Over the next few days, Dunn, in his capacity as Captain, systematically arranged Klein's induction. He personally guided Klein through the internal structure of the Blackthorn Security Company—from the armory filled with various strange items, to Old Neil's alchemy room wafting with herbal scents, and finally to the entrance of Chanis Gate underground, covered in sealing symbols.
He introduced Klein to the main members of the team: Old Neil, who was scholarly, verbose yet knowledgeable; Leonard Mitchell, with black hair and green eyes, possessing a somewhat poetic and easygoing temperament but astonishing speed; and Ms. Luo Yao, silent, dependable, and responsible for documents and communication. He even mentioned His Excellency Sesema, the "sword of the goddess," who had just left Tingen and returned to the Holy Cathedral, speaking with appropriate reverence to hint at the vastness and inscrutability of the Nighthawks organization.
He acted exactly like the Dunn Smith in his memories—gentle, patient, and reliable, occasionally tapping his forehead apologetically with a finger due to his "poor memory." But only he knew that the urgency inside him ticked like a tightly wound clock, urging him to improve his strength as quickly as possible.
After confirming that Klein had settled in and begun following Old Neil to learn basic mysticism symbols and meditation techniques, Dunn knew it was time to explore the [myriad worlds simulator].
Choosing a late night, he repeatedly confirmed that the doors and windows of his office were locked. He mobilized his Spirituality, outlining runes representing "Tranquility" and "Concealment" in the void, and an invisible "Wall of Spirituality" that isolated internal and external sounds and spiritual detection quietly formed.
Taking a deep breath and calming his slightly accelerated heartbeat, Dunn clearly issued the command in his consciousness: "[myriad worlds simulator], activate."
[Command confirmed. Beginning scan of surrounding information entropy, capturing available world fragments... Scan complete.]
[Currently available simulated world fragments:]
[1. Fragment of "I Am Not the God of Theater" - "Pale Stage" (Difficulty: Moderate):
Introduction: A world fragment where rules reign supreme and acting is paramount. Identity and reality are blurred here; on the stage, only those who conform to their roles can survive.]
[2. Fragment of "The Folly of the Gods" - "Faith Scramble" (Difficulty: Medium-High):
Introduction: A battlefield for the gods' game; faith is the only currency and weapon. Struggle to survive under the gaze of the deities, spread faith, or become the dust of war.]
[3. Random Unknown World Fragment (Risk: High, Reward: Uncertain):
Introduction: Information is fragmented, rules are unknown. May contain opportunities, or lead directly to destruction.]
Three options. Dunn's gaze lingered between the first and the second. He had a vague impression of the name "I Am Not the God of Theater," seemingly related to acting, identity cognition, and bizarre rules. Considering it was his first simulation, he decided to choose the one that was relatively familiar and marked "Moderate" difficulty.
"Selecting Fragment of 'I Am Not the God of Theater' - 'Pale Stage'."
[Selection confirmed. Beginning construction of simulation channel... Loading world rules... 3... 2... 1...]
[Consciousness projection begins!]
In an instant, everything in the office—the solid wood desk, the flickering gaslight, the scent of ink from the books—violently twisted, shattered, and dissipated, like reflections on water disturbed by a stone. A strong sense of weightlessness enveloped him, as if his soul had been pulled from his body and plunged into a bizarre, kaleidoscopic tunnel.
When his senses stabilized again, Dunn found himself standing in an immensely vast space, covered on all sides by a heart-stopping, lifeless pallor. Beneath his feet was an equally pale, colossal circular platform, its edges disappearing into deeper pale mist, as if boundless.
He looked down at himself, realizing that at some point he had changed into a late Victorian-era detective outfit—a dark gray tweed long coat, a matching vest, and a dark tie loosely knotted at the collar. His face was covered by a cold, hard, expressionless white mask, revealing only slits for his eyes and breath.
A stage. This was a massive, eerie stage.
Below the stage was deep, boundless Darkness. That Darkness was not nothingness; Dunn could clearly "feel" countless cold, inhuman "gazes" filled with scrutiny projecting from that dark expanse, focusing on him. There was no sound, no form, only that omnipresent "stare," which was chilling.
A hollow tone, seemingly composed of countless voices mixed together, echoed directly in his mind:
[Scene: Pale Stage.]
[Role: The Amnesiac Detective.]
[Core Mission: Find the "Imposter" lurking on the stage and expose their true identity in plain sight.]
[Rule Warning:]
[One: Your words and actions must strictly conform to the identity setting of "The Amnesiac Detective."]
[Two: On the stage, truth and lies interweave; details determine success or failure.]
[Three: Incorrect accusations, words or actions inconsistent with your identity, or being deemed "out of character" by the "Spectators," are all considered "Performance Failure."]
[Failure Cost: Consciousness dissipation.]
[Performance, begin.]
As the voice faded, an even more dazzling pale light column shone down from the void, enveloping another part of the stage. Within the light, a female character, dressed in a magnificent vintage long dress and wearing a mask adorned with black feathers and tear-shaped gemstone, stepped onto the stage with elegant, mournful steps.
She began to recount a bizarre murder case that occurred in the "City of Pale," using an aria-like, tearful tone—she claimed her beloved sister was harmed by an invisible "Devil," and the murderer was hidden among the characters present (though Dunn only saw her and himself). She pleaded with "The Detective" to find the true culprit.
Dunn's heart pounded heavily in his chest. This was not a contest of strength, nor even a simple game of intellect; it was a deadly test of rules and roleplaying! He had to fully immerse himself in the role of "The Amnesiac Detective," use every possible clue for deduction, and simultaneously ensure that every glance, every line of dialogue, and every movement conformed to that identity.
He forced himself to calm down, suppressing the fear brought on by the unfamiliar environment and ominous rules. He thought of his Sequence 7 "Nightmare" ability—although he couldn't directly use dream intrusion or create Nightmares here, this ability granted him extraordinary perception of emotions and subtle mental fluctuations. This might allow him to simulate "The Detective's" keen insight at this moment.
He carefully listened to every word spoken by the "Mournful Lady," observing her minutest body language. The amplitude of her skirt's swing, the force when her fingers clasped, the authenticity of the emotion in her voice... When the lady mentioned a crucial clue—that her sister had received a letter stamped with the "Coiled Double Serpents" mark before her death—Dunn's "Spirituality" (or rather, the portion of perception the simulator allowed him to bring in) keenly captured an extremely slight, unnatural twitch in the index finger of her silk-gloved right hand. That was not the reaction expected from a sad memory; it was more like... the tension of a secret being touched upon, or even a hint of extreme aversion?
"Roleplaying... I must completely believe I am this detective..." Dunn constantly reminded himself inwardly. He recalled the detective novels, films, and TV shows he had watched in his previous life, trying to imitate that steady, sharp state, tinged with the confusion caused by "amnesia."
He stepped forward and spoke in a slightly hoarse and investigative tone appropriate for a detective. His voice echoed clearly on the empty stage: "Madam, please forgive my presumption. Regarding the 'Double Serpent Letter' you just mentioned, as far as you know, who else besides you and your sister might have known of its existence? Or... have you perhaps omitted some unpleasant details about the letter itself?"
His question went straight to the core, yet remained within the reasonable scope of a detective's investigation.
The "Mournful Lady's" body stiffened imperceptibly for a moment. Although the mask obscured her expression, Dunn, through his enhanced perception, clearly "read" the emotional fluctuation named "panic" that leaked from her in that instant.
She tried to conceal it with a more indignant and mournful tone, accusing the detective of doubting the relative of a poor victim.
But Dunn seized that momentary flaw. Based on several small contradictions in her narrative's timeline and her abnormal emotional reactions when mentioning certain specific items (such as her sister's jewelry or a mysterious visitor), he pressed closer. His words were logically clear and meticulously phrased, perfectly matching the image of a detective striving to find the truth within the fog.
The Darkness below the stage began to stir; those cold "gazes" seemed to become more concentrated, even carrying a hint of... anticipation?
Finally, when Dunn integrated all the observed details into a reasonable conjecture—that the "Mournful Lady" was not the real sister but the Imposter, who had fallen out with her sister for some reason (likely related to the faction represented by the "Coiled Double Serpents" mark), and she was the true murderer attempting to use the detective to clear her suspicion or achieve other goals—he ultimately pointed at her and uttered the line: "Madam, or should I call you... Miss Imposter? This performance must end."
"No!!!"
A shrill, utterly inhuman shriek erupted from beneath the magnificent mask. The body of the woman playing the lady began to violently twist and swell. Her mask shattered, revealing not a human face but a mass of pitch-black shadow, constantly squirming and shifting into the shapes of various suffering human faces! A dense sense of ominousness and malice instantly spread.
["Imposter" revealed! Logic chain complete, roleplaying evaluation: Good!]
["Pale Stage" fragment forcibly terminated!]
The pallor, the twisted shadow, the Darkness below—everything rapidly blurred and vanished like a faded oil painting. The strong sense of detachment returned.
Dunn suddenly opened his eyes, finding himself still sitting in the high-backed chair in his office; the night sky over Tingen City remained deep outside the window. Cold sweat had soaked the back of his shirt, his temples throbbed, and a sense of exhaustion from intense mental exertion washed over him.
Although the experience was brief, the omnipresent pressure of the rules and the mental shock of confronting the twisted shadow at the end were far more taxing than a real fight.
[Simulation ended. Detaching from world fragment...]
[Settling...]
[Based on the Host's performance in the "Pale Stage" fragment:]
[1. Successfully maintained the "Amnesiac Detective" roleplay; no rule-breaking Errors occurred.]
[2. Successfully found and exposed the "Imposter" through observation, deduction, and verbal confrontation.]
[3. Perception ability regarding emotions and details was utilized appropriately.]
[Overall Assessment: B+]
[Reward issued: Skill Imprint - Keen Observation (Elementary)]
[Effect Description: Passively enhances the Host's perception and insight into subtle environmental details, minute fluctuations in biological emotions, and traces of unnatural energy residue. This skill can beneficially complement the Host's existing Beyonder abilities.]
A cool, mint-like sensation slowly merged into Dunn's eyes and his spiritual intuition. He subconsciously glanced around the office and immediately felt the difference. The slight tilt of books on the shelf, the trajectory of dust motes dancing in the gaslight, and even the faint breathing sound of Roselle organizing documents far outside the door—all became several times clearer than before. More importantly, his grasp of his own Spirituality's flow seemed more refined.
This ability... isn't powerful, but it is quite practical. It can play a role in daily investigation, finding weaknesses in combat, or judging the intentions of others. It might even have a subtle benefit in helping him control his "Nightmare" ability and avoid losing control.
But for some reason, Dunn felt as if he had forgotten something.
The success of the first simulation and the tangible benefits gained injected a shot of confidence into Dunn's heart. The flame of hope truly began to burn.
He looked at the deep night outside the window, the corner of his mouth curving into a subtle, determined arc.
"This is just the beginning."