Mysteries: Arcana Wars

Chapter 470 A Precious Oversight

Backlund time, 13:00 on Winter Rite

There are 7 hours left until the Outpost launch.

Gloria rode her motorcycle, leading her squad through the vast city.

The task now is to find a little girl in the vast expanse of Backlandry.

The little girl was completely wrapped in cloth, with even her head covered by strips of cloth and a hood. Only occasionally, as the cloth fluttered, could her blank eyes be seen.

The good news is that as long as the eyes can be seen, the citizen identification system can read key information, locate the other party in the vast system network, and perform tracking, identification, and route mapping.

The bad news is that, due to interference from extraordinary forces, the system struggled to capture the correct images. Only a dozen or so shots managed to outline the little girl's trajectory before she vanished completely at the last hurdle. The citizen identification system never managed to capture any trace of her again.

Is this all the little girl and the cultists planned? Does it end here?

Soon, Gloria received information about Geraldine's attack through the dream labyrinth and obtained relevant information by reading his memories. At the same time, relying on the dream labyrinth implanted in Geraldine's mind, she tried her best to soothe and calm the reporter who was suffering from PTSD.

Everything happened very quickly. With Geraldine's hazy consciousness, Gloria vaguely observed the situation around her.

Detective Leonard, who was familiar with the situation, received Geraldine's distress call and quickly arrived at the scene with two assistants, providing timely medical treatment to the reporter who was maintaining his consciousness through self-harm.

It's a very interesting scenario, like taking your current partner and ex to rescue your ex-ex.

It seems Leonard's assistants all have tragic fates. First, there was the reporter kidnapped at the scene of a dump truck explosion, then the magician had his identity stolen by an unknown entity, and now hopefully this psychiatrist can hold on a little longer.

As Geraldine regained consciousness, the labyrinthine dream shattered. Geraldine received emergency treatment, while Gloria gained valuable information.

Leonard was also investigating the perpetrator of the medical malpractice case. Considering his excellent investigative skills and the protective nature of Pales behind him, Gloria felt it was a good idea to entrust this lead to Leonard and his team.

Just to be on the safe side, Gloria still sent a member of the Comet Squad to monitor Leonard and his assistants' movements through the citizen identification system.

The remaining team members then searched in the direction the little girl might have gone, following the route simulated by the AI.

Gloria herself chose the route that Field had taken.

By simulating the little girl's direction and modeling Field's movements, two lines of different colors intersect on the screen multiple times. Although they have never met, they passed by the intersection of the lines at different times. The closest they came was when the little girl fell and was surrounded by passersby; they had no other chance to meet.

But Gloria chose this path without any reasoning or simulation, simply because of the cursed name, Field Moretti.

She has been speeding along this route for a long time now, but has not seen any trace of the little girl.

Joyful songs rang out from the neighboring street, and colorful ribbons were blown by the wind onto Gloria's face. It was the parade celebrating Winter Rite, with each contingent stopping and starting to provide a wonderful performance for the surrounding residents.

The performers swayed enthusiastically on the floats, waving and offering blessings to passersby, while the ground formations following behind were a vibrant display of flowers. Bright red floral skirts fluttered with the rhythm of their legs, and flowing colorful ribbons danced to the beat of the drums.

The choir, singing hymns, followed closely behind, and behind them was the symphony orchestra, performing earnestly on a moving float.

As the officially hired floats and religiously symbolic processions passed through the alleyway, they were followed by a diverse array of ground-based formations. There were groups of actors dressed as legendary figures, joyfully interacting with their surroundings; there were highly skilled acrobatic groups, whose superb performances remained undiminished even while moving on the ground; and then there were…

The parade was on another avenue next door, which connected to Gloria's small road through a narrow alley. She could only catch glimpses of the parade's joy from her motorcycle.

"Hurry, come quickly!"

Several children ran out of the alley where Gloria was, calling to each other as they squeezed into the alley and ran toward the main road next door, eager to rush into the parade ahead.

"The magician who can grant wishes is right ahead!"

Gloria slammed on the brakes.

A magician who can grant wishes?

Isn't that unfortunate wandering magician right around Leonard's side?

Why here?

Is it...

Gloria dismounted from the motorcycle with superhuman speed, rushed into the alley, and grabbed the two children by the collar.

"What's the name of that magician you were talking about, the one who can grant wishes?"

Seeing the serious-looking old lady and the hem of her clothes being grabbed, the children couldn't help but feel a little timid, shrinking back and stammering.

“Me... Merlin Hermes.”

……really!

"Where did you get this information?" Gloria pressed.

“We know someone who encountered a fully automatic wish-granting machine on a street at night that could grant any wish, and the magician Merlin Hermes projected onto it…”

"Later, that person gave us a painting..."

"Then...then we just saw someone who looks exactly like us on the balcony..."

"So we thought, it must be the legendary wish magician and his fully automatic wish-granting machine!"

"So...so..."

Seeing the children's tearful expressions, Gloria released her grip on her collar.

The children, now free, immediately performed a Sichuan opera face-changing act and ran happily towards the parade.

...It's that urban legend about stealing the identity of a wandering magician—

A fully automatic wish-granting machine?

If this is indeed the case, then although this fully automatic wish-granting machine and its magician are not hostile to ordinary people, the powerful force of wishes has become a destabilizing factor that could affect the peace of Winter Ritual.

Believe in the power of those in high positions, not in their compassion.

Her strong professional ethics wouldn't allow her to stand idly by while potential danger lurked. She followed the children silently to the other end of the alley, hiding in the shadows to quietly observe the grand parade.

The children were very lucky; they waited at the intersection and actually waited for the strange magician to come over.

The magician was dressed much more respectably and modernly than before he wandered to Backlund, with transparent and luminous elements incorporated into his performance costumes, which were characteristic of the Fifth Age. His time spent in the city had transformed him from a weary and utterly unlucky man into someone energetic and spirited.

"Merlin Hermes!"

The children rushed into the formation, excitedly shouting around the magician.

Please grant our wish!