Deep underground, the crackling sound of electric currents, combined with the distant noise faintly coming from the pipes behind him, made Lin Yu feel for a fleeting moment as if he had arrived in another world.

The "art style" of the "Fairy Queen" before him was indeed out of place with this world.

The entire city was quite sci-fi, so why did it suddenly turn eerie here?

But no matter what...

Lin Yu now had to face her directly—literally, face-to-face with her, separated only by a table.

The girl's corpse in front of him was dressed in a beautiful gown, even looking as if she had died not long ago.

The loudspeaker in her arms spoke again.

"Nice to meet you, Furbollo... Do you know why I invited you here?"

A blurred, distorted voice sounded, echoing through the underground passage.

Lin Yu thought for a moment before speaking. "Is it because I caused too much of a stir in Gray Three Streets?"

"Of course not," the Fairy Queen said immediately. "Although you did create a rather interesting chaotic situation, that alone... is not enough reason for me to invite you here."

Lin Yu asked again, "Then, is it because of the rumor that I killed three middlemen?"

The Fairy Queen's voice sounded, seemingly tinged with a hint of amusement. "Rumor... Furbollo, your choice of words is quite interesting."

"Are you still trying to mislead me—you clearly killed them, didn't you?"

As the Fairy Queen spoke, Lin Yu felt a chill.

This person was indeed not simple.

"How did you determine I killed them?"

He asked calmly, maintaining his composure.

"By seeing it, of course... I can see death—the 'fruit' of their deaths clings to you."

The Fairy Queen whispered words that were rather poetic, like lines from a script, fitting her title.

Lin Yu wasn't intimidated, though.

He thought for a moment, still not admitting it, but switched to a statement that seemed like tacit acknowledgment.

"If I did kill them... is that why you called me here?"

Lin Yu asked again, and the Fairy Queen answered once more.

"Naturally, it's not something that trivial. Just three middlemen aren't worth me specifically wanting to meet you..."

"Ultimately, killing and being killed are far too common in Sleepless City, whether in the Outer City or the Inner City. It's just a matter of different methods."

"Just a few middlemen. They died, so they died. What's the big deal?"

Hearing the Fairy Queen say this, Lin Yu straightened his posture.

"Then why, I really don't know."

Hearing Lin Yu's words, the loudspeaker emitted a chaotic, piercing crackle of static.

After the static stopped, the Fairy Queen revealed the answer.

"You are investigating something very sensitive."

"Commission C-77—that is the reason I'm interested in you."

Hearing the Fairy Queen's words, Lin Yu once again confirmed what he had been thinking.

Indeed, this queen before him was no simple character.

And this also indirectly confirmed...

Commission C-77 was indeed no simple task.

Lin Yu spoke unhurriedly, "It's true I'm investigating, but... what's so sensitive about this matter?"

"Isn't it just an ordinary assassination commission? You just said, 'killing and being killed are common in Sleepless City,'" Lin Yu said nonchalantly. "Does this commission hold special significance for you?"

"Or is it... that the death Commission C-77 might cause is far more important to you than the deaths of three middlemen?"

Lin Yu asked sharply, and the Fairy Queen laughed.

"Ha, ha... That's a difficult question to answer. Whatever I say seems to expose my stance and ruin my mystique."

"Furbollo, but since you can ask, I will answer you—my answer is, yes."

"The death Commission C-77 might cause holds significance completely incomparable to the deaths of three middlemen."

As the Fairy Queen spoke, Lin Yu pressed further. "Because the target of C-77 is a noble?"

"No, noble, commoner... these 'artificial divisions' like citizen rank and noble titles are not important," the Fairy Queen said leisurely. "But the life level of the target of Commission C-77, Alt Mercury, is different from others."

"He is a Chosen One, and he still is a Chosen One now—so yes, he is indeed more important."

Hearing the Fairy Queen's words, Lin Yu gently interlaced his fingers.

"'Chosen One'... In your view, is this information that can be easily disclosed? Why tell me this?"

The loudspeaker again emitted a hissing laugh accompanied by static.

"Haven't you already met the Sleepless Night Family Head? She couldn't possibly have not told you this, and you couldn't possibly have not tried to learn about the situation from her."

Lin Yu was surprised.

"You know about that too?"

"Just by chance. After all, you didn't specifically hide it. This matter was relatively easy to find out," the Fairy Queen said. "The Peerage Nobility families have many servants. You can't think they are robots bound to keep secrets just because they wear masks."

"No matter how much you erase their sense of self or selfishness, such things will still exist."

The Fairy Queen spoke indifferently, and Lin Yu nodded slowly.

She seemed to have a deep understanding of the internal situation of the Peerage Nobility.

Moreover, she could even anticipate the content of his conversation with the Sleepless Night Family Head.

"So... what is your attitude towards this? Did you come to stop me and persuade me to halt the investigation?"

Lin Yu asked, pretending curiosity.

He still employed a bit of rhetoric—while admitting he was investigating Commission C-77, Lin Yu did not admit he intended to complete the commission.

Lin Yu needed to probe the Fairy Queen's attitude to decide his own stance.

Although he would never give up assassinating Alt Mercury, he was currently in the Fairy Queen's territory.

If she clearly also wanted to stop this commission... Lin Yu could deceive her for now.

The Fairy Queen said softly, "On the contrary, your interest in this commission, in my view, is a good thing."

"What good thing?"

"Because I also want Alt Mercury to die," the Fairy Queen stated bluntly. "And you... your stance shouldn't be to stop this either, right?"

"Of course," Lin Yu admitted straightforwardly. "In a sense, I am even involved in this commission."

"Then I can offer you some help," the Fairy Queen said in a low voice again. "After all, if our interests align, we can be considered friends, right?"

Faced with her goodwill, Lin Yu shook his head and politely declined.

"Wrong. Aligned interests can only make us 'cooperative partners.' The definition of 'friend,' though vague, is probably not that simple."

"Moreover, I think the most important things for being 'friends' are honesty and trust!"