KP’s half-hearted attempt to dissuade Shen Lin did not shake his resolve.

His character sheet listed his luck at 80 points. A difficult luck check required a roll under 4, and if he rolled below that, he could obtain a valuable clue here.

Shen Lin took a deep breath and gently touched the dice. The two black-and-white dice spun and finally came to a stop.

3 points.

Critical success.

KP: “!!!”

Shen Lin said, “You can start making things up now.”

“Alright, alright,” KP conceded. He fell silent, and the world resumed its normal pace.

“Excuse me, pardon the interruption.” A voice broke the tense atmosphere. The man wore a gentleman’s vest, his trousers sharply pressed, and he carried a cane adorned with gold and emeralds. A monocle hung from his eye—a refined, scholarly middle-aged man.

“May I ask why you’re interested in the ancient script of our town?”

Shen Lin replied cautiously, “Because it is a cultural treasure of Moonfall Township. I don’t know when the change began, but what I see now is that Moonfall Township has been completely polluted by outside influences. People have adopted convenience, not just for convenience’s sake, but also by learning the language of outsiders, using their script, and even imitating their social structures and lifestyles. Our lives have become a mess.” He looked calmly at the man and said, “Sir, I believe this is wrong.”

The man was taken aback. Those around who heard Shen Lin’s words began to murmur among themselves. Shen Lin remained composed, his gaze steady.

Freud, unable to stand unaffected under so many scrutinizing and accusatory eyes, instinctively shrank behind Shen Lin and whispered, “They’re looking at us very unfriendly.”

After a moment, the man’s expression changed. His previously kind and amiable demeanor turned cold. “The ways of outsiders are insignificant before the gods. The changes we’ve made are all guided by divine will. Where are you from, child, to speak such seditious words? Guards!”

Several security personnel surrounded them.

Freud panicked.

Shen Lin said to KP, “Psychology check.”

Psychology checks were secret rolls; players couldn’t see the result and could only judge success or failure based on KP’s response.

Shen Lin observed the man’s expression and, from his eyes, discerned a hint of helplessness. He then said, “This is my opinion and has nothing to do with my friend. We are just wanderers with no home. I can go with you to face judgment, but please let my friend leave.”

The man nodded. “You should thank your friend.” He glanced at Freud.

Freud asked, “You’re going alone?”

“Don’t worry,” Shen Lin whispered. “I just passed a psychology check. He doesn’t mean me any harm.”

Freud had no choice but to nod.

Shen Lin said, “Tell the others not to worry. If all goes well, I’ll be back by tonight.”

With that, Freud left, and Shen Lin, under the watchful eyes of the guards, followed the gentleman.

They rode in a carriage to a three-story standalone villa. The building was more ornate than any other, with a large garden. Rose vines climbed from the entrance all the way to the second-floor balcony. The fountain’s spray shimmered in the sunlight.

The gentleman stepped out of the carriage and said to Shen Lin, “Follow me.”

Shen Lin followed him into the villa. The room was spacious; the living room alone was as large as the two floors of Laysha’s rented house combined. The decor was opulent, with gemstones embedded in the walls, indicating the man’s high status.

A butler and maid came to greet them. The gentleman handed over his coat, hat, and cane, then said to Shen Lin, “Come, child.”

His stern demeanor softened, becoming gentle and kind.

Shen Lin sat on the sofa across from him. A maid brought a cup of hot cocoa. The man said, “My daughter loves this. What’s your name?”

“…Mike.” Shen Lin used the name again.

The man nodded and looked at Shen Lin. “Do you know who I am?”

Shen Lin had many guesses but voiced the most likely one: “The mayor.”

The man’s expression relaxed, and he smiled. “Yes, you’re clever and bold. I am Mayor Rodson.”

Shen Lin asked, “Why did you invite me here?”

“Because of your words,” Rodson’s expression turned serious. “Few here share such thoughts. Everyone has been assimilated. For centuries, outsiders’ ideas have been eroding us. Gradually, everyone has accepted it, and no one cares about what we were before.”

“This is control,” Shen Lin thought. “Controlled by outsiders.”

Rodson said, “You look so much like those outsiders. If I hadn’t heard your words first, I would have taken you for one.”

Shen Lin asked, “Why?”

Rodson replied, “This is a secret you shouldn’t know. Sometimes, the less you know, the easier it is to survive.”

Shen Lin fell silent for a moment, then asked, “Mayor Rodson, do I have a chance to learn about the town’s past?”

“Of course,” Rodson handed Shen Lin a key. “Some of those books are in the sanctuary, and others are in my study. This is the key. You may browse the books freely.” He handed the key to the butler. “Take him to the study.”

“Thank you for your trust.”

“This is a reward for a good child.”

“Father!” A girl’s voice rang out from the second floor as they walked down the corridor. The sound of high heels clicking rapidly echoed, and a young girl rushed down the spiral staircase, her skirt billowing like a blooming lily.

“Is Dylan here?” the girl asked eagerly. “I heard you brought back a blond, blue-eyed boy. It must be Dylan!”

“My dear, it’s just a young guest,” Rodson said with a helpless smile. “Not Dylan. Where did you even meet Dylan? Your shoes are about to fall off. A lady should act like a lady.”

“It’s a secret between us,” the girl said, looking expectantly at Rodson. “I want to meet this young guest.”

A few minutes later, the girl with soft red curls framing her face stared intently at Shen Lin.

Shen Lin was flipping through a book bound with string—a dictionary of Moonfall Township’s ancient script. It recorded the usage of common words, likely a textbook for teaching descendants. The characters were complex, unlike the square, straight strokes Shen Lin was familiar with. The strokes were jagged, and when written in large blocks, they resembled writhing tentacles with suction cups clinging to the paper.

The books were old, and the paper was thin and fragile, forcing Shen Lin to handle them with care.

The girl asked for the third time, “Why won’t you talk to me?”

Shen Lin said, “I’m reading.”

The girl fell silent, biting her lip as she stared at him. After a while, she said, “You can read and talk to me at the same time.”

How things had come to this, Shen Lin didn’t know. But the girl, as a connoisseur of looks, was 100% qualified. Beyond that, she was also a severe blond fetishist. She needed no encouragement from Shen Lin; she had already attached herself to him. Since their meeting, she had exclaimed no less than ten times—

“Your hair color is so beautiful.”

Shen Lin was comparing the text he had copied from the parchment to the dictionary, trying to decipher the meanings. The reason he was spending so much time on this tedious task was because he had failed a history check earlier.

The penalty for failure was that he had to spend ten hours to find the corresponding text in the dictionary.

Ten hours! Though the text wasn’t long, every time he searched, he felt the extraordinary influence of these characters. This influence made his head buzz, and he thought that by the time he deciphered it after ten hours, he would most likely have gone mad.

He began to regret not bringing Freud along. At the time, he thought it was important to ensure at least one person remained free to inform the others and prepare. Now, however… He clenched the quill tightly. He should have dragged Freud along, no matter what.

The girl’s name was Lilia, the mayor’s daughter. She kept staring at Shen Lin, her gaze so intense and filled with suspicion and scrutiny that it made him uncomfortable.

Shen Lin exhaled deeply, put down the pen, and looked up at the girl. “Don’t you have anything else to do?”

“Like what?” Lilia blinked, then suddenly remembered. “I have piano lessons, but I don’t want to go. Your hair color is so beautiful, like sunlight streaming down.”

Shen Lin was speechless and lowered his head to continue reading the dictionary.

Lilia rested her chin on her hands and watched Shen Lin. “Do you want to take this book away?”

Shen Lin paused and asked, “Why do you say that?”

“You’re deflecting,” Lilia said matter-of-factly. “Uncle Benson says that’s a sign of guilt. Now I’m sure—you want to take this book.”

Shen Lin clicked his tongue. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and raised an eyebrow at the young lady. “Can you help me?”

“I can,” Lilia nodded proudly. “If I hide it under my skirt, there’s nothing I can’t take out.”

Shen Lin: “…Oh, impressive.” He quickly added, “But if this book goes missing, I’ll be the prime suspect. I stole a book from the mayor’s house. How would that crime be judged?”

“Then don’t let him catch you,” Lilia snorted. “Hide outside for a while, and he’ll soon forget about it. No one cares about this book; it’s just an outdated piece of junk. My father keeps it only out of duty as the mayor. The ritual day is coming soon, and he has a lot to do.”

“And what’s the price?”

“You’re clever,” Lilia smiled sweetly. “I want you to keep an eye out for someone. His name is Dylan. According to our agreement, he should have arrived by now.”

Her bright eyes dimmed, and she said gloomily, “But he hasn’t come to find me, and I can’t go out to look for him. Those who try to leave Moonfall Township will die.”

She looked at Shen Lin, her gaze profound. “It’s a curse, passed down through generations.”