After gaining the ability of Keen Observation, Dunn felt as if a new window had opened when handling the Nighthawks' daily affairs.
Once, they received a report from a jewelry merchant claiming his home had been burglarized and an ancestral gemstone brooch was missing. Dunn led the team to the scene. While the others routinely checked the doors and windows and questioned the servants, Dunn simply stood quietly in the center of the living room, his gaze slowly sweeping around.
He "saw" the extremely faint imprint of a sole pattern on the carpet that belonged to no one in the house, an imprint carrying a trace of damp soil unique to the riverside; he "heard" the nearly imperceptible acceleration of the merchant's heartbeat when describing the missing item; he "smelled" a lingering, extremely faint whiff of cheap tobacco and... hmm, cat feces?
Combining these details, he did not directly point to a suspect, but instead, seemingly casually, asked the merchant if he had recently had any business dealings or conflicts with people who owned riverside warehouses and kept cats. The merchant's expression instantly became unnatural. Under Dunn's calm gaze, which seemed to see through people's hearts, he finally stammered out an admission that the "theft" was self-staged to claim a high insurance payout. The brooch was hidden with a "friend" of his who operated a dockside warehouse and was fond of keeping cats.
The case was solved quickly, and the high efficiency made Luo Yao, who was responsible for taking notes, unable to resist glancing at Dunn several times.
"Captain, you seem... particularly sharp today." After a mission to clear a suspected supernatural location (which later turned out to be just a nest of mischievous sprites), Leonard Mitchell wiped his cane and said, seemingly casually. A trace of subtle scrutiny flashed deep within his green eyes. The old man inside him also seemed to have detected some indescribable change in Dunn but did not offer a clear hint or warning.
Dunn felt a slight chill in his heart, but on the surface, he just smiled gently, habitually tapping his temple with his finger, and said in a slightly apologetic tone, "Perhaps I finally got a good night's sleep last night, and my Spirituality recovered well. When people get older, their condition is always hit or miss."
He had to be careful; the improvement in his abilities couldn't be too abrupt. He needed to find a reasonable explanation that fit the persona of "Dunn Smith."
He shifted more of his attention to Klein Moretti. The new team member's performance was astonishing, especially in the study of Mysticism and the application of divination abilities, progressing much faster than ordinary people. Using Keen Observation, Dunn could more clearly perceive the extraordinary focus hidden beneath Klein's caution and diligence when studying and executing missions, along with... a composure that suggested he already knew part of the "answer"? This further confirmed his suspicions.
Soon, the incident involving the Antigonus Family Notebook began to show signs. With Dunn's more precise intelligence analysis and task assignments, coupled with Klein's own excellent performance (Dunn utilized his enhanced insight at certain key junctures to provide clearer investigative directions), the incident was resolved more quickly and securely. Klein also seemed to integrate more fully into the Nighthawks team, and his Potion digestion progressed smoothly.
Dunn knew this was just the brief, precious calm before the storm. Ince Zangwill and the Feather Pen 0-08 in his hand, which could write destiny, were like venomous spiders hiding in the shadows of Tingen City, silently weaving a net of destruction.
Must be faster! Acquire more power!
A few days later, when his Spirituality was fully restored, even feeling more abundant than before due to the passive enhancement from Keen Observation, Dunn activated the Simulator again.
[Current Available Simulated World Fragments:]
[1. Fragment of 'The Gods' Folly' - "The War for Faith" (Difficulty: Medium-High)]
[2. Random Unknown World Fragment (Risk: High)]
[3. (Not yet refreshed)]
"Select Fragment of 'The Gods' Folly' - 'The War for Faith'."
[Selection confirmed. Loading World Rules... Consciousness Projection begins!]
This experience was completely different from the "Pale Stage." There was no slow transition; consciousness felt abruptly thrown into a high-speed vortex. When the dizziness faded, deafening shouts, the clang of weapons clashing, the dull thud of flesh being torn, and the crackle of some heavy object burning instantly overwhelmed him like a tide.
He found himself wearing a set of coarse leather armor covered in grime and bloodstains, clutching a rusty longsword with a chipped edge. Beneath his feet was cold, damp ground littered with rubble and unidentified remnants. The air was thick with gunpowder smoke, blood, and a strange, religious smell... a mixture of sandalwood and sulfur.
He was positioned behind a section of severely damaged city wall, surrounded by many soldiers dressed similarly to him, their faces fearful or numb. Some were praying quietly, others were silently wiping their weapons, and most were staring blankly beyond the wall.
He looked up, and the sky was distorted. Lights of different colors—symbolizing blazing gold, representing deep blue, spreading deathly gray-white, and surging with vibrant emerald green—rolled and clashed in the clouds like living pythons, emitting a pressure that made the soul tremble. That was the manifestation of Deity power, and merely gazing at it made Dunn feel his Spirituality quiver.
His consciousness was forcibly stripped from the quiet office and thrown into a vortex full of blood and madness. When Dunn's perception re-coalesced, the deafening sound waves nearly tore his eardrums. Shouts, roars, dying wails, the sharp clang of weapons colliding, and the dull thud of some heavy object continuously bombarding the city wall intertwined into a symphony of destruction.
He found himself wearing a set of coarse, worn leather armor covered in dark red bloodstains and mud, with cold metal fasteners digging painfully into his skin. He held a longsword whose blade was rusty and whose edge was covered in vicious chips, as if it had just hacked through hard bone. Beneath his feet was cold, damp ground strewn with gravel and unidentified viscous matter. The air was filled with a thick, nauseating mixture of smells—the choking scent of gunpowder smoke, the metallic sweetness of blood, the stench of decaying corpses, and a strange, strongly religious aura... a mix similar to aged spices and burnt sulfur.
He was behind a section of city wall constructed from massive yet broken bluish-gray stones, which seemed to be a temporary defensive structure. Surrounding him were many soldiers dressed similarly, most with sallow faces and eyes filled with terror, numbness, or a kind of near-breakdown fanaticism. Some were curled up in corners, hands clasped, rapidly murmuring indistinct prayers; others mechanically wiped their weapons, which were no better than his own; most, however, just stared blankly at the bizarrely colored sky outside the battlements.
Dunn looked up, and his heart clenched suddenly.
The sky was no longer the familiar gray-white or azure, but like a massive palette that had been overturned. A blazing, molten-gold Sun's radiance fiercely collided and eroded a profound, ocean-deep azure divine glow, erupting into a silent energy storm; not far away, a realm of deathly gray-white spread like a plague, seemingly swallowing light wherever it went; further away, there was also vibrant emerald light full of life and thick, earthy brown halos... These lights were not natural phenomena; they were extensions of the Deities' will, manifestations of different Divine Kingdoms' powers in the material world. Just by watching, Dunn felt his Spirituality flicker like a candle in the wind, and a sense of insignificance and fear stemming from his survival instinct choked him.
[Identity: Recruit in the Koredor City Garrison, Shallow Believer (leaning towards Omnises, God of Protection and Sacrifice).]
[Mission: Survive the upcoming "Siege of Koredor Holy City" until the end of the battle phase, and obtain at least 10 "Faith Points."]
[Methods for obtaining Faith Points:]
[1. Kill believers of hostile Deities (rewards range from 1 to 5 points, based on the target's piety and strength).]
[2. Successfully complete a minor prayer ritual on the battlefield to invoke Divine Grace (rewards 1-3 points per success).]
[3. Effectively spread the doctrine and honorable name of Omnises, God of Protection and Sacrifice, to Non-believers or Shallow Believers within a safe zone (rewards 1-2 points, depending on effectiveness).]
[Warning: Strictly forbidden to expose the Simulator and related concepts. Strictly forbidden to use abilities clearly beyond the foundational rules and cognitive scope of this world (such as directly casting Dream Induction or creating illusions). Violators will suffer backlash from the world rules, potentially leading to the premature collapse of the Consciousness Body.]
[The Battle begins!]
No sooner had the cold notification sound faded than an even louder horn blast, powerful enough to shatter the soul, came from outside the city wall! The previously somewhat orderly defenses instantly erupted into chaos!
"For the glory of the Sun! Burn these Heretics!" Accompanied by fanatical shouts, several enemy soldiers clad in gold-red armor suddenly appeared over the battlements. They condensed blazing fireballs in their hands and hurled them fiercely into the city!
"'Hold the line! For Coredo! For Omnises!'" A squad leader with a scar across his face roared hoarsely beside Dunn, raising a wooden shield engraved with a pattern of a shield and olive branches.
The chaotic boarding battle erupted instantly! The dull thuds of blades sinking into flesh, the screams of the dying, and the sizzling sound of flames scorching skin were incessant.
Dunn forced himself to calm down. He could not use the direct abilities of "Nightmare," but the superhuman physical quality, reaction speed, and instinctive intuition for danger brought by being a Sequence 7 Beyonder were the foundation of his survival. The newly acquired "Keen Observation" was now his greatest reliance.
He did not blindly charge forward like some of the new recruits. Instead, he quickly moved behind a relatively sturdy cover, his gaze sharply scanning the battlefield.
He "saw" a slight backward tilt of a Sun believer's shoulder before they threw a fireball; he "heard" the hidden location of an allied soldier behind him, revealed by their rapid breathing due to fear; he "smelled" that the faint scent of blood coming from the left passage was fresher than the right, indicating recent fighting and the possibility of remaining enemies there.
He used these details to judge the direction of attacks, the distribution of enemies, and relatively safe paths of movement. When a Sun believer howled, leaped over the crenellation, and charged at a terrified young defender, Dunn moved.
He did not engage in a head-on clash. Instead, he sidestepped and slid, his rusted longsword accurately stabbing toward the connection point of the opponent's armor beneath the armpit, which was exposed by the swing. "Keen Observation" allowed him to find this fleeting weakness. The tip of the sword brought a sense of resistance as it pierced flesh, accompanied by the enemy's scream. He immediately retreated, avoiding the spraying blood and any potential counterattack.
[Faith Points +1.]
The prompt sounded in his mind, cold and objective.
Dunn felt no joy, only the coldness of struggling on the edge of life and death. He continued to move, like a lone wolf, utilizing the environment and his insight, specifically targeting isolated, injured, or distracted enemies. His movements were efficient and concise; he never lingered in combat. Every successful dodge or attack benefited from "Keen Observation's" grasp of the battlefield dynamics.
He didn't know how long the fighting lasted, and the city wall changed hands several times. Dunn felt his stamina rapidly draining. His arms were sore from countless swings, and new gashes and bloodstains appeared on his leather armor (some from enemies, some from stray arrows that scratched him). But his "Resilient Will" (a reward from the previous simulation) began to take effect. That steady sense of power supported his spirit, preventing him from being crushed by the bloody, hellish scene and the continuous pressure of death.
During a brief lull in the fighting, he leaned against a ruined wall, catching his breath. He saw several soldiers nearby gathered around a tattered banner inscribed with the Holy Emblem of Omnises (a shield and olive branches), praying softly. Dunn's heart stirred. Imitating them, he knelt on one knee, right hand over his chest, and solemnly recited the honored name of this deity from memory:
"Great Guardian, Practitioner of the Path of Sacrifice, Bulwark in Despair, Omnises..."
As he recited it, he could vaguely feel a faint, warm power, heavy like earth and tinged with compassion, descending from the void, merging into his exhausted body and spirit, dispelling some of the coldness and fear. Though weak, it was undeniably real.
[Faith Points +1.]
It worked! Dunn's spirit was lifted. He wasn't just doing it for the points; in this environment, even a trace of divine favor could be the difference between life and death.
He became more proactive. During breaks in the fighting, he not only prayed himself but also encouraged his companions who were on the verge of collapse with short, powerful words: "Hold on! Omnises is watching over us! Protect our home!" His words, combined with the image he had established through his calm fighting, played a role in stabilizing morale. Even two soldiers whose eyes had been unfocused tightened their grip on their weapons after his encouragement.
[Faith Points +1.] (Effective encouragement, spreading faith)
He was no longer just a passive survivor; he began to try and use every means possible to secure a chance of survival in this divine game.
The siege entered its most brutal phase. Massive battering rams slammed against the city gate, creating deafening roars. The divine battle in the sky also seemed to reach a fever pitch. The radiance of the Blazing Sun momentarily suppressed the azure sky, and scorching light spots rained down, igniting buildings within the city, causing chaos and screams.
The section of the city wall where Dunn was located was breached by elite enemy forces, plunging them into melee combat. He was no longer facing ordinary soldiers, but a Blazing Sun Knight clad in heavy armor, wielding a battle-axe, and possessing fanatical eyes. The opponent's strength and defense far surpassed his. After several clashes, Dunn's rusted sword only sparked when it hit the knight's plate armor, and the web of his hand was numb from the impact.
"Heretic! Be purified into ashes by the Blazing Sun!" the Knight roared, bringing his battle-axe down with a vicious, air-tearing gust.
He couldn't dodge! Dunn's pupils contracted, and the shadow of death instantly enveloped him. In this critical moment, "Keen Observation" allowed him to catch the opponent's left ankle, which was slightly raised due to the full-force downward swing—that was where the heavy armor's protection was relatively weak!
He gave up blocking (which would have been suicide). His body twisted as he lunged sideways, simultaneously pouring all his strength and Spirituality into the rusted sword in his hand, striking out like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, accurately stabbing the ankle!
"Pshh!"
"Ugh ah—!"
The sword tip pierced leather and sank into muscle and bone! The Knight let out a cry of pain, his chopping motion distorted, and the battle-axe scraped past Dunn's shoulder and smashed into the ground, scattering gravel. Ignoring the burning pain in his shoulder, Dunn rolled away, creating distance.
He failed to critically wound the opponent, but he bought himself time to breathe. Just then, reinforcements from within the city finally arrived, forcing the wounded Knight and the intruding enemy troops to retreat.
When the low horn sound, different from the previous attack signal, rang out, signaling a retreat (or a phase victory? Dunn couldn't tell), the Blazing Sun army besieging the city receded like a tide. The remaining defenders erupted in cheers of survival mixed with weeping.
Dunn slumped onto the cold stone ground, his body feeling like it was falling apart, every muscle screaming. His Spirituality was nearly exhausted, and his mental fatigue was indescribable. The simulator prompt in his mind showed that his Faith Points had reached 17.
[Mission Complete! Campaign Phase Ended! Fragment Forcefully Terminated!]
His consciousness was violently pulled back, and the familiar sight of the office reappeared before his eyes. But the intense exhaustion, the phantom pain from several wounds, and the smell of blood and gunpowder that seemed to linger in his nostrils prevented him from recovering for a long time. He lay slumped on the desk, gasping for breath, sweat dripping down his temples.
This simulation was ten times more dangerous and ten times longer than the "Pale Stage"! That was a real battlefield, a meat grinder under the gambit of the gods!
[Simulation Ended. Detaching from World Fragment...]
[Settlement in Progress...]
[Based on Host's performance in the "Faith Scramble" fragment:]
[1. Successfully survived a high-difficulty battlefield environment until the phase ended.]
[2. Effectively utilized environment and insight to kill low-level hostile believers (Points +7).]
[3. Successfully triggered faint divine favor, effectively encouraged companions, and spread faith (Points +10).]
[4. Maintained fighting will under extreme pressure and executed effective counterattacks.]
[Overall Evaluation: A-]
[Reward Issued: Skill Imprint - "Resilient Will" (Primary)]
[Effect Description: Passively enhances the Host's resistance to negative emotions such as mental stress, fear, despair, and madness inducement; slightly increases mental tenacity and physical endurance. Provides some auxiliary effect in countering mental pollution within Beyonder characteristics.]
A steady, rock-like sense of strength slowly integrated into Dunn's spiritual world and the depths of his body. Although his physical fatigue was still intense, he felt as if his will had been tempered, becoming more focused and solid. The negative emotions of slaughter and despair accumulated on the battlefield were quietly smoothed out and isolated by this power. He even felt that the latent tendency within him, belonging to the SleeplessPathway, which made him prone to madness and loss of control, seemed to have been restrained by a faint bridle.
For a Beyonder constantly facing the risk of losing control, the value of this reward even surpassed some offensive abilities!
Dunn took a long time to recover before slowly straightening up. He looked at his slightly trembling but gradually steady hands, a hint of lingering fear flashing in his eyes, but more so, a determination forged by enduring a life-or-death trial.
"Guardian and Sacrifice... Omnises..." He whispered the deity's name again. The experience of praying in despair gave him a completely new understanding of the word "faith," one different from what he read in books.
He survived and became stronger again. He was one small step further away from that destined catastrophe.
Yet, in the unseen world, it seemed he had lost something else.