"I hope so…" Evah sighed, then, as if struck by a thought, broke into a smile, brimming with optimism. "Actually, I already wrote to my teacher about it, and he finally wrote back. He lectured me out in the letter, but he said he'd be back within two months. Once he's here, everything should be fine, right?"
Evah turned to Klein. "My teacher also said he'd check on your situation when he's back. Don't worry, Klein—my teacher's amazing. He'll definitely fix your problems."
Hearing this, Klein felt a mix of gratitude and guilt. But as a cautious man, he could only apologize to Jack in his heart before asking curiously, "Jack, what kind of person is Mr. Lucifer?"
"Him?" Evah's face took on a reminiscent look, then he said uncertainly, "Well, it's hard to say. He's probably a good guy overall, but he's got a serious mischievous streak. Loves pranking people. He's always rambling on about scripts and actors, stuff I don't get."
As he spoke, Evah's expression shifted to indignation. "And get this—I asked him in my letter about Mr. Door and The Fool, but he just told me it's not stuff I should be worrying about at my stage. Said to focus on learning what I'm supposed to. Ugh, it pissed me off!"
This was, of course, a patch for Jack Jones' persona. Despite having a powerful teacher, he knows surprisingly little about high-level secrets.
In truth, this was a standard path for Beyonders with proper mentorship in this world. Knowing too much was rarely a good thing, especially about high-level beings. It wasn't quite "knowledge is danger," but it was close.
Listening to Jack's rant, Klein's mouth twitched, though he could understand the teacher's reasoning.
Students should learn what's appropriate for their stage. A Sequence 9 newbie knowing a bunch of Angel and True God secrets wasn't exactly useful.
And with Jack's personality, knowing too much could easily lead to major screw-ups… Klein glanced at Jack, soothing him. "Mr. Lucifer's got a point. Knowing too much can sometimes bring danger."
Evah deflated like a frostbitten eggplant, muttering things like, "I didn't mean to," "It was an accident," and "I won't do it again," a string of odd complaints.
After moping for a bit, he suddenly perked up and looked at Klein. "Klein, have you ever recited The Fool's honorific name?"
"Uh, no," Klein said, shaking his head calmly, as if he truly hadn't.
Evah adopted a thoughtful look. After a few seconds, he said, "How about I recite it again, see what this Fool really is? I've already said his name once, so if I'm marked, I'm already marked. Reciting it again won't make things worse. And if The Fool isn't an evil god, maybe we could chat with him? Plus, I keep feeling like I've heard The Fool's name somewhere before…"
Klein's pupils practically quaked. He never expected Jack's brain to leap to that. But given the guy's usual carefree, slightly offbeat style, Klein oddly wasn't surprised. He quickly interjected, "That's way too risky. Your teacher's coming back soon, right? If you really want to do something, wait for him."
To change the subject, Klein added, "You said The Fool's name feels familiar. Can you remember where you heard it?"
"…Maybe in a book I read once," Klein said, and Evah, taking the bait, shifted focus. "It mentioned something about a Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Tianzun. Felt kinda similar to The Fool's name…"
This time, Klein's pupils really quaked, and he barely hid his reaction.
"Huh, Klein, what's with your eyes? Feeling okay? Do you need some eye drops? Uh, do they even have eye drops in this era…" Evah, fully aware of Klein's shock, played dumb, feigning concern.
"I'm fine," Klein said, shaking his head with effort. Ignoring the risk of exposure, he pressed, "Jack, do you remember what book mentioned Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Tianzun?"
"That, I don't recall. It was ages ago, back when I… cough, a long time ago. I can't find the book now," Evah said, shaking his head. Then, as if remembering something, he muttered, "But I do remember having a nightmare after reading it.I dreamed of a huge gray fog. I was stuck in it, calling out, but no one answered, that was such a scary nightmare."
Klein's lips tightened. He'd long suspected a connection, but now he realized transmigrators might truly be tied to Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Tianzun and the gray fog.
But why? If Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Tianzun existed, why bring them here? Where was He now?
And why could he access the gray fog when other transmigrators couldn't?
What made him special?
Klein's mind was a mess, a massive shadow looming over him. But then, a wave of pleasant calm washed away his turmoil, steadying his emotions and even lifting his mood slightly.
Surprised, he looked up to see Jack watching him with concern, holding what looked like a cross and pressing it toward him.
"You okay, Klein?" Evah asked, worry etched on his face.
"I'm fine. What's that?" Klein shook his head, eyeing the cross curiously.
"It's a mystical item my teacher gave me. It calms people's emotions. I saw you were off, so I used it on you," Evah said, unfazed. He'd indeed used his Emotion Manipulation skill to soothe Klein, just not through the cross.
The cross itself was merely a prop.
Klein instantly understood where that pleasant feeling came from, warming his heart. He smiled. "Thanks, Jack."
As he spoke, Klein, now fully composed, told himself inwardly, Don't be afraid, Zhou Mingrui. Whatever Fu sheng Xuan Huang Tianzun's goal is, you can't just wait to die!
And this might be a good thing. If Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Tianzun is really behind transmigrators, finding Him might… let me go home!
With that thought, Klein let out a breath.
(End of Chapter)