If you asked Goethe what kind of person he disliked the most, people who act all mysterious would definitely be at the top of the list.
Looking at Morley, who was clearly already seriously injured yet still playing the role of the "Riddler," Goethe rolled his eyes.
Riddlers should just die!
Goethe crossed his arms and sat there, grumpily asking back.
"Do you think I care?"
*Cough, cough.* "You really have no sense of humor."
Morley coughed twice, seeing that Goethe had no intention of helping him. He struggled to get up on his own and collapsed into the sofa before continuing, "I found the 'Murderer in the Mist's' hideout in Lust!"
"And I destroyed the entire base, including all his men!"
"Also, the 'Murderer in the Mist' himself is seriously injured...worse than me!"
As he spoke, Morley gave a smile.
"So that's how it is!"
Goethe instantly understood the 'Murderer in the Mist's' plan. He had either pretended to be, or actually was, injured but didn't bother with Morley trailing behind. He headed straight back to his hideout.
Then, using his base in Lust as bait, he delayed Morley's return.
At the same time, he intended to have his men deliver a fatal blow to Goethe.
One had to admit, the 'Murderer in the Mist' was indeed cold-blooded, ruthless, and willing to pay any price.
He didn't just use his base and subordinates as bait; he even used himself as bait!
But now, it was all for nothing!
His base was destroyed.
His subordinates were wiped out.
And he himself was severely injured.
Goethe finally felt like he could breathe a little easier.
However, Goethe didn't show any relief in front of Morley. Instead, he spoke in a serious tone.
"I was staying in room 802 before."
"You were attacked?!"
Morley reacted almost instantly.
"Yeah."
"Luckily, I managed to dodge it."
Goethe nodded, trying to keep his tone as calm as possible.
Morley stared at Goethe for a good four or five seconds before finally speaking again.
"I'm sorry."
Morley looked genuinely apologetic.
But at that moment, Goethe just shrugged.
"No need to apologize. We're just partners."
Seeing Goethe's relaxed demeanor, Morley, who was already feeling guilty due to the circumstances, felt even more remorseful.
Just a day ago, he had promised to ensure Goethe's safety as much as possible. But just now, when faced with the 'Murderer in the Mist's' apparent vulnerability, he had forgotten that promise.
If Goethe had died because of it, he would have felt guilty for the rest of his life.
Luckily, that didn't happen!
Morley felt a sense of relief in his heart.
Then, the idea of wanting to work more closely with Goethe became even clearer.
No!
He wanted something even *deeper*!
"Of course, it's necessary."
"I've already mentioned that we'll be working more closely together in the future."
"And now, you've proven that you have the ability to do so, even exceeding expectations."
"So..."
"I want you to join us."
Morley emphasized, then extended the invitation.
Seeing Morley's sincere expression, Goethe wondered if he might have overacted—what was supposed to be a mutually understood exchange to give each other an out had now turned into Morley wanting to solve his manpower shortage while Goethe aimed to learn more about the 'supernatural' with more favorable terms.
But why did it seem like Morley was so easily convinced?
Suddenly, Goethe felt a strange sensation rising within him.
He recalled every detail about Morley.
During their first meeting, Morley had seemed socially awkward, as if suffering from social anxiety.
During their second meeting, he had cross-dressed, giving off a perverse vibe.
And during their third meeting, he had appeared sincere, almost naïve.
"Is this..."
"Multiple personalities?"
Goethe speculated in his heart.
"Of course not!"
It seemed that Morley had guessed what Goethe was thinking, as he immediately denied it. Seeing Goethe's surprised expression, Morley chuckled softly and said, "I was just affected—supernatural power is far more complex, strange, and... dangerous than you might imagine."
"Dangerous?"
"Can supernatural power affect the user?" Goethe frowned.
"Yes."
"Most of the time, it's within controllable limits, but sometimes, it's beyond control."
"For example: using supernatural power that exceeds one's own capacity."
Morley explained.
"What exactly does that mean?"
Goethe pressed further.
When it came to something that could potentially affect him, Goethe wasn't about to be vague.
"Gaining powerful abilities in a short time or using special items!"
"The former is more complex, but the latter?"
"Like me!"
"The first time we met, I used the 'Identifying Pocket Watch,' which caused the side effect of social anxiety."
"And just now, I drank a 'potion.' Normally, it would simply make me interested in cross-dressing, but when I'm injured, my personality becomes as sensitive, fragile, and sentimental as a woman's."
"I-I'm sorry!"
"I didn't mean to forget my promise to protect you, but when I saw the opportunity to kill the 'Murderer in the Mist,' I completely... I'm sorry... boo hoo hoo..."
As Morley spoke, he began to lose control, covering his face and crying.
Even more importantly, the potion's effects began to wear off.
Morley reverted to his original form—a middle-aged man with graying hair, dressed in women's clothing, sitting on the sofa, crying into his hands...
Goethe suddenly felt a sense of unease.
This was a situation far more difficult to deal with than any previous attacker.
He furrowed his brow and sighed softly.
"This isn't your fault."
"You were planning to compensate me, weren't you?"
"Yes!"
"I've already decided to compensate you!"
Morley looked up as he spoke, his makeup smudged from crying. His face... was even harder for Goethe to look at.
Thankfully, the side effects seemed to be fading.
Morley regained control of his emotions.
He straightened up, looked seriously at Goethe, and made the invitation again—
"As compensation, Goethe, I will be your introducer and invite you to join our organization."
"Of course, not as a full member."
"Over the next 3-6 months, you'll need to act as an external member. Only after completing your 'probation period' will you go to the headquarters for testing and become a full member."
"However, if you possess a 'talent,' everything will be much simpler."
"Talent?"
Goethe inquired, focusing on this key point.
"Yes!"
"Those with talent will undergo a free 'baptism' at the headquarters to gain true 'supernatural power.' Those lacking sufficient talent or without any talent at all will undergo a series of training sessions before getting an additional chance. If they fail again, they'll need to accumulate merits to exchange for a second 'baptism.'"
"Only after failing both times will they be assigned to support, logistics, or other auxiliary departments."
Morley answered confidently.
However, compared to earlier, his words were now a bit vague.
Goethe didn't mind.
This was to be expected.
Just as there's no reward without effort, some secrets of the organization couldn't be revealed without joining.
So, when Morley made the invitation for the third time—
"So, Goethe, are you willing to join us?"
"Yes."
Goethe answered quickly and decisively.
Morley's organization was the only place he could currently access and learn about supernatural power. Perhaps there were other places, but who could guarantee that they'd be better than Morley's?
At least with Morley, who represented an official supernatural force, Goethe saw 'order.'
Moreover, Goethe hadn't forgotten Morley's earlier words about 'erasing memories according to standard procedure' and the potential side effects he absolutely didn't want.
Was it a threat?
Maybe.
But Goethe saw it as an opportunity.
Hearing Goethe's affirmative answer, Morley smiled.
The official in charge of supernatural affairs in Lust struggled to stand up from the sofa, his expression serious, his tone solemn—
"We listen to secrets, we keep secrets, we receive secrets!"
"Welcome, Secret Keeper!"
---
(End of Chapter)