As the black cat leapt out the window, Trissy resumed her makeup, her mind churning over the information the cat had let slip.
"The Aurora Order's emissary… likely one of the two Sequence 5s he mentioned. Since it's the Aurora Order, what they're seeking is probably that 'divinity,' or at least something tied to it. The True Creator's divinity?"
This thought summoned fragments of knowledge granted by her Demoness potion. Realizing divinity could be used to orchestrate a true god's descent, Trissy finally understood why Tingen had become so volatile.
But…
"Shouldn't Backlund be sending elite Beyonders at a time like this? Or is this entangled in a divine gambit?"
Trissy regretted not using her full 1,000-pound question quota, but her rationality warned that the more she asked, the deeper she'd be consumed. For now, she at least knew Tingen's lockdown targeted a specific individual, not some broad "crackdown" as Emperor Roselle might've quipped.
As long as she avoided exposing her Beyonder powers and maintained her anti-divination measures, she shouldn't worry too much.
"In short, they're not specifically after me…"
Trissy began crafting a plan to safely and logically expose the old Mystery Pryer's corruption by the Hidden Sage. Meanwhile, Snow, controlling Lily's body, prowled Tingen's streets, plotting his next move.
Snow had no personal bond with Old Neil. Any sentiment stemmed merely from a former "Curly-Haired Baboon" fan's sympathy for a beloved original novel character.
As a pitiable wretch who'd transmigrated into this world, Snow wouldn't risk himself out of mere sympathy. His choice to act in this sensitive period had two aims: to muddy the waters further and to entangle Trissy deeper in the chaos. Saving Old Neil was incidental.
He'd help others only if it didn't endanger himself and pursue profit only without harming others—villains, of course, weren't included in the "no harm" category.
"Not plucking a single hair, not taking a single coin, preserving true nature, unburdened by material things—hmm, maybe I should start an organization called Quanzhen?" Snow chuckled inwardly, referencing a Daoist sect, then slipped into a narrow alley, diving into Tingen's less-than-spacious sewers.
Despite the sewer's stench, Snow found it surprisingly bearable—not because Tingen's sewers were clean, but because he was using Lily's body. Animals' olfactory senses differed from humans', much like dogs' obsession with foot odor. Cats' concept of "foul" diverged from human norms.
After nimbly navigating passages too tight for a human body, Snow arrived at a modestly sized chamber.
"Honorable Mr. A, it's me," Snow said softly from the passage's edge, avoiding hostility from the "master" within.
"Come in," Mr. A's voice, still melodious, replied. Snow obediently entered, finding Mr. A, elegant despite the sewer setting.
"What's the matter?" Using his Shepherd's power, Mr. A confirmed the visitor bore no malice or tail, relaxing as he scrutinized the black cat, his anchor.
"I've uncovered some leads," Snow said calmly, meeting Mr. A's gaze.
"Tell me," Mr. A replied. Aware a mid-to-high Sequence Beyonder was behind this, he doubted Snow's findings but humored the devout follower he greatly favored, speaking warmly.
"I noticed that during the divine child's conception, numerous coincidences surrounded Hanass Vincent—or rather, the notebook he sold. This includes the divine child's conception in a mortal woman."
"Oh?" Mr. A's casual demeanor shifted slightly. He realized he might've underestimated this newcomer, barely two months in.
"Due to my limited knowledge, I can't identify the ability behind this, but I found these coincidences mostly occur within the Nighthawks' jurisdiction," Snow said speculatively.
Mr. A's mind clicked, a theory forming. He nodded.
"Go on."
"Though I don't know their goal, if everything's within their calculations, their scheme likely targets the Church of the Evernight Goddess. When they strike, they'll likely divert anyone who could threaten them."
Snow stopped there, as a believer couldn't say more. But Mr. A grasped his implication: weren't he and the divine child the bait to distract official Beyonders?
From this angle, the mastermind was exhausting the official Beyonders' resources. Conversely, when the Beyonders reached their limit, the mastermind might expose the divine child to draw their focus, seizing the chance to complete their plot.
Thus, by closely watching the Church of the Evernight Goddess, Mr. A could locate the divine child swiftly and identify the puppeteer.
He wasn't worried about escaping, having recorded the [Travel] ability from Mr. X.
"Your intel is valuable. Anything else?" Mr. A planned his next steps, then looked back at the black cat.
Though he'd said it before, Mr. A found Snow increasingly impressive.
"Yes, I'd like to request a return to Backlund," the black cat said hesitantly. Mr. A frowned slightly.
He didn't think Snow was fleeing—Backlund was currently more chaotic than Tingen.
"Are you aware of Backlund's situation?" Mr. A asked after a moment's thought.
"I read in the Backlund Morning Post that the Waltz Party has been completely wiped out," Snow replied, seemingly off-topic. But Mr. A understood.
The Waltz Party was a gang backed by the Aurora Order in Backlund's East District, with many True Creator devotees, including Secret Supplicants. Its collapse signaled severe threats to the Aurora Order's Backlund influence.
Simultaneously, the Waltz Party's fall—having once forced Snow out of Backlund—gave him a reason to return.
(End of Chapter)