Chapter 41 Disturbance

Coming to the street, the biting wind swept through the open space between the buildings, blowing directly on Agatha's face, completely sobering her up.

However, a series of questions still lingered in her mind, questions that had almost shaken her worldview and reshaped her understanding:

"Doesn't the Frost Church give out rewards to enthusiastic citizens who actively report clues about cults?"

"You've never used a bank account? Doesn't your church usually interact with ordinary people's lives?"

"You didn't realize that was a bank account?"

Agatha never imagined that her biggest blunder while dealing with supernatural beings would occur in this kind of situation.

And she was quite certain that Bishop Ivan of the Cathedral and the group of cryptographers and diviners who were still huddled in the church, desperately studying "Secret Numbers," would react in much the same way.

Footsteps came from the side. Several subordinates who had been waiting in the shelter near the building emerged. One of the black-clad guards noticed the dazed look on Agatha's face and immediately became concerned. "Are you alright? That house..."

Agatha raised her hand, interrupting her subordinate. She looked back, then, carrying her cane, slowly walked towards the steam car not far away, while slowly saying, "Do not disturb the residents of this house. Notify the local church and keep the guardians away from here—the Silent Cathedral will directly take over the liaison and communication work here."

"Yes, Gatekeeper," the black-clad guard immediately bowed his head in obedience, then couldn't help but ask, "Do you... need to rest?"

Agatha paused, sighed, "Alas... if I could, I would seek psychological counseling at the nearest church, or consult a well-known psychiatrist..."

The subordinate was stunned. "Huh?"

"Never mind, I don't need to rest," Agatha waved her hand. "Return to the Cathedral. We need to start the search of the city-state's underground as soon as possible."

"The Church people have left," Morris stood by the window, watching the movements on the street. After seeing the gray-blue steam car drive out of the intersection, he turned to look at Duncan. "I thought they would at least leave a few 'eyes.'"

"The Gatekeeper's position in the Death Church is equivalent to the Inquisitor of the Deep Sea Church. She must fulfill her promise—since she said she wouldn't disturb, there naturally won't be any small actions," Vanna said from the side. "Besides, she knows those 'small actions' are meaningless."

Duncan raised his eyelids and glanced at Vanna. "I thought you would chat with that Gatekeeper a bit more. You're in the same line of work, after all."

"There's really nothing to talk about," Vanna shook her head. "My identity is a bit awkward. Whether as a Deep Sea Inquisitor or as a member of the Vanishing, establishing communication with the Frost Church at this time would only cause trouble."

Duncan hummed, not saying much more. Nina, who was next to him, suddenly broke the silence with curiosity: "That 'Gatekeeper' sister seemed a little excited before she left, as if she had some plan... What was that search plan she mentioned? Uncle, do you have any ideas?"

Vanna and Morris's gazes fell on Duncan at the same time, who nodded slightly after a brief moment of contemplation.

Although he was confused at first, he realized what was happening now—Agatha's reaction indicated one thing: after the fruitless search of the city-state's main areas, the Frost Church's attention seemed to have turned to the dark underworld.

The Second Waterway.

In the past, limited by high costs and practical difficulties in execution, the Frost authorities had always allowed the Second Waterway, left over from the Queen's era, to lie dormant deep beneath the city-state. At most, they would carry out some symbolic purification and blocking work in the upper districts connecting to the waterway, but now it seemed... they finally couldn't afford to consider the cost issue anymore.

Duncan raised his head and said to Vanna, "Go to Nemo's tavern again this afternoon and remind him that the Church may launch an operation targeting the Second Waterway soon. Tell him and his 'colleagues' to pay attention."

The Second Waterway was vast, and what Nemo and his "colleagues" controlled was actually only a small part of the entire sewer system. This small part was very hidden and had been consciously concealed and blocked. In theory, it would not be noticed by the authorities and the Church, but no one knew how determined the Church was this time, so it was better to remind them.

"In addition, the matter of Dagger Island is also very concerning," after a little thought, Duncan added, "The disappearance of that island was obviously abnormal. I'm worried that there will be further changes—Morris, keep an eye on various news in the city recently, especially the districts near the eastern port, to see if there are any unusual rumors."

Morris nodded. "Understood."

"Also, remind Tyrion to pay attention to the changes in that sea area..."

Duncan stroked his chin, muttering to himself thoughtfully, while also considering whether he had overlooked anything. Just then, he suddenly saw Shirley approaching from the side.

Tiptoeing, looking sneaky.

"What's wrong?" Duncan asked casually when he saw this.

"It's not me, it's Agou," Shirley quickly waved her hands, then raised her arm—the black chain emerged from the air, and Agou, who had been hastily hidden because of the Gatekeeper's appearance, appeared in front of Duncan. "Agou said he has something to report to you."

"Situation?" Duncan frowned, looking at the cowering Gloomhound, "What situation?"

Agou shook his ugly head, and then cautiously looked up at the direction of the door before speaking, "I don't know if I'm mistaken, but that 'Gatekeeper' named Agatha... I always feel like she has a familiar aura on her..."

The surroundings instantly became quiet, and Duncan's expression immediately became serious. "Familiar aura? What do you mean? A Gloomfiend?"

"No, not a Gloomfiend," Agou immediately shook his head. "I can't explain it clearly. You know, my memories before obtaining 'heart' are actually a bit vague, but that aura... makes me a little reminiscent of the Gloom Lord, uh, the atmosphere I felt when I was by the Gloom Lord's side."

As soon as Agou said this, everyone looked at each other in surprise, and Duncan immediately said with a serious expression, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"I didn't dare to show my face just now!" Agou shrank his neck. "That's a Gatekeeper after all—of course, she's definitely no match for you, but now the Frost Church is searching the entire city for Annihilation cultists and Gloomfiends. I'm afraid that if I show my face, I won't be able to explain myself clearly, and in the end, it would delay your affairs!"

Agou's explanation made some sense, and Duncan didn't delve into it, but the situation he reported was obviously beyond everyone's expectations.

Agatha, the Frost Church's Gatekeeper... how could she have the aura of the Gloom Lord?!

"Could it be... that the Gatekeeper has fallen? Or has been corrupted?" Morris looked solemn. "But her performance was completely normal, and there were no problems with her words and actions."

"Maybe she doesn't even know it herself?" Shirley, who was next to him, carefully interjected, "Isn't it said that cognitive contamination is the hardest to detect, especially for the person involved?"

Duncan didn't speak, but looked up at Vanna.

"She doesn't seem to have fallen or been corrupted, and she's obviously not a 'fake'," Vanna frowned, carefully recalling all the details of Agatha earlier while slowly speaking, "And I didn't feel any abnormal aura on her at all—Agou, are you sure your feelings are correct?"

"I said just now, I'm not sure if I'm mistaken," Agou said, his tone particularly timid, "It's just that there's a very, very faint aura that makes me think of the Gloomy Depths... maybe it wasn't even emitted by her. By the way, didn't she say that she recently caught some Annihilation cultists? Although none of them are important figures, she's been dealing with them every day recently, so it's normal for her to be contaminated with some aura from the Gloomy Depths, right..."

Duncan still frowned.

Agou's explanation seemed to make some sense, but he always felt that things shouldn't be so simple—would a professional goddess, the city-state's "Gatekeeper," forget to purify herself after completing the interrogation of cultists? Would she allow herself to be contaminated with the aura of cultists and walk around outside?

Vanna stepped forward. "Should we bring that 'Gatekeeper' back to ask about the situation? Or should we take the initiative to find her?"

"Neither. If she really has a risk of falling, or has established contact with the Gloom forces, any direct contact may alert the enemy," Duncan shook his head, while looking up at the direction Agatha had left earlier, "I will secretly monitor this matter. Don't contact her."

Secretly monitor?

Vanna was stunned. Just as she was about to ask what Duncan meant by "secretly monitor," she seemed to suddenly remember something—certain memories surfaced in her mind, and she immediately knew what was going on.

"You... have already left a mark on her?"

"She has already seen me."

Duncan nodded lightly, and in his other perspective, at a location some distance away, a small green flame was gently flickering.

That was exactly the direction Agatha had left.