No. 221 B, Baker Street was a graveyard. The fog suffused the gloomy night. This was the lowest place in Avalon. After summer ended, the wind and currents from ocean would be gone, and this place would be covered by mist. It was extremely hazy, even during the daytime. After tonight’s rain had pierced through the fog, it seemed to become thinner. The rain fell down on the ground with audible pitter-patters. The decayed soil full of water became muddy like a bubbling quagmire.
The carriage stopped before the graveyard. Ghosthand opened the door for Ye Qingxuan. “He is waiting for you in the yard,” Ghosthand said. “Don’t keep him waiting too long.”
“How long do you think I’m going to take for such a short distance?” Ye Qingxuan glanced at Ghosthand, put on his hunting hat, and strutted into the cemetery.
The cemetery was vast and silent. There were few people. Shadowy figures occupied the surrounding high points and entrances, sealing the entire cemetery. Ye Qingxuan looked away and walked forward, treading on fragments of white flowers.
There seemed to be a funeral. There was no priest or guests but an emcee in a black gown stood beside the tomb, leading the sacrificial ceremony. Beside him was an open coffin. The coffin was covered with white petals and a brocade but it was empty.
The emcee stood beside it, studying the tombstone in deep thought. The men stood far from him, not daring to interrupt his trance. But he was not so mysterious and scary. Instead, he looked just like an average old man. He was the Shaman.
“Whose funeral is this?” Ye Qingxuan glanced at the empty coffin, and interrupted the Shaman’s trance.
“Well…I haven’t decided yet.” The Shaman slowly shook his head. “Funerals are serious matters and the protagonist’s identity is always the biggest puzzle piece.” With that, he turned around and his eyes fell on the strange and young dark musician.
“There are many small gangs that have been instigated to rebel against my rules. They are troublesome little rats. I sent out six assassins to clean them up and I’m looking forward to finding out whose head will be the first to be brought back.” He stared at the youth’s face with his rheumy eyes. “Who do you think it’ll be? Take your time guessing it. There’s nothing fun about spoilers.”
Ye Qingxuan responded coolly, “What did the infamous Shaman invite me here for? Is the coffin for me?”
The Shaman was silent for a moment before chuckling softly and changing the topic. “It’s our first meeting and it’s not appropriate to talk about these unpleasant things. Let’s talk about something else. Mr. Holmes, what do you think of this city?”
Ye Qingxuan was stunned. After thinking for a while, he shook his head. “I don’t know. I always have a feeling that this place is like an old widow who’s moody and vicious.”
“Pretty much.” The Shaman nodded in agreement, but his expression grew dismal. “Even though it’s an old widow, it was once a charming beauty. In its youth, gentleness and charm exuded from its body. Heroes gave it their swords; Musicians appraised its holiness and mercy.
“At that time, the King of Destiny was ruling his mighty kingdom. All land was peaceful then and Anglo was in the most western point of the world. But when the man died, everything changed.”
He sighed and offered a cigar to the youth. Ye Qingxuan waved his hand, rejecting it, so the Shaman lit the cigar for himself. In cloud of smoke, his eyes became blurred. “Mr. Holmes, let’s talk about the city’s history. I want to tell you about this city’s past, this country’s past—its greatness and glory.”
Ye Qingxuan leaned on his cane, prepared to take it all in.
–
“You know, King Arthur built this place to commemorate his love, the Maiden of the Lake. That was when the Dark Ages had just ended and the golden era of the Renaissance had just arrived. This was the most brilliant pearl of the West, heaven on Earth—Avalon!
“He gathered worldly treasures, countless poets, mighty knights and legions, the most magnificent brocade and the most fragrant incense here…But not even the beauties of the world could express his love for the Maiden of the Lake, because everything he had was gifts from her.
In the darkness, the Shaman told of the other history hidden behind the known history, the past buried in past. This was a secret hidden behind a heavy curtain.
“Before he met the Maiden, the great King Arthur was just a fisherman’s son. He was a commoner. But when he strayed into the Shadow World he met the Fairy of Lake. Nobody knows what happened during that time but all that matters is that King Arthur won her feelings. It’s the thing that is most worthy of appraisal, the so-called ‘love.’” Shaman chuckled, mockingly or in praise.
“The Maiden gave Arthur her love and strength, so he became and expanded his territory. With her help, he forged the Sword in the Stone, became the strongest of the strong, and created Anglo. He became the true King of Destiny!
“It was his era. The Knights of the Round Table galloped above the sky and the demons hid from their radiance. Even the natural catastrophes were banished one by one. The Western frontier of the human world had never been more peaceful.
“Everyone dressed in brocades and no one went hungry. It was such a beautiful age. Brilliant, great, and worthy of all good words to praise it. It was like a fairy in a fairy tale.
“Then everything changed.” The Shaman paused. His voice grew hoarse. “Arthur went mad. The power was so strong that it drove him mad. But at that time, no one knew that the man sitting on the throne had gone crazy.
“The older he became, the more he hated his son for being younger than him. He thought that the child was stealing his life. He drowned his son in boiling oil. When he was sober, he felt guilty and depressed and cried for three days and three nights.
“He suspected that his wife was unfaithful to him, so he ordered his men to strip her, and forced her to walk naked on the street to be humiliated by all. The street still retains its original look, but some people have forgotten that this is why it is called ‘Queen’s Road.’
“In order to maintain his sovereign authority, he executed almost half of his Round Table Knights. His relatives gained those rights and shot to power. This became what is known as the glorious blood of the Empire. In order to become King of kings, he could not even allow the existence of the sacred city. He enlarged his army to prepare for destroying the sacred city.
“In the end, the Maiden also disappeared because of his madness. The brilliant Avalon, the city of glory, fell to the state of a ghost city.” Shaman’s voice was hoarse and odd, emitting real darkness and madness.
“At that time, the entire city was covered by his distorted projections from the aether world. This formed the eerie space known as Avalon’s shadow. In that world, gallows were erected everywhere like a forest; the guillotine became a fountain from which the blood extended, meandering out the gate as the Blood Path.
“At last, mad King Arthur was deserted by all and was killed by his greed for power. All that remained was the Blood Curse, which is passed down the generations.”
“This is the city’s past. It was once beautiful and brilliant, but now it has become a gloomy, fickle, and dying crazy woman. It stares with her cloudy eyes, cursing the inhabitants with her vicious gaze.
“So far, all you’ve seen were the problems on the outside, but the real blight and the cancer, the root, are hidden in the shadows of the city. The evil had been planted hundreds of years ago …” He sighed and snuffed out the cigar, his rheumy eyes growing nostalgic.
Ye Qingxuan was silent for a long time. Then he asked quietly, “Did you tell me all this to make me give up on the Blood Path?”
The Shaman shook his head. “No, I’m just worried about the city. If I wanted you to give up, I would say it directly.”
Ye Qingxuan glanced at him and sighed. “I never expected that the Shaman was so concerned about the country and people.”
“Everyone wants to make their living environment better. Aren’t you the same?” Shaman asked lightly. “Even if your fortune and fate are bad, you’ve been working hard all this time, haven’t you?”
Ye Qingxuan fell silent but the Shaman chuckled. “I think you’ve felt something vaguely, haven’t you? Mr. Holmes, or should I call you by your other name?”
“I’ve thought about the possibility before and now I’m sure.” Ye Qingxuan looked up to the Shaman, or rather, the ‘old guy’ his Father had mentioned. “I just never imagined that my father’s so called friend is the former Dark King.”
“I never imagined that the son of the evil hunter, Moon Chant, would be known as a dark musician.” Shaman patted his shoulders and sighed nostalgically. “I’ve had my men keep an eye on you ever since you returned to Avalon, but I didn’t expect that this would bring you so much trouble. When I heard of the melody you use, I knew that you were back. You’re better than I expected.”
“I’d rather know… what my father had done to set me in this situation.”
“I don’t know.” Shaman shrugged and said, “When he was on the run, I was still hiding in the Southern Isles. When I came back, I realized that he had vanished, and you and your mother had been banished from Avalon. Unexpectedly, even the famous Lan…”
“Don’t say that name.” Ye Qingxuan interrupted. “Don’t say that name if you want to continue to talk.”
–
Shaman was taken aback. He studied youth’s face and shrugged as if he perceived the indifference and anger behind those gloomy eyes. “Well then, I won’t say it.”
He sighed. He wanted to say that someone had been caring for Ye Qingxuan all these years and wanted him to go back… But this child probably would never return. Who would trust the so-called family again after being betrayed once?
He had wanted to meet Ye Qingxuan and talk about the stories of him and Ye Qingxuan’s father as an uncle and comfort him. But it seemed that it did not matter to Ye Qingxuan. It would never matter.
He sighed. He inhaled the smoke of the cigar and blew out the memories of the past. Ye Lanzhou was known as a unique gentleman and a peerless musician with a son who seemed to be made from steel. Would he be content or sad, seeing the current state?
“Don’t worry. I’ll help you deal with the rumors. You have nothing to do with the Blood Path and shouldn’t be in this mess. The least I can do is make sure you stay far away from the dark side of life,” the Shaman said lightly. “Just return to the Royal Academy of Music and stay there. Soon, order will return and Avalon will become peaceful once again. You’ll be able to live your own life too, Ye Qingxuan.”
But the youth did not reply and instead just lowered his head. After a long time, he asked in response, “Do you think I will?”
The old man was stunned. “Is my promise not enough?”
Ye Qingxuan chuckled and shook his head. “It’s not about promising to solve the problem.” The Shaman was about to say something, but the youth continued. “Even if you can protect me, if I do get involved with the Blood Path one day, would you choose Avalon’s Shadow or the insignificant child of an old friend?
“Whether you like it or not, I’ve already been pulled into this quagmire. Since I’m here, I need to at least understand what happened. Closing my eyes, stuffing my ears, burying my head into the sand and pretending nothing happened…that’s not my style.”
“You don’t believe me?”
“I’m just saying that no one’s promise is enough for these things,” the youth said lightly. “You can make thousands of promises but I only have one life. I can’t hand it to someone so easily. If my rejection hurts your dignity, then I’m sorry. I need to live carefully and cautiously. I don’t want to die before I accomplish things.”
The room’s temperature seemed to drop. The Shaman no longer spoke. He studied the rebellious confidence in the youth’s eyes. “…So you’re saying that it’s okay to die after you finish those things?”
Ye Qingxuan considered those words and nodded. “Perhaps.”
–
The Shaman stared deeply into his eyes and then looked away. His voice turned from gentle to serious. He was no longer “old guy,” but was the Shaman now, the former Dark King. “If you don’t plan on getting out of the mess, then why don’t you help?”
“The Shaman needs my help too?” Ye Qingxuan asked back.
The Shaman nodded. “As you’ve seen, I’ve declared war on all of downtown. There’s also the parliament standing before me. The Professor is an obstacle.”
Ye Qingxuan was taken aback. “You’re not scared of the parliament but you’re scared of the Professor?”
“You don’t know how destructive he is,” the Shaman said. “To me, as long as you have a worry, then you have weakness; as long as you have a goal, then there is a path toward it; as long as there is a benefit, then it’s worthy to go after.
“In this gamble I have many bargaining chips, so I never worried about the parliament. But the Professor is different from them.” His eyes were chilling. “The Professor is a maniac, an unstable element because he doesn’t care about gambling. No one knows what he’s thinking, but he knows too much. That is the most terrifying.
“Nine years ago, he appeared in Avalon and singlehandedly ruined the order and rules I created. He forced this city into the quagmire. All these years, he has been walking freely in this quagmire, digging for the dirty and dark secrets. He has also bought associates and created a network…
“But even if he’s alone, he can still cause destruction. Do you understand?” He looked at Ye Qingxuan. “I can’t have a variable in my world. The Professor must disappear.”
“So you want me to do it?” Ye Qingxuan asked.
“Weren’t you planning on it before? I’m also curious why he’s so determined to get you, and why he thinks you have something to do with Avalon’s Shadow…You’re also curious about him, are you not? Or you could say that you’re even happy that you’ve found a good opponent—the best counter to you.”
Fear flashed past the Shaman’s eyes as he spoke. “I hope you don’t think the Professor is a beaten dog now. Who knows what else he has hidden? I’ve also heard that he has prepared to attack the Royal Academy of Music. You might see him in the classroom in a few days.”
Ye Qingxuan fell silent. He was stunned by the Professor’s audacity. So many people in downtown had thirsted for Avalon’s Shadow…but no one had ever gone after the Royal Academy of Music.
If Ye Qingxuan did not go out, he would only be challenged by the elites. No one else would care about him. It was the birthplace of Royal musicians and the breeding grounds of Anglo’s musicians. Other than the visible defenses, there were countless hidden research labs. And if the alarm was activated, the Round Table Knights would come from the sky…The Professor wanted to attack the Academy? Was he crazy?!
“All you have to do is find the Professor. I believe in your abilities. I can also help you too, or even hire the Bloody Butcher to deal with the trouble. But I don’t want you to be distracted by him at the moment.” He focused his eyes on the dark shadow of the towering city behind him and said softly, “After all, I want to put all my focus on the true enemy now.”
“The parliament?”
“Someone in the Parliament. I suspect that Satan’s power has already seeped into Avalon. His follower might be hidden amongst them.”
Ye Qingxuan fell silent and then suddenly asked, “You mean they did all this on purpose?”
The Shaman nodded. His voice was filled with battling emotions. “Avalon doesn’t care about the mess in downtown, right? They just watch on as downtown falls further, rots further, and becomes a bloody quagmire.
“The parliament wants to see this. If they want the Blood Path, they won’t leave any witnesses for the Royal family to interrogate. They must make everything into a mess. But unfortunately for them, they won’t get what they want as long as I am here,” he said lightly.
“The creator of the quagmire should be buried in it. I will personally bury their corpses.”
“So you came back to stop them?” Ye Qingxuan glanced at him. “You were free from the quagmire. You could’ve just gazed at it from afar and stayed away. Why did you come back?”
–
After a long silence, the Shaman said, “Maybe because of responsibility.”
“You think you’re responsible for this city?” Ye Qingxuan could not help but laugh.
“Why not?” the Shaman asked back, but his eyes became helpless. “To be honest, I don’t understand it either. My era has passed and this city doesn’t welcome me anymore. Why did I come back? I’m just making it hard for myself.”
Ye Qingxuan remained silent.
Sensing the awkwardness, the Shaman chuckled. “Sorry, I said something you don’t understand.” Smoking his cigar, he sighed. “Actually, I was an author for some years after leaving Avalon, and published some books.
“They were all bad poems and folktales, so the sales were very low. But some people liked my poems and so I loved them. Sometimes I would meet them and drink and talk with them. Many of them were students or researchers. They were young, stubborn, and innocent.
“We would sit in a tavern and drink bad beer. The owner was my reader too and would give us discounts. Sometimes, he would play an instrument. To be honest, he was really bad at it.
“Sometimes I’d wish that I had a few female readers. Even if they were far away and just wrote me a letter, it would be nice. But sometimes, I would get drunk, hang on their shoulders and say some random things. But I’d be satisfied and everyone would be happy.
“The world is big and people desire many things. But some people just want recognition…it’s that simple. I’ll keep writing as long as they’re there and someone wants to read my books. I’ll keep writing until I die. I want to respond to their voices.”
He gazed at the youth. “To be honest, I’m sad that the city has become this mess after I left. Some people felt that they were living without dignity and wanted me to return. So I did. I’m the only one who can give them hope. This is what I want. Do you understand, kid?
“I want to respond to their wishes and change this dark quagmire. I want the people who can’t live under the sun to have dignity too. So many corpses have been buried in the quagmire all these years. They’re all begging me for help. If I don’t do these things, who will?
“I’ll recreate the rules and give these people a way to live. Even if there’s no sunlight, they should have rules and order. If no one will do it, then let me do it. If these people are abandoned by the king, then let me be their king. Do you understand now?”
The Shaman stood in the cemetery. His black shadow covered the tombstones, reaching into the distance. He studied Ye Qingxuan, but there was no blazing light in his eyes. Instead, they radiated with piercing darkness.
“I returned because I’m their savior, their king!” He stepped forward and stared at the youth, reaching out his hand. “Ye Qingxuan, come help me, just as your father did.”
There was a long, long silence. As if he was deep in thought, it was a long while before Ye Qingxuan looked up and said, “I’ll help you.” He stared at the Shaman’s outstretched hand and saw the power hidden behind the hand—it was an invitation and a great gift. If he reached out, he could become the Shaman’s right hand man and control Avalon.
But he did not reach out. Instead, he took a step back and shook his head. “But I’m helping you for myself, not for your so-called order of the underworld.”
The Shaman fell silent.
“To be honest, I don’t understand what you’re saying about the savior, the king, the order of the underworld—but there’s one thing I know.” In the silence, Ye Qingxuan looked up into the Shaman’s eyes.
“No matter how glorious the title is, evil is evil. It will never make this city good. Everything you’re doing will only make it not as bad. When those people abandoned living under the world, they should be ready to die in the sewer. They shouldn’t be hoping for some savior to give their lives more dignity.
“In the end, the savior of villains is still a villain. And no matter how orderly this world is, it is still a quagmire. You’re trying to find a savior in the quagmire?” Ye Qingxuan shook his head, his eyes becoming cold and scornful. “You’re looking in the wrong place.”
In the silence, cold rain fell through the fog to the still cemetery. When the rain drops landed on the Shaman’s palm, they broke and turned to water vapor.
He retracted his hand and sighed soundlessly. “Ye Qingxuan, you look identical to your father.”
“We’re not the same,” Ye Qingxuan said as he put on the hunter. “Not the same at all.”
It was an afternoon two days later in the Royal Academy of Music. After several days of heavy rain, the summer’s heat seemed to have vanished. The mist suffusing downtown seemed to be a sign that autumn was coming. Even the scorching sun had become cooler and in the afternoon. Calm sunshine filtered down from the sun, warming instead of scalding the people. Even the ever-gloomy academy seemed to have brightened. It was full of brilliance and everyone felt comfortable.
But one girl paced uneasily in the street outside the Music History department. As if there was something at the end of the road that made her frightened, the girl with a ponytail stood at the intersection and hesitatingly looked back, not daring to walk further.
“Come on! Shirley, you can do it,” Shirley murmured as she gripped her clothes, encouraging herself. Her face, pale with fear, calmed down gradually. She hid her panic carefully and transformed into a look of seriousness. Feeling calmer, she let out a breath and clenched her fists as she stared at the Music History building. Her eyes looked heavy and determined as if she was gazing at her mortal enemy, the root of all evil.
Shirley was one of the students who had just entered the school, but because of some physical reasons, she had to leave and recuperate for a period of time just after enrolling. She had returned two days ago. But when she came back, she found that all had changed.
The academy that had been harmonious, pleasant, and gentlemanly, but was now full of tension. Students treated each other like enemies. The news that someone was injured in a duel came every day. The fact that the mannered elites were humiliated by commoners saddened Shirley. But when she tried to mediate the fights, she would receive taunting gazes from the commoners. Some people would advise Shirley not to care about these matters, while others laughed at her, saying that she was just an ignorant and naïve little girl. She was not like that!
All the servants knew that Miss Shirley was the most concerned about their sufferings. Every time she went downtown and saw beggars, she could not help but shed tears in sympathy and give them some money. Seeing their happiness at receiving money, Shirley would feel the real meaning of the elites’ existence. As expected, the Blood of Glory existed to make Avalon better!
Her father and brothers all approved of her charity and kindness. They always said that commoners just did not know the rules, but if the elites guided them with kindness, everyone’s lives would be better. That made Shirley believe even more strongly about the importance of elites being role models.
But now everything had changed. The Academy was all messed up! It was no longer that warm and harmonious family she had imagined.
Shirley was worried and sad about this, and she tried to figure out what was going on. She heard the same name from everyone. The source of all this trouble, the synonym for evil, the culprit who made the academy into this—Ye Qingxuan!
“He’s a villain, Shirley! Do you understand? A villain!” Her cousin, Bart, was wounded badly. With a sad and indignant face, he waved his fist at her and said, “That d*mned Easterner is a savage who doesn’t know any rules. He not only stole our glory shamelessly, but also defeated Edmund with his dirty tricks and wounded him badly too.”
“That’s right!” the student next to his bed said resentfully. “It’s all because of that d*mned guy.”
“Don’t say his name!” another mentally weak student exclaimed. “Don’t mention the disgrace of the Academy, that Easterner!”
“Easterner? Where’s the Easterner?!” The sleeping Jon woke up in shock. Hearing the name, he shot up. “Come on, somebody help me up, I’m going to fight him! What are you doing? I’m going to fight him! Don’t stop me. I will… ” Before he could finish, he was cuffed by the nurse next to him. She shut his mouth and sent him to the emergency room. “Doctor, patient no. 06 is going crazy again!”
Shirley watched as brother Jon was taken away with tear-filled eyes. She felt pain and sadness deep in her heart. Why did it have to be this way? Cousin Bart, brother Jon, and everyone else were all very good people! Why did the guy do this to them?
The girl made up her mind. She was going to change this situation, change this brutal reality and save the endangered Royal Academy of Music. She would stand up bravely and become…a heroine!
Thinking of this, Shirley was suddenly full of courage. She continued walking down the path with her head held high, going toward the dark core of the Academy to look for the villain Ye Qingxuan.
Soon, she turned with a scream and crawled out of the path, hiding behind a statue and trembling. It was so scary! So Scary! This place was horrible…they had even raised a scary monster!
Just as she was trembling, the huge golden monster with a hairpin on its head walked past her at a calm and leisurely pace. Seeing her shaking, it opened its mouth in pride. “Woof! Woof woof woof!” it roared loudly, as if it was going to pounce.
“Ah!!” Shirley screamed. She collapsed onto the ground and did not move.
“Eh, what’s wrong with you? You’re just gonna stay there and not get up? You want to scam me?” Next to the big hairy monster was a girl with an unpleasant face, glancing down at her. “What, have you never seen a dog before?”
“I…I…” Cradling her head, Shirley cautiously lifted her eyes. She was stunned when she saw Bai Xi. “Are you that Easterner?”
“Huh, another challenger?” The girl with white hair pursed her lips and pointed behind her. “See that road? Go straight to the end and turn right.”
“Oh.” Shirley got up timidly, and gingerly kept a distance from that horrible monster. It was too big to even look at…How was that a dog? What a lie! She had had a dog before. How could dog grow so big? Her uncle once gave her a Chihuahua and it was only the size of her palm. This thing must be a demon. A demon!
At the thought that the Easterner was breeding demons in the academy, the timid Shirley suddenly felt a burst of anger. How dare he! No wonder so many students were so afraid of him!
Seeing that Bai Xi had left with that golden monster, Shirley took a deep breath and went on her way again. This time, she would stop the guy’s mischief! She held her head up and set foot on the path again.
Walking through the dense woods, treading on the withered leaves, enduring the buzzing mosquitoes, she finally saw an eerie building before her. Just after the towering woods, the dilapidated little building stood in the gloom. It was covered in moss and fissures, and emanated a ghastly chill. The cracks on the walls seemed to be a menacing smile.
Shirley felt her legs go weak suddenly, and had the urge to escape again. But soon, she finally found her goal—the one who turned the academy into this state!
Before the small building, the shining sun illuminated the stone bricks on the ground. In the genial sunshine, there was a spacious and comfortable sofa, and a cup of freshly squeezed apple juice on the table beside it.
A hand stretched out from the couch and the fingers snapped. The rune Frost immediately covered the cup with a layer of white frost. Then the cool juice was sucked into the vicious mouth with a straw.
On the couch was a lazy youth in a gaudy short-sleeved shirt and a pair of shorts. He lay on the couch, two naked feet peeking out. On his face was a pair of sunglasses and his hair shone in the sun like silver. His expression was leisurely and comfortable, and he just looked really bored as he enjoyed the summer sun. But….he did not look evil!
“No, no, Shirley, you have to be alert, not to be blinded by his appearance…” Shirley thought. Shirley rubbed her face hard, took a deep breath, and then slowly, seriously, walked toward the Eastern youth step by step.
There were no attacks, traps, or nets that fell from the sky as she walked. The Eastern youth did not rush up and tie her up either and do the embarrassing things that books often omitted. But Shirley still did not let her guard down. She finally went to the juvenile, looked down at him and asked with a trembling voice, “Excuse me… Are you Ye Qingxuan?”
–
In a daze, Ye Qingxuan felt a shadow cover him. Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw a nervous girl staring at him. She seemed to be staring at something scary—it was that kind of weird look.
Wait, was this another evil trick from the elites? Wait, it’s not a conspiracy of the aristocracy.
“Excuse me… Are you Ye Qingxuan?
Ye Qingxuan pulled down the sunglasses with a finger and raised his eyes, but he could not see anything other than her nervousness. After a long time, he realized that he could not keep wasting time and he nodded slowly. “Yeah.”
Shirley’s face instantly paled. It was him! It was really him, that Eastern demon! Under that “aggressive” sight, her legs turned to jelly again. She almost fell onto her butt.
“No, Shirley, you can’t lose! You are the family’s pride! How could you fall here?” she thought. She took a deep breath and loudly challenged ‘the criminal’ in a trembling voice, “…Please don’t do this anymore!”
“…” Ye Qingxuan did not reply. There was a long silence. He looked at the little girl in confusion and began to wonder whether there was something wrong with her brain. But from Shirley’s perspective, he was angered by her fearless courage to challenge evil!
She was growing more and more afraid, but she still tried to look serious and solemn, and stared back. “You can’t lose, Shirley! Don’t surrender to the devil!” she thought to herself.
After a long awkward silence, Ye Qingxuan uttered in confusion, “Eh?”
“I mean, the …concertmaster thing.” Shirley finally opened her mouth and spouted the lines that she had prepared. “‘Cheating’ is a provocation to the rules of the Academy and it is despicable behavior against the spirit of chivalry! Becoming the concertmaster in this way is meaningless. Bullying students and other things can only prove that your mind is not sound! Why fight and kill? Isn’t it better to get along with each other harmoniously?”
“…Oh.” After a long time, Ye Qingxuan slowly nodded and said softly, “Can you stand to the left a little?”
“Huh?” Shirley was confused.
“You’re blocking the sun.”
“You’re blocking the sun,” Ye Qingxuan stated. “This is when the sun’s at its best and time is precious. I haven’t been able to relax in such a long time. Can’t you not bother me like this? And also, I’m busy even though I’m the concertmaster. I beat four people today. If this continues, the hospital will run out of beds.”
Shirley froze, her face reddening. Angered by his nonchalant attitude, she pointed at the lazy youth, stammering, “You—you—you…don’t you feel any shame?!”
“No.” Ye Qingxuan shook his head. “Why do I have to feel shame? I’m the concertmaster, I’m the best! If I feel shame, then won’t the others have to commit suicide or something?”
“You—you…” Shirley was too angry to talk and even her eyes were red. “You’re just…low-class!”
“Oh.” Ye Qingxuan nodded lightly and went back to the sofa to sunbathe. He picked up the glass of juice and drank happily, smacking his lips. This was how life should be! This was how beautiful life should be! It was okay to be a bit low-class if he could enjoy this kind of life, right?
“So are you done?” He looked up at the girl who was close to tears and waved his hand, wanting her to leave quickly. “Tell the people who sent you that if they want to find trouble to come personally. There’s no point in bullying a girl.”
Shaking but trying really hard not to cry, Shirley glared at Ye Qingxuan. “I’m not going to admit defeat. No matter how much you bully me, I am not going anywhere!” But as she spoke, she could not control the tears anymore.
Just as she was about to cover her face and run, a gentle voice sounded behind her. “Are you okay?”
Shirley turned around and saw a handsome blonde youth. He gazed at her caringly and, seeing her red eyes, he offered her a handkerchief and a bright sunny smile. “Don’t cry. Wipe your tears. Miss, don’t waste your beauty and youth on tears.”
Shirley stared at him blankly. She took in the handsome youth’s warm smile, his bare chest, the gentle cascade of hair, and the words “I lost, I’m a pig” on his chest. The sun shone down warmly on his perky and lively…Butt, butt, butt…
Shirley looked down at the naked man and her shoulders shook. Her mouth fell open but her mind was blank. In the end…”Wah!!!” With a scream, Shirley covered her face and fled.
“…”
“…”
The two boys stood rooted to their spot, utterly confused.
“She left?” Charles asked softly.
“Yeah, she left.” Ye Qingxuan nodded. “She was probably scared of the naked pervert.”
“That’s bull! I’m wearing boxers!” Feeling wronged, Charles pointed at the skintight nude-colored boxers innocently. “Look, it even has my favorite elephant on it…”
“Wearing that is worse than going nude!”
“…” Charles gave him a glance that said, “You’re just jealous of me.” He pushed Ye Qingxuan off the sofa and picked up the juice, freshly-pressed from the grapes he had taken from the academy’s backyard. “Junior, get me some ice!”
Annoyed, Ye Qingxuan pointed his finger to plaster Charles’s face with a rune effect, but Charles expected it and dodged it easily, cackling. “Aha, you missed! You’re still too amateur!”
Ye Qingxuan continued to sunbathe.
Charles layed down as well, getting into a comfortable position. They sprawled on the sofa like dead dogs, letting the sun fall on them. At times, they would raise their juices in unison. Throwing their heads back and taking large gulps, they let out satisfied sighs. Life was too beautiful!
“Sad that we don’t have money. Otherwise, we could dig a swimming pool!” Charles sighed. “We’re at the height of summer. Look at Old Phil. He always goes to the fountain in the School of Royal Musicians for a quick bath. It’s so embarrassing.
“But don’t worry, Junior. Wait until I get this research done and we’ll be rich! We’ll have more than enough money for a pool. We can even hold a bonfire party! All the junior brothers and sisters will wear bikinis and sit by the pool. And when you come out, they’ll call sweetly, ‘Senior Qingxuan…’”
Ye Qingxuan retched. “The girls are okay but why are the guys wearing bikinis too?!” Seeing that Charles was ready to explain, Ye Qingxuan quickly cut him off. He really did not want to know why guys would wear bikinis…
“Senior, what are you researching now?” he changed the subject.
“I found the mystery hidden in material!” Charles’s eyes brightened at the mention of his own research. “According to my hypothesis, all material is made from different microstructures. Even the structure of steel and copper are extremely different.
“We can perform an experiment and have these two dense materials crash against each other at a set speed in an environment with high temperature and pressure. The moment the structures break will create a really powerful energy, even if the material is smaller than a grain of sand.
“Using my calculations, I created an equation. To put it simply, it’s e=m…ah, whatever, you don’t care about this stuff. Just know that I’m working on something great in the basement!”
“No, don’t!” Ye Qingxuan jumped up in fright. “If you’re going to do anything, go to the backyard of the School of Revelations. Don’t mess with this house anymore. Look at how sad it already is. If you make something explode and it collapses, we won’t have anywhere to sleep!”
“Aww, you should support my research…”
“Support your *ss!” Ye Qingxuan rolled his eyes. “Go ask the Professor if he supports you.”
Charles shrugged and glanced toward the library. He froze when he did not see the figure behind the window. “Where did he go?”
Ye Qingxuan pursed his lips. Lying on the sofa, his nostrils to the sky, he forced out, “The school board!”
“The qualifications audit again?” Charles furrowed his brows. “Aren’t they tired by now?”
“Who knows?” Ye Qingxuan said lightly. “Maybe they’re bored. Anyway, it’s not the first time they’ve made things hard for us.”
“They’re not just making things hard for us. They act like we’re lice in their hair and the disgrace of the academy. They’d love it if they could kick us out.” Charles shrugged. “But don’t worry. Professor is retired from the military. The school board can’t do anything to him without Principal Maxwell’s permission. They can just reduce our budget and insult us.
“Budget thief, unaccomplished and useless, weird clowns…the money we get every year is less than the other schools’ cafeteria allowance! They just can’t get over the fact that we don’t kiss their *sses.”
“What a group of idiots.”
“Yeah, a group of idiots.” Charles nodded. He picked up the juice and clinked glasses with Ye Qingxuan. Downing the drink, he felt much better. But his eyes grew curious after he gazed around. “Where are they?”
“Who?” Ye Qingxuan asked.
“The challengers,” Charles said. “Didn’t they swarm over like flies when they heard that you showed up again? I thought they wouldn’t give up until they took the concertmaster title from you. How come only a girl came to challenge you today?”
“Oh, those people.” Ye Qingxuan squinted his eyes as he enjoyed the sun. “There was probably a dozen challengers today.”
“Huh? Where are they? How come I don’t see any of them?”
Ye Qingxuan grinned. “They all lost.” Under the blazing sun, the youth hummed Bolero’s melody and the faint water vapor around his fingertips transformed into thread that extended in all directions.
With a snap of the finger, the aether began to ripple vaguely. Before them, various lost figures emerged from the shadowy forest. The ones that were bent on beating the disgrace of the academy and restoring the glory of pure blood now looked bedraggled and travel-worn.
Their pristine school uniforms and gold-lined jackets were torn by the thorns and branches. Their faces were covered in cobwebs and dust and their eyes were terrified. This was a forest that they would never be able walk out of. They were like insects stuck in an endless loop. They would walk down the paths that seemed to be familiar and follow every branch, but would never be able to find the way out. They were lost in utter darkness.
Even the afternoon sunlight became eerie after filtering through the dense treetops. The only sounds in the silence was the cold wind and soft writhing of insects and snakes. Some of the students were roaring something, but their voices were unclear. Others were running, finally collapsing after using all their strength. Confused and dazed, they were like bugs thrown into a glass box. They could flap their wings as hard as they could, but would not be able to find help. All twelve of them were trapped in a forest of only a few dozen square meters. They could not perceive that they often brushed shoulders with each other. Manipulated by the youth, they were like puppets stuck in a maze.
Charles’s eyes brightened. “Rhythm level?”
“Yeah.” The seemingly tired youth on the couch squinted as he enjoyed the sun and focused on controlling the enchantment at the same time. “I told the Professor that I reached the Rhythm level this morning and asked if there was anything I could practice with. He gave me the control of the nearby Requiem enchantment. It’s kind of hard but good for practice.”
Charles rubbed his hands together and got closer. “Is it fun?”
“Yeah.” Ye Qingxuan nodded.
“Let me play with it!” Charles fluttered his lashes.
The youth rolled his eyes. “You just want to go to the girls’ shower house.”
“…I can’t believe you think I’m like that. You break my heart!”
“You have a heart?”
“Of course!” Charles puffed up his chest and stated, “Touch it if you don’t believe me. Feel my beating heart! Can you feel my absolute sincerity?”
Ye Qingxuan felt the urge to hit him again.
“Ah, whatever.” Charles shook his head, sighing. “Remember to come to the basement tonight.”
“Huh?”
“I finished modifying the skeleton. If you have time, come try out your new clothes.”
Late at night, the sound of steel scraping came from the underground workshop occasionally. On the ceiling, the only lamp in the dusty workshop shone dimly. A hideous shadow stood under the light, allowing Charles to modify it.
The youth stood still, his body wrapped with some metal skeleton that clung to the skin. The fine structure of the rafting mechanic matched his body perfectly. They cooperated perfectly without any conflicts, as if he was born that way.
With Charles’s actions, the parts that were originally taken apart were now joined together on the skeleton, and the cold metallic surface was covered by black leather until it could not be seen.
Standing in his spot, the youth’s face was hidden in the shadow. One could not see his expression. His height had suddenly shot up half a foot. His muscles were also stronger. Even the power of a slow move could make the air whistle and dust fly. The light shook and flickered.
“Yezi, this set has always been part of you, right?” Before him, Charles lifted the lantern in his hands, illuminating the young man’s face hidden in the shadow. The youth raised his eyes and looked at him expressionlessly.
“You look like you’re made of iron,” Charles murmured. He took two steps back and dropped his tools. When he could not see Ye Qingxuan’s face, he always felt that he was assembling some kind of fine machine. It was silent, quiet and precise, like a clock. It could not feel fatigue, would not stop, and would not become weak. But when he saw Ye Qingxuan’s face, he suddenly found himself in front of a youth who was only one year younger than himself.
“How does it feel?” Charles asked softly.
“It feels a little heavy. I’m not used to it.” Ye Qingxuan stretched his arms up and was about to jump, but Charles stopped him. “Jumping here is the same as crashing into the wall. You will get hurt or even get a concussion.”
“It’s that dramatic?”
“Chainsaw monks were real machines of war. As a borderless organization, they had always been the most invincible army on the battlefield for hundreds of years. They would fight only for money or the Holy Scriptures.
“That group of men would even ignore the orders from the sacred city. The only thing that could call them up was the ‘East Order’ decreed by the sacred city when it was determined to invade the Dark World again.
“Do you think they conquered people with the Holy Scriptures? Don’t be silly. They’re the dark side of the church and they concentrate on mechanical technology. Don’t underestimate their madness,” Charles stated.
He continued, “The original Chainsaw monks were transformed into a machines through surgery. This skeleton would be thoroughly implanted into his flesh and blood, truly becoming one.
“Now, what you have is a little less powerful, but the core technology is still from them. Trust me, it is like a beast. You need a period of time to get used to it.”
“So you’re saying that it can do more than just run quickly?”
“Of course.” Charles shook his head. “With your weak and untrained body, you’ll be able to chest press 200 kilograms and squat 500 kilograms when wearing this. That’s the limit for the human body.
“But the forces are reciprocal. The shock absorption system isn’t that perfect yet. Your maximum output is limited to 200 kilograms. Of course, you can adjust yourself but beyond that, you should be ready for your muscles to be torn apart and even your bones to be broken.
“Yezi, you have to be careful. Don’t wear out yourself. You don’t want to live your rest of life with a wheelchair like that bald man from the School of Revelations, do you?”
“Don’t worry. This is good enough for me.” Ye Qingxuan nodded. He was obviously very satisfied with this. He had officially reached the Rhythm level and could control the aether to protect himself. With this set, he was able to let go of his hands and feet. He did not need to worry about being dragged down by his physical strength at a critical time…
At the thought of this, his heart stirred painfully—physical strength was always his critical defect. Since the beginning of time, the Ye family had never had any burly men. Most of the time, they were the physical manifestation of elegance and grace. Not wanting to dirty themselves in fights was one thing. But also…they really were just lacking in the physical department. He knew how weak he was when he was beaten by a dog.
“Stop spacing out.” Charles shook his head and tossed over something. “Try this one.”
Ye Qingxuan caught it and saw under the light that it was a silver arm. It was originally Pinocchio’s arm, but now it looked completely different. Now it looked light and exquisite, like a piece of art. With a snap, it was embedded seamlessly into the reserved slots on Ye Qingxuan’s right arm. The youth moved his arm. With the aid of the skeleton, he could hardly feel the increased weight.
“What is this?”
“Something you brought back.” Charles smiled and pointed to the weapon that had been dismantled on the table. “The Sighing Sword.”
On the workbench, the heavy black sword had been torn apart. The hilt, blade, hand guard…all scattered. The obsidian-like material was actually some kind of coarse alloy which silently exuded a chill even after being torn apart.
“Why is it like this?” Ye Qingxuan asked.
Charles shrugged. “The Sighing Sword looks like a sabre, but it’s essentially alchemy equipment that can destroy most shields and enchantments.
“It relies on the internal solid and precise structure to have the perfect effect. There are strict requirements for the size, weight, and material of each part. I took it apart and found that most of it was damaged, but luckily the core part still works. Try to clench your fist and try to punch with all your strength. Remember, all your strength.”
Ye Qingxuan hesitated, but then obeyed.
Boom! A muffled sound came out of nowhere. Instantly, it was as if a giant blister burst in the sealed basement. Wind blew from the front of the fist, causing a flurry of dust. Even the basement door was forced open. The air pressure rose and fell quickly.
Ye Qingxuan only felt a shock going through his body. His vision went black and his ears buzzed. He could barely even breathe.
An indent the shape of a fist silently appeared on the wall meters away from his punch. It was the mark left by the high air pressure. It gradually disappeared as the dust flew.
“Feels good, right?” Charles, who had been prepared, was hiding beside him and gloated at the youth’s dazed look. “Don’t worry. It’s like this when you miss the target.”
“Miss…What?”
“…” Charles was seemed to be talking about something.
“A little louder. I can’t hear you!”
“I said concussion!” Charles raised his voice which dispelled the hum in Ye Qingxuan’s ears. “The key of the Sighing Sword is that it creates a shaking like a concussion, which is the source of its power. With this shaking, the sword can easily defeat all obstacles.
“The more fragile the object is, the more likely it is to break under the shaking. The harder the structure is, the more likely it is to twist under the pressure. Even if there was only one small flaw, it would be infinitely magnified to the point of self-destruction. The object would then collapse and disintegrate.”
Charles put on his gloves, removed the burning arm, and showed the youth the steel plates that fit in the inner lining of the arm. “This is the core—a very compact ‘interval.’
“It consists of seven basic notes. The effect is Shake, which makes the body able to resonate with the aether. The scariest thing is that the Chainsaw monk is able to duplicate this interval thousands of times on a sheet of solid metal. This is the reason why so many countries have failed to duplicate the Sighing Sword. The Chainsaw monk’s skill at smelting and printing is unmatchable!” With a snap, the arm was put back into place.
Charles exclaimed, “Non-lethal weapons meet your needs perfectly. If you control it well, anyone will kneel before you, no matter how much he has on his body. What’s more, you can tear down a wall when escaping more easily. It’s really a good thing to have when committing a crime.
“However, it is best to note that your body does not have the Chainsaw Monk’s aether ax, which is used for fine control or other components for stability. Don’t use it too frequently and give it some time to buffer. Otherwise it could explode.”
“Explode?”
Charles mimed exploding into pieces onto the ground with a cheerful expression.
Ye Qingxuan could not help but sigh, “Senior …”
“Yeah?”
“Why do I feel like you told me all that just so you can have fun when telling me that I’ll explode?”
“… Aha, you know me pretty well.”
Ye Qingxuan sighed and turned toward the door.
“Don’t go, there are still many new inventions here for you to appreciate!”
“Later. I’m going out for a walk.” Ye Qingxuan took the hunting hat on the wall, and put it on. Looking back at Charles, he smiled. “I want some fresh air. Be back soon.”
Charles shook his head and waved. “Be careful.”
–
Late at night, on the quiet street, an old lame man leaned against the corner of a wall. He had a pipe in his mouth and he smoked leisurely. From time to time, he would look up to the distance, as if waiting for someone to arrive. Heavy dew dampened his trousers, making seem even older.
During the long wait, a cane stretched out from the darkness behind him and rested on his shoulder. “Did you leave the sign?” the hoarse voice sounded.
“Mr. Holmes?” Shocked, the old man looked back in a surprise and saw the shadow. “You remember me?” He pointed to the bruises on his face that still had not faded. “It’s me, Hudson, sir.”
Ye Qingxuan frowned. He remembered the old man whom he had rescued from the cemetery. The man had wanted to quit his dirty life but was captured by the Pyramid King and tortured. Ye Qingxuan paid no attention to him after rescuing him. Unexpectedly, the Shaman had sent Hudson to contact him.
“Mr. Hudson, long time no see.” Holmes asked softly, “Looks like you’ve gone to the Shaman?”
Hudson’s look was somewhat apologetic. “Mr. Shaman said that you hated to come into contact with unclean people, so he found me and told me to contact you specifically. But please rest assured that I never took any illegal jobs after that incident. Mr. Shaman also arranged for me to go to guard the cemetery.”
“No. 221 B, Baker Street?”
“Yes.” Hudson nodded.
“Then, if the Shaman wants to contact me, just leave a sign in the cemetery. I’ll go there regularly.” Ye Qingxuan thought of something and chuckled softly. As Sherlock Holmes, his tombstone was there too, was it not?
Hudson nodded quickly and turned to lead the way.
“We found some clues about the Professor.”
An old man with black gloves stood at the end of a long street. He lit his cigar and inhaled deeply before letting out a puff of cool blue smoke. He waited quietly.
After a long time, his shoulders twitched and he turned slowly. A figure had appeared behind him. “Mr. Holmes,” he nodded. “I have been waiting for you.”
“Mr. Ghosthand, long time no see.” Ye Qingxuan smiled and took off his hunting hat. “I remember our first meeting was outside the White Horse hotel. You gave me directions before, but now it’s the opposite.”
Ghosthand gazed deeply into the youth’s eyes. He could not help but sigh in lamentation. A few months ago, he and the youth had met for the first time, brushing past each other on the street. At that time, he was still the debtor, Ghosthand, an infamous legend of Avalon. Ye Qingxuan was just an Eastern kid who had just arrived.
At that time, the kid was like fish on the cutting board. Ghosthand could do whatever he wanted to him. But in a few short months, Ye Qingxuan had made a name for himself. He used his actions to incite fear and respect from many people. He was the Vengeful Spirit of Avalon. Even the Shaman wanted to have him as a right hand man and had high expectations for this young man. Fate was not something the average man could predict.
“Please help us with the Professor’s traces.” With that, Ghosthand turned to lead the way.
Ye Qingxuan walked into an alley. Stepping over puddles and broken tiles, he walked into a hut. The empty hut was covered in blood. And the corpse in the center was already stiff.
The cold night had preserved the body well. Instead of decaying, the corpse’s skin was deathly pale. The sight was chilling.
“Who is this?”
“A smuggler. His nickname is Lychee. Lychees are a rare Eastern fr…”
“I know.” Ye Qingxuan nodded. “A Westerner with this name? That’s rare.”
“It’s because the thing he’s most famous for is smuggling in ten tons of lychees. He got it through customs and sold them throughout the entire Anglo market.”
“A fruit smuggler?”
“They look clean and cute, but it’s just a disguise. There were refined opiates inside the lychees,” Ghosthand stated. “It was all high-grade stuff. The Indians called them Krishna. With this boat-load, the Indians were able to buy ninety percent of the market, creating the basis of their illegal drugs market.
“Lychee had always been Silo’s right hand man and was hated by others. But he was very careful. Sometimes he would even disguise himself as a pregnant so no one could get any dirt on him.”
“Pregnant?” Ye Qingxuan squatted and looked at the swollen body. Seeing the beard and thick chest hair, he could not help but furrow his brows. “He really put in a lot of effort…When was the corpse discovered?”
“Three hours ago,” Ghosthand said as he smoked. “According to the Shaman’s rules, illegal drug smugglers should have their feet and hands chopped off, but he was already dead when we arrived. The Professor was a step before us. This is probably revenge on Silo’s betrayal.”
“Not just that.” Ye Qingxuan shook his head. “If it’s just for revenge, the Professor would hang Silo’s brother Po Sinai before Silo’s bed. When Silo wakes up from a nightmare, he’ll see his brother’s twisted features and forever live in fear…”
Ghosthand flinched. “How do you know?”
Ye Qingxuan gazed at him coolly. “That’s what I’d do if I were the Professor.”
Ghosthand fell silent.
Ye Qingxuan felt around the corpse, looking for any marks left behind on the body. It was much easier with Bolero. He pressed a hand on the corpse’s chest and transformed the liquid in the body into perception threads to investigate the organs. Quickly, he let go.
“His heart stopped suddenly. There was internal bleeding in his organs and his brain seemed to be poisoned…” Ye Qingxuan’s eyes hardened. “Lychee wasn’t killed. He scared himself to death.”
Ghosthand immediately understood the fury in the youth’s eyes. “This is what you often do…Is the Professor trying to provoke you?”
Ghosthand knew that Holmes was a dark musician who hated to see blood and kill others. He would always make the enemy torture themselves. No matter how cruel he was, he would never take any lives. He was merciful and valued life—he was not like a dark musician at all.
But that was the cruelest. His enemies often wanted to die but could not! Such as the ruined Pyramid King and Indian musician Puspotkata who had turned into an idiot, and the many others who had been sent to the Arkham Asylum…If Ye Qingxuan had wanted to punish Lychee, he would undoubtedly use this method; however, the Professor was much crueler. No matter what the process had been, it was horrible enough to create nightmares.
In the stillness, Ye Qingxuan gazed coolly at the corpse’s dull eyes. After a long while, he stood up slowly. “I think he’s challenging me. Most people would think I did this.”
If it was just Lychee, Ye Qingxuan would not care, but this was a warning. If he still could not find the Professor before the next kill, the victim would be someone different.
Ye Qingxuan could think of many that he could be used as a scapegoat for. An important figure in the police department, the son of a noble…At that time, it would be much more difficult to work in Avalon.
The Professor was taking revenge on Ye Qingxuan for knowing that he was a Moon Spirit. He wanted Ye Qingxuan to know that if he revealed the truth, he would also make it impossible for Ye Qingxuan to survive in downtown.
But what was the point in killing this person just to warn Ye Qingxuan when he could plan further and take revenge on the parliament? Or was this a plan to kill two birds with one stone, and just happened to be a warning?
Studying the corpse, Ye Qingxuan suddenly asked, “Mr. Ghosthand, is it true that you can capture an enemy’s soul and make them work for you? If it’s true, can you do it on Lychee?”
Ghosthand chuckled and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Mr. Holmes, but when did humans ever have something like a soul? It’s probably just philosophers spreading false information,” he said. “The only thing I can do is kill people. And I can’t do anything after that. After all, you can only kill someone once. So, I have to disappoint you on this.”
Ye Qingxuan had not had much hope on this strange rumor in the first place. Hearing Ghosthand’s explanation, he just nodded and said lightly, “I’m not disappointed. Sometimes, it’s not bad to have a solution that can solve everything.”
“Oh?” Ghosthand looked up. “Do you not think that it’s a shame to be a murderer like me?”
“No, I just think it’s laughable.” Ye Qingxuan glanced at him, not scared of angering the old man. “Everyone knows that killing can’t solve everything, but so many people still think that everything can be solved by killing. It’s strange, isn’t it? Some things can’t be changed, no matter how many people you kill.”
Ghosthand did not reply.
Ye Qingxuan squatted down to check the corpse again. He would not let anything past his eyes. He could tell that the man had suffered a long torture before his head. The first thing to be attacked in the terrifying hallucination was the brain. His mind would be tortured by unprecedented horror and blood would rush to the brain.
When his subconscious mind found something it could not understand, fear would be born. When the fear reached a certain level, his subconscious mind would search for salvation in death. His heartbeat would quicken, his panting would become heavier, and his glands would secrete more hormones. The hormones would stimulate his organs, causing internal bleeding. The hormones in the blood would reach his brain, poisoning it. That was how someone could be scared to death.
But soon, Ye Qingxuan found something strange. “What is this?” He carefully squeezed the corpse’s stiff wrist. Flipping it over, he studied the grain-sized sore on his palm. “Ringworms?”
“It should be formed by the bacteria or fungi on him,” Ghosthand said. “Sailors often have this type of skin disease.”
Ye Qingxuan shook his head. “It’s different from what sailors have. Their skin diseases are usually caused by sunburn, allergic reactions, and organisms in the seawater. This looks like he caught it by working in rotting and humid places. He hadn’t been infected for long either. He should’ve been at a very dirty place recently…”
Quickly, he thought of something. Tossing the hand down, Ye Qingxuan cast a rune and called forth a water bubble. He splashed the water on the corpse’s feet. Under his manipulation, the water regrouped into a dirty ball. He cast another instantaneous rune for fire and evaporated the bubble. The water vanished quickly.
A clump of dark red dirt remained in the air. It radiated with a rotting smell. There were also specks of white crystals in it.
“What is this?” Ghosthand furrowed his brows.
“Dried mud.” Ye Qingxuan rubbed the dirt in his hands and watched as it fell through his fingers. “There’s only one place in Avalon with this kind of dirt. Only the mud in the sewer is dark red like this.”
“Are you talking about the mud diggers?” Ghosthand thought of the occupation. “Actually, Lychee had hired many mud diggers who used to unclog the downtown sewers to put traps all over the tunnels, like he was looking for something…He probably found it, or else the Professor wouldn’t have come for him.
“Lychee is partners with the Indians, so it also means that he’s working for the parliament. The Professor is still searching for clues about the parliament.”
Ye Qingxuan nodded. “Where do they mostly work?”
“The proximity is too large.” Ghosthand shook his head. “Avalon’s sewage system is complex. Not many people can navigate it well. If they wanted to do something, they could only put traps everywhere.”
Ye Qingxuan guided the dust on the ground into a map of Avalon. “Show me where they had traps.”
Ghosthand paused before drawing a circle on the map. Practically half of the downtown was included, as well a portion of midtown.
“No, it’s too big. It’s like searching for a needle in the haystack,” Ghosthand said, shaking his head. “There are thousands of stores in this area, not to mention the sewage system underneath. One portion even goes toward Queen’s Avenue. It’ll be even harder to distinguish there.”
Ye Qingxuan scanned the map. A string of names flashed past his mind: King’s Cross, Bay Queen Park, Amersham and…
Ye Qingxuan’s eyes brightened and he pointed to a spot on the map. “It’s here.”
Ghosthand looked at where he was pointing at. “The Arkham Asylum?”
“Correct.” Ye Qingxuan showed Ghosthand the small bits of white in the clump of dirt. “This should be saline and other chemical materials. The asylum just happens to have a factory nearby that produces these things for the Royal Research Institution. No other places in the sewer would have such heavy chemical residue.
“Lychee must have been working in the sewer under the chemical factory. If we want to find the Professor, we should look there.”
Hearing Ye Qingxuan’s analysis, Ghosthand’s eyes brightened and then dimmed again. The youth could feel the murderous intent and fear in his heart. Ye Qingxuan looked up and gazed at him, smiling.
Ghosthand’s lips twitched and he lowered his slightly raised finger. He had suddenly felt the urge to kill after hearing Ye Qingxuan’s analysis. If he did not kill the youth now, he would be even more difficult than the Professor in the future…Now, he was already able to be the Professor’s opponent. If he rebelled against the Shaman in the future, it would become a big problem.
But quickly, his logic pushed down this urge. Ghosthand’s expression returned back to normal and he sighed. “As expected, Mr. Holmes. You are more of a detective than a musician, and you’re quite awe-inspiring. No wonder the Shaman thinks highly of you.”
“A detective? That was one of my childhood dreams.” He rose and dusted his shoulders. “I feel accomplished for scaring Mr. Ghosthand as well. But I hope we won’t have this type of misunderstanding again.” He enunciated clearly and his voice was neutral, but his meaning was clear: If there was a second time, if Ghosthand showed any hostility, Ye Qingxuan would fight back without hesitation.
What was more headache-inducing was that Holmes was able to discover the truth from the smallest clue. If he sensed that Ghosthand saw him as an enemy, he would not act brashly. Instead, he would set a string of traps. Even if he did not kill Ghosthand, it would still be torture.
If Ghosthand wanted to kill him, he would have to be well-prepared and have the determination to fight to the death. Holmes was the most difficult enemy and no matter what, Ghosthand did not want the youth to be above him.
Sensing that the youth was unhappy, Ghosthand sighed. “My apologies, please do not mind me.”
“No problem. I’d be honored to be your enemy.” Ye Qingxuan waved his hand and moved on from the small test and returned to the main topic. “It’s almost daybreak. If we act now, it’ll be hard to cover our tracks, and we might fall into the Professor’s trap. I plan on going to the factory tomorrow. Would the Shaman be able to give me some aid?”
Hearing this, Ghosthand fell into deep thought. He waved his hand, telling the others to leave.
In the stillness, he stated, “Tomorrow isn’t a good day. If you can, I hope you can wait a few more days. I’m sure that’s what the Shaman would say as well.”
“Oh?” Ye Qingxuan furrowed his brows slightly. “Why not?”
“The Shaman had asked me to work with you, but tomorrow, I have to be his bodyguard and I won’t be able to help you.” Ghosthand smoked his pipe and said quietly, “The storm is about to arrive. Mr. Holmes, please reconsider.”
Considering this, Ye Qingxuan asked, “Are you planning something big tomorrow?”
“Our battle with the parliament has reached its climax. There are hundreds of corpses thrown into the sewer every day. We received news that the parliament is planning something big tomorrow. There had already been a large amount of armaments sent to the thugs, including two archangel armors with serial numbers erased. We will also fight back officially tomorrow.”
His words shocked Ye Qingxuan. “Is Avalon just going to let you fight in downtown like this?”
“If Avalon wants this battle, then it will happen. Hasn’t it always allowed fights in downtown to go on?” Ghosthand replied lightly. “Downtown will be a mess tomorrow. Mr. Holmes, I hope you don’t fall deeper into this quagmire. We won’t be able to aid you in your mission, so why don’t you change the date?”
Ye Qingxuan thought for a moment and sighed. “Whatever, let’s just do our own thing. You work on the parliament and I’ll work on the Professor. We all have our own missions at hand. It’s just killing people so why do I have to choose an auspicious day?”
Ghosthand saw the determination in his eyes. After considering for a moment, he pulled a card from his pocket. “If you insist, don’t reject the help of this man.”
“Who?” Ye Qingxuan took over the card. There were no words on it. The white paper just seemed to be a design of a horse stained with red. He understood instantly. “The butcher?”
“The butcher?” Ye Qingxuan had the urge to laugh. “He hates me. Are you sure he won’t try to kill me?”
Ghosthand chuckled. “Mr. Holmes, there are two types of killers. The first kind are like me. We kill to reach a certain goal. But the other kind is a true ‘killer.’ To them, ‘killing’ and ‘goals’ aren’t important. What’s important is the money and working for their employer.
“It’s their work ethic. They’ll work hard if there’s money. And if there isn’t money, they won’t do anything even if their family is dying before their eyes. The butcher is that type of person.
“We’ve already contacted him and reserved all of his time in the next month. Seeing as we’re giving him money orders, he’ll definitely work well with you.”
“Hopefully.”
—
It was the afternoon of the next day. Dozens of burly Asgardians were grouped at the warehouse near an abandoned port in downtown. Under the orders of a middle-aged man, servants transported an endless stream of wooden boxes from the carriages. Seventeen large boxes lay in scattered piles on the ground. With every box hauled in, the men waiting in the warehouse would breathe a little heavier. Their eyes practically shone.
The man with a monocle checked the order list and nodded, telling the servants to leave. Quickly, the door closed and the only light was the dim sunlight shining through the warehouse’s broken roof.
Beside a wooden box, the excited Werner jumped up and grasped the monocle man’s hand. “You’ve worked hard, Mr. Hall.”
Hall gave a reserved chuckle. He subtly retracted his hand and handed over a crowbar. “The gifts from the parliament are all here. Mr. Werner, you can check.”
“No need.” Werner waved his hand, rejecting the crowbar. He clenched his fist and punched the box. His calloused fist was like a steel hammer, crushing the corner of the box.
Using both of his hands, Werner tore the box apart. Sunlight fell onto it and the armaments sleeping between hay and cloth shone with a chilling glint. He smirked and grabbed a sabre. He gazed at the blade under the sun, studying the beautiful designs of the crystals. He reached to the side.
His men understood immediately. One man took out his dagger and chopped down on the blade! There was a whistle and then the ringing of metal clashing. With a clank, the broken dagger fell to the ground. The underling gaped at the vibrating sabre in Werner’s hands. There was not even a dent on the blade.
Seeing his men’s shock, Werner laughed. “This is high grade forging with the secret formula from the Woratian people and made from the third Royal factory. Its codename is Dragon Scale III. After a batch is produced, the general must test a random sword. If it can’t break through armor, the entire batch needs to be brought back.
“There are twenty swords per box, so there are two hundred swords in total. It’s enough for you trained soldiers to destroy the nobodies under the Shaman!”
Werner opened the other boxes with the crowbar. Under the blazing eyes of the Asgardians, he lifted the heavy cloth. “Here are also twenty military crossbows. Each bow has fifty three-sided arrows that can pierce through armor. You can have a feast.” Seeing the crossbows, Werner’s eyes turned red with want. But he became unsatisfied after gulping. “There aren’t enough bows.”
“Military crossbows are different from regular bows. With intense use, each bow can be used fifty times. As a former soldier, you should know this. You might not even use a bow fifty times in a battle. How is it not enough?” Hall asked.
Werner chuckled and did not reply. He wielded the sabre. The sword was a head taller than him but it danced like a stalk of hay in his hands and left a gash in the wall easily.
Finally, Werner grunted and slammed the sword down. With a crack, the heavy sword buried deep into the stone. It went past the foundations and was buried to the hilt. For a soldier, weapons were more tempting than women, especially something as powerful as this blade. It was more satisfying than the most beautiful and seductive woman.
Ignoring his impatient underlings, Werner glanced at Hall and sighed meaningfully. “This is all good stuff. Are you really sure about giving it to us?”
“Aren’t weapons like utensils to the Asgardians?” Hall answered, ignoring the question. “You don’t see such a large feast every day. The parliament has already prepared the plates and utensils. How much you can eat depends on yourself.” As soon as he spoke, the Asgardians laughed, caressing their blades.
“Of course.” The scar on Werner’s face seemed to bleed with excitement. “Asgardians are eternally hungry. We will never be satisfied!”
Seeing their excitement, disdain flashed past Hall’s eyes, but he continued smiling warmly. He guided Werner to the last box. “Those are all for your men. Your gift is here.”
Unlike the other wooden boxes, this one was made of metal. It was seamless and if not for the keyhole, Werner would have thought that it was a solid clump of metal. When the box was opened, he practically stopped breathing.
Inside the box was a puddle of clear liquid with a subtle harsh smell. But compared to the giant object submerged in the liquid, the smell was nothing. Submerged in the liquid was a sleeping “steel giant.” This armor was able to cover his entire body, but it was more special and menacing than regular armor. The spikes on the helmet were close to two meters tall. With the care of the liquid, it shone like new, as if it had just come out of the factory; however, one could vaguely see scratches and marks from the battlefield.
On the armor’s back, there were two giant sockets where there should have been wings. But even without the wings, this “giant” was still fear-inducing. Submerged in the oil, it looked as if it was sleeping, and even heavy breathing would wake it from its dreams and…begin killing!
“This…” Werner stroked the metal shell with trembling fingers. “Is this the archangel armor?”
Behind him, Hall laughed. “Yes.”
Centuries ago, alchemists of the Royal Research Institution used the blueprint of the Round Table Knights’ holy armor to create the first generation of archangel armor. As limited edition armaments, they became a frightful site on the battlefield. When the royal knights rode into battle with archangel armor, they brought with them eternal death and nightmares.
Thirty years ago, when Anglo and the Burgundy Empire began to fight over historical remains, six knights in archangel armor were ordered to guard the Voodoo Crypt with their lives. Their opponent was the Burgundian Plantanaget Legion.
The archangels guarded for four days and nights. The Plantanaget Legion charged sixteen times and left behind sixteen layers of corpses. Finally, the legion from the Burgundian capital arrived and took control of the historical site. At that time, the Anglo reinforcements were only a few hundred kilometers away. If they had another archangel armor, the result would be entirely different.
“Mr. Werner, what do you think? Are you satisfied with this gift?” Hall asked with a smile. “It’s an old model from the first generation and doesn’t have the aid of wings, but the parliament really worked hard on this gift.”
Werner stared at the armor in pure ecstasy. Finally, he calmed down and shut the box. He took a deep breath and exhaled out the heat in his body. “Tell the parliament that I’m very satisfied.” Lowering his head, he leered in the darkness. “I’ll use it to take the Shaman’s head.”
Hall smiled. Putting on his hat, he nodded and left.
—
Today was a busy day for Avalon. Busy figures rushed down the streets and carriages galloped down the roads. They passed down order after order, list after list. Those that received an order set out to kill. Those whose name appeared on the list would be killed. The warehouses in the pier, the secret rooms of Ganlu City, the cold and elegant mansions…
Strong servants moved heavy wooden boxes to the last stop before the battlefield. They distributed these “toys” amongst the men who had nothing but their lives. The entire city was filled with a dangerous feeling. It was the feeling suffused with the rotting smell of the sewer and spread with the wind—it was bloody. Night fell gradually, darkening gradually.
—
“Is Bai Xi sleeping?”
“You took her out to shop for the entire day. She started yawning as soon as she got back and is probably sleeping now. She was exhausted.”
“She’ll probably have a good dream, right?” With a sigh, Ye Qingxuan bid Charles farewell, put on his hunting hat, and pushed the door open.
“Hey, Yezi,” Charles called behind him.
“Yeah?” The youth looked back.
Charles shook the crystal ball in his hands and stated, “A mysterious power told me that today’s a bad day. Why don’t you change the date?”
“When did you start learning fortune telling like a witch?”
“I learned by myself.” Charles’s expression was serious.
“Senior, your research is never reliable and you spend your days trying to figure out how to blow up the school. I don’t really trust stuff that you learn by yourself.” Seeing Charles’s complicated expression, Ye Qingxuan could not help but laugh. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back as soon as I get it done. If…I’m successful, I probably won’t have to go out at night anymore.”
Charles watched as the youth walked into the distance. He tossed the crystal ball away and got onto the couch, looking out the window. The starless night sky was pure black, like a slab of steel in the air.
But in Charles’s eyes, the clouds seemed to be on fire and shone with a vague redness. The red firelight shrouded the entire city. When it fell onto the ground, the entire world seemed to go up in flames. “Did something happen?” He closed his eyes, no longer listening to the faint roars and wails in the wind. He murmured, “…Even Avalon turned into this mess. F*ck.”
—
It was late at night. The entire sky was covered in black clouds. The moon and stars were hidden under the layer of charcoal. One could vaguely hear the crashing of ocean waves. The city built on the mountainside was submerged in darkness. The sharp shadow seemed to pierce into the clouds, reaching into the sky. It was sharp as a blade.
At the very bottom of the city, under the towering mountain, there were no longer any buildings. There was only the sound of the rising tide and the roaring of water. Under the opened black gate, murky water rushed into the ocean. The splashes smelled foul and fell onto the rusted gate. The mighty gate trembled and wailed.
This was the Thames Gate, where the Thames River flowed into the ocean. The complicated sewage system under Avalon grouped here. Everything hidden under the city would rush into the ocean here with the murky waters. The foul and decaying smell emanated.
Beside the flowing water was an old man, sitting on a weathered rock. He looked like a homeless man, killing time with boredom.
Beside him, Ghosthand stood in the mud. Cocking his head, he lit his pipe and inhaled before letting out a cloud of smoke.
All that could be heard in the silence was the unclear melody coming from the Shaman. It was distant and hoarse, like a traveler reminiscing on his hometown. And so the song was lonely.
In the long night, the clock at the top of the mountain suddenly rang midnight. The thunderous sound spread, resonating with the steel gate beside them. The gate began to tremble and countless wheels and gears began to turn. The first tunnel opened, then the second, and the third…The time for discharging had come. The current of the Thames River become frenzied. The crashing of waves came from the darkness behind the steel gate. As if a copper kettle was boiling, bubbles appeared and the foul smell surged in the wind.
Boom! A thunderous boom sounded in the towering city. Firelight appeared in the darkness of downtown. The fire appeared out of nowhere and burned without restraint, as if it was the only light in the dark world.
The light illuminated the din of the fighting and faint roars of anger. Dilapidated buildings wailed and collapsed in the fire. This was only the beginning.
Quickly, the second, third, fourth…balls of fire lit up continuously throughout the vast downtown district. It was the angry thugs setting fire everywhere.
The sea wind brought with it hoarse roars and the clanging of weapons. The serenity was instantly shattered. Illuminated by the firelight, commotion and chaos spread at an incredible speed. Countless buildings were set aflame. No matter if they were low huts, old buildings or the luxurious Ganlu City, all were lit on fire.
The thugs carried their weapons onto the streets in groups, smashing their enemies’ territory, stealing loot and finally setting everything on fire. The fighting that had always been behind the scenes now broke through the darkness and unfolded in every corner of downtown.
The burning light illuminated the dark city. The sharp city now looked like a fiery blade, piercing into the sky. Behind the towering city walls, the nearby midtown and high-up uptown seemed to still be asleep. They opened an eye coldly, gazing as the beggars killed each other.
The Shaman’s white hair was illuminated by the firelight. “Haven’t seen such a commotion in years, huh?” he murmured, raising his eyes. “The parliament’s defense is scary. It’s like they want to burn the entire city.”
“They want to fight to the death.” Ghosthand furrowed his brows. “Otherwise, their power in downtown will be wiped out by us. This time, they won’t quit until you die.”
“Then let them come. My head is here.” The Shaman laughed loudly and produced a metal flask from his pocket. He unscrewed the lid and drank the cold wine. The wine entered his throat like a blazing sword, almost burning his soul.
“Ghosthand, where are my knights?”
“In the flames.”
“Are they fighting?”
“Yes.”
“Are they dying?”
“Yes.”
“They’re dying because of me.” The Shaman emptied the wine in the flagon and tossed it into the murky waters. “Let me watch as they die.” He reached out and took the heavy wooden drum from Ghosthand. He caressed the taut skin.
The old drum was covered with scorch marks and cracks. One could vaguely see the design on it, but it was unclear. It had aged along with its owner.
The Shaman sat cross-legged on the rock with the wooden drum in his arms. Like a warlock from the Dark World, he stared into the blazing fire and began beating the drum.
The drum beats were distant and blurry, like faint heartbeats from the underworld.
The old man seemed to be submerged in the drunkenness. He beat the drum and, feeling the unsteady rhythm, he sang hoarsely, “In the turmoil, in the brightness, in the breathing that moves all! Sink—drown—faint—go toward the carefree world!”
Boom! The flow of murky water surged! The Thames Gate shuddered and the water built up behind it followed the riverbed and rushed into the ocean. The darkness hidden under Avalon was taken with it, forming ripples in the ocean as the foul smell burst from the gate. The gate was finally opened and water from nineteen tunnels joined together, tilting without restraint.
The burning smell of fire came with the water, as well as ashy remains. Something seemed to appear within the foul yellow water. Angry winds tore apart the black clouds. Cold moonlight fell from the sky, illuminating the faces and white bones in the water. Dozens? Hundreds? Or was it thousands?!
An endless stream of bones and remains flowed from the darkness, entering the ocean. It was a river of…corpses!
In the roaring waters, the broken bodies rolled, revealing white bones, decaying intestines and blind eyes. The bodies had come from all directions. They had been thrown down from every sewer, tossing and turning in the turbid waters, brewing in Avalon’s guts, until they finally rushed out from the Thames Gate!
The Thames River was a hardworking bone collector. It collected the skeletons and corpses of those that had died in the fighting and kept them like treasures. It enjoyed their hopeless eyes, sucked away their last bits of warmth, before tossing them to the side without any nostalgia.
On the bank of the impatient waters, the Shaman looked down on the pairs of dull eyes as he sang the funeral song. “We will all die and we shall never part again. Forever, forever, for eternity, we will never wake, never fear…”
The broken voice melted into the darkness and spread in the foul remains of despair. It guided the angry souls into the dark world. The corpses floated into the ocean.
In an instant, the entire district was cast into a nightmare. The peace and serenity was gone, replaced by nightmarish spasms and struggles. Buildings were on fire. Illuminated by the flames, the streets crawled with thugs armed to the teeth. Some were the Shaman’s men, some came from other places, and others took advantage of the chaos to break into homes…
In a desolate alley, blood flowed over the stone tiles. Bodies were dragged and thrown into the sewer where they disappeared with the bubbling water.
Amidst the roaring and screaming, the people who had nothing to do with the fighting hid in their homes, trembling. They burrowed under their covers and prayed that this long night would end quickly and that disaster would not fall on them. The dark downtown was thrown into turmoil under the blazing firelight. Even Ye Qingxuan had fallen into some small trouble.
Two figures suddenly appeared before him in the alley, blocking his way. He looked back and saw that the other end was blocked by two men with swords as well.
“I’m just passing by. You don’t have to do this, right?” He sighed. “I’m in a hurry. Can you not waste my time?”
Two muscular men with daggers exchanged glances and laughed. They closed in, eyes fierce. It seemed that it was impossible to communicate with words.
Ye Qingxuan sighed again, fixed his hunting hat and reached out.
Boom! The approaching man flew back, as if they had been smashed in the face with a steel hammer.
The man blocking the entrance was stunned. Before he could react, a black shadow charged toward him at an impossible speed. He raised his dagger instinctively to protect himself. But then an arm swung over, bending the dagger and crashing into his chest. He was slammed against the wall.
Boom! Dust flew and the dagger fell, shattering.
The two men behind Ye Qingxuan froze. They reacted quickly and charged with a yell. Ye Qingxuan turned around, clenched his fist and swung! In an instant, his fist hit a shoulder blade. There was a crack, and the strong man fell to his knees. The other man was flipped over by Ye Qingxuan and was now under his feet. After implanting the Chainsaw monk’s skeleton, the Dungeon Gentleman was able to give Ye Qingxuan enough strength to flatten these thugs. If he ignored the consequences and put all his strength into it, he felt that he could arm wrestle with an elephant.
Doing all these moves and dealing with four men without even needing to catch his breath felt really good. The only problem was…they did not seem to have been dealt with completely.
Wrinkling his forehead, Ye Qingxuan looked down and saw that the men who had collapsed were now climbing back up. Someone picked up a sword and was rushing toward him. Ye Qingxuan reached out and gripped the blade. The steel skeleton in the black gloves slowly closed in around the blade and shattered it. Then he threw the attacker onto the ground. An average man would have been knocked unconscious with that thud, but this man was just dizzy for a bit before he started struggling again.
Ye Qingxuan stiffened his body and broke their right leg. But the strange thing was, they did not scream in pain when their right leg broke and bone pierced through their skin. Their movement did not even slow down. This was not natural.
“What is this?” Y Qingxuan poked their broken bone and saw no painful expression. His brows slowly furrowed. “Do you not feel pain at all?”
Suddenly, he flipped the others over and grabbed one man by the neck, bringing him closer. Under the dim light, he saw that the man’s eyes were bloodshot and crazed. His breath smelled of alcohol, but there was something bitter in the smell, like extremely thick medicine.
“Illegal drugs?” he questioned, suddenly coming to the realization. “Looks like the Indians’ work.” At this time, the other guys slowly crawled over.
Ye Qingxuan looked at their zombie-like state and grew helpless. “You guys are so annoying. Do I really have to kill you?”
Boom! Before he could finish, one of their heads was crushed.
Boom! Boom! With two more sounds, the other two men’s heads were crushed as well. Brain matter flew, splattering onto Ye Qingxuan’s shoes.
Under the distant glow of the fire, a burly and inhuman shadow walked into the alley. It easily flattened the thugs on the ground as if it were stepping on bugs. When he walked into the alley, he practically filled up the entire space. It was chilling for one to see this figure walk towards oneself. He then took the man from Ye Qingxuan’s hands, put a hand on the head, and twisted.
Crack. The ripe fruit fell from its stem, blood spewing out.
Ye Qingxuan looked up at the face of the newcomer—as expected, he was wearing a comical and menacing donkey mask. It was the Bloody Butcher.
The Butcher gazed at him and turned to the side, motioning for Ye Qingxuan to lead the way. The giant folded chainsaw was at his back. There were layers of dried blood on it and one could not see its original color.
Ye Qingxuan glanced at him. He could not see the Butcher’s expression under the strange mask, but he just wanted to laugh. The Professor had hired the Butcher to kill him, but now he was taking him to kill the Professor. How interesting.
“Come with me,” he said as he took the lead. “There are a lot of people near the factory. To avoid getting too much attention, I…” Ye Qingxuan paused, his voice cutting off.
The youth looked up and saw a man on fire. He ran out of a burning building and rolled on the ground before finally crawling toward a dirty water ditch with a wail. His movements stopped before he reached it. He was dead.
Behind his dead body was an entire street was bathed in light emanating from the dancing flames. Amidst the flames, the crazed and dazed thugs swallowed the drugs and were submerged in ecstasy. They broke into every home and dragged the hiding civilians out…
Ye Qingxuan sighed. He could not walk further. “What a group of scum,” he thought.
—
As the fire spread gradually and illuminated the entire downtown, the din was suffused in the ocean wind.
The guards of the only entrance to midtown from downtown—the Tower Bridge—gazed at the fire from afar and readied their weapons. Occasionally, someone with sharp eyes would see the group of armed thugs and would doubt whether his police weaponry had any meaning…if a few dozen men rushed over, the checkpoint would collapse entirely.
Behind the checkpoint, the officer in charge of tonight’s shift had turned ghastly pale. He had received a message that there would be some riots in downtown, but he did not think that it would be this big.
It was like the carnival had come early. The bonfire was lit and the cheering people drank and partied through the night. But instead of flowers, they held swords, and instead of decorated masks their faces were covered in blood.
“These thugs…” He took a step back subconsciously and raised his voice. “Riders, be fully prepared. If someone attacks the checkpoint, push them back! Why hasn’t the message from the headquarters arrived? Do the higher-ups not care about this at all?!”
As soon as he spoke, the clattering of hooves traveled from behind him. He spun around as if his savior had arrived and saw a black horse. The messenger raised a lantern, illuminating the road before him as he galloped through the dark night. The badge of the Royal messenger was on his saddle. It would occasionally bounce up and fall into the light, reflecting a chilling flash.
He had rushed over from uptown, passed through midtown, stepped onto the Tower Bridge and galloped before finally stopping at the gate before downtown. He raised his badge and announced, “Everyone gather and retreat behind the bridge. Call back all riders. All Avalon policemen must stay behind the Tower Bridge!”
The officer was stunned. “Then what about here?”
The messenger gazed coolly at the distant firelight and squeezed out between clenched teeth, “Drop the gate.”
“But…”
“Both sides are trash and it’s best if they all die out. Just let them fight each other.” He waved coldly, motioning for the hesitant officers to hurry up. “Your task now is to control the chaos and make sure it doesn’t expand. As for these dogs, just let them burn!”
The officer fell silent. After a long time, he sighed and took the hammer from his saddle. Raising it up, he swung it down on the cable before him.
Boom! The hammer buried into the wood and cut the cable in two. The cable whirred sharply as it was pulled by the powerful group of pulleys and flew into the air.
Above the Tower Bridge, the heavy gate hovering in the air shook. Large pieces of rust and metal dust fell. Piercing groans came from the pivots and axis that had not moved in years. Amidst the scraping of metal, the gate fell from the sky and crashed onto the ground, sealing the only path between downtown and the rest of the city. In the chaos behind the gate, someone let out a shocked cry.
The commoners that had been running gasped as the gate fell from the sky, blocking their way to safety. The chasing sounds behind them neared.
“Wait! Wait… we…” A frantic woman shook the gate with all her might. Hopelessness was written all over her bruised face. “Please save us!”
The distant group of thugs with their torches gradually approached while shouting. The infant in the woman’s arms was frightened awake and began crying. The man beside them fell into despair too. He tried to crawl in under the gate.
“You can’t just leave us here! Let us in! Let us in!”
“Stand back! Stand back now!” In panic, the officer yelled repeatedly, “Don’t attack the checkpoint! Do not attack…” But he could not continue. He could no longer bear to look at those pleading eyes. Turning around with difficulty, he gazed at the messenger. His lips quivered as if he wanted to beg on their behalf, but he did not know what to say.
The messenger on the horse seemed to sense his eyes. Sighing, he turned the horse around and uttered the final command, “Kill everyone who attacks the checkpoint!”
—
The fires of the burning buildings along the street had been put out. The only sound in the deathly silence was the wailing that had melted into the wind. The chilling melody wormed into the people’s ears.
A lonely figure stood in the heart of the blood-covered road. He gazed around in silence. Other than he and the Butcher, every other living thing was now lying on the ground. Some were shaking. The horrifying pain from the deepest part of their soul attacked their minds, and now they would forever be submerged in a nightmare, drowning in the black river.
Some had dared to approach the Butcher and now they were broken, scattered all over the ground. He was in the distance, finding the ones who he had missed the first time. He would gently caress the back of their head before wrenching it off. In the end, he gazed toward another street as if he still wanted more…
“Enough, we still have our own thing to do. Avalon is too big for us to take care of everything.” The youth’s voice traveled over and the Butcher stopped.
He turned and saw the youth walking in the direction of their final destination, no longer stopping here. The wind carried his hoarse murmur.
“But I think I can understand the Shaman now.” The voice was quiet, but cold and resounding. “This city needs to be cleaned up.”
—
Ye Qingxuan quickly discovered that having a beast like the Butcher really helped save time and effort. Ghosthand was old and could not perform some physical tasks, but they were all no problem for the Butcher. With his donkey mask, it was clear that he was not a good guy. Ye Qingxuan did not feel bad about ordering him around either. He had paid, after all! The money was from the Shaman, but Ye Qingxuan was still the direct boss.
After he calculated the location of the sewers, the Butcher used his inhuman strength to punch a hole in the ground without much effort. He stuck a head in to look around and then jumped in. Following right behind him, Ye Qingxuan slid down a rope into the darkness.
It was undoubtedly Avalon’s sewage tunnel. There was even a nameplate on the wall with a raised serial code. But it seemed as if it had been abandoned for years.
This was not strange, or rather, Ye Qingxuan had expected this. Ever since Avalon was created, the underground sewage system had been continuously expanded into a vast and complex system. Sometimes even the construction workers would be lost.
When a new tunnel was created, the old one would be abandoned. Some of the abandoned ones were sealed, while others were simply forgotten. After centuries of additions and changes, this place had become a complete maze. No one knew where the water would flow. This was heaven for rats and trash. It was used specifically for hiding dirty secrets.
Hariti’s old lair had been made from an abandoned well in the system. The smuggler that the Professor had killed had something to do with this, too. Being tortured to death was partly his fault.
“It should be here.” Ye Qingxuan ran a hand over the moss on the walls. He could feel the powdery texture through his glove. “I don’t know what the Professor is trying so hard to find, but if we go down this trail, we’ll discover something.”
As he searched in silence, Ye Qingxuan suddenly halted and lowered his head. He seemed to be able to see something clearly through the heavy darkness.
In the corner was a weathered and withered skeleton on the ground. The skull had rolled into its arms after the neck snapped. Its mouth was open wide to the sky in a leering smile. For some reason, there was something raised subtly on the skull like a broken horn.
The bones before its chest had been broken entirely, as if the man had ran here with the last of his strength after being stabbed by a sword and had finally ran out of strength. And so he had died here in this dark corner.
Ye Qingxuan reached over to pick up a fallen bone fragment. The fragile thing snapped between his fingertips and fell to the ground.
“It’s been at least ten years.” The silent Butcher had suddenly spoken in his scratchy voice. The eyes behind his donkey mask shone blood-red in the darkness, as if he could see everything clearly in the dark.
“Ten years?” Ye Qingxuan was stunned. He did not understand how a tunnel that had been abandoned for so long would have a ten-year-old skeleton. He waved his hand and a breeze appeared to blow away the thick dust on the skeleton. It revealed the ragged clothing underneath. It was a thin coverall with a strange design, like the uniforms given to prisoners. Was this a dead prisoner?
Quickly, Ye Qingxuan went further down the tunnel. For some reason, the further he walked, the more unsettled he felt. There was a strange smell in the wind.
“Wait.” Ye Qingxuan raised his hand, motioning for the Butcher to stop. He gazed around and his brows furrowed. The smell was not right.
In the tunnel, a breeze came from the distant darkness, bringing with it a pungent smell. It was neither a vile nor fragrant scent. It was the smell that often lingered in a dream. “Disinfectants?” Why would a long-abandoned sewage tunnel have this kind of smell?
Suddenly, Ye Qingxuan felt dazed. Bits of scenes flashed past his mind as if the memories sleeping in the darkness were finally awakened. The ghastly white light, the cold metal bed, the men wearing white robes, the sharp lancet blades in their hands and…the pungent smell of disinfectants. In that unique smell, there was also the smell of blood. Blood.
Suddenly, the hair on the back of Ye Qingxuan’s neck rose and he spun around. Before he could move, the darkness began dancing, disturbed by the wind created by a giant figure. It was the Butcher.
The Butcher stepped forward and expanded his bone saw. When folded up, it was like a giant razor. But after expanding, the bone saw became a terrifying weapon that could split bodies.
Chop! The bloody bone saw swung in Ye Qingxuan’s direction. The sharp edge practically grazed his head!
Boom! As if a bag of water had suddenly split open, something that had fallen from the top of the tunnel was cut in half by the bone saw. It smashed against the wall with a piercing screech.
It should have pounced straight towards Ye Qingxuan, bit off his head, and enjoyed the meal. The plan should have been flawless, but the only mistake was that it had overlooked was the monster that was hidden beside them.
It smashed against the wall and it fell to the ground. Its chest was split wide open by the bone saw. The plate-like ribs collapsed, even the internal organs were exposed. Before it could climb up from the ground, the plaintive melody sounded out of thin air, as if a black river rushed in from the void, pulling it into endless nightmares. It screamed as its body twitched. Soon its eyes rolled to the back of its head, but it only became even more ferocious and full of madness. It had no heart, so it did not fear madness.
But then a palm covered the ferocious face. Ye Qingxuan clenched that face and lifted it from the ground. The thing tried to struggle and reached out, trying to tear at the youth’s face, but between the fingers, all it could see was the youth’s sneer
Bang! Like an illusion, the whole sewer seemed to startle suddenly. The invisible tremors spread from the youth’s hand, raising a cloud of dust, dancing disorderly. The thing lost consciousness instantly.
Ye Qingxuan deliberately suppressed the power of the “sigh shock.” The aftershock rushed into its body and echoed throughout. All one could hear was the cracking and popping. The frantic shaking actually loosened all its bones from its sockets. It shattered! Now, Ye Qingxuan had the ability to take a look at its face…
“What the h*ll is this?” He stared at it, his eyes dilated. Now he finally understood what was going on with that skull in the sewer.
In his hand was a humanoid body. It was bent and small like a child, but its fingers were sharp as knives. On its bony face were two horns, one long and one short. This was a demon.
In the dark, screams could be heard occasionally. Ye Qingxuan cast down the demon in his hand and the cane in his hand unfolded. Jiu Xiao Huan Pei made a ringing sound.
The Butcher raised his head in silence, looking up at the dome in the darkness. The pair of bloodshot eyes reflected dozens of bony-faced demons walking on the dome. Gripping the seams in the stone tightly with their fingers, the deformed bodies moved quickly like a beast walking on the ground.
When Ye Qingxuan and the Butcher entered this deserted sewer, they had been surrounded by these kinds of creatures without even realizing it. In the distant darkness, there were constant screams that could be heard from all directions. The sharp sound of the teeth scratching the slate came faintly. There were countless of them.
Even a monster like the Butcher had never thought that there would be such a large group of demons living in the sewers of Avalon.
“Tut-tut, this feels really uncomfortable.” Ye Qingxuan frowned. “I’m afraid that we were tricked by that professor guy.”
There was no more time for conversations. The bony-faced demons on the dome had been attracted by the blood of their own kind, and they seemed to be starving. They screamed at each other, urging their companions to go up against the d*mned monster, eager for a feast of gluttony.
The Butcher silently clenched his bone saw, his muscles bulging. A music note appeared faintly on the muscles under the blood-stained apron. He was going to transform into a beast.
But at this time, the cold voice of the youth sounded beside him. “Stand firm.”
At that moment, the boy squatted on the ground, his right hand pressed on the floor. Bang!
In an instant, the violent shaking spread downward from the iron bone in his palm and smashed into the sewer ground. The invisible shaking spread like waves, sweeping in all directions.
For a moment, the checkered slates struck each other, sending out a sharp sound, and emitting a huge cloud of dust from the seams. The slabs, walls, domes, the entire sewer, and even the burning buildings above the sewer were all affected by this horrible shaking.
Bang! Above the burning hut, the flames burst, rising up into the night sky. It illuminated the black clouds, and then collapsed.
As the hut collapsed on the ground, the demons in the sewers were swept off the dome. Losing their footing, they fell to the ground.
Even the Butcher was dazed for a moment, but soon, his pupils lit up again—they were bloody red! The monster had arrived!
Facing all the falling demons, the Butcher roared. His originally bulging muscles expanded even further. He swung his bone saw with force! Cracks sounded constantly, like a water sack breaking, like a mouse being crushed, like a worm being pounded down into powder.
He chopped, swept, and spun his bone saw wildly, set off shrill screams. Even the air was cut apart, revealing a white trajectory. Blood splattered and sprayed from the bone saw. Blood flowed from the blade, spilling in the air. It grew more ferocious as bones broke and flesh separated.
Dozens of demons were chopped into pieces before they had even landed. The plaintive melody sounded out of thin air and sipped on their sanity, temporarily plunging them into a trance.
Faced with a monster, even a temporary trance could be a VIP ticket to hell! This time, Ye Qingxuan could finally appreciate the Butcher’s terrible madness. The violence and ferocity from deep in his bone marrow was enough to send chills down one’s spine, even without using aether or music scores.
In an instant, the fallen demons were sawed, smashed, and trampled in two…they were torn apart as if they were thin pieces of paper.
Ye Qingxuan was attracted by the berserk actions and forgot what he was doing. But in his moment of inattentiveness, a monster which was split in half on the ground suddenly shot back up. The bone-faced demon with only its upper body crawled with its claws, leaving behind a trail of blood, and suddenly pounced at the youth! In the blink of an eye, it went from a few meters away to right before his eyes! It was impossibly fast!
Ye Qingxuan’s pushed his palm forward suddenly. The steel bone inside his body brought with it an impact of hundreds of kilograms. It was like an axe swung by a knight riding on a galloping horse!
Bang! The demon flew back, its bony face smashed into two with a deep dent in the center. After struggling for a bit, it never moved again.
Even so, in its final attempt, its claws grazed Ye Qingxuan’s face, leaving a narrow and cold wound on his cheekbone. One more inch and it would have pierced his bone. One second later and the claw would have pierced into Ye Qingxuan’s brain and churned his brain matter into a clump of mud.
In a sudden, cold sweat trickled down Ye Qingxuan’s back. He no longer dared to be careless in such a fatal fight. Even if he had the full upper hand, he still would not stay in one place and wait for the demons to come. Instead, they followed the pungent smell of the disinfectant in the air and rushed forward along the dilapidated sewer. The demons in their path were turned into corpses by him and the Butcher. They had no intentions of retreating, even if Professor Moriarty’s trap was right in front of them.
Ye Qingxuan’s eyes darkened. He had to understand the relationship between the pungent smell, the picture that had flashed through his own mind, and this d*mned place…
In the end, the sounds from behind became closer together. The monsters in dark caught up by sniffing the smell of blood.
The youth’s footsteps stopped suddenly. Before him, the road had come to the end. The end? No, there were only exits in Avalon’s sewer. How could there be an end? But there was a huge black iron gate before him.
–
There were no marks or patterns on the solid iron door, nor a keyhole or complex mechanism. It was as if the designer had left no way to open it. Beside it, there was only a giant winch that was wrapped in layers of chains and locks. The handle had been taken away as well.
Ye Qingxuan was stunned, but he processed it quickly. In somewhere as damp as a sewer, any metal with a precise structure would be corroded by the water. Only pure and basic structures could be preserved for a long time.
The way to open the door was obvious. Dozens of people would have to turn the handle by using special machinery and mechanical force to then turn the winch. That was the only way to pull open this mighty and heavy door.
The pungent smell of disinfectant came from a gap above the iron gate that was no wider than a finger…
The heavy machinery that had been here before had been disassembled. There was no time for Ye Qingxuan to find another solution. He hesitated for a moment, unwillingness flashing past his eyes. He was ready to lead the Butcher out of here, but he did not expect for the Butcher to shove him away.
The Butcher stuck his bone saw directly in the ground, and then clenched the heavy chain attached to the door tightly. The chain was as wide as man’s waist. Now, it was pulled taut in his hand. The chain loops rubbed against each other, creating sparks and a harsh sound. The gate did not budge.
The Butcher’s body shook abruptly and suddenly swelled, growing about a half meter taller. His feet sunk deep into the stone slabs. Over the distant shrill screams, he roared and jerked his arms backwards. The iron gates made a screeching sound and surprisingly began to tremble, dust falling. Then, the meter-thick iron gate was pulled open by his strange force?!
Ye Qingxuan was shocked, but he reacted quickly and stopped wasting time. He rushed into the narrow gap between the iron gates. Then he felt cold wind blowing into his face.
He could feel that there was a vast space behind the iron gate, and even the perception threads ten meters long could not sense the end. The Butcher quickly came through the gate and pulled it with force.
The iron gate slammed shut, crushing a charging demon into mush. Through the door, one could still hear the demons pacing outside but not daring to come closer.
When the Butcher turned around, his blood-red eyes opened wide in shock. Before him, Ye Qingxuan’s expression was solemn. He had finally found out the source of the pungent odor.
In the darkness, Ye Qingxuan snapped his fingers emotionlessly and uttered a short syllable. The rune Light sparked at his fingertips and glowed. The glaring light illuminated the darkness, the huge underground square, as well as the numerous hooks hanging from the ceiling.
In the vast space behind the gate, hanging from hooks were men and women, old and young, beautiful and ugly, complete and broken…Bodies, bodies, bodies!
In the wide underground square, hanging from the countless hooks were…naked bodies!
The ghastly pale bodies swung slightly in the pervaded cold wind, emanating the pungent smell of disinfectants. This was a forest of corpses!
–
The Butcher quickly processed everything. He looked down at the Ye Qingxuan with a clear message in his eyes. “What the h*ll is this?”
Where was this? Where else could it be?
Ye Qingxuan recalled the map in his mind and the tracks they had covered to pinpoint their location. Finally, he could not help but laugh coldly. “This is the Arkham Asylum.”
The soft words seemed to be the trigger for bad luck. The next moment, a shrill alarm wailed.
–
It was late at night in the clock shop. In the duskiness, a single candle on a candlestick was lit. It illuminated the darkness, but the quiet and old clocks had disappeared in its light.
As if the candlelight brought an illusion, the chaotic streets of downtown as well as images of thugs fighting appeared where the light shone. It always showed the burning buildings and piles of bodies…
“When there are too many crows, they have to be killed; when there are too many monkeys, they need to be controlled; now there are more and more people, but the number is still increasing.No matter how we pray to gods, no one has ever seen a god, have they?”
The seemingly-youthful blond man sat in a chair, surrounded by the chaotic illusions. He carried a seven-stringed harp in his arms and sang with gusto. The music was broken and its ups and downs were irregular, but there was a kind of beauty in the hysteria. The singing was hoarse but full of youthful innocence, and it echoed in silence.
“I did not see it with my own eyes, but I saw it from the paintings, and every god looked like a human being. Is it a coincidence? Is it fate? Or is it just a stupid guess based off of their imagination? What is this all about? What is this all about?”
“You are so noisy! Hermes, can’t you be quiet!” Behind the counter, the white-haired girl raised her eyes and glared at him.
“The entire city is killing each other like mad dogs. It’s so interesting. Bai Xi, come look.” Hermes pointed excitedly at the wild apparitions. “Gee, where’s all the pride and dignity that humans are always so proud of as the masters of the world? Would the Three Kings be sad if they could see the people they died protecting acting worse than wild dogs right now?”
“It’s just killing. What are you so excited about?” Bai Xi asked.
“Killing is boring, but it’s different if you look for the funny parts.” Hermes pointed at those dead pale faces and mocked them, “You see, these fools, they don’t even know what they died for. They were just trash when alive. They’re only useful when they’re dead. Their employers just want their lives, blood and bodies.”
Bai Xi was stunned. “Bodies?”
“Yes, their bodies.” Hermes sneered. “The parliament never treated them as their men. The only thing the parliament needed was war and blood…
“Werner and Silo are all idiots. The first only knows how to kill. The other only thinks of benefits. Only that guy Alberto is a little shrewd and received the parliament’s special treatment and exemption, so he didn’t have to take part in this meaningless battle.”
“Aren’t the parliament and the Shaman fighting for downtown?” Bai Xi was puzzled. “If they lose, then everything would be meaningless, right?”
Hermes laughed and asked in reply, “Why do you think the parliament wants to fight with the Shaman? Is it a last struggle or is it for control over the district? Of course not! They’re all important figures at the top. Why would they gamble their lives like the commoners of downtown?
“They ruled over half of the Anglo. Why would they fight with mad dogs over this tiny downtown district?”
Bai Xi did not let Hermes down. She understood immediately. “…They just want the Blood Path?”
“That’s right!” Hermes snapped his fingers in appreciation. “So far, they’ve been deliberately acting secretly to deceive all the royal agents and the Fifth Department. They took advantage of the fact that the Royals are trapped in the curse and can’t bother with other affairs. They’ve done so much just for this one thing.
“For so many years, the Royal family has been restricting the Elites and supporting the commoners to get rid of these pretentious guys. If not for the fact that the Queen of this generation is cursed and allowed them to recover, they would have nothing now.
“After being repressed for so many years, the parliament knows better than anyone that they can only negotiate with the Royal family by mastering the Blood Path and waking up Avalon’s Shadow.
“They want the immortal power left behind by King Arthur and to replace the fallen royal family! For this, they even dared to borrow the power of Satan and the natural catastrophes…” Hermes waved his hand and the illusion in the candlelight changed. As if overlooking the entire city from the sky, all of downtown was held in his hands like a small toy.
“Bai Xi, if you’ve been searching for a key for many years and you haven’t found it but you really need it… What would you do?”
The sudden question made Bai Xi fall into deep thought. At last she seemed to think of something, and her face turned pale. “…Make a new one?”
Hermes smiled.
“Ever since four years ago, the parliament had turned downtown into a quagmire. They let the men kill each other while they collected the bodies and blood secretly. They wanted to use this incomparable amount of deaths to recreate the path to Avalon’s Shadow.
“Tonight’s struggle is the climax of the blood sacrifice. The blood of countless people would be offered tonight. At that time, countless bodies would be piled into a high tower and activate the Blood Path for them!”
He paused meaningfully and whispered softly, “That is, if no one disturbs them…”
“…the premise is, if there is no one to disturb… ” The seven-stringed instrument in his arms made a sharp and taunting sound.
The alarm went off with a wail. The blinding red light flashed on in the dome, shattering the darkness and stillness. The guards were awoken and confused, and heavy footsteps sounded in the distance.
Between the hanging corpses, Ye Qingxuan’s brows gradually furrowed. He finally understood. “This is where the trap is?” He sighed. “I really underestimated you, Professor Moriarty. Was this your original goal?”
If he had thought in the beginning that the Professor would set an ambush here, now he could not believe that the Professor could do something like this even if his life depended on it. If the Professor could turn the Arkham Asylum into a demon-creating workshop and transformation center for illegal techniques, then why had he fallen to the point of being hunted by the parliament?
But this time, Ye Qingxuan had really fallen into the Professor’s trap. This guy really took revenge for the smallest thing. This was payback for falling into Ye Qingxuan’s trap last time.
When he interrogated the smuggler, he had purposefully imitated Ye Qingxuan to catch his attention and provide the next clue. Just like that, with him as bait, the Professor easily guided Ye Qingxuan over. He had found the path for free, led the attack, tested the truth and, along the way, attracted everyone’s attention. Now, the Professor was probably hiding in the darkness, watching the two idiots who had taken everyone’s attention off of him, cackling with pride.
—
When Ye Qingxuan saw the forest of corpses, he realized that Ghosthand had been wrong since the beginning. Lychee and the other smugglers had not been in the sewer searching for something. They were transporting corpses!
The sewer was really a great place. It was the best location for destroying bodies and evidence. No matter what it was, it would sink to the bottom of the murky waters once thrown in then disappear without a trace. Who would really care if the body floated into the ocean or somewhere else?
For a long time, the parliament had provoked the wars between the downtown gangs. It allowed them to kill each other, waste lives and provide with them an endless supply of corpses and blood—and missing people! Everything was transported here through the abandoned sewers. After selection and preservation, they were hung on metal hooks, waiting for further processing.
After understanding this, the confusing process was quickly organized in Ye Qingxuan’s mind. The parliament had controlled the Arkham Asylum for a long time, right? After all, what would be a better place than the asylum? This was a trash can that was both hated and indispensable. No one would investigate if an asylum hid any secrets, and no one cared what happened to the madmen here. Who cared if they were really able to turn back into regular people after treatment and return to the society?
Beside the Arkham Asylum, there was still a shiny golden plaque—the Royal Research Institution was there to cover for them. They could leisurely collect bodies or living people to explore demonic illegal techniques. They could turn these bodies into demons…For growth, for power, or to collect blood…And create the Blood Path!
At this thought, Ye Qingxuan felt goosebumps form. But the more he thought about it, the more logical it seemed. Why not?
“Are they crazy?” he murmured as he looked around at the bodies and their blind eyes…Some of them were beggars from the dirty ditches of downtown. Others were bankrupted men who had smuggled themselves into Anglo on cargo ships. There were even thugs and gangsters covered in tattoos.
Undoubtedly, these were the lowest of the low. They had died without a sound or without even knowing why they were killed. They might not have been able to make the world a better place, but that was not the reason why they had died.
A shrill scream cur through the air. Ye Qingxuan raised his hand and felt his arm vibrate.
Thud! An arrow bounced off his arm and spun in the air before landing on the metal floorboard with a clang. The surrounding figures had come in. One could vaguely see their menacing faces under the scattered red light.
“Kill them!” a somewhat familiar voice roared. “Remember to leave a survivor and find out how they got in!”
“…His orders are contradicting. Was downtown’s grammar all taught by the same math teacher?” Ye Qingxuan furrowed his brows and stared coldly at the figures closing in on him, their bows aimed at him.
“Can’t we talk it out? To be honest, I don’t really want…”
Thud! An arrow grazed his face and buried into the corpse behind him.
“Okay, if we can’t talk, then I’m sorry…” Ye Qingxuan looked down and slammed his cane into the ground. “Kneel!”
Thud! The heavy staff clanged against the steel floorboard underfoot. The instrument strings twanged and played the mournful melody. The hopeless and frantic music spread. Amidst the screams, a black river flowed out of thin air.
In an instant, the charging figures were sapped of energy and collapsed onto the ground before the youth. And then the bone saw was hoisted up and swung down! Blood flew.
The wild screams stopped awkwardly and were replaced by the Butcher’s crazed roars. In the heavy metallic scent, it was as if a beast had been let out of its cage to cause bloodshed.
“The—the Butcher?” the commander recognized the wild figure from amongst the crowd and screamed.
Ye Qingxuan looked up. His gaze went past the group of thugs and landed on the pale face. He suddenly realized who it was. “Oh, Mr. Lorenzo? Long time no see. I can’t believe you’re here…Perfect, I have some questions that I really hope you can answer for me.”
Stared at by those cold eyes, Lorenzo felt a chill shoot to the back of his head from his feet. He stepped back subconsciously.
Ye Qingxuan knew those eyes. He had often seen them on his enemy’s faces. If he had to describe it, it was something like, “Saw a f*cking ghost.”
“Sh—Sherlock Holmes…”
Hearing him utter the name, Ye Qingxuan revealed a cool smile. “It’s great that you know me. So can you tell me what’s going on with all these corpses?”
It hurt Lorenzo to be stared at by those eyes and he retreated subconsciously, yelling, “Shoot! Shoot! Kill him…” But even he knew that crossbows were useless before an evil spirit like this, not to mention the monstrous Butcher beside him!
Seeing his drugged men charge forward without any fear, Lorenzo could not help but creep backward and run for the elevator in the distance. “Godd*mmit, where are the musicians? Where are our musicians? And those experiments? Why do I have to face the beasts by myself?!” he thought.
Amid the concentrated arrows, Ye Qingxuan saw the people with bloodshot eyes scream and run over. He sighed and stepped back.
Behind him, the mighty figure suddenly expanded to three times his original size. The Butcher roared and he emanated wild heat, as if his blood was boiling. The hoarse roar caused all the bodies on the hooks to sway, as if angry wind swept in when he roared. Even those submerged in the effects of the drugs were stunned by the furious spirit. Then they fell onto the ground in two or more pieces, cut cleanly by the bone saw.
At the back of the crowd, Lorenzo turned to see the splattering blood and his face paled.Amidst all this, a thin figure walked toward him soundlessly, conducting a dark melody.
Lorenzo’s legs quivered. He hurriedly ordered his men, “Shut the door! Hurry!” His dazed men tried to pull the handle but it would not move. Angered, Lorenzo kicked him away and grabbed the handle, pulling with all his might.
The mournful melody entered his ears, but was cut off by the bright sound from the pendant around his neck. The pendant was enchanted with a rare psychological defense music score. It was activated when attacked and prevented him from falling into the dark river. The steel gate fell suddenly!
Amid the killing, the Butcher roared and charged forward. The bone saw flew as well, whistling through the air toward Lorenzo who was behind the gate.
Boom! The saw buried deeply into the heavy gate. It twanged and flakes of dried blood fell down.
Angered, the Butcher flattened a drugged lunatic beside him with a fist and walked through the blood puddles to the gate. Then he began punching the gate furiously.
The gate was at least as tall as three men stacked atop each other. It shook wildly, each punch leaving an indent, but it still did not break.
“It’s useless. This is even stronger than the other one.” Ye Qingxuan stood beside the steel gate and studied it. He scraped off a bit of rust and rolled it between his fingers. “Heavy silver, wrought iron, with some green gold added in for extra ductility…this door must be expensive.
“This kind of material was originally used for cages for demons captured from the Dark World. You can punch it for two hours without making a dent, unless you’re a Modifications musician and use wild power to make an explosion. It’s practically perfection.”
Boom! In an instant, the alarm above began flashing wildly. The countless corpses hanging on the hooks swayed and shook as well.
With the snap of a finger, Ye Qingxuan shot back a few meters and stumbled, trying to find his balance. The immense shaking made his vision go black. The Sighing Sword carved onto his arm was now burning red—with one punch, it had already reached its maximum capacity.
Before him, amidst the rising smoke, a giant hole appeared in the large steel gate. The entire door had been bent out of shape, like a wrinkled rag. A handprint was clear in the center of the gate. Even warped and distorted to this state, the door was still intact and not shattered.
But then with continuous cracks and pops, a crack snaked from the gate to the wall beside it. Stunned, the Butcher pushed it. The bent gate with the girth of a man fell back and ripped out from the wall with a roar.
“…”
