehicle has more space inside, enough to hide a person, especially a petite woman like Linsaya who is not very tall.

Of course, Roger didn't forget to leave a small amount of flesh-and-blood missiles attached to the carriage to confirm this, and then he gave Linsaya a look.

Under the cover of dusk, Linssaya quickly used "invisibility" and then hurriedly caught up with the fruit truck, using the "Benjamin's Gloves" that Roger had lent her to slip inside.

After confirming that Linssaya was in place, Roger did not rush to possess her. Instead, he used the Fallen Earl's ability to stay airborne and the Hermit's ability to conceal his presence to slowly and deliberately follow behind with Bandit.

The journey wasn't far, but it wasn't short either. A full hour later, Roger finally saw the gas lamps around the military control zone and the guards standing watch on the high platform.

Upon seeing this, Roger immediately lowered his height and landed on the soft mud a moment later.

"parasitic."

In the darkness, he reached out and aimed at a guard in the middle of the "Charles Agricultural Products Co., Ltd." convoy, then his figure quickly faded and disappeared.

He successfully "parasitized" the middle-aged man in his fifties.

However, the middle-aged man was completely unaware of this, only feeling a bit dizzy.

He shook his head and continued driving.

Soon the convoy arrived at the military outpost, which was surrounded by high walls and barbed wire.

Upon seeing someone on duty, a fat man in his thirties sitting in the first carriage jumped off, holding a document in his hand.

"what for?"

The sergeant on guard asked the question knowingly.

"Sir, we're delivering goods, mainly some grains, vegetables, and fruits."

The man in his thirties, all smiles, handed a cigarette to each of the guards, then passed on the documents he was holding.

"Okay, no problem."

The sergeant took the cigarette, stuffed it into his pocket, glanced at the document, but didn't look at it closely.

To be honest, if it weren't for the procedure requiring him to be questioned, he wouldn't even bother to open his mouth.

After all, there have been delivery trucks every day for the past two or three years, and nothing has ever happened, so the soldiers generally feel that the gatekeeper's inspection and questioning procedures are somewhat unnecessary.

"go in."

He waved his hand.

"Okay, okay."

The fat man nodded quickly, got back into the carriage, and directed the convoy through the now-open, heavy iron gate.

The person Roger had parasitized also followed the caravan, driving the carriage inside.

Suddenly, the sergeant major spoke up:

"Wait a moment!"

"What, what's wrong?"

The chubby man at the head of the group asked instinctively, and Roger, who was in a parasitic state, felt a jolt in his heart.

"Could it be that they discovered Lindsaya hiding in the car?"

Under the gaze of the fifty-something-year-old man Roger was parasitizing, the sergeant walked directly toward the back of the vehicle, twitching his nose as he went, as if he were sniffing something.

As luck would have it, when he reached the car where Linseya was hiding, the officer stopped and looked at the young coachman in his twenties sitting inside.

"Sir, is there anything I can help you with?"

The young man asked timidly.

Just as Roger, who had witnessed all of this, thought that Lindsay had sprayed some strange perfume when she went out, which the sergeant had smelled, and was about to use his "stirring stick" ability to distract him, he suddenly saw the officer reach out and grope the young man's body.

This rather bizarre scene left everyone present wide-eyed, completely baffled as to what the sergeant was up to.

The sergeant finally pulled a bottle of distilled liquor from behind the young man's backside after he had been touched until the young man's face turned bright red.

"These are flammable and explosive materials, and they've been confiscated. The rest of you can go in now."

The sergeant major's lips twitched uncontrollably upon seeing the bottle of liquor, but he maintained a serious tone.

He then waved his hand, signaling the rest of the people to drive the car in.

"Damn it, these drunkards..."

Roger's lips twitched violently. He really hadn't expected these Rune soldiers to be so bored as to rob the cargo handlers of their alcohol.

However, if you put yourself in his shoes, he himself is also a heavy drinker. If he were sent to a military camp where people don't drink, he would probably try every means to get some alcohol.

It was already dark by then. The convoy drove for about five more minutes and finally stopped in front of what looked like a canteen, where they began unloading.

Taking advantage of the moment the door opened, Linsaya, who had once again entered "invisibility" mode, quickly slipped out and, using the "assassin's" exceptional control over her body and movements, landed silently on the ground like a cat.

Then, under the cover of night, she quickly disappeared into the darkness and hid in a corner.

"Bandit got in too... It went pretty smoothly. Being an animal definitely has its advantages."

By the moonlight, she saw a chubby tabby cat whose figure looked somewhat familiar. It was squatting by the roadside washing its face, just like an ordinary kitten, while looking at the people unloading goods with wide, curious eyes.

Because there were too many goods and the handover process was involved, the process was very lengthy. It took a full forty minutes before the convoy responsible for transporting the goods finally drove off again.

As they passed a corner, Roger broke free from his "parasitic" state and used the "hermit's" ability to hide himself.

After everyone had left, Roger and Lindsay finally reunited.

On a sentry post on a high wall not far away, a soldier carrying a rifle was patrolling the area around the two of them by the light of a lamp.

If it weren't for a tree's shadow that conveniently shielded them, they would probably have been exposed immediately.

"Captain, what do we do now?"

Lindsay lowered her voice and looked at Roger with some uncertainty.

(End of this chapter)