Clown

The four-wheeled carriage sped through the night. Inside, no lamps were lit. Captain Feilikesi Duonowan of the Purifiers, seated beside Xialuote, used the moonlight filtering through the gaps in the window curtains to retrieve two delicate glass vials from a cloth-lined wooden case and hand them across. The vials were sealed with cork stoppers, and the glass was thin to the point of being nearly transparent. Smashed against the ground or an enemy's body, they would shatter instantly, splashing the holy water within. Xialuote had used similar items before. Taking them, she slipped them into the most accessible pockets on either side of her coat, ensuring she could draw them at any moment. Fortunately, she had dressed again in practical trousers and a jacket for venturing out tonight. Though such attire hardly matched the conventional image of a proper lady, the three men did not give her a single strange glance. Clearly, they had all worked alongside female Beyonders before and knew that appearance was vastly inferior to practicality. After distributing the holy water, Duonowan drew four metallic flasks with a faint golden sheen from the case. Passing out three of them, he said, "This is Sun Water, one flask per person. If something abnormal occurs with your body and you suspect you have been cursed or corrupted, drink it immediately. It will maximize the purification of abnormalities on you while providing a certain degree of healing. "Splashing it at an enemy produces an even stronger effect than holy water, but I do not advise using it that way." In other words, it is best reserved for saving lives rather than used as a thrown weapon... Is it rationed so strictly because it's difficult to craft?... Xialuote pondered, stowing the metal flask into an inner pocket of her coat to prevent losing it in battle. Seeing that she was ready, Duonowan glanced at the other two teammates. "Next, let us introduce ourselves to avoid any lack of coordination during the fight. I am a Sequence 7 Sun Priest, and Aidemeng is a Light Suppliant. Miss Sauron, I presume you are already familiar with the Beyonder abilities of this pathway." As he spoke, he gestured toward the burly, un-Intisian-looking man opposite Xialuote with black hair and brown eyes, in front of whom leaned a slab-like object about half the height of an adult, entirely shrouded beneath black cloth. "I fought side by side with the Purifiers back in Suxite." Xialuote nodded and shifted her gaze to the last person. He was a frail man dressed in a loose shirt, trousers, and a waistcoat, wearing no coat over them. His gray hair made him look older than his actual years, and his dark eyes lacked luster, looking as though he had not rested properly in a very long time. Noticing Xialuote looking his way, he took the initiative to introduce himself. "Xier, Sequence 8 Clown of the Divination pathway." *Clown?* Xialuote could not keep her expression from shifting. Among the potion names she already knew—Arbiter, Warrior, Light Suppliant, and even Instigator—one could deduce the rough direction of their abilities from the literal words. But "Clown" sounded nothing like a Sequence endowed with extraordinary power. Xier was evidently accustomed to such reactions, explaining in an even tone, "The Sequence 9 potion granted me divination abilities and strong spirituality, and it also allows me to learn and use many forms of ritual magic. "After advancing to Clown, my fine motor control and physical balance improved considerably. And provided the angle and force are right, ordinary paper can become a throwing weapon." *Body control, throwing playing cards... It really does sound like a street performer doing acrobatics.* Just as the thought crossed Xialuote's mind, Xier seemed to catch the subtle shift in her expression and added, "Sometimes I feel I ought to go perform tricks in the royal palace. Perhaps the king would take a liking to me and bestow a court title." His face remained devoid of expression as he said this, but a trace of self-mockery laced his voice. *This man is actually rather interesting. Though his thought might happen to align with the core essence of the 'acting method'...* Xialuote found herself warming to Xier. Seeing the others looking toward her, she spoke up as well: "Xialuote Sauron, Sequence 9 Arbiter. My primary abilities are close-quarters combat, imposing deterrence through presence, and making my words more persuasive. "I am also carrying a Grade 3 Sealed Artifact..." No sooner had she finished describing the effects of the Dagger of Verdict in detail than Clown Xier's gaze settled upon her waist, displaying obvious interest. "May I try holding it?" Xialuote looked toward Duonowan, and seeing no objection from him, drew the dagger, reversed the blade, and offered the hilt across. Xier gripped the dull gray dagger, half-closed his eyes, and remained motionless within the continuously swaying carriage. Ten-odd seconds passed. His expression stayed calm, his breathing steady, and the hand gripping the dagger did not tremble in the least, as though he were entirely unaffected by the Sealed Artifact. *Could he be like me, having never done anything he truly considers a crime? Or does the Divination pathway allow one to control their emotions, making them less prone to falling into remorse?...* Xialuote watched him with puzzlement, a faint anxiety rising in her that her own "specialness" was disappearing. The next second, Xier abruptly opened his mouth and gasped for air, all color swiftly draining from his previously placid face. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the hilt back into Xialuote's palm with consummate precision, then leaned back against the carriage wall, pressing a hand to his chest. "Are you all right?" Xialuote sheathed the dagger and asked tentatively. "Phew... I'm fine," Xier took a deep breath, regaining control of his expression. "It was just worse than I imagined. I even remembered kicking the neighbor's kid in the rear when I was little." *So his composure was entirely put on. Truly a Clown capable of exquisite physical control—he can forcibly keep even his facial muscles unchanged...* Xialuote mused internally. "All right. It seems Miss Sauron's Sealed Artifact remains effective, so I will keep this brief." Duonowan clapped his hands, drawing the attention of all three to himself. "Our primary objective tonight is reconnaissance. However, the moment cultists are confirmed inside the armory, the operation will shift immediately to a full-force assault. Under no circumstances must they be allowed to destroy that place, especially by detonating the stored gunpowder. "I will take the lead at the front, with Xialuote behind me. Aidemeng will provide us with support, while Xier protects him and engages in combat when necessary." Having swiftly assigned everyone's roles, Duonowan pointed toward the object wrapped in black cloth before Aidemeng. "This is the Sealed Artifact I requisitioned, 2-046, the Shield of the Guardian. It dates back to the war against Fusake more than three hundred years ago, a relic left behind by a fallen Beyonder. "As long as it comes into contact with light, the shield's weight increases until it exceeds the body weight of two grown men. At the same time, it provides protection to those within a certain range behind it; even under artillery fire, it is difficult to breach from the front. "If the wielder shouts 'Dawn' in the Fusake language, the shield's front will erupt with a storm of light, inflicting tremendous damage on enemies within range. "Its main negative effect is simply its weight. Ordinary people cannot wield it, and once thoroughly pinned down by the shield, a person's body swiftly weakens. Even for Beyonders, the safe duration of use does not exceed five minutes; otherwise, it leaves permanent damage. "As long as it is completely wrapped in an opaque, thick cloth, it returns to the weight of an ordinary shield and temporarily loses all its abilities." *Can withstand artillery fire head-on?* Xialuote immediately understood why this Sealed Artifact was classified as Grade 2. At the same time, she realized why the Purifier squad, normally operating with a full complement of three members, had enlisted her. It was not merely to bolster their combat strength, but also to bring out the shield's full utility. Even a Beyonder as burly as Aidemeng could not possibly lift the Shield of the Guardian alone when it weighed twice as much as himself, while the frail Clown was obviously of little help. It would be best for all four to hoist it together to secure protection at critical junctures. At the same time, she noticed that the composition of Duonowan's squad bore a striking resemblance to Weiyefu's squad in Suxite. A captain from the Sun pathway paired with a lower-Sequence member of the same pathway, alongside a Beyonder who mastered distinct abilities. In this way, they ensured front-line combat strength while remaining difficult to counter completely through any single pathway. *No wonder both the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun and the Church of the God of Craftsmen train Beyonders from other pathways... If everyone only knew how to glow and brew holy water, it would clearly be impossible to handle varying combat situations.* Amid her thoughts, the carriage gradually slowed, finally halting beside a street without streetlamps. The four climbed out in turn and raised their eyes to look at Saint-Marre Prison in the night. The largest prison in the Kingdom of Yindisi, it had been converted from a wartime fortress, retaining high walls and watchtowers like a silent behemoth crouching on the city's edge. Adjacent to the prison was a cluster of buildings likewise enclosed by walls, known to the people of Telier as the Grand Armory. Across the Sailunzuo River, there had once been a Lesser Armory responsible mainly for manufacturing gunpowder. However, because it was located too close to residential areas and an explosion threatened to level several surrounding streets, it was later relocated beyond the old city walls, while its original site was converted into a hospital. The Grand Armory, on the other hand, remained in use to this day, storing vast quantities of firearms, artillery, and ammunition. The carriage and the clergyman serving as the driver waited at a distance. Rather than attempting to enter through the main gates and risk alerting any lurking cultists, the group followed Duonowan around to a relatively low section of the perimeter wall and scaled it one after another. Upon landing, Xier drew out a silver chain with a crystal hanging from its tip from beneath his collar. Half-closing his eyes, he held the upper end of the chain in his left hand and muttered something in a low voice. The pendant soon began to spin counterclockwise, faster and faster. Xier opened his eyes, glanced at the silver chain still turning on its momentum, and said gravely, "There is indeed danger here, and of no small degree. We have found the right place." *This is the pendulum divination mentioned in the books, something only a few low Sequences with sufficiently high spirituality can use directly...* Xialuote cast an envious glance at the crystal pendant, then turned her gaze toward the pitch-black buildings deep within the armory, lowering her voice. "If those cultists plan to cause large-scale destruction, their target must be the gunpowder depot." "My thought as well," Xier replied, stowing the pendulum. "I know the location. Large stores of gunpowder are kept in dry underground basements to prevent rain from soaking them." Seeing Xialuote glance at him in mild surprise, he explained as he led the way, "Before joining the Purifiers, I served in the army." *Not as a front-line soldier, surely... With his divination abilities, he was likely tasked with reconnaissance or secret assignments—perhaps even as a royal secret agent...* Xialuote did not pry further. Following the three men, she carefully avoided the patrolling soldiers and arrived at the rear of an unassuming warehouse. Perhaps because there were perimeter walls and sentries on the outside, this place was entirely unguarded. As Xier led the team down a flight of stairs, the surrounding light dimmed rapidly. Large quantities of gunpowder were sealed in wooden barrels, stacked within compartments separated by stone walls. To avoid igniting the gunpowder, no oil lamps were lit here; only a few narrow shafts leading to the outside allowed moonlight to filter underground, barely tracing the outlines of the warehouse. Only after confirming that the shield in Aidemeng's hands remained tightly covered by the thick cloth did Duonowan raise his palm, conjuring a gentle glow faint enough to illuminate only the space around the four of them. Maintaining formation, the four searched deeper into the warehouse, checking the wooden barrels and corners where someone might hide one by one. Even after daring to activate spirit vision, they found no suspicious clues. *Too normal...* Looking at the neatly arranged gunpowder barrels, Xialuote felt an escalating unease. Xier, who had previously made his judgment based on divination, shared the same doubt. Lowering his voice, he said, "Cover me. I will perform a dream divination." He sat down against the wall right where he was, half-closed his eyes, and swiftly entered a meditative state. Xialuote, Duonowan, and Aidemeng surrounded him to prevent anyone from launching a surprise attack during the divination. *Having a Diviner is so convenient... Why am I always envying other pathways?* Xialuote glanced at gray-haired Xier, sighing inwardly. Suddenly, she caught the faint trace of a pungent odor, and her heart tightened, as though some unknown danger lurked within this underground warehouse. She snapped her head up, only to find Duonowan and Aidemeng sniffing one after the other, realizing they had made the same discovery. "Back to the surface!" Xialuote warned, reaching out to wake Xier from his meditation. Almost at the exact same moment, the Clown's eyes flew open, an uncontrollable panic washing over his face. "Run!" He sprang up from the ground, shouting sharply, "I saw flames and an explosion!"