"I..." Klein let out a sigh, shaking his head before saying, "Honestly, I find myself a little unsure..."
Lin Ruo smiled understandingly and responded, "It's perfectly normal to feel hesitant. After all, this decision will impact your life significantly." With a gentle smile, he continued, "Let's step out of the church. As much as I don't mind our conversation here, others might mistake you for talking to yourself. We can discuss this more freely elsewhere."
Klein nodded, feeling somewhat self-conscious about the curious gazes of other believers who might have thought he was talking to an unseen entity.
Exiting the church together, they found themselves standing outside. Klein pondered for a moment, and instead of heading home, he chose to go to the "Zotland Shooting Club" for some target practice. Although the recent incident had been resolved without harm, it had served as a reminder to him.
Amidst his shooting practice, Klein's mind churned with thoughts about the pros and cons of the sequence Dunn had mentioned. He also recalled Emperor Roselle's regret about not choosing the path of a Seer.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. He turned his gaze towards Lin Ruo and paused his shooting practice, asking, "Lin Ruo, which sequence do you think I should pursue?"
Lin Ruo smiled in response, his tone thoughtful. "I do have some initial sequence potion formulas on hand, including a few that might suit you. However, if I were to recommend one, I'd suggest the path of a Seer."
Intrigued, Klein couldn't help but ask, "What makes you say that?"
The curiosity was evident in his voice. Roselle had regretted not becoming a Seer, and now Lin Ruo was suggesting the same for him. There had to be something special about this sequence.
"Remember what I told you about Sequence 0?" Lin Ruo's smile took on a deeper meaning as he continued, "I suggest the Seer pathway because there is no Sequence 0 for Seers."
Klein's mind immediately recalled the concept of Sequence 0, the definitions of different paths, and Roselle's regret over his choices. He hesitated for a moment before inquiring further, "Does that mean paths like Apprentices and Marauder also lack a Sequence 0?"
"Indeed, you've been reading Emperor Roselle's diary, haven't you?" Lin Ruo nodded, his smile slightly enigmatic.
"You've read it as well? Then you know that Russell was a transmigrator, so you've probably read his diary," Klein exclaimed in realization, piecing the puzzle together even before Lin Ruo confirmed it.
"I have indeed read Emperor Roselle's diary extensively. There's quite a lot of interesting content in there," Lin Ruo admitted with a slightly mischievous tone.
"Intriguing. Care to share an example?" Klein's curiosity was piqued.
"Well, for instance, Russell once noted in his diary that witches have an exquisite taste," Lin Ruo mentioned, his tone carrying a peculiar implication.
Klein was puzzled by the remark. While he understood it wasn't just about romance, he sensed there was more to it.
Lin Ruo chuckled, "Let me enlighten you with a bit of Beyonder knowledge. More than 90% of the witches in this world were originally men. Sequence 7 in the witch path is titled 'witch,' while Sequence 9 is known as 'assassin.'"
As the revelation sank in, Lin Ruo's lips curled into a knowing smile.
Klein's voice was hushed as he asked, "So, the apprentice and marauder paths also undergo such transformations?"
"Absolutely. Did you gather that insight from Emperor Roselle's diary?" Lin Ruo confirmed with a wry smile.
Klein's astonishment was two-fold—first, at Roselle's tastes, and second, at realizing that, based solely on the name, he might have chosen the "assassin" path unknowingly.
A wry smile emerged on Klein's face as he muttered, "This is rather deceptive."
Lin Ruo's tone shifted as he redirected the conversation, "Putting that aside, let's focus on your decision. Since you're contemplating a sequence, let me provide you with a basic understanding of the three options available to you. I'll briefly explain the follow-ups for these sequences."
With a sincere interest, Klein responded, "Please, go ahead."
...
Lin Ruo's visit was brief this time. After enlightening Klein about the follow-ups of the Mystery Pryer, Corpse Collector, and Seer paths, he soon departed back to Backlund.
Accustomed to these quick visits, Lin Ruo got up from the chair, pondering his next steps. He reached for a copy of the "Backlund Morning News" and flipped through to the fifth edition, where he found an advertisement from the Ernst firm seeking goods.
Knowing the original story, Lin Ruo understood that an Ernst advertisement in the fifth edition meant that the Eye of Wisdom would hold an Beyonder gathering at the Brave Bar the following night.
Klein had attended similar gatherings during his time as Sherlock Moriarty. The host of this event was the real detective Isengard Stanton, a Sequence 7 known as a "Detective" in the Church of Knowledge and Wisdom.
Despite being a Sequence 7, Isengard Stanton had access to numerous Beyonder items and even managed to briefly confront a Sequence 5 Demon Path individual. With his affiliation to the Church of Knowledge and Wisdom, his knowledge extended far beyond typical Sequence 7 Beyonders.
Lin Ruo intended to participate in this gathering. Aside from gaining more connections and information, he aimed to meet Isengard Stanton, who likely had insights into the hunter path. Lin Ruo's prior knowledge of Stanton's purchase of Klein's hunter potion formula hinted at the possibility that Stanton possessed knowledge about higher-level potions of the hunter path.
This was not to say that Lin Ruo would be disappointed if the potion formula didn't exist. More avenues meant more opportunities for the future.
Lin Ruo's search was fruitful; he found an Ernst advertisement in the "Backlund Morning News," indicating the forthcoming Beyonder gathering at the Brave Bar. While he knew the secret code required to participate, he understood that attending without proper channels could lead to unforeseen consequences. Thus, he aimed to find someone to recommend him.
One such person who could recommend Lin Ruo was named Kaspars Kalinin, and he intended to establish contact with him.