In the silent study, Ai Qing gazed silently at the cell phone on her desk. Light rising from its screen interwove in the air, forming an invisible display that revealed a man sitting rigidly at his workstation.
She said, "I want to check on the progress of the report I submitted."
After a moment of silence, the impassive clerk shifted his gaze from his computer screen and answered, "Your reinforcement request has been approved. In accordanceance with the Sublimators Management Law of the country in question, the East Asia Social Security Bureau has been notified. A response will be forthcoming within one business day. Eliminating threats in the Current Circumstances is the duty of every Inspector. Please continue to pay attention to the situation and ensure that matters do not deteriorate further before the issue is resolved."
Relaying...
Ai Qing sighed.
In recent years, as pressure from beyond the borders gradually weakened, the United Nations began to further restrict the powers of the Astronomical Society. Now, within the territories of sovereign nations, frontline inspectors like her no longer had the authority to retain armed departments. Personnel were also becoming increasingly scarce, their roles shifting from those of an operational agency to an observational one.
Faced with the Five Constants' growing assertiveness, the Jurisdiction Bureau chose to compromise, delegating daily armed operations to be handled by the respective countries to avoid sovereignty disputes.
No, or rather, had the internal struggle between the Sovereignty Faction and the Border Faction within the Jurisdiction Bureau already reached a white-hot stage? As the representatives of the Five Constants began to demand more rights and resources, conflicts became inevitable. At this rate, would she eventually find herself working at the Special Affairs Department? But for incidents involving Elements of Destructive, this conservative stance was tantamount to indulgence, wasn't it? Or perhaps they wished to let the situation deteriorate so they could sweep in and clean up the mess at the end? There were too many possibilities, making it difficult to guess.
She rubbed her temples, stopped pondering these infernal issues, and asked, "And what about the other application?"
After performing a few operations on the computer, the clerk looked up and replied, "The 'Relic Application' you submitted has been approved—"
As he spoke, he extracted a form from the pneumatic tube beside him, examining its contents and the official approval. "The requested Border Relic is number 1752, the S-level Erosion Matter, 'Faust'."
He looked up and said, "You will be granted three inquiries with it. Please follow the relevant regulations and pay close attention to the sixth, seventh, and nineteenth clauses. Confirm upon completion."
A text document appeared on Ai Qing's cell phone.
As was customary, she glanced at it and said, "Completed."
The clerk nodded. He tapped his fingers gently in the air a few times to pull up a text box, then turned to Ai Qing. "Please read the following text aloud and ensure compliance."
Ai Qing read calmly from the screen, "I will ensure that I remain vigilant and skeptical about everything said by the Border Relic 'Faust.' I will ensure that my inquiries to Faust will stay within the scope of the incident.
"I will ensure compliance with the Rules.
"I will retain my sanity and, if necessary, relinquish my personal freedom to accept the control and personality correction of the Technology Department. I so affirm."
As she finished reading, her signature appeared in the text box, which then transformed into an A4 sheet of paper and fell into the clerk's hands.
"Three questions. Use them wisely."
The clerk picked up a stamp beside him and stamped the paper.
THWACK!
The crisp sound of the red stamp hitting the paper echoed through the room, as if bursting a bubble. The invisible sound seemed to ripple through space, making everything undulate like water.
Authorization confirmed. The Current Reality unfolded.
In an instant, Ai Qing felt a sensation of weightlessness, as if she were on a slide or in a speeding race car, but then the bizarre feeling abruptly stopped.
The projection from her cell phone had dissipated.
In the silent room, a phantom appeared noiselessly, slowly solidifying into substance.
Border delivery.
The acronym B·I·F·R·O·S·T, if translated literally, would be 'Rainbow Bridge.' It was one of the three major blockades established Above the Current Circumstances and the most widely known of the three safety valves built by the Astronomical Society to prevent the world from destruction. One of its most direct functions—relying on tens of thousands of pathways and countless transfer stations set up Above the Current Circumstances—was to deploy anyone to any corner of the Current Circumstances at any time. Although numerous restrictions were in place to prevent misuse, it inevitably became one of the most frequently used methods of transport in emergencies.
The clang of steel resounded.
It came from the Iron Armor.
He was a person of indeterminable age, his face covered by a beard, and his body draped in heavy Armor. He held a flame-shaped Great Sword, and his head, with its braided hair, bore layers upon layers of overlapping tattoos.
Grim yet majestic.
His face, however, induced palpitations: not only were his eyes sewn shut and his ears filled and solidified with molten iron, but even his open mouth showed no sign of a tongue.
See nothing, hear nothing, say nothing.
This was the guardian of the Border Relic 'Faust,' and also the fail-safe designed to decapitate the user in case of relic malfunction or unauthorized operation.
He held the Great Sword in one hand and a sizable, heavy tome in the other. Its steel cover and clasps seemed to be bound by layer upon layer of restraints. As countless chains loosened, the clasps sprang open.
Amidst the sound of bubbling, viscous fluid, innumerable words fluttered out like flies, battering aimlessly in the air.
Eventually, they coalesced, forming a hunched old man who, upon touching the ground, began to cough violently. His lungs rattled like an outdated engine, spewing sparks, black smoke, and strands of pitch-black liquid.
Before these substances could reach the ground, they were pulled back into the book by an invisible power.
"PHEW—"
The old man, clad in a Rome-style robe, slowly straightened up, leaning on his cane and softly exclaiming, "That's somewhat better... Rare freedom indeed. Who has summoned me?"
He looked around, his eerie, shadowy eyes sweeping the area before finally landing on Ai Qing. A mocking smile spread across his face. "Ah, a fascinating unfinished product, a broken soul.
"Look, what did I say last time? Little wretch, we meet again."
With that, he leaned in, brazenly sniffing the scent of Ai Qing's hair.
"The fragrance of a virgin... What a pity. So ripe, and yet, unclaimed?" He paused, then let out a cackling laugh. "Or is it that no one has shown interest? To go through life without experiencing the wonders of intimacy is too bleak. Do you need my assistance?"
CRACK!
The sound of a stun gun flashed and was gone.
The old man spasmed and fell to the ground, kneeling before the wheelchair. He convulsed violently for a long time, then stiffly raised his head, his expression a mixture of relief and agony. "Oh... this sensation... Are you proclaiming your master-servant rights to me? To a book? Hahaha, how pitiful."
With that, Faust grinned mockingly and spread his arms.
"—Demon Faust, summoned to your side! Ask away, my... 'Master,' if you can bear the cost necessary to attain omniscience."
At that moment, the Man in Armor behind him gripped the hilt of his sword more tightly.
Rule One: No question will receive a direct answer, yet the price must still be paid.
Rule Four: Do not ask Faust for anything.
Rule Nine: Do not ask Faust questions that are too broad in scope, nor seek direct answers. The only proper method is to use indirect confirmation to alleviate the cost.
Ai Qing closed her eyes, disregarding the Demon's brazen laughter, and began to think.
After a long pause, she opened her eyes and asked, "Are the Savior Association's current actions truly of their own volition?"
Faust chuckled strangely, extending his hand and opening his palm. "The price for that question is an Odysseus Gold Coin—the one you carry with you."
Ai Qing frowned and looked at the Man in Armor, who showed no reaction and did not object.
Depending on the question, Faust would demand something from the questioner's vicinity, not limited to their person or possessions. Most of the time, the price fluctuated based on the answer's difficulty, but there were always exceptions. Faust invariably asked for something of great significance to the questioner: a family member's life, the sacrifice of a child, or other such sacrifices. The dire consequences of these demands were countless. Otherwise, the Astronomical Society would not have tasked the Man in Armor with guarding this book. Should the price exceed the established limit, the Man in Armor would promptly sever the questioner's head to prevent Faust from speaking the answer and completing the deal.
An Odysseus Gold Coin was still within the acceptable range.
Ai Qing was silent for a moment. She then took the gold coin hanging from a silver chain around her neck and handed it over without a word.
Faust cackled in triumph. He held the coin, greedily licking it as if craving the sweat and body odor clinging to it, before swallowing it whole.
Then, contentedly wiping his mouth, he answered her question:
"—Just as a flying bird cannot stop a storm."
In other words, after King Ocean, is there someone else orchestrating all of this, brewing some kind of plan?
Ai Qing frowned. Trading something so precious to her for such a vague response, even though she had been prepared for it, felt particularly unpleasant.
She remained silent for a long moment, took a deep breath, and suppressed her anger.
Then, she posed her second question.
"Will their plan cause a Transformation in Depth Hell·Metropolis?"
"Ah, an interesting question." Faust laughed, looking around. "Let me think... What shall the price of this question be? What should I take? No, what should I leave with you so that the pain is etched into your memory forever?"
His gaze quickly fell upon the wall, specifically on a picture frame covered by a dust cloth.
He turned back, looked at Ai Qing's ashen face, and smiled contentedly. "I want it."
The Man in Armor gave no reaction.
Ai Qing remained silent, her hands gripping the armrests so tightly that the veins throbbed angrily beneath her pale skin. After a long while, she closed her eyes.
"Take it."
Faust laughed heartily and snapped his fingers.
The picture frame began to burn. The dust cloth fell to the ground, and within the dancing flames, one could faintly glimpse the silhouette of a woman holding a child, as if cradling the most precious treasure in the world.
She was smiling radiantly at the camera.
Then, the smile vanished into the flames.
"...Answer me."
Ai Qing said softly, "Answer my question, Faust."