Visitors Arrive

*Bang!* Kevin nudged the study door open and burst inside with Purr on his back. Rearing up on his hind legs before Karen, who sat behind the desk, the dog raised his two front paws into the air. Purr brandished a miniature red sword in her right paw while clutching the fur on Kevin's scruff with her left, balancing steadily atop him. "Oh, my dear little Karen! If you ever face an enemy too tough to handle in the future, don't be afraid! As long as you pray with devotion, the great Evil God Knight Purr will descend!" "Woof, woof, woof!" Watching this spectacle, Karen was genuinely worried that Purr—having already accidentally singed Kevin's head bald—might accidentally slice off the dog's tail next. "It seems those tonics really worked." "Yes, the results are obvious. My coat is noticeably shinier than before." "Then whenever I'm away from home, protecting the house is up to you." "Hm?" Purr dropped her joking tone at the mention of serious business. "I think it'll still take some time before I'm up to the job. Ah, right, I'd like to apply for some point coupons so the radio goblin can visit the black market, find a blacksmith from the Church doing illicit side jobs, and forge me a miniature sword roughly this size." "Fine." "Um, because it needs an amplification effect similar to your Sword of Arius, my little sword needs to have some fire-attribute crystal materials smelted into it." "And so?" Purr blinked. "So it might be a bit pricey." "That's fine." "Oh, my dear little Karen, you're the best! In that case, I'll let you touch my puppet stored in the warehouse coffin all you want." Karen's gaze darkened slightly. "Heh heh, just kidding." Purr continued waving the little red sword. "Stupid dog, let's go on patrol!" "Woof!" Kevin carried Purr right back out of the study, not forgetting to flick the door shut behind them with his tail. Karen shook his head with mild amusement. Kevin had always indulged Purr's bullying; it felt like an older brother indulging his younger sister. Hm? Come to think of it, going strictly by age, Purr, who was nearly two hundred years old, truly was just a little sister before Kevin. *Ring, ring...* The telephone rang just then. Karen picked up the receiver. "Hello, I'm looking for Captain Karen." It was Aisli's voice on the other end. "Speaking." "Captain, are you busy with anything lately?" "No." "My parents would like to invite you over to our house for dinner." "I'm busy." "..." Aisli fell silent. "Aisli, please pass along my regards to your parents. The medicine they prescribed worked wonders for my cat." "All right, Captain. Actually, when they told me to invite you, I guessed you wouldn't like attending this sort of occasion—even though at the victory banquet that night you acted far more natural and poised than any of us." "Get some good rest. It won't be long before we head to the Dinge Region." "Mm-hmm. But I have one more thing." "Go ahead." "My parents love reading *Order Weekly* whenever they're free; it's their hobby. And while their research institute focuses on their own department's work, it still has a mailroom piled with documents sent out by the Holy See every few days..." "Aisli, if I establish a Whip of Order squad, would you be willing to join it?" "And so... huh? Ah! I'd love to, Captain!" "Good. Then it's settled." "Mm-hmm! Nothing else from me, Captain. Go back to being busy—oh no, go back to not being busy—ah, no, you hang up!" "All right. Goodbye." Karen hung up the phone. Coincidentally, no sooner had he set the receiver down than it rang again. Karen picked it up once more. Bart's voice came through. "Captain, my parents always like reading *Order Weekly*, and..." He was using the exact same opening line. Karen could even picture Bart's parents—and Aisli's parents earlier—sitting right beside them on the sofa as they made their calls. Having elders like that around to guide and support them was indeed a blessing. It often allowed them to catch wind of the shifting tides in advance, find their rhythm, and make proper preparations. "Bart." "Yes, Captain?" "If I establish a Whip of Order squad, would you be willing to join?" "I'd be glad to, Captain. You've earned my complete respect." "All right. Then it's settled." After hanging up the second call, Karen took out the address book and dialed the number for Ventura's home that Alfred had noted down. The call was answered promptly. It was Ventura himself. "It's me, Karen." "Captain!" "The higher-ups seem to be planning to establish a new batch of Whip of Order squads. I wanted to ask if you'd be interested in joining my squad when the time comes." "Of course, Captain! No doubt, no hesitation!" "Good. That's all, then." The three from the York City Region were locked in. As for Mars and Blanche, Karen had no way to contact them directly, but there was no rush. With the upcoming training and the trial at the Gate of Samsara, there would be plenty of time and shared experiences; the two were practically already his for the taking. Karen stretched, checked the time, and saw it was time for lunch. He rose from behind the desk and walked out of the study toward the kitchen. Xili had just finished preparing lunch: four dishes and a soup suited to Karen's tastes. The attentive maid prepared a green vegetable dish for the young master at every meal. She knew that in his eyes, only green vegetables truly counted as vegetables. Alfred came over to share the meal. Karen said, "Find some time to look into Teacher Daishan's recent situation again." "Yes, Young Master." "This afternoon I'll make a trip to the Guman house, and then drop by the Lemar Pottery Studio." Visiting the Guman home was to see Richard and his grandmother; before the exam, his grandmother had even sent him soup. Going to the pottery studio was to check on Serena. After all, Lemar had come to him asking for help. Even though Karen had passed the matter to the captain, who then temporarily handed it off to Mr. Aisen, Karen still needed to show his face now that he was free. Karen always remembered those who treated him well or helped him. He dreaded trouble, but certain troubles could not be avoided or ignored. "Shall I accompany you, Young Master?" "No need. Tend to your own tasks first. If you uncover anything, let me know; if there's nothing out of the ordinary, forget it. It isn't anything critical." "Understood, Young Master." After lunch, Karen drove the secondhand Ponce alone to the Guman villa. Just after parking, he spotted a man leaning against the car ahead, a cigarette between his fingers, looking utterly desolate as he smoked. Karen recognized him. His name was Dake, Richard's younger uncle-in-law and his own uncle as well. As an Inquisitor married to a Jurist, facing a family of Jurists like the Gumans, he had always been under immense pressure. Every visit required extensive mental preparation. Karen shut the car door and walked over. "Lord Dake?" Dake turned, saw Karen, quickly dropped his cigarette butt, and smiled. "Don't call me 'Lord,' just call me Dake. I saw the papers, Karen. You secured a spot for the Gate of Samsara and performed brilliantly. Congratulations, Karen." "Thank you." Karen stood beside him. Mr. Dake pulled a cigarette case from his pocket and offered it to Karen. "I don't smoke." Karen gently pushed the case back with a light touch. "Is something going on at home today?" "Oh, nothing in particular. Mainly, my wife's parents moved back here, so she visits often, and naturally I have to..." Mr. Dake walked two fingers through the air. "Sigh, you understand. Every time I come here, it feels like walking into a Whip of Order cell." "It must be tough on you." Mr. Dake shrugged. "What can I do? Who asked me to be so mediocre?" During their previous encounter, Dake had deliberately put on an air of closeness with the Guman family, acting like a true insider. This time, he didn't hide his actual predicament at all. Probably because back then, he had viewed Karen as a young junior and felt the need to maintain an elder's dignity. Now, he treated Karen as an equal—or perhaps even a notch above. Once on equal footing, anything could be said. After all, both he and Karen were outsiders here. "You're just doing it to keep your wife happy." Hearing this, Mr. Dake paused, a smile spreading across his face. "You're right. As long as Lucie is happy, it's all worth it." With that, Mr. Dake patted Karen's shoulder. "Come on, let's head in." Karen and Dake walked through the garden and up the front steps. Just as they were about to knock, the door opened from within, revealing Madame Tangli standing in the doorway. The old lady glared indignantly at her son-in-law. Mr. Dake shivered, thoroughly bewildered. Karen smiled faintly. *Grandmother, have you completely dropped the act now?* Most likely, the moment his car drove up, his grandmother had sensed his presence and gotten ready to open the door and welcome him. But he had lingered outside chatting with Mr. Dake, leaving the old lady waiting impatiently. "Oh, Karen! My little Karen is here! Let Grandma take a look at you." Madame Tangli stepped forward to Karen and gently touched his face. "You weren't hurt, were you? Your spirit and soul weren't damaged, were they?" Clearly, the old lady was worried her grandson had paid some terrible price during the final selection. "I'm fine, Madame." "Call me Grandma! I told you last time, call me Grandma!" "All right, Grandma. I'm fine. It was just a selection trial." "Heh heh, heh, haha!" Hearing that, Madame Tangli chuckled demurely at first, but couldn't hold it back; her chuckle turned into normal laughter, which she still couldn't contain, before she finally burst into hearty laughter. This was her grandson. Her own blood flowed through this young man's veins, and he was outstanding—extraordinarily so! Even with blood ties, an elder wouldn't necessarily like every single junior. But as long as an elder was in their right mind, they would invariably favor exceptional juniors. That was human nature. On top of that, beyond his talent, Karen's temperament, speech, tastes, cooking skills, and everything else aligned perfectly with Madame Tangli's preferences. Mr. Dake wanted very much to cough a few times to remind Madame Tangli that he, her son-in-law, had arrived as well, but after hesitating, he didn't dare. After stepping inside, Kaixi and Lucie both congratulated Karen. Old Delon hadn't returned home yet. Oh, another absent family member was Mr. Aisen, but the family seemed thoroughly accustomed to his intermittent disappearances. "Karen!" Someone called to him from the second floor. Karen looked up and saw Richard sitting at the head of the stairs—in a wheelchair, no less. Karen walked upstairs, approached Richard, and said with a smile, "Nice wheelchair. Quite refined." "Want one for yourself?" Richard asked. "Check back when I'm a hundred." Richard glanced at the family below, then wheeled himself toward his bedroom. Karen followed behind. The bed in the bedroom was piled high with books. Karen swept his gaze over them and saw they were all ancient tomes and notes. "Just for show?" "Hmph! I'm actually working hard!" Karen pulled over a chair and sat down. Madame Kaixi walked in carrying a tray of fruit and drinks. Setting them down, she smiled. "You two chat. I won't disturb you." With that, she thoughtfully pulled the door shut behind her. As a mother, she naturally loved seeing her son spend time with brilliant peers. "Right, there's something I need to give you. Last time, didn't you ask me for the Key to the Rubik's Cube? You can't use that one, so I stole a version from my grandfather's study that he teaches to his close students. It counts as a type of Key to the Rubik's Cube, just a budget version." With that, Richard pointed toward a nearby bookshelf. A strand of white silk shot out from his wrist, stuck to a book, pulled it free, and dropped it into his hand. "Is that the bug's ability?" "Yeah. You might not believe it, but every time my dad beats me half to death, while I'm recovering I can clearly sense my degree of fusion with that bug climbing significantly. The harder he hits, the faster it grows." "That's great. Getting beaten improves your strength—anyone else with a deal like that would wake up laughing from their dreams." "Heh, heh heh." Richard handed the book to Karen. Karen took it and said, "Thank you." "Don't mention it." "By the way, there's something I should mention to you beforehand. This final selection was conducted in teams." "I know, I saw the papers. This morning I was poking your picture in the newspaper over and over, and I poked so much I accidentally made a hole in it." "A new trend is coming from above. I plan to form my own Whip of Order squad. Barring any surprises, the five squad members under me who took part in the final selection will all join it." "Uh-huh. And?" "You should come too. You're an external squad member and don't occupy a slot on the Hound Squad's roster. In theory, transferring you over will be very straightforward." Hearing this, Richard took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Actually, Grandfather brought this up with me last night, and Mother told me again this morning. They want me to join your squad. This Whip of Order squad will definitely draw a lot of attention, maybe even become an elite ace team. Being in it would do wonders for my future development." If Aisli's and Bart's parents knew about it, there was no reason the Guman family wouldn't. "So you were waiting for me to bring it up first?" Richard shook his head. "No, I never planned to ask you, Karen. I don't want to be your dead weight anymore. I'm lazy, I care too much about saving face, I love talking big, and every now and then I get all sanctimonious about petty morals. Brothers should help each other back and forth—you help me once, I help you once. It shouldn't be you carrying me on your shoulders all the time. That isn't right." Karen looked at Richard, lost in thought. Richard assumed his words had moved Karen, but Karen was actually thinking: *If you don't join the squad, how am I supposed to rope your dad in?* No Whip of Order squad would ever refuse the addition of a Jurist. Even Captain Neo spoke with great courtesy whenever addressing Memphis. "Richard, I've never considered you a burden." "I know. You wouldn't look at me that way." "The unfortunate truth, however, is that you probably won't ever be as outstanding as I am in this lifetime." Richard: "..." "In this lifetime, I'll likely always have to help you, and you'll rarely be able to help me—because you lack the ability." Richard: "..." "So, either join the squad, or we stop being brothers." "Are you guilt-tripping me?" "I don't need to guilt-trip you. Before coming to your house, I ran into your father, and he already agreed to this. I'm sure if you refuse me right now, it won't be long before your dear old father appears at your bedroom door." Richard shuddered. "Karen, how could you! We're brothers, and you secretly conspired with my dad and took his side!" "I didn't take anyone's side. I'm merely remaining neutral." "You know full well I can't beat my dad, so staying neutral is just taking his side!" "Just join. Stop being melodramatic." "Then can I handle logistics?" "Fine." "All right, deal. I'm in." Richard spread his arms toward Karen, seeking a hug. Karen, however, got up, walked over to the cabinet, picked up a glass of juice, took a sip, and frowned. "Does your mother have a habit of adding sugar to fruit juice?" "Yeah. And she loves watching me drink it down with a look of pure bliss. Every single time, I have to play along just to indulge her self-absorbed display of maternal love." Just then, a black origami crow flew in through the window. "A crow my dad folded." Richard raised his arm to let it land, but the crow flew past him and perched on Karen's shoulder. "Huh? It's for you?" "Looks like your dad is checking in to ask if you've agreed to join the squad." Karen caught the crow and read the message: *Someone has arrived at the pottery studio.* Karen folded the paper crow up, only to notice that the sheet already bore creases from a previous fold. Still, Karen didn't dwell on it. Perhaps Mr. Aisen had felt the first attempt wasn't perfect enough and refolded it. "Richard, something's come up. I have to go." *** "This is the place. Ever since last time, I've been waiting for you to come find me." Inside a sedan, the fat man in the driver's seat turned around to look at the girl dozing in the back seat. "This time, we will definitely get our hands on the Yilmaz carving knife!" Philomena opened her eyes slightly and turned her gaze toward the pottery studio. Through the glass door, she happened to see Memphis stand up and walk toward the entrance. *Sigh.* Philomena let out a soft sigh. She reached out, grabbed the fat man in the driver's seat by the neck, and with a crisp *snap*, twisted it completely around. Then her body dissolved into black mist, and she fled.