While Leonard fed mosquitoes outside, inside the rented apartment, Klein diligently played the part of an ordinary person in danger.
Klein was truly unlucky. Formerly Zhou Mingrui, he woke up that morning to find himself transmigrated into a "brain-dead" youth. After piecing together the original owner's fragmented memories and sending his sister to school, Klein, eager to return home, used black bread to recreate the transfer ritual that likely caused his crossing. It didn't work. Instead, he ended up in a mysterious gray fog.
There, he accidentally summoned two others. After some talk, Klein, feigning omniscience, established himself as a big shot, created the Fool persona, and formed the Tarot Club with them.
Exhausted from the meeting, he sent them away, drained his spirituality, and napped. But he barely woke up before the police knocked.
Klein learned the original owner was entangled in a dark divination incident. The other two involved had committed suicide, leaving him the sole "survivor" under scrutiny. Problem was, his inherited memories held nothing about the event. He knew the original owner didn't survive—his transmigration just made "Klein Moretti" seem alive.
He couldn't reveal his transmigration or "resurrection," so Klein used careful wording to assert his innocence and acted the part of a rattled civilian after Dunn and the others left. Too calm or knowledgeable about Beyonders, and he feared being arrested as a suspect. At the Tarot Club, he'd learned about official Beyonder organizations, suspecting Dunn's group included them.
"I hope I don't go from transmigrator to prisoner. That'd be too much," Klein grumbled inwardly, racking his brain for the original owner's role in the incident. Nothing.
…
Backlund, East District, Darawi Street, a lively small bar.
Luo Lin wrinkled his nose at the cheap alcohol stench, scanning the crowd before spotting his target at the bar.
Weaving through the throng, he reached a young man in his twenties—lean face, messy brows, soft features, matching the novel's description.
Williams, a half-baked information broker with ties to East District gangs.
Luo Lin wasn't here for gang business but because Williams knew Xio.
"Williams, I need to talk," Luo Lin said, voice low but sharp in the noisy bar, startling Williams like thunder.
"Who're you?" Williams asked, puzzled, eyeing Luo Lin.
"Call me Jack Jones," Luo Lin replied smoothly, using a fake name. "You know the bounty hunter, Miss Xio, right? I have important business to entrust her with. I'd like to meet her in person."
He wasn't worried about suspicion. Xio was a known bounty hunter in East District, even to "Luo Lin Zoroast." Requesting her for a commission was normal.
"Looking for Xio?" Williams glanced at him, unsurprised, sipping his drink. After a moment's thought, he said, "I'll pass it on. Come back tomorrow at this time. If she's willing, you'll meet her here. No guarantees."
"And whether you meet her or not, I need a fee," Williams added, gesturing for money.
Luo Lin, expecting this, pulled a one-pound note from his pocket. "If I meet Xio, I'll give you another."
"Generous kid." Williams took the note, verified it on the spot, and pocketed it happily. A pound or two wasn't much, but for just notifying Xio, it was practically free money.
Luo Lin smiled, said nothing, and left. He still needed to visit Backlund University to prep his fake identity.
Williams watched him go, thoughtful. "Something secretive?" As an information broker, he knew a bit about the Beyonder world, suspecting Xio was one. Others had sought her to enter that circle, though he didn't know if they succeeded. He had no interest in that life, content with his own.
…
The next day, Darawi Street bar.
As promised, Luo Lin arrived and spotted a woman at the bar.
"Hello, Miss Xio," he greeted, approaching and sizing her up.
She was barely five feet tall, with messy blonde hair, delicate features, and practical clothing. Despite her small stature, she exuded an indescribable authority.
Xio Derecha, Sequence 9 Arbiter, future Tarot Club's Justice, and Forsi's close friend.
Luo Lin sought her for two reasons: to integrate into Backlund's Beyonder circles through her and Forsi, joining their gatherings, and to lay groundwork for joining the Tarot Club.
In the Lord of Mysteries world, missing the Tarot Club was unthinkable. It offered high-end goods, information, and connections to future powerhouses—perfect for networking. Plus, as a Trickster, he'd prepared fake diaries. Watching the Fool read them or teasing him up close was too good to pass up.
(Chapter End)