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He pulled out two wine glasses from beneath the counter, gave the bottle a slight shake, and with a soft “pop,” removed the cork.

A dark red stream flowed gracefully into the glasses, rippling slightly as it filled.

“Want some?” Hades tilted the bottle, gesturing toward Lu Li.

“If it’s free.”

“Then forget it.”

Hades capped the bottle, casually took away the empty glass in front of Lu Li, and sipped his drink while lightly shaking his head. “The Night Watchers are like you and me—they deal with ghosts and other strange things. The only difference is, they’re officially backed. If you gain some fame later on, they might try to recruit you.”

“Strange things?”

Lu Li caught onto the unfamiliar term.

“Yeah, things even those frauds in the church can’t explain. Their forms can be bizarre—maybe a building, maybe a creature, maybe even a story… Basically, things that don’t follow any logic. Shut up! Don’t ask me more! I don’t know how to describe it!”

“Are there many strange things?”

“Fewer than ghosts. Most ordinary people will only encounter one or two in their lifetime.”

“How do you deal with them?”

“Run. Run as far as you can. Don’t even think about fighting them. That’s absolutely beyond what we can handle. If you encounter one, contact the Night Watchers to deal with it.” Hades seemed to assume Lu Li intended to become an exorcist and didn’t hold back on sharing some critical information. “I know what you want to ask—how to recognize a strange thing, right? I don’t know either. All I can tell you is, when you meet one, you’ll know.”

“Have you ever encountered one?”

“Once. Barely escaped.”

“Can you talk about it?”

Hades swirled his wine glass gently. “It’s better if you don’t know; it won’t do you any good.”

“That’s my business. Just tell me.” Lu Li’s calm insistence didn’t waver.

“And what if I told you that saying it aloud would cause trouble for me?”

Lu Li fell silent.

“If you’re willing to compensate me for my loss, I might accidentally let something slip.” Hades emphasized the word accidentally and rubbed his fingers together in a clear gesture.

He was practically demanding payment outright.

Lu Li said nothing, his dark eyes quietly fixed on Hades. “…Let’s talk about something else.”

“Tch…” Hades made a sour face, annoyed that his ploy had failed.

“You said exorcists face more danger than sailors. Is going out to sea dangerous, too?” Lu Li doubted that Hades was talking about ordinary risks like weather or sharks.

Hades froze mid-sip, his expression turning strange. “You really don’t know anything, do you?”

As Lu Li started to speak, Hades raised a hand to stop him. “Forget it. Keep whatever lie you’ve prepared to yourself. I only care about your money, not where you’re from or what you’re here for.”

So Lu Li returned to silent observation, quietly listening as Hades began to explain.

“If the world were a flower in full bloom, then that flower is now withering.”

In this world, the oceans were dominant, with most land existing as islands.

Belfast was located in the Duchy of Allen Peninsula. The land had long been settled and developed by humans, but due to technological limitations, exploration of the oceans had largely been confined to coastal areas.

Many explorers had attempted long voyages in search of new islands or continents, but few ever returned.

The greatest discovery was made by the legendary explorer Solasivia Sim, who, three centuries ago, found a new continent: Solasim. Although named after him, people preferred to call it the “Farmland” or the “Land of Hope.”

This was one of humanity’s most significant discoveries in its maritime history, but for the next century, explorers could only find small islands or even coral reefs—hardly significant.

At that time, the farthest voyages reached only a few hundred nautical miles.

Then, fifty years ago, the invention of the steam engine revolutionized sea travel. Boats were no longer at the mercy of sails, and humans were finally able to venture into the deeper parts of the ocean—

And they paid a steep price.

Humanity lives on an island called “Ignorance” in the vast, dark sea. The ocean is boundless and full of mysteries, but we were never meant to sail too far or dive too deep.

What happened back then remains unknown. All we know is that after those voyages, no one—no individual or group—dared to venture far from land or explore the deep seas again.

But it didn’t end there. Those early expeditions may have opened a Pandora’s box of dangers. Over the past few decades, the oceans have become increasingly treacherous. Fog, strange phenomena, and underwater shadows are now frequently seen in the deep sea.

And they are spreading toward the land.

“If you’re curious, you can find books about this in any library… Oh, right. I forgot. Belfast’s library burned down.” Hades shrugged, his expression showing a hint of satisfaction at someone else’s misfortune. “Coming to Belfast at this time was probably the worst decision you could’ve made.”

Lu Li mentally noted all the details and continued asking, “What’s in the darkness?”

“That comes at a price.” Hades raised an eyebrow, hinting at something.

“I’ll keep buying bullets from you in the future.”

“That’s not enough. You’ll need to offer a bit more.” Hades tapped the table.

Lu Li shook his head slightly. “Most of my money was spent on buying the Spirit Gun.”

Hades’ smile vanished, and his golden teeth no longer gleamed. He coldly dismissed Lu Li. “Come back when you’ve saved up a thousand shillings.”

Lu Li’s expression didn’t change. “Do others know about these things?”

“No one would risk telling you these things. And even if they did, it wouldn’t be for money.” Hades leaned forward, narrowing the distance between them. “So, rookie exorcist, how many bullets are you planning to buy?”

“Ten,” Lu Li replied.

“Alright… Wait, what did you say? Ten?! You actually—no way! After everything I’ve told you, you’re buying at least twenty!”

“Fine.”

Only then did Hades’ expression soften. As he retrieved the bullets for Lu Li, he asked, “I’ve got a question too.”

Before Lu Li could agree or refuse, Hades cut in, “Why do you want to know all this? Don’t tell me it’s just out of curiosity.”

“…To go home,” Lu Li said after a brief pause.

To return, Lu Li first needed to know where he was and why he had ended up here.

Hades misunderstood, assuming Lu Li had somehow ended up stranded in this place. He took out a box of bullets, pushed it in front of Lu Li, and said with a trace of sympathy in his eyes, “Here’s a free piece of advice. You must remember this.”

“Stay where there’s light?”

“No, another one.”

For the first time, Hades’ expression turned serious. He leaned in and whispered slowly.

“Don’t ever try to learn too much. The more you know, the faster you’ll die.”