Tesla rarely asked such questions of his junior colleagues and subordinates.
He could already anticipate their answers with a simple tap of his cane: "We will grow stronger, and the number of exorcists will increase!"
For him, such answers held no aning, no food for thought.
But Tesla treated Lu Li as an equal.
He believed Lu Li's words might offer him new and interesting ideas.
Lu Li paused for a mont before answering, "Develop technology."
Perhaps this world had many paths it could take, but for Lu Li, a man from another world, nothing suited humanity better than technology, especially in an era on the cusp of an industrial revolution.
Once technology reached a certain level, it wouldn't matter if the enemy was an Evil God, the essence of an Evil Spirit, or so other entity. As soon as its approximate location was determined, you could just send a nuclear bomb.
If one wasn't enough, you could send two.
Even if so creatures lacked a physical form, who could guarantee they wouldn't be affected by nuclear radiation?
And if nuclear weapons didn't work, then humanity would just have to keep developing technology and reach for the stars. Then they could colonize other planets or, as a last resort, destroy this one.
But that path was a long one—so long that the people of this world might not live to see that day.
"Industry..." Tesla slowed his pace. He pictured steam engines, smoke-belching trains, steel ships in the harbor, and massive factory smokestacks spewing thick smoke day and night.
"Perhaps that is one path to our victory," Tesla chuckled, picking up his pace again.
Tesla didn't dwell too deeply on Lu Li's words.
The limitations of their perspective prevented them from seeing the road hidden in the mists of the future.
That was understandable, and Lu Li didn't expect this world's technology to develop along the sa path as it had on Earth.
On Earth, technological and industrial progress was driven by war. But here, with a common, terrifying enemy, serious conflicts between nations were rare.
Without conflict, there was no progress.
A man running alone can only surpass himself.
Centuries had passed since the creation of spirit guns based on flintlock pistols, yet they still used the sa outdated flintlock chanism and black powder.
If exorcists had a 20mm spiritual Gatling gun with a firing rate of a thousand rounds per minute, they wouldn't be in such a sorry state.
The people of this world were still engaged in an archaic struggle, fighting monsters with thods as primitive as using animal bones.
Reaching a lounge area, Tesla sat down at a table, removed his top hat, and waved to the bartender. "Two glasses of milk. Two lumps of sugar in one."
He set his cane down beside him. "Do you like milk?"
"It's healthy, but expensive."
"You can buy powdered milk."
"It tastes awful."
Powdered milk was made by drying and scraping off the film from boiled milk, then grinding it into a powder. The milky taste was fully preserved, and no amount of sugar could mask it.
Instead of wasting shillings on expensive powdered milk, it was better to buy other food.
"That's true."
Tesla smiled. "You can co here more often in the future. This place has practically beco the Alliance's base."
His words seed to hold a hidden aning. Lu Li asked, "Are we on bad terms with the Alliance?"
"No, we have an excellent partnership. It's just that this place has been empty for a long ti. As you can see, we haven't even done basic repairs because no one ever cos. You can't expect investigators who are never ho to think of the base as their ho... Although, when you're never ho, I suppose the base and ho are practically the sa thing."
"How do we contact the investigators?"
"Usually with crows."
"Crows?"
Lu Li recalled the figure in the bird-beak mask.
"Real crows," Tesla explained. "They're mysterious and intelligent, hold grudges, and stick together—a bit like us. People mistakenly see them as an on of death and dislike them. That's partly our own doing; we spread those rumors to protect them. It's also because they deliver letters to investigators, who are usually in dangerous places where strange things happen."
"Can they tell us apart?"
"Crows have a keen sense of sll; they can pick up the scent of an Investigator Badge. Speaking of which, here, take this."
Tesla took a badge from his jacket pocket and handed it to Lu Li.
"The Investigator Badge, our form of identification."
It was a dark gray badge, about the size of a lens. Its strange, obsidian-like texture reminded Lu Li of what Tesla had said about a stone that could stop a soul.
Engraved on the badge was a strange black crow with three eyes. One eye was fitted with a copper pupil, while the other two were empty, staring up at Lu Li.
"What's this?"
"An exorcist's identification. It's not a contradiction; investigators carry the sa badge," Tesla said, anticipating Lu Li's unspoken question.
Lu Li nodded and pointed to the crow's second eye. "So, the second eye stands for a Spirit Hunter. And this one?"
He pointed to the third empty eye socket.
"A Demon Hunter. Humanity's greatest and most formidable power."
After a brief pause, Tesla continued with a rare note of admiration in his voice, "Every Demon Hunter strikes fear into any Evil Spirit, Evil God, or spirit of defilent, forcing them to keep their distance. Only the best exorcists have a chance to beco one. For example, you must first destroy the essence of an Evil Spirit."
"Are there any Demon Hunters left?"
"Of course. But we don't speak their nas or use their codenas."
"Why?"
"Because of 'true na perception.' Certain Evil Spirits and Evil Gods can kill soone simply by knowing their na. It's extrely dangerous. That's why exorcists and investigators usually hide their identities behind codenas. Demon Hunters don't even use those."
"What about the Night's Watch?"
"They don't need to. They only deal with entities that are already well-docunted."
"How many Demon Hunters do we have?"
"That's a secret," Tesla said with a mysterious smile. "Just as we fear being known, our enemies fear the unknown."
Lu Li nodded. "A deterrent effect?"
Tesla couldn't resist a short, sharp clap of his hands. "Yes, a deterrent effect. An excellent way to put it!"
An Alliance employee approached and set two glasses of milk on the table in front of Lu Li and Tesla.
Lu Li ignored the milk and continued with his questions. "What is supernatural perception?"
"I'm afraid that would require a long and tedious... long and tedious... long test."
Lu Li fell silent.
Suddenly, Tesla burst out laughing.
"Don't take it to heart. I was only joking."
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