Whispering Poems

Chapter 3811 Scholars and Cats and Dogs

Ten minutes ago, at the docks of Time Wheel City, in front of the Drowned Ghost Tavern.

As the red butterflies fluttered down, Sylvie, burning with rage and considerable discontent, still managed to pass through the barrier erected by the Doomsday Serpent, escorted by Grace and Helen. The red butterfly girls would then use this opportunity to leave. Before departing, they asked Shad if he needed them to use their power as chosen ones to take him out after they reunited with the writer and princess, but Shad refused.
"You stay hidden and follow Sylvie to the mountaintop to protect Stella and Ellie. Don't let them out of your sight easily. Although Ms. White can still restrain Mr. Snake before the end of Act VII, since it can appear once, it can appear a second time."

"I can get out on my own. Stella and Ellie's safety is in your hands; they're the most important people right now."

Because the barrier set up by Mr. Snake possesses the power of the apocalypse, only a complete space-chosen person can fully penetrate it. At this point, Grace and Helen can only send Sylvie away alone.

"See you later, Shad, I hate snakes!"

With red eyes, Sylvie gave Shad a fierce kiss before leaving with the Red Butterflies. Shad knew without a doubt that no matter what kind of enemy this thirteenth-tier Great Witch encountered, she would be extremely ruthless.

Sylvie was very unhappy that her "good thing" had been interrupted like this, and Shad was also unhappy, but after all, it was still during a major war, and he knew what was more important.

The girls left the pier at 12:10 a.m. on Saturday.

Since returning from that illusory yet real world, Shad has fully recovered. His brief conversation with Sylvie revealed that the events of the past were related to the two unknowable relics. However, upon awakening, both "desire" and "what if" had vanished, making it impossible to leave this area using their help.

The matter of these two unknowable relics is clearly not something we need to consider right now. Shad needs to find a third way to penetrate the barrier, besides Ms. White and the Red Butterfly sisters.

So what are you going to do?

"She" asked with a smile, as Shad stood at the entrance of the Drowned Ghost Tavern, looking at the seemingly normal night view of the docks:
"I want to verify a long-held conjecture."

He wiped his face, transforming from Shad Hamilton into John Watson, then turned and went back into the tavern. Although the group had been gone for almost twenty minutes, none of the items on the round card table had been removed.

The items on the card table included ordinary playing cards, wine glasses, bowls, and dishes, as well as personal items that Xia De and the others had just taken out.

Shad sat back down in his seat, swept the rose petals off the newspaper onto the table, and then picked up the newspaper again.

The tavern was still noisy, but he didn't bother reading the newspaper in his hand; instead, he tried to calm himself down. It was past midnight, but the tavern was still quite full of customers.

The noisy background noise couldn't distract Shad from recalling everything that had happened since nightfall; he wanted to confirm whether there were any flaws in the plan so far.

But when he actually tried to recall it, Sevier immediately jumped into Shad's head. He immediately shook his head, putting aside those things that were not suitable to be recalled at the moment, and continued to think about what he should do after leaving this area.

Soon, the sound of a chair being pulled out came from across the table, followed by a voice asking:
"Mr. Watson, it's been a long time. It's already Saturday, why are you still reading Friday's newspaper?"

Shad breathed a sigh of relief and put down the newspaper in front of him. He then saw a long-faced man sitting across the long table with extremely short hair, only stubble visible. He was wearing an old brown robe commonly worn by people in desert regions, had very short eyelashes, and his dark eyes, which were unusually bright as he looked at Shad.

Shad placed the newspaper on top of the rose petals, a genuine smile spreading across his face. He had guessed correctly:
“Mr. Sean Asmon, it’s been a long time. I’d like to see if there are any new reports of royal assassinations in Saturday’s papers, but unfortunately the newsboys haven’t been out selling papers yet.”

At this moment, sitting across the round table in the tavern at the dock, was Shad's friend, the demon scholar Mr. Sean Asmon. Ever since Luvia told Shad through divination that bringing some flower petals to a card game would bring good luck, Shad had been wondering if he would inexplicably run into this demon scholar again.

This wasn't even a guess, but experience. The scholar named Sean Asmon always appeared in situations involving "roses," and each time he arrived at the perfect moment when Shad could sit down and have a talk, and left just in time to allow Shad to continue the conversation.

In taverns, on the streets at night, and in libraries, this is the eighth time the outsider has encountered this gentleman since their first meeting two years ago in Lengshuigang.

As the story of fate was about to end, Shad knew that Sean Asmon would reappear sooner or later.

When Shad said goodbye to Luvia and the others this evening, he guessed that he would most likely encounter him at the Drowned Ghost Tavern. However, Shad originally thought that the demon scholar would appear around the time Major Rades arrived before the card game started, but he didn't show up until the game began.

During the game, Shad even thought his guess was wrong. Fortunately, when Mr. Snake asked Shad not to leave the area before midnight, Shad realized that Sean Asmon would appear after midnight.

Regarding the appearance of this scholar, Xia De even believed that it was not a "high probability" thing, but an "inevitable" thing. His plan to escape was related to this gentleman. There were eight encounters, plus the "devil's story" that is still being told. The outsider who was not a fool had already figured out some things.

"Newsboys are probably worried about how well the newspapers are selling these days, but it's nice to have something new to say every day, isn't it?"

Mr. Asmon was still speaking, his head slightly forward, his dark eyes fixed on Shad, his tone as strange as ever:
“I arrived on this island last week and have been staying at this tavern recently. During the day, I visit the villages of the Fatu people to gather information. I was wondering when I would be able to see you, Mr. Watson, but tonight, unable to sleep, I decided to take a walk at the pier and found you sitting here.”

Are you waiting for someone?

Shade shook his head:

"I was waiting for someone, but they've already left. I can't leave for the time being because of some things, but I'll be leaving soon."

He pondered how to get the other party's help. Although all the tests had shown that Sean Asmon was an ordinary person, after coming into contact with the [Mark of the Great Sin] and a series of ancient evil spirits, Shad had deep doubts about this conclusion.

If all coincidences are the accumulation of inevitabilities, then behind the eight chance encounters must lie some inevitable event that he has yet to investigate.

Shad's purpose at this moment was both to find a way to escape the area designated by Mr. Snake and to test what connection Mr. Asmon had with the "Primal Demon".

However, before Shad could even begin to speak, two black figures leaped onto the two chairs next to the demon scholar. A somewhat familiar black cat stood on one of the chairs, watching Shad, while a somewhat familiar black dog lay down on the chair, feigning sleep.

Xia De looked at them and stopped speaking. The scholar in the brown robe introduced them:

"These are two travel companions I met on my journey. Although we haven't known each other for long, they spent last year's New Year's Eve with me. They are quite intelligent, and when I took them to visit guests who needed my help, those seeking assistance seemed to feel that my identity as a demon scholar was beyond doubt because of them."

In my opinion, this is superstition about the color black. Black cats and black dogs have no symbolic meaning in demonology.

Shad looked at the cat and dog. A year ago, they were the butler and maid of Stone Ossenfort in Randall Valley, summoned by that demon as a means to deal with the "Stone Mirror Demon - Goethe".

A year ago, during the later stages of the Randall Valley event, Shad freed them from Stone Ossenfort, and they indeed reappeared.

The black cat and the black dog clearly still remembered Shad. The cat licking its paws and the dog pretending to sleep were actually watching Shad, and Shad then had an idea.

"In the traditional sense, people still regard white as a symbol of justice and black as a symbol of evil."

Shad continued, picking up where Mr. Asmon left off, while the latter smiled and nodded slightly:

"Yes, but thankfully I don't care about that. Having two more travel companions on the journey is, to me, the most important thing. So, Mr. Watson, since we've met on this boring night, why don't we..."

"Feel sorry."

Shad knew what he wanted to say, but this time he refused:
“Mr. Asmon, I have some very important matters to attend to tonight. I would love to hear more of the demon story, but I’m sorry, I must leave tonight.”

However, if you're not leaving this island anytime soon, I think I can come back to find you later.

The demonologist showed no surprise or regret; he stared at Shad and then nodded slightly.

"Of course you can. It's so dark, yet you still want to leave. I imagine you must have something important to do that you need help with?"

The dark eyes continued to stare at Shad, who shook his head.
"Not for now, I think I can handle it myself."

"Then, Mr. Watson, I look forward to our next meeting."

Shad nodded to Mr. Asmon, got up, picked up his belongings from the table, and left the tavern.

As night fell again, Xia De walked to the dock. The night was deep, and the dock, which had been somewhat busy in the first half of the night, had quieted down. He stood alone on the pier, looking at the scenery in the distance through the thick fog, when soon he heard barely perceptible footsteps behind him.

Turning around, he saw the black cat and black dog already watching Xia De not far from the pier. They were about ten meters away from Xia De, and their black fur made them almost completely blend into the strange night.

"Long time no see."

"Long time no see, kind person."

The black cat, licking its paws, shifted from a standing position to a crouching one, and spoke in a woman's voice:

"Actually, you should have listened to that story earlier; the rest of the story is quite interesting."