Chapter 174

174: Clues

Through ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Luo Xin's account, Evelia and Amya found the spot where An An usually liked to sneak out and stay at night.

But ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍even after carefully examining it with Soul Gaze at maximum observation power, Evelia couldn't find any more clues.

There ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍were no other footprints, no traces of magic usage. She could only confirm that An An had indeed briefly stopped here last night.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍teachers and clergy at the orphanage had basically all gone out to search for her, leaving only two caretakers to look after the remaining children.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍children also seemed panicked by An An's sudden disappearance, but Evelia and the others didn't have time to comfort them right now. They had to find An An's whereabouts as soon as possible.

After ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that, Evelia and Amya spent the entire afternoon conducting a carpet search of the area within a hundred-meter radius around the orphanage.

Yet strangely enough, let alone An An herself, they didn't even find half a suspicious footprint.

Meanwhile, Jasmine couldn't find Sauron anywhere either. She messaged him, but he didn't reply.

This gave Jasmine quite a headache. Now An An was missing, and Sauron had vanished too. This was basically a self-admission of guilt.

Given Sauron's calculating and scheming personality, if he really was the mastermind hiding behind the scenes, he shouldn't have made such a basic mistake.

Unless... their goal had already been achieved, and there was no point in staying in the Church anymore. Only under these circumstances would Sauron abandon his decades-long infiltration within the Church and leave directly.

This was undoubtedly a bad omen.

Time turned to dusk. Evelia and Amya sat somewhat dispiritedly on a bench in the corner of the orphanage. They had been searching all afternoon, yet still hadn't found even the slightest clue.

"My dad did respond... Hell's karmic threads didn't detect An An's soul. Which means... either she's still alive, or..."

Recalling the [Corpse Walker] from the Descent Faction that she had seen before, Evelia couldn't help but shudder.

If such a cute and brave child had suffered such desecration, she would absolutely call in reinforcements and scatter the Descent Faction's ashes to the wind.

"...I have to say, the Descent Faction really picked a good opportunity. They made their move on that child while everyone's attention was drawn by the collision of two super-tier spells."

Amya wearily pinched the bridge of her nose. She had truly been running back and forth between the Church and the Watchers all afternoon, trying her best to gather clues, but the results could still be described as negligible.

But just then, a slightly puzzled voice suddenly came from above their heads, giving the completely unguarded pair a huge fright.

"Opportunity? What opportunity?"

Evelia looked up abruptly, only to see Lina, draped in an Executor's black robe, sitting on a tree branch in the green belt beside them, blinking her eyes with some puzzlement as she looked at them.

"Lina! What are you doing here?"

"The secrets hidden in the Christian Orphanage definitely aren't that simple. My father may have conducted some unspeakable experiments here during his lifetime, but last night I only found the secret room where that Recording Orb was stored. I didn't find the actual experimental site."

"Wait, you mean..."

"There might be some unknown large-scale secret room in the Christian Orphanage?"

"Just a guess, but it's probably pretty close."

Lina leaped down from the tree branch with a soft thud, landing in front of the two. She pointed at the clock tower in the northeast corner of the courtyard and continued, "I've always felt that clock tower wasn't quite right. What does an orphanage need that thing for? Even to showcase the Church's cultural character, they could have built some reliefs or decorative features. A clock tower... isn't that a bit too wasteful of resources?"

"Rather than practical use, I feel more like... it's actually concealing something."

"Then... have you gone to check it before?"

"Went once, but it gave me a bad feeling. I just did a quick search from top to bottom, flipped through some clutter in the bottom floor, and left."

"So you're saying... the most likely place with a problem now is that clock tower!"

Evelia stood up excitedly. They had spent the whole afternoon focusing on the surroundings of the orphanage, assuming there shouldn't be any more issues inside. But with Lina pointing this out, Evelia suddenly felt she had discovered a blind spot.

"Alright, then let's go to the clock... oww!"

Evelia had just wanted to run toward the clock tower when she directly tripped over her own feet and fell into the green belt. This silly and cute scene made Amya laugh despite her originally heavy mood.

"Seriously? How can you trip on flat ground?"

"How would I know!? It's definitely because this road isn't flat... huh? What's this?"

Evelia had just wanted to stubbornly retort, but she seemed to have seen something in the green belt. She suddenly asked with puzzlement, then walked further into the greenery instead.

"Hm? What's wrong, Eve-Eve?"

"Amya! Lina! Come look, there are words here!"

"Hah?"

Amya and Lina immediately crowded over curiously. On the wall behind the green belt, the originally snow-white paint had been scratched with some crooked, small characters using something sharp.

"'An'? What does that mean?"

"Wait? Could it be a mark left by An An!?"

Compared to Lina, who was completely clueless, Evelia recognized at a glance that this was a sign left by An An.

"An An, that kid who's always clinging to me? What happened to her?"

"Umm... it's kind of hard to explain..."

Evelia awkwardly rubbed her face and told Lina the full story of An An's disappearance.

Hearing this, Lina's expression immediately darkened.

"We need to hurry. Regarding the experiments mentioned in the Recording Orb... I have a bad feeling..."

"Hey! Lina! Eve-Eve! There are more words here! They continue in this direction!"

Just then, Amya, who had been searching along the green belt, called out to them. She pointed at the writing on the wall in front of her, signaling for the two to follow her.

From there, the three followed the marks left by An An, rushing toward the northeast corner of the orphanage, where the clock tower was located.

……

Meanwhile, on the roof of the orphanage's main building.

A black-haired, red-eyed girl wearing a tattered cloak gazed intently at the retreating figures of Evelia and the others, seemingly pondering something.

A breeze lifted the girl's long hair and cloak, making her, already exquisitely beautiful, appear in this moment like a blooming black jasmine, utterly captivating.

After a long while, the girl raised her hand. Clumps of black mud emerged from her palm, gradually condensing into a silver-white mask shaped like a medieval knight's helmet...