Mystery: The arrival of the new Black Emperor

Of course the lobby manager couldn't find the name. Hobert smiled and said: "I will investigate in the reception hall. Please give me a cup of tea."

Hobert's so-called investigation is to look at the people around him, one by one, very carefully.

He saw that the smiles on everyone's faces were somewhat unnatural or exaggerated.

Just seeing this, Hobert felt that there must be something wrong with this villa, but he did not immediately ask for relevant information about Selina, and just observed quietly.

As for the pollution mentioned by the messenger, that is the least of Hobert's worries, because the "Clock of Order" can break all pollution.

The waiter served Hobert tea, but Hobert didn't drink a sip.

Finally, Hobert saw a middle-aged man with a normal expression. He was smoking a cigarette on a chair outside, as if he was thinking about something.

Among people full of abnormalities, if you suddenly find someone with no signs of abnormality at all, then there must be something wrong with this person.

Hobert got up and went out to talk to the middle-aged man who was smoking: "Hello, sir."

The middle-aged man glanced at Hobert: "Hello, what can I do?"

Hobert sat next to the middle-aged man with a smile and a leisurely expression: "I just saw that you seemed to be thinking about something, and you were a little curious. Of course, the more important reason is that I came on vacation alone and wanted to find someone to chat with. one time."

"Sorry," the middle-aged man stood up and said, "I have no intention of chatting."

"Has something strange happened here recently?" Hobert asked tentatively.

As expected, the middle-aged man sat down and asked in a low voice with surprise on his face: "Did you notice it too?"

Hobert nodded: "Yes, what should I call you?"

"My name is Harold. What's yours?"

"Everyone calls me Jeffrey."

Harold asked in a low voice: "So Mr. Jeffrey, why are you carrying an oil painting on your back?"

Do you believe me when I say this is actually not an oil painting, but a dynamite bag?

Hobert knew he had found the right person, because the oil painting was wrapped with a thick layer of cloth, making it difficult for ordinary people to "guess" it was an oil painting at once.

"That's my drawing board," Hobert said, "Actually, I'm an art college student and I'm here to pick up the pieces."

Harold nodded and did not continue the topic: "Do you have any clues about the problem of this villa?"

Hobert spread his hands: "I have no clue. I can only feel that something is wrong, but I don't know what to do."

Harold's voice became even softer: "Listen to me, Mr. Jeffrey, run while you still have sense!"

Hobert asked: "Where to run?"

"Run outside the villa!"

"Run to where?"

"Have you seen that pine forest? Wherever you go over the mountain, there is a small village. Once you reach that village, you will be safe."

Hobert showed no intention of getting up and leaving: "Mr. Harold, let's run away together!"

"No, I still want to investigate what's going on here."

Hobert thought for a while: "I also want to investigate what's going on. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Harold looked at Hobert, then smiled and said: "Few people have the courage like you. As far as I know, there seems to be a problem in the public hot springs. You can go there and take a look."

Hobert said "Oh": "But, I'm sorry, I'm allergic to hot springs."

"Allergic to hot springs?"

"Yes." Hobert said very sincerely, at least he felt very sincere.

Harold nodded: "Well, have you seen the woods outside the villa? Yes, that's right there. It is said that there are forest elves there. You can ask the forest elves for information."

The direction he pointed was exactly the direction that Hobert had escaped from just now.

"Sorry, I'm allergic to pine needles, there are all pine trees out there!"

"Allergic to pine needles?"

Hobert said sincerely: "When I see pine needles, I feel uncomfortable all over!"

Harold took a serious look at Hobert: "Then go to the lake outside the villa. It is said that there is a talking monster there. Go and ask the monster if he knows any information?

"There are no hot springs and no pine trees on the shore of the lake. In order to facilitate tourists to walk, all the vegetation has been cleared away. There is nothing around except a small lake."

Hobert opened his mouth: "Wait a moment..."

Let me think about it, am I allergic to lakes? Or should I be allergic to water?

Just when Hobert was in trouble, there was a sudden sound of horses honking from the direction of the entrance of the villa, and two carriages with the Holy Emblem of the Night entered the manor.

Hobert smiled and said: "The people on the carriage are very good helpers. You can ask them to help go to the lake..."

At some point, Mr. Harold disappeared.

Hobert's eyes froze. He didn't even know when the other party disappeared. This guy really had a big problem!

However, Hobert took no further action. Based on the hand on crutches he encountered before, Hobert guessed that the Nighthawks team had already conducted at least one round of investigation in the villa.

But that investigation obviously failed, so now that the Nighthawks are so confident in breaking in, it must be because they are confident enough to solve the problem here.

Hobert was going to look for Selena while observing how the Nighthawks team investigated.

So far, Hobert has found no trace of Selina. He speculated that Selina might have escaped, but of course, this was unlikely. Or Selina is trapped in one of the three places Harold just mentioned, and it has been severely contaminated at this time.

Hobert planned to save Selina while the Nighthawks were investigating those three places.

If the Nighthawks don't know this information yet, find an opportunity to tell them this information.

While he was talking, a carriage with the Holy Emblem of Darkness came closer. The door opened, and a woman with enchanting beauty and eyes like emeralds got out first.

Hobert smiled: I met an acquaintance, and it turned out to be Ms. Dai Li!

Then he saw the red glove on Ms. Daly's left hand.

Hobert, who was relatively familiar with the Nighthawks' extraordinary system, understood that it was "Red Glove" who should have taken over the case from the Nighthawks.

Dai Li didn't notice Hobert. Surrounded by his subordinates, he began to check the surrounding environment.

At this time, the door of the second carriage opened, and Hobert felt something. The first person who came down turned out to be Leonard, who had a slovenly appearance and a poetic and romantic atmosphere.

After Leonard got off the carriage, he looked directly at Hobert.

Hobert was a little helpless: Grandpa’s nose is very good, maybe he “smelled” my smell? Or do you “smell” the oil painting?

This was an opportunity. Hobert thought he could pass Leonard's test on him later on and tell "Red Glove" the information he learned.

Watching eight or nine "Red Gloves" members enter the reception hall, Hobert sat for a while and then came to the hall and said to the hall manager: "After preliminary investigation, I have some clues, but I am a little tired now. Please arrange a room for me, I will take a rest first and continue the investigation later."

"No problem, sir." The lobby manager asked in a low voice, "Have you identified the fraudster?"

"Yes, I found a lot of clues!" Hobert glanced at the two Red Gloves members over the sofa area with his peripheral vision.

Hobert followed the waiter to a small room with a heater, bed, table and other common hotel furnishings.

There is snow outside the window, the scenery is not bad, and the room is quite warm.

Hobert locked the door, took off the oil painting, prayed briefly to himself, and then entered the "State of Disorder."

As soon as he entered the "State of Disorder", a small stream of white mist emerged from Hobert's spirit body, and this mist immediately dissipated in the "State of Disorder".

I don’t know when, Hobert has been secretly contaminated!

Then Hobert frowned. He remembered that he had been contaminated by the "Fallen Mother Goddess" before, and there seemed to be an extra personality in his spirit body. The "bell of order" rings and pollution is eliminated.

But this time the pollution was just a small puff of white mist, which didn't seem as serious as the "Fallen Mother Goddess". What puzzled Hobert was, why didn't the "State of Disorder" react at all? The white fog as pollution dissipated on its own in the "Country of Disorder"?

Is the source of pollution this time very weak? Or is the source of pollution this time special?

But now is not the time to think about this problem. Hobert began to think about when he was contaminated.

Was it when you were talking to Harold? Or was he polluted as soon as he entered the villa?

While thinking about it, he covered his own stars with his spirituality and used his "real vision" to take a look at his environment.

Hobert noticed that there was a faint white mist in the direction of the door.

He was certain that before coming to the "Land of Disorder", there was no such white mist.

The white mist was rolling as if it were alive, and a tentacle seemed to be wrapped in the white mist.

Although the tentacle did not reach towards him, the pollution should have been spread by it.

After being promoted to Sequence 5, the range of "real vision" has become very large. Hobert raised his vision and found that the entire villa was shrouded in a thin white mist, and there were tentacles emitting white mist everywhere.

When entering the villa, Hobert also saw a lot of fog around the villa, but it was normal water mist, which was obviously different from the white mist.

What's this? You can't even see it with your spiritual vision?

Hobert followed the direction deep within the tentacles and looked at the woods outside the villa.

The white fog there is getting worse and worse. Unfortunately, the "real field of view" has a limited sight range and cannot clearly see the situation there.

Sitting on the "Iron Throne", Hobert realized that the pollution here was more complicated than he had previously imagined.

Hobert had no intention of continuing to explore. He planned to find Selina from the three places Harold reminded him, leave immediately, and leave the rest to the official Beyonders to solve.

In addition, since the pollution is spread throughout the villa, in an hour it will be necessary to enter the "Land of Disorder" for a "disinfection".

After making up his mind, Hobert returned to the real world. He looked in the direction of the door and saw nothing.

Dong Dong Dong~

The knock on the door startled Hobert: "Who?"

"Come with us!" Leonard's relaxed voice sounded outside.

Hobert opened the door: "What kind of companion?"

Outside the door was a fellow poet who, like Hobert, liked to wear trench coats.

"I think we should go in and talk." Leonard smiled.

Hobert invited the other party into the room, and Leonard took out the ID issued by the police: "Look, I said we were traveling together."

Hobert smiled: "Please sit down."

After sitting down, Leonard asked: "I heard from the lobby manager that you are investigating a fraudster?"

"Yes, what are you investigating?"

"We're investigating a murderer!"

Hobert laughed and said, "The lobby manager must have been shocked!"

What happened to these guests? Sometimes there are swindlers, and sometimes there are murderers!

Leonard asked in a relaxed tone: "Any clues?"

"Yes, I think Mr. Harold has..."

"Harold? Does he like to smoke?"

Hobert thought about it, and he seemed to have a cigarette in his hand: "Do you know him?"

"That's one of my companions." Leonard held the cane tightly and leaned on the back of the chair, the smile on his face gradually disappeared: "And he is at York Mountain now!"

Hobert was stunned: "York Mountain?"

Leonard's answer exceeded his expectations. As far as he knew, the "Deep Dark Heaven", the former divine kingdom of the Night Goddess, was located on Mount York in the Amanda Mountains, where the headquarters of the Night Goddess Church was also located.

The poet classmate spread his hands: "Okay, let's not do this meaningless test! We know you have a problem, you should also know our identity!"

Hobert nodded and thought to himself: Leonard mistook what I just said as a test for him!

He didn't intend to explain. The two of them were testing each other.

Leonard asked: "Do you have anything to say?"

"One of my students is trapped here, and I'm here to rescue her." Hobert said frankly: "In addition, I learned that there are problems with the public hot springs, the pine forest outside the villa, and the lake outside. .”

"anything else?"

"I just arrived too." Hobert followed Leonard's example and spread his hands: "That's all I know."

Leonard suddenly asked: "What is that on the table?"

"An oil painting."

"Just oil paintings?"

"You can understand that."

"Then." Leonard stood up and said, "My two colleagues will take you to..."

Hobert waved his hand: "You should solve the problem of the Villa first."

Leonard: "Maybe you are the source of the problem!"

Only then did Hobert realize: This was a reminder from "Grandpa"!

"It looks like we have to cooperate in another way." Hobert held the oil painting in one hand and said, "You will realize how wrong you were when this is over."

Although Leonard made some preparations, he still could only watch Hobert disappear before his eyes: "Old man, didn't you say that he is not very strong?"

"Does the ability to 'travel' mean you are strong?" A voice that only Leonard could hear said: "That oil painting disturbed me."

Leonard curled his lips in an ungentlemanly manner: "So, now that he's gone, is the source of pollution still there?"

"Still there!" said the voice: "I advise you to evacuate the villa quickly. This is a very high-level pollution."

"How advanced is it?"

"It's so advanced that if it's too seriously contaminated, even your goddess of the night may not be able to save you."

Leonard frowned unconsciously, thinking about how to remind Dai Li, the commander of this operation.

…

On the top of the mountain opposite Boklon Villa, Hobert smiled helplessly: "Grandpa's help didn't work this time."

He carried the oil painting on his back, changed his face, and prepared to enter the villa again to observe the actions of the night watcher.

Just when he was about to leave, Hobert felt something spiritual, and he saw a team of more than a dozen people on the mountainside.

It was more like a dozen monsters than a team of more than a dozen people. Hobert saw that there was a lady who was more than two meters tall in the team. It was not how tall she was, but how tall she was. The head occupies one-third of the body.

There was also a shiny black young man in the team, his eyes turned orange-red, flowing with a flame-like brilliance.

Some people were covered with cracked and hard skin, some were covered with sharp thorns only found in thorns, and two young men, a man and a woman, were covered in scales and spit out snake letters every time they spoke.

Hobert realized something: this group of people was seriously contaminated.

He used "travel" to come to the road where these people must pass, and he waited for them after a while: "Are you guests of the villa?"

At the front of the team was a grizzly bear. Hobert originally thought it was a domesticated pet of Bocklon Villa, but he didn't know that the grizzly bear said: "We are the hunting team of the Villa. Are you?"

"I'm a tourist at the Villa." Hobert pointed to the oil painting behind him: "I went too far into the woods when I was shooting the scene, and ended up getting lost."

He immediately understood that these people did not realize that they or their teammates had turned into monsters!

"Then you come with us." The grizzly bear said: "We are looking for a grizzly bear. If we can't find one by 11 o'clock, we plan to return to the mountain village."

Hobert was stunned: Are you looking for yourself? Or looking for a female bear?

Hobert joined this team of monsters, and soon he noticed the "snake man" and "snake woman" talking behind them.

"Snake Man" said: "My dear, that was just a dream. Why didn't I talk to you?"

"Snake Girl": "But that dream was too realistic. I chased it until I reached a forest, and then I saw you, but you didn't say anything, and just hinted that I should look at the traces on the snow."

"Snake Man" spit out the snake message and said with a smile: "Didn't Selena also have a dream, dreaming that she was chased into the forest..."

Hobert listened to their conversation for a while, but unfortunately they did not continue to discuss Selina, so he turned around and smiled: "Is the Selena you are talking about Miss Selina from Tingen City?"

"Snake Man" asked in surprise: "Do you know her?"

"Yes." Hobert smiled: "I met her yesterday when I was painting in the backyard. She was a very beautiful and lively girl."

After talking, Hobert learned that the "snake man" was Chris, Selena's brother, and the "snake woman" was Weena.

Then Hobert asked about Selena and Vina's dreams. Hobert could basically conclude that Vina and Selina were chasing each other at that time.

Their spirits must have been aware of the danger, so they fled here while half asleep and half awake. Unfortunately, they were caught back by some force.

…

In the villa, after learning about the clues Leonard had obtained, Dai Li decided to investigate separately.

Leonard went to a public hot spring with a male colleague.

The two tried to act like ordinary tourists, put on their clothes and came to the hot spring, looking around warily.

This is an indoor hot spring that is as big as a large conference room. It is paved with tiles all around, and there are waiters running through it, providing guests with wine, snacks, and fruits.

There were many guests in the hot spring. They were chatting and laughing, and everything seemed normal.

After half an hour, just as Leonard and his colleagues were about to leave the hot spring to take a rest, suddenly the entire hot spring became quiet.

Only then did the two "Red Gloves" notice that everyone's movements had stopped, standing there motionless like stone statues.

There was a man whose whole body was entangled with something like kelp, walking out of the depths of the hot spring step by step.

The monster's appearance and gender cannot be clearly seen.

Leonard and his colleagues were about to react, but found themselves paralyzed and every movement was difficult.

Fortunately, Leonard had the whistle for help at hand. He blew the whistle immediately, then calmed down and looked at the strange man who suddenly appeared in the hot spring: "Who are you?"

"Of course I'm a hot spring guest!"

Can communicate!

Leonard asked again: "Why are you like this? What have you done to us and other guests?"

"That's the toxin in my body. I discharged it into the hot spring, and you couldn't move at all. You all became my prey..."

At this time, two "Red Gloves" who were ready to provide support in the hall rushed in. When they saw the monster approaching Leonard and others, they raised their guns and pulled the triggers repeatedly.

Hula~

The weirdo disappeared into the hot spring.

The red gloves regrouped in the hall. Dai Li went to explore the lake with another team member, but found nothing. Another group of red gloves did not come back.

Just then, someone shouted: "The hunting team is back!"

…

Hobert held the black knife tightly and watched the scene in front of him quietly.

There was a layer of gray moths lying on the members of the hunting team. If he hadn't been chatting with them just now, Hobert would have thought that these gray moths were lying on some human-shaped wooden stakes.

The reason why Hobert only observed but did not drive away these gray moths was because these gray moths seemed to be sucking the pollution from the members of the hunting team.

The team members who had become monsters before gradually returned to their human form.

It's just that the long-faced girl's face is still a little long, and the swarthy young man's skin is still a little dark.

Toot~

Hobert heard a sharp whistle, which was the Nighthawk's whistle calling for help.

He immediately followed the whistle and found nothing. He only saw two big cocoons on the pine tree!

Wait, pine tree!

Hobert suddenly realized that he had entered the woods where "Harold" said there were forest elves!