NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 10: 10
Chapter 46 SeeingTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 4227 words Update time: 2025-05-09 18:00:00
Although Alger's words were rude, they made sense, and Audrey still understood the truth behind his words.
Even though she had been well protected since childhood, Audrey still heard some gossip in various social occasions, either from her friends or by accidentally overhearing. In short, she knew more or less about some of the dirty things in Loen's upper class circles.
Among them, arranged marriage brought the greatest fear to the young Audrey. She simply could not imagine how those girls who were forced into arranged marriages by their families would spend their lives with someone they did not like at all.
Girls her age liked to read novels in which characters were separated from their lovers due to arranged marriages and eventually died of depression. Whenever Audrey foresaw that the plot might develop in this way, she would choose to give up reading.
This is why Audrey reacted so strongly when she learned that Caroline would be forced to marry someone else.
Although her father, Earl Hall, and her brothers had promised more than once that they would give her a completely free life, it was undeniable that she did feel a little jealous of her own kind.
Seeing that the atmosphere at the party had suddenly become tense, Klein, who was sitting firmly at the head of the group, tapped his brow twice with his index finger joint, activated his spiritual vision, and quietly observed Audrey's "Astral Body."
Well, the main theme is blue, which means Miss Justice is thinking now, and there is a little abnormal red mixed in the blue, which is probably because Mr. Hanged Man's words were too direct and made her unhappy. However, there are not many reds, which means Miss Justice is still quite calm and sensible.
In addition, there is a layer of dark color attached to the periphery of all colors, which means that Miss Justice is currently in a negative mood, most likely sad... because she is sad about what her friends may face.
Klein pondered for a moment, and finally decided to offer some insights as Mr. Fool.
"It is best for a person to take his own destiny into his own hands."
Mr. Fool, who had been silent for a while, suddenly spoke in a long tone, causing Audrey and Alger, who were thinking, to cast their eyes towards the top of the long bronze table at the same time.
Mr. Fool then added:
"And to master your destiny, you need to have the power to control it."
What Klein said was actually just a repetitive sentence, because he couldn't come up with any specific ideas. But in the ears of the two Tarot Club members, how they understood this sentence was their own idea.
The first person to react was the Hanged Man Alger. He had just said it casually. Matters like this in the aristocratic circle could not be resolved by simple external forces.
But to his surprise, the mysterious Mr. Fool also expressed his opinion on this. Is there any deeper meaning in this?
To master your own destiny... you need to have the power to control it...
Alger kept repeating this sentence in his mind, because this was exactly what he had been pursuing.
Could it be that Mr. Fool saw through my heart and deliberately pointed it out through this incident?
Or does he hope that we can grow up quickly so as to make more contributions to the Tarot Club?
Alger couldn't figure out which possibility it was, but he knew that he'd better make a certain response at this time.
So he turned to the top of the long bronze table, raised his hand to cover his chest, bowed his head slightly and said:
"You are right. We need to control our own destiny. To control our destiny, we must have enough power."
Mr. Hanged Man, why are you repeating my words...
Klein was inexplicably flattered, and although he didn't quite understand it, he still accepted it.
"Enough power... to control your own destiny..."
Audrey, who was sitting on the other side of the long bronze table, murmured softly the words of Mr. Fool, chewing over the meaning of them over and over again. When she heard Mr. Hanged Man express his great approval, she seemed to suddenly realize something and her eyes lit up instantly.
"I've got an idea!"
Audrey raised her head and said:
"If, I mean if, my friend also becomes a Beyonder, then can she use her Beyonder status to control her own life?"
Hearing Audrey's thoughts, Alger chuckled mercilessly and said:
"It's useless. Regardless of which path of Beyonder she wants to become, let's just talk about the coercive forces she faces. Do you think she can fight against them just by becoming a Sequence 9 or Sequence 8 low-sequence Beyonder?"
"As far as I know, in Loen, Intis, Feysac... almost every noble family in a major country has at least one member who is a mid-sequence Beyonder. In their eyes, becoming a low-sequence Beyonder to avoid marriage is as ridiculous as a wooden frame built by a curly-haired baboon."
Klein fully agreed with this. He became a Beyonder only because he had the Nighthawks as his background support.
If you only increase your strength but your strength is not strong enough to make bricks fly, then all this will be in vain.
He spoke calmly:
"It's not enough to just be extraordinary."
Alger, who was continuing to speak, suddenly froze for a moment, raised his hand, pinched his chin, and began to think quickly.
Mr. Fool has made a new comment!
What does this mean? Does he also support the idea of "justice" and allow that noble girl to become a Beyonder?
But what good is this?
Alger calmly raised his eyes to look at The Fool, then looked at Justice who was standing opposite him.
There were only three of them in the vast and magnificent temple...
Three people... Mr. Fool, do you think the Tarot Club has too few members...
Does he want to develop his friend "Justice" into a member of the "Tarot Club"?
This is only the second gathering of the Tarot Club, and Mr. Fool wants to continue recruiting members. Is he anxious?
Alger carefully considered his thoughts. This was the Fool's territory, and he couldn't guarantee that his excessive thoughts would not be noticed by the other party.
He is still not sure what kind of existence "The Fool" is, so he still needs to be careful in everything.
Compared to Alger's cautiousness, Audrey's thoughts were more active and bold.
"Mr. Fool, I understand your suggestion!"
Audrey said this, and Klein was confused.
You understand too? What do you understand?
I just wanted to ease the tension...
It seems that as a mysterious boss, he still can't say too much. If he does say anything, it must be ambiguous and not show too many subjective thoughts...
Klein thought helplessly, but he still had to maintain the image and style of The Fool, so he hummed and nodded slightly.
After receiving the response, Audrey turned to Alger confidently and said:
"Mr. The Hanged Man, what if my friend chooses to leave after becoming a Beyonder?"
Alger frowned and pondered:
"That's a feasible idea… But you have to know that those who become Beyonders without going through official channels are not recognized. At that time, your friend may have to deal with the pursuit of the guardian and the search from the church."
"I understand this. This is just an idea of mine. I will ask her opinion later to see if she is willing to become an extraordinary person."
Audrey answered, calmed down, and then asked:
"If she is willing to become a Beyonder, Mr. The Hanged Man, do you think there is a more suitable sequence path that can allow her to have the power to protect herself?"
"Since she wants to leave her family and make her own way, she can't choose a path like 'spectator' that doesn't involve combat abilities."
Alger answered, stretching out his fingers and counting:
"I don't know many sequence paths. If you want to protect yourself, I think the 'Warrior', 'Hunter', and 'Sailor' paths are pretty good."
"But I have only heard of the first two and don't know their specific formulas, but I have the latter. If you need it, we can make another deal."
"But the power of a 'sailor' is not suitable for fighting on land. If your friend wants to become a 'sailor', then she'd better make plans to go to the ocean."
That was all Alger had to say. It was very kind of him to say so much.
"Thank you very much for your answer. I will bring a detailed reply to the party next week."
Audrey said this sincerely, but at the same time, she did not forget what Mr. Fool needed.
"Of course, there is also Emperor Roselle's secret diary. I will collect it as soon as possible and hand it over to Mr. Fool at the party next Monday."
"I will also try to pay attention to relevant information."
Alger also made a promise.
Klein, who had been watching for a long time, nodded with satisfaction. Feeling that today's "Tarot Club" had lasted long enough, he tapped the surface of the long bronze table with his fingers and said:
"Let's end today's party here."
Alger and Audrey stood up at the same time and bowed to Klein.
"Your will is obeyed."
Then, Klein leaned back slightly, and with a thought, he cut off the connection with the two of them.
The figures of "Justice" and "The Hanged Man" quickly became more blurred and ethereal until they shattered and dissipated.
Peace returned to the gray fog. Klein, who had been sitting upright for a long time, finally couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Phew, it's not easy to play the role of a great being…
In order to escape marriage, she persuaded her friend to become a Beyonder? Miss Justice was still too naive and didn't know the dangers of the Beyonder world.
Klein, who had been repeatedly tutored in Extraordinary knowledge by Dunn Smith, had long known how bumpy the road to Extraordinary was. If he were the one who encountered such a thing, he might not necessarily choose to become an Extraordinary.
Fortunately, the person I traveled through time as was Klein Moretti, a young man. If I had traveled through time as a girl like the one described by Miss Justice, that would have been really terrible.
Klein thought so, and he was planning to leave the gray fog early as he still had some strength left.
Suddenly, his eyes were once again attracted by a star that began to emit a deep red light.
Klein was very familiar with that star.
That was exactly the star that he discovered reacting after the first "Tarot Meeting".
The last time he tried to peer into the depths of the stars, he saw nothing.
His energy was about to run out, and he thought it was due to his lack of strength. This time he had become a Beyonder, and when he pulled Justice and the Hanged Man into the gray fog, he had a keen feeling again.
He realized that he now had enough energy to "pull" one more person above the gray fog, just like he had summoned "Justice" and "The Hanged Man".
There were many crimson stars above the endless gray fog, but Klein did not attempt anything rash.
Pulling in "Justice" and "The Hanged Man" was just an accident. He was also glad that these two were not dangerous people and could quickly integrate into the situation here, but he was not sure about others.
What if, what if the new person is an official like Dunn Smith? Or maybe he is a genuine follower of the evil god.
Then wouldn't this fake great being of mine be about to come to an end soon...
Klein trembled all over when he imagined that possibility, and made up his mind that he must be very careful when selecting new members in the future.
However, the deep red star in front of him was a little different.
It was as if it was actively calling out, the faint red light rising and falling, like a tide and also like breathing.
What is it calling for? Is it this mysterious gray fog?
Klein held back on the option of summoning others, but a little spying seemed acceptable.
After all, he had to rule out some possible risks. If this star began to shine again in the future "Tarot Club", or even a new existence suddenly appeared, how would he deal with it?
So, Klein slowly moved towards the star and focused his attention on the rise and fall of the crimson star.
Then, he carefully spread his spiritual power towards the deep red light.
As soon as the two sides came into contact, Klein felt a sudden buzzing in his brain. Mixed sounds gradually rang in his ears, and a blurry and distorted picture appeared in front of him.
This attack was unexpected, and Klein felt himself becoming a little impatient.
He quickly used the "meditation" technique he had just learned today to stabilize his mind. At the same time, accompanied by the call with a familiar rhythm in his ears, the picture in front of his eyes gradually became clearer from blurry.
Slowly, he saw that in the depths of the crimson stars, as if a veil was lifted, a corner of reality was revealed.
He saw a girl wearing a light green walking skirt and with beautiful long light golden hair, standing on a single bed, wearing only socks, carefully performing an action that shocked him.
The girl in front of me is taking four steps backwards!
At this moment, Klein could finally recognize the voice calling in his ear. He finally heard the language he hadn't heard for a while, coming from someone else's mouth again, instead of his own.
The girl was reciting in standard and fluent Chinese:
"Fusheng Xuanhuang Tianzun..."Chapter 47 You Look at Me, I Look at YouTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3512 words Update time: 2025-05-10 14:37:46
Chinese? ! Fusheng Xuanhuang Tianzun? !
This is a luck-changing ritual!
There are other people performing luck-changing rituals!
It's other travelers!
There are travelers in this world who have traveled to the same time as me!
The rapidly rising joy caused Klein's radiating spirituality to fluctuate slightly, causing the image of the crimson stars in front of his eyes to distort slightly, but he quickly stabilized his mind and kept the image.
Calm down, it's good to have a fellow villager who is about the same age, but you also have to see if this fellow villager is trustworthy...
After adjusting his state, Klein immediately turned his attention to the environment displayed on the screen, hoping to identify where the girl who was performing the luck-changing ritual was.
But unfortunately, the other party seemed to be in a hotel. The bed and wall decorations had no discernible style, and the curtains on the outside were closed, with only a small gap barely letting in the sunlight.
But judging from her clothes, she seemed to be a Loenese.
A traveler who also came to Loen...
Klein tapped his fingers lightly and continued to observe the details in the picture.
The Chinese she speaks is relatively standard, so she should be a time traveler close to the modern times...
Accent... well, I can't tell, but he's probably not from the north...
But she shouldn't be very old, and may be younger than me.
Standing on the bed and walking four steps backwards... This is not something a mature adult can think of...
But then again, she is only starting to try the luck-changing ritual now. Is it because she just traveled through time?
But why, after performing the luck-changing ritual, she didn't come directly above the gray fog, but turned into a crimson star?
Could it be that because I had already arrived above the gray fog in advance, some mechanism here identified me as a role like "master" or "manager", so other participants were not allowed to come on their own initiative...
Looking at the scene in the depths of the stars, Klein felt inexplicably embarrassed as he saw the girl kneeling on the bed dejectedly after waiting for a long time to see no changes after completing the luck-changing ritual.
She would never have imagined that a fellow villager who had successfully performed a luck-changing ritual was watching her in a mysterious place, and it was very likely that this fellow villager had caused her luck-changing ritual to fail...
Klein chuckled. Meeting a fellow villager really made him feel very good.
You have to try to make contact first. It is not polite to hide in the dark and spy on someone.
However, I cannot approach him directly as myself. However, I now have more than just the identity of "Klein Moretti", and the identity of "The Fool" is a very useful vest.
Maybe I could let her join the Tarot Club? Above the gray fog, I could observe the summoned person more thoroughly, and her words and actions in the Tarot Club could also help me observe her personality and what she wanted to do.
In this way, even if my behavior of secretly spying on this fellow villager is indeed unreasonable, the "Tarot Club" platform I provided can also bring her many conveniences. Later, when I confirm that she is trustworthy, I should be forgiven when I go to her to confess my identity...
Well...or, I don't have to confess my identity as the Fool...
After making this decision, Klein prepared to try to bring this fellow time traveler above the gray fog.
But just when he was about to make the crimson star begin to erupt in the same way as he summoned Justice and the Hanged Man, he suddenly noticed that the girl in the picture seemed to be reaching for something.
Then, the scene inside the crimson star inexplicably fluctuated.
It was as if a stream of water came from nowhere, instantly covering the screen and blocking Klein's gaze, leaving only a gray-black void on the screen.
...
After completing all the steps of the luck-changing ritual, Caroline stood on the bed, patiently waiting for feedback.
Soon, just like the last time, an unknown gray mist slowly descended, covering Caroline's vision.
Only this time, there were no particularly annoying gibberish or unbearable headaches.
Caroline only felt a little groggy, but she still maintained a clear mind.
Is it coming? Is something magical about to happen?
Caroline's heart was pounding, anticipating what wonderful thing would happen next.
However, to her disappointment, the gray fog only appeared for a moment and then gradually dissipated, and the appearance of the hotel in reality appeared before her eyes again.
Why...still no response...
Caroline looked around in disbelief, trying to catch something different.
But she waited for a while and still saw no response.
Her luck-changing ritual seemed to have failed again?
This is really... too confusing.
All of Caroline's expectations turned into disappointment in an instant, and she no longer stood on the bed, but sat down directly.
"Why does the luck-changing ritual always fail? Is there some detail I missed?"
"That's not right. Is this all the content of the ceremony that Lao Zhou saw? There are no other steps to be done?"
Caroline held her chin with one hand and took out the "Silver Spoon" from her body with a bored look.
In comparison, the feedback given to her by the "Silver Spoon" was more effective and direct.
Is Fusheng Xuanhuang Tianzun still inferior to Yog-Sothoth...
Uh uh uh, I can't have such thoughts. If some great god hears me, I will be judged as blasphemer...
Caroline shook her head quickly, then clenched the "Silver Spoon" and silently recited the name of Yog-Sothoth, summoning and deploying the "Void Cube".
Caroline felt a little better as she watched the gray solid space enveloping her and received tangible feedback.
One "report" after another emerged, and the number stacked up was only slightly more than the previous time.
The previous "reports" were all about what happened in Backlund. Now that I'm in Tingen, should the "reports" also collect information about Tingen?
With this thought in mind, Caroline picked up the top "report" and looked at its title:
"The aftermath of the public demonstration"
After glancing at the main text, Caroline confirmed that the "report" had indeed begun to collect information about what was happening in Tingen City.
For example, this "report" talks about how the people in Tingen who recently pushed for the repeal of the Corn Laws found that many commodities in their lives began to fall in price. They were very proud of this and believed that their efforts were not in vain.
Is it really not in vain?
Caroline chuckled and looked down to find the last comment of the "report".
——"Why don't we wait for the long-term effects?"
Sure enough, the comments had similar ideas to hers.
The disadvantages of repealing the Corn Laws have not yet fully emerged. The price reduction of commodities and the increase in crop choices are only temporary manifestations.
By then, the people who suffer will gradually change from farmers to ordinary workers. As cheap labor becomes more abundant, the wages workers receive will become less and less.
However, these things have little to do with Caroline. Even if she wants to change something, she doesn't have the ability to change it now.
Shaking her head, Caroline threw the "report" aside.
At this moment, above the stacked "reports", a new "report" glowed faintly and appeared without warning accompanied by an inexplicable electric bell.
This was the first time Caroline saw the generation of a "report" with her own eyes. It was as if it was printed directly from this solid space.
Let me see what it is.
Caroline reached out and took the "report", held it in front of her eyes and shook the paper habitually.
"Snooper in the Gray Mist"
Huh? Gray fog?
Caroline's mind immediately flashed with the gray mist that appeared before her eyes after the luck-changing ritual was completed.
She quickly focused her attention on the main text.
"The flow of fate is always full of coincidences. If there is even a slight deviation in time, some things will not happen."
"But everything is just such a coincidence. After the party in ■■ ended, the Fool noticed the call from Caroline Williams and cast his gaze towards her."
Seeing this, Caroline's mind was no longer on the "report", and her heart was quickly filled with unspeakable fear.
Is there someone looking at me? Is it because I was doing the luck-changing ritual just now?
The luck-changing ritual was actually successful? But why...
Wait wait wait, calm down!
Something was looking at me, and then what? I didn't feel anything.
Caroline quickly forced herself to calm down and then read the main text of the "report".
"It was just a coincidence, a little hesitation, and the Fool's gaze did not proceed to the next step. He did not know whether he was confused or regretful about this. "
"But fate has lifted a corner of the curtain, and the story will continue steadily. Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after tomorrow, maybe the day after that, but the fool and the fire will meet soon. "
——"One glance, a thousand years."
Caroline slowly put down the "report" in her hand. She now only felt her scalp tingling.
The luck-changing ritual actually works, and this effect also attracts a being called "The Fool"...
Although The Fool did not do anything to him in the end, he had indeed been exposed to his sight!
She was a little scared and shocked, but her heart was beating as if it was going to jump out of her chest, and her stomach began to feel uncomfortable due to nervousness.
Could he be some evil god? He doesn't sound like a good person.
But, I was clearly performing a normal luck-changing ritual, so why did it attract the "fool" instead of the "Fusheng Xuanhuang Tianzun"?
Hmm? Wait, "Fool"? "Justice"?
These are the names of tarot cards, and a previous "report" used the code name "Justice" to refer to Miss Audrey.
The "report" mentioned a party taking place somewhere. Could this be Audrey's encounter?
Caroline's thoughts were extremely confused, but she still managed to find a logical chain in the chaos.
If you think about it carefully, the term "fool" seems to have appeared in the "report" more than once.
The first "report" I saw seemed to say that the Fool and the Fire had not yet met again.
I have the Fool, but what is the Fiery Fire? I don't think I'm very hot...
From this point of view, this "fool" does not seem to be a bad person. At least from the perspective of the "report", there is no danger factor, but it feels like an epic poem... Yes, like a poem sung by a bard.
Caroline read the "report" again and again, trying to find out more information from it.
Since Miss Audrey is "Justice", she should be related to "The Fool".
Miss Audrey doesn't seem like a bad person, but it's hard to say about "The Fool". What if the former is fooled by the latter?
Well, this kind of speculation is unnecessary, but we have to be wary of it.
Since there are "The Fool" and "Justice", there should be other people who use Tarot cards as code names as well.
Among them, the "fool" seems to be the most special.
What exactly is the "Fool"?
While thinking, Caroline suddenly came up with a bold idea.
How about trying the luck-changing ritual and going directly to contact the "Fool"?Chapter 48 The Search BeginsTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3041 words Update time: 2025-05-10 18:32:23
In the claustrophobic and dim basement, the flickering candlelight illuminated the profile of Alger Wilson.
His eyes slowly came back to life, and when they were full of energy, he slowly checked the layout of the room, only to make sure that he had left the strange gray fog.
Looking at his own palms, and then at the elaborate ceremony in the basement, Alger took a deep breath in not only helplessness but also shock.
"I can't grasp any details… Mr. Fool is truly amazing…"
Before being summoned to participate in the "Tarot Club", Alger had already made some preparations, trying to see if he could analyze the method used by "The Fool" to summon them.
However, the final result was still nothing.
What exactly does The Fool want to do? Is he a resurrected ancient being, or an evil god with his own conspiracy?
Unlike Miss Justice, another member of the Tarot Club, Alger had been wary and cautious of The Fool from the beginning.
But he did not report the matter to the Storm Church because he himself had certain considerations.
With the help of the magical Mr. Fool, he may be able to get more help and achieve things that he cannot do on his own.
Thinking of this, Alger looked at a parchment scroll placed on the table in front of him. On the top of the yellow-brown scroll was written the stage he would achieve next.
"Sequence 7, Navigator"
It's not enough. If you want to get more, Sequence 7 is far from enough.
Alger lowered his head, and a trace of uncontrollable desire appeared on his deep face.
...
Backlund, Queens.
Audrey Hall leaned over the table, concentrating on writing the recipe for the "Audience" potion she got from the "Tarot Club" on a delicate parchment scroll.
When the last drop of ink fell on the quill pen, she excitedly put down the pen, picked up the parchment and looked at the recipe written in beautiful handwriting on it, and happily walked around the center of the bedroom with the recipe.
The magic potion formula! It is a magic potion formula that can really make one a Beyonder!
Audrey has been looking forward to this day for a long time. After she began to learn about the wonderful stories of the extraordinary world a few years ago, she has always dreamed that one day she would become an extraordinary person.
Now, this opportunity is right before her eyes.
Well, you have to stay calm and don't get too excited, otherwise if the maids see you, they'll say you're not ladylike enough.
Audrey put the parchment into the drawer of her dressing table, intending to write some random knowledge on it later, disguising it as an ordinary draft paper.
And now she has other things to do.
After hiding the formula, Audrey walked briskly to the door and quietly opened it.
Outside the bedroom, a big golden retriever with smooth fur was lying obediently in front of the door. After Audrey opened the door, it immediately turned around and stuck out its tongue at its owner.
"Susie, put your tongue away quickly. If you drool, it will increase the workload of cleaning!"
Perhaps the golden retriever Susie understood what Audrey meant, but she flicked her tongue and took the dog back into her mouth, causing Audrey to happily bend down and touch its head.
Susie had always been very obedient, and Audrey had thought more than once that the person who had given it as a gift had made a not-so-wise decision.
"Let's go find our dear Earl Hall!"
Audrey opened the door a little further and walked past Susie, who immediately stood up and followed closely at Audrey's feet.
Walking down the stairs to the second floor, Audrey first looked around the front hall, then walked into the garden and looked a few times, but she couldn't find any trace of her father, Earl Hall.
It was not until she returned to the second floor and came to her father's study that she heard the conversation coming from the room.
Among them was the voice of his father, Earl Hall.
"Is Dad talking to someone?"
Audrey walked cautiously to the outside of the study and peered inside.
The elegantly dressed Earl Hall was standing in front of the bookshelf, talking excitedly with another aristocratic gentleman who Audrey was familiar with.
"It seems like there is something important. Let's talk to Dad about Caroline during dinner tonight..."
Audrey thought about it, and quietly left with Susie.
...
After putting away the Void Cube, Caroline sat at the table in the hotel, absentmindedly eating the Tingen biscuit that had been used up.
Tingen pie, which is a mixture of the aroma of bacon, onion and potato, is indeed very delicious. It is like chewing French fries covered with cheese while putting a piece of perfectly fried bacon ham into your mouth, combining the beauty of two types of food together, making the result of 1+1 greater than 2, or even greater than 3.
But Caroline's attention is not on the food now.
Admittedly, she acknowledged that Tingen Cake, as a local specialty, had successfully captured her taste buds, but on the other hand, because she had no drinks at hand, her mouth was actually a little dry.
On the other hand, it was because of the matter about that "Fool".
The good news is that luck-changing rituals do work.
The bad news is that the luck-changing ritual seems to have brought her some unclean things.
I am still not careful enough. I have been like this since I was a kid when I took exams. I can still remember clearly how many times my mother scolded me for losing points because I didn't read the questions clearly…
Caroline covered her forehead dejectedly. Somehow, she suddenly felt like she was waiting for the death sentence.
Ahhh, what am I doing? I should cheer up!
The matter was done. It was a fact that she had been noticed by The Fool because of her luck-changing ritual. There was no point in regretting it now.
Whether The Fool is a dangerous factor or not, Caroline cannot draw a definite conclusion based on the content of the "report" alone, but escaping and going straight do not seem to be good options, which makes her so entangled now.
Since The Fool did not bring down any curse or punishment on her right away, it meant that he was not some crazy evil god. Instead, he was able to hold a party with other people, and even Miss Audrey participated in it under the code name of "Justice", which showed that The Fool could communicate and had basic rationality.
If we can communicate, things won't be that bad. Perhaps the Fool did nothing after discovering that he had performed the luck-changing ritual, which was a kind of release?
"The Fool noticed me only after I performed the luck-changing ritual. Maybe he has something to do with my time travel."
Caroline took a bite of the Tingen biscuit and thought as she chewed.
"If I can meet him in person, speak to him sincerely, be humble, give good reasons, make some promises, and reach some deals with him, maybe he will be happy and let me go back to Earth..."
"It's definitely useless to escape. What's coming will come back. It's better to take the initiative to contact."
"But we definitely can't contact him right now. If we do it too frequently, it will annoy The Fool and that will be bad."
"In a few days, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I will perform the third luck-changing ritual and see if I can contact The Fool."
"And now, I still have to focus on my mission to find the fraudster."
Caroline slowly sorted out her thoughts and felt that things were not too bad, and her mood gradually eased.
She stuffed the remaining Tingen biscuit into her mouth with force, puffed up her cheeks, collected the oil paper, threw it into the trash can, and then went to the bathroom to wash her hands.
After returning to the room, Caroline opened her suitcase, took off her walking skirt, and changed into a slightly more elite outfit of a stand-up collar shirt, a light-colored jacket, and a skirt.
After putting on this outfit, Caroline clearly felt that her body became a little heavier, far from the sense of ease that the hunter suit and walking skirt brought her.
No wonder she often missed the time when she was a man. Look at those Loen gentlemen on the street. Their outfits are basically the same all year round. For someone as lazy as her, it would be enough to just buy four identical suits.
We need to push society forward and develop modern clothing, such as short-sleeved sweatshirts, as soon as possible...
The emperor can do it, why can't I?
If Roselle can go, I can go too!
Caroline hid the dagger and revolver in her handbag and made up her mind.
But these are all things that need to be considered later. Russell waited until middle age to become successful, so there is no need to rush.
First of all, you have to make yourself have enough power, become an extraordinary person, and get rid of the shadow of death. This is the first stage of Caroline's main mission.
After tidying up her clothes, Caroline left the room with the "Do Not Disturb" sign, hung it on the door handle, closed the door and walked away.
After walking outside the hotel, the sunlight and the light air outside rushed towards Caroline, making her body, which was tightened in her clothes, feel a lot more relaxed.
I opened my pocket watch and looked at the time. It was around three in the afternoon and the bank was still closed.
Caroline's plan is to use the "Void Cube" to collect city information and form "reports" to get a general overview of the situation, while at the same time relying on herself to go to various places related to finance and business to look for clues.
Since the clues given by Ovis Wein asserted that the swindler would never stop, then in these places we would definitely be able to find signs of his next attempt at fraud.
Was it a shell company, a Ponzi scheme, or a more serious illegal activity like a pyramid scheme... Caroline wasn't sure, but she felt that she would not miss it.
"First target, Backlund Bank's Tingen branch!"
Caroline encouraged herself and walked towards the carriage parked on the side of the road.Chapter 49 Business RecommendationsTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3259 words Update time: 2025-05-11 13:29:34
"Why can't I see it suddenly?"
After packing his luggage, Klein went out in the sun, still confused by the failure of his spying above the gray fog.
He did not think that his abilities were limited. Before the scene inside the crimson star came to an abrupt end, he was still able to decide that he still had some strength left.
But the change came so suddenly. The picture that was clearly very clear suddenly seemed to have lost its signal and could not be seen at all.
Could it be that the time for the luck-changing ritual had passed, and the connection between that fellow villager and the gray fog had been severed...
No, the crimson star that represented her was still there, and Gray Mist's connection with the others should not be so easy to sever. Justice and The Hanged Man did not perform any rituals when they were summoned for the second time.
Of course, this may also be because the two of them have been above the gray fog, and the connection between them and the gray fog has been bound at a deeper level.
The sample data is still too small, and more experiments are needed...
When Klein arrived at Iron Cross Street, he looked at the road conditions and lowered the brim of his hat slightly.
But in short, it is a good thing to find a fellow time traveler. She also knows the luck-changing ritual, so there are plenty of opportunities to get in touch with the gray fog again.
Thinking of this, Klein couldn't help but recall another person he remembered who knew how to change luck.
The lively young man he met at the roadside stall also learned the technique of the luck-changing ritual from him. And before he traveled through time, he had not contacted the other person for at least a month.
Originally, Klein thought that the two of them were just a superficial acquaintance, at most just a nodding acquaintance, and it was normal that the other party did not contact him. But now that he thought about it, could it be possible that the other party had traveled through time before him because he had performed a luck-changing ritual?
"Could it be that the girl is Gu Yu who traveled through time and space?"
Klein rubbed his nose. This thought suddenly occurred to him, and he couldn't help but chuckle.
It is unlikely. If Gu E had traveled through time, it should have been a month before I did. The girl is still doing the luck-changing ritual and it is obvious that she has just traveled through time. Gu E had a high probability of coming to this world earlier than him, perhaps after Emperor Roselle.
However, the time of time travel cannot be determined yet. In case the time is completely random, then there is a high probability that the girl is Gu Yi's.
"If it really is him, then the scene when he first traveled through must have been wonderful..."
Based on Klein's initial understanding of Gu Yi, even if he didn't accept it quickly, he would at least complain for a while. After all, even he himself would find it difficult to accept such a thing.
"Let's think about how to play the role of 'Fortune Teller' first. This is the most important thing right now."
Keeping his doubts in his heart, Klein walked at a leisurely pace on Iron Cross Street.
...
The Backlund Bank branch in Tingen was actually not far from the hotel where Caroline was staying, but she still called a carriage and got off slowly in front of the bank.
There was no other way. If she wanted to check information through the bank, she had to first create an "elite" image and leave a first impression on others.
Entering the bank, there were not many people doing business here in the afternoon. There were only two people sitting on the chairs in the waiting area, and there were more unemployed bank staff in the hall.
Caroline went straight to the bank counter and told the staff an account number and a corresponding set of ciphertext.
This was Caroline's own account, and it was also the account where Albert Hanover deposited her pocket money every month. The ciphertext was Caroline's name plus her birthday, December 1, 1330.
In addition, after the original body began to investigate the truth of the assassination of his parents, he also opened an anonymous account to conduct some transactions that were not convenient for people to know. However, Caroline still remembered the information of that account, and there was no money in it.
Caroline first had to confirm how much balance was left in her public account before proceeding with the next step.
"Miss Carolyn Williams?"
After receiving the corresponding account and ciphertext, the bank staff immediately confirmed Caroline's information and, after comparing the signatures, said to her cheerfully:
"Your account still has a balance of 3520 pounds~"
3520 pounds? A bit more than I expected... Oh, by the way, today is July 2nd, this month's pocket money should have been transferred.
The Williams were murdered several months ago, and Albert became Caroline's guardian three months ago. Excluding daily expenses and some underground transactions, there is nothing wrong with this number.
Caroline nodded in agreement. Seeing that she didn't say anything, the bank staff asked:
"What business do you need?"
Caroline pretended to think, and said calmly and calmly:
"Well, I want to see if there are any businesses and stocks worth investing in. The businesses in Backlund are too risky, and I don't like to make those kinds of bet-style investments. It just so happens that I'm traveling to Tingen this week, so I wanted to see if the investment market here would be better."
"Okay miss, please wait a moment."
The counter clerk raised his hand and rang a bell on the counter. Not long after the rapid and crisp ring, a middle-aged man in a suit and tie, with a slightly solemn face and a standard gentleman's smile, walked out from behind the door inside the bank.
"Mr. Wood, this is Miss Williams. She wants to consult about investment and stocks."
The counter staff introduced Caroline attentively:
"Ms. Williams, this is Mr. Wood, our bank's most senior and experienced employee and investment analyst."
Caroline stepped forward with a smile and extended her hand to Mr. Wood in a friendly manner.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Wood."
Mr. Wood immediately shook Caroline's hand and responded:
"It is my honor to serve a young and beautiful lady like you. How about we move to the reception room and have a detailed conversation while sipping tea?"
"You are the analyst, I listen to you."
Mr. Wood's expression relaxed a little, and he made way for Caroline, letting her go first.
After Caroline took a step forward, Mr. Wood turned to look at the counter clerk, who whispered something in his ear. He nodded slightly and then followed in quick steps.
Under the guidance of Mr. Wood, the two walked into a small room on the side of the bank.
The room is not big and the decoration style is very simple. There is only a table and two chairs, and a few potted plants on the side. Combined with the white walls, it can bring people a good mood.
After taking their seats, Mr. Wood asked Caroline about her tea preferences and received a casual answer.
Mr. Wood left his seat briefly and returned quickly with a black leather bag.
Not long after, a bank employee came into the reception room carrying two cups of steaming green tea. He handed one cup to Caroline first, and then to Mr. Wood.
After the staff left the room and closed the door, Mr. Wood got straight to the point and asked:
"Ms. Williams, do you have any needs regarding investment and stock business?"
Caroline took a sip of the tea. She didn't know much about tea leaves, so she couldn't tell whether it was good or bad.
"Just call me Caroline."
"Well, I want to make some relatively stable investments with moderate risks and good returns."
"You know, society doesn't always look favorably upon women's ability to work. I hope to get some substantial returns with the funds I have before I graduate from college, so that I can use the experience to prove my ability to my elders."
Mr. Wood nodded and said kindly:
"Some critics do underestimate women's abilities. I have a daughter myself, and if she wants to prove her abilities like you, Miss Caroline, I will be happy to support her."
"And Miss Caroline, I wish you success."
After a brief compliment, Mr. Wood took out a stack of documents clipped with paper clips from his briefcase and spread them out on the table.
Then he selected a few of them, turned to Caroline and explained them one by one.
Just like the counter staff, Mr. Wood did have a lot of experience. He started from the basis of each investment, introduced their current situation, and then talked about whether the people behind these investments were reliable, their current assets, and analyzed their respective prospects for Caroline, as well as their market size in various parts of Loon.
Caroline was quite excited for a moment. After Mr. Wood's analysis, she felt that these projects were very worthy of investment. As long as she was patient and had a little trust, she would be able to get stable returns.
However, she did not come here for investment, and no matter how touching Mr. Wood's words were, she did not intend to really do anything.
Poor Mr. Wood's hard work...
Caroline took a sip of tea calmly and watched the other person's fingers continue to indicate on the documents.
"Mr. Belica's project is also guaranteed by time and the market. There are quite a few investors who can get returns from his business every year. Although the number is small, it is safe and stable. Many middle-class families I know have bought his stocks, and the annual income can well make up for the family's miscellaneous expenses in the previous year."
Mr. Wood continued to introduce the investment to Caroline in a leisurely tone. After several rounds of explanations, Caroline had basically ruled out the idea of looking for targets in these stable investments. Because in these introductions, their projects were too honest. Basically, they were industries that would definitely pay off as long as there was time. They had lasted for at least two years and were old companies in Tinggen. They did not fit the style of the scammer.
However, you still have to build a good personal image, and you can't seek venture capital right away.
So Caroline waited quietly for Mr. Wood to finish the rest of his speech. When he stopped to drink water to moisten his throat, she glanced at the little sweat on Mr. Wood's forehead and said:
"These projects are indeed very exciting, but the time required is really a bit..."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Wood, can you recommend me an investment project that is not so stable, has a little risk, but can get returns quickly?"Chapter 50 Venture CapitalTitle of the Book: Mystery: Fire and the Fool's Path Author's name: December's Stranding Chapter word count: 3114 words Update time: 2025-05-11 18:00:00
"A slightly risky project?"
Mr. Wood was a little confused. He had spent so much effort explaining so many stocks that he had great confidence in because these stocks and investments were indeed quite stable and were very close to businesses that were certain to pay off, such as earning interest on deposits and buying Loen government bonds.
But then he immediately realized that he seemed to have ignored the real needs of the lady in front of him.
She was not short of money, nor was she doing it to earn some pocket money. She was doing it to prove her business ability and investment skills to her elders at home, who had mistakenly regarded her as a girl from an ordinary middle-class family.
It's been a while since I met a young lady of this level, and my business skills have been somewhat lacking...
Mr. Wood reflected on himself secretly in his heart, and then quickly said to Caroline:
"Yes miss, yes."
"Before, stocks and investments were only the items that most customers who came to handle business would choose. You are different from them, so naturally you have more and richer choices."
"I believe you can see from these projects that our bank's business is quite extensive. Although we are only a branch, we have been thriving thanks to the trust of many customers over the years and the excellent credit of Backlund Bank."
Mr. Wood was very adept at speaking. In just a few words, he explained the previous introductions as "proving the bank's credit strength to customers" without ignoring the customers' own status and needs.
But Caroline didn't hear this meaning. She just thought Mr. Wood's words were very nice.
"I am willing to continue listening to your explanation."
She said to Mr. Wood with a smile.
Mr. Wood breathed a sigh of relief with an unchanged expression, then raised his signature smile, collected all the general investment documents on the table, and then took out another stack of documents.
After a quick glance, Mr. Wood pulled out a piece of paper from the documents and handed it to Caroline, while introducing:
"Mr. Arnold's project is a little risky. He is engaged in the shipping business."
"At the beginning of each quarter, he would organize a fleet to depart from Pritz Harbor, carrying a large amount of goods across the Sonia Sea to Bayam, and then go to the South Continent for sales and trading. Then, at the beginning of the third month, he would bring the goods from the South Continent back to the North Continent for sale."
"He is currently seeking investment to further expand his fleet. The ocean is full of opportunities, but also challenges and risks. Although transoceanic trade is indeed a very profitable industry, the unpredictable weather on the ocean and the greedy and brutal pirates are risks in Mr. Arnold's business."
"But as long as the goods can arrive safely in the southern continent, the return on this investment will be quite good."
Commercial fleets... Since there are registered ships, the possibility of fraud is not very high...
The main goods sold are... cloth? Selling cloth to the southern continent? And the things brought back are... stones? Shouldn't it usually be spices or fruits? This is really an unconventional move.
But it is no wonder. If Mr. Arnold had a large number of channels to purchase spices and fruits, the money he earned would have been enough for him to form a large-scale trading company long ago, instead of having to expand his fleet through investment now.
Caroline looked at the information on the paper and thought quickly.
Of course, it is also possible that after defrauding investments, they would bring the goods to the sea and then collude with pirates to pretend to be robbed - this routine is not new.
But judging by the character of the fraudster, he seems to prefer to carry out frauds on his own... Conspiring with pirates? It doesn't seem to fit the character profile given by Ovis.
Moreover, the fraudster should have stayed mainly in Tingen. The fleet drifted in the ocean for more than half a month, which conflicted with the divination results obtained by Ovis. Unless he was a behind-the-scenes planner, hiding in the dark and controlling all this.
Seeing that Caroline did not respond, Mr. Wood brought up new investment projects.
"There are also these projects, which focus on brand new technological inventions and designs. Some are students, some are professors and inventors. They just lack sufficient funds to start and realize their inventions, so they come to seek investment."
"The investment amount required for these projects is generally higher, but this part of the investment is actually equivalent to a kind of original shares. As long as their inventions can eventually be recognized and favored by the market, the returns will be quite good."
Novel invention projects? This really pokes my interest. The progress of society really needs talents in this field...
Caroline's eyes lit up and she leaned forward slightly to show her interest.
Telephones, bicycles, air conditioners, short-sleeved clothing and all kinds of modern equipment all require the ingenuity and hard work of these people.
Moreover, using the guise of new trends and new technologies to commit fraud is more in line with the actions of the fraudster.
Caroline nodded slightly, took the document in question and looked through it carefully.
However, she soon discovered that most of these invention projects were not in Tingen, but were located in other cities in Loen or other countries. The corresponding information was also quite complete, and the inventors were basically students or professors from different universities. It was easy to search and verify their interpersonal relationships, which made her immediately cut off any clues she found.
Then she turned to Mr. Wood and said:
"May I ask if there are any local projects in Tinggen?"
"Tinggen's local project..."
Mr. Wood rarely showed an embarrassed expression. He scratched his forehead where some hair was falling out, bent down to get more documents, and searched through them in detail, while explaining to Caroline:
"Tingen is not a city favored by financial markets, and people here are generally not very risk-averse."
As he spoke, Mr. Wood raised his eyebrows slightly, then took out three pieces of paper and handed them to Caroline, changing his tone and saying:
"Investing does come with risk, but it also represents an opportunity to soar. Who wouldn't want a possible opportunity to move their life to a better stage?"
"You are quite right."
Caroline took the document with a smile and looked at it carefully.
"Real estate development plan in the suburbs west of Tingen...Mr. Frazee."
"Northern District Department Store Construction Plan...Mr. Alriman."
"The Honachis Mountains Iron Mine Development Plan...Mr. Lanevus."
As Caroline watched, Mr. Wood introduced her:
"Mr. Frazier is a newly emerged real estate businessman in Tingen. He plans to develop a villa area in the suburbs west of the city for people to enjoy. It is said that he has won the favor of many local wealthy people in Tingen and has obtained development permission from the government."
"Mr. Alrich is a businessman who has transformed himself. He used to sell fruits from the southern continent wholesale in Tingen. Recently, he wants to build a new chain brand in the North District Commercial Street and recruit investors in the form of a large shopping mall."
"As for Mr. Lanevus, he is a successful young man. He discovered a large iron ore with good quality in the Hornachis Mountains. He has a formal exploration report and geological documents. His plan is to attract follow-up investment by establishing a steel company. Once the funds are in place, he will start mining... It is said that he also has a certain relationship with our dear mayor."
"These projects involve relatively large investment amounts and the corresponding returns are very generous, but the risks are also very high. I generally do not recommend these investments to my clients."
Caroline nodded in response to Mr. Wood's words and carefully read the project content on the document.
Real estate, shopping malls, and mineral development are indeed projects that can easily generate huge profits after paying a lot of costs. However, in modern Earth, Caroline has seen many projects being suspended due to various reasons, resulting in a large number of unfinished buildings that affect the cityscape. She feels from the bottom of her heart that these things are unreliable.
What she thought was unreliable was actually very reliable for another thing.
These are indeed areas where commercial fraud is very easy to commit, especially real estate. It is hardly breaking news that the boss runs away with the money.
As for the construction of the shopping mall, Caroline didn't know what the local consumption situation was like in Tinggen, but she was not optimistic about the prospects of this project.
The reason is very simple. Put yourself in their shoes. When you are used to going to a place to buy daily necessities, would you be interested in a so-called "chain store" that suddenly opens, about which you don't know what it is like and has no reputation?
She definitely wouldn't go anyway.
After looking around, only the mineral development seems to be slightly reliable.
After all, iron ore itself is a valuable commodity, and it is also a necessity in industrial countries. As long as stable production can be achieved, there is no need to worry about sales issues. It may even be possible to reach an agreement with the national government to obtain more stable sales channels and mining funds... Of course, the premise is that there really is a mineral resource that contains rich profits.
Could that fraudster be hiding among these people?
Caroline silently wrote down the three names and their respective company addresses. Then, she returned the documents to Mr. Wood, stood up and said to her:
"These projects are very tempting. I think I need some time to think carefully and wait a few days to see if I can give a specific answer."
Caroline said it very politely, but Mr. Wood knew that it meant that she was not interested in any of the projects.
Although it is regrettable, Mr. Wood also knows that investment itself is not so easy to believe, both for investors and for him as a bank employee.
"I'll be here waiting for your choice."
Mr. Wood also stood up and stretched out his hand to shake Caroline's hand again.