Who Exactly Am I!

"Serena, when was that first mask made?" "A really long time ago. Ten years, maybe more. Back then, I was about as old as when you first met me, Brother Karen—around the time of the tram explosion." Ten years… That was a very long time. So someone had assumed the identity of Neo, founded this Whip of Order squad, fallen in love with Miss Elisa, and received her First Embrace, gaining the physique of a bloodthirsty aberrant demon. Karen closed his eyes, pondering carefully. Then he realized that for himself and Fanny's whole squad, this "fake Neo" was real. He had worn the mask long enough that this life had become entirely detached from the original owner of that face. Only the face was different; in truth, it had always been his own life. A line Neo often repeated surfaced in Karen's mind: *Everyone has secrets.* *Is this your secret, Captain?* Karen found it faintly amusing. He had used the exact same method, sought out the exact same person, and commissioned a mask for the exact same purpose. He wondered what the captain would feel when he finally learned of his true identity. Would he find it funny too? *So, Captain, just like me, do you have an identity you can never reveal to the world?* "Serena, let's head upstairs. Your brother isn't here, so it isn't right for me to stay down here too long." "Did anything catch your eye, Brother Karen? I can pack it up for you!" "No need. Just having the privilege to come down here and appreciate them is enough for me." "Really? Brother Karen, you don't have to be so polite." "Next time, perhaps. As you know, everything I need has to be custom-made in advance. Your brother doesn't keep ready-made stock. When I come asking him to craft something for me next time, how about you put in a good word for me?" "Sure thing, Brother Karen!" Karen and Serena returned upstairs, where Serena poured him a cup of coffee. "By the way, Serena, do you know who that person was—the one who kidnapped you and threatened your brother back then?" "No idea. He just locked me up in a room with plenty of food and drink, then went to threaten my brother. Once my brother finished the mask and handed it over, he gave my brother the address, and my brother picked me up." "He didn't hurt you?" "Not at all. In fact, he paid my brother very handsomely. Much of what my brother collected down there, and how quickly his craftsmanship improved, was thanks to that money. "So my brother only hates him in that way—and hates the Church of Order because of him. But you know what that kind of hate is like, Brother Karen. It's like a girl thumping your chest with her fists: "'I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!'" Serena shrugged and continued, "I think that's how my brother feels toward him." "What kind of sister talks about her brother like that?" "Well, precisely because we're siblings, I see things more clearly! Still, my brother doesn't know who he was either. He only remembers that the man used Order spells to bind him, which was how he knew the man belonged to the Church of Order." *Assumed he belonged to the Church of Order just because he used Order spells?* To anyone else, that would sound entirely natural. But to Karen, it struck a different chord. He was an exception himself, having been misunderstood for that exact reason not long ago. Subconsciously, Karen began to wonder: could Captain Neo be the same in this regard? For instance… Was he actually a believer of the Light? Had he been converting Light-attribute power into Order power all this time to disguise himself? If that were the case, did the power Neo displayed represent only half of his true strength? Because Karen was genuinely special, converting Light power caused him no loss. Neo was different; if he operated that way, a loss was inevitable. No, it couldn't even be calculated as half. Believers of the Light had their own distinct system. The Church of Light had once stood as a behemoth at the pinnacle of orthodox churches, its inherent Light system extraordinarily formidable. Under normal circumstances, a priest of the Light would never undertake such an arduous, thankless task as conversion. In other words, if Neo truly was a believer of the Light, the strength he currently displayed might only be thirty percent… or even twenty percent of his real might. Karen took a sip of his coffee. No, there was another issue: Who could be sure that the power Neo displayed was all he possessed in that state? The scene of Neo slaying the runic burly man flashed through Karen's mind. He had been like an elegant pianist, completely suppressing his opponent without giving an inch. "Brother Karen, do you have something on your mind?" "Yeah." "Um, but I don't know how to comfort you." "Haha, no need. My old job was comforting people. I have errands to run, so I'll be taking off. Give your brother my regards when he gets back. Also, I've moved recently, so I'll write down my new phone number for you." Karen took the pen and paper on the table and jotted down his number and address. "Feel free to come over and hang out when you're free. There are two little girls at home; you might become good friends." "Ah, two little girls already? Does that include the older sister with the umbrella?" Serena asked. "What are you imagining? They're the daughters left behind by a good friend of mine. I'm taking care of them now. They've had a hard life—they were corrupted years ago, so they rarely interact with the outside world." "Alright, then I'll prepare some gifts before visiting them." "Call beforehand, and I'll make you something delicious." "Brother Karen, aren't you worried that older sister will get jealous?" "I already told her there's a lovely young girl who, along with her brother, helped me a great deal." "I regret asking that." Karen reached out and patted Serena's head. "You're still young." "If Brother Karen wants, I can become mature right away." "Serena, do you know what the greatest respect for youth is?" "What?" "It's having a little more patience with it." "Alright, alright, Brother Karen, I get what you mean. Don't worry." "Then I'm heading out. Get some rest early. Good night." "Good night, Brother Karen." Karen stepped out of the pottery studio and got into his car. Just as he started the engine, he froze. *Does the captain really live around here?* … The following day, in the afternoon. "Karen, have you lost your mind? He's an Adjudicator! An Adjudicator!" Perched on Kevin's back, Purr yelled at Karen. "You can't be this reckless, you really can't!" "I'm not being reckless. I just feel this is something I ought to do—consider it avenging a friend." "Even so, you can't do this. You're fooling around!" Purr had actually adopted the tone of an elder. Karen looked at it with some bewilderment. "Didn't Alfred tell you this is a squad operation?" "Huh?" Purr glanced around in confusion. "Is it?" Just then, Alfred pushed open the study door and walked in. "Young Master, I only had time to tell it we found Ruke's trail and you were going to kill him. Before I could finish the rest, it turned and bolted over." "Ah, so it's a squad operation! Then there's no problem, no problem at all! Can't you talk a bit faster, you damn radio goblin? Is this how you used to drag out your broadcast hours?!" "Very well, my oversight," Alfred said with a wry smile, choosing not to argue with the cat. Karen picked up the sword box. "Young Master, I wonder when I'll be able to go on an operation with you." "There should be an opportunity before long. Once I advance to Inquisitor, everything we do will become much easier." Purr asked curiously, "So, Karen, is that why you actively volunteered for this mission?" "Yes. I feel like I've found the answer and chosen my path, but I need a suitable opportunity to test it. If the verification succeeds, then by tomorrow morning when I return, I should be a true Inquisitor." Purr nodded and teased, "Becoming an existence on equal footing with Diss." Right after, seeing the sword box in Karen's arms, Purr added with some worry, "I still feel that Miss Ophelia didn't give you this precious Sword of Arius purely out of clan ties." "Really?" "Of course. That's a woman's intuition. After all, until my poor niece wakes from her sleeping beauty state, I have to keep an eye on you for her." "If it weren't for those two clumsy Dark Moon Island slang phrases of yours, there would be far fewer complications between her and me." "Can you blame me for that? Can you? How was I supposed to know that idiot dared to say so many disgusting things to me back then? Just remembering it makes me sick to my stomach!" "Alright, I'm setting off." "Young Master, let me put the sword box in the car for you first." "Mm, thanks." Alfred carried the sword box outside. As Karen stepped out of the study, he saw Xili carrying the ingredients prepared for today over to him. "Young Master, is it because business at the funeral parlor is slow that you're going to a hotel outside to work as a chef to help support the household?" "Hm? No." "Young Master, if the family is really facing financial difficulties, I can take a pay cut." "Don't let your imagination run wild. A friend of mine is retiring soon, so I've been visiting him often lately." "Oh, so that's it." Xili patted her chest and let out a long breath of relief. "You do your job very conscientiously. You're doing great, and you deserve this pay. By the way, did Alfred tell you? There will be allowances for clothes and holidays in the future." "Mr. Alfred told me, but there's no need. Jeans are very durable." As she spoke, Xili even turned around in front of Karen. Ever since Alfred instructed her to wear jeans when coming over, Xili might change her tops for work, but her lower half was always clad in jeans that tightly accentuated her figure. She never minded crouching down to wipe the floor or tidy the rug with her back turned to the young master whenever he woke up, finished washing up, and came downstairs. Though naive, the girl was far from stupid. A female friend she used to know had also recently become a maid. Not only was her salary low and constantly deducted, but the male master often tried to grope her, causing the poor girl endless distress. Xili, on the other hand, had a high wage, extra allowances, and her chores weren't heavy—in fact, they were quite easy. Her only distress was that the young master never laid a finger on her. Carrying the ingredients, Karen walked outside and saw Mrs. Lake holding bolts of cloth. "Are you heading out?" Mrs. Lake asked with a smile. "Yes. Someone owes Mr. Pavaro a sum of money; I'm going to collect it." Understanding the underlying meaning, Mrs. Lake asked at once, "Is it dangerous?" "Not dangerous. He's already in the net." "That's good. If it's dangerous, please don't go. I knew my husband—he would never want his family or friends to face danger on his behalf." "I understand, ma'am. Are you planning to make clothes with all that cloth?" "Yes, I'm getting ready to make pajamas for the family." "Dora and Doreen will definitely be delighted." Previously, Dora and Doreen's clothes had been very simple. For fear that the decaying parts would stick to the fabric and prove difficult to tend to, they had never owned pajamas. "What color do you prefer? I'll make one for you first," Mrs. Lake asked. "Black." "Alright." Karen walked outside, got into the car, and glanced back at the sword box Alfred had placed on the rear seat. "Young Master, I regret that I cannot witness your insight tonight." "All my thoughts are written in the notebook," Karen said. "I have already transcribed them, Young Master," Alfred smiled. "I'm off." Karen started the engine and drove away. Alfred placed his hands over his chest, reverently watching him leave. Only when the silhouette of the car had vanished completely did Alfred let out a long breath and murmured: "I can feel it. A new chapter is about to begin." … "Why didn't the captain come today?" "Ask him. How should I know? Am I supposed to call him every day to ask if he's coming to sponge a meal tonight?" "Then let's not uncork this liquor just yet." "Just because he isn't here, I don't deserve to drink it? You brat, do you still want my refrigerator or not?" Karen uncorked the bottle and poured a glass for Old Saman. Old Saman took a sip, smacking his lips. "This liquor is quite good. What did you steep in it?" "Ginseng." "No wonder there's a delicate fragrance to it. And today's dishes are cooked wonderfully too. You brat, why believe in Order? Wouldn't it be great to just be a chef?" "Can't a chef believe in Order?" "Pfft… Hahaha!" Old Saman nearly spat out his mouthful of liquor. "Good retort! After all, who knows, maybe that God of Order of yours was a chef once. "Hehe, you won't get angry if I say that, will you?" "I won't. Because I think the God of Order was raised by a whore." "…" Old Saman. After a long silence, Old Saman set his pipe and vertical flute onto the table, pointed at them, and said: "These two are fine treasures too, no worse than that refrigerator." "Oh?" "Actually, the refrigerator isn't very useful. You can't carry a refrigerator everywhere you go. Leaving it at home just makes it an extra small storage locker, which isn't very meaningful. But with this pipe and this flute, it's different. They make a set with it. You can use them while out in the field to 'retrieve' things from the refrigerator." "You're giving them to me now?" "That won't do. Not until I retire. But don't worry, I won't use them in a fight. Besides, if a fight really breaks out, you'll be the first one I hit. I'll knock you flat on your back so you won't have to feel guilty." "Wait, why would I feel guilty?" "Hm?" "Don't worry. If a fight really breaks out, I'll be the first to charge up and hack you down! You old geezer, you actually only intended to give me a refrigerator before!" Giving him a storage space, but forcing him to return home every time he wanted to fetch anything from it—what would be the point of such a storage space? He would be going home to get his things either way. "Tch, just you?" "Yeah, just me." "Forget it, forget it, you're not half-bad, you brat." Old Saman patted Karen on the shoulder. "Going all out to please me, even saying things like that. You really went to great lengths. "So, when you said that just now, was your heart pounding out of your chest?" Karen let out a long sigh, touched his chest, and said, "Yeah. Scared to death." "I've never seen anyone like you. You make me feel guilty if I don't give you a little more." "Do you have any other good stuff here?" "What do you want to do?" "If you do, I can curse a few more times." "…" Old Saman. … At a quarter to eight, Karen drove to Meilong Wharf. Worried that arriving too early might spook the target, he had parked on the outer road and waited for twenty minutes. This was a smuggling wharf; ships only came on a few fixed days each month. At this hour, the area was dead silent. One by one, Karen loaded spell bullets into his Sava-7 pistol. Having been modified by Fanny, the pistol carried a distinct texture. Next, he placed six small potion vials into his pocket. Finally, he opened the sword box, lifted the Sword of Arius, and rested it across his shoulder. He didn't particularly care for this look. He had once felt there was a gap-moe charm when Ophelia carried the longsword, but looking at his reflection in the car's rearview mirror, he felt that a sense of discord was equally important. *I should have Alfred make a scabbard to secure it to my back.* Once fully prepared, Karen walked toward the wharf. Before he had gone far, he heard a surprised voice: "Huh, why are you here?" The voice was familiar—it was Fanny. *Whoosh!* Fanny slid down from a nearby crane boom and looked at Karen. "Isn't today an arrest operation?" "Yeah. You're here to take part?" "Yes. I'm not late, am I? The captain told me eight o'clock." "Our gathering time was seven. The operation started a while ago." "Is Ruke already dead?" Karen remembered Neo saying that Ruke would not be left alive. "No. We successfully ambushed and heavily wounded him, but the captain suddenly called a halt to the assault, ordering us to only lock him down and keep him surrounded. So we've been waiting until now." Just then, Fanny suddenly said, "Understood, Captain." Fanny took a blue seashell from her ear and placed it against Karen's ear. "You're here." Neo's voice came through the seashell. "Yes, Captain." "Go on in." "Understood, Captain." Karen continued walking inward, entering a severely rusted factory workshop. A flickering blue flame cast erratic light over Ruke, who sat there with a blood-smeared face, treating his own injuries. Seeing Karen enter, Ruke asked in confusion: "Who are you?" "You're the one who asked for me." "I asked for you?" Ruke's confusion instantly gave way to pleasant surprise. "Does that mean we can negotiate? You're willing to negotiate? I can tell you where all of Qihe's wealth is hidden, as long as you spare me this once!" Karen shook his head and said, "I'm here to talk to you about who exactly I am."