The past was built upon collecting unique characteristics.

A light fog enveloped the city of Bet at night, making the air damp and chilly. Industrial pollution has long been the city's biggest problem, and despite calls from numerous self-organized political parties for improvement, a proper solution has yet to be reached.

However, the problems in Bet City did not end there. Just as not all streets were paved with smooth stone slabs, the kingdom's road-building policy had not yet been extended to all the outlying areas.

Morian quickly cleaned the mud off his feet and, instead of returning directly to the firm, took a few detours towards the company where the incident had occurred.

He needs to go there in person to see for himself; with the new clues Old Brown has provided, he might discover other details at the scene.

More importantly, based on my experience reading mystery novels, the perpetrator often returns to the crime scene for various reasons.

It could be out of admiration for their own "masterpiece," or it could be to destroy important evidence left at the scene, or to observe the progress of the police investigation, etc.

This has become an ironclad rule that has been verified countless times.

The company is located in the middle of the street, in a five-story stone building. Its exterior is more imposing than the surrounding buildings. At this time, all the doors and windows have been sealed off, and the surrounding area has been cordoned off.

After bypassing the main gate, Morian used the shadows and fog as cover to find the entrance, while quietly activating "Danger Premonition".

This keen intuition for potential threats can effectively mitigate risks.

After receiving feedback that there were no abnormalities for the time being, he found a suitable spot on the outer wall to the side and tried to activate his newly acquired ability.

[Passing through]

With a thought, Morian immediately felt a violent "tearing sensation" throughout his body. Everything in his vision turned into blurry, rapidly passing lines in an instant, and the next moment he was standing in the company's corridor.

The entire process was extremely brief, seemingly happening in the blink of an eye, and the spatial crossing was completed without making a sound.

"Not bad." He thought to himself, this ability was indeed extremely convenient for infiltration, raids, and escapes.

After calming himself down a bit, Morian slowed his pace and moved like a nimble cat along the corridor, quickly arriving at the lobby where the crime occurred.

Although the area has undergone special treatment, it still smells of burnt and rusty metal.

Surprisingly, there were not many signs of a struggle left at the scene. Most of the items were still intact and placed in their original positions. From the perspective of the corridor he was in, he could clearly observe every corner.

Apart from the occasional barking of dogs and the sound of wheels outside, the surroundings were completely silent.

Just as he relaxed his tense nerves and was about to go forward to investigate, a strong sense of palpitation and unease suddenly struck him.

This means a "danger premonition" has been triggered! And the strong feedback also indicates that danger is very close.

How could that be?! Would the police really conduct a surprise check in the middle of the night?!

Morian's mind raced through various possibilities, but he saw no sign of anyone else breaking in from the outside.

Suddenly, a possibility occurred to him, and he stared intently in one direction, as if an unseen demon was lurking there.

Sure enough, in the deeper shadows in the center of the lobby, something moved almost imperceptibly, or more accurately, it seemed to wriggle.

With the help of the dim light, one could vaguely make out several distorted human figures. The figures were transparent, almost blending into the air, and their faces were indistinguishable. The outlines on them were just like... a mask.

clown!

If, as old Brown said, the clowns can minimize their presence in the environment and are difficult to notice through normal observation, then this is undoubtedly a direct encounter with them.

Morian controlled his breathing, intending to use "Travel" to reach a safer location, but quickly abandoned the idea.

Using his abilities at close range might risk being detected by the clowns. He still knows too little about extraordinary abilities, so it's better to stay put and act according to circumstances than to take a gamble.

Besides, even if he were discovered, he still had a backup plan... Morian reached for the silver key in his pocket, the cold touch calming him down and allowing him to think things through.

Why did they come back here? To clean up the scene?

The next moment, several faint voices could be heard from the darkness.

"We've searched everywhere... nothing."

"Damn it, we didn't get the item, and instead lost a border relic!" one of them cursed. "Now that we've lost the Key of Chaos, we can't get through the entrance guarded by the 'Gatekeeper'!"

"Calm down! That old bastard is cunning enough; he might have moved the book beforehand," another voice snapped.

Morian pressed himself against the wall, overhearing their conversation, which gave him a new perspective on the key in his pocket.

The Key of Caius undoubtedly refers to this silver key, which connects with what Charlotte said. Judging from their conversation, this thing seems to be far more important than they imagined.

The distorted figures whispered a few more words before wriggling away and disappearing into the air. If he hadn't possessed a "danger premonition" and strong observation skills, he wouldn't have been able to detect their movements.

gone?

Could it be that he's deliberately bluffing me, pretending to leave while actually waiting for me to show up nearby?

Morian stood frozen in place, not daring to make any move. He decided to wait a while longer, fearing that the group might return as soon as he went out. Besides, no one could guarantee that the clowns would leave the building.

Every professional detective should possess this kind of caution, as a guiding principle to always keep in mind.

He recalled someone asking a hypothetical question: If there was a 5% chance you would be hit by a meteorite if you went out today, would you still go out?

Morian still vividly remembers that he couldn't answer without hesitation at the time.

The same principle applies now; even if there's only a 5% chance, there's no need to take the risk.

Only after a long period of silence did he prepare to leave, but his destination was not to continue investigating the scene, but to return to the office.

After all, no one can guarantee that there won't be other uninvited guests in the middle of the night.

To avoid "passing through" directly onto the street outside, Morian had to walk back along the corridor he had come from until he reached the wall where he had first entered, at which point he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Before he could leave, a cold, dark object was already pressed against the back of his head.

That's the muzzle of a gun.

"Stop everything, raise your hands and slowly turn around." A clear voice sounded from behind.

Depend on!

Could it be that I forgot to check the almanac before going out today? Otherwise, why are all these unfortunate things happening one after another, without end?

Under the threat of a gun, even in his distress, Morian had no choice but to obey, slowly raising his hand and turning around to prove that he had no intention of resisting.

Only by the moonlight shining through the high window could he finally see the man who had "arrested" him.

The man was tall and straight, wearing a double-breasted dark suit-style coat with epaulettes decorated with gorgeous gold embroidery and tassels. It looked more like a military officer's dress uniform than a suit, highlighting the man's extraordinary status.

Even more surprising was the sword at his waist. In a world where cold weapons have largely disappeared from the scene, aside from those extraordinary magical items, only a few specific, high-status groups would retain and equip themselves with these standard weapons as regular equipment.

The Royal Guard Division – "The Swordholders".

Now, staring at him with those deep, icy blue eyes, he found himself involuntarily overcome with a strange urge to give up and confess everything he had done that night.

But he looked very young, about the same age as me.

Could this aura, which is not merely one of authority, be an external manifestation of some kind of spiritual ability?

Morian suppressed his physical discomfort and kept thinking of various ways to deal with it.

Obviously, if he were spotted at this time, this government official would definitely consider him a prime suspect in the case; otherwise, it would be difficult to explain why he would appear at a sealed-off crime scene.

"Explain yourself. Who are you? Why are you here?" the man demanded bluntly, increasing the pressure on his wrist.

"A journalist," Morian tried to communicate in a submissive tone, "If you don't believe me, you can look into my pockets; my identification is there."

Upon hearing this, the man reached out his other hand and touched his pocket, where he indeed found a very authentic identification document.

This is what it means to be prepared for any eventuality. When you're traveling, your "identity" is something you give yourself.

After quickly checking and confirming the authenticity of the documents, the "Swordholder" rebuked with a stern look:

"Didn't you know that sneaking into the sealed-off crime scene is illegal?! Based on your suspicious behavior, you could face at least six months in prison."

Six months? I can't afford to wait six months.

Morian took a deep breath and suddenly remembered that as a "pre-modern man," he had another excuse that was applicable in this situation.

"I want to see my lawyer."

Perhaps completely unprepared for such a shameless response, the man scoffed, his tone casual yet menacing:

"I'm sorry, you don't have that authority right now. If you continue to resist law enforcement, the charges will only be more serious."

"I need to see my lawyer, and I won't say a word until he arrives."

……

As if provoked, countless tiny electric currents, like lightning bolts, surged across the man's exquisite coat, bursting forth with dazzling light.

An extraordinary ability user! And far more powerful than that!

We can't hesitate any longer; delay will only lead to unforeseen changes.

Morian suddenly swung his right hand, which was already poised to strike. The dust, which was already in his hand and glowed with a faint, eerie light, was instantly poured out in front of the unsuspecting man.

"Dust of Mobs".

Effect: Causes a temporary debilitating illness.

The moment he came into contact with the strange dust, a flush rose on the man's face, and a feeling of weakness washed over him.

Knowing that his little tricks wouldn't buy him much time, Morian didn't dare to waste a moment and quickly took advantage of the opportunity to use "Pass" twice in a row to create distance!

After flashing like a ghost, the figure appeared at the corner of the corridor a few meters away, then blurred again, and the distance between them increased by a few meters. After a few back and forth, the two were now ten meters apart.

The reason they didn't choose to escape to the streets was to avoid causing unnecessary chaos and attracting more "trouble" during the chase.

He knew he had no chance of winning by fighting head-on, so he turned and ran deeper into the building, shouting for help as he ran:

"Help! There's a thief here! Someone's stealing!"

Before the words even landed, an immense, suffocating, invisible pressure descended from behind.

The man belonging to the royal family had regained his composure and was catching up at an astonishing speed, instantly reducing the distance between them to less than three meters.

You are indeed fast, but my "helper" is even faster!

Seeing the black flames sweeping down from above, Morian knew he had made the right bet.

The attack came before the men arrived.

It's the clowns; they're still lurking around!

Taking advantage of the moment when the man was attracted by the attack and the noise, he nimbly rolled toward the entrance of the room next door, just avoiding the exploding fireball and thunder.

"boom!"

The scorching black flames and violent lightning intertwined, accompanied by a deafening collision, engulfing the corridor where the chase had just taken place. Even just being hit by the shockwaves could directly feel the immense energy contained within.

Immortals fight, mortals suffer.

Before him lay a pitch-black room with no way out, and behind him came the sounds of light and fire clashing; there was nowhere to retreat.

A resolute glint flashed in Morian's eyes, and despite his back being almost soaked with sweat, he quickly pulled out the "Key of Chaos".

It's time to test this thing's effectiveness.

He infused a faint trace of spiritual energy into the key, and the notch at the end of the key immediately emitted a hazy glow.

"Open up new paths."

In an instant, the starlight gathered and took shape, outlining a "door" with complex internal colors in the form of many irregular lines.

The young "sword wielder" caught a glimpse of this sudden change out of the corner of his eye, but for the moment he was unable to extricate himself from it.

In contrast, Morian even had time to turn around, wave apologetically to the man with the incredibly "frustrated" expression, and then slip into the "door" that had been opened.

Stepping out of the portal, the familiar office came into view.

Without daring to be negligent, he immediately turned around and used the "key" to make a gesture towards the light gate, "closing" the passage and completing the final security measure.

After doing all this, he finally collapsed against the cold wall, breathing heavily.

Although the encounter and chase just now was brief, it was far more dangerous than any event I had ever experienced before.

Aside from a few clues, the biggest gain was undoubtedly coming into contact with the rumored superhuman.

Fortunately, the "coordinates" created in the firm were left in advance, which allowed the key to open the way back directly.

As for why the royal family members happened to appear, the only reasonable explanation he could think of was that they suddenly had the idea to investigate, but the murderer didn't happen to be hiding and just happened to run into him, an innocent citizen, leading to a misunderstanding.

It seems we need to acquire extraordinary power as soon as possible, otherwise, if we experience another encounter like the one we just had, we might not be lucky enough to escape.

Morian took a breath, knowing full well that with his current abilities, he could only be described as having form but no substance. When he encountered someone with "real skills," he could at most maneuver around them but could not confront them head-on.

To gain a foothold in this mysterious world, one must find an extraordinary path.

……

The next morning, the sound of ringing phones echoed incessantly at the office entrance.

Having rested for less than eight hours, a still exhausted Morian walked out of the living room and glanced casually at the vintage clock hanging on the wall.

At 8:00 a.m., I had only slept for about six hours, but this kind of routine had long been the norm.

He quickly tidied his messy hair, then rubbed his tired face before walking to the entrance to open the door for the visitor.

As expected, the visitor was Miss Charlotte, whom I had met three days ago. The girl was very punctual, even excessively so. The bell rang precisely at 8:01, just as we had agreed to meet at 8:00.

Judging from her radiant and healthy face, it's easy to tell that she must have a very strict and disciplined schedule, which contrasts sharply with my disheveled hair and slightly open collar.

"Please come in, Miss White." Morian stepped aside to make room for her and gestured for her to enter.

Outside the window, the bright morning light of Beicheng streamed in, turning the off-white sofa golden and making Morian feel incredibly comfortable. His body truly felt the start of a new day, and he instantly felt much more awake.

He looked at the girl sitting opposite him and took the initiative to start a conversation:

"Several days have passed. Miss White, have you found any new leads or additional information?"

Charlotte smiled sweetly, placed her small handbag on her lap, and took out a carefully sealed document from it.

"Sir, you are indeed clever; you were able to guess that I brought new information."

I just asked casually, and it turns out there really is... Morian's expression became a little subtle.

Charlotte deftly opened the documents and took out the stored items, the most eye-catching of which was a file with a headshot and personal information printed on it.

"Skoll Norman, a history major fluent in multiple languages, graduated with honors from the University of Ethiopia and was sent to the frontier for archaeological work due to his outstanding abilities."

"Take a look at this personnel file," she said casually, handing the unfolded file to Morian.

After taking the document, Morian quickly flipped through it several times, but still couldn't figure out what was going on.

"What specific connection does this Mr. Norman have with this case?"

"It's that lost ancient book," Charlotte said without much emotion. "We used some connections to trace it all the way up, and finally found out that he had been in contact with that ancient book whose contents we don't know."

"In other words, it is very likely that he brought that ancient book out of the ruins."

"Ancient books brought out from border ruins?" Morian pondered, head bowed.

Indeed, from any perspective, this ancient book is the core point of conflict in the case. Although it is unclear what the "gatekeeper" in the clown's words refers to, it is not difficult to see its value given the importance they attach to the ancient book.

One could even boldly assume that the "Key of Caius" in one's pocket is not much less valuable than the ancient book, because only one exceptionally precious item is worth the "risk" of acquiring another equally precious item.

He nodded slowly, a knowing look on his face, as if expressing agreement:

"So our next plan is to first conduct an on-site investigation at the crime scene, and then question Skol?"

"No, we'll go visit this history student directly today," Charlotte said, shaking her head slightly in rejection.

Seeing the questioning look in Morian's eyes, she could only explain in a sweet voice:

"Yesterday, a suspect with unclear motives sneaked into the crime scene, causing a large-scale fight. So starting today, the area has been completely sealed off and is heavily guarded 24 hours a day. Even our own family members cannot be granted special permission to enter."

"The one who discovered and intercepted the infiltrator was a capable assistant specially dispatched by the royal family. He is said to be young, promising, and has made outstanding military achievements. Even the prince once specially bestowed upon him a special title - 'The Sword Saint of the Sky'."

I see… I overlooked that… Morian subconsciously picked up the cold tea and took a big gulp to cover up the subtle expression on his face, then changed the subject to other things.

"Hmm... I wonder if you are aware of the extraordinary destinies that the royal family controls?"

"Currently, the Royal Family controls three Destiny Paths; it's no secret anymore," the girl explained with a nonchalant smile. "They are 'Conceptual Armament,' 'Cooperative Leadership,' and 'Glory Class.'"

"Among them, the 'Glory Class' is the most special, with the Ether composed of 'King', 'Queen', 'Princess', 'Knight' and so on."

Morian was secretly startled, and his thoughts gradually wandered.

Why does this sound like chess? Could it be that there are "Bishops" and "Chariots"? Could it be that His Majesty the current King is the holder of the "King"?

"So what was the outcome? Were the intruders eventually subdued?"

Charlotte gave him a deep look and said in a low voice:

"The Royal Army wins. The infiltrators are all wiped out, except for one who managed to escape."

"Sir, do you have any unique insights or clues about this group of infiltrators?"

……

No, absolutely not.