The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

Page 182

"An evil heir? I hope that won't happen..."

Mitchell murmured something, but Heda's words still brought him a strange sense of peace.

While most of the heretical hunters among the Mystics are eccentric, they are indeed experts in dealing with evil offspring. They know how to use violence effectively and mostly adhere to certain commandments and guidelines, thus enjoying a good reputation.

If the case is indeed related to unclean things, having the help of a funeral director would obviously make the situation much safer.

After confirming that nothing had been missed, Mitchell left with the two police officers.

Vivian took a sip of tea from the porcelain cup, then placed it next to Mu Ning. It then dipped its black beak into the cup and began to sip it slowly.

"That complainant didn't even ask me to go back to the police station for an interrogation? If something like this happened in Norlington, we would have been questioned for at least half a day... and there was only one written record, no separate interrogation process."

She was somewhat surprised by the leniency of Foy's enforcement.

"That's normal, Vivian."

Haida's tone was quite nonchalant; she had experience with fieldwork in foreign countries, and more than once. She was used to it.

"At least Foy still has laws, which is much better than other lawless cities in Gormouth. Besides, Gormouth is a more friendly country to hunters."

"Regardless of how sincere they are, at least they are willing to maintain a facade of friendliness."

Vivian pondered for a moment, then nodded knowingly.

"Luckily, this time it's Foy who came to Gormouth. If it were to go to Loretown, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to bring my Hunter's ID... I would have to prepare a new identity and disguise."

Although the Northern Kingdom has not openly shown any rejection or hostility towards the Hunters, they have actually been carrying out many measures against them in secret.

Perhaps they were lured into corruption with money and titles, or perhaps they were assassinated with poison and sharp knives...

For this reason, most of the Hunter's branches in Loretown were withdrawn. Those that were not withdrawn in time... either chose to rebel or were wiped out.

“Oh…it seems they learned a lot from the ‘lessons’ of the Gormouth Royal Court before conducting any shady research.” Fran rested his chin on his hand, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Hyda, do you know roughly how many Loreton hunters chose to betray us?"

Heda remembered the information about the Loreton Incident quite clearly, so she answered without much thought or hesitation.

"A training ground with suspended blades, and a silent church. About 20% of the hunters escaped, and about 30% were wiped out. The rest... are the traitors."

"A loyalty rate of fifty percent suggests that most hunters are indeed devout enough to the hunting god."

Although Fran was not very familiar with these new events of recent years, she had a lot of experience with the changes in human nature under heavy pressure.

In desperate situations, it's not surprising that people will do anything to survive.

On one side, there's gold and fine wine; on the other, poison and instruments of torture. Very few can truly face death and fear. Often, the corruption of the soul doesn't solely stem from evil offspring and heresy… money can do it too. (Nine)

"However, I've always been curious...why did Loreton's attitude towards us suddenly change like this?"

Since the topic had come up, Vivian took the opportunity to ask about a question that had been puzzling her for a while.

Haida shook her head, offering no affirmative answer.

"The General Affairs Division only issued a warning to hunters who might go to Loretown for fieldwork, and there are no other publicly available documents. It is not even mentioned in the documents under the jurisdiction of the authorities."

"Perhaps he was spurred on by the chief hunter's assassination attempt on Crown Prince Mordway a few years ago, and is afraid that he might become the second one."

Fran seemed quite interested in this. He listened intently as Heda recounted her story. 6

Spending too much time in the foggy streets sometimes made her feel out of touch with reality. But discussing these kinds of current affairs secrets gave her a strange sense of youthfulness…

"To be so easily provoked is a bit too 'sensitive.' Perhaps the people in power in Loretown are just feeling guilty."

With a faint smile, she uttered a guess.

Heda actually leaned towards this answer, but her habit was not to draw conclusions without evidence. Therefore, she did not state her specific stance.

"The truth may only be known to hunters of higher ranks."

Vivian gently raised her hand and glanced at her watch. It was already around one o'clock in the afternoon, and check-out time at the Dream Flower Hotel would be approaching soon. But what to do after that... she had absolutely no idea.

If she's acting alone, she'll use the callbird's abilities to gather information throughout the city. She'll then make plans after discovering valuable intelligence.

But since Sister Heda is leading this mission... it's only natural to entrust her with all the decision-making matters. Besides, with Dr. Fran there, I definitely won't have to make these kinds of decisions myself.

"Sister Haida, what should we do next?"

When Vivian asked a question, Haida began to explain her thoughts.

"If it were me, I would try to make contact with that Star Abyss Society member again. I would try to find the person who attacked Bartley last night, and then further trace their organization and the mastermind behind it..."

"But I think Dr. Fran should already have some understanding of this aspect?"

"Ahem." Fran raised his hand to cover his mouth and coughed lightly, acknowledging the fact.

"Today is the day after the full moon, and the Six-Eyed Raven Cult will be holding an internal meeting. My informant will lead us to the location."

"However... this time I need to do some disguise, maybe it'll be better if I go alone." >∽{叁‰←℃〇蒐〖∷索qun：？

As she spoke, she slightly opened her clear amber eyes and looked at Haida in front of her with a hint of apology.

Dressed in a black, form-fitting nun's robe, carrying a power sword as tall as a person, and with the muffled metallic clang of ammunition hanging on her body as she walked... this funeral attendant's presence was so strong that she easily attracted attention wherever she stood.

Even ignoring her clothing and accessories, she possessed a cold aura typical of seasoned hunters, as well as the inherited gray eyes of the Meredith family.

"Well, this is an infiltration mission after all... I can understand."

Haida had no objection to this.

"Besides that, is there anything else you need my assistance with, Dr. Fran?"

"Hmm... there is indeed something I need to entrust to you to do."

Fran pursed her lips slightly, and then began to explain a task that she was quite concerned about.

"Haida, please try to investigate the Star Abyss Society's 'Clock Tower.' I heard from an insider that singing sometimes comes from there, and it might be connected to some cases of missing children."

"The clock tower of the Star Abyss Academy?"

Haida frowned slightly, pondering the meaning behind the doctor's words.

She originally thought the tasks entrusted to her would be related to the Ant Scale Gate or the Night Moth, but she didn't expect that Dr. Fran would care most about the most normal Star Abyss Society.

This is indeed quite intriguing...

"I understand," she replied after a moment.

Seeing that Haida had agreed, Fran slowly turned to Vivian, who was standing to the side.

"Miss Vivian, I'll trouble you to assist Sister Haida with the exploration of the clock tower?"

"Okay, I know."

Vivian readily accepted Fran's arrangement. However, her expression clearly showed a hint of confusion.

She didn't understand why Dr. Fran, who was only there for the first time, seemed to know everything about Foy.

Even the dispatching of tasks seemed methodical, with a strange General Affairs Department style...★

Furthermore, Sister Heda claimed to know nothing about the case when dealing with the Star-Calling Man, yet now she's very certain that the victim in the tavern that night was Bartley. Based on my understanding of this nun… she must have obtained accurate information.

What happened yesterday while I was asleep?

Before Vivian could figure out the reason, Fran had already straightened his clothes, picked up his medicine box, and was ready to go out.

"There are still almost five hours until moonrise, so we can have lunch in the meantime. I've heard that Foy's grilled squid is a specialty... I must try it."

"Oh, I almost forgot..."

As he spoke, Fran took out the "Composite Piercing Crossbow" Black Rose that Sigrid had just forged from the medicine box and handed it to Haida along with the five explosive arrows containing the power of the primordial sun.

"This is?"

Haida weighed the oddly shaped crossbow in her hand, her gray-chestnut eyes narrowing slightly.

Fran then explained the weapon's construction and effects to the nun beside him.

"This is the reward for a house call. It can fire both spiked crossbow bolts and explosive arrows simultaneously. The explosive arrows contain the properties of the 'Primordial Sun,' making them very powerful. Be careful of the recoil, and remember not to get too close when using it."

"And we only have five rounds of ammunition, so we need to use them sparingly."

From Fran's words, Haida vaguely sensed the origin of the crossbow.

It possesses certain characteristics of the primordial sun, and its warm touch... clearly, it was forged by Sigrid. Compared to the standard crossbows of the Hunters, this crossbow is much heavier, almost like a hand cannon.

"Thank you, Dr. Fran. I will be careful." Without any polite refusals, Haida readily accepted the new weapon.

Following Dr. Fran's line of thought, this was probably a perk for employees of the Foggy Street Clinic. Or perhaps it was a "return gift" for taking his service weapon from the library.

After accepting the crossbow, she adjusted its settings and then practiced shooting a few times. It must be said, the castings made by Sigrid were indeed of high quality and full of artistic design.

Even though the Hunters' own weapons are also extremely well-made, the former are masterpieces of casting craftsmanship made by Sunsmiths, while the latter are mass-produced standard weapons, and there is almost no comparison between the two.

After this little incident, the group left room 427 and prepared to leave the Dream Flower Hotel.

-

The quarterly transfer orders for funeral directors also come in many types, some requiring them to go alone to a dangerous area to carry out a hunt, while others are almost equivalent to administrative leave.

Haida's transfer order was closer to the latter.

Her trip to Golmouth was to find the spiritual materials needed to construct the [Mechanized Spirit Body] technique, which can be seen as a quest for advancement to a hidden rank. Therefore, the General Affairs Department did not assign her any additional tasks.

After all, hunters are ultimately disciples of the esoteric religion and need some time to elevate themselves.

After leaving the Dreamflower Hotel, Fran took Haida and Vivian to a barbecue stall in Foy Harbor to try many kinds of seasonal seafood, such as grilled crab legs, boiled prawns, grilled oysters, charcoal-grilled squid, and some raw shellfish...

As the dishes on the plate dwindled, the time gradually shifted from noon to dusk.

To be honest, Vivian thoroughly enjoyed the process. She even had a strange, almost unsettling feeling that she wasn't on a mission, but rather on vacation in Foy…

"It's already dusk? Time flies so fast, it seems like only a blink of an eye."

Fran glanced at the brass pocket watch, sighed briefly, and then put the last string of peeled prawns in his hand into his mouth, chewing them slowly.

"Haida, the Star Abyss Society is, after all, an ancient order. Even if you're just going to observe from the outskirts, you should still be careful, okay?"

"I will."

Even now, Heda is capable of fighting against high-ranking priests, but she still responded humbly to Fran.

Caution is a virtue she has upheld since becoming a Hunter, and she will never abandon or forget it as she grows stronger.

After saying goodbye, Fran walked alone into a deserted corner of an alley.

She raised her hand and touched the old wooden door of a shop, and the gray mist inside the door immediately spread out in the door frame.

Detrick waited quietly on the sofa in her living room.

She glanced at the wooden clock beside her from time to time, feeling increasingly uneasy as there were only thirty minutes left until the gathering but Ms. Vivian hadn't arrived yet. Hmm… there wasn't even a soul in sight on the street.

Suddenly, Detricka caught a whiff of dampness.

Like the fresh air after rain, carrying a faint scent of earth. Soon, a wisp of gray mist rose from her doorway, and Fran, dressed in a white doctor's coat, stepped out.

Good evening, Detricka.

Seeing that Detrick was still in a daze, Fran greeted her with a smile first.

"Ms. Vivian!"

Upon seeing the mist drifting through the doorway, the young thief's eyes widened in surprise. Her astonishment was palpable and difficult to conceal.

The door to her own house was clearly closed. Last time, she was able to unlock it in the blink of an eye, which was one thing, but this time she simply walked out of the mist inside the door frame, skipping the unlocking process altogether.

The Secret Service has such an efficient and convenient secret technique? How come I've never heard of it before?

Amidst her surprise, Detrick felt a surge of relief. Thankfully, she had chosen to continue working with Ms. Vivian; had she absconded with the money halfway through, the current situation would likely have been extremely alarming…

--middle

--Turn

Chapter Seventy-Five: Blindness and Lingering Echoes Q

As dusk deepened, the sun set and the moon rose.

The full moon had not yet fully risen, its faint light hidden in the hazy night mist. It resembled a tearful eye, possessing a captivating celestial beauty.

The moon in Gormouth seems no different from anywhere else. Only its halo is more pale and cold, and if one gazes upon it for too long… it can create a subtle, indescribable illusion.

At this moment, Derica was leading Fran through the dark alleyways surrounding Foy. (Nine)

This is a nameless slum located on the city's outer edge. While not exactly chaotic, the area is practically safe.

Unless a large-scale riot or excessively illegal trading of dangerous goods occurs, the Star Abyss Society and law enforcement will not interfere here.