I can see experience bars after being transported to another world.

Lu Yuan carefully put away the "Flame" and the ammunition belt, hanging them on his waist. The weight of the gun rested on his waist, and the familiar feeling of weight made him feel a little more at ease.

Open the cabinet and change into the new Night's Watch uniform.

The thick, dark gray cotton coat had new buttons on the cuffs, with the Night's Watch pattern embossed on the brass. It fit much better than the previous one; Margaret's supply efficiency was always excellent.

The lights outside the window are already on.

A soft, warm yellow light streamed in through the window and fell on the tableside table.

There weren't many people in the branch's corridor, and the faint sound of a door opening and closing could be heard in the distance.

Lu Yuan walked down the corridor toward Klaus's office.

Light shone through the crack in the door.

He knocked twice.

"Come in."

Klaus's office was the same as before: a large oak table, several stacks of unopened files piled in the corner, an oil lamp and a half-finished pot of cold tea on the windowsill. But two freshly brewed cups of black tea were now on the table, still steaming.

Klaus sat behind the table and gestured for Lu Yuan to sit down.

Lu Yuan didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly in the chair opposite him.

Klaus didn't seem to be in a bad mood—at least better than the "unpleasant look" described by Bor. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then looked at Lu Yuan.

"What do you want to know?"

Lu Yuan organized his thoughts.

"How's Rek doing?" He asked first, addressing his biggest concern. "And what about the Gray Pact gang? Have they been caught? As for the Ascension Society, I suspect they're involved too. Also, how are we going to investigate things that Bronze City can't detect?"

Klaus raised an eyebrow.

"The Ascension Ceremony?"

"When we were chasing the tree-man on the street earlier, someone released the wooden figure," Lu Yuan continued. "Obviously, they didn't want us to know. The Ascension Society always does things this way; they say they'll cooperate, but they're always doing their own thing."

Klaus didn't rush to respond, but held his teacup and looked at Lu Yuan for two seconds.

"One at a time."

"Let's talk about Lake first."

Klaus put down his teacup, his tone carrying a hint of satisfaction, something rarely seen in him.

"He actually benefited from this misfortune."

Klaus didn't go into too much detail about Rek's situation, but a few words were enough: the original talent of the Swarm Insect was almost exhausted, and in order to maintain his human identity, he forcibly maintained the fourth-tier state, and was stuck there, unable to go up or down.

But this underground battle completely liberated the swarming worms, which devoured a large amount of flesh and blood. Most importantly, his compatibility with the swarming worms has improved even further.

"Perhaps he has overcome his own mental hurdle," Klaus said.

Rek is currently consolidating his power, and if nothing unexpected happens, his strength will reach a new level.

"There's even a chance to reach the fifth rank in the future."

Fifth order.

Lu Yuan's fingers paused for a moment on the rim of the teacup. That was already top-tier power at the empire level.

Klaus changed the subject and looked at Lu Yuan.

"But it's you who's truly remarkable." His gaze held a scrutinizing quality. "I didn't expect that after being separated by '9,' you not only survived but also caused him considerable trouble. A second-tier knowledge transcendent, facing a fourth-tier mutated transcendent—you've given me a new understanding of your combat prowess."

Lu Yuan did not respond.

"Furthermore, your use of time synchronization seems to far surpass that of any other user."

Klaus put down his teacup, his tone becoming serious.

"Would you be interested in studying at the Knight Academy?"

Knight Academy.

Lu Yuan was slightly taken aback. He had never heard of this name before.

"It's called the Knights Academy because it inherits a medieval professional tradition," Klaus said casually, without elaborating. "You might find something interesting there."

He paused for a moment.

"Furthermore, I've heard that one of the deans there is also a user of the time service; perhaps you could consult him."

Lu Yuan's gaze shifted.

Another timekeeping user?

Lu Yuan still remembered the description of the timekeeping device: "[The husk left behind by a high-ranking creature after its death, forcibly transformed into a pocket watch by a master craftsman. It yearns to devour reason to briefly 'come alive'.]"

There should be more than one of these things; hopefully, we can get more information.

"Once the seed issue here is resolved, I can go take a look."

Klaus nodded and picked up his teacup.

"Let's talk about the Gray Contract Society again."

Klaus slowed his pace as he put down his teacup, and his smile faded.

"Not optimistic."

When he arrived with the Earl, the Grey Pact had already withdrawn, leaving only traces of battle and remnants of withered vines in the underground hall. The altar inscriptions and the wooden figures had all been taken away.

"The most troublesome thing is that the detection array of Bronze City is completely ineffective against these things." Klaus tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice. "Whether it's the Gray Pact or the wooden structures, the inscriptions on the city walls can't detect them at all."

At this point, Klaus's lips twitched slightly.

"So the Earl came up with a solution, which he called, to put it nicely, an investigation; to put it bluntly, a thorough search."

"He planned to summon all the nobles of the inner city together, and those who did not come would be punished for violating imperial regulations, uniting with the aliens, and abandoning their human identity."

Lu Yuan frowned.

"Aren't you worried they might resort to desperate measures?" he asked directly. "If someone really doesn't come, can the Earl handle it?"

Klaus chuckled. There was a hint in that chuckle that Lu Yuan couldn't quite put his finger on.

"If someone gets cornered, even better."

The Iron Guard and the Holy Armored Army have been arranged, the nobles' private armies have been suppressed, and the Church and the Ascension Society will also participate.

"The Earl is no longer prepared to pretend. Everyone outside knows; there's no point in hiding it anymore."

Klaus looked at Lu Yuan.

"You'll come with me then. Help me keep an eye on things. We've hired someone to come over; it should be done in the next day or two."

Lu Yuan nodded.

"What about the Ascension Society?" He hadn't forgotten the question he'd asked.

Klaus leaned back in his chair, holding his teacup and turning halfway around.

"The Ascension Society..." He paused for a moment, "I'll have someone investigate the matter you mentioned. But without concrete evidence, it's not advisable to take action against them. The Ascension Society has a formal residency agreement with Bronze City, and the Empire has a record of it, unlike the Gray Contract Society, which can be treated as an enemy directly."

He glanced at Lu Yuan.

"However, the Ascension Society will also be present at this reshuffle. We just don't know who's coming. Keep an eye on them; your senses are sharper than most. If they're hiding something, they're more likely to slip up in that kind of setting."

Lu Yuan remembered this.

He was silent for a few seconds, then asked another question.

"And what about the owner of the warehouse?"

Klaus shook his head.

"They're all dead."

The tone was very flat.

"By the time they found him, he had already turned into nutrients."

Lu Yuan did not ask any further questions.

He recalled the bodies pierced by branches on the walls of the underground hall, the spines twisted into spirals, the ribs squeezed out from between the skin, and the sobs that were now just faint whispers.

The owner of the warehouse will probably suffer the same fate.

How long has the Gray Contract Society been lurking in the inner city? The warehouse is just a shell; the real owner is long gone.

Klaus seemed to remember something and added a sentence.

"By the way, what about the seeds..."

The seed "Hope" has not changed in the past two days. Its pale golden amber shell and warm orange buds remain the same, and the isolation inscription is functioning normally. However, the church sent another letter, this time with more earnest wording.

"The Ascension Society has been quiet for two days, not bothering with the seeds anymore."

Klaus said this in a very casual tone.

But Lu Yuan understood the underlying meaning: the Church was still keeping a close eye on the seed in the logistics department, and the Ascension Society had suddenly become quiet. Neither of these things was reassuring.

"The seed situation is stable for now; you should focus on getting better."

Klaus picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

Lu Yuan sat in the chair, his fingers resting on the rim of the teacup.

The wooden figures have been taken away by the Gray Contract Society, along with more than five kneeling structures of unknown purpose. The altar has been destroyed, but the core has been taken away, indicating that those things can be moved and rebuilt.

When "9" went berserk, black veins surged from the ground, with gray and white text indicating "rewritten by external forces." What is beneath the ground, channeling power into "9" through these veins? Is it "9's" own trump card, or is someone remotely controlling it?

As for Q.

Q had clearly been keeping an eye on that area; the communication crystal was sealed the moment he stepped underground.

This wasn't a plan that one person could pull off. While "9" was directly confronting Lex, Q was waiting in the shadows. At the same moment that "9" activated his meridians and went berserk to attract Lex's attention, Q appeared from behind.

Most importantly, why let Lake live? Theoretically, a sneak attack should have been able to take him down.

And then there's the Insect of Knowledge. What exactly was that aura you sensed back then? Why hadn't you noticed it before?

Finally, there's the Earl's overturning operation, which involves four parties. If the Grey Contract Society has truly infiltrated the inner city's noble circles, then this gathering itself could become a target.

These thoughts raced through my mind.

Klaus must already have his own plans.

He picked up his teacup and took a sip.

The light from the electric lamp outside the window reflected on the glass, orange-yellow, and flickered.

"Alright, I've asked all the questions I wanted to know."

Lu Yuan put down his cup and looked at Klaus, his meaning clear: there must be more to this than just this matter.

"A new Night's Watch recruitment is about to begin, and I would like you to lead a team to Oldtown."

There are two promising young talents there; could you help bring them back later?

"Of course, the Night's Watch needs more than just ability; they also need character. You can make the arrangements as needed, okay?"

Lu Yuan looked at Klaus and frowned slightly.

"Will I still be able to make it to the Earl's party?"

"Sure, the Earl's gathering will take some time. It will take you about three to five days to go to Guber Town and come back. You'll be there just in time when you return."

Lu Yuan nodded upon hearing this.

"I'm fine."

"Alright, you can set off tomorrow. Bor will go with you and explain the recruitment rules and methods to you."