"The Glorious Knights Launch the Second Surface Expedition, Assisted by a Mysterious Person"

[The second expedition team, led by Deputy Commander Aegon Baghdad and five great knights, set off at dawn, returning to the surface along the Sighing Path. This operation will clear the area around the Alchemical Tower in Midnight City on the surface and station there. The latest "Red Copper" developed by the Alchemy Laboratory and Alchemists will also appear with the expedition team, rumored to be followed by a mysterious silhouette—]

The Outer City, also known as "City Street," connects the Inner City with Fasth Avenue along the Sighing Path.

On a bench in Fasth Park, not far away, Lu Li put down the Morning Herald.

In the distance, workers were repairing the road crushed by heavy ruts.

The Glorious Knights' second expedition had just passed by. It took only a dozen minutes to hear the noise from the third floor of the hotel, see the scene from the window, leave the hotel, go to the park, and buy a Morning Herald.

This was Lu Li's second day in Midnight City, following the advice of Silver Cross·Sloan.

In the early morning, the park was sparsely populated. Except for the homeless scavengers occupying the benches, only those who needed to work passed through quickly.

After quietly reading the newspaper and before more citizens left their homes, Lu Li returned to the hotel.

The third-floor attic of the hotel had been specially rented. With no neighbors, he would not be disturbed nor disturb others.

Lu Li underestimated the effect of human aura on the surroundings, which quickly caused chaos after arriving in Midnight City—people subconsciously drew near, cultists were vigilant and covetous, and there might even be hidden oddities.

This seemed to symbolize how dreadful it would be for Lu Li to venture into the old sewers or the surface.

Before causing an incident, Lu Li temporarily returned to the Giant Tree Academy's camp to seek help from Vice-Chancellor Criss.

Vice-Chancellor Criss gave Merchant Anthony a perfume-like alchemical elixir to give to Lu Li. When opened, it released a foul stench, masking Lu Li's vitality—with a stronger aura covering the human aura.

Pedestrians no longer subconsciously approached Lu Li, avoiding him instead. Even if some got close due to temporary distraction or lack of awareness of the source, they only smelled a stronger foul odor mixed with a strange, lively scent.

If it weren't for wearing the Giant Tree Academy's badge, Lu Li might have been mistaken for a "Rotten Monster" and taken away by the City Guard or a passing Knight.

He also relied on the badge and nearly threefold overpayment to persuade the landlord to rent the attic.

Because [Speaker of the Trees] is a non-combat curse title, Lu Li didn't contact the Devil's Daughter—nor did she contact Lu Li, as if she had already forgotten.

Back in the attic, Lu Li blocked the perfume elixir's bottle mouth, letting the foul stench dissipate, took off his cloak, added a few logs to the fireplace, ignored the uncomfortable crackling, and went back to the bed to pick up the halfway-read book.

Lu Li didn't go anywhere, only using the power of [Dreamwalker] at night to slip into the hotel residents' dreams, familiarizing himself with the power.

A peaceful day passed in the ocean of words. In the morning and afternoon, the hotel owner brought food, knocking on the room door before leaving.

In the evening, the "light orb" outside the west-side round window dimmed, shifting to the cool-toned moon. Lu Li lit the oil lamp, closed the book, filled the fireplace with charcoal, returned to the single bed in the corner with new sprouts growing at the edge, and entered a chaotic dream, waiting for the hotel residents to dream.

In the wondrous, hazy chaos, joy, anger, sorrow surged. Occasionally changing a resident's nightmare, like Pan walking through dreams in the myth of the Barren Lands, sowing beauty and peace.

Deep into the night, no new dreams emerged, and Lu Li likewise fell into slumber.

Ashes covered the fire heap, the fireplace emitted a faint coldness in the morning as Lu Li awakened.

Overnight, the planks of the bed where Lu Li rested sprouted more buds, but not as lush as the one planted in a pot, placed on the bedside table.

Rekindling the fireplace, Lu Li prepared to purchase a Morning Herald like yesterday and head to the park for reading when Merchant Anthony appeared, bringing a long-awaited letter from Professor Hagrid. The professor heard from other professors that Lu Li left the Giant Tree Academy and thought Lu Li might temporarily have no place to stay in Midnight City, inviting him to visit and even live at his home.

Lu Li accepted Professor Hagrid's invitation and informed him of the hotel location. A Mysticology professor of the Giant Tree Academy was apparently more omniscient than books.

Puling the cowbell, Lu Li donned the black robe, opened the perfume elixir, and checked out with the hotel owner.

"The alchemical experiment's side effects, they will wither within a few days."

Lu Li explained to the hotel owner.

The hotel owner said nothing, ignoring the decayed stench in favor of the badge and Shilling: the stench of death turned into the smell of rotting mud. Inexpressibly more or less unpleasant, or strange.

Lu Li packed a few books into the suitcase, carried the flowerpot with the other hand, and went down to the lounge.

"This time, the five great knight orders will participate in the Ten Great Contenders Tournament…"

"No one can take the championship from the Exorcist."

The chef and assistant whispered around the round table in the spacious lounge. Lu Li walked past them, holding their noses in disgust, and went into the street.

On the opposite side of the street, he waited for several minutes on a park bench in Fasth Park, where Professor Hagrid's carriage slowly approached.

"It's been a while, Your Excellency."

Professor Hagrid emerged from the carriage, slightly bowing with luggage, not mentioning names.

Lu Li nodded, refused Professor Hagrid's offer to take his suitcase and flowerpot, circled around, and followed the moving horse into the carriage.

Waiting for Professor Hagrid to sit in the carriage, the driver drove the carriage back to the mansion in the Inner City.

"I've been keeping an eye on you... Your Excellency, congratulations on learning to unleash your power."

Professor Hagrid had almost witnessed Lu Li's brief two-month progress, even if a month's confinement couldn't halt his steps.

But he still didn't know that Lu Li had become the Curse Title Master.

Several minutes later, the carriage arrived at Professor Hagrid's mansion, located in a neighborhood garrisoned by the City Guard.

"My wife."

Walking into the standalone house, Professor Hagrid introduced the thin woman and the burly man beside her: "Mim and our child Xisone, who just celebrated his 8th birthday a few days ago."

"8 years old?"

Lu Li gazed at the "burly man" taller than the door frame, grinning down at himself.

"He... smells…" Xisone pinched his nose.

"Apologies, Your Excellency Lu Li..." Professor Hagrid had his wife take Xisone to the dining room to prepare lunch, showing bitterness: "Xisone turned out this way due to a strange incident..."

In that incident, Professor Hagrid's poor child Xisone underwent catalysis, the only luck being he was not polluted nor deformed.

Professor Hagrid led Lu Li to the guest room on the second floor, which would be Lu Li's temporary residence for some time. After a brief conversation, Professor Hagrid returned downstairs to help.

Lu Li surveyed the well-kept guest room, placed the flowerpot on the windowsill, and opened the suitcase.

Fresh clothes were put into the wardrobe, and the few books he carried were stacked on the bedside table.

In the suitcase remained only the lightly glowing, azure-tinged Emerald Dream elixir.

Lu Li gazed at it, and from downstairs came Professor Hagrid's call.

Picking up the Emerald Dream, Lu Li placed it into his pocket.

Perhaps not long from now, perhaps at some moment, Lu Li would need it again.

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