Take a trip?

Nina was stunned for a moment, then understood what was going on.

Thinking about the whole thing, and thinking about the actions of herself and Shirley before and after the appearance of the strange thing that looked like "living steel", she felt that it was normal for these knowledge guards to be vigilant - any incident involving an extraordinary invasion must include all possible contaminated people and objects into the scope of investigation to the greatest extent, this is the iron law of the guardians.

While on the ship, Vana would often mention her day-to-day work as an Inquisitor, including many of the rules of the Guardians, and as Uncle Duncan usually put it, it was these strict "rules" that ensured the survival of the city-states in the Deep Sea Age, and ensured that most ordinary people could still survive in a relatively peaceful life in this dangerous world.

So she nodded, and quietly tugged at Shirley's arm next to her to prevent the latter from suddenly speaking out of any vulgar words, and then looked at the knowledge guard in front of her: "Okay...... But if we don't go back, my family will be worried. ”

"Just to make sure if you're suffering from mental contamination or subconscious suggestion," the knowledge guard explained patiently and seemingly relieved, "and it's a necessary screening and protection process. If there is no pollution, you will be let go soon. ”

Then he paused, and added: "After following us to the academy, you must first register your basic information, and there will be someone to contact your family, so you don't have to worry about this." ”

"Oh, let's go," Nina laughed and turned to Shirley again, "No problem, right?" ”

"What else could there be," Shirley muttered, "I'm looking forward to it......"

Nina heard some kind of waiting to have fun and even a little schadenfreude from the other party's tone, she knew what this guy was expecting, but she didn't say much, but put her eyes on the "lump" that had almost stopped moving, and couldn't help but ask curiously: "Do you know what this thing is?" ”

"Some kind of anomalous entity that has invaded the real world, but the details are inconvenient to disclose," the Knowledge Guard said in a businesslike tone, "If it is later confirmed that it is an event that can be made public, the academy will announce it." ”

"Oh......" Nina let out a long voice and turned to leave with the guards, but before leaving, she couldn't help but stop and glance back at the strange pile of "lumps".

The latter had gradually stopped, and even the last convulsions and tremors had stopped, and the rocky texture was slowly spreading on the completely solidified iron-gray skin.

……

At 99 Crown Street, in the "Mystery Mansion" with its towering spires and lush gardens, Duncan and Lucretia were chatting about many things that had happened in the frost some time ago, and Morris was curiously communicating with the clockwork puppet Lunee not far away, seeming to be interested in the latter's way of driving, and Vanna was not in the living room - it was her day prayer time, and Lucrecia had prepared a "prayer room" for the devout Storm Saint.

“…… By the time I left, order had been restored in Frost City, but it would take a lot of work to clean up the contamination left behind by the 'elements'," Duncan told Lucrecia about the situation in the north, "It is said that Tirien's overtime schedule is scheduled for the next quarter......"

"After half a century of pirates on the cold sea, and now it's time to make up for the debts you owe during your lazy years," said Lucrecia with emotion, "By the way, have you ever been to the frozen seas farther north in Frost?" ”

"Not really," Duncan shook his head, "I've only heard of endless ice fields that spread deep into the thick fog of the border, and I'm a little curious about it, but what happened in Breezehaven is more of a concern for me. ”

"It is said that in the frozen waters of the Frosty North, some of the ice layers are buried with relics left by explorers of the Dark Ages and the Old City-State era, and some people have tried to explore the dense fog through those ice formations, only to be swallowed up by the sudden cold that has descended on them...... In contrast, I think the warm southern seas are more suitable as a breakthrough to challenge the 'border......"

"I do want to see that border if I have the chance...... Don't worry, I know the dangers of that fog, but I'm curious......"

"Anyway, you just don't rush into that fog."

The "father and daughter", who had been reunited for a long time, chatted with each other, talking about what had happened in recent times, about the many incredible phenomena on the boundless sea, about the dense fog of the border, and about the dangerous areas far from the civilized world.

Their conversation doesn't always go on, and Lucrecia isn't a good conversation, but it's incredible that they've been talking like this for a long time.

But suddenly, Duncan stopped.

He seemed to "hear" something, his brow furrowed slightly, and after a brief moment of contemplation, he turned his gaze to a certain direction outside the window.

Lucrecia immediately noticed her father's strangeness: "What happened?" ”

"Nina is calling me," Duncan turned his head to look at Lucrecia with a strange expression, "...... How do I get to Block College? ”

"Block Academy?" Lucretia was stunned for a moment, "What are you doing at Block Academy?" ”

"Fishing for people."

Lucrecia: "......? ”

……

"Name?"

"Nina." Nina hesitated for a moment, not saying her current "last name".

The registrar across the table didn't pay much attention to this, but continued to record routinely: "Age? ”

"17 years old."

"Occupation?"

"Still in high school......

"Is it a native of Breeze?"

"It's a Plander, who came to Qingfeng Harbor for a tour, and temporarily borrowed to live in ...... Relatives' house. ”

The registrar recorded these basic information one by one, and when he heard a series of honest replies from the girl opposite, he raised his head with a smile and said in a gentle tone: "Don't be nervous, girl, it's just some routine registration, you didn't do anything bad, you just accidentally got involved in an extraordinary event, these registrations are for your protection - don't be afraid." ”

"I'm not afraid," Nina said very obediently, and then glanced at the registrar opposite him with some embarrassment, "just don't be afraid later." ”

"Me? Why should I be afraid? The registrar was stunned for a moment, and waved his hand with a smile, only thinking that this was a casual nonsense of a young girl who was not deeply involved in the world, and did not take it to heart, "Hey, it would be nice if your companion could be so educated." ”

Nina froze, pricking up her ears to listen to the movement in the next room, and sure enough, she heard some *foul language* that is very Shirley's characteristic.

But it doesn't sound like a scolding, but just a self-releasing swear word, similar to the casual addition of some motherly words when talking to people - in Shirley's own words, they are all "tone particles".

So Nina relaxed a little and smiled with an embarrassed expression: "She is already in a more restrained situation." ”

"It's okay, we've seen all kinds of people in our position, especially those who have been in contact with extraordinary powers, it's normal for mental instability and even messing around, we're all used to it," the registrar waved his hand indifferently, "It's just a little surprising, obviously she looks so well-behaved......"

Nina recalled Shirley in front of Uncle Duncan, and said that the first impression of the registrar was actually correct from a certain point of view......

After a short while, she asked curiously, "When can we go back?" ”

The registrar, dressed in the clergyman's robe of the College of Truth, turned his head and glanced at the incense and candles burning quietly on the table next to him.

"Wait until the incense burns out, the candle flame goes out naturally, and if all the catalysts don't react, then you can leave."

"Oh," Nina nodded, then was silent for a few minutes before asking, "What about that 'thing' that appeared in the bazaar earlier?" Have you already been caught? ”

"I'm sorry, no comment," the registrar shook his head, then reminded, "I suggest you don't keep an eye on it, and try to avoid reminiscing about it, because some 'foreign objects' that invade the real world can have a parasitic effect on the minds of witnesses, and while we haven't found you and your companions contaminated by it so far, frequent memories and excess curiosity can still have a bad effect." ”

"Oh." Nina nodded again, and then finally fell silent, as if patiently waiting for the incense to burn out and the "check" to end.

The young registrar sitting across from her breathed a sigh of relief as he sorted out the forms he had just recorded, and by adjusting his sitting position, he pulled his hand out of a hidden compartment under the table.

In his hand he had a small device that looked like a pocket watch.

With the help of the cover of the tabletop, he pressed the lid of the mechanism, and when the "watch cover" opened softly, what was revealed underneath was not the hands and dial, but a surface like mercury—the layer of "mercury" was slightly undulating, as if it were some kind of living thing.

He cautiously tilted the layer of "mercury" towards the girl across the table, carefully observing the changes in the silver-white liquid surface.

The girl, Nina, appears to be sane, articulate, and even cultured, but this does not dissuade the professional clergy with concerns - because in many cases, people who have already been mentally polluted can maintain this "sanity" for a short period of time, and if not carefully investigated, it is easy for the contamination to leak out secretly.

According to the field team's report, the girl and her companions had approached the patrolling knowledge guard in the seconds leading up to the "intruder", and there had been many irrational behaviors during the incident, which undoubtedly required careful inspection.

However, the mercury level did not reflect any unusual shadows.

The Registrar frowned, and leaned the device closer to his eyes, taking a closer look at the subtle changes in the fluctuation of the liquid level.

Suddenly, he really seemed to see something in the slightly rippling surface of the mercury—

It was a wisp of golden light.

It was a converging flame.

It was some mysterious and vast power, ancient lost knowledge, the light and heat of the ancient majesty, the ...... of all things in the world

A roar sounded in his mind, a storm of knowledge pounding the boundaries of reason, the thirst for truth seemed to hold the mind, the mortal soul longed for the gravitational pull of the sun, and his eyes widened suddenly, staring at the coming—

A hand suddenly reached out from the side, blocking his eyes.

"It's okay, don't look at it," a deep and majestic voice came into my ears, "I think something is wrong, why are you in the Academy of Truth so bad?" ”

(Give up the illusion and make sure the yang...... But don't worry, I feel that the state is okay and will not be interrupted. ）

(End of chapter)