Old Neil On The Verge Of Losing Control

"Come in!"

Upon hearing Dunn's invitation, Lin Ruo and Klein promptly entered the office.

Inside the office, Dunn raised his head, and his gray eyes settled on Lin Ruo first. He nodded and greeted, "Your Grace, good morning!"

"Good morning, Captain Dunn!" Lin Ruo replied with a warm smile. He then inquired, "By the way, Captain Dunn, have you heard about what the Mandated Punishers have been up to in Tingen these past few days?"

Even though they belonged to different churches, when there was a significant operation on the part of the Mandated Punishers, the NightHawks often received some intel. Major actions typically involved joint efforts by the official Extraordinaries of the three churches.

"The Mandated Punishers..." Dunn paused, as if recalling, and a few seconds later, he responded, "They've been aggressively searching for members of the Aurora Society over the past few days, even targeting some of their deacons. However, I don't have all the specifics on this matter. Would you like me to gather more information?"

"Please do, but keep it discreet. Also, stay attuned to their movements. If they propose a joint operation or make any significant moves, please inform me," Lin Ruo instructed with a nod.

He genuinely needed to be informed about this. Understanding the Mandated Punishers' activities and the movements of the Storm Church could help him gain valuable insights and make more informed decisions in planning and adjusting future actions.

"Of course, I'll gather the information as soon as possible and provide you with an update tomorrow," Dunn agreed without probing into Lin Ruo's reasons.

He then turned his attention to Klein and asked, "Have you made your decision?"

"Yes, I have," Klein affirmed.

"Tell me your choice."

"[Seer]."

Lin Ruo, who had been observing quietly, couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth. He knew that this moment marked the beginning of the future Lord of Mysteries' journey.

It was indeed a remarkable feeling to witness history in the making.

Lin Ruo then observed the conversation between Klein and Dunn, and they eventually moved to the grounds of Blackthorn Security Company.

During this process, Dunn imparted some occult knowledge to Klein, discussed his salary and benefits, and even touched on the Secret Order: "We have a certain level of engagement with the Secret Order. Therefore, we've obtained some information confirming that the Secret Order does have ties to the fallen noble of the Intis Republic."

"Not only that, I just received word that there might be leads on the Antigonus family's notebook within the Secret Order. I've tasked the secret order member that we caught to investigate, and we may have results soon."

"I hope so!" Lin Ruo smiled, but within his mind, he rapidly considered all the possibilities. This made his smile deepen just as the sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention.

Lin Ruo turned to see an elderly man carrying a silver box adorned with intricate patterns. Although he had never met this individual before, Lin Ruo recognized him as Old Neil, the man whom Dunn had summoned to procure Klein's divination potion materials.

Old Neil was a tragic figure in Klein's original story, exerting a profound influence on him. He was almost regarded as Klein's half-teacher. However, due to being pursued by the Hidden Sage, he eventually lost control and transformed into a monster.

It's true that in the original work, Old Neil's death was a pivotal moment that made Klein confront the harsh realities of the Beyonder world for the first time.

"Captain!" Old Neil nodded at Dunn first, then turned his attention to Klein and greeted, "Good morning, young man!" He raised his free hand and tapped his brow twice. His gaze shifted to Lin Ruo, and he continued, "Hello there. You were mentioned by the captain, accompanying young Klein, the favored one of the goddess! I never expected that one day I would meet the favored one of the goddess!"

"Hello, Mr. Neil!" Lin Ruo greeted with a smile, but his next words caused a subtle change in the expression of one of the people present. "I don't know if you're aware or if you have any intention to resist it, Mr. Neil, but in my humble opinion, you've been targeted by the Hidden Sage. If you continue to pursue that knowledge, you risk losing control."

Lin Ruo had no intention of letting Old Neil meet the same fate as in the original story. He wasn't interested in using Old Neil's death to shock Klein into recognizing the cruelty of the extraordinary world. While it was essential for Klein not to remain naive, there was no need to emphasize this cruelty through the senseless death of innocent people.

Of course, Lin Ruo couldn't guarantee Old Neil's survival. It seemed that Old Neil had already been marked by the Hidden Sage, and Lin Ruo couldn't currently compete with it. However, he could at least point out the issue and provide Old Neil with a chance to survive.

"What's going on?" Dunn's eyes instantly became sharp and serious.

Klein also looked at Old Neil in surprise; he knew that Lin Ruo wouldn't raise such a matter without reason.

Old Neil, who hadn't expected his secret to be exposed so abruptly, hesitated for a moment before finally admitting somewhat sullenly, "I just want to bring her back... and besides, I've only been pursuing a bit of knowledge on my own. It's not a problem!" His last sentence sounded like an excuse, as if he were trying to convince himself.

"But from my perspective, you're on the verge of losing control!" Lin Ruo maintained his serious expression while addressing Old Neil. "Believe it or not, if you continue down this path, it won't take two months before your comrades are paying respects at your grave."

This was a fact. In the original story, Old Neil didn't survive for more than two months.

Old Neil's expression froze. Even though he had just met Lin Ruo for the first time, as a devout follower of the goddess, he wouldn't doubt the words of Lin Ruo, the favored one of the goddess.

Lin Ruo then turned to Dunn, his expression equally serious, and said, "You should report his situation to the higher-ups, and there might be a solution. While I can't guarantee his survival, if you let this continue, his fate is all but sealed."

"I understand. I will do that. Thank you, Your Excellency, for the warning," Dunn responded with genuine respect for Lin Ruo this time. As someone who valued his comrades deeply, Dunn didn't want to see Old Neil spiral out of control.

"No need to thank me; I'm just doing what I should," Lin Ruo replied with a casual smile.

Dunn's gaze returned to Old Neil, and he said, "Old Neil, for the time being, you should avoid any contact with matters in the Beyonder Realm and refrain from actively seeking out knowledge until we receive guidance from the Church Executives ... In the meantime, I will arrange for Leonard and others to take turns keeping an eye on you. Please understand."

"I understand... I know what to do," Old Neil responded, his head slightly lowered, appearing disappointed but not objecting to Dunn's decision.

Then, he remembered the box in his hand and asked, "Captain, would you mind if I prepare a potion for Klein before I go?"