The Cycle of Fate

Chapter 192: Taking the Opportunity

"If I hadn't used counter-tracking, I would have already encountered 'Loki'?" Lumian was startled by Termipolos' response.

He had simply wanted to know if the "Prophecy Art" would be effective against a Beyonder from the Diviner pathway, and it didn't matter if Termipolos didn't answer. As a "Bound One," Lumian could easily respond to himself and try out the effect of a Prophecy Potion. But unexpectedly, the Angel of Fate directly provided such an answer.

Lumian's mind raced as he analyzed the information contained in that single sentence:

Loki had tracked him for some time after he left Old Street!

The copy of the information was a trap!

At noon today, Loki had been in the "Alone" bar!

He had deliberately used the mechanical typewriter in the bar to create the copy, intending for potential pursuers to find it, track the location, and then reverse-track them to deliver a fatal blow.

And if the pursuer was formidable, Loki, being inside the Eighth Bureau's stronghold, could ensure his basic safety. He wouldn't be easily exposed and could even use the power of the official organization to strike back at his enemy.

At this point, Lumian felt both regretful and fortunate.

He regretted not noticing Loki's tracking during the time he left Old Street and completed the counter-tracking procedure, thus "missing" the creator of the Fool's Day group. He had initially had a chance to discuss "Muggle-related" matters with him.

On the other hand, Lumian was grateful that he hadn't been prepared at that time. Had he discovered Loki, forcing him to act prematurely, Lumian would likely have met a tragic end. After all, according to Franca's description, Beyonders in the Diviner pathway gained many bizarre abilities at Sequence 7, and by the time they reached Sequence 5 as a "Marionette Master," they could kill silently and without a trace.

If Loki had ambushed him, Lumian wasn't sure if he would have had the chance to activate Mr. K's finger or even detect Loki's true location in time to escape using his "Hum-Ha Technique."

However, at this moment, his inner fire made his regret far outweigh his relief.

As Lumian made his way towards the Breeze Dancehall, his steps unconsciously slowed. He meticulously replayed his experience at the "Alone" bar from noon:

The bar was dimly lit. It was past lunchtime, and apart from two or three drunken customers by the window, there seemed to be no one else on the first floor except for Leah, who was disguised as a bartender.

Occasional voices came from the basement, where the puppet theater was held.

In the room with the mechanical typewriter, there was a man reading a newspaper. He hadn't spoken the entire time, his eyes focused on the paper. Even when he collected the typing fee, he merely nodded.

Which of them could be Loki? Lumian paused across from the Breeze Dancehall, his gaze losing focus.

Obviously, Leah wouldn't be Loki—not because of her gender, but due to her low Sequence. According to Franca, Loki had already been fond of partially revealing his face by early last year, suggesting that he had advanced to the Sequence 6 "Faceless." Leah, on the other hand, was still at Sequence 7, the "Magician," just a few months ago.

—In the real dream, she wouldn't have been able to conceal her true Sequence.

Gradually, Lumian began to suspect the man reading the newspaper by the typewriter:

He could easily use the typewriter to make the copy and would have had no trouble noticing any strangers coming to use it...

Lumian tried to recall the man's appearance. He realized that the man was utterly ordinary—thirty-something, with black hair and blue eyes, neither good-looking nor unattractive, dressed in a black suit like a typical low-ranking office worker on the street.