The Order Bureau is striving to restore order, with one Special Operations Group after another being newly formed to tackle the upcoming crisis. Bologue guesses that at this time, Xilin is also recruiting warriors, preparing to counterattack the King’s Secret Swords, while the King’s Secret Swords are also gathering power, awaiting Xilin’s return.

Xilin’s success or failure will determine the future of the Empire.

Bologue has tried not to think about these things, but he also knows he can’t avoid it; it’s the kind of thing that’s commonplace and habitual.

Reaching the end of the corridor, Bologue knocked on the door, and then pushed it open and entered.

Upon hearing the knock, the patient on the bed sat up. Despite the rescue efforts, he still looked terrible, his hair had turned gray, his face had many wrinkles, and a layer of bandaged gauze covered his eyes, blocking his vision.

"Good morning, Geoffrey." Bologue greeted.

"Good morning."

Geoffrey smiled, nodding toward the direction of the voice.

In the battle with the First Seat, Geoffrey was attacked up close by the Age-Stealing Mist. Even though he received treatment in time, under the power of the Seeker of Glory, Geoffrey’s body suffered irreparable damage. He has aged significantly.

Due to the high-intensity ether output, serving as the medium for Secret Energy release and the trigger for activation, Geoffrey’s eyes also bore enormous pressure. When the battle ended and Geoffrey’s tense nerves relaxed, he lost his vision. According to the doctors, it will take a long time for Geoffrey to remove the gauze and see the light again.

As for other physical injuries, they seem trivial compared to these two.

"How’s your mind?" Geoffrey asked.

"Better, the hallucinations have faded quite a bit."

Perhaps the power of the Seeker of Glory is too overwhelming. Even an Undying Body can’t completely exempt such power. The sword wound left by the Sword of Confession on Bologue has long healed, but the maddening Confession Song still occasionally echoes in Bologue’s mind, causing him to have nightmares and frequent hallucinations. This is why Bologue hasn’t been discharged; he, too, is considered a patient.

Bologue stated the purpose of his visit, "The doctor says he’s lifting the isolation today. Want to go see him?"

"Okay."

Geoffrey was still not fully accustomed to the dark vision, fumbling off the bed, while Bologue pushed over a wheelchair, helping Geoffrey to sit down. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

The damage from the First Seat and Red Dog left Soul Scars on Geoffrey, and even though his body underwent Etherealization, Geoffrey still suffers from injuries like a mortal.

Geoffrey said, "I really envy Lebius..."

"Why?"

"He can push his wheelchair himself."

Bologue was amused by Geoffrey’s dry joke, though his smile was somewhat bitter, like finding joy amidst suffering.

The entire Border Sanatorium seemed bustling, as the morning light shone indoors, medical staff had already been busy for quite some time. They knocked on each ward door, conducting daily checks, collecting body temperature, blood pressure, and other vital signs data, and recording patients’ medical histories. Nurses busily pushed carts, administering injections and rehydration to patients, and so forth.

Observation, diagnosis, treatment, prescription, repeated over and over.

Upon reaching the Central Courtyard, constantly people were carrying stretchers, bringing dirt-covered wounded to the operating room. In the past few days, wounded individuals have been continuously found in the Great Rift.

Bologue is familiar with such scenes; during wartime, field hospitals look exactly like this, with the only difference being that here is filled with hope, whereas field hospitals only have death.

Death God lurks like a rat in the sand, watching for one bloodstained, rotting body after another, severing their throats amidst their cries of agony.

"We haven’t suffered such damage for a long time," Geoffrey muttered.

"It’s okay... at least our enemies face the same."

Since the incident, the King’s Secret Swords, and even the entire Kagader Empire, have eerily fallen silent. They’ve made no comments whatsoever on the deaths of the First, Fourth, and Sixth Seats, which is the greatest casualty the King’s Secret Swords have suffered since the Secret War.

Many extraordinary influences are eying covetously, unable to comprehend what really happened within Oubos amidst that all-encompassing mist.

Only a few know the truth, know of Xilin’s return.

Bologue guesses that the King’s Secret Swords must be aware of this by now, which explains their current attitude. For now, their great enemy isn’t the Order Bureau anymore, but Xilin, who is filled with a desire for revenge.

"Could the King’s Secret Swords have been taken over by the Devil?" Bologue mused to himself.

"Do you have any guesses?"

Geoffrey asked. He, too, is someone who knows, yet even Geoffrey can’t comprehend what exactly is going on. Fragmented information feels like a tangled mess, ensnaring anyone curious.

"The First Seat," Bologue said, "The woman he summoned, and his own Protection, that’s power unique to the Devil."

Geoffrey fell silent, contemplating the First Seat’s position among the King’s Secret Swords, and then thinking about the power he possesses, many things became clear.

Bologue wanted to continue, but Geoffrey waved his hand.

"Stop, Bologue, let’s leave it at that."

"What’s wrong?"

"This topic is too heavy; I’m already worn out."

Geoffrey coughed painfully twice, his ribs were broken in several places. Unlike Lebius who is disciplined, Geoffrey hardly exercised since transferring to the Logistics Department, and upon entering the Special Operations Group, he barely participated in any high-strength battles.