There was a moment when Klein thought he had somehow returned to the past, but the elegant gas lamps enclosed by the brass grilles and the silver-plated tin cans used by Old Neil to grind coffee helped him recognize the reality clearly.
Was this elder time-traveler, the predecessor of Rosser the Emperor, a fellow countryman?
Was he recording secrets in simplified Chinese that didn't exist in this world?
With an indescribable feeling of "reuniting with an old acquaintance in a foreign land", Klein quickly skimmed through the three pages of manuscript in his hand:
"On November 18th, it was truly a miraculous event. A whimsical experiment and an accidental mistake led me to discover a poor fellow trapped in a storm and lost in the depths of darkness. He could only approach the real world slightly once a month during the full moon, but still couldn't convey his cries to us. He was lucky; he met me, the protagonist of this era."
"After writing this passage, I read it to myself and suddenly felt a bit wistful. Even in Chinese, I unconsciously adopted a strong translational tone. Forty years have passed in the blink of an eye. The memories from the past really feel like dreams."
"On January 1st, 1841, the grand New Year's party. Mrs. Fronnel was truly a beauty."
"On January 2nd, my diplomats were all fools!"
"On January 3rd, the initial choice was too hasty. Now it seems, whether 'apprentice', 'diviner', or 'thief', they are all better. Unfortunately, there's no going back now."
"On January 4th, why are my children so stupid? I've said it a thousand times, don't be fooled by those charlatans. No, those charlatans might themselves have been fooled. The key to the potion is not about mastering, but about digestion! Not excavation, but performance! And the name of the potion is not just a core symbol, but a specific image, and even more, it's the 'key' to digestion!"
"On September 22nd, the opposition alliance was forming. From Fursak in the north, Ruin in the east, to Fenepotter in the south, my enemies finally came together. But I wasn't afraid. I would use facts to tell them that the gap in weapons and knowledge couldn't be made up by the number and lower-ranked sequenceers. Besides, I don't have a lack of capable people at my side. And the high-level ones, eh, did they forget who I am?"
"On September 23rd, I lost contact with the ship searching for 'the forsaken land'. I should consider inventing a radio telegraph. Hopefully, it won't be affected by the storm."
"On September 24th, Miss Isaca is more charming than Mrs. Fronnel. Maybe I'm just reminiscing about my youth."
Because this was a copy made from a sketch, due to the complexity of the Chinese characters, the size of each character was enlarged quite a bit. Therefore, the content on each page was not much, and even for preservation and research, the back was blank. But even so, Klein still felt his heart surge with excitement, especially the description of the key to the potion by Rosser the Emperor, which gave him a sense of having found the "solution path", grasping the invaluable secret.
"Perhaps this is the guiding light for my future as an extraordinary person!"
"Well, the three pages of manuscripts are diaries from different periods. It can be seen that Rosser the Emperor has a habit of writing only in the first month of each year. The two for November and September can't be determined which year they belong to..."
"Who was the poor fellow he discovered?"
"What do digestion and performance specifically refer to?"
"What is the forsaken land?"
...
One after another, doubts bubbled up in Klein's mind along with the excitement, making him wish to collect all of Roselius the Emperor's diaries and read them from beginning to end!
"Klein?" Just then, the old Neil on the other side spoke in confusion.
Klein woke up suddenly and quickly covered his mouth and laughed:
"I thought I would be the most special one. I wanted to try deciphering and interpreting them."
"That's really a young man," the old Neil chuckled and nodded. "I also once thought I was the most special one."
Klein flipped through the three pages of manuscripts in his hand, confirmed that he hadn't missed anything, and then handed them back, asking casually:
"Are we only these few?"
I want to see more of Roselius the Emperor's diaries!
"You thought there would be many?" The old Neil stroked the manuscripts, deep wrinkles sneeringly said, "The number of events involving extraordinary and mysterious things is not many each year. Ah, mainly because those extraordinary species gradually died out on our North Continent. Without them, there would be fewer magical potions, and thus fewer extraordinary people. Over the past few hundred years, dragons, giants, and elves have all become records in books, and even the sea creatures no longer appear in the coastal areas."
Upon hearing this, Klein suddenly remembered an anecdote and immediately laughed:
"I think it's time to establish the 'Dragon and Giant Protection Association'."
The old Neil listened blankly, and after a long time, he understood what it meant. After figuring it out, he lightly tapped the table and laughed quite happily, not being very gentlemanly:
"Haha, Klein, you are really a humorous person. This is the tradition of our Ruan Kingdom. Young people being humorous won't be wrong. I think we can't be too narrow-minded. Why only dragons and giants? It should be called the 'Magical Creature Protection Association'."
"No, no, no. How could we forget those poor plants?" Klein shook his head.
At this point, he and the old Neil looked at each other and said in unison:
"Magical Creature Protection Association!"
As soon as the words were said, the two of them smiled in harmony, and the awkward atmosphere disappeared a lot.
"Such interesting young people are becoming fewer and fewer... Where did I say that?" The old Neil's wrinkles on his face smiled, "I remember now. The number of events involving extraordinary and mysterious things is not many each year. The idiots who worship Emperor Roselius are the minority of the minority. We got three manuscripts, which is already very good... Well, other cathedrals or dioceses should also have... "
He whispered a few words and took the "approval slip" that Klein had already placed on the table. Looking at it, he said:
"Are they pistol bullets, or rifle bullets, or steam high-pressure gun bullets?"
"A revolver." Klein answered according to the actual situation.
"OK, I'll go get them. Ah, do you have an underarm gun bag? As a gentleman, one shouldn't have a bulging waist and below in public." The old Neil made a joke that all men could understand.
"Haha, no, do we need to go to the captain to write it down?" Klein cooperated with a smile.
The old Neil stood up and said:
"No, just record it. This belongs to the 'companion items'. Follow me and repeat, 'companion items'."
"You used to be a teacher?" Klein asked with a smile.
"In the Sunday school and free school of the church for a while." The old Neil raised the slip of paper and took the key from the drawer, opening the iron door to the inner room.
The extraordinary people and ordinary people didn't feel much difference in their sensations... Klein murmured silently and then looked at the three pages of diaries on the table.
Roselius the Emperor did indeed involve in the mysterious realm...
His diary was invaluable...
To others, it was just a pile of waste paper, and it was unknown when it could be deciphered. To me, it was a treasure!
I don't know where the remaining diaries are...
We need to find more...
Klein's thoughts were agitated and hard to calm down until Old Neil came out from the inner room and closed the iron door.
"Ten hunting demon bullets, thirty pistol bullets, a cowhide holster, a special operations unit seventh team emblem, count them, try it, sign your name in the notebook." Old Neil placed the items in his hand on the table.
The pistol bullets were packed in cardboard boxes, arranged in three layers, just like the bullets in Klein's home, yellowish and slightly slender.
The "Hunting Demon Bullets" were placed in small iron boxes, the same shape as normal pistol bullets, but with a silver surface, and when closely observed, there were complex and dazzling patterns, and even the bottom was engraved with a small holy emblem of "Black Background Stars Red Crescent".
The cowhide holster felt solid, with a buckle on the strap, and the half-sized emblem on the side was in iron color, with silvered "Ahuova County Police Department" and "Special Operations Unit Seventh Team" written on it. They formed two nearly closed circles, surrounding the "Double Swords Interlocked with Crown" logo.
"Unfortunately, it's not the Night Watchman's emblem." Klein said half with regret and half as a test.
Old Neil smiled and only urged Klein to try the underarm holster.
Taking off his coat, Klein struggled hard to fasten the holster, which was tightly attached to the left arm under the armpit.
"It's not bad." He didn't take it off and directly put on his formal suit.
Old Neil looked for a while, nodded with satisfaction:
"Very suitable, my judgment is still so accurate."
Putting away other items in his pocket, after signing his name in the notebook, Klein chatted with Old Neil for a few more words before leaving.
Halfway there, he suddenly felt frustrated and slapped his forehead:
"I forgot to inquire more about the sequence and potion-related details. It's all because of Emperor Rosel's diary..."
He still didn't know the starting sequence of the complete 'path' held by the Night Goddess Church, that is, sequence 9.
Roshan seemed to have mentioned something... The Insomniac? Just as Klein was walking towards the stairs, a figure came down with a thumping sound.
He was wearing tight action pants and his white shirt had not been tucked in, showing a clear romantic poet's temperament. It was the black-haired green-eyed police officer who had searched Klein's house earlier. The two had already met upstairs, but they didn't speak.
"Good afternoon." The poet-like young night watchman smiled and greeted.
"Good afternoon. I don't think I need to introduce myself, right?" Klein responded humorously.
"No, I'm very impressed by you." The young night watchman extended his right hand and said, "Leonard Mitchell, the 'Midnight Poet' of sequence 8."
Sequence 8... So a poet... Klein shook his hand with him and asked with a smile:
"Impressed by me?"
Leonard Mitchell's green eyes were deep, and he replied with a very faint smile:
"You have a special disposition."
... gay gayish... Klein's lips twitched slightly and he forced a smile: "I don't think so myself."
"After going through such an event and not accepting our protection immediately, yet you are still alive, this in itself is already quite special." Leonard pointed ahead. "I have to replace the team leader. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow." Klein stepped aside to clear the way.
When he disappeared step by step at the end of the staircase, Leonard Mitchell suddenly turned around, gazing at the dim light and the stone floor, and murmured to the air in a low voice:
"Did you notice anything...?" ...
"Sure enough, he didn't have anything special..."