《Demon hunter's Cooking Manual》 Chapter 1: Prologue Chapter 1: Prologue Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°I¡¯m being watched.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the stuff?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still with me.¡± ¡°Then¡­ let me introduce you to a ¡®postman¡¯.¡± ¡°¡®Postman¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°The best ¡®postman¡¯ in Sleepless City!¡± Chapter 2: The Postman Chapter 2: The Postman Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio In the dark of the night, the wind blew, and the trees swayed back and forth. The staggering shadows of the twigs and branches inteced like countless ws, earnestly waiting to catch their prey. Jason looked at this all, and, after taking a few deep breaths, he suddenly stepped on the elerator. The modified jalopy roared through the street and into the destination, as requested by the ¡°employer¡±. The 26th District of Sleepless City. On the streets of this district, gun battles were ceaseless ¡¯round the clock and happened at any time. Explosions were even moremon, like random disys of fireworks staged by people as they pleased. If he was ever given a choice, Jason would never want to set foot in this ce for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, he did not have a choice. Just as he had no choice a year ago when he suddenly traversed worlds to arrive here. He had inherited the job of a ¡°postman¡±, as well as the name ¡°Jason¡±, from his predecessor, and all of which were done in spite of himself. Had he ever wanted to quit? In the face of a group of burly men with their guns aimed at him point-nk, Jason, who had no death wish, naturally knew what he should do. And he had thus been working in this line for close to a year. In Sleepless City, there were few ¡°postmen¡± who could continue in this line of work for one full year. In fact, the majority of the ¡°postmen¡± would not evenst a full three months. Even worse, some might disappear without a trace after one mere delivery. A number of them would take flight with the goods. Of course, the bigger part of it was that most of them were killed. And as a ¡°postman¡± who had been at this job for almost a year, Jason¡¯s good reputation won him the favor of many employers. Many major businesses that bore truly great significance began to actively seek Jason¡¯s service. If he could, Jason would never ept these big jobs. Even if they could bring him high remunerations, he would still feel simrly. Because there were hidden risks amongst these jobs that Jason himself could not bear. He was well aware that the reason why he could survive longer than the other ¡°postmen¡± was not because he had an ability that was more outstanding. It was because he was not greedy, not curious, and only knew to keep his head low to get his task done. He would only take his due pay and would never get distracted by looking around. But still, Jason did not have a choice. He simply had nomand over his own life. He was merely a ¡°postman¡± working under the ¡°Old Man¡±. Although his performance was pretty good, it could only earn him a better living environment and food aspared to the rest. And he also got himself some learning opportunities, which ranged from lessons on basicbat fighting to the use of firearms. And these were all for the purpose of allowing him to better fulfill his responsibilities as a ¡°postman¡±. The ¡°Old Man¡± was no phnthropist. No true phnthropist would ever keep a bunch of gunmen, who behaved like bandits, under his wing. Jason had seen for himself how the ¡°Old Man¡± dealt with ¡°postmen¡± who could notplete their tasks. Those guys were hung from utility poles, where they were exposed to the winds and eventually became food for the crows. So, in the face of the ¡°Old Man¡¯s¡±mands, he could only choose obedience. He did not want to be hanged. Even worse, he did not wish to be food for the crows after death. He wanted to live. So here he was, at the 26th District, where it was much more dangerous. Jason¡¯s pair of eyes swept and scanned the surroundings. He tried his best not to let go of any trace or sign of peculiarity. Holding the steering wheel tightly, Jason¡¯s attention was unprecedentedly focused. Jason did not wish to be stopped by anyone ¡°asking for directions¡±, much less be kissed by stray bullets. Based on the map, which he had spent two hours memorizing, which was so detailed that he could remember the door number of every house, Jason drove the car quickly around several corners and urately parked right at the doorstep of his destination. Number 19, Tur Street, 26th District. It was a dpidated building that still retained traces of ckness after an explosion. Everything above the third floor had practically disappeared, leaving only two floors of the entire building. Jason knocked at the door. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m a postman.¡± Jason reported his identity as he knocked. Ever since he learned, from a casual chat, that someone from the same line was shot to death by a house owner for randomly opening the door to enter as he pleased, Jason had developed a good habit of knocking on the door before entering the room. Squeak. The door opened by just a crack, and an eye that was hidden in the darkness looked Jason up and down. When it saw the backpack in Jason¡¯s hands, the door slowly opened to a wider gap. The owner of the house still remained hidden in the dark. Only one arm was reaching out, and that hand was wearing a ck leather glove. Jason, being a tactful person, wasted no time in handing over the backpack. Then, raising both his hands high, he stepped back slowly. He did not want his actions to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings. ¡°Wait!¡± The hoarse voice brought Jason¡¯s retreating footsteps to a halt. Then, the other party passed him another backpack. ¡°Take this over to Number 203, King Street, in the 16th District, by midnight today!¡± That was what the other party said. ¡°This is against the rules¨C¡± Jason said subconsciously. But when he saw the other party pulling out a pistol, especially with the muzzle aimed directly at him, Jason immediately changed his words. Carefully, he walked back and took the backpack. ¡°All right, as you wish!¡± One should never, ever provoke any client as one pleased. Because there was no way one could ever find out the exact identities that their clients were hiding from them. This was the first piece of advice for all ¡°postmen¡±. Jason had always been mindful of it. This bag was simr to the one Jason had handed over. Both were backpacks with two straps, but the weight of this backpack was at least double that of the former. Jason kept his curiosity well-restrained and did not try to guess what was inside, let alone casually look in to see what it contained. He merely kept his silence and stood at the door. ¡°Since the other party has chosen to ¡®post by mail¡¯, then you must pay the fee.¡± This was the rule of the Sleepless City¡¯s ¡°postmen¡±. Did not this client know the rule? It should be known that ¡°postmen¡± who did notplete their tasks were not the only ones hanged to death by the Old Man. The other party obviously knew the rule. A momentter, a kraft paper bag was handed over to him. ¡°Your remuneration.¡± After Jason took the kraft paper bag, the door immediately mmed shut. He did not even look into how much he received. The moment the door mmed shut, Jason took the backpack and the kraft paper bag and ran to his car at full speed. His good eyesight had already caught several people, albeit a good distance away, looking over at where he was. The look in their eyes reflected their ill intentions. In such a ce like the 26th District, where gangs ran amuck everywhere, standing on the main street with nothing concrete to take refuge in would be like a sheep walking into a pack of wolves. Not only was it dangerous, but it could also be fatal. No matter how strong one¡¯s body was, there was no way it could block a bulleting from the dark. It was only after he jumped into the driver¡¯s seat did Jason feel slightly relieved. He barely heaved a sigh of relief, yet immediately, he held his breath. Because¡­ The muzzle of a gun was held against the back of his head. Jason absolutely had no idea that there was actually someone else in his car. But this did not stop him from making the right choice. First, he raised both hands high above his head, then he spoke very quickly, yet clearly. ¡°Dear Sir, what do you want from me?¡± He added, ¡°Would it be these or my wallet? It¡¯s in the left pocket of my pants.¡± ¡°Pass me the backpack and the paper bag. Don¡¯t y any tricks!¡± The voice came from the back of his head, just like the muzzle that was pointed against it. Not only was it cold and hard, but it also left Jason with no choice at all. ¡°All right!¡± Jason replied immediately. This did not conform to the rules of a ¡°postman¡±. But Jason did not hesitate at all. Rules? When his dear life was at stake, the rules were worthless. Acting ording to the instructions of the other party, Jason passed the backpack and paper bag, that he had temporarily ced on the passenger seat, to the other party. Throughout the entire process, Jason still kept his left hand raised up high without moving his upper body. He only relied on the use of his right hand to take and pass the stuff, thus, his movements were slow and awkward. The other party seemed to be waiting very impatiently. Jason¡¯s right hand had barely taken the things halfway through when they were snatched away from him. Though Jason had chosen to release his grip the moment the other party¡¯s hand was raised, Jason¡¯s fingers still felt the pain caused by the dragging sensation when the bag was being snatched. But on the premise that there was a pistol against the back of his head, Jason pressed his lips tightly and did not allow himself to make a single sound. At the same time, he lowered his head and chose not to look at the backseat of the car through the rearview mirror. The other party could enter his car without his awareness. This was obviously not somebody ordinary. At least, among the men under the Old Man, there were only two who could achieve something of this degree. Those two fellows were the Old Man¡¯s confidants. One of them was hisbat and firearms instructor. The other was someone who could knock him down with a random blow. The long amount of time spent together had allowed him to understand that, in the face of such people, any tricky attempt to observe them would definitely not go unnoticed. It would only serve to alert the other party. Once the other party had been alerted, then there was really nothing he could do except die. But¡­ Jason also did not choose unquestionablepliance. Because he could not guarantee that the other party would or would not shoot. In the face of life-threatening situations, if blindpliance could guarantee his safety, Jason would definitely choose to obey. But, if being submissive could not ensure that he could save his dear life, then Jason also did not mind giving his all to put up a good fight. He adjusted his breathing ording to the way he was taught and prepared himself. When the other party was checking the contents of the backpack and the kraft paper bag, he would seize the gun. This was no easy feat. But Jason knew it was his only chance. The only thing worth feeling d about was: from the very first day he became a ¡°postman¡±, for the sake of his dear life, Jason, who had alwayscked a sense of security, had rehearsed such a situation like this in his mind more than once. Over the past year, aside from the necessary work that he had to fulfill, whenever Sui Xiong was having his meals, he would always imagine the different kinds of trouble he would encounter, and how he should solve them. Also, he would make countless attempts and give it his all to do his best. Being a ¡°postman¡±, the situation in which he was suddenly held, with a gun to the back of his head while in his car, was one of the dangerous situations that he had rehearsed the most. A sound of zipper being pulled open rang in his ears. Three¡­ Two¡­ One! Silently calcting the time that the other party needed to see the contents of the backpack, Jason suddenly turned his upper body to the right in a sh. Having done countless simtions, Jason practically did this as though it was purely instinctive. At the same time, his left hand caught hold of the other party¡¯s wrist. And then, he immediately used all the strength in him to push the muzzle up. The sound was deafening. The very moment the muzzle pointed up, the gun went off with a bang. The bullet brushed past Jason¡¯s ears and instantly shot through the roof of the car. The strong smell of gunpowder began to fill the interior of the car. Jasonpletely ignored the warmth due to the gun being fired just a moment ago. His right hand simply grasped the gun barrel as he took advantage of the situation and pulled the trigger with a click. There was a clear crunching sound hearding from the other party¡¯s fingers. The knuckles of humans were flexible, yet fragile. Even after long periods of training, so long as one could hit urately at the right angle, it was not difficult to maim a person¡¯s hand at one blow¡ªthis was what the fellow, who had taught him how tobat and shoot, told him. Jason had constantly kept his instructor¡¯s words in mind, and simrly, for the sake of self-protection, he had practiced it countless times. So, everything became easily managed as he was well-versed from practice. The only difference was the wretched cries that existed. It was much more miserable than what Jason imagined. Or even worse, it could be said to be a terror. ¡°Ah, ah, ah!¡± Amidst the cries of pain, the other party released his hold right away. Jason seized the pistol, and, without turning around, he pushed the door open and got out of the car. Then, he turned around and aimed the muzzle urately at what was behind him. But at that moment, when Jason got a clear view of the situation at the back of the car, his entire body shook. Chapter 3: The Precursor Chapter 3: The Precursor Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jason stood aghast at the sight of a two-meter-long tentacle that was glowing with a faint red amidst the dark. It was covered with inverted thorns, as thick as two fingers, and was reaching out from the backpack where it wrapped itself around a thin man. The head of the tentacle was hidden within the bag, so no one could tell what could be found on the other end. The other end was deeply pierced into the chest of a thin man, where it was sucking and swallowing. The front end of the tentacle pulsated very rhythmically in one circle. Then, it disappeared into the other end of the tentacle very quickly. The man¡¯s face was filled with agony. Every time the tentacle sucked and swallowed, he would let out a miserable cry. But even worse, following the sucking and swallowing of this tentacle, at the root end of this tentacle, there would be another, brand-new, chopstick-thin tentacle staggering out of the opening of the bag. It was as if the tentacle was waving to greet Jason, as though it was saying hello to him. But at the moment, Jason could only feel shock in his heart. He did not feel that the newly emerged tentacle merely wanted to say a simple hello to him. Even though he kept telling himself that he had to stay calm, Jason¡¯s body still trembled slightly. Aftering to Sleepless City in such an ineffable way, Jason firmly believed in the existence of the mysterious side. And he had tried to find ways to return home but were all to no avail. He told himself that he was just not in luck, or that he had not found the right direction, and told himself that there was no need to feel discouraged. But when the true mystery appeared so unexpectedly and suddenly, he found it somewhat difficult to ept for the moment. But this did not mean that Jason would allow any pauses in his following moves. Countless simtion drills made it possible for him to close the car door without hesitation. As for shooting it? He was not confident that he could hit that fine and slender tentacle. And to choose that thick one? He did not think that it was a good idea to interrupt the other party at this time when it was having its meal. Most importantly, even without shooting, Jason still had an even better and safer solution. Putting his gun to safety mode, then sticking it in the back of his waist, Jason turned around at top speed and twisted open the cap of the car¡¯s fuel tank that was nearby. He pulled out a piece of cloth from the pocket of his shirt that he had prepared long ago and stuck it into the fuel tank. The moment the lighter lit the cloth, Jason spun around and ran away. Though it was his first time in reality, Jason was well aware exactly what was going to happen next. The newborn monster in the car seemed to feel the sense of crisis and started to frantically hit the windows with loud thumps. It was merely two hits, and then cracks started to appear on the bulletproof ss that Jason had specially retrofitted. But it was still toote. Intense mes spurted out from the opening of the fuel tank and instantly engulfed the entire car within them. This was a degration process simr to an explosion. It brought out scorching mes that soared up into the sky, which, in turn, lit up the night sky. Jason ran forward without turning back. And he most certainly did not realize that a dazzling little fireball had parted from the sea of intense mes and was heading straight at him. That was the big, thick tentacle! But unlike what Jason had seen previously, this tentacle that emerged from the intense mes was not only scorched ck, it was also withered, shrunken, and even worse, it was left with no more than five centimeters of its original length. However, even being in this state did not, in any way, hinder that organism¡¯s instinct of seeking survival and revenge. Thwack! Jasonpletely had no chance of responding before the tentacle with mes stuck itself onto his left forearm. Amidst the searing pain he felt in his flesh, and the burning smell of the mes, Jason was suddenly stabbed in his brachioradialis. ¡°Ah!¡± With an agonized cry, Jason flipped and fell to the ground. And that charred tentacle that had lost a huge part of its body in those mes was squirming and wriggling about. It was trying topletely prate Jason¡¯s left arm while sucking and feeding on fresh blood and flesh in big mouthfuls. Jason finally understood why that man had to cry out so miserably earlier on. Because every mouthful it took would give rise to such excruciating pain. Jason lifted his right hand, which was perfectly fine, to grab the exposed part of the tentacle. Then he tried to yank it out. But it waspletely useless! That charred tentacle seemed to have be one with his left arm. When he yanked and pulled, the pain was not only intensified, he even felt a sense of weakness hitting his nerves like tidal waves. Jason clearly knew that if this went on, he would soon die of excessive blood loss. He did not want to die yet! Everyone was afraid of death. And Jason was, all the more, no exception. So, Jason chose the most powerful weapon he had on his body at that moment¡­ his teeth! He opened his mouth wide, shed his mouth of strong teeth, and bit hard into the end of that tentacle. It was out of Jason¡¯s expectations to realize that the tentacle that felt so solid and hard to the touch was, on the contrary, extremely soft under his teeth. It felt just like biting into a piece of ham sausage, and the taste was not that bad. The juice had a slight hint of freshness, which was a bit simr to that of roasted sea cucumber. But¡­ Jason swore he had never eaten anything that tasted so good! Whether it was in his hometown where he was warm and fed with nothing to worry about, or in the Sleepless City. Such a delectable taste was simply unprecedented! Such an ugly monster¡­ How could it taste so delicious? With surprise in his heart, Jason instinctively swallowed it. A warm sensation rose from his stomach and spread rapidly throughout his whole body. Then, right before his retina, lines of text began to appear: [Predator¡¯s talent¡­ Activated!] [Devouring the touch of Swagnu!] [Modest recovery from injury!] [Satiety +2] [Predator: Certain ¡°food¡± will never appear on the menu of ordinary people. But you are different. Your soul from a different world makes you different as such. For you, there is no ¡°food¡± that cannot be consumed¡ªinvasive species? Sorry, over here in my ce, there are only endangered species to be been eaten at different levels! Effect: When you have swallowed some ¡°abnormal food¡±, you will feel corresponding satiety ording to how much you have eaten. And you can use this satiety toplete some incredible things.] As the text appeared, the wound on Jason¡¯s arm recovered within the timespan of a single breath. What was the deal with the words before his eyes? Predator? Talent from the soul of a different world?! The idental unfolding surprised Jason. But before he could figure out what was going on, the door of Number 19, Tur Street, which was not far away, opened. That temporary employer, wielding a gun, walked out briskly. The gun in the other party¡¯s hand was aimed directly at him. And, without hesitation, the other party pulled the trigger with a bang. The moment the other party pointed the gun at him, Jason immediately pounced aside. But the other party was an extremely skilled marksman. Over a distance of more than 20 meters, and with Jason moving about at high speed, he could still hit Jason. However, it was not a vital point. Just his shoulder. Jason felt his right shoulder go numb for a moment, and then, it was searing pain. The sound of footsteps rang from behind. Jason struggled to twist his body. Finally, he had a clear view of that temporary employer with the gun. Underneath a ck hoodie was an ice hockey mask that kept his facepletely obscured, revealing only a pair of eyes that were void of any emotional fluctuations. Just like the hand that the other party held the gun with, his eyes were firm and steady, without a trace of trembling. Once again, this temporary employer aimed the muzzle at Jason¡¯s chest and pulled the trigger. Bang, bang. Two shots. Both the left and right side of his chest received a shot each. Jason fell straight to the ground, as though death was imminent. Anyone who was put through such a shooting was bound to die. Whether the heart was on the left, or on the right, which was different from the ordinary people. Jason thought so. This temporary employer thought likewise. So, this temporary employer grabbed hold of Jason¡¯s pants, and turned around with peace of mind, ready to pull Jason back into Number 19. But Jason, who was being dragged and about to breathe hisst, opened his eyes wide to stare at the words that reappeared before his retina. [Encountered a fatal attack¡­] [Consume satiety for treatment¡­] [Insufficient amount of satiety!] [Verified that thorough treatment could not bepleted!] [Choice of the maximum degree of treatment!] [In the course of treatment¡­] [Recovery from severe injury!] After a series of words, Jason, who was so close to death that he had caught a whiff of its breath, felt like he was alive again. The pain was still there! But death was long gone! He looked at the back of the figure that was dragging him without any struggle. He maintained the same posture as before and allowed the other party to drag him. Then, slowly, he pulled the pistol that he had tucked into the back of his waist earlier on. As carefully as possible, he did not make a single sound. Then, switching off the safety mode of the gun, he took aim at the other party and pulled the trigger. Chapter 4: When I Put On the Mask Chapter 4: When I Put On the Mask Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The bullet hit that temporary employer right in the middle of his back. But the other party, who was just shot, merely staggered forward a little. He did not fall to the ground. Instead, he made use of the momentum to turn around. Jason, who witnessed the whole scene, was deeply shocked. Yet, he did not hesitate to continue pulling the trigger. Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of gunfire went on repeatedly, with Jason pouring out all the bullets from the MF92 pistol in his hand over his opponent¡¯s body. Shooting was not difficult for Jason. In his daily learning and practice, firearms were a category of items that he was frequently exposed to. And at the moment, the MF92 pistol that he held was one of the firearms that he was most familiar with. In addition, this was shooting at close range. Therefore, not a single bullet was off-target. It could even be said that every bullet had hit a vital part of his opponent¡¯s torso. But this was all. That temporary employer was still incredibly tenacious. He only fell to the ground after three solid shots were fired at him, and he did not die. His heaving chest was evidence of this. Huff! Huff! It sounded somewhat like someone exhaling, but it also sounded like someone howling. The sound came from behind that ice-hockey mask. The other party was struggling to raise the hand holding the gun, as he wanted to take aim at Jason again. Bang! Bang! Before his opponent had the chance to, Jason pulled the trigger again. This time, the other party waspletely soundless. Jason did not dare to be careless. Everything that just happened was simply way beyond what he could ever have expected. That tentacle that was named the ¡°Tentacle of Swagnu¡±¡­ The temporary employer before him now, whose vitality was so strong that it exceeded what anyone could ever imagined¡­ And also¡­ He himself. In spite of himself, Jason thought of the previous sh of ¡°[Predator]¡¯s¡± talent. And just as the thought of this talent came to mine, those words that were exnations rted to what the [Predator¡¯s] talent was about, appeared again, right before his retina. [Predator: ¡­] [Satiety: 0] ¡°The uniqueness of a soul¡­¡± Looking at the words on thebel, Jason whispered to himself. Jason was well aware of his origin, and this was a secret he had to keep buried in the bottom of his heart. Then, very naturally, Jason¡¯s eye looked toward the rted [Satiety]. He could never forget how he barely managed to escape death just a while ago. He had totally relied on the so-called [Satiety] to tide through and survive the crisis. And at the moment, the number ¡°0¡± was exceptionally conspicuous. For someone who was extremelycking in the sense of security, this was not a good thing. It was almost subconsciously that Jason looked towards the door of Number 19 on Tur Street. Would there be any other simr monsters in there? Jason spected. The next moment, he shook his head. If there were still other simr monsters in there, that temporary employer of his would not have personallye out to attack him. Would it not be better to givemands and direct those monsters? Or maybe, directing those monsters required even more preparation and conditions? As he pondered, Jason took a deep breath. Enduring the pain in his chest, he struggled to get to his feet. The greatest degree of treatment via the consumption of [Satiety] did not allow him to make aplete recovery. But his injury no longer posed as a hindrance to his movements. Jason cast his sight at the corpse of the temporary employer. Or, to be precise, the gun in the other party¡¯s hand. As the 26th District was fraught with danger, Jason certainly did not mind having an extra pistol as a precautionary measure. Especially when the other party was also using the MF92 pistol. Unquestionably, Jason was not the only one who would fancy such a stable, reliable, and high-precision pistol like the MF92. Everyone else would like a pistol such as the MF92 as well. But this was good news for Jason. At least, there was no need for him to spend more time familiarizing himself with the firearm in his hands. He picked up the MF92 pistol that was in the hands of the corpse, and then, after putting the gun on safety mode, he stuck it into the back of his waist. Jason gazed in the direction of the other party¡¯s ice hockey mask. For the purpose of a thorough investigation, he removed the mask. It was a very ordinary face of a middle-aged man. Jason frowned He was certain that he had never seen the other party before. There was no feud between them, either. And this was not good news at all. Jason was not a fool. He thought of the other party, who opened fire to attack him without hesitation upon appearing, and also, the attacker who suddenly appeared in his car and eventually became food for the ¡°Tentacle of Swagnu¡±. Jason knew he was in big trouble. He had tried his best to avoid trouble. But some troubles were really unavoidable. Jason did not know what that VIP wanted to do. But he knew that, since that VIP hadid the setup and cast the bait, there was no reason he would return empty-handed. In fact, the other partypleted the task very sessfully. The unlucky guy who followed him ining here, but who was eventually sucked up by the ¡°Tentacle of Swagnu, was evidence. The only failure was¡­ Him! He was meant to be the ¡°abandoned son¡± who would disappear from the world incidentally. But not only did he survive, he even killed the man that was sent by that VIP, and ruined a part of the VIP¡¯syout. Assuming the VIP learned about everything, what would happen? The answer was self-evident. Other than death, there would be no other choice. Seeking help from the Old Man? Jason was a hundred percent sure that the moment he showed up, the Old Man would tie him up and hand him over to that VIP. And if he could, the Old Man definitely did not mind tying the rope into the shape of a butterfly bow. As for going elsewhere? It was even more impossible. This was because the means of transport that could leave Sleepless City only existed within the 1st to 15th Districts. And the legendaryw enforcers only existed in the 1st to 15th Districts. Starting from the 16th District, security took a sudden turn and nosedived. And from the 26th District on, the streets became just like battlefields. Death was omnipresent. Jason did not know what life was like for the residents of the 1st to 15th District. Because he lived in the 16th District. Before the residents of the 16th District were granted amnesty, there was no way they could possibly enter the preceding districts. Anyone who randomly entered as they pleased would be shot dead. To wish for special amnesty? Very simple. Pay a million Kimptons! For Jason, whose entire fortune was not even worth three Kimptons, this was an astronomical amount, beyond his wildest imagination. Even the Old Man might find it a challenge trying to raise such an amount. And in the 16th District, the Old Man was already counted as one of the more affluent figures. As an outstanding postman working under the Old Man, Jason was very understanding of how influential the Old Man was. He also understood how scary an existence that could make the Old Man be so servile, of whom was treated as a VIP by the Old Man himself, would be. Given the other party¡¯s ability to seal off all 26 districts, it might not even be a problem. So long as the other person set his mind to doing so, he would definitely be able to aplish it. And to ensure that one¡¯s n would seed, the other party would definitely do so. And he would definitely be doing the best he could! What should Jason do? Jason was gazing fixedly while deep in thought when his eyes swept across the ice-hockey mask that he was holding on to. Suddenly, an audacious thought struck him. Pose as the temporary employer! So long as ¡°he¡± was dead, and the temporary employer was alive, it would be enough, for the time being, to convince the VIP that the n was sessful. Of course, Jason knew that this would bring about many variables. Perhaps it was not difficult to impersonate someone who was wearing an ice hockey mask. But there was always interaction andmunication where people were concerned. The rtionship between the other party and the VIP, as well as the other party¡¯s usual demeanor, were all aspects that he needed to consider. Also, he prayed that the unlucky guy was not the VIP¡¯s sole target, but merely the appetizer in the VIP¡¯s n. Because that was the only way he could prolong his stay here in the guise of the temporary employer. And all of the above was just the difficulties he could think of at the moment. More of them? Those woulde naturally. But he could only take things a step at a time. Jason¡¯s take on the matter was as such. Then, he exhaled heavily. After such a heavy sigh was heard, Jason put the ice-hockey mask on his face. After some slight adjustment, his vision and breathing rapidly adapted to the ice-hockey mask. The cold, solid mask that was now attached to his face brought Jason an inexplicable peace of mind. The nervous and perturbed emotions that he felt earlier quickly disappeared. Then, he acted ording to the n that he just devised a while ago and began to check the ce to confirm that nothing too eye-catching was left behind. Then, he dragged the corpse of his temporary employer toward the car that was still burning. Since he had already decided to pose as his temporary employer, then it was a given that there had to be an additional ¡°corpse of Jason¡± to be found in the car. Throwing the body into the raging mes and watching how that corpse was engulfed by the mes, Jason looked around. The earlier explosion of the car, that was followed by sounds of miserable cries and firing guns, had allowed the few fellows who had been peeping over to know that they should choose to retreat. This was another piece of good news for Jason, for he need not spend more effort to tie up any final loose ends. Then, he turned and walked toward the door of Number 19 on Tur Street. The door was not fully shut, leaving a gap. However, when one was standing outside the door, there was no way to see anything in the room through this gap. All that could be seen was darkness. Involuntarily, the image of the Tentacle of Swagnu appeared in Jason¡¯s mind. Though he guessed that there would not possibly be another such monster appearing here, it did not mean that Jason would directly use his hand to push the door open. He yanked off a branch, that was definitely at least a meter long, from the bushes by the roadside. With his gun in his right hand and the branch in his left, he gently tapped on the door. Then, he exerted some pressure. The door opened with a creak. Chapter 5: The Room Chapter 5: The Room Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Behind the door was only darkness. Behind him, the wreckage of the car was still burning in raging mes. Borrowing the light from the mes, Jason could roughly see theyout of the room. Generally simr to its dpidated exterior, there was no excess furniture in the room. A major part of the flooring was shattered into broken pieces, especially the corridor area near the door. The remnants of the flooring were further dismantled by people, to give way to a two-meter-long, three-meter-deep pitfall. Obviously, anyone who pushed the door open and walked straight in would plunge right down, without the chance to stay alert. A straight, hangingdder was fastened to the side near the door. ¡°Just now, that ¡®temporary employer¡¯ merely opened the door as wide as a small gap. This not only allowed him to protect himself, but it was also because he had to get up on thedder to talk to me.¡± This revtion arose within Jason, which made him check thedder with extra prudence. Since the other party had been so cautious, it was highly possible that this was not something as simple asying out a trap. Soon, Jason made a discovery. The fourth rung of thedder, which seemed to be made of solid metal, was, in fact, pieced together. This was prepared for those who managed to evade the first trap. And both sources were at the bottom of thedder. Many iron nails, that were as long as fingers, were pointing upwards. The iron nails were densely distributed, with a clear pathway right in the middle. Without a doubt, this was the ce that the temporary employer had earlier walked on. Half-leaning against thedder, with his right hand grabbing ahold of thedder, Jason expanded the pathway on the ground with the withered branch that he held in his left. Then, he used the branch to poke around the ground to confirm that there were no longer any more traps before he stepped off thedder. With this branch, Jason explored the road ahead as he ventured along this pathway. After taking seven to eight steps forward, he found himself leaving the areaden with iron nails. He took a turn into another corridor, where he found a thick, heavy curtain in front of him. The top end of the curtain hung from overhead, while the other end fell all the way to the ground, thus blocking out everything ahead without leaving as much as a single crevice. ¡°If it were me, I would have set up a shotgun behind the curtain and connected the trigger to the two edges of the curtain with a fishing line. This way, no matter which side of the curtain was tugged, it would still pull the trigger of the shotgun.¡± With this idea in mind, Jason subconsciously took two steps backward and retreated into the corner of that corridor. Then, he practically stered himself to the wall as he positioned himself on the ground on all fours. He stuck out the branch in his hand, and, very carefully, extended it to reach the other side from below the curtain. Then, after retracting his head, he applied strength lightly on his fingertips to lift an edge of the curtain. Light! The bright light ray shone over from the lifted edge of the curtain, like a knife that sliced the darkness into two, and shone right into Jason¡¯s eyes. He took a deep breath and stuck his head out. The solid earth ground was no different from the ground beneath him. With the many table legs around, and because of the angle of his position, he could only see half of the entire ce. Fortunately, there were no shotguns or other traps within his line of vision. But still, Jason carefully used the branch to give the curtain a thorough once-over before he got up, walked over, and lifted the thick, heavy cloth. A light ray, even more piercing than before, caused Jason to squint both of his eyes involuntarily. Before him, there was a room of about 50 square meters, and it was filled with tables. On every one of these tables, there were more than 20 monitors that were brightly lit. They were showing the situation of the entire Tur Street. ¡°No wonder he could grasp hold of the timing so urately!¡± Jason secretly thought to himself as his eyes followed the power cords of the monitors all the way to the power sockets embedded in the wall. Electricity, other than the limited supply of water, was a rtively perfect public facility that would never exist within the 26th District! In fact, after entering the 20th District, electricity would be a facility of very limited supply. As for being able to empower the entire 26th District, which was previously void of electricity, plus these sets of monitoring facilities¡­ ¡°Seems like this temporary employer is far more important to the VIP than I thought he would be!¡± Likewise, the VIP¡¯s n was far bigger than Jason had imagined. After all, in the 26th District that had no electricity, such a grandioseyout was not a simple affair, even for the VIP himself. For Jason, this piece of news was both good and bad. The good news was, he need not worry that the unlucky guy that just died was a target of the VIP. He had more than enough time to stay here. The bad news was, he would be facing an even worse situation. Not only would the VIP seek revenge after learning that the unlucky guy had died, all the enemies that the VIP had to face would also be his. The other party was definitely not someone insignificant. Otherwise, the VIP would not have gone to great lengths. Once again, he scanned through the monitors before him. Jason seemed to see countless enemies, baring their teeth and brandishing their ws as they approached, wanting to devour his flesh and blood. He could not help himself. Jason took several deep breaths. And forced himself to calm down. Panicking would bepletely useless to him right now. It was only going to make things worse. Then, his eyes started to sweep the surroundings. He needed to find more useful and valuable items to help himself tide over this difficult time. And this was the other important purpose for him to enter this room. Soon, Jason made a discovery. In the corner of the room, there were two rectangr wooden boxes, ced side by side. On top of the wooden box on the left, he saw the ¡°parcel by post¡± that he had just delivered. Though he walked over to it very quickly, Jason did not open the box immediately. Instead, he first checked the two wooden boxes and the parcel to confirm that there were no booby traps or things of that nature. Then, he opened the wooden boxes and the parcel. The box on the left contained a UZ submachine gun, two sets of 50-round magazines that were fully loaded with bullets, and three K2 defensive grenades. The wooden box on the right was filled with neat rows of canned food, bottled water, and a micro-medical kit that was filled with supplies like alcohol, gauzes, bandages, needles, thread, as well as anti-inmmatories. The content inside the package was much simpler. It was just a dark brown notebook. Jason, who was extremelycking in the sense of security, immediately picked up the UZ submachine gun and verified that the apanying magazine of the gun was fully loaded. Then, he put the two magazines and the three K2 defensive grenades into the hidden pockets of his pants and jacket, respectively. He finally felt a little more relieved. In addition to the previous two MF92 pistols, Jason¡¯s body could be said to be full to the brim, especially at his waist, where the hard weapons pressed against him so much that he hurt. But in return, the sense of security was unprecedented. After he was done with equipping himself well, Jason finally took the alcohol gauze to bandage his wound. The wound was much smaller than Jason thought, and the bullet was not left inside his body. No removal of bullets or stitches was required. This allowed Jason to handle the wound at a speed that was several times faster. In order not to waste the alcohol, Jason did not pour it over the wound directly. First, he soaked some gauze in the alcohol and used these gauzes to clean the wound. Then, he went on to do the bandages. After cleaning his wound, Jason threw the blood-stained gauze onto the wooden box that was right next to the notebook. Very naturally, Jason picked up the notebook. From the outside, the dark-brown notebook seemed to be just an ordinary notebook with age. Other than having a dark-brown cover that should be made of cow leather, there was nothing much to take notice of. But as a package that was entrusted by the VIP himself, there would be no hint of negligence on Jason¡¯s part at all. And the next moment, Jason proved that he was right. Chapter 6: Table Manners Chapter 6: Table Manners Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The notebook in his hands could not be opened! From the outside, it was clear that the notebook in his handsprised pages within it. All he needed to do was lift his hands to flip the pages, then he would be able to read the book. But instead, Jason, who was holding onto this notebook, felt as though he was holding onto a handicraft that was carved from wood, where those pages were like the works of the virtuosity of a skilled craftsman. And when one was going to actually open up the book, one would immediately meet with merciless mockery. Jason was not someone who would give up easily. Huff! After another deep breath, Jason exerted strength with his hands again. This time, he did not flip through the pages casually. Instead, he was really exerting real effort. Instantly, on Jason¡¯s arms, clear, defined angr lines were seen protruding out of the muscles. But the notebook remained unmoving. After a few seconds, Jason, who was continuing to exert force, began to feel his arm muscles trembling. More importantly, the vague pangs of pain in his chest were telling him that if he did not wish for his injuries to worsen, it was best he stopped. Thinking of the terrible situation he was in, Jason stopped immediately, but cast a suspicious and uncertain look at the notebook in his hand. ¡°Is this machine-operated?¡± ¡°Or¡­¡± ¡°The mysterious side?!¡± Jason spected. Thinking of thetter, Jason¡¯s face, that was hidden behind the ice-hockey mask, shook momentarily. He had once spent a long time searching for the mysterious side, but it was to no avail. This had once made him feel that the mysterious side was nothing more than hearsay, or a ce that was conjured by some people¡¯s imaginations. But at this moment, the sort of mysterious side events that he encountered in session made Jason understand that he had not met with such mysterious side events before, because he had always been in the 16th District, where he was kept ¡°safe¡±. Or, to be precise, he was not up to the mark, thus, there was simply no way he could be involved in mysterious side events. But now? Even if he did not wish to encounter such mysterious side events, they would stille to him in rapid session. Because he was already in the game. Jason could not help but sigh as he gently ced the notebook on the wooden box. Of the mysterious side, other than what he just experienced, he really knew nothing else. But one would never go wrong in exercising precaution. Therefore, he avoided the gauze that was stained with his blood, ording to what he knew, back in his hometown, there were legends of the mysterious side that showed how people were able to control the lives and deaths of others by obtaining a little of their blood. Or there were even examples where fresh blood was not required. Just knowing the name of the intended party would suffice. This made Jason, who had just encountered these mysterious side events, shudder in fright. Immediately¡ª¡ª ¡°Jason!¡± ¡°My name is Jason!¡± Jason used this method to warn himself that he already had an unprecedented sense of identity for this name. Then, at the same time, he secretly hid the name, ¡°Chen Jie¡± in the deepest part of his heart. For an average person, he might seem to be making a mountain out of a molehill. But in such an unfamiliar environment, all of this was actually very normal to Jason, who was almost persecuted into a state of paranoia. Somon, because it was something that he had grown so ustomed to. The Sleepless City had made him so ustomed to always having to encounter danger. He once witnessed someone turning into the corner of a street to end up being badly mauled all over. He had also seen someone who just bought some bread from a shop suddenly foaming at the mouth and falling to the ground in convulsions. And this happened when that person was eating the bread he had just bought while walking along the street. These were all day-to-day events that were normal to Sleepless City. Then, what about the mysterious side day-to-day events, which were even more bizarre than the normal day-to-day events here? Huff! Jason took a deep breath to suppress the fear in his heart. He looked at the disy screen, which showed him three figures. Armed with guns, they alternated covering for each other while heading toward Number 19. In the 26th District, there was never ack of two kinds of people. Those who were as timid as mice. Those who were bold and reckless. Thetter far exceeded the former. But under one particr premise, the former wouldpletely transform into thetter. That was¡­ To fish in troubled waters! What could be more suitable than Tur Street at this very moment to fish in troubled waters? Gunshots, fire, corpses. All of these made the aborigines of this city swarm in, like vultures hunting for food. Jason could be sure that this was only the first batch, and that there were more people observing in the dark, including the real target that the VIP was really waiting for, who was also very likely to be among them. Even worse, these three might just be pawns that the other party had pushed out, to begin with. ¡°One submachine gun, two pistols.¡± ¡°Such close cooperation as they moved. There is a high possibility that they have grenades on them!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no chance of winning in head-onbat.¡± ¡°I have toy out some traps!¡± ¡°But even if there are traps, given that the other party is very well-trained, these traps would only achieve the greatest effect the very first time¡­¡± Jason frowned behind the cover of his ice-hockey mask while his hands involuntarily gripped the handle of the UZ submachine gun. The cold handle of the gun could only give him a small sense of security, but the wound on his chest brought pangs of pain that allowed Jason to understand that the situation at hand was far worse than he had imagined. Just a little carelessness would mean death. Under the threat of death, Jason¡¯s eyes were glued to the monitor, as he thought about how he should deal with his enemy. He did not see that the notebook on the wooden box was moving, soundlessly. Slowly, it had moved over to where the blood-stained gauze was. The blood was rapidly sucked in and absorbed by the notebook. At this moment, as though he felt something in his heart, Jason suddenly turned around. When he saw the notebook that was covered by the gauze, he immediately got up and rushed over to it, wanting to flip it open. But, just as his fingers touched the notebook, he suddenly cked out. As though the back of his head had been dealt with a heavy blow, Jason staggered back a step or two. He clenched his teeth as he struggled to brace himself and not fall to the ground. But, the dizziness was simply unstoppable and instantly drowned Jason within. The next moment, Jason fell backward, but he did not fall to the ground. He fell into a metal vessel! And when he braced himself once again and got to his feet, he realized that the metal vessel beneath his feet was¡­ A te! A silver te! And on either side of the te, there was a fork and a knife, both made out from the same silver metal as the te. ¡°I¡¯m being ced on a te?¡± ¡°A meal served on a te?!¡± This sudden scene brought an inexplicable fear to Jason. Subconsciously, he wanted to get off the te. But there was an intangible force binding him to the te. Then, that dark-brown notebook floated over to appear before him. Just a while ago, there was no way he could open the notebook, and no one knew just when it had been flipped open. Just flipping over the cover would reveal the title-page. This page was filled with words¡­ ¡°Did you see meughing?¡± ¡°Actually, I opened my mouth so wide just because I was hungry.¡± Remember, table manners. These were not wordings that Jason was familiar with. But he could understand what they meant. The next thing that happened was the notebook, that was flipped open, flying up above Jason¡¯s head, somewhere which was out of Jason¡¯s line of vision. After losing the shelter from the notebook, a high-backed chair appeared within Jason¡¯s field of vision. It did not have any additional carving. But, with it just being there, one could feel a sense of primitive simplicity. At the same time, a figure that wasposedpletely out of the darkness began to appear on the high-backed chair. The sound of swallowing saliva echoed in Jason¡¯s ears. That dark shadow reached out both hands to take the knife and fork. ¡°I am really going to be food!¡± The truth of the situation before him made Jason struggle violently. Though he was still unable to move at all, his subconsciousness was not bound. His soul was shouting out. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Live!¡± ¡°I want to live!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be treated as food!¡± That incessant, high-pitched voice resounded within that special soul. Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Time and again, the resounding echoes caused buzzing sounds to appear within Jason¡¯s mind. It was the deepest resonance that was imprinted within the soul! The talent named ¡°Predator¡± appeared on Jason¡¯s retina. It beat violently, glowing and shing like brilliant starlight. Under the starlight, images started to appear. They connected and merged as one, as if the entire Milky Way was rising up into the sky! That was¡­ Large crowds of people were gathering. Donned in animal skin, they were shouting and chasing a monster that was extremely big. It was really no exaggeration topare its size to that of the distance between Heaven and Earth. Everyone was smaller than the toes of this monster. But no one flinched. They wanted to live! For the sake of survival! They had to¡­ Eat! zing mes appeared when the rocks collided. That tall and burly leader raised ignited kindling that illuminated the darkness. The mes collided with the monster, and an unprecedented fragrance pervaded the battlefield. Roars of the ancient times were heard as the people shouted. Eat! Eat! Eat! The roaring sounds went from high and loud to low and soft. Then, from low and soft, it became mere murmurs and whispers. Those whispering sounds came from Jason¡¯s mouth. ¡°Eat! Eat! Eat!¡± The burning hunger started to spread from his stomach. Hungry! So hungry! ¡°I want to eat!¡± ¡°I want to eat!¡± Gurgle! Gurgle! Gurgle! The growls of his stomach covered the sounds of the dark shadow swallowing its saliva. Once, twice, and then thrice. When the growls of this hunger converged into one, the resulting sound was just like thunder. The dark shadow, which was just about to hold up the fork and knife, suddenly stopped. In the first ce, it had always been the rule that hunger would determine the positions of both sides. At this moment, this mode of formality waspletely reversed. ¡°No!¡± Amidst its despairing howls, the dark shadow directly crumbled and disintegrated. Within an instant, it was sucked into that dark-brown notebook. The next moment, that dark-brown notebook that was floating atop Jason¡¯s head suddenly stopped. The book snapped close all of a sudden with a m. Then, it just fell from where it was andnded directly in Jason¡¯s arms. A great power caused Jason to fall. However, he did not fall right into the middle of the te. But onto the chair! He was sitting on that simple, unsophisticated high-backed chair. Within his field of vision, a round and equally primitively simple table, with a dark-colored table cloth and silver cutlery, appeared. What was seen in the previous scene waspletely reversed at this moment! The prey had be the predator. The dark-brown notebook that had fallen into his arms rose up and floated in front of him, again. And this time, beneath the original text, lines of text gradually emerged. [Isn¡¯t the beauty of hunting due to its ability to interchange, no matter what or when?] [This is table manners!] [You have to bear this in mind!] [Also, for at least once¡­ Teach!] At this point, there was a pause. Then, even more text began to emerge. [Background: During the night, patrol officers were dying, one after another. The entire street had fallen into a state of panic! The sheriff had no choice but to seek the help of a night watchman. And you, as a night watchman, happen to be in Rhode. Without hesitation, you epted this mission. Now, it was nightfall, and you are walking along Cross Street¡­] [Main mission: Spend seven days on Cross Street, 0/7] [Temporarynguage obtained. Automatic recovery upon leaving the replica.] [Temporary change of clothing, appearance, and equipment. Automatic recovery upon leaving the replica.] [Inspection of firearms, inconsistency in the age of grenades, power reduced by 50%, firing interval of MF91 and UZ is +0.5 seconds, reloading speed is +2 seconds] (Hint: This is your ¡®¡±etiquette lesson¡±.) Chapter 7: The Professional Approach Chapter 7: The Professional Approach Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jason¡¯s eyes barely finished skimming through the text in the notebook, when the notebook simply shut itself with a ¡°pop¡± sound. Following this ¡°pop¡±, everything that was in front of him disappeared. The tables, tablecloths, cutleries, chairs¡­ Everything was gone. Even the notebook itself also disappeared. In ce, there was a street. And the clothes that Jason was wearing were transformed as well. He found himself wearing a pair of ck trousers, a white shirt, a ck jacket, and a long, ck trench coat. There was also a grey hunting cap on his head. The ice-hockey mask was gone. He was still feeling vague pangs of pain from his wound. But the firearms, bullets, and grenades were still around. For this, Jason could sigh with relief. He started to look around to survey his surroundings. The wind was blowing gently and brought with it the pungent smell that was unique to smoke from burning gas. The street was not wide, but both sides of it were filled with buildings that varied between two to three floors high. This was why the entire street appeared more crowded, and the buildings were all lower as well. The ground was a patchwork of long bricks put together, and it had long been impossible to differentiate the colors of these bricks. The gaps between the bricks were filled with muddy water, which, in turn, was reflecting the mottled, dim light shining on the streets. The light came from the top of the streemp that had thick, heavy bases, and narrow, long branches. Gasmp?! Turning his head, Jason obviously froze for a moment when he saw the thin, slender pipes and the screw bolts of the streetlight. He had only seen such lights in pictures. Whether in his hometown, or here in Sleepless City, due to the emergence of electricity, such lights had long been eliminated by the times. This was his first time seeing the actual thing. Furthermore, the buildings in the surroundings clearly exuded an old-fashioned vibe. Obviously, the so-called ¡°etiquette teaching lesson¡± was not going to be as simple as he thought it would be. ¡°Fantasy?¡± ¡°Or is it another world?¡± ¡°This is seriously bullsh*t!¡± ¡°What on earth is that notebook all about?¡± Jason, who had encountered a situation simr to this before, quickly calmed down. In his hand, he was gripping the handle of the MF92 pistol. For the time being, he was still unable to wrap his head around the ins and outs of this entire event. But he did know that this ce was not safe at all. He could clearly remember the words that were written on the pages of this notebook. ¡®During the night, patrol officers were dying, one after another!¡¯ Jason opened his eyes wide to survey the surroundings. He was looking forward to discovering something, but the dim streetlights could not be much more helpful than they were at the moment. His vision was still restricted by the darkness. And what made things worse was¡­ The fog! The thin fog was gradually bing thick, thus blocking the yellow light that was emitted by the gasmp. This made the huge gasmp look like a candle that was struggling against the wind. Very soon, Jason lost sight of areas that did not fall within the range of the illumination of the gasmp. Huff! Huff, huff! His field of vision was narrowing down. Jason could not help but realize that his breathing was getting a tad heavier. Just as he was considering whether or not he should create more light sources, he suddenly felt a coolness at the back of his neck. A kind of icy-cold and thick liquid, characterized by a foul smell, fell upon his neck. Subconsciously, he raised his head. Between the edges of the light of themp and the fog in the surroundings, a strange face had vaguely appeared. It had no eyes and no nose. Only a mouth! It was a mouth that maintained a particr kind of exaggerated smile where the edges of this mouth would stretch all the way to its ears to reveal all the fangs within it! And that foul-smelling liquid was none other than the saliva that was flowing out of this mouth. The next moment, this drooling monster leaped and pounced upon Jason. It opened its mouth wide in its bid to bite Jason. Bang! Without hesitation, Jason lifted his arm to fire a shot. Given that this was close-range shooting, Jason uratelynded a fatal shot in the mouth of this monster. The impact of the bullet sent this monster flying upwards, instead of its intended direction, which was to charge down toward Jason. And up to this point in time, Jason could finally take a clear look at the entire appearance of this monster. The other party had a strange face, and its body was merely the size of a rabbit. Its four limbs were dry and slender, and it had ws that were extremely sharp, like those of an eagle. Everything about it seemed extremely incongruous, and strange. But the other party¡¯s vitality was, on the contrary, extremely strong. Even if the bullet hit its mouth with great uracy, the very next moment, it would still turn over and get back on its feet. And this was in spite of the fact that whatever awaited it was nothing more than a second shot, and a third shot. Though the firing range was extended by an additional 0.5 seconds, Jason still carried three guns with him wherever he went. Bullets shot from another MF92 pistol and his UZ submachine gun, respectively, hit the monster and pinned it to the ground in a vicious manner. Even though there was a mismatch in the era that caused the gun power of Jason¡¯s firearms to drop by 50%, the three shots that were fired sessively at this monster still seriously injured it. Seeing how the monster was bing weaker, Jason released the UZ submachine gun that was equipped with a gun belt and took the first MF92 pistol that he had been biting onto in his mouth. He faced the monster, took aim, and, once again, pulled the trigger. Bang! This shot brought the monster to aplete end, once and for all. The four dry, slender limbs of the other party jerked once, and thereafter, fell into absolute silence. But Jason continued to keep his eyes on this monster. Right in front of his retinas, the Predator¡¯s talent began to flicker and sh again. A strong and unprecedented sense of hunger rose from within his stomach. His stomach began to growl. Rumble. Rumble. Jason swallowed his saliva. He was doing all he could to hold himself back. The desire to eat this monster alive¡­ He cast his eyes to the other side of the street. Amidst the crisp, nging sounds of his leather shoes hitting against the ground, there was a human figure looming in the fog. Very naturally, Jason lifted his arm and raised his gun. He pointed the muzzle of the gun at the approaching figure. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡± ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± When the other party closed up the distance between them and saw the gun muzzle pointed at himself, he shouted immediately. At the same time, to show that he had no malicious intentions, the other party raised both hands high up in the air. Though the other party was well within the area that was lit by the streetlight, there was wind in the surroundings. And so, the uplifted cor of his trench coat kept his face obscured, while the ck trench coat itself was bulging because of its wearer¡¯s burly build. He was not a tall man, but looking at him from where he stood, he did carry an air of toughness¨Cespecially at the moment where he raised his head slightly to reveal the scar on his face. But at this point in time, the other party was wearing a smile on his face. ¡°You¡¯ve done pretty well.¡± ¡°Truly deserving of the title of a night watchman.¡± Looking at the corpse of the monster, this was what the other party said. It seemed as though he could breathe a sigh of relief. But this kind ofpliment did not make Jason any less vignt, and he continued to aim the gun directly at the other party. ¡°Are all night watchmen this vignt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the sheriff of this ce, Bondy. I¡¯m not one of those monsters.¡± ¡°Also, I was the one looking for you, as I need you to help us.¡± The sheriff, whose name was ¡°Bondy¡±, exined the situation all over again. However, Jason still remained unmoved. ¡°Maybe we should wait and see.¡± ¡°My men will be arriving soon. All of them will be able to vouch for me and prove my identity.¡± Looking at Jason, the sheriff simply shrugged. He knew it was rumored that it was not easy to want to get acquainted with any night watchman, but he certainly had not expected to see such a degree of vignce. But he did not feel any anger at all. On the contrary, this sheriff admired Jason¡¯s vignce. Because he was also just as vignt. Much younger than expected, but highly efficient when it came to working. Far more mature than his peers. This sheriff was assessing and evaluating Jason in his heart. Likewise, Jason was doing the same as he looked the sheriff up and down. With a strong, sturdy body, and with the dorsal phnges on both his hands covered with thick calluses, the sheriff was obviously proficient in hand-to-handbat skills. And there were old calluses on the tiger¡¯s mouth on his right hand, as well as his index finger, due to the frequent need to pull the triggers of his firearms. He should be quite skilled in shooting or might even be an expert in it. And just as the two parties were sizing up each other, more footsteps were hearding from both sides of the street. A dozen constables donning uniforms were running over very quickly. ¡°Sir!¡± These constables looked at the monster lying on the ground in horror as they bowed to salute Bondy. ¡°All right, young men. Our trouble is solved.¡± ¡°At least we managed to solve some of our many problems.¡± ¡°Now, follow the previous roster and go for your patrol duties!¡± As he reached the end of his instructions, the sheriff¡¯s voice suddenly went up several decibels. Instantly, the constables standing around speedily left in teams of two. After seeing that all his men had left, this sheriff looked at Jason again. ¡°They¡¯re all greatds, but they were terrorized by what they saw.¡± ¡°After all, they have never seen anything like this before.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the same for me.¡± ¡°If not, they would never have sent out any letters of help.¡± The sheriff was speaking in defense of his men. Then, heughed in self-mockery. However, it was fleeting. Very soon, the sheriff recollected his smile. Once again, he focused his attention on the monster in front of him. There was seriousness and vignce written all over his face. Though it might seem like this monster was dead, no one knew if it woulde back to life. What had to be known was that, in many biographical novels, monsters of such kind often had the ability to be revived after death, and they would be a great deal more powerful than they were before. ¡°How should we deal with it?¡± The sheriff pointed to the monster¡¯s corpse and asked. After a brief pause, he simply added another line, ¡°You¡¯re the professional. I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Jason looked at the corpse of the monster and asked without much ado. ¡°Do you have a barbeque?¡± Chapter 8: Change Chapter 8: Change Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio In the end, Sheriff Bondy did not find a barbeque for Jason. Instead, he provided Jason with a metal pot as a recement. It was just like recing the hotel that Jason previously resided in with a singles¡¯ dormitory for constables. The singles¡¯ dormitory in front of him was obviously a more upscale one. There were no upper and lower bunks, unlike what he had imagined. Instead, the bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom were all clearly separated into independent rooms. The study was incorporated into the bedroom, where the writing desk, apanied by two chairs, were all ced by the bedside. Also, there was a dark-colored curtain shading the window that was adjacent to one side of the writing desk. The room was not very big, but going by Jason¡¯s standards, it was good enough. Most importantly, the bedding was freshly changed. It was clean, and still bore the scent of being ced out in the sun. Previously, when he was still living at the quarters provided by the Old Man, he also had a so-called individual room. But, the size of that room probably only had the space to amodate a bed. And, of course, there was no bed in the room¨Conly a worn mattress and a nket that needed to be folded several times to cover up all the holes it had. ¡°My men will send your luggage here in a moment.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They know what they should do, so they will definitely not touch any of your stuff.¡± Bondy was speaking as Jason looked around to survey his surroundings. ¡°All right.¡± Jason nodded. God knows where the hotel he previously resided in was. Now that there was someone to rece him, naturally, it was more than what he could ever wish for. As for Bondy¡¯s assurance? He believed it. He could see that the other party had considerable prestige among that group of young people. ¡°What do you think of tonight¡¯s events?¡± Jason asked. He did not provide any specifics¨Cjust general references. He did not have more information beforehand. So, if he wanted to get more information, he had to do what he was doing. After all, he had not forgotten his mainline mission, which was to ¡°spend seven days on Cross Street¡±. Though it was considered quite a close shave earlier on, Jason did not feel that the food that he was about to put into the pot to cook was the source of all the danger. If that was the case, then the bunch of constables who were so well-equipped with their gunpowder weapons should not be feeling so frightened and helpless. Also, with an officer like Bondy, Jason believed that that food would not possibly have caused so much trouble. So, there had to be even greater trouble. In fact, the truth was also as such. After hearing Jason¡¯s questions, the sheriff frowned. ¡°It¡¯s a little strange.¡± ¡°As you know, the damage previously caused by that monster was so great, that anyone will feel scared just by looking at it.¡± ¡°But today, what we see is nothing like the previous few times.¡± ¡°Of course, I have no doubts about you, Jason.¡± Bondy¡¯s opening words were as such. He thought through every sentence and word before speaking and tried his best to gain Jason¡¯s understanding. At the same time, he was very careful while exining, lest Jason should take offense. ¡°I need to hear something more specific.¡± There were no fluctuations in Jason¡¯s tone as he continued to ask questions. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°This description that I¡¯m giving you is simply deprived of details. I will bring the painter¡¯s art over right away.¡± With that, Bondy got to his feet. ¡°Jason, do you need anything else?¡± As he was about to leave, Bondy stopped to ask. After giving this a moment of careful consideration, Jason replied, ¡°Oil, chili, salt, soy sauce, potatoes, onions, tomatoes¡­¡± Bondy was in a daze, speechless, just like the first time he had to face the issue of finding Jason a barbeque. Bondy stood at the same spot for around two seconds before he quietly closed the door for Jason upon leaving the room. Bondy was extremely pleased with this night watchman, Jason. Young and strong, yet vignt and sharp. He even had considerable shooting skills. It was just that¡­ He had a slight tendency toward telling cold jokes. And he would do it suddenly. And people around him would find it simply unbearable! With such a sigh, Bondy walked in the direction of his own ¡°office¡±¡ªthat was also his dormitory. Being a bachelor, he converted his dormitory into an office. This would allow him to have more time to handle cases. Jason listened to the footsteps of Bondy leaving. Then he stood up and walked to the kitchen. Gas and water supplies were not connected to the singles¡¯ dormitory. Over here, the stove still involved the use of wood and charcoal. Water would then be ced in a water tank by the side of the stove. And at the moment, the wood and charcoal were neatly arranged in ce while the water tank was filled to the brim. This saved Jason from a lot of trouble. And, to Jason¡¯s greatest delight, he found some pepper in the kitchen. The charcoal, ignited by the wood within the iron stove, was beginning to release thermal energy. Jason immediately tossed a few more pieces of wood into it. Suddenly, with a rushing whoosh, an outburst of mes was instantly seen. Amidst the rising mes, Jason used a pair of charcoal pliers to pick up that monster that was only as big as a rabbit and ced it over the intense mes. When the fats and intense mes collided, the hair covering the monster¡¯s body began to burn out rapidly with loud crackles. Deption was a rtively delicate process. Just slight carelessness would scorch the meat. Therefore, Jason flipped the meat back and forth to allow the heat from the fire to be evenly distributed. Having done all this, he ced the metal pot, that was filled to the brim with water, on top of the iron stove. Then, he threw the entire monster in and covered the pot with its lid. If he could, Jason would definitely disembowel this monster that attacked him and cook it in a more borate manner. But he had tried to do so earlier on. The kitchen knife here simply could not cut through the outer skinyer of this monster at all. So he chose to use one of the most primitive methods. Time passed¨Cminute by minute, second by second. A more-intense fragrance prated Jason¡¯s nose. The food cooked much faster than Jason had expected. With a table knife, he tried the hardness and softness of the food. Then, right away, Jason took the meat out of the pot. After sprinkling some pepper on the meat that had been stewed to softness, Jason simply did not care whether or not it would scald his hands and immediately took to tearing the meat apart. Somehow, it tasted like chicken meat. But it was more tender¨Cespecially the juice between the differentyers of meat, which gave the meat an even richer taste. Together with the spiciness of the pepper, the dish most definitely whetted Jason¡¯s voracious appetite. If he could have an additional te of crushed garlic oil with a little soy sauce, it would be even better. While eating, Jason sighed. At the same time, his attention focused on the text that appeared, once again, before his retina. [Devour the grinner!] [Minor recovery from injury!] [Satiety +1] [Satiety: 1] Following the event of a hint, the food that had just entered his stomach was reduced to a gush of warm outflow that spread throughout Jason¡¯s body. The injury on his chest recovered rapidly. A few secondster, there was no more pain. Jason lifted his hands to feel his chest. Then, he tore off the bandage. Even for someone who was always so prepared like Jason, upon seeing how his wound could recover so perfectly, he could not help but be filled with admiration. However, he did not forget to throw the bandage that he had changed out of into the metal stove. Obviously, this was also a world that had a mysterious side. He did not want to leave any unnecessary weakness he had out in the open. The mes within the stove rose again. At this point in time, Jason finally had the chance to inquire about the so-called [Satiety]. When he focused all of his attention on the [Satiety: 1], the text in front of his retina showed new changes as well¡ª [Name: Jason (Chen Jie)] [Age: 19 years (Male)] [Bloodline: Human] [Title: NIL] [Satiety: 1] [Strength 1.2. Agility 1.0, Physique 1.2, Spirituality 1.0, Perception 1.0] [Talent: Predator] [Specialty: NIL] [Skill(s): Gunpowder weapon ¨C Small arms (Novice), Hand-to-handbat (Novice)] [Equipment: NIL] [Backpack: Empty] (Note 1: Under the premise of a healthy body, all normal men would be attributed with property number 1) (Note 2: You are someone who has undergone basic training. Though not very powerful, your unique diet makes you talented!) Some very detailed information on attributes appeared before Jason¡¯s eyes. But more importantly, behind the two fields [Gunpowder weapon ¨C Small arms (Novice)] and [Hand-to-handbat (Novice)] found on the skills bar, ¡°+¡± signs were affixed. Chapter 9: Continuation Chapter 9: Continuation Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jason was not an idiot. The moment he saw the ¡°+¡± sign, he somehow guessed something. Immediately, he cast a look in the direction of the two sets of skills, [Gunpowder weapon ¨C Small arms (Novice)] and [Hand-to-handbat (Novice)]. Then, a description of these skills, which, in ordance with Jason¡¯s spection, appeared¡ª [Gunpowder weapons ¨C Small arms (Novice): You know how to use small arms like pistols, submachine guns, and rifles, which are Gunpowder weapons, but you are not a sharpshooter. Don¡¯t expect the gun in your hand to be able to do anything fantastic.] [You have 1 Satiety, enhance your Gunpowder weapon ¨C Small arms, yes/no?] [Hand-to-handbat (Novice): The body itself is a powerful weapon. You have undergone basic training and possess a certain degree of skill. Though it is only an ordinary skill, it is still able to differentiate you from the ordinary people.] [You have 1 Satiety, enhance your hand-to-handbat, yes/no?] ¡°Can I directly upgrade the skill level that I have?¡± With such a guess in mind, Jason did not hesitate to choose to enhance the [Gunpowder weapon ¨C Small arms (Novice)]. If he had an abundance of [Satiety], Jason would not mind enhancing both sets of skills concurrently. However, under the premise that he could only enhance one, Jason was more inclined toward upgrading his [Gunpowder weapon ¨C Small arms]. Without him, the might of the firearms would be even more powerful at the current stage. After Jason had made his choice, a flurry of knowledge appeared in his mind without further ado. This knowledge included skills that required more aiming and shooting techniques. They seemed to be skills that Jason obtained after investing a great amount of effort and time into training. With these skills, Jason felt that he did not need to aim. He only needed to feel and then, just by lifting the gun in his hand, he could hit a target that was about 10 meters away. But more importantly, Jason realized that his sense of sight and hearing was bing more acute, and that he was bing more ¡°intelligent¡±. This was no illusion. And all of it was real! [Gunpowder weapons ¨C Small arms (Advanced beginner): You know how to use small arms like pistols, submachine guns, and rifles, which are Gunpowder weapons. Not only that, but you will also gradually understand their characteristics and effects: Perception +0.1] ¡°After my skills are upgraded to the advanced beginner level, not only can I have a deeper understanding of the skills, I can even improve their attributes?¡± So, Jason confirmed what he needed to know about this aspect. Then, he squinted his eyes. He seemed to have found the key to break through the situation. It was not only what was before him, there were also those out of the notes. At this moment, his injuries were fully recovered, and his shooting skills were raised to the next level. In the face of the three attackers who are armed with weapons, his chances of winning was increased by at least 20 percent! And this was not the final scene! He could still continue upgrading himself. So long as¡­ There was enough food! Jason nced at the metal pot, his heart filling with anticipation. Then, instead of acting impatiently, he propped up the metal pot and finished the soup, bit by bit, as he waited for Bondy. The soup did not bring Jason much satiety. However, it was delectable enough. ¡°If only I could have a steamed bun or a slice of bread to wipe the pot down.¡± Looking at the drops of oil adhered to the inner wall of the metal pot, Jason put the pot aside while feeling some slight regret. He could already hear the approaching footsteps of that sheriff. The next second. Knock, knock-knock. ¡°It¡¯s me, Bondy.¡± Amidst the sound of someone knocking on the door, was the sheriff¡¯s voice. ¡°Pleasee in.¡± Jason¡¯s voice barely fell when Bondy, who was holding onto three kraft paper bags, pushed the door open. ¡°They¡¯re even more forthright than what I¡¯ve described.¡± While saying such words, the other party handed the three kraft paper bags to Jason. The kraft paper bags were not heavy, and there were dates written on the front cover of each of them. 5th August, 8th August, 11th August. Jason picked up the one with the earliest date. He opened up that kraft paper and took out the papers it contained. After he saw what was written on the top-most sheet of paper, he could not help but frown. This piece was good enough to be deemed a painting by a painter with consummate skills. It was just that its content really put its audience to great difort. There were two human calves right in the middle of the drawing paper. Any part above the kneecaps was not drawn, and what should originally be the parts of the trousers supposedly covering the legs, were now drooping over the feet, thus covering the shoes instead. Even though the picture was in ck and white, Jason still had a kind of illusion that he was looking at a blurred image of actual flesh and blood. And the drawings following this piece were all pictures that borated on the content of this piece of drawing but from different angles. They included drawings of just the trousers legs alone, the shoes, and the surroundings of the street. These scenes in the paintings provided Jason with a clearer outlook about the original blurred image of flesh and blood. After browsing through a dozen or so pieces, Jason began to open the second kraft paper bag. Compared to the paintings in the first paper bag, what was found in this second bag was even more diforting. Because¡­ In this bag was a heap of minced meat. That was no mistaking it for something else. It was minced meat, just like the kind used as filling for dumplings. Other than the minced meat, there was nothing else in the bag. But that painter still did his job dutifully and described the heap of minced dumpling filling to the best he could. And in the third kraft paper bag, the item still maintained a style that was strong enough to make the two of them feel great difort. A skull. This skull was veryplete. It was not broken, but only half of the face was left. The remaining half hadpletely melted, revealing dense, white bones. The other half of that face that remained was a forbidding countenance that was filled with utmost despair and fear. Jason looked at the face, which, in turn, looked back at him, and could not help feeling a chilly shiver run down the length of his back. Then, he controlled himself. Without allowing himself to show any trace of unusualness inposure, he raised his head to look at Bondy. ¡°What else?¡± Jason asked. Inside these kraft paper bags, there were only paintings. There was no written description, nor were there any records. It was very obvious that there were certain rules that were being adhered to pertaining to contents of these bags. Of course, there was also a possibility of separate management of these bags. But for an outsider like himself, there was no way he could look into all of those. If it had been a true night watchman, then that person should have a deep understanding about the situation. But he was an imposter, so he could only rely on the use of equivocations to bluff his way out. Fortunately, there were no rousing suspicions apparent in Bondy at all. After Jason voiced his question, this sheriff immediately replied to him. ¡°The very first person to meet with a mishap was Panke. He should have returned here before the break of dawn for the changeover of shift duties. But, even after sunrise, he did not return. Then eventually, he was found by one of our men in an alley. ¡°The next person was Kurtz. Just as what happened with Panke, he did note back ording to stipted time to turn over his duty to the next person. Then, from the constable badge that we found in the minced meat, we confirmed his identity. ¡°The final one was Joffe. The sessive attacks on our constables made us raise our level of vignce. But, the oue was not any different. Joffe died, while his partner, Tahr, has gone missing. ¡°We have been trying our best to find Tahr, but it has been three days, and we still have no clues to his whereabouts.¡± As Bondi gave the recount of events, his face was filled with sadness, and his eyelids drooped low. Jason, on the other hand, was frowning. With knitted brows, he looked at those kraft paper bags and paintings. And then, a question emerged in his mind: Was it one monster, or many monsters that could have caused such a tragedy? If this was caused by many monsters, then the situation here was worse than what he had initially spected. He would have to face many monsters that were lurking in the dark. This indicated the skyrocketing of the danger index. And what if it was just one monster? The situation would not get any better. On the contrary, the situation might even be far worse than the former. Taking a good look at those paintings depicting the various scenarios, if these were truly the doings of a single monster, then the other party might be far more brutal than what he imagined. This would have gone far beyond the scope of ¡°hunting for prey¡±. The other party was taking this as a game. And the other party was cunning. This was a cruel and cunning monster. It was definitely not so easy to deal with. Of course, Jason was most concerned about whether it was these monsters, or this monster, that he had to deal with. Why did they, or it, specifically want to deal with the constables? Was there any connection point among them? To rify his doubts, Jason asked, ¡°Is there anyone else among the victims?¡± ¡°Anyone other than constables?¡± ¡°No.¡± Bondy replied with absolute certainty. ¡°All right.¡± Jason nodded his head thoughtfully as he pondered. Then, just as Jason was prepared to continue asking questions about when the events happened, rapid running footsteps sounded loudly in the hallway. Without any prior knocking, his room door was pushed ajar, and a young constable hurriedly ran in. ¡°Sir, we found Tahr.¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Chapter 10: The Scene Chapter 10: The Scene Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°He¡­ he¡­¡± The young constable¡¯s voice was stuck in the back of his throat, as though there was a hard object choking up his vocal tract. It was only until Bondy¡¯s eyes swept over to him did this young constable finally spat out the words heavily. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± Suddenly, Jason saw Bondy clenching his fist very tightly. ¡°Where is it?¡± Bondy asked in a stiff manner. ¡°At Cross Square!¡± The young constable replied. Without saying anything more, Bondy went straight out. Jason hurriedly followed behind him. With great anxiety in his heart, Bondy did not choose to walk. This sheriff brought Jason directly onboard a carriage. That young constable was in charge of driving the carriage. Following theshing sounds of the whip, the carriage charged straight for Kensing Street. Kensing Street, once and up until now, still the most prosperous street of Rhode, was wide enough to allow two adjacent carriages to pass each other. And, at this moment, all the cars on this street were rushing to shy away from this carriage that bore the constable badge. The carriage drove through the street that was densely filled with shops that were crammed together at lightning speed and arrived at the center of Kensing Street, where Cross Square was. Unlike the street earlier on that was packed with all kinds of tradition or newly-emerged shops, Cross Square was sufficiently wide enough. The most eye-catching architecture was none other than the clock tower, which was 20 meters high. At this moment, be it the gentlemen dressed in ck tuxedos with silk top-hats of matching color, thedies with their sleeves fully-lined withce, or even themoners with their long-sleeved tops and coarse, handwoven skirts, everyone¡¯s gazes were all cast at the clock tower. Their eyes were all filled with fear. An iplete corpse was hanging down from the clock tower. The head of the corpse was stuck at the highest point, while the four limbs were interspersed with the poles below. Jason leaped off the carriage and easily caught sight of the corpse. ¡°Follow me!¡± Bondy said as he dashed toward the clock tower, with Jason following closely behind. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The constables who were blocking the crowds hastily bowed and saluted Bondy, then proceeded to make way for both Bondy and Jason, so that they had a clear path straight to the inside of the clock tower. The door of the clock tower was open. The door lock hung on the iron fence door and showed no signs of damage. There was a great mess on the ground, with construction materials like masonry, and tools randomly stacked and ced all over. ¡°To make Rhode City look more modernized, the mayor is preparing to install a clock on this century-old clock tower. Under the premise that the ¡°clock¡± will be preserved, it will be sealed on all directions in order to install the hour, minute, and second hands.¡± ¡°ording to the progress, as scheduled, all works should bepleted by the end of the month.¡± ¡°But this time, it seems like the date ofpletion will have to be postponed.¡± Bondy saw Jason¡¯s gaze stopping at where those construction materials were. Immediately, he exined the situation. Jason nodded and did not probe with any further questions. He followed Bondy closely as they continued heading upwards. The staircase was made of wood and was extremely old. Stepping upon it would cause it to make squeaky, creaky sounds. This made Jason all the more careful. He did not want to miss a step and fall as a result. After three turning points, Jason arrived at the top of the clock tower. From here, one could have a bird¡¯s-eye view of the entire Rhode City. There were construction sites scorched by the sweltering hot sun, and busy groups of people. The city seemed to be thriving and prospering. If there had not been any arms or legs sticking out of the pirs, that would have been even better. Soldering irons were used to pierce through the arms and legs, which were then stuck into two of the four pirs of the clock tower. And that skull at the head was simply stuck onto the lightning rod at the top of the building. It was positioned in a way where the top of the head was facing down and a pair of eyes, filled with emptiness, was simply looking up into the sky. Unquestionably, the skull of this unlucky man was pierced, through and through. The interesting thing worth paying attention to was that, simr to the way the head was positioned to face down, the arms and legs were ced on opposite sides as well. Putting it across simply, the left arm and leg were stuck onto the right pir, and the right arm and leg were stuck onto the left. Using a ropedder, Jason climbed up to assess and examine the situation. Then, he returned back inside the clock tower again. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± Bondy asked immediately. In the face of this sheriff¡¯s eager gaze, Jason thought for a moment. Then, he replied as such, ¡°We must have been cheatedst night. This must be what it really wanted to do. The little monster that was shot dead by me should only be a decoy used to attract our attention. At the same time¡­ it¡¯s also trying to sound me out.¡± Jason paused for a moment as he was speaking. ¡°Is there anyone else who knows that I will be here, other than yourself?¡± He asked as such. ¡°Are you suspecting my men?¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± ¡°They are all loyal and reliable people.¡± Bondy froze for a moment. Then, right away, he rebutted. In the face of such a rebuttal, Jason had his own reservations. This was likewise to what he felt toward this sheriff right before him. Having lived for a year in Sleepless City, he had long learned that he should never trust strangers. Ignoring the sheriff, Jason continued to ask, ¡°Did the people here find anything?¡± Since this ce was being remodeled, naturally there would be someone left behind here. Even if it was night-time, there should be someone staying back on duty. ¡°Finch?¡± Bondy shouted at the top of his voice. Immediately, that young constable who had gone over to them to pass information to them, and thereafter drove them here, came running over. A young constable dressed in a police uniform stood up straight and bowed to Bondy to salute him. Then, he turned toward Jason and nodded to acknowledge his presence. The other young man had thick brows, and eyes that were bright with vitality. His face, though more tender-looking, had a kind of sternness that bore a simrity to that of Bondy¡¯s. Even the way he walked and his standing posture was kind of simr to Bondy. Could he be imitating Bondy? Jason was only guessing. Without doubt, this was a young man who idolized Bondy and held him in high regard. ¡°What did the people here see?¡± Bondy asked simply and very directly. ¡°Nothing!¡± ¡°The man on dutyst night was dead drunk.¡± ¡°In fact, if it wasn¡¯t for the break of daylight, where people outside the clock tower realized that something was not quite right, he would still be in an intoxicated state.¡± Finch replied. Huff. Huff. Hearing such an answer, the sheriff¡¯s pace of breathing quickened by a few beats. His face flushed red and he clenched his fists tightly. However, after a moment, he simply stood on the same spot in a resigned manner, looking like a deted balloon. It was very obvious that this sheriff understood howshing out his anger at a drunkard was an extremely unwise move to make. ¡°Bring the painter here. You will assist in recording everything.¡± Bondy said to the young man. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The young man saluted to Bondy again. Bondy nodded and walked down. The crowd gathering at the foot of the clock tower was getting bigger. They needed him to step forth to solve the issue. Furthermore, there was a reporter who hade because he caught wind of the news, and this was also an issue that required Bondy to handle. He did not want the young man under hismand to make any unnecessary mistakes out of impulse. Jason did not follow him in stepping forward this time. He was not good at dealing with such issues. ¡°Jason, Your Lordship.¡± The young man¡¯s voice suddenly sounded. ¡°Yes?¡± Jason looked towards the young constable. ¡°We all know about the news of your arrival. Since the incident with Panke and the others, we¡¯ve all been living in a state of panic for days. Sir only wants us to be at ease.¡± ¡°But, please, don¡¯t misunderstand our officer.¡± ¡°He is a good man, who is most worthy of our respect.¡± The young man emphasized. ¡°All right.¡± Jason nodded to express his understanding. But this did not make Jason let his guard down. He watched the young man for a good three seconds before he opened his mouth to speak again, causing the other party to feel uneasy. ¡°Do you know who was the first to show panic?¡± ¡°Or rather¡­¡± ¡°Who was the first to mention these events?¡± Jason lowered the pitch of his voice to make it sound low. Then, he spoke in a very borate manner, spitting out one word at a time. Without a doubt, such a way of questioning would be full of oppression. The young man, who was originally feeling somewhat unsettled, immediately started to feel nervous. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Geoffrey!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s Geoffrey!¡± ¡°After the second case happened, he was in the canteen saying things like, ¡®Who in the world would be capable of such a thing? It must be those legendary monsters!¡¯¡± The young man thought for a moment, then said in a most resolute manner. Geoffrey, the third constable to meet with a mishap, was that one who was only left with a head. Jason noted down this name again. Then, he continued to ask. ¡°What do you all think of ¡®those legendary monsters¡¯?¡± ¡°Just like how you described. They should be found in legends and stories.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for what I have seen with my own eyes¡­ I will never believe that there¡¯s such a thing in this world.¡± The young manughed bitterly. Sure enough, these existences had never been known to the ordinary people all this time. But to some people, they were no secret at all! Jason was very sure of this. Otherwise, that sheriff would also not ask a night watchman, like himself, for help. The existence of the night watchmen was evidence that the present world they were in was divided between the ¡°outside¡± and the ¡°inside¡±. Outside was what the people knew. As for inside? That was¡­ Bang! The sound of a gunshot interrupted Jason¡¯s thoughts. The gunshot came from the foot of the clock tower. Jason immediately looked out of the tower. He saw the sheriff lying in a pool of blood, while the surroundings were in total chaos. People were frantically trying to avoid a figure holding a gun, therefore making the other party all the more conspicuous. Jason quickly pulled out his gun. But without even giving him the time to take aim and shoot, a slippery rope was looped around his neck. Then, it tightened. Chapter 11: The Tongue and Minced Meat Chapter 11: The Tongue and Minced Meat Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio When his neck and the slippery ¡°rope¡± came into contact with each other, Jason instinctively raised his hands to grab hold of this ¡°rope¡±. His movement was swift and urate! Naturally, this was Jason¡¯s ¡°daily training¡±ing to fruition. As what people should know, having a gun pointed at the back of their heads was not the only situation that postmen would expect to face. It was also extremelymon for them to be strangled from behind; thetter situation far exceeded the number of the former. After all, things like ropes were always more easily obtainablepared to firearms. But even with an instinctive reaction, when the moment the ¡°rope¡± suddenly tightened its hold, Jason almost suffocated. Its strength was simply much too powerful. It was totally not something a single palm couldpete and fight against! Moreover, there was a kind of pulling powering from the ¡°rope¡±. The other party was trying to drag Jason down to the ground. Jason did not confront it with any form of resistance. Because Jason was well aware that such confrontations and fights would only allow the other party¡¯s power to form a fulcrum, which would, in turn, make him suffocate even faster. So the next moment, Jason made use of the situation toy down on the ground as he pointed the gun in his hand behind him. But! There was no enemy behind Jason at all. Or rather, the enemy was simply not behind him. It was in¡­ In the clock! Yes. It was that clock that was about to be closed but would still report the time punctually. It was that clock that was neglected by Jason! This clock was hung at a high spot. The tip of the clock was one meter above ground level, and there were two dark-colored ropes, dripping with threads of slimy mucus, protruding out from the tip of the clock. One was strangling Jason on his neck, and the other was doing likewise to Finch¡¯s neck. Compared to Jason, the young man was in an extremely terrible situation. With his face flushed red, this other young man was resisting the rope at the moment, but that made him fall into an even worse situation. Without thinking twice, Jason instantly released his grip on the pistol that he was holding in his hand. The moment the pistolnded on the ground, there was a K2 grenade in his hand. He exerted some strength on the fuze that was encircling his index finger. Click. After the fuze was pulled out, Jason flicked his wrist, and the grenade flew straight out of his hands in a trajectory path. It drilled urately through the clock from the top¨C Bam! A massive impact shook the clock, and residual waves of the aftermath pulled on the metal chains connecting the big clock and the horizontal beam around it, creating a great tension that broke the rope. ng! Amidst the sound of the collision of metals, the big clock fell to the ground, where ity t. Due to the impact of the fall, many cracks were starting to show on the surface of the big, metal clock. Obviously, the big clock could not be used again. The date ofpletion of works as determined by the mayor would have to be further dyed again. But Jason was not the least concerned about these. The rope on his neck released its hold over him right after the explosion happened. At that very instant, he flipped his body and got to his feet. Then, not only did he retrieve his pistol on the ground, but he directly grabbed hold of that rope with his bare hands. The sense of hunger he felt in his belly, as well as the whiffs of fragrance that his sense of smell detected, were all telling him that this was delicious food. With the muzzle of his pistol facing the big clock, Jason shouted at the top of his voice. ¡°Finch!¡± ¡°I¡¯m all right, Your Lordship!¡± Having freed himself from the restraint of the rope, the young man speedily regained a calmposure. A revolver appeared in his hands, and he too aimed it right at the big clock. A few secondster, the dust, that was sent flying all about in a flurry because of the fall of the big clock, rapidly dispersed. When Jason had a clear view of the interior of the big clock, he learned that it was iid with arge amount of ¡°minced meat¡± from the shrapnel. That was when he let out a small sigh of relief. It was very clear that the food had been damaged to a certain degree, but it was still safe enough. It was not something uneptable at all to Jason. Whether food was safe for consumption, or not, was equally important to how good it tasted. And it would be best if both were included. Tap, tap-tap! The sounds of many footsteps were heard from above the old staircase. Even more, constables appeared. All of them looked at the big fallen clock in surprise and disbelief and were all somewhat at a loss. ¡°Finch, you will go and collect the minced meat.¡± Jason gave out such instructions. Then, after pausing for a moment, he added, ¡°Remember to put on gloves.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Lordship.¡± The young man responded immediately. He would never forget that Jason was an expert in dealing with such monsters. And also, Jason had saved his life just now. The young man put on his gloves and started collecting the minced meat in the surroundings, bit by bit. In the meantime, Jason had picked up the rope that was strangling the neck of the young man earlier on and coiled it up with the rope that was strangling Jason himself previously, and he held both in his hands. That kind of slippery touch was really ufortable. Coupled with the spection that the body part that corresponded to this rope was probably the tongue, the level of difort was increased a notch higher. However, the hunger he felt in his belly brought Jason to offset such difort pretty well. On the contrary, he was full of anticipation and delight. But the constables around him did not share the same sentiments. They had encountered the incident where their boss was attacked. Then they had to face the situation where they saw a certain part of a living creature, that obviously was not one with cognitive functions, being held in Jason¡¯s hands in a coiled bundle. Many young men quickly went pale. Covering their mouths, they ran downstairs. Even some of the experienced detectives also turned white in their faces. ¡°Go find me a bag.¡± Jason said to one of the middle-aged detectives. ¡°Yes, Your Lordship.¡± The other party responded right away. After Jason ced the two ropes into a kraft paper bag, the difort in the surrounding air rapidly disappeared. However, those young people, who just entered this line of work, were still afraid to get close to Jason. And this did not bother Jason at all. He was no Kimpton. How could he possibly get everyone to like him? ¡°How¡¯s Bondy?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Sir is fine. He just got shot in the arm.¡± ¡°But the gunner found the chance to escape amidst the chaos.¡± A detective replied. Shot in the arm? Jason was shocked. This was much better than what he had imagined it to be ording to what he had thought, for the other party to set up such a trap tounch a surprise attack, even if Bondy did not die, he would still be severely injured. Bondy¡¯s speed of reaction was even much faster than Jason had expected! Jason marveled at that sheriff¡¯s ability to react, and then he squinted his eyes. The gunner managed to escape. But this fell within Jason¡¯s expectation. In truth, it was only right that the other party managed to escape without a hitch. Because¡­ This was none other than a trap that the other party hadid! And the so-called ¡°monster attack incident¡± or ¡°cannibalism incident¡±, should also be called ¡°manmade incidents¡± directed by the other party! The other party was extremely cunning. After knowing that their opponent had enlisted reinforcements from him, a night watchman, the other party did not attack the very first moment there was a chance to. They only decided to do so after sounding Jason out. To put it across simply, the corpse that was hanging here was nothing more than bait! Bait to get him and Bondy to the hook. Simrly, shooting at Bondy, so as to divert his attention, was also an extremely important part of the other party¡¯s n! If it was not for the grenade that he always brought along with him, it was most feared that¡­ Thinking of this made Jason look to that big clock that was lying t on the ground. Young Finch had crawled into the big clock and was trying his best to pick up all of the minced meat and put it into the paper bag. The width of the clock¡¯s body could fully amodate his body. ¡°Blindspot in my field of vision!¡± ¡°To think that I havepletely neglected it just now!¡± ¡°I must bear this lesson learned in heart!¡± Jason was never one who would deny or disregard his mistakes. He would only remember every mistake made and learn from it so as to avoid making the same mistake in the future, or even, to do his utmost best. He was not born with such a character. And likewise, this was not from the teachings of the Sleepless City. Every guy who wanted to live and survive in the Sleepless City would acknowledge and abide by this teaching from the bottom of their hearts. It was just that¡­ some people were not given any second chances after making a mistake for the first time. And him? He was the lucky one. Phew! Jason spat out a mouthful of gas that carried a foul smell. Taking the paper bag that Finch handed over to him, he turned and walked down the clock tower. He did not like passive defense. He preferred to take the initiative in making the first move. But his capability might not allow him to do so at times. Given this premise, he would choose tolerance instead. What was worth feeling thankful about was that the time required would not be too long. Jason took a look at the two paper bags filled with ¡°food¡± in his hands, and the corners of his mouth curled up. Chapter 12: Meatball Chapter 12: Meatball Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio There was a barbecue stove made of a charcoal brazier in Jason¡¯s temporary resting ce. The charcoal brazier was used to keep people warm in winter. On the burning charcoal, there were two tongues. The two tongues were four meters long, so there were rolled up and put on the wire mesh, which Jason had just made. The two tongues squeaked in the high-temperature mes. Although Jason failed to cut the two tongues with a kitchen knife, the two tongues started to expand and burst in the mes. Juice sshed everywhere, and it had a rich aroma. Jason carefully sprinkled pepper and turned the tongues over. Constant heating had always been the key to cooking. Jason was fully concentrated on cooking because he valued food. Especially, when he was preparing two different meals at the same time. Jason cleaned and chopped the meat, which he picked up. Compared with the two tough tongues, these pieces of meat were much more tender. Jason chopped them quickly and made them into fillings. Then, he chopped up some mushrooms, which he had bought on his way back, and mixed them into the fillings. Jason mixed the meat pieces with the mushrooms perfectly in a mixing bowl. Then, he picked up some mixture and pressed them in his hands. He used his hands to shape the mixture into meatballs. Then, he picked up a spoon with his right hand and put each meatball on the pan. He spread the meatballs out an inch so there was enough room for them to turn. Jason mixed the meat pieces with the mushrooms perfectly in a mixing bowl. Then he picked up some mixture and pressed them in his hands. He used his hands to shape the mixture into meatballs. Then, he picked up a spoon with his right hand and put each meatball on the pan. He spread the meatballs away from each other by about an inch so there was enough room for them to turn. The oil had already been warmed, and it was boiling now. It made a pleasant sound when it came into contact with meatballs. The mushroom meatballs were fully covered with the hot oil and quickly turned to a golden brown. Jason drained the oil, got out the meatballs, then turned the two tongues over in the pan. After repeating this several times, Jason had his lunch. The cooked tongues were crispy and juicy. After Jason added some ck pepper, they tasted like grilled ck pepper sausage. Mushroom meatballs were crispy. Although Jason only added a little salt into the meatballs, they were rich in texture and taste. Jason ate each meatball in a single bite. He was so pleased with his cooking. When he finished thest meatball, the words reappeared in front of his retina. [Devouring the paradoxical being!] [Modest recovery from injury!] [Satiety +1] [Satiety: 1] ¡­ A familiar wave of happiness and fulfillment rose from Jason¡¯s stomach and poured all over him. With this kind of warm andzy feeling, the pores of his whole body seemed to open wide, which made Jason close his eyes leisurely. But soon Jason was back to his senses. He realized something, then looked at his Skills. As he expected, there was no ¡°+¡± after advanced beginner [Gunpowder weapons. Small arms], which obviously required more [Satiety]. Then, Jason turned to [Hand-to-handbat (novice)]. Jason didn¡¯t n to umte [Satiety]. It was not that he didn¡¯t want to. But he couldn¡¯t! The situation he was in, and the possible dangers he might encounter, made him understand that the right choice for him now was to get stronger quickly, even if it was only a little more. Because this little change for him might mean life or death. Jason wouldn¡¯t choose to take a huge risk just for the sake of umting a little more [Satiety]. ¡°Increase [Hand-to-handbat]!¡± Jason said. Suddenly, the same synchronous adjustment for knowledge and body started as before. When it was over, Jason learned more fighting skills, and his body became a little stronger. The most obvious change was the description of [Hand-to-handbat]. [Hand-to-handbat (advanced beginner): the body itself is a powerful weapon. After long-term training as a novice, you should have learned certain skills and have gradually be stronger; result: physique + 0.1] ¡­ With the 0.1, Jason reached 1.3 and this was Jason¡¯s highest score. It was a wonderful feeling to have this instant increase. Jason could not help but take several deep breaths to hold back the excitement. ¡°Food!¡± ¡°I need more food!¡± Jason told himself that again. However, he did not act in a hurry. He knew very well that the guy who failed in his n would not be able tounch another attack so soon. It was safe for at least three days. The first case was on August 5, the second on August 8, the third on August 11, and the fourth urred today, August 14. Jason bought a newspaper on his way back from buying mushrooms. He confirmed the exact dates of the cases from the newspaper and got more information about the world. Of course, Finch paid for it for him. ¡°From the beginning to now, every three days, there was one. This is for sure. They want to make it hard for us to understand. August 17¡­¡± Jason whispered about the date. Then, Jason began to think about the purpose of the enemy doing this. It looked like that their goals were the police. There must be something between them. Jason believed this. Unfortunately, there was so little information, that Jason couldn¡¯t figure out where the connection was. However, this did not prevent him from making some of his own views and suggestions to the sheriff. Even if Jason was not allowed to take the initiative at the moment, it did not mean that he would be thrown into passivity. At the very least, he could advise Bondy to strengthen the night patrol workforce. The two engagements made Jason understand that, although the ¡°food¡± had strange abilities, they were still unable to resist gunpowder weapons. As long as a grown-up with a gun could ovee his fears, he would have a good chance of winning. Fear was the biggest reason why the gunman chose to take action secretly and create panic. Only those who were not brave enough, and who got scared, would lose. If the enemy had monsters that were not afraid of guns, they must have done whatever they wanted to do, and not in a secret way. ¡°Wait! Theypleted a ¡°hunting¡± every three days. Are they doing this for the purpose of feeding the monsters, so that the monsters can get stronger?¡± All of a sudden, Jason thought about this possibility in his mind. Suddenly, Jason¡¯s face changed a little. He never learned about Mystery and knew little about this subject, but this seemed to be the most usible exnation for what happened recently. For now. Without a moment of waiting, he got up and walked out. When Jason was going to ask Finch where Bondy was getting his treatment, Bondy, the sheriff, knocked on Jason¡¯s door. Knock-knock. ¡°It¡¯s me, Bondy.¡± ¡°Come in, please.¡± After Jason said so, Bondy, the sheriff opened the door. Bondy¡¯s arm was bandaged and fixed to the front of his chest. He got his clothes, which had blood on them, changed. He looked tired and depressed because of his injury, which was normal for him, but Jason could still feel the firm belief and tenacity in his eyes. ¡°Your suitcase.¡± Bundy stooped to pick up the suitcase by his feet and hand it to Jason. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jason took the suitcase, which belonged to him, and thanked him. The suitcase was made of rattan. The weaver was excellent and didn¡¯t leave a gap. Nothing in the suitcase could be seen from the outside. The suitcase was not heavy¨Cabout the weight of three big pig hooves. ¡°My pleasure. And thank you for saving Finch.¡± Bondy¡¯s serious expression showed his gratitude to Jason. Then the sheriff took a folded paper out of his coat pocket, opened it, and handed it to Jason. Chapter 13: Knowledge and Skills Chapter 13: Knowledge and Skills Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jason looked at the paper in his hand with a trace of surprise on his face. It was a letter of appointment, and it said something about Jason¡­ We hereby employ Mr. Jason as our special adviser for a term of three months, from August 14, 1871, to November 14, 1871. Rhode police station Hr1871.8.14 The letter¡¯s handwriting was neat and in the official format, with a red stamp at the end. Undoubtedly, this letter of appointment had legal effect. And this was the reason why Jason was surprised by this. How could Bondy, a sheriff, have a say in the Rhode police station? Although he was called a sheriff, what he did was pretty much the same as a police sergeant. But then, Jason thought of the fact that Bondy even knew about the night watchmen. And this was not something that a sheriff could know. Obviously, Bondy had a secret. But Jason was not interested in revealing his secret. Everyone had a secret. Bondy had a secret. Jason also had his own secret. Considering their rtionship, Jason believed that friendly cooperation was the best choice for the two of them. ¡°Peep at his life? The result will definitely turn out to be just the opposite of my wish.¡± This thought crossed Jason¡¯s mind. Jason looked at Bondy. ¡°What is this?¡± Jason asked. Jason asked on purpose while knowing the answer. ¡°Although it has not been a long time since we met each other, I think you are good. I don¡¯t think short-term employment is suitable for our current situation. Long-term cooperation is a win-win solution for us,¡± Bondy said. ¡°Of course, short-term employment fees will be settled immediately,¡± Bondy added. ¡°The long-term contract is 1.5 grams of gold per week, and you can stay here and use this room for free. You can also reimburse any additional expenses,¡± Bondy exined. A newspaper was one copper dime. Four copper dimes were one gram of copper, 22 grams of copper was one gram of silver, and 16 grams of silver was one gram of gold. That was to say, one gram of gold was equal to 1,408 copper dimes. Although it was a cheap newspaper, it was equivalent to the total price of the mushrooms that Jason had just purchased. Obviously, even a copper dime also had good purchasing power, let along a gram of gold. Therefore, 1.5 grams of gold a week was enough to show Bundy¡¯s sincerity. Plus, free amodation, and a kitchen for free use? It was a really nice offer. Jason had no reason to reject this. ¡°Okay, I think this is good. But I¡¯d like to get my first week¡¯s fees now. And I need support in weaponry.¡± After a moment of silence, Jason put forward his additional requests. ording to the introduction of the so-called main task in the letter of appointment, Jason would only be asked to stay for seven days where he was now. After he left here, it would be hard for him to get paid on a weekly basis, so he thought that it was better to get paid in advance. That way, he could buy some necessary kitchenware and spices. He needed more kitchenware to cook food, and he was fed up with meals that only had pepper and salt in them. At least, when he was making meat stew, he needed to have potatoes and radishes. This was not excessive. As for weapons, Jason never thought that he had enough of them. If he could, he would like to carry two RPGs at any time. ¡°No problem.¡± For what Jason asked, Bondy agreed without even thinking about it. Because this offer was what he gave to repay Jason for saving his man. Of course, as he said, he thought that Jason was good. There was a smile on the sheriff¡¯s serious face. He held out his unhurt hand. With a slight lift of his arm, Jason shook hands with Bondy. Jason said, ¡°I believe we will have a good time working together.¡± Then, Jason told Bondy what he had thought before. ¡°A three-day interval can make those monsters more powerful?¡± Bondy looked surprised after he listened to Jason. All of a sudden, Bondy¡¯s face grew more solemn than ever before. As the sheriff who was responsible for the monster case, he really understood what would happen if the monsters became stronger. ¡°It¡¯s just a guess. I¡¯m not sure of it for the moment.¡± Jason told Bondy what he was thinking honestly. ¡°So it¡¯s just your guess for now. I see. There should be more night watchmen!¡± With that said, Bondy was going to leave. To him, even if it was only a guess, he couldn¡¯t afford to be careless. ¡°Wait!¡± Jason stopped him in a hurry. When Bondy looked back in confusion, Jason continued to tell him his thoughts about what had happened. ¡°Although they are monsters, they obviously need food and rest just like most creatures.¡± ¡°Jason, you mean¡­¡± Bondy¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes, just as you think. If you need to hide the monsters and want them not to be found by others, it has to be a secret ce. So, it will be hard for us to find this ce. But we should be able to figure out how they get the food. Arge number of meat and vegetables being purchased is the most noteworthy clue, especially for those who have recently joined.¡± Jason nodded after he finished. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it!¡± With that said, Bondy went out. There was an unprecedented excited look on his face. He finally found a little breakthrough. Or, to be more exact, in the initial stage, in the face of these monsters, he was always influenced by the biographies that he had read a long time ago, so he could not make his decision or even start at all. And now? He was finally able to get things into shape. Jason turned back to his room after seeing the confident sheriff leave. When the door was closed, he looked at the suitcase, which Bondy had given to him. Jason was quite curious about this suitcase, which suddenly became his own suitcase. Naturally, Jason saw this with rm. His rm did not only rise because of the suitcase, but it also came from the message that the suitcase was carrying. He wondered whether this was just like flying a kite. But at this stage, it seemed not like that. What Bondy did and said to him suggested the opposite. If this was just flying a kite, Jason would have known how to deal with it. Fortunately, Jason thought more than that. After he opened the suitcase, he confirmed that he was right before. In the suitcase, there was the same suit, a pair of leather shoes, and a ck hunting hat like Jason was just wearing. In addition to these, Jason found a letter and a wallet in the pocket on the side of the suitcase. After checking that there was nothing else in the suitcase, Jason opened the wallet first. In the wallet, there was one gram of gold, four grams of silver, 11 grams of copper, and two copper dimes. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this,¡± Jason said to himself as he picked up the letter. After checking the envelope, Jason opened the letter. Dear Jason, I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time. I hope that you have sessfully passed the ¡°Green Grass¡± trial of the night watchmen and that you will be able to have a good life. My life is pretty good. You know, I¡¯ve been doing nothing since I retired. Recently, I heard that Rhode has be a well-developed city. I¡¯m here to have a look. If you want to learn some knowledge and skills that a real night watchman should know, you cane here to find me. I¡¯m staying at 17 Harlem Street for the time being. Always love you, Dan Hr1871.7.10 ¡­ ¡°Dan? The knowledge and skills that a real night watchman should know?¡± Jason whispered, and his eyes lit up. Chapter 14: Response Chapter 14: Response Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio There was no doubt that the night watchmen belonged to the mysterious side in the present world. The knowledge and skills that a real night watchman should know were also mysterious. For Jason, who had been exposed to the mysterious side before, it was quite an excitement to learn the knowledge and skills that a real night watchman should know. But Jason gradually calmed down from surprise and excitement. He couldn¡¯t just go to 17 Harlem Street in person. He didn¡¯t forget who he was. He was just an ¡°offbeat heir.¡± A person who inherited another person¡¯s identity. Jason knew what good things an identity could bring him. If he had not inherited the name ¡°Jason¡± and the upation of ¡°postman,¡± he would not have been able to live in the Sleepless City for just one day. So, Jason was not against being a night watchman. But when he inherited the identity of ¡°Jason,¡± he inherited part of the memory of this identity. However, when it came to bing a night watchman, he didn¡¯t have any rted memories at all¨Ceven the most basic of memories, which put him in a dilemma. He had to be more careful, like what he was doing at the moment. Different from those people he just met, the teacher of the person whom he inherited must be very familiar with him. His temporary conclusion was that if he acted a little differently from the identity he inherited, it would be found out who he really was. Without any memory of his current identity, he thought that he was bound to fail. ¡°How can I let the teacher ept my changes? And why did this retired night watchmane to Rhode for nothing?¡± Jason thought. Jason¡¯s eyes wandered over the letter. Then, he shook his head slightly. Other retired people might have nothing to do here, but night watchmen wouldn¡¯t! Jason couldn¡¯t believe that the night watchmen of the mysterious side would someday retire. After all, no one could know what would happen to the mysterious side. That was to say, no one would know what monster was lurking in the dark. Therefore, even if a night watchman retired, he should stay in a familiar and ¡°cleaned up¡± ce, instead of going to a strange city, which would only increase the chance of encountering mysterious-side events. Unless the teacher came to Rhode on purpose. Suddenly, Jason thought about the previous attacks he had just encountered. ¡°Does the teacher have anything to do with the attacks?¡± Jason wondered. His eyes glistened, then, suddenly, he thought of a stupid, but possible way. ¡°A surprise attack! I am attacked unexpectedly! No one sees that I get attacked. Because of the attack, there are whispers and murmurs in my ears from time to time, which make me depressed, angry, and go crazy, so that my personality changed a little. Even my memory has be iplete. I can only remember that I am a night watchman.¡± After thinking about this excuse for a moment, Jason folded the letter paper, put it back in the suitcase, then got up and walked out. Of course, he was not leaving for 17 Harlem Street. Even if he had a reasonable exnation for his change, he would not go to meet the teacher in person. That was too bold for him. But it was impossible for him topletely ignore his teacher¡¯s invitation. A student came to where his teacher stayed, but refused to meet the teacher. This seemed unreasonable. And if he refused to see the teacher, the teacher was likely toe to him. Jason absolutely didn¡¯t want this kind of thing to happen. So he needed a messenger. Was there anyone better than Finch, the police officer? The corridor of the police dormitory was not wide. At most, only two people could walk side by side. Except for the room where Jason stayed, the rooms on both sides were basically a mess. Even if the doors were locked, Jason could smell heavy smokeing out of the rooms. Jason lived on the floor, where they were all single rooms for single police officers. For the convenience of work, almost all of the rooms for single police officersbined the office and residence together. The young police officers lived on the lower floor, where four police officers lived in one room. Finch lived on the lower floor. ording to the room number that Finch had told him, Jason knocked on the door of 202. ¡°I¡¯m Jason,¡± Jason said, introducing himself. ¡°Your Lordship, Jason, pleasee in.¡± Because of the attack, Finch was asked by Bondy to stay in the room for a rest. After hearing the knock, he immediately opened the door. The young man, in casual clothes, looked at Jason outside the door with a sunny smile on his face. ¡°What can I do for you? Your Lordship, Jason.¡± Because Jason had saved his life, Finch used such an honorific title to address Jason. Jason handed the two copper dimes, which he had prepared in advance, to him. The two copper dimes were the money for buying the mushrooms and the newspaper. ¡°You are wee. It¡¯s just two copper dimes,¡± Finch said. The young man waved, but Jason didn¡¯t mean to take the money back. ¡°I said I borrowed it, so I must return the money,¡± Jason said seriously. He was not being polite. He meant it. He didn¡¯t want to owe others anything, whether it was money or favors, let alone that they had agreed with paying back the money in advance. Finch had to ept the money, as Jason insisted. ¡°Finch, can you do me a favor?¡± Jason continued to ask. ¡°Of course, sir. What can I do for you?¡± Finch asked. He nodded at once. ¡°I need you to pass on a message to a man named Dan at 17 Harlem street,¡± Jason said. ¡°Please tell him that I have some problems with myself now. It¡¯s not a small problem, but much deeper and moreplicated, so I can¡¯t go to see him.¡± He keenly saw the worry on the young man¡¯s face in front of him. There was no doubt that the young man was kind-hearted. He was worried about Jason. Jason apologized to Finch in his heart silently then went on to say, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I still see my problem under control. And now I have figured out a solution, which is in this message.¡± With that, Jason showed a confident smile to the young man. ¡°You mean Mr. Dan?¡± The young man was shocked, asking immediately ¡°Yes. He used to be my teacher.¡± Jason didn¡¯t deny it and exined to Finch that he was Mr. Dan¡¯s student. All of a sudden, the young man showed relief on his face. To Finch, Jason was a very reliable person, let alone his teacher. He believed that Jason¡¯s teacher must be a powerful and reliable night watchman. ¡°I¡¯ll send the message for you right away,¡± Finch said. With that, the young man went out. Jason watched him leave. He believed that the young man would tell everything he said to his teacher. ¡°What then?¡± Jason asked himself. He was not sure if he had a n, or if there was a next step. Maybe he was this kind of person. Everything was not nned. It depended on how he made it up as he went along. Perhaps he should be hard on himself¨Cmake himself look miserable. In this way, his excuse would be more persuasive. But immediately, Jason gave up this idea. He was not sure if his teacher could see his change. If the teacher failed to notice anything about him, but he acted too much, he was making himself look like a fool. ¡°What is the best way?¡± Jason thought about this while going to go back to his room. And, at this time, his door was opened. Chapter 15: The Sound of Wailing Chapter 15: The Sound of Wailing Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio A middle-aged man in uniform pushed the door open and entered the room. This man looked very strong. He had whiskers, sharp eyes, and a small scar near his brow ridge, which was very conspicuous in the afternoon sun. This man was Hall, Bondy¡¯s best deputy. After Bondy took most of his men to investigate where the monsters hid, Hall took over Bondy¡¯s original responsibility. ¡°Your Lordship?¡± Hall eximed. Looking at Jason in the room, Hall was surprised. This detective apparently didn¡¯t expect to see Jason here. ¡°Good afternoon, Detective Hall.¡± Jason waved at him. ¡°Are you looking for Finch?¡± Hall asked. ¡°He was helping me to deliver a message. If there¡¯s anything I can do for you, I¡¯m happy to help,¡± Jason said to him. In the bell tower, Jason had met Hall. Although he didn¡¯t know as much about this detective as he knew about Finch, he remembered his name¨CHall¨Cwhile he was chatting with Bondy. And Jason knew what Hall was here for. It was not difficult to figure out his purpose foring here. After Bondy took most of the police officers away, the only reason why Hall came to look for Finch was not hard to guess. Finch was on his leave, so it must be that something important had happened, and Hall was short of hands. Jason was right. As he expected, Hall hesitated for a moment, and when he thought that the night watchman in front of him was newly hired as their special advisor, he told Jason what happened. ¡°There was a kidnapping,¡± the detective pondered for a moment before adding, ¡°and it¡¯s strange¡­¡± Being able to be a detective showed that Hall must have rich experience. In general, even if the case wasplex, he would say that the case was difficult, and it would never be described as ¡°strange¡±. So this aroused Jason¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Strange?¡± Jason repeated the word. ¡°Yes, it is strange.¡± Hall nodded, then said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it on our way. If you are okay with that.¡± ¡°The location of the crime is on the outskirts of the city¨Ca bit far from where we are now¨Cand you need toe back at night.¡± With that, the detective looked at Jason with expectant eyes. ¡°Of course,¡± Jason replied with a smile. Although he was hired as a special advisor, he was still in charge of the night patrol. Now that he was paid, he wouldn¡¯t try to wriggle out of this responsibility. After all, he thought that it was a different kind of promise. At the door, a carriage, which was apparently expensive, stopped there. The driver stood in front of the carriage. When he saw Jason and Halling out, he immediately turned around and opened the carriage door for them. Then, he stood aside and waited. ¡°Detectives, please.¡± The carriage driver said to them. When Jason and Hall walked to the carriage, the driver bowed politely to them. Although there was nothing wrong with how the driver received them, Jason could see that the driver was nervous before him, and seemed to be always worried about his manners. Compared with the expensive carriage behind the driver, the driver¡¯s nervousness was obviously strange. His worry was not in keeping with the carriage. However, Jason remained silent. He didn¡¯t forget that he was just a special advisor and that the one who really had a say was Hall. Hall nodded politely to the driver and went into the carriage. Jason did the same. After nodding to the driver, he followed Hall and got on the carriage. After they got on the carriage, the driver closed the door. After the driver checked that Jason and Hall were well seated, he immediately returned to his seat. He cracked the whip, and the horse leaped forward. With a loud sound, the carriage started slowly. Around three minutester, the carriage began to elerate. The street scenery on both sides retreated rapidly, but the people in the carriage didn¡¯t feel the slightest jolt. The driver¡¯s outstanding driving skills surprised Jason. Of course, it was also because the carriage was good enough. Jason didn¡¯t know much about carriages, but at first nce, he could see that this big carriage, which was pulled by two horses, was extraordinary. He didn¡¯t need to know the details of this carriage. It was his first impression, just like when people saw gold or gemstones. After he climbed into the carriage, he saw more. Jason put his hand on the armrest. The cushions and seats were so soft. He also recognized that the ornaments on the armrest were valuable agate and turquoise. He took a deep sniff, then he smelled ice, food, and drinks in the secretpartments at the side of and beneath the carriage. ¡°Mobile refrigerator? What a luxury.¡± Although he didn¡¯t know much about carriages, Jason knew how expensive it was to install a mobile refrigerator in the carriage, because it needed to have a cer with ice storage in winter. It was impossible for ordinary people to dig out a cer and maintain it. They couldn¡¯t even think about this. ¡°It must be an aristocrat or a rich businessman.¡± Jason began to think about who the owner of the carriage might be. Then, he looked at Hall. He didn¡¯t forget what Hall said before. The detective sat up straight and began to introduce the kidnapping to Jason. ¡°The kidnapped man is His Lordship yton. He is one of the richest businessmen in Rhode. He owns a carriagepany, a coal mine, a textile workshop, and many other properties.¡± ¡°Before the fire, Mr. yton attended every charity banquet that each mayor of Rhode held, but after the fire, yton refused to attend social activities.¡± ¡°He left downtown and moved to a farm in the countryside. He fired most of his servants, leaving only a few cooks and handmaidens.¡± Hall felt sorry for Mr. yton. It was clear that this rich businessman had a good reputation. ¡°Fire?¡± Jason repeated the word that he was interested in. ¡°Yes, it was an ident. After a dinner party, yton was drunk and knocked over the candle, which set the whole house on fire. Including his valet, housekeeper, and handmaidens, all of the people in the house were killed by the fire. Although His Lordship yton saved his life, he suffered permanent disfigurement in the fire.¡± Hall sighed. He looked really sad about what happened to Mr. yton. He even shook his head repeatedly when he thought about the fire. ¡°Is the kidnapped man this Mr. yton?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Yes, the kidnapped man is exactly His Lordship yton. But it¡¯s a strange case because the kidnapper only left a letter saying that he kidnapped His Lordship yton. Apart from that, the kidnapper didn¡¯t say anything about the ransom in the letter.¡± Hall said. Hall nodded, then stressed, ¡°The kidnapper didn¡¯t say anything about the ransom money or ask for anything! As if the kidnapper took Mr. yton just for the purpose of abducting him. But the letter made this theory impossible because the letter is not a low-key act.¡± ¡°If the kidnapper is deliberating provoking the police or showing off what he¡¯s capable of, he shouldn¡¯t choose a rich man who lives in seclusion without much protection.¡± Hall made his point. Jason didn¡¯t say anything at all. He just listened patiently and attentively. He was very clear that the detective in front of him was far more professional and experienced than him. But the next moment¡ª¡ª ¡°Ah, ah, ah!¡± The shrill howl stopped the two people. Jason and Hall could not help but look in the direction where the howl came. Suddenly, their pupils shrank when they saw what was in front of them. Chapter 16: Fire Execution Chapter 16: Fire Execution Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio mes! The mes were rising to the sky! The thick smoke was continuously billowing! In the open space on one side of the road, there was a pile of burning wood. A bound figure was struggling fiercely in the mes, and wailing sounds wereing from the figure¡¯s mouth. But the voice was fading quickly. In the next moment, there was no sound left. All that remained was the crackling sound of mes, firewood, and greaseing in contact with each other. ¡°Stop!¡± Hall¡¯s loud shout woke the driver, who had no idea what was going on. The driver pulled on the reins, stopping the carriage decisively. Before the carriage had even fully stopped, Jason and Hall had already jumped off the carriage. At the same time, an MF92 pistol appeared in Jason¡¯s hands. There was no doubt about it; this was definitely a homicide. The bushes, firewood, and restrained person clearly spelled this out to Jason. And the murderer, who had created this murder scene, was probably still nearby! Without the need for Jason¡¯s reminder, Detective Hall had pulled out a revolver and walked forward, while vigntly looking around their surroundings. But even by the time the two had reached the burnt remains of the deceased, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There was no sight of the murderer, nor any imminent signs of danger. As a detective, Hall kicked away the burning wood and then shouted at the driver, ¡°Do you have a tool that¡¯s like a shovel?¡± ¡°Yes, I do,¡± the driver answered, stammering. He unlocked the toolbox under the driver¡¯s seat. It contained a short-handled shovel, a wrench, and other tools that were intended for situations such as carriage damage, boulders, or other idents. The driver picked up the short shovel and ran over in a hurry. He even tripped during this time. The other party was obviously frightened by the scene in front of him and could no longer keep hisposure as the driver of the luxury carriage. In fact, it went without saying that those who had just been hired had yet to be integrated into the upper society. Even those who had fully integrated into the upper society would not have been able to remain calm. As the driver handed the shovel to Hall, he immediately turned to the road with no intention to help and bent over, vomiting. At this point in time, the other party had already forgotten about his own identity. If it were possible, he would have wanted to leave that ce as quickly as possible. Jason only took a nce at the vomiting driver, and, unable to understand the cause of the fire, frowned and looked around. The sight in front of him was just too odd! They were located on a straight road on the outskirts of the city. There were no forks, and, to the side of the road, it was just bushes and forest. ording tomon sense, since the other party had enough time to clear out the in, why would they not go deeper and choose a more secluded, inconspicuous ce? Instead, they chose this part of the suburban road that was easily exposed. Also, why not use another method? Wasn¡¯t burning someone to death the cruelest and most conspicuous method? And it happened when they were passing by! Was it meant to send a warning? Jason thought of something, and, frowning even deeper, walked to the side of the driver, who was still throwing up. ¡°Hey, may I know if there are many people who will pass by this road?¡± Jason asked in a gentle manner. ¡°Not that many.¡± ¡°Because this only leads to yton Manor.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for visiting the manor, there would be no need toe through here. But the host has already declined most of the guests, especially after some of the older friends got deported, so nobody everes here anymore.¡± This was the first time the driver had encountered a corpse in such a tragic state. He didn¡¯t hide it at all, wiping his mouth and answering Jason¡¯s questions fearfully. He had said something he should never have said as a servant. ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± Jason nodded. He already had some guesses at the bottom of his heart. For the other party¡¯s n to be this way, it is likely they were targeting them. ording to Detective Hall, yton stood alone, and nobody would visit it at all. And now, Mr. yton had been kidnapped! The only people that would pass by would be police detectives. It took a lot of effort for the other party to make such a scene! So, why did they do this? Almost subconsciously, Jason thought that the kidnapped rich person, yton, had also suffered in a fire. Revenge? Jason, who was subconsciously in thought, moved to the edge of the open space. The shrubs and trees were cut down before and neatly piled up. The area that had been cut was neat, regardless of whether they were the small branches of shrubs or the thick trunks that were like sea bowls. Jason squatted down, carefully looking for traces of marks on the trunk. On each trunk, the axended on the left, which meant that the person¡¯s dominant hand was the left hand. Basically, in two or three swings, the person was able to cut down a tree. Obviously, the other party was very strong. Judging from the height of the remaining stump, although the opponent was strong, he was not tall and should be simr to ordinary people. Jason, who had reached these conclusions, turned around and continued to walk along the edge of the clearing. He had hoped to find traces¨Clike footprints¨Cbut was unable to find anything. After searching again and confirming there were no clues, Jason walked toward Hall. At this point, the fire had been extinguished, revealing the scorched, unrecognizable body inside. Detective Hall frowned while squatting in front of the corpse, hoping to find some clues from it. However, faced with a corpse burned to such an extent, even the most experienced detective, Hall, did not know where to start. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°How can this happen?!¡± Hall was furious at the murderer¡¯s savagery, and, at the same time, was thinking about how to solve it. To find the murderer behind this murder, naturally, they would have to start from the charred body in front of him. From his experience, as long they could figure out the identity of the corpse, it was equivalent to solving half the case. And this required a lot of manpower! But at this time, Sheriff Bondy had already taken most of the staff to figure out the whereabouts of those ¡°monsters.¡± It was too difficult for the remaining people toplete the investigation. ¡°Your Lordship Jason, do you have any findings?¡± ¡°Is Mr. yton left-handed?¡± ¡°Same height as ordinary people, but very strong?¡± Jason did not answer directly but asked Hall questions instead. ¡°Yes.¡± Detective Hall nodded. The detective subconsciously looked at the fallen trees in the distance, and then looked at the scorched corpse at his feet. He was not a fool and, as a detective who was full of experience, seemed to have thought of something. ¡°You mean¡­¡± Hall attempted to probe. ¡°It¡¯s just as you think.¡± ¡°Everything at the scene has told me this.¡± ¡°There¡¯s just one point that I can¡¯t figure out.¡± As he said this, Jason once again frowned really deeply. Hall asked hurriedly, ¡°Which point?¡± Chapter 17: Creak Chapter 17: Creak Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Identity!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the identity of Mr. yton!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget the power that this identity brings!¡± Jason phrased it this way, and before Hall could even speak again, he continued to say, ¡°Let¡¯s just suppose that the fire that Mr. yton suffered from was not really an ident, but manmade, and that he created this for the purpose of revenge. But, if that was the case, why did he choose to let us watch from the sidelines through all of this?¡± Hall was astonished and furrowed his brows. ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± ¡°With Mr. yton¡¯s ability, if this miserable encounter was really all created¨Cif it were meant to punish the other party¨Che didn¡¯t really have to do this himself.¡± ¡°With just a little bit of information revealed, whether it was the mayor or those big shots, they would have been more than happy to help!¡± ¡°And once these big shots got involved, this person would only have died a worse death!¡± While saying this, Hall looked down at the charred body. Perhaps getting burned alive was the most torturous punishment for death. But that was just the method of death. These big shots had many ways to make their victims miserable. Though one would hope to live, one would not be able to live, and even if one prayed to die, they could not die. There was no need to show too much; just one or two was enough to let the other party understand how unfortunate it was to live, and how lucky they would be to die. A death like this could even be considered a gift from another perspective¡­ Suddenly, Hall had this idea in his heart. But Hall shook his head immediately and threw out the idea. It was not appropriate for his identity as a detective to think this way. Jason saw how Hall was shaking his head, and he knew what Hall was thinking. Because he himself had thought of something simr. And this also would make things more and more contradictory. If it was Mr. yton, why did the other party resort to something this low? If it was not Mr. yton, then who was the guy in front of them? Suspicions kept rising in Jason¡¯s heart. It took him a few seconds to finally suppress these doubts. He looked to Detective Hall and proposed: ¡°There are too few clues at the moment. Standing here, we can¡¯t find any valuable information at all.¡± ¡°Since the initial kidnapping case urred at yton Manor¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go and see that Mr. yton¡¯s manor.¡± Hall had no objections when faced with Jason¡¯s proposal. ¡°Yes, Your Lordship.¡± After speaking, Hall immediately turned and walked toward the carriage. The charred body was a crucial piece of evidence, and couldn¡¯t be left here like this. It had to be dealt with. It was not easy to take away a scorched corpse, and it was necessary to ensure that the corpse was as intact as possible, as well as to ensure that the scorched corpse would not scare others and cause confusion. Rhode had been messy recently, and Hall didn¡¯t want to add any more trouble for his officer. ¡°Do you have something like a rain sheet?¡± Hall asked the driver. ¡°Yes, I d-do.¡± The driver was still stuttering and pulled out a rain sheet for the carriage from the other side of the toolbox. Hall took the rain cloth and spread it over the side of the corpse. Then, he took out the gloves from his pocket and put them on, signaling to the driver. ¡°Officer, I¨C¡± The driver was panicking, seemingly terrified, and began waving his hands. There was no doubt that the driver did not want to touch the scorched corpse. But with Hall¡¯s increasingly serious expression and sharp eyes, the driver, who was just a civilian, had no choice but to surrender. He put on the gloves handed to him by Hall, walked across the road, and began to help the detective move the body. Eventually, the rigorously wrapped body was ced on the roof of the carriage and secured with ropes. Jason stood on the side during the entire process and silently watched the driver. He didn¡¯t believe anyone. Especially not a stranger who had ¡°brought¡± them to the scene of the crime. Also, the other party was Mr. yton¡¯s servant. If all this was really done by Mr. yton, the possibility that the other party was an aplice was extremely high. Even if the other party behaved normally. There were still many ways to make this appear normal. After a few minutes, the carriage began to move once again. Returning to Hall in thepartment, he asked in a low voice, ¡°How was it?¡± While asking, the detective pointed behind him in the carriage to where the driver was seated. The detective was clearly doubting the other person. And the scene just now was definitely suspicious. ¡°Nothing of suspicion.¡± Jason slightly shook his head. ¡°If he is really the aplice, there will be loopholes.¡± ¡°Along with the people at yton Manor.¡± Obviously, this detective was not a person who gave up easily. He had not only set his sights firmly on the driver, but he also carefully investigated everyone in yton Manor. With regards to this, Jason had no objections. This was what he wanted to do as well. Now that there was someone to help, it was even better. On the journey, Jason did not speak again. He leaned into his chair. A soft cushion supporting his waist allowed him to listen to Detective Hall¡¯s ount in a morefortable posture. This time, it was everything about Mr. yton. Through the talk, Jason clearly understood the status of the rich man in Rhode City. Perhaps the other party had not held any official position in Rhode City, but any official who might see this rich man would treat him with courtesy¨Ceven the mayor. Moreover, the other party was also in close contact with certain gang members. He was involved with both the legal and underground sides! Jason could not help but think of this. But quickly, when the carriage turned into the side road of the manor, Jason began to gain a deeper understanding of the rich man. In the afternoon sun, the road paved with finely broken cobblestones emitted a soft light, and the trees on both sides had changed from shrubs and mixed woods to tall pine trees. At the end of the road, a three-meter high courtyard wall blocked people from peeping, and the iron gate was dark and sharp. After the carriage approached, several servants opened the door. A water bottle-shaped fountain immediately appeared before their eyes¨Cthe water column spouted, and the waternded on the surface, making loud sshing sounds. The horse carriage went around the fountain, and a garden corridor supported by six marble columns appeared. The carriage stopped at the entrance of the corridor. The driver opened the door and took off his hat, bowing slightly. ¡°Officers, we are here.¡± The other party said. Hall was the first to leap off the carriage and vigntly nce around. Jason followed. A middle-aged man in a butler¡¯s suit and white gloves stood erect at the door, waiting quietly. When both men stepped out of the carriage, the housekeeper rushed over quickly. Although he moved quickly, his movements felt methodical and sounded just like what they had heard. ¡°My Excellencies, we have been expecting you for a while.¡± After speaking, the other party showed a smile full of politeness, but there was a hint of unpleasantry. Compared with the driver, the butler was much more natural, and obviously of extraordinary origins. It was probably a professional butler or a person from high society. Then, the other party continued, ¡°Sires, please follow me!¡± ¡°I have got someone to lock up the master¡¯s room, nothing has moved¡­¡± As the butler said this, he was about to turn and lead the way. However, at that moment, the other party¡¯s words came to an abrupt halt, and the calmness on his face disappeared, reced with sheer panic. The other party stood rigidly, staring at Jason and Hall with wide eyes, his mouth widened uncontrobly. Crunch, crunch! There was a sudden chewing sound behind them. Chapter 18: Invade Chapter 18: Invade Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jason and Hall moved the moment they heard the sound of the chewing. Detective Hall drew his gun and turned around. Jason pulled the gun and turned, but unlike Hal,l who had turnedpletely to face behind, Jason leaned on the marble column in the garden corridor. Using his left hand, he pointed behind him, and with his right hand, he pointed at the housekeeper. Don¡¯t expose your back to strangers. This was also an experience that Jason had learned in the city. There was no doubt that such an experience was extremely practical. The joker, who had no eyes or nose, and a cracked mouth, bared his fangs and sharp teeth. It was lying on the top of the carriage and biting the rope, drawing the attention of everybody there. When people around them saw the joker, their expressions became frightened and distorted. Detective Hall was taken aback but did not forget to take aim. Jason¡¯s two demonstrations had already told him that as long as he abandoned the notion of fear, these monsters could be defeated. But just as Hall was about to pull the trigger, two slender tongues suddenly burst out of the shadow of the ceiling of the garden corridor. They moved quickly and were extremely well-hidden. Hall didn¡¯t have time to dodge, and one of its tongues wrapped around his neck. However, the other attempt at Jason was not as sessful. Jason, who was well-prepared, walked around the column. He not only managed to dodge the attack of the slinger, but, after winding back from the side of the column with two MF92s in his left and right hands, he aimed at the beast and pulled the triggers simultaneously. B-Bang! The gunfire flickered, and two bullets ricocheted right toward the culprit, who was hiding in the shadows. The entry-level [Propent Weapon. Light Weapon] had made Jason¡¯s shooting technique improve qualitatively, and the increased perception had sharpened Jason¡¯s vision. He may not have been able to see through the shadows, but it was still possible to spot some differences. ¡°Wow!¡± A loud scream came from the shadows. The tongue on Hall¡¯s neck suddenly loosened its grip and retracted back with the other tongue. But, Jason, who had sharp vision and nimble hands, lifted his right foot and stepped on the tongue, causing it to miss its attack. Then, he shifted his MF92 from his right hand to his mouth and aimed the UZ submachine gun at the shadows again. Bang! And, again, the bullet found the slinger, who had wanted to escape. Moreover, this time, the hit caused the slinger to fall from the shadows of the ceiling. For the first time, Jason saw what the slinger looked like. This was an abomination of an animal that resembled a lizard. It had a body length of about 50cm, along with a huge head. Its body was about half the size of its head. The limbs were very thick and strong, and there were suckers on its soles. At this time, a crack opened up in the monster¡¯s skull, and the yellow-orange bullet inside it was making the monster roll back and forth on the ground in pain. Without any hesitation, Jason pulled the trigger of the MF92 that was in his left hand. Bang! The slinger, who now had another opening in his head, could no longer move, and his whole body began to exude the delicious smell of food. But Jason¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t focused on this at all. Jason released the grip from the gun strap on the UZ submachine gun. It draped from Jason¡¯s free hand and hung on his side. He held the MF92 again with his right hand and aimed at the joker, who had jumped off the top of the carriage and thrown Hall to the ground. With elongated limbs, the joker grabbed the ground firmly and prevented Hall from turning over, opening its mouth and lunging at Hall¡¯s throat. But, the experienced detective used the revolver in his hand as a shield, blocking the fangs and teeth of the joker, while punching the joker with his other fist at the same time. Unfortunately, the hard fur of the joker made such an attack useless and was a waste of Hall¡¯s physical strength. There was no doubt about it; Hall was at an immense disadvantage. If this continued, death would be inevitable once his strength was depleted. However, when Jason settled the slinger, the situation was instantly reversed. Bang! The bullet hit the disoriented body of the joker. The huge force of the impact didn¡¯t allow him to hold to the ground firmly and made him roll straight over and fall. The joker shook its head, obviously not knowing what had just happened. In fact, Detective Hall was just as confused. Everything had happened so quickly¨Cfrom the sneak attack of the slinger to its death. It only happened in the span of two to three seconds, and at this time, the joker didn¡¯t even manage toplete a substantial attack. The joker had no idea what had just happened. Hall, who had escaped from the stronghold, quickly returned to his senses. He turned over and raised his hand to aim at the joker. But Jason was faster. He raised his muzzle and fired two shots at the joker. Bang, bang! The joker, who had just gotten up, was instantly knocked to the ground again by the impact of the bullet. Then¡­ That was the end. Jason, who had the upper hand, wouldn¡¯t leave the enemy any chance to breathe. Not to mention the addition of Hall. After shooting a round of bullets, the joker stopped moving. At this time, the servants in the manor seemed toe alive. ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a monster! A monster!¡± The chaotic screaming continued, and people were in panic. ¡°Quiet!¡± ¡°Everyone be quiet!¡± ¡°You are all safe now!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Stand still, and don¡¯t move!¡± Detective Hall loudly appeased the flustered crowd, and Jason stepped back after he had lifted the slinger and the joker. Jason walked back to the carriage, where he stopped in his tracks. He stared at the huge, three-story building that seemed to be shining in the sun. After carefully setting the food aside, Jason clenched the gun handle in his hand. His other hand held a grenade. Even at yton Manor, monsters were appearing, which was beyond what Jason had expected. In Rhodes City, it was not impossible to encounter two waves of monsters. But how likely was it that the two waves of monsters were of the same breed? Even if Jason was not familiar with these, he knew that the chance of this happening was not big either. Unless Rhodes City was the next of these two monsters. But that was basically impossible. If Rhodes City was the nest of these two monsters, it would not have been possible for them to develop so quickly. Even the existence of Rhodes City was a separate thing. Of course, what was more important was that the manor with arger area, Jason suddenly thought, far away from the urban area, was even more in line with the conditions of being able to amodate many monsters that were being hidden. As for the food? What was wrong with buying more food for a manor that far away? It was actually very normal. However, it was definitely not a good thing for Jason. Because¡­ It seemed as if¡­ He had plunged into the enemy¡¯s nest! Chapter 19: Contradiction’s Reminder Chapter 19: Contradiction¡¯s Reminder Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Thinking that yton Manor might be the mastermind¡¯s old nest, Jason held on to the gun grip and grenade even tighter. Was this a trap? Was everything part of the trap, including the person who had been burnt to death? That couldn¡¯t be! It shouldn¡¯t be like this! Jason realized that he seemed to have stepped into the enemy¡¯s nest, and couldn¡¯t help remembering the scene on the road. He quickly shook his head and denied this hypothesis. That person who had been unfortunately burnt to death¡­ Standing on the side of the road, opposite the scene with the mes burning, seemed to be a special signpost that guided them towards yton Manor. What next? They would catch everything in one fell swoop! But¡­ Wasn¡¯t this all a bit redundant? Because Jason was very sure that even if there were none of the previous scenes, right after receiving the abduction case, Hall would have definitely headed toward yton Manor. There wouldn¡¯t be a need for this so-called guidance. Conversely, such a guide would only have made them wary and more alert. So¡­ Was the person who set the fire reminding them? In that case, who was the person who burnt to death? Why did the other party have to resort to such means to remind them? This thought inexplicably shed through Jason¡¯s mind. Then, Jason couldn¡¯t help but look down at the ¡°food¡± at his feet and frown. There was no doubt that the other party¡¯s reminder was not just a false diversion, but that it actually existed. The most recent attack was the best evidence! However, what really made Jason frown was also this attack. Or to be more exact, that the power of this ambush had been too weak. Jason didn¡¯t want to overestimate himself. By saying it was ¡°weak¡±, he did not mean that the other party had be weaker because he had joined. No. It meant that the normal process in the police station, after receiving a vicious kidnapping case such as this, was that generally, three police officers armed with a weapon would be dispatched at the same time. In addition, there should be an additional, capable police detective as the team leader andmander at the scene. And the other party should not have known that Bondy had taken arge number of people to investigate the whereabouts of the monsters. As that was happening, based on Bondy¡¯s experience, he would definitely be careful, and outsiders would not have known about the movements of the police station. Therefore, in the other party¡¯s n, they should have expected to face four police officers who were armed with weapons. The other party should understand that, under such a premise, it was obviously impossible for a slinger and a joker to havepletely destroyed the peopleing. The joker had hard fur, but could not ignore the bullets. It was good at climbing and jumping, but still not faster than the bullets. As for the slinger? It was good at hiding, and then suddenly attacking. The attack style was indeed weird, but not invincible. As long as you were prepared, the other party¡¯s defense was not outstanding, and, from certain angles, it was smaller than the joker. And more importantly, even if it was an ambush, the corridor near the garden outside the building was not a good ambush ce. The moreplex terrain in the building was more suitable for the y of monsters such as joker and slinger. Unless¡­ They were not the main attackers! They were only there to divert attention onto themselves! All of this was to fix the ¡°battlefield¡± near the garden corridor, and create an opportunity for the main attacker! A main attacker who was hiding, and needed enough time tounch an attack! When he thought about this, almost instinctively, Jason turned to look at the water-bottle-shaped fountain behind him. If you wanted to hide something, there was only this fountain in the vicinity! Under Jason¡¯s gaze, the water column still spewed out of the water bottle, and the water drops were crystal clear in the sun, like small quartz rocks, falling on to the water surface and forming a shallow ssh. These water sshes brought up round ripples, and the ripples chased and rippled against each other, which was a beautiful sight to see. However, a sudden slight shake made the water vibrate. The flower shapes disappeared all of a sudden, leaving only therge ripples rolling in the fountain pool. This strange scene was not discovered by anybody except Jason. Without hesitation, Jason directly pulled the fuse of his K2 grenade. In the next moment¡­ Ssh! In the rushing sound of water, a briny smell filled the air suddenly. Then, a shadow suddenly grew, and it floated in the fountain pool. The breathing space was the size of a washbasin. The one-eyed head protruded from the water surface, with more than ten feet that were simr to tentacles. It extended straight from the water toward the people around it. But before those tentacles could catch anyone, a grenade hadnded on the monster¡¯s head. Boom! The K2 grenade exploded. The shrapnel fell on the monster¡¯s head like raindrops, piercing right into it and making it look like a weird hemp ball. As soon as it appeared, it was already seriously injured, and the monster roared in anger. It stared at Jason with its one eye, who was standing beside the carriage. Its ten tentacles mmed into Jason fiercely. Bang, bang, bang! The carriage broke in a single blow. The ground under the carriage was smashed shortly thereafter. In the smoke, there was a mixture of the smells of wine and food. Jason, who had long since thrown the grenade, picked up the food and retreated. This was all useless work. It was not only useless, but it also exposed the weakness of the other party. ¡°Sure enough!¡± ¡°The choice to ambush here was just to facilitate the attack of this monster!¡± ¡°Not only does it take time for the opponent to show up, but the attack range was also even more limited!¡± Jason looked at the monster, which was longer than ten meters, and was enough to cover the carriages and the area near the garden corridor. After retreating outside the range of danger, he directly raised the gun in his hand. Maybe such brachiopods were powerful¡­ As long as he was drawn in by one of them, he would definitely be dead. But¡­ No matter how powerful the attack was, it wouldn¡¯t work if it didn¡¯t hit. If you couldn¡¯t hit your attack, it was useless to be this powerful! Bang, bang, bang! Jason raised his hand at the monster and fired three shots. The MF92 pistol and the UZ submachine gun were fired, one after another, and the bullet filled three more scars in the already-injured monster. At the same time, Detective Hall had also pulled a trigger from the side, providing cover fire for Jason. The detective who had been watching Jason silently, after the explosion, when he saw Jason suddenly running, had subconsciously begun to run¨Cnot only to save the other party from danger but also to be Jason¡¯s helper at the same time. As for the servants inside the manor¡­ There was no need to pin any hope on them. They had met horrible monsters once again and instantly fell into a state of panic out of their wits, making Detective Hall¡¯s past efforts to calm them downpletely useless. Most of them were paralyzed on the floor in shock. A small portion of them had fled in various directions, like headless flies. Bang, bang, bang! The gunshots continued. The roar of the monster continued. The roar was full of anger, unwillingness, and despair. But, what use was this? Once Jason had found something wrong, everything was decided. Flop! The monster fell into the water after another round of shots, and it had no health left. The opponent¡¯s body began shrinking rapidly. Then¡­ A more seductive scent came from the fountain than even the slinger or joker could produce. Gulp! Jason couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva. Chapter 20: Precious Ingredients Only Require… Chapter 20: Precious Ingredients Only Require¡­ Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jason hurriedly walked toward the fountain and picked up a monster that was reduced to the size of his palm. Compared to the previous giants, the monster at this moment had be extremelypact, and the overall appearance of it looked like a squid with a hard-gray shell, and ten tentacles without their suction cups. If it wasn¡¯t for the previous scene, Jason would have treated this as an ordinary squid. But at this moment? Naturally, it was extremely delicious food. The rich scent prated Jason¡¯s nose constantly, and he couldn¡¯t wait while he held the food. He then picked up the grinner and the paradoxical being and walked to the butler. ¡°Where is the kitchen?¡± Jason asked. ¡°There. It¡¯s over there.¡± The steward pointed to the corner of the building, his hands trembling. Strongly resisting the urge to rush straight into the kitchen, Jason turned to Detective Hall and said, ¡°Tell Bondy about everything here!¡± After saying that, Jason rushed toward the kitchen. He believed that Hall would settle everything properly. As for whether there would be any more danger in the building? Jason believed there wouldn¡¯t be. If a simr monster was still waiting in ambush, it should have already rushed in to try and turn the situation around. But, saying that, Jason still had the required vignce. Even if the hunger in his belly was scratching, vignce should be considered to be a basic instinct. After patrolling around and confirming the premises were safe, Jason walked directly to the stove. Unlike the simple equipment in the single dormitory, this kitchen wasrger than his room. All the kitchen utensils were readily avable, and Jason was extremely delighted at the spices, pepper, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, fragrant leaves, peri, mint, and more. There was no shortage of fruits, vegetables, and poultry either in the basket or on the side. Jason was most pleased that the fire on the stove was not extinguished. After he threw the firewood into the fire, and right before the mes burst, a bag of charcoal was poured into it. The mes mellowed and began to burn more vigorously. At this point, Jason began to handle the food. After thoroughly washing the grinner, it would be directly put in to stew. In the iron wok, various spices were poured into it, and the difficult-to-cut grinner was poured directly into the wok. While the soup boiled, the blood foam floated up, and Jason began to fish it out. He picked up the wine on the side and poured it into the wok. Instantly, the taste of the wine blended in with the vors of the meat, and the water vapors rose. When the flesh of the grinner hadpletely softened, Jason began to change the knife to prepare the paradoxical being, cutting it into sections and mixing it with tomato juice. He poured various spices onto it and began to rub and pickle it, after which, it was directly sent into the oven at the side. As for the squid-like food with a strong vor, Jason chose the simplest way of cooking. Grilling! After brushing it with ayer of oil, the food was inserted into a skewer and quickly cooked. Pepper was sprinkled onto it. The spicy taste could be smelled through the mes, and it spurred Jason¡¯s appetite. Jason couldn¡¯t wait any longer, and he bit into the grilled squid as it was, swallowing it in one mouthful. As he chewed it in his mouth, the juice sshed everywhere, and the fragrance lingered on his lips and teeth. [Devouring the submariner!] [Modest recovery from injury!] [Satiety: +3] [Satiety: 3] ¡­ Also, it had the taste of submariner and provided a fullness rating that was thrice that of the paradoxical being and the grinner. s, this did not mean that Jason would hate the paradoxical being and the grinner, which had been turned into food. Food was innocent after all, no? The paradoxical being drenched in tomato juice and pepper was both sour and spicy, with crispy skin and a fresh tenderness to its meat, especially the big piece of meat left by Jason when he intentionally changed his knife, making it chewier. The mostforting thing was the soup made from the grinner, which was slightly infused with the vors of the wine to make the meat more delicious. Taking a bite of the meat and soup consecutively, Jason couldn¡¯t help but eat faster. [Devouring grinner, paradoxical being] [Modest recovery from injury!] [Satiety: +2] [Satiety: 5] ¡­ A warm feeling began to circte in Jason¡¯s body. It had been a while since he had rested, and Jason, who had been involved in several battles up to this point, began to feel his energy and physical strength recovering at a rapid speed this time. After a few breaths, he felt extremely alert, and his body was energetic. ¡°When there is no injury, you can restore your physical energy!¡± Jason¡¯s eyes shed with surprise, but it was immediately reced with joy. Because he knew how important it was to be able to recover physical strength and energy at the same time. In the current crisis-ridden environment, he had only one trump card: he could quickly improve his skills. It could save lives in critical moments. Without hesitation, Jason opened the skill bar. [Yes/No Consume 2 points of Satiety to enhance Gunpowder weapons, small arms?] ¡°Yes!¡± With Jason¡¯s affirmation, [Gunpowder Weapon, small arms] was improved ordingly. [Gunpowder weapons, small arms petence): Not only do you know how to use light gun weapons such as pistols, assault rifles, and others, you also have a good understanding of their characteristics. It takes almost 3-5 years for ordinary people to be able to cultivate this effect. Effect: Perception +0.2 (Beginner 0.1, Competence 0.1)] ¡­ After the words appeared, the body and skills began to adjust ordingly. When everything stopped, Jason immediately pulled out the MF92 and aimed at the front. His speed was faster than before. It was not an improvement in physical fitness, but he understood it as a more reasonable pulling of the gun. After feeling some changes, Jason was ready to continue improving his skills. [Yes/No Consume 4 points of Satiety, 1 point of Excitement of Feeding to upgrade Gunpowder weapons, small arms proficiency level?] ¡°Excitement of Feeding?¡± Faced with this strange vocabry, Jason immediately hesitated. ¡°Monsters are also separated into strong and weak.¡± ¡°There should be different levels of satiety.¡± ¡°Ordinary is ¡®Satiety¡¯, and the next higher level is ¡®Excitement of Feeding¡¯.¡± ¡°In other words, if you want ¡®Excitement of Feeding¡¯, you must prey on a higher-level monster.¡± ¡°And you need ¡®Excitement of Feeding¡¯ to be able to advance your proficiency level. Seemingly, proficiency level skills will advance more significantly.¡± Jason, who had reached this conclusion, immediately looked at [Hand-to-handbat]. By the same logic, he would not umte Satiety until he knew he was safe. [Yes/No Consume 2 points of Satiety to enhance Hand-to-handbat?] ¡°Yes!¡± [Hand-to-handbat petence): The body itself is a powerful weapon. You have had a long period of basic training, and not only do you have certain skills, but your body will gradually be stronger. Effect: Physique +0.1, Strength +0.1] Unlike [Gunpowder weapons, small arms], [Hand-to-handbat], which had increased its level, seemed to be moreprehensive. Feeling the strength in his body, Jason, who was now slightly adapted, turned and walked outside the kitchen. He could hear the noises in the garden. Apparently, Bondy had arrived with someone. When he pushed open the door and went out, he not only saw the police officer, Bondy, with arge number of police officers but also unexpectedly saw Finch, who carried with him a message. The young police officer was wearing casual clothes that he had seen before and was holding a heavy book in his hand. After seeing Jason, he trotted over immediately. ¡°Sir Jason, Lordship Dan said to give you this!¡± ¡°It can solve your troubles!¡± He said, handing the book over. From its appearance, this was an ordinary book. Except for being a little thicker, there was nothing to be concerned about. From the perspective of Finch¡¯s posture and looks, it seemed that the book was not dangerous. So, Jason was ready to receive the book. But once Jason¡¯s fingers touched the cover of the book, his expression changed. Chapter 21: Graphical Reiteration Chapter 21: Graphical Reiteration Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Right in front of Jason¡¯s eyes, the familiar text began to appear again. s, the hint this time was different. [Found ¡°Graphical Reiteration (Passive)¡±, Yes/No Consume 1 point of Satiety to learn?] ¡­ It was no longer about upgrading. Instead, this was about learning! Jason was surprised. He had never thought that he would also be able to learn new skills in addition to developing his current skills. He had always thought that he had to learn the basics of a skill first, and then rely on Satiety to improve the skill¡¯s level. The scene before him was contrary to what he had thought. However, Jason was not happy about this. On the contrary, he looked at the book in his hands hesitantly. This was because it was not the first time he had encountered written records in this world. The previous newspaper had written records as well, but, unlike this one, no hints had appeared. Then¡­ Could it be that this book itself was special? Or was it because the person who wrote it was special? Remembering that this was from his teacher, Dan, Jason could not help but lean toward thetter conclusion. It was because of the book that Dan had written that he became special and powerful! Or to be precise, Dan had written powerful ¡°words¡± that had made everything powerful! Looking at the hints for ¡°Graphical Reiteration¡±, Jason couldn¡¯t help but think about this. Of course, he had thought of other things. And that was the real reason behind the change in his expression. For example, his ¡°teacher¡±, who had doubted Jason¡¯s identity. There was no doubt that the other person must have had his own reason foring to Rhode City. Because of this, the other party also had no energy left to personally verify the authenticity of his words. But the other person was still very concerned about his disciple. Therefore, he chose words that contained special powers to test himself. ording to what the other person had said, the knowledge recorded in these words would be able to solve the troubles he was encountering. However, these words would not be able to be understood by ordinary people at all. At the very least, they would need help from a trained night watchman. Jason wondered whether the so-called ¡°Green Grass¡± trial was actually rted to the study of Graphical Reiterations. Fortunately, Graphical Reiterations was unique enough! In his heart, Jason felt relieved. Then, without further hesitation, he chose the ¡°Yes¡± option. [Graphic Reiterations (Passive) (Foundation): Graphical Reiterations is an ancientnguage that only spread amongst hidden organizations and mysterious forces. ording to rumors, it will be produced through correspondingbinations in conjunction with rituals. Incredible effects follow after these rituals, but these are too advanced for your level. You have only mastered its basics. At your current level, even with reading, it will be quite difficult. You will need to spend more energy to discern its meanings.] ¡­ Complex knowledge began pouring into Jason¡¯s mind. This was an indoctrination that far surpassed the previous skill¡¯s energy. As if being punched, Jason couldn¡¯t help but snort. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jason?¡± The young police officer, who was standing in front of Jason, noticed something was wrong. He looked at Jason, who was suddenly pale, and he immediately stepped forward to help him. Jason took a step back and shrugged it off. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just too tired.¡± ¡°You know, I haven¡¯t had a rest sincest night.¡± He said. Of course, these words were not addressed to the young police officer. These words were addressed toward Bondy, who was walking over to them. Compared to the young police officer, Bondy, who was already a sheriff, would not be fooled that easily. Without a reasonable exnation, Jason was worried that the other party would notice that something was amiss. After all, when Finch had handed him the book, Bondy had been by his side the entire time. ¡°Sorry, Jason.¡± ¡°This is my bad.¡± ¡°I forgot that you have been fighting without rest.¡± Bondy said apologetically. As a sheriff, Bondy was very clear about the difference between the usual staying-upte type of work, and the staying-upte-to-fight type of work. The former would result in dark circles and possible baldness. As for thetter? The consumption of energy was beyond imaginable for ordinary people. Almost every time, every ounce of energy would be exhausted. Because it was like walking on a thin thread between life and death. The slightest mistake would result in death. How would anyone dare to not give it their all? And Jason, who had experience with continuous fight-¡¯til-the-death situations, must have already reached his limits. The sheriff, who was thinking the same thing, began to reallocate the tasks ordingly. ¡°Leave the rest to us.¡± ¡°You go take a good rest first, and I will notify you if we need any more help.¡± ¡°As for tonight¡¯s patrol, I will arrange for someone else to take over, as well.¡± After he said that, the sheriff turned and gave a slight nod to Jason. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jason thanked him politely. But Jason did not actually rest. He followed beside Bondy and walked towards Hall. When he saw this, Bondy hesitated but did not say anything else. The sheriff thought about the persistent rumours about the night watchman. As long as the night watchman would honor his promise, it would be a sess! No matter how dangerous it was, even if you lost your life, you would try to keep the promise as best as you could. Previously, he had only heard this as a rumour. But now? He figured it was real. For a dutiful sheriff like himself, he had a lot of respect and admiration for this trait. s, this did not prevent him from harboring motives toward Finch and the young police officer, to take care of the tired night watchman. Just recently, Detective Hall already learned theyout of the entire estate from the butler and inquired with most of the servants. ¡°Sir, Your Excellency Jason.¡± ¡°ording to the butler¡¯s description, in the entire estate, only Mr. yton¡¯s study hall and the bedroom are connected to it, and they were not allowed to approach it without permission. Some servants even heard hissing from the study hall.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°Mr. yton was abducted in his study.¡± After Hall gave him a rundown, he added this sentence. Immediately, Jason and Bondy nced at each other. At this point, no one would regard yton¡¯s kidnapping case as a normal kidnapping case. The ce where the other party was abducted was naturally of top priority. As soon as Bondy raised his hand, five capable police detectives came forth with guns, and more than twenty young police officers were scattered around, patrolling vigntly. ¡°Follow me.¡± Bondy immediately walked toward the study. Jason followed suit. Finch entered the manor¡¯s main building with the five detectives. Hall was left tomand the police officers outside and was also responsible for handling and managing idents. However, as Jason had inferred before, there were no more monsters in the main building of the manor¨Conly luxurious decorations. A huge crystal chandelier, with the diameter of a round table, stretched down from the three-story staircase to the velvet carpet in the lobby. There were paintings from indiscernible periods of time, and gold-ted tables and chairs. An erect bronze statue stood in the middle of the hall where everyone who entered would immediately see it. There were no doubts about it; this bronze statue was that of Mr. yton. From the bronze statue, Mr. yton was a personable, middle-aged man with a handsome appearance. But in real life? Who knew? He and his party did not stay in the lobby for long, heading straight for the study on the third floor. Cautiously opening the door of the study, everyone couldn¡¯t help but stare once they got a clear view of the situation. The entire study was empty, with only one rectangr desk in the middle of the room. ced on the desk was a thick stack of paper. With the airflow brought about by the opening of the door, the papers began to flutter with a sharp sound, like butterflies dancing, or falling white petals. Bang! Jason raised his hand and grabbed a piece of paper in his hand. As he looked up, his eyes narrowed. Chapter 22: The Crucial Point Chapter 22: The Crucial Point Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio These were clearly written on the piece of paper: 10 strongborers, Croaker Mine, 1000. 5 young girls, Moon Mask, 2000. 6 children, Bottomline Vault Street, 100. Only those three lines were written. Although it was just a trivial description, it was enough for Jason to be able to make a lot of deductions from it. He took the piece of paper and headed straight to Bondy. At this point, the sheriff also had a piece of paper in his hands. His expression appeared to be pale. In fact, it was not just the sheriff. The five other capable detectives were the same. A quick-tempered detective even scolded him. They had no suspicions at all. This was because their identities had afforded them some information that ordinary people would not know about. For example, the girl in the Moon Mask. ¡°Sir, what Kalina said before is true!¡± The grumpy detective said to Bondy. Kalina? The strange name made Jason nce at Finch, who was right next to him. ¡°Kalina was a girl who came to make a police report three months ago. She said that she had been pulled into the Moon Mask, but right after that, Mr. yton¡¯s housekeeper came to report that the new maid, Kalina, had stolen some belongings.¡± ¡°After our investigations, Kalina had indeed been hired by His Excellency, Mr. yton, from the countryside.¡± ¡°We looked deeper into the case, and it turns out¡­¡± The young constable¡¯s words trailed off. But the implied meaning was evident. One was a country girl, and one was a rich man. Anyone could guess what had happened between them. ¡°What happened after that?¡± Jason continued asking. ¡°After that, the housekeeper brought Kalina back; this was in ordance with the employmentws.¡± ¡°About a weekter, the housekeeper came back to make another report, this time to say that Kalina had disappeared.¡± ¡°We tried our best to search, but Rhode is really too big, and it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. After a week, we decided to give up. As time passed, this girl was forgotten.¡± Speaking of this, the young constable looked as if he were ming himself. ¡°Some people are forgotten.¡± ¡°While some people aren¡¯t.¡± ¡°And they will choose other ways for other people to remember them by.¡± As if something came to mind, Jason groaned slightly, looked toward Finch, and asked: ¡°The constable who handled the case at that time should include Panke, Kurtz, Joffe, and Tahr?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°They were included!¡± ¡°Do you mean to say¡­¡± The young constable replied, his eyes widening as he looked at Jason. The young constable, who was not a fool, had guessed the meaning. ¡°Revenge!¡± ¡°Kalina, or someone rted to Kalina, was vengeful.¡± ¡°The people he chose were specifically those who would not have helped Kalina, even if her life was in danger.¡± Jason said, turning and walking toward the door to the bedroom. After Bondy motioned to the detectives, Finch followed him. Although, everyone was sure that, even though this was the bedroom, the scene would still have been carefully curated by the other party. Other than revealing what the other party wanted them to see, there was nothing else left. But this did not deter Jason from meticulously exploring every nook and cranny. The bedroom was no longer empty, but a hidden door on the side of the wall was opened. There was a light inside. After carefully probing it, Jason went inside. There was a staircase leading downwards. It had more than a hundred steps. Judging from the distance, the stairs led deep into the underground. At the end of the staircase was a door that had also been opened. The door was still brightly lit, allowing Jason to easily see the cages that had been made from iron fences. In addition to the cage, there were wooden stakes that were used to restrain people, and torture devices hanging on the walls. The charcoal brazier was still burning, and a soldering iron had been inserted into it. It burned bright red. Although, there was nobody here. But, looking at this scene, Jason could fully imagine what it was like being here. Those who had been abducted, trembling in fear in the cage, while awaiting their fate before them¡­ Those who dared to resist were either hung up or trapped on wooden stakes and punished, making it the best raw material to kill undesirables¡­ Eventually, they would be sent to the various industries connected to Mr. yton. Some people simply sumbed to their fate. Some people had not given up and had been silently waiting for the right opportunity. Jason believed that Kalina was not the first one. But she was the first person to actuallyplete what she had set out to do. Jason¡¯s eyes stayed fixated on the cage in the innermost corner. Unlike the other cages that had been covered in dust, the ground railings here were very new. It was obvious that there had been people here up until recently. As for who exactly was being held? Other than Mr. yton, Jason could not think of anyone else. ¡°That fire was also created by you, so as to better impersonate him, and then, at the most appropriate timing, you gave him public sentencing!¡± Jason whispered to himself as he began to feel more intimidating. There were no traces of monster life here. Obviously, the monsters had not been here. This was just one piece of evidence provided for the public sentencing. It was full of contradictory evidence. Jason had not forgotten about the warning from Mr. yton, and the ambush right after that. The contradictions between the two had not been solved even as they had thoroughly searched the entirety of Mr. yton¡¯s manor. If anything, things had appeared to be more and more contradictory. It was as if two people with contrasting opinions were arguing. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Two people?¡± Jason suddenly thought of something and stopped in his tracks in the midst of his patrolling. Who said that the person seeking revenge could only be one person? It could also be someone connected to Kalina. The other person obviously belonged to the mysterious side and was someone rted to the culprit. Also, these two would have close rtions with each other! Otherwise, it was impossible for the other party to cooperate with someone from the serious side, and at the same time be so amodating toward him. It was clear that the paper in the study was enough to expose Kalina. And when Kalina¡¯s identity had been revealed, it was possible that she would also reveal the true identity of the other party. ¡°One is younger, with strong principles.¡± ¡°The person from the mysterious side is very old-fashioned, well thought out, and doesn¡¯t leave implicating traces for the future.¡± ¡°Master and apprentice?¡± Jason guessed the identity of the avengers. As for the one who was rted to Kalina? It was not difficult to guess. The highest possibility was either someone rted by blood or a lover! Thetter seemed more likely. Because, if the partner was rted by blood, Kalina wouldn¡¯t have been a country girl who needed to go out to work. It is crucial to know that the powerful partner from the mysterious side did not need a lot. Only a little bit was enough to give anyone a prosperous and worry-free life. Of course, these were all just Jason¡¯s presumptions. The situation needed to be further investigated by Bondy and the others. Turning around, Jason looked at Bondy, who Jason had estimated would have looked gloomier and angrier after around four weeks, and was ready to inform him of his thoughts. However, just as Jason was about to open his mouth, his expression suddenly changed. He¡­ ¡­had missed out on a crucial point! Chapter 23: The Moon Mask Chapter 23: The Moon Mask Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Rhode in the evening, about to bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of the day. Looking at Kensing Street, shops had begun their preparations to close for the day. The same goes for the pubs that had had been maintaining their tradition. It is important to know that, even though some of the recent events in Rhode had been covered up, rumors had still managed to spread. The speed of pedestrians and carriages are rapidly decreasing. However, some ces that didn¡¯t care still remained brightly lit. For example¡­ Moon Mask! This was a mysterious club that was located behind Kensing Street. In order to enter, not only was it extremely expensive, but you would also need referrals. At the same time, both privacy and security could be guaranteed. Two brawny men in gray-ck coats with bulging waists stood clearly at the club door, deterring those who wanted to sneak a peek inside the club. Moreover, the two were not ostentatious. The two had icy-cold expressions and sharp eyes, and their palms, fingertips, and joints were covered in rough calluses. Obviously, these were two good yers who were both proficient in terms of firearm usage and in meleebat. This was a guard who was specially arranged by the club after recent events. Of course, the club did not rely on just these two guards to continue running their business openly, despite the incidents. In the shadows, on the top of this three-and-a-half story building, a thin man was squatting in the shadows. He held a well-made, extremely rare cavalry rifle and looked over the entire block. No wind or grass could hide from his watchful eyes. With the ground and rifle in his hand, this secret sentry was sure to take out any potential enemies. As for arge number or more powerful enemies? The secret sentry sneered, and his gaze began to turn to the mouth box beside his feet. Just opening the lid slightly, you could immediately see a row of ten bombs with fuses, round ck bombs, and small artillery shells. They were all neatly arranged inside the box. This secret sentry was looking forward to ying against the legendary monster. Because¡­ This was the only opportunity he could think of to step into the mysterious side! Otherwise, even if the owner of this club made a high bid, it was impossible to hire him. ¡°Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t work with those dirty thugs.¡± ¡°Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t need to resort to this much effort.¡± ¡°As soon as I realized the consequences, I would be faced with the upright sheriff Bondy for using my identity as a wanted criminal to face the immortal monster.¡± This secret sentry couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Once I enter the mysterious side, I will definitely make you¡­¡± This secret sentry couldn¡¯t help but fantasize about the situation after he had mastered the strange and powerful power. His whole body couldn¡¯t help but tremble. Then, with some violent twitching, he began to foam at his mouth. After a few seconds, the secret sentry copsed, and there was no longer any sound. The two strong men guarding the door were no exceptions. s, they died even earlier than the secret sentry. ¡°Hush!¡± ¡°Nightfall. Nightfall is here.¡± ¡°The ckmb starts dancing.¡± ¡°He¡¯sing, he¡¯sing.¡± ¡°Quickly go to sleep.¡± ¡°Quickly go to sleep.¡± In a brisk whistle, a man in arge cloak thatpletely covered his face appeared in front of the club¡¯s door. He stepped over the body and pushed the door open. The melodious music came to an abrupt end. The bright lights went out at the same time. The deep darkness was like an invisible mouth that swallowed the entire club instantly. Dull. Withering. Then¡­ everything went back to normal. The sound of music could be heard again. The lights also came back on. But¡­ There were no longer any voices. The dead bodies fell to the ground like weeds, with calm faces. It was as if they were asleep. ¡°Hush!¡± ¡°Sleep!¡± The whistling sound could be heard again, and the man turned away slowly. His smile was hidden in the shadows. Soon, his silhouette disappeared at the end of the street. Suddenly, the moment the man left, the police carriage rushed to the scene. Jason and Bondy jumped from the carriage, looked at the two guards who fell at the door, and their expressions that had suddenly changed. ¡°Toote!¡± Jason frowned. When he was about to tell this discovery to Bondy, he suddenly thought, ¡°Since the person rted to Kalina has retaliated against Mr. yton, will this person also retaliate against the Moon Mask?¡± The answer was a resounding ¡°Yes¡±. At the same time, Jason also had a reaction, and this was also within the ns of the other party. Killing Mr. yton was not only a punishment, but it was also to lure the enemy away from the base. Using the identity of Mr. yton, as long as it concerned death, it would most definitely have attracted most of Rhode¡¯s police. Once the police force in Rhode City had been distracted, the other party could safely do whatever they had nned to do. There was no longer a need to worry about the patrol officers, let alone worry about causing unnecessary trouble after an ident. ¡°I hope that the people in the Croaker Mine, Bottomline Vault Street, and others will be able to catch up.¡± Jason thought as he quickly walked toward the door of the club. Sheriff Bondy followed closely behind him with a revolver. When Jason pushed open the door of the club, his pupils shrank. Dozens of people seemed to be asleep. They were lying in the hall, but there were no traces of undtions on their chests. The lights shone on these people¡¯s faces, and a feeling of coldness surfaced in Jason¡¯s heart as if he were being watched by a poisonous snake hiding in the bushes. An inexplicable pressure rose. Jason twisted his neck and shoulders ufortably. Then, he suddenly saw that Bondy was doing the same thing as him. It was not just an illusion! Jason instantly trembled. In the next moment, there was a shallow moaning in his ears. It was a sound he had never heard before. He didn¡¯t understand the meaning of it at all. He could only feel his scalp tingling. He could only feel irritability rising from the bottom of his heart. Jason just wanted to yell and kill everyone around him. In fact, he was preparing to do so. But at that moment, the book in his arms that was recorded in graphical reiterations began to jitter. Suddenly, Jason woke up. He realized that he had raised his legs and was preparing to step into the club, just as the sheriff was. Jason pulled the sheriff back quickly. It wasn¡¯t until about five to six meters away from the gate that Jason finally stopped. And that cold and heavy air disappeared. Phew. Jason couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh of relief. Looking into the club suspiciously, the lights were bright and the music was melodious; this should have made it a very attractive andfortable ce. But in the eyes of Jason, it was a dead ce. After going through the experience earlier, he would rather stay outside in the fading darkness than step into the club. ¡°What¡­ what was that just now?¡± ¡°Is there anything inside?¡± The sheriff, who had just woken up, asked in a dry voice. Jason didn¡¯t know what was inside. But Jason was not nning to hide anything from the sheriff. Just as he was about to speak, the bodies in the club had suddenly begun to change. They did not struggle. They did not growl. They were still lying there, as usual, only now they had their necks turned and were facing the door. They were all staring at Jason. And then¡­ They began to smile sheepishly. Chapter 24: Readings Chapter 24: Readings Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jason could feel his hair standing upright from being watched by a group of corpses. The smile on the corpses¡¯ faces made the cold, oppressive air that had previously disappeared, resurface once again. Without hesitation, Jason began to back up. This time, Jason stopped walking after he was only about ten meters away. A quick gasp came from Jason¡¯s mouth. He needed to use this breathing to stabilize his mental state. When he had learned that the mysterious side existed, Jason had always been cautious and guarded. Even after numerous confrontations with the mysterious side, he had always relied on gunpowder and firearms to win. However, Jason was very certain that the deeper he delved into this mysterious side, there would eventuallye a day when he would encounter a problem that could not be solved with just gunpowder and firearms. But¡­ He had not expected that moment toe so quickly. Looking at the corpses that had been restored to their original states, Jason couldn¡¯t help but press his hands on the book, ¡°Graphical Reiteration¡±, that had been written by ¡°Dan¡±. Jason had definitely felt the slight jittering from earlier. If it weren¡¯t for the book, Jason was sure that he and Bondy would have entered into the club. Then, what next? At the thought of the weird looks the corpses were giving, Jason knew exactly what would have been waiting for him. He understood that the most important thing for him to do now was to leave this ce, find a safe ce, and start reading the book that was in his arms. Holding back on this impulse, Jason turned his head toward the sheriff, Bondy, and quickly said, ¡°Cordon off the area. Let nobody approach, and immediately notify everyone in Croaker Mine, Bottomline Vault Street, and the others; ask them to not act rashly.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Bondy quickly went to Hall and the others. For the sheriff, this scene he had just witnessed had allowed him to decide to follow the opinions of the only ¡°expert¡± present. When facing the orders of their superiors, Hall and the others, who had also witnessed the creepy scene, could not wait to raise their hands in agreement. None of them wanted to dive right into a situation where a solution may not even be present. They even¡­ ¡­felt like leaving the ce entirely. Eventually, as Bondy¡¯s assistant, Hall stepped forward and led the six young detectives to cordon off the area. Bondy led the rest of his underlings to Croaker Mine, Bottomline Vault Street, and the other ces. ¡°I have to go in person.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried to let someone go in my ce.¡± Bondy said to Jason, and after leaving Finch and the police carriage behind, he left in a hurry. Likewise, Jason didn¡¯t stay for long. After Bondy left, Jason greeted Hall and boarded the carriage, with Finch in the driver¡¯s seat. In the carriage, Jason couldn¡¯t wait to open the heavy book. The jerky, illegible text appeared before Jason¡¯s eyes under the light of a kerosenemp outside the car window. ¡°Grin¡­ ner, first appeared in the north of Kward¡­ its existence was not confirmed up until the year Hr1073¡­ this should be the handwriting of some crazy alchemist¡­ good at climbing, hard fur, sharp teeth¡­ fear of high temperatures¡­¡± ¡°Paradoxical being¡­ in year Hr1234, was summoned by a worshipper of ¡®Theoli (ambiguous handwriting with traces of ink smears)¡¯¡­ after mating with a certain type of frog, the present paradoxical being¡­ two tongues, six meters in length, tough and powerful¡­ slow moment, low self-defense¡­ but if there is a third tongue, it will begin to move faster¡­¡± ¡°Submariners¡­ descendants of deep divers¡­ simr records have surfaced as early as the year Hr700¡­ water ghosts¡­ have ten powerful, ten-meter long wrists and feet¡­ when the wrist and feed exceed 20 meters, they will work hard to reach the ocean¡­ have to survive in a ce with water¡­ in a normal state¡­ they are weak and frail¡­¡± ¡­ Jason sat there and carefully read the book written in ¡°Graphical Reiteration¡±, sentence by sentence. In the beginning, it was pretty simple. Because Jason realized that his ¡°teacher¡± had carefully described the monsters he had encountered in detail. This allowed Jason to study the difficultnguage and get to the situation at hand quickly, based on what he had experienced. Naturally, this allowed Jason to confirm his previous guess: his ¡°teacher¡± had note to Rhode for no reason; it was to pursue the person from the mysterious side who was rted to Kalina. Otherwise, it would not have been possible to provide such detailed and urate information. Even the scene just now might have been set up by the person from the mysterious side, who was rted to Kalina, in an attempt to deal with his ¡°teacher¡±. Otherwise, there was no need to go to such extents just to kill some ordinary people. It would have been enough if they had kept up what they had been doing all this time, which was sending monsters to deal with the situation! The n to remove Bondy and the others, was also to prevent mass deaths¡­ no¡­ No, it was not technically ¡°prevention¡±. It was only because the other party did not want to go head-to-head with the hostile official forces that Bondy represented. But he had reacted too fast and hit the muzzle! Through reading, Jason had calmed down, and his thoughts gradually cleared. Phew! Jason, who wished to understand the cause and effects, took a deep breath and adjusted his sitting position. He continued reading. Although, the arrangement that had been made was not targeted at him. But, with such a feeling of helplessness, Jason did not wish to experience it for the second time. As for relying on his ¡°teacher¡±? Even ignoring the fact that he was a false inheritor, even if he was real, Jason was more used to relying on himself! Not to mention¡­ Didn¡¯t his ¡°teacher¡± give him the answer to dealing with the enemies? Jason was so engrossed that he had not realized he had already arrived at the gates of the police station. Finch looked at Jason, who was quietly reading, and did not bother to interrupt him. The young constable had witnessed the scene of the ¡°Moon Mask¡± previously and knew that Jason was looking for a solution. ¡°I hope everything goes well!¡± The young constable gave a small prayer, and then raised the brightness of the kerosenemp. Then, colleagues came from the distance, and the young constable made a gesture to indicate silence. They then proceeded to stand still outside the carriage. Thest glimmers of the sun hadpletely disappeared. The sky becamepletely dark. The streets of Rhode did not calm down. More constables ran along the night streets. All rest before sunset was canceled by Bondy, and everyone returned to their posts with live ammunition. There was a feeling of depression that shrouded the entire city of Rhode. At this moment, the wind seemed to be breezier. He closed the door of the house, and the people hiding on the bed heard the sound of boots on the street hitting the ground. They couldn¡¯t help but retract their heads back into the quilt, wrapping their bodies tightly. Others put items that could be used as weapons within arms reach, and some even held on to them in their hands. But their hands were shaking. Fear and panic were spreading. It spread faster than the gue. And it was much scarier. Inside the carriage, Jason could finally imagine what ordinary people would be feeling in such a situation. Even then, he was sure that if the situation continued, the ending would be unthinkable. Chaos! A big mess without any semnce of reason! He needed to get a tight hold on the situation! Jason thought about this and focused, once again, on the book in his hands. But¡­ In the next moment, the mutation had suddenly emerged. Chapter 25: Like a Shadow Chapter 25: Like a Shadow Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a monster!¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! A terrible scream came from the gate of the police station, followed by Finch¡¯s exmation and the sound of gunfire. Jason did not immediately open the carriage door and go down. Instead, he curled up andy down on the carriage¡¯s floor. His head faced the window, and his feet faced the door. One of the two MF92s in his hand was pointed toward the door, while the other was aimed at the window. During the days when he was a postman, Jason had imagined a scenario where he would be attacked. Most of the fighting would happen within the car. The other was when he was in the car, and the opponent was preparing to ambush him. In that situation that he had imagined, one side attracted attention, and the other side attacked from outside the car, which was moremon. So at this moment, Jason was acting almost instinctively. Although he was not in a car, per se, the carriage was still technically a car. Some logic was universal. In actuality, these also proved that Jason was right. The moment he raised his muzzle¨C Smash! The windows of the carriage broke. A dark shadow rushed in. Boom! Jason immediately pulled the trigger. The ck shadow that came in did not expect that Jason would have been prepared for it, and it immediately let out a scream. But with the sound of the second shot, the scream became a sob. A wolf-life, dog-like monster with scaly armor on its back and sharp ws fell on Jason without any further sound. Stubbornly holding back his appetite, Jason grabbed the monster with both hands, then kicked the door open. But he didn¡¯t get out of the car. Instead, he threw the monster out. There was a sound of something hitting the west side. That proved that there were enemies on both sides. Especially in the blind spot: overhead! It would be the best spot to attack. Once again, Jason¡¯s cautiousness had proven to be useful. Hoot! At this moment, the monster flew out of the carriage. Another shadow pounced off the top of the carriage, and the monster that was thrown out was pressed to the ground and biting wildly. Soon, the monster found that it had chosen the wrong target. But it was toote. Jason, who had two guns in his hand, was already aiming at it. Bang, bang! The two shots at close range had long reached the skill level of [Gunpowder Weapons. Small Arms], which allowed Jason to shoot with greater uracy. The monster¡¯s eyes exploded directly, and two bullets prated its brain, destroying its nerves and causing it topletely lose its life. Jason, who had settled both monsters in a row, did not care. ¡°Finch, are you okay?¡± He shouted. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Your Excellency Jason.¡± ¡°There is another monster here!¡± Finch¡¯s answer gave Jason a little peace of mind, but he still chose to flutter forward. Afternding, he rolled over ten consecutiveps and pulled away from the carriage. At the gate of the police station, a constable on night shift cowered his shoulders and leaned against the corner of the wall, while the remaining constable and Finch were fighting the monster. It was a pity that the scales of the monster were as hard as they looked. The bullets from the revolver could not prate it at all, and the marksmanship of the two was so mediocre that they were not able to hit the moving monster. Instead, they were in danger of the monster¡¯s bite. ¡°Step away!¡± Jason cautioned them loudly. After the two of them stepped aside, Jason aimed at the wolf-like monster in scales and pulled the trigger. Just like the second monster, the bullet passed through the monster¡¯s eyes and shattered its brain. ¡°On guard!¡± Jason shouted at Finch, who was about to heave a sigh of relief. At the same time, the gun in his hand pointed at a ce where light could not reach. Finch and the constable followed suit. The injured one, who was leaning against the wall, was also looking at it vigntly. They only dropped their guns when the constable on night duty appeared in the police station. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°That guy came here and dared tomand these monsters to attack the police station!¡± Finch went to search for the injured police officer. After finding out that there were no major injuries, he walked to Jason and said this angrily. Attack the police station? Jason shook his head silently. The monsters had note to attack the police station. But instead, they were there to kill him! He was being targeted by the enemy once again. Was it because of the ¡°Moon Mask¡± club? No, no, no! Much earlier, when he was in the bell tower, the opponent had already demonstrated a strong intention to kill, but he had avoided it. And now? He was destroying the other party¡¯s ns, one after another. The other party¡¯s intention to kill had be even more vicious. Especially the ¡°Moon Mask¡± club. What would happen if he didn¡¯t break in, and there was somebody else who had broken in? The answer was self-evident. Death! It might even be a mass homicide! This would put the entirety of Rhode in an even higher state of panic. At that time, even if his ¡°teacher¡±, Dan, arrived, it would be very difficult. No! Perhaps¡­ That was what the other party wanted! We have been distracted by the events at yton Manor. Naturally, my ¡°teacher¡± may have been led away, so that the other party could properly arrange everything and create an even greater panic. Why did the other party continue creating panic? What was the point of doing this? Jason¡¯s mind was full of doubts, but he didn¡¯t exin more to Finch. He simply said, ¡°Finch, help me carry this foo¨C these monsters back into the room.¡± No matter how much doubt he had, nothing was more important than food. If you didn¡¯t understand anything, then just eat first. Eat enough to be more powerful. When you be powerful, some doubts you have might just be resolved. Jason went along with this chain of thought, and when Finch picked up the monster in front of him, he picked up the two other monsters in the distance and walked toward the room with Finch. Very quickly, the monsters were pulled to 305. After Jason opened the door, Finch ced the monster next to the door in the room. ¡°Your Excellency Jason, I need to join the night shift team.¡± ¡°Some of them were injured, and we are understaffed.¡± Said the young constable, who turned around. ¡°Okay, stay safe.¡± Jason didn¡¯t stop him. He merely cautioned him and then watched Finch¡¯s back disappear into the corridor. Then¡­ He swallowed a mouthful of saliva that he had been trying to repress. Light a fire, set the pot, pour water. Clean, then change the knife and put it into the pot. For a single man who lived in the dorm with only a little pepper, Jason didn¡¯t have many steps to cook a dish, and this was the easiest way. However, when he changed knives, Jason found that, although the monster¡¯s back was covered with scaly armor, the abdomen was extremely soft and could easily be cut. This was why he had easily killed the first monster. The charcoal was added to the furnace, and immediately there were sparks. Jason brushed his hands and sat by the fire. But he didn¡¯t n to waste time while waiting for the food to cook. He raised his hand and took out the book written by his ¡°teacher¡±, Dan. Under the bright light, Jason quickly flipped through the pages in his hand. He didn¡¯t choose to read through it thoroughly, but to check it selectively¨Coften just looking at the number of pages and the words at the beginning of each paragraph. This way of reading was not effective in gaining knowledge. But, for Jason, he had no choice. The scene in the ¡°Moon Mask¡± club was like a nightmare, and the attack made him smell death. This felt absolutely terrible! Jason wanted to get rid of these feelings as fast as possible. So, he chose this tricky way to find out what he wanted to know. And, very quickly, he found it! In a more exotic way than he could have imagined! Chapter 26: Protection from Evil Chapter 26: Protection from Evil Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Schliff, schliff, schliff. Amidst the sound of flipping pages, Jason was doing what he did as before. Whenever he came to a fresh new page, he would begin reading the text from the top of the page. For Jason, who was merely a novice when it came to reading [Graphical Reiterations], such a way of text recognition was extremelyborious. Reading word-for-word was the basic way of going about it. And, to be able to read better, he would use his index finger to point out practically every single word with his fingertip as he read through the text. This time was no exception. It was just when Jason¡¯s index finger pressed onto this page of the book, a faint ray of light lit up from the page. The light ray was gentle, yet strong. It had enshrouded Jason before he even had the chance to react. Jason felt a kind of coziness, like a gentle breeze brushing across his face. However, the next moment¡ª Ah! A miserable scream that only seemed to exist in Jason¡¯s ear, appeared. The degree of the shrillness of that scream was simply beyond what words could describe. It was as if a real steel needle was piercing Jason¡¯s eardrums. Jason¡¯s condition was much worse than expected. At the moment the screams started, his entire body trembled, and there was an outburst of an unprecedented pain within his body. There was a bout of warmth through his nose and mouth, and then, fresh blood directly spewed out. As he breathed, he could feel pain. This was especially so for his viscera. But Jason simply could not be bothered with these. His pair of eyes were fixated on his own body. A dark shadow was slowly being pulled away from his body, and the dark shadow was putting up a struggle. Every single struggle left Jason with an excruciating pain that felt as though his insides were being reamed by a knife. Beads of perspiration appeared on his forehead and trickled down both sides of his cheeks, then eventually dropped to the floor with pattering sounds. Jason gritted his teeth and did not allow himself to cry out in pain. He simply stared hard and watched the dark shadow being detached from his body, bit by bit. Then, under the glow of the light, the shadow was like icy snow under the scorching sun. It rapidly dissipated. This processsted for about three seconds. When the dark shadow hadpletely dissipated and the light had also dispersed, Jason felt an unprecedented sense of ease emerging within his body. Jason could feel that the oppression and tension that stuck to him like a shadow had also dissipated. Then, a sh of enlightenment came to mind. ¡°When I was in the ¡®Moon Mask¡¯ just now, I wasn¡¯tpletely detached!¡± ¡°I have already been targeted!¡± ¡°It was just that¡­¡± ¡°I was unaware, that was all!¡± The realization hit Jason, and he could not help but recall the sight of corpses staring and smiling neatly at him. Suddenly, he felt a shuddering from deep within him. If he allowed that situation to develop in whatever state it was already in, he would most likely be a member of those corpses! Unconsciously, Jason¡¯s grip over the book in his hands tightened. Once again, this book had saved his life! Or to be precise, it was ¡°that teacher of his¡± who had anticipated that something like this would happen. Therefore, ¡°that teacher of his¡± had made some appropriate arrangements. Subconsciously, Jason lowered his head to look at the book in his hands. It was at this time that he suddenly realized, that on the side of the text that was originally on the page, four lines of words had appeared: ¡°Jason, my apprentice. Should theree the time when you will see these lines of words, I will be very happy, for this proves that you are still you.¡± ¡°Just as a precautionary measure, I suggest that you record every skill of a night watchman that you have ever learned from this ce. My sincere apologies to you. I should be with you to guide you myself, but some things have happened, and I must deal with them myself.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also another thing that I need to apologize for. That is, that I can¡¯t tell you more than what you already know. But I can promise that the next time that we meet, I will let you in on the details.¡± ¡°May you watch over the night, may you stay within the dark of the night, may there always be light in your heart¡ªyour teacher, Dan, the night watchman.¡± These words were written in amonnguage used universally. Thest line carried a certain kind of wish. After a moment, these words disappeared without a trace. This urrence did not surprise Jason at all. He had seen even more amazing things just a while ago. Such tricks, simr to the effect of using invisible ink, were amateurish. Of course, it was possible that this might be some profound skill that he could not understand. But no matter what, Jason still breathed a small sigh of relief. He had passed the most important stage that he needed to clear, with his identity of a fake heir. Even if he behaved extraordinarily strangely in any future meetups, he would still have some leeway to turn back. But at the moment, Jason was not thinking much about those matters. He was more concerned about the Graphical Reiterations recorded in this book right before him; in particr, the part that was exclusively about ¡°skills of the night watchman¡±. ¡°Pro¡­tection¡­from evil¡­ The night watchman¡¯s¡­magemark¡­could prevent¡­a certain level of¡­invasion by evil powers¡­ How to use it¡­ sentencebinations¡­handprints¡­¡± Compared with the exnations of monsters¡¯ names, Jason was still able to make guesses and infer the meanings of the words based on his personal experiences. At this moment, in the face of suchpletely foreign words pertaining to ¡°Protection from Evil¡±, Jason could not help frowning. This was simply too difficult to understand! He tried his best to make interrted guesses to establish a contextual rtionship. And he barely managed to understand the meaning of some of the words within the ¡°sentencebinations¡±. But, when hebined the front and back sentences, everything becamepletely incoherent and unintelligible. As for the other remaining parts? Those made no sense at all. ¡°The level of Graphical Reiterations is just too low.¡± ¡°If I want to fully parse this text that records information on ¡°Protection from Evil¡±, I will need to be at least at the beginner level.¡± Jason was thinking about the situation as he rubbed his swollen temples. Relying on the [Graphical Reiterations] at a novice level to carry out his readings was simply too difficult. Not only was it very inefficient, but it was also extremely energy-consuming. Coupled with the injuries sustained from earlier on, Jason felt as though he had stayed up all night, where his body was practically empty, and he could fall into aa at any moment. Therefore, Jason simply put down the book he was holding in his hands and opened the lid of the pot. The scales were removed, while the meat was cut into squarish pieces. When put into the boiling water, these pieces of meat became morepact. The lean meat became a brighter red, and the white meat had ayer of crystal transparency. After he put it into his mouth, the taste of the differentyers was all the more apparent. The only thingcking was that there were no additional seasonings. Otherwise, there would be nothing that could hinder Jason from finishing up all the food. [Devouring the Grizzly Hound!] [Modest recovery from injury! x3!] [Satiety +2 x3] [Satiety: 6] ¡­ More powerful than the ¡°grinner¡± and the ¡°paradoxical being¡±, but inferior to the ¡°submariner¡±. Without hesitation, Jason chose to use up 2 points of Satiety to upgrade his level of Graphical Reiterations. [Graphical Reiterations (passive) (advanced beginner): The graphical reiteration is an ancientnguage. It is only circted among the secretly hidden organizations and mysterious forces. There are rumors saying that, through correspondingbinations, together with some rituals, the Graphical Reiteration will produce some incredible effects. But you are still quite a distance away from these. You have only mastered its beginner knowledge. Given your current grade, reading will not be considered difficult, but you will still need to consider a long time for some rarely-used and unfamiliar words.] ¡­ Once again, arge, disorderly amount of knowledge surged into his mind. This round took a much longer time, aspared with the previous round at the novice level. It took as long as three whole seconds. Jason believed that, by this time, he would definitely have fallen into aa if it were not for the two supplementary treatments and one physical recovery that he hadpleted due to the food he had devoured. However, when all this was over, Jason looked back at the notes in his hands. The corners of his mouth were raised as he broke into a smile. It had be extremely easy for him to read. Everything that was so difficult to understand just a while ago had be simple and easy at this point. And what followed was a scene that made Jason¡¯s smile glow even more brightly. [Discovered skill of ¡°Protection from Evil¡±. Determined that the skill of Graphical Reiterations has reached the beginner level. Yes/No to consume 3 points of Satiety for Learning?] ¡­ An unexpected surprise. This had never crossed Jason¡¯s mind. Unexpectedly, this notebook not only allowed him to learn the Graphical Reiterations directly, but it also allowed him to pick up other skills. Although the cost of learning Protection from Evil was far greater than the other skills, at this point, was there anything else worthy of hesitation? Jason immediately gave a definite and positive answer. ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 27: The Mysterious Baptism Chapter 27: The Mysterious Baptism Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Right after Jason¡¯s reply was voiced, an outburst of warmth spilled from his stomach. They became many little light spots. They were like fireflies and were also like starlight. Then, amid these light spots, characters were born. s IoT Yn! Graphical Reiterations! These Graphical Reiterations, that were just born, began absorbing the light spots. When the light spotspletely disappeared, only three groups of characters remained. Right before Jason¡¯s eyes, they radiated a sparkling brilliance. Then, they integrated themselves into Jason¡¯s body. When they arrived, it was through his stomach. When they returned, it was through his heart. The Graphical Reiterations that were attached to the wall of Jason¡¯s heart would sh once with every beat of Jason¡¯s heart. The blood flowing out of his heart began undergoing an initial change with such shing of Graphical Reiterations. Jason was temporarily unable to perceive such a change like this. But he was able to sense that there was a little bit of a difference somehow. His vision, listening, and his brain were all gaining rity. The most direct change observed was pertaining to their attributes. Right before the retina, Jason saw some prompters: [Receiving the mysterious baptism. In the process of assessing¡­] [Spirituality +0.2; Perception +0.2] ¡­ And below the prompters was the introduction of the [Protection from Evil (Novice)] [Protection from Evil (novice): You require knowledge of the Graphical Reiterations and coordinate it with some hand gestures. Also, in order to stimte this secret skill of defense against and expulsion of evil, you have to consume a massive amount of physical strength. This is a secret skill that has been inherited by generations of night watchmen, as well as members of some other forces. Acquiring this skill will mean that you are truly in ¡°touch¡± with the mysterious side. And you have acquired some ability of self-protection. But you should not expect too much, as you have merely mastered the foundation of this skill. Effect: A special force field will be attached to the surface of the body. Not only can it defend against attacks by living creatures with negative energy (below de level), it can also expel the energy that they carried with them (below de level)] (Note 1: Though it is a magemark that does not require any assistance, if you have sunflower or pollen, it will be much easier for you toplete this incantation seal.) (Note 2: No fixed time allocated to thepletion of hand gestures. Fully dependent on the speed of your hand) (Note 3: You will meet with counterattacks the moment you run low on physical strength, and you will thus get hurt. But the effects of defense against, as well as expulsion of evil, still exist) ¡­ ¡°Baptism?¡± This word, affixed with a special meaning, cause Jason to freeze momentarily. He lifted his hand and ced it on his chest. He could feel his heart, nestled within his chest cavity, beating strongly. He could feel that the scene that happened just a moment ago was not solely a so-called increase in attributes. It was more like a fundamental change. That was a kind of powerful beginning! At the very beginning, and during the present, it might not be that significantly conspicuous. But, when it came to the point in time where a certain degree was reached, naturally some qualitative changes would happen. But that would take a very long time. While thinking about this, Jason¡¯s gaze shifted down to look at the introduction to [Protection from Evil (novice)]. ¡°The secret skill of a night watchman? Or, in other words, one must fully master the [Protection from Evil] before he could be considered a night watchman?¡± Jason spected. And, linking this back to the message ¡°that teacher of his¡± had left behind, such spection could almost be a certainty. But some notes that were appended next did not allow Jason to ascertain what he had spected. ¡°Below the de level?¡± ¡°And this represents the monster level?¡± ¡°If a certain monster can be eliminated with a de, then it will be of the de level. Then below de level¡­¡± Uncertain spection, as well as a description of ¡°below de level¡±, made Jason extremely insecure. It was almost subconsciously that he looked at what was required of him to rise to the next level of the [Protection from Evil]. [Level up of Protection from Evil (novice ¡ú advanced beginner), 6 Satiety points required.] ¡­ This was a number that fell within expectations. ¡°There¡¯s still 1 Satiety point left. I need even more Satiety!¡± Jason briefly took a nce at his [Satiety], then he focused and set his eyes on that notebook that had brought him many surprises. This time, being able to read without any difficulty, Jason was able to find what he was looking for very quickly. ¡°The grizzly hounds belong to a kind of guard dogs that Witch Grizzly reared for the purpose of protecting her herb garden. They are cunning, cruel, and grouped themselves in kennels and packs as they moved from ce to ce. Their armor of scales had outstanding defense abilities, but the area around their belly is soft. They might be known as hunting dogs, but they are a far cry from the true hunting dogs. Some people have even suspected that this is a heterogeneous ss of dogs. But, following the death of Witch Grizzly, no one knows the true origin of this ss of hunting dogs.¡± ¡°But the grizzly hounds did not cease to exist after the witch-hunt incident. On the contrary, as they were easier to breed and rear, an increasing number of witches and wizards kept them as guard dogs to protect their properties. Of course, their role was mainly to carry out hunting activities. After all, that was their job. Crossbreeding of grizzly hounds and ordinary species of hounds had once appeared in Encore, with the resulting species inheriting the strength of the grizzly hounds, as well as the loyalty and intelligence of the ordinary hounds. This species was well-liked by high-ranking figures and was tagged with an extremely high price (never seen the real thing, these were based on rumors). Unlike how he had to stumble his way through previously, Jason easily tranted the entire text this time. Then he read through the text in this notebook, again. He hoped to find some skill that was simr to [Protection from Evil]. Unfortunately, the entire notebook only mentioned one skill, the [Protection from Evil]. The rest were all introductions of monsters. ¡°Simr techniques should not be somonly seen.¡± ¡°Or rather¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s ¡°that teacher of mine¡± who feels that I won¡¯t be able to master that much.¡± Jason thought as he carefully ced the notebook that his ¡°teacher¡± had given him in the inner pocket of his jacket, right beside his heart. Two idental rescues that he had not expected to receive were enough to make him understand that this was not a simple notebook. It was much more than it seemed. Though he had already gained the knowledge that he most wanted to obtain, keeping the book as a ¡°breastte¡± was still much better than putting it on a shelf and allowing it to eventually be forgotten. The next thing Jason did was to begin checking his arms and ammunition. After he was certain that there were no problems, he walked out of the room. There would not be any food sent to his doorstep should he choose to stay in the room. If he wanted to eat, naturally, he would need to go hunting. Of course, there was still one matter that was even more pressing. Bondy! Bondy, who was previously standing in the ¡°Moon Mask¡± Club with him. He had been targeted. What about Bondy? The possibility of Bondy being targeted was extremely high as well. Jason would not disregard the other party¡¯s death. After all, the cooperation between both sides had been quite pleasant. He did not want a sudden recement. ¡­ Bondy had just returned from ces like Croaker Mine and Bottomline Vault Street. He could not help heaving a sigh of relief as he sat in the carriage. This was because, in those ces, there were no urrences of bizarre changes that were simr to that of the ¡°Moon Mask¡±. Even Bondy, who was a very experienced sheriff, could not help feeling the shuddersing from deep within his heart as he recalled the scene from earlier on. He had never encountered such a situation. Uponparison, even the monsters seemed to be much more adorable. Of course, this was also nothing more than aparison. If he had to face those monsters, Bondy would not hesitate to pull out his gun and shoot the other party. ¡°Monsters, moving corpses¡­ When did Rhode be like this?¡± Bondy asked himself these questions. Then, with a wry smile, he shook his head. He did not know the answer. He only knew that he should fulfill his responsibility as a sheriff, which was to protect the civilians, as well as to safeguard Rhode. The rest? There was a limit to his capability. He was in no position to handle so many things. Sigh. With a gentle sigh, Bondy took out his beloved pipe and pressed the threads of smoke down single-handedly. Exhaustion had called for the need of some tobo to boost his spirits. But, before he had the chance to light the tobo weeds, a strong burst of force suddenly hit him from the left, causing Bondy¡¯s entire body to crash into the wall of the carriage. Then, without giving Bondy any time to react, the world around him went spinning around like a whirlwind. Chapter 28: Like an Oath Chapter 28: Like an Oath Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio When Jason rushed over to the ident site where the carriage overturned, the first thing that caught his eye was that shattered carriage. The horse that was pulling the carriage was already in a pool of blood. Its upper body, including its skull, had long disappeared. The fractured parts were full ofcerated wounds. Jason only needed to take one look, and the scene of a huge monster grabbing this horse in one fell swoop arose in his mind. It seemed like the monster had bitten off half of the horse¡¯s body and intended to swallow what it had in its mouth. But then, because it did not fancy the taste, it tossed the remaining part of the horse on the ground. The taste was not to its liking? Jason frowned. And the next moment, after making a detour about the smashed up carriage, Jason saw a pool of blood and flesh on the ground. It was that kind that was chewed to bits, then vomited out on the ground. Instinctively, Jason thought of Kurtz, the second constable who was killed in the line of duty. What the other party encountered was the same as the horse in front of him. But this was a greater tragedy. For there was not even a full corpse left. Sighing inwardly, Jason raised his head to look at the carriage. The cabin of the carriage waspletely shattered. There were four wheels at the start, but only one was left hanging from the cabin. The other three had long disappeared without a trace. If it were not for the miserable frame of the cabin that remained, as well as that onest wheel left hanging there, Jason believed that many people would not have been able to recognize this as a horse carriage. Based on everything that could be seen on the scene, Jason began to sum things up. First, this monster was extremely powerful. There was absolutely no way ordinary people could put up a fight against it. Second, its physical size might be sufficiently huge, but it should possess a certain kind of means for it to stay hidden. This was why it could weave its way about the city without being discovered. Third, it might have a voracious appetite but was still extremely stringent where food requirements were concerned. Fourth, it had a considerable level of wisdom and was able to obey orders. Jason cast a nce at Bondy, who was not very far away from him. The sheriff was standing there with a gloomy expression. There was a bandage wrapped around his head, and blood had permeated through theyers of cloth, staining it red. With his body fully covered in dust, words alone were simply inadequate to speak of the sorry state he was in. On the other hand, Tik, the constable who was maneuvering the carriage earlier on, had gone missing. Where did he go? Jason knew. Earlier on, when he was at the yton Manor, he had learned the meaning of sentencing. Since then, Jason had understood why the other party would choose to target people with constable status. It was like how yton was sentenced to death by fire. This was also a punishment. Therefore, just like Panke, Kurtz, Joffe, and Tahr, the other party should also be someone dealing with the Kalina case. No! Wrong! Given Bondy¡¯s experience, there was no way he would allow the other party to be in action together if he had known that the ¡°Avenger¡± was meting out punishments to all who were involved in the Kalina case. But, since the very first case, up until now, that ¡°Avenger¡± had a clear purpose whenever he made a move. He had never dealt with anyone for no apparent reason. Tik was tied up and taken. That would mean to say, Tik should be involved in this case. It was just that, they did not know what the connection was. That was all. Perhaps¡­ This would be a breakthrough. With these thoughts in mind, Jason cast his eyes on Bondy again. He was not familiar with Tik. Asking Bondy was the best solution if he wanted to know about anything. But at the moment, this sheriff was not exactly in a condition suitable for conversation. In fact, there was no need for any acute awareness at all. At the moment, anyone could see that the sheriff¡¯s eyes were smoldering with the mes of anger. This was why the constables around them were all burying their heads and focusing on their tasks at hand. They were all hoping to find the slightest clue about Tik. Jason could not help shaking his head, albeit in a most discreet manner. There was a famous saying in the ¡°Sleepless City¡± that went: ¡°People without reason are scary, for they are a bunch of lunatics. But, people filled with rage are even scarier, for they are a bunch of violent lunatics.¡± Jason fully agreed with this saying. If given a choice, Jason was most unwilling to, or rather, would never want to talk to someone who was filled with anger. But he had no choice. After all, his purpose ining here was to look for the other party and to confirm that thetter was well. And this would require them to hold a conversation. Therefore, despite having a group of constables watch him with shock, surprise, or even a hint of admiration, Jason walked toward Bondy. ¡°Tik was bound and taken away.¡± This was what Bondy said straightaway, the moment Jason had walked over and stopped right beside him. Then, without waiting for Jason to speak, this sheriff went on to say, ¡°Tik was not involved in this case.¡± ¡°At that time, he was on vacation.¡± ¡°So why did Tik still have to meet with such a mishap?¡± It might seem as though Bondy was asking Jason these questions, yet it also seemed like Bondy was asking himself the same questions. Then, the sheriff continued speaking, with his voice getting increasingly louder. ¡°Why was it Tik, and not me?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Toward the end, Bondy was already shouting at the top of his lungs. And with all this shouting going on, Bondy¡¯s face became slightly distorted, causing him to look exceptionally scary. Bondy could feel that the sheriff was beginning to exude a hint of a strange aura. Jason was extremely sensitive when it came to such an aura. Because it was so fresh in his memory! He would never, ever be able to forget that gloomy and cold pressure that he felt right at the doorstep of the ¡°Moon Mask¡± Club! Just as expected! ¡°I¡¯m not the only one being targeted.¡± Jason thought to himself silently. Then, keeping Bondy at an eye-level range of vision, he enunciated his words distinctly, ¡°Because he¡¯s rted to the Kalina case, while you¡¯re not.¡± A clear answer. This aroused Bondy¡¯s attention. He stared at Jason. ¡°No!¡± ¡°He is not!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Bondy lifted his hands to grab hold of Jason. It was as though he had found an outlet to vent his anger. But Jason was a step faster in reacting. He dodged to the left to avoid Bondy¡¯s grasp. And then, his left thumb pressed onto the pulps of fingertips of his index finger and middle finger, while his fourth finger and pinky finger curved into his palm. Next, he loosened the grip of his thumb and stretched his index and pinky fingers to straighten them. The pulps of the fingertips of his middle and ring fingers curved inwards, where his thumb moved over to press down on the first joint of these two fingers. ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± Amidst the low and deep Graphical Reiterations, ayer of special force field enveloped Jason in his entirety. Then, Jason lifted his hands to pat Bondy¡¯s shoulder. Tap! A loud whine was heard after the sound of a crisp p. A dark shadow flew out of Bondy¡¯s body, and very quickly, it dissipated into thin air. And Bondy, who was originally so angry that his face was distorted by rage, froze out of the momentary shock. His face had returned to normal, and his anger had long been appeased. But his mind simply could not forget the scene from earlier on. This was why, when the sheriff cast his eyes at Jason, there was the element of shock¨Cthough more of it was helplessness. He had verified that he had just met with a very special experience. That was not simply a monster. But in the real sense of the word¡­ The mysterious side! ¡°Just¨Cjust now?¡± ¡°That is, what is that?¡± The sheriff was beginning to splutter incoherently. It was not just the sheriff. The constables around him were even more at a loss. When Jason walked toward Bondy, they silently kept a watchful eye on him, just in case. But they werepletely not expecting to see such a magical scene. The constables looked at each other and confirmed that what they saw was not an illusion. Then, they all looked toward Jason in a dazed state. There were nk looks in their eyes. Under the watchful eye of the crowd, Jason¡¯s expression remained unchanging. He looked around and suddenly felt a jolt in his chest as he recalled the message that his ¡°teacher¡±, Dan, had written in the notebook. Then, Jason recited very softly. ¡°May you watch over the night, may you stay within the dark of the night, may there always be light in your heart¡ª¡± ¡°Night watchman.¡± His voice was calm. But, under the watchful eye of the crowd, it sounded more like an oath. The next moment. The notebook, that he had ced within his arms and right before his heart, became hot¨Cburning hot. Chapter 29: Profession Chapter 29: Profession Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The heat emitted by the notebook in his arms dispelled the coolness of the early autumn night. Jason was surprised to see the words that suddenly appeared in front of him. [Attained beginner level of Graphical Reiteration!] [Attained novice level of Protection from Evil!] [Obtained a ¡®Certificate of Night Watchman¡¯!] [Fulfilled the oath of a night watchman in public and gained recognition of people around you (no fewer than 10 people)!] [To determine a prepletion of the inauguration of a night watchman. Yes/No Spend 5 points of Satiety for thepletion of the inauguration of a night watchman?] [Determined that Satiety is insufficient, unable toplete the inauguration of night watchman!] ¡°Inauguration?¡± Jason nced back and forth at the message that suddenly appeared. Before this, he had always thought that the name, ¡°night watchman¡±, was just a way of calling a special group of people on the mysterious side. But the prompter right before his eyes was telling him that a night watchman was a profession. In order for one to be inaugurated in this profession, one required a variety of preconditions toplete the foundation, as well as a considerable amount of Satiety toplete the critical point. There were many foundations that Jason had long known of. Including the so-called ¡°Certificate of Night Watchman¡±, which should be in the notebook that his ¡°teacher¡± had given him. Critical point? Jason did not know what was required for ordinary people toplete the critical point. But he knew that the requirement of five points of Satiety toplete a critical point was not easy for the average person. Among which, it could be the cumtion of training acquired over a long period of time. It could also be the guidance of a mentor. Or, it could be both of the above, to start with. ¡°Is this one of the true faces of the mysterious side?¡± Jason could not help thinking. The mysterious side was far moreplicated than he imagined. Not only were there ferocious monsters and special force fields, but there were also systems used to summarize all these special forces. Profession was the best embodiment of these systems. Jason could totally imagine that there had to be many such special force systems within the bizarre and unpredictable mysterious side. The night watchman was definitely not just one of many. For example, the person that the ¡°teacher¡± of his was tracking down. The other party should also be a certain professional. Otherwise, it was difficult for an ¡°Iplete¡± to fight against aplete system. And since there were other professionals appearing. Then¡­ Were there naturally antagonistic professionals? Various thoughts were emerging within Jason¡¯s mind. The mysterious side was already bizarre to start with. But now, from Jason¡¯s point of view, it was getting increasingly dangerous. However, this certainly did not affect Jason¡¯s determination in choosing the night watchman. Jason was very certain that he was already in the game. No one knew what was in store for him if he were to continue moving forward. But if he were to back off? Then there would be no other choice but the path of death. ¡°I require even more Satiety, now.¡± ¡°Inauguration of night watchman, 5 points. Protection from Evil, 6 points. And now, I only have 1 point. There are 10 vacancies for Satiety to be filled.¡± ¡°And the novice level of Protection from Evil is one of the preconditions for the inauguration of night watchman. So, if the beginner level of Protection from Evil requires 1 more point aspared to the inauguration of night watchman, does this exin¡­¡± Jason, who was in the thick of thinking hard, suddenly felt a bout of dizziness, and his body began to stagger. Bondy, who was right beside him, was quick to detect this with his sharp eyes. With agility, he moved quickly to hold Jason up. ¡°Jason, how are you?¡± The sheriff asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just a little tired.¡± Jason said truthfully. At this point, Jason had a deeper level of understanding of what it meant by ¡°extremely energy-consuming¡±, as noted from the Protection from Evil. Now, he was feeling as though he had justpleted a full marathon, and his body was directly emptied of everything. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Bondy looked at Jason most apologetically, and then, this sheriff gave an assurance. ¡°Leave the rest to me!¡± This was something Jason could trust. He believed that Bondy, who had regained his sanity, was reliable. Without ado, he nodded. ¡°I need to take a short break.¡± Jason said. ¡°Of course!¡± Bondy immediately waved to a constable, who was standing on the side. A momentter, a carriage stopped in front of Jason. And for the purpose of a precautionary measure, in addition to the constable maneuvering the carriage, there were two other constables, as well as a detective. No one objected to Bondy¡¯s arrangement. In fact, after witnessing that bizarre yet magical, behind-the-scenes incident that took ce just moments ago, their respect for Jason, once again, went a notch higher. To a certain extent, it might even be a kind of¡­ fear. Fear derived from the unknowns of the mysterious side. Jason sensed the change. But he did not give any further exnation. After all, in terms of the mysterious side, he was merely a neer, who could not be any newer than what he was. Or, to be more precise, he was a rookie. After returning to the singles dormitory and thanking the detective and constables for escorting him back, Jason locked all the doors and windows. He pulled himself together and conducted a thorough check around the room before lying down on the bed. The moment his head met the pillow, the tiredness of exhaustion drowned Jason like waves of tidal water. The next moment, Jason fell into a deep slumber. The eerie and cold chill made Tik, who was in aatose state, shudder. Then, soon after, he woke up with a start. Subconsciously, Tik wanted to sit up. But it was only until then that realization hit him; not only was he gagged, but he was also tied up. Both his hands were bound behind his back. A rope ran from his wrists to his fingers, keeping him firmly tied up. Then, the rope extended to both his ankles and once again, the rope was pulled tightly, forcing his body into a reverse curve shape. There was no need to speak of sitting up at all. Wanting to move a little was already extremely difficult for him. What happened? Tik was perplexed. But, then, his mind regained rity. When the memories surfaced, Tik¡¯s expression became exceptionally awful. He recalled the scene from earlier on: a huge dark shadow suddenly crashing into the carriage and grabbing the horse in one fell swoop. It had bitten off half the body of the horse. Then, Tik himself was picked up by the monster¡­ ¡°I¡¯m captured?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to end up like Panke, Kurtz, Joffe, and Tahr?¡± Tik also knew a little about the once-in-three-days cycle and information about revenge for Kalina. It was just that it had never crossed Tik¡¯s mind that he would be put through all these encounters. Because¡­ He thought he had kept everything sufficiently hidden. There was no way anyone could have known about that incident. Or rather, those who knew were already dead! Suddenly, Tik¡¯s face changed. He thought of the mysterious side! He thought of the people from the mysterious side who were rumored to be able to converse with the dead. Since the other party was able to facilitate ¡°activities of the dead¡±, could it be that they were also able tomunicate with the souls of the dead? The more he thought about it, the greater his fear grew. The more he thought about it, the more scared he felt. Tik could not help shaking all over. And at that moment, a low sneer suddenly rang from behind Tik. ¡°What is causing you to fear?¡± ¡°What are you afraid of, again?¡± The voice was dripping with sarcasm. ¡°Sob, sob, sob!¡± Tik wanted to say something loudly, but, with his mouth gagged, all that could be heard were sounds of inexplicable whimpers. Positioning his body into the shape of a bow, he tried to flip over so that he could directly face and pray to that person who knew his secret. But, the very next moment, he was trampled by a boot that stepped onto his back and pinned him down to the ground. Tik¡¯s entire being was just like an earthworm about to be cleaved into two. He tried his best to arch his neck up. His eyes were filled with imploration and tears were flowing ceaselessly. This made the master of that indifferent voice sneer again. ¡°Fret not.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll all receive your just desserts!¡± ¡°Every one of you¡­¡± ¡°Can forget about trying to escape!¡± Chapter 30: Breakfast Chapter 30: Breakfast Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Through the curtains, the rays of the sun shone on Jason¡¯s face. The warmth aroused Jason from sleep very quickly. And then¡­ He felt the pangs of hunger. Seemingly, because he had awoken with the talent of a Predator, Jason realized that he was not only able to eat much more food than before, he was also able to digest the food very quickly. ording to his previous food capacity, it would be good enough if he had not suffered from indigestion after eating so much food the day before. There was no need to talk about feeling hungry at all. But now? Growl. There was a thunderous roaring from his stomach. There was no hesitation at all. Driven by hunger, Jason speedily mbered out of bed, washed up, and then pushed the door open to get out. In the kitchen within his room, there was nothing to eat except water. The only bit of remaining ck pepper was all used on the grizzly hounds. And likewise, for the police dormitory, it did not provide breakfast, either¨Cyesterday, Jason had already asked Finch. It was the same here. He also made it a point to find out which ces in the vicinity offered breakfast menus that were worth visiting. Along the way out, he exchanged greetings with detectives and constables. Jason quickly made his way out of the police station and headed straight for one of the sideroads, as described by Finch. From a distance away, Jason caught whiffs of the smell of food. After turning about the corner of the street, he could see ¡°Yanan Food Store¡±, which was surrounded by a huge crowd. The name might carry the words ¡°food store¡±, but it was actually a mobile vendor. The boss was a crippled, middle-aged man. He sported a head of sparse hair, and the signs of aging were apparent on his face. But he looked very amiable when he smiled. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°Fries or chips? Coffee or garden pea soup? Or sandwiches? Meat pie? I also have salted eel and grilled herring here!¡± ¡°Of course, you can also choose from the butter tarts and gingerbread, as well as the highlight of the day¨CPineapple.¡± The other party asked with great enthusiasm when he saw Jason walking over to him. First, Jason nodded. And he, too, extended his greeting to the other party. Then, his eyes swept through the ckboard that was erected in front of the food truck. The following items were listed on the board¨C¨C¨C French fries: 1 copper dime. Coffee or garden pea soup: 2 copper dimes. Sandwich or meat pie: 3 copper dimes. Salted eel: 1 gram of copper and 1 copper dime. Grilled herring: 1 gram of copper. Tart (Complete with a full serving of fruits): 6 grams of copper. Gingerbread: 5 grams of copper and 2 copper dimes. Pineapple (A quarter petal): 8 grams of copper. It was just like what Finch had said; the things here were attractive in price and quality. ording to the public¡¯s choice in general, the majority would choose the sandwich or meat pie, matched with a coffee or garden pea soup. If there was the need to, they would add an extra order of French fries. The total expenditure would be 1 gram of copper and 2 copper dimes. For a healthy, grown-up man deemed fit for work in Rhode City, such expenditure was not costly. But, Jason observed that the people who were gathered in front of the stall were looking at the ckboard with hesitant expressions. Many of them were even touching their pockets. It was very clear that, even if the cost was not that great, it was still significant enough to make these men in decent clothes hesitate. After all, they needed to support their families. Back at home, they had parents, wives, children, or even sisters. Jason did not have these considerations, but he had to be prudent when it came to spending, as well. Because he needed to buy some necessary spices for cooking food. And the prices of those spices were rtively expensive. ¡°Five servings of meat pies, two servings of garden pea soup, and one salted eel.¡± Jason began to order. Then, he counted 6 grams of copper and handed it to the boss. ¡°Are you buying breakfast for your family?¡± ¡°What a prosperously growing family!¡± ¡°You must be the oldest son of the family? How many brothers and sisters are there in the family?¡± The boss received the payment. He was rainingpliments while heughingly inquired. Jason did not provide any exnation. He chose to remain silent. And, after receiving a big bag of food, he turned and left. After he had made a turn at the end of the road, Jason fished out a meat pie, turned it into a roll, and stuffed it into his mouth right away. The skin on the outside was crispy, while the meat filling inside contained just the right amount of oil and juice. It was definitely one of the foods that people would fancy. Especially when taken together with some slightly-salted garden pea soup, the taste was really quite good. And the onion rings in the soup gave Jason a surprise. The salted eel had a gtinous texture and the bones were still intact. When the bones were all removed, Jason rolled the eel into the meat pie and put everything into his mouth. The taste was pretty good. The fish and pork were both types of meat with different textures. Jason had a satisfying time feasting on both after topping them with salt. It had been a long time since he had eaten such a hearty breakfast. In the Sleepless City? It was always dry slices of bread and in water. Then, ording to what he had nned, Jason headed to the spice shop. On the premise that he was allowed to make use of spices, Jason definitely did not mind enhancing the tastiness of the food. The spice shop was on Kensing Street. Walking over there would waste a fair amount of time. Jason intended to take a ride on the city¡¯s public carriage¡ªthis cost was reimbursable. He had asked Bondy beforehand. And directly opposite the police station, there was a public carriage that could take him directly to Kensing Street. Jason stood there and waited quietly for the public carriage. About three to four minutester, a horse-drawn public carriage that was pulled by two horses appeared within Jason¡¯s field of vision. Unlike the private carriages, cabins of the public carriages were much bigger, but also much simpler. To get onto the carriage, it was either from the side of the cabin or from the back of the cabin. Inside the cabin, wooden nks were nailed in a circle along the walls of the cabin, acting as the seats for passengers. Of course, the door at the back of the cabin also had a simr arrangement. Though it was a bit of a hindrance, it could still sit one more person, and that would mean an extra collectible amount. Over time, that would be an objective ie. The entire carriage was probably able to amodate 6 to 8 average-sized people. Carriage fares were calcted ording to the stations¨Cfrom the police station to Kensing Street would require 1 gram of copper and 2 copper dimes. This was not considered cheap, which was why it was not what most people would choose if they were to go out. As for the rich? These people naturally chose private carriages. The carriage was slowly being drawn aside, but without waiting for the coachman to properly bring the carriage to aplete stop, a figure pushed open the door, leaped out of the carriage, and ran straight to the police station. The ce where the other party had jumped off the carriage was only a meter or so away from Jason. Therefore, Jason could clearly see that the other person was ady, and she had a beautiful face. This face was filled with panic and fear at the moment. Jason stared at the back of the other party in a dumbfounded manner. But it was not because of the other person¡¯s looks. It was¡­ Because of the aroma of food! On the other person¡¯s body, Jason smelled the faint aroma of food. That aroma was much more enticing than that of a submariner. Gulp. Jason swallowed a mouthful of saliva and changed his ns immediately. He ignored the carriage that had stopped in front of him. He headed in the direction where thedy was and chased after her. When Jason stepped into the entrance of the police station hall, he saw thatdy grabbing a young constable¡¯s arm and shouting loudly. ¡°Where¡¯s Chief Bondy?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Chief Bondy?¡± ¡°I want to see him!¡± Her voice was hoarse. Even her cries and shouts did not change this. And it seemed that her hoarse voice was a result of her shouting herself to the point of exhaustion. ¡°Madam, what happened?¡± ¡°Please calm down.¡± ¡°This is the police station. We will guarantee your safety.¡± The young constable was pacifying thedy. But this waspletely useless. The other party was still repeatedly chanting the line, ¡°I want to see Chief Bondy¡±. This made the young constable very helpless. First, Bondy had just fallen asleep at dawn, meaning that it had not even been two hours from then until now. Then, randomly getting someone to notify Bondy without even going through the normal registration did not seem to adhere to the process of handling a case. And that was when Jason walked over. The young constable immediately greeted him. ¡°Good morning, Jason, My Lordship.¡± ¡°Good morning.¡± After replying to the young constable, Jason looked at thatdy. He was restraining the instinct to swallow the saliva that was rapidly secreting in his mouth and shed a very sincere smile. ¡°Madam, maybe I can help you.¡± Chapter 31: Kalina Chapter 31: Kalina Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jason¡¯s sincere smile was able to calm thedy in front of him, and she began to quieten down. Of course, more of it should be due to the honorific title of ¡°Your Lordship¡± the young constable mentioned in his salutation. ¡°You are?¡± ¡°Are you the recement for Chief Bondy here?¡± Thedy looked Jason up and down. There was some distrust apparent in her eyes when she saw Jason¡¯s young face. ¡°Everyone is unique.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s me, Bondy, or you, mydy. It¡¯s the same for us all.¡± ¡°Which is why I can¡¯t rece Bondy.¡± Jason maintained his smile and deliberately spoke much slower. It was as if he were a hunter¨Ca hunter who was worried about frightening his prey. So, as gradually as possible, he said, ¡°But as I just said, I might be able to help you. Especially when you are dealing with a situation that ordinary people can¡¯t understand.¡± After Jason¡¯sst sentence was said, thedy immediately loosened her grip over the young constable, as she wanted to grab Jason to plead for his help. But just before her palm was about to establish contact with the sleeve of his top, Jason took a step back without any obvious hint of movement and avoided her pull. Jason did not like being touched by strangers. Thatdy did not manage to catch hold of Jason¡¯s sleeves at her first attempt, but that did not stop her from opening her mouth to ount for her visit. ¡°Please help me!¡± ¡°My husband is also a constable!¡± ¡°He told me that, should he meet with an ident, I can always look for Chief Bondy.¡± That was what the other party said. Constable? Jason cast an unexpected look at thedy in front of him. He had not expected the other party to hold such an identity. ¡°Your husband is?¡± Jason asked. ¡°My husband is Tik!¡± Thedy replied. Tik! The constable that was tied up and taken away by the ¡°Avenger¡±! Suddenly, Jason¡¯s face became serious. He did not wait for thedy to speak again, nor did he wait for her to take any further action. He simply said to the young constable, ¡°I wish to speak with thisdy. Is there any unupied interrogation room avable?¡± ¡°Also, I hope Bondy can be there as well.¡± Jason was well aware that Tik¡¯s disappearance was now the only clue to the ¡°Kalina case¡±. Or rather, it was a breakthrough. At times like this, Bondy had better be there. It was not only because Bondy was more skillful in asking questions, but it was also because Tik was Bondy¡¯s subordinate. ¡°Understood.¡± The young constable beckoned to hispanion on duty, then he ran to the police dormitory. And the other constable, who stayed behind, brought Jason and thatdy to one of the rooms inside the police station. After gesturing for thedy to take a seat, Jason did not close the door. Instead, he waited quietly for Bondy to arrive. During this time, Jason silently observed thisdy who called herself Tik¡¯s wife. Her clothes were not made of coarse cloth. Jason could not tell what the specific material was for the time being, but the sleeves, as well as the edges of her skirt, were lined withce. This skirt was bound to be quite expensive. Her feet wore a pair of leather shoes with heels, which were probably made of cowhide. And like the skirt she wore, the price of these shoes would also cause ordinary families to flinch. And the ring she wore on her left ring finger was probably made of gold. By the looks of it, its weight would not be less than 4 grams of golf. An outfit of such an array was not something a mere constable could afford to give. Jason was dead certain. Because he had asked Finch before. Finch was considered a senior constable, but his weekly sry was only 10 grams of silver. He did not need to worry about his amodation. But, on the premise that he needed to ensure sustenance of his basic meals, wanting to umte enough to match up to the price of thatdy¡¯s outfit, he would need at least a year, or even longer. It was like that for Finch. An ordinary constable like Tik would simply take an even longer time. As for thisdy in front of him¡­ what if she was someone who went out to work? Jason could not see any signs that indicated that the other party was someone who had a job. Her hands were fair, without calluses. Her face was not the least weather-beaten, showing no signs of hardships in her life. It waspletely believable if anyone were to say that she was a nobledy who lived a life of privilege. Of course, the other party was certainly not of aristocratic origin. It was not only because the other party did not exude the temperament simr to that of aristocrats. If she had been from an aristocratic family, it was impossible for her to turn up here alone. Or in other words, thedy simply would not be appearing here at all. A maid or housekeeper would be the best candidate, instead. A wealth that did not conform to her identity? Jason secretly thought to himself. Plod, plod, plod. Amidst the sound of footsteps, Bondy appeared at the end of the corridor. Though his eyes were bloodshot, he seemed pretty invigorated. Obviously, he had used cold water to sober up quickly. Bondy widened his strides and quickly walked into the interrogation room. After a greeting made through mere eye contact, this sheriff pulled a chair out to sit across from the self-proimed Tik¡¯s wife. Between the two of them was a long table. After shutting the door, they werepletely enclosed within the four walls of the room. The oilmp on the table was the only source of light they were provided with. Bondy lifted his hand to adjust the light to its brightest. Jason raised an eyebrow at this move. This was, by no means, a proper attitude that should be shown to a subordinate¡¯s wife. Instead, it was, in a real sense, a treatment given to a convict being interrogated. Was the other party an imposter faking her identity? Not right. Such a lie would be exposed at the slightest nudge. The other party could not be ignorant to such an extent. Also, as soon as Bondy appeared, the other party was obviously relieved. Apparently, the other party recognized Bondy. Bondy, on the other hand, did not show any reaction. So, the other party had probably heard the detailed description of Bondy from Tik. Jason observed everything from the sidelines. Bondy opened his mouth and started questioning. ¡°You said you¡¯re Tik¡¯s wife?¡± The sheriff asked in a deep and low voice. ¡°Yes.¡± Thedy in front of him seemed to recognize Bondy and replied to him with due honesty. ¡°Impossible!¡± ¡°As far as I know, Tik is not married!¡± Bondy¡¯s voice was raised a notch higher. ¡°We¡¯re married!¡± ¡°At the town hall. You can always check it out!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°When we got married, we didn¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Thedy in front of Bondy immediately retorted. But the next moment, she bowed her head low and seemed a little afraid of looking Bondy in the eye. ¡°Why did you not want to tell anyone?¡± Bondy asked. Thedy fell silent immediately. Bondy asked the same question three times in a row, but the other party did not reply to him at all. ¡°Did you know that Tik is missing?¡± Bondy changed the question and used a more euphemistic choice of words. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± The other party nodded. And after getting the answer he wanted, Bondy pped the tabletop hard. Bang! ¡°How could you possibly know?¡± ¡°I gave the orders to seal all news about this!¡± Bondy shouted. The bang and shout scared thedy across from him, who jumped in her seat. Her body shook, and she seemed to be on the verge of tears as she said, ¡°Please help me. Save me! I¡¯m begging you!¡± This made Bondy feel quite helpless. The other party was not the real criminal after all. Subconsciously, Bondy looked to Jason. Jason, who had been quietly observing from the sidelines, sat up straight and looked at the person across him. Then, he asked slowly, ¡°Do you know Kalina?¡± Immediately, this self-proimed ¡°Tik¡¯s wife¡± trembled from head to toe. But thedy shook her head at once. ¡°No, I don¡¯t know!¡± His tone sounded almost resolute and decisive. ¡°Oh?¡± Jason was doubtful. He raised his hand in puzzlement, pointed behind her, and asked, ¡°Since you don¡¯t know her, then¡­ why is she behind you?¡± Chapter 32: Agony Chapter 32: Agony Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Ahhh!¡± Thedy let out a scream. After hearing what Jason had to say, the other party, who was already frightened enough, broke down and copsed under the table, shivering in fear. ¡°Kalina, let me go!¡± ¡°I did not do this on purpose!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to!¡± ¡°I just wanted to make a fortune!¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± Thedy shouted and begged. ¡°Sometimes, death does not mean the end.¡± ¡°It could signify a new beginning.¡± ¡°But for some people, it¡¯s terrible.¡± ¡°If you are willing to tell me everything, I can help you. But, if you want to hide them, I will hand you over to Kalina. I¡¯m sure she will be d.¡± Jason said softly. It was this kind of indifference, paired with unparalleled determination, that made it seem as if it was really Kalina. Even sheriff Bondy was beginning to suspect that Kalina really was there and began to rub his eyes constantly. Since the woman, who imed to be Tik¡¯s wife, had food with her¡­ No, it was the rich scent of the mysterious side. She must have encountered certain events. Because of this, the other party will be extremely afraid. This will be a good breakthrough. And Jason didn¡¯t mind choosing this as a means to make a breakthrough. Presumably¡­ Kalina wouldn¡¯t mind, either. Under Jason¡¯s intimidation, the woman, iming to be Tik¡¯s wife, curled up under the table and finally bbed. ¡°I¡¯ll say it!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the maid of the Moon Mask!¡± ¡°I met Kalina there!¡± When she mentioned Kalina, she began to shiver even more, and her voice faltered. Moon Mask! Jason and Bondy looked at each other, both seeing each other¡¯s uneasiness. Neither of them had forgotten what had happened at the Moon Mask. Especially Jason¨Ceven at this time, when he thought of the corpses smiling at him in unison, he could still feel the chills through his spine. ¡°Kalina is different from the other people who have already epted their fate. She always tries to escape, even if she suffers heavy punishment when she gets caught every time.¡± ¡°The boss has lost his patience.¡± ¡°He is going to execute Kalina.¡± ¡°Kalina also felt that it¡¯s better to die than to live in the club.¡± The other party continued to talk. Her voice was as soft as a squeak at first, but, gradually, the volume began to rise. ¡°Since you have already chosen to die, why can¡¯t you let me use it?¡± ¡°I quietly threw the matching key into the dungeon and nted the drugs during the dungeon guard¡¯s dinner.¡± ¡°Kalina escaped.¡± ¡°This time, she fled far enough. She fled to the police station.¡± ¡°She managed to ask for help.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Tik told the boss everything.¡± ¡°He received arge bounty, and I can finally stop working as a maid. We got married in the Harris apartment. We have our own home, where the environment is elegant, thew and order are reliable, and we are far away from the slums.¡± ¡°In the future, we will have our own child. He will definitely be a smart and cute child.¡± Her high-pitched voice softened as if she was experiencing the best and most wonderful dream in her life. How colorful it was. How dazzling it was. How captivating it was. After all, it was built on a skeleton called ¡°Kalina¡±. It should be as colorful as it was since it was using life as its nutrients. After hearing Kalina¡¯s sorrow, are you desperately mourning now? She was in a desperate situation, then, she faced hope, but then went back to facing experiencing desperation. Do you know how it feels? Do you? Of course, you don¡¯t. You have long been immersed in your dreams. Jason looked on with stern eyes at how Tik¡¯s wife was curled up under the table, while Bondy had an awful expression on his face. The sheriff did not expect that this would have happened with Kalina¡¯s case. The sheriff clenched his fists, his knuckles rattling. If Tik were in front of him at this time, he would definitely have punched him and then thrown him into prison to let him understand what he had done wrong. Likewise, the sheriff also understood why the ¡°Avenger¡± was so cruel. Because, with everything that Kalina had suffered through, how could the other party¡¯s anger and hatred be resolved if they had not resorted to this extent? However, this did not mean that the sheriff would let him go. Bondy would never forget his responsibilities. Just like how he would not let the woman under this table go. ¡°You are under arrest.¡± ¡°For participating in the murder of Ms. Kalina.¡± The sheriff announced. But the woman didn¡¯t care. She was stillughing, fully immersed in her dream. Jason squatted down. He carefully observed her face of happiness. Then, he coldly said, ¡°Kalina came to see you.¡± Suddenly! The happiness on her face froze, and she began to break down, leaving nothing behind but panic. ¡°Arghhh!¡± She screamed again. Ignoring this scream, Jason turned and walked toward the interrogation room. Bondy followed closely behind. The door was closed, and the screams were muffled. In the corridor, the two remained silent. Bondy subconsciously wanted to take out his beloved pipe, but when he reached his arms for it, he realized that his pipe was broken because of the attackst night. ¡°Damn it.¡± Bondy cursed in a low voice. Nobody knew what this sheriff was cursing at. Taking several deep breaths, the sheriff forced himself to focus his thoughts on ¡°Kalina¡¯s case¡±. ¡°Jason, you previously mentioned that she had encountered some phenomena that would be difficult for ordinary people toprehend?¡± Bondy asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It should have been some time ago.¡± Jason nodded, and, then, without waiting for Bondy to continue, guessed what the sheriff wanted to ask. ¡°The ¡®Avenger¡¯ is tormenting her.¡± ¡°The smell of the mysterious side on her body was enough to show that she had been exposed to the mysterious phenomena at a close range.¡± ¡°Under such a premise, it would have been easy for the ¡®Avenger¡¯ to have killed her, but they did not.¡± ¡°Because death is a punishment too generous for her.¡± Jason said, looking in the direction of the interrogation room again without the slightest pity in his eyes. Then, he took a deep breath and continued. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°The ¡®Avenger¡¯ tortured her.¡± ¡°They will be taking action soon.¡± Suddenly, Bondy reacted in an instant. It wasn¡¯t with good intentions that the ¡°Avengers¡± had allowed her to enter the police station. They had just wanted to experience the same thing as Kalina. He gave her false hope at first, then destroyed it in one fell swoop and pushed her down into even deeper despair. Letting her be fearful and in pain was what the ¡°Avengers¡± wanted. It was just that the ¡°Avenger¡± did not expect that Jason could grasp the breakthrough and gain insight into everything. And this would be their chance! The opportunity to capture the ¡°Avenger¡±! Thinking of this, Bondy immediately cheered up. ¡°What should we do?¡± The sheriff asked. After Jason thought for a moment, he asked, ¡°Do you have a bomb?¡± Chapter 33: It’s Coming Chapter 33: It¡¯s Coming Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Bomb? Bondy froze, and then he thought of the monster who could overturn their carriage. That was not a monster that ordinary bullets would be able to handle. ¡°Yes.¡± Bondy nodded immediately and then frowned. ¡°But we don¡¯t have enough grenadiers here.¡± ¡°I can be counted as one.¡± ¡°Hall, too, can kind of be considered as one, but the rest just won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Do you need me to transfer somebody else here?¡± Bondy told Jason truthfully. This was a matter concerning life and death. At this point, Bondy would never hide the truth. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°Two is plenty.¡± Jason said, shaking his head. He turned to look at the interrogation room once again. His eyes were dignified, and his voice was low. ¡°Facing invisible enemies¡­ if we have more manpower, it will only cause panic and confusion.¡± ¡°Invisible enemies?¡± ¡°Do you mean¡­?!¡± Bondy was not a fool. Thinking of the appearance of Tik¡¯s wife previously, he could instantly guess it. Maybe¡­ She had actually met Kalina! Suddenly, the sheriff¡¯s expression changed. ¡°What should we do?¡± Bondy lowered his voice to the point where only the two of them were able to hear it. ¡°You guys will be responsible for the visible monsters.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I will be responsible for the invisible one.¡± Jason replied. If possible, Jason didn¡¯t want to face the invisible being, because it represented something weirder¨Csomething that had an even stronger murderous intent. This was like the encounter at the Moon Mask. It wasn¡¯t like Jason wanted to repeatedly mention what had happened in front of the Moon Mask club. That was the only strange encounter he really had had. As soon as he thought of the invisible power, he could not help but think of the corpses smiling at him. He, then, proceeded to make a subconsciousparison. Of course, Jason believed that the ¡°Avenger¡± could not possibly have the same strength as the other party¡¯s teacher. Even for the other party¡¯s teacher, he would not have been able to arrange a scene like the Moon Mask club at will. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have had to use other means to attract his ¡°teacher¡±, Dan, to temporarily leave Rhode. And he was not like he was back then when he had no power to fight back. Protection from Evil had proven its worth. It¡¯s just that¡­ Protection from Evil¡¯s level was too low, and the consumption was too high. If you can¡¯t hit it at once, there would be more ughtering. It must be settled in one hit! Jason thought. At the same time, he was thinking about how to be even better at Protection from Evil. And it was not difficult. As long as he had enough food! ¡°So, food cannot be eaten all at once. Some dried jerky should be marinated and saved as emergency dry food.¡± Jason reminded himself. While deep in thought, Jason did not stand idly in the corridor. Instead, he followed behind Bondy and walked toward the armory. On the other side of the corridor, a staircase going downward appeared in front of Jason. He walked down the stairs, and an iron door blocked the way. A constable was standing in front of the door. ¡°Sir, Your Excellency, Jason.¡± After seeing the two, the police officer said hello. Then, with a gesture of the hand from Bondy, he opened the iron door. Squeak! The iron door was opened, along with the sound of friction between the door shaft and the door frame. Behind the door was a small room. It was not what Jason had imagined; firearms and bullets were ced on the shelves like consumer goods. There were not many firearms here. There were only a few rifles and arge-caliber shotgun. Besides that, there were two cases of explosives. Bondy immediately opened the box. There was a round inside, and fuse-like explosives could be seen inside. The sheriff discovered that Jason¡¯s focus was not on these. Instead, he was looking at arge-caliber shotgun. ¡°This one is still under trial¡­ a shotgun.¡± ¡°Yes, shotguns, that¡¯s what they call it.¡± ¡°It has arge caliber and is excellent for close-ranged battles, but it does not shoot very far.¡± ¡°Moreover, it is a lever-type. Most people need two hands to operate it, which is far less convenient than a revolver. Not to mention it also hasrge recoil¡­ so after being used a few times, it was left here.¡± Bondy introduced the shotgun, which looked very simr to a gun used for hunting. ¡°May I try it?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Bondy said and handed the shotgun over to Jason. The gun handle was made out of solid wood, which was heavy, to begin with, but had a sense of solidity. The lever was at the trigger. Every time the trigger was pulled, the lever needed to be pulled up to the upper portion, too. The upper portiony on the right side of the gun¡¯s body. There was no bullet in the gun at this moment. Jason held the front end of the gun¡¯s body with his left hand and his right thumb on the handle of the gun. After the trigger was pulled lightly by the index finger, the remaining middle, ring, and little fingers were needed toplete the lever action. Click, click. Then, Jason felt a sense of rhythm. It felt that this was not the first time he had operated this firearm. He knew that the [Gunpowder weapon, small arms (Skilled)] was at work, and quickly familiarized himself with the characteristics of the gun. ¡°What is it called?¡± Jason asked. ¡°The people who designed it are the Winchester Brothers.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s called the Winchester Brothers.¡± Bondy answered truthfully. ¡°Can I borrow it?¡± Jason asked once more. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°This is within our agreement.¡± ¡°It uses No. 13 ammunition and has a capacity of five rounds. There are many of these bullets. If you need them, juste to me, leave a signature, and you will be able to collect them.¡± Bondy said as he handed Jason two boxes of No. 13 ammunition. There were 15 rounds in each box of bullets, each with the thickness of a thumb. After Jason confirmed the amount, he loaded the bullets immediately and put the remaining bullets in his pocket. Bondy watched Jason¡¯s skillful loading actions and couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. ¡°Jason, aren¡¯t you using this for the first time?¡± When he used it for the first time, this kind of bullet loading made him very ufortable. ¡°I saw this for the first time just now.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s a certain sense of familiarity.¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± ¡°This is destiny.¡± Jason, who could not tell the truth, could only exin it in such a manner. In response, Bondy shrugged. Before, the sheriff would have been dismissive. But, after meeting Jason, he thought that it could be true. After all, even dead people could move. What else was impossible? Then, after Bondy recorded it down in detail, Jason and Bondy returned to the police station with two boxes of explosives. Bondy, who was very active, began to arrange for the next course of action. Everyone came around. But Jason took a step back. Not only was he not used to having too many people around. It was also because¡­ He smelled the scent of the mysterious side on Tik¡¯s wife again! The other party was here! Right in the interrogation room! Chapter 34: Time for Counter-attack Chapter 34: Time for Counter-attack Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The early autumn sun has risen high. The sun shone on the city, and the cool air from the night dissipated quickly. The temperature was starting to rise rapidly. Many workers outside had chosen shirtless tops to counter the heat, while the gentlemen merely unbuttoned their coats for the sake of their image. However, they still chose to travel within ces that were as cool as possible, or they would simply travel in a carriage while opening the window. In the police station, there was no exception to such high temperatures. Except for¡­ the interrogation room. Tik¡¯s wife had always felt cold air surrounding her. Cold! A chill from the bottom of her heart made her curl up even more and shiver uncontrobly. The mes of the oilmp that was on the table began to flicker. It was as if it were being controlled by an invisible palm. Tik¡¯s wife was afraid to look at it. She was afraid to see things that should not be seen. She was afraid to see things that should not exist. ¡°Kalina.¡± ¡°She is dead.¡± ¡°SHE IS DEAD.¡± Tik¡¯s wife murmured. She must have been hoping that she could use her words tofort herself. Unfortunately, these words were useless. Instead, they only made her more terrified. Whew! Suddenly, a breath of cold air blew through her ears. The breath carried with it a strong fragrance. It was a floral scent. The fragrant scent of roses. This scent stirred a memory within her. Because it was¡­ Kalina¡¯s favorite floral scent. Kalina always kept on her a sachet full of rose petals. This was her scent. She wasing. She was already here. ¡°Arghhh!¡± Tik¡¯s wife screamed, crawled out from under the table, and then headed toward the door. But a hand grabbed hold of her. The grip was very strong. She couldn¡¯t move at all. Subconsciously, Tik¡¯s wife had wanted to use her other foot to kick the aggressor away, but there was nothing. Not only was there nothing, but¡­ Nobody was behind her. It was empty, and there was nobody. But her feet were still being grabbed. Tik¡¯s wife broke down within seconds. ¡°Let me go.¡± ¡°Let me go.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± She stopped struggling. Instead, she simply slumped there and seemed to be repeating the same sentences helplessly. She did not see that the door had opened. The moment the door opened, Jason rushed in and began pulling the trigger. The MF92¡¯s bullet sted out. Behind Tik¡¯s wife, there should have been nothing there, but suddenly, there were ripples, and then¡­ bloodstains appeared. Immediately after, a monster, with a height of around 1.5 meters, that had silver-colored, nearly-transparent hair, began to appear. The other party had a baboon-like head, with protruding tusks. It seemed to have strong arms, and it had red cheeks. The creatures roared. Although the MF92¡¯s bullets had managed to hit the opponent before, not only did it not cause any substantial damage, it also agitated the opponent, who roared fiercely at Jason. Bang! Click, click. Bang! Click, click. There was loud gunfire, crisp lever loading. One sound came after another, one shot came after another. With every shot, the monster would take a step back, while Jason would confidently take a step forward. After three shots, the opponent had already retreated into a corner. Jason did not stop and continued pulling the trigger. In front of the interrogation room door, Finch, who was pacing around, grabbed Tik¡¯s wife and pulled her out. At the same time, bombs were thrown into the interrogation room, one after the other. The bombs¡¯ fuses had not been ignited. ¡°Jason!¡± The sheriff shouted loudly. Jason stepped back quickly. Click, click. Bang! After the lever was loaded, thest bullet hit the monster. Then, a fuse bomb, that was about to burn out, flew out of the sheriff¡¯s hand. ¡°Get down!¡± The sheriff shouted. The police officers in the corridor retreated. Jason, who had been leading the situation, was no exception. Boom! Boom, boom! The whole explosion made the very grounds of the police station shake, and cracks began to appear on the solid walls of the interrogation room. A more-intense scent began to surface. Jason felt refreshed after smelling the scent. Although the monster exuded the smell of food, they would have a strong fragrance only after they had been killed. Jason hade to this conclusion based on his past experiences. Smoke and dust began to scatter, and the sheriff, who was holding the revolver, along with Finch, began to cautiously approach the room. ¡°Is it over?¡± The sheriff asked softly. After seeing Jason nod, the sheriff was relieved. When Jason had informed him about the imminent arrival of danger, he had been startled. He had not expected that the Avenger woulde so fast and so suddenly. Based on his expectations, the Avenger would only havee after the fall of night. Fortunately, everything had been cleanly settled. If something unexpected had happened to Tik¡¯s wife while she was held custody at the police station¡­ He would have been too embarrassed to stay in his current position. ¡°Thank you.¡± Bondy said, thanking him sincerely. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°We are just helping each other out.¡± Jason said, shaking his head. After discovering the mysterious atmosphere that had appeared in the interrogation room, he informed Bondy without hesitation and then made a n to lead the situation, while Bondy and Finch provided cover for him. Jason was not sure what he would encounter at the time. If it was necessary to use Protection from Evil, then Bondy and Finch were hisst guarantees. What if the monsters could not be dealt with using normal gunpowder weapons? The results would naturally have ended up like what had just happened. As for not needing help and doing it solo? Jason would never have chosen this method unless he had a trusted helper that was with him. After all, there was strength in numbers! He remembered this old saying from his hometown. Listening to Jason¡¯s words, Bondy clearly misunderstood something. The sheriff patted Jason on the shoulders, a clear smile appearing on his face, and said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°We arerades and partners who help one another.¡± With the grace of Jason having saved his life, and now the friendship forged having fought side-by-side, Bondy acknowledged the prowess of the night watchman in front of him even more than before. Perhaps he was considered young. Perhaps he told a lot of cold jokes. But he was ultimately reliable. ¡°What should we do next?¡± Bondy asked. ¡°Finch, collect the monster¡¯s meat.¡± ¡°Bondy, go and find someone to help me buy some spices. I need pepper, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, and fragrant leaves,¡± Jason said without hesitation. Halfway through, he suddenly thought of something and turned his head. He asked the sheriff seriously, ¡°Can these all be reimbursed?¡± ¡°They are all necessities for dealing with monsters.¡± Jason emphasized. The sheriff was puzzled, but out of his trust in Jason, he nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± After saying that, the sheriff continued to ask, ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± Jason asked back the same question as he slowly began to push the No. 13 ammunition, one by one, into the shotgun in his hand. He softly said, ¡°The time for us to fight back¡­ is now!¡± Chapter 35: Ceremony Chapter 35: Ceremony Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Hatred only made the other party stronger, but conversely, it also made their weaknesses more obvious. Previously, the Avenger had been in the dark. This time, the other party had no choice but to show itself. Because¡­ Tik¡¯s wife was still here! The opponent, who wanted toplete their revenge, would definitely want to personally kill Tik¡¯s wife and not leave it to Bondy for the trial. Otherwise, there would have been no need to send a monster to follow a woman who was so frightened, she was almost on the brink of copse. Obviously, Bondy had also thought of this. ¡°That guy is crazy!¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Bondy nced at Tik¡¯s wife, who was unconscious on the ground, before sighing. There was no mercy in his eyes because she had to be responsible for her own actions. His sigh had a lot moreplexity to it. The identity and duties of being a sheriff had made Bondy feelplicated. But not Jason. Now, he was only thinking of how to face the Avenger. The other party didn¡¯t have a lot of choices¨Cperhaps only two: One, continue to send monsters, Or two, settle it in person. Jason had hoped that the other party would choose the first option because that would be good news for him, being short on Satiety. But the opponent was not a fool. The death of that monster was enough for him to understand that Jason and Bondy were more than prepared where they were. If he wanted to send another monster to kill Tik¡¯s wife, unless it was even more powerful than the previous one, it would be a futile endeavor. And did the opponent even have such a monster in his arsenal? He probably did. But he wouldn¡¯t have many. There would perhaps be one or two of them. Otherwise, the opponent wouldn¡¯t have sent only one monster earlier. Even if that monster was a good fit for the previous situation, having more monsters that were stronger would undoubtedly have helped to better control the situation on-site. Moreover, the other party obviously had a monster that was stronger and more suitable for the situation at hand! Don¡¯t forget about the monster that took Tik away! That monster could overturn a carriage at will, grab a horse with one hand, and disappear without so much as a trace. Many detectives and constables under Bondy could confirm this. They had searched the ce all night and had not been able to find a single trace. Whether it was the monster or Tik. There was no trace of either of them. It was as if they had disappeared into thin air. If it was not for the broken carriage, the torn horse and Tik being abducted, they would not even have known the monster existed. Not using a monster that was suitable for the situation waspletely inconsistent with the meticulous and cautious methodsid out by the other party. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t use it¡­¡± ¡°But it¡¯s more like he couldn¡¯t use it?¡± Jason made a wild guess. The opponent was undoubtedly capable of controlling monsters, but there were not many capable monsters, especially the more powerful breeds. Even so¡­ The powerful monster that he had could have just been that one! Through the scene at the interrogation room earlier, Jason had confirmed that the other party did not have much power over the mysterious side and could not reproduce the events at the Moon Mask club. He should only have been able to manipte the monster into working for him, perhaps by borrowing a certain item, or through another monster. Or, maybe, to proffer another guess: the opponent controlled a powerful monster with an item, and then used this powerful monster to intimidate and control the other powerful monsters that remained. Therefore, he who managed to gather enough monsters in Rhode City needed the powerful monster he was controlling to stay with him at all times to ensure his own safety. Jason deliberated this based on existing clues. ¡°This hypothesis was in line with the fact the opponent had juste into contact with the mysterious side.¡± ¡°You could get in touch with the mysterious side and gain a little strength through your teacher, but without enough time to sharpen it, it wouldn¡¯t be strong enough.¡± ¡°Just like¡­¡± ¡°Me!¡± Jason appeared to be stunned for a moment. He raised his hands subconsciously and touched the ¡°Certificate of Night Watchman¡± that was buried in his arms. He had gained the power of the mysterious side through this item. As for the opponent? He had also used an unknown item. Both of their experiences were simr. ¡°No!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°It should be that the other party had owned that item, which was why I was able to obtain the ¡®Certificate of Night Watchman¡¯!¡± Jason quickly shook his head and rearranged the situation. ¡°Obviously, my ¡®teacher¡¯ found out what the other teacher¡¯s behavior was, but he couldn¡¯t get out after being entangled by the other teacher. He was only able to give me the ¡®Certificate of Night Watchman¡¯, and hope that I would be able to deal with the other party in his stead. It is because of this that my teacher would leave an extra apology on the ¡®Certificate of Night Watchman¡¯.¡± ¡°Because this wasn¡¯t my responsibility in the first ce.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it went.¡± After analyzing the whole situation, Jason was relieved. After all, the situation at hand was not the worst. The mysterious side person, who could create the weird scene at the Moon Mask club, would be dealt with by his ¡°teacher¡±. As for him? He only needed to face an apprentice, who was just like him. ¡°General against general.¡± ¡°Soldier against soldier.¡± ¡°Perfectly bnced.¡± Jason whispered in a voice that only he could hear, and then turned to look at the interrogation room. Finch, who was wearing gloves, came out with a bag full of minced meat. Jason took the paper bag from the young constable and looked toward Bondy. ¡°The spices will be here soon.¡± The sheriff promised. This guarantee was efficient. When Jason returned to his room and washed the minced meat, someone had already sent the spices over. It was also worth mentioning that, during the cleaning process, the minced meat was full of curly hair due to the explosion. This meant that, when Jason cleaned it up, it took a lot of extra work. The person who was sent to deliver the spices was a familiar young man: Finch. Moreover, this young man had not only sent spices but also brought some bread. ¡°Your Excellency, Jason, where do you need me to put this?¡± Finch carefully asked while holding more than ten palm-sized cloth bags. Spices were not a cheapmodity. Spices were expensive, be it in Rhode or any other city in West Walker. The spices he had in his hand were worth at least three weeks of sry. ¡°Let¡¯s put it on the desk.¡± Jason signaled, then brought out therge pot with minced meat and began to put in turmeric, cinnamon, fragrant leaves, and a little white wine. Then, he thoroughly stirred. Jason nned to make more delicious food, but he didn¡¯t have many options, as he had only one bag of minced meat to work with. Under the conditions of not having to add other ingredients and wanting to finish the dish as soon as possible, stew was the best choice. The young constable was watching. ¡°Your Excellency, Jason, is this a necessary step in dealing with monsters?¡± Finch asked curiously. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°I call it¡­ an exorcism ritual!¡± As he said this, Jason put the iron pot on the stove and started to pour in enough water, before covering the lid. ¡°Exorcism ritual?¡± ¡°Why is it so simr to normal cooking?¡± Finch walked out of the room, still whispering to himself. Then, the young constable quickly shook his head and said, ¡°No, it must be me who does not understand the process!¡± ¡°How could Lord Jason¡¯s exorcism ritual be cooking?¡± As he whispered to himself, he also quickly disappeared into the corridor. In the room, Jason couldn¡¯t wait to pick up the chopsticks and stared silently at the pot. When he confirmed that the meat was cooked, he quickly put the meat into his mouth. The meat was tough. It was a little like beef. But it was chewier. Like beef jerky. Especially with some pepper on it, it made Jason feel like he was eating ck pepper beef. s, he still had some regrets. ¡°Should I cook some eggs into the soup?¡± With this thought, Jason began to focus on the shing text in front of his eyes. [Swallowed kemetia!] [Modest stamina recovery!] [Satiety: +5] [Satiety: 6] The degree of satiety required to be a night watchman was now enough! Chapter 36: Inauguration of a Night Watchman Chapter 36: Inauguration of a Night Watchman Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Looking at his Satiety count that had just reached 6, Jason did not hesitate to choose the inauguration as a night watchman. [Assuming inauguration of night watchman in progress¡­] [Requirements met. Yes/No Spend 5 points of Satiety toplete inauguration of night watchman?] Yes! With the affirmation received, the ¡®Certificate of Night Watchman¡¯ began to shine again. It was different from how it shone previously. This time, it was deep and dark. Like the twilight sky! Quiet, and peaceful. Jason¡¯s breathing became peaceful. It was as if he would fall asleep at the next moment, but his mind became clearer and clearer. An inexplicable power had birthed from his heart. Also, that power was growing quickly. This was the critical point that had cost him 5 points of Satiety. Jason came to this understanding within his heart. Then, he quietly felt the power coursing through the blood in his body. It echoed the night. It was very light. And very shallow. Almost as if it were nothing. But it definitely existed. This processsted for about ten seconds, and Jason could feel that his muscles, bones, vision, and hearing senses were rapidly increasing within these ten seconds. After ten seconds, the deep darkness slowly began to dissipate. But it was just darkness, and it was not night. Night¡­ Was unchanging. In his breathing, he felt the change of light, and Jason sat upright. Lines of text began to appear in front of his eyes. [Inauguration of night watchmanplete!] [All Attributes +0.2] [Gained special expertise: Vignce] [Vignce: no movement, not even wind or grass, can escape from your eyes or ears. This ability can be gifted upon birth or acquired. Every night watchman should be vignt when walking at night. Result: Perception +0.3] [Judging the night watchman¡¯s Prestige ss¡­] [Insufficient information, Judgment failed!] ¡°Expertise?¡± ¡°Was this expertise part of the job?¡± Looking at the [Vignce] expertise, Jason guessed, and then his gaze turned to the current attributes he had at the moment. [Strength 1.5, Dexterity 1.2, Constitution 1.5, Spirituality 1.4, Perception 1.9]. After the inauguration bonus and the expertise bonus, the highest value was perception, which had almost reached twice the level of ordinary people. The most intuitive feeling was that Jason could hear footsteps near the entrance of the stairs 10 meters across the door, and could smell the aroma of food that was being sold by pushcart vendors from the opposite street. After gaining more than half the strength and physique of an ordinary person, Jason could feel that he was more rxed andfortable with carrying several weapons with him and that their weight felt lighter and lighter. After carefully figuring out his changes, Jason set his sights on the final text prompt while adapting to his new changes. ¡°Night watchman Prestige ss!¡± ¡°Sure enough!¡± ¡°Bing a night watchman is not the end, but merely the beginning!¡± Jason¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°The previous Protection from Evil entry level required more points of satiety than the ¡®Inauguration of Night Watchman¡¯. This was more than enough to make clear certain issues.¡± ¡°Also, my ¡®teacher¡¯ could not deal with the existence of the mysterious side through having keen perception alone.¡± ¡°In that case¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the prestige ss for the night watchman about?¡± Jason was full of expectations. Unfortunately, the night watchman was just like its name. It only corresponded to the term night watchman, and there was no other information avable. However, Jason didn¡¯t want to underestimate the ¡°Certificate of Night Watchman¡± just because of this. The knowledge that had been recorded meant a lot to him. And who could guarantee that his ¡°teacher¡± hadn¡¯t left behind some skills for protection? Likewise, Jason was also very clear that he must go through his own teacher in order to receive the Prestige ss of the night watchman. But this¡­ Was not easy. The more he knew about the mysterious side, the more Jason found out how wed his initial rhetoric had been. Thankfully, his ¡°teacher¡± had been led away. Otherwise, he would have been exposed. The only good news was that he had learned Protection from Evil and assumed the position of the night watchman, which had given the situation at hand a chance to turn around. However, to give himself more choices, Jason sat behind the desk with the ¡°Certificate of Night Watchman¡±. He should read through the notebook as soon as possible. As for the Avenger? Jason was confident that, under Bondy¡¯s blockade, the other party would not find out the news so quickly. Based on the time when the monster had killed Tik¡¯s wife, and then taking into consideration the time taken when the monster had returned, it would at least be the afternoon when the other party had gotten hold of the news. Though would it be possible that the other party was observing nearby. It wasn¡¯t impossible. But the possibility of this remained minimal. Because¡­ Jason was there! This wasn¡¯t self-praise, but merely a conjecture. Since his ¡°teacher¡± had been able to give him information about various monsters, why wouldn¡¯t the other party¡¯s teacher inform his disciple about the characteristics of the night watchman? Therefore, the other party must have known about the characteristics of the night watchman. Therefore, for the sake of safety, the other party would never have appeared here alone. And want to bring along his monsters. You didn¡¯t need a night watchman to know that something was wrong. There were only a few hours left before noon, and Jason didn¡¯t n to waste what little time he had left. Flip, flip, flip. Very quickly, the room only had the sound of flipping notebook pages. Time began to pass by. Jason looked at the notebook in his hands intently, not realizing the passage of time. Learning was fun! This was especially true when exposed to some strange and unknown knowledge. Some people wouldment that this wasn¡¯t fun at all. And that was only because it concerned life and death. Facing the choice of life and death, when offered the chance to live, even if that chance increased by only 0.1% or 0.01%, it would be enough for anyone to work toward it. What¡¯s more, Jason himself was really interested in this knowledge. For example, the food he had just eaten. ¡°Kemetia is a silver-colored, almost transparent, long-haired monster with a baboon-like head and protruding tusks. It has strong arms, red cheeks, and its long hair can make them almost invisible. Therefore, in the jungles east of Conques, they are called the hidden beasts.¡± ¡°Kemetia have a strong sense of territory. They will destroy any creature entering their territory, and wouldn¡¯t give in over their dead bodies. They are not products of alchemy or potion but are natural monsters. Kemetia¡¯s figures will grow further, and their bodies will be stronger. At that point, they are not only invisible but can also create certain illusions.¡± In theter part of the notebook, Jason saw information about kemetia. Immediately, Jason frowned. ¡°Territory!¡± ¡°Kemetias who can drive a very strong consciousness are bound to be high-level monsters.¡± ¡°In this notebook, such a monster¡­¡± ¡°There is only one!¡± Jason took a deep breath and turned to thest page. It was in graphical reiteration. Monster! Chapter 37: Light Breeze Chapter 37: Light Breeze Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio After the separated headings, an introduction could be seen below: ¡°Demons do not refer to a specific monster, but to a type of monster.¡± ¡°We will not be able to deal with them with ordinary swords or firearms. These monsters, who are born with one or more spell-like abilities, are called demons.¡± ¡°Their strong bodies,bined with their odd spell-like abilities, have long exceeded the understanding of themon man.¡± ¡°There are also different levels amongst demons, and the weakest level is defined as a ¡®bullet¡¯, which means that there is still a chance to use bullets to settle the battle, while the ¡®de¡¯ level ispletely impossible. In fact, I would rmend any night watchmen to choose ¡®bombs¡¯, as long as they maintain a safe distance. As many ¡®bombs¡¯ as possible would be the best solution.¡¯ ¡®The most famous monster is the Kolzer monster. (You can call it Kolzer with the suffix simply because it is the most representative and famous of all the monsters.)¡± ¡°It destroyed a city.¡± ¡°There are ¡®mysterious schrs¡¯ who believe that monsters are remnants of evil spirits, but this cannot be confirmed, since year Hr1341, thest evil spirit disappeared in the ruins of Twort. No such evil spirit has ever appeared again, and for this reason, those mysterious schrs have always considered it the loss of the mysterious side. But, in my opinion, it is best for such strange creatures to not appear again.¡± This was thest page of the ¡°Certificate of Night Watchman¡±. Jason frowned slightly after reading it several times. Obviously, this time, his ¡°teacher¡±, Dan, could not confirm which demon the Avenger had. But based on the knowledge on these pages, he was definitely dealing with demons in this situation. This is why that, even at the scene where Tik was captured, there had been no traces captured at all. Of course, there was other information hidden in thisst page. For example: ¡°evil spirits¡±, ¡°Kolzer¡±, and ¡°mysterious schrs¡±. The first two were naturally demons, and,pared with the Kolzer, which had destroyed a city, it seemed that his ¡°teacher¡± feared the evil spirit more. As for thetter? Jason was more concerned about what the deal was with these so-called mysterious schrs. Or was it¡­ A profession? Jason, who was currently missing out some information, began to sort out the rest of his thoughts. ¡°des, bullets, bombs¡­¡± ¡°Naming the levels for the demons based on the type of weapons¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s really clear at a nce.¡± Jason said this to himself, closed the ¡°Certificate of Night Watchman¡±, and put it in front of his heart. Then he stood up straight, picked up the bread that Finch had delivered, and walked to the wok that was still on the stove. The meat in the pot was gone. But the soup was still there. Theyers of grease were tumbling in the soup, drifting toward the side of the pot of soup. Jason broke apart a piece of bread and dipped it directly into the soup. Quickly, the bread became soft, as if it had just been baked, and especially soaked with the soup inside. The softness of the bread gave Jason a simple sense of satisfaction and happiness when it was mixed in his mouth. The fatigue caused by reading before had disappeared without so much as a trace. This was not an illusion. Jason could be sure that all of this was true, just like the food he had just eaten. ¡°The soup also works.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that the effects are faint, and it¡¯s not enough to trigger a prompt?¡± Jason guessed. There was no doubt about it. Such spection made Jason¡¯s appetite better. Ten minutester, the bag of bread, along with the soup, was in Jason¡¯s stomach. Even the contents of the hot iron pot had been wiped clean with the bread. It was only then that Jason discovered an important problem. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I supposed to save the meat?¡± Jason froze, then shook his head and whispered to himself. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll just remember next time.¡± ¡°This time, it must have been neglected because of the rush to work.¡± After speaking, Jason pushed open the door. The sun in the sky had risen to the highest point, and, under the scorching sun, everyone had chosen their own way to avoid the summer heat. The people in the police station, however, were still facing the enemies. Young constables patrolled around with loaded ammunition led by the detectives. Of course, this was just superficial. In the dark, more capable detectives were watching the streets. Their locations were scattered around, with the police station as the middle, and at different heights. This ensured that they would see anyone who was walking in the streets. These were all arranged by Bondy. Bondy, who had served in the army for ten years, was very good at arranging for secret signaling and guards. But¡­ This was against people. Against monsters? He could only say that he had done his best. ¡°Jason, are you sure there is no problem?¡± The sheriff seemed a little unsure and couldn¡¯t help but ask Jason. ¡°There is no problem.¡± Jason said in a factual tone. It was not just for show; he was telling the truth. Jason was not good at such matters, and, in his eyes, what Bondy had done was more than enough. What¡¯s more, the crux was this. Jason turned to look at Tik¡¯s wife in the cell. The other party had woken up from hera, but her whole person seemed to be in a daze and was sitting there with a nk look on a face, muttering something under her breath. Jason was not interested in this. He only cared if the cell was strong enough. The bars were three-fingers thick, and, after reinforcing the iron fence, it was impossible for an ordinary person to get out of there. Also, this was only the first part. Squeak! With a push from Finch, an iron gate with a thickness of five centimeters covered the iron fence, leaving only one vent. ¡°This was originally designed to be a vault.¡± ¡°Later, I referenced it and installed it here.¡± ¡°It was originally intended to be used to detain the evilest of viins, but I did not expect that it would be a refuge for such a person.¡± Bondy said, his face looking like he was mocking himself. Then, the sheriff shook his head and sighed softly. ¡°Sometimes, fate works in mysterious ways.¡± ¡°You just don¡¯t know what will happen to you.¡± ¡°Is it good? Is it bad?¡± ¡°Who can know everything?¡± When he said these words, Jason could see the sadness and loneliness that appeared in the eyes of the sheriff. It was as though there was some unspeakable story in them. But, immediately, the sheriff returned to normal. He became firm again. ¡°Hall, I¡¯ll leave this area to you.¡± ¡°Finch, you assist Hall.¡± The sheriff ordered. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Hall and Finch, along with three other constables, responded. Then, Bondy walked toward the entrance of the prison carrying a box of explosives. The prison cell of the police station was located in the prison area. It was said to be a prison area, but it was actually just a converted hall. Theyout of the first floor of the police station was divided into two parts: the front, middle, and back. The front was themon hall that everyone would usually see, while the back was the prison area. The middle area was a corridor. At that moment, Bondy was walking to the corridor. No doubt, the ultimate goal of the Avenger was Tik¡¯s wife in the cell behind him. And what he had to do was simple. Want to go in? Okay. Cross over his dead body. This was his pride as a sheriff. Jason? He stood side by side with the sheriff. This was the real battlefield. How could he escape in battle? As for the outside? Jason believed that, under the visibility of the day, a lot of firepower was enough to destroy ordinary monsters. He only needed to pay attention to the strongest one! Suddenly¨C Bang! B-B-Bang! The sporadic gunshots sounded off outside in unison. Jason immediately raised the lever-action shotgun, and the sheriff also raised the rifle he had just reced. The muzzles of the two men aimed at the end of the corridor. There was no trace of shaking. But¡­ Time passed every minute and second, and no monster appeared. There was only wind. A light breeze blew by. Bondy didn¡¯t blink and continued staring straight at the corridor. Jason felt a wind blowing across his cheeks. In the next moment¡­ Their expressions changed. Chapter 38: Beast Tamers Chapter 38: Beast Tamers Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jason breathed in and inhaled the mysterious smell. It was part of the breeze that had just passed suddenly. There was a very light smell, almost to the point of being indiscernible. Jason imagined that, if it wasn¡¯t for his perception being at 1.9, which was almost twice the perception of the ordinary person, he would not have noticed this smell and simply overlooked it. But now? ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Jason shouted, turning instantly and pulling the trigger. Boom! The shotgun ejected small pieces of projectile pellets, but the pellets did not hit any targets. They passed through the air and hit the surrounding walls. The tiny pellets sttered against the wall. Click, click. With the crisp sound of the lever, the shell of the No. 13 bomb exited. Just as Jason was about to pull the trigger again, he felt a severe winding toward his upper body. Without so much as a thought, Jason strafed toward the left. Suddenly, just as Jason had finished dodging: Boom! A strong wind roared past his head and Jason couldn¡¯t even control his body, feeling like he would be swept off the ground. Then the roaring winds hit the door at the end of the corridor. The solid wooden door was instantly torn, smashed, and scattered, turning into a pool of wooden chips and flying backward. Even the solid walls seemed to have been severely damaged. The wall tiles inside had cracked, and the skin on the surface of the wall had also been torn. Suddenly¨C The walls were torn down and the front and back of the hall were now linked. Hall and Finch, who were standing in the jail cell, could now clearly see their colleagues fighting it out in the hall. With the flickering of the gunfire, these constables, who were previously overpowered by their fear of the monsters in the past, had already conquered their demons thanks to the sufficient light and firepower. It was a predictable oue, and over a period of time, such advantages would inevitably result in the cornerstone of victory. But this was not enough for them to feel any joy. Because¡­ The monster that they were facing was the real key issue! If it was not possible to get rid of that, even if they achieved victory outside, it would all be for naught. But now they had nowhere to start. Not only could they not see¡­ But the monster was invisible! Even rendering their bullets had be useless! But at this point, what other choice did they have? ¡°Shoot!¡± ¡°Shoot in the direction that His Lordship, Jason, is aiming at!¡± ¡°Be attentive of the Chief, Your Lordship, Jason!¡± Hall ordered. Bang, bang, bang! There was the sound of gunfire from the revolver. Unfortunately, it was useless. Almost immediately, the strong wind began to growl again. The revolvers in the hand of Hall, Finch, and the others were blown away almost at the same time, including the sheriff, who had just finished aiming and was about to pull the trigger. The firearms flew directly and hit the ceiling before falling to the ground heavily. Bondy rushed over immediately and picked up the rifle. Then, he raised the gun. But¡­ He couldn¡¯t find the target at all. Besides his own people, there was nothing but air. The sheriff¡¯s face appeared to be in a daze. It wasn¡¯t just the sheriff; the same expression was on Hall, Finch, and the others. Only Jason was different. It seemed that he had found his target. In fact, he had seen it. Or to be more precise¡­ He had smelled it! Hunger had allowed him to find the whereabouts of the food. But the food didn¡¯t feel the same way. ¡°Funny.¡± ¡°Night watchman, do you even know where to aim?¡± The low, muffled, thundering voice echoed in the corridors and the prison cell. It was the invisible monster. It was issuing a mockery. It didn¡¯t think that the night watchman would be able to find it. Although it spoke, it had an ability to make sound reverberate, and it was thus impossible to confirm its position. But the next moment, a gunshot broke its confidence. Bang! The shotgun passed through and still hit the wall, but the sound echoing in the ear came to an abrupt end. This made Bondy react instantly, and he fired a shot in the direction of Jason. Bang! The bullet still failed to hit its mark. The wind began to growl again. Boom! Bondy immediately rolled and dodged. He knew that if he was hit directly by this strong wind, he would definitely be killed, and his body might even be torn, his bones crushed. Jason was also naturally dodging. However, unlike Bondy, Jason stopped abruptly when he was halfway through the tumbling, and then he suddenly stepped on the ground and shifted forward. Bang! The next moment, Jason¡¯s previous position and the point he had tumbled from were covered with a paw mark. The hard and sharp ws left a trace of two centimeters deep on the masonry floor. Then¡­ Jason was hit! After making him change directions continuously, Jason, who had not yet risen from the ground, was being volleyed by a huge strength. He was like a football, and his body was folded in half. He flew and hit the wall of the prison cell. Bang! There was a muffled sound again, and Jason stuck to the wall like a painting. After a full second or two, Jason began to slowly slide. ¡°Jason!¡± ¡°His Lordship, Jason!¡± Bondy, Hall, Finch, and the policemen all rushed over in exmation. The moment Jason was hit, they all heard the sound of bones breaking the instant he hit the wall. Also, Jason was spitting big mouthfuls of blood at the moment. It was clear that the broken bones had pierced his internal organs. ¡°Turns out you can only judge my position roughly.¡± ¡°And you are not able to really see me.¡± ¡°Is it really through the wind?¡± ¡°Sure enough, as my master said, every night watchman has sharp perception.¡± The muffled thundering voice echoed again. Its words seemed like praise, but the next moment, it became a mockery just like before. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Even if you could see me, what could you do?¡± ¡°Do you really think that relying on the gun in your hand will cause me any harm?¡± ¡°Or, has your teacher not told you not to show hostility in the face of a powerful beast tamer?¡± The opponent¡¯s low voice kept entering Jason¡¯s ear. Along with no intention to hide its malice. Although Jason had a much stronger body than an ordinary person, at that point, he couldn¡¯t say anything at all and could only raise his hand as much as possible. Holding a pull ring in his index finger in his right hand. It was¡­ The fuse for a K2 grenade. The other party did not recognize the fuse of the K2 grenade, but this did not stop the other party from sensing the imminent danger. The invisible head slightly lowered. It saw the box full of explosives and¡­ the K2 grenade body detached from the fuse. The monster wanted to dodge under the guidance of the beast tamer. But it was toote! Boom! The moment the K2 grenade exploded, it detonated the box of explosives. The huge explosion overwhelmed the invisible monster. With the tremors, dust flew around and blocked everyone¡¯s sight. A scent that only Jason could sell prated his nose. The unprecedented strong fragrance was so seductive that Jason, who was seriously injured, immediately perked up, and an irresistible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. The n just now had been dangerous. But it had seeded. The next step? It was naturally¡­ To eat! Chapter 39: It’s Different From What I Had Imagined! Chapter 39: It¡¯s Different From What I Had Imagined! Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Finch, help me up!¡± Jason said to the young police officer. ¡°Your Excellency, Jason, your injuries¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, I just need something to eat and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Jason urged the young police officer, and, thanks to his help, proceeded to walk to the site of the explosion. It was because there was blood spewing out that they were able to find what they were looking for. Each one was small and exuded the strong fragrance of¡­ egg. That¡¯s right. It was an egg. From his experience, it looked like a pigeon egg. But the fragrance this egg possessed was not like that of a normal pigeon egg. Refusing Finch¡¯s help, Jason picked up the egg with much difficulty and then nudged it onto the wall. Crack. After the egg cracked, Jason pulled the egg directly toward his mouth and sucked on it. His injuries were serious and could not be dyed any longer. At this time, he could no longer care whether or not he was eating the egg raw. Of course, seasoning was a must. After the egg was in his mouth, Jason sipped on a pinch of salt. The salty taste instantly made the egg more delicious, especially so after experiencing the near-death scenario he had just been through. This added another level of deliciousness to it. After firing for the first time, Jason had confirmed that the opponent was at a level where the ¡°bullet¡± could no longer harm him. The reason he shot again was simply to attract and agitate the other party as much as possible. Of course, the other party took the bait. He so was proud of his invisibility and wind-like abilities, that he was not able to tolerate Jason¡¯s insult. This was exactly what Jason was banking on. Likewise, he believed that the other party must have noticed the box of explosives. Therefore, he must have also paid special attention to¡­ the mes! The K2 grenade didn¡¯t need any mes. All you needed to do was to pull the fuse. This sealed the opponent¡¯s doom. As for his own injuries? Jason was fully prepared for them since he was acting as the bait. No matter how serious his injuries were, nothing could be worse than death, right? As long as you were alive, there was hope for everything. Furthermore, he had also his supplements in case of an emergency. The umami and salty egg passed through his mouth, entered his esophagus, and entered the pocket of his stomach. Suddenly, rising from his stomach was a burst of warm current that flowed through his body. His broken bones must have been resetting back into ce. His damaged internal organs were beginning to recover as well. His lost vitality came back. Jason, who was still trembling from thest moment, no longer needed support and stood upright. His eyes were excited while looking at the text in front of him ¨C [Devouring the Herke (Infant Stage)!] [Major recovery from injury!] [Satiety +9] [Satiety: 10] [Excitement of Feeding +1] [Excitement of Feeding: 1] ¡°The excitement of feeding!¡± After Jason saw the text in front of his eyes clearly, he could not help but make a fist with his hands. He had long been wondering about excitement of feeding. And everything he had just witnessed proved that what he was thinking had been correct. However, Jason did not immediately upgrade [Gunpowder Weapons, small arms], or [Hand-to-hand Combat]. After the weird experience at the Moon Mask club, he was more inclined to upgrade protection from evil. Entry-level to protection from evil required six levels of satiety. Who could guarantee that the skills of protection from evil did not require him to use points from excitement of feeding? Of course, Jason would not do the upgrading right away. Because¡­ The skills he had gained would be far more than just these. His gaze passed through the broken door and he clearly saw the battle in the front hall. There were at least three grinners on the ground. And not forgetting those that were outside his field of sight. Just how much food would there be? With such thoughts, Jason looked at the sheriff, who was justing from the jail cell. ¡°How is it?¡± Bondy asked. ¡°Better than I had imagined.¡± Jasonughed. Bondy could hear how rxed Jason was from his voice. And this obviously should not be the case for someone who was just on the verge of death and vomiting blood. Likewise, such a person, who was about to die, would not be able to move around like Jason currently was. Was this the night watchman? They were strong as expected! The sheriff couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Then, he quickly reorganized his emotions and waved to Hall. Hall, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately rushed to the battlefield. Compared to the invisible and untouchable monsters, the grinner in front of them was undoubtedly easier to handle. Neither Bondy nor Jason stopped, and the two of them entered the battlefield together. Undoubtedly, the appearance of Bondy and Jason had given the constables, who were already having the upper hand, even more morale. However, it was not the same for Bondy who had just joined the battle directly. Jason stood on the edge of the battlefield and used his MF92 pistol and UZ submachine gun to support the constables and detectives who were in danger. At the same time, he picked up his food little by little and kept it in a clean, safe corner. The young Finch was cooperating with Jason and helping some of the injured constables. He and several other young people were also lifting some of the injured constables and detectives and quickly settling them in the corridor. For treatment, only gauze and saline were avable at the moment. But even so, these supplies were far more than enough for the number of injured people at this point. These people didn¡¯t even have these. To this, they sincerely thanked the chief, who was on the battlefield. Several injured people took out the first aid kits, that had been prepared by Bondy, and began to bandage the injured. Finch motioned for the two to stay, and then took the remaining young people to continue to shuffle around the battlefield and help the injured. The remaining two people began to form a line of defense. Very quickly, people who had sustained light injuries also joined in this line of defense. Although most monsters had been forced into the corner, no one could guarantee that they would not appear again. Therefore, everyone was staring outside to keep a lookout for these monsters. Even the injured people were no exception. As long as they were not unconscious, their focus would be on finding these monsters. No one paid any attention to anything that was behind them. A blood-stained man in a police uniform slowly stood up. He nced at his back and silently entered the prison area. Without so much as stopping, he headed directly for the two-leveled prison. An expression of hatred appeared on his blood-stained face, making his expression even more emancipated. A test tube with the thickness of a little finger appeared in his hand. The tube was filled with a green and ck potion. You could clearly see some particles floating up and down inside this green-ck potion. He held the test tube and plugged it into the vent of the iron door. But at this moment, he had suddenly felt that something was wrong and wanted to turn around. But it was toote! Boom! Click, click! With the unique rhythm of the shotgun, his body was shot directly and it hit against the iron gate, the potion in his hand falling out into the air. However, instead of it falling to the ground, Jason grabbed onto it firmly. He stared at Jason with wide eyes. He didn¡¯t seem to understand why Jason had shot him directly. Shouldn¡¯t he have appeared from behind him, then, in the moment of surprise, exin everything that he had inferred? Then, the two sides would have tested each other¡¯s words and begun to battle again. But why did Jason shoot him directly? The Avenger didn¡¯t even get to close his eyes when he died. In the Sleepless City, Jason, who had seen too many examples of people being killed, did not want to waste too many words. Thus, he had gradually be a person who did not like to talk nonsense with the enemy. If he could shoot the enemy down with just a single shot, he would. If one shot was not enough, he would fire another shot. As for noticing each other? Jason had not forgotten that Tik¡¯s wife was still here! The other party had created such a big scene, how could he have given up halfway? Therefore, when the battle was not yet over, Jason had always paid a fraction of his attention here. And at that moment, his attention was still here. His attention was on¡­ The items the Avenger had brought! Chapter 40: War Loot Chapter 40: War Loot Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jason believed that, when the monsters that had been tamed were about to die from their wounds, the fact that the opponent dared to take the initiative to stand up meant that they had their own things to rely on. It was just as he imagined. Soon, he found two items. One was a small dagger, while the other was a palm-sized sheep skin that had been rolled up. The dagger was not made of metal, but of the horn of a certain animal. The handle of the dagger was short; it could be pinched with the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger. It was a short dagger, but in an odd shape and angled awkwardly. It gave the feeling that it would be very sharp. But just as Jason touched the dagger, a prompt appeared before him: [No carefully raised animals!] [No animal followers!] [Graphical Reiteration reaches basic level!] [Received Beast Tamer¡¯s Dagger!] [Have notpleted ¡°Beast Tamer¡± preliminary training, unable to take up job!] ¡°Beast Tamer?¡± ¡°Just a job item?¡± Jason looked at the small dagger in his hands and frowned. No doubt, this should be the same as the ¡°Certificate of Night Watchman¡±. And the beast tamer job also exined why the opponent could control so many monsters. It¡¯s just that¡­ Everything that happened inside the Moon Mask Club was also due to the abilities of the beast tamer? Necromancy? No matter how you tried to think about it, a beast tamer should not have such an ability. And if it wasn¡¯t the ability of a beast tamer¡­ Then why did the opponent¡¯s teacher allow the opponent to be a beast tamer? With these doubts in mind, Jason looked at the second item. It was a palm-sized sheepskin that had been rolled up. There was nothing tying it together, so it could easily be unfolded. A more and moreplicated andplexnguage appeared as Jason unraveled it. The only words that could be distinguished were ¡°fog¡± and ¡°wind¡±. ¡°Is this what you were reliant on?¡± Jason thought and looked at it carefully again. Unfortunately, besides these two items, there were no other valuable items on the other party. At that moment, Finch and the others, who were walking along the corridor and the front hall, had finally noticed something was wrong. A young constable, along with hispanion, ran into the cell. ¡°His Lordship, Jason, is he¡­ the Avenger?¡± Finch, who wasn¡¯t a novice, quickly confirmed the situation and everything that had happened at the scene. Then, after Jason nodded, the young constable looked at the Avenger, who had fallen to the ground. He was lying motionless, stained with blood. Nobody would have imagined that he was the one who had created the series of appalling cases in Rhode. It was just that there was an inexplicable sense of familiarity that appeared at the bottom of the heart of the young constable. He couldn¡¯t help but walk over and wipe off the bloodied face of the Avenger. Then¡­ ¡°Kurtz!¡± The young constables eximed in unison. When the sun went down, the high temperature quickly dissipated, and the coolness of the early autumn struck again. The whole city became quiet at a speed that was visible to the naked eye. The fighting in the police station in the afternoon could not be concealed. Many people had seen those monsters. In addition to the injured, and the rest, everyone had to be dealt with immediately. Fortunately, these things had nothing to do with Jason. Bondy was in total control of it. Of course, Jason wasn¡¯t idling around. In fact, he was responsible for the most important part: presiding over the exorcism ritual. In therge iron pot on the stove was a simmering pot full of fragrant soup. One by one, the grinners were cut up and added into the soup. Against the hard fur of the grinners, which usual kitchen knives would have a hard time with, Jason no longer had to worry, as he had the sharp beast tamer knife. It was just like cutting tofu, and one by one the grinners were cut up and cleaned. This also gave Jason more ways to cook it. A ball of butter started to melt on the saucepan. When the temperature of the oil was right, the cut-up grinner would be ced onto the pan. Stter! Hss! With the sound of the simmering grease, the mes began to rise, and Jason shook the pan and started to stir fry. Then, when the meat bes soft, pour the long, sliced onions into the pot. On the charcoal brazier next to it, a marinated grinner had been skewered with green peppers, shallots, and garlic. Jason turned the homemade barbecue rack with all his heart. A drop of grease was dripped onto the charcoal fire, and the smoky smell was faint. Scent of stewed meat. Scent of stir-fried meat. Scent of grilled meat. After mixing the three vors, Jason took a deep breath and couldn¡¯t wait to start on his own sumptuous dinner. It consisted of 13 grinners. Naturally, this could be considered a sumptuous meal. Especially when the seasoning was sufficient. Jason would eat until his heart¡¯s content. The scent of the soft stew, chewy stir-fried meat, and crispy roasted meat,yered well on top of each other, made Jason unable to stop. [Devouring the grinner x13!] [Modest recovery from injury 13x!] [Satiety +1 13x!] [Satiety: 23] [Excitement of Feeding: 1] A stream of warmth rose from Jason¡¯s stomach and circted around his body. Not only was the exhaustion sweeping away, but Jason felt more energetic than ever. Jason felt like he was in good physical condition. Jason directly opened [Protection from Evil (novice level)]. [Yes/No Consume 6 points of satiety to improve Protection from Evil (novice level ¡ú advanced beginner)?] ¡°Yes!¡± After the affirmation. More power immediately began to emerge from Jason¡¯s stomach. The graphic reiteration sl oT Yn, which represented protection from evil, appeared in front of Jason¡¯s eyes. It was brighter than before. Then, it sank into his heart again. [Protection from Evil (Advanced Beginner): You need to know graphical reiteration and cooperate with some gestures. It takes a lot of physical strength to master this secret technique of defense, so protection from evil will happen. It is used as a secret method and spread to the night watchman via inheritance; Learning it means that you have truly ¡°touched¡± the mysterious side and that you have a little power of self-protection. Unlike those who are at the novice level, you have already started, which gives you a greater chance of survival. Effect: A special force field is attached to the surface of your body, which not only defends against demons of the de level but also counters them and their apanying power level (de level)] (Note 1: Although this is a magic seal that does not require auxiliary, if you have sunflower or pollen, you will be able toplete this spell more easily.) (Note 2: There is no fixed time for thepletion of the gesture, and it will depend on your hand speed.) (Note 3: When your physical strength is not sufficient, the reflected move will backfire. However, the effects of defense and protection from evil still exist.) ¡°No mysterious baptism?¡± ¡°Only valid for one use?¡± Jason felt a little regretful while he felt the amendments to his knowledge and body. Then, watching thebel ¡°Below the de Level¡± be ¡°de Level¡±, Jason, who had nned this from the start, continued to choose to upgrade protection from evil. As Jason had expected, at his level, protection from evil already required excitement of feeding. But¡­ One thing was not what Jason was expecting. Chapter 41: Visitor Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio Graphical reiteration! There was once again a clear requirement for graphical reiteration to upgrade protection from evil from novice level topetent. [Yes/No Consume 10 points of Satiety, 1 point of Excitement of Feeding to upgrade Protection from Evil (Advanced Beginner ¡ú Competent)?] [Judgement of Graphical Reiteration does not reach the required proficiency level. Skills can not be improved!] ¡°I need to have a higher skill level in graphical reiteration?¡± ¡°The advanced beginner level of graphical reiteration has already allowed me to interpret protection from evil. Logically speaking, I only need to improve protection from evil itself.¡± ¡°Yet now, a higher level of graphical reiteration is required¡­¡± ¡°Is it because thepetency level of protection from evil will have some sort of changes?¡± Jason¡¯s eyes shed as he guessed.
He did not reject the idea of raising the level of graphical reiteration. Even in his original n, after maxing out the satiety he could use to upgrade protection from evil, he was nning to use the remaining satiety to upgrade graphical reiteration. This just meant he would bring forward his n. [Yes/No Consume 5 points of Satiety and improve Graphical Reiteration (Advanced Beginner ¡ú Competent)?] ¡°Yes!¡± Jason gave an absolute answer. [Graphical Reiteration (Passive) (Competent): Graphical Reiteration is an ancientnguage that only spread amongst secret organizations and mysterious forces. ording to rumors, it will be produced through correspondingbinations in conjunction with rituals and gives unbelievable effects, but these are a little far away from you now. Although you can skillfully read and master a lot of rare words, you may want to build ¡°Mystery¡± with these, and you are still far from it.] More and moreplex knowledge emerged with the improvements made to graphical reiteration. It took a few seconds for Jason toe back to his senses slightly. In the moment after returning to his senses, his mind could notprehend the knowledge he had acquired, with the graphical reiteration that had been recorded on the sheepskin he had previously obtained. This was apletely subconscious act. But even then, Jason was still just as stunned. It was not that he could not understand the strange words that had been written on it. He already knew enough about these words. What caused him to be in a daze was the above. It was¡­ a ritual of a secret technique! A secret technique abbreviated in the rolled sheepskin. Just by reading a corner of the sheepskin, he could create a dense fog with a radius of 25 meters, and in the dense fog, obtain a concealment and speed bonus.
Jason was still unsure about how the mysterious ritual of the secret technique had been created, but the contents of the text were absolute. To confirm this again, Jason took out the rolled sheepskin. [Discover secret technique ¡°Obscuring Mist¡±!] [Judgement of Graphical Reiteration (Competent), You can read the scroll.]
[Judgement of Graphical Reiteration has not yet reached the required proficiency level. You cannot consume 5 points of satiety to learn the technique!] The text in front of him appeared when Jason¡¯s finger touched the scroll. After Jason realized this, he reacted. ¡°It didn¡¯t appear before because the requirements for the basic reading were not met.¡± ¡°Now that I have met the basic requirements for reading, I still need to be proficient to know the real meaning and learn it quickly!¡± Jason subconsciously looked at the requirements for upgrading graphical reiteration to a Proficient level. ¡°10 points of satiety, 1 point of excitement of feeding¡­¡± Looking at such requirements, Jason was a little shocked, because, with his current points in satiety and excitement of feeding, he could fully meet the requirements to reach Proficient level in graphical reiteration, and subsequently learn the mysterious Obscuring Mist. But immediately, Jason shook his head. To be called a secret technique, Obscuring Mist must naturally be a very good skill. But if youpared it to protection from evil, at this point in time, protection from evil was of much higher importance to Jason. After all¡­ The Moon Mask Club was right around the corner!
The nightmare that happened at the Moon Mask Club determined the final result. He clicked again on protection from evil and Jason chose to level it up. There was a warm rush in his stomach. In that familiar light, it meant that protection from evil sl oT Yn graphical reiteration appeared once again. However, the next second, another graphical reiteration appeared: ¡°I¡±. As if it were branding, this graphical reiteration appeared on the second line. It formed a new curse marker: ¡®I He paused for a moment and the newly formed curse was imprinted on the walls of Jason¡¯s heart once again. Then, thepetency level for protection from evil appeared in front of Jason. [Protection from Evil (Competent): You have mastered this cursed secret technique. It is enough to ensure that you will not be the target of malicious attacks most of the time, but you still need to spend a lot of physical energy to be able to induce it. Also, as part of the inheritance of the night watchman, a certain night watchman made some changes to the technique you received. Effects: 1, a special force field attached to the surface of the body, it will not only defend against attacks of monster below the bullet level, but you can also expel them and the power they carry (below bullet level); 2, you can target the power of expelling evil to creatures or items within three meters of your center as one long-ranged attack.] (Note 1: When you have sunflower or pollen, it will be easier for you toplete the spell and increase the range of 0.3 meters.)
(Note 2: There is no fixed time for thepletion of the gesture, and it will depend on your hand speed.) (Note 3: When your physical strength is not sufficient, the reflected move will backfire. However, the effects of defense and protection from evil still exist.) Everything was like Jason had guessed. After reaching Competent for protection from evil, it had undergone a new change. From the basic need of contact to an additional long-ranged attack. For Jason, it not only represented an abundance of attack methods but also more of his safety when facing these weird creatures. In fact, Jason didn¡¯t want anything other than to not see these weird creatures in his life. But he knew it was impossible. Therefore, he could only do his best to improve himself. ¡°Below the bullet level¡­¡± ¡°Not enough!¡± ¡°It is only enough when it has reached at least the bomb level!¡± Recalling the earlier fight with Herke in the afternoon, afterparing, Jason thought about this silently.
It was very clear that only when he had reached Grade of Explosive that he could truly protect himself or even fight back. But, in the short term, this would definitely not be possible. Looking at the remaining two points of satiety, protection from evil required a whopping 15 points of satiety and 2 points of excitement of feeding to upgrade to the level of Proficient. Jason could not help but sigh. Although he wanted it, he didn¡¯t know how long it would take for him to reach the level of satiety and excitement of feeding required to reach the Proficient level for protection from evil. Jason knew that, after the battle in the afternoon, it was impossible to get so much satiety and excitement of feeding. It was almost impossible. Unless another beast tamer appeared. But¡­ Was that actually possible? Jason thought. He heard from footsteps from the corridor in his ears. The footsteps were very foreign. The footsteps were very light. Their rhythm was neither fast nor slow. The owner of the footsteps did not stop in the hallway and seemed to be heading straight to his room. In the next moment¡­ The other party had stopped and was standing in front of his door. Jason raised his shotgun slightly. His muzzle¡­ Was aimed at the door. Chapter 42: The News Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio Staying vignt in the face of strangers had long been a part of Jason¡¯s instincts. It was like having to eat and drink. However, it was not the same for the one outside the door. At the very moment when Jason raised his shotgun and aimed the muzzle right at the door, this person froze in his entirety. The man outside the door was born with a sharp sixth sense, and it told him that, if he dared push open the door directly, something bad was definitely going to happen. So, this person followed his heart and immediately changed his strategy. Standing up straight, he raised his hand and knocked on the door. Knock, knock, knock. ¡°Hello, may I ask, is His Lordship, Jason here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Daniel, a teacher from Deer College.¡±
After knocking on the door, Daniel immediately introduced himself. And he was very frank when he spoke of where he came from. Deer College? As he had not inherited any memory, Jason was clueless about where Deer College was. But he felt a good vibe about the name of this college. Absolutely not because venison was delicious¡­ Without lowering the muzzle of his gun, Jason opened his mouth and said, ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and anky, red-haired young man was standing there with a top-hat and a cane in his hand. But the smile, which was supposed to be sunny and amicable, was, on the contrary, full of starch. Daniel saw therge-caliber shotgun that was aimed at him¡ªhe did not have much knowledge of firearms, so he did not recognize this shotgun as one that only emerged recently. Without hesitation, Daniel raised his hands high. ¡°Your Lordship, the night watchman, believe me.¡± ¡°I bear no ill intentions.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just here to close some deals.¡± This was what Daniel said. Deals? Jason raised his eyebrows. There was emerging doubt in his eyes. He confirmed that he did not know who the other party was. How should he react to a stranger who wanted to strike a deal with him? Jason raised the shotgun he was holding up high, and then pointed it directly and urately at the other party¡¯s head. Suddenly, Daniel¡¯s perspiration came streaming down.
He had heard that the night watchman was hard to deal with, but he had always thought of that as hearsay. But at the moment? He had gained a deep understanding of the truth of such ¡°hearsay¡±. ¡°I heard you have hunted some grinners and a submariner. I wish to buy the ws of the former and the tentacles of thetter.¡±¡®
Daniel spoke quickly and truthfully. ¡°I don¡¯t have any.¡± Jason simply replied. He had finished off the entire grinner long ago. Even its ws were chewed off like chicken ws. After the submariner was roasted, it was directly sent into his stomach. Not even its skin remained, let alone its tentacles. At the same time, it was not until this very moment that Jason remembered how he had wanted to make some meat jerky as a backup n. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Why did I forget again?¡± ¡°It must be because I was too worked up when I knew I could advance to a higher level of Protection from Evil.¡± ¡°Next time!¡± ¡°Next time, I will remember!¡± Jason impressed upon himself. Then again, Jason looked at Daniel, the self-proimed teacher from Deer College, who was standing before him.
Obviously, this so-called Deer Academy would be linked to the mysterious side. Also, there had to be a considerable intelligencework in Rhode City. Otherwise, the other party would not possibly have known his identity, the monsters he had hunted down, or even to appear in the police dormitory so openly. Could this be a college that had cooperative ties with the officials of Rhode City and was involved with the mysterious side? Moreover, the mysterious side had the practice of face-to-face trading. At least for Rhode City, this was the norm. Furthermore, he held the identity of an advisor. This showed that the officials of Rhode City did not exclude the mysterious side. ording to the other party¡¯s performance, Jason was silently assessing him. And Daniel, on the other hand, was getting increasingly frightened by Jason¡¯s scrutiny. At this point in time, Daniel was beginning to regret calling in on Jason on the spur of the moment. Just when Daniel was about to cook up an excuse so that he could quickly leave this ce, Jason suddenly opened his mouth to speak. ¡°Do you want the scales of grizzly hounds and the hair of a kemetia?¡± ¡°The former is perfectly intact, while thetter is a little charred.¡±
Jason pointed to a corner of the kitchen. Delectable food delighted Jason, but it did not mean that he would simply eat everything. At least for foods like scales, hair, and such, Jason would refuse. Daniel followed the direction that Jason¡¯s finger was pointing at and immediately saw the scales of the grizzly hounds and the hair of the kemetia inside the kitchen trash bin. ¡°wlesslyplete scales!¡± ¡°The hair is a bit charred. Most of the curly ones can no longer be used, but some of the remaining ones are still usable!¡± Daniel came to such a conclusion after a meticulous round of analysis. But the way the two items were stored was somewhat bizarre. Why put them in the trash bin? Why hide them? Daniel spected. ¡°What do you need?¡± Daniel, whose mind was continuously specting, asked in a tone that was getting increasingly humble.
It was not a big deal for anyone to be able to hunt a grizzly hound. But being able to guarantee that the scales of the grizzly hound were perfectly intact was extraordinarily remarkable, let alone the kemetia. Those beasts that looked like baboons, were a breed of beasts closest to monsters. Instead of directly quoting a price, he was asking for what Jason needed? Was this bartering? Jason was spected to himself. Then he responded with a question. ¡°What do you have?¡± Without knowledge of the market prices, there was no way he could say what he wanted. Though he really wanted to directly say ¡®give me some monster meat¡¯ or something along this line. But it was in his nature to exercise due prudence, which eventually brought him to choose to familiarize himself with the market atrge before anything else. ¡°I have a potion that can allow drunks to speedily sober up.¡± ¡°I also have a potion that can make a person so highly stimted, he won¡¯t be able to sleep all night.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also a potion that can treat wounds so that the wounds won¡¯t get infected.¡± ¡°You can choose up to two potions, and they can be of different kinds.¡± ¡°Or you can choose two of the same kind.¡± In the face of Jason¡¯s inquiry, Daniel introduced what he had with great familiarity. Just as he had expected. This was bartering! Jason, who had confirmed this, shook his head slightly. ¡°Not enough!¡± This was what he said. Though he did not know the market well, he did know that there was always room for negotiation in any transaction. This was nature. And the facts proved that Jason was right. In the face of Jason¡¯s words, Daniel¡¯s subconscious course of action was to rebut. But when he saw the gun in Jason¡¯s hands, he immediately shed a somewhat rigid smile. ¡°There¡¯s only one left for the potion that can treat wounds!¡± ¡°As for the remaining two potions, you can choose another two more.¡± ¡°If the kemetia¡¯s hairs were normal, not charred, or curly, you could have exchanged for even more. But now, this is already the maximum limit.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go make inquiries at any one of Rhode¡¯s secret assemblies. There won¡¯t be anyone who can quote a price that¡¯s higher than mine.¡± Daniel was trying his best to put on a smile as he spoke. But no matter how he might look, it seemed as though he was about to cry out loud. Secret assemblies? Jason¡¯s attention was drawn to these two words. There was no doubt that people of the same kind would always flock together to form one circle after another. Every little circle would have its own rules. It was not easy for anyone to want to enter a small circle. But there was a good candidate right before him. Jason looked at Daniel. Upon seeing thetter tremble, Jason said slowly, ¡°I just came from Rhode, so I¡¯m not familiar with the gatherings here.¡± ¡°I can be your referral.¡± Daniel said immediately. Then, Daniel put down three bottles of potion. He got the scales and hair he wanted. At the same time, along the corridor, the sounds of footsteps rang aloud again. This time, it was a close acquaintance, Bondy. A second after Jason heard the sound of footsteps, Daniel heard it too. This person who imed to be a teacher from Deer College stood up and bade farewell. ¡°There will be a rally tomorrow. I will be here at nightfall to pick you up.¡± This was what Daniel said when he was about to take his leave. By the time Daniel opened the door, Bondy had arrived at the doorstep. Seeing Daniel brought a frown to Bondy¡¯s face. But he did not say anything, while Daniel simply gave a slight bow to express his greeting. Then, under Bondy¡¯s watchful eyes, Daniel left the third floor. It was only after he had confirmed that the other party had reached downstairs when Bondy properly closed the door and walked into the room. Sitting down across Jason, the sheriff opened his mouth to say, ¡°One piece of good news and one piece of bad news.¡± ¡°Which one do you want to hear?¡± Chapter 43: Everything Was Meant To Be? Chapter 43: Everything Was Meant To Be?
Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Good news!¡± Jason said without hesitation. Listening to the bad news before the good news helped dispel some of the terrible feelings brought about by the bad news, allowing one to feel some sense offort. But on the same note, the good news might be something that was not worth being so happy over. Jason hated such a feeling. Since he was happy, he should only be feeling happy, through and through.
And the bad news? That would be a matter forter on. ¡°His Lordship, the director, is very pleased with you, Jason.¡± ¡°Whether it was before or just now, he¡¯s satisfied with everything.¡± ¡°So, you got a pay raise.¡± ¡°Two grams of gold a week, and this is the employment fee you are entitled to receive from earlier on, as well as your first week¡¯s sry.¡± Bondy said as he took out 4 grams of gold and 6 grams of silver from his wallet. After excluding the pay for this week, the remaining 2 grams of gold and 6 grams of silver were themission agreed upon prior to hiring the night watchman to resolve this round of trouble. ¡°Not bad.¡± Jason said. After carefully counting the amount, he put the earnings into his wallet. Although spices could be reimbursed as basic necessities, it was impossible to do likewise for some other things. For example, the normal three meals a day.
Based on the price of food at the Yanan Food Store, Jason could infer the price range for a restaurant that truly had a specialty dish. With his food capacity, if he were to uninhibitedly eat to his heart¡¯s content¡­ Oh, forget it. Up to 70% full was healthier. ¡°Also¡­¡± ¡°It will be your gun.¡± ¡°This is legal. It¡¯s on record.¡± ¡°Of course, the ammunition that was used is also reimbursable.¡± Bondy pointed to the ¡°Winchester Brothers¡±. The corners of Jason¡¯s mouth curved upwards. Compared to the pistols of this generation, the shotgun was undoubtedly his favorite, especially that unique sound when the Winchester Brothers were loaded and he pulled the trigger. That captivated him even more. ¡°What else?¡± Jason looked at Bondy with great anticipation. He was hoping that there would be even more delightful things. What a pity. The sheriff shook his head.
¡°What follows next is bad news.¡± Bondy said as his expression became increasingly solemn. After a slight pause, he whispered, ¡°The men standing guard outside the Moon Mask Club have gone missing.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Jason immediately sat up straight as he clenched tightly onto the shotgun in his hand. ¡°Because of the battle earlier in the afternoon, I recalled Hall and two other young men and left only four young men there to stand guard.¡± ¡°And just a while ago, when Hall brought some men with him and returned there, he realized that there was no one there.¡± ¡°All four men were not by their designated post. Hall re-allocated his staff and then came back to report to me.¡± Bondy gave a detailed ount of the situation. Then, he looked at Jason. In the face of that bizarre situation, Bondy knew he was a mereyman. This was why he hoped to seek the opinion of an expert. ¡°To the Moon Mask Club!¡± With his gun in his hand, Jason stood up and walked out without stopping at all.
The varying changes of the Moon Mask Club made Jason feel exceptionally heavy-hearted. In fact, ording to Jason¡¯s n, before his level of Protection from Evil rose to the point where he could deal with the bizarreness at the level of explosives, he would not even touch a ce like the Moon Mask Club at all. But¡­ ns were always faster than changes. ¡°Is it the passage of time that allowed that ce to umte enough power, thus allowing the change to happen?¡± ¡°Or is it¡­¡± ¡°Because of Kurtz in the afternoon?¡± Jason thought as he walked. When he stepped out of the doorstep of the police dormitory, he caught sight of Hall and Finch at first nce. The two of them were each leading two troops. More than 20 constables were standing in front of the carriage as they waited. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°Jason, My Lord!¡±
Bondy and Jason, who were seen walking out, exchanged salutations with the remaining men. Then, they prepared to set off for the Moon Mask Club on two separate carriages. And just as he got on board the carriage, Jason suddenly thought of something. ¡°Finch, I have boiled some soup in my room¡­ Pour the holy water into a kraft bag and bring it here.¡± Jason instructed. ¡°Understood!¡± The young constable immediately replied, and he ran straight back to the police dormitory. Jason and Bondy boarded the first carriage and waited quietly. The two of them sat face to face. Looking at Jason, who sat across him with such a calm expression, the sheriff, who had been holding back for a long time, finally could not help speaking up. So he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± With that, the sheriff looked at Jason.
He was expecting to see something subtle in Jason¡¯s face. Unfortunately, Jason¡¯s expression remained as calm as before. ¡°Why did Kurtz be an Avenger? Aren¡¯t you curious at all?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship between Kurtz and Kalina? Aren¡¯t you curious at all?¡± ¡°How did Kurtze to possess that ability? Aren¡¯t you curious at all?¡± Bondy asked his questions in session. ¡°Kurtz became an Avenger because of Kalina.¡± ¡°He should have known Kalina since a long time ago, and they should have been involved in a romantic rtionship. It might even be because Kurtz came to Rhode to be a constable, so Kalina also chose toe to Rhode.¡± ¡°And in Rhode, while the probability of ordinary people encountering the mysterious side is small, it¡¯s not exactly zero. Kurtz¡¯s talent caught the attention of someone from the mysterious side. So he was epted as a disciple, and eventually, he gained that kind of ability.¡± Jason answered the questions one by one. Hearing the answers here, Bondy¡¯s face was filled with surprise. If it was not for the fact that he had confirmed that it was impossible for the investigation report, which was just handed over to him, to have first been in the hands of someone else, Bondy would really have believed that Jason had stolen a peek at the report. Could it be¡­ ¡°Did you practice divination to derive the answers?¡± Bondy could not help asking. ¡°I¡¯m not good at the practice of divination.¡± Jason said matter-of-factly. Then, without allowing Bondy the chance to ask any further, he said right away, ¡°Kalina is an admirabledy. She¡¯s brave, tenacious, and she¡¯s neither vain nor greedy. Given her character, if there¡¯s no apparent reason to do so, I believe she basically will not leave her hometown.¡± ¡°And a reason that¡¯s enough to make a youngdy leave her hometown, other than love¡­ I really can¡¯t think of any other.¡± ¡°Love is really something so frightening.¡± ¡°As for the Avenger? ¡°We have discussed enough.¡± Jason said as he adjusted his posture. Just as Bondy thought Jason had finished talking and was prepared to close his eyes to rest, Jason suddenly opened his mouth to speak. ¡°What are the chances of an ordinary person encountering people from the mysterious side? ¡°And as luck would have it, this ordinary person happens to be quite talented. How likely could this be?¡± ¡°Or even more coincidentally, this ordinary person lost the love of his life to an unexpected cause of death, thus causing him to be filled with hatred. If so¡­ how high could the odds be in this case?¡± A series of questions brought about a series of changes in Bondy¡¯s facial expressions. ¡°You mean to say?¡± ¡°Someone¡­¡± ¡°Is manipting all this?¡± Once again, Bondy¡¯s voice became so soft that it was only audible to the two of them. ¡°All the good, and also, all the bad, in the world,e with reasons.¡± ¡°Those gifts that seemed to be given by destiny?¡± ¡°Those have long been secretly marked with a price.¡± With that, Jason closed both his eyes. Once again, he thought of himself. The series of opportunities he had met along the way¡­ were those also marked with a price from a long time ago?¡± Jason did not know about this. He only knew that, even if it meant being used as a pawn. He was going to live through it. And, he had to live well enough, as well as long enough. Because¡­ Only then would he have a chance to jump out of the chessboard! And at this very moment, he was about to face another crisis. It was going to be a situation that was many times more dangerous than what had happened in the afternoon! While he was thinking of it, Jason suddenly opened his eyes. ¡°Bondy, I need some stuff to increase our chances of winning.¡± Jason said. ¡°What things?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to help you get hold of them.¡± First, Bondy looked at Jason. When he saw Jason¡¯s earnest expression, the sheriff could not help hearing the sound of drums beating in his heart. His voice carried a hint of hesitation because he was very worried that at this point in time, Jason¡¯s cold sense of humor might act up again, and that Jason would be requesting foods like potatoes, carrots, and onions. Fortunately, this time, Jason made a pretty normal request: ¡°Kerosene!¡± ¡°Explosives!¡± ¡°Cannons!¡± Chapter 44: The Reception Chapter 44: The Reception
Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°What? Bondy froze in his spot, thinking that he had heard Jason wrong. ¡°Kerosene, explosives, cannon!¡± Even though Jason repeated his words. Then, he even provided specific information as a supplement. ¡°30 barrels of kerosene! 100 explosives! 2 to 3 cannons!¡±
¡°If you can¡­¡± ¡°The more of these things, the better!¡± There was no doubt this time Jason had made a perfectly normal request. But Bondy was still frozen in shock. He was even feeling a little overwhelmed, not knowing exactly what he should do. ¡°Are you prepared to start a war?¡± The sheriff jokingly asked. But Jason did not show even an inkling of a smile. On the contrary, he shook his head in a very serious manner. ¡°This is even more difficult and dangerous than a normal war.¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know if what you have allows you to resist and defend yourself against what exists out there.¡± Jason replied with a grave expression.
If he had a choice, Jason really did not wish to get involved in anything rted to the Moon Mask Club before he truly acquired enough power of self-protection. But the changes in the Moon Mask made it impossible for him not to pay attention to the situation there. He even had to take the initiative to solve the problems there. After all, his mainline mission had long since be ¡°Spend seven days in Rhode¡±. And now, it was just passed the third day. Who could guarantee that there would not be an even more terrifying change appearing at the Moon Mask in the remaining four days? But the moment a change happened, he would be utterly helpless, without any means of retaliation. Rather than waiting for that time toe, instead of sitting around to wait for death. It was better to¡­ Initiate an attack! Only the mysterious could deal with the mysterious. Naturally, this made sense. But when one¡¯s own mysterious ability was unable to cope with the situation, then one would have no choice but to seek other ways out. Explosives!
mes! Since the day Jason first came in contact with the mysterious side up until now, he had always been proving his own effectiveness against the mysterious side. So he relied on explosives and gunpowder to make up for his own shorings! If one was not enough, he would use ten! If ten was not enough, he would use a hundred! If a hundred was still not enough¡­ He would go find a thousand of them! So long as the quantity wasrge enough, it was certain that a qualitative change could be produced! Jason looked straight at Bondy. Bondy gazed into Jason¡¯s eyes. They were filled with unprecedented seriousness. The next moment¨C Phew!
He inhaled deeply. Then, he pulled down the brim of his hat and said, ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Having said that, the sheriff jumped out of the carriage and ran in the direction of the police station. Kerosene and explosives were not a problem. Given his level of authority, if he did his best, there was still a little hope of being able to find some of these. But gunpowder¡­ He might not even be able to handle one on his own, let alone two to three of them. Because in the entire Rhode City, there was only one ce that stored gunpowder, and it was none other than the military camp! That was a ce that was inessible to ordinary people. Even though he was once from the military troop, and now, the sheriff of Rhode, in terms of the military camp, he was still nothing more than amoner. But¡­ There was someone who could! His immediate boss!
His Lordship, the director! But wanting to persuade that director of his to utilize gunpowder was absolutely not a simple task. For this, he needed to think of the best way to pitch his idea. And he had to be prepared to be scolded hard. Inexplicably, the sheriff, who had earlier wished that Jason could be a little more normal, was now beginning to miss Jason¡¯s cold humor. He felt that Jason was more approachable at that time. The more he thought about it, the faster and faster the sheriff walked. Soon, the view of his departing figure disappeared from Jason¡¯s field of vision. Then, Jason shut his eyes and waited quietly. On the outskirts of Rhode, somewhere in the dense forest. A man, with arge cape draped over his body and whose face waspletely obscured, was walking unhurriedly in the forest. The dense thorn bushes that surrounded him seemed to hurriedly retreat aside in his presence, as though they weremoners encountering the nobles. And after this man had passed them, these thorn bushes would be restored to their original state again. ¡°It was purely idental.¡± ¡°Not only did I find myself a good disciple.¡±
¡°Dan, you too?¡± The other party was muttering to himself. There was a very sincere feeling of delight in his voice. It sounded like he was giving a blessing. But the other party¡¯s face, hidden in the dark shadows, was not smiling at all. The cold, murderous intention was being contorted in some kind of secretive, unique way. The nts in the surroundings were all affected by such a murderous intention. The brambles and shrubs were rapidly wilting and withering. The other party lowered his head to look at these withering brambles and shrubs. ¡°Seedlings are, after all, seedlings.¡± ¡°Without being exposed to the different kinds of weather,e rain or wind.¡± ¡°How could they possibly grow into towering trees?¡± As he spoke, he raised and waved his hand. Suddenly, the brambles and shrubs, that were wilting and withering just a moment ago, were quickly rejuvenated with new vigor. Then, like the thorn bushes earlier on, these brambles and shrubs also made way for this man to pass through. Whistling a lighthearted tune, the man advanced slowly. ¡°Shush-shush!¡± ¡°The dead Kurtz. Pitiful, pitiful, so pitiful.¡± ¡°The dead Kalina. Pathetic, pathetic, so pathetic.¡± ¡°But nightfall, the night has fallen.¡± ¡°The ck sheep are starting to dance.¡± ¡°Hurry up and dance.¡± ¡°Hurry up and dance.¡± The man walked further and further away. His footsteps were getting lighter and lighter. The sounds of his whistling and singing were getting softer and softer. Then, finally, he disappeared. At midnight, Jason andpany finally arrived at the doorstep of Moon Mask Club that was behind Kensing Street. At Jason¡¯s behest, not a single one, of all who were there, approached the club. With a vision that was almost twice the power of an average person, Jason stood by the street and gave the Moon Mask, in the distance, a good sizing-up under the moonlight. The door that he had pushed open earlier on was shut again. And the corpse of the gatekeeper, that was supposed to be covered with a white cloth, had long disappeared without a trace. ¡°We didn¡¯t close the door.¡± ¡°The corpse was also here before then. It disappeared together with our men.¡± Hall said immediately. Then, he pointed at somewhere along the street, about 5 meters away from the gate of the club, and went on saying, ¡°I have set up two sentry posts in this area, one here and one there. There are two people rostered for each shift, three shifts in total while I¡¯m responsible for supporting them with coordination of action.¡± ¡°There was nothing out of the norm all day.¡± ¡°But after I came back, the four men who were supposed to stay behind to stand guard, as well as the two corpses at the door, were all gone.¡± ¡°Without a trace at all.¡± The senior detective clenched his fist tightly as he spoke. Everyone present was well aware of what it meant to go missing in such a ce. A wave of grief surged into the minds of these young constables. In particr, Finch, who was looking at the Moon Mask Club in the distance. His eyes were red beyond his control. He shared a close friendship with two of the missing men because they were his roommates when he was in 202. Puff! Suddenly, there was a gust of wind. The night breeze of autumn had long been chilly. But the chill brought about by this gust of wind was bitingly cold. Many people were instinctively shivering. But what made them all tremble even more was¨C Squeak! In the distance, the main doors of the Moon Mask Club opened. Two towering doors swung inward as they slowly opened. Amidst the poignant noise, the lights inside the club became dazzling again. Music also sounded again. In the hall, people were dancing andughing as they conversed softly. Then¡­ Two figures walked out of the crowd of dancing people. ¡°Kurtz!¡± ¡°Kalina!¡± At the sight of those two people, many people let out cries of surprise. They were incapable of movement as they looked on. The two people were smiling as they walked out of the club hand-in-hand. Then, they both bent over to bow as they extended a wee to the people outside the door. Suddenly, everyone was at a loss. ¡°Jason?¡± Bondy asked in a low voice. Jason did not open his mouth to say anything. He merely leaned sideways. Creak, creak. Amidst the overwhelming noise, two bronze cannons were slowly pushed over. Two bombs were loaded into the bore. The muzzle of the cannon slowly took aim at the Moon Mask Club. Jason¡¯s raised arm fell heavily¨C ¡°Fire!¡± Chapter 45: Bombardment Chapter 45: Bombardment
Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio At hismand. The muzzles of two bronze cannons went aze with flickering firelight. Boom! Boom! Two bombs were sted and bombarded straight into the Moon Mask Club. Suddenly, the earth shook.
The shockwaves produced as a result of the bombardment of bombs made the entire earth tremble. But¡­ The Moon Mask Club, that was hit directly, was not the least damaged at all. Not only was the entire building free of any damage, but even Kurtz and Kalina, who were standing at the entrance of the club, did not show any change. The two of them were still smiling and standing in the posture of a weing gesture. Inside the club, it was still a scene of bright lights and melodious music. Theughter of joy and chatter of conversation from the dancing people were all the more apparent. Everything was the same as before. It seemed just like nothing had changed at all. In the face of such a scene, Bondy and the others could not help trembling. It was a scene of an urrence that did not conform tomon sense. It was enough to suffocate people. But Jason¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He looked coldly at the Moon Mask Club, that was just as before, and then, he waved his hand again and gave hismand. ¡°Release!¡± His loud voice awakened Bondy and Hall.
The two of them walked out with 10 young, strong men. The ignited bombs were seen flying out of the hands of these 12 men and into the Moon Mask Club. Boom, boom, boom! Amidst a series of sts, two carriages made an about-turn at the end of the street. Unlike the carriages meant for ferrying people, these two carriages and the number of carriages next to them werepletely used for the purpose of transporting kerosene and explosives. Therefore, they did not have any cabins. Instead, there were manger-likepartments on the carriages. For the convenience of loading and unloading goods, the rear of the carriage was made of a wooden nk that could be opened and closed. At this moment, the nk had been fully opened. Many wooden nks were piled into a tilted stack onto the wooden nk at the rear of the carriage. The constables who were standing within thispartment wereying these barrels of kerosene into a horizontal position. Then they pushed hard. Roll-roll-roll! The wood that was loaded with kerosene flew at high speed and crashed into the Moon Mask Club. At the same time, Bondy and Hall, the two fully-qualified bombers, had picked up another round of explosives. The two men aimed at the location where the barrels of kerosene hit and threw the explosives in their hairs. Boom, boom!
Whoo! After two explosions, several kerosene barrels were sted directly into the sky. And the kerosene within these barrels waspletely ignited. It spurted out as though it had been subjected to the breath of a dragon and watered upon the building where the Moon Mask Club was located. Bombardment, explosives, mes. An attack that consisted of a series of three waves wasunched. Yet, the Moon Mask Club still seemed to be perfectly intact. Of course, this was just how it appeared to be when seen through the eyes of ordinary people. In Jason¡¯s extraordinary vision, he seemed to have seen a tad of contortion in ¡®Moon Mask¡¯ Club. It was a very minute contortion. If one did not look intently, he would not have been able to see anything. ¡°It¡¯s working!¡± Jason felt a jolt of confidence. He signaled for Bondy to continue and then directed his gaze at Finch. Finch, who was standing next to the cannon, was with another trained detective at the moment. They were picking up buckets filled with cold water and pouring everything into the muzzle of the cannons.
Sizzle, sizzle-sizzle! Hot water vapor, mixed with the smell of sulfur, rose. Still, Finch and the other detective did not stop. Bucket after bucket of water was poured into the muzzle until the water vapor hadpletely dissipated. Then they used wooden clubs wrapped in cotton cloth to clear away all the gunpowder residue. After drying the inner bore of the cannon, which was nearly 1.7 meters long, they started on the second round of filling. Full bags of ck gunpowder were tamped down the inner bore of the cannon. And, thereafter, Finch and the other detective began to adjust the muzzle of the cannon. Wanting to move a bronze cannon that would cost them the energy of a meal was certainly not easy at all. Even if it had wheels, it was still the same. Often enough, even wheels as wide as 1.45 meters could be another kind of obstacle at some point in time. Fortunately, Bondy brought enough people this time. Very quickly, under the concerted help of the crowd, the second aim waspleted. ¡°Fire!¡± Jason called the shots to open fire again, and the two bronze cannons roared into action again. Boom, boom!
This time, the contortion of the Moon Mask Club was much bigger. The degree of contortion was much greater than even ordinary people could easily discern the contorted areas that had appeared on the whole building. It seemed as though the entire building was going to be bent. And the more direct changes observable were Kurtz and Kalina. In the beginning, Kurtz and Kalina were all smiles. But now, they were no longer smiling. Both their faces were filled with anger and ferocity, and they were growling in deep and low voices. Everyone standing out there on the street found themselves trembling from within. Influenced by basic instincts, they wanted to turn about and run away as fast as they could. But their inner responsibilities and the tenacity they honed from past training endowed them with an instinctive endurance. However, the resulting offensive was a meal. ¡°Continue!¡± Jason gave a loud shout, and everyone in the surrounding subconsciously turned to look at him. Then¡­ Everyone saw Jason taking a step forward.
He stood before everyone. Holding the Winchester shotgun in his hands, he took aim at Kurtz and Kalina. Then he pulled the trigger. Bang! Click, click! Bang! Click, click! The sound of the shotgun awoke Bondy instantly. ¡°By my orders, continue to attack!¡± The sheriff said as he ignited the bomb in his hand and tossed it out. Boom! Then it was Hall¡¯s turn. Boom! After the loud explosions of two bombs, almost everyone present was awakened. And right away¨C Boom, boom, boom! One after the other, bombs were crashing upon the Moon Mask Club, as though they were falling raindrops. Barrel after barrel of kerosene was hitting down onto the club as well. Explosions! mes! These were alternating turns to take center stage. Then, finally, the two merged as one. Kurtz and Kalina¡¯s cries were getting more and more resounding. Yet, ultimately, these were still covered up by the explosion. The lever shotgun that Jason held in his hands did not stop. It was shooting bullets, one after another, that hit the two ¡°people¡±. Though his shots did not manage to kill these two ¡°people¡±, every shot would at least strike the two ¡°people¡± and send them flying a distance back. And at this point in time, those dancing people inside the Moon Mask Club also stopped their activity at the same time. They looked at Jason with expressionless faces. What a scene! It instantly reminded Jason of an earlier scene, where he found a neat lineup of corpses inside that were all looking straight at him. There was even¡­ In a sense, some ovepping of events taking ce. The corpses that were lying down and the people who were dancing about were ovepping. What was even scarier was that Jason felt an inexplicable attraction appearing to exert its pull on him. That was a hair-raising, spine-chilling, eerily cold kind of attraction. Fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh! There was a whistling wind in Jason¡¯s ear. That wind was trying to envelop it within its embrace and whisk him away. Toy him down amongst the other corpses. To get him to dance in the crowd. Enjoy a sound sleep! Feel the happiness! There were low whisperings mingling with the wind as they echoed in Jason¡¯s ear. Without hesitation¨C ¡°s IoT Yn!¡± The handprint of the protection from evil waspleted in a sh. When it was only applied to one¡¯s own body without a specific goal, the ¡®i¡¯ was not to be used. When a special force field appeared, the sound of the wind and the low whisperings disappeared instantly. What was left to be seen were the gazes of those people. Jason bit open the kraft paper bag with an expressionless face. Then he poured the holy water into his mouth and swallowed without stopping. When the weakness in his body had slightly abated, he turned around straight away and took out an explosive from the entire box behind him. After lighting the fuze, he simply tossed it out. With a strength that was more than half the power of an average human, Jason threw the bomb he held in his hands easily, as though it was an arrow that was simply released from a bow. And the bomb flew right into the Moon Mask Club, then fell andnded at the feet of these ¡°people¡±. Boom! Firelight flickered. The human figures first squirmed about. And then, once again, they stood upright. But the sparks that the explosion brought with it were uncontrobly leaping and rising. One of these little balls of sparks should have died off with the passing wind. But, just as it was about to be smothered, it drifted away andnded on the fuze of an explosive¡ªthis location used to be a sentry post of the club, but now, it was simply void of human presence. Only a box and a carbine were left. The next moment¨C Boom, boom, boom! An unprecedented violent explosion appeared in the Moon Mask Club. The shockwaves brought about by the impact of the explosion bombarded the Moon Mask, causing the entire club to crumble and copse! This included Kurtz and Kalina, who had been standing at the main doors of the club, as well as the people who used to be dancing inside the club. They were all torn apart within an instant. Bondy, Hall, Finch, and the others were first momentarily shocked. It waspletely beyond their imagination that a single explosive that Jason had so casually tossed out could actually be so powerful. Then, cheers erupted! ¡°We won!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve rid ourselves of those guys!¡± As though they were soldiers who had just taken down the victory, they were all cheering at the top of their voices. Only Jason was frowning as he looked at the copsed Moon Mask Club. His eyes were full of doubt and thought. How could he have created such a powerful might? Jason pondered, spected, then suddenly¡­ His nose started twitching. Chapter 46: The Scarecrow Chapter 46: The Scarecrow
Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio Fragrant! A mild, delicate fragrance! Jason lifted his legs and strode over to the ce where the fragrance came from. That ce was none other than the ruins of the Moon Mask Club. After making a few steps on the ruins, Jason locked his eyes on a b of rubble. ¡°Do we have a shovel?¡±
Jason shouted to the people behind him. ¡°Yes, we do!¡± Finch drew a shovel from the side of the cannon carrier and ran over. This shovel was prepared as a precautionary measure against the trouble that the cannon carrier might possibly encounter as it moved about. It was a military product in the truest sense. Not only was it light and convenient, but it was also extremely handy and useful. This was especially so for the left half of the shovel, which was so sharp that it could be used as a knife. Upon receiving the shovel, Jason refused Finch¡¯s help and began to dig very carefully. The rubble was rapidly cleared. The carpet, that was ced on the original floor of the club, was also cleaned as a result. Then, there was the shattered stone floor. For everyyer cleaned, the fragrance grew a bit stronger. By now, that fragrance, that was heading in his direction in whiffs and puffs, was telling Jason that food was about to appear before him. He no longer chose to use the shovel. Instead, Jason began using his bare hands to move the shattered bs of stone flooring. When a piece of the stone floorboard, that was considered to be pretty much intact, was shifted away, a palm-sized box appeared in front of Jason.
Like the stone flooring, this wooden box was long broken, so much to the extent that there was no need for Jason to open up the box to see what was contained within it. It was a¡­ Scarecrow! It was a scarecrow that had been fragmented into many pieces during the explosion. When it was perfectly intact in its entirety, it should have had hands and legs, as well as the structure of a head. The fragrance wasing from this crushed scarecrow. Jason carefully picked up the broken scarecrow, with a touch of hesitance appearing on his face. ¡°Do I want to eat grass?¡± But, immediately, such hesitation disappeared. ¡°It smells so good; I¡¯m sure it will taste just as good.¡± ¡°I can boil it for a while in some holy water, and then dip it in some sauce. Shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± With a decision in mind, Jason hesitated no more. He directly loaded the scarecrow into the kraft paper bag that he always had with him wherever he went. Then, he went to Bondy, who had alsoe to the ruins and was carrying out a site investigation.
There were some matters that entailed professional insight, so he needed to seek Bondy¡¯s opinion. ¡°Phweet-phweet!¡± While whistling a lighthearted tune, the man marched forward amidst the dense forest. But that lighthearted whistle of his suddenly came to a halt, and his footsteps also came to a pause, along with his entire being. Though his whistle immediately returned to normal, and his footsteps also became light again, his face that was obscured by the shadow of the darkness, revealing a hint of surprise and twisted resentment. ¡°Ho-ho.¡± ¡°Jason, Jason.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really one amazing apprentice!¡± ¡°The ck sheep should really dance for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re truly worthy of a¡± Zoom! It was a sound like a singing aria being interrupted by something sharp shing through the air.
A bolt suddenly appeared from a distance. The moment a sound was heard, this bolt had bored a hole through the man¡¯s body and pinned him right onto the trunk of the tree behind him. The man lowered his head to look at his wound. Then he could not helpughing. ¡°Dan, you are still so sharp and fast.¡± These words were barely said, and the man simply fell straight onto the ground. Fresh blood oozed from his body and invaded the surroundingnd. Instantly, the surrounding verdure wilted and withered right away, as though they had met with lethal poison. And such wilting and withering was rapidly spreading. But the next moment, a potion fell from the sky and stopped all this. Crack! A test tube fell to the ground and was directly smashed into pieces. A crystal-clear fluid rapidly neutralized the blood in that corpse.
The wilting and withering verdure did not undergo regeneration, but the poison that was spreading was brought under control. A figure appeared soundlessly, right next to the corpse. After a quick examination of the dead body, this figure raised his hand and waved. Whoosh! mes spewed out in a great surge and covered the corpse. Amidst the zing mes, the corpse was set on fire. A middle-aged man, donning a leather armor with a pair of swords slung behind his back and a hooded cloak draped on the outside, was visible under the illumination of the firelight. ¡°Another puppet¡­¡± ¡°The shepherd!¡± The middle-aged man gave a cold snort, and then, he turned around to look in the direction of Rhode. ¡°Just fooling around.¡± This was what the middle-aged man said. But the phlegmatic countenance was bing gentle, and the corners of his mouth were starting to reveal a hint of a smile that seemed to be hard to miss.
The next moment, the middle-aged man waved again. Suddenly, the mes disappeared. And at the same time, the figure of the middle-aged man also disappeared without a trace. ¡®I can confirm that the explosion that just happened was beyond the power of what a single bomb should have!¡¯ ¡®That amount of power was supposed to be possible only when more than a dozen bombs exploded at the same time.¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s more, I have conducted some on-site investigations and found that there are many areas of the club that showed signs of an explosion, and these were from the inside, not from the outside!¡¯ After returning to the singles¡¯ dormitory, Jason sat by the stove, still musing about Bondy¡¯s words from a while ago. He was not concerned about the matter of the club having a bomb in its vicinity. For a ce like this, it wasmon sense to have some weapons in its possession. This was simr to how a repairman always kept a wrench close at hand. It was nothing surprising at all. If otherwise, Jason would have found it strange. What truly bothered him was ¡°When attacking from the outside, the power of gunpowder weapons is greatly reduced. And attacking from the inside¡­ No, no, no, I should not put it across like that!¡± ¡°I should say that only items that have been evaluated as belongings of the Moon Mask Club can give y to the due effect. If not, the item can only unleash one-tenth of its power, or even less a tenth.¡± ¡°All of this is achieved by relying on it?¡± Subconsciously, Jason looked at the scarecrow in the metal pot, which was fully boiled in the holy water. The scattered, messy lines rolling about the soup reminded Jason of noodles. Soup noodles were pretty good. If there were some toppings, it would be even better. The fragranceing from the pot was making Jason fall into a reverie of thoughts. Even to the extent where he had to exert some great perseverance in order to pull his wandering thoughts back on the right track. ¡°Something¡¯s not quite right.¡± ¡°If it could be done to such a degree, the fragrance should, by right, be much stronger. It should be even stronger than that of the monster, Herke and not like this, where it¡¯s hovering between a submariner and a Kemetia.¡± Jason quickly shook his head. Having gone through so many rounds of foodparisons, he had long sorted out theparison between the concentration of the fragrance of foods and the strength of the foods in their own right. The more fragrant a food was, the stronger it was. On the contrary, if the food was of a much weaker caliber, then it would have a milder fragrance. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s most likely that it¡¯s a ritual of a certain kind ofbination.¡± With this in mind, Jason could not help but whisper to himself. ¡°A profession that has formed a system of its own, a secret technique that¡¯s inherited, a wide variety of rituals¡­¡± It was very obvious that the power of the mysterious side was far moreplex and bizarre than what he had ever imagined. This was especially so, for a rookie like Jason. He could not even differentiate what he had seen from the earlier scene, whether it was making use of the power of ¡°Profession¡±, or whether it was an unmethodical power that was independent of ¡°Profession¡±. However, either way, Jason still had more to look forward to regarding the secret assembly that he would be attending the next day. He expected himself to be able to gain even more understanding over there. He wanted to know everything about the mysterious side. Knowledge and rumors alike, there would be no discrimination. It would be best if there was information specifically about the Moon Mask Club. Although the Moon Mask Club had already be a pile of ruins, Jason did not find that the matter could be concluded as a finished event. Because, from the start, until the end, the figure who had arranged all this was not directing anything at him. Instead, it was all about dealing with his teacher. Jason? He was just an incidental urrence along the way. It was just that¡­ that was only before. Now? The other party should have noticed him. What was the other party going to do next? And as for him¡­ What should he do to deal with the situation? A sense of urgency and crisis made Jason pick up his bowl. The next moment Slurp, slurp. Chapter 47: Look Like or Not? Chapter 47: Look Like or Not? Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The noodles were not dried up or shriveled, nor were they difficult to chew at all. On the contrary, they were not only very chewy, they even had a little crispiness to their texture, especially whenbined with the taste of the meat broth. The taste could even bring a shine to Jason¡¯s eyes. A mouthful of noodles. A mouthful of soup. Even if there were no actual toppings in a true sense, the taste was still extremely delightful when matched with some pepper, vinegar, and a little garlic shoots. [Devouring the Kirchen elves (Crush)!] [Moderate recovery of physical strength and vigor!] [Satiety +4] [Satiety: 6] ¡°Kirchen elves?¡± Looking at the unfamiliar name, Jason, who had fully recovered his physical strength and vigor, raised a brow in response. He could be sure that the name of this monster was not found in his copy of the ¡°Certificate of Night Watchman¡±. Likewise, including that amorphous, monster-like creature previously, there was no information about it as well. The feeling of knowing only the name of something without any specific details about it was just like the feeling one would have when someone started off by saying, ¡°Hey, let me tell you something,¡± and then stopping there without saying anything else. This was a feeling so terrible that it was beyond what words could describe. ¡°Have to get more food¡­ No, it¡¯s information about monsters.¡± ¡°This is the consciousness of a night watchman.¡± ¡°And also¡­¡± ¡°Satiety!¡± Jason watched as the number of Satiety points increased again, reaching a Satiety of 6. He did not mind umting some Satiety at all. But only on the premise where it was safe enough. Like the current situation he found himself in, all the more he would want to use Satiety to exchange for greater strength. But at the moment, his skills had reached a bottleneck where he needed the excitement of food. ¡°Learn some new skills?¡± ¡°But the acquisition of a skill requires me to undergo a process, unless¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a skill like the graphical reiterations and protection from evil!¡± Thinking about this made Jason increasingly look forward to that secret assembly, where he might possibly find something rewarding. And before that? Once again, Jason took out the ¡°Certificate of Night Watchman¡±. He had read through all the contents written in this book before. But Jason did not mind reading it a few more times to reinforce his memory. After all, this was the only book that could keep him linked to the mysterious side. The kerosenemp in the room was adjusted brighter. Gradually, the only sound that could be heard was that of someone flipping the pages of a book. Early in the morning, around the corner of the street, ¡°Yanan Food Store¡± was timely set up for business. The crippled boss finished setting up the ckboard that was filled with names and prices of food dishes. Then he moved on tobing his thinning hair. In order to make his hair appear a little thicker, he had to loosen the strands to fluff up his hair. Unfortunately, his hair was simply much too little. Even though he had bacbed as much hair as possible, the smooth scalp beneath his hair could still be seen emitting a shiny light. What was especially terrible was that the dew in the early autumn mist quickly wet this head of sparse hair, causing the hairs topletely copse and stick to the scalp. This made his hair seem even more sparse than it originally was. And by this time, Jason had walked to the front of the stall. After casting a nce at the boss, who was still trying to tidy up his hair, he fixed his gaze on the ckboard. The menu today was no different from yesterday. Except that the grilled herring was changed to fried herring. The garden pea soup was changed to flowering tea, which had an additional special mention that this tea was homemade. The price remained the same though. However, other than the salted eel, Jason did not intend to order ording to yesterday¡¯s breakfast again. He made his decision very quickly. ¡°Five sandwiches, two flowering teas, and one salted eel.¡± Jason said as he passed 6 grams of copper over to the boss. ¡°You¡¯re buying breakfast for your family again?¡± ¡°What a dutiful brother. Your younger siblings must be very blessed.¡± The boss said as he handed Jason the food. Jason received the food with an expressionless face and turned around to walk away. But, after taking two steps forward, he suddenly turned around, shed a smile, and said something that was of great pertinence. ¡°You should buy a hat!¡± ¡°A hat?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a hat!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not bald!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that my hair is a little thin!¡± The boss said as he pointed to the sparse hair on his head with a very serious, and even a little proud, look. But by this time, Jason had long made it past the corner of the street and was done with his first sandwich. The ham was salty, the egg was still warm, and the vegetables were fresh enough. Generally speaking, the sandwich was quite good. Though it was nothing too surprising or amazing, it was still considered value for money. The flowering tea had a faint sweetness and made a goodbination with the sandwich. As for the salted eel, it was still as good as yesterday. ¡°It did maintain its standard of good breakfast!¡± With such an evaluation, Jason walked into the police dormitory. At this time of the day, the constables and detectives, who were up early, had made their way downstairs. ¡°Good morning, Your Lordship, Mr. Jason!¡± When they saw Jason, they were quick to greet him respectfully. The several battles had long allowed them to understand how powerful and mysterious this young man, who was standing right before them, was. Especially thetter, which was even more awe-inspiring. What they were most thankful about was the fact that Jason was on their side. ¡°Good morning!¡± Jason responded to their greetings one by one. And then, when he reached the stairwell on the third floor, he saw Bondy. Apparently, the sheriff was just done with another sleepless night. Not only was his hair in a mess, he even sported bloodshot eyes and the expression on his face seemed to carry a hint of tension. And he was obviously waiting for Jason there. Undoubtedly, the excavation of the club should have reaped a new discovery. Or¡­ Met with some other issues. Judging from the other party¡¯s expression, it was obviously thetter. In fact, after entering Jason¡¯s room, the sheriff immediately opened his mouth to speak. ¡°We found a few corpses in the original cer of the club.¡± ¡°They included the person-in-charge of the club, the waiters, guards, and guests.¡± ¡°The corpses also included quite a handful of guys who had been wanted for a long time.¡± ¡°And also¡­¡± ¡°My four subordinates¡­¡± Having spoken up until this point, there was a tremble in Bondy¡¯s voice. The sheriff lowered his head slightly, for he did not wish to let Jason see his look at that very moment. Jason did not rush him. He just waited quietly for Bondy to adjust his emotions. About a couple of secondster, Bondy was back to normal. The sheriff then went on to say, ¡°It¡¯s very normal to dig during the first half of the night after you have left.¡± ¡°Everything went very well.¡± ¡°But, just a while ago, when it was almost daybreak, a ck carriage suddenly appeared!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know when it appeared. The men on duty also did not notice it. When I got back my senses, it was already right before me. And then a man with a ck cloak draped over him came down the carriage. He waved at the corpses, which then seemed toe alive. Shakily, they stood up and walked toward the carriage.¡± ¡°The corpses walked to the carriage?¡± Jason frowned. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°The corpses walked over to where the carriage was!¡± ¡°It did seem like this was what happened!¡± Bondy nodded his head vigorously, seemingly afraid that Jason might not understand him. He stood up right away and started imitating those corpses. He walked toward the door of the room, one shaky step at a time, one wobbly step at a time. That posture of his was truly a striking resemnce. It could even be taken as absolutely lifelike. Even though Jason had never seen how a corpse walked, looking at the sheriff that very moment, Jason was subconsciously convinced that this was the exact posture a corpse would have when it was walking. Then, the sheriff suddenly looked back and bared his teeth at Jason. He broke into an eerie smile and asked. ¡°You think¡­¡± ¡°Do I look like a corpse, or not?¡± Bang! Chapter 48: Evil Intentions Chapter 48: Evil Intentions Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio A gunstock made of solid wood viciously rammed into Bondy¡¯s cheek. That gloomy smile was instantly distorted by the ferocious blow. Bondy¡¯s entire being fell to the ground. Then, the muzzle of a lever shotgun was pointed against his forehead while Jason looked down at him in a most condescending manner. ¡°Heh-heh-heh!¡± Not only was there not a tinge of fear in Bondy, he even let out a momentary somberugh. But right away,ughter like this came to an abrupt end¨C ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± In the midst of the deep, low graphical reiterations, at the moment when a special stance shrouded his entire body, Jason lifted his leg and kicked Bondy. Suddenly, Bondy¡¯s entire body began convulsing, causing him to roll and huddle up on the spot. An anguished cry was hearding from Bondy, but it faded away quickly. About two to three secondster, Bondy shook his head and tried his best to get back on his feet. But his multiple attempts proved futile. He wanted to seek Jason¡¯s help. But when he lifted his head, all he could see was that ck muzzle of a gun. ¡°W-What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Am I¡­ am I entangled by something strange again?¡± ¡°I swear that, no matter what I¡¯ve just done, that isn¡¯t me!¡± Bondy raised his hands high and did his best to exin. Having spent a few days together, Bondy was clearly aware of what kind of person this Jason, who was right before him, was. If he was not able to prove himself, Jason would definitely pull the trigger. Dying at the hands of any random murderer did not scare Bondy. Because that was the responsibility of his job. But¡­ dying in the hands of someone on his own side. That was simply not worth it. Therefore, Bondy opened his mouth to speak again. ¡°Now it¡¯s me, the real me!¡± ¡°I assure you!¡± ¡°The ¡°Winchester Brother¡± that you are holding now¨CI was the one who handed it over to you!¡± Bondy spoke of a matter that only the two of them knew, hoping to use it to prove his identity. But Jason did not lower the muzzle. ¡°What happened?¡± Jason¡¯s attitude was cold. ¡°What happened?¡± Bondy froze for a moment. Then, he began recalling his memory. Four to five secondster, Bondy spoke again. ¡°I was digging about the ruins of the Moon Mask Club, then¡­¡± ¡°A carriage suddenly stopped in front of me. I got into the carriage involuntarily, and then¡­¡± ¡°I really have no idea what happened next.¡± ¡°After I regained my senses, I was already here.¡± Bondy said andughed bitterly. Because even he, himself, found his story so unconvincing. But Bondy was surprised to see Jason lower his gun. ¡°Jason, do you believe me?¡± Bondy could not help feeling somewhat touched. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Jason replied with great certainty. Immediately, Bondy¡¯s touched expression seemed to freeze. Then in a dazed state, he thoughtlessly watched Jason open the door to leave. Step, step-step! Messy footsteps rang out along the corridor. Hall, Finch and several detectives dashed up to the third floor and headed straight to Jason¡¯s room. When they saw Bondy, everyone let out breaths of relief. ¡°Sir, are you all right?¡± Hall asked on behalf of everyone. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a little pain in the face.¡± Bondy struggled to get to his feet as he spoke. Looking at Bondy, who was getting up from the ground, Hall, Finch and the rest of the men all cast grateful looks at Jason. There was no doubt about this. Once again, their advisor had saved their officer¡¯s life. ¡°What happened over there?¡± In the face of the crowd that was looking at him gratefully, Jason asked simply. It was still Hall, the deputy for Bondy, and the representative of the crowd, who gave the description of what happened. ¡°We were originally digging through the ruins of the Moon Mask Club. Then, a carriage suddenly appeared in front of us.¡± ¡°As soon as the door of the cabin opened, Sir Bondy took the initiative to board the carriage.¡± ¡°We wanted to stop him, but that carriage seemed to bepletely intangible. It went right through the wall and directly disappeared from view, right before our very eyes.¡± ¡°Luckily for us, you are here!¡± ¡°That¡¯s simply great!¡± Having said that, Bondy¡¯s deputy bowed again to express his gratitude. At the same time, Finch and the other detectives also bowed. For these people, Bondy¡¯s presence was no longer just a mere boss. To them, he was more like a father or brother in a family. If something happened to Bondy, then this ¡°family¡± would copse in an instant. ¡°How many people are left to guard the Moon Mask Club?¡± All of a sudden, Jason asked. Everyone present was stunned. Then, the next moment, all their faces reflected their horror. Lure the tiger out of the mountains! There was no fool among the people present. Themotion earlier on was only because they had lost their heads when Bondy was abducted. Now that they had all calmed down, everyone understood that they had all walked into a trap! Someone intentionally wanted to lure them away. There were some things in the Moon Mask Club that some people wanted. ¡°Back to the Moon Mask!¡± Bondy was the first to rush out. Hall, Finch, and the others immediately followed. But everyone was stopped by Jason. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± ¡°Do you all think that going back now is smart?¡± ¡°What do you think awaits us?¡± Jason asked earnestly. What would be awaiting them? The Moon Mask Club that had been emptied out? Or an enemy that stood ready in battle formation and was just awaiting their arrival? Or even¡­ Another trap! The crowd instantly thought of many other rted things. But most importantly, regardless of whatever thoughts they had, there was nothing that they could ept. ¡°This is why we need a n.¡± Jason looked at everyone and finished off like that. Then he walked straight to the iron pot. Holding up the metal pot, he downed all the soup at a draught and felt his body slowly recovering its physical strength. Only then did he let out a small sigh of relief. Protection from evil was indeed very useful, but it also required an immense consumption of physical strength. This time, he did not forget that he needed to make jerky. But¡­ How was he going to make jerky with noodles? So, once again, Jason could only rely on holy water to recover. Although it would not be as fast as eating food directly, the recovery via holy water was still much more effectivepared to merely resting. And this also allowed gave Jason a certain degree of assurance regarding the following n. About ten minutester, two carriages drove out of the police station. Finch and Hall separately drove a carriage each. Jason sat in the first carriage. Bondy and the remaining detectives sat in the second carriage. Leaning against the seat in the carriage, Jason began sorting out the flow of events of this entire matter in his mind: The other party came for the remains of the Kirchen elves that were inside the Moon Mask Club. He was certain of this. Because, inside that club, other than this thing, Jason really could not think of anything that was of any value at all. But the Moon Mask Club was simply much too dangerous. The other party did not have the confidence, that was why it had chosen not to make a move. But after he and Bondy dealt with the dangers of the Moon Mask, the other party did not jump out in action right away, because no one had really expected Jason and Bondy to be able to sessfully resolve the problem with the Moon Mask Club. Therefore, the other side fell a step behind. Thereafter, the other party chose to first abduct Bondy, and then make Bondy appear before Jason. The purpose of doing so was to make Jason utilize his protection from evil so as to make him exert arge amount of physical strength. And, thereafter, it would be much easier to obtain the remains of the Kirchen elves from him. No! There was still another possibility! Suddenly, Jason thought of something. Chapter 49: The Counterattack Chapter 49: The Counterattack Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio Counter! The other party¡¯s ability had been countered by protection from evil! It might even be restrained! Thinking back on how Bondy looked, Jason was quite confident about this spection he hade up with. ¡°That also goes to say¡­¡± ¡°The other party has set out with a target of weakening me right from the start.¡± Jason was whispering to himself, and his eyes were glimmering with a kind of piercing cold. The other party hade with evil intentions. Naturally, he had to reciprocate the other party¡¯s intentions.
Life in the Sleepless City had long taught Jason what he should do. When someone extended malicious ws at him. That was to¡­ chop and mince it up! Cut, cut-cut. One by one, bullet-13s were stuffed into the magazine of the lever shotgun. Jason took out the entire box of explosives that was hidden under his seat and ced it in the chair that he was originally sitting on. Then he, on the other hand, sat down at the ce that was across where he originally was. He was pouring kerosene all around him while he raised his left hand to knock on the window of the driver that was on the side of the cabin. Tok, tok-tok. The gentle knocking sounds were enough to catch Finch¡¯s attention. This young constable stayed calm and collected as he began to exercise control over the speed of the carriage and got it to move at a speed that was a third slower than usual. Since the other party had chosen to abduct Bondy as the opening of their n. Then, everything else that followed naturally would be arranged. In other words, whether Jason discovered the other party¡¯s intentions but chose to stay in the police station, instead of heading over to the Moon Mask Club, or whether Jason did not discover anything and headed straight to the Moon Mask Club, the other party still had a defensive position. Under such a premise, Jason certainly could not possibly do what the other party wanted him to do. Therefore, it was necessary for him to disrupt the rhythm of the other party. And at the moment, Finch was doing that as he acted ording to Jason¡¯s instructions. Finch was doing his best to make his performance as normal as possible. But his eyes could not help looking all around. Seeming as though they were searching for something. This was nothing difficult for Finch. Because he truly wished that he could find the mastermind of the n.
Unfortunately, amidst the early morning mist, there were many early risers. It was difficult for the young constable to differentiate them all, so he could hardly tell which one was the mastermind. From Finch¡¯s perspective, it might even be that all of them were equally suspicious. And the way Finch looked naturally drew sidelong nces from the passers-by. In particr, when the carriage turned a corner and entered Kensing Street, the speed of the carriage was, again, further reduced. This drew even more attention to Finch, making him all the more conspicuous.
Because there had never been a carriage moving so slowly along Kensing Street in the early hours of the morn. But, soon, people were letting out cries of rm. Because this slow-moving carriage that was about to reach the street that the Moon Mask Club was on, suddenly sped up and dashed right ahead instead of taking the bend as it should have. ¡°Finch? Finch?¡± Hall¡¯s shouts were hearding from the carriage that was following behind. It was just that the young constable turned a deaf ear to Hall¡¯s shouts. Instead, he elerated and got the carriage to move even faster. ¡°Have we been discovered?¡± ¡°What a pity¡­¡± ¡°It was a littlete!¡± In the early morning mist, a figure, who had been attracted to Finch¡¯s strange behavior, was looking at the departing carriage. And this figure could not help shaking his head. He had to admit that the young night watchman had indeed exceeded his expectations. But that was all. He might be quite capable, but his experience was just too superficial. He only discovered that something was wrong after he got on the road.
¡°Just as I¡¯ve expected!¡± ¡°It¡¯s really because he was lucky that he managed to destroy the ¡®Moon Mask¡¯yout.¡± ¡°But being lucky once doesn¡¯t mean good luck all the time.¡± This figure whispered to himself. But this figure had forgotten that it was precisely Jason¡¯s superficial experience that allowed him to avoid the traps that hadin in wait for him at the Moon Mask and the police station. Or rather¡­ The other party did remember but was deliberately feigning ignorance. People always valued how fortunate they were. And, selectively received the information they wanted. For information that was not beneficial to self? They would always choose to turn a blind eye to these. Step, step-step! The man was walking through the morning mist with hands tucked in his coat. And at this time, he drew out his arm and aimed his finger at the carriage that was speeding away.
The next moment¨C A totally pitch-ck carriage appeared soundlessly. As if it were invisible, this carriage suddenly drove through a shop at the corner of the street and ended up right in front of the carriage that Finch was driving. Both carriages were fewer than ten meters apart, so there was simply no time to apply their brakes. ¡°My Lordship, Jason, be careful!¡± With such a cry, the young constable chose to jump off the carriage. This was the best choice at that very moment. By jumping off the carriage, it was possible that he could end up with a bloody nose and a swollen face, or even end up with some broken bones and torn ligaments. But by not jumping? That would be having his body smashed to pieces and his bones ground to powder. The person walking amid the mist had apparently anticipated such a scene. But he simply had no concern for Finch. After all, his target, right from the very beginning, was the night watchman inside that carriage, and not some insignificant constable. Upon calcting the best distance apart, the other party made a prompt wave in a snap.
The pitch-ck carriage, that was parked horizontally in the middle of the road, was seen rising into a vertical position, and then a discement from its original position was produced when it was in the air. And, at this point in time, the carriage that was driven by Finch was well on its way to ramming into the middle part of this pitch-ck carriage. But with the pitch-ck carriage rising up vertically, it immediately became a situation that felt as though both carriages would ram into each other head-on. And then, the cabin door of the pitch-ck carriage opened. Whoosh! A gloomy and cold whiff of air, like the cold wind in the far north, enveloped the cabin of the carriage next to it within an instant. A winning smile was appearing on the face of the man who was walking amid the mist. The pace of his footsteps was increasingly quickening. By this time, both carriages had alreadye to a halt. The pitch-ck carriage was controlled by the man. And the other carriage, on the other hand, stopped because its horse was affected by the cold whiff of air. Very quickly, the man ran to the front of this other carriage. The other party¡¯s face was filled with anticipation as he pulled open the door of the cabin. But the next thing that followed the opening of the door was the frozen look of anticipation on the man¡¯s face. Because he did not see the face of the man he was targeting. Instead, he saw a whole box filled with explosives. Furthermore, the smell of kerosene found its way up his nostrils to fill his nasal cavity. Trap! This one word popped into the man¡¯s mind. Subconsciously, he turned around and wanted to run. But. Toote! An ignited explosivended by his feet. Boom! Amid the colossal explosion, the shockwaves, that were mixed with the zing mes, instantly engulfed the man and the two carriages. The two carriages were utterly shattered into pieces. Shattered pieces of debris were flying around. The man was sent flying a distance away by the force of the massive impact. But the man did not die on the spot! With a body that waspletely ckened and with multiple fractures in several parts of his body, the man struggled to get up from the ground. But Jason was much faster. The very moment before it could turn into Kensing Street, Jason had leaped off the carriage. Then, he hid in the dark to observe the situation. And at this very moment, Jason pulled the trigger. Bang! Crack, crack! The unique rhythm of the lever shotgun was continuously heard, and the upper body of the other party was ravaged by the bullets of the Bullet-13 projectiles. However, the man did not die. He was still struggling. Of course, he had to put up a struggle! He still had many means of escape that he had yet to use! He was about to be promoted, in the true sense, from grave keeper to corpse carrier. He was very reluctant! Reluctant to die just like this! ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°I¡± He shouted loudly, but¡­ Bang! Crack, crack! Bang! The endless barrage of res being shot out of the muzzle of the ¡°Winchester Brothers¡± covered up everything. Four Bullet-13s fired rendered the man utterly silent. Jason looked coldly at the other party¡¯s corpse. After lowering the muzzle of his gun, he suddenly raised his hand¡ª ¡°¡®i!¡± An invisible special force field instantly enveloped the corpse of the dead man. Then¡­ Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah! Chapter 50: All the Same! Chapter 50: All the Same! Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio The anguished cry rang out from the mouth of the ¡°corpse¡±. But¡­ It was not just from one ce. Jason could hear that there was also such a cry near the Moon Mask. Then, he looked on as the man right before his eyes began to¡­ Air-dry! His face and body began withering at a speed that was visible to the naked eye. After a mere dozen breaths or so, he became an existence that was just like a dried corpse. And then.
Snap! A crackling sound rang aloud, and the entire corpse shattered into pieces. ¡°This¡­ this¡­¡± Finch, who hade running back, was staring with widened eyes. He was renderedpletely speechless. More than once, the young constable had witnessed the bizarreness of the mysterious side. But every single time a new situation arose, he would always feel a sort of soul-stirring heartquake. Bondy, Hall, and the others were no exception as well. However, Bondy, on the other hand, reacted quickly. ¡°You guys, seal off the scene!¡± ¡°Finch, return to the police station to investigate.¡± ¡°Hall, you will go to the Moon Mask Club to investigate!¡± Bondy instructed them in an orderly manner. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± After a concerted response, the crowd hurriedly got into the act. But Jason crouched down instead, and then, from the remains of the dried-up corpse, he retrieved a leather pouch. The pouch was about the size of a normal person¡¯s palm, with a thickness that was no more than 5 centimeters. It had a leather strap so that its bearer could carry it on a belt, or simply use that leather strap as a belt to hang it around the waist. The leather was soft to the touch. Under the sunlight, it had a soft luster. It was clearly a pouch of prime quality. But Jason was concerned about the contents of the bag, instead. Because¡­ He could detect the faint aroma of fooding from the bag.
Very faint. But it really existed. Without hesitation, Jason checked the pouch quickly. After confirming that it posed no danger to him, he opened the pouch. When he had a clear view of what was inside the pouch, Jason¡¯s pupils shrank.
There were two items inside the pouch. One was a light red potion that was contained in a test-tube, and it was exuding the faint aroma of food. Though this item was amazing, what truly surprised Jason was the other item¡­ A dagger! This dagger was made of some kind of bone, and the size of its handle was at most big enough to amodate the thumb, index finger, and middle finger pinched around it. But its de was welded into a strange arc, giving off a vibe that it was very sharp. Its design was exactly the same as that of a dagger of a beast tamer! And when Jason picked up this dagger, the following words immediately shed before his eyes. [No ten years¡¯ worth of time buried in a tomb!] [Had been in contact with a spirit with a resentment!] [Attained novice level for Graphical Reiterations!] [Owned a ¡°dagger of a grave keeper¡±!] [Determined that prerequisite of ¡°grave keeper¡± had not beenpleted. Unable to be inaugurated!] Seeing the text before him, Jason¡¯s narrowed eyes started shing cold light.
Daggers of the same model. Were the keys to be inaugurated into a ¡°Profession¡±. Jason would definitely not believe anyone who was to say that there was no connection involved. But there were certain areas that did not make sense. The dagger of a beast tamer came from Kurtz. The other party was a disciple of the people from the mysterious side¨Cthe ones who came up with theyout of the Moon Mask Club. And the person who owned this dagger of a grave keeper should, supposedly, share a deep rtionship with the other party. It should not be difficult if the other party wanted the so-called Kirchen elves. It simply did not need to be soplicated. In other words¡­ The other party was simplying at him? Such spection made Jason¡¯s heart sink. He was aware that the revenge of that person from the mysterious side woulde very quickly. But he had not expected it to be so soon. It had only been a day! No!
If he were to do the mathematics carefully, it was only fromst midnight until this early morning, that meant that it had only been half a day¡¯s time. A rush of pressure made Jason breathe much faster. So¡­ He took out the other tube of potion that was giving off the faint aroma of food and pulled out the cork. Gulp, gulp. Burp. It was kind of sweet and carbonated. And, if it was chilled with ice, it would taste even better. Unwittingly, Jason gave an evaluation of the food. [Taking Herke¡¯s remedy (Excellent)!] [Substantial recovery of physical strength and vigor!] [Satiety +3] [Satiety: 9] ¡°Able to increase Satiety¡­¡±
¡°Just as I¡¯ve expected: it¡¯s food!¡± ¡°Potions can also increase Satiety. Is it because there are certain ¡®ingredients¡¯ added in?¡± Jason could not help specting. Then, his eyes glowed radiantly. He found another channel to increase Satiety and Excitement of Feeding. It was not purely food! ¡°Drinks¡± were fine, too! Then¡­ He thought of someone who seemed to be good at making potions. And they happened to have arranged a meeting tonight. ¡°Quite a good agreement!¡± Jason silently thought to himself. The sun rosepletely, dispelling the mist enshrouding Rhode. The people went to work and opened their shops as usual. The streets were as prosperous and bustling as ever. Even if a certain part of the Kensing Street had been sealed off, people would, at most, just ask a few questions out of curiosity. After all, there would not be any food falling from the sky, even if he were to stand here and keep watch. At this point in time, Jason had run another round of check on the Moon Mask Club. After confirming that all danger waspletely removed following the death of that grave keeper, he returned to the singles dormitory at the police station. Over here, Finch was working together with a few other young constables to clear the shattered bits of dried-up corpses from the corner. ¡°A grave keeper¡­ is he able to manipte corpses?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that carriage?¡± ¡°Was it a spirit carriage?¡± There were questions continuously churning inside Jason¡¯s mind. But he could not find any answers at all. Once again, he felt hisck of knowledge of the mysterious side. In the meantime, he was increasingly looking forward to the secret assembly that was going to take ce at night. ¡°Hopefully, I will be able to find some useful knowledge.¡± Such thoughts were running through Jason¡¯s mind as he made his way upstairs to Room 305. He was holding onto a kraft paper bag that contained sausages, oil dregs, beets, and bread¡ªthese were purchases from ¡°Fire-Passing Food Store¡±. After ¡°Yanan Food Store¡± had closed after its morning operating hours, there was a plumpdy taking over that spot. The same as Yanan, this was a mobile food store. The pricing and management policies of ¡°Fire-Passing Food Store¡± was the same as ¡°Yanan Food Store¡±, and both ces sold quality products and had cheap prices, thus making them more approachable. Of course, this was also a shop that Finch rmended to Jason. Tearing the bread apart, Jason put in the beets, oil dregs, and sausages, one after the other. The sausages were not sliced but cut into smaller parts. This would be more reflective of the heaviness of the meat. In reality, it was also the same. Especially when the crispy oil dregs start to fill the mouth, a sense of happiness would also start to fill one¡¯s heart. As for the beets¨Cas the name suggested, they had a simr effect to sugar. But it was very mild. And after they had been processed into pickled form, they had the crunchiness of carrots. Some beets, coupled with oil dregs was considered a delicacy by the standards of themoners. ¡°Based on a normal person¡¯s meal capacity, one serving would probably cost around 2 grams of copper.¡± ¡°I spent a total of 12 grams of copper on food.¡± ¡°Earlier in the day, I spent 12 grams of copper on two meals for breakfast, newspapers, and mushrooms. I also gave Finch 2 copper dimes.¡± ¡°I still have 4 grams of gold, 4 grams of silver, and 9 grams of copper.¡± Jason was calcting his assets. He was definitely not trying to calcte what he could eat at the restaurant! He was preparing the expenses for that night¡¯s secret assembly. Knowledge was expensive, no matter where it came from. The mysterious side? Jason did not think it would be an exception. And at this point in time, there was a burst of hurried footsteps sounding out along the corridor. These footsteps were heading straight for 305. However, the moment he arrived at the doorstep of Jason¡¯s ce, the other party stopped in his tracks. Very politely, he raised his hands and knocked on the door. Knock! Tok-tok! Chapter 51: Herke Chapter 51: Herke Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio Despite feeling very impatient, Daniel did not dare to push open the door of room 305 at will. There was no doubt that thest meeting with Jason was still fresh in the memory of this young teacher of Deer College. Even in his sleepst night, thatrge-caliber shotgun kept appearing endlessly¡­ like a venomous snake that was constantly looking at him. Therefore, at this time, following the knock on the door, he reported his own identity without prompting required. ¡°It¡¯s me, Daniel.¡± Then Daniel stood quietly in front of the door and waited. And yet inwardly, his mind was spinning ceaselessly. The news that he just obtained¡ª Grave keeper, Santel, was dead! The ambush on night watchman, Jason, was not sessful. Santel was killed, instead!
When he first got hold of this piece of news, Daniel was in total disbelief. Because the grave keeper, Santel, was not a nobody. Santel was on the contrary, quite reputable in Rhode. And that reputation of his was umted from the many battles that he had fought thus far. As for Jason? He was just a young man, new in town. Even if he was a night watchman, it still gave Daniel a sense of unreality. But then, something of extreme importance struck Daniel¡¯s mind. Potion! Form! Rumor had it that the legacy of a magic potion expert had gone into Santel¡¯s possession. And it was precisely because of this encounter that the other party had managed to gain that extraordinary capability. Even though it was only rumored as such, Daniel still had to exercise caution and treat the matter with due vignce. After all, the possibility that the legacy of a magic potion expert existed was simply much too important to him as a pharmacist (herbalist apprentice). And that was why he had hurried over. Phew, phew-phew. Daniel adjusted his breathing pattern. He was thinking about how he should discuss matters with Jason. What was already known from the previous meeting was, other than that memorable,rge-caliber shotgun that would leave a deep,sting impression on anyone, the indifference and reticence of the other party. Daniel was well aware that talking business with someone like that would be futile unless he quoted a price that truly satisfied the other party. And recently, his financial situation was really not looking too good.
¡°We must speed up the decocting process of those potions!¡± ¡°It¡¯s best if we canunch a few kinds of high-efficiency potions at tonight¡¯s assembly!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Jason and I can be considered friends, so it should make it a little easier to talk to him?¡±
Traces of hope for luck were emerging in Daniel¡¯s heart. And at this time. The door opened. It was not fully opened¨Cjust half-opened. And the bigger part of Jason¡¯s body still remained hidden behind the door as his pair of eyes looked the visitor up and down. When Daniel¡¯s eyes met with the other pair of eyes that looked so cold, all hope for a stroke of luck in Daniel¡¯s heart instantly disappeared without a trace. This young teacher from Deer College immediately shed an awkward but polite smile. ¡°Good afternoon, Jason.¡± ¡°Can we go in and talk?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Jason nodded and then opened the doorpletely. Daniel stepped forward and went in. Subconsciously, he turned back to take one nce at Jason and, thereafter, felt the corners of his mouth twitch. Once again, he looked at therge-caliber shotgun that Jason was holding on to. In addition, there was the weird posture that Jason was standing in earlier on. Daniel could easily associate the look on Jason¡¯s face as he imagined thetter aiming the gun at him through the door.
And now? There was no need to do it with the door between them. The muzzle was aimed directly at him, point-nk. Daniel habitually raised both hands high. ¡°I¡¯m here because of the grave keeper called Santel.¡± ¡°Rumor has it that Santel has acquired the legacy of a magic potion expert, and has gained a great deal of benefits.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a pharmacist. So, if that legacy still exists, that is very important to me.¡± ¡°I came here when I received news about it.¡± ¡°And I was able to receive the news quickly because Deer College and the officials of Rhode shared a good cooperative rtionship.¡± There was no trace of concealment. At gunpoint, Daniel, who was always honest beyond words, gave the full story without missing out on any detail. ¡°Legacy?¡± Jason asked.
¡°That¡¯s right. Legacy!¡± ¡°It might be a book on a magic potion. It could also be a recipe or two.¡± ¡°It could even be¡­ apleted potion.¡± Daniel said with a nod. ¡°Santel?¡± Jason went on questioning. ¡°He used to be a watchman for the cemeterial grounds of Rhode Cemetery. And, he was also working part-time in some shady professions.¡± ¡°Then, during a certain excavation, he found the opportunity to be a grave keeper.¡± ¡°And to why he first came into the people¡¯s view was because he killed a few other grave keepers like Gardi and Caesar, who wanted to contend for the cemetery.¡± Daniel said everything that he knew. Then, he saw the muzzle of Jason¡¯s gun lower by the slightest degree. This made Daniel heave a sigh of relief. He knew he was safe.
At least for the time being. At Jason¡¯s signal, Daniel obediently sat on a chair and waited for Jason¡¯s further questioning. As for taking the initiative to speak? Daniel had expressed that he was really not very good at taking the initiative to speak when there was a gun pointing straight at him. Jason was pleased with Daniel¡¯s willingness to cooperate. He felt that he had found the most practical way to converse with this pharmacist, who was right in front of him. So¡­ The next moment, the muzzle of his shotgun was raised again. Suddenly, Daniel went pale in the face. So many thoughts raced through his head. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°I was not lying, was I?¡± ¡°Why was he pointing the gun at me again?¡± ¡°Could it be that my sitting posture was wrong?¡± Unconsciously, Daniel started to reflect on life. ¡°Do you know Herke¡¯s remedy?¡± Jason suddenly opened his mouth to ask. ¡°Herke¡¯s remedy is a kind of healing potion. It was the brainchild of Herke, the legendary Master of magic potion, when he was young. And it was not only able to effectively heal the wounds of its users but could also, in a certain sense, dispel diseases. Rumor has it that Master Herke had specially developed this potion after he had personally witnessed an epidemic happening in the west of Teslin. It was also the very first potion that this master had created in his life. Though it could not bepared on the same scale as the four great potions, namely Herke¡¯s ck Iron Potion, Herke¡¯s Bronze Potion, Herke¡¯s Silver Potion, and Herke¡¯s Gold Potion, it was still considered to be the beginning and foundation of Master Herke by certain mysterious schrs.¡± As though he was reciting something from memory, Daniel straightened his back to sit upright. Then, in unambiguousnguage and clear artiction, he spoke. ¡°Herke¡¯s ck Iron Potion, Herke¡¯s Bronze Potion, Herke¡¯s Silver Potion, and Herke¡¯s Gold Potion?¡± Jason was clearly interested in the four potions that were known as ¡°great potions¡±. ¡°Herke¡¯s ck Iron Potion can make a certain capability of its user stronger.¡± ¡°Herke¡¯s Bronze Potion can allow its user to directly get hired into a profession that¡¯spatible with his nature.¡± ¡°Herke¡¯s Silver Potion can give its user a talent that¡¯s simr to magic.¡± ¡°And rumor has it that Herke¡¯s Gold Potion can give people a life of longevity, simr to a life of immortality.¡± When Daniel was describing the four kinds of potions, even with a muzzle right in his face, he still carried a kind of longing. That was a kind of longing for the efficacy of the four potions. Furthermore, there was also a kind of yearning that he had in his capacity as a pharmacist to be able to refine and produce such potions. But Jason, on the other hand, frowned. He felt that he seemed to have found something crucial. But he was not too certain. So he asked immediately. ¡°What is the level of a magic potion expert?¡± Chapter 52: Scapegoat Chapter 52: Scapegoat Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio When it came to the leveling system, Daniel hesitated. However, that hesitation dissipated in an instant, when the young teacher of the Deer College saw the muzzle of the lever shotgun pointing at him. ¡°Magic potion expert is the fifth level of a pharmacist.¡± ¡°Starting from the most basic level, that is, an herbalist apprentice, you then would go through herbalist schr, herbalist expert, and herbalist master before you could finally be a magic potion expert.¡± When Daniel finished, he began to make excuses for himself. ¡°I just told him the names of each level. I did not say the need for getting up to the next level, and how the ritual is like. I don¡¯t know that, though. And pharmacists are not a secret profession. If one can spend a little effort and some grams of gold, he can get these names easily from another guy. Jason and I are friends. My friend asks me about it, of course, I can tell him frankly. It¡¯s a good thing to help my friend save some money and effort. So, what¡¯s the matter? Isn¡¯t this a great friendship?¡± Thinking of this, Daniel smiled at his friend Jason. Jason seemed to feel nothing. ¡°How does a magic potion expert perform in a battle?¡± Jason asked coldly.
¡°Pharmacists are not good at fighting when they are at a low level. Even if you be a herbalist master, you can¡¯t call yourself a fighter. But when you be a magic potion expert, things will changepletely,¡± Daniel said ¡°Because every magic potion expert can choose to use magic potions to increase his strength. Even more, if a magic potion expert is given enough time for preparation, he can bypass an intermediary level,¡± Daniel spoke with pride. As if he was about to be a magic potion expert. But soon, he realized the reality. He was just a pharmacist at a low level. Fortunately, he had many friends. The person in front of him was the most powerful one among his friends. Subconsciously, Daniel observed his friend¡¯s expression. But Jason didn¡¯t have any expression on his face. It was impossible to know what Jason was thinking about. The life in the Sleepless City has taught Jason that, if he wanted to live for a long time, he had to keep quiet. Jason, who seemed to be expressionless, was not very excited. In fact¡­ ¡°Santel¡¯s so-called inheritance of a magic potion expert and how he told us about getting to be the grave keeper in an excavation are lies! The true reason is because of the grave keeper¡¯s dagger! This dagger is exactly the same as Kurtz¡¯s dagger. It¡¯s not just a coincidence! So, the person from the mysterious side not only trained Kurtz but also Santel? Why they did so this? Herke¡¯s potions! No! Exactly, they want to use Herke¡¯s potions to attract some people toe.¡± Jason was thinking fast. To confirm his guess, Jason continued to ask, ¡°When did Santel appear on the mysterious side of Rhode? And when did you know that he had acquired the legacy of the magic potion expert?¡± ¡°In March of this year? Yes, it was March this year! It was a secret gathering, and Santel came in with the heads of Gardi and Caesar in his hands, which scared everyone present,¡± Daniel said. That gathering was an indelible memory for Daniel. He immediately confirmed the date. And then, more and more memories of that gathering also quickly emerged in his head. ¡°It was ater gathering! A Herke¡¯s remedy was exchanged for a necessary item for the grave keeper. And because what he is capable of is far beyond a grave keeper, many people think that Santel has taken either the Herke¡¯s ck Iron Potion or the Herke¡¯s Bronze Potion!¡± Daniel said. His eyes were full of regret. He sighed and then went on. ¡°At that time, people thought that he had acquired the legacy of a magic potion expert. After the death of Herke, the theory he created had been gradually forgotten by people, but the knowledge and potions he left were absorbed by different schools of study of magic potions. But only a magic potion expert could have ess to them, so that¡¯s why we think that Santel was lucky. He got the legacy of a magic potion expert.¡±
¡°When was that? Yes, early May!¡± Daniel added. ¡°Early May?¡± Jason¡¯s eyes narrowed. If he remembered correctly, Kalina reported the case on May 4. Such a coincidence made Jason think of a possible exnation.
¡°That person from the mysterious side wanted to attract someone¡¯s attention, but he ended up with my teacher. No, he knew that it would be my teacher, so he did it on purpose! Because he has prepared Kurtz in advance!¡± Jason¡¯s heart sank at the thought. Because Kurtz had been killed by Jason. Not only Kurtz but also Santel, the bait, was also killed by him. He hadpletely destroyed the mysterious side person¡¯s n. But there were still some details that Jason cared about. ¡°Did you know that Santel needs the Kirchen elves?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Yes! More than once, he asked for the Kirchen elves at a rally. That¡¯s the key to his advancement!¡± Daniel was quite sure. Jason was stunned. Then, a chill surged from the bottom of his heart in a moment. ¡°Wrong! Wrong! It¡¯s not that I destroy the mysterious side person¡¯s n! It¡¯s the person trying to fix it after I identally killed Kurtz! No! It¡¯s not even an ident! It¡¯s the backup n. It¡¯s not for me, but for anyone who could kill Kurtz!¡± Jason thought. At this moment, Jason¡¯s understanding of the whole case was getting more clear. ¡°That person from the mysterious side must have told Santel about this. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so careful about the Moon Mask Club. The previous attack on me was not revenge. It was just for the Kirchen elves! Then why Santel, who had the legacy of a magic potion expert and had taken a Herke Potion, was interested in the Moon Mask Club, which suddenly changed,¡± Jason thought.
The answer was obvious. People would think that there was a Herke Potion in the club. If people went for a search in the club, they would definitely find a Herke Potion. Because this was what the person from the mysterious side wanted people to see. Jason didn¡¯t know what was going to happen when people were attracted to the Moon Mask Club. He only knew that he was in big trouble. He killed Santel, who was rumored to have inherited the legacy of a magic potion expert. And, he destroyed the Moon Mask Club that Santel had been watching secretly all the time. What would happen to him if he was thought of as doing better than a normal night watchman? Those who came because of the club woulde for him. He would be the new bait. Even if he wanted to exin, no one would listen. Jason couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath.
Then, he stood up and walked straight out. Sitting and waiting for Jason to continue to ask, Daniel did not realize what happened until Jason disappeared outside the door. ¡°Jason, what are you doing?¡± In the corridor, Jason¡¯s faint voice said, ¡°Going to the cemetery.¡± Chapter 53: Cemetary Chapter 53: Cemetary Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio Danger woulde at any moment, which made Jason particrly want to fight against it. But when the skill bar reached the critical point and there was no Excitement of Feeding, he could only choose ¡°inauguration¡±. No, it should be ¡°part-time inauguration¡±. ¡°The watchman¡¯s official inauguration means +0.2 for all attributes, and the new expertise is vignce.¡± ¡°What would a grave keeper get?¡± Jason walked down the corridor and kept asking himself this question. At the stairway leading downstairs, he stopped. Because his vignce was almost twice of the ordinary people, Jason could clearly hear Bondy¡¯s footstepsing from downstairs. At the moment, there were no other detectives on the third floor except in room 305. Of course, Bondy came here for him.
In fact, that was it. Ten secondster, Bondy showed up at the stairway and saw Jason standing in front of him. He was first surprised, then showed a relieved look on his face. After several mysterious-side-rted events, Bondy had gotten used to the unbelievable things that happened to Jason. Bondy even thought that Jason was capable of practicing divination, even if Jason never admitted it. After he quickly climbed up the stairs, this sheriff made clear his intentions directly. ¡°Jason, I¡¯m sorry. Because the case is closed, this afternoon, those young men were buried. I didn¡¯t want to bother you with this at the beginning though. But their families hope that they can rest in peace. So they want you to show up at their funeral,¡± Bondy said to Jason. Bondy continued to say, ¡°They want you to attend their funeral. You are a night watchman. I know this time they have gone too far. But can you pleasee to the cemetery with me?¡± Bondy was about to bow to Jason. Jason turned to the side to avoid his bow. He didn¡¯t like such polite behavior. ¡°Funeral?¡± Jason murmured and frowned a little. He would never want to go to any funeral if he could choose. That ckness, that stillness, that sadness, and that despair were annoying to him. But when he heard the low, suppressed crying from downstairs, he could not say anything. He didn¡¯t know how to refuse. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure,¡± a momentter, Jason replied. And Daniel, who had juste out of room 305, heard Jason¡¯s answer. ¡°I see. Going to the cemetery is to attend the funeral of those victims? Yes, that¡¯s a night watchman¡¯s stuff.¡± Daniel thought. The young teacher of the Deer College took off his hat and looked at Bondy. ¡°Sheriff, please allow me to go together with you. Though I did not fight with them, I would like to pay my respects to the brave heroes,¡± Daniel said to Bondy. Bondy looked at Daniel.
He didn¡¯t like this philistine guy from the mysterious side, but at this time, Bondy couldn¡¯t refuse, either. ¡°That¡¯s good, Daniel,¡± Bondy said and looked at Jason again. After Jason beckoned, Bondy turned and walked downstairs. Jason followed him downstairs. At first, Daniel wanted to go shoulder to shoulder with Jason.
However, thinking of the people at the door who were looking forward to seeing Jason instead of him, Daniel gave up the idea and he followed behind Jason with his hat in hand. They walked very fast and got to the door after a very short time. At the door, ck coffins were ced one next to another in front of the door. In front of each coffin, there were the dead¡¯s families. The victims¡¯ parents, wives, children, brothers, and sisters were all present. They shed tears andforted each other. Finch and Hall were in uniform, standing on both sides, with solemn faces and reddish eyes. When Bondy walked out of the bachelor apartment, everyone turned to look at him. In fact, they were looking for the person behind him. When they finally saw Jason, everyone stopped crying and speaking to each other. They looked at Jason with hope in their eyes. Such hope put more pressure on Jason. He didn¡¯t know what to do now. He even wanted to ask why there was no pastor to preside over the funeral. Unfortunately, it was not the right time to ask this question.
Jason could only walk out the door, step by step. He came to the coffins. He knew what he should say. Everyone was waiting for him to say it. Although he could maintain calm in the face of death, this time, in front of the victims¡¯ parents and siblings, his mind went totally nk. The only thing left in his mind was the oath. Involuntarily, Jason started to speak. ¡°Glory to you! I see the lights in your hearts! You are on duty at night. You are swallowed by the darkness. May your souls rest in peace.¡± His eulogy was changed from the oath of the night watchman. Everyone heard him and followed, which ended up with their mourning in a whisper. Finally, there was only ¡°rest in peace¡± echoing in the sadness. The cemetery was in the countryside of Rhode City. The police cars stopped outside of the cemetery. The guards of the cemetery had been asked to open the gate of the cemetery early in advance. Jason came out of a carriage and said hello to Finch. He took a bunch of white chrysanthemums from Finch and went straight into the cemetery.
He needed grave soil of ten years of age. The tombstones in front of him were obviously not what he wanted. ¡°This is Rhode Cemetery. Except for the nobles, who have their private cemeteries, most people in Rhode will end up in this ce. But it¡¯s already overburdened with so many bodies that have been buried here. What you see in front of you may look eptable at present. When we get to the mountain bay, you will find it intolerable to the eye,¡± Daniel said to Jason, giving him a brief introduction. Daniel followed Jason and pointed to the front, sighing. In the direction where Daniel showed him, Jason saw messy graves. The tombstones were smaller than what he first saw when he entered the cemetery and they were covered by weeds. ¡°This is where the poorest end up. Of course, they are much better than the people who have no names on their tombstones,¡± Daniel said and looked at the several biggest grave mounds in the deepest side. Those grave mounds were not finished at one time, but they got how they were like today after numerous new bodies came year by year. The people buried there were those who had no names on their tombstones. And there were no flowers on the tombstones, either. They never had a visitor. Jason went straight ahead. He stopped, then stood silently in front of several huge graves and put each of his white chrysanthemums in front of each grave. It¡¯s was a sacrifice. It was also an exchange. He used flowers instead of soil. [Reviewing grave keeper¡¯s inauguration]
[Requirements satisfied, spend 8 (5 basic points + 3 extra points) Satiety for thepletion of the inauguration of the grave keeper?] ¡°Yes.¡± After Jason confirmed in his mind, charms on the dagger of the grave keeper faded away. There was a momentary silence in the cemetery. All the sounds disappeared at this moment. There was only the wind. In the wind, shadowy figures of all shapes suddenly appeared in front of Jason. They came, approaching him slowly, step by step. They were those victims. They were all in rags. They all looked gloomy. They all looked petrified. They all refused to lie down. And they were all fierce-looking. But in the end, they all stopped. They stared at the white flowers swaying in the wind. Were they getting excited at the look of the unbelievable sight? Or were they crying? Jason didn¡¯t know what they were thinking about and he didn¡¯t care that much either. Jason couldn¡¯t hear them. No one could hear them. Only the howling wind blew by. The wind blew Jason¡¯s hair and his coat. [Grave keeper¡¯s inaugurationpleted!] [Spirituality +0.5, perception +0.5] [New unique expertise: perception of death breath!] [Perception of death breath: the breath of death is so obvious to you that you can easily find a hidden corpse, and when someone has touched the corpse, you can also know it. When your perception is high enough, you can more easily find a corpse in a very hidden ce or know the person who touched the corpse a long time ago.] The instant enhancement of spirituality and perception made Jason feel a little ufortable. He tried to adapt to this sudden change by closing his eyes slightly. When he opened his eyes again, he tried to use this new expertise: perception of death breath. He could only see grey color in the world. Deep and dead silence swallowed him. He looked around. Suddenly, his pupils shrank. Chapter 54: Missing Bodies Chapter 54: Missing Bodies Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio Bodies were missing! The bodies in the graves were gone. Most of the huge graves had no bodies in them. To make sure that he was right, Jason looked at the graves in the distance. The dark, deathly stillness was almost clearly visible there. The graves in the distance were not like the huge graves in front of him. Besides the bodies buried in theyer of soil at the surface of the ground, the bodies deep inside the huge graves had disappeared. ¡°Someone stole the bodies? No! There are so many corpses. It can¡¯t be a normal thief!¡± Jason thought, then turned and asked Daniel, ¡°This used to be Santel¡¯s ce?¡± ¡°Um, yes. At first, there were several grave keepers fighting for this ce, including Gardi and Caesar, but when Santel showed up, carrying Gardi and Caesar¡¯s heads, he became the sole owner of this ce.¡± Daniel shrugged as he spoke. Then, he suddenly realized that he was still in the cemetery. He shouldn¡¯t tell Jason about this. It was humiliating to the dead people below the ground. He looked around.
After his keen sixth sense reassured him that no other people had heard what he just said to Jason, he felt a little relieved. However, Daniel did not notice that Jason¡¯s face suddenly looked terrible. ¡°Santel¡¯s territory and the missing bodies¡­¡± Jason thought about the two things. If anyone told him that the two had no connections between them, Jason wouldn¡¯t believe it at all. The missing bodies were most likely rted to the man from the mysterious side. ¡°What¡¯s his n? To convince those who want to get the Herke Potions? Or to deal with my teacher? Or something else? What is he trying to get from those people?¡± Jason frowned and thought. ¡°Do you know where Santel is now?¡± Jason suddenly asked. ¡°Although the grave keeper is not as mysterious as the secret keeper, they will not tell others where they are. Especially Santel, who is a high-profile grave keeper, would never want others to know where he stays. I¡¯m afraid that he won¡¯t be able to sleep well at night if others know his ce. After all, he makes many enemies whenever he goes,¡± Daniel said with ridicule. But before Daniel could continue, Jason turned around and walked toward the outside of the cemetery. As Jason left, a sudden chilly wind blew across Daniel¡¯s cheek. The sensation of cold tingling made Daniel wince at once. His sixth sense told him that if he stayed any longer, something bad would happen to him. ¡°Wait! Wait for me! Jason, wait for me!¡± Without any hesitation, Daniel shouted Jason¡¯s name and quickly followed up. Jason didn¡¯t slow down or stop. He went on at his own pace, ignoring Daniel¡¯s shouting. In the cemetery in front of them, those young victims had been buried below ground, and their families had left. After a funeral, families would leave before it got dark that day, and thene back to hold a memorial ceremony for the dead on the second and third days. After that, on the 13th of each month, the families woulde back again to hold the memorial ceremony for the dead. After three years in a row repeating such a memorial ceremony, they woulde back again on the 1st of the winter month. This was the tradition of Rhode City. Daniel told Jason this when they were in the carriage. And now, with the families gone, the police and detectives also left. They used to be the victims¡¯ great friends and colleagues when those brave men were still alive.
The only one left outside the cemetery was Finch. He was watching the carriage in front of the cemetery gate, waiting for Jason and Daniel toe out. Of course, Bondy hadn¡¯t left either. At the moment, this sheriff was standing in front of a nameless tombstone. Jason didn¡¯t want to disturb the sheriff, though he had something to ask Bondy.
Daniel was very clever and did not choose to get in the way. He walked out of the cemetery and went into the carriage, first. After more than ten minutes, Bondy pped the tombstone hard, then turned away. Seeing Jason not far away, Bondy¡¯s sad face showed a smile. ¡°Sure enough, you are right. You said goodbye to him, too?¡± Bondy said to Jason. Jason had not the least idea what Bondy was talking about. He was confused, but he didn¡¯t show that to Bondy. He was expressionless, neither admitting nor denying it. And the next moment, Bondy went on on his own. ¡°That¡¯s Kurtz¡¯s grave. He had made an unforgivable mistake. His family and friends will not forgive him. Neither can I. ording to the process, he should have no names on his tombstones, but, after all, he had a name, even if it can no longer be mentioned,¡± Bondy said, looking at Jason. He would like to ask what Jason was thinking about, or to ask Jason whether he thought that he did it right or wrong. Unfortunately, Jason kept silent. Bondy was absent-minded for a while because of the silence, then he shook his head and smiled bitterly. ¡°I have be a hypocritical person, haven¡¯t I? When did I be like this?¡± Bondy asked himself. He was looking for an answer from himself.
But unexpectedly, Jason, who had been silent, suddenly spoke and interrupted him. ¡°Kalina. Find her. Then you will have the answer,¡± Jason said to Bondy slowly, pointing to the huge graves in the distance. ¡°Kalina should be there if I¡¯m right.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± It was obvious to Bondy that Jason was dropping a hint to him. ¡°A lot of bodies are missing. There are no corpses in the big graves except on the surfaceyer of soil,¡± Jason told Bondy. He was here to ask for Bondy¡¯s help, so he would not hide from Bondy what he found at this time. As for Kalina? He thought it was no bother to tell Bondy this. ¡°What?!¡± Bondy let out an exmation. Arge number of missing bodies gave the sheriff an ominous presentiment. Immediately, he stared at Jason. Jason nodded a little. ¡°Your guess is right. I suspect it¡¯s about Santel. You can start with him,¡± Jason said. ¡°Santel, the grave keeper? I will arrange for someone to check it right away!¡± Bondy said, then he went to the carriage. Jason followed. As soon as Finch swished the reins, the carriage started. They were going back to downtown.
At this moment, the sun was going to set in the west, but the bright sunlight still shone through the window of the carriage. Jason and Bondy didn¡¯t speak along the way. The silence made Daniel awkwardly ufortable. In order to break the ice, the young teacher of Deer College took the initiative to take up the task of introducing a conversation topic. ¡°As you all know, Rhode¡¯s air hasn¡¯t been very good because of its abundant coal resources. A student used to ask me how to judge the air quality of Rhode. I told him that he can pick his nose and identify the nose sh*t¡¯s color. It¡¯s bad air if the sh*t is ck. The next day, he asked me, what if it¡¯s red? Do you know what I said? You are picking your nose too hard.¡± After he finished, Daniel had a bigugh alone. He seemed to be very satisfied with what he just did. After all, it was a good beginning for their trip back to town. He couldn¡¯t just stay silent all the way like the other two. However, Jason and Bondy didn¡¯tugh with him. They just looked at Daniel silently. Immediately, Daniel¡¯sughter was getting lower, and he could only end his terrible joke with an awkward scratching of the back of his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? Do you want another one? I can do a better one than this. Believe me,¡± looking at Jason, Daniel asked cautiously. ¡°You want to see blood, too?¡± Jason asked. At once, Daniel shook his head, saying that he would never dare to tell such a bad joke in front of them again. However, the next moment¨C Daniel took out his dagger and stabbed himself in the stomach. His blood was welling out from the wound. He looked at his wound, then grinned at Jason.
¡°Is this what you mean?¡± Daniel asked Jason. Chapter 55: Preparation Chapter 55: Preparation Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio Daniel¡¯s sudden act of wounding himself surprised Bondy. He directly pulled out his revolver from his pocket and aimed at Daniel. In the face of the muzzle of the revolver, Daniel didn¡¯t show any panic at all. Instead, weirdughing sounds came from his wide-open mouth. His strangeughter was so terrible that it grated on the other two¡¯s ears. He didn¡¯t pay any attention to Bondy¡¯s reaction. He looked straight at Jason and asked again, ¡°Do you mean th-this kind of blood?¡± His voice was low, depressed, and there were some incoherences like something had gotten in his throat. Jason looked at Daniel coldly and replied lightly, ¡°No.¡± Then ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± With a deep and low rumble, Jason raised his hand and hit Daniel on the nose. Bang! ¡°Ah!¡±
After a loud and short scream, Daniel subconsciously covered his nose, but then, he found that he was wrong. The truth was that his abdomen was in even more pain. ¡°What happened? Damn it! What did I do? Did I hurt anyone?¡± As one of the members of the mysterious side, this young teacher of Deer College quickly came to his senses and realized his previous self-muttion. Although he cried because of the pain, he didn¡¯t slow down at all. He took out two test tubes, which were filled with liquid medicines, from the leather bag, which was hidden under his big coat. He drank the liquid medicines in one test tube, then spilled the other on the wound in the abdomen. Then, he quickly pulled out the dagger in his abdomen and bandaged his wound. He did it so fast that the whole process was finished in fewer than two minutes. When he finished bandaging, Daniel looked up to thank Jason. He knew exactly what would have happened to him without the night watchman in front of him. It was not an easy thing for him to get rid of evil spirits that had already got into him. He might have died of the evil spirits if it had not been for Jason¡¯s help. However, at this time, Daniel suddenly found that Jason seemed a little unhappy. He wondered why. Though Jason was still expressionless, Daniel¡¯s sharp sixth sense made him realize a little difference. ¡°Is it because he has consumed too much physical strength to help me get rid of the evil spirits?¡± Daniel thought. Right away, Daniel knew what to do. ¡°It¡¯s a healing medicine potion. It¡¯s not as powerful as magic potions, but it¡¯s much better than not having one,¡± Daniel exined to Jason. He handed another test tube filled with liquid medicine to Jason. Jason took the tube but didn¡¯t drink it immediately. Instead, he put it in the leather bag on the side of his seat. This leather bag used to belong to Santel, the grave keeper. After obtaining this leather bag, Jason put the three potions, which he obtained before, together with the ¡°dagger of a beast tamer¡± and the ¡°dagger of a grave keeper¡± into it. Looking at Jason doing so, Daniel thought that he had to be more careful. Because he didn¡¯t see a look of relief or joy on Jason¡¯s face.
¡°He wants more, or what? I have only one for recovering my strength.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± Daniel was a little nervous. Daniel¡¯s heart was pounding. Then, this young teacher from Deer College thought of something.
¡°Jason, are you ready for the evening assembly?¡± Daniel asked. ¡°Ready?¡± Jason responded by asking. Looking at Jason¡¯s reaction, Daniel let out a long sigh of relief. ¡°Thank God. It¡¯s a good thing that Jason is following this assembly!¡± Daniel thought. Daniel was very happy for this deep down, and he immediately said, ¡°This is your first time at an assembly. You will need a cloak and a mask to arm yourself. Of course, you can also do nothing this time. It¡¯s no big problem. Many people also choose to do what Santel used to do.¡± Daniel then continued, ¡°Because every assembly is held on half of the mysterious side of Rhode, it will be safe¨Cat least at the assembly. The whole process of the assembly is roughly divided into two parts. It will have a tiny side conversation in which guests can talk to each other in private at the beginning. Then, it will be an open exchange of views afterward.¡± Daniel went on to say, ¡°Every time, the hosts of the assembly will present the guests with their special tasks. Rest assured, the hosts are very rich, and the rewards they can offer are quite generous.¡± As he said this, Daniel did not wait for Jason to speak again before he promised, ¡°Jason, what kind of cloak and mask do you need? I can get you the best. Believe me, I have many recements, and I can borrow one. No¨CI mean, I will give a set of mine to you.¡± Jason nodded and epted Daniel¡¯s offer. Then he asked Daniel, ¡°Mask? Do you have an ice hockey mask?¡± ¡°Ice hockey mask?¡± After a pause, Daniel asked to make sure that he got the right idea. ¡°In winter, gentlemen wear de shoes on the frozenke to chase the protective mask on a round cake. The shoes were bonded with bones that were sharpened into des. Am I right? You mean the protective mask?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jason gave a positive answer. ¡°If it¡¯s that thing, leave it to me. My current neighbor is an avid ice hockey fan,¡± Daniel promised.
Jason nodded slightly, picked up the cow leather bag he carried with him, pulled out the plug, and poured all the remaining holy water into his mouth. His body, weakened by the previous physical exertion, began to recover slowly. At the same time, Jason closed his eyes to have a rest. He was tired. Daniel wanted to ask what was in the cow leather bag, but when he saw that Jason was tired, he immediately chose to shut up. All of a sudden, the car quieted down. There was only the sound of the wheels of the carriage touching the ground. In this quiet environment, Jason recalled the scene just now. ¡°Is it an ident? Or people who are attracted by the Herke Potion were just testing me? If it¡¯s thetter¡­ Is it like evil spirits trying to control the people they¡¯ve got into?¡± Jason was thinking. There was no doubt that protection from evil had a natural restraint against such evil spirits¡¯ abilities. But Jason didn¡¯t think that was the end of the surprise attack just now. He didn¡¯t forget that it was just a test for him, which meant that it was just a beginning. It was only flying a kite, just to know his abilities so that people from the mysterious side who had simr abilities could prepare ordingly. And once it was confirmed that Jason really had something to do with the Herke Potion, he would face a storm of attacks. He would be the new prey. Jason was imagining how he became tired because of coping with waves of attacks in the future.
Most likely, he would be beaten easily in one battle. And, it wouldn¡¯t be long before that day came. It was possible for the other side to take action at any time. However, there was a way to earn himself some more time. ¡°Secret assembly. Those people won¡¯t do it at the secret assembly. Because that means fighting against the whole mysterious side of Rhode.¡± Thinking of this, Jason opened his eyes and nced at the sun that was about to sink under the horizon. He also realized that the city proper was getting close. He asked Daniel, ¡°Where is this secret assembly?¡± ¡°No. 10, Garden Pea Street,¡± Daniel replied. ¡°Finch, No. 10, Garden Pea Street,¡± Jason shouted, also. ¡°Yes, Your Lordship, Jason,¡± Finch replied. Jason turned to look at Daniel again. ¡°Can you get the cloak and mask you just said when this carriage reaches No. 10, Garden Pea Street?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Of course! I¨C¡± Daniel said firmly. Then, instinctively, Daniel wanted to brag a little, but before he could continue, he saw Jason push open the carriage door. All of a sudden, Daniel¡¯s words came to an abrupt end. He stared at Jason in a daze, and a bad guess emerged in his mind.
¡°You don¡¯t want me to jump from the carriage, do you? Hey, I¡¯m wounded in the abdomen,¡± Daniel made the final struggle. But in Jason¡¯s cold eyes, he didn¡¯t feel emotions. Then, this young teacher from Deer College quickly gave up. ¡°All right, all right. After all, you¡¯ve saved my life. I hope I won¡¯t break my leg,¡± With that, Daniel jumped down from the carriage. Jason watched Daniel roll on the ground, then stand up safe before closing the door. Then he turned and looked at Bondy. ¡°You won¡¯t let me jump, will you?¡± Bondy asked jokingly. ¡°Of course not.¡± Jason shook his head, and when Bondy signed with relief, he said slowly, ¡°I need you to get me some dynamite. We must get strong dynamite to load up this carriage! That means a lot of dynamite.¡± Chapter 56: I, Jason, Have the Perfect Technique for Making Money Chapter 56: I, Jason, Have the Perfect Technique for Making Money Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio Garden Pea Street, located in the south of Rhode City, was a small marketce. Unlike the shops that lined the length of Kensing street, the majority of the shops here were mobile vendors. And,pared to the wide Kensing Street, Garden Pea Street was much narrower. It was very difficult for carriages to pass through here normally. So Jason jumped out of the carriage at the street entrance of Garden Pea Street. ¡°Jason, be careful.¡± Bondy whispered. ¡°All right.¡± Jason nodded in response. Then he closed the door behind him and to Finch, who was serving as a coachman driving the carriage, he bade, ¡°Be mindful of safety on the road.¡± ¡°Understood, My Lordship, Jason.¡±
The young man assured. Snap! Clip-clop-clop. Finch jogged the reins, and the carriage soon disappeared into the night. Jason stood rooted to the ground and watched the carriage disappear before he looked toward Garden Pea Street. By this time, the vendors, who had set up stalls, had basically closed for the day. But there were still many people carryingrge bundles or pushing their carts as they walked along this street. Unlike ordinary vendors, the majority of these people were strong and bulky and were armed with weapons. Even if there were one or two weaker and thinner ones, they also exuded a strange vibe that made people feel that they were not people to be trifled with. Jason stood in the shadows, obscured from view. He remained silent andposed as he observed the surroundings. Until Daniel appeared. This teacher from Deer College was pushing a cart as he looked around him. Clearly, he was looking for Jason. ¡°Over here.¡± Jason spoke out to remind him. Daniel immediately followed the voice and found Jason. ¡°Look,¡± ¡°The mask you wanted.¡± As though he was presenting a treasure, Daniel took out an ice hockey mask. This was a standard ice hockey mask. There were many neat, small holes all over the forehead and cheeks area, as well as a ssh of red between the eyes. Jason picked up the mask and put it on right away.
After some slight adjustment, a hidden sense offort appeared, once again. It calmed him down instantly. Daniel, who was standing in front of Jason, had frozen in shock because he had never discovered before that Jason would be such a suitable fit for the ice hockey mask. ¡°Your cloak.¡±
Daniel handed over the cloak. Cloaks were not cheap to start with. They had to be smooth to the touch and should not cause even a hint of a burden when draped over the wearer¡¯s body. More importantly, there were two linings at the two shoulders to simply prevent people from having a clear view of the wearer¡¯s body type. After adjusting the ¡°Winchester Brothers¡± and his two other weapons, the MF92 and UZ submachine gun, Jason quietly waited for Daniel to change into his outfit. It was the same cloak he wore, but his mask was that of a clown. ¡°How do I look?¡± ¡°I fell in love with clowns after watching my first clown performance when I was a child.¡± ¡°A pity¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the talent to be aedian.¡± Daniel pointed at the red nose on his mask. Jason looked at him without making anyment. After all, from his point of view, a clown was not purely aedian. ¡°Why so serious?¡± Jason unconsciously muttered under his breath.
¡°What?¡± Daniel did not seem to fully understand what Jason meant. On the other hand, Jason silently shook his head and walked straight out of the shadows. He turned in the direction of Garden Pea Street and headed toward it. ¡°Why so serious?¡± Daniel stood in his original spot as he repeated this line. For some unknown reason, he liked this line. He felt that he should be a good fit for this line. After all, once upon a time, he had wanted to be aedian. However, the very next moment, upon seeing that Jason had already gone far, he immediately pushed his cart to catch up with Jason. ¡°Wait for me!¡± Daniel shouted. Rumble-rumble. The wheels of his cart rotated at high speed. With a tall, strong figure walking forward inrge strides, and a tall, thin figure speedily chasing up from behind, these two figures attracted the people around to look at them, albeit unconsciously.
However, upon having a clear view of that clown mask, they hurriedly tore their eyes away. At most, their gazes would remain a second or two on that strange ice hockey mask. ¡°Guards?¡± ¡°Very familiar with Daniel.¡± Jason thought. Then he looked at Number 10, Garden Pea Street, which was close at hand. This was a three-story building with an exterior that looked no different from the surrounding buildings. Though the windows were very clean, they still bore the traces of age. At the moment, the second and third floors were lit. Jason could even see people walking around with food on the second floor. It was just that¡­ There was no sound of footsteps. Jason, who was twice more perceptive than an average person, was very sure that what he was seeing should be a kind of existence that was simr to phantoms. And as a venue for a secret assembly of the mysterious side, it was very normal to have these. Taking his eyes away, Jason looked at what was before him.
A small fence gate was blocking the way. It was made of iron and had many red, rusty spots. The door was not locked, but it was shut. On the left gatepost, there was a suspended handle¡ªthis was an old-fashioned doorbell. Jason did not act rashly. He turned to look at Daniel. ¡°Leave this to me.¡± Daniel said. Then he pulled the handle. With a rhythm of one slow pull, followed by two fast tugs, Daniel repeated this set twice in a row. Then the metal fence in front of them automatically opened. Crack! Together, with the opening of the fence, the doors of the building, that were across a small flower bed, also opened. Daniel pushed the cart and went straight in. Jason followed behind him. Along the way, the path seemed clear and unobstructed. They went through doors, corridors, big halls, and then¡­ They came to a stairway that was rotating downwards. It was that kind of stairway where both sides were staircases, with the middle part made into even ground. Apparently, the organizers here had taken into consideration that there would be people like Daniel turning up, pushing their carts along with them. They walked down a hundred steps or so. A wooden door blocked the way ahead of them. Daniel did not need Jason to open his mouth. He went up and knocked on the door. Knock, knock-knock! ¡°Beard, hair, nails.¡± After knocking on the door, Daniel cited a strange code. The next moment, the door opened. And with the opening of the door, Jason¡¯s ears could instantly hear a flurry of mixed voices. ¡°Looking to buy the ws of a grinner?¡± ¡°Asking to buy the tongue of a paradoxical being?¡± ¡°Asking to buy the tentacle of a submariner?¡± All seemed to be stuff that he had eaten before. All tasted very good at that. Then, Jason¡¯s nose, hidden behind the mask, suddenly began to twitch. He¡­ Detected the aroma of food. It was an aroma that had smells belonging to a grinner, a paradoxical being, and also a submariner. And it also carried a smell that he was not familiar with. But¡­ It was all so fragrant! The edges of Jason¡¯s mouth curved slightly upwards. His face that was hidden behind the ice did not mind revealing a smile. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it surprising?¡± ¡°When I first came here, I was also very surprised.¡± ¡°Garden Pea Marketce is definitely not like any of those that ordinary people on the ground often see.¡± ¡°It¡¯s underground!¡± ¡°This is the real Garden Pea Marketce!¡± Daniel looked at Jason beside him, who was clearly a little dazed, and could not helpughing. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m somewhat surprised.¡± ¡°I had not expected to see so many¡­¡± His voice gradually faded away as Jason had already taken a big step forward to walk in. The underground hall inside was evidentlyrge enough and took on a squarishyout. Jason stood at the door and looked, and he could easily see thirty to forty stalls. Right in the middle of the building, there was a huge tent, and there was a very big signboard hanging on the outside this huge tent: 1. Oneplete coat of hair of the grinner (5 grams of gold) 2. One venom sac of the Aikeze Lizard (20 grams of gold) 3. Oneplete wing bone of Domera (20 grams of gold) 4. 1500 strands of Kemetia hair (50 grams of gold) 5. Details of the Moon Mask Club (No official information required) (200 grams of gold) (Note: With the exception of No. 5, additional amount paid for Nos. 1 to 4 are weed. All and sundry would be turned into good ount¡ª¡±Sir Beta¡±) ¡°That is the requirement of the organizer that I was telling you about. Sir Beta has always been very generous.¡± Daniel said as he brought his cart to a stop and removed the binding ropes on top of it. Then, he pulled out a banner. ¡°Panacea¡ªdeveloped with mummy powder!¡± ¡°Two grams of gold for one serving!¡± With the appearance of the banner, many people flocked over to Daniel¡¯s booth. ¡°One and only fixed price!¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± ¡°No bargaining, please. Thank you!¡± Daniel said as he looked at Jason, who was next to him and then said, ¡°You can roam around first. We will have to wait until midnight for the openmunication segment. I can lend you a few grams of gold if you need some.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t need them.¡± Jason declined his offer. Through that big signboard and the peddlers all around the area, he roughly knew the pricing ofmodities. He could not even afford the hair of the grinner with his total asset worth of 4 grams of gold, 9 grams of silver, and 9 grams of copper. If he wanted to replenish his Satiety, he would need a great amount of gold here. Fortunately, there was still a pretty good opportunity right ahead of him. Jason¡¯s eyes were locked on the fifth option on that big signboard, especially on the note stating that there was no need for official information. Then he walked toward the tent. So what if he did not have any gold? He¡­ He still¡­ He still could¡­ He still could sell him himself. Chapter 57: When A Large Variety of Meats Was Gathered, What Would Your Choice Be? Chapter 57: When A Large Variety of Meats Was Gathered, What Would Your Choice Be?
Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio In front of the tent stood a well-dressed, middle-aged man. Seeing Jason approach him, the other party bowed, and then, with a gesture, he asked, ¡°Hello, may I ask?¡± ¡°5.¡± Jason expressed the number he wanted.
Instantly, the middle-aged man grasped a tacit understanding of Jason¡¯s intentions. ¡°Please.¡± The other party lifted the curtain of the tent and made a gesture of invitation. Jason took a step forward and went in, while the curtain behind him fell slowly. Immediately, the noise outside vanished without the slightest hint passing through. With a normal piece of curtain, it would have been simply impossible to achieve such a feat. It was very obvious. This would be the power of the mysterious side. But what Jason was most concerned about was actually something that was right before his eyes¡­ starlight! Yes! As he stood inside the tent this very moment, there was a starry sky overhead. The night sky was as dark as pitch, and the twinkling stars were getting more resplendent than before. It was as if he was really standing amidst the wilderness and looking up at the stars. Jason¡¯s eyes unconsciously looked toward that star¨Cthe brightest one of them all.
His knowledge of ultism was not enough for him to identify whether the starry sky before him was a kind of starry sky that wasposed of some kind of props, or whether it was a kind of starry sky that was constructed by some kind of ritual. But being twice as perceptive as an average person, as well as¡­ The search for food had allowed him to be acutely aware of the most noteworthy points. That brightest star was emitting a sweet aroma. Jason forcefully willed himself against jumping up to pluck the star and swallow it. ¡°Wee, my new guest.¡± Just as Jason was about to study the star again, a sonorous voice boomed. With the sound of that voice, an old man with sharp eyes and a white wig, dressed in a red military uniform that was matched with a white shirt beneath, appeared before Jason. Jason was instantly startled. His eyes began to reflect his wariness. Because even with his level of perception, he did not even hear the slightest hint of movement. Even if he had been distracted because of the aroma of food, this was already enough to point out that there were some problems. ¡°Is it because of this starry sky?¡± ¡°Or is it¡­¡±
¡°The other party¡¯s capability?¡± Jason was specting in his mind. Sure enough, anyone who could host a secret assembly would definitely not be a small fry. On the surface, Jason kept a calmposure as he gave a slight bow before saying, ¡°I have detailed information on the Moon Mask Club. Not the official kind.¡± Before entering this ce, Jason had set his mind on a straightforward approach where he would dere his intentions bluntly. First of all, he was not someone good at exchanging decorous greetings or making small talk. Secondly¡­ The fragrance was ceaselessly working its way to his nose. This was making his stomach constantly send out messages of hunger. He¡­ Urgently needed that bounty now to buy some food to fill his stomach. If he remained here any longer, he was afraid he would not be able to control himself. ¡°Very well.¡±
¡°I knew it. This time, there¡¯s bound to be something to gain.¡± Sir Beta said as he pointed to the chair next to him. ¡°We can sit down and talk.¡± ¡°What do you need, my new guest?¡± ¡°Tea or coffee, or something else?¡± The old knight asked in an extremely kindly manner. However, Jason wanted to save time, so he shook his head, instead. ¡°Everything about the Moon Mask Club is a setup.¡± ¡°One of the key purposes of its setup was to attract people who were keeping a close eye over Santel, the grave keeper.¡± ¡°Another key point is with regards to Herke¡¯s remedy.¡± Jason said simply. And when Jason mentioned Santel, the grave keeper¡¯s name, the old man in front of Jason showed a serious face. His sharp eyes became piercing, looking even more like knives.
Jason could clearly feel his hair standing on end. Then he felt the old man in front of him be overwhelmingly mighty. It seemed like any lie would be an insult to the other party. There was a voice at the back of his mind telling him that he would not be able to deceive the old man with lies. ¡°Ritual?¡± ¡°Secret technique?¡± ¡°Professional ability?¡± Jason was guessing in his mind. But his words did not stop. He maintained a very smooth pace as he finished up with everything he had to say. After all, he was telling the truth. ¡°Herke¡¯s remedy, grave keeper, Santel, the Moon Mask Club.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what everything boils down to.¡± This old man seemed to have gained some insight as he nodded. Then, he smiled at Jason.
With this smile, that feeling of being interrogated disappeared within an instant. The knight turned back into just the old man with sharp eyes. ¡°I thank you, my guest.¡± ¡°I have grasped a full understanding of everything.¡± ¡°You can approach my servant, Eric, to collect your reward.¡± ¡°In addition,¡± ¡°I have gained more than what I¡¯ve expected to get, so you can take an additional 20 grams of gold.¡± The other party definitely lived up to his name of generosity, as mentioned by Daniel. He had directly added an additional ten percent on the basis of the original bounty. And this, to Jason, was naturally good news. ¡°Thank you for your generosity.¡± Jason replied. ¡°No, you are deserving of it.¡± ¡°If you still need anything else, please speak to Eric.¡± ¡°In here, he will be able to satisfy all your needs.¡± Obviously, this was his way of sending off his guest. Jason turned about and went out. The curtain was lifted up and then let down. Once again, the noise returned. Jason¡¯s face, hidden behind the ice hockey mask, was unconsciously showing his excitement. The taste of the food here was not as sweet and tasty as that ¡°star¡± inside the tent, but¡­ the amount of food here beat the amount in the tent hands down! ¡°Sir, your bounty. A total of 230 grams of gold.¡± The middle-aged man obviously knew his master¡¯s instructions beforehand and had already prepared everything. When a huge money purse was handed over to Jason, the gold inside the bag rubbed against each other, letting out a sound that was different, yet pleasing to the ears. ¡°Thank you.¡± After thanking Eric, Jason received the money purse and took big strides as he walked to the ce where fragrance was most prominent. And the eyes of most people around him fell on Jason because of that huge purse of money that he was carrying. Greed was emerging within the minds of many. Jason could sense it. But he was not bothered. Because he had simply no intention of leaving a single copper dime at all. He was going to turn all that gold into food! But then, Jason suddenly thought of something. He stopped in his tracks right away and turned to walk to Daniel¡¯s stall. When the people, who were staring at Jason, saw him walking to the stall selling panacea, smiles of tacit understanding appeared on their faces. Daniel was no exception. ¡°Do you need it, too?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we are good friends.¡± ¡°I will give you a discount.¡± ¡°If these don¡¯t work¡­¡± ¡°I still have some wonder-remedy in my treasured collection!¡± Daniel said with a smile. ¡°I need to ask you for a favor.¡± ¡°With returns.¡± ¡°20 grams of gold.¡± Jason quoted his price. Because there were only 10 panaceas left on Daniel¡¯s stall. Hiring Daniel to make a purchase might seem an extra cost of 20 grams of gold incurred. But it was far more suitable for Daniel to make the purchase aspared to him¨Ca newbie who just learned the ropes of the market. ¡°What favor?¡± Daniel asked out of curiosity. ¡°I¡¯m not good atmunicating with strangers.¡± ¡°So I need you to help me buy the offcuts of monsters from the stalls in this marketce.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need those with specialbels, they just need to be¡­¡± ¡°Meat!¡± Jason emphasized. ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Are you preparing to carry out even better analysis of monsters?¡± ¡°Every night watchman has to go through this process. Though tedious, it will be beneficial for your next advancement.¡± Daniel lowered his voice as he said. Night watchman¡¯s advancement required the analysis of monsters? Jason made a mental note of this piece of information. To Daniel, who had given him a reasonable answer, he made no retort. He handed the money purse directly over to the other guy and said, ¡°Your 20 grams of gold in there.¡± With that, he walked toward that huge tent again. The owner of this ce had already said that Jason could always look for his servant if he had any other requests. So, it should not be too much to request for an iron pot and a stove, right? As for the spices? They were not necessary. He carried his spices with him wherever he went. However, there were some condiments that he would still need the other party to get prepared. For example, sesame oil, mashed garlic, chili noodles, sesame sauce, and so on. After all, when various meat ingredients were to be mixed together, the fastest, most convenient, and most delicious way to cook everything, ording to Jason¡¯s memory¡­ There was only one! Chapter 58: Hotpot Before War! Chapter 58: Hotpot Before War!
Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio Hotpot! In Jason¡¯s memory, this was the most suitable method of taking many different meat ingredients and mixing them together. It was the fastest and most convenient method to cook whilst still being delicious. Although it was impossible to reproduce everything again from memory, here. But after doing his best, Jason believed that the food would definitely be more delicious. This was thebination of sweat and food.
Weren¡¯t delicacies¡­ Supposed to be like this? ¡°The guest room on the second floor above the ground is avable for your use temporarily.¡± ¡°I have ordered everything that you need and put them in the room.¡± This was promised by Sir Beta. Eric, the servant, had fulfilled Jason¡¯s requests to the best of his ability. In a separate room. The stove, wok, kitchenware, tableware, and the required ingredients. At that moment, the only thing missing was the main course. Daniel was like a butterfly amongst flowers, shuttling between each and every stall. ¡°You actually want 2 grams of gold for a grinner¡¯s meat?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke around. The most valuable thing about it is its fur and ws.¡±
¡°A paradoxical being without its tongue is worth, at most, 3 grams of gold.¡± ¡°Yes, I only offered 3 grams of gold because it¡¯s quiteplete.¡± ¡°Your submariner is not bad, but unfortunately, its tentacles are gone. 5 grams of gold.¡± ¡°If you are not selling it, then forget it.¡± ¡°You can keep it as a specimen.¡± In the midst of bargaining, it was as though Daniel was possessed by the God of War. Not only was he full of mettle, but he was also full of vigor and was able to control the rhythm and initiatives of each of the transactions. When he had returned to Jason once again, the 200 grams of gold had been reced with two trolleys full of food. The food had been piled up,yer byyer. It was more than three meters tall. Most of the food remained fully intact. Many of it had been air-dried and be dried meat.
It was obvious that Daniel had basically cleared out the entire inventories here. In fact, other than certain parts of the monsters that were valuable, most of it was of the average value. The reason why they were kept was merely a natural instinct of humans. Or, to be more precise, in this mysterious market, there would always be people who needed to do strange things. Who knew that these things wouldn¡¯t sell for a good price? Even if it didn¡¯t sell for a good price, it was surely better than throwing it away. Daniel was naturally skilled in this field, as he was familiar with this kind of mindset. He knew very well that these people just needed a little bit of fort¡±. And as such, he was able to acquire a good harvest for Jason. ¡°Good job.¡± Jason said, not hesitating with his praises in the face of Daniel, who had brought back a full load. ¡°I¡¯m just working for the money.¡± ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±
Daniel, who had been praised by Jason for the first time, couldn¡¯t help but raise his head slightly. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± ¡°I need to temporarily deal with this foo¡­ things.¡± Jason said, pointing at the food on the two trolleys. ¡°To advance as a night watchman is just this troublesome.¡± ¡°However, you could also consider this as the process of searching for knowledge.¡± ¡°Do you need me to call you when it¡¯s time for the public announcement in a while?¡± Daniel asked after shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Okay.¡± Jason nodded, after estimating the amount of food and factoring in his eating speed. Then, under themand of the servant Eric, several powerful servants helped Jason push the two trolleys into a separate room on the second floor from the ground. After rejecting their offer to stay and help.
Jason started to make a fire for the pot. When the bottom of the pan became hot, a whole stick of butter was thrown onto the pan. After the oil was hot, the pepper, fragrant leaves, star anise, peppercorn, cinnamon, and other ingredients were immediately added to the pot. Huaaa! The crisp sounds of the scallion oil exploding were extremely pleasant. Jason quickly stir-fried, and when the spicy fragrance began to diffuse, he began to add water. He was not really good at stir-frying food. He could only do it roughly. However, Jason was very adept at slicing meat. The sharp dagger of a beast tamer was the best kitchen knife. Arge number of meats, such as the grinner, paradoxical being, and Kemetia had been cut into thin, long strips. A few submariners were converted as well.
The air-dried meat was cut into sections. At this point, the red soup in the iron pot was boiling. The butter floated on the side of the pot, and the ingredients from the bottom bobbed up and down with the soup. The meat slices were emptied into the pot, and when the color of the meat pieces changed, they were fished out by Jason and mixed with various mixed oils, dry dishes, and sesame sauce. Garlic paste and sesame oil only served to infinitely enhance the tenderness of the meat. The chili noodles and the dried dishes were both spicy and refreshing. The vor of the sesame sauce made the meat that much more delicious. A few of them did not have tentacles, and the submariner, that had been cut in a different way, suddenly became smooth and chewy in the pot. What surprised Jason the most was all the dried meat. He was ready to eat it dry and heavy. Who knew that, after soaking them in the soup, it removed a bit of the toughness and tasted very good. ¡°It feels like I¡¯m eating jerky!¡± Jason did not expect that he had unexpectedlypleted the Jerky Tasting n. [Devouring the rge amount of food¡± (poor quality)!] [Moderate recovery of physical and mental abilities!] [Satiety +20] [Satiety: 21] Jason had only 1 point of Satiety before, and it had madly increased again. However, the increase was somewhat small. ¡°Is it because of the ¡®poor quality¡¯?¡± Looking at the pop-up, Jason recalled that, when he was cooking before, although not all of them had been fully tailed, they were still rtively fresh. He had yet to try this out with long-term storage. ¡°Must it be fresh?¡± ¡°In that case, you¡¯re saying¡­¡± ¡°Jerky and whatnot¡­ as long as you can avoid eating it that way, you should? And the right choice to make it is to eat it as soon as possible?¡± Jason thought of such a question. Then he focused his eyes on the satiety again. ¡°A satiety of 21¡­¡± ¡°This should be sufficient.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, there is no Excitement of Feeding at all!¡± When faced with the possibility of getting Excitement of Feeding, Jason had never harbored any hopes, but even then, when the fact actually appeared in front of him, he still felt a bit of disappointment. Then, Jason quickly adjusted his emotions. After packing up everything in the room, he began to pour the strong version of holy water onto his own skin. It would have been shameful to let it go to waste. Jason would carry anything he could to strengthen himself, especially in the face of an unknown danger. After closing the stopper, Jason opened the door of the room and was ready to return to the basement. Jason was very interested in the public announcement. He expected to gain more knowledge about the mysterious side during this session. As for Daniel¡¯s reminder service? There was something wrong with his estimation. He had finished eating the food half an hour earlier than his previous estimation. This couldn¡¯t be med on Daniel. Step, step, step. Jason walked down the stairs slowly and came to the hall of the house, then, ording to his muscle memory, Jason was about to walk down the spiraling stairs. But at that time¨C Squeak! The door to the house opened. A tall, ck shadow stood at the door staring right at Jason. He was holding a broad-ded, short-handled machete. The murderous intent in his gaze could be felt by an ordinary person. Not to mention Jason, who felt things more than twice as perceptively as ordinary people. Almost instantly, Jason¡¯s attention was drawn over. Then¡­ A shadow appeared behind Jason and the dagger in his hand was ced silently on Jason¡¯s neck. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± A cold voice ordered in Jason¡¯s ear. The tall figure made a sound ofughter. ¡°Night watchman?¡± ¡°The mysterious side of Rhode?¡± ¡°But that¡¯s about it.¡± Then, the other party walked into the house in such a tant manner and went straight to Jason. ¡°Follow us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound, let alone call for help.¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± ¡°Nobody can save you!¡± The tall figure spoke like this was a verdict. Before he could finish his words, Jason hurried forward. The sudden action made the guy, who thought he had held on to Jason, not able to react in time. The other party was about to subconsciously put away the dagger, but it was way toote. Pu! The sharp dagger slit onto most of Jason¡¯s neck. The two intruders widened their eyes in utter disbelief as they saw Jason fall to the ground. What had happened? Why did he want to court his own death? Were the night watchmen that rash? Confusion continued to appear at the bottom of the two intruders¡¯ hearts. But the two were not slow. They turned around and nned on leaving. The operation had failed. If they were to stay, they would endure the anger of that Sir! Just¡­ The two, who had turned around, did not notice at all¡­ Jason, who they had thought to be dead, suddenly¡­ Open his eyes. Chapter 59: As Long as I Eat Enough, I Will Not Die! Chapter 59: As Long as I Eat Enough, I Will Not Die! Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio In front of Jason¡¯s eyes, text was moving: [Fatally injured¡­] [Consumption of Satiety for treatment¡­] [Consumed 3 points of Satiety!] [Treatmentpleted!] Looking at the familiar text, Jason smiled. This had all been part of his n. It was important to know that Satiety was not just something for him to quickly learn skills and find employment.
It was also¡­ Used for treatment! As long as he had enough points in his Satiety! It was indeed difficult for a guy like Jason to die! Breathing, Jason¡¯s neck, which had been mostly cut by the dagger, restored to its original condition. As he began to feel vitality flow back into his body, Jason slowly raised his muzzle. Bang, bang! The bullets of the MF92 pistol hit the two intruders exactly. The tall intruder, with a stagger, almost fell to the ground. The one holding the dagger fell directly to the ground and was unable to get up at all. He could only turn his head around and look behind him. Then¡­ Both their eyes widened in utter disbelief. In their hearts, they were thinking how Jason, who was supposed to be dead, was now standing there alive and shooting at them. Was it an illusion? The two intruders subconsciously thought about this. Then, the intruders¨Cthe one who could barely stand, and the one who fell to the ground¨Cbegan to mutter under their breaths and started to finish a graphical reiteration ritual without much difficulty. They wanted to dispel this realistic illusion. As long as the illusion was expelled, They would be safe!
But Jason? Bang! Click, click! Bang!
The muzzle of the Winchester Brothers began to fire pellets that rained upon the two intruders. After five consecutive shots, the two intruders were almost beaten to pieces of rotten meat. Even the intruder who seemed tall and strong was no exception. After all, no matter how tall and strong he was, his body was still made up of¡­ flesh and blood! Jason walked toward the two intruders while filling No. 13 bullets into the magazine chamber, one by one. Then, he took the sharp dagger. And the wide-ded, short-handled machete. They were both good weapons. Especially thetter. Jason and the tall intruder were simr in size, and it was easy for Jason to use the same weapon the opponent used as well. s! Waving it in the thin air and feeling the whistling sound of broken air ripples, a smile crept onto Jason¡¯s face that was hidden behind the ice hockey mask. Although he had not learned the corresponding mastery skills, weapons like knives were very easy to use. As long as his strength was enough, with a strong hit, the job would bepleted.
Then, Jason was ready to continue searching for loot. But at that time Poof! A thin de passed through his chest and nailed Jason to the ground. ¡°Not bad for an illusion.¡± ¡°Your reaction is pretty quick.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you being a little careless?¡± A sneer came from overhead. The sword-bearer looked down at Jason. Step, step, step. With the sound of unspoken footsteps, the two figures came out of the shadows again. They stared maliciously at Jason.
¡°Where is it? The Herke Elixir!¡± He shouted, rubbing his feet on Jason¡¯s head. Then¡­ Click! Puff! The wide-ded machete passed over the opponent¡¯s calf. ¡°Arghhh!¡± He screamed and fell to the ground. The opponent had not expected that Jason, who had been nailed to the ground by a sword, could fight back. Pfft! The terrible screams came to an abrupt end. Everything had happened too quickly. The other aplice had not expected it at all, nor could he think about rescuing.
They look at Jason, who was supporting half of his body with a sword prating from his wound, and their hearts trembled violently. But what made their scalps numb was what woulde next. Jason arched. He moved his body up a little. He actually wanted to stand up! The sword-bearer quickly responded. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°Hey, stop!¡± The sword-bearer shouted and kept turning the hilt in his hand to increase his grip strength, hoping that the pain and his own strength would make Jason give up. But it was useless. Jason seemed to have no fear of pain. Jason was even stronger than the swordsman. Therefore, the other party could not stop Jason at all. Jason not only stood up a little but even leaned back slightly. Tsch! The sword-bearer had heard the sound of a sword cutting flesh earlier. The first time he had hit an enemy, he would hear such a sound. All of these first-times made him happy. But this time it was different! Rather than feeling any joy, he was full of panic. Watching the view of the back getting closer and closer, the sword-bearer¡¯s breathing became messy, and his heart kept rising with an unprecedented sense of panic. Fortunately, he was not alone. The otherpanion who was not hurt pulled out his revolver and aimed at Jason, pulling the trigger. Bang, bang, bang! There was a shocking scene in front of him. The opponent had not chosen to aim at the skull but wanted to have a higher chance of hitting the garget, so the opponent had aimed at Jason¡¯s chest instead. But it was useless. Jason still approached the sword-bearer, little by little, in this weird posture. In the end, the sword-bearer couldn¡¯t stand it. He released the hilt and prepared to retreat. At the moment, he released the hilt of the sword. Jason, who was slowly moving backward, suddenly elerated, turning around with a knife Pft! The head of the sword-bearer flew up and rushed forward. It continued to roll a few steps before stopping and falling to the ground. Then, Jason turned to look at the shooter. At that moment, the opponent was loading bullets. But his hands couldn¡¯t stop shaking. Especially when he realized that Jason was walking step-by-step. While watching the weird, blood-stained ice hockey mask get closer and closer, a sense of oppression made the other person feel suffocated. ¡°Monster!¡± He shouted, turning and running. Bang! The shot of the lever shotgun enveloped the opponent. The powerful impact of each projectile caused the opponent¡¯s body to fly up, and then fall heavily to the ground without a sound. Jason lowered his muzzle, grasped the hilt on his back with his backhand, and pulled out the fine sword, bit by bit. It was at the moment that the rapier waspletely drawn out. Jason¡¯s body fully recovered. It was not only the wound from the sword, but the bullets in his body from earlier were also being ejected, one by one, by the newly grown flesh. Tick, tick, tick. The bullets fell to the floor, one after the other. Everyone who was hiding around¨Ceveryone who was holding on to the Herke Elixir, was shaking, the sounds of their hearts beating in unison. Monster! Immortal monster! s, they did not retreat immediately! They expected that the more impulsive guys would jump into the situation. But the five corpses on the ground calmed those who were thinking about being impulsive. And Jason? Now that the preliminary deterrent n had beenpleted. Then¡­ It was time for him to take the initiative! Huff! A cold autumn wind blew in from the door. It passed the blood-stained ice hockey mask. And it passed through the tall figure. The nit passed the wide-ded machete that was being lifted. At that moment! The roles of the hunter and the hunted were exchanged! Now it was¡­ Hunting time! Chapter 60: Intimidation Chapter 60: Intimidation Editor:Nyoi-Bo Studio Taking one step out, the wide-ded machete in his hand pierced into the shadows. Instantly, there was fresh crimson that appeared from the darkness. It looked like red stage curtains that slightly shook before they would slowly open. The difference was that there wasughter and crying on the stage. But here? There were only purely¡­ Motives! Jason wasn¡¯t a killer and had never intended to kill. He had just wanted to scare off these people using his own means. That¡¯s right.
Forcing them to retreat through intimidation. Or threats. Because Jason knew that he would be outnumbered when facing the mysterious side people who were attracted by the Herke Elixir with his current strength. Even putting aside the number of people, first. Just by using these endless, weird methods was enough to make Jason feel frightened. That was how Jason came up with this n of intimidation. His mind was clear. He did not think that he was invincible just because he was full. After all¡­ There was a limit to how full you could be! In the previous scene, although short, it had still cost him to consume 9 points of Satiety. He was now left with 12 points. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Jason calcted as he waved the wide-ded machete in his hand. He never shied away from bullets, des, crossbows, or anything that came from the shadows. He wanted to etch his ¡°immortality¡± deep into the hearts of his enemies. In fact, Jason had already aplished this. The intruders, who were hiding in the shadows, were scared out of their wits. They looked at the big man wearing a hockey mask in front of them and retreated, step by step.
Because they realized that this big man was not only immortal but also seemed to have no notion of pain! What was even more frightening was¡­ That the other party seemed to be able to track down their positions as time passed! This wouldn¡¯t do!
They couldn¡¯t dy any longer! They had to leave! These thoughts involuntarily emerged in the hearts of these people. Jason still acted ording to his own n and walked step by step toward the position of the intruders that he had long felt, and after ignoring his opponent¡¯s attacks, he gave the opponent a stab. These people were hiding nearby and he could feel it. But ording to the n, for the time being, he pretended not to know. As for the pain? Satiety could heal fatal injuries, but it didn¡¯t have the ability to soothe the pain. Therefore, at that point, Jason¡¯s face under the ice hockey mask was distorted with pain. But he didn¡¯t make a sound. He just gritted his teeth and released a heavy breath, moving forward, taking one step at a time, shing with his knife. His whole body was like that of a robot. The reason for doing this effect was obvious.
When Jason cut down another intruder, the remaining intruders could no longer hold it in anymore. They didn¡¯t know who would run first. But after seeing someone run away. They immediately became flocks of birds and dispersed. And Jason was still striding forward, chasing and chopping the slowest ones to the ground. Watching the intruders who had run away, Jason let out a low growl from his mouth. He appeared to be unhappy from not being able to enjoy this to the fullest. But it was really because he could no longer bear the pain any longer, so he was venting. Hearing such a roar, those people fled even faster. After a while, all of them had disappeared into the night. Jason turned around and immediately started cleaning out the battlefield. At that point, the ¡°Sir¡± finally made an appearance. It was not from the basement but from the outside. Before he was even close to 10 Pea Street, Sir Beta could smell the strong stench of blood.
The old sir¡¯splexion immediately changed. He was certain¡­ He had been caught in a trap. Damn those hyenas and vultures. The cursing and anxiety in his heart made the old Sir like a nightingale, and he flew straight to 10 Pea Street from the streets. Then¡­ The old sir saw Jason cleaning out the battlefield. The old sir, who was donning a white wig and wearing a red military uniform, nced across the hall. His eyes moved quickly, and when he saw Jason¡¯s shirt, the corners of his mouth twitched. He didn¡¯t need to take a closer look. The old sir could clearly see that Jason had suffered no fewer than 10 shots, sword shes, and crossbow shots. Under such an attack, let¡¯s not talk about standing. They would, straight away, be a pool of rotten meat. As for Jason? Not only was he okay, but he was cleaning out the battlefield without letting go of a pocket.
Moreover, the loots had been ssified and lined up side by side. ¡°You consumed Herke¡¯s Silver Potion?¡± ¡°And attained the immortality talent?¡± Subconsciously, the old sir began to speak, but he immediately knew that he had spoken too abruptly, and before Jason could reply, he said again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been negligent!¡± ¡°I will give you an exnation!¡± The old sir promised. In response to such a type of promise, Jason believed it. The other party had just shown the ability to fly, and the props in the tent indicated to Jason that the other party was unusual. And Jason didn¡¯t care too much about the moment. His attention was focused solely on the loot of war. It wasn¡¯t that he saw value in this loot. But¡­ On some of the loot, he smelled food. Obviously, some loot had used ¡°food parts¡± in their creation. He just didn¡¯t know how to eat it. There was no way he could sprinkle cumin on the de and eat it, right? What if he cut off his own tongue? Otherwise, was he supposed to take it down and eat it directly? But how was he to remove it? And doing it in such a manner missed the feeling ofpleting a ritual. It felt disrespectful not to ce the food over a fire. Most importantly, wouldn¡¯t it be unptable? Many thoughts began pouring into Jason¡¯s head. Looking at Jason, who had turned silent, the old sir didn¡¯t speak again, but his eyes did not leave Jason at all. The old sir was clear what this existence with immortality represented. Anxiety began to fill the heart of the old sir. In the end, the old sir smiled. The person in front of him, with immortality, was not his enemy. On the contrary, to a certain extent, the two sides had a very happy start, before. All he had to do was turn this happy start into an even stronger rtionship. Thinking about this, the old sir didn¡¯t have any psychological burden and turned his head and said behind him, ¡°Eric, go help our guest clean the battlefield, and then ask someone to identify those things.¡± ¡°And also¡­¡± ¡°Find suitable clothes for our guest.¡± After saying this, the old sir stepped forward and gave Jason a very kind smile. ¡°Those guys won¡¯t be able to run away.¡± ¡°Now let¡¯s talk about yourpensation.¡± ¡°Do you have anything you want?¡± ¡°Anything. You can tell me, as long as it¡¯s within my capability, I won¡¯t be stingy.¡± A nearly unlimited condition was presented to Jason. In order to make friends with this mysterious person with immortality, the old sir was naturally prepared for major bleeding. Just¡­ What the old sir did not expect was that Jason would make apletely unexpected request. ¡°Sir, do you have arge amount of¡­ monster corpses?¡± ¡°Specimens work, too.¡± Chapter 61: 60 New Menu Login (Please Favorite~Please Recommend~) Chapter 61: Chapter 60 New Menu Login (Please Favorite~Please Rmend~)
Arge number of monster corpses? Specimens work too? Is it the ¡°Night Watcher¡±? ¡°Corpse carriers¡±? Or¡­ ¡°Doctor¡±?
Two strange conditions led Sir Beta to unconsciously specte, and then, this well-informed old bar suddenly thought of the special consultant recently hired by the police. Plus Taniel¡¯s presence. Almost instantly, the old bar confirmed Jason¡¯s identity. ¡°A ¡®Night Watcher¡¯?¡± ¡°Which stubborn, obstinate old fellow¡¯s apprentice might he be?¡± ¡°Eilot? Alder? Kolk? Or¡­¡± ¡°Dan?!¡± The thought of the ¡®Night Watchers¡¯ from his memories made the old bar¡¯s temples throb with an unavoidable swelling and pain. It wasn¡¯t because these ¡®Night Watchers¡¯ were viins. On the contrary, each of these ¡®Night Watchers¡¯ could be considered principled good people. But, those principles.
Ensured they would never be liked by any of the higher-ups. Inflexible. Stubborn in their own views. This was the evaluation of the ¡®Night Watchers¡¯ by all those who were in the know. Yet, it was precisely because of this. They, were trustworthy. Those in the know among themons referred to them as heroes lurking in the dark. And he? Preferred to call these stubborn folks the knight under the cover of night! Whew. Sir Beta took a deep breath, looking at Jason with softened eyes.
¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Go back to your room first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have Eric bring you thepensationter.¡± After saying that, Sir Beta nodded to Jason again and walked towards the underground hall. Jason watched the old bar¡¯s receding figure. The change in the other person¡¯s expression just now hadn¡¯t slipped past the perceptively keen Jason. ¡°Is it because he guessed my identity, that¡­¡± ¡°He became trusting?¡± ¡°Is it because of the Night Watcher?¡± Jason thought silently to himself. He wasn¡¯t surprised that his identity was guessed. It was impossible to hold such a ¡®mysterious gathering¡¯ in Lorde City if one wasn¡¯t a powerful, well-informed individual.
And based on such a foundation, discovering Taniel¡¯s identity was even simpler. Taniel¡¯s nature ensured that the seemingly decent ¡®disguise¡¯ was pointless. Using Taniel¡¯s identity as a base for conjecture, his own identity was naturally clear at a nce. However, what concerned Jason more¡­ was the ¡®Night Watcher¡¯s¡¯ advancement. It seemed that everyone knew, except him, the ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ himself. ¡°What would the ¡®Night Watcher¡¯s¡¯ advancement be?¡± Jason, carrying these thoughts and his spoils of war, returned to the room he had used before. The fire hadn¡¯tpletely died out. He added some charcoal, then poured water back into the iron pot. Jason quietly waited for the ¡®food¡¯ to arrive. However, while waiting, his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the weapon emitting a ¡®fragrance¡¯.
The spoils were divided into two piles. One was a pile of firearms, swords, etc., without any scent. The other pile consisted of swords with a food fragrance, a total of two. One dagger, one longsword. Clearly, integrating certain characteristics of food into a weapon was also a very challenging task. Jason couldn¡¯t help but pick up the dagger. This dagger had a sharpness and¡­ coldness that ordinary daggerscked. He vividly remembered, when the dagger skimmed his throat, the feeling as if his whole body was about to freeze. A magic-like weapon! This was unquestionable. ¡°Just¡­¡± ¡°I wonder what the taste is like?¡±
¡°It should be fine if I just lick it, right?¡± Such a thought arose in his mind, and by the time Jason came to his senses, his tongue had already licked the spine of the dagger. Ice cold. There¡¯s a hint of sweetness. It seems¡­ Like an old popsicle. Unable to resist, Jason sucked hard on it. Instantly, the sweet, icy taste spread in his mouth, rejuvenating the battle-weary Jason in a sh. However, the dagger in his hand became as if it had lost its most important support te, beginning to rust and crumble. [You have consumed some essence of a Scout (Essence)!] [Physical strength and energy greatly restored!] [Hunger +5!] [Hunger: 8] ¡­ The text before him gave Jason endless motivation. He picked up the sword, stuck out his tongue, and licked it. Numb. Spicy. And that distinctive fragrance¡­ Spicy strips! He couldn¡¯t help wanting to take a bite, but fortunately, hisst shred of reason told Jason that if he didn¡¯t want to be a ¡®split-mouth man¡¯, he definitely shouldn¡¯t do so. But eating spicy strips without chewing, just sucking on them, was truly ufortable. ¡°I need a body as strong as steel!¡± ¡°At least¡­¡± ¡°My lips, teeth, tongue, my entire mouth should be harder than steel!¡± Such thoughts involuntarily appeared at the bottom of Jason¡¯s heart. [You have consumed some essence of a Weaver (Essence)!] [Physical strength and energy greatly restored!] [Hunger +8!] [Hunger: 16] ¡­ When the taste disappeared, the sword decayed as well. The increased hunger relief allowed Jason to finally breathe a sigh of relief. The recent battle, though short, had him enduring six lethal injuries. Especially the first few, which were very real. That feeling was definitely not pleasant. But, no matter how unpleasant¡­ It¡¯s still better than death, right? Just being alive was enough for Jason to feel content. Therefore, the pain was bearable. Of course, Jason remained vignt. Because he could not ensure that those people were all those who coveted the ¡®Hulk Potion¡¯. Who could guarantee that one or two guys weren¡¯t lurking in the dark? And it was precisely those kinds of people who would be truly troublesome. So, more hunger relief was necessary. The next moment, Jason ced the weapons together with the dagger, then began to inspect those weapons without fragrance seriously. He hoped to find some hidden ¡®food¡¯ within them. Unfortunately, there was none. It was just a batch of weapons of quality that was quite good among ordinary ones. In fact, they were nowhere near as useful as the wide-ded short-handed machete in his hand. Indeed, after the recent battle, the machete had be Jason¡¯s weapon of choice for closebat. After carefully wiping it down, Jason hung it on one side of his waist. Having more weapons on his person made it somewhat inconvenient for him to move. ¡°I need a weapon harness.¡± ¡°One that can ce the MF92 under both armpits and secure the ¡®Winchester Brothers¡¯ and UZ submachine gun on the back.¡± ¡°And on both sides of the waist, there should be a ce to agilely secure the potion bag and the wide-ded short-handed machete.¡± In his mind, Jason sketched out a rough design. It wasn¡¯tplex. But it would still require a proficient craftsman to tailor it for him. Immediately, Jason thought of Taniel. The other party certainly should know some people who could do it. As Jason was pondering this, an unprecedentedly strong fragrance entered his nose. Unable to help himself, Jason looked towards the direction of the door. In his ears, he could already hear the footsteps of the old Sir¡¯s servant and the creaking of the overloaded wheels. Step, step step. Creak, creak. The sounds of footsteps and wheels blended and approached together. But just as these sounds were about to reach the door, they suddenly vanished in an instant. All that was left was, Soft sobbing, whimpering. And that sound, Wasing from¡­ Him, Behind. Chapter 62: 61 Targeting Chapter 62: Chapter 61 Targeting Facing the sobbing and whimperinging from behind, Jason did not turn around.
Instead, he took arge step forward. At the same time, his lever-action shotgun passed through his armpit, its muzzle pointing backward. Bang! A shower of pellets burst out instantly. The sobbing and whimpering ceased at once. Click, click!
During the rhythmic loading noise of the ¡°Winchester Brothers,¡± Jason turned around. His gaze met nothing but emptiness! Then, the sobbing and whimpering started up again. Still¡­ behind him! Only this time, the sound was a little closer. As if the person sobbing and whimpering had taken a small step forward. Jason¡¯s heart tightened. He definitely didn¡¯t want this bizarre presence to get close to him. Without any hesitation, he pulled the trigger again. Bang!
The muzzle shed with fire. Then, Jason turned around once more and loaded his shotgun. However, different from before, afterpleting his turn, Jason drew his broad-ded, short-handled machete. He held the knife upright and, using the reflection on the side of the de, looked behind him. A blurry figure was cast upon the knife¡¯s edge. The sobbing and crying wereing exactly from that figure. It seemed to notice Jason¡¯s gaze. The figure¡¯s sobbing and whimpering grew louder. And just like that, it actively began to move step by step towards Jason. Bang! The pellets flew out of the barrel, directly streaking past the blurry figure. Clearly, to no effect. The blurry figure then instantly elerated, shifting from walking to a jog, poised to pounce on Jason.
¡°sI¡­¡± Subconsciously, Jason prepared to release the secret technique ¡°Protection Against Evil.¡± The first word of the Dufol Language had already been uttered. And the hand seals were almostplete. However, at this moment, Jason suddenly stopped. A question emerged in his mind. Who was this sudden attacker? Or more precisely, what had this attackere for? ¡°Hulk Potion!¡± Beyond that, Jason could think of nothing else. Since the other party hade for the ¡°Hulk Potion,¡± they naturally knew about the ¡°Tomb Guardian¡± Santel¡¯s incident and would definitely know about his identity as the ¡°Night Watcher.¡± Even the probe during the return from the graveyard might very likely be known to them.
So¡­ A new problem emerged! If the other party knew he was the ¡°Night Watcher,¡± would they still employ a method that could be countered by ¡°Protection Against Evil¡±? The answer was, they wouldn¡¯t! No one would choose to attack the enemy at their strongest with their own weakness. As for if that was the other party¡¯s strength? That was even less likely. Being countered in what one excelled at, any sensible person would make a wise choice. Unless¡­ The other party had the confidence to counteract and overpower him. But if they were really capable of reaching such a level, why would they bother with such tricks? It would be better for the blurry figure to just rush at him directly, given the speed exhibited by this blurry figure, he had no room to dodge. That meant¡­
It was a trap! This was a trap tailored to his profession as the ¡°Night Watcher¡±! The blurry figure before his eyes was not any kind of Resentful Spirit or Evil Spirit. But¡ª Illusion! As the word ¡®illusion¡¯ emerged in his mind, more realizations dawned upon Jason: The other party must have learned about the incident that had urred in the hall before. They confirmed his ¡®undying¡¯ characteristic. The other party was not confident in dealing with him who was ¡®undying.¡¯ But, he still had weaknesses. Such as: Physical Strength! Undeath is undeath.
Exhaustion is exhaustion. Conveniently, as a ¡®Night Watcher,¡¯ he also possessed a secret technique that could nearly instantly exhaust all his physical strength. ¡°Protection Against Evil¡±! This was the legacy of the ¡®Night Watcher,¡¯ and it could also be said to be the strongest point of the ¡®Night Watcher,¡¯ but at times, the strongest point could be the weakest one. Targeting this, the enemy began to set up. Thus, the current situation had arisen. The hypotheses in his mind shed by in an instant. The illusion before him was within arm¡¯s reach. The slightly paused Dufol Language in his mouth sounded again. ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± It was just words, but the matching hand signs were one beat too slow. The ¡°Protection Against Evil¡± had not been sessfully activated. But that illusion vanished nheless. It was indeed an illusion technique! With his deduction now clear, Jason breathed heavily, feigning extreme exhaustion. The most direct way to counter an illusion was to use pain to regain rity. But Jason wasn¡¯t just hoping to dispel the illusion. What he wanted was to deal with the person who had set up the illusion. It wasn¡¯t just the opponent¡¯s abilities but also their demonstrated capacity to strategize that put Jason on alert. This time, he had reacted promptly and seen through such an illusion. But what about next time? Who could guarantee that he wouldn¡¯t fall into the enemy¡¯s set up? Especially at certain moments in battle, a sudden attack from the enemy could leave him in disarray, or even¡­ dead. An enemy? In the end, it¡¯s better for them to be dead. p, p p. Loud apuse echoed around the room. A middle-aged man dressed in a ck tailcoat and wearing a top hat pped his hands with a smile on his face as he looked at Jason. ¡°It is an honor to meet you, immortal ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ sir.¡± ¡°That was just a little trick.¡± ¡°To ensure we can have a peaceful conversation.¡± The man said, while taking out a test tube. It was filled with a pale green liquid. The man shook the test tube, his smile growing even more intense. The man continued to speak: ¡°Of course¡­¡± ¡°The following measures will also be the same.¡± ¡°Rest assured, I will make good use of your body.¡± ¡°After all, certain individuals will definitely fancy a body that has consumed the ¡®Hulk Silver Potion.¡¯ Having finished speaking, the man was about to remove the stopper. But Jason was faster. One moment he was gasping for air, nearly toppling over, and the next, heshed out with his knife. Thud! The broad-ded, short-handled machete swept across the man¡¯s neck. Surprise and shock appeared on the man¡¯s face. Then, it froze. The head fell, and the man¡¯s body wobbled before kneeling to the ground; the potion in his hand was caught by Jason just before it hit the floor. Afterward, Jason carefully examined the man¡¯s body. A coin purse contained 12 Gold Crooks, 3 Silver Crooks, and 5 Copper Crooks, with no Copper Corners. A revolver, fully loaded with bullets, plus an extra 10 bullets. Beyond that, there were no other items of value. Jason pocketed the coin purse and put the revolver and bullets with the rest of the loot. Then, he turned his head toward the door. With the death of ¡®The nner,¡¯ evidently, Eric had been freed from the illusion. The servant was puzzled but still knocked on the door. Knock, knock knock! ¡°Sir Jason.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Eric.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought yourpensation.¡± Jason, who had already caught the scent of food, immediately opened the door as Eric¡¯s voice fell. Instantly, the even richer aroma hit him in the face. Like a gentle breeze. Comfortable, soothing. Without dy, he eagerly looked towards the source of the aroma. He was momentarily taken aback. Chapter 63: 62 Kebabs and Ideas Chapter 63: Chapter 62 Kebabs and Ideas In the cart, a massive creature with a body like a lizard but a crocodile¡¯s heady prostrate, giving off a fierce vibe even without a breath of life left in it. But what made Jason gape was the pair of wings on the back of this monster! Though only the size of a human palm, Jason was certain that those were indeed wings. ¡°This is a Kansa Burrowing Dragon!¡± ¡°Despite its robust size, it moves swiftly, and an adult Kansa Burrowing Dragon can breathe extremely high-temperature mes.¡± ¡°Although it is an omnivorous creature, it has a preference for meat.¡± Eric was introducing the creature on the cart to Jason. Then, an odd expression appeared on the face of the old knight¡¯s servant. It was the look of someone wanting tough but having to maintain decorum and keep theughter in. ¡°Capturing a Kansa Burrowing Dragon is very difficult, especially an adult one, which is extraordinarily ferocious. Catching this young Kansa Burrowing Dragon was an ident¡­¡± ¡°It seems to have eaten too much and suffered indigestion.¡±
¡°When the hunters found it, they didn¡¯t need to make much effort to capture it sessfully.¡± ¡°It was originally the grand finale item for this gathering, but the knight thought you deserved a fittingpensationpared to thosemon monsters, even specimens, the Kansa Burrowing Dragon is more appropriate.¡± Saying this, Eric pushed the cart into the room. After bowing to Jason once more, the servant continued, ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡± ¡°Do you have iron picks?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also need a grill.¡± Jason stated forthrightly. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange it for you right away.¡± Eric did not know what Jason intended to do, but with the old knight¡¯s instructions, he naturally tried to satisfy Jason¡¯s needs as much as possible. Momentster, the servant returned with a grill and many iron picks, and after confirming with Jason once more, the servant left the room, softly closing the door. And as soon as the door closed, Jason sprang into action. Cleaning, descaling. Carving, skewering. Then¡ª Grilling! Jason didn¡¯t know much about the Kansa Burrowing Dragon, but this young one was undoubtedly too plump. The flesh was too fatty; neither steaming nor boiling seemed appropriate. Grilling became the best choice. In fact, it was.
Without needing to rub on any fat, the slices of Kansa Burrowing Dragon meat that Jason had strung onto the pick in a three-lean, two-fat arrangement, began to sizzle upon touching the charcoal. The fat seeped out from the fatty parts, not only soaking the whole skewer but also making itself crispy. Salt, cumin, chili pepper. He sprinkled them one by one, and as mes leaped up, he started flipping the skewers.
When the fragrance filled the room, Jason couldn¡¯t care less about the heat and began to guzzle the skewers. The meat was more tender than he had imagined; the crispiness of the outeryer was fleeting but subtly enhanced the texture. ¡°It¡¯s a pity there¡¯s no sauce.¡± ¡°Nor any ¡®beverage¡¯.¡± Jason felt a twinge of regret in his heart. But then, he grew excited. [Consuming Kansa Burrowing Dragon (juvenile) meat] [Significant recovery of Physical Strength and Energy!] [Satiety +10] [Excitement of Feast +1] [Satiety: 26] [Excitement of Feast: 1] ¡­
¡°Magical-grade food!¡± Although Jason had suspected that the Kansa Burrowing Dragon must be a magical-grade creature when Eric described how an adult could spew high-temperature mes, he was still thrilled when the prompt for ¡®Excitement of Feast¡¯ appeared. This was the second time he had received ¡®Excitement of Feast¡¯! And with this one point of ¡®Excitement of Feast,¡¯ his strength would be upgraded once more. Perhaps ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ wasn¡¯t enough for improvement. But the Dufol Language was sufficient. If he upgraded the Dufol Language to a Proficiency Level, then he could learn the secret technique ¡®Mist Concealment.¡¯ As for ¡®Gunpowder Weapons. Light Weapons¡¯ and ¡®Barehanded Combat¡¯? With the prospect of learning and enhancing secret techniques, Jason would not choose either for now. It wasn¡¯t that they weren¡¯t good enough. It¡¯s just¡­ He had better options. [Yes/No Consume 10 points of satiety, 1 point of Excitement of Feast, to upgrade Dufol Language (Proficient ¡ú Mastery)]
¡°Yes.¡± After Jason answered, an unprecedented flood ofplex knowledge began pouring into his mind. Unable to help himself, Jason let out a muffled grunt and even his body swayed slightly. This synchronization of knowledge with his body far exceeded Jason¡¯s expectations. In both duration and the intensity of pain. Five secondster, Jason¡¯s eyes finally regained their rity. He looked at the text before him. [Dufol Language (Passive) (Mastery): Dufol Language is a specialnguage known only among the hidden organizations and mystical forces, unknown to themon people, yet you have mastered this ancient tongue; you can even understand some of its simple binations¡¯, though you cannot know the rituals within, you do know how to read and construct these ¡®mysteries,¡¯ even if that¡¯s just the basics.] [Upon reaching Mastery Level in Dufol Language, you have gained the inherent Mastery option: Quick Reading (Dufol Language)] [Quick Reading (Dufol Language): Extensive reading of the Dufol Language has enabled you to master this skill, allowing you to read materials and literature written in Dufol Language much faster than the average person.] ¡­ ¡°Inherent Mastery option?¡± ¡°Does each skill have additional options once it reaches the Mastery Level?¡±
¡°Is this why ¡®Excitement of Feast¡¯ is required?¡± A light of realization shed in Jason¡¯s eyes, and then he eagerly turned his attention to ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ before looking at ¡®Gunpowder Weapons. Light Weapons¡¯ and ¡®Barehanded Combat.¡¯ What options would they have when they reached the ¡®Mastery¡¯ level? After specting in his heart, Jason quickly gathered his thoughts and took out the scroll of the secret technique ¡®Mist Concealment.¡¯ [Discovery of the secret technique ¡®Mist Concealment¡¯!] [Determination: Dufol Language has reached Mastery Level, Yes/No consume 5 points of satiety to learn the secret technique?] ¡°Yes!¡± After Jason confirmed, a thick fog instantly enveloped him. The mist was dense, so much so that he couldn¡¯t see his own hands in front of him. But the texts formed by the Dufol Language shone brightly. Pl Po! As the new sequence of Dufol Language appeared before Jason¡¯s eyes, it began to absorb the surrounding fog as if it were a whale drinking water, causing the dense mist to disappear without a trace in an instant. Only leaving this set of Dufol Language branded on Jason¡¯s heart. It didn¡¯t appear alongside the Dufol Language of ¡®Protection Against Evil,¡¯ but on the other side. As Jason¡¯s heart beat, both sets of Dufol Language shed at the same time. They did not interfere with each other, yet they seemed to resonate from afar. There was a sense ofplementing each other. Moreover, Jason could clearly sense that with each beat of his heart, every outflow of blood was mixed with a barely detectable mysterious power, cleansing his body just as before, but the mystical strength had more than doubledpared to when he only had the set of Dufol Language from ¡®Protection Against Evil.¡¯ Instantly, Jason narrowed his eyes. An idea emerged in his mind. Chapter 64: 63 Systems and Limits Chapter 64: Chapter 63 Systems and Limits One thing Jason could be certain of was that mystical powers were transforming his body subtly and imperceptibly! When umted to a certain extent, a qualitative change was inevitable. And this process of umtion should be quite lengthy, but it was not without ways to elerate it, just as the Dufol Languagebination of ¡°Protection Against Evil¡± and ¡°Mist Concealment¡± whenbined, had aplementary effect, making the mystical power more concentrated. That should be one of the methods to elerate this change. What Jason considered was: Since there was aplementary effect, could there be¡­ mutual restraint? The answer was affirmative. Career systems in the Mystical Side all had their restraints. How could the secret techniques within a career system not have restraint? ¡°Thank goodness!¡± ¡°¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ and ¡®Mist Concealment¡¯ do not restrain each other!¡±
Jason took a deep breath, feeling relieved. Jason dared not imagine the oue if mutually restraining powers were branded on his heart. It might be mutual cancetion, slowing down the process of change. But more likely¡­ the heart would be injured! Without a doubt, heart injury meant fatal injury! What was the difference between the sh of mystical powers and a dagger directly plunged into his heart? Although he could heal fatal injuries with satiety, how could he withstand continuous fatal injuries? It seemed¡­ not impossible. Jason thought seriously. As long as he had enough satiety, what would continuous fatal injuries amount to? That is to say¡­ As long as I eat enough, I can be ¡®immune¡¯ to such injuries! Even, I might ¡®adapt¡¯ to such injuries! Thinking this, Jason¡¯s spirits lifted, but he did not be blindly optimistic. ¡°However, the amount of satiety that would be required is a terrifying figure!¡± ¡°I would probably need to find a continuously regenerating creature to put in front of me to meet such requirements!¡± ¡°And¡­¡±
¡°Each career system should have aplete record of how to elerate this change, the ways, and methods.¡± ¡°It is precisely because of this that these power systems could be career systems and be referred to as ¡®heritage¡¯!¡± This realization rose from the bottom of Jason¡¯s heart. His understanding of the entire ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ deepened further.
At the same time, his craving for knowledge of the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ grew even stronger. Jason had never missed ¡®his so-called mentor whom he had never met¡¯ as much as he did at this moment. His mentor certainly had theplete system and heritage of the Night Watcher. Unfortunately¡­ His mentor had been lured away by a maniptor behind the scenes. Even though he had left behind ¡®proof of the Night Watcher¡¯, his mentor definitely would not have expected his progress to be so rapid. The simplest and most direct method was no longer viable. Jason¡¯s personality meant he was not one to wait. His gaze once again turned towards the open exchange session of this ¡®secret gathering¡¯. However, Jason did not head straight to the underground hall. He began to tidy up his room. He bundled up all the spoils of war that belonged to him with ropes. During this process, because of the extra bones from the Kansa Burrowing Dragon, Jason had to reorganize his loot and repackage it. And while repacking, Jason¡¯s thoughts diverged once again.
The packing of loot had its limits. So¡­ did the heart have limits? To be precise, how many Dufolnguagebinations could a normal heart contain? With such doubts, Jason pushed open the door and headed towards the underground hall. Compared to before, there were several more servants and guards along the way. The guards stood dispersed. The servants were cleaning up the traces left by the previous fight. Eric was responsible for this. Upon seeing Jason, the old earl¡¯s servant immediately saluted. ¡°I am very sorry, Lord Jason.¡± ¡°Due to my negligence, you have once again suffered an attack.¡± Eric was about to bow in apology.
Clearly, the old earl¡¯s servant hadpletely freed himself from the influence of The nner who used ¡®illusion¡¯. He not only remembered what had happened but also could no longer ignore the body of the ¡®illusion¡¯ nner in Jason¡¯s room. Jason stepped aside, avoiding such a salute. ¡°He came because of me,¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡± Jason knew why those guys came, so he wouldn¡¯t arbitrarily take his anger out on others Not to mention, the other party had already given enoughpensation. The Kansa Burrowing Dragon was truly delicious. After nodding to Eric, Jason entered the underground hall. Through that door. The mixed, noisy sounds had already vanished at this time. Everyone was sitting around in front of the old earl¡¯s tent. However, the old earl was not present. Instead, he let these people freely exchange, just like the name of this phase: public exchange.
¡°I needplete information on ¡®warrior¡¯ level one, including the ritual.¡± ¡°I can offer 150 Gold Crooks.¡± ¡°Or equivalent goods.¡± A person cloaked and with their face covered announced loudly. The people around were unmoved. ¡°200 Gold Crooks!¡± The person increased the offer. This time, someone spoke up. ¡°At least 220 Gold Crooks,¡± said another person dressed simrly, standing among the crowd. The person seeking ¡®warrior¡¯ level one information hesitated for a moment before ultimately agreeing. Then, the two entered the tent to make the trade. Obviously, with the old earl¡¯s notarization, both parties felt quite assured. Next, another person stepped forward. ¡°I want a sword branded with spell-like enchantments, it must be sufficiently sharp!¡± Like the previous person, he stated his request. Jason slowed down his steps, approaching as quietly as he could. He didn¡¯t want to disturb this public exchange phase. However, when he was about 5 meters away from the crowd, he was still discovered by a few people with very sensitive perception. These people turned around and saw Jason with his trophies. Then, their expressions changed. Thanks to their sharp senses, they could detect the faint smell of blood on Jason, which couldn¡¯t be washed away even after cleansing, and with those trophies, they were not fools¡ªthey immediately made some guesses. And the actions of these people naturally caught the attention of those around them, who also turned around. Then, one by one, their bodies stiffened. Some were tense. Some were frightened. Some were on guard. Undoubtedly, these people that move in the Mystical Side had also noticed something. They all stared at Jason, but Jason, being watched by everyone, seemed oblivious as he scanned the crowd. The crowd, in turn, immediately looked down or gazed around, unwilling to meet such a gaze. And Jason had found his target. The clown mask was conspicuous. Jason spotted it immediately. He then walked towards Taniel. Suddenly, the crowd in front of Jason dispersed. Only then did Taniel, whose attention was fixed on the front of the tent, realize that something was amiss. But, when the young Deer Academy teacher turned around and saw it was Jason approaching, he immediately forgot the anomaly. After all, this was his friend, though a bit aloof, a bit rough in behavior, a bit intimidating, but what could be wrong? So, only the exuberantly cheerful Taniel started waving his arms, shouting¡ª ¡°I¡¯m over here!¡± Chapter 65: 64 The Key Point Chapter 65: Chapter 64 The Key Point While Taniel waved his arms with great excitement, the people around him scattered instantly as if avoiding the gue. Whoosh! A circle with a radius of 5 meters appeared just like that. Jason kept walking and reached Taniel¡¯s side without stopping. ¡°What is this?¡± Taniel stared at the thing in Jason¡¯s hand with puzzlement. ¡°Trophy.¡± After his reply, Jason straightforwardly said, ¡°I need a weapon belt.¡± Then, Jason described in detail his requirements for this weapon belt. ¡°That¡¯s easy.¡±
¡°I know a lot of guys who can do that.¡± ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Taniel patted his chest, assuring him. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°This is for you. After deducting the cost of making the weapon belt, exchange the rest for Gold Crooks or other things you think are valuable, preferably¡­¡± ¡°The monster itself!¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Not waiting for Jason to finish, Taniel took the trophies from him. ¡°What kind of person is Sir Beta?¡± Jason asked in a lowered voice. ¡°Sir Beta?¡± ¡°Generous and fair-minded, willing to help others.¡± ¡°Moreover, he¡¯s an elite in Lorde, with a widework in the whole ce.¡± ¡°He also has a good rtionship with the officials.¡± ¡°There, that¡¯s the best proof.¡± Taniel nudged his chin, gesturing to Jason the underground hall. Without speaking, Jason simply nodded and turned to walk toward the tent. He had the information he wanted. As for the rest?
Leave it to Taniel. For Taniel, who had already proven ¡®his ability¡¯, Jason was not worried. He trusted that the other man would do a good enough job. In front of the tent, the man who had just been seeking to buy the longsword, since no one responded, had already returned to the crowd.
And a few people who had just thought about approaching the tent stopped their steps immediately when they saw Jason¡¯s movements. Then, under everyone¡¯s gaze, Jason entered the tent. Immediately, the people, their faces obscured by masks, had varying expressions. Sir Beta was not the kind of person who was haughty or overbearing, but he also wasn¡¯t someone one could see at whim; to meet the old knight, one had to follow his rules. Eitherplete a task he had set, Orplete a trade under his notary. Those who tried to see the old knight directly were not unheard of, But were mostly thrown out the next moment. And Jason? He wasn¡¯t. Looking at the tent, quiet as usual, people grew very curious, yet felt it was only to be expected. After all, the impression Jason had left on them was simply too deep. So deep that these people, lingering on the edge of the Mystical Side, unconsciously elevated him to a higher status.
However, within the crowd, a few individuals exchanged secretive looks. They weremunicating covertly with their eyes. And it seemed they quickly reached some sort of agreement. Of all this, Taniel, in the midst of the crowd, had not the slightest inkling. Having counted the trophies Jason had given him, he then trotted to the front of the tent. ¡°Everyone!¡± ¡°An unexpected surprise has urred!¡± Taniel spoke loudly. Immediately, many in the crowd were attracted. Or rather, they were drawn to the trophies at Taniel¡¯s feet. It might not be some magical item with spell-like abilities, but as weapons convenient for the intruders, the quality was indeed very good. The people mingling here might have average strength, but their judgment was sharp enough. They had their eyes set on these trophies, hoping to obtain them at a ¡®normal price.¡¯
And those people didn¡¯t notice that at the same time their gazes swept over the spoils of war, Taniel¡¯s gaze swept over them. Taniel wasn¡¯t afraid of low prices. What he did fear was receiving no bids at all. As long as there was a bid, he had a way to ensure his friend¡¯s spoils could be sold at a satisfactory price. You see, the rtionships among the few people he had just noticed didn¡¯t seem too cordial. ¡­ Jason was unaware of everything happening outside the tent. Nor did he have any intention to pay attention. Since he had chosen to trust Taniel, it was true trust, without any interference or micromanagement. Sir Beta looked at Jason with admiration in his eyes. Strong,posed, trusting of hispanion. Just like the Night Watchers he remembered. ¡°Taniel is a goodd,¡±
the old knight remarked. Then, he just quietly watched Jason¡¯s eyes. He hoped to see some change in Jason owing to the exposure of his identity. Surprise, shock, panic would be even better. He wouldn¡¯t mind considering it a form of entertainment for the recent times. And then, to tease that old friend of his. Just a moment ago, he had ascertained which old friend¡¯s disciple the young man before him was. That damned ¡®Dan¡¯. Just thinking about the other party made the old knight¡¯s breathing feel constricted. He truly wanted to rub that disciple¡¯s face in the dirt. But recalling that scoundrel¡¯s personality, the old knight wisely abandoned the idea. But that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t use some ¡®gentler methods¡¯. Regrettably, the old knight¡¯s ns were doomed to fail. Jason, who had anticipated his identity wouldn¡¯t remain concealed, not only kept his gaze steady but looked straight at the old knight and directly asked, ¡°What is your take on the recent events in Lorde, Sir?¡± ¡°From the attack on the police officers to the ¡®Moon Mask¡¯ club, and even the subsequent matter of the ¡®Tomb Guardian¡¯ Santel, what are your thoughts?¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°The missing bodies from the cemetery.¡± Jason¡¯s voice remained monotonous, not betraying any emotion. But Sir Beta¡¯s expression changed visibly. Watching all of this, Jason continued to inquire, ¡°Is it solely because of the ¡®Hulk¡¯ Potion that he, or they, did it?¡± Sir Beta quickly regained hisposure. However, he remained silent. This scene confirmed to Jason that his guess was right. Indeed! Sir Beta knew something! An individual capable of hosting ¡®secret gatherings¡¯ in Lorde and possessing considerable strength, from the Mystical Side no less, couldn¡¯t possibly stay indifferent to the happenings in Lorde. His attitude must stem from a reason. What might be the most likely reason? Amand from the officials of Lorde! That was the only possibility Jason could think of. Sir Beta must be cooperating with the Lorde authorities, but not in a truly close rtionship, hence why Sir Beta might be unaware of the specifics of what happened at the ¡®Moon Mask.¡¯ Even the matter concerning the ¡®Tomb Guardian¡¯ Santel could have been partially concealed from him. Otherwise, Sir Beta would have been able to deduce more and wouldn¡¯t need a ¡®narration¡¯ from him. But with his ¡®narration,¡¯ Sir Beta clearly discovered something, which is why he hurriedly left the ¡®secret gathering¡¯ to investigate and verify something. And that provided the ¡®intruders¡¯ with an opportunity. But¡­ Is this really a coincidence? From receiving the ¡®secret gathering¡¯ information to arriving there, then discovering Sir Beta was in search of information on the ¡®Moon Mask¡¯ and so on¡ªall of it. Is it all coincidental? Don¡¯t forget that most crucial point¡ª Taniel! Chapter 66: 65: Wipe Chapter 66: Chapter 65: Wipe Jason would never forget how Taniel appeared before him. Taniel came for the materials from those monsters. So¡­ Who informed Taniel about this? Given his less-than-bright demeanor, it wasn¡¯t possible for him to actively gather information. Someone must have ¡®identally¡¯ let Taniel know everything, making him believe he had found out on his own. To achieve this was not difficult. Especially when dealing with someone of Taniel¡¯s personality. Of course! It was also possible that Taniel had been involved all along.
Perhaps everything before had been a pretense. And this was a significant reason why Jason had entered the tent. He needed to confirm whether Taniel was truly foolish or just feigning ignorance. As for the string of words before? They were merely a prelude to this moment. ¡°Taniel is not an issue?¡± Jason looked at the old lord with both eyes, asking word by word. The old lord appeared quite surprised to hear such a question. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hand over the spoils to Taniel?¡± he asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this mean you trust him?¡± the old lord inquired after hesitating for a moment. ¡°That only means I trust his ¡®trading¡¯ skills, not that I fully trust him as a person.¡± ¡°However¡­ my interactions with him have influenced my subjective judgment.¡± ¡°Therefore, I need a more objective evaluation.¡± Being cautious had always been Jason¡¯s way of survival. He would not make rash decisions. Nor would he outright judge a person¡¯s character. After all, in certain respects, people are the most unpredictable. ¡°Taniel, well¡­ how should I put it?¡± ¡°He is a very ¡®simple¡¯ and ¡®knows what he¡¯s supposed to do¡¯ kind of young man.¡± ¡°He should be someone you can rely on.¡±
The old lord said this while evaluating Taniel. Facing what the old lord said, Jason couldn¡¯t help but involuntarily trante the true meaning of the old lord¡¯s words in his heart: Simple? Does it mean his straightforward use of his professional Strength to concoct and sell Potions?
Knows what he¡¯s supposed to do? Does it mean he acts from the heart and never defies? ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I will investigate again.¡± After coughing twice, the old lord gave his assurance. And that was exactly what Jason wanted! He needed the kind of detailed investigation that only an ¡®old hand¡¯ like the old lord could conduct. With his goal achieved, Jason was ready to leave. After all, there were still some matters he had yet toplete. But before Jason could speak, the old lord suddenly took on a serious expression. The old lord said earnestly: ¡°Changes are happening in Lorde.¡± ¡°Some are man-made, others coincidental.¡±
¡°Or perhaps coincidence is also man-made.¡± ¡°I cannot judge at the moment.¡± ¡°But¡­ Jason, I think you should not get involved.¡± The old lord called out Jason¡¯s name quite directly without any pretense. A hint of surprise flickered in Jason¡¯s eyes. Not because the old lord had called him by his name¡ªhe had known for quite some time that he couldn¡¯t keep it hidden. What truly surprised him was the old lord¡¯s attitude. Friendly! One could even say it was exceedingly friendly. There is no hatred without reason, nor is there love without reason. ¡°Is it because of the good impression I left when we met before?¡± ¡°Or is it because of¡­ ¡°¡­my old mentor ¡®Dan¡¯?¡±
Without more information, Jason could not make an urate judgement. Therefore, Jason would not say anything more because of the other¡¯s friendliness. Nor would he speak such words as ¡®What¡¯s happening to Lorde¡¯, ¡®I¡¯m already involved¡¯, or ¡®I want to know the truth¡¯. Because, even now, Jason could not confirm the old lord¡¯s stance. Based on the old lord¡¯s behavior, he seemed to be an entity with multiple facets, sitting between the official ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ and the wild ¡®Mystical Side¡¯, but what role he yed in the series of events, Jason could not know. After all¡­ Friendly can also be a disguise. So, Jason nodded, turned, and left the tent. As Jason¡¯s figure disappeared behind the curtain, the old lord, biased by his preconceptions, couldn¡¯t help but sigh and shake his head. Just as stubborn as that bastard Dan. Should it be said that it is a case of like mentor, like protege? Every time he thought of his old friend, the old lord felt a headacheing on. He couldn¡¯t say his old friend was wrong.
But¡­ Too direct. There should always be a gentle approach. With this thought, the elderly knight turned his head and said to the shadow beside him: ¡°Tell them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too excessive.¡± ¡°Even with a contract in ce, it doesn¡¯t mean they can do whatever they want!¡± In the shadow, there was no response. Only a breeze passed by¡­. Outside the tent, the sounds of bidding rose and fell in waves. ¡°3 Gold Crooks!¡± ¡°3 Gold Crooks and 1 Silver Crook!¡± ¡°3 Gold Crooks and 2 Silver Crooks!¡± Jason¡¯s gaze swept over, quickly identifying those who seemed caught up in apetition, while Taniel, standing in front of the tent, was still fanning the mes. However, Jason keenly noticed. Apart from those few, the rest had long noticed this and had not spoken up. Moreover, even those few bidders seemed resentful now. ¡°Clearly not the smartest bunch.¡± ¡°Perhaps there¡¯s a short-term benefit.¡± ¡°But in the long run?¡± ¡°Almost none.¡± Shaking his head inwardly, Jason stepped up behind Taniel. Instantly, the resentment of those who were bidding disappeared. Regaining their senses from the excitement, it was only then that they remembered who was standing behind Taniel¡­ Jason. Taniel was not much of an issue, one of the Xin sect. But Jason¡­ Was not someone to be messed with. As Taniel auctioned off some of the loot, the personal markings on these items confirmed the spections of those present. Their fear of Jason deepened once again. Jason noticed this change but did not pay it any heed. He did not care about a bunch of strangers. Jason gently patted Taniel¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I need some knowledge about the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need any secret techniques or rituals, just some basicmon sense.¡± ¡°Best suited for beginners.¡± ¡°Beginners?¡± Taniel blinked, then caught on with a knowing look and responded, ¡°Do you want to take Finch as an apprentice? He¡¯s a fine young man!¡± ¡°No problem, leave it to me!¡± Pleased with Taniel who always came up with answers on his own, Jason felt satisfied and showed no intention of exining. ¡°You know where to find me.¡± Having said that, Jason walked out. Jason had no intention of staying any longer. He still trusted Taniel¡¯s abilities. He believed that the other would do his best. Just as he believed that those coveting the ¡®Hulk Potion¡¯ would not simply give up so easily. The ¡®intimidation¡¯ within the hall would only cause some of them to back down. Many more were probably rubbing their hands in eagerness. ¡°Lord Jason, please proceed with caution.¡± Lord Eric, the servant of the elderly knight, stood in front of the iron gate, offering a pointed reminder to Jason. ¡°Hmm.¡± Jason nodded slightly and then continued forward. Squeak¡ª The door, opened. In an instant, malevolent gazes came from afar, focusing on Jason. Behind the hockey mask, his face smiled. Jason stepped towards the carriage waiting at the entrance of the street. The pitch-ck night made the kerosenemp hanging on the side of the carriage shine brightly, with Finch sitting upright there, quietly waiting. Upon seeing Jason, the young officer immediately jumped down. ¡°Lord Jason.¡± ¡°Finch, go help me get my things from Eric.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve left some things in the room.¡± Jason patted his empty pouch, indicating. ¡°Certainly, Lord Jason.¡± The young man nodded and headed toward 10 Pea Street. Jason then boarded the carriage to wait. The next moment, as the young man ran off into the distance, those lurking outside Pea Street, who dared not enter rashly, quickly surrounded the carriage. They were wary of each other. They gradually tightened the circle around the carriage. Sure enough, the circle soon closed to the point where they could reach out and touch the carriage door. Undoubtedly, they had reached a limit. Sitting in the carriage, surrounded by crates of explosives, Jason sadly shook his head. If only they had gotten a bit closer. With a twinge of regret in his heart, Jason drew out the matches Bondi had left behind and struck one with a light flick. Swipe! Chapter 67: 66: The Name of Beauty and Poetry… Chapter 67: Chapter 66: The Name of Beauty and Poetry¡­ ¡°` The me sprouted at the head of the match. Among the specks of light, it suddenly expanded. Once the fuse was lit, it hissed like spitting sparks Hiss, hiss. And then¡ª Boom! A huge fireball tumbled into the night sky, the ground trembled continuously, and the entire Pea Street was as lit as daytime. The massive shockwave tore apart everything around. Not just the stony ground, but also those attackers who had converged upon them.
Not a single person escaped. Because they were all too greedy. Each of them couldn¡¯t wait to be closest to the carriage. Each of them couldn¡¯t wait to capture Jason themselves. Each of them couldn¡¯t wait to be the ultimate beneficiary. So, Death arrived as expected. Like the night wind sweeping over a decaying reed bed, amidst the flurry, only futile struggles remained. Wailing, groaning. It echoed on the outermost perimeter. They were the lucky ones. But, They were also the unlucky ones. Death, at times, really is the best relief. However, at this moment, no one cared about them. ¡°Sir Jason!¡± Inside No. 10 Pea Street, Finch yelled out as he rushed out. The young man knew that some folks had set their sights on Jason. And Jason had long been prepared.
Only¡­ Finch could never have imagined that Jason would use such a method. The closer he got to the explosion site, the more the young man¡¯s heart sank. Those on the outermost had already lost arms and legs.
What about those closer? Or rather¡­ The center of the explosion? Sorrow surfaced on the young man¡¯s face. Whoosh! A gust of wind howled. Sir Beta¡¯s figure arrived at the street entrance ahead of everyone. The old bar twitched at the sight of the scene¡¯s traces. Cruel! Too cruel! To use oneself as bait, to wipe out most of the guys in one fell swoop! This was simply¡­ The spitting image of ¡®Dan¡¯!
No! This young ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ apprentice was destined to be an even fiercer existence than ¡®Dan¡¯. Because¡­ This guy is immortal! The old bar¡¯s gaze was fixed on the explosion¡¯s center, shrouded in dust and smoke. Step, step-step! From within the dust, footsteps sounded, and a blurry figure slowly emerged. ¡°Finch, did you get the thing I asked you to fetch?¡± Jason¡¯s voice rang out. Finch, whose eyes were already red and almost crying, was stunned. It wasn¡¯t just Finch; the crowd that had rushed out at the sound of the explosion was also stunned. Every one of them was in disbelief! They couldn¡¯t believe that a flesh-and-blood person could survive the recent explosion.
And even seemed¡­ Uninjured?! What kind of being could achieve such a feat? All sorts of absurd, preposterous answers made each person involved in the gathering feel their scalp tingle. But not Taniel! This young teacher from Deer Academy wore a face full of thick joy. His friend was alright! Immediately, Taniel yanked off his cloak and threw it forcefully towards the shadow in the dust. ¡°Catch.¡± Taniel shouted loudly. He certainly didn¡¯t want his friend caught in any embarrassing situation. Taniel¡¯s actions and shouts woke the people from the Mystical Side around him. They looked at each other and then uniformly turned around.
Some walked backwards. Others scattered and left. Either way, none of them wanted to make that figure feel embarrassed. Because¡­ The cost of embarrassing the other party was something they couldn¡¯t afford. Wrapped in Taniel¡¯s cloak, with the hood pulled low, Jason emerged. He first took his wallet, weapon, water skin, and so on from Finch¡¯s hands. ¡°` When Jason decided on the n, he had temporarily ced all potentially damaging items in the room at 10 Pea Street, save for the set of clothes he wore and some substitutes utilized for authenticity. The most valuable thing on Jason¡¯s person was that very set of clothes¡ªgifted by the old bar. ¡°Ja, Jason Your Excellency¡­¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± Finch was clearly in great shock; even at this point, he stammered as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Help me clean up the battlefield.¡± Jason said to Finch. ¡°Okay.¡± Finch immediately nodded, deftly pulled out gloves, put them on, and started to move. Jason, on the other hand, walked towards the old bar. ¡°Bar, may I borrow a set of clothes?¡± Jason asked. Despite wearing Taniel¡¯s cloak, it still felt chilly when the wind blew. ¡°Eric, help Jason find a suitable suit of clothes.¡± Now that his name had been revealed, there was no need to conceal it any longer, and the old bar began to call him directly by his name. ¡°Also.¡± ¡°Could you help me find an ice hockey mask, too?¡± Jason made another request. Although it was strange why Jason would make such an odd request, the old bar did not refuse. An ice hockey mask was nothing to fuss over. Could it be used for relentless killing? Andpared to this rather peculiar request, The old bar was more concerned about Jason¡¯s ¡®Undying¡¯ Talent. Even stronger than he had imagined! It almost involuntarily reminded him of certain monsters from the rumors. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just him who thought this way. With his superhuman perception, the old bar could clearly hear the conversations of those around him¡ª ¡®Phoenix¡¯ ¡®Hydra¡¯ In the conversation, these two entities were relentless. The old bar couldn¡¯t help but sigh in his heart: ¡°Is the ¡®Hulk Potion¡¯ really that powerful?¡± ¡­ ¡°Jason Your Excellency, if you need anything, just call out to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right outside the door.¡± The old bar¡¯s servant, Eric, said this. ¡°Alright.¡± Jason responded in this manner. Then, at the moment he closed the door, the normallyposed Jason began to tremble all over, sweat instantly soaked his entire cloak, even his face started to twist slightly. Pain! Pain as if his bones were shattering! Satiation could heal fatal injuries, but¡­ It couldn¡¯t alleviate the pain. Simply put, Jason truly endured the explosion and then ¡®resurrected¡¯ himself. And not just once. It was three times! The words that healed the fatal injuries shed before his eyes three times! This left Jason with only 2 points of satiation from the original 11. He was bearing unspeakable pain and massive consumption. But Jason still wore a smile. Because¡­ He was alive once more. That was enough. ¡°Those coveting the ¡®Hulk Potion¡¯ should remain quiet for quite a while.¡± ¡°Next¡­¡± ¡°The missing corpses!¡± After changing into new clothes and donning the mask, Jason¡¯s mind reyed the scene at the graveyard. The disappeared corpses always made him feel uneasy. It wasn¡¯t as straightforward as the Moon Mask club. But it loomed over one¡¯s heart like a shadow. Therefore, Jason had no intention of resting; he tidied up his gear and stepped out the door. Outside the door, Taniel and Eric were having a low conversation. To say it was a conversation was putting it generously; it was more like Taniel rambling to himself: ¡®Tell me, for a man who doesn¡¯t die like Jason, wouldn¡¯t his blood be very valuable?¡¯ ¡®Should be worth more than Mummy Powder, right?¡¯ ¡®If you add Jason¡¯s blood to the Elixir of Life, wouldn¡¯t it be a special reinforced version?¡¯ Noticing Jason step through the door, Taniel wisely stopped the topic and prepared to make a cheekyment to lighten the mood, but seeing Jason¡¯s unflinching gaze, the young teacher from Deer Academy understood immediately. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it!¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t keep my mouth shut!¡± ¡°Let me treat you to a meal to make amends!¡± Standing straight, Taniel spoke very quickly, yet clearly, ¡°I happened to have booked a table at Lorde¡¯s famous ¡®Starry Sky¡¯ restaurant, where their signature dish is very popr.¡± ¡°Signature dish?¡± Jason asked subconsciously. Taniel nodded repeatedly, saying: ¡°Yes, the signature dish!¡± ¡°It has a beautiful, poetic name¡­¡± ¡°Gazing at the Starry Sky!¡± Chapter 68: 67 Some things are always inevitable… Chapter 68: Chapter 67 Some things are always inevitable¡­ Taniel¡¯s reservation at the ¡°Starry Sky¡± restaurant was for noon. And at this moment, it was just before sunrise. Jason, of course, wouldn¡¯t foolishly wait around. After borrowing a carriage from the old bar, with Finch driving, Jason and Taniel returned to the bachelor dormitory at the police station. The morning sun rose, and the chill was driven away once again. The thin morning fog began to slowly disperse. In room 305, Bondi was informing Jason about the investigation in the cemetery. But¡­ The atmosphere was slightly oppressive. It wasn¡¯t because of the content of the investigation, but rather¡­ because of Jason! Or, to be precise, because of Jason¡¯s hair!
Jason had lost his hair. To put it simply¡­ Jason was bald! In the recent explosion, satiety could heal the fatal injuries Jason suffered. But, satiety couldn¡¯t grow hair! Therefore, not just his hair, even Jason¡¯s eyebrows were gone. His originally not-too-ugly face now looked exceptionally fierce without hair and eyebrows. Of course, it was equally brilliant. Especially at this moment, when Jason took off his hood, his entire head was emitting a bright glow under the reflection of the morning sun. Bondi, who was in the midst of speaking, couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to this brilliance. Finch, after a nce, tried hard to focus his gaze elsewhere. Taniel¡¯s face, however, turned red from holding back. ¡°If you want tough, go ahead,¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Jason said as soon as he finished speaking. ¡°Pfft!¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Taniel couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. Jason looked at Taniel impassively.
The unwavering stare reduced theughter more and more. ¡°Cough cough,¡± ¡°Jason, I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± Taniel said. ¡°For lunch, in addition to the reserved ¡®Gazing at the Starry Sky,¡¯ I will add a special dish: ¡®Eel Jelly¡¯!¡±
¡°However, I need to discuss this with the chef, so I¡¯ll leave for a bit,¡± after saying so formally, Taniel stood up and walked towards the door. This young teacher from Deer Academy worried that if he stayed any longer, his hard-earned savings would be drained just like that. But¡­ He just couldn¡¯t help it! That shiny bald head! Hahahaha! Suppressing hisughter, Taniel ran down the stairs. Even though it was restrainedughter, for Jason who had more than twice the average person¡¯s perception, it was still clearly audible. However, Jason didn¡¯t chase after him. After all, lunchtime was long! He had plenty of time. ¡°Continue!¡± Jason turned his head and urged Bondi. ¡°We¡¯ve checked and, just as you said, Jason, many of the bodies are missing from the unnamed graves in the cemetery, but we¡¯ve searched the entire cemetery and found nothing,¡±
¡°I contacted some informants, and they don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°As for Santel?¡± as he said this, the Sheriff paused slightly with a puzzled look on his face. But he immediately continued: ¡°He¡¯s buying bodies!¡± ¡°After tracing through several informants, I can confirm this.¡± ¡°In the past two months, he has bought a total of six corpses.¡± Buying corpses? Jason was startled. This answer was somewhat unexpected for Jason. In his mind, even if Santel wasn¡¯t directly involved with the missing bodies, there would be an indirect connection. But now it seemed different. Santel, guarding the cemetery, shouldn¡¯t have been in need of corpses. He had no need to purchase them from outside. Even if half the bodies from the unnamed graves were gone, there was still the other half left.
Unless¡­ He absolutely couldn¡¯t touch the bodies in the cemetery! And the reasons that could prevent Santel from disturbing the cemetery bodies were few. Among them, an order from the shadowy figure who made him the ¡°Tomb Guardian¡± was the most straightforward reason! ¡°What does the other party want with these bodies?¡± Jason couldn¡¯t help but frown. Subconsciously, he wanted to inquire of the old Sir. However, Jason quickly abandoned that option. The other party was very likely to know something. But, he would definitely not inform him. If the other party had wanted to speak, he would have done so before Jason left. ¡°Is it because he doesn¡¯t want to speak?¡± ¡°Or¡­¡± ¡°Some kind of restriction?¡±
Jason thought, and then, he noticed the Sheriff was looking at him with a very strange expression. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Bondi?¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said, if you want tough¡­¡± ¡°You canugh as much as you want,¡± Jason said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bear the consequences of mocking you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just hair loss, the follicles aren¡¯t damaged, it will grow back in a few days,¡± Bondi said, waving his hands. The Sheriff wasn¡¯t a fool like Taniel; he could tell that Jason, who verbally didn¡¯t care about his baldness, was actually quite concerned about it at heart. Then, the Sheriff fell into silence. His face showed hesitation and conflict. ¡°What happened?¡± Jason asked again. ¡°Jason¡­¡± ¡°Are you ¡®undead¡¯?¡± Bondi asked through gritted teeth. And he braced himself for the worst. It is wrong to pry into someone¡¯s privacy. In the normal world, that¡¯s the case. And in the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯? All the more so. Although he hadn¡¯t been in official contact with the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ for days, some things remained the same. Naturally, Bondi was well aware. But Bondi desperately wanted to know the answer. For this, he had already prepared to pay the price. However, what the Sheriff didn¡¯t expect was that Jason nodded very straightforwardly. ¡°Yes,¡± he answered. ¡°Is it because of the ¡®Hulk Potion¡¯?¡± the Sheriff asked immediately after Jason nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± Jason nodded again. To cover up his own secret, the ¡®Hulk Potion¡¯ was a good pretext. Moreover, Jason didn¡¯t mind leading those who were hostile towards him with false information. Asymmetric information could give him more advantage. Advantage against that ¡®puppet master¡¯! Without truly understanding the other party and their purpose, Jason had to ¡®arm¡¯ himself like this. Even after understanding the other party, such ¡®arming¡¯ was also indispensable. Because it would affect who would emerge victorious between him and the opponent! Of course, it would be best if his old teacher resolved everything. But Jason¡¯s nature made it necessary for him to prepare for the worst. Unexpectedly for Jason, right as his voice fell, Bondi was looking at him with a face full of nervousness and expectation. ¡°Then, do you know of any resurrection potions, Jason?¡± Bondi asked. ¡°Resurrection potions?¡± Jason was taken aback. Seeing the hope on the Sheriff¡¯s face, he ultimately shook his head. He did not know where the Sheriff¡¯s hope stemmed from, but he could guess roughly. It must be because of someone, right? But the more it was so, the less Jason could deceive the other party. A well-intentioned lie could bring temporaryfort, but it was more likely to result in greater pain and hurt. ¡°Is that so?¡± Bondi¡¯s face was filled with disappointment and bitterness. The Sheriff wanted to say more, but Jason, as if sensing something, turned his gaze towards the window. Bondi and Finch subconsciously followed Jason¡¯s line of sight. Instantly, both of them held their breath. Because, on the ss, pressed against it¡­ was a face! Chapter 69 - 68: The Correct Way to Read Chapter 69: Chapter 68: The Correct Way to Read The face was smeared with blood, and the features were so fierce that the original appearance could not be discerned. But the more it was like that, the more it instilled fear. The young Finch was momentarily intimidated. Jason, however, raised his ¡®Winchester Brothers¡¯ gun, while Bondi was also ready to pull the trigger of his revolver. But just at that moment¡ª Slip. The face stered on the ss, as if it had been there too long, began to slide down as if running out of strength. And halfway down, it just dissipated into smoke. If it weren¡¯t for the residual bloodstains on the ss, no one would believe that a face had been there moments before. Bondi was stunned. Instinctively, the Sheriff turned his head to look at Jason. Jason, on the other hand, walked toward the window. But, he had only taken one step. ¡°Aaahhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a dead person!¡± A shrill scream erupted from the street below. Bondi and Finch turned and ran downstairs. Jason, however, did not act immediately, but followed the original n and walked to the window, sniffing slightly. There was no smell of food¡­ no, no ¡®mystical¡¯ scent. ¡°What was that just now?¡± Jason stood before the window, looking through the ss at the scene below, now under martialw directed by Bondi. From his angle, he could clearly see a person facedown and sprawling on the ground. Jason looked around and up. After confirming there was nothing worthy of attention, he turned and went downstairs. By the time Jason exited the police dormitory, the sprawled body had been turned over, but everyone who saw the face of the corpse gasped in shock. Because¡­ The corpse had no facial skin! The person¡¯s face had beenpletely ¡®peeled¡¯ off, leaving only the flesh. Almost subconsciously, Jason thought of the face that had been pressed against his window. Bondi and Finch undoubtedly thought the same, both turning to look at Jason simultaneously. Jason didn¡¯t speak but crouched down to examine the body. The clothes were tattered, their fabric unrecognizable. There were no shoes, and the feet were covered in mud. The build was average, but the muscles were firm, suggesting regr exercise. The palms showed calluses at the base of the thumb and forefinger, likely from handling firearms. Unfortunately¡­ The most important feature, the face, was gone. ¡°Was that face on my window his?¡± ¡°If so¡­ ¡°Why do it?¡± ¡°To intimidate? To warn?¡± Jason pondered. But he didn¡¯t have the slightest clue. He could not fathom the perpetrator¡¯s motive. Intimidation, warnings¡ªit didn¡¯t stand up! Because, he was very clear that after the previous explosion, those attracted by the ¡®Hulk Potion¡¯ from the Mystical Side would definitely not use such simple methods to intimidate or warn. As for the local Mystical Side individuals in Lorde? Even less likely. Those people knew just as well that such tactics wouldn¡¯t scare him, instead, it would bring trouble upon themselves. ¡°How is it?¡± Bondi came up and whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t have any leads for the time being.¡± ¡°Proceed with your method first.¡± Jason spoke truthfully. He wasn¡¯t one to show off, especially at a time that could be a matter of life or death. ¡°Alright, leave it to me.¡± Bondi nodded and began to arrange for personnel to survey and search for the origin of the corpse. Jason then returned to room 305 to wait for news. Leaving professional tasks to the professionals. Was undoubtedly the best choice. However, upon returning to the room and seeing the residue of bloodstains on the window ss, Jason furrowed his brow. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would be a clue, of course, nor was he sure if it carried the potential of ¡®surveince¡¯. Therefore¡ª Whoosh! He drew the curtains. Then, he picked up the spoils that Finch had collected, the trade items returned by Taniel, and walked straight out of the room, heading toward room 303. Room 303, Holle¡¯s office-cum-bachelor pad. At this time, Holle had clearly received Bondi¡¯s order and was preparing to leave. ¡°Let me use your office.¡± Jason said as he pointed to his own room. Holle, who had worked with Jason more than once, immediately understood. The detective used gestures to ask Jason if he needed to deal with anything. Jason waved his hand. ¡°Understood.¡± Holle nodded at once and then, opening the door, ran downstairs. Just as Jason was willing to trust in their professionalism, they also believed that Jason could handle things rted to the ¡®Mystical Side.¡¯ As for Jason wanting to use the room? No problem at all. After all, there¡¯s nothing shameful in a middle-aged bachelor¡¯s dorm. Except for¡­ The smell being a bit strong and somewhat choking. Jason opened the window and ventted for a few minutes before he walked into Room 303. There was no significant difference from Room 305. There was just an additional filing cab. After scanning the filing cab, Jason pulled out a chair, didn¡¯t touch any documents on the desk, and began to organize his spoils of war and trading items. The trading items given by Taniel were easy to organize. Because, apart from the Gold Crooks, it was a ¡®Mystical Side¡¯mon knowledge book. Although this young teacher from Deer Academy wanted to trade for more monster corpses, the previous set of trades had already cleared out everyone¡¯s stock at this ¡®gathering.¡¯ Want more? That would have to wait until next time. Taniel had given a total of 55 Gold Crooks, a lot more than Jason had expected, evidently Taniel¡¯s ¡®trading Talent¡¯ was at y. After counting, Jason put all the Gold Crooks into his purse. At this moment, he had a total of 71 Gold Crooks, 12 Silver Crooks, and 14 Copper Crooks, without any Copper Corners. Looking at the bulging purse, Jason felt a sense of satisfaction. However, he knew all too well that the Gold Crooks in the purse wouldn¡¯t keep him safe. ¡°This money should be able to buy some ingredients.¡± Jason thought so. The person to buy from? Who else but Taniel could be better for that? With this thought in mind, Jason picked up the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯mon knowledge book given by the other party. Yes, given. ording to the other party, such books were precious to ordinary people, but not so valuable to those of the Mystical Side, as they all knew these things. What they cared more about were Secret Techniques, rituals, and everything rted to the Power System. But to Jason, it was invaluable. Because these were themon knowledge hecked. As he flipped through the book in his hands. Jason also opened the bag of spoils collected by Finch. Inside were various weapon and tool Fragments. Though broken, a perceptive person could still sense a hint of their unusualness. Before broken, these weapons and tools had ¡®mystical materials¡¯ incorporated into them, making them ss Secret Technique weapons and tools of no insubstantial value. And now? Jason took out a Fragment and ced it lightly to his lips. A sensation of deliciousness bloomed on the tip of his tongue. A bit like snails. Yeah, braised with chili. Slightly spicy. Then, he flipped a page of the book. Next, another Fragment to taste. This one was like beef marrow. Also braised and vorful. Also a little spicy. Was it because of the ¡®explosion¡¯ processing? Jason couldn¡¯t help but think. And seemingly, it wasn¡¯t just an illusion; Jason found that his reading speed significantly increased as the taste of food blossomed on his tongue. Could this be my correct way to read? Such a thought involuntarily sprang up in Jason¡¯s mind, but he temporarily set aside the book. Because he had already heard Finch¡¯s familiar footsteps. Thump, thump, thump. Clearly aware of Jason¡¯s room change, Finch knocked directly on Room 303¡¯s door. ¡°Come in.¡± As Jason spoke, Finch pushed the door and entered. Upon entering, the young man blurted out: ¡°We¡¯ve identified the body.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Tike.¡± Chapter 70 - 69 Lunch Chapter 70: Chapter 69 Lunch Tike, the officer who once drove for Bondi and then was kidnapped. The same person was also one of the culprits behind Kailina¡¯s tragic fate. In Jason and Bondi¡¯s minds, Tike, who had been abducted by Kultz, was most likely doomed, considering Kultz¡¯s hatred for Tike, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he had torn him to pieces. Therefore, after Kultz was killed, Bondi only issued an order to search for Tike¡¯s body as thoroughly as possible. But unexpectedly, Tike reappeared. And in such a manner. In the morgue, Bondi was confirming with Ferrymon. Ferrymon, the police station¡¯s guest forensic advisor, or rather one of the special advisors, whose main job was a dentist. Most of the time, Ferrymon would assist Bondi in examining bodies, trying his best from a medical perspective to find the ¡®uncertainties¡¯ on the bodies. The results could be said to be¡­ A mixed bag. Because this is not a normal ¡®scientific side¡¯ world. Ferrymon often worried about this and frequently doubted his life. It was fortunate that Jason came along. This prevented Ferrymon from doubting whether he was going insane. So, Ferrymon was quite thankful to Jason. ¡°Morning, Jason.¡± Ferrymon greeted enthusiastically as Jason walked into the room. ¡°Morning, Ferrymon.¡± Jason responded. Advisor Ferrymon, whom Jason did not know well, but he remembered his name. However, Jason would absolutely not go to him for dental care. This was a consensus amongst everyone at the station. But still, the advisor¡¯s professional level was indeedmendable¡ª ¡°The knife wound on the left forearm, it was I who stitched it.¡± ¡°The bullet in the shoulder, I was the one who extracted it.¡± ¡°So, I can confirm that he is Tike.¡± Without wasting words, Ferrymon began speaking, pointing at several of Tike¡¯s wounds on the body. Then, his gaze involuntarily shifted to Jason¡¯s shaved head. ¡°Jason, if you want a haircut next time, you cane to me, I¡¯m quite skilled.¡± The part-time barber, the dentist who was a police advisor, said. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It was an ident.¡± ¡°Ferrymon, what else did you find?¡± Jason emphasized, then continued asking. ¡°If you¡¯re asking how his face ended up at your window¡­ I don¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°You know more about that than I do.¡± ¡°But one thing I¡¯m sure of¡­¡± ¡°He came from the sewer.¡± Ferrymon lifted Tike¡¯s palms and soles, which had mud and moss on them. ¡°Such moss can only be found in sewers or simr environments.¡± ¡°And the scent on him is not just the stench of a corpse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the stink of the sewer.¡± ¡°So, I can confirm this point.¡± ¡°After all, I once worked part-time cleaning sewers, and the smell there is too vivid in my memory.¡± The mention of sewers made Ferrymon¡¯s chubby cheeks wrinkle, resembling a bun. ¡°Ferrymon, thank you, you¡¯ve been a great help.¡± ¡°And also¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll discuss with the chief to raise your weekly sry.¡± Bondi said, then turned to Finch and ordered, ¡°Gather everyone, get me a search party for the sewers!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Finch answered promptly and then quickly got into action. Bondi didn¡¯t stay any longer. Jason was thest to leave, stopping just before he stepped out the door. ¡°What¡¯s your weekly sry?¡± Jason asked. ¡°6 Silver Crooks.¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯m just part-time.¡± ¡°And I often make mistakes.¡± Ferrymon replied with a wry smile. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I get 2 Gold Crooks, weekly.¡± Jason emphasized, then left without looking back. This was definitely not because Jason was retaliating after thement about ¡®baldness.¡¯ It was merely a friendly exchange between colleagues. ¡­ The confirmation of the body¡¯s identity and the rough locking down of its origin had Bondi very excited. He began to lead his subordinates into the sewers to search. Of course, not only officers were involved but also some temporary employees. You must know, the entire Lorde is quiterge. And this was destined to be a hugely enormous project. Even with the temporary employees, it would take at least a day, if not several days toplete. So, Jason didn¡¯t participate. After making arrangements with Bondi, he took Taniel¡¯s carriage to ¡®Starry Sky¡¯ restaurant. ¡°I examined the bloodstains left on that face.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t confirm whether it¡¯s a method of the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ or not.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a method before.¡± Taniel sat across from Jason, speaking of his investigation results. Jason was well aware that he was very sensitive to the Mystical Side¡¯s aura rted to ¡®food,¡¯ but apart from that, his experience was no match for Taniel¡¯s. Therefore, when he left, Jason had asked him to inspect the bloodstains remaining on the window ss. At the same time, Jason was also observing him. Then, just like Taniel who came up with nothing, Jason had no findings either. The man still appeared rather unintelligent. ¡°Jason, do you know?¡± ¡°I originally wanted to invite Mary to go to ¡®Starry Sky¡¯ restaurant together.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, she led a team toplete an investigation of a ruin¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know if she¡¯ll return before winter.¡± ¡°Do you think I should prepare a gift to congratte her on a sessful expedition when she returns?¡± ¡°But what if it fails?¡± ¡°You say¡­¡± Facing the incessant Taniel, Jason¡¯s gaze became utterly impassive. Taniel immediately received the message it contained. He not only shut his mouth at once, but even his breathing became lighter. Then, Jason picked up a book. He was down to thest page of this book on basic Mystical Side knowledge. Too bad, the ¡®snacks¡¯ were all gone. Jason had nned to continue eating them while reading, but his hand kept reaching involuntarily into the bag. The already few ¡®snacks¡¯ rapidly ran out. And these snacks had brought Jason a satiety of 7 points. Less than he had expected. But, Jason wasn¡¯t unsatisfied. After all, these count as unexpectedly obtained ¡®snacks.¡¯ He basically got them for free. What¡¯s there to be unhappy about? Swish, swish. Outside the carriage, Lorde became noisy again, but inside, there was only the sound of the pages turning. Taniel several times wanted to open his mouth, to praise Jason for being apetent teacher who would even read the book in advance before teaching Finch. But in the end, Taniel restrained himself. He certainly didn¡¯t want his wallet to be overdrawn again. ¡®To look up at the starry sky¡¯ and ¡®eelfish freeze¡¯ were already his limit. The carriage rumbled on. It passed Kensing Street and turned into a quiet alley. A slightly yellowing ne tree. Several human-high stones stacked at the root of the tree. The ground paved with white gravel. At the end, there was a restaurant with a single door. Through the windows, one could see the ssical decorations inside. In front of the door, a small ckboard stood writing ¡®Starry Sky¡¯ on it. ¡°A nice environment.¡± Jason, stepping off the carriage, gave a positivement. ¡°The taste won¡¯t disappoint you either!¡± Taniel assured. In fact, Taniel, not being economically well-off, hadn¡¯t eaten there either. He had only heard from others that this restaurant was fantastic, with admirable signature dishes. Therefore, Taniel was also very much looking forward to the meal. After all, so many people have said it¡¯s good! It must be¡­ No problem! Chapter 71: 70 Food is Not Food Chapter 71: Chapter 70 Food is Not Food ¡°Wee,¡±
Guided by the waiter, Jason and Taniel entered the restaurant. Just as they had seen from the outside, the entire restaurant was elegant andfortable without crowded tables, just sporadic arrangements, with green nts used as screens that provided the right amount of concealment for the patrons. It was neither deliberate nor embarrassing. Two musicians were ying the violin. Under the melodious music, Jason felt a sense of expectation for the ¡®Starry Sky¡¯ he was about to taste. Taniel had undoubtedly done a lot of homework beforeing.
After sitting down, the young teacher from Deer Academy said in a low voice, ¡°It is said that this dish was created tomemorate a great captain!¡± ¡°During the season when storms raged, everyone on the ind was starving, and it was this captain who braved the sea to catch fish that could be eaten by all.¡± ¡°There were seven kinds.¡± ¡°Starry Sky is also made with these seven kinds of fish as the main ingredients.¡± Seven kinds of fish? The ovepping vors of different fish types. Combined with different seasonings. If the cooking techniques are varied, it must be quite delicious! Jason¡¯s expectations were growing in his heart. After all, to skillfully apply a variety of cooking techniques such as frying, boiling, and baking into one dish, one must possess truly proficient culinary skills. Otherwise, one wouldn¡¯t be able to open such a restaurant.
¡°What about the ¡®Eel Jelly¡¯?¡± Jason asked about another dish. ¡°¡®Eel Jelly¡¯ is made in the most simple and natural way.¡± ¡°Without any additives.¡± ¡°Natural is its characteristic,¡± Taniel replied. Natural, huh? Pure wild eel! Large, rich in flesh, and nutritious! Jason thought subconsciously. But Taniel seemed to be reminded of something and let out a sigh of regret. ¡°Starry Sky¡¯ and ¡®Eel Jelly¡¯ have now be very famous!¡±
¡°Butpared to ¡®Haggis¡¯, they still fall short.¡± ¡°Jason, do you know ¡®Haggis¡¯?¡± Taniel asked. ¡°¡®Haggis¡¯?¡± Jason shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s also a kind of delicious food.¡± ¡°Legend has it that it¡¯s a sheep meat dish with a very long history.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity¡­¡± ¡°These new restaurants simply don¡¯t make it; you can only find it in some of the older restaurants.¡± ¡°And Lorde is just an emerging city, full of vigor and opportunity, but it is destined not to have such restaurants with long history and heritage.¡± There was a tone of helplessness in Taniel¡¯s words. However, the next moment, the young teacher from Deer Academy had excitement on his face.
¡°Do you have time at the end of winter?¡± ¡°I will have a three-week winter break.¡± ¡°I think we can go to Tert to take a look, there must be such restaurants there.¡± Taniel invited Jason. ¡°We¡¯ll see at that time,¡± Jason really wanted to agree. But he was leaving in a little over a day and simply couldn¡¯t make a promise. Such an answer naturally left Taniel somewhat disappointed. But very quickly, as the waiters carrying the silver tters appeared, Taniel¡¯s attention was wholly captured. In the light, the silver tters and covers sparkled with a soft glow. Tworge and two small tters were ced in front of Jason and Taniel. Jason and Taniel looked expectantly at the food covered in front of them.
¡°Please enjoy.¡± As the waiter spoke, the covers were lifted, and Jason and Taniel¡¯s anticipation reached its peak, and then¡­ Fish, sunken into pies, appeared in front of them. The fish were defiant! Even as part of the dish, they held their heads high, thrusting straight up as if to express their indomitable spirit. But, this is what¡¯s known as ¡®dying with your eyes open¡¯, isn¡¯t it?! Look at those hollow eyes of the fish after being baked! Where is the ¡®starry sky¡¯ in that? Could the ¡®stars¡¯ be referring to the pattern in the middle of the pie? Isn¡¯t that a bit too perfunctory? And those standing fish tails, do they imply being stuck deep in the mud?
Jason silently set down his knife and fork and quietly looked at Taniel. Taniel was also dumbfounded. ¡°This is ¡®Starry Sky¡¯?!¡± It waspletely different from what he had imagined! However, now was not the time to delve into these issues; he had to appease Jason. The acutely perceptive Taniel could clearly sense that Jason had be dangerous at this moment. ¡°There¡¯s also ¡®Eel Jello¡¯!¡± Taniel pointed to the side, all the while feeling lucky about his own fortune. Thank goodness he had added ¡®Eel Jello¡¯; otherwise, he was done for now. Jason adjusted his breathing and was about to lift the small cover. But just as a crack appeared, an indescribably foul, fishy stench assaulted them. p! Jason¡¯s hands pressed down on the cover hard, the silver lid creaking and beginning to deform. ¡°Is this ¡®Eel Jello¡¯?¡± Jason asked. ¡°It, it should be.¡± Taniel¡¯s speech was utterly stammered now. He too was frightened by that smell. The odor was more terrifying than the time he identally mixed a fart beetle into the herring sauce. But what was even more terrifying was¡­ Jason! Taniel looked at Jason, who stood up quietly, and raised his hands as he shouted: ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I only heard it from others.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a victim too.¡± Taniel¡¯s voice was almost filled with a sobbing tone. But to Taniel¡¯s surprise, the standing Jason did not aim thatrge-caliber hunting¡­ no, the shotgun at his forehead; he turned and walked outside instead. What happened? Am I saved? Did Jason let me go? Taniel, puzzled, watched Jason¡¯s retreating figure and absurdly asked: ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Jason paused, turned his head, and said word by word¡ª ¡°A gentleman can be killed, but not insulted!¡± ¡­ Jason walked out of the ¡®Starry Sky¡¯ restaurant, his head not turning back as he got straight onto the carriage. Taniel followed a step behind. As soon as he stepped out, he saw two people standing at the entrance of the restaurant. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, one of them was a customer who had just been inside the restaurant. Obviously, the person had left before they did. ¡°How was ¡®Starry Sky¡¯ restaurant?¡± ¡°How was that signature dish ¡®Starry Sky¡¯?¡±¡± The new customer, who clearly hadn¡¯t been to ¡®Starry Sky¡¯ yet, asked the returning patron. ¡°Very good.¡± ¡°Especially ¡®Starry Sky¡¯, fantastic!¡± The returning patron extolled with an exaggerated expression. ¡°Really?¡± The new customer hesitated a bit. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Look, there are so many good reviews!¡± These words convinced the new customer, and as they went to make a reservation at the restaurant, the returning patron¡¯s face turned expressionless, and they quickly disappeared at the end of the street. ¡°Is this how ¡®fame¡¯ starts?!¡± Taniel watched all this in a daze. Then, he walked towards the carriage full of guilt. He prepared to sincerely apologize to Jason. But just then, a gun barrel silently pressed against his back. Taniel¡¯s face stiffened, and he immediately raised his hands. ¡°My wallet is in the upper pocket on the left side of my coat.¡± ¡°The revolver I carry is on my right side at the waist.¡± ¡°The most valuable potion is in the leather pouch on the left.¡± Without hesitation, Taniel confessed everything. A slight chuckle followed. ¡°You misunderstand, Mr. Taniel.¡± ¡°We mean no harm!¡± ¡°We just want to have a good talk with your friend, Lord Jason.¡± As these words fell, several figures surrounded the carriage. And the person holding the gun prodded Taniel with the muzzle, signaling him to move forward. Taniel walked towards the carriage with a look of despondency. The person with the gun, trailing a step behind, wore a confident smile, feigned politeness, and started speaking calmly and methodically: ¡°Greetings, Lord Jason, I¡­¡± Bang! Chapter 72: 71 ‘The Secret Room Chapter 72: Chapter 71 ¡®The Secret Room The man holding the gun thought he was clever.
He had obtained a ticket to enter the ¡°Mystical Side¡± from the beginning. Then, he gradually established a firm foothold in the ¡°Mystical Side¡± of Lorde. What he relied on was his brainpower. Not some mindless killing and fighting. In the eyes of the gunman, any kind of physical confrontation was the lowest form of action. As long as you find the other party¡¯s weakness and firmly seize it, everything would be easily resolved.
That¡¯s what the gunman had done before. Now? The opposition did the same. So when the gunshot rang out, the gunman was caught by surprise; he hadn¡¯t expected Jason to actually shoot when he said he would! Shouldn¡¯t there be a discussion first? I clearly had his friend in my grasp, didn¡¯t I? Why isn¡¯t it working? Isn¡¯t this friend important enough? Impossible. The friend¡¯s significance was evident in everything I saw yesterday! Moreover, didn¡¯t the two just have a meal together? Where exactly did things go wrong? The unprepared gunman fell to the ground, with a scream in his heart.
The moment the gunman hit the ground, Taniel immediately dropped down and, using his hands and feet, crawled under the carriage. One hand touching his temple singed by the bullet that had just grazed past, while the other hand took out a potion, ready for any emergencies. In fact, there was no need for any ¡°just in case.¡± The moment the gunman fell, Jason charged out of the carriage, sweeping through with his MF92 pistol, UZ submachine gun, and lever-action shotgun and all the figures encroaching upon him fell to the ground. The whole process was very straightforward. There wasn¡¯t a single tough character. Jason scanned the surroundings with a slight confusion. After confirming there weren¡¯t any traps, he gave a kick to the carriage wheel with the back of his heel. Immediately, a knowing Taniel crawled out from under the carriage. Due to the angle, Taniel came face-to-face with the gunman who had lost his breath; even with a face full of blood, Taniel recognized the man in an instant. ¡°It¡¯s Tonniel,¡± Taniel eximed. Then, without waiting for Jason to prod, he spoke clearly and decisively,
¡°This guy was originally a merchant.¡± ¡°But somehow, he lucked into a secret technique or ritual.¡± ¡°And with it, he infiltrated the ¡®Mystical Side.¡¯ ¡°At yesterday¡¯s ¡®gathering,¡¯ he had a stall.¡± ¡°He probably came for you, Jason. After all, having taken the ¡®Hulk Silver Potion,¡¯ you appear to these guys as a walking tonic, a treasure vault¡­ Alright, I¡¯ll go call the cops!¡± Taniel, slightly carried away as he started speaking, immediately sobered up at the change in Jason¡¯s expression. He ran to the side of the road, shouting for the police. Meanwhile, Jason bent down to search for any loot. Three revolvers, several bullets. Inside the wallet, 22 Gold Crooks, 11 Silver Crooks, 5 Copper Crooks, 2 Copper Corners. And then¡­ A piece of parchment. [¡°sh Technique¡± secret technique found!]
[Evaluationplete. Conditions met. Do you wish to consume 1 point of Satiety to learn the secret technique? Yes/No?] ¡­ An unexpected surprise! If it had been before, Jason would have learned it without hesitation, but now that he understood secret techniques may conflict and cause harm to the heart, Jason held back the impulse within him. Even a secret technique that only appears weak against a single point of Satiety. He carefully folded the parchment and tucked it into his chest. Jason prepared to ask his ¡°teacher¡± or to get a definite answer before making a decision. At this moment, Jason¡¯s mood, influenced by the awful food¡­ no, something indescribable, finally started to improve a bit. Jason was quite tolerant towards food. The life in Nightless City had made it clear to him how rare and precious food was. He believed that food shouldn¡¯t be judged by its appearance but that one should taste its vor wholeheartedly. There might be a hidden delight.
However¡­ ¡°Starry Sky¡± and ¡°Eel Freeze¡± breached Jason¡¯s limits. Asking Jason to try it? He really couldn¡¯t do it! He turned and took another look at the ¡°Starry Sky¡± restaurant, which had fallen into chaos due to the gunshot. Especially upon seeing a customer who was about to order, looking through the window, noticing the green nts knocked down by the panicked couriers, revealing the truth behind the dining table, and then fleeing with wallet in hand, Jason felt a bit better. About a few minutester, Finch and Holle arrived with their people. Seeing the two, Jason¡¯s eyes brightened. Because Jason knew very well that after Bondi had devoted himself to investigating the sewers, Holle would be in charge of the police station, while Finch would definitely be apanying Bondi. The presence of Finch now certainly meant great progress in the sewer investigation. ¡°Holle, Taniel knows where these guyse from.¡± ¡°Finch, has Bondi found anything?¡±
Jason spoke directly. ¡°Um, found the ce where Kultz used to hide.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°Bodies!¡± Finch lowered his voice. Bodies? The missing bodies! With a gleam in his eyes and without any hesitation, Jason said straightaway, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Finch immediately led the way. ¡°Wait for me!¡± Taniel, who was being questioned by Holle, called out from behind. But Jason had no intention of stopping; he just boarded the police carriage. ¡°Did you make Lord Jason angry?¡± Holle asked in surprise. ¡°ident! ident!¡± ¡°Who would¡¯ve known it would turn out like this!¡± Taniel said annoyedly, then immediately smiled and promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! During the winter break, I¡¯ll treat Jason to traditional delicacies. He will definitely forget about this unpleasant experience!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°I hope that traditional delicacy is truly delicious.¡± With that, Holle stopped paying attention to these matters and earnestly questioned Taniel about what had happened. While Taniel was giving a detailed ount, Jason and Finch had already arrived at Kensing Street. ¡°Kensing Street?¡± Jason looked surprised as he looked towards the center of the street. There had been too many things happening in Lorde recently. And these incidents were all more or less connected to Lorde¡¯s most bustling street. The ¡®Moon Mask¡¯ club was located behind Kensing Street. The attack by the ¡®Tomb Guardian¡¯ Santel urred at the end of Kensing Street. And this time? Was it finally Kensing Street¡¯s main drag¡¯s turn? ¡°I hope His Honor the mayor won¡¯t get angry.¡± ¡°Otherwise, the Chief and the Commissioner are going to get scolded again.¡± Looking at Kensing Street, now thoroughly under martialw, Finch said with a wry smile while pointing ahead. Bondi was standing there. ¡°Jason.¡± ¡°It¡¯s down below!¡± Bondi called out, then pointed to the sewer in front of them. The manhole cover had already been lifted, and a foul stench wafted out from within. Standing on the edge and looking down, Jason could see a woodendder with several people shuttling back and forth, investigating below. ¡°I never would¡¯ve thought Kultz would choose the sewers.¡± ¡°Not only did he carve out a huge space on one side of the sewer, but he also made a separate exit.¡± ¡°It avoided the stink and was sufficiently secretive.¡± ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for Ferrymon, we would never have discovered this ¡®secret room¡¯ in the sewer.¡± Bondi spoke as he descended thedder. Jason followed closely behind. Then, the two walked towards the ¡®secret room.¡¯ As they moved, Bondi asked with a smile: ¡°The smell is unpleasant, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I just encountered an even worse smell a moment ago.¡± Jason said earnestly. Bondi was curious about what could be smellier than the sewer that Jason had encountered, but the secret room, now within reach, made the sheriff, who always put official duties first, hold his tongue. He didn¡¯t want his consultant to be distracted. Following the hole in the wall, Jason stepped inside. It was a space asrge as two basketball courts. One side was clean, furnished with beds and other living items, while the other side was¡­ bodies! Bodies that had been treated and dried, like frozen pork, were stacked inyers. ¡°Clearly, Kultz has been feeding the bodies snatched from the cemetery to his creatures.¡± Ferrymon, who had already conducted an examination, said. Bondi nodded slightly, agreeing with the consultant¡¯s sentiment. However, Bondi wasn¡¯t in a rush to conclude. He looked at Jason. Jason also agreed with Ferrymon¡¯s statement. Because it made sense. ¡°The monsters Kultz was raising needed arge amount of food, especially to feed that demonic beast. What could be more fitting ¡®food¡¯ than the bodies that disappeared?¡± Jason thought to himself, about to agree with Ferrymon¡¯s statement. But just as the words were on the tip of his tongue, Jason suddenly stopped. Because¡­ He suddenly thought of something! Chapter 73: 72 Duke Chapter 73: Chapter 72 Duke The monster was picky!
When Tike was abducted, the juvenile ¡®Harken¡¯ spit out the half horse it had eaten. Simrly, in the previous incidents where officers had gone missing or been killed, the person who served as Kultz¡¯s ¡®decoy¡¯ must have been vomited up as well. Alive ¡®food¡¯ was not eaten, yet it went for the dead? Unless, ¡®Harken¡¯ was a scavenger. And this was possible, but it needed confirmation. But an even more crucial point, if the monstrous ¡®Harken¡¯ didn¡¯t eat those bodies, then the remaining creatures kept by Kultz couldn¡¯t have possibly left so little of the ¡®missing corpses¡¯!
The size of the ¡®Tricksters¡¯ and ¡®Noose Hangers¡¯ dictated their appetite. Even inrge numbers, they couldn¡¯t consume hundreds of bodies in a short time. ¡®Submariner¡¯? It wasrge in size, but most of the time it maintained a normal state. ¡®Gossamer Hound¡¯ and ¡®Kmeta¡¯ were also not big eaters. So¡­ Someone was scheming! Or rather, someone was misleading him! They gave him a reason. But where were the real ¡®missing bodies¡¯? As Jason thought this, he looked towards Bondi. ¡°I have a doubt that needs verification,¡±
¡°Wait for me a moment.¡± ¡°Finch, the carriage.¡± Having said this, Jason shouted directly at the young man. ¡°Understood, Lord Jason.¡± The young man ustomed to driving for Jason immediately ran outside. Jason then inconspicuously signaled ¡®be careful¡¯ to Bondi before hurriedly leaving. The Sheriff became alert unconsciously. ¡°Temporarily seal off the scene!¡± ¡°Keep the necessary watchmen, everyone else leave.¡± Bondi issued the orders. Suddenly, everyone acted ordingly. Ferrymon came over and quietly asked:
¡°Don¡¯t we need some explosives?¡± ¡°I am a qualified grenadier!¡± While saying that, Ferrymon mimed a throwing motion. ¡°Ferrymon, you are a dentist.¡± Bondi reminded his advisor. ¡°Are you doubting my part-time skills?¡± Ferrymon asked seriously. ¡°No, no, not at all!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doubting your part-time skills.¡± ¡°I just haven¡¯t seen you pull a tooth.¡± Bondi waved his hand and walked away, swearing he¡¯d never let Ferrymon touch his teeth, but indeed, to be safe, they should get some explosives. ¡­
¡°Lord Jason, where shall we go?¡± Finch asked as he jumped onto the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Pea Street,¡± Jason replied. Among the people Jason knew, the only one who might have knowledge of ¡®Harken¡¯ was that old Duke. As for Taniel? Jason had questioned him. But Taniel clearly didn¡¯t know about such creatures and couldn¡¯t give an answer. As for whether the old Duke would answer his questions, or rather, if the goodwill the old Duke had shown was a fa?ade, Jason hadn¡¯t considered that at all. Because¡­
There was no need! If everything just now was ¡®The nner¡¯s¡¯ doing, then his current actions had already been observed; once ¡®The nner¡¯ realized his scheme had been uncovered, they would definitely act. Therefore, it was improbable for him to truly reach Pea Street. Moreover, if the other party acted, it would indirectly prove that the old Duke had little to do with this affair, although the Duke¡¯s disyed goodwill was still questionable. But if he really did arrive at Pea Street smoothly? That would be the worst-case scenario. Either The nner is that old nobleman, or someone whopletely disregards the old nobleman. And no matter which it was, Jason would choose to turn around and leave. Then¡­ He would file a formalint!
tter, tter. With the sound of wheels, the distance to Pea Street was getting closer and closer. Jason grew more and more vignt. After checking all the ammunition in his firearms, Jason ced a broad-ded short-handled machete on his knee, and then, he took out the new hockey mask that the old nobleman had given him. Jason¡¯s palm caressed the new hockey mask. There was no difference in shape from the original, but the material was somewhat better. As he slowly picked up the hockey mask, just as Jason was about to fit it over his face, the carriage suddenly came to a halt. ¡°Lord Jason, someone has blocked the road!¡± Finch¡¯s voice arose. Then came an unfamiliar voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Jason.¡± ¡°I had no choice but to stop your carriage.¡± ¡°I hope to have a talk with you.¡± The stranger spoke politely. Jason¡¯s mouth quirked into a smile. He put away the broad-ded short-handled machete, casually ced the hockey mask beside him, and said directly, ¡°You may.¡± With Jason¡¯s consent, a spruce man appeared at the carriage door. The stranger was wearing gold-rimmed sses, a top hat made of silk upon his head, a white shirt, a beige vest, covered by a blue-ck coat, matching beige trousers, and leather shoes that didn¡¯t have a single speck of dirt on them, reflecting a faint leather sheen. In his hand was a walking stick. Although he had received Jason¡¯s permission, the man did not directly open the door, but instead shifted the walking stick from being held in his right hand to resting under his left armpit. Then, with his freed right hand, he knocked on the carriage door. Thump, thump-thump. A rhythmic knocking. Neither hurried nor dyed. After that, the man took a step back, waiting for Jason to open the door. When Jason did open the door, the sudden visitor took off his hat, ced it to his left to cover the walking stick, and offered a slight bow. ¡°I apologize for the intrusion.¡± ¡°It is truly regrettable.¡± ¡°May we talk inside the carriage?¡± As he spoke, he looked into the carriage, waiting for Jason¡¯s gesture. When Jason nodded again, the man stepped up into the carriage. ¡°I am Duke!¡± ¡°I thought my careful arrangement was perfect, but unexpectedly you saw right through it.¡± ¡°Indeed, you are worthy of being the ¡®Night Watcher¡¯.¡± Upon entering the carriage and sitting down, Duke said this quite straightforwardly. In his words, there was an obvious ttery. But Jason¡¯s vignce did not rx at all. Whether it was Duke¡¯s previous disy of courtesy or the current praise, Jason saw it all as a disguise. Only a fool would actually believe that someone who could quickly dispose of a bunch of bodies for a disguise was a gentleman. Therefore, Jason remained calm. He looked at Duke and suddenly asked, ¡°What does ¡®Harken¡¯ eat?¡± ¡°Harken loves to eat meat, but it must be high-quality meat, especially during the juvenile and growth phases, it¡¯s very picky,¡± Duke replied almost instinctively. Then, with a p to his forehead, he eximed, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I did indeed overlook that. I didn¡¯t consider that Kultz, this ¡®up-anding Beast Tamer,¡¯ would have a juvenile ¡®Harken¡¯!¡± Duke responded with a smile on his face and a trace of regret in his eyes. It seemed he truly regretted that particr oversight. But, Jason¡¯s eyes were filled with a coldness. Duke was lying. Because, on Duke, Jason smelled the scent that belonged to¡­ ¡®Harken¡¯! Intense, and fragrant! Chapter 74: 73: Coordination Chapter 74: Chapter 73: Coordination The fragrance did not emanate from Duke.
But it lingered nheless. It could only be exined by Duke having spent a long time with a ¡®Harken¡¯. ¡°Beast Tamer?¡± Jason guessed the man¡¯s professional system at the bottom of his heart, yet another thing had be certain. The man harbored ill intentions! ¡®Demons¡¯ were notmon monsters.
Atst night¡¯s ¡®Secret Gathering¡¯, Jason hadn¡¯t smelled the scent of ¡®demon¡¯ level food on anyone. So¡­ What were the odds that there were two ¡®Harkens¡¯ in Lorde at the same time? Infinitesimal. And when two ¡®Harkens¡¯ appeared, both under the control of a ¡®Beast Tamer¡¯ profession, what were the chances that those two ¡®Beast Tamers¡¯ were unrted? Equally infinitesimal. As for coincidence? A minuscule likelihood might be exined away as coincidence once. But twice? Sorry. To Jason, a doublypounded minuscule likelihood could only prove that the rtionship between the two was out of the ordinary.
Moreover, with the clues he currently had, Jason had formed an outline of the situation in his mind¡ª The man was connected to Kultz! No! To be precise, he was connected to that mastermind behind the scenes! Therefore, knowing that Kultz had a juvenile ¡®Harken¡¯, the man still arranged that wed setup! It was all to lure him out! Then? It was this ¡®reasonable and appropriate¡¯ encounter. And what followed¡­ Assassination! Or a so-called ¡®coincidental¡¯ abduction! Thetter seemed more likely.
After all, the [Hulk Silver Potion] he had consumed was quite valuable. Simrly, the man had already prepared how to deal with his ¡®immortality¡¯. A trait like ¡®immortality¡¯, though troublesome, was not without countermeasures. Imprisonment without killing was the best solution. A binding trap? Or some sort of potion? While Jason¡¯s mind raced with possibilities, he maintained aposed exterior. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Jason asked coldly. The well-prepared Duke continued to speak. ¡°We mean no harm.¡±
¡°In fact¡­¡± ¡°We are only trying to keep you, Lord Jason, away from danger.¡± It seemed that to ensure Jason¡¯s belief, the man paused in his speech and then promptly added, ¡°Sir Beta wishes the same.¡± ¡°He is in charge of Lorde¡¯s civilian ¡®Mystical Side¡¯, sometimes cooperating with official actions.¡± ¡°This is also one of the necessary conditions for the existence of ¡®Mystic Gatherings¡¯.¡± ¡°And I?¡± ¡°Am a member of the official ¡®Mystical Side¡¯.¡± ¡°This can be verified with documents, which you could request through your friend Bondi.¡± Duke introduced his identity once more without needing Jason to press further. Jason had spected about the old baron¡¯s identity. Now, the man¡¯s words merely confirmed his suspicion.
But the revtion of the man¡¯s official status? Made Jason¡¯s heart sink. He never imagined that the mastermind behind the scenes would have nted people within Lorde¡¯s ¡®official¡¯ ranks. Undoubtedly, the mastermind¡¯s ns were much bigger than he had anticipated. What did they want to do? With this thought in mind, Jason continued to inquire: ¡°What about Taniel?¡± ¡°He who freely enters and exits the police station, is he also a member of Lorde¡¯s official ¡®Mystical Side¡¯?¡± Duke, who had maintained a gentleman¡¯s smile, struggled to keep it up at the mention of Taniel. After a forced breath, the man replied. ¡°Taniel?¡± ¡°He counts, I suppose.¡±
¡°But only as half!¡± The man emphasized. Taniel, oh Taniel! How much of a failure are you! Even a ¡®spy¡¯ is ashamed to be associated with you! At this point, Jason was almost certain that the information Taniel had received was ¡®identally¡¯ given by Duke in front of him. And the man¡¯s strange reaction when mentioning Taniel? Jason thought of ¡®Starry Sky¡¯, thought of ¡®Eel Freeze¡¯, and suddenly felt a trace of understanding for Duke before him. If it weren¡¯t for the need to hide their identity, the man would have eliminated Taniel without a doubt. Moreover, they still haven¡¯t given up by now. The purpose was simply to make it look like an ¡®idental abduction.¡¯ They absolutely wouldn¡¯t expose themselves. But to make their story hold water, they would certainly look for a ¡®scapegoat¡¯! Who could be a more suitable scapegoat than Taniel? Jason was even certain that at this moment, Taniel must have been knocked out and captured by them, hidden somewhere nearby. Refraining from looking around to investigate, Jason followed their train of conversation and asked, ¡°What danger are you referring to?¡± Duke¡¯s face turned grave as he replied word by word. ¡°A conspiracy covers the whole of Lorde.¡± ¡°Your master is aware of it.¡± ¡°Sir Beta is also in the know.¡± ¡°We are aware as well.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Uninformed!¡± At this point, the other party sighed deeply. ¡°Inadvertently, you have stumbled into this and not only disrupted our arrangement!¡± ¡°But you have also dragged yourself into the most dangerous situation.¡± ¡°Therefore, we needed to divert your attention.¡± ¡°What a pity¡­¡± ¡°Due to my negligence, it failed.¡± ¡°I had no choice but to initiate a fallback n, meet with you, inform you of some matters, and hope to gain your cooperation.¡± The other party looked up earnestly, their eyes fixed on Jason. Jason disyed just the right amount of hesitation. Seeing this hesitation, the other party immediately pressed on. ¡°Perhaps you were fortunate to ingest the ¡®Hulk Silver Potion¡¯ and acquired the ¡®immortal¡¯ trait.¡± ¡°But there are things that are far more terrifying than death.¡± ¡°Besides, your ¡®immortality¡¯es at a cost, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Facing the other person¡¯s confident demeanor, Jason fell silent for a moment. Then, he let out a slight sigh. He seemed to be persuaded. ¡°What kind of cooperation?¡± He asked this. ¡°We will create an ident.¡± ¡°To make you disappear for a while.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t have any adverse effects on you. You will just enter apletely safe ce ording to our ns, and once this conspiracy ends, you will be able to see the light of day again. Moreover, we will offer you somepensation.¡± ¡°For instance¡­¡± ¡°Advancement in the Night Watcher!¡± As Duke spoke, he pulled out a piece of parchment from the pocket of his coat, gestured with it in front of Jason, and then put it back into his pocket. ¡°We will hand this over to you afterward.¡± ¡°Although your master will teach you these things, you wouldn¡¯t mind getting a head start, right?¡± Watching Jason involuntarily lean forward, Duke said with a smile. By this time, Duke was certain that the ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ in front of him would fall for it. The most direct benefit is the most heart-stirring. Perhaps the ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ doesn¡¯t care about Gold Crooks. But when ites to the advancement of his own profession, even a ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ cannot remain indifferent. Moreover, given his current identity, what he was saying was indeed true; he really did receive a ¡®help¡¯ order. It¡¯s just a shame¡­ idents are everywhere! Who would¡¯ve known that Taniel was in cahoots with ¡®Shepherd¡¯? The ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ Jason didn¡¯t guard against the other, and was directly anesthetized and taken away by them. And him? Though he killed Taniel, he failed to catch up with the other¡¯s aplices, resulting in the abduction of ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ Jason. Perfect! After evaluating his own n, Duke inevitably thought of Taniel. Damn it, bastard! Making me rmend the ¡®Starry Sky¡¯ restaurant¡¯s ¡®Gazing at the Stars¡¯! Even though he was about to finish off Taniel, Duke couldn¡¯t help but curse him in his mind. Who knows what he went through? A date that should have been lovely was ruined under the gazes of a bunch of dead fish. Ruinedpletely! Under the curse of the dead fish eyes, there was no salvaging the situation with thatdy! Damned Taniel! Cursing Taniel again, Duke strived to maintain his smile. ¡°Do you have any other questions?¡± Duke asked. ¡°No more.¡± Having got the answers he wanted and an unexpected gain, Jason shook his head quite definitively. ¡°If not, please get out of the car ande with me.¡± As Duke spoke, he opened the car door and was about to step out. Jason watched the other¡¯s departing figure and silently picked up a broad-ded, short-handled machete. Then, A sh of the de. Pu! PS Fat Dragon rmends a friend, Hidden Author¡¯s new book ¡®Time Restart Game¡¯~ Members of Fat Dragon¡¯s Foodie Group can check it out when you¡¯re free~ Chapter 75: 74 Advanced Information Chapter 75: Chapter 74 Advanced Information Duke lowered his head, incredulously staring at the protruding de tip. The official ¡°Mystical Side person¡± with a double identity, Zhang, opened his mouth wide, wanting to call out to his ¡°secret pet,¡± but arge hand covered his mouth. Not only did it block the cry that was about to escape, but it also pulled him back into the carriage. His vision began to blur. But Duke still vaguely saw the ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ he thought he¡¯d sessfully deceived, pulling a box from under the seat. That was¡­ A bomb?! As the box opened, Duke¡¯s life came to an end. In his final moment, Duke¡¯s heart was filled with endless questions. Eventually, it became just one. Why was there a box of bombs in the carriage? In fact, there wasn¡¯t just one box of bombs in the carriage.
But¡­ three boxes! Ever since using up all the K2 grenades, Jason, who suffered from a severeck of firepower, became restless. Especially when he confirmed that some monsters and events far surpassed the capabilities of ordinary bullets and des to resolve, this unease became like a thorn in his side. To prevent his mood from worsening, Jason specifically requested bombs from Bondi. Bondi approved. The Sheriff, too, had been unsuspectingly influenced by Jason. Sitting atop crates of bombs, Jason¡¯s heart rapidly calmed down. Because he knew very well that this was the source of his security. Just like at this moment. With Duke¡¯s death, the ¡®Harken¡¯ revealed its form. A pair of ws that were obviously sharp almost dragged on the ground. The torso and head were elongated, with no facial features visible, no legs, just a whirlwind spinning beneath its body. The ¡®secret pet¡¯ that had lost its ¡®Beast Tamer¡¯ was, at that moment, lost in confusion. But Jason wasn¡¯t. He lit one of the bombs from the crate. Then¡­ He aimed for the ¡®Harken¡¯ and directly threw the entire crate at it. Boom! The fire, the shockwave, instantly obliterated the ¡®Harken,¡¯ along with the carriage being toppled to the ground. But Jason could no longer care about these things.
A familiar scent entered his nostrils. Jason leaped from the carriage and dashed toward the source of the scent. Having had one experience before, Jason quickly found the ¡®pigeon egg¡¯-like food. Picking up the ¡®pigeon egg,¡¯ the corners of Jason¡¯s mouth turned up.
The joy of the harvest was always so sweet. Of course! This wasn¡¯t the only gain. Jason had not forgotten the information about the ¡®Night Watcher¡¯s¡¯ promotion that Duke had mentioned before. Carefully cing the ¡®pigeon egg¡¯ into his potion pouch, Jason turned back to the carriage. As Jason took out that piece of parchment and searched through the spoils, Finch had already temporarily untied the horse pulling the carriage, leading it aside, and keptforting the frightened animal. The spoils were just a money bag and that staff. The staff was made of solid wood, concealing a de, but the man had no firearms on him. Clearly, he was very confident. And having a demon-level ¡®secret pet¡¯ like the ¡®Harken,¡¯ it was understandable why he was confident. Only¡­ The weakness was just as clear! The powery in the ¡®secret pet¡¯! Not in the ¡®Beast Tamer¡¯ himself!
If Duke had chosen to conceal himself and send his ¡®secret pet¡¯ into battle, even carrying a considerable amount of explosives, Jason knew he would be in for a tough fight! Even if he won, it would undoubtedly be a pyrrhic victory. ¡°Every ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ profession has its corresponding characteristics.¡± ¡°Only by maximizing one¡¯s own traits can one truly be called a ¡®Mystical Side¡¯!¡± ¡°Otherwise¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re no better than an ordinary person!¡± As Jason counted the money bag containing 11 Gold Crooks and 4 Silver Crooks, he experienced a bit of epiphany. Almost simultaneously, Jason began to remind himself that he must never give up his ¡°advantage¡± at any time, and absolutely could not act clever like Duke. Perhaps one day in the future, he might face a situation like Duke¡¯s. But he definitely wouldn¡¯t be as ¡°calm¡± as Duke. Nor would he be so ¡°confident¡±. After all, such confidence is already arrogance. And the oue of arrogance?
It¡¯s clearly evident. With caution, Jason pulled out the folded parchment. After unfolding it, the Dufol Language was inscribed on it¡ª 1. Night Watcher. 2. ¡°Protection Against Evil (Proficient)¡±. 3. Hunt ten different types of monsters, and be well-acquainted with their characteristics (including but not limited to natural monsters, aberrations, Evil Spirits, constructs, as well as alchemical and Magic Potion monsters) 4. Have engaged in at least 3 nighttime battles ¡­ [Night Watcher advancement upation information gathering¡­] [Collectionplete!] [Night Watcher advancement upation ¡°Whirlwind¡± assessment in progress¡­] [Night Watcher appointment pleted)] [Protection Against Evil (Proficient) pleted)]
[Hunting ten different monsters, and well-acquainted with their characteristics: 6/10] [3 nighttime battles pleted)] [Conditions insufficient, assessment for Night Watcher advancement cannot bepleted!] ¡­ Jason didn¡¯t need to judge whether the information on the parchment was urate, the text before him gave him a definite answer. ¡°The advancement from ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ is to ¡®Whirlwind,¡¯ isn¡¯t it?¡± Jason murmured to himself, his gaze starting to sweep over the advancement conditions. Aside from ¡°hunting ten different monsters, and being well-acquainted with their characteristics,¡± everything else wasplete. At this moment, Jason finally understood why Taniel and Sir Beta found his collection of monsters unremarkable. Clearly, they had taken it as a necessity for his advancement. Without a doubt, it was a good misunderstanding. Jason would absolutely not exin. Then, instinctively, Jason began to mentally tally the monsters he ¡°knew well¡±. ¡°I have consumed ¡®Touch of Svaognir,¡¯ ¡®Laughingstock,¡¯ ¡®Guile¡¯s Hangman,¡¯ ¡®Submerger,¡¯ ¡®Guthwulf Hunting Hound,¡¯ ¡®Kmeta,¡¯ ¡®Harken¡¯ in itsrval phase, Kierken Elf (Shattered) and ¡®Kansa Burrowing Dragon¡¯ in itsrval phase.¡± ¡°Among them, ¡®Laughingstock,¡¯ ¡®Guile¡¯s Hangman,¡¯ ¡®Submerger,¡¯ ¡®Guthwulf Hunting Hound,¡¯ ¡®Kmeta¡¯ are known to me because of the teacher¡¯s notes.¡± ¡°Kansa Burrowing Dragon is because of the old knight¡¯s servant¡¯s exnation.¡± ¡°However, I do not know about ¡®Touch of Svaognir,¡¯ ¡®Harken,¡¯ ¡®Kierken¡¯ Elf.¡± ¡°¡®Touch of Svaognir¡¯ is special, so I¡¯ll put it aside for now.¡± ¡°If I know the detailed information of the ¡®Harken¡¯ and ¡®Kierken¡¯ monsters, I¡¯ll have a total of eight types.¡± ¡°That is to say, if I¡­ hunt two more monsters, I can meet the ¡®advancement¡¯ conditions!¡± Thinking this, Jason¡¯s eyes lit up. But then he frowned almost immediately. Because while eating monsters is easy, understanding their characteristics is hard. Unless someone exins it to him. Or, if he obtains a set of notes simr to his teacher¡¯s, he might be able to quickly fulfill the advancement requirements. But this is not an easy task. Who would selflessly tell him these things? Jason couldn¡¯t help shaking his head. But as he was in the midst of shaking his head, suddenly a faint noise came from the carriage behind him¡ª Creak! Creak! Creak! A blood-stained hand slowly reached out. Chapter 76: 75: With Bias Chapter 76: Chapter 75: With Bias Jason had his back to the carriage. Finch, on the other hand, faced it. Almost the instant that blood-stained hand reached out, Finch saw it. The numerous ¡®bizarre¡¯ encounters had long since changed Finch. More importantly, the young man trusted that Jason could handle this special situation. Just like he had done before. Amid the uneasy whinnying of the horses nearby, the young officer did not panic. He took out his revolver, aimed at the position of the carriage, and waited for themands from Jason, who was already approaching. ¡°Got a match?¡± Jason stood in front of Finch and asked bluntly. ¡°Yes!¡± Without hesitation, Finch took out the matches he carried with him.
The young man watched as Jason struck a match and then put it back into the matchbox, followed by¡­ A toss! The whole box of burning matchesnded precisely inside the overturned carriage. Then¡ª Boom! The carriage immediately flew into the sky. In the rolling mes, the unknown ¡®bizarre¡¯ entity hadn¡¯t even truly shown itself before it was annihted. From start to finish, Jason never looked back even once. Finch just stared nkly at the scene. In the heart of the young man, an unconscious thought emerged: There¡¯s nothing that a box of explosives can¡¯t solve! If there is¡ª Then two boxes! ¡°Ah!¡± The urgent scream brought the young man back to his senses; he turned the gun in his hand towards the source of the voice. It was on the side of the street. A middle-aged man with a gaunt, extremely pale face was panting heavily. Had the ¡®bizarre¡¯ just now been created by him? Thinking this, the young man unconsciously tightened his grip on the gun handle.
It wasn¡¯t just because the man had orchestrated the ¡®bizarre,¡¯ but also because he was holding¡­ Taniel! The young teacher from Deer Academy was unconscious, cluelessly throttled by someone¡¯s grasp. Finch could only tell from hisplexion that Taniel wasn¡¯t in grave danger. Then Finch saw Jason step decisively toward the kidnapper.
Finch opened his mouth to warn Jason that Taniel was in the man¡¯s hands. But immediately, Finch shut his mouth. ¡°Taniel is such a big guy, how could Lord Jason not see him?¡± ¡°Doing this, he must have his reasons!¡± Suddenly, the young man¡¯s eyes widened as he watched Jason¡¯s every move. Just as he had learned from Bondi before. In this moment, the young man was learning from Jason. Thud, thud-thud. Jason stepped forward, his towering figure putting immense pressure on the kidnapper. Especially since his ¡®secret technique¡¯ had just been broken and he suffered bacsh, the kidnapper had lost all will to fight. He was merely treating Taniel as hisst lifeline. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer!¡± ¡°Your friend is in my hands!¡±
The man holding Taniel shouted at Jason. Then, Jason slowly pulled out a wide-ded, short-handled machete. The de pointed downward, emitting a cold light. The kidnapper¡¯s heart trembled. ¡°Just let go¡­¡± Whish! The man was about to say something more when Jason, holding the raised knife, shed down heavily. The kidnapper froze. I have a hostage, right? He didn¡¯t see? Impossible, right? With countless questions flooding his mind, the kidnapper had no time to think further in the face of the descending de. He pushed Taniel toward Jason.
Then, he turned and ran. Jason sidestepped to avoid Taniel, letting Taniel fall face-down at his feet, and raised his right hand to lift the ¡®Winchester Brothers.¡¯ Bang! Click, click! Bang! Amid the rhythmic sounds of reloading, the kidnapper was shot and sent flying. Jason didn¡¯t give him any chance to speak again, firing another shot to finish him off. By this time, Taniel had awakened. ¡°Hisss!¡± ¡°My nose hurts.¡± Clutching his bleeding nose, Taniel staggered to his feet. Then, he saw Jason searching the spoils of battle. Taniel was taken aback.
Memories started to emerge in his mind. After Holle had finished recounting the case, he ran into¡­ Duke! Yes, Duke! And then? Duke invited him for afternoon tea. What next? He then knew nothing at all. Taniel, who was slow to react but not truly stupid, started to look pale. ¡°Duke is¡­¡± Taniel, with an unpleasant expression, asked Jason. ¡°Um.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just as you think.¡± Jason did not offer more exnation, he simply nodded. He believed that Taniel should be able to guess what it was. Meanwhile, Jason, who had gained no spoils from this victory, stood up. Compared to Duke, this hostage-taker had absolutely nothing of value on him, except for a revolver. After thinking for a moment, Jason ced the revolver in the pocket of his coat and quickly walked over to Finch. Watching Jason approach, young Finch¡¯s eyes filled with immense respect. He had just witnessed a perfect demonstration of ¡®saving hostages.¡¯ It was a textbook example. He would remember it by heart. ¡°Go to Bondi, have him bring enough men here.¡± ¡°And enough¡­¡± ¡°Bombs!¡± Jason spoke in a low voice, subtly indicating towards Pea Street. Instantly, Finch nodded with understanding, mounted his horse, and galloped toward Kensing Street. Clip-clop, clip-clop. Amidst the sound of horse hooves striking the ground, Finch¡¯s figure swiftly disappeared. Only then did Jason turn his head to look at Taniel, who was applying potion to himself. Taniel skillfully poured the potion from the top of his nose. He let the liquid flow down his nose and cheeks, and when it reached above his mouth, he quickly lowered his head and began to rub it in with his palms. ¡°Do you often get injured on the nose?¡± Jason asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Just twice.¡± ¡°Once when you saved me, and the other time also when you saved me.¡± Taniel shook his head. ¡°As for being proficient?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a Pharmacist¡¯s dignity!¡± Taniel said, his tone involuntarily carrying a touch of pride. But what did a Pharmacist¡¯s dignity have to do with being skilled at applying potions to his injuries? Jason didn¡¯t understand. And yet, the young teacher from Deer Academy was already standing straight and looking at Jason seriously, his eyes filled with emotion. He had just lost a friend. But in exchange, he had gained a true friend. Although he had experienced pain, he had won a sincere bond of friendship. Compared to that, what was a little suffering? Taniel, filled with excitement, was about to speak. ¡°Saving you was incidental.¡± ¡°You were involved because of me.¡± ¡°If I can save you, of course I will.¡± Jason interrupted Taniel¡¯s words. Taniel was stunned for a moment, blinked, and thought about it. It seemed¡­ It appeared¡­ It really was like that! He was just coteral damage! As this thought struck him, the excitement and emotion inside him flew away, and his nose, which wasn¡¯t hurting, began to ache once again. Instinctively, Taniel wanted to ask Jason for somepensation. But then he looked at the wide-ded, short-handled machete in Jason¡¯s hands. Taniel thought seriously about it. Better not. After all, we are friends, aren¡¯t we? Havinge to his senses, Taniel was about to say something to lighten the mood, but he suddenly realized that his good friend Jason¡¯s attention had already moved elsewhere. He was looking toward Pea Street. Taniel immediately understood what was on his friend¡¯s mind. He emphasized immediately: ¡°Sir Beta would never get involved in this kind of thing!¡± ¡°His fairness is well known to all!¡± ¡°Moreover, he is very willing to help¡­ Ah!!!¡± ¡°My goodness!¡± Chapter 77: 76 Unusual Chapter 77: Chapter 76 Unusual A tongue, ripped out by the roots. With a crimson, viscous juice, it flew from a distance, nting itself squarely onto Taniel¡¯s face. Taniel hadn¡¯t expected any of this, and after the tongue pped onto his face, the young, confused teacher from Deer Academy immediately let out a series of screams: ¡°Aaaah!¡± Then? The tongue slowly slid off. St. It fell to the ground. Once Taniel realized what hadnded on the ground, he immediately eximed: ¡°Mama Mia!¡± Instinctively, Taniel reached out to grab Jason¡¯s sleeve.
Then, was disdainfully dodged by Jason. Taniel, catching nothing but air, paused for a moment before noticing Jason¡¯s indifferent expression toward Pea Street, carefully withdrawing his hand, and deciding to act as if nothing had happened. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Did this tonguee flying from Pea Street?¡± Taniel stepped back, distancing himself from the unsettling object on the ground, and after wiping the blood off his face, he asked in a low voice. ¡°Yes.¡± Jason nodded, his brows furrowed deeply. The situation was moreplicated than he had imagined. This location was only a few dozen meters from the entrance to Pea Street. Simply put, the sounds of gunfire and explosions should have been crystal clear to Pea Street. But, Pea Street was silent. It was as if none of this had happened. If you said the sound of gunfire had weakened due to distance. Then what about the explosion sounds? The two recent sts were so loud that ordinary people hundreds of meters away could hear them clearly, not to mention a few dozen meters. Yet inside Pea Street, whether it was the ordinary folk or Sir Beta himself, everyone seemed to have ¡®heard nothing and asked nothing¡¯ about the incidents here. Especially thetter! As one of Lorde¡¯s leading representatives on the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯, it was highly unlikely that he would act in such a manner.
Given the ¡®character¡¯ he had always disyed, and his status, something happening so close to home like this would undoubtedly prompt him to investigate. But at this moment, everything was eerily quiet. There was only¡­ A tongue, that hade flying out of Pea Street.
The end of the tongue was jagged, clearly yanked out forcibly, even pulling out some other organs with it, but due to the tossing action, only the tongue ended up smearing across Taniel¡¯s face. What had happened in Pea Street? Jason spected. Taniel, however, quietly took a couple of steps back, inching behind Jason. Though he didn¡¯t want to admit it, Taniel had to acknowledge that he was a bit frightened. As an outstanding ¡®person of the Mystical Side¡¯ from Lorde¡¯s official circles (or at least that¡¯s what he considered himself), Taniel was all too aware of the old Sir¡¯s strength. Unlike most who relied on a single secret technique, ritual, and a few with professions, the old Sir possessed multiple secret techniques and rituals, and moreover, his professional level was no mere beginner. At the very least, he was third order, if not fourth. Otherwise, the officials in Lorde wouldn¡¯t be so ¡®polite¡¯ to him. And now? The street where he resided was not only hushed in silence but had also sent flying a tongue. Taniel did not know what had transpired inside. But one thing was for sure. Inside wasden with peril.
Watching his tall friend before him, Taniel couldn¡¯t help but remind him: ¡°Ja-Jason, I think we should wait for Bondi and the others before taking any action?¡± He was worried his friend might rush in impulsively. Actually, if the main quest hadn¡¯t restricted Jason to Lorde at this time, he would have turned and left. Jason hadn¡¯t directly experienced Sir Beta¡¯s strength. But a glimpse of the leopard¡¯s spots is enough to tell its speed. If Lorde¡¯s officials had acknowledged the old Sir, that in itself said everything. And now, the man himself had fallen into it. Jason certainly didn¡¯t think he was stronger than Sir Beta. But! ¡°` Faced with this unavoidable situation, being stronger by even the slightest bit counts! With a slight sigh, Jason carefully took out the ¡®Dove Egg¡¯ left by Harken. Originally, Jason wanted to make something like a steamed egg cake after he was safe.
But now? Jason took out the ¡®Dove Egg,¡¯ gently tapped it on the hilt of his knife, and, just like the first time, sucked out all the liquid inside. Of course, fine salt was a must. For a sense of ceremony, Jason even added some ck pepper. The salty fragrance mixed with a hint of spiciness spread from Jason¡¯s tongue and entered his stomach, where that warm sensation again appeared, surging throughout his body. [You have consumed Harken (Larval Stage)!] [Physical strength and energy greatly recovered!] [Satiation +9] [Satiation: 18] [Excitement of Feast +1] [Excitement of Feast: 1] ¡­ His satiation level once again rose to double digits, and he regained 1 point of Excitement of Feast.
Jason¡¯s gaze began to hover over three skills: [Powder Weaponry. Light Weaponry], [Barehanded Combat], and [Mist Concealment]. If possible, Jason still wanted to enhance [Protection Against Evil] the most. But a proficiency-level [Protection Against Evil] requires not only 15 points of satiation but also 2 points of Excitement of Feast. The same goes for [Dufol Language]! Therefore, Jason¡¯s options among the remaining skills were limited. The most he could upgrade was one of [Powder Weaponry. Light Weaponry]or [Barehanded Combat], in addition to the secret technique-level [Mist Concealment]. Both [Powder Weaponry. Light Weaponry] and [Barehanded Combat] need 4 points of satiation and 1 point of Excitement of Feast to reach proficiency level. [Mist Concealment] needs 9 points of satiation to go from basic to entry-level. With Jason¡¯s current level of satiation and Excitement of Feast, it was enough. But Jason had his reservations. That was, how many fatal injuries would he sufferter on? Therefore, [Mist Concealment], which requires the most satiation, was temporarily crossed off the list. As for firearms, against truly bizarre phenomena, they are far less useful than explosives. Even if they could enhance perceptual attributes, it would be the same. [Powder Weaponry. Light Weaponry] was also temporarily crossed off. Only [Barehanded Combat] remained! At the entry and proficient levels, [Barehanded Combat] gave a 0.1 increase to Physical Strength and Strength, so it¡¯s a given that the master level would also increase attributes, most likely Agility, or it may emphasize Physical Strength and Strength. But Jason was more concerned about what the proficiency option for [Barehanded Combat] was. Mere spection could not lead to a conclusion. Without a better choice at the moment, Jason chose to enhance [Barehanded Combat]. [Yes/No Spend 4 points of satiation and 1 point of Excitement of Feast to upgrade Barehanded Combat to proficiency level?] ¡°Yes!¡± Jason gave an affirmative answer as he scanned the text before him. Afterward, the text appeared again¡ª [Barehanded Combat (Proficient): Your body itself is a powerful weapon. With long-term basic training and certain talents, you¡¯ve not only mastered considerable skills, but your body has also be stronger without losing agility; Effect: Physical Strength +0.1, Strength +0.1, Agility +0.1] [Having upgraded Barehanded Combat to proficiency level, you gain the inherent talent option: Well-trained] [Well-trained (Passive): Arge amount ofbat training has given you this talent. When faced with an unexpected fight, long-term training allows you to adapt to emergencies more quickly.] ¡­ ¡°Well-trained?¡± ¡°To handle sudden situations?¡± After the skills and body were attuned, Jason opened his eyes. He took a slight breath. Without a doubt, the proficiency option for [Barehanded Combat] is quite decent. Although there is no direct improvement, it has a broad range of application. For example, Right now! ¡°J-Jason, I feel like something is wrong with my body¡­¡± Taniel, standing behind him, spoke with a strange tone. Even stranger were his cheeks. Tiny buds of flesh were slowly growing from his pores. ¡°` Chapter 78: 77 Life is about running… Chapter 78: Chapter 77 Life is about running¡­ ¡°` The flesh buds growing out of Taniel¡¯s face twitched unconsciously. However, when Jason looked at Taniel, those flesh buds instantly became sharp and straight, shooting out like arrows loosed from a bow. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! The densely packed flesh buds came at Jason¡¯s face, but he reacted in an instant, stepping out with his right foot. Not only did he dodge the flesh buds, but the back of the wide-ded, short-handled machete in his hand struck Taniel¡¯s neck. Crack! A crisp sound rang out. Taniel¡¯s eyes rolled back, and he copsed straight to the ground. The flesh buds that hit the ground writhed rapidly, resembling hordes of maggots. Then, with a speed visible to the naked eye, they all withered away.
Yet, Taniel, who should have been unconscious on the ground, staggered to his feet. With one hand, he pulled at his chin, and with the other, he tugged at his own tongue. Then, he exerted force with both hands. Immediately, Taniel¡¯s face turned purple, and veins bulged on his temples. ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± ¡°¡®i!¡± With a low tone in the Dufol Language, Jason raised his hand and pointed at Taniel. An invisible ¡°Protection Against Evil¡± force field enveloped Taniel in an instant. Taniel, struggling with all his might to tear out his own tongue, shuddered and then went limp on the ground. About a dozen secondster, Taniel gradually came to his senses. He looked at Jason standing there. Then at himself lying on the ground. Feeling the numbness on his tongue and the pain in his jaw. The young teacher from Deer Academy couldn¡¯t help but ask: ¡°Did something infect and control me again?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Jason nodded, cautiously maintaining the distance between them. In fact, Jason hadn¡¯t truly touched Taniel since the beginning. Because Jason wasn¡¯t sure if those ¡®flesh buds¡¯ had some other means of transmission.
He certainly didn¡¯t want a patch of maggots growing on his face. Taniel, who hadn¡¯t noticed Jason¡¯s movements, skillfully took out several potions to alleviate and treat the pain. However, as he applied the potion to his chin, he suddenly let out a cry of surprise. ¡°My skin seems to have be smoother!¡±
¡°All the dirt in my pores is gone!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Why have my pores be sorge?¡± Taniel, taking out a small mirror from a pouch at his side, inspected himself carefully in the light of the setting sun and then shouted to Jason. ¡°Do you really not remember anything?¡± Jason asked. ¡°I had that tongue stered onto my face, and then¡­¡± As Taniel spoke, his expression changed. Clearly, he had begun to recall. ¡°I must have been infected by something on that tongue.¡± ¡°Maggots grew out of my face.¡± ¡°They could shoot out like arrows.¡± ¡°Then, the infected would pull out their own tongue, as a new source of infection.¡±
¡°Or maybe, the maggots were the source of infection.¡± ¡°Maggots, on my face¡­ Ugh!¡± Taniel, talking to himself, couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and started to vomit, bending over. Meanwhile, Jason¡¯s gaze returned to Pea Street. He had a guess as to what happened there. Given Taniel¡¯s encounter, it was impossible for ordinary people on Pea Street to have survived. Those ¡®flesh-bud¡¯ arrows were something no ordinary person could evade. As for Sir Beta? With such an event unfolding, the old Sir remaining ¡®out of touch¡¯ meant the situation probably wasn¡¯t good. Of course, what was more important was¡ª Could this situation spread? If it was just on Pea Street, it was still manageable. If it spread beyond Pea Street, to the whole city of Lorde¡­
At that thought, Jason¡¯s heart sank. After all, he had to stay in Lorde for at least one more day. He had to stop this spread! In an instant, Jason made up his mind. At that moment, Bondi, informed by Finch, finally arrived with his men. Two teams of twenty, along with two tbed carts. On them, boxes of explosives were neatly stacked. ¡°How is it?¡± Bondi ran up to Jason and asked. Jason, having expended significant physical strength using ¡°Protection Against Evil,¡± didn¡¯t say much. After pointing at Taniel, he let Bondi ask questions, while he himself picked up a bottle of spicy ¡®Holy Water¡¯ and chugged it down. The fiery sensation rose from his stomach, and Jason felt revitalized. ¡°Does the spicy one work better than the regr?¡± Jason, surprised, noticed the difference between the two.
¡°` Bondi approached with a grim expression. ¡°We absolutely can¡¯t let this kind of thing spread!¡± The Sheriff said decisively. Then, pointing to two tbed horse carts, he asked: ¡°Are these bombs enough?¡± ¡°If they¡¯re not, I¡¯ll call for more.¡± Obviously, after several coborations with Jason, Bondi had already learned one truth¡ª When facing the ¡®bizarre¡¯ and ¡®mystical,¡¯ there¡¯s nothing that bombs can¡¯t solve! If they can¡¯t solve it¡­ Then it¡¯s because there aren¡¯t enough bombs! ¡°Call for some more.¡± ¡°And kerosene.¡± ¡°The cannons from before, best to call for them as well.¡± Jason said. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Bondi immediately turned to arrange for the needed bombs, kerosene, and cannons. But before the Sheriff could truly leave, a troop suddenly appeared on both sides of the street,pletely blocking off the street and Pea Street. Each member of the troop was burly and tall, with a fierce presence. They wore uniform ck leather armor and trousers made of soft leather; each had a long sword or a short knife and a revolver at their waist, and they held rifles of various designs in their hands. Bays were attached to the rifles, and with the advance of the formation, cold shes sparkled under the setting sun. Step, step-step! The synchronized footsteps brought considerable pressure. Detectives and officers like Finch couldn¡¯t help raising their guns. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Bondi shouted loudly. Then he ran directly towards the troops. Is it the army? Jason guessed uncertainly. Although the troops looked like the army, the distribution of weapons was uneven, which waspletely different from the standardized concept of an army. ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®Mercenaries¡¯ of His Honor the Mayor¡¯s Special Advisor!¡± Taniel said softly. On the word ¡®Mercenaries,¡¯ Taniel stressed the pronunciation. Mercenaries? The Special Advisor has ¡®Mercenaries¡¯? A look of confusion shed through Jason¡¯s eyes. Meanwhile, a middle-aged man in a ck coat and gray pants had already walked over to Bondi. With a smile, the man took off his hat, held it to his chest, and saluted Jason. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Jason, for all you¡¯ve done for Lorde.¡± ¡°However, please leave the rest to us.¡± ¡°After all¡­¡± ¡°When ites to dealing with the ¡®Secret Cultivation Association,¡¯ we are the professionals!¡± The man said, and without waiting for Jason¡¯s reply, he waved to the Mercenaries behind him. Suddenly, these Mercenaries moved in an orderly formation into Pea Street. Jason frowned as he watched the Mercenaries enter Pea Street, but his mind lingered on the term the man had just mentioned: Secret Cultivation Association! At the same time, Jason noticed that Taniel¡¯s face had turned pale. ¡°It¡¯s actually the Secret Cultivation Association!¡± ¡°Jason, how about we go on a vacation to another city?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cover travel and lodging expenses!¡± Taniel spoke very quickly. Clearly, Taniel knew something. Something that scared him stiff. However, Jason did not ask. Based on his ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ identity, he should also be aware of this organization. Taniel may act clueless most of the time, but Jason absolutely would not risk asking. Details determine sess or failure. Taniel may act clueless. But other people do not. Jason¡¯s gaze swept towards the shadows around him. A fair number of people had gathered within. Jason was certain of their identities, as they were all from the Mystical Side who had attended the meeting the night before. He had already detected the scent of the food he had purchased among these individuals. ¡°Because of the oddity on Pea Street, has everyone gathered here?¡± ¡°Wait a minute?¡± ¡°Everyone?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s not right!¡± The scene before him inexplicably reminded Jason of the ¡®Moon Mask Club,¡¯ which had once been set up to attract numerous individuals from the Mystical Side. Could it be¡­ Instinctively, a bad association appeared in Jason¡¯s mind. ¡°Run!¡± Without hesitation, Jason yelled and turned to run. Chapter 79 - 78: Eyes or? Chapter 79: Chapter 78: Eyes or? Jason took off running, and Taniel, without a second thought, followed in his tracks. Bondi, Finch, and the rest were a beat slower, but they didn¡¯t hesitate either. After numerous dangerous encounters, they had alreadye to trust Jason implicitly. But the individuals from the Mystical Side around them, had not. They watched perplexed as Jason and his group dashed away. However, those who were more cautious among them also chose to retreat. And just at that moment! Rolling, rolling! One round object after another tumbled down the narrow streets of Pea Street. The Mystical Side individuals with keen senses recognized at a nce what those were. Heads! All of them were heads! The heads of the ¡®Mercenaries¡¯ who had just charged in! Had their entire force been wiped out? At that moment, the perceptive Mystical Side individuals turned pale and immediately took off. The remaining Mystical Side individuals couldn¡¯t see very clearly, but the strong smell of blood rushing toward their faces allowed them to guess. This time, they didn¡¯t hesitate. But, For some, it was toote. An invisible force swept through the area. All were rooted to the spot. A low, indistinct, iprehensible murmur began to echo in their ears. Every one of them wore an expression of fear. Creak, creak. Their bones made noises as if they could not take the strain. Muscles distorted bit by bit. Veins, like earthworms, surfaced on their cheeks. Ha! Ha! Meaningless sounds started toe from the mouths of these people. Among them included¡­ Taniel, Bondi, Finch, and others. They had run. But they were one step too short. Even at the edge of this force, they were still affected. Jason had one foot outside the influence of this power, but the rest of his body was still within its grasp. He could clearly sense¡ª A cold, slimy entity, like a serpent, meandering around the back of his neck. A cold, sharp entity, like a knife, constantly rubbing against his back. Every time the serpentine thing slithered around, The knife-like thing would gently caress his back. And with each time, Jason could feel his body stiffen a little more. What was more important¡­ He found that his extended foot was slowly retracting out of his control! ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± The Dufol chant for ¡°Protection Against Evil¡± rang out from Jason¡¯s mouth. Jason, whose physical strength had not fully recovered, immediately suffered a bacsh. But at that moment, he could not care less about the repercussions. To suffer bacsh, Or to face death. It was a choice that didn¡¯t require any thought. A special force field associated with ¡°Protection Against Evil¡± enveloped Jason¡¯s body, but the next moment, his breathing hitched, and blood started flowing from his nose. Jason was not rmed, but pleased. Because the chilling presence had paused for a moment. His stiff body regained its mobility. Though his chest felt as if it had been struck by a hammer, the pain was extreme. Though the special force fieldsted only an instant before disappearing. But, It was effective! ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± Another invocation of ¡°Protection Against Evil¡±! If the bacsh from the first one felt like being hit with a hammer, This time it was like being stabbed in the chest with a sharp sword, mangling the internal organs. Jason could clearly feel death looming. But he didn¡¯t care. Because¡ª [Suffering a fatal attack¡­] [Consuming satiety for healing¡­] [3 points of satiety consumed!] [Complete healing aplished!] ¡­ ¡°Just as I thought!¡± ¡°When bacsh reaches lethal damage, healing can still be achieved!¡± As he looked at the text before him, the Dufol Language once again formed on Jason¡¯s lips. ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± The special force field representing ¡°Protection Against Evil¡± appeared yet again, and Jason experienced the agony of having his innards cut once more. Lethal injuries could be healed. But physical strength might not have recovered. Involuntarily, a thought surfaced in Jason¡¯s mind: Jerky! I must save up jerky for the future! The thought didn¡¯t slow down Jason¡¯s actions one bit. ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± The special force field of ¡°Protection Against Evil¡± appeared over his body again and again. Quantity can lead to a qualitative change. The continual special force fields might not be able to confront this immensely powerful force head-on. But they were enough to resist the edge of this force! Jason could clearly feel that the cold strength clustering around him became slightly sluggish. Taniel, whose body was almost twisted into a pretzel, sensed it too. The young teacher from Deer Academy grabbed Finch, who was closest to him, and lunged forward, both tumbling ahead. Bondi saw it and immediately seized a nearby detective, also plunging forward in a roll. With an example set, the remaining detectives and officers followed suit. One second? Or two seconds? No one counted. They only knew it was brief. But for those on the brink, it was enough. They each escaped the edge of death. After surviving the ordeal, the people looked at each other before turning to look behind them. Each one was trembling with residual fear. Then, each one turned to Jason with gratitude. Jason stood erect before them, like a sturdy wall protecting them from any danger, and as they recalled the recent events, warmth filled the hearts of the detectives and officers. Especially the young ones. Their youthful, hot-blooded hearts were immediately infected. They clenched their fists as if they had made some resolve. Only Taniel noticed something different. His friend¡¯s hand, gripping the wide-ded hatchet, was bulging with veins. And¡­ His body was still trembling slightly. Subconsciously, Taniel took a step forward. The young teacher from Deer Academy was about to say something when a tremendous pressure emerged out of thin air. Thud! Taniel fell to his knees. His consciousness was clear. But he couldn¡¯t control his body. Or rather¡­ His subconscious told him it was safer to kneel, that kneeling was the right thing to do. Taniel blinked. He immediately obeyed his inner voice and knelt upright. However, from the corner of his eye, he kept watching his friend. He did not know what had happened, but Taniel was sure it had something to do with his friend. From his angle, he could see his friend¡¯s forehead and cheeks covered in sweat, his figure swaying as if he would fall at any moment, yet he never did. Was he resisting this pressure? Surely only my friend could be so steadfast! I won¡¯t be so faint-hearted! Feeling inspired, Taniel thought involuntarily, subconsciously trying to stand up. However, the next moment, when the pressure increased a notch¡ª Bang! Taniel not only knelt upright but also smashed his head onto the ground. He hit so hard that not only did stars appear in his vision, but his nose began to run and his eyes to tear up. And because of the angle¡­ The snot¡­ Began to flow back up, threatening to smear across his eyes. Even though it was his own snot, Taniel still felt disgusted! Just then, as Jason stood unmoving, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Taniel by the cor, pulling back. Instantly, Taniel sprang up. The snot trailing back upwards arced through the air¡­ And smeared onto his mouth. ¡°Ptui, ptui ptui!¡± Taniel spat nonstop. Then, he turned to Jason, about to say something, but Jason spoke first. ¡°Here ites!¡± Chapter 80 - 79: Partial Revelation Chapter 80: Chapter 79: Partial Revtion Lorde City, the outskirts cemetery. Sir Beta walked through ¡®Lorde Cemetery¡¯ and arrived here. Although he was mentally prepared beforeing here, he still couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the sight of the rusty fence and the many columns that were left with only the base. Compared to the new cemeteries known to most, this ce was not only more ancient, butpletely unattended. When Lorde was still a small town, this remote suburban cemetery was the true definition of a graveyard. Regrettably, as time passed, too many people flooded into Lorde, especially with the discovery of coal mines more than twenty years ago, which made Lorde operate beyond its capacity. Where there¡¯s opportunity, there¡¯s danger. More and more idents happened, and more and more people died. Eventually, this overburdened remote suburban cemetery was abandoned. A new cemetery emerged in a more appropriate ce. And this ce? It only existed in the memories of a few old people. For many others, it had be some creatures¡¯ ¡®yground¡¯. Caw! A piercing crow¡¯s caw. Several creatures with their limbs on the ground, long front legs, short back legs, tiny eyes, and mouths full of sharp teeth charged out, surrounding the old baron andunching an attack. Roar! With a ferocious growl, these monsters lunged forward. The old baron was merely following the crow that made the noise, not even ncing at these monsters, and simply swept his long sword through the air. Hiss, hiss. The beasts in mid-air were cleaved apart, falling to the ground. The old baron flicked his long sword, and the fresh blood on the de was flung straight onto the ground, as he darted forward like an arrow released from its bow. He spotted the crow. Not far away, in a valley. There was a tree at the entrance to the valley. The crow perched at the top of that tree. Facing the baron charging at it, the crow showed no intention of flying away, its blood-red eyes staring at the old baron, quietly waiting. In a breath¡¯s time, the old baron had approached the valley. Then, as the old baron saw everything inside the valley, his already somber face grew even darker. One after another, the trees as ck as ink, leafless, filled the valley. These trees had well-developed branches, but they also bore a bizarre sense of withering decay. Just like¡­ The mummified corpses hanging from them, Countless corpses, like wind chimes, shook and swayed with the breeze. These, were the missing bodies! ¡°Are you trying to provoke a war?¡± The old baron looked up and asked the crow at the top of the tree in a stern voice. The crow tilted its head, a hint of¡­ a smile appearing in its crimson eyes. Yes! A smile! Anyone who saw this crow could feel that it wasughing. ¡°Caw!¡± Another raucous cry. The crow was about to take flight. But the old baron was one step faster. ¡°Judgment!¡± A low shout, and blinding radiance burst from the old baron. ¡°Caw-caw!¡± The crow struggled in midair, pping its wings but unable to take off, its cries now tinged with agony. And the ck trees filling the valley seemed to be affected as well, swaying from side to side, the corpses hanging from them tossed about wildly. ¡°Tell me!¡± ¡°Are you trying to provoke a war?¡± The old baron asked again. The crow¡¯s blood-red eyes smiled even more intensively. Then¡­ Bang! The crow simply exploded. The moment the old baron saw the smile in the crow¡¯s eyes once more, he sensed something was wrong, immediately retreating. But as the crow exploded, some mysterious, terrifying, and indescribable presence descended directly. Although it was merely a trace, an insubstantial, trivial notion, For the old baron, it felt as if heaven and earth were copsing. The glow representing his own strength dissipated instantly on the old baron. Spurt! He spewed out a mouthful of blood. Despair was etched across the old baron¡¯s face. He, had been tricked! It was all a conspiracy by the ¡®Shepherd¡¯! And he had stepped right into it, without noticing. He, ¡°` There was no room for turning the tide. Even though he was Lorde¡¯s strongest, faced with this sliver of ideation, he had no space to resist. The old knight felt unwillingness and despair at the bottom of his heart. Because, he hade to know what the ¡®Shepherd¡¯ intended to do. He stared with furious, wide eyes at the distant ck tree that grew ever more robust with the arrival of that thought. Looking at those dried corpses hanging on the ck branches starting to¡­ Awaken! A moment ago, these dried corpses still had their eyes shut. And now? The few dried corpses closest to them had already opened their eyes. Some had shriveled, murky eyeballs. Some had deep, sunken eye sockets. Then¡­ Creak! The necks of the dried corpses twisted, turning to face the old knight. The old knight had an inkling of what would happen next. He had mentally prepared himself. But at this moment! That sliver of ideation was ¡®jimmied¡¯. No! It had its attention drawn away. Without any hesitation, the old knight seized this opportunity! Blinding white radiance once again appeared on the old knight, and he, like a shooting star, vanished from his spot in an instant, flying towards Lorde City. The sliver of ideation faced the escaping ¡®sacrifice¡¯, and was stunned for a moment. Then came the anger. Roar! Roar! Roar! The awakened dried corpses emitted silent roars. But, Apart from the sound of breaking wind from the sky, there was no response. ¡­ ¡°What¡¯sing?¡± Taniel, wiping his nose with a handkerchief, asked curiously. Jason did not answer, but just pointed to the fully darkened sky. Taniel instinctively looked up. And saw a dazzling meteor, plummeting down with white brilliance. ¡°A meteorite falling?¡± ¡°Run!¡± Taniel dropped his handkerchief and went to grab Jason¡¯s arm. Once again, Jason dodged with distaste. ¡°It¡¯s not a meteorite,¡± Jason corrected. ¡°That is¡­¡± Taniel was stunned, then he saw the face beneath the radiance clearly. Immediately, the young teacher from Deer Academy eximed joyfully: ¡°Sir Beta?!¡± ¡°He¡¯s alright?!¡± No one answered his question. Everyone¡¯s attention was captured by Sir Beta. ¡°Judgment!¡± A voice roared like muffled thunder. Sir Beta, falling from the sky, ¡®crashed¡¯ above Pea Street. Crack! Like the sound of ss shattering, fissures spread across the sky, followed by ¡ª breaking! Snap! Invisible fragments scattered everywhere. The ominous presence of that force which terrified everyone had vanished. The people of the Mystical Side felt immensely grateful as they looked at Sir Beta, who was pale and breathing heavily. That included the advisor to the mayor. Maimed and covered in scars, he quickly walked up to Sir Beta and bowed respectfully. ¡°Thank you, Sir Beta.¡± ¡°You have saved Lorde once again.¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± As he spoke, he raised his hand to help support the extensively drained Sir Beta. ¡°I¡­¡± Sir Beta subconsciously wanted to refuse. But, An unexpected event urred! Thud! Sir Beta looked down in disbelief at the dagger that had been thrust into his abdomen. Chapter 81: 80: Advancement Resources Chapter 81: Chapter 80: Advancement Resources The exhausted old knight copsed backward, looking up at the sky.
The damage to his abdomen was far worse than it appeared! That dagger was not only sharp but also, it had¡­ poison! Gleaming ck blood flowed from the wound. Everyone was stunned. None of them had expected such a thing to happen. Especially the ¡®mercenaries¡¯ under themand of the other side, these scarred mercenaries were at a loss.
And the mayor¡¯s special adviser, who had carried out the assassination, cracked a smile and let out augh. ¡°Sir Beta.¡± ¡°I wish you a ¡®pleasant journey¡¯.¡± In the sound of lightughter, dark patches of a corpse began to appear on the advisor¡¯s face, and then, his skin started to rot. Although he was standing there, he looked like a corpse that had been left out for a long time. But, real corpses don¡¯t move. And him? He not only spoke but also turned his head to look at the people around him. ¡°You all are going to die!¡± ¡°This!¡± ¡°Is just the beginning!¡±
The voice was cold, andbined with his corpse-like state at the moment, it gave the Mystical Side individuals nearby goosebumps, even though they had all encountered the ¡®Bizarre¡¯ before. Because¡­ Many of them were well aware of what the scene before them signified. ¡°A third-tier ¡®Tomb Guardian¡¯!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Only a fourth-tier ¡®Tomb Guardian¡¯ could create such a convincing corpse puppet!¡± ¡°Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to disguise it so realistically!¡± Soft murmurs reached Jason¡¯s ears. And the gaze of that corpse also turned towards Jason. ¡°And you!¡± ¡°The guy who disrupted our ns!¡± ¡°You will suffer¡­¡±
Pfft! The adversary didn¡¯t finish speaking before Jason charged forward, his hand rising and de falling, severing the head. Instantly, the already rotting corpse puppet rapidly turned into a pile of bones. The Mystical Side individuals around him, instead of any joy, retreated continuously. Some even turned and ran. Just as if they were avoiding the gue. The rest? After hesitating for a while, they also slowly left. They were grateful for the old knight¡¯s life-saving grace. But to repay him with their lives? They just couldn¡¯t do it. Moreover¡­
The old knight was clearly on the brink of death. Was it worth it to offend a high-ranking ¡®Tomb Guardian¡¯ for someone whose life was already fading? ¡°You ungrateful bastards¡­¡± ¡°Jerks!¡± ¡°Cowards!¡± Taniel cursed these people. Jason remained silent. In Nightless City, he had seen too many such situations. So, he knew what he needed to do at this moment. ¡°Save him!¡± Jason said to the indignant Taniel. ¡°Oh, right.¡±
Snapping back to reality, Taniel quickly nodded and rushed to the old knight¡¯s side to check the wound. After a brief examination, Taniel¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. ¡°The wound isn¡¯t hard to treat.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°The problem is the poison.¡± ¡°I have no idea what kind of poison this is!¡± Taniel said to his friend. ¡°Take care of what you can first,¡± ¡°We¡¯ll figure out the restter,¡± Jason said decisively. ¡°Right!¡± Taniel nodded vigorously.
Then, he took off the Pharmacist¡¯s pouch and ced it beside him. First, he took out two vials, one white and one cyan. The white potion was sprinkled into the air around them and immediately formed specks of light, enveloping the old knight and Taniel like fireflies. Disinfection? Jason guessed. The ¡®Pharmacist¡¯ could be one of Mystical Side¡¯s professional systems precisely because of its unique features. It¡¯s just that Taniel was too ipetent, making people overlook the marvels of this profession. Well, to a certain extent, whichever profession Taniel joined, that profession would be somewhat ignored. The absolute shame of a profession, perhaps? Thinking in his heart, Jason did not continue to watch Taniel¡¯s treatment. He trusted the healing abilities of a ¡®Pharmacist¡¯ far more than his own, even if it was Taniel¡­ probably (perhaps, maybe). Instead of focusing on the healing, It¡¯s better to think about the present. The Special Advisor to the mayor¡¯s words still echoed in Jason¡¯s ears. Jason didn¡¯t pay attention to the curse-like words. What he cared about was: They! When the other person crafted their sentences, they used ¡®they¡¯. Subconsciously, Jason touched the ¡°Beastmaster¡¯s Dagger¡± and ¡°Gravedigger¡¯s Dagger¡± he was carrying. Recalling that these two items had nearly identical designs. Some of Jason¡¯s underlying doubts finally unraveled. ¡°They!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not one person with two professions!¡± ¡°But rather, two people with different professions!¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°They belong to the same ¡®organization¡¯!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of this that they were able toy out such an extensive and meticulous n!¡± Many hands make light work. It¡¯s never an empty phrase. Facing one person ispletely different from facing ten. This is true for ordinary people. And even more so for those of the Mystical Side. Although he didn¡¯t have personal experience, Jason could fully imagine the kind of power that would result from theplementarity of different professions, certainly more than the sum of its parts. And for him, this was definitely not good news. After all, he had already stood against this ¡®organization¡¯. Even more importantly, what was that massive and inexplicable force that had appeared out of nowhere? Jason never thought of himself as a coward. Even when he suddenly entered Nightless City, became ¡®Jason,¡¯ and was held at gunpoint by a group of people, he was not afraid; he could still clearly assess the situation and choose the most advantageous side. However, facing that sudden power from before, he felt apprehensive. His thoughts froze. All he wanted was to kneel and beg for mercy. As if facing the top of the food chain. Jason believed that if it weren¡¯t for gritting his teeth and enduring, and if that power hadn¡¯t been fleeting, he would have ended up like Taniel, kneeling on the ground. ¡°Did that force also belong to that organization?¡± Jason wondered. Thinking of this possibility, Jason¡¯s already furrowed brows grew even tighter. Bondi also had his brows locked tight. The Sheriff walked over. ¡°Jason, did you mean His Excellency the mayor?¡± The question wasn¡¯t finished, but the meaning couldn¡¯t be clearer. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jason shook his head. He was telling the truth. Because he truly couldn¡¯t be sure whether the mayor had been turned into a puppet corpse, or¡­ was a part of that ¡®organization¡¯ all along. ¡­ Lorde, mayor¡¯s office. The mayor, carefully reviewing the documents, signed his name on thest one. Then, he handed it to the waiting secretary. ¡°Rework the n for the outer city district ording to this proposal by tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°I need an outer city district that can amodate 50,000 people.¡± ¡°Moreover, the infrastructure must beplete, transportation must be convenient.¡± The mayor instructed. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± The secretary nodded and immediately turned to leave. Just before exiting the door, the secretary turned back to look at the mayor, who was writing at his desk again, and reminded him with concern, ¡°Your Excellency, please rest early.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The mayor replied without lifting his head. At this, the secretary sighed. He knew the mayor would workte into the night. It had been 20 years, and this had always been the case. Even as his health deteriorated, nothing changed. ¡°Tomorrow, I will find a high-ranking ¡®Pharmacist¡¯ to help Your Excellency improve your health.¡± The secretary thought, gently closing the door. But as soon as the door shut, the mayor stood up. He walked slowly to the window and looked up at the pitch-ck night sky with a smile in his eyes. The biggest obstacle was removed. ¡°20 years!¡± ¡°I built you for 20 years!¡± ¡°Now is my time to reap the benefits!¡± ¡°To destroy you!¡± ¡°To use your ruins as my ¡®foundation for advancement¡¯!¡± In the midst of a lowugh, in the distance, a burst of firelight emerged. Boom! The next moment, the entire city of Lorde trembled several times. Everyone looked towards the source of the firelight in shock, their hearts filled with trepidation and unease. Because, that was, Lorde Military Camp! Chapter 82: 81: The Charge Chapter 82: Chapter 81: The Charge Boom!
Another earth-shaking explosion urred. Lorde shuddered repeatedly once again. This time, the fire directly lit up the entire night sky of Lorde. The rolling smoke obscured the stars and the moon. People looked on in panic and unease. Then¡ª
¡°Aaahhh!¡± A sharp scream suddenly rang out from the edge of the city. Then, more screams emerged. ¡°Aaahhh!¡± ¡°Don¡¯te any closer!¡± ¡°Monsters! Monsters!¡± The intermittent screams quickly spread from the city¡¯s edge toward the city center. At the entrance of Pea Street, Jason saw the explosion, and after hearing Bondi exin it was the barracks, his face changed; at this moment, it turned extremely grim. He heard those screams. With a twitch of his nostrils, he also smelled a faint stench. It was the distinct odor that emanated from rotting corpses.
Without a doubt, these bodies must be those that had disappeared. When Sir Lorde was assassinated and the barracks destroyed, the two greatest forces defending Lorde were gone. It was time for these vanished bodies to reappear. To destroy all of Lorde! Or perhaps there was some other purpose. Jason did not yet know. But he understood that the ¡®Organization¡¯s¡¯ schemes were interlocked like a spider web! Although he had slightly damaged a few points of it, But, The entire web was still there. And now¡­ The opponent was ready to close the! Looking at Taniel, who had just finished temporary treatment, Jason did not hesitate to say:
¡°Go to No. 10 Pea Street!¡± ¡°Bring the explosives.¡± If it were at all possible, Jason definitely wouldn¡¯t want to enter Pea Street again. Even with the cleanup by Sir Lorde, it would be the same. Because¡­ It was here that he encountered a power that he couldn¡¯t resist. But now, he had no choice. It was a choice between being exposed outside, without any support to face the horde of corpses, Or to opt for a house with a solid main structure for defense. After a brief consideration, Jason had his answer. Bondi and the other twenty people had no objections. After helping Taniel get Sir Lorde onto the tbed cart stacked with explosives, the group approached Pea Street.
Jason was the first to enter, quickly confirming that there was no immediate danger using his perception which was more than twice that of an ordinary person, and then gestured to those behind him. Everyone immediately entered Pea Street. Standing in front of the gate of No. 10 Pea Street, Jason looked at the closely-fitting gate and main building door. He did not barge in, but like what he remembered Taniel doing, rang the old-fashioned doorbell with a slow pull followed by two quick ones, twice in a row. Unfortunately¡­ Neither the gate nor the main building door opened. ¡°Damaged, perhaps?¡± Jason sighed inwardly. He was very clear what such damage signified. No. 10 Pea Street, should probably¡­ Have no survivors. In fact, that was the case. When the group entered the main building, they saw Eric, a middle-aged servant to Sir Lorde, sitting on the floor against the wall, with eyes wide open, jaw dropped to an exaggerated degree, tongue gone, and bloodstained hands hanging powerless at his sides.
Looking at Eric¡¯s body, everyone fell silent. They had guessed the oue, but seeing it was still hard to ept. ¡°Bondi, have two people watch over the surroundings from the rooftop,¡± ¡°The rest search for bodies.¡± ¡°Any bodies we find¡­¡± ¡°Burn them all.¡± After slightly lowering his head for a moment, Jason spoke. ¡°Burn them?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Bondi pressed down on his hat and immediately led a team into action. Suddenly, everyone sprang into motion. Only Jason and Taniel, who was tending to Sir Lorde, remained in the hall.
Another potion was poured over Sir Lorde¡¯s wound by Taniel. After closely inspecting it, this young teacher from Deer Academy couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply within. The wound showed no signs of improvement. On the contrary, it was getting worse. At the current rate, Sir Lorde probably wouldn¡¯tst until dawn. ¡°Sir Beta, such a good person,¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t have met this end.¡± Leaning helplessly against the cartwheel, Taniel murmured to himself. Jason didn¡¯t respond. Or rather¡­ He didn¡¯t know how to respond. Even, he didn¡¯t understand this ce. The culture of these people. The geography here. The customs of this ce. The powers at y here. He didn¡¯t understand any of it. ¡°` All he did was to survive. That was true when he became a ¡°Night Watcher¡±. That was true when he became a ¡°Tomb Guardian¡±. He was like a blind man crossing a river, constantly feeling for stones ahead, always trying to grasp thergest and most stable one, but the further he went, the more turbulent the waters became. With the slightest carelessness, he would be overwhelmed by the river. And now? The river was not just turbulent. There were countless monsters lurking beneath the surface. ¡°What are you confused about?¡± The sudden voice came from behind. It wasn¡¯t Taniel. It was the old knight. The gravely injured old knight awoke, propped himself up using the ammunition box, pushed Taniel¡¯s support away, and with struggle, sat up, then looked at Jason with a smile as he turned around in silence. After observing Jason for a few seconds, the old knight¡¯s smile grew even brighter. ¡°You¡¯re just like your teacher.¡± ¡°That Dan.¡± ¡°He was also uneasy and confused when he first came into contact with ¡®that kind of power¡¯.¡± ¡°Just like you¡­¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t think about how to admit defeat.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How could a ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ admit defeat?¡± The old knight said, his expression full of reminiscence. Under his disheveled white hair, the corners of his mouth curled up involuntarily. The old knight stepped down from the cart like this. He stood up straight in front of Jason. ¡°I have something to give you.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± With that, the old knight turned and walked toward the underground. But as he passed by his servant Eric, the old knight paused. He raised his hand and closed the wide-open eyes of his servant. He also wanted to close the servant¡¯s jaw. But after a few tries, he didn¡¯t seed. ¡°Sir, let me help you.¡± Taniel fixed Eric¡¯s jaw with a bandage. ¡°Thank you, Taniel.¡± ¡°If this house can still stand,¡± ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± Continuing on towards the underground, the old knight said. Jason hesitated for a moment, then followed. Underground hall, inside the tent. The stars had long dimmed. The tables and chairs were even more disarrayed. The old knight raised his hand and plucked the brightest ¡®star¡¯ down. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Starshine¡¯, it¡¯s for you.¡± ¡°And this¡­¡± ¡°You need it.¡± The old knight walked to an empty spot, suddenly stretched out his hand, and a thick book just appeared in his hand. Together with ¡®Starshine¡¯, he handed them both to Jason. Jason didn¡¯t take them but just silently looked at the old knight in front of him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to take it for nothing.¡± ¡°What do you say we make a trade?¡± The old knight asked with a smile. ¡°What trade?¡± Jason finally spoke. His voice was slightly hoarse. ¡°Help me don my armor.¡± The old Knight pointed to another empty side, and a full suit of armor and a knight¡¯snce appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Alright.¡± Jason nodded. Though he said he would help don the armor, in reality, the old knight pulled out the dagger stuck in his stomach, threw it on the ground, and began to don the armor himself while Jason just stood there holding the knight¡¯snce. After fully donning the armor, the old knight slowly put on the helmet. He took thence. A clear voice rang out from behind the facete¡ª ¡°Humility!¡± ¡°Compassion!¡± ¡°Justice!¡± ¡°Valor!¡± ¡°Honesty!¡± ¡°Honor!¡± ¡°Sacrifice!¡± As the first word echoed, a white radiance appeared on the old knight. With each word spoken, that radiance grew brighter. After the word ¡®sacrifice¡¯ was uttered, that radiance turned substantial. The next moment, a louder voice, like thunder, echoed through the radiance and into the sky. ¡°Knight, born from death¡ª¡± ¡°Charge!¡± In an instant, a figureposed entirely of light shot through the sky. Leaving behind, The old knight in armor, holding thence high. Jason quietly watched the old knight before him. After a moment, he took off his hunting cap. ced it over his heart and bowed slightly. Chapter 83: 82: Sometimes, it’s impossible to turn a blind eye Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Sometimes, it¡¯s impossible to turn a blind eye Under the pitch-ck night sky.
Under the smoky night sky. The brilliant glow flickered once more. The old knight once again streaked across the heavens. As always, He, was unstoppable!
Standing in front of the office window, Tercon had long since taken off his restricting coat and donned a cloak instead, watching as the old knight, transformed into radiance, approached him, the former mayor¡¯s eyes filled with surprise. ¡°A strike of glory?¡± Tercon murmured to himself. Then, an expression of extreme contempt appeared on his face. ¡°Glory?¡± ¡°Ha, glory?¡± ¡°Glory that exists in the hearts of men, relying on the hearts of men¡­ughable.¡± ¡°Strength is everything that decides right from wrong!¡± In his soft murmur, a dense ck deathly aura gathered in Tercon¡¯s hands. Then, it plunged into the ground. Just like a starting pistol.
A thick ck chain, as thick as an arm, shot out from the ground, twining towards the old knight. ¡°I knew you were here.¡± ¡°How could I not be prepared?¡± Tercon said, his gaze fixed on the old knight about to be ¡®intercepted¡¯. Was the strike of glory powerful? Very powerful! It possessed the ability to turn the tide. But, it was only one strike! And after that strike, all would turn to ashes. Therefore, he had specifically prepared a simr strike. However, the next moment, Tercon¡¯s face, so sure of victory, stiffened.
A faint light, obscured by the brilliance of the old knight, struck the dark chains ahead of time. Amidst the glow stood the servant¡­ no, the ¡®Attendant¡¯ Eric, with a smile on his face. ¡°Born for glory, Sir Knight.¡± Eric said, smiling. ¡°Die for glory, young Attendant.¡± The old knight replied, elerating his charge. Behind him, the light faded. Ahead, the spear shot out like a dragon. Thud! Tercon¡¯s body was pierced through, the immense force carrying him, crashing through the wall and hurling out of the building.
¡°Impossible!¡± ¡°How could a first-level ¡®Attendant¡¯ possibly learn the ¡®strike of glory¡¯!¡± ¡°This is impossible!¡± Tercon roared in disbelief. Not just because a first-level ¡®Attendant¡¯ had learned the ¡®strike of glory¡¯. But also because the other party should have already been dead. And because such news should¡¯ve already been known to him and marked as a priority. Without a doubt, someone had calcted against him. But at this moment, Tercon could hardly care about that. He gathered the deathly aura again. He had many secret techniques. And enough rituals.
Given time, he might not lose! Unfortunately, the old knight would not give him that chance. ¡°The ¡®Knight¡¯s Attendant¡¯ is also a ¡®Knight¡¯!¡± As the words fell, the long spear exploded suddenly. Boom! Tercon disintegrated, the Knight¡¯s Strength drove out all the deathly aura, and the ascendant attack brought by the strike of glory severed any possibility of his resurrection. As Tercon died, those resurrected ¡®corpses¡¯ once again fell. The dense deathly aura, like mist, began to dissipate. The old knight floating in the sky, his body bing as real as if material, started to disperse. But he paid it no heed. Lorde was not destroyed.
The city he protected. Still stood. That, was enough. Enough. Bowing his head, the old knight with a smile looked down at Lorde onest time, his bodypletely dissolved, turning into sparkling dots of light that fell with the wind, scattering over the wholend of Lorde. ¡®Beta, why did you choose to be a ¡®Knight¡¯? ¡®Is it because you embody humility, honor, sacrifice, bravery,passion, honesty, and justice, and that¡¯s what made you a knight? ¡®No, teacher, precisely because I am proud, unknown, selfish, cowardly, cold-blooded, dull, hypocritical, and extreme, just like all humans, that¡¯s why I choose to be a Knight!¡¯ ¡®Do you know how difficult this will be?¡¯ ¡®I know.¡¯ ¡®But, someone has to do it.¡¯ ¡®And do you know what such people are called?¡¯ ¡°Is it¡­ a fool?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°It is¡­¡± ¡°A hero!¡± The sound of the wind. Gradually subsiding. The voice fades away, traceless. People lifted their heads, gazing into the pitch-ck night sky. There was nothing there. Yet it felt as though something was present. And just as everyone looked up at the night sky, a figure leisurely walked into Pea Street, entering Number 10 Pea Street. All of them turned a blind eye to this person. Allowing the figure to head towards the underground hall. Walking on the stairs, the wide cloak trailed on the ground, slipping off with the figure¡¯s descent. The light-hearted whistling carried the figure¡¯s good mood. ¡°Shush!¡± ¡°Night, night, has arrived.¡± ¡°The ckmb has started to dance.¡± ¡°He¡¯se, he¡¯se.¡± ¡°Hurry, go sleep.¡± ¡°Hurry, go sleep.¡± Instantly, the brightly lit underground hall darkened. A sense of decay and destion filled the space. Though it returned to normal in a sh, Jason, with his senses twice as acute as an ordinary person¡¯s, noticed the change. He stepped out of the tent. At a nce, he saw the person standing at the entrance of the hall wearing a wide cloak thatpletely obscured their face. The other also saw Jason. ¡°Very acute perception.¡± ¡°Worthy of the ¡®Night Watcher¡¯.¡± ¡°But sometimes, if the perception is too sensitive, it¡¯s not a good thing, Jason.¡± The other person called out Jason¡¯s name directly. Jason was unfazed. He simply raised the ¡®Winchester Brothers¡¯ slightly, pointing the muzzle at the other. ¡°As crude as your mentor.¡± The other nced at the muzzle, offered thisment, and then took a step closer. Bang! The shotgun¡¯s shell missed. Or to be precise, the other dodged it. Jason¡¯s pupils constricted. Although the threat of firearms for folk from the Mystical Side had decreased, most would just endure the hit, but this was Jason¡¯s first time seeing someone from the Mystical Side who dodged bullets directly. ¡°Kultz is truly pitiable.¡± ¡°If he hadn¡¯t been so bent on revenge, how could he have died by your hand?¡± ¡°Jason, I want to ask you a question.¡± ¡°Do you think Kultz was right or wrong?¡± The other spoke while walking slowly. Kultz! This person was Kultz¡¯s teacher! Jason¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, not hiding his murderous intent. ¡°Kultz was neither right nor wrong.¡± ¡°But,¡± ¡°You, who arranged all this, deserve to die!¡± He said in a low snarl. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Just like your mentor.¡± ¡°Equally stubborn.¡± ¡°And such stubbornness in you surely means that you won¡¯t let me take the ¡®spoils of war¡¯ easily, will you?¡± The other chuckled lightly. Spoils of war? The body of the old Knight? Jason immediately tightened his grip on the gun handle. He shifted his feet slightly, positioning his body fully in the way of the path leading into the tent. Although, He knew nothing of the people here. The geography here. The local customs here. The Strength here. All he was doing was trying to survive. Yet, the body of the old Knight, he would not allow the person before him to defile it. It was very dangerous. It could even threaten his life. But, Jason still chose to do so. Because, some things, if you see them and pretend you don¡¯t¡­ Well, There¡¯s no point in being alive. You might as well be a walking corpse. Whoosh! Jason took a deep breath, put away the obviously useless ¡®Winchester Brothers¡¯. He slowly put on the hockey mask given to him by the old Knight, grasped the broad-ded short-handle machete in his right hand, raised his left hand, extended his index finger, and hooked it at the other person. ¡°Come!¡± Chapter 84: 84 Praise of Blood Chapter 84: Praise of Blood Just as Jason¡¯s words had fallen, a man d in a wide cloak appeared beside him like teleportation, smashing a hand chop down onto the side of Jason¡¯s neck.
Crack! Snap! In the crisp sound of impact, was mingled the noise of breaking bones. ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°Overconfident.¡± The man said as he attempted to step past Jason, into the tent.
Thud! The sound of a de¡¯s friction with flesh followed. The man lowered his head to look at the de that had pierced through his chest, and even though his face was concealed by the hood, anyone could guess his shock at that moment. He turned his head in astonishment only to see Jason, who should have had his neck and trachea shattered and suffocated to death, standing perfectly fine behind him. ¡°You?¡± The man opened his mouth, wanting to say something. But Jason had no desire to waste words with him. The ¡°Winchester Brothers¡± reappeared in his hands, aimed at the man¡¯s head, and he fired. Bang! This shot, Again, missed its mark. Gripping his pierced chest, the man appeared far away, his eyes beneath the hood looking at Jason with shock and uncertainty. He was certain his strike had been effective.
But¡­ Why hadn¡¯t Jason died? Doubt rose in the man¡¯s mind. ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t been in Lordetely.¡± ¡°So, there are some things you do not know.¡± ¡°I have your ¡®Hulk Silver Medicine¡¯ to thank for enabling me to awaken the ¡®Undying¡¯ talent!¡± Jason dered with seeming authenticity. Yet, deep inside, he confirmed that the man before him must be something like a doppelganger or puppet¡ªdefinitely not the real deal! Otherwise, the man wouldn¡¯t be using such ¡®low-end attack methods¡¯. Jason vividly remembered the man¡¯s bizarre and unpredictable methods from their encounter at the ¡®Moon Mask¡¯ club. Moreover, though hisst attack had been sudden, the man should have been able to at least try to dodge it. As for the whereabouts of the man¡¯s real body,
It must be tangled up with his master, unable to get away, which is why he hastily sent something like a doppelganger or puppet. And that¡¯s precisely why the man waspletely unaware of the recent events in Lorde. Jason confirmed certain information in his mind. The man was still stunned. My ¡°Hulk Silver Medicine¡±? Isn¡¯t that a scam? How could it possibly be real? He looked doubtfully at Jason. And his mind raced. Could it be¡­ Tercon?! In an instant, the man thought of his coborator.
Just as he had calcted against the other, The other was also calcting against him. After many years of cooperation, although they appeared to be in ord, they were estranged. If it weren¡¯t for the other party attempting to ascend to ¡®Bone Desecrator,¡¯ he wouldn¡¯t have even known that the true identity of the other was the mayor of Lorde. With the other¡¯s status as mayor, it would be difficult to seek a sample of ¡°Hulk Silver Medicine.¡± But, it wasn¡¯t impossible! Only¡­ After obtaining the ¡°Hulk Silver Medicine,¡± why would he give it to an apprentice of Night Watcher? Obviously because¡­ The ¡°Hulk Silver Medicine¡± was iplete! It was secondarily extracted from corpses! It had severe side effects! Or perhaps¡­
It had significant ws! For a time, the man¡¯s mind churned with possibilities. Then, he chuckled lightly once more. ¡°I was careless!¡± ¡°I never expected to encounter someone so simr to myself.¡± As he said this, he lowered his hand. The wound that had pierced through him, which would have been fatal to an ordinary person, had already healed! Moreover, without leaving the slightest scar. ¡°I,¡± ¡°am also undying!¡± ¡°How about we see who the real ¡®Undying¡¯ one is?¡± Laughing, the man appeared before Jason again, his palm shooting toward Jason¡¯s chest like a knife.
If it were a secondary extraction, with either side effects or ws, Then what could be more fitting than the heart? Thud! The man¡¯s palm plunged into Jason¡¯s chest. The speed was just too fast. Jason couldn¡¯t avoid it. He didn¡¯t even try to dodge. Letting the man¡¯s palm pierce into his chest, he then seized the man¡¯s wrist, and with a swift motion, the de fell. Thud! The man¡¯s head flew into the air. His body was about to stagger back, But Jason caught it. The broad-ded hatchet rose and fell once more. Thud! The arm that was stuck in Jason¡¯s chest was severed cleanly. Jason yanked out the man¡¯s arm, tossed it casually to the ground, and with eyes hidden behind the mask, coldly watched as the man¡¯s body ¡®rejoined¡¯ its own head, bing intact once again. The arm on the ground seemed to try to rejoin the body of its own volition, But was pinned down under Jason¡¯s foot. The ¡°Winchester Brothers¡± was aimed at the arm¡¯s palm and he fired. Bang! Instantly, the hand burst apart, motionless. ¡°Let¡¯s go again!¡± Jason stretched out his left hand¡¯s index finger and once again beckoned the other man with a hook gesture. The man didn¡¯t pay any attention but, as he watched Jason¡¯s chest return to its original state, a flicker of realization crossed his eyes. Then, the man appeared behind Jason. His speed was several times faster than before! He still aimed to attack the back of Jason¡¯s heart. ¡°At thest moment, you reced the ¡®heart¡¯ with some other organ!¡± ¡°With such a move, I am the true Master!¡± The man spoke with the certainty of victory in his grasp. It was no empty boast. He was a real master of organ recement. Therefore, he knew how to deal with it. If he was fast enough to prevent Jason from recing it in time, he would be able to kill Jason. Thud! A palm pierced through the back of Jason¡¯s heart. The fingertips touched that pulsing beat. A look of joy shed across the man¡¯s face. Then, he vigorously thrust forward. The man¡¯s hand passed right through the chest. Jason¡¯s heart was instantly pierced and shattered. But before the man could truly savor the joy of victory, Jason, as if feeling nothing, raised his hand and grabbed the man¡¯s palm, and then another knife came out. Thud! Click, click. A palm fell to the ground; Jason stepped on it, and amidst the click of the lever-action shotgun being loaded, he pointed the muzzle at the palm and fired again. Bang! This palm was just like the previous one. After turning into pulp, it didn¡¯t move again. And at this moment, the man was still behind Jason. Jason¡¯s voice rang in his ears. ¡°Do you call yourself immortal like this?¡± ¡°And say that you and I are alike?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself!¡± Speaking, Jason loaded his lever-action shotgun again, turned the muzzle around, pointed it at his own head, and was about to pull the trigger. Of course, Jason wasn¡¯t about to shoot himself. It was for the enemy behind him. Seeing this, the man standing behind Jason was startled and quickly moved backward, retreating from Jason. Standing in the distance, the man watched Jason, who had lowered his gun, with a gaze sharp as swords and knives. A weakness! There had to be a weakness! It wasn¡¯t the heart! It wasn¡¯t the head! It had to be some organ! The man spected. Yet Jason once again raised his hand and beckoned the man with a hook gesture. ¡°Continue!¡± Jason¡¯s cold, indifferent voice was a thorn in the man¡¯s nerves. He liked to talk to others in this manner. But he absolutely did not like others to talk to him like this. ¡°You¡¯re as good as dead!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll shred you into ten thousand pieces!¡± As he spoke, the man¡¯s broken arms and palms began to regrow. Jason didn¡¯t move, letting the enemy ¡®grow¡¯. Because he very well knew that with his own speed, if it wasn¡¯t a trap, he would only be toyed with by the enemy. And as the man¡¯s body was once again restored, he rushed toward Jason once more. This time, he didn¡¯t choose a specific target; he simply aimed at Jason¡¯s torso and thrust out his palm. If he could not find it! Then try all of them! One had to be the weakness! The man believed so firmly. Jason? He simply stood there, letting the enemy attack without heeding any wounds, incessantly swinging his knife at the opponent. Thud! Thud! Thud! Blood and flesh flew about. Limbs and appendages severed. Although it was a battle between two men, it seemed as brutal as a military ughter. Time ticked away, second by second. The man¡¯s speed began to slow. And Jason¡­ Was still as vigorous as a dragon. At least, that was how it appeared on the surface. The hockey mask concealed his pain-twisted face. Once again. He swung the knife and decapitated the man¡¯s head. This time, the man¡¯s body didn¡¯t ¡®catch¡¯ the head. Even more so, it directly stumbled and fell to the ground. The limbs and torso on the ground, along with the head, instantly decayed at that moment, emitting a strong stench. The smell caught Taniel¡¯s attention. He rushed down quickly. Upon entering the hall, he saw his friend covered in blood, his clothing torn, holding a knife while standing there panting, his entire person seeming at the brink of copse, yet forcibly striving to stand upright. ¡°What happened?¡± Taniel eximed. ¡°Nothing.¡± Jason shook his head. Then, he looked toward the tent. The voice behind the mask was sonorously powerful. ¡°I am here to send off the old baron¡­¡± ¡°Last rites!¡± Chapter 85: 84: Inheritance? Meat Pie! Chapter 85: Chapter 84: Inheritance? Meat Pie! The old baron¡¯s funeral was held at 10 Pea Street.
No more people attended. Jason, Taniel, Bondi, Holle, and Finch were all present. In the underground hall, the tents had been taken down. There were two added gravestones. One belonged to the old baron. The other to his servant Eric.
Just as in life, even in death, Eric remained ever at the baron¡¯s side. Not much was inscribed on the tombstones. Besides their names, there was only a sentence: ¡°Heroes who protected Lorde and his brave servant.¡± Bundles of fresh flowers were ced in front of both gravestones. The first to offer flowers was Taniel, as the inheritor of 10 Pea Street. Jason was thest one. Two bunches of white chrysanthemums. One bunch was ced in front of Eric¡¯s tombstone. As he ced the other in front of the old baron¡¯s gravestone, Jason pulled ¡®Starshine¡¯ from his pocket andid it next to the flowers. By then, ¡®Starshine¡¯ had long lost its glimmer. Its distinctive fragrance had also ceased to exist. In the battle the night before, Jason had worn the mask for two reasons: firstly, to disguise his expression, and secondly, to take the opportunity to put ¡®Starshine¡¯ in his mouth.
Jason did not know the true purpose of ¡®Starshine¡¯. But at that time, other than ¡®eating¡¯ it, he had no other option. During the battle outside Pea Street, the 14 points of satiety he had umted werepletely exhausted after the continuous self-harming use of ¡°Protection Against Evil.¡± He had absolutely no chance of victory against the mastermind¡¯s doppelganger or puppet. Fortunately, ¡®Starshine¡¯ brought him 30 points of satiety and 2 points of Excitement of Feast. After a bout of fighting, he was left with 3 points of satiety and 2 points of Excitement of Feast. ¡°Thank you,¡± Jason said softly. Not just because of ¡®Starshine¡¯. But also because of¡­ That book! Jason had already perused the thick tome, which detailed many monsters¡¯ characteristics and plenty of knowledge from the Mystical Side¡ªnot themon sense type, but secrets and hidden lore, as well as¡­
Secret techniques! Rituals! Two secret techniques: Charge and Whirlwind Dance. One ritual: Glory Strike. This must have been all that the old baron passed on besides his own profession. Jason did not know whether the old knight had made such preparations with a premonition or had done so while searching for a suitable heir. In the end, ¡®Starshine¡¯ and this book were given to him. He¡­ Could not be deemed a good heir. In fact, he hardly qualified as an heir at all. He was merely a ¡®fugitive¡¯ who happened to be at the right ce at the right time. However, there were some things that still needed to be done.
Jason stood up and turned to Taniel. ¡°This is the list and addresses you wanted.¡± ¡°Do you really want to do this?¡± ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare, would they?¡± Taniel hesitated a bit. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go confirm.¡± Jason shook his head, took the list, and headed out. ¡°What list is that?¡± Watching Jason¡¯s back disappear, Finch quietly asked Taniel. ¡°It¡¯s a list of people from the Mystical Side of Lorde.¡±
Taniel answered. Finch looked stunned. Taniel, meanwhile, turned to gaze at the baron¡¯s and Eric¡¯s gravestones and continued to speak slowly, ¡°Previously, some bastard treated the baron¡¯s corpse as a trophy; Jason fears there might be other bastards who might do the same. So, he had me make a list of individuals from the Mystical Side of Lorde, and he¡¯s going to visit each one.¡± ¡°All of them?¡± Surprise filled Finch¡¯s face. ¡°All of them!¡± Taniel nodded. Afterward, silence fell in the underground hall. About two or three minutester, Bondiughed. ¡°That¡¯s so Jason.¡± ¡°A very fitting approach.¡± ¡°Finch, Holle, we should get moving too.¡±
¡°Lorde really needs us now.¡± After saying this, Bondi nodded to Taniel and left. Finch and Holle nodded toward Taniel and quickly followed suit. Suddenly, Taniel was the only one left in the entire hall. The young teacher from Deer Academy¡¯s eyes suddenly reddened. He had been holding back while others were present. Now, alone, his tears could no longer be contained. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir Beta.¡± ¡°It was I who failed to save you.¡± ¡°If only my professional level had been a bit higher¡­¡± Low cries echoed in the underground hall for a long while. When everything had settled, Taniel stood up. After bowing to the tombstone once more, Taniel turned and walked away. Taniel took out a scroll of ¡®Closure Ceremony,¡¯ tore it open, and an invisible force field immediately enveloped the entire hall. Suddenly, the hall got isted and protected. Without ¡®Whisper,¡¯ normal people simply could not enter. As for the ¡®Secret Meeting¡¯ venue? The old knight was gone. The Secret Meeting naturally ceased to exist as well. Perhaps, someone will hold the ¡®Secret Meeting¡¯ again in the future. But, That is forter. Now? Squeak. The door of the underground hall. Slowly closed. ¡­ Jason, wearing a hockey mask, made the whole visiting process extremely smooth after using the wide-de short-handle machete and the ¡®Winchester Brothers.¡¯ Most people clearly assured they would not step foot on Pea Street or even the surrounding neighborhoods again. As for the few who were hesitant, they encountered the ¡®persuasion¡¯ of either wide-de short-handle machete or the ¡®Winchester Brothers.¡¯ The result was satisfying for everyone. Jason finished all his visits by sunset. The skies once again darkened. He was about to leave soon. However, before leaving, Jason had one more thing to do. He wanted to take a look at Lorde. This Lorde, where the air is not so good, often feels cold and misty in the morning and night, what charm did it hold that made the old knight sacrifice his life to protect it? He did not take a carriage. He walked on foot instead. Starting from the familiar Kensing Street, the central square. Jason walked on step by step. He saw patrolling officers more than anyone else along the way. Every one of them greeted and saluted him. He responded to each one. The rest were probablyte-shift workers, hurrying on their way. asionally, there would be one or two drunkards lying on the streets, shouting loudly, then, windows above them would open swiftly, and unidentified liquids would douse them thoroughly before closing just as swiftly. When the drunkards looked up in confusion and smacked their lips, they would curse even louder. Everything was so ordinary. Nothing to pay attention to. From sunset to deep into the night. Just before dawn, Jason walked back near the police station. At this time, ¡®Anan¡¯s Eatery¡¯ had already set up shop. The middle-aged owner set up the ckboard and saw Jason approaching at a nce. ¡°Buying dinner for the family again?¡± ¡°What do you need today?¡± The owner asked with a beaming smile. ¡°The usual.¡± ¡°Five meat pies, two servings of pea soup, and one portion of pickled eel.¡± Jason handed over 6 Copper Crooks. As he received the food, he noticed that there was an extra meat pie, making it six in total. He looked at the owner with confusion. ¡°That one¡¯s on Sir Beta.¡± ¡°He¡¯s treating you.¡± ¡°From today onwards, he¡¯ll be treating the first three customers to a meat pie each day.¡± ¡°Do you know the story of Sir Beta?¡± ¡°Do you want to hear it? It¡¯s quite exciting!¡± The middle-aged owner looked like he wanted to whet the appetite, but his skills were sadlycking. But¡­ The meat pies were delicious. As Jason stuffed the gifted meat pie into his mouth, he walked toward the corner of the street. As he turned into it, his figure vanished from sight, leaving only the muffled voice from chewing the food still audible¡ª ¡°I know.¡± ¡°He was a hero.¡± Chapter 86: 85: Discovery and Waiting Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Discovery and Waiting The meat pie in his mouth had just been swallowed.
Jason then realized that the street before his eyes had disappeared. His clothing had changed once again, from ck trousers, a white shirt, and a ck vest, with a long ck coat, into in trousers and long sleeves. Thinking of something, Jason subconsciously started to check. The result allowed Jason to breathe a sigh of relief. ¡®The books given by the old gentleman, the hockey mask,¡¯ ¡®the wide-de short-handle machete,¡¯ ¡®Winchester Brothers,¡¯ ¡®Beastmaster¡¯s Dagger,¡¯ ¡®Gravedigger¡¯s Dagger,¡¯ and so on were all present. Most importantly, the strength he had acquired in the instance was still there.
Silently feeling the power in his body, Jason began to look around. At this moment, he was sitting in a high-backed chair. In front of him was a simple, round table draped with a dark tablecloth, on which silverware was set. Then, there was only greyness around him. As if it were filled with fog, his perception, more than twice that of ordinary people, couldn¡¯t make out anything inside at all. Moreover, he couldn¡¯t move. Jason tried to stand up. But it was mostly just a tendency, then he felt as if a mountain had been pressed upon him, making it impossible for him to budge. His hands rested on the arms of the chair, and there was no way he could lift them; only the tips of his fingers could slightly raise. One could say that apart from being able to twist his neck rather normally, Jason waspletely bound to the chair. Under such conditions, trying to investigate anything was extremely difficult.
In the end, Jason¡¯s gaze fell on the table in front of him. The ck notebooky next to the cutlery. Jason didn¡¯t need to turn it; the notebook opened on its own. Below the previous text, there were new lines of text. ¡°The food has filled the stomach!¡± ¡°The hunger is gone!¡± ¡°One should feel happy!¡± (Annotation: Primitive table manners, youck grace but are very direct.) ¡­ The text paused here. As Jason focused his attention again, more text started to appear. ¡°Main quest pleted)!¡±
¡°Hunting performance: good!¡± ¡°Cooking performance: average!¡± ¡°Combat performance: excellent!¡± ¡°Search performance: mediocre!¡± ¡°Comprehensive evaluation: good!¡± (Annotation: Free teaching also has its rewards, as long as you are good enough.) ¡­ As Jason¡¯s gaze swept over, a faint glow began to flicker on the pages of this notebook. Three cards rose from the glow, appearing in front of Jason. The backs had no pattern, werepletely ck, and shone with a metallic luster. ¡°Choose one?¡± While Jason was still guessing, all three cards turned over simultaneously.
The front of each card had an image. They were, respectively: a tooth, a tongue, and a green skull. Then text appeared. ¡°Tooth Enhancement: You can bite into harder foods without sustaining damage.¡± ¡°Taste Enhancement: Your tongue will be able to discern more subtle vors, and it will no longer fear high temperatures or freezing cold.¡± ¡°Poison Resistance Enhancement: Your digestive organs have undergone a special enhancement, meaning minor and secondary toxins in food will no longer affect you.¡± ¡­ After the text disappeared, Jason found ¡°Tooth Enhancement,¡± ¡°Taste Enhancement,¡± and ¡°Poison Resistance Enhancement¡± in the Talent section, below ¡°Hunter¡± and marked with ¡®passive.¡¯ Snap! The ck notebook closed on its own. Once again the sensation of dizziness returned. Everything before Jason¡¯s eyes began to blur, and when his vision cleared again, he was back at 19 Ter Street in the Nightless City¡¯s Zone 26.
In his hand was the ck notebook, and around him were multiple monitors surveying the entire Ter Street. On the monitors, three figures were approaching 19 Ter Street with alternating cover. ¡°The location has hardly changed.¡± ¡°I entered it¡­¡± ¡°Just for an instant!¡± Jason, who hade to this conclusion, was not the least bit surprised. If he could enter another real world, there was nothing he couldn¡¯t ept. He picked up the ck notebook in his hand. This time, Jason opened the notebook very easily. However, he could only see the first two pages. The first page was the familiar ¡®Table Manners.¡¯ Below the existing text, new text had already appeared:
¡°The first free is a matter of course.¡± [The second time?] [You need to spend satiety points.] [Yes/No, spend 5 satiety points to return?] ¡­ ¡°Return?!¡± Jason¡¯s grip on the notebook tightened. In his eyes, a light as if tangible sparked in an instant. He thought he was just a passerby, unable to return. But now! He could go back! So¡­ There were things that needed to be done. Like: cleaning up the old gentleman¡¯s grave. To clean a grave, of course, some offerings were needed. The best would be¡­ The head of the ¡®Shepherd¡¯! Huff, huff! Jason adjusted his breathing, forcing himself to calm down. He didn¡¯t return immediately because he was very clear about how strong the opposition was. Just facing a doppelganger of his adversary, he had been hard-pressed. If it were the original? He would probably be crushed outright now. ¡°Wait for me.¡± ¡°Wait for me toe back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a surprise.¡± Jason said in a low voice, then turned to the second page. [Appetizers] [You have two choices:] [1, Crabmeat Sd] [2, Fried Meat Crispy Rolls] [Choose 1, you need to use 6 satiety points.] [Choose 2, you need to use 7 satiety points.] (Note: Choose one, and after youplete the main quest and return, you can choose the remaining one.) ¡­ ¡°A new world?¡± Jason spected. Then, ncing at the remaining 3 satiety points and 2 Excitement of Feast, he closed the ck notebook. Even if it meant entering a new world, that was a concern forter. What he needed now was to clean up the invaders. ¡­ Outside 19 Ter Street, Jason¡¯s car was still burning. However, the fire had died down a lot. Three silhouettes didn¡¯t choose to attack head-on, and after a careful check, the one holding a submachine gun signaled to the person on the left, who immediately circled around the side of the house. Next, the leader signaled to another person. Immediately, this person circled to the other side. The leader himself crouched on the spot, quietly waiting. He needed his subordinates to make an effective probe. Then, he could secure victory in one fell swoop. But as time ticked by. Inside 19 Ter Street, there was neither a gunshot nor a scream. Not even the slightest noise. Staring at the silent 19 Ter Street, the leader frowned. The adversary was trickier than imagined. So he¡­ Naturally, was going to retreat. He was only there to pick up easy spoils, not to lose his life. As for the loss of two subordinates? He could recruit more. With the gun in his hand, there was no shortage of such men in Nightless City. With this thought, the leader prepared to retreat. He crouched in the bushes, retreating step by step. But after only two steps back, the leader felt he bumped into something solid. Instinctively, he looked back. What the leader saw was a towering figure wearing a hockey mask, and above all¡­ a raised machete. The next moment¡ª The de descended. Thud! Chapter 87: 86 Intimidation Chapter 87: Chapter 86 Intimidation Nightless City¡¯s 26th District, Ter Street. Like jackals and vultures that had caught the scent of decay, people gathered, hidden in the shadows, eyeing number 19 with covetous intent. They were waiting for the oue of the probe by the three individuals before them. If that trio seeded, the rest would swarm in to share the spoils. The trio would take a considerable share of the loot. This was the rule in Nightless City. Of course, rules are meant to be broken, which is also a famous saying in Nightless City. As for when to break them, that would depend on what the spoils were. If they failed? The onlookers would continue to lurk, watching number 19, seeking the next opportunity. In the 26th District of Nightless City, patience was needed for a harvest.
Therefore, everyone there witnessed the next scene¡ª Under the illumination of zing mes, a tall figure with a hockey mask, one hand wielding a broad-ded cleaver, the other dragging the leader of the earlier trio by the leg, stepped out from the bushes step by step. The gushing blood was enough to illustrate the state of the foe¡¯s death. Dragging along, the blood watered the broken road, following the cracked lines to deepen the color within. Bang! The body was thrown into the still-burning wreckage of a car, causing the already diminished mes to surge once again. Foul-smelling grease carried plumes of thick smoke that billowed up into the skies above Nightless City. The onlookers changed their expressions upon smelling this stench. Then, they watched Jason turn back, pushing open the door, dragging out the other two corpses, and tossing them into the fire. The mes grew even more fierce. They licked up to more than half a person¡¯s height. Jason simply stood there, his left hand holding his trophy, his eyes hidden behind the mask scanning the surroundings before he raised his right hand, clenched his fist, showed his thumb and slowly slid it across his throat. Afterward, he turned and went back inside number 19. The door was shut firmly. The faces of the hidden onlookers changed again. Shortly after, some decisively retreated. They hade to loot amidst the chaos, not to gamble with their lives. That guy in the hockey mask obviously wasn¡¯t someone to mess with; they didn¡¯t want to risk their lives. The remaining few?
Vexed and unwilling. They decided to wait a little longer and see. Some left, some stayed. Ter Street number 19 once again fell into silence after a brief disturbance, leaving only the sound of the mes burning.
Back in the room, Jason was well aware of what those outside would do. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be disturbed for the time being. Want to be leftpletely undisturbed? For the folks in Nightless City, a simple act of intimidation wasn¡¯t enough. Jason started to set spike traps again. Then, he began to inspect the entirety of Ter Street number 19. For the time following, he would surely stay there. Safety was naturally his first priority. Climbing the dpidated staircase, the second floor of Ter Street number 19 came into view immediately. It was as broken-down as the first floor. Loose floorboards, worn-out furniture that was barely usable. Especially the staircase leading to the third floor, which had be a ring gap, wide open for anyone to enter or exit. The spots where the original windows of the first and second floors had been were also only crudely boarded up with wood nks after the ss had long shattered, with the wind howling through them.
The spot where the previous two intruders had broken in now bore a sizable breach. After visually inspecting the area, Jason used wooden floorboards and the steel spikes intended for traps to reseal the two windows on the spot. To block the stairway leading to the third floor, Jason used the remaining broken furniture from the second floor and several uprooted wooden floorboards to barricade it. With Jason¡¯s modifications, the second floor was almost non-existent, but the entire house now offered a certain sense of security. His gaze swept the area, and after confirming that there were no oversights except for the two points he had intentionally left unsealed, Jason returned to the basement to take stock of their recent spoils of war. The most valuable of course was the submachine gun: a Mark M1, with a magazine capacity of 32 rounds, an effective range of 100 meters, steel folding stock, front grip, and a distinctively side-inserted magazine. It could be considered one of the Nightless City¡¯s signature firearms. Just like the MF92 pistol. The two remaining pistols included one MF92 and another homemade single-shot pistol that needed to be reloaded after each firing, which, due to its rough workmanship, appeared very unreliable. However, Jason still ced it on the crate. He wouldn¡¯t use it himself, but it could be traded for some essential supplies. Of course, that would at least be after leaving District 26. The rest of the spoils included a full magazine for the Mark M1x1, half a magazine of bullets for the MF92 model, and¡­ a K2 grenade.
The K2 grenade was an unexpected bonus. For Jason, who suffered from a severeck of firepower, there was no hesitation in slipping the K2 grenade into his pocket. Next, Jason picked up thest of their finds: chewing gum. It was also found on the leader of the group. The green packaging was intact, and the mint vor was distinctly discernible. On one side of the bottom of the package, arge number 15 was written. This chewing gum came from District 15. In fact, most of the daily supplies Jason came across were from District 15, with a small part from District 14. Thetter were usually high-end goods, which he had only seen in the old man¡¯s office. Like cigars. ¡°Does District 26 also have a supply channel from District 15?¡± Jason paused, then realized what it implied. Even if District 26 didn¡¯t have a channel for supplies from District 15, the way the ¡®big shots¡¯ of District 16 did things, they wouldy out a supply channel from District 16 to District 26.
It would just be that the selling price might be a little higher. But for now, that didn¡¯t concern him. Because the canned food and bottled water stored here were enough for him to live on for two weeks. If he conserved it, three to four weeks were not impossible. ¡°That is to say, ording to that ¡®big shot¡¯s¡¯ ns, this operation is supposed tost at least two weeks,¡± Jason thought silently. This was good news for Jason. He had at least two more weeks as a buffer. Two weeks might not seem long to others, but for Jason, it was enough. He ran his fingers gently over the ck notebook¡¯s cover. ¡°Since there are creatures like ¡®Svagnu¡¯s Touch¡¯ here, there must be other kinds of food that can replenish my satiety.¡± ¡°The only concern is how to find that food, and¡­¡± ¡°Not to act out of line or oddly.¡± At this thought, Jason¡¯s brow furrowed. Because it wasn¡¯t a simple matter. Whether it was searching for food or maintaining a normal, unblinking state. After all, he knew nothing about the Mystical Side of the Nightless City. Of course, he couldn¡¯t just do nothing. Waiting here wasn¡¯t going to bring food to his doorstep. Just as Jason was considering how to find food¡ª Thump, thump thump! ¡°Hello, postal service.¡± Chapter 88: 87: A Visit! Chapter 88: Chapter 87: A Visit! Jason looked up at the surveince screens in the room. Twenty screenspletely covered the entire street, especially in front of the door, where the view was exceedingly clear. Jason could distinctly see the person at the doorway. And at first nce, he could confirm that the individual was not a ¡®postman,¡¯ even though they looked the part, holding a kraft paper bag in their arms. Jason was once a ¡®postman.¡¯ In fact, you could say he was one of Nightless City¡¯s top ¡®postmen.¡¯ Thus, he was very familiar with the inner restlessness and anxiety ¡®postmen¡¯ felt during delivery. But this person in the video? Way tooposed. They stood there quietly, their gaze and facial expression showing no fluctuation or unease. An impostor?
A wolf from the streets? A thought shed through Jason¡¯s mind as he reached for the Mark M1 in his hand. Although he preferred the Winchester Brothers, under the circumstances where he couldn¡¯t replenish the number thirteen bullets, Jason chose the Mark M1 with more readily avable ammunition. Just as Jason was about to head out and raise his gun towards the door to let loose a burst, the so-called ¡®postman¡¯ at the door, seemingly suffering from muscle soreness from maintaining the same position for too long, transferred the kraft paper bag to his left hand. In that moment of switching hands, the person opened their right hand with the palm facing the direction of the door. Then, it naturally dropped back down. Though it was fleeting, Jason still clearly saw the message written on the person¡¯s palm: Deal! ¡°Deal?¡± After a moment of perplexity, Jason narrowed his eyes. Could this be the person the ¡®big shot¡¯ was waiting for? Jason couldn¡¯t be sure. He hadn¡¯t even figured out how to converse with the person. They had arrived too quickly. So quickly that it waspletely beyond Jason¡¯s expectations. However, Jason did not make the other party wait long. The more critical the moment, the moreposed Jason was; he would never give the other person any reason to doubt because of a trivial dy. Creak. The door of 19 Ter Street opened just a crack.
¡°Hello, your package.¡± Upon seeing the door open, the impostor ¡®postman¡¯ immediately ced the kraft paper bag on the ground in front of the door, then raised his hands and began stepping backward, one step at a time. After retreating more than ten meters, he then turned and left. The other party¡¯s performance was even more cautious than a real ¡®postman.¡¯
This allowed Jason, who had been pondering how to engage in conversation, to breathe a sigh of relief. Clearly, the other person had chosen a much more covert way ofmunicating. Jason was more than happy with this. As for what that method was? Jason looked toward the kraft paper bag on the ground. It was a kraft paper bag roughly 40 centimeters tall, 20 centimeters long, and about 10 centimeters wide; the opening was neatly folded and sealed, so the contents were not visible. Also, there was no ticking sound. Carefully picking up the kraft paper bag, Jason returned to the underground room. Beneath the light, the kraft paper bag reflected its characteristic luster. After Jason checked the seal for any fuse-like attachments, he began to carefully unfold the bag. Inside the kraft paper bag were a small key, a squarish box, and a folded piece of paper. Without directly touching the paper, Jason used two sticks to ¡®pick¡¯ it out andy it t on a wooden crate. There were two clear lines of text on the paper¡ª I have shown my sincerity.
Therefore, I wish to see the map. ¡­ No greeting, no signature, just those two lines. ¡°A map?¡± Jason felt perplexed as he looked at the squarish box. Undoubtedly, this was the ¡®sincerity¡¯ the other party had spoken of. The box was made of wood, its surface smooth, devoid of any patterns, with just some wood grain showing, and it fit tightly together, leaving only a keyhole. Still using two sticks he brought back from the shrubs, Jason ¡®picked up¡¯ the small key and inserted it into the keyhole. Jason didn¡¯t need to turn the key. Click! The key turned on its own. The wooden box immediately opened a crack. Then¡­
A rich fragrance rushed to Jason¡¯s nose. ¡°What is this?!¡± Jason widened his eyes in shock at the three eggs inside the box. Two big, one small. The big ones were like chicken eggs, while the small one was only the size of a pigeon¡¯s egg. Someone actually delivered food to the door! Unable to restrain himself, Jason muttered under his breath, then promptly took out the alcohol stove from the corner, set up the pot, and boiled water. How could he let go of food that was already at his lips? As for the map? He¡¯d think about it after eating. After cing the three eggs in the boiling water and cooking them until they could be easily picked up, he took out the chicken eggs and then chose two cans of meat, without opening the lids, threw them directly into the boiling water. After boiling for two or three minutes, he fished out the cans and poured the water into a jar next to him. Upon opening the cans, a unique aroma of meat began to fill the air.
The meat, already tender and soft from the high heat, spread out at the bottom of the pot the moment it was poured in, and then the peeled eggs were put back into the pot, adding water to continue simmering. After reducing the sauce on high heat, Jason began to eat right out of the pot. The aroma of meat mixed with that of the eggs. Soft and bouncy textures danced on the tip of his tongue. He chewed with big bites. His tongue, unafraid of the high temperature, not only allowed Jason to better taste the vors but also sped up his eating pace. [Swallowed Swagnu¡¯s Touch (Egg) x2!] [Physical Strength and Energy moderately restored!] [Fullness +2] [Fullness: 5] ¡­ [Swallowed the Egg of Gaiac!] [Physical Strength and Energy slightly restored!] [Fullness +2] [Fullness: 7] ¡­ ¡°The two big ones are the eggs of Swagnu¡¯s Touch?¡± ¡°The small one is the Egg of Aike?¡± Jason looked at the information in front of him, confirming the names of the three types of food. He was familiar with Swagnu¡¯s Touch; he had eaten it before. Although it was half-baked when roasted, it tasted quite nice. The taste of their eggs was also good. He just wondered what aplete Swagnu¡¯s Touch would taste like on the grill, sprinkled with cumin and chili powder. This was his first time eating the Egg of Gaiac. But its simr soft-boiled texture was really nice. If a ¡®Gaiac¡¯ hatched out of it, surely the meat would be even better? Facing food, Jason, who couldn¡¯t fully control himself, took a good while before he pulled his thoughts back. He¡¯d ¡®eaten¡¯ the other party¡¯s goodwill. Now here came the problem. The map that the other party wanted¡­ Where could ite from? It certainly wouldn¡¯t do to just draw one at random. He didn¡¯t even know what kind of map the other party wanted; it was impossible for him to draw one. And to renege on the deal? Setting aside the ¡®big shot¡¯ who orchestrated all this and had his eye on the other party, just dealing with someone who could use ¡®Swagnu¡¯s Touch¡¯ and ¡®Egg of Aike¡¯ as a sign of sincerity was not to be trifled with. So¡­ ¡°Leave 19 Ter Street first!¡± He didn¡¯t dare to move about freely before because his strength was not sufficient. Now? Although he still couldn¡¯t face that ¡®big shot¡¯ and the other party¡¯s target, Jason was confident he could survive in District 26. With this in mind, Jason made up his mind. However, just as Jason was preparing to leave¡ª Rustle. Rustle rustle. A faint sound of friction came from above. Picking up the Mac M1, Jason pushed aside the heavy curtain and walked out. He raised the gun¡¯s muzzle and aimed in the direction from which the sound originated. Then, he saw a piece of paper being pushed through the crack of the wooden boards that sealed a window. It fluttered down slowly to his feet. The lines were distinct, the markings clear. It was unmistakably¡­ A map! Chapter 89: 88 Warning Letter Chapter 89: Chapter 88 Warning Letter A map?! The moment Jason saw the map at his feet, his pupils shrank. He was pondering over how to look for a map when someone brought one right to him? This was no longer a mere coincidence! Instead, his every move was under someone else¡¯s ¡®surveince¡¯! Thinking of this, Jason subconsciously wanted to speed up packing and leave Number 19 Ter Street. But, he resisted the urge. It was obvious that he was being ¡®monitored¡¯. Not from the room he had checked numerous times but from outside Number 19 Ter Street! If that grand figure had installed an entire set of surveince systems in this ce, would they also install a few more, to serve themselves? The answer was definite.
The other party would surely do so. And it was precisely because of this that they could urately grasp the arrival of that fake ¡®postman¡¯ and, very aptly, deliver the map. Thus, if he were to ¡®escape¡¯¡­ He would definitely be exposed! ¡°I can¡¯t leave for now.¡± ¡°Can only continue?¡± Jason bent down and picked up the map. The map depicted ces he didn¡¯t recognize at all. It hadbels, but they were in ¡®secret code¡¯. ¡°Don¡¯t let any information leak to the ¡®pawns¡¯.¡± ¡°Just let a ¡®pawn¡¯ do what a ¡®pawn¡¯ should do?¡± Jason was quite familiar with these tactics. Because the old man did the same. You don¡¯t need to know what you are doing; just knowing that I told you to do it is enough. Want to know more? The more you know, the faster you die. It¡¯s always like this in Nightless City. Picking up the map, Jason drew back the heavy drapes and returned to the room filled with monitoring screens. Then, instinctively scanning the room, the corner of his eye naturally swept over the ¡®package¡¯ on the wooden crate. The ¡®package¡¯ that held a ck notebook which he had delivered.
Suddenly, Jason froze in ce. An overlooked question surged up in his mind at this moment¡ª Would a grand figure send a ¡®package¡¯ to one of their ¡®pawns¡¯? Or, to put it more precisely, would there be valuable items in the mailed ¡®package¡¯?
Definitely not! Not to mention something filled with oddities like the ck notebook. Even without discovering its secret, its inability to be opened was intriguing enough for the grand figure. Given the grand figure¡¯s nature, they would naturally try to find out how to open it. Then, inevitably, someone would be devoured by the ¡®monster¡¯ originally in the ck notebook! The grand figure must be aware of this point, yet they still mailed the ck notebook here! So, this ce couldn¡¯t be just a pawn of the grand figure! It must be¡­ A coborator! Disregarding this coborator¡¯s active request for the ck notebook, the grand figure probably harbored ill intentions. The coborator clearly understood this. Therefore, they ¡®put forward¡¯ a ¡®pawn¡¯! It was the guy he had killed earlier!
Thinking about the other¡¯s behavior with a mask, wasn¡¯t it to conceal their identity? ¡°A coborator recognized by the grand figure?¡± ¡°How could he have been easily taken down by me?¡± ¡°How could someone who could be taken down by a single MF92 possibly be a coborator with a grand figure whomands hundreds of gunmen?¡± Jason murmured to himself, as the answer in his mind became increasingly clear. Simrly, Jason could also be certain of something. The map was not provided by the grand figure! When dealing with a coborator of equal status, the grand figure would not interfere casually. The grand figure needed the coborator to lure out certain individuals, while the coborator wanted something from the grand figure as a reward. Therefore, this cooperation came about. As for how to do it, both parties will cooperate with reservations, absolutely refusing to reveal all their cards. Therefore, this map, the bigshots may know about it, but it is absolutely not possible for them to ¡°send¡± it here again. The only person who could have sent it here is¡­ The coborator!
The bigshot¡¯s coborator! Whew! Thinking of this, Jason couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath. The situation is now very clear. There are two possibilities¡ª First, the coborator doesn¡¯t know he has taken out that ¡°chess piece¡± and simply followed the normal n, delivering the map to him. Second, the coborator knows he has killed their ¡°chess piece,¡± but for the sake of the n proceeding as usual, has given the map to him. Jason tends to believe the former. But, he has also encountered the Mystical Side here! Who can guarantee that the coborator hasn¡¯t done something to his ¡°chess piece¡±? And that ¡°chess piece¡± has already shown capabilities far beyond that of an ordinary person. That means, there¡¯s a great possibility the other party already knows about the death of the ¡°chess piece.¡±
However, they don¡¯t mind switching to another ¡°chess piece.¡± He, is the most suitable candidate. And what¡¯s more, the other party is not worried about him knowing. In fact, they are quite happy for him to know. Because¡­ This is a warning! Jason picked up the map again. In his eyes, it was no longer just a map, but a warning letter, clearly telling him: Be a good new chess piece, or the other side wouldn¡¯t mind switching to another. Staring at the map in his hands. After a good three or four seconds, Jason smirked. His teeth looked somewhat ghastly in the light. It was obviously a smile, but it gave off a fierce and terrifying feeling. Then, everything went back to normal. Jason ced the map on the wooden crate and began to neatly arrange his equipment. A machete with a wide de and short handle. The Winchester Brothers. The MF92 pistol. The UZ submachine gun. The Mark M1 submachine gun. The K2 grenade. Jason packed each item, including the magazines, on his person. A bit awkward, but it made him feel secure. It¡¯s a pity that Taniel¡¯s weapon belt was not ready, or else he wouldn¡¯t need to feel this awkward. Next came the books and the ¡°Gravedigger¡¯s Dagger¡± and ¡°Beastmaster¡¯s Dagger¡± from the old nobleman. The former he initially nned to read carefully here. But the environment akin to ¡®surveince¡¯ was hardly conducive to Jason¡¯s reading concentration. Especially after that ¡®warning letter¡¯ appeared, Jason felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He abandoned the original n of entering the ck notebook¡¯s world after finishing reading. Instead, he decided to go now. And thetter? Two excellent ¡®chef knives,¡¯ greatly aiding him in dealing with food. Lastly, Jason put on the hockey mask. Thefort behind the mask helped Jason to be even moreposed. He took out the ck notebook, his gaze shifting back and forth between ¡°Crab Meat Sd¡± and ¡°Fried Meat Crispy Rolls.¡± Which one should he choose? In the end, Jason¡¯s eyes settled on ¡°Crab Meat Sd.¡± Not only because he presently had 7 points of fullness and choosing ¡°Crab Meat Sd¡± would leave 1 point leftover to handle any unexpected crises, but also because¡ª Fall had arrived. He, wanted to eat crabs. Chapter 90: 1: 3 Letters Chapter 90: Chapter 1: 3 Letters He returned to the dining table once more. The ck notebook beside the cutlery was already open. When Jason chose the ¡°Crab Meat Sd,¡± a few extra lines of text appeared on the title page of the notebook. ¡°Ropes can only lock around my neck.¡± ¡°But!¡± ¡°They can never lock up my stomach!¡± ¡°Remember: This is not the main dish, you are still one table setting away from it.¡± ¡­ Then, the ck notebook automatically turned to the second page. At the ¡®appetizer¡¯ section of the menu, the ¡°Crab Meat Sd¡± was marked with a check. Annotations began to appear after that¡ª
¡°Background: Eleven years ago, your aunt and her family moved to the ¡®Hans¡¯ port, where they built up a considerable industry, and this time your cousin is getting married. Your aunt is nning to make the wedding a family reunion, not just for you, but many of your rtives have been invited as well¡­¡± ¡°Main quest: Arrive at ¡®Hans¡¯ port before the 26th, and attend the wedding.¡± ¡°Temporarynguage acquisition, automatically disappears upon leaving the instance.¡± ¡°Clothing, appearance, and equipment temporarily changed, will automatically revert upon exiting the instance.¡± ¡°Detection of firearms and grenades not in keeping with the era, power decreased by 60%, MF92, UZ, Mac M1 firing intervals increased by +0.5 seconds, reload speed increased by +2 seconds.¡± (Hint: Please enjoy your appetizer.) ¡­ As soon as Jason¡¯s eyes finished reading, the notebook promptly closed. Just like when he went to ¡®Lorde,¡¯ he entered another world yet again. Immediately, Jason began to check himself. The casual clothing he was carrying had changed to something simr to what he¡¯d been wearing when he left ¡®Lorde.¡¯ Except the pure ck coat had turned to a grayish-ck, and the hunting cap was now purely ck. All the equipment he had been carrying was with him. Including the ice hockey mask given by the old earl and that notebook. The four potions and spices gifted by Taniel were all in the leather bag around his waist. After ensuring everything was in order, Jason started to take in his surroundings. It was a not-sorge room with windows. The curtains were drawn, faint light filtering through. The arrangement of the table, chair, and bed was simple, the bedding on the bed was still unfolded, and he was sitting in the chair with a small box, three opened letters, and a newspaper on the table in front of him.
Jason didn¡¯t immediately touch the box or the newspaper. He turned his attention to the opened letters. He picked up one of them. My dear Jason:
You havepleted your studies exceptionally well! My child, I am proud of you! I have already received more than onepliment from the instructors and professors! Your journey ahead will require you to make your own choices, whether it¡¯s the military camp or the academy, but no matter what you choose, ¡®Aiden Orphanage¡¯ will always be your home. Also, your aunt sent a letter, hoping you would attend your cousin ¡®Gerard¡¯s wedding. I am sorry, I only recently found out that you have such an aunt. Your parents entrusted you to me in such a hurry that they didn¡¯t exin these things. It just so happens to coincide with your holiday, and I hope you will go and visit this aunt and cousin of yours. After all, they are your rtives. Of course, it is all for you to decide. Your principal: Kraul Hp. 1881.9.12 ¡­
This was the first letter. Then there was the second. Unlike the first, this letter contained plenty of contents, not just the invitation, but also a bank draft. The content read as follows¡ª My dear nephew: It was very difficult for me to find you. Believe me, locating you was more challenging than you¡¯d think, after all, ¡®Hans¡¯ port is really too far from ¡®Jedanlen.¡¯ Of course, it¡¯s also my neglect. I never imagined ¡®Lily¡¯ would leave this world in such a manner. I am deeply sorry for all that you have been through, so I¡¯ve offered you a bit ofpensation. No other intentions, I just hope you can have a better life. I hope you cane to ¡®Hans¡¯ Harbour on the 25th to attend Gerard¡¯s wedding. Your aunt: Lym
Hp.1881.9.3 ¡­ Jason set down the letter and picked up the invitation and the cheque. The invitation merely contained the words of request, but at its close there was a detailed address: ¡®Hans¡¯ Harbour, 111 Duron Street. The cheque bore the number 200. Although he did not yet know its purchasing power, based on the background information, Jason guessed that it must be quite valuable, and then he picked up the third letter. It was written in a lighthearted tone¡ª Dear cousin, Are you surprised and delighted to receive my letter? I was more surprised and joyful than you when Mother informed me that we had finally found you! I once feared I had lost you forever. Now you have returned once again. I¡¯m truly so happy.
Hurry over to ¡®Hans¡¯ Harbour! The scenery here is beautiful, the food delicious, life isfortable, and the girls are more enthusiastic and generous than you could imagine (you once promised me, to write the truth in blue ink and the lies in ck, sadly I couldn¡¯t find any blue (??????)??). Your cousin: Gerard Hp.1881.9.3 ¡­ Reading thest letter, although Jason had no recollection of this cousin, his intuition told him that the other must be a¡­ joker. ¡°Parents died early, grew up in an orphanage.¡± ¡°Received a considerable education and military training.¡± ¡°Possesses exceptional abilities.¡± Jason looked at the first letter, musing subconsciously. Then, he opened the chest. Besides the change of clothes, there was a coin pouch. Inside were three banknotes and four coins. The banknotes included one with a denomination of 5. And two with a denomination of 1. All four coins were 1s. After putting the coin pouch into his jacket pocket, Jason picked up the newspaper. Jordanlund Daily. ¡°The Disappearing Cat (Serial in Progress)¡± ¡°House of Divination Invites Your Presence¡± ¡°Yesterday¡¯s Circus Performance was a Disaster!¡± ¡­ There was no question that this was a newspaper containing both daily life and entertainment. For Jason, it was enough. Because all he needed was to confirm the date. Hp.1881.9.15! The date was clearly written at the very top of the newspaper. Judging by the newspaper¡¯s degree of freshness, it must have been from thest day or two. ¡°A little over ten days left?¡± Jason quickly packed his things, calcting the days. Whether from the content of the letters or the posting date, traveling from Jordanlund to ¡®Hans¡¯ Harbour was a fairly long distance, and he didn¡¯t want to fail the main quest by not arriving in time. Although it wasn¡¯t explicitly stated what would happen if he failed the main quest, Jason couldn¡¯t allow himself to fail, just thinking of the 6 points of satiety spent. Carrying the chest, Jason pushed open the door; before him was a long corridor with rooms on both sides, five houses on one side and, due to the washroom and the staircase leading downstairs, only two on the other. Jason¡¯s room was in the middle of the five on one side. ¡°An inn?¡± ¡°An apartment for rent?¡± Jason guessed as he continued forward, intending to go downstairs. It was then, as he did so, that Jason clearly heard a faint noiseing from behind him in the washroom. It was the sound of¡­ Tearing, chewing meat. PS Fat Dragon rmends ¡°The Age of Descent of All Realms¡±~ For the members of Fat Dragon¡¯s foodie Legion, feel free to check it out~ Chapter 91: 2: Taking a Ride Chapter 91: Chapter 2: Taking a Ride The clear voice entered Jason¡¯s ears. Jason paused in his steps. He was not someone who liked to meddle in others¡¯ affairs. Only¡­ The faint scent that teased his nostrils made him a bit concerned. Turning around, Jason tiptoed and carefully approached the bathroom. Easily, Jason identified the source of the voice. The other party had no intention of hiding. Or rather, the other party believed they were sufficiently concealed. But for Jason, whose perception was more than twice that of an ordinary person, it was ¡®clearly visible¡¯. In the innermost stall of the bathroom, which had no door, a creature with a squat and thin body, resembling a monkey but with a protruding mouth like a crocodile and full of sharp teeth, was gnawing on a cat.
The creature gnawed carefully and quickly. Not only was the sound very faint, but there was little blood scattered; with each opening of its mouth, it swallowed flesh and bones together, chewed a few times, then opened its mouth again to continue feasting. A rather sizable house cat. After four or five bites, only some skin and fur remained. Jason silently observed the entire feeding process. There was nothing he could do for the already dead cat, but as for the creature, Jason, smelling the increasingly strong scent, had only thoughts of frying, boiling, and various other cooking methods in his mind. Clearly, the recent feeding had made this creature even more delicious. After standing still for a moment, as the creature began to lick its paws, Jason slowly stepped out. ¡°Squeak!¡± The creature saw Jason, opened its mouth to emit a sharp scream, and lunged, its sharp ws reaching for Jason¡¯s eyes. With a slight lean back, Jason easily dodged the swipe, and then, his right hand grabbed the creature¡¯s throat, his thumb and forefinger twisting forcefully. Crack! Amid the crisp sound of bones being misaligned, the creature that had bared its teeth fiercely a moment earlier slumped in Jason¡¯s grasp, quickly sumbing to asphyxiation. Unlike at ¡®Lorde¡¯, when he relied on firearms, as Jason¡¯s attributes continuously grew and ¡°Barehanded Combat¡± reached Proficiency Level, facing some rtively small or normal creatures, he didn¡¯t need firearms at all. Jason could clearly feel the progress of his own strength. Involuntarily, the corners of Jason¡¯s mouth curled up. But the moment he thought of the sudden sense of oppression on Pea Street, Jason immediately shook his head and put away the pride that had just appeared. Pride? What right did he have to be proud?
He was still far from it. Opening a box, he wrapped up the food with a change of clothes, ced it inside the box, and Jason picked up the box and walked downstairs. Theyout downstairs was simr to the second floor. Only the position of the stairs was reced with the main entrance.
There was also a small living room near the entrance, with a round tea table and small stools. Two elderly men with graying hair, dressed nicely, were enjoying afternoon tea around the table, most likely ck tea with added milk and honey. The twoyer cake stand had cookies on the topyer and some small fruit on the bottom. Seeing Jasone down, the two old men, obviously familiar with him, greeted him warmly. ¡°Good afternoon, young Jason!¡± ¡°Good afternoon.¡± ¡°Heard from Kraul that you¡¯re heading to ¡®Hans¡¯ port?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite a distance; you¡¯d better start early.¡± ¡°Public carriages are too slow; you should hire a travel carriage.¡± ¡°No, the train is the fastest.¡± ¡°Sadly, there¡¯s no railway in Jedanrun, and the closest one is in ¡®Golsai¡¯.¡± After Jason greeted them, the two elders immediately started talking, each interrupting the other with their remarks. From their words, Jason silently took note of the information revealed. Trains were now avable here, but the railway tracks must be limited and couldn¡¯t cover all towns. Therefore, travel carriages were still the first choice for long journeys.
And¡­ That orphanage director, Kraul, must have quite the loose tongue. Thinking to himself, Jason nodded to the elders and prepared to leave. Just as the elders said, ¡®Hans¡¯ port was not close; it would be best for him to start early. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep your room avable for you.¡± ¡°¡®Hans¡¯ port is a nice ce.¡± ¡°Young people should go out and venture more.¡± One of the elders, clearly thendlord here, gave Jason a definitive assurance, followed by encouraging words. The other elder, seemingly not to be outdone, began speaking the moment his friend finished. ¡°Jason, if you¡¯re looking to hire a travel carriage, you can go to my carriage shop.¡± ¡°You know, ¡®Delin Carriage Shop¡¯.¡± ¡°Tell them you¡¯re a friend of old Delin, and those young men will know what to do.¡±
Having said that, old Delin pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it to Jason. ¡°Thank you.¡± Facing the elder¡¯s kindness, Jason showed no intention of refusal. After taking the business card and sincerely giving thanks, he then turned to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s hope young Jason has a smooth journey.¡± ¡°Of course, he will; he¡¯s so outstanding.¡± ¡°Have you seen thetest serial, ¡®The Disappearing Cat¡¯?¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s adapted from true events in Jedanrun, truly frightening.¡± ¡°How could that be possible? I know that author; he¡¯s just a fatso who drinks and eats everywhere under the guise of ¡®research.¡¯ There¡¯s no way he could have encountered something so terrifying.¡± As Jason walked away, the chatter from within the apartments behind him gradually faded into inaudibility. However, maybe it would be a good idea to read the newspapers more often! Jason thought to himself as he nced at the box in his handbeled ¡®food¡¯. Then, Jason quickened his pace. He wasn¡¯t familiar with Tel.
But someone definitely was. Without going too far, Jason stopped at an intersection, gging down a public carriage directly. ¡°To ¡®Delin Cab Co.¡¯¡± Jason said so. ¡°Alright, 3 Tel.¡± The coachman replied. Jason took out his wallet, pulled out a banknote worth 5, and immediately saw the coachman¡¯s troubled face. Then, as he took out four coins from his wallet, he could clearly see the coachman¡¯s sigh of relief. When he handed the coins to the coachman, the coachman carefully picked up three of them. Clearly, 1 coin equaled 1 Tel. ¡°Please get in.¡± The coachman said. The coach was much smaller than Lorde¡¯s public carriages, and not nearly as packed¡ªit only had one person inside, cloaked in a ck robe. Jason gave the other person a quick once-over, then sat down at the farthest spot, directly across from them. When it came to strangers, not only would Jason not strike up a conversation, but his inner vignce would only make him grip his weapon tighter. But the other person didn¡¯t feel the same way. Upon seeing Jason sit down, the figure immediately turned and initiated conversation: ¡°Hello there, fellow traveler by fate.¡± ¡°Would you need a fortune told?¡± ¡°I am a Diviner.¡± The robed person inquired. ¡°No, thank you.¡± Jason curtly refused. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious how I knew you are a traveler about to embark?¡± The Diviner said, feigning mystery. I just said ¡®Delin Cab Co.¡¯ And there¡¯s the box by my feet. Both of which give it away. Jason thought to himself, then took a nce at the box beside him. Immediately, the Diviner let out a sheepishugh. But just as swiftly, the figure spoke up again: ¡°I am a Diviner.¡± ¡°I know many things that the ordinary do not.¡± ¡°You seem to be a very knowledgeable person yourself.¡± ¡°How about a game?¡± ¡°I ask you a question, and if you can¡¯t answer, you give me 1 Tel. If you ask me something I can¡¯t answer, I give you 5 Tel. How does that sound?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Jason said. ¡°How many people are in Delin?¡± The Diviner asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jason honestly shook his head, and then took out 1 Tel. ¡°Your turn.¡± The Diviner, taking the 1 Tel, spoke with a hint of smugness in his voice. ¡°What creature walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?¡± Jason asked. The Diviner hesitated. After a good half-minute, the Diviner shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± While saying this, he handed Jason 5 Tel, then immediately asked, ¡°What kind of creature is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Jason handed back 1 of the 5 Tel to the Diviner. Watching his change revert back to 4 Tel, Jason couldn¡¯t help but feel his mood lighten. He put the coins into his wallet and looked up at the still puzzled Diviner. ¡°Sorry, this is my stop!¡± Snapping back to reality, the Diviner knocked on the carriage and leapt out of the coach. ¡°Sir, you still have¡­¡± ¡°This is my stop!¡± ¡°I want to get off here!¡± With such emphatic tone, the Diviner quickly walked away, his hurried steps as if he were being chased by a monster. Jason smiled and leaned backfortably. The feeling of having a carriage to oneself¡­ Truly delightful. Chapter 92: 3 Hitchhiking Chapter 92: Chapter 3 Hitchhiking The pleasant chartered carriage journey ended after twenty-five minutes. ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve arrived at your destination,¡± With the coachman¡¯s words, Jason took his luggage and stepped out of the carriage. On the side of the road stood ¡®Delin Carriage Company¡¯, with a towering signpost. At the top of the sign was a wooden carving of a horse¡¯s head, while the bottom was adorned with a hanging carriage wheel. Two horseless carriages were parked at the entrance. ¡°Hey, Jason.¡± ¡°Kraul told me you¡¯re nning a long journey?¡± After Jason pushed the door open and walked in, a man who appeared to be the steward came over. He was dressed in a ck vest, a white shirt, trousers, leather shoes, and his hair was somewhat thin. His face bore a resemnce to the old man who had handed out business cards inside the apartment. ¡°So, I guess I don¡¯t need to pass along old Delin¡¯s business card to you?¡± Jason asked in return.
This made the middle-aged man Delinugh heartily. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Although my father doesn¡¯t often give out his business cards, I know what they look like,¡± Delin joked, and then, after gesturing for an assistant to pour Jason a ss of lemonade, he asked, ¡°What kind of carriage do you need, Jason? I¡¯ll give you the lowest price.¡± ¡°I need the fastest speed to make a trip to ¡®Hans¡¯ Port.¡± After Jason stated his sole requirement, he sipped the lemonade. The taste was good; sour and sweet, likely with added honey. ¡°The fastest speed?¡± ¡°You have two options.¡± ¡°The first is a self-driven traveling carriage, a convenient single-axle model with a cover that can be raised or lowered and a boot for storage. You can stow your belongings in the boot, and by adding a sleeping bag at night, you¡¯ll have no trouble. Moreover, because it¡¯s self-driven, you only need one horse, making it very cheap, at only 30 derailings.¡± ¡°The second option is themon four-wheeled carriage. The advantage is a spacious cabin, allowing you to carry more items. But you will need a qualified coachman and cover the costs of two horses pulling the carriage, which will be at least 70 derailings.¡± Delin exined to Jason. Then he personally took Jason to see the two types of carriages. In the back of the shop, Jason saw the single-person travel carriage, with its striking red color, elegant boot, and fishbone canopy. Undoubtedly, if two people were to go on a pic in the countryside, this would indeed be a prime choice. And Jason? After hearing he would have to drive the carriage himself, he immediately dismissed the idea of the single-person travel carriage. He was familiar with cars, but as for carriages¡­ Completely clueless. Besides, considering he needed to read the books given by the old bar during the journey, the second option naturally seemed the best.
¡°May I see the second option?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Of course!¡± Delin said with a smile, pointing to another four-wheeled carriage.
¡°Traditional craftsmanship, sturdy and durable.¡± ¡°Professors from the White Heron have helped modify it for shock resistance.¡± ¡°The carriage can withstand a certain degree of attack.¡± Delin continued with the introduction. ¡°That¡¯s the one for me,¡± Jason, who already had a choice in mind, decisively said after hearing Delin¡¯s introduction. ¡°You will also need a coachman.¡± ¡°Would you like me to rmend one?¡± Delin inquired. ¡°Yes, please.¡± As he spoke, Jason took out the bank draft given by his aunt and asked, ¡°Can I settle with a bank draft?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Jason, I suggest you buy plenty of food.¡±
¡°In Jedanlen, you can get food quite cheaply. Once you leave Jedanlen, an unfamiliar carriage can be seen as a ¡®fat sheep¡¯ to some folks out there.¡± Delin kindly reminded. ¡°Can you take care of these for me?¡± ¡°I also need pots, a brazier, a grill, some spices, etc.¡± Although Delin found it strange why Jason would need these peculiar kitchen utensils, he didn¡¯t ask any further. Maybe it was just for a casual pic? With that thought in mind, Delin started to organize his assistants to get busy. About an hourter, everything was taken care of. The coachman also arrived to report. He was a middle-aged man dressed in a hemp coat, of average build, with a sheathed short sword slung at his waist. ¡°Peters, one of my best coachmen.¡± ¡°Not only can he handle all kinds of carriages, but he can also ensure that you, Jason, can avoid some unnecessary trouble.¡± Delin hinted at something.
Jason¡¯s gaze swept over the short sword, acknowledging with an understanding nod. On a long journey, safety is always the paramount concern. Although this ce isn¡¯t as chaotic as the Nightless City, there are still details that require attention. ¡°Hello.¡± The coachman was clearly a man of few words, who, after greeting Jason, simply stood there without moving. Jason nodded in response as a form of courtesy. Meanwhile, Delin quietly pulled Jason aside. ¡°This is the remaining 120 darlings.¡± After handing the remaining money to Jason, Delin asked in a low voice to confirm, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need a couple of bodyguards? Peters is not bad, but he¡­ is a bit old-fashioned, he likes cold weapons, and now a flintlock gun is enough to be fatal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°I can handle some trouble.¡± Jason said with a smile. ¡°Right!¡±
¡°After all, you are a graduate of Griffin Camp.¡± ¡°Those guys are unlucky to run into you!¡± Delin suddenly remembered something and began tough. After theds had loaded the carriage¡¯s roof with food, clean water, pots and pans, a barbecue rack, and other necessities for the journey, Jason was ready to set off. ¡°May you have a pleasant journey, Jason.¡± Delin saw him out of the carriage depot. ¡°Hmm.¡± Jason nodded with a smile, and at the flick of the reins by Peters, the carriage headed south. From their brief conversation just now, Jason had a rough idea of the journey ahead. Departing from Karl Town, he would have to pass through tworge cities, Taor and Rob, and dozens of viges and towns, virtually crossing half of Hythlo County, before he could reach ¡®Hans¡¯ harbor. If the carriage proceeded normally, it would take about 9-10 days. And now it was September 15th. To arrive at ¡®Hans¡¯ harbor before the 26th, there was a considerable time pressure. Therefore, Jason decided to travel day and night. Of course, at this time, Jason finally got to open the book given to him by the old bar, but just as he had read a few pages and the carriage had just left the range of Karl Town¡¯s city area, the smoothly and swiftly moving carriage suddenly slowed down. ¡°Mr. Jason, there¡¯s someone stopping the carriage ahead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ady.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no ambush around.¡± Coachman Peters reported urately, and the carriage didn¡¯t trulye to a stop. Clearly, he was waiting for Jason¡¯s decision. Through the carriage window, Jason could see a young girl in a cloth dress standing on the side of the road, waving her arms. In the setting sun, her youthful face glowed with a faint blush. She seemed vibrant with youth. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Could you give me a lift?¡± ¡°My home is just up ahead in Karl Town.¡± The young girl had clearly noticed Jason¡¯s observation, and as the carriage was about to pass her by, she spoke up. ¡°Peters, stop.¡± Jason said. Immediately, the coachman stopped the carriage. And dutifully opened the door. ¡°Thank you.¡± After thanking the coachman, the girl got on the carriage. The girl sat opposite Jason and no sooner had she sat down, she began to thank Jason very sincerely. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Dennise.¡± ¡°I went to Karl Town for fun today, and I identally lost track of time, missing the public carriage.¡± ¡°Luckily you came by.¡± ¡°Now I don¡¯t have to walk back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really so happy.¡± Jason silently closed the book and said indifferently¡ª ¡°You¡¯re happy too soon.¡± Chapter 93: 4 Remembered? Chapter 93: Chapter 4 Remembered? Was I happy too soon? The young Dennise was startled. Jason¡¯s response was so different from what she had imagined that she forgot what to say next. About a second or twoter, she stammered awkwardly: ¡°Your car is really hot¡­¡± Phew! Jason rolled down the car window beside him, and the cold autumn night wind blew straight in. Dennise¡¯s hair was sent flying by the wind. At this moment, the girl¡¯s heart was as disordered as her hair. The person before her¡­ Must be sick?
She judged so and decided not to speak another word to Jason for the rest of the journey. Unexpectedly, as Jason casually closed the window, he handed her a newspaper. What does this mean? The girl took the newspaper, puzzled. ¡°The Disappearing Cat¡±? She had read it and thought it was well-written; it¡¯s just that rumors said the author often went on field trips in name, but in reality, was a king of hiatus due to an upset stomach. ¡°The House of Fortune-telling Wees You¡±? She knew this one too and had even visited the House of Fortune-telling. A bunch of nonsense-talking guys, they charged a hefty fee and weren¡¯t urate. At least, she wanted to find her ideal person, but none of those guys could predict it. What was even more irritating was that after some of them finished fortune-telling, they actually told her to beware of bad luck. Clearly, it was a scam! She, Dennise, wasn¡¯t fooled! ¡°Yesterday¡¯s circus performance was a disaster!¡± A circus performance? Has it already been performed? Why don¡¯t I remember? Wasn¡¯t I supposed to watch the performance and then miss my time for the public coach ride? Doubt appeared in Dennise¡¯s eyes. Then, she continued reading. ¡®Yesterday¡¯s circus was enjoyable and grandiose. Had it not been for the lion that went berserk and hurt people in the end, we would have given a round of apuse! But now all we can do is mourn the brave town girl, Dennise¡­¡¯
A lion? An attack? Me? Dennise sat stunned in her chair as if struck by Thunder Strike.
At the same time, some memories she didn¡¯t want to recall slow emerged in her mind. After saving pocket money for three months, she nned to go to Jedan to see a circus act, and then, to buy back a long-coveted trinket as an autumn harvest gift. But because of the fortune-telling at the House of Fortune-telling, she had to wait until winter for this gift. However, the circus was wonderful, and the little girl sitting next to her even shared a malt candy with her. But then¡­ Disaster struck! During the circus¡¯s finale, the lion that was supposed to jump through the ring of fire suddenly went mad, opening its great bloody mouth and pouncing towards her direction. She copsed in fear. The little girl next to her was even more frightened. At that time, she didn¡¯t know what came over her, but she pushed the little girl away. Then, then¡­ ¡°Am I dead?¡± Dennise looked up, staring nkly at Jason with a hoarse voice, she asked.
Jason didn¡¯t answer, nor did he show any reaction. He just nced at the newspaper. There, in the illustration, was a body covered with a white cloth. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m dead.¡± Dennise murmured to herself, her once vibrant face bing gloomy, her breath quickly turned Cold, and her intact body became mutted and bloody. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why did I die?¡± ¡°Why!¡± Dennise questioned Jason, who was close at hand, her face quickly twisted into something ferocious and terrifying, her eyes revealing a longing for life and¡­ disgust. Especially when she looked at Jason, there was a sense of bloodthirst and violence. Then¡­ p!
Jason raised his hand and pped Dennise across the face. Dennise was dumbfounded by the p. I was pped? I¡¯m dead and yet I was pped? I was dead, and he was alive. He should be afraid of me, yet he dared to hit me? While Dennise was still doubting her undead existence, Jason, having just pped her, drew back his hand for another p. Smack! This time it was even louder. And his hand had not yet been lowered. Seeing Jason¡¯s hand poised to strike again, Dennise shouted loudly: ¡°Wait!¡± With both hands covering her cheeks, Dennise looked in terror at the tall, strong man with a calm face before her, and she seemed to understand a bit why Jason had said she was happy too soon.
¡°Are you an Exorcist?¡± Dennise asked, uneasy. In her mind, biographies she had read before began to reemerge. Ordinary people would be scared witless upon seeing the undead, only the exorcists in those biographies would disregard the fear of the undead. And every Exorcist was cruel and merciless. For the undead, they wouldn¡¯t show mercy and let a single one go. But whatforted Dennise was Jason¡¯s shake of the head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I am a¡­¡± ¡°Night Watcher.¡± That was Jason¡¯s response. Immediately, Dennise, who had just rxed, became anxious again. Night Watcher? It seemed to be an existence that the undead cared about more than an Exorcist. But looking at the indifferent Jason, Dennise didn¡¯t dare to ask. Jason, on the other hand, maintained his silence once again. The atmosphere became tense, making Dennise increasingly restless. For the first time, she discovered that the undead seemed even more useless than she had imagined. She couldn¡¯t pass through walls, be invisible, move objects out of thin air, and didn¡¯t have even the slightest supernatural ability. Moreover, she could be hit. This was even worse than when she was alive. At least when she was alive, she didn¡¯t have to be hit, did she? At most, she would just oversleep in the morning or stay upte at night, and get a few nagging remarks from her parents. What¡¯s the use of being undead like this? Dennise asked herself. Of course, there was no answer. She was already a dead person. Although she insisted on using ¡°she¡± instead of ¡°it.¡± Perhaps it was just a matter of getting used to it. With time, it would be second nature. Unable to bear the silence any longer, Dennise tentatively opened her mouth to ask: ¡°Did you realize I was undead from the start?¡± ¡°And then, you were worried that I might cause an ident and disturb the peace?¡± ¡°So you prepared to prevent it in advance by letting me get into the car?¡± As Dennise asked, she saw Jason looking at her with a strange expression. That look seemed like¡­ Pity? What are you pitying me for? Even if you can hit me, I am still an undead! I have the dignity of the undead! Just as Dennise was about to state this, she saw Jason suddenly pull out a broad-ded, short-handled machete, and then, he produced a gun with a veryrge muzzle,rger than any she had ever seen before. But what frightened Dennise the most was¡­ Jason¡¯s gaze. It was like the excited look of a carnivorous animal when hunting. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°I was wrong!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t eat me!¡± Dennise sat up straight, speaking very quickly. But Jason didn¡¯t pay any attention to Dennise and just jumped out of the car after pushing the door open. The next moment, A fierce roar suddenly erupted! In the midst of the roar, Dennise was stunned for a moment as more memories started flooding back¡ª She remembered! Why she was standing there waiting for this carriage! She was, seemingly, a¡­ Bait? Chapter 94: 5 Meat, Stew and Roast Chapter 94: Chapter 5 Meat, Stew and Roast Why did Jason let Dennise get on the carriage? Of course, it was because of the ¡®food¡¯ scent clinging to Dennise. As for why Dennise would hail the carriage? Jason had a clear idea in his mind. After all, one of the ¡®food¡¯ scents on them came from his own box. Jason did not know if these monsters had created the incident of the circus lion attacking people yesterday, or if it was all just an ident, but he knew one thing¡ªhe was hungry! Bang! Click-click! Bang! The Winchester Brothers¡¯ muzzle spat out volleys of bullets, closely following the carriage, and those monsters that Jason had seen before in the washroom, low to the ground, skinny like monkeys, with protruding mouths and crocodile-like sharp teeth, were blown away. But more of the simr monsters swarmed in.
Through the carriage window, Dennise witnessed the scene and subconsciously covered her mouth. It thought Jason was done for. However, It soon widened its eyes in shock. Facing the tide of monsters rushing toward him, Jason calmly pulled the trigger. Instantly, the monsters were struck down in droves by the deluge of bullets. When the bullets in the Winchester Brothers ran out, the broad-ded, short-handled machete blossomed with its own cold glow in the night. There were no specific moves. Just chopping! Although straightforward, it was extremely effective. Every time, a monster would hit the ground. And the monsters? Each of their lunges missed. With nearly two and a half times the perception of a normal person, Jason¡¯s vision and hearing had reached a level unattainable by the average person. Combined with the ¡®well-trained¡¯ effect from the Proficiency Level Barehanded Combat, in this melee, Jason was like a foreseer, dodging effectively every time the monsters lunged at him. Even if he could not fully evade, he would only be grazed lightly. Then, The hand raised, the de fell! A fatal blow! Five in a row, aside from a few scratches, posed no threat to Jason at all.
Click, click. Jason flicked the blood off the machete, pulled out the number 13 bullets, and one by one reloaded them into the Winchester Brothers¡¯ chamber, his eyes scanning the surroundings. And he signaled to Peters not toe any closer. Coachman Peters had stopped the carriage at the sound of gunfire, drawn his short sword, and was about to offer assistance, but he froze in ce the moment he hopped down.
Compared to the undead Dennise, Peters could immediately see how mighty thebat power Jason disyed was. Each chop was simple, swift, clear. Each chop was a fatal blow. With the least cost, he inflicted maximum damage¡­ No! It wasn¡¯t about minimizing cost; he was utterly indifferent to his own safety, only aiming to kill the enemy! The Griffin camp? Feeling the unique ¡®do-or-die¡¯ vibe from Jason, Peters was puzzled. The Jason before him didn¡¯t seem like someone from the Griffin camp, but rather¡­ Bear Tower! Those wild bears from Bear Tower were the ones who reveled in such battles, which was why they were daunting; and for the same reason, they were the first to fall. Seeing Jason¡¯s gesture, out of respect for a warrior, Peters did not take another step forward but merely stood guard around the carriage. The night wind howled past.
With a Winchester in one hand and a broad-ded, short-handled machete in the other, Jason stood there like a statue. Dennise inside the carriage held her mouth tight, daring not to breathe loudly. It wanted to warn Jason that these monsters had a leader. It had been enved by that leader to go up against Jason before. Yet it also worried that making a sound would distract Jason. And so, it could only silently pray for Jason. Whoo! The autumn wind grew stronger. Withered leaves were picked up. Spinning. Twirling. Passing by Jason, swirling around him, or blowing toward the surroundings. Jason pointed his de downward, listening intently.
Coachman Peters gripped his short sword tighter. He felt uneasy. It seemed something was getting closer. But it was ¡®invisible.¡¯ Only a vague sense could be felt. This made Peters experience a tension he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. And then¡ª ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± A mystguage never heard before, it rumbled like a muffled thunderstorm. Ahhh! A wretched scream as a phantom emerged from the whirlwind of leaves. It was a creature with the size of a house cat, short limbs, and its body nked by membranous glides connecting the front to the hind legs, resembling a lizard. The moment it made contact with the special force field of ¡°Protection Against Evil,¡± several specters burst forth from its body and vanished into thin air. Meanwhile, the creature convulsed slightly, ready to flip over and flee.
Jason raised his hand and shed with his knife. Pfft! The wide-ded, short-handled machete chopped down on the creature¡¯s head, putting an abrupt end to it. Afterward, Jason began clearing the battlefield, despite his fatigue. A total of seven monsters previously seen in the restroom, along with the one in the box, made it eight. There was also a bizarre-looking monster; judging by the friction between the de and its neck, the flesh seemed firm and likely tasted excellent. Saliva involuntarily secreted within Jason¡¯s mouth. His weary body made him feel all the more famished. ¡°Start a fire, set up the pot, get the grill ready,¡± Jason instructed. Travel? Of course, he needed to press on. But, meals were not to be dyed. Especially food that he¡¯d obtained on his own, filled with joy and promising to make the journey ahead all the more pleasant. So why not enjoy a meal first? Peters sheathed his short sword, steering the carriage off the road andying down the charcoal basin, iron pot, and grill with practiced ease, expertly igniting the fire. By then, Jason had already cleaned the eight scrawny creatures, chopped them up, and tossed the pieces into the boiling pot. The potcked neither scallions, ginger, garlic, nor Sichuan peppercorns and star anise. There were also potatoes and radishes. The thick soup bubbled, with the bright white and red potatoes and radishes tumbling within. Clear and appetizing hues heightened Jason¡¯s craving for food. Yet he endured, for on the grill, the subsequent creature was impaled whole on an iron spit, constantly rotated, seasoned with salt and cumin from time to time. Jason held a small bowl of fat in his hand, brushing ayer onto the meat every few minutes. When the aroma of charcoal blended with the fat filled the air, Jason, unable to resist any longer, began to feast voraciously. The meat in the pot, soaked in broth, tender. The meat on the spit, rubbed with fat, crisp. Between tenderness and crispiness, the vor of the meat was maximized. ¡°[Consumed 8 Kababa Beasts!]¡± ¡°[Significant recovery of physical strength and vitality!]¡± ¡°[Satiety +8]¡± ¡°[Satiety: 9]¡± ¡­ ¡°[Consumed Rondo (Juvenile)]¡± ¡°[Moderate recovery of physical strength and vitality!]¡± ¡°[Satiety +3]¡± ¡°[Satiety: 12]¡± ¡­ Injuries, physical strength, and vitality recovered rapidly. The mere 1 point of satiety once left had returned to double digits. This shift swiftly improved Jason¡¯s mood. Dennise seemed to have noticed this and quietly approached. ¡°Just like that, it¡¯s resolved?¡± she asked incredulously. In her memories, it wasn¡¯t so easy; the lizard-like monster was vicious. Facing it, she couldn¡¯t even think of resisting, let alone make any superfluous movement. ¡°We are different,¡± Jason nodded and replied. Dennise paused momentarily. Then, she quickly shook her head. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t acknowledge this fact. She was merely trying to calm herself down, to not forget what she¡¯d initially wanted to ask. ¡°No!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°I mean, you actually eat monsters!¡± Dennise eximed with wide eyes fixed on Jason. Under such gaze, Jason smiled. He enunciated slowly: ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Purification!¡± Then, Jason looked towards his coachman. Thetter was also watching Jason. After a moment of mutual gaze, Coachman Peters suddenly spoke¡ª ¡°Meow!¡± Chapter 95: 6 Knocking Sound Chapter 95: Chapter 6 Knocking Sound Life Consultation!
When an average-looking middle-aged man suddenly goes ¡°meow¡± at you, what would you do? 1. Pretend not to see. 2. Stare back angrily. 3. Go mad with joy. ¡­ Jason¡¯s hand involuntarily tightened around the broad-de, short-handled chopping knife, and it was only with immense willpower that he barely restrained himself from swinging the de in his hand.
But his chest felt oppressively stuffy. A bit dizzy in the head. Feeling a bit nauseous in the stomach. And wanting something sour in his mouth. The deceased Dennise directly sprung behind Jason, revealing her eyes wide with terror as she stared at Peters, like she was witnessing a pervert, all the while muttering, ¡°Is this the adult world? It¡¯s too terrible!¡± Peters stiffened. Then red furiously at Dennise. But immediately, the middle-aged carriage driver withdrew his gaze from the good-for-nothing ghost and focused on Jason. Looking at Jason¡¯s expressionless face. A wave of disappointment washed over Peters. Did I guess wrong? Yes.
How could that which should have long since faded still exist? Who still remembers these things now? After a self-deprecating smile, the middle-aged carriage driver said solemnly to Jason, ¡°I apologize for the misunderstanding just now, it was very rude of me. When do we depart?¡± After confirming there was no bizarre or unexpected change in the other party, Jason nodded. ¡°Right away.¡± As he spoke, Jason began to pour the soup from the pot into a leather bag. And it wasn¡¯t until that moment that Jason suddenly remembered. He had forgotten to make the jerky! It must be because time was tight! It was due to my impatience that I forgot it! Moreover¡­ Isn¡¯t there still the soup?
Judging himself, Jason¡¯s hand became even steadier as he poured the soup, not spilling a drop. ¡°What do you need this soup for?¡± Dennise asked curiously. ¡°This is ¡®Holy Water¡¯.¡± ¡°Indispensable for the Exorcism Ritual.¡± Jason said seriously. The ghost girl¡¯s face stiffened, and then she showed an expression of ¡®I may not be well-read, but you can¡¯t fool me¡¯. Jason didn¡¯t exin any further. Throughout the carriage ride that followed, Jason remained silent, and Dennise became quiet as well, no longer speaking. Because they had arrived at Karl Town. In the night, the buildings with their lights on twinkled like guiding lights. At the town entrance, Sheriffs were patrolling, and after Peters showed his ¡°Delin Coachman¡± credentials and his own, they were granted permission to pass.
¡°If you need a ce to stay, you could go to the Emerald¡­¡± ¡°Nevermind.¡± ¡°Some things happened there, if you want to stay overnight, you can seek lodging.¡± The leading Sheriff was introducing the town¡¯s inns just like any other day, but he stopped halfway through his words as if recalling something and then just slightly shook his head. Jason keenly noticed Dennise shuddering upon hearing the word ¡®Emerald¡¯. Is it home? Jason guessed. After taking several deep breaths, Dennise then spoke to the coachman. ¡°Please go straight, then take a right at the first intersection; stop at the side after 20 meters.¡± Peters didn¡¯t respond. The carriage proceeded in the direction Dennise had indicated. Clip-clop, clip-clop.
The distinctive crisp sound of the wheels shing with the gravel road. When the sound ceased, the carriage had stopped in front of the Emerald Inn. It was a three-story building, with a grasswn at the front. Although autumn had set in, and thewn was already yellowing, due to the meticulous care of the owner, it didn¡¯t look deste but instead appeared to be brimming with a deep vitality, poised to thrive. Dennise sat in the carriage, staring nkly at thewn, looking at the inn in the distance. Thewn had been tended by her. She had once looked forward to seeing thewn sprout again in spring. But now? She herself was about to be buried in the ground. Why not transnt this patch of grass over my grave? The ghost girl tried her best to cheer herself up in her own way. But¡­ ¡°`
Futile. It gazed at the familiar inn in the distance, desire evident in its eyes, but what was more prominent was¡­ timidity. ¡°You say¡­¡± ¡°Am I fit to go back?¡± Dennise asked Jason. Her voice involuntarily trembled. Jason looked at Dennise, but he did not speak. He wasn¡¯t ustomed to giving others advice. He didn¡¯t believe he was qualified to give it, either. After all, every person¡¯s choices required them to bear the consequences. Under Jason¡¯s gaze, Dennise hung her head and then tried with all her might to force a smile. Unfortunately¡­ The smile was terrible. ¡°I understand!¡± ¡°The dead should have the resolve of the dead, I¡­¡± With that hideous smile, Dennise tried to express her stance, but just then, the door of the inn opened, and a middle-aged woman wearing a cloth skirt came out. With the help of the light, Jason could see that her face bore a three-parts resemnce to Dennise. Her eyes were red, her expression mournful. When she came in front of the carriage, she bore the same ugly smile as Dennise. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°There are some issues at home.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not open for business at the moment.¡± With those words, she bowed apologetically. Seeing her mother before her, Dennise could no longer contain her emotions and abruptly pushed the carriage door open. ¡°Mom¡­¡± It called out, ready to rush toward her. But at that moment, it suddenly remembered its identity as the deceased. What would her mother¡¯s reaction be to seeing such a version of herself? Trepidation surfaced once again. But the carriage door was already agape. Her mother could simply lift her head and see her. It made a desperate attempt to hide. And then¡­ It realized its body had be intangible. An intangibility imperceptible to themon eye. But Jason noticed, his perception more than double that of an average person, was enough for him to perceive Dennise¡¯s oddity. ¡°Invisibility?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°It¡¯s like an ability that¡¯s simr to invisibility but also like hiding.¡± As Jason observed the now static and faintly visible form of Dennise, he was forced to divert his attention quickly. Because Dennise¡¯s mother had looked up and was staring right at him. ¡°You just now¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m a friend of Dennise¡¯s.¡± ¡°I saw the newspaper.¡± ¡°I¡¯vee to pay my respects.¡± Jason interrupted Dennise¡¯s mother, speaking earnestly. ¡°A friend of Dennise¡¯s?!¡± Dennise¡¯s mother looked in astonishment at Jason, who had already stepped down from the carriage. Tall, strong, with a resolute and mature visage, dressed appropriately, she found it hard to believe her foolish daughter could have such a friend. ¡°Please follow me.¡± That¡¯s what Dennise¡¯s mother said. Then she led the way straight ahead. Inside the inn, a funeral parlor had been arranged, with an older man sitting upright opposite Dennise¡¯s mother, nked by two teenagers. The resemnce in their brows indicated they were Dennise¡¯s father and brothers. Seeing Jason enter, the family was surprised, especially after hearing that he was a friend of Dennise¡¯s, there to offer condolences. The father even said bluntly, ¡°My daughter, who iszy,cks ambition, stays up all night, can¡¯t get up early, reverses her meals, and is clumsy, actually has a friend as steady, upright, and reliable as you. It¡¯s truly her honor.¡± Confronted with such direct words, Jason thought they were¡­ Very true! So, he epted them gracefully. Just as Jason was preparing toplete the condolence process¡ª Thud! Thud! Thud! A series of knocking sounds suddenly erupted. The noise wasing from¡­ The coffin! Chapter 96: 7 Anomalies Chapter 96: Chapter 7 Anomalies The sudden noise left Dennise¡¯s parents and siblings frozen.
Fear appeared on their faces. But it vanished in an instant. All that remained was¡­ Expectation. It was the expectation of regaining a ¡®treasure¡¯ once lost. Two youths were eager to try, seemingly wanting to open the coffin to see their sister, while Dennise¡¯s father walked decisively towards the coffin.
Dennise¡¯s mother, on the other hand, began to murmur to herself: ¡°They all say fools live long lives.¡± ¡°How could you possibly die so suddenly?¡± ¡°Are you unwilling to miss the feast of the autumn harvest?¡± ¡°Are you worried about the pocket money hidden under your pillow?¡± ¡°Are you thinking about the biography novel you haven¡¯t finished reading?¡± ¡°I was nning to burn it for you.¡± ¡°Now¡­¡± ¡°No need.¡± Jason watched this family. Without a doubt, they loved Dennise. To them, the deceased Dennise was still their daughter, sister, an important family member.
But, some things are irreversible. Moreover, he knew exactly where Dennise was. The body in the coffin¡­ Would not be Dennise. Whether infected by evil or controlled by the Bizarre, neither was a good thing. At least, not for the family of Dennise in front of him. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Jason spoke up, slightly tipping his hat. He reached the coffin before Dennise¡¯s father, standing in front of the family. Then¡­
Jason gazed at Dennise. Yes, he looked directly at Dennise, who had once again be visible. After Jason entered the inn¡¯s lobby, Dennise not only followed him in, but she also returned to her room while Jason talked with her parents and retrieved the pocket money from under her pillow. Even if it had died. There were still some things it had to take back. Did the dead need money? So what? It was rightfully hers. An undead girl loving money, so what? How else to read novels? In the undead girl¡¯s mind, letting Jason handle everything while she quietly watched her parents and siblings before leaving, then finding a graveyard to peacefully spend her afterlife was the n. Of course, she would work regrly and buy novels.
Since the undead do not need to eat or drink, this greatly reduced her expenses, and she only needed to maintain her reading habits. Thinking this way, Dennise felt life as an undead might also be beautiful. But the noise inside the coffin broke Dennise¡¯s ns. She knew better than anyone that the one in the coffin was not her. She had to stop her parents and siblings. But how to exin her state? However, the inner bond to her family made it impossible for her to stand by idly. Dennise herself did not realize she had revealed her form, and directly said: ¡°Wait!¡± Upon speaking out, Dennise came to her senses. But it was toote. Her parents and brothers turned around and looked at her.
¡°Dennise!¡± ¡°Sister!¡± ¡°Sis!¡± Dennise¡¯s family members rushed up to her. Her parents wanted to embrace their daughter but hesitated until the youngest brother hugged Dennise, confirming she was not air, then they did not hesitate to embrace their daughter. Dennise stiffened, but then naturally extended her arms to hug her parents and siblings. Then, she saw Jason point towards the door. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to talk to you about.¡± ¡°Leave this to Jason.¡± Dennise said so. ¡°Okay.¡± Dennise¡¯s mother nodded repeatedly. Dennise¡¯s father and brothers exchanged nces before her father, acting as their spokesperson, asked, ¡°Do you need help?¡±
¡°No need.¡± Jason shook his head. After watching Dennise¡¯s family temporarily leave, Jason turned to face the coffin that was still making incessant knocking sounds. The knocking was now several times louder than before. The strength had naturally increased. But this coffin was far sturdier than he had imagined. It was not only made entirely of solid wood but also reinforced with metal at key points. He was familiar with the material of the wood¡ªit was the same kind used in the carriages that could withstand a considerable degree of attack. Clearly, this coffin was expensive. Something ordinary families could never afford. And Dennise¡¯s parents had chosen this coffin out of guilt and¡­ perhaps ast attempt to ¡®protect¡¯ Dennise? Jason couldn¡¯t help but think as he regarded the hefty coffin. He then nced around and directly pushed the coffin to the backyard. Next¡­ He picked up a kerosenemp and poured its oil onto the coffin. As for opening the coffin and fighting the monster inside? Jason wouldn¡¯t consider it unless the creature had the ability to ¡®open¡¯ the coffin by itself. Besides, the inn was not short of kerosenemps. Near the bar, a row of kerosenemps hung, clearly prepared for every guest entering a room. Jason poured over the coffin ten times before he finally picked up a box of matches. He didn¡¯t ignite it right away. Because Dennise hade back and extended her hand to him. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Dennise said, biting her teeth and gathering her courage. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Jason asked. Although Jason was new to the Mystical Side, he still knew some knowledge. A deceased¡¯s body is quite significant to the spirit, and in some cases, it is an inseparable part of them. Simply put, if the body is burned, the ghost will also be reduced to ashes. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Burning myself.¡± Dennise nodded firmly. After Jason gave Dennise a long look, he handed over the matchbox. The spectral girl trembled as she pulled out a match and turned to look at Jason. ¡°Do I have any other choices?¡± ¡°I think I might still be able to save it.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it?¡± By the end, the ghost¡¯s voice had taken on a crying tone, yet it was with these utterly timid words that she struck the match alight. Hiss! me appeared on the match head, illuminating the ghost girl¡¯s pale face. She closed her eyes with a jerk and threw the match out. Then¡­ She threw it askew. The match fell to the ground. Fortunately, there were traces of kerosene on the ground too. Whoosh! The me quickly crawled along, and when it reached the coffin soaked in kerosene, it instantly shot up over a meter high. The solid wood might resist chopping from swords and shooting from muskets, but against pure mes, it had no means of defense, leaving only one function: to serve as kindling. The unknown monster inside the coffin let out a wail. After the sharp, piercing sound echoed for several seconds, as Dennise¡¯s body was incinerated, it fell silent. And Dennise¡­ Not only did she not disappear, but she didn¡¯t even feel the slightest weakness. On the contrary, she felt more spirited than ever! ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay?¡± ¡°Am I really okay?¡± After asking herself three times, Dennise couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing. However, Jason frowned. Chapter 97: 8 Taboo Chapter 97: Chapter 8 Taboo Dennise¡¯s soul had been controlled by the offspring of ¡°Rondo¡±. Her body had been eyed by something unknown. How in demand was she? Almost instinctively, Jason twitched his nostrils. Unfortunately¡­ There was absolutely no scent of food. Then, Jason scrutinized Dennise with a discerning gaze. And Dennise? Completely oblivious, sheughed excitedly, dancing and prancing in circles as if¡­ she was a runaway Siberian Husky. Not only silly, but also insane. What could be special about such a Husky girl?
Jason couldn¡¯t help but question himself. Could I be wrong? A doubtful Jason took the initiative to speak. ¡°Do you have any special experiences?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Special experiences?¡± ¡°Being hit by a carriage when I was young, falling into a water pit, being bitten by a dog, does that count?¡± ¡°Several times!¡± Dennise answered thoughtfully after some consideration. ¡°Aside from that.¡± ¡°I mean any contact with the Mystical Side.¡± Jason frowned, feeling the need to ask in simpler, more understandable terms. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°You-¡± Dennise raised her hand and pointed at Jason. ¡°Aside from me.¡± ¡°And aside from the monster I just purified and the presence in the coffin.¡± ¡°Have you experienced anything recently that struck you as unusual?¡± Jason had to narrow down his question again.
¡°Emmm¡­¡± ¡°During the circus, that malt candy, it was very sweet.¡± ¡°Sweeter than any candy I¡¯ve ever had!¡± After giving it serious thought, Dennise presented what she believed to be the most noteworthy event.
Candy? Jason narrowed his eyes, then continued asking, ¡°Did the girl¡¯s familye to mourn you?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Even that little girl can¡¯t be found anymore.¡± ¡°And, my mother said that the little girl probably sneaked in without a ticket!¡± Dennise shook her head. Then, suddenly, she became furious. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°How did she get in there? The ticket sellers are very sharp!¡± ¡°I had to work for three weeks just to save up for the circus ticket.¡± Listening to Dennise¡¯s indignant description, Jason started piecing together information in his mind: The circus that even Dennise couldn¡¯t sneak into, yet a little girl easily slipped in. Then, an ident happened.
The little girl was saved, but the protecting Dennise ¡°died¡±. Logically, the girl¡¯s family should havee to mourn Dennise. But they did not appear, and even the little girl had vanished without a trace. Beforehand, Dennise had eaten the candy given to her by the little girl¡­ A seemingly normal urrence now seemedced with a hint of the bizarre to Jason. Was it the effect of the candy? If it was the candy¡¯s doing, then who was that little girl? Furthermore, if this assumption held true¡­ The little girl was after Dennise too! Realizing this, Jason didn¡¯t hesitate and firmly told Dennise, ¡°Tell your parents to leave Karl Town immediately, and you go with them to arger city.¡± If the world had monsters and bizarre events, then naturally, big cities were no exception. But,
big cities should have entities like ¡°Guardians¡±. Just like Sir Lorde of the old nobility. Thinking of the old sir, Jason took a deep breath, suppressing the difort in his heart. Then, he noticed Dennise standing in front of him, hesitant, showing no intention of speaking to her parents. ¡°I thought I was going to die, so I just told them¡­¡± ¡°I am your apprentice.¡± ¡°The Night Watcher¡¯s apprentice.¡± ¡°I will go with you to a far, faraway ce.¡± Dennise, her head lowered, didn¡¯t dare to look at Jason, her hands in front of her and her forefingers constantly touching each other, her voice growing ever quieter. However, the next moment, the undead girl lifted her head, raising her voice. ¡°You don¡¯t want my parents to know I lied and thus learn the truth, do you?¡± ¡°You will help me, won¡¯t you?¡± The undead girl looked at Jason with hopeful eyes.
Jason nodded and then said indifferently as the undead girl showed a joyful expression: ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°I will tell your parents that it was the original n, but now the n has changed.¡± ¡°I need to go to that ce alone.¡± ¡°You and your parents will head to arger city.¡± ¡­ Outside the Emerald Inn. The Dennise family said goodbye to Jason. ¡°Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for Dennise.¡± ¡°You¡¯re traveling at night, and the autumn wind is too cold; I hope this can add a bit of warmth to you.¡± As Dennise¡¯s father spoke, he took out a fur rug and handed it to Jason. Jason epted the fur rug, which was soft, warm, and carried a faint scent of fresh tanning. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jason politely expressed his gratitude. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Just a lion¡¯s skin rug.¡± ¡°Compared to the kindness you¡¯ve shown, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Dennise¡¯s father showed a hearty smile. Lion skin? Jason was taken aback. Then, he nodded slightly. He boarded the carriage and spread the lion¡¯s skin rug on the seat before telling Peters to set off. Undoubtedly, there must be many unknowns lurking within Jadenron. So¡­ He needed to leave quickly. Because Jason wasn¡¯t sure that if he got involved, he would be able to reach the ¡®Hans¡¯ port before the 26th. As for the Dennise family? Touching the lion¡¯s skin rug, Jason felt there was no need to worry too much. The father was more reliable than he appeared to be. So was Dennise¡¯s brother. Recalling the young men¡¯s reactions to the strange noiseing from the coffin, Jason couldn¡¯t help but praise them; most people would have probably copsed at the sight. And thinking of Dennise¡¯s mother, she too was veryposed. One could say that the whole family, except for Dennise, was quite dependable. And Dennise like that? Probably adopted, he supposed. With that spection, Jason turned up the kerosenemp inside the carriage, ced the book given by the old Earl on the small table, and began to read carefully. Regardless of whether Dennise was adopted or not, it was yet another reminder to Jason: If you¡¯re not strong enough, you can¡¯t even control your own fate. Therefore, Jason chose to first read in detail the sections on ¡®Monster Knowledge¡¯. After all, to advance as a Night Watcher, he just needed to be more familiar with the characteristics of four more monsters. And among those records were two such kinds. ¡®Harken¡¯ and ¡®Kierken¡¯. But just as Jason had turned to the page describing the ¡®Harken¡¯, an inexplicable sound suddenly rang out beside his ear. The moment the sound appeared, all the muscles in Jason¡¯s body tensed up. He instinctively gripped the hilt of his knife. But it was of no use at all. For the harm conveyed by an unseen sound was also unseen. Buzz! Amid the ringing in his ears, Jason¡¯s vision began to blur. Blood continuously flowed from his nostrils, the corners of his eyes, and his ears. Jason¡¯s sturdy body began to convulse. He felt as if his brain were boiling. Yet the sound still echoed. And at the edge of death, Jason realized he understood the meaning of the sentence¡ª ¡®Do you want some candy?¡¯ Chapter 98: 9 Secret Keeper Chapter 98: Chapter 9 Secret Keeper Sugar! Sugar! Sugar! The words Jason hade to understand echoed in his mind like the thunder of a summer day. Then, those words once again became iprehensible to ordinary people. They were murmurs in a dream. They were the ramblings of an idiot. They were even thenguage of madness. If before Jason had only felt as if his brain were about to boil, then at that moment, his brain truly boiled! Extreme heat!
An unparalleled high temperature arose within his mind. His eyes became blurry. Illusions appeared in his field of vision. They were¡­ majestic, immense, indescribable reflections. Impossible to gaze upon directly. Those who did were certain to be punished. Jason was no exception. Feeling his brain boiling, he suffered a truly lethal strike. [Suffering a fatal attack¡­] [Consuming satiety for healing¡­] [Consuming 3 points of satiety!] [Complete and thorough healing achieved!] ¡­ A gentle warmth diffused from his stomach to his entire body. The extreme heat disappeared, and so did the illusions before his eyes. Everything seemed to return to normal. But¡­ Jason could clearly sense that some extra knowledge had been added to his mind, most of which was fragmented and unconnected, but some pieces were linked together.
It was still an indescribable feeling. What he had were the jumping words before his eyes¡ª [Collecting ¡®Secret Keeper¡¯ profession information¡­] [Collection sessful!]
[1, Perception above 2 pleted)!] [2, epting foreign objects pleted)!] [3, Witnessing (or bing aware of) the indescribable pleted)!] [Preconditions for ¡®Secret Keeper¡¯ initiationpleted¡­] [Initiation sessful!] [Secret Keeper initiation sessful!] [Perception +1] [Gained unique feat: Keep Secrets] [Keep Secrets: You are keeping that secret, swearing never to reveal it! This fills your heart with torment, yet it can also grant special strength! Effect: Bestow a one-time substantial enhancement to one of your skills.] (Note: This special strength is neutral, and it is up to you to determine its alignment!) ¡­ His perception was instantly strengthened by 1, making Jason¡¯s perception more than three times that of an ordinary person¡¯s. At that moment, he could even hear the faintest sounds 20 meters away.
The feat [Keep Secrets] gave him the foundation to grow stronger quickly. But, Jason couldn¡¯t feel happy at all. Because everything was too bizarre. Whether it was ¡®being given sugar,¡¯ witnessing those indescribable reflections, or bing a ¡®Secret Keeper,¡¯ everything had beenpleted without him realizing. Jason forced himself to calm down. He needed a calm mind to recall what had happened. And in the next moment, Jason thought of it: Sugar! There was no doubt, ¡®sugar¡¯ was the key! ¡°I learned of ¡®sugar¡¯ from Dennise.¡± ¡°So, I was targeted?¡± ¡°I was forced to give ¡®sugar¡¯.¡± ¡°And then, I died,¡± Jason took a deep breath at the thought. He was clear that if it wasn¡¯t for the ¡®satiation¡¯ treatment, he would now be a corpse.
That meant, most people facing this would die. And those who escaped death? Would they get a bit of¡­ pensation¡¯? Looking again at the ¡®Secret Keeper¡¯ profession, Jason encountered for the first time a profession that could be taken without the cost of satiation, directly upon choosing. The description of the specialty ¡°Secret Keeping¡± always made Jason feel uneasy. ¡°Can¡¯t reveal that secret?¡± ¡°Once revealed¡­¡± ¡°Will it bring about another ¡®distribution of candy¡¯?¡± Combining the events before and after, Jason¡¯splexion changed as he reached a conclusion. Then, Jason suddenly paused. He¡¯d been ¡®given candy,¡¯ but he hadn¡¯t tasted any ¡®candy¡¯ at all! Not only had he not tasted it, but he had also ¡®died¡¯ once.
But Dennise had tasted it! Although Dennise also ¡®died,¡¯ she indeed tasted the ¡®candy.¡¯ What was this? Favoritism? Are huskies endearing when they cause trouble? Jason thought silently to himself. In that moment, he finally understood the reason behind Dennise bing ¡®out of the ordinary.¡¯ But deep down, Jason was more curious about the taste of the ¡®candy.¡¯ Whether it was as sweet as Dennise had described. He had died once after all. What¡¯s the harm in eating a candy? Unfortunately¡­ he didn¡¯t get to taste what it was like. Huff! With a sigh, Jason¡¯s eyes settled on the specialty ¡°Secret Keeping.¡± Since it had already happened, Jason wouldn¡¯t wallow in self-pity. He would use everything at his disposal to change the situation. Regarding what skill ¡°Secret Keeping¡± should enhance? Was there anything more suitable than ¡°Protection Against Evil¡±? As it was the only skill that could effectively counter the Mystical Side¡¯s sinister and bizarre entities, enhancing ¡°Protection Against Evil¡± was, in a way, akin to increasing his power limit for Jason. ¡°Do you want to use Secret Keeping to enhance Protection Against Evil? [Yes/No]¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As Jason¡¯s words fell, Protection Against Evil immediately changed. [¡°Protection Against Evil (Proficient): You have not only skillfully mastered this Seal Imprint secret technique but also used special strength to enhance it! It is now sufficient to protect you from malicious attacks most of the time (below Explosive-level), but you still need to consume a great deal of Physical Strength to initiate this Seal Imprint secret technique! Within the legacy of the Night Watcher, some Night Watcher has made some changes to it, hence, you also possess such a technique; Effects: 1, A special force field attached to the body¡¯s surface that can defend against attacks from negative energy creatures (below Explosive-level) and also dispel them along with their powers (below Explosive-level); 2, You can direct the evil-dispelling power toward any beings or objects within a 5-meter radius centered on you, for a long-range attack.¡±] (Note: omitted) ¡­ Aprehensive enhancement. The power to resist and expel was finally approaching the ¡®Explosive-level,¡¯ and the range increased by 2 meters. However, originally, to achieve proficiency in ¡°Protection Against Evil¡± required 15 points of satiation and a 2 in Excitement of Feast, but it had now inted to 20 points of satiation and a 3 in Excitement of Feast. Jason had anticipated this. An enhancement in skills, naturally leading to increased consumption, was logical. Feeling the rapid synchronization between his body and the skill, Jason¡¯s gaze shifted to the books given by the old bar on the small table. This time, he believed he wouldn¡¯t be disturbed anymore. It seemed to be the case indeed. After he had died once, everything had seemingly calmed down. ¡®Harken is the masterpiece of the ¡®Dour¡¯ witchcraft school; they initially only hoped to create some invisible servants, but ultimately they made Hark such bizarre creatures that are intangible and yet canmand the wind. In their youth, Harken¡¯s ws are incredibly sharp, but as they mature, the ws will be dull, and with thates an increase in their body size and an enhancement of their ability to control the wind. When facing an adult Harken, often a fully-armed team of 20-30 people is required for a possible hunt. Fortunately, the Dour witchcraft school adheres to the principle of ¡®avoiding the world,¡¯ restraining these creatures.¡¯ ¡®Kierken is the cursed creature cultivated by the ¡®Withered Leaf¡¯ witch coven of the swamp; they are called elves only because they are made from the essence of ¡®Leaf Sprites.¡¯ Do not let the ¡®Withered Leaf¡¯ school learn your name, blood, or date of birth when facing them, as they are even more evil than you can imagine, however, in the year Hr1610, the Kierken elves were discovered by Magic Potion Master Hulk to have a Barrier-like function, but it¡¯s not something everyone can master, as it was kept as a secret technique by certain sects and powers.¡¯ ¡­ Jason read greedily about the monsters. Then, as the sun rose, he flipped to the section about secret techniques. And then¡­ Jason¡¯s eyes lit up. He had unexpectedly found a surprise. Chapter 99: 10 Learning and Journey Chapter 99: Chapter 10 Learning and Journey In front of Jason, the book given by the old knight had these clear words written on it¡ª
¡°Every secret technique has its own characteristics!¡± ¡°Different secret techniques canplement each other or may even conflict!¡± ¡°But there is one exception to this rule!¡± ¡°It does not conflict with any other secret techniques, nor does it provide any assistance.¡± ¡°That is: the sh Technique!¡± ¡°The initial sh Technique appeared in the Duyi School of learning, where it was used as a sort of entrance test;ter, in the Dur School, it was developed and elevated to a secret technique that could assist in attacks.¡±
¡°Of course, most of the time, it¡¯s just used for illumination.¡± ¡­ Jason had the sh Technique! After discovering that secret techniques couldplement and conflict with each other, he had temporarily given up on studying them. Now, there were no such concerns. At the same time, there were no concerns about ¡°Charge¡± and ¡°Whirlwind Dance¡± either. ¡°The most important moment in my life was the time I spent in the barracks, where firearms were not as advanced as they are now, and people relied on swords, spears, bows, and crossbows in their hands. However, a person¡¯s energy is limited, and it¡¯s tough to choose another when you¡¯ve chosen one. Those with swords and spears would be shot at from a distance by bows and crossbows. Therefore, the secret technique ¡®Charge¡¯ became an essential skill for those wielding melee weapons, and different schools were developed from it.¡± ¡°What I have left for (after smudging out, it was written again) you, Jason, is the most original version; it will not conflict with your Night Watcher¡¯s strength, in fact, it can even y a certain supportive role.¡± ¡°Of course, this goes for Whirlwind Dance as well.¡± ¡°However, Whirlwind Dance requires more skill and practice, but I believe you can definitely ovee it.¡± The text had been recorded with precision, letting Jason breathe a sigh of relief. He had always been worried that ¡°Charge¡± and ¡°Whirlwind Dance¡± were techniques he would be unable to learn.
But now, he had no more misgivings. However, Jason did not rush to make contact but continued to read further. ¡°Glory Strike!¡± ¡°This is not only a part of the knightly profession but can also be considered the most important aspect of all warrior professions (at least, that¡¯s what I think). Without it, the entire profession is iplete.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not a secret technique!¡± ¡°It is a ritual!¡± ¡°What you need is not just practice and setting up the process of the ritual, but also understanding.¡± ¡°Understanding what honor means to you!¡± ¡°Here¡¯s a reminder: Have you ever fought to the death for someone?¡± ¡°If so, write it down.¡± ¡°Go and understand it.¡± ¡°Though it may not be honor, it is very close.¡±
The following records were on how to practice ¡°Charge¡± and ¡°Whirlwind Dance,¡± as well as how to set up the ritual of ¡°Glory Strike,¡± quite intricate. Even the ¡°Charge,¡± described by the old knight as the simplest secret technique, spanned over a dozen pages. Jason was sure that it would require reading and studying each word, one by one. After all, the books left by the old knight were not ¡°secret technique scrolls,¡± so he couldn¡¯t use the satiation to learn quickly. Of course, there was a ¡°secret technique scroll¡± for the sh Technique. Jason chose to study it immediately. [Condition met, do you wish to consume 1 point of satiation to learn the secret technique? Yes/No] ¡°Yes!¡± Following his affirmative response, detailed information about the sh Technique appeared in front of Jason. [sh Technique (Basic): To perform it only requires a simple Dufol Language syblebined with two hand gestures, which is why it became an entrance secret technique for many schools and forces, and also gradually became a kind of test; Effect: Consumes a little physical strength to create a dazzling bright light in the palm of the hand, causing blindness damage to any creature using eyesight within a 3-meter radius.] ¡­ Unlike the strange phenomena that urred when learning other secret techniques,
[sh Technique] only presented a simple Dufol Language letter: Bi. Though it was branded onto his heart in the next moment, Jason hardly felt anything, as if it had never happened. Moreover, [sh Technique] only required 2 points to upgrade from basic to beginner level, just like an ordinary skill. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s an introductory, most harmless secret technique.¡± Looking at the introduction and the cost for the next level of [sh Technique], Jason couldn¡¯t help sighing. However, Jason would never underestimate any secret technique For he knew well that every secret technique has a specific purpose. When each secret technique advanced to a higher level, there naturally came greater changes. Therefore¡­ He had saved up more satiety, just in case. ¡°sh Technique¡±, a touch was enough! Start with the easy, then proceed to the difficult.
After quickly learning the ¡°sh Technique¡± using the satiety, Jason nced at the sun that had fully risen above the horizon. In the glow of the sunrise, the already ripe wheat looked even more golden, several scarecrows stood erect, dutifully fulfilling their responsibilities, farmers had begun to patrol their fields, and further afield, hunters had already teamed up and set out. Bustling with vibrant life. A far cry from the gloom and bizarre atmosphere of the night. Jason raised his hand topletely extinguish the kerosenemp, adjusted his sitting position, and stretched his bent legs out on the lion-fur rug, leaning against the side of the carriage so he could rxpletely. Then, he continued to flip through the book gifted by the old nobleman, which he held in his hands. He began to study the contents in detail, as he had previously nned. From sunrise to sunset. From country paths to bustling cities. For three consecutive days, Jason did not leave the carriage except for necessary activities like eating. This made Coachman Peters admire him, while also doubting his initial assumptions once again. From what he knew about ¡®Bear Tower¡¯, aside from some of the older members, most found it hard to study books, while those from ¡®Snake Pit¡¯ loved reading.
Just as the people from ¡®Wolf Fortress¡¯ loved to y cards. This had almost be an important proof for identifying each other. Of course, everyone hides. Especially in this era where gunpowder is on the rise, and schools are in decline. If one does not know how to hide¡­ It truly is a disaster waiting to happen. ¡°Maybe this is also a form of hiding?¡± ¡°Of Griffin Camp origin.¡± ¡°Hiding ¡®Bear Tower¡¯ background, and at the same time, books could make people overlook ¡®Bear Tower¡¯.¡± ¡°Because nobody would associate book reading with the once ¡®Mad Bears¡¯.¡± Peters spected in his heart. Then he did not forget his responsibilities as a coachman. ¡°Sir, we will reach Taor by the afternoon,¡± he said. ¡°We need to replenish water and food.¡± ¡°The carriage needs cleaning and the horses require at least a half-day¡¯splete rest.¡± Peters knocked on the small window behind him to inform Jason. ¡°All right.¡± He left the professional matters to the professional; after three days of acquaintance, Jason had already affirmed that Peters was apetent coachman. Although he might have some secrets, who in this world did not have secrets? Not to mention him, an ¡®outsider¡¯ who had just taken up the position of ¡®Secret Keeper¡¯. With Jason¡¯s consent, Peters sped up the carriage. Just as Peters had said, they entered Taor punctually in the afternoon. Under the watchful eyes of the patrolling guards, Peters presented ¡®Delin Carriages¡¯ documentation, and then the carriage passed through the low, semi-circr archway into the cobblestone-paved streets, lined with buildings three to four stories high, with contrasting triangr roofs and chimneys aplenty. Jason¡¯s gaze swept across these buildings, and he couldn¡¯t helpparing them with ¡®Lorde¡¯. Undoubtedly, Lorde was somewhat more prosperous. As for ¡®Nightless City¡¯? Jason would neverpare any city to that location. Because that ce was just ¡®too terrible¡¯. A hopeless case. If possible, he really did not want to return. Jason couldn¡¯t help butment. But at that moment, a strange sound suddenly reached Jason¡¯s ears. It was¡­ Chapter 100: 11 Rest? Chapter 100: Chapter 11 Rest? The sound of the de tearing through the air reached Jason¡¯s ears!
It wasn¡¯t aimed at him. But rather at¡­ Behind the carriage, near the city gates. Jason instinctively looked back and immediately saw a figure cloaked in a grey-ck cloak leap down from above the city gate and thrust the de in their hand into the body of a patrol soldier. Thump! ¡°Ahh!¡±
The patrol soldier¡¯s abrupt, short scream came to a sudden halt, and the figure holding the de picked up the corpse, lifting it over their head as if disying a trophy, and shouted out loud, ¡°Revival Society!¡± ¡°Indestructible!¡± After shouting these words, the figure threw down the body of the patrol soldier and ran towards the outskirts of Taor City. Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Just as the figure was about to run out of the city gates, the remaining soldiers finally reacted. ¡°Fire! Fire!¡± A soldier in a guardhouse next to the city gate charged out, shouting loudly. All the soldiers lifted their flintlock rifles, proficiently bit open the paper cartridges, poured part of the gunpowder into the pan, and stuffed the remaining gunpowder and the bullets down the barrel with a ramrod. In about 20 seconds, all the soldiers hadpleted this action. Then, they aimed at the fleeing figure and pulled the triggers. Bang, bang, bang!
A hail of bullets engulfed the figure like raindrops. Perhaps the uracy of a flintlock rifle at a certain range makes a direct hit on a targeted subject impossible, but when ten, twenty flintlock rifles fire at the same time, the area saturation drastically increases the ¡®hit rate¡¯. Just like this time. The figure, already around two hundred meters out, was directly struck down to the ground. The soldiers, with bays fixed on their rifles, quickly surrounded the fallen person. The person on the ground did not die immediately. When the soldiers closed in, the figure rolled up but the limp in their step sealed their fate. However, it seemed as if they didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°Revival Society!¡± ¡°Indestructible!¡± Shouting this slogan, the man swung his long sword and charged at the soldiers. Bang, bang, bang! Another round of intense shooting.
This time, the power of the bullets was not decreased by the distance like before. The short distance of less than 10 meters allowed the flintlock rifles to unleash their maximum power. The man fell straight to the ground. His body was covered in bullet wounds. Even in death, he never let go of the long sword in his hand. Jason¡¯s vision, three times that of an ordinary person, allowed him to see this scene clearly. Simrly, unlike the surrounding crowd that pushed in, merely to witness the ¡®ident¡¯, Jason was constantly aware of his surroundings. That¡¯s why he was able to see the fleeting sorrow on Coachman Peters¡¯ face. Then came the bewildered and helpless expression. The people around, however, excitedly discussed the Revival Society. ¡°Another madman from the Revival Society!¡± ¡°A bunch of fools who only know about swords!¡±
¡°How can a swordpare to a flintlock gun?¡± ¡°I heard they even reject steam engines, thinking horses are the best!¡± ¡°A group of ignorant fools!¡± The discussions allowed Jason to quickly understand the nature of this organization known as the ¡®Revival Society¡¯. They idealized everything from before the advent of gunpowder weapons. They rejected any organizations associated with steam engines and such things. They acted radically and bloodily. And the members were¡­ Proficient! Just like the assassin who just created a bloodbath, whether it was their leap from a height for the assassination or the speed of their escape, they had reached the limit of a normal person. Such feats would be impossible without years of effective training. But faced with a group of equally trained gunmen, even if their training was less than one-tenth of his own, he was still no match. s!
A low sigh emanated from the mouth of Coachman Peters. Then, the coachman began to quicklypose himself. He hadn¡¯t noticed that Jason had been watching him all along. ¡°Sir, we need to speed up now.¡± Peters, reverting to his usual coachman demeanor, said. ¡°Alright.¡± Jason said as he settled back into the carriage. Crack! With the sound of the whip, the carriage made its way through the streets of Taor. The cobblestone pavement had been worn smooth long ago, apart from some minor gaps outlining its edges, it was unrecognizable from its original form. The carriage rode over it with not the slightest jolt. When turning onto the main street of Taor, the stone pavement became even more even, but the buildings on both sides appeared increasingly ¡®cramped.¡¯ The one and two-story structures were the brick and stone buildings Jason was ustomed to, but from the third story upward, they were wooden constructions, and it seemed, in order to erge ¡®rooms,¡¯ the ¡®walls¡¯ of these wooden buildings almost jutted out past the brick ones, giving an impression of being top-heavy. Furthermore, in some spots, there were wooden nks no more than 30 centimeters wide forming makeshift ¡®sky bridges.¡¯
This was something Jason hadn¡¯t seen in ¡®Lorde.¡¯ ¡®Lorde¡¯ was crowded too, but it was remarkably well-nned. In contrast, Taor gave Jason a sense of disorder. Nevertheless, it was still brimming with life. Looking up at people traversing the ¡®sky bridges,¡¯ aside from worrying about someone falling and hitting him, he didn¡¯t have to worry about much else. The carriage finally stopped at the end of the main street, in front of a shop named ¡®Char¡¯s Coach House.¡¯ A sign simr to that of ¡®Delin¡¯s Coach House¡¯ signified the ¡®Alliance¡¯ between the two. As soon as Peters handed over the proof from ¡®Delin¡¯s Coach House¡¯ to Char¡¯s establishment¡¯s proprietor, Jason was immediately greeted warmly by the somewhat portly owner. ¡°In the afternoon, one naturally requires afternoon tea.¡± The portly proprietor brought over a tray filled with pastries and fruit as he spoke. Unlike the two-tiered trays Jason had seen in Jidanlen, the tray from Taor not only had three levels, but the topmostyer also had a bowl-like container holding a single pudding. The caramel sauce was poured over the pudding, and two silver spoons were ced on either side. The middle and bottom tiers did not differ from what Jason had seen before, holding biscuits and fruit. ¡°How much sugar and milk would you like?¡± The portly proprietor asked Jason while carrying the sugar bowl and teapot. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Just in tea will be fine.¡± Jason replied to the proprietor. The portly proprietor promptly poured Jason a cup of in tea and then sat opposite him, eating and chatting. The proprietor was undoubtedly a talkative and genial man. Even without input from Jason, he could go on animatedly. ¡°You came from Jidanlen, did you hear about Morson¡¯s Circus?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve really had some bad luck, not only did a lion suddenly go berserk and kill someone, but that same lion disappeared afterward.¡± ¡°The man in charge of Morson¡¯s Circus had to leave a considerable deposit before he could leave Jidanlen.¡± ¡°However, their performance in Taor was quite sessful.¡± ¡°Though Morson is a bastard, precisely because he¡¯s a bastard, he always finds a way out of a crisis.¡± As Jason listened to the proprietor¡¯s recounting, he subconsciously thought of his own lion skin rug. Veryfortable, very warm, it was an excellentpanion for reading. At this moment, the proprietor suddenly nced around, leaned in closer, and lowered his voice, saying: ¡°I heard that bastard Morson has started worshipping the Evil God in secret to make a fortune!¡± ¡°That poor girl who was bitten to death was a sacrifice!¡± ¡°And¡­ ¡± ¡°He ns to sacrifice even more!¡± The proprietor¡¯s voice grew increasingly somber. And even took on an oddly hoarse quality. But the proprietor himself hadn¡¯t noticed this oddity. Simrly, he hadn¡¯t noticed that something was beginning to appear gradually on his own face¡­ Livor mortis! Chapter 101: 12: Black Cat (Fat Dragon asks for subscriptions~~) Chapter 101: Chapter 12: ck Cat (Fat Dragon asks for subscriptions~~) Livid mortis, Jason had seen it before. More than once, in fact. But! This was the first time he had seen it on a ¡®living¡¯ person! ording tomon sense, this was impossible. Yet, if corpses could e back to life,¡¯ what else was impossible? Without a hint of panic, Jason just sat there quietly in his seat, silently listening as the fat boss, blooming with corpse spots before his eyes, recounted everything about the ¡®Morson Circus.¡¯ Starting from Morson making his fortune from a bag of gold he stumbled upon by ident, to bullying dwarves within his circus¡ªit seemed like the fat boss knew everything there was to know about Morson. And as he described Morson more and more, the corpse spots on the fat boss¡¯s face also increased. Until¡­ Decay!
Pieces of rotten flesh just fell from his face, dropping onto the table, falling into the teacup. The fat boss, with half of his face rotten, seemingly felt thirsty and casually picked up the cup of tea from the table and drained it. Naturally, the rotten flesh from the teacup that belonged to him was swallowed down by him. He didn¡¯t just swallow it directly but chewed several times before swallowing. Then, as if the fat boss had discovered an iparable delicacy, he tore a strip of rotten flesh from his face and extended it towards Jason, saying, ¡°Tastes good, you want to try?¡± Jason looked at the rotten flesh that was close at hand. The stench of decay had already reached his nose. But Jason waspletely indifferent. Not only was his heart undisturbed, but he also felt likeughing a bit. Because¡­ He smelled food. Beneath the covering stench of decay, the scent of food became increasingly distinct. He just stared at the fat boss. Then, unhurriedly, he took out the ¡®Winchester Brothers¡¯ and aimed at the empty space beside him, pulling the trigger. Bang! The cluster of bullets fired from the muzzle, like stones thrown into ake, created ripples. And then the scene before him shattered instantaneously! The fat boss, who had been holding the rotten flesh, was already fast asleep on the table. The busy workers were also sprawled out here and there, having sumbed to sleep. After scanning the room, Jason then looked to the position beside him. There was a¡­ cicada!
A cicada the size of a fist was curled up at that moment, emitting an enticing fragrance. Deep-fried! Upon seeing the cicada, the first thing that popped into Jason¡¯s mind were the cooking methods. What could be more delicious than deep-fried cicadas?
Naturally, with a bit of cumin and chili powder sprinkled on top. However, now was not the time. Jason, with considerable willpower, restrained his appetite, then picked up this unexpected food and stuffed it into his pocket before heading towards the backyard. There is no hatred without reason. Nor is there love without reason. Simrly, there is also no ¡®attack¡¯ without reason. Everything has its cause. In the backyard, next to the parked carriage, Coachman Peters was confronting a person dressed in a gray-ck cloak. ¡°I can¡¯t go back,¡± Peters said. ¡°My sword will never be drawn against innocent people.¡± Peters shook his head. A simple sentence, but it directly struck a nerve in the person wearing the cloak. ¡°Innocent people?¡±
¡°You call those people innocent?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten how ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ was destroyed?¡± the cloaked person yelled angrily. This person grabbed Peters by the cor and shouted even louder: ¡°Do I need to remind you?¡± ¡°It was bombarded continuously with more than a hundred cannons for several hours.¡± ¡°That ce we called ¡®home¡¯ was obliterated right before our eyes, and even the ¡®ck Cat¡¯ herself died in that battle trying to protect us.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°You, the damn sessor appointed by ¡®ck Cat¡¯, turned into a coward!¡± With anger reaching its peak, the man punched Peters in the face. Bang! Peters copsed to the ground. Then, with no intention of getting up, he justy there t, suggesting he would absolutely not fight back. ¡°Get up!¡±
¡°Coward!¡± ¡°Draw your sword, I want to duel with you!¡± ¡°I want to take back the title of ¡®ck Cat¡¯!¡± The man drew his short sword. But Peters remained as he was before. This fueled the man¡¯s rage to its limit, and he thrust the short sword straight at Peters¡¯ throat. Both swift and fierce. However, just as the tip of the sword touched Peters¡¯ throat, it stopped. The man, sword in hand and eyes hidden beneath the hood of his hat, red at Peters. Looking at Peters, who was the picture of calm, the man¡¯s anger peaked. He was about to stab his short sword to the side, but at that moment, he felt as if he noticed something. Just now, his ¡°little bug¡± had lost contact. Subconsciously, the man looked towards the front hall.
A tall, robust figure entered his view. Step, step step. Watching the leisurely pace, the man already furious to the extreme, instantly found a better target to vent his anger. Whoosh! Agile as a cat, the man flipped over andnded behind Jason, his short sword piercing straight toward Jason¡¯s back. ¡°Stop!¡± Peters, who had just appeared serene, flipped to his feet and roared. But it had no effect whatsoever. On the contrary, after hearing Peters¡¯ words, the man¡¯s short sword sped up even more. Ignoring the short sword aimed at his back, Jason drew his broad-ded short-handled cleaver and turned with a sh. The man with the short sword flipped over with agility and dodged Jason¡¯s sh, and then, he thrust his sword again toward Jason¡¯s back. Jason? He remained the same. Given that he was sufficiently well-fed, against an opponent who was faster and more agile than himself, Jason would certainly not choose a second mode ofbat. The man with the short sword flipped over once more with agility. However, this time, the man with the short sword did not attack Jason again. Instead, after creating some distance, he observed Jason with a look of doubtful astonishment. Tall, robust. A reckless fighting style. That¡¯s right! It must be¡­ ¡°¡®Bear Tower¡¯!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect someone from ¡®Bear Tower¡¯ to have survived.¡± ¡°Peters¡­¡± ¡°Is this your n?¡± The man with the short sword said with certainty. A n? What n do I have? Howe I don¡¯t know about it? Peters was taken aback. But before Peters could even speak, the man with the short sword went on, ¡°I admit we¡¯ve chosen different paths, but I don¡¯t think your choice is better than mine. I will continue down my path, and you? Keep the title of ¡®ck Cat¡¯ for yourself¡ªI certainly won¡¯t recognize it!¡± Then, the man with the short sword turned to look at Jason. ¡°Sorry, warrior of Bear Tower!¡± ¡°I apologize for my rashness!¡± ¡°I hope that the next time we meet, we can share a drink in happiness, let the ¡®little bug¡¯ bepensation.¡± After speaking, the man with the short sword leapt up to the big tree in the courtyard and, with a few bounds,pletely disappeared from sight. Jason was left there, frowning. ¡®Bear Tower¡¯! He heard the term once again. ¡°He¡­¡± ¡°Is he crazy?¡± After a moment of silence, Jason asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just young and overthinking,¡± replied Peters, shaking his head. Then, the two fell into silence. Neither Jason nor Peters were talkative. About a minute or twoter, Peters thought he ought to say something. But just as Peters was about to speak, Jason¡¯s nostrils began to re repeatedly. Peters was stunned. The next moment! A faint sound reached Peters¡¯ ears. Suddenly, the coachman with the concealed identity¡¯s face went pale. Chapter 102: 13: Melody (Fat Dragon asks for subscriptions ~ asks for monthly tickets ~) Chapter 102: Chapter 13: Melody (Fat Dragon asks for subscriptions ~ asks for monthly tickets ~) It was a mesmerizing melody. Upon hearing it, one could not help but listen intently. But for Peters, it was as dreadful as snakes and scorpions! ¡°Block your ears!¡± After yelling at Jason, Peters tore off strips of his clothing to plug his ears, then turned around to quickly harness the horses to the carriage. They had to leave immediately! Otherwise, they would all die! He had never imagined that he would encounter such a terrifying existence in Taor. Or rather¡­ He had never imagined that such a terrifying existence was still alive! ording to rumors, the other party should have died.
It was precisely because of that death that the ending of the previous era had gradually begun, but¡­ what now? Doubts continuously emerged in Peters¡¯s mind. But his actions became even swifter. Jason was equally quick. Pulling out an ice hockey mask from his chest, he put it on and walked straight out. Peters¡¯s reaction told him that Taor was incredibly dangerous at this moment. But¡­ The aroma of food kept prating his nose. A sense of hunger rose from his stomach. Spreading continuously. Roaring non-stop. All of this told him¡ª He, could not give up, these foods! As for danger? Where in the world could one gain without working? Every opportunity, when wasn¡¯t it apanied by danger? If one always shrank away at the sign of danger, then one day there would be nowhere to retreat!
Moreover, he was already luckier than most people! Jason nced at his remaining 8-point satiety. ¡°Two and a half lives, huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±
With that thought, Jason also touched the unprocessed food, and thest bit of hesitation in his heart vanished without a trace. The sound of footsteps made Peters look up. Watching the determined and unyielding figure, the fake coachman evidently misunderstood something. ¡°Jason,e back!¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t save them!¡± Peters shouted loudly. ¡°Meet outside the city gate.¡± With no time for further exnations, Jason sprinted towards the first ce where the scent of food wasing from. It was a shop some distance from the ¡®Cat Hole Carriage Service¡¯, seemingly a tailor¡¯s shop. As Jason rushed in, he saw the ¡®zombified¡¯ customers and shop owner. However, after firing a shot in the direction where the food scent was strongest, everything before him disappeared. Just like inside the ¡®Cat Hole Carriage Service¡¯, the customers and shop owner in the tailor¡¯s shop ally unconscious. Jason bent down to pick up a fist-sized cicada-like creature and put it into his pocket.
Such cicada-like creatures, which could invisibly affect people and draw them into ¡®dream-like hallucinations¡¯, were undoubtedly terrifying. But as long as one could find where the real body was, the level of danger would plummet. Because the main body of these cicada-like monsters had no attack power to speak of, and their defense was just average. Simply put, as long as one could slightly resist this ¡®dream-like hallucination¡¯ and find the location of the cicada-like monster¡¯s main body, victory was yours. And for Jason, this was really too simple. The persistent aroma entering his nose clearly indicated to Jason where the food was! The third one! The fourth one! On the street where ¡®Cat Hole Carriage Service¡¯ was located, Jason found four cicada-like monsters. This brought a sense of satisfaction from the bottom of Jason¡¯s heart. How could the taste of frying just one cicadapare to frying a whole pot? After these cicada-like monsters perished, the unconscious people began to wake up one after another. Waking up from the nightmare, they looked at each other in bewilderment.
Then, their gazes were involuntarily drawn to Jason. With his tall, robust figure and the ice hockey mask, Jason was too eye-catching. By this time, Peters had already rushed out with the carriage. He looked at the people awakening from the nightmare with bewilderment in their eyes, sighing in his heart. Because he knew that even though these people had woken up, the chances of them surviving were slim. ¡®Little bugs¡¯ were just an embellishment. What was really at work was¡­ That person! That person he thought of was enough to send shivers down his spine! But as he watched the tall figure running ahead, Peters felt he should do something. The next moment¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Then run fast!¡±
A shrill voice echoed from Peters¡¯ mouth. When this voice erupted, even Peters was a bit stunned. Then, he chuckled mockingly at himself. Indeed, a coward! A weakling who just went with the flow! It was only after being moved that he dared to impulsively shout. And then¡ª ¡°Run fast!¡± ¡°Head outside the city!¡± As Peters urged his horse-drawn carriage to run towards the outskirts of Taor, he shouted at the top of his lungs. Since he had already shouted once, Why not see it through to the end? Even if doing so was of no use, looking at the figure running ahead, he couldn¡¯t ignore it any longer and had no excuse not to act. Previously, he could excuse himself with ¡®No one else is stepping forward, why should you?¡¯ But now? With no excuse to shirk responsibility, he might as well go all in! Jason, thank you! With gratitude from the bottom of his heart, Peters stood up from the driver¡¯s seat, one hand pulling the reins, the other drawing his short sword. Exiting the city was not easy. Then¡­ He would carve out a path for everyone! ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ ck cat, Entering the battle! ¡­ Some people hesitated, some frowned. But there were always quick-witted ones among the people! Indeed, those who could own a shop in the busier areas of Taor were certainly above average, and they quickly realized something was amiss. Quiet! Taor was too quiet! Even though it was the afternoon, Taor should be bustling! Instead of the current silence, there should be noise! Immediately, these people no longer hesitated and began to run. When one person took the lead, others followed. Soon, everyone started running. Jason did not pay attention to this; he turned and arrived at the most bustling street in Taor. ¡®Escher Street¡¯! That was the name on the sign at the corner of the road. And this street was filled with an aroma twice as intense as the one at ¡®Char Carriage Firm¡¯. What surprised Jason even more was that this doubled intensity of the aroma was bursting out from a single point. Undoubtedly, this must be a ¡®core¡¯! Naturally, the danger level was also skyrocketing. In fact, as soon as Jason appeared at the mouth of this street, that low and soft melody that seemed to drop from the sky abruptly increased by several decibels. Even stuffing his ears had no effect. Instantly, Jason, who was moving forward, stopped in his tracks. His body stiffened as he stood there. The breath of lifepletely dissipated at that moment. With Jason¡¯s ¡®death,¡¯ the wonderful melody returned to normal. But, At the next moment! Jason was revived! He charged at the center of the street again. This time, Jason¡¯s speed was much faster than before, like an arrow released from a bow, and an invisible momentum surged around him, as ifmanding the charge of thousands of troops¡­ That¡¯s right! Charge! It was one of the secret techniques left by the old knight: Charge! Although it was not fully mastered, it was enough. In a breath, Jason reached the epicenter of the aroma, and unable topletely control the secret technique, he uncontrobly collided with the food explosion point. Immediately, ripplesyered through the air. A cicada-like monster, almost human height, was knocked down by Jason, its back caving in from the tremendous impact, twitching a few times before falling silent. The wonderful melody from the sky paused momentarily, As if caught off guard by the scene before it. The sound paused. But Jason did not pause. He scooped up the cicada-like monster and turned to run. Chapter 103: 14: Attraction (Fat Dragon asks for subscriptions ~ asks for monthly tickets ~) Chapter 103: Chapter 14: Attraction (Fat Dragon asks for subscriptions ~ asks for monthly tickets ~) Charge! It was still that iplete and unmastered version of charge. Although Jason could only initiate it without retracting, at this moment, he couldn¡¯t care less about those details¡ªhe needed to leave Ash Street as quickly as possible. Thud thud thud! In the midst of his boots stomping violently against the ground, Jason¡¯s body carried a whirlwind, almost instantly arriving at the street corner. But at that time, the being that was either manipting or perhaps ying the melody finally came to its senses. Anger! It was the kind of fury thates from being yed for a fool and then being violently embarrassed! One could say it was a genuine,plete rage, which was why when the melody rose again, it was even higher than before. In the midst of his charge, Jason felt his thoughts freeze again. Just now, Jason had already experienced this once.
And when it happened again, he still had no room to resist. Even worse, in fact. Because the ¡®charge¡¯ had been terminated! His blood went from boiling to stillness, almost instantlypleting the shift from extreme motion to extreme stillness. Thump thump thump, Jason¡¯s temples kept throbbing, his heart beating rapidly like an engine, and then, reaching its limit, it burst! Notifications appeared¡ª [Suffering a lethal attack¡­] [Consuming satiety to heal¡­] [3 points of satiety consumed!] [Complete healing done!] ¡­ The words in front of his eyes flickered again. With the flickering of the words, Jason, whose Qi-Blood had been tumultuous and heart had burst, came back to life again. All difort vanished at that moment. However, the melody was still ying. Looking at the remaining 2 points of satiety and feeling his thoughts about to freeze again, Jason, who was a bit averse to eating raw, couldn¡¯t care about these trivialities anymore and directly bit into the big whatever was in his embrace. A smooth, slightly sweet liquid poured directly into Jason¡¯s mouth. Instinctively, Jason began to swallow. It seemed¡­
The taste of eating it raw was also pretty good? And the big whatever, as its juices were being sucked dry, promptly withered away. More text appeared in front of Jason¡¯s eyes. [Consumed mature nightmare creature]
[Physical Strength and Energy significantly restored!] [Satiety +25] [Satiety: 27] [Excitement of Feast +1] [Excitement of Feast: 3] ¡­ Jason didn¡¯t wait to read the details as his thoughts truly froze. With his thoughts frozen and body stiff, Jason¡¯s life signs ceased. Death, as expected, arrived once again. Just like another ¡®resurrection¡¯ would follow. The next moment, Jason came back to life. He continued to take steps forward. But as his foot fell, death descended upon him once more.
And then, he was alive again. Death and resurrection cycled repeatedly. Like two sides of the same coin, twin siblings. But more like¡­ An ouroboros. Bizarre strands, because of the continuous transitions from life to death, slowly began to emerge. Very subtle. Jason¡¯s perception, more than three times that of an ordinary person, could not detect it. But the yer did. The other immediately became anxious. The yer did not want to be singled out. Nor did it want Jason to escape. The next moment!
The beautiful melody changed. It became high-pitched and sharp. Jason, who was originally able to move two or three steps before facing death, now seemed like the protagonist in an old videotape experiencing a tape jam, moving in fits and starts, stopping and starting again. Each time was a switch between death and rebirth. Jason was only a step away from making it out of Asher Street. But that one step seemed insurmountable, like a chasm that was impossible to cross. Jason was dying faster now, his satiety that had just recovered to double digits was in rapid decline. Looking at the nearly depleted satiety, Jason raised his hand to the pocket containing therval ¡°Nightmare Worms.¡± Just as Jason was about to replenish his satiety, The melody stopped. It didn¡¯t disappear! It was just that the part targeting him was gone! The melody became beautiful and melodious once again, seemingly bringing a hint of sleepiness. Jason barely listened for a moment before he felt drowsiness pulling him towards sleep.
He pinched his arm firmly, driving away the sleepiness. Once awake, Jason nced at his feet, which were already outside Asher Street, and turned to run towards the edge of the town. His nose still caught the faint scenting from behind. But Jason had no intention of searching further. Because he could feel the presence of something that made him shudder looking in this direction. He had felt this pressure before. In Lorde. On Pea Street. He had felt simr pressure. So he knew very well what he should do at this moment. While sprinting, Jason nced at his satiety, which had plummeted to zero in less than a minute. A trace of lingering fear crossed the face beneath Jason¡¯s hockey mask. But upon seeing the ¡®Excitement of Feast¡¯ reach 3, Jason confirmed it was worth it. Moreover, he still had satiety left! Feeling the fiverval ¡°Nightmare Worms¡± in his pocket, Jason ran even faster. Then, he saw the corpses. They were piled up near the city gate, d in grey-ck cloaks. There were five in total. Beneath the cloaks, the faces were of varying ages but all filled with astonishment. There was only one wound: the throat! The cuts were smooth and precise, not a fraction deeper or shallower, just enough to sever the major artery. ¡°Peters, huh?¡± After a quick nce over the wounds, Jason¡¯s form didn¡¯t pause. He had seen Peters¡¯s dagger before, and it perfectly matched the wounds. And when he saw Peters standing with a sword just outside the city gate, it further confirmed his suspicion. Around Peters, two more figures dressed like members of the ¡®Revival Society¡¯y fallen. Further away, many people were running, fleeing for their lives. These were the people who had just narrowly escaped death. ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± Without a word more, Peters opened the carriage door. Jason got straight into the carriage. Then¡ª Crack! With the crack of the whip, the carriage sprinted away. Just as the carriage surged up a hill, the ground suddenly trembled. Boom! The muffled sound was like an earthquake. Then, a white curtain of light descended from the sky. A figure ying a flute appeared in that light, surrounded by countless people. That beautiful melody once again reached the ears of Jason and Peters. Only this time, although the melody was melodious, it lost its deadly attraction. But that was only for Jason and Peters. To those gathered around the flutist, they were already hopelessly entranced. So much so that when the blurry figure of the flutist turned to leave, they mindlessly followed. Their silhouettes became more distant on the curtain of light. The figures grew smaller and smaller. Eventually, they disappeared. That curtain of light also faded more and more, vanishing like dissipating fog. But at that moment, the blurred figure of the flutist reappeared. With an image gigantic in size. The entire figure engulfed the screen. Then, It tilted its head slightly, looking down at¡­ Jason! Chapter 105: 16 Dark Guardian (Five updates for subscription~ Request for monthly passes~) Chapter 105: Chapter 16 Dark Guardian (Five updates for subscription~ Request for monthly passes~) In that ce, dust filled the air and warhorses thundered across thend. A group of about a dozen people was swiftly approaching. They wore uniforms simr to Taor¡¯s soldiers, but their weapons were not standard issue; they were a motley assortment, including both melee weapons and firearms, with one or two individuals carrying several different weapons. However, this did not mean that these people were a ragtag force. On the contrary, each of them exuded an extremely ferocious aura, giving Jason a sensation of subtle pressure, especially the leader of the group whose nce alone made the hairs on Jason¡¯s back stand on end. ¡°Huh!¡± The leader reined in his warhorse. The man was in his thirties with long hair, very muscr, with shoulders about half wider than an average person¡¯s when viewed from the front, especially those arms which, even within bespoke clothing, looked tight and strained. The hands holding the reins were massive, resting on the neck of the warhorse as though he could casually strangle the animal with a slight squeeze. The man looked at Jason and Peters with an examining gaze. At this moment, Jason had already removed his hockey mask, revealing a face that should have been youthful but appeared markedly mature.
After a brief scan of Jason¡¯s face, the stranger focused his attention on Peters. He lingered particrly on the short sword at Peters¡¯ waist. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked. ¡°Travelers heading to ¡®Hans¡¯ port, my lord.¡± ¡°I am the driver and bodyguard.¡± Peters responded, showing his own ID along with the proof from ¡®Delin Carriage Services¡¯, then introduced Jason. ¡°This gentleman is my employer, Jason.¡± ¡°He is an outstanding graduate from Jadanren Griffin Camp.¡± ¡°Griffin Camp?¡± ¡°Jason?¡± The interrogator did not look at the credentials Peters was holding but rather stared at Jason in surprise as if trying to recall something. After about two or three seconds, he finally remembered a name. ¡°Daller!¡± ¡°You are Daller¡¯s student!¡± ¡°He has mentioned you to me and highly rmended you. I¡¯ve seen your photograph and transcript.¡± Upon recalling the name ¡®Daller¡¯, the burly man before them cracked a smile. ¡°Taor ¡®Dark Guardian¡¯ Captain, Kronin.¡± He introduced himself and then, very directly, the self-proimed ¡®Dark Guardian¡¯ Captain asked, ¡°Jason, can you tell me what has happened in Taor?¡± ¡°Attack!¡±
¡°It must have been the ¡®Revival Society¡¯ that attacked Taor!¡± ¡°They used some unknown method to put everyone in the city to sleep.¡± ¡°Then, a wonderful melody appeared!¡± At that moment, Jason managed to disy a fleeting look of terror on his face.
He was like a greenhorn facing unpredictable dangers, desperately holding on. ¡°What happened next?¡± Kronin continued to inquire. ¡°Next, a light curtain appeared along with a person ying a flute, leading everyone to disappear.¡± ¡°Then, suddenly, a giant appeared on the curtain. This giant seemed to be swinging his fists at someone; I searched but found no target, just whispers in my ears.¡± ¡°I wanted to hear clearly what was being said, but the more I tried, the worse I felt. I still have a splitting headache, and I don¡¯t even remember Daller, whom you mentioned should be my teacher.¡± ¡°May I ask what¡¯s wrong with me?¡± After finishing, Jason looked anxiously at Kronin. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± The previously smiling Kronin instantly became indifferent, saying dismissively, and without giving Jason another nce, he spurred his reins, and the entire ¡®Dark Guardian¡¯ group set off again, charging toward Taor. Jason watched the ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ disappear with astonishment. It was only after watching the ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ enter Taor that he returned to his usual expressionless demeanor. A simple probe.
He would not believe that a so-called ¡®Dark Guardian¡¯ Captain, who had been ¡®easily diverted¡¯, would be a friendly elder. That¡¯s right! Diverted! The sudden ¡®Revival Society¡¯ assassin who appeared as they were entering Taor was not there to die! If there had been no subsequent events, Jason would have thought it was a ¡°performative¡± suicide. But what about the follow-up? That turned into the beginning of the event. The assassin from the Revival Society must have been carrying some secret capable of luring away the Dark Guardians who guard Taor City. Not all of them! Just a part was enough for the Revival Society¡¯s next n. But what the Revival Society didn¡¯t expect was that Kronin took the entire force of Dark Guardians with him. Jason was very certain of this. If he had left some people behind, there was no way the Revival Society could have taken control of the entire Taor so quietly. With his perception, he would definitely have noticed something off.
But nothing happened! This was enough to prove that the ¡°secret¡± was sufficiently tempting and dangerous. Tempting enough for Kronin to risk everything on a gamble. Dangerous enough that Kronin, just to be safe, had to take everyone with him. Of course! It was also possible that Kronin took everyone to keep the secret safe. But no matter what it was, Kronin¡¯s effort was all in vain. He not only failed to obtain anything, he likely faced pressure from Golsai. However, this had nothing to do with him. He was just a traveler going to ¡°visit rtives.¡± He would not take any excessive actions on his own. If Kronin really wanted to do something to him¡­ He wouldn¡¯t mind ¡°giving out sweets¡± again.
Sigh! Peters, standing to the side, couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief when he saw Jason¡¯s expression return to normal. He was really worried that Jason would admit to being a student of the so-called Daller. Once admitted, a fight to the death would be inevitable. ¡°Bone Crusher¡± Kronin was not someone with a kind heart. In fact, even among the ranks of the Dark Guardians, his reputation was the most notorious. ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± ¡°I think we need to talk.¡± Peters took the initiative to speak. Some things were no longer conceble. As the concealer, he wouldn¡¯t wait for Jason to ask. That would cost him thest bit of dignity. However, Jason just shook his head slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here first,¡± Jason said. The appearance of the Dark Guardians led by Kronin made Jason even more cautious at heart. Not just wary of Kronin. But also¡­ The Revival Society! If he were the nner of the Revival Society, would he easily let go of the Dark Guardians returning after the first phase of the n was sessful? The answer was definite. From the style shown by the Revival Society, they would definitely eliminate the Dark Guardians without exception. So, what would be done? Jason sat in the carriage, and as the carriage started moving again, he thought seriously. For him, explosives were the most direct method. But the Revival Society had a strong aversion to gunpowder. It probably wouldn¡¯t¡­ Boom! Chapter 105: 16 Dark Guardian (Five updates for subscription~ Request for monthly passes~) Chapter 105: Chapter 16 Dark Guardian (Five updates for subscription~ Request for monthly passes~) In that ce, dust filled the air and warhorses thundered across thend. A group of about a dozen people was swiftly approaching. They wore uniforms simr to Taor¡¯s soldiers, but their weapons were not standard issue; they were a motley assortment, including both melee weapons and firearms, with one or two individuals carrying several different weapons. However, this did not mean that these people were a ragtag force. On the contrary, each of them exuded an extremely ferocious aura, giving Jason a sensation of subtle pressure, especially the leader of the group whose nce alone made the hairs on Jason¡¯s back stand on end. ¡°Huh!¡± The leader reined in his warhorse. The man was in his thirties with long hair, very muscr, with shoulders about half wider than an average person¡¯s when viewed from the front, especially those arms which, even within bespoke clothing, looked tight and strained. The hands holding the reins were massive, resting on the neck of the warhorse as though he could casually strangle the animal with a slight squeeze. The man looked at Jason and Peters with an examining gaze. At this moment, Jason had already removed his hockey mask, revealing a face that should have been youthful but appeared markedly mature.
After a brief scan of Jason¡¯s face, the stranger focused his attention on Peters. He lingered particrly on the short sword at Peters¡¯ waist. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked. ¡°Travelers heading to ¡®Hans¡¯ port, my lord.¡± ¡°I am the driver and bodyguard.¡± Peters responded, showing his own ID along with the proof from ¡®Delin Carriage Services¡¯, then introduced Jason. ¡°This gentleman is my employer, Jason.¡± ¡°He is an outstanding graduate from Jadanren Griffin Camp.¡± ¡°Griffin Camp?¡± ¡°Jason?¡± The interrogator did not look at the credentials Peters was holding but rather stared at Jason in surprise as if trying to recall something. After about two or three seconds, he finally remembered a name. ¡°Daller!¡± ¡°You are Daller¡¯s student!¡± ¡°He has mentioned you to me and highly rmended you. I¡¯ve seen your photograph and transcript.¡± Upon recalling the name ¡®Daller¡¯, the burly man before them cracked a smile. ¡°Taor ¡®Dark Guardian¡¯ Captain, Kronin.¡± He introduced himself and then, very directly, the self-proimed ¡®Dark Guardian¡¯ Captain asked, ¡°Jason, can you tell me what has happened in Taor?¡± ¡°Attack!¡±
¡°It must have been the ¡®Revival Society¡¯ that attacked Taor!¡± ¡°They used some unknown method to put everyone in the city to sleep.¡± ¡°Then, a wonderful melody appeared!¡± At that moment, Jason managed to disy a fleeting look of terror on his face.
He was like a greenhorn facing unpredictable dangers, desperately holding on. ¡°What happened next?¡± Kronin continued to inquire. ¡°Next, a light curtain appeared along with a person ying a flute, leading everyone to disappear.¡± ¡°Then, suddenly, a giant appeared on the curtain. This giant seemed to be swinging his fists at someone; I searched but found no target, just whispers in my ears.¡± ¡°I wanted to hear clearly what was being said, but the more I tried, the worse I felt. I still have a splitting headache, and I don¡¯t even remember Daller, whom you mentioned should be my teacher.¡± ¡°May I ask what¡¯s wrong with me?¡± After finishing, Jason looked anxiously at Kronin. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± The previously smiling Kronin instantly became indifferent, saying dismissively, and without giving Jason another nce, he spurred his reins, and the entire ¡®Dark Guardian¡¯ group set off again, charging toward Taor. Jason watched the ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ disappear with astonishment. It was only after watching the ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ enter Taor that he returned to his usual expressionless demeanor. A simple probe.
He would not believe that a so-called ¡®Dark Guardian¡¯ Captain, who had been ¡®easily diverted¡¯, would be a friendly elder. That¡¯s right! Diverted! The sudden ¡®Revival Society¡¯ assassin who appeared as they were entering Taor was not there to die! If there had been no subsequent events, Jason would have thought it was a ¡°performative¡± suicide. But what about the follow-up? That turned into the beginning of the event. The assassin from the Revival Society must have been carrying some secret capable of luring away the Dark Guardians who guard Taor City. Not all of them! Just a part was enough for the Revival Society¡¯s next n. But what the Revival Society didn¡¯t expect was that Kronin took the entire force of Dark Guardians with him. Jason was very certain of this. If he had left some people behind, there was no way the Revival Society could have taken control of the entire Taor so quietly. With his perception, he would definitely have noticed something off.
But nothing happened! This was enough to prove that the ¡°secret¡± was sufficiently tempting and dangerous. Tempting enough for Kronin to risk everything on a gamble. Dangerous enough that Kronin, just to be safe, had to take everyone with him. Of course! It was also possible that Kronin took everyone to keep the secret safe. But no matter what it was, Kronin¡¯s effort was all in vain. He not only failed to obtain anything, he likely faced pressure from Golsai. However, this had nothing to do with him. He was just a traveler going to ¡°visit rtives.¡± He would not take any excessive actions on his own. If Kronin really wanted to do something to him¡­ He wouldn¡¯t mind ¡°giving out sweets¡± again.
Sigh! Peters, standing to the side, couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief when he saw Jason¡¯s expression return to normal. He was really worried that Jason would admit to being a student of the so-called Daller. Once admitted, a fight to the death would be inevitable. ¡°Bone Crusher¡± Kronin was not someone with a kind heart. In fact, even among the ranks of the Dark Guardians, his reputation was the most notorious. ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± ¡°I think we need to talk.¡± Peters took the initiative to speak. Some things were no longer conceble. As the concealer, he wouldn¡¯t wait for Jason to ask. That would cost him thest bit of dignity. However, Jason just shook his head slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here first,¡± Jason said. The appearance of the Dark Guardians led by Kronin made Jason even more cautious at heart. Not just wary of Kronin. But also¡­ The Revival Society! If he were the nner of the Revival Society, would he easily let go of the Dark Guardians returning after the first phase of the n was sessful? The answer was definite. From the style shown by the Revival Society, they would definitely eliminate the Dark Guardians without exception. So, what would be done? Jason sat in the carriage, and as the carriage started moving again, he thought seriously. For him, explosives were the most direct method. But the Revival Society had a strong aversion to gunpowder. It probably wouldn¡¯t¡­ Boom! Chapter 106: 17: Away (Fat Dragon asks for subscriptions ~ asks for monthly tickets ~) Chapter 106: Chapter 17: Away (Fat Dragon asks for subscriptions ~ asks for monthly tickets ~) No need to look back, just the sulfur smell in the air already told Jason what had happened. An explosion! An unprecedented massive explosion! An explosion that tore the Taor ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ to shreds! The carriage stopped again. Jason and Peters stood on top of the carriage, looking towards Taor. Half of Taor had be ruins! The explosion was centered, releasing energy in an instant, transforming into a huge shockwave that left Taor¡¯s city center in ruins. From Jason¡¯s perspective, Taor looked like a bizarre flower, its petals ugly and its core ferocious. It was extremely unsettling to look at. Jason¡¯s face was quite unpleasant. Not because he felt embarrassed about the incorrect prediction just now.
But because¡­ The danger level of the ¡®Revival Society¡¯ made Jason increasingly cautious. An enemy who sticks to the rules is not scary. What is frightening is an enemy that learns to change! And to change in such a way that is hard for the average person to imagine! Jason was certain that before this explosion, no one could have imagined the ¡®Revival Society¡¯ would use explosives. And because of that, they achieved what could be called a perfect victory. Moving out the ordinary people from a city is difficult, but under the premise of being well-prepared, it¡¯s not a difficult task for the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯. However, topletely annihte a ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ guard unit, each member strong, is quite challenging. Because these guards are not only familiar with the ¡®Mystical Side,¡¯ but also have a definite tacit cooperation. If things go south, they will definitely flee. Even if a few are killed, more will escape. Unless a trap is set and the attacking side has an absolute advantage in numbers and strength. But what kind of trap is more suitable than the explosives just now? Easy, simple, and direct. ¡°How, how could¡­ how could this be¡­¡± Peters murmured, lost in thought. His hand involuntarily caressed the hilt of his short sword, his whole body trembling. Peters had quite aplex feeling towards the ¡®Revival Society¡¯. On one hand, he didn¡¯t agree with the ¡®Revival Society¡¯s¡¯ radical methods. On the other hand, he agreed with the ¡®Revival Society¡¯s¡¯mitment to ¡®tradition,¡¯ maintaining the use of cold weapons and bare hands.
But now¡­ The ¡®Revival Society¡¯ had also used gunpowder! Thest bastion in Peters¡¯ heart also started to crumble. ¡°Indeed, ¡®old guys¡¯ like you and me should leave the stage of the times.¡±
Touching the familiar hilt, Peters thought silently to himself. But not now. Peters hadn¡¯t forgotten hismitment as a ¡®coachman.¡¯ Though it was just a guise, a promise was a promise and would not change. ¡°Mr. Jason, we need to leave as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Theplete annihtion of Taor¡¯s ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ will surely cause the Federation to take major action.¡± ¡°If we get entangled with them, you certainly won¡¯t be able to reach Hans Port by the 26th.¡± Peters reminded him. Jason nodded immediately and returned to the carriage. He would not argue against the facts about to unfold. In his mind, Jason had already imagined the whistle-blowing state of the following days. Not just Taor, but the nearby towns would surely be swarmed by many Federation investigators. After thinking for a moment, Jason spoke up directly:
¡°Peters, bypass the nearby towns¡­¡± Jason paused slightly as he spoke, his cautious nature once againing into y, making him instinctively want to increase the range of the detour. And immediately, Jason made a decision. ¡°Let¡¯s bypass Rob as well, we¡¯ll resupply in a farther ce.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Peters strongly agreed with this decision. If it weren¡¯t for the insufficient supplies and the fact that the carriage wasn¡¯t his, Peters even hoped that Jason would abandon the carriage and trek with him from even more remote ces to Hans Port. From dusk till dawn, and then to the afternoon of the next day. The carriage sped along, bypassing all the towns toward the direction of Taor. When the carriage neared the vicinity of Rob, Peters finally slowed down. It wasn¡¯t that Peters didn¡¯t want to bypass Rob directly; it was that the two horses pulling the carriage were just too tired. If they continued, they would likely drop dead on the spot. Jumping down from the driver¡¯s seat, Peters lifted his hand to stroke the exhausted horses, massaging them with special techniques to relieve their fatigue. Meanwhile, he began to feed the horses some high-quality bean cakes, then brought tworge buckets of water in front of the horses, letting them lower their heads to drink at will. The horses stuck out their tongues to lick at the water. During this process, Peters stood holding the two buckets the entire time.
There was a trace of tenderness in his eyes. It was a natural affection for animals. Only after the horses had their fill and started to rest did Peters finally knock on the carriage door. Thump, thump-thump. Hearing the sound, Jason put down his book and stepped out of the carriage. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Mr. Jason.¡± ¡°I previously concealed my identity.¡± As soon as Jason stepped down from the carriage, Peters eagerly spoke. Jason didn¡¯t say a word, silently listening to Peters¡¯s story. ¡°Ie from the Cat Hole school; just as Hume said, I have inherited the title of ¡®ck Cat¡¯.¡± ¡°Hume is the young man you saw earlier at Char¡¯s Carriage Depot.¡± ¡°He¡¯s considered my junior, and I don¡¯t know when he joined the Revival Society.¡± Mentioning Hume, Peters¡¯s tone was full of concern. In his heart, he was unwilling to admit that Hume knew about thest explosion because it went against everything Hume ever said or did; it was a deception to him.
Yet, he hoped Hume did know because only then would Hume be safe. Otherwise, given Hume¡¯s temperament, he would surely stir up trouble. And the Revival Society would show no mercy to a troublemaker. Breathing deeply a few times, Peters suppressed the anxiety in his heart and brought the conversation back on topic: ¡°Just as you are aware, the establishment of the Federation made all schools a thing of the past.¡± ¡°Under the range of countless cannons, the past glory turned to ashes and dust.¡± ¡°What remained was only the Griffin.¡± ¡°Or rather, the Griffin were the victors.¡± ¡°After all, the Federation is now known as the Griffin Federation.¡± At this, Peters let out a wry smile. His following words were even more mncholic. ¡°We should have realized when the Griffin defeated that era¡¯s only Master, they had already secured the key victory. But no one wanted to surrender their authority and wealth at the time.¡± ¡°In the end, the great war erupted.¡± ¡°The Cat Hole, Bear Tower, Wolf Fortress, Snake Pit, Eagle Cliff, Tiger Mountain, and other schools were all wiped out.¡± ¡°At least¡­¡± ¡°On the surface, that¡¯s what happened.¡± ¡°Indeed, most people perished under the artillery fire, but a few survived. Some, like me, have hidden their identities, while others havee together to form the Revival Society!¡± Upon mentioning the formation of the Revival Society, Peters fell into brief silence. When he spoke again, it was not to recount the past but to ask a question. ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± Chapter 107: 18 The Piper and the Ascension (Subscribe~Monthly pass~) Chapter 107: Chapter 18 The Piper and the Ascension (Subscribe~Monthly pass~) After receiving quite a lot of information, Jason did not refuse Peters¡¯ inquiry.
¡°Speak.¡± Jason said. ¡°Are you from ¡®Bear Tower¡¯?¡± Peters had always suspected that Jason was from ¡®Bear Tower¡¯. That kind of fearless fighting style was indeed deeply ingrained in people¡¯s hearts. Aside from ¡®Bear Tower,¡¯ Peters could think of no other.
¡°No.¡± Jason responded affirmatively. If it is so, it is so; if not, it is not. In the face of fact, any lie is meaningless. However, facing Jason¡¯s affirmative answer, Peters¡¯ face showed an expression of understanding. Unlike his simple hidden identity, Jason, having already infiltrated the ¡®Griffin Camp¡¯ of Jidanren, surely had more important matters and would definitely not admit his ¡®Bear Tower¡¯ identity. Moreover, Jason must have recognized his ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ background the moment he saw him. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to reveal the ¡®Bear Tower¡¯bat style in front of him afterward. By doing so, he was both informing me of his identity and reminding me! And here I was, foolishly asking questions. That was really inappropriate. Indeed, a seed left by ¡®Bear Tower¡¯.
So much stronger than me, a hastily appointed sessor! Thinking this, Peters couldn¡¯t help but admire Jason, who always maintained an expressionless face, and then the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ swordsman nodded, ¡°Ah, I understand.¡± Understand? What do you understand? Jason looked puzzled at Peters, who had a serious expression on his face. And Peters continued to ask. ¡°What do you know about ¡®Piper¡¯?¡± ¡°Not much.¡± Jason shook his head. It was also the truth, so naturally there was no need to conceal it. Peters was taken aback. Then, even more admiration appeared on his face.
He had figured out why ¡®Bear Tower¡¯ did what it did, who was better suited to enter ¡®Griffin Camp¡¯? A person knowing the secrets or someone ignorant of them? Without a doubt, it was thetter. Only someone truly like a nk te would not reveal any ws during an investigation. The one who made this n must be an elder of ¡®Bear Tower¡¯, right? Only those ¡®Bear Tower¡¯ elders who had survived countless battles possessed such simple yet pure wisdom. Of course, the chosen executor was also excellent enough. A tall and strong body is basic. A tenacious character is advanced. But a virtue fearless of death is the ultimate and the most precious trait. Peters subconsciously recalled how, in Taor, Jason faced a presence so powerful it overwhelmed him, yet still he charged forward, and his admiration for the ¡®Bear Tower¡¯ elders grew even more. Because he had never imagined that the first from ¡®Bear Tower¡¯ to ¡®perish¡¯ under gunfire had already, under the arrangements of his elders, scattered the seeds of revival. And this seed was faring much better than he had imagined.
Compared to him, the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ sessor seemed increasingly unqualified. Is it really the case that after going to ¡®Hans¡¯ Harbor, I must retirepletely? For a moment, Peters wavered. However, his words continued. ¡°¡®Piper¡¯ is the only master recognized by all schools of thought in the past hundred years.¡± ¡°Hees from ¡®Snake Pit,¡¯bining ¡®Snake Hiss¡¯ techniques with the flute to create a whole new special technique.¡± ¡°Then, in the battle at Aymodun fifty years ago, he fought ten thousand alone, decisively crushing the musketeers assembled by ¡®Duke Aymodun,¡¯ leading to the disappearance of the ¡®Duchy of Aymodun¡¯.¡± ¡°It was because of that battle that the school¡¯s prestige reached an unprecedented height.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°That was thest splendor.¡± ¡°Like a flower that blossoms and withers overnight, within just less than thirty years, firearms underwent a transformative improvement, and the inclusion of the ¡®Griffin¡¯ provided the nobility with the support of ¡®secret techniques¡¯.¡± ¡°The second ¡®Aymodun¡¯ battle began.¡±
¡°This time, the descendant of ¡®Duke Aymodun¡¯ was victorious.¡± ¡°Though it was a costly victory, it signified the defeat of ¡®Piper,¡¯ the pir of the school.¡± ¡°Everyone thought ¡®Piper¡¯ had died.¡± ¡°But just now¡­¡± ¡°He has appeared again.¡± ¡°With that wonderful but deadly melody.¡± Peters fell silent once more after speaking. The swordsman from ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ was pondering what kind of changes the return of the ¡®Piper¡¯ would bring to the entire Federation. Jason, too, was pondering. However, what Jason was considering was what the ¡®Piper¡¯ would do next. The choice to kidnap the entire poption of Taor not only had a deterrent quality but also a threatening one. With an entire city¡¯s popce as hostages, what did the other party want?
Or¡­ Was it to draw the Griffin Federation¡¯s attention and then strike somewhere else, gaining more leverage? Unconsciously, Jason thought of thetter. With the abilities demonstrated by the ¡®Piper,¡¯ it was entirely possible for him to do so. As for whether this ¡®Piper¡¯ hade back from the dead, or if someone was impersonating him? Jason didn¡¯t care. Because, whether resurrected or impersonated, the other party had acquired the abilities of the ¡®Piper¡¯! With that alone, it was enough. Real or fake, the other party would be the ¡®Piper.¡¯ And moreover! They were filled with hostility towards him! Jason was certain that if they met again, the other party would not hesitate to take action. After all, sugar isn¡¯t so sweet to consume. Especially after he had disrupted their ns before. The two parties were truly at each other¡¯s throats. ¡°It¡¯s a pity¡­¡± ¡°The speed of distributing sugar is still a bit slow.¡± ¡°If it were faster, he wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to escape.¡± Jason sighed to himself. However, he soon shook his head in self-mockery. If the ¡®speed of distributing sugar¡¯ were to increase, that would mean his connection to that bizarre entity was growing tighter. And that was definitely not something he wanted to see. Perhaps a brief ¡®leverage¡¯ could allow him to aplish more. But in the long run, it was definitely disadvantageous. People must rely on themselves! Jason reminded himself of this at the bottom of his heart, and as he nced at the remaining 12 points of satiety and 3 points of Excitement of Feast, he turned his attention to his skill column. With formidable enemies at his side, Jason instinctively wanted to strengthen himself. And what about using satiety points to improve not being self-reliant? Using the food I¡¯ve consumed to strengthen myself, how is that not relying on myself? At most, it¡¯s just learning faster. His gaze swept over [Gunpowder Weapons: Light Weapons][Barehanded Combat][Protection Against Evil][Mist Concealment][sh Technique][Dufol Language (Passive)]. [Mist Concealment][sh Technique][Dufol Language (Passive)] were temporarily abandoned. [sh Technique] was enough at one point. [Mist Concealment] was simr. Having reached the Proficiency Level in [Dufol Language (Passive)], it was sufficient without having to return to ¡®Lorde.¡¯ Then, [Gunpowder Weapons: Light Weapons] was also temporarily abandoned. Not that the skill wasn¡¯t good, but it required too much from weapons, and if Jason had an unrestricted weapon in his hand, he would definitely choose this skill that would most directly increase his strength. After ruling out the above skills, only [Barehanded Combat] and [Protection Against Evil] remained. Then even the [Protection Against Evil], which Jason fancied the most, was ruled out. Simply put, there wasn¡¯t enough satiety. And to save up satiety? If there was no ¡®Piper,¡¯ no ¡®Revival Society,¡¯ Jason would do that. But now he chose to improve [Barehanded Combat]. It might only increase his strength by a little. But little by little adds up. Quantitative changes always cause qualitative changes. He can¡¯t always rely on ¡®immortality¡¯ to charge forward recklessly. Even if he continued to rely on ¡®immortality¡¯ to charge forward, bing stronger before doing so was excellent. [Yes/No Spend 6 points of satiety, 1 point of Excitement of Feast, to upgrade Barehanded Combat to Expert Level?] ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 108: 19: Rest in Buma Town? (Subscribe~Monthly Tickets Please~) Chapter 108: Chapter 19: Rest in Buma Town? (Subscribe~Monthly Tickets Please~) With Jason¡¯s affirmative response, the expert-level ¡°Barehanded Combat¡± appeared before him¡ª
[Barehanded Combat (Expert): Your body itself is a powerful weapon. Through prolonged basic training and possessing considerable Talent, you have not only mastered a fair range of skills but also grown stronger and retained your Agility; Effect: Constitution +0.2, Strength +0.2, Agility +0.2; Mastery option: Well-trained.] [Well-trained (Passive): Extensivebat training has bestowed you with this talent. When you encounter an unexpected fight, long-term training enables you to adapt more quickly to emergencies.] ¡­ Having reached the expert level in Barehanded Combat, while no expert option appeared, there was an addition of 0.1 to his Constitution, Strength, and Agility. Moreover, his mind was filled with an abundance of barehandedbat experience he never had before! This synchronization processsted for about two or three seconds.
When Jason opened his eyes again, he could sense his own power. Perhaps an increase of 0.1 wasn¡¯t much. But for Jason, who originally had a Constitution of 1.5, Strength of 1.5, and Agility of 1.3, such an increase was quite significant. Not to mention the addition in his mind of fighting techniques as if he had personally experienced them. Unconsciously, Jason clenched his fist, feeling an urge to fight. Although he quickly restrained himself, he still managed to startled Peters from his reverie. Peters turned his head towards Jason, his eyes filled with undisguised surprise. He distinctly sensed that at this moment, Jason seemed¡­ stronger than a moment ago! No! It wasn¡¯t just a feeling! He was indeed stronger than he had been a moment ago! His muscles were more solid and powerful, and his sinews even more robust!
The special observational skills from ¡°Cat Hole¡± allowed Peters to confirm Jason¡¯s transformation. Then, this ¡°Cat Hole¡± Swordsman once again eximed in admiration. He truly was a seed from ¡°Bear Tower.¡± He had already learned the core secret technique of ¡°Bear Tower.¡± Every school has its own core secret technique. Just like the core secret technique of ¡°Cat Hole¡± allows practitioners to move lightly, Agility, and silently, ¡°Bear Tower¡±¡®s core secret technique enables warriors on the brink of death to grow rapidly stronger. However, legends say that mastering such a core secret technique is extremely difficult. Not only does it require extraordinary Talent, but lingering on the edge of death is genuinely a step away from actual demise. Naturally, every practitioner who seeds bes a key focus of ¡°Bear Tower.¡± And with the current situation in ¡°Bear Tower,¡± Jason was undoubtedly Bear Tower¡¯s heir, the new ¡®War Roar¡¯! Subconsciously, Peters gave Jason a bow. He ced his palms together in front of his chest, the left hand covering the right fist, and then, as he moved forward, he inclined his body slightly. This was the greeting of a school heir, of one in charge.
Jason should have returned the greeting, but at this time, he remained indifferent. Peters suddenly understood. He remembered the fact that Jason needed to conceal his identity. ¡°It was my oversight.¡± Peters said, standing up to apologize formally. He then reminded himself to not forget again the fact that Jason was concealing his identity. Although Jason had entered ¡°Griffin Camp¡± of Jidand, which wasn¡¯t much for the entire ¡°Griffin¡± style, the defenses were still tight, and any carelessness could result inplete failure. Peters absolutely didn¡¯t want the ns of ¡°Bear Tower¡± to be squandered because of him. At the same time, Peters began to nurture some thoughts deep inside. However, these thoughts had only just emerged. Peters, who inherently hesitated in his character, simply couldn¡¯t make up his mind. He decided to wait and see.
Afterward, the two naturally quiet individuals didn¡¯t say much more. Peters checked the carriage and counted the supplies, while Jason reviewed the books given by the old bar. When the sun was about to disappear below the horizon, the carriage set off again. But this time, Jason didn¡¯t sit inside the carriage; instead, he ran alongside it. Or to be more precise¡­ ¡°¡±¡± Charge! Having fully mastered the theoretical knowledge, Jason knew what his next step was: practice. Only bybining theory with practice could one truly master it. Having already had two not-so-sessful attempts at practice, Jason was very clear about what would happen, so he bluntly told Peters. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Just drive the carriage forward.¡±
¡°Yes, sir.¡± Peters replied, then continued to drive the carriage forward as usual. But he would asionally look back, and when he saw Jason charging forward swiftly and then crashing to the ground hard, his instinct was to stop the carriage. ¡°Keep moving forward.¡± After getting up from the ground, Jason called out directly. Then, he wiped the fresh blood from his face, rubbed his swollen arms, andunched into another charge. Bang! After covering a distance of over ten meters, Jason fell again. This time it was a bit worse than before; Jason felt pain in his internal organs. But, biting down on his teeth, he got up once more and continued practicing. The carriage was ahead, Jason behind. As night fellpletely, Jason¡¯s clothes were already tattered due to falling too many times, and although there were changes of clothes in the luggage, considering that he still needed to practice, Jason opted for the most natural method.
Of course, grabbing some leaves and branches was necessary. And as for Peters, who was controlling the carriage ahead, at first he would still look back from time to time at Jason, who would charge and then fall to the ground. Butter on, he just silently counted the sounds of the falls. Bang! Another muffled sound. How many times was this? The fiftieth time? Or was it the fifty-first? Peters asked himself. Then he shook his head, because if at first Peters could remember, after a while, when he had be ustomed to it, he could no longer keep track. But Peters had gained a new understanding of Jason¡¯s tenacity. Forget a hundred times, an ordinary person would probably have given up after falling ten times, even with that seemingly special Secret Medicine. Although Peters did not know why Jason wanted to blend the Secret Medicine into the broth cooked with monster meat and the grease fried from nightmare bugs, it was apparent that the effect of this Secret Medicine was quite remarkable. Admiring Jason¡¯s will and the ¡®Bear Tower¡¯s¡¯ Secret Medicine, Peters did not forget the task at hand. ¡°Sir, we¡¯re about to reach Buma Town,¡± he said. ¡°Buma Town ispletely within the range of Rob City, and moreover, it¡¯s a certain distance from Rob City, so those Federation investigators probably won¡¯t pay attention to this ce.¡± ¡°We can have a thorough rest and recuperation there.¡± Peters stopped the carriage, turned around to open the carriage door, and took out Jason¡¯s change of clothes. About to enter the town, one naturally couldn¡¯t rely purely on nature. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jason took the clothes, quickly changed inside the carriage, and then knocked on the carriage wall. Peters immediately understood, and snapped the whip. Crack! The carriage moved forward once again. About half an hourter, a small town appeared in Peters¡¯s view. From a distance, the small town looked very tranquil and peaceful, which brought a hint of joy to Peters, who had been anxiously rushing on the road. He shook the reins, hoping to get to Buma Town faster for the rest and recuperation. tter, tter. The wheels rolled on, and the carriage advanced. However, as the carriage drew closer, the expression on Peters¡¯s face suddenly changed. ¡°¡±¡± Chapter 109: 20 The Pursuer Chapter 109: Chapter 20 The Pursuer ¡°` From a distance, Buma Town looked quiet and peaceful. But as one got closer, the quietness became bizarre. There was not a single sound. There were no insects chirping, no dogs barking, and the security guard who should have been at the entrance of the town was also absent. Peters immediately stopped the carriage. He gripped the hilt with one hand and knocked on the carriage door with the other. Thud, thud-thud. At Peters¡¯s first knock, Jason had already pushed open the carriage door and stepped down, and even before that, he had been carefully sniffing the air around him. There was no scent of food. Looking at the town that was quiet to an extreme, a hint of unease immediately rose from the depths of Jason¡¯s heart.
This feeling instinctively reminded him of the first time he stood in front of the ¡°Moon Mask,¡± about to push open the door; without hesitation, Jason asked, ¡°Are there any other options?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°About 20 miles away from Buma Town, there¡¯s another vige.¡± Peters said with certainty. ¡°Let¡¯s rest in that vige.¡± After Jason spoke, he climbed back into the carriage. Then Peters turned the carriage around and headed for that vige. But as soon as Jason¡¯s carriage had left, the wheel and hoof prints they left on the ground disappeared. It was as if an invisible person had swept them all away. ¡­ About two hourster, a squad of twenty people suddenly appeared in the distance of Buma Town. They wore uniform red outfits, with ck hats, white leggings, and ck boots. Every warhorse they rode was tall and robust, with slender legs, running with unmatched swiftness. It took only four or five breaths for them to arrive in Buma Town from a distance. And when they stopped, each one was in perfect unison. ¡°Captain, the tracks disappear here.¡± After one of them crouched down and searched the ground carefully, his gaze instinctively shifted toward the bizarre Buma Town. ¡°Ha, just some cheap tricks to y god.¡± ¡°The Mystical Side has too many such techniques.¡± ¡°Not to mention the heir to the ¡®Cat Hole.¡¯
¡°But he¡¯s only good at such petty tricks. When ites to realbat and secret techniques, we have many more up our sleeve!¡± ¡°He?¡± ¡°Not worth mentioning!¡± The leader let out a coldugh, and then, with a wave of his hand.
The entire squad charged in. The confident leader was no exception. However, as soon as the warhorses charged into Buma Town, the sound of their hooves disappeared. Even the hoof prints they left outside the town vanished along with them. Not just nearby, but the hoof prints they left all along their path. As if, they had never been there at all. Or rather¡­ They never existed to begin with. ¡­ Taor City, ruins. After a whole day of clearing, the remnants of the Taor ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ were finally found in the rubble. There were no intact bodies. The energy released at the center of the explosion shredded them directly.
In fact, that was the fate of the ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ ¨C if they had been ordinary people, they probably wouldn¡¯t have left even bones behind. After confirming the identities of all the ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ using some methods from the Mystical Side, the adjutant walked into the tent with a serious expression. Inside the tent, Baron Malor, wearing a light-colored knight¡¯s attire and boots, was reading several secret letters earnestly. As the person responsible for the sudden incident in Taor City, Baron Malor was not old, just over thirty, with a mature and handsome face, especially when he was serious, his eyes were even more spirited. The adjutant didn¡¯t speak, waiting quietly instead. Only after Malor put down all the letters did the adjutant hand him the report. ¡°Including Kronin, the entire team has been wiped out?!¡± Upon reading the report, even as Baron Malor had braced himself for the worst, his brows still furrowed tightly. Because he understood very well what the loss of an entire team of ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ meant. Not to mention that each ¡®Dark Guardian¡¯ was a highly talented individual and a product of countless resources; the forces and organizations represented by these people alone were enough to cause a headache. The old factions from the bygone era had long since disappeared. ¡°` But new powers and organizations had already been established.
Just like him, a ¡®new noble.¡¯ They were all profiteers of thest war. And he was even luckier. He had inherited his father¡¯s ¡®spoils of war¡¯ and thus had be a baron among the new nobility. Pondering the significance of this mission, and scheming for the greatest benefit, the baron slowly began to speak. ¡°1, intensify the search for members of the ¡®Revival Society.¡¯ ¡°2, verify whether the ¡®Pied Piper¡¯ is real or fake.¡± ¡°3, blockade all news here, and deal with all those who escape.¡± A calm voice uttered incredibly cruelmands. His adjutant showed no surprise whatsoever. He was well aware of his superior¡¯s style of conduct. ¡°Yes, Commander.¡±
After bowing in affirmation, the adjutant turned and left the tent. The baron sat back down in his chair and picked up the secret correspondence on the table once more. These letters came from Jedan. They provided detailed records of Peters¡¯s recent years. Were it not for the conclusive testimonies of dozens of witnesses, the baron would never have believed that the heir to ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ had chosen to be a coachman and thus had his people contact the secret agents in Jedan. And now? The baron knew his opportunity hade. Looking at the secret letter detailing the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ heir¡¯s role as a coachman for a ¡®Griffin Camp¡¯ graduate en route to ¡®Hans¡¯ port, the baron couldn¡¯t help but smile. That ¡®Griffin Camp¡¯ graduate was of no consequence whatsoever. Though it was ¡®Griffin Camp,¡¯ it was just a small ce like Jedan and not Golsai¡¯s ¡®Griffin Camp.¡¯ He needed the heir to ¡®Cat Hole.¡¯ That individual coveted by many great figures within the Federation. He had already dispatched a team of trusted men to capture him. Just capturing him or bringing back his body would be enough to draw significant attention in the ranks of the new nobility. Perhaps even his title could be elevated. Lord Malor, Viscount? No, Lord Viscount Malor! What a fine title. Thinking of his bright future, the baron¡¯s upturned lips took on a greater curve. But the next moment, the smile on the baron¡¯s face froze. Hisplexion turned deathly pale. Then¡­ Splurt! A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out. But Baron Malor could not be bothered to wipe away the blood; he lowered his head to twist the ring on his left index finger. It was the ring he used tomunicate with his trusted men. He needed to know what had happened, why someone had died. But just as his finger was about to touch the ring¡ª Splurt, splurt, splurt! Neen consecutive mouthfuls of blood uncontrobly burst forth. If the baron¡¯s face had been pale before, now it was as ghastly as that of a corpse. Furthermore, he could no longer sit steadily. And just like that, with a thump, he fell to the ground. The guards on duty outside heard the noise and immediately rushed in. The next moment¡ª ¡°Someonee quickly, the baron has fainted!¡± And then! ¡°Someonee quickly!¡± ¡°The baron seems¡­¡± ¡°Dead!¡± Instantly, the camp erupted into chaos. And at that moment, Jason had just fallen soundly asleep. Chapter 112: 23 Gerard (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) Chapter 112: Chapter 23 Gerard (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and leave!¡± Dennise urged, looking at Jason who was standing still. But Jason¡¯s gaze had leapt over Dennise, looking towards the direction of Hans Port. The girl of the deceased subconsciously looked back. Immediately, three Swift steeds entering her view. Run? It was absolutely hopeless to outrun them. Not the brightest, but Dennise knew she couldn¡¯t outrun the warhorses. So¡­ Dennise squatted down with her head in her arms, her face pressed against her knees, and began muttering under her breath, ¡°You can¡¯t see me! You can¡¯t see me!¡± And with such muttering, Dennise¡¯s form quickly became translucent as though she were invisible.
Jason caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye. Much better thanst time. At least, he had to concentrate to notice her. Then, Jason¡¯s gaze shifted to the three warhorses now within a mere ten meters. Atop the horses, three Knights, one in red and two in ck. Red in front and ck behind, all in Federation military uniforms. The leader also wore a white wig, and to prevent it from falling off, a cocked hat adorned with arge red feather was fastened on top of his head, with strings pulled down on either side and hooked under the chin. As the warhorses galloped, the red feather swayed up and down, resembling a cock¡¯sb. Whoa! With a tug on the reins, the horse came to a steady stop about two meters away from Jason, and the red-clothed Knight dismounted with agile grace. The gleaming ck boots touched the ground, and a smile spread across the man¡¯s face as he looked at Jason. ¡°Good day, Mr. Jason.¡± ¡°I am the Chief of Public Security of Hans Port, Bofute.¡± ¡°Meeting you in person, I am truly overjoyed. You must know that Sir Gerard Hans has been mentioning you, his cousin, quite frequentlytely.¡± Unexpectedly, the man spoke with utmost courtesy. Gerard? My cousin? Jason¡¯s mind once again summoned the image of the cousin who imed he couldn¡¯t find ck ink and had to use blue for the false descriptions. Of course, the most important thing was that expression ¡®(??????)??¡¯. This cousin, who seemed to Jason like a bit of a clown, appeared to have quite an extraordinary influence in Hans Port?
Carrying a hint of confusion within his heart, Jason kept hisposure. ¡°You know my identity?¡± ¡°Including the coachman I previously hired?¡± Jason asked.
¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Peters is a most heinous fugitive.¡± ¡°But not you!¡± ¡°You are Cousin Gerard¡¯s cousin, here to attend Sir Gerard¡¯s wedding.¡± The Chief of Public Security said with a smile. Then, as if worried Jason wouldn¡¯t believe him, he continued, ¡°Please be assured, Sir Gerard has been informed of your arrival, and he will be here soon.¡± ¡°You may have doubts.¡± ¡°But I think it would be best for Sir Gerard to exin it to you.¡± Saying this, the Chief of Public Security stepped aside and began to wait quietly. The two ck-clothed adjutants did the same. Dennise, who had been hiding all along, quietly emerged from behind Jason. ¡°Your cousin seems to be someone extraordinary, huh?¡± The girl of the deceased spoke softly.
Jason didn¡¯t answer, his brow slightly furrowed. He felt no surprise. On the contrary, his heart was filled with even more uncertainties at this moment. The more remarkable his cousin was, the more puzzling it was for Jason that he had been invited to the wedding. If Gerard truly wanted to find him, with the influence to make the Chief of Public Security of Hans Port wait obediently, it wouldn¡¯t have been as difficult as his ¡®aunt¡¯ had written in her letter. And there would be no need to wait for the so-called ¡®wedding.¡¯ Therefore, there had to be a reason for this arrangement. What could it be? Jason silently guessed. Before long, a group of people appeared within Jason¡¯s line of sight. The leader was an incredibly tall, muscr young man who rode straight up to Jason, dismounted his horse swiftly. Jason himself was of a tall, muscr build, but the young man before him wasparable to Jason, and the two of them stood together like a pair of mini-giants. As Jason sized up the neer, the other was also taking in Jason¡¯s appearance.
Seeing a man as tall and strong as himself, the stranger¡¯s eyes lit up, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile and open his arms wide. ¡°Jason!¡± Saying this, he gave Jason a big hug without any preamble and patted Jason¡¯s back vigorously, making a smacking sound. Jason, taken aback at first, quickly responded to the other man. And he patted even more loudly. It was certainly not for revenge. It was just that failing to do so would have seemed very impolite. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the first meeting between the cousins was extremely harmonious. After about a minute of mutual back-patting, Gerard was the first to let go of Jason and turned to crick his back, yet his smile grew even more intense. ¡°You¡¯re just like you were as a child.¡± Gerard stated. ¡°I can¡¯t remember anything from when I was a child.¡± Jason replied ordingly.
Gerard¡¯s smile stiffened for a moment, while Jason continued with the exnation he had thought up well in advance. ¡°I had some idents in Taor.¡± ¡°I lost a lot of memories.¡± ¡°Fortunately, my coachman was good and brought me here as agreed.¡± Even though a lot of time has passed and many memories may fade with the passage of years, some memories etch into one¡¯s very bones and remain fresh as ever. And Jason, without any such memories, would easily have shown ws in his story. Thus, an appropriate excuse was necessary. Fortunately, Jason had just such a reason ready at hand. ¡°You had an ident in Taor?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the secret letter say you had already left the city?¡± ¡°Those damn ¡®New Maggots¡¯!¡± Gerard cursed under his breath, then looked up at Jason again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I will secure justice for you.¡± ¡°And I will help you recover your lost memories!¡± After saying this, Gerard again gave Jason¡¯s shoulder a solid pat. Then, without waiting for a reaction from Jason, the cousin strode toward Bofute. The Chief of Security of Hans Port and two deputies bowed to Gerard, who epted their salutes as a matter of course and began giving them hushed instructions. This scene made Jason¡¯s eyes twitch. Without a doubt, his cousin¡¯s position in Hans Port was much higher than he had imagined. At that moment, Dennise, who had been hiding behind Jason, once again came forward. The girl of the deceased spoke with a very serious and earnest tone. ¡°You lost part of your memory in Taor?¡± ¡°Then do you remember that actually I am your teacher, and you are my apprentice¡­¡± Smack! Before Dennise could finish, Jason swung his hand and pped her on the forehead. ¡°Ouch! Ouch, ouch!¡± Dennise squatted on the ground, holding her forehead and crying out in pain. This scene caught Gerard¡¯s attention. Gerard nced at Jason, then at Dennise, and the next moment, he gave Jason a thumbs up, his face showing a mix of admiration and envy that Jason couldn¡¯t understand. Then Gerard approached Dennise formally and said solemnly: ¡°Hello, miss.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to have you travel with Jason to attend my wedding.¡± ¡°I am Jason¡¯s cousin, Gerard Hans.¡± Chapter 111: 22 Wanted (Please Subscribe~Vote~) Chapter 111: Chapter 22 Wanted (Please Subscribe~Vote~) Dennise wore a wide-brimmed straw hat, and the cloth dress she had on was the same one Jason had seen her in before; her shoes were also made of hemp, and in her hands, she carried a leather suitcase. However, on one side of the suitcase was a mark of Pudding. Upon seeing Jason again, Dennise waved her arms with a lively smile on her face. Although she was a deceased, there was an inexplicable sense of vitality about her. No! It wasn¡¯t just vitality, but rather a robust, abundant energy that came with an inexplicable urge to tear at furniture. Looking at Dennise, Jason¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. She shouldn¡¯t have appeared here. In Jason¡¯s mind, she was supposed to have already gone to the Federation¡¯s capital, Golsai, with his parents and siblings by now. ¡°You¡¯re not happy?¡± Dennise blinked, and then, with a sense of bravado, said, ¡°I went to the trouble of leading those uniformed guys into Buma Town for you, and you¡¯re not happy to see me?¡±
¡°Those uniformed guys?¡± Jason raised an eyebrow. Immediately after, Jason thought of something and turned his head to look at Peters. ¡°Did you use your actual appearance?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Peters paused for a moment, then nodded with a bitter expression, saying, ¡°I have an ordinary look, the kind you forget as soon as you see it, so I didn¡¯t disguise myself¡­¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman wanted to exin. But he could only get halfway through his sentence before he stopped. Because the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman knew that no excuse could cover up his carelessness. A peaceful life had long dulled his once vignt heart. Sigh. Taking a deep breath, Peters spoke again: ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t involve you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving immediately.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°Please, Jason, take the carriage and horses to any cartage at Hans Port; they¡¯ll return them to Boss Delin.¡± Having said that, the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman prepared to turn and leave.
¡°I¡¯ve done too many deliveries for others.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Take responsibility for your own stuff.¡± Jason said.
He was speaking the truth; he hated the job of a ¡®postman¡¯, just as he detested Nightless City. If he could, he would never do deliveries for anyone else again. Not in Nightless City, nor anywhere else. Peters, about to turn away, stopped in his tracks, looking at Jason with a moved expression on his face. He knew Jason was concerned for his safety. That was why he had said that. Men don¡¯t wear their concern on their sleeves; they only offer their support through actions. Even against the encirclement of the entire Federation. Even if it¡¯s a matter of life and death. They would still choose to support. This is the romance of men! Unconsciously, the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman¡¯s eyes reddened with emotion. He had never thought that after such a brief interaction, Jason would go to such lengths for him.
To live and die together! This was treating him not just as a friend¡­no, as a partner! A partner in battle! Unconsciously Peters clenched his fist tightly. ¡°I understand.¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman said so. You understand again? Jason nced at Peters and said no more. Because he knew anything he said now would be toote. Since the Federation had already sent people after him, it meant that themander who took over from Taor had learned everything there was to know about Peters. That naturally included him, who had hired Peters. Whether Peters left or not, Jason had already been targeted. The ones Dennise had ¡°tricked¡± into Buma Town were just a fraction of the force, a minuscule partpared to the entire Griffin Alliance.
Jason was fairly certain that as soon as he set foot in Hans Port, he would receive a ¡®courteous invitation¡¯ from the local Federation forces. To prove this point was not difficult. ¡°Dennise.¡± Jason spoke. ¡°Ah?¡± Dennise responded foolishly. To this moment, the undead girl still had no idea what had happened. She just felt that after she announced that bit of news, the mood around Jason and Peters changed and became different from hers. Isn¡¯t it a good thing to have led the pursuers to that terrifying ce? Why so serious? With confusion filling her heart, Dennise listened to Jason¡¯s next arrangements. ¡°Go to the notice board in Hans Port and see if there¡¯s a wanted notice for Peters.¡± ¡°Remember!¡±
¡°Conceal yourself well.¡± Jason instructed. ¡°Okay.¡± Dennise nodded naively and took off running towards Hans Port. ¡°She¡¯ll be okay, right?¡± Peters asked. ¡°She will.¡± Jason said confidently. He was certain that Dennise wouldplete this task well. He had seen her ability to conceal herself almost like invisibility. Enough to deceive most people. As for the remaining few? Whether she was hidden or not didn¡¯t matter. Because, he would encounter them sooner orter. Rather than meet them in unfavorable circumstances, it was better to take the initiative. ¡°Do you have a ce nearby where you can hide?¡± Jason turned and asked Peters. ¡°No.¡± ¡°But for a cat.¡± ¡°Any ce can be a hiding spot.¡± Peters, guessing what hispanion was nning,ughed. ¡°Take care of these things.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re lost, you¡¯ll owepensation.¡± Jason gestured towards the horses and the carriage, then, after packing up his own belongings, he strode off toward Hans Port. ¡°Be careful!¡± Peters shouted after Jason¡¯s retreating figure. Jason didn¡¯t reply, but continued striding forward. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman stood there watching Jason¡¯s back. Just as firm as when he had seen him in Taor. Determined! Resolute! The heart of the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman, which had been wavering before, began to settle at this moment. Maybe with his indecisive nature, it was just temporary. But! Sometimes, temporary is enough! Watching that retreating figure, Peters put his hands to his mouth and let out a low¡ª ¡°Meo!¡± ¡°Meo!¡± ¡°Meo!¡± Each sound varied in pitch but was incredibly prolonged. Like a horn. Like a war drum. Jason heard such cat calls and couldn¡¯t help but frown. That sound was too conspicuous! It might very well reveal them! Therefore, he raised his arm and waved it, signaling for Peters to stop. From Peters¡¯s angle, it was a response from his partner. He stopped. Suppressing his desire to fight alongside hispanion, he turned and led the carriage back the way they hade, to a ravine they had passed earlier¡ªa very suitable ce to hide, and he needed to get there quickly. Then¡­ He would do some other things. Hopefully, They would be useful! ¡­ Jason hadn¡¯t been walking for long before he saw Dennise hurrying towards him, clutching her straw hat. ¡°Run, run!¡± ¡°Peters is wanted!¡± The out-of-breath Dennise arrived, speaking hurriedly. Jason could even feel Dennise¡¯s breath; it wasn¡¯t foul, nor was it sweet, just like an ordinary person¡¯s, as if she were alive. The ¡®person¡¯ favored by ¡®Xin¡¯. Jason thought silently, then asked: ¡°Is there one for me?¡± ¡°No.¡± After thinking for a moment, Dennise answered. Jason nodded. Then, he just stood there, waiting quietly. Some things¡­ In the wilderness, are better handled there. Chapter 112: 23 Gerard (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) Chapter 112: Chapter 23 Gerard (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and leave!¡± Dennise urged, looking at Jason who was standing still. But Jason¡¯s gaze had leapt over Dennise, looking towards the direction of Hans Port. The girl of the deceased subconsciously looked back. Immediately, three Swift steeds entering her view. Run? It was absolutely hopeless to outrun them. Not the brightest, but Dennise knew she couldn¡¯t outrun the warhorses. So¡­ Dennise squatted down with her head in her arms, her face pressed against her knees, and began muttering under her breath, ¡°You can¡¯t see me! You can¡¯t see me!¡± And with such muttering, Dennise¡¯s form quickly became translucent as though she were invisible.
Jason caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye. Much better thanst time. At least, he had to concentrate to notice her. Then, Jason¡¯s gaze shifted to the three warhorses now within a mere ten meters. Atop the horses, three Knights, one in red and two in ck. Red in front and ck behind, all in Federation military uniforms. The leader also wore a white wig, and to prevent it from falling off, a cocked hat adorned with arge red feather was fastened on top of his head, with strings pulled down on either side and hooked under the chin. As the warhorses galloped, the red feather swayed up and down, resembling a cock¡¯sb. Whoa! With a tug on the reins, the horse came to a steady stop about two meters away from Jason, and the red-clothed Knight dismounted with agile grace. The gleaming ck boots touched the ground, and a smile spread across the man¡¯s face as he looked at Jason. ¡°Good day, Mr. Jason.¡± ¡°I am the Chief of Public Security of Hans Port, Bofute.¡± ¡°Meeting you in person, I am truly overjoyed. You must know that Sir Gerard Hans has been mentioning you, his cousin, quite frequentlytely.¡± Unexpectedly, the man spoke with utmost courtesy. Gerard? My cousin? Jason¡¯s mind once again summoned the image of the cousin who imed he couldn¡¯t find ck ink and had to use blue for the false descriptions. Of course, the most important thing was that expression ¡®(??????)??¡¯. This cousin, who seemed to Jason like a bit of a clown, appeared to have quite an extraordinary influence in Hans Port?
Carrying a hint of confusion within his heart, Jason kept hisposure. ¡°You know my identity?¡± ¡°Including the coachman I previously hired?¡± Jason asked.
¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Peters is a most heinous fugitive.¡± ¡°But not you!¡± ¡°You are Cousin Gerard¡¯s cousin, here to attend Sir Gerard¡¯s wedding.¡± The Chief of Public Security said with a smile. Then, as if worried Jason wouldn¡¯t believe him, he continued, ¡°Please be assured, Sir Gerard has been informed of your arrival, and he will be here soon.¡± ¡°You may have doubts.¡± ¡°But I think it would be best for Sir Gerard to exin it to you.¡± Saying this, the Chief of Public Security stepped aside and began to wait quietly. The two ck-clothed adjutants did the same. Dennise, who had been hiding all along, quietly emerged from behind Jason. ¡°Your cousin seems to be someone extraordinary, huh?¡± The girl of the deceased spoke softly.
Jason didn¡¯t answer, his brow slightly furrowed. He felt no surprise. On the contrary, his heart was filled with even more uncertainties at this moment. The more remarkable his cousin was, the more puzzling it was for Jason that he had been invited to the wedding. If Gerard truly wanted to find him, with the influence to make the Chief of Public Security of Hans Port wait obediently, it wouldn¡¯t have been as difficult as his ¡®aunt¡¯ had written in her letter. And there would be no need to wait for the so-called ¡®wedding.¡¯ Therefore, there had to be a reason for this arrangement. What could it be? Jason silently guessed. Before long, a group of people appeared within Jason¡¯s line of sight. The leader was an incredibly tall, muscr young man who rode straight up to Jason, dismounted his horse swiftly. Jason himself was of a tall, muscr build, but the young man before him wasparable to Jason, and the two of them stood together like a pair of mini-giants. As Jason sized up the neer, the other was also taking in Jason¡¯s appearance.
Seeing a man as tall and strong as himself, the stranger¡¯s eyes lit up, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile and open his arms wide. ¡°Jason!¡± Saying this, he gave Jason a big hug without any preamble and patted Jason¡¯s back vigorously, making a smacking sound. Jason, taken aback at first, quickly responded to the other man. And he patted even more loudly. It was certainly not for revenge. It was just that failing to do so would have seemed very impolite. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the first meeting between the cousins was extremely harmonious. After about a minute of mutual back-patting, Gerard was the first to let go of Jason and turned to crick his back, yet his smile grew even more intense. ¡°You¡¯re just like you were as a child.¡± Gerard stated. ¡°I can¡¯t remember anything from when I was a child.¡± Jason replied ordingly.
Gerard¡¯s smile stiffened for a moment, while Jason continued with the exnation he had thought up well in advance. ¡°I had some idents in Taor.¡± ¡°I lost a lot of memories.¡± ¡°Fortunately, my coachman was good and brought me here as agreed.¡± Even though a lot of time has passed and many memories may fade with the passage of years, some memories etch into one¡¯s very bones and remain fresh as ever. And Jason, without any such memories, would easily have shown ws in his story. Thus, an appropriate excuse was necessary. Fortunately, Jason had just such a reason ready at hand. ¡°You had an ident in Taor?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the secret letter say you had already left the city?¡± ¡°Those damn ¡®New Maggots¡¯!¡± Gerard cursed under his breath, then looked up at Jason again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I will secure justice for you.¡± ¡°And I will help you recover your lost memories!¡± After saying this, Gerard again gave Jason¡¯s shoulder a solid pat. Then, without waiting for a reaction from Jason, the cousin strode toward Bofute. The Chief of Security of Hans Port and two deputies bowed to Gerard, who epted their salutes as a matter of course and began giving them hushed instructions. This scene made Jason¡¯s eyes twitch. Without a doubt, his cousin¡¯s position in Hans Port was much higher than he had imagined. At that moment, Dennise, who had been hiding behind Jason, once again came forward. The girl of the deceased spoke with a very serious and earnest tone. ¡°You lost part of your memory in Taor?¡± ¡°Then do you remember that actually I am your teacher, and you are my apprentice¡­¡± Smack! Before Dennise could finish, Jason swung his hand and pped her on the forehead. ¡°Ouch! Ouch, ouch!¡± Dennise squatted on the ground, holding her forehead and crying out in pain. This scene caught Gerard¡¯s attention. Gerard nced at Jason, then at Dennise, and the next moment, he gave Jason a thumbs up, his face showing a mix of admiration and envy that Jason couldn¡¯t understand. Then Gerard approached Dennise formally and said solemnly: ¡°Hello, miss.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to have you travel with Jason to attend my wedding.¡± ¡°I am Jason¡¯s cousin, Gerard Hans.¡± Chapter 113 - 24 Approaching (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) Chapter 113: Chapter 24 Approaching (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) Gerard Hans. Hans Port. Jason took a breath, and in an instant, he understood why the chief of public security at Hans Port was so respectfully deferential to him, his cousin. Because¡­ All of Hans Port should belong to his cousin. Or rather, his cousin owned a significant part of Hans Port. Looking again at those followers, Jason¡¯s perception, more than triple that of an ordinary person, told him that these attendants were just as formidable as the ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ he had seen in Taor. Whereas Dennise seemedpletely oblivious to these details. She was merely responding to Gerard. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Dennise.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very pleased to be attending your wedding.¡± ¡°Just calling me Dennise is fine.¡± After speaking, she shed a vibrant smile. Not a hint of stage fright, nor any embarrassment. What fear or stranger anxiety could there be in a girl as daft as Dennise, akin to a Siberian Husky? She was only worried about Jason leaving her alone to attend the wedding, but now, having received an invitation from the wedding host herself, she had no more concerns. With this thought, Dennise couldn¡¯t help but triumphantly turn her head and stick her tongue out at Jason. To this, Jason chose to ignore. Gerard, however, looked on enviously. ¡°You and Dennise seem to get along really well.¡± While saying this, Gerard gestured to his attendants behind him. ¡°Go and find a carriage for Dennise,¡± Gerard instructed. A momentter, arge, spacious ck carriage drawn by four white horses appeared, the horses were impable, without a single stray hair. ¡°Dennise, go ride in the carriage,¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ride ahead with Jason on horseback,¡± said Gerard before he could finish, Dennise, carrying her box, excitedly ran towards the carriage. Facing Gerard¡¯s invitation, Jason, however, shook his head in refusal. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to ride a horse,¡± Jason stated frankly. In his opinion, such things did not need to be hidden. Better toe clean now rather than be found outter. Gerard was taken aback momentarily before he remembered his cousin¡¯s unfortunate ordeals and again patted Jason¡¯s shoulder, this time gently. Just a light pat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± ¡°Riding a horse is something you can learn quickly!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you sometime.¡± With these words, Gerard apanied Jason towards the carriage. The carriage, guarded by attendants, slowly started moving. Sitting inside the carriage, Dennise curiously looked around, undisturbed by Gerard¡¯s presence, behaving as she always did; only when Jason¡¯s gaze fell on her would she sit obediently, and as soon as he looked away, her curiosity would once again take over. ¡°How¡­ have you been?¡± Gerard began hesitantly, sitting opposite Jason. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been alright.¡± ¡°Though, I don¡¯t remember much of anything,¡± Jason replied ambiguously, not wanting Gerard to pry into his past, he quickly added another sentence. As he had hoped, Gerard ceased his questioning. In his gaze towards Jason, there was a deeper sense of guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I lied in the letters.¡± ¡°My mother and I always knew where you were, but we couldn¡¯t bring you back.¡± ¡°Hans Port was not a peaceful ce before,¡± Gerard continued speaking. His words were vague, but the undertone was heavy with remorse. Jason couldn¡¯t discern the truth. He could only nod in response. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he replied. ¡°You forgive me?¡± cousin Gerard asked with joy. How could Jason forgive what he hadn¡¯t experienced? Thinking this to himself, Jason nodded again. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± ¡°Jason, do you know what I was most worried about?¡± ¡°I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t forgive me; now I can finally rx!¡± Gerard burst intoughter, and then, suddenly, shook his head. ¡°No, no, I would be truly insincere if I acted like this. What do you want?¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s within my capability, I will satisfy your request.¡± Gerard made the promise. Jason instinctively wanted to refuse. But as the words of refusal reached his lips, they transformed into: ¡°Is it true that there are sea monsters at Hans Port, as the rumours say?¡± Dennise, who had previously shown no interest in the conversation, immediately had her attention captured. ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± ¡°Sea monsters!¡± Dennise¡¯s eyes almost lit up. While looking forward to Gerard¡¯s response, she muttered to herself, ¡°It¡¯s because of the sea monster that I left home¡­ No, I left a letter exining in detail why I came to find Jason.¡± Jason nced at Dennise, then averted his gaze from her guilt-stricken eyes. Compared to Dennise, he was more concerned about the truth of the sea monsters. Is there a more convenient and quicker way to inquire about local rumors than to ask the local authority? Naturally¡­ The local authority is also interested in those rumors! ¡°Jason, you truly haven¡¯t changed,¡± ¡°Just like when you were a child, you¡¯re still so interested in monsters,¡± ¡°I, too, have not changed!¡± Gerard, looking at Jason, whose eyes held anticipation, couldn¡¯t help but smile. Perhaps memories were lost, But some things never change! A feeling of joy rose from the bottom of Gerard¡¯s heart; he hadn¡¯t been this happy in a long time. However, when the topic switched to monsters, Gerard¡¯s smiled faded, and he said with a serious demeanor: ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± Then, sitting up straight, he began speaking slowly: ¡°I¡¯ve researched the archives and sent people to investigate. Records of the Hans sea monster go back more than two hundred years.¡± ¡°And in the past ten years alone, at least 16 people have clearly seen the creature.¡± ¡°From my summary, the sea monster is most likely to appear during the summer storms!¡± ¡°Summer?¡± Dennise looked disappointed. So did Jason. There might be ways to extend the time spent in the instance world, but they were not easy. As far as he knew, the only possibility was to alter the main mission. And the risk of changing the main mission? Jason had already experienced it in ¡®Lorde¡¯. A narrow escape from death! Without sufficient Fullness, he wouldn¡¯t attempt it. So¡­ ¡°Are there any other monsters near Hans Port?¡± Jason asked. ¡°There used to be quite a few,¡± ¡°But most of them have been hunted by me!¡± ¡°After processing their corpses, I disyed them as trophies in my manor¡¯s collection room.¡± ¡°Jason, would you like to see them?¡± ¡°I can take you on a tour of my collection room.¡± Gerard invited. ¡°Of course.¡± Jason did not refuse. On the journey that followed, the two of them discussed monsters, and Dennise, listening with great interest, was far from bored and asionally joined in the conversation. Dennise knew a great deal about monsters. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that she spent her pocket money on novels. This caused Gerard to feel a twinge of envy. ¡°Dennise, after dinner, you can join Jason and visit my collection room,¡± Gerard extended the invitation. ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± Dennise nodded excitedly. Just as Gerard was about to resume his monster discussion with Jason, the carriage was knocked upon¡ª Thump, thump thump. ¡°My lord, something has happened,¡± ¡°Your presence is required to handle it personally.¡± Gerard frowned. Jason turned his head and looked through the carriage window towards the direction behind them. There¡­ A troop of cavalry dressed in Federation uniforms was swiftly approaching. Chapter 114 - 25 Promises (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) Chapter 114: Chapter 25 Promises (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) Gerard also saw the approaching Federation Cavalry. After casting a reassuring nce at Jason, he pushed the carriage door open and stepped out. The attendants who had been orderly gathered around the carriage immediately changed formation, with half of them standing behind Gerard, a quarter dispersing to either side, and the remaining quarter continuing to guard the carriage. Bofute signaled to Gerard, and upon receiving a nod in return, he led his two aides to meet them. Or rather¡­ He stood in front of the cavalry troop. Wearing an impable smile, the Security Chief of Hans Port searched for the leader among the blocked troop of riders. Soon, the Security Chief located his target. It wasn¡¯t difficult. Even those self-proimed ¡®new nobility¡¯ who touted their justice and integrity often chose to distinguish themselves from the masses. Whether it was the texture of their clothes or their essories, these were items beyond the reach of ordinary people. ¡°Hello, I am Bofute, the Security Chief of Hans Port,¡± ¡°May I know who you are?¡± Bofute asked politely. ¡°I am Baron Syndra,¡± replied the other party, returning the courtesy. As he spoke, he took off his military cap, revealing his sparse hairline which made him look much older than his supposed thirty-something years, appearing in his forties instead. The weariness and bitter smile on his face further aged him. The continuous travel and death of several horses had been in vain, failing to catch up, which filled Syndra with regret. At the same time, he grew increasingly dissatisfied with Malor. If the man hadn¡¯t already died, he would definitely have strung him up and beaten him. It wasn¡¯t wrong to pursue the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ heir. But why involve the cousin of the ruler of Hans Port? Although he hadn¡¯t noticed it at first, that didn¡¯t stop Syndra from cursing Malor. Who could have thought that a graduate from a ¡®Griffin Camp¡¯ way over in Jidanlen would be the ruler of Hans Port? Even if both were named Gerard, without the prefix Hans, who could have made the connection? Or rather, who would even dare to think it? If it weren¡¯t for Malor¡¯s attentive aide, those fools could have made an irreversible mistake. And now? Things hadn¡¯t reached the worst stage. But it wasn¡¯t good either. Everything depended on him to navigate. Thus, the new noble lowered his stance. ¡°I wish to see Lord Gerard and Sir Jason,¡± ¡°There has been a misunderstanding that I wish to rify,¡± he said, bowing again. Bofute¡¯s smile remained, but his words firmly denied the request. ¡°I am sorry,¡± ¡°Lord Gerard and Sir Jason are not here,¡± said the Security Chief, lying without blinking an eye while Gerard and Jason stood not far behind him. Baron Syndra seemed as blind as a bat, unable to see Gerard and Jason in the distance. ¡°I see,¡± ¡°then I shall pay a visitter,¡± Having said that, the new noble bowed once more, mounted his horse, and departed. It was simpler than Jason had imagined. So simple that Gerard didn¡¯t even need to intervene personally. But the recent behavior of the attendants couldn¡¯t be reported carelessly. Subconsciously, Jason started to concentrate and scan his surroundings. Soon, his perception, more than triple that of an ordinary person, allowed Jason to notice something unusual. Less than 20 meters away from his position, there was a faint breathing sound. The person clearly had special skills for concealing themselves, and had Jason not been vigntly searching, he might have overlooked such breathing. Instinctively, Jason gripped the broad-ded hatchet and the ¡®Winchester Brothers.¡¯ Even with Gerard¡¯s assurance, Jason still trusted himself more. Gerard noticed his cousin¡¯s action. But he didn¡¯t try to discourage him. On the contrary, the older cousin nodded in approval. ¡°Jason, remember,¡± ¡°In Hans Port, if you find anyone with malicious intent¡­ you have my permission to kill without mercy!¡± ¡°I give you my word!¡± As he finished speaking, Gerard drew a long sword from the attendant beside him and hurled it. Whoosh! Thud! The long sword pierced into the hidden body, nailing the person to the ground and revealing the grey-ck cloak. ¡°Gerard, how dare you¡­¡± The scout of the ¡®Revival Society¡¯ struggled to say something, but Bofute had already beheaded him with a single stroke. However, the incident was far from over. Suddenly, a wind whipped up across the wilderness, carrying with it an irate voice. ¡°Gerard, you better not¡­¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Gerard didn¡¯t wait for the irate voice to finish, letting out a low growl, then rudely shouted, ¡°Hans Port doesn¡¯t wee you bastards! If I find you daring to appear around Hans Port and its vicinity again, I¡¯ll st your den to smithereens!¡± Woo! The wind that had risen above the wilderness instantly became turbulent. But it quickly calmed down. It seemed as if the other party was forcibly holding back their anger. Then, that gust of wind was about to leave. But at that moment, Gerard spoke up again. ¡°And one more thing!¡± ¡°If my cousin suffers any unknown harm!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll st your den to smithereens too!¡± The wind blew forward. As if it hadn¡¯t heard Gerard¡¯s words at all. But Jason could feel distinctly that the warm air had gained a chill. It was murderous intent! Murderous intent from the ¡®Revival Society¡¯s¡¯ voyeur. However, rather than the voyeur¡¯s murderous intent, Jason was more concerned about his cousin. He seemed very familiar with the ¡®Revival Society¡¯! And moreover¡­ He also possessed a power that the ¡®Revival Society¡¯ greatly feared. This, having witnessed the strength of the ¡®Revival Society¡¯ and having seen the ¡®Pied Piper¡¯s¡¯ ability, added ayer of curiosity to Jason¡¯s heart. After returning to the carriage and once it started moving again, Gerard took the initiative to say: ¡°The world is much broader than what you¡¯ve seen¡­ Bizarre!¡± ¡°Many things are also far moreplicated than you can imagine.¡± ¡°Just like what you learned at the ¡®Griffin Camp¡¯ in Jerdan, it¡¯s only the tip of the iceberg.¡± ¡°The real core, they will never impart to a ¡®civilian¡¯.¡± Gerard¡¯s face was tinged with sarcasm as he spoke, but he quicklyposed himself. ¡°Of course, now that they know you¡¯re my cousin,¡± ¡°They¡¯re even less likely to teach you the true knowledge.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I will teach you!¡± ¡°Moreprehensively and more suited to you than theirs!¡± Gerard made a promise. True knowledge? Is it about schools of thought? Or¡­ Jason subconsciously thought of ¡®Bizarre.¡¯ Then, he immediately shook his head, casting the thought from his mind. He didn¡¯t want to be ¡®sugar-coated¡¯ again. At this time, the carriage had already passed through several blocks of Hans Port, and a mansion was nowing into view. A crowd of people was gathered in front of the mansion, patiently waiting. As they saw the carriage, they immediately crowded around. ¡°Jason, look, they¡¯ve been waiting for a long time,¡± ¡°Perhaps you don¡¯t remember,¡± ¡°But they are all our rtives,¡± Gerard said, pointing at the people crowding around, with a smile. Jason observed these people; they were dressed differently. Some wore in clothes and shoes, others formal attire and leather shoes. There were gentlemen anddies. Of varying heights, builds, and sizes, there were dozens of them. Despite therge number, when they looked at Jason walking down with Gerard, their expressions were the same. Envy. Jealousy. And¡­ Malice! Chapter 118: 29: True Thoughts (Please Subscribe~ Vote with Monthly Ticket~) Chapter 118: Chapter 29: True Thoughts (Please Subscribe~ Vote with Monthly Ticket~) The body entangled with seaweed was washed up on the beach. There were marks of binding around the ankles. It must have been tied to a heavy object and thrown into the sea, and then, after the rope broke, the body was washed ashore. Jason, having examined the body, was thinking this as he red his nostrils. A faint scent. It seemed that the scent of food, already very light, had be even fainter after being washed by seawater, and would be impossible to detect without being close. But one thing was certain, the scent was the same as the one on Bitos. Both were from the same food source. ¡°Raul was first drowned.¡± ¡°Then Bitos was hanged.¡± ¡°What is the assant trying to do?¡±
¡°Provoke a struggle?¡± Jason subconsciously nced over at the group of so-called rtives. That ufortable voice came from the crowd again. ¡°Amy!¡± ¡°It was Amy!¡± ¡°Amy once cursed to drown Raul!¡± People were saying this as they all turned their eyes toward the beach. Amy. The daughter of Uncle Gerard, though unlike those distant rtives, her father¡¯s rtion to Gerard¡¯s father was much closer, at least, her family in Golsai was far better off than the others. And at this moment, she was being buried in the sand by Dennise. She was the girl who had crushed Dennise¡¯s sandcastle with a kick. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with me!¡± ¡°I was just saying it!¡± Amy, dug out of the sand, didn¡¯t care about the mud and sand on her, and simply denied it all, but the surrounding rtives didn¡¯t believe her, showing outright hostility. ¡°Who knows if you¡¯re lying?¡± ¡°You walk around with servants, acting all high and mighty, maybe you held a grudge because Raul offended you.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly!¡± Everyone crowded around, pointing at Amy.
It seemed they already considered Amy the murderer. Miss Amy from Golsai was certainly not one to be trifled with; after getting over her initial shock, she quickly regained herposure. ¡°You¡¯re saying I killed someone?¡± ¡°What about you?¡±
¡°You whispered that you wanted Raul to die a horrible death!¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Just because Bitos got a new outfit, you nned to burn him alive!¡± ¡°And you!¡± ¡°You cursed behind my back that I should fall to my death, I know about it!¡± Amy, having collected herself, began to point at people around her one by one. These people were taken aback by Amy¡¯s retorts. Then, they used Amy with even louder voices. Amy, alone and outnumbered, quickly found herself on the defensive. But she wasn¡¯t without a strategy to fight back. p! After a slight pause, Amy from Golsai raised her hand and pped one of them across the face. The person at first was stunned.
Then he kicked Amy hard in the stomach. Seeing Amy fall to the ground, one maid rushed to help her up while another rushed forward and started fighting with the man. Cries of outrage and sounds of scuffle. The beach descended into chaos. Jason stood not far away, watching this scene unfold. If the killer intended to provoke a dispute, then he had seeded, and quite spectacrly at that. But Jason wasn¡¯t too concerned about these things. He was more eager to find the source of the food scent. Yet, he found nothing. As soon as the fighting started, Dennise shrank back behind Jason. ¡°Jason, your rtives are really scary.¡± ¡°Just like the mad dogs outside of Karl Town.¡± ¡°Those mad dogs often gnaw on corpses in the cemetery.¡± Dennise, though not smart, could tell that those people were truly enraged and out for blood.
¡°When one¡¯s dark secrets areid bare, anyone would fight like mad.¡± Jason said dispassionately. In his eyes, these people were just as Dennise described, a pack of mad dogs blinded by reason, desperately fighting over a piece of bone. Gerard, who was beside him, could no longer restrain himself. ¡°Enough!¡± The master of Hans Portmanded in a low shout. Instantly, the people who were fighting just a moment ago ceased and abruptly separated. Their heads bowed, they dared not look at each other, let alone the displeased Gerard. However, the heavy breathing, clenched fists, and resentful res revealed their true feelings. As for those who had not been involved and were merely onlookers, they wore schadenfreude smirks. They knew they had eliminated a number ofpetitors. This only served to irritate Gerard even more. ¡°Take them to have their wounds treated.¡±
¡°And bring back Raul¡¯s body.¡± ¡°Spare no effort in pursuing the murderer.¡± The master of Hans Port instructed. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The butler bowed and immediately began to make arrangements. As the guards left with the body, Jason did not return with them; he hoped to search the nearby area for more clues rted to the murder. Gerard did not go back either. The master of Hans Port simply did not wish to face those bothersome rtives. And Dennise? It still wanted to pile up sand. ¡°I never thought that, apart from you, Jason, I would have so many rtives.¡± ¡°Even though I had no expectations before they showed up.¡± ¡°But they are greedier than I imagined!¡± Gerard followed behind Jason, walking and speaking, his face showing a hint of mncholy but mostly irritation. ¡°It was bound to happen when they learned you were the master of Hans Port,¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°It was indeed more intense than I had expected.¡± Jason sniffed hard, trying to catch scents while responding to Gerard¡¯s words. ¡°It was fine at first, but when my mother, your aunt, saw so many rtives appear in the banquet hall, she promised in her joy that she would choose a few capable ones among them to help me manage Hans Port,¡± ¡°After that, everything becameplicated.¡± When mentioning this, Gerard¡¯s face showed helplessness. He knew what his mother meant. She merely hoped that someone would help him. Gerard could not refuse his mother. And he had even prepared several inconsequential positions. But he had never imagined that it would turn into murder. Although Gerard could not yet determine who the murderer was, the master of Hans Port was highly confident that the culprit was among those present before. As to who the murderer was, or how to urately pinpoint them, Gerard did not care. Because it was something easily discovered. The scientific side requires a plethora of evidence and reasoning. And the Mystical Side? Just ask the deceased directly. Gerard trusted that his butler would handle it even better. Jason offered no opinion on the matter. He neither criticized his aunt¡¯s actions as wrong nor endorsed them, nor would he discuss those rtives. Because he waspletely distracted by Gerard¡¯s next statement. The master of Hans Port suddenly stopped in his tracks and spoke seriously¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married.¡± Chapter 116: 27 s Prologue (Subscribe please~ Monthly ticket please~) Chapter 116: 27 Chapters Prologue (Subscribe please~ Monthly ticket please~) ¡°Aaaaah!¡± The shrill scream came from the nearby beach, disturbing Jason, who was browsing through a book. With a perception more than three times that of an average person, the scream at this distance was almost no different from someone screaming right in front of him. Jason frowned slightly and put down ¡®A Hundred Years of Hans Port History,¡¯ then walked over to the window to look towards the beach. After confirming that there was no serious matter, he closed the window. How much harm can you expect from a husky? It¡¯s not in the room. Scaring others is pretty much the limit. Returning to his study, Jason prepared to continue reading ¡®A Hundred Years of Hans Port History.¡¯ The book was written interestingly. It seemed like an official history, but in reality, it was all unofficial histories and amusing anecdotes. Although it was impossible to discern the truth from the false, it was sufficiently interesting.
Just like it said, Hans Port was actually divided into two. One is the one people often see. The other is in¡­ The deep sea! upied by countless monsters! Jason was captivated by the phrase ¡®countless monsters¡¯, and he subconsciously thought of the rumored Hans sea monsters, and then, he wondered what these monsters tasted like. Unconsciously, Jason started to salivate. Thinking of the delightful aspects, the corners of his mouth even started to curl up slightly. Thump, thump thump. A knock on the door suddenly sounded, disturbing Jason¡¯s reading. He stood up displeased and walked towards the door. Standing outside was a young man with sandy hair, gaunt features, deep-set eyes, and very thin lips, as if he had no lips at all. His clothes were luxurious but seemed ill-fitting, baggy, making him look like a child dressed in an adult¡¯s clothes. Bitos. The son of a deceased aunt from afar. After confirming that he was a rtive of the ruler of Hans Port, he was the first to arrive here. Upon seeing the other person, Jason thought of Gerard¡¯s introduction to him. Of course, what made the strongest impression on Jason was the malice in the other person¡¯s eyes when he had seen Jason at the mansion door; it was the most intense of all. ¡°What do you want?¡± Jason¡¯s frosty tone made his attitude clear.
He hoped the other would take the hint and leave. He did not like these so-called ¡®rtives.¡¯ Naturally, he did not want any involvement with them. Moreover, Gerard¡¯s wedding was tomorrow, and once he attended the wedding, he would be able to leave smoothly.
After that? Naturally, he would never have to see them again. However, Bitos had the nerve to say with a smile, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to invite me in?¡± As he spoke, he tried to peek inside the legendary guest room. Unfortunately for him, Jason was too tall,pletely blocking his view. Even on tiptoe, it was no use; he couldn¡¯t see any of the interior decorations. Then, Bitos looked at Jason, who was still standing in ce, and chuckled awkwardly, ¡°After all, we are rtives.¡± ¡°But I have never seen you before.¡± Jason replied, preparing to close the door. He wasn¡¯t about to waste time here. ¡°Wait!¡± Bitos, seeing Jason closing the door, raised his hand trying to stop it, but unfortunately, his strength was nothingpared to Jason¡¯s. His whole body was pushed backward by the door, and seeing the door about to close, Bitos finally stopped beating around the bush and lowered his voice, ¡°There¡¯s something I have to tell you, it¡¯s very important!¡± Then, Bitos¡¯s gaze once more drifted over Jason¡¯s shoulder, the implication couldn¡¯t be clearer. But Jason tly said, ¡°Say it here.¡±
Faced with repeated rejections, Bitos felt ever more resentment. Looking at the young man in front of him, as tall and robust as Gerard, he very much wanted to get rid of him and take his ce. Because he knew that this young person, who had stayed in the luxurious fourth-floor guest room, would receive much more than he would. At the very least, he would be appointed to an important position in Hans Port! He couldn¡¯t stand it! Why should he only get some money, while Jason would get so much more? Thinking of this, Bitos felt a flicker of resentment towards Gerard as well. He was a rtive too, so why was there such a big gap. Yet Bitos was very good at restraining this resentment. At least that¡¯s how it seemed to him. ¡°It¡¯s not time yet!¡± ¡°Now is not the time!¡± Bitos lowered his head slightly, reminding himself.
He didn¡¯t notice the coldness emerging in Jason¡¯s eyes. Then, when Bitos looked up again, the smile returned to his face. ¡°It¡¯s about our rtives.¡± ¡°You know, Lord Gerard¡¯s status meant they could not get along peacefully.¡± ¡°They formed their own little groups.¡± Bitos lowered his voice again, speaking in a secretive manner. Next, there was an emphasis added to his subdued voice. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve formed one too.¡± ¡°But it¡¯spletely different from theirs.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re different too, so, I hope you will join.¡± Bitos extended his hand.
Jason looked down at it, stepped back, and closed the door. Bang! The sound of the door colliding with the frame startled Bitos into stepping back. He was about to curse, but he swallowed the words. Just you wait! Without speaking, he just mouthed the words before turning to leave. Around the corner, he encountered the maid of this floor. ¡°Mr. Bitos, this is the guest room area.¡± ¡°You should not be here.¡± ¡°If you appear here again, I will report to the Butler.¡± The maid, who had just returned to the floor after her shift, frowned and spoke to Bitos very seriously. ¡°No, no!¡± ¡°I was just curious.¡± As Bitos spoke, he waved his hand and ran downstairs. When he turned around the staircase, Bitos¡¯s face twistedpletely. ¡°You just wait!¡± A malicious curse barely audible emerged from Bitos. ¡­ In the room, Jason continued to browse through the book ¡°A Hundred-Year History of Hans Port.¡± He hade across an entry about a local fisherman who found an unknown statue, believed it to possess mysterious powers, and began investigating, only to have his family disappear. As for Bitos just now? Jason didn¡¯t care in the slightest. He didn¡¯t believe a word the man said. Even if it were true,ing from his mouth meant ill will. The truth from a wicked person is not a sign of a guilty conscience¡ªit¡¯s likely meant to sow discord. Or it¡¯s to achieve a certain goal. Bitos was probably aiming for both. To iste him from the other rtives and draw him into Bitos¡¯s camp, then seek bigger benefits. Those who liked to form factions in Nightless City always did so. Some seeded. Some failed. Bitos was likely to fail. Because Jason couldn¡¯t see anything in him that resembled the ¡®sessful ones.¡¯ Regathering his focus, Jason prepared to concentrate on the book in front of him. But just then¡ª ¡°Ah ah ah ah!¡± ¡°There¡¯s been a murder!¡± Chapter 117: 28 Following Up (Please Subscribe~Vote for the Monthly Ticket~) Chapter 117: Chapter 28 Following Up (Please Subscribe~Vote for the Monthly Ticket~) The deceased was Bitos. The young man who had just cleverly tried to recruit Jason to his own camp was found hanged in the stairwell between the third and second floors. Bitos¡¯ eyes bulged, his tongue sticking out grotesquely long. One of his leather shoes had fallen onto the staircase, and a hemp rope wrapped around his neck was tied to a wooden railing near the stairwell on the third floor, knotted in a very secure double slipknot. With sufficient height, Bitos dangled mid-air, his head nearly touching the stairs leading up to the fourth floor. Servants and attendants kept the gathering rtives from getting too close. Several guards protected the crime scene. When Jason arrived, this was the scene that greeted him. ¡°Hanged to death?¡± Jason looked at Bitos¡¯ body, refraining from intervening hastily and instead waited quietly for Gerard¡¯s arrival. Gerard was not only the master of the mansion but also the ruler of Hans Port, and by all reasons, it made sense to leave the situation in his hands. During this waiting time, Jason¡¯s gaze swept over the rtives who were continuously gathering.
There was shock in their eyes. But, There was even more gloating. The kind of gloating thates when apetitor is gone. Just as Bitos had said, unlike these rtives, he ¡°should have had quite a petitive edge¡¯.¡± Only¡­ Thatpetitive edge had now vanished. Death always takes everything away. And it also brings something. Sorrow, yes. Joy as well. And at this moment, thetter was obviously more abundant. Step, step-step. Gerard, dressed in a blue Knight¡¯s uniform, came down the stairs. The Butler walked by Gerard¡¯s side. Undoubtedly, the Butler had already informed Gerard about what had happened. The ruler of Hans Port, with a somber expression and an air of suppressed anger, did not like the idea of a murder happening in his house. Gerard was no exception. In fact, he detested it even more. Because his status was different.
¡°Go, lock down the information,¡± ¡°Take the body down,¡± Gerard ordered the Butler, and then, as the guards began to move, the ruler of Hans Port walked up beside Jason. They stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the guards take down the body. ¡°Together?¡±
Gerard invited Jason. Jason walked forward silently. He wasn¡¯t interested in Bitos¡¯ body. However¡­ The faint scent on Bitos, the smell of food, genuinely piqued his interest. It was faint, So faint that even with Jason¡¯s sense of smell being more than three times stronger than an average person¡¯s, he could only detect a trace of it from close by. Moreover, more importantly, there was no such aroma of food on Bitos just before. If there had been, Jason would not have minded having a conversation in the room. ¡°Met with ¡®food¡¯ or someone rted to ¡®food¡¯ after leaving?¡± ¡°Then got killed?¡± Jason spected, his gaze shifting back to the body. The rope marks were clearly visible.
The hyoid bone waspletely broken, indicating that the killer was very strong. Moreover, the marks were a full circle around the neck, not just half. Next, Jason climbed the stairs to the third floor, examining the spot where the rope had been tied. There were no friction marks. Without a doubt, murder was certain. But he was not directly hanged to death. Instead, he was strangled in the stairwell and then hung up afterward. Otherwise, the rope marks should only be on one side of the neck, not all around, and there should have been some friction on the railing. One would know that after being hung, a person would not die immediately but would struggle for a while. The shoe on the staircase was likely meant to mislead people into thinking Bitos had been hanged to death. However, why did the killer do this? Jason was slightly puzzled. To hang or to strangle, the result was death regardless. The killer went to great lengths to disguise a strangling as a hanging¡­ ¡°Does this mansion have any legends about hanging to death?¡± Jason questioned Gerard.
¡°No,¡± ¡°It has only been built in the past ten years, from the start of construction to now, there has been no idents.¡± Gerard answered with certainty, while a hint of admiration shed in his eyes. He had been pondering the same question just moments before. And now his cousin had already begun to suspect something, which greatly pleased Gerard. Just as clever as he was as a child! Pictures of their childhood popped into Gerard¡¯s mind, while at this moment, Jason¡¯s gaze shifted towards those so-called rtives. In Jason¡¯s view, these rtives were quite suspect. In fact, several people started to dodge his gaze as soon as it swept over them. Gerard saw this scene. He gestured with a wave of his hand to the butler, signaling something with a nod. Immediately, the butler, along with several guards, walked over.
¡°Lord Gerard!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t our fault!¡± ¡°It was Raul who wanted to hang Bitos!¡± Before the butler could say anything, the few individuals whose gazes had just flickered spoke up directly. Raul? Seems to be a son of one of the uncles. He used to be a Federation soldier but left the military because of a mistake. During the previous meeting at the mansion gate, he stood in the middle of the crowd, the only one who showed him a hint of hostility. A bit of a reckless fellow. It wouldn¡¯t be strange for him to do something impulsive like this. But¡­ Jason hadn¡¯t seen Raul among the crowd; he instinctively red his nostrils, nor did he detect the smell of food. ¡°Where is Raul?¡± Gerard asked with a grave tone. After exchanging nces, the rtives shook their heads one after another. Gerard¡¯s gaze turned towards his butler. ¡°Earlier, Mr. Raul said he wanted to go to the beach,¡± the butler replied. ¡°To the beach.¡± Gerard immediately headed for the beach, with Jason following behind. From a distance, they heard Dennise¡¯s carefreeughter, which eased the tense atmosphere of the group a bit. And then¡­ Everyone saw three people buried in the sand, with Dennise piling a mound of sand shaped like¡­ poop, on each of their heads. The rtives¡¯ faces changed color. Many of them knew what those three hade to the beach for, but this oue? It was not quite what they had imagined. Gerard, however, curled up the corners of his mouth, showing a hint of a smile. His study also had a view of the beach, and although he hadn¡¯t paid attention to this spot, he could guess what had happened and very much appreciated Dennise¡¯s way of handling the situation: even having the ability to truly punish the offenders, she chose a lighthearted approach. A very kind girl. And those poop-shaped mounds of sand? What of it? When someone tried to bully him and Jason as kids, they had thrown cow dung at those bullies. ¡°Jason!¡± ¡°Come y with us!¡± Upon the group¡¯s arrival, Dennise immediately spotted Jason and waved her arms frantically. Jason didn¡¯t even look at those buried in the sand and asked directly, ¡°Did you see anyone else here?¡± Before Dennise could answer, Jason¡¯s nostrils red, and he turned his gaze to the seaside. Seeing Jason¡¯s actions, everyone around subconsciously followed his gaze. And then? Screams erupted one after another! ¡°Dead!¡± ¡°Raul is dead!¡± Chapter 118: 29: True Thoughts (Please Subscribe~ Vote with Monthly Ticket~) Chapter 118: Chapter 29: True Thoughts (Please Subscribe~ Vote with Monthly Ticket~) The body entangled with seaweed was washed up on the beach. There were marks of binding around the ankles. It must have been tied to a heavy object and thrown into the sea, and then, after the rope broke, the body was washed ashore. Jason, having examined the body, was thinking this as he red his nostrils. A faint scent. It seemed that the scent of food, already very light, had be even fainter after being washed by seawater, and would be impossible to detect without being close. But one thing was certain, the scent was the same as the one on Bitos. Both were from the same food source. ¡°Raul was first drowned.¡± ¡°Then Bitos was hanged.¡± ¡°What is the assant trying to do?¡±
¡°Provoke a struggle?¡± Jason subconsciously nced over at the group of so-called rtives. That ufortable voice came from the crowd again. ¡°Amy!¡± ¡°It was Amy!¡± ¡°Amy once cursed to drown Raul!¡± People were saying this as they all turned their eyes toward the beach. Amy. The daughter of Uncle Gerard, though unlike those distant rtives, her father¡¯s rtion to Gerard¡¯s father was much closer, at least, her family in Golsai was far better off than the others. And at this moment, she was being buried in the sand by Dennise. She was the girl who had crushed Dennise¡¯s sandcastle with a kick. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with me!¡± ¡°I was just saying it!¡± Amy, dug out of the sand, didn¡¯t care about the mud and sand on her, and simply denied it all, but the surrounding rtives didn¡¯t believe her, showing outright hostility. ¡°Who knows if you¡¯re lying?¡± ¡°You walk around with servants, acting all high and mighty, maybe you held a grudge because Raul offended you.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly!¡± Everyone crowded around, pointing at Amy.
It seemed they already considered Amy the murderer. Miss Amy from Golsai was certainly not one to be trifled with; after getting over her initial shock, she quickly regained herposure. ¡°You¡¯re saying I killed someone?¡± ¡°What about you?¡±
¡°You whispered that you wanted Raul to die a horrible death!¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Just because Bitos got a new outfit, you nned to burn him alive!¡± ¡°And you!¡± ¡°You cursed behind my back that I should fall to my death, I know about it!¡± Amy, having collected herself, began to point at people around her one by one. These people were taken aback by Amy¡¯s retorts. Then, they used Amy with even louder voices. Amy, alone and outnumbered, quickly found herself on the defensive. But she wasn¡¯t without a strategy to fight back. p! After a slight pause, Amy from Golsai raised her hand and pped one of them across the face. The person at first was stunned.
Then he kicked Amy hard in the stomach. Seeing Amy fall to the ground, one maid rushed to help her up while another rushed forward and started fighting with the man. Cries of outrage and sounds of scuffle. The beach descended into chaos. Jason stood not far away, watching this scene unfold. If the killer intended to provoke a dispute, then he had seeded, and quite spectacrly at that. But Jason wasn¡¯t too concerned about these things. He was more eager to find the source of the food scent. Yet, he found nothing. As soon as the fighting started, Dennise shrank back behind Jason. ¡°Jason, your rtives are really scary.¡± ¡°Just like the mad dogs outside of Karl Town.¡± ¡°Those mad dogs often gnaw on corpses in the cemetery.¡± Dennise, though not smart, could tell that those people were truly enraged and out for blood.
¡°When one¡¯s dark secrets areid bare, anyone would fight like mad.¡± Jason said dispassionately. In his eyes, these people were just as Dennise described, a pack of mad dogs blinded by reason, desperately fighting over a piece of bone. Gerard, who was beside him, could no longer restrain himself. ¡°Enough!¡± The master of Hans Portmanded in a low shout. Instantly, the people who were fighting just a moment ago ceased and abruptly separated. Their heads bowed, they dared not look at each other, let alone the displeased Gerard. However, the heavy breathing, clenched fists, and resentful res revealed their true feelings. As for those who had not been involved and were merely onlookers, they wore schadenfreude smirks. They knew they had eliminated a number ofpetitors. This only served to irritate Gerard even more. ¡°Take them to have their wounds treated.¡±
¡°And bring back Raul¡¯s body.¡± ¡°Spare no effort in pursuing the murderer.¡± The master of Hans Port instructed. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The butler bowed and immediately began to make arrangements. As the guards left with the body, Jason did not return with them; he hoped to search the nearby area for more clues rted to the murder. Gerard did not go back either. The master of Hans Port simply did not wish to face those bothersome rtives. And Dennise? It still wanted to pile up sand. ¡°I never thought that, apart from you, Jason, I would have so many rtives.¡± ¡°Even though I had no expectations before they showed up.¡± ¡°But they are greedier than I imagined!¡± Gerard followed behind Jason, walking and speaking, his face showing a hint of mncholy but mostly irritation. ¡°It was bound to happen when they learned you were the master of Hans Port,¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°It was indeed more intense than I had expected.¡± Jason sniffed hard, trying to catch scents while responding to Gerard¡¯s words. ¡°It was fine at first, but when my mother, your aunt, saw so many rtives appear in the banquet hall, she promised in her joy that she would choose a few capable ones among them to help me manage Hans Port,¡± ¡°After that, everything becameplicated.¡± When mentioning this, Gerard¡¯s face showed helplessness. He knew what his mother meant. She merely hoped that someone would help him. Gerard could not refuse his mother. And he had even prepared several inconsequential positions. But he had never imagined that it would turn into murder. Although Gerard could not yet determine who the murderer was, the master of Hans Port was highly confident that the culprit was among those present before. As to who the murderer was, or how to urately pinpoint them, Gerard did not care. Because it was something easily discovered. The scientific side requires a plethora of evidence and reasoning. And the Mystical Side? Just ask the deceased directly. Gerard trusted that his butler would handle it even better. Jason offered no opinion on the matter. He neither criticized his aunt¡¯s actions as wrong nor endorsed them, nor would he discuss those rtives. Because he waspletely distracted by Gerard¡¯s next statement. The master of Hans Port suddenly stopped in his tracks and spoke seriously¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married.¡± Chapter 119: 30 Continuous 3 (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) Chapter 119: Chapter 30 Continuous 3 (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) ¡°You don¡¯t want to get married?¡± ¡°Then what am I supposed to do?¡± Jason stopped in his tracks. He certainly hadn¡¯t forgotten that his main quest was: ¡°Arrive at Hans Port by the 26th and attend the wedding.¡± It was the afternoon of the 25th, and he had already reached Hans Port, so the first half of his quest was consideredplete, but if the wedding didn¡¯t take ce¡­ The quest would naturally be a failure! Unless there was a change in the main quest. But based on his previous experiences, in order for the main quest to change, he must actively ¡®change¡¯ it himself, not wait for other natives to change it. Simply put, all actions must begin with him. ¡°Did I arrive too early?¡± While looking at the main quest introduction, Jason couldn¡¯t help but start thinking.
If he had arrived a bitter, perhaps Gerard wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to utter that sentence. Or perhaps Gerard didn¡¯t want to get married, but that was just a thought in his mind, something he would never say out loud. Once it was said, it meant that the ruler of Hans Port had made a decision. Without waiting for Jason to ask why, Gerard proactively said: ¡°The woman I am to marry is not the one I love.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of the Duke of Fort Swallow.¡± ¡°Yes, just as you are thinking, our marriage is one of mutual benefit.¡± As Gerard spoke of the marriage alliance, a look of undisguised disgust crossed the face of the ruler of Hans Port. And the reason for his disgust was simple. ¡°I am very resistant to this marriage alliance!¡± ¡°Because, I believe I can make Hans Port better, not through such means, but sadly, this marriage was arranged before I came of age.¡± ¡°I seldom go against my mother.¡± ¡°She has done everything for me, and I know it.¡± ¡°But this time, I hope she can understand me.¡± Gerard paused for a moment, nced at Dennise ying with the sand, and then looked back at Jason, saying, ¡°Jason, I¡¯m very grateful to you. It¡¯s your and Dennise¡¯s arrival that made me realize what kind of life I need in the future.¡± ¡°I hope that after dinner, you can help me persuade my mother.¡± Gerard was asking Jason. Was this the opportunity to continue ¡®changing¡¯? At this thought, Jason immediately nodded his head.
No matter what the oue, he had to be involved. In the time that followed, Gerard talked to Jason about various matters, including the management of Hans Port as well as some trivial matters around him, and the habitually silent Jason acted as an excellent listener. And Dennise? When the attendant brought a little shovel as Gerard hadmanded, she became even more engrossed in her y.
She built her own castle carefree. Even though it looked somewhat ugly, it didn¡¯t stop her from letting out bursts ofughter. ¡°Jason, let¡¯s continue ying after dinner!¡± As Dennise left the beach, she said reluctantly. Before Jason could reply, Gerard spoke up first. ¡°After dinner, Jason has to help me with a troublesome matter.¡± ¡°So, he won¡¯t be able to apany you.¡± ¡°However, Dennise, if you like the beach, I can give you a house ¡ª there are quite a few houses in Hans Port that are close to the beach.¡± The light nearly sparked from Dennise¡¯s eyes. She almost subconsciously agreed. But as she was about to speak, she nced at Jason, who was expressionless, thought for a moment, and then shook her head. Gerard looked at Dennise in surprise. He could tell that Dennise had been very tempted just moments before.
Yet she still cared about what Jason thought. Instantly, Gerard sent Jason an envious look. It also solidified his resolve to pursue his own happiness. Because, he was sure that when interests called for it, his fianc¨¦e would not hesitate to abandon him, unable to act toward him like Dennise did toward Jason. Of course, there was no shame in that. If necessary, he would do the same. And this¡­ Only made him loathe the marriage even more. Jason looked at Gerard¡¯s expression, turned his head, and looked at Dennise, who was proudly expecting praise. He raised his hand and patted her forehead. Smack! Amidst Dennise¡¯s groans of pain, Jason felt more spections arise in his heart. It wasn¡¯t just a direct influence.
Could indirect influence be possible too? Or was it because I changed Dennise, and that in turn affected the entire world? No! That can¡¯t be! The idea that changing Dennise could affect the world was too exaggerated, unless she was the protagonist of this world¡­ Jason was startled. He looked down at Dennise, who was clutching her forehead, baring her teeth at him, and then immediately shifted to a look of pitiful grievance when she noticed his gaze, and he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. Impossible! How could such a creature possibly be the protagonist? Jason shook his head repeatedly. His gaze naturally turned back to Gerard. Compared to Dennise, Gerard undoubtedly seemed more like a protagonist. A lord of one side, powerful, tenacious in character, and his morals¡­ fairly noble.
Amid his thoughts, the three of them returned to the main building. After a simple wash, the banquet began. The dinner, held in honor of Jason¡¯s arrival, took ce in the three-story banquet hall. Gerard was still in his knight¡¯s attire. Jason had also donned a suit of knight¡¯s attire. No need for custom fitting, wearing Gerard¡¯s was just fine, no difort at all, it fit perfectly. Dennise had put on ace dress as well. However, she had decided not to use a hoop skirt and simply wore thece dress as if it were an ordinary cloth dress. As soon as the three appeared, rtives waiting inside the banquet hall turned their eyes toward them. Looking at Jason, wearing a knight¡¯s outfit identical to Gerard¡¯s, their eyes were filled with jealousy. But they all masked it well. And feigned geniality and liveliness. As if the afternoon¡¯s events had never happened. With a ss of coconut wine in hand, Gerard moved to the center of the banquet hall. Instantly, the hall went silent, and all eyes turned to Gerard. Some people are naturally the center of everyone¡¯s attention. Every gesture they make captures the eyes of others. Without a doubt, Gerard was not such a person. But his status as the ruler of Hans Port made him into such a person. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, wee to you all.¡± ¡°Tonight¡¯s banquet is prepared for my cousin Jason.¡± ¡°I am very pleased to wee him, who hase from afar.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s raise a ss to him.¡± After Gerard¡¯s brief speech, he downed the coconut wine in his ss in one gulp. The surrounding people also raised their sses to Jason with fake smiles and downed their drinks. Jason nodded in response. His gaze then shifted to the direction of the dining table. At this moment, Dennise unexpectedly became Jason¡¯spanion. Why it, being undead, was interested in the food of the living, it didn¡¯t understand. But¡­ It smelled so good! Dennise swallowed saliva. Then, as Jason stepped towards the dining table, she immediately followed. She had her eye on a roastedmb leg! No one was going to fight her for it! But someone did beat Dennise to the punch. The youngdy from Golsai, Amy with a bruised face, along with two servants like herself, stood in front of the roastedmb leg. She extended her knife and fork, cut off the juiciest piece, and ced it on her own te, then turned her head to tauntingly look at Dennise while putting it in her mouth. She nned to savor it slowly. To have a few more glimpses of the country bumpkin¡¯s disappointed face. However, after only a few chews, Amy felt a sensation of suffocation. Crash! The te fell to the ground; she frantically wed at her throat, trying to spit out the meat, but a deeper numbing sensation began to spread. Immediately after, she fell silent. Chapter 120: 31 Can’t Hold Back (Five Updates~Fat Dragon Seeks Subscription~Seeks Monthly Pass~) Chapter 120: Chapter 31 Can¡¯t Hold Back (Five Updates~Fat Dragon Seeks Subscription~Seeks Monthly Pass~) Amy is dead. Poisoned. The butler who rushed over confirmed this and brought with him more bad news: ¡°The ritual didn¡¯t work on Bitos and Raul.¡± ¡°Their souls dissipatedpletely upon death, seven days faster than usual.¡± The butler said so. Jason did not leave at Gerard¡¯s signal. The banquet hall, bustling just moments ago, now held only Gerard, Jason, Dennise, and a personal attendant. Gerard was frowning deeply. If he hadn¡¯t been concerned about the two previous murders, the appearance of a third had put the master of Hans Port on high alert. Especially the failure of the ritual, which made Gerard sense danger.
¡°Go and arrange a team to protect our mother¡¯s convoy.¡± Jason¡¯s aunt would be returning from the estate outside the port to attend the wedding the next day, and she would likely be nearing Hans Port by then. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The butler immediately bowed in assent. Just as the butler was arranging for the attendant to go, Gerard spoke again. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Send another team to the embassy.¡± Gerard ordered. Although he didn¡¯t like the daughter of the Duke of Fort Swallow, that didn¡¯t mean he would let anything happen to her in Hans Port. Two teams of attendants left the mansion one after the other. The butler then arranged for another attempt at the ritual, meanwhile starting to question the servants, the chefs, and the rtives. Jason was not among them. He walked around the dining table. Before that, Jason had carefully examined Amy¡¯s body. Unlike Bitos and Raul, who had a faint food scent, Amy had no food scent on her at all! ¡°Was it not the same person?¡± ¡°Or¡­¡± ¡°Did they use a different method?¡± Unlike Bitos and Raul, Amy was murdered in public.
The former were more secretive, with a greater variety of methods used. Thetter? It required much more precise nning. nning so precise that the killer could be certain Amy would be the first to go for the roast leg ofmb!
This was not an easy feat. After all, Amy was quarreling with Dennise. He had seen quite clearly before; Amy had been fixating on Dennise. That meant that Amy would only choose what Dennise chose. And to be sure of Dennise¡¯s choice¡­ Subconsciously, Jason turned his head and looked at Dennise, who was standing on one side of the table, ncing left and right, discreetly reaching out to tear off a piece of the leg ofmb and stuffing it directly into her mouth. Hmm, not difficult. Very easy to determine. As for the poison? Ever seen the dead afraid of poison? Watching Dennise¡¯s eyes shine, reaching for another piece ofmb, Jason grabbed her by the nape of the neck. ¡°This is one of the pieces of evidence.¡± Jason said.
¡°It¡¯s also food.¡± Dennise retorted. But she didn¡¯t touch themb again; instead, she turned her attention to the crispy roast suckling pig on the side, grabbed the whole pig, opened her mouth considering where to bite, and eventually chose the protruding snout. Watching Dennise munching with delight. Jason found it hard to imagine how, just moments ago, she had been so fixated on that roast leg ofmb. Hmm? Jason suddenly paused. Given Dennise¡¯s character, she wouldn¡¯t be interested in something for no reason. And while the roast leg ofmb was tasty, the crispy roast suckling pig was no less so. Dennise would most likely hesitate between the two. Not go straight for themb! Was there a prior hint? Jason wondered silently.
¡°Dennise, did someone mention the roast leg ofmb to you beforehand?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°On my way to the beach this afternoon, I overheard the waiters talking about how today¡¯s roast leg ofmb was made with a special recipe. The fragrance during marination was so strong, and it came out even better after roasting¡ªcrispy skin, tender meat, and so juicy¡­¡± Listening to Dennise¡¯s description, Jason looked at the still warm roast leg ofmb and secretly swallowed. No! You can¡¯t eat! You can only resist weak, minor toxicity in food, not this kind of lethal toxicity! Jason warned himself in his heart. But, he couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand. The churning stomach made Jason¡¯s brain rapidly lose its reason. It¡¯s all nonsense to talk about toxicity without discussing dosage!
I have a digestive system that can resist weak, minor toxicity, a little taste should be no problem, right? Jason thought as his fingers gently touched the roast leg ofmb. Oil and sauce immediately coated his fingertips. Jason put his fingers in his mouth. The sauce was slightly sweet, and there was no mutton smell in the fat; instead, it was full of the fresh vor ofmb, hmm¡­ My mouth is a bit numb, but Jason quickly became sober. Then, he saw Dennise looking at him with a strange look in her eyes. As if she had seen a kindred spirit. Jason felt a sense of humiliation. ¡°I¡¯m investigating.¡± Jason emphasized. Dennise looked at Jason with a skeptical face. ¡°This kind of fatal toxin should be very rare.¡± ¡°Based on where it grows and where it circtes, it can effectively help us to narrow down the suspects.¡± ¡°Even, catch the perpetrator directly.¡± Jason exined earnestly. ¡°Is that so?¡± Dennise was still a bit unconvinced, she always felt that Jason was being defensive at this time. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Jason is correct!¡± ¡°This toxines from the burning iris, a rare flower species that exists only in one ce!¡± Gerard came over, agreeing with what Jason had said. ¡°Which ce?¡± Dennise immediately had her attention piqued. ¡°Fort Swallow!¡± Gerard said in a low voice. ¡°Fort Swallow?¡± Dennise blinked. It sounded familiar, but she couldn¡¯t remember where. Then, looking down at the half-eaten crispy suckling pig in her hand, she remembered. ¡°It¡¯s the domain of your fianc¨¦e, Gerard!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Gerard nodded, then turned to Jason straight away and asked, ¡°Jason, would you wannae with me to the embassy?¡± The ruler of Hans Port had anger and relief in his eyes. Jason was well aware that the anger and relief stemmed from a reason. The anger came from the murderer¡¯s repeated killings. Relief? Naturally, it was the possibility of getting out of the engagement due to this incident. Jason, who was closely following the main mission, naturally did not want to miss anything or fail the task. So, he nodded sinctly. ¡°I¡¯ll go too!¡± Seeing Jason was about to go, Dennise immediately raised her hand. ¡°Arrange the carriage.¡± Gerard would naturally not object and promptly gave the order. Minutester, a carriage apanied by a team of guards quickly set off toward the embassy district of Hans Port. Unlike the dock area and the business street which are connected, the embassy district is separate, situated outside. To get there from Duron Street, one has to pass through at least two business streets and a residential area. And just as the carriage had barely left that residential area and was nearing the embassies, Jason¡¯s nostrils couldn¡¯t help twitching; he smelled the fragrance of food! Rich! And familiar! Chapter 121 - 32 Embassy (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) Chapter 121: Chapter 32 Embassy (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) The same scent on Bitos and Raul! Jason unconsciously straightened up and looked toward the embassy. The white embassy, with its marble walls, was nestled among a grove of coconut palms. The evening breeze gently stirred the leaves, rustling like a symphony with the nearby waves of the sea. It wouldn¡¯t be noisy. It was ratherfortable. Especially in front of the embassy, where on both sides of the cobblestone pathway, several snails slowly crawled on the dwarf palm trees, giving a sense of rxation that allowed one to set aside their worries. A nice ce. Jason appraised. Although he didn¡¯t understand architecture, the ce gave him afortable feeling. Of course, the scent that kept drilling into his nose was definitely one of the key points. ¡°Bitos¡¯ and Raul¡¯s deaths, are they rted to the embassy?¡± ¡°Or maybe¡­¡± ¡°Rted to Gerard¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡± As Jason pondered in his mind, he asked Gerard, ¡°Gerard, do you understand your fianc¨¦e?¡± To strangers, Jason didn¡¯t care. But if it was rted to food, he wouldn¡¯t mind learning more. ¡°Understand?¡± Gerard frowned. Then, he shook his head, not hiding the truth from his cousin. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Our marriage is an alliance, my understanding of her is limited to a portrait and some hearsay.¡± ¡°Her view of me?¡± ¡°Probably the same.¡± Unconsciously, Gerard¡¯s face showed a hint of self-mockery. By his side, Dennise¡¯s eyes showed pity. She wanted to say something, but upon receiving Jason¡¯s stern look, she immediately sat upright and shut her mouth. ¡°What¡¯s the general opinion about her?¡± Jason continued to inquire. ¡°Good-natured, kind-hearted, not too fond of socializing.¡± ¡°Oh, and ording to rumors, she really likes small animals.¡± ¡°She keeps birds, rabbits, and others in her garden,¡± Gerard recalled and then said. She likes small animals?! Jason¡¯s saliva secretion started elerating. Slurp. He unconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva. He was looking forward more to meeting Gerard¡¯s fianc¨¦e. However, to be cautious, Jason still asked onest question: ¡°Haven¡¯t you done a private investigation?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gerard nodded decisively. The steward of Hans Port continued. ¡°ording to my people¡¯s investigation,¡± ¡°She is exactly as the rumors describe.¡± ¡°Without any discrepancy.¡± ¡°The impression I get is as if she¡¯s ying the person in the rumors,¡± Gerard concluded, his face reflecting a trace of eeriness. Jason did not ask why Gerard had this feeling. He believed that Gerard, with his status as the steward of Hans Port, would certainly have greater capabilities and intuition than the average person. If Gerard had such an impression, then the probability that the other party was ying a role was very high. Was it for the sake of the marriage alliance? But if it was for the alliance, why kill Bitos and Raul? Their deaths would onlyplicate the alliance. Jason felt puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Carol ra.¡± ¡°The only daughter of the Duke of Fort Swallow.¡± ¡°She has two older brothers and a younger brother.¡± ¡°The eldest brother has already begun assisting the Duke of Fort Swallow with the affairs of the territory, the second brother chose to sail the seas, and the youngest brother, who loves painting, was sent to study in Golsai after turning nine this March.¡± Gerard not only revealed the name but also shared the general background of the Duke¡¯s daughter. ¡°A good arrangement,¡± Jason remarked. Gerard nodded. ¡°It seems very good.¡± ¡°At least it seems so.¡± The overseer of Hans Port spoke in a voice that seemed somewhat ethereal. Being born into nobility meant that one would obtain many things beyond the imagination ofmoners, but it also meant losing a great deal. For example, familial love and romance. Just as Gerard couldn¡¯t decide on his own marriage, Jason didn¡¯t believe a child of nine would willingly leave his parents. ¡°Milord, we have arrived.¡± After the carriage stopped, the attendants dispersed. The person in charge of the embassy came out to greet them. Apanying him was the leader of the ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ delegation and the butler of ¡®Fort Swallow,¡¯ Dres. An older man dressed in a robe of red and green, embroidered with gold at its edges, radiating an air of opulence. At this time, the other party was clearly asleep and had hurriedly dressed to greet them upon receiving the news of Gerard¡¯s arrival, even forgetting to don his white wig. Moonlight shone down upon their heads. Smooth, bright. ¡°Good evening, Lord Gerard.¡± The elder adjusted his clothing and greeted him courteously. ¡°Good evening, Butler Dres.¡± Gerard, suppressing the impatience in his heart, returned the courtesy, but after the pleasantries, he spoke directly, ¡°Something happened at the banquet tonight, where we weed my cousin Jason.¡± ¡°Amy, do you remember?¡± ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°The girl from Golsai.¡± Dres nodded. ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°After eating some food, she was poisoned and died.¡± ¡°The poison was the burning iris!¡± Gerard¡¯s voice was calm and unwavering, betraying no hint of anger. But, Dres started sweating profusely in an instant. The burning iris! The specialty of ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯! Beautiful flowers, but deadly toxic! Every year, there were cases of nobledies identally poisoning themselves to death. But how could those peoplepare with Amy? She was associated with Gerard standing before him. Others might not be aware, but Dres knew far too well the temperament of this ¡®neighbor.¡¯ Brusque, not particr about details, protective of his own. But also, vengeful. And, powerfully strong! More importantly, wielding control over Hans Port and holding the maritime lifeline to the ind, he did not mince words even when facing the ¡®neers¡¯ from the ¡®new¡¯ Federation. It was precisely for this reason that ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ needed an alliance through marriage. ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ needed such a powerful ally to safeguard its reign from the encroachment of the ¡®new maggots.¡¯ As a result, everyone in ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ was overjoyed, with the duke repeatedly praising the foresightedness of the old duke. Therefore, ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ was deeplymitted to this marital alliance. Not only did he serve as the head of the delegation. But the duke¡¯s eldest son also held the position of deputy leader. If not for circumstances preventing it, the duke himself would havee in person. Naturally, this caused dissatisfaction in the ¡®new¡¯ Federation. Were those bastards in the federal government trying to sabotage the alliance?! Almost subconsciously, this thought sprang into the old butler¡¯s mind. ¡°Lord Gerard, please wait for a moment.¡± ¡°His Excellency Barney rk will speak with you in detail.¡± The old butler bowed as he spoke. Although he held the position of the delegation¡¯s leader, the true authority in ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯s¡¯ delegation was, of course, the duke¡¯s eldest son. ¡°Very well.¡± Gerard nodded and, along with Jason and Dennise, waited in the hall. Dennise looked around curiously. Then, she was captivated by an enormous painting hanging in the hall. It depicted a man riding a white horse, with servants apanying him on a hunt. The man¡¯s face was indistinct, but the many attendants, the extravagant clothing, and the handsome white horse made people unconsciously feel that he must be very handsome. And under Dennise¡¯s gaze, the figure in the painting moved! The man dismounted his steed and made an inviting gesture to Dennise. ¡°Noble miss, may I invite you to join the hunt?¡± The pleasant voice carried a bewitching power. Anydy or miss hearing it would be unconsciously swept away. But Dennise was different. The ghostly girl shook her head and said decisively, ¡°No, you¡¯re too ugly!¡± Chapter 122 - 33: Bone Broth Noodles Pre-Ordering… Chapter 122: Chapter 33: Bone Broth Noodles Pre-Ordering¡­ You¡¯re too ugly! Too ugly! Ugly! Ugly! ¡­ Dennise¡¯s crisp voice echoed through the embassy hall, as the knight within the giant painting had his hand frozen midair, and the air itself seemed to solidify at this moment. Huff, huff. Heavy breathing rose as the knight¡¯s body trembled repeatedly, and blood sprayed from his blurred face as if he were spewing blood. Then, in anger, he drew his long sword, about to stab Dennise from within the painting. But a broad-ded, short-handled machete was faster. Schlick! A top-down sh directly split the giant painting in two. The knight¡¯s figure in the painting trembled a few times, then lost its liveliness. But, it wasn¡¯t over. The attendants standing behind the knight caught fire at this moment. They raised their heads, looking over the canvas at Jason and Dennise hiding behind him, as grimaces gradually emerged within their hollow eyes. Then, they reached out their hands. Schlick, schlick. They were like air currents, yet pitch ck. As if they were branches, or perhaps vines. As soon as these hands appeared, they surged toward Jason and Dennise inyers uponyers. Bang! Creak, creak! Bang! The Winchester Brothers fired two shots in session, but the bullets passed right through these hands, utterly ineffective. Without hesitation, Jason released the grip of his gun and rapidlypleted a hand seal, about to activate ¡°Protection Against Evil¡±. Whoosh! me! A fierce red me appeared out of nowhere over the pitch-ck hands. Sss! In an instant, all the hands were scorched. Along with that giant oil painting. Tap, tap tap. Gerard walked over, with mes still burning on his left palm. Even at a slight distance, Jason could still feel the high temperature of the me. But, to Gerard, it seemed to be non-existent. ¡°One of the secret techniques I have mastered.¡± ¡°If you want to learn, I¡¯ll teach you afterward,¡± Gerard said with a smile to his cousin. Then he looked down at the ashes on the ground and his face instantaneously darkened. He certainly recognized what had just transpired. A Painting Charm! A favorite trick of marsh witches. To seal an Evil Spirit within a painting, lure ordinary people inside, and use them as nourishment. However, a normal Painting Charm is not adept at attacking, yet this Painting Charm¡­ Bowing his head, Gerard was deep in thought. The surrounding attendants had already encircled the ce, and after confirming Gerard was unharmed, they began to search around. Perhaps the chances of finding an enemy were slim. But it was better than doing nothing at all. Gerard, regaining hisposure, started exining to Jason. ¡°This is a Painting Charm,¡± ¡°Capable of luring others.¡± ¡°But this is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone able to resist its lure, and even make it backfire on the charmer!¡± As he spoke, Gerard looked at Dennise, admiration shing continuously in his eyes. Dennise just scratched the back of her head, unsure how to respond. She was nothing but a skeletal frame, where was the need to resist its temptation? If she wasn¡¯t worried about not being able to beat it, she would¡¯ve torn that painting apart long ago. Jason, seeing Dennise¡¯s reaction, began to guess. Painting Charm, skilled in beguiling the mind, should typically be immensely powerful. Unfortunately, it chose the wrong target. The dead don¡¯t have a heart. Though Dennise was not like the ordinary dead. Some truths remained the same. Toxins, illusions, ineffective against her. Having confirmed this, Jason turned his head to look at Gerard. ¡°You want to ask who hung this painting up here?¡± ¡°It was me.¡± ¡°About five years ago, I hung it up here.¡± ¡°The person in the painting¡­ is also me.¡± Gerard didn¡¯t wait for Jason to ask and simply said it outright. ¡°That was after a hunt when the artist captured my likeness.¡± ¡°The protection on that hunt was not bad.¡± ¡°I hunted down an Earth Dragon and a Flying Dragon¡­ What is it, Jason?¡± While Gerard was speaking, he noticed his cousin swallowing repeatedly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t eat much dinner, I¡¯m a bit hungry.¡± ¡°Are the Earth Dragon and Flying Dragon also in your collection room?¡± Jason asked, hopeful. ¡°How could that be!¡± ¡°Their sizes are toorge!¡± ¡°Apart from the useful materials, only the bones were left, which I¡¯ve collected and stored in the collection room!¡± Bone broth noodles! Garnished with some green onion, coriander, and topped with a couple of poached eggs! Unconsciously, Jason¡¯s thoughts drifted far away. Gerard, seeing his cousin preupied, felt a tightening in his heart. The influence caused by Taor was greater than he had imagined! Damn ¡®new maggots¡¯! The ruler of Hans Port med all these anomalies on the Federation government, and had already resolved to invite several ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ doctors to treat his cousin as soon as possible. Because he was very clear. The longer such matters were dragged out, the less advantageous it became. ¡°Jason, do you need to rest for a while?¡± Gerard asked with concern, then gave Dennise a look. He signaled to Dennise to take Jason to the carriage to rest. Dennise saw it, but¡­ didn¡¯t understand. Jason briskly waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very curious about what¡¯s happening here.¡± Of course, Jason couldn¡¯t leave. Because the scent of food was bing increasingly rich. The next moment, ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯s key figure Dres and a young man came out. They appeared to walk shoulder to shoulder, but in reality, Dres was a step behind the young man. The young man was dressed in a deep blue coat, a red vest, a white shirt, and trousers the same color as the coat. Two white socks secured his trouser legs up to his calves, and his ck leather shoes were clean and shining. As they approached, a fragrance wafted over. It wasn¡¯t just the smell of perfume. There was also the scent of face powder. Hmm¡­ Jason took a serious look, noting that the other party had also applied lipstick. Beneath the intense mix of scents, the aroma of the food seemed to be obscured. It faded with the wind¡¯s breath. ¡°It¡¯s not him.¡± ¡°But he was in contact with the food just now.¡± ¡°Is it that Carol ra?¡± Jason spected. But the Duke¡¯s eldest son, having been apprised of what had just happened, cried out in rm. ¡°Good heavens!¡± ¡°The painting actually hid a Painted Creature?!¡± The Duke¡¯s eldest son pulled out a handkerchief to cover his mouth, his face showing horror, then he furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°Lord Gerard, do you know how it appeared here?¡± Such words caused Jason to frown in secret. It seemed as if he was using Gerard. Although the embassy had seen such incidents and Gerard bore some negligence, the other party, having resided here for some time, clearly had more suspicion. However, ¡®Fort Swallow,¡¯ which was keen on the union, shouldn¡¯t speak like this. While waiting just now, Dennise ran about erratically, and Jason had been listening to a more detailed introduction of ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ from Gerard. As Jason was puzzled, a smell of blood suddenly filled the air. Everyone looked towards the direction from which the scent of blood was emanating¡ª Blood was streaming continuously from the nose of the Duke¡¯s son. The white handkerchief had already turned red. Blood began to flow from his eyes and ears as well. But he waspletely unaware. Clutching the bloodied handkerchief and with a face covered in blood, he revealed a restrained smile. ¡°Is there something wrong with me?¡± Chapter 123: 34 Out of Nowhere (Seeking subscriptions~ Seeking monthly passes~) Chapter 123: Chapter 34 Out of Nowhere (Seeking subscriptions~ Seeking monthly passes~) Ignoring his own blood. The highborn son, who maintained his etiquette, made Jason vignt. He didn¡¯t know what had happened to the embassy, why it was filled with strangeness everywhere. But he knew no amount of caution was wrong when facing an unknown bizarreness. Gerard was the same. The sword was drawn, and the surrounding attendants were as if facing a great enemy. But Dennise, hiding behind Jason, blended into the crowd, looked around seriously before whispering back: ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just bleeding.¡± The voice was very soft, inaudible under normal circumstances. But at that moment, it was very clear.
Not only did Jason hear it, Gerard heard it, the people around heard it, but the highborn son also heard it. ¡°Bleeding?¡± ¡°Thank you for letting me know.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s just a minor matter, it won¡¯t¡­¡± Thud. The highborn son wanted to say something more but copsed to the ground. The butler, Dres from ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯, was about to rush over but was stopped by Gerard¡¯s attendant. ¡°Please stay calm, Butler Gerard,¡± One attendant spoke as the others quickly moved into action. Without a chant, Jason could feel a special force field emerging, akin to ¡°Protection Against Evil¡±, but much weaker. However, the effect was still evident. Sizz! Like a dough stick entering the hot oil. The highborn son¡¯s body trembled several times, falling into a deeper faint. ¡°It¡¯s fine now, my lord,¡± That attendant reported back to Gerard. Butler Dres had already rushed forward and after confirming that Barney rk was unharmed, handed him over to the attendants of ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯. ¡°Thank you for your help,¡± The elderly butler turned to thank Gerard.
¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility,¡± Gerard waved his hand, his gaze shifting to the entire embassy. First the enchanting picture, then the unknown evil spirits.
The ruler of Hans Port never thought his embassy would be so dangerous. Who is causing trouble? The Federation? The Revival Society? Or some other heretics? Mulling over who could be responsible for this, Gerard arranged for his attendants to change the amodation for the ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ party. From the embassy to 111 Duron Street. Safe,fortable, fitting their status, what could be more suitable than 111 Duron Street? Jason watched Gerard making arrangements from beginning to end, without saying a word. But deep down, Jason was questioning himself. Is this their purpose? Starting with the deaths of Bitos and Raul. The death of Amy as the catalyst.
To force Gerard to appear at the embassy ahead of time, then to stage the scene just now¡ªording to Hans Port¡¯s customs, the bride and groom are not allowed to meet between engagement and marriage. Only at the wedding ceremony can both sides officially meet. After that meeting, the rtionship between the two will be confirmed. If they meet ahead of time¡­ The rtionship will be confirmed earlier, but they will also be despised by others. Jason then shook his head. It doesn¡¯t make sense! The ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ party didn¡¯t have to do this at all. It¡¯s far tooplex. Even one could say it¡¯s not worth it. The other party only needed to follow the procedure to be the wife of the ruler of Hans Port, whether in name or in reality. There was absolutely no need to take such a huge risk tomit murder. But the fact of the murder also existed. Was there any difference between Bitos and Raul?
Raul, Jason had only seen once and didn¡¯t know much about him. Jason¡¯s understanding of Bitos wasn¡¯t deep either. Yet Jason was certain again that there was nothing special about Bitos. Except¡­ Confidence! Yes! Confidence! Jason remembered the scene of their encounter, Bitos seemed very sure that he could win Gerard¡¯s favor, even though Gerard did not have a good impression of him. Given theck of a good impression from Gerard, what made him so confident? Jason¡¯s gaze unconsciously turned towards the embassy behind him. That was where the Grand Duke¡¯s daughter, Gerard¡¯s fiancee Carol ra, resided. Could it be because of Carol ra? Jason spected.
At this moment, he had no evidence, but he became more vignt towards the Grand Duke¡¯s daughter. And then, four maids carrying a canopy appeared. The canopy, taken down from a bed, which should have been a thin mesh to block mosquitoes, had be a thick nket at this time. As they moved, the footsteps inside the canopy could be clearly heard. The Grand Duke¡¯s daughter, not wanting her wedding to be scorned, hade up with such a method. ¡°Lord Gerard, we extend the youngdy¡¯s greetings to you.¡± All four maids holding up the canopy said in unison. Without a formal bow, Gerard waved his hand amiably with a nod and watched as the procession boarded the carriage. Dennise wanted to quietly lift the nket to take a peek, but Jason grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her back. ¡°I¡¯m just looking.¡± Dennise exined. Jason paid her no attention. At this moment, his gaze towards the Grand Duke¡¯s daughter and her entourage was filled with puzzlement. The scent of food was rich but was slowly fading! Like Barney rk before, simply havinge into contact with the food. The food should still be in the embassy! Based on the intensity of the residual scents on both their persons, Jason was quite certain of it. ¡°Gerard, I would like to inspect the embassy!¡± Jason said. ¡°You may!¡± Gerard did not refuse. Then, Jason headed straight for the backyard of the embassy. At the same time, Gerard¡¯s attendants also began a thorough check of the entire embassy. Dennise followed behind Jason, and upon entering the room belonging to the Grand Duke¡¯s daughter in the embassy, she eximed ¡®wow¡¯ once again. ¡°What a beautiful room!¡± Completely different from the decor style along the way in Hans Port, the Grand Duke¡¯s daughter¡¯s room was predominantly white but was covered with a wall made entirely of ¡®kites¡¯. Each kite resembled a ¡®swallow¡¯, yet each was unique. Some were realistic. Some were exaggerated. And they were cleverly matched, transforming these swallows into another gigantic swallow shape. ¡°Fort Swallow, huh?¡± Thinking of her ce of origin, Jason didn¡¯t find anything strange. He was just sniffing differently with his nostrils, smelling the food scent lingering in the room. Yes, lingering. It must have been recently that the daughter and son of the Grand Duke from ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ met with a certain ¡®food¡¯ here and got the scent of the food on them. With his and Gerard¡¯s arrival, the Grand Duke¡¯s son took over, and the ¡®food¡¯ left. ¡°Was it a dy before?¡± Jason rubbed his nose. He hoped to pin down the ¡®food¡¯ by following the lingering scent. Unfortunately, that ¡®food¡¯ had seemingly vanished into thin air, leaving no other trace of its scent outside this room. However, this was enough for Jason to make even more spections! Chapter 124: 35 Contact (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) Chapter 124: Chapter 35 Contact (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) Ritual Summoning! Within the book gifted by the old bar, there were a few pages that were specially marked¡ª ¡®By following specific steps, choosing a specific time, and proceeding with a specific process, one canplete a special ritual summoning!¡¯ ¡®But unless you are certain of what you are doing, never proceed!¡¯ ¡®Even if you think you can wlessly control their ¡°True Names¡±.¡¯ ¡®Remember! (Here begins the special emphasis with red ink)¡¯ ¡®It is It!¡¯ ¡®Not Him!¡¯ ¡®When you encounter thetter, you must never chant His True Name! (including but not limited to past and present names)¡¯ ¡­ The scene before him brought to Jason¡¯s mind what was written in the old bar¡¯s book.
Though that was in ¡®Lorde,¡¯ not ¡®Hans Port.¡¯ But in ¡®Hans Port¡¯ there was also a Mystical Side, simrly secret techniques, and that indescribable bizarre quality. In Jennie Danlen¡¯s ¡®Candy Distribution.¡¯ In Taor¡¯s ¡®Piper.¡¯ In the weakened version of Protection Against Evil that Gerard¡¯s men had just used, all of which were telling Jason this point. So, did Ritual Summoning also exist? Thinking thus, Jason turned his gaze to Gerard, who was walking in. For the first time, he was thankful for the convenience of this identity. Were it not for the identity of Gerard¡¯s cousin, he would likely have needed to expend much effort to confirm this. But now? ¡°Gerard, do you know what ¡®Ritual Summoning¡¯ is?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Ritual Summoning¡­¡± Gerard looked at his cousin in surprise. In the eyes of the ruler of Hans Port, his cousin, although having gone through the basic training at ¡®Griffin Camp¡¯ and having made contact with the heir of ¡®Cat Hole,¡¯ should not have spoken this term here. For that implied a certain understanding of the Mystical Side. Gerard didn¡¯t pursue the question. He believed that if Jason wanted to speak, he would, without needing to be asked. If he didn¡¯t want to discuss it, asking him would only make his cousin wary and distant.
Guilt-ridden concerning his cousin, Gerard absolutely didn¡¯t want such a thing to ur. Of course, some matters still required investigation. Who was teaching his cousin Mystical Side knowledge?
The heir of ¡®Cat Hole¡¯? Or someone else? Did they have an ulterior motive? If it was good intent, he would treat them respectfully, grateful for their contribution. If it was scheming¡­ He would eradicate them without mercy! With a decision made in his heart, Gerard looked at Jason and said with a smile, ¡°That is some knowledge from the Mystical Side, which I had nned to teach youter on.¡± ¡°After all, to understand this knowledge requires learning a specialnguage.¡± ¡°And that is quite difficult¡ªdon¡¯t think I¡¯m joking, I almost wanted to eat the book at the time.¡± ¡°By the way,¡± ¡°Thisnguage is called¡­¡± ¡°Dufol Language!¡±
Dufol Language! Wham! It resonated in Jason¡¯s mind like thunder. Thenguage of the Mystical Side in this world was also Dufol Language! This was something Jason had never expected! He had thought these were twopletely unrted worlds. But ¡®Lorde¡¯ and ¡®Hans Port¡¯ had a connection! Was it geographic? Chronological? Or an interchange of knowledge? While Jason¡¯s mind was churning like a tumultuous sea, his face remained expressionless. Gerard didn¡¯t notice anything amiss and continued: ¡°Of course, I know about Ritual Summoning.¡± ¡°By using special materials, steps, and choosing a specific time, then using the Dufol Language to initiate, one can summon the existence whose True Name is chanted, but¡­¡±
¡°Such ritual summonings mostly have no good ending,¡± ¡°Because, you have no idea just how fake that so-called true name can be.¡± ¡°On the market, ny-nine percent of the so-called ¡®true names¡¯ you can ess are fake.¡± ¡°The remaining one percent¡­¡± ¡°are intentionally circted by those with ulterior motives.¡± ¡°Those true names point to some bizarre existences.¡± ¡°Therefore, you absolutely must not conduct a summoning ritual!¡± Gerard¡¯s face was more serious than it had ever been before. Certain bizarre¡­ It¡¯s Him. No longer It? Jason thought about it, nodding solemnly. He wouldn¡¯t take risks without reason.
However, deep down, he somehow thought¡ª Oh¡­ No! You mustn¡¯t imagine it! Before a concrete image could emerge, Jason immediately cut it off; he substituted it with something else, and unconsciously murmured, ¡°Steamedmb, steamed bear¡¯s paw, steamed deer tail, roasted duck, roasted chick, roasted gosling¡­¡± Dennise, who had been standing behind Jason all this time, heard these low incantations. Instantly, drool flowed out. It hadn¡¯t tasted these before. But judging by their names, They must be very delicious! Gerard heard as well, but his attention was quickly diverted by Jason. ¡°Gerard, after what happened with Taor, my perception seems to have changed and be very sensitive to certain things,¡± ¡°I can sense a certain aura here.¡± ¡°Bitos and Raul both have this kind of aura,¡± Jason put it another way. ¡°Are you suspecting that the people from Fort Swallow are using ritual summoning?¡± Gerard frowned. He didn¡¯t doubt that his cousin would lie, but he seriously considered the possibility that the people from Fort Swallow were using ritual summoning, Or rather, the possibility that they had mastered the correct ritual summoning. And from there, if Fort Swallow truly had a correct ritual summoning, he had to consider how to deal with it. It was foreseeable that if the assumption held true, the already stable Hans Port would once again face a disturbance. Gerard knew very well what it relied on for stability. Simrly, he understood why Fort Swallow, neighboring Hans Port, was eager to form an alliance through marriage. Power! Everything was built upon his power! Power is the key! If an unexpected event affected this key point, or something surpassed it, everything could change. And now, the question that needed confirming was: Did the people from Fort Swallow hold a correct ¡®ritual summoning¡¯? And what would be summoned as a result? Thinking of this, the steward of Hans Port gestured to a follower. After whispering a few words, the follower quickly left. The subsequent search of the embassy yielded no results either. This made Gerard furrow his brows. Then, he dispatched even more people. Not just his followers but also some of the secret agents under hismand. The former would continue searching for all suspicious persons within Hans Port. Thetter? They would make contact with colleagues from Fort Swallow to further verify the information. Gerard arranged everything methodically. Jason, however, was still reflecting on the content of the books the old knight had given about ¡®ritual summoning¡¯ and what Gerard had just described. Unquestionably, the two were very simr. Both extremely dangerous¡­ Wait a second! Danger? Danger! Suddenly, Jason, realizing something, his face changed. Chapter 125: 36 As You Expected (Five more updates for subscription~ asking for monthly passes~) Chapter 125: Chapter 36 As You Expected (Five more updates for subscription~ asking for monthly passes~) ¡°What happens if a ¡®Ritual Summoning¡¯ fails?¡± The book given by the old Baron clearly stated that most would be devoured as sacrifices, while the rest, even more tragically¡­ they would be controlled and toyed with by the monster summoned. To cause greater destruction! Or¡­ Be the monster itself! With this in mind, Jason walked resolutely toward Gerard. Upon seeing the seriousness on Jason¡¯s face, Gerard immediately asked, ¡°What is it, Jason?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still about the ¡®Ritual Summoning¡¯ issue.¡± ¡°If!¡± ¡°What happens if a ¡®Ritual Summoning¡¯ fails?¡±
Jason asked in a deep voice. He didn¡¯t exin directly, but Jason believed that Gerard would guess what he was implying. Sure enough, Gerard was taken aback before quickly catching on, ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°Everyone, back to Duron Street!¡± The ruler of Hans Port shouted loudly. ¡­ ¡°Just hold on a little longer, sister.¡± ¡°111 Duron Street, we are almost there.¡± ¡°Once we get there, you can break free of the control.¡± Barney rk softly said to Carol ra, who was sitting across from him. The noble son who had just fainted from blood loss still had a paleplexion, especially the remaining powder, made his face look even more bloodless, but he seemed much strongerpared to Carol ra sitting across from him. The fianc¨¦e of Gerard slumped in the chair across, her face colorless, her exposed skin equally devoid of any color, appearing much like a drained corpse. But, there was still breathing. However, what she breathed out was not warmth, but wisps of cold air. Turning the already stuffy carriage into a ce reminiscent of autumn and winter. It seemed that Carol ra¡¯s eyebrows trembled slightly as if she heard Barney rk¡¯s voice, on the brink of awakening, but then, ayer of fine scales appeared on Carol ra¡¯s face. Giving the beautiful noble daughter a hint of eerie otherness. After that, the noble daughter opened her eyes.
The circr pupils were fixed on Barney rk. The gentle face of the noble son instantly twisted with resentment. ¡°Get back!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t upy my sister¡¯s body.¡±
The noble son growled lowly. ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°What does it matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really going to do anything, am I?¡± The raspy voice, giving off a slick sensation, was extremely diforting, much like touching the scales of a fish. ¡°Killing Bitos!¡± ¡°Killing Raul!¡± ¡°And killing Amy!¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t these all your doing?¡± The noble son¡¯s breathing became rapid as he forcibly suppressed the urge to draw his sword and strike down the other. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡± ¡°It¡¯s their fault!¡± ¡°One was opportunistic, trying to deceive me, and the other¡­¡±
¡°Hehe.¡± Following a light chuckle, the strange noble daughter started getting up, ¡®she¡¯ looked at the scenery on both sides and couldn¡¯t help but reveal a satisfied expression. 111 Duron Street! ¡®She¡¯ finally received the ¡®invitation¡¯ to ¡®enter¡¯. No longer was it a mere intrusion. And¡­ The person ¡®she¡¯ had long awaited finally returned here. That¡¯s wonderful! ¡®She¡¯ couldn¡¯t helpughing. ¡°You promised me!¡± ¡°Once you truly enter ¡®111 Duron Street,¡¯ you will leave my sister¡¯s body.¡± The noble son emphasized. ¡°Of course!¡±
¡°My word is my bond!¡± ¡®She¡¯nguidly stretched and instinctively raised her hand to lift the noble son¡¯s chin, but it seemed she remembered something and withdrew her hand. ¡°I forgot, you¡¯re my brother.¡± She chuckled softly. ¡°I am not your brother!¡± ¡°My sister is Carol ra!¡± ¡°Not you!¡± The son of the Duke gripped the hilt of his sword, his words measured and deliberate. ¡°What difference does it make?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve found quite a few interesting things inside her head.¡± ¡°Big brother~¡± Her voice purposefully drawn out, the Duke¡¯s son¡¯s breathing grew heavier and his eyes, filled with anger, bore into her. But after a moment, his sword-wielding hand just dropped to his side. This was his sister.
Not a monster. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. Not only could he not bring himself to do it, but he also had to cooperate with her in every possible way, hoping she would leave his sister¡¯s body. Frustration. Regret. They intertwine, causing the Duke¡¯s son¡¯s body to tremble. And her? Her chuckle echoed even louder. ¡­ The Hans Port Harbor Guard escorted an old-fashioned carriage through the suburban woods and into Hans Port. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The sudden news from that afternoon had all the guards on edge. Someone had been murdered at 111 Duron Street. And it was one of Lord Gerard¡¯s rtives. Moreover, Gerard¡¯s wedding was tomorrow. When all these facts were put together, anyone could sense the extraordinary circumstances. On top of that, the conflict between Lord Gerard and the Revival Society at noon had all the guards on high alert during their journey. Fortunately, nothing happened. All the guards were confident that within Hans Port, no one would dare attack the convoy. Because¡­ Lord Gerard Hans was there. tter, tter. The carriage continued forward, smoothly and steadily managed by the skilled coachman without a single jostle. Inside the carriage sat a inly dressed elderly woman, wearing no extra adornments, her dress a simple cloth one, yet she emanated the unique aura of someone high-ranking. Even Butler Reed, Gerard¡¯s old butler, would bow down before this imposing presence. After all, this woman had managed Hans Port for over fifteen years before Gerard truly came into his own. In the eyes of those privy to internal affairs, This woman was still the manager of Hans Port. Reed was one of those privy to the knowledge. Approaching the carriage silently, the old butler Reed immediately knelt on one knee. ¡°Mydy.¡± Reed¡¯s forehead touched the tips of the old woman¡¯s feet. ¡°Has Lily¡¯s child arrived?¡± The old woman didn¡¯t lower her head, merely ncing dispassionately. ¡°He has.¡± ¡°A very fine young man, just like Lord Gerard.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that he chose poorly when ites to picking partners; that Miss Dennise is not fit to be a good wife.¡± Reed reported truthfully. ¡°That¡¯s Jason¡¯s choice.¡± ¡°I respect his decision.¡± ¡°Whatever he needs, I¡¯ll provide as much as I can. I owe him that.¡± When the old woman mentioned Jason¡¯s name, her stern face softened ever so slightly. But it was fleeting. The next moment, the old woman slowly asked. ¡°What about ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯?¡± As she spoke these words, her eyes glittered with a cold iciness. Like a wind from the far north, chilling to the marrow. Butler Reed bowed even lower. Yet his voice remained clear. ¡°Everything is as you expected.¡± Chapter 126: 37 Gathering Chapter 126: Chapter 37 Gathering The son and daughter of the Duke of Fort Swallow¡¯s carriage stopped in front of 111 Duron Street. Fort Swallow¡¯s butler, Dres, supported the pale-faced duke¡¯s son; the four maids once again held up the canopy, within which the duke¡¯s daughter walked, as the group crossed the floral sides and stepped onto the stairs. Just as they stepped onto the stairs, Butler Dres could clearly sense a subtle change. It was as if they had passed through a thin mist and felt the sun. ¡°The rumored guardian ritual?¡± Dres silently pondered in his heart. Then he let out a sigh. Fort Swallow once had its own guardian ritual as well. It could defend against outsiders as well as ward off bizarre urrences and Evil Spirits. Unfortunately, as time passed and wars ensued, the rituals that were once part of their heritage had long been lost. Not just in Fort Swallow; among all the noble territories in the south, perhaps only Hans Port retained aplete guardian ritual.
¡°I hope this marriage alliance can lead to some exchange of knowledge.¡± Dres hoped. Otherwise, the annual dealing with the bizarre and Evil Spirits that entered Fort Swallow was a significant expense, not to mention the deaths that always urred with each incident. Thinking this, the butler was about to continue assisting the duke¡¯s son forward. However, the duke¡¯s son stopped in his tracks. Dres was taken aback. Then, he turned his head to look. A convoy slowly entered 111 Duron Street. Seeing the antiquated carriage approach, Dres immediately stood up straight with respect. ¡°It¡¯s that person¡¯s carriage.¡± ¡°Do not be rude at any cost.¡± Dres reminded the duke¡¯s son. ¡°Hmm.¡± Barney rk nodded his head but could not help turning his gaze towards his sister within the canopy. Had that bizarre presence¡­ left? The duke¡¯s son, standing on the staircase, thought with concern. He paid no mind to the convoy that had stopped beneath the stairs. To him, his sister was everything. As for the rest?
They were of no consequence. No matter what that bizarre thing wanted to do. As long as his sister was safe, everything was okay. ¡°Heh.¡±
A lightugh sounded within the canopy. It was that mocking, ridiculingugh. Then, words clearly resonated in his heart. ¡®Big brother, do you really think I would keep a promise?¡¯ ¡°You!¡± The duke¡¯s son drew his sword and looked toward the canopy but the figure within had already soared towards the antiquated carriage. That figure no longer resembled a human. ck as ink, like a serpent or an eel. It opened its gaping mouth and pounced towards the carriage. The guards surrounding the carriage reacted instantly, coordinating their positions and gestures, a diminished version of a ¡°Protection Against Evil¡± forcefield blocked the monster¡¯s path. Sizzling! The creature was repelled as if shocked by electricity. But immediately after, the creature charged again.
Crack! The forcefield shattered. The guards were knocked flying, each coughing up blood as they hit the ground. Roar! The sessful creature let out an exuberant roar and lunged at the carriage. ¡°Back off.¡± With a low bark, the old butler leaped from the carriage. With a lift of his hand, a firewall three meters tall firmly encircled the carriage. The serpent-eel creature raised itself up, its ck ink-like eyes focused on the carriage within the circle of mes, peering through the open carriage door to see clearly the old woman sitting within. Her expression was calm, her gaze indifferent. Unmoved by the scene before her. Roar! The creature was enraged by her expression and gaze; it emitted a furious roar and heedlessly charged forward.
Whoosh! Instantaneously, Butler Reed¡¯s hand gestures changed, and the raging mes surrounding them soared up, transforming into a fire serpent that struck directly at the creature. Boom! The ck serpent-eel monster collided with the fire serpent, and after a loud explosion, The serpent-eel let out a miserable howl and was flung away. The fire serpent dissipated into the air. It seemed both sides were injured, but when Butler Reed waved his hand, a new swath of me appeared. The mes that had just appeared covered the ck monster in a conical jet, but at that moment, a figure stepped in front of the mes. Buzz. The sword de quivered, like a flying swallow. The son of the duke swung his sword and dispersed the mes. ¡°Butler Reed, its body is my sister¡¯s,¡± pleaded the duke¡¯s son.
Butler Reed frowned and instinctively turned to look at the old woman. But just then¡ª Boom! The ground suddenly exploded, and a gust of invisible wind emerged from the earth, not only blowing away Butler Reed but also sending all the remaining guards flying. Among the gale, a figure flickered in and out of sight, letting out a burst of manicughter as it charged straight toward the rustic carriage. It was like a signal. More than a dozen figures hidden in the shadows lunged out, brandishing their swords. They shouted in unison. ¡°Revival Society!¡± ¡°Indestructible!¡± Their swords hacked at the guards, who were caught off guard and blown away by the wind. ¡®Revival Society¡¯! The same ¡®Revival Society¡¯ leader who had appeared outside Hans Port, only to be driven back by Gerard. Now they had returned for revenge, with a vengeance. Butler Reed flipped to his feet, his hand alight with mes ready to spray at his foe. But before the mes could shoot out, a ck figure like ink wrapped around him. ¡°Do you think I woulde alone against all of Hans Port?¡± The snake-eel like creature spoke in humannguage. After struggling a few times, Butler Reed failed to break free from the entanglement. The mes in his hand also died. It seemed he had given up resistance. But his eyes were quite calm. As if everything happening before him was expected. In fact? It was indeed the case. He nced at the serpent-eel like monster. And then at the members of the ¡®Revival Society¡¯. Next, he raised his head to look in the distance at a group of people in ck robes, standing among the coconut palms. These people had appeared silently. Nobody noticed them. They did not directly join the fray. Instead, they spread curses and diseases there. These people¡­ were the real targets the Mother Superior was waiting for! You? Are merely small fries. Butler Reed sighed inwardly. Then once more felt pride in the Mother Superior¡¯s wless strategies. With the Mother Superior around, Hans Port would enjoy eternal peace. Of course! Gerard, too, was indispensable. Butler Reed looked up at the night sky. Rumble, rumble! The clear night sky suddenly echoed with peals of thunder. Amidst the thunder, a high-pitched war song rang through the heavens: ¡°The resonance of sky and earth!¡± ¡°The meeting of king and king!¡± ¡°The brilliance of light and justice!¡± ¡°I dere!¡± ¡°Glory shall circle in my hands!¡± ¡°I dere!¡± ¡°Radiance shall shine on me forevermore!¡± ¡°I dere!¡± ¡­ Specks of light danced in the night sky. Gathering, solidifying. Finally, a medal appeared in the night sky. Then came a resounding roar. A massive figure with a golden glow like the sun proudly stood in the light. That was¡­ a Griffin! Chapter 127: 38 Aunt Chapter 127: Chapter 38 Aunt The colossal figure stepped out of the light, and as its wings spread, the golden feathers immediately burst forth radiance akin to that of the sun. The pitch-ck night turned instantly into the dawn of a rising sun. A sense of holiness and majesty swept through the area near 111 Duron Street. The group hidden within the coconut grove, cloaked in ck, fell to the ground with piteous cries. White mes ignited upon their bodies. Rapidly, they were turned to ash. Then came the Revival Society. Without any room for resistance, everyone, including the one transformed into the leader by the tempest, was engulfed in white mes. Especially the former, who quite straightforwardly vaporized as he was ¡®plucked¡¯ out from the gales. The ck creature, snake-like and eel-like, sought to escape. But white mes lit directly upon it, and after several screams of agony, the huge body disappeared within the white mes, leaving only a woman lying on the ground, with the son of a duke excitedly looking at his sister who had escaped from his control.
He wanted to check whether his sister was unharmed. But the immense pressure made him immobile. Then, the radiance dimmed slightly. The giant Griffin-like silhouette gradually shrank. And transformed into Gerard, hovering in mid-air. ¡°My lord!¡± Attendants and guards knelt on one knee one after another. Gerard flew straight toward the quaint carriage. ¡°Mother, are you alright?¡± he asked worriedly, while checking on her. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°These are nothing,¡± she smiled and waved off the concern. ¡°What about your cousin?¡± she inquired about Jason with a smile. ¡°He¡¯s with Dennise, a bit slow but they¡¯ll be here shortly,¡± Gerard replied, and just as his words fell, the figures of Jason and Dennise appeared in the distance. At that moment, Jason was filled with shock. When Gerard mentioned ¡®Ritual Summoning,¡¯ he had made some guesses. But Jason had never imagined that Gerard¡¯s summoning would call forth a Griffin. Griffin, Griffin Camp, Griffin Federation! These terms began to swirl in Jason¡¯s mind. He did not believe that these terms were unrted.
What was Gerard¡¯s rtionship with the Griffin Federation? Unconsciously, Jason pondered. Then¡­ Delicious!
An unprecedented fragrance filled his nostrils, and his mind focused solely on how a Griffin should be cooked to bring out the best vor. Fat rendered into crispy pieces. Lean meat folded into dumplings. Bones boiled for soup. Offal stir-fried. Fore and hind legs roasted. One culinary thought after another emerged in Jason¡¯s mind. In the distance, Gerard suddenly felt a chill rise from the depths of his heart, causing him great unease. Were there still hidden enemies? The ruler of Hans Port instinctively scanned the surroundings. But he could not find any enemies at all. An illusion? Gerard frowned briefly, but his brows quickly smoothed out again.
For his cousin and Dennise had already walked over. ¡°Gerard, you can actually fly!¡± Dennise rushed over, her eyes gleaming with the excitement of a new discovery. ¡°Yes, a power granted by the Ritual Summoning,¡± Gerard exined, then suddenly turned pale, his body swaying slightly. However, he refused anyone¡¯s support and insisted on standing firm on his own. Severe depletion of physical strength! Jason quickly assessed, having experienced this more than once. And he could be sure that the ¡®Griffin¡¯ that came in ordance with the summoning was not just about depleting physical strength, there must be other conditions as well. Perhaps incredibly stringent ones. As he pondered, Jason¡¯s gaze turned towards the inside of the carriage. Looking at the inly dressed elderly woman. Is this ¡®my aunt¡¯? Jason thought, as the elderly woman had already raised her arm, beckoning to Jason. ¡°Jason?¡±
¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Let me get a good look at you.¡± Standing with Gerard, Jason was indeed too recognizable, both of their tall, robust figures unparalleled. If not for the different faces, everyone would likely think they were brothers. Jason wasn¡¯t quitefortable with this situation. Even though he knew this was only the aunt of his current identity. The awkwardness of facing an elder made him hesitate. Gerard, however, didn¡¯t hesitate to pull him onto the carriage. Dennise followed naturally. Once Jason was on the carriage, where else was it supposed to go? The carriage set off again. It didn¡¯t stay in front of the main building at 111 Duron Street but circled around it and headed towards a coconut grove to the side. As for what was left in front of the main building? Butler Reed had already begun to handle it.
Whether it was the wounded, or the son and daughter of the Grand Duke of Fort Swallow. The carriage entered the coconut grove, and immediately, the road shifted from gstones to gravel. The ride became bumpier, but it didn¡¯t cause any difort to the people inside the carriage. The elderly woman, taking advantage of the glow inside the carriage, examined Jason closely. A smile appeared on her serious face. ¡°You look very much like Lily.¡± ¡°You both have a pair of unforgettable eyes.¡± As she spoke, the elderly woman¡¯s expression softened even more. She raised her hand as if she wanted to touch Jason¡¯s cheek. But Jason instinctively dodged. The elderly woman paused for a moment, then withdrew her hand, and a hint of apology appeared on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jason.¡± ¡°As you can see, even now, Hans Port is not safe.¡± ¡°Some people with ulterior motives always look for opportunities to undermine Hans Port.¡± ¡°I cannot afford to have one more vulnerability.¡± The elderly woman exined. Jason nodded, saying little else. Without rted memories, it was hard for him to immerse himself and evoke any emotion. He could only express the most basic attitude. At the same time, he didn¡¯t forget to inform the elderly woman of his situation. ¡°I encountered some idents in Taor.¡± ¡°So, I don¡¯t remember many things.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jason said. ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Revival Society, it¡¯s the Federation.¡± ¡°They¡¯re like two monsters, constantly tearing at the legacy of the old Federation.¡± ¡°The North was shattered by them, and naturally, they will look to the South.¡± ¡°They have grown ustomed to war.¡± The elderly woman smiled kindly, waved her hand at Jason, then, seemingly not wanting to linger on this topic, her gaze shifted to Dennise and said, ¡°Such a lively little girl.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± As expected, Dennise remembered her mother¡¯s teachings to respect elders upon meeting them. However, there was still curiosity in her eyes. She looked at the elderly woman and felt an aura stronger than even Gerard¡¯s. Just showing curiosity and a face full of vitality made Dennise quite favored by the elderly, which included the elderly woman, who gestured for Dennise to sit next to her. Dennise, unfamiliar with timidity, directly took the seat. Meanwhile, Gerard sat down next to Jason. Fortunately, the carriage was spacious enough, and the two tall, robust men sitting together didn¡¯t make it feel crowded at all. The elderly woman and Dennise chatted in low voices, breaking intoughter from time to time, clearly amused by Dennise. One side of the seat was filled withughter and joyful chatter. On the other side, Gerard gave Jason a meaningful look Then, the ruler of Hans Port spoke up: ¡°Mother, I think¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think.¡± ¡°The wedding cannot be changed.¡± The elderly woman said without turning her head. Chapter 128: 39: Honorifics (Please subscribe~ Please vote for monthly tickets~) Chapter 128: Chapter 39: Honorifics (Please subscribe~ Please vote for monthly tickets~) The old woman seemed to have the gift of foresight as she interrupted Gerard¡¯s words. She turned her head to look at her son. Gerard, who had just annihted the Revival Society, Bizarre, and the onlookers lurking in the dark with a single strike, faced his mother¡¯s gaze, and instinctively wanted to dodge as if he¡¯d vanished. But the carriage was only so big. Where could he hide? Behind Jason? Please, he wasn¡¯t the petite Dennise. However, that didn¡¯t prevent him from seeking Jason¡¯s assistance. He nudged Jason with his elbow. Gerard signaled for Jason¡¯s help. They had agreed on this beforehand, so of course, Jason wouldn¡¯t go back on his word at thest minute.
Although his aunt appeared rather stern, she should still be someone he could reason with. Right then, Jason was about to speak. But before he could say anything, the old woman looked at him with a smile. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion, but as he looked at the smiling old woman, Jason thought he heard the roar of a tiger in his ears. ¡°Jason, I am your aunt.¡± ¡°After Lily passed away, I should be your only elder now.¡± ¡°Since your cousin is about to get married, I think it¡¯s time to schedule your marriage as well¡ªwhat do you think, Dennise?¡± As she spoke, the old woman turned to look at Dennise. Woof? Dennise was startled and utterly confused. And Jason? After casting a helpless nce at Gerard, he quickly beat a retreat. During the rest of the journey, the side where the old woman and Dennise sat continued to be filled withughter and chatter. Gerard was downcast. Jason stayed silent. He wanted to offer somefort to Gerard, but after some thought, he decided it was better to say nothing at all. Sometimes, it was best not to fan the mes. This wasn¡¯t about not helping. It was just¡­
The opponent was too powerful. And not one you could settle things with by force. About three to four minutester, the carriage stopped in front of a white two-story building. From the angle of the carriage, there was a front door leading directly inside, with no courtyard or anything like it; just that the space at the door receded two meters inward, carving out a part of the living room and creating a small open area, furnished with a rocking chair and a small round table.
At the moment, the round table had a teapot and four cups on it. Additionally, three wooden stools were ced beside the rocking chair. After stepping out of the carriage, Jason surveyed the surroundings. He could hear the sound of the waves, and there were green nts and a gravel path. The distance to 111 Duron Street was about one kilometer or so. But the buildings here, though renovated, must be much older than 111 Duron Street, judging by the surrounding vegetation. ¡°This used to be the gatekeeper¡¯s cottage of the old Hans Estate,¡± ¡°When I first came to Hans Port, this is where I stayed.¡± ¡°Yes, just as you would have guessed, I was the gatekeeper,¡± The old woman settled into the rocking chair and began exining to Jason. A gatekeeper? Jason looked at the old woman, unable to imagine her ever holding such a position. After all, in his mind, gatekeepers were mostly men with considerable strength.
¡°Do you doubt my abilities?¡± ¡°I was Gerard¡¯s mentor in swordsmanship, riding skill, and shooting.¡± After ushering everyone to sit down and pouring tea for each person, a rose petal-like flower tea with a faint sweet fragrance, the old woman continued as she served the tea, ¡°And yes, I cut my hair and dressed as a man back then.¡± Dressed as a man?! Dennise¡¯s eyes lit up. She had read about this sort of plot twist in many novels. But this was her first time encountering it in reality. ¡°Was it fun?¡± Dennise asked curiously. ¡°Fun?¡± ¡°Not fun at all!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t only worried about my identity being exposed, I also had to constantly face danger¡ªthe Hans Port was filled with all sorts of monsters and cultists, and safety couldn¡¯t even be guaranteed in the city district.¡± ¡°We gatekeepers are here to protect the lives and properties of our employers.¡±
¡°The death rate was extremely high.¡± ¡°Of the gatekeepers who came with me, I was the only one left after three months. Six monthster, a new group of gatekeepers arrived, and I became the leader in charge of the entire estate¡¯s security.¡± After taking a sip of tea, the old woman spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, causing Dennise to shrink back. They were all dead, nowhere near as romantic as it had imagined. However, Dennise didn¡¯t give up. It continued to press on with questions. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the Hans Estate?¡± ¡°Gerard¡¯s surname is Hans, so you met Gerard¡¯s father here, right?¡± ¡°Also, why does everyone call Gerard ¡®Lord Gerard¡¯ instead of ¡®Lord Hans¡¯?¡± The old woman took another sip of tea and said with a smile. ¡°This is the Hans Estate, but it doesn¡¯t mean that I met Gerard¡¯s father here. We met at a restaurant in the city, where a new barbecue shop had just opened. I went there to eat barbecue on my day off, and Gerard¡¯s father also sneaked out without his guard, running into a bit of trouble. I helped him out, and he treated me to barbecue in return, and that¡¯s how we got to know each other.¡± ¡°As for why not ¡®Lord Hans¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡±
The old woman¡¯s voice paused, then she did not continue, and instead raised her hand to pat the top of Dennise¡¯s head. ¡°Go get some rest.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to get up early tomorrow,¡± she added. With that, Gerard, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly looked up. He looked at his mother with surprise. ¡°With so much happening today, do you think the wedding can still be held tomorrow?¡± he asked. ¡°It will take at least a week to deal with it,¡± the old woman replied with a look of resignation. ¡°A week?¡± Gerard exhaled with a slight sense of relief. It was as if he nned to dy the matter as long as possible. ¡°Go take Jason and Dennise back to rest,¡± she instructed. ¡°I¡¯m also tired,¡± the old woman said. Gerard, Jason, and Dennise immediately stood up. The old woman watched them get into the carriage and drive away, staying until they turned off the road, before she turned and walked towards her room. The former gatekeeper¡¯s quarters preserved much of its original style. Rough, simple, designed for utility. But some people would never return. The old woman touched the room¡¯s thick columns, the tables, the staircase, with her hand. Her thoughts seemed to travel back to several decades ago. A few secondster, she sighed faintly. With that sigh, the old woman¡¯s presence once again took on the unique aura of a high-ranking individual. ¡°Begin setting the next,¡± she said ndly. ¡°Yes, Lord Hans,¡± came the coordinated response from the air around her. Shadowy figures, barely discernible, knelt on one knee. Then, everything dissipated. Only the low murmuring of the old woman remained. ¡°Griffin Federation.¡± ¡°Revival Society.¡± ¡°Abandonment Sect.¡± ¡°Erosion Sect.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°Blood Source!¡± ¡°You have all gathered at Hans Port, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I have given you plenty of time.¡± ¡°You had better not disappoint me!¡± Chapter 129: 40: Horse Riding (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 129: Chapter 40: Horse Riding (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Early in the morning, having spent the whole night awake, reading, Jason set down his book at the knock of Gerard. ¡°Morning, Jason.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Dennise?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t open that little door, did you?¡± Upon entering the room, Gerard began looking around, and after not seeing Dennise¡¯s figure, the overseer of Hans Port looked at his cousin¡¯s face with thick suspicion. He assumed that Jason must have juste back from Dennise¡¯s room. Unfortunately, his upbringing guaranteed he wouldn¡¯t open the bedroom door to check. As for the books in the study that were open? Disguise! He had often done this before. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±
Not seeing the scene he expected hadn¡¯t diminished Gerard¡¯s enthusiasm in the slightest, as he grabbed Jason¡¯s shoulder and headed downstairs. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°To have breakfast?¡± Jason asked. He had already smelled the milk, bacon, and vegetables. ¡°Of course not!¡± Gerard, with his arm around Jason¡¯s shoulder, left the main building. Along the way, the servants who saw them stepped aside, bowing their heads to pay respects. In the eyes of the early rising rtives, envy and jealousy sparkled once more. But no one dared to show anything in front of Gerard. Then, after circling several flowerbeds, Gerard brought Jason to a wide open space. Looking at the distant rows of stables and the knights already starting to ride horses, Jason immediately understood what Gerard intended to do. Lesson in horseback riding! In fact, Jason wasn¡¯t opposed to this form of study. The era of Lorde, Hans Port dictated the importance of learning to ride a horse. Immediately, Jason adjusted his mindset. Seeing his cousin¡¯s expression change from surprise to eager anticipation, Gerard smiled. What man wouldn¡¯t like riding horses? Having a horse was part of one of the most important transitions from boy to man.
Without a horse, it represented that the man reached a certain degree of maturity and then made a life choice. And Jason would start from the basics. ¡°Go bring over the horse S1-003.¡± After instructing the person in charge of the stable, Gerard turned his head and continued to say to Jason, ¡°The most important thing about riding a horse is the strength of your waist and abdomen!¡±
¡°Next, you should approach your horse from the front-left side, ensuring that it can see you, and your movements should be gentle so as not to frighten it.¡± ¡°As for the stirrup, just ce the front half of your foot inside.¡± ¡°The reins need to be held firmly in your grasp.¡± Gerard exined in detail to Jason. Jason listened attentively. Fully aware of the importance of learning, Jason didn¡¯t show any sign of insincerity. However, as the person in charge of the stable approached with a muscr white horse, Jason, who hadn¡¯t yet had breakfast, impulsively thought, ¡°I wonder if horse meat is delicious?¡± Whinny! As if encountering its greatest natural enemy, the docile white horse immediately stood still, refusing toe any closer to Jason. The stable manager tugged on the reins forcefully but to no avail; instead, it made the horse step back repeatedly. Gerard looked on in astonishment at this scene. Then, heughed. ¡°That¡¯s my cousin for you.¡±
¡°An ordinary horse simply cannot be your mount.¡± ¡°Bring over the ¡®war horse¡¯.¡± Gerard told the stable manager. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± After responding, the stable manager promptly took the white horse back and headed toward a separate stable on another side. ¡°Jason, have you ever learned any secret techniques?¡± In that quiet space, Gerard suddenly asked. Clearly, the overseer of Hans Port had misunderstood something after witnessing the earlier scene. ¡°I have studied,¡± Jason said calmly. There was no need to hide such a fact. Because Jason was well aware that in the days toe, he would disy the power of the Mystical Side. When the main quest changed from ¡°Arrive at ¡®Hans¡¯ Port before the 26th and attend the wedding¡± to ¡°Attend the wedding postponed by one week¡± at sunrise today, Jason knew what he would be facing in theing week.
The scene fromst night was clear enough. The seemingly calm Hans Port was, in fact, fraught with undercurrents. Too many forces had their eyes on this ce. And as Gerard¡¯s cousin? He was naturally targeted as well. To stay out of it? Only if he gave up the main quest. But that was impossible. Jason would never face the unknown punishment. Therefore, he would cooperate with Gerard as much as possible. Only then would they have a better chance of sess. When Gerard heard the expected answer, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. ¡°You have studied?¡±
¡°That makes things a bit troublesome.¡± Gerard frowned. ording to his wish, his cousin should start from the basic Griffin Swordsmanship, Griffin Shooting Technique, and Griffin Combat Technique, then learn the Griffin Body Refinement Technique while simultaneously studying Charles Burning Technique, ir Exorcism Technique, and eventually learning the Ritual Summoning of the Griffin. However, once Jason had already learned other secret techniques, this n was undoubtedly disrupted. At least, the learning of the Griffin Body Refinement Technique needed to be cautious. And if the Griffin Body Refinement Technique could not be learned, naturally, the Ritual Summoning of the Griffin would be impossible. But then, Gerard¡¯s frown rxed almost immediately. He did not want Jason to infer anything unfavorable from his expression. His cousin had suffered enough. He should not have to bear more. ¡°I know about the conflict of secret techniques,¡± Seeing Gerard¡¯s frown rxing so quickly that his eye corner almost twitched, Jason said with a smile. ¡°You know?¡± ¡°It seems you know more about the Mystical Side than I do,¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here,¡± Gerard looked at his cousin¡¯s unconcerned smile and felt an inexplicable pang of heartache. What kind of suffering had he gone through to have acquired such openness? Therefore, the overseer of Hans Port decided in the next moment: ¡°Even if there¡¯s a conflict with the ¡®Griffin¡¯, there¡¯s bound to be one among ¡®Cat Hole¡¯, ¡®Bear Tower¡¯, ¡®Wolf Fortress¡¯, ¡®Snake Den¡¯, ¡®Eagle Ridge¡¯, ¡®Tiger Mountain¡¯ that won¡¯t conflict!¡± ¡°And if none of those work?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll find a single powerful secret technique that doesn¡¯t conflict!¡± ¡°We will tailor a set for Jason!¡± Thinking this, the overseer of Hans Port also began to smile. As for how to do it? Hans Port, the ¡®Jewel¡¯ of the Federation, had a characteristic that all Federation Lords and new Nobility could not ignore or help but envy: wealth! Controlling the seaport that handled shipping. Endless spices and sugar flowed into Hans Port like a constant stream of gold. If money could solve the problem, then there was no problem. And if money couldn¡¯t solve it? Gerard looked at the ck warhorse being led by the stable manager and walked over with a smile. The tall warhorse red defiantly at Gerard. Even restrained by reins, it still wanted to bite him. Gerard signaled the stable manager to release the reins, and then, turned to Jason and said: ¡°Warhorses are different from ordinary horses.¡± ¡°You need to have special taming skills.¡± As his words fell¡ª Bang! Gerard punched the ck warhorse to the ground. Chapter 130: 41 Lunch (Five more updates~ asking for subscriptions~ asking for monthly passes~) Chapter 130: Chapter 41 Lunch (Five more updates~ asking for subscriptions~ asking for monthly passes~) Under Gerard¡¯s proper guidance, Jason mastered the essentials of Riding Skill by nearly noon. While he couldn¡¯t yet spur the horse into a gallop, he was now able to amble along slowly. ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Give it a few more days, and you¡¯ll be able to trot.¡± Gerard said. Meanwhile, Jason was looking at the text in front of him¡ª [Mastered Riding Skill (Basic)] [Riding Skill (Basic): You have had some experience with horses and know a bit about handling them, but you¡¯recking in actual operation. At this stage, you can only sit on the horse¡¯s back and move forward slowly without falling off due to the bumps.] ¡­ ¡°As expected!¡± ¡°So, if I learn on my own and meet certain requirements, I can acquire skills?¡±
When the personal interface appeared, it came with [Barehanded Combat] and [Firearms: Light Weapons], which were skills Jason had already mastered. He wasn¡¯t sure if skills he acquired on his own afterward would appear. Now, he finally had his answer. ncing at the [Riding Skill] that required 1 point of Satiation to upgrade to beginner level, Jason didn¡¯t pay it any attention for the moment. Until he acquired a significant amount of Satiation, he would choose to practice on his own. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Jason, you¡¯re so slow!¡± ¡°Come on, chase me!¡± Dennise rode a white horse without a saddle, charging past Jason¡¯s side. After waking up, Dennise hade straight to the stables, led by a servant. She had never ridden a horse before either. But with the guidance of a female Knight, Dennise swiftly picked up the basics of riding. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have believed that Dennise had never ridden a horse.¡± ¡°Truly a natural-born warrior on the back of a horse.¡± Gerard eximed, but upon turning his head and seeing Jason, he quickly added, ¡°Of course, you¡¯re not bad either, Jason.¡± If you hadn¡¯t added that, I might¡¯ve felt a bit better. Jason silently watched Gerard. When thetter felt uneasy, Jason finally spoke up, ¡°Can I take a look at the Earth Dragon and Flying Dragon skeletons you hunted before?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°If you like, I can give them to you.¡± ¡°They take up too much space when assembled, and storing them away, they lose their purpose.¡±
¡°After all, the most valuable materials from them had already been collected.¡± Gerard said generously. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jason thanked him sincerely.
At this moment, Dennise once again rode her horse around and came up beside Jason. ¡°Jason~e on, chase me~¡± Her voice drifted on the wind, and under the morning sun, Dennise looked back at Jason and stuck out her tongue. Jason raised an eyebrow and continued to move along slowly. ¡°Jason~ Jason~¡± The voice of Dennise kepting. This time, Jason did not frown. The now calm him subtly chose to level up. [Riding Skill (Beginner): Long-term training has not only given you knowledge of handling a horse but also a considerable amount of practical experience. Your riding skill has reached beginner level, and you are able to ride swiftly.] ¡­ Then, Dennise saw Jason, who was only supposed to be ambling along, suddenly pick up speed. It wasn¡¯t out of showmanship, but he had genuinely grasped the essence of riding at a gallop. Seeing Jason approach emotionlessly, Dennise was startled and immediately spurred her horse to run faster. Thinking she had put a significant distance between them, Dennise turned around to ¡®provoke¡¯ Jason once more.
But when she looked back, she found Jason right behind her. This forced Dennise to spur her horse to run faster again. However, no matter what, Dennise was unable to increase the distance between her and Jason again. This made Dennise immediately slump on the horse¡¯s back, deted like a sodden Samoyed, while Jason strode ahead like the owner of the Samoyed. Gerard watched his cousin in surprise. Then he smiled. Truly worthy of being his cousin. Just like himself, gifted. ¡°Jason, let¡¯s go back for lunch,¡± ¡°In the afternoon, I need to deal with public affairs.¡± ¡°In the evening, I¡¯ll take you to see my collection.¡± Gerard said this, then dismounted from his warhorse, handed the reins to the Attendant, and, looking at the approaching Jason and Dennise, smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have Reed send the bones to your room.¡± ¡­
The lunch was opulent. Large lobster tails, doused with lemon juice. The lobster heads were stewed in a y pot, simmering with rice. Batches of scallops were slowly roasted over charcoal. Three grilledmb legs were ced in front of Gerard, Jason, and Dennise. ¡°This is to make up forst night.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s very safe this time,¡± Gerard said with a smile. After cheering, Dennise started eating. Without cutting, she just tore the meat with her hands to eat. Jason looked at Dennise with disdain, grabbed themb leg directly, and began gnawing on it. He bit into the curled-up meat at the top, pulled with force, and arge chunk ofmb was torn off. His teeth and tongue worked together, swiftly swallowing the meat. Then, the front! He bit down and pulled downwards with force.
The fat on themb leg immediately oozed out under pressure, and the meat entered Jason¡¯s stomach. Licking the fat and sauce with his tongue, Jason used both hands forcefully. Crack! The joint at the bend of themb leg gave way, revealing more meat, but Jason ignored this and instead, stuck out his tongue to lick the tendons, yanking them like pulling a ball of yarn, causing the surrounding meat to be pulled into his mouth as well. Shortly after, only the bone remained of onemb leg. And then? Even the bone was gone. Jason¡¯s enhanced teeth made gnawing on such bones as easy as eating tofu. Had it not been for the sake of preserving the pure taste of the meat, he would have directly chewed it up. The surrounding attendants were stunned. They had never seen anyone eat like this. But¡­ For some reason, they suddenly felt very hungry. Gerard was smiling as he watched Jason. He then suddenly felt, perhaps using knife and fork wasn¡¯t quite appropriate? After pondering for a second or two, Gerard readily abandoned the knife and fork and went hands-on. Copying Jason¡¯s manner, Gerard grabbed themb leg and gave it a twist. Crack! With a satisfying snap, themb leg split in two, making it easier to eat. Big bites of meat brought a mysterious satisfaction in Gerard¡¯s heart. Suddenly, onemb leg was finished. Looking at Jason, Gerard asked, ¡°Would you like some more?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Facing food, Jason, unable to hide his eagerness, immediately nodded. ¡°Me too!¡± Holding the half-eatenmb leg, Dennise shouted. ¡°One more portion for each,¡± Gerard informed the attendants, but then, after a thought, he corrected himself: ¡°No.¡± ¡°Make it two.¡± The mansion¡¯s chefs got busy once again. As the new grilledmb legs were brought in, lunch heated up once more. But at that moment, a young attendant entered with a grave expression on his face. Chapter 131: 42 Rumors Chapter 131: Chapter 42 Rumors This young attendant bore a striking resemnce to Butler Reed, yet Jason had never seen him before.
¡°Jason, this is little Reed.¡± ¡°The son of Butler Reed.¡± ¡°My personal manservant and attendant.¡± Gerard introduced the young man with more than a passing mention, unlike the other attendants. It showed that thetter was different from the others. In fact, by virtue of his father being the butler and his role as Gerard¡¯s personal servant and attendant, it had long been destined that he would take over his father¡¯s position as the butler.
Put simply, when Reed retired due to old age, the other would be the next butler for the ruler of Hans Port. Such practices were quitemon in noble families. Especially for the lords with their ownnds, it was almost regarded as part of the inheritance. A master-servant rtionship thatsted either a hundred or even several hundred years was far more solid than others could believe. Especially in this world that harbored the ¡°Mystical Side.¡± ¡°Little Reed, this is my cousin, Jason.¡± ¡°Remember, treat him as you would me.¡± Turning his head, Gerard introduced Jason and instructed his personal servant. ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± ¡°Greetings, Lord Jason.¡± The personal attendant nodded and formally greeted Jason. ¡°Hello, little Reed.¡±
Jason responded. Dennise? She nced at the personal attendant once and then lowered her head to continue gnawing on amb leg. ¡°Let¡¯s talk over here.¡± Gerard indicated a sofa and coffee table in one corner of the dining room. He had been taught since childhood by his mother not to disrupt family meals with official business. And of course, Gerard abided by this. Gerard and his personal attendant walked to a corner of the dining room, and it was only when they got there that Gerard realized his cousin was still at the dining table. ¡°Jason, I suggest youe along.¡± Gerard reminded Jason. After silently estimating the time needed to roast themb leg, Jason nodded and walked over. The servants had ced tea and fruit on the coffee table and immediately left.
Not just the corner of the dining room. All the servants in the dining room exited as well. ¡°My Lord, rumors have emerged in Hans Port.¡± ¡°The rumors im you are the Cursed Child.¡± ¡°And that everything rted to you brings misfortune.¡± Once the unrted persons had left, little Reed immediately spoke up. Gerard justughed upon hearing this. ¡°The same old trick.¡± ¡°Have you identified who spread the rumor?¡± Gerard asked. ¡°Most have been identified, but¡­¡± As he spoke, little Reed¡¯s face took on a serious expression again, and after a pause, he continued, ¡°Upon my investigation, these individuals are not directly involved; they encountered these rumors unwittingly. The real rumor spreader is from outside Hans Port!¡±
¡°Outside Hans Port?¡± Gerard frowned. The ruler of Hans Port instinctively sat up straight. Spreading rumors within Hans Port. And spreading them from outside Hans Port only to reach the port itself were two different concepts. The former could be snuffed out easily at the source. Thetter? Not only was the difficulty exponentially greater, but it also signified numerous unexpected variables outside of one¡¯s control. Like the involvement of unforeseen powers. ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°ording to the information I received from the secret agents previously, many cities ind have started to circte this rumor.¡± ¡°I suspect that it is¡­¡±
Little Reed didn¡¯t finish his sentence. However, both Jason and Gerard knew who little Reed ultimately suspected. The Federation! The New Federation! ¡°They?¡± Gerard pondered for a moment, and then suddenly burst intoughter. ¡°If it¡¯s them, even better.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been looking forward to this for a long time!¡± Gerard said these words, appearing very rxed. However, after lunch, Gerard apologized to Jason and then the ruler of Hans Port hurried away. Watching his retreating figure, Jason shook his head and sighed softly.
Without a doubt, Gerard was far from as rxed as he seemed. The New Federation, which ended the era of factional rule and made the old nobility uneasy, was far stronger than imagined. Naturally, the descendant of the Duke of Aymodun was far more outstanding than imagined. The strategy of concentrated cannon fire was skillfully executed by the enemy. The enemy almost embraced the most simplistic concept¡ª If you lose, it¡¯s just because the cannons weren¡¯t big enough or there wasn¡¯t enough gunpowder. As long as the cannons are big enough! And there¡¯s enough gunpowder! Then you are invincible in battle! Jason agreed with this. And the information above came from a book on the bookshelf in the study of the room he was staying in, titled ¡°Ambitions of Aymodun.¡± Jason had stayed up all night reading this book yesterday. The book wasn¡¯t new; the frequently turned pages were evident. Some clues were deduced from this. Keep in mind, Jason had learned from a maid¡¯s mouth that most of the time, the guest room was empty, only asionally upied by Gerard. Gerard was very attentive to the heir of the Duke of Aymodun, who had be the ruler of the New Federation. And¡­ Gerard could summon griffins. And now the New Federation was referred to as the ¡®Griffin Federation¡¯! ¡°The rtionship between the two?¡± Jason wondered. In the end, he shook his head. There was too little information; he could not specte anything. More importantly, the roasted leg ofmb had arrived. Since Gerard had left, the roast leg ofmb that was Gerard¡¯s naturally belonged to him now. The extra portion of food made all of Jason¡¯s worries fly away. What else was more real and enjoyable than food? Of course, it¡¯s two portions of food! If there was another unexpected joy¡­ That would be three portions! Dennise stared eagerly as her portion of roasted leg ofmb was taken by Jason. It wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t want to eat, but because she was a bit stuffed. After bing undead, her appetite had increased significantly. But that was onlypared to her former self. Compared to Jason? Way too sweet, way too naive. Watching Jason eat not just one, but three roasted legs ofmb, bones and all, Dennise couldn¡¯t help puffing up her cheeks in indignation. She felt defeated. It was a childish sense of winning and losing. But to Dennise, it mattered. ¡°I will definitely outeat you one day!¡± Dennise dered ambitiously, waving her fists with vigor. ¡°There¡¯s a new novel in the study.¡± Jason said casually. ¡°Shall we go read, alright?¡± Dennise immediately lunged to grab Jason¡¯s arm. Facing the greasy palms, Jason dodged with distaste and turned to head to his room, while Dennise hurried after him, hopping and skipping, her cloth skirt swishing like an excited dog¡¯s tail. Just as they reached the fourth floor, Jason¡¯s nostrils involuntarily twitched. The scent wafting into his nose made the corners of his mouth involuntarily rise. Touching his stomach, which had almost digested its contents, Jason quickened his pace. The real lunch¡­ had only just begun. Chapter 132: 43: Invitation (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 132: Chapter 43: Invitation (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Outside the guest room.
More than tenrge boxes sat in the hallway,pletely filling the spacious corridor. Butler Reed stood patiently beside these boxes, waiting. Upon seeing Jason appear at the staircase, Reed immediately walked over. ¡°Master Jason, these are the Flying Dragon bones and Earth Dragon bones that Master Gerard sent for you,¡± Reed exined. Jason¡¯s eyes were fixed on therge boxes, his saliva secreting involuntarily. Although the boxes were closed, the aroma wafting from them informed Jason of the delicious contents inside.
¡°Is there a separate ce to live?¡± ¡°I am not dissatisfied with this ce, but I wish for arger independent space.¡± ¡°Preferably one with a kitchen,¡± Jason told Reed. The guest room had a kitchen, but it was far too small. It simply wouldn¡¯t do for preparing these bones. ¡°Of course, there is,¡± Reed said immediately. Then the old butler introduced: ¡°We currently have three residences with ample space and separate kitchens.¡± ¡°One is located amidst the coconut palms, one in front of 111 Duron Street, and another on the other side of the beach.¡± ¡°I rmend the one at the beach for you.¡± Although Hans Estate had long be 111 Duron Street, the entire estate¡¯s infrastructure was still well-maintained, and finding a separate residence was not too difficult. ¡°All right,¡± Jason didn¡¯t choose at random but followed Reed¡¯s advice.
He believed Reed¡¯s rmendation to be better than his own, as someone who hadn¡¯t even fully explored 111 Duron Street. ¡°By the way,¡± ¡°Master Jason,¡± ¡°you have an invitation.¡± As Reed directed the servants to start moving the tenrge boxes, and after packing and moving the books that Jason and Dennise needed, he then pulled an invitation out from his pocket. ¡°My invitation?¡± Jason was taken aback. In Hans Port, he hardly knew anyone. Or rather, in this alternate world, his acquaintances were limited. Besides Gerard, the most familiar were Peters and the Dennise family. Gerard was nearby. And Peters, the Dennise family? They clearly wouldn¡¯t use an invitation.
Taking the invitation, it read courteously¡ª Dear Mr. Jason: I humbly invite you and Miss Dennise to join me at 10 Terna Street in the evening for I have apensation for you. Yours, who had the honor of your acquaintance, Syndra Hp.1881.9.26 ¡­ Syndra? Jason recalled the name. Gradually, an image of someone with a prematurely aged face and balding hair came to mind. The person seemed to be from the Federation. He even held a noble title. But he was from Gerard¡¯s faction, the kind one couldn¡¯t shake off even if they wanted to.
Considering the current rtionship between the Federation and Gerard, and being a member of Gerard¡¯s camp, why would the other party send him an invitation? Was it a malicious attempt to sow discord? Or¡­ Did it involve a deeper scheme? Thinking this, Jason looked at Butler Reed. ¡°Would it be appropriate for me to meet him?¡± Jason picked up the invitation as a hint. Regardless of what that Syndra intended to do, it was always right to ask Gerard¡¯s butler face-to-face. In a sense, it was like asking Gerard himself. ¡°Of course,¡± ¡°that is your freedom,¡± The butler, seeing the inquiring Jason, had a smile with a few more touches of warmth.
Then, in a lowered voice, he said: ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Syndra must just want to make up for Malor¡¯s previous mistake.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t want young master Gerard to target them because of this incident.¡± ¡°Therefore, if they offer anypensation, please rest assured and ept it.¡± Having said that, the butler performed a bow, his voice returning to its usual tone, ¡°Pleasee with me, I¡¯ll take you to the new residence.¡± Within the Federation, there were both enemies and sycophants of Gerard? Jason looked at the invitation in his hand, his brow furrowed. Without a doubt, things were far moreplicated than he had imagined. Gerard¡¯s entanglement with the Federation was also much deeper. It seemed¡­ In the Federation, did Gerard also have his own power base?
Moreover, it was a very strong one. ¡°The Griffin Federation, huh?¡± Jason muttered to himself. However, he quickly set all this aside. The new residence had arrived. By the beachside, a two-story building, simr in style to the gatekeeper¡¯s lodge, but much more refined. From here, you could clearly see the nearby beach, and the sound of the waves was just beneath your feet. When the warm sea breeze blew, the sound of the waves surged, and asionally the cries of sea birds reached one¡¯s ears. A sense of contentment arose spontaneously. ¡°This used to be young master Gerard¡¯s ce of rest.¡± ¡°However, since young master Gerard started managing Hans Port, he hasn¡¯t been here for a long time.¡± ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± Butler Reed finished speaking and continued to ask. ¡°I also need ten pots asrge as these boxes, and a considerable amount of wood.¡± ¡°Then ginger, chili peppers, aniseeds, bothrge and small, cinnamon, bay leaves, and so on.¡± ¡°Also vegetables, noodles.¡± Jason, after checking the kitchen, informed Reed. Reed was momentarily stunned, and after confirming that Jason was not joking, although very puzzled, he immediately began to arrange everything. Jason, meanwhile, started to unpack the boxes, taking out the bones. These boxes were not branded with any secret technique, but the wood had a cooling feel to it. It must rely on the special properties of the wood to preserve the bones. Unfortunately¡­ The wood had no scent whatsoever. Jason felt slightly disappointed. But the bones inside the boxes were real and solid. Upon close examination, Jason found that these bones were only the spine. Skulls, ribs, and limb bones were not included. This did not surprise Jason. Dragon bones were not of low value, even for Earth Dragons and Flying Dragons. Made into weapons, armor, or shields, these special body parts were quite excellent items. With Gerard¡¯s status, he naturally needed to reward others. These items naturally had their uses. After counting the spine bones, Jason began to wash them with clean water. By the time therge pots arrived, Jason, who had finished cleaning the dragon spine bones, had already arranged stones into a fire pit, and as the kindling wood crackled, the mes ignited. Declining the servants¡¯ help and signaling that they could leave, Jason set up ten pots. Cold water was poured into the pots. The spine bones of Flying Dragons and Earth Dragons were boiled starting with cold water. Thirty minutester, as the cold water boiled and the soup started turning white, a rich aroma wafted into Jason¡¯s nose. He couldn¡¯t help but scoop out a piece of spine bone. Slurp. First, he sipped the broth from the bone, then, he bit along the edge of the spine. Suddenly, Jason¡¯s eyes lit up. It was a taste that one only got from gnawing on rich, fatty meat, and inparison, the roastmb legs the chefs had just carefully prepared seemed quite ordinary¡ªnot because of the cooking skills, but the ingredients! Gobbling up like a wolf, Jason began gnawing on the bones. From midday until the sun was westward, after Jason had cleaned thest spine bone in his hands, he came back to his senses and suddenly blinked. All the bones were eaten up? But immediately, Jason looked at the tenrge pots dispassionately and began leisurely making noodles and boiling vegetables. Bone broth noodles, after all. What¡¯s important is the broth and the noodles. The bones are not important. So, what does it matter if they were eaten ahead of time? Chapter 133: 44: Method (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 133: Chapter 44: Method (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Slurp, slurp. With a bowl in hand, Jason squatted beside the campfire, eating noodles. Compared to the satisfaction of just gnawing on the spine, the noodles naturally fell short, but the al dente texture, the rich broth, paired with the green onions andtro, still made Jason¡¯s appetite surge. Bowls of noodles went down his stomach. Jason suddenly thought of a question. Why not add an egg? And a couple of slices of ham would be perfect! Looking at the long-gone noodles, Jason sighed with regret. It would have to wait until next time. He certainly wouldn¡¯t throw away the bone broth. Newly boiled Holy Water was poured by Jason into the cowhide bags one by one.
Looking at the dozens of cowhide bags, Jason¡¯s once empty heart immediately felt much more substantial. Even more substantial was his fullness! [Consuming arge amount of Kelwo Flying Dragon Dragon Bones (iplete)] [Physical vigor restored to a significant degree!] [Fullness +9] [Fullness: 14] ¡­ [Consuming arge amount of Denita Land Dragon Dragon Bones (iplete)] [Physical vigor restored to a significant degree!] [Fullness +7] [Fullness: 21] ¡­ Even the long-stored Dragon Bones still provided Jason with a substantial level of fullness. Jason couldpletely imagine how much fullness and Excitement of Feast a whole Kelwo Flying Dragon or Denita Land Dragon would bring. However, even so, Jason wasn¡¯t the slightest bit unsatisfied. After all, these were unexpected gains. Having obtained such unnned gains, Jason began to ponder about advancing in his profession. ¡°Knowing the traits of one more creature would fulfill all the conditions for advancing to ¡®Night Watcher¡¯.¡± ¡°Bing a ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ cost me 5 points of fullness!¡±
¡°Advancing to ¡®Night Watcher¡¯ should only need 10 points of fullness, even if it doubles; perhaps just add 1 point of Excitement of Feast to be certain. With the current reserve of 21 points of fullness and 2 points of Excitement of Feast, it should be enough.¡± With that thought, Jason wanted to go directly to Gerard. However, after taking only one step, Jason stopped. Gerard had given him plenty already.
Providing protection. Offering residence, food. Teaching Riding Skill. Giving Dragon Bones. Even though Gerard did so willingly, the premise of that willingness was his belief that Jason was his cousin. But what was the reality? Jason knew he would always be Jason (Chen Jie). He wasn¡¯t used to receiving without cause. What he was more used to was an exchange. Before ¡®Nightless City¡¯, he had this habit. And it was because of this habit that he had survived in ¡®Nightless City¡¯. So, he decided to keep it up. ¡°Maybe I can do something for Gerard,¡± he muttered to himself, pulling out the invitation.
¡­ 111 Duron Street, fifth floor of the main building. Gerard was reviewing the documents that had just been delivered, his brow slightly furrowed. Part of these documents concerned the inside of the port, but most were about matters outside it. The former was a minor annoyance. Thetter? It was a significant problem. Because, ording to the summary of existing information, Gerard could feel that someone was consolidating the forces against Hans Port, and such maneuvers, he was all too familiar with. ¡°You finally can¡¯t sit still, can you?¡± he sighed. Then, little Reed knocked and entered. ¡°My lord, Sir Jason has arrived,¡± said the personal valet. ¡°Let Jasone in,¡± Gerard ordered. ¡°Bring two cups of tea.¡±
¡°And some pastries too.¡± Gerard understood the temperaments of his so-called cousin quite well by now. Cool in demeanor, but a lover of food. If in doubt about what to say, just give him something to eat ¨C that never fails. By noon, Jason had settled into his vacation cottage, and he understoodpletely what happened afterward. Not that he minded. Dragon bone, who wouldn¡¯t want a taste? Even though he hunted the Kelwo Flying Dragons and Denita Land Dragons to protect Hans Port, in the end, he still¡­ took a taste. Just a tiny bit. The taste was average. Not as delicious as beef. It might have been because the chef had never cooked such food.
You see, he even got to taste dragon meat. What¡¯s the big deal about his cousin gnawing on some bones? If the Kelwo Flying Dragons and Denita Land Dragons hadn¡¯t disappeared, he was nning to hunt a couple for his cousin as dinner. ¡°Jason, sit.¡± Gerard invited Jason to sit with a smile. The tea and pastries were alreadyid out on the coffee table. Unlike the two or three-tier pastry stands before. The pastry stand before them had five tiers. The topyer held cream pudding, the secondyer mousse cake, the thirdyer donuts, the fourthyer sliced fruit, and the fifthyer was Hans Port¡¯s specialty coconut jelly. Because of the way it was served, the top and bottomyers were bowl-shaped, apanied by spoons of varying lengths. Jason ced the invitation in front of Gerard, then picked up a long-handled spoon and dug into the bottomyer of coconut jelly. Cool and sweet. It had fruit inside as well. Even in autumn, such coconut jelly was still refreshing. Jason could imagine how delightful a bowl of this coconut jelly would be during the sweltering summer. Having examined the invitation, Gerard said with a smile: ¡°Go!¡± ¡°Syndra must have prepared a big gift for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just ept it.¡± Gerard thought Jason was worried about something. ¡°The rumor now is: you are the Cursed Child!¡± ¡°Everything connected to you brings misfortune!¡± ¡°We¡¯re pretty close, aren¡¯t we?¡± Jason put down the spoon, having finished ayer of the coconut jelly. He picked up a slice of pineapple and continued: ¡°Changes have appeared outside the harbor, and it¡¯s only a matter of time before the changes within the harbor transition from quantitative to qualitative.¡± ¡°Rather than passively waiting, why don¡¯t we take the initiative, ignite the changes within the harbor?¡± ¡°At least¡­¡± ¡°It would allow me to take the initiative.¡± Suddenly, Gerard was taken aback. Then, instantly understanding what Jason wanted to do, Gerard shook his head. ¡°No!¡± ¡°You may want to help me.¡± ¡°But some things are much moreplicated than you think.¡± Gerard was rejecting Jason¡¯s idea. ¡°Some things don¡¯t change just because people want them to.¡± ¡°And!¡± ¡°My existence is not a secret!¡± ¡°It was only a matter of time before they targeted me!¡± After finishing the fruit on the second-tostyer, Jason targeted the donuts. The soft donuts paired with the tea were pure enjoyment. ¡°At 111 Duron Street, no one can harm you!¡± Gerard assured him seriously. ¡°But I can¡¯t stay at 111 Duron Street for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°And you can¡¯t protect me forever!¡± ¡°Some things I have to face sooner orter.¡± After the pine nut mousse cake burst with vor in his mouth, Jason¡¯s mouth curved involuntarily. ¡°But the time is not now!¡± ¡°At least you need my guidance for a while, and only after you achieve the ability to protect yourself, can you face these things!¡± Gerard was still not at ease. Watching Gerard stand firm on his view, Jason felt like he was looking at a worried mother. Such a person was truly difficult to deal with. But also hard to resent. Yet Jason was not one to give up easily. He ate his pudding while looking at Gerard. Gerard also looked at his cousin. He saw the sincerity in Jason¡¯s eyes. In the end, the man who controlled Hans Port nodded. But it wasn¡¯t a direct agreement¡ª ¡°I have a condition!¡± Chapter 134: 45: The Secret History (Fourth update for subscribers~ Seeking monthly passes~) Chapter 134: Chapter 45: The Secret History (Fourth update for subscribers~ Seeking monthly passes~) ¡°` As evening fell, a carriage departed from 111 Duron Street, heading to 10 Terna Street. Jason sat inside the carriage, gazing at the young Reed sitting opposite him, massaging his slightly swollen temples. It wasn¡¯t Reed who was giving him a headache. It was Gerard¡¯s afternoon-long narrative. From Hans Port to Fort Swallow and then to the entire Federation South, Gerard had exined everything in detail to Jason, all to help him grasp the currentplexity of the situation. Jason had alsoe to understand that apart from the remnants of the Revival Society, there were also cults like the Abandonment Sect, the Erosion Society, and Bloodline in the Federation¡¯s South. The Abandonment Sect was established abruptly before the establishment of the New Federation and was once Gerard¡¯s main rival. Although Gerard had nearly eradicated them, they had made a resurgence in the past decade. The Erosion Society was even older, having secretly grown in the Federation South during the existence of the Old Federation, periodicallymitting blood-curdling massacres. Compared to the former two, Bloodline was very special!
Not only because it was the oldest of the sects. But also because it was an organization established through ¡®bloodline rtions.¡¯ Where it originated, no one knew. Where it is now, no one knew either. It was like a ghost, appearing every so often, manipting the progress of the entire South of the Federation, making the whole region develop ording to its will. Of course, that¡¯s not the most important part. The significant issue was: Gerard believed that Bloodline had begun to infiltrate the North. He believed the continuous warfare in the North was instigated by Bloodline. As for why they were doing this? Gerard didn¡¯t know. Just as he didn¡¯t know which one of them would be targeting him this time. Or perhaps¡­ It was all of them? After repeatedly confirming Jason¡¯s thoughts, Gerard disclosed all of this information to him. Lounging against the soft cushions, Jason reflected on what Gerard had said. ¡°Revival Society, Abandonment Sect, Erosion Society, Bloodline¡­ and the Federation!¡± His brows, which had just rxed, furrowed once again. ording to Gerard, none of these organizations were to be trifled with. Even the Revival Society, with its ¡®Pipers,¡¯ was only notably prominent in directbat power, whereas in terms of background, numbers, and the degree of their bizarre practices, the Abandonment Sect and Erosion Society were superior.
Not to mention the hidden Bloodline and the overt control of the Federation. ¡°Sir Jason, are you alright?¡± Reed asked and produced a box of mint oil from a hidden pocket in the carriage. Jason didn¡¯t refuse.
But he didn¡¯t apply it either, just unscrewed the lid and sniffed. Immediately, a cooling sensation spread. Jason breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you,¡± he thanked Reed. ¡°You seem much better now, so I believe I can speak to you about the matter concerning my master and the Federation.¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t enough time before.¡± ¡°My master instructed me to speak with you in the carriage,¡± Reed stated meticulously. Jason felt a headacheing on again but nevertheless sat up straight. ¡°My master once studied at the ¡®Griffin Camp,¡¯ the true ¡®Griffin Camp,¡¯ not the dispersed military camps we have nowadays.¡± ¡°And there, my master befriended the scion of Duke Aymodun of the Federation, not the one at war with the ¡®Pipers,¡¯ but his youngest son.¡± ¡°The two became good friends at the ¡®Griffin Camp.¡¯
¡°They traveled the Federation together.¡± ¡°They experienced the Federation under the ¡®influence¡¯ (domination) of the factions; it was thoroughly corrupt.¡± ¡°So, they decided to change that state of affairs!¡± ¡°And then¡­¡± ¡°They seeded.¡± Reed said tly. But Jason looked stunned. The New Federation was established by Gerard and the scion of Duke Aymodun? And Gerard was friends with him. ¡°` ¡°` The most important thing is! The two of them seeded!
Jason subconsciously twisted open the vial of mint oil. Compared to the previous information, this bit of news had an even greater impact on Jason. Even if Jason had guessed that Gerard and the Federation were closely rted, he never imagined that Gerard was one of the founders of the Federation. ¡°And then?¡± Jason continued to ask. ¡°After that, the two split ways due to differences in their ideals.¡± ¡°The gentleman returned to Hans Port and became its ruler.¡± ¡°The Duke¡¯s son of Aymodun inherited his title and became the ruler of the New Federation.¡± Reed¡¯s tone was t, but Jason detected an underlying sense of bloodshed. Splitting ways? It¡¯s not that simple. Jason could imagine what Gerard would face upon returning to Hans Port. He could also imagine how the youngest son managed to inherit the title.
Moreover, the rtionship between the two parties¡­ Had already be hostile. That was telling enough. Some of the doubts that had perplexed Jason also began to dissipate. ¡°Because of what happened back then, are there still some within the Federation who support Gerard?¡± ¡°Not just some.¡± ¡°There are many!¡± ¡°You should know, the gentleman led from the front in every battle, charging at the enemy¡¯s formation, walls, and castles.¡± ¡°Moreover, the gentleman is someone full of passion and a very charismatic person. Those who fought alongside him all believe that he is the rightful ruler of the Federation, not some clerk¡ªafter all, the Federation is now known as the¡ªGriffin!¡± Reed, who had been speaking in a neutral tone until now, raised his pitch slightly, his fist clenched tightly. Clearly, he too believed that Gerard was the true ruler of the Federation. But the oue was irreversible. In the end, it was the descendant of the ¡®Duke of Aymodun¡¯ who imed the throne of the Federation¡¯s ruler. Then, Certain things naturally became obvious. A ruler who had nearly ascended to a position akin to kingship, yet had to listen daily to others say someone else was better suited. What would be the oue? It goes without saying. Jason subconsciously thought of Peters¡¯s insinuations when he mentioned the ¡®Griffin Camp.¡¯ Perhaps it was the ¡®Griffin Camp,¡¯ meant to reap the fruits of victory, that was the first to be targeted for attack? Thinking this, Jason shook his head. At this moment, the carriage had entered Terna Street. ¡°Please remember the gentleman¡¯s instructions.¡± Reed spoke again. Jason, on the other hand, touched the ring on his left index finger. This ring was the true request of Gerard¡ªthe prior narration, including Reed¡¯spany, was all incidental. It was a protective ring. It could withstand multiple cannon sts. It was also effective against malicious intents, evil spirits, and the Bizarre. Of course, the strong aroma that it emitted was the greatest test for Jason. Jason really wanted to stick out his tongue and lick the ring. But he forcefully suppressed the urge. He nned to return the ring after this ¡®decoy¡¯ operation was over. ¡°We will attack you when you leave.¡± ¡°Escape along the nned route.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a high chance you¡¯ll encounter those observers.¡± Reed continued speaking, while Jason opened the coach door and stepped out. At this point, Reed suddenly clenched his fist with one hand, ced it over his chest, and bent forward to Jason¡¯s retreating back: ¡°Please¡­ stay safe.¡± Chapter 135: 46 Sincere Compensation Chapter 135: Chapter 46 Sincere Compensation In front of number 10 Terna Street stood a servant dressed in a light-colored, wide-sleeved long robe.
Upon spotting Jason approaching, he immediately went up to greet him. ¡°May I ask if you are Lord Jason?¡± The other party was very polite as he confirmed. When Jason nodded, the other party immediately revealed a smile, and beneath his darkplexion, his teeth were even whiter. ¡°Please follow me.¡± The servant spoke and then opened the door behind him.
Number 10 Terna Street was a courtyard mansion near the roadside. It featured a small courtyard and a tiny fountain. The courtyard was nted with palm nts, and the fountain had a design resembling a leaping carp; water spouted from the mouth of the carp, creating a perfect circr water curtain. The sound of the water gushing. In the midst of the sound, the doors of the mansion opened. Syndra, who looked old before his time, had personally opened the door and came out to wee his guest. ¡°Wee, Mr. Jason.¡± The sight of Jason arriving brought a sigh of relief to the baron, a neer to the nobility. He had been genuinely worried that Jason would ept the invitation but note. If that had been the case, he really wouldn¡¯t have known what to do. Thinking about it made him curse Malor several times. However, when looking at Jason, he had a face full of eager smiles.
Unfortunately, that smile only added a few more wrinkles to his face, making him look even older, and it did not bring any warmth. ¡°This way, please!¡± ¡°This way, please!¡± Syndra stepped aside, almost like a servant, inviting Jason in. Jason noticed everything inside the room at a nce. The corridor was narrow, but wide enough for two people to walk side by side. Theyout inside was even simpler; along the corridor and to the left was the bedroom, facing forward was the living room, and to the right of the living room was not a wall but rolls of straw mats. At this moment, these straw mats had been rolled up, revealing a small circr swimming pool. As the wind passed, ripples formed on the water, creatingyers of waves. Although not as good as Gerard¡¯s vacation cottage, it was certainly cool andfortable. Next to the square table in the living room, two chairs had already been ced, and on the table sat a box. Jason¡¯s gaze lingered on the box for a moment, then he sat down in a chair following Syndra¡¯s gesture.
¡°Youring has put me at ease.¡± After sitting opposite Jason, Syndra showed a bitter smile and frankly said, ¡°Malor¡¯s mistake almost led to our annihtion.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t know your identity, and that¡¯s why he made the wrong judgment.¡± ¡°Please forgive him.¡± ¡°Perhaps this is somewhat excessive, but please don¡¯t be angry over a dead man.¡± Malor? Themander in charge of Taor¡¯s follow-up? He¡¯s dead? Jason was surprised. About Taor¡¯s situation, he had detailed information from Gerard, including about that Malor. A guy who relied on his father¡¯s legacy, was arrogant and ipetent, and loved to cut corners. That was Gerard¡¯s assessment.
However, Jason hadn¡¯t known that the man had died. Noticing the surprise in Jason¡¯s eyes, Syndra immediately followed up. ¡°It was his personal guard. After the ident in Buma Town, he died along with them.¡± ¡°You know, Malor was a cautious man.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t trust anyone fully, so he would use some tricks.¡± ¡°It was those tricks that killed him.¡± As he said this, Syndra looked inconsbly sad. He didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with Malor using such methods. In fact, many of the nouveau riche used such methods. But usually, it was just one or two people. Some chose doubles. Some chose men who would die for their cause.
None were like Malor, who could support as many as twenty people alone. Perhaps Malor possessed some kind of secret technique that allowed him to handle more, but Malor had never imagined that his twenty trusted men would bepletely wiped out. Tricks? A secret technique simr to a contract? Jason spected from Syndra¡¯s words. Jason knew about such secret techniques. In the book that prominently introduced the descendants of ¡°Duke Aymodun,¡± the opposition was discontent with the old aristocracy and schools of thought using simr secret techniques during the old Federation era, which kindled their spirit of rebellion. However, looking at it now. The content of that book could only be read for reference. Considering what little Reed had said, the purpose of the book was self-evident. Syndra silently observed Jason¡¯s expression. Seeing no sign of anger, the neer again spoke up.
¡°Do you know about the affairs of Buma Town?¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mean to question you.¡± ¡°Just that¡­¡± ¡°Those things are somewhat bizarre.¡± Syndra cautiously looked at Jason. ¡°What happened?¡± Jason asked. He had only heard about Buma Town from Dennise. She said there was a terrifying presence there. As for more? Jason listened quietly. ¡°Malor¡¯s father sent more people, but after they entered, there was no word from them.¡± ¡°Then, Malor¡¯s father started using bombardment.¡± ¡°At first, it was quite effective.¡± ¡°The whole Buma Town was engulfed in a sea of fire.¡± ¡°But just when Malor¡¯s father thought the situation was under control, Buma Town appeared again, as if¡­ it had never been bombarded at all.¡± While saying this, Syndra habitually gave a wry smile. That prematurely aged face looked even older. ¡°What happened after that?¡± Jason continued to inquire. ¡°After that, Malor¡¯s father sought help from the Federation.¡± ¡°But after the ¡®Dark Guardians¡¯ of Golsai investigated and warned everyone, the matter was dropped by all.¡± ¡°And then¡­¡± Syndra stopped speaking. He didn¡¯t want to continue. But when Jason¡¯s gaze swept over, Syndra immediately continued: ¡°After Malor¡¯s father returned, he disappeared!¡± ¡°Vanished without a trace!¡± ¡°Not a single piece of news came from the ¡®Dark Guardians,¡¯ so, I wanted to ask you if you might know anything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jason said curtly. Then, he watched Syndra quietly. The matters of Buma Town were too distant, but some things were right in front of him. Such as:pensation. The new nobleman immediately understood. After all, this was the main reason he had invited Jason. ¡°Yourpensation consists of two parts.¡± ¡°One is a piece of information.¡± ¡°The other is this box.¡± After pointing to the box on the table, Syndra straightforwardly revealed the information. ¡°Raul is a spy for one of the new nobility.¡± Raul is a spy?! Jason was stunned. This news was really beyond his expectations. He had never thought that there would be a spy among ¡®his rtives.¡¯ Was this also the arrangement of the descendent of Duke Aymodun? Jason thought, looking at the box on the table. Syndra pushed the box in front of Jason. Slowly, he opened the box. ¡°This jewel from Golsai, its brilliance¡­¡± Boom! The introduction was not yetplete when fire erupted from the box, and a massive explosion swept through number 10 Terna Street, submerging the figures of Jason and Syndra immediately. Chapter 136: 47 Accidental Hunting (Please Subscribe~Vote for Monthly Ticket~) Chapter 136: Chapter 47 idental Hunting (Please Subscribe~Vote for Monthly Ticket~) me engulfed the sky, illuminating the entire Terna Street below the night.
The waiter guarding the door was blown away, crashing into the palm trees nearby. But the waiter didn¡¯t care about his injuries, after rolling on the ground several times, he quickly got up, yelling¡ª ¡°Revival Society!¡± ¡°No¡­¡± The word ¡®destroy¡¯ wasn¡¯t shouted out. The whole person then copsed to the ground.
Little Reed stood behind the man, his expression emanating a fierce intent to kill. But he didn¡¯t really move. Although the original n had been unexpectedly altered, he himself had formted not just one backup n with Jason. The current situation had of course been considered by the two of them. So, he knew very well that this guy was more important alive than dead. Raising his head and looking at the zing Terna Street No. 10, even with preparation, Little Reed was still secretly shocked deep down. Without a doubt, this must be a special bomb. Ordinary bombs don¡¯t have this kind of igniting power. And¡­ Syndra! ¡°Abandoned, huh?¡± ¡°Truly that person¡¯s consistent style!¡±
Little Reed sneered. As Gerard¡¯s personal servant, he was well aware of where the conflicts with that Federation rulery and how it eventually erupted. Therefore, he was not surprised by the current situation at all. In the same way, he wasn¡¯t worried about Jason. Jason, holding the amulet of his master, wouldn¡¯t have any problems withstanding such an explosion and the ensuing mes. Instead, the concern was whether these special bombs could be mass-produced. ¡°If they can be mass-produced, we¡¯ll need to be vignt in future battles!¡± Thinking this, Little Reed gestured inconspicuously with his hand. Immediately, the Secret Agents lurking around sprang into action. They pounced on those exposed by the explosion. This was the focus of their mission. Naturally, Little Reed hadn¡¯t forgotten about Jason, who had offered to act as bait.
Turning around, Little Reed looked towards the figure that was gradually emerging from the mes. ¡°My Lord.¡± Seeing Jason walking out of the mes with an indifferent expression, Little Reed unconsciously changed his address. He truly respected someone who dared to challenge death knowing what would happen, especially¡­ since the man had survived. And after all, this was the title he should be using. It was only the ¡®distance¡¯ from not having fought side by side before that made Little Reed opt for a more polite approach. And now? There was no longer any need for that. ¡°Hmm.¡± Jason nodded and was about to say something¡ª Bang! A gunshot!
A gunshot from quite a distance behind and to the side! With perception more than three times that of an ordinary person, Jason swiftly confirmed the direction of the gunshot, and then, he instinctively tried to dodge. But then¡­ He didn¡¯t manage to. Thud! A spray of blood burst from Jason¡¯s back. The impact of the bullet knocked him straight to the ground. Little Reed, who was about to stand up straight, was stunned. The calm he had deliberately maintained on his face could no longer be sustained. Because Little Reed was very clear about what Jason represented to his own master. A rtive, a cousin who needed protection. The cousin who would drool and hug his leg, asking for food.
The cousin who had been neglected due to his own ¡®business¡¯. Gerard was already full of guilt towards Jason. If Jason really died because of this incident¡­ His master would go crazy! With this thought, Little Reed prepared to rush towards Jason. But at that moment, Jason sat up. The wound on his back was gone. Only the torn clothes informed Little Reed that what just happened was not an illusion. ¡°What kind of secret technique is this?¡± The well-informed Little Reed waspletely dumbfounded. He had never heard of such a secret technique. He did not see the faint glow in Jason¡¯s eyes, the ring of his nostrils as he held a deformed bullet in his hand.
It was not until Jason stood up that Little Reed came to his senses. ¡°My lord, you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, not vital.¡± Jason answered like that. Little Reed gaped at the ripped clothing on his back, opened his mouth, then shut it again. However, when he saw Jason suddenly turn and walk away, Little Reed quickly asked. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To pursue the prey¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Someone shot me, and I¡¯m nning to go have a friendly chat with them,¡± Jason said, gripping the handle of the wide-ded, short-handled machete without looking back. He soon disappeared from Little Reed¡¯s field of vision. As he watched the direction where Jason¡¯s figure had vanished, Little Reed seemed to see the sight of his lord charging forward. And thinking of the unusual signs from Lord Jason just now. ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°Truly his lordship¡¯s cousin!¡± Little Reed smiled and, after saluting towards the direction where Jason had disappeared, turned and ran towards Terna Street outside. The battle was not yet over. ¡­ Raymond quickly packed away the ¡®Hunter¡¯ rifle, which had an extremely long barrel. The excitement in his eyes had not subsided. This was his first time using the ¡®Hunter¡¯ rifle in actualbat. With a shooting range four times that of a regr flintlock and special bullets enhancing the pration strength, the ¡®Hunter¡¯ was a type of new weaponry. But new weapons weren¡¯t limited to just one type. The recently used ¡®me¡¯ was also one of them. However, ¡®me¡¯pared to ¡®Hunter¡¯ was far inferior! The feeling of killing a target from a distance was just too great! Raymond took deep breaths. He needed to calm himself down quickly. Yet, when he thought about the feeling of a fatal shot from 1000 meters away, he just couldn¡¯t calm down. And the thought of being the first person to bring ¡®Hunter¡¯ to the ¡®battlefield,¡¯ destined to leave his name in history, made it even harder for him to calm down. But, extensive training had taught him what he should do. He put the disguised, disassembled ¡®Hunter¡¯ into a wheelbarrow. He tore off his disguise coat and changed into wide-sleeved robemon attire of the Hans Port civilians. What about his skin color? Being half-native of Hans Port, he was not afraid of being found abnormal. Although he once detested his mixed heritage. But this time, being chosen for this n because of his mixed skin color, he felt fortunate. Then he began his final tasks. It was a wooden box. Inside, five bulletsy skyward. These bullets were unlike ordinary ones. They were more like elongated ellipsoids. They seemed to be metallic, yet also like wood. They also had various patterns on them. Rumors had it that these bullets were very special, each costing as much as a ¡®Hunter¡¯. The thought that he had just spent a ¡®Hunter¡¯ with one shot excited Raymond even more. He revealed a somewhat brutal and bloodthirsty smile. He could hardly wait to fire all the remaining five bullets. But the ¡®Hunter¡¯ took too long to load. The barrel also needed to cool down. There was no chance of a second shot in short order. And having a total of six bullets naturally was for the following tasks. ¡°Next time!¡± ¡°Next time!¡± ¡°I must aim for the head!¡± With this thought, Raymond pushed his cart, preparing for the next hiding spot. But at that moment¡ª Bang! A thick arm smashed through the wooden wall and grabbed Raymond by the forehead and much of the cheek. The fingers dug deeply into Raymond¡¯s forehead and cheek. Raymond, who considered himself well-trained, iled in an attempt to break free. But it was useless. Against the backdrop of that thick arm, he looked like a monkey stuck in a fat tree trunk. The next moment¡ª Bang! An even louder thump resonated, and Raymond was pulled out. Chapter 137: 48: Infinite Ingenious Uses (Subscribe~ Monthly Passes~) Chapter 137: Chapter 48: Infinite Ingenious Uses (Subscribe~ Monthly Passes~) ¡°` Crash! Wooden wall fragments scattered in all directions. Jason, having dragged Raymond out of the room, pressed him to the ground before Raymond could react. Thud! Raymond¡¯s head hit the ground, his eyes rolled back, and he passed out. Jason let go of his right hand and, without even ncing at the deeply indented forehead and cheeks of Raymond due to the excessive pressure, headed straight towards the smell of food. Very soon, the ¡®Hunter¡¯ rifle and the box of special bullets were found. The bullets had a sweet, rich aroma. The ¡®Hunter¡¯ rifle smelled fainter. Smelling the deliciousness so close, Jason¡¯s mood immediately brightened, despite having just gone through an explosion and a gunshot.
However, his vignce against the descendant of the Aymodun Duke increased. Both the explosion and the gunshot had been too sudden. So sudden that Jason hardly had any time to prepare. The instant explosion had cost him 3 satiety points. The gunshot also cost 3 satiety points. Comparing with the explosion by ¡®Lorde,¡¯ Jason gradually deduced a pattern: Death was calcted by the instant, not by the method of death. That meant, whether he was beheaded or at the center of an explosion, that instant would require 3 satiety points to heal. But! If time dragged on, the consumption of satiety points would be significantly higher. Like thest time with the explosion in front of ¡®Lorde¡¯ on Pea Street, he had ignited the explosives, and the continuous explosions had extended his time of death, so the consumption of satiety points had increased exponentially. ¡°In the future, avoid ways of death like beheading as much as possible.¡± ¡°Once the opponent has a hobby of collecting heads as trophies¡­¡± At this thought, Jason quickly shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to see that situation. Or rather, even if he encountered such a situation, he would have to hold on a bit longer. Therefore, food became important. Picking up the ¡®Hunter¡¯ rifle, Jason sucked on the barrel. A wisp of sweetness entered Jason¡¯s mouth from the barrel.
The once dark and sturdy barrel, having lost its sweetness, quickly became dull. ¡°The sweetness is a bit like chewing gum.¡± ¡°But without texture.¡± ¡°Slightlycking.¡±
Jasonmented, and then looked at the five bullets inside the box. Why eat the ¡®Hunter¡¯ rifle before the bullets? Deliciousness should always be saved for thest. It¡¯s like the potato and beef over rice in the school cafeteria; when most of the rice mixed with potato is eaten, that¡¯s when the essence is reached: a bit of beef, a bit of potato, a small amount of rice, well mixed in a ratio of 1:1:2, put into the mouth, it brings an additional satisfaction to the stomach. At this moment, one must beware of the natural enemy that could affect the pleasure of dining ¡ª Ginger! Ginger is an unpredictable force, just like the cafeteriadies. The former are unpredictable, like phantoms. Thetter with a flick of their hand, could ruin everything. So Jason was very careful when eating, he meticulously inspected the five bullets, confirming they were not filled with gunpowder, before he took one and ced it in his mouth. The unique sweet taste spread across his tongue. Chocte?! Jason¡¯s eyes lit up.
Then, he bit down instinctively. Crack! Amidst the crisp sound, a milky vor emerged. Milk chocte?! Jason was overjoyed and promptly tossed the remaining four bullets into his mouth. The rich cocoa and creamy vors raised Jason¡¯s mood another notch. Especially upon seeing his satiety level rise again¡ª [Consumed a small amount of food (low-quality)!] [Physical strength, energy slightly restored!] [Satiety +2!] [Satiety: 17] ¡­ [Consumed essence of a substantial Wanderer!]
[Physical strength, experience greatly restored] [Satiety +8] [Satiety: 25] ¡­ ¡°` ¡°Chocte-vored Wanderer of the jungle?¡± Jason stared at the prompt in front of him, silently jotting down the name of this creature to add to his menu. Since it could be made into bullets, that meant there was no small number of them. But how difficult would it be to capture one? If the difficulty was moderate, he believed he could effectively reduce the range of activities of these creatures. Of course, at this moment, Jason harbored another thought in his heart. Where was the military factory belonging to the descendant of Duke Aymodun? He was eager to observe it for himself.
Thinking this, Jason lowered his head to look at Raymond, who was still unconscious, and picked him up in one hand. He didn¡¯t wake him up. Jason didn¡¯t think of himself as skilled in interrogation. Therefore, he nned to hand Raymond over to little Reed. However, just as Jason had stepped out of the street, a weak stream of Dufol Language reached his ears. Spoken at an extremely fast pace. Jason didn¡¯t have time to recognize it. Then everything before his eyes turned ck. Not the darkness of unconsciousness! But because his eyes had lost their vision! Secret technique! There were other enemies nearby! A chill ran through Jason¡¯s heart, and then, with his perception over three times greater than an ordinary person¡¯s, he clearly heard a session of footsteps. Judging by the footsteps, there were about ten people. Heavy steps, likely individuals of robust build. There was the breeze of des cutting through the air, des held in their hands. Also, a faint smell of gunpowder, likely flintlock guns as well. Temporarily unable to see, Jason swiftly used his ears and nose in their stead; however, they could only act as substitutes and couldn¡¯t truly rece his eyes. At least, Jason was now unable to locate the person who had used the secret technique. The foe must have been lurking nearby all along, revealing not a hint of noise. Then, after suddenly attacking Jason, they had hidden themselves once more. Throughout this, they still didn¡¯t make a sound, likely another secret technique. Jason, with thoughts rapidly colliding in his mind, slowly gripped the knife¡¯s handle. Then¡­ He stabbed Raymond, who he was holding, with his knife. Not a vital spot. Just the arm. The sudden pain caused Raymond to let out a scream. ¡°Ah!¡± But in the next moment, Raymond¡¯s screams were abruptly cut off. Because Jason¡¯s knife was now pressed against his throat. ¡°If you want to live, help me look around and find that hidden guy!¡± Jason said rapidly. Raymond was a bit stupefied. To continue like this after being blinded¡­? But Raymond¡¯s reaction was swift. Being a sniper, his vision was naturally sharp, and almost in a single breath, he located the target person Jason was talking about. Raymond wanted to y some tricks. But the muzzles raised by those people on the opposite side had him covered as well. Tell the truth, dieter. Lie, die immediately. Raymond knew very well what to choose. ¡°15 meters to your right front!¡± shouted Raymond. And at the same moment as the shout¡ª Bang bang bang! The attackers unexpectedly pulled their triggers. Jason used Raymond as a shield in front of himself. Thud, thud-thud. Bullets hit Raymond¡¯s body one after another, causing his body to tremble repeatedly, his face showing disbelief as if he couldn¡¯t fathom that Jason not only used him as eyes but also as a shield. Then Raymond realized he had been too naive. In addition to being eyes and a shield, he was also being used as arge projectile weapon. Whoosh! Apanied by a whooshing sound, Raymond was hurled by Jason into the group of attackers. As the foes stumbled, Jason charged toward the position Raymond had indicated. Then, BiBi! Chapter 138: 49: Taking Control (Four updates~Please subscribe~Please vote for the month~) Chapter 138: Chapter 49: Taking Control (Four updates~Please subscribe~Please vote for the month~) Apanied by the low murmurs of the Dufol Language. Left hand six, right hand seven. After two gestures werepleted in an instant, a blinding radiance burst forth from Jason¡¯s hands. Ahhh! The unguarded assants clutched their eyes and rolled on the ground. The darkness before Jason¡¯s eyes gradually dissipated, and although it had notpletely faded, blurred figures could now be seen. This was enough! Jason rushed towards the attacker who could cast the secret technique. The Broad de Cleaver in his hand chopped down directly. Thud! After one strike, the adversary stopped rolling and fell silent.
But the screams did not cease. Enveloped by the ¡°sh Technique,¡± there were not just one but several attackers around. Without pausing, Jason advanced step by step, one swing with each step he took. It wasn¡¯t until he promptly assessed these sudden assants that Jason realized Raymond, despite taking several shots, had not died. The man¡¯s eyes were wide with a vacant stare at the night sky, his chest subtly rising and falling. ncing at Raymond¡¯s wounds and considering himself incapable of treating them properly, Jason turned and walked towards the attacker who had used the secret technique, leaving Raymond, the ¡®sniper,¡¯ to drop his hand, that he had lifted with all his strength, powerlessly to the ground. His gaze towards the night sky grew even more vacant and lifeless. Jason meticulously searched for any loot. Unfortunately, the results were disappointing. Apart from 20 Tel and 3 Dennise, the opponent only carried a dagger and a flintlock pistol. All were of ordinary quality, with no scent of worth. Jason stood up, feeling let down, to search the other assants. Apart from their weapons, even the coins they carried were pitifully few. The aggregation from over a dozen people amounted to just a bit over 4 Dennise. The attackers¡¯ garments were also tattered, consisting of local attire, but mainly dirty and old, with only the one worn by the magic-user being slightly better, merely clean at best. ¡°Which faction could this be?¡± Unable to make a clear judgment without exact insignia, Jason wondered. Fortunately, footsteps approached from a distance. Little Reed came with others.
This manservant of Gerard took over the follow-up work. ¡°Eh!¡± Upon seeing ¡®sniper¡¯ Raymond, Little Reed eximed in surprise. Clearly, he was astounded by the man¡¯s tenacious vitality.
¡°We have a survivor here!¡± ¡°Tend to this one first!¡± Little Reed shouted at those behind him. Then he quickly removed a brand-new overcoat and draped it over Jason, who was in tattered clothes. The entire process was carried out with utmost proficiency. It was clearly not the first time he had done such a thing. ¡°My lord, please return to 111 Duron Street,¡± ¡°Leave the rest to me,¡± Little Reed spoke softly. ¡°Hmm.¡± Jason nodded. He would not do everything himself. Because, some tasks are better left to professionals, far preferable to an amateur like himself. The carriage had long been prepared.
As Jason boarded the carriage, two attendants followed on horseback. The surrounding guards simultaneously watched the carriage depart. Strength, after all, is the foundation of earning one¡¯s respect. And fighting side by side serves to elerate this process. ¡­ As Jason rode the carriage back to 111 Duron Street, Gerard, who continued to receive information, had a trace of gloom on his face. He pulled the bell cord in the room. Unlike others, this bell was connected to the room of the old Butler Reed. About two minutester, Reed, d in his butler¡¯s attire, appeared in the fifth-floor study. ¡°Why did you give the invitation to Jason?¡± Gerard asked sternly. ¡°Yes, it was Lord Hans¡¯s orders,¡± the butler replied truthfully.
Mother? Gerard was startled. The ruler of Hans Port had considered many possibilities, including the butler¡¯s oversight and the butler¡¯s usual testing methods. He could understand either situation. Yet he was still angry. However, he had never thought it would be his own mother. ¡°Why would mother do this?¡± ¡°Jason is my cousin!¡± ¡°Her only nephew!¡± Gerard couldn¡¯t help but ask. His voice seemed to rise a little due to his agitation. However, Gerard did not expect the butler to answer him. So, after speaking, he was ready to directly ask his mother.
What the ruler of Hans Port didn¡¯t expect was that the butler actually spoke again. ¡°It¡¯s training!¡± ¡°Lord Hans is training Sir Jason!¡± ¡°The one who has already grown impatient!¡± ¡°Hans Port is now more dangerous than ever¡ªa fledgling eagle cannot soar without weathering the storm.¡± The butler said each word seriously. Gerard looked at the butler. A momentter, the frown on his brow slightly rxed. ¡°Is that so?¡± Gerard muttered to himself in a low voice. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Sir Jason is Lord Hans¡¯s only nephew.¡± ¡°And your cousin!¡± ¡°That is exactly why Lord Hans does not want anything to happen to Sir Jason!¡± The butler nodded his head. This reason, aligning with his expectations, convinced Gerard. Then, the ruler of Hans Port started to think seriously. ¡°Jason¡¯s strength is good, but just good, and he stillcks some necessary techniques¡­¡± ¡°And those secret techniques cannot be mastered in a short time.¡± ¡°Some rare artifacts, perhaps?¡± Gerard murmured. Seeing Gerard like this, the butler couldn¡¯t help but sigh in his heart. No one knows a child better than a mother. Lord Hanspletely grasped Lord Gerard¡¯s thoughts, knowing exactly how to persuade his son. And Lord Gerard¡­ Some things, if you do not experience them yourself, You will never understand. The butler, thinking this to himself, started preparing dinner for Jason as instructed by Gerard. Gerard meanwhile headed downstairs. He nned to personally wee his cousin. Although some details were handled rashly, their identical fighting style pleased the ruler of Hans Port greatly. He considered this the proof of their blood rtion. The same tall and sturdy stature. The same fighting style. Although their appearances were not alike, that was enough, wasn¡¯t it? Passing by the second floor, seeing those fawning ¡®rtives¡¯ made Gerard¡¯s eyes immediately fill with disdain, especially whenpared to his cousin, making the disdain even thicker. Not banishing these people outright was already his greatest tolerance. However, he had Reed investigate them again. He always felt that these people were carefully disguised freeloaders. At the entrance of 111 Duron Street. By the time Gerard came out, Dennise was already waiting there. Dennise, sitting on the stairs hugging her knees, quietly watched the door, like a dog anticipating its master¡¯s return. And as soon as the carriage came into view, Dennise sprang up and dashed toward it. Watching her swaying skirt, Gerard always pictured a wagging dog¡¯s tail in his mind. Shaking his head, Gerard walked down the steps with a smile. Jason saw both Dennise and Gerard. This made Jason, who had just finished eating and was in a pleasant mood, smile. But the next moment, The person who appeared in his vision made Jason¡¯s brow furrow. Chapter 139: 50: A Walk (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 139: Chapter 50: A Walk (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Barney rk, the son of the Duke of Fort Swallow, appeared on the steps of Duron Street number 111.
The other party didn¡¯te down but instead nodded at Jason, a gesture that served as a greeting. Jason¡¯s understanding of the Duke¡¯s son was limited to their brief encounter at the embassy that night. Afterwards? It was all arranged by the old butler Reed. The Duke¡¯s daughter suffered bacsh from a Ritual Summoning, and the origins of the Ritual Summoning method were still under investigation. The Butler of Fort Swallow had already set off to return to Fort Swallow to report all that had transpired at Hans Port to the Duke of Fort Swallow.
Simply put, the old butler Reed doubted the sincerity of Fort Swallow¡¯s alliance through marriage. Because, from the signs at this moment, the start of the rumors traced back to the Duke of Fort Swallow¡¯s daughter. Of course, all this was done in secret. On the surface, they were still allies about to be united through marriage. Therefore, Jason responded with a nod of his own. Gerard turned around and looked at the Duke¡¯s son with a polite smile on his face. ¡°Good evening, Lord K.¡± ¡°Good evening, Lord Gerard.¡± After a brief exchange of greetings, both turned and went their separate ways. Jason watched the Duke¡¯s son¡¯s back, his eyes filled with contemtion. The other party just happened toe out when he returned? A bit coincidental.
Even if it was for a walk, this wouldn¡¯t be the ce toe; the beach would be far more fitting. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have much malice.¡± ¡°He probably came to confirm whether you, Jason, had safely returned and also carried a bit of probing.¡± ¡°Come on, I have prepared a sumptuous dinner for you.¡± Gerardughed as he slung an arm over Jason¡¯s shoulder and spoke. Jason nodded, then pushed his doubts to the back of his mind, and followed Gerard forward. Dennise, having heard of the sumptuous dinner, jumped up excitedly as well. They did not take the carriage. The three of them walked, with Jason and Gerard in front, Dennise following behind, and a team of guards scattered around to maintain a distance that wouldn¡¯t disturb the three but could still respond to any emergent situations. Dennise was somewhat unustomed to this. However, upon discovering several snails among the palm trees, she quickly forgot about these concerns. Listened to Dennise¡¯sughter from behind, Gerard, walking calmly beside his cousin Jason, felt a sense of warmth well up from the bottom of his heart.
As the ruler of Hans Port, he rarely had the opportunity to experience such a feeling. Thest time? It was probably over twenty years ago. Back then, his mother was very busy, and it was his father who had always been with him. During the ¡®Sea God Festival,¡¯ his mother took a bit of time to walk by the sea with him and his father, then she hurried away again. The time was brief. But warm. Just like this moment. Sigh. Gerard took a deep breath, turned his head to look at Jason, and asked with a smile: ¡°How do you feel?¡± His words carried the concern of an elder brother.
¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been through battles before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a rookie who gets sick at the sight of blood.¡± Jason answered truthfully. The trials of the Nightless City had long since transformed him from a rookie into a seasoned veteran. There might still be many deficiencies. But no longer that sense of unease. Gerard looked at his cousin¡¯s calm demeanor, raised his hand to pat Jason¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Gerard breathed a sigh of relief. He didn¡¯t want his cousin to suffer any harm. Whether it be physical or psychological.
¡°Starting from tomorrow, I will teach you some swordsmanship, martial arts, and marksmanship,¡± Jason said. ¡°They are all from the Griffin school and can effectively improve your physical conditioning.¡± ¡°As for the Griffin Body Refinement Technique¡­¡± ¡°When your fundamentals reach a certain level, let¡¯s give it a try first. If it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll help you find a more suitable core secret technique!¡± Gerard spoke. Originally, he had hoped to train his cousin after some time had passed. He wished his cousin could have a longer time of peace and happiness. But his old adversary had already made a move, and judging by his understanding of the opponent, once the opponent had made a move, they wouldn¡¯t stop unless one party waspletely dead. Core secret technique! Upon hearing this term, Jason instinctively thought of the Night Watcher¡¯s ¡°Protection Against Evil¡±. From the information he received, ¡°Protection Against Evil¡± should be the core skill of the Night Watcher profession. At least, for now, it was.
Because, he didn¡¯t know what changes would ur once the professional level advanced. Thinking about this, Jason thought of the Night Watcher¡¯s advanced profession, ¡®Nightless City Watcher¡¯. Looking at ¡®Nightless City Watcher¡¯, which just needed one more monster trait toplete all prerequisite conditions, Jason couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Gerard, do you know about the Kababa beast and the Rondo beast?¡± ¡°Kababa beast is a short and skinny creature, simr to a monkey. They are agile, with sharp teeth and good at hiding. However, a flintlock gun can deal effective damage to them.¡± ¡°The Rondo beast is much more powerful!¡± ¡°Not only can it be invisible in the wind, creating wind des, but it can also manipte the undead. Especially the adult Rondos, the number of undead they can control skyrockets, and they can even create storms, making them extremely troublesome. For a rtively long period in ancient times, people regarded it as the Reaper of storms¨Dthere are still quite a few small groups in Hans Port that worship and offer sacrifices to it.¡± ¡°To deal with a Rondo, at least arge-scale ir Exorcism Technique is required.¡± ¡°And this requires the cooperation of thirty people, making it extremely difficult to aplish.¡± ¡°Jason, if you encounter a Rondo, remember to temporarily avoid it and inform me. I¡¯ll help you deal with it.¡± Without any request for a reason, upon hearing Jason¡¯s question, Gerard immediately answered and then affectionately cautioned Jason. Jason slightly nodded. His eyes, however, were on the text in front of him. [Night Watcher advancement to ¡®Nightless City Watcher¡¯ in progress¡­] [Night Watcher induction plete)] [Protection Against Evil (Proficient) plete)] [Hunt ten different monsters and know their traits: 10/10 plete)] [3 night battles plete)] [Requirements met. Would you like to spend 10 points of satiety and 1 point of Excitement of Feast to advance from Night Watcher? Yes/No] ¡­ Jason did not choose to advance for the time being. He prepared to find a quiet cete at night toplete the advancement. As for the ring, Jason took the ring off his index finger and handed it to Gerard. ¡°You didn¡¯t use the ¡®Protector¡¯s Ring¡¯?¡± Gerard was taken aback. From the information he received, his cousin had been subjected to explosions, burning, and gunfire. In his mind, the ¡®Protector¡¯s Ring¡¯ should have been consumed already. ¡°I¡¯m used to doing things my way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more suitable for you.¡± ¡°Or¡­¡± ¡°Someone else.¡± Jason said. Gerard looked straight into the eyes of his cousin, seeing the tranquility in those eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°I¡¯m your older cousin,¡± Gerard said. ¡°You¡¯ve given me plenty,¡± Jasonughed lightly, his gaze not wavering at all. Steadfast and stubborn. Looking at Jason at that moment, Gerard always felt like he was looking in a mirror. When he faced certain matters, he would also reveal such a gaze. Gerard couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. He said with a lightugh: ¡°But I think it¡¯s not enough.¡± Chapter 140: 51: Promise (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 140: Chapter 51: Promise (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Jason looked at Gerard.
His gaze was persistent. The same was true for Gerard, who was adamant about his own ideas. However, the only difference was that Gerard, knowing his own personality well, knew how to deal with it. ¡°Dennise, this is the ring Jason is giving you.¡± Gerard called out, and just as Dennise turned around, the ¡®Guardian Ring¡¯ was thrown to her. Clutching a snail, Dennise was a bit flustered.
She hurriedly stuffed the snail into her pocket, but the ¡®Guardian Ring¡¯ was already before her eyes, and it was toote to raise her hand to catch it. Suddenly, Dennise had a stroke of genius! She opened her mouth and caught the ¡®Guardian Ring¡¯ between her teeth. Then, she wiped her dirt-covered palm and happily slipped the ring onto the middle finger of her left hand. ¡°Jason, does it look good?¡± Dennise gestured with her left hand towards Jason. Jason frowned. But before Jason could speak, Dennise covered her left hand with the right, hiding both behind her back. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°This is mine now.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t steal it!¡± Dennise dered her sovereignty over the ¡®Guardian Ring.¡¯
Jason¡¯s frown deepened, but he said nothing else. Because he had just returned the ring to Gerard. Gerard now owned the ring, and passing it on to someone else was his business, not Jason¡¯s. It made sense logically. But what about in reality? Jason, ustomed to bartering, felt a bit awkward and ufortable. ¡°Consider it a debt I owe you,¡± he said. Seeing his cousin¡¯s reaction, Gerard couldn¡¯t help butugh. He was familiar with that look. It was the same expression he had while studying at the ¡®Griffin Camp.¡¯ Naturally, he also knew how to respond. ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anything,¡± he said.
¡°You should know, when I just gave the ring to Dennise, I ¡®borrowed¡¯ your name.¡± ¡°Honestly, if anything, I owe you.¡± When dealing with a stubborn, headstrong person, don¡¯t try to make them follow your ideas. It¡¯s best to go along with their ideas instead. ¡°So, I n to offer you somepensation!¡± Gerard said with a smile, as he vigorously put his arm around Jason¡¯s shoulders and headed towards the holiday cottage with long strides. A look of resignation appeared on Jason¡¯s face. Dennise, however, was admiring the first gift she¡¯d received in her life, aside from those from her parents and siblings. A very rustic ring. But also very beautiful. In the night, it conveyed a sense of tranquility. When Dennise snapped back to reality, Jason and Gerard had already walked off into the distance.
¡°Wait for me!¡± Dennise shouted as she quickly caught up. But before she could reach Jason and Gerard, Dennise let out a series of cheers. Because she saw the barbecue grill outside the holiday cottage. Several chefs were busy in front of the grill, and a round table was set in the middle of the courtyard,den with fruit. And the desserts were on another small table, where a pastry chef was making final preparations. Dennise immediately quickened her pace, dashing past Jason and Gerard into the yard, salivating as she looked first at the neatly-sized chunks of meat skewered on sticks over the charcoal fire. Then, she watched the colorful pastries appear one by one on the tes. The symphony of fat and charcoal resonated in her ears. Amidst the sizzling sound, amino acids released by the heated proteins mingled with the smoke, causing Dennise to keep twitching her nose. Unable to contain herself any longer, she directly grabbed a coconut from the round table. The coconut was opened at the top, fitted with a hollow nt stem.
Dennise, sucking on the straw, took a big gulp. The coconut vor was rich, sweet, and fragrant. This made Dennise even more excited as she ran back and forth around the table. Jason and Gerard sat by the round table, quietly waiting. During the wait, Jason informed Gerard about what had happened at 10 Terna Street. ¡°Raul is a spy?¡± Gerard was also somewhat surprised by Raul¡¯s identity. Not surprised that the other party was a spy, but that he was surprised Reed had not discovered the spy¡¯s identity. This could only mean that either Reed¡¯s capabilities were a problem, or his old friend had made arrangements long ago. There was no question about Reed¡¯s abilities. Over the years, Reed had long proved this point. That is to say¡­
His old friend had been waiting for this moment for a long time. ¡°Jason, do you know, the enemy I least want to face is that guy.¡± ¡°He knows me too well!¡± ¡°He will find my weakness and, when I least expect it, deliver a fatal blow.¡± ¡°If I had noticed even a trace of him earlier, I would never have let youe to Hans Port.¡± Gerard, speaking to his cousin, didn¡¯t hide anything and expressed his concerns frankly. He hoped his cousin could see the situation more clearly. And be mentally prepared to ept the escape route he had arranged. Jason did not ask who that guy was. Given the facts before him, apart from the head of the Federation, Jason could not think of anyone else who could be Gerard¡¯s enemy. Jason was very cautious of the head of the Federation. The information from little Reed¡¯s mouth, and the explosion he had experienced firsthand, were telling Jason that the other party was the type who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Such a person¡­ was difficult to deal with. But, there must also be weaknesses. Even with the utmost caution! There should still be! Others just hadn¡¯t noticed them yet! Jason squinted his eyes, pondering seriously. Meanwhile, Gerard shifted his gaze slightly, raising his head to look up at the starry sky, his voice bing very soft, very low, audible only to Jason. ¡°I hope, Jason, that after attending my wedding, you¡¯ll take a ship to the South Lir Inds. It¡¯s far enough from the Federation, yet safe enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve left you an estate there, four ntations, two shipyards, and a group of Mercenaries, rest assured, no one will be able to trace these things, and the Mercenaries are bound by secret technique.¡± ¡°Wait there for my message.¡± Gerard¡¯s words stopped there. He said no more. Just looking up at the night sky. Jason sat silently watching Gerard. He could feel that Gerard did not have confidence in defeating that old rival. Or rather¡­ Gerard was unwilling to bear the cost of defeating his opponent. What kind of measures would an opponent without a bottom line use? Jason could roughly guess. Hans Port! Using all the people of Hans Port as bargaining chips! And then, by all means, forcing Gerard into a decisive battle! Regardless of victory or defeat, it would destroy Hans Port! What would happen to Gerard without Hans Port? An angry Gerard would only do one thing! Find that Federation head who nned everything, and then, kill him. But at that time, there would be hundreds of cannons gathered around the other party, waiting for Gerard. How much chance did Gerard have of winning? Gerard wasn¡¯t an Undying Body, and he knew it in his heart. It was precisely because of this that Gerard was arranging an escape route for him. But did he need it? Jason pped Gerard on the shoulder. In Gerard¡¯s surprised gaze, Jason said lightly: ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Chapter 141: 52: Visitor (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 141: Chapter 52: Visitor (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) The dinnersted deep into the night.
Several chefs were so exhausted they could barely stand without assistance. A look of questioning their life choices was evident on everyone¡¯s face. They¡¯d seen big eaters, being chefs themselves. Lord Gerard was a big eater, with an appetite three times that of an average person. Thatdy boasted the appetite of a burly man, which was also admirable. Butpared to Jason,
the two of them really weren¡¯t much. It was as if he had a bottomless pit for a stomach; no matter what went in, there was no sign of change in his abdomen. At first, the chefs pursued finesse, roasting the meat in pieces. Later, it turned into roasting whole sheep. Yet even then, the speed of roasting couldn¡¯t keep up with Jason¡¯s eating pace, and ever since he acquired the ¡°Tooth Enhancement¡± passive Talent, the days without spitting bones were simply too marvelous. Crunchy. The meat was crisp and tender. The tendons were easy to chew. The marrow was soft. Jason, who was momentarily lost in the moment,pletely let loose. It wasn¡¯t until his stomach felt slightly full that he stopped. Facing the chefs¡¯ astonishment,
Gerard¡¯s surprise, and Dennise¡¯s envy, Jason cleared his throat. ¡°For dinner, being fifty percent full is good enough,¡± Jason said modestly. In fact, he was only ten percent full. Gerard was considering whether the property he had left for his cousin was insufficient, given Jason¡¯s appetite. If not managed properly, he feared it would be bankrupt in three years. ¡°I¡¯m so envious of you being able to eat so much without gaining weight.¡± ¡°Do you have any secrets to share?¡± ¡°Tell me, and I won¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± Dennise whispered, reaching out her greasy paws to tug on Jason¡¯s sleeve, only to be dodged by an disgusted Jason. ¡°Go wipe your hands,¡±
Jason said. ¡°Alright,¡± Dennise agreed verbally but licked the grease off her fingers and forgot all about asking Jason for his secret, happily taking out a snail from her apron and hopping towards the house. ¡°I¡¯m full~¡± ¡°Little snail~ what do you want to eat~¡± Watching Dennise¡¯s carefree figure, Gerard stood up with a smile. It was alreadyte at night, and he needed to return to 111 Duron Street. Of course, not to rest. There were some matters he still needed to deal with. The moment before dawn was his time to rest. ¡°Tomorrow morning at seven, I¡¯ll see you on the beach.¡± ¡°I will systematically teach you the Griffin-style swordsmanship, Martial Arts, and Marksmanship,¡±
Gerard said. ¡°Hmm,¡± Jason nodded, watching Gerard¡¯s retreating figure. The surrounding Attendants and servants bowed to Jason and then dispersed. In an instant, the lively holiday cottage quieted down. Jason wasn¡¯t ufortable with it. He began to patrol around the holiday cottage. Although he was certain that Gerard had arranged for the most reliable guards, there were some habits that Jason just couldn¡¯t shake off. After patrolling twice and ensuring everything was in order, Jason prepared to return to his room and advance in ¡°Vigntism¡±. At that moment, he heard the sound of boots on the gravel path. Tap, tap, tap. The visitor made no attempt to hide their approach. Walking boldly and openly.
The son of the ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ Duke, Barney rk. The guest knocked on the trunk of the coconut tree next to the holiday cottage, as if knocking on a door. Thump, thump, thump! The sound was muffled but loud enough to attract the attention of anyone with normal hearing, let alone Jason. The moment the footsteps were heard, Jason was already watching the Duke¡¯s son. Seeing the figure that appeared, Jason was somewhat surprised. But immediately he remembered when the other had shown up on the steps of 111 Duron Street. ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not merely a coincidence!¡± Even with Gerard¡¯s exnation, Jason was now on high alert. ¡°Good evening, Sir Jason.¡± The duke¡¯s son greeted him with great courtesy.
There was a world of difference from the previous air of defiance he had shown. Jason nodded in response. His gaze, however, remained cold and detached. This attitude elicited a wry smile from the duke¡¯s son. ¡°I am very sorry for the bad impression I left you withst time.¡± ¡°I had no choice but to do so in order to save my sister.¡± ¡°If I have caused you any trouble, I am truly sorry.¡± As he spoke, the duke¡¯s son slightly bowed. Whether sincere or not, such an act was likely to engender goodwill. But Jason stepped to the side, avoiding the other¡¯s bow, his wariness even greater than before. For he clearly remembered the old saying from his hometown, ¡®Unwarranted kindness signifies malice or theft!¡¯ In fact, that was the case. Seeing Jason¡¯s evasive action, the duke¡¯s son¡¯s smile momentarily stiffened, then he gave another wry smile. After that, the duke¡¯s son decided not to beat around the bush any longer. ¡°My sister is truly fond of Lord Gerard.¡± ¡°So, I hope that you can pass on a message for me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do it.¡± Jason refused outright. He didn¡¯t know what the message was, but Jason thought it better for the duke¡¯s son to speak directly to Gerard. If he were to be involved, it would surely affect Gerard¡¯s subjective judgment. Jason absolutely did not want to see such a thing happen. Yet the duke¡¯s son did not give up, almost pleadingly, he said: ¡°It¡¯s just one sentence!¡± ¡°I will offer you considerablepensation¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do it.¡± Jason refused again. And then, he gestured towards the outside. Its meaning could not have been clearer. However, contrary to Jason¡¯s expectations, the duke¡¯s son, refused twice, was neither angry nor desperate but seemed rather relieved. Whew! He let out a heavy sigh, and a smile reappeared on the duke¡¯s son¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you.¡± He thanked Jason once more. Seeing the puzzled look in Jason¡¯s eyes, the duke¡¯s son spoke softly: ¡°Carol is the only girl in our family, my most beloved sister.¡± ¡°I do not want her to marry Lord Gerard.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that Lord Gerard isn¡¯t good enough, but that he¡¯s not suited for marriage.¡± As these words were spoken, the duke¡¯s son¡¯s face was filled with tenderness, and his eyes brimmed with affection. Then, there was a trace of sorrow. The duke¡¯s son continued: ¡°Carol is too young, she doesn¡¯t know what kind of husband would be best for her.¡± ¡°She admires Gerard as a hero, but she doesn¡¯t realize that a hero is definitely not a good husband, nor a good father for children.¡± ¡°Therefore, I am against this arranged marriage.¡± ¡°But some things are beyond my power to stop.¡± At this point, Barney rk struck a coconut tree. The entire coconut tree immediately started swaying back and forth. His voice rose slightly. ¡°I can¡¯t stop my father¡¯s decision.¡± ¡°And I won¡¯t refuse Carol¡¯s recent plea.¡± ¡°I will do my utmost to fulfill her request.¡± ¡°Even if¡­ I am unwilling.¡± ¡°Luckily!¡± ¡°Luckily you refused!¡± ¡°For that, I thank you!¡± ¡°As a token of gratitude, I will tell you a secret¡ª¡± The duke¡¯s son¡¯s face once again lit up with a smile, he looked at Jason, his voice stretching out before finally saying: ¡°The saying about the ¡®Cursed Child¡¯¡­ it¡¯s true!¡± Chapter 146: 57: Deterioration (Four updates~Please subscribe~Please vote for the month~) Chapter 146: Chapter 57: Deterioration (Four updates~Please subscribe~Please vote for the month~) The roaring fire griffin didn¡¯t dissipate but, following Gerard¡¯s flurry of punches, charged straight out with a roar. Boom! A pathway of mes about ten meters long and two meters wide appeared amongst the rocks, and at the end, another explosion sent a one-meter-high wave of mes surging in all directions. Standing dozens of meters away, Jason felt a scorching heat. But what burned even hotter were his eyes. The Griffin Combat Technique was stronger than he had imagined! It had surpassed the realm of ordinary fist and foot attacks! Watching his cousin¡¯s excited, expectant expression, Gerard, unharmed in the midst of the mes, walked back with a smile. Of course, it was intentional. Topletely mobilize someone¡¯s passion for learning, one naturally had to showcase the best results.
Gerard knew that Jason was diligent and didn¡¯t need such motivation. But¡­ Time was short. He could feel it. However, not a trace of it showed on Gerard¡¯s face. He continued to smile. ¡°Griffin Combat, whenbined with the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, can unleash such power,¡± he said. ¡°But that is not everything,¡± Gerard continued. ¡°Not everything?¡± Jason asked in surprise, looking at the rocky terrain that appeared as though it had been bombed. A power that rivalled the explosion of several grenades, and that wasn¡¯t everything? How powerful would it be in full? A missile? Or¡­ A nuclear bomb? Jason silently wondered. Gerard went on to say: ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not everything.¡± ¡°My specialty is swordsmanship, not Barehanded Combat.¡± ¡°Otherwise, it would be even more powerful.¡±
Gerard said this, slightly lifting his head, adopting a proud demeanor in front of his cousin. He hoped to see more of his cousin¡¯s astonished looks. If there was admiration¡­ That would be even better.
Unfortunately, Jason silently turned and walked back to the beach, beginning to train the Griffin Combat Technique following Gerard¡¯s instructions. Gerard: ¡­ My cousin is really not cute! But Gerard didn¡¯t disturb Jason¡¯s training. He only spoke when Jason made a mistake in his movements. With expert-level Barehanded Combat as a foundation and Gerard¡¯s meticulous guidance, Jason learned the Griffin Combat Technique even faster than the Griffin Shooting Technique. By dusk, Jason had mastered the basics. [Mastered Griffin Combat Technique (Basic)] [Griffin Combat Technique (Basic): A basic secret technique from the Griffin School. Like Griffin Swordsmanship, it is one of the essential secret techniques all disciples must learn. Easy to learn but difficult to master; when reaching Proficiency Level,bined with the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, it will unleash incredible strength.] (Note: The highest level of Griffin Combat without mastering Griffin Body Refinement Technique is ¡°Proficient¡±) ¡­ ¡°Indeed, the Griffin Body Refinement Technique is the core secret technique!¡± ¡°All techniques of the Griffin School are limited by this core secret technique!¡±
¡°Whether it¡¯s to raise the level or to exert the corresponding strength, the Griffin Body Refinement Technique is required.¡± As the text appeared, Jason subconsciously thought. Then, his gaze fell on the requirements to level up the Griffin Combat Technique. 2 points of satiety! Not much, within eptable limits. Jason took a deep breath and chose to upgrade. [Griffin Combat Technique (Beginner): A basic secret technique of the Griffin school, much like Griffin Swordsmanship, it is one of the essential techniques that disciples of the school must learn; easy to learn but hard to master. Upon reaching Proficiency Level andbining it with Griffin Body Refinement Technique, incredible Strength will be unleashed. At this moment as a beginner, you already possess techniques that ordinary peopleck; Effect: Strength+0.1, Agility+0.1] (Note: The maximum level of Griffin Combat Technique is Proficient when Griffin Body Refinement Technique has not been mastered.) ¡­ After theplete Griffin Combat Technique was upgraded, Jason reaped more benefits. More importantly, some battle experiences he had never gone through began to meld into his mind. These were even more profound than those of Barehanded Combat. Huff, huff!
After several breaths, Jason, looking at the Griffin Combat Technique that required 3 points to continue upgrading, hesitated slightly before choosing to improve it again. The increase in dual attributes, as well asbat skills and practical experience, were a significant temptation for Jason, who was in urgent need of strength. At this time, his satiety level had dropped to 7 again. [Griffin Combat Technique (Proficient): The proficient Griffin Combat Technique is a terrifying skill for killing. Your hands, legs, elbows, knees, and head will all be the most lethal weapons. Just one step away, and you will truly witness the power of the Griffin Combat Technique; Effect: Strength, Agility+0.2 (Beginner, Proficient)] (Note: The maximum level of Griffin Combat Technique is Proficient when Griffin Body Refinement Technique has not been mastered.) ¡­ The skill synchronization process took slightly longer this time. When he hadpleted everything, Jason suddenly opened his eyes, pushed off the ground with one hand, and his whole body soared into the air, spinning as he kicked towards the distance. However, in the moment when his strength was about to burst forth, he experienced a dy. Although he ultimatelypleted the kick, it did not have the power he had imagined. It was stronger than a regr kick, butpared to Gerard, it was far too weak. Jason frowned, feeling somewhat dissatisfied. But amazement flickered in Gerard¡¯s eyes. Although he only had a minor specialization in Griffin Combat Technique, Gerard¡¯s keen vision allowed him to clearly discern that his cousin had mastered in an instant a skill that ordinary people couldn¡¯t achieve in five years. He was only one step away from truly mastering the first killing move of the Griffin Combat Technique. A genius, huh?
Gerard pondered in admiration. Recalling that it took him a week to reach this level, Gerard¡¯s sense of wonder deepened. Yet what followed was tion. He initially thought his cousin wouldn¡¯t be able to grasp the basics in a short time, but now it seemed he was mistaken. ¡°Take a rest,¡± ¡°We¡¯ll continue in a little while,¡± Gerard said. This time Jason didn¡¯t refuse. He took big strides over to the leather bag. He pulled out the stopper and began gulping down the ¡®Holy Water¡¯. The sessive skill upgrades had left him feeling a considerable drain on his energy. At this moment, he felt a weariness from deep within, wishing to lie down and sleep soundly. Fortunately, the ¡®Holy Water¡¯ slowly alleviated such fatigue. And while Jason was resting, Gerard began exining once again. This time it was no longer Griffin Combat Technique. But Griffin Swordsmanship and¡­ Griffin Body Refinement Technique. Jason listened attentively. He asked questions about anything he did not understand. Gerard exined thrice in session and, after confirming that Jason had memorized everything, went through it once more. ¡°I won¡¯t join you for dinner tonight,¡± ¡°There are some matters I need to take care of,¡± ¡°Practice on your own tomorrow morning,¡± ¡°If you have any questions, you can go directly to 111 Duron Street, fifth floor. If I¡¯m not there, look for Butler Reed. As soon as I receive your message, I will rush back immediately,¡± Gerard instructed Jason. After Jason nodded silently, Gerard once again patted Jason¡¯s shoulder firmly and turned to walk towards 111 Duron Street. Watching Gerard¡¯s swiftly disappearing back, Jason¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Despite Gerard¡¯s nonchnt demeanor, Jason could sense a constant urgency in him. Had the situation deteriorated to this extent? Jason spected. As he considered how to help Gerard, a faint sense of cold suddenly emerged in his perception. The direction was¡­ The cottage! Dennise! Chapter 143: 54: Early Morning (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 143: Chapter 54: Early Morning (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) The text before my eyes paused briefly before continuing to appear¡ª
[Night Watcher advancement to Night Personplete!] [All attributes +0.3] [Acquire unique proficiencies: 1, Agile; 2, Blind Fighting] [Agile: Your agile hands, feet, and body can easily do things ordinary people cannot, such as backflips and aerial spins. To you, such actions are effortless, just like a gymnast; Effect: When you need to perform agile moves or find bnce, your Agility temporarily increases by +0.3] [Blind Fighting: Darkness is not an impediment for you, as your ears and nose can serve as substitutes; Effect: When your eyes are closed or you are blinded, your Perception temporarily increases by +0.3] ¡­
[Night Person advancement upation determination in progress¡­] [Insufficient information, determination failed!] ¡­ The process took longer than the time it took to be a Night Watcher, but it wasn¡¯t as long as an entire night. Jason moved his body, quickly adapting to his increased attributes. Then, with a forceful push from his toes, driving his calves and thighs, he easilypleted a backflip on the spot. Although he had been able to perform simr movements before, they were never as effortless and easy as they were now. ¡°Agile,¡± huh? Looking at the description of the Agile proficiency, Jason¡¯s gaze drifted down to Blind Fighting. The next moment, he closed his eyes. Instantly, Jason, whose Perception had already reached 3.7, gained another temporary bonus of 0.3. With perception four times that of an ordinary person, his hearing and sense of smell reached new peaks.
At this moment, Jason, standing in the room, could easily notice the long breaths of the guards hidden in the dark outside the vacation cottage. Two proficiencies, all attributes +0.3! Jason was very aware of how much the Night Watcher¡¯s advancement had helped him. This all-around improvement was something that ordinary people would take years, or even decades, to achieve. Even someone from the Mystical Side would need a considerable amount of time, while all he needed was enough food to aplish it. More importantly, it was not the end! It was merely a new beginning. Seeing theck of information required for the Night Person¡¯s advancement, Jason¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. The best way to obtain ¡®upation¡¯ information was naturally to return to ¡®Lorde¡¯. But that was quite difficult! Not only were the Shepherds lingering close by and some inexplicable beings surreptitiously spying, but his teacher, in pursuit of the Shepherds, was always on the move. He needed to find his teacher in the face of danger, along with the new main quest.
The difficulty had almost geometrically increased. As for the danger? That was a given. A slight misstep meant certain death. ¡°I wonder if I can ¡®give out candy¡¯ in ¡®Lorde¡¯?¡± ¡°If I can, that¡¯ll be another card up my sleeve.¡± Jason thought. Then, his thoughts began to drift involuntarily into reminiscence. He immediately suppressed such musings. Forcibly dragging them back to the present. He certainly didn¡¯t want to die again, out of the blue. If he was to die, it had to be worth it!
To clear his thoughtspletely, Jason pushed open the door of the vacation cottage and walked slowly toward the beach. The cottage was very close to the beach, requiring only a passage through a patch of rocks to get there. The night beach was even more beautiful. The bright moonlight cast upon the sea turned the waters a silvery hue. The white sand, the silver sea, the sounds of the waves. The thoughts rted to ¡®giving out candy¡¯ in Jason¡¯s mind gradually dispersed, leaving only the night sky before him. He took off his shoes andy t on the beach, looking at the night sky. His breathing slowly became elongated. The aura around his body grew deeper. As if blending with the night into one. The Dufol Language symbol on his heart began to glow more brilliantly, and with each surge of blood, more energy flowed through, elerating the transformation of his entire body. Jason was blissfully unaware of this.
He had already fallen asleep. Jason slept soundly. In his dream, he sat at a dining table, tasting dish after dish he had never eaten before. The food was endless, the feasting ceaseless. Then¡­ He woke up hungry. The night had already passed. In the distance, the sun rose above the sea level. The fiery sun revealed more than half of its face. Rubbing his empty stomach, Jason rolled out of bed and put his shoes back on. ¡°The dream from before¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit fuzzy, but the taste of that food was really good.¡±
With that thought, Jason prepared to return to the holiday cottage for breakfast. Afterward, he would go back to the beach to wait for Gerard to teach him the Griffin style of swordsmanship, martial arts, and marksmanship. Just as Jason was about to leave, an unexpected person appeared before him. Peters leapt out from the pile of rocks like a cat. This was the carriage driver Jason had once hired. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ swordsman looked at Jason with a cold face, as if he wanted to say some harsh words. But when the words reached his lips, facing the calm Jason, he found he couldn¡¯t utter them. Even though he kept telling himself: ¡°You are the heir to ¡®Cat Hole¡¯, and Gerard is one of the great enemies of the sect.¡± In the end, not only did Peters swallow the harsh words back. The feigned coldness on his face also dissipated. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ swordsman once again became his ordinary self. ¡°Has the carriage been returned?¡± Jason asked. ¡°It has been returned!¡± ¡°I left it with one of the firms in the Carriage Union, they will take good care of it.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t worry, sir.¡± As Jason inquired, Peters immediately adopted the dutiful carriage driver¡¯s demeanor, answering meticulously. After answering, Peters blinked, sensing something was amiss. He red at Jason aggressively once more. ¡°You¡¯re actually Gerard¡¯s cousin!¡± ¡°Not only has the ¡®Griffin¡¯ betrayed the sect!¡± ¡°Has the Tower of Bear betrayed us as well?¡± Peters demanded of Jason. ¡°I didn¡¯t know my cousin was that Gerard until I arrived at Hans Port.¡± Jason said calmly. Hearing this indifferent tone, Peters was taken aback. He could tell it was the truth. Though they had been together for less than ten days, Peters believed that Jason wouldn¡¯t lie about such a matter, nor did he care to. That meant Jason truly hadn¡¯t known before. A seed carefully cultivated by the Tower of Bear turns out to be the cousin of one of their greatest enemies! This¡­ What kind of fate was this! What sort of inner conflict and helplessnessy hidden beneath Jason¡¯s calm exterior at this moment? And what pain was concealed beneath his unaffected tone? Peters couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy for Jason in his heart. His aggressive appearance once again failed to hold, and he reverted to his usual carriage driver demeanor. Peters found himself wanting to offer Jasonfort. But he didn¡¯t know how to provide it. In the end, all he could say was¡ª ¡°Hmm, I understand! I get it!¡± Chapter 144: 55: Griffin Shooting Technique? (Please Subscribe~ Please Recommend~) Chapter 144: Chapter 55: Griffin Shooting Technique? (Please Subscribe~ Please Rmend~) You understood again?
You got it again? Can you tell me what you understood? What did you get? Jason looked at Peters with an ¡°I-get-you¡± expression, shook his head slightly, not nning to get entangled with the other on this issue. ¡°Eat breakfast?¡± Jason asked. ¡°No.¡±
¡°The security measures here are terrifying.¡± ¡°I must leave as soon as possible.¡± After saying this, Peters prepared to leave. However, before leaving, the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ swordsman suddenly turned around and said to Jason solemnly, ¡°No matter what happens, I will stand by your side.¡± ¡°I¡¯m temporarily staying at the ¡®Eight-Legged Tavern¡¯ at the port.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anything, you can find me there.¡± As soon as his words fell, Peters performed a series of leaps, light and agile like a cat, and vanished from Jason¡¯s sight. Then, Jason didn¡¯t immediately step away but instead turned to look behind him. Unbeknownst to him, Gerard stood there with a smile. ¡°A very good friend.¡± ¡°He showed up here shortly after you fell asleep.¡±
¡°But he didn¡¯t disturb you and even guarded the surroundings for you,¡± Gerard said. ¡°Do you know Peters?¡± Jason asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know him, but I¡¯m aware of him.¡± ¡°The heir to ¡®Cat Hole¡¯.¡± ¡°He possesses some secret techniques that certain people are quite interested in, has been hunted before but always escaped. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯s secret techniques mean he excels at this.¡± ¡°As for more, it¡¯s about him acting as your coachman.¡± Gerard didn¡¯t hide anything and told everything frankly. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± Jason asked. It was only after Peters had left that he noticed Gerard¡¯s presence behind him. But, Jason was sure that Gerard hadn¡¯t just arrived.
¡°Since he appeared,¡± Gerard smiled. ¡°Breakfast together?¡± Jason invited. ¡°Of course.¡± Gerard nodded. Under the morning sun, Jason and Gerard walked shoulder to shoulder on the beach. When they returned to the holiday cottage from the side of the rock pile, breakfast was already prepared thanks to the efforts of several chefs. Sausages, bread, stacked up on the table like little mountains. A big pot of m chowder, served in small bowls. Sds made of cherry tomatoes, lettuce, and corn were in five basins, each sorge they required two people to lift. Milk was served in barrels, big barrels like those used for beer, three of them in total. On the other side of where they were sitting, there were entire blocks of cheese, covering that whole corner.
Clearly, after learning about Jason¡¯s appetite the previous night, the chefs had turned breakfast for three into breakfast for thirty. Dennise was already sitting at the table. But Dennise, bleary-eyed as if in a trance, wobbled as she ate her bread. ¡°Good morning, Jason~¡± ¡°Good morning, Gerard.¡± Seeing Jason and Gerarde in, a groggy Dennise mumbled her greetings. Jason nced at the book on Dennise¡¯sp. Although he couldn¡¯t make out the title, he was sure it was a novel, and Dennise¡¯s appearance was naturally that of someone who had stayed up all night reading. Jason figured it out. Naturally, Gerard did too. ¡°Dennise, you should try to sleep earlier,¡± Gerard advised as if automatically assuming the role of an elder. ¡°I wanted to go to sleep early!¡± ¡°I just told myself, one more page and I¡¯ll sleep! Just one more page and I¡¯ll sleep! But as I kept reading, the day broke!¡± Dennise said helplessly.
¡°You could try reading during the day,¡± ¡°And go to sleep earlier at night.¡± Gerard offered sensible advice. ¡°Mhm.¡± Dennise nodded. Afterward, he ate three more sausages, two pieces of bread, a bowl of sd, and drank two sses of milk before returning to his room with a bowl of m chowder for some makeup sleep. Jason was moving both hands in unison, energetically. The dream from before had improved his appetite. Gerard, on the other hand, was holding a ss of milk and a piece of bread, smiling as he watched Jason eat. Every time he saw Jason eat, he found his own appetite growing. However,pared to eating, what he needed more at that moment was sleep. Having gone without rest for an extended period, even the physically strong Gerard began to feel tired.
But he would never show it in front of Jason. After a simple breakfast, Jason followed Gerard back to the beach. At that time on the beach, Reed was already there with a longsword and a flintlock rifle in hand. ¡°Good morning, Lord Jason,¡± Reed greeted Jason. ¡°Morning,¡± Jason replied. Then, after cing his weapons down, Reed hurriedly left. It wasn¡¯t because he was avoiding anything. In fact, Reed had systematically studied the secret techniques of the Griffin School. Gerard had been his teacher. His departure was simply because he had more matters to attend to. The events of yesterday¡­ ¡­were far from over. After Reed had left, Gerard began instructing Jason. ¡°The hallmark of the Griffin School is abination of agility and ferocity,¡± he started. ¡°This applies equally to swordsmanship, Martial Arts, and Marksmanship.¡± ¡°Marksmanship has only emerged with the introduction of the flintlock rifle and is not yet perfected, but it¡¯s the easiest to learn and the quickest to pick up. Let¡¯s start with the basics.¡± With that, Gerard ced a rock about 30 meters away and picked up a gunpowder flintlock rifle. Then, Gerard leaped backward with force. Bang! In midair, the flintlock fired. Amidst the sh, the rock 30 meters away was sent flying into the air. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. As Jason focused all his attention on the flintlock, a bomb with a lit fuse had somehownded nearby without his notice. Boom! Arge hole was sted in the beach where the rock had been. ¡°A very covert throwing technique.¡± ¡°Also very agile.¡± ¡°It made almost no sound.¡± ¡°No, the sound of the gun covered the noise.¡± Looking at therge crater, Jason gained a deeper understanding of what Gerard meant by ¡®abination of agility and ferocity.¡¯ ¡°Leaping backward isn¡¯t the only option,¡± Gerard continued. ¡°You could also retreat step by step or do a backward roll.¡± ¡°Most importantly, you must choose the right moment to throw your bomb and master the technique of throwing.¡± As he spoke, Gerard raised his left hand and pointed at the wrist with his right. ¡°Remember, the wrist is crucial!¡± ¡°Be very careful not to raise your forearm too high as it may alert the enemy. Your shoulder should lead your upper arm which, in turn, should lead your forearm in an inward rotation to hurl the bomb!¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t get the hang of the amplitude at first, use a backward roll to mask this throw.¡± Gerard began to exin the key points. Jason listened intently. He then immersed himself in the training. With a long-barreled flintlock in hand, he did roll after roll, throw after throw. Shooting wasn¡¯t difficult for Jason, who was proficient in ¡°Gunpowder Weapons. Light Armoury.¡± This was true even when various movements were incorporated. What proved challenging was the throwing that came after. Each throw was either not stealthy enough or missed the target. This became the focus of Jason¡¯s practice for the next few hours. The sun rose from the east to its zenith, then slowly began to descend in the west. Relying on ¡°Holy Water¡± to continuously replenish his Physical Strength, Jason had practiced hundreds of times. His progress was, of course, significant! By now, Jason could fire a shot and smoothly transition into a roll, throwing with rtive uracy. This signified that he had mastered the basics of the ¡°Griffin Shooting Technique.¡± It was not a misced self-perception. It was urately disyed in text. [You have mastered the Griffin Shooting Technique (Basic)!] Chapter 145: 56 Griffin Should Have Flames (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Ticket~) Chapter 145: Chapter 56 Griffin Should Have mes (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Ticket~) [Griffin Shooting Technique (Basic): With the advent of flintlock guns, the Night Watcher school developed a new set of skills thatbines shooting, throwing, and dodging. However, it is not perfect and cannot truly be integrated with the Griffin Body Refinement Technique.] (Note: This skill is not perfect; the maximum level is Proficient.) ¡­ ¡°Cannot be integrated with the Griffin Body Refinement Technique.¡± ¡°The maximum level is Proficient.¡± Jason frowned slightly as he looked at the [Griffin Shooting Technique]. Then, he nced at the 1 point of satiation that had been raised to the beginner level. It was quite fitting of the ¡®imperfect¡¯ assessment and was no different from ordinary skills. Just¡­ He wondered if it could improve attributes. Jason pondered.
Unlike auxiliary skills like [Riding Skill], the [Griffin Shooting Technique] was abat skill, and when raised to a certain level, it would surely increase one¡¯s own attributes. But such skills must have certain limitations. Based on Jason¡¯s conjecture, the limitations should stem from two points: 1. The level of one¡¯s own attributes. 2. The grade of the skill. Simply put, when one¡¯s own attributes reach a certain level, ordinary skills cannot further enhance one¡¯s attributes; only skills of a corresponding level may continue to increase one¡¯s attributes. ¡°Monsters vary in strength.¡± ¡°Satiation levels differ.¡± ¡°Corresponding skills are likewise.¡± As Jason thought, he looked at his reserves of 15 points of satiation and 1 point of [Excitement of Feast] and used 1 point of satiation on the [Griffin Shooting Technique]. With enough satiation, Jason didn¡¯t mind enhancing hisbat skills. Because these skills, just like his systematic ¡®profession,¡¯ were part of his strength. Even without the boost to attributes, they were still very much worth learning. [Griffin Shooting Technique (Beginner): You have now gained a basic understanding of this new set of skills, giving you more options and increased stealth inprehensive shooting, throwing, and dodging; Effect: Agility +0.1] (Note: This skill is not perfect; the maximum level is Proficient.) ¡­ Jason¡¯s eyes narrowed as his body quickly adjusted to the enhancement and the synchronization with the skill. After three or four seconds, Jason suddenly rolled backwards. Bang!
Crack! Stones on the distant beach flew into the air, while a lit bomb quietly appeared in the ce where the stones had been. Boom! With the explosion came a round of apuse.
Gerard, with a beaming smile, praised him. ¡°Jason, your talent is truly exceptional!¡± ¡°When I was practicing [Griffin Shooting Technique], it took me a whole day just to get started.¡± ¡°You managed it in half a day.¡± Gerard was never stingy with his praise for his cousin. Jason nodded slightly, his gaze scanning over the 2 points of satiation needed to advance [Griffin Shooting Technique] from beginner to Proficient. Without hesitation, he chose to enhance it again. He needed to quickly strengthen himself while ensuring a certain level of satiation. Was there anything more suitable than the [Griffin Shooting Technique], which for just 2 points of satiation could enhance attributes and provide a significant number ofbat techniques? At the moment, there was not. [Griffin Shooting Technique (Proficient): You have temporarily mastered this new set of skills. A higher level requires your own exploration; now, not only do you have many coordinated choices inprehensive shooting, throwing, and dodging, but your shooting and throwing have be increasingly stealthy. Even though it¡¯s not perfect and cannot truly incorporate the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, it¡¯s still quite unpredictable; Effect: Agility +0.2 (Beginner, Proficient)] (Note: This skill is not perfect; the maximum level is Proficient.) ¡­
After another round of synchronization, Jason didn¡¯t make any shooting gestures. He moved slightly and looked at his attribute panel now. [Strength 1.9, Agility 1.9, Constitution 1.9, Spirit 2.2, Perception 3.7] Strength, Agility, and Constitution were close to double that of an ordinary person. Spirit was a bit more than twice. Perception was leading the pack; if he closed his eyes and added the [Blind Fighting] specialty, it would be four times that of an ordinary person. But¡­ Still not enough! He needed to be even stronger! Compared to that inexplicable existence of ¡®Lorde¡¯, Jason was well aware that he was far from close. He understood that if he wanted to return to ¡®Lorde¡¯ and seek further advancement as a professional ¡®Night Watcher¡¯, he needed to be stronger. Fortunately, he had a teacher in front of him who could make him powerful quickly. ¡°Continue.¡±
Jason said to Gerard. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to rest a bit?¡± Gerard asked. Jason pointed to the leather bag filled with ¡®Holy Water¡¯ that was tossed on the sand. The message couldn¡¯t be clearer. If I¡¯m hungry, I drink. If I¡¯m full, I continue to train. ¡°Then let¡¯s continue.¡± Gerard nodded but thought to himself. The bones of Kelwo Flying Dragons and Denita Land Dragons might not be of much use, but the soup made from their bones could elerate his cousin¡¯s recovery. Is this also a change after encountering the ¡®Bizarre¡¯ in Taor? For the moment it¡¯s a good thing. But caution is needed.
Also¡­ If the bone soup is effective, then could the meat be even more significant? While pondering, Gerard made up his mind in an instant. Then, he turned to Jason with a smile and asked: ¡°Next up are Griffin Swordsmanship and Griffin Combat Technique.¡± ¡°Neither is superior to the other.¡± ¡°Within the Griffin school, it is not mandatory to master both; most people choose to specialize in one and supplement with the other.¡± ¡°Jason, which will you start with?¡± ¡°Barehanded Combat!¡± Jason replied without hesitation. With the experience from the ¡°Griffin Shooting Technique¡± and ¡°Gunpowder Weapons.Light Weapons¡± enhancing marksmanship, he naturally knew how to choose. Although he liked the feeling of swinging a wide-de, short-handle machete, considering that there had never been a hint in the skill column about mastering cold weapons, his understanding of cold weapons must be very low. A knife is just to cut down directly, right? If one cut doesn¡¯t do it, then two. If two cuts don¡¯t work, then add another. What¡¯s wrong with that? Jason felt utterly baffled. Then, as Gerard began to speak, he quickly refocused his mind. ¡°In Griffin Combat Technique, you need to pay attention to your footwork.¡± ¡°You need to unleash greater strength while quickly closing the distance to your enemy.¡± With that, Gerard hopped on the spot to warm up, then suddenly smacked the ground. Instantly, his body soared into the air, rotating, with his legs together as if a drill, and kicked straight toward a distant reef. After rapidly crossing the distance of nearly 20 meters, Gerard¡¯s feet forcefully struck a reef over a person¡¯s height. Boom! The reef shattered instantly. But, it was not over yet. The next moment, Gerard soared into the air again. At a certain height, he turned and dived downwards. His hands were raised, clenched into fists. mes flickered on his fists. He hammered them down into the pile of reef rubble. Boom! Boom! mes rose, like a roaring griffin surveying its domain. Chapter 146: 57: Deterioration (Four updates~Please subscribe~Please vote for the month~) Chapter 146: Chapter 57: Deterioration (Four updates~Please subscribe~Please vote for the month~) The roaring fire griffin didn¡¯t dissipate but, following Gerard¡¯s flurry of punches, charged straight out with a roar. Boom! A pathway of mes about ten meters long and two meters wide appeared amongst the rocks, and at the end, another explosion sent a one-meter-high wave of mes surging in all directions. Standing dozens of meters away, Jason felt a scorching heat. But what burned even hotter were his eyes. The Griffin Combat Technique was stronger than he had imagined! It had surpassed the realm of ordinary fist and foot attacks! Watching his cousin¡¯s excited, expectant expression, Gerard, unharmed in the midst of the mes, walked back with a smile. Of course, it was intentional. Topletely mobilize someone¡¯s passion for learning, one naturally had to showcase the best results.
Gerard knew that Jason was diligent and didn¡¯t need such motivation. But¡­ Time was short. He could feel it. However, not a trace of it showed on Gerard¡¯s face. He continued to smile. ¡°Griffin Combat, whenbined with the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, can unleash such power,¡± he said. ¡°But that is not everything,¡± Gerard continued. ¡°Not everything?¡± Jason asked in surprise, looking at the rocky terrain that appeared as though it had been bombed. A power that rivalled the explosion of several grenades, and that wasn¡¯t everything? How powerful would it be in full? A missile? Or¡­ A nuclear bomb? Jason silently wondered. Gerard went on to say: ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not everything.¡± ¡°My specialty is swordsmanship, not Barehanded Combat.¡± ¡°Otherwise, it would be even more powerful.¡±
Gerard said this, slightly lifting his head, adopting a proud demeanor in front of his cousin. He hoped to see more of his cousin¡¯s astonished looks. If there was admiration¡­ That would be even better.
Unfortunately, Jason silently turned and walked back to the beach, beginning to train the Griffin Combat Technique following Gerard¡¯s instructions. Gerard: ¡­ My cousin is really not cute! But Gerard didn¡¯t disturb Jason¡¯s training. He only spoke when Jason made a mistake in his movements. With expert-level Barehanded Combat as a foundation and Gerard¡¯s meticulous guidance, Jason learned the Griffin Combat Technique even faster than the Griffin Shooting Technique. By dusk, Jason had mastered the basics. [Mastered Griffin Combat Technique (Basic)] [Griffin Combat Technique (Basic): A basic secret technique from the Griffin School. Like Griffin Swordsmanship, it is one of the essential secret techniques all disciples must learn. Easy to learn but difficult to master; when reaching Proficiency Level,bined with the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, it will unleash incredible strength.] (Note: The highest level of Griffin Combat without mastering Griffin Body Refinement Technique is ¡°Proficient¡±) ¡­ ¡°Indeed, the Griffin Body Refinement Technique is the core secret technique!¡± ¡°All techniques of the Griffin School are limited by this core secret technique!¡±
¡°Whether it¡¯s to raise the level or to exert the corresponding strength, the Griffin Body Refinement Technique is required.¡± As the text appeared, Jason subconsciously thought. Then, his gaze fell on the requirements to level up the Griffin Combat Technique. 2 points of satiety! Not much, within eptable limits. Jason took a deep breath and chose to upgrade. [Griffin Combat Technique (Beginner): A basic secret technique of the Griffin school, much like Griffin Swordsmanship, it is one of the essential techniques that disciples of the school must learn; easy to learn but hard to master. Upon reaching Proficiency Level andbining it with Griffin Body Refinement Technique, incredible Strength will be unleashed. At this moment as a beginner, you already possess techniques that ordinary peopleck; Effect: Strength+0.1, Agility+0.1] (Note: The maximum level of Griffin Combat Technique is Proficient when Griffin Body Refinement Technique has not been mastered.) ¡­ After theplete Griffin Combat Technique was upgraded, Jason reaped more benefits. More importantly, some battle experiences he had never gone through began to meld into his mind. These were even more profound than those of Barehanded Combat. Huff, huff!
After several breaths, Jason, looking at the Griffin Combat Technique that required 3 points to continue upgrading, hesitated slightly before choosing to improve it again. The increase in dual attributes, as well asbat skills and practical experience, were a significant temptation for Jason, who was in urgent need of strength. At this time, his satiety level had dropped to 7 again. [Griffin Combat Technique (Proficient): The proficient Griffin Combat Technique is a terrifying skill for killing. Your hands, legs, elbows, knees, and head will all be the most lethal weapons. Just one step away, and you will truly witness the power of the Griffin Combat Technique; Effect: Strength, Agility+0.2 (Beginner, Proficient)] (Note: The maximum level of Griffin Combat Technique is Proficient when Griffin Body Refinement Technique has not been mastered.) ¡­ The skill synchronization process took slightly longer this time. When he hadpleted everything, Jason suddenly opened his eyes, pushed off the ground with one hand, and his whole body soared into the air, spinning as he kicked towards the distance. However, in the moment when his strength was about to burst forth, he experienced a dy. Although he ultimatelypleted the kick, it did not have the power he had imagined. It was stronger than a regr kick, butpared to Gerard, it was far too weak. Jason frowned, feeling somewhat dissatisfied. But amazement flickered in Gerard¡¯s eyes. Although he only had a minor specialization in Griffin Combat Technique, Gerard¡¯s keen vision allowed him to clearly discern that his cousin had mastered in an instant a skill that ordinary people couldn¡¯t achieve in five years. He was only one step away from truly mastering the first killing move of the Griffin Combat Technique. A genius, huh?
Gerard pondered in admiration. Recalling that it took him a week to reach this level, Gerard¡¯s sense of wonder deepened. Yet what followed was tion. He initially thought his cousin wouldn¡¯t be able to grasp the basics in a short time, but now it seemed he was mistaken. ¡°Take a rest,¡± ¡°We¡¯ll continue in a little while,¡± Gerard said. This time Jason didn¡¯t refuse. He took big strides over to the leather bag. He pulled out the stopper and began gulping down the ¡®Holy Water¡¯. The sessive skill upgrades had left him feeling a considerable drain on his energy. At this moment, he felt a weariness from deep within, wishing to lie down and sleep soundly. Fortunately, the ¡®Holy Water¡¯ slowly alleviated such fatigue. And while Jason was resting, Gerard began exining once again. This time it was no longer Griffin Combat Technique. But Griffin Swordsmanship and¡­ Griffin Body Refinement Technique. Jason listened attentively. He asked questions about anything he did not understand. Gerard exined thrice in session and, after confirming that Jason had memorized everything, went through it once more. ¡°I won¡¯t join you for dinner tonight,¡± ¡°There are some matters I need to take care of,¡± ¡°Practice on your own tomorrow morning,¡± ¡°If you have any questions, you can go directly to 111 Duron Street, fifth floor. If I¡¯m not there, look for Butler Reed. As soon as I receive your message, I will rush back immediately,¡± Gerard instructed Jason. After Jason nodded silently, Gerard once again patted Jason¡¯s shoulder firmly and turned to walk towards 111 Duron Street. Watching Gerard¡¯s swiftly disappearing back, Jason¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Despite Gerard¡¯s nonchnt demeanor, Jason could sense a constant urgency in him. Had the situation deteriorated to this extent? Jason spected. As he considered how to help Gerard, a faint sense of cold suddenly emerged in his perception. The direction was¡­ The cottage! Dennise! Chapter 147 - 58: Dennise’s Little Adventure (Please Subscribe~ Request Monthly Pass~) Chapter 147: Chapter 58: Dennise¡¯s Little Adventure (Please Subscribe~ Request Monthly Pass~) After breakfast, Dennise awoke from her nap in the afternoon. The sun shone on her body through the curtain, not scorching hot, only a warm and toasty feeling, yet the light was dazzling. Dennise clutched the thin quilt with both hands and tugged it up slightly, curling down as she made herst struggle. Gurgle~ Gurgle gurgle~ The sound from her stomach forced Dennise to face reality. It was hungry. Why did the dead still need to eat? And even more than before? Dennise didn¡¯t know. It simply followed themands of its stomach, and after struggling to climb out of bed, staggered toward the washroom. Standing in front of the mirror with fluffy, tousled hair and several stubborn strands sticking up, Dennise brushed her teeth with her eyes closed. Scrub scrub scrub. Gurgle gurgle. Ptui. Then, she sshed her face with water, gushing down. The sting of cold water on her face quickly woke Dennise up, and after tying her already damp hair with a headband pulled from her dress, she turned and ran downstairs. She smelled the scent of food. ¡°Miss Dennise.¡± ¡°We have steak,mb chops, and pork chops.¡± ¡°Which would you like?¡± The delivery maid who had been waiting in the room for some time asked with a bow. Dennise immediately stood up straight to return the courtesy. Her mother had told her to be polite in the face of courteous people. And then¡­ ¡°One of each.¡± Dennise said without hesitation. Choosing was too troublesome; it was better to have them all. Then, following habit. For the steak, Dennise chose vani sauce, for themb chops ck pepper, and since the pork chops were fried, naturally cumin powder and chili were the picks. After the main course, having eaten an apple, Dennise, with everything cleared away by the maid, went to stand by the window, stretchedzily, and with a smile facing the setting sun said, ¡°A beautiful day begins~¡± First, she climbed to the rooftop, and took a nce at Jason who was immersed in training. After confirming that Jason was safe, Dennise returned to her room. Next¡­ Life choices! 1. Go out to y. 2. Read a novel. After a moment¡¯s thought, Dennise tucked the novel she hadn¡¯t finished under her arm, put on her straw hat, and darted out of the holiday cottage. She knew too little about Duron Street No. 111. She¡¯d only been to the beach, the guard¡¯s cottage, the holiday cottage, and the main building. Today! She would explore the entirety of Duron Street No. 111 before dinner. Rows of coconut palms, several pavilions, at least ten fountains and pools, three bugs caught, and¡­ She was lost. Dennise stared nkly at the coconut tree in front of her. She felt as though she had just been here. She sniffed with her nose raised. Indeed, there was her scent. Moreover, her scent was everywhere around. I¡¯ve walked around here more than a dozen times? Dennise stood there, dumbfounded. Then shook her head. Impossible! I¡¯ve walked at most ten times! Dennise emphasized inwardly, then removed her shoes, leaped upward, embraced the trunk of the coconut tree in front of her, and climbed to the top with hands and feet. Climb high to look afar! If you can¡¯t find your way home, climb high and have a look. She always remembered her mother¡¯s words. But¡­ What should she do if all she can see around her are coconut trees? In front, behind, to the left, to the right. All coconut trees! It¡¯s as if she were surrounded by an ocean called coconut trees. Dennise quietly climbed back down. She started to calcte deliberately: ¡°These coconuts are edible; I eat three per meal, ten a day, there are roughly 10,000 I just saw, can I survive 1,000 days?¡± ¡°Jason is slow, but he can find me within 1,000 days, right?¡± ¡°Hmm, certainly.¡± Oddly reassured, Dennise cheered up again and began to climb trees to pick coconuts. Just as Dennise bit down on a coconut and plucked it, a voice came from behind her. ¡°Dennise, what are you doing?¡± Dennise turned her head and saw Gerard¡¯s mother. The elderly woman who was mostly serious. ¡°Aunt Lym!¡± ¡°I got lost!¡± Dennise said with teary eyes, holding a coconut. The serious elderly woman, looking at Dennise whose hands and feet were dirty and face was smeared, sighed helplessly, touched the top of Dennise¡¯s head, and said, ¡°Put on your shoes and follow me.¡± Following behind the elderly woman, Dennise turned left and right. About five or six minutester, they arrived at a beach. ¡°Walk along here.¡± ¡°In about ten minutes, you can get back to the vacation cottage.¡± ¡°Remember!¡± ¡°This ce is dangerous, don¡¯te here again.¡± The elderly woman pointed in a direction, then said seriously. Dennise immediately nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡± The elderly woman smiled. ¡°Goodbye, Aunt Lym.¡± Dennise, holding a coconut in one hand and a novel under her arm, waved with the other hand. The elderly woman didn¡¯t speak again but just watched as Dennise¡¯s figure disappeared on one side of the beach before turning back to the coconut grove. In the coconut grove, the elderly woman moved lightly, walking straight to the center of the grove. There, there was a downward cave. Walking on the man-made steps, the elderly woman entered the deepest part of the cave. Therey a coffin. She raised her hand to touch the coffin. And whispered softly: ¡°Lym.¡± ¡°I miss you so much.¡± ¡­ Following the direction Aunt Lym had indicated, Dennise soon saw the vacation cottage. She happily rushed towards the cottage. Even holding a coconut didn¡¯t slow her down at all. However, just as she was about to enter the cottage, Dennise stopped in her tracks. Because¡­ There seemed to be someone inside the vacation cottage! It wasn¡¯t Jason. And it wasn¡¯t the familiar maid. But a strange man. The man saw Dennise as soon as she spotted him. He walked out calmly and bowed to Dennise. ¡°Good day, Miss Dennise.¡± ¡°I am the guard from 111 Duron Street.¡± ¡°It was just a routine check,¡± he exined. ¡°Oh, hello.¡± Dennise responded politely. Then, after thinking, she seemed to recall such a person. Without giving it another thought, she went straight into the cottage. And the man who imed to be a guard watched Dennise go in and smiled slightly. Easier than expected! Jason and Gerard had gone to the beach. The defensive strength here must be empty. Kidnapping a girl without much power should be all too easy. But, to take her away quietly, it¡¯s better to use illusions and drugs. ¡°Sweet dreams to you.¡± ¡°When you wake up¡­¡± A grim smile appeared on the guard¡¯s face. Then, he quietly waited for the trap to take effect. Failure? He had never considered it. How could an ordinary girl resist an illusion? Not to mention the hallucinogenic drugs. He was sure toplete the mission. And¡­ It would be a breeze, like taking candy from a baby. Timing it right, the long-hidden guard pushed the door and entered¡ª Bang! Chapter 148 - 59: The Mouse (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 148: Chapter 59: The Mouse (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) A coconut smashed hard onto the unsuspecting Donna¡¯s face. Stars shed before his eyes, blood streaming from his nose. Staggering a few steps, just as Donna regained his bnce, a hefty book pped onto the back of his head. ¡°Knowledge is power!¡± Dennise yelled. Bang! The heavy book, with a burst of eleration, unleashed a dull thud with considerable kic energy. More stars appeared before Donna¡¯s eyes. His body began to sway once more. Then? The hefty book came crashing down on his head relentlessly. The illusion didn¡¯t work? The hallucinogenic drug was useless? Was this a trap targeting me? The doubts in his heart made Donna hesitate for a few moments longer. And because of such hesitation, Donna sustained several more blows, his head now sporting multiple bumps. But there was no further substantial damage. Therefore, once Donna came to his senses, he grabbed the hefty book in one swoop. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°Although I don¡¯t know how you broke the illusion, but¡­¡± Donna let out a low roar, then began to speak out of habit. But Dennise did not stop. After several attempts and failing to retrieve her novel, Dennise simply let go, picked up a coconut from the ground, and hurled it again at Donna. Having lurked by Gerard¡¯s side for so long, Donna was no longer the same little boy the ¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯ had taken in; unknowingly, he was influenced by Gerard. His way of fighting also became more straightforward and upright, valuing the knightly conduct. Then¡ª Bang! Coconut to the face. This blow left Donna somewhat dazed. Next, the spy grew angry. A cold aura formed in his palm; wisps of chill turned into white mist, risingnguidly. ¡°Sorry!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to resort to such brute force!¡± ¡°But you forced me to!¡± Amidst his words, Donna dodged Dennise¡¯s coconut to the face, his palm pressing directly onto Dennise¡¯s shoulder. Donna tried hard to control the coldness. He only wanted to slow down Dennise, not freeze her stiff. But¡­ Useless! The cold that could make ordinary people shiver was utterly ineffective against Dennise. Conversely, Donna was once again hit in the face by a coconut. In his dizziness, Donna couldn¡¯t help but start to doubt life. Why didn¡¯t the illusion work? The hallucinogenic drug was useless? The cold didn¡¯t work? Just as Donna was about to try other methods, a tall and sturdy figure appeared before him. Under the dim light, this figure unwittingly took on the form that weighed on his heart. With no resistance at all. Let alone attack. Donna knelt down on the ground just like that. ¡°Sorry, Lord Gerard.¡± Filled with deep remorse, Donna prepared to bite into the poison capsule hidden in his tooth, but before he could do so, Dennise, having twirled the coconut twice, umting power, struck his face with it once more. Bang! This time, the force was much greater. Not only was Donna¡¯s poisonced tooth knocked out, but he also copsed to the ground unconscious. Jason grabbed Dennise, who was about to strike again. ¡°Stop hitting him.¡± ¡°Hit him any more, and you might knock him senseless.¡± ¡°We still have questions to ask him.¡± Jason said indifferently. ¡°Oh.¡± Dennise released the coconut, picked up the book she had dropped on the ground, and huddled behind Jason, cautiously watching Donna lying on the ground, looking utterly wimpy. But Jason, looking at the bloodied, unconscious Donna, felt an extreme sense of incongruity. ¡°The coldness just now?¡± Jason asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°In winter, my dad used to throw me into an ice hole in theke for training.¡± ¡°That bit of chill is nothing to me,¡± Dennise said with a proud demeanor. Unconsciously, Jason thought of the lion-skin rug. He shook his head involuntarily. He lifted Donna and walked outside. The interrogation could be handled by little Reed. He? Only needs the result. And then? Naturally, it will be a tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye. You hit my dog, and you think you can get away scot-free? How is that possible! ¡­ At Hans Port, the harbor. In the dock area, within a warehouse. In the shadows, a voice sounded. ¡°Donna has failed.¡± This voice had not a hint of anger. It simply stated a fact. Another voice followed. ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°A piece of trash that has long forgotten its purpose and willingly stayed by Gerard¡¯s side, failure was inevitable.¡± This voice was filled with mockery. Then, pausing briefly, the voice continued: ¡°But even trash can be used.¡± ¡°He haspleted his final mission.¡± ¡°Next¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to the ¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯ now!¡± ¡°After all, we ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ have already deployed our deepest undercover agent, and despite the failure, the loss to us is still immeasurable!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The first voice affirmed. ¡°The Federation?¡± The voice inquired. ¡°Left to the ¡®Revival Society¡¯.¡± ¡°They are indeed the ¡®best choice¡¯ for dealing with the Federation!¡± Thetter voice said with full malice. Immediately, the former voice also started tough. They were looking forward to the meeting between the ¡®Revival Society¡¯ and the people of the ¡®Federation¡¯. The scene would surely be entertaining! Afterward, the two voices quickly faded away. No sound remained in the warehouse. A full ten minutes passed, and suddenly a pair of eyes lit up in the dark. Those were¡­ The eyes of a cat. ¡­ Reed was more efficient than expected. He brought the information just in time for dinner. ¡°Donna was the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯s¡¯ sleeper agent nted at 111 Duron Street.¡± ¡°He was indoctrinated by the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ during his childhood before returning to the streets.¡± ¡°In the end, he joined Lord Gerard¡¯s ranks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we didn¡¯t discover the uniqueness of his identity.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± Thinking of Donna, who hadpleted hisst mission and was now desperate for death in the prison, Reed wanted to say more, but in the end, said nothing at all. The identity of a spy is uneptable to everyone. Including himself. Thus, they chose to deal with it coldly. But these things Reed did not need to tell Lord Jason. That was not Lord Jason¡¯s responsibility. Shaking his head, Reed adjusted his emotions and turned to signal the chefs to prepare dinner for Jason. Tonight¡¯s dinner was specially prepared by Lord Gerard for Lord Jason. ¡°¡®Erosion Society¡¯?¡± Jason frowned. This organization, akin to a ¡®cult,¡¯ infamous and shrouded in notoriety, had existed in Hans Port since the days of the old Federation. Several bloodbaths that urred in Hans Port and all across the southern region were rted to them. There were multiple attempts by Gerard and the Federation¡¯s higher-ups to root them out. But all were without follow-up. These guys were like sewer rats, very skilled at hiding, vanishing without a trace after each offence. Not a single capable cat had been able to pinpoint their whereabouts. ¡°Can we find their location?¡± Jason asked. ¡°It¡¯s difficult.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Reed responded. Despite not holding out much hope, Jason still felt a twinge of disappointment. But the next moment, his eyes lit up, and his nostrils red repeatedly. He smelled a rich aroma. And it was¡­ Somewhat familiar! Chapter 149 - 60 When I Put on the Mask (Please Subscribe~ Request for Monthly Pass~) Chapter 149: Chapter 60 When I Put on the Mask (Please Subscribe~ Request for Monthly Pass~) ¡°` Yes¡­ The Kelwo Flying Dragon! For Jason, the taste of food he had eaten was branded into his soul. If it wasn¡¯t for a slight difference between bone and flesh, Jason was certain he could smell and identify the Kelwo Flying Dragon¡¯s meat from a hundred meters radius. The enticing aroma was gradually drawing closer. Jason, whose reason had not yet been overtaken by appetite, easily thought of something. He turned his head to look at Little Reed. ¡°It¡¯s a roast Kelwo plump dragon meat prepared for you by Lord Gerard.¡± Little Reed reported truthfully. As expected! Yes, this cousin of his. Jason took a deep breath. Today, he used ¡®Holy Water¡¯ to replenish his physical strength on the beach and didn¡¯t hide it from Gerard. In that situation, it couldn¡¯t be hidden, and naturally, Gerard would associate one thing with another. What Jason hadn¡¯t anticipated, however, was a sumptuous dinner. Inexplicably, Jason¡¯s liking for ¡®his cousin¡¯ grew stronger. Apart from asionally being a ¡®silly billy¡¯, he saw no faults in him. ¡°Lord Jason, developing a peculiar eating habit after being affected by the ¡®Bizarre¡¯ is nothing to fear.¡± ¡°On the contrary, it is the mildest form.¡± ¡°You can gradually get used to it, adjust, and moreover, Lord Gerard has already sought professionals for you, they should be arriving at 111 Duron Street very soon,¡± Little Reed, seeing the somewhat stunned Jason, clearly misunderstood something and immediately exined in a low voice. ¡°Mm.¡± Jason nodded. Peculiar eating habits after the Bizarre influence? A very good exnation. Silently, Jason said to Dennise, who was still engrossed in the novel, ¡°Time to eat.¡± ¡°Right away! Right away!¡± ¡°After I finish this chapter!¡± Dennise replied without looking up. Then¡­ Bang! Dennise mmed her fist hard onto the arm of the sofa next to her. Jason and Little Reed looked in astonishment at the usually vibrant, now furiously angry girl. ¡°Jerk! Jerk! Jerk!¡± ¡°How could they not have it here!¡± ¡°Even though it¡¯s such a thick book, why does it end abruptly at thest chapter?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to get roasted and eaten for this!¡± Dennise bellowed. Then, she turned her head to look at Jason. ¡°Jason, let¡¯s go catch that chubby guy who wrote ¡®The Vanishing Cat¡¯, lock him up in a dark room, make him write ten thousand words a day, and not feed him until he¡¯s finished¡­¡± Snap! Jason raised his hand and snapped it on the head of his own dog. Looking at Dennise crouching down and holding her forehead, Jason sighed and said, ¡°That¡¯s inhumane and illegal.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Dennise stood up feeling a bit aggrieved, looked at ¡®The Vanishing Cat Volume One¡¯, and really wanted to throw it on the floor, but couldn¡¯t bear to, and in the end, she lightly patted the cover of the book as if pping the face of a certain chubby guy. After the pping sound, Dennise cheerfully walked toward the yard. Then she saw a leg, as thick as a water tank, being turned on a specialty grill by several chefs. Various seasonings were being sprinkled on it. The delicious aroma was naturallying forth. However¡­ Compared to this, Dennise preferred the scent of coconut-roasted crab nearby. Fueled by coconut shells, huge crabs were being roasted. No excessive steps needed, once the crab was cooked, it naturally turned a reddish hue, and then the shell would crack open with a ¡®snap¡¯. The yellow and red crab roe exuded its unique fragrance. After the chef signaled it was ready to eat, Dennise picked up a spoon and began to dig in. Soft and tender, with a hint of egg and meat vor, but predominately, it was a kind of freshness. Yum~ A satisfied hum came from the nose, Dennise¡¯s eyes narrowed, and amidst the dance of hands and feet, the cloth skirt began to sway back and forth. Jason picked up one to try. Not bad. It would be delicious on any normal day. But at this moment? ¡°` Jason stared unblinkingly at the massive piece of ¡°Kelwo Flying Dragon leg meat.¡± Then¡­ He simply couldn¡¯t resist. He bit into it. Too hot? That wasn¡¯t the case at all. All he felt was satisfaction! Schlick! The grease spilled from the corners of his mouth; though the ¡°leg meat¡± seemed fatty, it was actually all lean on the inside. But the outeryer of skin and fat ensured that the lean meat wasn¡¯t dry. With the true chefs¡¯ control over the cooking time and their use of secret seasonings, Jason¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight. He devoured the ¡°leg meat¡± at an unprecedented speed. Little Reed watched all this with a smile. He knew that this time, Lord Jason had finally eaten his fill. ¡°That unusual appetite from before, was it just because ordinary food couldn¡¯t satisfy him?¡± ¡°Fortunately¡­¡± ¡°Lord Gerard has already begun to purchase all kinds of ¡®bizarre meat¡¯.¡± Reed let out a small sigh of relief. He knew what it felt like to be hungry. Especially the fear thates when you can¡¯t get enough to eat no matter how much you consume. Fortunately, Lord Jason withstood such fear. Otherwise¡­ He might have already lost control. Just like those who failed at Ritual Summoning. Even worse, perhaps. ¡°Lord Jason.¡± ¡°I still have some matters to attend to.¡± ¡°If you need me, you can find me through the guard at 111 Duron Street.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡± After bowing respectfully, Reed turned and walked toward the outside of the cottage. Jason watched Reed¡¯s quick steps; although his mouth didn¡¯t stop gnawing at the ¡°leg meat,¡± his brows furrowed slightly. Then, his brows rxed again. There was no sign of the earlier concern. Jason once more focusedpletely on his meal. Soon, in this state of total concentration, the huge, taller-than-a-man ¡°Kelwo Flying Dragon leg meat¡± was thoroughly devoured. As for bones? Would Jason leave any bones behind when eating? Naive! [Devoured arge amount of Kelwo Flying Dragon meat (iplete)] [Physical strength greatly recovered!] [Satiety +10] [Satiety: 17] ¡­ [Devoured a small amount of Kelwo Flying Dragon Bone (iplete)] [Physical strength slightly recovered!] [Satiety +1] [Satiety: 18] ¡­ The feeling of being able to eat without hunting was simply wonderful. But there were things that Jason hadn¡¯t forgotten. Your kindness toward me, I have noted it. And then, I will repay it tenfold. As the chefs and servants left and Dennise returned to her room, the cottage quickly regained its tranquility. Jason walked back to his own room at a leisurely pace. His suitcase was in the corner. He opened the case, Jason took off his current jacket, put on the clean clothes from the case, and then began to load the Winchester Brothers with bullets, one by one. Next came the MF92 pistol, the UZ submachine gun, and the Mark M1. He finished assembling each firearm. He put the K2 grenades into his coat pocket. After wiping the Broad de Cleaver¡¯s short handle, Jason took out the hockey mask hidden at the bottom of the suitcase. His fingers gently touched the hockey mask given to him by the old bar. Jason slowly put it on. Chapter 150 - 61 Choices of Poverty (Subscribe~ Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 150: Chapter 61 Choices of Poverty (Subscribe~ Monthly Tickets~) Hans Port, Octopus Tavern. By now, the sky had already darkened. Other ces had be silent, leaving only the sound of the waves. But the Octopus Tavern was different. The bright lights made the huge red wooden octopus on the sign even more conspicuous, and the noise was even more eye-catching. Aside from certain special holidays, there is no curfew in Hans Port. However, most people maintain a routine of working from sunrise to sunset. What about taverns? Commoners working to make a living wouldn¡¯te here. People with a certain amount of family wealth and social status wouldn¡¯te here either; they prefer clubs and the like. So, this ce was filled with a group of people who had some spare cash but no higher status. Most of them were sailors. A part of them were mercenaries. And among them were pirates. Of course, bounty hunters were not to be forgotten. So, the tavern was a jumbled mess; it wasn¡¯t strange to meet any type of person. And the people here had grown ustomed to minding their own business, not interfering with others. Peters blended in among them, very inconspicuous. Just like his ordinary face that one would forget at a nce. ¡°A beer and a dish of dried small fish,¡± Peters took out 6 Tel and ced them on the bar. After the bartender put the six coins into the cashbox, he began pouring beer and serving the dried small fish. The beer was from arge barrel, priced at 2 Tel per cup. The dried small fish were the Octopus Tavern¡¯s homemade specialty and tasted quite good. From the first day Peters came to the Octopus Tavern, he had taken a liking to this snack. Sitting at the bar, Peters sipped the watered-down beer, chewing on the dried small fish, frowning slightly. The crisis in Hans Port was much more severe than he had imagined! It wasn¡¯t just the old foe, the Abandonment Sect. The ¡°Erosion Society,¡± the ¡°Revival Society,¡± and the ¡°Federation¡± had all joined in. What should Jason do? Thinking of his former employer, Peters¡¯s frown deepened. With Jason¡¯s character, he would definitely not leave his cousin behind. Even if that cousin was one of the destroyers of the sect, Jason, being a ¡°Bear Tower¡± seed, would do the same. The situation was already torturous enough. And fate seemed to be ying a joke on you. s! After heaving a sigh, Peters picked up another dried small fish and put it in his mouth. After the saltiness came a slight sweetness from the fish meat. Delicious. It made Peters¡¯s brows rx slightly. Then, he thought again about the ¡°Revival Society¡± and the ¡°Federation.¡± The words he had heard by ident hadpletely disappointed the ¡°Cat Hole¡± swordsman in the Revival Society. If it had been a matter of reluctantly using gunpowder, the ¡°Cat Hole¡± swordsman could have understood, facing an enemy, after all. But now¡­ They had even allied with the ¡°enemy¡±! All for profit! Compared to the desperate Jason, this was the lowest of acts. ¡°Hume, facing such a ¡®Revival Society,¡¯ your heart must also be full of disappointment, right?¡± ¡°I just hope you don¡¯t act rashly.¡± ¡°Handle these matters calmly.¡± ¡°I hope we can meet again.¡± Praying silently in his heart for his younger fellow disciple, the ¡°Cat Hole¡± swordsman faced another dilemma: the warehouse he had been ¡®borrowing¡¯ had be an outpost for the ¡°Erosion Society.¡± Although it was highly possible that it would be abandonedter, it was no longer suitable for him to ¡®live¡¯ in. Could he ask Jason to provide shelter for one night? No room needed. The living room carpet, a sofa, or even just a windbreak tree trunk would be fine. He also had to inform Jason of this news. It was truly killing two birds with one stone. Those guys had arrived at Hans Port and were looking for me, which was a bit of trouble. I needed to find a job as quickly as possible. Peters, deep in thought, was ready to leave. As for staying at an inn? I¡¯m sorry. He was broke. Thest of his money had just gone on dried fish. After draining his mug of ale and putting thest dried fish from the te into his mouth, Peters stood up. It was an entirely ordinary motion. But as Peters stood, The tavern, noisy just a moment ago, fell silent as a grave, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Even if Peters were a fool, he would have realized something was off by now. Without drawing attention, he grasped his short sword and subtly scanned his surroundings. Everyone had stopped what they were doing, their mouths shut, their gazes slightly vacant as they stared ahead, then, like marites, they shakily rose to their feet and encircled Peters. ¡°¡®Cat Hole¡¯ heir, Peters.¡± ¡°Never thought we¡¯d catch such a big fish.¡± A voice tinged with delight came from the crowd. Peters could confirm he had never heard this voice before. But he had a guess about the origin of this voice. The Merosion Association! Apart from this organization, Peters couldn¡¯t think of any other. In fact, the next moment, the other party confirmed Peters¡¯ guess themselves. ¡°To think you, a ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ swordsman, dared to spy on two of our superiors.¡± ¡°I thought you had quite a number of aplices.¡± ¡°Turns out it¡¯s just one person¡­¡± ¡°Catch him,¡± ordered the voice. Following themand, the whole tavern surged towards Peters like a wave of madness. With a single leap, Peters jumped onto the overhead beams. His gaze swept over the chaotic crowd, seeking to identify the person controlling it all. But there were too many people. And the scene was too tumultuous. He simply couldn¡¯t find his target. So¡­ The only option was to retreat. With that thought, Peters began to run along the ceiling beams, his movements light and agile, and in a single breath, he neared the tavern¡¯s door. He leaped down and charged straight out of the tavern. But as he burst out, arge descended silently from above, ensnaring him. ng! The short sword, in the dark of night, released a cold glint. A hole was cut in the, and Peters crawled out. Yet suddenly, a rose beneath Peters¡¯ feet as well. Taken by surprise, Peters was caught inside. At the same time, several ropes made from cowhide flew out from the shadows, binding Peters securely. ¡°Heh, ¡®Cat Hole¡¯?¡± With a scoff that carried a hint of mockery, a figure stepped out. The figure mockingly observed Peters, who stared back in astonishment. The Hunter from the Merosion Association relished this hunt. The sight of the prey¡¯s astonishment and disbelief brought the Hunter from the Merosion Association a pleasure akin to a ¡®Baptism¡¯. However, momentster, the Merosion Association Hunter realized something was amiss. Peters seemed to be looking behind him? What could be behind him? Instinctively, the Merosion Association Hunter turned his head. A mask that looked down like a hockey face mask and a broad-ded short axe held high came into the Hunter¡¯s view. ¡°Wait¡­¡± The figure eximed in shock, opening his mouth to shout, but before the words could fully escape, the axe had already swung down. Thump! Chapter 151: 62 Understanding Everything Peters (Please subscribe~ Please vote for monthly tickets~) Chapter 151: Chapter 62 Understanding Everything Peters (Please subscribe~ Please vote for monthly tickets~) Blood sprayed out from inside the chest cavity.
The head flew high into the air. A thud. The hunter from the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ fell to the ground, dead. As the opponent died, the strength left the leather rope instantly, and the scattered, allowing Peters to easily break free from his restraints. ¡°Jason!¡± The swordsman from ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ looked gratefully at Jason.
But Jason was bent over, searching for spoils of war. He hade here to find the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ swordsman, to see if he could get information about the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ from him. And now? He had an even more direct method. On the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ hunter¡¯s body were three different scents of varying concentration! And, there was no food to be found on his body. Clearly, these scents of food the man carried must havee from other members of the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯. What¡¯s more, one of the scents was not far from here. Jason stood up and headed towards the nearest scent. Watching Jason turn and walk away without a word, Peters hesitated for a moment before following. He didn¡¯t know what Jason was going to do. But he knew that Jason had saved his life.
That, Of course, meant he had to follow. As long as Jason didn¡¯t ask him to leave, he would keep following behind him. Until he had repaid the life-saving debt. ¡­ Three ss jars were ced on the ground, forming an equteral triangle. Each jar contained a bloodied infant. Withplete limbs, distinct features. But obviously underdeveloped. Crack! Crack crack crack! Victor knelt in the center of the equteral triangle, whipping himself with a leather scourge.
Eachsh was delivered with all his strength. After just a few strikes, his skin was torn and flesh was gaping open. But Victor did not stop. On the contrary, he became more and more excited. Breathing heavily, his face flushed with excitement, Victor cried out loudly¡ª ¡°Simos!¡± ¡°Simos!¡± ¡°Simos!¡± After crying out three times, Victor copsed to the ground. This small dockside merchant, like a fish out of water, kept gaping his mouth but not a single breath flowed; instead, a shadowposed entirely of dark gray emerged from his body. The shadow had a blurred face. That face was very simr to Victor lying on the ground.
Or rather¡­ It was basically Victor¡¯s soul. He was brimming with joy. Feeling the ¡®Divine Grace¡¯ for the first time. Savoring the vor in detail. But before he could relish the experience, a sudden suction force from his body pulled him back inside it. Breathing returned to the body. Victor opened his eyes. Looking at his body, covered in wounds and dripping with blood, his eyes were clearly filled with disgust. ¡°Useless body!¡± He said so. But still, he moved towards a cab on the side.
He needed to medicate his body. Until he could truly discard his body, he still needed it to provide his soul with enough nourishment. ¡°I havepleted the first step of the ¡®Divine Grace¡¯!¡± ¡°Next¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the official blood sacrifice!¡± ¡°The blood of ten children should be enough to please Simos!¡± Victor schemed. Long used to mingling on the docks, Victor knew that finding ten children wasn¡¯t easy, but not difficult either, especially when he had enough money as a premise. At the thought, Victor was somewhat impatient to stand up; he was prepared to find a few ¡®acquaintances¡¯ to help him with this task. Step, step, step. Creak. The rapid steps of an excited Victor made the floorboards groan, but Victor didn¡¯t care about that anymore.
Just one more blessing of ¡®Divine Grace¡¯. And he would truly be a cut above the rest! He would no longer have to live in this foul-smelling ce! He would dwell in a house made of polished marble columns, fountains, and gardens, served by maids, and he would feast on delicacies only enjoyed by the truly powerful. The excited Victor opened the door. A towering figure blocked his view. The backlight of the moon made the looming figure even more profound. In the darkness, the hockey mask seemed colder, piercing to the Bone Marrow. Pu! Before Victor could speak, he was beheaded with a single stroke. Jason stepped into the room, searched it carefully, and then turned to leave. Peters, following behind Jason, had a grim expression when he saw those three ss jars. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman clenched his dagger tightly. If it weren¡¯t for his honor prohibiting it, he would¡¯ve sliced that bastard on the floor to pieces. ¡°Jason, was he also from the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯?¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman asked, unable to hold back. ¡°Hmm.¡± Jason nodded and kept walking. ¡°Deserves to die!¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman spat through gritted teeth. Peters was not hearing about the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ for the first time, but it was his first real encounter with them. In the past, he knew only that the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ hadmitted numerous bloodbaths in Hans Port and in the southern part of the Federation. But the specifics were covered up by the Federation, so he did not know. And from that recent scene. The so-called ¡®bloodbath¡¯ was an understatement. What it truly was¡­ A massacre! A merciless massacre! Such people naturally deserved to die! Deserved to be wiped out! An organization capable of such ughter, yet still in existence, must indeed be powerful! Two people¡­ Was too few! Alone and powerless! Subconsciously, the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman wanted to persuade Jason. But upon seeing Jason¡¯s familiar, relentlessly moving forward silhouette, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak. He opened his mouth, but in the end, Peters stomped his foot and followed. Since he had decided to repay the life-saving debt. He might as well pay it with his life if necessary. Cats, aren¡¯t afraid of dying. Because¡­ we have nine lives! Jason heard Peters¡¯s stomping. He knew what Peters wanted to say. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman¡¯s hesitant nature was all too familiar to Jason. Simrly, he understood hisrade¡¯s resolve. Or more urately: Honor! Otherwise, with Peters¡¯s skills, living a life of wealth would be too easy; there would be no need to y the role of a coachman. So, Jason anticipated that Peters would follow. Two people? Maybe that was still too many! The ¡®Erosion Society,¡¯ which had evaded Gerard¡¯s numerous attempts at eradication, certainly had their own ¡®defensive measures¡¯ in ce. Undoubtedly abination of sentries, undercover agents, and secret techniques. One more person increased the risk of being discovered. As for the dangers one might encounter alone? Jason had considered that before setting out. If necessary, die once. If once isn¡¯t enough, then¡­ die a few more times. He never feared death. With that in mind, Jason decisively said: ¡°You stand still, I¡¯ll go buy you some dried fish snacks.¡± Peters was startled. Dried fish snacks? Spicy sweet vor? No, that¡¯s not right! It wasn¡¯t the vor; Jason meant for him to stay put! He meant for me to¡­ Monitor the area near the docks! Realizing this, Peters caught on and nodded. ¡°I understand!¡± Chapter 152: 63: What Happened (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 152: Chapter 63: What Happened (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Jason had long grown ustomed to Peters knowing everything.
Even though he didn¡¯t understand it. But with no need for an exnation, Jason thought it was a good thing. Following the scent, Jason walked briskly through the night at the harbor. The guy just now also had the smell of food on him, but he wasn¡¯t a true ¡®food¡¯ owner. But Jason didn¡¯t care. He hade to clear out some ¡®pests¡¯ for his cousin.
He hade to avenge his own dog. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t wait to find more people from the ¡®Erosion Guild¡¯. As for interrogating them? Too troublesome. He didn¡¯t want to know those things. He didn¡¯t have time to know those things either. All he needed to do was follow the scent of ¡®food¡¯, find these people, then chop them one by one. That was enough. What¡¯s left? Gerard would take care of it. Jason trusted in Gerard¡¯s abilities. Just as he trusted in his own keen perception of ¡®food¡¯. The dockside cabin.
It was a ce for the dock foremen to rest during the day. At night, it became a ce for them to sleep. Leaning against the wooden wall, the foreman sitting on the bed was tallying today¡¯s skims. ¡°170 Tel¡­¡± ¡°These guys have been cking offtely.¡± ¡°They even dare not to work hard for me, Master Lute.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take more from them tomorrow.¡± ¡°And those foremen, telling them to find some kids, and it¡¯s such a hassle.¡± The reduction in coins and upleted tasks greatly angered Lute. He grabbed the alcohol beside him and gulped it down. Glug, glug. Puh!
As Lute was drinking, he suddenly froze; his head stiffly bowed down as his eyes incredulously fixed on the de protruding from his chest. But there was supposed to be a wall behind me! In his final moments, Lute was still puzzled by this. Jason didn¡¯t hesitate to pull out his knife and leave. This was another person tainted with the smell of food. As for entering? Jason¡¯s nose told him there was nothing inside worth caring about. Moreover, he had already clearly seen everything inside through the window just before. ¡°Next!¡± Flipping the blood off his de, Jason disappeared into the dark of the night. The night¡¯s sea breeze swept through Hans Port. Pleasant,fortable.
Like a goddess¡¯s hand brushing over a pearl at one¡¯s neck. It would draw attention without even trying. Hans Port, known as the ¡®Pearl¡¯ of the Federation¡­ until Jason arrived. This ¡®pearl¡¯ was bright and dazzling. At least on the surface, it was. But with Jason¡¯s arrival, the undercurrent of darkness beneath the brightness and dazzle, like pus inside a boil, burst forth, sttering the hidden ¡®Erosion Guild¡¯ members in the face. Ta-ta-ta. Dressed like a Bounty Hunter, Alec hurried down the corridor. This caused the guests at the ¡®Fat Fish Inn¡¯ to curse and check what was happening. Some with shorter tempers even got up to check the door. But upon seeing the long sword and musket at Alec¡¯s side, they wisely retreated, closed the door, andy back down on their beds. If people wanted to live,
they had to follow their instincts. Better to mind their own business than meddle in others¡¯ affairs. That¡¯s how to live long. If it were a normal day, Alec would surely have boasted about it, as this was his favorite pastime. Half was a disguise. The other half? Was genuine. But today, Alec had no time to linger. He ran to the door with a grim expression on his face. Seven contact points! Including the most secretive one! All had lost contact just now!
Gerard¡¯s retaliation? Impossible! Even Gerard at best would be able to find one or two contact points, but he definitely couldn¡¯t find the most secretive one. Moreover, if Gerard were to use a lot of people, they couldn¡¯t be concealed from them. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°What on earth is going on?¡± With doubts in mind, Alec pushed open the inn¡¯s door. Then, A sh of a de! Alec, caught off guard, hadn¡¯t expected to be attacked right after opening the door. But as one of the Erosion Guild¡¯s bosses in charge of many contact points, he naturally had something special about him; his sword was unsheathed with a ng. ¡°` Whoosh! The long sword stabbed towards the attacker with a speed faster than that of the broad de cleaver. Looking at the attacker whose face was hidden behind a hockey mask, Alec sneered. He was fully confident that the other would withdraw his de to block. And as soon as he blocked, he, Alec, would win! You should know, although his best skill was swordsmanship, the killing move was not the long sword in his hand! The killing intent in his heart made the long sword in Alec¡¯s hand even faster. Then, the long sword pierced into the chest of the attacker wearing the hockey mask. The attacker¡¯s short-handled broad de cleaver also grazed past Alec¡¯s neck. Thump! Alec¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Why? You¡¯re not ying by the rules! Aren¡¯t you afraid of dying? Until his death, the leader of the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ did not close his eyes. Jason yanked the long sword that was stabbed into his chest. ng! ng! Jason threw the long sword to the ground, and the sound of metal hitting the ground echoed behind him. It was a dagger. A dagger with the scent of food. It was the faintest of the three food scents Jason had been tracking. The stronger the scent, the more persistent its presence. Naturally, he started the chase with the faintest one. ¡°Remote control?¡± Jason, holding the exceptionally sharp dagger, did not hesitate to give it a lick. Cool and chilly. There was sweetness. But more than that, there was the taste of milk. Pudding? Jason sucked hard on it. Suddenly, the exceptionally sharp dagger began to decay. [Consumed a very small amount of Swamp Hunter (Essence)] [Physical strength and experience moderately restored] [Satiety +4] [Satiety: 19] ¡­ The fatal damage just now had used up 3 points of satiety for healing; the current 4 points instantly made up for the loss and even added an extra point. Jason nced at this and wasn¡¯t too excited. Because he knew very well that the real big catch was still toe. This was only the weakest one. There were two more! ring his nostrils, Jason followed the scent of food and swiftly moved again. And at this moment, the ¡®Sanctuary¡¯ of the ¡®Erosion Society,¡¯ hidden in Hans Port, was thrown intoplete chaos. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Why are the spirit seals disappearing one after another?¡± ¡°Where is Alec?¡± ¡°Where did Alec go?¡± tt, the ¡®Sanctuary¡¯ Bishop whose prayers were disrupted, shouted furiously. His voice shook the entire secret chamber, causing it to tremble. Dust fell in flurries. But no one around him dared to dodge, allowing the dust tond on them, standing ramrod straight. It wasn¡¯t until tt¡¯s voice fell silent that one attendant bravely spoke, trembling: ¡°Bishop¡­ ¡± ¡°Lord Alec¡¯s spirit seal has disappeared as well.¡± ¡°What?¡± The bishop was taken aback. His angry mind instantly cleared. Subconsciously, he thought of one person: Gerard. ¡°What is Gerard doing?¡± The Bishop asked directly. ¡°Gerard has not left Duron Street No. 111, our ¡®rm¡¯ has not sounded.¡± ¡°The port¡¯s guards, the army, there¡¯s been no movement.¡± The attendant reported. ¡°Then what¡¯s with these spirit seals vanishing?¡± ¡°How were they exposed?¡± ¡°Could it be that someone smelled them and that¡¯s how they were found?¡± The bishop roared, and once again the crowd around him remained silent. However, the next moment, the bishop directly said: ¡°Move! Everyone immediately, move!¡± All the people acted as if they had been granted a pardon, quickly springing into action. And at that very moment, the door to the secret chamber slowly began to open. Creak! Through the gap in the door, a hockey mask slowly became visible. ¡°` Chapter 153 - 64: The Opportunity (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 153: Chapter 64: The Opportunity (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Seeing the sudden appearance of a figure outside the door wearing a hockey mask, everyone inside the secret room was stunned. Then¡ª Bang! Click-ck! Bang! From the Winchester Brothers¡¯ gun barrels, salvos of bullets sprayed out. Four shots in a row. Many of the unprepared members of the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ within the secret room were shot and fell to the ground. Only Bishop Brad remained unharmed. It wasn¡¯t some secret technique that protected him, but his swift action of grabbing the two ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ members closest to him, folding them in front of his body as human shields. To their death, those two ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ members had no idea what had happened. The other members who were shot and fell were no different. Everything happened too fast! From Jason¡¯s appearance to the gunfire. It was a matter of mere breaths. They simply could not react in time. It wasn¡¯t that they were slow, but that these ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ members never expected Jason to find this most hidden secret room, even if contact with othermunication points was lost; they didn¡¯t believe there would be any issues with their location. After all¡­ This was underground! Hidden beneath the drainage system of Hans Port! How could Jason possibly find it?! The ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ members stared at Jason with iprehension. Including, Bishop tt. However, very quickly, the bishop realized what was happening. Thud, thud! The next moment, he let go of the two bodies used as bullet shields, dropped them to the ground, and, looking at Jason who had lowered his gun barrel, slowly drew the long sword from his waist and sneered, ¡°I bet you don¡¯t have any bullets left in your gun!¡± Bang! Jason raised the gun barrel again and pulled the trigger. tt stared dumbfounded at his chest, which had been torn apart by the bullet. Then, he looked up at Jason. Apparently questioning why there were bullets in the gun when Jason didn¡¯t shoot before. Of course, it¡¯s because I noticed you were holding two shields! Jason didn¡¯t divulge the answer and without saying a word, he flicked the Winchester Brothers away. With a tug on the gun sling, the Winchesters moved to his back, and Jason¡¯s hands now held two pistols. MF92! Bang, bang! Two direct shots! With his proficiency in ¡°Firearms. Light Weapons¡±, Jason couldn¡¯t possibly miss at a distance of about ten meters. Even as the bishop tried to dodge, Jason¡¯s adjustments and anticipation allowed him to hit his mark directly. St, st! The bullets prated Bishop tt¡¯s body, and his once red and ck robe, already torn by Winchester¡¯s bullets, became more vivid with the seepage of fresh blood. The tattered fabric almost seemed like blossoming flowers, nearly eclipsing the brilliance of hispletely bald head. With a stagger, Bishop tt steadied himself again. Due to the diminished power of Jason¡¯s firearmsbined with the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯s¡¯ secret techniques, the bishop was not killed despite taking three shots. The bishop red at Jason with venomous eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you have any more!¡± he shouted and, gripping his long sword tightly, charged at Jason. Jason loosened his grip, and the two pistols fell to the ground. Seeing this, the bishop sneered. But in the next moment, his snarl froze on his face. What did he see? UZ submachine guns. Mac M1. Jason pulled out these two submachine guns from the pockets on either side of his coat, aimed the barrels, and pulled the triggers. Bang, bang! Two more shots. Bishop tt¡¯s body twitched twice. After retreating three steps, Bishop tt used his long sword to prop himself up from the floor, gasping for air as he looked at Jason, with beads of sweat covering his shiny bald head. It was the first time he met an opponent who seemed to have an arsenal hidden on his person. And moreover, one with excellent marksmanship. He was about the same as those sharpshooters he had encountered. He didn¡¯t know if the other party had any other firearms hidden on him. But he was very clear that he couldn¡¯t dodge the other party¡¯s bullets. Being shot five times in a row had presented an irond fact right before him. Although he didn¡¯t want to use ¡°Divine Grace.¡± That would be too much of a burden on him. But when it was a matter of life and death, the Bishop could no longer care about that. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you the terror of ¡®Erosion Union¡¯!¡± Bishop tt growled, then he turned his long sword around and aimed it at his left arm, striking it with one swift blow. Phut! tt¡¯s left arm, at the elbow joint, dropped off directly. Under the action of the nerves, the wound curled up. tt himself shivered with pain. But that was just the body! At the moment the pain appeared, a semi-transparent figure directly separated from the opponent¡¯s body. With a clear upper body and a blurry lower body, tt floated in mid-air, looking down at Jason with a session of cold breaths emanating from the semi-transparent figure. Suddenly, the temperature inside the secret chamber plummeted. Especially the floor beneath where tt was floating, where the blood had been flowing, now entered freezing point and was frozen in ce. Whoosh! tt, like a ghost or a malevolent spirit, exhaled a long breath. Immediately, the temperature inside the secret chamber dropped even further. And tt was thoroughly enjoying the sensation of this moment. He looked down, hoping to see Jason¡¯s panic. Unfortunately, the hockey mask concealed the face, revealing only a pair of eyes. And those eyes¡­ Were cold. Unmoved. No hint of mockery, but upon seeing those eyes, tt couldn¡¯t help feeling mocked. ¡°I¡¯m going to gouge out your eyes first!¡± In a roar of rage, tt instantly appeared in front of Jason. The speed was extremely fast! Almost in the blink of an eye! At such a speed, firearms couldn¡¯t aim and there was no time to swing a sword. Moreover, the opponent¡¯s semi-transparent body was clearly impervious to physical harm. tt thought so as well. Therefore, he approached Jason confidently and unleashed his attack. Just as his fingers were about to touch Jason¡¯s eyes¡ª ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± In the deep Dufol Language, a special force field covered Jason¡¯s entire body. And at that moment, Bishop tt¡¯s fingers touched Jason¡¯s eyes. Then, ¡°Aaaahhhhh!¡± In a miserable howl, the Bishop disintegrated into ashes. Huuff, huuff. Jason gasped for breath, exhausted. Even through the mask, the sound of hisbored breathing could be clearly heard. He then walked step by step towards the other party¡¯s corpse. The scent of medium-quality food came from the ring on the right index finger of the corpse. A mere few meters of distance, yet it took Jason ten seconds to walk it. However, his heavy breathing gradually stabilized. Next, he was about to bend down and take the ring off. But at that moment¡ª Phut! A long sword pierced through Jason¡¯s chest. ¡°I¡¯ve waited a long time for this opportunity.¡± A faint voice arose from beside his ear. The corners of Jason¡¯s mouth, hidden beneath the mask, twitched upward. I have as well. Chapter 154 - 65: Entering the Game (Four updates~Please subscribe~Please vote for the month~) Chapter 154: Chapter 65: Entering the Game (Four updates~Please subscribe~Please vote for the month~) The assant¡¯s sword prated Jason¡¯s heart. But he did not take any further action. After all, even for the ¡°Abrasion Society,¡± pursuing ¡°torturing the flesh to achieve spiritual transcendence,¡± it was impossible to stay alive after the heart shattered. Unless¡­ One attained theplete ¡°Divine Grace.¡± However, that was too difficult. So difficult that, since the old Federation, only one person had aplished it. And that person naturally returned to the ¡®God¡¯s embrace. That was also the ultimate pursuit of the ¡°Abrasion Society.¡± He was still far from it. So were the others. So, he didn¡¯t believe that someone who wasn¡¯t part of the ¡°Abrasion Society¡± could reach that level. He released the hilt of the sword. Before Jason slumped to the ground, the assant grabbed the cor of Jason¡¯s clothes and then pulled Jason in front of him. ¡°Let¡¯s see who you really are!¡± As he spoke, he tore off Jason¡¯s hockey mask. When he saw Jason¡¯s face, the assant was stunned. ¡°Jason?!¡± ¡°Could it be Gerard¡¯s cousin Jason?!¡± The assant was extremely surprised. Then, he understood. ¡°No wonder you could use a strengthened version of the ¡®ir Exorcism Technique¡¯!¡± ¡°Gerard must have put in a lot of effort to achieve this, right?¡± ¡°Including you, he¡­¡± While the assant was still talking to himself, without any guard up, Jason lifted his hand and struck with his de. Thud! Due to the angle, Jason couldn¡¯t perform a decapitating strike, but the broad-ded, short-handled machete plunged straight into the other¡¯s neck. At the same time, Jason flipped over, and his wrist followed through in a swift motion. Thud! Another sound. The sharp machete slid out, splitting open arge part of the assant¡¯s neck. Jason didn¡¯t stand up straight. Instead, he used the momentum from just turning over to strike again with his de. The rotation of his body amplified the force of this strike. Thud! This strike split the assant¡¯s body nearly in half. Thump! The assant fell to the ground. But he wasn¡¯t dead yet. Breathing was still present. ¡°Griffin style?¡± The assant murmured. Indeed, Jason had used a technique simr to the Griffin style on thest strike, but it wasn¡¯t ¡°Griffin swordsmanship,¡± rather ¡°Griffin Combat Technique,¡± which normally involves punching and kicking, but Jason had used his de instead. A weapon is an extension of the limbs, so what¡¯s wrong with using a de? To treat the non-existent as existing, and the limitless as limited. Adaptability was Jason¡¯s style. ng. Jason pulled out the long sword, held onto his wound with one hand, and threw it on the ground with the other, then looked at the ¡®corpse¡¯ on the ground. A ghost, in the shape of an evil spirit, floated out from the body. Unlike the bishop from before, whose lower half was blurry, the legs of this figure could be seen until they became hazy around the knees. ¡°Did you sense my arrival?¡± ¡°No, no!¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t possibly sense my arrival.¡± ¡°You must have guessed that I wasing, and that¡¯s why you used that secret technique to feign death.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± The assant nodded, seemingly praising Jason. Then, he paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°But, having used a reinforced version of the ¡®ir Exorcism Technique¡¯ and just now that secret technique to fake death, you must be too injured to resist, right?¡± ¡°I can clearly feel your considerable loss of physical strength.¡± ¡°This is a special ability I have in my current state.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite curious about your secret techniques.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t torture you for answers.¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll dig it out of your brain bit by bit.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his right hand. Jason was hoisted into the air by an invisible hand ¡®gripping¡¯ his neck. The opponent was exceedingly cautious. Even though Jason had long since lost his physical strength, the opponent still maintained a controlled distance. A distance of about two meters, a position that would allow the adversary to better lift Jason¡¯s skull. With the right hand maintaining the ¡®grip,¡¯ the opponent lifted their left hand and, with their finger like a de, slowly approached. A stinging pain appeared on Jason¡¯s forehead. Blood flowed down from the wound. Quickly, it stained Jason¡¯s eyes and cheeks red. He struggled hard. But the strength of the invisible palm was too great, making Jason¡¯s struggles futile. The opponent¡¯s left hand continued forward, the invisible fingertips now touching Jason¡¯s skull. At this point, the opponent lowered their guard slightly. And the next moment¡ª Bang! The moment Jason¡¯s skull was lifted, the opponentpletely let down their guard. What could a prey with its skull lifted do? Especially at a distance of about two meters from oneself! The game was over! A victorious smile appeared on the opponent¡¯s ethereal face. Then, Jason, who should have died, Lived again. He removed the hand that had been covering his wound all along. The opponent, seeing Jason¡¯s unscathed wound, suddenly changed color in shock. Not ¡®ying dead¡¯! But ¡®healing¡¯! The shadowy face almost twisted at that moment. They retreated instinctively. But it was toote. Jason, havingpleted the Seal Imprint, pointed at the opponent. ¡°sI oT Yn!¡± ¡°¡®i!¡± An invisible force field instantly enveloped the opponent. Unlike the bishop who had vanished into thin air instantly just now, this member of the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ appeared only to fade under the force field of Protection Against Evil. After being blessed by the Secret Keeper, Protection Against Evil could easily defend against and counter creatures of negative energy below the ¡®explosive-level¡¯ strength, but this ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ member clearly surpassed that level. However, Jason, who firmly believed that a quantitative change could lead to a qualitative change, struck with Protection Against Evil two more times. Jason, whose body had already reached its limits, died instantly twice under the strikes of Protection Against Evil. The harbor ¡®Sanctuary¡¯ overseer of the ¡®Erosion Society,¡¯ mere inches away, felt such death. His eyes widened uncontrobly. ¡°You, you are¡­¡± He tried to say something else, but in that moment, the force field of Protection Against Evil disintegrated him. Whoosh! As if a strong wind had blown through. The entire chamber immediately became a mess. Jason didn¡¯t bother to check these things. He rushed to tt¡¯s corpse, snatched the ring off, rinsed it with water, and threw it into his mouth before he finally breathed a sigh of relief. To know, just maintaining the state of being stabbed in the heart with a long sword had consumed a considerable amount of satiety, and the subsequent two overdrawn uses of Protection Against Evil had caused his satiety to bottom out, leaving only one point. [Swallow a small amount ofpound food essence] [Physical strength and experience greatly recovered] [Satiety +8] [Satiety: 9] ¡­ With satiety replenished, Jason breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he spit out the rotten ring and turned to the attacker¡¯s body. The next moment, a ne with a metal chain and a green gem pendant appeared in Jason¡¯s hand. Of course, he couldn¡¯t have detected the opponent¡¯s arrival. If the opponent hadn¡¯t been carrying this ¡®food¡¯ with them. It was precisely because he found this ¡®food¡¯ that Jason, knowing someone was lying in wait, did not disy his ¡®undying¡¯ nature during the fight against tt. He was waiting for the opponent to join the game. What Jason did not expect was that the opponent would make a move at the veryst moment. Complete disregard for the life or death of their own people? Or was it¡­ The opponent had some different idea in mind. Jason didn¡¯t know. And he didn¡¯t want to think about it. Right now, there was only one thing he wanted to do¡ª Eat! Chapter 155 - 66 A Bit of Understanding (Please subscribe~ Please vote for monthly tickets~) Chapter 155: Chapter 66 A Bit of Understanding (Please subscribe~ Please vote for monthly tickets~) The metal chain was light to hold; even with the addition of the green gemstone pendant, it didn¡¯t have much weight. But the rich aroma that lingered had Jason swallowing his saliva continuously. Even so, Jason did not forget to carefully wash it with clean water. After confirming there was nothing else on it, he finally took off the green gemstone pendant and put the metal chain into his mouth. The richness of the milk vor burst out instantly! It was a bit like milk kes! But it was many times richer than milk kes. Jason squinted his eyes contentedly in a moment. [Swallowed a very small amount ofposite food essence] [Physical Strength, Energy moderately restored] [Satiety+4] [Satiety: 13] ¡­ With the food in hand, Jason ignored the text in front of him, spat out the now ¡®tasteless¡¯ ne, and then put the green gemstone in his mouth. A slight bitterness, yet apanied by a faint sweetness. Chocte vor? Pursing his lips, Jason tasted the vor and subconsciously pressed the gemstone between his tongue and the roof of his mouth. Then, a cool sweetness flowed out instantly. Liqueur-filled chocte! Jason¡¯s eyes lit up. But this tastested only for about two or three seconds before it vanished. The shiny green gemstone had lost all its color. It was almost like ordinary ss. However, Jason weed a substantial gain. [Swallowed ¡®Soul Calming Heart (Replica)¡¯!] [Physical Strength, Energy greatly restored] [Satiety+25] [Satiety: 38] [Excitement of Feast+1] [Excitement of Feast: 2] ¡­ A ne named ¡®Soul Calming Heart¡¯ brought Jason 29 points of satiety and 1 point of Excitement of Feast. It not onlypletely reversed the previous consumption but also left a surplus. More importantly, this ¡®Soul Calming Heart¡¯ ne was just a replica. And the replica was already so powerful. What would the genuine article be like? As he thought about it, Jason¡¯s saliva started to flow. However, the next moment, Jason sharply inhaled. Slurp. He sucked back the drool, and he was instantly alert again. A replica was owned by such an enemy. Who would possess the genuine article? Or more precisely, what kind of strength would the owner of the genuine article possess? If it hadn¡¯t been for his early detection of the ¡®aroma¡¯ and his strategic nning, the battle situation would have been incrediblyplex, perhaps evenpletely reversed. ¡°¡®Immortal¡¯ characteristics must be hidden as much as possible,¡± ¡°In most battles, conventional methods should be used to resolve the conflict,¡± ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°Strength must be increased!¡± As Jason summed up, he reloaded cartridge number 13 into the ¡®Winchester Brothers¡¯ chamber and then picked up the two MF92s. When all the weapons were back on his person and the feeling of security returned, Jason began to clean up the battlefield. The secret room in front of him was notrge. But it had quite a few rooms. The ce where he stood was the entrance hall, with a straight corridor behind it. Rooms on both sides of the corridor, and at the end, there was a door. The rooms on both sides of the corridor had long been empty; everyone was in the main hall. And that was exactly what Jason had hoped to see. He knew very well after clearing so many contact points of the ¡®Erosion Guild¡¯, everyone would definitely be gathered here. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess. Because, as a ¡®secret chamber¡¯ hidden underground, apart from being a secret meeting ce, Jason couldn¡¯t think of anything else. Jason searched every room in the hall and along the corridor. He found nothing noteworthy. Not just theck of coins or the like. He couldn¡¯t even find a piece of paper with writing on it. Subconsciously, Jason looked toward the small door. He didn¡¯t touch it directly. From the hall, he picked up the sword of the ¡®Erosion Guild¡¯ harbor Sanctuary¡¯s manager and the sword of the Sanctuary Bishop, tossing thetter towards the door first. ng! Sparks flew on impact, the sword was knocked away, and the door made a crisp metallic sound but did not budge an inch. There were no trigger traps on the door. Jason confirmed this, yet he did not let his guard down; he was more than willing to be ten times more cautious when it came to the ¡°Mystical Side.¡± Because you never know how dangerous a door, seemingly ordinary and freely essible to others, could be for you. Beyond the doory a dragon? It wasn¡¯t out of the realm of possibility. Jason, holding another long sword, gently pushed the door open with the tip. Squeak! The door opened. A room asrge as three basketball courts appeared before Jason. In the center of the room was a structure over half a person tall, with a stone base and arge flower-like top that was connected in the middle by a stone column. After probing the floor with the tip of his sword, Jason stepped into the room. He approached the structure carefully. Before he even got close, a strong smell of blood assaulted his senses. Jason¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. In an instant, he guessed what it was. A container! Or to be precise, a container for sacrificial use. As for what it contained? Given the modus operandi of the ¡°Excitement of Feast,¡± what could be inside? Everyone could guess. Jason moved closer to the container. After a detailed inspection, nothing unusual was found. The entire container was very clean, one might say it was spotless. Yet, even so, the pungent smell of blood was relentless. Especially upon close inspection, even Jason, with nearly twice the physical strength of an average person, felt faint, which gave some idea of how many people had been ¡°sacrificed¡± here. What kind of despair had the sacrificed faced before their death? Jason found himself instinctively pondering this. Low pleas and cries seemed to echo in his ears. Rage was futile. Struggle was futile. There was only¡­ Death that refused toe. Pain and blood, along with their uncontroble lives, became the chips to please some mysterious entity. The crisp sound of the chips falling would make that inexplicable being guffaw. But, Jason could notugh. This was not funny at all. ¡°Guarding through the night, dwelling in darkness, with a heart of light¡­¡± Jason softly recited the Night Watcher¡¯s creed to himself. At that moment, he suddenly had a deeper understanding of the ¡°Night Watcher.¡± He seemed to know why some chose to be ¡°Night Watchers.¡± Not much insight. Still quite superficial. But for Jason at that moment, It was enough. ¡°May your souls¡­¡± ¡°Rest in peace.¡± Jason whispered. Then, he turned around. Jason was ready to leave. He had no desire to stay here any longer. But just as Jason turned around, he suddenly spotted a ¡°clock¡± in a corner of the wall. The clock was notrge. Only the size of a palm. It was fixed on a wooden stand. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Jason was still guessing when¡ª Ding, ding-ding. The clock suddenly began to ring. And just ten secondster, familiar footsteps appeared. Tap, tap, tap. The footsteps were hurried, carrying a hint of panic. Then, Gerard appeared before Jason. His hair, mussed by the wind and split in all directions, and his solemn face did not rx until he saw Jason unharmed. Many words were held back in Gerard¡¯s heart. He simply offered Jason a smile. ¡°Need a midnight snack?¡± Chapter 156 - 67 Identical (Please subscribe~ Please vote for monthly tickets~) Chapter 156: Chapter 67 Identical (Please subscribe~ Please vote for monthly tickets~) Just before nightfall, Gerard finished reviewing all the documents, and the overseer of Hans Port did not return to his bedroom but instead closed his eyes right there in his chair. The bed was simply toofortable. Sofortable that he couldn¡¯t help but waste more time on it. In fact, thest time he had slept in a bed was a year ago. Suddenly, Gerard realized that without knowing when, even resting in a bed had be a luxury. At this, Gerardughed self-deprecatingly. He didn¡¯tin about anything. This was the path he had chosen. At the time of choosing, he was already prepared for it. Wondering what my cousin is up to? Leaning back in his chair, Gerard couldn¡¯t help but think of Jason. Subconsciously, Gerard opened his eyes, ready to go to the cottage to check. He wouldn¡¯t disturb Jason. Just walk around nearby. Thinking it, Gerard opened his eyes, stood up, took his coat, and walked outside. As he walked down the steps of 111 Duron Street, the old butler Reed approached. ¡°Young master, Jason just left the cottage.¡± The old butler reported truthfully. At 111 Duron Street, it was hard to hide Jason¡¯s whereabouts. Or rather, when you could deceive most people, a small remainder could not be fooled. Among them, naturally included the old butler Reed. ¡°Where did he go?¡± Gerard was taken aback. ¡°The Eight-Legged Tavern!¡± The old butler reported. ¡°Is he going to see that ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ friend of his?¡± Gerard asked with a realization. ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Jason must be nning to do something else.¡± The old butler first nodded, then shook his head. Seeing Reed¡¯s expression, Gerard instantly guessed what was happening and was about to rush off to Duron Street. ¡°Young master, wait.¡± The old butler stepped in front of Gerard. ¡°Move aside.¡± ¡°Jason is in danger right now.¡± Gerard said gravely. ¡°But it¡¯s also a trial!¡± ¡°Do you hope that Jason, in the days toe, will face his trials alone, or that he faces them now, under your ¡®supervision¡¯?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget your greatest enemy.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t be merciful to Jason.¡± The old butler emphasized. Gerard fell silent. He couldn¡¯t refute the butler¡¯s words. Because they were true. His old friend, his greatest enemy, would not treat Jason with kindness, but rather would use the most ruthless means to erase him. Huff, huff. Gerard struggled to control his breathing. ¡°Can you ensure Jason¡¯s safety?¡± After taking several rapid breaths, Gerard asked again. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget.¡± ¡°This is still Hans Port.¡± ¡°I hope you return to your room and wait patiently.¡± The old butler suggested with a smile. Gerard turned and went back to his room. Because he knew that as the overseer of Hans Port, he could not show his impatience or nervousness. He prided himself on being able to manage this in any setting. But when it came to Jason¡­ He couldn¡¯t do it. Therefore, he needed a space to himself. Watching Gerard¡¯s retreating figure, the old butler couldn¡¯t maintain his smile. He had just lied. He couldn¡¯t ensure Jason¡¯s safety with certainty. The reason he said so was because¡­ It was themand of Lord Hans. ¡°What exactly are you nning to do?¡± The old butler wondered inwardly. Inside the room, Gerard paced back and forth. He walked a circle and nced at the clock in the corner. He had never felt as tense as he did at this moment, not even on the eve of overthrowing the old Federation¡¯s rule, whenpared to his nervouspanions, he was the picture of rxation. Back then, it was only his own safety at stake. For the ideal! He didn¡¯t care. But things are different now! It¡¯s Jason now! His cousin! Time ticked by, second by second, as message after message came through. Gerard was surprised to discover that the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯s¡¯ contact points were being found by his cousin, one after another. The information suggested that it was the doing of ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman. But Gerard firmly believed it was his cousin¡¯s achievement. Sure, the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman was not bad, butpared to his own cousin? He was still leagues behind, at least as far as from Golsai to Hans Port! Oh, and that¡¯s not a straight line¡ªyou have to count the mountains and hills as well. Upon learning that Jason was safe, Gerard let out a slight sigh of relief. But then, he received a message. Amos! The handler of the Erosion Society¡¯s Sanctuary at the port! A guy who had received ¡®Divine Grace¡¯ more than five times! He appeared! He was heading straight for Jason! Boom! Without any dy, mes erupted from Gerard¡¯s body. The Lord of Hans Port soared like a meteor, broke through the window, and hurried toward Jason¡¯s next target. Nighttime. mes traversed the sky. The entire Hans Port seemed as if it had turned into daylight. The next moment, night returned. The mes dove underground. The scent of blood! It made Gerard¡¯s pace even faster. His fist clenched unconsciously. His muscles tensed and bulged. The mes disappeared. But, an even more terrifying aura was brewing inside his towering body. Just one point away. Once that point was reached. It would be a might capable of devastating heaven and earth. Fortunately, Gerard spotted Jason. In the hall at the end of the corridor. Phew! Gerard exhaled deeply. His heart regained its calm at that moment. His cousin was safe. Safe and sound, and that was what mattered. He had many things he wanted to say, but when he opened his mouth, only one sentence came out¡ª ¡°Need a night snack?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°But first, I need to pick someone up.¡± Jason answered with a smile. ¡°Peters?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good guy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a night snack for him.¡± Gerard had a very good impression of the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman. He had the ability to stay quietly by his cousin¡¯s side and also possessedmendable strength, a fine personal guard indeed. ¡°Better have some dried fish.¡± ¡°Gerard, you¡¯d best take care of that.¡± ¡°The ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ might have been tracking your whereabouts through it. As for the principle, I¡¯m not quite sure, but I think ¡®it¡¯ is not the only one of its kind.¡± Jason pointed to the clock in the corner. Instead of stopping, the clock ticked even more urgently with Gerard¡¯s arrival here. What this implied was clear to both Jason and Gerard. ¡°Hmm.¡± Gerard nodded solemnly. However, he did not deal with it immediately but instead returned to the surface, shoulder-to-shoulder with Jason. At that moment on the surface, little Reed and numerous port guards had surrounded the area tightly. Seeing Jason safe and sound, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They had truly been worried about Jason¡¯s safety. But, given their ragged appearances, it was evident they had been through a fierce battle. ¡°Lord Gerard, Lord Jason, your clothes.¡± Little Reed offered the clothes, which had been prepared in advance, to both men. These clothes were originally intended only for Gerard. Ordinary clothes wouldn¡¯t be fireproof. Offering them to Jason at this moment was just appropriate. The two men were simr in stature; what difference did it make? And when Gerard and Jason donned their clothes and reappeared, everyone seemed to experience an illusion. Identical outfits. Almost identical statures. If it weren¡¯t for their different faces¡­ They really would be identical. Chapter 157 - 68 Dennise Never Stays Up Late (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 157: Chapter 68 Dennise Never Stays Up Late (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Hans Port, near the Cat Hole Tavern. When Jason approached, Peters leapt directly from the rooftop,nding in front of Jason. ¡°No abnormalities.¡± Peters said, devoted to his duty. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Gerard invites you to ate-night supper.¡± Jason nodded. ¡°Gerard?¡± The Cat Hole Swordsman frowned, his pride making it impossible for him to get along with someone who had destroyed one of their styles. Even with more insider information, it was the same. Right or wrong, people always like to stick to their own views. The Cat Hole Swordsman was no exception. So, he immediately said: ¡°I¡¯d rather not go¡­¡± ¡°There are dried fish snacks.¡± ¡°Okay, shall we leave now?¡± The Cat Hole Swordsman deeply realized the downside of being obstinate. Many things simply require letting go of prejudices! Our greatest enemy is the prejudice in our hearts! These prejudices make our lives a mess, and what¡¯s scarier is that they can ruin our future lives! One must learn to look ahead! The dried fish snacks are really delicious~meow~(???????)~ ¡­ The spectacle of raging mes attracted many people. The majority of ordinary people were merely curious. But some who were not so ordinary spected and inferred. Some of them had ulterior motives in mind. For example, the Abandonment Sect. As Gerard¡¯s old nemesis, the Abandonment Sect knew Gerard¡¯sbat style too well; when the mes appeared in the night sky, they guessed it was Gerard. Together with some information previously received from the ¡®Erosion Guild¡¯. The higher-ups of the Abandonment Sect in Hans Port quickly concluded: Gerard, having discovered a guard as a mole from the ¡®Erosion Guild,¡¯ was infuriated and began retaliating against the ¡®Erosion Guild.¡¯ Then, the Abandonment Sect¡¯s higher-ups saw it as an opportunity. An opportunity to strike at Gerard! Gerard had left 111 Duron Street. Most of the guards were bound to depart! The defense there would be thin. Although there were still some special strengths in ce, those strengths couldn¡¯t ¡®restrain¡¯ them. Swiftly, the Abandonment Sect dispatched capable hands in Hans Port, preparing to infiltrate 111 Duron Street to cause destruction. Of course, even destruction requires a target. And not many could truly strike a blow to Gerard. ording to the avable information. The two most important people were none other than Gerard¡¯s mother and cousin. Then came the old Butler and his son. However, these people were not to be trifled with. Without the ability to wage open war, it was hard for them to inflict real damage on these targets in a short time. So! They turned their attention to a harmless figure: Dennise! Who could be more suitable than Dennise? No one! Should be¡­ no one, right? ¡­ Late at night, the holiday cottage. Dennise¡¯s eyes widened as she turned over in bed. She couldn¡¯t sleep. She had been very sleepy just moments ago, but why couldn¡¯t she fall asleep now that she was in bed? Dennise pondered. Then, she figured it out. Shecked her bedtime reading material. She usually fell asleep while reading a book, and was really not used to skipping it all of a sudden. Lighting the oilmp, Dennise reached out and picked up the book from beside her bed. ¡°I¡¯m not staying up to read!¡± ¡°I only read because I have to fall asleep fast!¡± With a legitimate reason, Dennise suddenly became spirited and flipped open the pages of the book. It was an adventure story with a touch of suspense. The introduction stated: This is a story about three friends who went on an adventure in an old mansion in the deep mountains and eventually found a treasure. ¡°This looks a bit generic, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Dennise furrowed her brows while looking at the introduction. If it was published, it must have something exceptional about it. With that thought in mind, Dennise decided to keep reading. And soon, she was hooked. The story might have been clich¨¦, but the writing waspelling enough to make even a clich¨¦ story engaging. However, the engrossed Dennise hadn¡¯t noticed that two ghostly figures were slowly appearing in her room. Shattered armor, broken swords, and ethereal bodies were all telling tales of these ghostly figures as soldiers fallen in battle. ¡°Easier than I thought!¡± The backbone of the Abandonment Sect from Hans Port was controlling two ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯, and with their aid, he could clearly see everything in the room. A hint of smugness was in the heart of this Abandonment Sect enforcer. The defensive strength of the holiday cottage was less than he had expected. Some of the preparations he had made were unnecessary, as his two ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ had already gotten inside. Looking at Dennise in the room, the Abandonment Sect¡¯s enforcer directed the ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ to kill Dennise. Unlike ordinary ghosts. ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯, due to the special nature of their own deaths, were born with the ability to harm the living much like Evil Spirits, and they were far superior inbat as well. It could be said that ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ were an enhanced version of Evil Spirits. And Fierce Spirits? They had reached another level entirely. Even the Abandonment Sect, which specialized in the undead, had only a small number of Fierce Spirits. Each one was a preciousbat force. In fact, the deployment of ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ was considered a high standard ofbat. At least for this enforcer of the Abandonment Sect. This was his first time directing ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ inbat. So while he was feeling smug, he remained vignt. Silently and slowly, the two ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ approached Dennise, raising the broken swords in their hands. Just then¡ª ¡°Bring it on!¡± Dennise shouted loudly. The Abandonment Sect enforcer was startled. Discovered? Could this seemingly ordinary girl be a hidden master? Was this a trap? His thoughts spun rapidly as the Abandonment Sect enforcer quickly ordered the two ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ to stop and be invisible. In his haste, the first-time enforcer of the ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ unwittingly made a slight noise. Confused, Dennise looked up, ncing around. Just moments ago, she had been so engrossed in the book that she unconsciously put herself in the shoes of the protagonist and blurted out the words from the book. A bit embarrassed. But¡­ Oddly satisfying. With a cheeky grin, Dennise lowered her head to continue reading. Unwittingly, words from Dennise¡¯s mouth bubbled forth now and then, apanied by asional gestures. The backbone of the Abandonment Sect witnessed this scene. Was it just a coincidence a moment ago? The adversary wasn¡¯t too certain now and, after hesitating, he once again sent the two ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ into motion. Slowly, the two ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯, who had condensed their aura, approached Dennise. ¡°Sss!¡± Dennise gasped. Suddenly, the two ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ were controlled into disappearing once again. ¡°Was there such a surprising twist?¡± ¡°Impressive!¡± Dennise couldn¡¯t help but exim in admiration. This time, the backbone of the Abandonment Sect could finally confirm that the person before him was just a harmless individual engrossed in a novel. ¡°Phew!¡± ¡°Undead War Spirits, attack!¡± ¡°Kill her!¡± Following the enforcer¡¯smand after his confirmation, the two ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ no longer hid themselves and rushed straight towards Dennise. Then, just one step away from Dennise, the two ¡®Undead War Spirits¡¯ stopped in their tracks. And then¡­ They both knelt down together. Chapter 164: 75: The Food Swings Before My Eyes (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 164: Chapter 75: The Food Swings Before My Eyes (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Tickets~) The sea churned ceaselessly, waves undting. The small boat was swallowed in an instant. The ¡®Piper¡¯ leaped up. As if flying, hended on the wooden bridge of the harbor. That abruptly changing color, had already returned to normal by the time hended. It seemed as if nothing had happened at all; disregarding the surrounding guards, he strode directly towards the ¡®Octopus Pub¡¯. There were no guards in front of the ¡®Octopus Pub¡¯. The door was open, too. Inside, the tables and chairs had been cleared out save for one table and two chairs. Pea soup, grilled sausages, thin pancakes, and bacon wereid out. Divided into four tes, they were ced in front of Jason.
However, Jason wasn¡¯t attracted to the food before him. He was watching the person at the pub¡¯s entrance. Or more precisely¡­ The ¡®flute¡¯ in the other¡¯s hand! The emerald flute, under the sunlight, shone with dreamlike colors. A scent unlike any before wafted towards him, and Jason couldn¡¯t help but inhale deeply. The next moment¡ª Gurgle, gurgle. The sensation of hunger writhed in his belly like explosives, sting forth as his stomach involuntarily growled. Saliva began to flow like water from a turned faucet, rapidly secreting. He swallowed his saliva and to cover it up, he picked up a grilled sausage and ced it into his mouth. He chewed with big bites. At first, it was a cover, but hunger soon took over, and Jason unconsciously reached for another sausage, then another. One after another. A whole te of grilled sausages was swept clean in just a few breaths. Then, after taking a sip of pea soup, Jason wrapped bacon in a thin pancake and put it in his mouth. Only after all the food on the table was gone did Jasone back to his senses. By then, the ¡®Piper¡¯ was already sitting in front of him, inspecting Jason with a look mixed with curiosity. This was the first time Jason had truly seen the ¡®Piper¡¯.
The other had a narrow face, handsome features, long dark green hair cascaded over his shoulders, and deep eyes as profound as an abyss, looking into them felt like being pulled into its depths. Fear. Terror. This was the impression a normal person got upon seeing the ¡®Piper¡¯ for the first time.
And even involuntarily shuddering. But Jason? Delicious! What did it taste like upon entry? Was it crunchy? Or soft? Sweet or salty? Fried or boiled? Unconsciously, Jason¡¯s eyes once again showed anticipation. The sensation of hunger reemerged in his stomach. The food he had just eaten seemed as if it had never been consumed. Such a gaze made the ¡®Piper¡¯ curious, and also¡­ Gave him an inexplicable shudder.
A shudder that was fleeting. Very faint. As if an illusion. But the pain that welled up within his body was telling him. It was real. He was surely being influenced by ¡®sugar¡¯ again. He told ¡®himself¡¯ that. He had used many methods, but ¡®sugar¡¯ clung to him like a persistent maggot, impossible to shake off. He scanned his surroundings. But found nothing. This made ¡®him¡¯ even more irritable. Squinting his eyes, ¡®he¡¯ masked this irritability. His face took on a kind expression.
¡°Good appetite.¡± The other remarked. ¡°I had a light breakfast.¡± Jason answered. ¡°Is this the consequence of being affected by the ¡®Bizarre¡¯?¡± The ¡®Piper¡¯ continued to inquire. ¡°Mhm.¡± Jason nodded his head. ¡°You¡¯re much luckier than others who have been affected by the ¡®Bizarre¡¯.¡± The ¡®Piper¡¯ said with a smile. ¡°Mhm.¡± Jason nodded once more. They conversed with each other, almost like friends.
However, at this moment, the ¡®Piper¡¯s¡¯ face suddenly darkened. An immense presence bore down on Jason like a mountain. ¡°Who is it?¡± The ¡®Piper¡¯ asked. Confronted by an oppressive force as heavy as a mountain, Jason remained expressionless. He had long since learned to hide his emotions. Lifting his head, his eyes stared directly at the ¡°Pied Piper.¡± Jason said indifferently, ¡°Guess.¡± The intent to kill erupted in the Pied Piper¡¯s eyes. But ¡®he¡¯ restrained himself. ¡®He¡¯ remembered his purpose. ¡°Tell me its information,¡± ¡°I will give up the alliance with the Federation,¡± ¡®he¡¯ said. Jason kept silent. He truly did not know the information of that ¡®Bizarre.¡¯ But even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t say it. Beforeing here, Gerard had already told him not to believe any words from the other party. Although the Pied Piper had be a symbol of an era, it¡¯s his untrustworthiness that left a deeper impression. ¡°Not enough?¡± ¡°What if I ally with Gerard again?¡± the Pied Piper continued. Jason shook his head. ¡°What, you don¡¯t believe me?¡± the Pied Piper asked with a smile. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Gerard who wouldn¡¯t ally with you,¡± Jason said with certainty. Although their acquaintance had been brief, Jason hade to understand Gerard¡¯s character well enough. Gerard would definitely not ally with someone like the Pied Piper. Just as Gerard and his old friend had parted ways. Ideologies! Differing ideologies, when theye close¡­ There¡¯s only collision! Only explosion! Only Devouring! Only one can remain! There is no such thing as tolerance! ¡°Heh.¡± The Pied Piper chuckled softly as ¡®he¡¯ started fiddling with his ¡®flute.¡¯ This ¡®flute¡¯ that sent shivers down the spine of everyone in the ¡®Federation,¡¯ attracted Jason¡¯s gaze. The Pied Piper clearly misunderstood this attraction. ¡®He¡¯ did not see the desire and restraint in Jason¡¯s eyes. Or rather, ¡®he¡¯ mistook such desire and restraint for fear and timidity. Therefore, ¡®he¡¯ said calmly the next moment, ¡°Gerard is Gerard.¡± ¡°And you?¡± the Pied Piper asked in this manner. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I naturally stand by Gerard¡¯s side.¡± ¡°After all, he¡¯s my cousin,¡± Jason said slowly. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s really a pity.¡± ¡°I originally thought we would have a good conversation.¡± ¡°And that we might reach some understanding.¡± ¡°What a pity¡­¡± ¡°You seem too little to cherish it!¡± With these words, an even more powerful killing intent burst forth from the Pied Piper. This intent affected reality itself. The entire ¡®Octopus Tavern¡¯ began to tremble as if it might copse at any moment. Then, the Pied Piper sat unmoved, pointing the ¡®flute¡¯ directly at Jason. This was the most direct threat. But to Jason, it only made the scent all the more intense. A threat? Nonexistent! What existed was food! And moreover¡­ The food was right in front of his eyes! Jason licked his lips, warning himself to prioritize the bigger picture, not to act impulsively. But he couldn¡¯t help fantasizing, what would happen if he suddenly took a bite now¡­? No, I mustn¡¯t do this! I have to consider the bigger picture! he thought. Thought. Thought. And then¡­ He bit down on the ¡®flute¡¯ within his reach. Chapter 166: 77 History Chapter 166: Chapter 77 History Text flickered before Jason¡¯s eyes¡ª
[Swallowed a fraction of the ¡®Cerek¡¯s Pipe¡¯ essence!] [Physical strength and energy (injuries) restored to the maximum extent possible!] [Satiety +66] [Satiety: 45] (Having removed the previous depletion from death.) [Excitement of Feast +2] [Excitement of Feast: 4]
¡­ 66 points of satiety! 2 points of Excitement of Feast! This was by far, Jason¡¯srgest single gain, especially the Excitement of Feast; he had never gained 2 points at once before. And now, with 4 points of Excitement of Feast, it was enough to elevate Jason¡¯s ¡®Secret Keeping¡¯ enhanced ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ from Proficient to Mastery Level! However, Jason¡¯s gaze lingered on ¡®Barehanded Combat¡¯ at the expert level. From proficiency to expert level, aside from bringing Jason a multitude ofbat experiences and techniques, ¡®Barehanded Combat¡¯ also brought gains of 0.1 to his constitution, strength, and agility in each aspect, which was quite substantial. The benefits were already substantial at the expert level. So¡­ What about beyond the expert level, at the master level? Looking at the 15 points of satiety and 2 points of Excitement of Feast required to raise ¡®Barehanded Combat¡¯ to master level, and the 20 points of satiety and 3 points of Excitement of Feast needed for ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ to reach proficiency level, Jason hesitated. Clearly, he could only enhance one of the two¡ª¡¯Barehanded Combat¡¯ or ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯.
Would he choose ¡®Barehanded Combat¡¯ which could rapidly increase his own power? Or ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ which could deal with the ¡®Bizarre¡¯? Ultimately, Jason chose ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯! Because ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ was his only means to address the ¡®Bizarre¡¯ at the moment! Facing some ¡®Bizarre¡¯ without the potential for a qualitative change in his own strength would leave himpletely powerless, just amb to the ughter. Even with Jason¡¯s somewhat ¡®undying¡¯ trait, he absolutely did not want to face such a scenario. Of course, there was another reason for choosing ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯! ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ was rted to his profession ¡®Night Watcher¡¯! The explicit requirement for ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ in the advancement conditions to the higher profession, ¡®Value Night Person¡¯, was enough to tell Jason the importance of ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯. [Yes/No¡ªSpend 20 points of satiety and 3 points of Excitement of Feast to upgrade ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ (Proficient ¡ú Mastery)?] ¡°Yes!¡± After contemting, Jason did not hesitate any longer and directly gave a positive answer.
[Protection Against Evil (Mastery): You have not only mastered this seal imprint secret technique, but also enhanced it with special power! In the city¡¯s night, it can withstand most malice, but you still need to expend a great deal of physical strength to activate this secret technique! In the heritage of your Night Watcher, one of them made some changes to it, thus, you also mastered the long-range attack technique; effects: 1, a force field attached to the body¡¯s surface that can protect against attacks from negative energy beings (Explosive-level), and can dispel them and their rted powers (Explosive-level); 2, you can target the expulsion of evil power at beings or objects within a 6-meter radius with you at the center for a long-range attack.] ¡­ [¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ upgraded to Mastery Level, gained inherent master option: Glyph Replication] [Glyph Replication: You can store a ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ in advance, it has the same expense as a regr ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯, but can only exist for 3 days, during which the power of ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ will gradually weaken, and at the end of the 3rd day, the power of the seal imprint willpletely disappear; you can replenish ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ at any time within the 3 days; when released, only a short Dufol Language syble (Yi) is needed.] (Annotation: omitted) ¡­ The protection level really reached ¡®Explosive-level¡¯, and the distance increased by another meter. What truly brought Jason joy was the mastery option ¡®Glyph Replication¡¯. An extra ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯! And the release method was simplified to merely require a simple Dufol Language syble (Yi). Even if it would weaken over time, it was enough to give Jason more handling methods in the face of certain dangers. He nced satisfactorily over ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ now at mastery level.
To reach the next level (expert), ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ would need 25 points of satiety and 4 points of Excitement of Feast. To this, Jason was not surprised. ¡°As ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ enhanced by ¡®Secret Keeping¡¯ bes more powerful, its consumption also increases.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know what the Night Watcher¡¯s advancement profession is,¡± Jason thought silently. At the same time, the desire to return to ¡®Lorde¡¯ deepened. Because only there could he urately find information about ¡®profession¡¯. And about Hans Port? Jason couldn¡¯t confirm. After pondering for a moment, Jason¡¯s gaze turned to Gerard. What could be better than asking Gerard about matters of the Mystical Side? As the head of Hans Port.
One of the founders of the New Federation. Gerard could be considered one of the most knowledgeable people about the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ of this world. At that moment, Gerard was still thinking about how to defend. However, when he sensed Jason¡¯s gaze, he immediately looked up with a smile. ¡°Jason, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Gerard asked his cousin. ¡°Gerard, do you know of any systematic powers within the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not referring to a school.¡± ¡°But beyond schools,¡± Jason asked hesitantly after a slight pause. ¡°Beyond schools?¡± ¡°As far as I know, there are!¡±
¡°But what exactly they are, I can¡¯t verify!¡± Gerard thought carefully and then responded. Then, the head of the port seriously exined to Jason: ¡°Before the Old Federation, there was a period known as the ¡®Chaotic Era¡¯, whichsted for nearly 1500 years.¡± ¡°At that time, most of the schools we know today had not yet truly formed; there were only rumors of dragons, serpents, tigers, and crows. The ¡®serpent¡¯ and ¡®tiger¡¯ of that era are different from the ¡®Serpent¡¯s Nest¡¯ and ¡®Tiger Mountain¡¯ you know now, or rather, the current ¡®Serpent¡¯s Nest¡¯ and ¡®Tiger Mountain¡¯ are just offshoots of what was handed down from that time.¡± ¡°Between the ¡®Chaotic Era¡¯ and the ¡®Old Federation¡¯, there were also some witch and wizard schools intermixed.¡± ¡°However, ording to my research, the origins of these witch and wizard schools are half true and half false.¡± At this point, Gerard paused. Allowing Jason to fully digest this information, the head of the port continued: ¡°ording to records, before the ¡®Chaotic Era¡¯, there was an even more magnificent and radiant period¡ª¡¯The Queen Era¡¯!¡± ¡°A Queen named Mary ruled that era for nearly 1000 years, then, with the disappearance of the queen, the ¡®James Dynasty¡¯ began to copse and disintegrated in less than a century.¡± ¡°Of course, most schrs believe this to be the ¡®James Dynasty¡¯ embellishing their own history.¡± ¡°Because it is impossible for someone to live up to 1000 years, even for the masters recognized by the Mystical Side, 200 years is a limit.¡± ¡°Let alone finding the so-called ¡®Queen Mary¡¯s¡¯ tomb in the ¡®Chaotic Era¡¯.¡± ¡°Moreover, the records of the ¡®James Royal Family¡¯ regarding this queen are minimal, as if deliberately erased by someone.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re interested in this part of history, you can have a look in my study.¡± ¡°These records are considered secrets.¡± ¡°Very difficult to find.¡± After finishing, Gerard looked at his cousin, who was frowning, feeling a pang of heartache. He misunderstood Jason¡¯s frown as frustration from not having core secret techniques to form a systematic power. Therefore, the head of the port immediately said: ¡°Jason, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I have prepared a gift for you!¡± As he spoke, Gerard took a box from his bosom and handed it to Jason. Chapter 160: 71: Invigorating the Spirit (Please Subscribe~ Request Monthly Votes~) Chapter 160: Chapter 71: Invigorating the Spirit (Please Subscribe~ Request Monthly Votes~) The roar was loud, like thunder.
Not just near the vacation house, but the entirety of Duron Street No. 111 heard it. ¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯ annihted?! As those whose work and rest revolved around Duron Street No. 111, no one was unaware of the ¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯. This organization had sprung up suddenly during the transition between the old and new Federations. People here detested it with a passion. Not only had the ¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯ repeatedly caused destruction in Hans Port, but without its interference, the ruler of the Federation would certainly not have been the descendant of the Aymodun Grand Duke.
It would have been their sworn liege: Gerard! Now, to hear the news of the ¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯s¡¯plete destruction. All were stunned for a moment before they burst into cheers. A look of stark astonishment appeared on Gerard¡¯s face. Had the formidable enemy that had just been troubling him vanished just like that? However, before Gerard could regain hisposure, little Reed, who had already run to the front of the vacation house, once again mustered all his strength and bellowed, ¡°The ¡®Erosion Association¡¯ branch in the port, annihted!¡± This shout was even louder than thest one. After a slight pause, the cheering within Duron Street No. 111 exploded. Gerard was under great pressure. Although he had never shown it, many within Duron Street No. 111 could still deduce from clues how unfavorable the current situation was for them. Oppression, unease, all these had been umting in their hearts. If it had continued, a slight trigger would have led to massive chaos.
But now? An outlet for release had appeared. ¡°Lord Gerard, long live!¡± ¡°Long live!¡± ¡°Long live!¡± In the deafening cheers, Gerard turned to look at little Reed. At that moment, Reed had returned to his usual demeanor. Even now, looking at him, one could hardly imagine that the uncouth roar hade from this young man with a calm face. ¡°Before the fight, everyone needed a chance to boost their morale.¡± Facing Gerard¡¯s gaze, Reed honestly said. ¡°¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯?¡± Gerard frowned slightly.
He knew they needed a chance to boost morale. But that did not mean it should rely on lies. Moreover, if the lie were exposed¡­ ¡°They were indeed annihted!¡± ¡°Most people were reduced to ashes!¡± ¡°Some were left as mummified corpses!¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°Their souls have also disappeared!¡± Reed reported at once. ¡°Really annihted?!¡± As the ¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯s¡¯ arch-nemesis, Gerard was very aware of how tricky these soul and corpse maniptors could be. It was only by an extreme coincidence that he had once managed to annihte thempletely.
But unexpectedly, they had revived from the ashes in the past decade. Of course, there were some tricks involved. He was well aware, but it did not hinder the ¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯s¡¯ strength. ¡°Truly annihted!¡± ¡°I have verified it!¡± Reed affirmed yet again. A smile appeared on Gerard¡¯s face. It was a smile of relief from heavy burdens. Four adversaries down by one. Only three remained¡­ No, wait. ¡°What about the ¡®Erosion Association¡¯?¡± Gerard asked.
Reed did not answer but instead turned to look at Jason, who was still at the dining table. The personal male servant bowed deeply. ¡°Thank you, Lord Jason, for all you have done for Hans Port.¡± Reed said meticulously. Although it was not explicitly stated, everyone present knew that it was Jason who had eliminated the ¡®Erosion Association¡¯ branch in Hans Port. ¡°Thank you, Lord Jason, for all you have done for Hans Port!¡± The maids, attendants, and chefs all bowed. As the staff of Duron Street No. 111, they were the ones who most wished to see Hans Port safe. At this moment, his thanks were also heartfelt. Jason nodded with the crab pliers in hand, then reached for another crab leg. He wasn¡¯t doing this for them. It was just a trade.
He had received from Gerard. So, he had to repay the other party. Jason told himself this, but when Gerard sat beside him, looking at him with gratitude, Jason¡¯s motion of stuffing crab pliers into his mouth still paused. ¡°Thank you.¡± Gerard said sincerely. He only knew that his cousin must have destroyed some strongholds of the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ and even killed the Harbor ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ Sanctuary¡¯s head, Amos. But, he had never thought that his cousin would eradicate the ¡®Erosion Society¡¯ branch in Hans Port entirely. This is really great! Facing Gerard¡¯s gaze, the words that Jason was about to say changed involuntarily as they left his mouth. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°Is what I should do.¡± Snap! Gerard gave Jason¡¯s shoulder a hearty pat. He was very happy. Truly so happy that he could hardly contain himself. Especially after hearing the following report from Reed. ¡°I have confirmed the bodies of Alec, tt, and Amos!¡± ¡°Not one of them has escaped.¡± Saying this, the gratitude on this personal servant¡¯s face could no longer be hidden. Gerard stood up and took several steps forward. Then, he came back and gave Jason¡¯s shoulder a few more heavy pats. Alec, tt, and Amos were too important! As high-ranking members of the ¡®Erosion Society,¡¯ their demise not only served as a deterrent but also allowed the port¡¯s guards to focus more energy on dealing with other enemies. This would affect the course of the battle! Aware of this, Gerard had already begun to rearrange the defensive forces. Of course, he had not forgotten the most critical point. ¡°Who eradicated the ¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯?¡± Gerard asked Reed. ¡°We don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°We are still investigating.¡± ¡°However, since that mysterious powerful individual chose to deal with the ¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯ at this time, they must be a friend, not a foe!¡± Reed replied. Gerard nodded. Then he began to recall who could have helped him at this time. A formerrade-in-arms? Or a past mentor? Or perhaps¡­ The controller of the port mused deeply. Meanwhile, Jason finally stuffed the crab pliers into his mouth, chewing. With a crisp crack, the shell broke open. Strands of crab meat were sucked into Jason¡¯s mouth. Delicious. Sweet. It¡¯s just a shame there¡¯s no vinegar. Jason felt a slight regret. ¡°Delicious!¡± Dennise scooped up crab roe with a spoon and nodded excitedly as she ate. Since the beginning, the girl from the undead hadn¡¯t listened to what the people around her were saying. What ¡®Abandonment Sect¡¯? What ¡®Erosion Society¡¯? She had never heard of them, and what could be better than the crab in her hands? Peters had heard of them, but the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman, distracted by the dried fish, also didn¡¯t pay attention. And just as the three were immersed in the delicious food¡ª Step, step-step. Two guards suddenly rushed over carrying a stretcher at Swift speed. When they clearly saw the person on the stretcher, the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman¡¯s face changed drastically. Pop. The dried fish from his mouth fell to the ground. Chapter 161: 72: The Purpose (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 161: Chapter 72: The Purpose (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) ¡°Hume!¡±
Peters rushed over. Anxiety filled the face of the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman when he saw his junior wrapped in bandages, his eyes turning a deep red. For the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman, there were few people or things in the world he cared about. But Hume was definitely one of them. Because, in Peters¡¯s view, Hume was the one who should have inherited ¡®Cat Hole.¡¯ Not him?
He had always thought that he was only able to inherit ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ because his teacher was delirious before dying. If Hume had inherited ¡®Cat Hole,¡¯ it wouldn¡¯t be in such a mess now. After all, he was just an ordinary person. How could an ordinary person inherit ¡®Cat Hole¡¯? ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Soft coughs came from the stretcher. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman looked down to see his junior struggling to get up. ¡°You lie down¡­¡± ¡°Asshole, you¡¯re pressing on my wound.¡± Hume growled. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman immediately stood up, raising his hands high with a sheepish smile on his face. ¡°Sorry!¡±
¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Hume subconsciously wanted to say something. But looking at the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman in his current state, he found himself at a loss for words. ¡°You¡¯re still the same.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why the teacher would give you the sessor¡¯s position.¡± Hume finally snorted coldly. ¡°Maybe it was because he was delirious before death¡­¡± p! The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman was exining subconsciously, but before he could finish, he was struck to the ground by his junior¡¯s scabbard. ¡°Don¡¯t use such childish excuses to shirk responsibility!¡± Hume growled. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman fell and quite simply yed dead.
If he had fallen, then it was best to lie there motionless. Hey! Is that dried fish on the ground? That¡¯s mine! The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman, reacting instantly, crawled over, picked up the dried fish, blew on it, and put it in his mouth. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been more than three seconds on the ground!¡± ¡°Definitely fine!¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman mumbled to himself as he ate. ¡°Asshole!¡± ¡°It¡¯s been thirty seconds already!¡± Hume bellowed. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman froze, hesitated for a moment, but still did not spit out the dried fish.
However, he had his own way of resolving the issue. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been more than thirty-one seconds on the ground, definitely fine!¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman mumbled to himself again. Huff, puff! Hume was breathing heavily. The wound that the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman had pressed on burst open, spilling blood, and he copsed to the ground. ¡°This is bad!¡± ¡°He¡¯s passed out.¡± ¡°The wound has burst open again!¡± ¡°Quick, call the doctor.¡± The two guards who brought Hume shouted. Suddenly, the vacation cottage was in chaos.
Peters quietly stood in the corner. He looked at his junior being carried into the room, his face filled with deep regret. He just wanted to casually earn a position at ¡®Cat Hole,¡¯ make some money, open a small dried fish shop, marry an ordinary woman and have children when he reached a certain age, pass the shop on to his son when he got old, then die neatly, without suffering from illness. That was his previous wish. And it was his lifelong wish. But ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ vanished under the artillery fire. His wish was doomed to go unfulfilled. Because he had inherited ¡®Cat Hole.¡¯ But ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ was no more, what use was such an inheritance? Maybe it was useful. Maybe it was useless. But regardless, he had been targeted time and again.
He didn¡¯t like violence. But he also didn¡¯t want to be killed, and so he had no choice but to fight back. And such rebellion only made the situation worse. So, he went to Jordan, and became a carriage driver. Though he was poor and even had to ration his dried fish, being away from everything made him feel at peace. Until¡­ Jason arrived. He was pulled back into the vortex once again. He saw his younger fellow disciple once more. Then, as he longed for those ordinary days, he followed behind Jason, drifting further away from the tranquility he remembered. About his days now¡­ He didn¡¯t know how to describe them. Just like he didn¡¯t know how to face the other survivors of Cat Hole. He always thought that not thinking about it meant no problems would arise. That¡¯s what he had done before. But, Can such days continue? Or rather, should they continue? The hesitant Cat Hole Swordsman leaned against a palm tree, greatly wanting to flee just like before. But then, he thought of the life-saving favor from Jason. He couldn¡¯t leave until he had repaid Jason¡¯s kindness. This was one of the few bottom lines of someone who had always been evasive. Is it funny? The Cat Hole Swordsman asked himself. Truly ridiculous. The Cat Hole Swordsman answered himself. Then there was a sigh. ¡°I just want to be an ordinary person.¡± He murmured softly to himself. Then, he suddenly turned around. And saw Dennise staring at him curiously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The Cat Hole Swordsman asked, feeling extremely ufortable under that gaze. ¡°What were you just hiding?¡± Dennise suddenly asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t hiding anything!¡± ¡°I was just picking up some dried fish.¡± The Cat Hole Swordsman exined with a forcedugh. ¡°No!¡± ¡°You were hiding something¡­¡± ¡°Dried fish!¡± ¡°I saw you put the rest of it behind you just now, where has it gone?¡± Dennise questioned while sniffing about as if trying to track down the missing dried fish. But her usually sharp nose couldn¡¯t detect even a hint of the fish at this moment. Dennise looked at the Cat Hole Swordsman with suspicion. Thetter gave a forcedugh and quickly walked toward the room. His sixth sense told him he should stay away from Dennise at this moment. Otherwise¡­ His secret would be discovered. Inside the room, Hume awoke. Seeing Peters enter, the expression on the Swordsman¡¯s face, who was also from Cat Hole, lightened considerably. ¡°You¡¯re notpletely disgraceful.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t run away again.¡± After saying this, he ignored Peters, who wanted to exin, and focused his gaze between Jason and Gerard, sweeping his eyes over the two of them. After several seconds, Hume sighed and said. ¡°I should have thought of this earlier.¡± ¡°Every style has its contingency.¡± ¡°The Griffin is like that.¡± ¡°The Bear is too.¡± ¡°But the Cat¡­ it¡¯s different!¡± ¡°It truly died!¡± Hume seemed to understand everything just from looking at Jason and Gerard, wearing a face full of sorrow. Then, he red at Peters with a more ferocious look, like a bristling kitten. What had he learned? Gerard silently questioned Jason with his eyes. People from Cat Hole are adept at understanding everything. Jason replied with his gaze. After Peters shrank back timidly to one side, Hume turned his head, facing Jason squarely. The kitten spoke word by word¡ª ¡°Ie on behalf of the Revival Society.¡± ¡°The Piper wants to see you.¡± Chapter 162: 73: Preparation (Four more updates~ Please subscribe~ Please vote for monthly tickets~) Chapter 162: Chapter 73: Preparation (Four more updates~ Please subscribe~ Please vote for monthly tickets~) Pied Piper!
The end of one era also signified the beginning of another. Perhaps the other party was not worthy of respect or admiration. But the symbol they represented had deeply prated people¡¯s hearts. Therefore, upon hearing this name, the expressions of those in the vacation cabin varied. Peters trembled. Gerard was solemn.
Jason was intrigued. Dennise? Not understanding, she continued to gnaw on the bone. ¡°Pied Piper, why do you want to see Jason?¡± Gerard¡¯s eyes fixed on Hume, he asked in a deep voice. The Pied Piper was once his most cared-about and most powerful opponent. Without equal. The opponent¡¯s strength was something that remained fresh in Gerard¡¯s memory to this day. Had it not been for his old friend creating numerous opportunities back then, he would have had no chance of defeating the opponent. In a normal state, the opponent¡¯s abilities had surpassed what any ordinary human and the average ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ person could imagine. Or more precisely¡­ That was not a power a ¡®human¡¯ could possess.
At this moment, the opponent wanted to meet his own cousin. For the first time, Gerard felt threatened. No matter when, Gerard had confidence that, as long as he was there, his cousin would be safe and sound. But what about the Pied Piper? He had no confidence! The aura around Gerard fluctuated ever so slightly. Suddenly, the little kitty was suppressed by Gerard¡¯s aura, or rather¡­ crushed. The little kitty trembled, fine beads of sweat forming on its forehead. Without a sound, Peters shed and stood in front of the little kitty. Suddenly, the aura rushing towards the little kitty was cut off by the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman. Only then did the little kitty breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±
¡°I¡¯m just a messenger.¡± The little kitty looked at Gerard, full of wariness in its eyes, but still answered truthfully. Gerard did not doubt this. He knew that Pied Piper wouldn¡¯t make mistakes in such matters. Since he had chosen the little kitty as the messenger. It was certainly because the little kitty knew nothing. Just look at the wounds on the little kitty. If it were an ordinary person, they would have died many times over. However, Gerard still asked. ¡°Why are you delivering the message?¡± He was probing. ¡°I want to break away from the ¡®Revival Society¡¯!¡±
¡°Some other people feel the same way!¡± ¡°But we failed!¡± ¡°We were imprisoned, detained, tortured; the Pied Piper told me that if I delivered the message, he would release ten of them.¡± The little kitty confessed openly. It was very much in keeping with Pied Piper¡¯s style. Gerard nodded his head. ¡°Don¡¯t trust him.¡± ¡°He never keeps his word,¡± the harbor master said. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°But do I have a choice?¡± ¡°The moment the Pied Piper appears, we¡¯re no longer in control of our lives,¡± said the little kitty faintly. He strove not to let any emotion show, but his face was still filled with resentment, sorrow, and a hint of bewilderment.
The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman raised his hand to touch the little kitty¡¯s head. He wanted to offer a guarantee. But he couldn¡¯t. And he couldn¡¯t say it out loud. He could only silently offer constion. But the little kitty raised its hand and pushed away the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡­¡± The little kitty habitually wanted to curse. But having said only one word, looking at the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman standing in front of him, his face also filled with resentment, sorrow, and even more bewilderment, he just couldn¡¯t continue cursing. The two of them stood there, maintaining their silence. Suddenly, the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman asked: ¡°Want some dried fish?¡±
As he spoke, the ¡°Cat Hole¡± swordsman fished out a small dried fish from his person. ¡°Bastard!¡± ¡°All you know is eating!¡± Once again, the kitten swung the scabbard, knocking the ¡°Cat Hole¡± swordsman to the ground. Then, she stormed off to a corner of the room. Watching the ¡°Cat Hole¡± swordsman smashed to the ground, Gerard couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. Such clumsiness. This was how the harbor master judged it. Then, he turned his head and looked at the pensive Jason. ¡°What are you going to do, Jason?¡± Gerard inquired of his cousin. He wouldn¡¯t make decisions for his cousin without permission. All he needed to know was what his cousin wanted to do, and then he would simply cooperate from the sidelines. If they were to meet the Piper, he would apany him. If not? Then they wouldn¡¯t meet. As for the Piper throwing a tantrum in anger? Gerard was all the more eager to see such an event unfold. An irritated opponent is far easier to deal with than a calm one. Although he couldn¡¯t fully replicate his old friend¡¯s strategies, it wasn¡¯t impossible to deal another blow to the Piper, relying on the strength umted at the harbor. Only that would mean¡­ The advantage just gained, all gone. Even worse, in fact. But Gerard didn¡¯t hesitate at all. He was waiting for Jason¡¯s answer. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you think,¡± Jason replied in such a manner. Sugar isn¡¯t that sweet to taste. Even for the Piper, it would be hard to shake off that bizarre presence. Perhaps, he wanted to meet him to use his aid in ridding himself of that strangeness. It was possible that the other party was injured. Or that they were deeply tormented. Either scenario would be to their advantage. But Jason wasn¡¯t thinking about these things. Jason was considering¡ª The timing of the other party¡¯s appearance, was it a little too coincidental? Just as Gerard¡¯s side was greatly encouraged and had gained a certain advantage, the Piper appeared. No matter how Jason thought about it, he felt there was something amiss. It seemed¡­ The cooperation between the ¡°Revival Society¡± and the ¡°New Federation¡± was deeper than imagined. The other party was almost coborating with the ¡°New Federation.¡± Think about the time the Piper, who was supposed to have died, reappeared. And the changes in the ¡°Revival Society¡± before and after. ¡°Was he on the verge of death and captured during the second war?¡± ¡°Or¡­¡± ¡°The Piper who has shown up now is not even the real Piper?¡± Jason thought and shared his thoughts with Gerard. ¡°The Piper wouldn¡¯t be captured.¡± ¡°Although the bastard is untrustworthy and never keeps his word, he would never allow himself to be captured.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen the investigation in Taor City, that kind of strength definitely belongs to the Piper; it¡¯s impossible for anyone else to fake it,¡± Gerard provided such an answer. ¡°Is that so?¡± Jason¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Ideas of another possibility, no, several possibilities, involuntarily surfaced in his mind. However, Jason didn¡¯t express these thoughts. He buried them deep in his heart and then looked towards Hume. ¡°When and where does the Piper want to meet me?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Tomorrow noon.¡± ¡°Octopus Tavern.¡± The kitten replied. ¡°I¡¯ll apany you,¡± Gerard immediately said. ¡°The Piper will only see Jason alone,¡± The kitten added, which made the Lord of the Harbor frown. Just as Gerard was about to say something more, Jason shook his head slightly. ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s better for me to be alone.¡± For instance¡­ Giving out candy! Chapter 163: 74: Arrival (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 163: Chapter 74: Arrival (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Dock area, harbor. Squads of Harbor Guards appeared here at dawn, initiating martialw. All transportation and unloading were postponed. Residents also began to evacuate. No oneined. Because Gerard offered a certain, even substantial,pensation. Withpensation in hand, people immediately treated the martialw like a holiday, with many wearing wide smiles. However, the guards tasked with enforcing martialw wore serious expressions. Especially little Reed, whomanded these men, gripping the long sword at his waist without ever easing his hold. ¡®The Piper¡¯! Upon learning that someone was expected to appear here today at noon, Reed¡¯s heart hung suspended in midair.
Because he didn¡¯t know how to confront such a powerful enemy. An enemy whose strength couldn¡¯t be measured by numbers. For Reed, or indeed for most people, this truly was the most terrifying kind of enemy. And when the other party requested to meet only one person¡­ The danger escted drastically. ¡°I hope the Lord can handle it, I hope Jason remains unharmed,¡± Reed prayed as his gaze shifted toward the entrance ahead. This was the only road leading to the Octopus Tavern. If ¡®The Piper¡¯ were toe, he would inevitably pass through here. And there was less than a quarter of an hour left until the agreed-upon time at noon. Time ticked away second by second. The nerves of the Harbor Guards stationed at the dock area were already taut, their breathing bing uniform, a martial aura unconsciously coalescing among them, and when their gazes swept over, those civilians who were peering curiously at the harbor from a great distance became terrified, instinctively wanting to dodge such gazes. The more timid were scared pale, retreating unconsciously. Meanwhile, the morale of the Harbor Guards continued to grow and soar. Swiftly, as the sun rose to its zenith, their morale peaked. During this moment, their armor rustled as if moved by an unseen wind, a cutting sharpness emanating from each of them, reminiscent of unsheathed swords. The sound of the waves unconsciously grew quieter. The seabirds in the sky had already fled far away. It seemed as if the world contained only this single troop. And then¡ª
Whoo! The fierce wind howled. The fog rolled in. A fog so thick that one couldn¡¯t see their own hand suddenly appeared in front of Hans Port, at the harbor.
And rather, Behind Reed and the others! ¡°Behind us!¡± ¡°From the sea!¡± Startled, Reed instinctively turned around. All others followed suit. The next moment! All pupils contracted. Within their view, obscured by the fog, loomed a figure so gigantic it sent shivers down their spines. It was a height they had never seen before. Compared to this giant, the city walls of the harbor looked like mere mounds of dirt, seemingly crossable in a single step. What was even more terrifying was that with each step the giant took, a tempest roared, and the previously silenced roar of the waves burst forth like a volcano that had been suppressed to its limit and then violently erupted. Boom! Boom! Boom!
Like thunder strikes. Making hearts tremble. The already unprepared Harbor Guards were impacted once again, their earlier sharpness blunted as if rusty. Reed felt an electric sensation racing through his body, reaching his scalp. He felt his body stiffen, his mind freezing. It was as if he were bing a puppet. He bit the tip of his tongue fiercely. The taste of blood spread in his mouth. The pain jolted the guardian of the harbor¡¯s brain. Bringing him a moment of lucidity. It was brief. But it was enough. ¡°Fight!¡± Reed bellowed.
His cry acted like a starter¡¯s pistol. The surrounding Harbor Guards, stunned until that moment, almost instinctively joined in the roar. ¡°Fight!¡± Their voices were not perfectly in unison, nor were they very loud. But it was enough to awaken the Harbor Guards. And then¡ª ¡°Fight!¡± ¡°Fight! Fight!¡± ¡°Fight! Fight! Fight!¡± One cry seeded another. One sound followed another. By the time thest cry of ¡°battle¡± had left the mouth, that sound had already pierced the heavens and once again drowned out the noise of the waves. ng!
The sound of a longsword being unsheathed was faint within the roar. An invisible sword pierced the sky. The wind died away. The waves fell silent. The mist disappeared without a trace. On the sea¡¯s surface, only a small boat slowly approached. There was only one person on the boat. In the noonday sun, his features were indiscernible. But the flute in his hand was clearly visible. ¡°Harbor Guard?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the person on the boat praised lightly,ughing. The admiration in his voice wasn¡¯t feigned. But in the next moment, his smile vanished. Gloomy and icy coldness spread across his face. Murderous intent filled his eyes. ¡°But too conspicuous!¡± He said this, and gently lifted the flute in his hand. A clear and pleasant flute note sounded. Then¡ª Crack! The invisible sword trembled, and cracks appeared on it, all the Harbor Guards, including little Reed, looked as if they had been struck by lightning, with pale faces and trembling bodies. But not a single one of them retreated. They grasped their swords, raised their shields, clenched their teeth, and stared intently at the figure approaching from the sea. Under such scrutiny, the figure seemed to grow even angrier. He was about to raise the flute in his hand again. ¡°You¡¯re also quite a nuisance,¡± a faint voice arose. It came from within the port. To be precise, from 111 Duron Street. With a calm voice, Gerard, who had been sitting in a chair, stood up and walked toward the bay window. He stood there, gazing out at the sea. In an instant¡ª Roar! A proud roar. A scorching breath. In the sky, a griffin¡¯s phantom coalesced from the clouds, staring down at the person on the boat. An undisguised murderous intent shot out of the ¡°griffin¡¯s¡± eyes. The man who was about to raise his ¡°flute¡± stopped. He lifted his head to look at the ¡°griffin¡¯s¡± phantom. Then, he bowed his head slightly, turning his gaze towards 111 Duron Street deep in the port. Separated by ten thousand meters. Their line of sight was not affected in the least. They shed directly. Boom! An even louder thunderous sound than before erupted. It was as if the sky itself would split open. The billowing clouds were blown apart. Nothing remained but the sun. The air itself seemed to freeze. The small boat stopped, no longer advancing. Gerard stood up straight, his breath catching. One second, two seconds, three seconds. Suddenly, Gerard¡¯splexion whitened, and he took a half step back. The prow of the small boat dipped sharply downward. Then the boat moved forward again. The ¡°flute yer¡± now had a hint of a smile on his face. People still couldn¡¯t make out the face of the ¡°flute yer,¡± but they could feel that he was smiling. Such a smile was ufortable to witness. Was the Lord slightly inferior? Everyone¡¯s morale faltered. But then, suddenly! Everyone saw the ¡°flute yer¡¯s¡± smile freeze. Crash! The small boat shattered. Chapter 164: 75: The Food Swings Before My Eyes (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Chapter 164: Chapter 75: The Food Swings Before My Eyes (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Tickets~) The sea churned ceaselessly, waves undting. The small boat was swallowed in an instant. The ¡®Piper¡¯ leaped up. As if flying, hended on the wooden bridge of the harbor. That abruptly changing color, had already returned to normal by the time hended. It seemed as if nothing had happened at all; disregarding the surrounding guards, he strode directly towards the ¡®Octopus Pub¡¯. There were no guards in front of the ¡®Octopus Pub¡¯. The door was open, too. Inside, the tables and chairs had been cleared out save for one table and two chairs. Pea soup, grilled sausages, thin pancakes, and bacon wereid out. Divided into four tes, they were ced in front of Jason.
However, Jason wasn¡¯t attracted to the food before him. He was watching the person at the pub¡¯s entrance. Or more precisely¡­ The ¡®flute¡¯ in the other¡¯s hand! The emerald flute, under the sunlight, shone with dreamlike colors. A scent unlike any before wafted towards him, and Jason couldn¡¯t help but inhale deeply. The next moment¡ª Gurgle, gurgle. The sensation of hunger writhed in his belly like explosives, sting forth as his stomach involuntarily growled. Saliva began to flow like water from a turned faucet, rapidly secreting. He swallowed his saliva and to cover it up, he picked up a grilled sausage and ced it into his mouth. He chewed with big bites. At first, it was a cover, but hunger soon took over, and Jason unconsciously reached for another sausage, then another. One after another. A whole te of grilled sausages was swept clean in just a few breaths. Then, after taking a sip of pea soup, Jason wrapped bacon in a thin pancake and put it in his mouth. Only after all the food on the table was gone did Jasone back to his senses. By then, the ¡®Piper¡¯ was already sitting in front of him, inspecting Jason with a look mixed with curiosity. This was the first time Jason had truly seen the ¡®Piper¡¯.
The other had a narrow face, handsome features, long dark green hair cascaded over his shoulders, and deep eyes as profound as an abyss, looking into them felt like being pulled into its depths. Fear. Terror. This was the impression a normal person got upon seeing the ¡®Piper¡¯ for the first time.
And even involuntarily shuddering. But Jason? Delicious! What did it taste like upon entry? Was it crunchy? Or soft? Sweet or salty? Fried or boiled? Unconsciously, Jason¡¯s eyes once again showed anticipation. The sensation of hunger reemerged in his stomach. The food he had just eaten seemed as if it had never been consumed. Such a gaze made the ¡®Piper¡¯ curious, and also¡­ Gave him an inexplicable shudder.
A shudder that was fleeting. Very faint. As if an illusion. But the pain that welled up within his body was telling him. It was real. He was surely being influenced by ¡®sugar¡¯ again. He told ¡®himself¡¯ that. He had used many methods, but ¡®sugar¡¯ clung to him like a persistent maggot, impossible to shake off. He scanned his surroundings. But found nothing. This made ¡®him¡¯ even more irritable. Squinting his eyes, ¡®he¡¯ masked this irritability. His face took on a kind expression.
¡°Good appetite.¡± The other remarked. ¡°I had a light breakfast.¡± Jason answered. ¡°Is this the consequence of being affected by the ¡®Bizarre¡¯?¡± The ¡®Piper¡¯ continued to inquire. ¡°Mhm.¡± Jason nodded his head. ¡°You¡¯re much luckier than others who have been affected by the ¡®Bizarre¡¯.¡± The ¡®Piper¡¯ said with a smile. ¡°Mhm.¡± Jason nodded once more. They conversed with each other, almost like friends.
However, at this moment, the ¡®Piper¡¯s¡¯ face suddenly darkened. An immense presence bore down on Jason like a mountain. ¡°Who is it?¡± The ¡®Piper¡¯ asked. Confronted by an oppressive force as heavy as a mountain, Jason remained expressionless. He had long since learned to hide his emotions. Lifting his head, his eyes stared directly at the ¡°Pied Piper.¡± Jason said indifferently, ¡°Guess.¡± The intent to kill erupted in the Pied Piper¡¯s eyes. But ¡®he¡¯ restrained himself. ¡®He¡¯ remembered his purpose. ¡°Tell me its information,¡± ¡°I will give up the alliance with the Federation,¡± ¡®he¡¯ said. Jason kept silent. He truly did not know the information of that ¡®Bizarre.¡¯ But even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t say it. Beforeing here, Gerard had already told him not to believe any words from the other party. Although the Pied Piper had be a symbol of an era, it¡¯s his untrustworthiness that left a deeper impression. ¡°Not enough?¡± ¡°What if I ally with Gerard again?¡± the Pied Piper continued. Jason shook his head. ¡°What, you don¡¯t believe me?¡± the Pied Piper asked with a smile. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Gerard who wouldn¡¯t ally with you,¡± Jason said with certainty. Although their acquaintance had been brief, Jason hade to understand Gerard¡¯s character well enough. Gerard would definitely not ally with someone like the Pied Piper. Just as Gerard and his old friend had parted ways. Ideologies! Differing ideologies, when theye close¡­ There¡¯s only collision! Only explosion! Only Devouring! Only one can remain! There is no such thing as tolerance! ¡°Heh.¡± The Pied Piper chuckled softly as ¡®he¡¯ started fiddling with his ¡®flute.¡¯ This ¡®flute¡¯ that sent shivers down the spine of everyone in the ¡®Federation,¡¯ attracted Jason¡¯s gaze. The Pied Piper clearly misunderstood this attraction. ¡®He¡¯ did not see the desire and restraint in Jason¡¯s eyes. Or rather, ¡®he¡¯ mistook such desire and restraint for fear and timidity. Therefore, ¡®he¡¯ said calmly the next moment, ¡°Gerard is Gerard.¡± ¡°And you?¡± the Pied Piper asked in this manner. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I naturally stand by Gerard¡¯s side.¡± ¡°After all, he¡¯s my cousin,¡± Jason said slowly. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s really a pity.¡± ¡°I originally thought we would have a good conversation.¡± ¡°And that we might reach some understanding.¡± ¡°What a pity¡­¡± ¡°You seem too little to cherish it!¡± With these words, an even more powerful killing intent burst forth from the Pied Piper. This intent affected reality itself. The entire ¡®Octopus Tavern¡¯ began to tremble as if it might copse at any moment. Then, the Pied Piper sat unmoved, pointing the ¡®flute¡¯ directly at Jason. This was the most direct threat. But to Jason, it only made the scent all the more intense. A threat? Nonexistent! What existed was food! And moreover¡­ The food was right in front of his eyes! Jason licked his lips, warning himself to prioritize the bigger picture, not to act impulsively. But he couldn¡¯t help fantasizing, what would happen if he suddenly took a bite now¡­? No, I mustn¡¯t do this! I have to consider the bigger picture! he thought. Thought. Thought. And then¡­ He bit down on the ¡®flute¡¯ within his reach. Chapter 173 - 84: Choosing to Accept (Please subscribe~ Please vote~) Chapter 173: Chapter 84: Choosing to ept (Please subscribe~ Please vote~) Dennise held her head high, looking at Jason. Her face bore an expression that screamed ¡®I¡¯m so clever.¡¯ Jason couldn¡¯t hold it in. He raised his hand and smacked her smooth forehead. Thwack! In the crisp sound, Dennise covered her head, her steps faltered, her lips pouted, and she looked quite aggrieved. However, the next moment¡ª ¡°You can¡¯t use your hands to eat at dinner,¡± Jason reminded. ¡°Okay~¡± Instantly, Dennise cracked a smile and hopped toward Jason, chasing after him. When she saw Jason standing in a corner contemting, she didn¡¯t bother him and just walked around nearby, full of anticipation. As for helping Jason solve the problem? Dennise remembered what her mother had said: not to be a nuisance is the greatest help you can offer to others. Dennise took it to heart. In her heart, she was just an ordinary person. A problem even Jason couldn¡¯t solve. How could she possibly solve it? This wasn¡¯t like reading a novel where a flick of the fingers and a page-turn made everything better. So, she kept silent. Jason nced at Dennise who was within ¡®arm¡¯s reach¡¯ and, after assuring himself she wouldn¡¯t get into trouble, he started to muse. How could Gerard¡¯s wedding be postponed? Unconsciously, Jason slipped into the ¡®Nightless City¡¯ mindset¡ª Take out that ¡®aunt¡¯ Lym! I can¡¯t solve the problem. But I can take out the person causing the problem. It was the most direct and simplest solution, and it¡¯s the evesting kind. But he was destined not to do that. Shaking his head, he pulled himself out of the ¡®Nightless City¡¯ mindset. Jason tried his best to think of a normal solution. Then he realized¡­ There was none! There really was none! Gerard, who respected his own mother, was destined not to outright defy her. And his ¡®aunt,¡¯ who had gone through so much and was incredibly resolute, couldn¡¯t be swayed by ordinary persuasion. This ordinary included Jason himself. ¡°Tough,¡± Jason sighed and looked toward Gerard, weaving through the crowd. Although Gerard walked among the people, his attention was always on Jason; when he saw Jason look at him, the harbormaster immediately showed a hopeful expression. However, when he saw Jason helplessly shrug to indicate there was no solution, the harbormaster immediately became dejected. But it was only a fleeting moment. As he looked to the next person, Gerard returned to a smiling demeanor. Only¡­ The smile seemed a bit stiff. At this moment, for the first time, he thought, wouldn¡¯t it be nice if I weren¡¯t the harbormaster? If I were not the harbormaster, I wouldn¡¯t have so many worries and wouldn¡¯t be so exhausted. Walking on the beach and sparring with my cousin every day, swinging swords and shedding sweat¡ªthat would be the most exhrating life. Unfortunately, there were no ifs. Gerard¡¯s character meant that he wouldn¡¯t cowardly flee. Nor would hey the burden that was rightfully his on others. He would bear it all on his own. Therefore, such thoughts merely circled his mind before disappearing without a trace. Then, Gerard resigned himself, waiting for his ¡®verdict.¡¯ About ten minutester, an elderly woman d in ck walked into 111 Duron Street. Suddenly, the rtives that had gathered around Gerard swarmed toward the olddy, bustling about her with warm greetings and ttery. Gerard seized this rare moment of respite and quickly walked over to Jason¡¯s side. ¡°I never thought I would have my wedding like this,¡± Gerard sighed softly. Jason wanted tofort Gerard, but he couldn¡¯t find the words of sce. In the end, Jason said: ¡°I¡¯ll be by your side, now or in the future, it¡¯s all the same.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Gerard responded. As the harbormaster, Gerard looked at Jason and made a promise-like deration, ¡°No matter if it¡¯s now or in the future, I too will stand by your side to face any dangers together.¡± Having said this, the two men exchanged a smile. This was the pure friendship between men. Though it had begun from kinship. Afterward, the two talked softly about trivial matters. They didn¡¯t stop their chat until ¡®Aunt¡¯ Lym came over, and they walked out of the corner of the banquet hall. ¡°Gerard, you are the master of this ce, you should always stand in the most dazzling spot.¡± ¡°Jason, you are Gerard¡¯s cousin; even if you want to avoid tiresome socializing, you can only do so after the party has ended, not during it, by staying away in a corner.¡± Aunt Lym came over and chided Gerard and Jason. The two looked at each other and spread their hands together. This made the old woman frown. However, she didn¡¯t say anything more. Instead, she turned around to look at the rtives. ¡°Wee to Hans Port, to number 111 on Duron Street.¡± ¡°Today is a special day.¡± ¡°It was today that Hans left us.¡± The old woman said, her expression filled with sorrow. Jason nced at the ck clothes on the old woman and realized with a start. Today was the anniversary of ¡®Uncle¡¯ Hans¡¯s death. But to have a wedding on the day of someone¡¯s death¡­ It seemed quite odd. Jason couldn¡¯t help but look towards Gerard. Then he saw Gerard¡¯s surprised and astonished expression. ¡°My mother rarely talked about my father¡¯s passing.¡± ¡°Today is the first time I learned the date of my father¡¯s death.¡± ¡°When I used to ask, my mother would fly into a rage, and after several times, I just stopped asking.¡± Noticing Jason¡¯s gaze, Gerard exined softly. Jason listened and frowned. He felt something was off. But he remained silent, just quietly listening to the old woman continue. ¡°At that time, Hans was aboard the ¡®Queen Mary¡¯ heading to the Southern Archipgo.¡± ¡°Sadly, a storm engulfed the ¡®Queen Mary¡¯.¡± ¡°Hans and all the passengers aboard perished.¡± ¡°Because it happened so suddenly, Hans left no will behind, and I, with young Gerard, became the manager of Hans Port¡­¡± The old woman narrated with a heartbreaking voice. Then, she began to talk about some memories of Uncle Hans. Bit by bit, Jason formed a clearer picture of his ¡®Aunt¡¯ in front of him and the uncle he had never met. Watching his mother, Gerard¡¯s gaze was full of respect. Only Gerard, who had lived through these events, could understand what his mother had endured. To say it was a narrow escape from death would not be an exaggeration. He distinctly remembered, when naive and young, trying to help a fallendy, she drew a knife, and his mother stepped in front of him to take the hit. The blood sprayed directly onto his face. It was warm. Just like his mother¡¯sforting smile at that time. ¡®Gerard, it¡¯s okay.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s just a minor wound, rest a bit and it will be fine.¡¯ The once-blurred memories became clear all at once. This made Gerard¡¯sst bit of reluctance disappear without a trace. Even for my mother, I should not run away. Gerard admonished himself, feeling guilty about his own ¡®willfulness.¡¯ And it was at this moment that young Reed suddenly entered the room. He avoided most people and quietly came to Gerard¡¯s side, whispering©¤ ¡°My lord, Princess Carol ra has been assassinated!¡± Chapter 166: 77 History Chapter 166: Chapter 77 History Text flickered before Jason¡¯s eyes¡ª
[Swallowed a fraction of the ¡®Cerek¡¯s Pipe¡¯ essence!] [Physical strength and energy (injuries) restored to the maximum extent possible!] [Satiety +66] [Satiety: 45] (Having removed the previous depletion from death.) [Excitement of Feast +2] [Excitement of Feast: 4]
¡­ 66 points of satiety! 2 points of Excitement of Feast! This was by far, Jason¡¯srgest single gain, especially the Excitement of Feast; he had never gained 2 points at once before. And now, with 4 points of Excitement of Feast, it was enough to elevate Jason¡¯s ¡®Secret Keeping¡¯ enhanced ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ from Proficient to Mastery Level! However, Jason¡¯s gaze lingered on ¡®Barehanded Combat¡¯ at the expert level. From proficiency to expert level, aside from bringing Jason a multitude ofbat experiences and techniques, ¡®Barehanded Combat¡¯ also brought gains of 0.1 to his constitution, strength, and agility in each aspect, which was quite substantial. The benefits were already substantial at the expert level. So¡­ What about beyond the expert level, at the master level? Looking at the 15 points of satiety and 2 points of Excitement of Feast required to raise ¡®Barehanded Combat¡¯ to master level, and the 20 points of satiety and 3 points of Excitement of Feast needed for ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ to reach proficiency level, Jason hesitated. Clearly, he could only enhance one of the two¡ª¡¯Barehanded Combat¡¯ or ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯.
Would he choose ¡®Barehanded Combat¡¯ which could rapidly increase his own power? Or ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ which could deal with the ¡®Bizarre¡¯? Ultimately, Jason chose ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯! Because ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ was his only means to address the ¡®Bizarre¡¯ at the moment! Facing some ¡®Bizarre¡¯ without the potential for a qualitative change in his own strength would leave himpletely powerless, just amb to the ughter. Even with Jason¡¯s somewhat ¡®undying¡¯ trait, he absolutely did not want to face such a scenario. Of course, there was another reason for choosing ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯! ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ was rted to his profession ¡®Night Watcher¡¯! The explicit requirement for ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ in the advancement conditions to the higher profession, ¡®Value Night Person¡¯, was enough to tell Jason the importance of ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯. [Yes/No¡ªSpend 20 points of satiety and 3 points of Excitement of Feast to upgrade ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ (Proficient ¡ú Mastery)?] ¡°Yes!¡± After contemting, Jason did not hesitate any longer and directly gave a positive answer.
[Protection Against Evil (Mastery): You have not only mastered this seal imprint secret technique, but also enhanced it with special power! In the city¡¯s night, it can withstand most malice, but you still need to expend a great deal of physical strength to activate this secret technique! In the heritage of your Night Watcher, one of them made some changes to it, thus, you also mastered the long-range attack technique; effects: 1, a force field attached to the body¡¯s surface that can protect against attacks from negative energy beings (Explosive-level), and can dispel them and their rted powers (Explosive-level); 2, you can target the expulsion of evil power at beings or objects within a 6-meter radius with you at the center for a long-range attack.] ¡­ [¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ upgraded to Mastery Level, gained inherent master option: Glyph Replication] [Glyph Replication: You can store a ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ in advance, it has the same expense as a regr ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯, but can only exist for 3 days, during which the power of ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ will gradually weaken, and at the end of the 3rd day, the power of the seal imprint willpletely disappear; you can replenish ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ at any time within the 3 days; when released, only a short Dufol Language syble (Yi) is needed.] (Annotation: omitted) ¡­ The protection level really reached ¡®Explosive-level¡¯, and the distance increased by another meter. What truly brought Jason joy was the mastery option ¡®Glyph Replication¡¯. An extra ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯! And the release method was simplified to merely require a simple Dufol Language syble (Yi). Even if it would weaken over time, it was enough to give Jason more handling methods in the face of certain dangers. He nced satisfactorily over ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ now at mastery level.
To reach the next level (expert), ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ would need 25 points of satiety and 4 points of Excitement of Feast. To this, Jason was not surprised. ¡°As ¡®Protection Against Evil¡¯ enhanced by ¡®Secret Keeping¡¯ bes more powerful, its consumption also increases.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know what the Night Watcher¡¯s advancement profession is,¡± Jason thought silently. At the same time, the desire to return to ¡®Lorde¡¯ deepened. Because only there could he urately find information about ¡®profession¡¯. And about Hans Port? Jason couldn¡¯t confirm. After pondering for a moment, Jason¡¯s gaze turned to Gerard. What could be better than asking Gerard about matters of the Mystical Side? As the head of Hans Port.
One of the founders of the New Federation. Gerard could be considered one of the most knowledgeable people about the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ of this world. At that moment, Gerard was still thinking about how to defend. However, when he sensed Jason¡¯s gaze, he immediately looked up with a smile. ¡°Jason, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Gerard asked his cousin. ¡°Gerard, do you know of any systematic powers within the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not referring to a school.¡± ¡°But beyond schools,¡± Jason asked hesitantly after a slight pause. ¡°Beyond schools?¡± ¡°As far as I know, there are!¡±
¡°But what exactly they are, I can¡¯t verify!¡± Gerard thought carefully and then responded. Then, the head of the port seriously exined to Jason: ¡°Before the Old Federation, there was a period known as the ¡®Chaotic Era¡¯, whichsted for nearly 1500 years.¡± ¡°At that time, most of the schools we know today had not yet truly formed; there were only rumors of dragons, serpents, tigers, and crows. The ¡®serpent¡¯ and ¡®tiger¡¯ of that era are different from the ¡®Serpent¡¯s Nest¡¯ and ¡®Tiger Mountain¡¯ you know now, or rather, the current ¡®Serpent¡¯s Nest¡¯ and ¡®Tiger Mountain¡¯ are just offshoots of what was handed down from that time.¡± ¡°Between the ¡®Chaotic Era¡¯ and the ¡®Old Federation¡¯, there were also some witch and wizard schools intermixed.¡± ¡°However, ording to my research, the origins of these witch and wizard schools are half true and half false.¡± At this point, Gerard paused. Allowing Jason to fully digest this information, the head of the port continued: ¡°ording to records, before the ¡®Chaotic Era¡¯, there was an even more magnificent and radiant period¡ª¡¯The Queen Era¡¯!¡± ¡°A Queen named Mary ruled that era for nearly 1000 years, then, with the disappearance of the queen, the ¡®James Dynasty¡¯ began to copse and disintegrated in less than a century.¡± ¡°Of course, most schrs believe this to be the ¡®James Dynasty¡¯ embellishing their own history.¡± ¡°Because it is impossible for someone to live up to 1000 years, even for the masters recognized by the Mystical Side, 200 years is a limit.¡± ¡°Let alone finding the so-called ¡®Queen Mary¡¯s¡¯ tomb in the ¡®Chaotic Era¡¯.¡± ¡°Moreover, the records of the ¡®James Royal Family¡¯ regarding this queen are minimal, as if deliberately erased by someone.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re interested in this part of history, you can have a look in my study.¡± ¡°These records are considered secrets.¡± ¡°Very difficult to find.¡± After finishing, Gerard looked at his cousin, who was frowning, feeling a pang of heartache. He misunderstood Jason¡¯s frown as frustration from not having core secret techniques to form a systematic power. Therefore, the head of the port immediately said: ¡°Jason, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I have prepared a gift for you!¡± As he spoke, Gerard took a box from his bosom and handed it to Jason. Chapter 167: 78: Secret Weapon (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) Chapter 167: Chapter 78: Secret Weapon (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) Jason looked at the box Gerard handed him. ¡°Open it.¡± ¡°This is specially prepared for you.¡± The maritime authority figure smiled and said, then added, ¡°Consider it a reward for recently facing the ¡®Pied Piper¡¯ alone on my behalf, not a debt you owe me.¡± Although he had not spent much time with Jason, Gerard had already figured out Jason¡¯s temperament and character. Naturally, Gerard knew what to do. As expected, Jason, who had been somewhat hesitant, nodded slightly and epted the box upon hearing Gerard¡¯s words. The box was wooden, without a lock, and light to the touch. Upon opening it, there were only two test tubes inside. One crimson, one profound. The crimson one was like fire, giving a sensation of a me¡¯s scorching upon sight.
The profound one was like night, touching it felt as if one were under the tranquil starry sky. ¡°Charles Burning Technique, ir Exorcism Technique, and Blud Defense Technique are all independent secret techniques I acquired while sorting through the ¡®Chaotic Era¡¯ material!¡± ¡°They are notplete, but they are unique enough.¡± ¡°Evenpared to the systematic secret techniques I have learned, they are not inferior and are even at the forefront.¡± ¡°Of course, the most important thing is¡­¡± ¡°Their rejection reaction is very small.¡± Listening to Gerard¡¯s introduction, Jason¡¯s eyes lit up. Charles Burning Technique was deeply studied and researched by Gerard, Butler Reed, and young Reed, especially Butler Reed, who used it as his mainbat secret technique. ir Exorcism Technique, during their time at the embassy, Jason saw Gerard¡¯s guards using it collectively, somewhat like a weaker version of ¡°Protection Against Evil.¡± And Blud Defense Technique? Jason furrowed his brows. ¡°Blud Defense Technique is arge-scale defensive secret technique to protect 111 Duron Street.¡± ¡°It requires many people and various materials to be cast.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t hinder an individual from constructing a defense.¡± Gerard saw what Jason was puzzled about and immediately exined. Then, he pointed at the two test tubes inside the box. ¡°They are the potions required when learning the Charles Burning Technique and ir Exorcism Technique.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that they cannot be mastered without the potions, but studying the iplete Charles Burning Technique and ir Exorcism Technique is too exhausting and the rejection is great.¡± ¡°Therefore, I made some changes to the Charles Burning Technique and ir Exorcism Technique.¡±
¡°The Blud Defense Technique does not need a potion to assist, it is very gentle on the self, and it is almost harmless.¡± Having said that, Gerard pointed to the potion representing the ir Exorcism Technique. ¡°Jason, your aura is the closest to it.¡± ¡°I suggest you drink it first.¡±
¡°Of course, learning Charles Burning Technique is also possible, it¡¯s up to you to choose.¡± While speaking, Gerard took out a book. ¡°You might have some doubts about these three secret techniques, this will exin them to you.¡± Gerard handed the book to Jason. The man seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. The setting sun shone on the face of the maritime authority figure, resplendently bright, but it couldn¡¯t hide his fatigue. ¡°Jason, I¡¯m going to rest for a bit.¡± ¡°Call me when we get home.¡± Gerard said softly. ¡°Mm.¡± Jason nodded. Almost at the moment Jason affirmed his response, Gerard could be heard gently snoring. The maritime authority figure was more fatigued than Jason had imagined.
Jason nced at Gerard, ced the box with the potions to one side, picked up the book in hand, and quietly began to browse through it. Before taking the potion, he believed he needed to fully understand the three secret techniques. ¡­ In the New Federation, in the capital, Golsai. Within the towering Mobius Pce. The new nobility gathered together. They dressed impably, invish clothes, swords slung at their waists, engaging in lively conversation. As the victors over the old Federation, They reveled in the fruits of their victory, far beyond mere wealth. It was something beyond whatmon people could imagine. Or rather, their joy is something you could never fathom. In the power center of the New Federation, they indulged in idle talk about the beauty of certain youngdies, pontificating about the fashions of Golsai, withughter interspersed with various mishaps and amusing anecdotes. Most of the new nobility were like this.
Only a very few of the new nobility had serious expressions on their faces. These were some of the new nobility who still maintained what they believed to be ¡°honor.¡± The honor belonging to the battlefield! At least, they had appeared on the battlefield before. Thus, they all wore swords and daggers. This was one of the ¡°honors.¡± And as long as one had been to the battlefield, Gerard was a figure they could never circumvent. ¡°Are we really going to war with the south?¡± A member of the new nobility asked. He wasn¡¯t old, not yet middle-aged, but the sagging skin, therge belly, and the dark circles under his eyes made him look no different from someone in their forties or fifties. Especially that longsword, which because of his plump belly, had already skewed to one side, making one wonder if this member of the new nobility could smoothly draw it. And while asking the question, the nervous uncertainty within him was akin to a plump old mouse about to face a cat. ¡°Of course!¡±
¡°War is inevitable!¡± ¡°The battlefield will be the best ce to establish our merits!¡± Another upright-standing member of the new nobility replied. His hand gripped an ornate longsword, his face full of eager anticipation. His body as lean as a pole, with not an ounce of sturdiness, although he believed he stood tall and straight, in the eyes of others, was still lopsided. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°We have to face that person.¡± Another member of the new nobility joined in. His face etched with worry. The initial plump noble¡¯s face instantly filled with fear. The upright noble¡¯s hand holding the sword trembled, and his already unsteady body seemed to sway even more, as if he was about to fall. And those new nobility who had been discussing Golsai¡¯s fashion, gossip, and which miss was most beautiful, all stopped as well. In this moment, the Mobius Pce was engulfed in silence. It was a threat emanating from one man. It was also the imposing dignity of one man. ¡®Griffin¡¯ Gerard. He was like a boulder pressing down on the hearts of these new nobility, causing them to tremble with fear during their pleasures, to wake up from their sleep startled, and to feel unsettled every time they stood here. A momentter, the first plump noble let out a few dryughs. He broke the oppressive silence. ¡°The lord has prepared the new weapon, hasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t really need to go to the battlefield, do we?¡± ¡°After all, we are nobility!¡± ¡°Going to the battlefield is the soldiers¡¯ affair, we only need tomand!¡± The words of this plump member of the new nobility immediately garnered the approval of all the other nobles present. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°All we need is tomand!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need to go the battlefield!¡± One by one, they nodded in agreement, visibly relieved. As for the lord? There were once two individuals the new nobility referred to as lord. Now? There was only one! The heir to Duke Aymodun! The ruler of the Federation! At this moment, the personal attendant of this ruler entered. ¡°My lords, please follow me.¡± ¡°The lord says, it is time to show the noble lords the true new weapon.¡± The attendant spoke humbly and deferentially. The true new weapon? All the members of the new nobility were taken aback. Then, they quickly became excited, one by one following the personal attendant up toward the higher levels of the pce. After a full half-hour, when all the new nobility were panting and out of breath, they reached the second-highest level of the Mobius Pce. As they were inwardly cursing the lord for not using more convenient human lifts, they looked up and saw that massive object. ¡°Is this our new weapon?¡± The new nobles asked with trembling lips, and upon seeing the personal attendant nod in confirmation, those originally fatigued nobles reacted as if they had been injected with arge dose of a potent heart stimnt. They became excited once again, and a few even began to shout in a frenzy¡ª ¡°We can win!¡± ¡°We will definitely win!¡± ¡°With it, we are invincible!¡± Chapter 178: 89: When I Become You (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) Chapter 178: Chapter 89: When I Be You (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) Jason forcefully tore at the hockey mask. Pain spread across his face as if he were tearing at his own cheeks. It felt as though the hockey mask had fused with his face. How am I supposed to eat? Jason was shocked! You see, apart from the eye holes, the hockey mask only had a few breathing holes, the rest waspletely sealed off. There was no way to get food into his mouth. Am I going to starve to death? No, that¡¯s not right! I can make a straw from nt stems, passing it through the breathing holes to eat liquid food.
With ¡®Holy Water¡¯ to cook fish, crushed into pieces, it should suffice for my daily needs. Jason thought seriously. Then, he raised his hand to the position of his mouth. As his fingers touched his lips and he subconsciously opened his mouth, he touched his teeth and tongue. This¡­ Can I still eat with my mouth? Jason was startled, followed by endless joy. What pleasure is there in living if even the instinct to eat is stripped away? As for the hockey mask that couldn¡¯t be removed? As long as I can make sure to eat, then it doesn¡¯t matter if it can¡¯t be taken off. After all, he wasn¡¯t someone who fed on his looks. With that thought, Jason turned and walked toward the separate courtyard. He needed to check if Gerard had woken up. Then, to ry everything that had happened here to Gerard. The acts of Aunt Lym, he really couldn¡¯tprehend them. He needed to learn more information from Gerard. But then, something even more horrifying happened. As he had just approached the courtyard, the guards who had been stationed outside and were previously unconscious but now awake immediately bowed to him¡ª ¡°My lord.¡±
My lord?! Jason stopped in his tracks. Inside 111 Duron Street, there were many people who were addressed with respect. But without a surname, there was only one person who would be directly called ¡®my lord¡¯!
Gerard! Only Gerard would be addressed as my lord! And those who could serve as guards here would certainly not recognize the wrong person! This means¡­ ¡°I have be Gerard!¡± After this conjecture surfaced in Jason¡¯s mind, he immediately quickened his pace. He needed to confirm some things. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Reed rearranging the guards. Seeing Jason walk in, the personal butler was momentarily stunned and then, catching the hint in Jason¡¯s gaze, immediately bowed. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°It¡¯s great that you coulde back.¡± ¡°Mr. Jason has just suffered a slight injury and is resting.¡± ¡°Would you like to check on him?¡±
¡°Hmm.¡± Jason didn¡¯t speak, just nodded his head. His voice was different from Gerard¡¯s. Gerard¡¯s voice was more robust. While his was deeper. Before he could confirm that point, Jason couldn¡¯t afford to show any ws. ¡°Please follow me,¡± Reed said. Jason followed Reed closely, walking briskly into the backyard. Seeing Jason walk in, Peters and Hume stood stock-still on the spot. But Dennise took a sniff. Then, with delight, she ran over. ¡°Jason, you can actually change faces!¡± Dennise curiously looked at Jason and was about to reach out to tug at Jason¡¯s facial skin.
This time, Jason didn¡¯t need to dodge. Reed directly stepped in front of Jason. ¡°Miss Dennise, that¡¯s impolite.¡± After speaking, he winked at Dennise. Dennise also winked back. Reed believed that Dennise had gotten his message. He immediately stepped aside, and just as Reed moved away, Dennise continued to raise her hand, but still came up empty. No one knew the character of their own dog better than Jason. He swatted away Dennise¡¯s paw, grabbed her by the nape of the neck, and headed straight for the room. In the room, he saw Gerard in deep sleep. ¡°Although Aunt Lym lifted Gerard¡¯s ¡®Bloodline Curse¡¯, such lifting wasn¡¯tpleted in an instant.¡± ¡°It should require quite a long time.¡± ¡°And during this time, Hans Port cannot be without a leader.¡±
¡°So¡­¡± ¡°I became the temporary leader!¡± Once he confirmed Gerard was still in deep sleep, everything became obvious. At the same time, the text in front of Jason shed again¡ª [Main Mission Changed Again!] [Main Mission: Manage Hans Port in Gerard¡¯s stead until he awakens!] ¡­ Looking at the brand new main mission, Jason took a deep breath. Was managing Hans Port easy? Not easy! Not easy at all! It seemed manageable only because the leader was Gerard, Gerard with absolute strength! What if someone else took over? Hans Port would copse instantly. Not to mention other things, the constantly approaching New Federation troops alone could throw the entire Hans Port into chaos. Gerard did not conceal this information from him. Therefore, Jason very well understood what Hans Port would look like without Gerard. Of course, he was even clearer that the oneing this time wasn¡¯t the original Aymodun III, but the ¡®Pied Piper¡¯ wearing Aymodun III¡¯s ¡®skin¡¯. Already difficult to deal with! Now? For him, it was downright hell mode. As for escaping? Let¡¯s not even talk about the main mission. Merely facing Gerard in aa, Jason couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye. At the very least, he had to hold out until the other party woke up. ¡°Think of it as a vacation.¡± ¡°The rest¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± He spoke softly, adjusting his mindset. Then, he turned his head to look at Little Reed. ¡°What should I do?¡± Jason asked. When Jason asked that question, Little Reed let out a sigh of relief. This personal servant was truly worried that Jason would wash his hands of the matter. Although ording to Jason¡¯s disyed character, he wasn¡¯t that kind of person, that was only under normal circumstances. What he would actually do at a crucial moment, Little Reed couldn¡¯t guarantee. Fortunately, Jason did not disappoint him. No! Rather, he was truly worthy of being Lord Gerard¡¯s cousin. Like Lord Gerard, he possessed the most noble of virtues. ¡°You need to immediately take charge of the situation.¡± ¡°Exin the recent cause.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°What happened at 111 Duron Street?¡± Little Reed quickly assumed his role and asked Jason with the same attitude he would with Gerard. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°By the time I got there¡­¡± Jason concealed the details after leaving 111 Duron Street. He simply said that it was a part of Aunt Lym¡¯s arrangement to lift Gerard¡¯s ¡®Bloodline Curse¡¯. Including him bing Gerard, it was also part of the n. ¡°Aunt Lym and Butler Reed arepleting the final step of lifting the ¡®Bloodline Curse¡¯.¡± ¡°Gerard will awaken when thest part of the curse is lifted.¡± Jason said. It wasn¡¯t that Jason didn¡¯t trust Little Reed. But in this era where the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ thrived, even being ten times more cautious wasn¡¯t excessive. Little Reed was trustworthy. Precisely because of this, Little Reed could potentially be a target for some people. ¡°So that¡¯s what it is.¡± Little Reed had no doubts. Then, the personal servant bowed, and Jason stepped out. He recalled in his mind Gerard¡¯s posture while walking and his tone of speaking. Since he was temporarily taking Gerard¡¯s ce, he hoped he could do his best. Little Reed followed behind, observing the transition from slightly awkward, to familiar, to almost feeling like he was seeing Lord Gerard, all in the short walk from the back yard to the front yard, and then out the door. The personal servant was full of surprise. And right at that time¡ª Whoosh! Chapter 169: 80: Your Most Loyal Servant Has Arrived (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Ticket~) Chapter 169: Chapter 80: Your Most Loyal Servant Has Arrived (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Ticket~) Since being used by Jason as eyes, a shield, and arge projectile weapon, Raymond, the ¡®sniper¡¯ of the New Federation, hadpletely passed out. When he woke up again, he found himself in the jail at 111 Duron Street. Raymond was not surprised by this. In fact, in his mind, he had already imagined the miserable encounters he would face in theing days. Severe torture was inevitable. Intimidation and enticement weremon. However, he was the New Federation¡¯s ¡®number one sniper¡¯. He would absolutely not submit! He would definitely defend his ¡®honor¡¯! Only¡­ No one paid any attention to him!
Forget severe torture and intimidation, within this jail cell, other than the guard who brought meals once a day, he hadn¡¯t seen anyone else! Was he being ignored? No! No, no! This must be a conspiracy! These people must be trying to lull me intocency! They want me to let my guard down! And then, to reveal my weaknesses! Humph, humph, humph, I, the Federation¡¯s number one sniper, would not make such a mistake! Raymond thought to himself, firmly believing this was another new form of ¡®interrogation¡¯. Several days went by. Still, everything remained the same. One meal a day. In the meantime, a doctor came to examine his injuries in detail. And asked him if he felt unwell. That kind and friendly attitude was not how one faced a prisoner, but rather as if facing one of their own. This made Raymond even more certain that he was undergoing a new form of ¡®interrogation¡¯. However, as the Federation¡¯s number one sniper, how could he fall for such a trick? He would not only avoid the trap, but he would also give the people of Hans Port a big surprise. He was adept at uncovering!
Even if he only had a spoon in his hand! And the guard¡¯s once-a-day meal delivery routine gave him plenty of time. At night, after finishing the only meal of the day, Raymond quickly picked up the spoon from the dinner te and began to dig, having almost an entire day and night; the guards would bring new food the next evening. But!
By then, Raymond would have left this ce! The spoon in his hands slid back and forth along the crevices between bricks, making a hissing sound with its rapid movement. The moon set and the sun rose. He had dug halfway, judging by feel. The sun reached its zenith. He felt he was about to reach the ground. The sun nted west. Finally reaching the ground, he saw a girl. Dressed in a cloth dress, with braided hair, her face brimming with vitality. The girl¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at him. It seemed¡­ She was about to scream?! No!
He was about to seed! How could he fail at this moment?! Raymond, snapping back to reality, burst out of the hole he had dug, about to knock the girl unconscious. That¡¯s right, knock her unconscious. He would not kill innocently. As the Federation¡¯s number one sniper, aside from military assignments, he would not strike any innocent person, let alone a harmless-looking girl like this one. His palm was about to touch the girl¡¯s neck. Seeing her wide-eyed look, Raymond unconsciously held back a little. Then¡­ Two cold, broken des were poised at his neck. Twelve chilling, bone-prating spears pointed their tips at all the remaining vital parts of his body. Three hundred arrows filled with negative energy locked onto him. Even more terrifying was that an oppressive figure was slowly enveloping him, preventing his hand from moving forward another inch.
Undead! Countless undead! As Raymond, specially trained by the Federation, of course, knew about the undead. He had even seen them with his own eyes and dealt with them. As long as one let go of the fear in their heart. If handled correctly, the undead weren¡¯t so scary. Therefore, the undead could not frighten this sniper. But¡­ Weren¡¯t there just too many undead in front of him? And! ¡°Why aren¡¯t they afraid of sunlight?¡± Doubt arose in Raymond¡¯s heart, but what puzzled him more was the shadow that was about to engulf him. This shadow was different from the sudden ones around him.
It was more solid. And more terrifying. Just getting slightly closer to it made him feel as though he was about to be frozen stiff. This must be their leader! At this level, it was almost a Fierce Spirit, right? Could it be that Fierce Spirits were lurking on Duron Street? Why hadn¡¯t Gerard noticed? More doubts began to surface. Next? Raymond saw something he would never forget in his life. The shadow, close to the level of a Fierce Spirit, knelt before the harmless girl. ¡°Your Majesty, the Queen,¡± the shadow addressed with respect. Queen? Your Majesty? Raymond felt as if struck by lightning, his wide eyes seemingly witnessing such a scene¡ª No sun in the sky. No moon at night. Endless darkness. The earth, parched and cracked. Countless shadows flitting ethereally. Countless shadows fleeting and uncertain. mes flickered in their eyes. Their weapons in hand were real. A condensing chill wind swept over thend of the living. Like a natural disaster heralding the end of the world. The end of the world? The end of the world! Raymond trembled all over. He thought he had seen a hidden conspiracy. A conspiracy to end the world! As he looked at Dennise, who appeared utterly confused, he found the girl in front of him terrifyingly deceptive. She had disguised herself to the extent he hadn¡¯t noticed at all! A formidable enemy! Not I¡­ No! She was the great enemy of the Federation, of Hans Port! The great enemy of all the living! I must inform the lord, let Gerard know, so that they can prepare for an enemy that would require theirbined strength to defeat! I must get this message out! Even if¡­ I have topromise! With this thought, the Alliance¡¯s top sniper showed Dennise, who still looked utterly confused, an ugly smile. ¡°Your Majesty, the Queen, I am willing to pledge my loyalty,¡± he said. To seek an opportunity to join the enemy¡¯s ranks was inevitable. He might have to endure hardships. But, For the sake of all humankind! I am willing to sacrifice! A resolute determination rose in Raymond¡¯s heart. Then¡­ The near-Fierce Spirit entity slowly rose and ced its hand on Raymond¡¯s head. Suddenly, Raymond¡¯s body shook and convulsed, his eyes rolling back. Then, a special power flowed out of Dennise, firmly imprinting itself onto Raymond¡¯s soul. The entire processsted about five seconds. When everything stopped, Raymond stood there, dazed. Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? The questions of life paused for about a second before quickly being answered. I am Raymond. I am the most loyal guard of Her Majesty, the Queen. To learn more secret knowledge, I infiltrated the New Federation. Afterpleting my learning, I had to feign a conflict with Hans Port in order to leave the New Federation. Now I have finally returned to the side of Her Majesty, the Queen. The next moment, Raymond looked up at Dennise, who still appeared utterly confused, and kneeled on one knee¡ª ¡°Your Majesty, your loyal servant Raymond reports to you.¡± Chapter 170: 81: Choice of Destiny (Please subscribe~ Please vote~) Chapter 170: Chapter 81: Choice of Destiny (Please subscribe~ Please vote~) Dennise looked at Raymond, who was kneeling before her. Then, she nced at the surrounding undead. Her face continued to be bewildered. But the undead around her wouldn¡¯t be. Aside from the Evil Spirit that had almost reached the level of a Fierce Spirit, two ¡®Battlefield Undead¡¯ consciously stood behind Dennise, while twelve high-ranking Evil Spirits and three hundred Wraith Warriors knelt down simultaneously. ¡°For Her Majesty the Queen, we pledge our death!¡± The twelve high-ranking Evil Spirits said in unison. What happened? Did I just be a queen? Indeed! Am I the most powerful one of them all?
After being stunned for a moment, the fluffy girl subconsciously wanted to ce her hands on her hips and burst intoughter. But at that very moment, she instantly remembered something her mother had once said¡ª With great poweres great responsibility. Then, she instinctively thought of Gerard. He was the only one around her who fit the description of high status and power. What kind of life did Gerard lead? Busy! Busy! Even busier! Even going to bed to sleep had be a luxury! This was something she had overheard the maids talking about while wandering around. Do I have to be that kind of person too? Dennise asked herself. She pondered nkly. The rarely thoughtful girl unconsciously raised her head to look at the afternoon sky. Fluffy white clouds, a clear blue sky. Sofortable, so enjoyable. The sea breeze gentle. The sound of waves constant. She was ¡®adventuring¡¯. This was the life she wanted.
The next moment! She made a decision. To lead thousands of undead, to ascend the throne, to look down upon everything in the world, to be the one and only, all of that would be fine. But!
This is not what I want! I just want toze in bed, read novels, eat delicious food, bask in the sun, wander! Exactly! This is what I want! Dennise became increasingly certain in her heart. Especially when she thought of ¡°The Vanishing Cat¡± which should be releasing its next issue soon, her thoughts solidified even more. And just as she was about to look away from the sky, a voice seemed to echo faintly from above¡ª The moment of destiny¡¯s choice! Option 1: Be a King, endure hardships, conquer the stars and seas, create an epic legend! Option 2: Continue to bezy and sloppy, aspire for nothing, stay upte to cultivate, bing a freeloader! As a King! You should choose¡­ Before that voice could finish, Dennise raised her arms high, jubntly sprinting toward option 2.
Choosing option 2 wasn¡¯t because option 1 involved enduring hardships. It was simply because she liked the number 2. She felt it was the number favored by her destiny. The one she loved for a lifetime. With her mind made up. Dennise immediately chose to evade reality. ¡°You all get up first.¡± ¡°Where you came from before.¡± ¡°Just temporarily go back there for now.¡± Dennise spoke very quickly. Then, thinking it over, she felt it was a bit too simple and somewhat informal. So, she added on the spot. ¡°When needed, I will summon you!¡±
¡°Remember!¡± ¡°Be ready at all times~¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± All the kneeling undead, including Raymond, nodded in agreement. The undead vanished into nothingness. Raymond went back the way he came. Almost instantly, only Dennise remained in the surroundings. Looking up at the blue sky and white clouds again¡ª Gurgle! Gurgle! Dennise touched her grumbling stomach. ¡°Is it time for dinner?¡± ¡°Time to go back and find Jason~¡± The undead girl bounced happily toward the beach.
With the undead girl¡¯s departure. Everything seemed to return to the way it was. Everything seemed as if nothing had happened. Everything was at ease. Everything was peaceful¡­ How could that be possible?! Within the void, the undead roared, fighting incessantly. Under the pitch darkness, the will of the King persisted through it all. The Evil Spirit, close in power to the Fierce Spirits, stood in the void, watching Dennise¡¯s departing figure. ¡°Your Majesty, please wait a moment!¡± ¡°Your loyal servant will return soon!¡± It muttered to itself. Then, turning around, it bellowed to the Undead before it: ¡°We are too few now!¡± ¡°We are too weak now!¡± ¡°We must be more numerous!¡± ¡°We must be stronger!!¡± ¡°We must always be ready for our Queen!¡± ¡°Target: Ancient Seas Battlefield!¡± ¡°Depart!¡± At a singlemand! The being, nearing the power of Fierce Spirits, turned and headed towards the shore. Twelve high-ranking Evil Spirits. Three hundred Wraith Warriors. Following closely behind! And the two ¡®battlefield Undead¡¯? Already exceptional, they had set out even earlier. However, before they left. They left a ¡®blessing¡¯ for Dennise. They could not depart without taking precautions. ¡­ Returning the same way, Raymond concealed all traces. He leaned against that pit, quietly waiting for the guard to bring dinner and leave once again before he stood up. He noticed the actions of his peers. He, too, could not afford to be left behind. This ce is a prison! There had to be others besides me! They are all sinners! They ought to atone for their sins! To die for the King is the best atonement! With that thought, Raymond once again got into action. He crawled back into the hole and started digging to the sides. ¡­ Dennise returned to the beach. The sky had turnedpletely dark. A torch was nted in the sand on the beach. Jason was still practicing ¡®Charge.¡¯ Bang! With a push of his feet, Jason charged forward nearly 10 meters and stood firmly in ce. There was no wobbling. And no difort whatsoever. ¡°I¡¯ve seeded!¡± A gleam of joy flickered across Jason¡¯s face. The text before him confirmed the precise information¡ª [Mastered the secret technique ¡®Charge¡¯ (Basic)] [Charge (Basic): This is a secret technique that does not require hand gestures or understanding of Dufol Language to learn but does require a certain physical foundation; it began spreading among many powers but ultimately became apulsory secret technique chosen by warriors and Knights in the barracks; Effect: Consumes a certain amount of physical strength to charge forward 10 meters at a temporarily increased agility of +0.3.] (Note: This is the most basic version of the secret technique, and the stronger the body, the more power ¡®Charge¡¯ can exert) ¡­ Thump, thump thump! The sound of his heart beating reached his ears. It was like war drums, like thunder. In a trance, Jason seemed to see an enemy army of thousands charging in front of him. He held a longsword and wore armor but stood utterly alone. Then¡ª Charge! Charge! Charge! It seemed as though he could hear the old Knight¡¯s final shout echoing in his ears. Instinctively, Jason charged forward! TR ei! The shining Dufol Language appeared before him, branding itself upon his heart. As blood flowed through his heart, it carried more energy, dispersing it throughout Jason¡¯s body. Whew! Taking a deep breath, Jason opened his eyes. He remembered the loud shout from the old Knight. ¡°Is this also a gift you¡¯ve left behind?¡± Jason murmured to himself. Feeling inevitably mncholic, Dennise approached at that moment. ¡°Jason~ Let¡¯s go eat~¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry~¡± The words were as usual, but Jason felt there was a triumphant tone in Dennise¡¯s voice. What had happened? Did she find a bone? Jason thought to himself and then gently patted Dennise on the forehead: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°And stop talking in that tone.¡± ¡°It makes it seem like you¡¯ve saved the whole world or something.¡± Chapter 171: 82: The Sudden Dinner (third update, please subscribe~ request for monthly passes~) Chapter 171: Chapter 82: The Sudden Dinner (third update, please subscribe~ request for monthly passes~) The dinner was not at the holiday cabin. Instead, it was to be held on the fifth floor of 111 Duron Street. Gerard had little Reed drive the carriage to the holiday cabin to invite Jason, Dennise, Peters, and Hume. This was a rather formal invitation. Because Jason¡¯s ¡°aunt¡± was attending. Facing this, Jason hesitated briefly before choosing to agree. Naturally, Jason was not fond of formal dinners, but with Gerard¡¯s invitation, he chose to ept. Dennise? As long as there was something to eat, that would do. There was no need to consider anything else. As for Peters and Hume?
They could be considered freeloaders with no right to speak. Inside the carriage, Jason and Dennise sat on one side, with Peters and Hume sitting opposite. Hume was still bound in bandages. However, his face looked as usual, and his spirit was rather good. At least good enough to re angrily at Peters. ¡°The disgrace of ¡®Cat Hole¡¯!¡± ¡°Do you know what you are doing?¡± The kitten growled softly. ¡°Ah?¡± Peters, who pulled out a piece of dried fish, was clueless. He genuinely didn¡¯t know what his junior was asking about. ¡°Sword practice!¡± ¡°Tell me, how long has it been since youst practiced swordsmanship?¡± ¡°How much of your skill remains?¡± The kitten, looking at the bewildered ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman, couldn¡¯t help but raise his voice. ¡°I should still have some left, right?¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman said uncertainly. It had indeed been a long time since hest practiced swordsmanship. He had almost forgotten his techniques.
Each time he fought, he only knew how to use the simplest methods to thrust. It seems¡­ There was also the drawing of the sword. Draw the sword, thrust.
These were all he had left in his mind. After all, he had long grown ustomed to being a coachman. At most, he just loved to munch on dried fish. Seeing the state of the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman, the kitten¡¯s fur bristled with rage, and he was about tosh out at his senior brother with the scabbard. However, remembering they were in a carriage and that Jason was the master, he temporarily put the scabbard aside. However¡­ ¡°Do you want some dried fish?¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman pulled out a piece of dried fish and offered it to the kitten in front of him. Unable to hold back any longer, the kitten punched the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman in the eye. The dried fish immediately fell to the ground. After catching the dried fish, the kitten swung his fist once more, striking the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman¡¯s body. ¡°Eat, eat, eat!¡± ¡°That¡¯s all you know, eating!¡± ¡°You gluttonous fool!¡±
While punching with one hand and putting the dried fish into his mouth with the other, the kitten struck with more vigor. After several punches, the kitten finally stopped, chewing on the dried fish, savoring the vor carefully. First came the saltiness, then a mild sweetness. Delicious. Unable to resist, the kitten closed his eyes, humming softly to himself. ¡°You two have such a good rtionship!¡± Dennise spoke candidly. The kitten, who had his eyes closed, immediately opened them and dered loudly, ¡°Who would have a good rtionship with him?¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman scratched his head with a dryugh. Then, he pulled out another piece of dried fish and handed it to the kitten. The kitten epted the dried fish and tossed it directly into his mouth before continuing, ¡°I am reminding this guy that he needs someone to whip him into shape, to motivate him to move forward.¡± While speaking, he nced at the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman. ¡°It should¡­ be so!¡±
¡°Definitely!¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman¡¯s uncertain response made the kitten re at him again, and instantly, his words changed. ¡°If only he were as diligent as Mister Jason, I wouldn¡¯t have to do this!¡± ¡°With a seed like Mister Jason, ¡®Bear Tower¡¯ is bound to rise again!¡± ¡°But ¡®Cat Hole¡¯¡­¡¯ The kitten¡¯s head drooped in dejection, his mood visibly darkening. ¡®Bear Tower¡¯? That sounds familiar. Have I heard Dad mention it before? Dennise paused, somewhat uncertain. She always thought her father¡¯s brain was filled with muscles, solving everything with brute force, nowhere near as good as her mother, who was not only reasonable but also told all sorts of stories¡­ In this world, only mother is good~ Does Jason have something to do with ¡®Bear Tower¡¯?
Dennise turned her head and looked at Jason, who kept silent. Then she revealed ¡ª An ¡®idiot¡¯ emmmm.jpg expression. Feeling Dennise¡¯s gaze, Jason inexplicably sensed a challenge in her expression. Smack! Jason raised his hand and pped Dennise on the forehead. With a crisp sound, Dennise retreated, holding her head. ¡°I have nothing to do with ¡®Bear Tower¡¯,¡± Jason said this. The little kitten was stunned. Then, nodding in understanding. ¡°I get it,¡± the little kitten said solemnly. A look of ¡®regret¡¯, ¡®pity¡¯, and an exmation of life¡¯s cruelty emerged on her face, much like the expression of a ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ swordsman. You get it too? Do you and Peters both get it? The great fantasy out of thin air must be your ¡®Cat Hole¡¯s core secret technique, right? Jason furrowed his brows. Without exining. Because, at this moment ¡ª ¡°Lord Jason, Miss Dennise,¡± ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Young Reed stopped the carriage and, after opening the door, bent down inviting Jason and Dennise to step out. Jason stepped down. Dennise jumped out. When her feet hit the ground, her dress swayed, and her face was full of vigor as she circled around Jason. ¡°Jason~ What do you think we¡¯ll eat at the feast?¡± ¡°Will there be the same roastmb asst time?¡± ¡°The sudden death at thest banquet really scared everyone to death.¡± ¡°This time there won¡¯t be any issues, right?¡± Jason paid no attention to Dennise. He had already caught the scent of food. There was a smell of chicken soup, the aroma of crab, and the fragrance of pork. Moreover, these scents were quickly merging. What are they making? Jason wondered. Following young Reed, Jason and Dennise¡¯s group went straight up to the fifth floor. Now, the fifth floor was no longer the same as when Jason and Dennise had visited before. Everything had been cleared out. All those long-unseen rtives had appeared, and moreover, they were all dressed up grandly. At the sight of Jason and Dennise, these people had unnatural expressions on their faces. It was a mix of envy and unwillingness, coupled with a sense of helplessness. At 111 Duron Street, they could very easily find out what Jason had done. Something they couldn¡¯t achieve. Yet their unwillingness and envy didn¡¯t fade; they escted instead. However, they no longer came out to make trouble. They all silently stepped aside, watching as Jason in his ck coat and Dennise in her cloth dress passed by them. Jason¡¯s face was expressionless, oblivious to such scrutiny. Dennise? Her heart was so big, she didn¡¯t even notice such looks. At the end of the crowd, Gerard stood there with a smile on his face. Thank God, his cousin had finally arrived. Taking a step forward, Gerard embraced Jason directly. Then, whispering into Jason¡¯s ear, he said softly ¡ª ¡°Help me.¡± Chapter 172: 83: Wise Response (Please Subscribe~Request Monthly Pass~) Chapter 172: Chapter 83: Wise Response (Please Subscribe~Request Monthly Pass~) Jason reacted instantly. Auntie was pressuring Gerard to get married again. Or rather, the date previously set had changed. Sure enough, Gerard said in the next moment: ¡°Mother wishes for me to have a small wedding with Carol ra today!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have the official wedding in a few days.¡± ¡°Help me think of a way to dy it a bit.¡± After speaking, Gerard heavily patted Jason¡¯s back and took a step back. At this moment, Gerard had a smile on his face again, showing no sign of his earlier distress. Jason, now in the corner, furrowed his brows. Wasn¡¯t this a bit too hasty?
Given Gerard¡¯s status, the wedding should have been a city-wide celebration, definitely not something that could start with a small ceremony and then have a proper er. Unless¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong with ¡®Aunt¡¯ Lym?¡± Jason spected. Without an issue at hand, they wouldn¡¯t have made such hasty arrangements. While Jason was pondering this, a figure approached him in the corner. Barney rk. The son of the ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ Duke had a somber face, with eyes slightly red. His walk was filled with imposing anger, causing all of Jason¡¯s rtives to instinctively dodge. They all recognized the duke¡¯s son. He was someone they dared not provoke. Moreover, the duke¡¯s son clearly wasn¡¯t in a good mood. They were even less inclined to provoke him. When the ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ duke¡¯s son reached Jason, he didn¡¯t speak right away but looked straight at Jason, his gaze fierce. After a moment, the other party suddenly said: ¡°You have really disappointed me!¡± Having said that, he moved beside Jason and leaned against the wall in the corner. Such behavior from the son of the ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ Duke was quite rude. But he didn¡¯t seem to care at all.
Jason looked at him, astonished. Hepletely failed to understand the meaning of his words. ¡°You actually didn¡¯t agree to the initial request!¡± ¡°You could actually watch Gerard marrying Carol!¡±
The duke¡¯s son continued. Jason became even more baffled. What does Gerard marrying Carol have to do with me? Seeing the bewildered look on Jason¡¯s face, astonishment shed across the duke¡¯s son¡¯s face. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± The duke¡¯s son asked. ¡°What am I supposed to know?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Gerard¡¯s mother, the esteemed Harbor Master Hans, had said during her visit to us that what she really wanted to see was you getting married, and she even considered having you marry Carol.¡± ¡°But you actually refused.¡± ¡°You bastard, is my beautiful, pretty, gentle, virtuous, generous, and appropriate sister not good enough for you?¡± Saying this, the duke¡¯s son raised his hand to seize Jason¡¯s cor. However, he was dodged by Jason.
He certainly did not want to be grabbed by the cor by someone speaking such nonsense. Indeed, if this were not Gerard¡¯s party, he would have definitely taught the other party a lesson. Surprised by how easily Jason avoided him, a look of surprise shed across the duke¡¯s son¡¯s eyes. But then, there was a hint of excitement. ¡°Stronger than I expected!¡± ¡°A perfect match for my brother-inw!¡± ¡°Now go quickly and tell Lord Hans that you wish to marry Carol!¡± The other eximed rapidly. ¡°Crazy!¡± After whispering this, Jason turned and walked towards another corner of the banquet hall. In Jason¡¯s mind, this man so doting on his sister must have gone mad with his sister¡¯s marriage, bing a bit deranged in the process. He was not going to entangle himself with such a person. More importantly, he still needed to figure out how to help Gerard.
Facing the stern, obstinate aunt, he was somewhat at a loss for what to do. ¡°Jason, are we going over there?¡± Dennise, who had been quietly waiting for the meal, followed Jason at once after seeing him walk towards another side. It was only then that the duke¡¯s son finally noticed Dennise. ¡°Average in appearance.¡± ¡°Average in stature.¡± ¡°Average in strength.¡± ¡°Is it because of her that you turned down my sister?¡± ¡°Jason, you are truly disappointing!¡± The duke¡¯s son continued. Jason and Dennise both heard these words. Jason couldn¡¯t care less. Dennise?
It had forgotten who the duke¡¯s son was, let alone care about what the other party said. However, the duke¡¯s son was different. Watching Dennise walk away, he instinctively wanted to do something. As a noble with ¡®privileges¡¯, the duke¡¯s son had his own way of dealing with things. But¡­ A sudden, chilling coldness rose from the bottom of his heart. He shivered with a start. The duke¡¯s son looked around. There was nothing! But just now he clearly felt as if his life were under threat. ¡°An illusion?¡± ¡°Or¡­¡± Subconsciously, the duke¡¯s son looked at Dennise again. That cold feeling emerged once more, more terrifying than before. Even before his eyes appeared the hallucination of a formidable army charging at him. Tramp, tramp. The duke¡¯s son from ¡®Fort Swallow¡¯ took two steps back until his back hit the wall, and then he stopped. Panting, panting. The duke¡¯s son gasped for air, as cold sweat involuntarily streamed down. Looking at Dennise¡¯s back again, he now felt fear. Because, in that fleeting moment, he had seen the true faces of that formidable army. The dead! All of them were the dead! But¡­ Clearly, she was just a country girl, right? How could she possiblymand an army of the dead? Illusion! It must be an illusion! It must be my Talent that¡¯s been twisted and has be abnormal after being affected by the Ritual Summoning. As if to confirm his own words, the duke¡¯s son subconsciously looked towards Jason. And then¡­ The gasping duke¡¯s son choked. He saw a crimson! A vast expanse of crimson, like a flood! Gigantic carcasses drifted in this sea of crimson, bobbing up and down. And within that red ocean lurked a shadow. How immense was this shadow? The duke¡¯s son couldn¡¯t describe it. He only felt it was boundless. The previously gigantic carcasses suddenly seemed utterly insignificantpared to this shadow, like leaves to a great tree. Even more terrifying was when the shadow suddenly inhaled. The sea of blood dried up. All the carcasses entered the mouth of that shadow. A crunching sound filled the duke¡¯s son¡¯s ears. As if aware of something, Jason subconsciously turned his head back. In that instant, in the vision the duke¡¯s son saw, the shadow was about to open its eyes. I must not be seen! If seen, I¡¯ll be eaten! Intuition told the duke¡¯s son, and he immediately withdrew, his cold sweat had soaked through his clothes by now. Looking at Jason and Dennise¡¯s backs, the duke¡¯s son copsed to the ground. Unconsciously, he thought of what Jason had said earlier ¡®You said monster?¡¯ ¡®Coincidentally¡­¡¯ ¡®I am a monster too!¡¯ Before, he just thought Jason was being stubborn. But now? ¡°Monster!¡± ¡°They¡¯re all monsters!¡± ¡°A whole family of monsters!¡± The duke¡¯s son murmured softly. Jason nced at the duke¡¯s son in this state and couldn¡¯t help shaking his head. Being overprotective can be deadly! With a sigh, Jason asked Dennise beside him, ¡°Did your aunt ever say something special to you before?¡± ¡°Something like a wedding?¡± Dennise thought for a moment and then replied. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I bumped into Aunt Lym while wandering aroundst time, and she asked me if I wanted to get married, with many sisters.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still young, I don¡¯t want to get married, but it felt a bit rude to directly refuse my aunt.¡± ¡°So, I tactfully expressed¡­¡± ¡°Can the extra sisters be eaten?¡± Chapter 173 - 84: Choosing to Accept (Please subscribe~ Please vote~) Chapter 173: Chapter 84: Choosing to ept (Please subscribe~ Please vote~) Dennise held her head high, looking at Jason. Her face bore an expression that screamed ¡®I¡¯m so clever.¡¯ Jason couldn¡¯t hold it in. He raised his hand and smacked her smooth forehead. Thwack! In the crisp sound, Dennise covered her head, her steps faltered, her lips pouted, and she looked quite aggrieved. However, the next moment¡ª ¡°You can¡¯t use your hands to eat at dinner,¡± Jason reminded. ¡°Okay~¡± Instantly, Dennise cracked a smile and hopped toward Jason, chasing after him. When she saw Jason standing in a corner contemting, she didn¡¯t bother him and just walked around nearby, full of anticipation. As for helping Jason solve the problem? Dennise remembered what her mother had said: not to be a nuisance is the greatest help you can offer to others. Dennise took it to heart. In her heart, she was just an ordinary person. A problem even Jason couldn¡¯t solve. How could she possibly solve it? This wasn¡¯t like reading a novel where a flick of the fingers and a page-turn made everything better. So, she kept silent. Jason nced at Dennise who was within ¡®arm¡¯s reach¡¯ and, after assuring himself she wouldn¡¯t get into trouble, he started to muse. How could Gerard¡¯s wedding be postponed? Unconsciously, Jason slipped into the ¡®Nightless City¡¯ mindset¡ª Take out that ¡®aunt¡¯ Lym! I can¡¯t solve the problem. But I can take out the person causing the problem. It was the most direct and simplest solution, and it¡¯s the evesting kind. But he was destined not to do that. Shaking his head, he pulled himself out of the ¡®Nightless City¡¯ mindset. Jason tried his best to think of a normal solution. Then he realized¡­ There was none! There really was none! Gerard, who respected his own mother, was destined not to outright defy her. And his ¡®aunt,¡¯ who had gone through so much and was incredibly resolute, couldn¡¯t be swayed by ordinary persuasion. This ordinary included Jason himself. ¡°Tough,¡± Jason sighed and looked toward Gerard, weaving through the crowd. Although Gerard walked among the people, his attention was always on Jason; when he saw Jason look at him, the harbormaster immediately showed a hopeful expression. However, when he saw Jason helplessly shrug to indicate there was no solution, the harbormaster immediately became dejected. But it was only a fleeting moment. As he looked to the next person, Gerard returned to a smiling demeanor. Only¡­ The smile seemed a bit stiff. At this moment, for the first time, he thought, wouldn¡¯t it be nice if I weren¡¯t the harbormaster? If I were not the harbormaster, I wouldn¡¯t have so many worries and wouldn¡¯t be so exhausted. Walking on the beach and sparring with my cousin every day, swinging swords and shedding sweat¡ªthat would be the most exhrating life. Unfortunately, there were no ifs. Gerard¡¯s character meant that he wouldn¡¯t cowardly flee. Nor would hey the burden that was rightfully his on others. He would bear it all on his own. Therefore, such thoughts merely circled his mind before disappearing without a trace. Then, Gerard resigned himself, waiting for his ¡®verdict.¡¯ About ten minutester, an elderly woman d in ck walked into 111 Duron Street. Suddenly, the rtives that had gathered around Gerard swarmed toward the olddy, bustling about her with warm greetings and ttery. Gerard seized this rare moment of respite and quickly walked over to Jason¡¯s side. ¡°I never thought I would have my wedding like this,¡± Gerard sighed softly. Jason wanted tofort Gerard, but he couldn¡¯t find the words of sce. In the end, Jason said: ¡°I¡¯ll be by your side, now or in the future, it¡¯s all the same.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Gerard responded. As the harbormaster, Gerard looked at Jason and made a promise-like deration, ¡°No matter if it¡¯s now or in the future, I too will stand by your side to face any dangers together.¡± Having said this, the two men exchanged a smile. This was the pure friendship between men. Though it had begun from kinship. Afterward, the two talked softly about trivial matters. They didn¡¯t stop their chat until ¡®Aunt¡¯ Lym came over, and they walked out of the corner of the banquet hall. ¡°Gerard, you are the master of this ce, you should always stand in the most dazzling spot.¡± ¡°Jason, you are Gerard¡¯s cousin; even if you want to avoid tiresome socializing, you can only do so after the party has ended, not during it, by staying away in a corner.¡± Aunt Lym came over and chided Gerard and Jason. The two looked at each other and spread their hands together. This made the old woman frown. However, she didn¡¯t say anything more. Instead, she turned around to look at the rtives. ¡°Wee to Hans Port, to number 111 on Duron Street.¡± ¡°Today is a special day.¡± ¡°It was today that Hans left us.¡± The old woman said, her expression filled with sorrow. Jason nced at the ck clothes on the old woman and realized with a start. Today was the anniversary of ¡®Uncle¡¯ Hans¡¯s death. But to have a wedding on the day of someone¡¯s death¡­ It seemed quite odd. Jason couldn¡¯t help but look towards Gerard. Then he saw Gerard¡¯s surprised and astonished expression. ¡°My mother rarely talked about my father¡¯s passing.¡± ¡°Today is the first time I learned the date of my father¡¯s death.¡± ¡°When I used to ask, my mother would fly into a rage, and after several times, I just stopped asking.¡± Noticing Jason¡¯s gaze, Gerard exined softly. Jason listened and frowned. He felt something was off. But he remained silent, just quietly listening to the old woman continue. ¡°At that time, Hans was aboard the ¡®Queen Mary¡¯ heading to the Southern Archipgo.¡± ¡°Sadly, a storm engulfed the ¡®Queen Mary¡¯.¡± ¡°Hans and all the passengers aboard perished.¡± ¡°Because it happened so suddenly, Hans left no will behind, and I, with young Gerard, became the manager of Hans Port¡­¡± The old woman narrated with a heartbreaking voice. Then, she began to talk about some memories of Uncle Hans. Bit by bit, Jason formed a clearer picture of his ¡®Aunt¡¯ in front of him and the uncle he had never met. Watching his mother, Gerard¡¯s gaze was full of respect. Only Gerard, who had lived through these events, could understand what his mother had endured. To say it was a narrow escape from death would not be an exaggeration. He distinctly remembered, when naive and young, trying to help a fallendy, she drew a knife, and his mother stepped in front of him to take the hit. The blood sprayed directly onto his face. It was warm. Just like his mother¡¯sforting smile at that time. ¡®Gerard, it¡¯s okay.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s just a minor wound, rest a bit and it will be fine.¡¯ The once-blurred memories became clear all at once. This made Gerard¡¯sst bit of reluctance disappear without a trace. Even for my mother, I should not run away. Gerard admonished himself, feeling guilty about his own ¡®willfulness.¡¯ And it was at this moment that young Reed suddenly entered the room. He avoided most people and quietly came to Gerard¡¯s side, whispering©¤ ¡°My lord, Princess Carol ra has been assassinated!¡± Chapter 185: 96: The Pied Piper Who Never Fails (Subscribe! Vote for the month!) Wiping his flintlock, Raymond smiled at his newpanion who had ''repented'' and ''turned to good'' under ''persuasion.'' Although they no longer had bodies and could only exist as ghosts, for these knights of the queen, this was nothing of significance. The living are governed by the Queen. And so are the dead. What pleased Raymond the most was that he had obtained several important pieces of information from these newrades. Among them, the most delightful for Raymond was that outside Hans Port, therey hidden a small arsenal capable of arming a hundred people. It was full of new weapons developed by the New Federation. Even heavy weapons were not in short supply. "Captain Raymond, I need to leave now," "The Commander has already sent orders." "And¡­" "I''m really sorry about before." Gte, now an undead who had directly be a mid-level Evil Spirit, bowed slightly to Raymond with a heavy expression of apology. "No need for apologies." "It''s all in the past." "Now, we are colleagues!" "Everything for Her Majesty the Queen!" Raymond solemnly said. "Everything for Her Majesty the Queen!" Gte and his twenty subordinates echoed in unison. Then Gte, with his subordinates who were once secret agents of the New Federation and who now ''voluntarily joined'' Denise''s Undead Legion, prepared to leave. And just at this moment¡ª ''I dislike such wars!'' ''Let it end quickly!'' ''I want Jason back by my side!'' ''I still wish to eat the meaty bones made by Aunt Fatty!'' The voice of Denise echoed deep in their hearts and theirs. Without hesitation, all the living and undead knelt on one knee. "We will heed your will, my Queen!" The call rose in the abandoned warehouse. ... Outside Hans Port, in the deep sea. On an ancient battlefield. One by one, the dead began to rise again, crawling out of the mud, flickering with Soul Fire, joining the ranks in the distance. Their bodies, like the swords in their hands, were decaying. Their steps were wobbly and feeble in the sea. But their will was as strong as steel and as burning as me. Lederma, watching these transformed and resurrected Skeleton Warriors, couldn''t help but shake his head. "Not enough!" "Not enough!" "Too few!" "A million! At least a million!" Although transformed into an evil spirit close to Fierce Spirits, its memory had not been lost, and it knew very well that the one hundred thousand Skeleton Warriors were still too few. There must be at least a million Skeleton Warriors! Because only a million Skeleton Warriors couldpletely overrun the so-called New Federation. And only then can the carefree life of Her Majesty the Queen be ensured. And the ghosts! Thinking of this, Lederma turned his head towards two battlefield ghosts. They were constantly transforming. Three thousand ghosts had already gathered. Unlike their original special three hundred ghosts, these ghosts had only the most basic instincts. However, it was precisely because of this that they chose to obey. "We need a hundred thousand ghosts!" Ledermamanded thusly. The two battlefield ghosts did not argue. Because that was precisely what they wanted to do. Then, Lederma''s gaze shifted toward the even deeper and more shadowy parts of the sea. Darkness enveloped the area. Even the eyesight of the undead could not clearly see there. Only a vague outline could be discerned. That was... A city! A city that gave him a feeling of trepidation. "This ce also poses a threat to the Queen!" "We need to clear all the dangers above ground first, then deal with this ce!" Lederma thought to himself in silence. As the undead far beyond the ordinary Evil Spirits contemted¡ª "I don''t like this kind of war!" "Let it end quickly!" "I want Jason back by my side!" "I also want to eat the meaty bones made by plump Auntie!" That was Her Majesty the Queen''s voice. Her Majesty the Queen had issued thetestmand. All souls and departed knelt to the ground. With their souls, they cried out: "We heed your will, my Queen!" At that moment, the deep sea waters boiled. Lederma stopped paying attention to his own ns. So did the Undead on both battlefields. To them, Her Majesty the Queen''s will was above all else. "Move out!" "Target: Fort Swallow!" At a singlemand, a hundred-thousand-strong Undead Army sprang into action. They did not surge towards the surface. Needing no breath, feeling no fatigue, knowing no pain, they marched directly from the seabed. And after the Undead Army had left, the deep sea returned to calm. Only that city, shrouded in darkness remained, standing silently there, timeless. ... In Mobius Pce, "Aymodun the Third" held his winess. The throbbing pain in his head forced the Federation''s ruler to numb himself with alcohol. This pain had been present for a long time. Since his defeat under artillery fire when he chose "fusion", it had persisted. However, "Aymodun the Third" was not concerned. For it was that very defeat that led him to the true path forward. But that didn''t mean "Aymodun the Third" would let go of the man who had caused his failure. Gerard! Jason! Murmuring the names of the two brothers, especially thetter, made the Federation''s ruler gnash his teeth in anger. Suddenly attacked by some bizarre strike, and tricked by slogans like "handing out candy". Damn it! But, it wouldn''t be long. "You too, are my sacrifice!" "Aymodun the Third" was certain of this thought. Gerard would certainly go to support and wee the widowed Duchess of Fort Swallow and her remnants. Without Gerard, Hans Port would be a toothless tiger; internal strife was inevitable. And furthermore¡­ "Do you really think the widowed Duchess of Fort Swallow and her remnants will be that easy to wee?" "I have prepared a grand gift for you!" "Aymodun the Third" smirked. But, the next moment, his smirk froze¡ª "Report!" "All of Hans Port''s undercover agents and secret agents have lost contact." "What did you say?" "Aymodun the Third" looked at the messenger before him. Under the ruler''s gaze, the messenger''s heart trembled, and he stuttered in response. "Ha... Hans Port''s undercover agents and secret agents have all lost con..." Bang! "Aymodun the Third" didn''t wait for the messenger to finish; he simply shot him with a raise of his hand. The messenger copsed in a pool of blood. His personal valet waved a hand, and immediately several servants expressionlessly carried the corpse away. "Useless!" "A bunch of useless fools!" "Is all that yearly funding being eaten by dogs?" "Aymodun the Third" roared. The winess in his hand was once again violently thrown to the ground. Crash! As the winess shattered, in that crisp sound, "Aymodun the Third" suddenly thought of something more important. "Was the trap for Gerard sessful?" Chapter 175: 86 Sudden Arrival (Please subscribe~ Vote for monthly ticket~) Chapter 175: Chapter 86 Sudden Arrival (Please subscribe~ Vote for monthly ticket~) The sudden closure of the door startled everyone proceeding forward. Thest one to enter, a young cat, instinctively turned to open the door. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman shouted directly. The young cat¡¯s hand froze in mid-air. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman picked up a pebble beside him and threw it toward the door. Zzzap! The moment the pebble touched the door, there was a sh of electric light. Then, the pebble was repelled. ¡°What?!¡±
The young cat was stunned and looked at the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman, whose gaze, along with Jason¡¯s, turned to Gerard. ¡°This is¡­¡± Gerard signaled everyone with his hand, indicating not to panic. Then, he was about to say something, but before he could speak, Gerard suddenly swayed and fell face up. Jason caught Gerard in his arms. ¡°Gerard? Gerard?¡± Jason called out softly, checking for breath with his hand, then immediately said to the stunned Reed, ¡°Find a room first, settle Gerard.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Master Jason.¡± The personal servant immediately reacted and ran toward the backyard. Jason, holding Gerard, followed close behind. Dennise hurriedly followed them. Even the brazen girl among the dead felt something was amiss at this time. ¡°What happened?¡± The young cat,gging behind, whispered to the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s fainted, and we¡¯re in big trouble.¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman pointed at Gerard, who Jason was holding, and said with a grave expression. Gerard, the overseer of Hans Port.
Or to say, the pir of Hans Port would not be an exaggeration. Whatever the reason, Gerard¡¯s fainting was a disaster for the whole Hans Port. Especially at this moment, when the Federation clearly harbored malice! Not to mention this sudden lockdown.
The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman looked at the courtyard whose door had closed unexpectedly, then picked up another pebble and threw it into the sky. Zzzap! Electric light flickered again. And this time, it was much more severe than before. The pebble didn¡¯t get repelled but turned into ash outright. The young cat, about to spring up, shrank back at the sight. ¡°What should we do?¡± The young cat asked in a low voice. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman took out a small dried fish, chewed it lightly for a few times, then under the expectant gaze of the young cat, slowly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I don¡¯t know? The young cat was taken aback. Then, subconsciously, he gripped the hilt of his sword and drew it sharply. Thwack!
The sword sheath struck the ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman¡¯s face. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman was straightforwardly knocked to the ground. ¡°To think I had expectations for you!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really disappointed me!¡± After saying this, the young cat walked off in a huff. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman didn¡¯t get up immediately but rolled over, lying t on the ground, watching the night sky, listening to the receding footsteps of the young cat. After assuring that the young cat¡¯s heart had calmed from the shock, this ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman smiled faintly and took out another dried fish, chewing it carefully. While chewing, he tapped lightly on the floor. And murmured in a low voice¡ª ¡®Mew¡¯! The sound was not loud, so much so that it was very soft. But to a certain kind of creature, it was enough. At the next moment, among the subtle noises, a grey mouse appeared in front of Peters.
Trembling, fearful, but involuntarily so. ¡®Mew¡¯! The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ Swordsman let out another low call, then spit out about a fifth of the small dried fish in his mouth, about the length of the tail tip. After thinking, he swallowed back half of it. He then ced the remains of the dried fish, the tail, in front of the gray mouse. The trembling gray mouse picked up the tail of the dried fish and quickly disappeared from sight. ¡°I hope it is not toote.¡± The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ swordsman muttered to himself. After, he slowly stood up, patted the dust off himself, and as if nothing had happened, he walked into the backyard. There was no one in the backyard. Not to mention the duke¡¯s daughter, there was not even a maid or guard in sight, and the whole backyard was empty and silent. In the original master bedroom, Gerardy t, breathing evenly, as if he had merely fallen asleep.
But no matter how loudly Reed called, Gerard simply would not wake up. Then, the personal servant began to use the secret technique to check. In the low murmur of the Dufol Language, The personal servant began tobine hand gestures. At the same time, a bit of powder appeared above Gerard¡¯s head. Jason, even at a distance, felt a wave of coolness from the powder. Direct contact would certainly make one wake up quickly. However, Gerard still did not awaken. The personal servant, who tried every trick in the book without being able to rouse Gerard, was thoroughly panicked. ¡°What should we do, Lord Jason?¡± The personal servant asked. ¡°Stay calm.¡± ¡°Gerard is fine.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just asleep.¡± ¡°Moreover¡­¡± ¡°I am more worried about 111 Duron Street than Gerard who is asleep.¡± While saying this, Jason turned and walked out. 111 Duron Street. Lord Hans! The personal servant was startled. Instinctively, he was about to follow Jason, but Jason stopped him. ¡°You need to stay here.¡± ¡°You saw the lightning earlier.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t get through.¡± Jason said. ¡°But you¡­¡± ¡°We are not the same.¡± Jason said this, takingrge strides as he went. The ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ swordsman grabbed a small kitten that was trying to sneak after Jason, shook his head seriously, and the kitten, looking at the earnest ¡®Cat Hole¡¯ swordsman, opened its mouth, but eventually, with a sullen head, watched Jason depart silently. Dennise, however, uncharacteristically followed him. The undead girl intercepted Jason, looked up at him seriously, and said, ¡°If you run into trouble, remember to call me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m really strong!¡± ¡°Jason~ you have to remember!¡± The undead girl admonished. Faced with the undead girl¡¯s seriousness, Jason instinctively raised his hand and patted it on her forehead. p! ¡°Ow ow ow!¡± Dennise clutched her head and crouched down, crying out in pain. Seeing Dennise like this, Jason continued forward, and as he was about to step out of the backyard, his barely audible voice reached Dennise¡¯s ear¡ª ¡°Understood.¡± Dennise rubbed her forehead. It seemed to confirm whether it was an illusion. But Jason did not give Dennise a chance to confirm. He quickened his pace, heading straight for the courtyard gate. Standing in front of the gate, Jason took deep breaths. Heave, heave. He was adjusting his emotions. Then¡­ He pulled out the hockey mask from his chest and slowly put it on. Next? He pushed his hands directly against the gate. The next moment¡ª Lightning shed! The smell of flesh filled the air! Chapter 176: 87: The Banquet Begins (Please Subscribe~ Seeking Monthly Pass~) Chapter 176: Chapter 87: The Banquet Begins (Please Subscribe~ Seeking Monthly Pass~) Duron Street No. 111, fifth floor. Aunt Lym stood before a crowd of rtives, her voice clearly recounting the hardships of the past. Watching the rtives¡¯ faces adorned with feigned sorrow and their eyes filled with impatience, she sighed softly. ¡°I know what your purpose is ining here,¡± the elderly woman said slowly. Her tone became devoid of any emotion. The rtives were taken aback, and several eloquent ones were about to speak in their defense. But the olddy did not give them the chance to speak. She waved her hand and said, ¡°Hans Port holds wealth beyond themon man¡¯s wildest imagination.¡±
¡°Gerard is the primary heir.¡± ¡°He will have full control over this wealth.¡± ¡°Jason is the secondary heir.¡± ¡°He will receive something I have prepared for him.¡± ¡°And you?¡± At this point, the old woman deliberately paused. As all the rtives were eagerly anticipating, she continued, ¡°Nothing at all!¡± Nothing at all?! The rtives were stunned. Then, unable to restrain themselves, someone said, ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± ¡°This is unjust!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Why does Jason get something, and we don¡¯t?¡± One spoke up and the others quickly echoed in agreement. If it weren¡¯t for the fear of the old woman¡¯s authority, they would certainly have surrounded her, demanding ¡®fairness¡¯. The elderly woman calmly pulled a chair closer to her side. Only after she was seated securely did she speak again.
¡°Because Jason helped Gerard.¡± ¡°You did not!¡± The words of the olddy left the rtives momentarily speechless. But they did not give up.
¡°Jason is a person of great strength, naturally, he could assist Lord Gerard.¡± ¡°But we are different!¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t encountered anything within our power to do, otherwise, we could have too!¡± ¡°Moreover¡­¡± ¡°This does not ord with your promise.¡± ¡°You once said you would choose one of us to assist Lord Gerard.¡± The eloquent rtive spoke again. Naturally, such words once more received the support of the other rtives. The old woman¡¯s gaze settled on this eloquent rtive. ¡°You are Torder,¡± ¡°from Golsai,¡± ¡°the son of Hans¡¯ distant cousin.¡± The olddy defined the identity of the rtive.
¡°Your insight is prating, and your memory is admirable,¡± the rtive immediately bowed his head in respect. However, the others who had just seconded his opinion, now looked upon him with enmity in their eyes. This hostility was so sudden and yet so immediate. The thoughts of these rtives were ¡®simple¡¯: the Aunt Lym had taken notice of him, reducing their own chances. After all, there was only one spot avable in the old woman¡¯s promise. Damn it! How careless! Many people were filled with regret. The old woman looked around. She saw the enmity and regret in the eyes of the rtives and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Amidst herughter, she continued to speak. ¡°Your official upation is that of a private counselor to nobility,¡±
¡°but in reality, you are a secret agent of the New Nobility.¡± ¡°You have also sessfully executed three assassinations.¡± Having said that, the old woman looked directly at the person in front of her. Torder, the rtive, changed color, sweat appearing on his forehead. ¡°You, you really have such a sense of humor,¡± ¡°how could I be a secret agent of the New Nobility?¡± ¡°If I were, why would Ie to Hans Port?¡± Torder spoke with a stutter. ¡°Yes, if you are a secret agent of the New Nobility, why would youe to Hans Port?¡± The elderly woman said as if asking a rhetorical question, her gaze shifting to the surrounding rtives. The rtives filled with animosity and regret were momentarily stunned. They weren¡¯tpletely foolish. One of them directly eximed,
¡°You dog of the New Federation!¡± ¡°Damn it, you dare to betray the bloodline of the family!¡± Once again, there was a chorus of agreement. This time, with the target shifted, the rtives became even more indignant than before. No one knew who was the first to move forward, but a fistnded on Torder¡¯s face. Bang! Struck in the bridge of the nose, Torder immediately saw stars and fell to the ground. It wasn¡¯t that Torder didn¡¯t want to dodge, his body was already bound by an invisible force. Had he been able to dodge, he would have struck back by now. With his skills, he could take down these good-for-nothings with a single punch. But he couldn¡¯t move. He could only be at the mercy of others. Yet he didn¡¯t give up and continued to shout loudly, ¡°Aunt Lym, I am not a Secret Agent!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ wuuu wuuu wuuu.¡± Before Torder could finish his words, his voice waspletely silenced because one of the rtives had gagged him. Then, everyone around Torder began a frenzy of punching and kicking. Everyone was exerting their full strength. For only in such a way could one catch the old woman¡¯s eye. But soon, everyone realized that it was useless. Because¡­ Everyone was the same. Under the same conditions, how could one stand out? This won¡¯t do! I must find a way! I must make myself stand out! Such thoughts emerged from the bottom of everyone¡¯s heart, and soon, they found the way to make themselves stand out. A rtive picked up a dinner knife from the corner and plunged it straight into Torder¡¯s body. Pu! The de cut through flesh and blood. A crimson tide spread. Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Watching the bloodshed before their eyes, everyone¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot. They breathed heavily, like hyenas fighting over a meal. And then? Pu! Pu, pu! More dinner knives were thrust into Torder¡¯s body. At first, Torder could still whimper. But just a few secondster, Torder fellpletely silent. Numerous dinner knives stood erect on the corpse. The corpulent Torder resembled a ¡®roast pig¡¯ ready to be put into the oven on arge te. Only¡­ The sauce was too vivid. And too ring. The sight seemed to pierce the old woman, and she couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes. This only further provoked the rtives who sought to stand out. They no longer looked at the dead Torder. A dead man poses no threat to them. But the living? A murderous intent was born. They eyed each other warily. They gripped the dinner knives in their hands tightly. And then¡­ They charged at each other. Kill you! And I¡¯ll be the only one! The next moment¡ª Roars and wails echoed throughout the grand hall of 111 Duron Street. This noisested a full ten minutes. When the sounds ceased, the old woman opened her eyes. She resumed her stern and indifferent demeanor. Even faced with corpses strewn all over, she did not exhibit the slightest change. She walked through the crimson liquid as if strolling in her own backyard garden. Striding through the entire hall, she pushed open the door and stepped out. However, just as she was about to close the door, a blood-stained hand suddenly grabbed the doorframe. ¡°Aunt Lym!¡± ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the only one left!¡± Blood covered the other person¡¯s face, making it impossible to see clearly. But anyone could feel the other¡¯s joy and madness. The old woman turned and looked at him. Without a word, she silently stood for about two seconds before pointing behind him. The other instinctively looked back. Their face of ecstasy was reced with horror. All those he had killed had risen. They were all walking towards him. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer!¡± The other roared, attempting to flee the hall. But at that moment¡ª Bang! The door of the hall closed. ¡°Open the door!¡± ¡°Aunt Lym, open the door!¡± ¡°Damn you¡­ AAAAHHH!¡± Screams reced the curses. And then, they quickly faded away. All that remained were chewing sounds. Dinner? It was already prepared. But it wasn¡¯t to everyone¡¯s taste, was it? The old woman shook her head slightly and walked away. But just as she turned around, her body stiffened for a moment. Chapter 188: 99 My Unique Talent (Subscribe~ Monthly Votes~) Facing Jason''s earnest questioning, Reed was clearly struggling to follow along. Another potion is needed? But wasn''t it sessful? Doubts filled his heart, but the personal servant still sincerely answered, "Such potions are very rare because of one of the ingredients. Even you, my lord, don''t have much of it. The one you just drank should have been thest." Upon saying this, the personal servant couldn''t help but confirmatively ask. "My lord, have you seeded?" "I have." "But I want to consolidate it further." Jason nodded, and earnestly replied. Consolidate? Reed was stunned for a moment. Then, the personal servant answered based on his understanding. "Consolidating the ''Charles Burning Technique'' requires extra practice." "Advancing it further needs uninterrupted practice and battle." "During this period, please be mindful of your physical strength consumption." Having finished speaking, the personal servant began to collect the parchment rolls from the carriage floor. At this time, the parchment was not only missing the Secret Magic Array but also had turned charred ck, as if it had been scorched by mes. Clearly, the parchment had also been affected by the ritual of the ''Charles Burning Technique''. "That dragon..." "The true spirit in its blood?" Jason, looking at the text reminder, silently pondered. The remaining essence in the blood brought forth such a vor and satiation. If it was whole... Unconsciously, Jason began to salivate again. Then, holding back his salivation, he turned to look at his current satiation level. 32 satiation points! The raising of ''Protection Against Evil'' and the forced departure from the yard that cost him one life had left him with only 22 points of satiation. Now, having absorbed some of the dragon''s blood essence, he had once again started to umte. Subconsciously, Jason''s gaze turned towards the ''Charles Burning Technique''. ''Charles Burning Technique'' Basic ¡ú Beginner: 5 satiation points. The basic level of the ''Charles Burning Technique'' was not enough for him to imitate Gerard. That day on the beach, Gerard''s performance, even with the ''Griffin Body Refinement Technique'' aiding him, meant that the ''Charles Burning Technique'' was at least above the Proficiency Level. "Upgrade!" Jason mentally chanted. A warmth flowed out from his stomach once again. When it reached his heart, it immediately turned scorching hot. The coordination between the skill and the bodysted for 3-4 seconds before itpletely disappeared. The Beginner level ''Charles Burning Technique'', its power had be more than that of a de''s edge, the angle of the conical me remained at 30¡ã, but its length increased to 4 meters. The rest remained the same as at the basic level. Still not enough! ncing at the 10 satiation points needed for Beginner ¡ú Proficient, Jason once again chose to upgrade. This time, the upgrade was even more significant. A bullet-level power, the conical me expanded to 35¡ã, the length reached 5 meters, and more importantly, at the Proficient level, Jason could simultaneously produce mes with both hands, but the physical strength consumption doubled. And the ''Charles Burning Technique'' Proficiency Level required 18 satiation points and 1 Excitement of Feast. Jason looked at the remaining 17 satiation points and 1 Excitement of Feast point, frowning slightly. "The satiation points are still too few." "There''s too much consumption." Taking into ount the premise of ''leaving oneself three extra lives'', upgrading the ''Charles Burning Technique'' to the Proficiency Level would need at least 27 satiation points. While Jason was considering how to acquire more satiation points, Reed, who had finished dealing with the parchment, had returned. The moment he opened the carriage door, Reed''s eyes widened. He immediately sensed something different about Jason. That is! The ''Charles Burning Technique'' has reached Beginner level! No! This presence has already surpassed the Beginner level. Reed, who was also proficient in the ''Charles Burning Technique'', discerned this after a slight pause. But Lord Jason had just mastered the basics of the ''Charles Burning Technique''! "My lord, your ''Charles Burning Technique''..." Reed, unable to contain himself, asked. "I have a peculiar talent." Jason replied. Little Reed epted this answer quite easily. "Indeed, you are truly worthy of being Lord Gerard''s cousin." The personal servant lowered his voice and said. Since Lord Gerard could master the Charles Burning Technique in a day and be proficient in a month, why couldn''t Lord Jason achieve the same level? What would be wrong with that? And by this time, the personal servant finally breathed a sigh of relief again. At least, with the Charles Burning Technique as a cover, during a battle, Lord Jason wouldn''t be too suspect. After all, aside from being known for his boldness, Lord Gerard''sbat style doesn''t have any fixed techniques. Now, the matter of consideration is the pursuers behind the widow of Fort Swallow and the remaining soldiers. Little Reed didn''t believe that the Federation overseer would make no arrangements. Hence, he divided the five hundred Harbor Guard cavalry into twenty squads to scout for specific news. However, he wasn''t settling just yet. Because by this time, the first five squads of Scout Cavalry should have returned. But at this moment, there was no news at all. And it was for this reason that he chose to rest. It was both to give Jason more time to learn the Charles Burning Technique and to wait for news. "Still no news?" Jason asked. He was aware of Little Reed''s arrangements. The personal servant hadn''t hidden anything, having informed him of all ns and arrangements, even though he wasn''t able to offer any effective suggestions. "None." "Based on the time, the first five squads of Scout Cavalry should have returned to the main force before noon." "But they haven''t yet." Little Reed shook his head and said. There was a hint of worry on his face. For Little Reed, who was truly in charge of the whole situation for the first time away from Gerard, the pressure was immense. The most obvious result of this pressure was that Little Reed, who seemed calm and steady, had be irritable and less confident. "idents can happen at any time." "What we need to do is to adapt ordingly." "You and I are the same." Jason spoke slowly. He was not good at strategizing orforting people. But he knew how to make his stance clear. I''m with you. I''m willing to share the burden with you, even if... it''s just for Gerard. Jason silently mused. "Understood, my lord," Little Reed nodded. Just as the personal servant was about to say something else, Clip-clop, clip-clop. The sound of hooves echoed outside the carriage. "Lord Gerard, Sir Little Reed." "There''s a situation." Outside the carriage window, a Harbor Guardmander spoke in a low voice. Little Reed didn''t respond but instead turned his head to look at Jason, his eyes questioning. Jason gave a slight nod. Immediately, the personal servant pushed open the carriage door and jumped out. Jason followed right behind. "Follow me, my lord," the Harbor Guard said, as several subordinates brought two warhorses over. Jason and Little Reed mounted the horses and followed behind the Harbor Guardmander, charging towards the camp. The area was already sealed off by a squadron of Harbor Guard. Upon seeing Jason''s arrival, the men immediately cleared a path. When Jason saw the situation inside, his expression involuntarily changed. Chapter 178: 89: When I Become You (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) Chapter 178: Chapter 89: When I Be You (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) Jason forcefully tore at the hockey mask. Pain spread across his face as if he were tearing at his own cheeks. It felt as though the hockey mask had fused with his face. How am I supposed to eat? Jason was shocked! You see, apart from the eye holes, the hockey mask only had a few breathing holes, the rest waspletely sealed off. There was no way to get food into his mouth. Am I going to starve to death? No, that¡¯s not right! I can make a straw from nt stems, passing it through the breathing holes to eat liquid food.
With ¡®Holy Water¡¯ to cook fish, crushed into pieces, it should suffice for my daily needs. Jason thought seriously. Then, he raised his hand to the position of his mouth. As his fingers touched his lips and he subconsciously opened his mouth, he touched his teeth and tongue. This¡­ Can I still eat with my mouth? Jason was startled, followed by endless joy. What pleasure is there in living if even the instinct to eat is stripped away? As for the hockey mask that couldn¡¯t be removed? As long as I can make sure to eat, then it doesn¡¯t matter if it can¡¯t be taken off. After all, he wasn¡¯t someone who fed on his looks. With that thought, Jason turned and walked toward the separate courtyard. He needed to check if Gerard had woken up. Then, to ry everything that had happened here to Gerard. The acts of Aunt Lym, he really couldn¡¯tprehend them. He needed to learn more information from Gerard. But then, something even more horrifying happened. As he had just approached the courtyard, the guards who had been stationed outside and were previously unconscious but now awake immediately bowed to him¡ª ¡°My lord.¡±
My lord?! Jason stopped in his tracks. Inside 111 Duron Street, there were many people who were addressed with respect. But without a surname, there was only one person who would be directly called ¡®my lord¡¯!
Gerard! Only Gerard would be addressed as my lord! And those who could serve as guards here would certainly not recognize the wrong person! This means¡­ ¡°I have be Gerard!¡± After this conjecture surfaced in Jason¡¯s mind, he immediately quickened his pace. He needed to confirm some things. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Reed rearranging the guards. Seeing Jason walk in, the personal butler was momentarily stunned and then, catching the hint in Jason¡¯s gaze, immediately bowed. ¡°My lord.¡± ¡°It¡¯s great that you coulde back.¡± ¡°Mr. Jason has just suffered a slight injury and is resting.¡± ¡°Would you like to check on him?¡±
¡°Hmm.¡± Jason didn¡¯t speak, just nodded his head. His voice was different from Gerard¡¯s. Gerard¡¯s voice was more robust. While his was deeper. Before he could confirm that point, Jason couldn¡¯t afford to show any ws. ¡°Please follow me,¡± Reed said. Jason followed Reed closely, walking briskly into the backyard. Seeing Jason walk in, Peters and Hume stood stock-still on the spot. But Dennise took a sniff. Then, with delight, she ran over. ¡°Jason, you can actually change faces!¡± Dennise curiously looked at Jason and was about to reach out to tug at Jason¡¯s facial skin.
This time, Jason didn¡¯t need to dodge. Reed directly stepped in front of Jason. ¡°Miss Dennise, that¡¯s impolite.¡± After speaking, he winked at Dennise. Dennise also winked back. Reed believed that Dennise had gotten his message. He immediately stepped aside, and just as Reed moved away, Dennise continued to raise her hand, but still came up empty. No one knew the character of their own dog better than Jason. He swatted away Dennise¡¯s paw, grabbed her by the nape of the neck, and headed straight for the room. In the room, he saw Gerard in deep sleep. ¡°Although Aunt Lym lifted Gerard¡¯s ¡®Bloodline Curse¡¯, such lifting wasn¡¯tpleted in an instant.¡± ¡°It should require quite a long time.¡± ¡°And during this time, Hans Port cannot be without a leader.¡±
¡°So¡­¡± ¡°I became the temporary leader!¡± Once he confirmed Gerard was still in deep sleep, everything became obvious. At the same time, the text in front of Jason shed again¡ª [Main Mission Changed Again!] [Main Mission: Manage Hans Port in Gerard¡¯s stead until he awakens!] ¡­ Looking at the brand new main mission, Jason took a deep breath. Was managing Hans Port easy? Not easy! Not easy at all! It seemed manageable only because the leader was Gerard, Gerard with absolute strength! What if someone else took over? Hans Port would copse instantly. Not to mention other things, the constantly approaching New Federation troops alone could throw the entire Hans Port into chaos. Gerard did not conceal this information from him. Therefore, Jason very well understood what Hans Port would look like without Gerard. Of course, he was even clearer that the oneing this time wasn¡¯t the original Aymodun III, but the ¡®Pied Piper¡¯ wearing Aymodun III¡¯s ¡®skin¡¯. Already difficult to deal with! Now? For him, it was downright hell mode. As for escaping? Let¡¯s not even talk about the main mission. Merely facing Gerard in aa, Jason couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye. At the very least, he had to hold out until the other party woke up. ¡°Think of it as a vacation.¡± ¡°The rest¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± He spoke softly, adjusting his mindset. Then, he turned his head to look at Little Reed. ¡°What should I do?¡± Jason asked. When Jason asked that question, Little Reed let out a sigh of relief. This personal servant was truly worried that Jason would wash his hands of the matter. Although ording to Jason¡¯s disyed character, he wasn¡¯t that kind of person, that was only under normal circumstances. What he would actually do at a crucial moment, Little Reed couldn¡¯t guarantee. Fortunately, Jason did not disappoint him. No! Rather, he was truly worthy of being Lord Gerard¡¯s cousin. Like Lord Gerard, he possessed the most noble of virtues. ¡°You need to immediately take charge of the situation.¡± ¡°Exin the recent cause.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°What happened at 111 Duron Street?¡± Little Reed quickly assumed his role and asked Jason with the same attitude he would with Gerard. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°By the time I got there¡­¡± Jason concealed the details after leaving 111 Duron Street. He simply said that it was a part of Aunt Lym¡¯s arrangement to lift Gerard¡¯s ¡®Bloodline Curse¡¯. Including him bing Gerard, it was also part of the n. ¡°Aunt Lym and Butler Reed arepleting the final step of lifting the ¡®Bloodline Curse¡¯.¡± ¡°Gerard will awaken when thest part of the curse is lifted.¡± Jason said. It wasn¡¯t that Jason didn¡¯t trust Little Reed. But in this era where the ¡®Mystical Side¡¯ thrived, even being ten times more cautious wasn¡¯t excessive. Little Reed was trustworthy. Precisely because of this, Little Reed could potentially be a target for some people. ¡°So that¡¯s what it is.¡± Little Reed had no doubts. Then, the personal servant bowed, and Jason stepped out. He recalled in his mind Gerard¡¯s posture while walking and his tone of speaking. Since he was temporarily taking Gerard¡¯s ce, he hoped he could do his best. Little Reed followed behind, observing the transition from slightly awkward, to familiar, to almost feeling like he was seeing Lord Gerard, all in the short walk from the back yard to the front yard, and then out the door. The personal servant was full of surprise. And right at that time¡ª Whoosh! Chapter 179: 90: The Call from Afar (Subscribe~Vote with monthly ticket~) Chapter 179: Chapter 90: The Call from Afar (Subscribe~Vote with monthly ticket~) A fine arrow flew toward Jason the instant he crossed the threshold of the courtyard. Jason tilted his head to dodge. Chop! In a loud sound, the fine arrow buried itself into the doorframe. ¡°Assassin!¡± The guards shouted, some positioned themselves in front of Jason, while others rushed towards the shadow from which the arrow had been shot. The assassin was quickly apprehended. He was a middle-aged man with an average build, a stiff face, and dull, lifeless eyes, showing not a glint of spirit, just like a puppet on strings. ¡®Pied Piper¡¯! Having seen the man¡¯s appearance, Jason unconsciously thought to himself.
The assassin before him was just like those controlled people in Taor. Moreover, Jason remembered clearly the words of Aunt Lym when Aymodun III died. The ambition of the ¡®Pied Piper¡¯ was not simply to share a body with Aymodun III, nor was it solely the Federation. The adversary harbored even greater ambitions. This assassination attempt¡­ Was nothing but a test! Testing him¡­ no, testing Gerard¡¯s situation! Jason thought silently to himself, his eyes fixed on the stupefied assassin. Under Jason¡¯s gaze, a glint of spirit emerged in the eyes of the dazed assassin. ¡°Gerard, long time no see,¡± the other voice was tinged with a hint of joy. Then, the voice began to fill with malice. ¡°Are you ready to die?¡± As soon as the other man¡¯s words fell, he let out a coldugh. Theughter started softly and grew louder. Gradually, the captiveughed so hard that he bent backward and forward. Jason frowned internally. He did not like suchughter.
Under normal circumstances, he could persuade the other man to be kind with a broad-ded, short-handled cuss. But what about Gerard? What would Gerard do? Jason pondered.
This was a bit difficult for Jason. After all, Gerard was apetent elder brother, always showing tenderness and consideration in his presence. So, in Jason¡¯s mind, there was only the scene of their first meeting, outside Hans Port, where Gerard dealt with enemies decisively and efficiently. Was the ¡®Pied Piper¡¯ an enemy? Indeed. An unequivocal enemy. And since he was an enemy, then¡­ Having made up his mind, Jason walked straight up to the captive as Reed gestured to the guards to stop the man. Jason looked down calmly at theughing man. His eyes were without ripples. No anger. No coldness either.
There was only calmness. He looked at the other man as if he were looking at ordinary grass and trees. The captive¡¯sughter gradually ceased. But that did not prevent him from looking at Jason with even more challenging eyes. Seeing those provocative eyes, Jason said calmly, ¡°I am here, waiting for you toe¡­¡± ¡°to your death!¡± Having said that, Jason turned and walked away. The captive was taken aback and then began to struggle violently, but he was held down on the ground by the guards, and could only tilt his head up and re maliciously at the receding figure of ¡®Gerard¡¯. The man was stiff-necked, shouting loudly, ¡°I will make you regret this!¡± ¡°I will make you¡­ mmmph!¡± Before the man could finish speaking, Reed raised his hand, pulled out a handkerchief, and gagged the man¡¯s mouth.
¡°Take him to the dungeon,¡± Reed ordered. ¡°Yes,¡± the guards responded, striking the man¡¯s neck with the sheath of their swords, dragging him away as if dragging a dead dog. By this time, Reed had already caught up with Jason. The interrogation of the captive would take ceter. For now, the most important thing was to deal with the incident at 111 Duron Street. Following his usual habit, Reed walked a step behind. Looking at the somewhat unfamiliar yet strangely familiar figure, Reed seemed to have an illusion. The man before him was indeed Lord Gerard. Whether it was the way of walking, the tone of speaking, or the method of handling situations, it was exactly like Lord Gerard. If earlier Reed had felt some uncertainty,
he was now almostpletely assured. It waspletely fine for Lord Jason to temporarily fill in for Lord Gerard. However, some details still needed adjustment. Like eating! The personal valet thought of the way Jason ate without any manners at all. He shook his head, and then, the personal servant made up his mind¡ª ¡°I must correct Lord Jason¡¯s bad habits.¡± ¡­ Sitting in the chair, ¡°Aymodun III¡± holding a wine ss, furiously threw the ss to the floor. Crack! The crystal ss shattered instantly. Crimson wine sshed and spilled in all directions. ¡°Gerard!¡± The roar of anger reverberated throughout the highest level of Mobius Pce. The guards stationed outside had grown ustomed to this. Almost every few days, he would bellow in rage like this. At first, there were sycophants who feigned concern and would enter, but after one was cut down with a sword by him, no one dared to enter casually anymore. Unless summoned. Huff! Huff! ¡°Aymodun III¡± gasped heavily. The anger on his face twisted his originally handsome features. But the next moment¡ª ¡°Heh heh heh.¡± This ¡°Aymodun III¡±ughed strangely. ¡°Gerard! Gerard!¡± ¡°You have finally been affected!¡± ¡°The removal of the ¡®Bloodline Curse¡¯ has left you so exhausted that you failed to detect the assassin I arranged in advance, nor did you understand his true purpose for appearing.¡± ¡°Your perception has be this dull.¡± ¡°Then your¡­ ¡± ¡°How much of your strength remains?¡± The ruler of the Federation murmured to himself. The n he had been orchestrating for decades was about toe to fruition. He had been waiting for far too long! Now, Only the final piece remained: Gerard! Thinking this, he became restless. The ruler of the Federation rang a bell. Ding-a-ling. The personal servant walked in. ¡°My lord.¡± The servant bowed respectfully. ¡°Deploy the ground troops.¡± ¡°Let them draw all attention from the south.¡± ¡°And!¡± ¡°Let those hidden agents all take action!¡± ¡°I want to keep Gerard running ragged!¡± The ruler of the Federationmanded. ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± The servant received the order and immediately set things in motion. Orders were sent to the barracks. Pigeons soared into the sky. Secretmands were dispersed in all directions through secret techniques. War was on the horizon! Everyone in Golsai felt an oppressive sense of an impending storm. Passersby rushed about. Merchants were filled with anxiety. The new nobility were both excited and fearful. A myriad of emotions pervaded the capital of the New Federation. Their emotions rose like steam. Perceived by ¡°Aymodun III¡± standing at the highest point of Mobius Pce. The ruler of the Federation walked to the French windows, overlooking all of Golsai. ¡°Begin!¡± ¡°Let everything start from your prison!¡± ¡°Those whom you¡¯ve imprisoned, their resentment, will ignite that newly caged fellow, and they will mark the beginning of your downfall!¡± Having said this, the ruler of the Federation raised his hand and clenched his fist forcefully in a peculiar ritual. Then¡­ Nothing happened. Only the sound of the wind blowing could be heard. The ruler of the Federation was taken aback, then clenched his fist again using the special ritual. But still, nothing happened. Far from activating, even the constant connection seemed as if it would disappear, bing faint and elusive. Subconsciously, the ruler of the Federation changed the ritual. He intensified the connection with the ¡®hidden agents¡¯. And at that moment! An extremely cold breath of death, traveling through the altered ritual, invaded his senses. Even before it really approached, ¡°Aymodun III¡¯s¡± soul shuddered. Without any hesitation, the ruler of the Federation immediately severed the ritual. Spurt! The fierce bacsh caused the ruler of the Federation to spit out blood. In the next moment, he roared again: ¡°Gerard!¡± Chapter 191: 102: The Earls Plan (Please subscribe~ Vote for monthly tickets~) "Gerard!" Watching the tall figure leading a horse from a distance, Earl Anne broke into a smile. Without any hesitation, the earl turned around and positioned himself behind Mrs. An Lu, with his long sword resting on thedy''s throat, and then he called out, "Stop there." Jason halted in his steps, ncing at the other party. His gaze focused primarily on the crystal in the other''s hand. Then, he scanned the slumbering Defense Army. He already had an inkling of what was happening. "As per our agreement." "I came alone." Jason mimicked Gerard''s tone. "Of course!" "You would certainlye back!" "Who else would you be if not Gerard?" After Earl Anne finished speaking, he raised the crystal in his hand, his eyes turning towards the unconscious Defense Army. "I am willing to trade one third of their lives, their freedom, in exchange for your inability to use the ''me'' ability for one hour." "Do you agree?" Earl Anne said, turning his head to look at Jason with a smug look on his face. It seemed he was not at all worried that Jason might refuse. After all, he was facing Gerard. A Gerard who would be the first into battle, beloved by his subordinates. How could Gerard not agree? Of course, Gerard would agree. Jason, impersonating Gerard, would also agree. The ''Charles Burning Technique'' is good. But it''s not his main skill. "I agree," Jason nodded. Instantly, the crystal burst forth with a dazzling brilliance, and one third of the Defense Army regained consciousness; the bindings on their bodies breaking one by one. These soldiers first looked around in confusion, then they saw Jason. "My lord!" The Defense Army soldiers eximed in surprise. Then, they realized that they had truly be a burden to their lord. Suddenly, these soldiers looked ashamed. And Earl Anne''s words continued. "I am willing to use another third of their lives, their freedom, in exchange for your inability to use Griffin faction techniques for one hour." "Do you agree?" "My lord, don''t agree to it!" "My lord, you can''t agree to him!" Without waiting for Jason to speak, the newly awakened soldiers began to panic. They shouted out loud. Jason waved his hand at the soldiers. "I agree." Jason continued. Instantly, as a dazzling light flickered on the crystal, another third of the Defense Army woke up. These awakened soldiers red at Earl Anne, grinding their teeth in anger. But Earl Anne didn''t care at all. His gaze swept over the Defense Army soldiers, and he said with augh: "Do you have any dissatisfaction?" "With such a great figure as Gerard willing to sacrifice for you, you should feel joy." "No, it should be gratitude towards me for being willing to trade with Gerard that you ought to feel." Earl Anne mocked the Defense Army soldiers in jest. Then, he turned his head to look at Gerard again. "One third remains..." "What do you think my next demand will be?" The ''Fort Swallow'' earl smiled maliciously. "Griffin summoning ability?" Jason asked. The answer was obvious. The opponent was just methodically stripping away Gerard''s abilities, techniques, and trump cards. Reducing Gerard''sbat effectiveness to rock bottom. A very direct and effective approach. But, That was Gerard. Not him, Jason. The unconscious Gerard knew summoning Griffins. But I, Jason, do not. You say I should not use a Griffin summoning technique I do not possess, of course, I won''t object. As for techniques of the Griffin faction? If not rolling, then I won''t roll. Moreover, Jason believed the other party would not make any excessive demands for fear of truly pushing Gerard into desperation. Indeed, that was the case. "You''re very smart." "Just like you said¡ª" "I am willing to use thest third of their lives, their freedom, in exchange for your inability to use the ''Griffin'' secret technique for one hour." "Do you agree?" The earl smiled, continuing to speak amidst his insincere ttery. "I agree," Jason said without hesitation. Immediately, thest third of the Defense Army woke up and quickly grasped what had happened. All five hundred members of the Defense Army had tears in their eyes. They had never thought that Lord Gerard would be willing to do so much for them. Lord Gerard was truly trading his life for theirs. Upon this realization, these stern-faced men could not help but sob out loud. "Shut your mouths." "Stand up." "Leave this ce." Jason uttered each word deliberately. All five hundred soldiers of the Defense Army rose to their feet in unison. They did not defy themand of their lord. They also knew they were no match for Earl Anne. But that did not stop rage, reluctance, and hatred from brewing in their hearts. They departed step by step. They fixed their eyes intently on Earl Anne. As if to brand his image into their minds, into their souls! They had made up their minds. The rest of their lives would be dedicated to his downfall. No matter what it took, as long as he was brought down, that was all that mattered. Just as the five hundred were about to leave Banana Bay, themander leading them suddenly knelt on one knee. "My lord, please take care of yourself!" "Please make sure to return safely!" The remaining soldiers knelt in unison. "My lord, please take care of yourself!" "Please make sure to return safely!" Their voices echoed to the heavens. Jason did not look back, merely waving his hand. Watching Jason''s retreating figure, the five hundred soldiers from the harbor''s Defense Army took steps backward. "Tsk, tsk, tsk." "How touching." "They''re just like the guard of my foolish brother." "And you, you''re quite simr to my foolish brother as well." "Of course," "You are much stronger than him." Earl Anne shook his head as he said this. Then, he lowered his head to look at Madame An Lu. "Madame, what do you think..." "What would Lord Gerard agree to for your sake?" Before he could finish his sentence, the Earl couldn''t help but let out augh. There was malice in it. And triumph, too. No more me abilities. No more Griffin style techniques. No assistance from the Griffin. Even with just one hour, the advantage was his to seize. If he could just strip Gerard of one aspect of his physical abilities, Then he was certain to win! "You''re despicable!" Madame An Lu shouted loudly. "Thank you for thepliment!" The Earl responded with a smile. Then, he looked again at Jason. "I am willing to exchange Madame An Lu''s life and freedom for the disadvantage of your Agility decreasing by one-fifth for the next hour. "Do you agree?" Earl Anne asked. The Earl did not choose at random, but based on the Griffin style techniques. Ferocitybined with Agility! That''s the hallmark of the Griffin style! It was inevitable that Gerard''s Strength and Agility would be exceptional. Once all other advantages were cast aside, Agility became particrly important because, after all, no matter how strong you are, if you can''t hit your opponent, it''s useless. Therefore, the Earl decided to target Gerard''s Agility. "I agree," Jason answered without hesitation. Agility was not his forte anyway. Madame An Lu was released. Thedy looked at Jason wanting to say something, but he stopped her with a wave of his hand. "Please, go forward." "Catch up with my soldiers." "They will take good care of you." Jason said this and then strode toward Earl Anne, not giving thedy the slightest chance to speak. Watching Jason''s back, Madame An Lu opened her mouth but in the end said nothing, and jogged forward. At this moment, Only Jason and Earl Anne were left in Banana Bay. Thetter gave Jason a malicious smile. Then, in a sh, Thrust! The long sword pierced Jason''s chest. And it went straight through the heart. "Do you know how long I''ve waited for this moment?" "You who are so high and mighty, Lord Gerard!" Earl Anne sneered. And then, The Earl withdrew his sword. He flicked the fresh blood from the de. The sword slowly returned to its scabbard. Everything went just as he had anticipated. Gerard was not that remarkable after all. Thinking this, the Earl turned to leave. A dead opponent is unworthy of attention. Could a dead Gerard still strike at him? Chapter 181: 92 Arrival (Please Subscribe~ Request Monthly Pass~) Chapter 181: Chapter 92 Arrival (Please Subscribe~ Request Monthly Pass~) Shouts echoed, filled with murderous intent. Simmons maintained the secret technique, allowing his voice to echo within the prison, yet not a whisper spilled out. Eilot monitored the ground, alert to every rustle. Raymond sensed everyone¡¯s heartbeat. When such heartbeats stayed in sync¡ª This ¡®sniper¡¯ cried out once more, ¡°We need to take action now!¡± ¡°I have a hidden weapons cache at Hans Port. Although it¡¯s not enough to arm everyone, and the weapons aren¡¯t thetest models, it¡¯s only temporary, because¡­¡± ¡°Our enemies have them!¡± ¡°What we need is to take back what belongs to us from their hands¡ªour weapons, equipment, food, and ammunition!¡±
¡°Now, move out!¡± As the words fell, Raymond began making individual contact. ¡°Boyer, I¡¯m counting on you!¡± ¡°Please, make a way forward for everyone!¡± Raymond said. ¡°Leave it to me, captain!¡± In a certain spot on the lowest level of the prison, a portly prisoner lifted a ¡®secret passage,¡¯ sticking his head inside. Then, he sucked in forcefully. Whoosh! The soil in the passage loosened and started to flow into the mouth of the prisoner named Boyer. Quickly, the passage expanded. Yet Boyer¡¯s figure showed no change. He could eat soil. And he had a unique way of storing it. Merely half an hourter, the passage widened. The prisoners scrambled through the tunnel. ¡°Nozan, it¡¯s your turn now. I¡¯m depending on you,¡± Raymond said. ¡°Alright, captain!¡± A sinister voice answered. Then, a tall, slender figure raised a hand, and a thin mist covered all the prisoners. In the next moment, those touched by the mist disappeared without a trace.
The overextended Nozan swayed as if about to fall. At this moment, the gaunt Eilot steadied Nozan. A continuous flow of strength poured into Nozan¡¯s body. ¡°Eilot, that¡¯s enough, conserve your strength,¡±
¡°There¡¯s still so much ahead where we will need your power.¡± Once he could stand, Nozan struggled to pull his arm free and shed a weary smile at the skeletal Eilot. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± ¡°This little expenditure is nothing to me.¡± ¡°Besides¡­¡± ¡°Once on the surface, those enemies will be enough to replenish my strength.¡± Eilot, ghastly as a skeleton, supported Nozan once more, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you when the timees.¡± Nozan nodded, giving his promise. ¡°Count me in.¡± ¡°And me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡± Voices arose among the prisoners.
Everyone was promising to help Eilot. A smile emerged on the skull-like face of Eilot, which should have been terrifying, yet it somehow gave off a hint of warmth. The prisoners moved even faster. No one had expected these prisoners to band together. Or rather, no one believed these prisoners would unite. Once free from the shackles that bound them, able to wield secret techniques, and cooperating selflessly, this band of prisoners unleashed an awe-inspiring strength. Before long, they had left the dungeons of Duron Street number 111 and surfaced. Nozan once again concealed everyone¡¯s traces with a secret technique. Boyer turned around and spat all the soil from his belly back out. Shortly, after the earth had refilled the tunnelpletely, this team formed of prisoners set their sights on Duron Street number 111, sensing their Queen was there. All knelt on one knee, bowing their heads in silent speech. ¡°Please rest assured.¡± ¡°Your enemies¡­¡±
¡°We will clear them away for you.¡± After those words, like an oath, the group of prisoners stood up and, within a few breaths, vanished into the night. Curled up on the sofa on the fourth floor of Duron Street number 111, Dennise was flipping through a novel. She seemed to sense something, lifted her head and looked around, but finding nothing out of the ordinary, she couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°It must be that this book is so exciting! Even though it¡¯s just about an ordinary young person bing a knight, it¡¯s so thrilling, I thought I was hearing things!¡± With a sigh, Dennise nced at the empty surroundings, carefully set the book aside, stood up, and then she cleared her throat several times, pinched her voice to deepen it, and said: ¡°Born for glory, Sir Knight.¡± Then, Dennise turned around to face where she had been standing earlier and intentionally used a low voice to respond: ¡°To die for glory, young Attendant.¡± After saying that, Dennise took small steps to stand back in the middle. She returned to her normal voice. She said: ¡°Charge!¡± ¡°My Knight!¡± After uttering these words, Dennise seemed to feel a bit shy, covered her blushing face, andy back on the sofa to continue flipping through the novel.
When she reached an exciting part, she couldn¡¯t help but jump and dance. When she reached a sad part, she couldn¡¯t help but secretly shed tears. When she reached an exhrating part, she would stand up and act it out again. Between giggles and cries, that was all there was to Dennise. And her thoughts were incredibly simple. ¡°Jason is busy and won¡¯t y with me.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ll just y with myself~¡± With that thought, Dennise continued to read happily. And then¡­ Daylight came. Dennise, with dark circles under her eyes, stared nkly at the rising sun. How could this be? I clearly just wanted to finish this chapter before going to sleep. How could it be day already? ¡°It¡¯s an illusion!¡± ¡°I must have fallen asleep and identally turned the pages!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the book that touched me first, then I opened it!¡± Dennise emphasized. Then, she wrapped herself in the book and fell into a deep sleep on the sofa. Coiling up to gain warmth? Sorry, that¡¯s not necessary. Undead aren¡¯t afraid of the cold. So, Dennise slept spread-eagled and¡­ drooled, smacking her lips. ¡°Meaty bone¡­ yummy¡­ give me more¡­¡± In the low murmur of her dreams, Dennise slept even more soundly. Breakfast? She wouldn¡¯t miss it. Because Jason would call her. Even if he didn¡¯t call her, she¡¯d wake up if she smelled it. But Jason, whom Dennise had high hopes for, was somewhat frantic at the moment. Looking at the two thick stacks of papers on his desk, Jason felt his eyes were dry, his temples were swollen, and his entire brain was groggy. Jason was not someone who disliked reading. But for the first time, Jason realized how tediously dull reading could be. He recognized every single word on these documents. But when they were strung together, why couldn¡¯t he understand a thing? ¡°Does Gerard have to review so many documents every day?¡± Jason couldn¡¯t help but ask Little Reed, who was assisting him with his office work. ¡°Only half a day¡¯s worth.¡± ¡°This is just from yesterday afternoon, the documents for this morning will arrive at noon.¡± ¡°You need to review them before dinner after you¡¯ve had lunch,¡± corrected Little Reed. Jason couldn¡¯t help but rub his temples. But he wasn¡¯t someone who gave up easily. Especially since he had promised Gerard. So¡­ He tossed the quill back into the holder and stood up to walk outside. ¡°Sir Gerard, you¡­¡± ¡°Book learning is shallow, practice brings true knowledge,¡± Jason said, without looking back, striding confidently forward. Just as Jason was about to step through the door frame, a series of rapid footsteps rang out¡ª Tap, tap tap! ¡°Urgent message!¡± Chapter 182: 93: 1 vs 40000? (Please subscribe~ Please vote for the monthly ticket~) Upon hearing the shout of "urgent message," little Reed immediately stood up, came before Jason, and faced the messenger directly. "Recite it." As he spoke, the personal servant gestured several hand signals. The New Federation''s assassination attempts against Gerard were endless. Impersonating messengers and using so-called ''urgent messages'' to approach Gerard for assassination was not new; thus, Reed had arranged a set of ever-changing secret signals. A messenger could be impersonated. But secret signals could not. Because, even the messengers themselves did not know what today''s secret signal was. It could be a gesture. It could be a code word. Or, it could be both. Just like this time. After seeing the personal servant''s hand signals, the messenger immediately responded. "Ribs, roast pork, meatballs." Hearing the correct signal, Reed stepped aside. "Report, Lord Gerard." "His Excellency, the Duke of Fort Swallow, has sent an urgent letter!" "The first and second infantry legions of the New Federation have suddenly appeared within the territory of Fort Swallow, forming a pincer attack, and the Duke of Fort Swallow is requesting support!" The messenger spoke rapidly and clearly. Instantly, Jason frowned. Though he did not understand military affairs well, Jasonprehended the implications of two infantry legions suddenly appearing within the territory of Fort Swallow. Gerard had mentioned more than once that Fort Swallow was Hans Port''s barrier, defending the harbor from ind military forces. If Fort Swallow fell, Hans Port would bepletely exposed to the New Federation''s artillery. Therefore, if Fort Swallow requested support, Hans Port would certainly send troops. But how to deploy those troops, how much material to carry, and other such matters, Jason could not decide. So, the next moment, he spoke like this. "Hmm." "Understood." He tried to maintain Gerard''s tone. Jason gave an ambiguous answer. Reed at his side cooperated by saying: "Gather themanders of the Harbor Defense Army and all staff officers." "Including the Chief of Security, meeting at 111 Duron Street in half an hour." "Yes!" The messenger immediately saluted and turned to run outside. Reed promptly closed the door. The personal servant turned around, his face serious as he looked at Jason. "I''m sorry, my lord." "I thought we had more time." "But he did not give us much." "I''ll briefly introduce the people who will being to the meetingter." As he spoke, the personal servant began the introductions. The armed forces of Hans Port can roughly be divided into three groups: The Harbor Defense Army. The Harbor Patrol Army. The Harbor Guard Army. Among them, the Harbor Defense Army includes Hans Port''s navy and army. The Harbor Patrol Army is responsible for all security within the port, under themand of the Chief of Security whom Jason had met before. The Harbor Guard Army, the smallest and most elite among the three, is Gerard''s personal guard force. "General Anno is in charge of the Harbor Defense Army." "He is an old man from the port, once your head guard and also served as your swordsmanship instructor for a while, knowledgeable in military affairs, brave in battle but hot-tempered." "Therefore, you arranged for Chief of Staff Sidlin to assist him." "Chief of Staff Sidlin is also from the port, in his early years a well-known captain, adept at nning and positioning, once served as your advisor, and asionally still does." "Both can be trusted." At this, Reed made a point to rify. Jason looked to his personal servant. There are those who can be trusted. Naturally, there are those who cannot be trusted. In fact, it was just as Jason had thought. "Lord Bofute of the patrol army can be trusted as well," "But his deputy, Gte, is likely one of the New Federation''s spy leaders." "We have not moved against him yet as we are ying a long game." "Themand of the Guard Army used to be held by my father, and now by me." Reed kept talking as he turned and walked toward a curtain hanging on the wall. The personal servant pulled the curtain away in one swift motion. A map depicting Hans Port, Fort Swallow, and the ind areas appeared directly before Jason. Under Jason''s gaze, two ck gs were ced outside ''Fort Swallow''. "The first and second infantry legions of the New Federation are both fully staffed with 20,000 each." "The first infantry legion has been through the previous ''Old vs. New'' conflict, many of whom were once under yourmand. However, those who remained are inclined towards ''Aymodun III''." "The second infantry legion was formed at the end of the ''Old vs. New'' conflict and was mainly responsible for cleaning up the battlefield," Reed continued. "What about us?" "How many do we have?" Jason asked. "The Harbor Defense Army, our navy, has 88 sail battleships, including 2 first-rate ships, 36 second-rate ships, and 50 third-rate ships. There are about 20,000 in active navy service." "Our army has aplete infantry legion of 10,000 men, well-equipped and well-trained, ready for immediatebat. That old general also trained a cavalry troop of 2,000, ready to fight any time." "The Harbor Patrol Army has 2,500 men; they are used to daily tasks and wouldn''t be effective in directbat." "The Harbor Guard numbers 800. They can adapt to any battlefield and are your trump card." Listening to Reed''s introduction, Jason''s gaze returned to the map. Hans Port had an absolute advantage in naval forces. But at the ''Fort Swallow'' battlefield, the navy could not be deployed; only the army remained. A full tally of 12,000 men against two full-strength legions of 40,000, who had actually been through real conflict, left Jason, who had never participated in any major militarybat, entirely unsure how to proceed. Furthermore, it was not possible to send all the harbor army forces. Therefore, the only option he could think of was to send part of the forces to reinforce ''Fort Swallow,'' taking advantage of the terrain for defense, and then seek an opportunity to counterattack. More than that? Was he supposed to go cut them down himself? 1 vs 40,000? After giving it serious thought, Jason felt somewhat suffocated. So he asked Reed, "How many men does ''Fort Swallow'' have?" "The Grand Duke of ''Fort Swallow'' is not very good at military affairs. All the forcesbined amount to about 10,000 men with ordinary weapons. However, with the support of the city walls, it wouldn''t be difficult to hold out until our reinforcements arrive," Reed replied. "Do you have any suggestions?" Jason asked. At such a time, Jason thought it best to seek advice from a specialist. "Fight a war of attrition!" Reed immediately responded. Then the personal servant pointed to the map and exined, "We have sea transport, which can continuously bring food and materials from the Southern Archipgo, and then supply resources to ''Fort Swallow,'' just a stone throw away!" "Meanwhile, ''Aymodun III''s supply lines are exceedingly long, requiring a tremendous amount of manpower to maintain. Out of ten pounds of grain transported to the front line, at most only three pounds remain. Moreover, General Anno''s cavalry trained to circle around to the space between ''Fort Swallow'' and the ind can harass the enemy''s supply line and in conjunction with Guard Army''s elite, lure and kill the enemy''s ''Dark Guardian'' squads." "As long as the enemy''s supply line is cut, victory in this war will be ours," Reed dered confidently. Jason nodded repeatedly as he listened. All of these were things he had never considered before. Then Reed started to inform Jason of some details that needed attention. These points would be presented by Jason at the uing meeting. Just as the two finished discussing, and when General Anno of the Harbor Defense Army, Chief of Staff Sidlin, Head of Security Bofute, and Deputy Gte had already appeared at 111 Duron Street, on the fifth floor, amunication soldier ran up swiftly. Thismunication soldier looked anxious as he rushed past several people and came straight up to Jason¡ª "Urgent report!" "''Fort Swallow'' has fallen!" Chapter 183: 94: The Beginning (Third Update~ Please Subscribe~ Seeking Monthly Pass~) The hall was as quiet as if a pin had dropped. The air in the corridor congealed. ''Fort Swallow'' has fallen?! Everyone was rooted to the spot, dumbfounded. Especially little Reed! After havingpleted a full military n, the ''Fort Swallow'' he was relying on had suddenly copsed. What kind of joke was this? I haven''t even started, and I''m already getting pped in the face by the enemy''s Flying Dragon riders? For a moment, even with Reed''s temperament, he found it hard to remain calm. "What happened?" The personal attendant asked. However, he did not forget the passphrase. In the corridor, General Anno, Chief of Staff Sidlin, Security Chief Bofute, and Deputy Director Gte all walked in quickly with serious expressions, all staring at the signalman. "Spareribs, barbecued pork, meatballs." After the correct passphrase, the signalman then said, "It was the Duke of ''Fort Swallow''s'' brother, Earl Anne, who suddenlyunched a coup and opened the gates of ''Fort Swallow''." "In his attempt to cover his wife''s escape, His Grace died in battle." "The Duke''s personal guard, following their lord, all died in battle." "The Duke''s advisors and staff, following their lord, all died in battle." Each sentence from the signalman was like a heavy hammer, striking at everyone''s heart. The personal attendant''s face changed colors repeatedly. The faces of General Anno, Chief of Staff Sidlin, Security Chief Bofute, and Deputy Director Gte looked even worse. Because they knew exactly what this information meant. Hans Port had lost its barrier against the New Federation! They would now face the full brunt of the New Federation''s army! Not just the First and Second Infantry Legions. More enemies woulde pouring in! Remember, the entire New Federation had seven fully staffed Legions. They might not arrive immediately. But as time passed, these Legions would inevitably arrive one after another. By then... What would happen to Hans Port? To resist desperately would be like using one''s arm to block a car. To give up resistance was even more unrealistic. Should we take to the sea? Chief of Staff Sidlin thought silently. At this moment, the old General Anno was furiously shouting: "Anne, that traitor!" "He has betrayed not just his own bloodline!" "He has also forsaken his honor!" "I must catch him and execute him by firing squad!" "Calm down, Anno." Chief of Staff Sidlin, with a head full of thick ck hair and an equally bushy beard, patted the balding old general and said softly. Then, the Chief of Staff turned his gaze toward Jason. Even though he had ideas in his mind, he knew that Jason was the decision-maker here. As the Chief of Staff''s gaze turned, so did General Anno, Security Chief Bofute, and Deputy Director Gte, all looking towards Jason. They were waiting for the controller of the port to issue orders. If it had been Gerard standing here, there would surely be a highly targeted arrangement. But here it was Jason. Jason was not familiar with these matters. Thus, he nced at little Reed while asking the signalman, "Did the Duke of ''Fort Swallow'' manage to help the escapee sessfully flee?" "They escaped!" "The Duchess, along with about a hundred Attendants, is now heading towards the port." "However, at least a thousand-strong Cavalry unit is in hot pursuit behind them." The signalman replied. And at this moment, the personal attendant finally came back to his senses. "Lord Gerard, please allow me to dispatch a team to meet them." "And we need to inform Lord Barney rk." "Also, we need to raise the defense level of the entire port to the highest." "We need to divide the harbor patrol forces into six shifts to rotate..." Little Reed began toy out the next steps immediately. He was well aware that Mr. Jason was clueless about these things. It was necessary for him to step in. Even if it seemed somewhat abrupt, the personal attendant could no longer concern himself with proprieties at this time. After everything was said, Jason nodded. He would not voice his opinion in an area he was not adept in. Moreover, at this time, Jason was already seriously considering the specifics of a 1vs40000 n. Hence, Jason remained silent throughout the following meeting. Jason''s silence left General Anno, Chief of Staff Sidlin, Security Chief Bofute, and Deputy Director Gte looking somewhat perplexed, but they didn''t show it outwardly. It wasn''t until the meeting ended and they had left 111 Duron Street that General Anno could restrain himself no longer. "What happened?" "Lord Gerard is acting out of character." The old general asked. "Atst night''s dinner party, the New Federation sent assassins who ughtered the rtives of the Lord, and even ''Lord Hans'' suffered bizarre injuries that forced him to seek treatment in the Southern Archipgo under the escort of Lord Reed." "Lord Gerard''s unusual behavior must be due to this." Chief of Staff Sidlin sighed. "First, they sent someone to create chaos at Lord Gerard''s evening banquet." "Then they used an undercover agent to breach Fort Swallow''s defenses." "It truly is that bastard''s method." "Next, it should be our port, right?" The old general cursed. However, his mind remained exceptionally clear. "Didn''t you see that Bofute was left behind?" "Lord Gerard must have made preparations." "What we need to do is straighten out the troops, and be ready for war at any moment¡ªdidn''t you establish a few outposts outside the port previously?" "They will y a major role this time." Having said that, the Chief of Staff closed his eyes, pondering how to stall the New Federation''s military might. Meanwhile, Vice Commissioner of Public Safety Gte was quite different. As soon as he got into the coach, the vicemissioner couldn''t contain his excitement any longer. "Sess!" "The Lord has seeded!" "Indeed!" "Choosing the New Federation was the right decision!" "Whates next¡­" "Is my time to shine!" The vicemissioner had already made up his mind. As soon as he returned home, he would send messages to all the undercover agents, ordering them into action. He had already received orders from the Lord before, but at that time, he had some hesitations. And now? No need! Hans Port was doomed to lose! Didn''t you see that even Gerard was utterly disconcerted? His opportunity had finally arrived! "Speed up." With that thought, the vicemissioner said. The coachman immediatelyshed the whip vigorously. As the Vice Commissioner of Public Safety for Hans Port, Gte lived not far from 111 Duron Street. Soon, he returned home. Without waiting for the coachman to open the door, the vicemissioner pushed open the carriage door and ran towards the study in the master bedroom. There, he had all he needed to initiate the ritual for all the undercover agents. A basin-like container. After pouring clear water into it, Gte uttered the Dufol Language. ''zha zha si! zha zha si!'' As the Dufol Language was spoken, Gte directly sliced his finger. It was a very simple ritual. Just say the Dufol Language. Then, drop in a droplet of blood. Subsequently, the basin would ry responses from each undercover agent. But... As soon as the blood was dropped into the basin, Besides diluting, there were absolutely no other reactions. Gte was stunned. He thought he had made some mistake during his first activation of the undercover agent ritual, so he prepared to try again. ''zha zha...'' After finishing the Dufol Language, blood dripped in once more. Instantly, ripples formed on the clear water in the basin. Within each ripple, there wereyers of images. Gte breathed a slight sigh of relief. There was a response. Seemingly, his error indeedid with the first attempt. Thinking this, Gte lowered his head to look at the ripples in the basin. But just as his face was about to get close to the water, a skeletal w suddenly stretched out from the basin and grabbed Gte, dragging his head into the water. Gte struggled violently. He pushed with his hands. He kicked with his feet. But it was all in vain. About a few minutester, after Gte shook a few times, there was no more sound. The maid who had been waiting outside the door, after waiting a long time and past breakfast, could not help but knock on the door. No response. The maid instinctively pushed the door. It opened. Upon seeing everything inside the study, the maid let out a scream¡ª "Ahhhh!" "Something''s wrong!" "Lord Gte has drowned in the washbasin!" Chapter 184: 95 Your Will, Our Mission (Please subscribe~ Request for monthly pass~) ``` Upon receiving the news of his deputy''s death, Security Chief Bofute galloped directly to the scene. "Protect the scene!" Bofutemanded his subordinates with a grave expression. It wasn''t just because the dead was his deputy. More so because Lord Gerard had temporarily left, entrusting him with the entire harbor''s security. Suddenly, Bofute felt an immense pressure. Because, this Chief of Security knew very well what he was up against. The ''harassment'' of Secret Agents from the New Federation! Those agents certainly did not wish for their lord to safely bring back the ''Fort Swallow'' widows and the remnants of soldiers. They would undoubtedly cause great disruption, restraining their lord''s energy. Even if their lord managed to bring back the widows and remnants of ''Fort Swallow''. He would still have to face the mess at the harbor. Thus, after receiving Gerard''s orders, Bofute immediately made multiple strategic deployments. But what he hadn''t expected was a mishap still urred. The one involved was his deputy. Bofute''s face was somber, his gaze sweeping across the study before him. A verymonyout, just like any other harbor study, nothing noteworthy, except... for that basin-like container. As the Chief of Security for the harbor, Bofute naturally had encountered the ''Mystical Side''. Moreover, he was proficient in several secret techniques. Therefore, upon seeing that basin-like container, Bofute immediately noticed the difference. "A device resembling amunication tool!" After inspecting it, Bofute furrowed his brows. Firstly, such a device would definitely not cause death. Secondly, this sort of device should not appear in the study of his deputy, Gte. Who would own such a device? Nobody was clearer on this than Security Chief Bofute. He subconsciously thought of little Reed''s parting admonishment. ''Keep a close watch on Gte and those rted to him!'' If previously Bofute had any doubts about the admonishments of Lord Gerard''s personal attendant, at this moment, the Chief of Security would no longer have them. It was obviously Lord Gerard''smand. Reed was but a mouthpiece. Did Gte have ties with the Secret Agents of the New Federation? Was the opposition specifically left behind by their lord as a long line to catch a big fish? At this moment, in the interest of the entire harbor''s safety, was their lord no longer being indulgent? Thoughts swiftly cycled through the depths of his mind. However, on the surface, Bofute issued orders with an unfazed demeanor. "Search!" "Conduct a thorough search of this ce!" "Yes!" A squad of harbor patrol troops immediately sprang into action. Perhaps in face-to-facebat, these patrol troops were not the finest, but in matters of searching and arresting, they could indeed be called experts. Soon, scraps of paper hidden in the crevices of the floorboards were found. These scraps were not written in amonnguage, but rather consisted of numbers. "A code!" Bofute recognized at a nce what these were. Then, his gaze turned to the bookshelf nearby. With a code, there must necessarily be a codebook. Only when matched up correctly would the proper message be revealed. Nevertheless, even Bofute couldn''t expect to find the correct codebook on a full bookshelf in a short amount of time. "Take all of this back with you!" Bofute ordered. Then, just as the Chief of Security was preparing to leave, several subordinates rushed in from outside, in a hurry. "Report to the lord, an ident urred on Walnut Street, someone fell from a horse and died." "Report to the lord, something has happened at the Pineapple Street caf¨¦, someone choked to death while eating." "Report to the lord, an ident urred on Pineapple Street, someone was chased by a dog, fell, and died." "Report to the lord..." A session of reports made Bofute frown. "Dispatch people to protect the scene." "And then investigate thoroughly." Bofute continued to issuemands. But in this Chief of Security''s heart, there was already a daring conjecture: Could these deceased individuals be rted to Gte? Could they be the remaining Secret Agents of the New Federation? If that was so... Lord Gerard must have a more secretive armed force. Is it the Guard Army? No! Even the Guard Army couldn''t achieve this level of precision, this bizarre. ``` It must be the old guards from Lord Hans'' side mentioned in the rumors! With this spection in mind, Bofute could not help but let his thoughts run wild. As a hereditary vassal of the harbor, he knew some secrets about the Hans Family. That included the mysterious disappearance of the old guards. A force of over a hundred men, both formidable in battle and bizarre to the extreme. Their most glorious fight was probably against the counterattack of the old Federation, where the hundred-man team held off two full legions of the old Federation, relentlessly harassing, raiding, and beheading, until the enemy waspletely routed. But in the recent ten years, they vanished without a trace. "Could it be them?" Bofute spected. ... Breakfast began at 111 Duron Street. Butpared to the usual lively atmosphere at the dining table, there was only Dennise sitting at the huge table. Jason, Gerard, and little Reed were not there. Nor were Peters and Hume. Dennise hugged her once favorite meat bone, feeling it had lost its vor. That''s why she only ate three people''s portions. Then, she saw the kind, plump cook auntie who had just cleared the table for her, head into the kitchen, and the next moment, swap her usual long skirt for knight''s attire and leather armor, shouldering a massive Wolf Fang Club, with two flintlock pistols hanging on each side of her waist, ande out. "Miss." "I''m so sorry." "I won''t be able to cook for you for a while." "War hase." "I need to head to the front lines." The cook auntie carrying the Wolf Fang Club looked at Dennise with full apology. Dennise was well-loved by the servants of 111 Duron Street. Because Dennise, wearing a cotton dress, was not only kindhearted, innocent, magnanimous, but also had none of the airs typical of nobility. Aside from asionally getting lost or unintentionally breaking some furniture, she was the perfect subject of service in a servant''s heart. "War?" Dennise was stunned for a moment. She was familiar with the word, often seeing it in books. But to really face it, this was her first time. She looked around vaguely. She saw that all the familiar attendants and maidservants had changed out of their usual servant clothes and long skirts. They had put on knight''s attire and leather armor, holding weapons as they stood in front of 111 Duron Street, ready to depart. "So that''s why Jason and little Reed left." "Why Peters and Hume followed." "Are they also heading to the front lines?" Dennise thought nkly. Seeing Dennise''s dazed look, the plump cook auntie felt a wave of distress. She preferred to see Dennise carefree. "Don''t worry, Miss Dennise." "Everything will pass." "With us here, with Lord Gerard here, everything will be alright." "It''s just two full infantry legions, we can tten one just as we can two!" The cook auntie thumped her chest, signaling Dennise to be at ease. Then, the auntie said goodbye to Dennise. "Miss Dennise, wait for me to return." "I will still cook for you." After speaking, the auntie waved her hand and shouldered the Wolf Fang Club to join the formation. Dennise watched the formation depart. 111 Duron Street became even emptier. The faces of those remaining were filled with panic and unease. ustomed to liveliness, Dennise disliked such an atmosphere. Especially without Jason by her side, Dennise felt even more ufortable. Unable to help herself, Dennise muttered softly¡ª "I don''t like this kind of war!" "Let it end quickly!" "I want Jason back by my side!" "I still want to eat the meat bones the plump auntie cooks!" Hurry! Let it end! The wind carried the voice away, blowing through the harbor''s city districts, over the distant sea, and across thatnd. And then... "As Your Majesty wishes, my queen!" Chapter 185: 96: The Pied Piper Who Never Fails (Subscribe! Vote for the month!) Wiping his flintlock, Raymond smiled at his newpanion who had ''repented'' and ''turned to good'' under ''persuasion.'' Although they no longer had bodies and could only exist as ghosts, for these knights of the queen, this was nothing of significance. The living are governed by the Queen. And so are the dead. What pleased Raymond the most was that he had obtained several important pieces of information from these newrades. Among them, the most delightful for Raymond was that outside Hans Port, therey hidden a small arsenal capable of arming a hundred people. It was full of new weapons developed by the New Federation. Even heavy weapons were not in short supply. "Captain Raymond, I need to leave now," "The Commander has already sent orders." "And¡­" "I''m really sorry about before." Gte, now an undead who had directly be a mid-level Evil Spirit, bowed slightly to Raymond with a heavy expression of apology. "No need for apologies." "It''s all in the past." "Now, we are colleagues!" "Everything for Her Majesty the Queen!" Raymond solemnly said. "Everything for Her Majesty the Queen!" Gte and his twenty subordinates echoed in unison. Then Gte, with his subordinates who were once secret agents of the New Federation and who now ''voluntarily joined'' Denise''s Undead Legion, prepared to leave. And just at this moment¡ª ''I dislike such wars!'' ''Let it end quickly!'' ''I want Jason back by my side!'' ''I still wish to eat the meaty bones made by Aunt Fatty!'' The voice of Denise echoed deep in their hearts and theirs. Without hesitation, all the living and undead knelt on one knee. "We will heed your will, my Queen!" The call rose in the abandoned warehouse. ... Outside Hans Port, in the deep sea. On an ancient battlefield. One by one, the dead began to rise again, crawling out of the mud, flickering with Soul Fire, joining the ranks in the distance. Their bodies, like the swords in their hands, were decaying. Their steps were wobbly and feeble in the sea. But their will was as strong as steel and as burning as me. Lederma, watching these transformed and resurrected Skeleton Warriors, couldn''t help but shake his head. "Not enough!" "Not enough!" "Too few!" "A million! At least a million!" Although transformed into an evil spirit close to Fierce Spirits, its memory had not been lost, and it knew very well that the one hundred thousand Skeleton Warriors were still too few. There must be at least a million Skeleton Warriors! Because only a million Skeleton Warriors couldpletely overrun the so-called New Federation. And only then can the carefree life of Her Majesty the Queen be ensured. And the ghosts! Thinking of this, Lederma turned his head towards two battlefield ghosts. They were constantly transforming. Three thousand ghosts had already gathered. Unlike their original special three hundred ghosts, these ghosts had only the most basic instincts. However, it was precisely because of this that they chose to obey. "We need a hundred thousand ghosts!" Ledermamanded thusly. The two battlefield ghosts did not argue. Because that was precisely what they wanted to do. Then, Lederma''s gaze shifted toward the even deeper and more shadowy parts of the sea. Darkness enveloped the area. Even the eyesight of the undead could not clearly see there. Only a vague outline could be discerned. That was... A city! A city that gave him a feeling of trepidation. "This ce also poses a threat to the Queen!" "We need to clear all the dangers above ground first, then deal with this ce!" Lederma thought to himself in silence. As the undead far beyond the ordinary Evil Spirits contemted¡ª "I don''t like this kind of war!" "Let it end quickly!" "I want Jason back by my side!" "I also want to eat the meaty bones made by plump Auntie!" That was Her Majesty the Queen''s voice. Her Majesty the Queen had issued thetestmand. All souls and departed knelt to the ground. With their souls, they cried out: "We heed your will, my Queen!" At that moment, the deep sea waters boiled. Lederma stopped paying attention to his own ns. So did the Undead on both battlefields. To them, Her Majesty the Queen''s will was above all else. "Move out!" "Target: Fort Swallow!" At a singlemand, a hundred-thousand-strong Undead Army sprang into action. They did not surge towards the surface. Needing no breath, feeling no fatigue, knowing no pain, they marched directly from the seabed. And after the Undead Army had left, the deep sea returned to calm. Only that city, shrouded in darkness remained, standing silently there, timeless. ... In Mobius Pce, "Aymodun the Third" held his winess. The throbbing pain in his head forced the Federation''s ruler to numb himself with alcohol. This pain had been present for a long time. Since his defeat under artillery fire when he chose "fusion", it had persisted. However, "Aymodun the Third" was not concerned. For it was that very defeat that led him to the true path forward. But that didn''t mean "Aymodun the Third" would let go of the man who had caused his failure. Gerard! Jason! Murmuring the names of the two brothers, especially thetter, made the Federation''s ruler gnash his teeth in anger. Suddenly attacked by some bizarre strike, and tricked by slogans like "handing out candy". Damn it! But, it wouldn''t be long. "You too, are my sacrifice!" "Aymodun the Third" was certain of this thought. Gerard would certainly go to support and wee the widowed Duchess of Fort Swallow and her remnants. Without Gerard, Hans Port would be a toothless tiger; internal strife was inevitable. And furthermore¡­ "Do you really think the widowed Duchess of Fort Swallow and her remnants will be that easy to wee?" "I have prepared a grand gift for you!" "Aymodun the Third" smirked. But, the next moment, his smirk froze¡ª "Report!" "All of Hans Port''s undercover agents and secret agents have lost contact." "What did you say?" "Aymodun the Third" looked at the messenger before him. Under the ruler''s gaze, the messenger''s heart trembled, and he stuttered in response. "Ha... Hans Port''s undercover agents and secret agents have all lost con..." Bang! "Aymodun the Third" didn''t wait for the messenger to finish; he simply shot him with a raise of his hand. The messenger copsed in a pool of blood. His personal valet waved a hand, and immediately several servants expressionlessly carried the corpse away. "Useless!" "A bunch of useless fools!" "Is all that yearly funding being eaten by dogs?" "Aymodun the Third" roared. The winess in his hand was once again violently thrown to the ground. Crash! As the winess shattered, in that crisp sound, "Aymodun the Third" suddenly thought of something more important. "Was the trap for Gerard sessful?" Chapter 186: 97: When you leaned close to my lips... (Third update~Please subscribe~Please vote~) Five hundred cavalry of the Harbor Defense Army, divided into twenty teams, left Hans Port just before breakfast and headed towards ''Fort Swallow.'' The remaining fifteen hundred cavalry of the Harbor Defense Army and a hundred of the Harbor Guard formed the follow-up forces, moving at a slightly slower pace. The former acted as scout cavalry, gathering precise information. Thetter were the main forces, prioritizing stability. Jason didn''t understand this very well. All of it was arranged by little Reed. During the whole process, he only showed his face before the troops set out, and then, he boarded this specially made carriage. Beyond that, he had done nothing. However, even so, Jason could distinctly feel the morale of the entire army soaring. Perhaps this was Gerard''s charm. No need to do anything. No need to say anything. Just being there was enough to ensure that everything was safe and sound. But, That was Gerard! He was Jason! He could not reach the level of Gerard. Once the battle started... He would surely be exposed. Therefore, at this time, Jason was reviewing the notes left by Gerard about the ''Charles Burning Technique,'' ''ir Exorcism Technique,'' and ''Blud Defense Technique.'' He needed to make himself look more like Gerard. So... mes were essential! Leafing through the ''Charles Burning Technique,'' Jason mused silently. And then, he delved into it with even more concentration¡ª The creator of the original ''Charles Burning Technique'' was a master who had profound knowledge of the Mystical Side and was graced with unusual talent, but the record was iplete, especially the critical imprinting part was missing, forcing me to fill in the gaps with my understanding. The power is less than the original version. It requires enduring a certain amount of pain. But it''s more versatile. The auxiliary potions are as follows: sandalwood, cinnamon, myrrh, and Dragon Blood, mixed at a ratio of 1:1:2:3. The ritual records are as follows: Begin with the Fierce Sun as the base for the Secret Magic Array, supported by a third-ss offset star and an askew first-ss true star. The chant in Dufol Language is as follows: No ui el (requires a tripartite interrupted chanting method). ... Jason silently memorized the content of the book. He already had the auxiliary potions. The ritual was prepared by little Reed. The tripartite interrupted chanting method in Dufol Language was automatically mastered when his skill "Dufol Language" reached proficiency level, a way of reciting by shuffling the existing Dufol words. Now? Waiting is a matter of time. When noon arrived, the advancing forces temporarily halted. Jason slowly closed the notebook bestowed upon him by Gerard and took a deep breath. Thud, thud-thud. The carriage door was knocked. "Come in," Jason said. Following Jason''s word, Little Reed, carrying a scroll of Secret Magic Array, boarded the carriage. "Master," Reed firstly bowed, then spread the scroll across the floor of the carriage. In the spacious, custom-made carriage, the one-meter-square scroll was easily unfurled, depicting a circr array resembling the sun, with a golden star and a crimson star positioned asymmetrically on either side. Reed gestured for Jason to stand in the center of the scroll and then took out a handkerchief from his chest. "This process will be very painful," Reed said as he extended it towards Jason. "Bite down on this." Jason nced at it but shook his head. For Jason, pain was an all too familiarpanion. The pain that came with death was real. If every death left a tombstone, his grave markers would probably have already filled the main building at Duron Street No. 111 by now. "Please make sure to control yourself," Reed reminded Jason upon seeing his refusal. "Hmm," Jason nodded, observing the sun overhead, and directly took out the potions Gerard had prepared for him, uncorked the bottle and, with two gulps, swallowed the potion down. It was a bit spicy. But also rich. Then somewhat sweet. Spiced hot chocte, perhaps? Jason thought as he silently recited ''No ui el'' in the tripartite interrupted chanting method. As the incantation waspleted, the sun-like array on the Secret Magic Array began to glow. Thud, thud-thud! Jason acutely felt his heartbeat speeding up. Blood quickened in cirction. Threads of burning sensation appeared in his palms. Then, from the palms as the starting point, it spread along his five fingers. In his field of vision. He saw a swath of crimson! Huge, with its wings unfurled, a crimson that blotted out the sun! That was... A dragon! A red behemoth! Sailing across the sky, it raised its head and bellowed. Roar! The deafening roar shook Jason''s vision, a tremendous might descended from the heavens, crushing down on him like a mountain. Jason''s body trembled. And before he could recover his wits. Roar, roar roar! Continuous roars followed. The pressure came in waves. Like thunderous breakers, one after another they pummeled Jason''s soul. Jason''s trembling body started to sway. "Kneel!" "Submit!" The words, filled with searing breath, echoed in Jason''s ears. What was more terrifying, the soaring dragon descended. Itnded right in front of Jason. Boom! The ground trembled and shook. Its massive, ferocious head gazed down at the reptile before it. It opened its mouth. As if thunder spoke, the voice boomed again. "Offer your soul!" "Submit to me!" Hum! The colossal voice caused Jason''s ears to buzz, and he shook his head, adjusting to the overwhelming presence, while his nose sniffed continuously. Delicious! Such a delicious smell! Jason, who hadn''t eaten breakfast, began drooling uncontrobly. Just as the drool was about to hit the ground, he sharply inhaled. Slurp. The drool returned to his mouth. It was instinct. Not even the saliva could go to waste. Just as a predator''s instinct prevents waste of food. Especially when it''s... Food delivered right to his mouth. Pant, pant! Jason gasped for air, lifting his head with an unusual gleam in his eyes, a faint indecipherable aura emanating from his body, causing the dragon before him an inexplicable palpitation. Then, imprinted in its soul, The voice from the deepest recesses of its memory sounded ¡ª Flee! Don''t look back! Don''t yearn for dignity! Don''t remember the glory! Run! If... You don''t want to be eaten! It was the voice of countless ancestors. No images. But just such a voice. Made it shudder. It heeded the teachings of its ancestors, ready to leave. But then, its head throbbed with pain. The creature it thought an ant, Jason, somehow leaped up to its head and bit down on the most delicious part. Crunch! The tough dragon scales were like paper against Jason''s teeth. One bite and pull revealed the tenacious, tasty dragon flesh. Jason pounced, biting and starting to swallow. The dragon trembled in pain, swinging its head back and forth while bellowing¡ª "It hurts, it hurts!" "Let go! Release me!" Chapter 187: 98: Beyond Normal (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote for Monthly Tickets~) Jason disregarded the dragon''s roar. He had already immersed himself in the delicious food. At this moment, all he knew was to eat! The tender dragon flesh, unseasoned and akin to sashimi, did not require mustard, as the meat itself carried a hint of spiciness, likely because the dragon seemed to be a Fire Dragon. Soon, the flesh atop the dragon''s head was gnawed clean, revealing the hard skeleton underneath. However, such hardness was only rtive. In the face of Jason''s teeth... Crunch. With a crackling sound, a piece of the dragon''s skull was pried open. Jason dove straight in. ... Inside the carriage, Reed nervously watched Jason''s expression. The close manservant, who had also practiced the ''Charles Burning Technique'', knew full well the intense pain that came with a potion that could rapidly initiate one into the art. ''Without the resolve to endure death, one cannot bear such pain!'' This was the advice of his father. Therefore, when Gerard had asked, he truly had ''tasted and stopped'' before opting for a more rigorous practice mode. Fortunately, relying on that brief taste and his decent talent, he seeded. Though it took more time and effort. But the result was satisfying. Only... The expression on Lord Jason''s face was somewhat strange. What was this look of enjoyment all about? Could this expression, filled with pleasure, really be one of enduring pain? Unintentionally, Reed''s thoughts drifted to some unsavory matters. But the next moment, thepetent personal servant shook his head. No! It couldn''t be! Lord Jason was Gerard''s cousin! He possessed an absolutely brave and fearless heart! That''s why he could ignore the pain! Even enjoy the pain! Yes! That''s right! That''s how it must be! As if to convince himself further, the manservant emphasized this over and over in his heart. And at that moment, Jason opened his eyes. He chewed subconsciously, but only air remained in his mouth. Instinctively, he wiped the corner of his mouth, finding not a trace of juice. An illusion? Jason was startled. But the text before his eyes informed him it was not¡ª [A minuscule essence of ''Dragon Blood'' consumed!] [Physical Strength, Energy (Injuries) maximally restored!] [Satiation +10] [Satiation: 32] ... [Potion consumption, special learning ritual underway, determining...] [Determination passed!] [Mastery of the secret technique Charles Burning Technique (Basic)!] [Charles Burning Technique (Basic): This secret technique does not require hand gestures or the invocation of the Dufol Language to be cast but needs a substantial amount of mystical knowledge and tenacious willpower as a foundation. The original source of this technique is untraceable, and even Gerard, who unearthed it from ancient ruins, does not know its origins¡ªonly that it predates an era of different systems by a long time. To adapt it to the system of this era, Gerard made a series of improvements and augmentations; the result being very different from the original. Effect: Consumes a small amount of Physical Strength to create a conical (30¡ã, 3m long) de-level me, which continuously drains Physical Strength while firing. You can choose to attack with either hand, but at this stage, you can only use one hand, either left or right, and cannot use both simultaneously.] ... Jason raised his right hand, with the me flickering in his palm. He exerted great restraint from unleashing the mes. It was like restraining himself from lifting his leg or clenching his fist. At this moment, the "Charles Burning Technique" had be a part of his body. On his heart, the inscriptions had increased, two Dufol Language characters ''ui cx'' were added. The energy became even denser, and the speed increased once again. Compared to when there was only the initial "Protection Against Evil," after adding "Mist Concealment," "Charge," and "Charles Burning Technique," the mystical power at the location of Jason''s heart had increased at least threefold. The speed of its flow had also increased by more than one time. As for the "sh Technique"? Emmmm¡­ It existed, but it made no difference whether it was there or not. It wasn''t useless. It''s just that it really didn''t have much presence, just like the Dufol Language character ''Bi'' that belonged to it, inscribed on the heart. It wasn''t just the simplest Dufol Language character; it was also the shortest and upied the smallest area. Jason silently observed the Dufol Language inscriptions branded on his heart, carefully estimating. "Has it already upied one-sixth of the area?" Looking at the still rgely nk'' heart, Jason considered slightly. He had always spected that the heart had a limit to what it could contain. In fact, it was so. In the book given to him by the old knight, which could be called a small encyclopedia, this point was explicitly recorded. Take the "sh Technique," the branding of a single Dufol Language ''Bi'', as an example. A healthy adult without any talent could brand a maximum of one ''Bi'' to two ''Bi''s. A healthy adult with talent could brand a maximum of two ''Bi''s to four ''Bi''s. Four single Dufol Language characters were the limit for mostmon people. When onepletes an ''initiation'' and chooses a profession, this limit would expand to 10-40 single Dufol Language characters based on different talents. This expansion was not because the heart got bigger. It was because the Dufol Language characters got smaller. Or more precisely, the hearts of those on the Mystical Side who hadpleted ''initiations'' were more suitable for the secret technique inscriptions of the Dufol Language characters, a change in quantity forming a qualitative change. In that book, the old knight also talked about an ordinary person who had never undergone initiation, whose heart could contain seven single Dufol Language characters. However, it seemed that the person wanted to create his own profession system and did not choose an existing profession, but instead branded more secret techniques. And then¡­ He died. The heart could not bear more secret technique inscriptions and burst, leading to death. Jason did not want to die like that. Although he had satiation, he had a certain chance of avoiding death. But until his satiation reached a truly significant amount, he chose to live seriously. "Protection Against Evil sI oT Yn!" "Mist Concealment Pl Po!" "sh Technique Bi!" "Charge TR ei!" "Charles Burning Technique ui cx!" "That''s already 10 single Dufol Language inscriptions, and if you include the long-range attack inscription of ''Protection Against Evil,'' that''s 11, upying about one-sixth of my heart''s area, which means I can brand up to 66 Dufol Language characters." "This exceeds the norm." "Could it be¡­" "Because of my hearty appetite?" "I''m able to brand more?" Jason pondered. He was not joking. Aside from his talent of ''eating'', he truly could not think of anything else. At least, that was the case for the moment. His understanding of the Mystical Side was still too little. He had to temporarily give up pondering. However, there was one thing Jason had confirmed! The next moment, Jason looked down at little Reed, who was looking at him with concern, and asked very seriously¡ª "Do you have any more of this potion?" The heart is limited. But, the stomach is limitless! Chapter 188: 99 My Unique Talent (Subscribe~ Monthly Votes~) Facing Jason''s earnest questioning, Reed was clearly struggling to follow along. Another potion is needed? But wasn''t it sessful? Doubts filled his heart, but the personal servant still sincerely answered, "Such potions are very rare because of one of the ingredients. Even you, my lord, don''t have much of it. The one you just drank should have been thest." Upon saying this, the personal servant couldn''t help but confirmatively ask. "My lord, have you seeded?" "I have." "But I want to consolidate it further." Jason nodded, and earnestly replied. Consolidate? Reed was stunned for a moment. Then, the personal servant answered based on his understanding. "Consolidating the ''Charles Burning Technique'' requires extra practice." "Advancing it further needs uninterrupted practice and battle." "During this period, please be mindful of your physical strength consumption." Having finished speaking, the personal servant began to collect the parchment rolls from the carriage floor. At this time, the parchment was not only missing the Secret Magic Array but also had turned charred ck, as if it had been scorched by mes. Clearly, the parchment had also been affected by the ritual of the ''Charles Burning Technique''. "That dragon..." "The true spirit in its blood?" Jason, looking at the text reminder, silently pondered. The remaining essence in the blood brought forth such a vor and satiation. If it was whole... Unconsciously, Jason began to salivate again. Then, holding back his salivation, he turned to look at his current satiation level. 32 satiation points! The raising of ''Protection Against Evil'' and the forced departure from the yard that cost him one life had left him with only 22 points of satiation. Now, having absorbed some of the dragon''s blood essence, he had once again started to umte. Subconsciously, Jason''s gaze turned towards the ''Charles Burning Technique''. ''Charles Burning Technique'' Basic ¡ú Beginner: 5 satiation points. The basic level of the ''Charles Burning Technique'' was not enough for him to imitate Gerard. That day on the beach, Gerard''s performance, even with the ''Griffin Body Refinement Technique'' aiding him, meant that the ''Charles Burning Technique'' was at least above the Proficiency Level. "Upgrade!" Jason mentally chanted. A warmth flowed out from his stomach once again. When it reached his heart, it immediately turned scorching hot. The coordination between the skill and the bodysted for 3-4 seconds before itpletely disappeared. The Beginner level ''Charles Burning Technique'', its power had be more than that of a de''s edge, the angle of the conical me remained at 30¡ã, but its length increased to 4 meters. The rest remained the same as at the basic level. Still not enough! ncing at the 10 satiation points needed for Beginner ¡ú Proficient, Jason once again chose to upgrade. This time, the upgrade was even more significant. A bullet-level power, the conical me expanded to 35¡ã, the length reached 5 meters, and more importantly, at the Proficient level, Jason could simultaneously produce mes with both hands, but the physical strength consumption doubled. And the ''Charles Burning Technique'' Proficiency Level required 18 satiation points and 1 Excitement of Feast. Jason looked at the remaining 17 satiation points and 1 Excitement of Feast point, frowning slightly. "The satiation points are still too few." "There''s too much consumption." Taking into ount the premise of ''leaving oneself three extra lives'', upgrading the ''Charles Burning Technique'' to the Proficiency Level would need at least 27 satiation points. While Jason was considering how to acquire more satiation points, Reed, who had finished dealing with the parchment, had returned. The moment he opened the carriage door, Reed''s eyes widened. He immediately sensed something different about Jason. That is! The ''Charles Burning Technique'' has reached Beginner level! No! This presence has already surpassed the Beginner level. Reed, who was also proficient in the ''Charles Burning Technique'', discerned this after a slight pause. But Lord Jason had just mastered the basics of the ''Charles Burning Technique''! "My lord, your ''Charles Burning Technique''..." Reed, unable to contain himself, asked. "I have a peculiar talent." Jason replied. Little Reed epted this answer quite easily. "Indeed, you are truly worthy of being Lord Gerard''s cousin." The personal servant lowered his voice and said. Since Lord Gerard could master the Charles Burning Technique in a day and be proficient in a month, why couldn''t Lord Jason achieve the same level? What would be wrong with that? And by this time, the personal servant finally breathed a sigh of relief again. At least, with the Charles Burning Technique as a cover, during a battle, Lord Jason wouldn''t be too suspect. After all, aside from being known for his boldness, Lord Gerard''sbat style doesn''t have any fixed techniques. Now, the matter of consideration is the pursuers behind the widow of Fort Swallow and the remaining soldiers. Little Reed didn''t believe that the Federation overseer would make no arrangements. Hence, he divided the five hundred Harbor Guard cavalry into twenty squads to scout for specific news. However, he wasn''t settling just yet. Because by this time, the first five squads of Scout Cavalry should have returned. But at this moment, there was no news at all. And it was for this reason that he chose to rest. It was both to give Jason more time to learn the Charles Burning Technique and to wait for news. "Still no news?" Jason asked. He was aware of Little Reed''s arrangements. The personal servant hadn''t hidden anything, having informed him of all ns and arrangements, even though he wasn''t able to offer any effective suggestions. "None." "Based on the time, the first five squads of Scout Cavalry should have returned to the main force before noon." "But they haven''t yet." Little Reed shook his head and said. There was a hint of worry on his face. For Little Reed, who was truly in charge of the whole situation for the first time away from Gerard, the pressure was immense. The most obvious result of this pressure was that Little Reed, who seemed calm and steady, had be irritable and less confident. "idents can happen at any time." "What we need to do is to adapt ordingly." "You and I are the same." Jason spoke slowly. He was not good at strategizing orforting people. But he knew how to make his stance clear. I''m with you. I''m willing to share the burden with you, even if... it''s just for Gerard. Jason silently mused. "Understood, my lord," Little Reed nodded. Just as the personal servant was about to say something else, Clip-clop, clip-clop. The sound of hooves echoed outside the carriage. "Lord Gerard, Sir Little Reed." "There''s a situation." Outside the carriage window, a Harbor Guardmander spoke in a low voice. Little Reed didn''t respond but instead turned his head to look at Jason, his eyes questioning. Jason gave a slight nod. Immediately, the personal servant pushed open the carriage door and jumped out. Jason followed right behind. "Follow me, my lord," the Harbor Guard said, as several subordinates brought two warhorses over. Jason and Little Reed mounted the horses and followed behind the Harbor Guardmander, charging towards the camp. The area was already sealed off by a squadron of Harbor Guard. Upon seeing Jason''s arrival, the men immediately cleared a path. When Jason saw the situation inside, his expression involuntarily changed. Chapter 189: 100: Because, He Is Gerard (third update~please subscribe~please vote~) In Jason''s view, a war horse stood rigid, lifeless. From its markings, one could tell it belonged to the Harbor Defense Army. More importantly, a decapitated head was hanging on one side of the saddle. In the mouth of the head, there was a letter. Reed examined it carefully before taking out the letter. However, he didn''t immediately hand the letter over to Jason, but instead closed the head''s eyes before passing it on. Opening the envelope, the letter read¡ª Gerard: Do you want your soldiers to live? Do you want the widows and wounded of Fort Swallow to live? Come to Banana Bay alone before sunset. We''ll be waiting for you there. ... There was no signature. There were also no overt threats. But the content of the letter was more effective than any threat. After skimming the content, Jason handed the letter to Reed. Reed''splexion changed drastically after reading the letter. But the personal servant didn''t directly urge Jason to do anything. Because, at that moment, Jason was Gerard. Gerard would never shy away from such a challenge. He would simply go to Banana Bay as requested, eliminate all the enemies, and return with his soldiers, the widows, and wounded of Fort Swallow. But, That was Gerard. Not Jason! Even though they looked alike, the gap in their abilities was enough for the personal servant to know what to do. "Clive, when did you find this?" Reed asked the captain of the Guard Army. The middle-aged captain of the Guard Army, still robust as an ox, with his hair tightly shaven to his scalp, exuding an even greater sense of ferocity, responded meticulously. "A quarter of an hour after we set up camp temporary camp!" "The enemy timed it very precisely." "Our trail and that of the Scout Cavalry have been locked onto by them." As Clive spoke, he shared his conjecture. To these spections, Reed wasn''t surprised. The advancement of arge troop couldn''t be easily hidden from prying eyes. But, the Scout Cavalry... Suddenly, Reed clenched his fist. The Scout Cavalry had all been dispatched by him. At that time, he thought that if they left the city in small groups at staggered times, they should be safe. But now it seemed he had been somewhat naive. Even more crucial now was the need to abandon the Scout Cavalry. Five hundred men! To the entire Hans Port, the number wasn''t too many. But that doesn''t mean Reed could easily give them up. But if he didn''t give them up, to trade Jason for five hundred men? It was too risky. If sessful, all well and good. If it failed... The entire battle would copse! By then, not just five hundred men, but all of Hans Port would fall. "I''m sorry." "I apologize." "Gentlemen, I..." Reed bit his lip, a resolute decision rising in his heart. Just as the word ''abandon'' appeared in his mind, he suddenly saw Jason walking towards the frozen horse, sniffing. A faint fragrance. It must have dissipated along the way. Jason thought and turned to Reed: "Bring me the map of Banana Bay." "My lord, you..." "I, Gerard, never abandon a subordinate." Jason spoke indifferently, cutting off the personal servant''s anxious plea. The surrounding Guard Army looked up at the tall figure with respect that remained as firm and fervent as ever. Especially Clive, the captain. "My lord, I''ll guide you." Clive said. "That won''t be necessary." "Since they''ve asked me to retrieve my men alone." "It''s best I go alone." "I certainly do not wish for a small mistake to lead to any misfortune befalling my men," Jason shook his head with a smile. The members of the Guard Army, watching such a smile, clenched their fists and ced them on their chests, bowing their heads in salute. "My lord..." The anxiety on little Reed''s face grew. Jason, however, silently observed his personal servant. In the end, the servant gritted his teeth and nodded. Because he knew. At this moment, Jason represented Gerard. "Please take good care of yourself." As the servant handed Jason the map, a warhorse, and a bag of food, he admonished him. "Hmm." Jason nodded, took the map, checked it, then mounted the horse and headed straight for Banana Bay. Having already chosen to go, there was no need to hesitate. Banana Bay, located between Hans Port and "Fort Swallow," was a bay. It was called Banana Bay because it somewhat resembled a banana in shape. At this moment, the waves at Banana Bay were ceaseless. Curses were flying everywhere. Members of the Defense Army, bound by ropes, hurled insults at a man sitting on a rock. "Traitor!" "You betrayer of the covenant!" "Lord Gerard will not let you off!" ... Their voices lingered for a long time, but the man sitting on the rock waspletely unmoved. His gaze was fixed on the woman in front of him. The woman''s appearance was disheveled, but her noble air was still undeniable. "Lady An Lu, have you made up your mind?" "Tell me the heritage of Fort Swallow." "Then I might consider sparing you, Dres, and the others," said the middle-aged man with a smile. "Do you think I would believe you?" "You bastard who betrayed your own brother!" "You will not die a good death!" Lady An Lu cursed at him. p! The middle-aged man raised his hand and pped her face, cutting off her curses. He had restrained himself with this p. Even so, Lady An Lu still lost most of her teeth. "Without teeth," "your looks will quickly fade," "and my patience is limited," "A moment before sunset is yourst deadline," said the middle-aged man. "What does it matter if my looks fade?" "Even faced with death, I would choose it willingly," "And then..." "I''ll be waiting for you in hell," Lady An Lu said, struggling to sit up, every word heavy with resolve. The middle-aged man clicked his tongue and shook his head. "It seems you really have too much faith in the said Gerard," "Unfortunately..." "Have you not thought that if I dared to send that letter," "would I not be prepared?" the middle-aged man said, and from a shadow to one side, a long-haired man walked out. The man was very well-built, with shoulders about one and a half times wider than an average person''s when viewed from the front, especially his arms, which were muchrger than normal, hanging by his sides like two marble pirs. "Will Gerarde?" the man asked. "He will," "Because he is Gerard," the middle-aged man answered with a smile. The long-haired man snorted disdainfully. Then he pulled a rhombus-shaped crystal from his bosom. The crystal sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight. With his eyes lit up by its radiance, the long-haired man broke into a sinister grin. "With this!" "Even Gerard can''t..." Thud! Chapter 190: 101 Ann: Keeping to Oneself (Please Subscribe~Vote for Monthly Tickets~) The long-haired man''s smile froze on his face. He stiffly lowered his head to look at the long sword protruding from his chest, instinctively turning back. He saw the middle-aged man holding the long sword, smiling slightly. "Why?" The long-haired man growled. "Why?" After seriously considering for a moment, the middle-aged man raised his hand and pointed at the crystal in the long-haired man''s grip, saying as if it was the most natural thing in the world, "Because it''s too tempting!" Such a tone made the long-haired man clench the crystal in fury. Subconsciously about to say something, But the middle-aged man''s sword was extremely fast. Whoosh! Thud! The long-haired man''s hand holding the crystal was severed from the wrist. The hand, along with the crystal, fell to the ground. Along with them fell the long-haired man. As he saw the crystal so close by, the long-haired man crawled towards the crystal with one arm, but the middle-aged man was one step faster and took the crystal in his hand. The light from the crystal shone on the middle-aged man''s face, filled with greed and ferocity. "Anne!" "You actually betrayed the covenant!" "The lord will not let you go!" The long-haired man roared. "That''s a matter forter..." "You won''t see it," "Farewell, ''Bonecrusher'' Kronin!" "It''s a pity that this time, you cannot be resurrected!" As his words fell, Earl Anne swung the long sword in his hand. Thud! The former captain of Taor''s ''Dark Guardians'' truly died this time. His head rolled to the ground, eyes wide with disbelief. "Hahaha." Lady An Lu, watching this scene,ughed out loud. "The people of the New Federation actually still want to, and dare to, trust someone who betrayed his own brother?" "Utter fools!" Towards the end, Lady An Lu was ring furiously at Earl Anne. Hatred in her eyes, murderous intent almost tangible. Feeling such hatred and murderous intent, Earl Anne, who had betrayed his own brother, the Duke of Fort Swallow, just shrugged his shoulders, then¡­ Smack! Another p. This time, Lady An Lu''s other half of teeth were knocked out as well. Without a doubt, Earl Anne had used considerable skill. He had knocked out her teeth without damaging a single bit of her skin. "Fool?" "He''s no fool." "He only seeks the greatest benefit!" "Loyalty?" "Honor?" "Dignity?" "He scorns all of those." "And me?" "The same." Earl Anne looked at Lady An Lu with a smile, then his right hand wielding the sword, left hand holding the crystal, pointed the sword in his right hand at the body of ''Bonecrusher'' Kronin, and the crystal in his left at the teeth on the ground. "Sacrifice him," "Heal her." As his voice fell, the dazzling light from the crystal burst forth. It probablysted for about a second. When the light disappeared, Lady An Lu, who had had her teeth knocked out, waspletely restored. Meanwhile, the body of ''Bonecrusher'' Kronin, withered as if it were feces, turned to sand and was blown away by the sea breeze. Looking at Lady An Lu''s shocked face, Earl Anneughed. "Do you understand now?" "This is what I wanted to have." "''Fort Swallow'' is too small." "So small that you are blinded, unaware of how big the world is!" "Even the Federation?" "What does it count for?" "He''s merely a ruler in name." "With the north in chaos, Gerard to the south, and further south the inds and deep sea, which one will heed hismands?" "I''m afraid his orders wouldn''t even make it out of Golsai." "A bunch of ipetents upying Mobius Pce!" "I..." "Why can''t I?" Earl Anne said, throwing open his arms and howling at the sky. Lady An Lu watched her husband''s brother in a daze. For the first time, she felt he was so alien to her. The shock was even greater than when he had opened the gates of Fort Swallow. "You, you want the entire Federation?" "Don''t delude yourself!" "Neither Lord Gerard nor Aymodun III will let you seed." Lady An Lu shouted. "How would I know without trying?" "Since it could capture Gerard''s five hundred soldiers without bloodshed, and it could heal you," "Then it," "Can do even more!" Earl Anne''s Swordfinger pointed toward Dres, his crystal targeting Lady An Lu. "Use him as a bargaining chip, tell me the legacy of Fort Swallow." "Answer truthfully, and he remains unharmed." "Deceive, or give no answer, and he dies immediately." Earl Anne said indifferently. The crystal flickered once more. Seeing the crystal, Lady An Lu''s face showed hesitation. "Mydy, you must not tell him." "Let me die if I must." "Remember to avenge me." The old butler of Fort Swallow shouted while struggling to rise and charged at Earl Anne with his head down. Regrettably, he was easily dodged by the other man. The scarred old butler fell to the ground. Yet, he struggled to rise once more, ring furiously at Earl Anne. "Don''t you dare threaten Fort Swallow!" As his shout ended, the old butler dashed towards the bay. Cliffs and rocks, towering dozens of meters high, the old butler leapt down. The waves churned, and in an instant, he was nowhere to be seen. "Don''t you dare threaten Fort Swallow!" The demoralized soldiers behind Lady An Lu, one after another, got up and rushed towards the distant sea. Wave after wave crashed ashore. The roar of the sea was relentless. Lady An Lu kept her mouth tightly shut. Tears flowed ceaselessly down her face. "Hahaha!" "Fools!" "A bunch of fools!" Earl Anneughed heartily. His piercingughter made the bound soldiers of the Harbor Defense Army in the distance pause. Then, they seemed to realize something. One by one, these soldiers of the port began to struggle. They showed no concern for their own safety. Because they knew very well. Staying here would only burden Lord Gerard. They firmly believed that Lord Gerard would return. Only... They would not see it. The hemp ropes had long been soaked with blood, cutting deeply into their flesh. But these soldiers didn''t care. They didn''t care. They only hoped to free themselves from the ropes and rush to the sea. They could not be a bargaining chip to be used against Lord Gerard. Watching the struggle of the soldiers from the Harbor Defense Army, Earl Anne shook his head. "You can''t die." "You are key to my victory this time!" As Earl Anne spoke, his long sword pointed towards several chests filled with Jing coins, his crystal targeted the struggling soldiers of the Harbor Defense Army. "In exchange for these." "Put them to sleep." The crystal radiated its light once more. The chests filled with Jing coins, one after another, disappeared. The struggling soldiers of the Harbor Defense Army fell to the ground, asleep. Immediately, the bay became quiet. What remained was only Earl Anne, holding his long sword and crystal, and Lady An Lu, who bit her teeth to keep from crying aloud. And... In the distance, A tall figure walking slowly, leading a horse. Chapter 191: 102: The Earls Plan (Please subscribe~ Vote for monthly tickets~) "Gerard!" Watching the tall figure leading a horse from a distance, Earl Anne broke into a smile. Without any hesitation, the earl turned around and positioned himself behind Mrs. An Lu, with his long sword resting on thedy''s throat, and then he called out, "Stop there." Jason halted in his steps, ncing at the other party. His gaze focused primarily on the crystal in the other''s hand. Then, he scanned the slumbering Defense Army. He already had an inkling of what was happening. "As per our agreement." "I came alone." Jason mimicked Gerard''s tone. "Of course!" "You would certainlye back!" "Who else would you be if not Gerard?" After Earl Anne finished speaking, he raised the crystal in his hand, his eyes turning towards the unconscious Defense Army. "I am willing to trade one third of their lives, their freedom, in exchange for your inability to use the ''me'' ability for one hour." "Do you agree?" Earl Anne said, turning his head to look at Jason with a smug look on his face. It seemed he was not at all worried that Jason might refuse. After all, he was facing Gerard. A Gerard who would be the first into battle, beloved by his subordinates. How could Gerard not agree? Of course, Gerard would agree. Jason, impersonating Gerard, would also agree. The ''Charles Burning Technique'' is good. But it''s not his main skill. "I agree," Jason nodded. Instantly, the crystal burst forth with a dazzling brilliance, and one third of the Defense Army regained consciousness; the bindings on their bodies breaking one by one. These soldiers first looked around in confusion, then they saw Jason. "My lord!" The Defense Army soldiers eximed in surprise. Then, they realized that they had truly be a burden to their lord. Suddenly, these soldiers looked ashamed. And Earl Anne''s words continued. "I am willing to use another third of their lives, their freedom, in exchange for your inability to use Griffin faction techniques for one hour." "Do you agree?" "My lord, don''t agree to it!" "My lord, you can''t agree to him!" Without waiting for Jason to speak, the newly awakened soldiers began to panic. They shouted out loud. Jason waved his hand at the soldiers. "I agree." Jason continued. Instantly, as a dazzling light flickered on the crystal, another third of the Defense Army woke up. These awakened soldiers red at Earl Anne, grinding their teeth in anger. But Earl Anne didn''t care at all. His gaze swept over the Defense Army soldiers, and he said with augh: "Do you have any dissatisfaction?" "With such a great figure as Gerard willing to sacrifice for you, you should feel joy." "No, it should be gratitude towards me for being willing to trade with Gerard that you ought to feel." Earl Anne mocked the Defense Army soldiers in jest. Then, he turned his head to look at Gerard again. "One third remains..." "What do you think my next demand will be?" The ''Fort Swallow'' earl smiled maliciously. "Griffin summoning ability?" Jason asked. The answer was obvious. The opponent was just methodically stripping away Gerard''s abilities, techniques, and trump cards. Reducing Gerard''sbat effectiveness to rock bottom. A very direct and effective approach. But, That was Gerard. Not him, Jason. The unconscious Gerard knew summoning Griffins. But I, Jason, do not. You say I should not use a Griffin summoning technique I do not possess, of course, I won''t object. As for techniques of the Griffin faction? If not rolling, then I won''t roll. Moreover, Jason believed the other party would not make any excessive demands for fear of truly pushing Gerard into desperation. Indeed, that was the case. "You''re very smart." "Just like you said¡ª" "I am willing to use thest third of their lives, their freedom, in exchange for your inability to use the ''Griffin'' secret technique for one hour." "Do you agree?" The earl smiled, continuing to speak amidst his insincere ttery. "I agree," Jason said without hesitation. Immediately, thest third of the Defense Army woke up and quickly grasped what had happened. All five hundred members of the Defense Army had tears in their eyes. They had never thought that Lord Gerard would be willing to do so much for them. Lord Gerard was truly trading his life for theirs. Upon this realization, these stern-faced men could not help but sob out loud. "Shut your mouths." "Stand up." "Leave this ce." Jason uttered each word deliberately. All five hundred soldiers of the Defense Army rose to their feet in unison. They did not defy themand of their lord. They also knew they were no match for Earl Anne. But that did not stop rage, reluctance, and hatred from brewing in their hearts. They departed step by step. They fixed their eyes intently on Earl Anne. As if to brand his image into their minds, into their souls! They had made up their minds. The rest of their lives would be dedicated to his downfall. No matter what it took, as long as he was brought down, that was all that mattered. Just as the five hundred were about to leave Banana Bay, themander leading them suddenly knelt on one knee. "My lord, please take care of yourself!" "Please make sure to return safely!" The remaining soldiers knelt in unison. "My lord, please take care of yourself!" "Please make sure to return safely!" Their voices echoed to the heavens. Jason did not look back, merely waving his hand. Watching Jason''s retreating figure, the five hundred soldiers from the harbor''s Defense Army took steps backward. "Tsk, tsk, tsk." "How touching." "They''re just like the guard of my foolish brother." "And you, you''re quite simr to my foolish brother as well." "Of course," "You are much stronger than him." Earl Anne shook his head as he said this. Then, he lowered his head to look at Madame An Lu. "Madame, what do you think..." "What would Lord Gerard agree to for your sake?" Before he could finish his sentence, the Earl couldn''t help but let out augh. There was malice in it. And triumph, too. No more me abilities. No more Griffin style techniques. No assistance from the Griffin. Even with just one hour, the advantage was his to seize. If he could just strip Gerard of one aspect of his physical abilities, Then he was certain to win! "You''re despicable!" Madame An Lu shouted loudly. "Thank you for thepliment!" The Earl responded with a smile. Then, he looked again at Jason. "I am willing to exchange Madame An Lu''s life and freedom for the disadvantage of your Agility decreasing by one-fifth for the next hour. "Do you agree?" Earl Anne asked. The Earl did not choose at random, but based on the Griffin style techniques. Ferocitybined with Agility! That''s the hallmark of the Griffin style! It was inevitable that Gerard''s Strength and Agility would be exceptional. Once all other advantages were cast aside, Agility became particrly important because, after all, no matter how strong you are, if you can''t hit your opponent, it''s useless. Therefore, the Earl decided to target Gerard''s Agility. "I agree," Jason answered without hesitation. Agility was not his forte anyway. Madame An Lu was released. Thedy looked at Jason wanting to say something, but he stopped her with a wave of his hand. "Please, go forward." "Catch up with my soldiers." "They will take good care of you." Jason said this and then strode toward Earl Anne, not giving thedy the slightest chance to speak. Watching Jason''s back, Madame An Lu opened her mouth but in the end said nothing, and jogged forward. At this moment, Only Jason and Earl Anne were left in Banana Bay. Thetter gave Jason a malicious smile. Then, in a sh, Thrust! The long sword pierced Jason''s chest. And it went straight through the heart. "Do you know how long I''ve waited for this moment?" "You who are so high and mighty, Lord Gerard!" Earl Anne sneered. And then, The Earl withdrew his sword. He flicked the fresh blood from the de. The sword slowly returned to its scabbard. Everything went just as he had anticipated. Gerard was not that remarkable after all. Thinking this, the Earl turned to leave. A dead opponent is unworthy of attention. Could a dead Gerard still strike at him? Chapter 192: 103: Gesadek Crystal (Third Update~Please Subscribe~Please Vote~) Gerard was dead, definitely not the attacker. But Jason? Pfft! A broad-ded, short-handled machete swept across Earl Anne''s neck. After Earl Anne''s head tumbled to the ground, his face was filled with surprise and astonishment. His eyes widened as he stared at Jason. You''re supposed to be dead! Why are you still alive! This isn''t the Mystical Side! He seemed unable to believe that Jason, with his heart pierced, could still be alive. Jason looked at the man''s corpse and slowly nodded. "Hmm." "I''ve been waiting for a long time too." Before his words even fell, Jason quickly shed again. Then, he picked up the crystal. Delicious! Way too delicious! He had restrained himself for far too long just now! In order to maintain Gerard''s image, he had forced himself not to swallow his saliva. And now? There was naturally no need anymore. Slurp, slurp. Jason sipped his saliva, eyes fixated on the crystal in his hand. Thest shred of reason within him told him it was a good thing. It seemed that if both parties agreed, a contract would be formed. Or rather, you give something to get something in return. It''spletely like a watered-down version of a Dragon Ball. "I want food!" Jason, holding the crystal, pointed at a chest filled with Jing at a distance. The crystal immediately overflowed with dazzling brilliance. The chest filled with Jing trembled again and again. Then... Everything returned to normal. The Jing did not disappear. The light on the crystal also faded away. Hm? Was the request I made not specific enough? Jason thought and immediately gave a more specific request: "Food that will satisfy me!" Instantly, the crystal burst out with a dazzling light once more. The Jing in the chest trembled incessantly. But, when the light faded, still, nothing happened. What''s going on? Is food not within its scope? Or am I still not being specific enough? "Give me some roasted dragon meat!" Jason said. Just as before, the light flickered, the Jing shuddered, and then, all calmed down. "Is dragon meat too precious?" "These Jing not enough?" "Then give me some Dragon Blood?" "Dragon Blood won''t do either?" "How about the lowest quantity of Kababa beasts?" Kababa beasts, which were the first food Jason ate in this side world, resembled low, skinny monkeys, but with protruding mouths like crocodiles, known for eating cats. Each one could provide about 1 point of satiety. But even so, the crystal still did not demonstrate its effect. "What a piece of junk!" Jason growled lowly, no longer able to contain his hunger, he directly stuffed the diamond-shaped crystal into his mouth. First a mouthful. A sweet taste spread over the tip of his tongue. Then, he bit down hard. Crunch. The crystal shattered immediately, a rich, sweet milkshake core flowing out. Jason contentedly squinted his eyes. What wishes. What exchanges. None is asfortable as eating. The way others use it is totally wrong. This thing was made for eating from the start. Yes, it must be so. [Consumed a Miniature Gesadek Crystal (Inferior Product)!] [Physical Strength, Energy (Injuries) fully restored to the greatest extent!] [Satiety +20] [Satiety: 34] [Excitement of Feast +1] [Excitement of Feast: 2] ... "Inferior product?!" Jason''s eyes lit up as he read the text prompt before him. The inferior products are already this delicious. What would the premium ones taste like? Moreover, they''re just miniature. Does this mean there must be medium andrge ones too? "Gesadek crystal?" "Is it someone''s name?" "Or a ce name?" Jason wondered. Cheers were alreadying from a distance. Those five hundred members of the Defense Army charged back again. They hadn''t really left. They had been watching this ce all along. When they saw Earl Anne''s death, the soldiers could no longer restrain themselves and ran back with all their might. "Milord!" Everyone looked at Jason standing there. Looking at Jason with his clothes damaged. The usual way of fighting. Gerard, who would never dodge but always crush the enemy head-on. Gerard, who could swap his own life for the lives of his subordinates. This was the noble they followed. As warm and dazzling as the sunlight. Just like that honorable title¡ª ''Golden Griffon''! "Clean up the battlefield." "Return to camp." Jason ordered. Facing a group of soldiers staring at him fervently, Jason didn''t know what to say. Or rather, he didn''t know how to arrange what to do next and could only proceed in a basic, foolproof way. "Yes, Milord." The soldiers bowed and took their orders. They quickly began to clean up Banana Bay. There was a considerable amount of gold coins. They all came from Fort Swallow''s savings. There was no shortage of weapons, armor, or war horses. Those belonged to them. While the soldiers diligently cleaned up the battlefield, Lady An Lu, the widow of the Duke of Fort Swallow, came over. "Lord Gerard, thank you for everything you''ve done for me," said thedy. Then, with a look of guilt on her face, "I''m so sorry, I once opposed your marriage to Carol." "I thought you were too dazzling." "Carol, being too close to you, would only get burned." "But I was wrong." "Only someone as dazzling as you can illuminate this world that is about to fall into darkness¡ªI hope that your and Carol''s children will inherit ''Fort Swallow.''" Thedy said slowly. Then, without giving Jason a chance to speak, she walked towards the cliff. She looked out at the rolling sea. Silently praying, muttering to herself. Jason watched thedy, his brow furrowing slightly. He found that thedy, worthy of being the Duke''s widow, had almost given Fort Swallow a chance to restore itself with just a few words. Now, Fort Swallow was left only with her, the Duke''s children. No soldiers. No money. Just a ''hollow reputation.'' Even if Jason wasn''t well-versed in these matters, he knew that Fort Swallow was bing a thing of the past if things continued this way. Yet thedy had managed to secure a lifeline for Fort Swallow. Jason didn''t approach thedy to discuss specifics. He wouldn''t outright refuse either. Because that was Gerard''s matter. He was just an inadequate stand-in. By now, he was already giving it his all. About half an hourter, the five hundred members of the Harbor Defense Army were re-equipped and ready to go. Jason, mounted on one of those docile war horses, gave the direct order¡ª "Move out, back to camp!" With onemand. The horses galloped. Dust billowed. Figures vanished. And just over an hour after Jason led the five hundred members of the Harbor Defense Army away, figures began to emerge from the sea under Banana Bay. They climbed up the cliff with their bare hands. They stood quietly in ce. The Soul Fires in their eyes flickered incessantly. Lederma''s ethereal figure floated in mid-air, pointed towards Fort Swallow, andmanded from afar. "Take down ''Fort Swallow''!" "For Her Majesty the Queen!" Roar! In a silent roar, a hundred thousand Undead Army rushed densely towards ''Fort Swallow''. Chapter 193: 104: Retaking Fort Swallow... Battle? (Please subscribe~ Vote for monthly tickets~) Deep into the night, Fort Swallow. The New Federation''s First and Second Infantry Legions, which had just taken over Fort Swallow, were still reveling in joy. Especially the two legionmanders. Eustace and Uder. They had never thought that capturing Fort Swallow could be so easy. In their initial n, it would take two weeks or even longer to inflict substantial damage on Fort Swallow, and even then, before they could cause any real harm, they might have been driven back by Gerard. To Eustace and Uder, who had witnessed Gerard inbat, he was nothing short of a nightmarish existence. Thest opponent they wanted to encounter was Gerard. It had nothing to do with tactics. It had nothing to do with equipment. When Griffins roared overhead, all the warriors had left were their shivering bodies. Even the bravest of warriors would turn into cowards. But Eustace and Uder wouldn''t me their warriors. Because... They felt the same way. "What should we do next?" Uder asked his elder brother. Although as themander of the New Federation''s Second Infantry Legion, Uder had long been leading his troops independently, he still habitually sought his brother''s advice whenever they were together. It was both out of respect and a desire to learn. He was well aware of his brother''s tactical prowess in military matters. It was his brother who had repelled several invasions from the north and caused the current civil war there. It had thrown the entire north into disarray, too busy to pay any attention to Golsai. That had allowed the great lord to deploy troops smoothly. However, the normally brave and skilled Eustace was now deeply furrowed in concern. "Hans Port..." Themander of the New Federation''s First Infantry Legion stared at the map, his brows knit together. Seeing the look on his brother''s face, Uder sighed inwardly. He knew all too well what his brother was worried about. "ording to the orders of ''Aymodun the Third,'' the ''Bone Smasher'' Kronin and Earl Anne have alreadyid a trap with that thing, and Gerard won''t likely escape it even he is nearly immortal!" "He must be severely wounded, if not dead!" Uder said, trying tofort his brother. Eustace, of course, was fully aware of that. But... s! With a sigh, themander of the New Federation''s First Infantry Legion looked up at his brother. "Do you believe what you just said?" Eustace asked. Uder was taken aback, about to say something in response. But in the end, he said nothing. Because Uder himself did not believe what he had said. After all... That was Gerard! ''Golden Griffon'' Gerard! A man who had once faced the old Federation''s elite cavalry, single-handedly confronting thousands. A ''god of war'' who just by standing in front of the armies without uttering a word could rally his troops'' morale and make the enemy''s crumble into nothingness. Now they were facing this ''monster.'' If it weren''t for the honor of being soldiers, Eustace and Uder would have retired from the military without a second thought. It was simply too difficult! However, what these twomanders did not know was that an even tougher situation had already arisen. As they deliberated over their next steps inside Fort Swallow¡ª On the outskirts of Fort Swallow. Dark clouds veiled the moon. The silhouette of Lederma floated beneath the night sky. Two battlefield Undead stood one on each side of him. Twelve high-ranking Evil Spirits floated behind him. Three hundred special specters gathered and dispersed ceaselessly. Three thousand specters hid underground. A hundred thousand Skeleton Warriors stood silently in the night. Not a sound to be heard. Not a breath of life. The dead were naturally lifeless. At this moment, they seemed even more like stone. About several minutester, twenty-one elusive figures appeared before Lederma. Leading them was Gte, the former deputy head of public security at Hans Port. Behind him were twenty secret agents hidden within Hans Port. "My lord, we have gathered all the information." "The sentries and patrolmen have been taken care of." "The ammunition depot can be ignited at any moment." After bowing respectfully, Gte reported in a precise manner. "Very well," Lederma nodded in approval. Each Undead directly loyal to Dennise varied ording to the strengths, personality, and expertise they had before them. Just as it was extremely adept at persuasion. The two battlefield Undead were skilled at conversion. The twelve high-ranking Evil Spirits were adept at summoning Skeleton Warriors. Gte and the twenty secret agents in front of him were skilled in espionage and assassination, which was made even more bizarre and unpredictable by their Undead abilities. "Begin!" "For her Majesty the Queen!" Lederma proimed. "For Her Majesty the Queen!" Gte and the twenty shadows growled in unison. Then, with a raise of his hand, a ghastly green me ignited in Gte''s palm. At the same time! Inside the gunpowder storage of Fort Swallow''s barracks, a me suddenly sprouted. Hiss, hiss! The ghastly green me swiftly ignited a fuse. Then¡ª Boom! Boom boom boom! The ground shook as massive fireballs rolled into the night sky, lighting it up as if it were daytime. Under the illumination of the fire, the Soul Fire began to flicker. The Skeleton Warriors raised their rotten swords and shields in their hands. Evil Spirits started to rise faintly from beneath the ground. Rising plumes of thick smoke. Mixed with the heavy scent of gunpowder and sulfur. In the shadows of the night, the words once spoken by Dennise echoed again in the hearts of all the undead. ''I don''t like such wars!'' ''Let it end quickly!'' They should have been lifeless. Like stones, the undead. In that moment, felt a boiling of blood all over their bodies! It was a long-lost sensation. It was what they had forgotten. It was what they missed the most. And now! It would be their unwavering pursuit! "Charge!" "The Queen is watching us!" "Warriors!" "Charge!" "Charge!" "Charge!" Lederma''s voice spread throughout the field. Roar! Roar! Roar! The hundred thousand strong Undead Army roared toward the heavens, charging into Fort Swallow like a tidal wave as its gates opened once more. In the shock and confusion of the explosion, the soldiers only now noticed the scene outside the city gates. One by one, they opened their mouths wide in horror at the sight of the iing Undead Army like a tide. "Undead, undead!" The young soldiers stammered out the words. "Enemy attack!" The older soldiers roared one after another, raising their muskets to aim at the Skeleton Warriors But, Quickly, Arrows shot from the void struck down these older soldiers. They didn''t even have the chance to pull their triggers. Three hundred special Evil Spirits picked off those soldiers who had reacted in time. Upon first contact, these battle-hardened soldiers all fell. Then? Twelve high-ranking Evil Spirits began to raise their hands. The fallen soldiers stood up again, raising the muskets in their hands and pulling the trigger against theirrades. Bang bang bang! Then, discarding their muskets and drawing their swords, they turned and joined the ughter. The already panicked young soldiers, witnessing this scene,pletely copsed. One by one, they turned and ran. But three thousand Evil Spirits, emerging from the ground, overwhelmed them. After the Evil Spirits descended back into the earth, these soldiers joined the ranks of the charging Skeleton Warriors. In less than three minutes! The walls of Fort Swallow, its outer city, and barracks fell one after another. And the Undead Army suffered no losses whatsoever. On the contrary, like a snowball rolling downhill, The hundred thousand strong Undead Army not only didn''t diminish but grewrger andrger. By the time Eustace and Uder realized something was wrong, the Undead Army had already overtaken Fort Swallow with lightning speed. "Where did these undeade from?" "What about the sentries?" "What about the patrol guards?" "Why wasn''t there a single warning sound?" The two Legionmanders screamed in rage, leading their guards and drawing their longswords. However, the next moment, their raging shouts came to an abrupt halt. Waiting in the shadows, seizing the moment, Gte and the twenty shadows struck simultaneously, passing straight through the bodies of the Legionmanders and their guards. Suddenly, the life drained from the twomanders. The guards fell to the ground one after another. Two battlefield undead appeared beside themanders, cing their hands on the bodies of themanders. Secondster, the ghostly figures of the twomanders rose above their own bodies. After swiftly absorbing the power within them and rapidly advancing to mid-rank undead, the twomanders shouted towards Dennise''s direction, "For Her Majesty the Queen, to death!" Those who once belonged to the first and second Legions quickly gathered behind the twomanders. With unified voices, they roared¡ª "For Her Majesty the Queen, to death!" Chapter 194: 105: Waving the Flag (Subscribe~ Monthly Votes~) ``` Step, step-step. Footsteps echoed in the staircase of Mobius Pce. The personal servant of "Aymodun the Third," carrying an urgent report from the front line, hastened toward the top floor. Gerard''s scheme had failed! The content of the report sunk the personal servant''s heart. Even the "Gesadek Crystal" couldn''t restrain that man? The personal servant wondered, raising his hand to knock on the door. "Come in," came the long-awaited voice of "Aymodun the Third." Calmlyposing himself, the personal servant entered the top floor in an ordinary manner. "Aymodun the Third," holding a ss of wine, looked at his personal servant. No need for "Aymodun the Third" to inquire further. The personal servant simply began speaking. "My lord," "The scheme against Gerard..." "Has failed," he added, then awaited "Aymodun the Third" to burst into a rage. He even braced himself for the possibility of being shot. However, to the personal servant''s surprise, "Aymodun the Third" remained very calm. Not only did he not explode in anger, there wasn''t even a hint of it. Did the lord already know? The personal servant was taken aback. Then it dawned on him. Since the "Gesadek Crystal" was provided by the lord himself, it was only natural, given the lord''s character, that he would have tampered with it somehow. It was no surprise that the failure of the n against Gerard was not unexpected. With this realization, the personal servant breathed a sigh of relief. Though he was prepared, it was, of course, better not to be shot at all. "A bunch of good-for-nothings," said "Aymodun the Third," casually with his wine ss in hand. Just as the personal servant had anticipated. The ruler of the Federation had indeed altered the "Gesadek Crystal" slightly. It allowed him to "observe" the surroundings of the user to a limited extent when the "Gesadek Crystal" was used and to gain certain benefits. If not for thetter, he would have been able to observe even more. But to him, the profits were more important. Even if it affected his ability to "observe." Thus¡ª He saw "Bonebreaker" Kronin capturing soldiers of the Hans Port Defense Army. He also witnessed Earl Anne taking out "Bonebreaker," then fighting for the "Gesadek Crystal." He even saw everything Earl Anne did against Gerard. But, he did not see the final oue. Therefore, the ruler of the Federation was expectant. He was very much looking forward to Earl Anne causing some trouble for Gerard. Of course. If Earl Anne could kill Gerard, that would be an even more pleasant surprise. And then? He would naturally step in to reap the spoils of victory. One with the "Gesadek Crystal" would stand no chance against him. As for Earl Anne''s greed, betrayal, and malice? The ruler of the Federation did not feel any aversion; on the contrary, he appreciated Earl Anne, seeing him as a promising candidate. Because such a person is more suitable for certain tasks. He would not be hindered by so-called "honor." Indeed, a most ideal subordinate. Only... He had never imagined that Earl Anne, even with the "Gesadek Crystal," after meticulously targeting Gerard, would fail so quickly! A minute? No! Not even thirty seconds passed! The "Gesadek Crystal" hadpletely lost contact with him. This not only meant Earl Anne''s utter defeat. But also signified his loss of the "Gesadek Crystal." Given Gerard''s character, upon discovering the secret of the "Gesadek Crystal," he would surely destroy it. The ruler of the Federation was confident of this. He knew his adversary all too well. ``` And about Earl Anne, whom he had just high hopes for? Useless! He didn''t even manage to scratch the surface of the "injured" Gerard! Naturally, the ruler of the Federation once again smashed a wine ss in anger. Before his personal manservant came in, he had been holding a new one. "Worthy of being the opponent of my lifetime!" "Everything still requires me to take action personally!" Having said that, "Aymodun III" stood up with the wine ss in hand. Since his useless subordinates couldn''t deal with Gerard, it would have to be him who took action. Although his n was to further weaken Gerard first. Then, take care of Gerard himself. But now? He could not wait any longer. His trump card was about toe into y. He must be present himself. Just as the ruler of the Federation was about to say something to his personal manservant, "Urgent report!" The messenger shouted as he rushed in. Upon seeing the ruler of the Federation, the messenger kneeled on one knee and reported, "My lord, the first and second infantry regiments of Fort Swallow have been attacked, and then, half an hour ago, wepletely lost contact with them." "What?" "Aymodun III" was stunned. The next moment, the ruler of the Federation flew into a rage. "Useless!" "All useless!" In his roaring anger, the ruler of the Federation violently threw the wine ss in his hand to the ground. Crack! The sound of the ss breaking echoed sharply. ... The explosion at Fort Swallow was seen by Jason, by little Reed. It was seen by the stationed Defense Army, the Guard Army, and even Hans Port. At night, such an explosion was too conspicuous. Immediately, little Reed dispatched the Scout Cavalry. The main forces followed soon after. "Fort Swallow..." Lady An Lu whispered a prayer. The widow of the Duke of Fort Swallow, she had put on new leather armor. Refusing the suggestion to return to Hans Port, she asked little Reed for a longsword and then rode after the troops. Little Reed tried to persuade her once and then did not say more. He understood the widow''s motives clearly. Show value. Not be forsaken. A noble who lost territory, forces, wealth. If she lost thest bit of value she had... It would be true "death." But little Reed would not give any help to her. All his thoughts were on Jason and the situation they were currently facing. Little Reed''s respect for Jason, especially after hearing that Jason was willing to exchange himself for the liberation of the five hundred soldiers from the Port Defense Army, had reached a height second only to Gerard. And the soldiers around them? To them, Gerard was already one of a kind. At this moment, Jason was Gerard. Therefore, Jason also became one of a kind. At a singlemand, a night''s march at full speed. When the sun leaped above the sea, Fort Swallow came into view for everyone. In just a few days, which saw the fort change hands several times, its walls still bore the ck marks of gunpowder explosions, along with faint traces of crimson. In the early morning sunlight, the entire bastion seemed peaceful. It was eerily quiet. So quiet it made one''s hair stand on end. Whoosh! A gust of sea breeze blew in. Suddenly, a ck banner on the city walls began fluttering in the wind. In the resounding pping, sanguine letters appeared on the banner¡ª Her Majesty the Queen says it''s time to end the war. So we''vee to end the war. Chapter 195: 106: The Pawprint Mark (Three updates~ Please subscribe~ Please vote~) Looking at thatrge banner, Jason was taken aback. Such a big banner, to have so many words written on it. He thought subconsciously. Then, he quickly shook his head, casting that thought out of his mind. "Queen?" Jason looked at the title with confusion. In the knowledge he possessed, there was no such point of information. He turned his head towards little Reed. The personal servant immediately shook his head. He didn''t know either. In fact, except for the legendary Queen Mary from the ''James Dynasty,'' he had no idea who else could be a queen. Neither the old Federation nor the New Federation. No queen had ever been born. Seeing his personal servant shaking his head, Jason narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the entirety of ''Fort Swallow'' even more meticulously. An eerie silence prevailed. But not devoid of vitality. Jason dismounted and, after signaling little Reed to be on guard, he headed towards ''Fort Swallow''. Little Reed didn''t stop him. Because that was Gerard''s style. However, a troop of Harbor Guards followed him. Among them was the leader of this hundred-man troop, Clive. To Clive, it was a great honor to fight side by side with his lord. As for more? That would be to bravely y the enemy! Jason led the team away, and therge troops behind him began to watch ''Fort Swallow'' and their surroundings vigntly. Without passing through the unguarded city gates. Jason pointed at the city wall in front of him. Immediately, Clive and five others climbed over like monkeys, and only after confirming safety, did Jason pass through the long gateway. Then? He saw the eerily quiet streets and pairs of eyes hiding behind doors. Jason''s perception, three times more than an average person''s, allowed him to clearly sense these eyes watching him. And also those low voices of discussion. "It''s a living person!" "It''s the army from Hans Port!" "Not undead!" Voices like these kept drilling into Jason''s ears. Undead? Jason frowned. Had there been undead here before? Jason instantly became alert. He gestured a sign of vignce to his subordinates around him. After all, not all undead were as harmless as his pet dog. "My lord, there''s a discovery!" From the top of the city gate, Clive shouted. Jason immediately turned around and went up. At that moment, Clive, the leader of the Harbor Guard, pointed at that huge banner with a puzzled face. Only when close did it be apparent that this enormous banner was pieced together from various fabrics of the same color. Mostly high-quality ck velvet. A few were ordinary cloth. And in the corner of the clothposed banner, a dog paw was clearly embroidered... Spread open, showing the pink, fleshy paw. It had a touch of cuteness. It just didn''t match the words written above on the banner. "Was this used as a makeshift recement because they couldn''t find enough fabric?" "This Queen Her Majesty really doesn''t sweat the small stuff." "Undead, queen, not sweating the small stuff..." Unconsciously, the image of Dennise came to Jason''s mind. But the next moment, Jason shook his head. How could it be? An ipetent undead who stayed upte reading novels, struggled to get up in the morning, waszy and gluttonous, tripped while walking, casually destroyed furniture, got lost when going out, how could she be rted to a so-called queen? But then again, could it be possible that someone else had consumed such ''sugar''? And then... Hiss! Jason instinctively contemted. And then, a burning sensation in his mind. ``` It immediately halted his train of thought. Thest thing he wanted was to die senselessly. By then, confirming there was no ambush, young Reed had already led the main force inside ''Fort Swallow''. That golden Griffin banner provided the hiders with an iparable sense of security. "It truly is people from Hans Port." "Subordinates of Lord Gerard!" "We are saved!" All those who had gathered rushed out in a swarm, surrounding the Harbor Guard and bombarding them with questions. "Countless Undead!" "They attacked ''Fort Swallow''!" "The New Federation was defeated!" "They''ve joined them!" ¡­ These agitated words reached Jason''s ears. They dispelled thest bit of doubt in Jason''s mind. Such inept Undead like Dennise couldn''t possiblymand more Undead. There was a terrifyingly strict hierarchy among the Undead. One like her would definitely be the bullied kind. There must be someone else. With this thought, Jason couldn''t help but shake his head and chuckle. Then, the next moment, he suppressed his smile. Lady An Lu ascended the city walls, stepping toward him. "Lord Gerard." Lady An Lu greeted Jason. Jason nodded slightly. Then, he did not speak. He wasn''t very good at handling such situations, so it was a relief to stay silent. "Are you thinking of Her Majesty the Queen?" Lady An Lu inquired. Then, without waiting for Jason to reply, Lady An Lu continued, "I''ve been thinking about who Her Majesty the Queen could be, but aside from Queen Mary, I can''t think of anyone else." "Perhaps..." "This is a malicious joke." "But the number of Undead is no joke." "Likewise, I can''t figure out where so many Undead in the south could havee from." Lady An Lu spoke as if she was making small talk. At first, her gaze carried a sense of bewilderment. Quite simply, she hade to take back ''Fort Swallow'' with the resolution to die. But now? ''Fort Swallow'' had returned to her hands just like that. As if she had suddenly lost her life''s purpose. However, as she spoke, thedy quickly recovered. ''Fort Swallow'' had been reimed. But ''Fort Swallow'' still needed governance. All of that depended on the man before her. Fortunately, she wasn''t without connection to the man before her. "Lord Gerard." "When do you n to marry Carol?" Lady An Lu asked. How should I know? You should be asking Gerard that! I''m just a temporary recement! Jason thought to himself, but he couldn''t utter these words aloud; instead, his gaze shifted toward the town below. After Lady An Lu climbed the wall, young Reed had been paying close attention to this ce, and upon receiving Jason''s gaze, the personal servant directly rushed towards the gate. "Lord Gerard!" "There are some matters that require your personal attention!" Reed announced. "Alright, I''ll be right there." After responding, Jason gave Lady An Lu an apologetic smile and turned to leave. Watching Jason''s retreating figure. Lady An Lu clearly sensed Jason''s reluctance and hesitation. Yet, thedy was not angered. She only pondered more intently. How could she ensure that Gerard would ept the marriage sessfully? Strategic marriage was herst and best option to reim ''Fort Swallow''. And having stepped down from the city wall, where he breathed a sigh of relief, Jason was about to thank Reed when the messenger ran up as if in a frenzy¡ª "Lord Gerard, urgent news!" ``` Chapter 196: 107: Rest and Recuperation (Please Subscribe~Vote for Monthly Ticket~) Jason turned to the signalman and said, "Speak!" "The New Federation''s reinforcements to ''Fort Swallow''¡ªthe third, fourth, and fifth infantry brigades have gone missing!" The signalman reported truthfully. Jason nced at Little Reed. Thetter immediately ryed the orders from his horse. "Clive, lead the Scout Cavalry to investigate." "Remember, be very careful!" The personal valet warned. The previous disappearance of the scouts had clearly left this valet quite shaken. "Understood!" Themander of a hundred from the Harbor Guard immediately turned and left. Then, the personal valet turned to the signalman. "Notify General Anno to bring half of the Harbor Infantry Corps to ''Fort Swallow'' for garrison duty, and be quick about it!" "Yes!" The signalman bowed, saluted, and then swung onto his horse again. "Lord Gerard, please take a brief rest." "We will depart shortly to return to Hans Port." Little Reed subtly pointed to the civilians of ''Fort Swallow'' and whispered quietly. Jason nodded in understanding. Resting was naturally just a pretext. Comforting the people was the real intention. In this regard, Jason was not skilled. Fortunately, there was no need for Jason to make speeches or the like; he only needed to ride on horseback, leading the Harbor Guard and the Harbour Defense Army straight through the grand avenue of ''Fort Swallow''. The ''Fort Swallow'' residents who had been frightened by the New Federation and the Undead Army watched the advancing troops, their expressions gradually calming down. Especially at the very front of the procession was Jason, recing Gerard. The Golden Griffin, Gerard. He was like a reassuring pill. The anxiety and fear within the hearts of the ''Fort Swallow'' residents vanished without a trace. Jason, with his perceptive abilities more than triple that of an ordinary person, keenly sensed such a change. Regarding the phrase, "merely standing there could elevate morale," Jason now had a much deeper understanding. In his mind, Gerard had always been a gentle big brother. But in the eyes of others, he was the undefeatedmander, the fearless god of war. Temporarily recing such a figure, Jason felt the pressure mounting. "Gerard, you need to wake up soon," Jason thought to himself. Lady An Lu was also in the procession. Thisdy too witnessed the change in the ''Fort Swallow'' civilians, and at this moment, she greatly wished to walk side by side with Gerard, to show the residents that the lineage of the Duke of ''Fort Swallow'' was still present. But she could not. Or should I say¡­ She did not dare. On the battlefield, on the path of triumphant return, who could walk shoulder to shoulder with Gerard? No one! The former risked certain death. Thetter? Unworthy! Perhaps only a heroic spirit would be qualified for such a role. If she rashly went forward, not only would she not gain glory, but she would also be despised. With a helpless sigh in her heart, Lady An Lu grew even more eager to proceed with the marriage alliance. It was the safest, most expedient way to preserve the ''Fort Swallow'' lineage. Especially in the next moment¡ª "Victory to Lord Gerard!" "Victory!" "Victory!" When such cheers erupted, Lady An Lu''s face stiffened, then grew more helpless. What could she do? She was truly desperate. The things she was proficient at, when facing an existence like Gerard, would surely fail. As for schemes and tricks? Unless she desired topletely cut off the ''Fort Swallow'' lineage. Marriage alliance! Marriage alliance! Marriage alliance! This thought kept emerging from the depths of thedy''s heart. She even began to consider the idea of presenting a fait apli. Lady An Lu, lost in thought and looking down, did not realize that Little Reed was quietly observing her the whole time. Several unexpected incidents had long since put Reed''s mind at ease about Jason''s strength and valor. However, this personal attendant was well aware that, among the nobility, strength and bravery were only part of the equation; the rest was a matter of weighing options and plotting intrigues. Having grown up in Nightless City, Lord Jason was undoubtedly not adept at these things. Therefore, Reed needed to deal with them. The troop had traveled from the city gate along Fort Swallow''s main road, all the way to the Inner Castle of Fort Swallow. Here was the core area of Fort Swallow. Once it was the gathering ce for the nobility to conduct their discussions. In it, there was a small military encampment. Unfortunately, it had also been set alight by Gte''s igniting of the gunpowder store. As a result,pared to the outer city area, this ce was even more dpidated due to the explosion, saying it was in ruins would not be an exaggeration. Lady An Lu, looking at the ''home'' before her, naturally burst into tears, and a low cry began to sound. However, Reed was quick to react, immediately offering a handkerchief. "Please ept my sympathy," the personal attendant said, then turned his horse to look back at Jason. Seeing someoneforting her, the surrounding Harbor Guard soldiers also turned their heads away. Lady An Lu, holding the handkerchief, wiped the corner of her eyes. When her face was covered by the handkerchief, Lady An Lu bit her teeth tightly. She had originally hoped to gain sympathy to obtain more. The best oue would be a moment of weakness from Gerard leading to a promise. But now? All she had gained was a handkerchief. How infuriating! Lady An Lu, filled with anger in her heart, resumed her sorrowful facade as she removed the handkerchief. Unfortunately, the Harbor Guard surrounding her did not nce back even once. Their attention was all focused ahead. Concentrated on theirmander, Gerard. As for anything else? They had no room for it in their eyes. Reed dismounted and took hold of Jason''s reins. This was one of the personal attendant''s duties; even if Gerard didn''t need it, Reed still had to do it, and the same applied now that Jason was temporarily assuming Gerard''s role. "Be wary of Lady An Lu," Reed whispered quietly. "Hmm," Jason nodded. He had noticed Lady An Lu''s odd behavior. While he understood it, he would notpromise his principles out of sympathy. Because he believed Gerard would do the same. As for himself? With the mask of Jason on, nobody dared to mess with him. In Nightless City, there was no room for sympathy. It was a luxury far too costly. Quite possibly, with the price of one''s life. Looking into Jason''s calm eyes, Reed breathed a sigh of relief. He was very concerned that Jason, due to his sympathetic nature, might run into trouble. After all, it took Gerard several losses to learn this lesson. Now that Jason had grasped it, his life in that orphanage must not have been easy, right? Reed suddenly understood the guilt that Gerard felt towards Jason. It was incredibly cruel to face the harshest realities of the world without any protection at a young age. Reed nced at Jason, whose face bore the mask of Gerard, and sighed softly in his heart. Then, he immediately found a rtively intact room for Jason, and after arranging a guard, Reed quickly added: "You should rest for a bit," "I''ll prepare some food for you," "Fort Swallow has some special dishes." "Special dishes?" "I look forward to them," Jason showed interest. He never refused food¡ªexcept for "Starry Sky." While Reed temporarily left, Jason did not sit idly by. Instead, he looked at the "Charles Burning Technique," proficient level. He had not forgotten the essential condition needed to better y the role of Gerard. "[Yes/No] Spend 18 points of satiety, 1 point of Excitement of Feast, to upgrade Charles Burning Technique (Proficient ¡ú Master)?" "Yes!" ... Chapter 197: 108: Stick to Your Strengths (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly~) After Jason''s affirmative answer, the feeling of satiation turned into a warm flow that spread from his stomach to his heart. Then, it spread throughout his whole body. The next moment, the text appeared¡ª [Charles Burning Technique (Proficiency): This is a secret technique that doesn''t require gestures nor the chanting of Dufol Language to cast, but it does require considerable mystical knowledge and tenacious willpower as a foundation; where it originally came from can no longer be traced, not even Gerard, who excavated this secret technique from the ruins, knew, but he could determine that it came from a very ancient era before different systems, and in order to adapt this secret technique to the system of this era, Gerard made a series of improvements and supplements, resulting in significant changes from the original; Effects: Consumes a bit of physical strength, creates a cone-shaped (35¡ã length 6 meters, height 0.5 meters) me above the level of a de''s edge from the palm, continuous spraying will continuously consume physical strength; you can choose either hand for the attack, or use both hands to release two mes at the same time, but the physical strength consumption is doubled.] ... [Charles Burning Technique upgraded to Proficiency Level, obtained inherent proficiency option: me Transformation] [me Transformation: You can choose the initial method of jetting mes or change the shape of the me to adhere to your fist or be shot out as a fireball; the base power of the me remains unchanged, when adhering to the fist, physical strength decreases, bringing de-level protection to both hands; when shooting out fireballs, the radius of the ball is 0.3 meters, the firing speed and distance are rted to one''s own strength] ... After harmonizing his knowledge, skills, and body, Jason raised his right hand. Whoosh! Ayer of me wrapped around his fist appeared directly. The me danced. Extending beyond the edge of the fist by several inches. The scorching breath hit him in the face, but Jason''s fist, which was enveloped in mes, didn''t feel any heat at all, instead, there was a warm and reassuring sensation. Just like wearing thick, warm gloves in winter. Releasing his fist, the mes dissipated. Joy was evident on Jason''s face. The proficiency option [me Transformation] of the [Charles Burning Technique], not only made his attacks more varied, but also stronger. A mere punch to an enemy''s face, versus one with ayer of me added to it. Those are two different concepts. The former is a vital point attack. Thetter? Absolutely a lethal blow. Of course, if the strength is great enough, the way one strikes doesn''t matter. Jason looked at his own attributes. [Strength 2.1, Agility 2.1, Constitution 1.9, Spirit 2.2, Perception 3.7] ... Far surpassing that of an ordinary person. Especially Perception, which, with the boost from the specialty [Blind Fighting], is at least four times that of an ordinary person. But Strength, Agility, Constitution, and Spirit are still not enough. Unconsciously, Jason''s gaze shifted to the [Griffin School] and [Barehanded Combat]. The former was limited because itcked the [Griffin Body Refinement Technique]. And thetter, because the level had reached Expert Level, and upgrading to Master Level required 15 points of satiation and 2 points of Excitement of Feast, which was too costly. "The [Griffin Body Refinement Technique] will surely bring tremendous changes." "But it takes too long." Remembering Gerard''s exnations and the records in the book, Jason was very clear that the [Griffin Body Refinement Technique] was not something that could be mastered overnight. [Griffin Swordsmanship]? It was also a bit difficult. Unlike having Expert Level [Barehanded Combat] as a foundation. With no foundation, when he faced the [Griffin Swordsmanship], his subconscious always thought of his own broad-ded short-handle cleaver. Then... A stab with the longsword would transform into an instinctive chop. More importantly, Jason didn''t think there was anything wrong with that. "Maybe before, my thoughts and habits were fixed." "Now I can try again!" With that thought, he did it. Jason drew his broad-ded short-handle cleaver and stabbed viciously, following the techniques of the Griffin style, at this time there should have been an upward flick of the sword tip, which could be done with just a flick of the wrist. But, as soon as Jason moved his wrist, he lifted the de over his head and then chopped down with a body memory-like cleave. Woo! A powerful, heavy chop. Fast and fierce. But... It wasn''t [Griffin Swordsmanship] at all. Jason was stunned. He realized this only after the de hade chopping down. "I must not have been prepared!" Jason was very certain of that thought. Then, he silently chanted in his heart, "Violent thrust, slight lift of the wrist, an upward flick." To deepen the memory, he chanted it three times. Next¡ª Whoosh! The de thrust out, lifted over his head, and then, with momentum, he chopped down. It was even more vicious than before. Moreover, an inexplicable sense of satisfaction rose from the bottom of his heart with such a sh. Jason stopped in ce. Momentster, he slowly sheathed the wide-ded, short-handled chopping knife. "I''m not suited for swordsmanship," he concluded. Then, Jason, following his instincts, temporarily set aside Griffin Swordsmanship and turned his attention to the ''food'' within reach¡ªhe decided to do something more suitable for himself. This ''food'' was the apanying potion for ir Exorcism Technique. The apanying potion for Charles Burning Technique provided 10 points of satiety, and Jason believed that the ir Exorcism Technique would not be far off. However, the best time to take the ir Exorcism Technique enhancement potion was at midnight. It was only morning now, and he needed to wait patiently. "Waiting will make the ''food'' taste better." Jason reminded himself. His gaze, however, involuntarily shifted to the door outside of his room. He had not forgotten the local delicacies that Reed had mentioned before. Amid Jason''s anticipation, Reed entered with arge tray in each hand. After cing two trays on the table and uncovering them, Reed spoke: "These are all local delicacies of Fort Swallow; you may want to give them a try." "This is ''Fort Swallow Meat Soup,'' made from rice, lean meat, and eggs. It has to be cooked until a spoon can stand in it without falling over to be considered good." "''Buckwheat Root,'' Fort Swallow''s characteristic thin pancake, made from mixing wheat and millet and then pan-frying. Its uniquenesses from its syrup dipping sauce." "This is ''Bore Crunch,'' made with pre-marinated white radish and freshly sliced carrots." The personal servant borated in detail. Jason, however, automatically tranted these dishes in his mind to the ones he was familiar with¡ª Preserved egg and lean meat porridge. Brown sugar pancake. Pickled radish. Although the names were different, the tastes were simr. And the portions were generous. Two pots of preserved egg and lean meat porridge. Twenty brown sugar pancakes. A bowl of pickled radish. Jason moved his arms left and right, with constant motions that created blurs of movement. Watching this, Reed couldn''t help but think to himself: "Indeed!" "Lord Jason always hides his true strength during normal times." "It''s only in these private moments that he reveals it." After watching Jason quickly finish off the food, Reed immediately asked: "Would you like some more, my lord?" Jason considered for a moment, it was already morning, and he shouldn''t eat too much to save room for lunch. So, he modestly requested a certain amount. "Mm, just three more portions like this would be good." "Right away, sir. I''ll be back shortly." After clearing the utensils in front of him, the personal servant quickly stepped out and closed the door behind him. Not even two minutes after Reed had left, the sound of Lady An Lu''s footsteps approached. Standing before the door, thedy knocked. Thump, thump-thump! "Master Gerard, are you there?" After the knocks, thedy asked. Jason furrowed his brow and answered very straightforwardly¡ª "No, I''m not." Chapter 198: 109 Praise (Third Release~Please Subscribe~Please Vote~) Mrs. An Lu, who was already lifting her hand to push the door and enter, stood frozen in her tracks. Not in? Who''s talking if no one is in? Could it be your cousin, Jason? Thedy took a deep breath, allowing the smile on her face to appear less stiff, before she knocked on the door again. Thud! Thud, thud! Clearly, thedy put considerable strength into the knocking this time. The door creaked open halfway. Revealing Jason, sitting at the dining table inside. Likewise, Jason saw Mrs. An Lu with a smile on her face. "Lord Gerard, there are some matters I would like to discuss with you." "May Ie in?" Thedy asked again. Jason wanted to refuse. But he had not forgotten that at this moment, he was ying the role of Gerard. Gerard would not do such a thing. Suppressing the irritation deep within. Jason nodded. "You may." Seeing Jason''s consent, thedy immediately walked in and, turning around, was about to close the door. "There''s no need." "The room is too stuffy." "It''s better to let some air in." Jason spoke. Mrs. An Lu smiled, withdrew her hand from the door, and turned to sit down slowly across from Jason at the dining table. Even dressed in a leather armor and belted with a long sword, thedy retained her dignified demeanor. Even Jason, who was wary of her, had to admit this. But it did nothing to lessen Jason''s vignce. On the contrary, he became even more cautious. In fact, it proved just how necessary Jason''s caution was. The very next moment, thedy spoke up. "Lord Gerard, what do you think of ''Fort Swallow''?" There was no clear target. But the implication behind her words was evident. So... Jason answered very seriously, "The food tastes good." Mrs. An Lu took a sharp breath. She had prepared her words carefully, but now, she forgot most of them in an instant. Huff, huff. After taking several deep breaths, thedy raised her head to look at Jason and asked as a matter of course, "And besides the taste of the food?" "The portions are quite generous." Jason continued to answer earnestly. Huff, huff. Mrs. An Lu''s breathing became more rapid. Looking at Jason''s serious demeanor, showing no trace of pretense, she subconsciously started to doubt if there was something wrong with the way she was asking her questions? Then, thedy did not linger on these questions. "I hope you will agree to let Barney rk temporarily manage ''Fort Swallow.''" "As an exchange..." "The inheritance of ''Fort Swallow'' will be open to you." Mrs. An Lu said. The inheritance of ''Fort Swallow''! Jason looked at Mrs. An Lu in surprise. He was amazed at her grand gesture. The inheritance of ''Fort Swallow'' could be considered thedy''s biggest trump card at the moment, yet here she was, presenting it so readily as a bargaining chip on the table. It was truly unexpected. After all, with the inheritance of ''Fort Swallow,'' thedy had a backup n. If things really went south, she could abandon ''Fort Swallow'' and start anew. It might take more time, but it would be a much better choice than the current one. However, Jason quickly collected himself. Her trading partner was not him. It was Gerard! The Golden Griffon, Gerard! A man of his word. A promise without regrets. Realizing this, Jason shed his initial surprise. He looked calmly at Mrs. An Lu in front of him. This calm unsettled Mrs. An Lu. "I''m sorry." "For now, I cannot agree to any of your conditions, madam." "The war is not over; it has only just begun." Jason shook his head. "You mean until the day the war ends?" Mrs. An Lu pressed on. Jason didn''t answer but looked toward the door. Reed, holding up tworge trays, stood there. He turned to Mrs. An Lu, cracked a smile full of etiquette, and said in a soft voice, "My lord never said that, madam. Please do not misunderstand." "By the way, my lord doesn''t like strangers around when he dines." "Please leave." The personal servant put the food on the table while gesturing to Mrs. An Lu to leave. Thedy''s smile grew slightly stiff. However, she did not linger. After giving Jason a curtsey, she then turned and left. Reed watched her depart and then directly instructed the surrounding Harbor Guard, "Tell Mrs. An Lu that the lord is too busy with official duties whenever she approaches." "Yes." The Harbor Guard immediately nodded. Returning to the room, Jason had already continued eating. Observing Jason eating, Reed did not disturb him. Instead, he stood quietly by until Jason finished, and then the personal servant began to clear the table, advising, "My lord, you must be careful with thatdy." "Her ambitions are not small." "Heh, temporary control?" "I''m afraid it''s borrowing with no intention of returning." The personal servant scoffed. Then, lowering his voice, he said, "My lord, if you want the ''Fort Swallow'' legacy, there are some basics in the small library at the harbor. It''s not veryplete, but it has the foundations." "It''s a sword technique that emerged afterbining more than a dozen kinds of agility-focused swordsmanship, modeled on the swiftness of a swallow." "Quick, agile." "When it''s performed to a certain level, it can make a single thrust seem like three or four." Combining more than a dozen kinds of agility-focused swordsmanship? Modeled on a swallow? Quick, agile? Hearing these descriptors, Jason thought again of how he used to lift his broad-ded, short-hilt cleaver above his head and then chop down with it. No need for such fancy stuff. One chop from me, so satisfying and zestful. If one chop fails, two will suffice. If two aren''t enough, I''ve still got grenades. With this in mind, Jason said decisively, "Bring them here, I''ll have a look." Strategically disdain your enemies, tactically respect them! It''s always good to learn a bit. What if I''m just not suited for ''Griffin Swordsmanship''? "Alright." The personal servant smiled and replied. This wasn''t against any rules. He believed that if Lord Jason wanted to see it, Lord Gerard would surely allow it. After that, Reed''s smile faded. "Just to be safe, I''ve used a secret technique to notify General Anno in advance." "If he marches quickly, the general can arrive at ''Fort Swallow'' by midnight." "Following the original n, this will be our first line of defense." "Then, half of the 2,000 cavalry from the Harbor Defense Army will patrol back and forth between ''Fort Swallow'' and Hans Port, thoroughly clearing out any scouts from the New Federation. The outposts established by the old general will also be fully activated, and more soldiers will be stationed there." "The remaining half will form a guerri defense line in front of ''Fort Swallow''¡­" Reed exined in detail the uing arrangements to Jason. Jason listened intently. Wherever he didn''t understand, he asked Reed. Even though he didn''t need to know all of this stuff, to impersonate Gerard, Jason thought it was better to have a clear understanding. And as Reed was exining to Jason, the news of the retaking of ''Fort Swallow'' had already spread back to Hans Port via secretmunication. "Victory report!" "Victory report!" "Lord Gerard has retaken ''Fort Swallow''!" Joyous voices rose from within 111 Duron Street. Then, they swiftly spread in all directions throughout Hans Port. Dennise on the fourth floor of 111 Duron Street naturally heard such news. The previously sullen Dennise immediately broke into a smile. As expected of Jason. He actually recaptured ''Fort Swallow'' so quickly. Denise thought to herself silently, unable to help but exim: "Well done!" She muttered softly. Carried away by the wind. In the distance, the hidden Undead Army heard such praise clearly. Roar roar roar! Soul Fire surged, and a silent roar echoed all around. Kneeling on one knee, Lederma, who led the Undead Army, was so excited that the number of undead behind him swelled to two hundred thousand, all of whom knelt down one after another. "For Her Majesty, to death we serve!" Chapter 199: 110 Gathering (Subscription~Monthly pass~) Dennise was assailed by sounds around her ears. Huh? I seem to be hallucinating again. Could it be because I stayed upte reading a novelst night? That''s impossible, I clearly went to sleep the moment it got light. Shaking her swollen head, Dennise curled up in bed once more. The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains onto the big bed, bing less harsh and dazzling, offering onlyfort and ease. Dennise rolled over, rubbing her head against the pillow. Then... She reached out to grab the novel from the nightstand. It''s almost time for ''breakfast''. I''ll finish this chapter before eating. Under the faint sunlight, the four bold characters on the cover, "Meteor Legend," shimmered brilliantly. ... Cloaked in his cape, Raymond stood near the docks. As a ''sniper,'' he was looking for the perfect spot. Patrols of Hans Port guards passed by in squads. They would immediately approach and question any suspicious person they found, but they seemed to overlook Raymond entirely. The guards at the Duron Street No. 111 prison had long sensed something was amiss, but even after scouring the entire Hans Port, they couldn''t hope to find them. The head of security, who used to have a decent amount of hair, was now close to bald from his own anxious plucking. In just the few days since Lord Gerard''s departure, chaos had erupted in Hans Port, and he was at aplete loss for an exnation. To this, Raymond could only say sorry. Although it was a small misunderstanding between the sides, he certainly didn''t want anyplications at such a critical moment. Moreover... Nozan''s secret technique was really useful! Feeling unnoticed by anyone, Raymond couldn''t help but sing praises. Then, he bypassed the checkpoint bridge from the docks and headed toward the more distant lighthouse. He found it to be quite high, making it an ideal location for an ambush. But as he descended from the checkpoint bridge, another person was about to ascend it. Even with Nozan''s secret technique for cover, Raymond knew he wasn''t truly invisible. So, he preemptively dodged out of the way. The person smiled and nodded at Raymond in thanks. Raymond reflexively returned the courtesy. The two passed by each other. After taking a few steps, Raymond realized something was wrong. No, that''s not right! With Nozan''s secret technique, ordinary people shouldn''t be able to notice me! Reflexively, Raymond turned to look back. And the person he had just passed also turned their head. The two scrutinized each other. Keen perception, standing on tiptoes, back slightly hunched, chest retracted, always in a stance ready to explode into action... An assassin? Slim palms on his right hand, calluses at the base of the index finger, right shoulder visibly more muscr... A gunman? Aftering to this conclusion, both took a quick step backward. Raymond gripped his gun''s handle. The other party clutched the dagger hidden in their sleeve. Both started to adjust their breathing rapidly. Their momentum continued to escte. Just when the situation was about to escte, boot sounds from the Hans Port patrol echoed from afar. The suspected assassin began to retreat slowly. When he realized Raymond was not stopping him, he frowned, but did not let down his guard until he stepped onto the checkpoint bridge and then jumped directly into the sea. Ssh! The sound of falling into the water attracted the port patrol. "Attention!" "Surround them!" The patrol captain shouted. But it was useless; by the time they got there, the person had already vanished into the sea. Raymond stood on the outskirts of the crowd, his narrowed eyes shing with insight. An external force from Hans Port? Whye here? Is Her Majesty the Queen in danger? Raymond instinctively thought, then resonated the scene he had just witnessed to others. The Living Corpse Legion belonging to Dennise, hidden within the dock area, immediately went on alert. In ces invisible to ordinary people, they flickered through the shadows. ... Leon mbered up from the distant sandy beach in a state of disarray. He shook the seawater off his body non-stop. He, born in the ''Cat Hole,'' hated water immensely. He would shower instead of soaking in a bath even when washing. Yet he had no choice but to do just that a moment ago. The gunman gave him an extremely dangerous feeling, once the other party drew their gun, he could not guarantee his own survival. "When did Hans Port be so dangerous?" "Just walking on the street, one could encounter someone concealing themselves with secret techniques?" Leon thought to himself while taking off his ck coat, then removed his beloved white boots, pouring the water out of them. Whoosh! Amid the sound of flowing water, Leon''s face showed distress. He had helped out in the kitchen for three months to afford these white boots and had nned to work another two months to buy a pair of white gloves, but he was summoned by Peters instead. "What is Peters up to?" "He summoned us here," "yet he doesn''t show up himself." "Truly as unreliable as ever." With a sigh, Leon''s eyes suddenly sharpened. Then he leapt backward out of thin air. Smack! Asso tied with stones at both ends smashed onto the spot he was just in. "Who!" Leon called out in a low voice. No one answered. But a tall, sturdy figure emerged from the distance. As he walked, he twisted his neck. Crack, crack. Amid the crisp sound of joints, the already tall and robust figure swelled up, reaching a height of 3 meters, with arms thicker than a normal person''s waist, and an overwhelming presence bearing down on Leon. Leon''s breathing hitched. But not because of the opponent. It was because a trail of ck smoke silently appeared behind him. What was even more terrifying was that Leon could feel a cold presence targeting him from afar, and even beneath the previously safe sands, another strong presence emerged. Then, a man with a solid figure and resolute face appeared on the other side of the beach, blocking his escape to the seaside. It was aplete encirclement. Did the patrol guards of Hans Port react this quickly? With gritted teeth, Leon was ready to fight desperately. He didn''t want to end up in prison. And just as Leon was about to draw his sword, Raymond appeared before his eyes. "It''s you?" Leon was stunned. He had not expected a random encounter at Hans Port to have such influence. Just look at the several people around. They already possessed the strengthparable to a small sect. Then, something even more nerve-wracking and despairing happened to Leon. More people of no lesser strength appeared. A full hundred of them. These people surrounded him in circles, silently watching him. The already oppressive atmosphere became even more suffocating. This was no small sect, it was not far off from the strength of a medium-sized sect even in the heyday of past sects. How could Hans Port have such power? Were they the reason Peters had mee here? Damn it! I''m here! Peters, where are you? Leon tightened his grip on his dagger. Raymond squinted his eyes and asked: "Who are you?" "Where did youe from?" "Where are you going?" "Speak!" As the words fell, the people around them tensed up. Provoked by their momentum, Leon pulled out his dagger and short sword, ready to fight for his life. Just at that moment¡ª Meow! Awooo! Screech! Roar! A cacophony of cat meows, wolf howls, eagle screeches, and tiger roars erupted all at once. Chapter 200: 111: The Importance of Orange (Please subscribe~ Vote for monthly pass~) Amidst the roaring, four figures appeared simultaneously on the distant beach. Gazing at the four figures, Leon''s eyes filled with sheer delight, and the swordsman from Cat Hole shouted out loud: "Hume, little brother!" "Beanpole Allen!" "Shaggy Newt!" "Fatty Tegor!" Their advance halted for a moment, and the rising momentum came to a pause. Tegor, stout of build and with a head like a tiger''s, turned to look at the threepanions beside him. "Can I just not save him?" "Sure." "Definitely." "Agreed." The three concurred with Tegor''s words and turned to leave. However, Raymond raised his hand, sweeping the four into the encirclement as well. "Hey, long time no see!" "Hume, little brother!" "Was it Peters who asked you to find me?" Leon immediately asked in excitement upon seeing his approaching junior. "I am the senior brother!" "You are the junior brother!" The little cat roared in anger, correcting the error in Leon''s words. "Junior brother, although Cat Hole is no more, we must not muddle our seniority. I am your senio..." Smack! The little cat quickly grabbed his scabbard and struck Leon''s face with it. Leon tumbled and fell onto the beach. "Hehe." "Waste of space." "Trash." Thenky Allen snickered coldly. The disheveled Newt spoke with folded arms. The tiger-headed Tegor added a word. And it was not over yet. The three of them continued, each adding his own taunt. "Indeed, only fit to be bait." "Not evenpetent as bait." "To think it took so long to lure these guys out." Bait? Pulling his face out of the sand, Leon looked at the four in bewilderment. "You all saw me a long time ago?" "And then..." "Used me as bait?" Leon pointed at himself. "Hmm." "Yes." "Correct." Allen, Newt, and Tegor each confirmed with a word. Then, the three pointed at Hume. "It was his idea." "Hume, little brother, for you to do this, as your senior brother, I am truly..." Smack! Before Leon could finish, the little cat had jumped onto Leon''s back. "I am the senior brother!" "I am the senior brother!" "I am the senior brother!" With each deration, the little cat hopped once. After three hops, Leon was buried back into the sand. Whoosh! Having done all this, the little cat finally seemed to have vented his frustration, and then, he turned his head to look at Raymond. "The recent abnormalities at the port, they are your doing, aren''t they, fellow from the New Federation?" The little cat fixated on Raymond. Outnumbered by the enemy, to gain a sliver of a winning chance, naturally, one must... Behead! Take out the enemy leader first. Only then is there hope. With this thought, the little cat''s gaze became exceedingly sharp and dangerous. The giant-like Simmons stepped forward to stand in front of his captain. While the captain''s marksmanship was admirable, his closebat abilities were not strong. Raymond, however, smiled and gave a wave of his hand. Stepping past Simmons, he walked directly up to the little cat. "You know Peters?" Raymond asked. "Peters?" "You know Peters?" The little cat regarded Raymond suspiciously. Although Peters was a good-for-nothing, he surely wouldn''t have had dealings with people from the New Federation. "I don''t recognize them." "But if you were Peters''s junior." "Then, we are one of our own." Raymond said with a smile. As the junior of Prince Jason''s coachman, naturally, he was one of their own. "As for the New Federation?" "That is one of my identities." "I had to don a disguise in order to gather some information." "Alright, we need to leave now." "The port patrol isn''t stupid; they''ll soon notice the abnormality here." With those words, Raymond raised his hand. The members of Dennise''s living group began to withdraw. The little kitten did not stop them. Their strength and power were beyond his expectations. If they could avoid battle, it was naturally for the best. Yet skepticism still lingered on his face. Since when did his worthless senior brother have such influence? Impossible. Then, the little kitten saw Raymond halt for a moment as he was leaving. Indeed, my senior brother couldn''t possibly have such influence! They were still going to fight! The little kitten gripped his short sword tightly. But Raymond bore no malice. "A great battle is about to happen." "If you''re preparing to join the fight, then get ready." "The enemyes from an unexpected ce." Without even turning his head, Raymond continued on his way after speaking. Leaving the five people on the beach behind. "Isn''t Peters a coachman?" "Does a coachman have that much clout?" Leon lifted his head, full of confusion. "No." "Impossible." "It''s an illusion." Allen, Newt, and Tegor all nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Peters, basking under the sun at the base of Hans Port''s city wall, kept sneezing. Achoo! Achoo! "Didn''t Hume say he was going to buy dried fish?" "Howe he''s been gone all day and still hasn''t returned?" Peters wondered with confusion. But he soon broke intoughter. "Heh heh." "Good thing I''ve stashed away quite a bit." Peters reached into his pocket, took out a piece of dried fish, put it in his mouth, turned around to bask in the sun in a morefortable position, and chewed on the fish. Content, andzy. In the reflection of the sunlight, it seemed as though a faint glow appeared around Peters. Under the glow, the basking Peters seemed just like a real cat. Orange-colored. Fat. Andzy. ... The sun reached its highest point in the sky, then set. The moon began to rise. ''Fort Swallow'', Jason counted the time in silence. At the same time, he recalled the key points of ''ir Exorcism Technique'' in his mind. Simr to the ''Charles Burning Technique''. ''ir Exorcism Technique'' is also a secret technique that doesn''t require hand gestures or the Dufol Language for casting. Of course, that is when being cast by a single person. If multiple people are casting it, it still requires some hand signals and the Dufol Language. The reason for multiple people casting is to ensure the effect of ''ir Exorcism Technique'' and to share the consumption. Although not as draining as ''Protection Against Evil'', ''ir Exorcism Technique'' still has a considerable consumption. However, for Jason, it was no matter at all. On the contrary, this would make up for the awkward situation where Jason would use up all his physical strength in a single use. Even a ''Proficiency Level'' ''Protection Against Evil'' with ''Seal Imprint Replication'' would be the same. Jason, who suffered from a severeck of firepower, not only hoarded weapons and ammunition but also began to incorporate secret techniques into his life list. Watching the moon rise high. Jason took out the auxiliary potion. He uncorked the bottle and drank it down in one gulp. Sweet. Cool. And fizzy. Sprite? As Jason smacked his lips, trying to identify the taste, the scenery before him suddenly changed. Chapter 201: 112: Proud of You! (Third update~ Please subscribe~ Please vote for monthly ticket~) The night sky took the ce of the roof. When Jason came to his senses, he was standing in the midst of a graveyard. Bright moonlight shone overhead. The soil beneath his feet was dark. The wind blew gently. Branches swayed. They startled several crows into cawing raucously. Jason frowned. He was not the least bit frightened by the scene before him; he strode towards the depths of the graveyard, his gaze fixed on a tall stone structure there. As he drew closer, Jason was startled to find that the tall stone building had a staircase on one side, while the other three sides were smooth and even, moss filling the crevices between the stones. The stairs, however, were very clean. At the base of the first step, there were sculptures on either side. The sculptures were both of birds and over a meter tall. However, one was shaped like a cylinder. The other was square-shaped. "Is this¡­" "An altar?!" Jason looked around, guessing uncertainly. Because he had never seen an altar in a graveyard, let alone one that resembled a towering spire. So, in the time that followed, Jason became even more cautious. After inspecting the sculptures and stairs, Jason finally stepped up. Nothing happened as he made his way to the top of the altar. Then... Jason''s attention was captured by a verdant fruit. The verdant fruit was ced on a stone te. The stone te rested on a stone table. This table was sorge it almost took up the entire top level of the altar. But the fruit itself was notrge, only the size of a date. After looking around and ensuring there were no dangers, Jason bent over, picked up the fruit, and then tossed it into his mouth. Crunch! Crisp! Sweet! Juices were abundant. Jason unconsciously squinted his eyes. The next moment, he vanished. In the instant Jason disappeared, the sculptures on either side of the altar''s stairs both exhaled deeply. "That was terrifying!" "We almost got eaten!" The two sculptures said at the same time. Looking as if they had narrowly escaped a disaster. But as they were only a bit of true spirit, they were no longer truly existing entities. Ultimately, they could not escape Jason''s stomach. The next moment¡ª A massive mouth appeared in the dark night sky. The mouth was like a ck hole. The entire graveyard was sucked up into it. After chewing a few times, it waspletely swallowed. [A miniscule amount of ''Dark Crow Blood'' essence has been consumed!] [Physical strength and energy (injuries) are fully restored to the greatest extent!] [Satiety +9] [Satiety: 25] ... [Consuming potion, undergoing special learning ritual, judgment in progress...] [Judgment passed!] [Acquired ''ir Exorcism Technique'' (Basic)!] [Detected possession of a higher-grade simr secret technique ''Protection Against Evil''!] [Merging ''ir Exorcism Technique''...] The text before his eyes paused for a second. Then, more words began to emerge. [Protection Against Evil (Proficiency): Not only have you mastered this secret technique of Seal Imprint, but you have also used a special power to enhance it, and simr forces to strengthen it! In the city''s night, it is enough to fend off the majority of malice, but you still need to expend a great deal of Physical Strength to activate this secret technique! Among the legacies of the Night Watcher you possess, a certain Night Watcher made some changes to it, thus, you also mastered such long-range attack skills; likewise, the modifications you made can also be part of this legacy; Effect: 1, A special force field attaches to the surface of the body, which can defend against attacks from negative energy beings (above Explosive-level), and can also drive them out along with their forces (above Explosive-level); 2, You can direct the power of expelling evil to target creatures or objects within an 8-meter radius centered on you, andunch a long-range attack.] ... [Protection Against Evil upgraded to Proficiency Level, gaining inherent mastery option: Glyph Replication] [Glyph Replication: You can store a use of Protection Against Evil in advance, which has the same consumption as the normal Protection Against Evil, but because of your improvement, it canst for 4 days, during which the power of Protection Against Evil will gradually weaken, and by the end of the 4th day, the power of the Seal Imprint of Protection Against Evil willpletely disappear; you can refill Protection Against Evil at any time during those 4 days; when released it only requires the brief Dufol Language syble (Yi)] ... "The power of [Protection Against Evil] has increased a small level, from Explosive-level to above Explosive-level!" "The range of long-distance attacks has also increased from 6 meters to 8 meters!" "The duration of [Glyph Replication] has gained an extra day!" Jason looked on with delight at this scene. Although it was far from his initial goal. But Jason was pleased to see the enhancement of [Protection Against Evil]. However, with enhancements naturallye greater costs. Originally, for the next level, Expert Level, [Protection Against Evil] required 25 points of satiety and 4 points of Excitement of Feast. Now it had be 30 points of satiety and 5 points of Excitement of Feast. Such arge number of satiety and Excitement of Feast made Jason frown. But the next moment, Jason adjusted his mindset. "Save up slowly." "One day, I will amass enough." Jason thought, turning his head to look at Reed. The personal attendant stood there while Jason consumed the Potion, silently protecting him throughout. Seeing Jason turn his head, the personal attendant immediately said: "Congrattions, my lord." The words were confident, and the tone left no room for doubt. Reed, who had been an observer all along, clearly felt the changes in Jason. He, who also learned the ''ir Exorcism Technique,'' knew exactly what such changes meant. Sess! And not just any sess, but an exceptional one! Lord Gerard had once said that Jason''s aura and the ''ir Exorcism Technique'' were a particrly good match. But... He had never thought that this match would be to the extent that upon learning it, one would instantly reach the pinnacle. "Worthy of being Lord Gerard''s cousin." "Talent..." "Really is terrifying." Reed, clearly misunderstanding something, thought to himself silently. However, the personal attendant did not forget the matter at hand. "General Anno has arrived." "He is taking over the defenses of Fort Swallow." "You need to go and meet this old general." "Remember to be friendly." Reed quietly reminded Jason. Jason nodded in understanding. After all, old General Anno was not only a senior member of the harbor, but had also been ''his'' mentor in swordsmanship. Brave in character, yet impulsive. Jason recalled the information in his mind. Then, he followed Reed outside. "Gerard!" In the loud voice, a tall figure with white hair and beard approached directly. The old man''s eyes were bright, his mouth corners upturned, filled with thick joy. After Reed stepped aside, he came up to Jason and gave him a bear hug. "Well done." The old general said loudly. Then, his voice lowered to a level audible only to the two of them¡ª "Gerard would be proud of you!" Chapter 202: 113 Jasons Perception and Persistence (Subscribe~ Monthly Ticket Please~) ``` Discovered? Jason frowned, but he immediately chuckled softly, "General Anno, what are you talking about? I don''t quite understand." "Ah, cautious young one." "I am too familiar with Gerard," "Although you two are simr, there''s still a slight difference in temperament." With a lightugh, the old general paused before continuing, "Moreover... Gerard excels in swordsmanship, the muscles on his back are more elongated, whereas you must specialize in the art of shing, your muscles are more robust and intertwined." The difference in muscles caused by swordsmanship and knife skills? Jason was startled. This was something he had never considered. So, the reason I am not suited for swordsmanship is because of the different muscle groups developed. It seemed the old general noticed Jason''s thoughts. He gave Jason''s back a hard p. "Don''t think about those useless things!" "Whether it''s swordsmanship or knife skills, both are techniques for killing!" "There is no superiority in killing techniques, they have only one purpose: to take down the enemy!" After speaking, the general released his hands from Jason and stepped back, still smiling, he articted each word, "Remember! When you strike... charge forward without hesitation!" Having said that, the general walked towards little Reed. "General..." Smack! The personal servant had just been about to offer a greeting when the general gently hit him on the back of the head. However, it was exceptionally crisp. The personal servant looked at the general, somewhat dazed. The general justughed heartily and walked into the room. "Hurry back to Hans Port." "They need you there." The voice of the general came from the room. A hundred Harbor Guard soldiers apanied them. Jason and little Reed embarked on the journey back to Hans Port. "General Anno discovered it?" In the carriage, little Reed eximed. The personal servant''s voice was full of disbelief. For little Reed, being discovered by someone close to him was not uneptable. However, in his mind, the person who should have discovered it was someone like Chief of Staff Sidlin. It should not have been old General Anno. It wasn''t that he looked down on the general. But the general''s usual demeanor really did not seem like that of a perceptive person. "ying the fool?" "The intuition of a brute?" Little Reed thought nkly. After stating his thoughts to little Reed, Jason ceased to pay attention to these matters. Such a discovery wasn''t considered a slip-up. After all, the general was one of their own. Moreover, Jason was still contemting the words of the general. ''When you strike... charge forward without hesitation!'' He thought the general made a lot of sense. Because every time Jason struck, no matter who faced him, he thought of nothing else but to bring his de down. If one strike didn''t kill, then another. And then, continue striking. One of those would eventually be effective. No need for defense. No need for blocking. Just bring the de down is all. Jason pondered, and involuntarily, a very simple yet often forgotten truth came to mind¡ª Be faster than the enemy. Be more ruthless than the enemy. Have greater strength than the enemy. If none of these apply! Then... have more tenacity than the enemy! At worst, it''s a life for a life! A mutual destruction! It''s either your death or mine. And I am undying... Thus, the one to fall will surely be the enemy! With this thought, Jason felt as if he had unraveled a knot in his heart. All those techniques. All those swordsmanship skills. All those knife skills. Forget them all. I just need to remember: I, Jason, am undying. A faint aura began to converge around Jason. It was the aura of charging forward without hesitation. It was the aura of no fear of life and death. The two merged together. And gradually became... Sharp! Like an unsheathed de. This sharpness pricked at little Reed. The personal servant instinctively looked at Jason, only to feel as if the viscount saw a tall figure swinging a broad-ded, short-handled machete, with a vision of blood red before his eyes. Instinctively, he closed his eyes. And then, he opened them again. Jason was still Jason. Sitting there motionless. That sharp feeling had also disappeared. It seemed as if everything just experienced was an illusion. But the personal servant didn''t think so. "Did you just have an epiphany?" ``` Young Reed asked. "Hm." "The old general''s advice was very effective." Jason nodded without hiding anything. "Do you still need the records of the swordsmanship techniques you mentioned before?" Young Reed asked. When one breaks through an existing stage, the pursuit of the next stage has already changed, and some things that should apply be inapplicable. "Of course!" "I have to prove a point!" Jason dered emphatically. I have broken through my mental block! The current me... will certainly master the swordsmanship techniques with ease! Jason thought very confidently. And such confidencested until the next morning when Jason returned to 111 Duron Street, Hans Port. 111 Duron Street, the fifth floor. Dennise was happily hugging a bowl of snacks, watching Jason practice with his knife. Yes, practicing with a knife. In the eyes of the undead girl, every cut Jason made was powerful and heavy, as quick as lightning, and utterly captivating. "Incredible." "Jason, your knife skills have gotten stronger." Dennise was someone who didn''t hide her thoughts. Sheplimented him straightforwardly. Jason''s movement stiffened. Knife skills... I was practicing swordsmanship! The ''Fort Swallow'' legacy is renowned for its light, swift swordsmanship. It has techniques that make one strike seem like three or four. p! Jason walked softly over to Dennise, raised his hand, and lightly tapped on Dennise''s forehead. Dennise''s head reared back with a grimace. Then, Dennise red at Jason fiercely. She didn''t understand why Jason had hit her. "Lunchtime is here." "Do you want meat bones?" Jason asked. "Yes!" Dennise cheered, raising her hands in the air. Since the departure of Jason and the others, she had been eating alone, which was terribly lonely. Now that Jason was back, she was no longer lonely. She wanted a double portion. Without leaving the fifth floor, Jason simply asked the cook to bring in a table. The plump auntie easily carried the heavy wooden table into the room, set it down as Jason had directed, and ced two bowls of meat bones on the table. Both bowls were Dennise''s. One serving per bowl. Naturally, two servings amounted to two bowls. "Sir, what will you be having?" "The usual specialty foods?" "The ones prepared for Sir Jason?" "Don''t worry, no one will know." The plump auntie said with a smile, looking at Jason. She seemed amiable when she smiled, but Jason simply gave her a silent nce. Is my disguise really that bad? Can everyone close to me see through it? As the plump auntie looked at Jason, she startedughing and lowered her voice: "Although Lord Gerard is skilled at creating techniques,pensating for the secret technique," "he would never use a knife to perform swordsmanship." "There are those who use a knife for swordsmanship, yes, but those are light knives. For a heavy, broad-ded knife like yours, simr to a firewood chopper, it is a bit difficult." "You need a sword!" "However, given your build, I''d suggest you keep using this heavy knife, unless you want to switch weapons..." "How about a Wolf Fang Club?" "No thanks." "I was just trying it out." Jason rejected the plump auntie''s kind offer. While the plump auntie was preparing his lunch, Jason stepped into the adjacent room. This was Gerard''s resting ce. Important was that swords hung on the wall. Jason carefully took one down. Back muscles leading to the shoulders, using the shoulder as the medium, channeling strength into the arms, the wrist as the pivot, he swiftly thrust forward. Muttering the trick he just learned. Jason raised the sword and stabbed. However, the sword went over his head in one motion. Then came crashing down forcefully. Whoosh! The whistling sound of the air being split echoed in the room for a long time. Jason stood there dumbfounded for two seconds. Then, he silently hung the long sword back on the wall. Must be because I haven''t eaten, my blood sugar is low¡ªthat''s why I mixed up the techniques. That''s what Jason thought. Not as a constion to himself, but as a fact. He continued to tell himself this, then quickly returned to the dining table and quietly awaited his lunch. At that moment, the son of the ''Fort Swallow'' Duke suddenly paid a visit. And... he was fuming with anger. Chapter 203: 114: You insulted my dog and want to run away? (Subscribe~ Request for monthly passes~) Jason frowned as he watched the son of the Duke of Fort Swallow, seething with rage, approach him. Then... Pfft. The other partyughed. Dennise looked at the son of the Duke of Fort Swallow as if he were looking at an idiot. How could he not be an idiot to change from being furious to... Erha emmmm.jpg Delighted? No, that''s not right. It should be wildly ecstatic. What was the other party so happy about? Dennise was very confused. Dennise didn''t know, but Jason could guess a bit. The sort of person who should go to a German orthopedic clinic. Jason silently observed the Duke of Fort Swallow''s son. Dennise was also watching the other party. Under the scrutiny of them both, the Duke of Fort Swallow''s son finally snapped back to reality, quickly suppressing the wild ecstasy on his face, and then, once again became angry. "How dare you refuse to marry my sister!" The other party roared. As the roar subsided, involuntarily, he added in a quieter tone: "That''s really great." Instantly, Dennise confirmed that he was indeed an idiot. Jason? He didn''t even want to nce at the other party anymore. "No, that''s wrong!" "No, that''s wrong!" "Why wouldn''t you marry my gentle, virtuous, beautiful, and kind-hearted sister?" The Duke''s son shook his head vigorously, questioning Jason. It seemed that he felt this line of questioning wasn''t convincing enough. He immediately pointed at Dennise, who was gnawing on a meaty bone and watching the show. "Are you like your cousin as well?" "Both of you like this kind of woman who eats like a trough." "Aside from eating, how is she any better than my sister?" The Duke''s son roared with force. It seemed as if he wasn''t roaring like this, it wouldn''t be enough to convey how angry he felt at the moment. As for Dennise, who was being pointed at, she was utterly baffled. What does this have to do with me? Dennise picked up another meaty bone and shoved it in her mouth. So meaty, so juicy. Really delicious. Jason, however, stood up, looking at the Duke''s son seriously and solemnly. One might hit their own dog, but others? Don''t even talk about hitting; if you say my dog is not good, although my dog won''t bite you, as its owner, I feel the need to have a ''friendly'' chat with you. "What are you going to do?" The Duke''s son, startled by Jason''s sudden seriousness and severity, instinctively took a step back. Especially after sensing that trace of Sharpness emanating from Jason, he couldn''t help feeling extremely nervous. Did I say too much? No, those were just very normal words, right? Did I hit a nerve? The Duke''s son wondered. But Jason spoke up straightforwardly. "I''m very interested in Fort Swallow''s swordsmanship, but despite practicing several times, I haven''t grasped the basics. I think Ick someone well-versed in Fort Swallow''s swordsmanship as a sparring partner." "I wonder, Lord K, would you be willing?" "Regardless of status, don''t you want to show your sister your bravery as a big brother?" Jason looked at the Duke''s son. At first, the other''s face showed clear hesitation. He was concerned about his status. He was worried about the current situation as well. But then, when his sister was mentioned. That hesitation disappeared in an instant. "To battle!" The Duke''s son let out a low cry and grabbed the hilt of his sword. He turned out to be a rather simple person to understand. Judging so, Jason then spoke again: "A fight?" "No!" "We''re just having a friendly exchange." "So, I won''t use the sword that I''m good with." Saying this, Jason drew the wide-de short-handled cleaver. "I''ll use this." "It''s my first time." "A little unfamiliar, but I''ll hold back." Jason spoke earnestly. The son of the duke didn''t show much reaction, merely nodding. It wasmon knowledge that Gerard of the ''Golden Griffon'' excelled in swordsmanship. At this moment, he wasn''t using swordsmanship, but a knife instead. Clearly, this was him holding back. Immediately, the duke''s son felt a twinge of guilt for his earlier reckless words, but to expect him to apologize directly to Dennise was impossible. After all, in the eyes of this son of a duke, Dennise was always a small-town girl. And him? A noble son of the duke. Even now, when the ''Fort Swallow'' garrison was the Defense Army. Huff. The son of the ''Fort Swallow'' duke took a deep breath and then called out: "Begin!" At the word, the duke''s son charged straight at Jason. His speed was remarkably fast! Moreover, halfway through his charge, he shifted his steps, transitioning from a direct assault into a sidelong, encircling maneuver, like a swallow changing direction mid-air. The sword in his hand cast a series of de shadows. Whoosh, whoosh whoosh! Every strike came with the sound of piercing the air. Each seemed as real as the next. Every thrust was swift and peerless. Is this the swordsmanship of ''Fort Swallow''? Jason watched expressionlessly. It was indeed different from what he trained in. His style was primitive and straightforward. The other? Far too shy! It was... Simply no match! Ignoring the thrusts of the sword, Jason raised the knife above his head. Then, he brought it down in a chop. Woo! The howling sound instantly overshadowed the piercing noise of the sword. What was more terrifying was the fierce aura of fearlessness and indomitability that Jason exuded when he disregarded the iing sword, which instantly emanated from him. It was painful! To the eyes! To the face! To the entire body! The sharpness caused an extraordinary sting. The duke''s son involuntarily squinted, and his ''sword'' paused. Then¡ª ng! The wide-de, short-hilt cleaver smashed onto the nimble longsword. Instantly, the longsword hit the ground. The duke''s son took two steps back. The duke''s son was stunned. He knew he was far from Gerard''s level, but he had not expected the gap to be this enormous! Gerard had defeated him using a weapon he was handling for the first time. Especially that aura. That surging momentum as if charging on the battlefield. It was what he had always desired but could never achieve. "I..." "Lost." The duke''s son muttered to himself. Jason, having gauged the other''s strength, picked up the longsword and handed it back to him. The duke''s son looked at Jason, puzzled. "One defeat doesn''t mean anything." "Let''s go again." "This time I will switch to a different weapon." After speaking, Jason set aside the wide-de, short-hilt cleaver and walked towards the kitchen. A momentter, Jason came out carrying a Wolf Fang Club. Whoo, whoo whoo. Jason swung it several times in session. The duke''s son''s temple twitched at the dreadful pressure of the wind. Jason then turned around and, in a calm tone, addressed Dennise: "I had the matron add a new dish¡ª" "Shrimp with pork heart." "Is it tasty?" Dennise''s eyes lit up. "Delicious." Only after Dennise''s answer did Jason smile and turn back to the duke''s son, pointing the Wolf Fang Club at him and saying softly: "Come." "Continue." Chapter 204: 115: The Impossible Possibility (Three more updates~ Subscribe~ Monthly tickets~) The son of the Duke of Fort Swallow was carried out of 111 Duron Street. He hadn''t sustained any particrly severe injuries. It was just some minor bruising on his muscles all over his body; he couldn''t get out of bed for a short while and needed someone to feed him when eating, that''s all. Jason said it wasn''t intentional. Who knew swinging the Wolf Fang Club would feel so exhrating. It was as invigorating as wielding a knife. Equally satisfying and uplifting to one''s mood. "How about it?" "Want to learn a bit more about thebat techniques of the Wolf Fang Club?" The plump auntie came out with a smile beaming from her face. There were techniques for the Wolf Fang Club? Wasn''t it just lifted overhead and then smashed down fiercely? That''s what Jason subconsciously thought. Then his gaze was attracted to the food that plump auntie was holding. A faint fragrance wafted from under the cover. Seeing Jason''s expression, the plump auntieughed. "Come on, eat." As she spoke, she ced the food on the table. At the same time, she took the Wolf Fang Club from Jason''s hand and slung it over her shoulder. The plump auntie subconsciously wanted to remind Jason that Wolf Fang Clubs and knives are wielded differently, but seeing Jason deeply enjoying his food, she just shook her head and smiled. Just like Lord Gerard. Both were people with exceptional talent. Although not as steady as Lord Gerard, he would eventuallye to understand this crossroads. Better left unsaid. Thinking this, the plump auntie, carrying the Wolf Fang Club, returned to the kitchen. Jason took no notice of any of this. He had already lost himself in the delicious food. Some tentacles that seemed like they were from a deep-sea stalker. Only much finer and thoroughly marinated. Sizzling on a hot iron te. Cumin, chili, sauce, an aroma strong enough to fill the nostrils. The onions underneath became crispy and sweet after soakingpletely in the oil. It was somewhat akin to¡ª Grilled squid on a hot te! But they were not skewered. Instead, they were stir-fried directly on the iron te. Indeed, it was uniquely vorful. [Devoured arge amount of ''Deep Sea Stalker'' tentacles!] [Physical Strength, Energy (Injury) moderately restored!] [Satiety +2] [Satiety: 27] ... While Jason was indulged in gastronomic joy, the Duke''s son who had just been carried out of 111 Duron Street encountered some trouble. The two servants carrying the Duke''s son, the one walking in front, slipped, and the whole person fell forward, but thanks to his regr training, he rolled and stood up straight again. Unharmed. However, the Duke''s son on the stretcher went flying out directly. And face-down at that. But he didn''t crash to the ground. Because... At some point, a pot of cactus had appeared there. Plop! "Aaaah!" The scream echoed around 111 Duron Street. Just having finished lunch and wiping his mouth, Jason looked puzzled and stood side by side with the curious Dennise at the fifth-floor window, looking down. "That looks terrible." The two said in unison. No one would me that servant. It was just a mistake, after all. Who doesn''t make them? Slipping is normal. Plucking cactus spikes, tweezers poking into the nostril, it was naturally understandable. The scissors identally falling on the Duke''s son from the medical kit one carried around could also be understood, even if it was head down¡ªthat was just bad luck. With the previous understanding, the misapplied bandaging and medication were naturally understood as well. It was simply the Duke''s son''s bad luck, wasn''t it? At least that was the understanding of the people around. After all, everyone had a good rtionship with Dennise. If someone called Dennise useless, taking a little care of the person who spoke was understandable. The person speaking had no ill intention. We had a little unintentional oversight, that''s normal too. The doctor from 111 Duron Street, with an apologetic smile, said farewell to Lady An Lu. "I''m really sorry." "I''ve been too fatiguedtely." Looking at the Duke''s son wrapped like a mummy, the doctor''s face showed even more apology. "It''s no trouble." "Thank you for treating Barney." Mrs. An Lu looked calm and graceful as she saw the doctor out. However, when thedy returned, her expression had turned to anger. But this anger was not directed at outsiders. It was toward her own son, Barney rk. As a mother, thedy knew her son''s character all too well. To say he was arrogant might be an overstatement. But not knowing good from bad, that was certainly true. And he was blind to the current situation. With ''Fort Swallow'' as a backing, such behavior could be tolerated, slowly adjusted. But now? ''Fort Swallow'' was no more. Where could there be time for gradual adjustments? Yet seeing her son bandaged almost like a mummy, the harsh words thedy had couldn''te out. Even her anger was almost gone. "Barney," "You need to grow up quickly." "We don''t have much time left." Mrs. An Lu said this. "I don''t think it''s bad right now." "I have never been interested in inheriting ''Fort Swallow''." "In fact, I prefer the situation as it is." "At least¡­" "We don''t have to engage in fratricide!" The son of the duke managed to tear a hole in the bandage wrapped around his face and said with difficulty. Undoubtedly, these words struck Mrs. An Lu. Subconsciously, thedy pped her son hard. "You¡­" "Ah!" Mrs. An Lu was preparing to scold her son, but before the words could leave her mouth, she saw blood spurting out of the ce where the son of the duke had just been poked by the scissors. "Doctor!" "Doctor!" Cries for the doctor immediately rang out through the small courtyard. ... In the afternoon, with no rest, Jason, re-energized after food, watched as Little Reed set up a sand table in front of him. This was the sand table from ''Fort Swallow'' to Hans Port. It was filled with various small gs. There were also knight and infantry figurines. Naturally, this attracted Dennise. When Dennise stretched out a paw to pick up one of the knights, Jason raised his hand and pped the paw. "Don''t touch it." Jason said in a low voice. "Hey." Dennise scratched her cheek and shed an embarrassed smile. An undead girl who knew she had done wrong never talked back. If she was wrong, she''d apologize. If it happened again, she''d apologize again. But she never changed. Not out of cunning. Just... She simply forgot. Another ten minutes passed, and Little Reed had the sand table set up. "My lord, we have constructed aplete iron defense line from ''Fort Swallow'' to Hans Port." "As we discussed before, we will drag ''Aymodun III'' into a war of attrition and then¡­" "Achieve victory!" The personal servant said with full confidence. Jason didn''t understand much, just looking at the small gs and figurines on the sand table, feeling it was all cluttered. Dennise didn''t understand much either. Blinking her eyes, she asked: "What if ''Aymodun III'' bypasses these defenses?" "Bypass?" "Our navy is absolutely dominant!" "He can''t possibly bypass it!" "Unless..." "His troops can fly!" The personal servant exined to Dennise with augh. Facing the na?ve questions of Dennise, Little Reed wouldn''t get angry but would patiently exin. A girl who doesn''t understand military affairs asking such a question is too normal. Buting from the sky? How is that possible? Little Reed couldn''t help but smile again. Then, as Jason continued to circle the sand table, he suddenly paused in his steps. He, heard the sound of propellers! Chapter 205: 116: Fall from the Sky (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) ``` In the afternoon, Hans Port was scorching hot. The sun was fiercely zing, and not a single person wanted to feel such sunlight. But as the roar of propellers grew from a whisper to a deafening sound, the people of Hans Port subconsciously stepped out of their houses, looked up, and gazed at the sky. Then... Several enormous shadows appeared. Oval-shaped bodies, just like fish. In fact, on one side of the oval-shaped heads were painted sharp teeth and fins at the top! Especially those cold eyes depicted on them, making the scorching noon sun lose its heat. Sharks! Every person in Hans Port was familiar with this type of fish. But! They had never seen sharks hundreds or even thousands of meters long! Let alone flying in the sky! Shock! Fear! Bewilderment! Every citizen of the port stood frozen in ce. Including those in the Defense Army. They let the fierce sunlight shine on them, let the sweat slide down their foreheads and cheeks, simply staring at the enormous shadows overhead. These shadows moved slowly. Gradually, they blocked out the sun. The shadows enveloped the people of the port. The soldiers of the Defense Army instinctively clenched their swords tightly, and some veterans even raised their muskets. Then, under the watchful eyes of the townsfolk, several ck barrels aimed at the city walls of the port and were thrown down. Screech! They trailed a sharp, piercing whistle through the air. At the moment they hit the ground¡ª Boom! Boom! Boom! Massive explosions urred. The half-man-tall ck barrels not only contained explosives but also shrapnel. In the instant of the sh, shrapnel flew. The Defense Army soldiers on the city walls copsed in droves. More importantly, a section of the wall copsed with a thunderous crash. The people of the port watched this scene in a daze. To this moment, they had not yet reacted. Not until the groans from around the explosion began to sound. Not until more of the port''s Defense Army appeared. Only then did the people of the port begin to scream in terror. "Take cover!" "Everyone to the shelters!" "Everyone to the shelters!" Bofute shouted loudly. This Security Chief of Hans Port rode his horse down the streets of the port, calling out loudly. "All of you!" "To the shelters!" Behind him, the Guard Army dispersed into small groups to begin evacuating the civilians of the port. Fear was evident even on the faces of these guards. They had never encountered an enemy capable of flight. They had seen flying creatures. Griffins! Those were the trump cards of their lord, theirmander. Everyone knew. But even the griffins summoned by their lord, theirmander Gerard, were not hundreds of meters long, let alone having a creature above a thousand meters in size. Fear, uncontrobly, arose. But, they still followed their orders. Because they believed in their lord. They believed in theirmander. They believed Gerard would surely be able to deal with the gigantic monsters in the sky. It wasn''t just the Guard Army of the port that believed. The Defense Army. The Guard Army. The civilians of the port also had faith. This kept them from panic, though they were frightened. This allowed them to enter ''the shelter''¡ª111 Duron Street¡ªin an orderly fashion. Reed, with a longsword in hand, had already taken position on the rooftop of 111 Duron Street, and this personal attendant looked up at the enemies above, raised his musket, and fired. Bang! The finely-made flintlock musket fired a bullet that traveled over a hundred meters. But, the airship was at a height of three hundred meters. The biggest one was even higher. Muskets... Useless! A look of despair crossed the attendant''s face. The flintlock musket he possessed was already one of the finest in the port. If his could not reach, ``` The rest surely can''t be hit either. Cannons? The distance is theoretically high. But how can the cannon''s mouth be adjusted? Could someone actually carry such a cannon? Huh! There really is someone! Lord Gerard often charges with a cannon in tow. But Lord Gerard is still in aa. The current Lord Gerard is Lord Jason. It''s over. Everything is over. The personal manservant thought in despair. Jason and Dennise appeared beside the personal manservant. Dennise''s eyes widened as she gazed at the monster in the sky. She had never seen a ''fish'' that could fly. There was no shock in her eyes, more of novelty. In Jason''s eyes, though, there was an unmistakable surprise. Airships! He had never thought that such things as airships would appear in this alternative world. Then, Jason narrowed his eyes, beginning to contemte how to deal with the airships before him. Jason was very clear, regardless of how ''Aymodun the Third'' had managed to create such things, if he didn''t deal with these airships, what awaited him was the destruction of the entire Hans Port. But at this distance... Jason frowned. If the UZ and Mark M1 hadn''t dropped in power, this distance could be worth a shot. But the UZ and Mark M1, with their power reduced by 60%, were helpless against such a distance. The long-range attack of the [Charles Burning Technique]? The fireball attack from [me Transformation] indeed is a long-range attack, but the shooting speed and distance are rted to one''s own strength. Jason possessed strength twice that of a regr person. But he did not believe that the strength of a regr person doubled could shoot a fireball to a height of 500 meters. What to do? Jason''s brain was rapidly spinning. And at this moment¡ª "Hahaha!" A heartyugh came from thergest airship in the sky. It was ''Aymodun the Third''. At this moment, he stood in a room under the airship, in front of a loudspeaker. His eyes overlooked the entire Hans Port. In his gaze was an indescribable pride. He had waited for this moment for too long. So long that he had almost ''forgotten himself''. And now? No need anymore. Leaning forward slightly, ''Aymodun the Third''''s face almost pressed against the loudspeaker as he took a breath and bellowed with the loudest voice¡ª "Gerard!" "''Golden Griffon,'' Gerard!" "I''m back!" "I, Dilcos, am back!" "I''vee back with my flute from hell!" "You didn''t expect that, did you?" "This poor guy, whom you and ''Aymodun the Third'' fooledpletely, was able to climb back from hell." "Moreover, I''ve brought ''harvest'' beyond your wildest imagination!" "Right here!" "I''m going to show you my sess!" No more concealment. There was no need to hide anymore. The ''Pied Piper'' revealed his identity. The emerald flute appeared in his hands, the face that belonged to ''Aymodun'' the Third was fleeting, leaving only a narrow face, snake-like in feature. The people around were oblivious to this scene. Or more urately, they had long been controlled. The ''Pied Piper'' was adept at control. Controlling these people was scarcely more difficult than beguiling ''Aymodun the Third''. Dilcos''s mouth split into a grin, his slender tongue flicking out. His snake-like eyes searched for his target. Soon, He found it! He saw Gerard standing on the rooftop. Then, dense malice surfaced on his face. "Gerard, summon your Griffin." "Come before me." "I give you a chance for a ''fair fight''!" The master from the once ''Snake Pit'', also the only master in nearly a hundred years, his voice spread throughout the whole of Hans Port. All eyes at the harbor turned towards Jason. Not one or two. All of them! Jason, acting in Gerard''s stead, looked up at the airship with a slight frown. I, What should I do? Chapter 206: 117 Attraction (Please subscribe~ Please vote~) While Jason was deep in thought, the quick-witted little Reed grabbed Jason''s arm. "My lord!" "Be calm!" "His so-called ''fair fight'' must be a trap!" "''The Piper'' Dilcos has never had any credibility!" The personal servant spoke loudly. These words were directed at Jason. And to those around him. This was the only solution little Reed coulde up with in such a short time. It was not that Lord Gerard did not summon the Griffin for a fight but that the enemy had set a trap, waiting for Lord Gerard to summon the Griffin to deal him a greater blow. Gerard was brave, not foolish. Therefore, at this moment, he could not summon the Griffin. The people around, hearing the words of the personal servant, quickly came to their senses. "Lord Gerard, don''t fall for it." "Yes, Lord Gerard." "We will fight in other ways." Generals of the Defense Army, the Guard Army, and the Guard Army spoke one after another. Standing on the rooftop of 111 Duron Street, Jason''s gaze swept over the faces below, each of which bore expressions of tension and fear, but also of trust. Jason had never been looked at with such trusting eyes by so many people. This feeling was utterly foreign to him. But, oddly, it was stirring. It was a sense of honor raised by trust. It was a sense of duty born from recognition. Although these people''s trust and recognition were for Gerard. But, now I, am Gerard! Then I, should not let such trust copse, should not let such recognition turn into doubt! What''s more, I seem to really have a method! Although it should not be used repeatedly. But at a time like this¡­ how could I not use it? The corners of Jason''s mouth turned up. He gently shook his arm, breaking away from little Reed''s hold. Then, raising his head, he said loudly: "Fair fight?" "We don''t need it." "The fact you''ve created this opportunity is your advantage." "Naturally, you can use such an advantage to attack me." "All your attacks, I shall take." As he spoke, Jason turned to look at little Reed. "Activate the defenses of 111 Duron Street." "Let everyone in." "Then¡­" "Plug your ears and close your eyes." Having said that, Jason leaped down. Little Reed wanted to stop Jason again, but Jason''s speed was extremely fast. Uponnding, he immediately walked toward the exterior of 111 Duron Street. All the people on the road automatically stepped aside, bowing respectfully to Jason. Towards their Lord. Towards their Commander. Bowing, saluting. They did not know what method their Lord and Commander had. But once again, they saw that heart-subduing fearlessness and courage. "Everyone!" "Enter the 111 Duron Street ''shelter''!" "Quick!" "Do not linger!" "Do not be a burden to Lord Gerard!" Little Reed shouted loudly. His voice was tinged with a hint of a sob. Because, in the eyes of the personal servant, Jason was fighting for time for everyone to escape with his life. Bofute heard the unusual tone in the personal servant''s voice. The Chief of Public Security did not ask further questions. Instead, he ordered his subordinates to evacuate the crowd even more quickly. "Faster pace!" "Faster pace!" "Quick! Quick!" "A little faster!" Bofute hollered, his gaze fixed on the figure that had reached the edge of 111 Duron Street. That towering figure. So very familiar. Just like the first time they met outside the harbor. Snap! Bofute dismounted his war horse. Taking off his hat and cing it over his heart, he bowed deeply to that figure. Wishing you a safe return! After praying silently in his heart, the Chief of Public Security remounted his horse and rode out of 111 Duron Street to make a final check of the evacuation. Meanwhile, at 111 Duron Street, arge underground passage leading downward behind the main building opened up. The people started entering in an orderly fashion. 111 Duron Street. Is never just as it appears on the surface. More civilians began flooding into 111 Duron Street. High in the sky. The "Piper" saw clearly what was happening. A malicious gleam grew ever more intense on the face of this Master of the Snake Sect. He split his mouth in a grin, his long tongue unable to resist licking his lips. "Let''s liven things up for them." The "Piper" said. Suddenly¡ª Squeak! Squeak! With a piercing sound, more barrels were thrown down. These barrels targeted the crowd that was gathering on Duron Street. The "Piper" waited to see the sh of fire he was expecting. Bang, bang! The gunfire! Bullets fired from UZs and Mark M1s pierced through those ''barrel bombs'' falling from the sky. They hadn''t truly hit the ground. At a hundred meters above the surface, these ''barrel bombs'' were detonated. Boom, boom, boom! One ''barrel bomb'' exploded. The remaining ''barrel bombs'' exploded one after another. Because of their dense arrangement, the ''barrel bombs'' thrown were too concentrated. "Gerard!" Not seeing the inferno he had anticipated, The "Piper" angrily shouted aloud. But then, he sneered again. "Did you think I would only prepare one kind of weapon?" With those words, gunports on the underside of the airship opened. Cannons were pushed out from within. After adjusting the barrels slightly, they aimed at Jason. Compared to the civilians, the "Piper" was more eager to see Gerard blown to smithereens. "Fire the cannons!" ''The Piper'' gave the order. Bang bang bang! Rows of gun muzzles shed with fire. 6-pound solid cannonballs, raining down from the sky. Jason looked up, his expression indifferent as he watched the cannonballs fall. Then¡ª Boom boom boom! Roaring, exploding, shock waves. Dust filled the air. Wood chips flew everywhere. Blocking everyone''s view. Peters, Hume, Leon, and Allen, Newt, Tegor all witnessed this scene. The little kitten who knew Jason was temporarily taking Gerard''s ce had eyes that suddenly turned red. "Facing such a monster, he still holds on?" "What a fool!" "You''re just Jason, not the real Gerard!" The little kitten muttered softly while sniffing. Peters, the ''Cat Hole'' Swordsman, pressed down on his hat with one hand, the other patting his junior brother''s shoulder, softly saying, "Lord Jason is not Gerard, he is just Lord Jason." The surrounding Leon, Allen, Newt, and Tegor who didn''t know the inside story all looked shocked. "Peters, are you saying?" The hefty Tegor asked with a deep voice. "Hmm." "Jason is my employer." "Gerard is Jason''s cousin." "There was a little ident with Gerard, so, the current Gerard is being reced by Jason." The ''Cat Hole'' Swordsman nodded in confirmation. "Then he still..." Leon started to speak but couldn''t continue as soon as he opened his mouth. In the sky, even more unrestrained, manicughter erupted. "Fire!" "Fire!" "I want to obliterate him!" Boom boom boom! More cannonballs plunged down from the sky. Crashing into the spot where Jason had previously stood. The earth trembled repeatedly, and the few surviving members of the already saddened faction all changed their expressions. The scene before them reminded them of their ''home'' that had vanished amid cannon roars. "Hehe." "I''m not helping Gerard, nor am I helping Jason." "It''s just that this bastard in front of me, makes me feel ufortable." "I want to pull off a big one." "Does anyone want to join me?" Newt, with his long hair cascading down his shoulders, asked with a coldugh. "Me!" "Me!" "And me!" Hume, Leon, Allen, Tegor all spoke up. "Allen and Tegor are too heavy, I can''t carry them." "Hume, Leon, who''sing?" Newt asked. "I..." Snap! The kitten instinctively opened his mouth, but before he could say ''I''lle,'' Leon knocked him out with a chop of the hand. Leon held the kitten and whispered softly, "I am the senior brother after all." "Naturally, it should be me." As he spoke, Leon handed the kitten over to Peters. They exchanged a nce, and as Peters was about to speak, Leon turned and walked towards Newt. Leon waved his hand without looking back. Some things, It must be him. Peters is thest hope of ''Cat Hole.'' He is not. So he went. Screech! The cry of an eagle. Newt, with his long hair cascading down, began to sprint. Then, He shot up into the sky! Amid the rolling air currents, the dust on the ground was swept up. The grey dust should have dispersed into nothingness. Under the force of the air currents, however, it formed an... eagle! An enormous grey eagle, about to soar into the heavens, reaching for the ninth heaven. Just as the eagle soared high, a figure agilely leaped onto its back. The grey eagle, with this figure on its back, soared into the sky, heading straight for the airship. "Eagle Cliff?" "Cat Hole?" "You remnants are also here?" "Good, I''ll clear you all out at once." ''The Piper'' sneered coldly. More gun ports appeared on the airship, and a number of flintlock rifles began to target the grey eagle. Bang bang bang! Dense bullets rained down! The grey eagle tumbled, dodging the bullets and closing in on the airship. Fast and incredibly agile. It not only dodged shots time after time but also closed the distance again and again. To Newt, who came from ''Eagle Cliff,'' the height of 500 meters, which was unachievable for ordinary people, was reached within a dozen breaths. After dodging another volley, Leon, the ''Cat Hole'' Swordsman, shot out from the eagle and went straight for the nearest airship. And just as Leon set foot on the airship, Electricity flickered! A huge electric shock made Leon lose consciousness in an instant, sliding off the airship. "Leon!" Newt shouted, catching the ''Cat Hole'' Swordsman but was affected by the residual electricity, unable to fly properly, and glided off into the distance. "Hahahahaha!" ''The Piper''ughed again with self-satisfaction. How could he not be pleased? All of this was ording to his n. If someone stepped onto it, Naturally, it would be great. And the hearts of the people on the ground sank ceaselessly. When that grey eagle shot to the sky, there was hope in their hearts. But with that burst of electricity, it was all shattered. "Gerard, are you watching?" "This is the knowledge I learned in ''Hell!''" "This knowledge was my only motivation to survive in ''Hell!''" "I want you to feel my pain!" "No!" "Multiplied! Tenfold! A hundredfold the pain!" ''The Piper''ughed andughed until he became hysterical. He looked at the main building on the rooftop of Duron Street number 111. After Jason and Reed left, Dennise became extremely conspicuous. ''The Piper'' spotted Dennise at a nce. "She''s someone important to you, isn''t she?" "Then," "I will make her shatter to pieces!" Chapter 221: 8 Associations I am an assassin, known by the nickname ''Box''. Name? I had forgotten it by the time I chose to be an assassin. In Newdeth City, I am somewhat famous. So, quite a few people are willing to hire me. This time was no exception. Moreover, two ''big jobs'' came at the same time. One was to assassinate a psychologist named Hannibal, apparently because he knew some significant information that necessitated his elimination. The other was to kill a pastry chef named Giselle, who must have offended some important figure. The rewards for both tasks were quite substantial. However, the difficulty of the two targets was not the same. The former had a widework of connections and had set up a charity foundation. Such a person''s death would certainly cause an uproar in Newdeth City, those newspapers chasing cirction would definitely report on it incessantly, and the police would surely delve into the case under public pressure. For an assassin like him, this was highly unfavorable. But who was he? He was ''Box''. An assassin with some renown in Newdeth City. What he was after was to take it a step further. What he needed was soaring notoriety. Only by oveing numerous challenges could he achieve this. Therefore... He chose the female pastry chef, Giselle. After consecutive stakeouts, he was ready to strike today as soon as ''Watchdog Pastry House'' opened its doors. But consecutive gunfire and explosions were thwarting his ns. Watching those police officers cordoning off the scene, he had no intention of giving up. Or rather... He believed he could kill the female pastry chef and then leave safely afterward. As long as there was no gunfire. A knife would do just as well. He had arranged his identity: the butler of a high-society gentleman. The family needed to host a party and was hiring a pastry chef temporarily. Such a rationale was sufficient. Through his investigation, ''Watchdog Pastry House'' offered such services, having gone to the homes of high-society individuals more than once before, and using this excuse was just perfect. However, why was that homeless man still here? It seemed he had been cleaning the shop since the morning. Working in exchange for food? It''s a pity. Originally, you didn''t have to die. But who told you to be so unlucky? ''Box'' felt regret, yet he didn''t even nce at Jason. Maintaining the demeanor of a butler from high society, he said to the female pastry chef, precisely and methodically: "Our family needs to host a party." "You, as a pastry chef, are quite famous." "Moreover, you''ve been rmended by more than one family to us." "Thus, my master hopes that you cane and take charge of the pastry part of the party." Having said this, the assassin respectfully bowed. "Is that so?" The female pastry chef looked troubled, but she declined: "I am sorry." "Some idents have happened here recently." "I simply cannot take on another party''s pastry orders." "I truly apologize." After repeating her apologies several times, the female pastry chef gave a slight bow. And, to make up for the apology she felt in her heart, she began to turn around to pack up some clean pastries. Everything is just as I had anticipated! ''Box''ughed inwardly. After observing her for several days, he had discovered a very good habit of the female pastry chef: when she couldn''t help and needed to express her apologies, she would give some pastries to the other person. This time was naturally no exception. Watching the female pastry chef approaching, the assassin made his final preparations. Three steps. Two steps. One step. "Consider these pastries as a¡­" The female pastry chef began to speak, maintaining her smile when ''Box'', with a flick of his right sleeve, a dagger suddenly appeared in his hand. Grasping the dagger with his right hand, ''Box'' thrust it straight at the female pastry chef''s neck. In the assassin''s mind, he nned to kill the female pastry chef with one blow, then pull out the dagger and throw it at the vagrant. The female pastry chef was petrified by the sudden turn of events. The paper bag filled with pastries just dropped from her hands. However, arge hand caught the paper bag before it hit the ground, just as it caught the hand holding the dagger mid-thrust. And then? Jason, holding the paper bag full of pastries in one hand, swung the assassin in front of him with the other and mmed him hard onto the solid floor. Bang! The assassin crashed to the ground, eyes rolling back as he passed out. After stomping on the assassin''s neck once more, Jason then said to the shocked female pastry chef, "Call the police." "Oh, okay, sure." The female pastry chef nodded nkly, staggering towards the outside of the shop. Staring death in the face, narrowly escaping the Reaper''s grasp. Such a feeling ispletely different from being a mere spectator. When the dagger was thrust at her, she thought she was a goner. Thankfully, thankfully... Subconsciously, the female pastry chef nced back. She saw Jason carefully cing the paper bag filled with pastries on the counter he had just cleared. This gentle act, for some reason, became incredibly attractive to the female pastry chef. Earlier hesitation, not knowing whether to speak up, now suddenly turned into firm resolve. After cing the pastries on the counter and thoroughly inspecting them, Jason noticed two of the puffs were ruined. Silently, he turned around and stomped once more on the neck of the assassin. Then, he pulled over a chair from inside the shop, sat next to the fallen assassin, and watched him. Jason began to sort through all the events that had happened from Heart Park until now that were directly rted to the female pastry chef¡ª 1. The hooligans she encountered in the morning came for the pastries with malice in their hearts. 2. The previous intruders did not truly harm Giselle; they seemed to be searching for something or preparing to interrogate her. 3. The guy before him came to kill Giselle. 1 and 3 exhibited a contrasting rtionship. Both had the same essence, butpletely different methods. 1 was childish, mere mischief, while 3 was clean and decisive. As for 2? Jason started surveying the entire shop. "Is there anything worth finding here?" Without a doubt, there was nothing on the ground floor of the shop. Go up to the second floor? Without the female pastry chef''s permission, Jason would not go up. The female pastry chef was not an enemy. She had not caused him any trouble. She had even made delicious pastries. In front of such a person, Jason was willing to adhere to his principles. Besides, he believed that Edward, who had taken the ''intruder'' away, would likely know more. And Edward? He would probably be back soon. Indeed, Edward returned even faster than Jason had expected. Still driving solo, Edward stepped out of the car as soon as it came to a halt and headed straight for the ''Watchdog Pastry House''. Entering the shop, he saw Jason sitting there. He nced at the fallen assassin and involuntarily furrowed his brow. Only after confirming that the assassin was merely unconscious did Edward''s brow rx. Yet, his gaze towards Jason was somewhat strange. "Are you ''Cmity''?" He couldn''t help but ask. Hearing this, Jason answered seriously, "Cmity?" "How could that be?" "I''m just Jason." Chapter 208: 119: Unrivaled Glutton (Please Subscribe~ Vote with Monthly Pass~) ``` The explosion urred high in the sky. A huge airship was shrouded by no less than tenyers of high-intensity forcefield protection. But it was useless! In the face of the meteorite falling from the sky, these high-intensity forcefield shields were as if made of paper, effortlessly pierced through. When the meteorite struck the airship''s gasbag, torrents of high-voltage electricity began to surge. But still, it was in vain! The meteorite, unimpeded by the high-voltage current, pierced through the entire gasbag. The scorching air shimmered with sparks. The inmmable gas within the gasbag was instantly ignited¡ª Boom! The massive airship turned into a huge fireball. The powerful shockwave engulfed the remaining airships. Ripples cascaded across theyered forcefield shields. The airships, spinning as they fell, began to plummet. Thud, thud thud. With ground-shaking booms, these airships crashed into the port. Many buildings were damaged. Fortunately, civilians had already been evacuated. However, that wasn''t the most important thing. The most important thing was that the meteorite, having prated the huge airship, was now dragging the wreckage towards the port as it fell. "Quick!" "Get into the ''refuge'' fast!" Little Reed shouted to the remaining people. Shocked by the scene before them, the people quickly snapped out of it and began to swarm inside. Dennise had been taken into the refuge by a plump aunt, her arm firmly grasped. Little Reed and Bofute were thest to enter the refuge. Their gazes followed the falling meteorite. They watched the firelight that was even more dazzling than the sun. They watched the smoke-billowing port, already a scene of utter devastation. They watched... That area enveloped in smoke. "Sir," Little Reed''s voice couldn''t help trembling. Jason had chosen the most glorious death. But that didn''t mean he should be left without a trace. Perhaps after the bombardment, some remains could be found for burial. And now? Under the meteorite''s assault... Everything would turn to ashes. Bofute, the Chief of Security at Hans Port. HIs eyes stared steadfastly at it all. The middle-aged man''s eyes were already red. But he held back his emotions. He said word by word, "Watch all this." "Remember all this." Little Reed nodded silently. In the end, the walls of the refuge slowly closed. Seven super massive shields from the Blud Defense Technique instantly took shape. And just as these seven super massive shields formed, they merged into one, creating an immense defense formation. This was a super defense crafted from a century''s savings by the Hans Family. Its purpose was to guard against apocalyptic catastrophes. And now? It had served its purpose. ... Baptized by cannon fire, Jason felt invigorated. The pain from the shock, the crushing, the smashing, made his hair stand on end. So much so that when he came back to life again, he had to take a couple more breaths. And then¡ª The wind blew, slightly chilly. Unscathed by the bombardment, Jason was intact. But his clothes werepletely gone. Along with all his firearms. However, the specially made short broadsword knife remained unharmed. Clutching his knife, Jason prepared to search for some clothes under the cover of the smoke. But before he could take any action, a strange sensation came from above. Jason looked up. Instantly, his pupils shrank. A meteorite! The meteorite, which had destroyed the massive airship, was bringing the wreckage down towards him. Instinctively, Jason made to dodge. But! A glint of emerald green on the meteorite caught Jason''s eye. With nearly four times the perception of an ordinary person, Jason immediately recognized it as the ''Flute of Cerelex,'' the flute held by ''The Piper.'' Except now, the flute was broken. Only a piece of it remained, embedded in the surface of the meteorite. ``` The rest had already vanished without a trace. Without a doubt, the previous meteor impact had caused severe damage to this flute. And if it were to wait until the meteor hits the ground... The flute would cease to exist. Jason''s mind quickly reacted, his eyes instantly resolute. Food! Can''t waste it! He used all his strength to throw the broad-ded, short-handled machete in his hand in one direction. Being able to withstand bombardment didn''t mean it could withstand a meteor strike. Not all objects were like him. I, Jason, shall not die! With firm belief, Jason began to adjust his breathing, moving his feet. What would normally be an exceedingly simple action had now be incredibly difficult. Wind pressure! The scorching wind pressure that came with the falling meteor! It made Jason''s lungs feel as if they were on fire when he breathed. It made all the bones in Jason''s body crackle as he moved. With every step, Jason''s muscles would tear and the fresh blood that emerged would quickly evaporate. Jason''s entire body had already turned a bright red. Giving off a scent akin to barbecued meat. But Jason had not died. Deadly injuries were continuously repaired by his fullness. The optimal position Jason was searching for also gradually grew nearer. When he stood in that position, the meteor was just a few dozen meters from the ground. The patch of emerald green was also getting closer and closer. The rich aroma stirred the high-temperature roasted and dazed Jason to lift his head. His eyes, like overcooked sunny-side-up eggs, were murky and unclear. Whoo, whoo! The forlorn horn sounded once more in Jason''s ears as he was about to bepletely roasted. On the vast and boundlessnd, monsters roamed. With every stride, the earth trembled. With every spread of their wings, the sky was obscured. With every roll, they stirred up towering waves. Each one of them was countless times more terrifying than the meteor before his eyes. But, Chased by that group of people d in beast skins, shouting and cheering, they still fled in embarrassment. Because that group of people charged forward. Because that group of people knew no fear. Because that group of people neverpromised. For survival! They had to do this. For living on, They had to... Eat! Only by consuming food could they continue to live! If the food was ferocious, defeat it. If the food was massive, share it. If the food was tough, roast it. Thump, thump thump! Jason''s heartbeat intensified over and over again. Just like the war drums on that ancient battlefield. The determined voice rose again¡ª Charge! Charge! Charge! And then, that voice turned back into the original desire¡ª Eat! Eat! Eat! Jason''s murky eyes once again shone with spirit. His bent body straightened up again. He raised his head, lifting his arms. Then¡ª He bent his legs. And leapt. Jason, who had been pushed down by the wind, unable to move, genuinely jumped up at this moment. And it was not just any jump. He jumped higher than his own limits should have allowed. The meteor plummeted down. Jason jumped up. What plummeted was immense beyond measure. What jumped was insignificant. In such an extreme contrast, the two collided in an instant. Boom! In that moment, Jason was about to be shattered to pieces. But, He opened his mouth and bit into that emerald green. Chapter 209: 120: Swallowing Stars? (Please subscribe~ Ask for monthly tickets~) The sweetness spread on the tip of his tongue. Jason instinctively sucked. A familiar taste of refreshment and sweetness instantly filled his mouth. The nearly depleted satiety rapidly increased. Wounds on his body were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. At the same time, the enormous meteorite seemed to have shrunk a size. In a breath, Jason awoke. With the segment of the green flute in his mouth, Jason pulled instinctively. Immediately, the ''Flute of Celereks'' was pulled out. Cracks started to spread from the point of extraction. Crack, crack-crack! In the clear sounds of something brittle breaking, the noticeably shrunken meteorite crumbled apart. Jason, with the ''Flute of Celereks'' in his mouth, was taken aback. He had already braced himself to endure the crushing weight of the meteorite, ready to be shattered to pieces once again. But, how did the meteorite shatter? Jason was puzzled. But he was soon distracted by the allure of the delightful food. It tasted so good! And unlike before, now he could actually chew the ''Flute of Celereks''. It was crisp and refreshing, somewhat like salted pineapple. But it also had a hint of mint. Crunch, crunch. Jason chewed contentedly, eyes closed, savoring the experience. Engrossed in the joy of good food, he didn''t see the people climbing out of the smaller airships, staring at him in shock. These people were from the New Federation. They were not unfamiliar with Gerard. In fact, most of them had once fought under Gerard''smand. Just a moment ago, having been released from the control of the ''Pied Piper,'' they had alle to their senses. Although they couldn''t change the inevitable crash of their airships, they all survived thanks to the safety equipment on board. But as they climbed out of their airships, the meteorite¡ªslightly obstructed by the ''Pied Piper''s'' massive vehicle¡ªsmashed down upon them. To escape one disaster only to face obliteration was a truly desperate situation. You can imagine their despair. But then, at that very moment! They saw Jason. They saw the man who stood up to the meteorite, who didn''t flinch, who leaped up to ''collide'' with it. From their perspective, Jason appeared to tackle the meteorite head-on. They respected him for that moment. ''Golden Griffon'' Gerard! Especially those who had been warriors under Gerard''s leadership, they recalled how fearlessly he charged at the powerful Old Federation. But this was different! This time it was a meteorite! But... To die alongside such a figure was certainly better than dying a senseless death under control. These former warriors prepared themselves for death. The rest exchanged looks and, resigned to their fate, made their choice. They didn''t want to die. But who could reverse all this? They watched the man who charged towards the meteorite without any hope. And then? The meteorite shattered. In a series of crisp sounds, the massive meteorite broke apart as if it were a watermelon plummeting from the sky. The fragmented meteorite still caused damage to the harbor. But it wasn''t catastrophic. In fact, from a certain point of view, it was far less severe than what the smaller falling airships had inflicted. The people watched the man in disbelief. The shock in their eyes almost solidified into substance. The horror within them made it feel like their breathing was about to stop. After a while, Karl, who had once served under Gerard, sprang into action. This former warrior dashed towards hismander. Standing three meters in front of Jason, he gave a military salute: "''Death Squad'' Captain Karl, reporting to themander!" A military salute. A call for themander. Suddenly, it awakened the others. They automatically formed a line and ran toward Jason in unison. "Lieutenant Wakat of the ''Dare to Die Squad'' reports to themander!" "Lieutenant Jals of the ''Dare to Die Squad'' reports to themander!" "Second Lieutenant Orleans of the ''Dare to Die Squad'' reports to themander!" ... A series of reports sounded throughout the ruins of the city. Those warriors who were not under Gerard''smand were slightly startled at first, but then they immediately joined in. "Lieutenant Colonel Priffin of ''The First Cavalry'' reports to the General!" "Major Emod of ''The Third Infantry'' reports to the General!" "Colonel Hill of ''The New Federation Research Institute'' reports to the General!" ... These people chose to refer to Gerard by the military rank he had held in the New Federation. The kittens watched all of this with their eyes wide and mouths agape. On a mission to rescue Leon, the kitten, Allen, and Tegor charged directly toward the ce where Newt had fallen. Fortunately, Leon was gravely injured, but it was not fatal. Newt, meanwhile, had fainted from exhaustion. Then, as they were carrying the two of them, theet fell. Because of the spot where Newt hadnded, they were at a great distance, watching the spectacle of theet''s fall. They also saw the way Jason leaped up. They saw even more clearly how Jason smashed theet with his head. They even saw the look of enjoyment on Jason''s face after he shattered theet. "Madman!" "Terrifying madman!" The portly Tegor couldn''t help but mutter to himself. The tall and slender Allen remained silent. As one of the heirs to Wolf Fortress, he was famous for his madness. Butpared to the man who had head-butted aet, he was far from par. "Jason, eh?" "What a spine-chilling name." The heir to Wolf Fortress said softly. The most astonished of all was the kitten. He had never understood why Peters was so willing to be Jason''s chauffeur. But having seen that scene just now, the kitten seemed to understand. Then, The kitten realized Peters had disappeared. Peters, who had just been by his side, had vanished without a trace. "Where''s Peters?" The kitten asked. "Over there." The heir to Wolf Fortress pointed into the distance. Over there, the Swordsman from Cat Hole was holding a cloak, which he draped over Jason. Just in time, Jason came to. If Peters had not brought the cloak, Jason had no idea how he would have faced the gaze of several hundred onlookers. "Thank you." Jason thanked the Swordsman from Cat Hole. "It is my honor to serve you." Peters responded. It was not ttery. It came from the heart. When he had witnessed Jason confronting theet, the Swordsman from Cat Hole felt a shock beyond words. Just as he had watched Jason''s back as he charged forward time and again, watched him face death head-on. Every time was shocking. When such shock umted, Adoration emerged uncontrobly. The Swordsman from Cat Hole believed Jason possessed all the qualities hecked, qualities worth learning from. Thus, the next moment, the Swordsman from Cat Hole took a step back, bowed slightly in a sign of respect, and then silently stood behind Jason. Jason paid no mind to Peters. He also ignored these soldiers from the New Federation who had returned to their senses. He had only one question. How did theet shatter? Chapter 224: 11 Retribution? Edward looked at the bill in front of him and felt as if his IQ was being scrubbed against the floor. ''The feeling of heartache'' is just a bill? What happened to the signature dish? Is this even edible? You try eating it! FXXK! Panting, panting. Edward, struggling to contain the words bursting from his chest, red as the waiter, smiling slightly, ced the ss of water in front of the female pastry chef. "Madam, your ''Lover''s Tears.''" The pastry chef looked dumbfounded at the smiling messenger, foolishly took a sip. Then, she eximed¡ª "So spicy!" "It has mustard in it!" As she spoke, the pastry chef couldn''t help but start to cry. The waiter''s smile remained unchanged. He took a few steps back and stood by the door. "I wish the three of you a pleasant meal." Having said that, he retreated and the private room''s door was tightly closed. Unable to hold back any longer, Edward roared. "This ce is a scam!" "Negative review!" "I want toin!" His voice echoed in the room. But the good sound instion stopped any shouting from going out. Here, you can''t hear the sound of the water outside, and likewise, the outside can''t hear the yelling from here. After about three minutes of swearing, Edward finally stopped and started to gasp for air. The pastry chef looked at Jason, who was expressionless, then at Edward, who was gasping for breath, and decided she should lighten the mood. "Hmm... nice setup, you can tell the owner here has a lot of experience," the pastry chef said softly. Creak. The spoon in Jason''s hand was bent. Edward, eyes red, stood up and headed for the door. He wanted an exnation. He yanked the door open, only to find the waiter standing there. "I''vee to serve your meal apaniments." After speaking, he stepped aside to reveal three waiters behind him carrying tes. This time, without the silver covers hiding them, Edward could clearly see three steaks, soup, and bread. Edward frowned and stepped aside. Three steaks'' prices were a far cry from 66, but were they better than a ss of water? So, this was the main course? Was everything before just a joke? Edward thought, starting to console himself. Back at the table, Edward looked at Jason with an embarrassed but polite smile. "A surprise, right?" Jason didn''t answer; he just frowned at the food in front of him. The scent of decay mixed with spices became even stronger. It was emanating from the food before them. The pastry chef suddenly remembered something. "Doesn''t the Aimeda Restaurant charge a 20% service fee for the private room?" she asked the waiter. "Yes." The waiter nodded with a smile. His smile sweet, his manners impable. The smile Edward had been struggling to keep disappeared once again. 66+66x0.2=79.2! For a normal steak priced around 4-5 each, this was extremely expensive. Edward, who had just felt a bitforted, now thought that the owner of Aimeda Restaurant was aplete swindler and such a person should be executed by firing squad. Grief turned to appetite. Edward was about to pick up his fork and reach for the steak, when Jason suddenly spoke. "Wait." Edward looked at Jason, who had picked up the te, sniffed it carefully, and was puzzled. "What''s wrong?" Edward asked. "I can smell X poppy and XX shells, along with some things I can''t identify." "If you don''t want anything unusual happening to your body, I suggest you don''t eat it." Jason finally remembered these familiar scents. Under the old man, there were a few fellows who were quite keen on these things. Jason graciously declined. Every time, he would avoid it in advance. But that lingering taste still made it unbearable for him. "What?" Edward stood up. Once he confirmed Jason was not joking, his expression suddenly turned serious. He promptly showed his police badge to the waiter. "I want to see your chef and your boss."; Looking at Edward''s police badge, the waiter''s smile could no longer be maintained. "The chef is in the chef''s rest room." "The boss left in the morning and hasn''t returned yet." "I''ll go call the chef for you." With that, the waiter walked out. Edward immediately followed the waiter astutely, and meanwhile, signaled Jason to make an emergency call. Why didn''t he signal the female pastry chef? It was probably instinctual to think Jason was more reliable. As Edward went with the waiter toward the chef''s rest room, Jason turned to the female pastry chef. "Call the police." There was a telephone inside the Almeida restaurant. The female pastry chef ran over and dialed directly¡ª "Hello, I am..." "You again?" The operator instantly recognized the voice of the female pastry chef. "Another incident at number 15 Pea Corner Road?" The operator asked. "No, not Pea Corner Road." "It''s Almeida restaurant on Sausage Street." "Mr. Edward asked me to call." The female pastry chef said. "Chief Edward?" "Alright." "I see." The female operator''s voice immediately became more solemn. After hanging up the phone, the female pastry chef stood there feeling somewhat disappointed. She''d thought that there really was food that could bring a sense of happiness to people. Turns out... It was all due to that "Forbidden Medicine." Thinking of the food tainted by Forbidden Medicine, the female pastry chef suddenly felt angry again. "Those who waste food will surely face retribution¡­" "Aaaaah!" Before she could fully form her thought, a scream suddenly erupted. This scream was not muffled by any room, nor was it restrained in any way, overpowering the melodious music in the restaurant. The diners all put down their utensils and instinctively looked toward the source of the scream. The female pastry chef did the same. Blood red! Inside the main kitchen, beside the hall, was blood all over. A man dressed in a chef''s uniformy in a pool of blood. The female pastry chef saw it. So did everyone else. And without the ''training'' the female pastry chef went through in the morning, these people simply couldn''t manage to cover their mouths to keep themselves from screaming. Therefore¡ª "Aaaaah!" "Aaaaah!" Screams arose one after another. Some customers even stood up, ready to leave. "Nobody move!" "I''m a police officer!" "Everyone, please sit back down." Edward, holding up his gun and badge, yelled. The hall quietened down, and the frightened guests sat back in their seats. Jason had appeared in the main kitchen room at the first scream. The body was face down on the floor, neatly dressed, with a fatal wound at the back of the skull. The room was in disarray, but no definitive murder weapon was apparent. The body was still warm to the touch, with no signs of livor mortis or rigor mortis. The room''s window was closed, and the door had also been closed upon entry. Instinctively, Jason searched for information. And at this moment, a voice filled with confusion suddenly came¡ª "What happened?" Chapter 225: 12 A Reasonable Explanation for Giselle (Third Update~ Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) The voiceing from behind attracted the attention of the people around. The speaker was a middle-aged man, his hair neatlybed, without a beard, clean in a suit, dress shirt, and leather shoes, slightly overweight, and with a puzzled expression on his face. Upon seeing the man, the waiter immediately spoke up: "Boss." "Chef Feng he..." "Feng!" The middle-aged man did not wait for the waiter to finish before he saw the head chef lying in a pool of blood and cried out in grief; he instinctively rushed towards the body. However, he was stopped by Edward. "Wait." Edward stopped the man in his tracks. "Who are you?" The owner of ¨¦meraude Restaurant was taken aback. Edward shed his police badge again. After seeing the police badge clearly, the owner of ¨¦meraude Restaurant was startled once more. Then, the owner exined to Edward, who was staring at him: "Sorry." "I didn''t expect you to arrive so quickly." After speaking, he stood to the side, very properly, without further disturbing the scene. "Hmm." "It just so happens that I came here to eat." "Your restaurant''s signature dishes are truly a surprise." Edward said ndly. Edward had no fondness for swindlers. "That''s just some strategy." "And..." The owner started to exin again, but Edward wasn''t listening. He looked at the guests and waiters in the hall and directly said, "Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, a murder has urred here. The head chef ''Feng'' has been killed in his own rest room. Based on the condition of the body, the incident happened not long ago, so everyone present is a suspect. Shortly, my colleagues will record statements from each of you and check if there is any blood on your person." Such words naturally made the guests and waiters exchange nces. Quiet murmurs arose involuntarily. "Ladies and gentlemen, please stop talking." "Otherwise, it will only increase your suspicions." Edward''s voice rose again. The murmuring stopped. Then Edward turned to look at Jason, who hade up beside him, and said in an almost subconscious whisper: "The killer is among these people!" "He probably used the cover of the rockery and the gap when the waiters were serving dishes to slip in and kill the head chef ''Feng''." "Then he returned to the crowd." "When striking chef ''Feng'' in the back of the head, the culprit likely took off his coat and then used it to cover up any bloodstains, so if we find someone with blood on them, we can identify the killer." After speaking, an apologetic expression appeared on Edward''s face. "I''m very sorry." "I was actually nning to dine at another restaurant." "But now we need to screen the suspects..." Edward''s apology was sincere. Because he knew lunch was ruined. In fact, forget about lunch. With so many people in the hall and considering the guests in the private rooms, if they could finish screening by evening, that would be good. "There''s no need." "Just go to the next restaurant." Jason said, walking up to the restaurant owner, raising his hand and pointing at him: "The killer is you!" Jason''s voice was not loud, yet not low either. Everyone nearby in the hall could hear. The people looked at Jason in astonishment, then at the restaurant owner. The restaurant owner''s face turned pale in an instant. "Sir, there''s a limit to joking, isn''t there?" "''Feng'' and I are not only old friends but also important partners. How could I possibly kill him?" "Moreover!" "The officer just said that the killer''s coat has fresh blood under it." "Do you see any on me?" As he spoke, the restaurant owner took off his coat. A very clean white dress shirt. Seeing this, the people around immediately chimed in: "That''s right, it''s a white dress shirt!" "No bloodstains!" "Have you made a mistake?" Hearing the remarks of the people around him, the restaurant owner immediately pressed on, "Please give me a reasonable exnation, otherwise, I will sue you for nder!" Jason didn''t pay any attention to the other party''s words, but instead looked toward Edward. "Go check room 2048." "You will find something there." Jason said. As soon as Jason mentioned the room number, the restaurant owner, who had just been a bit smug, suddenly turned pale. "How... how do you know?" "Did you see it?" "Impossible!" "No one saw it!" The restaurant owner questioned Jason. The people around looked on with horror, distancing themselves from the restaurant owner. The strange noise startled the restaurant owner into awareness. Looking at the people surrounding him, the restaurant owner gave a miserable smile. "I didn''t want to... who..." It seemed that he wanted to plead his hardships, but in the next moment, the restaurant owner''s miserable smile turned into a sinister grin. He charged directly at Jason. "It''s all because of you!" "You ruined my perfect n!" "I''m going to kill you!" The angry roar quickly turned into a scream of agony. The charging restaurant owner was sent flying back even faster. Bang! He crashed heavily against a door. Crack. The door copsed. A set of blood-stained clothes justy there in the room. This was none other than room 2048. The restaurant ownery beside the bloody clothes,pletely unconscious. Jason withdrew his raised foot, urging Edward on. "Change of ns, let''s eat somewhere else." Edward was somewhat stunned. "How did you know he was the murderer?" Edward asked Jason. But Jason did not respond. Instead, it was the female pastry chef who spoke: "It''s because he didn''t recognize you, Officer Edward!" "Just now, when the body was discovered and chaos ensued, you had already revealed your identity. Everybody here should know it, unless they were inside the room." "But earlier, the waitress said that the boss hadn''t returned from going out, and even if he hade back he would have had to pass through the main hall. Based on the timing of his appearance, he should have already entered the restaurant and would have been near the hallway; therefore, he could not have failed to hear your introduction of identity." "As for why Jason could zero in on room 2048..." "It must be because that room is the closest to here!" The female pastry chef rested her left hand''s back against her right elbow, with her thumb resting on her chin and the second joint of her index finger touching the tip of her nose while the remaining three fingers were slightly curled into a fist, analyzing seriously with a thoughtful expression. Afterpleting her analysis, the female pastry chef smiled at Jason. "Am I right?" "Mmm." Jason nodded. But deep down he thought¡ª "So that''s how it is." He, who had just been eager to go to another restaurant for a meal, had not thought of any of this. The only reason he knew the other person was the murderer... Was because of¡­ [Death Perception]! This professional skill, derived from the [Tomb Guardian], allowed him to see the death qi contaminating the man from the corpse in the room - ''Maple''. Of course, he would not exin. He found the female pastry chef''s reasoning quite sensible. p, p p. Suddenly apuse broke out in the hall. It started with one person pping, followed by everyone pping. People showed Jason approving, astonished smiles. However, Jason was suddenly taken aback. Chapter 212: 123: Dont Rush to Get Up When You Fall... (Please Subscribe~ Vote for Monthly Tickets~) A weekter. Hans Port had restored its normal order. The restoration work was still ongoing, but port trade had already reopened. Smiles once again appeared on people''s faces. And now, they were even more radiant than before. Because, with the death of "Aymodun III", the New Federationpletely copsed. Although some remnants of power still existed, they couldn''t affect Hans Port at all; on the contrary, the previous bans from Golsai had be nothing but obsolete paper. A session of carriages. Caravan after caravan. Theing and going of horses and mules never stopped as they poured into Hans Port. With more caravans, naturally, there were more trades. The ie of the people of the port began to soar. Plus, the recent issuance of the "tax exemption decree" by Lord Gerard made everything prosper even more. Simrly, this meant Jason got busier. Taking Gerard''s ce, Jason began to constantly review and sign documents, just like Gerard used to do. Even with Reed''s help, he was still very busy. "My lord, this is a document sent by General Anno." "The general suggests we set up watch posts along the roads leading to Golsai outside ''Fort Swallow''." "Recently..." "It has been somewhat uneasy there." Reed, following his usual practice, ced the most important document on top. At this moment, the personal servant already regarded Jason with the same respect as Gerard. Respect with a tinge of awe. Jason, who could smash an asteroid and remain unharmed, deserved everyone''s reverence. The people of the port thought that was Lord Gerard''s deed. But few people knew what the truth was. About this, Jason didn''t exin. Because, he himself didn''t know how the asteroid shattered. Thus, Jason remained silent. He continued to y Gerard''s role. Jason took the document and read it carefully. With the death of "Aymodun III", the New Federation existed in name only. The former nobility stepped onto the stage once more, fighting for territory with the new nobility. In their struggle for control over theirnds and their honor, they fought fiercely, stopping at nothing. For a time, the south of the Federation was even more chaotic than the north. Apart from the capital Golsai, which maintained a superficial peace, only Hans Port remained peaceful. Therefore, many people began to migrate towards the port. Among them were many seeking to escape the turmoil of war. But there were also many with ulterior motives. Especially concerning the flying weapons created by "Aymodun III", more than one faction was interested. Jason signed his name with a quill. "Tell Bofute." "Have the patrol guards and local residents coordinate, keeping an eye out for strangers." "Especially those asking about ''airships''." Jason instructed. "Understood." Reed nodded and immediately turned to leave. The door closed once again. And just as the door shut, Dennise, who had been curled up on the sofa, suddenly jumped up. "Jason~ Jason~" "y with me~ y with me~" Dennise whined. It was unbearably bored. In one week, it had gone through all the books on the bookshelf. There were no new books, and it had already explored everything nearby. With energy to burn and nowhere to expend it, it even considered tearing open the sofa to inspect its construction. "Hmm." "Go on." Without lifting his head, Jason waved his left hand, and a ball was thrown out. It was a hand strengthener ball, prepared by Reed for Gerard to use during long hours of signing; Jason also asionally used it. However, Jason''s way of using it was quite unique. The hand strengthener, about the size of a person''s palm, flew in an arc and was about tond on the floor on the side of the hall when Dennise leaped high, catching it firmly with both hands. "Hey, I caught it." "Again! Again!" Dennise, excited, ran to Jason and handed him the hand strengthener ball. "Go!" Jason threw it again. Dennise immediately gave chase. And so the cycle repeated for two hours. When Dennise finally shrank back onto the sofa, exhausted, Jason finally lifted his head. He shrugged his shoulders, rubbing his sore neck as he stood up. Given Jason''s constitution, such a phenomenon should not have urred, but it seemed to be an imprint in his genes, always making him feel utterly fatigued, as if he were apanying a girlfriend shopping, always looking for a ce to sit and wait; if he had a phone, it would be even better. Taking out his phone to y a game or read a novel for a while could effectively restore his physical strength. Of course, the prerequisite is... you have to have a girlfriend. Jason nced at Dennise, who had fallen asleep on the sofa, reached for a nket, and covered his "pup." Although the port was hot, the sea breeze was not as gentle as one might imagine. Then Jason sat on the armrest of the sofa, looking out over the beach. It was a habit he had developed over the past few days. Not that the beach was that attractive. But doing so didn''t make it seem like he was zoning out for no reason while checking his gains. Words clearly appeared before his eyes¡ª [Ingestion of the Fragmented ''Cerex''s Flute''!] [Physical and mental energy (injury)rgely recovered to their maximum extent!] [Satiety +123] [Satiety: 67] [Excitement of Feast +3] [Excitement of Feast: 4] ¡­ The continuous fatal damages had sharply reduced the satiety gained. Taking into ount the previous reserves, that''s a total of 93 points, meaning he suffered 31 lethal damages between the bombardment and the meteor strike. "If every death had a tombstone, I guess my gravestones could encircle my home one day?" Jason thought silently. Then, he looked at the 67 points of satiety and 4 points of Excitement of Feast. This was the biggest harvest he had had so far. "It takes 30 points of satiety and 5 points of Excitement of Feast to level up ''Protection Against Evil'' to the expert level," Jason reviewed the requirements for ''Protection Against Evil.'' The satiety was undoubtedly sufficient. But the Excitement of Feast? Jason frowned slightly. Compared to the ease of obtaining satiety, the difficulty of acquiring Excitement of Feast climbed steeply. Therefore, as the ''Protection Against Evil''''s need for Excitement of Feast grewrger, Jason did not choose to separately advance ''Barehanded Combat'' and ''Charles Burning Technique.'' Even though ''Barehanded Combat'' and ''Charles Burning Technique'' exactly required that amount of Excitement of Feast, and there was more than enough satiety left to improve physical condition and increase attack power, enriching his means of attack as well. Because only ''Protection Against Evil'' could truly address the threat of the ''Bizarre.'' Otherwise, no matter how strong the body, how high the attack power, how many methods of attack, faced with that unspeakable, indescribable, even unthinkable ''Bizarre,'' it was still a dead end. This was the case here. ''Lorde''... was no different. Jason would not forget the scene before Pea Street. And he? Was bound to go back. Not just because of the ''promise'' to the old lord, but also because he needed to find the follow-up information on the ''Night Watcher'' profession. "Continue to save up?" Jason took a deep breath. He had already made up his mind. And just then, as if he sensed something, he turned to look in the direction of the small yard. There, protected byyers of force fields, Gerard''s eyelids twitched, and he opened his eyes. Simultaneously, Jason vanished from 111 Duron Street. In her deep sleep, Dennise mumbled: "Don''t, don''t go, Jason." Then, she raised her hand and reached for the direction of the armrest. But that spot was already empty. Her hand grasped at thin air. Instantly, Dennise woke up startled. She looked around the empty room in confusion. Then, her eyes reddened. "Jason..." She sniffled. Hoping to smell the familiar scent. But the scent was fading away. Dennise quickly got up from the sofa, and in her panic, she fell to the floor. Huh?! As she fell, she suddenly saw a book in the gap between the sofa and the floor. The book was covered in dust. Dennise blew hard on it. As the dust flew, the name of the book was revealed: "On Dimensions, Crystal Walls, and the Possibility of Transversing." At the bottom of the book was the author''s name: Mary James. Chapter 213: 125: The Next Step (Three More Updates~Subscribe~Monthly Tickets~) A moment ago, the sea breeze brushed his face. The next, he was engulfed by grayness. It was a fog-like grayness swirling around Jason, and even with his perception at four times that of an average person, he still couldn''t see clearly whaty beyond that grayness. All Jason could see was the simple, round table in front of him, the dark tablecloth, and the silver cutlery. He was still bound to the high-backed chair. Exactly the same as before. But with his previous experience, Jason''s gaze directly went to the ck notebook beside the cutlery. Immediately, the ck notebook opened. [The ropes loosened from the neck.] [The hungry stomach was satisfied.] [Joy appeared once again.] (Note: Time-saving cooking methods, extremely suitable for appetizers) ... The text didn''t pause and continued to appear along Jason''s line of sight. [Main Mission: (Exceeded Completion)!] [Hunting Performance: Excellent!] [Cooking Performance: Mediocre!] [Combat Performance: Excellent!] [Search Performance: Mediocre!] [Overall Evaluation: Excellent!] (Note: Are you ready to enjoy the appetizer?) ... The next moment, an even more intense glow emerged from the notebook. An enhancement card floated out of the notebook. Like the previous cards, all ck with a metallic sheen. The front of this card featured an image of ''stomach and intestines.'' Then, text appeared. [Stomach and Intestines Enhancement: Your digestive organs have been strengthened, allowing you to break down and absorb food more quickly and effectively. You can now eat more and more quickly.] ... Like the previous [Tooth Enhancement][Taste Enhancement][Poison Resistance Enhancement], the [Stomach and Intestines Enhancement] also appeared under the Talent [Predator] and wasbeled as ''passive.'' However, Jason didn''t pay much attention to these. His gaze was still fixed on the notebook. Above it, the glow continued to flicker. When the glow reached its peak, the silver tter also began to flicker with light. The two mirrored each other. Then, they vanished together. The notebook returned to its original look. But in the tter, a crab meat sd appeared. The tender red crabmeat, sliced cherry tomatoes, green chicory, golden corn kernels, and pieces of cucumber, all topped with a creamy white sd dressing, looked very tempting. The aroma was mouth-watering! Jason red his nostrils. He could confirm. This was real. Scents don''t lie. Then, Jason discovered he could move his hands. Subconsciously, he picked up the cutlery andunched a fierce attack on the crab meat sd. Deliciously sweet. And filled with freshness. The tenderness of the crab meat made everything exceptionally excellent. When Jason came back to his senses, the crab meat sd on the tter had already beenpletely devoured. Before his eyes, unexpected text appeared¡ª [Tasted ''Excellent'' level ''Crab Meat Sd''!] [Physical Strength, Spirit, Injuries fully recovered!] [Attribute Points +0.2] ... "Excellent? The same level as the final overall evaluation?" "Are the two rted?" Jason spected, and then his gaze shifted to [Attribute Points: 0.2]. [Please choose to increase any one of Strength, Agility, Constitution, Spirit, Perception by 0.2 points or any two by 0.1 points!] ... As Jason''s gaze locked onto [Attribute Points], the corresponding prompt appeared. This was the first time he had seen attribute points that could be distributed freely. "Food can actually directly increase attribute points?" Jason looked at the scene with delight. Without a doubt, this was good news for him. It made his choices more abundant. However, Jason did not rush to add points. Having some ideas in mind, Jason decided to calm down and think carefully before deciding on the points to add. Then, he leaned back, ready to return to 19 Ter Street. But unlikest time''s direct return to 26 Nightless City, Ter Street 19, this time seemed to grant Jason some rest after eating, thanks to the ck notebook. Not much, only about ten seconds. Moreover, during these ten seconds, Jason''s hands were bound again, reverting to the state where he could only move his index fingers. When the time passed. Click! The ck notebook closed automatically. The sensation of dizziness returned. Everything in front of him became blurry, and when his vision cleared again, Jason found himself back in 19 Ter Street. Even his previous posture was maintained exactly as before. It was still but a moment. But his experiences spanned weeks. Whew! Jason took a deep breath. He was adjusting his emotions. Experiences were not so easily forgotten. Moreover, they had shared life and death together. The faces of Dennise, Gerard, Peters, Little Reed, and others shed through Jason''s mind, and then, he subconsciously flipped open the ck notebook. The world of ''Dining Etiquette'' could be returned to. Naturally, the ''Appetizer'' world should also be returnable. Indeed, just as Jason had anticipated. The ''Appetizer'' world could be revisited. But the cost of returning was beyond Jason''s expectation. [Even the most delicious dish, once repeated, can make one feel tired.] [But if you''re willing to spend more satiety points, you can still taste it.] [Yes/No Spend 50 satiety points to return?] ¡­ "50 points!" Jason gasped. "Returning to the world of ''Dining Etiquette'' only requires 5 points, but going back to the ''Appetizer world'' needs 50 points?" "Does it increase by 10 times with each return?" "Or is it different because eating the food grants free attribute points?" "Or maybe there''s another reason." Jason pondered. But pondering without any clues was destined to be fruitless. After a few seconds, Jason shook his head, temporarily suppressing the thoughts in his mind. Then, he flipped the notebook back to the first page. His gaze rested on the word ''Return.'' With his current 67 satiety points and 4 points of Excitement of Feast, returning to Lorde was truly effortless. But Jason had never thought to return immediately. Because he had no confidence in dealing with that ''Bizarre.'' "I must umte more satiety points, increase my strength with Excitement of Feast." "The enhancement of Protection Against Evil is necessary." "Then there''s... I need to maximize my ''undying trait.'' "I die too easily now." "I need to make myself ''tougher.'' "So..." "Physique!" "And the secret techniques rted to physique!" Jason seriously thought about his own strengths. Then, he immediately added 0.2 points to his physique. Instantly, a warm current flowed from his stomach to his heart, and then into his bones and muscles. This process, simr to synchronizing knowledge and skills, waspleted in a few breaths; Jason could clearly feel his body bing more robust. After adjusting for a bit, Jason picked up the ck notebook again. He looked at the second page, ''Appetizer'': Crispy Fried Meat Rolls. Jason didn''t want to stay a moment longer in this ce, under the gaze of countless eyes. Chapter 214: 1: Starting without a Dog... Who would enjoy a life under surveince? No one. And what kind of despair and pain must a person have gone through to calmly say, "Good morning, good afternoon, good evening," after discovering they''re being watched? Jason didn''t know these things. But after finding out he was being watched, Jason simply couldn''t remain calm. He sat there wearing a mask, a broad-ded hatchet resting on his knees, his notebook flipped open to the second page. He directly chose the "Fried Meat Crispy Rolls." After depleting his fullness at 7 a.m., more content appeared in the notebook. "A ck cloth covered my eyes." "But the aroma..." "Still hit my nose strongly." "Reminder: After a cold appetizer, whates next is hot, it''s a bit scalding" ... Then, a checkmark appeared behind the appetizer "Fried Meat Crispy Rolls." A note subsequently appeared¡ª "Background: Tortured by post-traumatic stress disorder after suffering from injuries, you not only spent your entire allowance on treatment but also insisted on leaving the veteran''s hospital. With ragged clothes, draped in a nket, pushing a cart through this familiar yet strange city, it has changed a lot in three years. The old legends still survive, and the new? They are gradually spreading..." "Main Mission: Gain city recognition within 60 days." "Temporarynguage acquired, automatically disappears upon leaving the instance" "Clothing, appearance, equipment temporarily changed, automatically restored upon exiting the instance" "No gunpowder weapons detected" (Tip: Please enjoy your appetizer on the hot te) ... After Jason had seen everything clearly, the notebook closed itself. Just like before, he was thrust into an unfamiliar world. Jason immediately checked himself. A greyish brown coat that was rtively clean, but the cuffs and elbows were worn and faded, revealing the white knitted parts. Dark blue jeans, it was not clear if they were clean, and the belt was only partially there, with the front part missing, only enough to tuck into the buckle, capped by a camouged T-shirt with holes and a ck nket on his back, which covered most of his back and protected against the chilly morning breeze. Huff. Jason opened his mouth, and white breath came out. He looked down at the cart in front of him, a few stic bottles, several cans, a number of papers, and then... ...his hockey mask, broad-ded hatchet at the very bottom. He reached out, his index finger threading through the gaps in the cart''s wire, touching his mask and hatchet, bringing an immediate sense offort. "Homeless." Although there was no proof, Jason very easily confirmed his own identity. This appearance, unless one is blind, is easy to recognize. "Gain the recognition of the city within 60 days?" Looking at the description of the main mission, Jason frowned. The range of this recognition was a bit broad. Or rather, the recognition of a city. Is it the city itself? Or the people within the city? Thetter was something Jason could understand. But if it was the former? The city is conscious! Before even considering how to gain the recognition of a city with consciousness, just the existence of such a city was enough to give Jason the chills. A city that has gained consciousness. Then... What are the people living in this city? Cells? Or bacteria? Jason shook his head, pushing such thoughts aside for the moment as he began to survey his surroundings. At this moment, he should be in a city park. The extinguished streetlights and the slightly rising sun told Jason the approximate time. The bench behind him, then, must have been his bed the night before. The ground scattered with several newspapers that served as his ''bedding.'' Jason bent down to pick them up, sitting on the bench as he flipped through the newspapers. To be familiar with an unfamiliar ce, Jason had quite the experience. Gathering relevant information was the first step. But the content of the newspapers made Jason frown. "Woman''s Serial Disappearance Case!" "Jack the Ripper at Nightfall!" "The Echoes of the Hanged!" ... A series of cases, Jason flipped through the other sections, entertainment, current events news as well, but simr case news dominated most of it. PY86.10.20 Jason nced at the date. Considering the wear on the newspaper, it definitely wasn''t from thest day or two. "Need to find thetest newspaper to check." Jason thought to himself, stood up, and started pushing his trolley out. You wouldn''t find fresh newspapers in the central park. Those there were only early risers doing morning exercises. Males and females. Mostly elderly people advanced in age. Therefore, when a young person appeared, they undoubtedly attracted attention. Especially when this young person was also a good-looking woman. She wore a blue cored suit, tending towards business attire but with a hint of casual style, a ck, gray, and white id wool scarf wrapped around her neck, small leather shoes with heels that were not high. On her back, she carried a ck leather backpack. At this moment, she was quietly asking the exercising elderly folk with a photo in her hand. Upon seeing Jason look this way, thedy immediately called out: "Hello, please wait a second." Jason furrowed his brow. He didn''t want to invite any trouble for the time being. Subconsciously, Jason was ready to leave. But as thedy approached, a faint, sweet scent reached Jason''s nose. Instinctively, Jason stopped in his tracks. He turned around, his gaze falling on the woman''s backpack. Baked honey biscuits? No, that''s not right. They smelled a bit like molded cakes. Made with plenty of egg batter and sugar. Just out of the oven. They would probably be very soft and crumbly on bite. Thedy who had hurried to Jason''s front noticed his gaze and immediately opened her backpack to take out a steaming paper bag. "If you don''t mind, please take it." "I made these myself." "I am Giselle, a pastry chef." Thedy introduced herself and then handed over the paper bag. Jason raised his hand and epted the paper bag. "Jason, homeless." "I have no money at the moment, but I will pay you back when I do." Jason never epted charity without cause. Even if it was food. "No need, no need." "If you see the girl in the photo," "please inform me." "She''s my sister and has been missing for three days now, and I am very worried about her." The pastry chef said, pulling out a photograph. There were two people in the photograph, standing closely together, smiling at the camera. One was the pastry chef herself, and the other was a girl a bit younger than her. Their facial features were alike, it was clear they were sisters, and thedy hadn''t lied. "All right," Jason nodded. "Thank you so much," said the pastry chef as she handed a piece of paper with an address and a contact number to Jason and moved on to another person, continuing a simr conversation as she had with Jason. At the same time, she handed out another small package of pastries and a piece of paper. Without a doubt, the piece of paper with the address and contact number Jason held was not the first, and it wouldn''t be thest. Under Jason''s watchful eye a moment ago, the female pastry chef had given this piece of paper to quite a few people. Was she not cautious enough due to her extreme urgency and worry? Jason watched her retreat and thought silently. Then he found a sheltered spot and opened the paper bag. The aroma was overwhelming. What a fine breakfast, Jason thought. And just at that moment¡ª "Tsk tsk, look everyone, even a homeless man is entitled to eat pastries now, isn''t he?" Chapter 215: 2 The Watchdog on Pea Pod Street In the oddly echoing voices, two men with oversized clothes, multicolored hair, and strange hairstyles approached Jason. The leader had a chain around his neck as thick as an index finger. Not gold. Probably iron, or stainless steel. It somewhat resembled a dog chain. A malevolent smile spread across the faces of the two men as they stood before Jason. Jason frowned. The scene before him was a bit odd. Though the hierarchy of contempt was as omnipresent as the food chain. Homeless people, being at the very bottom of this hierarchy, were naturally stepped on by everyone. Especially by these idle thugs. They took particr delight in bullying those at the very bottom of the contempt hierarchy. Thus, it wasn''t strange for these two to want to bully a homeless person. But! It was morning! To be precise, early morning! Would two street thugs appear at dawn to hassle a homeless man? That in itself was quite surprising. As for being up all night? The two of them bore no scent of smoke or alcohol, and their faces didn''t have the drooping look of someone who hadn''t slept all night. Speciallying to trouble him? Jason thought. At this moment, the leader spoke. "Hand over the pastries in your hand?" He said. They want to rob me of my food? Jason narrowed his eyes and slowly closed the paper bag. The two menughed immediately. The leader, in particr, looked down on Jason, having seen too many homeless like him; no need for any tricks, a simple scare was enough to get what they wanted. This time, naturally, it would be... Huh! This homeless man is tall. And his eyes... they look kind of fierce. Why am I feeling a bit scared? Why can''t I control my limbs? The leader''s Adam''s apple bobbed, and as he looked up at Jason standing up and met Jason''s downward gaze, his legs began to tremble, and his entire body shuddered. That sharpness, like a knife coupled with the aura of a predator,pletely intimidated the little thug in front of him. "What, what are you going to do?" The leader stammered. "Taking out the trash." Jason grabbed the leader''s cor and hoisted him up. With his feet off the ground, the leader became even more panicked. "Let me go!" "Let go!" The leader shouted, but this did not hinder Jason from opening a nearby trash can and dumping him in headfirst. However, before throwing him in, Jason gave him a shake. p, p. A wallet, lighter, cigarettes, and the dog chain fell onto the ground. The other thug turned to run. But after only taking one step, Jason caught him by the back of the neck and hauled him back. "Please, spare my life." The thug cried out. "Trash belongs where trash belongs." Jason said, shaking the second one as well and stuffing him headfirst into the trash can. Another wallet appeared on the ground. Jason picked up the two wallets, pocketed the lighter, and casually tossed the cigarettes and dog chain into the trash can. "You provoked me for no reason and made my breakfast go cold for 5 seconds, causing me significant emotional distress; consider these aspensation for my emotional distress." Pulling out the paper money, Jason tossed the wallets back and casually closed the lid of the trash can. The paper money totaled one hundred and twenty. The sum of both men''s. Jason was unclear about the purchasing power of this money, but he knew their motive wasn''t the pastries he held in his hand. It was the female pastry chef who had made these pastries. Or more precisely, the recent actions of that female pastry chef searching for her sister, which scared certain individuals. Therefore, they had sent these two guys to cause trouble. ``` Of course, the tactics of two small-time hooligans were destined not to be aboveboard. After they stole more pastries, they would most likely nder the female pastry chef, iming that the pastries she made were unclean and could cause diarrhea or simr issues, leading those around her to misunderstand. Such a simple scheme. Yet, it was certainly effective. Jason was confident that after such an incident, even the most well-meaning people would harbor suspicions. It''s not easy for people to trust one another. Building trust takes a long time. Destroying trust? A moment is enough. emmm... The pastries really are delicious. The sweet, soft steamed buns had been chewed and swallowed, filling the empty stomach with a sense of satisfaction. As Jason took out the second steamed bun, he nced at the other side of the pastry bag. This side disyed the pastry shop''s advertisement. Quite a simple design, it just featured an image of a dog sprawled atop a pile of pastries, with "Watchdog Pastry House" written at the very top. Watchdog? What a strange name. Even if it weren''t for the act of searching for his sister, this name would sooner orter trouble someone. Thinking this, Jason took out the third steamed bun. There were a total of three steamed buns in the bag. After eating thest one, Jason dusted off his hands. He folded the bag neatly and ced it in the pushcart. He nned to go to the pastry shop, firstly to settle the score for the just-acquired money, and secondly to give that female pastry chef a heads-up. It wasn''t because he hadn''t had enough to eat and wanted more. ''Watchdog Pastry House'' was at 115 Pea Corner Street. Both the bag and a slip of paper stated this address. And the Central Park was right opposite Pea Corner Street. Pushing the cart, Jason didn''t attempt to cross the road directly. Standing at the corner, he only started pushing the cart across when the green light came on. A wandering homeless individual, squatting by the roadside, had been eyeing Jason closely, who had just stood not far away. Upon realizing that Jason hadn''t noticed him at all and was merely passing by, the homeless man breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he lifted the piece of paper in his hand toward another passerby approaching from behind. On it, written in bold ck marker, was¡ª I''m very tired. I need food. ... Jason, of course, saw such a sign. And after crossing the street, he flipped through the pushcart. Soon, he found a simr sign. However, his read: I''m very hungry, I need food. "Very fitting." Jason chuckled softly and then forcefully used both hands. Crack, crack. With a crisp sound, the cardboard turned into a crumpled ball. A real man doesn''t eat the food of pity! He had limbs to work with, wasn''t dumb or demented, nor old and decrepit. The talent for "Predator" deep within his soul echoed the shouts of those pursuing great beasts, relentlessly telling him that he was a hunter, not a beggar. With a raise of his hand, Jason tossed the ball of paper into a trash can. Moving forward, Jason spent 0.1 yuan at a newspaper stand to buy today''s newspaper. PY86.11.1 The newspaper not only provided Jason with the exact date but also gave him a rough idea of his purchasing power. It also gave him more concrete evidence that the two hooligans were directed by someone else. Moreover, the person directing them was quite generous. With such spection, Jason arrived in front of 15 Pea Corner Street. The sign for ''Watchdog Pastry House'' was already hung up. There was also a sign hung on the door indicating that they were open for business. However, the showcase had been closed from inside. Jason raised his hand and knocked on the door. Thump, thump thump. Footsteps were audible inside, but nobody responded. Thump, thump thump. Jason knocked on the door again. This time, an impatient and hoarse voice came from inside. "Who is it?" "Checking the water meter." ``` Chapter 216: 3: A Different City (3 more updates~ please subscribe~ please vote for the month~) ``` Jason''s response surprised the man inside the door. It took the man a good two or three seconds to look through the peephole at the exterior. The ''Watchdog Pastry House'' had two doors. One was the wooden door inside. The other was the iron door on the outside. At this moment, the iron door was open while the wooden door was closed. The man had been peering outside through the peephole of the wooden door. Then... He saw a massive fist, speeding towards him. Smack! The thin wooden door shattered on impact. Jason''s fist prated the wooden door, sending splinters flying, and mmed into the man''s face inside the room. "Ah!" The man screamed in agony, falling backward with blood streaming down his face. Jason pulled his arm back and through the hole he just made, he instantly saw the female pastry chef. The pastry chef was backed against the counter, her hair in disarray, her face bruised, her mouth gagged, and hands tied behind her back as she sat copsed. There was no second person present. Upon seeing Jason''s gaze, the pastry chef started struggling violently. Instead of reaching through the hole to open the door, Jason aimed a kick right at the lock. It was just a simple L-shaped bolt, which was directly knocked out. The door swung open. Jason walked into the room, and the man who had just fallen was getting back up. His face, covered in blood, appeared even more ferocious. With a low growl, he raised his hands and charged at Jason. Compared to the previous street thugs with no fighting skills, this man was undoubtedly much more professional. Not only was he strong, but he also had technique. One hand reached for Jason''s cor while the other aimed for his arm. Had he been grabbed, a shoulder throw would have followed. With the pastry shop''s hard floor, such an impact would have been enough to disable a normal person. So Jason, ustomed to quick fights, raised his hands and caught the man''s arms. As the man looked shocked and struggled, Jason forcefully twisted them downwards. Bang! The charging man kneeled directly in front of Jason. Without waiting for the man to recover, Jason let go of his hands and struck both sides of the man''s temples. Crack! With a crisp sound, the man''s eyes rolled back as he copsed motionless to the ground. Unlike before, the man was now unconscious. Jason checked him over. No wallet. He found a dagger. Taking the dagger out, removing the man''s jacket, and tying him up, Jason then turned his attention to the bound pastry chef. Jason cut through the ropes with the dagger and yanked out the rag from her mouth. "Th-thank you," the pastry chef stammered her thanks. Her voice was hoarse from being gagged for so long. Then, Jason nced around the room. The oven was clean. The counter was also clean. The cash box remained untouched. However, the door leading upstairs was open. "Not a robbery for money?" "More than one group targeting her?" "All because of her sister?" "Or is it something else?" Jason pondered, but it didn''t stop him from taking out a coin and cing it in front of the pastry chef. On one side of the counter, it read: ''Cupcakes 10 cents each, 3 for 20 cents!'' Then, Jason took 12 cupcakes from the counter and put them in arge kraft paper bag to the side. "The bag is free, right?" Jason asked the pastry chef. "Yes, it is," the pastry chef responded, still in shock. She still didn''t understand what was happening. First her sister disappeared, then she was threatened by someone for unknown reasons, and now someone had broken into her shop. Just when she thought it was all over, the vagrant she met that morning suddenly barged in, not only saving her but also leaving her a coin. Was that for the pastries? The pastry chef was finally beginning to grasp the situation. By that time, Jason had already reached the doorway. "Wait!" "Please wait!" Jason heard the voice behind him but didn''t stop his stride for a moment. ``` ``` Without understanding the world before him, he had no immediate ns to court any trouble. "Those stale cakes are from yesterday." "I''ll make you some fresh ones, they''ll taste better straight out of the oven," said the female pastry chef. "Okay." Jason immediately stopped in his tracks. Trouble always seemed to find a way. Even if one didn''t look for it, it inevitably came knocking. So, he might as well enjoy a good meal before dealing with it. Seeing Jason stop, the female pastry chef breathed a sigh of relief. She was truly frightened. She was afraid that Jason would walk away without a care, leaving her alone to face the situation at hand. It was something she simply could not handle. "What should I do?" Walking up to Jason, who had saved her life, she felt an unprecedented sense of safety in his tall, sturdy presence and subconsciously asked for his advice. "Call the police," Jason offered the most sensible suggestion. Only then did the female pastry chef nod in realization and walked over to the counter. There was andline phone. However, when she picked it up, there was no sound at all. "Has the phone line been cut?" Jason frowned. A pastry chef with a missing sister was being treated this cautiously? Moreover, two groups had already shown up for her. Was her missing sister involved with something¡ªor someone¡ªbig? Jason thought and pointed towards a public phone booth across the street. The female pastry chef nodded, took out two coins, and ran outside. This time the call went through. The conversation was also very smooth. The inside of ''Watchdog Pastry House'' remained untouched, and about ten minutester, two police cars arrived. They were not the cars Jason remembered, but rather those from an even earlier era. They hadrge fronts, short rear ends, and the tops of the cars were curved. The two cars parked in a ''1'' formation at the entrance of the pastry shop, and six officers disembarked, led by a police chief wearing a tall hat. The chief was tall and sported a thick beard. As soon as he got out of the car, he walked into the pastry shop. He first nced around the environment and then looked towards Jason and Giselle. However, after pausing only briefly on Giselle, his gaze settled entirely on Jason. "Did you do this?" He pointed at the wooden door that had been broken and a gaping hole created. Jason nodded. The chief then nced at the unconscious guy on the floor. "Him too?" He asked again. Jason nodded once more. This silent way of responding made the chief frown. "Have you served in the military?" "Recently returned to Newdeth City?" "Answer me, I don''t need nods." His voice unconsciously rose a notch. Unfortunately, this posture was useless against Jason. Jason merely nodded again. This enraged the chief. "I''m telling you, this city is not the same as when you left it!" "It''s new!" "Newdeth City!" "Coming here, you have to abide by the rules!" "Don''t use the rules of your battlefields or the old ways. Otherwise..." The chief''s voice grew louder, as if to affirm his authority. Moreover, after finishing, he raised his right hand and gestured a gun shape at Jason. The chief''s finger, representing the muzzle of the gun, was about one meter away, pointing straight at Jason''s forehead. "Pop!" He made a mock shooting noise with his mouth and then burst intoughter. The surrounding officers also startedughing along. Jason looked emotionlessly at the people before him, his feet shifting slightly to protect the female pastry chef behind him. And then¡ª Bang! Theughter stopped abruptly, and blood and brain matter sttered everywhere. ``` Chapter 217: 4: A Different Kind of Police Officer (please subscribe~ please vote for the month~) The previously arrogant police chief just copsed to the ground like that. The shattered skull sttered the faces of the surrounding officers. Instantly, those who wereughing moments ago started screaming in terror. Then, they scattered about like headless flies. They bore no resemnce to how police officers should behave. It was nothingpared to the Bondi and Holle in Jason''s memory. Even young Finch was far superior. In terms of professional honor and personal cultivation, they were much toocking. But this was none of Jason''s business. He quickly pulled the female pastry chef into the corridor leading to the second floor; aside from the entrance door, there were walls on both sides for cover¡ª it was the best ce to block the ''sniper''s'' line of sight. At this moment, the female pastry chef waspletely dumbfounded. She had never imagined she would face something like this. For Giselle, it was a daily routine to purchase flour, eggs, milk, sugar, and various types of fruit, and to stand in front of the oven, deep in thought about how to improve her pastry recipes. When did such a change happen? Right, it started after Evelyn went missing. I wonder how Evelyn is doing? Hope she hasn''t gotten involved in any trouble. As an older sister, Giselle didn''t think too much. She was just genuinely worried about her younger sister. Meanwhile, inside the shop, screams of agony continued one after another. The ipetent officers fell to the ground one by one, missing arms and legs. Then, only wails remained. "Could have killed, but only wounded?" Jason furrowed his brow. Such an anomaly truly concerned him. The female pastry chef, who had snapped back to reality, curled up behind Jasonpletely. "What, what should we do?" The female pastry chef asked with a stutter. "Wait," Jason replied. Engaging inbat barehanded against a ''sniper'' who had the advantage of distance was the least wise choice. Not to mention, Jason didn''t understand the current situation at all. Therefore, waiting was the best choice. Continuous gunshots would surely attract more attention from the police. Just... Hopefully, it won''t be anyone like the officers from before. Jason thought quietly to himself. In just five minutes, two more old-fashioned cars appeared, apanied by a squad of officers upying the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. These officers were clearly different from the ones before. Not only were they neatly dressed, with solemn expressions, their skills were also excellent. "Secure!" "Secure!" "Secure!" Amidst a series of reports, a man wearing sses got out of the car. He was about thirty years old, thin-faced without a beard, and his long ck hair was pulled back into a ponytail, a white scarf wrapped around his neck. What caught the eye the most were those eyes. Even behind sses, they couldn''t hide their sharpness. The man briskly walked into the Watchdog Pastry House, nced over the officers writhing and wailing on the ground, and then nced at the colleague who had lost his head, before heading directly towards the corridor. "Hello, I''m Edward," "the deputy chief of Newdeth City Police," The man introduced himself. Then, his gaze swept over the female pastry chef and Jason. Like the previous chief, his eyes locked onto Jason right away. However, unlike the previous chief, Edward was very polite but distant, "If Sandwick said something out of line, please understand; he does not represent the entirety of Newdeth City." After finishing, the deputy chief then turned his attention to the female pastry chef. "Miss, could you please tell me what happened here?" He asked. "Ok, okay," The female pastry chef replied, but her eyes turned to Jason. After Jason nodded, the female pastry chef began to describe what had just happened. From the sudden attack she experienced to Jason''s arrival, and everything that happened after the police were called, the female pastry chef recounted it all in detail. Jason didn''t make any additionalments. The female pastry chef had already made things very clear. Jason was more concerned about the officers who were moving the bodies, tending to the wounded, and securing the scene. These officers were highly professional. And, throughout the entire process, they hadn''t spoken a single word. Jason noticed something familiar about these officers. It was... The Harbor Guard Army! The smallest in number yet strongest force, protecting Gerard''s Harbor Guard. Although the capabilities of these people in front of him might not be on that level, the aura was very simr. Which means... These officers came from a military background! And not just any military, but a unit akin to an ace force! How could such warriors be police officers? Jason had no disdain for police officers; rather, he understood that each of these warriors was hard toe by, requiring not just time and money, but also innate talent. Just as the Harbor Guard Army wouldn''t join the patrol guards. They were meant to execute missions like prating enemy lines or beheading operations. Even if they were to go to the police department, they should be serving as special instructors, not regr officers. But the scene before him had unfolded. A group of elite warriors had be regr officers. Then, What kind of man would the self-proimed Edward, who was inmand of these officers, be? The deputy chief of police? Jason found that hard to believe. At this point, Edward''s questioning of the female pastry chef had beenpleted as well. He turned to look straight at Jason. Jason calmly met that gaze. He was also prepared to react. The worst case scenario was merely being taken back for questioning. Jason wasn''t worried about this at all. His experiences in two different copied worlds had made him realize that his identity was "genuine". However, to his surprise¡ª "Newdeth City has changed." "Some methods no longer work here." "Be careful." After saying that, the man who imed to be Deputy Chief Edward turned to his subordinates andmanded, "Withdraw." Jason furrowed his brows. He keenlytched onto the key point: the changes in Decheng seemed to be rted to the military? So, was the military dispatched for that reason? Thinking this, Jason watched as Deputy Chief Edward was about to exit the pastry shop and directly spoke to stop him. "Wait!" Jason deliberately raised his voice. Not only did Edward hear him, but so did his others. These men paused, instinctively turning back. "Compensation!" "Compensation for the Watchdog Pastry House." Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Jason pointed around him with righteousness. "The pastries scattered on the ground, the shattered door." "The floor stained with blood." "It should bepensated." As Jason was saying this, the female pastry chef attempted to pull at Jason''s clothes to indicate he didn''t need to do this. But before she could touch Jason, he had already sidestepped her. Then, he looked even more calmly at Edward. Edward furrowed his brows slightly. "I will report this." "Thepensation will be issued within a week." "Any expenses incurred, please keep the receipts." After saying that, Edward turned and left. But as Edward turned to leave, Jason spoke up again. "Wait." Chapter 218: 5 Hidden Danger Edward furrowed his brows slightly and turned around again, his eyes filled with inquiry. "At the central park earlier, two men asked me for pastries from the ''Watchdog Pastry House.''" "They were not after the pastries." "But after someone." Jason said directly, facing Edward. "So, is this why you are here?" "To repay a favor?" "And to settle a score?" Edward, the deputy chief, stepped back twice, stopping about a meter away from Jason. It seemed as if he sensed Jason was ying him, Edward simultaneously counter-queried as his eyes bore into Jason intensely. Suddenly, those piercing eyes made one''s heart tremble even more. Jason, however, was unaffected. Although the other party''s eyes were sharp, they paled inparison to ''The Piper.'' They weren''t even equal to the puppets of ''Shepherd.'' In Jason''s eyes, the danger posed by the other party was about... the same as two or three ''Jesters.'' Troublesome to deal with. But not lethal. Jason pointed to the trolley he parked in the corner of the shop. "And to buy some food," he said. The bag of sorghum cakes hung from his trolley. After a nce, Edward continued to inquire: "What about those two men?" "Trash belongs where trash should be," Jason answered. "Anything else?" Edward waved a subordinate over to investigate and continued asking as his subordinate left. "What else..." "Her sister has disappeared," "Just like those other girls, she is gone." Jason pointed at the female pastry chef. "Ms. Giselle has already filed a report, and we are actively working on it," Edward responded. "I will also arrange protection for Ms. Giselle in secret." "If you''re willing to return to the veteran''s hospital, I can help there too." Jason didn''t say anything further. Veteran''s hospital? He didn''t have time to recuperate. Facing Jason''s silence, Edward turned again, walking towards the exit. However, this time, as Edward himself reached the door, he voluntarily stopped and turned his head to look at Jason. Seeing Jason remain silent, the newly appointed ''Special Deputy Chief'' truly left. Jason watched him leave. After the old-style car disappeared around the corner, Jason couldn''t help narrowing his eyes. The man was fishing for information! Using him and Giselle as bait! Clearly, the recent shooting was rted to military personnel, and his identity just happened to be that of a retired veteran. Under normal circumstances, any sheriff or investigator, upon confirming his status as a retired veteran, would investigate deeply into the recent incident. Bringing him in for questioning would be the bare minimum. But what about the other party? He simply pulled out. Jason didn''t believe there wasn''t something fishy about it. Hence, he probed further. Starting with ''rpense'' and then informing the other party about the incident at central park. The goal was to bring up the ''Women''s Serial Disappearance Case'' published in the newspaper. Giselle''s sister was one of the disappearances, and Giselle herself had been threatened multiple times; it all seemed undoubtedly rted to the case that shocked all of Decheng. The ''Women''s Serial Disappearance Case'' was not only published in the October 20th newspaper, but today''s newspaper continued to report on it as well. Still as the front-page headline. With such a premise, would a normal person let down their guard? Or to put it more precisely, would a normal person only arrange for two people to secretly keep watch? No. Because the simplest course of action would be to enter the ''safety house'' and beprehensively protected, instead of being exposed outside to the imminent danger. Doing so, Jason could think of no reason other than acting as bait. So, everything in front of him became clear. He was serving as bait for the ''shooting case'' murderer. Giselle was serving as bait for the ''serial women disappearance case'' murderer. However, Jason was still a bit concerned about whether the recent shooting incident and the series of women''s disappearances that had already urred were independent events or if they were connected in some way? Standing at the door, Jason pondered silently for a moment. Eventually, he shook his head. There were too few clues to be certain. Turning around, Jason walked back into the shop. Seeing Jason return, Giselle sighed with relief again. She had been very worried that Jason would just walk away. After all, the crisis had passed, and she had no real reason to keep Jason there. But to be left alone in this ce, she was very scared. In her conflicted state, Jason came back. This brought an involuntary smile to the pastry chef''s face. Observing the relieved smile on the pastry chef''s face, Jason said indifferently, "Go and make a new pastry, you promised me." How could he possibly leave before trying the new basin pastry? No one could stop his anticipation for food. Even if staying here was dangerous. But, the greatest danger was merely death. Conveniently, he was immortal. Touching his empty stomach, Jason said: "I''ll clean up here." "You go to the oven." Having said that, Jason carefully picked up the pastries that had fallen to the ground, blew off the dust and ss shards, and delicately ced them on a te. The mess before him was created by the subordinates of thete Chief Sandwick. In their hasty scramble, they had knocked over more than one counter. Not only had the pastries from within the counters fallen to the ground, but ss shards were also scattered everywhere. The only silver lining was that because of the ss shards on the floor, these people had deliberately avoided this area while they were painfully rolling around, preventing the pastries from getting stained with blood. All the pastries were picked up. Although Jason was careful, some damage was inevitable. Several pastries were misshapen and obviously unseble. Therefore, Jason ''wrote them off.'' The cream-vored one, not bad. The chocte-filled one, eptable. Strawberry vored? Highly praised. The sweet taste lingered on Jason''s tongue. Although it did not satisfy his hunger, Jason still felt content. As for satisfaction? That was impossible. Until he ate real food, Jason''s stomach could never be truly satisfied. Even if he did eat. He needed high quality andrge quantities to be fulfilled. But the pleasure on his taste buds put Jason in a good mood. After packaging the wood chips and ss shards on the floor, he walked toward the trash can across from the Watchdog Pastry House. Only, Jason hadn''t truly approached the trash can when he suddenly paused. A faint scent drifted into his nose. It was a smell Jason was intimately familiar with. Blood! The scent of human blood! And under Jason''s gaze, a striking red was slowly seeping out from the trash can. Temporarily setting aside the trash in his hand, Jason returned to the pastry shop and said to the female pastry chef: "Giselle, go, call the police." Chapter 219: 6 Materials (3 updates, please subscribe~ ask for monthly tickets~) In the car on the way back to the police station. Edward sat alone in the backseat, his gaze shifted to the front passenger seat. "Have you found the information on that vagrant?" "Yes." The subordinate in the front passenger seat turned and reported¡ª "Jason, second infantry division, captain." "He''d been in the ''Lanqiao Standoff,'' ''Golden Blitz,'' ''Dourburg Recapture,'' ''Siege of Thankyou,'' ''Thirty-three Day Endurance,'' and..." At this point, the subordinate hesitated. "Speak." Edward''s tone grew sterner. "He conducted 40 operations behind enemy lines." "Completed 20 decapitation missions." "All by himself... no support, no supplies." After saying this, the subordinate couldn''t help but swallow his saliva. As a soldier, he was well aware of what this record signified. "To let such a dangerous person back into the city..." "Did the military brass have shit for brains?" Edward started cursing under his breath. Then, immediately, Edward calmed down. "Why did he retire from the military?" Edward inquired. "It''s not detailed in the record." "Just mentions post-traumatic stress disorder." "He saw a psychologist, but it was ineffective." The subordinate answered, and without waiting for Edward to ask, he continued, "I''ve just sent someone to inquire with that psychologist Hannibal, but he refused to disclose Jason''s situation." "You didn''t tell them it was for the safety of the entire Newdeth City?" Edward frowned. "I informed them." "But the doctor was adamant in his views." "When we took necessary measures, he took down our guys and threatened them, saying that if they dared to vite what he holds sacred as a psychologist, he''d rip out their intestines and stew them with beans." The subordinate''s face showed helplessness. Although they belonged to a special operations team, sometimes there were significant constraints. Especially when dealing with people of very high reputation. By coincidence, this psychologist Hannibal was one such person. He was not only the private psychologist for several important figures but had also established a charity foundation to help war orphans. With such a person, real ''necessary measures'' could hardly be applied. "Rip out intestines and stew them with beans?" "Hmph, ridiculous." Edward appeared somewhat contemptuous. What grandiose ims could a psychologist make? And the subordinate seemed on the verge of saying more. "Speak." Edward said coldly. "I don''t think that doctor was joking." "Our guys reported that he seems like a veteran." "They felt uneasy just being watched by him." The subordinate reported. "Hmm?" Edward frowned. He trusted his subordinates. If his subordinate said the other party was a veteran, then he certainly was. "Focus on those bastards for now." "After cleaning them all up, we''ll investigate that doctor." Edwardmanded. "Yes!" The subordinate replied. Then, looking at his team leader, he spoke cautiously: "Captain, it''s impossible for someone like Jason to join those bastards, right?" "He''s a hero!" "With his military record, he could have be a staff officer without retirement!" The subordinate said it like this. "Those bastards also were... heroes." Edward replied. Yet his tone involuntarily faltered. He looked out the car window. "Heroes?" "That''s in the past." "Now they are just bastards!" Edward muttered to himself. The subordinate didn''t speak further, his eyes filled with profound confusion and sighs. No one knew what had happened. But that was the reality. For a moment, the interior of the car fell silent. Only the sound of the engine remained. Then¡ª "Headquarters calling, Director Edward!" "Headquarters calling, Director Edward!" A burst of static, and the car radio began to emit sounds. "This is Edward." Edward picked up the walkie-talkie. "Director Edward, the ''Watchdog Pastry House'' you previously attended has reported another incident. They say bloodstains were found in the trash bin across the street." ''Watchdog Pastry House''?! The hand Edward held the walkie-talkie with just shook. MMP, he hadn''t gone back yet! Internally he was in turmoil like thunder rolling across Tianshan Mountains, but externally, Edward was calm and indifferently replied, "I know." ... Less than half an hourter. Jason saw Edward again. The newly appointed ''Deputy Director Special'' had parked his car once more in front of ''Watchdog Pastry House.'' As Edward stepped out of the car, he nced at Jason and walked directly toward the trash bin. Edward''s subordinates had once again dered martialw and secured the scene. When the lid of the bin was lifted, a rare shade of gloom descended upon Edward''s gaunt face. The surrounding officers who had cordoned off the area felt the same. Not just because of the head that appeared inside the trash bin. But also because that head belonged to one of their own. "''Scarecrow''!" "He wasn''t supposed to be watching this..." The subordinate who reported to Edward gasped as he recognized the head in the trash bin. "Bansey." Edward silenced his Assistant''s exmation. Bansey immediately stopped speaking. "Arrange a search here." "We must find ''Scarecrow''s body." Edwardmanded. "Yes." The crowd around him responded in unison. Then they swiftly dispersed to act. Edward stood still, contemting. ''Scarecrow'' was one of his subordinates with the most experience and skill, and he was always armed as well. That''s why ''Scarecrow'' had been chosen to surveil this area. But Edward had never thought that in just less than half an hour, one of his capable subordinates would be decapitated. Who did it? Edward wondered, his gaze unconsciously shifting towards ''Watchdog Pastry House.'' At that moment, Jason was having the carpenter rece the door. Feeling Edward''s gaze, Jason turned his head. The two made eye contact. The next moment, Edward stepped forward. "Talk?" Edward said. "Talk about what?" Jason asked. "Talk about your experience." "Talk about that head in the trash bin that belonged to my subordinate." "Talk about whether you noticed anything." As he spoke, Edward scanned the interior of the shop, and then his eyes naturally locked onto Jason''s handcart. "May I have a look?" Edward asked, eyes fixed on Jason. "Sure." Jason said frankly. The hockey mask and broad-ded short-handled machete were already in a safe ce, he wasn''t afraid of inspections. Yet Edward did not move. He just kept watching Jason. Then, the other asked. "Did you notice anything earlier?" "No." "I was cleaning up before." Jason said truthfully. When he was picking up the pastries, all his attention was on the food; he hadn''t noticed anything happening outside. This had nothing to do with heightened senses; it was merely because his focus was too concentrated. But Edward didn''t believe him. "Is that so?" He asked back, and then as he was about to speak again¡ª Boom! Chapter 220: 7 Role Exchange The massive explosion sent shockwaves through the air. The disy windows of the ''Watchdog Pastry House'' were shattered outright. So were the disy windows of the surrounding shops. Amidst the tter of falling ss shards, Edward rushed outside immediately. Jason was a step behind and said to the female pastry chef, who was once again stupefied: "Do your job, I''ll take care of the rest." Having said that, Jason caught up with Edward. The female pastry chef nodded subconsciously at the sight of Jason''s retreating figure, then she looked around at the shattered counter, the blood-stained floor, the broken disy windows, and the fire rising from across the street... Wasn''t it agreed that the war was over? In her daze, the female pastry chef started picking up one egg after another, automatically separating the yolks and whites into a bowl, instinctively stirring. By this time, Edward had already reached the street where mes were emanating. His team membersy here, bodies torn and dismembered. Only Assistant Bansey''s body was intact, his face charred as he leaned against a low wall. On seeing Edward, Bansey started to speak in fits and starts: "Captain." "Hidden bombs." "Invisible hidden bombs." After speaking, Bansey fell silent. Edward hurried over to check, and upon confirming that his assistant was merely unconscious, he turned to the team members who had followed behind him, searching the other streets, and said, "Secure the site, call an ambnce." "Yes, Captain." The team members began to act. Jason, meanwhile, went against the flow and entered the st site. All around were fragments of stone and bodies. ck, grey, and red intermingled. The ck marks of the explosion. The grey chunks of broken stone. The red of fresh blood. It was a scene that could send a chilling shudder through anyone who saw it. Jason walked carefully among them, avoiding the corpses with every lift and cement of his feet. Then, his nostrils red constantly. Jason hoped to smell the scent of ''food.'' Unfortunately, the only thing filling the area was the pungent odor left by the explosion, with not a hint of any pleasant fragrance. Undoubtedly, the scene before him was targeted at Edward and his group. Edward, who thought he was the bait, had be the fish that bit the hook. The roles of hunter and prey had switched since the moment the ''Scarecrow'' was killed and his head was tossed into a trash can. The ''Scarecrow''s'' body must''ve been used as a bait for the hidden bombs. Of course, the most crucial was that invisible hidden bomb. "Illusion?" "Or..." "Some kind of trick?" Jason pondered silently. After his assistant was carried away, Edward returned. Without paying attention to Jason, Edward began to meticulously search through everything that could serve as a clue. Unfortunately, after a full search, even after the ambnce had arrived, he found nothing. "Captain?" An underling indicated softly. "Load everyone''s bodies onto the vehicle." Edward said, and was the first to start collecting the bodies. They deserved respect. So, Edward was careful and earnest, trying his best to keep the bodies intact. At that moment, Jason spoke up. "Be careful of the hidden bombs." Having said that, Jason stepped out and walked away. Edward, who had been about to collect the bodies, stiffened, and his team members were also taken aback. When Jason returned to ''Watchdog Pastry House,'' Edward and his team members also left the st site. Then, they started long-distance bomb disposal. They prodded the corpses with long wooden sticks or by throwing objects at them. This method was quite effective when not considering loss. About half a minuteter¡ª Boom! Boom! There were two more explosions. The few remaining pieces of ss in the windows of the ''Watchdog Pastry House''pletely fell out. Jason picked up a broom and dustpan and began to clean up. Thepletely absorbed female pastry chef didn''t notice any of this. A short whileter, after Jason had finished cleaning, Edward came up to him. "How do you know?" Edward''s face was gloomy. "Invisible mines?" Jason asked in return. Edward nodded slightly. Jasonughed. "Such a handy thing, no hunter would use it just once." Jason said this slowly as he ced the dustpan filled with ss shards to one side of the shop''s entrance. "Hunter?" Edward was startled. After that, the not-so-foolish Edward seemed to think of something. All at once, his face grew even uglier. A few seconds passed before Edward''splexion returned to normal. "Why warn me?" Edward asked. "Why?" "Probably because you''re stronger than that Sandwick guy?" "At least..." "You''re willing to collect the bodies of your own men." Jason said as he walked into the shop. He had already smelled the fragrance of the freshly baked trough cakes. He had waited for quite a while. Watching Jason''s retreating figure, Edward opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, he said nothing. After leaving some people to preserve the scene, Edward personally drove back to the police station. Jason didn''t notice any of this. At that moment, Jason was standing quietly in front of the stove. The scents of eggs and honey began to spread under the high heat, and Jason couldn''t help but swallow his saliva. Just as the female pastry chef had said, the freshly baked trough cakes were much tastier than those left overnight, at least twice as fragrant. Crack! The oven opened. An even richer fragrance hit him, and Jason closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, his face a picture of bliss. The female pastry chef, wearing heatproof gloves, carried the mold filled with trough cakes, upended it, and the cakes fell into a nearby container. After tumbling for a few turns, the somewhat thickened, biscuit-shaped trough cakes stood still within. The tops were a brownish red, with slight cracks revealing a hint of golden yellow. The bottom was slightly scorched, but not at all off-putting, rather it made one''s mouth water even more, wanting to taste that particr vor. That''s how Jason felt. He picked up a hot trough cake and bit into the bottom first. Sweet. Not at all cloying. For within the simple sweetness was a hint of a sour, refreshing tang. It was... Lemon juice! He must have added a touch of lemon juice to the oil smeared on the bottom during baking. Jason spected as he swallowed the rest of the trough cake in his hand. The crispy and soft texture made Jason pick up another one right away. Almost one bite per cake. Quickly, twenty trough cakes went down Jason''s throat. The female pastry chef brought over a cup of mint water. Jason took it and drained it in one gulp. Whew! After a satisfying exhale, Jason''s gaze involuntarily swept across the surrounding counters. He remembered they didn''t just sell trough cakes here. There were other pastries as well. "How soon can you resume business?" Jason asked. "Ah?" The female pastry chef, who was considering how to make Jason stay, was startled. Before the pastry chef could regain herposure¡ª Thud, thud thud. A well-dressed middle-aged man stood in front of the door with a hole in it and knocked on the doorframe. "Hello, are you Miss Giselle?" "Ie on behalf of my master." "He would like to hire you to make pastries." Chapter 221: 8 Associations I am an assassin, known by the nickname ''Box''. Name? I had forgotten it by the time I chose to be an assassin. In Newdeth City, I am somewhat famous. So, quite a few people are willing to hire me. This time was no exception. Moreover, two ''big jobs'' came at the same time. One was to assassinate a psychologist named Hannibal, apparently because he knew some significant information that necessitated his elimination. The other was to kill a pastry chef named Giselle, who must have offended some important figure. The rewards for both tasks were quite substantial. However, the difficulty of the two targets was not the same. The former had a widework of connections and had set up a charity foundation. Such a person''s death would certainly cause an uproar in Newdeth City, those newspapers chasing cirction would definitely report on it incessantly, and the police would surely delve into the case under public pressure. For an assassin like him, this was highly unfavorable. But who was he? He was ''Box''. An assassin with some renown in Newdeth City. What he was after was to take it a step further. What he needed was soaring notoriety. Only by oveing numerous challenges could he achieve this. Therefore... He chose the female pastry chef, Giselle. After consecutive stakeouts, he was ready to strike today as soon as ''Watchdog Pastry House'' opened its doors. But consecutive gunfire and explosions were thwarting his ns. Watching those police officers cordoning off the scene, he had no intention of giving up. Or rather... He believed he could kill the female pastry chef and then leave safely afterward. As long as there was no gunfire. A knife would do just as well. He had arranged his identity: the butler of a high-society gentleman. The family needed to host a party and was hiring a pastry chef temporarily. Such a rationale was sufficient. Through his investigation, ''Watchdog Pastry House'' offered such services, having gone to the homes of high-society individuals more than once before, and using this excuse was just perfect. However, why was that homeless man still here? It seemed he had been cleaning the shop since the morning. Working in exchange for food? It''s a pity. Originally, you didn''t have to die. But who told you to be so unlucky? ''Box'' felt regret, yet he didn''t even nce at Jason. Maintaining the demeanor of a butler from high society, he said to the female pastry chef, precisely and methodically: "Our family needs to host a party." "You, as a pastry chef, are quite famous." "Moreover, you''ve been rmended by more than one family to us." "Thus, my master hopes that you cane and take charge of the pastry part of the party." Having said this, the assassin respectfully bowed. "Is that so?" The female pastry chef looked troubled, but she declined: "I am sorry." "Some idents have happened here recently." "I simply cannot take on another party''s pastry orders." "I truly apologize." After repeating her apologies several times, the female pastry chef gave a slight bow. And, to make up for the apology she felt in her heart, she began to turn around to pack up some clean pastries. Everything is just as I had anticipated! ''Box''ughed inwardly. After observing her for several days, he had discovered a very good habit of the female pastry chef: when she couldn''t help and needed to express her apologies, she would give some pastries to the other person. This time was naturally no exception. Watching the female pastry chef approaching, the assassin made his final preparations. Three steps. Two steps. One step. "Consider these pastries as a¡­" The female pastry chef began to speak, maintaining her smile when ''Box'', with a flick of his right sleeve, a dagger suddenly appeared in his hand. Grasping the dagger with his right hand, ''Box'' thrust it straight at the female pastry chef''s neck. In the assassin''s mind, he nned to kill the female pastry chef with one blow, then pull out the dagger and throw it at the vagrant. The female pastry chef was petrified by the sudden turn of events. The paper bag filled with pastries just dropped from her hands. However, arge hand caught the paper bag before it hit the ground, just as it caught the hand holding the dagger mid-thrust. And then? Jason, holding the paper bag full of pastries in one hand, swung the assassin in front of him with the other and mmed him hard onto the solid floor. Bang! The assassin crashed to the ground, eyes rolling back as he passed out. After stomping on the assassin''s neck once more, Jason then said to the shocked female pastry chef, "Call the police." "Oh, okay, sure." The female pastry chef nodded nkly, staggering towards the outside of the shop. Staring death in the face, narrowly escaping the Reaper''s grasp. Such a feeling ispletely different from being a mere spectator. When the dagger was thrust at her, she thought she was a goner. Thankfully, thankfully... Subconsciously, the female pastry chef nced back. She saw Jason carefully cing the paper bag filled with pastries on the counter he had just cleared. This gentle act, for some reason, became incredibly attractive to the female pastry chef. Earlier hesitation, not knowing whether to speak up, now suddenly turned into firm resolve. After cing the pastries on the counter and thoroughly inspecting them, Jason noticed two of the puffs were ruined. Silently, he turned around and stomped once more on the neck of the assassin. Then, he pulled over a chair from inside the shop, sat next to the fallen assassin, and watched him. Jason began to sort through all the events that had happened from Heart Park until now that were directly rted to the female pastry chef¡ª 1. The hooligans she encountered in the morning came for the pastries with malice in their hearts. 2. The previous intruders did not truly harm Giselle; they seemed to be searching for something or preparing to interrogate her. 3. The guy before him came to kill Giselle. 1 and 3 exhibited a contrasting rtionship. Both had the same essence, butpletely different methods. 1 was childish, mere mischief, while 3 was clean and decisive. As for 2? Jason started surveying the entire shop. "Is there anything worth finding here?" Without a doubt, there was nothing on the ground floor of the shop. Go up to the second floor? Without the female pastry chef''s permission, Jason would not go up. The female pastry chef was not an enemy. She had not caused him any trouble. She had even made delicious pastries. In front of such a person, Jason was willing to adhere to his principles. Besides, he believed that Edward, who had taken the ''intruder'' away, would likely know more. And Edward? He would probably be back soon. Indeed, Edward returned even faster than Jason had expected. Still driving solo, Edward stepped out of the car as soon as it came to a halt and headed straight for the ''Watchdog Pastry House''. Entering the shop, he saw Jason sitting there. He nced at the fallen assassin and involuntarily furrowed his brow. Only after confirming that the assassin was merely unconscious did Edward''s brow rx. Yet, his gaze towards Jason was somewhat strange. "Are you ''Cmity''?" He couldn''t help but ask. Hearing this, Jason answered seriously, "Cmity?" "How could that be?" "I''m just Jason." Chapter 222: 9: A Familiar Feeling... (3 more updates~ please subscribe~ please vote for the month~) Edward looked at Jason with a serious face, and a burst of words mysteriously swelled in his chest, eager to break out. This individual first let out a light chuckle. "Yes, it''s just Jason." "But the Jason I know wouldn''t meet me three times in a day." "Moreover, all at a crime scene!" As he said this, his voice rose by several decibels. Then, the person who had been wearing sses and a scarf and appeared genteel, erupted like a volcano¡ª "Three times!" "Three consecutive times!" "I haven''t even seen the door of the police station before I''m back here again!" "Do you know how the old Eastern saying would describe this?" "Why is it you again?!" Huffing, puffing. After speaking loudly in session, Edward began to gasp for air. The female pastry chef, seeing Edward in this state, couldn''t help but want to defuse the situation. "Maybe this is just...fate? Wonderfully indescribable?" The female pastry chef said softly. Immediately, Edward''s breathing grew even heavier. He even started to see ck spots before his eyes. Looking at Edward''s condition, even the slow-reacting pastry chef realized she had said the wrong thing. To show her apology, she quickly brought over two sses of mint water. One ss was ced in front of Edward. The other was handed to Jason. "Crap fate." Edward picked up the mint water, drained it in one gulp, and muttered under his breath. After that, he seemed to be pondering something and fell into silence. Jason held his ss and quietly watched the other party. Without any urge to rush. Jason was always very patient. It took over ten seconds before Edward spoke again. "Sorry, I lost myposure," he said. Jason raised his cup slightly to signal it was okay. It was really okay. Jason didn''t mind the other''spse. In Jason''s view, Edward''s outburst was partly genuine emotion and partly an attempt to close the gap between them. The ongoing deaths of subordinates had suddenly increased the pressure on this person in charge; naturally, he needed to vent. And close the gap? Without a doubt, his situation was very bad. Worse than Jason had imagined. Was it because of a parachute appointment? Or due to a working style greatly different from cops like Sandwick? Or perhaps both? Jason didn''t know. Jason only knew that the other was sending signals wanting to reconcile. The other needed an ally! And currently, who could be a more suitable ally than him? None! For his part, Jason was not opposed. Being new himself, he also needed an ally. Of course, an ally limited to Edward only. The kind that''s mutually beneficial. Anything more? Nothing. After all, the other person was not like Bondi. The other might have a sense of justice, but definitely couldn''t reach the same level as Bondi. Not to mention Bondi''s selflessness. So, it was just one coboration. Thus, Jason didn''t refuse Edward''s invitation¡ª "I think we need to talk," Edward said. "Find a quiet ce." "Alright, where?" Jason answered, but his gaze drifted to the female pastry chef. In the current situation, Jason wouldn''t leave the pastry chef alone. Edward immediately caught on. "Miss Giselle is, of course, wee to join," he said. "I know a nice restaurant." "It happens to be lunchtime." "We could go together," Edward said. Jason had already stood up and was walking towards the door. "What are we waiting for?" he urged. "Hurry up." Hunters, when ites to food, are always brimming with enthusiasm. Just like how women tend to dawdle a bit before heading out. Even though the female pastry chef said it would only take three minutes, by the time she got into Edward''s car, five minutes had passed. She had changed out of her distinctive in-store outfit. The female pastry chef was once again wearing the cored suit she had on when she first met Jason, the one withpels. The only difference was that it was white in color. The scarf around her neck was pink. Her shoes were simr. The bag she carried had changed to a small, single-shoulder sling bag, about the size of a regr person''s palm. The female pastry chef sat next to Jason, and upon seeing him scrutinizing her, she felt somewhat bashful. Nevertheless, eager to present her best side, she still maintained her poise, sitting up straight from the waist up. "All show and no substance." Jason suddenly remarked. "Huh?" The female pastry chef was taken aback, clearly not grasping the meaning behind Jason''s words. "It''s too small, can''t even fit half a roast chicken." Jason pointed at the bag. Can''t even fit half a roast chicken? The pastry chef blinked, failing to understand Jason''s logic. Shouldn''t a bag match the outfit? What does it have to do with roast chicken? How could a girl''s bag be possibly used for carrying things? Nevertheless, the female pastry chef still patiently waited for Jason''s further appraisal. But Jason had already turned his attention to Edward who was driving. Instantly, the female pastry chef felt extremely disappointed. Did he only notice the bag? Didn''t he see me? She thought to herself, growing even more disheartened. Jason, however, didn''t notice any of this, his mind was already fixed on lunch. "Is it far?" he asked. "Not far, about three blocks." "It''s at the far end of Sausage Street," Edward responded. "The far end of Sausage Street?" "Is it that ''Aimeida Restaurant''?" the previously disheartened female pastry chef suddenly spoke up. "Yes." "You''ve heard of it?" Edward looked at the female pastry chef in surprise; he thought he was the only one who knew about that ce, especially since it had only been open for a month. "Of course I''ve heard of it." "Rumor has it that it''s a restaurant that brings ''happiness''!" "I made ns with Evelyn to go there at the end of the month." She mentioned her sister, and her mood dropped once again. "Brings ''happiness''?" Edward frowned. He had never heard such a rumor before. Jason also frowned. Something about the scene before him felt vaguely familiar. "It doesn''t have dishes named ''Looking Up at the Starry Sky'' or anything like that, does it?" Jason asked, unable to help himself. "No." "Their signature dishes are ''The Feeling of Heartache'' and ''Lover''s Tears''." "But those two dishes can only be reserved if a man and woman dine together." "I, being alone, just had some ordinary bones," Edward replied. "Man and woman together, that''s the only way to reserve?" "''The Feeling of Heartache,'' ''Lover''s Tears''?" "Is that where the ''happiness''es from?" Jason couldn''t help but let his imagination run wild at the names of the dishes. He had already begun to fantasize about the taste of the food. So when the car stopped, Jason immediately got out. The female pastry chef naturally followed behind him. A man dressed like a vagabond and another in proper attire naturally drew people''s gazes, but the nearby onlookers just watched, not speaking out oring forward to provoke them. Anyone who could step out of a car, even looking like a vagabond, was not ordinary. In a time when most people could only afford a bicycle, a car was enough to signify status. And the people around were no fools. Being looked at made the female pastry chef somewhat shy. Jason, however, didn''t care in the least, sniffing the air. Then... He frowned almost involuntarily. Chapter 223: 10 The True Feeling of Heartache Perception beyond ordinary humans allowed Jason not to need to enter the kitchen of the restaurant to clearly smell the aroma of various foods. The scent of pan-fried steak. The scent of roastedmb. The scent of braised pork bones. The mixed scent of greens and fruits. And the scent intermingled with various seasonings. Each scent was rich and fragrant, making it obvious that the Amada restaurant only selected top-quality ingredients. Only... Among these ingredients was mixed a bizarre scent. To say it was fragrant wasn''t wrong, as there was fragrance to it. But it was more a sense of decay. It was like seeing a piece of carefully cooked rotten meat. Moreover, Jason felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. "What could it be?" Jason continued to frown in recollection. "What''s wrong?" Edward, who had parked the car, asked. "Nothing." "Let''s eat." Jason shook his head and pointed at the people queuing at the door. There was still about half an hour until the real mealtime, but a long queue had already formed in front of the Amada restaurant. When Jason and the two others walked to the back of the queue, a waiter handed Jason a number card with ''33'' on it, which Jason then passed to Edward. He, a vagabond, had no money. Edward, who had suggested the outing, naturally did not refuse. And he even approached the waiter. Momentster, Edward came back with a smile. "We''re in luck." "There was a couple who had reserved but had to cancelst minute, so you and Giselle can take their ces." "And me?" "You get the benefit too." Edward said, signaling for Jason, the pastry chef, and himself to follow. Customers with reservations don''t need to queue. And so Jason and his twopanions took the ce of the reserved customers without queuing. To this, the people in the queue had no objections. Because this meant that Jason and hispany fully epted the previous customers'' orders, which was certainly a substantial expense¡ªAmada restaurant had a considerable minimum spending requirement for reservations. Compared to spending high prices for food they didn''t like, these customers would rather wait a little longer to eat something they liked, something that was high-quality and cost-effective. Following the waiter, Jason and the others passed through a long corridor. This corridor wasn''t fully enclosed. One side was a wall, and the other was the main hall, with a waist-high railing on the side facing the hall. Below the railing was a water canal about fifty centimeters wide, which converged like rivers into a central pool in the middle of the main hall. The pool was about a meter deep and had a radius of more than five meters. In the center of the pool, there was an artificial hill from which water flowed like a waterfall down the hillside. The pool churned with white waves, fish swam around, and some lively fish even leaped into the water canal, ying freely. Small bridges connected the canals. By crossing these bridges, one could reach each dining table. Inside the grand hall, there were only ten tables in total. "These tables are arranged in contrast to the artificial hills and bridges." "Each table''s guests, unless standing up, simply cannot see the guests at other tables." "The privacy is quite good." Edward, on his second visit, exined to Jason and the pastry chef. The pastry chef looked at the decorations in the hall and thought of her own pastry shop, unable to hide the envy in her eyes. Jason, on the other hand, was secretly vignt. Because the borateyout in front of him always reminded him of the ''Starry Sky'' restaurant, and that meal filled with malice called ''Looking Up at the Starry Sky''. "No!" "No, no!" "I must be overthinking it!" "The arrangement in front of me is enough to show the restaurateur''s thoughtfulness; the food must be good!" The expectation Jason held towards food always made him unconsciouslyfort himself. In simple terms, not to give up until the very end. Or maybe¡­ Even at the veryst moment, one still wants to struggle a little. Most people are like that. Some with feelings between men and women. Some with their bewildering careers. Jason, it was about food. People have their own preferences, right? "This is your private room." The waiter stood at a corner, bowed to Jason and hispanions, and then opened the door to the private room. Inside it was spacious, yet the furnishing was minimal. One side had the dining table and the other a sofa set with a coffee table. Against the other side of the dining table stood a television¡ªsquare-shaped and quite old-looking, with built-in antenna. Jason stood at the door, took a quick nce at the decor inside, and then stepped in. And as he entered the private room, Jason saw the room number that had been obscured by the waiter''s head. 1024. What a bizarre number. Jason thought, as he took his seat on the sofa, quietly waiting under the waiter''s direction. Edward sat opposite him, while the female pastry chef conscientiously took a seat next to Jason. "Please wait a moment." "The meal will be ready shortly." After brewing the tea, the waiter poured it for the three of them, speaking as he did so. Then he stood up, bowed, and left the private room. When the door to the private room closed, the sound of flowing water outside abruptly ceased. "The soundproofing is quite good." Edward remarked, looking towards the female pastry chef. The pastry chef was taken aback for a moment before she realized what was happening. "I''ll go watch the television." Having said that, she stood up and made her way to the television. After the power was turned on, the screen was filled with static at first, but as the pastry chef fiddled with the antenna, an image gradually appeared, fuzzy as if viewed through a frosted ss. "Pretty good, isn''t it?" Edward pointed to the television. "Hmm." Jason nodded. Even though he found the old television quite outdated, it was nevertheless very familiar to him, having not seen such appliances for many years. "Thank you for everything you''ve done for us." Edward, sitting there, suddenly stood up straight and bowed deeply. Without waiting for Jason to speak, he sat down again, the solemnity leaving his face, reced by his usual polite smile. "But if youmit a crime, I''ll arrest you just the same." "Just like those bastards." "You are heroes, but that does not mean you can act recklessly because of it." He added. During his speech, his eyes were fixed intently on Jason. When he noticed that Jason remained calm, his tone softened somewhat. "You''re not like them." "You''re more powerful." "But you aren''t bloodthirsty, and that is why... I am sitting here with you." In his slightly softened tone was a heavy undertone of reluctance. Jason could hear it, but he didn''t speak, having already guessed as much; he simply picked up the tea in front of him, took a small sip, and waited patiently for what was toe. "I don''t want to do this." "But I have no choice." "I don''t fit in with the existing system of Newdeth City, and on top of being constantly constrained, some people harbor ill intentions toward me." "Now, my situation is even more perilous." "The death of several of my subordinates is enough to serve as a weapon for them to attack me with." "Therefore..." "I don''t have much time." "I must form a counterattack before theyplete their assault!" "And there''s an opportunity right in front of me!" Edward spoke frankly. "What opportunity?" Jason asked. Just as Edward was about to reply, the door to the private room knocked. "Come in." Edward said. The door opened, and the waiter who had left returned with several others, carrying dishes covered by elegant silver cloches. Seeing the silver cloches that instilled in him a sense of familiarity, Jason''s eyes involuntarily twitched. His foreboding feeling grew stronger and stronger. And then, when the silver covers were lifted, Jason saw a ss of water and a bill. The water, clear and still, at room temperature. The bill, clearly marked, 66 dors. Edward saw it too, especially when he noticed the bill. He couldn''t help but cover his chest with his hand. 66 dors for a ss of tap water?! He genuinely felt a pang in his heart. "Is this ss of water the ''painful feeling''?" Edward couldn''t help but ask. "Of course not." The waiter replied. Edward let out a slight sigh of relief. But the next moment, he saw the waiter put the bill right in front of him. "Only the bill is." Chapter 224: 11 Retribution? Edward looked at the bill in front of him and felt as if his IQ was being scrubbed against the floor. ''The feeling of heartache'' is just a bill? What happened to the signature dish? Is this even edible? You try eating it! FXXK! Panting, panting. Edward, struggling to contain the words bursting from his chest, red as the waiter, smiling slightly, ced the ss of water in front of the female pastry chef. "Madam, your ''Lover''s Tears.''" The pastry chef looked dumbfounded at the smiling messenger, foolishly took a sip. Then, she eximed¡ª "So spicy!" "It has mustard in it!" As she spoke, the pastry chef couldn''t help but start to cry. The waiter''s smile remained unchanged. He took a few steps back and stood by the door. "I wish the three of you a pleasant meal." Having said that, he retreated and the private room''s door was tightly closed. Unable to hold back any longer, Edward roared. "This ce is a scam!" "Negative review!" "I want toin!" His voice echoed in the room. But the good sound instion stopped any shouting from going out. Here, you can''t hear the sound of the water outside, and likewise, the outside can''t hear the yelling from here. After about three minutes of swearing, Edward finally stopped and started to gasp for air. The pastry chef looked at Jason, who was expressionless, then at Edward, who was gasping for breath, and decided she should lighten the mood. "Hmm... nice setup, you can tell the owner here has a lot of experience," the pastry chef said softly. Creak. The spoon in Jason''s hand was bent. Edward, eyes red, stood up and headed for the door. He wanted an exnation. He yanked the door open, only to find the waiter standing there. "I''vee to serve your meal apaniments." After speaking, he stepped aside to reveal three waiters behind him carrying tes. This time, without the silver covers hiding them, Edward could clearly see three steaks, soup, and bread. Edward frowned and stepped aside. Three steaks'' prices were a far cry from 66, but were they better than a ss of water? So, this was the main course? Was everything before just a joke? Edward thought, starting to console himself. Back at the table, Edward looked at Jason with an embarrassed but polite smile. "A surprise, right?" Jason didn''t answer; he just frowned at the food in front of him. The scent of decay mixed with spices became even stronger. It was emanating from the food before them. The pastry chef suddenly remembered something. "Doesn''t the Aimeda Restaurant charge a 20% service fee for the private room?" she asked the waiter. "Yes." The waiter nodded with a smile. His smile sweet, his manners impable. The smile Edward had been struggling to keep disappeared once again. 66+66x0.2=79.2! For a normal steak priced around 4-5 each, this was extremely expensive. Edward, who had just felt a bitforted, now thought that the owner of Aimeda Restaurant was aplete swindler and such a person should be executed by firing squad. Grief turned to appetite. Edward was about to pick up his fork and reach for the steak, when Jason suddenly spoke. "Wait." Edward looked at Jason, who had picked up the te, sniffed it carefully, and was puzzled. "What''s wrong?" Edward asked. "I can smell X poppy and XX shells, along with some things I can''t identify." "If you don''t want anything unusual happening to your body, I suggest you don''t eat it." Jason finally remembered these familiar scents. Under the old man, there were a few fellows who were quite keen on these things. Jason graciously declined. Every time, he would avoid it in advance. But that lingering taste still made it unbearable for him. "What?" Edward stood up. Once he confirmed Jason was not joking, his expression suddenly turned serious. He promptly showed his police badge to the waiter. "I want to see your chef and your boss."; Looking at Edward''s police badge, the waiter''s smile could no longer be maintained. "The chef is in the chef''s rest room." "The boss left in the morning and hasn''t returned yet." "I''ll go call the chef for you." With that, the waiter walked out. Edward immediately followed the waiter astutely, and meanwhile, signaled Jason to make an emergency call. Why didn''t he signal the female pastry chef? It was probably instinctual to think Jason was more reliable. As Edward went with the waiter toward the chef''s rest room, Jason turned to the female pastry chef. "Call the police." There was a telephone inside the Almeida restaurant. The female pastry chef ran over and dialed directly¡ª "Hello, I am..." "You again?" The operator instantly recognized the voice of the female pastry chef. "Another incident at number 15 Pea Corner Road?" The operator asked. "No, not Pea Corner Road." "It''s Almeida restaurant on Sausage Street." "Mr. Edward asked me to call." The female pastry chef said. "Chief Edward?" "Alright." "I see." The female operator''s voice immediately became more solemn. After hanging up the phone, the female pastry chef stood there feeling somewhat disappointed. She''d thought that there really was food that could bring a sense of happiness to people. Turns out... It was all due to that "Forbidden Medicine." Thinking of the food tainted by Forbidden Medicine, the female pastry chef suddenly felt angry again. "Those who waste food will surely face retribution¡­" "Aaaaah!" Before she could fully form her thought, a scream suddenly erupted. This scream was not muffled by any room, nor was it restrained in any way, overpowering the melodious music in the restaurant. The diners all put down their utensils and instinctively looked toward the source of the scream. The female pastry chef did the same. Blood red! Inside the main kitchen, beside the hall, was blood all over. A man dressed in a chef''s uniformy in a pool of blood. The female pastry chef saw it. So did everyone else. And without the ''training'' the female pastry chef went through in the morning, these people simply couldn''t manage to cover their mouths to keep themselves from screaming. Therefore¡ª "Aaaaah!" "Aaaaah!" Screams arose one after another. Some customers even stood up, ready to leave. "Nobody move!" "I''m a police officer!" "Everyone, please sit back down." Edward, holding up his gun and badge, yelled. The hall quietened down, and the frightened guests sat back in their seats. Jason had appeared in the main kitchen room at the first scream. The body was face down on the floor, neatly dressed, with a fatal wound at the back of the skull. The room was in disarray, but no definitive murder weapon was apparent. The body was still warm to the touch, with no signs of livor mortis or rigor mortis. The room''s window was closed, and the door had also been closed upon entry. Instinctively, Jason searched for information. And at this moment, a voice filled with confusion suddenly came¡ª "What happened?" Chapter 225: 12 A Reasonable Explanation for Giselle (Third Update~ Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) The voiceing from behind attracted the attention of the people around. The speaker was a middle-aged man, his hair neatlybed, without a beard, clean in a suit, dress shirt, and leather shoes, slightly overweight, and with a puzzled expression on his face. Upon seeing the man, the waiter immediately spoke up: "Boss." "Chef Feng he..." "Feng!" The middle-aged man did not wait for the waiter to finish before he saw the head chef lying in a pool of blood and cried out in grief; he instinctively rushed towards the body. However, he was stopped by Edward. "Wait." Edward stopped the man in his tracks. "Who are you?" The owner of ¨¦meraude Restaurant was taken aback. Edward shed his police badge again. After seeing the police badge clearly, the owner of ¨¦meraude Restaurant was startled once more. Then, the owner exined to Edward, who was staring at him: "Sorry." "I didn''t expect you to arrive so quickly." After speaking, he stood to the side, very properly, without further disturbing the scene. "Hmm." "It just so happens that I came here to eat." "Your restaurant''s signature dishes are truly a surprise." Edward said ndly. Edward had no fondness for swindlers. "That''s just some strategy." "And..." The owner started to exin again, but Edward wasn''t listening. He looked at the guests and waiters in the hall and directly said, "Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, a murder has urred here. The head chef ''Feng'' has been killed in his own rest room. Based on the condition of the body, the incident happened not long ago, so everyone present is a suspect. Shortly, my colleagues will record statements from each of you and check if there is any blood on your person." Such words naturally made the guests and waiters exchange nces. Quiet murmurs arose involuntarily. "Ladies and gentlemen, please stop talking." "Otherwise, it will only increase your suspicions." Edward''s voice rose again. The murmuring stopped. Then Edward turned to look at Jason, who hade up beside him, and said in an almost subconscious whisper: "The killer is among these people!" "He probably used the cover of the rockery and the gap when the waiters were serving dishes to slip in and kill the head chef ''Feng''." "Then he returned to the crowd." "When striking chef ''Feng'' in the back of the head, the culprit likely took off his coat and then used it to cover up any bloodstains, so if we find someone with blood on them, we can identify the killer." After speaking, an apologetic expression appeared on Edward''s face. "I''m very sorry." "I was actually nning to dine at another restaurant." "But now we need to screen the suspects..." Edward''s apology was sincere. Because he knew lunch was ruined. In fact, forget about lunch. With so many people in the hall and considering the guests in the private rooms, if they could finish screening by evening, that would be good. "There''s no need." "Just go to the next restaurant." Jason said, walking up to the restaurant owner, raising his hand and pointing at him: "The killer is you!" Jason''s voice was not loud, yet not low either. Everyone nearby in the hall could hear. The people looked at Jason in astonishment, then at the restaurant owner. The restaurant owner''s face turned pale in an instant. "Sir, there''s a limit to joking, isn''t there?" "''Feng'' and I are not only old friends but also important partners. How could I possibly kill him?" "Moreover!" "The officer just said that the killer''s coat has fresh blood under it." "Do you see any on me?" As he spoke, the restaurant owner took off his coat. A very clean white dress shirt. Seeing this, the people around immediately chimed in: "That''s right, it''s a white dress shirt!" "No bloodstains!" "Have you made a mistake?" Hearing the remarks of the people around him, the restaurant owner immediately pressed on, "Please give me a reasonable exnation, otherwise, I will sue you for nder!" Jason didn''t pay any attention to the other party''s words, but instead looked toward Edward. "Go check room 2048." "You will find something there." Jason said. As soon as Jason mentioned the room number, the restaurant owner, who had just been a bit smug, suddenly turned pale. "How... how do you know?" "Did you see it?" "Impossible!" "No one saw it!" The restaurant owner questioned Jason. The people around looked on with horror, distancing themselves from the restaurant owner. The strange noise startled the restaurant owner into awareness. Looking at the people surrounding him, the restaurant owner gave a miserable smile. "I didn''t want to... who..." It seemed that he wanted to plead his hardships, but in the next moment, the restaurant owner''s miserable smile turned into a sinister grin. He charged directly at Jason. "It''s all because of you!" "You ruined my perfect n!" "I''m going to kill you!" The angry roar quickly turned into a scream of agony. The charging restaurant owner was sent flying back even faster. Bang! He crashed heavily against a door. Crack. The door copsed. A set of blood-stained clothes justy there in the room. This was none other than room 2048. The restaurant ownery beside the bloody clothes,pletely unconscious. Jason withdrew his raised foot, urging Edward on. "Change of ns, let''s eat somewhere else." Edward was somewhat stunned. "How did you know he was the murderer?" Edward asked Jason. But Jason did not respond. Instead, it was the female pastry chef who spoke: "It''s because he didn''t recognize you, Officer Edward!" "Just now, when the body was discovered and chaos ensued, you had already revealed your identity. Everybody here should know it, unless they were inside the room." "But earlier, the waitress said that the boss hadn''t returned from going out, and even if he hade back he would have had to pass through the main hall. Based on the timing of his appearance, he should have already entered the restaurant and would have been near the hallway; therefore, he could not have failed to hear your introduction of identity." "As for why Jason could zero in on room 2048..." "It must be because that room is the closest to here!" The female pastry chef rested her left hand''s back against her right elbow, with her thumb resting on her chin and the second joint of her index finger touching the tip of her nose while the remaining three fingers were slightly curled into a fist, analyzing seriously with a thoughtful expression. Afterpleting her analysis, the female pastry chef smiled at Jason. "Am I right?" "Mmm." Jason nodded. But deep down he thought¡ª "So that''s how it is." He, who had just been eager to go to another restaurant for a meal, had not thought of any of this. The only reason he knew the other person was the murderer... Was because of¡­ [Death Perception]! This professional skill, derived from the [Tomb Guardian], allowed him to see the death qi contaminating the man from the corpse in the room - ''Maple''. Of course, he would not exin. He found the female pastry chef''s reasoning quite sensible. p, p p. Suddenly apuse broke out in the hall. It started with one person pping, followed by everyone pping. People showed Jason approving, astonished smiles. However, Jason was suddenly taken aback. Chapter 226: 13: Encounter (Please subscribe~ Vote for monthly tickets~) As the apuse began, the text appeared before Jason''s eyes¡ª [City Recognition +1%] ... It was an abrupt notification, but it led Jason to many associations. "Is it because of the just concluded case that I won the approval of these people present?" "Or is it because what I just did maintained the image of the city?" "Or is it..." "Both?" As Jason pondered, Edward''s subordinates finally arrived. With these police officers joining, everything became even more orderly. Taking statements, surveying the scene, and so on were still necessary despite having solved the case. However, the speed was now countless times faster. It''s just like when you go to solve a problem and already have the answer; as soon as the answer appears, the train of thought mostly reveals itself. If it doesn''t appear... then you ask your ssmates nearby. You can climb higher only by not being ashamed to ask and learn from others. That''s what the female pastry chef did. "Jason, when did you notice something was off?" In a corner, the female pastry chef asked. "When I was hungry." Jason answered. But this answer made the female pastry chef stunned. When you''re hungry? Hungry inside a restaurant... Right! Naturally, you look around for food. Then, inadvertently, youmit theyout of the entire restaurant to memory, and when something unusual happens, everything you''ve memorizedes to mind and corresponded with each other. "So that''s how it is." A look of realization dawned on the female pastry chef''s face. Jason nced at her, assuring himself that she wouldn''t suddenly meow at him, before retorting: "Did you understand?" "Mm, I got it." "It''s simple." Clutching her small handbag, the female pastry chef smiled and spoke. At this time, Edward, who had been listening to their conversation, was somewhat perplexed. She understood just like that? Why don''t I get it? What does hunger have to do with anomalies? When hungry, shouldn''t one just eat? Thinking about eating, Edward immediately came over. "Things here are almost wrapped up." "Let''s switch to a different restaurant." "Don''t worry, they don''t have any special signature dishes." Edward emphasized. ''The heartache''... once was enough. As Jason left Aimeida Restaurant, the patrons there said goodbye to him very kindly, and one or two even handed him their business cards. Considering the main quest, Jason chose to ept them. However, he didn''t have a suitable ce on him to store these business cards. "Let me hold onto them for now." The female pastry chef suggested, gesturing with her small handbag. "Thank you." After thanking her, Jason handed over the business cards. The female pastry chef happily epted the business cards and ced them into her handbag. See, it does have its uses! She lifted her little bag slightly higher and shook it at Jason. But at this moment, Jason''s attention was already on the next restaurant,pletely oblivious to her gesture. "The restaurant isn''t far; it''s also on Sausage Street." "We can just walk there." "Theirmb chopsst time left a deep impression on me." Edward said. "Lamb chops, eh? Sounds good." Jason smiled and said. The female pastry chef, seeing Jason utterly unaware of her, couldn''t help but lift her bag a little higher. But Jason still didn''t react. Suddenly, a hint of disappointment surfaced in the female pastry chef''s heart. She looked at her handbag, which she had loved just a moment before, and couldn''t help but give it a pat. Maybe it''s too small after all? The restaurant Edward spoke about was in the first half of Sausage Street; departing from Aimeida Restaurant, a twenty-minute walk would lead them to a storefront on the street. There was nothing excessive or fancy about the decoration; a mailbox stood in front of the door, and there was a chalkboard sign inside the white picket fence. In white fancy script, it read: ''Miss and Mr''s Restaurant'' Beneath that, in in blue font, it listed:mb chops, Dada Li red wine, fruit and vegetable sd, coffee (served at lunch). Edward stood in front of the sign, nced at it, and smiled. They were dishes he''d eaten before. All quite good. Especially themb chops with red wine, there was an indescribable feeling to it. This time! There would be absolutely no problems! Edward turned to Jason and signaled to him. Jason stepped forward and pushed open the door of the restaurant. Dingling! Amid the jingle of the doorbell, Jason and hispanions walked into the restaurant. Unlike the borateyout of the Ameida Restaurant, this ce was just ordinary, with two rows of tables, and two private rooms at the corner. When Edward asked if they could use a private room, the waiter appeared embarrassed. "I''m sorry, sir." "The private rooms are all upied." Edward''s brow furrowed slightly. He and Jason needed a rtively safe environment to discuss their matters. Should they switch to a different restaurant? Edward looked at Jason. Jason walked towards a quiet corner of the restaurant. He was already famished. He did not wish to trudge around any longer. "Threemb chops, Dada Li red wine, fruit and vegetable sd." After speaking, Edward also headed to the corner. The pastry chef slowed down her pace. "Excuse me, where is the restroom?" The pastry chef asked. "Over there." The waiter pointed with a smile. After nodding, the pastry chef headed for the restroom. Although her sister and others always said she wasn''t smart enough, she knew Jason and Edward had important matters to discuss, and it wouldn''t be good to intrude at this time. In the corner, Jason and Edward sat facing each other. "You''re very sharp." "Truly worthy of being..." "A war veteran." Edward spoke as soon as he sat down, but there was a slight pause as the words came out. He watched Jason''s expression, and upon seeing no sign of anything unusual on his face, he breathed a sigh of relief. Jason''s earlier actions made Edward more convinced of the need for such an ally. He certainly didn''t want to lose this ally over an unintended slip of the tongue. Of course, he was also increasingly curious about what kind of trauma a person like Jason had encountered to keep visiting a psychological doctor. But Edward would not ask. He continued speaking. "Some guys simr to you, but essentially different, have returned to Newdeth City." "They''re recklessly taking revenge on those they think deserve it." "Many of these guys truly deserve to die." "But some others... their crimes are not so severe." "My task is to find these guys." As Edward said this, his tone became more solemn. "I need help." He said this. "Mutual benefit." Well-prepared, Jason answered decisively. "Of course." "What do you need?" Edward smiled. "I need..." Jason was about to voice his response when, suddenly, his gaze leapt over Edward and towards the direction of the entrance. There, a man who had just entered the restaurant was walking towards them. The man was tall with prominent cheekbones, a rugged face, and his hairbed meticulously. The blue suit and the red silk handkerchief in his pocket left a striking impression. Edward turned his head to look at the approaching man. But the man ignored Edwardpletely and walked straight up to Jason, a look of pleasant surprise on his face. "Long time no see, Jason." "Remember me?" "Hannibal, your psychological doctor." Chapter 227: 14: Confirmed by Eye Contact... (Please Subscribe~ Ask for Monthly Pass~) Upon seeing Jason, Dr. Hannibal''s face brimmed with joy. Jason? He did not recognize the person in front of him at all. But, he inexplicably felt that the man in front of him was very dangerous. It was the kind of danger that one sensed but could not articte. A psychologist? Jason thought back to the ''psychologist'' mentioned in the main quest, and confusion surfaced on his face. Then, he shook his head. "Sorry, I don''t quite remember." "My memory has been quite poortely." "I keep forgetting things." Jason answered in this way. And he did not pay attention to the psychologist''s outstretched hand before him. What was wrong with being a person suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, experiencing memory decline? And what was wrong with being overly vignt? Weren''t these things normal? Dr. Hannibal withdrew his hand without any embarrassment, his face expressing regret. "Is that so?" "You should have been under my continued care." "The little teacup you liked to use, I''ve kept it all this while." "I''ve even grown some mushrooms recently." The doctor''s face was tinged with sorrow, and his tone became much more subdued. However, the next moment, the doctor revealed a smile. "You should be getting better." "I heard about your recent deductive reasoning." "Quite impressive." In a voice full of praise, Edward furrowed his brow. "Just now?" Edward interjected. He did not believe a psychologist should have such an extensivework of information. At the same time, he became aware that the psychologist seemed to havee because of Jason. "Yes, just now." Dr. Hannibal nodded. He turned to look at Edward with a smile fading from his face, adopting a more official tone, and spoke slowly: "One of my patients was dining over there, and Jason left a profound impression on him." "So much so that he recalled the Jason I had mentioned." "Hence, he called me." "By chance, my clinic is nearby. And since I hadn''t eaten, I decided to have lunch here to see if I could bump into Jason, who also might not have had his lunch." Edward frowned. His instincts as a soldier and a policeman told him that the person before him was probably lying. But indeed, the other party''s clinic was near Sausage Street. And the appearance of the doctor''s patient at Aimeida Restaurant was entirely usible. Considering his fees, only someone who could afford to dine at Aimeida Restaurant would be able to afford his clinic. "I initially wanted to invite you to lunch together." "However, I don''t really like dining with strangers." "Maybe next time, at my clinic, I have some treasured ingredients." Dr. Hannibal did not hide his dislike for Edward and turned to speak to Jason. After finishing, the doctor walked around to Jason''s side and then headed towards another part of the restaurant, a spot further from Edward but closer to Jason. When he sat down, as if remembering something, he said: "Jason, I rmend themb ribs here." "The meat is really tender, it''smb." The doctor advised Jason. "Okay." Jason responded. He did not dislike talking about food, nor did he dislike the food rmended by others. Involuntarily, a look of anticipation appeared in Jason''s eyes. Dr. Hannibal noticed such anticipation. The corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily. Anticipation also appeared in his eyes. Such anticipation prompted subtle changes in his demeanor. It was as if he were a leopard in the dense jungle under the dark night sky, inching closer to its prey step by step. A very faint change in aura. But Jason sensed it. With perception nearly four times that of a normal person, Jason instantly noticed the change of aura. His temperament, sharp as a de yet mingled with a predator''s instinct, inherently surfaced. If the previous aura was that of an agile leopard, now, what emerged was a fierce, massive tiger with skills. Whoosh. In the Miss and Mr Restaurant''s lobby, a breeze seemingly came from nowhere. It was not strong. It was like the wind that blew in through a door or window that had been left ajar. And it was gone in a sh. But it was this very instant that made everyone inside the lobby feel a chill through their bodies. Especially Edward, who subconsciously reached for his gun handle and looked around. The mixed scents left him uncertain. But the doctor could be certain. His eyes first showed surprise. Then... He became increasingly excited. So much so that he had to shake his red velvet to cover his face. He feared that he couldn''t help butugh out loud. Is there such a thing? It''s a miracle! Thinking this in his heart, he tried to control his shaking and couldn''t help but shiver. And swiftly, he regained hisposure. He greeted Jason''s scanning gaze with his earlier smile. Jason took another careful look at him. The man responded to Jason''s gaze. Both of them locked eyes. The doctor''s smile on his face became involuntarily radiant. Then, his peripheral vision swept over Edward. He felt Edward was bing more and more of an eyesore. However, that didn''t stop him from observing Jason even more closely. As if he intended to etch Jason''s features into his mind once again. But, time was short. A few minutester, the waiter with the dishes interrupted it all. "Good day, your meal." The waiter ced themb chop, sd, and a ss of Dadari red wine in front of Jason. Jason''s eyes were naturally drawn to themb chop, and he turned back immediately. Dr. Hannibal furrowed his brow; his gaze lingered on the waiter''s neck as he pressed down the dinner knife and eventually chose to cut the servedmb chop with it. The doctor ate with deliberate slowness, disying a hint of elegance. Even as he kept watching Jason''s back, he didn''t miss a beat. And Jason? As always, he was hearty and swift. Even with a knife and fork, he could produce afterimages. Amb chop of nearly a pound was gone in just a minute. And this was Jason restraining himself. Otherwise, it would have been a matter of seconds. Edward was startled by the speed at which Jason ate. But he didn''t think too much of it. After all, with Jason''s height and robust physique, it made sense for him to eat faster than the average person. It was only natural for him to eat more as well. Therefore, he immediately raised his hand. "Two more servings, please." Edward instructed the waiter. But after Jason devoured the next two servings ofmb chop with the same speed as before, Edward was somewhat surprised. Could it be that a life of wandering had left Jason even hungrier? Thinking this, Edward wasn''t stingy. "Another two servings," he said. At the same time, he reminded Jason, "When too hungry, you should first eat something liquid to fill your stomach, and don''t eat too much." Jason naturally did not ignore Edward, who was willing to feed him and pay the bill. "I''ll pay attention." "Being five parts full is a good choice for me." Jason replied. "That''s good then." Edward nodded with a smile, considering Jason''s earnest response and his identity. Of course, the smile onlysted until Jason ate the tenth serving ofmb chop. As Jason began to reach for the eleventh serving ofmb chop with ease, Edward stood up casually and headed to the phone at the bar. "Hello, Newdeth City Police Department hotline." A sweet voice came from the receiver. Edward lowered his voice and said each word distinctly¡ª "Hello, it''s me." "Don''t speak and don''t let anyone overhear what I''m about to say." "Send one of my subordinates to Miss and Mr Restaurant, and remember... bring enough money." Chapter 245: Chapter 32 Look Up! Click, click-click! The moment the police station doors swung open, shbulbs shed incessantly. Reporters tried to swarm forward. But, they were blocked by a line of ck-d bodyguards, forcing them to stand outside the human wall. However, this did not deter the reporters from asking their questions. "Councilor Davide, what is your view on those armed militants?" "Councilor Davide, what do you think about the sudden appearance of a secret base outside Newdeth City?" "Young Mr. Davide, did you suffer mistreatment when you were kidnapped?" ... One question after another, ordinary people under such a barrage would have been at a loss. But Davide''s expression remained unchanged, even wearing a benign smile. He raised his hand and made a pressing motion. Instantly, the reporters'' voices subsided. Standing on the steps of the police station, the councilor began to speak: "I have always been properly arranging for our veterans from the battlefield, whether it''s the job center or the veterans'' hospital, we''re continuously investing, to ensure that our heroes can better and more quickly adapt to this new city. I want them to feel neither lost nor downhearted because this is the care they deserve, just as they once charged into battle for us." "But¡­" "There are always some rotten apples!" At this point, the councilor clenched his fist and swung it fiercely. His voice began to fill with indignation. His voice began to rise unconsciously. "In any era, there will inevitably be some rotten apples!" "There were some in the past, there are some now, but I hope there will be none in the future!" "And this is what we should strive for now!" As he finished speaking, the councilor bowed deeply. Immediately, people in the crowd who had been prearranged began to p. p, p-p. The apuse grew from sparse to dense, quickly filling the air. Humans are inherently herd animals. Especially when the majority are doing something and you are among them, instinct will make you follow. Stand out against the crowd? Yes. But it requires formidable strength as a foundation. Amidst the apuse, the councilor stepped aside, and young Davide came forward. "Thank you all for your concerns, I''m fine." "Thank you to that unnamed hero." "Thank you for saving me." Young Davide was reciting the ''script'' given by his father, with a grateful expression on his face. Instantly, the surrounding shbulbs started shing again. Young Davide maintained that grateful look, even though he scorned those words in his heart. He didn''t believe them at all. Newdeth City was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. The strong had everything. The weak? They were mere food. However, he did not defy his father. He still needed his father''s strength. At least! To find that bastard! Thinking this, young Davide continued to speak. "I am¡­" "Look up!" Just as young Davide was about to continue, suddenly a shout rang out from the crowd. Young Davide''s speech was cut short, and he instinctively looked up. A figure had appeared on the tform above the entrance, and as everyone looked up, the figure leaped down, the wide de of a short-handled machete whistling through the air. Whooosh! Thud! Young Davide was struck by the de as it passed over his head. A straight red line ran down from his forehead, coursing through his body. Jason turned and swung his machete. Thud! At his side, Davide''s head flew off. Everything happened in the blink of an eye. The next moment¡ª "Aaaaah!" Screams pierced the air among the onlookers, one after another. Compared to the previous apuse, these screams were much more genuine. The journalists wore faces of horror. Yet, they still remembered to press their shutters. The bodyguards forming a human wall could no longer stand still; they pulled out guns from their coats and aimed straight at Jason. But someone was faster. Edward, cloaked and his face hidden, had a silver revolver in hand. His left thumb cocked the hammer as his right index finger repeatedly pulled the trigger. Bang, bang bang! Six shots in rapid session, and the first bodyguard to draw a gun was on the ground, clutching his hand and wailing in pain. Then, Edward flicked his right wrist, the cylinder of the revolver popped out, his left hand swiped at his waist, and six bullets soared through the air. With a snap of his right hand, the bullets neatly entered the cylinder. Hands worked in unison again. Left thumb on the hammer, right finger on the trigger. Bang bang bang! The bullets fired one by one. At a speed far surpassing that of an average person. The armed bodyguards fell to the ground one after another. Rapid fire?! Jason looked at Edward in surprise. He had recognized Edward as soon as he started shooting. Even through the haze of gunsmoke... the scent of a person remains unchanged. Simrly, Edward had recognized Jason. He could never forget that vagabond attire. The two exchanged nces, and beneath the masks, in the shadows, hidden smiles curled upon their lips. It was a sign of recognition. This was no ordinary alliance. They were friends. Amidst the chaotic crowd, the two shared a smile and turned simultaneously, entrusting their backs to each other, facing more ck-d bodyguards. Gunfire rang out incessantly. Knives shed fiercely. For a moment, cries of agony and mournful screams turned the area into a battlefield. Meanwhile, outside in the street, a car charged in like a mad bull. Without any sign of slowing down. On the contrary, the driver floored the gas pedal. The vehicle''s front end mmed hard into the ck-d bodyguards. After plowing through the crowd, the car executed a sleek fishtail turn, sending two ck-d bodyguards flying before its doors burst open. Jason and Edward could clearly see two individuals with their heads wrapped in quilted cotton inside. "What are you looking at?" "Get in the car!" The driver shouted loudly. The one in the passenger seat leaned out halfway with a ''typewriter'' equipped with a rounded drum magazine and began wildly firing at the ck-d bodyguards. Rat-a-tat-tat! The gunfire crackled. Hot shell casings fell to the ground. This time, the ck-d bodyguards were truly stunned. Especially when the car started again, and the grenade thrown from the driver''s seat caused them to frantically dodge left and right in terror. Whir! Amidst the roaring engine, the car sped away. All around were ck-d bodyguards lying on the ground. But, The grenade did not explode. The bodyguards looked at each other in confusion, then all turned to stare at the departing car. At that moment, the window on the driver''s side rolled down, a hand reached out, and a middle finger was raised high. This provoked the bodyguards to shoot at the car repeatedly. Startled, Griffin quickly retracted his hand. Then, without looking back, he asked¡ª "Two bosses." "What are we going to do next?" "Fugitives for life?" Bansey, who had just been madly pulling the trigger, suddenly paused. He had been too focused on rescuing his leader and hadn''t thought about what came next. Edward also furrowed his brows, beginning to ponder their next move. But Jason spoke calmly¡ª "What does Jason have to do with an attack on Councilor Davide by a Masked Man?" Chapter 229: 16 Smart in Different Ways... (Please Subscribe~ Please Vote~) Different things? Jason, the female pastry chef, couldn''t help but sit up straight. "The missing person had once joined a ''Philosophy'' club." "But a week before her disappearance, she quit the club." "What''s more interesting is..." "The club dissolved following her disappearance." Edward said as he picked up his cup and took a slight sip of tea, although he had a preference for red wine, he abstained from alcohol during work hours. Quitting the ''Philosophy'' club. Then disappearing. The club dissolved subsequently. The female pastry chef once again propped her left elbow with her right hand, the thumb of her left hand resting on her chin, the second joint of her index finger against the tip of her nose, the remaining three fingers loosely curled into a fist, her expression bing more serious. The next moment, she asked. "Who was the founder of this club?" Edward looked at the female pastry chef with surprise. The leader of the special operations team had not expected the pastry chef to identify one of the keys so quickly. "The founder of the club was Be, a junior at St. Mungo''s Academy." "However, she had transferred to another school before I inquired." "The contact address she left behind was empty, including her parents." Edward answered. "You didn''t find her?" The female pastry chef frowned. "No." Edward sighed. "Another disappearance?" The female pastry chef murmured softly. "Yes." "Another missing case." "But this one wasn''t registered because, no one reported it." "Or rather..." "All those who could report are gone." Edward nodded. Then, the leader of the special operations team summarized, "This case is different from the subsequent ones; it left behind quite a few clues. Although the clues ultimately ran cold, they were still present, unlike the following ones¡ªneat and clean, with no traces to follow." "The first case." "The first crime." "So, inexperienced, and then..." "Swiftly bing mature, leaving no ws." The female pastry chef pondered aloud. Then, both the female pastry chef and Edward looked troubled. They seemed to have hit a dead end. Jason, watching them, gently knocked on the table. Thump. Immediately, both of them were drawn to the sound. "Don''t forget, the two people in the central park this morning chasing pastries, the attacker who broke into the patisserie afterward, and... that killer." Jason reminded them. Edward was startled. Indeed. How could I forget such an obvious clue? Could it be that too manyte nights havepromised my memory? The leader of the special operations team couldn''t help but shake his head. The female pastry chef, however, quickly associated something. "Maybe..." "It''s not that there are no clues." "They have been wiped clean by someone." "Just as before, if it weren''t for Jason, I would have been dead already." The female pastry chef said, then turned to look at Jason, revealing a smile. A very sweet smile, especially fluffy under the white coat. Edward''s expression was solemn. "I will start looking into it immediately." The leader said, but he did not take immediate action. Jason knew what the other party was waiting for. "If I encounter those people or if they contact me, I will inform you." Jason spoke thusly. "Pleasure doing business." Edward extended his right hand. Jason shook hands with the man, and just as he withdrew his palm, a fully armed figure suddenly charged into the restaurant. After a standardbat roll, he bellowed¡ª "Commander, I''m here to rescue you!" The gun raised high. A face that epted death as an inevitability. The Miss & Mr Restaurant lobby quickly fell silent. Especially Edward, whoseplexion changed several times. "Bansey, what are you doing?" Edward rushed over and asked in a hushed voice. "Commander, you''ve been kidnapped, I''vee to rescue you!" Bansey answered earnestly. "Who said I''ve been kidnapped? I..." "Commander, are you wearing a bomb, threatened by someone?" "It''s fine, I can defuse it!" "If it''s inconvenient to speak, just blink at me." "Not re, blink." Before Edward could finish exining, Bansey rapidly interjected. Edward red at his subordinate. He subconsciously wanted to cover his face, but to avoid his subordinate''s misunderstanding and to leave this awkward situation quickly, Edward could only maintain hisposure and whispered to his subordinate, "Did you bring money?" "Exactly, Commander, you''ve been kidnapped!" "Don''t worry, I..." "Did you bring any money?" Edward interrupted Bansey. "A true warrior is not threatened, we face difficulties head-on!" "We will not pay any ransom, it will only embolden them. We shall tell them what true Strength is with bullets!" Bansey replied with conviction. Dr. Hannibal put down his knife and fork, looking at the two clown-like guys, feeling as though his good mood for the day was ruined, especially seeing Jason get up to leave. Jason gestured to Edward, then left with the female pastry chef. He believed Edward could handle such a small matter. The female pastry chef believed it too. After all... Two people washing dishes would be faster. "Eh, where are we going?" Following Jason dazedly for several minutes, the female pastry chef realized this was not the way home. "St. Mungo''s Academy." Jason answered. Upon hearing Jason''s answer, the dazed pastry chef instantly became alert. "Though the traces have been wiped away, the act of erasing them has left new traces." "And with time, some of these traces fade while others be increasingly clear because..." "The one who erased them believes they are safe and bes careless!" She muttered softly. Then, looked up with a smile at Jason again. A sweet smile, tinged with a bit of naivet¨¦. I just want to go to St. Mungo''s Academy to use "Death Perception." Jason thought to himself. Then, he nodded. "Exactly." "Just as you''ve deduced." Jason replied frankly. "No, no." "It was through your guidance, Jason, that I noticed these things." "I''m usually quite slow, I wouldn''t have picked up on these on my own." The female pastry chef said shyly, looking down and blushing slightly. No. You''re just intelligent in a way that''s different from others. Unexpectedly, Jason thought of her. A girl who was also smart in a different way. Thank goodness I''m a normal person. Jason felt relieved. Then, he hailed a public horse-drawn carriage. Even though Newdeth City already had automobiles, these to Jason''s view ancient cars were still cutting-edge products of the era, exceedingly expensive and thus difficult to poprize. Most people still used horse-drawn carriages for transportation. Jason and the female pastry chef boarded the carriage. Just as the coachman was about to snap the reins¡ª "Wait." Chapter 230: 17 The Academys Riding Grounds Hannibal, dressed impably, chased out and stood by the side of the public coach. "May I join you?" The doctor watched Jason with a smile. Jason replied with a smile: "No." As the doctor saw Jason smile, he had prepared to board. However, when Jason spoke, he was taken aback. By the time the doctor came to his senses, the public coach had already set off. Watching the receding coach, the doctor couldn''t help but shake his head. Not angry in the slightest. On the contrary, his gaze became even more interested. "Why would a tiger travel with a dog?" "Are you hiding something?" "Even... " "Did youe to see me before just to cover something up?" The corner of the doctor''s mouth curled up as he thought. Then, he turned and walked back to his clinic. He was prepared to carefully review Jason''s medical records again. Although he didn''t know how many times he had perused them before. But... He never tired of it. Because he was certain that this peer of his harbored something deeply hidden that intrigued him. Searching for these concealed things was something he never tired of. "That doctor is kind of scary." "He''s very polite, but always so cold." "Every time he looks at me, it''s like he''s appraising a steak." "Of course, Jason, you must have noticed already." As Giselle said this, her expression switched back to one of confusion, and she gave Jason a sweet smile. "Yeah." "How much do you know about St. Mungo''s Academy?" Not wanting to dwell on this topic, Jason inquired about their destination. "St. Mungo''s Academy has been around for over three hundred years, originally established by a nun as a church academy. Gradually, it evolved into the current social sciences academy it is today, no longer restricting student status. The quality of education is quite high, considered one of the top institutions in Newdeth City. It enrolls young people aged 15 and above but under 18 for studiessting from two to six years." "I wanted to go there to study culinary arts, but unfortunately..." At this point, the pastry chef became shy again. Jason looked at her curiously, waiting for an answer. The pastry chef ced her hands in front of her chest, the index fingers of her left and right hands constantly touching each other, and said in a hushed voice: "I set the kitchen on fire." "The fire was huge." "It burned down the cooking ssroom." Setting the kitchen on fire while cooking? Jason looked at the pastry chef in amazement. Given her previous performance, this seemed out of character. "I was a bit nervous at that time." "Plus, it was a bit hot." "Then, I just..." The following words were barely audible, even Jason''s extraordinary perception couldn''t catch them. But the pastry chef''s face had turnedpletely red. It wasn''t until Jason stopped paying attention to her that she finally took a long sigh of relief. So embarrassing. She had agreed to face her past mistakes withposure. If Evelyn were here, she would surely say I did well enough, and anyone who didn''t understand me must be bad. The pastry chef thought to herself. For the rest of the journey, neither of them spoke. Jason closed his eyes and recalled the information he had. The pastry chef, meanwhile, thought about her sister and how she might convince Jason to stay. St. Mungo''s Academy was located at 1 Stew Pot Street, diagonally across Newdeth City from Grilled Sausage Street, almost spanning the entire Newdeth City. The carriage ride took about an hour. The only silver lining was, there was no traffic jam. The carriage arrived on time without any fuss. The ''St. Mungo''s Academy'' in the afternoon was quiet. The quaint stone school gate was not tall, in fact, it could be considered small. "The school gate was hand-built by that nun and her followers three hundred years ago." The pastry chef said, walking over. "Giselle!" The campus security guard at the gate was a middle-aged man, clearly familiar with the pastry chef. He began waving his arms before Giselle even got close. Then, Jason entered the academy without any obstruction. Moreover, along the way, the female pastry chef greeted everyone she encountered with a smile. "I burned down the culinary ssroom, but the principal and teachers here didn''t ask me topensate, so after I learned how to make pastries, I would sometimes bring some for everyone." The female pastry chef exined. Jason nodded, then used his "Death Perception" to look around. St. Mungo''s Academy covered an extremelyrge area. Beyond the main teaching buildings, library, and dormitory buildings, the sports field was divided into several areas. There was even a horse field. In order to conserve physical strength, Jason couldn''t maintain "Death Perception" at all times, he could only nce once wherever he went, but unfortunately, there was no death energy anywhere, everything was normal. The female pastry chef noticed Jason''s behavior. But she didn''t find it odd in the slightest. Because... She did the same. A general nce. Careful observation. No need for too much. One look was enough. "The ''Philosophy'' club is in Building 2, the old teaching building." "It''s shared with other clubs." "Right there!" As they passed a dormitory building, the female pastry chef pointed to a six-story building not far away. Jason followed the direction the female pastry chef was pointing in. Like before, he found nothing. There wasn''t even the hint of death energy, let alone a corpse. "Shall we go in and have a look?" "I can ask someone from the student council to give us a tour inside." The female pastry chef said. "Okay." Jason nodded. Since he hade all this way, it would be ideal to be able to go inside for a look. After Jason nodded, the female pastry chef led him towards the academy''s horse field. Clip-clop, clip-clop. Before they got close, Jason could hear the clear sound of horse hooves. It was not one or two horses, but a dozen or so running at once. And... The crisp snap of woodennces breaking. As they turned a corner, Jason saw a troupe of knights charging at each other. They were in full armor, including facetes, carrying four-meter-long woodennces; they spaced themselves thirty meters apart, then charged at each other,nces aimed straight at their opponent''s vital points. Bang, bang-bang! Crack, crack! The sound of impact, the sound ofnces breaking. Knight after knight fell to the ground. If Jason had not confirmed that this ce was aprehensive academy on his way here, he would have thought he had arrived at a military camp. And not just any camp, but one of the more elite nobility''s camps. Because ordinary military camps could not afford so many horses, nor would they willingly waste so manynces. Jason and the female pastry chef stood at a distance from the horse field. However, they could see each other clearly. After another charge, one of the victors reined in his steed, turned around, and removed his helmet. A curly-haired girl with brown hair, single eyelids, and eyes brimming with boundless energy. "Giselle." The other party excitedly waved her arm at the female pastry chef, then spurred her horse towards her. "Tedi." The female pastry chef responded. She didn''t dodge, because she trusted the other''s riding skills. Tedi also trusted her riding skills. About three meters away from the female pastry chef, Tedi finally pulled the reins, prepared to stop. But the horse that was usually well-controlled suddenly became disobedient and continued to surge forward. "Quick, move, Giselle," the knight shouted. But the female pastry chef had already panicked, standing still in shock. It wasn''t until Jason grabbed her by the back of her neck and pulled her behind him that she came to her senses. Seeing Jason block in front of her, she couldn''t help but exim, "Be careful, Jason." Jason paid no attention to the female pastry chef but stood there calmly watching the oing horse, and said indifferently, "Stop." Chapter 250: Chapter 37 The Neighbors Ghost Squad? Jason watched Edward impassively. Having yed roles several times before, he knew exactly what to do when others thought he was in the know and he actually wasn''t. Keep silent. It''s best to look directly into the other person''s eyes. If you feel you can''t do that calmly, you can also move your gaze upward, fixing it on their hairline. This causes a sense of urgency in the other person, and if their hairline is receding, the urgency doubles, prompting them to speak more quickly. Of course, you can also pretend that they are bald. This will not double their sense of urgency. But it will make you feel at ease. A lion with a mane is majestic, but what if it were bald? Probably not a single lioness would pay it any mind. Luckily for Edward, his hair was still lush, appearing full even tied back in a ponytail. The Special Operations Team Commander nodded slightly in response to Jason''s gaze. "You really do know," he said. "But that''s to be expected," he added. "After all, you''ve been through all that." Edward spoke slowly, his tone taking on an inexplicable sadness. After a silence of two or three seconds, themander of the Special Operations Team continued, "''Ghost Squad'' was formed from the elite of various corps and divisions." "Each member is exceptional and equipped with the most cutting-edge weapons." "They work closely together to carry out all kinds of difficult missions." "But..." "During the ''Defense of Decheng,'' they rebelled, killing General Will, the thenmander of Decheng, and then sessively assassinated several high-ranking military officers¡ªexternally, these generals were dered to have died in battle." "Afterwards, ''Ghost Squad'' really became ghosts." "They moved around like phantoms, including the reestablished Decheng, now Newdeth City, which became their hunting ground." "And me?" Edward chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I am the person in charge of hunting ''Ghost Squad'' in ''Newdeth City,'' from the Ninth Infantry Division." "I was selected to be in charge here, not because I am the strongest in the Ninth Infantry Division." "It''s only because there''s information that the ''Ghost Squad''s'' leader here is Mika." "He was themander of my former squad." "I know him best." With that, Edward leaned slightly back. His upper body relied entirely on the back of his chair for support, his eyes bing somewhat hazy. Clearly, the Special Operations Teammander was starting to reminisce. In the distance, towards the counter, the female pastry chef gestured to Jason with mint lemon water. After Jason nodded, the pastry chef brought it over. "Thank you." As the pastry chef poured the water, Edward finally came back to himself. Themander thanked the pastry chef. And the pastry chef had the self-awareness to return to the oven. She needed to think about making something different for lunch. As for what Edward was discussing? She wasn''t interested. Even if Edward lowered his voice, making it sound mysterious, to her it wasn''t as important as pondering the right proportions of milk, eggs, and sugar. What Ghost Squad. What Mika. Where sweet pastries are important. "Mika was once someone I admired," Edward said. "His abilities were excellent, his character noble, and his personality tenacious." "But when he became an enemy, he also became the most troublesome one." "Because, you never know where he''ll strike at you." "So, at first, I hoped to use you as ''bait'' to draw him out." "I''m sorry." Once again, Edward apologized. And this time, he did it with much more gravitas. He straightened his body and then bowed his head, inclining forward. Next, he was grabbed by Jason and they both rolled to one side¡ª Bang! The moment their bodies hit the wall of the shop, a bullet pierced through the ss of the store, precisely passing through where Edward had just been, and ultimately, prated the table, the floor, and buried into the basement. "Sniper!" "Take cover!" Outside the shop, Bansey shouted loudly as people around quickly looked for cover, while Bansey leaned against a mailbox, drawing his gun to aim in the direction of the shot. However, he couldn''t find any trace of the other party. In his line of sight, there was no one. Even though he had locked onto the sniper spot immediately, it was in vain. Inside the shop, Edward got back on his feet. "Thank you." "You''ve saved my life again." "Consider it a debt I owe you." Having said this to Jason, he ran outside. Based on his knowledge of the formermander, the opponent would have already left after missing his shot, but clinging to a ray of hope, he still wanted to check and see if he could find any clues. "Captain Edward." The female pastry chef suddenly spoke out. "Don''t worry." "I''ll be careful." Feeling the long-missed care, Edward turned, pushed his sses up habitually with a smile, and said, "It''s not about that." "It''s aboutpensation." The female pastry chef pointed to the shattered windows, the damaged tables, and the floor. Immediately, Edward''s hand, still pushing up his sses, froze in mid-air. "Write up a bill." "We willpensate at full value." With a simrly stiff smile, Edward finished speaking and walked out of the shop. Jason stood up, dusted off his clothes, gave a nod to the female pastry chef, and followed Edward outside. Jason was uninterested in the so-called ''Ghost Squad''. But he was certainly interested in the [City Recognition] that ''Ghost Squad'' could bring. Casting a nce at the [City Recognition] that had reached 6%, Jason quickened his pace. Although it was only the second day and with 60 days to reach 100%, he had plenty of time. But Jason wouldn''t assume he could gain 6% [City Recognition] every day. Therefore, he wouldn''t pass up the chance to gain [City Recognition]. Following Edward, Jason arrived across from Pea Corner Street, close to the next block. "This is the sniping point!" Bansey stated confidently. Edward didn''t ask questions but just waved his hand. He wouldn''t question Bansey''s capabilities. The others felt the same. Seeing Edward''s gesture, they quickly dispersed, setting up a blockade while forming an assault team ready to search the five-story building that seemed to be an apartment in front of them. Everything was being carried out in an orderly fashion. Edward also drew his gun, ready to join the assault team. Leading from the front was Edward''s habit. And it was because of this that Edward had won the even greater admiration of Bansey and others. However, this didn''t mean Edward was a reckless brute without a brain. He hadn''t forgotten about Jason. Jason, who could stand against a hundred men, had left an indelible impression on him. Edward turned to look at Jason. It was then that Edward realized that Jason''s gaze was not on the apartment building in front of them, but instead, he was looking at... the shorter building next door. "What''s wrong?" Chapter 232: 19 Reasonable and Justifiable Be, the former president and founder of the dissolved ''Philosophy'' club. She should have been expelled by now, but at this moment, she was lying in the dirt, her body long decayed. People could recognize her because of the school badge on her body. ''St. Mungo''s Academy'' had a uniform school uniform and badge, and each student''s name was on the badge. "There, there''s another body!" A sharp-eyed member of the student council suddenly pointed beneath Be and shouted. "Wait, everyone, don''t move." Tedi said, looking at his friend Giselle, seeking advice with his eyes on what to do next. The female pastry chef, in turn, looked at Jason. "Call the police." Jason said indifferently, his gaze then turning towards the side of the riding arena. "Hmm." "Tedi, is there a phone nearby?" The female pastry chef asked. "There is one." "There''s one inside Building No. 2, the old teaching building." "I''ll take you there." The female student council president said as she jumped out of the pit and led her friend towards Building No. 2, the old teaching building. With the student council president taking the initiative, borrowing a phone was a simple matter. "Hello, I''m..." "Why is it you again?" Ada couldn''t help but express her surprise upon hearing that familiar female voice. As an operator, she naturally saw many people calling to report incidents. However, she had never seen someone report so many cases in one day before. And moreover! Each time, it was a serious crime! It was as if all of Newdeth City''s serious crimes were pouring towards that person. Are you the Reaper? Ada couldn''t help but think to herself. However, as a qualified operator, she quickly adjusted her emotions. "What happened?" "Please tell Edward that we''ve found Be''s body and other unknown bodies at St. Mungo''s Academy," the female pastry chef replied. "Okay, I''ll pass on the message right away." The operator''s voice became immediately serious. After hanging up, she went straight to the ''Special Operations Group''s'' office. Upon entering, she saw Bansey with a pale face and Edward looking serious. Had Bansey been reprimanded? The operator guessed, then she twitched her nose. A strong scent of detergent was emanating from the two of them. But, the operator wisely didn''t ask any questions and stuck to business. "Chief Edward, someone just reported finding Be''s body and other unknown bodies at St. Mungo''s Academy." "It''s thedy who''s reported several cases today." Edward didn''t need further exnation from the operator to guess it was Jason and Giselle. As for the two of them going to St. Mungo''s Academy, Edward was not surprised. He just didn''t expect them to find something. Am I, no, am I that far behind Jason? With a hint of self-doubt, Edward didn''t show any dy, standing up to grab his coat and running outside while shouting, "Bansey, Team One,e with me." "Yes, sir!" Bansey and several officers said in unison. "Bansey, that detergent smell on you is..." "Don''t ask, it''s heart-wrenching." With his cryptic words, Bansey hurried off. The operator watched Bansey''s heavy back and couldn''t help but purse her lips. "Must have run out of money and got caught eating without paying, now washing dishes as a penalty!" With spection in her heart, the operator returned to her workstation. Edward, with his subordinates at full speed, rushed to St. Mungo''s Academy. At this time, there were no crowds of onlookers at the academy''s equestrian field; in fact, after the student council intervened, ordinary students couldn''t get close even if they were curious. What about the teachers? Upon seeing the student council, they too chose to stay out of the way. The unique system of St. Mungo''s Academy ensured that members of the student council had all sorts of special privileges. Self-governance was one of them. So, when Edward arrived with his team, not only was there no crowd but the scene was also left as it was when it was first dug up. "Jason, Giselle." After greeting the two acquaintances, Edward turned his attention to the pit. The bodies were mostly intact. But several finger bones were missing. The bones in the forearm were also broken. The outer wrapping was... a bedsheet? After a quick assessment of the situation, Edward gestured to Bansey. Bansey immediately began lifting Be''s body out with colleagues,ying it on a ck stic sheet prepared on the side. As Be''s body was lifted out, two more bodies became visible. Wrapped in the same bedsheets. Judging from the skeletons, one was male and the other female. A sinking feeling filled Edward''s heart. He had a hunch. Subsequent identification only confirmed Edward''s spection. "It''s Be''s parents," Bansey said in a low voice, holding identity cards that were severely damaged but still recognizable. The people around heard this statement. Members of the student council looked at the bodies on the ground with disbelief and sorrow, unable to imagine that Be and her parents, who were supposed to have transferred, would be buried near the equestrian field. If it weren''t for Jason''s discovery, heaven knows how long they would''ve remained hidden. Almost instinctively, the student council members'' eyes turned to Jason, who was standing to the side of the equestrian field. Too many questions filled their hearts. Tedi felt the same way. As the student council president, she had dealt with plenty of issues, but this was her first time facing a murder case, which made her usually sharp mind somewhat rigid. "Why would Be and her parents be buried here?" the female student council president wondered aloud, unable to contain herself. "Convenience!" the female pastry chef spoke up on her own. With earnestness, Giselle pointed to the bodies nearby and began, "It was convenient to bury Be and her parents'' bodies here¡ªBe seems to have been tortured before she died; more than one of her fingers had been cut off, and her arm was broken. Then, after getting the information he wanted, the murderer killed Be and, to eradicate the roots, killed her parents as well." "The culprit likely used Be''s name to lure her parents over and killed them after murdering Be." The female student council president nodded repeatedly. Edward, however, furrowed his brows. He still had doubts. "You just said this severed finger was found in the soil," he asked. "Yes." "The person who buried Be was too hasty or panicked. After wrapping Be and her parents in a bedsheet, they chose this burial site but failed to notice a severed finger falling onto the nearby soil, which ended up close to the surface, hence why the radish stepped on it and was startled," Edward hypothesized. "Are you asking why the torturer capable of severing Be''s fingers would act so hastily or panickedly?" the female pastry chef turned to look at Edward. "Exactly!" "A person capable of such torture shouldn''t have such a weak psychological endurance." "And with a n for torture, there should not be such panic." Edward voiced his concerns. The pastry chef smiled and spoke deliberately, "Obviously, the murderer and the one who buried the bodies were two different people!" Chapter 233: 20: How to Impress Jason Two people?! Edward froze for a moment before reacting instantly. One was the bold and ruthless true culprit, who had tortured Be! The other was a flustered aplice, responsible for burying the body! Moreover, thetter must be someone intimately connected with the equestrian center! "So that''s it." "Bansey, take people to investigate the equestrian center staff at the academy." "Bring back anyone suspicious to me!" Edward let out a sigh, giving orders to his subordinate. "Yes, sir!" Bansey immediately sprung into action. Edward then turned his gaze back to the female pastry chef, unable to resist praising: "Miss Giselle, your perception is truly keen!" "No." "The truly keen one is Jason." "Without Jason, I couldn''t have noticed all these." The female pastry chef immediately shook her head. Then, she pointed into the distance. "Also, Officer Bansey doesn''t need to hurry." "Jason has already caught the culprit." Caught the culprit? "Look, it''s the stable keeper!" "He killed Be?!" In that moment of shock, filled with momentum, Bansey heard the students'' exmations, and as he instinctively turned around, he saw the tall Jason walking leisurely, dragging a man along. The man being dragged iled his limbs, trying to break free from Jason, while shouting. "It wasn''t me!" "I didn''t kill anyone!" "It really wasn''t me!" "I was just forced to bury the body!" No interrogation was needed; the answer was already clear. But Bansey, who a moment ago was filled with drive, now felt a wave of confusion. This feeling of achieving so much without doing anything... Felt pretty good! No! That''s not right! Quickly, Bansey shook his head, feeling a great sense of guilt rising in his heart. He felt he had betrayed his own honor. How could I think of these things at a time like this? I must redouble my efforts! He is an aplice! I must strive to find the true culprit! Bansey vigorously rubbed his face and smelling the dish soap on his hands, instantly felt invigorated and took big strides towards Jason. Jason handed over the aplice, tainted with the "aura of death," to little Bansey. "Although I''ve already experienced it once, your observational skills are truly admirable!" Edward eximed in praise. Observational skills? I just habitually scanned with [Death Perception] and happened to notice the buried body underground and the person contaminated with the "aura of death" in the distance. Jason thought silently, ncing at the female pastry chef whose face once again carried that sweet, fluffy smile. Then, he nodded calmly. "Mhm." "I''m used to it." He truly was used to it. With Peters before, and Giselle after. Was there anything that the two couldn''t find a reasonable exnation for? No! Everything was logical. Everything was so perfect. Jason truly felt these sentiments spontaneously. Yet hearing Jason''s response, Edward obviously thought of something. "Yes," he agreed. "Without such observational skills, how could you possibly have survived until now?" Edward said this, intending to pat Jason on the shoulder as a form of encouragement. But Jason dodged it. Jason disliked such contact. Watching Jason''s instinctive avoidance, Edward recalled Jason''s trauma and stress syndrome. Instantly, his eyes filled with regret. He nodded and said: "Don''t worry, I understand." "You do too?" Jason was taken aback, then shook his head. Forget it. It doesn''t make a difference with just one more. Then, maintaining silence became a habit. After all, for someone normal like him, just conscientiously and cautiously searching for food had already taken up too much energy. There really wasn''t much left to care about other matters. Not to mention exining things that already had reasonable exnations. Existence is reason. If they believe it to be so, then it really is so. Excessive exnations would only backfire. Therefore, it was necessary to bring up something constructively meaningful¡ª "When are we going to have dinner?" Jason asked. Edward, who had wanted to say more, stiffened. It was as if his hands once again felt the soaking of Newdeth City''s cold November water, starting to shiver uncontrobly. "The case is urgent, I must process it overnight right away." "If there''s anything, I will go to ''Watchdog Pastry House'' to find you." After speaking, Edward turned and left. His steps were quick as he hurried back to his car, bringing a gust of wind with him. It was only when he realized Jason wasn''t following that Edward breathed a sigh of relief, subconsciously wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. Too terrifying. A single meal had cost him three weeks of sry + allowance. If there was another meal like that, he suspected he would be left to face the cold wind next month. Could it be... Because he could eat so much, was that why the military bigwigs let him go? Suddenly, Edward thought of this. Remembering Jason''s seemingly insatiable expression at lunch, he couldn''t help but somewhat believe his own conjecture. Then, he shouted at Bansey: "Speed up!" "We have a lot to do!" "Yes!" Little Bansey answered. After the bodies and belongings were loaded into the car, Edward ordered to drive off immediately. He swore that he would never seek out Jason at a restaurant again. Jason silently watched as Edward and his party vanished like the wind. He had actually wanted to invite him for dinner. From the lunch meal, he could tell that Edward was strapped for cash; therefore, he considered Edward''s face and only ate to three-tenths full, kindly telling him it was half-full. Then, he decided to invite him for dinner that evening. But who knew Edward would be so busy? Well, never mind then. Thinking this, Jason turned and looked at the female pastry chef. "I¡ªI don''t have much money, to take you out for a meal." "But I can make all sorts of pastries." "Is that okay?" The female pastry chef stuttered. "Of course." As for food, Jason wasn''t picky. Moreover, to increase his "City Recognition," Jason, who was now highly interested in the ''serial disappearances of women'', had intended to follow her for the time being. It absolutely wasn''t because of the pastries. Absolutely not! And just as the two were about to take the public horse cart away, Tedi caught up to them. "I have a car, let the driver take you." A car different from the police vehicle pulled away from St. Mungo''s Academy. Jason and the female pastry chef sat in the back. Tedi, before the car pulled away, took a seat in the front passenger side. And, she would steal nces at Jason from time to time, her eyes filled with curiosity. When they had been driving for about ten minutes, Tedi could no longer restrain her curiosity. "Jason, were you in the military?" "Yeah." "Then why did you be a homeless person?" "Poor." "How did you just now stop the dog?'' "Hungry." Hungry???'' Tedi was taken aback, then blinked and soon let out a lightugh. "Jason, you really have a sense of humor." "It must be the aura you honed on the battlefield that scared the dog." "We were scared too." "Although we''ve been training all the time, we''ve never had realbat training, so... I was thinking of hiring you as an instructor for the student council, would that be okay?" Jason remained silent. Looking at the silent Jason, Tedi felt a bit nervous. Because she really didn''t know how much it would cost to hire someone like Jason. All she could do was offer what she knew was the condition for an associate professorship at St. Mungo''s. "A weekly sry of 35 dors, with three meals included..." "Okay." Chapter 254: Chapter 41 Double Happiness "What''s the matter?" Tedi asked as he got out of the car. The student, however, was looking at Jason with hesitation. "Jason has already be our student council''s advisor." The female student council president reintroduced Jason. Immediately, the student had no more reservations. "It''s ssroom 13." "There, there..." The student council member tried to describe the situation but couldn''t find the right words, managing only to say, "You follow me, and you''ll understand." The female student council president looked at Jason and, once Jason nodded, immediately headed for ssroom 13 in the teaching building. It was ss time in the afternoon, but there were still students poking their heads out in the hallway. Upon seeing Tedi approaching, these students quickly drew back their heads and returned to their ssrooms. "Mark down the students who weren''t paying attention in ss just now, deducting 2 points from each." "Deduct 10 points from each teacher who didn''t stop these students." The female student council president told the student council member beside her. "Understood, President," replied the student council member immediately. Then, turning to Jason, he introduced himself. "Hello, Jason," "I''m the student council''s secretary: Joel." "I''m very pleased that you could be our advisor." Joel said, revealing a slightly shy smile. The student council''s secretary was a slight and delicate-looking boy, who also spoke in a gentle and soft voice. Jason nodded in response, but his gaze was fixed on ssroom 13, which the student council had sealed off. Now, the students had seen Jason and Tedi approaching and were greeting Tedi one after the other. "President." "President." Undoubtedly, the female student council president had considerable prestige in the council, highly respected by all. Jason''s performance the day before had already won over these young people, and when they heard that the president had appointed Jason as the student council''s advisor, not one opposed, all expressing anticipation. If the asion had been appropriate, Jason was sure they would have cheered aloud. Following behind Tedi, Jason entered ssroom 13. It was a small ssroom, and there weren''t many desks. ckboard, podium, and teacher''s desk were all present, but on the teacher''s desky not chalk, but... A cat! A dead ck cat, with its throat slit. The cat''s eyes were wide open, its mouth agape showing sharp teeth, every hair on its body standing on end, blood flowing from the throat, staining the entire teacher''s desk. A gruesome death. From the teacher''s desk to the student desks, there was a clearly deliberately cleared space. In this space, arge circle was drawn with red paint, with a pentagram inside. At each point of the pentagramy: a bone, a feather, a lizard''s head, a fish tail, and the wing of a bat. In the center of the pentagram,plex characters, seemingly fictitious, were written. However, within theseplex fictitious characters, Jason saw the Dufol Language. Again, the Dufol Language! Although incorrectly spelled, carrying no meaning, the Dufol Language itself was unmistakable. Jason frowned. In ''Lorde,'' he began to study the Dufol Language. He thought it was just themonnguage of Mystical Side in that world. But in ''Hans Port,'' Jason encountered the same Dufol Language. At that time, Jason had begun to specte. Now, seeing the Dufol Language again, he was even more certain of this spection: This mystical knowledge muste from a ''ce'' or from some being. Then, through means unknown to him, it spread to various worlds. This was not impossible. Don''t forget how he appeared in these worlds. Since he could appear, why couldn''t other people appear? If others did appear and left behind respective mystical knowledge, forming the current ''Dufol Language,'' that was highly possible. However... Where did that persone from? Jason pondered. At the same time, he sniffed hard. There was no smell at all. The original scent didn''te from here! Jason was certain. If it had been from here, considering the time it took for the ''food'' scent left on the female student council president to dissipate, there should have been a faint smell remaining. Just as Jason was about to ask the female student council president in detail, the president herself lost her temper. "Where''s Novie?" "Didn''t I tell him to block off this area temporarily?" The female student council president questioned her secretary. Novie, Jason remembered. He was a tall and stout young man, with a rough appearance, who had worked hard digging yesterday. "Minister Novie had been guarding this ce with his people." "But for some reason, he left halfway." "It was only when the rest of us prepared to clean up these things that we found Minister Novie and two council members weren''t here, and at the same time, there was an extra dead cat inside." The secretary exined. "He left halfway?" The female student council president was taken aback. She knew Novie well. Novie was not the kind of person with an agile mind; in fact, one could say he was rather stubborn, not turning back until he hit a dead end. It was precisely because of this that the female student council president had invited Novie to join the council and had him be the head of the disciplinary department in his second year. To put it simply, since Novie had already blocked this area off, it was impossible for him to leave halfway through. Unless... "Did anything happen in the academy after I left?" the female student council president inquired. "No." "Apart from ssroom 13, everything is normal." "The disciplinary department''s members have been patrolling." The secretary shook his head. The president''s brows furrowed. A bad premonition rose in the bottom of her heart. It was then that she suddenly noticed a smile spread across Jason''s face. Then, he turned and walked straight toward the outside of ssroom 13. "Teacher Jason?" the female student council president asked. But Jason didn''t answer. On the contrary, his pace quickened. If previously he was walking, now he was jogging. No! urately speaking, he was sprinting. And not towards the downstairs or outside. But towards the upstairs. St. Mungo''s Academy''s main teaching building, like the 2nd old teaching building, had six floors, but it was more than double in floor space. It housed not only therge lecture halls from 1-6, but also 7-33 number small ssrooms. It could amodate hundreds of people in ss simultaneously. ssroom 13 was on the second floor. Without any pause, Jason chased the sudden ''food'' scent and only slowed his pace slightly when he reached the sixth floor. Staring at the ''food'' scent that was different from the one lingering on Tedi, the surprise in his heart reflected on his face with a kind smile. "Novie, is it?" "Don''t be afraid, I won''t hurt you." As the words fell, his stomach let out a roar. Chapter 234: 21 Note (third update - please subscribe - please vote for the month -) "As for amodation, since we don''t have any single dormitories avable for the time being... What, what did you say?" Tedi spoke distractedly, articting most of her thought before she snapped back to reality. Immediately, the president of St. Mungo''s Academy''s student council turned around, disregarding all etiquette, and knelt on the passenger seat, eagerly fixing her gaze on Jason as she incessantly verified, "Really?" "Mm-hmm." Considering that all three meals were included, Jason nodded in affirmation. "That''s great!" The female student president couldn''t help but cheer aloud. She had thought that hiring Jason would cost much more. It turned out that all it took was the treatment of an assistant instructor. No, assistant instructors have their own dormitories, but Jason didn''t need one. Just a sry and three provided meals were enough. With this in mind, it was such a bargain! Tedi held no disdain for assistant instructors. It''s just that at St. Mungo''s Academy, assistant instructors were verymon. But one who canmand in actualbat? There was none. The female pastry chef watched her excited friend open her mouth as if to say something. But in the end, upon seeing the anticipation in Jason''s eyes, she chose to remain silent. Some things, words couldn''t prove. It was better... to experience them personally. The pastry chef silently consoled herself. After tentatively reaching an agreement, Tedi couldn''t resist asking Jason. "Mr. Jason, what skills do you have?" "Combat, shooting, horseback riding, and cooking." Having agreed, Jason naturally wouldn''t go back on his word; he listed all the knowledge and skills he could teach. "That''s fantastic!" "Although St. Mungo''s Academy has somebat techniques, they are more about training, hardly any for actualbat." "We''ve been maintaining the horseback riding." "As for shooting, I''ll find a way to apply to the school for it." "Cooking?" "Is it the food from a battlefield?" The female student president grew even more excited. She realized how wise her decision to specially recruit Jason was. She didn''t anticipate that Jason could offer such aprehensive set of skills, especially in cooking¡ªshe was somewhat eager to try what battlefield food was like. "Yes, that''s right." Jason nodded candidly. The food he acquired always came from hunting during battles. Saying it was battlefield food wasn''t wrong, was it? Moreover, he made a point not to eat it raw. Most times, he cooked it thoroughly. And with seasonings added, it was quite delicious. "Tomorrow I''ll help you with the paperwork, and by 3 o''clock, you can enter the academy on your own." "On weekends, St. Mungo''s Academy is also responsible for providing three meals to single teaching staff," the student president exined. Before returning to the Watchdog Pastry House, Jason listened quietly as the other party described the entire St. Mungo''s Academy. He gained a new understanding of the whole academy. "Goodbye." "I will deliver the special appointment certificate and proof tomorrow." As Jason and the pastry chef stepped out of the car, Tedi waved goodbye. "See you tomorrow." The pastry chef bid farewell with a smile. Then, watching the sun already setting, she energetically walked into her own shop. The security cordon around had beenpletely removed, and the ss had been swiftly installed on Edward''s orders; some of the fractured walls were also being repaired. There was no need to buy because the pastry shop had ample raw materials. But before she started baking, the pastry chef took Jason to the second floor. There were a total of three rooms on either side of the second floor. Two small ones, onerge one. At the end of the hallway was another. "This is Evelyn''s and my room." "This one is my deceased parents'' room." "I''ll clean it up, and you can stay here temporarily." The pastry chef pointed to therger room and said. "What about there?" Jason didn''t move, instead he pointed to the room at the end of the hallway. "That''s the storage room; it''s very messy..." "I''ll stay there." Jason interrupted the pastry chef and headed straight for the room at the end of the hallway. Move into the deceased parents'' room of someone else? Jason''s principles wouldn''t allow it. There was no further contact between them prior to this, and the fact that she was letting him stay was already the result of various reasons. He shouldn''t overstep. So, the storage room was the best choice. The pastry chef watched Jason, who was pushing open the door of the storage room and beginning to tidy up, with a somewhat dazed expression. She was increasingly feeling that Jason was different from the rest. Then, she thought of what made Jason the most different¡ª He could eat! "I''m going to make dinner." Thinking of Jason''s appetite, the pastry chef said hastily and immediately turned to go downstairs. Jason, on the other hand, continued to organize the storage room, which was bigger than he had imagined, without even lifting his head. The room was piled with boxes full of misceneous items, taking up most of the space. The remaining space was upied by a desk and a chair. There was amp on the desk. There were drawers under the desk. Unlocked. Jason reached out and touched the desk''s surface. A thickyer of dust. But there wasn''t much dust on the chair. "Did someone sit here to take a rest?" Jason wondered. This wasn''t strange at all; resting after getting tired from cleaning a storage room wasmon sense, especially for two girls of average physical strength. That''s why the desk was full of dust while the chair had less. Without giving it much thought, Jason began to move the boxes. He needed to clear a space big enough toy out a nket. If possible, he hoped to use these boxes, which were filled with misceneous items, to construct a makeshift bed. It wasn''t an easy task. He needed to check the sturdiness of the boxes and ensure there was enough space. Thetter was especially important. After trying twice, Jason''s gaze inevitably fell on the desk. The sturdiness of the desk was without a doubt. The height was roughly equivalent to two stacked boxes, and any uneven spots could be propped with books or bricks. With this thought, Jason immediately sprang into action. He hugged the desk vertically, preparing to move it. But when he reached behind the desk, his fingers touched something else. Hard, thick. Kraft paper? Jason was taken aback. He exerted a little force, pulling the entire desk away from its position against the wall. Turning around, he saw a kraft paper bag taped to the backside of the desk. After a thorough check to ensure there was no danger, Jason lifted his hand. Rip. Tugging at the tape, he pulled down the kraft paper bag. The kraft paper bag wasn''t sealed, and Jason, holding the bag, could clearly see that it was filled with numerous small pieces of paper. They were bits torn from different whole sheets of paper. Thickly stacked, they filled the kraft paper bag. Jason furrowed his brows and dumped out the pieces of paper. On each piece of paper was written the same message¡ª Don''t trust my sister! Don''t trust my sister! Don''t trust my sister! ... Chapter 235: 22 The Lobbyist Jason frowned at the sight of the notes, all with identical handwriting. But as the aroma of pastries wafted up from downstairs, Jason''s frown instantly rxed. He stuffed the notes back into the paper bag, pulled open a drawer, and tossed it in. As long as the female pastry chef did not have the scent of ''food'' on her, she could be trusted. Most people, sometimes, really are strange. One you''ve spent a considerable amount of time with, another you''ve never met. But just let thetter say a few bad words about the former, and the person involved will immediately lose judgment, bing cautious and wary of the former, never considering the true nature of their time together. Jason wasn''t that kind of person. He believed more in what he saw, heard, touched, and perceived. Not some mysterious ''information''. And also... The pastries smelled so good! Smelling the scent of the pastries, Jason quickened his cleanup pace. Afterying out the ''bed'' as he had imagined, Jason headed straight downstairs. "If you need to wash your hands, use the sink in the hallway; the one inside the store isn''t for handwashing," the female pastry chef said, busy with her work, upon hearing the sound of Jasoning downstairs. "Hmm," Jason grunted in response and walked towards the sink in the hallway. He had no resentment toward the practice of not washing hands inside the pastry chef''s store. On the contrary, he appreciated this attitude, It was respect for the food. As Jason came out drying his hands, the aroma of the pastries became even more pronounced. The scent of milk and sweetness was infused with a hint of walnut. "Walnut cake?" Jason guessed. "Right, along with my special custard tarts..." the female pastry chef replied, and then she suddenly realized that Jason''s attention wasn''t on that anymore. The somewhat astounded pastry chef turned her head to find Jason looking out the door. "Jason?" the pastry chef asked tentatively. "It''s nothing." "There''s a visitor." Jason waved his hand and smiled. Smile?! The pastry chef stared nkly at Jason''s smile. It was the first time she had genuinely seen Jason smile. It wasn''t a mere courtesy smile. But one of heartfelt joy. What had happened? The pastry chef was puzzled, but not neglecting her duties, she stayed in front of the oven while watching Jason leave the shop. There weren''t many things that could make Jason happy, but ''food'' was definitely one of them. Just now, within the pastry-scented shop, he had smelled a faint aroma of ''food''. And it wasing straight in this direction, getting closer. He didn''t know the intentions of this ''food'' yet, but that didn''t stop Jason from going out to investigate. As he stepped outside, Jason watched the approaching figure, frowning again. He could clearly smell that the ''food''s'' scent was fading away, dissipating. It wasn''t ''food''! But rather someone who had been in contact with ''food''! Jason eyed the person who was getting closer. Medium build. Ordinary face. The clothes looked expensive. The way he walked, with even steps and eyes straight ahead, indicated a clear purpose. His right hand subconsciously moved closer to his waist, where there was likely a weapon. As Jason sized up the man, the man also caught sight of Jason. The man first looked surprised, then offered a smile. With that smile, his ordinary features suddenly took on a friendly countenance. "Sure enough, Mr. Jason," "Your perception is as sharp as the rumors say." "I''m Griffin, a humble persuader," the manplimented Jason as he introduced himself. Persuader? Jason sized up the man once again. He never thought he woulde into contact with such a person. Suddenly, Jason''s heart skipped a beat. He thought of a possibility. Then, as he looked at the man who imed to be a persuader once more, his gaze became sharp. Griffin, on the receiving end of the stare, waved his hands repeatedly. "Mr. Jason, please don''t misunderstand," "I have no ill intentions, I''m just a humble persuader, I only bring my client''s thoughts, and my job is to, as much as possible, persuade you." "If sessful, I''ll receive a handsome reward." "If I fail, it''s no loss to me, after all..." "Being able to take on this task is already doing a favor for my employer. Mr. Jason, you should know, sometimes, people like me have no choice." Griffin shrugged his shoulders with a look of helplessness. Jason didn''t say a word, just stared at him. This made the man who imed to be a persuader somewhat ufortable; he always felt like Jason''s gaze was odd, as if looking at a dish. "How about we talk in detail somewhere else?" the other party suggested. "Right here is fine," Jason insisted. "With your intelligence, you surely know what I''vee for." "Yes, it''s about the missing women." "I don''t know what my employer has done, I''m just responsible for persuading you to stop pursuing it." "For this, my employer is willing to give you $2,000 as payment." As he said this, the man who imed to be a persuader paused for a moment, disying an even more amicable smile, and whispered, "Of course, if you agree, it''s also my sess, and I''ll share thirty percent of my reward with you, and promise one free help, so you won''t have worked for nothing." The man who imed to be a persuader didn''t stop speaking. After providing ample benefits, he continued, "I can''t reveal my employer''s identity." "But he is someone important." "In fact, Mr. Jason, with your smarts should understand, being able to keep things quiet with the diligent Edward investigating for so long, it means something." "I hope you won''t..." Before he could finish, the man who imed to be a persuader stopped. Offering benefits as a bargaining chip, then following with threats, has always been the persuader''s surefire strategy. Griffin was no exception. The only difference was that he expanded the range of the tempting chip. Offering the persuaded more. That was one of the secrets to Griffin''s sess. Another secret was: thoroughly investigating the target of persuasion. Just like this time, he had done his homework well beforeing. Jason, a veteran of the battlefield, had to leave the military due to post-traumatic stress disorder. He had stayed at a veterans'' hospital for treatment. But it was ineffective. Then, he sought treatment from the highly acimed Dr. Hannibal. Unfortunately, he had to leave before the treatment was trulyplete, due tock of money. And subsequently became homeless. This time, he was involved in a special incident by chance. So, to persuade him, money was all that was needed! As for the idental involvement in special events? That was just a coincidence. There surely wouldn''t be much emotion involved. At worst, just offer more money. Griffin had seen such people more than once. Therefore, he was very confident. He could already picture Jason nodding in agreement. In fact, the next moment, he saw Jason nodding. Not only nodding, his nostrils red slightly, and he even said a strange phrase, "Tastes good." Tastes good? Griffin was puzzled, but that didn''t stop him from praising thepletion of the task; after all,pliments were free, and it didn''t matter if he gave a few more. "You see, I told you, you''re a smart man, here''s to a fruitful partnership¡ª" Bang! Chapter 236: 23: Not Giving Up Food for Food Jason''s fist viciously smashed into Griffin''s stomach. Instantly, the self-proimed negotiator''s unfinished words were abruptly cut short. His body bent like a shrimp, but before he could fully bow, Jason had grabbed him by the cor and hoisted him up to face him. In the midst of excruciating pain, Griffin, faced with Jason, whose nostrils were twitching incessantly and whose face exhibited a mix of excitement and anticipation, was utterly confused. He couldn''t understand why Jason would show such an expression. Was it a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder? Thinking thus, Griffin didn''t stop talking. "Wait!" "I am just a negotiator!" "I mean no harm!" Griffin exined. But Jason didn''t pay any attention to these words. "Who sent you to talk about my food..." He asked directly. "No!" "I can''t tell!" "It''s about the dignity of a negotiator; I would rather die than reveal it!" Griffin dered resolutely. Jason frowned, and a predatory aura, mixed with a sharpness no longer containable due to hunger, erupted from within him. Suddenly, Griffin trembled all over. The self-proimed negotiator felt as though he was being targeted by fierce beasts like tigers or lions. Especially when he saw Jason''s eyes turning increasingly cold, he couldn''t help but tremble deep inside. Immediately, Griffin made a life decision. "If I don''t die, I''ll confess everything." "Mr. Jason, do you need a guide?" "I am known as the living map of Newdeth City, at your service." Griffin offered with a beaming smile. Backtracking? Can a negotiator''s words be called backtracking? This is a survival strategy for a negotiator. "No rush, just wait a moment." Jason responded in that manner. ''Food'' had appeared, but Jason didn''t forget about the pastry. Especially when that pastry''s aroma filled the pastry house at the moment of its emergence from the oven, Jason could smell it. Not forsaking food because of ''food.'' Jason made his decision in an instant. Of course, the food was his alone. So¡ª Bang! With a chop of his hand, Griffin copsed to the ground. Jason carried him back to the ''Watchdog Pastry House.'' The female pastry chef was picking out walnut buns and, upon seeing Jason enter with an unfamiliar man, almost reflexively asked: "Call the police?" The female pastry chef hade to take it in stride. There was not a hint of panic at this time. "Mhm." Jason nodded without objection. That was another matter for Jason upon returning to the pastry house. He wanted to know Edward and Newdeth City''s attitude towards ''food.'' Or rather¡­ Whether it was kept hush-hush. Or known yet met with silence. Whether he sought greater recognition from the city, or to find more ''food,'' he needed to know these things. When the female pastry chef saw Jason nod, she immediately reached for the shop''s telephone. After the telpany''s repairs, the telephone was operational again. "Hello..." "Why is it you again, time after time?" The off-duty Ada recognized the female pastry chef''s voice the moment the call connected, because it was all too familiar. Five times! Five times in one day! And every time, a crime! Thinking of this, the receptionist''s heart tightened. "It didn''t happen again, did it?" "Ah? Someone was knocked out." "That''s better, much better." "I''ll pass the message to Chief Edward." After hearing the female pastry chef''s ount, the receptionist let out a sigh of relief. ``` It''s good no one died. If someone else had died, I''d really start thinking you were the Reaper! After hanging up the phone, she stood up and prepared to go to the ''Special Operations Group'' office. In the office, Edward was not there. Only Bansey and the others were present. "Bansey, where''s Chief Edward?" The receptionist asked. "Interrogating a suspect, what''s up?" Bansey answered. "Thatdy called again." The receptionist said. "Whichdy?" "Giselle?" "I''ll go find the captain right away." Thinking of Edward''s repeated instructions to ''inform me immediately about anything concerning Jason or Giselle,'' Bansey stood up and headed toward the interrogation room. A momentter, he returned with Edward. The receptionist immediately started recounting the story in the corridor. By this time, the sky had turnedpletely dark. Yet, the corridors of the police station were bustling with activity. There were officers working on cases or on duty, as well as some clerical staff who could leave for the day. One of the clerks passing by the interrogation room nced inside out of habit when she noticed the door was open. Then¡ª "Aaaah!" "There''s a dead person!" She was already sitting paralyzed with fear on the ground. Edward and Bansey, who had been in the corridor, ran toward the screams upon hearing them. The receptionist hesitated for a moment before running after them. Then she saw the suspect they had just brought back, with a face turned blue-ck lying on the table, blood around his mouth, the ''ink'' and a cup of coffee spilled over the desk, staining everything. Another death? Was it really the Reaper? A delusion! It must be a delusion! The receptionist shook her head, denying her own thoughts. Edward''s face, on the other hand, was extremely grim. It wasn''t just the stable watchman who had died. One of his subordinates who was questioned about the stable watchman had also died. And... If the receptionist hadn''t called him out, he would have died at this very moment as well! Edward guessed how the perpetrator killed his subordinate and the stable watchman. Because it was way too conspicuous. Coffee! Someone had poisoned the coffee! And the subsequent investigation proved it¡ª "Captain, the coffee was indeed poisoned." Bansey''s quick confirmation turned Edward''s already sharp gaze into that of a knife. The stable watchman did indeed know some things. Therefore, when the stable watchman asked for coffee, Edward agreed. The coffee came from inside the police station. Even, it was personally served by his subordinate. Naturally, the poisoner was from within the police station as well. And this move showed nothing but sheer desperation. Simrly, it also proved that the attacker was even more skillful than he had imagined. "Find out who gave ''Ink'' the coffee." "Keep a close eye on the riffraff, intruders, and assassins we''ve brought in." "And..." "Those guys I told you to watch carefully, check who was around just now, and arrest anyone who was!" Edward gave his orders calmly. But even the receptionist could sense the anger in his voice. Moreover, she guessed who Edward was keeping a close watch on. The corrupt cops who took money under the table, making deals in secret. This was no secret in Newdeth City. The deceased Sandwick was one of the prominent figures among them. However, the receptionist did not want to get involved. She was just there to earn a living wage. So, after greeting Edward and Bansey, she left the police station. She walked out of the police station building, heading straight for the tram station. At that moment, a car stopped beside her, and the window rolled down. "Good evening, ma''am." ``` Chapter 237: 24 Dinner Invitation (third update - please subscribe - please vote for the month -) A young man was sitting in the car. With his slightly fancy coat and long hair draped over his shoulders, he could be considered handsome, but something about his gaze made Ada feel ufortable. It was like that of a hardened criminal pressed into a cage. Repressed, yet crazed. Faced with such a person, the switchboard operator wisely took a step back, watching him with a guarded look. "Don''t worry, I''m not a bad guy." "I just saw you were alone and wondered if you wanted a lift." "But, it seems you don''t need one." As he said that, he rolled up the window and signaled the driver to drive off. In the roar of the engine, the car slowly pulled away. Watching the departing car, the switchboard operator let out a sigh of relief. Had he insisted on her getting in the car just now, she would have run back. After all, the police station was not far away. It''s just as well. With that thought, the switchboard operator once again waited for the public carriage to arrive. But behind her, a hand suddenly stretched out from the darkness. A handkerchief was wedged in the palm of the hand, which was ced directly over the switchboard operator''s mouth. "Mmm, mmm..." The switchboard operator struggled briefly before losing consciousness. The car that had just left returned. The young man who had appeared behind the switchboard operator without anyone noticing, and with an excited smile, threw her into the back seat of the car, then neatly adjusted his coat before getting in himself. "Drive." He ordered. The car started again. However, the driver spoke up: "Young master, you promised the master..." "Shut up!" "I know what I''m doing!" "It''s none of your business!" The driver hadn''t finished speaking before he was cut off. Afterward, the driver maintained his silence. The young man, on the other hand, gazed at the unconscious switchboard operator with a face filled with rapture. Hunting! Constant hunting! The feeling was too great! How could I stop! The entire city will be my hunting ground! The young man''s face twisted and contorted unconsciously. ... Under the light. A dining table appeared inside the Watchdog Pastry House on the ground floor. The front door had already been closed. The female pastry chef sat opposite, resting on her hands, watching Jason who couldn''t wait to reach for a walnut bun. The walnut bun was soft and ky, and the crushed walnuts on top weren''t bitter at all but rather sweet. It must have been treated using a special technique. "I simmered it in broth before stir-frying and then crushing it," Seeing Jason''s puzzlement, the female pastry chef exined. Jason nodded, not even bothering to respond. His hand moved so quickly that it left afterimages. The twelve walnut buns were almost gone in an instant. "Water." The female pastry chef passed him a cup of water. It had double the peppermint and lemon added. It was to cut through the richness. Jason downed it in one go. Then, he picked up a tart beside him. Crunch, crunch. The golden egg tart, crispy on the outside, made a series of crunchy sounds when chewed, soft and sticky on the inside, and it had¡­ apple bits. The crispness, which should have been muted, was revived. The hint of sourness didn''t dilute the sweetness of the tart; instead, it made the sweetness even more pronounced. "Actually, I wanted to add some light cream and raisins." "But the pastries today are sweet enough already." "That would not only fail to enhance the sweetness but render it tasteless." The female pastry chef said. Sourness can bring out sweetness? Jason quietly took note of this. And as Jason ate thest tart and had another cup of double mint and lemon water, the headlights flickered outside the window. The footsteps of Edward and Bansey could be heard. Then came a knock on the door. Thump, thump-thump. The female pastry chef walked quickly to the door and opened it. "Good evening, Miss Giselle." "Good evening, Edward, Bansey." After exchanging greetings, Edward''s gaze shifted to the man lying on the ground, iming to be a speaker. After scrutinizing the man''s appearance, the leader of the special operations unit immediately confirmed his identity. "Griffin!" Edward eximed. "You know him?" The female pastry chef looked at Edward in surprise. "Hmm." "This guy is an information broker, a middleman dealing in items that straddle the line between legal and illegal. He''s somewhat well-known in Newdeth City." "He''ll do anything that makes money." "But he doesn''t go too far." "Even if caught, it''s just a few months in jail, or at most a fine." Edward introduced the man. Then, he turned to Jason. "He ims he is a speaker?" "The bastard behind the serial disappearance of women hired him to persuade you?" The leader of the special operations unit asked for confirmation. Jason nodded. Right after Jason nodded, Edward grabbed the man by the hair and dragged him outside. Jason and the female pastry chef looked at Bansey, who was also grinding his teeth with a puzzled expression. "The racetrack guard is dead." "''Ink,'' who interrogated him with us, is also dead." "If it weren''t for Miss Giselle''s call bringing the captain out, the captain would have¡­" The sentence was left unfinished, but the implication was clear enough. The female pastry chef covered her mouth, her eyes wide open in shock. She had never imagined that such things could happen within the police department of Newdeth City. Jason thought of the deceased Sundack. Had things deteriorated to this extent? About five minutester, Edward returned, dragging a bruised and swollen Griffin behind him. Even with a bruised and swollen face, Griffin''s eyes were still blurry. Indeed. He had to be confused. He had willingly led the way only to be knocked out cold. And then he had been brutally awakened. If the knockout was so swift he hadn''t felt the pain, the subsequent flurry of punches and kicks assuredly hurt. He had wanted to resist. But... He couldn''t beat Edward. Instead, Edward''s militarybat skills had given him a savage beating. That beating made Griffin instantly realize that not resisting meant just taking a beating. If he had resisted, even if he hadn''t been killed, he would have been disabled afterward. Under the re of the light, Griffin struggled to open his swollen eyes and with lips bruised and purple, he shed a smile. But beneath the swelling, his attempt to widen his eyes was only a narrow slit. And as his lips, tinged with purple, parted, it inevitably resulted in a grimace disying his teeth. Griffin couldn''t help but cover his mouth with his hand. "Gentlemen, what can I do for you?" "If it''s something I can do, I will surely get it done." "But... I don''t have money." Griffin said, maintaining his bottom line while covering his mouth. "Who is that bastard?" Edward asked. He had not interrogated earlier because he believed Jason had the right to know these things. Hearing the question, Griffin answered without hesitation. "Councilor Davide." "What?!" Edward, Bansey, and the female pastry chef all eximed in shock. Seeing this long-anticipated scene, Griffin was extremely satisfied. He had waited too long for this moment. Only... Why wasn''t Jason surprised in the slightest? Did he already know? While Griffin was still pondering, he saw Jason stand up. "What are you going to do? Don''t you know the reputation of Councilor Davide?" Griffin said cautiously. He wanted to salvage some dignity while fearing to provoke Jason, so he chose his words carefully. But Jason simply smiled. He spoke indifferently¡ª "What does knowing or not knowing have to do with me, Jason?" "I''m just going out for dinner." Chapter 238: Chapter 25: The Manor Outside the City Having dinner? Griffin looked at Jason, dumbfounded. At this moment, the man who called himself a lobbyist finally understood the terrifying nature of post-traumatic stress disorder¡ªit could turn a normal person into a madman. "Don''t reason with a madman," Griffin shifted his gaze to Edward beside him. And then? "Yeah, that''s right, just going to visit the councilor." "I haven''t formally visited him since I came to Newdeth City." That''s what Edward said. "You''re crazy too?" "Can post-traumatic stress disorder be contagious?" Griffin growled. Edward didn''t pay attention to such a growl. At this moment, the captain of the special operations team finally understood why a seemingly ordinary case was so difficult, evenpletely clueless. Because all the clues had been erased. Just like the poisoned stable watchman. And... His poisoned subordinate! At this thought, a coldness shed in Edward''s eyes. He didn''t mind if he or his subordinates died on the battlefield, in missions. Because that was a soldier''s fate. But to die at the hands of one''s own? He couldn''t ept that. "Do you know what Councilor Davide represents?" "He''s one of the real power elites of Newdeth City!" "Not only is he a strong contender for mayor, but he also owns banks, iron mines, and car dealerships in Newdeth City!" Griffin''s voice grew louder. He didn''t want to go up against someone who could crush him with a flick of their finger. He wasn''t ready to die. His life was still full of promise. He still wanted to... At this point, Jason looked over. Jason''s patience was wearing thin, a hunger filled his eyes, making his gaze slightly ferocious. Griffin saw this look. Instantly, memories of previous experiences shrouded by a terrifying atmosphere shed through his mind. That feeling of oppression, like being at the top of the food chain, made Griffin shrink his neck, and then he yelled in an even more shrill voice: "I have the least respect for these so-called big shots!" "I know where his secret residence is!" "His secret must be there!" "I''ll take you guys!" After speaking, Griffin put on a ttering smile and looked at Jason. "Lead the way." Jason said. After locking up the ''Watchdog Pastry House,'' the group squeezed into Edward''s car and drove out of Newdeth City following Griffin''s directions. During the drive, Griffin strongly requested to sit in the passenger seat but was silently denied. The female pastry chef sat in the passenger seat, Bansey drove. Jason and Edward sat in the back, Griffin sandwiched between them. "I''m not a prisoner!" "Gentlemen, I''ve joined you already!" "I''m one of us!" Griffin emphasized. He had to emphasize; next to him, Jason''s aura was bing more and more terrifying, especially since his stomach had just made a ''gurgle'' noise. Griffin feared he would be eaten if he didn''t rify his position. Therefore, Griffin didn''t dare to y any tricks and pointed out the way obediently. Once the car left Newdeth City, the road immediately became bumpy, and the car shook violently. But in less than ten minutes, as the car turned into a side road, it suddenly smoothed out. "There''s a highway here?" The female pastry chef asked in surprise. "Davide Councilor had it paved for his own convenience." "It''s not recorded in the public facilities management of Newdeth City." "And very few people know about it." Griffin answered immediately. Until now, only his voice directing the way could be heard in the car, with the others staying silent. This oppressive silence was almost suffocating for Griffin, but now that someone finally spoke, he eagerly continued the conversation. "Not just this road." "The mansion at the end of the road was the same," he said. "And..." "He also has a secret club in Newdeth City." "Many high-profile figures are regrs there." "Rumors have it he''s funded several groups of mercenaries for warzone trading." "Warzone trading?" For the first time, the female baker heard this term, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "That means trafficking in arms and people." "Some say that Davide made his fortune by dealing in arms and human trafficking." "However, those are just rumors with no solid evidence." As Griffin spoke, he instinctively wanted to shrug his shoulders. But with Jason and Edward seated left and right, the cramped backseat was wedged tight. Sitting in the middle, he felt like a little chick. It wasn''t just shrugging; he couldn''t even move. I''m so pathetic?_? I shouldn''t have taken this mission. If I hadn''t taken it, I wouldn''t have met this terrifying person. If I hadn''t met him, I wouldn''t have had to venture out here. Griffin wallowed in self-pity. But Edward reacted quickly. "Bansey, turn off the headlights!" Without any hesitation, Bansey switched them off immediately. "They''re only rumors; don''t we seem a bit too tense?" The recently self-pitying Griffin said with a forcedugh. But amid theugh, he looked around nervously, as if worried that fully-armed mercenaries would leap out from the sides of the road and encircle them. Edward also drew his gun, staying vignt. The atmosphere in the car suddenly became oppressive. "Stop the car." Suddenly, Jason, who had been silent, spoke up. Bansey hit the brakes immediately and turned to look at Jason. Edward, the female baker, and Griffin also turned their eyes towards him. Jason closed his eyes; with "Blind Fighting" amplifying his perception to four times that of an ordinary person. Even the slightest sounds were instantly picked up by his heightened senses. Like breathing. One, two, three... Jason silently counted the breaths not far ahead. "There are twelve people up ahead," Jason stated, then pushed open the car door and stepped out. Edward was about to follow when Jason''s figure quickly disappeared into the night. "Has he gone mad?" The self-proimed orator, Griffin, whispered. Then, pointing in the direction Jason had gone, he continued: "How does he know there are twelve people up there?" "In this pitch-ck night, what can he possibly see?" "And besides, he had his eyes closed just now, right?" "Does he think he''s a bat?" Faced with the tense situation, Griffin became more vocal with his incessant murmuring. Edward, pestered by his prattlings, pressed his gun against Griffin''s chin. "Shut up." Immediately, Griffin fell silent. Yet, to assert his position, Griffin shrugged his shoulders. This time, he seeded. With Jason gone, he could finally shrug freely. Once was not enough. But before he could do it again, the car door opened. Into the dark night stepped back a tall, robust figure into the car. A faint scent of blood wafted through the air. Squeezed into the middle seat next to Jason again, Griffin shivered. "Resolved?" he asked instinctively, but his voice stammered. Jason didn''t respond but looked at Bansey and said: "Drive." Chapter 239: Chapter 26 My Method The car continued to drive. After negotiating a few more bends, a manor appeared in everyone''s view. Under the pitch-ck night sky, the entire manor was deathly silent, like a behemoth lurking on the ground, waiting for its prey. The sporadic lights did not make people feel safe. On the contrary, they made the chill run deeper. Because... There were teams of armed patrols. One densely packed guard post after another. Under the sparse light, they became even more distinct. Especially a few oval-shaped buildings high up on the manor, which made Edward suck in a breath of cold air. Machine gun towers! Artillery towers! With only a little discernment, Edward confirmed this. Is this a manor? This is simply a fortress bastion! Then, Edward subconsciously thought¡ª What does Davide want to do? Why build such a fortress bastion outside of Newdeth City? Could it be... Thinking of something, Edward directly said to Bansey: "Radio call everyone to gather." "Yes, captain." Even after leaving the military, Bansey still habitually used military terms. But immediately, the car''s radio emitted a crackling, sizzling electric noise. Bansey tried several times to no avail. "Don''t bother trying." "That councilor is not a simple character." "If he has established such a thing here, then it must be well-equipped." "Blocking the radio is just the most basic operation." Griffin spoke, and then, while looking towards the vastplex of buildings in the distance, his eyes shimmered with fleeting surprise, panic, and unease. He had known from secret channels before that Councilor Davide had a secret residence here. But! He had no idea that such a secret residence would be a fortress-like bastion. Unlike what Edward had imagined. At this time, Griffin was already regretting deeply. If he had known it was like this here, he wouldn''t have uttered Davide''s name, let alone bring Jason and the others here. Because he was certain that the councilor would not let go of anyone who had seen this fortress bastion. And him? He had seen it. That left no choice. After pondering for a while, a rare seriousness appeared on Griffin''s face. "I have a suggestion¡ª" "What about we retreat?" Griffin said. In the course of speaking, Griffin had already decided that once they got back to the city, he would immediately buy a ticket for night travel, leave Newdeth City, flee to the warm south, and nevere back. After Griffin showed his seriousness, Edward and Bansey gave him their full attention. Edward knew well that Griffin, who had grown up in the ''gutter,'' possessed many skills unknown to others. Therefore, he was looking forward to it. However, evidently, the special operations team leader underestimated the ''gutter'' dwellers'' fear of death. "Shut up." Edward snapped. Griffin immediately withdrew, neck shrinking in difort. He genuinely meant well for everyone. Living well, why seek out death? A bunch of stubborn fools. Griffinmented in his heart. "You''re a negotiator, right?" Just then, the female pastry chef suddenly spoke up. "Yes, I''m a negotiator." "But don''t expect me to persuade those patrolling soldiers to let us in." Griffin admitted it, then said with a sneer. "No." "Perhaps you really can persuade them." "After all, you are Councilor Davide''s negotiator." The female pastry chef shook her head, a glint sparking in her eyes that sent shivers down Griffin''s spine. "You¡ªyou too have gone mad?" "You want me to lead you in there?" "How is that possible?" "Those guys will shoot me into a ho''s nest!" "We should retreat for now and look for reinforcements," Instantly, Griffin guessed what the female pastry chef wanted to do and shook his head repeatedly. "Why is it impossible?" "You''ve convinced us; we''re willing to join Davide''s camp," "But, we''re worried you''re deceiving us, so we need confirmation that it''s really Councilor Davide himself¡ªthat way, once we see Davide in person, we can capture the leader first!" The female pastry chef held onto her own opinion. The female pastry chef at this moment was no longer the usual scatterbrained image, but one of seriousness. In this state, the female pastry chef was not only quick-witted but also incredibly bold. Edward was tempted by the idea. Because he knew all too well that even if he summoned all of his subordinates, it would still be difficult to break through this Bastion fortress in a short period of time. As for a raid? That was even more impossible. Because the moment he gathered his subordinates, they would be tipped off here. If they could even poison to kill him, What''s tipping off inparison? "I think it''s feasible." "As long as we can meet Davide in person, Jason and I can strike at the same time, and we have a fair chance of restraining him!" "What do you think, Jason?" Edward turned to look at Jason with a thick look of hope in his eyes. He hoped that Jason would take a risk with him. Edward was quite confident about it. He could tell that Jason was not one to give up easily. But unexpectedly to Edward, Jason shook his head. Immediately, surprise and disappointment shed in Edward''s eyes. But what could he say? This was, after all, something that involved risking one''s life; he couldn''t force someone else to do it. Bansey sighed softly. The female pastry chef''s face slightly darkened. Though such an answer was not uneptable, Receiving such an answer from Jason Was something she couldn''te to terms with. It shouldn''t be like this. In her mind, it shouldn''t be like this. The inside of the car fell silent for a moment. Then,ughter from Griffin was heard. "Lord Jason, the first time I saw you, I definitely thought you were a smart man," "Now, it seems, I was indeed right." "The report said you were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, must be some quacks misdiagnosing; how could someone as smart as you be sick?" While Griffin spoke, he turned his head, with a sycophantic smile on his face, to look at Jason. Then, he saw a frenzied glint rise in Jason''s calm eyes. Frenzy? Griffin blinked. He was sure he hadn''t seen wrong. Gulp, gulp gulp. The faint sound of hunger clearly reached Griffin''s ears. Then¡ª Jason pushed the car door open and stepped out. "Your method is too slow," "I''m hungry..." "I''ll deal with it my way," Jason said. "You, your way?" "You n to infiltrate?" Griffin stuttered his guess. "Infiltrate?" "Hmm." "You could say that," Jason''s mouth twisted into a grim smile, revealing his ghastly white teeth, reminiscent of an alligator opening its mouth. He looked at the massive buildings in the distance, the scent in his nose growing stronger and stronger. He was not willing to wait! Thump! Thump, thump! His heart beat rapidly, the blood infused with mysterious Strength flowing through his entire body. The next moment! Woosh! Causing a gust of wind, Jason rushed towards the Bastion fortress. He knew nothing of ordinary infiltration, But he would do it perfectly. Chapter 262: Chapter 49 A Moment Before Nightfall Cecil was dead. He died in front of everyone. He swelled up like a balloon, then¡ª Pop! He just burst open. Flesh and blood flew everywhere, covering the whole Sausage Street. And Cecil had just left Hannibal''s clinic before his death. Sitting in the back of the old car, Jason and Edward listened to Bansey''s narration, with Jason sporting a yful expression, while Edward''s face became solemn in an instant. It was Hannibal again! Once more, the figure of this psychologist appeared in Edward''s field of view. "Could this guy be some kind of a psychopathic serial killer?" Bansey, who was driving, spected. "Probably not." "He has a considerable status and position." "Moreover, the charity foundation he runs does indeed do good deeds." Edward shook his head, but his tone was not so certain. He hadn''t forgotten Davide. Thetter also came from an extraordinary background, possessing a status and position beyond the imagination of ordinary people. But what had he done? It wouldn''t be too much to call him a scoundrel. Then, subconsciously, the leader of the special operations group turned to look at the silent Jason. "Jason, do you have any thoughts?" Jason''s remarkable performance on several asions had already won Edward over. He was eager to hear Jason''s opinion. "Do you think..." "This Dr. Hannibal could be rted to the ''Ghost Squad''?" Jason said. Hannibal had appeared when Dadas purchased what was called ''dragon eggs.'' Such an appearance, Jason did not believe to be a coincidence. After all, Jason did not believe that a person like Hannibal would go to the market himself; he gave off the impression of someone who would prefer to cultivate his own plot ofnd, self-sufficiently. If it wasn''t a coincidence, Hannibal went there on purpose. Then naturally, it had to be rted to the ''Ghost Squad.'' Those items were given to Hannibal by the ''Ghost Squad.'' And more importantly¡ª Were those items ''food''? Jason pondered, and then, his saliva began to secrete uncontrobly. Upon hearing Jason''s words, Edward fell into deep thought. Given Mika''s character, if he could choose, to have someone like Hannibal as a coborator, with both connections and money, would be very pleasing to him. Only... Why would Hannibal choose to cooperate with Mika? What did Mika have that someone like Hannibal would desire? Or perhaps, Hannibal hoped to use Mika to eliminate some people? The more Edward thought about it, the tighter his brows furrowed. "elerate, hurry up." Edward pped the driver''s seat. "Understood." Bansey nodded and immediately floored the elerator. Suddenly, the speeding car became even faster. However, even so, when Jason and his twopanions arrived at Sausage Street, it was already evening. The sun was setting. The sun''s blood-like rays scattered across the street. Sausage Street had already been put under martialw. Dozens of police officers were running around on the street. They were picking up the pieces of Cecil''s body. Reporters who were blocked outside were staring at the scene, pressing their camera shutters from time to time. Although they couldn''t enter, it didn''t hinder their work. One photo after another, one record after another, was continuously sent back to the newsroom. And when Bansey''s driven car appeared, it immediately attracted the attention of the reporters, and when they saw Jason pushing the door open and getting out, the shbulbs began to flicker non-stop. They were no strangers to Jason. ``` The hero who confronted armed militants. The detective who solved the case at the Aimeida Restaurant. Such incidents had made him familiar to them. Now, as Jason appeared here, the reporters swarmed toward him like sharks scenting blood, frantically converging on him. "Mr. Jason, are you here to investigate the murder of Chief Cecil?" "Mr. Jason, what is your opinion regarding Councilor Davide''s assassination attempt?" "Mr. Jason, I heard you have taken an advisory role in the special operations unit of the police?" ¡­ The crowd of reporters bombarded Jason with one question after another. Their words peppered him like machine gun fire, non-stop. Remembering his "City Recognition," Jason stood ramrod straight, allowing the reporters to take his photographs. Only after the shbulbs had ceased did he start to respond one by one: "I''ve just arrived at the scene, so I cannot confirm anything about Chief Cecil''s case." "I regret the assassination attempt on Councilor Davide." "You are well informed, I am indeed an advisor to the special operations unit now." Jason''s cooperation made the reporters even more excited. Besides at press conferences, they rarely encountered someone so amodating. Most people would either sidestep the discussion or rudely push the cameras away. "What do you think of the case before you?" Your next read is at m v|l-e''-NovelBin "Do you know why Chief Cecil exploded?" "Is it a new kind of weapon?" "Or is it sorcery?" "Do you believe ''mysteries'' truly exist?" The reporters mored with their questions. And still, Jason maintained aposed demeanor. He once again waited for the barrage of questions to subside. "It''s a mistake to confuse the odd with the mysterious; the most ordinary crimes are often the most inscrutable because theyck strange features to serve as a basis for deductive reasoning." "And moreover¡­" "There is only one truth!" Having said this, Jason no longer gave the reporters a chance to speak and strode forward. The slight air of a predator about him prompted the reporters to subconsciously clear a path. Watching his broad, towering figure pass, the reporters pressed their shutters once more. The shbulbs twinkled again. The veteran reporters turned their attention to the vehicle Jason had arrived in. Noticing the mud on the tires that did not seem toe from the city, these savvy reporters immediately whispered to their assistants, "Check where Mr. Jason hase from. " The assistants nodded in agreement. They then acted swiftly. A reporter''s instinct can sometimes be as sharp as a detective''s. Only, their lines of thought are different. Jason walked ahead. Edward walked shoulder to shoulder with Jason, while little Bansey followed behind. "Jason, I can''t believe you managed to handle that crowd!" Edward expressed his admiration. Behind them, little Bansey felt simrly. "When they question me, I always feel like I''m being interrogated." "Even though I did nothing wrong." "Yet they seem to have alreadye up with the answers." "As if I was the one who did it." "It''s really¡­ terrifying." Bansey, seemingly having a deeper experience, had a look of lingering fear on his face. "Composure is your only way to respond," Jason said,ing to a halt. In front of them was a typical two-and-a-half-story building with a garden and a terrace; the walls were brightly colored and the windows clean. At the entrance, on the left pir of the ck iron fence, hung a small sign: "Hannibal Psychological Clinic." The door was not closed. In fact, both the gate and the house door stood open. Two police officers were in the hallway, questioning Hannibal. Differing from the suit and tie he wore at theirst encounter, Hannibal was now dressed in a light green striped shirt with a pure white apron tied around his waist. As he dealt with the officers'' questions, he saw Jason standing at the doorway. Immediately, the psychologist''s face lit up with a joyful surprise. "Good evening, Jason." ``` Chapter 241: Chapter 28 New Discoveries Ed nced behind him, and Davide noticed. But he just smirked disdainfully. He had seen such petty tricks too often on his prey. At first, he would be fooled. But now? Absolutely not. However, that didn''t stop him from continuing to toy with his prey. Swirling his wine ss, Davide lowered his head, looked at the receptionist, and spoke in a slowed voice, "Someone just broke in." "It''s not the first time." "And every time, the oue is the same..." "I end up with some new collectibles." "Very unique collectibles." As Davide spoke, he sipped his red wine lightly and then eagerly watched the receptionist, hoping to see fear in her eyes, on her face. He relished such fear. Especially when he was carefully, bit by bit, slicing open those soft bodies, the sense of terror in the other person excited him, delighted him, and made him shiver all over. However, he had been recently warned by his father. He could no longer hunt recklessly. Such an obstinate and cowardly old man. Davide thought about his father. Full of contempt and mockery. In his view, his father had great power yet had no idea how to use it, still abiding by some rules. How foolish! Rules? They were made to be broken! Just like him. He had just agreed with his father, then turned around and captured another prey. And it was top-notch prey. Look at that defiant expression. Even after being exposed, he still stubbornly observed the area behind him. It was really quite good. Much more interesting than the previous prey. "Let''s y a game, shall we?" "I''ll give you ten minutes to run away." "Then, I''lle looking for you." "If you can stay hidden from me for 30 minutes, I''ll let you go. How about that?" Davide said. Let go? Of course, he would never let go. He would just give the prey a fierce surprise when they emerged after 30 minutes. Should he smash the left leg first? Or would it be better to smash the right leg? Davide pondered, the anticipation truly making him impatient. However, he was still telling himself to be patient, to wait. This patience mixed with urgency was activating something in his body even more. This activation signified... Aroma! A strong aroma filled the modest living room. Jason took a deep breath. He waspletely intoxicated. A meal of considerable quality. Jason evaluated. And the hissing inhtion finally awakened Davide. He didn''t turn around, nor did he spin, but instead threw the wine ss from his hand towards the side from where the noise wasing and sprinted forward. At the same time, his hand reached toward his waist, ready to draw his gun. Without a doubt, Davide had considerable experience. But Jason''s experience was even richer. Unable to contain his hunger and letting out a hissing breath, Jason had quietly shifted a step, and the wine ss with its liquid brushed past Jason''s shoulder. Smash! It crashed against the wall nearby, producing a crisp sound. And Davide, who had just stood up and taken a step, was grabbed by the head by Jason''s lifting hand. Jason''s broad palm directly covered the back of Davide''s head, while his thick fingers hooked onto Davide''s crown, then with a forceful grip, Davide was lifted up. Then? Face down, he was ''pressed'' to the ground by Jason. Bang! Once. Bang! Twice. Bang! Three times. With the continuous impacts, little Davide quickly lost his strength to resist. At the same time, the scent within his body became even more intense. And just as little Davide''s consciousness began to blur, the unconscious elf opened his mouth wide, as if something was about to spurt out. Jason flipped his wrist, and little Davide''s mouth was aimed to the side. Vomit! A sour and stinky liquid mixed with leftover scraps erupted forth. The telephone operator, who had not yet reacted, was sprayed thoroughly, her facepletely covered. It wasn''t Jason''s intention to do this. It was just an instinctive reaction. Then, the telephone operator paused, touched the sticky substance on her face, and even sniffed it. And then... "Ahhhh!" The telephone operator, who had been slumped on the floor a moment earlier, suddenly sprung up with a mad scream and raced towards what seemed to be the restroom. Meanwhile, little Davide continued to vomit. Vomit! Vomit, vomit! After continuous vomiting, when his stomach seemed almost empty, suddenly something that looked like jelly was expelled. It was palm-sized, a bit translucent and gtinous in appearance, resembling jelly. Without limbs or features, it could only move slowly on the ground. But, now that the ''shell'' was gone, the rich scent could no longer be hidden. Jason grabbed therge jelly-like creature without hesitation,pletely ignoring the ''food''s struggle, the acidic corrosion, and then grabbed a bottle of red wine and started to rinse the creature with it. "How do you cook jelly?" As Jason rinsed, he pondered. Then, before he coulde up with an answer, his body acted on its own. He tossed the ''jelly'' into his mouth without hesitation. Slippery, cool. Slightly sweet. Chewing it was pleasantly crisp. [You have consumed ''Pusack Elf''!] [Physical Strength, Energy (Injuries) greatly recovered to the maximum extent!] [Satiety +12] [Satiety: 73] ... Jason originally had a satiety level of 67, but when he burst into this ce, even though he was careful, he still suffered two fatal injuries under the massive firepower coverage, consuming 6 points of satiety. However, after consuming the ''Pusack Elf,'' everything waspensated for, and there was even a slight gain. Not just in terms of satiety. But also in terms of ''food.'' It was his first encounter with ''food'' that ''parasitized'' within a human body. No! It can''t simply be called parasitism! What if... the ''food'' was born from little Davide''s body? If that were really the case! Could it be recycled? Jason lowered his head and looked at little Davide, whom he had casually thrown onto the pile of vomit. His eyes couldn''t help but ze with excitement. But Jason remained rational. He knew that this was just spection. Without any reliable information, there were no conclusions to be drawn. So, he simply made a mental note of it, without taking any action. At that moment, familiar footsteps sounded from the other end of the corridor. Edward, Bansey, the female pastry chef, and Griffin rushed in. Although they were somewhat disheveled, there were no injuries on them. Bansey, the most innocent, looked up at Jason, who stood beside little Davide, with the purest admiration in his eyes. Griffin was also simple. Pure ttery. Nothing but ttery. Edward, however, was tinged withplexity. He was increasingly baffled as to why the military would let such a person leave the army and return to the city. He had witnessed firsthand the scene where one stood against a hundred, under the premise of gunpowder weapons. Original content from M-VL-em|p,yr Therefore, he knew full well that if such a person were to lose control... it would be a catastrophe! What the hell is going on in the heads of the military''s highmand? Edward couldn''t help but curse. But the most special was the female pastry chef. Her gaze was calm, even somewhat matter-of-fact. As if, everything should be this way. Jason''s eyes turned to the female pastry chef, but his brows furrowed slightly. "Who are you?" Chapter 242 : 29 C Position Who are you? Upon hearing Jason''s question, the people around him were taken aback. That included the female pastry chef herself, who also paused in bewilderment. Then, the female pastry chef spoke with a hint of confusion, "I''m Giselle, aren''t I?" The frown on Jason''s face deepened. Just a moment ago, he could confirm that the scent of the female pastry chef had changed slightly, like a steamy sensation simr to boiling fish, but now she had reverted to her original sweet scent. What''s going on? Jason''s nostrils red instinctively. It wasn''t the smell of ''food.'' There was no malice either. Jason was puzzled. Concern showed in the female pastry chef''s eyes, which was shared by Edward, Bansey, and the others. Griffin muttered subconsciously, "Do you think¡­" "Could he be sick?" "Is he dangerous?" "He wouldn''t bite someone, would he?" p! Another p was heard. It was the female pastry chef who delivered it again. "Why did you hit me?" "And always the same side?" Griffin bellowed indignantly. p! Before the words were even finished, the female pastry chef struck back with her hand. After pping, the confused pastry chef seemed to wake up suddenly. "Sorry, sorry." "I don''t know why but¡­" "I couldn''t seem to control myself just now." The female pastry chef kept apologizing. Griffin, covering both cheeks, looked at the pastry chef in front of him and instinctively took a step back. He suddenly realized that she was the most dangerous one here. Not only were her attacks unanticipated, but there was also no sense of remorse afterward. Was that bewildered look on her face just a fa?ade? Griffin recalled the odd behavior of the other party in the car. "Jason, are you okay?" "The police have a special psychologist." "He has considerable experience dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder." Edward, clearly misunderstanding the situation, walked over and spoke. "I''m fine." "That scene just now made me feel ufortable." "He must be the ''Serial Women''s Case'' killer, and there''s another girl who survived." Jason shook his head, then changed the subject without borating. He pointed at little Davide on the ground. Then, he looked seriously at Edward''s expression. Excitement, tion. All these expressions appeared on Edward''s face. However, as for the vomit and such, Edward did not show much of a reaction, exhibiting only an instinctive response. Had Edward not been exposed to special incidents? Jason silently spected. The female pastry chef, after sizing up little Davide and the surroundings, crisply said: "Jason, did you grab him by the back of the head and m it into the ground?" "He must have suffered a concussion, hence the vomiting." "The surviving girl was unfortunately sshed with the vomit, so she ran into the washroom." The spection was almost as if she had witnessed it herself. Jason did not object. "Go check the washroom." Edward quickly ordered Bansey. However, before Bansey could head to the washroom, the police dispatcherdy had alreadye out. "Ada?!" "Bansey?!" When the two spotted each other, they were both astonished. Then, seeing a familiar face, the dispatcherdy''s emotions were instantly released. She burst into tears. What had she been through that night? First, she was kidnapped. Then toyed with. And finally¡­ She was smeared with vomit across her face, drenched in it. Until now, she could still faintly smell that sour stench. It was like hell itself. Jason looked in surprise at the familiar faces of Bansey and Ada. "She''s the police department''s dispatcherdy." "I recognize her voice." The pastry chef was exining. By her side, a sh of anger crossed Edward''s face. He had never thought he would encounter Ada here. "Damn bastard, truly deserves to die!" Edward roared. "Ordinary stimtion is no longer enough to please him." "He is in pursuit of more thrilling behaviors." "Yet in his instincts, he still carries a hint of rational caution." "So, the identity of thisdy operator fits that very well." "Close to the police, yet not a real officer." The pastry chef spoke slowly. Listening to the pastry chef, Edward couldn''t help but nod slightly. Standing by, Griffin looked at the nodding Edward as if he were looking at a fool. Hey, hey, aren''t you guys curious about how a pastry chef knows all this? Isn''t that strange? Don''t you have any reaction? Griffin thought to himself but didn''t want to stay here a moment longer. It''s bad enough there''s one terrifying man. But now there''s a dangerous woman as well. Especially since these two are together. It''s really too dangerous. Better to take my leave. Thinking this, Griffin gave Jason and the others a polite bow. "Ladies and gentlemen, it was a pleasant yet brief evening." "But all things muste to an end." "We shall meet again in the future." As he spoke, Griffin retreated to the edge of the hall. Upon noticing that no one was paying attention to him, the self-proimed raconteur turned and ran. He already smelled the sweet scent of freedom! He couldn''t wait any longer. He never wanted to see the likes of Jason and Giselle again. He wanted to leave this city. He wanted to go to the warm south. Thinking this, Griffin didn''t watch his step. He happened to step into a crater formed from an explosion, and then, with inertia, his body swayed. Crack! After a crisp sound, Griffin fell to the ground, his ankle rapidly swelling. "Ahhhh!" "My foot!" Griffin cried out in pain. Edward frowned looking at Griffin. He was beginning to think there was something wrong with his source of information. How could a guy like this possibly survive in the ''gutters''? Must be some sort of imposter or swindler, right? Edward thought and said to Bansey beside him: "Urge the reinforcements." "And get this guy an ambnce." "Right." "Cuff him, because we''re going to thoroughly check for any fraud cases or the like." Bansey executed Edward''smands with a hundred percent precision. Directly, he handcuffed the sprained Griffin. "Aren''t we on the same side?" "I showed you the way!" "I made a contribution!" Griffin shouted again. Unfortunately, just like before, no one paid any attention to him. Edward and Bansey took the opportunity to search for more evidence. Jason was also searching. But unlike Edward, he was searching for ''food'' evidence. He needed to confirm whether the ''Pusak Elf'' was parasitic or born. The pastry chef just followed behind Jason, her face still showing confusion. Unfortunately, neither Edward nor Jason found anything. Jason was prepared for this. But Edward just frowned. The next moment, what made Edward frown even more was that a group of reporters had somehow appeared here. As soon as the reporters showed up, they began snapping photos of the ce. Edward and Bansey instinctively dodged. Griffin, however, tried to hide his handcuffs while offering a smile. He wanted to stand in the most dazzling spot. He wanted to strike the coolest pose. To be in the newspaper, yay! It was his first time in his life! But just as Griffin hadn''t steadied himself, suddenly, he felt a powerful force squeezing. Griffin stumbled several steps to the side. When he turned his head, he saw Jason standing there. Jason stood there erect, looking coldly at the reporters¡­ No! Not just the reporters, it seemed his gaze was coolly sweeping over everything in the world. He said indifferently, "This world is truly filthy." Chapter 243 : 30 Newspaper (3 updates - please subscribe - please vote for the month -) A faint tone of voice, low-pitched words. They were like mas, drawing in the reporters that had suddenly appeared. One by one, they raised their cameras and pressed the shutter at Jason. Click, click. Under the shing lights, Jason felt a bit nervous inside, but his exterior remained as indifferent as ever. He reminded himself, it was all for the "city recognition." That''s right. It was all for the "city recognition." Previously at the Amida Restaurant, when he first gained the "city recognition," Jason had some spections. And the scene before him was his test: to see if letting more people know about him would increase his "city recognition." The shlights flickered for a while. Experience new worlds on M-VL-em|p,yr When Jason estimated that it was about time, he ignored Edward and the others, and said to the female pastry chef, "Let''s go." Having said that, Jason tookrge strides forward. Releasing a hint of a sharp aura, the reporters who had been crowding in front of him quickly made way. The female pastry chef hurried to catch up. Before long, the two of them had disappeared from sight. At this time, the reporters then turned their attention to Griffin, who was closest to Jason. "Are you the criminal?" One reporter asked bluntly. "No!" "I am a helper!" After repeatedly denying it, Griffin emphasized his introduction with a stronger tone. "What about your handcuffs?" "That''s my hobby!" "A hobby, understand?" "Doesn''t everyone have some sort of hobby, right?" Griffin stressed. At this time, Edward''s subordinates finally arrived. "Have the reporters leave the estate for now." "And..." "Shut this guy up." Edward ordered. "Yes!" The subordinates responded in unison. The reporters cooperated and left the estate. They had already obtained their exclusive stories, and staying longer wouldn''t be of much use. Of course, it was still necessary to keep someone for guard interviews. As for the rest? They exchanged nces, clearly seeing the determination in each other''s eyes: The big news of the day will be mine! Then, one by one, they hurried towards Newdeth City. Of course, most of them were on bicycles. A few were in cars. Swarming in. Swarming out. After these people had gone, a male and female figure emerged from the shadows to the side. The man was tall and sturdy. The woman was quiet and gentle. "These people are really scary." The female pastry chefmented. "People who work hard for their job are indeed very scary." Jason responded in such a way. Then, he headed straight for the car he hade in. This was already outside of Newdeth City, and Jason certainly didn''t want to walk back. But just now, there had been too many people, making it unsuitable to discuss how to return. Therefore, Jason made a decision on his own. When Jason got into the car, the female pastry chef got in from the other side. It was a subconscious act. Once inside the car, the female pastry chef suddenly realized it seemed a bit inappropriate. However, she did not get out. Instead, she sat with her head lowered, blushing. "Could you tell me about your sister?" Jason suddenly asked. The female pastry chef was taken aback. "Evelyn?" "She''s very active." "She doesn''t like cooking or baking all that much." "Liking to go out, but if I talk more¡­" "She kind of hates me." At this point, the female pastry chef looked somewhat gloomy. "Hates you?" Jason turned his head, watching the pastry chef''s expression. It seemed natural, not like an act. But it could also be that she was so good at pretending that he couldn''t tell. That, however, didn''t prevent him from continuing to listen. "Yes." "We used to be together all the time." "Butter, I didn''t know why, Evelyn began to hate me." "She nevermunicated with me directly and even avoided meeting me." "So much so, that she would always contact me by leaving notes." "Notes?" Jason raised an eyebrow. "Yes, notes." "When she came back, she would write me a note and leave it on the table." "Then, I would respond to her." "When she was in a good mood, she would asionally bring me a postcard." The female pastry chef nodded, and when she mentioned the postcards, a kind and gentle smile spread across her face, like that of an elder sister or a mother. Jason''s brow furrowed even more. If he had felt something was off before, now it definitely seemed wrong. He subconsciously red his nostrils. But, there was still no scent of ''food''. "Not ''food''?" Jason sighed inwardly. And at that moment, Edward, who was escorting young Davide with his subordinates, stepped out. The special operations team leader had a deep impatience on his face. Upon seeing Jason and the female pastry chef in the car, he paused for a moment, then hurriedly shoved young Davide into the prison van. Pulling open the car door, Edward hopped into the driver''s seat. "You''re smart, knowing to stay out of the way." "Do you know what I''ve just been through?" "Questions! Endless questioning!" "It made me feel like I was the criminal!" Edward began toin non-stop as soon as he got into the car. Then, suddenly, he paused, The leader of the special operations team turned around and said formally, "Thank you." "We have already found the remains of those missing women in the basement of the mansion... that bastard can''t get away, I will make sure he hangs!" "I express my gratitude on behalf of those poor souls." Saying so, Edward bowed slightly to show his thanks. "We are allies." Jason responded like that. "Right, we''re allies!" Edward smiled, then promised, "The police have a reward for the ''Serial Women Disappearance Case'', a total of 500 dors, I will ensure you get every penny you''re entitled to." "After all..." "Your appetite, it needs plenty of money to be satisfied." After finishing, Edwardughed again. It was no longer the polite, formal smile. It was the teasing shared between close friends. Undoubtedly, the experiences before had made the leader of the special operations team start to recognize Jason. Not just his abilities, but also his character. Especially thetter, unmoved by a 2,000-dor fee, knocking out Griffin immediately, and unflinchingly charging towards an armed crowd to capture young Davide. Edward thought that someone like him was worth befriending. Someone he could consider a friend. Of course... Just don''t let him pay for meals. The car continued on its way. After dropping off Jason and the female pastry chef at the Watchdog Pastry House, Edward left. Jason and the female pastry chef returned to their room. A night without words. The next day, before dawn, editions of the newspapers spread from the press to various locations. Different front pages of the newspapers boasted erged, bold headlines¡ª "Nameless Hero Bravely Rescues Councilor''s Son from the Tiger''s Den!" "Armed Men Kidnap Councilor''s Son, Creating a Tragic Incident!" ¡­ Chapter 244: Chapter 31 The Justice of Newdeth City? Jason saw the newspapers at the breakfast table. Giselle didn''t have the habit of subscribing to a newspaper, but after noticing that Jason seemed to enjoy reading them, she specifically walked to the newsstand at the corner to purchase them. Jason looked at the erged and bolded font, at his own photo, at the increased 5% "City Approval Rating," silently eating his breakfast. Arge portion of luncheon meat sandwich and hot milk. The milk had sugar in it. Warm and sweet. Beside the luncheon meat was a fried egg. The slightly charred fried egg was just perfect with the crispy softness of the meat. Throughout the entire breakfast, Jason didn''t say a single word. The female pastry chef looked at Jason with concern. She knew what had happenedst night. Simrly, she also knew why such reports appeared in the newspapers. Little Davide''s father. Councilor Davide. The other party had made a move. Turning ck into white. Or should it be said... Turning the tide? No matter what it was, little Davide must be safe now. But those girls... Thinking about this, the female pastry chef''s eyes reddened slightly. But immediately, the pastry chef shifted her attention to Jason as he stood up. "Jason?" The pastry chef asked with worry. If it weren''t for Jason''s habit of reading the newspaper, she would never have given these newspapers to him. She would rather have Jason know nothing, lest his illness worsen. "It''s nothing." "Isn''t that just the way Newdeth City is?" "Just like what those people say, it has long since changed." "Became... unfamiliar." Jason waved his hand and said, as he walked upstairs. As he turned the corner to the second floor, Jason looked back at the pastry chef and said, "I want to sleep for a while, call me for lunch." Having said that, Jason entered the storage room. Click. The door closed gently, and thetch clicked crisply. Jason slowly took off the homewear he was wearing¡ªnot given by the pastry chef, but the only set of presentable clothes he could muster from beneath his handcart. So, it was better not to stain such clothes with blood. Especially the blood of certain beasts, which is filled with foul stench. He put on the slightly dirty vagabond garb again and lifted his hand from within the clothes, taking out the hockey mask. He slowly put on the mask. Took a deep breath. Then, exhaled heavily. Whoosh! The long-missed feeling offort and security appeared once more. Picking up the broad-ded short-handle machete, the cold gleam on the de reflected in the eye sockets of the hockey mask, the eyes showing no flicker or movement, just cold killing intent. The world has be sullied. It naturally needs to be cleansed. Blood, is the best detergent. ... Crack! Another cup was smashed fiercely onto the ground by Edward. The cup shattered into pieces. Panting, panting. Edward was gasping for air in great gulps. Like a wounded beast. No. A wounded beast would still know to lick its wounds, whereas Edward''s wounds could never heal. He had always ignored them. Or rather, he had been avoiding them, but now they were thrown directly in his face. It hit him until his nose was blue and his face swollen. It hit him until he was covered in blood. It hit him until he... became lucid. Yes. Lucid. Edward turned his head to look at the release order signed by the chief, his lips stretching into a smile. A silent smile. Ferocious. And, mad. He pulled out his keys and opened the bottommost drawer on the left side of the desk. Inside was a revolver and a row of bullets. The silver-white revolver, with its slender barrel shimmering with beauty. Edward picked up the revolver, swung open the cylinder, and took the bullets, loading them one by one. Sky, unyielding. He,e to collect. ... "Hahahahaha!" "Hahahahaha!" "Hahahahaha!" After reading the morning''s newspaper, Griffiny on the hospital bed in the police station,ughing aloud until tears flowed out, gasping for breath withughter. "This is Newdeth City!" He said. Then, he shook his hand. The handcuffs binding his right hand nked, awakening Bansey. Bansey lifted his head, shifting his gaze from the newspaper, his face filled with confusion. "Hey, Bansey." "Don''t feel so bad." "You have to learn to get used to it." "You know, this is Newdeth City!" Griffin said with augh. "But, but..." "He made so many mistakes." "Shouldn''t he be punished by thews of Newdeth City?" Bansey muttered. "Punished by thews of Newdeth City?" "Hahahahaha!" Griffinughed again, then suddenly paused and asked lightly, "Thew is just, thest hope of people, the umbre for the weak, but that''s elsewhere." "In Newdeth City?" "Its value lies in being the tool of the strong... no, it should be called a fig leaf for recklessness." Griffin said and theny back down. Then, he saw Bansey stand up and run out. "Where are you going?" Griffin shouted. "Captain!" "The Captain''s in trouble!" Bansey answered without looking back. Edward? That guy shouldn''t, should he? He seems to be a very calm person, doesn''t he? Griffin was startled, pondering subconsciously, then suddenly he thought of another man suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Instantly, Griffin''s face changed. He didn''t want to get involved in any big trouble that couldn''t be solved. He had to stop that madman. Thinking this, Griffin''s hand trembled. Click! The handcuffs binding him snapped open. Then, he limped outside. However, just as he was leaving through the door, he turned around, tore off a hospital bedsheet, pulling off the sheet with the hospital bed number on it, and slipped it over his head. ... In the police station corridor, Davide, elegantly dressed in a suit, walked ahead with little Davide, followed by the groveling chief of police. "Well done," Davide said. "As it should be, should be," "It''s my honor to serve Councilor sir," The chief bowed and scraped as he spoke. "If I win the mayoral election, I''ll reserve a position in the Mayor''s office for you or someone associated with you," Davide whispered. "That would be more than wonderful," The chief bowed again and again. Wasn''t this what he wanted? Just a little movement of the pen, a signature, and it was done. Then, why not? Davide paid no further attention to the chief but turned to his son. "Remember what I''ve charged you with." "There will be reporterster." "Just recite it directly¡ª as for that veteran, I will take care of him afterward." Davide said, a hint of malice crossing his face. How could he not hate? His trump card of many years was lost just like that. If he didn''t tear Jason to pieces, how could he quell the hatred in his heart? But that was forter. Now? A perfect press conference was the best conclusion to this matter. With this in mind, Davide raised his hands and pushed open the police station''s main door¡ª Squeak, The door opened. Chapter 245: Chapter 32 Look Up! Click, click-click! The moment the police station doors swung open, shbulbs shed incessantly. Reporters tried to swarm forward. But, they were blocked by a line of ck-d bodyguards, forcing them to stand outside the human wall. However, this did not deter the reporters from asking their questions. "Councilor Davide, what is your view on those armed militants?" "Councilor Davide, what do you think about the sudden appearance of a secret base outside Newdeth City?" "Young Mr. Davide, did you suffer mistreatment when you were kidnapped?" ... One question after another, ordinary people under such a barrage would have been at a loss. But Davide''s expression remained unchanged, even wearing a benign smile. He raised his hand and made a pressing motion. Instantly, the reporters'' voices subsided. Standing on the steps of the police station, the councilor began to speak: "I have always been properly arranging for our veterans from the battlefield, whether it''s the job center or the veterans'' hospital, we''re continuously investing, to ensure that our heroes can better and more quickly adapt to this new city. I want them to feel neither lost nor downhearted because this is the care they deserve, just as they once charged into battle for us." "But¡­" "There are always some rotten apples!" At this point, the councilor clenched his fist and swung it fiercely. His voice began to fill with indignation. His voice began to rise unconsciously. "In any era, there will inevitably be some rotten apples!" "There were some in the past, there are some now, but I hope there will be none in the future!" "And this is what we should strive for now!" As he finished speaking, the councilor bowed deeply. Immediately, people in the crowd who had been prearranged began to p. p, p-p. The apuse grew from sparse to dense, quickly filling the air. Humans are inherently herd animals. Especially when the majority are doing something and you are among them, instinct will make you follow. Stand out against the crowd? Yes. But it requires formidable strength as a foundation. Amidst the apuse, the councilor stepped aside, and young Davide came forward. "Thank you all for your concerns, I''m fine." "Thank you to that unnamed hero." "Thank you for saving me." Young Davide was reciting the ''script'' given by his father, with a grateful expression on his face. Instantly, the surrounding shbulbs started shing again. Young Davide maintained that grateful look, even though he scorned those words in his heart. He didn''t believe them at all. Newdeth City was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. The strong had everything. The weak? They were mere food. However, he did not defy his father. He still needed his father''s strength. At least! To find that bastard! Thinking this, young Davide continued to speak. "I am¡­" "Look up!" Just as young Davide was about to continue, suddenly a shout rang out from the crowd. Young Davide''s speech was cut short, and he instinctively looked up. A figure had appeared on the tform above the entrance, and as everyone looked up, the figure leaped down, the wide de of a short-handled machete whistling through the air. Whooosh! Thud! Young Davide was struck by the de as it passed over his head. A straight red line ran down from his forehead, coursing through his body. Jason turned and swung his machete. Thud! At his side, Davide''s head flew off. Everything happened in the blink of an eye. The next moment¡ª "Aaaaah!" Screams pierced the air among the onlookers, one after another. Compared to the previous apuse, these screams were much more genuine. The journalists wore faces of horror. Yet, they still remembered to press their shutters. The bodyguards forming a human wall could no longer stand still; they pulled out guns from their coats and aimed straight at Jason. But someone was faster. Edward, cloaked and his face hidden, had a silver revolver in hand. His left thumb cocked the hammer as his right index finger repeatedly pulled the trigger. Bang, bang bang! Six shots in rapid session, and the first bodyguard to draw a gun was on the ground, clutching his hand and wailing in pain. Then, Edward flicked his right wrist, the cylinder of the revolver popped out, his left hand swiped at his waist, and six bullets soared through the air. With a snap of his right hand, the bullets neatly entered the cylinder. Hands worked in unison again. Left thumb on the hammer, right finger on the trigger. Bang bang bang! The bullets fired one by one. At a speed far surpassing that of an average person. The armed bodyguards fell to the ground one after another. Rapid fire?! Jason looked at Edward in surprise. He had recognized Edward as soon as he started shooting. Even through the haze of gunsmoke... the scent of a person remains unchanged. Simrly, Edward had recognized Jason. He could never forget that vagabond attire. The two exchanged nces, and beneath the masks, in the shadows, hidden smiles curled upon their lips. It was a sign of recognition. This was no ordinary alliance. They were friends. Amidst the chaotic crowd, the two shared a smile and turned simultaneously, entrusting their backs to each other, facing more ck-d bodyguards. Gunfire rang out incessantly. Knives shed fiercely. For a moment, cries of agony and mournful screams turned the area into a battlefield. Meanwhile, outside in the street, a car charged in like a mad bull. Without any sign of slowing down. On the contrary, the driver floored the gas pedal. The vehicle''s front end mmed hard into the ck-d bodyguards. After plowing through the crowd, the car executed a sleek fishtail turn, sending two ck-d bodyguards flying before its doors burst open. Jason and Edward could clearly see two individuals with their heads wrapped in quilted cotton inside. "What are you looking at?" "Get in the car!" The driver shouted loudly. The one in the passenger seat leaned out halfway with a ''typewriter'' equipped with a rounded drum magazine and began wildly firing at the ck-d bodyguards. Rat-a-tat-tat! The gunfire crackled. Hot shell casings fell to the ground. This time, the ck-d bodyguards were truly stunned. Especially when the car started again, and the grenade thrown from the driver''s seat caused them to frantically dodge left and right in terror. Whir! Amidst the roaring engine, the car sped away. All around were ck-d bodyguards lying on the ground. But, The grenade did not explode. The bodyguards looked at each other in confusion, then all turned to stare at the departing car. At that moment, the window on the driver''s side rolled down, a hand reached out, and a middle finger was raised high. This provoked the bodyguards to shoot at the car repeatedly. Startled, Griffin quickly retracted his hand. Then, without looking back, he asked¡ª "Two bosses." "What are we going to do next?" "Fugitives for life?" Bansey, who had just been madly pulling the trigger, suddenly paused. He had been too focused on rescuing his leader and hadn''t thought about what came next. Edward also furrowed his brows, beginning to ponder their next move. But Jason spoke calmly¡ª "What does Jason have to do with an attack on Councilor Davide by a Masked Man?" Chapter 269: Chapter 56: The Playful Little Bansey Cold sweat spilled from Bansey''s forehead. He subconsciously reached for his gun. But his body was as heavy as if it were filled with lead, or frozen stiff in the cold wind,pletely unable to move. And just at that moment¡ª Bang, bang bang! The gun fired. Edward, with a calm expression, fired three shots in rapid session, shattering the rolling head, which could no longer move. The car door swung open, and Jason stepped out. His expression was just as calm, his demeanor indifferent. Edward followed closely behind. Bansey was thest to step out. Moreover, by the time Bansey came over, Jason and Edward had already started a meticulous examination of the scene. He turned his head and nced surreptitiously at Jason and Edward. Eventually, he couldn''t hold back any longer. "Captain, Jason, aren''t you scared?" Bansey asked. "Scared?" "Why should we be scared?" "Dead people aren''t living people, what''s there to be afraid of?" Edward retorted. "But, but..." Bansey felt that Edward made sense, yet he still felt something was off. He opened his mouth but couldn''t articte his thoughts, while Edward went on with a smile, "Don''t be afraid of these things. Just shoot. If a gun doesn''t work, use a grenade; if a grenade doesn''t work, use a mortar. If one mortar shell isn''t enough, use a bunch." "Level the ce, and it''ll be quiet." With that, Edward looked at Jason. "You think the same, right, Jason?" "Mhm," Jason nodded. As long as the caliber wasrge enough, the yield sufficient, in his view, any ''physical'' bizarre entity wasn''t something to be feared. Even some of the insubstantial bizarre beings could be categorized in the same way. If it didn''t work, it just meant that your caliber wasn''t big enough, your yield not sufficient. What really concerned Jason was the ''Bizarre''! Those that couldn''t be understood through normal reasoning, the ''Bizarre''! This was also why he was always somitted to enhancing "Protection Against Evil." However, Edward''s decisiveness still caught Jason by surprise. He had thought that Edward had never been exposed to the ''Mystical Side.'' Seeming to notice Jason''s confusion, Edward exined: "Although I may not have been in as many battles as you have, Jason, I have been on the battlefield." "You know, there are too many strange things on the battlefield." "These?" "They''re nothing at all." Edward pointed at the wreckage beneath his feet, shrugged his shoulders, and continued: "I''m just curious now..." "How did it get here?" In the afternoon, the whole street had been under martialw to collect Cecil''s body. Simply put, Cecil''s body should have been in the police morgue. "Bansey, use the radio in the car to inquire," Jason ordered. "Yes, Captain," Bansey replied and turned to sprint toward the car. Edward headed towards the martialw officers running their way. Suddenly, Jason was left alone at the scene. His gaze no longer lingered on the remains. Instead, he kept ring his nostrils. The cold air rushed into his nasal passages. Carrying a hint of sweetness. That was the sweetness of food. Regrettably, it was very faint. In the cold wind of the night, such a scent couldn''t linger, and it dissipated with the breeze. But it was enough to pique Jason''s interest. Hannibal had said that the ''Ghost Squad'' had a fairly stable ''supply chain'' for ''ingredients.'' Clearly, in the previous case of Cecil''s murder, these guys hadn''t wasted an opportunity; they must have allowed a certain ''ingredient'' to act, creating the bizarre scene before them. As for why? To demoralize the Newdeth City police. Or to put it more directly, to trouble Edward. Edward knew Mika. Mika naturally knew Edward. Two people familiar with each other ''fighting'', and the one who shows the first w is naturally the one who fails. ``` Tap, tap tap. Hannibal, d in a thin shirt, ran out from the distance. The recent gunshot had awakened the contemtive Hannibal. Jason gave Hannibal a slight shake of his head, and thetter immediately nodded in understanding, his expression quickly adjusting. By the time he reached Jason, he even spoke in the tone of a doctor: "What happened, Jason?" asked Hannibal. His eyes then nced at the debris on the ground. "Nothing," Jason replied calmly. He made no superfluous movements and uttered no unnecessary words. In public spaces, it was better for him and Hannibal to maintain the rtionship of ''doctor and patient'' as people knew it. This facilitated Jason''s search for the ''Ghost Squad'' even more. Naturally, Hannibal understood what Jason meant. He again reminded Jason about various matters to be cautious of. When Edward returned, Hannibal nodded politely and turned back to his dwelling. "He''s got nerve," Edward remarked. The recent gunshot had rmed the entire street. Yet the only one who came out to check was Hannibal. "Maybe it''s because he''s a doctor." "And I''m a patient," "He came out because he saw me here," said Jason. "Hmm." "I''ve checked the files; his professional integrity is not in question." "Many big shots are pleased to befriend him." Edward nodded. The two conversed as they walked back to their car. Edward looked at the coffee still warm inside the car, steaming, and curled his lip, trying his best to sit in the back corner. "Captain, everything''s normal back at headquarters." "They haven''t found Cecil''s head this afternoon." "It must be¡­ hidden ahead of time." Bansey carefully chose his words, starting the car while he spoke and heading toward Pea Corner Street where Watchdog Pastry House was located. "When we get back, file this case specially, in the special action team''s special filing cab," Edward instructed. "Yes," replied Bansey promptly. However, Jason noticed some of the vocabry in Edward''s words. "Special filing cab?" "Are ''The Ripper Beneath the Night Sky'' and ''The Hanged Man''s Echo'' also in there?" Jason asked. He wasn''t surprised by the existence of the ''special filing cab.'' After all, it was only natural for certain special cases, which couldn''t be made public, to be kept in a special ce. He just wanted to know more about the ''food.'' Although he had learned some from Hannibal, Jason never underestimated the police''s investigative capabilities. Edward likely knew things that ordinary people didn''t. Indeed, it was so. "All there!" After confirming, Edward then exined: "For ''The Ripper Beneath the Night Sky,'' we''ve locked on a few doctors and butchers. We''ve been monitoring them. I''m quite confident that our guy is among these few people." "As soon as he strikes again, I''ll definitely catch him," Edward said confidently. But then, Edward hesitated. "As for ''The Hanged Man''s Echo''?" "I don''t have more information!" "Based on witness ounts from the scenes, we only know that the bastard likes to strike at night against parties of two or more in a vehicle. In all three incidents, the vehicles broke down, and when one or more got out to check, they were attacked and hanged outside, with the bodies suspended above the vehicle, so the deceased''s shoes could just graze the car''s roof, producing a gritty noise." "Those who stayed in the car were safe, but were terrified out of their wits." "I tried to inquire further, but there were no more clues," Edward said, frowning deeply, Explore new worlds at m,v l''-NovelBin clearly contemting the case. Bansey, driving the car, was much more rxed. In a half-joking tone, he said, "We''re also multiple people in a car now, aren''t we? What do you say, will that guy show up? If he does, I''m going to let him¡­" Click, clunk. The normally running car''s engine shook and suddenly died. ``` The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 247: Chapter 34 Special Cultivation Methods While the female pastry chef began hastily whipping cream, Jason had already started his training. He hadn''t forgotten the reason he chose this "Crispy Meat Roll" world: he needed to strengthen his physique and expand his ''undying trait'' so he could more easily cope with Lorde''s bizarre nature. The previous day had been tangled up with unfamiliarity in Newdeth City and [City Recognition]. Now, having more or less figured things out, Jason immediately entered training mode. He started with 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run every day. Even though his mind contained secret techniques like the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, Jason was well aware that a body without warm-up was like a piece of cheese taken out of the fridge¡ªmove it slightly, and it would crumble. Gerard had reminded him more than once that when practicing secret techniques such as the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, it was crucial to warm up thoroughly. Because techniques like the Griffin Body Refinement Technique dig deeper into the body''s strength, and a fully active body aids in this exploration. Push-ups, sit-ups, squats. Jasonpleted these three exercises one by one in the storeroom where he lived before heading downstairs. "I''m going for a run." Jason called out to the busy female pastry chef. "Okay." The pastry chef responded. Instead of going to the central park, Jason began shuttle running on Pea Corner Street, by the side of the Watchdog Pastry House. Firstly, this ce wasn''t crowded. Secondly, the Watchdog Pastry House was within sight. The entire Pea Corner Street was about 500 meters long; a round trip made it 1000 meters, and after 10 times, it was exactly 10 kilometers. Even though Jason''s physical fitness was more than double that of ordinary people, he began to sweat from the continuous exercise, but he didn''t stop to rest immediately. Instead, he strolled and began to adjust his breathing. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. This was the breathing method detailed in the Griffin Body Refinement Technique. It was also the most basic stage. When the body adapted and instinctively started breathing this way, it meant the basics of the Griffin Body Refinement Technique were mastered. Of course! The prerequisite was that the secret technique did not backfire. Jason thought he was still too far from being able to sense if it backfired. He concentrated fully on controlling his breathing, letting his body get used to this method. But it was a bit hard! After just a few steps, Jason felt he was getting short of breath. "I''m still too impatient at heart," he thought. "I need to take it slowly." Jason reminded himself. Then, he slowed his pace and continued to adjust his breathing. Next... He got short of breath again. Jason furrowed his brow. "Could it be that my talent is too poor?" "No, no, no." "I must be too anxious," he thought, then proceeded with an even finer, more cautious stride. Just as before. After a few steps, Jason got short of breath again. This time, after the shortness of breath, he also felt a spasm in his heart. He was naturally aware of such pain. Suddenly, he had a bad feeling in his heart. Could it be... That the existing secret technique makes me unsuitable for the Griffin Body Refinement Technique? This spection made Jason''s brows tighten. He knew that the Griffin Body Refinement Technique was not just any secret technique for him at the moment, but it was essential for the entire Griffin system. Without the addition of the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, the other techniques of the Griffin school would remain at their current level, and any improvement would be impossible. Moreover, ording to Gerard''s records, the Griffin Body Refinement Technique could greatly enhance physical fitness, which was exactly what Jason needed most at the moment. However, if it was unsuitable, it was unsuitable. He couldn''t risk trying it, could he? Thinking this, Jason continued to maintain the breathing method of the Griffin Body Refinement Technique and walked forward. He, Jason, with the Undying Body. Is not afraid! With one step, I caught my breath. With the second step, my heart clenched in pain. With the third step, my nostrils bled from a fatal injury, then I revived at full health. With the fourth step, blood trickled from the corner of my mouth from a fatal injury, then I revived at full health. With the fifth step, blood seeped from my eyes from a fatal injury, then I revived at full health. With the sixth step, blood poured from both ears from a fatal injury, then I revived at full health. With the seventh step, the Griffin Body Refinement Technique was perfected. Roar! A low roar echoed in Jason''s ears. Before his eyes, suddenly there was a blinding light. It seemed like the radiance of the sun. A massive Golden Griffon stood tall and proud before him. But, Such brilliancested for less than a second. Then it deepened. It was the depth of night! Complete darkness reced the sun''s glow. The Golden Griffon quickly darkened. It was ufortable. It resisted. It struggled. But it was futile; the ck rapidly infiltrated the gold. In a breath''s time, the golden hue turned dark gold. Its difort quickly vanished. Only a serene majesty remained. Only the primal instincts of its birth remained. It soared toward Jason. It plunged headfirst into his body. Si Wl Vc! Three characters of the Dufol Language appeared over Jason''s heart. Right next to "Protection Against Evil." Even connected to it. Not an illusion but a fine line stretching from the three Dufol characters of "Protection Against Evil," Si oT Yn, connecting with the three Dufol characters representing "Griffin Body Refinement Technique," Si Wl Vc. Then, clearer text appeared before Jason''s eyes. [Griffin Body Refinement Technique Judgment In Progress...] [Special Mastery Method Determination In Progress...] [Determination Sessful!] [Mastered the ''Basics of Griffin Body Refinement Technique''] [Griffin Body Refinement Technique (Basic): This is the core secret technique of the Griffin style. Having mastered it means you have be a core disciple of the Griffin school, but its cultivation is extremely difficult, demanding not only high talent but also a considerable amount of time. However, with your exceptional talent, you don''t need any of that, and with the Night Watcher traits integrated, it has undergone numerous changes and be even more extraordinary; Effects: Strength, Agility, Constitution +0.1, Physical Strength Recovery Speed +5%, Energy Recovery Speed +3%, Injury Recovery Speed +1%] (Note: The unique cultivation method makes it truly extraordinary, and it bes even more special. The level of "Griffin Body Refinement Technique" cannot exceed "Protection Against Evil.") ... "Just as expected! Persistence makes all things possible." Jason looked at the text before him. Feeling his body rapidly strengthening. Feeling his heart beating more powerfully. The bacsh had disappeared. His body had fully adapted to the presence of the "Griffin Body Refinement Technique," and when his blood flowed, it enhanced his muscles, bones, fascia, and internal organs even faster. The only thing that surprised Jason was that when "Griffin Body Refinement Technique" connected with "Protection Against Evil," instead of upying six single Dufol character positions on the heart, it took eight. This left him, who originally had 66 slots and could amodate 55 single Dufol characters, with only 50 slots remaining. This made Jason a bit uneasy. Although ordinary people could typically "upy" only 10 to 40 single Dufol character positions after "joining," he still had 50. But obviously, the more, the better. Just like weapons, the more you have, the better. "There should be a way to increase the number of slots on the heart, right?" Jason wondered, but his gaze shifted to the side. Someone, Was watching him. Chapter 248 : 35 The Bystander Wrapped in bandages and clutching his waist, Clive cautiously approached Peas Corner Street. He always thought there was something wrong with Edward. It definitely wasn''t because Cecil had Edward temporarily in charge of the police station that he was worried about being troubled, so he ran out, and yet unwilling to go home, that''s why he came to look for evidence. The sheriff didn''t directly enter ''Watchdog Pastry House''. He didn''t think he was a match for the veteran without resorting to firearms. And to directly inquire? The other party''s rtionship with Edward, he would surely not cooperate. Therefore, silently observing and searching for evidence was the best choice. Then, Clive saw Jason running. "Physical Strength is not bad," "Speed is also good." Just by watching for a short while, Clive had to admit that the physical strength of this veteran was really good and his speed was enough, even if firearms were used, he and the opponent would at best be evenly matched. Moreover... "The build is a bit like that attacker with a knife." Clive didn''t directly participate in the gunfight at the entrance of the police station. But from inside the station, he had witnessed the scene. Especially among a group of people holding firearms, that tall figure wielding a broad-ded short-handle machete, charging back and forth, left a deep impression on Clive. At this moment, that silhouette and the one in front of him kept ovepping. Just as Clive was about to confirm something, the sheriff suddenly saw Jason walking and then clutching his chest, and then, the appearance of bleeding from all seven orifices. Even though it quickly got better, but... "This is a dying man, isn''t it?" "How could such a person be the attacker?" "No wonder he was discharged from service." "He must have some hidden illness." After the shock, Clive couldn''t help but think. Then, he saw Jason turn his head and look at him. That blood-covered face was rather frightening, especially those eyes; Clive felt as if he were being targeted by a ferocious beast, couldn''t help but step back a few steps, and even subconsciously began to grip his gun tighter. Fortunately, Jason merely gave him that one look and left. Even so, Clive was gasping heavily. He felt like he had been torn to shreds in that instant. How could it be? It must be an illusion! It must be because I''ve been staying up toote recently! Cliveforted himself. Phew. A cold wind blew by, and standing there, Clive felt the skin on his face, which had been sshed with hot coffee before, sting again. What''s worse, the cold sweat emerging on his forehead and cheeks was stinging the burn, making the injury feel even more fiery and painful. What am I doing here? I could have gone home to rest. I am injured. Why am I here in the cold wind? Those things are none of my business, I''m just a pawn, what am I rushing for? In the cold wind, Clive suddenly realized. Clive, unwilling to admit he was frightened by Jason, sulkily pursed his lips, preparing to turn away and leave. But when he turned around, the sheriff was startled. Because behind him, unbeknownst to him, stood a person. Dressed in slightly ragged clothes, with a dirty and unkempt appearance. He held a sign in his hand. It read: "Please help." Without a doubt, this was a homeless man, and moreover, a disabled one. As Clive looked at him, the man pointed to his mouth and made ''Ah ba, ah ba'' sounds. "Go away," Clive barked. However, as soon as the words came out, he realized his voice was a bit too loud. Would it attract that terrifying guy''s attention again? No! This won''t do! I can''t let him notice me again! Thinking of this, Clive pulled out his wallet, grabbed a handful of banknotes from it, and shoved them into the hands of the mute homeless man in front of him, then continued as if nothing had happened, "Take the money and leave quickly, do you know how dangerous it is here? Just yesterday there were shootings and explosions here!" To make his words sound more genuine and natural, Clive mentioned the previous day''s incident. After speaking, Clive hurried towards his car. His car was parked outside Peas Corner Street. Less than twenty meters away from where he was standing at that moment. But as he was about to step away, the mute homeless man grabbed him. Clive frowned involuntarily and nced at Jason''s retreating figure, who was still walking slowly in the distance. He tried to sound as gentle as possible: "Don''t be too greedy!" "That money shouldst you a good while!" The mute homeless man smiled at Clive, first waving his hand at Clive and then handed over all therge bills in his hand to Clive. He only kept a 20 cents in change for himself. What does that mean? Clive was stunned. Then, the mute homeless man stuffed all therge bills into Clive''s hands. Before Clive could say anything, the mute homeless man quickly ran towards the direction of ''Watchdog Pastry House.'' Is he mad? He doesn''t want all that money I gave him? Just wants 20 cents? Watching the man''s receding back, Clive couldn''t help but sneer inwardly. But before his sneer had time to fade¡ª¡ª Boom! A huge explosion came from behind. Unprepared, Clive was knocked over by the st wave. He turned around in a daze. All he saw was his car, already turned into a fireball. A bomb! Someone wants to kill me?! The answer that surged from within made Clive''s hand tremble, and the banknotes he was supposed to clutch tight were carried off into the sky by the cold wind. Clive sat on the ground,pletely oblivious to this. It wasn''t until Edward, who had been alerted by the female pastry chef, arrived that Clive somewhat recovered his senses. "Tell me about it." Little Bansey walked up to Clive and said. His tone was not pleasant. Although both were from the same police station, they belonged to different camps, and Clive''s reputation made Little Bansey disdain him even more. ordingly, his tone was anything but friendly. "S-someone wants to kill me," Clive stammered. "Of course!" "They even used a bomb," "They must hate you to the core," "Do you have any suspects?" Little Bansey asked. Suspects? Clive was taken aback. Of course, he had suspects. The gangs that paid him protection money, the people he had extorted, and, and the innocents he had wronged... Every one of them must wish him dead. Was it them? A chill ran through Clive''s heart. Then he grabbed Little Bansey''s hand. "Protect me!" "Hurry up and protect me!" "Take me to the ''safe house''!" Clive pleaded repeatedly. Little Bansey shook off Clive''s hand, put away his notebook and pen, and said coldly, "It seems that Chief Clive is still too agitated to give a proper statement." "Someone give Chief Clive a cup of coffee to calm down." With that, Little Bansey walked towards the explosion site. And the people around? Belonging to Edward''s team, naturally, no one was about to pour Clive a coffee. In fact, no one even nced at Clive. The clear division made Clive, standing amidst the crowd, feel not the slightest bit of safety. Instead, he felt as if the whole world had abandoned him. Especially under the tangible threat of death, with his spirit already shaken by Jason''s presence, Clive felt an unprecedented sense of despair spreading from the depths of his heart. Who will save me... Is anyoneing to save me? I... "Aba, aba!" The strange noise made the despondent Clive lift his head, and he saw the mute man from before. The mute man, holding a kraft paper bag and smiling broadly, took out two trough cakes from the bag and handed them to Clive. The kraft paper bag bore an advertisement for ''Watchdog Pastry House.'' At the bottom, it read¡ª Trough cakes, 10 cents each, 3 for 20 cents. Chapter 272: Chapter 59: Lucky and Unlucky Sisters Giselle awoke still sprawled on the table. Hiss! Her arms and legs were sore and numb, which made the pastry chef gently inhale as she instinctively massaged them. She turned her head to look at the clock hanging on the wall. "Is it already half-past two?" The pastry chef was surprised to see the time. She had only meant to nap for a short while; how had she slept until midnight? Looking out of the disy window, she saw that the sky had long since darkened. The pastry chef was a bit annoyed with herself. Not only had she wasted an entire afternoon, but she had also dyed the regr business for the next day. After all, some ingredients for the pastries needed to be prepared in advance. However, it was only when the pastry chef walked over to the oven behind the counter that she found not only the ingredients ready but also some finished products ced on one side of the counter. They were numbers and teddy bear cookies that didn''t spoil if left out for a while. "Evelyn?" "Evelyn?" Upon seeing these cookies, the pastry chef quickly realized. It was her sister who hade back. She knew well that her sister didn''t like soft pastries but preferred crunchy cookies. But after calling several times, she received no response. "Did she leave again?" The pastry chef murmured to herself. It had been a long time since she had seen her sister. Before, her sister would leave notes to inform her of things. But now? If not for some traces left behind, she might even think that her sister was a figment of her imagination. Sigh. The pastry chef sighed. She began to check the shop, the interior and exterior doors were already locked. The inner door had a touch lock, the outer was an iron grill door locked with a chain lock, the bolt facing outward; clearly, it was her sister who had locked it upon leaving. After confirming again that her sister had truly left, the pastry chef returned to the shop, beginning to think about the second person rted to her. "Jason has been gone for 12 hours now, could something have happened?" "It shouldn''t!" "Jason is not like the others, he is observant and very skilled." "Even if he encountered trouble, he wouldn''t be easily ovee." The pastry chef shook her head, thinking very confidently as she sat in the shop and quietly waited. She had very few friends. Even, from a certain viewpoint, only two. One was Tedi. The other was Jason. Discover hidden content at m,v l''e-NovelBin And as for male friends, Jason was the only one¡ªsince she could remember. It wasn''t that she didn''t want to make friends. But the friends she made always inexplicably got into trouble. Injuries, kidnappings, disappearances, idents; they were endless. If it weren''t for Tedi''s presence, she would have doubted whether she was the reincarnation of ''gue God''; otherwise, why would her friends encounter these issues? Fortunately, now there was Jason. Whenever she thought of Jason, the pastry chef blushed slightly. It was the shyness of a young girl and a hint of adolescent confusion. Something the pastry chef had never experienced. After all, she didn''t have a single male friend who, after interacting with her, remained unharmed for more than two hours. Therefore, she treated everyone with caution. Regarding them as acquaintances rather than friends. As for Jason? She could hardly restrain her feelings. It was not only the debt for saving her life but also the strength he disyed that attracted her unwittingly. More importantly, she believed Jason could protect himself. But... Time ticked by, minute by minute. Jason still hadn''t returned. The pastry chef grew panicked. Please, let nothing have happened! Please, let nothing have happened! She sat by the table, praying silently over and over again. In the midst of the pastry chef''s prayers, sounds of a car came from the street outside; she immediately looked out from the disy window and, upon seeing the figure of Jason stepping out from the back seat of the car, she instantly ran to open the door. "I thought something was going to happen." "We made it back safely." Bansey seemed a bit regretful. "How could there be so much trouble?" "The previous incident was just an ident." Jason said as he got out of the car. He wasn''t just humoring Bansey. ''Food'' might blend into the crowd, but there weren''t many of them, and it took quite a long time for them to grow. Otherwise, Newdeth City would have be ''Gourmet City'' long ago. No, that''s not right. It would be, Monster City. "No, no, no!" "Your Lordship Jason, haven''t you noticed that after we lost one person, things became very safe?" Bansey stood in front of the car door, hands on the roof, wiggling his eyebrows at Jason with a teasing look on his face. "Are you saying Edward is the root of all ''disaster'' again?" Jason countered. "That''s what you said, not me," Bansey said with a grin, then, seeing the female pastry chef emerge, he quickly greeted her: "Apologies for thete disturbance, Ms. Giselle." "It''s alright." "Would you like a cup of hot cocoa?" "I still have some pastries and cookies here." The female pastry chef waved her hand and asked. "No, thank you." "Because of some cases that happened before, I need to get back to work..." "Then take some with you, on the house." The female pastry chef gently interrupted Bansey''s excuse. This kind of gentle interruption carried a sense of inevitability. Of course, the most important thing was ''free''. Upon hearing this word, Bansey instantly capitted. Poverty made him choose to wait. But, as the female pastry chef turned around, Bansey was taken aback. "Ms. Giselle, on your back?" Bansey reminded the female pastry chef. "Huh?" She turned her head trying to see what was on her back, but her body structure made it impossible to see clearly, and it would be quite impolite to pull on her clothes to look in front of Bansey. Luckily, Jason was there. "Jason, could you help me out?" The female pastry chef naturally turned around, her back facing Jason, and lifted her hair. Jason raised his hand and took down the note that was attached to the female pastry chef''s back. The whole process was quite ordinary, without any awkwardness, especially under the soft lighting of the shop, it felt warm and natural. However, Bansey standing there suddenly felt a little queasy. At the far end of the street, a stray dog passed by and gave Bansey a series of soft ''woofs'', as if it had found a kindred spirit. Jason didn''t look closely at the folded note but handed it to the female pastry chef. He wouldn''t pry into a friend''s privacy without a reason. "It''s Evelyn." "So she did leave a note for me!" the female pastry chef said happily. Then, she excitedly opened the note. "Ah!" The female pastry chef suddenly eximed. Jason immediately lowered his gaze to the note and, upon reading the text, a look of surprise crossed his face. "What''s wrong?" Bansey ran over. The female pastry chef didn''t say a word, simply handing the note to Bansey. On it was written¡ª Sister: I''ve won the lottery. I bought the shop next door and expanded it into a restaurant. Now, it''s yours. Little sis PY86.11.2. Evening Chapter 250: Chapter 37 The Neighbors Ghost Squad? Jason watched Edward impassively. Having yed roles several times before, he knew exactly what to do when others thought he was in the know and he actually wasn''t. Keep silent. It''s best to look directly into the other person''s eyes. If you feel you can''t do that calmly, you can also move your gaze upward, fixing it on their hairline. This causes a sense of urgency in the other person, and if their hairline is receding, the urgency doubles, prompting them to speak more quickly. Of course, you can also pretend that they are bald. This will not double their sense of urgency. But it will make you feel at ease. A lion with a mane is majestic, but what if it were bald? Probably not a single lioness would pay it any mind. Luckily for Edward, his hair was still lush, appearing full even tied back in a ponytail. The Special Operations Team Commander nodded slightly in response to Jason''s gaze. "You really do know," he said. "But that''s to be expected," he added. "After all, you''ve been through all that." Edward spoke slowly, his tone taking on an inexplicable sadness. After a silence of two or three seconds, themander of the Special Operations Team continued, "''Ghost Squad'' was formed from the elite of various corps and divisions." "Each member is exceptional and equipped with the most cutting-edge weapons." "They work closely together to carry out all kinds of difficult missions." "But..." "During the ''Defense of Decheng,'' they rebelled, killing General Will, the thenmander of Decheng, and then sessively assassinated several high-ranking military officers¡ªexternally, these generals were dered to have died in battle." "Afterwards, ''Ghost Squad'' really became ghosts." "They moved around like phantoms, including the reestablished Decheng, now Newdeth City, which became their hunting ground." "And me?" Edward chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I am the person in charge of hunting ''Ghost Squad'' in ''Newdeth City,'' from the Ninth Infantry Division." "I was selected to be in charge here, not because I am the strongest in the Ninth Infantry Division." "It''s only because there''s information that the ''Ghost Squad''s'' leader here is Mika." "He was themander of my former squad." "I know him best." With that, Edward leaned slightly back. His upper body relied entirely on the back of his chair for support, his eyes bing somewhat hazy. Clearly, the Special Operations Teammander was starting to reminisce. In the distance, towards the counter, the female pastry chef gestured to Jason with mint lemon water. After Jason nodded, the pastry chef brought it over. "Thank you." As the pastry chef poured the water, Edward finally came back to himself. Themander thanked the pastry chef. And the pastry chef had the self-awareness to return to the oven. She needed to think about making something different for lunch. As for what Edward was discussing? She wasn''t interested. Even if Edward lowered his voice, making it sound mysterious, to her it wasn''t as important as pondering the right proportions of milk, eggs, and sugar. What Ghost Squad. What Mika. Where sweet pastries are important. "Mika was once someone I admired," Edward said. "His abilities were excellent, his character noble, and his personality tenacious." "But when he became an enemy, he also became the most troublesome one." "Because, you never know where he''ll strike at you." "So, at first, I hoped to use you as ''bait'' to draw him out." "I''m sorry." Once again, Edward apologized. And this time, he did it with much more gravitas. He straightened his body and then bowed his head, inclining forward. Next, he was grabbed by Jason and they both rolled to one side¡ª Bang! The moment their bodies hit the wall of the shop, a bullet pierced through the ss of the store, precisely passing through where Edward had just been, and ultimately, prated the table, the floor, and buried into the basement. "Sniper!" "Take cover!" Outside the shop, Bansey shouted loudly as people around quickly looked for cover, while Bansey leaned against a mailbox, drawing his gun to aim in the direction of the shot. However, he couldn''t find any trace of the other party. In his line of sight, there was no one. Even though he had locked onto the sniper spot immediately, it was in vain. Inside the shop, Edward got back on his feet. "Thank you." "You''ve saved my life again." "Consider it a debt I owe you." Having said this to Jason, he ran outside. Based on his knowledge of the formermander, the opponent would have already left after missing his shot, but clinging to a ray of hope, he still wanted to check and see if he could find any clues. "Captain Edward." The female pastry chef suddenly spoke out. "Don''t worry." "I''ll be careful." Feeling the long-missed care, Edward turned, pushed his sses up habitually with a smile, and said, "It''s not about that." "It''s aboutpensation." The female pastry chef pointed to the shattered windows, the damaged tables, and the floor. Immediately, Edward''s hand, still pushing up his sses, froze in mid-air. "Write up a bill." "We willpensate at full value." With a simrly stiff smile, Edward finished speaking and walked out of the shop. Jason stood up, dusted off his clothes, gave a nod to the female pastry chef, and followed Edward outside. Jason was uninterested in the so-called ''Ghost Squad''. But he was certainly interested in the [City Recognition] that ''Ghost Squad'' could bring. Casting a nce at the [City Recognition] that had reached 6%, Jason quickened his pace. Although it was only the second day and with 60 days to reach 100%, he had plenty of time. But Jason wouldn''t assume he could gain 6% [City Recognition] every day. Therefore, he wouldn''t pass up the chance to gain [City Recognition]. Following Edward, Jason arrived across from Pea Corner Street, close to the next block. "This is the sniping point!" Bansey stated confidently. Edward didn''t ask questions but just waved his hand. He wouldn''t question Bansey''s capabilities. The others felt the same. Seeing Edward''s gesture, they quickly dispersed, setting up a blockade while forming an assault team ready to search the five-story building that seemed to be an apartment in front of them. Everything was being carried out in an orderly fashion. Edward also drew his gun, ready to join the assault team. Leading from the front was Edward''s habit. And it was because of this that Edward had won the even greater admiration of Bansey and others. However, this didn''t mean Edward was a reckless brute without a brain. He hadn''t forgotten about Jason. Jason, who could stand against a hundred men, had left an indelible impression on him. Edward turned to look at Jason. It was then that Edward realized that Jason''s gaze was not on the apartment building in front of them, but instead, he was looking at... the shorter building next door. "What''s wrong?" Chapter 251: Chapter 38 Clearly in a Glance "I feel the presence of death there," Jason responded. Edward''s heart tightened. If an ordinary person said this, Edward would take it as a joke, buting from Jason, Edward dared not treat it lightly. Being able to walk unscathed through a battlefield alone, his perception had to be exceptionally outstanding, and in such perception naturally included some indescribable, inexplicable intuitions. Unexinable, yet undeniably real. "To what extent?" Edward asked cautiously while turning his gun towards a lower building next to the apartment. "Not too serious." Jason answered. Although it wasn''t the worst response, Edward remained extremely vignt. "Bansey." Edward signaled with his hand. Immediately, the assault team split in two. Edward led the original team to continue searching the apartment. Bansey took the rest to search the lower building. This building was also an apartment. Older than its neighbor, its facilities were much more outdated, with a wooden structure, basic plumbing and electricity, much of which was exposed, clearly added onto the original building after the fact. The apartment manager, faced with Bansey and a group of armed officers, did not obstruct them and let them pass without hindrance. After positioning two colleagues at the entrance, Bansey looked towards Jason. Having experienced the events of the previous night, Bansey hade to deeply respect Jason. And now, with Jason serving as a special operations consultant, it naturally fell to Bansey to seek his opinion in Edward''s absence. However, Jason''s answer was somewhat unexpected to Bansey. "The third room from the end, inside." "Second room on the left, second floor." Jason stated with precision. Bansey was momentarily taken aback. But he quickly regained hisposure and acted swiftly. "First team, secure the stairwell." "Second team, to the second floor." "Third team, with me." Banseymanded and headed towards the room at the far end of the first floor. Thump, thump-thump. Bansey leaned against the wall, knocked on the door, and signaled to the apartment manager. "Mr. Barra, room service," the apartment manager called. But there was no sound from inside the door. Bansey signaled again. "Mr. Barra, room service," the manager repeated and then skillfully stepped aside. Bansey turned and kicked the door. Bang! The door flew open. Several guns pointed inside. The room was small, the bed visible from the doorway, and next to the bed was the small door to the washroom, now open, with someone kneeling in front of the toilet, head buried inside. Bansey lowered his gun and entered the room. The floor was cluttered with empty bottles of alcohol, the smell permeating the air. Bansey tiptoed cautiously towards the washroom. The moment he entered the washroom, Bansey nearly threw up. The toilet was used, not yet flushed. And the deceased had ''drowned'' in it. "Is he Barra?" Bansey asked. "Judging by his clothes...probably," the apartment manager sounded uncertain. "Leave two people here, the reste with me," Bansey directed and rushed towards the second floor. In front of the second room on the left side of the second floor, the six members of the second team were stationed, shaking their heads to Bansey, indicating there was no movement inside the room. This time Bansey was more decisive. He kicked the door. Bang! The door swung open. However, the scene inside made Bansey frown. The same situation as downstairs. ''Drowned'' in the toilet. "Another serial killing?" "Damn it." Bansey cursed under his breath. He was almost driven to nervous breakdown by the serial cases that kept urring in Newdeth City. The ''Women''s Serial Disappearance Case'' was solved, but the ''Nighttime Ripper'' and the ''Hanged Ones'' cases were not, and now there might be another, ''People Drowned in Excrement and Urine''? "Seal off the crime scene." Bansey said, turning to walk downstairs. He pondered how to start investigating the current case. Taking charge was something he was very good at. But investigating? He really was clueless. And at this moment, Edward entered the apartment with more people. "How''s it going?" Edward, who had found nothing in the adjacent apartment, asked Bansey. "Two people are dead." "One of them is almost confirmed to be a resident here." "The other one we need to wait for the apartment manager to confirm." "And there''s..." Bansey''s face involuntarily took on a strange expression. "What else?" Edward''s eyebrows had tensed upon hearing about the two deaths, and he immediately urged Bansey to continue after noticing his hesitation. "The other thing is that both of them were drowned in the toilet." "And the toilet was used, not flushed." Bansey immediately answered. "What?" Even Edward was taken aback at this. He looked at Bansey. Bansey nodded again in confirmation. "I''ll go see the scene." Edward began to examine the crime scene. This process took about ten minutes. Edward came out holding his nose. His eyebrows were furrowed even more tightly. It was because he had found no clues, and also because of the stench. The entire scene was ''clean''! The killer had not left a trace. No signs of a struggle, nor footprints. The victims'' belongings were all there, no signs of being tampered with. "Revenge?" Edward thought. To drown someone in the toilet meant a deep hatred for the victim. As he thought, Edward turned to look at Bansey, who was now taking a statement from the apartment manager. "The deceased on the first floor is Barra, can you confirm that?" "I can." "He''s lived here for 6 weeks, I''m very familiar with him." "Especially since he had arge mole at the corner of his mouth." The apartment manager nodded. "And the one upstairs?" Bansey asked. "The person upstairs moved in a week ago." "He imed to be Damonda." "I''m not very familiar with him." The apartment manager replied. Bansey and the apartment manager went back and forth asking and answering questions. The other officers were questioning the other residents of the building. Jason stood there, observing the apartment manager. About forty to fifty years old, with dark hair, receding hairline gone back quite a bit, of average build, with his hands exposed, no calluses on the back of his hands or at the base of his thumb. Clean trouser legs, clean shoes. Especially the leather shoes, which were polished to a reflective sheen. "Sir, do you need anything?" The apartment manager, feeling ufortable being scrutinized by Jason, turned around after giving his statement and asked. "No, nothing." Jason first shook his head. Then, word by word, he said¡ª "Did you put the murder weapon in the drawer?" Chapter 275: Chapter 62: Do you still remember your original promise? Jason pushed open the door and silently climbed out the window,nding on the ground as gracefully as a cat. The stealth and concealment bonuses provided by the master option "Embrace of the Night" from the Griffin Body Refinement Technique rendered Jason''srge and muscr body capable of an incredible feat. Previously, Jason had to tiptoe cautiously to ensure the quietness of his footsteps. But now, he could take slightly bigger strides without any issue. It seemed as though the darkness devoured the sound. Emerging from the bushes, Jason immediately spotted a man across the street under the streetlight, wearing a dark coat, a hat, and a mask. The man also noticed Jason stepping out of the darkness. Immediately, the man raised his arm and waved. Then, he walked towards Jason. When he reached Jason, he took off his mask. Amon-looking face with particrly murky eyes, resembling a drunken sot. In fact, the man was even less coherent than a drunkard. After all, a drunkard still has control over themselves. But this man? He was a puppet. A puppet manipted by ''Devour.'' The scent was familiar. Jason had smelled a simr scent on Cecil''s head. Sweet, and very refreshing. Unfortunately... It was just a residue. Jason took a deep breath, his eyes full of disappointment. He couldn''t smell the source of the fragrance, only the fading scent on the puppet before him. Immediately, Jason, full of anticipation, felt his mood sour. Oblivious to this, the puppet recited its lines by rote: "Captain Jason, it''s an honor to meet you." "I hope I haven''t disturbed your rest." "I''m here on behalf of Colonel Mika." At that point, the puppet paused, as if to give Jason time to process and respond to what had been said. Then¡­ Whack! Jason had brought his hand down on the man''s neck with a karate chop. Suddenly, the puppet''s eyes widened, and he passed out. It seemed he didn''t understand why he was knocked out just as he started speaking. Wasn''t it expected to discuss the matter and then turn hostile if they couldn''t reach an agreement? How could someone be hostile so directly? The ''Devour'' controlling the puppet didn''t understand. Stunned, it sensed its connection with the puppet it controlled had been severed, then stood quietly for a moment before walking over to a radio in the corner of the room. It was an encrypted radio. Beep, beep-beep. It ryed everything that had happened to Mika. It had followed orders to approach that Jason. But who could have known that the other party wouldn''t y by the rules, causing its mission to fail. As for the punishment for failing the mission? It was special. Naturally, there wouldn''t be any punishment. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been able to join the Ghost Squad. Of course, the reason it joined the Ghost Squad was that they were strong enough to make its hunting much easier. There had been many defiant individuals who had turned down the invitation to join the Ghost Squad. But their endings were never good. Therefore, it could foresee what that Jason was about to face. "Truly ungrateful!" it said with contempt. "Hope you don''t die too miserably!" After finishing with a sneer, it turned and went back to its room. Although it had transcended humanity, it still needed to rest. Without rest, Jason, unable to feel any fatigue, dragged the puppet not towards the shop but to a public telephone booth and inserted coins to call the police directly. "Hello." "Mr. Jason?" "Are you looking for Chief Edward?" "I''ll pass the message to him right away." Ada, who was working overtime, immediately said upon hearing Jason''s voice. "Thank you." Jason thanked her. Aside from being covered in vomit by this operator, Jason did not have much of an impression of her, but her abilities were stillmendable. Jason hung up the phone withplete confidence and quietly waited. As for the puppet at his feet, he didn''t spare it a second nce. That''s because Jason was quite clear about the purpose of the ''Ghost Squad.'' It was nothing more than an attempt to recruit him. Otherwise, given their ruthless and merciless behavior in previous encounters, they would not have chosen such a gentle approach. As for such recruitment, Jason did not hesitate to refuse. Even more, he would not give any verbal or substantial response. Discover more content at m,v l''e-NovelBin The reason was simple. Jason did not know whether any verbal or any substantial response would bind him. After all, this was not just a ''scientific'' world, but also one with a ''Mystical Side.'' Although ordinary people might not be able to encounter the ''Mystical Side,'' as long as it existed, for a group with the capabilities of ''Ghost Squad,'' reaching out, learning, wouldn''t be too demanding. Thus, it was very likely that the ''Ghost Squad'' had some knowledge of things like ''contracts.'' Even if the ''Ghost Squad'' did not possess such knowledge, they were not fools and would certainly find other ways to restrict his actions. So, there was no way Jason would feign politeness with them. Instead of wasting words, it was better to take direct action. He, Jason, was just that straightforward. It was certainly not because he was left with nothing to do earlier and was driven by resentment to act out. About 15 minutester, Edward appeared in front of Jason by car. With unmistakable exhaustion on his face from ack of sleep, Edward''s eyes were alive with excitement. "Does he have connections to ''Ghost Squad''?" Edward asked as soon as he got out of the car. "Hmm." "A person controlled by ''Ghost Squad'' using special methods." "He probably doesn''t know much." Jason reminded Edward. However, the excitement of the leader of the special operations team did not diminish. "No need to know much." "He himself is a lead." "As long as we start with his identity, we will be able to find more leads. In those leads, if even one points to ''Ghost Squad,'' that''s enough." Edward said, carefully inspecting the puppet before handcuffing him and lifting him into the car. "Thank you, Jason!" "I... Hm?" Edward turned around to bid Jason farewell. But at that moment, the leader of the special operations noticed Jason opening the car door and sitting down in the back seat. Immediately, a look of surprise appeared on Edward''s face. He knew Jason was temporarily renting a room at ''Watchdog Pastry House.'' Why get in his car? Although the police station had beds, why go the extra mile? Jason smiled slightly and slowly said, "I am the special operations'' consultant, appointed by you." "Yes, you were appointed by me." "But you live at ''Watchdog Pastry House,'' right?" Edward did not deny it, but his face still showed confusion. Jason continued to speak at the same pace, "With a weekly sry of 12 dors, an extra allowance of 3 dors, and... free meals at the cafeteria." Chapter 253: Chapter 40: No Romance on the Battlefield The female pastry chef clearly heard the sound of swallowing. She couldn''t help but be startled. Was Jason hungry again? Then came self-reproach. I suppose I still made too little. No. It must be because sweets like pastries are simply too monotonous to truly suffice for a lunch. I need to learn other cooking methods! But the sweet scents inside the pastry shop cannot mix with other vors... Remodel the corridor? The female pastry chef fell into deep thought. St. Mungo''s Academy student council president Tedi did not notice the sound of Jason swallowing at all, she walked over with a carefree attitude. "Instructor Jason, this is your identity proof for St. Mungo''s Academy." "This is the school''s emblem." "This is your sry for the first week." The girl president handed a kraft paper envelope to Jason. Inside the envelope was something like a business card that served as an identity proof, but it was made of metal. The front read: Student Council Advisor Teacher, Jason (with a portrait simr to a printed sketch). The back read: PY86.11.2-PY87.11.2 Below that was the emblem of St. Mungo''s Academy. An image of dawn piercing through the gloom. The emblem is the same, but more vivid, with the beams of dawn transformed into a long sword. Then there was the previously agreed upon 35 pieces for the weekly sry. Jason''s gaze swept over without pausing. Because the lingering fragrance on the female student president already captured his attention. "Did you encounter anything unusual?" "Since you took us back yesterday." Read new adventures at m_v-l''e-NovelBin Jason asked. "Nothing special." "After I took you back, I returned to St. Mungo''s Academy." "Then took care of some routine matters." As she spoke, the girl president was pondering, and then she suddenly pped her hands together. "Right!" "This morning I found some strange things in ssroom 13." "It should be something like a ritual... No, no, not the kind you''re thinking of, Instructor Jason. It''s that popr ''spirit game'' among students." Seeing Jason''s suddenly solemn expression, the girl president hurriedly exined, waving her hands. "Lately, some odd ''spirit games'' have be very popr in Newdeth City." "There''s ''Bloody Mary,'' ''Four Man Run,'' ''Crossroad Deal,'' ''Summoning Game,'' and so on." "Although the student council is working hard to prohibit them, many students still y them secretly." As she said this, Tedi looked quite helpless. Being of their age, she knew all too well how attractive such games could be. Even she refused them all solely because of her duties as the student council president. And the others? The girl president could no longer guarantee. In fact, she even suspected that members of the student council were ying these games in private. After all, they''re just games, it''s not like anyone will die. Listening to Tedi''s description, Jason frowned. Undoubtedly, the ''food'' of this copy world was not only scarce but also adept at hiding. "Adaptation and survival of the fittest, huh?" Looking at the neat and orderly streets outside the window and the buildings not far away, Jason thought subconsciously. Clearly, everything was changing. Changing along with the times. Even the sky would no longer be so blue. And the female pastry chef, deep in thought, also came back to her senses. "Tedi, you must stop these games." "Many things are beyond our current understanding." "Likewise, there are many existences we cannot know of." "A slight carelessness can bring great trouble." The female pastry chef said earnestly. "Hmm, hmm." The female student council president nodded her head. It wasn''t a perfunctory gesture. Of course, it wasn''t an acknowledgment of the female pastry chef''s words either. It was simply because of her duties. Jason stood up straight away after putting the identity documents, school badge, and money into his pocket, and asked: "May I take a look?" "You are interested in the ''spiritual game'' at ssroom 13?" The female student council president was a bit surprised but then nodded immediately. "Alright, I will be heading back to the academy soon, we can go together." "What about you, Giselle?" Turning her head, the female student council president asked the female pastry chef. "No, thanks." "I need to mind the shop." "Having closed unexpectedly for a day due to an ident yesterday, if I take another day off, the business will plummet." The female pastry chef smiled and shook her head. Then, as she watched Jason and her friend leave, she let out a soft sigh. "Indeed, Jason has grown tired of in pastries, so he was in such a hurry to have dinner at St. Mungo''s Academy, wasn''t he?" "What should I do?" "I..." As she was still thinking and hesitating, the female pastry chef''s body suddenly swayed. Once she had steadied herself, she walked straight to the counter, picked up the phone, and dialed a number. "Buy the shop next to ''Watchdog Pastry House'' for me, convert it into a restaurant, and hire two, no, three skilled male chefs." Having said that, she hung up the phone. After a moment''s hesitation, she then tore off a sticky note and began to write. ... Tedi chose the backseat this time. She wanted to observe Jason from close quarters. However, seeing Tedi sit in the back, Jason immediately took the passenger seat. He still wasn''t too fond of contact with strangers. Regardless of their gender. Especially once the scent of that ''food'' had dissipated, Jason had always been able to maintain his rationality. Tedi watched Jason sitting in the passenger seat and couldn''t help but pout. But the next moment, she asked enthusiastically: "Instructor Jason, what is the battlefield like?" Through the rearview mirror, Jason could clearly see the eagerness and anticipation in the eyes of the female student council president. Therefore, he said directly: "Hell." "Once you''ve been there, you never want to go back." This answer was obviously different from what the female student council president had imagined. "Isn''t there even a hint of romance amidst the booming guns and the smoke of gunpowder?" She asked reluctantly. "Romantic death?" "Not romantic." "Any romance highlighted by death is merely false¡ªonce a person dies, they have nothing left." Jason said decisively. This response made the female student council presidentpletely shut her mouth. She looked at Jason with an air of frustration. As if she wished she could bite him just once. But deep down, she believed that what Jason said was probably right. After all, no one wishes for death. So is the romance of the battlefield only for those who are immortal? But how could such people exist? Thinking this, the female student council president''s thoughts began to wander uncontrobly. She wondered how she would enjoy the romance of the battlefield if she could be immortal? The silence lingered through thetter half of the journey. It wasn''t until they arrived at St. Mungo''s Academy that the silence was broken. A member of the student council Jason had seen before, with obvious urgency on his face, ran over as soon as he saw Tedi''s car. Without waiting for Tedi to get out, he said directly¡ª "President, there''s been an incident!" Chapter 254: Chapter 41 Double Happiness "What''s the matter?" Tedi asked as he got out of the car. The student, however, was looking at Jason with hesitation. "Jason has already be our student council''s advisor." The female student council president reintroduced Jason. Immediately, the student had no more reservations. "It''s ssroom 13." "There, there..." The student council member tried to describe the situation but couldn''t find the right words, managing only to say, "You follow me, and you''ll understand." The female student council president looked at Jason and, once Jason nodded, immediately headed for ssroom 13 in the teaching building. It was ss time in the afternoon, but there were still students poking their heads out in the hallway. Upon seeing Tedi approaching, these students quickly drew back their heads and returned to their ssrooms. "Mark down the students who weren''t paying attention in ss just now, deducting 2 points from each." "Deduct 10 points from each teacher who didn''t stop these students." The female student council president told the student council member beside her. "Understood, President," replied the student council member immediately. Then, turning to Jason, he introduced himself. "Hello, Jason," "I''m the student council''s secretary: Joel." "I''m very pleased that you could be our advisor." Joel said, revealing a slightly shy smile. The student council''s secretary was a slight and delicate-looking boy, who also spoke in a gentle and soft voice. Jason nodded in response, but his gaze was fixed on ssroom 13, which the student council had sealed off. Now, the students had seen Jason and Tedi approaching and were greeting Tedi one after the other. "President." "President." Undoubtedly, the female student council president had considerable prestige in the council, highly respected by all. Jason''s performance the day before had already won over these young people, and when they heard that the president had appointed Jason as the student council''s advisor, not one opposed, all expressing anticipation. If the asion had been appropriate, Jason was sure they would have cheered aloud. Following behind Tedi, Jason entered ssroom 13. It was a small ssroom, and there weren''t many desks. ckboard, podium, and teacher''s desk were all present, but on the teacher''s desky not chalk, but... A cat! A dead ck cat, with its throat slit. The cat''s eyes were wide open, its mouth agape showing sharp teeth, every hair on its body standing on end, blood flowing from the throat, staining the entire teacher''s desk. A gruesome death. From the teacher''s desk to the student desks, there was a clearly deliberately cleared space. In this space, arge circle was drawn with red paint, with a pentagram inside. At each point of the pentagramy: a bone, a feather, a lizard''s head, a fish tail, and the wing of a bat. In the center of the pentagram,plex characters, seemingly fictitious, were written. However, within theseplex fictitious characters, Jason saw the Dufol Language. Again, the Dufol Language! Although incorrectly spelled, carrying no meaning, the Dufol Language itself was unmistakable. Jason frowned. In ''Lorde,'' he began to study the Dufol Language. He thought it was just themonnguage of Mystical Side in that world. But in ''Hans Port,'' Jason encountered the same Dufol Language. At that time, Jason had begun to specte. Now, seeing the Dufol Language again, he was even more certain of this spection: This mystical knowledge muste from a ''ce'' or from some being. Then, through means unknown to him, it spread to various worlds. This was not impossible. Don''t forget how he appeared in these worlds. Since he could appear, why couldn''t other people appear? If others did appear and left behind respective mystical knowledge, forming the current ''Dufol Language,'' that was highly possible. However... Where did that persone from? Jason pondered. At the same time, he sniffed hard. There was no smell at all. The original scent didn''te from here! Jason was certain. If it had been from here, considering the time it took for the ''food'' scent left on the female student council president to dissipate, there should have been a faint smell remaining. Just as Jason was about to ask the female student council president in detail, the president herself lost her temper. "Where''s Novie?" "Didn''t I tell him to block off this area temporarily?" The female student council president questioned her secretary. Novie, Jason remembered. He was a tall and stout young man, with a rough appearance, who had worked hard digging yesterday. "Minister Novie had been guarding this ce with his people." "But for some reason, he left halfway." "It was only when the rest of us prepared to clean up these things that we found Minister Novie and two council members weren''t here, and at the same time, there was an extra dead cat inside." The secretary exined. "He left halfway?" The female student council president was taken aback. She knew Novie well. Novie was not the kind of person with an agile mind; in fact, one could say he was rather stubborn, not turning back until he hit a dead end. It was precisely because of this that the female student council president had invited Novie to join the council and had him be the head of the disciplinary department in his second year. To put it simply, since Novie had already blocked this area off, it was impossible for him to leave halfway through. Unless... "Did anything happen in the academy after I left?" the female student council president inquired. "No." "Apart from ssroom 13, everything is normal." "The disciplinary department''s members have been patrolling." The secretary shook his head. The president''s brows furrowed. A bad premonition rose in the bottom of her heart. It was then that she suddenly noticed a smile spread across Jason''s face. Then, he turned and walked straight toward the outside of ssroom 13. "Teacher Jason?" the female student council president asked. But Jason didn''t answer. On the contrary, his pace quickened. If previously he was walking, now he was jogging. No! urately speaking, he was sprinting. And not towards the downstairs or outside. But towards the upstairs. St. Mungo''s Academy''s main teaching building, like the 2nd old teaching building, had six floors, but it was more than double in floor space. It housed not only therge lecture halls from 1-6, but also 7-33 number small ssrooms. It could amodate hundreds of people in ss simultaneously. ssroom 13 was on the second floor. Without any pause, Jason chased the sudden ''food'' scent and only slowed his pace slightly when he reached the sixth floor. Staring at the ''food'' scent that was different from the one lingering on Tedi, the surprise in his heart reflected on his face with a kind smile. "Novie, is it?" "Don''t be afraid, I won''t hurt you." As the words fell, his stomach let out a roar. Chapter 255: Chapter 42: Bewitching (Third update~Please subscribe~Vote for monthly ticket~) The rumbling in his stomach, Jason heard it, and so did Novie across from him. The tall and strong Novie looked at Jason with skepticism. Jason, however, appeared quiteposed. "I didn''t eat much at noon, so I am hungry now, which is normal." He was telling the truth¡ªhe really hadn''t eaten much, just enough for ten people, that''s all. "Lord Jason, I¡­" Novie had seen Jason the day before, and Jason had made quite an impression on him. Therefore, at this moment, Novie spoke with great respect. However, before he could finish his sentence, a voice interrupted him. "Don''t trust him!" "Have you forgotten about the girl who deceived you?" "She said she didn''t find the key to ssroom 13, but what was the result?" "Not only did she find it, but she also used the key you saw to do things against the rules in ssroom 13." "Don''t you feel guilty?" "Aren''t you upset?" "How can you still spend your time talking to an irrelevant person here?" The voice came from behind Novie. It was very soft, as if only Novie could hear it. To Jason, whose senses were nearly four times that of an adult''s, the voice was clear. Jason not only heard it, but he also saw it. It was something that lurked in the shadow behind Novie, resembling a withered tree trunk. It was only the size of a palm, floating in form like an apparition, with holes resembling facial features, its mouth opening and closing, uttering tempting words. Not much to look at. But it smelled good. Jason examined his unexpected bounty, contemting where to take the first bite. Novie, on the other hand, seemed as if he had been persuaded. "Sorry, Lord Jason." "I¡­" "Let''s talk." Saying this, Jason stepped forward without exnation and put his arm around Novie''s shoulders. Although Novie was tall and strong, he was still slightly shorter than Jason, who easily draped his arm over Novie''s shoulders, his palm seamlessly passing through his "food." There was no substantial touch, as if passing through air. The continuously babbling "food" suddenly paused. Then, as if suffering an unforgivable indignity. "Kill him!" "Kill him!" "He''s in cahoots with that girl." "He''s here to humiliate you!" "To humiliate you with the victorious posture of having taken the girl''s victory!" The misleading words appeared again. Novie''s breathing obviously became rapid. His eyes, slightly zed, were fixed ahead. The focus in his eyes started to dissipate gradually. In fact, not only was Novie affected, Jason also felt a slight influence. With the distance now closed, he could clearly feel his head growing heavier and his consciousness less focused with every word from the "food" in front of him, as if he had a mild cold and a stuffy nose. Some kind of hypnotic technique? Thinking this, Jason simply raised his hand. At the same time, he chanted softly: Yi! The field created by the "Protection Against Evil" stored in "Glyph Replication" instantly enveloped Jason''s entire body, vanishing the negative states, and Jason''s hand once again touched the tempter. The moment Jason''s hand reached it, the tempting words from its mouth abruptly ceased. The trunk-like, palm-sized body, as if struck by thunder. The next instant¡ª Snap! Like the popping of a soap bubble, the body broke apart. A white crystal the size of a pinky finger fell from nowhere. Jason effortlessly caught the little white crystal, and with great determination, he hid it in the palm of his hand instead of swallowing it directly. First, he needed to replenish Physical Strength when refilling Glyph Replication. Second, Tedi and the other student council members had caught up. "Novie!" Tedi cried out in rm upon seeing his ssmate slumped on the ground, half-leaning against the wall. "Get two people to carry Novie to the infirmary." The female student council president said. Then, she turned her head to Jason and asked, "Mr. Jason, did youe after Novie because you saw him before?" "Mm-hmm." Jason nodded affirmatively. "You have quite a sharp eye." The female student council president praised, and then she asked cautiously, "Do you know what happened to Novie? Of course, I do not mean to interrogate you." Tedi tried to make her voice as gentle as possible, fearful of causing any unnecessary misunderstandings. Because she was well aware of how difficult it was to hire Jason as a tutor for the student council, and how lucky she was to have done so. She had learned some of Jason''s exploits through her family. Not much, but enough for Tedi to know to cherish the opportunity. What''s more, Jason also disyed extraordinary abilities. Yesterday, just because of the panic from a radish, he found Be who had been buried. Just now, a fleeting nce allowed him to notice Novie, given that the two had only met once before. Tedi certainly did not wish for trivial matters to create unnecessary barriers between them. "It seems to be rted to a certain girl." "The incident in ssroom 13 is also connected to her." "I didn''t ask for more specifics." Jason answered. He wouldn''t refuse a kindly meant inquiry. "A girl?" Tedi frowned. She had not heard about Novie being involved with any girl. Following that, the female student council president looked towards Joel. "I don''t know either," "I will investigate it!" The secretary-general first shook his head, and then he said. "Mm-hmm." "Do not make it a public investigation." "Be mindful of Novie''s feelings." The female student council president cautioned. The secretary-general nodded and hurried downstairs. "Mr. Jason, do you need me to show you around the academy?" As she watched the secretary-general leave, the female student council president turned around and smiled at Jason. In her mind, she had already figured out how to arrange the following itinerary. Even though Giselle had already taken Jason on a tour of the campus yesterday, she was confident she could reintroduce St. Mungo''s Academy to him. Then¡ª "No need." After Jason spoke, he headed straight downstairs. With food in hand, he had no time to wander aimlessly. Watching Jason''s retreating figure, the female student council president was momentarily at a loss for response. However, Jason had only taken two steps when he stopped. The female student council president smiled again. "Have you changed your mind?" "No." "I just wanted to ask where else you went before going to the ''Watchdog Pastry House''." Jason shook his head. "Nobody was anywhere special." "Just the usual patrolling around the campus," the female student council president answered. So, the other ''food'' is also within St. Mungo''s Academy, but its exact location is unconfirmed, right? Jason thought, and after nodding to the female student council president as a gesture, he walked forward without looking back. The female student council president stood still, a look of confusion emerging in her eyes. She didn''t understand why Jason was concerned about where she had been yet refused her offer to explore together. There''s no conflict there, is there? Could it be... ying hard to get? As a female student council president with numerous admirers, Tedi instinctively thought so, but it was at that moment that something caught her eye. Subconsciously, the female student council president turned her head. When she clearly saw what was outside the window, far in the distance, her face paled. Chapter 256: Chapter 43 The Reckless Rescue Method The new teaching building and the old teaching building stood opposite each other. Therefore, standing at the window of the new teaching building one could clearly see the old teaching building. At that moment, in Tedi''s view, a girl clearly wearing the St. Mungo''s Academy uniform pushed open the window on the sixth floor of the old teaching building, with one leg already swung outside. She''s going to jump! This word instantly popped into his mind. As the student council president, Tedi almost instinctively shouted: "Wait!" "Don''t jump!" The voice spread with the wind and gradually faded. The new and old teaching buildings stood facing each other, but the distance was not especially close; it seemed as though the girl opposite either couldn''t hear or pretended not to hear. Regardless, the girl''s other leg also stepped out, and now she sat entirely on the windowsill. His mind raced. There was no way to make it over in time. Since the old teaching building was the center for club activities, it waspletely empty now. What to do? What to do? The student council president asked himself. And then... He saw Jason. Jason on the rooftop. He didn''t know why Jason had gone to the opposite rooftop. But this was hope! He didn''t call out to Jason; instead, he yelled at the girl about to jump: "Don''t jump!" "Whatever the problem is, we can discuss ite down first!" This time, his voice was louder than before. He hoped to catch Jason''s attention. Fortunately, Jason heard him. Jason looked over at him and even nodded, as if to say he would take care of everything. Suddenly, the student council president felt a rush of relief. But just then, the girl on the windowsill pushed off, ready to leap. "No!" He yelled loudly with eyes wide open. He instinctively raised his hand, but the arm he raised felt so powerless. Just when he thought he was about to witness a tragedy, an unforgettable scene unfolded before the student council president¡ª Jason flipped down from the rooftop, kicked the girl on her body, sending her back inside, and then he too entered the sixth floor of the old teaching building, standing firmly. Huff, huff. Thump, thump. He gasped for air, his heart racing uncontrobly. It took him several seconds to calm down. "I''ming over!" He shouted and ran down towards the building. Inside the old teaching building, Jason looked down at the girl he had kicked unconscious. Or more precisely, at the eerie shadow that loomed over her body, like the trunk of a tree, its facial features like hollows and its mouth still moving. "Get up!" "You need to get up quickly!" "You''ve betrayed Novie''s trust time and again, how can you still have face to live?" "Die!" "Only death can release you!" The other''s words still carried a hypnotic effect. And the content of the words confirmed to Jason that this girl was the one who had picked up Novie''s key. As for more? Delicious! He had only meant to enjoy a ceremonial ''afternoon tea'' on the rooftop. However, Jason had never expected to encounter such an unexpected gain. He was growing increasingly fond of St. Mungo''s Academy. sI oT Yn! ''i! Hand signsbined with the Dufol Language, and the force field of "Protection Against Evil" instantly enveloped the ''food''. Suddenly, the shadow shook violently. The next moment, it turned to ash. Jason raised his hand, and a white crystal the size of a pinky fingertipnded in his palm. Once again, a feeling of fatigue and weakness surged inside his body. With a reserve ration at hand and in an environment where safety was uncertain, Jason didn''t hesitate, he lifted his hand and threw the previous white crystal into his mouth. Immediately, a sweet taste spread on the tip of his tongue. But what delighted Jason the most was the rich milk vor that followed. Milk kes? Jason thought. [Devoured ''Crackle Monster''!] [Physical Strength greatly restored!] [Satiety +4] [Satiety: 65] ... The warm flow from his stomach swept away Jason''s exhaustion. And the easing hunger brought his reason back once more. The same ce yielding the same ''food'' multiple times¡­ Isn''t that a bit too frequent? Moreover, judging by the ''Crackle Monster''s'' behavior, such ''food'' that takes advantage of people''s weaknesses to bewitch them would surely cause considerablemotion once it appeared. Take the girl student here, for example, if it weren''t for him kicking her back, she would surely be dead. And how many students are there in St. Mungo''s Academy for the ''Crackle Monster'' to hunt? Or to put it another way, St. Mungo''s Academy, faced with consecutive dead students, couldn''t possibly continue normal sses. "So that means..." "These ''Crackle Monsters'' must have just appeared!" Jason thought with certainty. Then he subconsciously red his nostrils. Unfortunately, apart from the ''milk kes'' he carried, there was no other smell. "Was it bad luck for Novie and this girl, both encountering ''Crackle Monsters'' that had just emerged?" "Or..." "The ''Crackle Monsters'' were drawn to them, choosing them specifically?" Jason spected. At that time, the girl student council president ran up. Her quick run left the physically fit girl student council president gasping for breath. But she didn''t forget to express her gratitude. "Thank you." Tedi said while bowing her head in a curtsy. Without a doubt, this thank you was filled with gratitude. Because for Tedi, who served as the student council president, an incident of suicide within the academy was no small matter. It wasn''t just about possibly losing her position as president, this record would follow her for life and be a stain on her life. That was something Tedi couldn''t possibly ept. If such a situation urred, she feared she would never recover. Even consider choosing the same way out as the unconscious girl before her. Therefore, Tedi''s gratitude towards Jason was more than evident. She had already decided to repay Jason. However, the girl student council president did not express this directly. Instead, she turned to look at the unconscious girl. Arge shoeprint was imprinted on the girl''s chest. After carefully examining and finding no fractures, the student council president immediately sighed with relief. "Take her to the infirmary." She said to the two girl student council members behind her. But as the two girl student council members were about to support the unconscious girl, she woke up. "Let me die!" "Don''t stop me!" The girl was clearly still under the influence of hypnosis. Not only was she not in her right mind, but she also possessed great strength. The two girls simply couldn''t stop her from making another dash for the window. The girl student council president was about to rush and join the effort to stop her, but Jason was faster¡ª p! Jason raised his hand and pped her across the face. The girl was stunned. She seemed toe to her senses but was possibly still under the influence of the hypnosis. She just stared straight at Jason. Then, her face contorted, and she yelled madly: "You''re all going to die!" "You''re all going to die!" "You''re the first one!" Chapter 257: Chapter 44 I Have a Move... ``` Twisted faces, crazed postures, rendered the originally delicate-looking female student fierce and terrifying. The two female Student Union members beside her were scared into retreating again and again. The male Student Union members around them looked at each other in dismay. "I curse you!" "You will be the first to die!" "And you..." Before the cursed words were finished, seeing one side of her cheek swollen and the other normal, the irregrity triggered Jason''s OCD and he backhanded her with a p. p! The p was loud. The female student, who was prepared to curse, was stunned by the p. She covered both cheeks with her hands, staring nkly at Jason. "Aren''t you afraid of the death curse?" She asked, dazed. A death curse? Jason nced at his 65 points of satiety and chuckled coldly in his heart. Nonexistent. I, Jason, don''t die. He looked down, his gaze dominating as he slowly said¡ª "Thest one who dared to curse me like this was cooked by me." "Do you want to try too?" After speaking, Jason bared his teeth. His ghastly white teeth scared the female student into retreating until she hit the wall and stopped. The phrase ''try and die'' she intended to say was frightened back into her throat. Because, at that moment, her sixth sense as a woman told her that speaking might lead to unbearable consequences, death maye as promised. She didn''t want to die yet. So, following her inner voice, she chose to shut up. And this confirmed to Jason that she had indeed shaken off the previous ''food'' hypnotic effect, it was purely her nature. Just... Such nature wasn''t very good, that''s all. The female Student Union president approached, looking at Jason with a slight pout. She wanted to say something to Jason, but the imminent sense of duty as the president made her cough lightly and say: "It''s okay, Dadas," "Instructor Jason is just trying to scare you." "How could he cook someone who''s cursed?" While saying this, the Student Union presidentforted the girl called Dadas. Jason stood aside without speaking, seeming to agree. Because what the president said was the truth. If it wasn''t for the ''food''s curse, he would usually opt to eliminate the person, not cook them for consumption. But Dadas was clearly terrified. Leaning against the wall, she let the Student Union presidentfort her. Joel, a shorter figure, sidled up to Jason. "Senior Dadas is the president of the ''Secrets and Mysteries'' club, well-versed in many things unknown to themon man." "Her behavior is also bizarre, asionally letting out a strangeugh in public." "Everyone is quite afraid of her." The secretary said, introducing her. "And she''s allowed to stay in the academy?" Jason asked, surprised. "It''s by the principal''s special permission, because Senior Dadas retains the ''St. Mungo''s Academy''s tradition: the Mystical Side," The secretary''s answer made Jason frown. ''St. Mungo''s Academy''s tradition: the Mystical Side? He mulled over this phrase, not dismissing it as nonsense. Whether it was what he had encountered or what he had just experienced, he was certain that the copy world he found himself in must contain what is called the ''Mystical Side.'' Only... It''s somewhat in decline, that''s all. After all, pulling a trigger is much simpler than delving into the ''Mystical Side.'' Does the girl before me possess such knowledge? Jason wondered to himself, looking at Dadas. Then, he shook his head. Inside ssroom 13, the Dufol Language she had written waspletely different, essentially a hodgepodge. It was clear that she must havee in contact with ''mystical knowledge,'' but that''s about it¡ªnot even the basics, let alone mastery of it. But, nothing is absolute in this world. Jason thought about the ''food'' that had just attached to her. Perhaps she had cobbled together some kind of Dufol Language that attracted the ''food''? This possibility, though slim, was not nonexistent. ``` A Dufol Language that can lure in ''food''... Jason couldn''t help but swallow his saliva. If there truly was such a Secret Technique, it would really be a ''godsend'' for him! Instantly, Jason''s eyes became eager as he looked at Dadas. Just then, Dadas had just calmed her emotions, and when she raised her head, she saw Jason''s ''hungry'' gaze. She immediately held her breath. Her eyes, hidden behind bangs, nearly sparkled with tears. She subconsciously wanted to step back. But the wall was right behind her. Where else could she retreat to? Beg for mercy? That was natural. However, before begging for mercy, she wanted to struggle a little. "Wanderer in the dark spirits." "Watcher of the abyssal demons." "Thwart this man''s prying eyes before me." "At witness of the morning dawn, the great sword, the long de, the crow, the white wolf, the shadows, I..." Just as her voice rose, sounding like a chant and somewhat like a curse from Dadas''s lips, it didn''t continue but turned into a sharpugh. "Cackle cackle cackle." It was hard to imagine a girl with delicate features emitting augh simr to the caw of a crow. The surrounding members of the student council were all frightened, including the female student council president. They backed away one after another. This made Dadas''sugh even more piercing. But looking at the unmoved Jason, Dadas immediately reined in her smile. This trick doesn''t work either? I still have one more! With that thought, she turned around and opened a door at the side. This was the ''Secret and Mysterious'' club room. She had juste out of here earlier. "Jason?" "I have a secret I''d like to share with you." "Do you dare to follow me?" As she spoke, Dadas walked in. Is it about ''food''? With a guess in mind, Jason immediately followed her in. Bang. The door shut heavily. The student council members looked at each other in confusion. "Won''t Tutor Jason be in trouble?" The petite secretary asked Tedi. "No." "Tutor Jason is a hero who has returned from the real battlefield..." "Dadas is also very measured, he will be alright," said the female student council president after a moment of consideration for the right words. She didn''t think it was abrupt. At least, from what she knew, it wasn''t abrupt. ... Inside the ''Secret and Mysterious'' club room. Dadas looked on in astonishment at Jason who walked in. She hadn''t expected Jason to follow her in without any hesitation whatsoever. The people she had encountered before would always hesitate for a moment. And she would take advantage of that moment to close the door immediately, not allowing them to enter at all. Afterwards, she would say, you hesitated, you''re not worthy of knowing that secret. But who would have thought that Jason wouldn''t hesitate at all, leaving her with no chance to close the door. This move also doesn''t work? Only thest resort is left. Taking a deep breath, Dadas tensed her muscles, clearing all distractions from her mind. Even with a swollen face, a sense of solemnity appeared at this moment. Was she about to reveal the secret about ''food''? Jason spected. Then¡ª Dadas''s entire demeanor changed, with a hint of sharpness, she pounced forward. Swift as the wind, like a tiger descending the mountain. With hands on the ground, she bowed her head towards Jason and let out a tiger''s roar, saying, "I''m sorry." Chapter 258: Chapter 45: Unexpected (Third update~Please subscribe~Vote for monthly ticket~) When Dadas burst forth with the ferocity of a wild tiger, Jason was still somewhat surprised. He had never thought that a little girl could possess such an aura. Especially the posture of her lunging forward, it really felt like a fierce tiger pouncing. Even the sound of a tiger''s roar seemed to echo in Jason''s ears. Then, just as Jason reached for the hilt of the knife, Dadas knelt down before him. Apanied by an "I''m sorry." That tiger''s "roar" turned into... Meow. "I just simply wanted to be liked." "But the harder I tried, the more people were afraid of me." "Even though I''ve kept a cute hairstyle, asionally showed my sense of humor withughter, carried around beloved items like bats, snakes, spiders, skeleton models, and actively participated in everyone''s activities, why are people still so afraid of me?" Crawling on the ground, Dadas spoke almost intively. And amid the soft sobs, she pulled a book from a table nearby and mmed it down on the ground. The cover clearly read "How to Make Friends." Jason did not flip through it. But from Dadas''sment, Jason roughly guessed what the content was about. The book isn''t wrong, you are. Jason thought quietly to himself, bent down to pick up the book, and ced it back on the table. This gesture made Dadas''s sobbing slightly louder. "Are you trying to mock me?" "If you want to mock me, just go ahead!" "I''m destined to be alone forever!" "Not even the ''Libra Ritual'' can save me!" The Libra Ritual? Jason caught the information in Dadas''s words. "Is The Libra Ritual what you were conducting in ssroom 13 earlier?" Jason asked. "Yes." "To exchange something precious for something precious." "That''s the ''Libra Ritual''!" When talking about matters rted to the Mystical Side, Dadas stopped her crying and dered earnestly. "So, you sacrificed a cat?" "Was it your pet?" Jason frowned as he spoke. Sacrificing one''s own pet for something illusory was something Jason could not ept. Or rather, Jason despised any act of sacrificing those around oneself or living creatures to satisfy one''s own desires. "No!" "I''m allergic to fur; I never kept a cat." "What I sacrificed was two eggs¡ªthey were dragon eggs I had bought at a high price from one ''Mystical Side person''!" Dadas shook her head repeatedly. Then she took a box out of a drawer from a table nearby. The box was about the size of a palm. It was entirely ck with intricate patterns on it. Jason looked at the palm-sized box before him and felt a surge of energy welling up inside him. Dragon eggs. Not quail eggs. Even the eggs of an Earth Dragon couldn''t fit in such a box, could they? However, upon opening the box, the lingering smell inside made Jason''s eyes light up. It was the scent of the ''Crunchy Critter.'' The smell lingering in the box was very faint. But Jason was certain about the taste of ''food'' he had eaten before. Yet deep down, there was a faint sense of loss. After all, it wasn''t a secret technique that could attract ''food.'' In fact, just now, in that brief moment, he had already thought of a name for the technique. It would be called ''Hungry Yet?''. What a pity... The inevitable sense of loss made Jason shake his head. He took a deep breath, adjusting his emotions. He reminded himself that ''food'' tastes best when one hunts it oneself. As for the food thates to your door? The more, the better, of course! He, Jason, did not mind the source of ''food.'' "Do you still remember that ''Mystical Side person''?" "Where did you encounter him?" Jason held the box and asked, "Yes." "He has eyes and a nose." "I met him at the vegetable market." Dadas''s answer made Jason frown. Seeing Jason frown, Dadas immediately got a bit scared. "Otherwise, I..." "Draw it down?" Dadas tentatively asked. "Mm." Jason nodded. However, he didn''t hold much hope in his heart. In his opinion, Dadas''s drawing skill should only be at the level of an elementary school student. But as Dadas pulled out a piece of paper and picked up a pencil, it took only a few minutes for Jason to see a very realistic sketch. What''s more important was... He recognized the person on the paper. The man drowned in a toilet: Barra. It was actually him! Jason was very surprised. In his opinion, his encounter with Barra should have been an ident. The other''s death should have been an ident too... No! That''s not right! My encounter with him should have been an ident. But his death? Was it really an ident? What if it was premeditated? Jason almost subconsciously thought of the Ghost Squad''s assassination attempt on Edward. Then, he naturally began to hypothesize. If I hadn''t been at the Watchdog Pastry House before, Edward''s chance of being assassinated would have been high. Then, Edward''s subordinates would definitely conduct a carpet search around the sniper point. That is to say, the deaths of Barra and his aplice would not be concealed from the police. The man who caused their deaths, Simond, would definitely have nowhere to hide under a thorough search. Then, just like before, it would be ssified as a vendetta killing. If Barra hadn''t disguised himself as a person from the Mystical Side, that''s how it would have been. But after this incident, Jason thought of even more. Would a professional swindler return to a ce where they''ve sessfully conned someone? To vanish and never return is the best choice! So, let''s assume again, even if he dide back, what were the chances he would run into his victim? And what were the chances that this victim managed the apartments he rented? Almost none. Stay connected with m-v l|e''-NovelBin And if youbine the two factors, it''s virtually nonexistent, impossible. So... Kill to silence him? Jason thought silently. At the same time, more thoughts emerged in Jason''s mind. Was Barra killed to silence him after disguising himself as a person from the Mystical Side to trade the so-called dragon egg, as arranged by the Ghost Squad, or was it because of some other unknown reason? Or maybe, this was part of a ritual itself? With this thought, Jason looked at Dadas again. "Besides you trading for the dragon egg with him, was there anyone else?" "Or say..." "Do you know anything extra about him?" Jason asked. "No." "Only I chose the dragon egg." Dadas replied. "Only you chose the dragon egg?" "Does that mean, he had other things as well?" Jason asked, frowning. And seeing Dadas nod, Jason''s frown deepened. Dadas continued, "I wanted to buy all those things, but they were too expensive. I could only afford one, and the other three were bought by a guest professor from the academy!" "That professor seemed to be called, called..." "Hannibal." Chapter 259: Chapter 46 Friends Arent That Simple ``` Hannibal? ``` When Jason heard that name, his eyes narrowed slightly. He certainly wouldn''t forget that particrly distinctive psychologist. That aura, akin to that of a predator, had left a deep impression on Jason. Meanwhile, Dadas started talking to himself: "Professor Hannibal once invited me to his clinic for psychological counseling." "But how could I possibly go?" "If I went, wouldn''t that just prove that I''m sick?" "I''m not sick; it''s the world that''s sick!" As he talked, Dadas let out augh reminiscent of a crow''s caw, a habitual sound. But when Jason nced his way, the sound immediately ceased, and Dadas reverted to that pitiful expression. "Have you experienced any abnormalities?" Jason continued to ask. But as the words left his mouth, he somewhat regretted them. The girl in front of him clearly suffered from that particr ailment somon in adolescents, where in the throes of this ailment, every normalcy bes abnormality. This ailment is colloquially termed ''second year syndrome''. In fact, it was indeed the case. Upon hearing Jason''s question, Dadas started rattling off immediately: "Abnormalities have been urring since I was born." "My mother said that when she gave birth to me, she heard a dragon roar." "And as soon as I was old enough to remember, I had a friend by my side." "Look, this is ''Xiao Kong''. Xiao Kong, say hello to Teacher Jason." "And also¡­" Dadas was about to continue. But Jason couldn''t listen any longer. If there truly were things beyond the perception of ordinary people, with his sensory abilities nearly four times that of an average person, he would naturally notice them. And if even he couldn''t detect them? Then they must not exist. Xiao Kong? That must be the air... Without realizing it, Jason''s gaze once again moved to the book on the table, "How to Make Friends." Dadas noticed Jason''s look. She quickly grabbed the book and hid it behind her back. Then, stubbornly, she said: "I have friends. ''Xiao Kong'' is right here." "I just want to make other friends." "No!" "Even if I don''t have other friends." "Having ''Xiao Kong'' is already enough." Her tone grew defiant, but Dadas looked down. She feared seeing the mockery that might appear in Jason''s face. The same mockery she saw in others. "Friendship isn''t that simple," Jason said indifferently. After finishing, he didn''t stay any longer, turned around, and walked out the door. Dadas looked up in astonishment at his tall, broad back. "Friendship isn''t that simple?" She muttered to herself. As for Jason, who had stepped outside, he directly asked Tedi: "Where''s the phone?" "I need to make a call." "Follow me." The female student council president spoke and led Jason downstairs. The other student council members, seeing Jason appear unharmed, all heaved sighs of relief and dispersed quickly. None of them dared to linger near the door of the ''Secrets and Mysteries'' club. Joel felt the same. Though an aplished secretary of the student council, he was genuinely afraid of his senior, Dadas. So, he was practically the first to prepare to leave. But just at that moment¡ª "Joel." Dadas''s gloomy voice came from behind. The petite secretary shuddered. He subconsciously looked around at the other student council members. Unfortunately, each of them was walking quickly with eyes straight ahead as if they hadn''t noticed Joel at all. "Hey, you guys..." "I thought I heard Secretary Joel''s voice." "You must have heard wrong." "Secretary Joel just left with the president and Teacher Jason." "Oh, I see." With these words, the crowd walked faster and faster until, in a moment, they turned down the stairs and their figures disappeared from sight. Watching this scene unfold, Joel''s upraised hand fell limply down, his entire demeanor one of resignation, as he turned around sporting a smile uglier than a cry. "Senior Dadas, is there something you need?" He asked, shrinking his neck. He looked like a hamster. "What is a friend?" Dadas asked. The secretary was taken aback but instinctively replied: "People who read books together, shop, eat, and fool around, they are friends, aren''t they?" "Is that so?" "But Teacher Jason just said ''a friend isn''t that simple''." Dadas furrowed her brow as she continued. "Teacher Jason?" "Teacher Jason is different!" "He has been through battlefields, the real kind filled with gunfire and smoke. In Teacher Jason''s view, we don''t qualify as friends. True friends must be those who can entrust their backs to each other even in the face of death, right?" As the secretary spoke, his face involuntarily took on a look of longing. "Friends? Those are not merely friends." "In some sense, they have berades!" "Bonded by fetters, intertwined fates,rades in life and death!" The secretary answered earnestly. As a secretary of the traditionalist student council, even though he was petite and had delicate features, how could a boy not have a ''knightly dream''? How could he not yearn for the friendship found on battlefields of me and blood? He wished he could don heavy armor and charge into battle alongside hisrades right then and there. That... Would be splendid indeed. Lost in his fantasies, Joel was about to say more. But the next moment¡ª "Ga ga ga!" "As I thought!" "The one that is wrong is not me, it is the world!" "I don''t need those false friends; what I want are real friends." After letting out an unpleasant cackle, Dadas murmured to herself in a low voice. Yet such a low murmur was too muffled, almost like a chant, scaring the secretary into retreating step by step. "Go and register." "List Teacher Jason as the mentor for ''Secrets and Mysteries''." Without waiting for a response from the secretary, Dadas turned and walked back into the ''Secrets and Mysteries'' clubroom. She casually closed the door and picked up the book "How to Make Friends," throwing it straight into the trash can. And then... She missed. Thud. The book fell to the floor. Dadas didn''t care about it and continued walking into the clubroom. Now that Jason had be the mentor for ''Secrets and Mysteries'', she had to prepare a gift for him¡ªthat was a wee gift, not one of gratitude. Dadas said in her heart. Then, she searched through several storage cabs for materials. She was going to weave an ''amulet'' for Jason. Meanwhile, as Dadas concentrated on crafting the charm, the book "How to Make Friends" that had fallen to the floor outside rose up and gentlynded in the trash can. Not a single sound was made. It was as if it belonged there. Chapter 260: Chapter 47 You Are So Naive... ``` Jason''s call was to Edward. It involved the "Ghost Squad," and Jason thought that Edward should be informed and could give him more professional advice. Of course, when it was clear that Edward did not understand the "Mystical Side," Jason, to save time, used something with a simr effect as a substitute. "Utilizing hypnotic methods to influence students at St. Mungo''s Academy?" "That bastard Mika!" "Has he forsaken even thest bit of a soldier''s honor?" Even without seeing, Jason could feel Edward''s fury at the moment; his voice was almost a roar. "There must be something at St. Mungo''s Academy that Mika cares about." "That guy doesn''t do things without reason." "Jason, please look into it first." "I''ll be right there." After giving his instructions, Edward hung up the phone. Clearly, the special operations team leader was impatient. Jason then put down the phone and thanked Tedi. "There''s no need." "You are already our student council advisor, and you have the right to use the phone here." "Also..." "May I invite you for afternoon tea?" The female student council president gestured no repeatedly and then extended the invitation. Previously, Jason had stopped Dadas frommitting suicide, providing her with considerable help; she felt obliged to express her gratitude. This was an important part of the education she had received. She couldn''t overlook it. Therefore, the female student council president did not disy the shyness and hesitation typical of young girls. Instead, she took the initiative. Hesitation meant defeat! The words taught by her mother remained engraved in the student council president''s heart. Of course, some things she wouldn''t just say standing at the entrance to the old school building. Not only would it be inappropriate, but it would also undermine her sincerity. So, afternoon tea was a good excuse. Of course, before speaking those words, she definitely needed tact so as not to cause any misunderstandings on Jason''s part. Out of consideration for Jason''s self-respect, the female student council president thought carefully. "Sure, where?" Jason asked straightforwardly. Investigation? He hadn''t forgotten. An afternoon tea wouldn''t waste much time. Moreover, who said one couldn''t investigate while having afternoon tea? It should be known that his method of investigation was different from others. "Near the dormitory direction, in the shops there," "There''s a coffee shop," said the female student council president. "Hmm." "Let''s go," said Jason, and he started walking towards the direction of the dormitories. Having been previously shown around St. Mungo''s Academy by the female pastry chef, he had a general idea of theyout. So, he would not get lost. Seeing Jason, who was full of drive, the female student council president couldn''t help but smile. She didn''t dislike men who acted on their words. And, whether it was an illusion or not, the female student council president always felt Jason''s eyes lit up for a moment when she suggested afternoon tea. Was it anticipation for afternoon tea? No! No, no! It must be that he guessed my true intention. Worthy of someone seasoned on the battlefield, he guessed my thoughts in an instant. The female student council president couldn''t help but smile. She didn''t dislike such a man. In fact, she quite liked smart people. Particrly when the smart person was also very strong. At least... Before stepping into "Flowers and Sizzling Coffee Pots," that''s what the female student council president thought. But twenty minutes after stepping into the shop "Flowers and Sizzling Coffee Pots," and seeing two stacks of tes nearly reaching the ceiling on the table, the female student council president fell silent. She felt she had made a colossal mistake. Not about her recent promise. But... About the conditions she offered when hiring Jason: a weekly sry of 35 dors, with three meals included! Three meals included! Three meals! Meals! Watching Jason signal the waiter to bring another serving, the female student council president couldn''t help but speak up. ``` "Mr. Jason, did you not have lunch?" The female student council president was a bit persistent. She hoped Jason would say yes. Not having eaten at noon, and then being extremely hungry in the afternoon, it would be understandable for a strong man to eat so much. Because, that would mean he didn''t eat this much every meal. However, in the next moment, Jason shattered her illusion. "I did." "Giselle''s cooking is quite good." "I like the extrarge banana boat." Jason, while picking up ''Flora and Sizzle Coffee Pot''s'' signature chicken onion rings and roast wings and stuffing them into his mouth, answered. An extrarge banana boat? Extrarge? tter? The female student council president suddenly recalled the huge tter she had seen at the counter when she entered, and she felt bewildered. Isn''t that the tter only used during banquets? And only atrge banquets at that! Why would you use such a huge tter just for yourself? Having a big appetite is one thing, but there has to be a limit! The female student council president gasped in shock. "Did you eat all of that by yourself?" With a dryugh, the female student council president asked. "Mm-hmm." Jason nodded. In such matters, he had nothing to hide. Whatever he ate, he ate. And the female student council president waspletely thrown into disarray. Her breathing became hurried. It took her several tens of seconds before she finally confirmed onest time: "Can you eat this much every meal?" "No." Jason immediately shook his head. Instantly, the female student council president breathed a sigh of relief. I just knew it. How could someone eat so much every meal? A smile reappeared on the face of the female student council president. But, in the next moment¡ª "I just had a good ''meal'', not very hungry." Jason replied. Not very hungry! The female student council president nkly raised her head, looking at the stack of tes reaching the ceiling, and her smile frozepletely. She felt the world spinning around her. It''s over! The cafeteria budget is going to be overblown! No! This isn''t just a matter of the budget being overblown anymore! It''s about being eaten into copse, driven to bankruptcy! Watching Jason, who appeared eager as he gestured to the waiter again, the female student council president felt as if she were seeing a huge, terrifying monster lying on the St. Mungo''s Academy cafeteria, letting out a roar¡ª I''m hungry!!! Then, while breathing fire, it grabbed food and threw it into its mouth. No wonder the details about his discharge were vague in the records. He must have been able to eat a lot! He must have eaten the entire logistics into copse! Yes! It must be that! The female student council president, thinking she had found the key point, couldn''t help sighing. She took a deep breath. A mistake, she had already made one. The rest was up to her to make amends. Worstes to worst... Sell the car. Subsidize the cafeteria. As for anything more? She was just too young earlier, not understanding the evils of society. Now, she needed to calm down and think it over more seriously. "Mr. Jason, I''m going to the restroom for a moment," Saying this, the female student council president stood up, ready to walk toward the coffee shop''s restroom. But just at that moment, a figure seated at the next table, as if looking at the scenery outside the window, suddenly drew a gun and turned, pointing the muzzle at the back of the female student council president. Pop! Chapter 283: 70 chapters of life are like a play Looking at the fallen female student president, Jason waspletely startled. When he sensed malice, Jason was certain that the gunman¡¯s intent was aimed at the female baker, and even more certain that the gunman¡¯s barrel was pointed at her too. Simply put, when the bullet was fired, it was aimed at the female baker, but then... it took a turn mid-flight! The wayward bullet struck the female student president directly. The female student president waspletely an unintentional victim. However, Jason could clearly see that a nearly transparent force field appeared on the female student president, blocking the bullet. The force field shed and vanished. The ttened bullet dropped to the ground. "Secret technique?!" "Or perhaps..." "A special item?" Jason nced at the female student president, realizing for the first time that her background was far moreplex than he had imagined, but he did not keep his eyes fixed on her. Instead, he pursued the gunman. Continue your adventure at m|v-l¡¯e m,p| y- r Of course, fearing a diversion, Jason grabbed the female baker without hesitation and tucked her under his arm. The female baker¡¯s face turned red immediately. She wanted to say something but ultimately, she said nothing and simply allowed Jason to carry her away with her face red and head buried. ... I am ¡¯Wu Ge,¡¯ an assassin. I have an assassin brother named ¡¯Box.¡¯ He was caught after a failed assassination attempt on a baker named Giselle. What a waste of space! He couldn¡¯t even deal with a baker. But, this has nothing to do with me. Having just obtained a club membership, I was determined not to show myself before the weather warmed up. But unexpectedly, the bounty on that female baker just increased tenfold. It swelled tenfold overnight. This is a reward that cannot be ignored. So, I prepared to clear my brother ¡¯Box¡¯s¡¯ shame. Locking onto a baker was all too easy. I easily got hold of her whereabouts. Only... What¡¯s up with that burly, muscr man by her side? Why do I feel so uneasy at the sight of him? Especially when he walks in the shadows, that oppressive feeling seems to grow exponentially. A bodyguard? No, no, no! How could a baker afford a bodyguard! Could she really pay with baked goods? Impossible! She must have seduced this burly, strong man with her feminine charms! Thinking this, ¡¯Wu Ge¡¯ sneered. A man who could be seduced by beauty, no matter how strong, is limited in strength. Besides, that reward increased tenfold is enough for him to climb two ranks within the club, meet thedy of rumors, have an afternoon tea with her, or go to the opera... heh heh heh. The excited ¡¯Wu Ge¡¯ did not think any further. He aimed his rifle. He had his sights on the female baker. Just like all the targets he had aimed at before. Then, he pulled the trigger. He was already impatient to see his target fall to the ground. But... Why did someone else fall? I had clearly aimed at the female baker, hadn¡¯t I? ¡¯Wu Ge¡¯ rubbed his eyes in disbelief, but in his view, it was still the female student president who had fallen. What¡¯s going on? I didn¡¯t drink, did I? It¡¯s impossible for me to aim at the wrong person, isn¡¯t it? ¡¯Wu Ge¡¯ asked himself. But reality no longer allowed him to delve into it. He had already seen that burly man charging towards him, with his target in tow. With his own gun in hand, ¡¯Wu Ge¡¯ turned and ran. He did not believe that he couldn¡¯t outrun the man. After all, the man seemed like the type with great strength but slow speed. But why is the distance getting closer? And why are my legs weak? Could it really cause weak legs if I had too much tea with thedies at the club? Wu Ge was running while thinking about this. And Jason was getting closer and closer. When the distance was less than ten meters, Wu Ge suddenly turned around, his rifle pointing straight at Jason chasing from behind. Wu Ge was very confident in his shot. He had practiced this technique especially. He had also used it to kill many targets who had made idental mistakes. Therefore, although he was surprised earlier, he was not panicked. And now! It was the moment for him to turn the tables! Wu Ge was about to pull the trigger, but Jason, who had been nearly ten meters away, suddenly elerated. His speed was so fast that Wu Ge had no time to react, and Jason was already in front of him. Furthermore, Jason didn¡¯t stop. His strong, bulky body mmed directly into Wu Ge. Bang! In the muffled sound, the continuous noise of breaking bones could be heard, as Wu Ge¡¯s feet left the ground, and he flew four or five meters backward. I¡¯ve been hit by a car! In thest moment of his life, Wu Ge thought this. "¡¯eleration¡¯ is still not controlled proficiently enough." "Although it has reached the level of proficiency, it¡¯s hard to control once activated." "If forced to control, it still can cause damage to the heart." Jason looked at the gunman who had lost his breath andid the female pastry chef down. The female pastry chef¡¯s face was flushed as if she were drunk, swaying on the spot. "I¡¯m a bit dizzy." "That was a bit too fast just now." The female pastry chef exined herself this way. The female student council president arrived by herself at this time. Seeing the breathless gunman, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief. As long as the person is dead, it¡¯s easy to deal with. Dead people don¡¯t talk. Simrly, they won¡¯t involve any secrets. But did those guys find out about me? Or was it just a trivial test? While such thoughts churned in her mind, the female student council president asked Jason with the appearance of a frightened regr person: "Jason, what do we do?" "Call the police." Jason said without hesitation. "Okay." The female student council president nodded and shouted at the secretary who was panting from running, "Joel, call the police." "Yes, President!" The secretary ignored the exhaustion and turned to run toward the old teaching building. At this time, the female pastry chef finally returned to normal. She went up to her friend and checked on her with concern. "Tedi, are you alright?" The female pastry chef asked. "I¡¯m fine." "Luckily, the gunman was a terrible shot, he didn¡¯t hit me; otherwise, I would have been done for." "Still, toe so close to bullets..." "It¡¯s really terrifying." The female student council president said while patting her chest, looking deeply shaken. As she spoke, the female student council president¡¯s eyes began to redden slightly, eliciting sympathy from those who saw her. The female pastry chef quickly took her friend¡¯s hand and hugged her, softlyforting: "It¡¯s all right now, it¡¯s over." "Yeah." The female student council president rested her chin on the female pastry chef¡¯s shoulder, murmuring her agreement, but her gaze discreetly shifted towards Jason. And then... She saw that Jason was staring straight at her. Swallowing her saliva. Chapter 262: Chapter 49 A Moment Before Nightfall Cecil was dead. He died in front of everyone. He swelled up like a balloon, then¡ª Pop! He just burst open. Flesh and blood flew everywhere, covering the whole Sausage Street. And Cecil had just left Hannibal''s clinic before his death. Sitting in the back of the old car, Jason and Edward listened to Bansey''s narration, with Jason sporting a yful expression, while Edward''s face became solemn in an instant. It was Hannibal again! Once more, the figure of this psychologist appeared in Edward''s field of view. "Could this guy be some kind of a psychopathic serial killer?" Bansey, who was driving, spected. "Probably not." "He has a considerable status and position." "Moreover, the charity foundation he runs does indeed do good deeds." Edward shook his head, but his tone was not so certain. He hadn''t forgotten Davide. Thetter also came from an extraordinary background, possessing a status and position beyond the imagination of ordinary people. But what had he done? It wouldn''t be too much to call him a scoundrel. Then, subconsciously, the leader of the special operations group turned to look at the silent Jason. "Jason, do you have any thoughts?" Jason''s remarkable performance on several asions had already won Edward over. He was eager to hear Jason''s opinion. "Do you think..." "This Dr. Hannibal could be rted to the ''Ghost Squad''?" Jason said. Hannibal had appeared when Dadas purchased what was called ''dragon eggs.'' Such an appearance, Jason did not believe to be a coincidence. After all, Jason did not believe that a person like Hannibal would go to the market himself; he gave off the impression of someone who would prefer to cultivate his own plot ofnd, self-sufficiently. If it wasn''t a coincidence, Hannibal went there on purpose. Then naturally, it had to be rted to the ''Ghost Squad.'' Those items were given to Hannibal by the ''Ghost Squad.'' And more importantly¡ª Were those items ''food''? Jason pondered, and then, his saliva began to secrete uncontrobly. Upon hearing Jason''s words, Edward fell into deep thought. Given Mika''s character, if he could choose, to have someone like Hannibal as a coborator, with both connections and money, would be very pleasing to him. Only... Why would Hannibal choose to cooperate with Mika? What did Mika have that someone like Hannibal would desire? Or perhaps, Hannibal hoped to use Mika to eliminate some people? The more Edward thought about it, the tighter his brows furrowed. "elerate, hurry up." Edward pped the driver''s seat. "Understood." Bansey nodded and immediately floored the elerator. Suddenly, the speeding car became even faster. However, even so, when Jason and his twopanions arrived at Sausage Street, it was already evening. The sun was setting. The sun''s blood-like rays scattered across the street. Sausage Street had already been put under martialw. Dozens of police officers were running around on the street. They were picking up the pieces of Cecil''s body. Reporters who were blocked outside were staring at the scene, pressing their camera shutters from time to time. Although they couldn''t enter, it didn''t hinder their work. One photo after another, one record after another, was continuously sent back to the newsroom. And when Bansey''s driven car appeared, it immediately attracted the attention of the reporters, and when they saw Jason pushing the door open and getting out, the shbulbs began to flicker non-stop. They were no strangers to Jason. ``` The hero who confronted armed militants. The detective who solved the case at the Aimeida Restaurant. Such incidents had made him familiar to them. Now, as Jason appeared here, the reporters swarmed toward him like sharks scenting blood, frantically converging on him. "Mr. Jason, are you here to investigate the murder of Chief Cecil?" "Mr. Jason, what is your opinion regarding Councilor Davide''s assassination attempt?" "Mr. Jason, I heard you have taken an advisory role in the special operations unit of the police?" ¡­ The crowd of reporters bombarded Jason with one question after another. Their words peppered him like machine gun fire, non-stop. Remembering his "City Recognition," Jason stood ramrod straight, allowing the reporters to take his photographs. Only after the shbulbs had ceased did he start to respond one by one: "I''ve just arrived at the scene, so I cannot confirm anything about Chief Cecil''s case." "I regret the assassination attempt on Councilor Davide." "You are well informed, I am indeed an advisor to the special operations unit now." Jason''s cooperation made the reporters even more excited. Besides at press conferences, they rarely encountered someone so amodating. Most people would either sidestep the discussion or rudely push the cameras away. "What do you think of the case before you?" Your next read is at m v|l-e''-NovelBin "Do you know why Chief Cecil exploded?" "Is it a new kind of weapon?" "Or is it sorcery?" "Do you believe ''mysteries'' truly exist?" The reporters mored with their questions. And still, Jason maintained aposed demeanor. He once again waited for the barrage of questions to subside. "It''s a mistake to confuse the odd with the mysterious; the most ordinary crimes are often the most inscrutable because theyck strange features to serve as a basis for deductive reasoning." "And moreover¡­" "There is only one truth!" Having said this, Jason no longer gave the reporters a chance to speak and strode forward. The slight air of a predator about him prompted the reporters to subconsciously clear a path. Watching his broad, towering figure pass, the reporters pressed their shutters once more. The shbulbs twinkled again. The veteran reporters turned their attention to the vehicle Jason had arrived in. Noticing the mud on the tires that did not seem toe from the city, these savvy reporters immediately whispered to their assistants, "Check where Mr. Jason hase from. " The assistants nodded in agreement. They then acted swiftly. A reporter''s instinct can sometimes be as sharp as a detective''s. Only, their lines of thought are different. Jason walked ahead. Edward walked shoulder to shoulder with Jason, while little Bansey followed behind. "Jason, I can''t believe you managed to handle that crowd!" Edward expressed his admiration. Behind them, little Bansey felt simrly. "When they question me, I always feel like I''m being interrogated." "Even though I did nothing wrong." "Yet they seem to have alreadye up with the answers." "As if I was the one who did it." "It''s really¡­ terrifying." Bansey, seemingly having a deeper experience, had a look of lingering fear on his face. "Composure is your only way to respond," Jason said,ing to a halt. In front of them was a typical two-and-a-half-story building with a garden and a terrace; the walls were brightly colored and the windows clean. At the entrance, on the left pir of the ck iron fence, hung a small sign: "Hannibal Psychological Clinic." The door was not closed. In fact, both the gate and the house door stood open. Two police officers were in the hallway, questioning Hannibal. Differing from the suit and tie he wore at theirst encounter, Hannibal was now dressed in a light green striped shirt with a pure white apron tied around his waist. As he dealt with the officers'' questions, he saw Jason standing at the doorway. Immediately, the psychologist''s face lit up with a joyful surprise. "Good evening, Jason." ``` Chapter 263: Chapter 50 Dinner After greeting them as if they were old friends, Hannibal pointed to the restaurant not far behind him. "Have you eaten yet?" "Would you like to join me for dinner?" As he spoke, the psychologist looked at the two police officers in front of him. "Officers, is that all right?" "I have told you everything that I know." "If there is anything else you need, pleasee with a search warrant." "I am about to entertain my guest." Hannibal was polite yet made it clear that refusal was not an option. "Alright, Doctor." "We wille back if there is anything." The two officers turned and nced at Edward, who nodded, and they replied ordingly. Then, the two officers headed out. Jason, Edward, and little Bansey went inside. As they brushed past each other, Edward gave the two officers a meaningful look¡ªthese two were Edward''s direct subordinates, who instantly understood what their captain wanted. Surveince round the clock, 24/7! The two officers nodded almost imperceptibly and then stepped out. Then, Edward and little Bansey were blocked by Hannibal. "I don''t mind my friends bringing their friends." "Provided that¡­" "Theye with no ill intentions." Hannibal pointed his chin forward at the departing officers. "Do you mean to have them surveil me?" "Alright, no need to exin." "I''m a psychologist, I trust what I see." As he spoke, Hannibal ushered Edward and little Bansey out. Out of respect for Hannibal''s profession, Edward did not struggle and went with the flow. Little Bansey had a subconscious reflex to resist, but he quickly realized that Hannibal was incredibly strong and far beyond his capability to contest. In an instant, little Bansey was stunned. After all, he was a marksman in the military. He might not excel in other areas, but when it came to strength, he was top-notch. And now, he had been outmatched in terms of strength by a doctor? By the time little Bansey came to his senses, he was already staggering outside the door. And it was Edward who had steadied him. Otherwise, by this time, he would have surely fallen to the ground. "How are you?" Edward asked his assistant. "I''m fine." "But he''s incredibly strong." "How can a doctor have such great strength?" Little Bansey shook his head, still puzzled in his eyes. "This proves he''s no ordinary doctor." Edward answered. "Is Jason alright?" Little Bansey looked worriedly towards the room. At that moment, Edwardughed. "I never worry about Jason." "Because I know¡ª" "If you lock anyone in a room with Jason, the one who alwayses out is Jason!" The confident leader of the special operations group dered. Little Bansey thought about Jason''s impressivebat record and nodded. "Right." "We don''t have to worry about Jason." "So, do we just wait here?" Little Bansey asked. "Of course not." "But do you have any money on you?" Edward asked after shaking his head. "No." Little Bansey answered honestly. "Neither do I." Edward pulled out his pocket lining, which was empty. The two exchanged nces. At that moment, Whoosh! The winter wind howled past. Both of them simultaneously hunched their necks and turned the corner to take shelter from the wind, looking back at the bright, steamy windows behind them. The howling wind shook the windows, but the sealed windows let in no drafts, and the warm firece made the entire restaurant warm and cozy. Beneath the bright light, Hannibal invited Jason to sit on one side of the dining table. Then, he began to serve the freshly friedmb chops from one side of the kitchen. Jason had witnessed the frying process with his own eyes. It was an open kitchen. Sitting at the dining table, one could see everything inside the kitchen. Naturally, that included the process of making the food. Jason''s gaze had been fixed on Hannibal. It wasn''t because of the other''s focus while cooking. Nor was it because of the rhythm of cooking that was akin to art. It was... The smell! The faint scent of ''food''! The other had been in contact with food not long ago. And not just one kind! Jason forced himself to suppress the excitement that came with facing ''food''. This was also why Jason still had Hannibal push Edward and little Bansey out and chose to turn a blind eye. After all, there were some things it was better not to see if Edward and little Bansey did not know about them. "Would you like some ck pepper?" After cing the friedmb chops in front of Jason, Hannibal asked. "A bit," Jason answered. Immediately, Hannibal turned and went back to the kitchen. He brought out a standard pepper grinder. Crrrk, crrrk. With a slight twist, specks of ck pepper powder appeared on themb chops, making the ting with the little tomatoes and endives on the side even more tempting. "Please enjoy." Hannibal held the pepper grinder behind him with one hand and gestured an invitation with the other hand in front. When he saw Jason pick up themb chops without any hesitation, he couldn''t help but smile, turned, and put the pepper grinder away before going to prepare the violin. But just as he turned around ¡ª "Another serving." Hannibal''s body stiffened. He turned back, shocked to see that the specially prepared, extrarge serving ofmb chops had been polished off, even the tomatoes and endives on the te were gone. Bear in mind, that was a serving for six. He had seen Jason''s appetite before, so he had specially prepared this extrarge portion foreseeing Jason''s visit. But who could have thought Jason would eat so fast, And not even leave the bones behind? Hannibal recovered quickly. He revealed an excited, thrilled smile for no apparent reason. As if he had encountered ... a kin of sorts. He bowed slightly. Responding very politely to Jason. "I apologize." "It was my oversight." "Just a moment, it will be right up." Saying so, Hannibal returned to the kitchen. He pulled open a huge freezer door, and a whole tub of marinatedmb chops was brought out by him. Like caressing a lover''s hand, Hannibal wrapped these chops in kitchen paper, smacking them repeatedly to extract the blood, then he cut the meat carefully and quickly. The frying pan was already preheated. Two spoonfuls of olive oil. A piece ofmb chop was immediately ced in it. Sizz! The collision of fat and meat created smoke that rose up and the aroma dispersed. The high heat began, quickly turning the meat, and after the color changed on both sides, the me was turned down to medium and then low heat. Once themb chop was fully cooked, Hannibal took it off the stove, ted it carefully, and served it to Jason. Explore stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin This time, he did not turn around. He watched as Jason seriously folded themb chop to fit perfectly into his mouth, and then... He swallowed it in one gulp. Crunch, crunch. The bones under Jason''s teeth were like crispy noodles, and with a crisp sound, the entire piece ofmb chop disappeared. Gone with it were the side dishes on the te. Licking the grease from the corner of his mouth, Jason looked at Hannibal. The hunger in his eyes was so stirring, so beautiful, so thrilling to his whole body. "Just a moment, more is on the way." Hannibal spoke up again. Serving after serving ofmb chops arrived in front of Jason. Only when hisst stock was gone did Jason stop. Hannibal, looking at the longing on Jason''s face, apologized with regret: "I''m sorry." "It was my fault." The psychologist made no attempt to hide his mistake. Then he stood up straight, looking at Jason with hopeful eyes, he asked: "Would you like some real ''food''?" Chapter 286: Chapter 73 True. Auxiliary Teaching St. Mungo''s Academy, the riding ground. Aside from the duty-bound members of the student council, everyone stood erectly here, silently waiting for Jason, with no one absent despite the earlier mishap. "Hmm?" Walking behind Jason, Edward raised an eyebrow involuntarily as he observed the council members. As someone with a military background, Edward was all too familiar with the ways of the military. Therefore, he could clearly see that the members of the St. Mungo''s student council had undergone training simr to that of the military. Although not quiteplete, and the council members seemed somewhat tender due to theck of experience amid gun smoke, the basics were in ce. "Wasn''t St. Mungo''s Academy previously a church school?" Edward couldn''t help but ask in a low voice. "Perhaps it''s because it was a church school, some traditions were preserved?" "I heard that during its earliest times, the school existed in a very chaotic era." "The school needed protection, so it was natural for some guardians to appear, right?" The pastry chef answered. However, her tone was not certain. Clearly, she''d heard this but didn''t truly understand it. "Is that so?" Edward was somewhat skeptical. However, he didn''t ask further. Because at that time, Jason had already walked over. "Good morning, Teacher Jason," "Good morning, Teacher Jason," The female president of the student council stood at the forefront of the formation, leading the greeting, followed immediately by the rest of the council members. "Good morning," Jason responded. Then, he quietly observed everyone, waiting for someone to propose what they wanted to learn, and he would teach it. Yet everyone, including the female council president, was looking at Jason, awaiting his initiative to teach. Time ticked away second by second. Jason stood still. The council members didn''t dare to move either. Only the exchange of gazes persisted. Edward watched this scene thoughtfully, yet his eyes also held some confusion. "Is it necessary to go to such lengths?" "They are still children, after all." This leader of the special operations team murmured softly to himself. The pastry chef beside him softly began to respond: "Of course." "Because this is Jason''s habitual method." "Although he''s retired, some things have already been deeply imprinted in him!" "Therefore, when facing these students who call him ''teacher,'' Jason subconsciously wants to use this boring yet effective method to assess the physical fitness and willpower of the council members before him." "Then, he will teach ording to their abilities." Stating this, the pastry chef looked at Jason with a gaze full of admiration. If it weren''t for Jason''s demonstration, she would have never known of such a straightforward method. "Teach ording to their abilities?" Edward was puzzled at first but then came to understand; after all, this ce was not a military camp, and it could not conduct training on the level of that found in a military setting. Teaching ording to their abilities truly was the best choice. The leader of the special operations team nodded in agreement without reservation. "So that''s how it is," he sighed quietly. Though their voices were low, the student council members could hear the conversation clearly; they weren''t far from Edward and the pastry chef, and everyone was standing in attentive silence without making the slightest noise. As a result, the council members who were still somewhat confused now straightened their stances immediately, with each person''s expression bearing the ''I understand now'' realization. Determination appeared in their eyes. Their faces turned meticulous. Especially the female council president, who was filled with admiration. She had been puzzled whether Jason really didn''t know what to do, having never been a teacher before. Looking back now, she had overthought it. Jason might not have been a teacher, but he definitely had abundant teaching experience, only his methods were somewhat unconventional. Immediately, the female student council president became even more vignt towards Jason. She had already sent out a message, but until she could confirm whether Jason was a member of the ''Ghost Squad'', she couldn''t rx her guard. In fact, whether or not Jason was a member of the ''Ghost Squad'', she needed to be cautious around someone like Jason who had been exposed to secrets unknown to ordinary people. Especially since Jason seemed to have detected her secret. She hoped it wasn''t the worst-case scenario. The female student council president thought to herself. And facing the looks from everyone that said ''I''ve got it'' and ''I''m trying hard'', Jason appearedpletely unfazed. Yes. It''s exactly what you''re thinking. I am testing the physical fitness and willpower of you ''Cat Hole'' dispatched students. Then, he began to recall memories he had almost forgotten. Jason had never been a teacher. But he had been a student. The way teachers behaved in the ssroom, it had been so long, his memories were somewhat vague. But! He remembered one sentence. The next moment, Jason spoke¡ª "You are the worst batch I have ever taught." The habitually calm tone became serious at this moment. A look of confusion and a hint of anger emerged on the faces of the student council members in front of him. They had already done well enough, why would he say they were the worst batch? Edward felt the same way. He had just observed that these student council members had good physical fitness and their willpower was alsomendable. Keep in mind, standing in the cold winds of winter for half an hour while keeping their posture perfectly straight was already beyond what most people could do. The female pastry chef gave a slight nod. She once again understood Jason''s meaning. "Trust!" "It was only after our reminder that they eliminated their doubts and chose to continue standing¡ªthis is a disy of not trusting Jason." "Just think, if we hadn''t reminded them?" "What would they have done?" Hearing the pastry chef''s exnation, Edward immediately nodded. "Indeed." "Trust." "The military is all about obedience, unconditional obedience, without trust..." Edward, with his military background, had a profound understanding of this. Suddenly, despite previously feeling that these student council members were quite good, he shook his head. And the student council members who heard the two''s conversation had a sudden realization within. They hadn''t trusted Teacher Jason enough! Yes, that''s it! If it weren''t for Giselle''s words, we would probably have been unable to resist raising our doubts by now, right? How could we still be standing here. And when Teacher Jason says we are the worst batch, it must be because the people he trained before had unconditional trust in him. Unlike us, who not only harbor doubts but also feel angry when confronted with Jason''s candid remarks. Indeed... we are the worst batch. Find more to read at mvl The student council members hung their heads in guilt, one by one. In the face of the pastry chef who had ''understood them'' once again, Jason felt no inner turmoil. He was ustomed to it. He certainly wouldn''t turn his head and say something like ''why don''t you try it'' to the other person. "Next, I will teach you..." Jason spoke again, but before he could finish, he was interrupted by a voice. "Standing here in the cold wind during winter, is this what you''re supposed to learn?" "Utterly foolish!" "Foolish are those of you learning this, even more foolish is the one teaching you!" Chapter 265: Chapter 52 A Wave of Prosperity ``` Hannibal, of noble upbringing, was taught from a young age to maintain elegance. Even after the deaths of his parents and sister, such elegance was not forgotten by Hannibal. On the contrary, it was branded onto him in some form. Such a form,ypeople cannot understand. How can mortalsprehend a predator? How can that utterly defenseless food even be considered edible? Even those who consider themselves noble are nothing but a void! Only those reborn from the void can truly be called human. And such humans are still a considerable distance from predators. Hannibal was reborn from the void of mortals. After his rebirth, he chose to move forward. Loneliness, pain, and solitude followed him like shadows. But the thrill of the hunt washed away everything, made him happy, excited; as the gastric juices churned, he felt the fulfillment of life, and with the food entering his stomach, he felt thepleteness of life. He thought he was unique. Until he met Jason. When he first saw Jason, Jason was still struggling in the void. He was as lost and helpless as Hannibal had once been. So, Hannibal treated him with all his heart. Unfortunately, the effort was of little significance. Just like the ''patients'' before him. But! Your next chapter is on m v|l-e''-NovelBin Upon seeing him again, he saw Jason reborn from the void. He thought that Jason had now be his kin. But he was wrong. So terribly wrong. How could Jason be his kind? The way he cautiously approached ''food''pared to Jason''s hearty indulgence was simply iparable. If one must make aparison, he was but a subject. Jason was... King! "What did you just say?" Jason''s voice sounded. Hannibal looked at Jason, and the noble oath once branded in the depths of his soul naturally surfaced in his heart. ''I, like you, swear to a more excellent you, acknowledging you as my King and supreme Lord!'' That was his oath. It was his and his alone. Not taught by his father. It was a change he made. And thus, it was the one he acknowledged the most. Hannibal took a step back, his legs straight, and ced his right hand lightly over his chest, bowing slightly. "Nothing," he said. "My master." Hannibal willingly paid his respects and then chose to perform all the courtesies of a subject. "Do you need me to cook for you?" "Cooking can make these ''foods'' taste even better," Hannibal asked. He didn''t feel that Jason''sck of culinary skills was a fault. The King, it is fitting to be ignorant of cooking. Otherwise, why would he be here? Destiny turns like a wheel. Ever turning. It is beautiful. It is ferocious. But no matter what it is, at this moment, he is grateful for it. He is thankful for such an encounter. He received honor once again, and felt a sense of mission. It was so wonderful. The fats melted in the hot pan; Hannibal watched the mes with focused intent, while Jason sat patiently waiting by his side. He knew all too well how atrocious his own cooking was. Or rather, to call it atrocious was an understatement. It was merely about making the food edible. This was still his insistence: to eat as raw as possible. ``` As for just now? In such a scene, the emotions were irresistible. It was forgivable. And when Hannibal offered to cook, how could Jason have any reason to refuse? He just sat there, watching Hannibal fry, stir-fry, boil, deep-fry, and grill. The ''food'' in the ice chamber was turned into dish after dish and served on the table. Jason was so immersed that he couldn''t help himself. He ate one after another. His speed never slowed. In fact, it only got faster. Facing this scene, Hannibal became more and more excited. The more ''food'' Jason could eat, the more it proved the uracy of his choice. Although he was somewhat unustomed to his ten years'' supply of ''food'' being devoured in one go, watching Jason wolf it down made that feeling quickly disappear. Moreover, in his mind, Hannibal was already considering whether to hunt a few more servings of his ''livestock'' earlier than nned. [You have consumed arge amount of essence from various foods!] [Determined to have been expertly prepared by a culinary master, satiety gain increased by 5%!] [Physical strength, vitality, and injury recovery greatly exceeded expectations] [Satiety +99] [Satiety: 164] ... After swallowing thest portion of food, detailed text began to appear in front of Jason''s eyes. A satiety of 99 was undoubtedly thergest amount he had gained at one time up to now. But what he paid more attention to was: ''Culinary skill''! Master-level cooking could actually increase satiety gain. This was something Jason had never considered before. Learn to cook! He must learn cooking skills! Jason reminded himself. Then, he confirmed something else: Eating food caught by someone else decreased satiety gain! He had already felt this way back in ''Hans Port.'' And this time, he was certain of it. After all, ording to his previous hunting, just one ''Pusack Elf'' brought in 12 points of satiety. Just now, he had eaten at least two, along with other ''food'' that was no less delicious than the ''Pusack Elf.'' By normal estimates, he should have gained at least 400+ satiety. But now it was only 99. And there was no sense of Excitement of Feast at all. "Must I personally hunt for food?" Jason silently pondered. Then, Jason opened the skill panel. Prior to this, he was concerned about the ''undying'' trait depleting satiety, but now, with arge amount of satiety gained, it was natural to want to strengthen himself. [Protection Against Evil], which required 30 points of satiety and 5 points of Excitement of Feast, was of course the skill Jason most wanted to upgrade. However, with only 4 points of Excitement of Feast, he had to change his goal: to choose skills that required satiety but not Excitement of Feast, and that could offer a direct increase. The [Griffin Body Refinement Technique], which could improve strength, agility, and constitution, as well as increase the recovery speed of physical strength, vitality, and injury, was naturally his first choice. [Upgrade Griffin Body Refinement Technique (Basic ¡ú Beginner), requires 10 points of satiety] Compared to [Protection Against Evil] at 6 points, it was 4 points higher. Clearly, the upgrade would consume more satiety due to the changes that urred whenbining it with [Protection Against Evil]. Jason wasn''t surprised by this. He chose to upgrade right away. [Griffin Body Refinement Technique (Beginner): This is the core secret technique of the Griffin School. Mastering it means that you have be a core disciple of the Griffin School. However, its practice is very difficult and requires not only exceptional talent but also a lot of time. But for you, with outstanding talents, these are unnecessary. Furthermore, the integration of the Night Watcher''s traits has brought many changes to it, making it even more extraordinary; Effects: Strength, Agility, Constitution +0.2 (Basic, Beginner), Physical Strength Recovery Speed +6%, Vitality Recovery Speed +4%, Injury Recovery Speed +2%] (Note: The unique training method makes it extraordinary, and also more special. The level of the[Griffin Body Refinement Technique] cannot surpass that of [Protection Against Evil].) ... The instant strength Jason felt made his presence change, bing sharper and filled with more pressure. Hannibal, standing by, keenly noticed this change. But he wasn''t surprised at all. Wasn''t this normal? You''re supposed to get stronger after eating ''food.'' That was how it was for him. And of course, it was the same for Jason. But the next moment, Hannibal was taken aback. Because Jason''s aura strengthened once again. And moreover! It didn''t just happen once! Chapter 266: Chapter 53 The Greatness of Flash Technique! Jason swiftly adapted to the changes brought by the entry-level "Griffin Body Refinement Technique." When everything had settled, Jason did not continue to enhance the "Griffin Body Refinement Technique," which required 16 points of satiety and 1 point of the "Excitement of Feast." His current goal was to save as much "Excitement of Feast" as possible and improve skills that only required satiety. Among them, secret techniques were naturally the first choice. "Mist Concealment," "sh Technique," and "Charge!" These three skills naturally appeared in Jason''s eyes. "Upgrade the three skills to the point where the use of ''Excitement of Feast'' is needed." Warmth from the satiety turned into waves flowing from his stomach, pouring into his heart, and Jason''s breath began to climb steadily. "Mist Concealment (Proficient): This is a secret technique that does not require gestures but needs a certain proficiency level in Dufol Language as a foundation. It was initially spread among several secretive forces but eventually became one of the ''Tomb Guardian''s'' secret techniques; Effect: Creates a 45-meter radius fog, granting a +1 to Stealth checks and a +0.4 to Agile checks while within it, the effects disappear upon leaving the fog; creating the fog consumes some Physical Strength, and a continuous consumption of Physical Strength is required to maintain it." (Note: Learning ''Mist Concealment'' does not require Proficiency Level in Dufol Language, but when you learn it from a scroll, you need Proficiency Level in Dufol Language to understand its ''structure''.) ... "sh Technique (Expert): Toplete it, you only need a simple syble of Dufol Language along with two gestures, making it an entry-level secret technique for many schools and forces. It has also gradually be a test; however, few have raised it above the Proficiency Level; Effect: Consumes a small amount of Physical Strength to create a dazzling bright light in the hand, causing blindness damage to creatures within a 5-meter radius that rely on sight." ... "sh Technique upgraded to Proficiency Level, acquired inherent proficiency option: Dazzle." "Dazzle: Not only can you create a brilliant light in your hands, but you can also do it with other parts of your body, with the same Physical Strength consumption as releasing it from your hands." ... "Charge (Proficient): This is a secret technique that requires no gestures or understanding of Dufol Language to learn, but it does require a solid physical foundation; originally circted among many forces, it eventually became one of the mandatory secret techniques chosen by warriors and knights in military camps, and long-term training has made your physique increasingly robust; Effect: Consumes a certain amount of Physical Strength to charge forward 10-30 meters at a temporary +0.5 agility speed, with Physique +0.1 (Proficient)." (Note: This is the most basic version of the secret technique, and the stronger the body, the more powerful the ''Charge'' can be.) ... Continual skill enhancements kept Jason in a state of bodily funing. This time itsted longer. About 30 seconds or so. When Jason opened his eyes again, he had 98 points of satiety left, with the following expenditures: "Mist Concealment" entry-level 9 points of satiety, proficient 18 points of satiety. "sh Technique" entry-level 2 points, proficient 3 points, expertise 4 points, expert 5 points. "Charge" entry-level 5 points, proficient 10 points. Without a doubt, "sh Technique" once again proved its cost-effectiveness. Because, even to the Master level, it only required 6 points of satiety and 1 point of "Excitement of Feast." "Would you like to consume ''Excitement of Feast'' and continue to upgrade?" The sense of fulfillment from the skill level increase made Jason involuntarily think. After all, whether it''s the ''Griffin series'' skills or other simr ones like "Charge" and "Mist Concealment," including "Barehanded Combat" and "Firearms. Light Weapons," as long as "Excitement of Feast" is consumed, they can bring more attributes. But Jason soon shook his head. "Protection Against Evil" is fundamental! "Protection Against Evil" is core! Without a stronger "Protection Against Evil," I would be powerless against Bizarre entities! Jason was reminding himself of this in his heart. Then, he chose to upgrade "Riding Skill" by one level. With a cost of 2 points of satiety. "Riding Skill (Proficient): With long-term training, you know not only how to manage a horse but also have quite a lot of practical operation. Your proficient riding skill allows you to sit firmly on horseback and perform some fancy techniques, but you need to control the horse''s speed while doing these tricks." The next level of "Riding Skill," ''Expertise,'' required 4 points of satiety and 1 point of "Excitement of Feast." Very normal. However... Jason silently nced at "sh Technique," then silently shifted his gaze away. There was no contempt. After all, it was still a secret technique. Still one of the important measures of the ''Mystical Side.'' Yes, very important. Jason was adding in his heart. Then, after one more nce at the remaining 96 points of satiety, Jason did the math seriously: "I have 32 lives left." Having reached his conclusion, Jason looked at Hannibal, whoseplexion was slightly fatigued yet filled with excitement. He did not sit down again. Instead, he stood up and walked around the dining table. Then... He bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your hospitality." Hannibal had shared his stored ''food'' with him, which was enough to make Jason feel grateful. If he did not know that ordinary money could not measure the value of ''food,'' Jason would have offered every penny he had. Money was not an option. Other things, however, could be. Jason began to ponder in his heart. But, that did not prevent him from thanking Hannibal in advance. "It is my honor to serve you," Hannibal rolled down the sleeves of his shirt, which he had pulled up to his elbows for convenience in cooking, and then he bowed in return. When Hannibal stood upright again, the psychiatrist revealed a smile. He felt very pleased in his heart. What could be happier than cooking ''food'' to one''s content? Naturally, it is seeing the consumer of ''food'' eat up everything cleanly. This gave Hannibal a sense of pride and satisfaction in his heart. "You can go upstairs and rest first, I''ll clean up here and then follow," Hannibal pointed to the array of dishes around. "I''ll help," Jason volunteered conscientiously. Outside of the restaurant, it was customary to wash dishes after eating someone else''s cooking. However, Hannibal shook his head seriously. "As a king," "You need not concern yourself with these matters." "Please leave it to me," Find more adventures on m-v|-NovelBin Hannibal said, and gestured again for Jason to go upstairs. Jason looked into Hannibal''s earnest eyes and ultimately chose topromise. He did not wish to have any dispute with Hannibal over something trivial like washing dishes. Sitting on the floor of the living room, Jason sipped the green tea Hannibal had brewed, waiting quietly. This wait was not long. After about half an hour, Hannibal, who had washed the dishes and changed into a fresh set of pure white shirt and ck trousers, came upstairs. "Sorry to have kept you waiting," Hannibal said politely. Jason waved his hand and asked bluntly: "Cecil..." "His death has nothing to do with me, the ''Ghost Squad'' did it," "Those guys are like my ''food'' suppliers," "We do some cooperation," Hannibal didn''t wait for Jason to finish his question and exined everything straightforwardly. Jason nodded slightly. Most of Hannibal''s answers matched his guesses. Then, he adjusted his sitting position and asked: "Do you know where ''Mika'' is?" Chapter 267: Chapter 54 Communication about Food (Third Update~Please Subscribe~Please Vote~) "I don''t know." "Mika is very good at hiding." "I was curious once, but seeing how stable they transport ''ingredients,'' I did not delve deeper." "However, I know of several of their contact points and two secret bases." Hannibal answered. Jason wasn''t surprised by this response. If Mika had been so easy to catch, Edward would not have been at his wits'' end. Simrly, if Hannibal had not prepared anything, he would not be worthy of being called a ''hunter.'' Jason was fairly certain that when he encountered Dadas, Hannibal had guessed what Mika had intended to do. In fact, that was the case. In the next moment, Hannibal said, "Mika probably wants to create chaos, not just in Newdeth City but also in ''St. Mungo''s Academy.''" "After all, the graduates from there can all be considered elites." "Destroying these elites means the future of Newdeth City is gone." "Hmm." Jason nodded in agreement with this statement. Then, Jason continued to ask. "In the ''Defense of Decheng,'' did the Ghost Squad rebel because of those bizarre phenomena?" "Not at all!" Hannibal shook his head with certainty. He exined to Jason, "The ''Defense of Decheng'' happened during the ''Thirty-Three Days'' Siege,'' and all the anomalies were happening on the main battlefield; nearby battlefields were quite calm." "It must have been earlier." "Or perhaps..." "Some other affair. Who knows?" "The ''Silver Federation'' is far from as pure and great as they im to be." With that, Hannibal let out a coldugh. Jason subconsciously thought of Councilor Davide. Not to mention Decheng. Has Newdeth City really changed? Jason thought, resting his elbows on his knees. "What do you think about ''food''?" "Is it rted to the ''bizarre''?" "Or has it..." "Always existed since ancient times?" Jason asked. Having finally made contact with someone who truly ''understood food'' and who was amicable, Jason naturally needed a clear answer. "They have always existed since ancient times!" "However, not as stealthily as now." "Since the inception of gunpowder, their numbers began to plummet, but..." "The emergence of those ''bizarre'' events has once again led to a surge in their numbers." "In my previous hunts, after the ''Lanqiao Standoff'' in October PY81 with the appearance of a huge phantom, the numbers of these ''foods'' had doubled. Before, it took a long time to track and locate one, but after the ''Thank You Ear Siege'' in June PY84, these ''foods'' began to blend into cities." Hannibal did not disappoint Jason, and he provided the answers Jason had hoped to know. "Hiding in the city, mingling among the crowd?" Jason murmured to himself. "Yes." "They appear in ways that are difficult for ordinary people toprehend." "But mostly, they are fond of fresh blood, fear, and death." "Therefore, there are traces to follow." "Moreover, their tastes make them powerful and also drive them mad¡ªthis differs from the ''food'' I initially hunted; I believe they''ve been influenced by the ''bizarre.''" Hannibal said. "What about the Mystical Side?" "Does Newdeth City still have the Mystical Side?" Jason asked eagerly. But this time, Hannibal shook his head. "No." "Not just Newdeth City. The entire ''Silver Federation''cks any records of the Mystical Side¡ªI think someone deliberately erased these; the high echelons of the ''Silver Federation'' are adept at such things." "The ''ck Stone Alliance'' is no different." Hannibal''s face was covered with an obvious sneer and mockery. Jason had no argument against this. He had seen it before, hadn''t he? Things that threatened oneself and could not be used had to be destroyed. Moreover, the rise of gunpowder was the most direct strike against the "Mystical Side." Afterwards, Jason and Hannibal had a pleasant conversation. Or rather, an exchange. The two had a simple yet profound discussion on how to hunt "food." "I''ve now found some traces of ''food.'' "They''re much smarter than before, but they always leave traces." "Would you like to take a look?" Hannibal extended an invitation to Jason. "Sure." Jason nodded immediately. He rarely refused anything rted to ''food'' and matters concerning ''food.'' The two made their way to the bedroom. Unlike other bedrooms. In Hannibal''s room, aside from a bed, there were photos, cut-out newspapers, and numerous records covering the walls. Jason nced over and saw reports that had been in the newspapers: "The Ripper Under Nightfall" and "The Echoes of the Hanged." However, unlike the reports in the newspapers, The details here were much more thorough in Hannibal''s room. Not just records of the victims, but also of the killers. For "The Ripper Under Nightfall" there were some clear records about the culprit: Height 180-185cm, physically strong, left-handed, knew some fighting techniques, skilled with knives, ustomed to blood, spected to be a doctor or butcher, had a private carriage or car, lived alone in an urban area. "Are you interested in him?" Hannibal asked. "I''m interested in any ''food,''" Jason said with a smile. "This is a cunning one; I''ve been tracking him for nearly six weeks now." "But he hasn''t slipped up yet." "These clues are only approximate." "However, much stronger than he is." Hannibal said regretfully, while pointing at the wall where "The Echoes of the Hanged" hung. Compared to "The Ripper Under Nightfall," there were far fewer records for "The Echoes of the Hanged;" in fact, it was almost none. There was only this: Gender likely male? Even just this sentence, Hannibal had ced a question mark behind it. "This individual is the most cunning ''food'' I''ve ever seen. Not a single clue left at the scene, and no pattern to the crimes. They are indiscriminate of time, location, or the gender and age of the victims. Aside from all being hanged, there are basically nomonalities. Even the gender described here is a spection," Hannibal spoke of this ''food'' without any discouragement but rather with excitement. So did Jason. Then, he turned his gaze to the wall directly opposite the head of the bed in the bedroom. Unlike other walls crammed with clippings, there was only one drawing here¡ª A vast, lurking figure shrouded in mist upied ny percent of the canvas, while countless tiny figures below it were panicking, distressed, screaming, bowing, or shooting guns. But to no avail. It just kept moving forward. Without any hesitation. "Is that the original colossal wraith?" Jason spected. "Yes." Hannibal nodded. Then, Jason fixed his gaze on the immense figure for a good ten seconds before he let out a long breath and said: "How exquisitely delicious it must be!" Hannibal, who had been waiting for Jason''s answer, immediatelyughed. Indeed, he was worthy of the king to whom he had sworn loyalty. In the king''s eyes, any strong, Bizarre existence was just another dish. And him? He would cook it well. The two, speaking the samenguage, immediately stood in front of the bed and began discussing and specting on this delicious ''food.'' It wasn''t until a sneeze came from outside again that Jason had to excuse himself. Hannibal looked surprised and bewildered. "You''re leaving?" Chapter 268: Chapter 55 A cold night, the heart also turns cold Watching Jason about to leave, Hannibal quickly snapped back to reality. "I have a vacant room here." He immediately added. "I''ve made a promise to Giselle and will be staying there for a while." Jason shook his head, exining. "Giselle?" "The pastry chef?" Hannibal frowned slightly, then nodded his head. "A promise, you say?" "Understood." "May Ie to visit you?" Hannibal asked. "Of course." Jason would naturally not refuse a visit from a culinary master, not to mention the two of them shared a considerable bond¡ªthe ''food'' he had consumed was testimony to that. "I''ll walk you out." Hannibal escorted Jason to the gate. And then, silently watched as Jason''s figure disappeared around the corner, before he reluctantly closed the gate. Looking at the empty room, the psychiatrist felt quite unustomed. However, he quickly returned to the bedroom. He stared at the ''food'' information on the wall and once again began to analyze it. ... At the corner, Jason saw Edward and little Bansey shivering from the cold. The two of them held a cup of coffee, warming up in turns. "Why not buy another cup?" Jason asked. "Because we''re broke..." "Because one cup is enough." Before Bansey could finish, Edward interrupted him, and the words ''this cup was a gift from a colleague'' remained unsaid. Edward stepped forward, shielding Bansey behind him. He was worried his assistant might say something inappropriate. Wasn''t he, the leader of the special action group, concerned about his reputation? How could it be possible that he couldn''t afford a cup of coffee? Although he really couldn''t. But, he couldn''t let others know! Edward maintained hisst bit of stubborn pride. "Oh." "Bansey, do you need a new hot coffee?" "My treat." Jason nodded, looking towards little Bansey. Bansey blinked, ncing at the back of his team leader, thinking of his persistence, he quickly nodded in ordance with his genuine desires, saying, "Yes! Double milk! Three sugars! Extrarge!" Taking 1 dor, Bansey sprinted toward the 24-hour coffee shop across the street. Edward looked at his assistant''s retreating figure, then at Jason, and finally chose to hold onto the coffee that had long gone cold. He had his dignity. He had his limits. He... Also wanted a sip of something warm. Silently sipped the cooled coffee. Bitter. The wind blew. The body was cold. The heart even colder. But when he saw Bansey returning from the distance with two cups in hand, Edward''s eyes brightened, and a small smile curled at the corners of his mouth. There was no doubt that his assistant knew what he needed. Truly a Bansey! Edward silently praised in his heart. Then, he stepped forward to meet him, ready to reach out and take the hot coffee. But Bansey didn''t stop; he walked straight past him. Edward paused, his hand frozen mid-air. His neck stiffly turned like a robot. He watched as Bansey handed the other cup of coffee to Jason with a smile, saying: "Jason, although it''s a bit more expensive after midnight, the store has a buy-one-get-one offer." "This one is on the house." "And here''s your change." Jason took the steaming coffee, pocketed the 40 cents change, and took a sip right away. A hint of sweetness amidst the bitterness. The milk blended in just right. Though the ingredients were certainly not top-notch, the skill was admirable. Especially on this cold winter night, sipping it in the biting cold wind felt trulyforting. Jason evaluated. "So warm." Little Bansey squinted his eyes, uttering in contentment. Edward, standing a few steps away, lowered his head and looked at the coffee in his hand that had gone cold, and felt it was even harder to swallow, but he was determined, for he was a man of dignity. Cold coffee isn''t so bad after all! Edwardforted himself with this thought. Then, he turned and walked towards the street corner. Whoosh! As he neared the corner, a chilly wind blew. Edward shivered and sneezed involuntarily. Achoo! Immediately after, his hand trembled, the coffee tilted, and spilled onto the ground. Edward looked at the coffee on the ground, quickly congealing in the low temperature, and felt as if his heart was freezing over. He silently walked to one side and threw the coffee cup into the trash bin. Then, he got back into the car. The temperature inside the car, parked for most of the night, wasn''t much warmer than outside. But at least there was no more wind. Simrly, in the enclosed space, the steamy coffee would emit an even more intense aroma, especially after adding milk and sugar, the vor made Edward''s nose twitch uncontrobly. He wrapped his coat tighter around himself. He told himself it was all an illusion. He wasn''t cold or hungry. His focus was solely on work. "How''s it looking?" To distract himself, Edward asked. "It''s not him." Jason replied with certainty. Then, after a moment''s thought, he continued, "It must be ''Ghost Squad''!" "Do you remember the ''Trick Mine''?" Jason reminded Edward. "That bastard Mika!" Edward said through clenched teeth. "A guy like Cecil, he''s also a target for ''Ghost Squad''?" "He shouldn''t be in the way of ''Ghost Squad,'' should he?" "On the contrary, someone like him would be more beneficial for ''Ghost Squad,'' right?" With a hot coffee in hand, Bansey turned his head and said. "Exactly." "Him being alive is beneficial for ''Ghost Squad''." "But what if there''s a reason he absolutely has to die?" Jason nodded and said. A reason he absolutely had to die? Edward was taken aback, but then he realized, "You''re saying..." "Cecil is connected to ''Ghost Squad''!" "Mika is silencing him!" Edward, looking towards Jason, said. Jason nodded slightly. "Bastard!" Edward cursed under his breath. He had always felt like his operations were somehow foreknown by Ghost Squad, and although Ghost Squad was powerful enough, it couldn''t possibly be like ghosts, not only appearing and disappearing without a trace but always preempting every move. But it would be a different story if someone was tipping them off. And moreover, the informant was his superior in name. The oue was naturally inevitable. Bansey was also filled with rage. Because he thought of hisrades who had died in vain. Dying on the battlefield, he had noints. It was the military duty. But to die under such a nearly treacherous circumstance? He couldn''t ept it! Huff, huff. Bansey breathed heavily, taking deep breaths. He needed to calm himself. At this moment, anger wouldn''t solve anything. After several deep breaths, Bansey calmed down. He wanted to ask something else, his gaze instinctively turned to Jason. That''s when Bansey noticed Jason had turned his head, looking outside the car window. Bansey quickly turned, looking where Jason was looking. Suddenly, his breath caught. Because... He saw ¡ª Cecil! Cecil, who had been blown apart, appeared at the edge of the streetlight and darkness, his body shattered, only his head rtively intact, rolling forward. The head rolled and at the same time, called out in a low voice: "Where''s my flesh?" Chapter 269: Chapter 56: The Playful Little Bansey Cold sweat spilled from Bansey''s forehead. He subconsciously reached for his gun. But his body was as heavy as if it were filled with lead, or frozen stiff in the cold wind,pletely unable to move. And just at that moment¡ª Bang, bang bang! The gun fired. Edward, with a calm expression, fired three shots in rapid session, shattering the rolling head, which could no longer move. The car door swung open, and Jason stepped out. His expression was just as calm, his demeanor indifferent. Edward followed closely behind. Bansey was thest to step out. Moreover, by the time Bansey came over, Jason and Edward had already started a meticulous examination of the scene. He turned his head and nced surreptitiously at Jason and Edward. Eventually, he couldn''t hold back any longer. "Captain, Jason, aren''t you scared?" Bansey asked. "Scared?" "Why should we be scared?" "Dead people aren''t living people, what''s there to be afraid of?" Edward retorted. "But, but..." Bansey felt that Edward made sense, yet he still felt something was off. He opened his mouth but couldn''t articte his thoughts, while Edward went on with a smile, "Don''t be afraid of these things. Just shoot. If a gun doesn''t work, use a grenade; if a grenade doesn''t work, use a mortar. If one mortar shell isn''t enough, use a bunch." "Level the ce, and it''ll be quiet." With that, Edward looked at Jason. "You think the same, right, Jason?" "Mhm," Jason nodded. As long as the caliber wasrge enough, the yield sufficient, in his view, any ''physical'' bizarre entity wasn''t something to be feared. Even some of the insubstantial bizarre beings could be categorized in the same way. If it didn''t work, it just meant that your caliber wasn''t big enough, your yield not sufficient. What really concerned Jason was the ''Bizarre''! Those that couldn''t be understood through normal reasoning, the ''Bizarre''! This was also why he was always somitted to enhancing "Protection Against Evil." However, Edward''s decisiveness still caught Jason by surprise. He had thought that Edward had never been exposed to the ''Mystical Side.'' Seeming to notice Jason''s confusion, Edward exined: "Although I may not have been in as many battles as you have, Jason, I have been on the battlefield." "You know, there are too many strange things on the battlefield." "These?" "They''re nothing at all." Edward pointed at the wreckage beneath his feet, shrugged his shoulders, and continued: "I''m just curious now..." "How did it get here?" In the afternoon, the whole street had been under martialw to collect Cecil''s body. Simply put, Cecil''s body should have been in the police morgue. "Bansey, use the radio in the car to inquire," Jason ordered. "Yes, Captain," Bansey replied and turned to sprint toward the car. Edward headed towards the martialw officers running their way. Suddenly, Jason was left alone at the scene. His gaze no longer lingered on the remains. Instead, he kept ring his nostrils. The cold air rushed into his nasal passages. Carrying a hint of sweetness. That was the sweetness of food. Regrettably, it was very faint. In the cold wind of the night, such a scent couldn''t linger, and it dissipated with the breeze. But it was enough to pique Jason''s interest. Hannibal had said that the ''Ghost Squad'' had a fairly stable ''supply chain'' for ''ingredients.'' Clearly, in the previous case of Cecil''s murder, these guys hadn''t wasted an opportunity; they must have allowed a certain ''ingredient'' to act, creating the bizarre scene before them. As for why? To demoralize the Newdeth City police. Or to put it more directly, to trouble Edward. Edward knew Mika. Mika naturally knew Edward. Two people familiar with each other ''fighting'', and the one who shows the first w is naturally the one who fails. ``` Tap, tap tap. Hannibal, d in a thin shirt, ran out from the distance. The recent gunshot had awakened the contemtive Hannibal. Jason gave Hannibal a slight shake of his head, and thetter immediately nodded in understanding, his expression quickly adjusting. By the time he reached Jason, he even spoke in the tone of a doctor: "What happened, Jason?" asked Hannibal. His eyes then nced at the debris on the ground. "Nothing," Jason replied calmly. He made no superfluous movements and uttered no unnecessary words. In public spaces, it was better for him and Hannibal to maintain the rtionship of ''doctor and patient'' as people knew it. This facilitated Jason''s search for the ''Ghost Squad'' even more. Naturally, Hannibal understood what Jason meant. He again reminded Jason about various matters to be cautious of. When Edward returned, Hannibal nodded politely and turned back to his dwelling. "He''s got nerve," Edward remarked. The recent gunshot had rmed the entire street. Yet the only one who came out to check was Hannibal. "Maybe it''s because he''s a doctor." "And I''m a patient," "He came out because he saw me here," said Jason. "Hmm." "I''ve checked the files; his professional integrity is not in question." "Many big shots are pleased to befriend him." Edward nodded. The two conversed as they walked back to their car. Edward looked at the coffee still warm inside the car, steaming, and curled his lip, trying his best to sit in the back corner. "Captain, everything''s normal back at headquarters." "They haven''t found Cecil''s head this afternoon." "It must be¡­ hidden ahead of time." Bansey carefully chose his words, starting the car while he spoke and heading toward Pea Corner Street where Watchdog Pastry House was located. "When we get back, file this case specially, in the special action team''s special filing cab," Edward instructed. "Yes," replied Bansey promptly. However, Jason noticed some of the vocabry in Edward''s words. "Special filing cab?" "Are ''The Ripper Beneath the Night Sky'' and ''The Hanged Man''s Echo'' also in there?" Jason asked. He wasn''t surprised by the existence of the ''special filing cab.'' After all, it was only natural for certain special cases, which couldn''t be made public, to be kept in a special ce. He just wanted to know more about the ''food.'' Although he had learned some from Hannibal, Jason never underestimated the police''s investigative capabilities. Edward likely knew things that ordinary people didn''t. Indeed, it was so. "All there!" After confirming, Edward then exined: "For ''The Ripper Beneath the Night Sky,'' we''ve locked on a few doctors and butchers. We''ve been monitoring them. I''m quite confident that our guy is among these few people." "As soon as he strikes again, I''ll definitely catch him," Edward said confidently. But then, Edward hesitated. "As for ''The Hanged Man''s Echo''?" "I don''t have more information!" "Based on witness ounts from the scenes, we only know that the bastard likes to strike at night against parties of two or more in a vehicle. In all three incidents, the vehicles broke down, and when one or more got out to check, they were attacked and hanged outside, with the bodies suspended above the vehicle, so the deceased''s shoes could just graze the car''s roof, producing a gritty noise." "Those who stayed in the car were safe, but were terrified out of their wits." "I tried to inquire further, but there were no more clues," Edward said, frowning deeply, clearly contemting the case. Bansey, driving the car, was much more rxed. In a half-joking tone, he said, "We''re also multiple people in a car now, aren''t we? What do you say, will that guy show up? If he does, I''m going to let him¡­" Click, clunk. The normally running car''s engine shook and suddenly died. ``` Chapter 270: Chapter 57 Midnight Snack (Third Update~Please Subscribe~Please Vote~) Bansey was startled and instinctively tried to start the car. Chug, sputter. Chug, sputter. After several attempts, the car failed to restart. Cold sweat streamed down Bansey''s face once again. "I was just joking." As he said this, he turned his head with an awkward yet polite smile, hoping to lighten the mood. But when he turned his head, he realized that Jason and Edward, who should have been sitting in the backseat, had vanished without a trace, leaving only the open car doors on both sides. Whoosh! The cold wind blew, and Bansey shrank his neck. He shouted in horror: "Captain?" "Your Excellency Jason?" Sadly, aside from the wind, there was no response at all. Moreover, this was a dark crossroads with no lights, pitch ck outside. Experience more tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin The only car light too dimmed as the vehicle died. "Stay calm!" "Stay calm!" "I need to stay calm!" Bansey kept telling himself this silently while he recalled the words Edward had told him. ''Don''t be afraid of these things, just shoot them, if the gun doesn''t work, use a hand grenade, if that doesn''t work, use a mortar, and if one mortar shell doesn''t do the job, use a whole base number.'' ''Level it, and it''ll be quiet.'' Then¡ª He pulled out his gun from his waist. Pulled a ''Typewriter'' from under the seat. And from under the co-driver''s seat, he felt around and retrieved two hand grenades. Next, turning around, he yanked a foldable mortar from underneath the backseat. As a firepower specialist, it was normal for Bansey to have a submachine gun, hand grenades, and a mortar in the car. Bansey, with the mortar on his shoulder, got out of the car. He first checked under the vehicle, and finding no one hanging there, he set up the mortar, then from the car''s trunk, he lifted out a box of shells and ced it next to him. He remembered his captain''s teachings¡ª Bombard it with the mortar. The wind howled past. Footsteps emerged from the dark. "Who''s there?" "Don''t speak, and I will open fire!" Bansey yelled toward the source of the footsteps. "It''s me." Edward said as he approached, and when he saw the mortar set up on the ground, the special operations team leader''s eyes twitched. "Where did you get the mortar?" Edward asked, about to walk over. But Bansey directly raised the ''Typewriter''s'' muzzle. "Halt!" "How can you prove that you''re the captain?" Bansey asked. He hadn''t forgotten that in the biographical novels, these creatures could transform. What if it was a transformed captain? Bansey was extremely vignt. "What kind of proof do you want?" Edward looked at his subordinate, amused, as he was about to say something, but Bansey spoke first. "What''s your mother''s name?" Bansey asked. "I came from an orphanage, I don''t know." Edward looked at the gun muzzle and sighed before replying. "Right, next question, what''s your lover''s name?" Bansey nodded and continued. "I''ve been single for 30 years, no lover." Edward frowned slightly but still answered. "Hmm, why do you wear sses?" Bansey continued to question. "Because, it makes me look cultured and more likable." Edward frowned but, looking at the gun barrel, held back and answered. "You owe me 556 dors..." "Enough, I only owe you 443 dors!" This time Edward couldn''t hold back. He red at Bansey and charged forward. A threat from a gun muzzle? In the face of money, death was ignored! Edward snatched the ''Typewriter'' from Bansey andnded a kick squarely on his behind. The fact known only to the two of them, along with this familiar kick, immediately confirmed Edward''s identity for Bansey. "Captain!" "Your sudden disappearance scared the hell out of me..." Bansey exined. "Don''t worry." "With you in this formation, those things won''t appear at random." "The mere sight of it will scare them off." Edward said. "Where is Sir Jason?" Bansey asked. "He went chasing after that guy." "I''m too slow; I couldn''t catch up." "We just need to wait patiently." As Edward spoke, his gaze rested on the car, and he lit a cigarette. Bansey first nodded, but remained on high alert. ... In the darkness, Jason strode forward. With nearly four times the perception of an ordinary person, he was able to see in this dim light, although not as clearly as in broad daylight, but not by much. However, most of the time, Jason preferred to use his nose. Appearances might change. But scents did not. Especially the smell of ''food''. It was sweet and fragrant. Memorable. Step, step, step. Jason moved forward, asionally changing direction. He never took a wrong turn. And the fleeing figure grew increasingly terrified. This was not what it knew. At this time, shouldn''t the people in the car be trembling with fear while it fed on their scent of terror? But why was this person not only unafraid but bing more excited instead? The difference from the information it had received made it subconsciously turn its head. It looked back at Jason. With a vision unlike that of ordinary people, in the shroud of darkness, it saw a huge shadow with crimson eyes open its gaping maw, slowly closing in. Hungry! So hungry! I''m so hungry! The monster''s howl traveled through the air, thatpelling hunger feeling not weakening the giant shadow but instead making it growrger, inting like a balloon until it enveloped the entire street. And with it came a crushing presence! Its body trembled slightly. Pain spread throughout. It was as if it had touched the Fierce Sun, causing stinging pain to its body! No! I can''t stop! If I stop... I''ll be eaten! Its instincts told it what it should do at this moment. Without hesitation, it started running again. Faster than when it had seen the other power off the car. This time, it did not hesitate any longer. It ran towards a ce. Where some ''kin'' gathered. It had just left there. So it knew very well that there were at least two there slower than itself! Whew! The swift run, the wind beside its ears, grew louder, and its shell weakened due to its extraordinary speed. But it didn''t care about that now. Although switching shells came at a great cost, it was still better than true death, right? Another turn. The pressure behind it suddenly vanished. But it didn''t dare to look back, didn''t dare to see. Following its original n, it straightly rushed towards the brightly lit end of the street. That was the gathering ce. Once there... It would be truly safe. Without the niceties of knocking, it lifted a foot and kicked open the door. Then, it stood frozen in ce. It saw that terrifying man. It saw several shells unconscious at his feet. It saw him wiping the corner of his mouth, smiling at it. Finally, it heard his gentle voice. "You''ve arrived, haven''t you?" Chapter 271: Chapter 58 I Am the Partner of Justice I''ve eaten you! Come! Into my mouth! Jason''s gentle voice fell on the monster''s ears, but it became a fierce roar. It shook its head subconsciously while murmuring incessantly. "I''m sorry, I didn''te, it wasn''t me, it''s all an illusion." However, unfortunately for Jason, such mumbling was utterly ineffective. Bang! He took a step forward and punched the opponent in the stomach. The strength wasn''t great, but it was very precise, and just right. The next moment¡ª rgh! The monster fell to its knees and started vomiting. A dark object that looked like herbal jelly, apanied by the vomit, fell to the ground. Like the ''Epuke Spirit,'' this palm-sized ''food'' had neither hands nor feet nor facial features and could only move slowly on the ground. The sweet scent instantly dissipated the sour stench of vomit. Jason, well-practiced, scooped up this ''food'' and turned to rinse it thoroughly with strong alcohol from a cab nearby. After confirming that no trace of vomit remained, Jason gave it a shake and popped it into his mouth. It tasted simr to the ''Epuke Spirit'' but was a bit sweeter, with a hint of a milky fragrance. All in all, it was quite a nice midnight snack. [Consumed ''Epuke Spirit''!] [Physical Strength, Vitality (Injury) fully restored to the maximum extent!] [Fullness +3] Discover stories with m,v l''e-NovelBin [Fullness: 106] ¡­ A fullness value worthy of a midnight snack. In fact, this ''Epuke Spirit'' already had the highest fullness value, while the rest fluctuated around 1-2. But, a low fullness value doesn''t mean they are less destructive. Like the ''Epuke Spirit.'' The ''Epuke Spirits'' too lurked within the human body as ''food.'' They used ''people'' to aplish various tasks. Unlike the solitary ''Epuke Spirit,'' these ''Epuke Spirits'' were gregarious, therefore, using the unrted bodies of various ''people,'' they aplished many unbelievable deeds. For example, the case of ''The Echo of the Hanged.'' Jason had already confirmed this through ''Death Qi Perception.'' Inside this house, there were many things tainted with the aura of death. Some faint, some intense. A piece of rope attracted the most attention. Three different death auras clung to it, and, considering the three concurrent ''Echo of the Hanged'' cases, the answer was obvious. However, this was just his deduction from the ''Mystical Side.'' Evidence from the ''scientific side'' was still needed. Jason turned and walked towards the living room phone, dialing the police hotline. "Hello." "Is this Mr. Jason?" "Are you looking for Chief Edward?" "I''ll inform him right away." Jason had barely said a word when the operator, Ada, began speaking in rapid session. For this operator, who took calls daily, she had grown used to identifying a person by their voice, never forgetting even the ones she had heard just once. "Okay." Jason replied and then gave the address. After that, he waited quietly. The entire house had already been checked while waiting for thest ''midnight snack'' to arrive. There was nothing of note. Or rather, apart from the ''food'' itself, the ce was very ordinary. "Is it the ordinariness that makes it difficult for Edward to make a move?" Jason thought, his mind naturally expanding on the idea. "Since they use ''people''s'' bodies, then these ''foods'' should also be capable ofmunication." "Likewise, when faced with life and death, the ''food'' will also make choices out of fear and a desire to live." "So, can I cultivate a ''Food Traitor''?" Jason seriously contemted this question, analyzing the pros and cons. Without a doubt, this cultivation n wasrgely feasible on paper. But the time it would consume was certainly not short. And naturally, there would be setbacks from repeated trials and tests. ``` This would again extend the time. For him, with only 58 days remaining, it was not enough. Then, Jason suddenly had a sh of inspiration. He thought of "Ghost Squad." "ording to Hannibal, ''Ghost Squad'' has a stable ''food supply channel''!" "But the unpredictability of the ''food'' makes it hard to do this unless ''Ghost Squad'' can urately grasp these ''foods'' movements every time." "That is to say, ''Ghost Squad'' most likely cultivated their own ''Food Traitor.''" At this thought, Jason clenched his fist fiercely. He had already resolved to eliminate ''Ghost Squad,'' an enemy with no honor and unscrupulous methods. It was definitely not for that ''Food Traitor.'' That was merely a spoil of war. He simply could not overlook ''Ghost Squad'' attacking and provoking killings in front of him time and again. His dignity had been trampled on. Naturally, he would retaliate tooth for tooth, eye for an eye. "If there is a ''Food Traitor,'' finding ''Ghost Squad'' wouldn''t be difficult." "The only concern is whether the ''Food Traitor'' has been specially ced." "Or rather..." "The ''Food Traitor'' is contacted through a single line." Considering ''Ghost Squad''s'' way of operating, Jason thought both were possible. Those in control could opt for slow-acting poison. Controlling a ''Food Traitor'' naturally might involve something simr. Though he was unaware of it. For Jason, eating was all that mattered. Why bother with anything else? But now he had to consider it, which made Jason frown. He believed it affected the purity of the ''food.'' Thus, creating trouble, ''Ghost Squad'' deserved to die even more. And the ''Food Traitor'' had to be controlled by his own hands. Only in this way could the purity of the ''food'' be guaranteed. After all, no one can ensure that ''food'' controlled by poison or other means wouldn''t affect the taste. The sound of a car engine approached from outside the door, getting louder. After a sharp brake, Edward rushed in. Seeing the five people lying on the ground, he asked breathlessly, "Are they the ones?" "Probably." "You can check over there." Jason didn''t give a definite answer, but just pointed towards the storage room at the end of the hallway on the first floor. Edward immediately went there. Unlike the storage rooms in other people''s homes cluttered with misceneous items, this one stored knives, daggers, ropes, and even two shotguns. Seeing these items, Edward''s eyes instantly lit up. In front of him, the weapons, some still with dried blood on them, automatically brought to mind several crime files involving simr weapons. ''Miso Building Murder''! ''Bitter Gourd Public Restroom Shooting''! ''Crisp Street Throat-Slitting''! Case after case surfaced, exciting Edward even more. He turned around and gave Jason a thumbs up. "Well done!" Edward eximed. The matters that followed naturally didn''t require Jason''s concern any longer. More professionals arrived at the scene to organize the weapons and evidence. Those people infiltrated by Epuke Spirits? They were also taken back for questioning one by one. Perhaps they were pitiful. But they were certainly not innocent. Jason got into the car, driven by little Bansey. This was the order of Edward, who needed to stay at the scene. The car started up again. Bansey gripped the steering wheel, keeping the car steady, and couldn''t help butment, "Sir Jason, it really has been a long night!" Then, Bansey suddenly thought of something and said¡ª "Do you think we''ll encounter anything else?" ``` Chapter 272: Chapter 59: Lucky and Unlucky Sisters Giselle awoke still sprawled on the table. Hiss! Her arms and legs were sore and numb, which made the pastry chef gently inhale as she instinctively massaged them. She turned her head to look at the clock hanging on the wall. "Is it already half-past two?" The pastry chef was surprised to see the time. She had only meant to nap for a short while; how had she slept until midnight? Looking out of the disy window, she saw that the sky had long since darkened. The pastry chef was a bit annoyed with herself. Not only had she wasted an entire afternoon, but she had also dyed the regr business for the next day. After all, some ingredients for the pastries needed to be prepared in advance. However, it was only when the pastry chef walked over to the oven behind the counter that she found not only the ingredients ready but also some finished products ced on one side of the counter. They were numbers and teddy bear cookies that didn''t spoil if left out for a while. "Evelyn?" "Evelyn?" Upon seeing these cookies, the pastry chef quickly realized. It was her sister who hade back. She knew well that her sister didn''t like soft pastries but preferred crunchy cookies. But after calling several times, she received no response. "Did she leave again?" The pastry chef murmured to herself. It had been a long time since she had seen her sister. Before, her sister would leave notes to inform her of things. But now? If not for some traces left behind, she might even think that her sister was a figment of her imagination. Sigh. The pastry chef sighed. She began to check the shop, the interior and exterior doors were already locked. The inner door had a touch lock, the outer was an iron grill door locked with a chain lock, the bolt facing outward; clearly, it was her sister who had locked it upon leaving. After confirming again that her sister had truly left, the pastry chef returned to the shop, beginning to think about the second person rted to her. "Jason has been gone for 12 hours now, could something have happened?" "It shouldn''t!" "Jason is not like the others, he is observant and very skilled." "Even if he encountered trouble, he wouldn''t be easily ovee." The pastry chef shook her head, thinking very confidently as she sat in the shop and quietly waited. She had very few friends. Even, from a certain viewpoint, only two. One was Tedi. The other was Jason. Discover hidden content at m,v l''e-NovelBin And as for male friends, Jason was the only one¡ªsince she could remember. It wasn''t that she didn''t want to make friends. But the friends she made always inexplicably got into trouble. Injuries, kidnappings, disappearances, idents; they were endless. If it weren''t for Tedi''s presence, she would have doubted whether she was the reincarnation of ''gue God''; otherwise, why would her friends encounter these issues? Fortunately, now there was Jason. Whenever she thought of Jason, the pastry chef blushed slightly. It was the shyness of a young girl and a hint of adolescent confusion. Something the pastry chef had never experienced. After all, she didn''t have a single male friend who, after interacting with her, remained unharmed for more than two hours. Therefore, she treated everyone with caution. Regarding them as acquaintances rather than friends. As for Jason? She could hardly restrain her feelings. It was not only the debt for saving her life but also the strength he disyed that attracted her unwittingly. More importantly, she believed Jason could protect himself. But... Time ticked by, minute by minute. Jason still hadn''t returned. The pastry chef grew panicked. Please, let nothing have happened! Please, let nothing have happened! She sat by the table, praying silently over and over again. In the midst of the pastry chef''s prayers, sounds of a car came from the street outside; she immediately looked out from the disy window and, upon seeing the figure of Jason stepping out from the back seat of the car, she instantly ran to open the door. "I thought something was going to happen." "We made it back safely." Bansey seemed a bit regretful. "How could there be so much trouble?" "The previous incident was just an ident." Jason said as he got out of the car. He wasn''t just humoring Bansey. ''Food'' might blend into the crowd, but there weren''t many of them, and it took quite a long time for them to grow. Otherwise, Newdeth City would have be ''Gourmet City'' long ago. No, that''s not right. It would be, Monster City. "No, no, no!" "Your Lordship Jason, haven''t you noticed that after we lost one person, things became very safe?" Bansey stood in front of the car door, hands on the roof, wiggling his eyebrows at Jason with a teasing look on his face. "Are you saying Edward is the root of all ''disaster'' again?" Jason countered. "That''s what you said, not me," Bansey said with a grin, then, seeing the female pastry chef emerge, he quickly greeted her: "Apologies for thete disturbance, Ms. Giselle." "It''s alright." "Would you like a cup of hot cocoa?" "I still have some pastries and cookies here." The female pastry chef waved her hand and asked. "No, thank you." "Because of some cases that happened before, I need to get back to work..." "Then take some with you, on the house." The female pastry chef gently interrupted Bansey''s excuse. This kind of gentle interruption carried a sense of inevitability. Of course, the most important thing was ''free''. Upon hearing this word, Bansey instantly capitted. Poverty made him choose to wait. But, as the female pastry chef turned around, Bansey was taken aback. "Ms. Giselle, on your back?" Bansey reminded the female pastry chef. "Huh?" She turned her head trying to see what was on her back, but her body structure made it impossible to see clearly, and it would be quite impolite to pull on her clothes to look in front of Bansey. Luckily, Jason was there. "Jason, could you help me out?" The female pastry chef naturally turned around, her back facing Jason, and lifted her hair. Jason raised his hand and took down the note that was attached to the female pastry chef''s back. The whole process was quite ordinary, without any awkwardness, especially under the soft lighting of the shop, it felt warm and natural. However, Bansey standing there suddenly felt a little queasy. At the far end of the street, a stray dog passed by and gave Bansey a series of soft ''woofs'', as if it had found a kindred spirit. Jason didn''t look closely at the folded note but handed it to the female pastry chef. He wouldn''t pry into a friend''s privacy without a reason. "It''s Evelyn." "So she did leave a note for me!" the female pastry chef said happily. Then, she excitedly opened the note. "Ah!" The female pastry chef suddenly eximed. Jason immediately lowered his gaze to the note and, upon reading the text, a look of surprise crossed his face. "What''s wrong?" Bansey ran over. The female pastry chef didn''t say a word, simply handing the note to Bansey. On it was written¡ª Sister: I''ve won the lottery. I bought the shop next door and expanded it into a restaurant. Now, it''s yours. Little sis PY86.11.2. Evening Chapter 273: Chapter 60 My Talent Is Extraordinary (Third Update~Please Subscribe~Please Vote~) Hit the lotto jackpot? Bought the store next door? Little Bansey stared at the words on the note, wondering why his previously choked-up stomach suddenly felt sour. Perhaps it was... Indigestion? Then, little Bansey saw the female pastry chef carefully put away the note and began to pack hot cocoa, cookies, and pastries for him. With a hint of a smile on her face. But it wasn''t excitement, it was the joy of a long-awaited reunion. Jason, on the other hand, sat in the chair, his expression indifferent. "Shouldn''t you guys be jumping for joy?" "That''s the lotto jackpot!" "I''ve been keeping an eye out, the prize pool is almost a million!" Little Bansey reminded them. "Yeah, yeah, I''ve seen it too." "Evelyn is really lucky." "Plus, most importantly, she''s alright, and doing very well." As she put several slot cakes into a bag, the pastry chef said with a smile. The pastry chef''s reasoning left Bansey speechless. He blinked and turned his gaze back to Jason. "I don''t know Evelyn." "What''s she to me?" Jason said dispassionately. Such blunt words left Bansey with noeback. In the end, holding the free food given by the pastry chef, Bansey left the ''Watchdog Pastry House,'' staggering slightly and murmuring to himself, "Why wasn''t it me? I buy a ticket every time!" The sound of his voice faded with the roar of car engines. Jason re-locked the door and, moreover, checked the back door. "Good night." Jason said and then headed upstairs. "Good night." The pastry chef returned the farewell to Jason and then turned around, took the note from her sister out of her apron and carefully ced it in a folder on the side. This folder was not only outfitted with one note but was already almost filled, a thick stack. Looking at these notes, the pastry chef''s mood improved even further, leading her to hum to herself spontaneously. Upstairs, Jason frowned as soon as he entered his room. Someone had been in his room. Although the intruder had been careful to restore everything to its original state. But those three grains of rice tucked in the direction of the door hinge had all fallen to the ground. Giselle? No! It should be Evelyn! Compared to the familiar female pastry chef, he was more suspicious of her sister. And soon enough, Jason found evidence. On the bed he had made, under the pillow, there was an extra note¡ª Jason, how about we be friends? If you be my friend, I''ll tell you a secret. About my sister. PS. Never trust my sister. ¡­ A cryptic note, Jason crumpled it into a ball and threw it into the waste bin on the side. He had far too many things to do. He had no leisure to y ''note games'' with a little girl. "The ''Griffin faction'' skills have already entered formal training, and other skills have been improved to the current maximum." "Excitement of Feast..." "I need more of the Excitement of Feast." "That means more hunting is necessary." "This coincides well with ''urban recognition''." "And it''s also about enhancing the body''s ''defense'' to make oneself less likely to die, so that one can utilize to the fullest the energy consumed by each time they sustain a fatal injury." Lying in bed, Jason thought. He hadn''t forgotten the purpose of choosing to enter this replica world: to umte more satiety, improve his strength, and make his defense even stronger. "Are there simr skills?" "Or..." "Secret techniques?" Without a doubt, learning skills or secret techniques directly would be much faster than figuring it out on his own. However, given this world''s attitude toward the ''Mystical Side,'' it was likely that secret techniques would be hard to find, and even if they did exist, they wouldn''t be essible to someone like him. But there should be skills! Perhaps he could ask Edward. Continue your adventure with m|v-l''e -NovelBin Having made up his mind, Jason slightly narrowed his eyes. Before long, his breathing became deep and extended. It wasn''t sleep. But the breathing method of the Griffin Body Refinement Technique. Lacking the ''Excitement of Feast,'' Jason decided to practice in the most primitive way for the time being. ording to Gerard''s notes, to advance from beginner to proficient level would normally take 3-5 years, because the Griffin Body Refinement Technique involves a slow umtion leading to a sudden change. The human body has its limits. After each session of practice, one needs to rest for 1-3 days to continue, otherwise it will leave hidden injuries. Therefore, the practice of the Griffin Body Refinement Technique is very swift for those with strong physiques. With a physical strength more than twice that of an ordinary person, Jason considered himself to have a strong physique. Afterpleting one session of the Griffin Body Refinement Technique''s breathing method, he immediately began the second one. Then came the third, the fourth. By the third time, Jason felt his heart beating too fast, and pain began to spread. By the fourth, not only was his heart in pain, but his lungs and stomach began to hurt as well. During the fifth session, everything went ck before Jason''s eyes... he stopped breathing. This cessation of breathsted but a moment, and Jason,pletely unconcerned, nced at the 103 points of satiety remaining and silently calcted. He could die 34.3 more times! After obtaining a fairly urate figure, Jason started again. Because he knew that luck ounts for thirty percent, effort for seventy percent, and, moreover, ny percent depends on ''not dying''! So Jason, with his deep breathing, would intermittently stop breathing, asionally spew fresh blood, and suffer unceasing convulsions. Life and death constantly alternated, like reincarnation or rebirth. Indescribable, unfathomable. But the Griffin Body Refinement Technique was advancing at a rapid pace. After Jason had stopped breathing six more times. The Griffin Body Refinement Technique leveled up. It went from beginner to proficient. Griffin Body Refinement Technique (Proficient): This is the core secret technique of the Griffin School. Mastering it means that you have be a core disciple of the Griffin School. However, its practice is very difficult, not only requiring high talent but also a lot of time. But with your exceptional talent, you don''t need these at all, and moreover, the Night Watcher''s traits are fused into it, resulting in many changes, making it even more extraordinary; Effects: Strength, Swiftness, Physical Strength +0.3 (base, beginner, proficient), Physical Strength recovery speed +7%, Energy recovery speed +5%, Injury recovery speed +3%. (Note: The special way it is practiced makes it destined to be extraordinary and increasingly unique. The level of Griffin Body Refinement Technique cannot exceed that of Protection Against Evil.) ... Another nearlyprehensive improvement. Jason closed his eyes, feeling the improved harmony in his body. Perhaps because he had died seven times in session, his body had be incredibly sensitive. He could distinctly feel that the three Dufol Language inscriptions Si Wl Vc of the Griffin Body Refinement Technique on his heart were bing increasingly closely linked with the sI oT Yn of Protection Against Evil. And the blood flowing through him was also endowed with more mystical energy. This blood, imbued with mystical energy, was nourishing his flesh, sinews, bones, and internal organs. "Is 1+1 > 2?" "So that''s why I can improve so quickly!" "And there''s also..." "The training between life and death!" "Having gone through so many deaths, it''s not surprising that I''m improving so quickly." Then, Jason took a deep breath. He was ready to give it his all. And just at that moment, his heart began to throb violently. Then¡ª Bang! It shattered. Chapter 274: Chapter 61 The Correct Way to Cultivate ``` My heart shattered? After a moment of astonishment, Jason''s heart returned to normal. The whole process was about the time it takes to breathe. There was some pain, but for Jason, who had gone through his body being crushed to pieces multiple times, it was virtually negligible. At this moment, what he cared about more was why such a state urred. "Is it because my heart can''t bear such a load?" Jason began to recall Gerard''s notes. ''When the Griffin Body Refinement Technique reaches a certain level, it requires a more powerful physique to support it, and this requires the practitioner to train the foundation of the Griffin Body Refinement Technique day after day. The time this takes depends on the individual''s talent, fast being 3-5 years, slow needing more than 10 years (written in blue: of course, those with exceptional talent need not adhere to this).'' Exceptional talent? That must be me. Jason thought silently to himself. My heart can''t bear the load. It''s naturally unustomed. If it gets used to it, naturally it will be able to bear it! Just like the growth of muscles, it''s the breaking and regrowth, again and again, that makes them stronger and more powerful. So! Thump thump thump thump thump... Shattering, repairing. Repairing, shattering. After 12 cycles of this, when Jason once again undertook high-level training in the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, not only did it immediately be unhindered, but the Griffin Body Refinement Technique also advanced to Proficiency Level. [Griffin Body Refinement Technique (Proficient): This is the Griffin school''s core secret technique. Mastering it means you have be a core disciple of the Griffin school. However, its training is extremely difficult, requiring not only high talent but also a substantial amount of time. But for someone like you with excellent talent and who has gone through life and death trials, you don''t need any of that. The Night Watcher''s characteristics have long been integrated into it, causing it to undergo many changes. And the insights you gained between life and death have also been integrated, making it increasingly extraordinary; Effects: Strength, Swiftness, Physical Constitution +0.4 (Basic, Beginner, Proficient, Mastery), Physical Strength recovery rate +8%, Energy recovery rate +6%, Injury recovery rate +4%] (Note: A special way of training has made it destined for greatness and increasingly unique. The level of Griffin Body Refinement Technique cannot exceed that of Protection Against Evil.) [Griffin Body Refinement Technique has reached Mastery Level, you have gained the inherent talent ''Divine Sign''!] [Determining Griffin Body Refinement Technique has fundamentally changed, inherent talent changing...] [Determination passed!] [You have gained the inherent talent ''Embrace of the Night''!] [Embrace of the Night: A special talent resulting from thebination of the Night Watcher and the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, its emergence is an ident; when you are in the night, darkness, or shadows, you will receive a bonus of +2 levels to Stealth and Concealment, and your Physical Strength, Energy, and Injury recovery rate will increase by 3%, and when facing shadows or negative energy erosion, you will receive an additional +1 level of defense.] ... The synchronization of body and skills began again. This time, Jason heard the cry of the griffin clearly. He saw a griffin running under the night sky, across the wilderness. The griffin was dark gold in color, swift as the wind, yet made not a single sound as it ran. When the running speed reached a climax, the griffin spread its wings and soared into the sky. The dark gold wings mergedpletely with the night sky. But Jason could still see it. Or rather... It became part of him. It became part of that night sky. With a slight tremble, Jason came to. He felt his blood flowing through his heart, the Dufol Language symbols for the Griffin Body Refinement Technique''s Si Wl Vc and the Protection Against Evil''s sI oT Yn glowing brightly. It was something he had never experienced before. Not only did it absorb more mysterious energy, but it also allowed his blood to carry more mysterious energy throughout his body. Whew! Jason took a deep breath. He looked at his satiety. At this moment, his satiety was down to 46 points. He had experienced dying seven times. He had endured his heart breaking 13 times. He had advanced his Griffin Body Refinement Technique to Mastery Level. Was it worth it? Worth it! Keep in mind that just to advance the Griffin Body Refinement Technique to the Proficient Level costs 16 satiety points and 1 Excitement of Feast, and to advance to Mastery Level requires 35 satiety points and 2 Excitement of Feast. Just the cost in satiety points alone would be 51 points. Not to mention the Excitement of Feast. And what did he spend now? ``` It was merely 60 points of satiety. A mere difference of 9 points. Can 3 points of the Excitement of Feast really notpare with 9 points of satiety? The answer was affirmative. It couldpete. And there was even room to spare! "Maybe..." "This is the right way to cultivate!" "Fear not death, and advance with courage!" Jason looked at the contrasting values and thought to himself in silence. Then, at the bottom of his heart, he had more ns for cultivation. However, he needed more satiety. "46 points of satiety, enough to die 15.3 times..." "Not enough!" "A me without 30 lives is restless." Thinking this, Jason sat up. He prepared to patrol his territory. Since he needed more satiety, he might as well go hunting. However, Jason did not leave immediately. Because he heard the footsteps of the female pastry chef. After tidying up the shop to the standard where it could open normally the next morning, the female pastry chef stretched and headed upstairs. Although she had slept until midnight, how could sleeping on a table everpare with lying in bed? Especially in winter! The call of the bed was irresistible. The female pastry chef, after washing up, cozily snuggled into the warm bed, and almost the moment she closed her eyes, she entered her dreams directly. Then... Evelyn woke up. Shey in bed without moving. She merely turned her head to look in the direction of Jason''s room. A hint of surprise shed in her eyes. Even through the wall, she could sense that Jason seemed... stronger! No! Not seemed! He really had gotten stronger! Instantly, Evelyn''s eyes glowed with heat and... a touch of intrigue. This discovery made her change her ns temporarily. She decided to observe him for a bit longer. She silently told herself not to rush. She and he were just starting out. She and he had plenty of time. Lost in her own thoughts, Evelyn smiled foolishly to herself. She tried hard not to make any sounds, but she couldn''t help it and had to cover her head with a nket. The lowughter, muffled by the nket, became even quieter. But Jason heard it. Heard it very clearly, that is. In a normal state, with nearly four times the perception of an average person, Jason only needed to close his eyes to rely on his specialty, Blind Fighting, to raise his perception to four times that of an average person''s. So he heard it quite clearly. He could even discern the joy in the female pastry chef''sughter. It''s just... The voice was slightly different. Jason instinctively red his nostrils. The female pastry chef had no scent associated with ''food,'' although she smelled sweet, that was from being in contact with pastries for years, and it wasn''t the scent of ''food.'' But, the next moment, Jason''s eyes brightened. He smelled the scent of ''food.'' Experience more content on m v|l e''-NovelBin Outside the house! Chapter 275: Chapter 62: Do you still remember your original promise? Jason pushed open the door and silently climbed out the window,nding on the ground as gracefully as a cat. The stealth and concealment bonuses provided by the master option "Embrace of the Night" from the Griffin Body Refinement Technique rendered Jason''srge and muscr body capable of an incredible feat. Previously, Jason had to tiptoe cautiously to ensure the quietness of his footsteps. But now, he could take slightly bigger strides without any issue. It seemed as though the darkness devoured the sound. Emerging from the bushes, Jason immediately spotted a man across the street under the streetlight, wearing a dark coat, a hat, and a mask. The man also noticed Jason stepping out of the darkness. Immediately, the man raised his arm and waved. Then, he walked towards Jason. When he reached Jason, he took off his mask. Amon-looking face with particrly murky eyes, resembling a drunken sot. In fact, the man was even less coherent than a drunkard. After all, a drunkard still has control over themselves. But this man? He was a puppet. A puppet manipted by ''Devour.'' The scent was familiar. Jason had smelled a simr scent on Cecil''s head. Sweet, and very refreshing. Unfortunately... It was just a residue. Jason took a deep breath, his eyes full of disappointment. He couldn''t smell the source of the fragrance, only the fading scent on the puppet before him. Immediately, Jason, full of anticipation, felt his mood sour. Oblivious to this, the puppet recited its lines by rote: "Captain Jason, it''s an honor to meet you." "I hope I haven''t disturbed your rest." "I''m here on behalf of Colonel Mika." At that point, the puppet paused, as if to give Jason time to process and respond to what had been said. Then¡­ Whack! Jason had brought his hand down on the man''s neck with a karate chop. Suddenly, the puppet''s eyes widened, and he passed out. It seemed he didn''t understand why he was knocked out just as he started speaking. Wasn''t it expected to discuss the matter and then turn hostile if they couldn''t reach an agreement? How could someone be hostile so directly? The ''Devour'' controlling the puppet didn''t understand. Stunned, it sensed its connection with the puppet it controlled had been severed, then stood quietly for a moment before walking over to a radio in the corner of the room. It was an encrypted radio. Beep, beep-beep. It ryed everything that had happened to Mika. It had followed orders to approach that Jason. But who could have known that the other party wouldn''t y by the rules, causing its mission to fail. As for the punishment for failing the mission? It was special. Naturally, there wouldn''t be any punishment. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been able to join the Ghost Squad. Of course, the reason it joined the Ghost Squad was that they were strong enough to make its hunting much easier. There had been many defiant individuals who had turned down the invitation to join the Ghost Squad. But their endings were never good. Therefore, it could foresee what that Jason was about to face. "Truly ungrateful!" it said with contempt. "Hope you don''t die too miserably!" After finishing with a sneer, it turned and went back to its room. Although it had transcended humanity, it still needed to rest. Without rest, Jason, unable to feel any fatigue, dragged the puppet not towards the shop but to a public telephone booth and inserted coins to call the police directly. "Hello." "Mr. Jason?" "Are you looking for Chief Edward?" "I''ll pass the message to him right away." Ada, who was working overtime, immediately said upon hearing Jason''s voice. "Thank you." Jason thanked her. Aside from being covered in vomit by this operator, Jason did not have much of an impression of her, but her abilities were stillmendable. Jason hung up the phone withplete confidence and quietly waited. As for the puppet at his feet, he didn''t spare it a second nce. That''s because Jason was quite clear about the purpose of the ''Ghost Squad.'' It was nothing more than an attempt to recruit him. Otherwise, given their ruthless and merciless behavior in previous encounters, they would not have chosen such a gentle approach. As for such recruitment, Jason did not hesitate to refuse. Even more, he would not give any verbal or substantial response. Discover more content at m,v l''e-NovelBin The reason was simple. Jason did not know whether any verbal or any substantial response would bind him. After all, this was not just a ''scientific'' world, but also one with a ''Mystical Side.'' Although ordinary people might not be able to encounter the ''Mystical Side,'' as long as it existed, for a group with the capabilities of ''Ghost Squad,'' reaching out, learning, wouldn''t be too demanding. Thus, it was very likely that the ''Ghost Squad'' had some knowledge of things like ''contracts.'' Even if the ''Ghost Squad'' did not possess such knowledge, they were not fools and would certainly find other ways to restrict his actions. So, there was no way Jason would feign politeness with them. Instead of wasting words, it was better to take direct action. He, Jason, was just that straightforward. It was certainly not because he was left with nothing to do earlier and was driven by resentment to act out. About 15 minutester, Edward appeared in front of Jason by car. With unmistakable exhaustion on his face from ack of sleep, Edward''s eyes were alive with excitement. "Does he have connections to ''Ghost Squad''?" Edward asked as soon as he got out of the car. "Hmm." "A person controlled by ''Ghost Squad'' using special methods." "He probably doesn''t know much." Jason reminded Edward. However, the excitement of the leader of the special operations team did not diminish. "No need to know much." "He himself is a lead." "As long as we start with his identity, we will be able to find more leads. In those leads, if even one points to ''Ghost Squad,'' that''s enough." Edward said, carefully inspecting the puppet before handcuffing him and lifting him into the car. "Thank you, Jason!" "I... Hm?" Edward turned around to bid Jason farewell. But at that moment, the leader of the special operations noticed Jason opening the car door and sitting down in the back seat. Immediately, a look of surprise appeared on Edward''s face. He knew Jason was temporarily renting a room at ''Watchdog Pastry House.'' Why get in his car? Although the police station had beds, why go the extra mile? Jason smiled slightly and slowly said, "I am the special operations'' consultant, appointed by you." "Yes, you were appointed by me." "But you live at ''Watchdog Pastry House,'' right?" Edward did not deny it, but his face still showed confusion. Jason continued to speak at the same pace, "With a weekly sry of 12 dors, an extra allowance of 3 dors, and... free meals at the cafeteria." Chapter 271 - 58 I Am the Partner of Justice I''ve eaten you! Come! Into my mouth! Jason''s gentle voice fell on the monster''s ears, but it became a fierce roar. It shook its head subconsciously while murmuring incessantly. "I''m sorry, I didn''te, it wasn''t me, it''s all an illusion." However, unfortunately for Jason, such mumbling was utterly ineffective. Bang! He took a step forward and punched the opponent in the stomach. The strength wasn''t great, but it was very precise, and just right. The next moment¡ª rgh! The monster fell to its knees and started vomiting. A dark object that looked like herbal jelly, apanied by the vomit, fell to the ground. Like the ''Epuke Spirit,'' this palm-sized ''food'' had neither hands nor feet nor facial features and could only move slowly on the ground. The sweet scent instantly dissipated the sour stench of vomit. Jason, well-practiced, scooped up this ''food'' and turned to rinse it thoroughly with strong alcohol from a cab nearby. After confirming that no trace of vomit remained, Jason gave it a shake and popped it into his mouth. It tasted simr to the ''Epuke Spirit'' but was a bit sweeter, with a hint of a milky fragrance. All in all, it was quite a nice midnight snack. [Consumed ''Epuke Spirit''!] [Physical Strength, Vitality (Injury) fully restored to the maximum extent!] [Fullness +3] Discover stories with m,v l''e-Freewebnovel [Fullness: 106] ¡­ A fullness value worthy of a midnight snack. In fact, this ''Epuke Spirit'' already had the highest fullness value, while the rest fluctuated around 1-2. But, a low fullness value doesn''t mean they are less destructive. Like the ''Epuke Spirit.'' The ''Epuke Spirits'' too lurked within the human body as ''food.'' They used ''people'' to aplish various tasks. Unlike the solitary ''Epuke Spirit,'' these ''Epuke Spirits'' were gregarious, therefore, using the unrted bodies of various ''people,'' they aplished many unbelievable deeds. For example, the case of ''The Echo of the Hanged.'' Jason had already confirmed this through ''Death Qi Perception.'' Inside this house, there were many things tainted with the aura of death. Some faint, some intense. A piece of rope attracted the most attention. Three different death auras clung to it, and, considering the three concurrent ''Echo of the Hanged'' cases, the answer was obvious. However, this was just his deduction from the ''Mystical Side.'' Evidence from the ''scientific side'' was still needed. Jason turned and walked towards the living room phone, dialing the police hotline. "Hello." "Is this Mr. Jason?" "Are you looking for Chief Edward?" "I''ll inform him right away." Jason had barely said a word when the operator, Ada, began speaking in rapid session. For this operator, who took calls daily, she had grown used to identifying a person by their voice, never forgetting even the ones she had heard just once. "Okay." Jason replied and then gave the address. After that, he waited quietly. The entire house had already been checked while waiting for thest ''midnight snack'' to arrive. There was nothing of note. Or rather, apart from the ''food'' itself, the ce was very ordinary. "Is it the ordinariness that makes it difficult for Edward to make a move?" Jason thought, his mind naturally expanding on the idea. "Since they use ''people''s'' bodies, then these ''foods'' should also be capable ofmunication." "Likewise, when faced with life and death, the ''food'' will also make choices out of fear and a desire to live." "So, can I cultivate a ''Food Traitor''?" Jason seriously contemted this question, analyzing the pros and cons. Without a doubt, this cultivation n wasrgely feasible on paper. But the time it would consume was certainly not short. And naturally, there would be setbacks from repeated trials and tests. ``` This would again extend the time. For him, with only 58 days remaining, it was not enough. Then, Jason suddenly had a sh of inspiration. He thought of "Ghost Squad." "ording to Hannibal, ''Ghost Squad'' has a stable ''food supply channel''!" "But the unpredictability of the ''food'' makes it hard to do this unless ''Ghost Squad'' can urately grasp these ''foods'' movements every time." "That is to say, ''Ghost Squad'' most likely cultivated their own ''Food Traitor.''" At this thought, Jason clenched his fist fiercely. He had already resolved to eliminate ''Ghost Squad,'' an enemy with no honor and unscrupulous methods. It was definitely not for that ''Food Traitor.'' That was merely a spoil of war. He simply could not overlook ''Ghost Squad'' attacking and provoking killings in front of him time and again. His dignity had been trampled on. Naturally, he would retaliate tooth for tooth, eye for an eye. "If there is a ''Food Traitor,'' finding ''Ghost Squad'' wouldn''t be difficult." "The only concern is whether the ''Food Traitor'' has been specially ced." "Or rather..." "The ''Food Traitor'' is contacted through a single line." Considering ''Ghost Squad''s'' way of operating, Jason thought both were possible. Those in control could opt for slow-acting poison. Controlling a ''Food Traitor'' naturally might involve something simr. Though he was unaware of it. For Jason, eating was all that mattered. Why bother with anything else? But now he had to consider it, which made Jason frown. He believed it affected the purity of the ''food.'' Thus, creating trouble, ''Ghost Squad'' deserved to die even more. And the ''Food Traitor'' had to be controlled by his own hands. Only in this way could the purity of the ''food'' be guaranteed. After all, no one can ensure that ''food'' controlled by poison or other means wouldn''t affect the taste. The sound of a car engine approached from outside the door, getting louder. After a sharp brake, Edward rushed in. Seeing the five people lying on the ground, he asked breathlessly, "Are they the ones?" "Probably." "You can check over there." Jason didn''t give a definite answer, but just pointed towards the storage room at the end of the hallway on the first floor. Edward immediately went there. Unlike the storage rooms in other people''s homes cluttered with misceneous items, this one stored knives, daggers, ropes, and even two shotguns. Seeing these items, Edward''s eyes instantly lit up. In front of him, the weapons, some still with dried blood on them, automatically brought to mind several crime files involving simr weapons. ''Miso Building Murder''! ''Bitter Gourd Public Restroom Shooting''! ''Crisp Street Throat-Slitting''! Case after case surfaced, exciting Edward even more. He turned around and gave Jason a thumbs up. "Well done!" Edward eximed. The matters that followed naturally didn''t require Jason''s concern any longer. More professionals arrived at the scene to organize the weapons and evidence. Those people infiltrated by Epuke Spirits? They were also taken back for questioning one by one. Perhaps they were pitiful. But they were certainly not innocent. Jason got into the car, driven by little Bansey. This was the order of Edward, who needed to stay at the scene. The car started up again. Bansey gripped the steering wheel, keeping the car steady, and couldn''t help butment, "Sir Jason, it really has been a long night!" Then, Bansey suddenly thought of something and said¡ª "Do you think we''ll encounter anything else?" ``` Chapter 276: Chapter 63 Little Bansey and the Private Upon hearing Jason''s words, Edward''s face changed. Already tired, his face turned even paler at this moment. The leader of the special operations team, lips quivering, said, "I made a promise, and naturally, I won''t go back on it, but you don''t need to rush it, right?" "Of course." "That''s why I didn''t go yesterday." Jason answered very seriously. You were clearly treated to a meal yesterday! Edward screamed inwardly. At this moment, the leader of the special operations team even began to suspect whether Jason had already captured the fellow rted to ''Ghost Squad'' and was only now calling him as a way to legitimize his im to breakfast. No! This guy, for a meal, he might just kidnap a random passerby! Yes, that''s highly possible! Should he wake up the guy in the back seat and interrogate him to buy some time for the others who need breakfast? As Edward was seriously considering the feasibility of this n, Jason spoke again. "It''s almost dawn, a good time for breakfast." Jason''s tone was still indifferent. But inexplicably, at this moment, Edward felt that Jason was very dangerous and that he better not y any tricks. In the end, Edward gritted his teeth. Worst case scenario, I''ll just pay out of my own sry! With that thought, Edward pressed the elerator. The car shot out and soon disappeared at the end of the street. ... For a poor man, a free work meal every day is really a blessing. Little Bansey received three such blessings every day. Even if not delicious, they were punctual and reliable,e rain or shine. Today, however, was a little different. He... was leading a dog. It was yesterday, returning to the police station from ''Watchdog Pastry House'', that Bansey found the dog at the corner of Pea Street. He didn''t know why, but after a nce through the car window at the stray dog hiding in the corner in the cold wind, Bansey, with his stomach filled and incessantly queasy, felt something inside him stirred. Then, he decided to adopt it. And he named it "Private." Private was a sandy-colored dog. Medium-sized, with its head reaching above Bansey''s knees when it stood on all fours. But it was so skinny that it appeared smaller than it actually was. However, its eyes were unusually fierce. Ordinary people would tremble with fear upon making eye contact. Only when it got close to Bansey did its gaze soften, as if it saw a kindred spirit. "Private, let''s go." "I''ll take you to eat." "No barking, don''t disturb others, and you can''t get on the table." Bansey instructed ''Private''. He also wanted to buy some special dog food for ''Private''. But he had no money. Thinking of this, Bansey apologetically stroked ''Private''''s head. Then, he prepared to continue forward. But at that moment, Bansey suddenly noticed something off about ''Private''. The fierce look turned timid. The tail was tucked between its legs. It kept retreating from the direction of the cafeteria. Bansey was taken aback. Although he had not owned ''Private'' for long, the dog''s performance had been excellent, its bravery, steadfastness had pleased him greatly. What was in the cafeteria... Hisss! Driven by curiosity, Bansey looked toward the inside of the cafeteria. Immediately, he sucked in a breath of cold air. What did he see? He saw Sir Jason holding a warming bucket, so big it required two people to lift, effortlessly grasping it in one hand and guzzling what was inside. He saw the palm-sized ham sandwiches, which Sir Jason devoured bite by bite. He saw the soy sauce-covered fried eggs disappear into Sir Jason''s mouth at the pace of two or three at a time. Boom boom boom! It was like a bolt from the blue. Bansey was stunned on the spot. He opened his mouth wide wanting to say something, but he couldn''t utter a single word. Edward silently came over and gently patted Bansey on the shoulder. "I''m sorry, it''s my fault for letting everyone down." "I..." Just as Edward was about to say more, Bansey had already rushed inside. ``` Of course, he didn''t rush towards Jason but hastened to the kitchen instead. He was looking for a bit of food. Even just a little would suffice. But... The kitchen was spotless. Forget about food, even the tables seemed as if they had been licked clean, shiny and new. Little Bansey looked towards the chef who stood within the kitchen, distracted. "Where''s the food?" "There should be breakfast for at least 30 people, right?" He couldn''t help but ask. The police station''s breakfast wasn''t meant for everyone, just provided for the night shift staff. He admitted Jason could eat a lot, but there''s no way he could devour breakfast meant for 30 people. "It''s, it''s all there." The chef raised his hand shakingly towards Jason, his voice trembling. As a chef, he had seen his fair share of gluttons, but someone who could eat like this... It was his first time witnessing such a sight. Shock! That was his most genuine reaction at the moment. However, for some reason, as he watched the werewolf devour all the food he had made, a strange sense of pride began to well up from within him. Compelled by a force he couldn''t exin, the chef asked Jason a question. "There are still some ingredients left. Sir Jason, do you need more?" "Of course." Jason nodded. This chef, who had never truly been recognized, felt as if he had received affirmation from the heavens, and began working overtime at a pace twice his usual speed. When Jason left the dining hall, the chef experienced the joyful exhaustion of his efforts. He leaned against the wall, watching the peopleing in, waving his arms. "There''s none left!" "No more breakfast!" "You''re toote!" After so many years, he finally shouted those words. Watching their astonished faces, he let out a long sigh of relief. Hmph, take that, all of you who said my cooking was bad! You just don''t appreciate it! But someone does! Such a person is worth my effort! The chef clenched his right fist and tilted his head back slightly, his eyes moistening. Little Bansey, on the other hand, walked out of the dining hall in a daze. Edward, unable to bear it, patted Bansey''s shoulder again and took out a secretly hidden sandwich, broke it in half, and handed it to Bansey. "A little is better than none." Edwardforted his assistant this way. Bansey nodded, pulled the ham out of the sandwich, handed it to ''Private,'' and ate the lettuce and bread slices himself. Without the meaty vor of the ham, the sandwich became even harder to swallow. Gillick''s awful cooking skills became all the more obvious. It was beyond Bansey how Sir Jason managed to eat that much. As Bansey was pondering this, he noticed ''Private'' had spit out the slice of ham and wore a look of insult and grievance on its dog face. Then, it tugged on Bansey''s trouser leg. "It might taste bad, but it''s better than nothing, right?" Bansey consoled ''Private.'' But ''Private'' wasn''t like Bansey and couldn''t ept such constion. It tugged Bansey''s trouser leg again and then dashed straight towards the small door beside the dining hall. "Wait for me, Private!" Bansey crammed the half sandwich missing the ham into his mouth and chased after it. Outside the door were rows of garbage bins. ''Private'' was squatting there, wagging its tail at Bansey who had just run out. "Are you asking me to rummage through the garbage bins with you?" "Or are you saying Gillick''s food is even worse than trash?" "You''re an adopted dog now; you can''t keep doing things like rummaging through garbage." After a bitter smile, Bansey reminded ''Private.'' Then, he prepared to leave with ''Private.'' Worstes to worst, he could borrow some money from Ada and buy some breakfast. Bansey had made up his mind. But just as he turned away, ''Private'' abruptly knocked over the nearest garbage bin. The garbage bin fell, the lid flew off, and its contents spilled out. An odor to pinch one''s nose. A ring crimson. Rolling liquids mixed with heart, liver, spleen, stomach, kidney... ``` Chapter 277: Chapter 64 Provocation As Bansey chased after "Private" towards the outside, Edward saw Jason walking out of the cafeteria, his expressionposed. Edward found nothing strange about Jason''s ability to eat the breakfast of 30 people. On the battlefield, he had seen too many capable of the extraordinary; such was the nature of Jason, and it certainly didn''t surprise him. But... Edward genuinely admired Jason''s ability to eat so much of Gillick''s cooking. "You are truly remarkable," Edward said, giving Jason a thumbs-up. "The food I choose for myself, I must finish. That''s my table etiquette," Jason said indifferently. "Hm, I seem to have heard something simr somewhere..." "That''s it!" "I remember now!" Musing, Edward suddenly clenched his right fist and struck it into his left palm. He turned his head to look at Jason and deliberately slowed down his voice, saying, "The path you''ve chosen for yourself, you must finish, even if you have to crawl." Having said that, Edward looked at Jason, expecting to see his reaction. Unfortunately, Jason was unfazed, his face impassive. Life in Nightless City had long ustomed him to a nk fa?ade; even if his mind was in turmoil, his face remained calm andposed. This expression was profoundly misleading. At least, observing Jason''s demeanor made Edward involuntarily doubt himself. Did I not say it right? Just as Edward was about to say something else, Bansey''s exmation clearly reached his ears. Edward turned and ran towards the small gate. Jason was one step quicker. Pushing the door open, both of them saw on the ground aplete set of offal¡ªheart, liver, spleen, stomach, kidneys. And... It was human! The experienced Edward needed only one nce to confirm it. Jason frowned. When he entered the police station, he had checked with his "Aura of Death" ability. At that time, he naturally noticed the aura of death in the trash can, but because it was close to the kitchen, Jason subconsciously assumed it was some food scraps and never thought it was human. Looking at the crimson on the ground, Jason once again reminded himself. He had made an obvious error once again: "Aura of Death" could detect corpses, but it had never specified whether the corpses were human or animal. "Secure the scene..." Click-click-click! While Edward was instructing Bansey, he hadn''t finished his sentence when a flurry of footsteps suddenly erupted. A group of journalists holding cameras appeared at the back of the police station. They looked at the blood and organs on the ground with horror on their faces, but excitement was also mixed in. Without hesitation, these journalists pressed their shutters. Click, click. The shbulb flickered repeatedly. "No photography!" "Photography is prohibited!" Edward instinctively shouted. Unfortunately, the journalists, who outnumbered them, paid no attention to the head of the special operations team. And because of the journalists'' status, Edward couldn''t possibly get rough; he could only use his body to block the camera lenses, but in order not to disturb the scene, he had to maneuver around the edge of the blood. The effectiveness of such a block is naturally imaginable. This made Edward even more frustrated. Still, anger did not affect Edward''s thought process. How did these journalists get here? Edward pondered. Simrly, Jason was also thinking. His first reaction upon seeing these journalists was that someone inside the police station had sold the information to them. But immediately, Jason shook his head. Wrong! Bansey had just discovered these organs, and the ones who arrived on the scene were only Edward and himself. Bansey and Edward weren''t likely to do such a thing; otherwise, they wouldn''t be in such financial distress. Besides, even if someone wanted to sell the news, the journalists'' arrival was too quick, too coincidental, as if it had been rehearsed in advance. Rehearsal? Wait a minute! Did they know about this in advance? Jason had grasped a key point and once again looked at the reporters, directly activating his "Death Perception." There was no hint of death on the people before him. Meaning, they were not direct participants. It must have been... Someone had informed them! Thinking this, Jason''s brow furrowed slightly. And at that moment, after the reporters had finally finished photographing the scene, they began to take pictures of the people present. Without doubt, Jason was the most conspicuous among them. In the past two days, the reporters from Newdeth City had alreadye to recognize this retired soldier, now serving as a consultant to the police department''s special operations team. From the earliest rescue operations to yesterday''s apartment murder and Cecil''s explosion case, Jason''s figure was already etched in the mind of every reporter. Even to some extent, to gauge whether a reporter from Newdeth City waspetent, one had to see if they recognized Jason from thest few days. Click, click. The shbulbs shed again. When the camera pointed at him, Jason stood up straight, very cooperatively, and during the intermissions of the shing lights, spoke indifferently, "When an avnche urs, not a single snowke is innocent." Without giving a direct answer, Jason chose this ambiguous sentence. Read thetest on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin Because he couldn''t be one hundred percent certain that someone had informed these reporters about what had happened here. This statement, ced here, could be taken to mean that the reporters knew what had happened, or it could be interpreted as frustration at the reporters'' incessant defiance in taking photographs. However, when he saw the surprise on the faces of the reporters after he had spoken, Jason felt sure of his answer. Indeed, that was the case. "Your Excellency Jason, did you know someone had sent us a letter?" A reporter directly asked. "Of course, it was quite obvious," Jason replied. "Truly, as would be expected of Your Excellency Jason," that reporter eximed admiringly, then another reporter could not help but interject: "The person who sent the letter said that he had left some ''small gifts'' we might be interested in, in the rubbish bins behind the police station. If no one discovered them, it was up to us to open them ourselves." "If someone found them, he wanted that person to know he had also prepared some additional ''gifts''." "They would need to be found by that person." "If found, he would give a ''reward''." "If not, he''d give a ''punishment''." As the reporter spoke, he watched Edward approach and very cooperatively took out the letter. The other reporters did the same. They hade in pursuit of news, not to challenge the police. If cooperation was needed, they would cooperate naturally. Of course, they would take preliminary photocopies and photographs as necessary. Upon receiving the letters, Edward scanned them and his face immediately turned grim. The content of the letter was exactly as the reporter had described. The signature was the same too: Jack the Ripper in the Night. "This bastard!" Edward cursed under his breath. It wasn''t just because of the provocation, but also because the person in question had once again undoubtedly harmed innocent people. More importantly, there were no clues whatsoever in the letter. Edward checked them repeatedly but found nothing. He then handed one of the letters to Jason. He hoped Jason might have some clues, and the surrounding reporters also hoped Jason would make some discovery. "Your Excellency Jason, do you have any clues about the additional ''gifts''?" the same reporter asked, unable to withhold his curiosity. The other reporters also watched Jason intently. Under everyone''s gaze, Jason did not answer immediately. He appeared to be reading the letter in his hands seriously, and then... He activated "Death Perception." Chapter 278: Chapter 65: Outside Support Gray filled Jason''s vision, permeated with the breath of death. This time he began to widen the search area. In the back alley, apart from the viscera at his feet smeared with the aura of death, there was nothing else worth noting. He moved his footsteps, walking out of the alleyway. As for the police station? Before he arrived, he had already confirmed that there was nothing inside tainted with the same aura of death. As Jason moved, the surrounding reporters immediately dispersed. After walking out of the alley with ease, Jason immediately locked his eyes on the mailbox opposite. This mailbox looked no different from those in other locations, almost as tall as a man, painted green throughout, and somewhat mottled. But inside, the aura of death was so dense it reached the extreme. Much more than the viscera contained in the trash bin. Torso! Jason guessed. Then, he walked straight toward the mailbox. From a distance, the mailbox looked no different from others. However, upon closer inspection, one could find that it had been tampered with; from the mail retrieval slot upward, it had been sawed with something like a saw, forming a shape simr to an inverted "U", then it was repaired, and although cement and paint were used for mending the edges, a careful examination revealed a trace. Thump, thump-thump. Jason knocked. A hollow sound. "Shall we open it?" Edward, who had been following Jason, asked. At the same time, he red his nostrils. He wanted to use the scent of blood to determine if there was a body. But he smelled nothing. "Open it." Jason nodded. "Bansey, the crowbar." Edward called out. Little Bansey instantly ran back to the police station and shortly afterward returned with a crowbar in hand. He jabbed it fiercely into the repaired spot of the mailbox. Bang! Your next read is at m v|l-e''-NovelBin The cement sttered, and with Bansey''s sufficient strength, the crowbar prated the crack with one strike. Then, he exerted a little force. Creak. The side of the mailbox was directly pried open. Immediately, the scene inside the mailbox was revealed. Not a single letter, but instead a headless corpse hanging. "Ah!" "A body!" The exmation came from reporters a little further away. By this time, Edward''s subordinates had already rushed out to maintain order. They not only formed a solid wall of people but also kept their distance. However, this did not prevent the reporters from raising their cameras high and pressing the shutter. Even less so did it hinder the taller ones from standing on tiptoes to peek inside. The shorter ones? They bent down, peering through the gaps. At this moment, they were each disying Divine Skills. But Jason and Edward both ignored these people, both were examining the body in front of them. The corpse was split open through the middle, just like a ughtered pig hanging in a butcher''s shop, suspended inside the mailbox, and on the neck of the body, hung a note. The note wasn''t folded, clearly written on it was: Clever one, you''ve found the ''extra gift''. Therefore, I will give you a reward. But of course, you have to search for this ''reward'' yourself. Friendly tip: You better be quick, otherwise this ''reward'' might go up in smoke. Another hint: The ''reward'' is close to you. ¡ª¡ª Looking forward to your performance: The Ripper in the Night. ... "A bomb?!" Edward scanned the note, its tone full of arrogance. Instantly, he was drawn to the phrase ''go up in smoke''. And he immediately thought of a bomb. It was the only way he could think of for something to ''go up in smoke'' quickly. "Mm." Jason nodded. He agreed with Edward''s conjecture. After seeing Jason nod, the leader of the Special Operations Team immediately turned around and said in a low voice to little Bansey, "There''s a bomb, evacuate the crowd, quickly." "Yes, Captain." Little Bansey set into motion at once. But the journalists were not so easily evacuated. "You can''t do this!" "The public has a right to know!" "Exactly!" "We have the right to know the truth!" The journalists began to mor loudly. Especially a few who were leading the pack, they even tried to break through the human wall during the chaos, in search of a better angle to shoot from, but they were all pushed back by little Bansey. Unfortunately, these people hadn''t given up, they were prepared to try again. In the face of news, journalists were more persistent than hounds. And that was a big headache for little Bansey. That''s why he''d rather be on the battlefield than face journalists. Then, just as little Bansey didn''t know what to do, he suddenly noticed that these journalists who wanted to break through the human wall moments ago had all stopped. And they were moving in a certain direction. No! It wasn''t the journalists who had moved. It was His Excellency Jason who had moved! The journalists were simply following His Excellency Jason! Turning his head, little Bansey saw Jason heading in a certain direction. That was... The police dormitory! And the journalists, chasing after Jason, swarmed toward it. "Mr. Jason, have you discovered something else?" "The body just now, how did you find it?" "Did you find any clues in the ''Night Stalker''s'' message?" There was no human wall around Jason, as soon as the journalists surged up they immediately started asking. Jason kept walking, his expression remaining indifferent. He said lightly¡ª "It''s all quite obvious." Having said that, Jason continued on withrge strides. What could he say? He certainly couldn''t say that it was through the "Dead Air Sense" that he had discovered the body, right? At this time, Jason unexpectedly began to miss the woman confectioner. If she were here, she would surely be able to ''exin everything urately''. It''s all quite obvious? The journalists looked at one another, trying to see if anyone had discovered something from their colleagues'' faces. But everyone was just baffled. Subconsciously, they looked toward Edward. The leader of the Special Operations Team by now had quite a bit of experience, following behind Jason, maintaining a breezy demeanor. "Deputy Director Edward, do you know what this means?" The journalists immediately shifted their attention, starting to question Edward. "Just as Jason has said¡ªit''s all quite obvious." Having said that, Edward quickened his pace. However, he didn''t forget to pull little Bansey with him. He didn''t want little Bansey to slip up. Of course, he had even more important things to instruct Bansey about. "Call Giselle, report what happened here... no, have someone report to Giselle, then, you immediately go by car to invite Giselle over." Edward said in a low voice. Seeking Miss Giselle? Little Bansey was stunned, not understanding why Edward would do such a thing. But that didn''t hinder him from following orders. "Yes, Captain!" Turning around, little Bansey pulled over a team member to give instructions, then ran toward the car. ''Private'' had been following little Bansey all along, and as little Bansey opened the car door, he jumped in the car. Jason heard Edward''s instruction. He wouldn''t stop it. He was pleased for the woman confectioner toe here. Then, he raised his hand and pushed open the door in front of the police apartment. Squeak. Chapter 279: Chapter 66 Exploring for True Love Edward Jason pushed open the door and strode inside. Guided by a pervasive aura of death, he needed no further observation. He headed straight for the target to finish the job. In a room beside the stairs on the third floor, Jason found the hidden bomb. ced in a basket, concealed within a closet. Continue your saga on m|v-l''e -NovelBin It was meticulously arranged; without a thorough search, ordinary people would hardly be able to find it. But to Jason, a bomb tainted with the aura of death was as clear as if it was ced right before him. This isn''t cheating! It''s because his abilities are exceptional! [Detecting Aura of Death]is his specialty, what''s wrong with calling it his own ability? After checking for things like booby traps, Jason lifted the cloth covering the basket. Immediately, a bomb with a timer appeared before everyone''s eyes. Less than five minutes remained on the timer. Watching the time tick away, Edward shouted loudly, "Bomb squad!" Then, the leader of the special operations group estimated the bomb''s power and felt an increasing hatred towards the ''Ripper in the Night''. Clearly, if Jason hadn''t found the bomb so quickly, it would have had unimaginable consequences. Although the entire police apartment building wouldn''t be destroyed, the surrounding rooms would certainly not be spared, and if there were people inside... The result was self-evident. "This bastard, did he realize we were onto him and that''s why he provoked us?" "No!" "Wrong, it''s not provocation." "He''s trying to divert our attention!" Edward pondered. "Maybe it''s just pure madness?" Jason offered a different opinion. "Pure madness?" "Whether it''s provocation or madness!" "I must catch this bastard!" Mr. Edward furrowed his brow, then shook his head. For him, regardless of what kind of criminal the ''Ripper in the Night'' was, only the gallows awaited him. And he? He was the one determined to personally send the criminal to the gallows. Watching his subordinates begin to defuse the bomb, Edward thought to himself. At that moment, he suddenly saw Jason heading downstairs. "Where are you going?" Edward followed and asked. "To catch that bastard." Jason replied. ... Auchenberg sat in the caf¨¦ opposite the police station. He sipped his coffee, leisurely watching the police station across from him. The corners of his mouth couldn''t help but turn up. A smug smile appeared on his face. "Such foolish mortals!" He judged the reporters who had started to appear at the street corner. To him, these reporters were truly foolish. They hadpletely missed the clues he had intentionally left behind. Of course, those clues weren''t real. But they would add a bit more interest to the game. That was what he was looking forward to. That was what he wanted. However, this didn''t affect his mood for enjoying the show. "Those ''little gifts'' should have been discovered by now, right?" Auchenberg thought. Then, he saw reporters who had rushed into the alleye bolting out again, following someone. That was... Jason! "Tsk." Auchenberg pursed his lips, a disdainful sound escaped between his teeth. He recognized Jason. From the newspapers. A man suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder was hyped up by a bunch of fools as a so-called super detective and hired by the police as a special consultant. From this, it seemed that the detectives led by Edward were also foolish. They had never seen the world. They didn''t know what a true genius looked like. Thinking this, Auchenberg took another sip of his coffee, his eyes full of arrogance. But very quickly, this arrogance was reced by a hint of surprise. "They actually found the ''gift''?" "Not bad at all." "Different from the other mortals." "Somewhat clever, indeed," Auchenberg put down his coffee, the disdain in his eyes slightly subsiding. But it didn''t disappearpletely. In his view, finding the corpse in the mailbox was to be expected. After all, he had left clues on so many letters. But still! What about the ''prize'' that followed? Would you be able to find it? Auchenberg was somewhat looking forward to it. He then saw Jason heading toward the police dormitory. Instantly, Auchenbergughed. Everything was as he had anticipated. "That''s how it is!" "That''s how it is!" "It''s more fun with more people." Auchenberg murmured softly. He wasn''t worried about theck of smart people; on the contrary, he worried about their presence. Without smart people leading the way, how could those foolish ones gather and appreciate the charm of ''fireworks''? As for Jason finding his ''time bomb'' ahead of time? Impossible! He had manyyers of arrangements, which concealed the ''time bomb'' very well! Even a team of people conducting a thorough search wouldn''t find the ''time bomb'' within the safe time, let alone one person! Do you think he is the son of the realm? Or the beloved, protected son of Newdeth City? Impossible! So, Auchenberg sat there with his coffee, shifting his position slightly. He wouldn''t want to be hurt by shattered ss. Even while enjoying the fireworks, one must maintain a safe distance. However, just as Auchenberg was picking up his coffee again, he saw Jason walk out of the police dormitory. "Hmm?" "Given up, have you?" "Realized you can''t find it within the safe time, so you''re evacuating first?" "A smart choice." "Truly a clever person," Auchenberg thought with irony. Then, he saw Jason stride in. Has he found me? Impossible! I''ve made plenty of concealments! No one could possibly discover me! Auchenberg reassured himself at the bottom of his heart, then, pretending to sip his coffee elegantly, he watched Jason approach and greeted him with a slight smile, "Is there something you need?" "No," Jason replied just like that. Auchenberg exhaled in relief. Just as I thought! It was just a coincidence! I said to myself, having dressed perfectly for concealment, even in a skirt, how could an average person possibly find me? "Then you..." Smack! Auchenberg instinctively tried to say something, but before he could finish, Jason raised his hand and struck his neck. In the crisp sound of the hand chop, Auchenberg''s eyes rolled back, and he copsed to the ground. At that moment, Edward finally caught up. "Who is this?" Staring at the unconscious Auchenberg, Edward was somewhat unsure. "He''s the one we''re looking for," Jason said. In the vision of [Perception of Death], the other party was tainted with the same aura of death as the previous organs and torso. Without a doubt, the person should be the murderer. Edward subconsciously nodded at first, then quickly realized. "Wait, you said ''he''?" Edward looked down at Auchenberg, who was dressed in a bright red skirt withce at the hem, nails painted, lipstick on, foundation applied, and eyebrows meticulously groomed, and found it hard to believe. "Yes, he," Jason nodded. Edward immediately began to check. A momentter... He lifted his hand in astonishment. While disgustedly shaking his hand, he looked at Jason incredulously. "How did you know he was a man?" "And how did you know he was the murderer?" As Jason nced at the retreating figure of Edward searching for disinfectant, he stated simply¡ª "Everything was obvious." Chapter 280: Chapter 67 Detailed Explanation of Giselle Turning his back on Jason to look for the hand sanitizer, Edward couldn''t help but roll his eyes. "Would he even be asking if he knew?" However, Edward didn''t linger. Because everything would be clear when Giselle arrived. Also, because... The touch just now had felt utterly disgusting to him. After washing his hands about ten times, Edward, smelling strongly of hand sanitizer, reemerged from the washroom just as little Bansey had already brought Giselle into the cafe. Though the journalists outside were kept at bay by a human wall, they still persisted in snapping away with their cameras. Edward paid no attention to these people as he walked directly toward the female pastry chef. "Good morning, Giselle," Edward greeted. "Good morning, Edward," the pastry chef replied, then turned her gaze to Jason. "Jason, you knew something like this would happen and you were worried it would concern me, so you came to the police station alone, didn''t you?" She asked. Edward was taken aback. Not here for breakfast? It seemed that Edward''s confusion did not go unnoticed by the pastry chef, who spoke directly, "I have just been to the canteen, and Gillick''s cooking skills are simply not enough to entice Jason." "But that doesn''t mean Jason came specifically for ''Jack the Ripper'', does it?" Edward still had his doubts. The pastry chef then raised a finger. "You''ve forgotten one thing, the newspaper!" "Jason habitually reads the newspaper, but I didn''t subscribe to it, so he would go out to buy one." "Isn''t it strange that today''s newspapers haven''t appeared yet?" "Keep in mind, normally the newsboys would be out before it''s even light." Then, the pastry chef raised a second finger. Find your next adventure on m_v l|e-NovelBin "The second thing is, you and Jason have said that you had roughly identified the suspect for ''Jack the Ripper''." "Given his method of crime, he is someone with a high opinion of himself; he wouldn''t just sit and wait, he''d definitely create some grand event." "And what would be more fitting than striking back at the police station, watching the officers run around like headless flies?" "Therefore, Jason has been here for ''Jack the Ripper'' from the beginning." Hearing the pastry chef''s exnation, Edward couldn''t help but sigh deeply. "I see now!" "I knew Jason wouldn''t be interested in the food made by Gillick!" Edward eximed, then looked toward Jason, who appeared indifferent. Under Edward''s gaze, Jason maintained hisposure. What could he do? Giselle''s reasoning was coherent and well-founded, and had he not been the person involved, he would have believed her himself. So¡ª "Yes, that''s right." Jason admitted frankly. "Indeed, Sir Jason!" "You had foreseen the criminal''s n and thus were able to locate him so quickly." Bansey praised. "No!" "Although Jason had anticipated the criminal''s n in advance, the ability to quickly locate him was due to the observation at the scene," the pastry chef shook her head and, under the watchful eyes of Edward and Bansey, continued, "Let''s start with that letter. The murderer mailed so many letters simply to escte the situation, and whoever wants to make a big deal about it would certainly be nearby to watch, wouldn''t they? So if the internal organs were found in the trash can, naturally the torso would be close by, and what better ce nearby than a mailbox?" "Simrly, since they want to provoke and get back at you, and even mentioned a bomb, what ce could be more appropriate than the police station or the officers'' dormitory?" "Between the police station and the officers'' dormitory, thetter, where not many people are around or, to be precise, most people are resting, is the more fitting location. And the third floor is a ce less likely to draw attention, yet still risky enough for the criminal, so to be faster, more hidden, and safer, the perpetrator chose a room on the third floor near the staircase." The pastry chef exined each point. Edward and Bansey nodded continuously, their faces showing realization. "But how did Jason finally decide on thisdy?" "There are many ces around here, aren''t there?" Bansey couldn''t help but ask. "Have you ever seen ady sitting inside a cafe at daybreak?" "And yet, she''s dressed so incongruously, not at all like ady." The pastry chef stared at the red skirt withce edges, then nced at the carefully groomed face, and couldn''t help but frown. Each of these items was nice, especially the lipstick shade, which must be a new model she had only seen in magazines; it was very expensive. While cheap things may not be of good quality, expensive items aren''t necessarily better. Especially when it''s just a pile-up focusing on price, itpletely ruins things. "Not like ady?" "This is clearly..." Bansey looked at the unconscious criminal and started to say something subconsciously, but Edward stopped him mid-sentence. Bansey looked at his team captain, puzzled. "Turns out bigger than yours." Edward whispered. Bansey was startled. He incredulously lowered his head to look at the unconscious criminal, and then, he noticed the Adam''s apple. Although it had been disguised, it was indeed there. But immediately after, Bansey thought of something. Edward hadn''t mentioned an Adam''s apple! Subconsciously, he looked at Edward, as if to confirm, and leaned in slightly to smell. As the strong scent of hand sanitizer entered his nose, Bansey subconsciously looked at Edward''s hands. Then, Bansey''s expression changed. After which, he subtly moved his feet, silently increasing the distance between himself and Edward. The female pastry chef, however, ignored all this and walked towards Jason. "Going for breakfast?" "In the true sense of the word." The pastry chef asked. "Of course." Jason nodded and stood up. The two walked out shoulder to shoulder. Seeing Jasone out, the reporters shouted excitedly: "Your Excellency Jason, can you tell us what happened?" "Is that woman the ''Jack the Ripper of the Night''?" "How did you pinpoint these clues?" One question after another. Jason paused in his steps. "He''s the criminal." "As for more?" "You can ask Edward." After speaking, Jason pointed to Edward, who was escorting the prisoner out, then left with the pastry chef toward the side. There a police officer stood beside a car, waiting. As a special consultant, Jason was entitled to be carborne. However, just as Jason was about to open the door to get into the car, the unconscious Auchenberg suddenly woke up. He struggled several times but failed to break free from Bansey''s hold, then he shouted at Jason: "Wait!" Regrettably, Jason paid no attention to him and opened the car door directly. "Don''t you want to know why I did this?" "Don''t you want to know the secrets hidden within the human body?" Auchenberg raised his voice. Suddenly, the surrounding reporters were drawn to him. They aimed their cameras at Auchenberg. The shes started twinkling incessantly. Not only at Auchenberg but also at Jason. All this was within Auchenberg''s expectations; he wanted to use these reporters to fight for a slim chance of survival, but Jason didn''t stop for a moment and got straight into the car. With the car moving away, only a faint voice was heard¡ª "I don''t want to." Chapter 281: Chapter 68 When facing a formidable enemy... Listen to a perverted murderer narrate twisted facts, or go back to eating? Jason chose thetter without hesitation. Not just because the female pastry chef''s breakfast was delicious enough, but also because he knew all too clearly what that perverted murderer wanted to say, or rather, wanted to do. Nothing more than to drag him into the mire to seize a glimmer of a chance at survival. As for how? If one discards the basic decency of being human, there are far too many ways. And does the other party still have any human decency left? Think of those who have died. The answer is clear. Huh? The taste of milk cereal porridge! Sitting at the dining table, Jason quickly reined in his thoughts as soon as he smelled the aroma of the food, sitting up straight and waiting for the female pastry chef to bring the meal. At the same time, he reminded himself. Control! You must exercise control! Jason had already discovered his greatest weakness: he was impulsive when it came to food. This was uneptable! All his enemies were those who didn''t understand him. If he encountered an enemy who did, they would likely take countermeasures. By then, he would be doomed. Therefore, he had to learn to control himself. Starting with ''food'' might be difficult, so he nned to start with ordinary food. And it wasn''t that he wouldn''t eat at all. It was just enduring for three minutes before eating while looking at the food. He believed this was simple and that he could do it. Self-discipline makes me free! Self-discipline is my freedom! Self-discipline... It''s delicious! Jason picked up the bowl in front of him and drained it in one gulp. The cereal was cooked to the perfect firmness, very tasty. The aroma of the milk was rich. This was what breakfast should be; really, how did Gillick prepare breakfast? Even with excellent ingredients, he managed to make food not even a dog would touch. Even a stray dog. Jason had seen the ''Private'' sneer at it before, but his own principles had forced him to finish it all. With his stomachfortably warm, Jason leaned back contentedly when his expression suddenly froze. Where is my self-discipline? Where is my restraint? What about the promised three minutes? Jason silently sat upright again and began to think even more seriously. Indeed, three minutes seems to be a bit difficult for me. I should have started with two minutes. Yes. Two minutes is a good choice! Starting simple is the way to progressively advance. With this thought, Jason let out a sigh of relief and turned to the female pastry chef, saying, "Could I have another serving, please?" "Of course," The female pastry chef answered with a smile. The same food, even though he had just eaten a bowl, there was no problem for Jason to eat another bowl at this moment. As the female pastry chef served up more milk cereal porridge, Jason took the bowl and drained it again in one gulp. You talk about two minutes of restraint? That doesn''t exist! Before the enemy, you should wipe them outpletely! How could I possibly let an enemy know my weakness? As long as I defeat all my enemies, what does it matter if I reveal a weakness? Having this thought, Jason found his ideas flowing freely and his appetite even keener. "Another serving, please." After picking up a slice of bread to clean up the remnants in the bowl, Jason then said. "Alright," The female pastry chef, her face beaming with smiles, went to prepare a new serving. For the female pastry chef, Jason''s strength was remarkable, that keen insight was admirable, but what truly caught her attention was his meticulous attitude towards food. Of course, what''s more important is that the food was made by her own hands. After two more continuous servings, Jason finally stopped. It wasn''t that he was full. It was that the female pastry chef was too exhausted. Sweat had already dampened the hair on her forehead. "Thank you." "I will pay ording to the restaurant''s rates." Jason said this. The female pastry chef subconsciously wanted to say it wasn''t necessary, but a voice inside her told her not to speak and instead gave a quote. "Seven dors." The female pastry chef said. "Okay." Jason nodded. He had just eaten what was probably enough for around twenty people, and considering the ingredients were carefully selected, the price wasn''t high. The only thing he needed to consider was that his sry might not be enough for such eating habits. Luckily, aside from the police station, St. Mungo''s Academy provided meals three times a day. "Need to spend wisely." "Treat it as a reward from Giselle, eating here every other day is good enough." "By the way, there is also¡­" "Hannibal!" Jason immediately thought of the psychologist. Find adventures at m_v l|e-NovelBin Suddenly, he felt that as a veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, he needed to see a doctor. But upon thinking of the Ghost Squad, Jason frowned. Having refused their offer, considering their way of doing things, they would definitely unleash fierce retaliation. Therefore, not only could he not meet Hannibal in the short term. He needed to be extra careful even in his routine. This made Jason''s originally good mood turn terribly sour. Because the female pastry chef was definitely within their range of retaliation. Moreover, they were ruthless and wouldn''t hesitate to harm the innocent! If she were to get hurt because of him, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life! And such guilt was destined to make him restless. The thought of food not being appetizing anymore made Jason unable to sit still any longer. Such an enemy was truly terrifying! He absolutely could not leave them be! They needed to be eradicatedpletely! He looked at the female pastry chef, who was cleaning the dishes and tidying up the counter. "Giselle." Jason called out. "What is it?" The female pastry chef looked up at Jason. "I need to talk to you about something." Jason said, his expression bing serious. He looked into the pastry chef''s eyes and said, "It''s about the Ghost Squad, I... Because of that, could you temporarily close the shop for a short while and enter the safe house Edward prepared?" "Of course, I willpensate for the loss." After Jason exined in detail, the female pastry chef was first startled. Then she started to smile. "Jason, don''t you think this is an opportunity?" The female pastry chef countered. "You want to be the bait?" Jason instantly realized. "No!" The female pastry chef shook her head, replying in an equally serious tone. "Being a direct bait is just too obvious." "Given the Ghost Squad you described, they certainly won''t fall for that." "So, we need to go with your original idea, but with a small change¡ªI''ll stick with you, then disy some very natural oversights to make them think they have an opportunity. That''s how we can lure them." Jason thought about the pastry chef''s words, frowning. It made a lot of sense. He had no reason to disagree. Therefore, Jason nodded. "Then, I''ll get my things." The female pastry chef said and turned around. Once she was sure Jason couldn''t see her, a mischievous smile spread across her face. Oh yeah! Chapter 282 - 69 Target! "Extra! Extra!" "The ¡¯Nightfall Ripper¡¯ Provokes Police Special Advisor Mr. Jason Arrested!" "Extra! Extra!" "The ¡¯Nightfall Ripper¡¯ Provokes Police Special Advisor Mr. Jason Arrested!" ¡­ Newsboys¡¯ cries selling papers appeared on the streets, several hourster than usual. People stopped in their tracks and bought them. In recent months in Newdeth City, the ¡¯Nightfall Ripper¡¯ had be a notorious figure, bringing countless scary nights to the people. Even deterred people from venturing out on the streets of Newdeth City after dark. Although, most of the time, people wouldn¡¯t be out on cold winter nights anyway. Your next read is at m v|l-e¡¯m,p| y- r But that did not stop people from being curious about who Jason was. And when people learned of some of Jason¡¯s past from the newspapers, many curiously flocked to Pea Corner Street. They found out from the detailed newspaper reports that Jason was temporarily residing at the ¡¯Watchdog Pastry House¡¯. Only now, the ¡¯Watchdog Pastry House¡¯ had already hung up a sign saying business was suspended. Where had Jason gone? Everyone was wondering. At this moment, Jason was sitting in the student council office at St. Mungo¡¯s Academy. Unlike the temporary meeting room, ssroom number 13. The formal student council meeting room was in ssroom number 33 on the fifth floor. Leaning back in a sofa chair, Jason read the prompt before him¡ª [City Recognition +25%] ¡­ A number far surpassing the previous one. "That guy has more influence than I imagined," Jason thought and couldn¡¯t help but smile. While Jason hadn¡¯t seen today¡¯s newspaper, thete distribution by Newdeth newspapers had already led him to guess what these publishers were nning. Nothing more than publishing everything about the ¡¯Nightfall Ripper¡¯ at the first opportunity. Tedi, sitting across from Jason, saw his smile. "Mr. Jason, you seem very happy?" "Is there some good news?" Asked the female student council president, then after a moment¡¯s thought she added, "Today¡¯s lunch is the regr meal, no extra portions." "Why not?" Jason¡¯s attention was immediately captured. Even though before this he also didn¡¯t know about the so-called extra portions. "Extra portions are only avable on the 1st, 15th, and 30th of each month." "They are made by the cooking ss teachers for students and teachers who have performed well over the past half-month." "Consider it a kind of extra reward." The female pastry chef, very familiar with St. Mungo¡¯s Academy, exined. "What counts as performing well?" Jason focused on the key point. "Maintaining the school¡¯s image, abiding by school discipline, outstanding learning, or teaching all count," the female student council president replied. Before she could say more, Jason had already risen to his feet. "What are we waiting for?" "As the student council¡¯s advisory teacher, I am eager to start your first lesson." Jason said. "But we only need one advisory lesson per week for the student council..." "I can add lessons." Jason said indisputably. "But, everyone..." "Do you still remember your oath?" "Do you still want to learn real battlefield techniques?" "Or are you nning to back out?" Jason interrupted the female student council president with a serious face. "Of course not." "We will never forget our oath," she replied with equal gravity. "Good." "Meet at the riding field in ten minutes," Jason said with a nod. "Yes." The female student council president turned and headed out. As she stepped out the door, she felt slightly stunned. Had she been provoked by reverse psychology? But the words had already been spoken, and to back out now... No! I cannot back out! I must remember the oath! With these thoughts, the female student council president strode forward. In the meeting room, as the female president left, Jason, who had just been serious, suddenly became excited. Extra food! And it was made by the cooking ss teacher! The taste must be amazing! Jason thought. Meanwhile, the female pastry chef watched everything with a smile. She knew Jason was in it for the food. Although this might be somewhat unfair to her friend, what was Tedipared to Jason? He was merely someone she¡¯d keep around when in a good mood. The kind she could easily discard. So what if it¡¯s unfair? And furthermore... Jason looked so cute at this moment. Different from his strong demeanor. But it made her heart flutter even more. What should I do? What should I do? I¡¯m having trouble holding back. Jason, immersed in his food fantasies, seemed to sense something and turned his head, only to see the confused-looking female pastry chef. "Did I just fall asleep?" "I have that kind of problem." "I always fall asleep without realizing it." Upon noticing Jason¡¯s gaze, the female pastry chef exined somewhat embarrassedly. "Has it been like this since you were child?" Jason asked. "No." "It started after I identally set the cooking ssroom on fire during thest entrance exam." "The doctor said it¡¯s something like post-traumatic stress disorder." The female pastry chef shook her head and said. Post-traumatic stress disorder too? Jason was taken aback. He had never thought that the female pastry chef might have a past simr to ¡¯his¡¯. "Do you need to see another doctor?" "I know a psychologist who¡¯s really good." Jason said out of concern for his friend. "Is it that Dr. Hannibal?" The female pastry chef asked. Jason nodded. Immediately, the female pastry chef felt a strong aversion deep inside her. Then, the words that came to her mind made her speak involuntarily: "No need." "That doctor gives me a weird feeling." "I really don¡¯t like him." Jason watched the female pastry chef and, upon realizing her firm stance, immediately chose to give up. "Alright then." He was merely acting out of kindness and would not insist. Then, the two of them headed towards the equestrian area together. This time, the female pastry chef walking beside Jason hadpletely reverted to that slightly confused demeanor. Jason surreptitiously observed the female pastry chef, remaining silent. Everyone has secrets they cannot openly reveal. It¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of. After all, who can truly open their heartpletely? Indeed, there are two things in the world one cannot face directly... the sun and the human heart. They progressed, and after all the student council members had assembled, Jason led the female pastry chef to the equestrian field. "Instructor Jason, everyone is assembled." "May I ask, what are we training on today?" The female student council president stood at the front of the line, reporting to Jason. Jason was about to say something. Suddenly, he felt a gaze sweep over him. Filled with extreme malice. ¡¯Ghost Squad¡¯?! Jason¡¯s gaze turned icy. Instinctively, he moved towards where the female pastry chef was. Then¡ª Bang! The female student council president fell to the ground with the sound of gunfire. Chapter 283: 70 chapters of life are like a play Looking at the fallen female student president, Jason waspletely startled. When he sensed malice, Jason was certain that the gunman¡¯s intent was aimed at the female baker, and even more certain that the gunman¡¯s barrel was pointed at her too. Simply put, when the bullet was fired, it was aimed at the female baker, but then... it took a turn mid-flight! The wayward bullet struck the female student president directly. The female student president waspletely an unintentional victim. However, Jason could clearly see that a nearly transparent force field appeared on the female student president, blocking the bullet. The force field shed and vanished. The ttened bullet dropped to the ground. "Secret technique?!" "Or perhaps..." "A special item?" Jason nced at the female student president, realizing for the first time that her background was far moreplex than he had imagined, but he did not keep his eyes fixed on her. Instead, he pursued the gunman. Continue your adventure at m|v-l¡¯e m,p| y- r Of course, fearing a diversion, Jason grabbed the female baker without hesitation and tucked her under his arm. The female baker¡¯s face turned red immediately. She wanted to say something but ultimately, she said nothing and simply allowed Jason to carry her away with her face red and head buried. ... I am ¡¯Wu Ge,¡¯ an assassin. I have an assassin brother named ¡¯Box.¡¯ He was caught after a failed assassination attempt on a baker named Giselle. What a waste of space! He couldn¡¯t even deal with a baker. But, this has nothing to do with me. Having just obtained a club membership, I was determined not to show myself before the weather warmed up. But unexpectedly, the bounty on that female baker just increased tenfold. It swelled tenfold overnight. This is a reward that cannot be ignored. So, I prepared to clear my brother ¡¯Box¡¯s¡¯ shame. Locking onto a baker was all too easy. I easily got hold of her whereabouts. Only... What¡¯s up with that burly, muscr man by her side? Why do I feel so uneasy at the sight of him? Especially when he walks in the shadows, that oppressive feeling seems to grow exponentially. A bodyguard? No, no, no! How could a baker afford a bodyguard! Could she really pay with baked goods? Impossible! She must have seduced this burly, strong man with her feminine charms! Thinking this, ¡¯Wu Ge¡¯ sneered. A man who could be seduced by beauty, no matter how strong, is limited in strength. Besides, that reward increased tenfold is enough for him to climb two ranks within the club, meet thedy of rumors, have an afternoon tea with her, or go to the opera... heh heh heh. The excited ¡¯Wu Ge¡¯ did not think any further. He aimed his rifle. He had his sights on the female baker. Just like all the targets he had aimed at before. Then, he pulled the trigger. He was already impatient to see his target fall to the ground. But... Why did someone else fall? I had clearly aimed at the female baker, hadn¡¯t I? ¡¯Wu Ge¡¯ rubbed his eyes in disbelief, but in his view, it was still the female student president who had fallen. What¡¯s going on? I didn¡¯t drink, did I? It¡¯s impossible for me to aim at the wrong person, isn¡¯t it? ¡¯Wu Ge¡¯ asked himself. But reality no longer allowed him to delve into it. He had already seen that burly man charging towards him, with his target in tow. With his own gun in hand, ¡¯Wu Ge¡¯ turned and ran. He did not believe that he couldn¡¯t outrun the man. After all, the man seemed like the type with great strength but slow speed. But why is the distance getting closer? And why are my legs weak? Could it really cause weak legs if I had too much tea with thedies at the club? Wu Ge was running while thinking about this. And Jason was getting closer and closer. When the distance was less than ten meters, Wu Ge suddenly turned around, his rifle pointing straight at Jason chasing from behind. Wu Ge was very confident in his shot. He had practiced this technique especially. He had also used it to kill many targets who had made idental mistakes. Therefore, although he was surprised earlier, he was not panicked. And now! It was the moment for him to turn the tables! Wu Ge was about to pull the trigger, but Jason, who had been nearly ten meters away, suddenly elerated. His speed was so fast that Wu Ge had no time to react, and Jason was already in front of him. Furthermore, Jason didn¡¯t stop. His strong, bulky body mmed directly into Wu Ge. Bang! In the muffled sound, the continuous noise of breaking bones could be heard, as Wu Ge¡¯s feet left the ground, and he flew four or five meters backward. I¡¯ve been hit by a car! In thest moment of his life, Wu Ge thought this. "¡¯eleration¡¯ is still not controlled proficiently enough." "Although it has reached the level of proficiency, it¡¯s hard to control once activated." "If forced to control, it still can cause damage to the heart." Jason looked at the gunman who had lost his breath andid the female pastry chef down. The female pastry chef¡¯s face was flushed as if she were drunk, swaying on the spot. "I¡¯m a bit dizzy." "That was a bit too fast just now." The female pastry chef exined herself this way. The female student council president arrived by herself at this time. Seeing the breathless gunman, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief. As long as the person is dead, it¡¯s easy to deal with. Dead people don¡¯t talk. Simrly, they won¡¯t involve any secrets. But did those guys find out about me? Or was it just a trivial test? While such thoughts churned in her mind, the female student council president asked Jason with the appearance of a frightened regr person: "Jason, what do we do?" "Call the police." Jason said without hesitation. "Okay." The female student council president nodded and shouted at the secretary who was panting from running, "Joel, call the police." "Yes, President!" The secretary ignored the exhaustion and turned to run toward the old teaching building. At this time, the female pastry chef finally returned to normal. She went up to her friend and checked on her with concern. "Tedi, are you alright?" The female pastry chef asked. "I¡¯m fine." "Luckily, the gunman was a terrible shot, he didn¡¯t hit me; otherwise, I would have been done for." "Still, toe so close to bullets..." "It¡¯s really terrifying." The female student council president said while patting her chest, looking deeply shaken. As she spoke, the female student council president¡¯s eyes began to redden slightly, eliciting sympathy from those who saw her. The female pastry chef quickly took her friend¡¯s hand and hugged her, softlyforting: "It¡¯s all right now, it¡¯s over." "Yeah." The female student council president rested her chin on the female pastry chef¡¯s shoulder, murmuring her agreement, but her gaze discreetly shifted towards Jason. And then... She saw that Jason was staring straight at her. Swallowing her saliva. Chapter 284: Chapter 71 Everyone is an Actor The female student council president''s face turned red under Jason''s intense gaze. Pervert! All men are really pigs! She thought subconsciously. However, she soon noticed something different about Jason''s stare. Though it was simr to others she''d experienced, not one was as pure as Jason''s. Yes! Pure! It was pure hunger, not lust mixed with ulterior motives. But... This made it even more frightening! It was truly terrifying! What does he want to do? Does he really want to eat me? The female student council president unconsciously hugged the female pastry chef tighter, hoping her friend could provide her with some support. As the female pastry chef, with her chin resting on the student council president''s shoulder and her back to Jason, there was a sh of anger in her eyes. Through the contact on her shoulder, she could clearly feel her good friend taking the chance to look at Jason. Damn it! What do you want to do? As I thought! You''re another person who needs to be dealt with ahead of time! Weak sister! Do I really need to take care of everything? At that thought, ''she'' was ready to straight up kill the student council president. But immediately, ''she'' thought of Jason. No! It''s not the time yet! I can''t expose myself yet! With this in mind, the female pastry chef returned to normal. However, her body was somewhat weak, and she even lost control and slumped down. "Eh, Giselle, what''s wrong with you?" "Giselle?" The student council president noticed something was wrong right away, letting go of her friend and calling out her name. "I, I''m all right." "Just a little dizzy." The pastry chef said, but her body was unsteady, and in the next instant, she was about to fall. The student council president, who was nearby, was about to support her forcefully, but suddenly, her hands felt light. She saw that the pastry chef she had been supporting a moment ago was already tucked under Jason''s arm. "Where is the infirmary?" Jason asked. "Follow me," said the student council president. Then, to the student council members who came rushing over, she instructed, "Seal off the scene." "Yes, president," they replied promptly, respecting the authority of the student council president and carrying out her orders. St. Mungo''s Academy''s infirmary is located at the end of the first floor of the new teaching building. "This is the new infirmary." "The old one was separate, outside." "But due to some unpleasant rumors, it was shut down directly," the female student council president said as Jasonid the pastry chef down on the bed and covered her with a nket in the infirmary. Without waiting for Jason to ask and to avoid an awkward silence, the student council president continued, "Every school has some eerie rumors, like being built on a burial ground or other unbelievable tales." "St. Mungo''s Academy has its share." "There''s the moving anatomical model in the old infirmary; it scared quite a few people at the time, so it was immediately abandoned." "Then there''s the witch of the school." "That''s referring to Dadas, the senior." "And of course, the legendary Treasure Cabin." "It''s the cottage left by the vice principal who first established St. Mungo''s Academy, rumored to house treasures." The student council president stood to the side, recounting all this. But her voice grew fainter and fainter. Because the pastry chef had fallen asleep. And because Jason was staring at her with intense focus again. In his eyes, once more, there surfaced... hunger. A very pure form of hunger. Any pure thing is supposed to be beautiful. But when pure hunger is directed at oneself, it is absolutely impossible to be seen as beautiful. The female student council president clenched her teeth. "I think we need to talk," the female student council president said, and then walked outside the medical office. Jason maintained his silence and followed her. He had checked the surroundings, and it seemed safe enough. Nevertheless, even so, he didn''t close the door to the medical office, and just stood in the doorway, able to nce at the female pastry chef and the position outside the window. "Are you very tense, Giselle?" To ease the tension, the female student council president chose a good starting point. "Mhm." "Her cooking is delicious." Jason nodded. Delicious cooking? The female student council president was taken aback, then chuckled and asked, "Is it toote for me to start learning to cook now?" Lying in bed, covered with a nket, the female pastry chef''s breathing was long, just like a person in deep sleep, but her hands hidden under the nket were tightly clenched. I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you! Roars erupted in the depths of the female pastry chef''s heart. But only deep within. On the surface, all was calm. "It''s toote." "I''m picky with food." With the lesson learned from Gillick''s experience, Jason had gained considerable self-awareness. He would try to understand someone''s cooking skills before choosing their food as much as possible. An amateur in cooking wanting to use him as a free test subject? Out of the question. Jason''s straightforward reply instantly made the mouth of the female pastry chef lying in bed curl up. It''s good to have Jason. Timid sister, you''re notpletely useless after all. At least you met Jason in the park. ''She'' thought silently. The female student council president, however, chuckled at herself. "Yes, it''s toote." "Just like when I was born, the Prus Family was nothing but an empty shell." "The so-called grand ducal family was left only with a banner." "What remained?" "Were a flock of rtives like vultures, and enemies lurking all around." "What could I do?" "As the sole heir to the Grand Duke of Prus, I could only hide here, hearing news of my father dying on the battlefield, hearing the formation of Newdeth City." "I''ve been hiding." "From the moment I was born." "Now!" "I won''t hide anymore!" "I want to face my destiny!" "No matter what kind of destiny it is!" With that, the female student council president took a step forward and came up to Jason, holding her head high as if she were ready for her fate. Jason frowned. He looked at the female student council president in bewilderment. The Prus Family? What did that have to do with him! He just wanted to inquire about the source of the ''food'' scent on her. And it wasn''t that item that had blocked the bullets! Although Jason couldn''t confirm whether the technique she used just before was a secret technique or a kind of item, at that moment, he was certain there was no ''food'' scent. But when he caught up to that gunman, as she came after them, a faint ''food'' aroma appeared again on her. What he cared about was where the ''food'' was. As for her? Jason was utterly unconcerned. So, Jason candidly asked, "Did you perhaps misunderstand something?" "I''m not interested in who you are." "Nor do I care about your destiny." "I just want to know where you went just now, what did you touch?" Jason inquired. But such a question made the female student council president, who had just presented herself as ready for her fate, change her expression drastically. She took a small step back, and the dagger hidden in her sleeve, no longer concealed,nded directly in her hand. She looked at Jason with a gaze full of uncertainty and asked in a grave tone, "Who exactly are you?" Chapter 285: Chapter 72: Upon Hearing of the Bounty... "I''m Jason." As Jason spoke, he looked at the dagger in the hands of the female student council president. Narrow and prism-shaped, with triple blood grooves, the de seemed to have been treated to be non-reflective, showing no glint even under sunlight. Moreover, there was ayer of liquid attached to it. A faint stench of blood emanated from this liquid. Poison! Jason instantly confirmed. The way he looked at the female student council president started to be yful. Without a doubt, had he truly treated the opposite party as someone awaiting ughter, he would have been the one dead at this moment ¡ª although he was immortal, this did not mean Jason was willing to waste his satiety recklessly. Jason''s gaze became yful. The female student council president''s eyes, however, were cautious. "A veteran soldier." "Even having been through many battles." "There are some things that you just can''t know." She said word by word. Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, "You..." "Were you part of the ''Ghost Squad''?" She stared intently at Jason. Indeed, the ''Ghost Squad'' knew some things about the ''Mystical Side''. Jason thought silently. Just as he was about to continue to inquire¡ª Tap tap tap. Edward''s footsteps came through. The female student council president instantly tucked the dagger away. The fishy smell dissipated immediately as the dagger was sheathed. Undoubtedly, it must have been specially made. "Good morning, Captain Edward." The female student council president greeted Edward as usual, using the military title he held within the armed forces. "Good morning, Miss Tedi." Edward responded. The leader of the special operations group did not notice anything amiss. And the female student council president did not take the opportunity to leave; she just stood there. As one of the parties involved, Edward did not signal her to leave, but instead said to Jason very frankly, "Are you the Reaper or what? Why does trouble follow wherever you go?" Jason did not object. What Edward said was a fact, and arguing would be futile. Could it be that because of his immortality the deaths of those around him seemed more pronounced? "The misfortune you bring isn''t just that of the Reaper." "It''s also disaster." Jason did not speak, but the female student council president did. Then, her gaze swept over Jason. The implication couldn''t be clearer. However, that look was fleeting. Edward did not catch it. After briefly questioning Jason and Tedi, the special operations group leader began signaling for the female student council president to leave. The matters to follow were not suited for her to know. "I will return to the stables first." "Mr. Jason, please don''t forget your responsibilities!" The female student council president emphasized the word ''responsibilities'' and spoke with a double meaning. Jason watched her expressionlessly. The female student council president gave a light smile and turned to walk out of the teaching building. This time, Edward noticed the way Jason looked at the female student council president. "Her family has great influence in Newdeth City; they''re not to be trifled with." As a friend, Edward felt it necessary to give Jason a heads-up. Of course, there was no need to say too much. Edward believed Jason would understand. "Did her father die?" Jason inquired. "How could that be?" "Mr. Tedi is only forty, in good health, and, moreover, he''s nning to run for mayor of Newdeth City." Edward replied with a look of surprise. I can only hide here and hear the news of my father''s death on the battlefield? Ha. All women are nothing but hot and spicy chicken feet! Jason sneered inwardly. Without a doubt, the female student council president had not only set a trap but also didn''t utter a single truth. However, Jason wasn''t surprised. He just became hungrier. His ''hunter'' instinct was telling him. There was a big secret hidden within Tedi. If he could dig out this big secret... He could have a big feast! With this thought, Jason waited until the female student council president''s figure had disappeared before turning his head to look at Edward. Edward did not dawdle and immediately informed Jason of what he knew as soon as Jason shifted his attention back. "The gunman who attacked Tedi is an assassin lurking around Newdeth City, nicknamed ''Wu Ge''." "He and the assassin ''Boxer'' who previously attacked Giselle are brothers." "While their nicknames are rather ordinary, both are considered skillful within the circle of assassins." "Moreover, ording to an informant''s report, there has appeared arge bounty rted to Giselle on the ck market¡ª50,000 dors." "It''s likely the work of the Ghost Squad." "Mika is very good at using leverage to exert force." "That captive, I interrogated him, but nothing came out of it." "He seems to have been brainwashed to such an extent that he can''t even remember who he is. I can''t confirm right now whether he''s hiding anything; it will take more time." Edward said this with an expression of helplessness. Although he spoke diplomatically, Edward was very clear that the chances of obtaining any clues were incredibly slim. "Tedi mentioned the Ghost Squad before." "Moreover, she mistook me for a member of the Ghost Squad." Jason didn''t conceal this from Edward. Edward, who had fought alongside him, was someone he could trust. Besides, he needed Edward to provide him with more information. "With Mr. Tedi''s influence, it''s not surprising that he knows about the Ghost Squad, but..." "I''ll investigate it." Edward said instinctively, but he caught himself before finishing. If an investigation wasn''t necessary, Jason wouldn''t have asked. Since Jason had asked, it must mean there was something worth investigating. Edward didn''t have many friends. So, he chose to trust his friends. Then, the leader of the special operations team looked toward the infirmary. "Giselle is all right, isn''t she?" Edward asked with concern. She was an acquaintance who had solved many problems for him. If she fell ill, what was he to do if Jason again said ''everything is clear as daylight''... He couldn''t possibly im that Jason had supernatural abilities and was using them to solve cases, could he? He was certain that if he dared say so, the next day he''d be pelted with rotten eggs by the citizens of Newdeth City. In midst of Edward''s inquiry, the female pastry chef slowly woke up. She propped herself up and replied with a smile. "It''s nothing." "I''ve just been a bit tiredtely." "My health has always been a bit delicate, but as long as I take care, there won''t be any problems." After saying this, the female pastry chef walked over to Jason. "Jason, today is your first day of teaching; don''t get dyed," the female pastry chef reminded Jason. How could Jason possibly forget? He was still looking forward to an extra meal. Immediately, Jason and the female pastry chef walked out side by side. Edward trailed by a step. He was a bit curious about what Jason''s teaching would be like. And just moments after the three left, a figure silently appeared in the infirmary. This figure meticulously checked the spot where the female pastry chef had slept. The next moment, the figure found something that the adult had left behind. It was a note. On it was written¡ª Explore more stories with m,v l''e-NovelBin Offer a bounty of 500,000 dors for finding the person putting a bounty on me! Chapter 286: Chapter 73 True. Auxiliary Teaching St. Mungo''s Academy, the riding ground. Aside from the duty-bound members of the student council, everyone stood erectly here, silently waiting for Jason, with no one absent despite the earlier mishap. "Hmm?" Walking behind Jason, Edward raised an eyebrow involuntarily as he observed the council members. As someone with a military background, Edward was all too familiar with the ways of the military. Therefore, he could clearly see that the members of the St. Mungo''s student council had undergone training simr to that of the military. Although not quiteplete, and the council members seemed somewhat tender due to theck of experience amid gun smoke, the basics were in ce. "Wasn''t St. Mungo''s Academy previously a church school?" Edward couldn''t help but ask in a low voice. "Perhaps it''s because it was a church school, some traditions were preserved?" "I heard that during its earliest times, the school existed in a very chaotic era." "The school needed protection, so it was natural for some guardians to appear, right?" The pastry chef answered. However, her tone was not certain. Clearly, she''d heard this but didn''t truly understand it. "Is that so?" Edward was somewhat skeptical. However, he didn''t ask further. Because at that time, Jason had already walked over. "Good morning, Teacher Jason," "Good morning, Teacher Jason," The female president of the student council stood at the forefront of the formation, leading the greeting, followed immediately by the rest of the council members. "Good morning," Jason responded. Then, he quietly observed everyone, waiting for someone to propose what they wanted to learn, and he would teach it. Yet everyone, including the female council president, was looking at Jason, awaiting his initiative to teach. Time ticked away second by second. Jason stood still. The council members didn''t dare to move either. Only the exchange of gazes persisted. Edward watched this scene thoughtfully, yet his eyes also held some confusion. "Is it necessary to go to such lengths?" "They are still children, after all." This leader of the special operations team murmured softly to himself. The pastry chef beside him softly began to respond: "Of course." "Because this is Jason''s habitual method." "Although he''s retired, some things have already been deeply imprinted in him!" "Therefore, when facing these students who call him ''teacher,'' Jason subconsciously wants to use this boring yet effective method to assess the physical fitness and willpower of the council members before him." "Then, he will teach ording to their abilities." Stating this, the pastry chef looked at Jason with a gaze full of admiration. If it weren''t for Jason''s demonstration, she would have never known of such a straightforward method. "Teach ording to their abilities?" Edward was puzzled at first but then came to understand; after all, this ce was not a military camp, and it could not conduct training on the level of that found in a military setting. Teaching ording to their abilities truly was the best choice. The leader of the special operations team nodded in agreement without reservation. "So that''s how it is," he sighed quietly. Though their voices were low, the student council members could hear the conversation clearly; they weren''t far from Edward and the pastry chef, and everyone was standing in attentive silence without making the slightest noise. As a result, the council members who were still somewhat confused now straightened their stances immediately, with each person''s expression bearing the ''I understand now'' realization. Determination appeared in their eyes. Their faces turned meticulous. Especially the female council president, who was filled with admiration. She had been puzzled whether Jason really didn''t know what to do, having never been a teacher before. Looking back now, she had overthought it. Jason might not have been a teacher, but he definitely had abundant teaching experience, only his methods were somewhat unconventional. Immediately, the female student council president became even more vignt towards Jason. She had already sent out a message, but until she could confirm whether Jason was a member of the ''Ghost Squad'', she couldn''t rx her guard. In fact, whether or not Jason was a member of the ''Ghost Squad'', she needed to be cautious around someone like Jason who had been exposed to secrets unknown to ordinary people. Especially since Jason seemed to have detected her secret. She hoped it wasn''t the worst-case scenario. The female student council president thought to herself. And facing the looks from everyone that said ''I''ve got it'' and ''I''m trying hard'', Jason appearedpletely unfazed. Yes. It''s exactly what you''re thinking. I am testing the physical fitness and willpower of you ''Cat Hole'' dispatched students. Then, he began to recall memories he had almost forgotten. Jason had never been a teacher. But he had been a student. The way teachers behaved in the ssroom, it had been so long, his memories were somewhat vague. But! He remembered one sentence. The next moment, Jason spoke¡ª "You are the worst batch I have ever taught." The habitually calm tone became serious at this moment. A look of confusion and a hint of anger emerged on the faces of the student council members in front of him. They had already done well enough, why would he say they were the worst batch? Edward felt the same way. He had just observed that these student council members had good physical fitness and their willpower was alsomendable. Keep in mind, standing in the cold winds of winter for half an hour while keeping their posture perfectly straight was already beyond what most people could do. The female pastry chef gave a slight nod. She once again understood Jason''s meaning. "Trust!" "It was only after our reminder that they eliminated their doubts and chose to continue standing¡ªthis is a disy of not trusting Jason." "Just think, if we hadn''t reminded them?" "What would they have done?" Hearing the pastry chef''s exnation, Edward immediately nodded. "Indeed." "Trust." "The military is all about obedience, unconditional obedience, without trust..." Edward, with his military background, had a profound understanding of this. Suddenly, despite previously feeling that these student council members were quite good, he shook his head. And the student council members who heard the two''s conversation had a sudden realization within. They hadn''t trusted Teacher Jason enough! Yes, that''s it! If it weren''t for Giselle''s words, we would probably have been unable to resist raising our doubts by now, right? How could we still be standing here. And when Teacher Jason says we are the worst batch, it must be because the people he trained before had unconditional trust in him. Unlike us, who not only harbor doubts but also feel angry when confronted with Jason''s candid remarks. Indeed... we are the worst batch. Find more to read at mvl The student council members hung their heads in guilt, one by one. In the face of the pastry chef who had ''understood them'' once again, Jason felt no inner turmoil. He was ustomed to it. He certainly wouldn''t turn his head and say something like ''why don''t you try it'' to the other person. "Next, I will teach you..." Jason spoke again, but before he could finish, he was interrupted by a voice. "Standing here in the cold wind during winter, is this what you''re supposed to learn?" "Utterly foolish!" "Foolish are those of you learning this, even more foolish is the one teaching you!" Chapter 287: Chapter 74: The Second Arena The voice was somewhat shrill and grating on the ears. Jason turned his head and saw a girl with two followers in tow. The girl was wearing the uniform of St. Mungo''s Academy, with average features, high cheekbones, and narrow eyes, intently staring at Tedi, while her two tall and sturdy followers, despite being suited up, couldn''t conceal their muscr torsos, and exuded an unweing aura. Clearly, these two followers served the function of bodyguards. And they were quite qualified at that. At least, Jason could clearly feel that these two possessed a fierceness surpassing that of ordinary people. Simrly, the two bodyguards also sensed something extraordinary about Jason. They stared intently at Jason. Jason''s casual scrutiny had doubled the pressure on them. Almost involuntarily, they ced their hands on their waists. "What are you trying to do?" Edward walked over with his arms crossed, directly shing his police badge. Seeing the police badge in Edward''s hand, the two bodyguards'' expressions changed yet again. After exchanging a nce, one of them stepped forward and quietly gestured towards the girl with the harsh features. The girl with the harsh features frowned at first. However, she quickly resumed her disdainful demeanor. "Since you are Deputy Chief Edward?" "Then you must be that Jason mentioned in the newspapers?" "I wonder, what is Teacher Jason skilled at that he became a student council advisor?" The girl with the harsh features withdrew her resentful gaze from the female student council president and turned to look at Jason. Jason could clearly feel the faint hatred emanating from her. And it was the first time he had seen her. Without a doubt, she had transferred the resentment she held toward the female student council president onto him. As for why? Wherever there are people, there is strife. Strife arises either from interests or from differing ideologies. Or perhaps from both. Such conflicts invariably ur in any human environment and do not change with circumstances or the number of people involved. The girl before him was in conflict with the female student council president. And he? Naturally, he had been dragged into it. The female pastry chef scurried over and exined in a low voice: "She''s the youngest daughter of the Andema Family, who once ran against Tedi for student council president, and after losing by a significant margin, she''s been troubling Tedi from time to time." "Be careful, this person is very cunning." The female pastry chef warned Jason. Jason really didn''t want to get involved in the dispute between two young girls. But he was already the student council advisor. Naturally, such involvement was unavoidable. Resign from the position? Extra meals! What if he couldn''t have the extra meals prepared by the cooking teachers at St. Mungo''s Academy? And then there was the sry! He needed the sry to pay the rent for the female pastry chef and the asional meal expenses. Therefore, after nodding his head, Jason looked at the girl with the harsh features and replied, "Combat, shooting, equestrianism, and cooking." This was what Jason had previously told the female student council president about his expertise. At this moment, naturally, he wouldn''t change his answer. "Oh?" "I thought it was solving cases." "After all, you made it into the papers for your ability to solve cases, but the others?" "I''m not aware of them." The words from Andema with the harsh features carried a form of address that seemed respectful but were spoken with increasing bitterness, causing the student council members to frown. "Andema, this is the student council''s training ground." "Please leave." The female student council president rebuked, leaving no room for courtesy. They had already shed several times, and there was no need for any form of cordiality. "Leave?" "Of course, I will leave." "But before I go, I need to make sure you haven''t abused your authority," she said, pointing at Jason. "Him, I doubt his ability to serve as a student council advisor!" "Unless he proves hispetence in thebat, shooting, equestrianism, and cooking he imed to excel in." "Otherwise..." "I will choose to directly raise an objection to the dean." Andema stood her ground. "Why do I need to prove anything to you about my actions?" Tedi retorted. "If you want to raise an objection with the dean, then go ahead." "I trust my uncle will treat me fairly," the female student council president answered. "So what if your uncle is the dean?" "St. Mungo''s Academy has a board of directors, and my Andema Family also holds a seat on it." Andema, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, suddenly became irate. "Andema always believed that her loss to Tedi in the student council presidential race was because Tedi''s uncle is the dean of St. Mungo''s¡ªyet she never considered how her overbearing attitude would make it impossible for anyone to choose her," whispered the female pastry chef. At this moment, Andema seemed to have lost her sensespletely. She took off her glove and threw it down fiercely in front of the female student council president. "Duel!" "I challenge you to a duel!" bellowed Andema. "Heh," Tedi chuckled softly. "Laws of Newdeth City prohibit dueling." "Coward!" Andema red viciously at Tedi and then, as if to vent her frustration, yelled at Jason, "You too, relying on her to gain a teaching qualification, you''ll never earn the true recognition of St. Mungo''s. You''ll always watch others receive rewards on the 1st, 15th, and 30th, while all you get is finger-pointing." Having said that, Andema turned to leave. "Wait a moment." "You mentioned the 1st, 15th, and 30th reward, is it extra meals?" Jason suddenly asked. "Extra meals?" "That''s trivial, the real reward is..." "How do you want me to prove it?" Andema wanted to say more but was directly interrupted by Jason. The sharp-featured girl paused, then burst outughing. "I don''t need you to prove all four skills ¨C fighting, shooting, horsemanship, and cooking." "You just need to prove one of them." "If you dare, head to the second arena!" This time Andema didn''t linger and turned to leave. Jason turned his head to look at the female student council president. "Where is the second arena?" "It''s in the old campus area." "However, Teacher Jason¡­" "Lead the way." Jason cut off the female student council president mid-sentence, speaking decisively. It was just a single verification. Nothing was more important than an extra meal. Seeing Jason''s resolute demeanor, the female student council president furrowed her brows and, ultimately, chose topromise. She signaled for Jason to follow her. The female pastry chef and Edward naturally followed. The members of the student council also all came along. They passed the riding area, heading into the depths of St. Mungo''s Academy. After about 20 minutes and passing through a pine forest, a massive pit appeared. "This is the second arena," the female student council president said. Jason looked at the so-called ''second arena''; the huge pit before him did not look like it was purpose-built, but rather like it had been altered and restructured. Because at the bottom of the pit, Jason saw remnants of aquatic nts that would only grow at the bottom of ake. They were dry now. But Jason could confirm they were indeed aquatic nts. "Was this ake before?" "They drained theke water and then built what''s called the ''second arena''?" "Why not build a new one if it''s possible to drain theke?" Jason thought. With the current technology level of the replica world, draining such argeke was no small feat. The costs would be enormous. With such expenses, it would be better to just build anew. As he pondered, Jason continued looking around. Unlike the previous dense vegetation, there wasn''t a single nt here, just the bare, hardened yellow-earth ground, terribly simple. The group''s direction of arrival was directly above the second arena, which allowed them a clear view of the scene below. The ground, paved with square stones, was firm and solid. In the very center of the arena was arge cage covered with a ck cloth. Roaring sounds came from the cage. The previously scornful miss from the Andema family stood on the other side of the arena with an attendant. Upon seeing Jason approaching, she immediately said, "Which skill are you going to verify?" "Whichever one you choose to verify will involve what''s down there." "Of course, you can also choose to give up." Stay connected with mvl A malicious smile appeared on her face. Then, she waved her hand. The attendant inside the arena promptly pulled off the ck cloth. Instantly, louder roars echoed along with cries of shock. "A bear!" "It''s a bear!" "Andema, you''ve gone too far!" "How can a person fight against a bear?" The student council members spoke out usingly against Andema. But the scornful miss just sneered. "Humans can''t beat a bear?" "That just proves he''s too weak!" "How can such a person be a student council advisor?" "And besides..." "Did I say it had to be bare-handed?" "Isn''t Teacher Jason skilled in shooting?" "He can use a gun!" Andema scoffed again, maintaining her stance. This attitude greatly irritated the student council members. Even the normally good-tempered female pastry chef frowned. Edward red at her in anger. He knew well that ordinary small-caliber guns weren''t lethal for a bear; they would only anger it. Facing an injured and frenzied bear, anyone would likely be torn to shreds! Especially this bear. It was huge. It did not show any restraint even in its cage, on the contrary, it was increasingly ferocious. "Jason, you..." Edward was about to warn his friend instinctively. But when he turned around, he realized his friend who had just been beside him was no longer there. "Look down below!" A student council member eximed. Everyone looked. Judging from their expressions, Jason had somehow already made it into the arena below. The attendant seeing Jason appear, turned to look at the person he served. The smile that spread across the face of Andema''s youngest daughter was one of cruelty, and without hesitation, she gestured with her hand. Immediately, the attendant ran toward the exit above. In his grip was a rope. When he reached the passage and shut the door, he pulled the rope. ng! The bolt locking the cage fell to the ground. Roar! The ck bear burst out of the cage upon realizing the bars were no longer secured. Gaining its freedom, it instinctively unleashed a bellow. Then, it started rushing towards Jason without thinking. However, as it drew near and raised its head, it saw a pair of hungry, oppressive eyes¡­ Weirdly, a chill ran down its spine. Chapter 288: Chapter 75: Strong Will to Survive Above the second arena, when Jason caught sight of the ck bear in the cage for the first time, a thought instantly shed through his mind: Bear meat, does it taste good? He''d never eaten bear meat before. However, he was extremely curious about the bear itself. Because¡ª Bear meat, fat rendered into dripping, belly meat turned into bear meat broth, tendon meat skewered on sticks. Bear bones, stewed into a soup. Bear gall, bear brain, simply poured over with boiling oil. And bear paws, steamed clear. One bear was a full table''s worth of dishes. Especially now in the autumn-winter season, the bear''s abdomen was full of fat, its muscles firm; it truly was the perfect time to eat. The bear in front of him was a good two meters in length, its fur shiny, and the ''V'' shaped white spot on its chest unusually attractive, making it look particrly appetizing. "Enough for me to have a good meal!" As Jason thought, the hunger in his belly made his stomach rumble like thunder. Boom! Rumble rumble! The secretion of saliva made Jason continually swallow. The scent of a predator involuntarily emanated from him. Suddenly, the ck bear, which had been roaring ceaselessly just a moment ago, froze in ce. Instinct told the creature that it couldn''t go any further. If it did... It would be eaten! And not just eaten, but eatenpletely clean! Its eyes widened as it tried to see what exactly it was facing, but its terrible eyesight meant it could only vaguely make out a massive shadow. The bear couldn''t estimate how big the shadow was, only that it was many times its own size. But those blood-red eyes and gaping maw were all too clear to see. Particrly the sound of swallowing saliva was unmistakably clear to it. Hungry! Hungry! Hungry! The terrifying roar made the ck bear tremble all over. Suddenly, the bear had an idea. Without hesitation, it turned and ran back into its cage, even picking up the bolt and sliding it back in ce. Then, it huddled in a corner of the cage, shivering vigorously and whimpering non-stop. It was almost a howl, as if pleading for someone toe rescue it. Everyone watched this scene in disbelief. Everything had happened too fast; from the moment people saw Jason to the ck bear charging out of its cage and eagerly returning, it was only a matter of a few breaths. What had happened? Wasn''t the ck bear supposed to be tearing Jason apart? Why was it the other way around? And why was that ck bear whimpering? It was as if it had suffered some great injustice. A myriad of questions arose in everyone''s minds. Even Edward, who had his gun raised by now, was a bit slow to react. In his mind, even with his help, it would be difficult for his friend to escape danger. In fact, he had already decided to rush down and fight shoulder to shoulder with his friend. The female pastry chef was first taken aback. Then, she soon burst intoughter. "Jason, a veteran of many battles, has be strong beyondmon understanding," she said. "Honed by blood and fire, Jason possesses an aura that ordinary people do not have. He always conceals this aura, but once released, even a fierce creature like a ck bear will be intimidated," she exined to those around her. And it did seem just as the female pastry chef had said. While everyone was still stunned and slow to react, Jason approached the ck bear withrge strides. A cage? It didn''t exist to him. Nobody could stop his extra mealtime. And as Jason drew nearer, the already shivering ck bear shook even more intensely. Right when Jason''s hand touched the cage bars... Hiss! Plop! The bear defecated and urinated at once. A foul stench hit the face, and Jason instantly stopped in his tracks. His brows furrowed. Meanwhile, at the brink of life and death, the bear burst into the strongest survival instinct, unhesitatingly starting to roll back and forth in its own excrement. Jason''s brows furrowed even tighter. Finally, Jason chose to turn around and go back above. He felt somewhat reluctant to speak. This time, Jason could distinctly sense the changes around him. The look in the eyes of the student council members was no longer merely admiration but also carried threads of respect and awe. Seeing him approach, they immediately paid their respectful salutes. For these young people, a person who could scare off a ck bear with just a nce was worthy of such treatment. What was more important was that this person was also their teacher. The thought of being able to learn from such a teacher immediately thrilled the students. Edward gave a thumbs-up gesture. He was simply happy for his friend. The female pastry chef watched Jason with a smile, though with a slight frown. She guessed that Jason felt regret for not having been able to eat the bear meat. Therefore, she decided to try making a bear meat soup for Jason. She just didn''t know if the market sold bear meat. The female pastry chef thought silently to herself. Then, a voice emerged at the bottom of her heart: Yes. As if the matter was settled with a hammer''s strike, upon hearing this voice, the female pastry chef immediately smoothed her brows and smiled simply. Tedi, the female student council president, however, had a slightly moreplex expression. She was scared by Jason''s recent actions as well. Then followed the astonishment. Even though she had seen many formidable people, even those who could be called strong due to her family''s connections, none of them could scare off a ck bear with just a gaze. Uncontrobly, the student council president thought of a possibility. Of course, she would need to wait for confirmation. Until verifying whether Jason was a member of the Ghost Squad, everything was just idle talk. The youngest daughter of the Andema Family, on the other hand, had the simplest expression of all. Fear! Utter fear! For someone who focused on banquets, scheming, and chasing luxury goods, she had never encountered such a terrifying person. In her perception, the two bodyguards behind her were the strongest there could be. As for someone who could wrestle with a ck bear with their bare hands? That was simply impossible. "Don''te over!" "Don''te over!" "Keep him away from me!" The youngest daughter of the Andema Family shouted loudly, then turned and ran. The two followers, though frightened, still dutifully blocked Jason''s way. "My apologies, Lord Jason," "We are merely following orders." One of the bodyguards, clearly not wanting Jason to misunderstand, immediately exined. Jason, however, paid them no mind. He turned to the student council members and said: "Back to the riding ground." "ss." Having missed out on the bear meat, he definitely could not miss the extra food. "Yes, Teacher Jason." The already excited student council members responded eagerly, rushing back to the riding ground. As for the youngest daughter of the Andema Family? They didn''t pay her any mind at all. Though they guessed she would return just the same. In fact, upon returning to the school district, the youngest daughter of the Andema Family once again became haughty. "Damn it!" "Damn!" "That woman Tedi, and that bastard Jason!" "I must make you all understand..." She rambled to herself, ranting without restraint as she spoke. The people around her looked on in astonishment. The youngest Andema was no nobody at St. Mungo''s Academy. So immersed was she in her self-centered world that the spiteful girlpletely failed to notice a girl with ck hair cut into a mushroom style approaching from a distance. Suddenly, the onlookers who had paused nearby scattered like birds and beasts. The youngest Andema was no nobody. But the neer''s reputation was even more imposing. ''Witch'' Dadas, the senior student. The spiteful girl was awakened by a series of sharp, crow-like cackles. Looking up, she saw a twisted face. That face became even more terrifying under its crazed demeanor, and the youngest daughter of the Andema Family immediately backed away. But that cold voice followed her like a shadow, slithering like a snake around her neck and hissing at her¡ª "Did you just call Jason a bastard?" Chapter 289: Chapter 76 My Bear Life, No Regrets "No!" "It wasn''t me!" "You heard wrong!" Confronted with the terrifying ''witch'' Dadas, the youngest daughter of the Andema family nearly denied everything without thinking. There were not many people at St. Mungo''s Academy who scared her. Even in the face of the principal of St. Mungo''s, she managed to maintain her pride. Because she knew that with her family background, the other party wouldn''t really harm her. But Dadas was different. ''Witch'' Dadas was a terrifying figure who simply couldn''t be reasoned with bymon sense. At first, when faced with those rumors, she was disdainful. It was only when she tried to expose the other party to gain more prestige... that she discovered all those rumors were true. The woman before her really was a ''witch''! She really could cast curses! Subconsciously, the youngest daughter of the Andema family began to slowly back away. "It wasn''t my idea to use a bear!" "I don''t even know how the thought to test Jason with a bear came to me." "It really has nothing to do with me!" While retreating, the youngest daughter of the Andema family blurted out in panic. She truly was terrified by Dadas standing before her. "Ga ga ga." The sharp, piercingughter sounded again. Following that was the dreadful curse from Dadas¡ª "How dare you speak ill of my best friend! It seems you want to experience what it''s like to be gued by fear, and now! Let me cast a spell to help you rediscover the fear and awe you are missing in your disgusting soul born from ignorance, arrogance, prejudice, and jealousy! Gunheianzhishensha-k-k-k-tqi!" "Ga ga ga! Feel the curse!" "This is the punishment for insulting my best friend!" With sharp, piercingughter, Dadas turned and walked away. She was worried about her only friend, Jason. A bear! They actually used a bear! The only ce where one could leave a bear... The second arena! Dadas quickly thought of the only ce that could fit a bear and avoid most students'' eyes. After all, if someone truly entered from the main gate of the academy, it would surely cause a spectacle, and she would definitely know. Dadas hurried away. Meanwhile, the youngest daughter of the Andema family stood stiffly in ce. "I''m cursed!" "I''m cursed!" She murmured to herself, her face full of fear, and what scared her even more was that when she tried to go home, she suddenly felt tripped by something. But there was clearly nothing in front of her! The curse hade! Just likest time! No, even more horrific than before! Go home! I need to find Dad! The youngest daughter of the Andema family scrambled desperately to get away, falling several times in the process, but she couldn''t care less about the pain. People around looked at this scene and couldn''t help but snicker quietly. The youngest daughter of the Andema was certainly no likable character; everyone was happy to see her misfortune. Only... Looking at Dadas''s retreating back, people couldn''t help but feel afraid. And some gossips started to specte. "Is senior Dadas really a ''witch''?" "Not just a ''witch,'' but a malicious one at that!" "She secretly sucks people''s blood." "And also..." p! p! p! p! The gossipers who wanted to say more were interrupted by sudden ps. Her eyes widened in shock, as did herpanions''. No one before her had moved a muscle. The ps hade from the air itself. This was... "Curse! It''s a curse!" "Dadas''s curse!" The people who had just been gathered together had scattered like birds and beasts. Dadas didn''t pay any attention to themotion behind her, she almost ran all the way to the second arena. But by this time, the second arena was already empty of people. Only a bear remained. A bear huddled in a cage, covered in urine and feces, shivering profusely. "Is this... a bear?" Dadas looked at the bear. The bear before hercked any semnce of the grandeur of one of the terrestrial overlords, it only exhibited fearfulness, pitifulness, and helplessness. "You must be terrified, huh?" "Was it that detestable woman from the Andema family who mistreated you?" "Don''t worry, I taught her a lesson for you." Dadas spoke to the ck bear through the bars of the cage. And the ck bear kept shivering, its eyes incessantly gazing past Dadas, its poor vision just about making out the terrifying presence behind the human girl. Not as frightening as that human male from a moment ago. But the figure was equally filled with murderous intent. It knew very clearly that if it dared show even a hint of malice towards this girl, it would be done for. Quickly, the instinct to survive made it lie down in the cage, exposing its belly to the girl, and then, it kept wagging its body, a dopey, ingratiating expression on the bear''s face. "Oh, what a good little bear!" "But... so dirty." "You wait here." Dadas said and ran off. The ck bear in the cage, seeing Dadas leave, let out a sigh of relief. The world of humans is terrifying. I want to go back to the forest. The forest has honey. Theke has fish. And in the cave, there''s a she-bear. Hm? Why is my mind so clear? Have I be smarter? Did fear break open my gic lock, allowing me to evolve? Random pieces of information flooded into the ck bear''s brain, making it feel drowsy. The next moment, ity sprawled on the ground. When it awoke again, it was covered in a chilling sensation. It opened its eyes in confusion and saw that girl, holding a bucket and a brush, scrubbing it clean. The gate of the cage was also open. Instinctively, it wanted to run away. Then the murderous intent reappeared. Instantly, its legs gave out, and the bear, which had just stood up, kneeled before Dadas. "Are you thanking me?" Dadas asked in surprise. The ck bear quickly shook its head; it was just scared. "So you''re kneeling in front of me, ready to follow me?" Dadas asked curiously. The ck bear was about to shake its head again, but the invisible presence whispered in its ear: Obey! Or die! Without any hesitation, the ck bear nodded immediately. "Such a good bear!" "No, since you''re following me, Dadas," "You need a name¡ª" "Tibbers!" "From now on, you''re called Tibbers!" "Tibbers, let''s go!" Dadas issued a rare burst of cheerfulughter, she directly mounted the bear''s back, and with a p on the bear''s head. The ck bear immediately obeyed and began to run. Under the winter''s warm sun, Dadas''s crispughter echoed inside the second arena. And then... There were tears in the corners of the ck bear''s eyes. It was aggrieved, ufortable, and couldn''t help wanting to cry. Soon, the joyful Dadas was no longer satisfied with just running around the second arena. Because she wanted to share her joy. "Tibbers, to the stables, I''ll take you to meet my only friend." Chapter 290: Chapter 77 The Correct Way of Teaching After returning to the stables, Edward said goodbye to Jason and the female pastry chef first. As the deputy head of the special operations unit and temporarily in charge of the police station affairs, he really didn''t have more time to waste. "Although I feel like we could meet four or five times a day," "I still want to say ''goodbye''." Edward said. "Mm." Jason nodded. "Goodbye." The female pastry chef waved goodbye. After watching Edward leave, the female pastry chef stood in ce and watched Jason walk towards the neatly arrayed student council members. "Barehanded Combat, horsemanship, and cooking, which would you like to start with?" Jason asked earnestly. Since he was getting paid and had taken on the role of teacher for these student council members, he naturally needed to earn his substantial weekly sry. Of course, that included extra meals! "I''ve already applied for firearms training," "but I''m not very hopeful." "Newdeth City''sws on firearms are very strict." The female student president came over and said this. Then, she asked Jason: "Can we start with Martial Arts?" "Of course." Jason nodded. Immediately, the student council members'' eyes lit up. They had been eager to witness the Martial Arts of the battlefield. However, Jason didn''t show them anything. Instead, he pointed towards the wooden dummies in the distance, and said, "Practice as you do in your regr training, go through it once." Having learned from previous lessons, the student council members didn''t hesitate at all, and they immediately ran over to put on hand bindings and gloves to start practicing together. Ha! Bang, bang bang! Ha! Bang, bang bang! With over thirty people executing each move and form with precision, Jason watched and nodded slightly. They were all quite good, basically reaching a basic level, with a few even at the beginner level. Obviously, they had put in effort. And their shorings? Just as they had said, theycked actualbat experience. And... They weren''t strong enough! p, p. Jason pped his hands to signal everyone to stop. Then, he walked straight towards a wooden dummy. Suddenly, everyone''s eyes were fixed on Jason, hoping to see different techniques from him. Without drawing a breath or taking a stance, Jason approached the dummy, aimed for its head, and threw a punch. Crack! A crisp sound, and the wooden section representing the dummy''s neck connecting the head and the torso shattered. "This punch represents Strength," As his words were still hanging in the air, Jason''s robust frame moved cat-like to the dummy''s side and kicked at the wood representing the dummy''s leg. Crack! Another crisp sound followed as the wood of the dummy''s leg also splintered. "This kick represents Speed." Then, as Jason spoke, he suddenly reached out to where the dummy''s wrist would be, yanked and twisted it. Crack! This time it was a single sharp sound, but all the student council members could already see the wood representing the dummy''s wrist hanging down limp like a rope. "This is Technique." Jason stood next to the dummy and said indifferently. Hiss! Seeing the dummy now missing its head, with a broken arm and leg, the surrounding student council members involuntarily drew a sharp breath. They couldn''t help but envision themselves in the dummy''s ce. Their minds naturally conjured the image of their own miserable state. Suddenly, a few students who thought highly of themselves and had hoped to spar with Jason retracted their necks and fell silent. Observing the silent students before him, Jason inwardly frowned. Why isn''t anyone asking to spar? Was my demonstration not clear enough? Or is theirprehension just too poor? Jason, deep in thought, was about to call the roll. And at this moment¡ª "Charge, Tibbers!" "Hahaha." Laughter echoed through the area, and as everyone turned their heads, they saw Dadas riding atop a ck bear, running towards them from a distance. "It''s, it''s Senior Dadas!" Joel eximed in surprise. But at this moment, no one paid any attention to the scribe. Everyone''s gaze was captivated by Dadas. Including the female student council president. To be able to ride a bear?! The female student council president wore a look of amazement on her face. She knew about Dadas, a senior who seemed terrifying but was actually harmless. Therefore, she didn''t pay it much mind. It was just that the scene before her made the female student council president narrow her eyes. She knew she must have been negligent. Someone who could ride a bear surely was no ordinary person. A thorough investigation was necessary! The female student council president thought silently. The president was surprised, but the people around her were horrified. Their fear of Dadas had now intensified into sheer terror. The rumors that a ''witch'' had her own ''familiar'' lingered in their minds; could this bear be Senior Dadas''s familiar? But why did this bear look so familiar? People silently pondered. Tibbers, under Dadas''smand and Sprinting forward, once again saw that terrifying figure through his blurry eyes. Oh! No! Why is it this man again? It seems that while I gained intelligence, I sacrificed my luck! Oh! Heaven! He''s looking at me! His gaze has changed! What do I do? No! I can''t be eaten! A deep-rooted fear caused Tibbers to lock his forelimbs and squat down. Suddenly, the bear''s forward charge turned into a screeching halt. Chhh! The tremendous kic energy kicked up piles of dirt from the ground, umting at Jason''s feet before finally settling down. When the ck bear raised its head, it saw Jason, who was just a stone''s throw away. The instincts branded within its being told it what it should do now. The next moment¡ª The bear once again let loose a flow of feces and urine. "Ah? Tibbers, why are you relieving yourself everywhere!" Dadas cried out in shock and jumped down from Tibbers, ready to clean up the excrement¡ªbelieving it was her responsibility as Tibbers''s owner, much like carrying a scoop and bag to clean up after a dog while walking it. But just as she stepped away from her pet bear, Tibbers rolled around in his feces and urine once again. Jason frowned. The hunger in his eyes disappeared once more. It was just too disgusting, and he couldn''t bring himself to eat. "Tibbers was being so smart just now." "Maybe he''s not used to being around so many people?" "Poor guy, he''s been tormented by that bad woman from the Andema family for too long, now he''s scared of strangers." "Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of you." Dadas exined to Jason and then patted the bear''s head. "Tibbers,e with me." "I''ll take you to get washed." The horse stable had hoses for washing horses, connected to rubber tubes. It was also suitable for washing a ck bear at this time. Tibbers couldn''t wait to get far away from Jason and immediately started following behind Dadas. "So well-behaved!" "Damn, is it any wonder she''s Senior Dadas?" The student council members murmured among themselves. Jason, however, suddenly had an idea on how to demonstrate Barehanded Combat better and more urately to these not-too-bright students. He walked in front of everyone and straightforwardly said¡ª "Do you know how to fight a bear with your bare hands?" Chapter 291: Chapter 78 The Naive Young Tibbers Fighting a bear? The Student Council members were stunned. And Tibbers, who was being rinsed under the water pipe, suddenly shivered. He looked at the water pipe in confusion. The water isn''t cold, is it? For him, with his thick fur, let alone tap water, even the ice-cold cial water wouldn''t matter to him. Could it be... Subconsciously, Tibbers turned his head towards Jason. At that moment, Jason was also looking at him. Suddenly¡ª Tsh! "Ah! Tibbers, why are you peeing everywhere again?" Dadas pped her pet bear in annoyance. Tibbers looked at Dadas with teary eyes. He didn''t want to either. It was just that the man was too scary. He simply couldn''t control himself. Thismotion had once again prolonged Tibbers'' rinsing time. In the meantime, Tibbers wanted to run away. But he didn''t dare to. Although the frightening presence behind the woman had disappeared when they arrived at the horse field, there was still that even more terrifying man. If Tibbers ran, he''d surely be eaten, right? As for that terrifying presence behind the woman? It must be scared of that even more terrifying man! Fearing it would be eaten! So it had vanished! Truly bullying the weak and fearing the strong! While thinking this, Tibbers affectionately rubbed against Dadas. This woman was his amulet, he had to please her. And as for the so-called master? How could that be? I, Tibbers, swear to never be enved! "Gross, you got my clothes wet, Tibbers." Dadas patted the bear''s head. She meticulously dried off the ck bear''s fur, then once again led the ck bear back to the center of the horse field. Tibbers was reluctant but didn''t dare to refuse. When Jason''s gaze swept over him again, a switch inside Tibbers subconsciously rxed. But nothing happened. Oh no! The inventory was empty! Tibbers'' bear face stiffened, and just as he wondered what to do, Jason had already said to Dadas, "I''m demonstrating barehandedbat to them, and I hope... Tibbers could be my sparring partner." Tibbers? What a strange name. Wollbear sounds much nicer. Jason recalled the somewhat tongue-twisting name with a bit of effort. "No problem." Facing her friend''s request, Dadas readily agreed. The ck bear by her side teared up once again. Oh no! He must want to eat me under the guise of a demonstration! Master, save me! Tibbers howled. But Dadas just gently tapped his head. "Remember, you need to ovee and conquer the difficulties!" "Only then can you face the fear in your heart!" "And only then can you approach a new bear life!" Dadas spoke earnestly. The ck bear cried. He wasn''t afraid of difficulties, but he was scared of being eaten. A new bear life? Do I even have a life left? Morosely, a touch of grey-white appeared on the ck bear. However, he soon realized that Jason didn''t seem all that interested in him. Although the hunger in his eyes flickered asionally, frightening him, there was no action of swallowing saliva. Is it because of my master? The ck bear thought silently. Then, the feeling of having narrowly escaped disaster welled up in his heart. He had survived... A strong arm suddenly tightened around his neck. He wanted to struggle. But the faint aura Jason emitted from behind him made him freeze in ce. And his arms were too short to reach the person behind. The feeling of suffocation emerged. Its eyes began to flicker with scenes from when it was still a little bear. Back then, the sky was blue. The flowers were pretty. The grass was a verdant green. The older bears kept telling it that there existed a human world outside the forest, a ce where you could eat freely and safely. The young bear believed it. But now? Its bear life was shrouded in darkness. Those rotten old bears were so bad! Just like a revolvingntern, scene after scene passed before Tibbers'' eyes until¡ª "Tibbers? Tibbers?" It was the calling of its master. Had she been eaten too? Very likely. After all, she looked so delicious. Tibbers opened his eyes groggily and then saw Dadas, and also heard the man uttering some extremely terrifying words. "Do you see?" "A bear''s arms are short; they can''t reach someone behind them." "Therefore, when fighting a bear, just circle to its back, strangle its neck, cut off blood to its brain, and induce unconsciousness, and you will have won the final victory." Jason looked at the bewildered Student Council members in front of him, exining very seriously. "However, before that, you need to learn to judge!" "Judge when the right moment to strike is!" "And this is the essence of Barehanded Combat!" Saying this, Jason turned his head to look at the recently awakened ck bear. "Come at me, attack!" Jason said. Tibbers shook his head again and again. "Hurry up." Jason''s expression darkened. Tibbers bore a hesitant look on his bear face. "Do you want to be eaten?" Hunger glinted in Jason''s eyes. Suddenly, Tibbers roared, stood on its hind legs, and its broad bear paws swiped at Jason. With a swift duck, Jason slipped under the bear''s paw. Then... Tibbers felt the sensation of suffocation once again. Thump. The unconscious ck bear heavily fell to the ground. Jason released his arms and again looked towards the Student Council members. "Make sure you''re watching." "This is the essence of Barehanded Combat: seizing the moment." "Now, who wants to go first?" Jason asked. The Student Council members looked at each other, nervously swallowing their saliva. Although Jason''s narration was clear, his movements were too fast, they hadn''t seen them clearly at all, only witnessing the ck bear repeatedly falling unconscious to the ground. "Teacher Jason." At that moment, the female Student Council president stepped forward. "Tedi? Very good." "As expected of the Student Council president." "Now go and fight a round with Tibbers." Jason nodded. The smile on the female Student Council president''s face stiffened. Your next read awaits at mvl You''re getting back at me, aren''t you? You must be hoping for my demise, right? How could I possibly win against a ck bear? The female Student Council president took a deep breath, calming her heart, and then clearly stated, "Teacher Jason, you misunderstand my intention; I am not challenging Tibbers, but proposing to you." "Although you exined very clearly, I didn''t see your movements just now, except for when you strangled Tibbers into unconsciousness." "Everything happened too quickly." The words of the female Student Council president immediately resonated with others. "Yes." "It was too quick." "We didn''t see it clearly." The Student Council members each spoke up. And Joel even bowed deeply on behalf of everyone. "Sorry, Teacher Jason, I had questioned your words before, and now I admit that we are the worst batch you have ever taught." "Sorry, Teacher Jason." "Please demonstrate a few more times." The remaining Student Council members bowed in unison. Jason frowned. Then, he waved his hand. "So I''ll demonstrate a few more times." The recently awakened Tibbers just happened to hear this sentence. Suddenly, the ck bear''s eyes rolled back, and it fainted once again. Chapter 292: Chapter 79 The True. Jasons Powerful Secret After being choked unconscious for the neenth time, Jason''s fighting lesson came to an end¡ªfor now. Not because the members of the St. Mungo''s Academy Student Council had learned anything, but because... it was lunchtime. "This afternoon, we''ll continue," Jason instructed earnestly. Then he turned and quickly walked toward the cafeteria. Jason had never been to the St. Mungo''s Academy cafeteria. But! The smell of food was enough to guide him there. "Wait for me, Jason," the female pastry chef called as she chased after him. Phew! Watching Jason leave, all the Student Council members breathed a sigh of relief. Experience tales with mvl He was just too strict. How could normal people possibly fight a bear? Even though the bear seemed pretty weak. Sympathy involuntarily arose in the Student Council members as they watched Tibbers stumble around weakly upon regaining consciousness. And when the ck bear that had woken up realized that Jason had finally gone, it immediately buried its head in senior Dadas''s embrace, seeking thefort of its owner. Scared to death, bear! I thought I was a goner! No! I''ve been on the brink of death neen times! Never again will I be a bear in my next life! Who would be willing to endure such a miserable bear life? Come on, take it! Ovee by sadness, Tibbers could no longer hold back his tears and started crying with a great wail. Dadas couldn''t help but pat her pet bear''s head. The surrounding Student Council members couldn''t help but feelpassion. "Does Tibbers eat honey, senior Dadas?" "Should I bring him some honey this afternoon?" Joel took the initiative to ask. "Right, bears like to eat fish." "Does Tibbers like fish?" Novie also chimed in. Honey?! Fish?! The ck bear that had been howling a moment before perked up its ears, immediately stopped crying, and lifted its bear face, looking pleadingly at the voices of the secretary and the discipline head. "I''ve only just adopted Tibbers, so I''m not quite sure," "But, whatever bears eat, Tibbers should too, right?" Dadas was somewhat uncertain. She was allergic to fur and had never kept any small animals. Huh? I''m allergic to fur, so why can I ride Tibbers? Could it be that Tibbers''s fur is coarser? Dadas was a bit confused. The female Student Council president, on the other hand, pped her hands. "Tibbers has provided invaluable help to our training," "I''ve decided that the Student Council will cover Tibbers''s food," "Does anyone have any objections?" the female Student Council president asked. "No!" "No!" With the female Student Council president''s suggestion, the members naturally wouldn''t object. Moreover, Tibbers just looked too pitiful. "Alright, everyone go eat..." The female Student Council president began to dere a break, but before she could finish, something crossed her mind, and suddenly, her face froze. She immediately shouted to everyone: "Quick, to the cafeteria!" "Hurry up!" "Speed!" The Student Council members were stunned. They rarely saw their president loseposure like this. Had something unexpected urred in the cafeteria? That seemed unlikely. The academy''s security was quite capable. Plus, Teacher Jason had just gone to the cafeteria. With Teacher Jason there, how could there possibly be an ident? Everyone couldn''t help but think so. However, out of trust for the female Student Council president, they all started running at top speed. Dadas was the fastest. Not because she was quick, but because she was riding Tibbers, and Tibbers was fast. At this moment, Tibbers seemed to have forgotten all about fear. In its mind, there was only¡ª Honey~ Fish~ For Tibbers, who mainly ate nt leaves, buds, fruits, and seeds, and asionally insects, bird eggs, or small animals, honey and fish were rare delicacies. So, it ran even faster. He was almost the first to arrive near the cafeteria. Then, there was a sudden stop. Once again, it felt that man''s presence. More terrifying than any time before. Unable to help itself, it looked up, and through its blurry vision, it saw the immense ck figure crouched on top of the cafeteria, its gaping mouth consuming everything voraciously, roaring incessantly. Mine! Mine! All mine! Whoever darese over, I''ll eat them! Receiving such a clear signal, Tibbers instantly froze, its internal switch triggered once again. Unfortunately, it was out of stock long ago. "Tibbers, what''s wrong with you?" "Oh!" "You''re scared you might frighten the others, right?" "Then sit here, I''ll go get you some food." Dadas patted her pet bear, then quickly understood what Tibbers was thinking. After that, she walked toward the cafeteria. St. Mungo''s Academy''s cafeteria had two floors, both serving dining areas, but the first floor offeredplimentary food while the second required payment. Naturally, the food on the second floor was more delicious than that on the first. However, most people still chose the first floor. Only on special days would they opt for the second floor. At this moment, Jason was on the first floor. He stood at the window with a tray while the cafeteriady scooped food onto his te with a shake of her spoon, again and again. "We can''t waste food here!" The cafeteriady reminded him. Then she watched as Jason swept across the tray with the speed of the wind and the quickness of lightning, his mouth wide open. The tray was as clean as new, as if it had been washed. "What did you say?" Jason asked, turning around. "No, nothing." "Would you like another helping?" The cafeteriady asked with a nervous chuckle. "Of course!" "The taste of the food here is much better than at the police station." "I think I could eat five..." "Five portions?" "Youth is great." The chef beside him remarked in admiration. After smiling at the chef serving him food, Jason said, "Fifty portions." The chef''s hand trembled. "Young man, joking is not nice." "How can one person eat fifty portions?" "Even for an eating champion, ten portions is terribly impressive." The chef thought Jason was joking. Jason did not answer. Actions speak louder than words. Besides, with food right in front of him, where did he have time to talk? When Dadas entered the cafeteria, Jason was on his tenth portion. When the members of the student council arrived, Jason was on his twentieth portion. Everyone watched Jason, their eyes wide and mouths agape. "Food provides the energy required for essential activities!" "And if you exercise a lot, it will increase this consumption, so you need arge intake!" "Jason has just done a great deal of exercise, so he needs to eat even more." "Moreover, it''s proven that eating more,bined with exercise, can make you stronger and taller." The female pastry chef exined on the side. Eating more and exercising more makes one strong? Is this the secret to Teacher Jason''s strength? The student council members paused for a moment, then raced towards the trays, silent all of a sudden. As long as you can eat, you can be strong! If you''re not strong enough, it''s because you haven''t eaten enough! I will eat even more! I want to be a man (or woman) who can wrestle with a bear! Somehow, inspired by the pastry chef''s exnation, such beliefs surged within the student council members. In no time, the young people began what they thought was their journey to bing strong. Suddenly, the cafeteria was filled with nothing but the sound of serving up more food. What remained? Just the sharp noises of cutlery scraping against tes. And while everyone was focused on their own food, a figure appeared in the cafeteria, moving unnoticed towards the female student council president, and as they passed by, slipped a note discreetly into the president''s hand. The student council president ced the note under the table and looked down to read. Chapter 293: Chapter 80: As Clever as Me The note was only as wide as a finger. The front read: No contact. The back read: Trust temporarily. After reading it, the female student council president crumpled the note into a ball and stuffed it into her pocket. Even though it was barely recognizable, burning it was the best step to take, not carelessly tossing it into a trash bin. "It has nothing to do with the ''Ghost Squad''." "Can we trust it temporarily?" The female student council president subconsciously looked toward Jason. When she saw Jason stand up to get more food once again, the corner of her mouth twitched. How much had he eaten already? Enough for thirty people? Or even more? Is this a rice bucket? No! A bucket wouldn''t be enough; this is a rice silo! Silo as in warehouse! Although she knew she should be thinking about how to approach Jason next, just watching Jason consume food portion after portion made her feel an uncontroble surge of emotion in her chest and abdomen. Keep calm! Tedi, you need to stay calm! You''ve already prepared yourself to sell your car to subsidize the academy. Don''t think about anything else. "Joel, please inform Mr. Jason after he finishes eating toe to the student council president''s office, I have some matters I''d like to discuss with him in detail," she told the secretary. She was well aware that watching Jason eat in the cafeteria was not conducive to calmness. "Yes, President!" Joel replied while shoveling food into his mouth voraciously. Seeing the secretary who had already eaten the portions of two people, the female student council president wanted to remind, but in the end, she just shook her head. She didn''t want to dampen the assistant''s enthusiasm. If ites to it... maybe buy some stomach medicine? Deep in thought, the female student council president returned to her own office. As the student council president of St. Mungo''s Academy, she had an independent office. On the sixth floor of the Bishop''s building, room 36. Next door was the dean''s conference room. The rest were several conference rooms with different functions. However, the dean of St. Mungo''s Academy rarely appeared in the academy, and the conference rooms were not often used, so most of the time, this floor was managed by the student council. Once seated in her own chair, the female student council president could finally think clearly. "The Silver Federation has almostpletely purged the ''Mystical Side'' from the popce!" "And as a civilian, Jason could not possiblye into contact with the official ''Mystical Side'' institutions, so he must have encountered the ''Mystical Side'' on the battlefield." "Is it those Bizarre entities?" "If that''s the case..." "Then we''re in trouble." The female student council president couldn''t help but sigh. Encountering those terrifying Bizarre entities gives one some knowledge; this much the Silver Federation had confirmed. But such encounters are not without cost. Theye with a heavy price. For most, it''s death. For the few, madness. Jason... The female student council president subconsciously thought of the words she had seen written on his profile: suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. "Relying on a strong will to stay calm for now?" "But still an unstable factor." "Unable to coborate deeply." After tapping the desk a few times, the female student council president came to a preliminary conclusion. Just then, her office door was suddenly pushed open. The female student council president didn''t get angry but looked toward the person entering. She knew her family''s servants would never do so without good reason. "Miss." "An urgent situation." "Someone has put up a high bounty on the ck Market." The person reported. "How much?" The female student council president asked. "500,000!" "What?!" Even with preparation, the female student council president was shocked at this point. "Have you traced the source?" The female student council president inquired. "The bounty was ced through an intermediary. We''ve investigated this person and found no records whatsoever. Moreover, the bounty they''ve ced is ''to find the person cing a bounty on Miss Giselle''!" The servant replied. The female student council president furrowed her brows at this time. "Giselle''s bounty is 50,000." "Then there''s another 500,000 reward for finding the person who put a bounty on Giselle." "Have you investigated Giselle?" The student council president turned and asked. "We have, she''s clean, but sometimes she falls asleep for no reason..." "Don''t worry about that, Giselle had an ident once, it''s a seque." "It seems like Giselle is just an ordinary woman, so..." "Is it still Jason?" The student council president waved her hand to interrupt the servant''s report and then, fell into deep thought. The servant did not disrupt her contemtion. Not until the student council president raised her head again did he ask, "Miss, what should we do?" "Let''s wait and see." "Newdeth City is no longer the Decheng of the past." "We need to be extremely cautious." "And..." "Help me investigate Dadas¡ªbe careful, she is likely a person from the ''Mystical Side.''" The student council president instructed. "Yes, Miss." The servant bowed and quickly left. After the servant''s departure, only the student council president remained in the office. She pondered once more. "Jason hasn''t juste into contact with the ''Bizarre.'' Discover exclusive tales on mvl Moreover, he must have also made contact with the normal ''Mystical Side.'' Only this could exin the additional 500,000 bounty, which ordinary organizations simply couldn''t afford, especially in Newdeth City where such arge amount of funds moving couldn''t possibly escape my notice." "This could also exin why Jason is still alive and well." "A strong personal will and the teachings of some organization of the ''Mystical Side.'' "Which organization might that be?" "Is cooperation possible?" The student council president silently mulled over this. Such contemtion continued until Jason knocked on the door¡ª Knock, knock knock. "Come in," said the student council president as she stood up from her chair. Jason pushed the door and entered. "I won''te in," the female baker said with self-awareness in a low voice. Jason nodded. The student council president, however, showed a smile of apology. Then, the room door slowly closed. A harsh expression immediately appeared on the baker''s face. Damn ''Prus'' heir! Just you wait! I''ll make you pay! The next moment, the baker looked around, somewhat confused. Did I zone out again? She thought to herself quietly. Meanwhile, inside the room, after Jason sat down, the student council president spoke up neatly. "Teacher Jason, I know your identity." The student council president said with great certainty. Her expression conveyed a sense of ease and confidence. My identity? Do I have an identity that even I am unaware of? Jason was taken aback, and then without saying much, he simply watched the student council president quietly. "You''ve experienced the Bizarre!" "Probably those not recorded in the files." "At the same time, you were lucky enough to encounter an organization from the ''Mystical Side'' with a bottom line, and that''s why you were able to survive." "Please rest assured, I have no intention of probing into the peculiar experiences you''ve had, nor will I inquire about the ''Mystical Side'' organization you belong to." "I''d simply like to engage in deepermunication and cooperation with you." The student council president said slowly. However, after a pause in her speech, she spoke again. "Of course, if you''re willing to share more with me, I would be delighted¡ªlikewise, I will share with you some secrets you are unaware of, as an exchange." "Fair enough." After nodding, Jason said, "Ie from..." "The Night Watcher." Chapter 294: Chapter 81: Secret Treasure? (Added for Alliance Leader Yun Cangfeng~) Night Watcher? The female student council president was stunned. The name of the Mystical Side organization she remembered did not include this one. Before the female student council president could open her mouth to ask, Jason continued¡ª "In the darkness, we harbor the light!" "All is illusion, all is permitted!" "The long night ising, and from this moment on, I shall stand watch, eternal¡­" "Night Watcher." Mixed with the true Night Watchers'' phrases and some other words he recalled, Jason blurted out an oath. Moreover, Jason used the Dufol Language. Jason''s face was solemn. In his mind, the scene that unfolded as he became a Night Watcher automatically surfaced. An aura belonging to ''night'' began to emerge. Jason stood there. The entire office seemed to be under a starry sky. Tranquil, serene. The female student council president immediately stood up again. With an equally solemn expression, she said: "Between light and darkness, there is a strength that never changes." "Amidst purity and decay, there is a strength that ascends." "War, hunger, poverty, make that strength evesting." "Peace, abundance, wealth, make that strength precious." "Courage!" "Justice!" "Fearlessness!" "Sacrifice!" "In the testimony of the dawn, we fear nothing!" "The Prus Family has seen the Night Watcher, under the witness of Chen Xi." Thenguage she spoke was no longer themon tongue. It was, repeated, the Dufol Language. As her words concluded, the female student council president performed an extremely intricate ritual. In this ceremony, a thriving and unyielding aura began to emerge. Jason responded with the courtesy of a Night Watcher likewise. At this moment, the female student council president had no more doubts. The Dufol Language. The oath. The ceremony. It was possible to fake one of these things, but to fake all three at the same time was far more difficult. Especially the Dufol Language and the aura it represented. Therefore, the Night Watchers must be an extremely old organization. It was unrecognized to public knowledge. It was precisely for this reason that it had avoided the ''Silver Federation''s'' purges. With this thought, the female student council president showed a smile. It was a closer smile, not just a matter of ritual or politeness. Jason deserved such a gesture. Especially since there was an organization from the Mystical Side behind him that understood the importance of adhering to boundaries. The recent oath was enough to inform her that the Night Watchers were the allies she desperately needed. "Newdeth City is in chaos now." "The Ghost Squad hase for a ''treasure'' that doesn''t exist." "The Prus Family has fought them several times, with varying oues." "The upper echelon of the ''Silver Federation'' is happy to see such a situation unfold; they hope my family and the ''Ghost Squad'' inflict mutual damage. To this end, they keep releasing either real or fake news, and moreover, have dispatched people like Edward¡ªI hold no animosity or contempt, but Director Edward truly doesn''t understand the ''Mystical Side.''" "His arrival?" "Is nothing but a discardable pawn of the ''Silver Federation''s'' higher-ups." Facing an ally in dire need, the female student council president did not hold back. As a matter of fact, she thought it was unnecessary to conceal information. Because she believed Jason knew about these things, especially when she saw Jason''s calm demeanor, she felt even more certain that he was aware of them. And as Jason maintained his calm facade, his thoughts were whirling swiftly. In other words, the ''Ghost Squad'' never seriously considered Edward or me. They were only incidental. It was the Prus Family that they were truly shing with. Secret treasure? Jason subconsciously thought of the drainedke that had been transformed into the secondpetition arena, and then, his eyes narrowed as he suddenly thought of the gas explosion incident reported in a corner of the newspaper. It must have been a disguise for the rivalry. Otherwise, such a frequency of gas explosions would be too frequent. As for the mutual victories and defeats? This sudden change of attitude came with eagerness. Clearly, the situation was not favorable for the Prus Family. With several pieces of valuable information, Jason continued to maintain hisposure and slowly said, "I did note for the ''Ghost Squad''." "It was merely an ident that I encountered Giselle." "Only then did those events unfold." The girl student council president smiled again upon hearing information that matched her own investigation. As a member of the ''Night Watcher'' organization, Jason of course had no ties to Giselle¡ªit was just an ident, a kind-hearted Giselle that led Jason, a ''Night Watcher'', to lend a helping hand. This once again proved the ''Night Watcher''s'' proceedings. As for noting because of the ''Ghost Squad''? She believed that too. The people from the ''Mystical Side'' who came here couldn''t have possiblye for the ''Ghost Squad''. But rather... Secret treasure! That legendary, supposedly non-existent secret treasure. Discover stories with mvl "Is the ''Night Watcher'' also interested in the legendary treasure, the ''Starry Sky Chanted Name''?" "As a member of the Chen Xi Family, we have always been searching, a search that could be traced back to when St. Mungo''s Academy was still known as St. Paul''s Church School." "Since my ancestor, Jimmy Pruss, started it, to this day, a full three hundred years have passed, but nothing has been found," said the student council president, taking a deep breath. Then, she continued, "In fact, my great-grandfather gave up on such a search and instead shifted to better managing the family business." "If it hadn''t been for the ''Silver Federation'' stirring up this incident, our family would have almost forgotten that we ''owned'' such a treasure." In her words, the girl student council president had a self-mocking smile. Although the student council president did not disclose what the Prus Family had gone through in their search for this treasure, her expression said it all. However, Jason''s attention remained on the secret treasure. ''Starry Sky Chanted Name''! Just the name sounded delicious! It made him subconsciously think of the ''Starry Splendor'' bestowed upon him by the old lord. It was just a question of whether to consume it directly? Or perhaps to steam it? Suppressing the urge to swallow his saliva, Jason used his words as a cover. "I understand." "But my mission is to search for the ''Starry Sky Chanted Name'', please understand." "This is also why I came to Newdeth City." Jason appeared sincere. "Of course." "After all, it is a rumored treasure that can transcend everything." "I understand." The student council president nodded her head, and then, she changed the topic. "However, it once belonged to the Chen Xi Prus Family, although we have now given up on it, this fact still exists. I will not stop you from searching, but I hope you, as a ''Night Watcher'', can abide by the rules of the Chen Xi Prus Family." "As long as it doesn''t go against my principles, I am happy to adhere," Jason replied. "Good!" "I have a very important clue here. I wonder if you, as a ''Night Watcher'', would like to hear it?" "Of course, this will require reciprocal exchange." "We are already in opposition to the ''Ghost Squad.'' You can exchange it with the heads of ''Ghost Squad'' members, or if you are not adept at fighting, you can also trade with secret techniques or rare materials," said the student council president, nodding her head. Secret techniques, rare ingredients for exchange? Jason immediately gave a positive answer. "I choose the former." "Indeed, I have not misjudged you." "You have chosen the option that I am most pleased to see, so I can inform you of this clue in advance!" The girl student council president paused, and although she did not believe in the existence of the secret treasure, the honor of her family still made her tone solemn once more. She said¡ª "Wedding." Chapter 295: Chapter 82 The Comfortable Afternoon Starts with Exercise… Another wedding? Jason frowned. With Gerard''s experience as a precedent, he had no expectations for attending weddings. Wedding = Trouble! That was Jason''s most direct feeling. Moreover, when a wedding involved a ''secret treasure'', Jason couldn''t help but imagine little stories like ''It must be two pure blood members of the Prus Family marrying, but because one of the purebloods fell in love with amoner, the ''secret treasure'' failed to activate, leading to irreversible negative changes''. As if sensing the little theater in Jason''s mind, the female student council president showed an awkward but polite adult smile. "The things you''re thinking of have happened before," she said. "But before that, there were also sessful weddings, and not just one couple." "Yet the ''secret treasure'' ultimately did not appear." "Especially when..." "So, I believe it''s fake." The female student council president suddenly paused, ending her statement there. Obviously, some things could not be mentioned openly. Jason tactfully did not inquire further. Although they now had a so-called ''alliance'', it was only just formed and still at the verbal stage. Without any substantial progress, Jason was very clear about his own position. Of course, he was also very interested in the possible gains before him. "You said before that you would exchange secret techniques and rare materials." "Is this exchange method a one-way street?" "Or is it mutual?" Jason asked. "Of course it''s mutual," she replied. "The Prus Family of Chen Xi are not that unreasonable." "As long as you can bring them the heads of the Ghost Squad, you can exchange for the secret techniques and rare materials you want¡ªexcept for the Prus Family''s core secret techniques and those that are unavable, the same goes for materials." The female student council president started to smile. "Hmm." Jason nodded. He then stood up, ready to leave. He now knew enough. For the remaining secrets, even if he asked, the other party would not tell. At least, not before bringing the heads of the Ghost Squad. Secret treasure! Secret technique! Rare materials! Jason looked forward more and more to encountering the Ghost Squad. However, just like their name, they truly came and went without a trace like ghosts. Jason believed that even the female student council president could not truly grasp their whereabouts. Otherwise, she would not have gone through so much trouble. A reliable source of information, huh? Jason pondered as he walked towards the exit. Just as Jason touched the doorknob, the female student council president spoke up again. "Teacher Jason." She used a different title, and an indescribable expression appeared on her face. An expression that was a mixture of awkwardness and helplessness, with perhaps a touch of yearning. "Wrestling with a bear is really too exaggerated," she said. "Joel and Novie are just young people who have undergone some ordinary training, they''re different from you." "So, could you switch to some more normal training?" She suggested. More normal training? Are bears not okay? How about switching to tigers? Jason silently considered. After all,pared to bears, it should be easier to handle tigers and lions, just flip them over, belly up, and you could win. Plus, tigers and lions are felines, you could win by petting them as well. "Teacher Jason, please don''t project yourself onto them," she said. "They are different from you." The female student council president seemed to sense Jason''s thoughts and emphasized again. Then, as ifpromising, she sighed softly. "Also... I''ll consult with the cooking teacher about adding meals, they don''t have to be excellent." "Got it," Jason replied. "Regr training." "I''ll teach them well." Jason nodded with a smile and pushed the door open to leave. Watching the closed door, the female student council president couldn''t help but be startled. Have I been yed? Impossible! Jason doesn''t seem like the type to y games with me. The female student council president thought for a moment, then picked up the arc lighter from the table. "Sell my car," she said. "I know, I''ve only had it for a month." "Mmm, no, there''s no trouble, just inviting a friend for a meal." ¡­ On the way back to the stables, Jason was all smiles. "Jason, are you very happy?" the female pastry chef asked softly. She had been paying attention to Jason, and ever since he came out of Tedi''s office, his mood had been quite buoyant, which made her feel quite dejected, and deep down, thoughts of "kill, kill, kill, kill" surfaced. She quickly suppressed these unreliable thoughts. But still, she cared. "Tedi agreed to arrange an extra meal for me." Experience new stories with mvl "I was really worried I wouldn''t get enough to eat." "Now I don''t have to worry anymore." Jason answered truthfully. Phew! The female pastry chef immediately breathed a sigh of relief. It was just about an extra meal. Jason was clearly just happy about eating. Right, I was overthinking it. It wasn''t anything else. Immediately, the female pastry chef regained her calm, serene smile and her heart settled down once more. After that, the pair did not speak any further and quickened their pace. When they returned to the stables, the student council members who hadpleted their rest were already lined up. Not far away, Dadas and Tibbers were also present. Tibbers sat there, holding a jar of honey and licking it with his paw, with a bucket of fish beside him. Clearly, the members of the student council had kept their word. "Take it easy eating," Dadas told her pet bear. "No one is going to steal it from you." But Tibbers ate faster and faster. Because he felt that man getting closer and closer. Even if it killed me! I''ll die a bear full to the brim! With that thought, Tibbers licked his paws clean, lifted the honey jar, and tilted his head back. Gulug, gulug. After two swallows, it was gone. Then, he grabbed the fish from the bucket and began stuffing them into his mouth. Cough? Cough cough! Seems like a fishbone got stuck! "Tibbers? Tibbers? What''s wrong with you?" Dadas kept patting the bear''s head until Tibbers finally vomited the fish meat choked with bones, and she couldn''t help but chide in a low voice, "I told you not to eat so fast." "And another thing!" "How can a bear choke on fishbones while eating fish?" Tibbers'' bear face was full of grievance. How was he to know that these fish had intermuscr bones? He hadn''t encountered them in the fish he ate before. However, his attention soon returned to Jason. What was that terrifying human doing? Why was he ring his nostrils to breathe in? Was he going to eat me? Should I instinctively seek to survive? Jason, however, was not concerned with Tibbers'' feelings; he simply smelled the sweetness of the honey. But he did not forget his duties. Turning his head, Jason looked at the student council members. "After this morning''s training, I have a good grasp of your basics." "I must say, you are the worst batch I have ever led." "So, we''re starting with the basics." Jason paused for a moment before shouting louder, "Now, everyone, 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run, start!" The student council members looked pained upon hearing hismands. Yet the students still gritted their teeth and began the training. Feeling the gaze upon him, Jason, on the other hand, turned to look back behind him. Chapter 296: Chapter 83 Im not here to freeload, I have important business! Jason turned at the burning gaze behind him. Dadas stood there with an uneasy expression. Upon seeing Jason turn around, her uneasiness gave way to small movements of toeing the ground and not knowing where to ce her hands. "That, that..." Dadas tried to gather her thoughts. But her mind went nk at that moment. "What''s wrong?" Jason asked, while watching the students of the student association exercising. "It''s nothing." "I just, I..." "Made an amulet for you." Saying that, Dadas pulled a wooden amulet from her pocket, and continued, "It''s just an ordinary amulet, it doesn''t mean anything special, I made it when I was free, if you don''t want it, just throw it away." An amulet? Hm? Why does it smell like ''food''? Jason intended to refuse, but the faint scent of food from it involuntarily made him raise his hand to ept the amulet. The amulet was crudely made, with an almost Dufol Language script that gave people an odd feeling, but it waspletely ineffective¡ªJason, who was proficient in Dufol Language, was sure of it. But! The ''food'' scent was indeed there. However, the ''food'' scent was very faint. So faint that it could only be detected up close. And it wasn''ting from the amulet itself. "Is it residue from physical contact?" "Has Dadas alsoe into contact with ''food''?" Jason held the amulet, his fingers rubbing over it. This scene made Dadas very happy. It was an amulet she had carefully crafted! She made it for a friend! Now, Jason had epted it and was inspecting it carefully. She was overjoyed! But why are those guys looking at me like that? Idiots! My face is turning red! Dadas couldn''t help but look towards the student association members who were staring in their direction. Ever since Dadas took out the amulet, the students of the student association had been involuntarily drawn to it. Dadas''s reputation was truly significant. No one had ever seen Dadas give someone a gift before. No, they hadn''t even seen her start a conversation with anyone. As for a confession? Impossible! Impossible! How could a ''witch'' possibly be in love? "Do you want to be cursed?" Dadas asked the members of the student association, her voice sharp and gloomy once again, reminiscent of a crow''s caw. The student association members immediately lowered their heads and concentrated on their push-ups. And Dadas turned back around. Suddenly, she was shy again. "I, I have to go back, I have important things to do!" After saying that, Dadas ran towards the old teaching building, with Tibbers immediately following its owner; it dared not stay alone with this terrifying man. The pastry chef watched Dadas''s retreating figure. A shadow crossed her eyes. Another ignorant one! ces like St. Mungo''s Academy... indeed, it would be better to blow it up! The voice inside her head started appearing once again. The pastry chef shook her head repeatedly. She had just managed to suppress such thoughts. Caught up in the faint aroma of ''food,'' Jason noticed none of this. St. Mungo''s Academy was truly a treasure trove. I need to explore it properly. Jason thought to himself quietly. The afternoon training proceeded methodically. Over ny percent of the student association members failed toplete this basic exercise. Only Joel and Novie seeded. Jason wasn''t surprised that Novie seeded, since his strong and sturdy appearance clearly showed he exercised regrly, but Joel, the petite secretary, truly exceeded Jason''s expectations. Moreover, Joel was one of the few members who had reached the beginner level in Barehanded Combat. That made Jason take special notice of Joel. And on the carriage ride back, Jason even asked the pastry chef about the handsome-faced secretary. "Joel?" "He''s an orphan." "He was adopted by the welfare institute of St. Mungo''s Academy, a very kind person, capable too, and a great assistant to Tedi." The pastry chef shared what she knew. "St. Mungo''s Academy has a welfare institute?" Jason asked with a hint of surprise. "Of course!" "St. Mungo''s Academy, even though it''s no longer a church school." "But some traditions are still preserved." The female pastry chef replied, then a hint of curiosity appeared on her face as she asked, "Jason, why aren''t you eating at the academy? Dinner might not be asvish as lunch, but it should still be decent." "One cannot fish without bait." "One must understand the cycle of consumption." Jason replied in such a manner. "So, is that why you went to see Edward?" The female pastry chef was startled. "Of course not." "I have actual business!" Jason tly denied. But in his heart, Jason thought that although the food at the police station wasn''t tasty, it was better than having nothing, right? tter, tter. The carriage returned from the outskirts to the downtown area, and then from downtown to the police station. "Guest, we''ve arrived." The coachman shouted loudly as the carriage came to a steady halt, and Jason and the female pastry chef hopped off one after the other. He had already paid the fare earlier, totaling 3 shillings and 4 pence for the two of them. The coachman flicked the reins, and the public carriage slowly drove off, leaving only the figures of Jason and the female pastry chef by the roadside. The sound was undoubtedly conspicuous; the two patrol officers at the entrance of the police station changed their expressions upon seeing Jason approaching. Immediately, one of them ran into the police station as if possessed. "Consultant Jason is here!" "He''s here for dinner!" "Everybody, quick to the canteen!" One word set off a wave of chaos. What was a rather peaceful police station at dusk suddenly became a scene of utter mayhem. One by one, the patrol officers put in the effort that they''d normally reserve for catching thieves, flocking towards the canteen. They were already starving from the morning. And they certainly didn''t want to starve at night. Especially those scheduled for the night shift. For example, young Bansey. Young Bansey was almost the first among the crowd rushing there. Find exclusive stories on §Þ?? But by the time he arrived, he already saw Jason, who had picked up a tray, standing at the canteen window. "How is that possible?" Young Bansey was stunned and couldn''t help murmuring to himself. Jason pointed to a door on the side of the canteen. "Back door, much faster." Saying that, he picked up his dinner and walked over to a table nearby. And then? As swift as the wind, as quick as lightning, the food on the te decreased. This made the others around even more anxious. They hurried towards the window, one after another, jostling to be first. By the time Edward arrived, dinner was gone. "Get me a cup of hot water." Edward said so. Then, picking up the hot water, he walked over to where Jason was seated. Jason, who had just finished his tenth serving, naturally took the hot water and downed it in one go. "Thank you." "It was a bit salty for my taste." After saying that, Jason ced the empty cup on the table. Edward looked at the empty cup, his eyes reflecting an indescribable mncholy. What could he do? It was his choice, after all! Bite the bullet and endure. Consider it a diet. Whether he eats in the morning or evening is not important, at least he had a full lunch. Edward quietly consoled himself. "Let''s talk business." Jason suddenly spoke up. "Business?" "You didn''t juste to freeload a meal, did you?" Edward looked at Jason in surprise. "Of course not." "I''m here to ask for your help. I need more in-depth information about Newdeth City." Jason said earnestly. Even with the light shining on his face, the corners of his mouth were still gleaming with grease. "In-depth information?" "That''s difficult, Jason, you need to understand..." Edward looked troubled, although he was temporarily in charge of the police station, he had been in Newdeth City for too short a time, and he could truly mobilize only his own subordinates, making it difficult to obtain truly in-depth information. At that moment, Bansey, who had eaten his fill and was wiping his mouth, slowly walked over. He sat next to Edward, lowered his voice and said, "I know someone who definitely has the information Mr. Jason would want to know." "Who?" Chapter 321: Chapter 108: Response Measures The person outside the door was Giselle. The female pastry chef, clutching a bag of food and a newspaper, immediately shed a smile upon seeing Jason open the door, her face already red from the cold. "Good morning, Jason." "Your breakfast." "And the newspaper." The female pastry chef said as she handed over the food and newspaper to Jason. Jason took them and immediately took off his coat, draping it over the female pastry chef''s head in a hooded fashion, and after fastening the buttons, only her eyes and part of her nose were visible, making her look quite odd. However, the female pastry chef did not refuse. Looking at Jason, who was close at hand, her face turned even redder, and she clung to Jason''s coat as if she wanted to hide her entire face. Huh? This didn''t seem to be Jason''s coat. Simr in color and style, but the material was much better. Immediately, the female pastry chef guessed something. Anger and murderous intent surged in her heart again. A voice told her to kill the other person. But she suppressed it. To her, it was just the usual jealousy. Plus, she hadn''t rested well. She should have waited here for Jason. With that regret, the female pastry chef red fiercely at Hannibal, who, in return, responded with a smile. Then he turned around and took out a coat to drape over Jason''s shoulders. "It''s cold, wear mine." As he said this, Hannibal smiled at the female pastry chef again. The female pastry chef exploded with anger. Kill him! Kill him! How dare he snatch my man! The voice inside her roared with rage again! The female pastry chef was initially infected by this boiling killing intent, but when the words ''my man'' emerged from her heart, she blushed with shame once more, and her entire body began to sway where she stood. "What''s wrong?" Jason asked in astonishment. "Nothing, nothing." "Where are you going, Jason?" "Let''s go together." The shy female pastry chef shook her head repeatedly, her speech bing inarticte as she immediately changed the subject. Jason thought for a moment and eventually nodded. There was no other significance, only that he owed her a debt of gratitude for the food she had provided in the past and now in his hand. It was only fitting that he ensured the female pastry chef''s safety. With a wave to Griffin in the distant corner, Jason led the female pastry chef onto a public horse-drawn carriage by the road. The food in his hand made him slow down his ns to patrol Newdeth City on foot. After all, eating in the wind is bad for the stomach. As for whether he had already had breakfast? Yes, he had. But from the dining table to the front door, he had already digested it. Crack! "Giddyup!" With a flick of the reins, the carriage slowly set in motion. Griffin watched the public carriage disappear into the distance. Then, he headed straight for ''Hannibal''s Clinic.'' At this time, Hannibal hadn''t returned to his room but was also watching Jason and the female pastry chef''s carriage leave. Upon seeing Griffin approaching, Hannibal put on a polite smile, yet he did not move. He was not used to letting anyone other than Jason enter his room. Patients were exceptions. But they were confined to the living room. Griffin was an acquaintance but definitely not on the same level as Jason. After all, Jason was one of a kind. And this guy here? There were countless others like him on the streets. "Can we talk?" Griffin asked in a low voice. "One hour for seven dors. If it goes over 45 minutes, it counts as a second hour," Hannibal said with a smile. Griffin blinked, somewhat taken aback. "I mean to talk." Griffin emphasized. "Yes, to talk." "One hour for seven dors. If it goes over 45 minutes, it counts as a second hour." "I''m a psychologist. That''s the standard fee," Hannibal said, smiling unchanged. Griffin''s breathing quickened, and he felt like punching that smiling face, but remembering what was weighing on his mind, he managed to hold back. Grinding his teeth, he said, "Alright, let''s start with five minutes." With that, Griffin tried to force his way past Hannibal and into the house. But... He couldn''t push through. Hannibal''s robust figure stood immovable, while Griffin staggered backwards from the collision. Facing Griffin''s astonished and confused look, Hannibal maintained his smile. "At least one hour to begin," the psychologist dered. "One hour?!" "You crook!" "I... wait, fine, one hour it is!" Griffin could no longer hold back and started yelling loudly, but when he saw Hannibal about to close the door, he quickly gave in. Hannibal extended his hand from the gap in the door. "What does that mean?" Griffin was startled. "Pay first," Hannibal said. "Don''t you trust me? Worried I''ll stiff you?" Griffin roared as if deeply insulted. "Yes," Hannibal nodded. "You!" Griffin wanted to say something more, but Hannibal was preparing to close the door again. This forced Griffin to pull out hisst bit of money from his sock and hand it to Hannibal. Hannibal did not ept it; instead, he frowned and stepped aside. "Put your money in the water bowl at the door," Hannibal directed. "It just came out of my sock, not through a gue!" Griffin nced at the water bowl on the cab next to the door, which contained a few coins. His decent memory brought him back to the time of the gue and the way the shops on Fishbone Street dealt with money: a bowl full of water ced on the counter. ``` People believed this could effectively drive away the gue. Griffin didn''t know if it worked or not. But in his memory, the number of deaths hadn''t decreased by much. Simrly, the money in the bowl often went missing. "It''s the same principle." Hannibal said it indifferently. Griffin didn''t argue anymore. He tossed the money into the bowl, then, under Hannibal''s signal, sat in the armchair in the hall. Hannibal nced at the clock hanging nearby, clearly noted the time, and then said, "We can begin now." "Is this ce safe?" "I mean from more special attacks." Griffin lifted his right hand, his five fingers sliding back and forth as if he were sketching an octopus. "Safer than most parts of Newdeth City," Hannibal said with certainty. It was not an empty boast, but the truth. His house had undergone special modifications, giving it considerable resistance to various kinds of attacks, including those from the "Mystical Side." Phew! After Hannibal spoke these words, Griffin let out a breath of relief. At that moment, he seemed to fully rx. He slumped into the armchair, his face revealing evident fatigue. "I feel like something is following me; he, she, or it¡ªI can''t be sure what it is. In any case, this entity is constantly siphoning my memories." "I feel like I''ve forgotten a lot." "But my memory hasn''t shown any discrepancies." "I still remember the jar I buried at my home on Fishbone Street when I was six." "But I just can''t recall what it is I''ve forgotten." "Do you understand how I feel?" Griffin spoke somewhat incoherently. "Many people have your condition." "Can you be more specific?" Hannibal, possessing all the qualities of a qualified psychotherapist, showed no derision and didn''t express disbelief; on the contrary, he took detailed notes. "More specific?" "Probably after meeting Jason and Giselle," Griffin replied after thinking hard for a moment. "Before that, everything was normal." "But since I acted as a mediator once, everything started bing abnormal." Griffin continued to describe what had transpired in detail. Hannibal, on the other hand, continued to take thorough notes. The two engrossed individuals did not notice that the door, which should have been shut, suddenly opened. The female pastry chef appeared at the doorway. She walked in slowly. She looked at the two men with a nk expression. The icy coldness in her eyes was like staring at two corpses. She raised her hand. The ck mist reemerged, filling the entire room once again. The writing in Hannibal''s notebook swiftly vanished, turning into other records, but the handwriting was identical. Their memories disappeared along with it, reced by others. Having done all this, the female pastry chef turned and left. Creak. The door closed. Hannibal and Griffin seemed to awaken from a dream, as ifing to. "You said your memory has been decliningtely?" "I believe it''s the anxiety and insomnia that are causing it," Hannibal said, flipping through his notes as he always did, making his final summary. "Is that so?" "Probably those damned people." "The ''Ghost Squad'' are really annoying." Griffin sat up, mumbling to himself. Then, Griffin headed straight for the exit. Hannibal escorted Griffin to the door. As usual, like he did with patients, they waved goodbye to each other. Only, when Hannibal closed the door and nced at the wall clock unintentionally, he was taken aback. Then he turned and walked to the hallway cupboard''s water bowl to look at the coins inside. No! No! Something''s not right! Hannibal picked up his recent notes again, carefully examining every word. It was indeed his handwriting. Then, he flipped to the next page. Through the imprint of the pen on the paper, something became apparent. Without any hesitation, he rushed into the bathroom. Looking at himself in the mirror, he whispered, "You didn''t find anything! You didn''t find anything! You didn''t find anything!" "When the snap of the fingers sounds, you will forget what you just discovered." "When Jason says how delicious it is, you will remember what you just discovered." Snap! At the sound of the snap, Hannibal in front of the mirror was startled and then returned to normal. "Wonder if Jason wille back for lunch." "What to prepare for lunch?" Hannibal turned and walked towards the bathroom door. He didn''t notice that behind him, in that mirror, the female pastry chef''s shadow shed and then disappeared as he turned. "Ah!" On the carriage, the female pastry chef suddenly let out a cry of pain. "What''s wrong?" Jason, who was reading the newspaper, turned to look. "Don''t know, suddenly my head felt like it was pricked by a needle." "It hurts a lot." "Probably because I haven''t rested well," the female pastry chef said with a strained smile. Jason frowned, considering whether to arrange for the pastry chef to rest when the carriage, which had been traveling smoothly, suddenly stopped. Thump, thump, thump! "Is this Mr. Jason?" The carriage door was knocked on, followed by a polite inquiry. Jason replied promptly, "No." ``` The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 298: Chapter 85 Newdeth Citys Small Team of Heroes Emerges In the alleyway, Griffin had Bansey help unlock his handcuffs. "Really hurts." "You hit really hard." "And to think I still considered you a friend." As Griffin rubbed his wrist, he grumbled. "Heh." Bansey let out a coldugh. Ever since Griffin had stolen his only change of clothes and twenty bucks of his private stash, and on top of that, borrowed five bucks from Ada in his name, Bansey had wanted nothing more than to strangle him. It was truly despicable. Didn''t he know how hard it was for a bachelor to save money? Not to mention that he had intended to wear the freshlyundered clothes for special asions. For a man who would wear underwear for seven days and then turn it inside out to wear for another seven, those washed clothes were like a treasure of the house. upied by his rage, Bansey lifted his foot and kicked Griffin. Griffin didn''t dodge, taking the kick squarely before looking at Bansey with a yful grin. "Once we pull off this job, I''ll pay you back tenfold, no, a hundredfold," said Griffin, his gaze shifting toward Jason and the female pastry chef standing behind him. "I know you''re here for her, Jason." "It''s fascinating, Ms. Giselle is just an ordinary pastry chef, but somehow, she''s connected to all the major events that have recently happened in Newdeth City," Griffin said, eyeing the pastry chef closely. While the pastry chef lookedpletely baffled. Everything is connected to her? Really? The pastry chef thought, a look of apology crossing her face. "Sorry, it was not intentional," she said. Her apology made Griffin frown. Then the man, who once imed to be a negotiator, began to speak: "This morning, a bounty was posted for Ms. Giselle on the ck Market ¨C 50,000 dors." "And this afternoon, a new bounty appeared: ''Find who put the bounty on Ms. Giselle.'' The price is... 500,000!" Hisss! Bansey, already surprised at the mention of 50,000, took a sharp breath at this new revtion. For Bansey, who earned eleven dors a week with a bonus of a dor and a half, 50,000 was already an astronomical figure. 500,000? Completely unimaginable. How much would that be? If I had that kind of money, could I finally buy dog food for ''Private''? Could I steep myself in steaks, savoring one while eyeing the next? Panting, panting. The delightful fantasies made Bansey''s breathing quicken. Jason''s brow furrowed and then rxed. It wasn''t until now that he understood where the female student council president''s misunderstanding hade from. She thinks that either I or the ''Night Watcher'' organization behind me put up the 500,000 bounty on Giselle''s behalf, doesn''t she? Jason thought. But he had no intention whatsoever of exining this to the female student council president. For now, Jason was focused on the problem at hand. Was the person who put the bounty on Giselle rted to ''Ghost Squad''? Who put up the bounty to find the person who bountied Giselle? Could he use the second person to dig out the first one? And soon, Jason had his answers. First, Giselle didn''t have any real enemies in Newdeth City, and regr folks couldn''t put up 50,000 dors. It was only possible if she had been targeted because of his involvement, thus prompting the ''Ghost Squad'' to mount a bounty on her. Second, as for the person who offered the bounty on Giselle''s bounty cer, Jason didn''t know, but subconsciously, he thought of Giselle''s mysterious sister, or rather¡­ Giselle herself was quite a mystery. Nheless, this didn''t prevent the recent bounty from bing a catalyst in unearthing the ''Ghost Squad.'' 500,000 was enough to tempt many people. ''Ghost Squad''s'' capacity to vanish without a tracey in their exceptional ability to hide andck of sufficient pursuit forces. But now? 500,000 wouldpensate for everything. All the unseen bounty hunters, mercenaries, and even members of the ''Mystical Side'' hidden in Newdeth City would surely take action. Just like Griffin before him. Jason could see Griffin''s eagerness. Facing Jason''s gaze, Griffin was quite calm. "What''s wrong with loving money?" Griffin asked, spreading his hands toward Jason. Jason shook his head and said no more. Just like his love for food, everyone''s hobbies vary, and he wasn''t in a position to judge others. "Hmph." "You''d better not cross the line." But Bansey just snorted coldly. "Money is the best thing!" "As long as it exists, so does the baseline." "And if it doesn''t?" "Then the baseline is just like underwear in the bathroom. If you don''t take it off, you''ll end up soiling your pants¡ªnot just the underwear, but the pants get dirty too, and it might even seep down into your shoes." Griffin replied with a smile. Then, Bansey red at him, disgusted by his vulgar words. Immediately, Griffin shrank his neck and put on a smile. "You see, the affairs of the wealthy are real issues." "The problems of the poor are just poverty." "I''m not afraid of being poor. I just want to be a responsible young man, who is proactive and strives to resolve every issue diligently." Griffin quickly shifted his rhetoric. Bansey felt his temples throbbing painfully. "Shut up." Bansey growled. "Shut up, I''ll shut up." "But the secret information I got about ''targeting Miss Giselle'' won''t be able to be shared then." Griffin looked regretful. "Speak." Bansey demanded, frowning. "You were the one who told me to shut up." "And you are the one asking me to speak." "Man, you are really being unreasonable, just like..." Griffin wanted to continue, but Bansey''s hand moved to his holster. Instantly, Griffin stopped speaking and said with a serious expression, "I have two candidates here." "1. ''Dog w'' Brooke." "2. The merchant, Sidlin." "ording to my sources, these two are most likely to be the agents of the Ghost Squad." Bansey looked at Griffin with suspicion. "Where did you get this information?" Bansey asked. It wasn''t that he didn''t trust Griffin, but even he and Edward had exhausted countless efforts and had not found any information about the Ghost Squad, yet Griffin seemed to have found it so easily. This gave Bansey an unrealistic feeling. "Could it be a trap?" Bansey continued to inquire. "Why do you think I went to buy lottery tickets?" "Do you really think I would care about such a small amount of money?" "I''ve been waiting!" "Waiting for someone else to ze the trail for us!" Griffin said, revealing a smug smile. "You sold this information to others as well?" Experience exclusive tales on §Þ?? Bansey red at him. "Why not?" "It''s a win-win situation." "Besides, now is the time for us to make a move." With that, Griffin ran toward the outside stalls. By then the crowd had already dispersed. He casually ran out with a backpack, and Edward followed suit. The others watched as Griffin pulled out a cloak and two coat-like quilts from the backpack. "You''re not thinking of...?" Bansey immediately got the idea upon seeing the quilt-like coats. "Exactly what you''re thinking." "How could we show up in our true faces?" "Jason, the hockey mask¡ªyou brought it, right?" Griffin looked at Jason who nodded, taking out a concealed hockey mask from beneath the coat. Griffin grabbed the two quilt-like coats, tossed one to Bansey, and threw one over himself. Then, he raised his hands high and shouted¡ª "Now!" "The Newdeth City F4 has arrived!" Chapter 299: Chapter 86 There are always times when you cant help it... Such shame! Lil'' Bansey looked at Griffin''s disy and couldn''t help but curl his lips, then he pulled the bedding over his head. "We are the Four Knights of Newdeth City!" His head was buried in the crook of his right arm, his left hand raised diagonally upwards, his right leg slightly bent, his left leg stretched straight. Jason, Edward, and the female pastry chef didn''t even nce at the two, heading straight for the alley''s exit. Couldn''t afford to talk more with Griffin and Bansey. After all, stupidity is contagious. ... ''Dog''s Paw'' Brooke was not known for having a hand like a dog''s paw, but rather for the dog''s paw birthmark on his face. As the boss of the ''Hound Gang,'' ''Dog''s Paw'' Brooke''s despicable reputation was well known far and wide. Even, to some extent, it was infamous. Because Brooke was in the ''loan sharking'' business. Of course, it wasn''t legit. His specialty was the ''seven out, sixteen back'' and ''blood loans.'' The former was essential for maintaining gang operations. Thetter? It was a matter of personal interest. Just like at this moment, a husband and wife on ck Pepper Street had just signed a contract. The husband took away 7 dors. The wife returned to Brooke. The wife, her mouth blocked, was full of pleading in her eyes, her body constantly struggling. But it was in vain. "Turn it around!" "Once it''s turned around, I''lle get you!" The husband said this. Then, without paying any more attention to his wife, he simply walked away. Wu, wuwu! The wife with her mouth blocked whimpered. Brooke looked on with great interest at this scene. He liked to watch things like this. The misfortune of others could excite him. So, he never tired of it. "Do you hate it?" "Do you resent it?" "Do you want revenge?" Brooke stood behind the wife and asked softly. The wife hung her head in silence. Brooke began tough. He had seen too many things like this, he had a wealth of experience, so he grabbed the wife''s hair with one hand, dragging her towards the door. "Don''t you dare?" "I''ll help you!" Brooke said this. Gang members serving as Attendants directly opened the door, through which the wife saw her husband being surrounded by several members of the ''Hound Gang'' in the garden. "What are you going to do?" The husband asked in terror. "What a bold move, daring to steal here!" A Gang member shouted. The husband shuddered. "No!" "I didn''t!" "I..." Puh! The husband wanted to exin, but before he could finish, a dagger plunged into his lower back, thoroughly silencing him. Life ebbed away. Death loomed. Brooke pulled the wife in front of her husband. "Come!" "Look closely!" "I avenged you!" Brooke''s face lit up with excitement, the ''dog''s paw'' mark twisting on his face, making his fleshy, vicious-looking visage even more menacing. Then, he ripped out the rag from the wife''s mouth. He looked forward to the next scream. "No!" Just as he had anticipated. A scream resounded. So satisfying! Oh, so satisfying! "Hahaha." Brookeughed loudly, his hand once again grabbing the wife''s hair, but this time, he wasn''t just grabbing her hair, he was also tearing at her clothes. The husband hadn''tpletely breathed hisst. At that moment, his eyes suddenly widened. "Come, look." "Look closely." Brooke became even more excited. Then... Puh! The excitement on Brooke''s face froze. His head flew high into the air. A broad-ded, short-handled cleaver swept across his neck. A towering figure with a hockey mask appeared behind Brooke without warning. ording to the n, they were supposed to infiltrate. But sometimes, ns can''t keep up with changes. Some things are irresistible. The standard infiltration had failed. Jason chose the perfect way to infiltrate. He was good at this. Under the hockey mask, Jason''s visage was indistinct. But at that moment, Jason''s eyes were a cold expanse, brimming with murderous intent. "Boss!" "Brooke Boss!" Gang members around them cried out in rm. Meanwhile, Jason kept moving, his knife never stopping. Amidst the shing cold light, heads rolled. In the corner of the garden, Edward''s face changed colors several times, then, he turned his head to Griffin: "Has Brooke always done it like this?" "He''s a pervert." "The kind that''s praised by everyone." Griffin shrugged. "Deserves to die!" Bansey said coldly. "Deserves to die?" "There''s more than one such bastard in Newdeth City." "He''s just one of them, and not the most excessive kind." Griffin looked at Bansey with amusement. "Then I''ll kill these guys one by one." Bansey said through clenched teeth. "Hey, don''t forget who you are." Griffin reminded him. Bansey was suddenly taken aback. Discover exclusive tales on §Þ?? And Edward, beside him, adjusted his hood lower once again. "We are the ''Punishers'' now!" With that, Edward headed towards the main building where more gang members were rushing out, his revolver firing repeatedly. Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of gunfire snapped Bansey out of it. "Yeah." "We are the ''Punishers'' now!" Bansey raised his ''typewriter'' and began to spray the crowd. Griffin blinked. Eventually, he threw up his hands. "Alright, you win." With that, he rushed towards another building. That was the bedroom of ''Dog''s Paw'', and also a secret room. If there was anything to be found, it would surely be hidden there. Griffin had made sure to investigate everything thoroughly beforehand. What was left? To find the critical piece of evidence. And then, to confirm whether ''Dog''s Paw'' Brooke was an agent of the Ghost Squad. Wait! ''Dog''s Paw'' Brooke had already been taken out by Jason. Even if it was confirmed, what difference would it make? Coming to his senses, Griffin''s face under the bedding twitched. "Impulsive!" "Too impulsive!" "Should have interrogated him thoroughly before killing the bastard." Griffin, thinking this, nheless did not stop moving. He harbored a one-in-a-million hope as he burst in. Then, counter to his expectations, he actually found an ''encryption book''. Not just any ''encryption book'', but a radio ''encryption book''. What does a gang leader need a radio encryption book for? In a sh, Griffin thought of something. He couldn''t help but let a smile spread across his face. Then, he was about to carefully examine the encryption book. At that moment, though, he suddenly felt a tingling in the hand that was touching the encryption book. Unable to resist, Griffin started scratching his hand. But the more he scratched, the itchier it got. The itchier it got, the more he wanted to scratch. And soon, it was no longer just on his hands. It was all over his body! He tore at his clothes! Lines of blood began to appear on Griffin''s body. But still, he couldn''t help himself. The bloody lines gradually turned into a blur of flesh and blood. The blur of flesh and blood eventually stopped the itch. But what followed was pain! White maggots emerged from the blurry wounds on Griffin''s body. They wriggled. They feasted. They bore faces... Faces like Jason''s. Chapter 300: Chapter 87 Coming from behind you...... "Don''t eat me!" "Don''t eat me!" "Don''t eat me!" Griffin''s voice emanated from the bedroom, instantly drawing the attention of Jason, Edward, and little Bansey. The three of them rushed into the bedroom. They saw Griffin rolling around on the ground in agony. "Bedding No.2, what''s wrong with you?" Little Bansey called out using the code name. During the operation, the four of them had agreed on code names: Jason was ''Mask'', Edward was ''Cloak'', little Bansey was ''Bedding No.1'', and Griffin was ''Bedding No.2''. Griffin paid no attention to little Bansey''s words, just kept rolling and moaning incessantly. "Jason, don''t eat me!" "Little Bansey tastes better!" "Remember to wash him, he doesn''t love taking baths!" Griffin shouted as he tumbled. Little Bansey, who was about to help Griffin up, was taken aback. He then straightened up and kicked Griffin. Little Bansey thought Griffin was ying a prank on him. But right after he kicked Griffin, Griffin suddenly started to convulse, foaming at the mouth. And his breathing grew weaker and weaker. "Captain! Lord Jason!" Little Bansey immediately became flustered. Edward, on the other hand, pried open Griffin''s mouth. "" He rushed to the separate bathroom, looking for water. He hoped the cold water would snap Griffin out of it. Jason raised a hand and pointed¡ª Yi! After the short sound, Griffin stopped convulsing, then his body went limp on the floor. Hey there with his eyes showing a trace of confusion. After several seconds, he finally regained his senses. Immediately, Griffin threw away the ''cipher book'', got to his feet, and scurried behind Jason as if fleeing from a venomous snake. Griffin''s face was obscured by the bedding, but his eyes revealed sheer terror. "Are those the guys?" He said so. "Mhm." Edward nodded affirmatively and then naturally added, "''Paw'' Brooke, being unable toe into contact with such people or items, can only mean he is an agent for the ''Ghost Squad''." "''Paw'' is?" "But ''Paw'' has already been taken out by Lord Jason." Little Bansey paused, turning his head to look at Jason. Jason, however, bent down to pick up the ''cipher book''. He sniffed at it for a moment. "''Paw'' it is not." Jason said and walked out. The three men exchanged nces, puzzled. They weren''t sure how Jason knew. He couldn''t have smelled it for real, could he? There must be some clue they didn''t notice! Of course, that was it. They would ask Giselleter. With that decided, they hurriedly followed after Jason. ... Sidlin was a legitimate merchant. The elderly man, who made his fortune in his early years, used his youthful capital to own three shops on White Pepper Street¡ªtwo leased out and one operated by him. Although many people questioned why he chose to live alone, every time, the old merchant would just shake his head and smile without a word. Eventually, no one asked anymore. However, many people frequented this shop selling handicrafts and portraits. The entire shop was decorated somewhat like an art and sundry goods store. But it wasparatively neater. At the very least, Sidlin would keep the floor clean. Then, he would ce floral arrangements in the disy window. It was like this throughout all four seasons. And the colors of the flowers varied, as did their forms. Today, the window also boasted a potted nt. The neatly pruned flowers sometimes showed a vivid red, at other times a mysterious purple, and at other times a charming pink, naturally drawing the gaze of onlookers. Snake Whip Chrysanthemum, a so-called chrysanthemum that was quite distinct from the real chrysanthemums, more closely resembling a rattlesnake''s tail. This was the origin of its name. Tss. Sidlin held the watering can, spraying once more. With the nourishment of water, the Snake Whip Chrysanthemums became even more beautiful. Turning around, Sidlin began to ce firewood into the firece. Even though the room already had heating, Sidlin still preferred the firece in the winter out of habit. For this reason, his house retained a veryrge chimney. Thick smoke billowed out. From a distance, it could be seen easily. Most people would ignore it. But not those who were vignt. Smoke, in itself, was the most primitive signal. After doing all this, Sidlin sat in the rocking chair, covered with a nket, and picked up the book he was halfway through reading. The book cover was tattered beyond recognition, its name indiscernible, but it was clearly very old. Just as Sidlin was reading with great interest, the doorbell rang crisply¡ª Ding-dong. Sidlin nced up. He saw two men enter, their heads covered with quilt covers. Those covers were obviously finely tailored. But they still bore an air of stupidity. Shouldn''t the head cover of choice be light, breathable ck cloth or stockings? Choosing such quilt covers, was it to... keep warm during winter? However, the two men looked somewhat familiar. Sidlin, unable to recall at the moment, spoke up. "The money''s in the cab." "Take anything you want from the store." "If you want it, it''s yours too." Sidlin said calmly and then handed the book he was holding to Griffin. "You know that''s not what I want," Griffin pretended to be icy. "What do you want, then?" "I''m just a poor, lonely old man." "This store is all I have in the world." Sidlin spoke slowly. "No!" "You have... your life." Griffin emphasized. "Life?" Sidlin finally sensed something was wrong. At the same time, he thought of the recent newspapers. The man before him seemed to be an aplice in the assassination of Councilor Davide. Then, he remembered something else. The seemingly frail businessman immediately sat upright. "Here''s my life, do you want it?" "Let''s see if you''re capable!" "I..." Bang! Sidlin began to speak with a sneer, but before he could finish, he was struck on the neck with the butt of a gun by Edward, who had sneaked in from the backyard, and immediately, the old businessman passed out. Griffin and little Bansey were stunned. This was a bit too easy, wasn''t it? Both were prepared for a fierce fight. "Mask, got it," Edward stated clearly. It wasn''t until then that the tense duo realized Jason was gone. Where had Jason gone? A block away from White Pepper Street, on ck Pepper Street, Walker looked through his binocrs at the dense smoke in the distance, closely observing Sidlin''s store''s disy window. Although the distance was significant, this was a good angle. He could see the Snake Whip Chrysanthemum clearly. "Be vignt!" Muttering thenguage of flowers represented by the Snake Whip Chrysanthemum, Walker frowned. He instinctively turned to send out the message with his radio. But just as he was about to turn¡ª Gulug. The sound of swallowing saliva emerged right by his ear. And before he could react, a hockey mask shed in the darkness. Then, a burly arm reached out from the dark, and the wide palm grasped Walker''s neck in one go. "No!" The voice squeezed out from his throat with difficulty, but as the grip tightened, the sound abruptly stopped. All that remained was the thrashing of arms and legs, and Walker''s horrified face as he disappeared into the shadows. Chapter 301: Chapter 88: Life Should Be Celebrated with Rituals Griffin peeked around the alley and waved back at hispanions. Little Bansey immediately ran out carrying a sack, heading straight for the car parked by the roadside. Sidlin, who was stuffed inside the sack, hadpletely lost consciousness and didn''t struggle at all, allowing them to smoothly stuff him into the trunk. Then, Little Bansey slipped into the driver''s seat, while Edward and Griffin climbed into the back seat. The female pastry chef sitting in the passenger seat hadn''t even reacted before Little Bansey mmed on the gas pedal. Hum. Amidst the roaring of the engine, the car shot out. Following the n they had on the way there, the car took several turns, eventually stopping in an alley behind ck Pepper Street. "How did it go?" The moment the car stopped, the female pastry chef immediately asked. "Everything went smoothly," Edward said. Little Bansey blinked, still unclear how Jason had identified Sidlin instead of the original ''Dog Paw'' Brooke. Asking when in doubt was a habit of Bansey''s. He spoke up right away. "Can you give me a detailed ount of what you just experienced?" The female pastry chef didn''t answer directly but instead asked a question in return. "Hmm," "Just now we..." Little Bansey immediately began to exin. Edward and Griffin provided additional details. They described in detail everything from the time they entered Sidlin''s shop to the setup inside the shop. After the whole story was told, the female pastry chef propped her chin with her right hand, her index finger continually sliding over her lips. A momentter, the corner of her mouth lifted. "So that''s how it is," the female pastry chef said. "You get it?" Little Bansey was startled, then asked excitedly. Edward and Griffin also turned their gaze to the female pastry chef. "Yes," "Snake Whip Chrysanthemum!" The female pastry chef nodded and stated her answer directly. "Snake Whip Chrysanthemum?" Little Bansey''s eyes widened in confusion. Realization dawned on Edward and Griffin. "Jason''s observational skills are extremely sharp," "He must have noticed the unique fine petals and pollen of the Snake Whip Chrysanthemum on that ''codebook.'' "And in ''Dog Paw'' Brooke''s garden, there were no Snake Whip Chrysanthemum petals to be found." "Therefore, that ''codebook'' was ced there by someone." The female pastry chef exined. "ced there?" "You mean?" Little Bansey was beginning to catch on. "Yes," "To divert our attention and that of others." "To have everyone focused on ''Dog Paw'' Brooke while they remain hidden in the dark," the female pastry chef nodded and said. "It''s their habit," "They always act this way, ying the role of thest hunter." "Allowing all the prey to emerge before they close the at the end." Edward agreed with the female pastry chef''s conjecture from the side. "So, Sir Jason''s solo movement was?" Little Bansey asked thest part that he didn''t understand. "Still the Snake Whip Chrysanthemum!" "Do you know thenguage of the Snake Whip Chrysanthemum flower?" The female pastry chef asked, and then, without waiting for Bansey to inquire further, she answered, "Vignce!" "Just now, I saw the thick smoke billowing out from the shop''srge chimney." "Such dense smoke is clearly visible even from a great distance." "So..." "It must have been a beacon!" "A beacon?!" Little Bansey finally understood. "That means when the ''beacon'' appears, someone will go to check Sidlin''s shop, and to check his shop, one must find a perfect vantage point!" "Sir Jason went there to find the real members of the Ghost Squad!" After Bansey exined everything in one breath, he couldn''t help but take a deep breath. "Truly worthy of Sir Jason," "He noticed all these things right from the start." As she spoke, little Bansey once again shook her head in admiration. The female pastry chef smiled. Whenever someone praised Jason, she felt happy. Meanwhile, at the back row on one side, Griffin had been silently observing the female pastry chef, very covertly, maintaining an expression of surprise when needed and awe when called for. He always felt that there was something odd about the female pastry chef before him. There was also a familiar feeling about her. It was as if she were akin to those ''overlords'' he would asionally encounter in the ''gutter''. Only... The female pastry chef in front of him seemed harmless. The way she smiled at the moment even gave off a fuzzy, sweet feeling. "Am I overthinking things?" Griffin asked himself. In the end, the instinct for survival within the ''gutter''pelled him to maintain his skepticism. Simrly, he also maintained a greater sense of ''vignce''. And, in his heart, Griffin nned to have a good talk with Jason about the female pastry chef. Afterward, there was no more conversation in the car. Only waiting remained. Waiting for Jason to return. At this time, Jason had encountered some trouble. Not the kind given by others. But the kind where he was ''asking for trouble''. Walker, bound to a chair, with his mouth gagged, watched the tall and robust Jason with his eyes wide open, his face full of terror. Because he could see the hunger in Jason''s eyes. Because he could hear the growling of Jason''s stomach. And the sound of him swallowing saliva. With each sound, his fear deepened. "Mmm mmm mmm." Walker struggled. He wanted to tell Jason, let me go, let''s talk this out. I''m not human. I don''t need to abide by any honor. Just ask me, and I''ll tell you. Stop staring at me while you swallow your saliva! It''s too frightening. Intense emotions stewed, making the aroma of the ''food'' even more pronounced. Even hidden within its shell, the faint scent of ''food'' wafted out, causing Jason to take a deep breath involuntarily. Posak Elf! Jason quickly identified the name of the ''food''. This type of ''food'' was known for its smooth, cool texture. A bit like jelly. Thest time he washed it with red wine, the taste was not bad. This time, should he try washing it with boiling water? No, wait! Now is not the time to think about eating! That''s not the point! What I need is to train my willpower: to resist food for 1 minute! Jason told himself to be calm, to persevere. And for such perseverance. Thinking about his past failures, Jason had made thorough preparations. He needed a sense of ritual. To treat this matter even more seriously. So, he took out a coin. "Heads +1 second." "Tails -1 second." "If it stands, eat right away." As Jason said this, he flicked the coin. Ding! The coin flew into the air. Jason''s left hand shot up. His right hand covered the back of his left hand. When Jason moved his right hand away, he saw the coin perfectly caught between his middle and ring fingers, standing upright. He definitely hadn''t used exceptional perception to observe the trajectory of the coin and then swiftly caught it. It was all a coincidence. Yes, a coincidence. So¡ª "Dinner time!" Chapter 302: Chapter 89: I Want to Control Myself With decision,es action. Jason lifted his hand and tore the rotten cloth from Walker''s mouth. "I have information on other ingredients!" The moment the rotten cloth was pulled from Walker''s mouth, this ''Food Traitor'' trained by the ''Ghost Squad'' blurted out instinctively. Swift and precise. Because it was all too familiar with Jason''s eyes. It had seen that same look when hungry. Not to mention the constant growling of the stomach and the gulping of saliva. All of these were reminding it. The other party was truly going to eat it. As a qualified ''Food Traitor,'' it immediately knew what to do. After all, this wasn''t its first time seeing such a person. There was that doctor before, polite and courteous, it had observed from the side. Then there was an arrogant madman, not quite as friendly, who would gut some shells for questionable ''ingredients.'' But the one in front of it now was different from the two it had encountered before. This one was quite ''simple.'' Yes, simple. Noplicated emotions. Just in hunger. I want to eat you. But the more simple it was, the more terrifying Walker found the situation. Because such simplicity was hard to shake. It wasn''t entangled in interests, nor was there any choice to make, it was like a weight on a scale, unwavering. Unless... you satisfied its needs. And that was exactly what Walker intended to do. It didn''t have any other choice. It didn''t want to be eaten. It wanted to live. The human world was just too wonderful. A countless number of fears. Deliciousness twisting like wine. Every sip made it forget everything. So, it didn''t want to die yet. For this, it had already done some things that damaged its ''dignity.'' More? It naturally didn''t care anymore. Then, it saw Jason''s fist pause. Instantly, the ''Food Traitor'' let out a sigh of relief. Jason, however, held his breath, focusing intently. The hunger was still spreading, but as soon as Walker''s words left his mouth, Jason''s reason came online instantly. Is it more satisfying to eat one piece of food or a bunch? Is there even a choice? Of course, it''s to eat them all. However, there can be an order. "Speak." Jason suppressed his hunger and said sternly. "I hope you can swear on your honor, or on someone or something you respect." "Otherwise, even if you eat me, I will not tell you." "I just want to survive..." Walker started off with righteous words, then looked at Jason with a pleading gaze. But Jason''s breath became dangerous in an instant. He red at Walker. He didn''t like ns being disrupted. He didn''t like his food being parceled out. Most importantly, as soon as Walker spoke those words, Jason''s suppressed hunger once again overpowered his reason in an instant, and he turned to pick up the bottle of wine beside him. Then¡ª Bang! Jason raised his fist andnded a punch. It struck precisely in the stomach. Jason, with his experience of handling Elf creatures, as the shell began to vomit and the Elf struggled out of the vomitus, snatched it up and immediately started rinsing it with wine. The Elf, being washed with the wine, was utterly dumbfounded. I just made a request, and you''re really going to eat me? Aren''t you willing to ask one more question? If you disagree, we can negotiate! The Elf wailed inwardly. Then, it exerted thest of its strength to control its shell. "On Fishbone Street..." The husk was speaking, but the words vanished before they were fully spoken. The Pusac Elf had been consumed by Jason. Just like the taste in his memory. Slippery, and cool. The sweetness, however, was somewhat richer. And even more appetizing. Moreover, it wasn''t just the taste that was satisfactory, the satiety increased by an extra 3 pointspared to before. [Consumed ''Pusac Elf''!] [Physical Strength, Vigor (injuries) maximally recovered!] [Satiety +15] [Satiety: 61] ... As the nourishment from the food in his stomach began to spread, Jason''s reason came online once again. Where''s my ''Food Traitor''? How did I just eat it? Did I perform a ritual? Indeed, all that talk about rituals is deceptive; a full belly is all that''s real. Did it just mention Fishbone Street? Jason recalled. He didn''t need to remember too hard, as the events that had just transpired came instantly to mind. No helping it, it was too delicious. The deliciousness engraved the memory deeply. Simrly, such vivid memory made Jason''s stomach, which had only just felt somewhat full, once again growl with hunger. "Fishbone Street, Fishbone Street!" Jason muttered under his breath. He couldn''t wait to have another meal. However, he hadn''t forgotten to search. It didn''t take much to thoroughly search the whole room before Jason saw a military radio, obscured by a ck curtain. Jason wasn''t familiar with radios. He just checked that there wasn''t any ''mysterious knowledge'' on it and then turned to walk outside. He needed a professional. Conveniently, Edward and little Bansey were just the people for the job. ... Backstreet alley of ck Pepper Street. As soon as Jason entered the alley, he saw a car parked by the roadside. Simrly, the four people in the car also saw Jason. "Here, mask." Little Bansey called out, rolling down the window. Jason sped up, opened the car door, and squeezed into the back seat. Griffin, sitting on the other side, instantly curled up into a fetal position. "These back seats are really ufortable." "If I ever get money, I''m definitely starting a carpany." "I''m going to make car seats asfortable as sofas." Griffin muttered. "A carpany?" "If you start a carpany, I''ll specialize in researching tires for you." "Then, all your cars will use my tires, and I''ll even throw in some leaflets full of ads, right beside each of your sofa-like seats." Little Bansey mocked Griffin with a smile. But as he spoke, a tinge of longing crept into his voice. "The leaflet could list a lot of gourmet food." The female pastry chef added. The three started going off-topic without realizing it. Edward looked at Jason, and seeing him nod to signal that all was well, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "Let''s go." "Follow the route ''mask'' suggested." Edward spoke. Little Bansey immediately shut up and started the car as Edward had instructed. When they arrived at Walker''s house, they all instantly noticed the unconscious Walker. "Is he the ''Ghost Squad''s'' ''middleman''?" Edward, little Bansey, and Griffin scrutinized the other party. His fingers were delicate, obviously never having handled knives, firearms, nor looked like he''d been in a fight; rather, he seemed to have the air of someone well-read. Could such a person be the ''Ghost Squad''s'' middleman? The three were doubtful but trusted Jason nheless. Then, when Jason pulled back the ck curtain to reveal the radio, their doubts immediately dissipated. "Military radio!" Little Bansey eximed. And before the exmation had even finished, the radio sounded¡ª Beep, beep-beep. Chapter 303: Chapter 90 Fishbone Street When the radiomunication started, Edward immediately rushed over, pulled out a chair, sat down, and began to take notes with the paper and pen by his side. Jason was not familiar with this kind of radio, but for Edward, who came from a military background, operating it was quite easy. A momentter, he came over with a piece of paper full of dots and lines. "Where''s the codebook?" Edward asked. "Here." Bansey promptly took out the codebook from his pocket. "Dots and lines represent different letters; this ismon knowledge, so many people use special encryption methods, such asbining dots and lines into numbers, then using these numbers to read the actual information in the special codebook." The female pastry chef softly exined to Jason. "Mm." Jason nodded in understanding. He had guessed as much when Edward had first spoken. However, he did not rebut the well-intentioned pastry chef. Griffin, on the other hand, once again looked at the pastry chef without showing his emotions. A familiar feeling rushed over him again. The longer he stayed with the pastry chef, the stronger this feeling of familiarity became. He was sure it wasn''t an illusion. Only... He still couldn''t confirm where this familiar feeling came from. Was it some kind of malicious joke? Or... Some ''Overlord''s'' disguise? But what would be the point of such a disguise? He knew what those ''Overlords'' were after, and no one present could possibly be the target of their schemes. Not even for 550,000. Griffin''s brows were tightly furrowed. At this moment, Edward had already deciphered the code. "Fishbone Street 233, midnight." Edward ryed the decrypted message to those present. Fishbone Street again? Not only was the ''Food'' on Fishbone Street, but was the ''Ghost Squad'' there too? Or was the ''Ghost Squad'' relying on the ''Food Traitor'' to get ''ingredients'' to Fishbone Street? Or perhaps... The hunt in Fishbone Street had already beenpleted. Is midnight just a corresponding trade? After pausing for a moment, Jason''s mind was suddenly filled with many spections. Then, his aversion to the ''Ghost Squad'' grew even more intense. This was no longer just a matter of opposing sides; these guys were actually trying to steal his food. They were more than enemies! They were nemeses! Irreconcble nemeses! Then, Jason keenly noticed a hint of surprise in Edward''s expression. Bansey and Griffin seemed to be the same, while the usually rational pastry chef looked utterly bewildered at the moment. "Where''s Fishbone Street?" "Does Newdeth City have this street?" The pastry chef asked. "Yes." "Butmon people don''t know about it." "Because..." "It''s underground." Edward exined. "An underground street?" The pastry chef looked surprised. "That''s not just any underground street." "It''s the ''Inside World'' of Newdeth City." "There you can find things you''ll never see on the surface of the city, and the variety of those things is only limited by your imagination." "That ce is extremely disliked by the vast majority, yet there''s nothing they can do about it." "To outsiders, it''s known as Fishbone Street." "To those inside, it''s referred to as... ''the Gutter''." Griffin added. This self-proimed storyteller, information dealer, and middleman, while speaking, discreetly observed the pastry chef''s expression. He hoped that by probing with thest statement, he would see more information. However, the pastry chef''s face only showed surprise. "Newdeth City actually has such a ce?" "Aren''t you managing it?" The pastry chef looked at Edward and Bansey. "Some things are beyond my capacity to deal with." "Because..." "It''s legal." Edward said with a wry smile. "Legal?" "Such a ce sounds terrifying. How can it be legal?" The pastry chef was stunned, her face filled with disbelief. "Just like you said, Giselle, it is a terrifying ce." "But it is indeed legal." "My office drawer still contains the document signed by the Silver Federation, and during the time of Decheng, a photocopy of the same document was present, also marked as legal." Edward''s face was full of helplessness. And more so in his eyes was confusion. As the leader of a special operations team, he still did not understand why the Silver Federation would sign such documents. "If it exists, there''s a reason." "The existence of ''The Gutters'' is reasonable." "Because we all know the rules." Griffin, however, spread his hands and said. p! Bansey pped Griffin hard on the shoulder, and amidst Griffin''s grimacing, Bansey snorted coldly, "Your rules only apply to you, nothing but a fig leaf!" "Isn''t that enough?" "Moreover, the fig leaf of the Silver Federation isn''t just this one." Griffin retorted. Wanting to argue back, Bansey immediately fell silent. In the end, he could only¡ª p! Bansey pped Griffin''s shoulder hard again. This time, he used a lot of strength. Griffin staggered from the blow, nearly falling over. "Bullshit rules." Bansey muttered. And Jason was looking at Griffin, who steadied himself against a nearby table. "Since there are rules, then how does one get in?" Jason asked with certainty. He was all too familiar with such procedures. In the Nightless City, there were far too many simr ces. Each ce had its own set of rules. But there was one rule that was the same: entry required identity verification. "''Mask'', you seem very familiar with this process." Griffin said with a smile. He wanted to tease him further. But Bansey, standing by, had already opened his mouth decisively. "To enter Fishbone Street, you need two Fishbone Street residents as guarantors, and then, there is a fee of ten dors." "The two Fishbone Street residents must be people who have lived there for more than three years." "And any Silver Federation public officers are not wee." Towards the end, Bansey could not help it and started swearing under his breath. "Such a damned ce ought to be leveled with artillery fire!" "Then hit it with incendiary bombs, burn it for three days and nights!" "After that, douse it with disinfectant." "Otherwise, it will never bepletely purified." Such remarks made Griffin unhappy. "Hey, hey hey." "What do you mean by purification?" "I am also a resident there." Griffin reminded Bansey. Bansey red at Griffin. Griffin, unyielding, red back at Bansey. The more they red, the closer they got, neither willing to back down. Then, they simply pressed their foreheads against each other and circled in the room like wrestlers. "Enough." "We now have one guarantor." "Now we are missing one person!" Edward pulled the two apart, their foreheads already red, and positioned himself between them, unwilling to give in, and said. "I can''t do it." "I can only be one guarantor." "The other person needs to be figured out, ''The Gutters'' can''t be relied on, even I would have the same issue searching!" "It''s very possible that you will be attacked the moment you go in." Griffin said. In an instant, both Edward and Bansey furrowed their brows. They did not doubt Griffin''s words. Because ording to their investigation, that was exactly the case. Suddenly, the two of them were at a loss. Actually, if they had had someone reliable, they would have infiltrated sooner and not had to wait until now. At this moment, Jason spoke¡ª "A trusted person, huh?" "I know someone who might be able to help us." Chapter 304: Chapter 91: Do you think what you see is always the truth? The night fell, and the bustling Sausage Street during daylight swiftly quieted down. Especially when the cold wind howled, pedestrians only hurried by. Hannibal parked his car, carried out a bag of food with one hand, and shut the car door with the other. Although he had peculiar tastes, that didn''t mean Hannibal refused ordinary food. He hadn''t reached Jason''s level. Most of the time, he still relied on ordinary food for nutrition. This made him somewhat helpless. But he still endured it. Only through endurance would ''food'' be all the more sweet, wouldn''t it? As he walked toward his clinic, pondering over recipes, Hannibal suddenly felt a gaze on him. When this psychiatrist turned to look at the shadows nearby, Jason emerged from them. "Good evening, Hannibal." Jason greeted him. "Good evening, Jason." "Is there something?" Seeing his own kind, the corners of Hannibal''s mouth involuntarily curled upward. "Mhm." Jason nodded. "Shall we talk over dinner?" Hannibal extended the invitation. "Of course." Jason readily agreed. Little Bansey sitting in a car across the street watched Jason head towards the warm room with envy. He had heard that the psychiatrist was quite skilled in cooking. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to taste it. Edward had a simr thought. However, he was more restrained than little Bansey. And the female pastry chef? A different kind of emotion surfaced briefly in the depths of her eyes. But it vanished just as quickly, leaving only a sense of bafflement. Did I fall asleep again? The pastry chef recalled nkly. Sitting in the back seat, Griffin frowned to himself. To better observe the female pastry chef in secret, he had specifically chosen this spot. But all along the way, he still gained nothing. Although the feeling of familiarity persisted, he was still unable to confirm its origin. "Damn!" "Why is this happening?" "Have I forgotten something?" Frustration caused Griffin to breathe rapidly for a moment. However, he soon regained hisposure. He began to organize his thoughts¡ª I learned of Giselle''s existence because I acted as the councilor''s lobbyist. Before that, I had no contact with Giselle at all. Then, I went to the councilor''s estate Bastion in the suburbs, where a fierce battle took ce. Next, I was annoyingly strapped to a hospital bed by little Bansey. Last of all, we punished that councilor. Incident by incident shed through Griffin''s mind. But! He still felt like he had forgotten something. What was it? What have I forgotten? As Griffin pondered with his head bowed, he didn''t notice the cold gaze the female pastry chef gave him through the rearview mirror at that moment. "It''s so cold." "I really want a hot cup of cocoa." Little Bansey suddenly shivered. "Do you have any money?" Edward asked after exhaling a breath of hot air. "No, do you?" Little Bansey shook his head, then turned to ask Griffin. "None, it all went to Edward''s ''sheep.''" Griffin also shook his head. Then, the three men exchanged nces, and the car fell into a bizarre silence. Outside the window, the cold wind blew. In the howling of the wind, it seemed a word was whispered: poverty. "I''ll go." "Just wait, I''ll be right back." The female pastry chef said with a smile, pushed the car door open, and walked out. In the car, the three men watched as she left. As the female pastry chef''s figure disappeared behind the shop''s door, Griffin quickly pulled out arge-denomination tenner, signaled Edward with it, and at the same time nudged the front seat with his knee. Little Bansey turned his head and saw the banknote hidden in Griffin''s palm. Instinctively, he wanted to scold the guy for hiding private funds. But then, little Bansey thought of something. Without thinking, he looked towards Edward. He saw that Edward was frowning. "Captain?" Bansey spoke up. "I feel an indescribable familiarity with Giselle, yet I can''t remember where ites from." Edward said in a low voice. "You too?" Griffin looked towards Edward. "Yeah." Edward nodded, then both men turned to look at Bansey. "Me?" "It seems like I do, and then again I don''t." "I''m a bit confused." Bansey scratched his head. With that, silence fell in the car. The three men looked at each other. "Maybe..." "Are we overthinking it?" Bansey said that. "Maybe." Griffin agreed with a smile, but there wasn''t a trace of humor in his eyes, only seriousness. Edward pushed his sses up with his middle finger, ready to privately ask Jason about itter. It was really too strange. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the three men in the car, a figure stood five meters behind, staring at them. It was... The patissier! The woman who had headed towards the shop, now stood behind the car! She looked at the three men with a cold gaze. Even though her face did not change, at this moment, it was as if she had transformed into someone else. Not gentle. Not wild. Just an inexplicable sense of dread. She walked slowly towards the car. Click! She opened the door and got in. "Hey, Giselle!" "How did youe from behind?" Bansey asked, puzzled. However, the patissier did not answer. She quietly and mechanically turned her head, giving Bansey a smile. It was a cold smile. Even, one could say, grim. Bansey instinctively moved back. Griffin''s hand trembled, and a small dagger appeared in his hand. Edward, on the other hand, pulled out a gun. But, like a thick smoke, ckness instantly filled the entire car. After only about two seconds, the ck fog began to dissipate. Click! The car door opened. The patissier stepped out from the passenger side and walked slowly back the way she hade. The cold night wind blew. The patissier disappeared into the night. And up ahead¡ª Ding-dong. In the crisp sound of the shop bell, the patissier emerged struggling with five cups of hot cocoa and a bag of pastries. Bansey inside the car saw her and immediately ran out. "Giselle, let me help." He said, running over and taking the hot cocoa from her. Back in the car, Edward and Griffin took the hot cocoa from Bansey''s hands. "Thank you, thank you." The penniless Edward and Griffin thanked him profusely. "When I have money, I''ll pay you back," Edward added. Griffin, however, remained silent and kept his head down. It''s a fool who turns down a freebie; he had no intention of repaying the money. He was... Hmm? What was it again? Why does it feel a bit odd? I seem to have forgotten something. Why does this scene feel so familiar? Griffin couldn''t help but frown. The patissier also knit her brows. Because of the angle, the patissier sitting in the car could clearly see through the window of Hannibal''s room. Through this window, the patissier saw Hannibal, apron-d, serving food to Jason. Creak. Creak creak. The metal tin holding the hot cocoa began to slowly deform in the patissier''s hands. Chapter 305: Chapter 92 Theres Always a Way, and More Than One Under the gentle lighting, Jason sat on one side of a solid wood table covered with blue and white striped cloth, while Hannibal was cing several silver tes on the table quickly yet gracefully. The sizzle of the steak was audible, and a spoonful of vani sauce was drizzled on top of it. Grilled wings emitted steaming heat, wrapped at the ends with foil paper for easier handling. Tri-colored square pastries, arranged in a row of ten, were ced in thergest te to the left. Broli and radishes were simply boiled, then served on a te with sliced tomatoes and fried pork sausages. Upon learning that Jason refused alcoholic beverages, Hannibal prepared fruit and vegetable juices. Lemon and watermelon were juiced separately. In the celery and pumpkin juices, a bit of honey was added for taste. Four ss pitchers, containing the four-colored beverages, were ced close to Jason''s side. "Sorry for the wait." After removing his apron and sitting opposite Jason, Hannibal said with an apologetic tone. "No, it was quite fast." "Shall we begin?" Jason asked. "Of course." Hannibal smiled and took the lead in picking up the cutlery. However, that was all he did. He had no particr thoughts about the food before him. Facing Jason''s whirlwind-like and lightning-fast eating manner, he was once again immersed in it. As a chef, what could be more moving than obtaining good ingredients? Naturally, it was having a good diner. Jason certainly was a good diner. Even, one might say, unique. Because no other diner would have a stomach like Jason''s. A table''s worth of food, enough to share with a family, swiftly made its way into Jason''s belly. In the end, Jason picked up the honey pumpkin juice and drank it all in one go. Whew. Setting down the ss pitcher, Jason let out a long breath. "Your cooking skills amaze me every time." Jason looked at Hannibal and said sincerely. "Your praise each time is the motivation for me to move forward." Hannibal responded. Then, the two looked at each other and couldn''t help but smile. "Hannibal, do you know ''Fishbone Street''?" Jason asked bluntly. Facing a fellow enthusiast, Jason did not think it necessary to beat around the bush. "I do." "You''re nning to enter ''Fishbone Street''?" Hannibal immediately guessed Jason''s intention. "Yes." "We stillck a guarantor." Jason nodded. "No problem, leave it to me." Hannibal immediately agreed. Moreover, he had already begun to draft in his mind how to guide Jason through the entire ''Fishbone Street''. The ''Food Traitor shop'' is a must-visit. The ''Oddity shop'' is also good. The ''Collectible store''? That ce is too disgusting, no need to go there. Some of the scattered stalls might be worthwhile, perhaps they woulde across something interesting. The thought of strolling through various stalls with Jason brought an involuntary smile to Hannibal''s face. This was his first time shopping with someone of equal footing. He had never felt this way before. But, he had long awaited it. "When will you go to ''Fishbone Street''?" Hannibal inquired. "Midnight." Upon receiving this answer, Hannibal immediately stood up and began clearing the cutlery. Midnight was fast approaching, and he had to finish cleaning before then. As for leaving it until tomorrow? In the education he received, procrastination was absolutely forbidden. Jason wanted to help once more, but Hannibal refused him again. Returning to his seat, Jason watched Hannibal busily cleaning and couldn''t help but ask, "Hannibal, how do you control your appetite?" Reason is eroded by hunger, and Jason had long since discovered his own weakness. Yet he had no method tobat it. Once hunger struck, he would be reckless and careless. Although so far, there had been no major problems, that didn''t mean there wouldn''t be any in the future. The thought of such a mistake leading to a loss of control over the entire situation weighed heavily on Jason''s mind. And when his mood became heavy, Jason felt hungry again. "Hannibal, are there any of the small cakes left from earlier?" Sugar always seems to cheer one up when feeling down. "In the fridge, there are some leftovers from before, though they are not very fresh¡­" "That''s fine." Jason said as he stood up, indicating that he would attend to it himself. Operating an oven and such, having seen a female pastry chef''s baking process, Jason knew how to do it. He opened the refrigerator, took out a whole tray of pastries, and after defrosting them, Jason reapplied the grease before putting the pastries into the oven, adjusting the heat and setting the timer. Meanwhile, Hannibal was washing dishes and observing Jason''s awkward but urate movements. "Jason, you have a good talent for cooking." "If you have the time, you could learn some culinary skills." Hannibal suggested. "Culinary skills?" Jason paused, taken aback. All things can be roasted? No matter what, can be stewed? He unwittingly thought of his own conclusions about cooking. "Yes." "It might be difficult at first, but once you find the joy in it, you''ll quickly be immersed." "And this¡­" "Is how I control my appetite." Hannibal said with a smile, turning his head as a strand of blonde hair fell just so, not creating a dishevelled look but rather enhancing the cheerfulness of that smile. Then, Hannibal raised his left hand and hooked the blonde hair back with his little finger,bing it back before continuing to speak. "I''m different from you, Jason." "My stomach can''t handle so much ''food''." "But my brain tells me I''m hungry." "So, I need to distract my brain a bit." "At first, I failed many times." "But once I found the knack, I gradually seeded." After putting the washed dishes into the cab, Hannibal closed the cab and turned to wipe the sink, continuing to speak while wiping. "The knack?" Jason''s eyes brightened. "Try to divert your attention with everything rted to food." "Initially, there is a counterproductive phase¡ªback then, I told myself that if I persisted, there would be more food, but I couldn''t hold out, and I ate that food. Then, the feeling of defeat made me angry, and the physical difort made me doubt, while angry, whether I was truly a qualified ''Food Traitor''." "But I persisted." "Eventually, I managed to control my appetite most of the time." "About one out of every ten times, I would fail." "I believe the day when I can perfectly seed ten out of ten attempts will be the day when I truly seed andplete my transformation." Hannibal shared his experience. Jason couldn''t help but nod. He had first-hand experience. Facing the verbal tactics of ''Food Traitor,'' under normal circumstances, he would extract more information, but when hungry, he felt a rage as if being taunted by food and didn''t hesitate to start eating. He told his opponent with his teeth and stomach acid what the consequences were. "Is it necessary to umte sess through repeated failures?" Jason murmured to himself. "Mhm." "Most of the time, it''s like that." Hannibal nodded, then suddenly smiled, "But you''re special, Jason, you might try another method!" Chapter 306 - 93 Temperance and Indulgence Another method? Jason was taken aback, looking towards Hannibal. "Eat!" Hannibal answered with a smile. Eat? Jason frowned, his face bing contemtive. And Hannibal continued to say: "Eat your fill." "Eat until you¡¯re stuffed." "Eat until your stomach absolutely can¡¯t take any more." Hannibal said earnestly. But my stomach is like a bottomless pit... Until now, I have no idea how much I could eat if I really let myself go. Jason thought silently. He didn¡¯t share this with Hannibal. Because he knew very well that this wasn¡¯t something Hannibal could solve for him. Was he supposed to ask Hannibal to help him remove his stomach? Moreover, he had already gained a lot from Hannibal. Those words kepting together in his mind. And they finally became¡ª Restraint! Indulgence! Just like two paths, they appeared before Jason. Which one to choose? It goes without saying. Restraint! Only self-discipline can lead to freedom! Although he longed to satisfy his hunger just once... where would all that foode from? Jason took a deep breath. He began to look at the small pastry in front of him. Bear it for three seconds. Jason reminded himself. 1! The first second started, and Jason couldn¡¯t help but raise his right hand. Immediately, he picked up the fork on the table with his left hand, plunged it through his right hand, and nailed it to the table. Pain arose. The hunger was slightly curbed. 2! The second second started, and Jason¡¯s left hand couldn¡¯t help but reach out. "Hannibal!" Jason growled. Jason suddenly pinning his right hand to the table startled Hannibal, but his face was soon filled with admiration. Upon hearing Jason¡¯s shout, Hannibal didn¡¯t hesitate to pick up another fork and nailed Jason¡¯s left hand to the table as well, skillfully avoiding the tendons and bones despite the unabated pain. The pain intensified. But so did the hunger. The second of stalemate. 3! The third second began, and Jason opened his mouth, ready to gulp down those pastries. But just as his mouth opened, he mmed his head into the table. Bang! One hit, Jason¡¯s forehead swelled. Bang! Two hits, Jason¡¯s forehead split open. Bang! Three hits, Jason¡¯s eyes bloodshot, blood streaming from his nostrils. Without a doubt, Jason put all his strength into each impact. After three hits, he felt dizzy and his whole body almost couldn¡¯t stay seated. But, he had seeded. He had endured three seconds! No, he even made it an extra second! Ignoring the blood he left behind, Jason¡¯s mouth curled into a smile tainted with blood. Hannibal stared at that smile, momentarily stupefied. It was his first time seeing such a smile under bloodstains. It wasn¡¯t cruel at all but instead filled with purity. "You were a bit impulsive," Hannibal said and pulled the forks out of Jason¡¯s hands. "I don¡¯t have much time," "So¡­" Jason wanted to say more, but the hunger drove him directly towards those pastries. Hannibal, watching Jason wolfing down the food, shook his head slightly and walked to the restroom, bringing out a medical kit. And in that short span, the pastries were all gone. "I¡¯ll help you clean the wounds." Hannibal said, taking out the alcohol. "Thank you," Jason thanked him and continued the topic they had been discussing. "I don¡¯t have much time, so, I must use special methods to force myself to stay awake!" "Just adding a little more time each instance, I can gradually progress." "Then, I can maintain my sanity even when faced with food." Hope filled Jason¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t need much, at this stage, just 10... no, 5... no, 1 minute of rity would be enough. "This is a tough road." "It gets harder as you proceed." Hannibal said. "I know." "But walking by myself is always better than being forced to walk, right?" Jason said with a smile. Hannibal nodded, returning the smile. Then, he walked towards the hallway of the room, picked up his coat, and gestured to Jason. "Shall we set off now?" "Of course." Jason replied. "They¡¯re out!" "They¡¯re out!" The others, who had been waiting in the car for a long time, watched Hannibal¡¯s room intently. When Jason and Hannibal came out one after another, the sharp-eyed Bansey was the first to shout. Then, they saw Jason¡¯s hands and head wrapped in bandages. In fact, Griffin was the first to notice something amiss. However, after seeing Jason¡¯s injuries, Griffin just kept quiet and observed how the situation unfolded. The female pastry chef rushed out of the car. "Jason, how are you?" The female pastry chef rushed to Jason¡¯s side and asked with concern, while looking at Hannibal with hostility. If Jason hadn¡¯t emerged smiling, she would have already hit Hannibal with her handbag. "I¡¯m fine." "There¡¯s much to gain." Jason answered with augh. The female pastry chef saw Jason¡¯s smile, which seemed to release all the pressure from his heart, and couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips. So happy being with someone else? Then, her hostility towards Hannibal grew. She had disliked the psychiatrist from the start. Now? She loathed him even more. No! This was an enemy! To think he dared to vie for Jason! The female pastry chef red at Hannibal venomously while a voice seemed to whisper inside her heart. Don¡¯t rush. He will get what¡¯sing to him soon! This voice appeared so abruptly, it was almost like a hallucination. The female pastry chef didn¡¯t pay any attention to it. Though Hannibal was a psychiatrist, he couldn¡¯t hear the voices in others¡¯ hearts either. However, he did notice the female pastry chef¡¯s animosity. But he didn¡¯t care. Just a foolish woman after all. Continue reading at NovelBin.C?m How could she affect his rtionship with Jason? You see, they were kin. Hannibal cast a nce at the car next to him and said decisively: "One car won¡¯t fit everyone." "Let¡¯s split into two." "I¡¯ll drive." "Jason, do you want toe?" "Sure," Jason agreed without hesitation. "I¡¯ming too." The female pastry chef said. Hannibal did not object and headed straight for the garage. A momentter, two cars drove one after the other towards the hidden streets of Newdeth City: Fishbone Street. To Jason¡¯s surprise, the entrance to this street turned out to be near Pea Corner Street. Not too far from ¡¯Watchdog Pastry House¡¯ as the crow flies. The entrance was through a garage that on the outside looked like an apartment building. A man smoking stood in front of the garage door. He didn¡¯t budge as the two cars approached. It was only after Hannibal and Griffin showed their ¡¯residence permits¡¯ did the manzily open the door. tter tter. Amidst the unique sound of the metal rolling gate, soft light from behind the door shone on the cars. It revealed the figures of Hannibal, Jason, and the female pastry chef. The usually indolent guard snapped to attention upon seeing the female pastry chef¡¯s face, subconsciously trying to kneel, but then he forcefully restrained himself. He quickly stepped back to clear the way. After watching the two cars drive in, he immediately closed the rolling gate and, as if mad, dashed to a concealed phone. "Attention!" "Everyone, attention!" "The Queen has returned!" Chapter 307 - 94 Hospitality Fishbone Street The rolling shutter door closed behind the vehicle. The night breeze was blocked outside the door, and under the soft lighting, the entire garage was fully revealed. It was just like the garages Jason knew. They were garages mixed with repair bays, with wide spaces for parking in the center, and some shelves with misceneous items on the sides, piled high with tools like wrenches and motor oil. Moreover, Jason sharply noticed that these items were not just for show but were actually in use. "Sometimes, when a disguise is worn for long enough, the fake bes real." Hannibal said this. Jason nodded thoughtfully. Then¡ª Click! With the sound of gears turning, the ground where the cars were parked suddenly began to sink. Just like an elevator, it took a full two minutes for this descent to stop. Then, a wide tunnel with fournes appeared before Jason¡¯s eyes. The surface of this tunnel was smooth, in no way inferior to the ground level of Newdeth City, in fact, it even surpassed it. At the entrance to the tunnel, two teams of twenty armed guards stood. In the middle of the tunnel stood a solid bastion, with two dark muzzles, one for each of the two heavy machine guns guarding the corresponding directions, and these were merely the visible armed forces. In other dark corners, Jason¡¯s senses could pick up faint, almost imperceptible breathing. What¡¯s more important was that given the special topography here, as long as there were enough bullets, it would indeed be a case where one man could hold off ten thousand. After all, at most two or three hundred people could fit at the entrance of the tunnel. And two or three hundred people wouldn¡¯tst two rounds under the fire of two heavy machine guns and twenty rifles. As for the thought of quickly breaking through this ce? Unless theypletely dug open the surface above this ce, it was basically impossible to amodate more people. Simrly, this was incredibly difficult. Based on the speed of the descent just now, this ce was at least 500 meters below the surface. "500 meters..." Jason frowned as he thought about this depth. In his opinion, even ¡¯peace¡¯ would hardly damage a structure 500 meters underground. However, in this world with a ¡¯Mystical Side¡¯, maybe there were other methods that might work. Or... Just break through from the inside! This tunnel entrance was an excellent turning point. If one were to seize it, then turn the guns inside to fire, no matter how many people were inside, it would hold them back for a while. Jason, who suffered from severe paranoia, always came up with corresponding ns whenever he entered a new ce. Most of the time, they werepletely unnecessary. But this didn¡¯t stop him from refining his ns every time. While Jason was thinking, Edward, who was putting on an act, was also looking around. Then, the expression of the leader of the special operations team grew dim. Edward, who came from the military, knew very well that not just their small group, but even if all the police departments above ground were called to forcefully attack this ce, it would be a suicide mission. Unless they brought in an entire army for a protracted war. Otherwise... There was no hope. But the resources consumed by a protracted war, how enormous would that number be? Just thinking about it filled Edward with despair. "How do you think this ce got its legality?" "If it were really that easy to take down, ¡¯Fishbone Street¡¯ would¡¯ve ceased to exist a long time ago." Griffin looked at Edward and sneered. Then, without waiting for Edward to speak again, and dodging a punch from little Bansey, Griffin pushed open the car door and stepped out. Standing by the door, Griffin spread his arms and took a deep breath. "This damned sweetness." "It¡¯s the smell of the ¡¯gutter¡¯." Griffin¡¯s mouth was full of affectionate praise, but his face showed deep disgust. That disgust was imprinted in his bones. And it was evident. At least, little Bansey could see it. "Do you really hate this ce?" Bansey asked. "Yeah, just like you hate this ce." "I do." "Even more so, I hate it even more than you do." "After all, my father, mother, brothers, and sisters all died here." Griffin¡¯s voice was somber as he spoke. Little Bansey was startled, then immediately began to speak, full of apologies. "I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know, I..." "Hahaha!" "You actually believed that?" "So naive!" Unfortunately, before Little Bansey could finish his apologetic words, he was interrupted by Griffin¡¯s loudughter. Your next journey awaits at NovelBin.C?m Suddenly, Little Bansey looked at his unreliablepanion with gritted teeth. If it weren¡¯t for the ce being inappropriate, with the patrolling guards walking by, he would have fired his weapon long ago. "Greetings, please show your identification." A leader who seemed to be a guard came over, first making a fist with his right hand, gently tapping it against his chest, and then, with a smile on his face, he spoke. His voice was soothing, and his behavior was even more in keeping with etiquette. This left the defensive Edward and Little Bansey bewildered. They had never imagined the guards of Fishbone Street to be so polite. In their minds, even if the guards here were not evil, they would definitely all be coarse and uncultured. Griffin was also stunned. His memory of this ce was certainly not like this. Let alone the neatly formed lines. Gathering in groups to smoke, drink, and make trouble here was what these guards usually did, and what was even moremon was to collect a certain toll fee, which had bemon knowledge. So when he handed over his ¡¯resident certificate¡¯, he had slipped a five-dor bill inside it. What Griffin had not expected was that the lead guard, upon seeing the money, immediately changed his expression. First was panic. Then subconsciously looking towards the shadows on one side. It was as if he was straining his ears to listen. In the end, it turned to coldness. "Sir, are you insulting me?" The lead guard threw the ¡¯resident certificate¡¯ back at Griffin, who caught it in a fluster, but the money that had been tucked inside still fell out. Edward and Little Bansey, upon seeing this scene, were even more surprised. Were the guards of Fishbone Street all so honorable? "Sir, this is the first andst time." "If you make this mistake again, you will be expelled." "Now, if you wish to bring your friends into ¡¯Fishbone Street,¡¯ please go to the sentry box to handle the entry procedures¡ªremember, please do not make a simr mistake again." As he spoke, the lead guard turned and ran back to his formation. The entire process was meticulous, the drill and discipline showed their regr training. Even Edward and Little Bansey, who were from a military background, could not find any fault with it. "A team with strict discipline." "Having such a team, have we perhaps misunderstood Fishbone Street?" Little Bansey asked softly. "Let¡¯s wait and see." Edward said. Griffin, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t help but tap his forehead. Am I still not awake? This doesn¡¯t match my memories. Have I forgotten something again? Damn it. Why do I keep forgetting thingstely! With these thoughts, Edward¡¯s trio and Jason¡¯s trio met up. They arrived at the sentry box the guard had mentioned¡ªjust as they got there¡ª Bang! A gunshot sounded, and Edward, Little Bansey, and Griffin instinctively pulled out their weapons, only to see petals fall from above. p, p. The surrounding soldiers gently tapped their boots, giving a neat salute to the group. Sitting inside the booth, a middle-aged man in ceremonial attire came out and said with a smile: "Congrattions, you are the 100,000th visitors to enter Fishbone Street." "As a result, you will be granted visa exemption." "And this distinguisheddy, you will receive a shopping discount." Chapter 308: Chapter 95 Different Shopping for free? Everyone was stunned, a touch of strangeness rising in their hearts. Two of the six people had been to ''Fishbone Street'' before, they could even be called regrs. The remaining four, though they hadn''t been there, had heard of it more or less. But the scene before their eyes was far different from what they had remembered. What happened to thewless zone? What happened to the cruelty, the cold-heartedness? What happened to the darkness, the sights unfit for the eyes? How did it turn into shopping at a mall? After Jason''s gaze swept over the middle-aged man, he subconsciously looked at the female pastry chef. The female pastry chef herself pointed at herself. "Me?" "Yes, it''s you." "As the very person who happens to be the 100,000th visitor, you have be the honored guest of ''Fishbone Street''." "You can shop and enjoy yourself here to your heart''s content." The middle-aged man spoke in a kind tone, even showing a hint of humility. "This is the first time I''ve heard of ''Fishbone Street'' having such a promotion." Griffin said. "Because this is the first time we''re holding it." The middle-aged man answered with a smile. "Then why her, why not me?" "We almost got off the car at the same time, right?" Griffin asked again. "It''s ording to the order of arrival in front of me." The middle-aged man answered methodically. Griffin had more questions, but Edward and little Bansey blocked him on both sides. They hadn''t forgotten why they hade to Fishbone Street. It wasn''t to pick faults, but for the ''Ghost Squad''. A sense of caution rose in Jason''s heart. The group returned to their vehicles, the two cars driving side by side. The middle-aged man watched the cars drive away, then immediately went back to the booth. "Her Majesty the Queen has entered the tunnel." "Guards, follow at all times." "And... tell those bastards to roll back to where they belong." Contrary to his previous kindness, the middle-aged man''s voice was cold as he spoke on the phone. After hanging up the phone and dialing a few more numbers, issuing simr orders, he finally sat back in the booth. He rubbed his forehead, pondering. Why did Her Majesty the Queen suddenlye back? Could it be that we haven''t done well enough somewhere? Or is it because of some bastards... Wait a second! It couldn''t really be those bastards, could it! Upon thinking of something, the middle-aged man stood up again and picked up the phone to dial a number. "Check what those bastards have been up totely." After speaking, the middle-aged man waited patiently. Because he knew well that such an inquiry posed no difficulty to the person on the other end of the call. In fact, it was just so. About a minuteter, a report of the investigation came through the receiver. "Someone among them has put a reward of 50,000 on a woman named Giselle..." Click! With a crisp sound, the middle-aged man''s palm trembled, and immediately cracks appeared on the handset. "Hello, hello, what''s going on?" "Someone has put up a counter-reward on those bastards." "It must be someone connected to Giselle, or perhaps someone trying to force them into the open, right?" Voices came from the receiver. "Alright, I got it." "I''ll handle those bastards." The middle-aged man continued to respond calmly. But the instant he hung up the phone, he copsed to the ground, clutching his head with both hands. It''s all over! It''s over! Those bastards are going to get me killed! No! No! I must save myself! With this thought, the middle-aged man got up again and reached for the phone to make another call. ... Sitting in the car driven by Hannibal, Jason was asking about everything rted to ''Fishbone Street''. "Fishbone Street is what normal people would consider the ck Market." Chapter Enjoy: "But this ce is much worse than the ck Market." "Deception and murder are everywhere." "Although it has its own rules, it''s not a ce where people feelfortable." Hannibal answered. Then, the psychologist looked at the female pastry chef through the rearview mirror. He was also curious about why this scene had urred. The female pastry chef lookedpletely baffled, and even Hannibal couldn''t decipher anything from such an expression. A bunch of idiots! An inexplicable voice arose within her. This made the female pastry chef startle. Then, she shook her head. "What''s wrong, Giselle?" Jason, who had been watching her, asked. "Nothing." "It just feels strange." "The way those people were looking at me just now was very strange¡ªcould it be because of... the bounty?" The female pastry chef shook her head, analyzing seriously. A bounty?! Jason was stunned. Yes, that''s right! A bounty as high as 550,000! With that assumption, the scene just now seemed not so iprehensible. "What bounty?" Hannibal asked. Jason immediately exined. "So that''s how it is." Hannibal immediately sighed in relief. He was worried about the unknowns. This kind of known quantity? He feared nothing. No matter how many came, he would bury just as many, saving himself the money for fertilizer. "Miss Giselle, please do not lose sight of myself and Jasonter. Their so-called shopping spree is designed to immerse you in shopping so you''ll lower your guard, then they''ll strike." "And the 550,000 is not their real target." "Their greed is beyond your imagination." "If someone is willing to put up a bounty of 50,000 for you and pay 500,000 for revenge on your behalf, then there can certainly be more." "They are bastards who''d try to extract oil from stones, and they will find every way to squeeze more out of you." Hannibal warned the female pastry chef. "Thank you." She thanked him reluctantly. Then, she slowly moved closer to Jason, narrowing the distance between them. Next, she lifted her hand, wanting to touch Jason''s palm. But the moment she lifted her hand, the female pastry chef''s own face turned red. Eventually, she could only rest her hand on the chair, 10 centimeters away from Jason. Seeing this, Hannibal couldn''t help but avert his gaze. It seems I was overthinking it. However... I seem to have forgotten something. What could it be? Hannibal shook his head involuntarily and started to concentrate on driving. The tunnel sloped downwards. It was longer than 10 kilometers. Every 30 meters, there was a light illuminating the way. Jason observed everything silently, Etching everything into his memory. Especially when he arrived at the end of the tunnel, his eyes widened, He needed to see clearly what ''Fishbone Street'' looked like. And then... Scattered houses, stone-paved roads, a parking lot on the side with cars parked neatly, a smiling waiter at the end of the tunnel guiding them to park, In front of them were several barbecue grillsden with various foods, Two ordion yers circled the grills, ying and dancing. Several young girls were singing and dancing, In the distance, children chased after each other, running andughing. "This is Fishbone Street?" "How is it like a resort?" The female pastry chef couldn''t help asking. Griffin, who got out of the car behind, rubbed his eyes and then yelled, "Where''s the gallows? Why did it turn into a barbecue grill? And that''s supposed to be a guillotine, how could there be ordion yers? Aren''t those dancing people supposed to be soliciting customers? And shouldn''t those running children be robbers in dwarf disguise?" The guiding waiter came over with a smile. "Hello sir, although you are a resident here, we will still sue you for defamation if you continue speaking this way." "Sue what, now?" "Are you trying to make me drop my guard, then hit me with a sucker punch?" "Forget it." Griffin continued shouting. Edward and little Bansey, also standing by, were stunned by the scene in ''Fishbone Street''. Then, both of them twitched their noses. Dish soap! They smelled the scent of dish soap! Instinctively, they felt as though their hands were submerged in cold water again, an ufortable bone-chilling sensation. Hannibal and Jason seemed contemtive. The female pastry chef scraped the ground with the tip of her boot. The stone road felt a bit damp. "They cleaned up the street." "Hastily, but thoroughly." "Was the whole town mobilized for this?" The female pastry chef spected, her gaze shifting to the food on the barbecue grills. "Beef,mb, pork, chicken, and fish." "Sorted meticulously, each of high quality." "But clearly, they were just put up there, and those ordion yers and dancing girls have stiff expressions, ncing at us now and then. As for the children in the distance, they could be running further away but are just circling around, continuouslyughing. They have beenughing for so long, aren''t they tired?" "Everyone be careful." "There is danger here." After speaking, the female pastry chef hid behind Jason. She hadn''t seen the helplessness on the faces of the smiling waiter, the ordion yers, and the dancing girls. They didn''t want to do this either! But they were not professionals! Their efforts were already at their maximum! The smiling waiter was about to exin, But at that moment, a profound and indelible malice swept over them, focusing on Jason, who was blocking the pastry chef. Jason, who had been eyeing the barbecue grill and swallowing saliva, raised an eyebrow, his suppressed hunger no longer containable and burst forth in an instant. The instincts of a predator began to boil and ultimately soared, roaring out loud. Boom! Chapter 309: Chapter 96: First Contact As ck as ink, hunger roared to the skies. The surging breath exploded, roaring toward the eight directions in the west. Creeeak, creeeak. The artificial light sources above ''Fishbone Street'' were swaying from side to side as sparks of electricity flickered into existence. In the flickering light, a gigantic monster with blood-red eyes and a gaping maw appeared and vanished before everyone''s eyes in a sh. It was merely a moment. But everyone shuddered. The smiling waiters'' faces had frozen over. The dancing girls'' steps became stiff. The ordionist''s fingers halted in their tracks. The children who had been running andughing stood still, none daring to move. Instinct was telling them¡ª Don''t move! If they did... They would be eaten! Yet fear drove them to run. Contradictorymands issued from their brains. Causing their bodies to exhibit a ridiculousck of coordination. But no one around them couldugh. They looked at each other, sharing only an inexplicable sense of the bizarre. Then¡ª "Don''t eat me!" "Don''t eat me!" A figure in ''Fishbone Street'' sprinted toward the depths of the alley, tears streaming down their face, stumbling after just a few steps before falling to the ground, then quickly scrambling up to continue running. But after less than 10 meters, they were pinned to the ground by several guards. The figure struggled. But there was no technique, only instinctive iling. While struggling, they kept shouting. "Don''t eat me!" Without a doubt, such struggling was futile. The guards easily locked up the person who had dared to offend Her Majesty the Queen in shackles. They didn''t take him back to Her Majesty the Queen. Instead, following the gestures of the Guard Captain, they threw the individual into a prison cell. As for what happened next? Everything was left to the Captain. The middle-aged man who had previously greeted Jason''s group at the sentry post watched his subordinates take the offender away. This middle-aged man''s face retained a chilling aura, tinged with murderous intent. "Those damned fools." He cursed inwardly. He knew well how the offender had appeared. And this only made his already firm decision all the more resolute. However, there was still one thing left to deal with at this moment. The man by Her Majesty the Queen''s side! The Guard Captain looked at Jason, who was standing in front of a grill, his eyes filled with wariness. He had never imagined that a veteran could possess such strength. He had felt that terrifying sensation. The ensuing sense of powerlessness and fear, he had felt that too. As the Guard Captain, his instincts urged him to keep Her Majesty the Queen away from such a man. He was far too dangerous. So, he walked straight over there. He waved his hand at the bewildered waiters, dancers, ordion yer, and ''children.'' Then, with a smile, he exined to Jason''s group: "We are preparing for a celebration." "This was an unsessful rehearsal." "Please forgive us." Saying so, the Guard Captain bowed deeply. Immediately, the female pastry chef subconsciously returned the gesture. And just then, the Guard Captain stepped aside, evading such a formality. Griffin watched this scene, his eyes flickering. He was certain now that there was something unusual about the female pastry chef. Without question, everything that had happened was for the female pastry chef. It was definitely not just for the bounty of 550,000! Because he had recognized who the middle-aged man before him was. Dorothee, the Sheriff of ''Fishbone Street.'' Aside from a few overlords, the most powerful man on ''Fishbone Street,'' such a man would definitely not demean himself for a mere 550,000. And who could make such a person smile pleasantly, even bow and scrape? What kind of person would that be? The children of those overlords? Not a chance! Don''t mention the children of those overlords! Even the overlords themselves would find it hard to get someone to do this. But besides these overlords, could Fishbone Street have an even higher authority? Impossible! Chapter Experience: If there was a higher authority, why would there be any struggle on Fishbone Street? Griffin spected. Then, with hands behind his back, he gestured to Edward and Bansey and turned his gaze to Jason. When things were unclear, naturally they had to unite against outsiders. Jason was an indispensable part of their fighting force, so naturally, he was to be brought into... what? Crack, crunch. thered in copious sauce, Jason showed no qualms about the cooked meat on the bone, stuffing it into his mouth and chewing with big bites. Amidst the crisp sounds, he couldn''t help butugh. Seeing this, Griffin couldn''t help the twitch of his mouth. Are you still eating at a time like this? Are you the reincarnation of gluttony? Do you n to eat until the end of the world? Griffin yelled in his heart, but outwardly he stepped forward calmly, shielding the female pastry chef behind him, just as Edward and Bansey did. Griffin could clearly sense that the Fishbone Street sheriff''s gaze was a bit off. Edward and Bansey also noticed it, ced their hands on their gun handles, and nked to the left and right, cing the female pastry chef under a ''full frontal defense'' protective stance. Dorothee saw this and found it amusing inside. Do you really think you could act as His Majesty''s defense? But then he thought again. Could this be what His Majesty wanted? With this in mind, Dorothee immediately changed his mind. "Everybody, I have other matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave." "If you need anything, please notify the guards." "They will help you handle it." After speaking, Dorothee turned and left. This scene left Griffin, Edward, and Bansey somewhat perplexed. The three of them exchanged nces before their eyes once again fell on Jason. And then... They saw Hannibal take more meat out of the refrigerator on the side, skewer it, and start grilling it just for Jason. "Hey, hey, this is Fishbone Street!" "We''re not here for a pic!" "Can we please be serious for a moment?" "Show some dignity, will you?" Griffin couldn''t help but mutter hisints. Hannibal believed Griffin had a point, so instead of grilling in batches, he took out all the meat and grilled it at once. With ample ingredients and seasoning, Hannibal''s cooking skills were fully showcased. The aroma made Edward and Bansey involuntarily stop in their tracks. You should know they hadn''t had a satisfying dinner. However, they both swallowed their saliva and did not fight Jason for the food. It wasn''t that they didn''t want to. It was that they didn''t dare. There was no doubt that such waiting was torture. The only constion was that Jason ate quickly enough. Edward and Bansey never thought they would one day be thankful for Jason''s quick eating. After thest skewer of grilled meat was consumed, Jason took the handkerchief Hannibal passed to him. "Thank you." "It was delicious." Jasonplimented. "Happy to serve you," Hannibal epted the praise, took off his apron, and made a weing gesture. Jason took a step forward. He still remembered his target, ''Fishbone Street 233''. The female pastry chef quickly followed, wedging herself between Jason and Hannibal, using her presence to separate them. Then, she pretended to carefully count the street numbers. "221, 222, 22... Hmm?" Just as the female pastry chef was about to count to number 223, a squad of guards blocked their path. "Sorry, this half of the street is temporarily closed to the public," the guard politely told the female pastry chef. "Why?" she asked subconsciously. "Because..." Before the guard could finish, a burst of me erupted from number 223. And then¡ª Boom! In the massive explosion, several figures dashed out, heading straight for Jason and his party. Chapter 310 - 97: Xin, Never Out of Date "Block them!" In the aftermath of the explosion, the voice of the Fishbone Street Sheriff rang out. The squad of guards immediately turned around, raising their guns to stop the three people. Bang, bang, bang! The shes of the gun muzzles flickered. Bullets shot out densely, but the three figures bursting forth seemed to anticipate each movement, some leaping, some pausing in their step, others charging forward swiftly. Their movements varied, yet they seemed to act as one. They not only evaded the bullets but also mounted a counterattack. Whoosh, whoosh whoosh. A series of sounds from shing des cut through the air. The gun-wielding guards fell one after another, clutching their throats. "Overestimating yourselves." The one who threw the knives sneered several times, then his gaze shifted toward Jason. "So you¡¯re the one who¡¯s been messing up our operationstely, huh?" "Have you thought about how you want to die?" The other coldly asked. Then, while speaking, he threw another throwing knife. Whoosh! ng! The knife flew straight for Jason¡¯s throat, but before it could reach him, Hannibal simply raised his hand. A scalpel appeared in Hannibal¡¯s hand, and with a swipe, The tip of the knife met the flying de, knocking it away. "Ambushing is not the behavior of a gentleman." Hannibal stepped forward and said. "Gentleman?" "We are warriors!" "The finest warriors!" "We only need victory¡ªa victory by any means necessary!" The ambusher, far from ashamed, proudly proimed this as hisrades aimed their guns at Jason¡¯s group and pulled the triggers. Ratatat. Two submachine guns spat out tongues of fire. The moment the guns were raised, Jason swiftly carried the female pastry chef into the nearby building for cover. Hannibal, Edward, Little Bansey, and Griffin moved to dodge on the other side. Pop, pop pop! Stay tuned for updates on NovelBin.C?m Bullets struck the surrounding walls, sending fragments flying. As the three people who had dashed out of the explosion returned fire and retreated, Grenades were thrown with precision, not justnding where Jason¡¯s group dodged but also thrown behind them. Boom, boom, boom! A series of explosions followed. Two specially designed smoke grenades wereunched. Hiss, hiss! In an instant, smoke enveloped Fishbone Street. As everyone¡¯s vision was obscured, the three-person squad rushed towards the parking lot at the entrance. Up to now, they hadn¡¯t understood why a small hunt had led Fishbone Street to suddenly turn hostile. They had done simr things in the past and had just madepensations to resolve issues. But this time? Dorothee directly dered war. If they hadn¡¯t instinctively taken defensive measures, they would have been killed already. But now? They had the upper hand! If they could make it to the parking lot, they¡¯d have a chance to survive. And for them, that wasn¡¯t a difficult task. They had encountered many simr situations before. Everything was a familiar routine. Once they broke free... huh, Fishbone Street? They would certainly seek revenge on Fishbone Street! Compared to their Ghost Squad, what was a tiny Fishbone Street? Just a rural organization they could crush effortlessly. That¡¯s right! And then there was that washed-up ex-soldier! A nobody who couldn¡¯t even handle the trauma of war, recently active before their eyes! Did he really think he could stand against them just by disrupting a few operations they couldn¡¯t care less about? So naive! Once they got serious, they would make sure he paid the price. Thud! Thud, thud! As the three retreated rapidly, lost in thought, they suddenly heard a familiar sound. It sounded like a heartbeat. But how could a heartbeat be so loud? So loud that it sounded like... War drums! Where were the war drumsing from? This wasn¡¯t a real battlefield. Moreover, the so-called war drums had long been obsolete on the stage of war, and although they were apprentice members of the ¡¯Ghost Squad¡¯, they preferred to end fights using stealth and without a trace. As for a charge at the sound of war drums? That was outdated. Antiquated stuff. War drums ringing? Knights charging? Ridiculous! The trio couldn¡¯t help but reveal a disdainful smile, and then¡ª Pfft! The leader, the attacker with the throwing knives, suddenly felt a pain in his back. He instinctively looked down and saw the tip of a knife protruding from his chest. "This..." Rip! The leader of the attackers tried to open his mouth, but Jason¡¯s wrist flipped, and as he swung his broad-ded, short-hilt machete upwards, it sliced cleanly out of the attacker¡¯s body, and in a fluid motion, swept across the neck of the gunman beside him. Pfft! The head soared into the air, and blood sprayed. The remaining one had just raised his gun when Jason kicked him in the wrist. The muzzle jerked uncontrobly upwards, fired a series of shots, and then fell silent, chopped off by the descending stroke of the broad-ded, short-hilt machete. The trio died with their eyes wide open. Their eyes bulged as they gazed at Jason holding the broad-ded, short-hilt machete. The tall figure was reflected in their pupils. Eventually, their gazes faded, and they breathed no more. Jason pulled off the leader¡¯s waist pouch and once again disappeared into the smoke. He didn¡¯t need to confirm any further. The faint scent emanating from the pouch was enough to tell Jason where his target was. The smoke gradually cleared. Dorothee, apanied by more guards, rushed over and furrowed his brow at the sight of the three corpses on the ground. "Circle around." Dorothee ordered. Then, he turned to look behind him as Jason and hispanions walked out from behind the building. When he saw that Her Majesty the Queen was unharmed, Dorothee breathed a sigh of relief. He waved to his subordinates, then Dorothee approached Jason and his party again. "I apologize, as you can see, we¡¯ve had some unexpected incidents." "Today, ¡¯Fishbone Street¡¯ will be closed." "You are wee to visit again another time." "Of course, to make it up to you, your free pass will be extended for a longer period." "Additionally, you may request appropriatepensation." With that, Dorothee bowed. The female pastry chef dodged the apology, then turned to look at Jason. She clearly understood the purpose of their visit. Jason gave a meaningful nce at the corpses of the trio on the ground. Instantly, the female pastry chef caught on. "These are our spoils of war." She said, pointing to the bodies on the ground. Dorothee was taken aback. Then he nodded. "Of course." With that, the ¡¯Fishbone Street¡¯ Sheriff waved his hand. Immediately, the guards began to help package everything up. What Her Majesty the Queen wanted with these bodies, Dorothee had no idea. He only knew he had toply with whatever Her Majesty the Queen desired. Jason and hispanions set off on their return journey. Just over ten minutester, Jason and his party had returned to the surface. The entire trip had ended faster than they had imagined. But they had indeed gained something from it. Not just the ¡¯trade item¡¯ from the Prus Family. But also the waist pouch in his hand. Even through the leather, which was specially made, the faint scent had already told Jason what was inside. Gulp. Jason couldn¡¯t help swallowing his saliva. But he didn¡¯t open the waist pouch. Not just because of his endurance training, but because in his sensing ability, nearly four times that of a normal person, many breathing sounds that shouldn¡¯t be there emerged from the shadowy sides of the streets. "Stop the car!" Chapter 311 - 98: Death Like the Wind! Squeak! In the screeching sound of the brakes, two cars stopped one behind the other. Jason grabbed the female pastry chef and rushed out of the car. Hannibal had unconditional trust in Jason and followed immediately. The female pastry chef was simr. Thus, she didn¡¯t struggle at all, but adjusted her body to cooperate with Jason. Meanwhile, Edward, Bansey, and Griffin in the car behind were even more responsive; they took out their weapons and rolled out of the car after the vehicle in front made a sudden stop. To ordinary people, a car seems to be a solid defensive measure. But in the eyes of Edward, Bansey, and Griffin, it was a coffin. Perhaps mixed with some ss and steel, but the essence of a coffin remained unchanged. And in the next moment¡ª Ratatat! From the shadows, gunfire erupted. Bullets fell like rain, piercing through the car that Jason was in. Bansey¡¯s vehicle was only caught in the crossfire, which let Bansey, who was hiding at the entrance of an alley, breathe a sigh of relief. All his belongings were in that car! If it had really taken special attention, there would only be one loud bang, one glimpse of fireworks. "Lucky!" "Lucky!" Bansey celebrated in his heart. At this moment, the gunfire paused briefly. Bansey gripped the mortar in his hands and started to aim. He was not going to show his head. Havinge from the military, Bansey knew very well that such a brief cessation of gunfire didn¡¯t mean the enemy was reloading, but rather a ¡¯lure¡¯! A ¡¯lure¡¯ for those who thought the opponent was changing magazines to rush out. He could guarantee that if he rushed out, he would be turned into a sieve. Because those who had just fired their guns would at least keep 1-2 bullets in reserve. There might even be marksmen ready for a follow-up shot. These marksmen were all sharpshooters, who wouldn¡¯t fire randomly with the others; they would wait for the critical moment to make a lethal shot. Bansey knew this. Edward naturally understood as well. Griffin might not understand, but seeing Bansey and Edward¡¯s reactions, he would naturally get it. Hannibal was the same. Only the female pastry chef was confused, foolishly watching as Jason walked out. In fact, when Jason walked out, everyone was taken aback. Including the attackers. They never imagined that Jason, with his sharp reactions, would walk out so easily. However, long-term training instincts allowed them to aim instantaneously. But just as the attackers were about to pull the triggers¡ª "Close your eyes!" Jason shouted loudly. Out of trust for Jason, Hannibal, Edward, and the others immediately closed their eyes. Then... Beep! Jason yelled loudly. Suddenly, a bright light illuminated the streets at night. The attackers aiming in this direction only felt a blinding white light in front of them. The attackers closer to the scene felt a sharp pain in their eyes, couldn¡¯t help but cry out in pain, yet, their long-term training enabled them to maintain considerableposure; when faced with the unexpected, they left their cover immediately and tried hard to strain their eyes to look around. What they didn¡¯t expect was that before the white re in their eyes faded, a series of elusive and intricate, iprehensible words reached their ears. Pl Po! A dense gray fog filled the surroundings. Standing in the middle of the street, Jason slowly took out his hockey mask and put it on. The broad-ded, short-handled machete was gripped in his hand, and that icy voice came from behind the mask. "Hunting time!" Within the range of the "Mist Concealment" secret technique, his perception was perfectly normal. He could clearly see those attackers who had been blinded sessively and were unable to differentiate between northeast and southwest in the fog. He stepped towards those attackers. The Proficiency Level of the "Griffin Body Refinement Technique" and its mastery option "Embrace of the Dark Night" provided him with a constant stealth and concealment level +2 effect in the night, darkness, and shadows. At this moment, with the addition of "Mist Concealment," his stealth level increased by one more point. Coupled with the "Mist Concealment¡¯s" additional agility bonus of +0.4, Jason¡¯s already silent footsteps became like a ghostly apparition. As he approached one of the attackers, carefully checking his surroundings, he failed to see Jason approaching from behind. The next moment, Jason suddenly raised his hand and covered the man¡¯s mouth. "Mmm... uh!" The man¡¯s voice was stifled within his chest, and he was forcibly dragged into the thick fog. In an instant, all that was left on the spot was the rolling fog. And Jason, stepping out once again. One moment was all Jason needed to deal with him. Discover more stories at NovelBin.C?m And he was not the first. Nor would he be thest. Jason, wearing a hockey mask, moved through the dense fog, coldly hunting his next target. One passed by right in front of him, yet failed to notice Jason. Without any flourish, Jason raised his hand and struck with his knife. Thunk! The man clutched at his throat as he fell, but Jason grabbed the body and dragged it into a corner. In this corner, there were already four bodies. This was the fifth. And there were five attackers left. Jason was not anxious. He patiently moved towards his next target. This attacker was dressed just like the previous ones. The difference was, he held a gun in one hand and a dagger in the other, his eyes vigntly scanning his surroundings, ears listening. Clearly, this attacker was more prepared to react. But it was utterly useless. Jason approached him, his broad-ded short-handled machete whistling through the air, before prating the man¡¯s chest. Although the attacker turned as he heard the whistling sound, Jason, who was prepared and very close, was undoubtedly faster. The attacker could only look down at the de protruding from his chest and then fell to the ground, never to rise again. Just like before, Jason grabbed the body and dragged it into the corner, piling it on top of the attackers he had already dealt with. "Four more!" Jason thought to himself, once again disappearing into the dense fog. Thunk! "Three!" Thunk! "Two!" Thunk! "Just one left!" The sound of the de cutting through flesh and blood, one after another, finally made the attackers in the fog unable to bear it any longer. "Everyone, converge on me!" "Everyone, if you hear me, converge on me!" Thest attacker was shouting loudly. Then he heard footsteps. His face lit up with joy, and he ran directly towards the direction of the footsteps. He had had enough of this silent ughter. He didn¡¯t want to die. He wanted to resist. But he was too weak by himself; he needed to find apanion he could rely on, so that they could make a final stand against this silent killer. If he could meet a few more people, the attacker wouldn¡¯t mind at all. Unfortunately, as he rushed towards the source of the footsteps, all he saw was a tall figure wearing a hockey mask. The knife in the figure¡¯s hand was already raised high. The next moment, it came shing down¡ª Thunk! Blood sprayed. The fog gradually faded away. Edward, Little Bansey, Griffin, and others who had been watching the battlefield, witnessed a scene they would never forget. Jason, wearing a hockey mask and holding a broad-ded machete, stood silently beside a pile of more than ten bodies, the breeze blowing against the hockey mask, his eyes calm. The dispersing smell of blood, however, moved with the wind. Filling the air with death. Death danced with the wind as well. Under the night sky, it grew even quieter. Only Jason¡¯s coat was fluttering noisily. Chapter 312: Chapter 99: The Reward In the night breeze, as Jason began to clean up the aftermath of the battle, it was only then that Hannibal, Edward, and others snapped out of their shock. Following that, young Bansey discovered the pastry chef copsed on the ground. "Giselle, are you alright?" Young Bansey inquired with concern. "I''m fine, I was just startled." The pastry chef replied. The scene just now was indeed impactful, not to mention amon woman, even a man, or even himself, would feel a chilling sensation. So, young Bansey didn''t think there was anything wrong with the pastry chef being so frightened that she copsed. The others felt the same. And as everyone''s attention shifted towards the battlefield, the pastry chef''s face flushed as she bowed her head. She was excited to the point of trembling. Indeed, he is the man she chose. Strong and direct. Then, she felt something and quickly retracted. Afterward, the pastry chef looked around in a daze. Huh? Did I fall asleep again? The pastry chef thought to herself. Whereas Griffin, observing the pastry chef''s behavior, frowned. Is it my imagination again? But just now... It felt as if someone else was standing behind me. Thinking this, Griffin nced at the pastry chef one more time then put aside his doubts for the moment and started to walk toward the end of the battlefield. At this time, Edward was already preparing to make a phone call to have his subordinatese over, but Jason spoke up to caution him. "Edward, be careful," "They''re connected with the ''Ghost Squad''." Jason didn''t want more people, including Edward, to be involved. Not only because of the power of the ''Ghost Squad'', but also because the ''Ghost Squad'' had already be a bargaining chip in his dealings with the Prus Family. He hoped to betterplete the trade with the Prus Family. Simrly, he didn''t want Edward to misunderstand anything. Fortunately, Jason knew how to convince Edward. After Jason finished speaking, Edward hesitated. As a former subordinate of Mika, Edward was all too familiar with Mika''s style. The death of the opposition''s subordinates was a fact that wouldn''t change, but the opposition would not let this go. They would definitely seek retaliation! And it would be the fastest and most ferocious kind! If he allowed his subordinates toe here now, they would undoubtedly be targets for the ''Ghost Squad''. Between his principles and the lives of his subordinates, Edward undoubtedly chose thetter. He approached the car''s radio once more. Unlike his initial decision, this time he was issuing a warning. "Ada, is that you?" "Notify everyone, be on high alert," "Including yourself." Edward sat in the car, giving such orders. And Jason? He headed towards a nearby telephone booth. He dialed the number Tedi had left. "I have some gains here," "Not far from Pea Corner Street." "Okay, I''ll wait for you." Jason hung up the phone and turned to see young Bansey watching him, blinking with curiosity like a wondrous child. "Jason, the bright light and the fog just now?" Young Bansey asked cautiously. "Yes," "Just as you imagined it to be." "Some ''Mystical Side'' knowledge thatmon folk can''t ess." Jason nodded and didn''t hide anything. Bansey might not have truly been exposed to the ''Mystical Side'', but Edward certainly had. Given Bansey''s personality and Edward''s care for his subordinate, Bansey would inevitably learn everything about the ''Mystical Side'' sooner orter. Therefore, Jason didn''t think there was anything to hide. "Is that kind of knowledgeplex?" "Is it hard to learn?" "Can I learn it?" Little Bansey, his face alight with excitement and longing, asked Jason. "Yes." "Even ordinary people can learn this kind of knowledge." "But this knowledge isplicated, and it takes a great deal of time." "Moreover, this knowledge is dangerous." "Beginners need a true teacher to guide them step by step." Jason was recounting what he knew about the ''Mystical Side,'' and finally, he pointed to the mortar Bansey was carrying and said, "In fact, even among those entities from the ''Mystical Side'' that I''vee across, very few can ignore a bombardment. They only exhibit their peculiar effects in certain environments, and on the front lines..." After a slight pause, Jason continued: "On a true frontline, if the ''Mystical Side'' could dominate the battlefield, firearms wouldn''t have developed so quickly, and the ''Mystical Side'' wouldn''t have be stuff of legends." "So that''s how it is." "What should I do if I encounter something from the ''Mystical Side''?" Contemtive, Bansey then voiced the question he was most concerned about. "st it!" "If one shot doesn''t work, fire two!" "Keep firing until it''s reduced to dust!" Jason answered very seriously. This was the most effective method he knew for ordinary people to deal with the ''Mystical Side.'' As for those ''Bizarre'' ones? Even he wasn''t sure he could handle them properly. Of course, perhaps as his understanding of the ''Mystical Side'' deepened, he would find better methods. But at that moment, Jason really wished he had a ''Peacekeeper''; he wanted to see what those ''Bizarre'' entities would look like in the face of a ''Peacekeeper.'' Unfortunately, such thoughts were merely wishful thinking. He still needed to start with the ''Mystical Side.'' "I hope the Prus Family won''t disappoint me." Thinking this, Jason waited quietly. Bansey did not speak again either, but pulled Griffin to be on guard around them. "Why do I have to go?" "Isn''t Edward suitable?" Griffin muttered this, but his body had already followed Bansey to one side of the street. Edward, meanwhile, went to the other side of the street. Hannibal, with even greater attention to detail, checked over the battlefield and then stood excitedly behind Jason. Just now, he had seen Jason''s hunt only vaguely. Marvelous! That was his assessment. His respect for Jason rose yet another level. He was almost eager to witness Jason''s true hunt. As for just now? That was merely a warm-up. But Hannibal did not disturb Jason. Nor did the patisserie chef, back to her normal self. She just stared at Hannibal, using her gaze to chase him away. And Hannibal? Responded with a smile. In the midst of everyone''s waiting, the sound of a car engine broke the silence on the street. The Prus Family''s motorcade appeared. Three cars approached one after another. The female student council president sat in the car in the middle. Getting out with her was a solidly built, balding middle-aged man. As soon as he got out of the car, the middle-aged man rushed towards the thirteen bodies, including the three additional ones taken care of on Fishbone Street. After a close examination, the middle-aged man turned to Jason with a broad smile. "Well done." "The entire Ghost Squad''s apprentice team is here." "That bastard Mika is definitely going to be heartbroken." "And when he''s heartbroken, I''m happy." With that, the middle-aged man actuallyughed out loud. Then, he came up to Jason and said very amicably: "As a trade, for the secret technique or material you''re owed¡ªI can take the initiative in private to elevate your reward by one level, of course, you can only choose one of the two." "If you need both, the reward will still be given to you, but it can only be applied to one of them." "However, by doing this, the secret technique or material you exchange won''t be as beneficial as focusing on just one." "So..." "What do you want?" Chapter 313: Chapter 100 Selection and Aesthetics "What do you have?" Jason did not immediately answer with his request but instead asked in return. To this, Tedi did not conceal anything. However, he still gestured for Jason to walk to the corner. "Although it''s not a secret for those in the know," "we still have to maintain tradition, don''t we?" Tedi exined in such a way. Jason nodded his head. Previously, Tedi''s straightforward attitude was enough to show that the Prus Family would not trade with him alone. Or to be urate, he wasn''t the first one. Hence, Jason wasn''t surprised that others knew. Of course, judging by the look on Tedi''s face, Jason should have been the first toplete the task. Seeing Jason show understanding, Tedi smiled once more. He didn''t bother with further pleasantries but went straight to the point. "Materials, there''s a monster''s tendon, which makes the best bowstring." "Another kind is a monster''s tooth, which, after being polished, bes a dagger with a built-in toxin, and moreover, is exceedingly sharp." "There''s also a monster''s eye, which, whenbined with certain secret techniques, can have incredible effects." "As for secret techniques, the first one can increase the muscles in your legs, giving you extraordinary leaping power." "The second allows you to breathe for a longer time underwater and can increase your speed in the water." "The third slightly enhances your physical condition but can give your skin and muscles extremely high defense." As Tedi spoke, he nced at the silent Jason and continued, "You can match the materials with the first and second secret techniques, but the third options of both can only be exchanged separately with what you''ve brought." Upon hearing about the third secret technique, Jason''s eyes lit up. Why he didn''t respond to ''Lorde'' and wanted to enter other copy worlds instead. One of the purposes was exactly to make his body tougher and himself less easily killed, right? "Could you give me a detailed exnation of the third secret technique?" Now that he had made up his mind, Jason naturally wanted to inquire in detail. "It is a secret technique that has been passed down within our family." "Its origins can be traced back to the initial era of ''Chen Xi'', but the time has been too terrible; it not only brought my family to ruin but also made the inherited secret techniques no longerplete." "Although our ancestors have constantly tried to make up for it, this secret technique has also changed greatly from the initial version." "It has different characteristics, but it also requires an extremely high Talent." Tedi described in detail. Perhaps because Jason brought a substantial surprise, this member of the Prus family then gave him a quite fair suggestion. "This secret technique requires such high Talent that in three hundred years, countless geniuses in our family have tried it, but the sess rate only had two instances." "The first made our Prus Family of Chen Xi rise again." "The second... died under gunfire." As Tedi said this, even though he tried to cover it, Jason could still see the embarrassment on the other''s face. Clearly, Tedi was indirectly informing him that, even if one learned this secret technique, it would be useless against the guns of today. Rather than spending a lot of time learning this technique, it would be better to opt for other rewards. Then, Tedi began to actively describe the third material. "So, I suggest you select the third material ¡ª although it requires someplicated processes, it can quickly formbat strength, not only giving you sharper eyesight but also certain night vision abilities." "It is a good choice." Facing Tedi''s advice, Jason shook his head. It wasn''t that the abilities brought by the third material weren''t good. The benefits of having keen perception were what he understood best. It''s just that he needed more to ''Reinforce'' his ''Undying Body''. As for the required Talent? Jason believed in his exceptional talent, certain that he could do it. "I choose the third secret technique." Jason answered in this way. Then, after a slight pause, he spoke in a negotiating tone, "Could the first material act aspensation?" Using the monster''s tendon for bowstrings was truly a waste. Such a material, full of tenacity and sticity, naturally should be put in a pot to cook. Stewed soft and mushy. Then, to slurp it into the mouth in one go. Thinking this, Jason''s saliva began to secrete vigorously. "I would very much like to give them to you," "However, the rules cannot be changed." "It''s tradition." Old Tedi said with a smile as he waved his hand. Without a doubt, this was a sincere man who felt as refreshing as a spring breeze, yet he still remembered his own identity. Jason wasn''t disappointed or surprised by this. He was just trying his luck. If he seeded, it would be a gain. What if he failed? He would just need to look more into ''Ghost Squad''. "When can I learn this secret technique?" Jason asked, his impatience apparent. "Anytime." "But you muste to the Prus Family Library to read it." "You are not allowed to make copies." "Nor can you teach it to others without permission." "If you break our agreement, the entire Chen Xi Prus Family will be your enemy." "Do you need to go now?" After giving his instructions, Old Tedi asked. "Yes." Jason nodded resolutely. "Tedi!" "Take our esteemed guest to the family estate." "ording to your reservation, he is entitled to enter our family''s study." Old Tedi called out to his daughter. The female student council president immediately ran over. "Follow me." "You alone." The female student council president said. Jason gestured to Hannibal, the female pastry chef, and Edward, then got into the car with the female student council president. The female pastry chef unconsciously took a step forward. But ultimately she held back. She just felt an increasing disgust towards this former friend. She always felt that this friend seemed to harbor ill intentions toward Jason. Kill her! Kill her! The malice in her heart rose again, scaring the female pastry chef into shaking her head repeatedly. The female pastry chef didn''t notice that Hannibal and Griffin were quietly observing her. The two of them keenly noticed something. Especially Griffin. His brows furrowed, he was always pondering something. Edward and little Bansey were more focused on the ''Ghost Squad'' apprentices. They were hoping to discover more clues from the bodies. For the time being, however, none of this had anything to do with Jason anymore. As soon as he got into the car, the Prus Family driver immediately started the vehicle, and after slowly turning out of the alley, the car''s speed began to increase. Jason leaned back in the rear seat, while the female student council president habitually sat in the passenger seat. However, unlike usual when she would simply look forward, this time she nced at Jason through the rearview mirror from time to time, her eyes filled with deep surprise. She was not only astonished by Jason''s sess but also by the efficiency. How long had it been! Jason had already taken out the entire ''Ghost Squad'' apprentice team! Perhaps... Thinking of something, the female student council president no longer hesitated. She made a decision. Turning her head to look at Jason, she squinted her eyes slightly and spoke in a yful yet charming manner: "Jason, do you find me beautiful?" "Are you going to treat me to a meal?" Chapter 314: Chapter 101 Irrelevant People The female student council president was dumbfounded. She couldn''tprehend how her beauty was rted to being asked out for a meal. Subconsciously, the female student council president voiced the doubt in her heart. "What does being asked out to eat have to do with whether I''m beautiful or not?" Amidst her words, the female student council president waspletely kneeling in the passenger seat, staring at Jason. "If you don''t treat me to a meal, how can I say you''re beautiful?" Jason answered very straightforwardly. The female student council president was taken aback. It took her a full three or four seconds to react. "Are you saying I''m ugly?!" Her voice involuntarily rose in pitch, bing sharp and piercing. Any woman, when faced with questions about her looks, would involuntarily lose her cool. "No." "As long as you treat me to a meal." "No matter how ugly you are, I will say you''re beautiful." Jason shook his head, answering earnestly. Huff! Huff! The female student council president began to breathe heavily. She swore, it was truly because she couldn''t beat Jason, otherwise she would definitely smash Jason''s "dog" head. It was truly infuriating. The steaming mad student council president sat back down in the passenger seat. For the rest of the trip, she didn''t exchange a single word with Jason. It wasn''t until the car had left Newdeth City''s urban area and arrived outside a manor that the female student council president coldly said, "Get out." Under the cover of night, the manor appeared exceptionally tranquil to the average person. But in Jason''s eyes, it was teeming with vignt security, not just sentries both visible and hidden, but also patrols that were all around, and even hunting hounds lurking in the shadows. These hounds were undoubtedly specially trained, and they didn''t need to be led to automatically distinguish friend from foe. "By scent?" Jason silently spected. It wasn''t difficult to achieve this; one only needed to apply a familiar scent on their own people for the hounds to recognize. Indeed, just as Jason had guessed. After Jason got out of the car, the female student council president took out a bottle of perfume, ready to spray it on Jason. "No need." Jason shook his head. He was not ustomed to wearing perfume. Especially perfume with a special scent. Although it served as protection now, who knew about the next moment? Even though old Tedi had shown considerable kindness, it was just a first meeting. The attitude at a first meeting could not determine future behavior. Everything required time. "This perfume is a special blend from the Prus Family, it won''t have any strange odors, and of course, there won''t be any ill intentions." Seemingly discerning Jason''s thoughts, the female student council president exined. However, her tone became even colder. And Jason? He still shook his head. This made the female student council president''s brows furrow deeply. "Don''t expect me to stop these hounds for you; the training they have received from a young age ensures that they won''t listen to anyone other than a Beast Tamer." After one more reminder, the female student council president didn''t linger any longer and walked straight towards the manor. However, before leaving, she ced the bottle of perfume on the car hood. Clearly, even if she was angry or enraged by the previous conversation, the female student council president knew where to draw the line. But Jason? He didn''t even give it a nce. He was all too aware of his own ''intimidation'' towards ordinary animals. Indeed, as Jason approached the manor, the patrolling hounds all tucked their tails between their legs, bowed their heads, and whimpered softly, not even daring to look at Jason. Especially two hounds that were closer to Jason, who, as Jason passed by, even lost control of their bowels. The student council president, who had closely observed everything as Jason entered the manor and had been ready to rescue him, now couldn''t help but widen her eyes. "Is it because of his experience on the battlefield?" "No, that''s not right!" "Many in the Family Guard are veterans who have been through battle." "Could it be a simr secret technique?" The female student council president couldn''t help but think. However, since it concerned the secret technique of the other party, she couldn''t inquire directly and had to suppress it in her heart. They entered a small building deep in the estate, one after another. The small building was three stories high. There were guards in front of the door. In the shadows stood two hidden sentries. But what captivated Jason the most was the "Dufol Language" on the door. With his Proficiency Level in "Dufol Language," Jason quickly read and understood the meaning inscribed on the door. Tranted into themon tongue, it meant "caution" and "lock." However, the method of activation, or if there were any special ceremonies involved, was beyond Jason''s knowledge. He watched the female student body president walk forward and raise her hand to touch the door. Creak! The moment the female president''s fingers touched the door, it swung open. "Bloodline activation?" Jason couldn''t be sure. Though the world before him, the "Mystical Side," had long since decayed to the point of being unable to form a system, the essence of the "Mystical Side" hadn''t changed at all. It remained as bizarre and unfathomable as ever. Powerful creatures had vanished. Yet the weak ones still existed. And you? One false step could cost you your life. Therefore, Jason followed the student body president very carefully, making sure not to take a wrong step or touch anything carelessly. The president noticed Jason''s cautious behavior. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, said nothing. Instead, she quickened her pace and pushed open the door to the small building. "This is the Prus Family''s library." "You may wait outside or in the first-floor hall." "You must not set foot on the second or third floors. I will bring the secret technique." Leaving these words behind, the student body president stepped inside. Jason followed her in. The hall of the small building wasn''t filled with books as Jason had imagined. On the contrary, there were very few books, just a scant basic selection. There were more paintings than books¡ªpopr oil paintings of this world, as well as some rare ink paintings. Cautious Jason didn''t approach them. He simply stood by the door and took a quick nce at these paintings. Then his attention was caught by one that depicted a wedding. Not just because the painting was positioned in the center, but also because the protagonist of this seemingly wedding-themed painting wasn''t the bride or groom, but a figure seen from the back. A figure in a cloak, carrying an exaggeratedlyrge sword and a hefty backpack. A porter, perhaps? Jason thought subconsciously. Then he dismissed the idea from his mind. A porter wouldn''t carry a sword that exaggerated. After silently estimating the weight of the sword against his own strength, Jason shook his head slightly. He was sure he couldn''t wield such a massive sword. "If it''s not an exaggeration, this must be a very strong person!" "However, taking artistic embellishment into ount... " "The strength may be present, but it shouldn''t be so overstated." Jason thought, his gaze shifting to the staircase beside him. At this moment, the student body president who had left returned. In her hands, she held a box. "You can only look here." "You must not copy." "Nor damage the books." "Once you leave, our transaction will be concluded." The president said. "Hmm." Jason nodded. After the president handed over the box and was about to leave, Jason asked, seemingly on impulse, "Who is that figure in the painting?" The president stopped in her tracks, her brow furrowed, then she provided an answer. "Him?" "An insignificant character." Chapter 315: Chapter 102 Illusionary Thorn Irrelevant people? Jason didn''t believe what the female Student Council President said. Both the overallyout within the painting and the frowning appearance of the female Student Council President herself were informing Jason that this ''figure'' was not simple at all. However, he didn''t pursue the matter further. The female Student Council President had already made it clear she didn''t want to share more with him. It was in Jason''s nature not to be insistent. Moreover, he had a secret technique in his hands. Without saying much more, Jason opened the box. A parchment scroll appeared inside the box, and he carefully began to read it as he unfolded the scroll. This was a brand-new scroll, still retaining the smell of its preparation. Jason didn''t mind that it was not the original. The rtionship between them wasn''t such that he could expect to peruse the precious originals. Furthermore, Jason was skeptical that after so many years, the original could still be perused. After all, the old Tedi had said before that the Prus Family had experienced decline, and while there would be no worry about preservation during their heyday, the same could not be said for times of decline. But this did not concern Jason. He just needed to confirm that the secret technique in his hands was authentic. The Prus Body Forging Technique! At the beginning of the scroll, the name of the secret technique was written. "Named after the family name?" Jason was somewhat surprised. Such a technique should, by rights, be a family''s core secret technique. The female Student Council President standing beside him saw Jason''s surprise and naturally guessed what he was thinking. "Don''t worry," "It''s not considered our family''s core secret technique," "Don''t forget about Chen Xi," the female Student Council President said. The core is the Chen Xi Body Forging Technique, isn''t it? Jason thought and then, adjusting his breathing to avoid distraction, he started to read intently. He first read through the entire scroll quickly, and then more meticulously. Then, byparing it to the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, he quickly noted the differences. The Griffin Body Refinement Technique was characterized by a bnce of ferocity and agility, inherent to its own school, whereas the Prus Body Forging Technique had only one characteristic: defense! Making one''s skin, muscles, bones, and even internal organs more resistant to striking force. Contained within was a breathing method for sitting and walking, but what puzzled Jason was that no matter whether sitting or walking, the Prus Body Forging Technique always involved crawling. This caused Jason to frown again, looking towards the female Student Council President who had stayed, obviously to exin any confusion. This time, however, the female Student Council President shook her head. "Don''t ask me," "I don''t know," "I''ve never practiced it," the female Student Council President said quite bluntly. "The Prus Body Forging Technique not only requires extremely high talent, but it is also not suitable for women," she then exined. Then, the female Student Council President paused slightly, and after a bit of hesitation, she spoke again. "I suggest you choose a different secret technique," "Not only is it difficult to begin practicing the Prus Body Forging Technique, but it is even harder to advance, and it requires various precious potions to assist in reaching a significant level," "Besides, even if one reached that level, it would still be difficult to withstand modern artillery fire," "If you want to change, I can speak to my father about it," the female Student Council President looked at Jason. But Jason shook his head again. "I have exceptional talent," Jason replied as such. The female Student Council President red, her breathing bing rapid once again. "Suit yourself," After dropping that phrase, the female Student Council President didn''t say another word thereafter. Time passed minute by minute. Having memorized the scroll several times, and seeing no omissions, Jason raised his hand to put the scroll back into the box and handed it to the female Student Council President. Without asking anything, the female Student Council President who received the box turned and went upstairs. Jason waited while continuing to silently repeat the contents to deepen his impression. Yet his gaze involuntarily rested on the painting. Or more precisely, on that ''figure.'' His thoughts involuntarily began to wander. What did that person look like? Was that giant sword exaggerated? What was carried inside that bulky sack? One doubt after another emerged in Jason''s mind. And as such doubts arose, his heart involuntarily sped up its beating. Thud! Thud, thud, thud! Yet Jason was oblivious, his mind still racing. Until... His heart ruptured! Boom! A muffled sound erupted from Jason''s chest, the intense pain spreading throughout his body. He was instantly jolted back to reality. Then, he saw the dagger embedded in his chest. A person d in camouge uniform with face painted in oil was clutching the dagger, twisting it continuously while showing Jason a cruel smile. By this time, the returned female student council president was already unconscious on the floor. "Jason?" "Turns out, for someone like you with post-traumatic stress disorder, little tricks are the best." The dagger-holder whispered. Then, the confident assant sighed lightly. "It''s a pity, you had the chance to join us." "But you rejected it." "You chose death." "I''ll take back your head to pay tribute to those brats." "Of course." "You won''t be lonely, those rted to you will receive the same treatment." "Right!" "Edward! That annoying Edward!" "He''s the next one right after you!" The assant, like a motor-mouth, kept prattling on. A perverse twist appeared on the paint-covered face. As if struggling to stay silent, yet unable to restrain himself. But there was still a way out. Jason lowered his head, staring coldly at the other. The prattler, oblivious to such a gaze. In their eyes, Jason was already a dead man. So when the wide-de, short-handle machete swept across the neck, the assant''s face showed surprise, the disbelief in his eyes almost solidifying. Plop! The dagger-holder fell to the ground motionless, and quickly went silent. Jason pulled out the dagger from his chest, the wound on his chest rapidly healed, the blood on the dagger quickly dried out, losing its vitality. ng. Jason casually tossed the dagger to the ground, thoroughly checked the attacker to confirm death, then picked up the shotgun, pistol, magazines, grenades, and other items from the assant''s body, then woke up the knocked-out female student council president. "Ah!" "Be careful!" The just-awakened student council president cried out with the same rm as before fainting. Because her scream suddenly stopped. She saw the body on the ground. And then, she immediately called out the name of the body. "''Phantom Stab''!" With that exmation, the student council president immediately looked at Jason with suspicion and disbelief. It was known that ''Phantom Stab'' was not one of those apprentices of the Ghost Squad, but rather one of the actual members. And within the Ghost Squad, he was the kind that caused the most headaches. Because what he excelled at was assassination. The Ghost Squad, having faced several mission failure crises, had relied on his assassinations to pull off miraculousebacks. In fact, from certain perspectives, ''Phantom Stab'' was actually the most worrying threat to the Prus Family. And now, ''Phantom Stab'' had been taken down by Jason. As the student council president breathed a sigh of relief, a surreal feeling suddenly rose within her. The Prus Family had finally gained a foothold in this battle. "Thank you." The student council president said so. Then, she was about to push the door and leave. But Jason stopped her. Jason pulled the student council president back, aiming the newly-picked shotgun at the door''s direction, he pulled the trigger directly¡ª Bang! Chapter 316: Chapter 103: No Longer Human The shotgun pellets sprayed out in volleys, instantly riddling the wooden door with countless holes. Then, Jason lifted a foot. Bang! The wobbly wooden door was directly kicked away. The two guards outside had already fallen to the ground, lifeless, and the door, emzoned with the Dufol Language, had long been opened. The expression of the female student council president changed dramatically. The two guards were among the most elite warriors of the family, otherwise, they wouldn''t have been stationed there. The door marked with the Dufol Language was a family secret technique, considered to be the strongest defense. Combined, this ce could be said to be the safest in the Prus Family. But now? It had been breached so easily. And the outposts outside, utterly useless. "How could this happen?" "How could this be?" The student council president, who had immense confidence in her family, whispered to herself, unable to ept this scene, and then, whispers resounded in her ears. Think about it. What''s different about the Prus Manor now from before? Jason. Why is it that after you brought Jason into the manor, you were attacked? Think about it. The whispering voice was intermittent and illogical. But it was these very murmurs that caused the student council president''s eyes to ze over, puppet-like, as she drew a dagger, ready to stab at the Jason in front of her. Then¡ª p! She was knocked to the ground by a p from Jason. Suddenly, the student council president came to her senses. She foolishly covered her face, watching as Jason pointed the gun at her. "Jason, it''s me, don''t shoot." The student council president screamed. Jason took a step forward, the shotgun barrel swept down from above, grazing past the student council president''s ear, the muzzle extending well beyond the back of her head. But the muzzle didn''t meet empty air. Instead, it buried into something sticky and gooey. Squish, squish. In the flow of the viscous liquid, the student council president felt a slick sensation on her neck and back, causing her to break out in goosebumps, reminiscent of her first encounter with a snake. What is this? The student council president wondered. A hoarse voice, as if two pieces of sandpaper were grinding against each other, then rose from behind her. "I have a hostage, put down the gun, let''s talk..." Bang! Without any nonsense, Jason pulled the trigger. The gunshot, so close at hand, caused the student council president''s ears to ring with thunder, her vision to burst with stars, and more importantly, the exploding sticky substance was sttered all over her, from head to foot, by the shotgun pellets. Shaking her dizzy head, the student council president was about to say something, only to feel a weight on her shoulder. The shotgun rested on her shoulder, and Jason, holding the gun, exerted pressure. Click, click. The shotgun was reloaded. A bad premonition rose in the student council president''s heart. The next moment¡ª Bang! Click, click. Bang! Click, click. After five consecutive shots, Jason emptied the shotgun and then stopped. And the moment Jason paused, the student council president could no longer suppress the dizziness caused by the noise, and she sprawled on the ground. Vomit! Vomit, vomit! The vomit mixed with the viscous substance on her body, giving off a faint sour smell. Jason, finding the situation distasteful, walked a few steps aside, distancing himself from the student council president. The student council president opened her mouth to exin, but as soon as she did¡ª Vomit! It was another bout of vomiting. At this moment, however, Jason suddenly turned and swung his de. Pfft! Under the moonlit night, a sh of cold light, and a head soared into the air. Behind Jason, where there should have been nothing, the headless body of a person suddenly appeared, staggered a step, and copsed in front of the female student council president. Seeing the body in front of her, the vomiting female student council president gasped in shock. Then¡ª Cough, cough, cough. The instant the vomit got stuck in her windpipe, a feeling of suffocation arose, and the female student council president promptly dug at her throat. Apanied by bouts of coughing, the vomit was expelled once more. Along with it came snot and tears. However, this did not prevent the female student council president from identifying her attacker. "''Illusory Sting''?" The female student council president was startled. ''Illusory Sting'' was supposed to have died inside, wasn''t he? How could there be another one? "A secret technique?" "Or twins?" The female student council president guessed, then she thought of the sticky substance behind her, and instantly, she guessed something, saying, "No! It must be triplets, at least three people, to form ''Illusory Sting''! It is precisely because of the cooperation of the three that ''Illusory Sting'' repeatedly turned the tide for the ''Ghost Squad'', because everyone thought ''Illusory Sting'' was just one person!" Having figured this out, the female student council president looked towards Jason, still puzzled. She didn''t understand how Jason had discovered it. Especially thest one, hidden in darkness,pletely invisible. "He had your perfume scent on him." Jason stated indifferently. Perfume? The perfume to avoid being mistakenly targeted by hounds! The female student council president immediately caught on. "So you made me vomit to cover up this scent, and then, to confirm if there was anyone else around?" The female student council president''s look towards Jason changed. It became more full of admiration. As for Jason? After being taken aback, he nodded frankly. He''d seen too many people who could rationalize their actions; he was used to it. As for the fact that his heightened perception had already locked onto the two enemies and he had confirmed that the one prepared to take the female student council president hostage was merely to buy time, not truly intending to harm her, hence his decisiveness in shooting, there was no need to mention that. After all, the matter was far from over, wasn''t it? The night breeze blew through. Jason moved his feet again. With nearly four times the perception of an average person, he could hear subtle sounds that were inaudible to others. Naturally, when smelling certain sour odors, it was also far more irritating than for the average person. The female student council president first paused, then lowered her head and sniffed herself. Ugh! The sound of retching appeared once more. Afterward, the female student council president, her face flushed with embarrassment, hurried back to the library to change clothes and to make a phone call. Jason, however, began to clean up the battlefield. The beheaded enemy was no different from the ones before. Firearms and ammunition were the main items. But the individual covered in a sticky substance was somewhat different. Having been battered by shotgun sts, the body was already mangled. Ity on the ground, like a pile of mush. And yet, from such flesh emitted a faint scent of ''food''. The smell was very faint, so light that Jason needed to inspect closely to detect it. But what captured Jason''s attention even more was the putrid stench that mingled with the ''food'' aroma. It was as if the ''food'' before him had spoiled. Jason looked gravely at the corpse in front of him. Some spections arose in his mind. "Some kind of secret technique?" "Or..." "A product ofbining a person with ''food''?" At the thought of thetter, Jason''s expression immediately turned icy. The ''Ghost Squad'', instead of being decent people, dared to waste ''food''! A murderous intent welled up at the bottom of Jason''s heart, yet the faint fragrance at the tip of his nose was still alluring, and he couldn''t help but lower his head. Spoiled ''food''...is still ''food'', right? It''s edible, isn''t it? Chapter 317: Chapter 104 Legacy! Jason stared at the "rotten food" in front of him, his face twisted with conflict. He wanted to eat. But he was afraid it might upset his stomach. Having diarrhea was the least of it, what if... his "satiation level" dropped? Although he had just experienced death, he still had 58 points left, enough to revive himself 19.3 times, but for Jason, that number wasn''t sufficient. A life where one couldn''t be revived 30 times in a row was iplete, wed, and required further striving. So! He couldn''t eat! Jason took a deep breath, swallowed, and his eyes hardened with resolve. Subsequently, he raised his hand and unleashed a conical me. Woosh! The Proficiency Level "Charles Burning Technique" produced mes more powerful than bullets, and instantly, the "rotten food" in front of him was ignited. But then, Jason regretted it! The fats sizzled in the high heat, and an even more intense aroma wafted into the air. Conversely, the smell of decay was quickly vanishing. Gulp. Jason swallowed his saliva, his hand reaching toward the ''food'' still in the mes. High temperature can sterilize! Even if there were some mold spores, they should have been killed in the high heat! So, it should be fine if I eat a little, right? As these thoughts whirled in his mind, Jason''s hand moved closer and closer to the roasted ''rotten food''. And just at that moment¡ª Woosh! A gust of night wind suddenly blew past. Jason, sweating due to his internal struggle, felt his forehead cool instantly under the caress of the breeze. Freed from the grasp of ''hunger'' momentarily, his reaching hand hesitated. Patter, patter. In the distance, within the library, the hanging oil paintings rattled against the walls as the wind blew. Jason instinctively looked in that direction. Once again, he saw that ''figure'' from behind. Unlike before, whilebating ''hunger,'' Jason suddenly perceived a carefree determination in that ''silhouette'' that he had never noticed before. It was the ease of someone departing. It was the resolve of someone returning. "I go, I shall return, wait for me," thoughts unbidden rose in Jason''s mind. He did not know where the ''figure'' was going, but it was certainly to a ce of danger, yet the figure did not hesitate, remainingposed and carefree, unchanged from beginning to end. Because, the figure was to return. To honor a promise. That figure held fast to such a promise, never forgetting. "Stay true to the original aspiration... stay true to the original aspiration..." Jason murmured softly to himself. His original aspiration. He wanted to survive. To truly live. Not to be ''driven.'' Controlled like a puppet. Does that still count as living? Perhaps it counts. But that''s not what he wants! "I, want to live." "To truly live." "Not as a puppet, nor as a marite!" "If I can''t even control the ''hunger'' before me, how can I truly live?" Jason spoke word by word, the struggle still evident on his face, but he turned around and raised his hand again, the continuous conical me instantly engulfing the ''rotten food''. The ''rotten food'' was instantly charred, carbonized. Jason stepped towards the library. Then he shut the door behind him heavily. As the door closed, Jason copsed to the floor, gasping for air, sweat emerging relentlessly, as if he had been battling a formidable enemy for three days and nights. No! It was even more exaggerated than that! Because that enemy was... himself! "Did I win?" "A draw!" Jason thought decidedly. He knew, had it not been for that night wind, had it not been for the sound of the picture frames, he would surely be there now, gnawing on those ''rotten foods'' just like a dog. "Our battle has just begun!" "Round one: a draw." Jason touched his chest and dered, word by word, as if making a vow. Thump, thump thump. His heart pounded strongly, as if answering Jason. Then, Jason stood up straight, looking very seriously at the ''figure'' within the painting. "Thank you." Saying this, Jason offered a slight bow. He was very grateful to that ''figure.'' Perhaps it was an artistic rendition. But without it, he would be just like a dog now. Just for that reason alone, it was worth bowing to it. After bowing, he straightened his posture. The ''figure'' in the painting continued onward, unyielding and firm as ever, without any response. Jason looked at the ''figure,'' and finally shook his head with a smile. It was just a vivid ''figure,'' after all; how could it possibly respond? With this thought, Jason bowed once more and turned to leave the library. At that moment, two figures stood in opposition. One already knew its pursuit, carefree and firm. One had just begun to understand the perseverance within its heart, no longer wavering. Simr, yet not the same. But they all charged forward inexorably. As if connected by amon lineage. Jason strode out, the night wind blew once more, and the figure in the painting seemed to slightly move, as if waving a hand, as if waving a hand, or perhaps saying: "You''re wee." But no one saw. No one heard. Only the observant could notice that the figure had be ordinary. As though it were painted by an everyday painter. No longer real. No longer spirited. There was only the eternal night sky, only the bright moon, only the dazzling stars. Apanied by the moonlight and starlight, Jason stood outside the library''s courtyard, waiting for the old Tedi. Thetter returned here with the Family Guard. Many guards from the estate also arrived at the same time. Clearly, the previous attack by the Ghost Squad hadn''t been a perfect infiltration, only a partial pration. Even so, it was enough to make old Tedi look rather distressed. "Go investigate where the ''perfume'' came from." "Also, notify the Family Guard to counterattack." "Secure the previously suspected Ghost Squad''s foothold, and then..." The head of the Prus Family didn''t continue, but simply clenched his fist and waved it forcefully. Immediately, the surrounding guards sprang into action. Jason could clearly feel the solid man''s rage. In fact, anyone whoseir had nearly been taken would feel such anger. But as the head of a great family, old Tedi quickly adjusted his emotions. By the time he approached Jason, he had already calmed down, and when he stood before Jason, he had already resumed smiling. "Mr. Jason, I thank you for everything you''ve done for the Chen Xi Prus Family." "Of course." "The reward you receive will surely satisfy you." "A formal member of the Ghost Squad is stronger than an entire team of apprentices, so not only can you redeem that eye, but you can also exchange any other item. And to express our gratitude, I offer you two additional items on behalf of the Chen Xi Prus Family, for you to choose and match at will." Old Tedi sincerely said. "Material 3 eyes, material 1 monster''s tendon." "Two secret techniques." Jason stated the answer he had long thought of. Teeth were inedible, so he gave them up right away. The rest fit just right, so naturally he wanted them all. "No problem." "I''ll prepare it right away." "However, the secret technique for Material 3 eyes is not possessed by the Prus Family, please forgive me. I will find a way to search for it for you, and Secret Technique 1 and 2 are in some sense extensions of Secret Technique 3. Yet practicing them in conjunction will increase the difficulty, so please be careful during practice," old Tedi advised Jason. Jason nodded to show he understood. He didn''t borate further. After all, his Talent was exceptional; he would know once he tried it. Within moments, a briefcase appeared before Jason. "The materials and secret techniques are all inside." "Please burn the secret techniques after you''ve reviewed them," old Tedi instructed as he handed the briefcase to Jason. Without further insistence on staying in the library, it showed trust but also because the Prus Family wasn''t in a position to entertain outsiders at this time. Watching the car pull up beside him, Jason promptly waved goodbye to old Tedi. "Mr. Jason, where are you headed?" "Back to Pea Corner Street ''Watchdog Pastry Shop''?" the driver asked. Where Jason lived was no mystery to a family like the Prus. For a driver assigned to transport guests, it wasn''t strange to know. It would have been more puzzling had he not known. "To ''Hannibal Clinic''," Jason replied. After all, one portion of his food was still with Hannibal. And now he had acquired two more portions. Naturally, a good chef was needed. As the prospect of delectable food entered his mind, Jason''s saliva began to flow again. But unlike before, he consciously restrained himself, and though it was difficult, he started to take control. Ten minutes after Jason left, the female student council president emerged. She entered wearing a new dress, carefully chose her essories, and applied light makeup, looking for Jason''s figure near the library. She picked a strong perfume on purpose. She wouldn''t let Jason slip away from her again. But she couldn''t find Jason inside the courtyard, nor outside. Immediately, the female student council president sought her father. "Has he left?" Upon receiving the answer, the female student council president''s eyes widened. How could he just leave like that? I dressed up so carefully. To leave without even ncing at me. With this thought, the increasingly indignant female student council president turned to leave. "Wait," old Tedi spoke up. Seeing his daughter''s anxious face, a smile couldn''t help but form on his lips. "I won''t stop you from pursuing Mr. Jason, but I want you to understand that we''re now targeted by the Ghost Squad. The most worrisome ''Phantom Thorn'' may be dead, but precisely because of this, the Ghost Squad will retaliate even more madly¡ªit''s their style." "You will definitely be one of their targets." "If you were to leave, I''d have to assign more people to protect you,promising the manor''s defenses." "So, I hope you can wait." "Wait until we''vepletely dealt with the Ghost Squad; then, you can freely chase after what you desire," old Tedi said. The female student council president stood there, frowning slightly. But in the end, she was persuaded. The education she received since childhood made it impossible for her to ignore the safety of the family. And besides¡­ It was just waiting a little longer; surely nothing would happen, right? Chapter 318: Chapter 105: Perseverance is Victory The car kept going until it dropped Jason off in front of the clinic on Sausage Street. Hannibal hade out as soon as the car neared. Standing on the steps in front of the door, he couldn''t help but smile at the sight of Jason getting out of the car. "Jason, wee back." "Sorry to keep you waiting." After saying this and turning his head to thank the driver, the two walked shoulder to shoulder back into the dining room of the house. The scent in the dining room was rich. The pouch he had obtained earlier had already been opened, its meat sliced thin by Hannibal and arranged on a te. A copper pot with burning charcoal sat at the center of the table, surrounded by sesame paste, chopped green onions,tro, garlic chives, and chili peppers sprayed with oil, especially thetter. The scalding fat and chilies collided to unleash a distinct fragrance that made Jason''s eyes light up. "ording to the description you gave me before, I''ve tried to recreate it." "Some of the details may be different, but overall, it''s decent." As he spoke, Hannibal brought out lettuce, tofu, and white radishes from the refrigerator. "It''s already quite good." Jason praised. He had only casually mentioned some culinary practices from his hometown during a chat with Hannibal and hadn''t expected Hannibal to reproduce them so quickly, and specifically for ''food'' at that. The piece of meat, with its mix of fat and lean, was truly the best for hotpot. Jason sat down at the table and took a deep breath. The aroma of ''food'' hit him full in the face. But Jason didn''t start eating right away as he used to. His reason was still intact. He methodically picked up the green onions,tro, and chili oil, adding them in proportion to the sesame paste, all the while asking, "Where are Giselle and Griffin?" "I invited Miss Giselle, but she seems to dislike me quite a bit." "She has gone back to the police station with Griffin and Edward," Hannibal said with a smile. It seemed the rejection hadn''t affected his good mood. Or rather, he was quite satisfied with such an oue. An outsider intruding into his home would make him very ufortable. Jason? Jason was not an outsider. He was a fellow kindred spirit. Hannibal couldn''t wish for more than to have him around every day. The police station, eh? If Edward was prepared, then that was secure enough. Jason thought as he opened the suitcase. The scent that emerged grew even stronger. Jason took out a tendon and a thumb-sized white crystal. He passed the tendon to Hannibal for processing. The crystal, however, he held in his hand. This crystal was what old Tedi called ''the eye,'' unknown from what ''food'' it came, but it was fragrant. The question was... how do you cook a crystal? Jason pondered, quite straightforwardly cing it in an empty bowl anddling hot soup over it, rolling it several times before picking it up with chopsticks and putting it in his mouth. He had never expected to find the secret technique corresponding to this crystal. If the Prus Family hadn''t found it over so many years, how could he expect to find it so soon? Instead of letting it sit idly by and go to waste, It was far better to eat it directly, letting it be satiety and enhancing his strength. Crack! With a crisp sound, Jason cracked open a fissure in the crystal. Immediately, juices from inside sprayed out. The savory juice, with a rich vor reminiscent of beef broth, made Jason narrow his eyes with pleasure. [You have consumed ''Zikxu''s Eye''!] [Physical strength, energy (injuries) recover to the greatest extent!] [Perception +0.1] [Satiety +10] [Satiety: 68] ... Jason was stunned. The increase in satiety was expected, but the increase in attributes was a surprise. Could ''food'' from the instance actually increase attributes? Why had I never noticed this before? No! It''s not that I hadn''t noticed before. It wasn''t food that could enhance attributes, something I had never encountered before. Instantly, Jason understood. Then, filled with anticipation, he picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a slice of meat from the te, and ced it into the pot. The meat tumbled in the boiling broth. After some jostling, as soon as the color of the meat changed, Jason scooped it into his bowl and, dipping it in sesame sauce, put it in his mouth. The meat was firm, utterly devoid of any gamey taste, and the marbled texturebined with the seasoning elevated the vor experience once again. Jason reminded himself to stay controlled, to remain calm. But the calmer he was, the more vors he could taste and the more delicious they became. Unconsciously, his chopsticks moved faster. Although not as swift and lightning-fast as before, an array of phantoms still appeared with his movements. [Devouring the flesh of Curde!] [Determined it was masterfully cooked¡ªsatiation gain increased by 5%!] [Physical Strength, Spirit, and injuries recover beyond the norm] [Satiation +21] [Satiation: 89] ... A satiation that matched what Jason had spected. He just didn''t know what ''Curde'' was. With this thought in mind, Jason began to turn his attention to the lettuce and tofu after cing them into the pot, as Hannibal approached, carrying the ''tendons'' that had been trimmed and cleared. The whole tendon, measuring 3 meters long, had been cut into 20 centimeter segments. They were thin, long strips, 15 in total, adorned with some basil on top. Jason could see every strip had tiny incisions on it. And as the tendons were cooked, those tiny incisions swelled quickly, making them easy to pick up. Mixed with lettuce and tofu, Jason tasted the tendon''s springy texture one by one. It was a bit like ss noodles. That''s how Jason evaluated it. [Devouring the sinew of the Tyrant Dragon Fish!] [Determined it was masterfully reshaped by the chef¡ªsatiation gain increased by 1%!] [Physical Strength, Spirit, and injuries recover beyond the norm] [Satiation +9] [Satiation: 98] ... As the prompt appeared again, bing akin to having 30+ lives, Jason couldn''t help but heave a long sigh of relief. The sense of urgency in his heartpletely settled at this moment. As Hannibal began to clear the table, Jason started to check the trade items from the other two families. [Prus Bounce Technique!] [Prus Underwater Breathing Technique!] The names of these two secret techniques were passed down in line with the [Prus Body Refinement Technique]. After carefully reading several times, Jason decisively got down on the floor and began to practice following the method recorded in the [Prus Body Refinement Technique]. Raise your right hand forward, lift your left leg forward, take a breath. Afternding, switch to raising your left hand and moving your right leg forward, take another breath. Breathe in and out while pushing off the ground with both legs. Breathe in and out while feeling the flow of water. Jasonpleted it quite smoothly the first time. Even quite easily. But as he started the second time, his hand cramped up as he lifted it, and his leg cramped as he raised it. After pushing off, his chest felt tight, and as he tried to sense the water''s flow, he felt a sense of suffocation. "Sure enough, there''s some difficulty!" "But perseverance is victory!" "I won''t give up!" Jason''s eyes were resolute as he continued to practice. Crack! His arm bone broke. Crack! His leg bone broke. Crack! Crack! All the bones in his body broke. Thump, thump, thump. Beneath the suffocation, all the blood vessels in his body began to burst. But Jason kept practicing with undiminished spirit. Once, twice, three times. By the fourth attempt, Jason''s vision suddenly altered. Chapter 319: Chapter 106 After Night Comes Naturally... Akey before my eyes. Dead branches and decaying leaves floated on its surface, water moss, and tower moss filled the space, turning the entireke green and aquamarine. And Jason? He wandered freely within it. This did not cause any panic for Jason, who had experience with the Griffin Body Refinement Technique. He knew it was a necessary process. A process that conditioned the muscles, bones, and heart to adapt to the Body Forging Technique. Or more urately: transformation! A powerful transformation that strengthened the body. Just... Crocodiles? Jason looked at that ''body'' that floated on theke surface like deadwood and raised an eyebrow. He finally understood why the Prus Body Refinement Technique required crawling. Isn''t that what crocodiles do? The Prus Bounce Technique naturally was a crocodile jumping technique. The Prus Underwater Breathing Technique was of course a crocodile breathing method. But can crocodiles really jump? Jason thought to himself as a bird flew over theke. And ''he'', floating in the water, leaped out and swallowed the bird in one gulp. Then, he plunged back into the water once more. The special unidirectional lung cirction allowed ''him'' to stay underwater longer. Although real breathing was not possible, movement became ever more silent and stealthy. Descending to the bottom of theke. In the pitch darkness, lights flickered. Em mm! The Dufol Language appeared before his eyes, imprinting upon the heart, a set of symbols three Si Wl Vc away from the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, seemingly innate in its avoidance. [Prus Body Refinement Technique Evaluation in Progress...] [Special Mastery Evaluation in Progress...] [Evaluation Passed!] [Acquiring the Basics of ''Prus Body Refinement Technique''] [Prus Body Refinement Technique (Basic): Once the core secret technique of Chen Xi''s Prus Family, it circted in a different form 300 years ago. As time passed, it became iplete and wed. Despite the Prus Family''s attempts to mend it, it still had significant shorings, preventing it from achieving high-level mastery and making it extremely difficult to train. It required not only exceptional talent but also a lot of potions. However, with your outstanding talent, you don''t need these; Effect: Obtain defense against damage below a de level; when jumping, strength, and agility evaluations +0.1; underwater, breathing time increases by 10 minutes, stealth and concealment levels +1.] (Note: Due to defects and ipleteness, the Prus Body Refinement Technique can''t advance to Proficiency Level.) ... There wasn''t a direct increase in attributes, but the effects were still quite good. Jason could feel his skin and muscles bing firmer. Ordinary des could still hurt him, but they would now require more effort to do so. And this wasn''t the end goal of the Prus Body Refinement Technique. With his previous experience of training with the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, Jason immediatelymenced the advanced training of the Prus Body Refinement Technique. During breathing, the sound of bones breaking continually rang out, mixed with the tearing of muscles and the shattering of his heart. But Jason didn''t care. If it didn''t kill him, he would train to death. With his exceptional talent, he feared nothing. After going through the cycle three times, he mastered the basics of the Prus Body Refinement Technique. After another three cycles, he became proficient in the Prus Body Refinement Technique. [Prus Body Refinement Technique (Proficient): Relying on your unique talent, you have quickly pushed this secret technique to the peak of its current stage, giving you a glimpse into its true nature; Effect: Strength, Physical Strength +0.1, acquire defense above de level; when jumping, strength and agility evaluations +0.2; underwater, breathing time increases by 30 minutes, stealth and concealment levels +1.] (Note: Due to defects and ipleteness, the Prus Body Refinement Technique can''t advance to Proficiency Level.) ... An increase of 0.1 in strength and physical condition was an unexpected joy for Jason. What really mattered to him was that he was now almost impervious to ordinary des. However, that was just ordinary des. To face gunfire? The Prus Family ancestor who had reached the same level was the best example. Once surrounded, you''d either be shot to death by random gunfire or blown to bits by cannons. But the slightest hint of its true nature. Could it be further improved? As Jason pondered, the ''he'' lying at the bottom of theke suddenly started to dig with hands and feet. As he dug, a passage appeared at theke''s bottom. A passagerge enough for ''him'' to crawl through swiftly. Following this tunnel, ''he'' soon arrived in a grand hall. A hall resplendent with gold. Piles of indescribable gold and jewels stacked around. ''He'' seemed to return to hisir, moving through the gold, weaving through it as the coins brushed past ''his'' body and jewels seemed to embed themselves on ''his'' back. In just a moment, ''he'' became ''colorfully spotted''. However, ''he'' did not stop there, he continued deeper inside. Until a potion bottle appeared before ''him''. Prus! Prus! Prus! The low roar rose from ''his'' mouth; half of the potion from the bottle spilled onto ''his'' body, and the remaining half ''he'' swallowed down. The moment the potion touched ''his'' skin, Jason''s entire skin, muscles, and bones exploded, turning into a mess of flesh. But in the next moment, they returned to normal. As the potion was ingested, Jason''s internal organs burst apart, and he exploded like an overinted balloon. Then instantly, they returned to normal once again. The two sudden brushes with death transformed ''him.'' ''His'' figure grew evenrger. ''His'' scales became tougher. ''His'' limbs grew more muscr and powerful. And at that moment¡ª Screech! A cry of an eagle! A dark golden griffin swooped down from the sky. Its sharp ws grabbed onto the back of the giant crocodile, sparking a shower of sparks as several hard scales shattered and flew off, leaving the crocodile''s back instantly mangled and bloody.. The suddenly attacked crocodile bore the pain, swung its tail, and smashed it straight into the griffin that was about to take flight, immediately sending feathers flying and a heavy thud reverberated. Cry! The griffin rolled and soared again, circling back and forth with an eagle''s sharp gaze. Roar! In a low growl, the giant crocodile raised its head to stare at the griffin, opened its mouth wide, and revealed teethparable to daggers. The next moment! The two monsters collided. Without backing down! Fighting to the death without retreat! And at this moment, Jason finally discovered that in the corner of the heart where it should have been, the Dufol Language representing the "Prus Body Refinement Technique" changed from Em mm to Em mm mm! Moreover, this group of Dufol Language symbols floated from the corner of the heart directly to the core of the heart. There, were the three Dufol Language symbols representing the "Griffin Body Refinement Technique" Si Wl Vc and the three symbols for "Protection Against Evil" sI oT Yn. The two groups of symbols had already integrated, and naturally they joined forces against the intruder at this time. But the Dufol Language representing the "Prus Body Refinement Technique" was so forceful that it was difficult for Jason to believe. The three symbols Em mm mm were like the giant crocodile on the ground, relentlessly biting at the other two groups of symbols, refusing to back down even when beaten to pieces. And in this confrontation¡ª Thump thump thump! Jason''s heart began to burst time and time again. After nine bursts. The Dufol Language representing the "Prus Body Refinement Technique" changed. The gaps between them disappeared. They turned into: Emmmm! Then, a suffix appeared: EX! When this suffix appeared, the two monsters inside Jason suddenly stopped their struggle. The dark golden griffin, like the eternal night. The giant crocodile, however, was d in dawn, like the early morning light. Two entities that should have no connection, at this moment, became integrally linked. They approached each other. They circled each other. They fused with each other. [Integration of Griffin Body Refinement Technique and Prus Body Refinement Technique in progress...] [Integration failed!] [Jason is dead!] [Jason resurrected, integration re-evaluation in progress...] [Integration failed!] [Jason is dead!] [Jason resurrected, integration re-evaluation in progress...] [Integration failed!] [Jason is dead!] ... A series of death notifications appeared before Jason''s eyes. The satiation level was dropping at a visible rate. Having experienced death 23 times, Jason was not in the slightest bit panicked. Why did he always ensure he had 30 lives? Wasn''t it precisely because he feared encountering the situation he currently faced? Now he still had 7+ lives. That was enough! Jason had considerable confidence. With the increasing number of deaths, He became experienced with death. He could feel that everything was changing for the better. Indeed, that was the case. After two more consecutive deaths, everything became peaceful. [Integration of Griffin Body Refinement Technique and Prus Body Refinement Technique in progress...] [Integration sessful!] [You have obtained the Prus-Griffon Body Forging Technique!] [Prus-Griffon Body Forging Technique (Proficiency): You havebined the core secret techniques of the griffin school with those of the Prus Family to make them uniquely yours; they be one of a kind, as the connection between night and dawn is unique. As the wielder, you are just as unique; Effect: Strength +0.5, Agility +0.4, Constitution +0.5 (Base, Beginner, Proficient, and Proficiency Level as well as Strength and Constitution ''Prus'' extra +0.1), Physical Strength recovery speed +15%, Energy recovery speed +10%, Injury recovery speed +10%, Bullet-level defense, when jumping, Strength and Agility evaluation +0.3; underwater, an additional 45 minutes of breath extended, Stealth and Concealment level +1] (Note: The special method of cultivation makes it extraordinary, and increasingly specialized. The level of the Griffin Body Refinement Technique cannot exceed that of the "Protection Against Evil".) [Evaluation of fundamental changes to Griffin Body Refinement Technique and innate talent in progress...] [Evaluation passed!] [You have obtained the inherent talents ''Embrace of the Night'' and ''Sword of the Dawn''] [Embrace of the Night: A special talentbined with the Night Watcher and the Griffin Body Refinement Technique, its emergence is an ident; When you are also within the night, darkness, or shadows, you will receive an added bonus of +2 levels to Stealth and Concealment, and the recovery speed of Physical Strength, Energy, and Injuries at +3%, with additional defenses +1 level against shadow and negative energy erosion] [Sword of the Dawn: A treasure of the dawn hidden within the giant crocodile, it was meant to be buried in the shadows of history, but you have unearthed it once again; at the break of dawn, by charging for 3 seconds, you can create a 10-meter long Sword of the Dawn to execute an explosive-level sh, consuming a great deal of your Physical Strength] ... In the night sky, a faint light began to emerge. That was the radiance of dawn. A dark golden griffin that had grown evenrger spread its wings and soared, its dark gold no longer derived from feathers but from scales, tough scales; with each p of its broad flesh wings, it whipped up a gust of wind. It started its journey from the night sky, in pursuit of the brilliance of the dawn. Then, it directly merged into Jason''s heart. Thump! Thump thump! Suddenly, that heart burst forth with unprecedented vitality. In that moment, Jason opened his eyes. Chapter 320: Chapter 107 Breakfast Jason, with his eyes opened, silently felt the changes in his body as he breathed. Stronger! Tougher! He clenched his fist abruptly. Instantly, the muscles in his arm bulged, driving his fingers to curl back, and then¡ª Pop! In the sound of the air snapping like a crispy st, the corner of Jason''s mouth curled up. He could clearly feel that with every breath he took, more energy from the Mystical Side flowed from his heart into his body, the pace at which his muscles, bones, fascia, and organs were being strengthened was at least twice as fast as before. However, the capacity of the heart required for this process exceeded Jason''s expectations. Initially, when the "Griffin Body Refinement Technique" and "Protection Against Evil" were interconnected, the six single Dufol Symbols should have upied eight positions on the heart, but now, with "Prus Body Refinement Technique," "Griffin Body Refinement Technique," and "Protection Against Evil" connected, it skyrocketed from the eight positions to fifteen. Especially representing the "Prus Body Refinement Technique"¡ªthe Emmmmm EX! Just two Dufol Symbol positions upied more than a third of the space. This left Jason, who had previously possessed fifty Dufol Symbol slots, with only forty-three remaining. "Could it be that Emmmmm is longer?" Jason spected. Then, his brow furrowed slightly. At this stage, the capacity of the heart to amodate Dufol Symbols seemed sufficient, but that was just for now. As he deepened his current knowledge of the Mystical and learned new secrets, it would inevitably be inadequate. "Is there any way to increase the maximum capacity of the heart?" Jason stroked his chin, pondering. But his current understanding of ''Mystical Knowledge'' left himpletely clueless about such a question. Therefore, after a moment''s thought, Jason turned his attention to his satiation level. The satiation that had previously reached 98 points was now down to fourteen. "Hmm?" "I clearly died 25 times before, which should have cost 75 points, leaving 23 points remaining. Why have I died three extra times?" Jason was taken aback. His data not matching his memory, he began to carefully review it. Then, during the time he was practicing the "Prus Body Refinement Technique," he found the problem. "Did I die three times before the blood vessels burst?" "Was it because the muscle change crushed the bones, leading to death?" "The ''Griffin Body Refinement Technique'' makes muscles be more suited to rapid and agile force, while the ''Prus Body Refinement Technique'' is all about strength and defense. The two fundamentally ipatible types of muscle had to go through death to be unified." Unbidden, the image of a dark golden griffin fighting a behemoth cloaked in dawn emerged in Jason''s mind. This battle theme had been there from the beginning. But absorbed in his training, he hadn''t noticed it at all. Lucky for him, his extraordinary talent made thempatible; otherwise, he probably would have died long ago. Well... Even though he was undying! Wasn''t this the manifestation of his extraordinary talent? "Chen Xi. Prus?" Jason murmured softly to himself. He thought of many things. The first was his profession as a Night Watcher. A peculiar sense of extension stirred in the depths of his heart. But it was just an extension. His core Night Watcher skill "Protection Against Evil" was still at the Proficiency Level. It still required 30 points of satiation and 5 points of Excitement of Feast. Even though the option to upgrade the "Prus-Griffon Body Forging Technique" from Proficiency to Expert Level was there, demanding 90 points of satiation and 4 points of Excitement of Feast, there was no prompt. However, even if there was one, Jason wouldn''t choose it. Because he had already found the correct way to improve his Body Forging Technique. It allowed him to save a considerable amount of Excitement of Feast. You or death? Death, Jason was ustomed to. Death is like a wind, ever present. Jason carried such a realization. All for the sake of bing stronger! All for the sake of freedom! I will hack through the brambles and thorny underbrush, bravely forging ahead. With this thought, Jason stood up; he had ns to "patrol" the entire city, to hunt the "Ghost Squad" within Newdeth City! These people repeatedly attacked him. These people repeatedly squandered "food." He couldn''t sleep or eat in peace until these people were dealt with. "Jason?" "Breakfast is almost ready, where are you going?" Hannibal, who had already walked into the kitchen and heard Jason''s footsteps, immediately poked his head out. Breakfast! Jason instantly retraced his steps, promptly returning to the dining table. Hunting the "Ghost Squad" was a must! But breakfast was also essential! So when the two couldn''t be done at the same time, eat breakfast first, then hunt the "Ghost Squad"! "Jason, are you going to change clothes and take a bath?" "You can wear my clothes." "I have prepared a new towel and soap for the bathroom." Hannibal made these suggestions while rolling up the sleeves of his light blue shirt, revealing his stout and powerful forearms. He took a pure white apron that was nearby, tied it around himself, and the snug apron emphasized his upper body muscles even more. This psychologist took out the marinated ham from the refrigerator and began the final preparations. Sniffing the scent of the ham, Jason looked down at his clothes ragged from multiple body explosions, stood up immediately, and headed upstairs. He didn''t want his attire to affect their breakfast. Dining etiquette... He still remembered it. As Hannibal prepared the toast slices, Jason came downstairs in a fresh outfit¡ªck trousers, a white shirt, ck vest, and ck shoes. In his hand, he carried a gray hunting cap, and his arm was draped with a suit jacket and a long overcoat. It wasn''t Jason''s selection. But it was hung just at the bathroom door. Several tags were still attached to the clothing. Clearly, Hannibal had prepared it especially for him. Indeed, when Hannibal saw Jasoning down, his eyes lit up. Unintentionally, Hannibal began to p his hands. "Better than I imagined." "Quite like a gentleman." Hannibal said as much. "Gentlemen don''t wear hockey masks and cleavers with wide des and short handles." "Nor do they hide des and paper clips inside their hunting caps." "How much?" As Jason spoke, he hung his hat, suit jacket, and trench coat in the corridor. "A total of 45 bucks." Hannibal didn''t hide the fact. He knew some of the habits of his kind before him. Hiding would only make their rtionship worse. As a psychologist, Hannibal understood that ''I think I am doing this for your own good'' is not truly for one''s good. Contact between parties must primarily befortable, not imposed. Jason took out 45 bucks from his wallet and ced them on the table. Hannibal smiled as he picked up the money and put it into his own wallet, then he said: "We must always be prepared for the unexpected." "Who knows whether tomorrow or the unexpected wille first?" "It''s always right to be a little extra prepared." Jason agreed with this. Although it was highly unlikely that he would need des or paper clips now. But who could guarantee about the future? Hannibal turned and took a bowl of chicken breasts mixed with egg whites and breadcrumbs back into the kitchen; as soon as the pieces hit the hot oil, a sizzling sound that stimted saliva started to echo in the kitchen. It wasn''t long before Hannibal began toy out breakfast on the dining table. "For the dipping sauce, I chose a sweet and sour yuzu." "Of course, tomato sauce is also a good choice." "Although I rmend beer ham, you despise alcohol, so I switched it for the smoked kind." "For the bread slices, I chose cornflour." "Vegetable sd, with a bit of shrimp added." He took off his apron, picked up a bottle of heated lemon juice and a jug of milk, and sat opposite Jason. "Breakfast is on me." "Tomorrow, you treat me," said the psychologist. "Okay." Jason smiled as he spoke. The pleasant breakfast began. Hannibal only ate about one-twentieth of it. The rest were all dealt with by Jason. Afterst night''s ''epiphany,'' Jason was now able to share food with acquaintances, especially when the food was made by the acquaintance himself. He controlled the brutality that arose from the ''hunger'' within him quite well. "Controlled quite well." Hannibal couldn''t help but praise, having clearly felt such a change. "Still far off." "More than once just now, the thought of tearing you to shreds came up in my mind." Jason honestly answered. "Normal." "Me too," Hannibal said, nodding his head as he put thest bean into his mouth with a fork. Jason looked at Hannibal with surprise. "Don''t forget, we are the same kind." "I''m also controlling." Hannibal pursed his lips, suppressing a smile, and shrugged his shoulders. Then, they exchanged a smile. After breakfast, the tea for a short break was ck tea. ck tea in winter always made one''s stomach feelfortable. Hannibal ced a condiment te in front of Jason. Sugar, honey, milk, and some lime juice. Jason chose honey and lime juice. It lightened and animated the rich vor of the ck tea. Sweetness and sourness, always memorable. Whether it''s food or drinks. "Hannibal, do you know of the treasure ''Starry Sky Serenade''?" Jason asked, taking a sip from his tea cup. "Of course." "The treasure of Chen Xi. Prus Family." "Rumored to have the secret of ''Transcendence''." "Some say it''s countless riches." "Others say it''s ancient relics; in short, there are all kinds of stories." Hannibal, after adding a spoonful of sugar to his ck tea, shared the information he knew. "Do you think it really exists?" Jason asked, with images of ''him'' swimming through a room filled with coins and jewelry as a giant crocodile surfacing in his mind. He wasn''t sure if that was the ''Starry Sky Serenade,'' but he instinctively felt there must be a connection. "Don''t know," Hannibal shook his head. The psychologist continued to stir his tea with a small spoon as he spoke. "The time is too far gone." "Moreover, the ''Silver Federation'' seems to have always been muddying the waters. However, I will help you gather information." "I have somepetent historian friends, and I have good rtionships with them." "Thanks." Jason put down his tea cup. Then, he stood up. After breakfast, there was work to be done. Jason, having donned his jacket, coat, and hat, was escorted to the door by Hannibal. However, at the moment of opening the door. Seeing the person outside, Jason paused. Chapter 321: Chapter 108: Response Measures The person outside the door was Giselle. The female pastry chef, clutching a bag of food and a newspaper, immediately shed a smile upon seeing Jason open the door, her face already red from the cold. "Good morning, Jason." "Your breakfast." "And the newspaper." The female pastry chef said as she handed over the food and newspaper to Jason. Jason took them and immediately took off his coat, draping it over the female pastry chef''s head in a hooded fashion, and after fastening the buttons, only her eyes and part of her nose were visible, making her look quite odd. However, the female pastry chef did not refuse. Looking at Jason, who was close at hand, her face turned even redder, and she clung to Jason''s coat as if she wanted to hide her entire face. Huh? This didn''t seem to be Jason''s coat. Simr in color and style, but the material was much better. Immediately, the female pastry chef guessed something. Anger and murderous intent surged in her heart again. A voice told her to kill the other person. But she suppressed it. To her, it was just the usual jealousy. Plus, she hadn''t rested well. She should have waited here for Jason. With that regret, the female pastry chef red fiercely at Hannibal, who, in return, responded with a smile. Then he turned around and took out a coat to drape over Jason''s shoulders. "It''s cold, wear mine." As he said this, Hannibal smiled at the female pastry chef again. The female pastry chef exploded with anger. Kill him! Kill him! How dare he snatch my man! The voice inside her roared with rage again! The female pastry chef was initially infected by this boiling killing intent, but when the words ''my man'' emerged from her heart, she blushed with shame once more, and her entire body began to sway where she stood. "What''s wrong?" Jason asked in astonishment. "Nothing, nothing." "Where are you going, Jason?" "Let''s go together." The shy female pastry chef shook her head repeatedly, her speech bing inarticte as she immediately changed the subject. Jason thought for a moment and eventually nodded. There was no other significance, only that he owed her a debt of gratitude for the food she had provided in the past and now in his hand. It was only fitting that he ensured the female pastry chef''s safety. With a wave to Griffin in the distant corner, Jason led the female pastry chef onto a public horse-drawn carriage by the road. The food in his hand made him slow down his ns to patrol Newdeth City on foot. After all, eating in the wind is bad for the stomach. As for whether he had already had breakfast? Yes, he had. But from the dining table to the front door, he had already digested it. Crack! "Giddyup!" With a flick of the reins, the carriage slowly set in motion. Griffin watched the public carriage disappear into the distance. Then, he headed straight for ''Hannibal''s Clinic.'' At this time, Hannibal hadn''t returned to his room but was also watching Jason and the female pastry chef''s carriage leave. Upon seeing Griffin approaching, Hannibal put on a polite smile, yet he did not move. He was not used to letting anyone other than Jason enter his room. Patients were exceptions. But they were confined to the living room. Griffin was an acquaintance but definitely not on the same level as Jason. After all, Jason was one of a kind. And this guy here? There were countless others like him on the streets. "Can we talk?" Griffin asked in a low voice. "One hour for seven dors. If it goes over 45 minutes, it counts as a second hour," Hannibal said with a smile. Griffin blinked, somewhat taken aback. "I mean to talk." Griffin emphasized. "Yes, to talk." "One hour for seven dors. If it goes over 45 minutes, it counts as a second hour." "I''m a psychologist. That''s the standard fee," Hannibal said, smiling unchanged. Griffin''s breathing quickened, and he felt like punching that smiling face, but remembering what was weighing on his mind, he managed to hold back. Grinding his teeth, he said, "Alright, let''s start with five minutes." With that, Griffin tried to force his way past Hannibal and into the house. But... He couldn''t push through. Hannibal''s robust figure stood immovable, while Griffin staggered backwards from the collision. Facing Griffin''s astonished and confused look, Hannibal maintained his smile. "At least one hour to begin," the psychologist dered. "One hour?!" "You crook!" "I... wait, fine, one hour it is!" Griffin could no longer hold back and started yelling loudly, but when he saw Hannibal about to close the door, he quickly gave in. Hannibal extended his hand from the gap in the door. "What does that mean?" Griffin was startled. "Pay first," Hannibal said. "Don''t you trust me? Worried I''ll stiff you?" Griffin roared as if deeply insulted. "Yes," Hannibal nodded. "You!" Griffin wanted to say something more, but Hannibal was preparing to close the door again. This forced Griffin to pull out hisst bit of money from his sock and hand it to Hannibal. Hannibal did not ept it; instead, he frowned and stepped aside. "Put your money in the water bowl at the door," Hannibal directed. "It just came out of my sock, not through a gue!" Griffin nced at the water bowl on the cab next to the door, which contained a few coins. His decent memory brought him back to the time of the gue and the way the shops on Fishbone Street dealt with money: a bowl full of water ced on the counter. ``` People believed this could effectively drive away the gue. Griffin didn''t know if it worked or not. But in his memory, the number of deaths hadn''t decreased by much. Simrly, the money in the bowl often went missing. "It''s the same principle." Hannibal said it indifferently. Griffin didn''t argue anymore. He tossed the money into the bowl, then, under Hannibal''s signal, sat in the armchair in the hall. Hannibal nced at the clock hanging nearby, clearly noted the time, and then said, "We can begin now." "Is this ce safe?" "I mean from more special attacks." Griffin lifted his right hand, his five fingers sliding back and forth as if he were sketching an octopus. "Safer than most parts of Newdeth City," Hannibal said with certainty. It was not an empty boast, but the truth. His house had undergone special modifications, giving it considerable resistance to various kinds of attacks, including those from the "Mystical Side." Phew! After Hannibal spoke these words, Griffin let out a breath of relief. At that moment, he seemed to fully rx. He slumped into the armchair, his face revealing evident fatigue. "I feel like something is following me; he, she, or it¡ªI can''t be sure what it is. In any case, this entity is constantly siphoning my memories." "I feel like I''ve forgotten a lot." "But my memory hasn''t shown any discrepancies." "I still remember the jar I buried at my home on Fishbone Street when I was six." "But I just can''t recall what it is I''ve forgotten." "Do you understand how I feel?" Griffin spoke somewhat incoherently. "Many people have your condition." "Can you be more specific?" Hannibal, possessing all the qualities of a qualified psychotherapist, showed no derision and didn''t express disbelief; on the contrary, he took detailed notes. "More specific?" "Probably after meeting Jason and Giselle," Griffin replied after thinking hard for a moment. "Before that, everything was normal." "But since I acted as a mediator once, everything started bing abnormal." Griffin continued to describe what had transpired in detail. Hannibal, on the other hand, continued to take thorough notes. The two engrossed individuals did not notice that the door, which should have been shut, suddenly opened. The female pastry chef appeared at the doorway. She walked in slowly. She looked at the two men with a nk expression. The icy coldness in her eyes was like staring at two corpses. She raised her hand. The ck mist reemerged, filling the entire room once again. The writing in Hannibal''s notebook swiftly vanished, turning into other records, but the handwriting was identical. Their memories disappeared along with it, reced by others. Having done all this, the female pastry chef turned and left. Creak. The door closed. Hannibal and Griffin seemed to awaken from a dream, as ifing to. "You said your memory has been decliningtely?" "I believe it''s the anxiety and insomnia that are causing it," Hannibal said, flipping through his notes as he always did, making his final summary. "Is that so?" "Probably those damned people." "The ''Ghost Squad'' are really annoying." Griffin sat up, mumbling to himself. Then, Griffin headed straight for the exit. Hannibal escorted Griffin to the door. As usual, like he did with patients, they waved goodbye to each other. Only, when Hannibal closed the door and nced at the wall clock unintentionally, he was taken aback. Then he turned and walked to the hallway cupboard''s water bowl to look at the coins inside. No! No! Something''s not right! Hannibal picked up his recent notes again, carefully examining every word. It was indeed his handwriting. Then, he flipped to the next page. Through the imprint of the pen on the paper, something became apparent. Without any hesitation, he rushed into the bathroom. Looking at himself in the mirror, he whispered, "You didn''t find anything! You didn''t find anything! You didn''t find anything!" "When the snap of the fingers sounds, you will forget what you just discovered." "When Jason says how delicious it is, you will remember what you just discovered." Snap! At the sound of the snap, Hannibal in front of the mirror was startled and then returned to normal. "Wonder if Jason wille back for lunch." "What to prepare for lunch?" Hannibal turned and walked towards the bathroom door. He didn''t notice that behind him, in that mirror, the female pastry chef''s shadow shed and then disappeared as he turned. "Ah!" On the carriage, the female pastry chef suddenly let out a cry of pain. "What''s wrong?" Jason, who was reading the newspaper, turned to look. "Don''t know, suddenly my head felt like it was pricked by a needle." "It hurts a lot." "Probably because I haven''t rested well," the female pastry chef said with a strained smile. Jason frowned, considering whether to arrange for the pastry chef to rest when the carriage, which had been traveling smoothly, suddenly stopped. Thump, thump, thump! "Is this Mr. Jason?" The carriage door was knocked on, followed by a polite inquiry. Jason replied promptly, "No." ``` Chapter 322: Chapter 109 Encounter Outside the carriage, the person knocking on the door was taken aback. Jason hadpletely disrupted his train of thought. He was clearly there, so why say he wasn''t? I had investigated thoroughly. As the man was still contemting, the door to the public carriage opened. The man saw Jason. Jason saw him as well. Dressed in a khaki green woolen military overcoat, not wearing a service cap, with a fairplexion and a rounded chin, showing none of the experience and weathering of a military man but rather a somewhat slippery look; and not far from him, several soldiers had alighted from an automobile parked at the street corner, temporarily blocking the entire street. p! The man saluted Jason. "Colonel Jason, good morning." "I am pleased we have met again." The man said this. Colonel? Jason frowned. In his memory, the military rank he held when he left service was supposed to be captain. Moreover, he had no recollection of this man. Seeing Jason''s frown, the man quickly exined: "This is an order posthumously issued by the military''s upper echelons. In light of your outstanding aplishments, you''ve been promoted to honorary colonel, and your veteran benefits have been issued, including the selection of a residence in Newdeth City worth no more than 20,000 dors, which will perpetually be yours." "Perhaps you don''t remember me." "I am Major Aiwude." The man said, reintroducing himself, and then reached out to shake hands with Jason. But Jasonpletely ignored him, just staring coldly. A sharpness like a knife mixed with the scent of a ''predator'' was faintly released. Like his previous ''point-nk denial'' response, his current gaze was a conversational tactic. It was something Jason had learned from some scoundrels in the Nightless City. Although it was not 100% effective, it often worked quite well, especially when Jason''s unique presence was added to the mix, making the effect even more pronounced. Indeed, with Jason''s icy gaze on him, Aiwude started to sweat on the wintry street the next moment. He first awkwardly retracted his hand, and when he felt Jason''s gazending on his hairline, the major couldn''t help saying, "Colonel Jason, I am just following orders, and I don''t know much more. If you wish to inquire, you should go to the veterans'' outpost or directly submit an application to the military. I think your letters would certainly be seen by those generals." While speaking, he readied to leave with an awkward and nervous smile. "Wait." Jason spoke up. "Do you have any other instructions?" Aiwude immediately turned back. "Mypensation." "And my house should be near Pea Corner Street." "Preferably close to the Watchdog Pastry House." Jason said. "Understood, understood." Aiwude answered with a bow and a nod. Then, he pulled out a thick kraft paper bag from his overcoat and ced it in front of Jason. "Then I''ll take my leave." "If there''s anything you need, you can find me." "I''ll be at the veterans'' outpost, as you know." After speaking, the man turned and ran away. Aiwude didn''t want to stay a moment longer. He knew the task he had been given was not an easy one, but facing Jason, he realized once again that he had underestimated the difficulty of the mission. That sharp feeling was almost like having a knife to his neck. And that terrifying presence made him feel as if he were facing a wild beast, ready to be devoured at any moment. A terrifying man! It''s no wonder those big shots in the military changed their minds! But nobody is going to make me cannon fodder! I am taking medical leave right now! Tomorrow, I''m leaving Newdeth City! Then, I''ll go to the countryside, find a girl to marry, and live out my days! I''m noting back! Determined, Aiwude quickened his pace. The carriage started moving again. With Aiwude''s departure, the coachman who had just been controlled returned, seemingly a bit startled, but overall quite calm. He respectfully asked Jason and then resumed driving the public carriage smoothly through the streets of Newdeth City. "That man just now, he was a major?" The female pastry chef asked, a bit bewildered. Although she hadn''t seen too many soldiers, none were like that major. He seemedpletely like some of the crafty suppliers she had encountered before, without a trace of a soldier''s demeanor. "It seems so." "I don''t really remember." Jason said, opening the kraft paper bag. Immediately, a hefty stack ofrge-denomination bills came into view. After counting carefully, there were as much as 3,000 dors. "That''s quite generous." Jasonmented. His voice was steady, his tone t. Jason knew very well why they were so generous. Because, he had taken down ''Phantom Sting''! He had killed a formal member of the Ghost Squad! He had shown his own value! Beyond that, he could think of no other reason for the Silver Federation to act this way. Quickly, the female pastry chef also came to the same conclusion. But there was something else she was puzzled about. "Where did the Silver Federation get their information from?" "The Prus Family should have blocked the news." She asked Jason, having just learned what had happened from him; she didn''t believe that the higher-ups of the Silver Federation could know more quickly than herself, especially since Newdeth City wasn''t entirely under the control of the Silver Federation. Unless... "Did the Prus Family deliberately leak it?!" The female pastry chef caught on. She turned to Jason, seeking an answer. "Yes." "The Prus Family needs an opportunity to boost morale significantly." "At the same time, they are also trying to enrage the Ghost Squad, wanting them to fully expose themselves." Jason affirmed. "You think it''s useless?" The female pastry chef astutely picked up on the information conveyed in Jason''s words. "The answer is certainly ''yes''." "Ghost Squad knows where their advantage lies," "They are the most powerful when hidden away." "Once they are exposed, they understand what they will face." "So, they will continue to leverage their advantage, and then..." Boom! Jason hadn''t finished speaking when he was interrupted by an explosion. The st was so powerful that the ground trembled. "Stop the carriage!" Jason shouted as he stuffed the parchment bag into his coat and leapt from the carriage. The female pastry chef was a step slower. The car that Jason had previously seen parked at the corner of the street was now nothing more than wreckage, with charred bones inside. Without a doubt, they were the remains of the soldiers and Major Edward. "Call the police." Jason yelled to the female pastry chef. She immediately rushed toward a rtively intact phone booth by the side of the street. Jason, meanwhile, surveyed the surroundings, constantly ring his nostrils. There was no unusual smell. Or rather, it was overpowered by the odors of sulfur and the stench of charring. This wasn''t the right ce to strike. But Jason hadn''t given up. His brain worked quickly. The bomb had just been nted. The person who nted the bomb couldn''t have gone far. Any running at this time would be conspicuous and attract attention. Therefore, the perpetrator needed a spot where they could hide and avoid the st radius. It had to be close enough! A ce they could dash into in an instant! Almost as soon as this thought crossed his mind, Jason''s gaze locked onto a house directly opposite the car. The windows had shattered in the explosion. But the main structure was stillrgely intact. It matched his earlier assessment. More importantly... after such an explosion, the silence inside was telling! Looking at the other rooms filled with noise and panic. This one was eerily quiet. Maybe it wasn''t distinguishable to others. But to Jason, with his heightened senses, all it took was a little discernment to catch the clue. There was the sound of only one person breathing inside! From heavy and rapid to calm in just a few seconds! Clearly, the person had undergone specialized training! Jason narrowed his eyes and advanced toward the building. The shotgun he had acquired earlier appeared in his hands, its barrel pointing at the door. One step. Two steps. Click! A faint sound reached Jason''s ears. It was the sound of the hammer being cocked on a revolver. Jason knew it all too well, having heard it more than once. Without thinking, Jason rolled to the side and simultaneously pulled the trigger of the shotgun in his hand. Bang! Bang! Both guns fired at the same time. The other party''s bullet missed its mark. Jason''s shot hit its target. Not because Jason''s marksmanship skill was particrly high, but because at short range, the shotgun''s pellets were too closely packed for the enemy to dodge. Of course, the enemy would never have imagined someone smuggling a shotgun under their coat. Hmph! An agonized grunt allowed Jason to pinpoint his opponent''s location more urately. He pulled the trigger of his shotgun repeatedly. Bang! Click, click! Bang! Click, click! Unlike the Winchester Brothers'' lever-action shotguns, the one in Jason''s hands only required a light pump to load and eject shells. Though slightly less powerful, it was much faster, and more importantly, it held more bullets. A total of seven pellets turned the wall in front of the house into a sieve. The dense spread of bullet holes was enough to send shivers down anyone''s spine. The enemy''s breathing continued. And it was rtively steady. No doubt, the previous shots had only suppressed and grazed the enemy, not delivering a fatal wound. But under the barrage of gunfire, the enemy waited. Waited for him to reload. Or for the moment he would enter the room. Therefore, Jason saved one shell. At the same time, he pulled out a grenade. He remembered the fundamentals of the Griffin Shooting Technique very clearly. Pull the pin, toss it out. Retreat, aim. As a figure darted out of the room, Jason raised his gun and fired. Bang! The figure trembled mid-air, falling to the ground like a shot bird. But the enemy hadn''t given up on counterattacking. As they hit the ground, they raised their gun and fired toward the location of the gunshot. Bang! After a single shot, there was only the sound of the bullet striking the ground nearby. Then, what weed the enemy was the butt of Jason''s shotgun. He smashed the stock of the shotgun hard against their face, then their neck. Bang, bang! After two blows, the enemy passed out. It was only then that Edward and little Bansey arrived in the vehicle, btedly appearing at the mouth of the street. Jason grabbed the unconscious captive. Boom! The explosion of the grenade sounded off behind him. As the mes erupted, Jason didn''t look back. Carrying the captive, he strode directly toward Edward and little Bansey. Chapter 323: Chapter 110: Is the righteousness you believe in the true justice? Walking up to Edward and little Bansey, Jason threw the captive to the ground. Thud. In the dull sound of the fall, Edward immediately stooped down to scrutinize the captive before him. Edward, with a military background, was well aware that no captive could be taken lightly, especially a member of the "Ghost Squad" ¡ª having roughly grasped the situation, he was over seventy percent certain that this person was associated with the "Ghost Squad," if not a full-fledged member, then perhaps one step higher than a trainee, on the verge of bing official. While Edward examined the captive, little Bansey moved behind Jason. "What''s the matter?" Jason turned to look at little Bansey. "I, I just wanted to see if the back of your clothes got burned." Little Bansey scratched his head, smiling awkwardly. "I controlled the distance." Jason replied, then pointed at the captive and the remnants of the car, saying, "I suggest we search the veteran''s site, focusing on anyone who might have been in contact with Aiwude or who might know of Aiwude''s orders. His appearance was just too coincidental." "Mhm." After checking the captive, Edward nodded, but he didn''t spring into action right away; instead, he gestured across the road, signaling for Jason to talk in a ce where there were no people around. "The veteran''s site is troublesome." "It''s teeming with strong but unruly fellows, and my people simply can''t get in." "Moreover, those people seem to have a strange adoration for the ''Ghost Squad.''" "To this day, they still believe the ''Ghost Squad'' are heroes, even after they''ve betrayed the ''Silver Federation.''" In a corner, Edward said in a lowered voice. "Have you investigated the ce?" Jason continued to ask. "Mhm." "I just sent someone, and then¡­" "My guys got thrown out." "They told me they wouldn''t interfere in any matter concerning the ''Ghost Squad'', but they also hoped that no one would bother them over the ''Ghost Squad''s'' affairs." Edward said with a bitter smile. "Do you believe them?" Jason countered. "I want to believe them." "But..." Edward''s voice trailed off, but the implication was clearer than ever. A group that worships the ''Ghost Squad'' iming they won''t meddle in its affairs? How credible could that be? Practically nil. "Regarding the old veteran''s site, I''ve already reported it to the ''Silver Federation,'' but their reply was that I needn''t bother with it any longer¡ªcan you believe it? For the first time, I detest the ''Silver Federation''s'' efficiency for being so swift!" Edward continued, the bitter smile on his face growing more pronounced. Edward was no fool. The abnormal efficiency of the ''Silver Federation'' alone was enough to make him sense something was off. Not to mention, the firm response had already revealed the ''Silver Federation''s'' ambiguous stance. Although Edward didn''t know what had happened, he was certain it wasn''t anything good. Jason, meanwhile, had roughly guessed what the ''Silver Federation'' aimed to do: let the ''Ghost Squad'' and the ''Dawn.Prus Family'' destroy each other so they could reap the benefits. But what perplexed him was that given the power disyed by the ''Dawn.Prus Family,'' there was seemingly no need for such a maneuver. Did the ''Dawn.Prus Family'' have something else hidden? Jason pondered. Then, Jason smiled. Would anyone believe that a family legacy spanning over three hundred years had no hidden secrets? However, what kind of secrets were significant enough to make the ''Silver Federation'' so wary? Was the name "Starry Sky" truly just a facade? Involuntarily, Jason''s mind once again conjured the image of that vast room and all its gold and silver treasures. Of course! There was also that potion! Were these all rted as well? Thinking this, Jason turned and walked towards the female pastry chef not far away. "Call someone from the Prus Family, inform them about what happened here," Jason ordered. Some things did not require his own hands. Jason trusted that as soon as the old Tedi from the Prus Family received this message, there would definitely be a reaction. Although he couldn''t be certain what the ''Silver Federation'' was wary of, he could be sure that the ''Dawn.Prus Family'' and the ''Ghost Squad'' had already be bitter enemies. As long as it was confirmed that the ''Ghost Squad'' was rted to the old veterans'' site, the ''Dawn.Prus Family'' would inevitably take action. "Okay." The female pastry chef was somewhat confused, but that didn''t hinder her from making the call. Having been by Jason''s side, she had be ustomed to making calls. Though before, they had mostly been to the police station. After seeing the female pastry chef connect the call, Jason then returned to the side of Edward and little Bansey. "Stay alert," Jason said. It wasn''t that Jason didn''t want to fully inform Edward and little Bansey. But Jason didn''t trust anyone beyond Edward and Bansey. If the ''Ghost Squad'' could bribe people from the old veterans'' site, why couldn''t they bribe Edward''s subordinates? Knowing that Edward also came from the military, his subordinates naturally did too. Perhaps money couldn''t move these upright people. But... What about things that weren''t money, yet surpassed its value? For example: helping them eliminate a detestable, wicked, oppressing scoundrel of a corrupt cop whom they couldn''t target due to their principles. To this day, Jason still remembered the scene where the chief named Sandwick strutted around before him, and then got his head blown off with a single shot. There is no love without reason in this world. Nor is there hatred without cause. Since the "Ghost Squad" had alreadymitted an act of betrayal, but were still regarded as heroes by the people at the veteran''s station, it must mean the "Ghost Squad" had done something that aligned with "heroic deeds." Other than those corrupt cops and scumbags who were wiped out, Jason couldn''t think of anything else. The people at the veteran''s station saw the "Ghost Squad," with such actions, as heroes. Then could Edward''s subordinates,ing from a simr background and with many simrities, do the same? The answer was very likely, yes! Even if they were hurt themselves, such things could still happen. Because pain can turn that kind of recognition into a sense of mission. They sacrificed themselves willingly.'' For us! To lure out those damned enemies!'' They are the real heroes!'' With preconceived notions, statements like these could definitely have quite a good effect. Even causing those who heard them to prepare for the worst. They would sacrifice themselves for their ideals. Because... They believed they were righteous. Thinking of the repeated setbacks in Edward''s previous actions, Jason remained silent. He couldn''t share his guesses with Edward or little Bansey. Some things are doomed to remain unspoken. Edward and little Bansey looked at Jason in astonishment. However, out of trust for Jason, both of them nodded solemnly. Afterward, Jason and the female pastry chef boarded the public carriage again. "Your Excellency, where shall we go?" The coachman asked. "Do you know the veteran''s station?" Jason inquired. His purpose foring out "on patrol" was for the "Ghost Squad." Now that he had a possible hiding spot for the "Ghost Squad," Jason certainly wouldn''t give it up. "Of course." "That''s where a group of battle heroes lives." The coachman responded, then the public carriage detoured around the streets, heading towards the road that led to the veteran''s station. Rumble, rumble. The sound peculiar to the axle came out as the wheels crunched against the gravel on the ground. Jason closed his eyes to rest. He was well aware of what he was about to encounter. Gathering energy was necessary. The female pastry chef had a rough guess too, so she kept her mouth tightly shut, even lightening her breath. About thirty minutester, the carriage stopped in an area near the outskirts of Newdeth City. From afar, you could see the sign for the veteran hospital. The veteran''s station was on the other side of the veteran hospital. Both were in the same area. However, there was still a distance between them. After all, the veteran hospital needed quiet. And the veteran''s station? Rowdy and noisy might not have been their intention, but disputes over certain matters, and resulting brawls, were inevitable. They were, by nature, a stubborn bunch. All with a bull''s temperament. And when provoked, they became asbative as red-eyed bulls. Through the carriage window, the female pastry chef could see several caretakers pushing wheelchairs into the sunlight on the distantwn, with people who had limited mobility sitting in them. Unlike ordinary patients, these individuals all sat upright with straight spines, even those who had lost their legs didn''t use it as an excuse to slouch. On the contrary, they sat even straighter. Their voices were also very loud. The sunlight shining on their faces made them appear even more resplendent. Were they all wounded in battle? Had Jason been here before? What would Jason have been like at that time? As the pastry chef watched this scene, she couldn''t help thinking. She wanted to learn more about Jason''s past. So, she resolved toe here and inquire about Jason whenever she had time in the future. The carriage continued forward, passing through the veteran hospital and arriving near the veteran''s station. However, before even getting close to the veteran''s station, the pastry chef felt a chill all over her body. It wasn''t the severe cold of winter. It was a kind of eerie coldness. Andpared to the bustling veteran hospital just now, the normally noisy veteran''s station was eerily quiet. No one was seen on thewns. Not a single figure. Inside the station''s houses, no trace of sound emerged. This sort of quiet was suffocating. It even made one''s hair stand on end. Especially after the liveliness of the veteran hospital,ing here felt like entering a different world entirely. The pastry chef grew tense uncontrobly. She instinctively looked toward Jason. Then, she discovered that Jason was actually... smiling? Chapter 324: Chapter 111: Food delivered to your mouth... Delicious! The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, there was noughter, but he was indeed smiling. "Jason, what are you smiling at?" The female pastry chef asked subconsciously. "I''m appreciating the ''food''s'' deliciousness." With that, Jason jumped off the carriage and said to the female pastry chef, "Stay on the carriage; do note down." Without waiting for the pastry chef to respond, he strode toward the veterans'' station. The closer he got, the more uncontroble the smile on Jason''s face became. Simrly, the fragrance grew increasingly stronger. He''d thought it was just an appetizer, but it turned out to be a feast! Gulp. Jason swallowed saliva, restraining his hunger. Once again, he reminded himself, ''waiting will make the food tastier,'' then his gaze shifted to the three people in front of the veterans'' station. The three were not strangers; he had seen them around Old Tedi before. Clearly, these were the people Old Tedi had sent to scout out the veterans'' station. "Lord Jason." The man at the head gestured to Jason. Then, after Jason nodded in response, the three of them sprang into action. In fact, if they hadn''t seen Jason, they would have already entered the veterans'' station. The veterans'' station, as the name suggests, would give you some idea. It is a club. Serving retired veterans. Of course, ordinary soldiers are not qualified to enter, at least not unless they are officers of lieutenant rank or above. From the exterior, there is no significant difference from a veterans'' hospital. Just that one is in pure white, and the other is in a warmer tone of pale yellow. Creak! The door was pushed open. The three members of the Prus Family walked in, one after another, in single file. The first one took out a yellow gem and began to mutter under his breath. The second man was holding two assault rifles. A grenade appeared in the hands of the third person. Clearly, the Prus Family had long adapted to how to integrate the ''Mystical Side'' into the world of gunpowder. Thump, thump thump. Creak, creak. The sound of boots on the floorboards inside the door made an overburdened noise, and the man at the front did not stop his Dufolnguage, while the second and third persons looked to either side. The entire hall of the veterans'' station was empty. Around the ping-pong tables and pool tables, paddles and cues were scattered all over, and several newspapers that should have been adhered to the floor were lifted at the edges by the wind that poured in when the door opened and wrapped around those unupied chairs. "Clear!" "Clear!" The second and third men dered in session. The first man did not stop his Dufolnguage, gesturing with one hand holding the yellow gemstone and signaling the other two to continue the inspection. But at the very moment the two others were about to move, the light on the radio on the distant table suddenly turned on. Crackle! Squeak! A sharp crackling noise abruptly rose, exceeding the decibel level endurable by ordinary people, causing the second and third men to show pain on their faces and for the first man''s Dufolnguage to momentarily stop. Although it was just a momentary stop, The invisible force field immediately revealed a w. "Hee hee!" A child''sugh sounded. The voice came from deep within the corridor on the side of the hall. Along with theughter, there were also bursts of light footsteps. Obviously, the child who hadughed was approaching this ce. The lead member of the Prus Family suddenly changed color. Sensing some inexplicable fear beginning to erode his mind, he immediately shouted, "Retreat! Retreat!" The second and third men immediately backed away. The first man also turned and ran. But¡ª Bang! The door that should have been open behind them was closed so suddenly. Not just closed, but three tendrils as thick as index fingers dropped from the ceiling and silently wrapped around the necks of the three men, abruptly tightening. Crack. In the crisp sound, apanied by the gasping for air, silence once again took over. ... Jason followed the three members of the Prus Family into the veterans'' station. But when he passed through the door, the three men who were supposed to be in front of him disappeared without a trace. He was met by an empty hall. There were ping-pong tables and pool tables. The ground was covered with scattered newspapers; the tables and chairs were in disarray, with many tables holding bottles of alcohol. Most of them were newly opened bottles. A few still had half left. It was evident that the people from the veterans'' station had a particr fondness for alcohol. Just as Jason was checking, the power light on the radio on a nearby table suddenly lit up. Just when the piercing sound of electricity was about to erupt, Jason raised his hand and fired a shot. Bang! At less than 10 meters'' distance, the shotgun''s power was exerted to the utmost. Immediately, the radio was blown to smithereens. "Hee hee!" The child''sughter echoed from a distant room, along with footsteps, as though it wasing from the end of the corridor toward this ce. Jason threw a grenade with the flick of his hand. Ding! The pin fell to the ground, and the grenade flew deep into the corridor. The footsteps that were supposed to be approaching turned into a rapid retreat. But¡ª Boom! As the grenade exploded and shrapnel scattered, all became quiet again. A tendril as thick as a finger quietly appeared behind Jason, wrapping towards his neck, but before it could touch Jason''s neck, it was caught by Jason who had already smelled the faint scent and seized it in his hand. Grabbing the vine with his left hand, Jason wrapped it around his wrist several times and then pulled down with force. Rip! Like the sound of tearing fabric, the three-meter-long vine was pulled down. Arge hole appeared in the ceiling as if the vine had been growing there. Whoosh, whoosh! The open window behind the door blew a cold wind into the hall. In the pitch-ck ceiling, the sound of the wind echoed. ``` It was as if an invisible monster lurked there, ready to choose someone to devour. Jason, however, nced around and began collecting the newspapers on the ground, as well as the ceiling pieces that had just fallen. Newspapers below, wooden nks above, lit with a flick of a lighter. A makeshift fire appeared. Then? After rinsing the torn vines with some liquor, Jason broke off a chair leg to act as an iron bar, and wrapped the vines, as thick as a finger, around it, starting to grill. Before long, the scent of nts began to permeate the hall. Although there were no seasonings, the rinse with spirits gave the vines a hint of spiciness. They were crispy to the bite, somewhat like grilled seaweed. Amidst the crisp crunching sounds, The whooshing of the wind continued. Jason furrowed his brow. Hot food being chilled by the cold wind truly detracted from its deliciousness. He stood up and walked to the door, raising his hand to ... close it. Then, he handily pulled over a table to barricade the door. No one would escape! Everything was his! Jason wore a smile, but the great hall grew even more silent. All that remained were the crackling of the mes and the sound of chewing. [Devouring the touch of a dark coconut!] [Medium recovery of physical strength and energy!] [Fullness +2] ... Squeak, squeak. A figure in a wheelchair appeared at the other end of the hall. They wheeled themselves slowly towards Jason. The face was unclear, but their mouth emitted an unpleasant gasping. It sounded like they were gasping for air. But it was more like a struggle. A struggle on the verge of death. However, their voice still reached him. "What is equality?" "What is equality?" "What is equality?" The other seemed to question Jason repeatedly. As the questions were asked, the gasping disappeared, reced by a roaring sound, like the ferocious growling of a wild beast. Bang! The shotgun''s muzzle red. The growling stopped abruptly. The figure sitting in the wheelchair looked dumbfounded at their body, riddled with holes, disbelief in their eyes. Then¡ª Bang, bang bang! A series of shots from the shotgun. The massive impact of the bullets forced the figure in the wheelchair, about to enter the hall, violently back. The figure was not willing to give up. They wanted to struggle. But it was futile. Having memorized the Griffin Shooting Technique, Jason fired the shots and then threw a grenade, whichnded perfectly in the figure''sp and detonated. Boom! The wheelchair and the figure on it were blown to pieces. "Under the muzzle, all beings are equal." Jason spoke indifferently, his gaze turning to the hole in the ceiling. After blowing the figure in the wheelchair to bits, he smelled a richer scent emanating from that hole. Logically, there should be a second floor above the ceiling of the first floor. But what he saw from his vantage point was purely pitch-ck. The ''food'' was amidst it. That being the case, what else was there to say? Jason walked to the alcohol he had collected, neatly stacked on a table, each bottle sealed, with a strip of newspaper sticking out as a wick. After lighting it, Jason threw these improvised cocktails into the dark hole. One bottle, two bottles, three bottles... At first, the dark hole swallowed these Molotov cocktails without a spark. Yet, as time passed, as Jason threw in more Molotov cocktails, mes began to emerge. And once the mes appeared, the darkness was consumed. A monster, over a meter tall and covered with vines, was revealed in the darkness. It frantically pped at the mes on its body with its vines. But the more it pped, the more fiercely the mes zed. Next, it rolled out of the dark hole. Bang! With a thud, it fell at Jason''s feet. But Jason didn''t even nce at the creature. The scent had already informed him. What was real. What was false. He slightly turned his head, and a vine with spikes brushed past his cheek. Jason grabbed the vine and pulled sharply. As if pulling back a curtain, the entire ceiling came crashing down. The real ''food'' appeared before Jason for the first time. It was a sphere the size of a water tank, hanging at the top of the veteran station, with vines spreading from it in all directions. At the ends of the vines hung people who had been strangled, including three from the Prus family and veterans from the veteran station, resembling festive banners hanging in a house during celebrations. But there was no joy. Only death! Roar! The exposed ''food'' was immensely enraged. It let out a furious roar, its tentacle-like vines dropping their prey, wildly dancing above Jason''s head, then shot toward him like arrows leaving a bow. Jason remained calm and raised one finger¡ª Yi! ``` Chapter 325: Chapter 112 Sharing ``` As Jason raised his hand and pointed, the force field of "Protection Against Evil" immediately hit the ''food'' before him. Suddenly, the vines fell like a rain of arrows and froze in mid-air, immobile, while the sphere they sprouted from, the size of a water tank, shook as if electrified. Ripples appeared on the enormous sphere. With each shakingyer, it resembled the belly of a fat man bouncing up and down as he kept jumping. But there was no sense of humor here. Only a bone-chilling ferocity. A low growl apanied a fissure splitting open on one side of the sphere. Teeth crowded the opening, and a thick, fishy saliva dripped out. Roar! The creature known as ''Dark Coconut'' was still struggling in vain. But in the face of the Proficiency Level "Protection Against Evil," such struggle was futile. After all, Jason''s version of "Protection Against Evil," with its Proficiency Level, was no longer ordinary; bolstered by the particr enhancement of the ''Secret Keeper'' and fused with the ''ir Exorcism Technique'' using ''Shadow Raven Blood,'' its power had exceeded proficiency. Even experts, let alone masters of higher tiers, could not match it. So, the oue was inevitable. St! Another roar as the ''Dark Coconut'' creature''s body burst open at several points, its spherical form deting like a leaky balloon. A crystal the size of a pinky finger dropped out. Jason caught the crystal with his hand, rinsed it with some strong liquor, and tossed it into his mouth. Crunch! Jason''s sharp teeth easily sliced through the crystal. Instantly, a warm liquid, thick and distinctively sweet, filled his mouth. Hot chocte! Jason''s eyes lit up, and after chewing several times, he swallowed. [Devoured the Heart Core of Dark Coconut!] [Physical Strength, Vigor, and Excess Injury Recovery!] [Satiety +23] [Satiety: 39] [Excitement of Feast +1] [Excitement of Feast: 5] ... Excitement of Feast! Jason''s eyes sparkled at the prompt. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time. After making sure that there was no further danger around, Jason found a hidden corner and decided to enhance "Protection Against Evil." [Would you like to use 30 points of Satiety and 5 points of Excitement of Feast to upgrade Protection Against Evil (Proficiency ¡ú Expert)?] "Yes!" [Protection Against Evil (Expert): You are an expert in this secret Seal Imprint technique, and you have enhanced it by leveraging special powers and integrating simr forces! In the city nights, it protects you from malevolence, though it still requires considerable Physical Strength to activate. Remember: Only in the city! In your Night Watcher lineage, one Night Watcher made some alterations, allowing you to possess ranged attack abilities; any changes you make can also be integrated into this legacy. Effects: 1. A special force field attached to your body''s surface, capable of defending against and purging negative energy beings (War Machine level) and their associated powers (War Machine level); 2. You are able to direct the force of banishing evil to strike at creatures or objects within 10 meters radius centered on you with a long-range attack.] ... [Glyph Replication: You can pre-store one instance of Protection Against Evil, with the same energy cost as the normal use. However, due to your modifications, it canst for 5 days; over these 5 days, the power of Protection Against Evil will gradually weaken, vanishingpletely at the end of the fifth day. You can replenish Protection Against Evil anytime during these five days; releasing it requires only a short Dufolnguage syble (Yi)] ... ``` The knowledge body coordination at the expert level took Jason more time than before. But it was just a dozen seconds or so. When Jason opened his eyes again, a smile appeared on his face. It was not only the sense of achievement from attaining a long-pursued goal but also a trace of security in his heart¡ªhe knew he was one step closer to true self-protection. So, Jason couldn''t wait to check the next level requirements for "Protection Against Evil". "The next level is Master, needing 35 points of satiation and... 8 points of Excitement of Feast?!" "8 points?!" Jason was taken aback. ording to the previous ratio, it should have been 6 points of Excitement of Feast, but now it was 2 points more. "Could there be some change?" "Master level, master level." Jason muttered to himself softly. The cost exceeding expectations did not discourage Jason. On the contrary, he was only surprised. Because he was well aware of the principle that you get what you pay for. He was not afraid of needing more satiation and Excitement of Feast; his only worry was if it wasn''t enough. After all, "Protection Against Evil" was his only effective means of dealing with the bizarre. What to do if satiation and Excitement of Feast weren''t enough? Just eat slowly. With this thought in mind, Jason moved his limbs, and when he stepped out of the hiding corner, he leapt up and pulled the shriveled ''dark coconut'' down from the ceiling. After another rinse with strong liquor, Jason started a simple bonfire. For Jason, whose cooking skills were only basic, he always followed two simple truths. First, nothing cannot be grilled. Second, everything can be stewed. As for which one to choose? That depends on what tools are at hand. And right now, there was no doubt about the choice: grill! Under the mes, the already somewhat ttened ''dark coconut'' quickly showed wrinkles, and its fragrance appeared once more. Jason tore off strips of cooked vines and slurped them into his mouth like noodles. Crunch, crunch. It still had the feeling of seaweed. And the shriveled spheres were like seaweed knots. Compared to the ''core'' just now, the taste of the current food became ordinary. But Jason didn''t mind at all. Nor would he waste, eating up these foods in no time; as expected, the prompt appeared before his eyes. [Swallowed the Molt of the Dark Coconut!] [Physical Strength, Energy significantly recovered!] [Satiation +9] [Satiation: 18] ... "18 satiety points, 6 lives, huh?" A sense of unease welled up within Jason at the levels of satiety disyed before him. Without 30 lives, he always felt that his life was iplete. It was not just a sense of security at risk; it also affected his talent. At least, he wouldn''t practice the "Prus-Griffon Body Forging Technique" now. "More food!" As Jason thought this, he took another look at the veteran''s post before him. The scent of ''food'' that had been so pervasive before had vanished. Only a field of corpses remained. Looking at the bodies, some with eyes wide in anger, others in disbelief, Jason''s brow furrowed. Clearly, the veteran''s post was a trap! A trap set by the ''Ghost Squad'' specifically for the Prus Family. Jason could guarantee that even without his notice, the Prus Family would have been led here by the street explosion. Or rather, the ''Ghost Squad'' had chosen such a visible method as the explosion precisely to attract the attention of the Prus Family. "Is this to avenge ''Phantom Thorn''?" "No!" "That''s not right!" "Avenging ''Phantom Thorn'' is only one aspect." "The greater reason is to lure more living forces from the Prus Family!" Having reached this conclusion, Jason''s eyes narrowed. He had visited the Prus estate just yesterday. The ce was indeed well-defended, but that wouldn''t be much for the ''Ghost Squad'', certainly no need for such an borate n. Unless... The Prus Family''s real protective forces were not stationed at the Prus estate. A force that even the ''Ghost Squad'' was wary of. Coupled with the purpose of the ''Ghost Squad''s'' presence in Newdeth City. Putting it together, Jason immediately arrived at an answer! The ''Starry Skies Chant''! The Prus Family''s protective forces were in pursuit of the ''Starry Skies Chant''! As for what the female student council president told him about the ''Starry Skies Chant'' being fake, non-existent? Jason couldn''t be certain whether she was lying or not. After all, considering family matters, it wouldn''t be strange for her to do something that went against her principles. However, that was none of his concern at the moment. What he was more interested in was what he could gain from it all. Or to be precise, how much food he could get. Can the ''Starry Skies Chant'' be eaten? Is it tasty? What does it taste like? How much ''food'' does the ''Ghost Squad'' still have? Is it enough for him to have a feast? With such thoughts in mind, Jason left the veteran''s post. The female pastry chef in the carriage at a distance saw Jason emerge and immediately wanted to jump down, but remembering his earlier instruction, she restrained herself. She watched Jason, and only when he nodded did she leap from the carriage. "Jason, are you okay?" she asked as she jogged up to him. "Trap," Jason replied sinctly. "Call the police," he continued, his gaze shifting toward the other side of thewn. Two vehicles belonging to the Prus Family were speeding towards them. As soon as the vehicles stopped, Old Tedi opened the car door and got out. A number of followers, armed, were behind him, two of whom were silently chanting the ''Dufol Language'' and performingplex hand seals. Jason could clearly sense that, as the seals werepleted, a mysterious force field appeared around Old Tedi. After confirming the protection of the force field, the solid-built middle-aged man rushed over at a surprising speed. "Lord Jason," he greeted with a nod after reaching Jason, not pausing before he and his team charged into the veteran''s post. Soon after, the head of the Prus Family emerged, hisplexion looking grim. "Thank you for everything you have done for the Prus Family," he said, standing before Jason and expressing his gratitude once more. It was evident that the patriarch of the Prus Family had figured out the entire situation. "I shall offer you a token of gratitude." "Please be sure to ept it." "It is what you deserve," he said. Jason simply nodded indifferently. Just as Old Tedi had said, it was what he deserved; naturally, he would not refuse. Moreover, with the inferences he had just made, Jason could understand why Tedi was taking this approach. To win him over. To use him as a ''shield'' when the family''s living forces could not be mobilized. To such ''use,'' Jason, who had been tempered in Nightless City, was indifferent. The two were simply trading partners, each seeking what they needed. As long as the other side provided sufficient stake, Jason would help ording to the agreement. Of course, the principles that needed to be upheld still stood. He ate everything. Just not a loss. "Rest assured," "This token of appreciation will satisfy you," Old Tedi immediately emphasized, sensing Jason''s coolness. Then, the Prus Family''s patriarch suddenly stepped forward and in a lowered voice said¡ª "I have a secret to share with you." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!