Mystery: Gray Walker

Chapter 59 Uncle, I'm a decent person

"...Apprentice," Anaïs said timidly.

Green was startled and carefully examined the girl in front of him.

She was pretty and delicate, with a hint of timidity, but no matter how he looked at her, he couldn't connect Anais with the words "extraordinary" and "secret knowledge."

"How did you determine that?"

Upon hearing this, Anaïs's face instantly turned bright red. She buried her head deeply, her voice barely audible, trembling with embarrassment:

"That day... in the supervisor's office, I... I saw you walk out of the wall..."

Green's pupils contracted slightly. He hadn't expected Anaïs to be so observant.

"Grandfather...Grandfather mentioned in his notes...He said that in those unknown, mysterious worlds, there are people called 'Apprentices.' They possess the secrets of space and can travel freely to any place they want to go or have marked, as if passing through a door..."

She looked up, glanced quickly at Green, then looked down again, her cheeks flushing even more.

"But Grandfather also said that it might just be a legend, or a huge exaggeration. Because... no one has actually seen it, or those who have seen it wouldn't say it. I... I was so scared at the time, my mind was a complete mess, and only later did I slowly remember what he said... I, I'm not sure, I just... feel that you might be..."

Green found it increasingly incredible. An ordinary historian not only knew about the "apprenticeship" path but could also accurately describe its core competencies—something that could not be covered by mere folklore.

He astutely grasped the key point: "Your grandfather... was just an ordinary research scholar?"

Greene emphasized the word "ordinary," his tone filled with doubt, "Are there extraordinary individuals within the History and Archaeology Society...?"

"No, no!" Anaïs shook her head quickly. "I asked my grandfather... and he... insisted that he was just a scholar. He said that most people in the society were ordinary people who were engrossed in their research, and at most... at most there were a few eccentric people who were particularly obsessed with ancient mysterious rituals and symbols."

"Then why did your grandfather leave the History and Archaeology Society? Isn't that the place every scholar dreams of?" Green asked, somewhat puzzled.

"He said he... hated the president, saying that the person... turned scholarship into a 'business' and treated history as a 'scepter'. They argued many times, and in the end, my grandfather left the society with his books and notes."

He paused, a hint of melancholy in his voice:

"Things at home... didn't go so well later. My mother thought those books and notes were ominous things and almost sold them off. I secretly hid some of them... but I couldn't understand them all. A lot of them were written in strange symbols or abbreviations invented by my grandfather himself..."

Ordinary? Maybe not... Green thought to himself.

A scholar who can systematically record the characteristics of extraordinary paths and use precise terminology, even if he himself lacks spirituality, has definitely come into contact with the real core circle of mysticism, or the "history" he studies is itself a concealed extraordinary being.

He looked at the girl in front of him, her cheeks flushed with nervousness because she had revealed her biggest secret.

She was like a wild, undefended wasteland, yet teeming with precious mineral deposits. She seemed to possess a systematic knowledge framework that even many low-sequence extraordinary beings might not understand, yet she knew nothing of the true extraordinary world and was utterly powerless to protect herself.

The bottle of "Secret Seeker" potion lying quietly in his pocket seemed to be slightly warm at this moment.

A daring idea suddenly surfaced uncontrollably...

What if... I were to hand over this 'key' to this 'treasure trove'? Would I gain an ally?

No, wait a little longer...

He needs to observe and confirm.

"Have you talked to anyone else about the extraordinary? Including your parents?" Green asked casually.

"No, no... Grandfather forbade me from mentioning it to anyone... saying it might bring unforeseen consequences..."

"You told me today." Green looked at her calmly, observing her subtle expressions.

"It's different. I... I don't think you would hurt me, and... you yourself are an extraordinary being."

"Annaise, don't mention what we said today to anyone. Not even your grandfather or those notes. Otherwise, if danger comes... I'm afraid I can't protect you..."

This statement was both a warning and a tacit admission. He implicitly acknowledged that he belonged to that mysterious world, and indirectly admitted that Anaïs's judgment was correct.

Anaïs trembled slightly, not out of fear, but out of a tension stemming from being trusted and realizing the seriousness of the situation.

She nodded vigorously. "I understand, Maurice first. I... I won't say anything. I've also hidden Grandfather's notes very well."

"Very good." Green nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer.

He took out his pocket watch and glanced at it. It was almost time to get off work. "I have something to do, so I'll be going now. See you tomorrow."

"Ah, okay! See you tomorrow, Mr. Morris," Anaïs said with a slight bow.

Green walked up the stairs and pushed open the basement door.

Anaïs Violet...

He silently recited the full name, which now seemed particularly meaningful.

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27 Ti'an Street

At dinner, Green told Uncle Victor that he had become a full-time employee of the port authority.

Everyone was stunned and looked up at him at the same time.

The usually composed Victor suddenly started stammering: "W-what? A full-time employee? From the port authority?"

He doubted he had heard correctly until Green took out the document stamped with the port authority's seal and pushed it to the center of the table.

Victor picked up the document and examined the stamp and signature several times. The position was listed as assistant level. He looked utterly incredulous.

"This...this..."

He abruptly looked up at Sylvia, trying to find the reason in her face: "Sylvia, did you... ask someone? Did you pull some strings?"

Aunt Sylvia also looked bewildered. She shook her head and looked at Green with a confused expression.

Emily was even more surprised and asked directly, "Green, how did you do that? I've heard Dad talk about someone like Henry Burns... how could he suddenly give you a formal position?"

Green put down his fork, thought for a moment, and said calmly, "I... and Director Henry Burns... have reached some kind of deal."

This was something he had planned in advance, but he hadn't considered the details much; in his opinion, those things weren't important.

But he never expected that these very details would almost ruin his reputation.

Victor's expression changed instantly. He slowly put down the file and asked uncertainly, "He...he did that to you..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the atmosphere at the table suddenly froze.

Sylvia and Emily's faces flushed instantly; they clearly understood what Victor meant. At the port authority, rumors about Henry Burns' unusual fetishes had never ceased.

"Cough—!" Green spat out the water he had just drunk and coughed violently.

"Brother, what's wrong?" Only Sula didn't understand and looked at Green with a curious expression.

Sylvia quickly nudged Victor's arm under the table and whispered, "Victor! What did you say?!"

Victor then realized he had misspoke and awkwardly cleared his throat: "Uh, I... I didn't mean that, Green, I meant..."

Green finally stopped coughing, wiped his mouth, and, in a moment of inspiration, said:

"No! Uncle, you've misunderstood. He... he saw that I was hardworking and asked me to handle a rather tricky personal matter for him privately. He said I did a very good job and he was very satisfied. In return, he gave me this position."

He deliberately blurred the nature of the "private matter," leaving enough room for imagination.

It could be debt collection, investigation, or even some shady errand running, which is not uncommon anywhere.

Victor looked at him with suspicion: "Really? What private matter?"

"Uncle, there are some things that are better left unknown. That's what Supervisor Henry said, and that's what I think too. This job wasn't easy to get, and I don't want to cause any unnecessary trouble."

This statement is reasonable and even carries a touch of adult sophistication and caution.

Victor fell silent.

He picked up the employment document again, looked at the stable weekly wage amount, and then looked at Green.

Finally, he sighed deeply and handed the document back to Green.

"You're right." Victor's voice was a little tired, but also relieved. "Green, you've grown up. This job... although its origins may be somewhat unusual, it's definitely a respectable job. With official status at the port authority, things will be much easier for you in the future."

He paused, then added solemnly, "But remember, there are some lines you can't cross. If Henry asks you to do something... against your conscience, or too dangerous, don't force yourself. This family isn't wealthy, but it's not so wealthy that it needs you to do those things."

Sylvia nodded repeatedly. "Green, your uncle is right. Safety is the most important thing."

Emily bit her lip, looking at Green with a complicated expression. She seemed to want to say something, but in the end, she just lowered her head and silently chopped the potatoes on her plate.

"I understand, Uncle, Aunt." Green nodded earnestly. "I'll be careful."

Dinner continued in a subtle atmosphere.

Victor and Sylvia stopped asking for details, but occasionally exchanged worried glances. Sula quickly cleared the food from her plate, while Emily remained unusually quiet.