Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 71, 2rd Floor

In-depth investigation is precisely the way Green can currently make a difference.

As it stands, the Night's Watch clearly did not anticipate that the situation would spiral out of their control, and they lack the personnel or means to conduct thorough reconnaissance without alerting the enemy.

Green's gaze swept over the butler and the waiters, then over the entire layout of the banquet hall. Suddenly, he spotted a corner, conveniently located in their blind spot.

"Okay." He nodded decisively. "I'll give it a try. Anna, you stay close to Ms. Astraea and Mr. Olivier."

Anaïs, though pale, nodded vigorously: "Please be careful, Mr. Morris."

Olivier gave Green a deep look, but didn't speak immediately. Instead, he took out a piece of fabric that was folded so thin that its thickness was almost imperceptible from a specially made hidden pocket inside his dress.

It presents a constantly changing dark gray color, as if it has absorbed the surrounding shadows onto its surface.

"Use this with caution, Mr. Morris." Olivier quickly stuffed the fabric into Green's arms.

"2-447, 'The Lazy One'. When you are stationary or moving very slowly, it enters a 'comfort' state and releases a visually disruptive field."

"You will become visually blurred and blend into the colors of the environment, and your spiritual projection will also become weak."

"However, it has strict limitations and costs. First, it cannot mask sounds, smells, or spiritual fluctuations. Second, once you move quickly, run, jump, or use extraordinary abilities to create obvious spiritual disturbances, the invisibility effect will immediately fail and requires at least ten minutes of 'calm' to take effect again. Third, and most importantly, it constantly tempts you to use it for extended periods."

"Prolonged use will make you feel extremely tired and give rise to lazy thoughts. You must fight against it with your willpower, otherwise it will turn you into a 'useless' person with low physical strength, mental lethargy, and whose first reaction to danger is to shrink back instead of trying to find a solution."

"Remember: the better it lets you hide, the less you'll want to come out of your hiding place."

"Also, focus on reconnaissance and prioritize information gathering. If any unavoidable danger is discovered, evacuate immediately. We will try our best to maintain the appearance of 'normal' in the banquet hall to buy you time. However, time may be running out, so pay attention to any changes in the guests' condition."

Green glanced one last time in the direction of his family; his Uncle Victor seemed to be arguing with a businessman.

Aunt Sylvia fidgeted with her napkin with some unease, while Emily had left her seat at some point and was heading towards the long table where desserts were laid out, with a waiter in red cuffs following behind her with a smile.

Green could only force himself to look away, nod to Clarisse and Olivier, and then, using the crowd as cover, slightly shift his body to the side, as if he were just adjusting his posture.

He held a half-empty glass of champagne, his face showing a melancholy and disillusioned expression, as if he were just strolling casually in that direction, walking slowly and unhurriedly.

Along the way, he cleverly used several groups of guests who were chatting enthusiastically and toasting each other as moving barriers, his figure appearing and disappearing among them.

Just as he approached the corner, a young couple emerged from behind the curtains, laughing and talking, and headed towards the dance floor.

Seizing this brief moment when no one was watching directly, Green blended into the shadows and silently slipped into the narrow gap between the pillar and the curtain.

He quickly took out the "Sloth." The dark gray fabric automatically unfolded and draped over his shoulders.

It immediately spread as if it came alive, covering his upper body and quickly adjusting its color to almost blend in with the dark curtains behind him and the texture of the pillars beside him.

A strange sense of comfort instantly enveloped him.

It wasn't physical warmth, but more like a spiritual suggestion, as if telling him:

It's safe and secluded here. Just stay here, don't move, don't go out...

Green took a deep breath, focusing his mind to fight the sudden temptation of inertia. He breathed slowly, his gaze warily peering out through the gaps in the curtains.

He saw a waiter not far away who seemed to have glanced in this direction unintentionally. His gaze only paused slightly before naturally sliding away, as if there were only ordinary shadows and decorations there.

Successful.

"What an amazing thing..."

Green did not delay.

The next second, his body tilted slightly and he disappeared from the spot.

When Green reappeared, he was standing in a dimly lit corridor covered with thick carpet.

The loud music and laughter in the banquet hall were blocked by the thick walls, and a different smell filled the air.

Expensive wood wax, old books, and a faint, sweet musk similar to that on Veronica.

Seeing that no one was around, he quickly tore off the "Sloth" and put it away. The comfort that had tempted him to stay diminished, and mental exhaustion reminded him of the price he had paid for using it.

The corridor is lined with closed doors, and the rooms are ornately decorated.

At the end of the stairs was an upward staircase leading to the private second-floor area of ​​the manor. Logically, the viscount's study, bedroom, and other important spaces were likely located upstairs.

"There might be some clues there," Green thought to himself.

He walked quietly, his footsteps barely making a sound on the thick, soft carpet.

The staircase is made of oak and covered with a deep red carpet. The walls are covered with hand-painted oil paintings, all of which have one thing in common: various kinds of trees.

The countless oil paintings appeared somewhat eerie under the dim light of the wall lamps.

"I never knew the Viscount was a plant enthusiast..."

It was very quiet around us; we couldn't hear any sounds, not even footsteps or conversations.

As he stepped onto the stairs, a hint of doubt arose in Green's mind.

Why are there no waiters or guards at all in this area leading to the private area? Have they all been reassigned to serve in the banquet hall? This seems... far too lax.

But then he thought, perhaps the Viscount had extreme confidence in Veronica's abilities and believed that no one could break through the banquet hall's "defenses," or perhaps he thought that important things were hidden in more secret places, rather than in these regular rooms?

In any case, the fact that no one was watching over him was advantageous for him. Green quickly went up to the second floor.

The second-floor corridor is more spacious and more luxuriously decorated than the first-floor corridor.

Dark wood paneling, crystal wall lamps, and the sweet, musky scent in the air seemed even stronger. Five or six closed doors lined both sides of the corridor.

Green listened intently, and after confirming that there was no movement in the nearest room, he put on the "Sloth" again, pressed his body against the wall, and slowly blended into it.

This is a spacious and elegantly furnished room with a neatly made bed and a cold fireplace, clearly unused.

He quickly scanned the room, and apart from the usual furniture and decorations, there was nothing noteworthy. The desk was empty, and the drawers contained only spare stationery and letter paper.

The only puzzling thing is that the oil painting in the room is still a tree.

He left the room, closed the door, and did the same to check the next room.

The second room appeared to be a smoking room, filled with a faint smell of cigars. The third room was a small ladies' living room, furnished with embroidery frames and tea sets.

The fourth room... seems to be the Viscount's bedroom?

As soon as he entered, a sweet, cloying musk scent, several times stronger than in the corridor, mixed with sweat, some kind of essential oil, and... the aroma of heather, hit him so hard that he almost suffocated.

The room was large, but extremely dimly lit, with only a floor lamp in the corner casting an ambiguous glow.

In the center stood a huge four-poster bed with ornate curtains.

The bed curtains were half-open, and the messy silk sheets were clearly marked with various ambiguous marks and wrinkles. The pillows were carelessly thrown on the floor.

Several sexy, minimally made women's lingerie pieces lay scattered beside the bed. These were clearly not everyday wear; they seemed more like some kind of quaint prop.

Green's gaze swept across the rest of the room, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

On the dressing table, in addition to the usual men's products, there were also various oddly shaped glass bottles and ceramic jars with ambiguous uses, containing viscous liquids or ointments of different colors.

The labels bear evocative names such as "Dew of Passion," "Breath of Allure," and "Power of Endurance."

Scattered nearby were several art books with bold covers depicting explicit actions and scenes.

The dressing room door was open, and inside, in addition to expensive formal wear, there were also many "special costumes" made of materials such as leather, chains, and feathers, as well as some leather props that were obviously used for restraint.

As expected, the wall still displays an oil painting with the theme of "tree".

But the trees here are completely different from those in the stairwell.

Their postures are twisted and alluring, their branches are like dancing limbs, their leaves are heart-shaped or more ambiguous, and their colors are more intense and bold, full of strong 'special' implications.

The largest of the paintings hangs in the center of the back of the bed. It depicts a giant tree with vines entwined and fruitful. Beneath the tree are blurry, intertwined human figures. The whole painting exudes a decadent yet frenzied vitality.