World Occult Usage Guide

Chapter 47 Following in Anansi's Footsteps
Space is distorted, and energy surges.

Through the blurry vision, Lin An could vaguely see Simon's slender fingers bending as if playing the piano, and starlight fragments streaked across the arc, covering Jim's entire face.

A violet flame ignited, and he screamed in agony before collapsing to the ground.

Simon took out black restraints and tied him up tightly, holding him in his hand, and nodded slightly to Lin An.

"Let's meet at the motel."

After saying this, he flapped his wings and flew away, disappearing into the darkness.

The sharp sound of police sirens outside the window startled the sleeping librarian. A thin policeman rushed in, subdued him, and calmed the old man down.

Lin An showed the special investigation team's identification to the middle-aged stranger in police uniform, who then gestured for him to get into his police car.

“I am the sheriff of Farmington,” the middle-aged man told Lin An in the car. “Please focus on controlling the mysterious man; we will handle the rest.”

When they arrived at the motel, Simon and his two teammates were already in their room.

"A thief from Farmington?" Mish looked Jim up and down, who was still unconscious. "He looks only fourteen or fifteen years old, still a middle school student."

“Be careful, after all, he’s an awakened mystic.” Barry stopped her.

Lin An narrowed his eyes, vaguely sensing energy spreading outward from the black binding band, incompatible with Titan, giving people an unyielding and severe feeling.

What is this?
Looking away, Lin An stood with his team members, waiting for their captain's next instructions.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, this operation was somewhat rushed, which prevented you from truly participating and gaining practical experience," Simon said in a deep voice.

"Captain, I'm sorry," Lin An said proactively.

“Ah, I don’t mean to blame anyone, I’m just stating the facts. No one could have imagined that the Mysterious One would happen to be in the library and run into you, Lin.” Simon gestured for him not to worry about it. “Fortunately, it ended well.”

“Can we go back to the Foundation now?” Mish asked.

“This isn’t over yet.” Simon tugged at the black restraints on Jim’s body to check the tightness. “I’m giving you a task. When he wakes up, get the whereabouts of the lost items out of him.”

"Okay, okay!"

Lin An echoed, then seized the opportunity to ask, "Captain, I remember you said that Titan's items are hard to use against the Mystic. Could he have broken free of his restraints and run away?"

“Don’t worry, these restraints are specially made by the research department… well, to be precise, it’s a kind of mystical art,” Simon said. “Lin, turn on the radiator next to you.”

Is the binding strap some kind of mystical magic?
This kind of mystical art, which is materialized, detached from its original form, and can be used by others, reminded Lin An of the stone tablets in Deuteronomy.

The Tu Ting Secret Manual has absolutely no connection to Canaan magic, yet Kim Ji-eun is able to control golems through the stone tablets and use mystical arts that are completely unrelated to him.

"Whose mystical arts are these?"

"It does not matter."

Seeing that Simon was about to gloss over the matter, Lin An interrupted him.

"Captain, why does the radiation from 'Commerx' have a physical form on Titan?"

Simon leaned against the wall and made a gesture as if to reach for a cigarette, but his pockets were empty.

“Higher radiation levels will do the trick.” He seemed reluctant to elaborate. “Just know that these restraints can control the Mystic.” He paused, then added, “At least they can restrain James.”

Lin An narrowed his eyes. At the edge of the restraints, blurry words flowed along a specific trajectory, firmly restraining Jim's aura.

It's somewhat like... some kind of invisible precept?

Its energy isn't too strong, falling somewhere between Carmen's and Kim Ji-eun's. This is definitely not the power the chairman truly possesses when using his mystical arts; it can only be described as a fragment of his mystical power.

"Pollution levels can cause physical changes in people, so what happens when radiation levels exceed a certain threshold?"

Lin An stood up from the bedside and walked step by step toward Simon in the corner.

"Captain, is the world you see different from ours?"

“It’s perfectly normal, except for someone standing too close to me.” Simon concealed the slight tremor in his voice and pulled his coat tighter. “Go turn on the heat, Mishi, don’t you think it’s too cold in here?”

Lin An pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket: "Don't go, Captain, you left your cigarettes on the bed."

“It’s filled with dark chocolate. I don’t smoke.” Simon took the box from him. “Keep an eye on this mysterious person. This is your trial for tonight.”

He left the motel in a somewhat hurried manner.

Silence fell over the surroundings. After a while, Barry patted Lin An on the shoulder.

"Don't make things difficult for the captain. We're not qualified enough and haven't reached the required level of authority, so the company is naturally hiding things from us. He can't break the contract for our sake, can he? I believe that when the time comes, the foundation will give us a satisfactory explanation."

Lin An put on an innocent expression: "You flatter me. I'm just an ordinary college student, how could I dare to threaten our captain who has such an extraordinary background?"

“Simon Lloyd, I feel like I’ve read his name somewhere before.” Mish hesitated and pursed his lips. “A report from over a decade ago… he seemed to be a DEA anti-drug officer.”

"Really?" No wonder he was more efficient than a professional detective when organizing evidence. Lin An thought.

“I’m not sure either. I couldn’t find any relevant information online. I probably stumbled upon this report in an abandoned warehouse at the newspaper office.” Mishi shook his head. “Forget it, the captain’s past is none of our business. The most important thing is to complete his orders.”

The three men's eyes fell on the unconscious Jim, and they were wondering how to wake him when they heard Jim let out a muffled groan and slowly open his eyes.

"Where am I...?"

“You’re under arrest, James Nacher.” Mish pulled up a chair and sat down. “We’re a special investigation team, specifically for people like you. Tell me honestly, where did you hide the stolen goods?”

“As expected, I’m not the only superhuman in the world.” Jim struggled tentatively, but found himself tightly bound, and couldn’t help but smile bitterly. “And there’s an organization that looks just like the Avengers.”

"Don't change the subject." Mishi cleared his throat seriously. "In the past two weeks, the amount you've stolen has already exceeded $5. If you confess honestly, we might be able to be lenient with you."

"Do you have that right?" Jim looked at her with sincere dark eyes. "Or are you just making up a few empty words to fool people in order to achieve your goal?"

“Uh…” Mishi was stumped by his question. “In short, you’re desperate. Please cooperate with our investigation.”

“I’m sorry, that’s what I was going to say, but your very first sentence was a lie, miss,” Jim said sadly. “Does this mean that your organization is also full of lies? Or is it simply that you yourself come from the homeland of hypocrites?”

"Stop, stop trying to play tricks, James, answer the question!"

“I refuse unless you swear you will never lie again.”

"Alright. Can you tell me now?"

“What good will this do me?” Jim tilted his head. “Whether I tell you or not, you’ll lock me up, won’t you? So I might as well leave the people of this town with something to remember me by, at least so they’ll know I was here.”

"Stealing is a bad thing."

"Isn't lying the same?"

Mishi was at her wit's end and looked to her two companions for help. Jim raised his chin.

“Sir over there, you seem very kind.”

“I can tell you for sure that if you cooperate with the investigation, this organization might be able to offer you a position, making you one of our employees who manage superpowered individuals, James,” Barry said in a deep voice. “Think it over carefully.”

Is so-called 'management' about locking people up and depriving them of their right to live?

“…Our organization has adopted a conservative approach to treatment,” Barry said. “James, this unknown energy is dangerous and is causing changes in your body. It’s something that you can’t fully understand on your own.”

"In that case, do you have any cases of cure?"

Barry paused, then remained silent.

“I see…” Jim looked disappointed. “I believe that only institutions that provide substantial help to society and individuals are legitimate; otherwise, they are illegal and should be abolished.”

"However, without an authoritative institution, the world will be thrown into chaos by superpowered individuals."

“There are far more examples of power being stripped away through silent, subtle influence than through violence.” Jim looked at Barry with pity. “Can you put it this way? You’ve been brainwashed by your institution, and now you want to take away my freedom.”

He stopped paying attention to Barry and turned his attention to Lin An.

"I thought we were friends."

“I thought you were some honest, unassuming young writer.” Lin An cocked the pistol and aimed it at Jim’s knee. “Confess and you’ll be treated leniently, resist and you’ll be punished severely. Tell me the whereabouts of the lost item. I want to sleep.”

"Uh……"

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Jim's forehead.

"I dare you--"

"Ping!"

Before he could finish speaking, a bullet flew past his trouser leg, tearing the fabric and leaving a hot mark on his skin.

"I'll talk, I'll talk right away." Jim gasped in fright, but still wouldn't give up, cunningly trying to get information out of him, "Aren't you afraid of having your license revoked for randomly firing at civilians?"

“I’m the one who should fire them.” Lin An moved his pistol and aimed at Jim’s knee again. “You still haven’t hit the target at this close range. Looks like you need to practice your aim more when you get back.”

"You...you really want to hit me?" Jim's face turned pale, and he quickly told the truth, "The things are in the treehouse in my backyard."

Goodnight, little thief.

Lin An blew out a puff of gunpowder smoke, and just as he turned around, Jim suddenly spoke in a low voice.

"Being required to go against one's own soul is a fundamental condition of life. Every living being must do so; it is the ultimate shadow, the failure of creation, the curse that devours all life."

His voice echoed in the room like an organ.

"It is everywhere in the universe."

Thanks to veteran readers you and me, Hzzzzz for the monthly tickets, thanks to Fan Hao for the reward, and thanks to all the readers for the recommendation tickets and for following the story!
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(End of this chapter)