Lord of Mysteries: The Color of the Stars

Chapter 67, Section 2-146: "The Cat-Man Pendant"

"right."

Julian nodded upon hearing this, then asked curiously, "What happened to that sealed artifact? Is it dangerous?"

"You were referring to that after all."

Dunn shook his head: "It is indeed dangerous, but rather than 'dangerous,' it's more accurate to say that the stuff's side effects are...strange."

"What's so strange about it?"

Julian became even more curious upon hearing this.

"The pendant can hypnotize and intimidate the wearer, and can even put the wearer into a magical, invisible state that seems to be able to enter the blind spot of everyone's attention."

"However, its side effect is that if the user uses it for more than 8 minutes, they will start to think of themselves as a cat—if they are a low-sequence extraordinary, this time will be reduced to about 4 minutes."

"This tendency isn't very strong at first, but it quickly becomes irresistible."

"ah?

"

Julian was somewhat taken aback by this: "What exactly did he do?"

"It can walk on all fours, its jumping ability has improved, it rubs its cheek against people, makes gurgling sounds, wants to sleep in a cardboard box, and even shows interest in the fish in the fish tank."

"The most frightening thing is that this side effect doesn't seem to improve over time."

"puff----"

Julian couldn't hold back for a moment: "Who did you use to test this? Could it be Klein?"

How could you have such a thought?

Dunn gave Julian a strange look: "No, when the Night Watchers conduct sealing artifact tests, they either use animals, or they use cultists and death row inmates with particularly serious crimes."

"oh----"

Julian snapped out of his daze and nodded.

If that's the case, this sealed artifact might have been dropped by a "hypnotist" with a confused sense of self after their death, or it might have simply come from a feline that had taken a magic potion.

"Can I borrow this?"

Julian asked.

"Putting aside the side effects, borrowing sealed artifacts is simply not allowed under the rules."

Dunn shook his head and decisively rejected Julian.

"—Why don't you send a telegram to the sanctuary to ask?"

Julian blinked and added, "I won't take it with me; I'll only use it at Blackthorn Security."

"Arrange for someone to use this sealing artifact to hypnotize me according to my instructions—it absolutely won't take more than 4 minutes, and I won't let him turn into a cat."

"no."

Dunn refused again: "You know, it's against regulations for me, as the team captain, to write this kind of application."

"Then I'll write it?"

Julian winked. "As a specially appointed expert advisor to the 'Night Watch,' sending a telegram to the Sanctuary shouldn't be a problem, right?"

;

"7

Dunn was somewhat speechless, and after a long while he said, "Write the application, and then go and send it out yourself."

"Thank you, Captain."

Julian beamed, knowing that Dunn had made an exception for him.

After all, while the danger level of a Level 2 sealed artifact is not very high, and normal captain-level Night Watchers have the authority to use it, this does not mean that they can use it at will outside of mission situations.

Julian quickly wrote the application, sent the telegram verbatim, and then waited.

After a long while, a knock came at the door, and Rosanne's voice came from outside: "Captain, a telegram from the Sanctuary, addressed to Julian."

"Come in."

Dunn spoke up.

Rosanne pushed open the door and placed the telegram on the table.

Besides the inscription "Church of Tranquility," only two sentences were written on it: "Approved."

"Strictly follow the application requirements."

"It seems the sanctuary has given its approval."

Julian picked up the telegram and waved it at Dunn.

He had anticipated this outcome, since the ritual magic was suggested by Ariana herself, and the Sanctuary had no reason to refuse Julian if the request was reasonable.

"All right."

Dunn was somewhat speechless. He took out a document, filled it out, and signed his name at the bottom: "Find a Night Watcher, a full member, to go behind the Charis Gate with you to retrieve the sealed artifact, and then use it according to your requirements."

"Now, apart from Frye who is on duty at Chanis Gate, Klein, Cohenley, and Sega can all accompany you."

"Then let's go with Klein."

Julian burst out laughing.

"good.

Dunn nodded.

Julian stood up and walked outside.

"2-146—————— "Cat Man Pendant"?"

"That's a really realistic name."

He glanced at the application, pursed his lips, and walked upstairs.

This meeting with Dunn gave Julian a very different feeling.

The Night Watch captain's forgetfulness seemed to have improved a lot; at least when facing Julian, he no longer had that symptom of forgetting things.

Perhaps due to the positive effects of digesting the potion, Julian is still unaware of this.

After he went upstairs and found Klein, explained his purpose and showed him the application written by Dunn, Julian clearly saw the corner of the guy's mouth twitch.

"That's possible—but why me?"

There was a hint of wariness in his words; Klein was also aware of the strange side effects of the "Catman Pendant."

"Because I'm the one who knows you best."

Julian smiled and looked at Klein, then asked, "Is there a problem?"

"no problem."

Klein shook his head: "All you need to do is make sure it doesn't take more than four minutes."

"We can put a stopwatch next to it."

Julian replied.

"All right."

Klein nodded, and then accompanied Julian to the back of Charnis Gate to retrieve the faceted white crystal pendant.

"You help me implant a visual fragment through hypnosis. The scene is Selena Wood's room, and I look like Melissa. My body is immobile."

This is something that actually happened to Julian, and it successfully triggered an active reaction from "Starry Night".

Since memory is a part of the subconscious, this psychological suggestion only needs to be reinforced in the context to successfully trigger Julian's fear.

What a load of nonsense!

Klein was speechless for a moment. He really wanted to ask Julian what happened when he transformed into Melissa and dressed as a woman, but after thinking about it, he ultimately decided not to ask.

"By the way, make sure to display the contents of this nameplate in the scene so I can see it."

"As long as I don't disappear from this scene, no matter what happens, I must hold up the sign. Remember—otherwise I will die."

Julian first put on "Chris Jacob's Ring," then handed the plaque engraved with various messages to Klein, making sure the latter remembered it well, before placing a stopwatch beside him.

"Let's begin."

After pressing the timer, Klein channeled his spiritual energy into the pendant, then clasped his hand with Julian's.

Physical contact can make hypnosis easier, and it also saves energy.

The two closed their eyes together, and Klein began to try to project Selena's room from his memory into Julian's mind exactly as it was.

The corresponding scene quickly appeared: Klein saw Julian, who had transformed into Melissa, staring intently at a mirror in Selena Wood's hand, a look of horror on her face.

Klein himself stood to the side, quietly watching Julian.

"—By the way, what exactly did Julian see in the mirror back then?"

Suddenly, this curious thought popped into Klein's mind!

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