Mystery: When the Lost Homelanders Meet the Lost Homeland Call

The crimson surged forth, tinged with the eerie green flames, and Lynn's consciousness ascended upwards.

He heard a girl murmur, "How amazing..."

Lynn opened his eyes in a daze and found himself standing above a gray mist. Towering stone pillars surrounded him, and a wide dome loomed above him.

The entire building is magnificent, grand, and imposing, just like the legendary palace of giants.

Directly beneath the dome, amidst the swirling gray mist, stood a long bronze table with ten high-backed chairs on each side, and identical seats placed in front and behind. The backs of the chairs shimmered brilliantly, their deep red hues subtly outlining strange constellations that did not correspond to reality.

At the head of the long table stood a mysterious figure shrouded in gray-white mist, none other than Klein Moretti, or rather, the time traveler Zhou Mingrui.

On either side closest to the head of the table stood a tall girl with smooth blonde hair, whose features were not clearly defined, and a man with dark blue, messy hair like seaweed and of medium build.

Lynn instantly realized the current progress of the original plot. In the opening of Lord of Mysteries, when Klein first brought people up to Source Castle, including Audrey Hall and Alger Wilson, just as the Tarot Meeting venue was materialized!

Lynn ascended to Klein's Source Castle!

Unlike the others who were only brought up as astral beings, Lynn, whose existence was inexplicable, seemed to have sent up a "body".

With just a thought, Lynn's consciousness extended to the "body" above the gray mist, as if it were an innate instinct.

"Is this also an effect of subspace?"

Lynn pondered this, and at the same time, he tried to minimize his 'presence' in a mystical sense, like floating in the air to reduce gravity, in order to lessen the strain on Klein to maintain the meeting.

After making sure he was reducing his burden, Lynn was finally able to focus his attention on the other three people and found that the other three figures shrouded in the gray fog were watching him.

Lynn quickly reviewed the original plot in his mind: On June 28, 1349, the time traveler Zhou Mingrui became Klein Moretti. In order to find a way home, he tried the "transfer ritual" again. After reciting "Fusheng Xuanhuang Tianzun", he ascended above the gray fog.

He then accidentally touched the crimson star, pulling in Audrey Hall, a noblewoman who was playing with an ancient mirror, and Alger Wilson, a member of the Church of Storms collecting materials in the storm. Klein made a last-minute decision, disguising himself as a powerful being to gain the upper hand.

Then came the identity of "The Fool" and the birth of the Tarot Club, thus beginning a legend.

Oh no, this has caused quite a commotion, Lynn thought awkwardly. This is Mr. Fool's first, uh, first tarot session, so I shouldn't ruin the atmosphere too much.

He thought for a moment, and an idea suddenly flashed through his mind. Then, meeting the three pairs of eyes, he nodded slightly, his tone calm and natural, as if he were saying that the weather was nice today:

"Sorry I'm late."

  

He paused, then added, a faint smile playing on his lips:

"Hopefully there's still a place for me here?"

Klein, Audrey, and Alger all looked at the person simultaneously. The gray mist surrounding him was so thin it was almost nonexistent, but his figure itself was indistinct and impossible to discern clearly. They could only vaguely make out that he was a somewhat thin man with black hair.

Above the gray fog, Klein appeared calm on the surface, but his heart suddenly tightened.

Why is this person's entry time different from everyone else's?

Is there any other way for me to bring others in besides me?

Klein's right hand tightened slightly under the table as he immediately sensed the connection between the figure before him and the stars. He then breathed a sigh of relief: thankfully, as long as the connection is severed, he will also disappear.

Only after confirming this did he have time to consider the uninvited guest's words, and quickly realized that the words had gone too far.

It was as if he was meant to be there, as if this was a pre-arranged gathering.

Of course, Klein's guess wasn't entirely wrong. For Lynn, who had read the original novel, this was indeed a pre-arranged gathering, and everyone present was an old acquaintance of his.

Klein glanced instinctively at the girl and the man with dark blue hair, judging from their reactions: he didn't know them.

So who is he cooperating with?

Could there be a former master above this gray fog?

Klein forced himself to calm down. He recalled his earlier decision to maintain an air of mystery and exploit the unknown psychology of his target. This principle still applied, and was even more important now.

Regardless of who this person is, regardless of who the Gray Fog Gathering host he knows is, I've already taken this position, so let's keep going!

Klein's gaze swept over the eerie green flame, he nodded slightly, his tone calm as if he had everything under control:

"It's alright, there will always be a place."

After saying this, Klein's gaze swept over the black-haired figure, and countless guesses flashed through his mind, but he could not ask these questions now.

Audrey almost cheered.

Ethereal green flames! He was actually formed from flames! How romantic, how mysterious!

She tried to maintain a ladylike demeanor, not wanting to appear too excited, but her emerald eyes couldn't help but dart back and forth between the two mysterious figures. The newcomer was shrouded in a thin, almost transparent gray mist, but what truly made him unfathomable was his very being.

The man's lateness reminded Audrey of the ladies who arrived late to tea parties, but none of them appeared engulfed in eerie green flames!

However, since there was an agreed time...

A thought flashed through Audrey's mind: Could this party really be held regularly? Could she have accidentally joined some mysterious organization?

Her fingertips trembled slightly with excitement. If it were true, she could communicate with these people from different places, acquire mystical knowledge, and perhaps even become an extraordinary being!

What is his relationship with the mysterious man at the head of the table? Are they friends? Or...? Audrey secretly observes their interaction.

It seems they do know each other. And the mysterious gentleman at the head of the table is the real owner.

Audrey looked at the man opposite her again and noticed that his shoulders were slightly tense, clearly in a state of alertness.

I must behave properly! I can't let them think I'm just a naive little girl!

Audrey subtly adjusted her posture to make herself look more elegant and composed.

When Lynn entered, Alger's expression was almost blank. He was about to answer the girl's question, but the sudden appearance of the fourth person interrupted him. Seeing the ghostly green flame appear, he immediately decided not to make any rash moves.

A figure emerged from the flames. Alger squinted, trying to make out the details, but he couldn't make out anything. The mist around the person was very faint, but the figure itself was blurry, as if shrouded in something. He could only vaguely make out that it was male, with black hair and a somewhat thin build.

Alger noticed that the newcomer's first glance upon appearing was directed at the mysterious figure. Was that look one of observation and assessment?

The gray mist surrounding him was so thin it was almost transparent, yet his face was more blurred than anyone else's. This didn't make sense. The thinner the mist, the clearer it should be.

There is only one explanation: this being is different from ordinary people.

Then, the man spoke.

"Sorry I'm late."

Alger's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Late?" That's a very casual way of putting it, as if he were genuinely just late. Either this person has a good relationship with the mysterious man, or he simply doesn't care about the mysterious man's attitude at the head of the table.

And the smile in his words, that subtle teasing, was like he was telling a joke that only he could understand.

He then recalled the man's second statement: "Hope there's still a place for me here?"

Location. This person used "location" instead of "seat".

This word can be interpreted in several ways: he could be asking if there are any empty chairs, or he could be asking if there is a "place" for him in this space, in this order established by the mysterious person.

He was testing them. Alger judged in his mind. He was testing the mysterious man's attitude, and also testing the reactions of us "those who were pulled in."

Alger remained silent and observed. He always believed that in uncertain situations, one should never be the first to speak, and never reveal one's emotions.

After Klein said, "It's alright, there's always room," Lynn took his seat and sat directly opposite the Fool.

Sorry, Mr. World, I took your seat early.

After mentally apologizing for the future Fool's alternate role, Lynn gently said to Alger:

"Don't worry about me, let's continue with our previous topic and answer that lady's question according to your own ideas."

Alger's pupils suddenly contracted.

He was indeed about to speak. After the blonde girl asked "how to become an extraordinary being," and during the brief silence of the mysterious superior being, Alger had already prepared his words.

He planned to test the situation with answers that revealed some basic, extraordinary knowledge, both to demonstrate his value and to conceal the truly crucial information, thereby making a deal with the girl who sounded incredibly wealthy just from her accent.

What a powerful being it is to have one's intentions so easily perceived.

He quickly composed himself, turned to the figure emerging from the eerie green flames, bowed slightly, and spoke with a tone more respectful than ever before:

"Your Excellency, I am honored to speak. In my limited knowledge, there is only one way to become an extraordinary being: make a potion according to the recipe and consume it."

"The conventional way to obtain potions is to join the church of a legitimate god and acquire them by accumulating merit and demonstrating loyalty."

"Although most people never see an extraordinary being in their lifetime, leading them to suspect that the Church is the same, I can tell you definitively that extraordinary beings still exist in the Tribunal, the Inquisition, and the execution chambers, and are still fighting against the dangers growing in the darkness, only their numbers are far fewer than in the early Iron Age or before."

"This is the safest and most secure path, but it will bind you to the church for life."

Audrey listened quietly, then let out a soft sigh and said:

"Sir, I know everything you're saying, and even more, such as the Night Watchers, the Punishers, and the Mechanical Heart. But I don't want to lose my freedom."

Alger chuckled softly and mumbled:

"Who can become an extraordinary person without paying a price? If you don't consider joining the church and undergoing trials, then you can only go to the royal family, to those noble families with a history of over a thousand years, or, by chance, find those evil organizations that are hiding in the shadows."

Audrey subconsciously puffed out her cheeks, then looked around nervously. Only after confirming that neither the two "mysterious gentlemen" nor the guy opposite her had noticed her little movements did she press for an answer:

"Is there really no other way?"

Alger fell silent. After a few breaths, he turned to look at the silent "Mysterious Mr." Klein and "Mr. Green Flame" Lynn, who were watching quietly without saying a word.

Seeing that the other party remained noncommittal, he looked back at Audrey and said nothing more. He was very clearly hinting to the girl that he was using her to test the attitude of the two powerful figures.

How would they view us—as sacrifices or as their kin? Alger held his breath.

Looking into Alger's eyes, Audrey realized the message he was trying to convey:

This gathering, created by that mysterious man, a gathering that allows people to come together across space, isn't it the "secret organization"?

Audrey's heart was pounding wildly, as if a little deer was running wildly inside.

No, it's even more sophisticated than what's described in those novels!

In novels, secret organizations have to send people to make contact, exchange codes, and risk being discovered by the church. But this gathering? They were directly pulled into this magical gray fog space, where no one knew each other's identities or locations—it couldn't be safer!

Audrey struggled to suppress the urge to cheer, pondered for a moment, took a deep breath, straightened her back, and then turned to the mysterious man seated at the head of the table, saying:

"Your Excellency, thank you for inviting us to this wonderful place."

She paused, then turned to the man who emerged from the eerie green flames and gave a slight bow:

"Thank you for coming."

Having done all this, Audrey's emerald eyes darted back and forth between the two men, then, with just the right amount of trepidation and anticipation, she softly asked:

"This is my first time attending a gathering like this, so this question might be a bit impolite, but I would like to ask how we should address you both?"

She pursed her lips and added:

"Of course, if this is a secret that can't be revealed, then pretend I didn't ask. But... I just feel that since it's a gathering, there should be a way of addressing people, otherwise it would be strange to communicate?"

After speaking, she blinked, trying to appear both sincere and harmless, her fingertips slightly tightening on her knees as she awaited a reply.

Lynn also turned his gaze to Klein, trying to create the impression that the Fool was the host of the gathering. He silently added to himself: Is this coming? The Fool's famous scene.

Klein paused for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly on the bronze table as the contents of the previous divination flashed through his mind.

He leaned back, withdrew his right hand, interlaced his fingers and rested them on his chin, smiling as he looked at the two of them and said:

You can call me—

He paused here, then spoke in a soft and calm tone:

"Fool."

The brief answer quickly vanished into the magnificent temple and the pervasive mist, but in Audrey and Alger's hearts, the voice lingered, stirring ripples upon ripples.

It was unexpected, yet it felt like this was the perfect name to describe it. As the starting card of the Tarot, it perfectly embodies the image of mystery, power, and eeriness!

After saying that, Klein's gaze was fixed on the shadowy figure.

Then he heard the man's voice: "Fool."

The figure in dark green repeated the title, a subtle smile playing on its lips.

Klein's heart skipped a beat.

He's laughing? Why is he laughing? Does he think the name is good? Or does he think it's too childish? Or does he know the real "Fool"? Impossible, he just came up with this name!

"A very suitable name."

That person said.

Klein let out a long sigh of relief.

As long as it suits you, that's good. No matter who you are, at least you're willing to cooperate now.

At this moment, Lynn was filled with mixed emotions. After his first time traveling through time, he had no special abilities whatsoever, and then he was transported back to a hundred years before the main storyline, where he suffered greatly in the subspace.

Now, with his second time traveling through time, Lynn's luck has finally turned around. He not only gained the power of another world, but also traveled to a known location in the main storyline. If he were still an ordinary college student, he would probably be in tears by now.

After a brief pause, Lynn chose to support Klein and, taking the opportunity, selected a code name for himself.

“Since Mr. Fool has chosen to use Tarot cards as his code name,” Lynn turned to the three of them, “then you can call me White Tower.”

In Tarot, the White Tower symbolizes destruction and collapse, but also wisdom and change. Lynn chose this as his codename, signifying that his arrival would bring about dramatic changes to the world.

The word flashed through Alger's mind, immediately sparking further associations. However, he was more concerned about the relationship between the two. This behavior clearly showed that the White Tower was echoing the Fool's decision, and for such a being to actively support him, that "Fool"...

Alger didn't think about it any further.

Some speculations are best left unsaid.

Klein maintained his enigmatic, fake smile, nodded slightly, and spoke in a calm tone as if he had everything under control: "White Tower. Very good."

What's so great about you? I have no idea who you are!

Klein silently added a sentence in his mind, but his face remained expressionless.

Because the only thing he's certain of right now is that this "White Tower" is helping him.

Regardless of who he is, where he comes from, or why he chose the White Tower as his code name, he is simply trying to save face for himself.

Klein recalled saying a few words after the White Tower appeared: "Sorry I'm late." This was to save face for "The Fool," implying that the gathering was held regularly, but he was simply late.

"Hopefully there's still a place for me here?" This is an open acknowledgment of the "Fool's" presiding position.

"Since Mr. Fool has chosen to use Tarot cards as his code name, then you can call me White Tower." This is following the rhythm of "The Fool" and reinforcing the rules set by "The Fool".

Klein didn't know why he was helping him, but he was very grateful for the help.

Audrey replied earnestly, "Mr. Fool, Mr. White Tower, thank you for telling me your name. I will remember it."

She turned to Alger again, and hesitated for a moment:

"So, sir, how should we address you?"

Alger paused for a moment.

He had originally planned to make up a fake name or simply refuse to answer. But now, facing two ancient beings and an organization that was clearly codenamed after tarot cards, it would seem too unsociable and ungrateful of him to use a random fake name again.

Moreover, a good code name can help establish one's image within the organization.

He thought for a few seconds, then spoke:

"If you two gentlemen would allow it, you may call me 'The Hanged Man'."

Audrey blinked.

The Hanged Man? The 12th card in the Tarot, symbolizing sacrifice, trials, and seeing things from different perspectives. Is this man hinting at something he has experienced?

But she didn't ask any further questions, she simply nodded gracefully:

"Mr. Hanged Man".

Then she turned to the "Fool" at the head of the table, then to the "White Tower" that filled her with curiosity, and finally looked at Alger. She took a deep breath, her expression a mixture of nervousness, anticipation, and barely suppressed excitement, and said:

"Well then, if the three of you don't mind..."

She paused, straightened her back, and tried to make herself look like a respectable noblewoman.

"You can call me 'Justice'."

After speaking, she looked at the three of them somewhat nervously, waiting for their reaction.

justice.

Alger's eyelid twitched.

Is this girl genuinely ignorant or feigning ignorance? "Justice" is the 11th card in the Tarot, symbolizing fairness, order, and truth, as well as judgment and punishment. Using this designation suggests either she's naively ignorant or she has a special status that gives her the confidence to use it.

But judging from her previous questions, she wasn't even an Extraordinary, so Alger leaned towards the first possibility.

But he didn't say anything.

Lynn secretly admired him.

"Justice" Audrey Hall, one of the key characters in the original work, is an elder of the Tarot Society, the "Dream Weaver" in the later Sequence 3, and one of Mr. Fool's most loyal followers.

Right now, she's just a little girl full of curiosity about the mysterious, but Lynn knows she will grow into an extraordinary person capable of standing on her own.

He looked at Audrey, nodded slightly, and spoke in a gentle tone:

"Miss Justice, Mr. Hanged Man, welcome."

Seeing that the conversation was going well, Klein let out a long sigh of relief, then looked at Alger and Audrey opposite him and said in a calm tone:

"Now that you know each other, you can begin to communicate. At this gathering, you are free to exchange information, items, and even requests. I will only maintain order and will not interfere with your transactions."

He paused, then added:

"Of course, if you encounter problems that you cannot solve, you can also seek my help—provided that you are willing to pay a reasonable price."

As for who decides the price, that's naturally up to the great Fool.

He held firm! Lynn applauded Klein in his heart. No wonder he's the protagonist; his mental fortitude is incredible. Most people would have panicked long ago.

This level of pretentiousness is truly worthy of being called the future "Fool".

But Lynn also knew that Klein must be panicking inside. Klein was a protagonist who was growing, and he was not yet fully developed, so it was normal for him to appear immature.

As a fellow townsman, he would naturally help support them.

As a time traveler, Lynn actually possessed a considerable amount of resources. For example, he knew all the recipes, and he was also lucky, as the squid had already distributed all the recipes through various channels when he traveled through time.

And this is what he plans to invest in initially.

Not only because he genuinely liked the kind-hearted character of Klein, but also because he needed Mr. Klein, the "Fool." Klein's speed of becoming a true god in three years and an old god in five years was definitely worth his investment.

Lynn didn't think he could do better with the same resources. Besides, being a god in the mysterious world wasn't a good position. Instead of blindly joining the system and dragging himself and others down, wouldn't it be better to seriously study his own power?

He still has a vague understanding of his condition. Is he even human? Can he take magic potions? These are all unknowns.

Therefore, those formulas were purely resources to him, and even resources that cost nothing. Using these formulas to gain Klein's trust was a sure-fire way to make money.

Moreover, Lynn has a certain moral compass. Since Klein's own character is worthy of these resources, he won't steal someone else's opportunity.

Not only will he not steal opportunities from others, he will also offer help.

Having come from the world of big-eyed people, Lynn had picked up that down-to-earth quality. He didn't want to go through too much trouble. Since he already knew enough about the people present from the original story and knew they were all good people, he decided to be open and honest.

Lynn's lips curled slightly at the thought. If he was going to invest, he might as well be generous. It was just twenty-two recipes; he didn't rely on this for a living.

He relaxed, leaned back in his chair, and said casually:

"Since we'll be meeting often in the future, I should bring a small gift. I have twenty-two Sequence Nine recipes available for free, and I also have recipes for the subsequent sequences from any path."

Above the gray fog, suddenly there was silence.

Alger froze, almost gasping in shock. Twenty-two copies? All of Sequence Nine?

As everyone knows, the names and recipes of all potions come from the 'Blasphemy Tablets', but now the Blasphemy Tablets have long since disappeared without a trace, and even the Church only has a partial knowledge of them, possessing twenty-two recipes, which is simply unimaginable!

Audrey's eyes lit up, but because she hadn't yet entered the Extraordinary World, she wasn't as flustered as Alger and managed to maintain her ladylike demeanor, only whispering, "Twenty-two... Mr. White Tower, you mean, all the routes?"

Lynn smiled, nodded slightly, and then looked at Klein.

Please accept this generous gift, fellow villager.

This is a tribute from those who have lost their homes to those who have lost their homes.