After walking out of the elevator gate and seeing "that detective" with a smile on his face, Arthur Merlin, Sean and Moonlight both felt like they were seeing old friends again.
"It seems that I should give you a more magical nickname," the New Testament detective with eyes as bright as stars gently snapped his fingers, "for example, 'the rookie who plays randomly but always wins money' or something like that..." "
Arthur Merlin seemed to be in an extremely happy mood. He led Sean Moonlight towards the president's office while talking.
"...In short, I have paid the price of the 'fair arms dealer' - the process was almost safe."
The detective opened the door and led the two people into Phillips' office.
Sean, who was wearing the "Sea of Shimmering Light" mask, was stunned for a moment when he saw the old man turning around from the large French window across the room.
Slightly bloated figure, fluffy white hair, and a kind smile on his face...
Sean met Connor Phillips.
When he first came to the Explorer Center, he decided to become an Explorer in order to find Aaliyah. He received a lot of books from Catherine and was about to leave when he was curious about the "Adam Brand Magic Vending Machine" …
It was the old man in front of me who bought himself a bottle of holy water and said: You should need it later.
And that bottle of holy water played a key role when Anna's corpse attacked him...
Without that bottle of holy water, Sean might have died.
With a mysterious smile on his face, President Phillips walked over with a crutch and said: "It seems that generosity is indeed a virtue worthy of praise...
"At first, I just sent a bottle of holy water, but God rewarded me with a pair of powerful explorers who dared to break the rules."
The president lifted the bowler hat on his head and bowed slightly toward Sean and Moonlight.
The two explorers also took off their hats in return.
Then President Phillips did something very strange.
He used his ectoplasm to lift up a ceramic statue of a white horse that was placed next to him, and placed it on his desk, without seeming to intend to explain his actions.
Only then did Sean see that Austin, the head of the risk control department with his hair tied up and glasses with small rimless lenses, was also in the office.
Holding the black folder, his eyes were a little cold.
She pushed up her small rimless glasses and seemed to be silently scolding Sean and others for their "misbehavior" again.
The Sea of Glimmer and Moonlight soloists suddenly felt uncomfortable, unable to look at the stern lady and their eyes wandered.
President Phillips took out his silver pocket watch and opened it to look at it——
On the dial, the second hand seems to be in a superposition state, a vague fan shape that moves slowly...
Just when Moonlight looked away from Austin, a strange thing suddenly jumped out of the dark corner that they had not noticed at all!
A scarecrow with a dirty linen cloth on its head jumped out with teeth and claws: "Ha!"
This move frightened Yueguang to take a step back, and her waving arms happened to sweep over the place where the white horse had been placed.
Sean keenly observed that if the president had not taken it away in advance, the exquisite porcelain would have been turned into pieces.
The Sea of Glimmer shook his head slightly in amazement: "The explorer involved in time..."
Even if he is as powerful as Rabbi Lins, the former president of Daedalus, he still needs to use the Philosopher's Stone to stop the second hand from moving.
One can imagine how rare and powerful magic involving time is.
"Even so," Sean thought of another question, "Can't he become a Joker?
"Even if it's not the strongest Red Joker, but the Black Joker?"
"That detective" Arthur Merlin, who in Sean's mind is already the ceiling of human power, is only a Joker-level candidate...
The only two bad cards in the association...
How strong is it?
Unimaginable.
Moonlight·1902, who had already raised his hands to play the piano, finally came back to his senses——
The scarecrow in front of him who was deliberately trying to scare him looked familiar.
Then, a crow-like laughter came from the scarecrow's mouth. The strange scarecrow cackled and transformed into the lazy leather-clad lady in the darkness.
The Ace-level "Returning Dorothy" who appeared at the gate of Midnight Paradise on the opening day and advised the explorers to leave as an association.
The feeling of surprise and fear did not diminish much. Moonlight still remembered the scene where the iron giant behind her, like a rusty water tower, swallowed the ectoplasmic heart of an explorer.
Dorothy imitated Moonlight's frightened look and wiped away the tears from laughter: "Sorry, sorry...
"When I see new people, I can't help but want to tease them."
Dorothy looked at the moonlight and tilted her head: "Your piano sound is indeed good, but..."
She looked at the calm Sean again: "Obviously, his will is stronger."
Yue Guang was a little embarrassed, her face flushed slightly under the mask: "My functional direction is to be an artist!
“Artists have more sensitive nerves!
"——Isn't this normal?"
Dorothy seemed to find the moonlight cute, and nodded while looking at the moonlight with a patient smile.
Seeing that the other party's attitude was inconsistent, Yueguang stopped explaining angrily.
Dorothy restrained her joking expression and said seriously: "To be honest, friends...
"As a nominally higher-level Quester, I admire your courage to break the rules."
Dorothy stood up straight, and with a hint of naughtiness, she made a simple version of the face-holding gesture on her unmasked face.
Only then did Yueguang feel that he was being helped, and he stood up slightly, and responded with Sean's face-to-face salute.
President Phillips sat behind his desk, with the New Testament skyline lined with rows of buildings behind him, with few taller buildings, like a "miracle" emerging behind him.
When the president was about to say something, the atmosphere in the office immediately became serious.
Even Dorothy, who was obviously somewhat free and undisciplined, became solemn.
"I have called you here this time, firstly, to commend you for your righteous deeds——
“However, it is a bit regretful that even as the president, I cannot apply for official awards for this, for obvious reasons.
"However, Merlin provided a good idea on the matter of rewards..." Phillips raised a finger, "So, your reward is like this - on the premise that it does not violate secular laws and explorer laws. Next, Merlin and Dorothy will help you solve any troubles of Ace level and below for free.
“Of course, due to their special status, they cannot perform tasks that will intensify existing conflicts.
"For example, incidents similar to 'Midnight Paradise' - please understand this."
Sean and Yueguang couldn't help but raise their eyebrows. Even with the restrictions mentioned by the president, two Aces can be used to solve the problem...
This is already comparable to the extraordinary treatment Arthur gave him when he lent the "fair arms dealer" to him.
Even King-level people don't dare to have such extravagant hopes.
"Mr. President, I have a question." Sean said.
"Please say."
"I heard that we destroyed Midnight Paradise this time, which seems to have caused considerable trouble to you - you may lose the president election in half a year..."
Connor Phillips waved his hand: "It doesn't matter - the conflict between the 'autonomous faction' and the 'submissive faction' within the association has already reached an irreconcilable point.
"It's not a bad thing that you, an outsider, have brought this contradiction to the forefront...
"After the contradiction became apparent, on the one hand, fellow explorers could clearly see that Nietzsche wanted to be a thug of the trust (super plutocrat)..."
Moonlight·1902 couldn't help but swallowed when he heard the president mentioning the only black Joker in the association in a disdainful tone.
"On the other hand, maybe," the old man's eyes and voice were a little empty, "maybe such a drastic change can allow that man to receive the message..."
Sean raised his head in confusion, the poker in his chest trembling.
Merlin, whose expression remained unchanged, spoke through poker: "Don't ask.
"The president is talking about Red Joker, 'Master Roland who went to the Black Tower'.
"He went to other world lines...
"We need him."
Sean, who didn't quite understand the entanglements and origins of the association, responded to the card with little understanding.
