The eccentric doctor never makes a misdiagnosis!

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Chapter Three: The Mystery of Leviathan

Golmouth, Foy.

In his makeshift apartment on Oddington Street, the inchworm was packing up his belongings as quickly as possible.

According to his original plan, he would stay in Foy for at least seven or eight years. Here, he could collect various types of spiritual materials through the Six-Eyed Raven's Habitat Auction, which would be extremely beneficial for his advanced studies in esoteric arts.

However, plans can change, and now the inchworm has turned to worship the hermit lady.

Although he is still nominally a disciple of the Night Moth under the Misty Society, he has probably been targeted by a higher-level priest and added to the blacklist of suspicious persons.

Fortunately, given their current rank, they shouldn't send anyone to pursue them for a long time. In the eyes of those high-ranking priests, whether a non-priest is dead or has defected is a trivial matter.

Although the Starry Abyss Society still dominates Gormouth, anyone with even a slight understanding of the current situation should know that the Tidecallers are practically defunct, to the point that the sanctuary has been taken over by the White Cup Order.

Without a doubt, the true winner who reaps all the benefits of victory is the disprover.

Given that the internal structure of Gormouth is undergoing transformation, the Misty Society must proceed with extreme caution if it wishes to take any action.

After all, the white-collar scholars are quite ruthless and decisive in protecting their assets.

Despite saying that, the inchworm still felt a deep unease that was hard to put into words.

Previously, with the Hermit Lady in Gormouth, I felt confident even when venturing into the fallen city. Now that she is far away in Norrington, it seems she no longer intends to interfere in the affairs of the Abyss Kingdom.

This is a delicate moment; if unexpected danger were to arise on my side, it would be almost impossible to get help from her.

Even the most outstanding apostles could not cross that sea that devoured spirituality in a short time.

"I should have bought less when I was purchasing the esoteric texts... They piled up in the room, but I've only read less than a third of them."

The inchworm was somewhat annoyed.

Just then, a somewhat familiar female voice rang out from behind him.

“Mr. Inchworm, if you’re willing to sell these books at half price, I can help you get rid of them. Please leave your new address after you move, and I will send you the money or a promissory note within a month and a half after the accounts are settled.”

Upon hearing this, the inchworm shuddered and then abruptly turned around.

He had been on edge, ready to activate his secret technique at any moment. However, upon seeing the newcomer's face half-hidden in the pale moonlight, he quickly breathed a sigh of relief and swallowed back the prayer that was about to escape his lips.

You can see that Detrick is squatting on the windowsill of the temporary apartment, her posture steady and light.

“I didn’t mean to disturb you, Mr. Inchworm. But seeing you looking like you’re planning to set all the books on fire… I feel a bit sorry for you. There’s been a shortage in the Third Habitat lately, and selling these documents separately could make up for a lot of the shortfall.”

Although the two had met once at Foy's third habitat, they did not have much of a relationship otherwise.

The inchworm was no longer nervous mainly because both he and Detricka were driven by the Hermit Lady. In this respect, they could even be considered colleagues to some extent.

However, he was the first to ask about his own privacy.

“Detrica, how did you know my whereabouts? I was on the Levia until today, and no one except the crew should know that I disembarked.”

The inchworm also speculated that the hermit lady might have given her some kind of revelation, but upon closer examination, it seemed impossible. That person was perfectly capable of directly entering her dream; there was no need for anyone else to relay the message.

“Things have been a bit chaotic in Foy lately, which you probably don’t know because you’re on the ship. But you’re more educated than me, so you should be able to guess some of the situation.”

Detricka seemed to have anticipated that the inchworm would ask this question, and therefore had already thought about how to answer it.

"According to our order's intelligence, Loreton has sent out several times more spies than in previous years, including many mercenaries from the Northern Remnant Blade. The pirates of Sulan Bay are also restless, all wanting to find out the true situation of the Royal Court and the Star Abyss Society."

"In addition, there are reported signs of evil activity... Several farms in the suburbs have reported missing livestock. But in any case, Foy's situation is better than Mordway's; that night destroyed too many people's confidence to continue settling down."

"Therefore, we recently accepted the White Cup Order's employment to assist the Exorcists in investigating suspicious individuals within the city. We have also taken over some patrol and surveillance posts in the lower-level neighborhoods."

Upon hearing Detrick's explanation, the inchworm nodded.

However, the raider's next words made him narrow his eyes.

“That being said… the Order hasn’t actually been paying attention to you. The reason I was able to detect your movements is because I also live on Oddington Street and am quite sensitive to the movement of people in the neighborhood.”

Detrika's account was still embellished.

Actually, she was just choosing her favorite customers on the rooftop tonight when she happened to see the inchworm sneaking home under the cover of darkness.

"I see."

The inchworm had only asked the question casually and wasn't particularly concerned about the answer.

However, the information Detrica provided still stirred a sense of urgency in him. Although the Royal Court of Galonson and the White Cup Order were still trying their best to maintain the status quo, once the rifts and turmoil began, it would take at least a decade to completely quell them.

Moreover, his own identity is quite sensitive.

“In that case, I will leave the documents and materials I left here to Miss Detrica. The price will be as you said, half of the total sales amount. Although these books are not particularly rare, they contain many valuable secrets.”

"As for my exact address after I move... I can't determine it yet. Here's what I'll do: I'll leave you a mailing address, and we can communicate through the White Cup telegraph station."

The inchworm acted quite casually at this moment, seemingly unconcerned about the books and assets left behind in its dwelling.

"Oh? Aren't you afraid I'll take the goods and not send the payment?"

"Although our order enjoys a good reputation in trade, that is only for transactions that have been ceremonial and notarized by the high priest during the full moon auction. In private, there are bound to be six or seven out of ten plunderers who do not follow the rules."

Detrika inquired with great interest.

At this moment, the inchworm had packed all the more valuable luggage into two leather suitcases, and its expression became relaxed and carefree.

"If that's the case, then consider it a gift to you. It's quite risky for me to handle these things, but leaving them here unattended could cause unnecessary trouble in the long run."

Rather than burying himself in a mountain of books filled with an old and worn atmosphere, he would much rather follow a living witness to the secret history.

“Miss Detrica, it’s almost time, I have to go.”

"If we had been half an hour later, we probably would have missed the Leviathan's cross-sea voyage back to Norrington. Opportunities to ride a free white-cup ship are rare; missing them means paying a lot more."

As he spoke, the inchworm pushed up the silver-framed square glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"it is good."

Detrika nodded slightly, and the Six-Eyed Raven offered a polite farewell.

……

As a neighborhood primarily characterized by its remoteness and affordability, Oddington Third Street is quite a distance from downtown and Port Foy, and even hiring a taxi can take some time.

For some reason, even after arriving at the port, the inchworm still felt inexplicably uneasy.

Logically speaking, there shouldn't be any surprises after this.

Captain Nifleur of the Leviathan is an honorary professor at Norlington Central College, and the first mate also works in the Department of Oceanography. Now, most of Foy Harbor is under the management of the Decepticons, to the point that their ships don't even need permits to leave port.

At times like these, he always envied those who worshipped the gods, who could grab whatever was at hand and perform an impromptu divination. Although the revelations they received were mostly obscure proverbs and metaphors, at least they had some idea of ​​what to expect.

With a sense of foreboding in its heart, the inchworm became more cautious and meticulous as it observed the passengers preparing to board the ship at the port.

As a steam-powered ocean ferry equipped with modern white-cup technology, the Leviathan would be fully loaded with passengers on its scheduled round-trip voyages to offset onboard expenses such as equipment maintenance and fuel for the secret furnace core.

Most of the passengers boarding the ship at this moment looked tired and hurried, but their clothes were mostly neat and presentable. The Leviathan primarily served merchants who needed to conduct transoceanic business, followed by travelers with a certain level of financial means.

A guy like Detrick, who buys a ticket just to steal something from the Hunters to prepare for his promotion... is honestly very rare.

During boarding, the inchworm, like a curious young person on a first trip, looked around with wide-eyed wonder. However, there was nothing unusual about the other passengers that could be observed with the naked eye, to the point that he wondered if he was being a little paranoid.

Just then, First Mate Utus, who was leaning against the deck railing enjoying the sea breeze, noticed him.

Good evening, Mr. Inchworm.

"You packed your things pretty quickly. I was thinking if you had arrived late, we might have had to wait half an hour before setting sail. After all, we'll be staying in Norrington for a while, and the return trip won't be until at least a quarter of the year later."

Upon seeing Utus, the inchworm's expression relaxed slightly.

The scene of that guy explaining to others while holding the spine of an evil creature from the Abyss in the fallen city of Morion is still vivid in my mind and unforgettable.

In addition to holding the title of professor in the Department of Oceanography, Utus was also an extremely experienced combatant.

"I also have to thank you for giving me a universal certificate for the crew. For someone like me, saving on ocean ferry expenses is a huge help."

"I don't even know where to stay if I go to Norlington now."

The inchworm placed the leather suitcase beside the deck and then began to talk to Utus.

Upon hearing this, the oceanography professor's expression became slightly subtle, and he rubbed his chin with two fingers, seemingly deep in thought.

“Mr. Inchworm, if you are interested in this, you can apply for a teaching assistant position at Norlington Central College. You should know that we always offer generous compensation to capable faculty members.”

"In addition, those who are proficient in the esoteric arts receive extra subsidies."

Upon hearing Utus's offer of recruitment, the inchworm hesitated slightly.

He wasn't worried about being unable to fulfill the role of teaching assistant; compared to his fellow Moths, who were obsessed with deception, he was far more academically inclined.

Although he had no expertise in the White Cup Order's forging field, his fluency in Golmouth and Loretown, along with the secret historical documents he had acquired from the Obscure Society, was more than sufficient to teach the humanities and social sciences students.

However, the inchworm, as a disciple of the night moth, may not be accepted by the deniers.

In addition, he also had to consider his affiliation. Would applying for the White Cup Assistant Church be seen by the Hermit as a defection to another church, thus causing her to resent him?

“Your suggestion is excellent, but I’m afraid my identity is somewhat inappropriate.”

"I can write you a letter of recommendation as a professor in the Department of Oceanography. With my identity as a guarantee, the White Cup Order does not mind accepting heretical disciples. In fact, they are quite welcoming."

Utus seems to have considered this for some time.

"but……"

Just as the inchworm was about to express his concerns, Utus's next words changed his attitude.

“Oh…Speaking of which, it seems that your trip to Morion with us was due to Dr. Fran’s assignment? She currently holds the title of honorary professor at the academy and uses the name Flamel.”

Upon hearing this, the eyes behind the inchworm's lens flashed with a visible light, as if they had suddenly realized their path.

“I am very grateful for Professor Utus’s kind offer. I will immediately prepare for the application process.”

After discussing the specific teaching assistant assessment process, Chihu picked up his suitcase and walked across the ship's side corridor toward his room.

When he bid farewell to Utus, he pondered for a moment and then cautiously offered a reminder.

“According to Miss Detrica’s intelligence, Foy has recently seen a lot more visitors from the North. With Captain Niflour on board, there’s no need to worry about pirate attacks, but if ‘Broken Blade’ or anyone else manages to board… that could cause quite a bit of trouble.”

"We hope Professor Utus will be vigilant and carefully verify information."

After speaking, the inchworm turned and walked towards his cabin. Having spent nearly two months on the Leviathan, he was much more familiar with it than with his residence on Oddington Street.

Hearing his warning, Utus also perked up a bit.

Their final destination was Norrington. If the Northern Blade were to linger there, they would likely receive a warm greeting from the Funeral Court within a night. If they were truly planning to do something, the only feasible option would be to hijack the ship and then change course.

"Although it's a low-probability event, I should still go and tell the old man."

With that in mind, he stepped onto the gangway leading to the upper floors and headed toward the captain's cabin.

Back in his cabin, Chihu put away his two heavy leather suitcases and took a deep breath.

In any case, the safety on the Leviathan was still higher than in Foy. At least there was no need to worry about investigations and pursuit from the Obscure Society.

Listening to the surging tides, the inchworm leaned back on the bed, calmly letting its thoughts wander. 7

A few breaths later, he suddenly raised his hand, took off his silver-rimmed square glasses, and pinched the socket of his left eye.

As if a flash of inspiration struck him, he momentarily grasped the source of his palpitations and unease.

It's the left eye.

The left eye, bestowed upon it by the hermit lady, was now quietly radiating an agonizing heat. Like a smoldering fire deep within the earth's veins, it silently scorched its emotions and thoughts, bringing with it an imperceptible restlessness.

Undoubtedly, this is some kind of psychic warning.

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Chapter Four: Winter Saber-Tooth

This left eye was a gift from the hermit lady, so the inchworm naturally didn't think that its current abnormality was a side effect like flesh and blood rejection, or some kind of accidental phenomenon.

"Could it be that there is really danger on the Leviathan?"

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but frown deeply.

The Leviathan was equipped with a secret furnace core developed by the White Cup Order, its crew was fully armed, and it was commanded by Captain Nifl, who had dominated the deep sea for nearly a century... Logically speaking, there would be almost no ocean ferry with a higher safety factor than it.

The inchworm originally wanted to read a book while staying in the cabin, but the depressed mood in its heart lingered and even intensified.