Late at night.
After leaving Pompey Manor, Chen Lun headed directly to the old site ntioned by the Viscount.
On the west side of the Inner City District, near the ocean, Lona Port stood. The Purple Moon reflected on the sea surface where several huge ships were docked, and vaguely, nurous laborers could be seen dragging small boats loaded with cargo.
Chen Lun withdrew his gaze and left the terrace at the end of the street.
He entered a small alley on the other side and, after nurous turns, arrived at the entrance of a manor.
This was Number 4 Wans Street.
However, the Great Gate was locked, and the plaque at the gate had been removed, indicating that no one currently lived there; it was an empty house.
Chen Lun looked around and, seeing no one passing by, braced himself against the railing and leaped inside.
He did not linger, nor did he enter the villa building, but went directly to the back. According to "Philip's Diary," the inheritance was buried in the backyard.
"What is this...?"
Chen Lun stopped in his tracks.
He saw tombstones standing in the backyard, separated by carved stone materials, neatly arranged.
"It turns out to be a cetery."
Chen Lun walked on the little stone path, his eyes scanning over the inscriptions on the tombstones.
A few belonged to the Pompey Family mbers, but most were soldiers who had perished in the "Overseas Landing Battle," it seed all were personally inscribed by Viscount Pompey.
"These soldiers… were the Viscount's comrades? Or subordinates...?"
Chen Lun guessed.
Here, he even found the tombstones of Mrs. Caroline's husband, Henry, and their son, Oliver.
"...My benefactor, a dear friend entrusted with my life."
This was the epitaph on Henry's tombstone.
"...A beloved child, an excellent son, a brave man."
This was the epitaph on Oliver's tombstone.
Below the epitaphs of the two n, both had Viscount Pompey's na and date inscribed.
Fresh flowers were placed in front of the tombstones, not yet wilted.
Chen Lun sighed.
He continued walking deeper and discovered a stone Spirit Temple, its doors securely sealed.
Chen Lun's eyes narrowed slightly, and his fingers brushed against the crevice of the door; he then used "Serpentine Senses" to flick out his tongue and collect pheromones.
"Soone has been here... but it wasn't Viscount Pompey, nor Mrs. Caroline."
Logically, such Spirit Temples are generally the resting places for those of high status, and even for worship, the doors would not be easily opened.
Chen Lun heightened his alertness and pushed open the door to enter.
Vertical pupils do not possess night vision capability, but they can detect heat. At this mont, his vision was pitch black, and he detected no large creatures.
With his tongue flickering, he slowly moved to a corner of the Spirit Temple.
A suspicious stone slab showed signs of having been moved; he extended a finger and easily lifted the heavy stone slab, revealing the long staircase below.
"There's actually a hidden passage here..."
Chen Lun was surprised.
If it weren't for the pheromone traces indicating that soone had entered this place, he might have missed this entrance.
Chen Lun put on the Sapphire Earrings on his right ear and touched the Grape Ring on his index finger. After checking his gear, he walked down the passage.
As he descended, a light appeared ahead, coming from oil lamps lit on the walls.
"There really is soone!"
He beca more cautious.
At the end of the corridor was a Bronze Gate, carved with various animal and plant patterns.
Just as he was about to push the door open, the Bronze Gate was opened from the inside.
Clang!
A backlit figure appeared in his line of sight, followed imdiately by a hoarse female voice:
"Hey! Look what I found? A lucky Tomb Robber!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the woman extended a large hand towards him.
"Today is your lucky day, sir, because you're about to move into a free new ho right here, in this coffin...haha!"
Bang!!
Two palms collided.
"Huh?"
The woman's laughter stopped, and she let out a confused sound, stepping back.
"A Transcendent?!"
The next second, the woman attacked again, mist erging from her body, and faint sounds of waves emanating from within.
A straight punch, with a spiral of wind forming around the fist, extinguished the oil lamps nearby.
Smack! Smack-smack!!
Chen Lun executed a "Rhinoceros Impact," turning the outer part of his fist to bone, and collided head-on with three punches.
But he quickly realized that the impact of each punch was dissolved by the opponent's whirlwind and water-flow-like movents.
The real damage was less than a tenth.
"A Transcendent from the 'Deep Sea Faction'..."
Chen Lun thought to himself.
The next second, he quickened his attack pace, taking control of the rhythm of the fight.
"Bear Strike," "Rhinoceros Impact," and "Stork Peck" were used in succession, becoming more adept.
Ping-ping-pang-pang, the sounds echoed in the enclosed underground crypt.
The woman grew more and more astonished as they fought, unable to see through the man before her, but she could tell that his strength was not inferior to her own.
"Lightning!"
She exclaid angrily, arcs sparking between her fingers, with blue-white phosphorescence flickering faintly in the mist.
But in a blink, she lost sight of the man.
"Where?!"
"Behind you!"
A calm male voice made her hair stand on end.
Thud!!
Chen Lun struck with a back elbow, the powerful impact hitting the woman directly in the back of the heart.
She grunted, tumbling forward. The arc in her palm extinguished, the mist around her dissipating, she got up awkwardly and turned her head to look at Chen Lun.
"Who exactly are you?!"
The woman asked sternly.
Chen Lun glanced at the ornant on the woman's chest, and realization dawned on him.
He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and casually draped it over his face, revealing only a pair of erald vertical pupils. The handkerchief was a gift from Rebecca, but he had never used it before. Now, it was just right for the occasion.
"One of us."
Chen Lun feigned a hoarse, deep voice.
He then took out the black skull token he had obtained from Dolly, holding it between his fingers and gave it a shake.
"..."
In the dark, the woman wore an expression of speechlessness.
Your voice is clearly different from before, and this disguise is too amateurish.
And that piece of cloth covering your face, how perfunctory it looks, is this supposed to be child's play?!
However, she didn't want to fuss over these details; according to the rules of the secret society organiser, Black Skull, possession of the token granted one the right to attend the eting.
"Co inside, fortunate... gentleman."
The woman had no more to say, taking the lead into the inner parts of the crypt.
Chen Lun followed closely behind.
As his sight shifted from darkness to light, he saw the scene inside clearly.
A crude incandescent bulb hung from the low ceiling, barely illuminating the space. Under the dim light was a wooden round table, with six people currently seated.
They all watched Chen Lun with expressions ranging from indifference to curiosity, calm to inscrutable.
"He has the society's token, so I let him in,"
ca the coarse feminine voice beside Chen Lun.
He glanced slightly to the side, finally seeing the person he had fought — a woman with pale yellow crew-cut hair, also masked, but with two scar lines over her eyelids, deep-set eyes, and a sharp gaze.
"No problem, since he has the token, he's qualified to join the eting."
A burly figure at the head of the round table spoke.
He wore a black skull mask that only revealed his eyes, which looked calm.
"I am the society's host. You may call Black Skull; and how should I address you?"
Chen Lun surveyed the seven people briefly, then lowered his gaze and in a raspy, deep voice, he said:
"Spade."
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