Old Grey's meaningful words were like a pebble tossed into the lake of Ryan's heart, stirring ripples. Looking at this greasy, inscrutably smiling agency boss, combined with the ancient and powerful magical aura True Sight had detected, countless questions swirled in his mind. But just as he was about to press for answers, Old Grey slipped back into his nonchalant demeanor, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't overthink it. Right now, your priority is finding clues about Dr. Caron to prove your innocence. When it's time for you to know, I'll tell you."
Ryan understood Old Grey didn't want to say more; pressing further was useless. He could only suppress his doubts for now. He stood up and said, "I understand, Boss. I'll find clues as soon as possible." With that, he turned to leave the agency, planning to go home first to organize the information he had, then plan his next investigative steps.
Just as he reached the agency door, Ryan's gaze inadvertently swept over the trash can in the corner. It was where Marcus had casually tossed trash yesterday before they headed out on the call. Next to a crumpled piece of tissue lay the corner of a black card edged with silver filigree, looking anything but ordinary.
"What's that?" Ryan's interest piqued. He bent down and picked the card from the trash. The card was rigid, made of some special metallic material, cool and smooth to the touch. Its front bore the image of a crimson full moon, beneath which bat silhouettes faintly danced. Below that, ornate script read "Crimson Moon Bar," accompanied by a smudged address. The back was blank, devoid of any text or pattern.
The moment Ryan picked up the card, the system's prompt sounded in his mind: "Detected supernatural information carrier. The Crimson Moon Bar is an information hub of Newstar City's supernatural world, gathering various supernatural beings and espers. Vast amounts of covert intelligence can be acquired here. Issuing Side Mission: Go to the Crimson Moon Bar to acquire intelligence regarding Dr. Caron. Mission Reward: 30 Shadow Points + 1 Elementary Concealment Talisman."
A supernatural information hub? Ryan's heart leaped with joy. He'd been worried about lacking leads; this card undoubtedly provided a vital clue. Dr. Caron was a dangerous figure wanted by the Equilibrium Council. Intelligence about him wouldn't be easily obtained. This Crimson Moon Bar, gathering various supernatural beings, might yield information about Dr. Caron.
But he quickly sobered up. A place in the supernatural world was bound to be filled with unknown dangers. The beings inside would be diverse, good and bad mixed. A single misstep could land him in fatal trouble. Moreover, he was still listed as a suspect by the Equilibrium Council. The location tracker on his wrist constantly transmitted his position. If Aella discovered he'd gone to such a dangerous place without permission, it would definitely increase her suspicion.
"I must proceed with caution," Ryan resolved privately. He carefully placed the card in his wallet, then turned back to Old Grey. "Boss, do you know about the Crimson Moon Bar?"
Hearing "Crimson Moon Bar," the smile vanished from Old Grey's face, his expression turning grave. He remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, "How do you know about that place? It's not somewhere ordinary people should go."
"I found a card for this bar in the trash can," Ryan didn't hide it, taking the card from his wallet and handing it to Old Grey. "The system prompted me, saying it's a supernatural information hub, telling me to go there for intelligence on Dr. Caron."
Old Grey took the card, examined it carefully for a moment, his brow deeply furrowed. "The owner of the Crimson Moon Bar, Valentin, is a vampire who's lived for over a hundred years. He's cunning, suspicious, operates only on profit. Without absolute power or sufficient leverage, getting useful intelligence from him is hard. Moreover, the bar is a mixed bag—vampires, werewolves, wizards, spirits, all sorts of supernatural beings. For a novice like you just entering the supernatural world, going there is too dangerous."
"I know it's dangerous, but it's currently the only lead to get intelligence on Dr. Caron," Ryan's tone was firm. "I must prove my innocence, uncover the truth behind Linden's disappearance. I can't miss any opportunity."
Old Grey looked at Ryan's determined eyes, fell silent for a long while, and finally sighed. "Fine. Since you've already stepped into this world, some dangers are unavoidable. Valentin may be cunning, but as long as you don't provoke him and can offer something attractive enough, he'll trade fairly."
He took a small red pouch from a drawer and handed it to Ryan. "Inside is a protective charm I used when I was younger. It can block one attack from low-level dark magic. Take it; it might help you avoid some danger. Remember, inside the Crimson Moon Bar, don't reveal your true purpose easily. Don't offend any beings. Stay vigilant about everything."
Ryan took the pouch. It felt warm in his hand; he could clearly sense the faint magical energy emanating from within. Clutching it tightly, he said sincerely to Old Grey, "Thank you, Boss."
"Don't thank me," Old Grey waved dismissively, slipping back into his greasy smile. "You're my agency's intern. If something happens to you, I'd have to hire someone new. Too much trouble."
Ryan smiled, not calling out Old Grey's duplicity. He tucked the protective charm close to his body, picked up his wallet, and bid Old Grey farewell again. "Boss, I'm heading out now."
After leaving the agency, Ryan didn't go directly to the Crimson Moon Bar. He returned home first, changed into a relatively formal black jacket, and took all the cash from his wallet—a little over five hundred dollars. He knew that to get intelligence from the vampire Valentin, he'd need to pay a corresponding price. He wasn't sure if this cash was enough.
He opened the system interface to check his Shadow Points. After pointing out the flaw in Aella's reasoning earlier, he'd gained 20 Shadow Points. Combined with the 0 points from the newbie mission reward, he currently had only 20 points. The Elementary Concealment Talisman in the Exchange Shop cost 50 Shadow Points; he couldn't afford it. He could only hope the protective charm from Old Grey would help him avoid danger.
Once prepared, Ryan took a bus to the Crimson Moon Bar according to the address on the card. The address was in a secluded alley in Newstar City's old district, surrounded by dilapidated apartment buildings. The street was sparsely populated, the environment desolate. In stark contrast to the surrounding decay, the Crimson Moon Bar's entrance was extravagantly decorated. The black wooden door was carved with intricate patterns. Above the lintel hung a crimson full moon sign, looking particularly eerie in the dim light.
Ryan took a deep breath and pushed open the bar door. A strong mix of the scent of blood, alcohol, and faint rose perfume assaulted his senses, making him wrinkle his nose. The interior décor matched the entrance—opulent and eerie. Dark red carpet covered the floor. The walls were adorned with various retro oil paintings depicting ferocious supernatural beings. A massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, emitting a faint red glow, casting the entire bar in a hellish crimson light.
The bar's patrons were diverse: vampires in black trench coats with pale faces, tall werewolves with fierce eyes, and wizards in strange attire, their bodies shimmering with magical energy. They sat in groups of two or three, conversing in low tones, occasionally erupting in eerie laughter. Ryan's entrance immediately drew many gazes—scrutinizing, wary, making him feel deeply uncomfortable.
Suppressing his nervousness, he found a seat in a corner. A waitress in a black maid uniform with a pale face immediately approached. Her eyes were dark red—clearly also a vampire. "Sir, what can I get for you?" the waitress's voice was hoarse and low, carrying a chill.
"A glass of lemonade, please," Ryan tried to keep his voice steady. He dared not drink any alcohol here, nor touch any food, fearing strange ingredients.
The waitress nodded and walked away. Sitting at his table, Ryan observed his surroundings while mentally planning how to approach the owner, Valentin, to get intelligence on Dr. Caron. He noticed a tall man in a red suit standing behind the bar counter. The man had long golden hair, pale skin, eyes sharp as a hawk, surrounded by a powerful vampire aura. Clearly, this man was the bar owner, Valentin.
Just then, two tall werewolves suddenly approached Ryan's table. One of them glared at Ryan menacingly, saying arrogantly, "Kid, this isn't your kind of place. Get out, now!"
Ryan's heart tightened. He instinctively gripped the protective charm in his pocket. He knew he couldn't cause trouble here. Forcing calm, he said, "I'm just here for a drink. No ill intent."
"No ill intent?" the other werewolf sneered, reaching out to grab Ryan's collar. "An ordinary human carrying supernatural energy dares say no ill intent? I think you're a spy sent by the Equilibrium Council!"
Ryan hastily sidestepped, dodging the werewolf's grab. He could sense these two werewolves were far weaker than Aella, but they were more than a match for him in his current state. Just then, Valentin behind the bar counter spoke up. His voice carried a powerful, imposing pressure that instantly spread through the bar. "Enough! No fighting or brawling in my establishment."
Hearing Valentin's voice, the two werewolves visibly flinched, their arrogance vanishing instantly. They glared hatefully at Ryan but reluctantly turned and left. Ryan sighed in relief, casting a grateful look towards Valentin.
Valentin's lips curled into a strange smile as he walked towards Ryan. He sat down in the seat opposite Ryan, his sharp eyes appraising him, a hint of mockery in his tone. "Interesting little one. An ordinary human body, yet bound to a system, and carrying residual dark magic energy. Tell me, what brings you to my Crimson Moon Bar?"
Ryan's heart jolted. Valentin had seen through his secrets at a glance. He knew that before absolute power, any concealment was futile. He took a deep breath, looked up, met Valentin's eyes directly, and said earnestly, "I wish to inquire about someone: Dr. Caron."
Hearing "Dr. Caron," Valentin's eyes instantly turned serious. He remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Dr. Caron is a dangerous figure. Inquiring about him requires a considerable price. What leverage do you have that would make me tell you the intelligence you seek?"
Ryan took all his cash from his pocket and placed it on the table. "This is all the money I have. If it's not enough, I can offer something else, whatever I can."
Valentin glanced at the cash on the table, his lips curling into a scornful arc. "This paltry sum, and you want intelligence on Dr. Caron? Too naive. However..." His tone shifted, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "I'm quite interested in the system on you. If you can tell me what type of system it is, what functions it has, perhaps I might consider giving you a piece of intelligence."
Ryan's heart sank. The system was his greatest secret, the very foundation of his standing in the supernatural world. He absolutely couldn't reveal it lightly. What should he choose? Expose the system's secret in exchange for intelligence on Dr. Caron? Or refuse Valentin, giving up this crucial lead? Just as he hesitated, Valentin's eyes suddenly turned icy. The vampire aura around him intensified—clearly, his patience had run out