《Records of the Weakest Emperor》


 End Times

    End Times

    St!

    Blood sttered everywhere. A man let out his final pained groan as his dazed eyesnded on the sword that pierced through his chest. When he felt the coldness of the de prating his heart, his pupils constricted as his body slowly lost its strength.

    AAAHHH!!!

    As the man copsed onto the ground, an anguished cry rang out as another man rushed towards the sword-wielding man. The swordsman swiftly turned around, his movements didn''t disy any panic and with a single sh of his sword, another life ended once again.

    "You... Why are you not... why are you not helping yourrades?"

    The swordsman turned to look at the distance where another man was standing with tears streaming down his face. In the fact of death, the man was utterly terrified but in order to practice his calling, his profession, or some may call his ss to the very end. The man remained standing there, scribbling some words on a piece of paper.

    Gustav, my best friend of thirty-years died from the hands of the prey... I merely stood in the distance and did nothing.

    I am nothing but a mere observer.

    George, a man of sheer will and determination also died from the hands of the same prey. His movements looked full of fear to me, yet his actions nevergged and had no hesitation as he swung his sword and aimed to end the life of the prey.

    But in the end, it doesn''t even matter.

    The prey was too strong.

    Us, predators...

    Couldn''t do anything about him.

    The man scribbled down these words in the piece of paper and as he wrote the final words in the sentence. The piece of paper shone in a brilliant light. A thick book radiating an air of ancientness appeared beside the piece of paper and it sucked the paper into it, forming a page that could never be removed, defaced, nor altered.

    "That..."

    The swordsman who had already pointed his sword at the man stopped what he was doing. Disbelief appeared on his face when he saw the book, but his expression quickly turned into mocking and some pity when he realized the profession of the man standing in front of him.

    "I see..."

    "So, the reason why you haven''t died yet is because of this..."

    "His Majesty purposely spared you from death so you can record all significant events of this turning point of destiny within that book of history in your hands."

    The swordsman shook his head andughingly mocked, "You truly are a pitiful man." He then sheathed his sword back to its scabbard before stretching his hand towards the man''s cor.

    "Since your job is to observe and record everything that you see, then fine... Record everything... I won''t let you die. If you are severely injured from the shockwaves of the battle then I will heal you until you''re at your top condition. I won''t let you die... I will let you see... I will let you see everything..."

    "I will let you see how my sword cuts through each and everyrade of yours, you pathetic so-called Predator!" The swordsman boisterouslyughed and he dragged the man with such force that he felt painfully suffocated, yet he couldn''t even die nor kill himself.

    He then proceeded to do just as he was told.

    He recorded everything.

    While bawling his eyes out, he stayed true to the facts and wrote every death and every ughter that he saw into the Great Book of History. There were times when he thought of changing the facts within the Great Book of History so that humanity wouldn''t look so pathetic in their fight against the invader, yet he decided that in the end...

    He must stay true to his profession and write without any bias.

    Humanity had ample time to prepare.

    But each and every one of them ignored all the warning signs until it was already toote.

    In other words, they reaped what they sowed.

    The historian could only let out a sigh.

    In the end, he was just a mere observer. Of course, he would still die when his job was done, but until then. He would stay true to his profession and write down everything that he needed to write. Years, after years, after years passed and the historian never falsified any information that he wrote within the Great Book of History.

    Humanity suffered a lot and now, the end finally arrived.

    Cough...

    The copsed woman let out a dry cough. The surroundings were filled with ashes, suffocating her lungs. But her difort onlysted for a few moments. She lifted her head and surveyed her surroundings.

    "Hello..."

    "Is anybody there?"

    A defiant light shed across the woman''s eyes as she forcefully raised her severely injured body from the ground. She took a good look at her surroundings and her pupils constricted when she realized where she was standing.

    "Dead... Everyone... They''re dead..."

    She looked at a mutted corpse near her and bitterly smiled for she realized that the state of this corpse was far better than the others. Some of the corpses didn''t even have the shape of a human anymore. Instead, they looked like lumps of meat and some even looked like pancakes.

    Ugh...

    The woman covered her mouth.

    She managed to forcefully swallow down the vomit that threatened toe out her mouth. Despite seeing hundreds of ughters within the past several decades. The scene around her still disturbed her will as her expression quickly became as pale as a sheet of paper.

    "How..."

    "How did Humanity end up like this...?"

    She copsed on the ground.

    She could still remember that day when everything changed.

    Several years before that change.

    Humanity suddenly gained random supernatural abilities. Along with the appearance of what looked to be system prompts, every human being in the world gained abilities that science couldn''t exin. Of course, some abilities were far stronger than others and the woman was one of those lucky ones that gained such an ability.

    The woman was delighted by the change that the abilities brought to the world and she quickly rose through the ranks, eventually bing an Apex Predator, ssified as one of the strongest humans in the world. But in the end, her abilities were for naught.

    The invaders were far stronger than any Apex Predator and no amount of technology and magic engineering could suppress the invaders.

    Humanity fought valiantly, yet in just several decades.

    Their final bastion, the Empire of the South Eastern Seas finally copsed from the attacks of the invaders.

    At this moment, the woman reckoned that she was the only survivor.

    But why did these invaders invade her homnd in the first ce?

    Even now, the woman still couldn''t find the answer to this burning question of hers.

    And from the looks of it, she''ll forever be curious even as a ghost.

    "Write it down."

    A charming voice belonging to a man suddenly rang out.

    The fog that surrounded the woman disappeared and she found herself standing in the middle of a deep valley. Above her were several hundreds of invaders. They were staring at her with this triumphant look in their eyes.

    But the woman''s eyes weren''t focused on these invaders.

    Instead, they were focused on the image of a trembling man standing at the edge of the valley.

    "You..."

    "You''re that..."

    "You''re that coward!"

    "You''re that coward who instead of fighting for the sake of the homnd, insists on writing on that stupid book instead!"

    "How are you alive?"

    "Howe that you''re alive?"

    "Everyone is already dead, but you''re still alive?"

    "On what basis?!"

    "How is a coward like you still alive?!"

    The woman suddenly became hysterical.

    She lost all her dignity as the Goddess of the de and started cursing at the trembling man.

    The man cowered in fear when he saw the actions of the Goddess of the de. But her words made sense for him.

    Yes, he was a coward.

    After acquiring his Calling, Diary-Keeper. He had never done anything other than write.

    He thought that he''d be stronger than anyone just by writing and he did!

    From Diary-Keeper, he became a Scribe, a Historian and now, he was a Keeper of History.

    He still wanted to advance, the next sequence of his calling was Author.

    He reckoned that in order to be an Author. He must write books.

    Unfortunately, he didn''t have the time nor the leeway to write a book.

    In the end, he got stuck as a Keeper of History and now, the end times have arrived.

    His Great Book of History has reached its limits and only a single sentence could be written.

    Every word that a Keeper of History wrote into the Great Book of History could never be changed. Anyone, including those that have the capability to transcend time, would be unable to go back and change the history that was already written in the Great Book of History.

    This was the reason why the invaders kept the man alive.

    He was basically their shield against time-transcending humans that may go back to the past and change the course of history from there.

    But the powers of a Keeper of History were limited.

    To be exact, the pages of the Great Book of History was limited.

    It was said that if he ascended and became an Author. He would be able to change, write, delete everything as much as he wanted, but s. The man never had the opportunity to ascend.

    In fact, he didn''t even understand what an Author was.

    Profession Ascension required a deep understanding of that particr profession and since the man didn''t understand what an Author was. It was basically impossible for him to be an Author.

    Only a single final sentence could be written within the Great Book of History.

    But a single sentence was enough to seal the fate of humanity.

    "What''s wrong? Write it... That''s the final page of the Great Book of History, right? Go ahead. Write it. Write the end."

    The charming voice spoke once again.

    The man trembled as his hand holding the pen floated over thest space of the Great Book of History''s final page.

    Once he wrote the final sentence, there was no going back.

    The true end of humanity woulde.

    The woman beneath the valley seemed to have recognized this as she cried out.

    "No!"

    "Don''t..."

    "Don''t write it!"

    "Let them kill you, but don''t write it!"

    "Do you really think that they are going to let you off once you''ve done your job?"

    "No!"

    "These sons of bitches are the devils! They will never honor a promise!"

    "Shut up!"

    The charming voice coldly responded and his voice seemed to transform into an iparably sharp de that sliced the head of the woman from her shoulders.

    Just like that, the life of the Goddess of the de ended.

    "Ah..."

    "Ahhh!!!"

    The man loudly screamed and tears rolled down his cheeks as he let out a sorrowful cry.

    "How pathetic...

    "Just write the final sentence already and I''ll grant you a painless death."

    "I am not apletely cold man, so you can consider that painless death as my reward for your service. The great traitor of humanity." The charming voice''s tone of speaking suddenly became filled with intense mocking.

    The trembling man sucked a mouthful of cold air.

    His eyes reddened and he seemed to have lost his mind as he cried out.

    "Fine... You want me to write?"

    "I''ll write it then..."

    "I''ll write..."

    "I''ll write..."

    "I''ll write!!!"

    The pennded on the final page and left its mark as it wrote the final sentence of the Great Book of History.

    Out of defiance and deep regret, the Scribe, the Historian, The Keeper of History, and the great traitor of humanity wrote at the final pages of the Great Book of History.

    "With my body as the sacrifice, I''ll turn back time, change the past, and change the harrowing destiny of humanity!"

    As the pen wrote the exmation mark, the Great Book of History closed on its own for it has alreadypleted its job.

    It transformed into a dazzling light before diving into the forehead of the historian.

    [You have exhausted the pages of the Great Heavenly Profound Treasure: The Great Book of History.]

    [You have witnessed everything and wrote the end times of Humanity while staying true to the facts.]

    [Your name has left its mark on The Great Book of History.]

    [You have be the Author of The Great Book of History.]

    [Congrattions to the user for bing an Apex Predator in the Writer Profession!]

    [You have obtained the Calling: Author of Fate.]

    [With your will as the canvas and your body as the ink. The Author of Fate wrote...]

    [I''ll turn back time, change the past, and change the harrowing destiny of humanity!]

 Chapter 1: Youve Gone Too Far!

    Chapter 1: You''ve Gone Too Far!

    "Calvin! Did you steal your sister''s tuition money again to y those stupid video games?!"

    A fierce voice brought Calvin''s mind back to the world?

    Huh?

    Where am I?

    Calvin raised his head and found that he was sitting in a gaming chair.

    In front of him was a twenty-seven inches gaming monitor.

    The peripherals were awesome and everything had RGB lights, even the chair!

    If one looked at him from a distance, he would seem like a Christmas tree with all the lights surrounding him.

    But that wasn''t the reason why Calvin was so astonished at this moment.

    It was because disyed within the screen were the words...

    [You''ve bought the Skin: Elementalist Laks.]

    [$20,000 has been debited from your ount ending 643.]

    [Thank you for your purchase!]

    It was at this moment that Calvin realized where he was and what was his current situation.

    This...

    This is when I stole my sister''s tuition money to buy that incredibly rare Elementalist Laks skin!

    If I recall correctly, my mother discovered what I was doing and at that time...

    She personally made a visit to the Inte Cafe and...

    Wait, my mother?!

    Calvin''s pupils constricted and he swiftly turned his head to look behind him.

    But what greeted him was the sight of a flying flipflops.

    The flipflop was thrown with such strength and finesse that even with Calvin''s experience in battles.

    He found it hard to evade.

    But of course, it was probably because he didn''t dare to dodge an attack that came from his mother.

    Pak!

    A crisp sound rang out and Calvin''s head directly bent backwards from the impact.

    "There you are, Calvin! Come here! Don''t you dare to run, I''ve already informed the Old Manager and he''s blocking the entrance as we speak!"

    "Hahaha, Calvin... You''re such a mad... To think that you''d be so dedicated to League of Myths that you''d steal your sister''s tuition money just to buy some skins. But for what? Some bragging rights?" A veteran patron of the Inte Cafe where Calvin was in chimed in and sneered.

    But Calvin couldn''t care less towards his mocking.

    Instead, he stared right at his mother with tears dripping down his cheeks.

    "M-Mother..." Calvin finally remembered every detail regarding this incident.

    This was that time when I was kicked out of the family!

    Calvin remembered that back then, he ran towards the emergency exit to escape. But he ultimately failed to run away for the Old Manager wasn''t actually blocking the entrance. He was actually blocking the emergency exit! His mother only said those words to deceive him, so he''d fall right at herp!

    Calvin shook his head and revealed a bitter smile.

    He stared right at his hands and found them devoid of wrinkles.

    He was young again!

    "You..."

    Calvin''s mother was visibly shaken.

    "Why are you not running?"

    She asked in confusion.

    "Madame Yvette, did that brat already run away? I should''ve known that he''s clever enough not to fall to our ns!"

    The Old Manager of the Inte Cafe entered through the emergency exit.

    He immediately saw Calvin staring at his mother with tears streaming down his cheeks.

    "Brat, so you''re finally giving up?"

    "How dare youe back here when you''re still in suspension? Do you really want me to give you a ban?"

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at the Old Manager and his chest throbbed with emotions.

    The Old Manager, despite the fact that he was such a tight-ass when ites to the rules, he wasn''t actually a bad man.

    In fact, Calvin could still remember that time when the Old Manager took an attack for him.

    If not for the Old Manager protecting him in time when those bastards finally invaded...

    Calvin would''ve died.

    "O-Old Manager..."

    "Who are you calling Old Manager, huh?"

    "Do you really think that we''re that so familiar with each other and we''re that close? Don''t you dare show those crocodile tears of yours in front of me!" The Old Manager huffed and puffed as he pointed at Calvin.

    But despite hisints, he was quite moved by Calvin''s crying.

    But he was still unresigned.

    He knew how much of a bastard Calvin was.

    Back then, he deceived his mother by crying as loud as he could and repeatedly shouting the words, "I''m sorry, I won''t y video games again.".

    His actions earned him the forgiveness of his mother, yet he rpsed in just a few days.

    He even scammed his mother by saying that he needed some money for school projects and it turned out that he didn''t actually have any on-going school projects at all!

    He used that money to buy thetest Project Skin line of the video game League of Myths!

    This was why as much as the Old Manager wanted to believe in Calvin.

    He knew that he must not let his guard down against this video game addict.

    Gnashing his teeth, he turned to look at Madame Yvette and said, "Don''t be deceived, Madame! A man can only be deceived for three times at most before he could be judged as foolish! Steel your heart and punish him! Remember that in the end, this is also for his sake!"

    The Old Manager''s voice rang extremely loud to the extent that the yers within the Inte Cafe couldn''t help but remove their headphones and watch the show unfolding in front of them.

    "Oh shit! Isn''t that the baller who bought a twenty-thousand dors Elementalist Laks skin earlier?"

    "Yeah, that''s him, but dang! We praised him for having so much money that he could buy such a skin, yet the money that he used to buy that skin actually came from his sister''s tuition money!"

    "What the fuck? Really? What a bastard!"

    The spectators whispered towards each other. They weren''t courteous at all with their whispers. They deliberately made their voice sound louder so that Calvin could hear what they were saying. They wanted to humiliate the pretentious thief.

    But little did they knew that Madame Yvette was more hurt than Calvin.

    Even though she disliked Calvin''s attitude and outlook in life.

    Calvin was still her son.

    Seeing him being humiliated like this, she gnashed her teeth and dragged Calvin out of the Inte Cafe.

    "Old Manager! Improve the quality of your security guards! To think that they would let a suspended person enter your Inte Cafe!" Madame Yvette even scolded the Old Manager while she was dragging Calvin away back to their home.

    Calvin didn''t say anything along the way. His mother also wasn''t in the mood to talk, so the two of them kept their silence until they returned home.

    But as soon as Calvin entered the living room of their modest house, a fist greeted him and with a pak!

    He fell onto the ground.

    "You bastard! You''ve done it again! You''ve gone too far!"

    The punch came from his father.

 Chapter 2: A Truly Disgusting Person

    Chapter 2: A Truly Disgusting Person

    Calvin was beaten to a pulp.

    If not for his mother''s intervention then Calvin would''ve been sent to the hospital.

    "Son... Why did you... Why did you do this? Tell me why Calvin?"

    His mother cried her heart out as she treated Calvin''s wounds.

    His father really didn''t go easy on him. He beat him up as if Calvin wasn''t his own child. Actually, ever since Calvin started on his road of addiction to ying video games and dropped out of college. His father already considered him a lost cause. Of course, his father did everything that he could do to stop Calvin from falling deeper into depravity.

    But Calvin wasn''t having it all. He remained adamant until he was now truly estranged by his father.

    "Mom... Why would you bother caring about that trash? Just give him enough money for his daily expenses and I bet that he would be willing to forget that we are his family. After all, he onlyes back home whenever he runs out of money!" A feminine voice rang out from behind.

    Calvin turned to look at the source of the voice and he discovered his sister.

    Yes, standing there was her lovely sister.

    Calvin was instantly choked with emotions.

    Before he fell to depravity his sister loved him so much...

    But after Calvin stole her tuition fees a few years ago which made her unable to take her school tests in time.

    She now hated him to the core.

    But despite being treated like this, Calvin had no other feelings for her sister other than regret and grief.

    He didn''t me her at all.

    He had no right to do so.

    He was a video game addicted piece of garbage that didn''t even deserve to live due to the number of despicable acts hemitted.

    But in the end, he was the one who lived.

    He lived far longer than his family.

    He lived to see the end times of Humanity.

    Calvin felt a sharp pain on his chest.

    Her sister, Emily threw a high-heeled shoe at him.

    The heel of the shoe struck Calvin squarely at his chest, yet he didn''t even wince in pain.

    He raised his head and his miserable appearance elicited a violent response from Emily.

    "You bastard... You stole my tuition money again! How am I supposed to take the uing tests next month? Are you still even human? How could you do something like this? Do you still treat us as your family?" She pointed her finger at him and started her rant.

    Yvette, Calvin''s mother could do nothing other than cry.

    They were trying their best to set Calvin in the right direction, but if the person himself wasn''t willing to change.

    Then, what was the use of their efforts?

    Calvin stared at his mother and sister,plex emotions shed across his face.

    His eyes then wandered towards a small frame atop a nearby cab.

    The picture frame contained the figures of four people.

    Looking at it, Calvin''s emotions underwent another upheaval.

    Within the image were the figures of the members of the Vinueva family.

    Calvin Vinueva stood upright, a warm smile could be seen on his face making everyone feel refreshed if they looked at him in this image. Beside him was his sister, Emily Vinueva. A refreshing smile was stered across her lips as sheid her head on Calvin''s shoulder.

    Standing behind them was their mother and father, Yvette and George Vinueva. The way they held their hands, the sweet smiles on their faces and the light within their eyes was enough evidence about their love for each other.

    Looking at the photo, Calvin cried once more.

    Raising his head, he turned to look at his mother and said.

    "Mom... From now on, I will be a better person."

    Calvin said these words as sincerely as possible and he really did mean to change from now on.

    But when his mother and sister heard what he said, their expression changed.

    Emily''s expression went ugly as she pointed at him once again and said, almost screaming, "You''re going to change? Hah! Do you really think that we''ll fall for that once again? You''ve already used that tactic for god-knows how many times already! Just stop! I will never believe that a person as disgusting as you can change."

    Yvette''s face became as pale as a sheet of paper. Even though she was somewhat agreeable to what Emily had said, Calvin was still her son. It hurt her to see that her daughter and son were at odds against each other to this extent.

    "Don''t be like that, Emily!"

    "Mom! Are you still going to protect this trash? Just kick him out of the family already! Once he''s out, I bet we''ll be at peace once again!"

    Yvette turned silent.

    Calvin bitterly smiled.

    Emily was right.

    The Vinueva family had no use for a son who only knew how to freeload and steal from his own family.

    Once he was gone, peace would probably return to this small family.

    But...

    Tears streamed down Yvette''s cheeks.

    He loved her son so much and she really didn''t want to see him disappear.

    "Calvin... Why are you like this? Why are you still trying to deceive us? Do you take us as foolish to believe your words once more that you''re really going to change? If you want us to believe that you''re serious about turning over into a new leaf. How about you go and ask for a permanent ban from the Old Manager''s Inte Cafe?" Yvette pleaded.

    Calvin stared at his mother and an indescribable smile appeared on his face.

    Emily saw his smile and misunderstood.

    "Look at him! He''s still smiling! He has no remorse at all! Just kick him out already, mom!"

    Yvette was instantly disappointed seeing the smile on Calvin''s face.

    Calvin stared right at his mother.

    He wanted to say something.

    He wanted to prove to them all that he really nned on changing for the better. But who would believe the words of someone so disgusting to the point that he''d deceive his own family for his own gain?

    Yes...

    Calvin knew that no matter what he would say at this point in time. His family wouldn''t believe him.

    Standing up...

    Calvin swept his gaze across the familiar surroundings of this small house where he lived for almost two decades.

    Emotions bubbled within his heart, but he suppressed them all as he said.

    "Mom... Emily... I''m sorry for everything that I have done. I know that everything that I''ll say would probably be unbelievable for the two of you, but if you still consider me as your family. Please believe me that I really am nning on changing. But for now, since I have nothing to prove to the two of you as well as to dad..."

    "I will temporarily leave the family."

    "When I return..."

    "I hope that the Vinueva family will still consider me a part of the family."

    Before Emily and Yvette could say anything, Calvin kneeled on the ground and kowtowed towards his mother and sister.

    Afterwards, he turned to face the direction of his father''s bedroom and also kowtowed.

    Then, he turned around and went for the door.

    "Calvin!"

    His mother finally awakened from her reverie as she ran towards Calvin''s direction.

    "Mom! Don''t go!" Emily caught her wrist and stopped her from going after Calvin.

    "Just forget about him, mom! If you go after him now then he''ll think that we fell for his drama! I''m sure that after a few days when he runs out of money. I bet he''lle back here and beg us to ept him once again!" Emily said.

    For her, Calvin''s disgusting nature had no limits.

    He would do everything that he could so long as he could continue on ying his stupid games!

    In fact, it was even a miracle for Emily that Calvin hadn''t resorted to bank robberies just to satisfy his addiction.

    Staring at the direction where Calvin left.

    Emily coldly snorted, "Don''t you daree back again, you stupid brother!"

    She turned around and tightly clenched her fists.

    Afterwards, she went upstairs and locked the doors of the room.

    She never came out until night came but one could hear faint sobbing and whimpering sounds within the room throughout the entire afternoon.

 Chapter 3: Turning Over a New Leaf

    Chapter 3: Turning Over a New Leaf

    Calvin felt that he lost a piece of his soul when he walked out of that door.

    But he never turned back nor take a final look.

    Calvin could be considered as a battle-hardened man who wouldn''t even blink in the face of a hellish nightmare. However, he had a single weakness.

    It was his family.

    Calvin was sure that if his mother and sister walked out of the house right now to stop him from going out.

    He would definitely turn back and go with them.

    Thankfully, they didn''t get out.

    Calvin heaved a sigh of relief.

    He nced at his wristwatch.

    "There''s still enough time."

    It was still high noon.

    Calvin went back to the Inte Cafe where his mother captured him.

    As soon as he walked inside, the Old Manager sitting behind the front desk instantly awakened.

    "You..."

    "How dare youe back here, you thieving son of a bitch!"

    "You''re still suspended!"

    "Why did youe back?"

    The Old Manager red at him and shouted.

    His voice attracted the attention of the other customers.

    "Wait, isn''t he that guy earlier that got captured by his mother while he was ying games?"

    "Yeah, that''s him! I will never be able to forget his face!"

    "Why?"

    "Why, you say? That''s the guy who bought that extremely expensive Elementalist Laks skin!"

    "What?!"

    When the other customers heard that Calvin was the baller who purchased that expensive skin earlier.

    Some of them stopped whatever they were doing. They stared at Calvin''s general direction in amusement. After all, even though Calvin was a baller. They heard from the Old Manager that he was suspended from the Inte Cafe.

    The Old Manager stared at Calvin withplex emotions.

    Actually, he wasn''t that mad towards Calvin.

    Calvin was a baller who purchased a lot of game credits from him.

    In other words, Calvin was a whale. A whale customer was something that every establishment needed for their continuous sess. The Old Manager understood that, so he greatly appreciated the fact that Calvin always bought game credits from him even though they were at odds.

    But...

    When he realized that Calvin''s money actually came from deceiving his family and even stealing the tuition money of his sister. He suddenly thought that Calvin was going too far. Despite the fact that the Old Manager didn''t want to lose Calvin as his customer. He knew that he had to uphold what was right.

    This was why he suspended Calvin instead of banning him outright.

    Calvin stared at the Old Manager.

    He knew what the Old Manager was thinking.

    Letting out a sigh, he stared right at the Old Manager and said.

    "Please ban me from this Inte Cafe."

    "What?"

    Even the customers observing the situation couldn''t help but gasp upon hearing what he said.

    "The baller is asking to be banned? Is he nning on going clean now?"

    "Clean my ass! How can someone go clean so easily? If one could do it that easy, then do you really think that I would be divorced from my wife, right now? ying video games isn''t just a simple addiction. It''s also a lifestyle. At least, that''s how it is for us addicts."

    "So, are you saying that you don''t believe what he''s saying?"

    "Yeah! I bet he''lle here a few dayster and ask to be unbanned."

    The Old Manager could hear the discussions around him. He had no objections to what he had heard.

    Calvin was a well-known video game addict.

    He was a disgusting person that shouldn''t even be allowed to be in a family.

    Yet, he was actually going to change for the better?

    What was going on?

    Did he finally drink his medications once and for all?

    ''Damn, this is bad...''

    The Old Manager inwardly whispered.

    A smile bloomed on his face as he approached Calvin and said, "Come on now, Calvin. You''ve been a long-time customer of this Inte Cafe and you want to get banned? Why do I feel like you''re trying to throw away the bond that we''ve made together in the past two decades?"

    He patted Calvin''s shoulders and continued...

    "Now that I think of it, you''ve been my customer for such a long-time, yet I haven''t given you any loyalty rewards..."

    The Old Manager took a ck card decorated embossed with fake glittery diamonds.

    "How about I give you a VVIP Card? With this, you''ll have a seventy-percent discount with everything in this establishment. I guess this should suffice as a reward for your loyalty to this establishment for so long, right?"

    The Old Manager dangled the VVIP Card in front of Calvin as if he was feeding a fish some meat.

    Calvin lightly smiled, "Uncle Jerol... It''s really been such a long-time since first started ying here..."

    He then let out a sigh, "But I think it''s about time for me to move on."

    He patted Jerol''s shoulder and before thetter could even reply...

    He turned to look towards the customers and said.

    "I''ll be selling my League of Myths ount for only ten thousand dors! The first person to arrive in front of me shall..."

    Before Calvin could evenplete his sentence, a customer leaped from his chair and literally rolled in front of Calvin.

    He took a card out of nowhere and handed it over to Calvin.

    "I''ll pay via card..."

    Calvin''s lips repeatedly twitched.

    "Uh... Sure."

    He used the Old Manager''s card terminal and the transaction was finallypleted.

    It was at this moment that the Old Manager finally awakened from his trance.

    "So, you''re really going to do this for real." He could see that Calvin was definitely serious about his decision. To sell his League of Myths ount that had skins worth at least a hundred thousand dors for only ten thousand dors.

    It was impossible for someone to do such a thing if his resolve was half-assed.

    "Yeah..." Calvin smiled at the Old Manager.

    Afterwards, he turned around and went for the exit.

    But before the automatic doors could fully close...

    The Old Manager caught up to him and handed him a business card.

    "If you are unable to fully turn into a new leaf. You can alwayse back here and be my employee. I''ll treat you properly and pay you well. After all, you can be considered as a half-son of mine considering how long you''ve been a loyal customer of my humble Inte Cafe."

    Calvin was taken aback by the Old Manager''s gesture.

    "Well then, don''t mind if I do."

    But he didn''t refuse his offer.

    He took the business card and finally disappeared from the Old Manager''s side.

    When the automatic doors closed, the Old Manager sighed and returned behind the receptionist''s desk.

    A customer saw his expression andmented, "Old Manager... Are you crying?"

    "Cry my ass! Do you want to get suspended?" The Old Manager barked.

    The customer felt a shiver down his spine before he ran back to hisputer.

    The Old Manager sighed once again.

    Staring at the direction where Calvin disappeared, he shook his head and whispered.

    "I hope you do well out there, young man."

 Chapter 4: Do You Want to Keep on Living?

    Chapter 4: Do You Want to Keep on Living?

    It was two o''clock in the afternoon when Calvin walked out of the Inte Cafe.

    He swept his gaze across the familiar surroundings of his City.

    The City of Dabao.

    The City may not be so technologically-advancedpared to the Capital, yet it wasn''t really that bad.

    Calvin greatly missed this city back then.

    Taking a deep breath of the unpolluted air of Dabao, he became somewhat emotional.

    The air of that world within the crack was so disgusting that Calvin couldn''t evenprehend how he managed to live for so long without dying from any lung-rted illnesses. After admiring the scenery and walking around the City for about an hour or so, Calvin nced at his wristwatch.

    "It''s about time." He softly uttered.

    Then, he walked towards the nearby Waga Lake Park and sat on a particr bench near the shores of theke.

    He sat there, looking depressed as if he lost all purpose in his life.

    Staring at the endless blue skies, his eyes would sometimes lose its focus and he would also sometimes sigh.

    No one knew what he was thinking, but there was something obvious towards what was going on.

    This young man was depressed.

    That was what he looked like to the outside world.

    But Calvin was actually waiting.

    More urately, he was waiting for someone.

    "Damn, how long is she going to take before shees here?" Calvin impatiently nced at his wristwatch.

    There was still about a few minutes before the expected time of her arrival, yet Calvin couldn''t wait already.

    The few minutes passed, yet the person he was waiting for still hasn''t arrived.

    ''What the hell is going on? Why is shete? I made sure toe here in time so that history wouldn''t change. Or..."

    ''Did I already inadvertently change the course of history? That''s impossible! I followed the script perfectly ording to my memory!'' Calvin inwardly whispered.

    When he became an Apex Predator Author of Fate in the Writer Profession. He understood that he managed to turn back time to the point before he became a Predator.

    ording to his memories, the person that would introduce him to the world behind the crack would arrive at exactly four in the afternoon here in Waga Lake Park. But what was going on?

    ''Where is she?''

    ''Is she noting?''

    ''If so, then that''s bad...''

    ''Without her, I can''t possibly go to the world behind the crack!''

    Calvin''s mind madly spun.

    And then...

    He was struck with a realization.

    ''I haven''t followed the script perfectly!''

    ''I''m quite sure that my acting is perfect without any trace of deceit, but I still haven''t done what I did back then!''

    Calvin instantly calmed down the moment he realized the crux of the problem.

    Afterwards, he then stood up and walked towards the shores of theke.

    Taking off his shoes, he stepped foot into theke and started walking...

    He continued walking until the waters of theke reached his chest and when that happened, he hesitated.

    Seemingly disying the innate hesitation of every human in the world towards dying.

    But his hesitation onlysted for a few seconds.

    He swiftly hardened his resolve and continued on walking deeper into theke.

    "You''ll die if you take another step forward."

    But before he could even submerge his head into theke, a feminine voice rang out from behind.

    ''So, she''s finally here!'' Calvin inwardly screamed.

    But on the outside, he maintained a fearful appearance as he turned around and shouted in return.

    "Who''s there?!"

    Soon, a figure appeared from the darkness. It was a woman who looked to be in her early twenties.

    There was a cold look on her face.

    But Calvin who knew everything that would definitely happen in the future also knew that this woman''s coldness was just nothing but a mere facade.

    She may be cold to outsiders, but she was scarier and more overprotective than a ck momma bear to its cubs.

    The woman didn''t answer.

    But she also didn''t walk closer to the shores of theke for she was afraid that her H-line skirt would get wet.

    d in a white blouse and a ck jacket, she thoroughly looked like a typical businesswoman.

    "Are you not cold? How about youe out there and talk to me for a while?"

    The woman''s voice was cold, yet Calvin could feel a hint of yfulness from her voice.

    ''Ria... It seems like you''re still the same as ever.''

    "Who are you? Were you the one that''s stalking me earlier?"

    The woman raised an eyebrow, apparently surprised by Calvin''s questions.

    "Oh? You felt me staring at you earlier? As expected of the person that I chose. But mind your words, stalking is quite crude. Let''s call it investigating, shall we?" The woman''s eyes radiated amusement, yet there was no trace of any smile on her lips.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He walked out of theke and sat on the bench beside the woman.

    There was a gap of about a meter between the two.

    Calvin felt quite weird about this fact, considering that the two of them were quite close to each other in the past. Of course, their rtionship was kept as top-secret. But they were too close to each other to the extent that Calvin even knew how many moles Ria had on her chest.

    Inwardly chuckling, Calvin decided to keep these silly thoughts away from his mind.

    He knew that the past was different from the future.

    What happened back then may not happen in this timeline.

    But that didn''t mean that Calvin wasn''t willing to get close with Ria anymore.

    He just wanted to let nature run its course.

    And besides, knowing that humanity''s time was quite limited before the invasion of those bastards from the crack.

    Does he even have enough time to fool around?

    Maybe...

    But Calvin didn''t n on doing so.

    As soon as he returned to the world behind the crack, he would immediately begin his ns.

    "You are Calvin Vinueva, right?"

    The woman asked.

    Calvin scrunched his eyebrows and replied, "Aren''t you stalking me?"

    "Why are you asking me questions that you already know the answer?"

    The woman was taken aback by Calvin''s response, but she thought of it as normal. After all, from her investigations. He was an addicted piece of trash that was abandoned by his family. Who wouldn''t be irritable after something like that happened to them? Of course, everyone would get riled up!

    She didn''t take offense to his reply.

    "This is who I am..."

    She casually took out a business card from her pocket and handed it over to him.

    Calvin took the business card.

    [Fivecent Holdings Limited]

    [Leader of the Development Team: Ria Nolinon.]

    When Calvin took the business card, she withdrew her hand and took a towel out of her shoulder bag.

    Then, she gave it to Calvin.

    "Dry yourself first and I''ll tell you why I''ve been investigating you."

    "You mean stalking me?"

    "Oh, so you want to die?"

    "Uh... Sorry."

    Calvin inadvertently made a joke as if he was familiar with Ria.

    Of course, he was familiar with her but the same couldn''t be said to her.

    For Ria, this was her first conversation with him.

    ''I wonder how she''ll react if I told her the exact number of moles she has on her chest.''

    Calvin inwardly snickered.

    He swiftly buried these thoughts away from his mind as he took the towel and wiped himself dry.

    Then, when he was done.

    Ria spoke once more.

    "Do you want to keep on living?"

    "What do you mean?" Calvin raised an eyebrow.

    Ria stared at him and revealed an ambiguous smile.

    "If you want to keep on living and turn your life around for the better."

    "Then, I have an offer for you."

    "An offer that you cannot possibly refuse once you''ve heard of it."

    She paused for a moment before continuing.

    "What about it?"

    "Are you interested yet?"

 Chapter 5: A Tantalizing Offer

    Chapter 5: A Tantalizing Offer

    "What are you talking about?"

    Although excited, Calvin knew the consequences if anyone realized that he was from the future.

    He acted oblivious to the fact that he knew what Ria was talking about. As someone who served as a spy for humanity in the territory of those bastards from the depths of the crack. Calvin''s acting skills were better than Oscar-nominated actors, or even the winners.

    "Don''t be in such a hurry. I''ll exin everything to you, but that is on the grounds that you sign a non-disclosure contract and after you agree to listen to what I am about to say."

    Calvin''s lips repeatedly twitched.

    The non-disclosure contract that Ria was talking about actually didn''t exist. The only reason why she talked about something non-existent was to make everything sound formal and professional.

    In other words, it would make the person she was recruiting think that the thing that they were about to talk about waspletely legal due to the safety protocols surrounding it.

    However, the reason why the non-disclosure contract was non-existent in the first ce was that anyone who heard her offer would never refuse.

    It was an offer that could never be refused.

    Once the offer was declined, the only path avable to that person would be death.

    The organization behind Ria would never let someone go after they had refused their offer.

    Staring right at Ria, Calvin replied, "I''m... I''m not going to get into trouble if I just listen to you, right? A non-disclosure contract... That sounds dangerous..."

    Ria smiled, "Well if you are not sofortable about signing one, then let''s forget about that."

    She ced her shoulder bag on the space between the two of them and opened it up. The contents of the bag were exposed, and neatly arranged stacks of thousands of dors could be seen inside.

    "Surprised?"

    Calvin had a look of astonishment on his face which gave Ria a sense of satisfaction.

    "Just... who... are you? A person carrying this much money... You must be something out of the ordinary." Calvinmented.

    Ria smile deepened, "At least, you''re that smart."

    "Not really, it''s justmon sense." Calvin rolled his eyes at her.

    Ria was taken aback that her praise was refused. But she didn''t say anything anymore. She had already finished her investigations regarding Calvin''s background. All that was left to do was to hurl the bait and drag the fish into the boat.

    Addicts were the easiest to reel in using money. But Ria was someone who never moved without any proper n.

    Despite the huge possibility of sess.

    She never moved nor did anything until today.

    Until today when she saw that the young man was about to take his life.

    He was someone whom she observed for more than a year now!

    How could she let him die?

    Noticing that Calvin was still staring at her shoulder bag with clear desires in his eyes, Ria was convinced that her n wouldn''t fail.

    "I will give you all of this money and probably even more for as long as you cooperate with us in a little experiment."

    "How about it?"

    "An experiment?" Calvin raised an eyebrow, "What is it all about? Let me tell you this... I am not going to do anything illegal! If what I needed to do to earn that much money is against thew, then count me out!"

    "Calm down, calm down... You will not be doing anything illegal..."

    "Calvin Vinueva..."

    Ria stared right at his eyes.

    "A good-for-nothing piece of shit that has been continuously deceiving his family for about two decades. You''ve stolen your sister''s tuition money for three times already within the past year..."

    "You''ve also deceived your family that you''re going to turn over into a new leaf for about twenty-two times already within the past six months."

    "You''ve also lied to your mother for a hundred and eight times about needing money to pay for school projects but you used them to y video games instead. You also hid the fact that you were expelled from your school due to excessive absences..."

    "Your lie has been discovered recently, but instead of feeling remorse..."

    "You opted to steal your sister''s tuition money again."

    "And today, earlier this morning, you were finally kicked out from your family."

    "You asked for a ban from that Inte Cafe you frequented since you became a video game addict, but unfortunately. It was just a facade. You were actually feeling suicidal and have decided to end your life today. Dying as a nameless piece of garbage, video game addict that no one would ever remember."

    "Is this what you had in mind when you were just a child?"

    "Is this what you wanted?"

    Calvin stared right at Ria''s eyes.

    He seemed to be convinced of Ria''s speech.

    Noticing this, Ria took a deep breath and continued.

    "I am giving you an offer to turn everything around and change your life for the better."

    "We are not going to let you do something illegal."

    "We are apassionate, kind-hearted, legal gamingpany."

    "We have the best interest of our customers in mind and as our future employee. We will treat you right."

    "Bing our employee has a lot of benefits..."

    "We will clear all your debts, I know you have a lot of debt, and I will clear them all for you."

    "Furthermore, your sry would be at the upper-middle-ss range. You will be earning two hundred thousand dors per year excluding bonuses based on your performance."

    "How about it? Are you interested yet?" Ria ended her speech with a light smile on her face.

    Calvin stared at her and he couldn''t help but bitterly smile upon seeing her performance.

    ''Yeah... What she said just now really makes her sound as if she''s legitimately inviting me for a job. But she really needs to be careful though. There''s something that she missed out. She''s offering me a job for a gamingpany, yet do I even have the skills that a gamingpany usually requires?''

    ''How could I have those skills when all I did within the past two decades is eat, shit, sleep, and y?''

    Calvin inwardly shook his head out of displeasure from Ria''s performance.

    But of course, he didn''t show any emotions from the outside.

    He had this look of amazement and excitement on his face as if he couldn''t wait to start working for thepany, so he could turn his life around.

    "You still haven''t answered me yet, Mr. Vinueva."

    "What about it? Are you interested?"

    Calvin immediately replied, "Of course I am interested! How could I not be interested? I''d be stupid if I wasn''t!"

    He almost jumped from his seat out of excitement.

    "Good, that makes everything easier. Now, I hope you can sign this contract." Ria pulled a thick contract out of her shoulder bag and handed it over to Calvin.

    "Damn that''s a lot of papers, it would take me quite a long time to read them."

    As Ria expected, Calvinined when he saw the bunch of papers.

    From what she knew, addicts like Calvin were impatient people who couldn''t wait, and their impatience would definitely be exacerbated when standing in front of a prospect that could change their life for the better.

    Ria''s smile deepened furthermore, "Do you want me to give you a nutshell on what the contract is about?"

    "Sure! That makes everything easier." Calvin immediately nodded his head.

    Ria then gave a short exnation regarding the contract and upon hearing what she had to say.

    Calvin had a look of satisfaction on his face.

    But after he signed the contract...

    He seemed to have been struck by a sudden realization as he stared at Ria with a frown.

    "Wait, there''s something strange..."

    "What is it?" Ria also frowned.

    "I''m going to be an employee of a gamepany, right?"

    "As far as I know, gamepanies need employees that are skillful. Particrly, when ites to coding and programming. I don''t really have any experience nor skills regarding those two, yet why did youe here to purposely recruit me?" Calvin stared at Ria in doubt.

    Ria''s smile crumbled, "You don''t have to know about that..."

    Her tantalizing brown eyes turned ck and a burst of darkness exploded from her body, instantly droning out Calvin and making him lose his consciousness.

    Everything happened so fast that Calvin had no time to scream before he lost consciousness.

    Ria then carried him over her shoulder as if she was carrying a sack of potatoes.

    But little did she knew that on Calvin''s face.

    There was no trace of fear at all.

    Instead, there was this look of excitement on his face as if he couldn''t wait to wake up once again.

 Chapter 6: Im Coming Back, Las Felipinas

    Chapter 6: I''m Coming Back, Las Felipinas

    An unknown amount of time passed and Calvin finally woke up.

    The first thing that his eyes saw upon waking up was an unfamiliar ceiling.

    However, the ceiling had decorations that one could consider as luxurious.

    This didn''t seem to be the undergroundboratory of Fivecent.

    ''This looks more like a hotel...''

    Calvin inwardly uttered.

    He raised his upper body and then confirmed that yep...

    He was inside a hotel.

    Waterback Hotel, a five-star hotel within the City of Dabao. Judging from the size of the room he was in and thevish decorations that involved real gold and silver. His room must be the most expensive suite in this Waterback Hotel.

    ''Wheeew... They sure don''t hold back towards making sure that their future ves will be loyal to them in the future, eh?''

    Calvin shook his head and lightly chuckled.

    [Right now, the nationwide search for the thousands of children that had disappeared in a span of a few weeks is still continuing. Helpless parents are crying for justice and the police, as well as the NBI, are now fully mobilized to rescue those children. Stay updated at GMA News for further developments!]

    The television which was strangely turned on had the news channel disyed on its screen.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows for a moment since he couldn''t remember child trafficking cases back then on the previous timeline. However, he dismissed his thoughts and theories for a while and turned to look at the nearby table.

    There was a golden envelope along with a blindfold lying on top of the table.

    Calvin lifted a small smile.

    He approached the table and carefully opened the letter.

    Mabuhay!

    We would like to offer our gratitude to you for epting our contract invitation to Las Felipinas, an unknown and foreign world connected to ours!

    Las Felipinas is a world only avable for the chosen few.

    This is a world full of adventures! Magic, dragons, elves, everything that you can think of as fantasy exists within the world of Las Felipinas!

    Attached within this letter are theplete instructions on how the contracted can enter the world of Las Felipinas!

    * Instructions: Please search for an apartment building with thirteen floors in the City of Davao! After finding the appropriate building, please enter the staircase at exactly 3 am. The moment you step a single foot onto the stairs, you must close both of your eyes... *

    * Climb from the first floor to the top floor with your eyes closed and when you''ve done everything ording to these instructions. The moment you open your eyes, you''ll find yourself in the world of Las Felipinas! *

    * WARNING: Only the contracted can attempt this. You must never open your eyes before you reach the top floor. No matter what happens. No matter what you feel, touch, hear or smell. You must not open your eyes or you''ll be immediately killed by the abyss! *

    * Hint: One can fight back against the Abyss of the Crack. But one must never open their eyes before reaching the top! *

    Good luck, contracted!

    See you at thend where dreamse true and die out!

    Peace!

    "Pfft!" Calvin almost busted his guts upon seeing theical ending of the letter.

    However, he wasn''t the least surprised about the instructions. He had undergone this test of courage back then. The participants were not allowed to open their eyes for the demons behind the crack, possibly tamed by Fivecent would stalk the participants and test their nerves and grit.

    Although these actions of Fivecent seemed counter-intuitive.

    What they were doing was not a problem, if you asked Calvin about it.

    If one wanted to enter the world of Las Felipinas.

    They must not be weak.

    Even a mere cannon-fodder had their own standards. In short, if one couldn''t even pass this test of courage, then they don''t even deserve to be cannon-fodders.

    Calvin suddenly gave a bitter smile.

    Back then, he pissed his pants from the fear of being surrounded by those demons and as a result.

    He was thoroughly mocked by his fellow cannon-fodders.

    But today, everything would be different.

    Now that he knew what was to happen, Calvin was prepared.

    Calvin''s eyes shone in excitement.

    He almost couldn''t wait until 3 AM arrived.

    Of course, having prior knowledge of the world. Calvin knew where that appropriate apartment building was located. In other words, he now had nothing to do apart fromy down and wait until the right time arrived.

    "Man, I''m feeling bored."

    "I can''t execute any of my ns until I get to Las Felipinas."

    Calvin sat upright and swept his gaze across the surroundings. His eyes came to a sudden halt for he saw aplimentary pen and small notebook lying on another desk in his presidential suite.

    "Paper and pen!"

    He almost leaped out of his bed from excitement.

    He took the small notebook and pen and then he started writing.

    He scribbled some words.

    It didn''t matter if they made sense or not.

    As long as he could satisfy the craving, the itching that he had for writing then he nned on going to any lengths. He wrote about everything that he could, the challenge that he faced back then while fighting against the invaders, to mundane things such as how to change a light bulb.

    ''Why did the chicken cross the road?''

    ''To get to where the retard lives.''

    ''Knock, knock...''

    ''Who''s there?''

    ''The chicken.''

    "Pffft! Did I just call myself a retard?"

    Calvin almost busted his guts once again as he hurriedly scribbled over the chicken joke that he wrote.

    Staring at the small notebook that was almost full of gibberish at this moment.

    Calvin felt inexplicably peaceful. Ever since he became the great traitor of Humanity, he never had any friends. The invaders only looked at him like he was a tool and every fellow human that he met treated him with utmost disgust.

    Part of the reason why Calvin managed to stay sane was because of his writings...

    It didn''t matter what he wrote, as long as he was writing...

    Calvin felt that it was cathartic.

    Back then...

    He greatly hated the fact that he acquired the so-called useless Writer Profession out of all the Professions out there.

    But when he became alone and abandoned by the world itself.

    Calvin finally realized why he acquired the Writer Profession in the first ce.

    Writing was in his blood.

    He would enjoy, no matter how mundane the words he wrote, for as long as he was the one who scribbled it down. He''d find a strange sense of enjoyment and satisfaction from writing it.

    "Sigh..."

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    Back then, he became the greatest traitor of humanity.

    Now that he was back...

    He''ll be the hero that will save humanity from destruction once more!

    Calvin steeled his resolve once again as he stood up and nced at his wristwatch.

    1:57 AM.

    ''It''s time...''

    ''I''ming back...''

    ''Las Felipinas.''

 Chapter 7: The Demons of Las Felipinas

    Chapter 7: The Demons of Las Felipinas

    "Boss, I''ll be going to Rhea Apartments in Eastern Dabao." Calvin sat at the back of the taxi, and a look of excitement could be seen on his face.

    If he had the ability, then he would''ve already teleported directly at Rhea Apartments. Sadly, he didn''t have such an ability, so he had no other choice but to hail a taxi.

    "That ce is quite secluded, and why are you going there thiste in the night?" The driver studied Calvin through the rearview mirror. Calvin had this silly smile on his face, yet the light of his eyes seemed indifferent. These contrasting traits made the driver inexplicably nervous. But since Calvin was still his passenger and customer...

    He felt that he had to advise him.

    "I''m going for ate-night LAN party with my friend. Hahaha, I bet that guy misses me already." Calvin knew his answers beforehand, so he managed to maintain his polite smile as he answered.

    "A LAN Party?" The driver was quite old. Of course, he knew about LAN parties. Upon hearing what Calvin said, the driver seemed to have rxed a bit as he continued, "I hope that you don''t mind me being a busybody, but it''s not that safe within the vicinity of Rhea Apartments."

    "Mind if you borate? What happened there?"

    This was news for Calvin.

    His curiosity was piqued. Since he still had time before his arrival at Rhea Apartments, he decided to kill time by talking with the driver.

    The driver audibly gulped.

    A hint of fear could be seen on his face as he replied, "There was a tenant from Rhea Apartments who died after identally falling from the rooftop. What''s scarier is the fact that I was the one who drove that tenant home back to his apartment at that residential area!"

    "In any case, I hope you won''t stay in that ce for too long."

    "It''s strange, but that ce just gives me the creeps."

    The driver twisted the key and started the car.

    "I don''t really believe in ghosts or in the supernatural." Calvin shrugged, "My parents told me that a thieving neighbor is far scarier than ghosts! They would rather have a ghost as their neighbor than a thief!"

    The driver was dumbstruck by Calvin''s statement.

    But what he said made sense, so he didn''t know how to refute.

    In the end, he stopped persuading Calvin.

    Calvin used the downtime to scribble some ns on another small notebook that he got from his presidential suite. About an hourter, the driver dropped Calvin off near the vicinity of Rhea Apartments and when Calvin paid the fare...

    He swiftly rushed towards the apartments, astonishing the driver who immediately drove off from the area.

    "The instructions told me that I must step foot onto the staircase of the first floor at exactly 3 AM." Calvin crossed the road and he soon arrived in front of the huge double gates of Rhea Apartments. The surroundings were dark and he felt quite isted standing in the middle of nowhere.

    He took a nce beside the gates and found that there was no one guarding the gates.

    "This is such a big residential area, but they couldn''t even afford a guard?"

    Calvin walked forward and found the gate locked.

    "Damn it, those people from Fivecent should really make sure that everything is prepared and ready beforehand. If I wasn''t this resourceful to even know how to pick a lock. I would be stuck here outside and unable to go back to Las Felipinas." Calvin inwardly criticized.

    A click soon followed and Calvin went past the gates.

    Walking in further, Calvin discovered that the ce was quite filthy.

    The path was littered with all sorts of refuse, and only two streetlights were turned on near the ground floors. He looked up and discovered that there were some clothes hanging on the clotheslines outside the building, so in other words...

    "There are people still living in Rhea Apartments..."

    "But why is it that there no lights above the third floor?"

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He entered the stairwell and started counting.

    "From what I can see here, each floor should have twenty-six steps and every thirteen steps. There is anding for a turn, the height of each them is about..."

    Calvin raised his leg up and down, so his legs could get used to the height of the steps.

    He nced at his wristwatch and took out the blindfolds that Fivecent gave to him.

    The ck cloth would render him unable to see the outside world, but that didn''t mean that he couldn''t sneakily peek through the gap between the bridge of his nose and the blindfold. However, even though he could do that.

    Calvin didn''t dare to do so.

    Back then, he heard that the demons could detect the gazes of humans.

    He reckoned that even if he tried his best to stare away from the scary things outside. He would still be discovered that he opened his eyes and sumbed to his curiosity. If that happened, then he would probably be killed.

    Despite Calvin''s rich experience in battle, he was no match for the demons of Las Felipinas since he was still a mortal at this moment.

    Until he could get his own Aspect, it was impossible for him to fight against them.

    With little time left, Calvin took a deep breath and nced at his wristwatch once again. There was still about twenty seconds before 3 AM, yet he already looked like he wanted to leap from the first floor directly to the top floor.

    Though he knew that the demons of Las Felipinas tamed by Fivecent would be stalking him from the darkness to try and scare him...

    He seemed unconcerned about their presence.

    He only cared about returning to Las Felipinas.

    Seeing that only ten seconds remained until 3 AM.

    Calvin positioned himself and silently counted down to himself.

    "Three."

    "Two."

    "One..."

    Step!

    He took a step forward and the world around Calvin seemed to have undergone a change.

 Chapter 8: Cruel Test of Courage

    Chapter 8: Cruel Test of Courage

    After Calvin closed his eyes, there was nothing that he could see apart from darkness.

    The darkness didn''t seem to have any emotions. It was indifferent, it looked upon everything impartially. Like a giant spiderweb that could thoroughly envelop all of one''s imaginations. The border between reality and illusions blurred. As he moved step by step up the stairs, the cold breeze of the night repeatedly struck him on the chest.

    Shivers ran down Calvin''s spine as he finally realized that he now truly hated this part of going to Las Felipinas for the first time.

    He was walking into another world; he was going to continue walking until he reached the top and opened that door to Las Felipinas. Thend whom he already considered as his hometown.

    Calvin religiously counted the number of steps he took in his mind. With the removal of the important sense of sight, his other senses seemed to have been heightened. Despite still being a mortal, his fingers could feel the coarseness of the dust on the wall, and his nose could sniff out the faint smell of mold.

    The sound of his footsteps rang ever so loudly in his ears.

    Calvin audibly gulped.

    ''Fucking hell, now I understand why I shat and pissed my pants back then... It seems like no matter how strong you are or how vast your experience is. One''s fear of the unknown would never disappear...''

    ''But this is strange. I already know what''s causing this strange sensation, but why is it that my heart is still gripped by this fear?''

    Calvin''s rich experience made him swiftly adapt to the situation. Even though he was blindfolded, he could picture everything that he needed in his brain. His body had also gotten used to the height of the steps, and so long as he didn''t get distracted by other things. He shouldn''t have any problems.

    Step!

    ''I should be on the second floor now.''

    ''Okay, there''s nothing happening yet... I''ll get past here as fast as I can without running.''

    Calvin''s walking speed hastened and he soon arrived near the staircase to the third floor.

    But as soon as he stepped a foot onto the staircase. He suddenly heard the sound of a heated argument from one of the rooms behind him. Calvin didn''t hesitate anymore, he walked upwards and when he reached thending, he stopped.

    "Mom, get the fuck out of my room, I''m ying Fortnut!"

    The scream seemed to havee from a juvenile.

    Calvin stopped from his tracks for the voice sounded iparably familiar.

    "Yeah, y! All you do is y, you piece of shat! Do you even care about your family and your education? Since I gave you thatputer, I''ve never seen you study for your school anymore! I''ve paid for every single school project that you told me that is necessary for you to pass the grade, yet I haven''t even received any grade slip from you!"

    "What is going on?! Come out there and exin everything to me!"

    "Mom! If you think that I am such a useless son, then why do you still care about me? Just leave me already! Leave me to die!"

    "What...? What are you saying, my boy? How could I possibly... How could I possibly leave you?"

    "Leave me alone, mom!"

    "All right... If you really won''t go out from that room, then I will be forced to cut the inte connection!"

    "No! You can do everything that you want to do to me, just don''t cut the inte off!"

    "Then,e out there already! Your mom just wants to talk with you, my boy..."

    The walls were thick, so the soundproofing shouldn''t be that bad. But the argument was so heated, and some physical altercation happened. Calvin could hear the faint crashing sounds of furniture and ssware and then after a few seconds of silence. Calvin heard the door open.

    Someone walked out and from the slick and wet sound of that person''s footsteps.

    It was clear that he was barefooted.

    The person mmed the door shut. The slick footsteps echoed down the corridor, going closer to Calvin. But when it reached the stairwell, it came to an abrupt halt.

    As if the person who came out was surprised by Calvin''s presence...

    However, after only a few seconds. The footsteps resumed once again.

    But the direction where it was heading for was theplete opposite of where Calvin was going.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    ''Dang, why can''t I remember that something like this happened back then?''

    ''Wait... Now that I think about it. I can remember the fact that I passed this test of courage, but why can''t I remember the details?''

    Calvin clicked his tongue out of frustration. He really hated any situation that wasn''t under his control.

    As of now, he had no idea about what would happen to him in this test of courage.

    But was he afraid of what was about to happen?

    Of course, not!

    Calvin went through a lot in the past.

    A measly test of courage couldn''t possibly hold him down!

    Calvin took a step forward.

    He silently counted the steps that he took as he went up and when he reached thending before the third floor.

    He noticed that something was off.

    ''What was that sound?''

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He took a step forwards to test what was going on, and as soon as he did. His ears picked up the sound of slick footstepsing directly from behind him!

    ''Howe that I can still hear the footsteps of that kid behind me? Didn''t he go in the opposite direction? If he did that, then I shouldn''t be able to hear his footsteps here! That is unless... he is following me!''

    Calvin pictured an image in his mind. He was walking blindfolded while a child who looked to be around nine to ten-years-old silently followed him from behind with a silly smile on his lips.

    ''The driver told me earlier that a passenger of his died here, but since the person following behind me is definitely that kid earlier, then it is impossible for this kid to be that person that the taxi driver brought here. After all, how could a mere kid have the courage to enter a taxi by himself...''

    ''Fucking hell... I''m still in the second floor, there''s still a long way before I can reach the rooftop, yet I''ve already run into trouble. Should I speed run my way up to the top? No, that is too dangerous...'' Calvin shook his head and discarded the ridiculous idea that popped up in his mind.

    Steeling his resolve, he took another step forward and as soon as he did.

    The kid behind him spoke.

    "Hey, mister..."

    "Why do you look like me?"

    Calvin''s movements came to a sudden halt as he stood there, frozen.

    He was thoroughly shocked for he finally realized why the voice of the kid sounded so familiar to him!

    It was because he was the kid!

    The kid was Calvin and Calvin was the kid!

 Chapter 9: Speed Run Any Percent

    Chapter 9: Speed Run Any Percent

    Gulp!

    Calvin gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    He had the urge to turn around and open his eyes out of curiosity, but he didn''t dare to do so!

    He wasn''t a fighter and if his gaze really did meet the demon masquerading as him. His life would end right there and then!

    Calvin suppressed the fear of the unknown bubbling in his heart as he turned around and squatted.

    He stretched his hand out and touched the kid''s cheek.

    It was cold.

    Ice-cold.

    Calvin felt another shiver down his spine, yet his lips gave a sweet smile.

    "Young man, you are probably just confused out of anger..."

    "We don''t look simr at all."

    "Look at me, I''m already this old, yet you are still so young!"

    "How about you go back to your parents right now and apologize?"

    Calvin proposed an idea. He wanted this demon to stop following him, so he had to divert this demon''s attention away.

    "No..."

    The kid spoke in that incredibly familiar voice once again.

    "I can''t go back..."

    "If I go back, momma will beat my ass."

    "Pffft!"

    Calvin almost busted a gut.

    Even the crude wordings were simr to him back then when he was still a child!

    His memories of his childhood were vague, but he could clearly remember that he was a rebellious child.

    He thought that it was cool to talk in ngs, so he proceeded to practice using such crude wordings.

    But when he reached middle-school, he abandoned that habit for he realized that it made him look an attention-seeker.

    As a young man who wanted to be popr with girls back then, he wanted to give off the vibe that he was a cool and indifferent young man. Unfortunately, his habit of talking in ngs already gave a lot of damage to his reputation, and even after he abandoned that habit, he remained unpopr until he graduated high school.

    "Don''t worry... I can feel that your mother loves you so much, she won''t beat you up. Just go back there andfort her, else if you go home toote, she''ll probably be too angry to listen to you!"

    "Do you want that to happen?" Calvin repeatedly ruffled the cold, damp, and sticky hair of the kid. He maintained the kind smile on his face, but he didn''t dare to imagine what the kid looked like.

    From what his fingers could feel, this kid must''ve died from drowning and his body must''ve been submerged for a long time in the water!

    "Mhmm... Okay... I''ll go back... I don''t want momma to beat my ass again." The kid seemed to have realized the gravity of the situation. Slick footsteps rang out once again, but this time. Those footsteps were going in the opposite direction.

    Calvin heaved a sigh of relief.

    He continued his journey and finally reached the fifth floor.

    However, as soon as he stepped his foot onto thending.

    A hand suddenly pulled him backwards.

    Calvin almost fell down the stairs, but his swift reflexes rescued him in time.

    He held the railings and stabilized himself, but his pupils constricted when he found out that the hand that yanked him backwards seemed to havee from the kid earlier in the third floor!

    "You... You didn''t go home?" Calvin turned around and said as if he was scolding the child.

    The child didn''t reply.

    Calvin held his breath and heightened his already sharp senses to detect if there was any iing enemy. When he discovered that the surroundings were incredibly quiet and devoid of any noise or movement. He heaved a sigh of relief and turned to look at the kid once again.

    "I understand... Even if you know that your mother loves you a lot that she won''t probably beat your ass as long as you sincerely apologized. You''re still quite scared, right? I know that..."

    "I know that feeling."

    "Actually, my childhood isn''t all rainbows and flowers either."

    "When I was a child, my father and mother always fought due to some issues. I always envied the other children for they had such a happy family, yet my family is really cold and unforgiving to me..."

    Furthermore, the outside world is too dangerous, scary demons are out there to kidnap me so I can''t go out..."

    "But I didn''t want to stay inside either since all that I would hear is their argument. Even if the three of us asionally got together that peace wouldn''tst for too long since our gathering would always end up in another argument. In fact, I would sometimes be implicated in their argument!"

    "Whenever they throw things around the house, I would get hit. My father who is a drunkard would always loudlyin that I am a worthless son and he would beat me up every time he sees me. Their constant fights made me live my life carefully, and whenever they are arguing in the house, I would hide under my bed, not even daring to breathe..."

    "Even though I am much older right now, I would never forget that experience. Others areining that living is too painful for them, but for me? I was molded by pain. I learned to coexist with pain after that harrowing experience."

    "But do I hate my parents for what they have done to me?"

    "Of course, not!"

    "If not for my parents I won''t be born in this world. Filial piety makes up the whole world, so even though my childhood was painful and I would never forgive them for what they have done to me when I was a child. I would never hate them!"

    "Even now, nor in the future."

    Calvin squatted down and ruffled the hair of the child, "That is why you have to be strong. Be strong! Endure everything! If you really can''t endure it anymore, then I am willing to be your friend. No child deserves to experience what you have experienced..."

    "Now, go back..."

    "Tightly hug your mother and tell her how much she means to you and she will definitely forgive you!"

    The child''s hold on Calvin''s shirt loosened making him heave a sigh of relief.

    The coldness behind him also disappeared, an indication that the child was truly gone.

    However, he created so muchmotion that Calvin could now feel the presence of a demon waiting for him on the fifth floor.

    He reckoned that as soon as he stepped a single foot into the fifth floor.

    He would immediately be attacked by that monster.

    ''Damn it, I wasted too much time with that child!'' Calvin inwardly cursed.

    But he knew that he must reach the top floor as much as possible.

    Why?

    It was because the story that he told the kid earlier was all bullshit!

    He really didn''t have such a sad childhood, but Calvin was quite talented in story-telling.

    It wasn''t that much of a problem for him to spew some bullshit and convince the child that both of them were kindred spirits.

    However, he knew that it was just a matter of time until the kid realized that Calvin lied to him.

    When that happened, Calvin would be attacked from both sides and he would undoubtedly die!

    ''Fucking hell... If I had an Aspect, I could''ve annihted these bastards! Sadly, I''m not a fighter yet and the physical martial arts that I know will definitely not work against these intangible monsters.''

    ''However...''

    ''I still have a trump card.''

    ''I need to reach the top floor as fast as possible from the fifth floor.''

    ''In other words, I must speed run this stairwell and reach the top as fast as I can...''

    ''I don''t have any weapons, nor I can fight these demons.''

    ''I only have my legs as my trump card.''

    Calvin''s mind madly spun.

    He pictured the stairwell in his brain and calcted the number of steps that he needed to take to reach the top.

    Once he was done, he took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

    ''Okay... My body should be used by the height of the steps by now. Even if I can''t see anything, my senses are heightened due to the absence of my sense of sight. In other words, it shouldn''t be a problem for me to dodge the attacks of these demons so long as I am moving fast, and careful at the same time...''

    ''Okay...''

    ''I''ll go ahead and use my trump card.''

    Calvin slightly bent his knee in preparation for the speed run.

    Taking a deep breath, he inwardly screamed.

    ''I''ll use these legs of mine...''

    ''To get the fuck away from here!''

    A loud stomping sound ensued and Calvin shot upwards like an arrow.

 Chapter 10: Astringent Taste

    Chapter 10: Astringent Taste

    Fifth Floor!

    Calvin shot up like a rocket, as soon as he stepped onto the fifth floor. A menacing aura swept aimed for his neck. He quickly buckled his knees to dodge the iing attack and after evading. He used thetent force of his bent knees to propel himself forward for the nextnding.

    Sixth Floor!

    "You shall not pass!"

    "Who are you? Are you a resident here?"

    "Show me your keycard!"

    Several haunting voices that seemed to border between being female and male rang beside Calvin''s ears as soon as his footnded on the sixth floor. The coldness thickened, as well as his courage. An arm held him in ce, but his hand moved andnded a p on the manifested arm of the demon.

    A smack rang out and the demon flew backward. It became intangible again like a wisp. But before it could even approach Calvin, it suddenly came to a halt. It realized that Calvin was now standing in the staircase leading to the Seventh Floor. The demon hesitated, and in the end, it didn''t follow Calvin.

    It was as if it was afraid of something on the tenth floor.

    Seventh Floor!

    "Hey, young man..."

    "Would you like to have some fun with sis, here?"

    A coquettish voice pierced through Calvin''s heart.

    But Calvin was no soy boy. Back then, he had a phase of debauchery and he yed a lot with girls. These coquettish voices had no effect in his heart as he ran like a madman through the corridor while narrowly avoiding the attacks of the angry subus demon that he ignored.

    He was squeezing out every ounce of potential that he had at this moment.

    His speed greatly increased, and before he knew it. He finally stepped into the tenth floor.

    Tenth Floor!

    When Calvin ced his foot on thending of the Tenth Floor, he felt something under his feet.

    It was wet.

    But the slick sounding from it didn''t make it seem as if it came from water.

    ''Why is there water here? A broken pipe? Wait, why did everything suddenly go silent?''

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He remained standing in thending between the ninth floor and the tenth floor. He didn''t dare to go to the corridor yet, because as far as he could remember...

    The tenth floor was where he pissed and shat himself back then.

    As for the reason why, he had such a violent reaction...

    For some reason, Calvin couldn''t remember.

    ''It should be Fivecent''s counter-measure against information leaks in the possibility that the contracted was able to pass this test of courage, yet fail at the final phase.'' Calvin inwardly nodded. He had no idea what would happen to the people that failed the test.

    All he knew was that he never saw them once more.

    ''I can''t fail here... I managed to return to the past and finally have the chance to turn everything into my favor before the invasion of those bastards. How can I fail at the first step?'' Calvin gnashed his teeth.

    He kneeled and touched the puddle with his finger.

    He ced that finger near his nose, yet he couldn''t smell anything.

    Frowning, he opened his mouth and licked his finger.

    ''Yeah, it''s water... But what is this strange astringent taste? I don''t think this vores from rust...''

    When that thought crossed his mind, he felt a water dropletnding on his cheek.

    Right as he reached out to touch whatever it was thatnded on his cheek.

    He froze, for he felt a shiver down his spine. The chill that caused the shiver ran through his entire body up until his ankles. He felt as if a snake had slithered its way inside his clothes.

    ''What the fuck?!''

    Calvin inwardly cursed.

    The air turned damp, and the moisture it brought, stuck to his skin bringing with it an astringent aroma that assaulted his nose. When Calvin started pondering about these changes, a woman''s voice suddenly floated over to him from above.

    "I''m drowning..." The voice was clear, yet filled with fear.

    It didn''t seem toe from someone who was currently drowning.

    ''Sautee my scallops, is this the reason why I shat and pissed myself back then?''

    Calvin immediately froze, but his mind madly spun.

    The air around him was filled with water vapors, yet each and every vapor seemed to have a strange astringent smell on them. ''She said that she''s drowning...'' ''Could it be that he died from drowning?'' ''Or was she killed beforehand and ced into a body of water?'' ''But a body of water in Rhea Apartments that could drown a person...''

    ''A bathtub?''

    ''Did she drown in her bathtub?''

    ''No, that''s unlikely...''

    ''How could someone possibly drown in their own bathtub?''

    "I''m drowning... I''m drowning..."

    The voice disappeared from above and it now echoed behind Calvin.

    Calvin gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    He could feel someone standing behind him.

    He took a step forward and the person behind him also took a step forward.

    The cold breeze that seemed to be rotating in the corridor didn''t dissipate.

    Instead, with every step that Calvin took through the corridor.

    The coldness seemed to grow colder and colder.

    Calvin didn''t do anything.

    He had no idea what kind of a demon was following behind him for he couldn''t see the demon. All he knew was this demon caused him to shit and piss his pants back then.

    In other words, this demon must be traumatizingly powerful.

    Calvin continued on walking, but when he was about to ce his foot on the stairwell leading to the Eleventh Floor.

    His movements came to a sudden halt.

    He felt an immense sense of danger from behind him and he was sure that as soon as he took that step.

    His head would roll from his shoulders.

    But Calvin didn''t panic.

    As soon as he realized that there was no way for him to scale the next floors without dealing against this monster.

    He gave a deep sigh and leaned on the walls beside the stairwell.

    "Miss, you must be in pain..."

    "I know the feeling of drowning. Back then, when I was still a child. I was an adventurous and rebellious one. Whenever we went to the beach I wouldn''t stay with my peers near the shallow waters. Instead, I would bravely go deeper. Of course, with the supervision of adults, I wouldn''t be in danger and I grew even bolder..."

    "However, when that fateful day came. I realized that I really was powerless against the power of nature." Calvin heaved another sigh and squatted down. Since he was blindfolded, he couldn''t see anything so he used his hands to feel the cold steps leading to the eleventh floor.

    Then, instead of taking a step forward.

    He sat on the steps and asked, "Can you sit beside me for a chat?"

    "You must be quite lonely seeing that this ce is so deserted. You must be in pain, since until now."

    "You are still drowning..."

    "If you don''t mind, I will listen to your troubles and I am also willing to help you as much as I can..."

    After a few seconds, Calvin could feel that something sat beside him.

    His arm brushed against something lukewarm.

    The drowning woman who was following him sat down next to him on the step.

    "Thank you for staying with me. I''m not really quite good at socializing with others, but if you mind..."

    "Can you tell me your story?"

    Calvin''s tone waspletely sincere that it could bring battle-hardened men into tears.

    "I''m floating... I raise my head but I find no surface. I turn around but I find nond. I''m drowning..."

    "Where are you? Where can I find you?" Calvin quickly struck while the iron was hot.

    "I''m at the Top Floor''s water tank... My arms and legs are folded together, wrapped around a rope that keeps me from moving around. I can''t go to the surface for there is no surface. I can''t swim back tond, for there is nond. I''m stuck, I''m cold, and I''m drowning..."

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    ''The water tank?!''

    ''Then, that astringent taste earlier was...?''

    Calvin had the urge to puke right there and now.

 Chapter 11: The Top Floor!

    Chapter 11: The Top Floor!

    Calvin''s face paled, but he swiftly suppressed the urge to vomit.

    Assuming a facade, he asked, "Who did such a horrible thing to you?"

    "Is that person even human?"

    The woman went silent for a second, "He has already moved away from this ce. It''s been so long since I saw him."

    "I see..." Calvin asked, "Then, what do you want me to do? I will do my best to help you with whatever request you have."

    "My request?" The woman paused for a moment, clearly confused, "Nothing... It''s cold... I''m drowning..."

    Her voice suddenly became erratic at the end of her sentence.

    Calvin deeply sighed.

    He understood what the woman was trying to say.

    "All right, I will inform the authorities to open the water tank on the top floor of Rhea Apartments. You can finally feel the warmth that is robbed from you by that horrible person who sealed you up there."

    The woman didn''t answer.

    Calvin waited for a few seconds before he stood up, "Now, I must reallye back alive after all of these." He nced at the woman as if he could see her through the blindfolds as he said, "Don''t worry about me. I''ll definitelye back. I promise that to you. After I am done with what I need to do on the top floor. I''ll be back."

    No words were exchanged.

    Calvin couldn''t feel the woman''s presence anymore.

    The turbid air vanished as if it never existed in the first ce, and the breeze that could bring shivers down anyone''s spine also disappeared along with it.

    Calvin took a deep breath and stepped on the stairwell.

    Eleventh Floor!

    Calvin sped through the dark corridor of the eleventh floor.

    Twelfth Floor!

    Suspiciously, there was also nothing on the twelfth floor.

    But Calvin didn''t dare to dy anymore.

    He ran through the corridor like a madman and when he stepped into thending for the thirteenth floor.

    A change urred and Calvin himself standing in an unknown ce.

    Of course, he still hasn''t opened his eyes.

    But he knew that he was not in Rhea Apartments anymore for the air around him was lukewarm and refreshing.

    Completely the opposite of the turbid air surrounding Rhea Apartments.

    ''What the fuck is going on? Why do I not remember encountering something like this back then?''

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He reached out for the nearest wall and his pupils constricted for he could feel the texture of wood instead of concrete.

    ''I''m in a different ce?'' Calvin had an idea about what was going on. He must be inside an illusion.

    If he opened his eyes and examined the illusion, he could easily find its weakness and shatter it.

    However, he didn''t dare to open his eyes.

    The letter warned the participants to never open their eyes no matter what happened.

    Calvin was intent on following that rule until he reached the top floor.

    ''Dang it... How am I going to get out of this ce?''

    Calvin''s nose twitched.

    He could smell the aroma of a tasty dish.

    Furthermore, there was also the sound of something being stir-fried.

    The smell of the meat and rice formed a harmony with the oil while it was being fried in the wok.

    ''F-Fried rice? That''s my favorite dish!''

    Calvin eximed.

    "How was your first day at school? Did you get bullied? Let me tell you this. When you are facing a bully, you must never cower! Fight back! Make them realize that you are not someone to be trifled with!"

    "Hey, dear... Calm down, calm down... Our boy is so young, how could you let him fight against bullies? Just have him report them to the teacher and they will be taught a valuable lesson for sure!"

    "Dear, why are you so gentle with this brat? A man must be strong at all times! If we raise him as you said, then he''ll be a cowardly man!"

    "Brother! You finally came back from school? How is it? Fun, right? Wait for there, all right? Momma is teaching me how to cook your favorite fried-rice!"

    "Why do you have your eyes closed? Is that some kind of a y?"

    "Don''t disturb him, let him y for how long he wants. I''m sure he''s tired from school."

    Words drifted into Calvin''s ears.

    He instantly saw through the identity of the people who were speaking.

    They were his mother, father, and sister.

    Memories shed across his mind.

    Years ago, there was a time when their family lived in harmony.

    Calvin was a kind-hearted average schoolboy back then, but ever since he discovered video games.

    Everything went into ruins.

    Even Calvin himself knew that he was indeed a video game addict.

    But could anyone really me him?

    Whenever his mother and father were arguing, video gamesforted him.

    Whenever his sister criticized him for having low grades, video gamesforted him.

    Whenever he was mocked and bullied by his fellow school mates, video gamesforted him.

    In a way, video games became Calvin''s emotional support.

    But he still wasn''t ming his family.

    If only he was more obedient back then, things wouldn''t have gotten to this.

    Calvin turned to face the source of the voices.

    His hands grabbed his blindfold, and then he proceeded to remove it with a yank.

    However, his eyes were still closed.

    "I really wish to open my eyes and indulge myself in this dream, but I know that once I do so. That will be the end of me..."

    "I''m sorry, father, mother, and Emily... But I have a job to do..."

    "I have a job that''s far important than my self-indulgence."

    Calvin kneeled on the ground and kowtowed towards the direction of the source of the voice.

    He kowtowed three times, and once he stood up...

    The voices vanished.

    Everything returned to normal.

    He still didn''t dare to open his eyes but Calvin understood that he had effectively seeded in this test of courage.

    Lifting a bitter smile, Calvin walked through the dark corridor.

    He looked somewhat different from usual as he silently counted the number of steps that he took.

    He was now on the thirteenth floor, yet he still wasn''t on the top floor.

    In other words, a fourteenth floor existed.

    And that should be the top floor.

    One...

    Two...

    Three...

    Calvin counted his steps like this starting from when he first ced his foot on the staircase leading to the fourteenth floor.

    When he reached the end of the steps, he inexplicably bumped on something solid.

    It was unexpectedly a door.

    Reaching out to the doorknob, he turned it and opened the doors with his eyes still closed.

    As soon as he went past the doors, a familiar voice told him.

    "Open your eyes and congrattions..."

    "You are the first one to pass this small test."

    Calvin opened his eyes and Ria was standing there, staring at him with a smile on her face.

    "You did well..."

    Ria''s smile deepened, "Wee to Las Felipinas."

    Calvin swept his gaze around him as he took a deep breath and savored the earthy and disgusting air of Las Felipinas.

    A smile appeared on his lips as he inwardly eximed.

    "Finally, I''m back!"

    "Las Felipinas!"

 Chapter 12: Final Phase, Start!

    Chapter 12: Final Phase, Start!

    "What are you doing standing there? Come here and take a seat already..."

    Ria chuckled upon seeing Calvin''s strange antics.

    Calvin absentmindedly stared at her. This was supposed to be his first time in Las Felipinas. As an average young man of Earth, he must act appropriately ording to what everyone expects of him as an Earthling.

    "What?"

    "How did Ie here?"

    "Shouldn''t I be at the top floor of Rhea Apartments?"

    "Ah!"

    Ria covered her mouth and said, "You must be confused. All right, let me exin."

    "You are now in Las Felipinas. A world connected to Earth for some reason."

    "For some reason?" Calvin frowned at such a vague exnation.

    Ria shrugged, "If I knew the reason, I would''ve told you already. The reasons behind why Las Felipinas is attached to Earth is still being researched. It has been a decade since we found out about the existence of Las Felipinas, yet we still haven''t explored the entirety of it..."

    "All we know is that there are humans in Las Felipinas, as well as members of other races such as Elves, Half-elves, Dragonkin..."

    "Wait, does that mean that this ce is like a game?"

    Before Ria could finish her sentence, Calvin eximed in shock.

    Ria was obviously unclear about video games, but when she saw that Calvin seemed to be confident with what he was talking about. She nodded her head and said, "Yeah, it may be simr to games."

    "What do you mean maybe? You''re not very clear about it too?" Calvin furrowed his eyebrows. He knew a lot about Las Felipinas, probably even more than Ria. But when he remembered his previous rtionship with Ria, he couldn''t help but tease her.

    However...

    "What do you mean I''m not very clear? Are you trying to insult me? Hmmph, don''t get too excited yet! I''m just trying to exin some things to you beforehand since you''re the very first person to arrive at Las Felipinas. But since it looks like you don''t need my exnation, then forget it! Let''s just talk once you''ve survived through the final phase."

    Ria coldly harrumphed.

    She then turned around and didn''t bother with Calvin any more.

    When Ria was gone, Calvin finally had the time to properly observe his surroundings.

    From what he could see, he seemed to be inside a school gym.

    There were markers on the floor indicative of a basketball court.

    There were seats surrounding the wide space in the center.

    Calvin lightly smiled, ''I''m finally here... The final phase... I can see that nothing has changed...''

    He was a bit excited upon seeing that there were no discrepancies of what he was seeing right nowpared to his memory of this ce from the past. The only difference perhaps was his cement. Back then, he was the second to thest person who arrived at Las Felipinas, but now...

    He was the first.

    ''I expect this event to continue until daylight... Dang, why did Ie here so fast? Now I have to kill time!'' Calvin found a random seat and he immediately felt bored. ''If only I had a pen and paper here, I could''ve revised some of my ns before we enter the final phase.''

    ''Sadly, beggars can''t be choosers. It seems that I just have to do all of these ns in my mind while I wait...''

    ''Well, it''s also a good mind exercise though.''

    Calvin sighed.

    He closed his eyes, but he didn''t know whether it was the effects of the adrenaline coursing through his veins wearing off or he was just tired, but as soon as he closed his eyes. He fell asleep in a blink of an eye.

    When he woke up, he was stunned to see the gym filled with dozens of people.

    ''Damn, I fell asleep.'' Calvin bitterly smiled.

    He wanted to revise some of his ns, but it was unfortunate that he fell asleep.

    Now, seeing that most of the newbies had already gathered.

    Calvin could only shake his head.

    ''There''s no time left...''

    ''I''ll just revise and review those ns as I go...''

    Calvin stood up and walked towards where most of the newbies were gathered.

    Ria found him and she approached him with a frown, "Did you seriously just fall asleep?"

    Calvin paid her a nce, "Yeah... I was just thinking of something, but I identally fell asleep. Damn, if I only had some pen and paper, then this would be easier."

    "Pen and paper?" Ria frowned, "The rules say that custodians like us cannot give any tangible benefits to the contracted participants... Unfortunately, but I cannot honor that request."

    Calvin smiled at her, "Come on, really? Do you think that a simple pen and paper is enough to be considered as tangible benefits? For it to be a benefit, it must give me an unfair advantage in the uing final phase. But I don''t think that a pen and paper that I will use to jot down my thoughts would give me something like that..."

    Ria pondered, "That makes sense... All right, I''ll give it to you... If you manage to pass the final phase, then you won''t need to worry about getting more paper and pen." Although puzzled as to why Calvin needed a pen and paper to organize his thoughts...

    Ria recognized that people were different from one another, one''s method of organizing their own thoughts may not work for the others.

    She handed over the items to Calvin and Calvin happily received it.

    He then found a seat and started revising some of his ns.

    Another batch of newbies came in droves and some of them sat beside Calvin for the other seats were upied.

    Calvin raised his head and found a young woman sitting beside him.

    Their eyes met.

    Her wless skin an indicative of her young age as Calvin predicted that she should be at about the same age as him.

    However, there was a look of indifference on her face.

    Simr to Ria''s face when he first met her back at Waga Lake Park.

    Calvin was never a person who judged a book by its cover. Although he could see that the youngdy had this air of uncaring disinterest on her face. He would never think that she was an ice-block. After all, no matter what. As long as the person was still human then it was impossible for them to abandon the seven emotions and six desires.

    Calvin predicted that it would still take about an hour before Fivecent could prepare the final phase.

    Since he was done revising some of his ns and confirming the route that he would take upon arriving at the site where the final phase would be held, he didn''t mind spending some time talking with his fellow newbies.

    "He-"

    "Hello there... Since it looks like we are going to be together for quite a long time. How about we introduce ourselves?"

    Before he could even say a sentence, a voice already interrupted him.

    His loud and manly voice attracted the attention of everyone in front of him. A light smile spread on his lips as he parted his blonde-hair that hid his sapphire-like eyes. Satisfaction was painted on his face, he seemed to enjoy being at the center of attention.

    However...

    "Huh? What is this guy doing?"

    "Introduce ourselves, he said!"

    "Hah, what a dumbass... Does he really think that we have the time to be chummy and friendly?"

    Instead of a lukewarm reception, he was shut down by his peers instead.

    The blonde-haired man froze right there.

    Calvin didn''t pay him any attention for the start of the final phase was getting close.

    Half an hourter, Ria and the other custodians called for the attention of the newbies and made them stand in front of a white door.

    "The final phase is about to start..."

    "I won''t say anything much, but I will give everyone a mandatory crucial hint."

    "You must never fight!"

    "Remember that all of you in here aren''t fighters yet!"

    "Remember that all of you are still average people. No matter what you find beyond the white door. Never, ever fight!"

    "Your primary mission for this final phase is to escape!"

    "You can do whatever you want as long as you can escape and do not ever try to fight against anything beyond that white door. Believe me but you are not a match for them!"

    "Escape and survive! This final phase will test your survivability skills! Now, go forth! Test your limits and be sessful! I await you all at the end of this challenge!"

    The custodian who was obviously a verbose man made a dramatic pose as if he was sending over heroes into a battlefield. If he had a handkerchief in his hands, he would''ve probably faked some crying.

    The newbies were quite annoyed by that particr custodian, but Calvin didn''t pay him any heed.

    He made a sidelong nce at Ria before he walked forwards, moving along with the other newbies as all of them entered the world beyond the white doors!

    As soon as Calvin stepped beyond the white doors, he found himself standing in front of the huge gates of a mansion.

    "Wha... What is that...?"

    The air was thick with danger and the night made everything scarier.

    One could even hear the murmurs of the unknown.

    The breeze was cold, and its vapors filled with moisture.

    Some of the girls shivered in fear and cried out when they saw the massive mansion standing beyond the huge gates.

    The eye-catching que hanging next to the huge gates of the mansion said...

    ''Mount Spirit Sword Asylum!''

    ''As I expected, nothing has really changed! I''m back again in this terrible ce... I''m back in this godforsaken asylum!''

    Calvin inwardly screamed in excitement.

 Chapter 13: Mount Spirit Sword Asylum

    Chapter 13: Mount Spirit Sword Asylum

    Mount Spirit Sword Asylum...

    Calvin served as a custodian like Ria''s job back then, so he knew a lot about Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    Mountain Spirit Sword was based on a real mountain located in the Sawatch Range of Colorado in the U.S. As for the asylum mansion itself, it was molded after the Richardson Olmsted Complex which was also a real asylum located in Buffalo, New York.

    ''Really... Fivecent always has this habit of making real-life Earth references.'' Calvin inwardly mused.

    "W-What is that...?"

    "Are we going to go there and escape from that ce at the same time?"

    "No! I won''t do it! The ce seriously gives me the creeps!"

    The newbies started whispering towards one another with some even screaming that they wouldn''t enter Mount Spirit Sword Asylum even if their lives were threatened.

    "Are you sure that you guys are not going in? Remember that if you back-out from the final phase, then you will owe Fivecent a great deal of money! That is what''s written in the contract!" A man spoke up, it was the blonde-haired attention-seeker earlier.

    Calvin swept his gaze across the eleven newbies and he discovered the indifferent youngdy earlier. As always, she still didn''t have anyone around her. The cold look on her face seemed to have be an invisible force field which made everyone steer away from her subconsciously.

    Calvin was intrigued.

    He approached her with a smile, "Hey, that blonde-haired young man there is telling us to introduce ourselves."

    The youngdy raised an eyebrow, "Blonde-haired young man? Aren''t you a young man yourself too?"

    Calvin was speechless.

    He got carried away and forgot that he was back to his young self.

    To think that he would make such a blunder!

    Calvin scolded himself.

    "Well, you''re right. But how about it? Will you introduce yourself? I mean, we are all going to be a team once we get inside the mansion and I hope that we can work together to survive and pass this final phase." Calvin revealed a smile.

    He nned on saving humanity from its impending doom.

    Calvin wasn''t so arrogant to think that he could save the entire world by himself.

    Of course, he needed allies!

    He neededrades that he could trust his back to.

    And even if they won''t be his allies, since they were fellow humans. They would still surely help humanity fight against the uing invaders. If he could save valuable talents like them from dying so early without even having the opportunity to exert their potential. Calvin was willing to save them.

    Mount Spirit Sword Asylum was a dangerous ce.

    Even though he had already prepared a rtively safe route that he could use.

    The spawn locations of those madmen were unknown. Calvin reckoned that he could only rely on his past experience and rich experience in battles to guide these newbies to safety.

    Even though it was difficult, at least it wasn''t impossible.

    So long as these newbies were willing to listen to him, he would do his best to guide them all.

    "Okay, now that we have everyone gathered here, let''s introduce ourselves!"

    The blonde-haired young man from earlier spoke, "I''ll go first. My name is Ray, and I''m a University Student and a member of the going straight to home club!" Ray had this amused smile on his face when hepleted his sentence, but when he realized that everyone remained indifferent, he frowned...

    "That''s strange, wasn''t that a good joke? Why is no oneughing?"

    Calvin inwardly cringed, ''Dang, so the reason why he''s trying to seek attention is to unt his chuuni?''

    The other newbies revealed bitter smiles on their faces as if they were in pain.

    It was obvious from their expression alone that they didn''t find Ray''s joke as funny.

    Ray awkwardly scratched his head and stepped backwards.

    Next, everyone turned their attention to Calvin.

    "Uh, hello... My name is Calvin, I y video games as a habit. I hope we can work together!"

    Calvin rubbed his nose, he didn''t know why but he felt somewhat embarrassed introducing himself.

    It reminded him of his embarrassment every time he introduced himself to his ssmates on the first day of school.

    "I''m Medea."

    The youngdy stepped forward and said a single sentence before stepping back once again.

    "That''s it?"

    One of the newbies uttered in disbelief.

    Medea didn''t reply.

    She maintained her stone-faced expression and seemed to have no intention to reply.

    "What is wrong with this girl?"

    A middle-ageddy frowned upon seeing Medea''s indifference.

    Her displeasure was clear for everyone to see, but none of them spoke up.

    "My name''s Rose, I''m an ountant."

    She then stepped back and returned to her original position.

    The other newbies introduced themselves.

    "You can call me, Roy..."

    "My name is Jate. My line of work is a... secret." Another woman whose presence was negligible stepped forward and introduced herself.

    "I''m Philip..."

    "Hugo here, nice to meet you..."

    "I''m Nichs, no Cage at the end though..."

    The men finished their introductions, while the remaining threedies seemed to have some hesitation. But due to peer pressure, they soon caved in as one of them stepped forward and introduced herself.

    "I''m Scarlette. She''s Jane, and she''s Zahra... We''re the best of friends."

    Jane and Zahra were pleased as they revealed smiles on their faces.

    The other newbies quickly became lukewarm to them. Probably because they seemed to be the final bastion of light amidst the darkness and eeriness of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    When the introductions were over, they finally entered the gates of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    [You''ve entered Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.]

    [Great danger is everywhere in this damned ce.]

    [Please exercise caution!]

    Calvin saw three system notifications floating in front of him.

    The other newbies were somewhat astonished by the system notifications but after a simple exnation from the blonde-haired Ray.

    They soon understood what the transparent windows were about and they gradually calmed down.

    Of course, their calm didn''tst for so long.

    As soon as they made a single step forward beyond the gates of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    The gates behind them abruptly closed!

    "Ah!"

    The girls, except Medea and Rose, simultaneously cried out.

    Ray swiftly turned around astonishing Calvin who realized that Ray was in a fighting stance.

    ''Oh, so this guy knows how to fight?''

    Calvin was amused.

    ''But it''s useless...''

    ''Fighting against the monsters in this ce is basically the same as courting death...''

    ''No matter how powerful you are, the most that you can do while you''re in this godforsaken ce is to run!''

    Calvin''s face turned serious.

    Mount Spirit Sword Asylum was indeed incredibly dangerous but hidden behind these dangers were treasures waiting to be found.

    Back then, when Fivecent suddenly copsed.

    It was revealed that Mount Spirit Sword Asylum was a treasure trove.

    When the Predators around the world of Las Felipinas realized that the rumors were true.

    They rushed at Mount Spirit Sword Asylum to im the treasures for themselves.

    Of course, a ughter ensued and, in the end, none of the greedy men imed anything.

    All of them died within the depths of this ck hole known as Mount Spirit Sword Asylum!

    Calvin felt his heart pound harder against his chest.

    The more dangerous it was, the more he felt that his effort would be worth it.

    He wasn''t even nning on iming the most guarded treasure of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    The only treasure that he wanted from this Asylum was a notebook that everyone deemed useless but incredibly useful to him!

    The Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life!

    Calvin''s eyes shed with determination.

    Soon, his group approached the front doors of this asylum mansion.

    Courage and bravery could be seen on the faces of hisrades.

    Little did they knew that this little courage of theirs would swiftly be snuffed out as soon as they step their feet into the mansion itself.

    ''I''m nning on helping them in critical situations, but before that happens. I should be able to use this ce as a grindstone to squeeze out their potential. Is there even a better way of squeezing one''s potential apart from a near-death experience?''

    ''To learn what is necessary to live, one must first face death...''

    ''Without facing death, these newbies will definitely undermine the value of their life. Especially, once they get their Aspects after they passed this final phase. Fivecent does not want any naive contracted individuals. That is the reason why they devised such a cruel and cold two-phase test...''

    Calvin lightly shook his head as he emerged from the depths of his thoughts.

    It was because, in front of him, one of the newbies was actually trying to kick the doors of the mansion!

    "Stop!"

    "Don''t kick the doors! What the fuck are you doing?"

    "Do you want to die that much?!"

    Calvin hurriedly cried out.

    He really was angry this time.

    The reason why he didn''t say anything while they were approaching the front doors of the mansion was that he thought that these newbies would only try and twist the doorknob to see if the doors were locked.

    Little did he knew that these noobs would actually try to kick the door open when they discovered that it was locked!

    If they did that, then they would immediately awaken those monsters inside the mansion!

    That was tantamount to instantly killing everyone here!

    How could they be this stupid and dense?!

 Chapter 14: Just a Bluff?

    Chapter 14: Just a Bluff?

    The newbie who was about to kick the doors was Philip.

    Philip was the tallest of the man in the group and he had the intention of sticking out like a glorious peacock. Unfortunately, he didn''t expect to be scolded by Calvin. Calvin''s appearance waspletely in, ck-hair, brown eyes, and an unremarkable height. He couldn''tpare to Philip.

    The intervention of such a puny man angered Philip.

    "What the fuck is wrong with you? We''re still not inside the Asylum. Why are you so antsy already? We just want to test if the front doors are locked."

    Calvin red at him and pointed at one of the windows on the second floor of the mansion.

    "Look! They already know that we are here."

    "Ah!"

    "Oh no..."

    "What the..."

    The newbies gasped for when they followed Calvin''s finger, they saw that he was pointing at an opened window.

    Visible behind the window was the silhouette of a man with red ring eyes staring at their direction!

    But when the man noticed that the newbies were staring at him. He seemed to have felt embarrassed for he staggered backward, hurriedly closed the windows, and ran away as fast as he could.

    "What..."

    "What was that?"

    "Seriously, this ce gives me the creeps."

    Rose, the middle-aged ountantdymented with an ashen face.

    "Thankfully we are still outside the mansion and they do not dare toe out..."

    "If not, then we would''ve already died here!"

    Calvin heaved a sigh of relief.

    Thankfully, these newbies did something stupid early in their journey.

    If one of them caused amotion while they were already in the mansion. That would spell everyone''s doom.

    Calvin''s eyes shed with the light of determination.

    He was now determined to teach these noobs everything that they need to survive!

    "From now on, I will takemand... Follow me if you want to live." Calvin dered.

    "What?"

    "What did you say?"

    "You are going to takemand? Who are you? What kind of a person are you? You may not be as young as us, but I don''t think that you are qualified to lead us all!" Philip immediately interrupted. He couldn''t let this man steal the limelight.

    "So, what? Who do you want to lead? You?" Calvin sneered, "Heh..."

    "If you became our leader, then I bet that we''ll die before even taking a glimpse at the exit!"

    "You bastard!"

    Philip leaped forwards with his clenched fists.

    Calvin''s eyes dangerously narrowed. He just wanted to help, yet why was he suffering this grievance?

    He prepared to dodge the attack by leaping backward, but before he could do so.

    A crisp sound rang out.

    Philip''s punch paused in mid-air.

    "You..."

    He raised his head and discovered that the person who blocked his punch was a middle-aged man built so wide that he looked simr to the Rock.

    A serious look could be seen on his face as he said, "Stop the fighting."

    "We will die here if we fight."

    "We have amon goal, why not we cooperate with each other?"

    Hugo swept his gaze at everyone.

    The light emanating from his eyes made these newbies feel shivers down their spines.

    "T-Thank you..." Calvin knew that the man''s name was Hugo. But this was the first time that he heard of him. Since the selection for teammates was done randomly. Calvin wasn''t so lucky that he would get the same teammates as he had back then at the previous timeline.

    However, since this was the first time that he heard of the name Hugo.

    It was obvious that this sturdy built man didn''t manage to pass through Fivecent''s final phase.

    ''What a waste... If a man like him managed to pass through the final phase back then... Humanity would''ve had an additional hero! Yet, he was defeated and his life got wasted in this godforsaken ce!'' Calvin shook his head and made a decision, no matter what, he would do his best to save Hugo.

    A logical, clear-headed, and powerful man such as Hugo would definitely benefit humanity in the long run.

    Philip was quite intimidated by Hugo''s look.

    However, he was still unresigned, "Okay, I won''t fight anymore! But I won''t tolerate it if that bastard bes our leader!"

    Hugo''s eyes narrowed.

    He nced at Calvin and found that Calvin seemed to be undisturbed.

    "Okay, we won''t have any leaders for now. But don''t cause amotion anymore. I can feel an extreme and terrifying danger from this ce. What''s more, from what we saw behind that opened window earlier. It seems like they already knew where we are." Hugo solemnly dered.

    "T-T-The custodians said earlier that we must try our best to go back alive... Since they said that we will pass as long as we can return. Uhmm... How about... How about we go back to the gate, open it and go down the mountain?"

    Jane, a youngdy who seemed to have been scared shitless from what was going on as well as that window scene earlier, expressed her opinion.

    Rose mockinglyughed, "Hahaha... All of you are just exaggerating. Fivecent recruited us because they needed our help, I don''t think that they would go so far as to actually kill us. If they do then that is the opposite of their goals..."

    "Since they need manpower, why would they deliberately reduce the number of people that can help them?"

    "Y-You''re right..." Jane replied in a stutter.

    The other newbies nodded their heads for what she said actually made sense.

    Only Calvin had a frown on his face.

    Rose noticed his doubts, "Why are you looking like that? Could it be that you are doubting me? What a joke! You are just scared shitless by the eeriness of this ce!"

    "Let me tell you this!"

    "I am quite certain that this ce is just a bluff simr to the staircase test earlier!"

    Rose''s sound argument quickly rallied the opinion of the newbies towards her.

    Calvin''s eyebrows were still furrowed.

    He felt conflicted.

    He wanted to save these newbies from death for he understood that they would end up benefiting humanity in the future.

    But at this moment, he could see that spoon-feeding these newbies would do them harm instead!

    Why?

    It was because they had no sense of danger at all!

    ''Can''t they feel the menacing auras of the madmen lurking within the confines of this asylum mansion?''

    Calvin lifted a bitter smile.

    It seemed that he overestimated these newbies.

    ''They won''t cry until they see their coffins.''

    Calvin shook his head and turned his attention to Hugo and Medea.

    Hugo spoke up for him earlier.

    Calvin could see that Hugo had immense physical strength.

    From his movements earlier that had no wasted moves. It was clear that he has some experience in battles.

    As for Medea, she hadn''t talked even once.

    But Calvin could feel that there was something special about her.

    In the end, he decided to pay her some extra attention when they finally entered the asylum.

    "It seems like no one has any objections..." Rose wore a triumphant smile on her face.

    She felt incredibly satisfied that everyone was now staring at her as if she was the leader of the team.

    "We should now continue our journey."

    "First, obviously... The front doors are locked." Rose pointed out a fact.

    "What? How did you know that the front doors are locked?" Philip furrowed his eyebrows.

    Rose made a sidelong nce at him, "It''s because if these doors were unlocked, the person who noticed us from above would''ve alreadye here to ughter us! Considering that we stayed here for far too long already, he should''ve already been here if these doors weren''t locked."

    "I see... I see... That actually makes sense..." Ray, the blonde-haired attention-seeker from earlier nodded his head as if he thoroughly understood what Rose was talking about.

    He then raised a crucial point, "In that case, how do we get into the mansion? If the front doors can''t be used, how do we get inside?"

    The newbies pondered.

    Of course, Calvin knew the answer.

    He was just quite amused to see Rose acting like she knew everything about the Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    Rose fell into deep contemtion, after a few seconds. She finally spoke up, "The entrance should not be far from here... I suggest we go and explore this ce. I think we will be able to find a hole where we can crawl into, so we can go and infiltrate this mansion."

    The newbies agreed to her proposal.

    Philip looked unconvinced, but since it was clear that everyone nned on following Rose. He had no other choice but to suppress his grievance as he walked along with the others.

    Soon, they found a hole in a nearby fence as well as a scaffolding that they could climb leading to an opened window.

    The group moved quickly for they were too afraid of the dangers possibly lurking within the darkness of the courtyard.

    "Hurry up! This room has some lights. It seems that electricity is avable here in this goddamned ce." Rose was the first one who arrived at the peak of the scaffolding. She climbed up the finaldder, and when she peeked her head out of the wall. She saw that the room inside was quite neat.

    The walls of the room were painted all white. A strange sight indeed.

    But the room actually had some furniture such as a table and several couches.

    It even had a television!

    Although only static was being disyed.

    "Wheeew... Finally, a break from the creepiness." One of the newbiesmented.

    "Don''t climb yet!"

    Rose suddenly eximed.

    The newbie below her stopped on his tracks.

    "What''s going on?" Nichs, a slender-framed man wearing a pair of sses subconsciously raised his head and nced upwards. As soon as he did all of these, he instantly understood why Rose didn''t want him to climb yet.

    It was because Rose was wearing a pleated mini skirt!

    "I-I''m sorry!" Nichs quickly apologized.

    Rose immediately realized why he was apologizing and she quickly became angry.

    "Get down! Get down!" She kicked him down thedder and Hugo had to catch him in mid-air.

    Scarlette, Jane, and Zahra furrowed their eyebrows.

    It wasn''t Nichs''s fault at all that he saw her panties.

    If she didn''t want to be seen, then she could''ve climbedst!

    Instead, she was in a hurry to save herself from what''s out here lurking within the darkness.

    They disapproved of Rose''s crude actions.

    Even Calvin had a frown on his face.

    He was about to warn Rose not to step inside the room first, but after seeing her kick Nichs down thedder like that.

    He formed a naughty idea in his mind.

    A smile lifted on his lips.

    "Hmmph, how shameless!" Rose scolded Nichs once more as she finally climbed up thedder.

    But as soon as she stepped inside the brightly-lit room...

    A cold breeze blew and the lights suddenly went out!

    "AHHH!!!"

    Rose''s scream followed suit!

 Chapter 15: Current Objectives: Survive

    Chapter 15: Current Objectives: Survive

    "What''s wrong?!"

    Ray cried out.

    He noticed that the lights of the room where she was in were abruptly extinguished.

    "Drag her down here before she falls by herself!"

    Calvin gestured towards Hugo.

    Hugo''s expression turned stern.

    He leaped upwards and like a fisherman reeling in his prey.

    He swiftly took Rose into his embrace and dragged her back down thedder.

    This took quite some time to describe, but it actually happened in just a blink of an eye.

    Rose''s face was as pale as a sheet of paper.

    When she felt Hugo''s, thick body sticking close to her own she struggled a lot which made Hugo frown.

    "Let go of me! Let go of me! What are you doing? Are you trying to take advantage of me?"

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    ''What an ungrateful woman! If Hugo didn''t secure her in time, she would''ve fallen backwards into the ground below.''

    Calvin inwardly criticized.

    But Hugo didn''t say anything.

    He gently ced Rose back onto the ground.

    "Damn it! What was that?" Rose irritatingly said.

    She had won the admiration of everyone, but because of that blunder. She felt as if she lost her face.

    Arranging her clothes that were now in a mess, she red at Hugo and said, "You go first! Since it seems like you''re quite brave and powerful. You should lead the way for us!"

    Hugo was speechless.

    Calvin was dumbstruck.

    Even he couldn''t tolerate the shameless attitude of this woman anymore as he spoke up, "You''re such a shameless woman... You took the liberty to lead us and even stood at the front, but now that you met with an ident, you are suddenly relegating your job to someone else? Have some dignity!"

    Rose went red from the sudden scolding.

    She gnashed her teeth and stared at Calvin with hatred.

    "If you are that brave, then fine! You go and lead the team!"

    "You took the words out of my mouth..." Calvin shook his head and didn''t bother about her anymore.

    He stepped forward and amidst the nervous eyes of the newbies. He scaled thedder andnded in the room.

    The cold breeze that blew from the outside world to the inside Calvin''s frail body shiver, yet the light in his eyes remained as cid and as determined as ever. It was because he knew that at the very start of the final phase, one wouldn''t encounter any enemies.

    It would be stupid for Fivecent to give the newbies no time to explore the area and just send some enemies down their way. It just didn''t make sense.

    As for what Rose said earlier regarding the final phase, she was wrong.

    Fivecent didn''t actually care that much for the lives of the newbies who didn''t manage to pass the final phase.

    In other words, for Fivecent, they were even worse than cannon fodders.

    At least, Fivecent would give some attention and basic care for their cannon fodders.

    But for them who were still taking the final phase of the trials?

    Fivecent could care less if they died.

    In fact, they wanted them to die.

    They wanted to prune the newbies and search for the true diamonds among the rocks.

    Sending the newbies to an incredibly dangerous ce did sound counterintuitive to Fivecent''s goal of having more subordinates or employees, but Fivecent had no use towards people who weren''t even qualified to be cannon fodders.

    Furthermore, resources exclusive to the world of Las Felipinas was too scarce that Fivecent couldn''t possibly afford any freeloaders.

    In other words, the two trials weren''t just a test of one''s bravery and courage. But also, a test for all sorts of traits that one would find incredibly valuable in the world of Las Felipinas.

    One of them was the trait of knowing where danger lurked.

    In this Asylum where danger was everywhere, this particr trait would be tested to the limits.

    "There''s nothing in here... There''s only me... You cane up now." Calvin peeked out of the ledge.

    Upon seeing the smile on Calvin''s lips, the newbies felt reassured and they soon climbed up of thedder one by one.

    Rose was thest one to climb due to her skirt, and as soon as her feetnded into the room.

    A transparent window appeared in front of the newbies.

    [Current Objective: Survive and Escape the Asylum.]

    The transparent window hung there for a while before disappearing.

    "Survive and Escape the Asylum?" Rose uttered in astonishment.

    "We just came here and they want us to escape from this ce already?" Ray furrowed his eyebrows.

    "I-I-In that case... I think we... I think we can go down thedder to esca-"

    Boom!

    Before Jane could even finish her sentence, a booming sound rang out.

    Roy, Scarlett, Zahra, and Rose rushed towards the ledge, and what they saw made their eyes constrict in fear.

    "Th-The scaffolding! It copsed!" Jane cried out.

    Calvin''s expression turned serious.

    He approached them and said, "That should be the signal to start. From now on, we are notpletely safe anymore..."

    "We must tread carefully, and whenever we go into another room. We must stay silent at all costs."

    Calvin spoke and the room suddenly shook.

    Jane who was quite close to Calvin subconsciously leaped into his chest.

    Medea frowned, "An earthquake?"

    But before the others could even process what was going on, electricity returned and the room wasn''t pitch-ck anymore.

    "What is going on... We still haven''t met our enemies yet, but I''m already trembling... It''s as if my instincts itself is screaming. Telling me to get away from this ce." Nichsmented with a bitter smile on his face.

    Calvin swept his gaze across the newbies and found that apart from Medea, Rose, Hugo, and Scarlette. Most of them were pale from fear, their knees were trembling and they looked as if they would copse at any moment.

    ''Damn this is not good... If I want to reach that ce and acquire that Notebook, then I need to deliver these newbies into safety as fast as possible.'' Calvin inwardly pondered, ''I can''t possibly have theme with me to that ce! I have my own route prepared and memorized already, but I don''t think that these guys can endure the fear like me...''

    ''What''s more, since the spawn locations of the mad bastards are randomized every time. I''m not entirely sure if I''m lucky enough to get the same route arrangement as I got back then. After all, the teammates that I have right now is different from the teammates that I had when I previously came here. In other words, my ns aren''t fool-proof...''

    ''I can''t expose these guys to that kind of danger!''

    ''It would be too much for them to endure!''

    He shook his head and approached the others.

    "Guys... I think that before we get out of this room. We better n our next moves."

    Calvin spoke once more.

    This time, no one opposed to what he had said.

    But not because what he said made sense, but it was because they could feel that Calvin was far braver than them.

    The fact that he volunteered to climb up by himself into an unfamiliar room was enough evidence for his bravery.

    None of them could mock him anymore, even if he was somewhat younger than them.

    "What do you want to say?" Rose was still quite annoyed.

    Calvin proceeded to ignore her rude tone of voice as he said, "From now on, we must be careful not to make any noises... So, in order tomunicate. We must devise a signaling scheme with our hands instead..."

    "No worries, I''ve been a scuba diving instructor before so I will teach you some hand signals that we can use instead of talking and making noise."

    "Really? You''re a scuba diving instructor? Damn, that''s awesome, man!" Nichs approached Calvin and patted his shoulder as if he was a father that looked to be incredibly proud of his son''s achievements...

    Calvin could only shake his head towards Nichs''s actions.

    "A scuba diving instructor at such a young age? It''s probably some bullshit." Rose remarked.

    Calvin raised an eyebrow, "What did you say?" He could normally tolerate rudeness, but since they were in a crucial time and ce where they mustmunicate with each other efficiently and properly. He couldn''t tolerate her resistant and uncooperative attitude.

    "I''m saying that you are bullshitting! Didn''t you say earlier that you y video games as your hobby? It''s probably more like a drug for you! I''m sure that you''re a video game addict than a scuba diving instructor, hmmph!" Rose coldly snorted and proceeded to ignore Calvin.

    She had a triumphant look on her face.

    She expected Calvin to beg her to listen, and when he did just that. She would "reluctantly" listen.

    This way, she could earn the face that she lost earlier!

    It was a win-win situation for Rose.

    "Oh, I see... It seems that you''re not interested to cooperate. In that case, then I''ll just teach the others without you."

    Calvin casually said before he turned to teach the other newbies.

    "What? Why are you teaching them already?" Rose turned to look at him and frowned.

    "Huh? Didn''t you say that I was bullshitting? Since you clearly knew more than me, then I don''t have to teach you!"

    "Get out of my sight!"

    Calvin fiercely scolded.

    He had no time to deal with the antics of this childish middle-ageddy.

    Rose''s cheeks furiously blushed out of shame and fury.

    "Fine, if you don''t want to teach me then I will clear this final phase on my own!" Despite the scare that she received earlier, she still believed that Fivecent wouldn''t possibly do something as counterintuitive as killing their own employees.

    She harshly stood up and walked to the door.

    Before Calvin could even react, she reached for the doorknob, twisted it, and...

    "AH!"

    Rose''s shrill scream followed suit.

    Hanging upside down in front of her was a mutted body missing its head with its organs spilling from its stomach!

 Chapter 16: The Terrifying Mount Spirit Sword Asylum

    Chapter 16: The Terrifying Mount Spirit Sword Asylum

    "Wha... What is that?!"

    Rose cried out loud and she directly keeled backward and lost her consciousness from shock.

    Jane also copsed from fear into Scarlette''s embrace.

    "Shit! Stay back!" Calvin instantly shot up from his couch and ran towards the door.

    He mmed the door shut, dragged Rose by her arm and leaped towards the furthers corner of the room.

    "Hide in the corners! Stay crouched, don''t move and don''t make a sound!"

    Calvin gave his orders.

    But everything happened so fast and the others were still nkly staring at the closed door.

    Bang!

    A heavy set of footsteps rang just outside the doors.

    "Hurry up! Hide now!"

    Calvin rushed towards the light switch and pped the lights off.

    The light was abruptly extinguished and Jane let out a scared yelp.

    Sweat poured down Calvin''s forehead as he leaped into the corner where the unconscious Roseid.

    He covered her mouth and remained crouching.

    Bang!

    A booming sound rang out.

    But this time, the sound didn''te from footsteps.

    Instead, the crashing sound came from the door that was abruptly destroyed by someone.

    "Hieek!" Jane was rudely awakened by the crash, and she let out a yelp.

    Thankfully, Scarlette swiftly covered her mouth and not a sound came out.

    "Don''t make a sound..." Scarlett softly whispered into Jane''s ears.

    Jane gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    Tears welled up in her eyes. She wanted to cry but in order to survive.

    She knew that she must endure the fear in her heart.

    Thud!

    A dull footstep rang out.

    The footstep didn''t sound as heavy as it did before.

    But Calvin''s pupils constricted when he heard that sound that he could never forget in his life.

    It was because that distinct footstep came from special shoes that only belonged to a single person in the entire Asylum!

    It was that Butcher!

    Calvin''s mind madly spun.

    The Butcher was an absolute monster in the Mount Spirit Sword Asylum!

    He was supposed to appear in theter stages of the final phase when the participants had just used the security ess keycard that they had just collected from the Administration Block to ess the elevator and get down to the ground floor.

    From what Calvin could remember back then...

    The Butcher would stick his hand into the elevator and try to stop it with his bare hands. However, he would end up dying and split in half due to the immense strength of the elevator as it goes down to the ground floor.

    That was the end of the Butcher!

    His appearance was brief, yet he annihted more than half of Calvin''s teammates back then!

    Not only he was faster than any of them, but he also possessed superhuman strength and durability. He could easily pick up a full-grown adult and pluck their head off their shoulders!

    ''Why is the Butcher here?! But if it''s really him...''

    Despite the dangerousness of the situation, Calvin never panicked.

    As far as he could remember, even though the Butcher was undetectable. He had one fatal w.

    He was useless in the dark.

    He couldn''t see anything while in the dark.

    Of course, the ce has to be incredibly dark.

    Thankfully, Calvin ordered his teammates to hide in the furthest corners of this room as he turned off the lights.

    Thud!

    Another dull footstep rang out.

    "Twinkle... Twinkle... Little star... How I wonder... What you are... "

    "Up above the clouds so high... Like a diamond in the sky..."

    "Twinkle... Twinkle... Little star..."

    ''Fuck... This big fucking guy is singing....''

    ''This means that he knows of our presence but can''t exactly pinpoint where we are...''

    Sweat poured down Calvin''s forehead like a waterfall as his mind went into overdrive.

    He tightly held Rose''s mouth, so she wouldn''t make any sound.

    Calvin stared right at the Butcher.

    His appearance didn''t change at all.

    He seemed to be overweight, yet muscr at the same time. The overweight part of him was his bloated stomach littered with stretch marks and his muscr part was disyed by his massively powerful arms and legs. He hated the smell of filth so he tore off his nose and there was this eerie permanent sneer on his face.

    But despite his terrifying ugliness.

    His angelic voice was a vast contrast.

    His voice had a maic charm that not anyone could easily resist.

    Calvin was aware of that, so he gnashed his teeth and thought.

    ''I can''t let this bastard continue his singing!''

    He took off Rose''s shoes and extinguished his breath.

    Aiming for the slight opening of the door, he exerted his strength and hurled both of Rose''s shoes into the distance.

    Crash!

    A loud crashing sound rang out.

    The Butcher''s movements grind to a halt.

    After what seemed like an eternity...

    He finally turned around and left the room.

    He even politely closed the door as if he was afraid to disturb somebody else.

    "Wheeew..."

    Calvin let out an audible sigh.

    But he still didn''t let his guard down.

    After noticing that none of hisrades dared to move even after the Butcher left.

    Calvin gently ced Rose down on the floor as he walked towards the door and took a peek outside.

    Upon seeing that there was no one in the corridors anymore, he closed the door again and locked it.

    Afterwards, he opened the lights...

    "Ah!"

    Jane audibly gasped.

    But when she saw that Calvin was the one standing there instead of that humungous monster.

    She heaved a sigh of relief as tears dripped down her eyes.

    Calvin approached Jane and consoled her, "Are you okay?"

    "It''s fine, it''s fine... Everything is fine... That monster''s gone already. You will be fine... We will be fine..."

    His words seemed to have some effect as Jane''s breathing stabilized.

    Calvin then let out a sigh and nced at Medea.

    Medea still had that indifferent look on her face, yet the fear and anxiety remaining on her eyes were evident.

    ''It seems like this woman''s not aplete ice-block!''

    Calvin inwardlymented.

    "What the fuck was that?"

    One of the men spoke.

    Calvin turned around and found that the one who spoke was Philip.

    Philip still had this look of terror on his face as he asked Calvin once again.

    "Tell us! What was that?! What''s with that monster?! Did those bastards from Fivecent really sent us here to die?!"

    Philip didn''t dare to increase the volume of his voice, but his reddened eyes expressed everything that he wanted to say.

    Fivecent promised to pay all of their debts and even take care of their families while they were gone. But little did they know that such a good thing really had a huge sacrifice. To think that they could potentially lose their lives!

    They really were too naive...

    And too stupid...

    Calvin had no criticism for Philip this time.

    He really couldn''t me him.

    Philip was just an ordinary man before all of these after all.

    An ordinary man facing a monster of unknown origin.

    It would be strange if he didn''t react like this.

    Calvin shook his head and was about to answer when...

    "Just who are you?"

    Medea suddenly spoke.

    "What do you mean?" Calvin''s eyes narrowed.

    All eyes turned to Medea.

    "Rose''s blunder should''ve got us all killed, yet your quick intervention saved us all..."

    Calvin lifted a smile, "What? Why am I under suspicion when I saved your lives?"

    The other newbies nodded. Medea was being ungrateful!

    "That''s right, you did save us..." Medea blinked her eyes, "But how did you do it?"

    "We were stuck frozen from fear, but you recovered almost immediately and even took several actions in just a few seconds to save our lives..."

    "Now, you are telling us not to be suspicious of you?"

    "Really, just who are you?"

    Medea''s cold eyes seemed to pierce through Calvin''s soul.

    The eyes of the other newbies alsonded at him.

 Chapter 17: Follow My Lead!

    Chapter 17: Follow My Lead!

    Yes, this was indeed strange.

    The average joe couldn''t possibly stay sane in front of such a shocking scene and while under the presence of that terrifying monster, yet not only Calvin managed to react on time. He even made some actions that led to the survival of the group. Just what was going on? What was he?

    "She''s right..."

    "In the first ce, how did you even know that there was a monstering to get us? Yes, we all heard those footsteps, but what if the owner of those footsteps only wanted to pass by the room?" Ray spoke while staring at Calvin with his eyes that couldn''t believe what just happened.

    Everyone also stared right at Calvin at this moment.

    Calvin shook his head and smiled, "You guys are thinking too much. The owner of those footsteps shouldn''t be just passing by. Remember where we are right now. When we climbed up that scaffolding before entering this room. Didn''t you guys see that there was only a dead-end beside this room?"

    "In other words, this room should be the final room in a long corridor. Since the owner of those footsteps deliberately came here to inspect. There''s a high chance that he''ll enter the room."

    Calvin swept his gaze at the others, there was a confident light in his eyes that seemed to have convinced the others.

    But Philip was unconvinced, "That''s just a chance! There''s no way for sure to know that it will definitely happen! For you to know that the owner of those footsteps would certainly enter this room. You must be an employee of Fivecent sent here to stir up some trouble!" He pointed a finger at Calvin.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    ''I see... A misunderstanding brought by ack of knowledge... I can''t reallyin, this is quite convenient for me...''

    Calvin closed his eyes for a moment.

    Before Calvin became the great traitor of humanity...

    He was a spy sent by humanity to observe the movements of the invaders.

    As a spy, he had experienced countless sticky situations where he had to bullshit his way out of survival.

    In other words, if Calvin imed second in the way of bullshitting.

    No one would dare to im that they were first.

    Calvin had long mastered the art of bullshitting.

    Opening his eyes once again, he calmly stared at Philip and said.

    "Didn''t I tell you guys earlier?"

    "I y video games as a hobby."

    "Huh? Video games?" Philip was quite confused. He was also an avid gamer, yet he couldn''t understand how video games were connected to the incredulous situation they were in.

    "Hmmph..." Calvin softly snorted, "If you think of this ce as a scenario in a video game and if we follow the warnings that the custodians said before the start of this nightmare. Everything would be so easy to take..."

    "In other words, think that what you are seeing in this ce isn''t real."

    "If you do that, then the traumatizing and gory things won''t be so scary anymore."

    "But that does not mean that I want you guys to treat this like a real video game..."

    "If I am going to make an analogy, then let''s just say that this is an augmented reality game!"

    "In short, what you are seeing here isn''t real, but being captured by those madmen have real-world consequences..."

    Calvin promptly exined.

    Philip fell into deep contemtion.

    But soon, he frowned, "What you said makes sense, but if we think of this as a game. The starting point shouldn''t be that dangerous! Yet, what is going on? Why did we meet such a terrifying monster so early in this game?"

    Calvin nodded his head, "To be honest, I also want to hear the answer to that question. But I do have an idea as to why."

    "Why?"

    Philip turned to look at him.

    The others did the same, as well as Medea.

    Calvin momentarily nced at Medea and said, "It should probably because of the blunder that Rose made earlier."

    "Her blunder? Could it be because of her scream?" Scarlett who was silent the whole time spoke up.

    "Yes..." Calvin nodded his head, "Now do you get it? Do all of you finally understand what I mean by not causing amotion?"

    Scarlette, Philip, and Medea nodded their heads.

    The others followed suit.

    However, Medea still had her doubts.

    "But you told us not to cause amotion even before we met that monster..."

    Medea''s voice may be soft but in this incredibly silent environment. She might as well scream.

    "That''s right! You told us not to cause amotion earlier before we even mean that big fucking bastard. What is going on? Could it be that you really have any prior information regarding this ce? Or could it be that you''re really an employee sent by Fivecent to stir up some trouble?" This time, the one who spoke was Ray.

    His sapphire-like eyes narrowed as he stared at Calvin.

    Calvin let out a sigh, "It seems that you guys are simr to this Rose. Completely underestimating this ce is akin to a death sentence, you know?"

    "What do you mean?" Hugo raised an eyebrow and spoke.

    Hugo was never a man who often used his brain, but even a dull person like him understood what was going on.

    Calvin went about it the roundabout way, but what he meant, in short was that all of them were being naive.

    Nichs, Roy, Ray, and Philip stared at him with hostility. It was as if they forgot that Calvin was their benefactor.

    Calvin sighed once again, ''It seems that there''s still a long way before these guys can survive on the battlefield. But oh well, I will help them this time. But what happens after this is their responsibility. If they die or live, that is not my problem anymore. I did my best and if they still managed to die out there in Las Felipinas, then I can only sigh...''

    Calvin shook his head and ced all of these thoughts into the deep recesses of his mind.

    Afterwards, he then spoke up.

    "The custodians repeatedly warned us earlier to not fight against the monsters in this ce!"

    "That can only mean one thing."

    "If those bastards saw us, we can only run."

    Hugo revealed a look of confusion. Apparently, Calvin''s words were too deep for him to understand.

    Medea lifted her lips and revealed what seemed to be a smile as she said, "I understand..."

    "What you mean is that since the custodians did not want us to fight against those monsters..."

    "They wanted us to be sneaky."

    "They want us to escape from this ce without being noticed."

    "But is something like that really possible?"

    With Medea''s words, everyone finally understood what they were talking about.

    In short, the words of the custodians earlier might''ve sounded like a warning but behind it was actually a hint.

    They gave them a warning to never ever fight against the monsters, but that was also a hint that they must be stealthy while trying to escape the confines of this asylum.

    Medea''s words solved a conundrum in their minds, but it also gave them another problem.

    "That''s impossible... Just how the hell can we escape from this ce without being discovered by those monsters!"

    Philip''s eyes widened in shock.

    His visibly trembling figure made it evident that he was now panicking.

    Calvin could see the fear and uncertainty within the eyes of these newbies and he couldn''t help but smile.

    "We can escape..."

    He said...

    His eyes radiated confidence that seemed to have be the final sanctuary for the weary hearts of these newbies.

    "Just follow my lead, and we will be able to escape!"

 Chapter 18: Martyrdom

    Chapter 18: Martyrdom

    Before any of the newbies could ask further questions. Calvin proceeded to speak up. He thought that it would be troublesome if these newbies asked more questions for their time was of the essence.

    "Danger is everywhere in this ce, in order to navigate without identally meeting one of those madmen. We must have some degree of reliable information that we can use, so we won''t get lost in this massive and dark asylum."

    Scarlette nodded her head, "Are you saying that we''re going to need a map? How do we find one? And where can we find something like that? A top-secret facility like this shouldn''t leave any traces of its existence, and the employees of this ce should be incredibly familiar with the asylum. There''s no use for a map, how could it exist?"

    "That''s right... How are we going to find a map? Damn... This is impossible... Those bastards... Those bastards really sent us here to die!" Roy visibly trembled as he cried out.

    Calvin nced at him for a moment before he dered, "We are not going to look for a map. Like what Scarlette said, there is no map for this asylum. In other words, we are not going to look for a map. We''re going to make one."

    "What...?"

    The newbies were dumbstruck.

    They couldn''t believe what they just heard.

    "What? Is it really that unbelievable? I bet an asylum like this should have some pen and paper that we can use."

    Calvin lightly smiled.

    Actually, he already had a map of the entire asylum inside the small notebook that he received from Ria. But if he wanted to use that map without arousing any suspicions. He must "make" a map first so that these newbies could ept the existence of the map that he had.

    "Are you insane?! Making a map? You want us to go out there without knowing what''s out there in the first ce?" Philip furrowed his eyebrows and immediatelyined.

    Hugo raised his eyebrows. Even he did not dare to explore this asylum alone blind, yet Calvin was actually proposing that they should explore the ce first, then make a map ording to what they saw and where they passed through?

    That was insane!

    It was the same as courting death!

    "Exin..."

    Medea coldly said.

    Though she still had that cold look on her face, it was obvious from her eyes that she seemed to be angry at Calvin for proposing such an outrageous thing.

    "Hey, hey, hey... Don''t just jump into conclusions, all right? I did say that we should make a map, but I didn''t say that all of us should go outside and explore the area. A single person is enough to make a map. If that person has some brain cells, then he should be able to draw a map of this ce... How about it?" Calvin nced at Medea.

    Medea stared right at him and frowned.

    What Calvin said actually made sense, but the problem was...

    Who was going to go out there and explore the area?

    "I''ll volunteer."

    While the newbies were hesitating, Hugo stood up and volunteered.

    "Oh, Hugo? You''re going to volunteer? Thanks, man, you''re saving us a lot of time." Philip turned to Hugo and revealed a smile that seemed to be more like a smile of relief.

    Hugo didn''t even nce at him as he stared at Calvin, "I''m not good when ites to using my brain. But I think I can draw a map at least..."

    Calvin revealed a smile.

    To be honest, he was actually the one that nned on going outside to "explore" the ce and "make" that map that they needed. The only reason why he said those words to Medea was that he wanted to know the cowards from the strong. He wanted to know who among these newbies could be relied upon amidst a tragedy.

    So far, Hugo was definitely reliable.

    But he wasn''t suitable to explore the area.

    "Hugo, as much as I want to thank you. You''re not really suitable for exploring the area. With your height alone, you could be easily spotted from a mile. Not only that, but your footsteps are also quite heavy. I''d rather have you practice on silencing your footsteps as much as possible as you wait for the return of the one who will volunteer to make a map."

    Hugo scrunched his eyebrows.

    "Then, who do you think should go?"

    Hugo asked in confusion.

    The moment his words rang out...

    Calvin''s gazended on the others.

    His eyes firstnded on Philip.

    "No!!! Not me... I won''t go there... No matter what you say, I won''t go there and get myself killed!"

    Philip immediately cowered under Calvin''s urging eyes

    Calvin''s gaze thennded on Roy.

    Roy gulped a mouthful of saliva and avoided Calvin''s eyes out of shame.

    Even though he didn''t say anything, his stance was clear.

    "So, Philip and Roy won''t go... How about you, Nichs?"

    Nichs staggered backward upon suddenly being called out.

    Beaded sweat formed on his forehead.

    Under the burning gazes of the others, he gnashed his teeth and apologized.

    "Sorry!"

    "I can''t do it!"

    "So, Nichs is out..." Calvin casually said.

    "How about you? Showy-Ray?"

    "Sh-Showy-Ray?" Ray gasped upon hearing Calvin calling him out.

    "Yeah, Showy-Ray... Don''t you want to be in the spotlight? This is a good chance! If you go out there and make the map, when you return, I bet the girls will fall for you..." Calvin winked at him, yet Ray was terrified out of his wits.

    "Nooo!!! I won''t go out there! I won''t... I''d rather kill myself than face those monsters!"

    Ray covered his head with both of his hands and stuck his head in between his knees.

    He cowered there, on the couch, face looking as pale as a sheet of paper.

    "It seems like the boys are out... How about the girls...?"

    Calvin swept his gaze towards Scarlette, Zahra, Jane, and Medea, as well as Jate.

    "Rose is still out, so obviously she won''t be able to do anything..." Calvin made a sidelong nce at Rose.

    Rose fell unconscious earlier, but Calvin detected that she was long awake since the Butcher left the room. She was only pretending to be asleep for she didn''t want to be chosen as the martyr who would go out there and make the necessary map for the team.

    ''This woman... She''s really quite shameless...''

    ''But that''s not too bad... Shamelessness is necessary to survive out there in Las Felipinas.''

    "Scarlette, Jate, Zahra, Jane, and Medea... How about it? Will one of you volunteer?" Calvin calmly said.

    Scarlette gnashed her teeth.

    Zahra had a pale look on her face as she cowered behind Medea.

    Jane also hid behind Scarlette. Her figure, visibly trembling.

    Only Scarlette and Medea remained steadfast in the face of peer pressure and the prospect of dying out there.

    Calvin appreciated the strong nature of the two girls as he let out a sigh and chuckled.

    "All right, all right... I was just joking with you guys... Don''t be so serious..."

    "What...?"

    "What do you mean joking?"

    Ray asked.

    "Yeah, I was just joking..."

    "I really did not have the intention to have one of you guys go out there and volunteer to make a map."

    "R-Really... What a bad joke..." Ray criticized, but he heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing Calvin''s words.

    If possible, as much as he wanted to stand-out. He really didn''t want to risk his life.

    He''d rather have others risk his life than risk his own.

    "Yeah... I was just kidding with you guys..."

    "I''m the one that''s going to go outside and draw that map for us..."

    Calvin took a small notebook and pen out of his pocket.

    He swept his gaze at the others and before they could even say anything...

    He continued, "Wait here for my return. Remember, you should never open this door no matter what you hear outside!"

    "Even if it''s me asking for help... Never open it!"

    "You understand?"

 Chapter 19: Did I Scare You All?

    Chapter 19: Did I Scare You All?

    Calvin didn''t bother about these newbies anymore.

    He turned around, squeezed the doorknob, and opened the door.

    The corridor outside was incredibly dark but it was temporarily illuminated by the light of the room where he was in.

    He looked down and saw the mutted body of a person d in the security outfit of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum. A disgusting smell wafted out of the body, but since the blood was still wet. It was obvious that the person died recently, possibly in thest few hours.

    Calvin took one final nce at the newbies before he finally closed the door.

    The corridor became dark once again.

    The darkness, apanied by the cold breeze that asionally swept past Calvin from out of nowhere, could definitely send shivers down the spines of anyone.

    However, this was the second time that he entered Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    He had prior experience and he also had a map of the Asylum.

    Calvin started walking.

    Ding!

    [You have entered the Administration Block.]

    "As I expected, I really am in the Administration Block..." Calvin softly whispered.

    He stuck his body close to the wall and started moving his way towards the end of the corridor.

    Soon, his hand caught the presence of a doorknob.

    He squeezed the doorknob and found that the door wasn''t locked.

    Turning around, he gently pushed the doors open and a gory scene revealed itself in front of him.

    Right before Calvin was the mutted and naked corpses of the employees of this Asylum.

    Mixed among the bodies of these men was the body of a nurse.

    Her mouth was wide open and her pupils constricted in the same fear that she felt before dying.

    Furthermore, Calvin could see some evidence on her naked body that she suffered a lot of humiliation from the patients here before she was finally killed out of mercy.

    "Fucking hell..."

    Calvin softly cursed.

    The floor was slick with the blood of these corpses.

    His eyebrows were furrowed from the disgusting smell, yet he didn''t stop himself from exploring the ce.

    The room had the lights on, so it wasn''t a problem for Calvin to find what he needed.

    He collected the walkie-talkies of the officers. Fiddling with it, he discovered that they were still working.

    ''We could probably use this as our means formunication if worsees to worst.'' Calvin pondered.

    He then took the shlights of the guards strapped around their waist.

    In this incredibly dark environment of the asylum.

    One needed the help of shlights if they wanted to explore the ce without getting lost.

    But of course, since the patients of this asylum could detect the presence of shlights. Their usage must be limited and they should only be used when there was absolutely no light and the person had no idea where they were.

    Calvin ced brand-new batteries into the shlights and made sure that they were working properly before venturing out of the room.

    Arriving at the dark corridor, Calvin used the shlight and discovered that the end of the corridor was blocked by chairs.

    The blockage wasn''t that difficult to remove, but if they did remove it.

    That Butcher would probably detect their presence and rush here to kill them.

    "Damn, I didn''t expect that the big fucking bastard actually has some brain cells...''''

    ''To think that he could do something like this...''

    These chairs served as an early warning system for the Butcher, so they must not be removed at all costs.

    However, how should they go out of this corridor and reach the main halls?

    Back then, the Butcher didn''t appear till they were reaching the end of the final phase, so Calvin now had no idea how they would escape this corridor without rming the Butcher.

    ''Guess, I can''t do anything other than to actually explore...''

    Calvin deeply sighed and closed his shlight.

    He stuck his body close to the wall and whenever he was right by a door. He would ce his ears on the walls to try and listen for any signs of activity inside the room beyond the doors. Fortunately, every room in this dark corridor had no living people in them, only corpses.

    Soon, Calvin arrived in front of a door that had lights in it.

    He extinguished his breath and stuck his ear close to the door.

    ''There''s no one here...''

    He twisted the doorknob slightly, and upon discovering that it wasn''t locked.

    Calvin opened the door and he then found himself standing inside a breakroom.

    The breakroom had a huge air vent around it, and one could still smell the scent of tobo lingering in the air.

    A vending machine could be seen beside the sink.

    Calvin surveyed the area and he stared right at the air vent.

    ''I could probably crawl through that vent. But the problem is, I don''t know where it leads to...''

    ''As for the others...''

    ''Hugo might have some trouble, but it''s not impossible for him to squeeze through.''

    Calvin repeatedly nodded his head.

    He dragged the wooden benches inside the breakroom underneath the air vent.

    He climbed up the benches and removed the grills of the vent.

    "Cough..."

    Calvin repeatedly coughed upon being showered by the thick tar that had umted on the grills of the vent.

    ''Damn that smells horrible...''

    Calvin inwardly criticized.

    He inspected the insides of the air vent and discovered that Hugo could really fit and crawl through the vent.

    He also removed the grill at the end of the vent to create an illusion that he went through the air event and explored the surrounding area. Afterwards, he went back inside the vent and returned to the break room.

    Upon arriving, he pped the sides of the vending machine.

    Drinks rolled down the machine like a waterfall and Calvin collected enough beverage for the newbies.

    He ced the drinks near the sink before opening a can of coffee and a bottle of water for himself.

    He leaned on the walls and started stalling for time.

    He couldn''t possibly return there this early for they would definitely be suspicious of him if he presented aplete map of the Administration Block when he only spent a few minutes outside.

    Back in the room where the newbies hid, amotion was already unfolding.

    "You were pretending to be asleep? How shameless! How could you do something like that? To think that you''re already so old, yet you''re still so shameless!"

    Rose "woke" up a few moments after Calvin closed the doors.

    Upon seeing this, Roy stood up and gave her a fierce scolding.

    "What...? What are you saying? I''m pretending to be asleep? Why would I do such a thing?"

    "Yeah, yeah... Go ahead, y dumb! Do you really think that I won''t notice you reacting when Calvin turned to look at the girls? I could see it! I could see it as clear as daylight! You were awake, but you continued to pretend as if you''re sleeping to avoid being criticized, you shameless coward!" Roy pointed a finger at her.

    "Hahaha..." Rose lightly chuckled, "A coward, you say? Who was the one who cowered so fast earlier and almost pissed? And to think that you would actually dare to use me of being a coward... Are you even a man?" Rose revealed a mocking expression on her face.

    "You... If I wasn''t a feminist, I would''ve pped you across your face, you presumptuous bitch!" Roy reddened in anger and shame. He really didn''t expect that Rose was observing him earlier. He wanted to use Rose as an emotional scapegoat, but he had the tables turned against him and now he had no idea how to respond.

    Thankfully...

    Scarlette stepped up and stopped the argument.

    "Can you guys talk even louder? The monsters won''t be able to hear us if you don''t increase the volume of your voice."

    "Sc-Scarlette..."

    "You..."

    Roy and Rose turned to look at Scarlette.

    But remembering the existence of that terrifying monster earlier, the two didn''t say anything anymore.

    They just kept their silence and waited.

    Minutes after minutes.

    Until one of them couldn''t hold it in anymore and said...

    "What is he doing there for so long...? It''s been half an hour already, yet he''s still not here!"

    "Could it be that he was already captured by those monsters?"

    "Why else would he take so long on making that stupid map!"

    "Yeah... that''s it... He should''ve been captured by those bastards already..."

    "Then, what should we do...?"

    "Are we just going to wait for our dea-"

    "Shut up!"

    Hugo cried out.

    His voice sounded as if it was a peal of thunder.

    Nichs who was already at the brink of copse stopped whatever he was doing due to shock and started crying instead.

    "What a pathetic beansprout." Rose audibly mocked. She wasn''t polite at all.

    "You too, stop. Don''t cause any trouble." Hugo''s eyes were as cold as ice.

    Rose expression paled, "W-What...? What are you going to do about it...?"

    Hugo raised an eyebrow, even if he wasn''t that smart, he could see that Rose was a thorn in their group.

    "If you continue to cause trouble, then I will personally end that puny life of yours!"

    Hugo said in a guttural voice akin to that of an ancient bloodthirsty beast.

    The air thickened.

    Hugo seemed to have transformed into a monster at this moment.

    "Y-You..." Rose was taken aback and she started shivering like a sieve.

    Everyone was dumbstruck and stuck frozen from the sight of Hugo''s bloodthirsty eyes.

    But before any one of them could say anything.

    A loud bang rang out as someone kicked the door and shouted.

    "I''m back!"

    "Oh? What is going on?"

    Calvin returned only to find everyone shivering in fear as he stared at him.

    "Uhm... I''m sorry, did I scare you all from that kick?"

 Chapter 20: Are You Ready?

    Chapter 20: Are You Ready?

    "What''s wrong? Why are you staring at me like that? Is it that shocking that I managed to return alive?"

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows and revealed a wronged look on his face.

    "You... You''re back!" Scarlette cried out.

    "Yeah, I am... I also brought some drinks from a nearby vending machine. I thought you guys must be thirsty. Sadly, I didn''t find any vending machine that has some food so, I only managed to bring these." Calvin entered the room, closed the door, turned on the lights, and ced the bulky stic bag on the table amidst the shocked gazes of everyone.

    "Holy shit! You really managed to return! What the hell man... I thought for sure, you were dead..." Nichs approached him and sat on the opposite couch.

    "How...? How did youe back here alive? Isn''t that monster earlier still roaming the area?"

    Rose said in an incredulous voice.

    Calvin nodded his head, ''This is a good opportunity to teach them the weakness of the Butcher.'' He thought before replying, "Yeah, that big fat bastard is still in the area. But it was actually quite easy to avoid him. You just need to make sure that your footsteps are silent. Also, his footsteps make that distinct slick, cracking sound and it''s also quite loud..."

    "So, you are saying that you managed to avoid him by positioning?" Ray believed that Calvin really did think of this asylum as a video game. This was the reason why he used the word "positioning". It was so that Calvin could understand what he was talking about.

    "Yeah, as long as your positioning is good and you''re not breathing too loud and rough..."

    "That big fucking guy won''t hear you." Calvin casually said.

    He then turned to look at the girls huddled over at the corner.

    Taking a few bottles of beverage, he walked over to them and said.

    "Hmmm... Scarlette, Jane, Zahra, Medea, and Jate, right? Come with us to the couch. It must be painful sitting on the ground like that. The couch is wide anyway, so it will fit all of us. Furthermore, since I already have a map. We can make some ns while quenching our thirsts."

    Calvin gave a gentle smile.

    Jane slightly blushed upon seeing his smile.

    Scarlett was taken aback, while Zahra turned her gaze away from his eyes.

    It was also unknown what Jate was thinking at this time.

    Only Medea remained indifferent as she stood up without saying anything and walked to the couch at the center of the room.

    "Look, Medea''s already moving. Stand up ande with us already!" Calvin urged the four.

    Scarlette''s pale skin became filled with redness as she blushed and said, "Th-Thank you... And I''m... I''m really sorry... I''m sorry that you had to go out alone and make the map for us."

    "Hahaha..." Calvin lightly chuckled, "It''s fine, it''s fine... You don''t have to apologize. We''re a team, so we should work together. That includes giving out individual responsibilities to each team member. In this case, let''s just say that I''m serving as the scout of the team." Calvin winked at her, eliciting a deeper response from Scarlette.

    "O-Okay..."

    She took his hand and stood up.

    Jane also nced at Calvin and said in a soft voice, "Th-Thank you..."

    Calvin smiled at her and shook his head, ''Dang... To think that the girl with the most potential of everyone in here would be such a timid girl! However, I bet that after this baptism of blood, she won''t be such a scaredy-cat anymore. I can''t really do anything, I have no other choice but to hope that she won''t die in this godforsaken ce.''

    "Hey bro, can I get that Coke instead? Take this Pepsi."

    "No man, I had this Coke first, so it''s mine..."

    The group sat together on the couches.

    The women were silent, but the men were alreadyughing with each other. Save for Hugo and Calvin.

    Calvin turned to look at Hugo who was still sitting on the dark corner.

    He approached him and said, "It looks like you''re not thatfortable being with us."

    "No... That''s not it..."

    Hugo shook his head, his hesitation appeared on his face, but it quickly disappeared as fast as it appeared.

    But Calvin whose eyes were trained caught on that disy of emotion as he sat beside him and said, "Do you mind if I ask? What caused you to distance yourself from the others?"

    Hugo stared right at Calvin.

    It was obvious that he had a lot to say, but out of fear. He stopped himself from saying anything.

    "Come on man..." Calvin pped Hugo''s shoulder, "Just tell me already! We are teammates and I won''t judge you for it!"

    "No, you don''t understand..." Hugo shook his head once more.

    "No, I do understand."

    "You''re hesitating because you are afraid that I will know of that bloodthirsty nature of yours and get disgusted by it, right?" Calvin urately pointed out and revealed Hugo''s insecurities.

    "Wha... What are you talking about?" Panic shed across Hugo''s eyes as he turned his gaze away from Calvin.

    Staring at a tall and bulky man whose body was a spitting image of the Rock acting so embarrassed was quite amusing for Calvin.

    "You don''t really have to hide that nature from me. Let me tell you this... I came from a family of military veterans and I am incredibly familiar with that nature of yours. Just because you have honed your killing intent to such an extent after killing dozens of viins, doesn''t mean that you will hurt innocent people!"

    "That''s like saying that cars are bad because they can kill people!"

    Calvin even made an analogy.

    Yet, it seemed that Hugo was even more confused.

    Lifting a bitter smile, Calvin thought, ''Hugo''s definitely a muscle head. Or could it be that my analogy was just tooplicated to understand for an average person?''

    "Well, in other words, I am saying that it''s not your fault... Your nature is not your fault, and it''s not your problem to have everyone ept you. You need to know that you cannot please everyone, so instead of trying to do a futile job such as that. How about you just let nature run its course and practice the art of not giving a fuck?"

    "In short, don''t let it get into you, all right?" Calvin said a lot of words, yet he summarized everything that he wanted to say in a single sentence. Patting Hugo''s shoulders, the bulky man seemed to have been convinced as he stood up and walked with Calvin to the couches.

    "You..." Rose was startled upon seeing Hugo approaching them, "Why are you here?"

    "Why can''t he be here?" Calvin''s eyes dangerously narrowed.

    "Hi-Hieek!" Rose immediately cowered upon seeing the scarlet light within his eyes.

    She hid behind the pale Jane and visibly trembled in fear.

    "You..." Hugo absentmindedly uttered.

    How could he not understand what Calvin did to Rose?

    Calvin scared Rose so easily because he released a trace of his killing intent!

    As a retired member of that team... Hugo was extremely sensitive to killing intent.

    However, Calvin was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties.

    How could he have any killing intent?

    Only those who danced across the battlefield and killed dozens or even hundreds of others could possibly have any killing intent!

    Why does he have it?!

    Hugo was thoroughly astounded.

    Calvin blinked and his killing intent disappeared.

    He then nced at Hugo and said, "See?"

    "You''re not the only one who has a bloodthirsty nature, so don''t feel bad about it!"

    Hugo stared wide-eyed at Calvin before he let out a silly smile.

    Words were unnecessary between the two men as Hugo sat on the couch beside Calvin.

    After making sure that everyone''s attention was on him...

    Calvin slowly dered.

    "We will now start on making appropriate ns on how we could escape from this ce based on the map that I made..."

    The newbies started their discussion and it was only until two hourster did they felt satisfied with the results of their n.

    "The outside corridor is safe and there''s only one way to go. The real horrors are outside this air vent that I discovered, what about it? Are you guys ready?"

    "Yes!"

    The others promptly replied.

    With the sheer number of ns that they held in their hands, how could they not be ready?

    What''s left for them to do at this moment was to go out there and face their fears!

    Calvin nodded his head.

    He reached for the doorknob, twisted it, and then opened the doors to the outside corridors.

 Chapter 21: The Nightmare Has Begun

    Chapter 21: The Nightmare Has Begun

    [You have entered the Administration Block.]

    "Administration Block?" Scarlette softly whispered.

    But since the ce was not only dark but also quite silent. She was heard by everybody.

    "Oh, you saw that notification, too? It seems like we''re in a ce called Administration Block." Nichs said in a jesting manner.

    "No shit, sherlock. You didn''t have to repeat it." A light pping sound rang out.

    Ray seemed to have nted a p on Nichs''s nape.

    "Ouch! I was just joking man..."

    "I know, I know..."

    "Can''t the two of you shut the fuck up?" Rose red at both Nichs and Ray.

    "What''s up? Calvin told us that there is no danger here. Why can''t we make any noise before the real deal?" Ray raised an eyebrow andined.

    Philip furrowed his eyebrows.

    Hugo made a sidelong nce at them and they didn''t dare to speak anymore.

    "Yes, that''s right... I did say that there is no danger in this corridor. But did you guys already forget what the notification earlier said? There is danger everywhere in this ce and none of us should never let our guard down while we''re still in here. Something that you expect as the safe haven may not bepletely safe."

    Calvin''s warning made both Ray and Nichs ashamed. But they didn''t dare to say anything, Calvin was now the leader of this team, so he had the right to scold them whenever they did something wrong.

    "Damn, just how dark is this ce? Can we really not use our shlights?" Rose criticized.

    Calvin nced at her and waszy to argue, "If you want to run out of batteries in crucial momentster, then go ahead... You can use that shlight."

    Rose visibly trembled upon being scolded. Although resentful, she didn''tin anymore.

    Soon, the group arrived in the break room.

    They took a small break in there while they prepared themselves to scale the air vent above.

    "Who will go first?" Calvin casually asked.

    He felt that the atmosphere was quite awkward since no one was saying anything.

    Philip suddenly revealed a lecherous smile, "How about we let the girls go first? You know what they say,dies first..."

    He swept his gaze at Jane, Zahra, Scarlette, Medea and Jate.

    Jate immediately furrowed her eyebrows.

    Scarlette was greatly embarrassed after being stared upon, "You pervert! You just want us to go first so you can look at our behinds while we crawl!"

    "Hey, hey, hey... You''re jumping into conclusions! Why would I do something such as..."

    Thud! Thud! Thud!

    Slick and heavy footsteps sounded out of nowhere!"

    "Shh!"

    Calvin swiftly gestured to the others.

    He covered Jane''s mouth who was about to scream after being startled by the sudden change of the situation.

    Calvin stuck his ear close to the doors and his pupils constricted.

    Locking the doors, he gestured, "Go into the air vent! Hurry up!"

    Hugo''s face turned serious.

    He immediately carried the newbies into the air vent with the girls going first.

    Soon afterwards, he entered the air vent by himself and only Calvin remained outside.

    Thud! Thud! Thud!

    The footsteps were fast approaching.

    Calvin deemed that the footsteps possibly came from the blocked center corridor.

    Crash!

    A loud crashing sound reverberated and that was Calvin''s signal to get the fuck out of the break room.

    He made a break for the air vent and with the help of the powerful Hugo, he managed to enter it just in time as the person broke through the doors with both of his hands.

    "Hiee-" Jane was about to scream when the man broke the doors, but her mouth was promptly covered by Medea.

    She stared teary-eyed at Medea, the look of uncertainty and fear on her face could melt the hearts of anyone.

    "Who... Who is that?" Rose softly uttered.

    "He''s probably one of the patients of this asylum..."

    "Be careful, don''t make any sound now..."

    "We can''t afford to have him notice us."

    Calvin seriously said.

    The man d in a hospital gown seemed to have gone crazy as he repeatedly mmed his head into the walls.

    "He''sing!!!"

    "He''sing..."

    "He''sing!!!"

    He yelled at the top of his lungs before he turned around and ran back to where he came from.

    He mmed the doors shut and when his footsteps couldn''t be heard anymore...

    Everyone within the air vent heaved a sigh of relief.

    "Th-That was crazy..."

    Nichs whispered.

    "Yeah... You''ll see something crazier once we get down here..."

    "Remember what I said, once we''re out of this air vent. Everything will officially start and everyone must cooperate seamlessly with each other. Particrly you, Jane... Remove that habit of screaming whenever you see something shocking... That will get us killed."

    Calvin gave a stern warning.

    Jane gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    The tears welling up in her eyes made her look incredibly pitiful, but she suppressed her tears and nodded her head.

    "Mhmm... I''ll do my best. I''m sorry..."

    "You don''t have to apologize. You have nothing to apologize for. You''re just a frail youngdy, and all your reactions so far arepletely normal." Calvinforted her with his words.

    "So, does that mean that we are not normal?" Scarlette raised an eyebrow and even though Calvin couldn''t see her. He could already imagine her red-hair subtly trembling in anger with her cheeks puffed as if she was pouting.

    A bitter smile emerged on his lips as he shook his head.

    He decided not to answer since there was no point to this conversation.

    "Can you guys flirt somewhere else? It''s nauseating to hear..." Nichs jokingly said.

    "We''re not flirting..." Scarlette softly criticized.

    Calvin merely chuckled, "Scarlette, hurry up! Move already! What are you doing there? We''re sitting ducks in here."

    "I know!" Scarlette fiercely replied.

    While the group moved through the vent...

    Philip, Nichs, and Roy nced at Hugo as Nichs said.

    "Hugo... You really did a good job letting the girls into this air vent first... Hehehe, you gave us such a good view."

    Hugo frowned.

    He could understand what they were talking about, but this wasn''t Hugo''s intentions at all.

    Calvin could hear the soft whispers of the men as they ogled the girls above them.

    Calvin lifted a cheeky smile and said, "Oh? Really? The view from below is good?"

    "Dang, I can''t see anything because Hugo is blocking me..."

    "Wha..." Calvin''s voice was loud enough for Scarlette to hear.

    She hurriedly pushed her pants down and red at the men underneath.

    Rose was directly above the three, so the moment she heard Calvin''s words...

    She sent a kick with her naked foot directly towards Philip''s head.

    "Ah!" Philip eximed in rm.

    A fight ensued in the air vents, but it was quickly dispersed by Calvin.

    "Continue that scuffle and this air vent will copse!"

    "Peep at me once more and I''ll fight you to death! Don''t you dare look up!" Rose red at Philip, Nichs, and Roy.

    Even Hugo wasn''t spared.

    The four men could only reveal bitter smiles on their faces.

    They directed their hatred to Calvin for being a snitch, but of course, they knew that they couldn''t do anything about it.

    After all, Calvin was their leader.

    They couldn''t possibly beat up their leader for such a small matter, right?

    The group continued crawling until Scarlette reached the end of the air vent.

    She came down and the others soon followed.

    They found themselves on the second floor of the asylum mansion.

    "Don''t look down..."

    Calvin warned the others but it was already toote.

    They got too curious as to what was down below, and before Calvin''s warning reached their ears.

    They already saw the horrors down below.

    Gathered at the main hall were dozens of mutted bodies.

    Organs were haphazardly strewn across the entire floor, while the heads of the bodies were neatly ced on the front desk.

    Blood pooled underneath the bodies and one could even see some words written on the floor.

    [There is no escaping this nightmare...]

    [Death is the escape for the weary...]

    [Face one''s fears, go with the flow and down the metal tube...]

    These cryptic words were written on the white tiles, painting a terrifying scene.

    "Bleurgh!"

    Jane keeled over and vomited.

    Scarlette, Zahra, and the others followed suit.

    Only Hugo, Calvin, and Medea remained steadfast in the face of such a ughter.

    "Now, do you understand?"

    "Now that we''re out of the air vent."

    "We can''t back out anymore..."

    "The nightmare has begun."

 Chapter 22: We Are a Team

    Chapter 22: We Are a Team

    ''This is way worse than I expected...'' Calvin swept his gaze at the newbies.

    He knew beforehand that this would happen, but he didn''t expect that their reactions would be this violent.

    "Calm down now, calm down... Suppress your fears, we can''t stay here any longer..."

    Calvin patiently advised.

    Apart from the Butcher and that patient from earlier, they still haven''t seen a single soul.

    However, Calvin knew from his experience that the patients of the asylum were always roaming the asylum in search of something that even Calvin didn''t know. Fortunately, their routes were pre-determined, and Calvin had already made his own ns on how he could avoid running into them.

    Of course, this didn''t mean that he could avoid danger altogether.

    His ns just minimized the risk that he needed to take in order to achieve his goals and escape from this ce.

    ''That Butcher may be quite scary but he''s easy to avoid. As long as we run the moment that he chases after us, he will not be able to capture us.'' Calvin''s eyes shed with seriousness.

    "Come on, let''s go now..." Calvin urged the others.

    "What... are you...?"

    Scarlette turned to look at him and suddenly asked him this cryptic question with tears welling up in her eyes.

    "How can you stay so calm in front of something like this?" Scarlette continued.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows and with the art of bullshitting...

    He promptly exined, "I am not used to something like this, I just know how to suppress my emotions in order to survive. Now, if you want to live then conquer your fears and remember that in the future, seeing a dead body would be a normal daily urrence..."

    "Huh? What are you saying?" Scarlette turned to look at him in shock.

    Scarlette still had no idea about the true colors of Las Felipinas. However, Calvin had no intention of spoon-feeding everything to her, so he only shrugged and said, "What I am trying to say is you must suppress your emotions for now so we can continue and move on. I want to get out of this ce as fast as possible so we can''t dy things any longer."

    "Can''t you at least wait for a while? You can clearly see what''s going on with us, don''t you even have a heart?" A pale-faced Philipined. He wiped the vomit that remained on his lips as he shot Calvin a re.

    "I see... Fine, I''ll go ahead then." Calvin casually said and he then walked towards the nearby corridor.

    The corridor ahead had a turn to the left, and another turn to the left for the stairs that anyone could use to go to the ground floor. He walked without any hesitation as if he wasn''t afraid that there was an enemy waiting for him in the next corridor.

    "W-Wait! Where are you going? Are you not going to wait for us?"

    Roy cried out upon seeing Calvin walking away.

    The others turned to look at him and Calvin finally felt irritated.

    "Danger is everywhere in this ce. We cannot stay in a single ce for too long. Didn''t we already discuss that in the meeting that we had earlier? If all of you are going to stay there, then count me out. I''ll go and explore the area by myself." Calvin stared seriously at the others.

    Roy fell silent.

    The others fell silent.

    They had decided that Calvin should be their leader, yet they were actually defying his very first order.

    At that meeting, Calvin would help them in this asylum, and whenever there was something dangerous. He would be the first one to meet that danger head-on.

    But in exchange, they needed to obey all of his instructions without any hesitation.

    However, before their journey could even begin.

    They already forgot the promise that they made at that meeting and they were even refusing to move right where they were standing.

    All of them were crestfallen.

    But Calvin had no time to waste, so before they could even say something. He started walking again.

    He turned left and disappeared into the corridor.

    "Wha... What should we do...?"

    Jane asked in a soft voice.

    She wanted to go over and follow Calvin at this moment, but the fear of the unknown was gripping her heart.

    Rendering her unable to move.

    "How can he do something like this? Didn''t he say earlier that we are a team and that we should stick together? Now, why is he leaving us alone and why is he trying to explore this ce by himself?"

    Nichs uttered in confusion. He keeled over, heaved and vomited once more when his eyes grazed past the mutted bodies on the ground floor.

    Rose gnashed her teeth.

    She was a strong-willed woman that never yielded to anyone, yet at this moment.

    Her pale face and her figure that trembled like a sieve made her look pitiful.

    "Leave him! He''s just a hypocrite. Acting so arrogant just because he''s mentally stronger than us. He''ll be the first one to die anyway with how conceited he is! Leave him alone! We can''t let ourselves be dragged to hell by a person like him!"

    Rose''s words were violent and uncouth, but she only said these words in a whisper. It was evident that she was still quite afraid of that terrifying monster from earlier for she didn''t dare to make any substantial noises.

    "We have to move... No matter what, we must follow him!" Ray''s eyes narrowed into slits.

    No one knew what he was thinking.

    "I agree... We can''t just stay in once ce as he said. Let''s go and follow him." Hugo also spoke up.

    Medea nodded her head, while Zahra softly whispered, "I think he''s still near. He told us to limit our movements and the sound of our footsteps as much as possible so he should be doing that too. In other words, he must still be in that corridor." Zahra looked ahead and stared at the corridor that turned left.

    The newbies nodded their heads

    Suppressing the fear in their hearts, they forced their trembling bodies into standing up as they walked towards the dark corridor ahead of them.

    Hugo voluntarily stood at the front line.

    His towering figure gave a certain amount of reassurance to the newbies who were still shivering in fear.

    As soon as they reached the turning point of the corridor, Calvin appeared right in front of him. It turned out that he was waiting for them all this while for he was leaning on the door and he had a cheeky smile on his face.

    "So, finally willing to move, eh?"

    "You... You were waiting for us?" Roy jumped and pointed a finger at him.

    The others also frowned. They felt as if they were yed by Calvin.

    Even Medea who normally had an indifferent look on her face now had a disapproving look in her eyes.

    "Of course, I was waiting for you all. How can I possibly explore this ce alone when all of us are a team? Besides, the map is in my hands, so if I explored alone and left you all out there, then I guarantee that all of you would die in just under half an hour." Calvin casually said.

    But when his words came out, the newbies simultaneously gasped in fear.

    At first impression, these newbies thought that Calvin was exaggerating. But when they saw the mountain of bodies on the ground floor, they quickly changed their minds. At this moment, they would rather believe in Calvin''s inconceivable words than believe at nothing at all.

    Faith was a strange concept.

    Calvin never believed in such a concept, yet at this moment. He couldn''t help but feel grateful for its existence.

    After all, if not for faith then this team wouldn''t be this united in just a short amount of time.

    "So, you were waiting for us..." Jane softly whispered, "Thank you... I thought for sure that you abandoned us already..."

    Calvin waved his hand and replied, "Hey Jane, do you really think that I can be that heartless?" He only spent a short time with Jane at that safe room, yet he already felt fond of this girl who, despite being a scaredy-cat actually still had her own ambitions and dreams.

    The newbies continued their journey through the dark corridor.

    Calvin and Jane chatted with each other as if they were strolling on their backyard instead of a mental asylum.

    The group then reached the stairs and descended.

    But as soon as they reached the ground floor.

    The newbies froze in fear.

    Calvin''s movements grind to a halt as he stared ahead at the figure of a middle-aged man holding the hands of his child.

    The scene was actually innocent enough.

    d in a blue waistcoat and a pitch-ck zer, the middle-aged man''s chestnut-colored eyes shone with tenderness as he stared at his daughter.

    This was such a heartwarming scene if not for the fact that his daughter was a headless body of a child wearing a pink gown. What''s more, while the man''s left hand held the hand of the child''s deceased body, his right hand was holding the detached head of that child!

    The newbies started trembling in fear.

    Even Calvin was no exception.

    ''The Benevolent Father!''

    Calvin inwardly eximed the name of the middle-aged man standing in front of them.

 Chapter 23: The Benevolent Father

    Chapter 23: The Benevolent Father

    ''Why is the benevolent father here so early? We''re not supposed to meet him until we got that Security ess Keycard for the Security Room!'' Calvin''s figure visibly trembled.

    He threw a nce at the newbies and found that all of them were frozen in fear.

    Jane held her mouth with both of her hands as she desperately suppressed the scream that threatened to burst out of her throat at any moment.

    Scarlette''s knees trembled like a sieve.

    Even Hugo, a man whom Calvin considered as someone not bad was shaking out of primal fear.

    When they first arrived at this mental asylum, Calvin judged that these newbies were akin to a newborn calf, unafraid of a tiger, and ignorant of the dangers of this facility.

    However, right at this moment.

    Their ignorance didn''t be an obstacle for them to see how incredibly dangerous this middle-aged man was.

    What''s more, behind the middle-aged man was the mountain of corpses that they saw earlier from the second floor.

    "I-It''s over..." Philip uttered in terror.

    His knees went weak and Hugo hurriedly supported him, so that he wouldn''t copse and create amotion. Medea bit her lips, this young maiden who managed to maintain that cool expression on her face couldn''t maintain it anymore.

    Her pupils were constricted into needles as she stood there with her shoulders trembling with intensity.

    Even Calvin wasn''t spared from the fear.

    But he immediately recovered as he gnashed his teeth and surreptitiously nced at Rose who stood beside her.

    Handing over the small notebook to Rose, he audibly whispered, "It''s over for me... That person right there is the absolute monster in this asylum. There''s no way for us to escape unless one of us volunteers to be the sacrifice. I can''t expect you guys to do that, right? That is why I will go..."

    "Come down the stairs and go to the left corridor upon my signal. Once you are inside the left corridor, hide in the bathroom, and open this small notebook. Do not proceed further in the corridor without going into the bathroom and opening this small notebook. Do you understand?"

    Calvin had an unusual look of seriousness on his face.

    Rose''s face went pale, but she didn''t hesitate to take the small notebook with her trembling hands.

    "Wha... What are you nning on doing?"

    The other newbies clearly heard what Calvin had said.

    Scarlette turned to look at him and asked with this incredulous tone of voice.

    "There''s no time for me to exin! Just know that this person standing right there is an absolute monster that we can never escape from! The only way that some of us can survive is to sacrifice someone! Save the majority by sacrificing the minority... I will be the sacrifice. The small notebook contains all the instructions that I need you to follow..."

    "Understand?"

    Calvin swept his gaze at the newbies.

    "B-But... How can we just let you...? How can we just let you sacrifice yourself like that..."

    Jane spoke up.

    It was clear from her trembling body that she was incredibly afraid, yet she still spoke up.

    Calvin felt warm in his heart.

    "That''s... That''s right... Didn''t you say earlier that we are a team? We can''t just give you to that monster and let you die!"

    Even Rose whom Calvin regarded as arrogant and hypocrite spoke up for him while biting her upper lip.

    Nichs gnashed his teeth, "C-Calvin... We won''t allow you to sacrifice yourself!"

    "That''s right! How can we just leave you alone!" Philip even stood up for Calvin.

    Medea stared right at him with this urging look on her face, while Hugo furrowed his eyebrows.

    He could detect how dangerous the middle-aged man was, and he knew that there was no way for them to fight and win against him even if there were hundreds of them swarming him at once.

    Calvin''s solution made sense and it was the best solution avable.

    However...

    "I can''t agree with that." Hugo expressed his opinion.

    "If there is someone here that needs to sacrifice himself, then that should be me."

    "In fact, I should''ve already died a long time ago. It''s only because I am lucky that I am still alive."

    "Who knows if that incredible luck of mine will show up once again and let me live through this ordeal?" Hugo chuckled.

    Calvin stared right at Hugo. He couldn''t see any trace of deceit in his eyes and from how he looked.

    With Hugo''s strength and rich fighting experience, he may be able to hold back the Benevolent Father. But his suppression towards that monster would onlyst for a few seconds at most. In other words, it was a futile effort that not only would waste Hugo''s life but also acquire the Benevolent Father''s ire.

    Calvin shook his head and smiled, "Thank you, everyone... But I know about this monster more than you all. What''s more, I am not serving myself on a silver tter for that bastard. Believe me, I will survive through all of these, and I will meet you all in the main elevator so we can escape together from this godforsaken ce."

    Calvin then turned around and without waiting for anyone''s response.

    He walked towards the direction of the middle-aged man.

    There was a casual look on his face as the slick footsteps of his blood-soaked shoes became the background music of this tense first meeting.

    "Oh, a visitor? It seems that I was right. You all are the invaders that the big fat guy mentioned earlier..."

    The Benevolent Father turned his gaze towards the others.

    They immediately shivered in fear upon seeing the monster''s gazend on his body.

    Calvin maintained the smile on his face as he closely observed the Benevolent Father.

    ''Man, he''s even more handsome than I expected. If not for the red blisters covering the entire left-hand side of his face, then I can consider him as a heartthrob.'' Calvin inwardly thought.

    He turned to look at the Benevolent Father and said, "Invaders? That''s so far-fetched, how could invaders appear in a ce like this? What''s more, it''s obviously Andre who invited us here to attend the birthday party of your beautiful daughter..."

    Calvin''s mind madly spun.

    He made sure that he wouldn''t stutter as he spoke while reminiscing about the facts that he could remember regarding the Benevolent Father and his daughter. Back then when he first entered this asylum. His team found some files describing the Benevolent Father''s situation.

    His madness was the result of losing his daughter in a freak ident and the doctors and scientists of this asylum took advantage of his deep-seated remorse to conduct their experiments on him. In the end, he became the embodiment of insanity.

    He exhumed the body of his daughter, took her skeleton, and using the body parts of other people, she "repaired" her daughter.

    Needless to say, the headless body he was holding in his hand didn''t even belong to his daughter.

    But that didn''t matter for the Benevolent Father.

    Even if it was an illusion, he was still grasping for his daughter.

    Stuck in an endless loop of guilt and the terrifying memories of that tragic ident.

    The mad, Benevolent Father was born.

    Every brain cell within Calvin''s mind focused on retrieving the relevant memories of the past regarding the Benevolent Father. Calvin clenched his fists until his nails dug deep into his palm, yet he never showed any trace of anxiety nor fear on his face.

    He still had that casual smile as he waited for the Benevolent Father''s reply.

    The middle-aged man mused.

    The permanent smile on his face opened up as he said, "So, Andre... That careless guy invited you? But he didn''t even open the front doors. Oh, darling... How careless of him!"

    He then approached Calvin.

    Dragging the limp body of his "daughter" behind him, he stood in front of Calvin and said.

    "What do you think of my daughter...?"

    "Can you appreciate her beauty?"

    He ced the detached of the child atop the shoulders of the headless body before presenting it to Calvin.

 Chapter 24: An Eye For Aesthetics

    Chapter 24: An Eye For Aesthetics

    The headless body attached with a severed head looked disproportionate inparison to the size of the body.

    The thick stench of blood assaulted Calvin''s nose. Being so close to the "daughter" of the Benevolent Father. Calvin could see the reddish veins underneath the stitched-up skin of the headless body. Those veins seemed to be twitching as if they were alive.

    Calvin held back the fear from his heart as he tried his best on maintaining the facade that he had.

    Turning to look straight at the eyes of the Benevolent Father...

    He said.

    "She''s so beautiful..."

    "She''s so beautiful that I want to gouge these dirty eyes of mine for the sin of possibly staining the divine beauty of your daughter..."

    "Oh..."

    The Benevolent Father paused.

    He seemed to have found Calvin''s answer as rather unexpected.

    Calvin gnashed his teeth.

    The Benevolent Father''s questions cannot be taken for granted. If one thought that only yes and no were the possible answers, then that would be thest mistake that anyone could ever make.

    In order to survive against the Benevolent Father.

    Calvin surmised that there was only one method.

    And that was...

    To be the embodiment of madness simr to what the Father had be.

    Amidst the stares of the terrified newbies and the curious look of the Benevolent Father.

    Calvin gouged out his right eye in a blink of an eye.

    "Ah!"

    "Hieeek!"

    Philip and Jane couldn''t stop themselves from screaming.

    Hugo and Scarlette swiftly used their hands to cover both of their mouths.

    Calvin''s figure continuously trembled from the pain.

    His face reddened as his muscles twitched like crazy, yet not a single scream came out of his mouth.

    Opening his palm, he presented his eyeball to the Benevolent Father.

    "I''ve plucked the source of the sin..."

    The Benevolent Father took the eyeball from Calvin''s hand and crushed it underneath his palms.

    "What madness... I see that you are a kindred spirit. So, You. Are. A man of culture as well..." The Benevolent Father whispered.

    The permanent smile on his lips seemed to have deepened. He was pleased by Calvin''s decisiveness and sincerity on praising the beauty of his daughter.

    However...

    "Are you friends with those scums standing behind you?"

    The Benevolent Father asked.

    Calvin pressed some acupoints on top of his head to stop the bleeding, but when he heard the Benevolent Father''s question. He made a sidelong nce at the others and said.

    "How can that be possible?"

    "How can I possibly be friends with such people that have no eye for aesthetics."

    Calvin viciously dered.

    "You..." Nichs trembled in fear.

    Everyone had the same fear painted on their faces upon seeing Calvin''s bloodied look.

    Rose tightly gripped the small notebook in her hand until her palms whitened from the force that she was exerting.

    Hugo had a solemn look on his face and was ready to fight anytime.

    "Oh..." The Benevolent Father nodded in understanding.

    Calvin then turned his gaze to him and said, "Benevolent Father... How about you let me handle these scums? I would rather do the dirty work than see you dirty your hands with the blood of these ingrates."

    The Benevolent Father was astonished.

    But his face violently twitched and the red blisters scattered across his face exploded as he barked out of anger, "How presumptuous! Are you saying that you want to handle them for my sake? That cannot be! How can I let the guests do the dirty work for me? I will handle them myself!"

    The Benevolent Father rushed towards the staircase.

    Hugo gulped a mouthful of saliva. He embraced Jane and Zahra with both of his hands and he was about to directly jump into the second floor when Calvin''s hand suddenly appeared in front of the Benevolent Father, interrupting him from continuing.

    "I suggest you don''t dirty those pristine hands of yours, Benevolent Father. Do you really think that she will be happy smelling the disgusting blood of these ingrates when you hold her up to the skyter at her birthday party?"

    The Benevolent Father froze.

    Thud!

    He then copsed onto the ground on his knees and screamed.

    "Why..."

    "Why did I not think of that?!!!"

    "I''m sorry, darling! Why did I not think of that? Are you angry at me? Yes! You should be angry! Why did I not think of that! Why would I dare to hold you in my arms when my hands are stained with the disgusting blood of these scums!" He rushed to his daughter''s side and picked her off the ground.

    But when he realized that he was holding her with the same hand that he used to kill the security guards of the asylum whom he considered as mad. He abruptly dropped his daughter on the ground and fiercely broke both of his hands before kneeling onto the ground.

    "F-Forgive me, my darling... I wasn''t... It wasn''t my intention... I know, I may havee up to you too strongly, but it wasn''t my intention at all to stain you with the blood of these scums... Forgive me, forgive me, all right?" The Benevolent Father shivered in remorse. He repeatedly mmed his head onto the blood-soaked floor as a disy of his sincerity.

    Seeing the Benevolent Father''s situation, Calvin knew that he couldn''t possibly say anything at this moment. If he intervened on the Benevolent Father''s disy of sincerity, then he would be torn to pieces by the strongest monster of this mental asylum.

    Turning around, he directed his gaze at the newbies and signalled at them that it was now safe to move.

    Calvin followed them to the left corridor.

    Afterwards, they entered the bathroom situated three rooms before the security room which they must enter to ess the main elevators necessary for them to escape from this ce.

    Upon entering the bathroom, Calvin took the first-aid kit situated in a wooden box attached to a nearby wall and he started cleaning and wrapping his wound. Calvin seemed to be unaffected by pain as he casually doused the gauzes with alcohol before shoving them into his empty right eye socket.

    "You..."

    "Ah!"

    The newbies cringed upon seeing Calvin''s actions, and when he was done.

    He turned to look at them and said, "Calm down. It''s really good that he didn''t kill us all. An eye in exchange for our survival is already good enough."

    Calvin casually said but inwardly, he was seething with anger.

    ''What the fuck is going on?! Did someone from Fivecent''s side deliberately increased the difficulty of the final phase for us newbies? But why? I remembered back then that the difficulty of this asylum mansion wasn''t that high, yet why does it seem like we''re in a nightmarish difficulty right now?''

    ''Not only the Butcher appeared so early in the final phase, but the Benevolent Father was even waiting for us in the Administration Block, Main Hall...''

    ''There must be some conspiracy going on here as to why the difficulty was suddenly increased... Once I get out of here, I will definitely make that bastard pay! An eye for an eye! I''ll gouge his eye out in exchange for my eye!''

    Calvin was never a saint.

    In fact, he was a vengeful person.

    Particrly, if he was attacked whenever he was doing nothing wrong.

    Calvin didn''t mourn the loss of his eye too much since in the world of Las Felipinas... He may not have thousands of methods that he could use to repair his eye, but he has at least a hundred ways on how he could recover his right eye.

    But Calvin decided that he would not let the matter rest until he caught and punished the perpetrator on Fivecent''s side.

    Though his eyesight could be recovered, losing an eye was still a painful ordeal. If not for the fact that Calvin was used to the pain after the frequent tortures that he experienced from the hands of the invaders back then he would''ve directly copsed from the pain earlier.

    Gnashing his teeth, he inwardly dered.

    ''Whoever is the bastard that did all of these... I swear to make you pay!''

 Chapter 25: After Him!

    Chapter 25: After Him!

    No one could refute Calvin''s statement.

    He was right.

    But...

    Scarlette approached him and asked, "Why are you doing this for us? You clearly knew more about this ce than us, yet why are you being so altruistic? You could''ve run by yourself and left us alone, yet why did you have to sacrifice your eye for our lives? Who are you to us, and who are we to you? Are we really that worth it?"

    The newbies fell silent.

    She was right.

    Why was Calvin doing these to them?

    Was it because it was just his nature to be kind and altruistic?

    Impossible!

    No one believed such a train of thought.

    Even Hugo stared right at Calvin at this moment, his eyes seemed to be urging him to answer.

    Calvin turned to look at Scarlette and smiled, "Stupid... Do I need a reason to save a person? What''s more, I just told you earlier that we are a team and if I abandoned you all as the leader. Wouldn''t I lose my credibility? Wouldn''t that be the same as me pping my own face?"

    "But..."

    Calvin''s reply thoroughly astonished everyone.

    That''s right.

    Managing the team was the leader''s responsibility.

    Of course, the leader was also expected to sacrifice himself for the team.

    "Wasn''t this sacrifice too heavy?" Jane spoke up.

    The others nodded their heads and Calvin dismissed them with a wave of his hand, "As I said, an eye is nothing in exchange for our lives. If all of us can live, I can even sacrifice an arm or two!" Calvin''s tone of voice was calm when he said all of these, for he knew that if he could enter the world of Las Felipinas...

    He could restore all the damage that he suffered here in Mount Spirit Sword Asylum. However, these newbies didn''t know that Calvin could do something like that, so when they heard what he said.

    They were moved.

    Both Zahra and Jane were moved to tears as well as Jate.

    Scarlette bit her lips and suppressed the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

    Nichs, Philip, and Roy clenched their fists. They hated the fact that they were too scared to help theirrade.

    Hugo turned around and pretended to wipe something off his nose, but he was wiping the tears welling up in his eyelids.

    Rose bit her lips.

    She handed over the small notebook to Calvin and said, "Take this... and, I''m sorry that... I''m sorry that I behaved badly earlier." She hung her head low out of shame and a blush appeared on her cheeks out of embarrassment.

    Calvin revealed a bitter smile towards the reaction of the others, but when he saw how Rose deliberately apologized from the bottom of her heart. He was thoroughly astonished.

    He thought that people like Rose would rather die than apologize for their mistake. But at this moment, she actually hung her head low and was sincerely apologizing to him?

    What was going on?

    ''Could it be that I misjudged her attitude and personality?''

    ''That should be it. This is the first time that we met, so it''s understandable that I know nothing about who she really is, and her true nature...''

    Calvin revealed a smile.

    He took the small notebook out of Rose''s hands and said, "Don''t think about it anymore..."

    "I have already forgotten what happened."

    Rose slowly raised her head, slightly bowing towards Calvin''s direction. She said, "Thank you. I will be more obedient from now on."

    "Hahaha... I don''t need someone that''s more obedient." Calvinughed, "I need someone that''s absolutely obedient, that is why when wee out of this bathroom. I want you to obey all of my instructions, no matter how strange it is. Can you do that? If not, I would rather have you stay in this bathroom until we return for the main elevator..."

    "O-Okay..." Although shocked, Rose still gave a positive answer.

    Calvin then swept his gaze at the others, "How about you all? Can you promise me the same?"

    The others nodded their heads, save for Medea who still had a frown on her face.

    "What''s wrong, Medea? Do you want to take a piss? It''s all right, the stalls can be locked, and I promise you that we won''t peek nor listen!" Calvin jokingly said.

    "Pfft!"

    Nichs almost busted his guts and was about tough out loud when Medea''s gazended on him.

    He instantly fell silent and didn''t dare to say anything at all.

    Medea then turned her cold gaze at Calvin, "How did you know what to do against that monster earlier?"

    Calvin froze.

    Themotion grind to halt.

    Everyone''s piercing eyesnded on Calvin which made him awkwardly scratch his head.

    "Hey, my darling, Medea. Am I really that suspicious? Can''t I just say that I managed to survive earlier because of my survival instincts?"

    "No, you are lying." Medea instantly shut him down, "If you really want to be our leader, then you must tell us the reason why you know so many things about this asylum as well as the monsters in here. A rtionship is built on trust, you should know that at least..."

    Calvin''s mouth widened.

    ''What?''

    ''Wow, she said a lot.''

    He was shocked for this was the first time that he saw Medea spoke after a long time.

    Furthermore, she said a lot!

    But setting that aside...

    Everyone was now curious as to the reason why Calvin knew so much about the asylum.

    In the end, he had no other choice but to exin.

    "It''s because I bribed a custodian!"

    "You bribed a custodian?" Ray was the first one to react.

    "Yeah." Calvin nodded his head and smiled. He stared at Medea and found that there was still a frown on her face. But everyone seemed to have been convinced by his reasoning, so they didn''t mention that issue anymore. All they had to know was that Calvin was a person that they could rely upon.

    Having a bastion of support in this godforsaken ce was something that they had just realized that they needed.

    Coming out of the bathroom, the newbies followed Calvin a few steps behind him.

    In the dark corridor, the newbies stuck their bodies close to the wall. With the exception of Calvin who only ced his hand on the wall for support. The others had their backs stuck to the wall, afraid that if they didn''t touch the wall, they may disappear amidst the darkness, never to be found again.

    At this moment, Calvin suddenly stopped.

    He stretched his hand out and tapped on Medea''s head a few times.

    Medea nodded, she turned around and tapped Scarlette who stood behind her and Scarlette did the same for the person standing behind her.

    This continued until Hugo received the signal and at this moment, everyone from the newbies stopped on their tracks.

    Calvin narrowed his eyes.

    So far, he couldn''t detect any movement from the doors that they passed by.

    But from his memories, once they reached the center of this dark corridor. A figure should appear at the end of the corridor. That figure would stare at them for a moment before breaking into the door beside it. Back then, Calvin and his teammates were scared shitless by that figure only for them to realize that the figure was actually just an illusion.

    That figure couldn''t even harm them in the first ce, for that person would immediatelymit suicide after breaking into the door.

    It took several hours before Calvin and his teammates realized back then that the Security ess Keycard was in the hands of that figure. It took them a long time to notice that his appearance was simr to a clue. This was the reason why Calvin thought that the people from Fivecent who created this ce were geniuses.

    Hidden behind the nightmares were rewards, while hidden behind the mysteries and the subtleties were clues. In fact, if Calvin didn''t have any memories of this ce, and if he didn''t know what to do, then all of them would still be stuck in that break room on the second floor. Unable to move an inch due to the fear in their hearts.

    But because Calvin knew what to do...

    He took a step forward and...

    The door at the end of the corridor abruptly opened.

    What came out of the door was the emaciated figure of a man screaming some non-sense before crashing into the door directly opposite from where he came from.

    He banged on the door so hard that the banging sound reverberated through the entire corridor.

    Jane abruptly covered her mouth with both of her hands.

    She almost screamed right there, but she managed to stop herself in time.

    The faces of the other newbies turned serious but noticing that Calvin had no intention of moving nor retreating. They remained standing in their positions.

    Soon, the man broke through the door and went inside the room.

    His shouts and cries could still be heard, but as soon as the door was mmed shut.

    The noise abruptly stopped.

    The dark corridor descended into sudden and utter silence.

    The newbies didn''t know what to do.

    Gulp!

    Someone gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    Calvin slightly turned his head to the direction of hisrades as hemanded.

    "After him!"

 Chapter 26: A Never Seen Before Difficulty

    Chapter 26: A Never Seen Before Difficulty

    "After him?"

    Zahra whispered in shock.

    But before any of the newbies could react, Calvin rushed towards the door.

    Zahra who was standing there dumbstruck panicked when she realized that she was already left behind.

    "Wait for me!"

    She ran after them like mad.

    Calvin opened the doors and a terrifying scene was revealed.

    Hanging from the ceiling was the emaciated man who had just entered the room!

    "Let me in!" Hugo rushed into the room.

    He took the man hanging from the ceiling and ced him on the ground.

    He then proceeded to check for the man''s pulse, and his pupils constricted.

    "He''s dead..."

    "He''s dead...?"

    "That can''t be! Wasn''t he just alive? How could he die of hanging for just a few seconds?"

    Nichs had an incredulous look on his face.

    The others felt the same.

    How could this man die from asphyxiation in just a few seconds?

    That was impossible!

    Unless...

    "L-Let me check..." Zahra suddenly spoke up.

    Calvin and the others stared at her as she sat down beside the emaciated man''s corpse and felt for his neck.

    "H-His neck isn''t broken! From the purple hue on his nails and the burn marks on his neck. I am sure that he died a gruesome death out of asphyxiation. But asphyxiation should take at least a few minutes of hanging to set in. What''s more, his limbs are already stiff, an indication of rigor Morris. His tongue is also out and his saliva already dry..."

    Zahra abruptly stood up.

    She was staring at the corpse with her pupils constricted and her shoulder shaking from fear.

    "I-Impossible! S-Something like this is impossible!"

    "Calm down, Zahra! Tell us what you discovered..." Scarlette immediately went to the rescue.

    She patted her shoulder and urged her to calm down. Soon enough, Zahra recovered from her initial shock.

    Gulping a mouthful of saliva, she swept her gaze at everyone and said...

    "I''m a medical student, so... I know a lot when ites to cadavers... This man... He must''ve been dead for a few hours already!"

    "What?!" Rose staggered in shock, "How could that be? Didn''t we just see him barge into this door?"

    "Y-Yes... That''s right, we just saw him barge into this door, so he must''ve been alive. Yet, there''s no mistaking it. From the injuries that I can see on his bodies and the signs. He''s been dead for a few hours already..." Zahra held Scarlette''s arm for support.

    Although she was a medical student.

    She was only forced by her parents since her parents wanted to have that prestige of having a child who was a doctor.

    Needless to say, she could be considered as a scaredy-cat. Second only to Jane who was an absolute scaredy-cat to the extent that she could even be scared of her own shadow for as long as the circumstances were right.

    Speaking of Jane, she was already holding Calvin''s sleeves for support.

    She was trembling from fear once again.

    Rose bit her lips to stop herself from trembling.

    Nichs, Roy, and Philip had bitter smiles on their faces. They knew that all the terrifying things that they saw and would see tonight would definitely turn them numb against violence, ughter, and horror in the future. What''s more, they didn''t know if this was a good thing or not.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, "Hugo, check his body. See if he has the Security ess Keycard."

    Hugo nodded his head, he made a thorough check on the crevices and the pockets of the corpse. He looked undisturbed, which made him seem as if he was used to doing something like this.

    Seeing such a scene, Nichs, Philip, Roy, and Ray had a single thought in their minds.

    They must never offend him in the future!

    Someone who could casually search a corpse without batting an eyelid must be someone who had gone through a lot.

    The four nced at each other and nodded with tacit understanding.

    "Jate, what are you doing?" Rose''s voice suddenly rang out.

    "There are some interesting files scattered here. I''m nning on gathering them all to see if there''s something that we can learn from them about this ce." Jate replied with a smile. But judging from her trembling hands, it was clear that despite her casual tone of voice. She was quite afraid.

    "I-I''ll help you..." Rose felt that not doing anything was scarier than doing something. She stood up and walked over to Jate. Then, the two of them crawled on the ground with their shlights, gathering the documents scattered on the ground so they could read them together with the team.

    Calvin didn''t disapprove of what they were doing.

    But there was something far more important than what they were doing.

    It was to find that Security ess Keycard to ess the Security Room.

    Without that card, it was impossible for them to escape this asylum.

    Nichs, Philip, Roy, and Ray nced at each other. Nodding their heads in tacit understanding, they started doing something else just so they could temporarily forget the fear creeping up in their hearts.

    "Oh, there''s aputer here!"

    "Really? Damn, jackpot! Maybe we can use thatputer to hack into the Security Room."

    Calvin could hear the voices of Roy and Nichs.

    He turned to look at them and said, "Trying to hack into the Security Room of this asylum is like trying to crack a stone using an egg. It''s incredibly difficult, although possible. But I think you''re just wasting your time."

    Calvin then turned to look at Hugo and said, "Did you find it?"

    Hugo''s expression turned grim.

    "No, there''s nothing here... I''ve searched everywhere already including his rectal orifice, yet I don''t see anything stuffed in there nor there''s a card hidden on his clothes and body."

    Calvin''s eyes widened in shock.

    ''The Security ess Keycard is... missing?''

    ''Does that mean that it''s impossible for us to get out of this ce?''

    ''No, that should not be it...''

    ''It''s not logical for Fivecent to let us undergo a trial with no escape nor way to survive...''

    ''But if that card isn''t here... where is it?''

    ''Could it be that it''s in the hands of the person who killed this man? But who did him in?''

    ''The Butcher?''

    ''No, that''s impossible...''

    ''That big fucking bastard wouldn''t possibly spare the life of a person just to kill himter. It''s just not in his nature to let his victims unnecessarily suffer.''

    ''Then, who?''

    ''Just who killed this man and took the card?''

    Calvin stood there rooted and frozen in ce.

    At this moment, Roy''s voice suddenly floated over to Calvin.

    "What the heck? There''s not even any electricity here... A ckout?"

    Calvin''s figure shivered upon hearing Roy''s voice.

    He rushed towards them and asked, "What did you say? There''s no electricity in here?"

    The room they were in wasn''t that dark since the moonlight served as their light bulb. The only reason why they didn''t turn on the lights was that Calvin wasn''t so sure of the consequences of turning on the lights. But now, it turned out that it was actually impossible for him to even do that in the first ce since there was no running electricity!

    But...

    ''The electricity should only disappear when we are about to unlock the front doors of the asylum. Why did the ckoute so early? What the fuck is going on? What is about to happen? What difficulty did Fivecent set this final phase of ours? This is a difficulty that I have never seen before even when I was still working as an employee of Fivecent!''

    ''Just what does this mean? Could it be that the reason why we were unable to find the keycard in here is that we will not even be able to use it anyway since there is no running electricity? But to restart the electricity, that involves going into the flooded basement of the Administration Block and turn on the generators there...''

    The flooded basement of the Administration Block was far dangerous than the Administration Block itself. The reason was that there was a madman rotating through the entire basement. That madman had a cleaver on his hand and would rush and attack anyone that dared to enter his territory.

    Calvin''s memory of the flooded basement should be urate to a certain degree.

    But now that he realized that the difficulty of this final phase was several folds higher than the difficulty of the final phase that he had experienced back then.

    He was now unsure whether the patient roaming the flooded basement was still that madman or another patient such as the Butcher, or maybe even the Benevolent Father saying that her daughter wants to swim or something.

    ''Fucking hell, Fivecent... Just what did you do? Do you really want us to die that much? But why?''

    Calvin gnashed his teeth in fury.

    His anger at the Fivecent custodian who made them experience a nightmare with a never seen before difficulty rose even higher.

 Chapter 27: Onwards to the Flooded Basement

    Chapter 27: Onwards to the Flooded Basement

    Calvin''s mind madly spun.

    As far as he could remember, after taking the keycard from this room.

    The Benevolent Father would appear in the corridor just outside the door. He would roam through the corridor while carrying his daughter and singing a children song and the only way to escape him was to wait for him to pass by or use the darkness of the corridor to one''s advantage.

    But this only happened after one acquired the keycard for the Security Room.

    They were now in the room, but the keycard was nowhere to be found.

    ''Will that monster appear in the corridor outside even though we still don''t have the keycard?''

    Calvin thought to himself.

    "What do we do next, Calvin?" Hugo asked.

    Calvin gestured for them to close their mouths with his hand as he walked towards the door of the room.

    Sticking his ear close to the wooden door. He scanned for any movements outside the door.

    There was none.

    Calvin heaved a sigh of relief.

    At the least, despite the huge increase in difficulty. It seemed that Fivecent wasn''t entirely heartless.

    If the Benevolent Father was indeed roaming in the corridor, then they might as well justmit suicide.

    After all, after turning on the electricity they still needed to find where that keycard went.

    Calvin turned to look at Hugo and was about to answer his question when Jate suddenly cried out loud.

    "I found something!"

    "What is it?" Calvin looked at her and discovered that she was standing in front of an opened closet.

    Within the closet were cleanly folded hospital gowns. They must be the gowns worn by the patients in this asylum.

    "What is that?" Nichs, Roy, Ray, and Phillip turned to look at Jate''s direction.

    Nichs lightly chuckled and said, "Oh, hospital gowns? I wonder what will happen if we wore those gowns and pretended that we were mad like the patients here, hahaha..." A silly smile could be seen on his lips, but Calvin who was wondering about what was the purpose of the clean hospital gowns inside the closet suddenly eximed.

    "Ah!"

    "That''s it!"

    "So, that''s the reason why there are hospital gowns in this room!"

    "Wha... Come on, man... Don''t just shout like that, you almost gave me a heart attack."

    Nichsined.

    Hugo and the others looked at him and urged him to speak with their eyes.

    Calvin cleared his throat and exined, "Fivecent would never ce useless items in a room. That includes the files and theputers in this asylum. They must be useful, one way or another. I haven''t heard of any hospital gowns in this ce, but since we can clearly see that there are hospital gowns. There is only one exnation for their existence..."

    "Is it because they can be used?" Medea interjected at this moment.

    "Yes... Fivecent may be thinking the same as Nichs. They ced these gowns here because they want us to wear it, they want us to be the embodiment of insanity itself to escape the madness of this ce." Calvin replied.

    Rose stared right at him and said, "That should not be... the case, right? Why would they turn their potential employees into madmen like the patients here...?"

    Calvin shook his head, "I don''t know. If I do, then I would''ve already told you all. But since there is no harm to testing out this theory, then how about we try it? Just wear the hospital gowns over our ordinary clothes so we can rip them off as soon as we feel the need to do so."

    Ray nodded his head, "That makes sense, all right. Let''s wear them. Can I choose first?"

    "Choose what? They look the same. Just take one randomly." Jate lightly chuckled hearing Ray''s words.

    Ray stared right at her and the gazes of the two paused in mid-air.

    "Cough..."

    Scarlette broke their small world with a cough.

    "This is no time for games and romance, I hope that both of you can understand..."

    "Wha-What romance are you talking about?"

    Jate covered her face in a panic.

    Ray also scratched his head awkwardly.

    Calvin stared at this scene with a bitter smile on his face.

    "These bastards... Do they really have any sense of danger at all? We''re in an unknown situation here, yet they are still taking the time to flirt."

    Calvin could only shake his head.

    He then took a hospital gown for his own and wore it above his clothes.

    Then, he had everyone take a sit on the long table situated near the cabs.

    "Jate, bring the files that you''ve gathered here."

    Jate stood up and handed over the files to Calvin.

    [Mount Spirit Sword Asylum Psychiatric Report.]

    [Case Number: 69]

    [Patient Initials: A.G.G]

    [Consultation Date: 14/07/2020]

    [Patient Age: 32]

    [Gender: Male]

    [Observing Physician: Ivan Ivanovich Ivanovsky]

    [Mental Therapy Status]

    [Hormone changes beyond eptable Stage 2 changes detected. It is rmended to lower the next dosage.]

    [Diagnostics]

    [Tests revealed fluid umtion in the lungs. MRI Scans consistent with the previous and expected reports.]

    [Notes]

    [The team interviewed Andre in restraints, following his self-muttions. The restraints had to be modified to amodate his unusually huge biceps and legs. Excessive dermal eruptions all over his body are noted consistent with the previous diagnosis...]

    [He often breaks both of his feet whenever he has a chance. He is now wearing specially modified shoes for his broken feet. Heined that the ce was filthy even when he''s in a sterile chamber, so he ripped off his nose to clean the air...]

    [He now has a habit of singing. His voice is charming and he can seem to capture the hearts of the listeners. This is quite interesting, it is rmended to look more into these changes.]

    [The mental trauma that he sustained after his serial murders seem to be slowing down his progress in Stage 2. His predominant fixation on keeping the ce clean seems to be consistent with his habit of thoroughly cleaning the crime scene of his murders. He possesses superhuman strength and durability as a side-effect of the therapy...]

    [Abination of chemical suppressants and physical restraints is highly rmended.]

    "T-This... This is the patient report for that monster earlier? It says here that the patient likes to sing..."

    Jate who now had the leeway to read through the documents was astonished when she saw the contents.

    "It''s a good thing that you gathered this, Jate. Now, I think we will be able to elude the eyes of that big bastard..."

    Calvin lightly smiled.

    This was the first time that he had encountered a document with a patient report.

    Back then, the contents of the documents that they managed to gather were mostly of the asylum and its facilities.

    "Has a fixation on keeping the ce clean. In other words, if we are clean, then the Butcher won''t bother us? But what does being clean mean? Is this some kind of ng, or a code? Or does it literally mean what it says?" Calvin''s eyesnded on the hospital gowns that he and the others were wearing.

    The white hospital gowns had no blemish whatsoever on its surface.

    In fact, it had a pleasant smell to it and it was alsofortable to wear.

    ''I see... Now, I can see why that bastard appeared so early in the final phase and why there are clean hospital gowns as well as patient reports. It''s to show the challengers that despite the presence of a seemingly impossible to conquer mountain, known as the Butcher...

    ''They must not despair for there was a solution to every problem...''

    ''All that''s needed to be done was to actively search for that solution...''

    ''Fivecent... It seems that you''re not really that bad at all!''

    Calvin inwardly cried out in excitement.

    Afterwards, he then gave his ns to the others.

    He also gave them a stern warning to never stain any part of the hospital gown and to keep it as clean as possible.

    Then, after a few minutes of preparing their hearts for the horrors that were yet to unfold.

    Calvin and the others finally came out of the room into the terrifying dark corridors of the asylum.

    Their destination?

    Onwards to the flooded basement!

 Chapter 28: Arthur Chase, The Benevolent Fathers Birthday Party

    Chapter 28: Arthur Chase, The Benevolent Father''s Birthday Party

    "H-Hey... If we are going to the Flooded Basement, then doesn''t that mean that we are going to use the stairs beside the main elevator at the main hall?" Rose softly whispered.

    Calvin didn''t even nce at her as he said, "That''s right, there is no way around it than to go to the main hall."

    "But... what if that monster is still there?" Rose asked in genuine concern.

    Calvin could feel her worries.

    He stopped whatever he was doing and stared at the others. He could see that even though they were acting courageously at this moment. They were still quite afraid. None of them wanted to die after all.

    Calvin sighed, "How about I go there first and check? I have a hunch that he''s already gone, but if he''s still there then I will deal with him by myself. You don''t have to risk yourself."

    "What did you say?"

    Scarlette absentmindedly whispered, "Are you going to sacrifice yourself for our sake again? Just who the hell are you thinking that you can do such a thing? What if that monster demands for your left eye, won''t you be blind? When that happens, how can you continue to lead us when you''ve lost your sight?"

    "We can''t let you go there alone and sacrifice yourself again. When worsees to worst, I''ll go and sacrifice myself..."

    "He wants an eye, right? An eye? Then, I''ll give it to him!" Scarlette fiercely dered.

    Calvin nced at her knees and found that they were furiously shaking.

    "Scarlette, you..."

    "Th-that''s right! I won''t let you sacrifice yourself anymore, Calvin! If you are going to go there, then I am going with you!"

    "C-Count me in!"

    "I''ll do it too..."

    ''I''ll follow you to the end of the world!"

    After Ray''s deration, the others followed suit. Nichs even dered that he''d follow Calvin to the end of the world which made thetterugh, "I don''t need a man to follow me to the end of the world. Maybe I''ll consider it if it''s Scarlette or Jane..." He teasingly nced at Scarlette and Jane.

    Scarlette let out a muffled yelp of surprise, while Jane abruptly blushed and hurriedly hid her expression from the others.

    "Hahaha..."

    The newbies collectivelyughed.

    For a moment, the atmosphere changed for the first time.

    It wasn''t suffocating anymore.

    But as the team approached the main hall of the Administration Block, the thick and suffocating atmosphere returned.

    Everyone held their breaths and when they took that turn for the main hall.

    There, they found...

    Standing in front of the mountain of corpses.

    The Benevolent Father!

    Whenever one stared at the abyss, the abyss stares back.

    It was the same for the newbies.

    When their eyesnded on the Benevolent Father.

    Thetter''s eyes alsonded on them.

    "Oh... You''re finally back?"

    The Benevolent Father''s gaze only grazed past the newbies as he locked onto Calvin''s figure.

    "Yes..." Calvin respectfully replied.

    "Have you found what you are trying to find?"

    "What...?"

    "Oh? Am I mistaken? Aren''t you looking for the ess keycard for the Security Room?"

    "You don''t have to hide it. I''ve seen how Andre chased you and those scums standing beside you earlier. How uncouth, he invited you all to participate in my lovely daughter''s birthday party, yet he has such a killing intent against my guests..." The Benevolent Father shook his head in disappointment.

    "If you are looking for the keycard, then Arthur Chase possibly took it. He''s been drunk with filth and has been ying with those dangerous intangible toys of his. He took that card, possibly because he wants to ess everything in this madhouse for his experiments..."

    "Personally, I don''t care about him..."

    "Unless he intrudes on my happy time with my daughter, I won''t bother about such a guy with an abysmally absent sense of taste."

    "But how about you? Are you going to find him and snatch that card away from him?" He raised his head and stared right at Calvin, "You want these scums to escape from this madhouse, right? There''s no way around it You have to take that card to escape from this madness!"

    The Benevolent Father spread his arms wide and eximed, "Ahh... I really can''t understand... Why do you want to escape this madhouse? Why do you want to escape this paradise and enter the world of those scums! I don''t understand, I don''t understand, I don''t understand! My darling, do you understand? Can you understand them?"

    "Can you tell me what''s going on?!"

    The Benevolent Father went mad.

    Heughed wickedly before furiously shaking the body of his "daughter".

    He was so powerful that he tore off the sewed limbs of his "daughter" and in the end.

    Only her torso remained.

    "Oh no... You broke..."

    "This cannot be..."

    "The birthday party will start in three hours!"

    "Why did you have to break?"

    "You''re really such a rebellious child... Breaking right now when your father''s about to be done with his preparations for your party."

    "Sigh... It seems like I have to fix you up."

    He knelt down and picked up the pieces of body parts for his "daughter".

    He then turned to look at Calvin and said, "I apologize for such a crude disy of manners. I shouldn''t have acted like that in front of the guest. I hope that you will still attend the birthday party at the Vocational Block in three hours. You won''t stand me up, right? Unlike those sluts!"

    The Benevolent Father fiercely dered.

    Calvin smiled, "Of course, my heart will break if I miss the birthday party of such a gorgeous child..." He even stared at the torso of the child d in that signature pink gown and whispered, "Be obedient now, all right? Your father will fix you up in a jiffy and you''ll be even more beautiful than before!"

    The Benevolent Father''s permanent smile seemed to deepen, the blisters on his face burst with pus as his face muscles trembled in excitement, "That''s right... I will fix you up... Yes, I will... You''ll be even more gorgeous than before!"

    He then hoisted the child''s torso on his right shoulder while on his embrace were the limbs and the child''s detached head still dripping with blood.

    Without saying anything anymore.

    He rushed past the newbies and ran through the main hall towards the Vocational Block.

    "Haaa..."

    Scarlette and the other women copsed onto the ground.

    The men knelt on their knees, while Hugo had a pale look on his face.

    The killing intent that the Benevolent Father umted after killing hundreds upon hundreds of people was almost so thick for him to endure. In fact, for Calvin. It was even a miracle that Hugo could still stand there like a mountain.

    Calvin swept his gaze at the newbies.

    He waited until they calmed themselves down before announcing.

    "The western side of this asylum still has running electricity. Fortunately, the Computer Lab is on the Western Side so we should be able to use theputers there." Calvin dered.

    He then led everyone to the Computer Lab.

    Nichs sat down in front of aputer. He had just told everyone that he had a lot of knowledge regardingputers for he was a white-hat hacker for a part-time job. In no time, he managed to ess some patient files. Remarkably, the files that he managed to ess were for Arthur Chase and the Benevolent Father.

    [Mount Spirit Sword Asylum Psychiatric Report.]

    [Case Number: 42]

    [Patient Initials: A.P.C]

    [Consultation Date: 14/07/2020]

    [Patient Age: 28]

    [Gender: Male]

    [Observing Physician: Ivan Ivanovich Ivanovsky]

    [Mental Therapy Status]

    [Hormonal changes within eptable range after Stage 2 Therapy Status.]

    [Diagnostics]

    [Tests revealed a remarkable increase in blood flow in hisher regions. Further test results consistent with the previous diagnosis. The patient is in a state of Persistent Sexual Arousal. It is rmended to increase the dosage to the limit and observe if the Persistent Sexual Arousal persists or disappears. Further observation is rmended.]

    [Notes]

    [The team interviews Arthur in restraints, followed his lewd acts against the female staff. It has been rmended to change the staff managing him to all males, but hormonal activity in his body teaus whenever he hasn''t met a member of the opposite sex for a few hours.]

    [He is strangely obedient in front of females. But footage from closed-circuit television shows that whenever a member of the opposite sex has her back turned towards him. He would whip it out and secretly masturbate behind her back. He''s thrilled with doing the forbidden and the possibility of hisscivious acts being discovered.]

    [He now has a habit of spraying people''s faces with his essence by surprise. Multiple female staff members lodgedints against him, but it is not rmended to punish him for he is showing remarkable progress in his therapy. No further actions nor sanctions is rmended.]

    [The mental trauma that he sustained in his childhood seems to have an effect on his Therapy. So long as he''s being treated by a member of the opposite sex, his hormonal activity is always above average. However, this is the opposite if the one treating him is a member of the same sex. Being treated by a male staff teaus his progress...]

    [It is highly rmended to let him do whatever he wants to do, so long as his progress continues. Otherwise, abination of hallucinogenic drugs must be administered consistent with the previous dosage in thest diagnostics to keep his status from teauing.]

 Chapter 29: Patient Files

    Chapter 29: Patient Files

    "T-These... are... Patient files?" Rose reeled in shock upon seeing the title of the document

    "P-Persistent Sexual Arousal? What a pervert..." Roy whispered.

    "No shit, sherlock. But, Arthur Chase... Isn''t that what that handsome monster told us earlier?" Nichs jeered at Roy before jokinglymenting.

    Calvin raised his head and stared at him, "Handsome monster, you sure know how to jest. Yes, the Benevolent Father mentioned that Arthur Chase has the security ess keycard for the Security Room. But the problem is where are we going to find that Arthur Chase?"

    "What do you want to do, Calvin? Should we go and look for this Arthur Chase first, or do we go to the basement and turn on the electricity for the eastern side of the asylum." Hugo asked with curiosity.

    Medea also turned to look at Calvin.

    Calvin could feel that Medea''s gaze was somewhat strange, but since he had no time to understand the underlying meaning of her gaze. Calvin merely shrugged it before replying, "Let''s see if Nichs can find more information about this ce. The information that I bribed out of the custodians may not even be that urate.''''

    Hugo nodded.

    Speaking of the devil...

    Nichs eximed in shock.

    "I found a map!"

    "I found a map of the asylum!"

    A loading screen appeared on the monitor and a map was revealed in front of everyone.

    "Administration Block..."

    "Vocational Block..."

    "Recreation Area..."

    "Watch Tower Grounds..."

    "Medical Ward..."

    "A Hospital and a Prison...?"

    "There are also some areas that I can''t ess due to this annoying state of the art firewall," Nichs uttered aint.

    "That''s fine, that''s good enough. Can someone draw better than me here? I want someone to draw the map and the routes, so we can use it as our reference. But since this ce is too big, it''s better if we just draw the map of the Vocational Block and the Medical Ward..." Calvin proposed.

    "How about the Administration Block?" Rose asked.

    Calvin shook his head, "It doesn''t matter, we are about to leave the Administration Block anyway after going through the flooded basement."

    "Leave? Where are we going." Calvin''s answer confused her instead.

    "We are going for the medical ward and take the keycard from the hands of that Arthur Chase."

    Calvin solemnly dered. He was once an employee of Fivecent. Earlier, he had no idea where Arthur Chase was, but after seeing the map from Nichs and realizing that the Medical Ward was avable for exploration. The answer became obvious, Arthur Chase must be in the Medical Ward.

    The others felt a shiver down their spines. They were already convinced of the horrors of this ce. None of them dared to downy nor underestimate the patients in this ce anymore. Just the Benevolent Father alone was probably enough to annihte them in a few seconds.

    Even if they say that the other patients were weaker than the Benevolent Father.

    None of them was willing to gamble.

    After all, a person only had a single life and it was everyone''s responsibility to take care of their own lives.

    If possible, they weren''t willing to risk their lives at all.

    "But how can you be so sure that Arthur Chase will be in the Medical Ward?" Hugo asked in curiosity.

    He turned to look at him and was about to reply when Jate suddenly spoke, "It''s probably because the female staff of this asylum lived within the Medical Ward in close proximity with their patients so they can respond as fast as possible in emergencies..."

    "Am I right, Zahra?" She looked at Zahra for confirmation.

    Zahra was a bit nervous after being called out but as a diligent child who studied a lot every day.

    She knew that Jate''s answer was correct. She slightly nodded their heads and everyone was convinced. No one within this group doubted Zahra''s capabilities and knowledge when it came to hospitals and the morbid reality.

    Calvin also supported her with a smile, "That''s right. But to go to the Medical Ward which is situated on the second floor directly above the Vocational Block. We need to turn on the electricity first for the eastern side of the asylum. We probably can''t ess that ce without any running electricity."

    "Why?" Roy asked in confusion.

    Zahra answered him with a smile, "It''s because ces like this often have decontamination chambers in their entrances. So, if we want to go to the Medical Ward. We will definitely have to go through a decontamination chamber..."

    "What?" Roy was still confused.

    Zahra was taken aback and confused if her exnation was correct or not.

    Then, Nichs interjected: "Don''t worry about it, Zahra. There''s nothing wrong with your exnation. Roy is just too stupid to understand what you are talking about. In fact, I don''t even think that we need to listen to his opinions."

    "What the fuck did you just say to me, Nichs?!"

    "What? You want to take this outside?" Nichs wasn''t backing down.

    "Shut up." Calvin coldly interrupted. He looked at Roy and exined, "Decontamination Chambers need electricity to work despite it being mainly hydraulic. Without electricity, the gates of the decontamination chambers won''t open and we will not be able to ess the Medical Ward."

    "Oh, okay... That makes sense." Roy awkwardly nodded his head.

    Actually, the only reason why he was asking questions wasn''t that he genuinely wanted to know more about what was going on. It''s only because he didn''t want to feel useless.

    He wanted to be somewhat useful to the team.

    Unfortunately for him, he knew nothing about the jargon that they were talking about, so he could only ask questions in order to pretend that he knew a thing or two.

    What Nichs did was basically the same as revealing one of his deepest secrets. Roy was angry and he even threatened to pounce at Nichs and pummel him down the ground.

    Sadly, Hugo''s gaze was entirely focused on him and he knew that once he attacked Nichs, Hugo would almost immediately suppress him.

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at Roy. How could he not notice his emotional turmoil?

    Sighing, Calvin swept his gaze to the others and said.

    "Rose... You may have beencent and arrogant, but I saw how you tried to protect Scarlette who was standing behind you earlier in the staircase when we first met the Benevolent Father."

    "Scarlette, you''ve always protected Zahra and Jane. I saw you braving your fears earlier despite your trembling knees."

    "Jate, you may have been quiet the whole time, but I am pretty sure that I saw you trying to make space for Hugo in order for him to rescue both Zahra and Jane as fast as possible. You know that you are not as strong as Scarlette nor as ingenious as Rose, but you were still trying to help the team in your own way."

    "Nichs, earlier when we were still back at the breakroom. Despite being extremely afraid of what was going on, you were still trying to crack some jokes in order to lighten up the mood. Others may not notice your efforts on stabilizing the mental condition of the others but I greatly appreciate your help."

    "Ray, I thought you were just a pompous attention-seeker when we first arrived in this ce. But ever since I saw how you were trying to ce yourself in between me and the girls. I realized that you were not trying to get my attention, you were doing your best to protect the girls from any sudden changes."

    "Philip, you were the loudestinant at that time in the breakroom but after our encounter with the Benevolent Father, you''ve be brave. Despite your fear of traversing through the darkness, you still stood up and defended our nks from the enemies that may suddenly arrive."

    "Zahra, you helped us diagnose the death of that man earlier. Jane, you might think that you''re not doing much, but your presence alone is reassuring..."

    "The fact that someone like you can still be so ordinary and easily scared in a ce like this reminds us that you are still human and that we should be human too and never fall into the same madness as this ce!"

    "Hugo! Your stature is like a mountain. Your presence alone is enough help!"

    "And as for you, Roy! You''re not useless at all! Even though you ask a lot of questions, your questions are actually helpful for us to notice some of the easily missed details that we would''ve missed if not for your questions making us think twice regarding what was going on and the information that we gathered..."

    "And as for Medea..."

    Calvin''s eyesnded on Medea.

    "Ahem... In other words, no one is useless in this team."

    "Hey, why did you not announce my contributions?" Medea coldly spat, "Are you implying that I''m useless?"

    "N-no... That''s not it, uh, you''ve been really helpful. You''re so beautiful, so your presence is like a light bulb in the middle of the dark." Calvin''s mind madly spun as he made some excuses. When he saw that Medea was stunned speechless by what he had said. He quickly took advantage of that opportunity to change the topic.

    "All right, uh... Let''s go..."

    "Onwards to the Flooded Basement!"

    He straightened his back and marched out of the Computer Lab.

    Descending the stairs, the group soon arrived at the Administration Block, Flooded Basement.

 Chapter 30: Run!

    Chapter 30: Run!

    The flood within the basement of the Administration Block wasn''t really that deep.

    At most, it was only about waist high.

    Entering a small crevice at the bottom of the stairs, the group found themselves standing in a room with six lockers big enough to fit two people. Opening the lockers, they conveniently found some coat hangers for their hospital gowns.

    They needed to keep these hospital gowns clean.

    Calvin explicitly told them to do just that and none of them dared to shrug any words that he was saying at this point.

    When they were done keeping their things in order...

    They were finally ready to descend into the Flooded Basement.

    But before that happened, Calvin gathered the newbies for another meeting.

    "The depth of the water in the flooded basement can reach up to waist height. I want you all to be aware of this so that you won''t unnecessarily panic when the waters suddenly get too deep. Also, if you feel something strange touching your skin. Don''t be too surprised. Just ignore it, don''t even look at it. Just ignore and focus on the task at hand."

    Calvin sternly warned.

    "What do you mean something strange touching our skin?"

    Jate who had always been a clean freak due to the nature of her work shivered.

    "The basement is connected to the sewers. The floodwater is stinky and dirty. What''s more, since we are in a mental asylum with monsters roaming through the entire facility. Who knows if what will drift in front of you in the water is mere fecal matter, what if it''s a severed head? I want you to expect that something like that would happen at the least..."

    "I can''t let you panic while in the flooded basement."

    Jate gasped in fear. But she didn''t say anything.

    She knew that they needed running electricity before they could explore the eastern part of the asylum.

    Gnashing her teeth, she swore to endure all of these and have a great meal and beer once she was out of this ce.

    Calvin could see the determination on Jate''s face, so he didn''t say anything anymore.

    Turning to look at the others, he exined even further. "The waters in the flooded basement will slow us down. But it''s not generally a problem as long as we can take our time. Unfortunately, we will be in a race against time once we descended into the basement."

    "Why?" Hugo asked with a frown.

    "There may be a patient, or even patients roaming through this flooded basement the size of a school gym."

    "A patient?" Hugo''s eyebrows scrunched even deeper.

    Calvin could see that Hugo misunderstood, so Calvin further exined, "No, they are not as strong as the Benevolent Father and that big fat bastard, but they are still dangerous. I think you can handle them with your experience, Hugo. But the problem is if you fight against them, who will defend the others?"

    "Furthermore, I expect them to have weapons such as cleavers, steel bats."

    Calvin let out a sigh, "Hopefully, there''s only a single patient roaming through the flooded basement. If there are a lot of them, then that would be a problem."

    "A problem?" Medea raised an eyebrow, "So, you are not saying that it''s impossible?"

    "Of course, not! We can still do what we need to do even if there are a dozen patients roaming through the flooded basement." Calvin was quite confident of his im. The patients of this mental asylum may be madmen and relentless on their pursuit against their enemies, but since their mental faculties were affected.

    They were only moving ording to their instincts.

    In other words, they could be read like a book.

    Given enough time, Calvin could plot their routes in his small notebook and create a n ording to the routes of those patients.

    "How confident are you with that im of yours?" Hugo asked.

    "Ny-percent. Minus ten percent because of Murphy''s Law." Calvin casually replied.

    "Murphy''s Law?" Hugo seemed to be astounded upon hearing a new term.

    Rose exined to him, "Murphy''s Law states that what can go wrong will go wrong. In other words, one must always have contingency ns for all sorts of situations."

    Calvin nodded his head in agreement.

    "Isn''t that the same as saying that we will absolutely fail this mission?" Philip furrowed his eyebrows andined.

    Calvin turned to look at him and bitterly smiled, "Don''t be so pessimistic like that, man. All right, how about this. I will go and descend there first to check the situation. For now, I want you all to study this map that I made. Upon descending into the flooded basement. We must turn these cranks to fire up the generator for the eastern side of the asylum."

    "The order doesn''t matter, but we must absolutely turn on the generator at the center of the flooded basement before electricity can return. Otherwise, just turning those cranks are useless."

    "A-All right..." Nichs received the small notebook from Calvin.

    Calvin took one final nce before he descended into the flooded basement.

    A ssh rang out, but as soon as Calvin took the next step. No sounds could be heard anymore.

    "Wh-what happened to him? Why can''t we hear him anymore?" Rose said in a panic. She even peeked out of the room to take a look at the direction where Calvin disappeared, but she couldn''t find any traces of Calvin.

    Hugo stared at her and said, "It''s fine, you don''t have to worry. He will be fine. Just believe in him."

    Rose nodded.

    She was still worried, but since she knew that there was nothing that she could do anymore other than wait. She closed her mouth and stood still.

    The others started studying the map that Calvin gave to them.

    Calvin drew a small map on a page of his small notebook.

    At the center of the map was the word, "generator", enclosed in a circle. Situated on the four corners of the map were four doors. However, only two of them were marked with an, "X" mark. In other words, from these four doors, they only needed to go through two doors and turn the cranks in those rooms before they would go to the generator at the center.

    The map was simple enough to understand. Calvin''s minimalistic writing showed its prowess at this moment for even the so-called "muscle-head" Hugo understood what he was trying to imply.

    Calvin also ced some important warning notes at the bottom of the map.

    One, they must never move in haste. Moving in haste would create sshes that were basically the same as announcing your location to the patients roaming through the flooded basement.

    Two, they must move in a certain formation.

    Those that must be protected must stand at the center of the formation. Calvin specifically mentioned Zahra, Jane, and Scarlette so that the newbies wouldn''t quarrel against each other in case their ugly natures were revealed. Philip had the urge to announce that he also wanted to be protected but upon seeing Calvin''s deration.

    He couldn''t do anything other than close his mouth in shame.

    Brrr!

    While the newbies were studying and memorizing the map that Calvin had made.

    A loud booming sound akin to that of a chainsaw being started suddenly rang out.

    Ssh! Ssh! Ssh!

    Sshing sounds rang out from the flooded basement.

    "Hiee!" Jane gasped in shock.

    Hugo hurriedly stood in front of the doors. He assumed a fighting stance with both of his legs spread wide and his arms prepared in front of him, but when the doors were opened. The person that appeared in front of him was a bedraggled Calvin running as fast as he could while shouting.

    "Run!"

    "Run to the bathroom in the left corridor!"

    "Run!!!"

    His panic-stricken voice shook everyone to the core.

    In the very next moment, everyone fumbled and ran like mad to where they came from.

    "Curses!"

    "Eat the flesh, season it well with salt and pepper. Burn the bones like firewood!"

    "You can never escape! Oh, no one can escape!"

    "God help me!"

    "Be still! Take your penance! Let the flesh rot and the bones be burned!"

    As soon as the newbies reached the stairwell.

    The door leading to the flooded basement was torn open by a kick from one of the patients.

    Then, after him...

    Came several more patients as they made a mad dash towards the stairwell, running after the newbies.

 Chapter 31: Onwards to the Medical Ward!

    Chapter 31: Onwards to the Medical Ward!

    The group fumbled around with Calvin at the lead.

    Scarlette who was catching up to him suddenly copsed on the stairs.

    Hugo scooped her up in one fell swoop.

    "Shit! They are catching up!"

    Philip''s panicked voice rang from behind.

    "Jane! Zahra!" Scarlette cried out in horror.

    The stairwell of the asylum mansion wasn''t that wide. With a dozen people simultaneously crammed in one space, it was inevitable that someone would fall down. Scarlette saw that while Jane was trying her best to catch up to the others. Philip suddenly shoved her to the side so he could get a headstart.

    "Jane!"

    Zahra cried out in rm and she stretched her hand out to help Jane stand up.

    "Let the bones be burned!"

    A grating masculine voice rang from behind Jane and Zahra.

    Both simultaneously trembled in fear.

    They were here already?

    Too fast!

    "Hugo!"

    Calvin gestured for Hugo and before he could evenplete his shout...

    Hugo was already in the air.

    He nted a kick on the face of the patient.

    The force of his kick was too immense that the patient was knocked backward and even fell down the stairs.

    "Curses!"

    "God, oh god... Help me!!!"

    "Eat the flesh, season it well with salt and pepper. Burn the bones like firewood!"

    The patient that Hugo kicked rolled downwards like a bowling pin. He struck the other patients and all of them rolled down the stairs back to the flooded basement.

    "Strike!" Philip screamed in excitement.

    "Why did you stop moving? Go! Go to the bathroom in the left corridor!" Calvin fiercely scolded.

    "Y-Yes!" Philip hurriedly straightened his back before dashing towards the bathroom in the left corridor like mad.

    The others followed suit.

    They didn''t dare to breathe loudly until Hugo who was thest one to arrive closed the door shut.

    "Wheeew..."

    "We''re saved."

    "That was intense."

    Nichs copsed on the bathroom floor.

    Thankfully, for some reason, this particr bathroom was kept quite clean and neat so he had no reservations on sitting directly on the floor.

    Roy let out a sigh of relief, while Raymented with gusto and a smile on his face.

    Meanwhile, Calvin had a serious look on his face as he stared at Philip.

    He saw how Philip shoved Jane backward in order to escape. Philip could reason out that he was just in a panic at that time and that he didn''t understand nor realize what he was doing. But for Calvin, a person like him was walking time bomb. He had no need for such a person who could quickly forget camaraderie whenever there was danger.

    The solemn look on his face was noticed by Hugo.

    He quickly saw through what Calvin was thinking, but he didn''t say anything.

    "Jane! Zahra... Are you okay?" Scarlette rushed to the two.

    Jane and Zahra''s faces were still pale from that close encounter with death. They stared at Scarlette with dazed eyes and upon realizing that they were now safe. Tears dripped down their eyes as the two of them tightly hugged Scarlette.

    "I was so scared..."

    "I thought for sure that I was going to die..."

    Calvin maintained his silence.

    It wasn''t appropriate to speak when someone was crying.

    But then, Jane suddenly raised her head and red at Philip.

    "Why did you push me?"

    "Why did you push me down earlier?"

    "You tried to kill me!"

    "Wh... What?! What are you talking about? You''re ndering me!" Philip''s trembling voice came out of his throat.

    He pointed a finger at Jane and even shouted as if he was mustering his courage.

    "There''s no need to lie, Philip. I saw what you did earlier." Scarlette fiercely replied.

    "What...? I didn''t push her! I was just trying to escape!"

    "Yes, you did!" Scarlette wasn''t having it at all.

    Everyone''s narrowed eyesnded at Philip.

    Under the immense pressure, Philip''s mental faculties copse.

    "Yeah, I did push her, so what?! What are you going to do about it, huh?! Will you go ahead and me me for trying to save myself from death? Does that even make sense?!"

    Tears threatened to fall down Philip''s eyes as he started his rant, "Don''t act like you''re such a kind person! I''m pretty sure that if you were in my situation, you would also push her down to save your own life!"

    p!

    Zahra sent a fierce p across Philip''s face.

    Silence descended.

    "Scarlette isn''t like that!"

    "Don''t you dare bring her down to your level, you asshole!"

    "I..." Philip''s eyes were wide with shock upon realizing that he was pped across his face.

    Seeing the condemning look on everyone''s faces.

    He gnashed his teeth, entered a bathroom stall, and mmed the door shut.

    The people whom he believed as his friends such as Nichs, Roy, and Ray didn''t even dare to stand up to him. It was clear that they found his actions quite despicable, but to be honest. They would probably do the same thing as Philip if they were in the same shoes.

    After all, they had just met each other and they had no obligation to save each other''s lives at all.

    A person only had a single life.

    They were willing to do anything as long as they could preserve their own lives.

    Calvin shook his head.

    Complicated emotions shed across his face.

    "Sigh...''

    ''Human nature...''

    ''Even now, I''m still baffled by you...''

    He inwardly thought.

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at the three women.

    Scarlette was embracing both Jane and Zahra.

    But the look on her face was remarkably different.

    Although none of the others saw that look on her face.

    Calvin''s sharp and trained eyes noticed it.

    ''This girl... I hope she''s not a walking time bomb just like them...''

    Calvin could only shake his head.

    To be honest, he would''ve been happier if he didn''t have anyrades and was alone in this madhouse.

    With his instincts, prior knowledge of the asylum, and the techniques that he knew and could utilize even though he wasn''t a fighter. Even though it would take him quite a long time, he would still be able to pass through this final phase and maybe even acquire what he needed if he was lucky enough.

    Sadly, Calvin''s wishes didn''te true and he had teammates that he needed to protect.

    Calvin instantly saw the potential of these newbies.

    They had the potential of being the future heroes of humanity.

    However, if they were indeed people that could easily betray theirrades for the sake of their own survival.

    He would instantly cut them off like the gue.

    Calvin greatly hated traitors.

    And that included himself.

    He hated himself for being so weak back then that he wasn''t even able to defend his own sanity.

    Of course, now that he was back. He would never let the same tragedy happen again.

    Calvin swept his gaze on the faces of the other newbies.

    He decided to take a long break with them.

    In the middle of the break, Philip never came out from the bathroom stall at all and didn''t even join the discussion.

    When it was finally time for them to go to the Medical Ward, he came out of the stall with this scary-looking indifferent look on his face. The eyes were the windows to one''s soul and a single look on Philip''s eyes was enough for one to see that Philip didn''t care about anything anymore.

    He wasn''t the Philip that everyone knew before that incident.

    He was now a different Philip.

    A dangerous and unpredictable Philip.

    Hurt by the betrayal of his so-called friends, and the frustration of his actions being misunderstood.

    Philip had decided to not care about anything anymore.

    If he managed toe out of this ce alive, then it was good.

    But if not, he''ll drag everyone with him to hell!

    Seeing Philip''s expression.

    Calvin nced at Hugo and the two men nodded in tacit understanding.

    Although it was such a waste of talent, Calvin couldn''t possibly sacrifice everyone for the sake of a single life.

    If Philip dared to betray them in the middle of a chase, then Calvin was ready to sacrifice him to the wolves.

    The group continued on their journey.

    Since running electricity was now avable throughout the entire asylum.

    It wasn''t that hard for them to traverse through the corridors anymore.

    They also made a short trip to that room where they acquired the hospital gowns.

    After wearing the gowns, they continued on their journey. But they were still moving rather slowly.

    It was because now that there were lights, they could finally see the extent of damage that the mad patients of this asylum did to the ce.

    All sorts of graffiti and letters were scribbled on the concrete walls of the corridor. Most of them didn''t make sense, but that wasn''t the shocking part at all.

    The shocking part was that the words and drawings were all made with blood!

    Furthermore, they would also randomly stumble upon body parts on the floor.

    There was even an instance where Jane kicked something soft with her shoes only for her to discover that it was a severed head.

    Hugo even stepped on something mushy only for him to discover that it was someone''s brain matter.

    The entire scene was so morbid and gory that the newbies wished that there were no lights at all.

    Such a horrifying scenebined with the faint smell of antiseptic and rust lingering in the air made the newbies feel as if they would vomit out the contents of their stomach at any moment.

    Fortunately, it didn''t take too long for them to arrive at the decontamination chamber that they needed to go through in order to enter the Medical Ward.

    Pressing on some buttons beside the door, the hissing sound of hydraulics could be heard as the door creaked open.

    The decontamination chamber somehow managed to amodate all of them at once.

    A few secondster after decontaminating everyone inside the chamber...

    The doors opened once again and the soon that appeared in front of the newbies could only be described with a single word.

    Terrifying...

 Chapter 32: Dont Leave Me Alone

    Chapter 32: Don''t Leave Me Alone

    The hospital was massive.

    Although no lights were turned on in the hospital. The moonlight cascading through the windows served as enough illumination for the others to see that the hospital was indeed quite massive, and...

    Terrifying.

    But it wasn''t terrifying in a sense that there were mutted bodies strewn across the floor simr to the Main Hall of the Administration Block. Instead, it was terrifying for you would always have that feeling of being stared upon by the unknown upon entering this ce.

    "We are now at the hospital of this asylum. The medical ward, ording to the map that I got from that custodian is still a few corridors away from the decontamination chamber. He also gave me a certain tip. He said that if we somehow entered this ce. We must never bother about what we hear nor see...

    "We must continue without any care for what is happening around us..."

    "We should only stop once we''ve arrived at the Medical Ward."

    "A-All right..." A pale-faced Jane struggled to answer.

    The others nodded their head, but it was clear from their soft whispers and slightly trembling bodies that they would rather stay in the gory and morbid Administration Block than stay in this ce.

    Unlike the Administration Block where the danger has a physical form, yet could be avoided with a steadfast mind and quick wit...

    The terrifying part of this hospital seemed to be omnipresent.

    "Before moving, I suggest that we should whisper a calming mantra to ourselves." Calvin proposed.

    "A calming mantra? What is that?"

    "Anything... You can even chant song lyrics, so long as it can give you that sense of security. You are free to chant anything, just don''t be too loud." Calvin exined.

    The others didn''t say anything anymore.

    Once they started moving, they also started chanting.

    "Pie is 3.1415926535..."

    "The nipa hut may be small, the vegetables there are assorted, turnip, eggnts, and some winged beans..."

    "When you''re happy and you know it, shake that ass..."

    "What the fuck is that weird chanting, Nichs?" Rayined upon hearing Nichs''s chanting.

    "Oh, shut up, man... Calvin told us that we can use anything as long as it calms us down..."

    "That makes sense...." Ray was speechless.

    He didn''t say anything anymore and just started his own chant, "Come, dear fellow stewards of the earth... nting rice is never a joke..."

    "To be the perfect predator, one must never be the prey. I cannot make the same mistake that I did in that battlefield a few years ago." Hugo walked forward along with the others. Since he could be considered as the main source of physical strength and security for the newbies. He took the responsibility of protecting the others from behind.

    As someone who ughtered his way through that battlefield a few years ago, Hugo was never afraid of bloodshed. But behind this strong man was a fear that he had never managed to get rid of. In fact, contrary to the expectations of everyone, Hugo was never a cold-blooded killer.

    Whenever he killed a person, he would always, without fail, dream about that person.

    Haunted by his nightmares, Hugo almost went crazy.

    In the end, he resorted to drinking himself to sleep as well as gambling.

    In just a few years after that gruesome battle, Hugo lost everything that he had to his addictions.

    Fast-forward in today''s time. He had no other choice but to ept that tantalizing offer.

    A chance to clear all of his debt and start anew.

    But Hugo knew that no matter how many times he prayed for forgiveness and no matter how many times he started anew. The nightmares would never stop. He would forever dream about the people that he mercilessly killed and they would forever haunt his dreams.

    Hugo may not be afraid of a life and death battle, but there was something that he was absolutely scared of.

    And that was ghosts.

    In the Administration Block, he showed no substantial fear on his face and his movements nevergged no matter how scary nor terrifying their position was. But inside this hospital, everything changed.

    Hugo''s entire body was now shivering in fear.

    "I can''t panic... If I panic and lost my mind here, what will happen to them? I can''t lose it here... They are relying on me to support them. How can I let the situation be reversed at this moment? I must never be a deadweight for them!" Hugo told himself, but he found it difficult to even move his feet. His body was instinctively protesting against him.

    "Don''t be afraid... Ghosts are ghosts... There''s a popr idiom in my hometown that one must be more afraid of a neighboring thief, than a neighboring ghost! What''s more, they can detect your fear, so if you are afraid of them, the more they will try toe and haunt you..."

    "You can do this, Hugo... You''ve endured through countless life and death battles, and even killed a hundred terrorists back in that war at Country A, yet how can you falter here in the face of intangible ghosts?!" Hugo tightly clenched his fists, he raised his head up and discovered that...

    Everyone had disappeared.

    "W-Wait... Where did they go?"

    "Did they already reach that turn at the end of the corridor?"

    "Does that mean that they left me here alone?!"

    Hugo''s eyes widened in shock. Fear was now visible on his face.

    His body urged him to run, yet he didn''t dare to do so.

    Slowly, he took a step forward.

    After taking this step. Two kinds of footsteps echoed in the darkness.

    One was his own footstep, while the other was the sound of wet shoes submerged in something sticky and slick.

    "!!!"

    "No... That was just my imagination..."

    "All right, I can do it..."

    "There''s no one behind me..."

    "No one behind me."

    Hugo squeezed these words out of his throat.

    He repeated these words again and again as if he was hypnotizing himself.

    He took several steps forward and those slick footsteps rang out once again.

    It seemed to be following him which made Hugo even more scared.

    "No... There''s no one behind me... Once I make that turn on the end of that corridor there, then that sound will disappear... It''s just my imagination. No one is behind me... No one is behind you, Hugo..." Hugo repeatedly whispered and after taking a few more steps, he seemed to have gotten used to the sound of those slick footsteps.

    But his movements suddenly came to a halt as he pped himself across the face.

    "What is wrong with you, Hugo? You promised yourself that you would definitely protect yourrades! Why are you being such a scaredy-cat at this moment? Are you trying to imitate Jane?" Speaking of Jane, that kind-hearted, yet easily scared youngdy...

    Hugo''s heart suddenly warmed up.

    He didn''t feel so scared anymore.

    Taking several steps forward, he ignored the echoing footsteps behind him and walked down the single corridor where hisrades had disappeared into.

    ording to Calvin''s words, the hospital itself wasn''t that big. What''s massive was the Medical Ward dedicated to treating the patients of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    From Calvin''s words earlier, the Medical Ward was only a few corridors away from the decontamination chamber that they used to go inside the hospital.

    In other words, Hugo wasn''t that far from the others.

    He just needed to pick up his pace and he''d soon catch up to them.

    Hugo picked up his speed, but after walking for a few seconds.

    He suddenly heard a strange noiseing from his right. He subconsciously turned to the source of the noise and he discovered that it seemed to being from another corridor with the bright-red "exit" word, written above it.

    "That noise... Did ite from the emergency exit? There are also some lights there. But why is it that only the corridor leading to the emergency exit is illuminated?" Hugo pondered for a while. He could seem to vaguely remember some of Calvin''s words earlier, but due to the fear creeping up in his heart.

    He seemed to have transformed into a moth attracted to a me.

    He approached the corridor leading to the emergency exit.

    There was a cold drafting from the corridor and a few doors of the sickrooms beside the emergency exit was left half-opened. Since there was no light, Hugo didn''t dare to sneak a peek into the sickrooms for who knows what would appear in his vision the moment that he did such a thing...

    Hugo finally realized at this moment that he had strayed from his original path.

    "Damn it, I should go back..." He softly uttered a curse.

    Not daring to stay any longer.

    He turned around, and the moment that he did so.

    He found a pair of bloodied footsteps on the floor directly in front of him.

    Written beside the bloody footsteps were the words...

    "Big Brother, please don''t leave me alone."

 Chapter 33: Ive Killed a Lot of People, What Are You Going To Do About It?

    Chapter 33: I''ve Killed a Lot of People, What Are You Going To Do About It?

    Jane chanted each and every word that Calvin told them earlier to herself.

    "Continue without any care... Don''t pay attention to the weird things happening..."

    Jane softly uttered.

    She was scared but with her friends standing in front of her, she felt a strange sense of security.

    They had been walking through this dark corridor for a few minutes now, yet they still couldn''t see the end.

    Jane felt somewhat bored.

    Scarlette was protecting Zahra at the center of their formation, while Jane was being protected by Hugo behind her.

    At first, she wanted to talk with Hugo, but since Hugo looked quite scary. She didn''t say anything. But not saying anything was basically the same as forcing her not to breathe. Speaking was Jane''s forte, though that talent of her didn''t show itself inside this madhouse.

    Staring at the others who were whispering with each other.

    Jane puffed her cheeks. She found this silence quite unbearable as she turned around and said...

    "Sir Hugo... Thank you for your service and I''m really sorry that you have to..."

    Jane abruptly stopped her speech.

    Her shlight dropped onto the ground and it created a loud sound that startled everyone.

    "What goes there?!" Nichs, who was the closest to her swiftly turned around, and so did the others.

    "What''s going on, Jane?" Calvin saw that themotion came from Jane.

    He raised his eyebrows, but when the light of his shlightnded on nothing behind Jane.

    His pupils constricted as he asked, "Where did Hugo go?"

    "H-Hugo... H-He... He was just walking right beside me and when I turned around, he was already gone!" Jane''s expression was pale and she almost went hysterical. How could a person just simply disappear from another person''s side without causing anymotion nor leaving any trace?

    That was impossible!

    It shouldn''t happen at all!

    Yet, such a strange phenomenon urred here.

    And the one that disappeared was the strongest of them all, the source of their courage and the bastion of reassurance for their weary hearts.

    Hugo.

    "W-Where did he go? Did he get lost?" Roy uttered a whisper.

    "Get lost? Do you really think that someone like him can get lost? He''s been consumed! He''s been captured by the madmen in this ce! And now that he''s gone, we''re next! Hahaha..." Philip who had been silent the whole time suddenly let out a boisterousugh.

    "What the fuck did you say?" Nichs rushed up to him and sent a punch directly on his face, "How dare you curse us! If you want to die, then go die along, you asshole!"

    "Are you saying that I am wrong? Hahaha, no I am not wrong... This ce is mad... This ce is mad, and none of us can escape from this madness!" Philip spread his arms wide and shouted at the skies.

    "Wha... What is he doing...?" Rose and the other girls were terrified of his strange actions.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He rushed at Philip and sent an attack directly at his nape.

    He nned on rendering him unconscious, so he couldn''t spout more nonsense.

    But Philip unexpectedly blocked his attack with a single hand!

    "You... You''ve gone mad..." Calvin whispered in shock.

    There was one particr reason why this mental asylum was particrly dangerous for those with lowered mental faculties. It was because those with lowered mental faculties could possibly turn mad simr to what happened to the patients in this ce.

    When one stared at the abyss, the abyss stares back.

    This sentence was an undeniable truth in Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    At this moment, one of them finally lost it and had gone mad.

    Calvin gnashed his teeth.

    He clenched his fists and sent an attack directly above the head of Philip. He nned on directly ending his life by attacking a crucial acupoint on top of his head, but he didn''t expect that Philip could react so quickly. Before his attack could even approach Philip''s head.

    Philip had already sent a kick at Calvin''s chest, sending him flying towards the walls.

    Bang!

    A dull thud rang out.

    Calvin''s back collided with the wall making him grit his teeth in pain.

    "Hahaha! None of us can escape!"

    Philip turned around and made a mad dash towards the corridors leading for the Medical Ward.

    "P-Philip!"

    "Don''t go there! Don''t follow him!"

    Roy was about to run after Philip, but he was stopped by Calvin''s stern warning.

    When he took that turn at the end of the current corridor where Calvin and the others were located.

    The sound of hisughter mysteriously vanished in an instant.

    An eerie silence once again surrounded the newbies.

    The girls copsed onto their knees from shock.

    They managed to survive on their encounter against the Benevolent Father and the Butcher, Andre.

    But in just a few minutes in this hospital, they already lost tworades.

    One disappeared into thin air, while the other cracked under the shame and remorse of his betrayal before finally copsing in front of the abyss known as the Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    Calvin clicked his tongue in annoyance.

    If Hugo followed his instructions properly, then he wouldn''t have to disappear.

    But since the deed was done and the rice was cooked. There was no use crying over spilled milk anymore.

    Calvin could feel that Hugo was still alive.

    In short, it was now their priority to rescue Hugo before it was already toote.

    But of course, Calvin wasn''t willing to divert everyone''s attention into rescuing Hugo.

    He must look at the big picture.

    Calvin nodded his head and decided.

    He then gathered the others and said, "I''ll go back to look for Hugo. As for you guys, just follow the corridor and you will soon arrive at the decontamination chamber for the Medical Ward. I think it''s only about several hundreds of meters away from this ce."

    "Y-You''re going to look for Hugo? Are you going to leave us alone here? That can''t be! You must stay with us!"

    Ray''s face went ashen with fear. Calvin had long be one of the sources of courage for the newbies. His knowledge of the mental asylum was boundless and for them...

    If he suddenly disappeared, then they would be simr to headless flies. In such a situation, it could be said that their deaths were nigh.

    "Yeah, I''m going to look for him. I can feel that he''s still alive." Calvin seriously said.

    But Roy protested, "No! You are not going to look for him... We must first rescue Philip instead of Hugo. That bastard is only useful for his strength, and I can feel that he has killed a lot of people. I''d rather trust Philip, than trust a serial killer..."

    Royid out all of his honest thoughts regarding Hugo at this moment.

    One might say that he was being biased since Philip was his friend, but what he said actually made sense for the others.

    Scarlette bit her lips, and she looked like she wanted to speak.

    Medea scrunched her eyebrows, while Rose had her gaze averted.

    Jane, Zahra, and Jate, on the other hand, were too scared to care.

    Although they were looking at Calvin since they were concerned that he was going to leave them alone.

    Calvin''s eyes narrowed into slits.

    He leaked a little bit of his killing intent as he replied, "I''ve killed a lot of people too, what are you going to do about it?"

    His cold voice seemed to have transformed into cold thorns that pierced through the hearts of everyone.

    "Y-You..." Roy staggered backwards in fear.

    The terror that he felt in his heart when Calvin''s gaze met with his was no less than the fear that he felt from Hugo.

    He copsed onto the ground and Calvin didn''t bother about him anymore.

    "I will go and rescue Hugo. I will allow no objections. But before I leave, I will teach you all a method to protect yourself!"

    Calvin dered.

 Chapter 34: Theres a Demon In Your Shadow!

    Chapter 34: There''s a Demon In Your Shadow!

    "A method to protect ourselves?"

    "Yes... The custodians may have said that we must not fight against the monsters here, but they didn''t say that we can''t stop them from running after us."

    "What do you mean?" Calvin''s cryptic words confused the newbies.

    "Give me a minute." Calvin turned around and ripped a few pages of paper out of his small notebook. His eyes shed with determination as he bit a chunk of the soft flesh on his cheeks inside his mouth.

    Blood pooled inside his mouth and searing pain rushed directly into Calvin''s mind. However, he remained steadfast. Frowning, he spat a mouthful of blood on his left palm and used that blood to draw some sigils on the paper that he ripped off from his small notebook.

    "Oh, our Beloved Goddess Grace..."

    "The Magister of Light and themander ofpassion..."

    "I invoke your name with my essence, bestow blessings upon your lowly servant..."

    "Tremunt!"

    Calvin softly whispered and the blood that covered the papers vanished as if it didn''t even exist in the first ce.

    What Calvin did was a basic Blessing Bestowal Spiritualistic Magic.

    The Seven Gods and Goddesses governed the world of Las Felipinas. Often, they were silent, but since Gods needed the power of faith from their followers to continue their existence...

    They became quite lenient and with the use of Spiritualistic Magic, one could demand blessings from the Gods that one believed in, and to an extent, they would be able to use the strength of that God.

    However, to exercise the blessing of the divine, their will, and strength. One must also be willing to sacrifice something of equal or greater value. In short, the Gods weren''t willing to help for nothing.

    In fact, if not for their need for prayers, then they would''ve longed abandoned the world in search of other interesting things in the cosmos.

    Calvin infused the blessing of Goddess Grace into the papers but he had to sacrifice valuable blood from the insides of his cheeks in exchange.

    Yang and Yin enter through the head, and the prime location of the most valuable blood essence was in the tip of the tongue and the insides of one''s cheeks. Taking blood essence from the tip of one''s tongue was dangerous since a single mistake could cost one''s life.

    However, it was a different story if the blood came from the inside of one''s cheeks.

    Unfortunately, since Calvin still wasn''t a Predator and hadn''t formally acquired powers from the world of Las Felipinas...

    He could only take blood from the inside of his cheeks, three times at most.

    This was Calvin''s trump card, but for the sake of the lives of the newbies.

    He didn''t hesitate to give them a part of his trump card.

    Calvin wiped the blood off his lips before turning around to face the newbies.

    He gave each of them a piece of paper and solemnly said, "I know that all of you are skeptical. But when the timees that you need that valuable help. Crush this piece of paper, throw it at the enemy, and shout the word, ''Release''. I don''t have that much time to exin everything. Just trust me on this."

    "A-All right..."

    The newbies, although confused never managed to ask any questions for Calvin had already turned around and rushed towards where Hugo wasst discovered.

    Nichs, Ray, and Roy touched the paper in their hands. The paper felt damp, but it wasn''t wet with anything. Just holding it in their hands made them feel a strange sense of security. Taking a nce at each other, the three decided that they would trust Calvin''s nonsense.

    "Let''s leave Hugo to Calvin... for now, we''ll go and find Philip!" Rose stood up and made the decision for the team. Even though she was a woman, she had proven herself to be quite capable. Furthermore, she was the oldest of them all, so it wasn''t really that strange for her to takemand of everyone.

    Roy stared at the direction where Calvin had disappeared. A strange look briefly appeared in his face, but when he blinked, that look disappeared as fast as it appeared.

    The newbies, with Rose standing in the front lines, continued their march towards the direction where Philip went.

    Without the newbies to care for, Calvin didn''t even bother to hide his presence. He ran and in just a few seconds, he reached the decontamination chamber that they used to enter the Hospital Block of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum. He swept his gaze across the area.

    The Hospital Block wasn''t really that huge whenpared to the Administration Block. It had several corridors, with several sickrooms whose doors were left ajar. Cold draft seemed to being from beyond those doors, but Calvin merely frowned.

    Calvin''s eyes scoured the area until it eventuallynded on the corridor where the emergency exit was located. What''s more, he could see that out of all the corridors in the hospital, only that corridor had running electricity. Ifmon sense was followed, then anyone in such a scary ce like this would easily be attracted to light.

    In other words, Hugo was most likely to be in that corridor.

    Calvin took a step forward.

    As soon as his feetnded, two kinds of footsteps rang out.

    One belonged to him.

    While one belonged to someone else!

    Calvin''s pupils constricted, "Who''s there?!"

    He abruptly turned around but he found nothing.

    A cold draft out of nowhere sted his face making him squint his eyes.

    "Whoever is ying a prank on me, show yourself! Else, if I find you, then I won''t be so lenient!" Calvin bravely cried out.

    But no one answered him.

    "Hmmph..."

    He coldly snorted and took another step forward.

    The same slick footsteps rang out behind him, but this time he was even faster. Not even a quarter of a second passed since the sound rang out but Calvin had already whipped his head around, trying to look at the person following him from behind.

    However, he still found nothing.

    "What the fuck?" Calvin softly cursed.

    Irritated, he increased his pace towards the corridor with running electricity.

    When he stepped into the corridor, the slick footsteps had stopped.

    Calvin paused for a moment and even turned around to see what happened and why it suddenly stopped.

    But he eventually decided that finding Hugo should be his priority.

    He swept his gaze across the corridor and found that there were lightsing from the men''s bathroom.

    Calvin stepped forward and discovered some words written on the pale white walls of the hospital.

    [There is no escape from this madness...]

    [If you can''t beat em, join em...]

    [Can I invite you to dance?]

    The uneven handwriting and the strange message that the writer wanted to express made Calvin scrunch his eyebrows.

    He was currently on the corridor that had running electricity in the entire Hospital Block, standing in the middle of this corridor. The lightsing from the sickrooms around him seemed to be unable to soothe his trembling heart.

    Even though the cold drafts had stopped, the doors that were left ajar moved back and forth, creaking noisily as if they were being affected by an invisible force. Showers of dust fell from the old and dpidated ceiling, and one could faintly hear the asional sounds of paper brushing against the floor in the middle of this silence.

    Standing alone in such a ce in the middle of the night, it was a lie to say that Calvin wasn''t disturbed at all.

    Clenching his fists, he walked towards the direction of the men''s bathroom.

    Entering the bathroom with a turn, he found a trembling Hugo on the ground, hugging his knees as he let out weak whimpers and cries.

    "Hugo!" Calvin cried out upon discovering Hugo.

    A frown appeared on his face when he noticed that Hugo seemed to have been scarred by something.

    Shaking Hugo''s shoulders, thetter finally snapped out of his trance.

    "You..."

    "Calvin?"

    "Why are you here?"

    Calvin replied, "I''m here to rescue you!"

    "Rescue me? What happened? Wait, why am I here?" Hugo was so confused that he looked as if he was about to cry.

    "Calm down, calm down... You need to stand up. The others are worried about you! I came here to look for you and now that I found you. We need to go back and help them." Calvin urged.

    "No, I can''t go back!"

    "I can''t go back!"

    "There''s something scary out there that''s out to kill me!"

    "They... I had no choice! It was a life and death situation and I had to kill or I will be killed!"

    "Yet, why can''t they understand? Why can''t they understand my feelings!" Tears streamed down Hugo''s cheeks. The battle-hardened Hugo who seemed to not know how to show any emotions apart from ring at others and revealing a slight smile seemed to have transformed into someone else.

    He was bawling his eyes out and even fiercely kicking his legs as if he was a toddler.

    Calvin thoroughly inspected Hugo.

    His eyes caught onto something strange and he took a piece of paper out of his pocket.

    "All right, I understand..."

    "You don''t have to exin."

    "I can see it..."

    "I can see that you have a Demon in your shadow!"

    Calvin hurled the paper in his hand towards Hugo''s shadow and cried out, "Release!"

 Chapter 35: Chaos on Both Sides

    Chapter 35: Chaos on Both Sides

    "I don''t know but for some reason, this ce feels scarier now that Calvin isn''t with us," Nichsmented.

    "Stop saying the word, ''scary'', man. Now, you''re getting me worked up too..." Roy red right at Nichs.

    "No, I''m not joking! Now that Calvin isn''t with us, I feel like the ce has be even scarier than before."

    Nichs didn''t care about Roy''s re.

    "Yeah, right. I think you probably swing that way since you''re really starstruck for that brat." Roy mocked.

    "What did you say?"

    "I called you gay, so what are you going to do about it?" Roy wasn''t having it.

    Rose who could hear themotion from behind her facepalmed.

    She was wondering if herrades were really adults or children in the bodies of adults.

    "Can the two of you stay away from each other?" Rose abruptly turned around and red at Nichs and Roy. Ever since Roy used Hugo of being a serial killer. Nichs''s view of him changed, he now despised Roy. For him, people that would judge others based on their so-called instincts were retarded and shouldn''t really be given any attention.

    Roy crossed his arms in front of his chest and turned his head away from Nichs. He hadn''t done anything wrong, yet for some reason, Nichs seemed to be somewhat angry at him. In fact, he could even feel disdaining from Nichs whenever thetter faced him.

    Ray could only scratch his head. In situations like this, normally. He was the one that would step forward and stop the fight, but the ce really seemed to be scarier now that Calvin wasn''t with them. He felt as if he almost couldn''t take the fear and that strange sense of being watched from afar by something unknown.

    If not for the fact that he had allies apanying him here in this dark corridor, then he would''ve already run back to the decontamination chamber and returned to the Administration Block. He''d rather face against those madmen than face the intangible ghosts in this ce.

    "Look! There are some lights over there!" At this moment, Jane suddenly eximed amidst themotion.

    She pointed and when everyone followed her finger...

    They saw that there were indeed some red lightsing from the end of the corridor.

    Everyone grew cautious.

    "Slow down..."

    Rose gave her very firstmand.

    "Why is there light at the end of the corridor?" Roy asked.

    Nichs mockinglyughed, "It''s because there''s electricity in this ce!"

    Roy rolled his eyes at him, "I know that but why is it that running electricity''s only limited to some areas in this hospital?

    Nichs couldn''t answer.

    Since running electricity was avable, then why were there no lights in the entire hospital?

    The others thought and pondered about this question.

    Until suddenly, Jate eximed, "Could it be because someone deliberately shut off the lights and he is now luring us to where by using those lights?"

    Everyone turned to look at her in shock.

    What she said made sense and when everyone turned to look at the lights at the end of the corridor once again. The sense of security that they felt vanished. Instead, it was reced by trepidation.

    "W-What should we do? The map here says that we need to go through that corridor in order to reach the next decontamination chamber..." Rose seemed to be panicking as she directed the light of her shlight into the page of paper that she was holding.

    This page of paper came from Calvin.

    Before he left, he gave Rose a small map of the entire Hospital Block.

    From this map, they definitely needed to go through that corridor in the end before they could reach the decontamination chamber leading to the Medical Ward.

    But if Jate''s hypothesis was correct and their enemy was indeed using lights to lure them like moths...

    Then, going there was the same as sending themselves into the mouths of lions.

    In other words, it was suicide.

    "You guys are clearly overthinking, how could there be any enemy there?" Roy had doubts.

    "Then, how about you go there and check for us if you''re that skeptical of our judgment?" Nichs sneered.

    Roy turned to look at him and frowned, "Fine! But what happens if there really is no enemy waiting for us there?"

    "Hmmph! Go ahead and check it first, then we''ll talk!" Nichs wasn''t having it. He believed that Roy was too afraid to go to that corridor and check if it was safe for the team to pass through.

    "Damn it!" Roy was indeed afraid, he had just realized that he dug a grave for himself. But since he was already this deep, there was no turning back anymore. Sweeping his gaze at everyone, he found out that none of them were willing to spoke for up. It was clear that they obviously want them to ce him in danger and check that corridor.

    "You guys..." Roy was disappointed with them.

    Scarlette could detect what he was thinking and she said, "Why are you not checking it? I thought that you were so brave?" There was an aggravated look on Scarlette''s face as if she couldn''t wait to see him piss and shit his pants out of fear.

    "You... Scarlette... Why are you being like this? Aren''t we friends?" He had talked quite a bit with Scarlette and he thought that the two of them were quitepatible. He felt good being with Scarlette. However, he didn''t expect that Scarlette was actually looking down on him all this while.

    "Sc-Scarlette... Don''t be like that... Everyone will be scared if they are being pressured to check on something that may be dangerous!" Jatemented on the side.

    Jane agreed on Jate''sment.

    Zahra had a frown on her face. Everyone''s attitude at this moment was quite strange for her eyes. As a medical student, she was more perceptive than others.

    But even though she could feel that something was strange, she couldn''t quite pinpoint what exactly was different from their attitude at this moment than earlier.

    "Fine..." Roy gnashed his teeth.

    His eyes shed with a never seen before insanity.

    "If all of you really want me to die that much, then fine!"

    Roy turned around and made a break for it towards that corridor.

    "Hahaha... He''s really running. The guy can run faster than Usain Bolt, he must be about to shit his pants now." Ray mockinglymented.

    Nichsughed along with him when he heard how Ray mocked Roy.

    The two men startedughing and never stopped, eliciting a strange frown from the faces of the others.

    "Hahaha..."

    "Hahaha!"

    "Hahaha..."

    "H-Hey guys... What is so funny?"

    Zahra, Rose, Scarlette, Jane, and Jate huddled up. Their slightly trembling figures made it evident that they were disturbed on the changes happening within Ray and Nichs.

    "Oh? Why are you notughing with us?"

    "Isn''t it quite funny?"

    "W-What''s funny?" Rose nervously asked.

    "Hahaha..." Ray boisterouslyughed.

    Heughed andughed and opened his mouth so wide, that the edge of his lips became torn and dripped with blood.

    Nichsughed so loud that hisughter turned into a hoarse whistling.

    The two men copsed and keeled over onto the ground, yet they were stillughing.

    From the looks of it, they wouldugh until the two of them died.

    "W-What is this? What is going on with them?!" Jane eximed in fear.

    Scarlette moved to embrace Jane, but the light within her brown eyes was ever so slightly changing. Her eyes didn''t radiate any fear anymore. Instead, it was reced by insanity.

    Her embrace around Jane''s waist tightened.

    "S-Scarlette! What are you doing? I can''t breathe!" Jane cried out in pain.

    Jate, Rose, and Zahra turned to look at the three and they saw that there was a hideous smile on Scarlette''s lips.

    "You can''t breathe? You''re drowning! How does it feel?"

    "It feels good, right?"

    "Feeling the salty waters washing over your soul, feeling it inundating every inch of your body as it slowly drowns away your consciousness, and so does your life..." Scarlette''s voice turned hoarse and androgynous.

    "W-Who are you?! You''re not Scarlette!" Zahra who was a close friend of Scarlette instantly noticed this change. She became akin to that of a startled cat as she stood her ground and red at "Scarlette".

    "Who am I? Hehehe... You''ll soon find out who I am... After all... After all of these, we are going to berades... There. Is. No. Escape! HAHAHAHAHA!" Scarlette wickedlyughed and her hold around Jane''s waist tightened even more. Jane started struggling with all of her strength, but it was useless.

    Scarlette seemed to have the strength of several adults as she slowly crushed Jane''s waist under her powerful grip.

    "T-T-The paper! The paper that Calvin gave to us!" Jane desperately shouted at the others.

    She felt weak and faint, her consciousness became akin to that of a small boat in a rocky ocean. Although she found it incredulous that she thought of that piece of paper that Calvin gave to them earlier. She was now desperate for any help, even if that help didn''t even make sense in the first ce.

    "R-Right!" Zahra fumbled around and she soon found that piece of crumpled paper.

    "I found it!" She eximed when he discovered the piece of paper before she hurriedly hurled it at "Scarlette".

    "Hehehe... What''s a piece of paper going to do against me...?" Scarlette tilted her neck at a painful angle, but before she could even mock the three even further.

    Zahra eximed, "Release!"

    And the piece of crumpled paper that had no power whatsoever suddenly let out a spark.

    Amidst Scarlette''s constricted pupils, the spark transformed into a great fire that swallowed her entire body in a blink of an eye.

 Chapter 36: A Chance! A God-Sent Opportunity!

    Chapter 36: A Chance! A God-Sent Opportunity!

    "Release!"

    The crumpled paper transformed into a mouth of fire that swallowed Hugo''s entire body.

    Hugo let out a shrill shriek.

    His scream sounded androgynous and full of suffering.

    The fire soon disappeared, Hugo copsed onto his knees.

    Calvin directed his gaze on Hugo''s shadow and said, "Are you not going toe out there, or do I have to exorcise you personally?"

    As a former employee of Fivecent, Calvin knew that there were demons in Mount Spirit Sword Asylum. He just wasn''t so sure of their location since every time a challenger enters Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    The location of the patients and the BOSSes such as the Benevolent Father and the Butcher changed every time the ce was open.

    Calvin thought that these demons would only appear at the Underground Laboratory. Unfortunately, his guess was incorrect once again. It turned out that the demons were waiting for them in ambush here in the Hospital Block. Fivecent really messed with them too much!

    Upon hearing no reply from the demon hiding within Hugo''s shadow, Calvin''s gaze hardened.

    Forming the sigil of the Goddess Grace with his hands, Calvin softly uttered...

    "Oh, our Beloved Goddess Grace..."

    "The Magister of Light and themander ofpassion..."

    "Your servants hereby invoke your name as it echoes through hell!"

    "Tremunt!"

    Calvin formed a finger sword with his index and middle finger before pointing at Hugo''s shadow.

    "AAAAHHH.... It hurts! It hurts!!!"

    A ghastly scream came out of Hugo''s shadow.

    His shadow also continuously contorted as if it was having a seizure.

    "Stop... Stop... Stop!"

    A panicking androgynous voice rang from within Hugo''s shadow.

    Soon, a figure made out of ck mist manifested out of Hugo''s shadow and appeared in front of Calvin.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    The shadowy figure in front of him belonged to a demon!

    A demon in Las Felipinas!

    Calvin swiftly calmed down, he expected this much as a former employee of Fivecent.

    Composed of unknown energies, a demon is invisible to human eyes, they were only visible to the eyes of humans, whose bodies were integrated with the microchip for the Las Felipinas System! Ria should''ve installed that microchip inside his body when she knocked him out and carried him to that hotel.

    This was the reason why Calvin could see this demon, and this was also the reason why he couldmunicate with it.

    Demons, despite having no actual bones, muscles, or any internal structures to speak of. They were still capable of manipting the Mana in the air to their bidding in order to cause an illusion that they had immense strength.

    However, what they were capable of doing, in the end was just simple maniption.

    Calvin could easily use the blessing of the Goddess Grace to cut off that power supply, effectively exorcising the demon by erasing it from the face of the earth.

    The demon himself knew that Calvin had that capability. The moment Calvin threatened to exorcise him, he instantly came out of Hugo''s shadow and manifested an intangible body, so he couldmunicate with Calvin.

    "Stop... Please stop... I''m willing to do whatever you want me to do, just don''t exorcise me!"

    The demon whose body was simr to a ck mist fell onto his knees and bowed in front of Calvin.

    "Oh, really? You''re willing to do my bidding? That''s quite convenient. If that''s the case, then I won''t exorcise you. The more allies we have in this ce, the more chances we have in escaping." Calvin nodded his head, looking pleased.

    The demon inwardly sneered, ''To think that this kid actually knows how to exorcise a demon... However, now that he knows my value. I am sure that he''ll be d to keep me around!'' The demon made some ns to himself. Of course, he kept that respectful posture while he was on his knees, he lookedpletely solemn and submissive.

    Calvin stared right at the demon.

    How could he not know about what the demon was thinking at this moment?

    In fact, at this moment, he was the only human being that had the longest years of experience fighting against demons.

    He might even know more about the demons than the demons know about themselves!

    "So, you are saying that you are willing to do whatever I wanted you to do, but can you even do what I need you to do in the first ce? If not, then you''re still useless to me and I don''t like keeping useless things around." Calvin revealed a cheeky smile on his face.

    "W-What... What do you want to know?"

    The demon felt somewhat strange, but he quickly caught on what Calvin was hinting at.

    "Let''s see..."

    "How about you tell me where I can find the core of this ce?" Calvin''s eyes shed with a strange light.

    "The core of this ce?" The demon furrowed his illusory eyebrows, "What do you mean the core of this ce?"

    "ying dumb? Of course, what I mean is where I can find the Spirit Sword!" Calvin''s smile deepened.

    "You..." The demon was thoroughly shocked, "You are nning on taking the Spirit Sword for yourself! No, that''s impossible! I won''t let you do that. Just kill me if you want, but I won''t lead you to where the Spirit Sword is and I won''t let you take it!" The demon''s body made out of mist trembled in agitation.

    It was obvious that no matter how many times Calvin asked, it would never lead him to where the Spirit Sword was.

    But...

    "Hehehe..."

    "Did you really think that I need you to lead me to where that Spirit Sword is?" Calvin teasingly looked at the demon.

    "Wha... What are you talking about?" The demon felt a sense of foreboding in its illusory heart.

    The demon looked confused and agitated, but when Calvin dropped the next bombshell...

    "Let me guess, the Spirit Sword should be in the salt mines located in the Underground Laboratory, right?"

    "YOU!!! HOW DID YOU?!"

    It almost went crazy.

    Calvin raised another piece of paper and the demon abruptly calmed down.

    "H-How...? How did you know where the Spirit Sword is? L-Let me tell you this! With your current strength, it would be best if you don''t have any ideas about taking the Spirit Sword! The moment your filthy hands touch it, you''ll be turned into a pir of salt! You''re simply not strong enough to take it!" The demon made a grave warning.

    "Thanks for your concern, but I know that too... I know that I cannot take the Spirit Sword with my puny strength." Calvin agreed to the demon''s statement. The Spirit Sword was the reason why Mount Spirit Sword Asylum existed for so long.

    The moment it was taken out of its ce, the entire ce would crumble to ashes and be destroyed.

    Of course, he still wanted the Spirit Sword for himself but as what the demon had said.

    He better not think about taking the Spirit Sword with his current strength. If he dared to try and take the Spirit Sword with his current capabilities, he might as well shoot himself to the head since the oue would still be the same.

    However...

    The Spirit Sword wasn''t Calvin''s goal.

    It was the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life!

    As a person who was once at the peak of the Writer Profession, he had always dreamed of having this precious artifact.

    Now that he had the chance to take that artifact, then he would surely take advantage of the opportunity to take it!

    Calvin''s eyes shed with determination.

    He raised his head to look at the demon and said.

    "You might not be willing to guide me to where the Spirit Sword is, but how about you guide me to where the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life is? That artifact is something that I need."

    The demon furrowed his illusory eyebrows, "The Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life? Isn''t that the useless notebook that none of my fellow demons wants to touch since it easily gets attached to anyone so long as one interacts with it? Why do you even need that strange notebook? I don''t understand..." The demon stared suspiciously at Calvin.

    "You do not have the right to bargain. Just lead me to where that notebook is and I will let you go."

    "Really?"

    The demon was delighted.

    The Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life wasn''t really that valuable whenpared to the Spirit Sword. In other words, the demon was more than willing to guide Calvin to where it was in exchange for its freedom.

    What''s more, the demon wasn''t even sure if Calvin could really force that unique notebook into submission.

    After all, that unique notebook didn''t have any desires that a person could take advantage, so they could force the notebook into following them.

    That notebook only wanted one thing...

    And that was earth-shattering secrets!

    Secrets that once revealed, could ruin a person''s life!

    What''s more, it wanted to hear secrets every hour and with a person''s lifespan, the number of earth-shattering secrets that they could possibly have was limited.

    Sure, that notebook was indeed powerful.

    But since no one not even the demons could use it.

    It was deemed useless and avoided by everyone like a gue.

    But this human actually wanted to go and meet that notebook?

    This was a chance!

    A god-sent, no-, a demon-sent opportunity!

    The demon wickedlyughed inside.

 Chapter 37: Do You Still Have Some More Tricks up Your Sleeves?

    Chapter 37: Do You Still Have Some More Tricks up Your Sleeves?

    "The Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life is located at the Library on the third floor of the Administration Block, we can''t use the route that you and your friends used to enter this ce to go to the Administration Block since that is quite dangerous. But that is not a problem, we can use the emergency stairs to go to the third floor instead."

    Calvin ced a protection talisman on Hugo''s body. He had tamed the demon that possessed Hugo, but he wasn''t so sure if other demons would take advantage of this opportunity to possess him once they left this ce.

    Since Calvin needed to take the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life for his own, he must do it now that this demon was still guiding him. This was why Calvin didn''t want Hugo to wake up at this moment. From the fact that the demon managed to take over Hugo''s mind so easily, it was painfully obvious that Hugo was a scaredy-cat.

    Calvin couldn''t have him waking up only totch onto Calvin since he''d definitely be afraid realizing that he was in an unknown bathroom somewhere in the terrifying Hospital Block.

    After cing the talisman on Hugo''s body.

    Calvin turned to look at the demon and said, "All right. Communicate through telepathy with me. Hide in my shadow."

    "H-Hide in your shadow?" The demon was astonished.

    He didn''t expect Calvin''s request at all.

    "Yes, I want you to hide in my shadow. Is there something wrong?" Calvin lifted a cheeky smile. He wouldn''t call himself a hundred years old plus ancestor if he couldn''t see through what the demon was thinking at this moment. The reason why Calvin wanted the demon to hide in his shadow was that he didn''t want to see any idents happening.

    But the demon didn''t expect that Calvin would make such a request.

    It hesitated, since hiding within Calvin''s shadow would mean restraining its own strength.

    In other words, the demon couldn''t do its original ns of fucking up Calvin while he was walking on the stairs.

    How could he push Calvin down to his death if he was hiding in Calvin''s shadow?

    "N-No... There are no problems, but if I hide in your shadow. I will not be able to protect you from enemies that may want to do you harm." The demon said with a voice tinged with worry.

    Calvin couldn''t help but inwardly praise the demon for its acting skills. If Calvin was an amateur that knew nothing, then he would''ve already fallen through the demon''s trap and possibly even fall to his death upon being pushed from the emergency stairs down to the ground below.

    "Do you really think that I would need your protection?" Calvin opened his palm and revealed a glimpse of several papers crumpled into a ball. The papers looked nothing out of the ordinary, but the demon knew that each and every paper that Calvin had in his palm was infused with demon-warding spells created infused with the blessings of Goddess Grace.

    "F-Fine..." The demon knew that its n had failed.

    The ck mist transformed into a bolt of dark light that dove right into Calvin''s shadow.

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at his shadow and realized that it had grown a hue darker than before.

    "All right, lead the way." Calvin lightly chuckled and walked out of the men''s bathroom.

    As soon as he stepped a single foot outside, the silent corridor instantly became noisy.

    All sorts of voices, damned whispers of the dead, and creepy rapping sounds, as well as banging noises, rang out at the same time.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    "Can you tell your colleagues to shut up? We are going on a walk, we''re just vibing here and they are disturbing us."

    The demon inside Calvin''s shadow answered with action.

    Calvin''s shadow momentarily throbbed.

    The surroundings descended into silence.

    The weaker demons lurking within the darkness feeding off the despair and fear of the humans seemed to have understood that Calvin wasn''t someone that they could easily provoke. They became tame and afraid of Calvin.

    In fact, when Calvin was approaching the doors of the emergency stairs.

    The doors automatically opened as if the demons were paying him some respects.

    Calvin nced at the darkness for a while before heughed to himself.

    ''It seems that this demon hiding in my shadow is quite well-respected in these areas. He''ll be even more useful than I previously thought.'' Calvin started revising some of his earlier ns.

    Before walking up the stairs, Calvin stripped his clothes off his body.

    "W-Why are you stripping? L-Let me tell you this, I did promise that I will do everything for you, but I didn''t say that I''ll go to that extent! I don''t swing that way!" The demon hiding within Calvin''s shadow seemed to be agitated.

    Calvin bitterly chuckled, "What the hell are you even talking about? I''m just taking off these clothes so that I can wear them in reverse!"

    "Wear them in reverse? Why would you do such a thing?"

    "I just want to be safe against illusion techniques. It''s better safe than sorry, you see?"

    Calvin winked at the demon.

    The demon gulped a mouthful of illusory saliva hearing what Calvin had said.

    "H-How..."

    "How does he know that I have illusory formations erected in the emergency staircase?!" A demon wouldn''t be a demon if it didn''t have a few tricks up its sleeves. When the demon realized that Calvin saw through its ns, it had already changed its course of action. Secretly activating the illusory formations erected on the emergency staircase...

    The demon nned on confusing Calvin to the point of exhaustion...

    When Calvin was sufficiently exhausted and out of juice. He would thene out of Calvin''s shadow and kick him off the stairs, letting him plummet onto the ground below to his death.

    But unexpectedly, Calvin was a few steps ahead again and he even knew how to counter illusory techniques!

    Illusory Techniques worked by copying certain aspects and traits of a person the moment they stepped into their area of responsibility, in this case, the moment that person stepped into the illusory formation. Each and every aspect and traits that they had at that point in time would be copied.

    But what would happen if that person wore everything that he had in reverse after stepping into the illusory formation?

    The illusory formation would encounter an error.

    A fatal error enough to cause its malfunction.

    Of course, in the future, formations would undergo rapid development and changes. They would then be able to copy the aspect and traits of the person inside the formation in real-time, not just when the person entered the formation. In this case, Calvin''s solution wouldn''t work anymore.

    But obviously, since the demon utilized such an archaic method of formation creation.

    Calvin easily used this primitive method of formation disruption to break his formation.

    As soon as Calvin took that step forward up the stairs.

    The sound of ss shattering rang out.

    The formation has been sessfully broken!

    Calvin then turned to nce at his own shadow.

    "Now, do you understand it?"

    "No matter what you will do, you will never be able to beat me."

    "What now? Do you still have some more tricks up your sleeve?"

 Chapter 38: Find a Way Out

    Chapter 38: Find a Way Out

    "..."

    ''This brat...''

    The demon realized at this moment that Calvin was someone unfathomable.

    Its instincts kicked in and told it that it was probably better for it toy low.

    "Oh? Out of tricks already? That''s quite boring."

    Calvin lightly chuckled and turned his attention towards ascending the stairs.

    While he was halfway through the stairs, the demon suddenly spoke up.

    "Stop..."

    Calvin obliged.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "Don''t move for the next ten seconds. Arade of mine is lurking in the nextnding ten steps away from your current location. I expect him to disappear in less than ten seconds." The demon exined.

    Calvin was amused, "Oh, you''re suddenly willing to help me now? I''m d."

    "..."

    The demon was speechless and felt aggrieved, ''I just don''t want you to cause unnecessary bloodshed and annihte my kind just because they are standing in your way, you know? I am not helping you! I''m helping them escape from you, you demon!''

    Ten seconds passed and the journey continued. Ascending the rusty emergency stairs of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum''s Hospital Block was quite scary. Calvin believed that anyone would lose their mind walking on these unsteady stairs.

    If not for the fact that Calvin had the ability to control his weight through some breathing techniques, then he wouldn''t even dare to climb up these stairs.

    ncing at the demon hiding in his shadows, Calvin felt strange that the demon was bing quite obedient. He knew that the demon was afraid of him and was willing to obey his orders, but Calvin wasn''t stupid.

    Even though the demon was afraid of him, he really couldn''t me the demon if the stairs underneath his feet copsed and made him fall to his death, right? In other words, the demon was being so obedient to him wasn''t because he managed to subdue the demon under his power.

    Instead, it was because the demon was waiting for him to fall to his death.

    Borrowing a knife to kill, indeed, such a method was interesting.

    Unfortunately, he was scheming against Calvin.

    He was a hundred years too early in this world to even scheme against Calvin.

    He was bound to fail.

    Just as the demon was wondering as to why Calvin wasn''t falling to his death, they finally reached the third floor of the Administration Block. Upon walking out of thending where the emergency exit was located. Calvin found himself in a corridor simr to a school corridor.

    Upon the slight illumination of moonlight, Calvin could see dozens of lockers lining up the corridors. Calvin was standing in a corridor that had two paths the first path led to the Educational Block.

    To the right side of the Educational Block was the dormitory. If the fact that a mental asylum had a school wasn''t strange enough, then this dormitory was also quite strange. It only had a few rooms, probably due to the low number of students attending the sses here on the third floor of the Administration Block.

    Directly across the dormitory was the staff office, from what Calvin could see from the exterior. It seemed to be well preserved. Of course, he didn''t go into the staff office for he was unable to open the doors in the first ce.

    Within the Educational Block were a few ssrooms, ss 1, ss 2, and ss 3.

    The remaining room was a huge field, a basketball court and a tennis court could be seen inside, as well as several table tennis tables.

    The entire third floor of the Administration Block was like this, Calvin was scratching his head for even though he had worked as a custodian for Fivecent before, he had never heard of the Administration Block''s third floor having a ssroom.

    "Man, this is some weird shit." Calvin couldn''t help but whisper aint.

    Judging from what he could see, Calvin was convinced that no patient had used this facility ever since its establishment...

    In other words, this was just a huge waste of time and funding.

    Just what was the reason why this ce was even established?

    Calvin entered a ssroom.

    The ssroom was old, and a cloud of dust fell onto Calvin''s body as soon as he tried to open the door.

    Frowning, he turned to ask the demon, "What''s the deal with this ce? Why is there even a ssroom here? Wait, do you have any idea why there''s a school here?"

    Calvin didn''t receive a reply.

    The demon had strangely gone silent.

    In fact, everything was silent.

    He couldn''t hear any movements at all as if he was in a vacuum chamber.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and crumpled it to a ball.

    The door in front of him was locked. Calvin took out his shlight and he could only peer in through the windows with his shlight. ss 1 and ss 2 were perfectly normal ssrooms that had nothing out of the ordinary, yet when Calvin reached the ssroom for ss 3.

    His pupils constricted in shock for he realized that there were multiple vague silhouettes inside.

    Furthermore, what caught his attention were the books, paper, and pens that were ced on top of all the tables in the ssroom. There were even some intelligible words written on the ckboard and one could feel from the fresh handwriting on the ckboard that the ssroom was recently used.

    It felt as if several something or someone had just attended the ss here.

    Calvin suddenly felt anxious.

    Anyone would be anxious not knowing what was about to happen.

    Combined with the strange silence of the ce, Calvin felt as if he didn''t know what to do.

    Holding the crumpled paper in his hand, he was about to open the door to the ssroom when suddenly...

    He paused.

    ''What if this was a trap? The demon hiding in my shadow is strangely not giving me any answers. There are a few exnations as to why he is not giving me any answers. One, he''s deliberately keeping his silence and two, he is afraid of something in this ce. He''s even afraid of it than me and that is the reason why he''s not speaking up...''

    ''But didn''t he say that the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life is useless? Why would he be afraid of it, if he thinks that it is useless?''

    ''This is weird... Perhaps, I''ll be able to get an answer if I keep on exploring this ce.'' Calvin decided.

    He went for the dormitory directly across the staff office.

    The so-called dormitory was just a dark corridor behind the door. Calvin swept his shlight across the dark corridor and discovered a mess that could make one think that this ce was abandoned a long time ago. Calvin found a wooden que with smudged words that Calvin deduced as "This is a co-ed Dormitory. Loitering is not allowed past midnight.".

    ''It seems that I expected too much of this ce.''

    Calvin randomly entered one of the rooms and he discovered that it was filled with textbooks and garbage.

    It was obvious from the smell of dust lingering in the air that the ce was long abandoned, yet what was the reason why Fivecent still hasn''t demolished this ce and reced it with something useful?

    This was the question that Calvin had in his mind at this moment.

    "Wait, there''s something new here..."

    Calvin softly uttered.

    His eyes were attracted to a small notebook and at a pen sitting on top of it. The two objects were ced inside a cab with a ss frame. Calvin tried to open the cab, but it was locked. Frowning, Calvin made a sword with his index and middle finger before jabbing the ss frame of the cab.

    The ss shattered and the smell of umted mold struck Calvin like a wave.

    Covering his mouth and nose, Calvin retrieved the pen and the small notebook.

    The first words that he saw on the very first page of the notebook said...

    The second page read "Why are we still here...? Just to suffer..."

    The third page said  "You only know the light when it''s running low..."

    The fourth page read  "Why is that my friends disappeared when they knew that I had no money?"

    And the fifth and final page that had words on it, said  "My right arm is stronger than my left arm!"

    "..."

    Calvin abruptly stood up.

    cing the small notebook and pen back in the cab.

    He turned around and was about to get the hell out of the room as fast as possible, but a transparent window suddenly appeared in front of him.

    [Midnight has arrived.]

    [Find a way out of the school.]

    The world around Calvin distorted and twisted.

    Before he knew it, he found himself standing in the same room.

    The only difference was that the room wasn''t full of garbage anymore.

    Instead, it now looked like a prim and proper dormitory room.

    Standing in front of him was a student being pinned on the wall directly across the door of Calvin''s room.

    "You poor no-money trash, I''ve always wondered as to how you managed to enter this private school when you are so poor. It turns out that all the money that you used as your tuition fee were all stolen from somebody else!"

    "But that''s fine..."

    "A few thousand dors won''t hurt my bank ount."

    "I''ll forgive you, so you can stop crying now, all right?"

    "However, I will only forgive you if you kneel down, kowtow to me three times, and call me grandpa!"

    The elementary student pinning another elementary student on the wall arrogantly dered.

 Chapter 39: Transfer Student, Ivan

    Chapter 39: Transfer Student, Ivan

    "Were elementary students normally this fierce?"

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He felt somewhat annoyed that he wasn''t given any time to contemte what just happened for he was just thrown right into the fray. Staring at the several bullies surrounding a lone student, Calvin knew that he had to do something. If not, then that would be wasting the opportunity given to him by that thing that transported him into this ce.

    "Find a way out of this ce... Hmmph, that''s such a piece of vague advice..."

    "Of course, I''ll find a way out of this ce!" Calvin softly uttered.

    He walked out of his room and shouted.

    "Stay your hand!"

    Calvin''s voice rang loud and clear that the jeering students abruptly froze.

    "Ivan? You''re trying to help Ziya again? What? You have a crush on her, huh? Hahaha, that seems fitting. Birds of the same feather really do flock together. Both of you are trash after all!" A student who seemed to be too big to be an elementary student coldly spat at Calvin''s direction.

    ''Ivan? That''s my name in this ce?'' Calvin inwardly thought.

    His attention then turned to look at the studied that was being bullied and he found that it was a little girl who looked to be in seven to eight-years-old. She was holding her stomach in pain, and the contents of her lunchbox, as well as her lunchbox itself, was thrown onto the ground.

    ''How horrible... just what kind of a school is this?'' Calvin inwardlymented.

    He nced at the time and formted a n, "Are you sure that you are going to continue this when the first period is about to start? Do you want to get punished for truancy?" Calvin crossed his arm in front of his chest. He moved closer to Ziya as if he was trying to protect her from the bullies.

    Ziya raised her head.

    The shock within her beautiful sapphire-like eyes indicated that she was thoroughly astonished that someone stepped up for her.

    But...

    Ziya bit her lips.

    "Why did you step up for me?"

    "Don''t you know? Now that you are protecting me, they will also target you from today!"

    Ziya softly whispered.

    Calvin could hear what she said, but he merely shrugged.

    It''s not as if he was going to stay here for a long time anyway.

    He just needed to get out, subdue that notebook, thenplete this final phase along with the other newbies.

    "All right, Ivan... Since you''re obviously trying to protect her, then watch your back when ss is overter..." The student red angrily at Ivan.

    He even wanted to throw a punch, but considering that there were only a few minutes before the first period started, he held himself back and ran towards his ssroom.

    "Hmmph..."

    Calvin merely scoffed.

    He found it beneath him to pay any attention to that student whose age looked to be between five and thirty-five.

    He turned his attention to Ziya, and he found it iprehensible as to why such a beautiful little girl was being bullied by the others. Although he had a good idea of why she was being bullied, Calvin knew that he couldn''t just assume things.

    He needed to investigate this matter properly.

    Calvin squatted down and helped Ziya clean the mess on the floor.

    "I-Ivan... Let''s go now... We can''t bete or sir Nick will punish us!"

    Ziya seemed to be very afraid of sir Nick.

    It was as if he was her nemesis.

    "You go ahead, I''ll clean this mess first." Calvin proposed and Ziya didn''tin.

    She ran towards the ssroom for ss 3.

    Calvin was finally done within the cleaning and he was now walking through the corridor, trying to find a trash bin where he could throw the trash that he picked up.

    Soon, he found one and after throwing the trash. He discovered that this school was indeed quite simr to the school on the third floor of the Administration Block.

    This ce appeared to be in apletely enclosed building, and it seemed to be isted from the rest of the world. All the windows were barred with wooden nks and Calvin walked for quite a long time, yet he still couldn''t find the way out.

    "Hey! What are you doing here loitering around? Which ss are you from?" A fierce voice rang from behind Calvin. He turned around and realized that there was a person standing on the empty corridor where he had just passed through. A fat middle-aged man who looked to be a mountain of fat stood in the corridor, ring at Calvin.

    Calvin nced at the nametag attached to the left chest of the middle-aged man, "Nick Babatuon, Head of the Disciplinary Committee."

    "It''s already a few minutes since ss started, don''t loiter around." The middle-aged man realized that instead of showing some respect, Calvin seemed to be suspicious of him, so he firmed up his attitude, and said: "Which ss are you from? Show me your Student ID!"

    "Student ID?" Calvin uttered in confusion. He started patting his pockets and he soon discovered that there was something firm inside his left chest pocket. Taking it out, the middle-aged man snatched it from Calvin''s hands.

    "A first-grade student? Did you not learn anything from kindergarten? Truancy is frowned upon, yet you''re already being like this? A student like you needs to be educated properly!" The middle-aged man seemed to have gone mad.

    He stretched his hand out to grab Calvin''s hand, but Calvin was even faster than him.

    Calvin merely took a step backward and avoided his grab.

    "What are you doing?" Calvin subconsciously avoided the middle-aged man.

    He didn''t know what''s the deal with this man, but he knew that he needed to find a way out. In order to do that, he must remain unhindered. In short, he couldn''t let himself be captured by anyone in this strange ce.

    "Go back to your damned ss! Since you''re a first-grade student, then I''ll give you a chance. Go back now! But don''t even think that I won''t warn the teacher who let you loiter around like this!" The middle-aged man''s eyes reddened.

    Calvin had no idea which ss he belonged to. After seeing the middle-aged man''s reaction, he decided to take advantage of it by saying, "Okay, I''ll follow you back to ss." He then stood there and stopped moving.

    It was obvious that he wouldn''t do anything nor move so long as the middle-aged man didn''t lead him to his ss.

    "Students these days really have no respect for their elders!" The middle-aged man angrily scoffed. Calvin couldn''t help but roll his eyes, how could he respect him when his first impression of the man wasn''t even that good?

    The middle-aged man walked forward and Calvin followed him from behind.

    For some reason, they walked for quite a long time until they arrived in front of one of the ssrooms that had the signage, "ss 3" disyed above it.

    ''Isn''t this where that Ziya ran into earlier?'' Calvin pondered.

    Knock! Knock! Knock!

    The middle-aged man knocked on the doors, and a few momentster, an old man wearing reading sses walked out of the ssroom. Upon seeing the middle-aged man, he called out, "Sir Nick? What can I do for you?"

    "Didn''t you notice when calling out the attendance that a student is missing from your ss?" The middle-aged man grabbed Calvin''s arm, "He''s from your ss! Take good care of him! If I see him loitering around when ss is still ongoing, then I won''t let you off too since you are his teacher!"

    "How annoying... Even the teachers nowadays are bing unreliable..."

    The middle-aged man left Calvin at the door. He huffed and puffed before turning around. He seemed to have something else to do, so he quickly disappeared in the next corridor.

    The old teacher stared at Calvin, "You''re a student here?"

    Calvin handed over his Student ID.

    "Yes, I am... Here''s my Student ID."

    "I see, thene in. You''re lucky that I still haven''t called out the attendance, or else you''ll be marked as tardy!" The old teacher didn''t notice that Calvin was missing because he still hadn''t pulled out his attendance sheet and marked every student if they were present or absent.

    "I''m not a fan of naughty and tardy students, so I hope that this is thest time that I''ll see you being brought here by sir Nick!"

    "A-All right."

    "Good... My surname is Reyes, so you can just call me sir Reyes. Don''t ever call me out with my first name, or else I''ll be mad!"

    "Mkay..." Calvin half-heartedly answered.

    Pushing open the door, Reyes bought Calvin to the podium. The ssroom was quiet and at first impression, one would think that the students in this ssroom were very obedient. However, as soon as they noticed that a new person came into their ssroom. They stopped whatever they were doing and raised their heads to stare at Calvin.

    "I''m sorry for interrupting your studies, but this will be brief. We have a new student who will be joining us today. Now, I''ll have him introduce himself." Reyes signaled for Calvin to speak. Calvin swept his gaze at the students and discovered that all of them looked nothing out of the ordinary, of course, except Ziya who was a really beautiful girl.

    Ziya was staring at him in astonishment and she seemed to be starstruck.

    Calvin shook his head and lightly chuckled.

    "Hello, my name is Ivan."

    "I''m a transfer student, nice meeting you!"

    Calvin then walked down the podium and stared at Reyes.

    "Uh... That''s it?"

    "Mhmm, that''s it."

 Chapter 40: The Right Way of Dealing With Bullies

    Chapter 40: The Right Way of Dealing With Bullies

    "Don''t you have something else to say?" Reyes nced at Calvin, "Your seat will be beside Ziya. The seating in this ss is determined by the lottery. But since that will only happen after the midterms, I will randomly choose a seat for you, so you go ahead and seat beside Ziya for now. After the lottery, I will naturally change your seat."

    Calvin nodded his head, he seemed unconcerned that he was sitting at the second to thest row. Back when he was still a student, Calvin liked seats that were closer to the back since he could secretly munch on some snacks while the ss was going on, and even take a sneaky nap.

    Taking off his backpack, he carried it towards his desk while the whole ss was looking at him.

    Their gazes upon him were quite strange, some were excited, some were filled with malice, while some were filled with disinterest.

    As for those that had malice against him, they seemed to being from the students who witnessed him protecting Ziya earlier.

    Calvin stopped next to his seat.

    The student sitting on thest row behind Calvin had ced both of his shoes on Calvin''s chair.

    "Oh? I''m sorry, I didn''t expect that there would be a new student today."

    The boy slowly lowered his feet.

    Calvin gave him a cid smile.

    But as he sat down, the boy who was lowering his feet ced both of his feet on Calvin''s chair once again, causing his shoes to hit Calvin''s pure white uniform, leaving behind a dark muddy mark of his shoe on Calvin''s clothing.

    "Oh! I''m sorry! I instinctively put my feet on the chair. I really didn''t want to do it, it''s just a habit of mine." The boy made a rather exaggerated noise. Calvin made a sidelong nce at the boy and proceeded to ignore him. Taking a look at Reyes, he seemed to have gone senile for he was ignoring the bullying that had just happened in front of him.

    "All right, quickly get to your seat. We''re going to start the first period now. Take your math textbooks, please. As always, sharing is not allowed! If you didn''t bring your own issued textbooks, then it''s not my fault anymore. It''s your fault for neglecting it!" Reyes announced.

    "Okay..." Calvin softly uttered. His expression remained calm and cid in the eyes of every student that were staring at him at his moment. Taking out his textbook, everyone expected him to take out a handkerchief to wipe the stain on his uniform, but instead of taking a handkerchief...

    He took out his thick math textbook and mmed it on the face of the student behind him!

    Bang!

    The textbook shattered upon impact on the student''s head. The ss turned silent. Even Reyes was astonished by the loud sound and was looking at Calvin in disbelief.

    "Oh! I''m sorry, I didn''t want to do it. It''s just a habit of mine..." Calvin apologized with a smile. Afterwards, he then sat down on his chair and acted like how a student should act.

    "You... How dare you hit a fellow ssmate?! Come here! Come over here!" Reyes trembled. No one knew if he was shivering due to shock or anger.

    "All right..." Calvin obediently replied.

    He made a sidelong nce at Ziya and realized that she was looking at him in horror.

    She really didn''t expect that Calvin would do something like this.

    The pristine math textbook issued to the students in this school was now scraps of paper on the ground. Traces of blood could be seen on the paper, obviously. The impact was quite strong since the student that Calvin pped with the textbook was now unconscious on the floor.

    Everything happened so fast. It has only been a few minutes since Calvin entered the ssroom to the student being pped with a thick textbook to him copsing onto the ground.

    cing his bag on his shoulder, Calvin didn''t even nce at the student whom he just knocked out before walking over to sir Reyes.

    "You... Stand outside the ssroom!" Reyes red angrily at Calvin.

    This was the first time that Reyes encountered a student like Calvin. He had ignored the presence of a teacher and openly used brute force against a fellow student and even right before the teacher! He was too unruly!

    He was too arrogant!

    "With all due respect, sir Reyes. You can go ahead and punish me ording to the school rules, but you must keep in mind that he was the one who started everything. He said that it was his habit of deliberately cing his feet on my chair even though I was sitting on it, so I just responded in kind and told him that it was my habit to p retards like him."

    Calvin calmly replied.

    The other students gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    Those that stared at him with malice before were now having second thoughts.

    Those that were previously disinterested at him were now looking at him with interest, while the others that were looking at him with excitement earlier were now somewhat afraid. Calvin was really being scary. To think that he would p a fellow student with such a thick textbook and even in front of a teacher!

    He deserved to be punished!

    Some jeered at Calvin for his stupidity.

    If he had just endured that student earlier and retaliated against him after ss, then he wouldn''t be punished like this!

    s, he was too hasty.

    Some may call it being decisive, but some of the students just judged him for being too impatient and stupid.

    Calvin walked out of the room.

    He took one final nce at Ziya, but then he noticed that the student he pped to submission was now trying to climb back up from the ground. Blood dripped down his head and it slid down his cheeks to the corner of his lips, making him look particrly intimidating.

    Anger could be seen boiling in his eyes and his expression was distorted and twisted along with that anger. However, when Reyes turned to look at him. His expression swiftly changed. From being angry, he became distressed and sad, he even had tears welling up in his eyes making him look incredibly pitiful.

    ''Wow, he sure knows how to act. The nominated Oscar actors would be embarrassed whenpared to him! However, people like him are indeed wise. To know when to retreat and to attack is a talent itself. He has two masks in front of his victims and to the figures of authority...''

    ''While facing thetter, they would be meek, obedient, and tame... But facing their victims, they are relentless and could be described as a ball of pure anger and fury as they vent all of their stress to other students.''

    ''However, just what is the reason why I am being targeted by bullies? Could it be that to get out of this ce, I need to educate these bullies and change their ways with my own methods? Or could it be that I just have to save Ziya from being bullied?'' Calvin pondered.

    Calvin stood by the window. He then peered inside through the window, ''Aside from Ziya, that student sitting on the row in front of me is also being bullied. The blemish left by shoes on his uniform alone is enough evidence that he is being bullied. After all, who would deliberately step on their clean uniforms?''

    ''I have no idea how to get out of this ce, but I will help these students nevertheless.''

    Calvin made a decision.

 Chapter 41: He Started It!

    Chapter 41: He Started It!

    At this moment, Reyes''s voice suddenly rang out from inside the ssroom.

    "What are you doing staring in here, Ivan? Did I tell you to stand outside the ssroom? Face the other way! You are disturbing this ss! Just stand right there and stop looking around!"

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He really disliked this teacher.

    "Sir, I''m really curious but I just can''t find the answer to my question..."

    Calvin stared right at sir Reyes, "Just what is the reason that a teacher like you became a demon in this mental asylum? Could it be that you''ve stared too much into the abyss to the extent that the abyss reeled you in, or could it be because you also tormented others like these students?"

    "What are you talking about? You''re being disrespectful!"

    "You saw what happened earlier, sir Reyes. I am certain that you knew who started everything and who was the one being bullied. I wished to properly reason with him, but he didn''t listen and did it the second time. What''s worse was that in his next attempt, he even purposely stained my uniform..."

    "I was willing to forgive him, but when I took my textbook out, my hand slipped and it identally fell on his face..."

    "I admit that it was my mistake for letting my hand slip earlier, but does that mean that he did nothing wrong to me? He was the one who started it all!"

    "But wait!"

    "Actually, all of these did not have to happen!"

    "You saw who started it, and he seemed to be very obedient to you. If you spoke up earlier, then there''s a huge chance that he''d feel remorse and won''t do it again to me or to other students..." Calvin took a deep breath topose himself.

    Sir Reyes wanted to speak up, but before he could do so...

    He was interrupted by Calvin.

    "But you didn''t do anything... Maybe because you thought that it was a waste of time, or maybe you thought that it was just a joke between students. Your life is already stressful enough, so why bother yourself with some things that would just waste your time? Or could it be perhaps that you have an ugly fetish for seeing a student being bullied?"

    "That''s right..."

    "Schadenfreude?"

    "How presumptuous! You''re going too far! You don''t know what you''re talking about!"

    "Sir Reyes, why are you being agitated. I''m not saying anything solid here, I''m just making a hypothesis..." Calvin stared right at Reyes and thetter found that Calvin''s eyes seemed to be whirlpools of darkness that he was unable to ignore nor look away from.

    Calvin lifted a smile.

    He still had a lot to say, but the bell suddenly rang.

    The bell sounded strange as if it was an amalgamation of somebody screaming in a shrill voice and the sound of a wind chimebined together.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows hearing that sound, but right when he recovered from his trance.

    He saw sir Reyes rushing out of the ssroom.

    He took one final nce at Calvin and dered, "Young man, you went too far today. You must write me an apology letter duly signed by your parents by tomorrow or else, I will have to go to the Disciplinary Committee! Let''s see how sir Nick handles you."

    Sir Reyes then swept his gaze at the other students, "The ss is over!"

    He then rushed out of the ssroom as if someone in the ssroom was out there to gobble him up.

    Calvin shook his head and let out a sigh.

    Taking a nce at the clock, it was recess time. In other words, it was time for the students to eat.

    Calvin carried his bag and returned to the ssroom.

    When he walked towards the front row to get to his seat, the students sitting at the front row obediently ced their desks and chairs aside and a phenomenon simr to how Moses parted the Red Sea urred at this moment.

    Calvin only shook his head and chuckled deep inside. Particrly when he saw how these students ran out of the ssroom as if they knew that a ughter would begin at any moment.

    ''Am I really that scary?''

    ''Well, I did p a student with a book...''

    ''But he''s the one who started it...''

    Calvin proceeded to ignore what just happened. He walked back to his chair, ced his backpack on his desk, and turned to look at the potentially bullied student from earlier sitting in the chair directly in front of Ziya.

    "Hey, ssmate... Break time has started already. Aren''t you hungry? Would you like to go out and eat with me? I''m a new student, so I''m not really that used to what is going on here, so I would like it if you can help me explore the ce."

    The student heard Calvin''s voice, but he didn''t dare to answer. He kept his eyes on his textbook and didn''t even dare to pull up his lunchbox to eat his snacks.

    "Leonard, someone is talking to you? Are you trying to pretend that you didn''t hear what he said?"

    From thest row, a student who had stripped off his zer and was only wearing a Sando stood up to shout. Three students stood up along with him and they walked towards Calvin and the student to surround them.

    Hearing his voice, the student seemed to have be filled with fear.

    He anxiously held his schoolbag and buried his eyes deeper into the textbook.

    "You retard! This is why your parents divorced and none of them even want you!" The boy grabbed the student''s textbook and the force he used to grab it was so strong that the math textbook was torn into pieces. However, the student still didn''t say anything.

    Despite the look of fury and anger on his face, he suppressed his emotions and stood up.

    He lowered his head and was about to go out of the ssroom, but his cor was grabbed by one of the students who stood up along with the boy.

    "Why the hell are you running away? Can''t you see that the new student here wants to be friends with you? Why are you being such a buzzkill?" The student named Leonard didn''t move. He didn''t even speak, he just stood there and didn''t resist.

    "What a killjoy..." The boy who seemed to be the leader of this mini-gang of students boisterouslyughed and grabbed Leonard by his neck, "But that''s okays since you seem to be more than willing to be with us than to be with others, then you will stay with us and we will have fun together..."

    The students around him also boisterouslyughed.

    Theirughter seemed to ignore Calvin as they simultaneously mocked Leonard.

    The collectiveughter seemed to jab onto the spirits of Leonard as he bowed his head down even lower.

    "Wait, I can seem to remember this new student asking you a question. What about it? Do you want to be his friend, or do you want to be OUR friend?"

    The remaining students in the ssroom stared at the unfolding event with interest, they seemed to be interested on seeing Leonard make a fool of himself. With his neck being captured, his textbook torn to pieces, and with him being mocked by all of his ssmates...

    Leonard seemed to have lost his life, the light in his eyes extinguished and he stood there unmoving.

    But after a few seconds of being jeered and mocked. He seemed to be unable to endure it anymore as he slightly opened his mouth and was about to speak when Calvin interrupted him.

    "There''s no need for you to make a choice, beloved ssmate. Once you be my friend, then everyone will be my friend. Choosing is unnecessary since everyone in here will still end up as my friend anyway!" Calvin stretched his hand out to Leonard.

    This was the first time that Leonard saw someone stretching out his hand towards him and he subconsciously stretched his hand out in return.

    "You traitor!"

    The leader of the mini-bullies dragged Leonard down by his neck, but before he could say anything.

    A loud boom rang out, silencing everyone.

    Calvin crushed his desk by his own hand.

    After splitting it into several pieces, he kicked them towards the bullies and the debris all urately struck their chests, causing them to stagger backward and cry out in pain.

    What''s more, Calvin kicked his chair up in the air and it fell down like a thunderbolt from the nine heavens onto the head of their leader.

    Peng!

    A crisp sound rang out.

    Calvin gripped the crumpled paper in his pocket and was about to exorcise these demons when sir Reyes''s voice suddenly rang from the door.

    "Ivan!"

    "What the fuck are you doing?!"

    Sir Reyes was obviously mad for he even cursed right in front of his students.

    Calvin abruptly stopped whatever he was doing and directly pointed at the leader of the bullies.

    "Sir!"

    "He started it!"

 Chapter 42: Youre in Trouble!

    Chapter 42: You''re in Trouble!

    "He started it? How dare you lie to my face? I saw you hit them just now!"

    For some reason, Reyes returned to the ssroom and the first thing that he saw was Calvin sending a bunch of wooden splinters into the chests of the other students. What''s more, he even kicked a chair into the air and that chairnded squarely on the head of one of the students!

    How preposterous!

    "W-Wha... What are you doing?! Are you trying to kill people?!"

    The other students who gathered around to jeer quickly shifted their expressions as they moved to help the fallen students get up from the ground. Calvin made sure that the bullies would fall unconscious for he knew that if they were still awake once the teacher returned, he would face more trouble than the trouble he would face if they were asleep.

    "Sir! He knocked Gerald out!"

    "I know! I don''t need you to exin what happened! Help, and get him to the infirmary immediately!" Reyes rushed into the scene and his eyes stared daggers at Calvin, "Why did you fight another student? This time, there''s no way that you can subterfuge your way out of taking responsibility for what you did! I saw what happened with my own two eyes!"

    "You started the fight!"

    "It''s not him!"

    "You''d better exin everything to me, right now!"

    Calvin scrunched his eyebrows and pondered for a moment, "How should I exin all of these..." Calvin put down the wooden splinter that he was holding before ncing at the student lying unconscious on the ground, "You can''t really me me for what happened, professor! I was just protecting myself!"

    "I looked at him and his eyes were already bullying me! That is why Iunched a pre-emptive attack so his schemes wouldn''t seed! If you don''t believe me, sir, then you can ask him once he wakes up!" Calvin dered in a righteous tone of voice.

    Reyes was practically trembling out of anger and fury.

    It was obvious that reasoning it out with him was now impossible for Calvin.

    He was truly angered this time.

    "All of you! Get out now and take your snacks! Calvin, you go and stand outside in the corridor!"

    "All right..." Calvin calmly replied and even nodded his head as if what was happening at this moment didn''t involve him.

    Soon, the angry Reyes also left to go somewhere else.

    When he walked out of the ssroom, the student who seemed to be the leader of the leader and the mastermind behind all of these stood up and red at Calvin, "Count your lucky stars that sir Reyes returned unexpectedly. But don''t be too happy, we''ll settle everything after school. Wash your neck."

    He then walked out of the ssroom.

    Calvin stood there in shock after receiving a fierce death threat from an elementary school student.

    But inwardly, he was secretly muttering.

    "You should be the one that should count your lucky stars, you demon! If not for sir Reyesing in here for some reason, then I would''ve already ended your life as a pitiful demon trapped in this ce."

    Shaking his head, Calvin took his backpack.

    Staring at the direction where the student left, he softly uttered.

    "All right, I''ll see you after school."

    Calvin''s reply was a soft whisper, but the student seemed to have heard it for he paused on his tracks and coldly snorted.

    Calvin''s name soon spread throughout the entire school. He was now known as the delinquent student that got punished two times on his first day of school. As Calvin walked through the corridor looking for some quick snack, he could feel the gaze of the studentsnding on him.

    But for some reason, Calvin couldn''t find the cafeteria.

    Displeased, he carried his backpack and returned to ss early despite the recess still being ongoing.

    ''Yeah as I suspected, this school is definitely filled to the brim with demons. Each and every one of them looks like they have a strange grotesque side to them...''

    Before Calvin could return to the ssroom, the unique bell rang once again. Just in time for Calvin to arrive in front of his ssroom and enter the room. Taking the desk and the chair of the student that he knocked out earlier. He casually sat on it and seemed to be rxed.

    The new teacher started her lecture.

    Of course, Calvin wasn''t listening for he had his own thoughts in mind.

    He took out a pen and paper from his beg and started scribbling down some words in order to conceptualize his thoughts. He knew his final goal, but he had no idea how he could reach that goal. Just how could he escape from this ce? He was deeply contemting his next course of action when a small paper was pushed on his desk.

    "Thank you, and I''m sorry..."

    These were the words written on the note.

    Calvin was astonished.

    Every student and every person in this ce should be demons!

    Demons were made up of negative emotions. They were basically an amalgamation of stress reaching its limits. He thought that only despair and hopelessness existed in this school, yet a demon could actually show appreciation like this to him? That shouldn''t be the case!

    Unless...

    Calvin nced at the person who handed over the paper and he discovered that it was Ziya.

    Ziya had a small smile on her lips, but she didn''t say anything. She directed her gaze to the person sitting in front of her who was Leonard. It was clear from the look on her face that Leonard was actually the one who wanted to thank him, but he was just too embarrassed and ashamed to do so.

    Calvin moved his desk closer to Leonard and asked. "Why are you thanking me? I am the reason why they targeted you, so it''s natural for me to take responsibility." Calvin said in a matter-of-factly voice to Leonard. But Leonard didn''t reply, he seemed to be quite afraid of Calvin.

    He sat straight on his chair and Calvin looked like he was talking to himself.

    It was obvious that he was pretending that Calvin wasn''t talking to him.

    "Is it because you are afraid of their retaliation to you, and to me...? That''s the reason why you are sorry?" Calvin understood Leonard''s worries. Leonard was just a child whose heart wasid bare in front of a hundred-plus years old ancestor like Calvin. It was basically impossible for him to hide his feelings and emotions in front of Calvin.

    "I''m sorry..."

    A reply came after a long time. It was in the form of another note.

    Leonard handed it over to him discreetly.

    Calvin also learned his lesson. He wrote his answer on a piece of paper, "You don''t have to feel sorry about it. They''ve crossed the line. They''ve gone too far and I can''t allow them to continue on thinking that it''s fine to do that."

    Calvin crumpled the paper into a ball and hurled it over to Leonard.

    Leonard received it in a panic and after reading the reply, he handed another note over to Calvin. "I know, I don''t want them to continue on doing this to me too, but I know that I can''t resist. I have no friends to stand up to me, and the teacher favors those that are academically smart like them. I''m dumb so I''m destined to be bullied."

    "Heh..."

    "You''re my friend now. You probably know my name already. I''m Ivan. Let''s formally introduce ourselves."

    Calvin swiftly changed topics.

    "I''m Leonard..."

    "Got it, can I call you Leo? It sounds easier to pronounce."

    "Yeah... But Ivan... I''m really sorry. I should''ve said something when sir Reyes used you of being the one who started everything. I''m really sorry that I''m such a coward."

    "It''s fine, It''s fine... You''re probably looking down on yourself right now because you''ve been stuck in this endless loop of bullying and self-loathing for too long. However, a person''s personality can always be changed. A person''s ability to adapt is tremendously powerful, and so long as you receive the support that you need..."

    "I''m sure you''ll be a powerful person in the future..."

    "Can you tell me more about who you are? I''m sorry if I''m being so forward, but I mean... You''re my friend now. It just makes sense for me to ask more about my friend." Calvin handed over the note to Leonard and Leonard took quite a long time to reply. When he gave his reply to Calvin, he could see Leonard''s hand continuously tremble.

    "All right, I will tell you..."

    "But for now..."

    "You need to know that because of what you did..."

    "You''re in trouble."

    Calvin read the contents of the note and he couldn''t help but chuckle.

    Handing over his reply to Leonard, it said  "If trouble dares toe my way, then I will deal with it!"

    Calvin''s deration was firm and full of confidence.

    Leonard was astonished by the reply that he received, but when he remembered how fierce Calvin was earlier.

    He didn''t doubt him anymore.

    He wrote a long, essay-like reply before handing the note over to Calvin.

 Chapter 43: Ziya, Leonard, Kevin

    Chapter 43: Ziya, Leonard, Kevin

    "To tell you the truth, my situation is far different than the others. I have a loving family. My parents love me a lot and they support me in whatever I am doing nor nning to do in the future. This is why I am not bothered by their words at all since I knew that they are not true..."

    "From what I can see, these people are nothing but a bunch of demons who take joy in the misery of others. It doesn''t matter if what they are saying is the truth or not, they will spin stories that would end up making you look bad, and when they see that look of defeat and misery on your face, they will think that they had won..."

    "But with the teachers observing their every move, they don''t dare to go too far. This is the reason why I wasn''t fighting them at all. I knew that once they get bored of myckluster reactions, they wouldn''t bother about me anymore. Calvin, I advise you to not pick a fight with them at all... Those people... They knew other people outside the school..."

    "They may bring their friends from outside the school and fight with you."

    Calvin was speechless and felt depressed reading the content of the note.

    He knew that Leonard had long lost the will to fight. They believed that for as long as they endured everything; all the suffering that they were undergoing at this moment woulde to pass and they would soon reach their salvation. His decision to endure everything might''ve sounded logical and right for other people but for Calvin it was different.

    The experience of being bullied and being treated worse than trash would be carved into their bones and transform into a devil that they could never vanquish.

    In the future, once they grew older...

    They may deny the experience in their hearts, but they would still remember each and every moment of that experience.

    Calvin fell silent.

    Leonard surreptitiously nced at Calvin and after seeing his silence. He thought that Calvin was still unconvinced, so he passed over a second note: "Just endure everything... Don''t pay any attention to them, don''t give them the reaction that they are looking for, and treat them like air. It''ll be over soon..."

    "If you dare to resist them and change the status quo of this ce, you may end up like Kevin."

    "Who is that?"

    "Kevin is the person who previously sat on your chair and previously used your desk."

    "I reced him? Where is he now?"

    "He dropped out of school. But he''s still in the infirmary, recuperating..." Leonard hurriedly passed another note to Calvin that said, "Let''s just be d that he already found his escape, we shouldn''t disturb him."

    Calvin didn''t reply anymore.

    He swept his gaze at his desk and chair.

    After taking a good look, he realized that his desk and chair were in worse condition than the chairs and desks of the others.

    It was even worse than Leonard who was currently being bullied by those students. Judging from the chipped areas of the desk and the chair as well as the heavy vandalized surface of the desk.

    It was obvious that the target of these bullies was originally Kevin.

    Compared to Leonard, Kevin''s fate was even worse.

    Of course, it was obviously because Leonard was just a recement for Kevin.

    Staring at the condition of the desk and chair that he was using, Calvin could somewhat imagine Kevin''s tragedy.

    "Are the bullies the reason why he''s in the infirmary?" Calvin asked. He didn''t know why but hearing Kevin''s story made him incredibly angry. ncing at Ziya who seemed to be in the same situation as Leonard and Kevin. Calvin had the urge to protect the gorgeous little girl.

    "No... That''s not it." Leonard rigorously shook his head. Tearing off a page of his notebook, he wrote his answer and hurled it at Calvin in the form of a crumpled paper.

    Calvin opened the crumpled ball of paper.

    "They weren''t physically harming Kevin...

    "However, they targeted every possession that he had. His textbooks were torn into pieces, his notebooks full of notes in the ss were drenched in water..."

    "They even smashed his desk to the point that it looked like it was about to copse and they also doodled all over his chair, clothes, P.E uniform and shoes..."

    "Why would they do something like that? Are the teachers in this school really that irresponsible?" Calvin asked. He didn''t know why, but he felt that he must protect and help this Kevin along with Leonard and Ziya.

    Despite the fact that his objective was to find a way out of this ce, Calvin had no hesitation when it came to deciding if he should help the three or not.

    The answer that he had in his mind was simple and straightforward.

    It was the only answer that he could possibly have with his personality.

    And that was to help them!

    Now that the rice was starting to cook, then there was no stopping anymore.

    Calvin nned on digging deep into everything so long as he could rescue the three.

    At this moment, Leonard''s answer reached Calvin''s hands.

    "Don''t even mention the teachers here, they are absolutely useless. As for why they are bullying Kevin, to be honest. I have no idea. Kevines from an ordinary and average family just like you and me. The only difference that he had from the others was that he was quite prideful..."

    "He disdained to be with those people who oftenughed at the expense of others. Perhaps those sick bastards found it amusing to trample on his little pride. What they were doing must''ve satisfied some kind of a disgusting fantasy in their grotesque hearts."

    "Kevin was an overachiever. But due to the constant bullying. His results became a downward spiral."

    "His parents were anxious for results, the bullying was constant, and the teachers started ignoring him."

    "Until one day..."

    "Kevin resisted."

    "When someone tried to grab his math textbook, he resisted against the pull of the attacker. Unfortunately, since he was only a single person and his enemies surrounded him. He was soon pummeled and pinned onto the ground. Because it happened in the ssroom, the teacher saw what happened and quickly separated both parties."

    "Kevin thought at that moment that it was probably the right time to speak up for himself."

    "But he couldn''t be more wrong."

    "Kevin spoke up but the teacher refused to listen to him..."

    "Instead, he asked everyone what had happened."

    "However, the loner Kevin had no friends at all and so, none of the witnesses spoke up for him. Those who exined what happened were the bullies and they twisted the narrative to their advantage..."

    "They told the teacher that what happened was just a small joke between friends and it was Kevin who suddenly went mad and started punching them. They said that Kevin was too prideful. He couldn''t take a joke and that he was the one who started it all."

    "In the end, the teacher punished everyone including Kevin."

    "Kevin had to write several thousands of words worth of essay apologizing for what he did, and so did the bullies. But for the bullies, writing an essay like this was a daily urrence. But for Kevin, it was something different. I reckon that it was the first time that Kevin probably felt so helpless..."

    "Since he was seating beside Ziya who is behind me, I saw him pretend to be asleep while bawling his eyes out. When school started the next day, I found that his face was swollen and his eyes were ckened. I heard from the others that he was osted by the gangsters outside the school when he was about to go home the other day..."

    "This event further exacerbated his depression and his academic results became worse and worse. The teachers don''t even speak his name anymore to take his attendance. It was as if he didn''t matter. No one would miss him, and nothing would change even if he disappeared..."

    "He had no friends, and due to his bad academic results. He was ced on the second to thest row of seats in the ss, behind him sat his bullies and he was constantly bullied once again. No one stood up for him because all of them were afraid of being targeted and bullied like him."

    "This continued on, until one morning..."

    "Kevin came to school as usual."

    "He was bullied once again, his notes that he painstakingly took for the math ss thest day was drenched with water by the bullies. They sarcastically apologized to him, saying that they didn''t mean it and that it was an ident. At that time, Kevin merely smiled and obediently nodded his head."

    "But when the bullies turned around..."

    "Kevin whipped out a knife."

 Chapter 44: I Will End this Nightmare

    Chapter 44: I Will End this Nightmare

    "Kevin didn''t go so far as to actually stab them, but he disfigured them all."

    "They even needed the help of faculty members just so they could pull the crazed Kevin away from the bullies and pin him onto the ground. This incident quickly reached the ears of the headmaster. The parents of the bullies came to the school to protest and to put pressure on the school itself..."

    "The bullies even brought mannequins with them and disyed on the mannequins the ces where they were scratched by the knife and just how disfigured they had be. They all cried the same thing and the same story. They pleaded that if not for their quick reactions at that time, they would''ve possibly died."

    "Everything escted so fast."

    "Kevin''s parents were summoned. His kind-hearted and honest mother sincerely apologized to everyone. She kowtowed to the parents of the bullies and begged the headmaster on his knees to not expel Kevin from the school. With all eyes on her, she even pped Kevin across his face to show to everyone that she was teaching him a lesson."

    "When that p that came from his beloved mothernded on his face, it shattered thest tidbits of Kevin''s pride into smithereens. Since then, he had gone silent. The proud Kevin was nowhere to be seen. He was reced by a soulless sponge who couldn''t do anything other than to swallow the humiliation and endure everything."

    "Every time bullying was about to escte to the point of no return. Kevin would voluntarily retreat. No one knew why, but he would always run to the gym storeroom and stay there alone. No one knew what he was doing in there, but no one really cared about him so none of them questioned his actions..."

    "What''s more, since he would punctually return to ss every time the ss bell rang. Everyone thought that going to the gym storeroom near the Educational Block was just his way of temporarily stopping the bullying. Yes, that was a logical answer, and this continued on until one day..."

    "Kevin ran to the gym storeroom again but he never returned."

    "The faculty members of the school, as well as some students, went out to look for him and they found him pale-faced lying on the cold floors of the gym storeroom. His eyes were jaundiced, his breathing shallow, and his lips were chapped... The teachers found that he had drunk anti-freeze, so they made him drink alcohol to rescue him."

    "But once rescued, Kevin never uttered a word of thanks."

    "He just stood up and walked away as if nothing had happened."

    "Of course, a teacher stopped him from walking away just like that but when he did, he identally gripped on Kevin''s jacket and his hold stripped the jacket off Kevin''s body. The small three inches de that he used to attack the bullies back then fell from the pocket of his jacket. The students also saw the scars on Kevin''s body..."

    "They thought at first that Kevin was just being edgy and that was the reason why he wore long pants and a jacket despite the hot weather. But at that moment, they finally understood why he liked wearing those clothes."

    Leonard exined everything about Kevin to Calvin without holding back anything.

    Since Calvin was now sitting on Kevin''s chair and was even using Kevin''s desk back then. He felt that Calvin needed to know all of these lest he was wronged by someone else. It would be sad for Calvin to suffer under the hands of somebody without him knowing the reason why he was being targeted.

    Calvin took a deep breath.

    Actually, he felt a lot of resonance with Leonard, Ziya, and Kevin.

    That resonance was probably one of the reasons why he had this mysterious urge of helping them.

    Even though they were certainly demons, he felt that they were mostly misunderstood.

    Like him, back then...

    Like him, who once held the title as the Greatest Traitor and Savior of Humanity.

    He once saved the world back then but due to his prideful personality, he had a lot of enemies. His enemies numbered to thousands and they all twisted the narrative and the truth and turned everything that Calvin had done in the betterment of humanity against him.

    Even now, Calvin was still indignant about that event.

    But he knew that it was mostly his fault.

    He was indeed too arrogant back then.

    Surrounded by the halo of being the Savior of the World.

    Calvin got carried away.

    When the invaders finally appeared...

    He was immediately used of being a traitor.

    And that was the tragic story of the hero who had gone from loving the world, hated it, then loved it again.

    Calvin didn''t know if he really did love the world or its people.

    But one thing was for sure.

    Now that he had the chance to re-do everything from scratch.

    He would never let that tragedy of him bing the greatest traitor of humanity happen again!

    Calvin''s eyes shed with determination.

    He then handed over a note to Leonard.

    "I want to meet this Kevin, he''s in the infirmary, right? Can youe with me and visit him?"

    "No..." Leonard shook his head. Actually, while the conversation was ongoing...

    He had been avoiding Calvin, and their conversation was carried on through passing of notes through Ziya as the escrow medium. Speaking of Ziya, the gorgeous little girl remained silent all this while. Her actions while trying to be incognito were practiced.

    Her hurling technique with the notes was urate and swift. It was obvious that she had been talking with Leonard for quite a long time through the use of paper notes. Calvin surreptitiously nced at Ziya and made a decision.

    In order to protect these two from future bullying.

    He must not let those bullies see them as targets simr to him.

    In other words, Calvin could only visit Kevin in the infirmary alone.

    Calvin nced at Ziya and realized that the little girl also wasn''t willing to go with him.

    He didn''t probe any further.

    He knew and understood why they were being like this.

    Each and every person in this school were demons that were not tied by morality.

    The bullies enjoyed trampling onto the pride of the bullies, while the bystanders looked from afar with detached gazes.

    Perhaps, some of them might even join in the fun for the sake of schadenfreude.

    In the end, only the bullied were left.

    Attacked from all sides and with their so-called bastion of supports that should be their teachers not giving them the attention and care that they needed. They would obviously be inured to the pressure and even get used to the pain that they were suffering.

    Calvin swept his gaze across everyone in the ss.

    All of them maintained that look of indifference, as they calmly listened to the ramblings of the teacher. Everything that happened in the veryst row was nothing but a mere show to them. They enjoyed it as bystanders and none of them were willing to change that status quo for it was also fun for them.

    "They may be demons, but they were once humans too..."

    "Sadly, as far as human nature is concerned."

    "I still don''t understand how it works."

    "However, in this ce, all I know is that none of these students were innocent. Bullying is not only the responsibility of the school but also the responsibility of the students..."

    "Unfortunately, everyone is just striving to maintain the status quo and just wishes that the same tragedy will not fall onto their heads. They just didn''t want to be targeted."

    "That''s it..."

    "And that is sad..."

    "Their silence is sad... This silence is sad..."

    "Not only for the bullied but also for themselves."

    Calvin softly whispered these words, but for some reason...

    Both Ziya and Leonard heard what he was saying.

    Their figures trembled in response as if they were struggling against something, but in the end...

    None of them stood up.

    Calvin turned his attention to his notebook and scribbled something on a piece of paper.

    He then handed it over to Leonard.

    Leonard didn''t take it nor did he want to, but Calvin didn''t care.

    He ced the note face down on Leonard''s table before walking out of the ss to find the infirmary.

    After Calvin walked out of the ss...

    Leonard slightly shifted his arm to open the note and it read  "You, Ziya, Kevin and all students that are being bullied in this school. I will save you all. Mark my words, I will end this nightmare."

 Chapter 45: The Infirmary

    Chapter 45: The Infirmary

    The simplest method of fighting against bullies was to fight back.

    Never try to reason with your bullies.

    Just pummel them once and they would never dare to bully you anymore.

    This was the solution that Calvin had in mind.

    However, he knew that this solution might not work considering that each and every person in this ce were demons.

    But of course, since there was no harm in trying, then why not?

    Calvin left his backpack in the ssroom. He started walking through the empty corridor. He then spotted several students rushing towards their ssroom with their backpacks on their backs.

    Calvin approached them with a smile, "Hey, can one of you tell me where the infirmary is?"

    Unfortunately for Calvin, his infamy made the students very unfriendly to him. It took him quite a long time before a student was willing to point him in the right direction, but even then. Calvin was still confused as to where exactly was the infirmary in this school.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He didn''t let his failure undermine his determination.

    He approached another student, but they ran away and avoided him like the gue.

    "..."

    Calvin was instantly downcast.

    "Am I really that scary?" He softly whispered.

    "No..."

    But he didn''t expect to get a reply.

    Calvin was startled and he subconsciously assumed a battle stance with his knees slightly bent and his arms raised in front of his chest.

    "What''s with that pose, Ivan?"

    Ziya was the one who approached him from behind.

    She was carrying Calvin''s backpack in her hands.

    "Why did you bring my backpack with you?" Calvin asked.

    "I was afraid that the bullies may mess with your textbooks and notebooks once the teacher got off the ss. That is why before the ss ended, I pre-emptively took your backpack and came out of the ss to catch up to you." Ziya replied with a smile.

    Her tone of voice and the beautiful smile stered across her face made one feel refreshed.

    One would also think that a girl like Ziya would definitely be popr in ss due to her innate kindness and beauty. Unfortunately, it was actually the opposite in this ss full of demons. In fact, she was one of those being bullied.

    The target of the bullies at this moment was Calvin.

    Ziya carried Calvin''s backpack off to safety but even though Calvin knew that what she did was quite nice. It was also basically the same as announcing that she was Calvin''s aplice. In other words, from now on. The intensity of the bullying on her would only grow and never decrease.

    But from the look on Ziya''s eyes, she didn''t seem to mind.

    She was more concerned about Calvin than herself.

    ''That isn''t a good sign...'' Calvin inwardly thought.

    Taking the backpack from Ziya, Calvin slightly bowed his head in a gesture of appreciation and gratefulness.

    "Thank you. If you didn''t take my backpack, then it would''ve probably been ruined by now..."

    "However, what you just did was the same as announcing to everyone that we are friends. Wouldn''t that mean that you''ll be targeted by them? I don''t think that it''s worth it to be friends with me when you''ll just suffer in return." Calvin probingly asked.

    Ziya stopped on her tracks and stared right at him. For some reason, Calvin felt that her gaze was inexplicably strange.

    "I like you."

    "What?"

    Calvin almost stumbled over nothing when he heard what she said. He subconsciously looked around as if paranoid that a person of authority was looking over here at this moment.

    "I said, I like you, that''s why I am helping you..." Ziya bloomed with a smile.

    Seeing the innocent smile bloom on her face, Calvin couldn''t think of anything malicious at all.

    In fact, he felt as if Ziya was his own daughter.

    She was just too cute with her brilliantly shining eyes and her sweet smile.

    "But I think I might regret being your aplice." Ziya suddenly continued.

    "Why?" Calvin asked in curiosity.

    "It''s because I heard earlier that the faculty members are nning on meting out some punishment for you."

    "Oh? They want to punish me?" Calvin expected this much from the faculty members of the school. In other words, he wasn''t that surprised by her revtion.

    "Yes..." Ziya nodded.

    "So, that is why you said that you might regret being my aplice. But why did you still do it? From the looks of it, you''re cognizant about the consequences of helping me, yet why did you still help me?" Calvin asked with a smile.

    Ziya pondered for a moment and replied, "I think it''s because you''re like superman."

    "S-Superman?"

    Calvin didn''t expect that answer at all.

    "Yes... Superman, a hero... You''re like a hero to us. It''s about time that someone teaches the bad guys their lessons."

    Ziya didn''t mince her words at all.

    If not for the fact that she was so young, Calvin would''ve mistaken the excited look on her face for killing intent.

    "Now that I think about it, this is the first day that we met. Let me properly introduce myself to you. You probably heard about my name already, but it''s much better to re-introduce myself again, for formalities sake, you see?" Calvin stretched his hand out to Ziya.

    For some reason, he never thought of her as a little girl.

    But it must be because Calvin was "Ivan" at this moment.

    A young boy whose age was simr to Ziya.

    "My name is Ivan. Nice to meet you."

    Ziya''s innocent smile deepened.

    She stretched her hand out and ced her small hand onto Calvin''s hand, "I''m Ziya! Nice to meet you too!" Ziya boisterously replied. Her mannerisms didn''t make her exude the aura of someone that was being constantly bullied.

    Instead, she was still lively and was really talkative.

    By the time that the two of them reached the infirmary, they had already delved into a dozen topics ranging from their daily lives and some simple arithmetic. Of course, Calvin was a god when it came to simple elementary arithmetic. His prowess earned him the constant praise of the little girl.

    "All right, I think it''s about time for you to return to ss, Ziya... I''ll handle everything from now on. Wait for my good news and be a good girl, all right?" Calvin waved his hands to Ziya who was already briskly walking away from the infirmary. Calvin''s hand suddenly froze in mid-air.

    He unexpectedly addressed Ziya as if he was her elder and upon that realization...

    Calvin also realized that he was indeed old enough to be her grandfather.

    ''Fuck...''

    Calvin inwardly cursed.

    Shaking his head, he removed this unnecessary negative thought out of his mind and let out a sigh.

    Pushing open the sliding doors of the infirmary.

    Calvin squinted his eyes, yet he couldn''t see anything due to how dark the infirmary was.

    "Is anyone here?"

    The infirmary was quiterge and was made up of six connecting rooms. The outermost room served as the consultation room for it was the smallest, with only three sets of chairs and tables and a shelf containing several amenities befitting an infirmary.

    ''Why does this infirmary feel more like a private clinic? It''s so huge... Just how many students visit this ce for a consultation every day?''

    Calvin swept his gaze across the consultation room and after finding that there was no one looking at him from the corridor right at this moment.

    He took his very first steps inside the infirmary.

    Step!

    But as soon as his feetnded inside the infirmary.

    The air suddenly froze.

    A cold draft appeared out of nowhere and sted Calvin''s face.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    "This presence..."

    "This is the presence of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life!"

    Calvin audibly gasped.

 Chapter 46: Kevin?

    Chapter 46: Kevin?

    Calvin was once a Keeper of History in the Writer Profession. The environment within the world of Las Felipinas was incredibly harsh for the average Earthlings. In order to deal with this,panies from Earth such as Fivecent made a deal with the Seven Gods and Goddesses.

    Las Felipinas would provide Earth with quality raw materials and the Earthlings, with their technology would turn those raw materials into useful items. The Seven Gods and Goddesses didn''t allow the advancement of technology within Las Felipinas itself.

    In other words, the usage of items such as guns and anything technologically advanced was only limited for those who were in power. Not even the army of the Kingdoms in the world of Las Felipinas was cognizant of the existence of guns, and hydrogen bombs.

    The Seven Gods and Goddesses also gave their blessings to the Earthlings sent by thesepanies. The product of their blessings was the so-called system that Calvin would soon receive uponpleting this final phase.

    Hints and clues to the system were given to the contracted so that they wouldn''t be astounded by its existence when theypleted the final phase.

    That''s right, the so-called clues and hints were those transparent windows that would asionally pop out in front of Calvin and the other newbies when they arrived here in Mount Spirt Sword Asylum.

    The newbies didn''t think too much into it, but Calvin knew that the blessing of the Seven Gods and Goddesses gave humans the power of a system.

    A system simr to leveling systems of games wherein they could increase their physical strength, dexterity, intelligence and stamina through the use of status points.

    This system enabled the existence of humans in the disgusting and harsh environment of Las Felipinas.

    Of course, with the existence of such an unfathomable system came the existence of sses.

    sses were given to every human being in the world of Las Felipinas.

    The natives of Las Felipinas also had sses, the only difference was that they were bestowed upon their sses by the blessing of the god or goddess whom they believe in, while the humans from Earth received theirs upon the imntation of a microchip.

    Calvin already had a microchip imnted on the web between his thumb and index finger, but his ss still wasn''t decided. Nevertheless, Calvin was confident that he would still get the same ss that he did back then. He would still receive the Writer ss or Profession and be a Diary-Keeper.

    Although the Writer ss was quite unique since it could be considered as a Hidden ss, everyone considered people with these sses as useless since not only they didn''t have any skills that could help them in battle.

    Their defenses were quite weak with their growth stunted by the fact that they couldn''t hunt monsters alone that would give them Experience Points to level up and increase their strength.

    Back then, Calvin greatly regretted the fact that he had such a useless ss. In fact, he even considered killing himself back then after spiraling into depression from the constant bullying that he received from his peers due to his ss that was only useful in keeping records about random things.

    But that was just how his ss worked for he was a "Diary-Keeper".

    The bullying that he received continued until Calvin was finally fed up.

    He faked his own death and escaped to a nearby city. There, his legend started.

    It was also in that city that Calvin became acquainted with some powerful figures.

    He also came to know about the existence of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life.

    The notebook held great and incredible powers, but it was useless for Calvin back then since he wasn''t confident that the secrets, he had in his mind were earth-shattering and could ruin a person''s life.

    Without those kinds of secrets, taking the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life was basically the same asmitting suicide. After all, if you dared to take this notebook as your Aspect or Blessed Artifact without enough secrets then the Notebook would take over both your body and soul.

    In other words, the Notebook would transform you into a demon.

    But now?

    Everything was different.

    As the Keeper and witness of History back then...

    Calvin''s mind was a treasure trove of secrets that could definitely shatter the earth and tear the skies once revealed.

    Sensing the aura of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life...

    Calvin felt immense excitement in his heart.

    But he immediately suppressed it for he had realized that the familiar aura had disappeared.

    Everything returned to normal and the cold draft surrounding his body was nowhere to be found.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows and swept his eyes across the consultation room.

    Upon seeing that nothing strange was going on, he started walking.

    Walking past the consultation room, Calvin entered the second room. There were several beds. Other than the slightly bigger space, this room was no different from the previous room.

    Calvin continued on walking.

    Strangely enough, every room in this infirmary had the sameposition as the others.

    Nothing out of the ordinary was happening, but the more silent and ordinary the ce was, the more nervous Calvin became.

    Finally, he arrived at the door for thest room.

    He twisted the doorknob but found that it was locked.

    "Oh, it''s locked... I''m sorry, I''m looking for someone."

    Calvin stood at the door and his pupils constricted as a bad feeling rose in his heart.

    He received no response from the door as if there was no one inside.

    "This is strange... Kevin should be here... Since I still haven''t found him after going past the other rooms. He could only be here... I don''t think Leonard and Ziya would lie to me about something like this." Calvin softly uttered into the air.

    He reached his left hand into his pocket, holding a piece of crumpled paper as he twisted the doorknob once again with his other hand. Noticing that the door was indeed locked, Calvin formed a palm with his right hand and pped his palm on the doorknob, causing it to creak noisily and crack.

    "There we go, it''s opened." Calvin let out a sigh.

    He carefully walked into thest and final room of the infirmary and discovered that it had the sameyout as the other rooms. The only difference was that the beds in this room were sequestered from each other by white curtains, it was probably to protect the privacy of the patients on the beds.

    With the curtains, it was impossible to see if the bed was upied from the outside.

    "Man, even I am getting scared of his ce."

    Calvin wiped the sweat of his right hand on his chest.

    He took the crumpled paper out of his pocket and assumed a fighting stance.

    Calvin stuck close to the wall and reached his hand out to the curtains on the bed nearest to him. Pulling open the curtains of that bed, a thick stench of decay struck Calvin squarely on his face. On the bed was a sticky pool of something that looked simr to blood.

    "Fuck... The blood isn''t even fully dried yet." Calvin softly uttered a curse.

    Calvin closely observed the bed and discovered that the pillow was somewhat elevated. An indication that something was hidden beneath it. Stretching his hand out, Calvin was about to raise that pillow when he felt a chill from behind his neck as if someone''s piercing gaze was on him.

    He took to the air like a startled cat and clenched his left hand holding the crumpled paper. But before he could even throw it to the creature standing behind him. He realized that the person who was staring at him from behind was a young boy of simr age to him.

    The only difference was that the young boy looked plump with his white coat bursting at the seams.

    He was well covered and even had a surgical mask as well as that white coat and a hat. The only exposed part of his body was his ankles and neck which made him look quite intimidating as he stood there staring right at Calvin.

    ''A young boy? He looks so plump! Wait, it''s because he is wearing severalyers of clothes! But why is he doing something like that? Could it be because he wants to hide something ugly underneath?''

    Calvin''s eyes narrowed into slits as he cautiously stared at the young boy.

    ''Could this boy be that Kevin?''

    He inwardly mused.

 Chapter 47: Do You Really Think of Me As a Friend?

    Chapter 47: Do You Really Think of Me As a Friend?

    "Uh... Hello?"

    "I''m here to look for my friend." Calvin made sure to be as polite as possible.

    The young boy didn''t reply.

    Calvin didn''t take offense to it as he asked, "Do you know where I can see my friend, Kevin? I''m quite worried about him, so I was just wondering where he is..."

    "Your friend?" The young boy finally spoke.

    Calvin revealed a bright smile and even awkwardly scratched his head, making him look like a good-natured young man who was really there to visit his friend, "Yes, my friend...."

    "Your friend?" The young boy repeated once more.

    It seemed that he didn''t know what to say other than these two words. He kept repeating these two words and with each repetition. He took a step closer to Calvin.

    A thick stench of decay and rotting flesh rushed at Calvin like a tide. It was now clear to Calvin that the reason why the young boy had so many clothes around his body was that he was hiding the smell of his very own rotting flesh. Although the young boy was unable tomunicate, Calvin had his own doubts so he didn''t dare to do anything rash.

    He held the crumpled paper in his hand and was about to activate it at a moment''s notice.

    The young boy walked closer and closer, but he stopped a few meters in front of Calvin.

    The pair of soulless eyes scanned Calvin from top to the bottom. The young boy thought for a long time, even some times whispering the words, "Your friend?", to himself. Just as Calvin thought that the young boy was about to attack him, thetter suddenly spoke with the same voiced tinged with detached indifference.

    "You''re not lying..."

    "You indeed consider me as your friend, but you are lying because we are not friends and I do not know you at all!"

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    "You..."

    "Kevin?"

    The young boy faintly nodded.

    "Who are you and why did youe here to look for me? I can feel that you''re not one of those bastards who only know to step onto others who are weaker than them! They don''t even dare to fight those who are stronger than them! What a bunch of cowards!" The young boy coldly spat.

    Calvin took quite a while to recover. He had thought for sure that the young boy, Kevin had gone mad from all the bullying that he received. But now that he was closely observing him, that seemed to be the opposite.

    Aside from the fact that his flesh was rotting beneath all of his clothes, he seemed to be a proper and sensible person.

    But...

    "There''s nothing wrong with what they are doing..."

    "What did you say?" The young boy immediately grew agitated. He stared daggers at Calvin, yet his eyes remained indifferent and soulless.

    "I said that there is nothing wrong with purposely avoiding the strong. Their survival instincts should be telling them to stay away from the strong since they are not strong enough to fight against them."

    "What is your point?" The young boy asked with furrowed eyebrows.

    He was clearly confused as to what Calvin was trying to imply.

    "Don''t get me wrong, I am not trying to defend them and what they did was indeed scummy and bad. But to give an impartial judgment. We must look at both sides and pretend that we''re in their shoes. You are saying that they are a bunch of cowards for picking on the weak instead of fighting against the strong, but that''s clearly logical..."

    "Humans evolved by adapting and deliberately courting death by fighting those that are stronger than them is just stupid..." Calvin shook his head and stared right at Kevin.

    "Just what are you trying to say?! Are you saying that what they did was right? Are you saying that it''s just right and correct for them to bully us who are obviously weaker than them under the guise that they are just avoiding the strong?"

    Kevin grew even more agitated.

    The seams on his clothes seemed to be as if it was about to explode.

    Calvin lifted a smile and shook his head.

    "No..."

    "As I said, what they did was wrong."

    "But they should not be ostracized for they were only following their survival instincts. However, since hidden beyond their survival instincts were also their grotesque hearts that longed for the suffering of others as its sustenance. They must be punished. The reason why I am telling you all of these is that I don''t want you to thoroughly hate them..."

    "Just like you, they are also victims."

    "What are you talking about?" Kevin''s agitation had disappeared. He could understand Calvin''s point, but he was confused when he heard thetter part of Calvin''s sentence. Should he really not hate these bullies who pushed him to the lowest point of his life just because they were also victims like him?

    That didn''t sound quite right!

    Kevin gnashed his teeth and red right at Calvin.

    It was obvious that if Calvin didn''t properly exin himself, then he would pounce at him at any moment.

    Calvin inwardly sighed.

    As he expected, the n that he had in mind wasn''t going too well.

    He tried on making Kevin forgive those that bullied him, but it was obvious that there was no way for him to forgive them unless those bullies were taught a lesson. In other words, Calvin had to change his ns.

    He took two chairs from the corner of the room and sat on one of them.

    He gestured for Kevin to seat and strangely enough, the young boyplied.

    "How do you feel?"

    Kevin was stumped by the sudden question.

    How should he answer?

    Should he say that he was mad due to Calvin''s confusing series of questions?

    Kevin scrunched his eyebrows and looked to be in deep thought.

    At this moment, Calvin finally realized that his approach was wrong.

    His n was right, but his approach was wrong.

    He hadn''t considered that Kevin was just a child.

    Calvin inadvertently thought that since Kevin had already experienced this much suffering even though he was just a child, he should be treated like an adult. But Calvin forgot something crucial. How could a child be an adult without experiencing childhood?

    Kevin whose childhood was robbed from him by the bullies was by no means an adult.

    He was still a child.

    He was just a kid.

    In other words, Calvin must adapt appropriately and change his approach.

    Calvin stared right into the indifferent eyes of Calvin.

    He didn''t say anything, but his eyes disyed his sincerity.

    It was obvious that he really wanted to help Kevin.

    Kevin may just be a child, but his upbringing wasn''t really that bad.

    His parents were kind and if not for the suffering that he went through in this school, he would be an excellent student and a filial child.

    Kevin was taught to never p a sincere face and seeing Calvin''s sincerity...

    He couldn''t bring himself to be angry anymore.

    But it was just...

    He felt sad.

    Ever since he was bullied, everyone would ask, "Where is Kevin?", "When will Kevin return to ss?".

    But they never asked, "How is Kevin?"...

    Remembering Calvin''s question regarding his feelings, Kevin couldn''t help but tear up a little bit.

    "I''m..."

    "I''m a useless waste of skin... My father... He... He told me to fight the bullies, but I can''t... I can''t bring myself to fight!"

    "I know... I know why... I''m afraid... I''m afraid of the consequences, and that may make me a coward, but why is it that I can''t seem to fight to protect myself? I could''ve fought back then, but now it''s already toote. I''m already like this, no one would like me and I reckon that everyone would feel disgusted just by looking at me."

    Before Calvin could speak, Kevin ripped off his clothes and revealed a body full of maggots riddled keloid scars. Some of the maggots had even pierced through some of his festering pus-filled wounds. Kevin''s eyes never strayed from staring at Calvin the moment he took off his clothes.

    A thick and disgusting stench washed over Calvin''s body, but he seemed unconcerned about it. Instead, there was a deep look of worry and sadness in his eyes that came from his soul. Witnessing Kevin''s situation, Calvin was moved and he wondered as to how did such a small child-like Kevin endure the torment of his bedraggled body?

    He was such a strong child!

    Calvin didn''t say anything, but Kevin could sense his emotional turmoil.

    Kevin bit his chapped lips.

    This might be hisst and final chance to save himself from this nightmare and despair.

    Raising his head to stare at Calvin.

    He asked, "Do you really think of me as your friend?"

 Chapter 48: The Notebook of Secrets that Will Destroy Your Life!

    Chapter 48: The Notebook of Secrets that Will Destroy Your Life!

    "Yes..." Calvin nodded his head.

    "Then, can you tell me a secret?" For the first time ever, Kevin revealed a smile.

    "If you''re really my friend. Can you tell me a secret that will ruin your life if it came out?"

    Calvin was shocked.

    "A secret that can ruin my life if it came out?" He softly uttered.

    "Yes... As friends, it is normal for us to share secrets, right?"

    Calvin pondered for a moment before probingly asking, "That makes sense, but how can you ensure the legitimacy of the secret? What if I was just lying to you?"

    Kevin paused. It was obvious that he didn''t expect this answer at all.

    He grew agitated once more and started trembling like a sieve. Just as Calvin was about to speak to try and calm him down, he spoke up and said, "I can confirm it..."

    "You will not be able to lie to me."

    "Don''t bother lying."

    "I can expose it."

    "Oh? You can?" Calvin raised an eyebrow, seemingly suspicious of Kevin''s ims.

    Kevin was just a kid despite his harrowing experiences. Feeling insulted by Calvin''s words, he took out a small notebook from out of nowhere and said, "This notebook will tell me! As long as I write the secrets in this notebook. It will tell me if the secret is a lie or not!"

    "What? You don''t believe me?"

    "Then, we are not friends!"

    Kevin saw the look of shock on Calvin''s face and he thought for sure that Calvin didn''t believe what he was saying.

    Frustrated, he threatened Calvin that he didn''t want to be friends with him anymore. But he instantly regretted that decision. As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he trembled and stared cautiously at Calvin. He didn''t say anything, but his eyes informed Calvin of what he needed to know.

    "Hahaha..."

    Calvin let out a boisterousugh.

    He was incredibly excited for the notebook that Kevin had in his hands was the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life! In other words, his earlier theory has now been confirmed. This world was indeed created by the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life!

    This world, seemingly full of negative emotions and bullies wasn''t actually a real world.

    This was a world spun for some reason by that Notebook. In other words, since the Notebook owned this world. The only way that he could get out of this world was to acquire the approval of the notebook. Without the approval of the notebook, there was no way that he could get out of this ce.

    The notebook was a figure simr to a god in this school.

    Why was it in the hands of a kid like Kevin?

    Calvin inwardly uttered.

    But he maintained a facade of doubt on the outside and asked, "Really? A notebook can tell me If am lying or not?"

    Kevin saw that Calvin was so suspicious.

    Annoyed, he angrily threw the notebook at Calvin and said, "You don''t believe me? Then, try it yourself! Hmmph!"

    Calvin was so shocked by what he had done. He caught the notebook in mid-air and opened it. Seeing the yellowish pages and smelling the ancient airing out of the notebook, Calvin was now certain that this notebook was indeed that incredibly powerful Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life.

    On the outside, he maintained a confused and doubtful facade as he took a pen and asked, "Can I try to write any secrets? Or does it need to be secrets that can destroy my life it goes to the public?"

    "You can write anything as long as it''s a secret!"

    Kevin crossed his arms in front of his chest, he still looked quite aggrieved. His posture and the way he puffed his cheeks made him seem quite cute. If not for the fact that his entire body was filled with festering wounds. Calvin would be convinced that he was just a sulking child.

    "All right, I understand." Calvin nodded his head and wrote  "Ria Nolinon, despite her facade of a strong-willed woman, actually likes teddy bears and those girly things. Her toothbrush is a Spongebab Toothbrush, while her favorite underwear has a cute bear printed on its front."

    Calvin lifted a smile seeing what he wrote.

    When he ced thatma at the end of the sentence and raised his pen, the words that he wrote seemed to momentarily vanish but when Calvin opened his eyes once again. What he wrote was still there. The only difference was that next to thema at the end of the sentence, the word  "Verified", was written.

    "Wow! You were right! It really can verify if the secrets that I wrote are true or not! Just how does this thing work?"

    Calvin eximed in shock while staring at what he wrote.

    Kevin almost leaped out of his chair in excitement, "See! I told you that it will check if what you wrote as your secret is true or false! Those people! It''s really stupid of them to not believe what I was saying!" Kevin looked to be really happy for he seemed to have found his kindred spirit.

    For a child seemingly abandoned by the world, it was impossible to describe with words what he was feeling at this moment when he discovered that someone was actually believing him at this moment...

    Kevin''s eyes glittered like the stars, "Write! Write more! Write more! Write more of your secrets, my friend!" Kevin stood up and leaped up and down around Calvin.

    Calvin found his actions amusing.

    He took the Notebook out of Kevin''s hands and wrote another secret.

    This time, it was an earth-shattering secret  "I witnessed the end of the world. I purposely came here to get the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life from Mount Spirit Sword Asylum. This notebook is incredibly valuable and powerful, what''s more. It''s connected to the life vein of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum, the Spirit Sword..."

    "I n on disconnecting the notebook from the Spirit Sword, so it could finally be free once again."

    "I''m not quite sure if the notebook is willing to follow me, but if not. Then, that''s also fine. However, I am sure that the notebook will be convinced to follow me if it knows about my true identity."

    "And that is..."

    "I am the Author of the Great Book of History."

    "I transcended time and returned to the past to change the harrowing destiny of humanity!"

    The moment Calvin ced the exmation mark, Kevin had gone silent...

    The moment Calvin raised the pen he was holding away from the notebook, Kevin stared at him with wide-eyes.

    The Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life trembled like a sieve in Calvin''s hands. It seemed to be struggling with something, but after a few seconds. The trembling stopped, and a word was added after the exmation mark.

    "Verified!"

    Calvin smiled upon seeing the word.

    He then turned to look at Kevin and said.

    "So, what do you have to say?"

    "The Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life?"

 Chapter 49: Are You Willing to Pay the Price?

    Chapter 49: Are You Willing to Pay the Price?

    The air immediately thickened.

    "Kevin" stopped whatever he was doing and stood there like an ice sculpture.

    Calvin revealed a smile and continued.

    "Aren''t you the Spirit of that Notebook? How about we have a little talk, you know? Maybe a little confab, so we can get to know each other..."

    "You..."

    "Just who are you?"

    Kevin asked with a grim look in his eyes.

    "Didn''t I already tell you everything that is there to me? You also verified those facts, so I don''t see the point of answering that question." Calvin shook his head and casually said.

    "You''re lying!" Kevin violently replied.

    "I''m lying, you say? On what grounds? I thought that the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life has the capability to verify facts? Didn''t you already verify the legitimacy of what I said, or are you just being in denial? But I really don''t understand, I''m showing my sincerity here, but why are you being in denial?"

    "Why are you denying me?"

    Calvin''s eyes dangerously narrowed as he stared right into Kevin.

    Kevin gnashed his teeth and a crimson light shed across his eyes.

    A cold draft brushed past Calvin''s face, and before he knew it.

    He saw Kevin standing right in front of him with a de near his neck.

    "Are you going to cut me down?"

    Calvin remained steadfast in the presence of death.

    Kevin hesitated for a moment before saying, "You''re not afraid of dying, are you?"

    "No..."

    Calvin shook his head, "I am afraid of dying. As I said, I would definitely regret it if I die prematurely after being given this opportunity to change the destiny of humanity."

    "Then, why are you doing all of these?"

    "Why are you needlessly risking your life?"

    Kevin couldn''t understand Calvin''s thought process.

    Since he had virtually all knowledge regarding future impactful events, keeping a low-key was a better choice.

    Keeping a low profile whilst one slowly improved their strength to face those cmities was better than needlessly risking one''s life and potentially ruining his second chance of turning everything around for humanity. Calvin should be more than a century old at this moment, he should''ve known the consequences of being the tallest tree in the forest.

    Yet, why was he doing all of these?

    Kevin was confused.

    The spirit behind the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life couldn''t understand Calvin at all.

    Calvin stared right at Kevin and said, "It''s because I want you..."

    "What?"

    Veins bulged on Kevin''s forehead.

    "Cough... I did not mean it in a strange way... Dang, you''ve lived in this world for so long already, yet you''re still thinking like a high-schooler! It''s true that I want you, but I didn''t mean it that way! I want you to be my Blessed Artifact!"

    "Oh..." Kevin furrowed his eyebrows. Of course, he knew what Calvin meant. But since there was no harm of confirming everything, then why not confirm it?

    "Why do you want me to be your Blessed Artifact? Since you already know about that term, then I am sure that you know what will happen if I be your Blessed Artifact!" Kevin red at Calvin.

    "Yes, of course..." Calvin nodded his head in a matter-of-factly way.

    "Then, why are you asking me to be your Blessed Artifact?" Kevin was somewhat exasperated. He felt as if he was dancing above Calvin''s palms.

    "Just like I said, I need you... Is there really more that we need to talk about? So, what about it? Are you willing to be my Blessed Artifact or not?" Calvin lightly chuckled and stared right into Kevin''s eyes.

    "Of course, not! Why would I deliberately court death, when I''m already thisfortable in my personal bubble! Fuck off man, and get the fuck out of my world." Kevin raised his head and was about to summon his power to rip a hole in the space of this independent world, but then Calvin suddenly said in a teasing voice.

    "Are you sure that you want to do that?"

    Kevin raised an eyebrow.

    His hand froze in mid-air as he asked, "What did you say?"

    "No, I was just saying if you really want to waste this opportunity. I mean, you already stayed here long enough. I think it''s about time for you to go out and see how the world changed within the past... I don''t know, how old are you again?"

    Calvin pressed his left hand underneath his chin and pondered, "Ah! I know! Within the past three thousand and sixty-eight years! Let me guess, you must be imprisoned here for only a few years, but you''ve been captured by a third-party for that long?"

    Kevin was astounded.

    "Did I hit the bull''s eye?" Calvin revealed a cheeky smile.

    "Oh, shut up, man... So, what if you hit the bull''s eye? Did you really think that something like that is enough to convince me?" Kevin crossed his arms in front of his chest. Both men stared menacingly at each other, none of them were willing to admit defeat.

    Especially Calvin who had long lusted after the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life.

    "All right. I knew that this isn''t enough to convince me. In other words, how about I just go ahead and tell you of my ns on how I can get you out of this ce then?" Calvin lifted a confident smile.

    Kevin thought that it was absurd, but for some reason. He felt an inexplicable trust towards Calvin. Was this because he was once an Apex Predator at the Writer Profession? Or was it because of what Calvin was strangely kind to the demons Ziya and Leonard?

    Kevin wanted to know the answer to his question but before he could think even further...

    Calvin was already speaking.

    "You are an incredibly powerful being..."

    "After being tricked by Fivecent, you were captured and became simr to a caged dog inside this nightmare called the Mount Spirit Sword Asylum. You''ve been here since the day that Fivecent established its power in the world of Las Felipinas..."

    "Several years may not be a lot for others and even for me, but for someone like you who lusted upon the desires and secrets of others. Being ced in such a lonely ce like this with only madmen and a dead sword as yourpany is probably too much to bear."

    "You want to go out."

    "You want to explore the world and unlock the secrets of the world and the universe."

    "But unfortunately, you can''t get out of this ce with your power alone."

    "Fivecent would almost immediately detect your actions the moment you did anything weird and once that happened, then they would lock you up and steal everything from you. Including this fake world that you made by your own hands..."

    "After gathering the souls of the demons that Fivecent reared, you soon had enough souls to recreate an entire school..."

    "As for the reason why you did all of these, perhaps... It is because you feel so lonely, or maybe because you have some strange fantasies in your mind regarding bullies and being bullied, but who knows?"

    "Hey, you bastard! You''re going too far!" Kevin jumped out of his seat and stared angrily at Calvin.

    The air thickened and Calvin found it hard to breathe.

    Calvin stretched his hand up in the air and draw a sign with his middle and index finger.

    Then, he softly uttered: "Aksii..."

    The suffocating air vanished like nothing.

    He then turned to look at Kevin and said, "I''m still not done, don''t overreact."

    Calvin then opened his mouth and was about to talk, but Kevin interrupted him again.

    "Wait, you!"

    "How do you know the ancient art of Runecraft?"

    Calvin stared at Kevin and smiled, "Runecraft? Do you mean what I just did? Well, I learned it as a hobby back then."

    "You..."

    Kevin''s figure trembled like a sieve.

    Learning an ancient lost art as a hobby? Do you really think that someone will believe that?!

    He was fuming, but he hurriedly suppressed himself and continued to listen to Calvin''s bullshit.

    However, he was incredibly excited.

    The reason why he refused Calvin''s help outright was that he couldn''t see how Calvin could help him escape from this ce undetected.

    But now that Calvin actually knew the ancient art of Runecrafting.

    Kevin could see a vague beacon of hope amidst the darkness.

    But it was clearly not time to speak, he would be quite rude as Calvin''s senior to interrupt what a junior like Calvin was saying, so he closed his mouth and patiently listened.

    Calvin continued what he was saying and, in the end, "In other words... I reckon that in order for you to escape from this ce, you would need the help of the Spirit Sword and a third-party..."

    "The third-party must know how to create a grand formation that can tap on the power of the Spirit Sword to the fullest without letting any strange Mana signatures waft out so that Fivecent won''t notice the anomaly until it''s already toote."

    "Of course, with your knowledge. You can easily create a grand formation like that, but formations require certain materials such as special papers blessed by one of the Seven Gods and Goddesses for it to work. However, since you are just a Spirit of an Artifact, it is impossible for you to acquire the blessing of any of the Gods and Goddesses."

    "Since I am a third-party, and even knows the ancient art of Runecrafting and acquiring the blessing of one of the Gods, I believe that I am more than enough to help you, what do you think?" Calvin took a deep breath. His lengthy persuasive speech was finally over.

    Kevin''s eyes were practically shining right now out of excitement.

    To be honest, the time that he spent here wasn''t really that long.

    But since he was alone with nothing but a few dozen of demons whose hearts he manipted through his power to make them seem like humans. Technically, he was still alone. He knew that fact himself, so he couldn''t say that he wasn''t excited hearing Calvin''s proposal.

    Furiously nodding his head as if he was a chicken pecking rice, Kevin replied, "Yes, yes, that''s right! You''re right! That is indeed the dilemma that I am facing. From the looks of it, you really are a suitable candidate to help me out of here. Will you be willing to help me?" Kevin revealed a begging puppy-eyed look.

    Calvin felt weird seeing the expression on Kevin''s face.

    Even though Kevin''s body was that of a child, he was still an artifact who lived for several thousands of years.

    Does he not know the meaning of shame?

    Calvin inwardly criticized.

    But seeing that Kevin was waiting for his answer, he lifted a smile on his face and replied.

    "Of course, I''m willing to help you."

    "But the question is..."

    "Are you willing to pay the price?"

 Chapter 50: Doing the Impossible!

    Chapter 50: Doing the Impossible!

    "Are you willing to pay the price?"

    Kevin was someone who could be considered as having seen everything that the world has to offer. Having been alive for thest several thousands of years, one could say that Kevin was an experienced Spirit. But this was the first time that he heard such words.

    Back then, whenever humans desired for his service or wanted him to be their Blessed Artifact. All of them would be incredibly respectful to him. But this man, this person who had transcended time and space to go back to the past was obviously not a simple man.

    Kevin couldn''t look at him as if he was an ordinary human.

    In other words, he had to seriously contemte Calvin''s offer for Calvin really had the capability to help him escape this nightmare of a ce.

    "Can you let me see the contract first?" Kevin scratched his cheek. He felt that it was somewhat shameful for him to be doubtful against an ordinary human like Calvin. But since he was going to be Calvin''s Blessed Artifact, some formalities were required like the existence and signing of a contract.

    "What contract?" Calvin turned to look at Kevin in confusion.

    "What?" Kevin also stared at him, "You don''t have a contract for me to sign?"

    "Yeah, why do I need something like that?"

    "You..."

    Kevin facepalmed.

    "How else are you going to make sure that I am not going to betray you?"

    "Oh, that? I trust that you won''t do that."

    Kevin was speechless.

    Was this guy really a centenarian Apex Predator at the Writer Profession who traveled through time and space to rectify his mistakes in the past? Why was he being so carefree? Will he not really bind me with a contract? Kevin couldn''t understand Calvin''s train of thought.

    Calvin could see the confusion on Kevin''s face.

    "I understand why you are so confused. But I don''t really intend on making you sign a contract. It''s because I trust you, this may be the first time that we met but you can say that I''ve already trusted you ever since Iid my eyes on you."

    Calvin stared right at Kevin.

    His eyes radiating sincerity that Kevin couldn''t possibly deny.

    But when he heard Calvin''s words, Kevin felt a shiver down his spine.

    "Fuck off! I may be an androgynous spirit, but I don''t swing that way!"

    "Hahaha..." Calvin lightly chuckled, "All right, I''ll stop. So, what about it? Are you willing to be my Blessed Artifact?"

    "Heh..." Kevin revealed a smirk, "If you can release me from this nightmare without making me sign a soul-binding contract, then do you really think that I won''t agree? There''s no better deal than that!"

    "You''re agreeing? All right!" Calvin made a fist-pumping gesture.

    "All right, then let''s go and make that grand formation that we need to let you escape from this ce. Are you sure that you can ce an illusion that epasses the entire Mount Spirit Sword Asylum without it being detected by Fivecent?"

    "If you can''t, then I can help you." Calvin lifted a cheeky smile.

    Kevin fumed.

    "Of course, I can! Who do you think I am? I lived for several thousands of years, lived through countless epochs, and saw the downfall of innumerable kingdoms and empires..."

    "Do you really think that I can''t do something as simple as an illusion? I also know quite a bit of Runecrafting myself, so don''t think that you''re so magnificent because you know a thing or two about Runecrafting!" He couldn''t help but rebuke Calvin when he saw the cheeky smile on Calvin''s face.

    "All right, calm down. I admit that you''re that good. I''ll go ahead and make the paper that we need for the grand formation." Calvin didn''t tarry any longer.

    He took out his small notebook and tore a page from it.

    Afterwards, he bit his uninjured left cheek and spat a mouthful of blood on his left palm.

    He then smeared that blood on the paper that he was holding on his right hand.

    "W-W-Wait, stop!"

    "What are you doing?"

    Kevin suddenly interrupted.

    "What?"

    Calvin turned to look at Kevin with clear annoyance on his face. The spirit of this Notebook of Secrets that Will Destroy Your Life seemed to be even more childish than what he had expected.

    "You''re going to use that small flimsy piece of paper as the foundation for the grand formation? Are you serious?"

    "Yes, I am. What''s wrong?" Calvin raised an eyebrow. Since Kevin knew the ancient art of Runecrafting. He should know that runes could be carved on any surface for as long as it was blessed by the divinity of one of the Seven Gods and Goddesses. Since that was the case, why was Kevin acting like this?

    "What''s wrong? You are using a flimsy piece of paper to create a grand formation? Do you really think that something like that can hold out against the influx of mana once the formation is started? What''s more, I don''t even think that it''s possible to inscribe that many logical threads in such a small piece of paper." Kevin scolded.

    Calvin lifted a smile, "It''s possible."

    "What?" Kevin was irritated earlier, but now he was thoroughly angry. If he was going to attempt his escape from this ce, he must do it with caution and due diligence. He won''t let a small variable like a piece of paper ruin everything.

    But Calvin was acting so casual about it was he purposely doing this to anger him, or does he really think that a small piece of paper like a notebook''s page was sufficient to squeeze in a grand formation onto its surface?

    "Since you know about Runecrafting. Let me ask you, how many logical threads do we need to create that grand formation that we need so the two of us can escape from this ce undetected and unscathed?" Calvin proposed a question.

    Kevin fell into deep contemtion.

    But after only a few seconds, he came out of thinking and gave his answer, "Five-hundred and twelve logical threads."

    "Correct."

    Calvin nodded his head, pleased by Kevin''s answer.

    He confirmed that both of them were thinking of the same idea.

    Mount Spirit Sword Asylum was being constantly monitored by Fivecent. It wasn''t easy to escape from here without being detected since Fivecent installed a lot of formations and early-detection warning systems to see to it that the ce would be kept in order.

    If someone deployed a grand formation without keeping that information in mind.

    Fivecent''s employees would instantly teleport beside them and stop whatever they were trying to do.

    In a nutshell, escaping from this nightmare undetected was as hard as ascending the heavens.

    But was it impossible?

    No!

    So long as the conditions were right and the variables were controlled along with the other factors. Calvin was confident that he could escape along with the Notebook of Secrets that Will Destroy Your Life.

    Of course, now was not the right time to escape. After all, he still needed to guide those newbies out of this ce and he still needed to fulfill his promise to both Ziya and Leonard.

    However, he needed to prove to Kevin that he was capable of doing the impossible, so he could have his trust.

    Thus, Calvin deliberately made a show.

    What he said earlier about the contract was part of the show.

    While it may be true that Calvin didn''t have a contract for Kevin, he had his own ns in mind as well as countermeasures if Kevin decided to betray him.

    Having been through heaven and hell in his past life, Calvin wasn''t that naive.

    He only said those words earlier since he wanted to appeal to Kevin''s heart.

    He wanted to look sincere and trustworthy.

    The first part of his act was done and now it was time for the second part.

    Doing the impossible!

    In order to prove his capabilities, Calvin nned on doing the impossible!

 Chapter 51: Scolding an Expert in His Own Field

    Chapter 51: Scolding an Expert in His Own Field

    The runes necessary for Runecrafting weren''t just random symbols. All of them had values and meanings behind the symbol that they represent. Calvin came to know the ancient lost art of Runecrafting when he stumbled upon a ruin.

    After conquering that ruin, he found a book that contained a Runic Table, a character encoding standard for Runecrafinng with runic symbols representing a certain type of instruction.

    Carefullypiling those symbols together into a cohesive instruction was called threading.

    The cohesive instruction formed after threading was called a logical thread.

    The grand formation that Calvin and Kevin needed to escape from this ce undetected required 512 logical threads.

    It was indeed quite difficult to squeeze 512 logical threads in a small piece of paper such as the page of a small notebook.

    Such a feat could be considered as impossible.

    Technically, it could be achieved.

    But carving that many symbols in such a small piece of paper required, not only uracy but also utmost precision.

    Runic symbols were delicate, a single mistake would destroy everything.

    Yet, Calvin nned on squeezing several thousands of runic symbols in just a small piece of paper while making sure that every instruction was urate while keeping everything cohesive? That was too ambitious even for him!

    Kevin clicked his tongue.

    "Even if you can carve all of those runic symbols in that piece of paper, how can you make sure that the formation will work? It will copse! Even if we''ll say that you did everything right. If the vessel or the foundation itself, which is that piece of paper can''t endure the influx of mana from activating the grand formation..."

    "Everything would be for naught!"

    Kevin was right.

    Calvin was basically trying to fit an entire ocean in a cup.

    It was such a ridiculous and absurd idea that Kevin couldn''t help but take a mocking tone.

    Calvin merely smiled towards Kevin''s usations.

    "Yes, it will copse."

    "But what is the reason for its copse?"

    "The influx of mana that''s too much to handle for the foundation, right?"

    "Then, imagine this..."

    Calvin revealed a mysterious smile.

    "What if we create a logical thread whose function is regting the influx of mana within the safety limits?"

    "What...?"

    "What did you say?"

    Kevin revealed an astonished look.

    This was the first time that he heard such a proposal.

    Indeed, what would happen if another logical thread was added whose function was dedicated to keeping the influx of mana within safety limits? In other words, that logical thread would be akin to an automatic mana regtor!

    But...

    "Is something like that really possible? Can you evenbine that additional logical threads with the other threads to form a cohesive whole?"

    "Of course! I''ve always remembered this phrase. Nothing is impossible in this world. If you think that something seems to be impossible. It''s only caused by yourck of imagination." Calvin lightly chuckled, "In this case, to make sure that our foundation won''t copse. I will be adding an additional logical thread. Does that make sense?"

    Kevin pondered.

    Calvin''s words sounded like bullshit but it seemed to make sense.

    However...

    "Can I ask something?"

    "What is it?"

    Kevin stared right at Calvin and asked, "Have you ever tried this method with other formations before?"

    Calvin lightly shook his head, "Of course not! This is the first time that I will be inscribing an additional logical thread that''s more than the rmended number of threads. But rest assured. Runecrafting is an art that follows logic. So long as the flow of our runes are cohesive and actually makes sense, nothing bad will happen."

    "What? This is your first time? How reckless! What if everything copses?"

    "Then, I guess I failed. I won''t be able to take you out of this ce and I''ll probably be a ve to Fivecent. Or maybe I would be executed and die without a tomb since I know too much about theirpany already." Calvin casually said in a matter-of-factly voice.

    Hearing him, Kevin was now angry.

    "How can you be so reckless! This is my one and only chance of escaping! Since you already know about your fate if you got captured by them, why are you acting like this? Be more prudent, will you?!" Kevin scolded.

    Calvin chuckled, "Don''t be so worried, all right? And also, you said something wrong. I know of my fate if I was to be captured by them, but can you really guarantee that I will be captured? Remember to not put your cart before the horse!"

    "You..."

    "Why are you being so arrogant?"

    "Am I?"

    "I''m just being confident, that''s all."

    Calvin shrugged, "If you want to make this sessful, then you must cooperate with me, all right? If not, then I don''t really mind leaving you here and escaping on my own. Even though you are powerful, it''s not as if you''re the only ancient notebook in existence for those of the Writer Profession. I can just choose someone else."

    "You..."

    "Why are you like this?"

    Kevin felt wronged and humiliated.

    Calvin could see his frustration as he continued, "This is why I want you to do my best. Can you do it? There''s a lot of fishes in the ocean, yet I deliberately chose you..."

    "That goes to say that you are more valuable than the other ancient notebooks. I want to escape with you, but if you won''t cooperate and everything goes to shit, then I won''t hesitate to leave you here. I will escape on my own."

    "It''s just not worth it."

    "My life is far valuable than an ancient notebook like you."

    "That is why if you want to sessfully escape from this ce. Cooperate with me, or be left alone."

    Calvin gave an ultimatum.

    Kevin fell silent.

    In the end, he surrendered and vowed to do whatever Calvin wanted him to do as long as the two of them could escape.

    Of course, he also promised to be Calvin''s Blessed Artifact after all of these.

    "Good choice. I won''t disappoint you!"

    Calvin gave a thumbs-up.

    "Shut up! Just do what you need to do now!"

    "All right, calm down..."

    Calvin chuckled once more.

    Afterwards, he raised the piece of paper that he had in his right hand, and solemnly prayed.

    "Oh, our Beloved Goddess Grace..."

    "The Magister of Light and themander ofpassion..."

    "I invoke your name with my essence, bestow blessings upon your lowly servant..."

    "Let this paper in my hand be imbued with your Divinity. Oh, your lowly servant wishes..."

    An indescribable presence appeared out of nowhere. It descended onto the shoulders of both Kevin and Calvin as the two of them turned silent. The pressure seemed to be confused as to what it was doing in this damned ce, but when it saw Calvin solemnly praying for its blessing...

    The pressure turned into a barely imperceptible ray of light. It flew towards the paper that Calvin had in his hand and vanished into the paper as if it was a stone dropped into the ocean.

    "Sess!" Kevin almost leaped in joy.

    Although he was confused as to why such an unscrupulous person like Calvin worshipped the Goddess of Compassion and Light, he didn''t think too much into it for he was too happy seeing that the paper they needed for the formation was sessfully made.

    Now, Calvin only needed to inscribe the necessary logical threads onto the paper.

    But...

    "Ivan... It''s too small..."

    Kevin couldn''t help butment.

    Taking a closer look at the paper, he really did find it too small for the 512 logical threads necessary for the formation.

    "I told you to not worry about it..." Calvin turned to look at him and revealed a bitter smile.

    But he didn''t exin anymore.

    He reckoned that it was much better for Kevin to see the truth than for him to use words.

    He fetched a needle from the first-aid kit that was in the kit for some reason.

    "A needle? What are you going to use that for?" Kevin asked once more.

    Calvin replied, "Usually, one draws the symbols necessary for Runecrafting with their fingers. But that takes too much space. If we want to be efficient and save space, I can only use a needle to inscribe those runes. I can''t use my finger since I probably won''t be able to inscribe even ten logical threads with how big my fingers are."

    "You''re going to draw those runes with a needle?! Have you gone mad? Those runes are delicate and a single deviation with its size and shape can instantly ruin the formation once it''s activated! How can you ensure that you''ll be able to write those runes exactly as how they are supposed to be?!"

    "Damn, you are being too reckless! This is why I said to pick a bigger piece of paper!" Kevin scolded once more.

    "Have you forgotten that the bigger the piece of paper would be, the greater sacrifice that I need to make to the goddess for her to bless the paper? As for how can I ensure that the runes would be exactly as how they are supposed to be..."

    Calvin revealed a confident smile and turned to look at Kevin before answering, "With my decades of experience in Runecrafting, of course!"

 Chapter 52: Grotesque Souls

    Chapter 52: Grotesque Souls

    "You..."

    "Your decades of experience..." Remembering the facts that he had personally confirmed earlier...

    Kevin couldn''t argue anymore.

    Even though he was older than Calvin to the extent that he could probably call himself Calvin''s ancestors. He didn''t dare to say that he was far knowledgeable than Calvin whose experience in Runecraftingsted for several decades. In other words, he was ayman scolding an expert in his own field.

    Kevin felt embarrassed.

    He didn''t say anything anymore.

    Calvin then started.

    "Creating 512 logical threads isn''t that easy, but I won''t say that it''s too difficult. However, inscribing them with a needle and in the condition that I must never deviate, even a single centimeter would definitely be difficult since my physical body''s too weak..."

    "Years of being alone and without a girlfriend has made my hands quite unsteady..."

    "Can I really do this?"

    Calvin audibly uttered.

    Whenever Calvin had a job to do and he needed to concentrate. He always had this habit of speaking his thoughts out loud in order to organize them. Kevin stared at him in amusement but didn''t say anything. After all, everyone in this world had their own habits. It would be quite rude to berate Calvin for being noisy when that was just his habit.

    "The problem of mana overflow isn''t something that can be avoided since the foundation for the grand formation is indeed too weak. However, if I go ahead and create a logical thread whose functions are dedicated to catching that exception and throwing it to do another function which will slowly dissipate that surplus of mana over time..."

    "I think this will work..."

    "Yes, this will work..."

    "But I only have a single chance. I can''t mess this up."

    "I think it''s better for me to make a logic flow chart first."

    Calvin opened his small notebook and started scribbling some words.

    After confirming that the flow of the instructions for the grand formation made sense. Calvin repeatedly nodded his head before he turned to look at Kevin and said, "I''m going to begin now. I don''t want any distractions, so make sure that you don''t do anything that will interrupt my concentration, all right?"

    Calvin''s stern expression astonished Kevin.

    He couldn''t say anything other than a simple "Mmhm".

    When he saw that Kevin was strangely obedient like a child listening to his parents, Calvin inwardly chuckled before turning his focus onto the piece of paper in his hand.

    Inscribing the runic symbols in the runic table on a piece of paper required not only uracy and precision but also a sacrifice. In this case, Calvin sacrificed the precious blood essence from his left cheek. In theory, such a sacrifice should be enough for the creation of the grand formation. But nothing was certain until everything waspleted.

    Calvin wasn''t really the type of person who counted the chickens before the eggs hatched.

    He didn''t dare to be arrogant nor rxed.

    Taking a deep breath, determination shed across his eyes as he started his work.

    His progress was slow, yet it was steady.

    Everything took longer than what Calvin had expected but in the end.

    He seeded.

    Holding the paper containing the inscription for the grand formation in his hand.

    He turned to look at Kevin and smiled, "What are you doing there staring at me like that?"

    "What? I wasn''t staring! No, uh... wait! Is it done?"

    "Yeah, it''s done... Want to take a look?"

    "Here! Take it."

    Calvin casually hurled the paper to Kevin.

    "Wha?! You! Why did you just throw it at me?! What will you do if it gets torn up?" Kevin''s heart almost leaped out of his chest when he saw what Calvin did. His movements temporarily surpassed his limits as he blinked in front of the paper and captured it with his right hand.

    Opening his palm, he heaved a sigh of relief when he realized that no damage was done on the paper.

    If he really did damage the grand formation that would help him escape from this nightmare due to a moment of panic, then he might as well justmit not alive.

    "Don''t get your panties in a bunch, did you already forget how durable items that are blessed by one of the Seven Gods and Goddesses? I reckon that even an attack from an iron sword can''t tear that paper up!" Calvin scolded.

    Kevin remembered that what he said was true, so he heaved a sigh of relief.

    He took a closer look at the paper and realized that Calvin had indeed achieved the impossible!

    He inscribed 513 logical threads in such a small piece of paper! It has to be known that 512 logical threads required the inscription of 1024 runic symbols within the runic table. Kevin considered inscribing thoseplicated symbols in such a small piece of paper with a needle as impossible, yet Calvin had actually done it?

    It was an understatement to say that he achieved the impossible!

    Kevin couldn''t even find the appropriate words to describe Calvin''s feat.

    He was too joyful at this moment that he even forgot to speak.

    Calvin stared right at the excited Kevin.

    The light in his eyes seemed to be simr to a father observing the antics of his child.

    Kevin quickly noticed that strange light, so he immediately suppressed his feelings and cleared his throat with a cough.

    "Ahem..."

    "What do we do next?"

    "Do I release you from this ce now, so we can go and proceed with our n to escape?"

    Calvin shook his head, "Not so fast... I still have a lot to do. I told you earlier that I returned to the past to change the course of humanity''s destiny. In order to do that, I must help humanity increase its future talents. In other words, I must ensure that those people that came with me in this ce can go out of this ce safely..."

    "What?"

    "You want to save them?"

    "Yes..." Calvin nodded, "What''s wrong with me saving them? It''s not like we have grievances against each other. Since we arerades and in a team, it''s just right for me to help them."

    Kevin couldn''t say anything anymore.

    "But of course, before I go out of this ce and help them. There''s still something that I need to do. In order to proceed with my ns, I need the help of this ce and the help of those demons that you gathered in this nightmare." Calvin lifted a cheeky smirk.

    "What are you talking about?" Kevin furrowed his eyebrows.

    "Nothing... I was just wondering. Since the two of us already made a deal that you will be my Blessed Artifact. Is it okay for me to im those demons that you gathered here for my own?"

    Calvin''s words made Kevin feel a sense of foreboding premonition.

    "What do you mean?" Kevin answered in a somewhat nervous manner.

    "Nothing... I''m just saying that since I don''t think that you will need them after all of these... Can I take them for myself?"

    "You see, acquiring the blessing of the Seven Gods and Goddesses requires an equivalent sacrifice. The Goddess of Compassion and Light will never ept a sacrifice made up of the damned souls of those demons. In fact, she may even smite me down from the heavens once she sees me sacrificing those filthy things for him."

    "But what about the God of Infighting and War, Discord?"

    "I bet Discord would be pleased if I sacrificed those grotesque souls to him."

 Chapter 53: A Word Given is Never Taken Back

    Chapter 53: A Word Given is Never Taken Back

    "You even know about that disgusting god? Just how many gods did you worship in your previous lifetime? And also, why are you casually saying his name?! Unorthodox gods like ''Him'' can instantly know your location once you whisper ''His'' name!" Kevin was panicking right now.

    He drew some power from the foundation of the asylum, the Spirit Sword in order to strengthen his independent space, so that the God of Infighting and War, Discord couldn''t peer through this world.

    Calvin shrugged, "It doesn''t matter, I bet his followers around Las Felipinas whispers his name every day. I don''t even think that he''d care about a measly human like me. Also, as if I would do such a dangerous thing without any countermeasures.."

    "What do you mean?" Kevin asked in confusion.

    But then his eyes widened in shock when he saw that Calvin''s presence seemed to have vanished. If not for the fact that he could see Calvin standing right in front of him, he wouldn''t believe that he was here right in front of him.

    "You extinguished your presence? To think that you could even hide your presence from me. What did you do?" Kevin asked in curiosity. To be able to hide from the eyes of the spirit of an ancient notebook. Calvin had indeed made a remarkable feat.

    "I didn''t really extinguish my presence. I just became the surrounding. If I became the surrounding, you would think that I was a part of the surrounding, so in other words. You wouldn''t recognize me as an individual. What I did was just a form of suggestion to your mind through the use of Runecrafting..."

    "It''s actually quite taxing to use, I mentioned ''His'' name to test its efficacy."

    "Damn, what a ballsy test! So, that''s the reason why I didn''t feel any heaviness when you said his name! I don''t even think that ''He'' would let a mortal who knows his name go! ''He''s'' that kind of a god, you see?" Kevin heaved a sigh of relief.

    Calvin lightly chuckled and nodded his head, indicating that he understood what Kevin was talking about. In the entire roster of the Seven Gods and Goddesses, the God of Infighting and War, Discord was the pettiest of them all. Kevin''s worries weren''t unfounded, but Calvin wasn''t too worried about it.

    He thought that Kevin was making a hill out of a molehill.

    "All right, I still haven''t heard your answer. Will you hand me over those demons?" Calvin asked once more.

    Kevin crossed his hands in front of his chest and fell into deep contemtion.

    "I may hand them over to you, but I need to learn what you''re going to use them for first," Kevin revealed a rare look of seriousness on his face.

    It was Calvin''s time to ponder.

    "Hmmm..."

    "Personally, I would use a double-body technique, then use that double to sacrifice those souls to ''Him'' in exchange for some benefits. As long as I am on the losing side, I don''t think that his pettiness would appear. However, how about you? Since you are going to be my Blessed Artifact, can you devour those souls instead and increase your power?"

    Kevin shook his head, "Nope... If I could do that, then I would''ve already done that long ago."

    "Makes sense..." Calvin nodded, "In other words, I have no other choice than to sacrifice them to ''Him''."

    Kevin furrowed his eyebrows hearing Calvin''s words, "Can we... Can we not do that to them?"

    "Oh?"

    Calvin turned to look at him in surprise.

    Unexpectedly, this ancient spirit actually cared for those demons who could only be described as amalgamations of despair, hopelessness, and negative emotions. Usually, spirits like Kevin despised demons simr to the demons in this ce. But he was actually willing to let them go?

    This was indeed a surprise.

    "You''re concerned with them?" It was understandable.

    Even though he was being bullied, Kevin had lived with them for several years. One could say that they had be his catharsis in the lonely and nightmarish world of the Mount Spirit Sword Asylum. It was normal for him to feel reluctant to part from those demons.

    "Yes, I am..."

    "I don''t know how to exin this, but..."

    "I hope that instead of sacrificing their souls to some daddy up above the heavens. I hope you can just vanquish them and give them a chance to reincarnate. I''m the one who brought them here and I can assure you that most of them weren''t evil in the first ce. There are only two figures in this ce that I can consider as demons..."

    "One of them is a member of the Disciplinary Committee, you probably met with him already."

    "And the other one?" Calvin asked.

    "Of course, that''s me."

    "I was the one who corrupted them."

    "It wasn''t my intention to do that, but my soul is too impure."

    "I was the one being selfish, you see?"

    "I captured them and turned them into my ythings and created this so-called school so that I can feel that I wasn''t alone in this world, but in the end. I corrupted them all and turned their pure souls into grotesque and filthy souls that can only do and feel nothing but hatred."

    "That is why if you want to sacrifice them."

    "Sacrifice me instead..."

    Kevin stepped forward.

    Calvin''s eyes widened in shock.

    But he soon shook his head, "Sacrifice you? What bullshit! I came here just for you and you want me to waste my efforts? You''re really forcing my hand!"

    Kevin''s words were equivalent to, ''You can only choose to sacrifice one, it''s either me or them!''.

    Calvin clicked his tongue in annoyance, but there was a slight smile on his face.

    To be honest, he only made that proposal in order to gauge Kevin''s attitude.

    Now that he could see what kind of a spirit Kevin was...

    Calvin was even more excited to see him be his Blessed Artifact.

    "So, what? Are you going to decide? Should Imit suicide now?" Kevin looked as if he was about to bite his tongue.

    "No! Don''t! I understand now, all right? You don''t have to resort to such childish tactics such as threatening me to act."

    Kevin rolled his eyes at him, "Just tell me about what is your decision!"

    "I understand! I won''t sacrifice anyone or anything. I will grant them a swift death! I will also give them a second chance to reincarnate. However, don''t take my word for it, okay? Murphy''sw exists and there''s no saying what will happen in the end!"

    Calvin revealed a forced expression on his face and he even lifted a bitter smile on his lips.

    Seeing the bitterness on Calvin''s face...

    Kevin felt victorious.

    He ced both of his hands in akimbo and then said, "It''s good that you understand. All right, let''s go and clean this ce up!" He then walked towards the exit, but Calvin stopped him from his tracks before he could continue.

    "No! You stay here for now!"

    "What?"

    "I want you to stay here for now!"

    "Why?"

    "Well, it''s because I have something else to do..."

    "Something else to do? Could it be that you want to take revenge against those bullies?"

    "You''re not wrong, but you''re also not right. I want to take revenge against, but I won''t be the main character this time."

    "What do you mean?"

    "What do I mean, you say?" Calvin lifted a small smile, "Leonard and Ziya will be the main character. I promised them that I will take care of this nightmare. A word given is never taken back. Before I cleanse this ce and annihte that fat piece of shit, I must fulfill the end of my promise!"

 Chapter 54: What Do We Say to Bullies? Fuck off!

    Chapter 54: What Do We Say to Bullies? Fuck off!

    "All right, if that is what you want to happen, then I will stay here for now."

    Kevin could see Calvin''s sincerity.

    Nodding his head, he agreed to his arrangements and sat on a nearby sickbed.

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at him.

    "I''ll be returning soon. Prepare yourself, I''ll take care of those bullies first, then I will fetch you here and the two of us will cleanse this ce and get rid of that mountain of fat."

    Kevin nodded.

    Both sides didn''t say anything anymore.

    Calvin walked out of the infirmary.

    He arrived in the corridor and fell into deep contemtion.

    In order to end this nightmare and stop the bullying...

    Calvin needed to change the perspectives of the students first.

    They must understand that enduring it all and keeping silent was a panacea that could solve their problems. Only by stepping forward and letting the bullies know that they weren''t someone whom they could trifle with could the bullying end before it reached the point of no return.

    But of course, Calvin didn''t expect that every student would agree to his opinion.

    He only wanted to set an example for others to follow.

    He wanted to be that man who stood up against the bullies.

    He wanted to be that man that the students would idolize for being brave and whose footsteps they would soon follow.

    Calvin walked in the corridor for a quite long time. But he soon arrived in his ss, once he entered the ssroom. Sir Reyes nced at him for a moment but didn''t say anything. The ss continued as usual, but when the ss bell rang to signify that the ss for today was over, sir Reyes fled as if he was being chased by something.

    When the teacher left, the students on thest rows stood up and rushed out of the ssroom. They made a sidelong nce at Calvin and even pointed at him as if they were nning something devious.

    Leonard and Ziya both saw what was going on and they trembled in fear.

    Ziya gnashed her teeth and handed over a crumpled paper to Calvin with a flick.

    "Ivan..."

    "Don''t go out for now!"

    "Have your parentse to fetch you!"

    Calvin lightly chuckled, "If my parents were here, then those brats would get more than a fierce scolding."

    "I''m not joking, Ivan! They gathered their friends from outside the school! You tried to break the status quo, so they want to make it even with you!" Ziya''s palms were drenched with sweat and her beaded sweat could also be seen on her forehead. She was really nervous at this moment and so was Leonard.

    "Don''t worry, I''m not afraid even if they bring an entire battalion," Calvin revealed a mysterious smile. However, he didn''t even nce at the two for despite not being afraid of the students. He was afraid that they may implicate both Ziya and Leonard. If that happened, then everything would turn into a chaotic mess that''s messier than Calvin''s expectations.

    Calvin stood up and walked out of the ssroom. He returned to the ssroom to create some trouble.

    If he wanted to end this nightmare, then the more chaotic everything was, the happier he would be, and the easier it would be for him to lure out that mountain of fat and annihte him together with these bullies.

    Yes, together with these bullies.

    Calvin had agreed that he would only vanquish these demons and grant them a second chance to reincarnate.

    However, he didn''t make a deal with Kevin regarding how he should deal with these bullies.

    It may be quite sly of Calvin to y with words like that, but Calvin just didn''t approve of letting these bullies go so easily like that, especially when he saw Kevin''s appearance after the intense bullying and the deep-seated fear of Leonard and Ziya.

    Holding pieces of crumpled paper that he made earlier before going out of the infirmary, Calvin calcted that this should be enough to deal with those bullies. Unless their numbers were at the three digits, Calvin wouldn''t have any problems against them.

    But of course, a contingency n wouldn''t hurt.

    Calvin always had one and his contingency ns were one of the reasons why he survived for so long being in the territory of those invaders back in his previous life and being humanity''s number one spy in the enemy camp.

    Shaking his head, Calvin ced those thoughts into the deepest recesses of his mind.

    Letting out a sigh, he started walking.

    He detected that both Leonard and Ziya were following him from behind.

    The distinct unsteady and hesitant footsteps that they had were not hard to distinguish from the footsteps of others.

    This was why Calvin knew that they were following him without even turning around to look at their direction.

    Calvin walked down the corridor.

    He had no idea where he should go.

    The number of students in the corridor decreased, and the remaining ones seemed to know who he was for they all avoided him like the gue. All of them hung their heads low, apparently afraid of his presence as they ran away like rabbits startled by a wolf.

    "Man, thest time I was this unpopr was in high school..."

    "I don''t know why, but I probably shouldn''t have bragged that I was a virgin at that time, thinking that being a virgin was cool as hell and that reserving my purity for my one and only is the coolest thing to do."

    Calvin was suddenly reminded of some dark and painful times as he let out a pained sigh.

    Sweeping his gaze at his surroundings, Calvin realized that there were no students around him anymore. Apart from Leonard and Ziya who were still trying their best to follow him undetected. There was virtually no one around him. Only silence and the darkness of the corridors existed.

    Where the hell are they?

    I thought they nned on ganging up against me?

    I''m already in such a secluded area in this school, yet they are still not here?

    What the fuck are they doing?

    Calvin''s actions at this moment seemed as if he was a paid actor hired by those bullies. He walked into the darker and more secluded corridors as if he was on a sight-seeing tour. In order to give those bullies confidence that he was a weak and easily defeated man.

    Calvin made his knees asionally tremble, but his head raised high.

    He gave off the impression that he had nothing to fear, but his asionally trembling knees would give him away.

    "Theyout of this school is quite interesting..." Calvin softly uttered.

    "Only the faculty or staff room, the dormitory, and the disciplinemittee''s room are popted with people while the other ces here on the western side of the school are quite deserted. There are a lot of things such as a scienceb, a vocational block, and a recreational room with a piano and some kendoka equipment inside, yet judging from the dust..."

    "It''s clear, that this ce is rarely visited by the teachers and students?"

    "I wonder why?"

    Calvin took a turn at another corridor and discovered something interesting.

    "There are traces of people living in this secluded ce?" Calvin saw a pair of sneakers in the corridor at the distance.

    Flip-flops were also scattered about.

    As far as Calvin could remember, every student in this school wore ck shoes as their uniform including the girls. In other words, the owners of these flip-flops and sneakers weren''t students of this ce. Or if they were students, they should be delinquents.

    Calvin instantly made a deduction.

    "This should be the living space dedicated to those bullies!"

    "The school must''ve noticed what the bullies were doing, so in order to prevent further disruption of order in the school..."

    "They made the bullies stay on the western part of the school, away from the main dormitories located on the eastern side of the school..."

    Calvin suddenly became agitated. He wandered around the school as if he had lost his direction. In the end, he arrived at another corridor and when he made a turn. He instinctively turned around him, but then he realized that the corridor where he came from had be a wall!

    In other words, there was nothing behind him but a wall!

    "Oh..."

    Calvin let out a surprised yelp.

    "This is getting interesting."

    "Since a transformation like this urred, then it should be time for them to make a move."

    Calvin ced his right hand into his right pocket.

    Footsteps suddenly interrupted Calvin''s movements.

    He stared right ahead and found that from another turn at the end of the corridor, he could faintly see the silhouette of peopleing towards his direction. He couldn''t clearly see them, but it was obvious from their movements that they didn''t bring peace with them.

    The sound of chains being dragged across the floor rang out.

    The air thickened until it was suffocating.

    "I know that you are a new student, so it''s not a huge problem if you do not understand the hidden rules of this school..."

    "However, deliberately trying to change the status quo of this school is something uneptable. If you want to stay here, then you must respect us. Or else, you may be in due for some serious trouble." The silhouettes weren''t just silhouettes anymore.

    A man whose physique looked simr to the Rock appeared right in front of Calvin.

    He was holding a chain in his right hand and he was dragging that chain across the floor.

    "Only three?" Calvin clicked his tongue.

    He spent so much time trying to bait every bully out, but in the end, only three came forward.

    "Don''t worry, the three of us are enough to educate you." The muscle-man stood in front of Calvin while the others quietly surrounded him at the sides.

    It was clear that they had no intention of letting Calvin go so easily.

    "We''re in school. Are you not afraid that I will report you all to the headmaster?" Calvin threatened.

    But the students didn''t seem to mind.

    It was obvious that they had done something like this more than thrice already since they were not afraid of the consequences regarding their actions.

    "Go ahead and report us. No matter what, we will definitely teach you a lesson today." The muscle-man crossed his hands in front of his chest and arrogantly said.

    The other two students revealed a smirk with one of them saying, "Hey, tough guy. Since you were quite tough earlier to actually dare to beat up one of us in the ssroom. Can you show us those moves once more? I really want to see what you did to one of us, so I can also do it to you!"

    The student seemed to have gone mad.

    Saliva came out of the edge of his lips and his eyes were bloodshot.

    "Yes, yes, yes... That''s right! Show us!"

    "Show us and we may let you escape! But oops! We forgot! There''s only a wall behind you and if you want to escape, then you have to get past us!"

    "Hahaha..."

    The three boisterouslyughed.

    Calvin swept his gaze at the three and asked, "Do you know what do we say to bullies back in my hometown?"

    His questions intrigued the three.

    "Oh? You''re finally starting to be afraid? Humor us, then."

    The three stared at Calvin in amusement.

    Calvin also revealed the same amused look and said.

    "What do we say to bullies?"

    He took a deep breath and roared.

    "Fuck off!"

 Chapter 55: A Beatdown

    Chapter 55: A Beatdown

    The pupils of the three students constricted.

    Their eyes went bloodshot and it was clear that they had no intention of answering him at all.

    For them, Calvin was just a new student who didn''t know the inner workings of this school.

    In other words, he was nothing but a subject for their education.

    "You sure are quite arrogant, eh?!"

    The muscle man dragged his chains and hurled it at Calvin''s direction.

    A single nce was all it took for Calvin to see that even though the chains were hurled powerfully. Itcked substance beyond its speed. In other words, if the chains struck, it wouldn''t leave any conspicuous wounds behind, yet it would still be quite painful.

    Peng!

    A dull sound rang out.

    Calvin had avoided the chains.

    "To think that you would actually dare to resist?!" The muscle man''s face became distorted in anger. His words also became quite unreasonable now. Obviously, he was slowly drowning in his fury.

    "What? Do you want me to just obediently stand here and receive a beating? Are you mad?" Calvin replied with a mocking smirk, "I have informed the teachers of what you are nning to do to me. They''ll be here soon to help me and once they came here then I''ll be sure to have the three of you expelled!"

    Calvin valiantly spoke, but his figure was trembling. His shoulders shivered like a sieve, and his knees looked as if it would copse at any moment. His eyes also darted around, seemingly afraid to meet the bloodshot eyes of the assants. These hints were enough for the three to deduce that Calvin was really afraid and was just bluffing to escape.

    "Do you even know what you look like right now? Do you think that we would believe you?" The muscle man grabbed his chains once again. Calvin deftly avoided the chains. His movements were smooth and without any waste, yet none of the three noticed his expertise for, in their minds, Calvin was nothing but a scaredy-cat.

    "You! Where are you going?!"

    Calvin ran to the corridor ahead and there he saw a staircase directly opposite the door on the right side. The three followed suit and when he saw where he was heading, They were briefly stunned. Calvin was going to the rooftop! If he went up then he would have no other escape route other than to go down!

    That was basically the same as pushing himself to a dead-end!

    It didn''t make sense!

    "Follow him! He must be too scared that he can''t even tell where he is going." The expressions and the eyes of the three were simr to each other. Their eyes were bloodshot and their faces were distorted into grotesque expressions.

    "Don''t let him run away!"

    Calvin detected that the demons from outside the school still weren''t making a move.

    It was obvious that they wanted Calvin to run even further into the rooftop.

    "No worries, there''s no way that he can escape once he''s in the rooftop... There''s nothing there other than a sun whose rays are ck instead of white. Once the darkness fully envelops him, he can''t possibly escape." An old man who seemed to be a faculty member instead of a student stood along with the other bullies.

    He licked his lips and swept his gaze at the rest, "ording to our deal, I''ll choose my own share first and all of you can share depending on what''s left."

    "Old geezer, don''t be too greedy. You may not be able to swallow due to your greed!" The muscle man swung his chains around andmanded the students from the other sses who observed everything from a distance, "All of you useless cannon fodders! Block the exits here, if he somehow manages to escape from us. Block his way!"

    The muscle man''smand was quite ruthless. He sealed all routes that Calvin could possibly use to escape. Now, unless he jumped off the school building andmitted suicide. There was no way for him to escape.

    When the demons saw Calvin''s back disappearing further and further from their eyes, those demons from outside the school finally started their chase. However, it was obvious from how they were maintaining a certain distance from Calvin that they wanted to savor the chase. The entire thing was now simr to how a cat and mouse chase.

    The only difference was that they were demons instead of cats, and Calvin was a human instead of a mouse.

    Calvin ran like mad until he eventually reached the rooftop.

    Entering the rooftop, Calvin momentarily stopped on his tracks when he saw the ck sun hanging over the horizon.

    The darkness seemed to have be one with Calvin, making his movements sluggish.

    Gnashing his teeth, he turned around to look in a panic.

    "Hahaha! Are you not going to run anymore?!" The muscle-man was now about twenty-meters away from him!

    Calvin let out a surprised and panicked yelp.

    His knees trembled as they mustered all of the strength that it could possibly use in order to move amidst this darkness that seemed to have transformed into a quagmire. Eventually, Calvin picked up speed and he managed to outrun the muscle-man.

    On the rooftop, he discovered a storage room the size of a studio apartment.

    Without any hesitation, he crashed his shoulders against the door.

    Bang!

    The door gave way.

    Calvin immediately entered it and mmed the door shut on the muscle man''s face.

    Click!

    A clicking sound rang out as Calvin locked the door.

    The storage room waspletely dark.

    Calvin fumbled around for a while before he managed to find the light switch.

    Click!

    Another clicking sound rang out as Calvin turned on the lights.

    He could now take a good look at the storage room and he discovered that thankfully...

    The storage room had nothing out of the ordinary.

    Aside from the fact that it was dustier than what Calvin had expected, there was nothing strange in here.

    "Hehehe... It looks like he trapped himself in here..."

    "How convenient."

    "Yeah, definitely..."

    A raspy male voice rang out from outside the door.

    The demons were clearly toying with Calvin.

    Knock! Knock! Knock!

    "Come out now... Come out! I know you are in there..."

    "I promise... I won''t hurt you! Just a taste... Aaah... I just want a taste..."

    The raspy male voice seemed to have lost its breathe for it had turned coquettish at the end of its sentence. It seemed to be seducing Calvin, but the effect that it had was the opposite. Calvin felt a shiver down his spine instead of being seduced by the voice.

    The unsettling voice continued speaking followed by another knocking.

    Knock! Knock! Knock!

    "Aaah... I promise... I just want a taste... The three of us know that you are in there..."

    "Come out... Come out now... We won''t harm you... We just want a taste and we just want to teach you a lesson..."

    The raspy voice had disappeared and was reced with a gentle one. The kind voice was reminiscent of a mother gently coaxing his baby to sleep. If not for the fact that the message was quite disturbing, Calvin would''ve thought that the person speaking behind the door was his very own mother.

    "Hehehe... He''s noting out..."

    "Yeah, he''s noting out."

    "Is he being disobedient?"

    "Yeah, he is being disobedient..."

    "What should we do?"

    "Oh, what should we do?"

    The raspy and kind voice made an exchange and in the end, both voices turned silent.

    However, in the very next moment.

    The voice that came was a chorus made from dozens of different voices clearly belonging to different people!

    "We areing to get you!"

    BANG!

    A heavy object collided against the steel doors, eliciting a loud bang as the screws that held the door noisily creaked.

    The forceful knockings, the sound of hurried footsteps, the contrasting voice, and the darkness that seemed to crawl into Calvin''s soul formed a cacophony that could push anyone to the edge of insanity.

    BANG!

    The door may have been made of steel, but the screws that held it in ce could only take so much banging. The door was finally opened. The muscle man who stood at the front lines had a rope and his chains in both of his hands as he rushed inside before even the door could fully copse.

    "Pull him out! Tear his skin! Season the flesh! Let the bones be burned and his soul be tormented!" The people and the students behind the muscle man shouted as well as the old man. They were incredibly excited about this turn of events, but the muscle man had no reply as if he had vanished into nothingness.

    BANG!

    The door finally went down.

    With its copse, it also revealed the copsed figure of the muscle man.

    A pained look could be seen on his face and half of his body was burned by something unknown.

    "All of you wish to teach me a lesson, but my intentions are to annihte." Calvin stared right at the astonished demons. A piece of paper was floating above his head as if it was being held up by an invisible force. He swept his gaze across every demon present in the rooftop and continued his sentence.

    "Our goals are different from the very beginning, so I can confidently say that..."

    Calvin stretched his palm forward and the piece of paper above his head shone in a dazzling light.

    "I feel sorry for Kevin, but..."

    "It''s checkmate!"

 Chapter 56: Silence Is Not the Answer

    Chapter 56: Silence Is Not the Answer

    A shower of lights swallowed each and every demon.

    Calvin''s uracy and decades of experience made it so that a single attack urately struck through the heart of each and every demon standing on the rooftop.

    All of these took time to describe but it only happened in a blink of an eye.

    Not even five seconds had passed since the door was broken in, yet the assants were already dead along with their aplices.

    Calvin stared at the tangible bodies of the demons and sighed.

    He didn''t actually kill these demons, he just severed their connection to their physical body. In other words, he confused the demons and created the illusion that he had killed them all. Unfortunately, this kind of trickery wouldn''tst that long, but it was enough for it tost until Calvin could contain and trap them all through the use of Runecrafting.

    Calvin opened another piece of crumpled paper.

    Using his nail to slit his wrist, he dripped the blooding out of his wrist towards the piece of crumpled paper.

    A silent prayer ensued and the paper was sessfully infused with the blessing of Goddess Grace.

    "This should be enough to contain this much low-leveled demons..."

    Las Felipinas has a leveling system simr to MMORPG games of Earth. A single look was enough for Calvin to deduce that the levels of these demons weren''t even at Level 10.

    If the Benevolent Father and the Butcher of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum were at Level 10... These demons should be at Level 3, while that big mountain of fat called sir Nick should be at Level 5.

    Of course, the level of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life was obviously higher than anyone in this ce, but that didn''t really matter since artifacts like that notebook weren''t ssified through the use of a leveling system. Instead, there was a ranking system in ce to categorize artifacts.

    The Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life could be considered as a Ranked-3 Artifact. Inparison, the Great Book of History that Calvin possessed for thest few decades was a Ranked-0 Artifact. The difference between Rank 3 and Rank 2 wasn''t that huge, but the difference between 2 from 1 and 1 from 0 was an insurmountable gulf.

    Calvin raised the piece of paper in the air and started absorbing the souls of the demons. These souls could serve as a hidden trump card for Calvin. If he wasn''t able to turn these souls into his own power, then he could at least use detonate them to deal huge damage, even against the Benevolent Father or the Butcher.

    Of course, detonating these demon souls could be considered as Calvin''sst resort.

    After all, even though the level of these demons was pathetically low, they were useful for the low-leveled Calvin.

    He could consume these souls through the use of an unorthodox spiritualist ritual to turn the soul power of these souls into his own strength. Such a method of increasing one''s strength was not only tyrannical but also dangerous.

    However, Calvin had done enough risk assessment and he concluded that it should be possible for him to absorb these souls, albeit with a small sacrifice within his self-established safety limits.

    In short, Calvin may pay a price, but that price was negligible.

    In exchange for a higher reward, Calvin was willing to pay that trivial price.

    A few minutes passed and the souls of these demons were now inside the small piece of paper that he ripped off from the small notebook that he got as a bonus from Ria. Staring at the small notebook, Calvin felt strange. He was grateful to Ria for giving him this small notebook. He wanted to pay him back, but he knew that it was impossible.

    He didn''t n on returning to Fivecent anymore.

    He knew that after this final phase...

    All the newbies would undergo a year of guided tutorial and training before they would be released into the harsh world of Las Felipinas. A tutorial and some guidance wasn''t really that problem, but the thing was... Calvin knew that he didn''t have that much time.

    Knowing the future of humanity gave him an immense advantage over his next course of action, but it also ced immense pressure on his shoulders. He felt as if he wouldn''t be able to forgive himself if he wasn''t able to change the future despite knowing what was about to happen.

    "Sigh..."

    Calvin let out a drawn-out sigh.

    Afterwards, he then walked towards the direction of the exit.

    But before he got that far, his ears perked up for he could vaguely hear the sound of footstepsing his way.

    "Ivan!" The appearance of a familiar young boy appeared in front of Calvin. His young face still had that trace of baby fat, but the watery worried look in his eyes made him seem quite mature than his peers.

    "Leonard! And..."

    "Ivan!" A crisp feminine voice rang from behind Leonard. It was Ziya.

    "Ziya?"

    Ziya sat beside Calvin, while Leonard sat directly in front of Ziya.

    Both of them nevermunicated openly with Calvin like this. This was the first time that the two of them spoke with such loud words towards Calvin. But Calvin himself knew why they did what they had done. It was because they were afraid of being implicated.

    But now that they had realized that someone was actually willing to sacrifice himself for their own sake, these two kids couldn''t stand by anymore.

    Despite being afraid, they suppressed their fears and followed after Calvin.

    "Why are you here?" Calvin furrowed his eyebrows. He still needed to pretend that he didn''t notice them earlier.

    Ziya and Leonard teared up when they saw Calvin''s tattered clothes and his dustyplexion. Furthermore, when they saw the blood on his arm and legs. The two couldn''t hold it back anymore as Leonard cried out, "I..."

    "I''m sorry!"

    "What?"

    "Why are you apologizing? I have somewhere else to go and I don''t have that much time to talk. If you are not in cahoots with these bullies, then make way." Calvin could feel that the darkness surrounding the school was getting thicker and thicker. At first, he could still see the image of Ziya and Leonard, but now. Both of them were going blurry.

    "We..."

    "We are here to help you!"

    "I know that..."

    "We know that you want to end this nightmare for us, but can''t let you suffer just because we are incapable of doing what we needed to do! We should''ve fought against those bullies before everything became like this, but we didn''t! It''s because we are cowards! We''re cowards! I''m a coward!"

    Leonard''s eyes turned bloodshot and he became agitated.

    Ziya was also the same.

    Her small frame continuously trembled as if she was holding back something.

    "Shit..."

    Calvin let out a soft curse.

    From the first time that he saw both Leonard and Ziya.

    He had already understood the reason why these two were being constantly bullied.

    It was because they hadn''t truly be demons, yet.

    Demons were humans before they became demons, and before one could turn into a demon. One must also experience an insurmountable amount of hopelessness and despair. Judging from the fact that Calvin could still see some purity within the eyes of the two despite the constant pressure that they faced, it was obvious that these two were pure souls.

    Kevin must be talking about these two when he requested that Calvin should give the demons a chance to reincarnate.

    These pure souls...

    If they reincarnated and their paths didn''t stray, they would be a huge help to humanity in the future.

    Calvin couldn''t bear to annihte talents and people with such pure souls like these two.

    However, before he exorcised them out of this ce and sent them on their way to reincarnate. Calvin must return the purity of their souls. He must ensure that they weren''t influenced by the negative emotions of this ce anymore before he would allow them to reincarnate.

    This was a difficult feat to do since the souls of the two were here for several years already. In fact, the purity that they had was nothing but a mere cuppared to the ocean of negative emotions that they were feeling.

    But Calvin still believed in that trace of purity.

    He knew that so long as the two had a rapport with someone that wanted them to turn for the better.

    Both of them still had a chance to reincarnate. However, at this moment, both Ziya and Leonard were showing signs of transforming into true demons simr to these bullies.

    Calvin couldn''t let that happen!

    He caught the arms of the two and dragged them into his embrace.

    "No..."

    "You''re wrong..."

    "Both of you weren''t cowards."

    "Both of you are just too kind and nice for this world."

    "Human nature is innately kind, and most people want the best for others. Both of you belong to that category. But these bullies are the opposite. They aren''t kind at all. Humans are kind in nature, but these bullies aren''t even humans anymore..."

    "They are demons."

    "And they do not deserve to live."

    "But both of you are the opposite."

    "The two of you are still kind. In other words, human nature still exists in your heart."

    "Don''t let hatred take over your heart and soul."

    "If you must hate, then give that hatred to me and I will handle it."

    "Didn''t I tell the two of you earlier that I will end this nightmare?"

    Calvin lifted a gentle smile.

    Ziya and Leonard saw the smile on his face and they started bawling like children.

    "Hahaha... This is more like it, now they are acting simr to what they look like..."

    "Children."

    Calvin ruffled the hair of the two and exined, "What''s more, do you really think that all the students here are bullies?"

    Ziya and Leonard shook their heads.

    "That''s right! Not every student here is a part of those bullies. Those bullies are a minority and we are the majority!"

    "Why should a pack of wolves be afraid of a few tigers? They may be able to injure some of us, but I am confident that we can ovee them with our numbers!"

    "But..." Ziya softly uttered, "They... they have a lot of people from outside the school. Some of the good students are also their aplices. There are so many of them, and I''m afraid that..."

    "That''s it!" Calvin suddenly eximed, "That''s the mindset!"

    "That''s the reason why this nightmare has continued for so long!"

    "Facing against a group of bullies, and helping those that are being bullied. Everyone knows that this is a tough decision to make. Why should we help those who are being bullied? Why should we sacrifice ourselves for others? But have you ever considered what will happen if even a single student stands up against those bullies?"

    "No?"

    "That''s the reason why!"

    "Everyone thinks like that and that is the reason why this nightmare has continued for so long and those bullies dare to push us so far!" Calvin eximed.

    "I told you both earlier that I will end this nightmare."

    "Since no one is willing to stand up, then let me be their scapegoat."

    "I cannot fail."

    "I have to prove to those bullies that I am an insuperable mountain. There is no need to be afraid of them! If we had done that and everyone stood up for their own sake than for the sake of others and collectively derided and mocked those bullies for what they were trying to do, then this nightmare would''ve met a premature end!"

    "Silence is never the answer."

    "Silence is not the answer, and it will never be the answer..."

 Chapter 57: Do Not Be Afraid of the Light

    Chapter 57: Do Not Be Afraid of the Light

    Leonard wasn''t even listening anymore.

    He couldn''t understand Calvin''s wordings, but he felt that he was right.

    The contrasting emotions surging in his heart right now caused his blood to boil.

    The madness in Ziya and Leonard''s eyes receded and their eyes returned to normal.

    Calvin let out a sigh of relief.

    Thankfully, he managed to pull both of them out of the edge before it was toote.

    "I don''t know about how many bullies are there out of this school. But believe me when I say that I can defeat them. What''s more, if we rally every good student to our side. Can they really ensure that they will be able to defeat us? We have the advantage of numbers, why must we be afraid?"

    Both Ziya and Leonard nodded.

    But the fear in their eyes made it obvious to Calvin that they were still quite afraid.

    Calvin didn''t mind.

    Change doesn''t happen in a blink of an eye.

    At least, their perspective towards the matter at hand had changed subtly.

    "Come with me, we''re going to go somewhere." Calvin dragged both Ziya and Leonard by the hand. His mind madly churned, creating ns after ns and simting the sess and failure of those ns at the same time.

    This was the kind of person Calvin was, in the face of imminent danger. Instead of panicking, he would create ns after ns until he discovered what he needed to make a breakthrough and survive.

    One could say that this trait of him was a part of the reason why he managed to survive until he was the only Earthling remaining in Earth and the world of Las Felipinas. But unfortunately, Calvin may have been cautious back then but he ultimately didn''t add the insignificant variable that made all of his ns copse, leading to the destruction of humanity.

    And that was human nature.

    It was the human heart.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    "W-Where are we going? I already called the teachers here! They should being soon! I''m sure that those who tried to bully you will..."

    Before Leonard could finish, Calvin raised his hand in front of Leonard and stopped him from speaking, "Have you forgotten what sir Reyes had done earlier when I was being bullied by these punks?"

    Calvin''s words were cold and clear.

    "I..."

    Leonard hesitated. He knew too well that the teachers of this school didn''t care about the bullied at all. However, if he couldn''t rely on the teachers then who would he rely on?

    "Ivan..."

    Ziya gnashed her teeth.

    "I believe you..."

    Calvin nodded, "Thank you. But this time, it''s my victory. However, if I do fall down I hope that both of you will learn not to bow to anyone that doesn''t deserve your respect like these punks."

    Leonard took a deep breath.

    He made a sidelong nce at Ziya and the gazes of the two met in mid-air.

    They still looked worried, but the obvious difference was that the despair in their hearts had shattered.

    Hope bloomed in their hearts.

    Calvin then dragged them back towards the school corridors and the three of them raced for the infirmary. There were no students at all in the corridors, but some faculty members of the school could be seen wandering about.

    Calvin was unsure as to what they were doing.

    It took the three quite a long time to go to the infirmary for they tried their best to hide from these faculty members.

    "Come in..." Calvin led both Ziya and Leonard into the infirmary. Reaching the innermost room, he twisted the doorknob and went inside with the two in tow.

    "Kevin is here..."

    Leonard and Ziya stopped on their tracks.

    Hesitation could be seen in their eyes.

    Both of them felt immensely guilty towards Kevin. Back then, they didn''t have these feelings since they knew that they were just trying to protect themselves. Nothing was wrong with protecting yourself. But since Calvin convinced them that silence was not the answer and it would never be the answer.

    The beliefs that the two had in their hearts copsed.

    They started ming themselves for being silent.

    Why did they not stand up to him when he needed them the most?

    Could they even be considered his friends?

    No!

    They abandoned him!

    They abandoned him when he needed their help!

    They didn''t deserve to be his friend.

    Leonard and Ziya started trembling like sieves.

    Mustering their courage, they approached the bed and set the white curtains aside.

    Seeing the mummified-looking figure of Kevin wrapped with innumerable bandages. The two children started crying.

    Leonard profusely apologized to Kevin saying that he was weak and a coward, and he hoped that he could forgive him.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    He didn''t n on interrupting these two.

    But he noticed that Kevin''s reactions were quite abnormal.

    Kevin who was an overly-hyped and excited young boy earlier was now quite taciturn.

    He seemed to be internally struggling against something deep in his heart.

    Human nature was never Calvin''s forte.

    He could see Kevin''s struggle, but he didn''t know how to solve it.

    But seeing him struggling like this, it was obvious that person in front of him at this moment was the genuine Kevin.

    Not that Kevin whom Calvin faced after he had revealed the Notebook of Secrets that Will Destroy Your Life.

    "At least, I can see that the three of them were friends...

    "They may not be the best of friends, but it''s obvious that they have a lot inmon."

    Leonard and Ziya finally stopped their crying. It seemed that Kevin had epted their apologies. When silence descended between the three, Calvin didn''t waste any time anymore. He took a stool, sat on it, and gathered the three around him before saying.

    "I''ve taken care of those bullies... They will never be able to bully you all anymore."

    "I will also take care of them in the future..."

    Calvin ruffled the hair of Leonard and Ziya.

    Ziya lifted a sweet smile, "Yes, Ivan... I can see it... I bet that they are too scared of you right now, that they wouldn''t dare to bully you anymore!" Ziya''s mood turned for the better after being redeemed by Kevin. Leonard also now had a smile on his face. It has been a long time since he felt so happy that he couldn''t stop the smirk from creeping up his face.

    Kevin had been possessed by the spirit of the Notebook of Secret That Will Destroy Your Life after Calvin revealed that he knew of the notebook''s presence. In other words, Calvin was a stranger to Kevin. All he knew was that he remembered that Calvin apanied him on writing some of his ground-breaking secrets on that notebook.

    After that, his memories were fuzzy and his head ached whenever he tried to recover his memories after that event.

    But he knew that Calvin meant well.

    He wasn''t here to harm him.

    But suddenly...

    Calvin grabbed his arm and pulled the bandages wrapped around his body.

    Kevin instinctively jumped backwards, but Calvin was unexpectedly strong. Calvin pulled the bandages and what was revealed underneath was a slew of wounds festering with maggots radiating a nauseating stench. Kevin swiftly hid his neck, he cried out loud and jumped back into his sickbed.

    Leonard and Ziya scrunched their eyebrows.

    Tears threatened to fall down their eyes.

    They knew that Kevin was injured, but they didn''t expect that his injuries were this severe.

    "I won''t mince words any longer, for I don''t have enough time. Inflicting pain to yourself is a useless endeavor. Do you really think that those bullies would feel remorse when they heard that you died from the injuries that you inflicted on yourself? No! Those bullies would never shed a single tear on your behalf..."

    "They will stand by your grave and may even spit on it as theyugh at your foolishness."

    Calvin grabbed Kevin from the sickbed and pulled him to his embrace.

    The disgusting sensation of the squirming maggots didn''t disturb Calvin at all.

    Instead, there was this look of seriousness and sincerity that Kevin had never seen before.

    "I know that I am just a stranger to you, and you will definitely not believe me. But trust me at the least! I will use my actions to prove to you that I mean no harm." Calvin let out a sigh, "This school is changing. It''s far too dangerous for the three of you to stay here. Why don''t youe with me along with Ziya and Leonard? The three of us will protect you."

    "Ivan is saying the truth, Kevin. This time, I won''t stand by. I won''t run away anymore. I will stand with you along with Ziya and Ivan." Leonard stepped forward and even persuaded Kevin. Seeing the serious looks on the faces of Ziya and Leonard, Kevin was slowly being persuaded intoing with them.

    "C-Can... Can I really... Can I really trust you?" Kevin turned to look at Calvin with hesitation.

    "Yeah..." Kevin pulled out a piece of crumpled paper, "I want the three of you to hide in here for now. I will deal with all the trouble myself. I will keep you safe with Ziya and Leonard!"

    The piece of crumpled paper started glowing.

    Ziya, Leonard, and Kevin made a sidelong nce at each other before simultaneously nodding their heads.

    They had made a decision.

    They wouldn''t be afraid of the light anymore.

    With a will, the bodies of the three turned into resplendent lights as they flew towards the piece of crumpled paper.

    In an instant, the paper in Calvin''s hands grew inexplicably heavy.

    Calvin revealed a small smile.

    Taking the small archaic notebook beside the pillow on the sickbed where Kevinid earlier...

    He softly whispered into the air, "Wake up, spirit. It''s time for us to end this madness."

    "Yes..."

    A rather excited, yet conflicted voice rang out of nowhere as a response.

 Chapter 58: Disciplinary Committee

    Chapter 58: Disciplinary Committee

    The crumpled piece of paper now held the souls of Kevin, Ziya, and Leonard.

    "What are you going to do with all the souls that you captured?"

    The spirit of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life asked.

    "Didn''t you hear what I said earlier? I thought you were eavesdropping I said that I will be protecting them."

    "Oh? Are you really that kind?"

    "Fuck off... Just what kind of a person do you think I am?" Calvin shook his head and bitterly smiled, "Anyway, since you''re not really Kevin and was just possessing his body. How do I call you? Do you even have a name?" Calvin teasingly asked.

    "How rude! Of course, I have a name... It''s that, I don''t deserve to keep that name anymore since I''ve be ownerless." The spirit within the notebook seemed to be embarrassed. For the spirit, the issue of not being able to use his previous name was quite delicate than what Calvin had expected.

    "What does that mean?" Of course, Calvin had to pretend that he didn''t know what the spirit was talking about.

    "You... You clearly know what I am talking about! Why must you tease me like this?" The spirit rolled his imaginary eyes at Calvin.

    Calvin felt a shiver down his spine, "All right... I know. I''ll give you a name once we''re done and over here."

    The spirit fell silent.

    He could feel that Calvin was serious.

    He felt gratitude towards him.

    But not only because Calvin was willing to grant him a name, but it was also because Calvin was so kind to the souls in this school that still had that trace of purity.

    Calvin may be ruthless but he knew where to draw the line.

    The spirit appreciated such people and his resistance towards being Calvin''s Blessed Artifact had lessened.

    "Since you''re the one that created this fucked-up world, can you tell me more about it?"

    Calvin locked the doors of the room and started speaking.

    "All right, but calling this world that I made as fucked-up seems to be too much?"

    "Too much? All right, let''s just say that I''m wrong. I don''t have time to waste with such pleasantries."

    The spirit felt irritated. It knew that it was wrong for creating this nightmare of a world, but could anyone really me it?

    The spirit felt lonely and that was why it made this world under the nose of Fivecent. Fivecent permitted its existence for thepany was afraid of pushing the spirit''s patience too far. After all, a cornered rat would bite as ast-ditch effort to escape. Fivecent didn''t want something like that to happen since they wouldn''t stand to benefit in that scenario.

    In short, this school could be considered as the only ce suppressing the spirit from falling over the edge and going berserk out of loneliness. If an ancient artifact like the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life really went mad, it would be far too difficult for Fivecent to stop it.

    This was why they didn''t push the spirit too far and permitted the existence of this school.

    The spirit let out a sigh and started talking, "Out of all the souls in this school, only a few of them are actually demons. To be honest, most of the souls that Fivecent gathered were all souls with varying purity. Unfortunately, they were tainted by the demons and most of them had gone too far into the abyss. There''s no saving them anymore."

    "But I''m grateful that you''re trying to save Kevin, Leonard, and Ziya. I think that in this school, only the three of them still have that purity that could be their gate to reincarnation. I''m really happy that you came here at just the right time. If you arrived here toote, then you would have nothing to save."

    "Instead, you wouldn''t be able to do anything other than just to cleanse this ce." The spirit let out a sigh.

    "Just what is the reason why you build this ce? Could it really be because you''re lonely? Or does it have anything to do with your inexhaustible thirst for secrets?" Calvin probingly asked.

    "Yes... Those souls, even though they were puny and I could easily snuff them out with a flick of my fingers. Their memories actually contained a world that I have never heard before..."

    "Stop..."

    Calvin suddenly spoke and interrupted the spirit''s speech, "What do you mean a world that you have never seen before?"

    "Yes... I was just about to tell you what kind of a world I saw in their memories... That world... It''s full of wonders! They have lights without the need for fire. They have artifacts that can fit in their pockets containing knowledge that I have never seen before!"

    "They are masters of arithmetic and they also have buildings that could tower over mountains!"

    "Such a world like that..."

    "I''m sure that it''s a treasure trove of secrets!"

    Bang!

    A loud explosion urred.

    Calvin had mmed his fist on the wall beside him.

    "What are you doing?" The spirit scrunched its imaginary eyebrows.

    It was obviously displeased of Calvin''s sudden interruption.

    "Those bastards... Those souls..."

    "Those souls came from Earth!"

    "So, that''s the reason why there''s a lot of suspected human trafficking casestely! It''s because Fivecent is kidnapping children with the purest of souls all over the world so that they could satisfy your craving for secrets!" Calvin''s eyes turned bloodshot out of anger.

    Back then at the Waterback Hotel...

    Calvin vividly remembered the newscaster talking about some nationwide search for thousands of missing children.

    So, those children...

    They were here all along!

    They were killed, then their souls were harvested before being given to this ancient notebook!

    The Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life!

    Calvin''s goodwill towards Fivecent copsed right here and then.

    He felt guilty that he was nning on ditching Fivecent, so he didn''t have to attend their guided tutorials thatsted for a year so that he could save some time, but now... He had no guilt at all. In fact, he was happy. To think that he dodged such a bullet!

    But Calvin was wondering.

    Why was it that he didn''t know about all of these back in the previous timeline?

    Could this timeline really that vastly different from the previous timeline?

    Calvin was already suspicious.

    But was he scared?

    Of course, not!

    How could he be scared of facing adversity?

    But he was greatly incensed.

    "Fivecent... I''m d that you raised me up back in my previous life, but now that I know the unscrupulous things that you have done before the backs of everyone. There''s no way that I can still idolize you like what I have done before." Calvin silently made a decision.

    Afterwards, he turned to the spirit and asked.

    "How many enemies do I have left?"

    The spirit promptly replied, "There are about three cannon fodders, and there''s also that final boss of the Disciplinary Committee, sir Nick."

    "Oh, sir Nick? That fat piece of shit? All right, I''ll dly fight him."

    "Don''t be toocent, the final boss of this ce isn''t something that you can easily handle." The spirit warned.

    He felt that Calvin was being too arrogant.

    "Don''t I have you to support me?"

    "What?" The spirit was confused.

    "You''re my Blessed Artifact, right?"

    "Umm, yes..."

    "Then, aren''t you going to support me?"

    "Well, I will."

    "Then, why are you so confused?"

    "Well, I thought that you are going to face them all alone."

    "What? Are you stupid? Why would I dare to face them all alone? I may be quite brave, but I don''t have a death wish!"

    The spirit was speechless.

    But Calvin was right.

    He was indeed too weak to fight against the Disciplinary Committee members, but with the spirit in tow.

    He had a huge chance of defeating them.

    It''s just that...

    The spirit felt that Calvin was being too shameless.

 Chapter 59: Moonwraiths, Bloodwraiths

    Chapter 59: Moonwraiths, Bloodwraiths

    "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    "Uh... Nothing." The spirit avoided Calvin''s gaze.

    At this moment, the spirit of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life has assumed the image of Kevin. Since it was incredibly familiar with Kevin''s image. It decided to temporarily borrow the figure of the young boy in order to manifest in the physical world.

    Calvin didn''t really mind it.

    Kevin stretched his hand out and handed the ancient notebook to Calvin along with a pen.

    "What is this?"

    "What you ask? An hour has passed since you wrote the earliest secret that you have! You must write another one!"

    "Oh, sure..." Calvin took the pen out of Kevin''s hands and pondered for a moment.

    Kevin stared strangely at Calvin.

    He didn''t expect that Calvin would just casually take the pen and reveal an earth-shattering secret. Of course, he knew that Calvin was a treasure trove of secret due to his past identity. However, he was still shocked since usually when he asked someone of their secrets, they would do their best to hide it and would only write it in reluctance.

    But Calvin was so casual about it.

    Wasn''t he afraid that I''d reveal his secrets to the public?

    Kevin furrowed his eyebrows.

    Calvin noticed his strange gaze and said with a smile, "Nope, I''m not worried about that at all..."

    "What are you talking about?"

    "Aren''t you thinking that I may be afraid that you''ll reveal my secrets to the public?"

    "Yeah, aren''t you?" Kevin nodded.

    "No. In fact, can you even do that? I heard ancient notebooks are a tight-ass when ites to rules and as much as how much you like to talk and how much you like secrets, I heard that it''s your rule to never prattle the secrets of others to anyone. If you do, then a certain punishment wille. I don''t know about that punishment though, but is it true?"

    Kevin went speechless for a moment before he heaved a sigh.

    "Why the long sigh?" Calvin asked in curiosity.

    "Nothing... It''s just for some reason. I feel naked while you''re staring at me. It''s as if you already know what I am, and what I can do."

    "Hahaha... That''s true." Calvin lightly chuckled.

    Kevin stared right at Calvin and saw that he didn''t even deny his words.

    But Kevin didn''t know what he should feel...

    Should he say that all of these were as expected to that of a previous Apex Predator of the Writer Profession?

    Kevin could only shake his head and bitterly smile.

    With his future master knowing everything that he had to offer, Kevin had virtually no trump card at all against Calvin.

    What if Calvin mistreated him and tried to make him do his bidding despite his refusal?

    Kevin felt the world around him copsing.

    But a word given should never be taken back

    Despite Kevin''s worries, he knew that his fate was sealed.

    He would be Calvin''s Blessed Artifact.

    Calvin turned to look at Kevin.

    Even though human nature and the human heart could be considered as his weaknesses, Calvin wasn''t as dense as a neutron star. Of course, he could see and notice Kevin''s worries. But he knew that words were useless here. Deep-seated worries couldn''t possibly be diffused with mere words.

    Calvin knew that he had to act.

    "You still haven''t told me about who among the remaining demons I should be careful with."

    Kevin looked at him and said, "You should be careful of that mountain of fat Nick, and sir Reyes."

    "Reyes? My homeroom teacher?" Calvin was astounded.

    "Yeah, but don''t be too shocked that you didn''t feel his strength despite your perceptiveness. It''spletely normal since that demon is not an ordinary demon. Sir Reyes is a Bloodwraith, while that fatty Nick is a Moonwraith." Kevin stared right at Calvin after he said all of these. It was as if he was gauging Calvin''s reactions to his words.

    "A Bloodwraith and a Moonwraith. What''s more, I have to face them at the same time. Damn, why did you bring these two territorial monsters in such a tight space like this damned school!" Calvin softlymented.

    Kevin rolled his eyes at him and replied, "As I said, I wasn''t the one who brought them here! In fact, if they weren''t useful to me in keeping the order in this school then I would''ve already annihted them!"

    "Well, can you do it now? Can you annihte them?" Calvin snapped right at Kevin.

    "Uh... Well, I was talking about myself in the past..."

    "Several years have passed since then and my powers had considerably weakened. I may be able to take on one of them, but two? Not a chance." Kevin revealed a wronged look on his face, but he still coldly snorted out of disdain at the end of his sentence.

    "Oh, really? You can take on one of them? In that case, I''ll give one of them for you to handle. You''ll take the Moonwraith, while I take the Bloodwraith. How about it? A deal?" Calvin teasingly said.

    Kevin froze and lifted a bitter smile.

    He was only bragging when he said that he could take on one of those Specters on his own in his current condition.

    Shouldn''t he be able to detect that I was only bragging with how observant he is?

    Could it be that he''s purposely doing this to me?

    To humiliate me?!

    Kevin''s eyes dangerously narrowed.

    But his eyes glittered in joy when he realized that Calvin had not added a secret on the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life.

    He swiftly capitalized on that fact to...

    "You still haven''t written an earth-shattering secret on the notebook! Do you know the consequences of not writing a secret and ignoring my warnings? Hmmph! I will be able to take over your soul!"

    ... change the topic.

    "Oh! Dang, I almost forgot." Calvin scribbled some words on the ancient notebook.

    His words turned serious as he went ahead and confirmed some of the theories that he had using the notebook.

    [Fivecent does human trafficking of children on Earth.]

    The words shimmered with a silvery-white light for a moment before it temporarily vanished. When it reappeared, the word, "Verified" was written after thema of the sentence.

    Calvin''s expression immediately turned serious.

    "Damn those bastards..." He clenched his fists and his eyes instantly turned bloodshot.

    But he knew that getting angry right now wouldn''t bring him anywhere.

    In fact, it would just be a waste of time and would only give him unnecessary worries. At this moment, what he must do was toplete his final phase, fake his death, and reach the nearest civilization in Las Felipinas once he was out of this ce.

    Only when these goals werepleted could he make some ns on how he could expose Fivecent.

    For now, he had no business thinking about how he could reveal Fivecent''s dirt.

    He had far more important things to do.

    Opening the small notebook that Calvin had in his pocket, he started writing all the details that he knew about Moonwraiths and Bloodwraiths.

 Chapter 60: Specters

    Chapter 60: Specters

    [When the sun sets, the earth bes the domain of demons. Moonwraiths are demons born of moonlight, wind, and the earth. These elements if gathered in the rightbination at the right time creates these atrocities that hunt those that dare toy their eyes on them.]

    [Once caught peeping at the ghastly glory of the moonwraith, the mortal is captured and entranced by the fleeting beauty of the night and is forced to follow the Moonwraith until it vanishes when the sun rises, sometimes, even bing a moonwraith himself.]

    [Moonwraiths appear as soon as the moon rises. They are Specters but at the same time. They have a strong connection to the material ne. They see the living but cannot understand them. The living hears no dead, and the deadmunicates with no living. Fueled with frustration and the ambitions ofpleting their unfinished business...]

    [Moonwraiths roam the material world in search of mortals that could potentially help them. Sadly, most of those mortals end up dead before they could do anything to solve the moonwraith''s plight.]

    [Moonwraiths are Specters, so they are immune to physical attacks. Attacks made out of Runes can and will harm them, but they are generally fearless. The addition of Sun-Scorching Oil on one''s weapons could cause substantial damage to any Specters including moonwraiths.]

    [They are able to manipte the rays of moonlight and can blind their enemies with it andunch a surprise attack using that opening. Moonwraiths remain immaterial most of the time but reveal a moment of weakness when they briefly take on their tangible form when they are about to send their attacks...]

    [When weakened, moonwraiths can summon clones of itself to confuse the enemies while the true body itself hides within the spirit ne, discreetly consuming the vital energy of its enemies to recover its own vitality.]

    [In order to force a moonwraith to take on its corporeal form, one must lure them to attack for they are quite slow. One could also pray to the Goddess of Compassion and Light to smite the moonwraith and temporarily weaken it. In addition, a st of the Fleeting Butterfly Bomb can force it out of the spirit ne, while greatly weakening its capabilities.]

    "So, this is everything that I know about moonwraiths... If not for the fact that I frequently fought against them in the Valley of Death and Sorrows, then I wouldn''t know this much about them." Calvin lightly chuckled.

    The spirit of the notebook who was assuming Kevin''s figure at this moment took a peek on what Calvin was writing and he couldn''t help butment.

    "From what I can see, what you wrote is quite urate. But where is the excerpt about the bloodwraiths?"

    "Wait... I''m writing it now." Calvin replied.

    [Bloodwraiths are born from the blood and sweat of the battlefield. The end of a ughter signifies the birth of bloodwraiths...]

    [Thebination of regrets, remorse, and the desire to live of the men who died on the battlefield creates these creatures that hunt on earth andnds for the blood of others and the chance to possess toplete their unfinished business.]

    [Bloodwraiths do not bleed and are immune to most physical attacks for they are Specters. Simr to Moonwraiths, they have a brief moment of weakness whenever they are about tounch their attacks.]

    [Their weaknesses are simr to other Wraiths of the Specter Category, but they are incredibly difficult to wound and could mend their injuries by sapping on the blood of their victims.

    [They couldunch on the mortals they are preying and suck all the blood of their bodies, leaving only a carcass so dried up that it could crumble into dust with a single touch.]

    [Fighting fire against fire is rmended.]

    Calvin scribbled.

    "I''ve written their weaknesses and strengths, but I won''t be able to capitalize on them since I don''t have the necessary ingredients nor materials to create those items that can weaken them! Say for example the Sun-Scorching Oil! Where in hell can I find something like that?"

    "As for attacking them... Specters are considered as ghosts and can turn intangible at any moment they wish except for when they are about to attack. I can capitalize on that weakness, but weapons coated with silver are the only weapons that can possibly cause them substantial harm..."

    "Where can I find silver in this goddamned ce?"

    Calvin''s mind madly spun.

    But then his thinking came to a halt.

    "Wait, silver?"

    He mumbled.

    Afterwards, he rushed towards one of the cabs in the infirmary.

    "I found it! There is it! It''s coated in silver!"

    "Oh? Is it?" Kevin was somewhat surprised.

    "What? I thought you''re the one who made this world? You don''t even know what items you have in this ce?" Calvin furrowed his eyebrows at Kevin''s surprise.

    "Of course, I know the items in this ce like it''s the back of my palm! How could I not know such trivial information when I''m the one who created this school? Hmmph!" Kevin suddenly found the need to defend himself in the face of Calvin''s scrutinizing gaze.

    "All right, I won''t tease you anymore. Now that we have some silver. I guess this should suffice? Can you turn this silver into a weapon? I mean, you''re the one who created this school, right? You can at least do something so simple as that, right?" Calvin teasingly smiled at Kevin''s direction.

    "Why do you always undermine my capabilities? Something so simple as turning that much silver into a single silver sword is not that hard for me." Kevin rolled his eyes a Calvin. Even though he had be quite dull when it came to interpersonal rtionships, he could see that Calvin was deliberately doing this to bait him into action.

    But Kevin didn''t really mind.

    He was happy to prove himself in front of this previous Apex Predator.

    Taking the silver-coated medical instruments and apparatus that Calvin gathered from the infirmary''s cabs, Kevin, or more urately, the spirit assuming Kevin''s form stretched his hand out and started his work.

    Lights coated the instruments and in a blink of an eye, it transformed into a sword with a proper hilt and handle.

    "There you go, handle it with care." Kevin hurled the silver sword at Calvin.

    "Thanks! All right, we can finally start." Calvin swung the silver sword around and was evidently pleased by it.

    Kevin stared right at him and asked, "What should I do?"

    "You?" Calvin sized him up, "Can you possess this sword? If you can possess this sword and help me in the battle in an autonomous way, then I''ll be d."

    "Yeah, I can do that. I can also enhance the strength of the silver sword as well as its durability and sharpness. I can also adjust its weight, so it won''t feel heavy when you''re using it. I mean, you''re a mortal right now. Even if you were powerful in the previous timeline, you''re nothing but a mortal at this moment, so I hope that you won''t forget that."

    "I know..."

    Calvin solemnly nodded.

    He didn''t jest this time for he knew that he couldn''t go too far.

    He reckoned that if he got struck by a single attack from those Specters, then it could be game over for him.

    Calvin''s attitude may be quite casual at this moment, but he himself knew how tense he was right now. Stretching his silver sword towards Kevin''s direction. Kevin nodded and turned into a resplendent ray of light that sunk into the silver sword.

    "Nice! The sword is indeed lighter now... Hey, can wemunicate telepathically?"

    [Yeah, we can.]

    Kevin''s voice reverberated in Calvin''s mind.

    [All right, I''llmunicate with you telepathically when the battle starts. For now, let''s go ahead and meet those two!]

    Calvin walked out of the infirmary, but when he opened the doors...

    He found two people standing in front of him.

    One had a body simr to a mountain of fat, while the other had the physique of a gym teacher.

    Both were d in uniforms dedicated to the teachers of this school.

    They wore frowns on their faces which further deepened when they discovered Calvin.

    "You''re such an unruly student, Ivan! To think that you would beat up so many people on the rooftop! I heard what you have done! There''s no way that you can escape from any responsibility this time! I''ve already informed sir Nick, and he''s here to handle you! Even if you went ahead and called your parents, you won''t be able to escape punishment!"

    Sir Reyes spoke with bloodshot eyes.

    His words were righteous, yet his face had that look of manic excitement.

    He was even licking his lips as if he couldn''t wait to devour Calvin.

    Sir Nick, the mountain of fat stood beside sir Reyes.

    His towering figure was more intimidating than sir Reyes.

    When he took a step forward inside the infirmary, the floor trembled under his weight.

    Suddenly, he stretched his hand out to catch Calvin''s hand.

    But Calvin was even faster, he took a step backward and tilted his body to avoid sir Nick''s hold.

    "You..."

    "Unruly child!"

    "How dare you disrespect me like this and try to run from what you have done?!"

    "I will punish you!"

    "Right here and now!"

    Sir Nick and Sir Reyes finally stripped their disguises and transformed into their ghastly and grotesque true forms.

    The temperature in the room went down in an instant and Calvin felt a shiver down his spine.

    "Finally! They''re done with pretending!"

    Calvin took a stance with his silver sword and stood steadfast at the center of the infirmary''s consultation room.

 Chapter 61: He Must Be Planning Something!

    Chapter 61: He Must Be nning Something!

    [Now then Ivan, how do you n on fighting these two?]

    [Oh, I forgot. Ivan should be a made-up name. Now, that I think about it, I still don''t know your name. Mind telling me your name? I mean, you are going to be my master anyway, so it''spletely normal for me to know some details as to who you really are.]

    [Well, that does make sense and I would oblige if we are not about to face these two monsters! Don''t say anything, you''re distracting me!]

    Calvin replied with some irritation.

    Both of them were telepathically talking right now and since Calvin was quite used to doing that.

    He had no qualms on doing it.

    But at this moment, he was about to face two Specters, a Moonwraith, and a Bloodwraith. He had no time for leisure since these two could instantly turn intangible and attack him from his blindside.

    Thankfully, it seemed as if these two Specters were enjoying the hunt.

    They weren''t in a hurry and seemed to be even admiring the sight of their prey.

    [These guys, they arepletely toying with you,] Kevinmented.

    [What me? You''re a part of this, too! If I die, then do you really think that your ns can seed?]

    Calvin lightly chuckled.

    Kevin rolled his eyes at him and said, "Why does it feel as if you''re more leisurely than them?"

    "Is it because you''ve fought monsters that are far stronger than these two, or could it be because..." Kevin was about to say that Calvin was just trying to cope in this stressful situation, but Calvin interrupted him by saying.

    "Who knows?"

    Kevin shook his illusory head and asked, "What are your ns? Are you just going to engage them in a fight like this?"

    "Of course, not! That''s just suicide!"

    "Then what are you trying to do?"

    "Just wait..." Calvin lifted a smile and took a piece of crumpled paper from his pocket.

    Kevin saw this and he couldn''t help but exim, "Are you going to ask ''Her'' to smite these demons?"

    An adept Spiritualist like Calvin could indeed summon the strength of the Seven Gods and Goddesses to smite his enemies so long as they were demons, but the price to pay for that endeavor was three times more than the usual!

    In fact, it wouldn''t even be called an equivalent exchange anymore!

    Spiritualists with enough sacrifice so long as they were targeting the appropriate god for their sacrifice could pretty much do anything possible as long as the god agreed to their request.

    However, some gods disdained the use of their divinity for unscrupulous deeds such as hurting mortals and gaining wealth acquired from the expense of others.

    Of course, there was a caveat.

    One couldn''t use the power of the Goddess of Compassion and Light to hurt others unaffiliated with darkness.

    But one could use the power of the God of Infighting and War to cause trouble to some extent, depending on the sacrifice and the terms agreed upon by the mortal and the god.

    Kevin asked Calvin if he nned on asking the help of the Goddess of Compassion and Light to smite these demons, but he was doubtful since the price that he had to pay for that to happen was far too astronomical.

    In fact, the only reason why he asked was that he was somewhat confident that Calvin could somehow pull it off.

    But of course, that was because he had considered Calvin''s previous identity.

    A man who had reached the peak of his Profession was a man with a thousand means and a hundred schemes.

    He wouldn''t be someone simple.

    But Calvin shook his head and replied, "No, I will earn the Goddess''s ire if I asked her to smite these weaklings. A Goddess still has some feelings, you know? Even if she did smite them after my sacrifice, she may refuse to hear my future prayers and that would be a problem."

    "Um... Yeah..."

    That makes sense...

    "Then, what do you n on doing?" Kevin changed the topic.

    "I know that I can''t directly ask her to smite these demons, but I can ask her to temporarily enhance my physical abilities to beyond that of an average mortal. You can''t ask me to fight them with this trashy body, right? Before I knew it, they could decapitate me with a single strike."

    Kevin didn''t ask anything anymore.

    He turned his focus to the uing battle while Calvin requested, "Protect me for three seconds."

    Kevin replied with no words, but with his actions.

    The silver sword in Calvin''s hands suddenly floated in the air as if it was being wielded by someone invisible.

    "The sword is floating! Interesting! That sword... It''s made out of silver! It seems that this outside really came here to kill us! But does he even know who we are?" Sir Reyes boisterouslyughed.

    As heughed, a crazy and tyrannical aura burst from his body, and the stench of iron emanated from his figure.

    He was obviously the Bloodwraith that Kevin was talking about!

    "Hahaha! It seems like this brat from the outside has some tricks up his sleeves! But I wonder, how he will taste? It''s been such a long time since we''ve got something new to consume! This will be a party!" Sir Nick tore his clothes that were already bursting on the seams.

    He let out a mad howl and his eyes turned bloodshot.

    A shiver ran down Calvin''s spine, but he remained steadfast.

    He raised his left hand while his right hand held a scalpel that he got from the infirmary.

    "I can definitely kill these bastards with Runes, but in order to do that... my body must be physically strong. The body of a mortal won''t suffice against these monsters, so I must enhance my physical abilities first!"

    "The price that I need to pay in order to ask for some help from ''Her'' is really high, but at least it''s not as astronomical as the price that the unscrupulous God of Infighting and War would demand. I can pay the price if I asked the Goddess of Compassion and Light to bless me, after all... She''spassionate and that is in her name..."

    Calvin gnashed his teeth and sliced open a wound on his wrist using the scalpel.

    "Fuck!"

    Calvin grasped from the pain.

    Meanwhile, Kevin''s battle against the two Specters had already begun.

    "What the fuck is he doing? Why did he slice his own wrist?" Sir Reyes who was a bloodwraith instantly detected the vorful smell of blood. However, when he turned to look at Calvin. He was dumbfounded by what he had seen. Calvin sliced his own wrist and was letting himself bleed!

    Was he trying tomit suicide?

    No, that didn''t make sense.

    He wouldn''t deliberately go to this ce carrying that silver sword just tomit suicide in front of the enemy.

    In other words, he must be nning something!

    Sir Reyes''s eyes shed with viciousness.

    When Sir Nick stood in front of the sword, he took advantage of that opportunity to pounce at Calvin.

    "Ivan!" Kevin swiftly maneuvered the sword, but Sir Nick stood in front of him and took the de of the sword.

    These two demons were really smart!

    The moment they saw the flying sword, they quietly surmised that Calvin must be the person controlling it. In other words, the crux of the matter was Calvin! So long as they killed Calvin, then the sword should stop moving!

    The conclusion that the two demons had reached waspletely normal for they were ignorant of Calvin''s circumstances.

    But at this moment, their mistake would cost them an arm and leg.

    The demons thought that Calvin should be in a panic right now while trying to defend sir Reyes''s attack, so in other words, he should be unable to properly control this flying sword. Unfortunately, they didn''t realize that the silver sword wasn''t actually in Calvin''s control.

    Sir Nick stood in the way of the sword and the silver sword decisively cut through to make a path.

    "Shit! This sword is strange!" Sir Nick hurriedly leaped in order to dodge the iing attack, but it was already toote.

    The silver sword has sliced through his left arm andpletely detached it from his shoulder.

    A miserable shriek rang out.

    Sir Reyes''s movements came to a sudden halt, astonished by sir Nick''s scream.

    But when he turned around to look at sir Nick''s direction. What he saw was a flying silver sword speeding to him. His eyes constricted and perfectly reflected the slowly growing image of the silver sword as it approached his neck.

    "Fuck!"

    Sir Reyes snapped out of his fear and hurriedly ducked his head out of the way.

    Normally, his swift movements due to the fact that he was a Specter should be enough for him to dodge the attack.

    But...

    He was stunned when he realized that Calvin had sent a punch at his jaw.

    The force of the punch clearly didn''t belong to an average mortal.

    It was far too strong!

    It was strong enough that it raised sir Reyes''s entire body back to the path of the sword.

    "Shit..."

    Sir Reyes softly cursed as the silver sword cleaved through his neck and severed his head off his shoulders.

    He didn''t even have enough time to be intangible and dodge the sword!

    Thud!

    Just like that, Sir Reyes died.

 Chapter 62: An Excellent Duo

    Chapter 62: An Excellent Duo

    Back then, Calvin''s ss was considered to be the weakest ss out of all sses in existence.

    He couldn''t wield a sword for his ss didn''t permit him to do so.

    A pen couldn''t fight a sword.

    That was a given.

    But did Calvin give up his pursuit of strength?

    Of course, not!

    Calvin learned and mastered several dozens of martial arts in the previous timeline.

    But there was a particr martial art that he loved the most for it was the most devastating martial art of all time.

    It was the exclusive martial arts reserved only for the noble children and blood of the Rozenstruik Empire.

    The Rozenstruik Empire''s Imperial Hand-To-Hand Combat Arts.

    This martial art was suitable for Calvin since it involved no other weapons but one''s body and fists.

    Of course, it had a physical harsh requirement but the desperate Calvin back then could care less.

    He tempered his own body in all sorts of ways until his body became as sturdy as steel and his fists as devastating as cannons.

    The Rozenstruik Empire''s Imperial Hand-To-Hand Combat Arts demanded powerful physiques from its users for itpletely harnessed the potential of one''s body.

    A single punch may not look that powerful but under this martial art, a simple punch could equal the power of a hundred average martial artists.

    One must not use this Combat Art if their bodies weren''t sufficiently powerful.

    Else, a bacsh would happen.

    Calvin sessfully enhanced his physical body to that more than an average mortal, but he was still too weak for the Rozenstruik Empire''s Imperial Hand-To-Hand Combat Arts.

    He managed to generate a force simr to that of a bullet with a single punch, but in exchange.

    He broke all the bones in his right hand.

    Calvin sucked a mouthful of cold air as he endured the sharp pain, but in the very next moment...

    That sharp pain had disappeared, he couldn''t feel his right arm anymore.

    But was Calvin in regret?

    Of course, not!

    He had calcted that only the Rozenstruik Empire''s Imperial Hand-To-Hand Combat Art could produce enough force for him to send sir Reyes to his death due to the fact that his physical body wasn''t powerful enough. If he used anotherbat art, then he reckoned that it wouldn''t be as strong as the Rozenstruik Empire''s Hand-To-Hand Combat Art.

    Calvin acted fast and without hesitation.

    He didn''t care that there was a chance that he couldn''t use his hand anymore in the future.

    He clenched his fist and sent a powerful punch at sir Reyes''s jaw, sending his head flying upwards back to the trajectory of the silver sword.

    Blood drenched the ground and a dull thud rang out.

    Sir Reyes, the Bloodwraith had died!

    "AAAHHH!!!"

    Sir Nick let out a sharp bestial roar seeing that hisrade had died.

    The soundwave of the roar created a ripple in the air.

    "Watch out!"

    The silver sword floated in the way of the silver sword, but the sword was far too thin for it to defend Calvin.

    Calvin was struck by the soundwave on the chest and was sent flying towards the door.

    Bang!

    The force carried by the soundwave was too strong that Calvin''s back broke through the door and he copsed on the school corridor.

    "How dare you..."

    "How dare you kill my friend?!"

    Sir Nick leaped towards Calvin''s direction.

    The silver sword sliced at him, but sir Nick turned intangible.

    The sword passed through his body like a mist as he arrived in front of Calvin.

    "Die!"

    His ws flew towards Calvin''s head.

    Calvin rolled to the right in order to avoid the w

    Bang!

    Another explosion rang out.

    The force from Sir Nick''s w was too strong that it carved a hole on the cemented floors of the school corridor.

    But he wasn''t over just yet.

    He raised his foot and sent a turning kick directly at Calvin''s chest.

    "Borg, Defense!"

    Calvin raised a crumpled paper and activated the Runes inscribed within.

    A sh of yellow light momentarily enveloped Calvin.

    Peng!

    A dull sound rang out simr to that of something blunt crashing against metal reverberated.

    The yellow light had formed a barrier around Calvin, protecting him from the attack but it couldn''t dampen the inertia from the kick.

    Calvin flew backward once again and hended miserably on the entrance of ss 3.

    Sir Nick didn''t let this opportunity pass by.

    He vanished and reappeared in front of Calvin with his fists ready, but the silver sword stopped him on his tracks.

    "How annoying!"

    He pped the silver sword on its hilt and it was sent flying to the side.

    Sir Nick was just too strong whenpared to that silver sword.

    Although the silver sword could kill him, sir Nick didn''t seem to mind its existence that much for he had already considered that Calvin must be the one controlling it. As long as he killed Calvin, that silver sword would definitely stop flying.

    "Aarb, push!" Calvin took another crumpled paper and activated the runes lying dormant on its surface. The runes shed with a bluish light and it transformed into a force that sent sir Nick staggering backward.

    Whoosh!

    With a whoosh, the silver sword finally managed to return and it stood in the way between sir Nick and Calvin.

    "Fuck off!"

    Sir Nick''s eyes went bloodshot. He was nowpletely annoyed by this silver sword.

    He sent a kick directly at the sword, but he didn''t expect that the silver sword could twist so deftly like a snake.

    It managed to avoid his kick and was now flying towards his neck.

    sh!

    The attack managed to slice through sir Nick''s figure, but it passed through nothing but an afterimage. Sir Nick had already be incorporeal as soon as he saw the silver sword slip past his defenses.

    Calvin''s eyes darted around the dark corridor and when he spotted a strange ripple from a normally silent location, he turned to look at that area and telepathically shouted.

    "There!"

    Kevin controlled the silver sword to fly to that location and it urately struck sir Nick who was about to be tangible in his heart.

    "I did it!"

    Kevin eximed in joy.

    "Not yet! That''s a clone!"

    Kevin''s joy was short-lived for sir Nick''s true body appeared in front of Calvin.

    "You''re dead you brat!"

    Sir Nick''s face was full of madness and excitement as he extended the ws on both of his hands.

    Calvin took another piece of crumpled paper from his pocket.

    "Do you really think that the same trick will work on me twice?!"

    Sir Nick''s body started glowing with the silvery-white light of the moon.

    The glow immediately intensified to the point that Calvin subconsciously squinted his eyes.

    "Ivan!"

    Kevin cried out and made a mad dash towards Calvin''s direction.

    Calvin might''ve strengthened his body through the use of a Spiritualist Ritual, there was still no way that he could endure a killing blow from a moonwraith demon.

    Kevin''s eyes went bloodshot.

    Calvin was his only means of escaping from this nightmare.

    If Calvin died, then it would surely be impossible for him to escape from this ce in the near future.

    Perhaps he might have to stay for a hundred years here before he could escape.

    What''s more, he felt that his life would turn for the better if he escaped with Calvin.

    "I can''t..."

    "I can''t let him die!"

    The silver sword hummed as it flew through the air, but sir Nick''s attack was faster than the sword.

    "NOOO!!!"

    Kevin let out a scream of desperation.

    "What the hell are you screaming for?"

    Calvin unexpectedly replied telepathically.

    Afterwards, he then raised another piece of crumpled paper and opened it in front of sir Nick.

    Sir Nick''s ws flew towards Calvin''s head, but before it could evennd.

    Calvin had already unleashed his trump card.

    "Gawas, release!"

    The piece of crumpled paper shone in bizarre crimson light.

    Before sir Nick could evenprehend what it was, a ghastly howl came from the paper and what followed suit was the assault of several dozens of demonic souls that Calvin had captured earlier.

    Calvin had inscribed a rune within that piece of paper and a single keyword was enough to activate that rune.

    As for the function of the rune that he inscribed on the paper?

    Well, it was to detonate all the souls contained within the paper in a single direction.

    BANG!

    A fierce explosion rang out.

    The entire school building trembled.

    The detonation of several dozens of demonic souls was far too strong to handle, even for a moonwraith demon who could be intangible like sir Nick. He was swept up by the explosion even when he was already in the spirit ne.

    Being injured in the spirit ne meant the manifestation of his physical form.

    The moment his physical form manifested in the material world, it was instantly consumed by the fierce explosion.

    All of these took time to describe but this actually happened in a few seconds.

    A few seconds was all it took for the moonwraith demon to die!

    "How formidable!"

    Kevin let out an audible gasp of admiration.

 Chapter 63: A Farewell

    Chapter 63: A Farewell

    "Ivan!"

    Kevin was thoroughly astonished witnessing the explosion of the demonic souls.

    He rushed at Calvin''s side and discovered that Calvin was still alive.

    Calvin turned to look at him and cheekily smiled, "What the hell are you shouting for? I won''t die that easily..."

    "You should''ve known that."

    Kevin had the urge to roll his eyes at him but he was indeed too worried about Calvin. He decided to let him go and asked an even more important question.

    "What the hell was that?" Kevin knew exactly what happened, but he still couldn''t help but question.

    "I forcefully detonated the demonic souls of the bullies that I captured here in school. I used Runecrafting to turn the omnidirectional explosion into a single direction so that I won''t get caught up with the st..."

    "But as expected, the foundation, the paper used for Runecrafting was too low in quality that it didn''t manage to hold up and almost got me in the explosion too. Sigh... It''s good that I''m still alive." Calvin let out a sigh of relief. One could see beaded sweats dotted on his forehead.

    What he did was really daring.

    But as the popr adage in his hometown had said, "Wng tiyaga, Wng nga".

    One who doesn''t work doesn''t get to eat.

    Calvin had done his part of the job and he was rewarded with survival and the death of the two demons who could be considered as the main perpetrator as to why there were so many demons in this school.

    Of course, the bullies that Calvin captured earlier were pure-blooded demons, unlike the students whose souls came from children captured back on Earth.

    This was the reason why Calvin didn''t hesitate to detonate their souls and preventing them from going back to the cycle of life and reincarnating.

    They didn''t deserve to reincarnate.

    Calvin thought to himself.

    "Hey..."

    "Is it over, already?"

    "Are there no enemies left?"

    Calvin asked in a soft voice.

    Peng!

    The silver sword fell onto the cold cemented floor of the school corridor, producing a ringing sound as it collided with the ground. The spirit of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life went out of the silver sword and physically manifested using Kevin''s figure.

    He smiled and softly replied.

    "Yeah... It''s over... You''ve done well."

    "Heh..." Calvin felt drowsy all of a sudden.

    "Don''t talk to me like that... What are you? My mom...?" Calvin suddenly slumped on the walls of ss 3 and copsed.

    "Ivan!"

    As Calvin''s consciousness darkened, he could vaguely hear the spirit''s worried shouts.

    The only thought that he had in his mind at this moment as he stared at his still profusely bleeding wrist was...

    "Shit... I hope this spirit knows how to stop my bleeding..."

    His consciousness dispersed before he could even think anything more.

    Calvin had a dream.

    In that dream, he was an observer.

    He had a pen in his left hand and on his right hand was a book.

    A ughter was unfolding in front of him.

    His acquaintances and his friends whom he held deep in his heart were being ughtered right before his eyes.

    His eyes went bloodshot.

    His mouth opened as if it wanted to shout, and his knees continuously trembled like a sieve.

    Why...

    Why can''t I move?

    I have to save them!

    I need to save them!

    The man struggled and struggled.

    He looked down and discovered that his feet were glued to the ground.

    His left hand suddenly moved.

    The pen in his hand had no ink at all, yet it managed to write on the surface of the book.

    You did not deserve to live.

    You''re a traitor.

    Once a traitor; always a traitor.

    You deserved to die.

    Why did you live? On what basis?

    Die. Die. Die.

    "Stop... Stop... No... I didn''t... It''s not my fault... It''s not my fault, everyone! I was forced... I didn''t mean to."

    "Ah..."

    Calvin struggled against his uncontroble hand, but when he raised his head to stare at the battlefield in front of him.

    He discovered that his friends and acquaintances who had died and the soldiers who ughtered them were now staring at him.

    The bodies of the dead and the living were drenched in blood.

    Their eyes were bloodshot and a wicked smile spread on their lips as they simultaneously said.

    "You did not deserve to live..."

    "AH!"

    Calvin eximed.

    "Ivan!"

    "Why are you crying?"

    "Are you okay?"

    Voices inundated Calvin''s ears as soon as he woke up.

    He felt his cheeks and discovered that he had been crying.

    "What a nightmare..."

    He softlymented.

    But apparently, the room was too silent so his visitors heard what he had said.

    "You had a nightmare, Ivan?"

    Calvin turned to look at the source of the voice and discovered that Ziya was the one who spoke.

    "Ziya..."

    "Leonard, and Kevin...?"

    "Hahaha, we''re here... I heard from the Headmaster that you''ve gotten pretty injured, so we came here to visit!" Leonard smiled and handed over a ss of water, "Here... Drink this, you must''ve lost a lot of fluids from all the sweat and crying that you did..."

    "Wait, you three saw me crying?"

    "Um... Yeah..." Kevin was the one who answered.

    Calvin felt inexplicably embarrassed.

    He turned to look at Kevin and was about toin when he realized that the Kevin standing in front of him wasn''t the spirit of the Notebook. It was the genuine Kevin.

    "The headmaster?" Calvin caught on something weird and he couldn''t help but ask.

    "Yeah, the headmaster..." Ziya softly whispered, "He told us to send his regards to you since you really did well on cleaning up the scums of this school."

    Calvin felt strange hearing what Ziya had said.

    To think that such a young girl would use such a crude word!

    Well, they deserved to be called as scums anyways, so I guess it''s fine.

    "Hehehe..." Calvin suddenly felt happy, "Didn''t I tell you three that I will end this nightmare? Now that those bullies are gone, I''m sure that your lives here will change."

    Calvin ruffled the head of the three children one by one as he sweetly smiled.

    Ziya felt abashed and started twitching on where she stood. A blush could be seen on her cheeks making her look iparably cute. Leonard, on the other hand, rubbed his nose and turned his head away. He seemed to be afraid of being discovered that he was touched by Calvin''s gesture.

    Kevin stood frozen and didn''t know how to react. He had his mouth opened wide agape.

    Seeing the reactions of the children, Calvin suddenly felt sad.

    He knew what was about to happen.

    With this nightmare over and the fact that the headmaster of this school which should be the Spirit of the Notebook.

    A graduation ceremony was neigh.

    Evidently, the three knew everything about the graduation ceremony.

    And they also knew about who they really were, and why they were in this ce.

    "You three... Do all of you already knew about everything from the start?"

    Calvin could see their hesitation, fear, and sadness.

    He may not be that good when it came to understanding the human heart, but deduction was one of his stronger points.

    "No... We just discovered it recently, when..."

    "The headmaster told us everything..."

    "We were actually dead..."

    "This is purgatory..."

    "We''re in this school to graduate and to graduate means that we can go to heaven with the angels."

    Ziya revealed a sweet smile on her face.

    Calvin was astonished.

    He swept his gaze across the three and discovered that all three of them had simr smiles on their faces.

    "A-Are you... Are you not afraid?"

    "Mhmm? Why would we be afraid, Ivan? Hahaha, you''re strange. We''re going to heaven! Why would we be afraid!"

    "Yeah... I''ve grown tired of this ce, I want to go to heaven!"

    "Me too!" The taciturn Kevin even spoke up, "Can we meet up when we get there? I really want to y with the two of you in the future... I want to have fun too!"

    "Of course, of course... We''ll see each other there!" Leonard boisterouslyughed.

    Staring at these three, Calvin didn''t know how he should feel.

    Should he be sad that these three would be going now?

    Or should he be happy for them since they were now released from the nightmare of this school?

    Calvin didn''t know the answer to that question.

    And he couldn''t answer it until thest remaining person, Ziya stood on the stage and smiled at him.

    "Ivan... I''m really d that I met you... No... We''re d that we met you..."

    "Ivan, thank you for everything..."

    "Once you graduate from here, I''ll see you soon up there!"

    "Don''t you ever forget about me! We''re still going to y!"

    Ziya''s smile blossomed like a flower as her body became covered with the resplendent divinity of the Gods and Goddesses. At this moment, Ziya was returning to the source, to the heavenly cycle of life. That was her heaven, as for her reincarnation? It was her reward.

    She was born, but she hadn''t lived her life to the fullest.

    Now that she was about to reincarnate.

    Calvin could only hope that she''ll have an easier and bountiful life in her next life.

    And so does Kevin and Leonard.

    Calvin prayed that the cycle would reward them well and reincarnate them into a caring family that would thoroughly love them.

    Staring at the slowly disappearing light from Ziya''s soul...

    Calvin uttered a reply.

    "Have a safe trip."

 Chapter 64: A Secret to Remember

    Chapter 64: A Secret to Remember

    "Sniff... Sniff..."

    Sobbing and whimpering sounds rang out within Calvin''s mind. The spirit of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life had entered Calvin''s be and was now crying his eyes out.

    He officiated the recently concluded graduation ceremony.

    Calvin could still remember the stern look of encouragement on his face as he ruffled the hairs of the children. Earlier, Calvin had admired the spirit for having a heart of steel. In fact, he had even doubted if the spirit could even feel sadness.

    But at this moment, his theories copsed.

    The seriousness on the spirit''s face earlier was nothing but a mere facade.

    When the children disappeared to reincarnate, he rushed into Calvin''s be and started bawling. Crying itself wasn''t really a problem for Calvin, but his cries sounded obnoxious to the extent that Calvin couldn''t help it anymore.

    "Man, can you shut up? Just how old are you? To think that you could cry like a child!" Calvinmented.

    "Shut up! That''s thest thing that I want to hear from you, you cry-baby! Do you really think that I didn''t know that you were crying in your sleep earlier? Hmmph! Crying from a nightmare..."

    "What a joke!"

    "What? Do you want mommy to sleep with you so the bad guys can''t get you while you sleep?!"

    The spirit retaliated with a sharp jab.

    Calvin replied, "At least, I wasn''t whimpering like what you are doing right now!"

    "Hah?!"

    The spirit was infuriated and it threatened to leave Calvin''s be so that it could send even a single punch right across Calvin''s cheeky face.

    But after its burst of anger, silence descended in the room.

    A school without any students was without life.

    Both the spirit and Calvin could feel that.

    Letting out a sigh, Calvin suddenly asked the spirit, "Are you the one that healed my left hand?"

    "Yeah..." The spirit replied, "Be grateful that I fixed that arm of yours! You really went too far this time! If not for the fact that I was there to save your arm in time, then you would''ve been forced to amputate it!"

    Calvin nodded, "Thanks."

    He felt grateful to the spirit.

    He knew that he had indeed gone too far earlier. However, if he didn''t use that Combat Art earlier, then the battle would''vested longer and Calvin could''ve died before he could scratch those demons. What he did was a high risk, high-reward maneuver, and in the end, he got his rewards.

    If he didn''t kill those two on time, then he would''ve copsed from blood loss.

    He had sacrificed the blood on his left arm to the Goddess so that he could enhance his physical abilities after all.

    The spirit may have prevented enough blood loss so that his left arm wouldn''t die and be amputated but his right arm was still broken from using the Rozenstruik Empire''s Hand-to-hand Combat Arts.

    "Thankfully, everything went well..." Calvin lightly chuckled, "Hey!"

    Calvin suddenly raised his volume.

    "What is it?" The spirit realized that Calvin was talking to him.

    Well, there was no one in this school apart from him and Calvin.

    "Can you tell me your name already?"

    "Oh, my name?"

    "Yeah... I need to have something that I can use to call you."

    "That makes sense, all right... Hmmm... Let me see... I guess you can call me Dandelion."

    "Dandelion? That''s such a peculiar name for an ancient spirit. A flower? Is it your favorite flower?"

    Calvin asked while he walked along the school corridors. He swept his gaze across the school.

    Finally, he had some time to admire the scenery.

    He was tense the whole time ever since he arrived at this school.

    But now that everything was over, he could finally rx.

    In fact, he even felt like whistling some tunes as he walked on the dark school corridor.

    "What if it''s my favorite flower? Is there something wrong?"

    "Not really, there''s nothing strange about it."

    "It''s good that you understand." The spirit lightly chuckled.

    "So, should I call you Dandelion from now on?" Calvin asked once more.

    "Yeah, go ahead. Dandelion shall be my new name."

    "Wait."

    Just as the spirit felt proud of his name, Calvin suddenly interjected.

    "You''re my Blessed Artifact, right? In other words, I should be the one that gets to decide about your name!"

    "What?! You... Don''t you dare change my name!"

    "From now on, I shall give you the name..." Calvin purposely lengthened the end of his sentence. The spirit was now making a ruckus inside Calvin''s mind, making him feel somewhat dizzy as he lightly chortled.

    "Hahaha... All right, all right... I won''t go and change your name, okay? It''d be sad if I change it when you clearly like and love dandelions!" Calvin praised.

    "Fuck off!" Dandelion barked.

    "Is that how you should speak to your master?" Calvin raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat angry.

    "Hmmph! The deal is that I will be your Blessed Artifact once we are out of here! But we''re still here! In other words, I''m still an independent spirit! I am a master of myself and a ve of no one!" The spirit proudly said.

    Calvin pondered for a moment before he gave a cheeky smile, "Is that so? Then, you don''t want to hear any secrets from me anymore?"

    "Wha..."

    "What?"

    The spirit of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life craved secrets more than anything in this world. Before Calvin came here, it understood that it was impossible for it to know any substantial secrets out of the souls of these demons and students.

    But now that Calvin was here... He was actually trying to deprive him of what he wanted?

    That was basically the same as dangling a bottle of water in front of a man dying from thirst and quickly chugging that water down before the man could get to it!

    How cruel and inhumane!

    Calvin saw the spirit''s heartbroken expression and he couldn''t help but chuckle, "Oh, what''s wrong? Could it be that you want my earth-breaking, life-ruining secrets?"

    "But what should we do? You''re still not my Blessed Artifact! You can''t just expect me to tell you one of my secrets! Once the word goes out, they can potentially ruin my life!"

    Calvin lifted a teasing smile on his face.

    The spirit went silent and didn''t reply anymore.

    But his silence evoked louderughter from Calvin.

    This spirt... He''s too amusing!

    Calvin felt as if he had discovered a new toy.

    He kept on teasing the spirit until he had reached the exit of the school.

    Opening the doors, a bright light shed across his face for a moment before he suddenly found himself standing in a bathroom stall.

    "Oh?"

    "I''m back?"

    The air was now iparably heavy and turbid, so Calvin discovered that he had teleported to another ce.

    He turned to look at his left hand since it seemed to be holding something.

    There, he found the ancient notebook that he had longed for.

    The Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life!

    "Finally... It''s mine!" Calvin inwardly eximed.

    "Shut up and write the next secret already! How long are you going to make me wait?"

    The spirit''s irritated voice rang within Calvin''s mind.

    "Oh, Dandelion? You''re there?"

    "No shit, detective. I''m here... Hurry up and write something! I can''t control my cravings anymore!" Dandelion''s voice seemed to be tinged with madness. Calvin didn''t dare to dy any longer. He used his broken right arm as a stand for the notebook and while enduring the pain and gnashing his teeth.

    He wrote...

    [The Goddess of Compassion and Light, ''Her'' Highness often wears knee socks and likes to be dominated...]

    Calvin wrote so fast that he didn''t discover just what kind of a secret he had revealed to the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life. By the time that he was done searching through his murky memories and writing on the notebook as fast as he could, the words that he had written, now had a word next to it written in a pink-colored font.

    Verified <3

    A heart symbol was even added next to the word.

    This was true, a secret that could not only ruin Calvin''s life...

    But could also ruin his chances of ever reincarnating in the future when he died.

 Chapter 65: Not Ghosts

    Chapter 65: Not Ghosts

    Any god among the Seven Gods And Goddesses, no matter how weak that god was whenpared to the others were still infinitely stronger than any mortals in the material world.

    Calvin had reached a peak that no mortal had ever reached and he had understood someplexities in life and the universe, yet he also realized at that moment that...

    He was still weaker than the Seven Gods and Goddesses.

    They were in a whole new realm whenpared to him that had reached the realm of Apex Predators.

    The Seven Gods and Goddesses were incredibly powerful to the extent that any mention of their name and title could be heard by them. When Dandelion saw the words that Calvin wrote in the notebook. He felt his soul leave his body.

    "What the fuck did you just write?! Why did you do something like that? Don''t you know that a simple mention of..."

    "I know, I know... Calm down, and don''t panic. I know that the gods and goddesses up above can sometimes smite mortals that dare defile their name, but do you really think that ''She'' will bother about someone like me? Just rx, all right? On the contrary, I believe that what I did should be beneficial instead."

    "Beneficial?! You just offended a goddess, man! A goddess! Don''t you know about the phrase, one can irritate a drunk and a sleepless man, but never a woman?!"

    "Oh, you''re surprisingly literate?"

    "Are you mocking me?"

    Calvin shook his head.

    He pointed at the ancient notebook and chuckled, "If you''re that worried, thene here and look at this."

    "What?"

    Dandelion was irritated.

    He had thought that Calvin was a cautious man, but to think that he would be this careless!

    But the logic of the world that he knew was overturned when he saw the heart symbol written beside the "Verified".

    "What? What is this heart symbol?"

    "What do you think? The font is different. The style is also different, as well as the depth of the strokes. Who do you think wrote this heart symbol?" Calvin revealed a small smile.

    "C-C-Could it be that it''s ''Her''?!"

    "Yes, that''s right..." Calvin boisterouslyughed, "What do you think of this secret? Are you satisfied? I hope this secret can satisfy you in the next few months at least..."

    "Yeah... Yeah... I am satisfied... Wow! This is such a huge scoop. To think that..." Dandelion was about to say the name of the Goddess but he ultimately refrained. Even though he could be considered as a powerful ancient artifact spirit, he wasn''t so arrogant to think that he could endure the anger of a Goddess.

    "But man, do you really want to die that much? It''s a good thing that ''She'' gave us a leeway, or else..." Dandelion revealed a horrified look on his face.

    "It''s all right, really..." Calvin chuckled once more.

    Before Dandelion could even speak, Calvin pushed open the bathroom stall and he found that he was in the same bathroom as Hugo.

    Poor Hugo was still tied up.

    Calvin removed his restraints and checked the time.

    A mere thirty minutes had passed since Calvin entered that school.

    "You can actually distort time and space?"

    "Yeah... What about it? Shocked, yet? I guess even the Apex Predator of the previous timeline can still be surprised by something."

    "Yeah... I''m surprised. To think that a mere notebook like you could manipte such aplicated concept." Calvin slightly smiled.

    "Hmmph!" Dandelion snorted.

    The two talked a bit more telepathically, but Hugo suddenly woke up.

    When he opened his eyes, the first scene that he saw was Calvin staring at him with a smile.

    "Am I in a dream? Where am I?" Hugo raised his upper body off the cold floor, "Calvin? Why am I here? Where are the others?" Hugo swept his gaze across the room and realized that he was in a bathroom stall. Graffiti and some words written in blood could be seen on the bathroom walls.

    His face immediately went pale as he cried out, "No! I''m in this ce... Why am I here? Ah... There are ghosts here, Calvin! There are ghosts! We must run out of here as fast as possible and never return!" Hugo shot up from where he was and made a mad dash towards the exit before he was stopped by Calvin.

    Calvin held the hem of his sleeves and said, "Calm down. We can''t get out of this ce without gathering the others..."

    "Besides, we still need to find Arthur Chase and get the Security Room ess Keycard from him!"

    Calvin''s words reverberated in Hugo''s mind. He was suddenly reminded of the main objectives that they had before they came here. But just what was the reason why he walked away from the others? Hugo could vaguely remember that it was rted to ghosts, his greatest bane of all time, but he couldn''t remember how he arrived in this bathroom stall.

    Calvin could clearly see Hugo''s confusion and he couldn''t help butment, "I''m the one that dragged you here. I can feel that there''s something scary outside. But I don''t think that they are ghosts."

    "What? They aren''t ghosts?" Hugo asked in confusion.

    "Yeah... Did you forget where we are right now? We''re in a mental institution! We''re in Mount Spirit Sword Asylum! How could there be any ghosts in a ce like this? In other words, what lured you away from the others should be the patients of this hospital and mental institution! They purposely acted like ghosts to scare you!"

    "What?!"

    Thankfully, Hugo was a simple-minded man.

    Added onto the fact that he really didn''t want to think that he was facing ghosts...

    He instantly believed Calvin''s words as his eyes reddened in anger.

    He felt humiliated.

    His desire for revenge burned unceasingly.

    "Those insane bastards... How dare they y me like this?!"

    Hugo stood up and he seemed to have transformed into a new man.

    Calvin lightly chuckled and telepathically asked, [Are you sure that you can prevent those demons from going into their tangible form?]

    [Yeah, why are you doubting my abilities?]

    [Well... I''m just being cautious. As far as I can remember you didn''t have that ability earlier.]

    Dandelion seemed to be incensed, [It''s because I''m manipting the stability of that world! I may be able to multi-task, but there''s a limit on how much work I am able to do at the same time, all right?]

    [Okay, I believe you. There''s not much that I can do anyways other than to believe you...]

    [...]

    Calvin was still doubtful but doubting was useless in this case.

    He just had to believe in Dandelion''s abilities.

    As long as those demons were in their tangible form, Hugo shouldn''t be afraid of them anymore and he''d be able to easily crush their skulls in hisrge palms.

    "Are you okay now? Shall we go out?"

    "Yeah... I''m okay now... How dare they deceive me... I won''t forgive them!"

    It''s been a long time since Hugo became this angry.

    He cracked his knuckles and even his neck, he was raring to fight.

    Calvin looked at him with a smile.

    Leading the way, Calvin walked out of the bathroom and arrived at the hospital corridors.

 Chapter 66: The Reason For His Scars

    Chapter 66: The Reason For His Scars

    The hospital corridors weren''t so dark anymore. The faint lighting from the lightbulbs beside the doors of the nearby sickrooms illuminated the corridors. Calvin took out a walkie-talkie that he had in his hand all this while. He turned to look at Hugo and said, "Why did you not use this thing when you realized that you had strayed away?"

    Hugo shook his head, "I don''t know... I can''t seem to remember why... Maybe that thing slipped past my mind? To be honest, I was so scared earlier that I didn''t even know what to think anymore." Hugo revealed a pitiful expression and Calvin couldn''t help but sigh.

    "Perhaps..."

    "Are you afraid of ghosts because you dream of them every night?"

    Hugo''s deep footsteps came to a halt.

    "No... I''m not... That''s not true!" Hugo suddenly iled his hands in a panic.

    Madness appeared in his eyes as they went bloodshot.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows and let out a low growl, "Calm down! Calm down, Hugo! I understand! I believe you." The hospital suddenly became quite noisy, all sorts of rapping noise and the sound of something repeatedly banging on the walls could be heard from the distance.

    But Hugo seemed to have ignored those noises as he stared right at Calvin.

    "I believe you..."

    Calvin spoke.

    "Actually, we are not so different from each other. We both have a past that the two of us do not wish to bring up. That is why you don''t have to worry about me finding out your true nature. I won''t disdain you because of that. I mean, who in this world can say that they are clean?"

    Calvin shrugged as he said these words in a matter-of-factly voice.

    Hugo dramatically calmed down. The madness in his eyes had disappeared and was reced with seriousness, "To tell you the truth. I came here not because I have a lot of debt."

    "It''s because I am being pursued."

    Calvin was astonished that Hugo was suddenly willing to speak about his past.

    But he didn''t say anything about it. He just stood there and quietly listened.

    "I''m a hired mercenary from Africa. My job involves looking the other way when something happens. It gives me good money, but several years of working with those bastards took a toll on my mental health. In the end, I was dishonorably dismissed from the service for some reason still unknown to me."

    "But I have an idea why..."

    "My immediate supervisor should be the one that dismissed me from service. I know... Because that night, I saw him! I was the only witness! I saw him taking several girls from the nearby ethnic tribe to his underground dungeon! There were four of them that went into the dungeon but he was the only one who came up..."

    "When he came up, he noticed my presence and immediately gave me a warning. Of course, I was obedient. I never said anything to anyone. In fact, I tried forgetting what happened that night, but they..."

    "They appear in my dreams!"

    "Those girls..."

    "They visit me in my dreams every night!"

    "I can see from their wretched faces that they wanted justice!"

    "At first, I thought that I was just thinking about it too much, but eventually..."

    "Those hauntings started affecting me outside my dreams."

    "I would sometimes find my shoes in a different location than I remember, and my car keys, as well as the remote to my television, would suddenly disappear from the ce where I thought I ced them."

    "In the end, when they realized that such subtle hauntings weren''t enough for me to notice them. They became even crazier! Whenever I''m about to sleep, they would pull the sheets covering my body down to the floor! When that happens, I would vaguely feel a chill slowly creeping up my spine!"

    "It was so scary that in the end, I became a whistleblower!"

    "After I was dishonorably dismissed, I turned into a whistleblower."

    "That is the reason why I am being pursued."

    "I know that what I did was stupid, since what can a few ghosts do to me? A hired mercenary being afraid of a few ghosts? What a joke!" Hugo''s eyes went bloodshot, "But I didn''t care anymore! I told the world about what was going on in thatpany. I managed to shut thatpany down, but I also lost my home."

    "Thankfully, before those bastards found me... Madame Ria discovered me and gave me another chance to survive."

    "And that is the reason why I am here..."

    Hugo let out a sigh.

    He seemed to have been greatly relieved of his burdens when he told Calvin his past.

    Calvin let out a smile, "I didn''t realize that you have such an adventure."

    Hugo also smiled, "I may be afraid of ghosts, but I am not afraid of the living! Since you told me that the ghosts here are patients who are masquerading as ghosts to scare me, then let me handle them!"

    Calvin nodded his head and revealed a smile of reassurance.

    But inwardly, he was now in a panic, [Are you sure that you can prevent those demons from turning intangible? I bet that Hugo will be so scared if they suddenly discovered a patient disappear from his eyes in a blink of an eye! You better do this properly, all right? Hugo is an indispensable asset to us. At least, until we get that keycard!]

    [I know! Stop telling me what to do!]

    Dandelion replied with irritation.

    The noises around the hospital suddenly stopped.

    Calvin pressed on the walkie-talkie.

    "Hello, hello, hello... How do I use this, Hugo? Ah... It''s working now? All right..." Calvin tested the walkie-talkie and asked Hugo for confirmation if he was using it right. When Hugo gave him the thumbs-up, he cleared his throat and started talking.

    "This is Calvin, I''ve already found Hugo and we''reing to you guys so we can regroup. Can you all tell me where you are? Have you already discovered Arthur Chase? I hope you all remembered what I said about not engaging him when Hugo and I still aren''t with you! That person is incredibly dangerous!" Calvin sternly warned.

    Only static came out of his walkie-talkie.

    He couldn''t help but frown.

    But in the very next second, a distressed voice came from the other line.

    "I-I''m near the decontamination chamber where we first came to the hospital... I don''t know about the others... Everything suddenly became crazy, and fire engulfed us all. Philip went crazy too and he rushed towards the corridor next to the medical ward..."

    "Scarlette had gone crazy... She''s unconscious right now, and she''s with me..."

    "Calvin, please help... I don''t want to die... I''m with Zahra right now and we don''t dare to move..."

    "Please find us."

    Jane''s voice was mixed with sobbing sound as she stifled her cries.

    This was the first time that she got into a situation like this, so it was normal for her to have a nervous breakdown.

    Calvin listened and frowned, [A fire engulfed them? It must be those protective charms! As for Scarlett going crazy... She must''ve been possessed by one of the demons in this ce. Thankfully, they used the charms that I gave them. I guess Scarlette must be fine now apart from the fact that she''s still unconscious.]

    "Let''s go get them, Calvin," Hugo spoke up when he saw that Calvin fell silent.

    Calvin nodded his head, "Yeah... She said that they are near the decontamination chamber. They must be hiding behind the receptionist''s desk. That''s only about thirty meters from here. All right, let''s go and fetch them."

    The group started walking, Calvin led the way as both he and Hugo headed for the receptionist''s desk.

 Chapter 67: Am I Really That Unreliable?

    Chapter 67: Am I Really That Unreliable?

    The group soon arrived at the receptionist''s desk.

    It was empty, but when the two walked behind the desk. They found Zahra and Jane along with the unconscious Scarlette lying on the cold floor behind the receptionist''s desk.

    "Jane!"

    Calvin eximed.

    Hugo swiftly helped Scarlette up and checked her vitals, "She fainted. Her vitals are stable. There won''t be any problems as far as I can see, but she''s in shock. I can''t predict when she will wake up."

    "Just what happened?" Hugo asked.

    Jane and Zahra seemed to be unwilling to talk about what just happened.

    Calvin let out a sigh and exined everything to Hugo for them.

    "What? Philip went ahead? He went mad along with Scarlette... What the hell is wrong in this? Could it be that it''s true that there are ghosts here as I suspected?" Hugo''s face went pale.

    "Eh? There are ghosts in this ce?!" Jane was now even more scared.

    Zahra had a simr expression to her as she shivered like a sieve.

    Calvin frowned and said, "Look at what you did to them, Hugo. Don''t just casually say such things. Didn''t we already discuss that there are no ghosts here? The ghosts that you are talking about are those mental patients enjoying the thrill of the hunt as they toy with us."

    Jane and Zahra stared at the two, particrly at Calvin.

    "The patients... They are here? That makes sense since we still haven''t met a single patient ever since we came in this damned ce, but why would they be in the hospital out of all ces?" Zahra was frustrated. The shock that she received this time was too great.

    Jane bit her lips and didn''t say anything. But the tears welling up in her eyes alone was enough evidence that she was indeed too scared to even continue on moving.

    However...

    "We have to find the others." She may be scared, but that didn''t mean that she could just abandon her teammates.

    Calvin could see her determination despite her fears.

    Letting out a slight smile, he secretly apuded the courageous girl in his heart.

    "That''s right... We can''t just stay here! We have to find them!" Calvin said.

    But Zahra actually shook her head and hastily replied, "No... I''m not going back... I won''t... I''ll just stay here... I''ll stay here and wait for you... I''ll stay here and protect Scarlette..."

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, "With your state, can you really protect Scarlette? What''s more, those mental patients will easily detect that you are not moving and when they realized that their prey was just waiting for its death, then what do you think will they do? When they found out that the chase is not fun anymore. Do you think they''ll let you off?"

    Hugo nodded in agreement.

    He knew the feeling of being relentlessly pursued, so he also knew the importance of never staying in a single ce for an extended period of time. Hugo calmly exined all of these to Zahra without giving out his personal experiences, so Zahra wouldn''t think that he was being biased.

    In the end, Zahra bit her lips.

    "Fine... I''ll go with you, but what do we do with Scarlette? We can''t just leave her here, can we?"

    "Of course, not... I will carry her on my back." Calvin shook his head and then volunteered to take care of Scarlette.

    "What? Why would you do that? Can you really carry her on your back long enough? I''ll do it, I reckon that she''s quite heavy, so it''s better if I do it." Hugo immediately went against his proposal.

    But Calvin took a look at him and said, "If you have her on your back, can you properly protect us? Even if you say that she''s not that much of a burden for you, extra weight is still extra weight. I''d rather carry her on my back than let you suffer that extra weight that could potentially take your life in the battlefield ahead of us."

    Hugo''s expression changed.

    Calvin was right.

    He was too focused on making himself useful to the extent that he forgot his limits.

    Hugo may be stronger than an average human, but he was also a human in the end. He had his own limits. He may be able to carry Scarlette on his back, but her weight would undoubtedly be a burden for him in the battle.

    Just as Hugo was feeling conflicted about what he should do, Calvin lightly smiled, "Don''t worry about me. You should worry about how you can protect yourself as well as Jane and Zahra. Do you really think that I am that weak? I may look like a matchstick right now, but I''m still quite capable..."

    "How else would I be able to find you in that bathroom?"

    Hugo was finally convinced.

    Before the group walked out to find the others, Calvin gave Jane and Zahra the same piece of crumpled paper that he had given them earlier.

    "This... How about him?" Jane turned to look at Hugo.

    "He''ll be fine without this. I bet he''s stronger with his fists than using these." Calvin lightly chuckled.

    "Just what are these papers? How can they conjure a me? That''s unscientific!" Zahra questioned with a frown.

    "Don''t worry about it. You''ll soone to know about everything after all of these is done and over with!"

    Calvin reassured them with a smile.

    The group then proceeded to walk out of the receptionist''s desk. They arrived near the corridors and Calvin narrowed his eyes as he stared at the left corridor leading to the Medical Ward.

    "What''s wrong? Is there something in there?" Jane stuck close to Calvin, while Zahra went closer to Hugo. All of them knew that there was great danger lurking in that corridor for that was the corridor where all hell went loose.

    "Those footsteps... Did one of us lose their shoes? These footsteps clearly aren''t made by shoe soles! Judging from the uneven footsteps, there should be about six people that passed through here... In other words, aside from us. There are six mental patients roaming through this hospital right now!"

    Calvin''s deductions were precise and urate, "Those footprints lead to the right corridor. They should be heading to the Medical Ward. As for why it''s obviously because they are going after something or someone. Apart from us, who else are the foreigners in this ce?"

    "In other words, the others are being pursued by those mental patients at this moment!"

    Calvin''s expression turned serious.

    To be honest, he didn''t want anyone to die in his team.

    But his help was limited.

    He wasn''t all-powerful after all.

    "Calvin... You sure have amazing eyesight!" Jane praised, "How can you see those footsteps when it''s practically pitch-ck in here?" Jane now had a renewed admiration for Calvin.

    Hugo nodded his head in agreement.

    Zahra nced at Hugo for a moment before she decided to move closer to the matchstick framed Calvin.

    Hugo lifted a bitter smile for he noticed Zahra''s subtle movements of going to closer to Calvin.

    He couldn''t help but think in his heart.

    "Am I really that unreliable?"

 Chapter 68: Hello, Demon. Its me.

    Chapter 68: Hello, Demon. It''s me.

    Just as Hugo was feeling gloomy in his heart.

    Calvin suddenly spoke, "Follow me."

    Calvin''s body was slightly slouched due to the weight behind him.

    His face contorted with pain when Scarlett''s limp hand suddenly made contact with his broken right arm.

    Jane and Zahra who was so close to Calvin saw his injuries even though the ce was almost pitch-ck.

    "What happened to your arm?" Jane asked in concern.

    She was horrified to see Calvin''s mangled arm that looked to be it was about to detach itself from his shoulder.

    "''Nothing... I fell down the stairs."

    Hugo was also concerned and confused. But he almost spat a mouthful of blood hearing Calvin''s casual answer. As someone who received injuries on a daily basis, Hugo instantly saw that the severity of Calvin''s injury couldn''t possibly happen due to a fall from a staircase.

    It must be caused by something or someone.

    ''Could it be that he has already crossed fists with one of the patients here? That makes sense, If not for that, then how could he be this confident? Seeing that he managed to live against those mentally-ill patients. There can only be two possibilities. One, he defeated them all and sustained that injury, and two... He got that injury from running away...''

    ''But judging from his confidence, it should be the former...''

    Hugo silently pondered.

    "I... I remember seeing a nurse''s room in this corridor earlier when we ran for the receptionist''s desk. I think we should go there first, I can tend to your wounds and make sure that it doesn''t worsen over time." Zahra made a proposal.

    As a medical student, she could see the severity of Calvin''s injuries.

    To be honest, she was quite shocked to see that Calvin was still conscious despite enduring such an injury.

    Can he not feel any pain?

    Zahra whispered to herself.

    But that conjecture was absurd.

    Calvin must be enduring the pain all this while.

    Thinking of this, Zahra pitied him and made a proposal for them to visit the nurse''s room first before they continued.

    Calvin nodded his head, "That''s probably the best. Lead the way, Zahra."

    Zahra lightly smiled and cautiously walked beside Calvin.

    [Hmmph... That is what you get for acting tough...]

    Dandelion took the opportunity to send a jab at Calvin''s ego.

    [I wasn''t acting tough... I was about to tell them that we should visit the nurse''s room first.]

    Calvin exined.

    [Liar! I bet you didn''t even know about the existence of a nurse''s room in this ce before that girl told you about it!]

    [Hmmph... Do you think that I''m that stupid?]

    [What?]

    Dandelion felt a sense of foreboding.

    [We''re in a hospital for fuck''s sake. How could there be no nurse''s room here? Can you have somemon sense, Dandelion...?]

    [...]

    Dandelion went silent.

    Calvin inwardly chuckled and the group finally found the nurse''s room.

    Zahra added a splint on Calvin''s right arm and made sure that it waspletely immobilized. Checking the medicines on the nearby cab, Zahra found some unexpired pain killers and it was given to Calvin who expressed his immense gratefulness for Zahra''s care.

    "I... It was nothing... I just didn''t want your injuries to worsen, that''s all..." Zahra turned her head away. She was astounded and embarrassed by Calvin''s honest praise.

    Jane nced at Calvin before making a sidelong nce at Zahra. This was the first time that she saw such an abashed expression on her best friend''s face! She''s been with Zahra for almost a decade already and she always knew her to be an ice-cold queen, but today...

    The coldness that froze the hearts of her admirers within the past few years was actually being thawed?

    Jane inwardly snicked.

    She felt happy for her best friend.

    To be honest, she was starting to suspect if her best friend swung the other way, but now that she witnessed this scene.

    She changed her mind and was nowpletely sure that her best friend''s orientation was normal.

    For some reason, she heaved a sigh of relief.

    Calvin swung his right arm around and felt that it wasn''t that painful anymore.

    "The coast''s clear, Hugo?"

    He asked Hugo who stood before the entrance of the nurse''s room.

    "There''s nothing strange, for now..." Hugo emphasized the end of his sentence for he could feel a sense of foreboding.

    "All right, follow me."

    Calvin nodded his head and led the way outside.

    Once they were out of the nurse''s room, Calvin spoke, "I didn''t expect that we would miss such vital information."

    "What?"

    Both Jane and Zahra suddenly became scared.

    Hugo also turned tense.

    Calvin raised his shlight and directed the lights at the left walls of the corridor, "Can you see what I mean? This entire corridor is full of sickrooms! We just didn''t notice the door and the doorknobs since it''s too dark in here! There are sickrooms lining both sides of the corridor, some doors at the distance are left ajar..."

    "I think something maye out of those doors to scare us the moment that we approach."

    "C-Calvin... please don''t scare us..." Jane trembled and held onto Calvin''s waist.

    Zahra walked closer and held the hem of his shirt.

    "I''m not joking... This ce is really dangerous. We should be careful about anything." Calvin stretched his neck and slightly adjusted Scarlette''s posture on his back. Scarlette''s breasts were pushed deeper into his back. Calvin could feel that sticity, but he didn''t pay it any heed.

    Calvin wasn''t a vegetarian and when it came to the number of breasts that he had fondled in his previous timeline.

    If he dared to im that he was first, no one would dare to im that they were second!

    As a spy, Calvin had his fair share of honey-trapping trysts.

    Jane and Zahra looked unconvinced.

    "I''m not trying to scare you, all right? Take a look at the footsteps on those sickrooms with doors left ajar. They are too focused and ovepped. In other words, they must''ve stopped in that position for a while." The unconvinced Jane and Zahra were now convinced, but their belief only made them more afraid of what was about to happen.

    "Hahaha... It''s fine, don''t worry too much about it. Besides, Hugo''s with us, right? He''ll protect us all. I''m just telling you guys all of these so you''ll be careful when passing in front of those doors."

    Calvin ruffled the hair of Jane and Zahra. Jane''s eyes widened due to the sudden affection that she received, while Zahra practically stood where she was and froze.

    "Zahra? What''s wrong?" Calvin noticed that she had stopped moving and he couldn''t help but ask in concern.

    "No..."

    "It''s nothing..." Zahra hurriedly waved her hands in a panic.

    ''Oh my god... She''s fallen deep...'' Jane inwardly sniggered.

    Calvin smiled and merely nodded his head.

    The group continued on their journey.

    Nothing unusual happened when they passed in front of the first three sickrooms after the nurse''s room.

    However, when the group was about to go near the fourth sickroom.

    Dandelion suddenly gave out a warning.

    At almost the exact moment when Dandelion gave his warning, Calvin burst through the door with a kick. The door swung heavily from the force and it mmed into the wall.

    Bang!

    The figure hiding behind the slightly ajar door earlier was now exposed.

    He was wearing a patient''s garb; his expression was as pale as a sheet of paper and beneath his messy and filthy bangs was a pair of astonished eyes. He stood where he was, the wicked smile that he had was still stered on his lips.

    It was painfully obvious that he was about to attack the group, but he didn''t expect Calvin to be even faster than him.

    "Hello demon, it''s me ya boy..." Calvin lifted an amused smile.

    The demon hiding behind the door froze.

 Chapter 69: Beacon of Hope in the Darkness

    Chapter 69: Beacon of Hope in the Darkness

    Realizing that he had been caught in the act...

    He closed his eyes and was about to turn intangible when a dim ray of light struck his body and prevented him from turning into a ghost. The demonic patient''s astonishment turned into shock when he found out that he couldn''t transform into his intangible form.

    He turned around and was about to make a mad dash towards the other side of the room when Calvin tripped him up.

    Thud!

    A dull thud rang out.

    "You''re one of those bastards!"

    Hugo had finally entered the room.

    He stood imposingly in front of the panicking demon.

    "Take care of him, Hugo. I''ll take care of the girls outside." Calvin casually said.

    Dandelion had already restrained the demonic soul within the patient and it was virtually impossible for him to fight against an angry mountain of muscles like Hugo.

    Calvin swiftly came out of the room to prevent Jane and Zahra from seeing the brutality of what was about to happen.

    He even closed the door as soon as he went out.

    Both Jane and Zahra stood stiff in the corridor and had no idea what just happened. They were too shocked by Calvin''s sudden actions of kicking the slightly ajar door. They were too focused on the loud noise when the door collided against the wall earlier.

    "What happened?" The two awakened from their trance upon seeing Calvin going out of the room.

    "Let''s just wait for Hugo," Calvin answered.

    Ten minutester, Hugo walked out of the room with a satisfied smile on his face.

    "I''ve dealt with it! We can continue now!"

    Hugo dusted his fist and stood behind the three once again.

    Jane and Zahra looked at each other with the same confusion in their eyes.

    But well...

    All''s well that ends well...

    The group continued their journey.

    Hugo suddenly approached Calvin and said, "Calvin... I heard from that madman earlier that there are several dozens of them in here!"

    "What?"

    Calvin was astonished.

    Several dozens?

    He had expected that he would face a lot of enemies, but he didn''t expect that they would be this many.

    [What the hell is going on here, Dandelion?]

    [I don''t know... Fivecent must''ve tampered with the difficulty! But no worries, they won''t be able to turn into their tangible form. That man, that man right there is quite strong anyway so he should be able to beat them down like what he did with that demon earlier!]

    [All right, but fuck... You better make sure that you do your job properly, all right?]

    [Yeah, I know...]

    Calvin grumbled in irritation.

    But since there was no use crying over spilled milk, Calvin could only shake his head and continue.

    Dandelion didn''t give any warnings when they passed in front of the other sickrooms.

    Taking a turn at the next corridor, the group suddenly stopped moving for they had realized that this corridor was sttered with fresh blood. Limbs and body parts scorched with fire were also scattered on the ground.

    Zahra frowned. She was a medical student, but this was the first time that she saw such a grizzly scene. Hugo also had his eyebrows scrunched up, while Jane had already started to dry heave.

    "The patients in this ce sure are unpredictable, to think that they would prank us like this." Calvin crouched, his nose twitched while his eyes focused on the blood stter acting as if he was an experienced crime scene investigator, "The blood stter is uneven and it looks like it has been deliberately ced this way..."

    "Judging from the amount of blood, some of it should stter on the walls but as we can see... The walls are too clean..."

    "That is impossible to happen since no matter which part you are injured, it would be impossible for it to not stter on the nearest vertical object such as walls. The direction of the stter is also spread on the ground instead of omnidirectional. No matter what, there is no way that this happened naturally..."

    Calvin swiped some blood off the ground with his pinkie finger and ced it under his nostrils, "The smell is too strong, this smell is like mashed fresh liver. This can''t be human blood."

    Jane and Zahra felt a shiver down their spines as they stared at him in fear. Just how familiar did one have to be with human blood, so that they could make an urate and confident deduction like that?

    Hugo was also somewhat nervous.

    Calvin''s matchstick-like figure made him seem powerless but at this moment...

    He seemed to be even more powerful than what Hugo had expected.

    In any case, Hugo concluded that Calvin wasn''t a simple man at all.

    Carrying Scarlette on his back, Calvin momentarily leaped and adjusted her posture.

    Afterwards, he then casually walked on the pool of blood on the ground and said, "Don''t be afraid, those patients must be pulling a prank on us to scare us, who knows what they are thinking. Rest assured, this blood is fake. It probably came from a dog."

    Zahra and Jane stared right at each other and they started to have some hesitation in following him.

    But where would they go?

    Who else could be braver than Calvin?

    The two gnashed their teeth and decided to muster their courage.

    They stepped onto the pool of blood and suppressed their disgust as they followed Calvin from behind.

    Calvin was very calm in the entire ordeal.

    They took another turn, this time to a corridor on the left.

    This corridor was simr to the very first corridor that they went through earlier. The walls were lined with sickrooms and some of those rooms had doors slightly ajar. The only difference was that there seemed to be a cold draft in this corridor sting across their faces, and there was also another bathroom.

    Calvin scanned the ground and reported his findings to the others, "This footstep is obviously made from the soles of a shoe. This is vastly different from the barefooted footsteps that we saw earlier. In other words, the person who went into this corridor towards that bathroom must be one of us."

    "Really?!" Jane was overjoyed, "In that case... Let''s go!"

    "Wait!"

    She was about to go towards the bathroom when Calvin suddenly stopped her.

    Calvin had a curious look on his face as he exined, "Don''t get too happy now... I told you all earlier that we cannot let our guards down in this ce at any moment! Take a look at the footsteps, they are too even and without any trace of panic. The person who left these footsteps must''ve purposely done this and is now waiting for us to follow his trail..."

    "What?" Jane uttered in shock. Calvin''s words made sense, so she couldn''t refute what he said.

    However, she was also grateful to Calvin.

    She admitted to herself that she had been too hasty! If Calvin didn''t warn her in time, she may have fallen onto the palms of the person waiting for them to follow the trail in the bathroom!

    But Zahra had her doubts, "What if that person is one of us and he purposely left such an obvious trail so we''ll easily notice it?"

    Calvin nodded his head and smiled, "That is true... Well, we won''t know the answer for sure unless we go there and check."

    "Go there and check? Are you even sure if he''s still there?" Hugo asked with a frown.

    Calvin calmly walked into the corridor and headed for the bathroom, "Take a look at the footprints again. They only went way. The person went inside the bathroom and never came out. In other words, that person should still be in there and we are about to find out who he is..."

    "However... Since this trail is indeed too obvious, there''s a huge chance that this is a trap, so the two of you should wait here while Hugo and I will go inside to check." Calvin gestured at the two women.

    Zahra bit her lips while Jane clenched her palms so strong that her hands went pale. Nevertheless, they didn''t utter anyint and just sat beside the fallen Scarlette in the dimly-lit corridors, while holding the piece of crumpled paper that Calvin gave them for their protection.

    Calvin went inside the bathroom, "The footprints lead to the second to thest cubicle." Calvin signaled to Hugo and Hugo nodded his head in tacit understanding. Calvin extinguished his footsteps as he crawled towards the third cubicle beside the cubicle where the footsteps ended.

    He peeked from above and discovered that the person hiding inside was Jate!

    Jate''s expression was filled with fear and her eyes were wet with tears. She opened her mouth and wanted to scream, but no noise coulde out of her mouth for she was gagged by her own panties. She was on thep of a man wearing a patient''s garb.

    The man let out excited grunts as he fondled all over Jate''s body.

    Then, he opened his zippers and whipped his thing out for Jate to see.

    "Hehehe... It''s been such a long time... It''s been such a long time that I had a woman to embrace! Ah! Those doctors, they are bastards! To think that they would deprive of us of the pleasure that every man in this world deserves! The feeling of being inside a woman!"

    "Aaahhh! I can''t wait anymore! I''m going to put it inside!"

    The ashen-faced man had a wicked smile on his face as he raised his head to howl at the skies in excitement.

    Jate''s struggles reached a crescendo as she fidgeted as much as she could, but it was all for naught.

    She was ultimately powerless against the demon.

    Ah... It''s over...

    Jate gave up and closed her eyes.

    She stared at the ceiling and mumbled to herself.

    Mother... Father...

    I''m sorry...

    I''m going ahead...

    Why am I so unlucky in this life? I''ve done everything that must be done. I studied hard, got good grades, but all it took was a single mistake. A single blemish on that woman''s dress was enough for my entire life to copse! I promised topensate her for her ruined dress, but she insisted on making me pay for her dress with my entire life.

    I''m sorry... Father... Mother...

    Your daughter will be going first...

    I''d rather die than be humiliated by this bastard!

    Jate decisively used all of her remaining strength to bite the tip of her tongue, but then suddenly...

    "Gawas, Release!"

    A familiar voice reverberated out of nowhere.

    Jate''s eyes widened in shock for she realized that amidst her darkening consciousness, she saw an orange-fiery light that seemed to have be her beacon of hope in the darkness.

    That beacon of hope descended and struck the man above her.

    Bang!

    In the very next moment.

    "AAAHHH!!!"

    A shrill and maniacal scream rang out!

 Chapter 70: They Are Everywhere!

    Chapter 70: They Are Everywhere!

    The instant that the scream came out, Hugo barged into the bathroom stall.

    His movements were quick and without any waste. In just a blink of an eye, he scooped up Jate from thep of the half-naked man and after turning her head away from the scene. He raised his leg and whipped a kick directly at the screaming madman.

    Puchi!

    A dull sound rang out followed by a cracking sound.

    Hugo''s powerful kick caused the madman''s head to burst, scattering brain matter and blood all over the bathroom stall.

    Calvin exited out of his stall and quickly took a towel to cover the naked body of the scarred Jate.

    Even now, she was still trembling in fear.

    "Jane, Zahra! We found Jate! Take her!"

    Calvin walked out and dragged Jate out of the bathroom.

    He dragged her for Calvin realized that Jate couldn''t walk. Her legs were trembling so much that it looked as if she would copse onto the ground at any moment.

    "Shit..."

    Calvin muttered under his breath.

    "I hope she can still recover after this ordeal. If not, then I can only say my condolences."

    The world of Las Felipinas was incredibly cruel to anyone. Violence was the norm there, so one must have a strong heart before venturing out to Las Felipinas. Else, going to Las Felipinas without a prepared heart and a steeled resolve was basically the same asmitting suicide.

    That was how dangerous Las Felipinas was.

    "Ah! Jate! What happened to you?" Jane approached Jate.

    Calvin handed her over to Jane, but as soon as Jate left Calvin''s support. She copsed onto the ground and if not for Zahra''s quick reactions, she would''ve had a concussion since she was so weak that she couldn''t even protect her head from impact onto the ground.

    Zahra checked her vitals and discovered that she was in deep shock. A frown appeared on her face when she realized that Jate was naked. Apart from the towel covering her body, she had nothing to cover her bits and grits.

    Noticing that Calvin was still staring at Jate despite the fact that she was in her birthday suit. Zahra frowned and asked, "Why are you still staring? She''s naked!"

    "Oh..." Calvin let out an astonished yelp before turning his gaze away.

    It was indeed inappropriate for him to stare at the naked body of a maiden.

    Calvin knew about this, but he forgot about it since he already had a fair share of naked bodies back in Las Felipinas.

    Jane nced at Calvin and realized that the slender-frame Calvin seemed to be even more mysterious than ever. To think that he wasn''t bothered and even blush at the sight of a maiden''s birthday suit!

    Jane was intrigued but she also knew that there were matters far important at this moment than Calvin''s outlook regarding beauties.

    "What the hell happened?" Zahra asked.

    Jane nodded in agreement.

    She had the same question as Zahra.

    She wanted to know just what exactly happened that a courageous woman like Jate became like this.

    Calvin bitterly smiled.

    It wasn''t convenient for him to talk regarding what happened to Jane and Zahra.

    After all, the three of them could be considered friends.

    He reckoned that even Jate herself didn''t want them to know that she was almost vited by a mad patient of this asylum. If they came to know about it, Jate would surely spiral into depression.

    "I can''t disclose that. I''m sorry..." Calvin shook his head and avoided the topic.

    Jane and Zahra stared at each other.

    They weren''t as dense as Calvin expected to be.

    They were smart women who could extrapte information from missing data. The fact that Jate was buck-naked with purple bruises all over her body, particrly on her breasts and neck. What happened was painfully obvious.

    Furthermore, there was also that maniacal scream from a third-party that they heard from the bathroom.

    Jane and Zahra clenched their tiny fists.

    Calvin saw the sorrow on their expression and he let out a sigh.

    The two women stared at each other for a moment before nodding.

    Afterwards, they then directed their gazes to Calvin.

    From their gazes alone, Calvin could see what they wanted to happen.

    In short, both Jane and Zahra hoped that Calvin would pretend that nothing happened.

    Calvin nodded his head in tacit understanding.

    But there was an issue that he had to raise.

    "Now we have two unconsciousrades. Our journey will be even more difficult since we have tworades that we have to look out for. I can almost manage everything with Scarlette, but with Jate added on top of it. I don''t think that we can continue on our journey..." Calvin shook his head in sorrow.

    "What do you mean? Are you saying that we should abandon both of them?" Jane red at Calvin.

    "No, no, no! You''re misunderstanding me." Calvin hurriedly iled his hands in protest, "That is not what I mean. What I am trying to say is that we should choose who among the two we should wake up. To be honest, I prefer if we woke up Scarlette than Jte."

    "Ah, so that''s what you meant?" Zahra nodded her head, "I know some acupuncture techniques that we can use to wake them up prematurely. But why choose Scarlette? Could it be that you''re being biased against Jate?"

    "Oh, please... Why would I? On what basis? I''m just saying that Scarlette is a better choice. Look at her condition! She''s just in shock and is barely injured. If we choose to wake up Jate, then she wouldn''t be that useful. After all, she suffered that much. What''s more, I think she deserves to rest at least." Calvin exined.

    "That makes sense." Zahra and Jane were finally convinced.

    "I''m done..." At this moment, Hugo walked out of the bathroom stall.

    He was wet.

    His clothes were wet as well as his shoes.

    Hugo probably took quite a long time in the bathroom for he was scrubbing himself clean.

    As for why he was doing that?

    Zahra who was a medical student instantly noticed the smell of blood floating around Hugo.

    The smell of blood was so thick and fresh that Zahra''s expression immediately went pale upon realizing the meaning behind Hugo''s words.

    She covered her mouth and swallowed a mouthful of saliva to stop herself from dry heaving.

    "What''s wrong with you, Zahra? Are you okay?" Jane instantly noticed her pale expression and asked in concern.

    "No, it''s nothing... We gotta move. I''ve got to wake Scarlette up."

    Zahra shoved Jane aside and sat beside the unconscious Scarlette.

    She lifted her trembling hands and pressed a few acupoints on Scarlett''s body.

    Within a few seconds, Scarlette let out a few pained groans before finally opening her eyes.

    The first scene that she saw was Zahra staring at her in concern.

    "Z-Zahra! You... What happened?"

    "You passed out! I had to wake you up, so we can continue our journey to find the others." Zahra replied.

    "Find the others? Wait... Just what happened? Thest thing I remember was looking at..."

    "Ah!"

    "I remember!"

    "I was looking at a slightly opened door, but when I peered through that door to stare into the sickroom behind it..."

    "I found something!"

    "The room was full of ghosts! Demons!"

    Scarlette''s eyes went bloodshot as she trembled like a sieve in fear.

    Hugo''s face went ashen upon hearing her words.

    Calvin clicked his tongue and arrived in front of her to calm her down.

    "It''s all right, we''re here... You''re safe now..."

    He tried shaking Scarlett''s shoulders so she could calm down, but when Calvin realized that it wasn''t working.

    He pulled her into his embrace and patted her back like a child.

    "Wuwuwu... I''m so scared... There''s a lot of them in that room... Demons, ghosts... There''s a lot of them! And I also noticed... I also noticed that every sickroom was full of ghosts! They are everywhere! They are everywhere! There is no escape... Wuwuwu... I don''t want to die..." Scarlette''s embrace around Calvin''s waist tightened.

    "It''s all right... Nothing will happen... We will escape this ce... Also, there are no demons in this ce! We found that the patients of the asylum are pretending to be ghosts to scare us in this hospital!" Calvin said with his eyes radiating no lies, only sincerity.

    "Really?"

    "Yeah! In fact, we have Hugo here and he''s able to beat all of those patients up if they dare toe to us!" Calvin turned to look at Scarlett and Scarlett also followed his gaze. Upon seeing Hugo''s towering mountain-like figure, Scarlett dramatically calmed down.

    Calvin wiped the snot off her nose with his shirt and gave her another tight embrace.

    "That is why you don''t have to worry, all right? We''ll be fine, you''ll be fine. Everyone will be fine! With Hugo here, no one in this ce can touch us!" Calvin raised his head and pushed his chest outwards, exuding a valiant aura as he proudly dered.

    The crying Scarlette found it amusing and she couldn''t help butmpoon, "Where is your part?"

    "Ah... Of course! With me and Hugo here, no one in this ce can touch even a thread of our hair!"

    Calvin revised his speech, elicitingughter from not only Scarlette but also from the other women.

    Hugo shook his head and let out a silly smile.

    The group took a rest for a few minutes first before they continued on their journey towards the Medical Ward.

    When they continued, little did they knew that Calvin now had a grim look on his face.

    The reason was Dandelion''s report that he heard while he had Scarlett in his embrace.

    [Calvin! The Benevolent Father and the Butcher are heading towards the Hospital! You need to escape as fast as possible! It''s pretty much impossible for you to fight against those two, and I can''t also give you any help since they are protected by Fivecent! If I helped you, then they will detect my unique mana signature!]

    [If that happens, then they will definitely thwart our ns!]

    [Good luck now!]

    [You''re on your own!]

    [Adieu!]

    Dandelion then went silent and never responded again.

    Of course, Calvin could still feel his presence.

    Dandelion only went into hibernation to extinguish his presence as much as possible and escape Fivecent''s detection.

    Calvin gnashed his teeth.

    "That fucking bastard who''s toying with us all here... I''m sure you''re happy now, eh? Pretty amusing to see us being chased by two madmen? Rest assured, once I''m out of here and strong enough. I''ll find you, you fucking bastard and I''ll have you meet your creator!"

    Calvin inwardly swore.

 Chapter 71: They Are Demons!

    Chapter 71: They Are Demons!

    The group continued on their journey and after taking another turn.

    They found, yet another blood stter.

    "Do they not know about any other trick? This is getting quite old."

    Scarlette immediately covered her mouth upon seeing the blood sttered on the ground. She turned to look at both Zahra and Jane as the pair supported her so she wouldn''t copse.

    "Are you guys okay staring at that?" Scarlette asked in frustration.

    She felt weird and left out that she was the only one violently reacting like this.

    "No, we''re not okay... This ce is mad... I want to get out of here... We want to get out of this ce."

    "Yeah, but we can''t leave without finding the others. We can''t just let them die, right?"

    "Besides, we still need that ess keycard. Without that keycard, we wouldn''t be able to escape." Jane seriously said.

    Scarlette nodded her head and didn''t say anything anymore.

    "Calvin! I found another blood trail!" Hugo who went ahead and scouted the next corridor gestured towards Calvin.

    Calvin was crouching beside the blood.

    A frown could be seen on his face.

    "What''s wrong?" Hugo asked.

    "Yeah, there''s something wrong..."

    "This blood..."

    "It seems to be human blood."

    Calvin concluded.

    The smell of rusting from this pool of blood evoked familiar memories in Calvin''s mind, unlike that blood that he sniffed earlier. Furthermore, this blood didn''t smell as strong as the previous pool of blood. In other words, Calvin''s conjecture was likely correct.

    The pool of blood earlier came from a dog, while this blood...

    Came from a human being.

    But the burning question in everyone''s mind at this moment was...

    "Who''s the owner of that blood?" Zahra asked in concern.

    Among the girls in Calvin''s group, she was the calmest.

    As a medical student, blood didn''t really unfazed her. Especially if they came from a human being. On the other hand, Scarlette looked as if he was about to vomit already, while Jane''s knees were now subconsciously trembling from fear.

    Looking at the huge amount of blood sttered on the ground. It didn''t take that much deduction to conclude that the owner of this pool of blood should be already dead.

    Jane turned to look at Calvin.

    Calvin nodded his head and proceeded to walk towards Hugo.

    The next corridor was nauseatingly simr to the previous corridors in interior design as well as the cement of the bathrooms between the sickrooms. If one stayed here as a mental patient and they would pass through simr-looking corridors every day, it wasn''t an understatement to say that they wouldn''t probably recover from their illness.

    The blood trails left by the person who walked into this corridor was simr to the blood trails that the group saw earlier.

    The only difference was that apart from bloody footsteps, pieces of torn flesh, as well as torn clothes, could be seen on the ground.

    Calvin''s expression immediately turned grim.

    He scanned the ground thoroughly and discovered that from the pool of blood just before the corridor.

    The blood marks leading the corridor looked as if something was being dragged on the floor.

    However, when they had entered the corridor, it was obvious that they stopped for a moment, possibly to stand up before they limped through the corridor.

    In other words, this blood trail shoulde from the owner of the pool of blood and judging from the severity of his injuries and how much blood he lost. He must be dead at this moment.

    Calvin gnashed his teeth.

    He tried his best to protect them, but it seemed that it was their destiny to die in this final phase.

    The owner of the blood made a great struggle to escape judging from how messy the entire corridor was, but in the end, he was obviously cornered at the furthest sickroom since the trail of footsteps ended there.

    Standing in front of the door where the blood trail ended.

    Calvin signaled to Hugo, while Hugo signaled to the girls. Their signal meant that the two of them would go inside the room while the girls should stay outside and be on the look-out.

    "Okay..." Despite being scared, Jane firmly nodded.

    Scarlette gritted her teeth and looked incredibly reluctant to part with the boys, while Zahra clenched her fists and suppressed the fear rising in her heart.

    Even though she wasn''t alone in this corridor.

    The fact that they were all girls that weren''t as physically strong as the patients here and without any weapon was enough for her to fear what wasing.

    She wished that Calvin and Hugo wouldn''t take too long inside the sickroom, or else...

    She wasn''t sure if she could still take the fear.

    "Everything will be all right... I should calm down... Nothing will happen... Mind over body, I''m only scaring myself by worrying..." Zahra silently chanted in her heart.

    She was trying to hypnotize herself, so she could forget the terror and fear.

    Once inside the sickroom...

    Calvin shook his head when the lights of the sickroom were turned on.

    There, he saw the corpses of Roy and Rose.

    Roy kneeled in front of Rose and his hands were stuck frozen in mid-air due to rigor mortis.

    His expression was contorted with all sorts of emotions ranging from fear, remorse, and unwillingness.

    A wound that directly prated his heart could be seen on his left chest.

    Lying behind him was Rose.

    The poor middle-ageddy was stark-naked.

    She was obviously vited before she died.

    Bang!

    As Calvin was shaking his head in regret, a loud explosion suddenly urred beside him.

    Hugo had mmed a wooden desk into smithereens out of anger and fury.

    "Just who in god''s green earth can do something as atrocious as this?! Are they even humans anymore?"

    Calvin shook his head, "No... I won''t call them humans."

    "What?"

    Hugo was agitated.

    "They are demons. Just like what Scarlette said earlier."

    "Demons..."

    "Are they ghosts?"

    Calvin almost keeled when he heard Hugo''s answer.

    This man, he''s still being afraid of ghosts even at this point?

    Calvin bitterly smiled and replied, "No... Demons aren''t ghosts, but they are worse than demons since they can physically harm you. Ghosts, on the other hand, can only scare you mentally. But demons? They are beings with a physical form and they are able to kill you."

    "So, in other words, Demons aren''t ghosts?"

    Calvin was speechless.

    But he still replied, "Yes, they are not ghosts."

    "All right, as long as they aren''t ghosts, then I will take them down! I swear that I will never forgive those bastards who did this!"

    "No, you''re wrong, Hugo."

    "What?"

    "It''s not plural. The one who did this was only a single person."

    "What? Who? Who did this to them?" Hugo asked in a stern voice.

    Calvin stared right at Hugo and replied, "The one that we are looking for..."

    "The madman who has the ess keycard for the Security Room."

    "Arthur Chase!"

 Chapter 72: I Dont Need You To Take Responsibility For Me

    Chapter 72: I Don''t Need You To Take Responsibility For Me

    "Arthur Chase!" Hugo found it unbelievable that only a single man caused all of these.

    Judging from the state of the room, a struggle had clearly unfolded and it wasn''t a short struggle.

    The medical instruments and apparatus in the room were in a mess, and the cab was even missing a stand.

    From its close proximity to Roy, and the fact that the wooden stand was chipped after hitting something.

    He obviously used the wood as his weapon in his final moments.

    Roy may not be that powerful but Rose was here with him!

    Even if they weren''t as powerful as Arthur Chase, one of them should be able to escape!

    Yet, both of them actually died?

    "Just how powerful is that Arthur Chase? Tell me, Calvin. You bribed a custodian, right? I''m sure that if that custodian is worth his salt, he should''ve told you how powerful this Arthur Chase is." Hugo sternly asked.

    Calvin nodded his head and replied, "Arthur Chase should be on par with you. At least, when ites to physical strength. Do you know what I mean?"

    Hugo nodded his head.

    Calvin meant that even though both of them were on par with each other. It doesn''t mean that Hugo would now have a difficult time fighting against Arthur Chase.

    After all, in a battle against experts with simr strength.

    Their strength wouldn''t matter anymore as much as their techniques would.

    In short, the fighter whose techniques were better and far refined than the other would win the battle.

    Hearing Calvin''s words, Hugo was now even more confident fighting against Arthur Chase.

    So, what if his strength is on par with me? I roamed thends to fight against several dozens of mercenaries and I''ve killed hundreds of men! A mental patient in this damned ce wouldn''t stand a chance against me!

    Hugo clenched his fists.

    Cracking sounds came out of his knuckles and Calvin couldn''t help but take another look at him.

    He judged that if Hugo''s innate physical prowess was cultivated properly in thends of Las Felipinas. He would undoubtedly be a talent that the world would admire.

    Furthermore, with Hugo''s straightforward and honest attitude, his chances of betraying humanity and joining the ranks of the invaders like what the other talents did back then were significantly lower.

    In short, Hugo was a talent that must be nurtured for he would be a huge help for humanity in the future.

    Calvin silently decided.

    He took a piece of crumpled paper and handed it over to Hugo.

    "What is this?"

    "I know that you may not believe me right now, but this paper will help you in our fight against Arthur Chase."

    "We''re going to fight against Arthur Chase? Didn''t the custodians say that we must run and never fight?"

    Hugo asked with a frown.

    He had the intention to fight against Arthur Chase, but he was confused regarding who he should believe.

    Should he believe the custodians and run away from the enemies, or should he believe Calvin''s words and fight?

    Calvin shook his head and said, "Of course, our priority here is to keep our lives, so we must run..."

    "However, a man''s gotta do what he needs to do. When the need arrives then we must fight! But I don''t expect you to defeat our enemies, we just need to hold them back for a moment while the others escape!"

    "So, we''re going to be the scapegoat?"

    Hugo seemed to be not in favor of this idea for he had a frown on his face when he asked.

    "You can say that, but we''re not going to die. Trust me. Under my watch, no one will die. I''ve already failed once, I can''t fail again. We can''t lose our lives here when our journey still hasn''t even begun."

    "All right, I believe you. Now, what should I do?"

    "When you are being cornered, throw this piece of paper at the enemy and shout, ''Aarb!''" Calvin instructed.

    Hugo raised an eyebrow, but since he had chosen to believe Calvin.

    He took the piece of crumpled paper and stuffed it in his pockets.

    Now, their next course of action was to show this crime scene to the others.

    Hugo objected at first, but when Calvin exined to him that those girls needed to be desensitized.

    He realized that Calvin''s words made sense and so, they invited the three to take a look at the inside of the sickroom.

    As soon as they walked into the room.

    The three women vomited out their dinners.

    Even Zahra who had a fair share of experience when it came to autopsies couldn''t suppress her desire to heave as she leaned weakly on the wall.

    The scene was just too grizzly for her to endure. Not only Roy and Rose''s innards were scattered haphazardly on the ground, but their faces were also frozen in fear.

    Furthermore, there were also clear traces that Rose was vited before she died since her fear-stricken face has been inundated with semen.

    The two died a miserable death.

    Their deaths were so miserable that seeing their final moments instantly affected the minds of the three women.

    Scarlette copsed on the floor, sitting on her own vomit.

    Jane silently sobbed and tears dripping down her cheeks.

    Zahra could barely stand up as her knees trembled like a sieve.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    He took Scarlette to his embrace and secretly took a piece of paper from his pocket.

    Activating the runes that he inscribed in that piece of paper, he softly whispered into her ears, "Aksii, Manipte."

    The runes carved onto the paper flew directly into Scarlette''s nape.

    She immediately calmed down, the fear in heart mysteriously vanished.

    For some reason, she felt that Calvin''s embrace was so warm andforting.

    She couldn''t help but snuggle even more, but Calvin let out a dry cough.

    "Ahem."

    "Ah!"

    Scarlette''s eyes widened in shock and she pushed Calvin in a panic.

    Calvin''s cough made her realized that she was starting to be inappropriate.

    "Are you okay, now?"

    "Yeah, I am... I''m sorry that I reacted like that."

    "No, you don''t have to say sorry." Calvin patted her head and gave a sweet smile.

    Even though Scarlette maybe a few years older than him, he acted as if he was her elder and gently ruffled her hair.

    Scarlette''s eyes narrowed once again.

    Aaahhh... This warmth...

    I want to be with this warmth forever...

    Wait...

    What am I thinking?!

    Scarlette''s eyes widened once again and she iled her hands in a panic.

    "Hahaha... Seeing that you''re like that means that you''ve calmed down now. I''ll go ahead andfort the others."

    Scarlett absentmindedly nodded, but when she saw that Calvin did the same to Jane and Zahra.

    She felt inexplicably jealous for some reason.

    Puffing her cheeks out of spite, she clenched her fists and supported herself to stand up.

    Calvin then proceeded to give everyone a rundown of their ns.

    Jate also woke up at this moment and like what he had done to the others, heforted her until she calmed down.

    But after hearing that they still nned on finding the others after they took the keycard from Arthur Chaseter. She furiously shook her head and said, "No! We can''t! They are already dead! I saw that guy! They killed them! Nichs, Ray, and even Philip! They are dead!"

    "What?!"

    Calvin''s eyes widened in shock.

    He knew that the others must be in danger, but he didn''t expect that everything would escte this quickly!

    "No, that may not be the case!" Calvin suddenly spoke up.

    Jate turned to look at him and said, "What the fuck do you know about what happened?! You ran away like that bastard there!" Jate red at Hugo with hatred.

    If Hugo was there, then he would be able to defeat the enemies that appeared, but he wasn''t there! She reckoned that he had prematurely detected what was about to happen so he staged his own disappearance to escape!

    Remembering that Calvin went back to fetch Hugo, she used Calvin of being in cahoots with Hugo...

    In other words, she was using them of being a traitor!

    Calvin narrowed his eyes and Hugo also had a frown on his face.

    Scarlette stepped forward at this moment and said, "How can you say that? If not for Hugo and Calvin, you would''ve died a miserable death! They were the ones who saved you!"

    Jate turned to look at Scarlette, her eyes were bloodshot as he barked, "So, what?! They saved me, and I''m grateful for that but that doesn''t mean that I will be willing to follow them if they want to kill themselves! I have a family to feed! My parents need me! I have a dream toplete and I''m not ready nor willing to die just yet!"

    Jate seemed to have gone mad.

    Jane subconsciously stepped forward seeing her crazed expression.

    Even Zahra gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    "All right, that''s enough!"

    Calvin coldly stared at Jate, "I know that you are in shock right now and that must be the reason why you are throwing a tantrum like this. But we are not going to believe everything that you say. Unless we see their bodies, then I will consider them alive!"

    "Yeah, go ahead! Go ahead andmit suicide! I just told you that they are dead! I''ve done everything that I can do, my conscience is clear and I will not take responsibility if you died going after the dead!" Jate responded viciously.

    Calvin coldly chuckled, "I''m an adult."

    "I don''t need you to take responsibility for me."

 Chapter 73: At last! The Medical Ward!

    Chapter 73: Atst! The Medical Ward!

    Calvin''s cold words permeated the air.

    Jate stood frozen and so did the others.

    This was the first time that they saw such a serious expression on his face.

    "A-All right... Suit yourself!" Jate coldly snorted and turned around.

    She walked towards the door but didn''t go out of it. It was clear that as much as she wanted to get out of this ce, she wasn''t nning on straying from the group. After all, no man was an ind and the strength of individuals could only be maximized if they were in a group.

    Calvin made a mental note to keep an eye out for Jate.

    Judging from her actions, she may be on the brink of falling into madness.

    If she despaired and went crazy while they were in the middle of escaping from the enemies, then that would be fatal for the entire team.

    Jate had to be controlled the moment she went out of control.

    Calvin gave a simple prayer to the deceased before covering their bodies with a nket.

    Jane proposed to bring the bodies of the dead back to the outside world but Calvin refused, saying that it was extra work that could potentially kill them.

    Jane bit her lips and thought that this final phase that thepany gave to them was indeed too cruel. Not only they sent them in this nightmare of a ce to die, but they weren''t even allowed to bring the corpses of the dead with them when they came out.

    Hugo could only shake his head.

    Calvin swept his gaze at the others, particrly at Jate.

    Noticing that everyone had calmed down.

    He said...

    "It''s time... We''ve been here for so long already. We need to escape. I reckon that if we stay here for too long, those bastards from Fivecent may push us out of our hiding ce."

    "What do you mean?" Calvin''s words intrigued Hugo.

    "I''m saying that Fivecent may deliberately guide those patients to us so that we are forced to move!"

    "What?" Jate was startled, "In that case, we should go now! Let''s go! What are you waiting for? They are already dead! No amount of prayers will bring them back alive!"

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, "I know..."

    He urged the others and the group arrived at the familiar corridors once more.

    Calvin took out the small notebook that he had and he discovered their current location in a few moments.

    ording to the map, they were only a few corridors before they reached the Medical Ward.

    Urging the others, the group continued their slow journey to the Medical Ward.

    This time, Hugo stood on the back lines, while Calvin did the scouting ahead.

    They stuck close to the doors of the sickrooms so they could instantly hide in the empty rooms if something went awry.

    Of course, they avoided the slightly ajar doors, afraid that someone may be lurking behind those doors that would grab them the moment that they made an approach.

    Those mental patients were unpredictable after all.

    Speaking of mental patients, Calvin''s group only encountered a single one, yet from Jate''s ounts.

    She said that they had encountered dozens of patients and that was the reason why they were easily defeated.

    In fact, for her, she was quite lucky for she managed to hide in a nearby sickroom before all hell went loose. As for the others, they didn''t even manage to run far before they were caught by the patients excited by the sight of fresh meat.

    At that time, Jate did her best to stifle her cries but she was ultimately discovered by the patients.

    She was then dragged outside.

    She described the faces of the patients as looking simr to corpses.

    Their faces were pale and ashen, their eyes were white and their pupils were permanently constricted.

    The patients boisterouslyughed upon seeing her fear-stricken face. It was at that moment that she saw the heads of Ray, Philip, and Nichs rolling on the floor. stered on their faces were the expressions of terror. It was clear from the number of stab wounds that they sustained that it took them quite a while to die.

    Jate thought for sure that she would die, but for some reason. The patients got into a fistfight.

    They fought and fought for a few minutes and when everyone had copsed.

    A winner was decided.

    Then, that person dragged him to the bathroom and started beating her up.

    When that person removed his clothes and started groping her body, it became painfully obvious as to what would happen to her before she died.

    She started crying for help, but the man removed her panties and stuffed it into her mouth so she couldn''t scream.

    Thankfully, her cries didn''tnd on deaf ears.

    Before the man could prate her, Calvin''s group arrived and rescued her from the hands of that vile man.

    This was how the story went, but the problem was that where were those men?

    If they were indeed in a fistfight and fell unconscious one by one, why did Calvin''s group didn''t see anyone copsed on the corridors near that bathroom where they found Jate?

    Could it be that Jate was lying?

    No, that''s not possible.

    That scared and scarred bodynguage can''t possibly be faked.

    Unless there was a Doppelganger here which is impossible since there are only Demons here and Doppelgangers are on a whole new species.

    Calvin thought.

    But before he could even think any further, he heard Hugo''s whisper.

    "Calvin! Is that the decontamination chamber?"

    Calvin raised his head and discovered the decontamination chamber. On top of the chamber doors were the words, "Medical Ward" embossed on the surface of the walls.

    "That''s it! Careful now!"

    Seeing that the Medical Ward was so near, Calvin immediately warned the others.

    Even though they haven''t seen any enemies yet aside from that patient who tried to vite Jate, their looming threat was still there and Calvin knew that they had to be careful.

    Since they could disappear in a whim without leaving any traces, then they should be able to appear in unexpected ces.

    The others received Calvin''smand and they immediately stuck close to the walls of the final corridors leading to the Medical Ward. Calvin held a crumpled piece of paper in his hand. His knees were slightly bent and his eyes were focused. He was fully prepared for a battle ahead of him.

    But just as he was moving towards the decontamination chamber while keeping an eye out for enemies ambushing them near the doors of the chamber. Calvin didn''t realize that the first attack woulde from beside him!

    Before he could even react, a pair of slender hands slithered out of the sickroom and grabbed both of his shoulders before dragging him inside the room!

    "Calvin!"

    Hugo let out a gasp.

    Jate, Zahra, Jane, and Scarlett immediately went pale from fear and astonishment upon seeing Calvin being dragged into the sickroom.

    Everything happened so fast that before any of them could react, Calvin had already disappeared into the room!

 Chapter 74: The Benevolent Father! The Butcher! Arthur Chase!

    Chapter 74: The Benevolent Father! The Butcher! Arthur Chase!

    "Calvin!" Hugo made a great leap towards the door of the sickroom before kicking it open.

    The four women in the corridors followed suit, each of them held a crumpled paper in their clenched fists aside from Jate. It turned out that Calvin didn''t trust Jate enough to give her a piece of crumpled paper to use in battle.

    "Shhh! Calm down, Hugo! I''m safe!" The moment Hugo came inside the sickroom, Calvin instantly appeared in front of him.

    The doors of the sickroom were left ajar so the four women followed suit and they were astonished by the scene that they saw.

    It turned out that the person who dragged Calvin into the room was Medea!

    The one and only, final missing person amidst the group of newbies that came here to Mount Spirit Sword Asylum!

    "Medea!"

    Jane cried out in astonishment.

    But Medea didn''t pay attention to the girls, instead, she dragged her bedraggled figure towards the door and cautiously closed it while looking left and right.

    A distinct click rang out when the doors were finally closed.

    Medea heaved a sigh of relief and swept his gaze at the others.

    "It''s good to see that you''re still alive."

    Calvin nodded.

    He checked the room and realized that this room seemed to be a room for VIPs. It was because the rooms had no windows leading to the corridors. In other words, Calvin could turn on the lights in this room without leaking any light to the outside world.

    Turning on the lights, Medea''s pathetic figure was fully revealed.

    There was a gaping wound on her arm, simr to Calvin''s wound.

    The only difference was that there was a splint holding her dangling arm in ce.

    "T-That wound! I need to treat it!"

    Zahra instantly saw this emergency as she rushed towards a nearby first-aid kit. Medea expressed her gratitude in a soft voice before she proceeded to talk with Calvin, "I thought you were dead."

    "Nope... But I got badly injured as you can see..."

    Calvin gestured to his hand.

    "Oh, we''re kindred spirits then." Medea dryly said.

    Calvin lifted a bitter smile.

    Hugo turned his gaze away.

    Jane felt suffocated.

    Medea''s joke was just too dry and iprehensible it wasn''t even funny at all.

    "What?" Medea raised an eyebrow, "I was just trying to lighten the mood."

    How could she not notice their strange reactions?

    Staring at the cold-faced Medea, Calvin was suddenly reminded of Ria.

    That woman, back then... Despite her coldness towards me, she was actually treating me like I was her family behind the scenes. But I wonder, why was she so unwilling to reveal that she''s secretly helping me? Is it a matter of pride or something?

    I really can''t understand how a woman''s heart works.

    Calvin shook his head and ced that thought into the deep recesses of his mind.

    "All right, let''s cut to the chase. Do you know the whereabouts of the others?"

    "No..." Medea lightly shook her head, "But I know that they are dead."

    "They''re dead?" Calvin asked in astonishment.

    Jane went pale in anxiousness hearing that the others were dead. To be honest, she already had a feeling that the others had died, but since she discovered that it was stupid to believe Jate''s words at face value after that racket that she had made. Jane still had that hope that the others were still alive.

    But now that Medea was confirming that the others were dead, Jane felt hopeless in her heart.

    Can we really escape from this ce?

    She was now starting to regret the fact that she took Fivecent''s offer.

    Tears threatened to drop from her eyes, but she knew that she had to be strong.

    No matter how thin the chances were, so long as they existed.

    She would definitely cling to life just for that chance to escape!

    Jane''s eyes shone in renewed determination.

    She wouldn''t falter anymore.

    Calvin stared at Medea in disbelief and asked, "How can you be so sure that they died?"

    Medea almost immediately replied, "Because I witnessed their execution. After they were beaten up by those patients and decapitated. They consumed their flesh while they were still fresh. I even saw some of them bring some spices as well as a hotpot stove..."

    "At this moment, they are probably having a hotpot using those..."

    "Stop!"

    Calvin only wanted a minimalistic and pertinent answer, yet Medea was trying to be as descriptive as possible.

    Remembering that the hearts of the other women weren''t as strong as him, Medea, and Hugo.

    He immediately stopped Medea from describing what happened lest her descriptions disturb the hearts of the maiden even more.

    "Okay..."

    "I''m done!

    Medea nodded in agreement, she could vaguely understand what Calvin was trying to imply by stopping her.

    Zahra eximed in joy after she secured the splint around Medea''s dangling arm.

    When all of these were over and done...

    Hugo swept his gaze at the others and solemnly said, "Since there are no livingrades out there anymore, I think that we should now prioritize the retrieval of that ess keycard."

    "Agreed..."

    "Yeah..."

    "That''s right! We can''t stay here any longer!"

    Jane acquiesced, Scarlett also agreed as well as Zahra.

    Jate, on the other hand, had a violent reaction as her expression distorted.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, "Jate! You better behave! Keep that attitude up, then I will leave you here to die!"

    Calvin scolded with a never seen before stern voice.

    Jate still wanted to say something but she choked in her own saliva. She could only stare fearfully at Calvin as she said, "No... Please... Don''t leave me here... I admit... I''m wrong... I shouldn''t have..." She suddenly held her head in pain and copsed onto her knees.

    "Jate!"

    Zahra helped her up and checked her vitals.

    After seeing that there was nothing wrong, she red at Calvin and said, "Look at what you did! You''re being too harsh on her!"

    "Yes, I am, so what? Can she take responsibility if all of us died here due to her stupidity? I don''t care if you look at me bad, I''m just trying to increase the survival chances of this team!" Calvin scolded once more.

    Zahra gnashed her teeth in frustration and turned silent.

    Jane and Scarlette went to the two and the girls started supporting each other mentally aside from Medea.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    Medea suddenly spoke, "Speaking of survivability chances..."

    "Calvin, I think you''re the one here that has the highest chance of dying."

    "What?"

    "Are you trying to curse me?" Calvin raised an eyebrow.

    He was already irritated by Jate''s childish tantrums, yet Medea was attacking him while he was down?

    "No... I''m not provoking you. I''m telling the truth."

    "Really? Then, exin yourself this instant." Calvin harshly replied.

    "Fine..." Medea''s expression became colder, "When I was hiding here, I heard the patients talking about the Benevolent Father, the Butcher? And that Arthur Chase...?

    "From their words, the Benevolent Father seemed to have invited the three to look for a single person who has an eye missing..."

    "Who else among us has a missing eye apart from you?"

    Medea calmly said.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    Oh no...

    The Benevolent Father, The Butcher, and Arthur Chase are looking for me at the same time?!

    This is bad...

    That big fat Butcher has a strong sense of smell!

    We can''t stay here anymore or else they''ll find out where we are!

    Calvin''s mind madly spun.

    He rushed towards the door and opened it to check the corridors, but as soon as the doors opened.

    A hand suddenly appeared and stopped the doors from moving!

    "Hello... Darling guest..."

    The soft and gentlemanly voice of the Benevolent Father reverberated in the ears of everyone. His voice was soothing and calming, yet everyone in the room only felt a shiver down their spines as soon as they heard his words.

    "I heard that..."

    Bang!

    The Benevolent Father smashed the door into splinters as Calvin leaped backward and retreated.

    Staring at the figure of the maddened Benevolent Father, Calvin''s heart went cold.

    "I heard from the other darlings that you are trying to escape with these dirty friends of yours?"

    "That''s rude..."

    "That''s illegal..."

    "You already promised to attend my sweet little daughter''s birthday party and you are trying to renege?!"

    The Benevolent Father roared in anger.

    "RUN!"

    Calvin hurled a crumpled piece of paper at the Benevolent Father and the wall beside them.

    "Gawas, Release!"

    Calvin dered and the pieces of paper that he hurled shone in a dazzling crimson light.

    Bang!

    An explosion urred in the sickroom.

    A great fire appeared out of nowhere and consumed the Benevolent Father''s figure.

    At the same time, the piece of paper that Calvin threw at the nearby wall bore a hole in that wall.

    "Go!"

    "Run!"

    "Never look back!"

    Calvinmanded with a flick of his wrists.

 Chapter 75: Unforgivable!

    Chapter 75: Unforgivable!

    Calvin didn''t even need to say something for as soon as the hole in the wall appeared...

    Hugo, Jate, Medea, Jane, and Zahra made a break for it towards the other side of that wall.

    "Calvin!" Hugo was thest one who entered the hole in the wall.

    He turned around and stared with worry at Calvin.

    "Don''t mind me! Just make a break for it! Rush to the main elevator in the Administration Block! Since these three big guys are here, the other patients of the asylum should be closeby!" Calvin cried out.

    "I can''t just leave you here!"

    "Fucking run!" Calvin sent a piece of crumpled towards Hugo''s direction, "Aarb, Push!"

    He spat and the crumpled paper turned into an invisible shockwave that sent Hugo flying towards the others who were already far away.

    "Calvin!!!"

    Hugo shouted with tears in his eyes when he saw Calvin being surrounded by the three madmen.

    He struggled while he was in the air, but for some reason...

    He felt his body being shackled by invisible chains.

    But before he could discern whatever it was that prevented him from moving.

    He had alreadynded beside the other newbies.

    "You heard what he said, let''s make a break for it!"

    Jate''s eyes went bloodshot from the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

    Hugo turned to look at her and madly shouted, "What the fuck are you talking about? Are you saying that we should leave Calvin and let him die?!"

    "Yes, that''s right! We should let him die!"

    "What? Surrounded by those three bastards, do you think that he can still be saved? If we went there, we''re all going to die! Let him sacrifice himself for the greater good. Let''s go!"

    Jate coldly spat and turned around to walk towards the decontamination chamber leading to the Administration Block.

    But she stopped when she realized that no one was following her.

    Do they really want to die that much?

    "What are you doing standing there?! Once Calvin dies, we''ll be the next target!"

    She swept her gaze at the others and found that there were serious looks on their faces. Jate may be in a panic at this moment, but that didn''t mean that her mental faculties were impaired. She detected that there was something wrong, so she couldn''t help but ask.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "What''s wrong, you say? Even if we can reach the Administration Block, we will not be able to use the elevator since we do not have the keycard for the Security Room which will unlock the main elevators! In other words, we will still not be able to escape!" Medea exined.

    Jate''s face paled at once, "Shit! What should we do then?" Her knees went weak and she copsed onto the ground, apparently having lost all hope to live.

    Jane and Zahra had the same look as her. Earlier, they still had that tiny little hope of living but realizing that they still didn''t have the ess keycard and with Calvin facing certain death. These newbies suddenly lost hope and fell into despair.

    Even Hugo wasn''t an exception.

    But...

    He was the type that never gave up.

    Clenching his fists and gnashing his teeth.

    He turned to look at the others and dered, "I''ll do it! I''ll go back to try and save Calvin! If he''s dead, then I''ll retrieve his body along with that keycard, and if he''s alive... I''ll make sure to bring him back with us as well as that keycard!" His deration was quite bold and courageous.

    "No!"

    But unexpectedly...

    Someone denied his proposal.

    It was Jate.

    "What in the hell is wrong with you? What is wrong with rescuing Calvin? If it wasn''t for him we wouldn''t be alive for so long!" Hugo angrily barked.

    "So, what? What if he''s the reason why we managed to endure for so long in this godforsaken ce? Does that even matter? Keep in mind that this is a team effort! Even if he did contribute a lot, you can''t just say that his lone effort was the reason why we''re alive!"

    "Don''t you dare scream at me like that!"

    "You..." Hugo swept his gaze at the others.

    Scarlette, Jane, and Zahra hadplicated looks on their faces.

    But none of them dared to speak up.

    "You bunch of ungrateful bastards!" Hugo gnashed his teeth and decisively turned around.

    He then made a break for it towards the direction where Calvin was left behind.

    Medea turned to look at his disappearing figure and let out a sigh.

    Afterwards, she nced at the other women and said, "I''ll go ahead and follow him."

    Without waiting for their reply, she ran after Hugo.

    Despite the heavy injuries that she sustained, she still maintained a calm andposed look on her face. But she herself knew that she was incredibly nervous and afraid. But just because she was afraid didn''t mean that she could just abandon a teammate.

    She could recognize kindness when she saw one.

    She found out that when Calvin was helping them earlier. He was doing it all, not because he would have some benefits nor to impress the girls. It was because he genuinely did want to help them.

    This was why at this moment, Medea decided to follow after Hugo and try to save Calvin.

    Furthermore, even if they did fail to save Calvin she still had her own trump cards.

    Any woman out there had a secret or two that they would never tell anyone including their husbands. As a woman herself, Medea also had her own secrets and that was the reason why she managed to live for so long inside this asylum.

    The Butcher, The Benevolent Father, and Arthur Chase stood in front of Calvin.

    The Butcher was breathing heavily out of excitement, while Arthur Chase had a look of disdain on his face. Arthur Chase was never a man who could swing both ways, so when he discovered that the person they had cornered was a man instead of a woman that he could potentially toy with...

    He couldn''t help but scoff in disdain.

    The Benevolent Father, on the other hand, had a look of anger on his face.

    His other darlings in this asylum told him that Calvin nned on escaping with his heretic friends and he felt inexplicably angry realizing that Calvin wanted to renege on his promise. The Benevolent Father had the title Benevolent for he was indeed forgiving andpassionate.

    But...

    Calvin touched his reverse scale.

    Anything that involved his daughter must be taken seriously and with the highest priority.

    Calvin had promised that he would be in his daughter''s uing birthday party, but he was actually trying to renege on his promise?

    Unforgivable!

 Chapter 76: It Was Slander!

    Chapter 76: It Was nder!

    Jet-ck veins appeared on The Benevolent Father''s face.

    His figure trembled and a murderous aura radiated out of his body.

    The Butcher stretched his neck and said in a hoarse, yet grating voice, "I want his head... I need to take his head... We can''t let him have his head... We can''t let him keep his head!"

    Arthur Chase nced at him and boisterouslyughed. Arthur Chase still had that look of disdain on his face, but this time, he was blushing. As for the reason why there was a blush on his face. It was obviously because of the tent he was pitching beneath his pants.

    He felt ashamed that his body was reacting in front of a man.

    He wanted nothing but to kill Calvin in order to erase this shame.

    "I''m going to kill him!" He dered.

    The Benevolent Father cracked his knuckles, "I''ll have you kill him again once he''s dead."

    He started walking towards Calvin.

    A murderous look was on his face.

    Calvin had once worked as a custodian for Fivecent, so he knew what kind of a person the Benevolent Father was.

    Once he was angry, it was impossible for him to calm down unless he dirtied his hands with blood.

    The Butcher and Arthur Chase also moved. Of course, they stood several steps behind the Benevolent Father. They respected the Benevolent Father''s strength and they knew that they could never hope to defeat him. In this asylum, strength was thew and authority.

    The Benevolent Father who had overwhelming strengthpared to the two of them was a figure simr to that of a nation''s president.

    They respectfully followed him from behind but they didn''t bother hiding the looks of anticipation and excitement on their faces.

    Being surrounded by these three monsters from all directions, even Calvin couldn''t help but feel nervous.

    He swept his gaze around the area and discovered that the Butcher, Arthur Chase, and the Benevolent Father were spread out in a way that they could easily cover all of Calvin''s escape routes once he did try to escape. Bitterly smiling, Calvin let out a sigh.

    "Finally ready to die? Rx... I''m not that cruel. You once praised my daughter and even dedicated your eye of aesthetics for her. I will grant you an easy death at the least..." The Benevolent Father stared right at Calvin with his jet-ck eyes.

    A hideous smile appeared on his face as he said all of these.

    Calvin didn''t know what to say. Was he supposed to say thank you and let the Benevolent Father end his life?

    But why was Calvin just standing in front of the Benevolent Father?

    Why wasn''t he running?

    Calvin sure had his own trump cards, but this wasn''t the right time to use them.

    The Benevolent Father may be a perfect killing machine in the eyes of others, but for Calvin who was once a custodian of Fivecent. He was full of weaknesses. So long as Calvin could survive his first attack, Calvin was sure that he could escape from the hands of the Benevolent Father.

    But there was still a huge problem.

    It was the fact that the Security ess Keycard was still in the hands of Arthur Chase.

    In fact, even now, Calvin could see the keycard dangling from a strap wrapped around Arthur Chase''s waist.

    "You''re not going to leave anyst words, eh? In that case..." The Benevolent Father raised his arm and formed a stance. His stance was full of weaknesses and openings, but he didn''t care. After all, he was certain that Calvin couldn''t possibly survive his punch.

    "Farewell..."

    The Benevolent Father took a deep breath and unleashed a punch directly at the tip of Calvin''s nose. The Benevolent Father was once a medical student, so he knew where tond his attack in order to grant a painless death. In this case, his punch aimed to instantly crush Calvin''s brain stem.

    If that happened, his death would be instantaneous and he wouldn''t feel any suffering.

    But...

    Bang!

    "You..."

    The Benevolent Father''s punchnded, but the feedback that he felt on his fists didn''te from hitting human flesh.

    Instead of Calvin''s face, his punch struck the wall directly behind Calvin.

    The wall immediately copsed, sending clouds of dust of smoke flying into the air and lowering the visibility of the already dark area. Calvin took advantage of this opportunity to run away amidst the confusion. As for the reason why he managed to escape. He simply copsed his own knees.

    He knew beforehand where the Benevolent Father would likely strike to grant him a painless death. Using that information to his advantage, as soon as the Benevolent Father was about to unleash his powerful punch. Calvin instantly made his knees go weak as his body folded and fell onto his knees.

    He kneeled onto the floor, but this simple action that disyed nothing but fear became the reason why Calvin managed to dodge the Benevolent Father''s attack.

    "He''s..."

    The Benevolent Father retracted his fists and stared right at his right hand in confusion. But soon, enlightenment dawned upon him and he couldn''t help but smile in excitement.

    "How creative! To think that he managed to dodge my attack using such a method! But what a waste... He tried to renege on his promise for my daughter''s birthday party, so he doesn''t deserve to live." The Benevolent Father shook his head before he dispersed the cloud of dust with a p of his hands.

    The dust covering the area immediately dispersed, but he was astonished when he found Calvin standing there with a smile on his face.

    "You..."

    "You didn''t escape?"

    Calvin nodded, "Yes, there''s no reason for me to escape."

    "What?" The Benevolent Father was befuddled.

    "What you heard from your darlings was mere nder against me! I never had the intention to escape from this ce with those heretics..."

    "Everything was just a misunderstanding..."

    "It was nder!"

    Calvin righteously dered.

 Chapter 77: Superiority of Ideas

    Chapter 77: Superiority of Ideas

    "nder... you say?" The Benevolent Father whispered.

    Watching the shuddering jet-ck blood vessels on the Benevolent Father''s face, Calvin was sure that if a battle happened. It would absolutely be a one-sided ughter.

    To be able to be the scariest monster in Mount Spirit Sword Asylum; it was an understatement to say that the Benevolent Father was powerful.

    "nder...? Impossible... They can''t lie..." The Butcher said while heavily breathing. Arthur Chase''s disdain on his face intensified, but so was the tent he was pitching underneath his trousers. He seemed to be more aroused noticing that Calvin was trying to subterfuge his way out of death.

    Obviously, for Arthur Chase.

    The more Calvin struggled, the happier he would be.

    "Yes... They can''t lie... They can''t possibly lie... I trained them not to lie... We trained them not to lie!"

    Arthur Chase gasped, the tip of the tent he was pitching on his lower body seemed to have be wet due to a milky-white substance.

    Calvin took a deep breath.

    Out of the three, he could ignore Arthur Chase and the Butcher.

    But he couldn''t possibly ignore the Benevolent Father.

    Arthur Chase''s strength was his unusually huge stamina, while the Butcher''s strength was mostly based on his terrifying attacks that could easily pulverize an average human and his strong sense of smell which gave him the ability to track anyone in the area so long as he knew the scent of his enemies.

    Sure, they were powerful but what if their strength wasbined together to formed a single madman?

    Yes, that''s right.

    The Benevolent Father had what Arthur Chase and the Butcher could offer without their weakness.

    The Butcher may be strong, but his stamina wasn''t that huge. It was impossible for him to chase prey for an extended period of time.

    As for Arthur Chase...

    He may be fast and his stamina could be considered as the strongest out of the three.

    But his movements were predictable and he also had a ring weakness.

    His love for women.

    The Butcher and Arthur Chase had clear weaknesses, but even though Calvin could ignore the two, he couldn''t possibly let them go away.

    Calvin may not be appealing to Arthur Chase, but what about the other newbies?

    Calvin had to keep these three in check!

    He must do something to keep them here!

    Calvin''s mind madly spun and upon simting dozens of ns in a few seconds...

    He saw a suitable n to keep these three from going after the newbies.

    Taking a deep breath, he turned to the Benevolent Father and said, "I never once had the intention to leave without attending your gorgeous daughter''s birthday party. Everything that you heard from the other patients here is just nder against me."

    "Oh?"

    The Benevolent Father turned to look at Calvin and asked, "Why?"

    "Why would they lie and nder you in front of me?"

    "Because they are jealous!"

    "Jealous...?" The Benevolent Father''s interest was piqued.

    "Yes, they are jealous! They are jealous of me since I got the privilege to attend the birthday party of your gorgeous and beautiful daughter!"

    "That is why they are trying to sully my name!"

    "If they seeded, then I will be kicked out of the party and a slot will open for visitors that they could use so they can join the birthday party!" Calvin exined.

    The Benevolent Father raised his eyebrow.

    The Butcher grunted heavily but kept his silence.

    Arthur Chase red right at Calvin, "That''s..."

    He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could evenplete his sentence...

    The Benevolent Father sent him flying with a backhand p.

    Bang!

    A small explosion urred as Arthur Chase''s body collided against the wall.

    When he stood up, he was all bloody and his eyes red with murderous intent.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?" The Benevolent Father coldly spat.

    Arthur Chase who had experienced such a humiliation quickly swallowed his grief as he stood obediently like a student in front of his teacher. But Calvin could see that despite his subservient attitude, there was visible hatred in his eyes.

    The Benevolent Father must be able to see it too as clear as day, yet he didn''t do anything against Arthur Chase''s hatred.

    It was obvious that he, along with the others also thrived using negative energies and emotions.

    It didn''t matter where it came from, even if it came from his enemies or allies.

    But this hatred was exactly the most important part of Calvin''s ns.

    He reckoned that the Butcher and Arthur Chase were proud beings in this ce. If Calvin could tap on the hatred of the two against the Benevolent Father and manipte it to his own advantage. It was safe to say that Calvin could probably run away safely from these three bastards.

    But this idea was easier said than done.

    The three were united together by a bond called fear and dominance.

    This dominance was quite deep-seated, judging from the fact that Arthur Chase didn''t dare to express his grievance.

    But what will happen if the Butcher and Arthur Chase had the chance to fight the Benevolent Father with a significant chance of winning?

    Of course, they would fight!

    If they managed to defeat the Benevolent Father then they would be second to none in this asylum!

    But unfortunately, Calvin was just an average human.

    His physique may have been enhanced by the Goddess but he could only take two to three attacks at most from the Butcher and Arthur Chase, while his body would immediately copse if he received a single fully-powered strike from the Benevolent Father.

    Calvin had no idea how he could give the Benevolent Father a significant weakness that the Butcher and Arthur Chase could take advantage of, but he had an idea as to how he could force the two into fighting the Benevolent Father.

    After all, even a cornered rat would bite.

    If forced into a corner, Calvin reckoned that these two would fight it out against the Benevolent Father.

    But how could he cause them to fall out against each other?

    Of course, it would be through a struggle for the superiority of their ideas.

    If their ideas shed against each other, Calvin was certain that these three wouldn''t possibly reach a concession. The Butcher and Arthur Chase were prideful individuals, but the Benevolent Father was even more full of pride than them.

    Calvin lifted a smile.

    He turned to look at the Benevolent Father and said, "I will go with you to attend your daughter''s birthday party. But could you honor your previous promise of letting these heretics go? If they stayed here any longer they will just tarnish the birthday party that is about to unfold."

 Chapter 78: They Must Die!

    Chapter 78: They Must Die!

    Calvin''s figure never exuded a trace of fear.

    His remaining eye, which was his left eye also didn''t radiate any hesitation nor terror. His sincerity couldn''t be doubted and so, the Benevolent Father decided.

    "All right... It seems that my darlings actually had the gall to lie to me! Even if they were jealous, that doesn''t mean that they have the right to lie to me!" The Benevolent Father eximed.

    His repeated pantings made him seem as if he was out of breath, but Calvin knew that this was just the Benevolent Father trying to suppress his anger.

    Calvin nodded his head.

    He then walked towards the Benevolent Father and when he passed through Arthur Chase.

    He raised his arm and swiped at the Security ess Keycard hanging from his waist.

    "You..." Arthur Chase angrily barked.

    "Stop it!" The Benevolent Father yelled out, "Let him be... Let him take that card to bring to those heretics! I don''t want to see them in this sacred ce anymore." His voice made it obvious that it was impossible for anyone to change his mind, but Arthur Chase''s expression suddenly changed.

    Pulsating jet-ck blood vessels appeared throughout his body as he trembled and struggled to contain his anger.

    The Butcher furrowed what was left of his eyebrows and stared at Arthur Chase.

    Calvin took several steps backwards and silently prepared a stance.

    The situation suddenly became tense.

    But Calvin was full of joy.

    If this pattern continued, then he would be able to push Arthur Chase and the Butcher into the brink of madness to the extent that they would be willing to throw all pretenses and fight against the Benevolent Father.

    The patients in this asylum may be powerful and strong, but they were easily manipted.

    Calvin maintained a serious look on his face as he observed Arthur Chase, but before Arthur Chase could explode in anger.

    A voice rang out from the distance, followed by the appearance of a crumpled piece of paper.

    "What...?"

    Calvin softly uttered.

    "Aarb!"

    Hugo''s voice reverberated throughout the hallways and an indescribable shockwave burst from the piece of paper.

    The shockwave sent the Benevolent Father, the Butcher, and Arthur Chase flying back into the wall.

    Bang!

    Their sturdy figures directly copsed the brick wall of the sickroom.

    Meanwhile, Calvin felt himself being hoisted by a powerful force and when he turned to look closely at the person who picked him up. His eyes widened in shock for he realized that it was indeed Hugo who came here to rescue him.

    "Hugo! Why are you here? Damn it, why did you not run with the others? I told you to run for your lives, yet you came back here and even brought Medea with you? Have you gone senile?!"

    Calvin was angered by Hugo''s disy of camaraderie.

    Medea scattered wooden chairs and all sorts of obstacles in the empty hallways so they could temporarily stop the advance of those three monsters. But Calvin knew that what she was doing was futile. This was the reason why he got mad at them foring back to rescue him.

    His n was about to seed, yet it was ruined by Hugo who came at the perfect time...

    If he came a few minutester, then my n would''ve seeded!

    Calvinmented.

    But since the rice was already cooked, there was no turning back anymore.

    The best that they could do was to run all the way to the Security Room and use the keycard to ess the room and theputer that they could use to enable ess to the main elevators.

    "Don''t talk anymore, Calvin... We can''t possibly abandon you when we''re this close to escaping." Hugo replied.

    Calvin nced at Medea and discovered that she had the same look on her face.

    "Fine..." Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    The Butcher, Arthur Chase, and the Benevolent Father had finally recovered from the shock that they experienced. Their eyes shone in crimson murderous lights realizing that a bunch of weaklings managed to push them down to the ground.

    The Butcher heavily grunted...

    "Those bastards..."

    "They..."

    "They must die!"

    Blood dripped from Arthur Chase and the Butcher''s body.

    They stood up and were about to run after Hugo, Medea, and Calvin but they were stopped by the Benevolent Father.

    "Don''t..." The Benevolent Father said as he dusted his clothes clean.

    "Why?" The Butcher asked.

    His voice was still calm but it was obvious from his tone of voice that he was incredibly angry by the fact that the Benevolent Father had repeatedly stopped him from what he was about to do.

    "Let those darlings handle them... I want to see just how powerful those heretics are before I go ahead and take their lives!" The Benevolent Father said.

    His title made it seem to everyone that he was kind andpassionate. It was true, but only to a certain extent. Once angered, the Benevolent Father didn''t care about benevolence anymore.

    He was angered by Hugo''s actions of sending him flying backward crashing into the wall.

    The act itself wasn''t that of a problem, but when the Benevolent Father realized that the outfit that he specifically prepared for the birthday party became covered with dust due to what had happened. He couldn''t care less about his promise towards Calvin.

    Arthur Chase lifted his head and revealed a mysterious smile, "Aren''t you the one parroting about reneging and saying that you don''t like those that renege on their promises? But now, why is it that you''re nning on not going through your very own promise?" He said in a provocative voice.

    The Benevolent Father raised his head and stared right at Arthur Chase, "So what if I reneged? Can he do anything about it? He can''t! He became too full of himself! Just because I respected him due to his decisiveness of giving his eye of aesthetics to my daughter doesn''t mean that he can just disrespect us like this!" He growled in anger.

    His muscles bulged and his clothes looked like they were about to burst from their seams.

    "Ah! My clothes..." The Benevolent Father said in a panic as his figure instantly deted.

    Arthur Chase stared at him in anger before saying, "Since you do not consider me as one of your darlings, then I should be free to do whatever I want to do. I will go and chase after them. As for that woman..." Arthur Chase gulped a mouthful of saliva as his cheeks flushed crimson.

    The moment his eyesnded on Medea. He had thought that she was the one!

    She was the next one whose face shall he sully with his essence!

    He couldn''t wait until he captured her and painted his semen on her face!

    Ah...

    It would be a magnificent sight!

    Arthur Chase huffed and puffed as he stood there with jet-ck blood vessels dotted all over his body.

    The Butcher grunted heavily and took a step forward.

    He didn''t say anything, but his actions were obvious and clear to see for the Benevolent Father.

    "You two..."

    Cracking sounds suddenly came out of the Benevolent Father''s body.

    He undressed and carefully folded the clothes that he wore and then ced them onto the ground. This took time to describe, but the Benevolent Father''s actions were so fast and efficient that he was now stark-naked in just a blink of an eye.

    "Even now..." The Benevolent Father stared right at Arthur Chase and the Butcher.

    The pulsating jet-ck blood vessels dotted throughout his entire body leaked blood as his figure quickly became bloodied. However, despite his wretched appearance, his body never radiated an ounce of weakness.

    Instead, he seemed to be even more powerful than before.

    Afterwards, he took a deep breath and howled...

    "Both of you still dare to defy me?!"

    His voice pierced through the entire Mount Spirit Sword Asylum, causing everyone to flinch out of fear and Calvin to subconsciously gulp a mouthful of saliva.

 Chapter 79: Harrowing Reality

    Chapter 79: Harrowing Reality

    "This is bad..."

    Hugo whispered in shock.

    Out of everyone among the newbies, he considered himself as the most familiar one when it came to killing intent. The shout that reverberated throughout Mount Spirit Sword Asylum was embued with killing intent far stronger and heavier than he could even imagine.

    Sweat dotted his forehead as Hugo suddenly increased his pace.

    Medea had a grim look on her face.

    She wasn''t a greenhorn, so she knew the implications of that voice.

    What''s more, she also saw Arthur Chase among the monsters and Arthur Chase also discovered her.

    From the patient files that they had read from the Computer Lab in the Administration Block, Arthur Chase had a fascination for females and he also had an illness called Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome. Just falling in the hands of such a despicable bastard sent shivers down her spine.

    Calvin who rode piggyback on Hugo''s back reached out for the walkie-talkie hanging out from Hugo''s waist.

    He took it out and tried to use it, but he couldn''t hear anything other than static noise.

    "Shit..."

    "Those bastards must''ve used the signal jammer in the Watch Tower."

    Calvin softly cursed.

    "Calvin, what should we do?" Hugo asked.

    Calvin could see the struggle on Hugo''s face and he couldn''t help butment, "Hugo, am I that heavy? You can put me down, you know? I can run on my own."

    "No! I can''t put you down! Just stay there and answer my question! We''re about to reach the receptionist''s desk where the others are hiding." Hugo replied.

    Calvin nodded his head and didn''t argue with him anymore, "I managed to take the ess keycard for the Security Room just before you appeared with Medea. Goddamned it, thankfully you didn''t appear earlier, or else I wouldn''t be able to get the keycard!"

    "What?! Really? You have the keycard in your hands?" Hugo eximed in joy.

    "Yeah, I have it... All we need to do now is to get back to the Administration Block and unlock the main elevators using the Security Room to escape!" Calvin gave a positive reply.

    Medea heard what he said and she couldn''t help but speak up, "Will everything really be that easy? I saw dozens of patients earlier, and they must be lurking somewhere around here..." A worried look was subtly stered across her ice-cold expression.

    "Don''t worry! Most of those patients must''ve passed through the medical ward to go to the Art Room directly across the medical ward. I''m sure that the Benevolent Father invited those bastards here to have them help prepare for his daughter''s grand birthday party!" Calvin said.

    "Art room?" Medea furrowed his eyebrows. She couldn''t remember anything about the Art Room.

    "You don''t have to think too much about it! Just remember that we are safe! As long as we can open the main elevators in the next ten minutes, then we can sessfully escape from this ce!" Calvin urged. As far as he could remember, the Art Room was directly above the Vocational Block.

    In other words, it was just a few hallways from the Administration Block.

    Since it was so close, the mad patients of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum could catch up to them in less than three minutes.

    One may think that Calvin was being stupid for not telling Medea this vital information.

    But sometimes, a white lie was necessary for sess.

    If Calvin told her the truth, then she might unnecessarily panic!

    After all, she may look imposing at this moment, but she was still ultimately an ordinary young woman...

    An ordinary human being!

    It was the same in the case of Hugo.

    Hugo might be able to endure such pressure, but Calvin couldn''t risk it.

    In short, he decided that it was better for him to withhold such information.

    What''s more, Calvin was sure that even without that information. These newbies, along with Hugo and Medea would probably due their best to get the hell out of this ce as fast as possible.

    Calvin''s eyes shone in a shrewd light.

    The three soon arrived at the receptionist''s desk where the others were hiding.

    "Calvin!" Scarlette eximed in joy upon seeing that Calvin was safe and sound.

    Jane, Zahra, and Jate, on the other hand, had awkward looks on their faces. Particrly Jate who clearly didn''t expect that Calvin was still alive. She couldn''t help but inwardly curse for she felt that she had lost her face.

    But nevertheless, since everyone alive was already here...

    It was time for them to go.

    "Wait!"

    Calvin eximed.

    "What is it?" Hugo turned to look at Calvin.

    But Calvin didn''t bother on replying.

    He directly turned on theputer on the receptionist''s desk and essed the servers of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum through the username and password scribbled on a nearby post-it note.

    Typing in some words, several strings of words filled withplicated jargon appeared on the screen as Calvin eximed.

    "All right, it''s done! Let''s go!"

    Calvin then ran towards the decontamination chamber and opened it with a press of a button.

    Once inside the decontamination chamber, the hydraulics immediately did their work and disinfected the bodies of everyone within the chamber.

    Hugo took advantage of this downtime to ask, "What did you do earlier?"

    Calvin turned to look at him and realizing that everyone''s eyes were on him...

    He exined...

    "I closed every door above the floor where the Administration Block is located... That should buy us some time. But I reckon that it should only be a few minutes at most. Those madmen, it wouldn''t be a problem for them to copse the steel gates just so they could feast on us!"

    Calvin''s words astonished everyone.

    Jane shivered in fear, but she was quickly reassured when she realized that Calvin brought them some time.

    "That''s good... It''s good." Jate absentmindedly nodded her head.

    Medea furrowed her eyebrows and suspiciously stared at Calvin, "How do you know the password to the receptionist''s desk?"

    But her suspicions were swiftly dispersed by Calvin''s answer.

    "I found it written on a post-it note!"

    "I see..." Medea gave a small nod.

    At this moment, the decontamination chambers opened once again with a fizzling noise.

    Hugo stuck his head out and after checking that the coast was clear.

    They ran towards the Security Room. It didn''t take them that long to reach the Security Room, and with Calvin''s expertise, it only took them half a minute to open the main elevators for usage.

    Afterwards, the entire group made a break for it towards the Main Hall of the Administration Block.

    "Here is it!"

    Calvin eximed and swiftly pped his hand on the big red button beside the elevator doors.

    Ding!

    A clear and distinct sound rang out.

    What followed afterwards was the appearance of a transparent window floating in the air.

    [Congrattions! You have reached the final checkpoint necessary for thepletion of the final phase!]

    [However, since your group''s final phase difficulty was set at Impossible. A countdown of two minutes will begin before the arrival of the main elevators. Until the two minutes are up, do your best to survive!]

    [ess restrictions in every area have been lifted. You can now ess the following areas: Prison, Underground Lab, Recreation Area, Vocational Block - Art Room, Watch Tower, and Mount Spirit Sword Asylum Courtyard!]

    [The countdown will start in a few seconds...]

    [Please do your best to survive!]

    [Ongoing objectives have been updated.]

    [Current Objective: Survive for two minutes until the main elevators arrived.]

    [Good luck, candidates!]

    [Peace, out!]

 Chapter 80: Escape Plan

    Chapter 80: Escape n

    "The difficulty of our final phase has been set to Impossible? What is this? Who did...? Why? Why would they... Do they really want us to die that much?"

    Jate directly copsed on her knees realizing the harrowing reality that they were really sent here to die.

    Calvin''s calm andposed facade broke at this moment as he clenched his fists.

    His eyes went bloodshot as he raised his head and stare at the ceiling, "You bastards from Fivecent... Are you enjoying this? Are you entertained yet?!" He yelled with such vigor and volume that everyone''s attention turned to him.

    Soon, they all stood up and shouted at the ceiling.

    "That''s right! Why did you send us here if you want us to die? We came here to take advantage of the opportunity to clear our debts, but that doesn''t mean that we wanted to die!" Jane mustered her courage and shouted.

    Albeit, her voice was so small it seemed as if she was whispering than shouting.

    Scarlette also stood up and ranted, "So many... So many people have died just so we could escape... But now that we are about to escape, you are preventing us from escaping? Does that mean that you don''t want us to live? Do you bastards out there still have some conscience?!"

    Scarlette was a woman who had a proper upbringing.

    She didn''t want to curse and even disdained it, but at this moment...

    She knew that she had to curse.

    She had to curse in order to vent her feelings since she didn''t want to die as a ghost full of grievance and be stuck on this ce for all eternity, unable to return to the cycle of life and reincarnate.

    What they were doing seemed to be futile since a multinationalpany like Fivecent wouldn''t possibly listen to their cries. But unexpectedly, as soon as Scarlette finished her rant. Another transparent window appeared in front of everyone and it said...

    [Countdown will start in twenty seconds...]

    [19...]

    [18...]

    [17...]

    "It''s starting! We still have a few seconds to run! It''s good, we can run now!"

    Scarlette eximed in joy.

    But Hugo had a different opinion, "It''s not good..."

    "In a few seconds, we will still be swarmed by those bastards. They should''ve canceled this bullshit event and let us ride the elevator to safety. Fucking hell. I swear, I will bash the skull of that bastard who decided to set the difficulty of our final phase to Impossible..."

    Hugo''s eyes reddened as his chest violently heaved with emotions.

    "We lost half our members in a blink of an eye just because a bastard with authority decided that some of us needed to die! Fuck this! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Hugo howled.

    Everyone turned to look at him in astonishment.

    The first impression that everyone had of Hugo was that he was a man of dignity andposure.

    They had never seen him panic even once but at this moment...

    He was actually yelling out his frustrations like this?

    To think that a man like him had severalyers of personalities underneath.

    Everyone thought for sure that Hugo was a hired killer or an ex-convict, and that was the reason why they felt that they could never get close to Hugo since that endeavor seemed to be too dangerous.

    But right now, they were amused seeing him rant like this.

    However, their amusement wasn''t that significantpared to the despair that they were feeling in their hearts at this moment.

    Calvin took out a map that he had already memorized and handed it over to Hugo.

    Without saying anything, he walked towards the nearby corpses of security guards and took their guns.

    He then gave those guns to the others.

    "Memorize that map! We are going to use the route that I highlighted so that we can have those bastards follow us from behind, but we''re actually circling around the Administration Block! I predict that after this two minutes, we will end up in this staircase adjacent to the main elevators."

    Calvin pointed at the staircase and everyone followed his finger and line of sight

    Hugo nodded his head, "I''ve memorized it."

    "Good, keep that notebook and you lead the way for the others! I''ll clear a path with my gun!"

    Calvin checked the magazine and discovered that the gun had thirty bullets.

    When the group reached the vents that they needed to crawl through in order to reach the Church in the Administration Block marked on the map.

    Afterwards, they nned on going to the second floor of the Vocational Block through the use of the Church''s staircase and then going down back to the Main Hall of the Administration Block using the stairs directly beside the main elevators.

    The route that Calvin had outlined was the shortest route possible and it would take them roughly two minutes or more toplete the entire route. However, the ending was still the same.

    They would reach the stairs adjacent to the main elevators and then they could just jump in the main elevators and close the doors it to escape.

    Each and everyone in the group was full of adrenaline at this moment.

    They didn''t care about anything else.

    The women were the first ones to crawl into the vent, Jate was at the forefront while the others were behind her.

    Calvin raised his head and a beautiful scene was dimly revealed in front of him.

    "Jane... She''s such a timid and modest girl, but to think that she''s bold enough to wear ckced panties!"

    Calvin thought to himself, but then he suddenly revealed a bitter smile as he shook that silly thought.

    The number of dangers that he had experienced in his past lifetime reached several hundred times and their danger levels far outstripped the danger of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    Back then, Calvin even had to escape from the hands of a Great Demon!

    If a Great Demon was at Level 100.

    Calvin''s level at this moment should be at Level 1.

    The disparity was so great and that disparity was the reason why Calvin felt somewhat desensitized of dangers.

    He could recognize that Mount Spirit Sword Asylum was dangerous, but whenever hepared it to the magnitude of dangers that he had experienced back then. He could only shake his head and think that Mount Spirit Sword Asylum wasn''t really that dangerous.

    But since danger was rtive to an individual''s strength, Calvin didn''t know what to feel.

    In the end, he decided to take the dangers of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum seriously as the others.

    "It''s clear! There''s no one here!"

    Jate looked around their immediate area and discovered that there was no one loitering around.

    The group then exited the vent and they soon discovered a chapel with the statue of a beheaded saint.

    The statue had pulsating blood vessels all over its body and the fact that it had no head made it look creepier.

    "Any church is a sacred ce and it should fill us with warmth andfort. Yet, being in this ce makes me feel anything butfort. In fact, this ce gives me the creeps." Calvin softlymented.

    Everyone heard what he said and they couldn''t help but agree.

    Not willing to stay here any longer, the group quickly discovered the staircase that they needed to ascend in order to reach the second floor of the Vocational Block.

    But as soon as the group entered the second floor...

    They were surrounded by shadows in a blink of an eye.

    The mad patients had appeared!

    They had different colorful expressions on their faces.

    Some were curious, some had harsh looks, some excited, while some had traces of fear on their faces.

    But one thing was for sure...

    They had sessfully surrounded the group and the newbies were suddenly thrown into a dangerous situation without any warning!

 Chapter 81: The Two Minutes that Seemed to Be Longer than Eternity

    Chapter 81: The Two Minutes that Seemed to Be Longer than Eternity

    Calvin took out a piece of crumpled paper and hurled it at the patients behind him.

    Afterwards, he raised his gun and took a deep breath.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Boom!

    Three consecutive gunshots rang out along with a fierce explosion that sent a shockwave directly at those shadows.

    Before the others realized what just happened, Calvin had already unleashed four attacks in a row!

    The three bullets that he unleashed urately struck the brain stem of the madmen.

    They died on the spot!

    "Wha..."

    Jane copsed on her knees.

    She was the first one who awakened from her trance. She managed to raise her pistol and point it at the iing enemy, but she found herself unable to pull the trigger.

    Thankfully, Calvin''s assault arrived even before the patient could reach her.

    "Stop standing around! We have to move! This is just the start!" Calvin knew that the start of the patients'' assault must be on the second floor since the Vocational Block''s Art Room was located on the second floor. In other words, Calvin''s group would face the most resistance on this floor.

    If they wanted to sessfully escape and survive, then they must squeeze through the sprawled by the patients!

    Bang!

    Hugo finally recovered from the shock as he raised his gun and sent a bullet flying towards a patient who was trying to get up. However, his nerves were still disturbed by the sudden ambush of the patients so his aim erred and he missed his target.

    "Don''t waste your bullets! Don''t bother aiming for their heads if you can''t! Shoot their chests instead! These bastards may be scary, but they are not that durable after all the experiments done to them by Fivecent!" Calvin dered.

    Hugo sent another bullet flying at another patient. This time, he aimed for the chest.

    Puchi!

    A soft sound of flesh being torn rang out and the bullet directly tore the chest of the patient apart.

    Hugo''s eyes gleamed with understanding.

    His military training immediately showed its effects as he took control of the situation, "Stick together! Aim at the chest, these bullets are powerful and they can tear through the bodies of these madmen!"

    Hugo dered and he started shooting at the distant patients that were running towards them.

    Jane shakily stood up and mustered her courage to aim her gun at an iing patient.

    The madman had an excited look on his face, seemingly unaware of the danger.

    "Season the flesh! I want meat! Give me meat!" Saliva leaked out of the man''s mouth and his shout startled Jane who subconsciously squeezed the trigger.

    Bang!

    A gunshot rang out, but Jane''s shot had missed.

    Her aim was so unsteady that her shotpletely missed the target despite the fact that the man was only a few meters away from her.

    "Hieeek!" Jane cried out in a panic upon realizing that her enemy was still standing.

    Bang!

    Another gunshot reverberated.

    It came from Scarlette who had decisively pulled the trigger on her gun and directly shot the patient on his face.

    Blood and copious amounts of brain matter scattered as the patient directly copsed in front of Jane.

    The sight of the milky-white brain matter mixing with the crimson blood made her nauseous as she keeled over and dry heaved.

    "Are you okay? We''ve got to move! He''s already dead! It''s fine now!" Scarletteforted Jane.

    She stared right at Jane''s eyes and reassured her with her own eyes that everything was fine.

    Her method proved effective for Jane recovered from her trance.

    "Y-Yes... I''m okay now..."

    "Sorry..."

    "Sorry for being so useless..."

    Scarlette shook her head, "No... You''re not useless at all. It''spletely normal for you to be like this. Don''t say that you are useless. You''re not useless at all." She ruffled Jane''s hair before the two of them followed after the others who had gone several meters ahead.

    "Let''s go... We must descend from this second floor immediately."

    Calvin dered, "Follow closely and stick together. Do not wander off on your own. We must remember that there is strength in numbers. As long as we stick together then we can easily help each other. This ce is getting more and more dangerous!"

    Everyone nodded and they stuck even closer together to the point that their skins would touch in just a few steps.

    When Calvin saw what they did, he nodded in satisfaction before continuing their journey.

    ording to the map, they were still a few corridors away from the turn that would take them on thest hallway that they needed to take before the staircase adjacent to the main elevators.

    Hugo and Calvin stood in front of the formation and when they were about to take a turn for the next corridor. Calvin stopped the others from moving as he and Hugo checked the hallway.

    There, Hugo discovered the silhouette of a baby crawling alone in the middle of the hallway.

    The baby seemed to be humming some kind of a luby. Looking at the baby like this from a distance, the scene was mncholic and lonely. Hugo couldn''t help but feel pity for the baby who was probably born in a nightmarish ce such as this asylum.

    Hugo had killed several dozens of people in his entire lifetime, but no matter how cold-blooded he was...

    He couldn''t possibly kill a baby.

    He signaled to Calvin that the coast was clear and he was about to take a step into the hallway.

    After all, what could a baby due to adults like them?

    But as soon as Calvin saw the baby ying alone in the middle of the corridor.

    He directly dragged Hugo back by his cor and said, "Shit! You bastard! You almost killed us!"

    Hugo''s eyes widened in shock seeing the desperate expression on Calvin''s face, "Wha... What happened? Is there a trap in this corridor that can kill us all?"

    "Yeah, there is! It''s that baby! If I recall correctly, that baby should be a Tiyanak!"

    "A Tiyanak? What do you mean? What is a Tiyanak?"

    Medea was about to take a nce at the corridor but Calvin harshly pushed her aside.

    "Hide!"

    "All the women in the group... Hide!"

    "What...?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "Exin to us, Calvin!" Scarlette protested.

    Calvin clicked his tongue and exined, "A Tiyanak is a demon resembling a deformed fetus. They are created from the improper burial of stillborn infants. These monsters feed on women''s yin vital energy and they are incredibly relentless as well as ridiculously durable and fast!"

    "Thankfully, they are not particrly interested in men so Hugo and I won''t have a problem passing through this corridor... But you?" Calvin swept his gaze across the women in the team, "We need to find a way to hide the fact that all of you are women... We must let the Tiyanak think that you are men!"

    "S-Surely you are exaggerating... It''s just a baby! We have guns!" Jate thought that it was ridiculous.

    A single baby could kill them all?

    That didn''t make sense!

    "I thought that we''ve already talked about this several times already? Never question my judgment! My words are for the survival of everyone! I don''t want anyone to die anymore and that is why I want you to believe my words unconditionally..."

    "But fine!"

    "If you want to die that much, then go ahead... Cross this corridor as you are right now."

    "As far as I can remember, a single woman is enough to satisfy a Tiyanak for a few days. If you sacrificed yourself for us, then we will be able to escape unharmed..." Calvin suddenly lifted a wicked smile, "How about it? Can you go and sacrifice yourself for us so we can escape?"

    "Y-You... You''re being unreasonable!" Jate pointed her finger at him.

    "Yeah, call me unreasonable or whatever as long as you will listen to my words."

    Calvin rolled his eyes at her and proceeded to ignore her words as she turned to look at the others and asked, "Do you guys have any idea on how we can have you pretend as men so we can pass through this corridor?"

    Jane, Zahra, and Scarlette as well as Medea fell into deep contemtion.

    Even Hugo who couldn''t care less about thinking also thought about the issue.

    Meanwhile, Calvin took another peek at the next corridor to confirm the situation but then he received another shock when he realized that there was indeed a Tiyanak in the corridor.

    But...

    It wasn''t a single Tiyanak, but a dozen Tiyanaks!

    "Shit..."

    Calvin''s blood went cold.

 Chapter 82: The Two Minutes that Seemed to be Longer than Eternity(2)

    Chapter 82: The Two Minutes that Seemed to be Longer than Eternity(2)

    Calvin suppressed the gasp that was about toe out of his mouth.

    He took a step backward and retreated.

    The Tiyanaks in the distance didn''t even notice his presence.

    He heaved a sigh of relief, "Thankfully, these bastards are only interested in women. If not, then I''m sure that the moment I peeked my head out to look at them, they would''ve already detected my presence."

    "As far as I could remember, these Tiyanaks treat men simr to that of a rock..."

    "They don''t care about men at all!"

    "But just how can I have these women masquerade as men?" Calvin thought to himself.

    "Calvin, are you okay?" Hugo realized that Calvin''s expression seemed to be pale.

    He couldn''t help but feel concerned, so he asked.

    "I''m good, but our situation is not... There are a dozen of Tiyanaks out there!"

    Calvin sternly dered.

    "What? A dozen?! How are we going to pass through this corridor? Shit..."

    Jate uttered a curse. Her face was full of terror and fear.

    She could already imagine herself being sucked dry by those monsters.

    "Calm down, everything''s not over yet... We can still do something." Calvin replied.

    "What do you mean?" Jate turned to look at him in curiosity.

    "As I said, we must do something to make these Tiyanaks think that you are men!" Calvin exined.

    "A disguise, you mean?" Zahra interrupted.

    Calvin nodded his head, "Yes, we need a disguise. But not just any disguise. It needs to be incredibly convincing. These Tiyanaks can detect the smell of women if they are in close proximity with them, so we need a disguise that would not only change your appearance, but also your smell..."

    Zahra, Scarlette, and Jane pondered...

    Jate had a frown on her face as she fell into deep contemtion.

    Hugo didn''t even bother about thinking anymore for he realized that the issue was far moreplicated than his brain could understand.

    Calvin''s eyes swept around the empty corridors beforending on a door. Without saying anything, he approached that door and under the eyes of everyone...

    He opened the door.

    "Wha..."

    The scene beyond the doors was incredibly nauseating. If not for the fact that most of them were already desensitized when it came to grizzly scenes like this, all of them would''ve dry heaved or even worse, vomited outright the moment this scene was revealed in front of them.

    Inside the room was another mountain of corpses.

    Judging from the clothes, these corpses seem to be the corpses of the security guards of the Asylum.

    From the slick and sticky blood on the ground, it was obvious that they had just recently died.

    The room was an office dedicated to the auditor of the Asylum.

    It was quite huge, and its size was unexpected for everyone who expected a small office due to the fact that the door to this room was somewhat unassuming. Calvin stepped inside. The others were unwilling to stay outside without Calvin so they also went inside the room.

    The women of the group were now used to the sight of corpses.

    But that didn''t mean that they werefortable around them.

    Jane covered her mouth, while Scarlette had a pale look on her face.

    Medea, Jate, and Zahra looked better than the two of them but one could still see the difort on their faces.

    "What are we doing here, Calvin?" Scarlette asked.

    Everyone turned to look at Calvin out of curiosity, but Calvin didn''t even spare them a nce.

    He walked towards the wooden desk behind the mountain of corpses and found stationary tools such as a pen, sharpener, and a scissor. He took the scissor from the desk and handed it over to Scarlette before smiling to the others.

    "I found a solution that we can use so we can get past those monsters!"

    "What is it? Does it involve this scissor?" Scarlette absentmindedly asked.

    Calvin nodded his head and exined, "Yes! With that scissors, I want you girls to cut your hair short like a man! What''s more, I will also use that scissor to remove the uniform of these security guards. I''m sure that if you girls wore the clothes of these guards those Tiyanak''s won''t be able to smell anything apart from rotting flesh!"

    Calvin had a look of excitement,parable to that of a child that had just discovered a new toy.

    But as soon as hepleted his exnation, the faces of the women changed as they gulped a mouthful of saliva and nced at the corpses on the ground.

    "Is... Is it absolutely necessary for us to wear their clothes? Can''t we just cut our hair short?" Jane asked with hesitation.

    But Calvin shook his head and replied, "I understand your concerns, but we are on the border of life and death at this moment. We can''t possibly hesitate and be wishy-washy! We need to do what we must to survive. That is why I want you all to do what I said, right now!"

    Calvin''s voice made it obvious that he wasn''t willing to take a no for an answer.

    Scarlette decisively nodded her head and she was the first one to cut her hair.

    Afterwards, she squatted down and under the astonished gazes of everyone.

    She stripped the clothes of a nearby corpse.

    She then proceeded to remove her clothes in front of everyone.

    Apart from her underwear, she removed all articles of clothing and reced it with the clothes from the corpse.

    When she was done...

    "Wow..." Jane softly uttered.

    "What is it?" Scarlette finally snapped out of her reverie and realized what she had done.

    To think that she actually stripped in front of Calvin!

    She surreptitiously nced at Calvin and found that there was this encouraging smile on his face. His smile seemed simr to the smiles of parents whenever their child did something admirable or worthy of praise.

    Scarlette''s lips repeatedly twitched, she didn''t know why but being treated like a child by Calvin made her feel bitter.

    But since there was nothing that she could do about it. She just turned her head away from Calvin and kept her silence.

    With an example already set, the others soon followed.

    Despite the clear disgust on their faces, the women still did as they were told and soon, they came out of the room.

    "Hugo, listen to me..."

    "Once we are near those Tiyanak''s do not attack them. These Tiyanak''s are yful and even if they do not have the intention to hurt us, they will fake a charge at us. When they do that, never ever attack them because if you counter-attacked, they will immediately treat us as their enemies. When that happens, then probably at least half of us will die..."

    Calvin gave a stern warning.

    Hugo nodded his head.

    Calvin swept his gaze at the women and said, "Remember what I said earlier... Never let these Tiyanak''s know that all of you are women. We will charge through this corridor as fast as we can... Also, you must make sure to never step on them! If you step on them, then they will be angry at you and will possibly kill you instantly even if you''re not a woman!"

    The women nodded.

    The group soon reached a decision and they jogged right at the crowd of Tiyanaks.

    The Tiyanaks bounced happily around each other as if they were ying, but as soon as they heard the sound of iing footsteps. They all turned to look at Calvin''s group and at that moment.

    The pale faces of the Tiyanaks'' underwent a transformation.

    Their snow-white skin became tinged with crimson as jet-ck blood vessels filled their bodies. An oppressive aura came from them and everyone suddenly felt their movements be sluggish.

    The temperature within the hallway also went down in an instant and they all felt as if they were inside a thousand-year-old icy cavern.

    "Ah..." Jane bit her tongue to suppress the scream that threatened toe out of her throat.

    Hugo directly covered the mouth of the mentally unstable Jate while Zahra and Scarlette tightly clenched their fists until their nails dug deep into their palms. The scene in front of them was just too scary, and these Tiyanaks were incredibly intimidating.

    They were scared...

    Extremely scared.

    But seeing the steadfast back of Calvin who kept on running towards those Tiyanaks with the goal to slip past through these monsters, the group suddenly surged with newly-discovered strength.

    The hallway only had a single route and they had to go forward.

    None of these newbies had the n to slow down for they knew that if they tarry even for a second longer, they would absolutely be surrounded by these curious Tiyanaks.

    Fortunately, their n seemed to have worked for the group managed to reach the end of the corridor without any problems.

    But as soon as they took a turn into the next corridor...

    Slick footsteps rang right into their ears.

    Calvin raised his head to see what was going on and he saw a man pushing a stretcher with a corpse towards their direction. The body on top of the stretcher had its entire body covered so it was obviously a dead person.

    But that wasn''t the reason why the group was thoroughly astonished by the scene unfolding in front of them.

    It was because the tall man d in white personal protective equipment clothes from his neck to his ankles had an extremely scary expression. His lips were cracked open with a creepy smile as if he wasn''t pushing a dead body, but food that he was about to consume.

    "Stop!" Calvin hurriedly stopped in his tracks, but the others weren''t able to react that fast.

    Hugo who was running at full speed collided against Calvin''s back.

    The force pushed towards the stretcher which made the stretcher wobble, dropping the corpse onto the ground.

    The tall man abruptly froze.

    Jet-ck blood vessels quickly covered his face as Calvin let out a gasp.

    "The Mortician!"

 Chapter 83: The Two Minutes that Seemed to be Longer than Eternity(3)

    Chapter 83: The Two Minutes that Seemed to be Longer than Eternity(3)

    The Mortician could also be considered as a monster just below the big three in Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    He was far powerful than the average patients, but he also had a special ce in Mount Spirit Sword Asylum. He may not be as strong as the Benevolent Father, Arthur Chase, and the Butcher but none of these three dared to offend him.

    It was because the Mortician was a madman.

    He was a known corpse collector and none of the patients, even the big three knew what he did with those corpses. All they knew was that the Mortician liked to collect them and he strived to keep the cleanliness of the asylum like the Butcher.

    Speaking of corpses, Calvin''s group had just encountered a mountain of corpses earlier.

    Perhaps, the reason why they bumped into the Mortician was that the Mortician was going towards that room and they were coincidentally using the same route as the Mortician. No matter what the reason was, there was something certain in their current situation.

    This was bad...

    After all, if the Mortician was here, those cultists should be nearby!

    Calvin''s mind madly spun.

    They could not turn around for the Tiyanaks were behind them, but they also couldn''t move forward for the Mortician was right in front of them. With the appearance of the Mortician, those cultists would be here soon. As the leader of that cult, the Mortician couldn''t possibly be alone.

    Once they were surrounded by those cultists, it would be game over for Calvin and the entire group.

    Calvin took a piece of crumpled paper and hurled it at the Mortician.

    "Kyo, gawas... Release!" Calvin made a gesture with his fingers and uttered an incantation.

    In a blink of an eye, the piece of crumpled paper transformed into a fire dragon that swallowed the Mortician whole!

    "Let''s get the hell out of here! Run!"

    Calvin then gave hismand as he rushed past the Mortician. The others followed suit, they didn''t dare to slow down at all as they struggled to keep up with Calvin''s pace.

    "He''s fast!" Hugo couldn''t help butment upon seeing Calvin''s speed. Hugo''s specialty may not be cardio, but he considered himself as a fast runner.

    But Calvin''s speed was double, No triple than him! He sped through the entire corridor as Hugo clicked his tongue and matched his pace with the others.

    He couldn''t possibly increase his speed anymore for that would mean that he would leave the others behind. These women may be strong-willed but in the face of the monsters in this nightmare of an asylum. They couldn''t possibly stand a chance!

    Scarlette and the others saw that Hugo was matching their pace and they couldn''t help but feel grateful. They hated themselves for judging Hugo as a dangerous man back when their nightmare in this ce had just started.

    But while they were feeling grateful towards Hugo''s gesture, Jate suddenly interrupted their train of thought.

    "What is that?"

    Medea''s expression paled upon seeing the bright lights near the end of the corridor. Those lights looked dim and ethereal. It seemed as if they could vanish at any moment. However, despite the weak light that they emanated. Medea felt a shiver down her spine upon seeing those lights.

    The group continued on and upon reaching about ten meters before those bright lights, they could finally see the pale faces within those lights. Medea stopped running and shouted at Calvin, "Calvin stop! Those lights are Santelmos!"

    Hugo detected the panic in Medea''s voice. Veins bulged on his knees as he leaped after Calvin and dragged him to stop. However, Calvin''s speed didn''t decrease at all.

    In fact, he was angered that Hugo stopped him from running as heined, "Santelmos aren''t that dangerouspared to that tall man earlier... Just slip past them all and make sure to not let their ethereal firesnd on your body and it''ll be good!"

    Santelmos, also known as Saint Elmo''s Fire were monsters born from the resentment of countless damned souls in the asylum.

    They were slow-moving balls of light and it wasn''t that hard to evade them, but the most terrifying attribute that they had was that once they touched something with a physical form.

    Their ethereal fire would consume that object or person until nothing was left but dust.

    And their ethereal fire was also inextinguishable.

    In other words, touching one of these Santelmos meant certain death.

    Medea was dumbfounded.

    In her shock, she didn''t notice that a ball of Santelmo had appeared in front of her and blocked her path in the hallway.

    But before she could even react, Calvin threw another piece of crumpled paper and a fire sprung, swallowing the Santelmo and quickly extinguishing its ethereal fire.

    "What are you doing standing there like a sitting duck? Come here! Hurry!" Calvin gestured for the others and the group ran like madmen through the corridors. They didn''t feel tired, but it was probably because of the adrenaline coursing through their veins at this moment.

    Even though they couldn''t understand Calvin''s words, all that they had to know was that this corridor was dangerous.

    They had to get the hell out of this ce as fast as possible.

    The next corridor had a fork.

    The map told the group that they must turn left.

    But just as they were about to reach the fork, they suddenly heard the sound of footsteps tapping onto the ground in a particr rhythm. They turned to look at the right corridor and each and every one of them froze upon seeing the group of people.

    The group of people was humming sad tunes, and they also wore mourning clothes.

    They wailed and wailed, but there were no tears. In fact, they seemed to be happy about what was going on. Paper money, as well as rice, was being thrown about as they danced around the portrait of a person ced on top of a pedestal.

    The person depicted in the portrait was a particrly handsome man.

    However, when one stared into his eyes, they could see the madness brewing from within.

    His madness wasn''t the madness of a man that had gone senile or descended to insanity. It was a different kind of madness that had the intention to swallow the world and paint it with the colors of despair.

    "This is bad!" Calvin gasped for air.

    His fist tightened until his palm looked pale and devoid of blood.

    They were indeed those cultists whose appearance he feared!

 Chapter 84: A Heros Final Moments

    Chapter 84: A Hero''s Final Moments

    "What''s wrong? What''s going on? What are they doing...?"

    Hugo saw the oddity unfolding in front of him and he couldn''t help butment.

    The others also realized that something was off.

    The Santelmos chasing after them had mysteriously vanished as soon as they heard the soon of heavy footstepsing from these madmen in the right corridor.

    "Are they different from the other patients here?" Medea asked with an unusually serious voice.

    "Yes... These bastards... They are members of the New People''s Revtion. It''s a cult! Their leader was that man pushing a stretcher earlier! Since the procession is here, it can only mean one thing..."

    "That person earlier is about to arrive here and we need to get out of this hallway as fast as possible!" Calvin exined.

    "Then, we''d better move on," Hugo replied.

    The Santelmos had been scared off by the procession of the New People''s Revtion so the hallways behind them didn''t have any enemies. But they couldn''t possibly turn around for they would definitely cross paths with the Mortician from earlier!

    If that happened, then they might as well bite their tongue andmit suicide.

    The Mortician was an incredibly sadistic and cruel man.

    Any person that he had capturedsted for at least a week before being given the permission to die.

    In fact, the Mortician wasn''t only responsible for keeping the cleanliness of the asylum.

    He was also the head chef of the entire asylum!

    It was easy to imagine the fate of those that he captured and died from his hands. They were probably within the sewers at this moment after they were transformed into ground meat and eaten by the patients here.

    Calvin took a deep breath.

    He shoved the small notebook containing the map of the remaining corridors that they needed to go through as he swept his gaze at the others and dered.

    "All of you, go ahead... I''ll stay here and buy us some time."

    Calvin then turned to look at the cultists.

    He took out several pieces of crumpled paper from his pocket and prepared to meet the cultists halfway when Hugo dragged him back, "What the fuck are you saying? If we''re going to get out of here, then you''re going with us! We''re so close to sess! We can''t let you die!"

    Medea also nodded her head in agreement.

    But Calvin pushed Hugo''s chest and sent him staggering backward.

    Afterwards, he hurled a piece of crumpled paper at the cultists and barked at the others, "Quick! Move! I''ll dy them! The next corridors should be safe now due to the presence of these bastards! We''ll see each other in the main elevators!"

    "Don''t be stupid... We''re going together!" Hugo was about to drag Calvin once again but Calvin dodged him.

    "I''ll catch up in a few moments, I''ll just dy them for a bit... Just go ahead... All of you... go!"

    Calvin''s voice was now tinged with anger.

    "No!" Hugo and Medea eximed at the same time.

    "We do not have the time to argue! Let''s believe Calvin''s words! He''ll definitely be with uster, let''s go now! I can feel something approaching us from behind!" Jate couldn''t hold herself back anymore as she pulled Hugo''s arms away from Calvin.

    The others remained silent.

    Of course, they wanted Calvin to go with them.

    But if Calvin didn''t sacrifice himself to dy these cultists...

    Who would go?

    Them?

    Impossible!

    They didn''t want to die.

    They were still so young!

    They still had a lot to do in this world... They can''t possibly die!

    Jane and Zahra clenched their tiny fists until their nails dug into their palms.

    Scarlette gnashed her teeth and suddenly lunged at Calvin and nted a kiss on his face.

    "Come back safely, okay?"

    These words came from Scarlette''s heart as she ran towards the fork and took a turn towards the left corridor.

    Jate quickly followed after her, unwilling to stay in this dangerous corridor for any longer.

    Hugo and Medea stared right at Calvin.

    Calvin lightly chuckled, "Just go! Trust me... I''ll be back... Don''t be silly and go ahead with the others already..."

    He even yfully winked at Medea.

    Medea didn''t know what to say.

    But she seemed to have reached a decision.

    She turned her back towards Calvin and made a break for it towards the left corridor.

    Hugo gnashed his teeth.

    His raw emotions surfaced in his eyes.

    No words were exchanged, but Calvin could see the message that Hugo wanted to say to him.

    "Yeah... Go ahead... I''ll be fine." He patted Hugo''s shoulders before turning to look at Zahra and Jane, "The two of you, stick close to Hugo... He''ll be able to protect you while I''m not there... This man may not be that strong mentally, but he''s quite a strapping man..."

    "He''s strong enough to protect you all."

    "Why..." Jane suppressed her tumultuous emotions, "Why are you saying something like that?"

    "You..."

    "You''re nting a g!"

    "nting a g?"

    Calvin revealed astonishment for a second, she didn''t expect that Jane actually knew such a lingo.

    "Don''t be silly... I''ll be safe... I may look like a scrawny young man in your eyes, but I''m quite resourceful and creative. I can survive this and be with you guys in the Main Hall." Calvin ruffled the hair of Jane and Zahra before pushing them towards the direction of the left corridor.

    Both women didn''t say anything anymore.

    After all, Calvin had already decided.

    They took one final nce at Calvin before decisively running after the others.

    "Hahaha..." Staring at the direction where the others had disappeared, Calvin let out a smallugh, "Damn... Why did they treat me as if I am a hero that''s already in my final moments? Are they not really that confident about my chances of winning?" He whispered to himself and shook his head.

    But unexpectedly, a reply came out of nowhere.

    "Well, of course, with how weak you look. They probably thought that your matchstick like body can''t stand a single blow from these bastards!"

    The voice came from Dandelion who had been in hibernation until now.

    "Oh, you''re finally awake?"

    "Yeah..." Dandelion replied with a cold snort.

    Calvin gave a smile and said, "Are you ready?"

    Dandelion''s answer came a secondter, but his answer was positive.

    "Yeah..."

    "I''m ready..."

    Calvin nodded his head, "All right... Since you''re ready..."

    "Let''s activate the grand formation and stomp these bastards!"

    Calvin eximed before taking out a piece of paper from his pocket.

    Unfurling the crumpled piece of paper, a silvery-white light shone from the paper and an indescribable might seemed to have descended out of nowhere.

    The might brought with it a boundless pressure that instantly silenced the noise of the cultists'' procession.

    The cultists turned to look at Calvin''s direction and they could vaguely see the image of a gigantic ancient sword floating behind him.

    At this moment, Dandelion''s voice rang out.

    "Don''t get too crazy now... The grand formation onlysts for half an hour, and we must escape from this ce before we run out of time, or else everything would be for naught!"

    "I know..."

    Calvin simply nodded his head towards Dandelion''s words.

    Then, without any warning.

    He leaped into the air and like a wolf jumping into a herd of sheep...

    He steamrolled every member of the New People''s Revtion cult with his fist!

 Chapter 85: Jebaited

    Chapter 85: Jebaited

    Calvin dragged the unconscious members of the New People''s Revtion cult towards a nearby room.

    Afterwards, he made sure to lock the doors of the room before going back outside.

    Then, he walked towards the corridor where he met the Mortician.

    The Mortician was a powerful demon, but he wasn''t as strong as the Benevolent Father, The Butcher, and Arthur Chase.

    But this was the reason why Calvin wanted to meet the Mortician.

    Since he wasn''t as strong as these three, he could safely contain the Mortician''s soul into a piece of paper through the use of Runecrafting. However, in order to do that, he must lure the Mortician into taking action against him.

    "Where are you going?" Dandelion suddenly asked.

    He noticed that Calvin was walking towards the opposite direction of the main elevators situated in the Main Hall.

    "I''m nning on capturing the soul of that Mortician that we met earlier," Calvin exined.

    "That Mortician? Do you mean, Ivan Ivanovich Ivanovsky?"

    Dandelion asked in a weird tone of voice.

    "What? Do you know him? Wait, that name... I think I''ve heard that name somewhere before." Calvin casually pondered as he walked through the empty, cold, and dark corridor of the Vocational Block''s second floor.

    Dandelion thought that Calvin''s actions were strange. It didn''t make sense.

    But when he remembered Calvin''s true identity...

    Dandelion could do nothing other than shake his head and bitterly smile.

    It waspletely normal for Calvin to be unfazed about his current situation since he was a man that had endured everything that a person could possibly endure in the entire world.

    Dandelion still doesn''t understand the severity of Calvin''s past experiences, but he knew that Calvin couldn''t possibly be ordinary.

    After all, it was impossible for someone to be an Author of Fate if they were nothing but average.

    Dandelion was sure that Calvin was destined for greatness.

    One could even say that Calvin''s clear future was one of the reasons why Dandelion decided to follow him and be his Blessed Artifact.

    Calvin continued on walking and he suddenly noticed someone approaching him from a distance.

    The man was d in a jet-ck coat and arge bag was in his hands. The bag looked heavy, and it was hard to tell what was being carried from a distance. The man didn''t expect that someone was walking here in such an empty corridor.

    He stopped for a moment  reached out to pull the rim of his hoodie attached to his coat in order to cover his face before continuing his walk towards Calvin''s direction.

    "Hello there, sir... Don''t mind me, I''m just passing by." Calvin gave a greeting. His voice was soft and filled with timidness against the stranger but since the hallway was empty and devoid of any noises. Calvin''s voice rang loud and clear, the stranger definitely heard his greeting.

    The shady man nodded his head and the two continued their journey. Calvin''s goal was to find the Mortician, while the man''s goal was unknown. Despite the silence floating between the two, Calvin''s nerves were stretched taut. The hallway was wide, but his nervousness seemed to have made him senile for he still managed to bump into the stranger.

    "Ah... Sorry!"

    Calvin quickly apologized but his expression shifted when he noticed that blood had leaked out from the bag.

    Both Calvin and the stranger noticed the blood seeping out of the bag.

    Calvin instantly felt a shiver down his spine.

    His eyebrows scrunched together, his knees trembled, while his body subconsciously leaned backwards  away from the stranger who was carrying therge bag. All of his actions implied that he was trying to escape. In a fluster, Calvin turned around and jogged back towards the corridor where he came from.

    Panic, anxiety, and fear... Various emotions were disyed on Calvin''s body through his subtle bodynguage and micro changes in his expression. If the Oscar Awards were avable in the world of Las Felipinas, Calvin would''ve probably won it for himself due to how good he was in acting.

    His panicked reaction, as well as his erratic jogging that made him look like he could fall at any moment, made him look like a genuine victim. Of course, the shady stranger studied Calvin''s face and his entire body.

    Calvin surreptitiously nced at the stranger and discovered that there was a cruel smirk on the man''s lips.

    Calvin was incredibly familiar with this smirk.

    As someone who had the weakest ss in the world of Las Felipinas, he had often encountered this expression. This smirk was the smile of a predator who had found the perfect unsuspecting prey.

    Calvin took the next left turn so he could reach the corridor before the fork that would lead him back to the Administration Block.

    But just as he made his turn...

    The man that should''ve been following him from behind was now unexpectedly in front of him!

    Being in such close proximity to the stranger, Calvin noticed that the man was quite tall.

    The smell of disinfectant was also being constantly radiated from his body.

    The man proceeded to remove the hoodie that covered his expression.

    His actions exposed the X-shaped wound on his left cheek and the scar that ran diagonally from his left eyebrows towards his right chin. The disfigurement took away some of the man''s charm, but that didn''t matter at all for Calvin.

    It was because the man didn''t seem to be living human. Instead, he seemed to be more of a beast trying its best to contain its murderous and feral nature.

    "My friend... Can we talk for a moment?" The man gave a cruel smirk.

    The X-shaped scar on his left cheek seemed to throb with life as the man addressed Calvin.

    "Wha... What is it?" Calvin asked with clear nervousness in his voice.

    "Did you see what''s inside of my bag?"

    Calvin almost immediately answered, "No... I didn''t... I didn''t see anything!" Calvin''s actions may have been filled with panic but he was telling the truth. He only saw the fresh blood leaking out from the bag, nothing else.

    "Really?" The man opened therge bag and dropped it to his side. The fact that he opened the bag and the force generated when it collided with the ground made the contents of the bag spill onto the ground. Calvin revealed an astonished and terrified look.

    The contents of the bag were fresh human organs!

    "Now... You''ve seen what''s inside." The man took out the scalpel that he had hidden on his back. He stared right at Calvin and enjoyed the despair and terror twirling within Calvin''s eyes before heunched his attack. He lurched forward with the de, aiming at Calvin''s chest.

    He was prepared to hear Calvin''s miserable shriek, but when the scalpel was a few inches away from Calvin''s chest.

    Calvin suddenly grabbed his wrist.

    The powerful force mping his wrist made the stranger wince in pain.

    At this moment, the fear and terror radiating from Calvin''s eyes had disappeared.

    It was reced with excitement that should''vee from him instead of Calvin!

    What was going on?

    Before he could think deeper into what was happening...

    Calvin raised his knee and struck him squarely at his chest.

    "Guah!"

    The impact was so powerful that the man''s lungs instantly deted from the attack.

    His consciousness swam, and before he could lose consciousness.

    He saw the vague silhouette of a gigantic ancient sword floating behind Calvin.

    "I''m sorry, Mr. Mortician... But you''ve lost from the very beginning..."

    "It''s checkmate..."

    "You never stood a chance from the start."

    Calvin lifted a small smile. He then crouched beside the fallen Mortician and swiftly absorbed the Mortician''s damned soul into the vessel that he had prepared beforehand.

 Chapter 86: Turn of Events

    Chapter 86: Turn of Events

    Hugo, Jane, Zahra, Scarlette, Jate, and Medea jogged for quite a long time, yet they still haven''t met any other patients. The countdown of two minutes signified the start of the danger, and its end should also signify the end of the dangers and the final phase.

    Everyone in the group was sure that the two minutes had passed, it should be rtively safe now to continue their journey.

    Hugo signaled for the others to temporarily rest and they all took a turn towards a nearby bathroom. The bathroom was for males, but no one really cared about decorum or conventions at this point in time. All of them only had a single wish at this moment.

    It was to get out of this ce as soon as possible.

    Then, if that was true... Why did Hugo lead them to the bathroom?

    Well obviously, it was because he realized that the others were running out of juice.

    It was an understatement to say that Hugo''s stamina was reliable. After all, he had a military background. His years of training in those facilities and the assortment of drugs that they injected into Hugo to turn him into an absolute killing machine has to be good for something.

    But these women were just average human beings.

    Some of them were only ordinary officedies before Fivecent reached out to them.

    Of course, they had their own ws and faults, but no one could question their humanity.

    Compared to them, Hugo wasn''t even human anymore.

    Considering this fact, Hugo decided to lead them to a nearby bathroom that looked rtively safe.

    The girls huffed and puffed as they desperately gasped for air.

    Medea scrunched her eyebrows and said, "Why did we make a turn here? Shouldn''t we go for the main elevators in the Main Hall of the Administration Block as fast as possible? We''re not even in the Administration Block yet, but why are we stopping?"

    Hugo turned to look at Medea in astonishment, "You... Are you not tired at all?"

    Medea was startled by Hugo''s questioning, but she didn''t show any change of expression on her face.

    "I am tired, but do we really have the leeway to feel tired? We can''t stop here! We must continue... right now!"

    "Calm down, Medea... You may not be tired, but we are too exhausted to continue... I can''t take it anymore... We need to rest." Scarlette interrupted the chat that could erupt into a quarrel at any moment.

    Medea was never an unreasonable woman.

    Seeing that the others were indeed too tired to continue, she shrugged and didn''t continue with the issue anymore.

    She took the walkie-talkie strapped on her back and started fiddling with it.

    "You''re going to try and contact Calvin?" Hugo asked.

    Medea simply nodded her head and used the walkie-talkie...

    "Calvin... Are you there? Calvin, this is Medea... We''re safe! Come and fetch us here in the males'' bathroom of the Vocational Block''s second floor!" She eximed into the walkie-talkie, but all that she got in response was static.

    Hugo shook his head.

    He knew that Medea''s endeavor was useless, but if her actions couldfort her guilty heart.

    Hugo didn''t n on stopping her from whatever she was trying to do.

    But that didn''t mean that the others would just let her continue.

    While trying to contact Calvin for the third time in a row.

    "Shut the fuck up, woman! I''m trying to have fun here and you''re being too noisy!"

    An unfamiliar shouting from a nearby cubicle suddenly rang out.

    The shout obviously came from a man, but apart from Hugo. Who else was a man in this bathroom?

    Hugo''s expression darkened.

    He kicked the cubicle open and his eyes immediately widened from the scene that he saw inside the cubicle.

    The man who had shouted earlier had his pants down and his rod rock-hard whilst in the middle of prating the anal orifice of a headless body.

    The man immediately noticed themotion and he angrily turned around, "What the fuck? Why did you open the door...? Do you want to watch, huh? Do you want to watch me have sex? You''re sick in the head! Close the fucking door, or I''ll fuck you up..."

    Just as the man finished his sentence...

    Hugo''s fistnded on his chin, immediately rendering him unconscious as he fell beside the headless corpse that he was making love to.

    "What..."

    "What is this ce..."

    "Seriously... What is this ce?"

    "This is mad..."

    "I can''t..."

    "I don''t want to stay here any longer..."

    Jate staggered backward.

    Her expression waspletely pale and she was obviously shell-shocked by what she just witnessed.

    Hugo clicked his tongue and stared right at Jate.

    "Hieeek!"

    But Jate misunderstood his look and she felt that Hugo was angry at her and he wanted to kill her.

    She let out a shrill scream and made a dash towards the exit of the bathroom.

    "Fucking hell... Follow her!" Hugo eximed and the others followed after Jate.

    Scarlette, Jane, and Zahra had grim looks on their faces. They were also shocked by the atrocity that they had just witnessed from the bathroom, but their minds were still intact.

    On the other hand, Jate''s mental faculties seemed to havepletely copsed as she ran like mad towards thest corridor that they needed to take before the stairs.

    Hugo was about to stop Jate for taking the turn since she was being rash, but when he saw that there were no patients nor enemies waiting for them in that corridor.

    He jumped in joy and turned to look at the others, "It''s safe! There are no enemies! As we expected once the two minutes timer was up, the enemies would also disappear..."

    Medea, Scarlette, Jane, and Zahra revealed relieved expressions on their faces.

    Finally...

    After such a long torment inside this damned nightmare.

    They were about to be released!

    They could finally go home...

    The women, apart from Medea teared up realizing that they could finally return to the outside world.

    They quickly descended the stairs and entered the wide main elevators that were already opened.

    Jate was the first one to enter the elevator, while Hugo was thest. Upon seeing that Hugo was already inside. Jate reached out for the buttons of the elevators to close its doors, but she was abruptly stopped by Hugo who eximed...

    "What the fuck are you trying to do? Calvin is still not here! We can''t leave this ce without him!"

    Hugo red at her.

    "That''s right! Why are you being so selfish, Jate? I''ve misunderstood you!"

    Jane couldn''t take it anymore when she saw Jate''s despicable attempt of trying to stop Calvin from escaping this ce.

    Even Medea who normally minded her business made ament, "Calvin was the one who gave us advice on what to do and even made a map for us so we can lower our casualties as much as possible. If not for Calvin, I think, only a few of us would have reached this far..."

    "Yes... We can''t just leave Calvin to die here! Can you still sleep peacefully at night knowing that you killed arade and repaid his kindness with enmity?" Hugo added.

    "Killed arade and repaid his kindness with enmity? Are you joking? That guy is obviously dead! He fought with those cultists on his own, trying to look cool as much as possible..."

    "He''s just a naive guy that doesn''t know how deep the ocean is! I''m sure that he''s already dead so we must close the doors no-"

    p!

    Before Jate could evenplete her sentence...

    Scarlette sent a p right across her face.

    "You..."

    "Don''t you dare badmouth and curse at Calvin like that!"

    Scarlette was really angered this time.

    But Jate merely chuckled, "Hahaha... Scarlette... To think that you would defend that scrawny guy and even p me... What? Did you fall in love with him or something? Hahaha... Too bad, he''s already dead so you''ve fallen in love with a ghost!"

    "Stop!"

    Medea cried out.

    She grabbed Jate by her cor and threatened to kick her out from the elevator.

    "Say something bad about Calvin one more time and I''ll make sure to feed you to those bastards... I''ll fucking offer you to that perverted bastard, what was his name again? Arthur Chase?"

    Everyone was astonished by this sudden turn of events.

    Hugo didn''t know what to say witnessing how fierce Medea had be.

    Jate''s expression quickly transformed from being smug intoplete terror.

    "No... please... I don''t want to die... I''m sorry... I won''t do it again... I just... I just want to escape from this ce... I didn''t mean it... I''m sorry..." She started crying like a child and Jane started to plead for her.

    "Medea... You should just let her go... I know that you understand her feelings. We can''t really me her for acting like this... She just wants to go home as fast as possible..." Jane pleaded.

    Medea made a sidelong nce at Jane before turning her gaze to Scarlette.

    Scarlette also nodded her head and Medea let out a sigh.

    She ced Jate back onto the ground.

    "Wait... Isn''t that Calvin? Hey, bro! Calvin! Here! We''re safe now! There are no more..." Hugo suddenly eximed in excitement when they saw Calvin running towards their direction. But Hugo''s sentence was cut short for he realized that something strange was going on.

    Calvin''s running didn''t look leisurely at all.

    In fact, he was desperate.

    The ce should be safe now since the monsters must be gone, yet why was he running so desperately? Everyone stood rooted in shock as the figures of the Benevolent Father, Arthur Chase, and the Butcher came to their view.

    "Ah!"

    Jane cried out in fear.

    Scarlette bit her lips until they bled.

    Medea clicked her tongue and eximed, "You can do it! You can do it, Calvin! Hurry up! Don''t let them catch you!"

    Medea prepared herself to close the doors of the elevator as soon as Calvin stepped inside.

    She was quite confident that they would make it in time for even though the doors of the main elevator had scissors gates. The design of the elevator itself relied on hydraulics. It should close faster than conventional elevators.

    "Calvin! Hurry up! Please... You have to make it!"

    Scarlette sped her hands together as she squirmed out of nervousness.

    Hugo''s face was stern.

    He was prepared to act at any moment in case something goes wrong and he needed to rescue Calvin.

    Calvin was now a few meters away from the elevator.

    The three monsters were not too far away behind him, but Medea was sure that they would be able to make it in time.

    Medea''s arm tensed up...

    Calvin was now three meters away from the elevator while the monsters were five meters away.

    At this moment, Jate suddenly let out a despairing wail.

    "AAAHHH! They''reing!"

    She stood up, reached for the elevator button, and mmed it with all of her might.

    Ding!

    The elevator let out a distinct chime sound.

    Calvin''s face froze as his body collided against the scissor gates of the elevator doors that had already closed.

    He stared right at everyone with despair twirling within his eyes.

    He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to speak.

    But before he could even say anything...

    The Benevolent Father''s fist prated his body.

    "Guah!"

    A mouthful of blood rushed from his throat and drenched the bodies of Hugo and the others.

    "C-C-CALVIN!!!"

    Hugo let out a howl.

    He tried to pry open the doors of the elevators, but it was toote.

    The elevator itself was already descending.

    And when they opened their eyes once again.

    They found themselves standing inside the school gym where the final phase began.

    The remaining survivors from the other groups stared at them with incredulous looks on their faces.

    But the others could care less about their reactions.

    Scarlette looked around and discovered that...

    Calvin wasn''t with them.

    No...

    Calvin...

    Where is he...?

    He...

    He died?!

    No...

    That can''t be...

    Scarlette''s weakly uttered. Her knees went jelly and she directly copsed onto the floor.

 Chapter 87: Tutorial Zone

    Chapter 87: Tutorial Zone

    "So these are the only survivors?"

    A man who looked to be in histe-twenties uttered, "Hey, Ria... Aren''t these people signed under your name? They are your responsibility, right? How do you feel? Seeing them be thest group of people to emerge from the final phase, you must be quite devastated, right?"

    The man lifted a smile and made a sidelong nce at Ria.

    Ria didn''t even pay him a nce. Instead, there was a frown on her face as she stared at the newbies. It was because she discovered that all of them had light injuries. Furthermore, one of them had her hand weakly dangling on her side. It was obvious that her arm had been crippled.

    Now, injuries within the world of Las Felipinas, particrly here in the Tutorial Zone for newbies wasn''t that of a problem due to the number of Spiritualists that Fivecent has that could heal these injuries.

    However, Medea''s injuries were just too severe that Ria doubted if the higher-ups would allow her to heal Medea without paying a substantial price.

    Ria scrunched up her eyebrows.

    The man who stood beside her didn''t mind her disrespect as he said in a consoling voice, "You don''t have to worry about these small fries, Ria. Look... They are that injured despite the fact that Mount Spirit Sword Asylum wasn''t really that dangerous if they were careful..."

    "In short, they becamecent and careless inside the asylum and now they are paying the price!"

    The man decisively swung down the gavel and passed his judgment as to why Hugo and the others had these injuries on their bodies.

    Ria finally nced at the man, but her expression wasn''t too good, "Can you mind your business, Romeo? I''m trying to understand the reason why they became like this..."

    Romeo''s expression changed.

    He became annoyed as he clicked his tongue and flicked his wrist, "All right, go ahead and do whatever you want to do."

    "But don''t take too long, we still have to announce to everyone the end of this final phase and the lists of winners. We''ve been here for three days because of these small fries, so you better hurry up. I don''t know if these people can still take it being imprisoned in school gym any longer..."

    Romeo shrugged and walked away to do his own work.

    Ria''s frown deepened.

    She walked towards the direction of Hugo''s group, but at that moment...

    Hugo suddenly screamed like a madman.

    "AAAHHH!!!"

    Hugo stood up and howled, "It''s your fault, you bitch! If not for you... Calvin would still be here..."

    His eyes became filled with murderous intent as he rushed at Jate whilst carrying his fists.

    "Jate!"

    Scarlette abruptly screamed.

    Jane and Zahra covered their eyes, unwilling to see the gory scene that was sure to unfold once Hugo''s fistnded.

    Bang!

    A fierce explosion ensued...

    Hugo''s fist that he threw out of anger contained so much power that when it collided against Jate''s head. It directly swept up the dust on the ground and the shockwave created a cloud of dust that prevented anyone from seeing what just happened.

    Everyone sat on the edge of their seats.

    Ria clicked her tongue and rushed at the scene of the crime.

    She waved her hand and abruptly cleared the cloud of dust that covered the scene, but the situation was far different than anyone had expected.

    Hugo''s punch didn''t collide with Jate''s head like what everyone had expected.

    Instead, it was stopped by Medea with a single hand.

    Hugo''s pupils constricted.

    He never expected, even in his wildest imagination that Medea could stop his fully-powered punch with a single hand and using her small palm that wasn''t even as wide as Hugo''s fists.

    "You..."

    Hugo weakly uttered.

    He nced at Jate with venom in his eyes, but before he could even move.

    Medea was faster.

    The instant she saw the intent to move within Hugo''s eyes...

    She crouched down and sent a palm strike directly on Hugo''s sternum.

    Pang!

    The collision created a distinctive noise, but Hugo didn''t suffer that much damage from the attack.

    However, he found himself unable to control his body as he flew backward and miserably rolled on the ground.

    "Stop!"

    At this point, Ria had finally arrived.

    Her movements weren''t slow, and she arrived in just three seconds after Hugo threw his punch.

    But everything happened so fast that by the time when she arrived, Hugo was already miserably rolling on the ground.

    She stood in between Ria and Hugo.

    A stern look could be seen on her face as she said, "Both of you, stop! I forbid you from moving!"

    Medea and Hugo instantly froze.

    Ria then called for the attention of the disciplinary guards within the Tutorial Zone to lecture both Medea and Hugo, but before she could even say anything...

    Romeo''s voice suddenly rang out.

    "Now that the final phase is over and there are no remaining participants within Mount Spirit Sword Asylum. We will now announce the top five groups of the final phase!"

    "Those who are within the top five will receive at least a thousand Power Stones, a virtual currency within the world of Las Felipinas established and backed by Fivecent Holdings Limited!"

    "Power Stones in the main virtual currency used by Fivecent within the Tutorial Zone. In other words, these stones would be rendered useless once the one-year-long tutorial is over..."

    "However, while you are still in the tutorial facility. You can use these Power Stones to buy anything that you like..."

    "You can even buy a Teleportation Portal back to Earth using these power stones. Of course, you will be forcibly returned to Las Felipinas after spending a week on Earth, but you get what I am trying to say. What''s more, you can also convert these power stones into real money back on Earth!"

    "A single power stone is worth ten thousand dors!"

    "You can buy anything that you want using these power stones so long as you have enough of them... Strength, PC Games, a gamingptop, a gamingputer. A pachinko machine, and even women! We can supply you with whatever you want as long as you are willing to pay the price!"

    "Now... Let us announce the first five groups that cleared the final phase!"

    "Coming in hot at the fifth ce is... Abenosa Group!"

    "Fourth... Tampus Group!"

    "At the third ce is... The Jimenez Group!"

    "Sliding into the second ce is the wi Group!"

    "As for the group that imed the first ce for themselves..." Romeo closed the small notebook that he was holding that contained the list of groups before sweeping his gaze at the newbies around him. His gaze temporarily lingered at Ria, seemingly wanting to see her expression.

    But he was bound to be disappointed for Ria wasn''t even looking at her.

    In fact, she was talking with Hugo and the others.

    "Tsssk..." Romeo inwardly clicked his tongue out of frustration. He couldn''t understand why Ria wasn''t paying him any attention. Was he really that unattractive?

    Or was Ria doing this on purpose just so he would fall even deeper to her?

    Romeo convinced himself that it was thetter.

    Taking a deep breath, he temporarily stopped thinking about the issue as he dered.

    "In first ce is the Reyes Group!"

    "Yes!"

    A distant shout of joying from a youngster rang out as soon as Romeo dered the champion.

    The crowd also erupted into cheers and the ce became filled with a joyous atmosphere. However, there was a particr group in this school gym that was unresigned. The new leader of that group, Hugo, stood up and stared right at Romeo''s direction before shouting...

    "I object!"

    "We..."

    "The Vinueva group should be the champions!"

    His shout created an uproar among the crowd.

 Chapter 88: Will Die Nine out of Ten Times

    Chapter 88: Will Die Nine out of Ten Times

    "Oh?"

    Romeo raised an eyebrow.

    He stared right at Hugo and found no trace of deceit in his eyes.

    It has to be known that Romeo was a Predator with a Profession ssified as Ranger. His skills in finding false amidst the truths could be considered as topnotch. The instant the words came out of Hugo''s mouth, he immediately discovered that Hugo wasn''t lying.

    He really did think that they deserved the first ce.

    But on what basis?

    Romeo became irritated.

    His ability could make him realize the false between the truths, but he had a natural enemy.

    The bane of his ability was delusional people.

    For Romeo, Hugo was nothing else than a delusional man.

    He despised to deal with him personally.

    But since he was signed under Ria''s name; he had to treat Hugo with the respect that he deserved just because he was scouted and invited by Ria.

    If not for this fact, then Romeo wouldn''t even spare him a nce. To be honest, he didn''t even care about these newbies that were bound to be cannon-fodders in his opinion.

    The only reason why he was even here was because of Ria.

    Yes, that''s right.

    Romeo was trying to get Ria''s attention on him but to no avail.

    Ria treated him like a brick wall, something undeserving of her attention.

    It greatly frustrated Romeo, but it also gave him the courage and motivation to continue what he was doing.

    He thought that as long as he could have Ria''s attention then everything would be worth it.

    "What makes you think that you deserve the championship than the other groups?"

    Romeo provocatively replied.

    Hugo remained steadfast in the face of his provocations as he said, "The difficulty that we experienced in Mount Spirit Sword Asylum is far greater than the difficulty that these people experienced!"

    "I beseech, sir Custodian to look deeper into the matter and bestow rewards upon those who clearly deserve it more than the others!"

    Hugo didn''t mince words at all.

    As soon as hepleted his sentence, an uproar urred.

    Screams of anger filled the entire school gym.

    Some of the students even tried throwing their shoes towards Hugo, but Hugo didn''t give them any attention at all.

    He just stared right at Romeo with a serious look on his face.

    Obviously, he was waiting for Romeo''s reply.

    Romeo clicked his tongue and found Hugo''s interference as annoying.

    He surreptitiously nced at Ria and found that Ria was finally willing to look at him.

    Shit! She''s looking at me!

    Romeo excitedly whispered to himself.

    He straightened his back, cleared his throat, and announced, "Stop!"

    His dignified voice was embued with Mana, so his voice reverberated like thunder.

    In an instant, the rowdy school gym became as silent as the night.

    Romeo''s eyes flicked with seriousness as he asked, "borate... Tell me why you think that the Mount Spirit Sword Aslyum that you encountered is far harder than the others. Sure, there may be a lot of madmen in that asylum, but I do not think that it was that hard to avoid them as long as you are capable of thinking and havemon sense."

    Romeo''s voice was grating in the ears.

    Scarlette trembled in anger.

    The other girls aside from Medea and Jate were pretty much infuriated by his question.

    But since Hugo was the one facing him... They knew that they had to keep their silence.

    They stared right at Hugo''s back as Hugo took a deep breath and replied, "The difficulty of our experience in Mount Spirit Sword Asylum is far different than what we had imagined. I don''t even think that it''s for newbies like us! To be honest, even experienced people will die nine out of ten times as soon as they entered that ce!"

    There was still this trace of fear inside Hugo''s eyes.

    But as soon as his words came out, amusement shed across everyone''s faces.

    Some even startedughing without caring for Hugo''s feelings.

    Romeo was also amused. The quality of these newbies is far lower than I had expected. To think that he''d say something like that... Even experienced people would die nine out of ten times? What a joke! Romeo inwardly mocked.

    But of course, on the outside, he maintained a calm andposed facade.

    "Even experienced people will die nine out of ten times? Well, I am an experienced person. Does that mean that I will die nine out of ten times if I entered that ce with the difficulty that your group went through?"

    Romeo gave a sly smile.

    It was clear from the look on his face that he was being sarcastic.

    The other newbies observing this charade smiled out of amusement.

    It was just too amusing to see a high and mighty custodian y with the feelings of a mere cannon-fodder like Hugo.

    Now that Romeo asked him a question like this... The crowd wondered about what Hugo''s answer would be.

    Would he say no  out of respect for the custodian?

    Or would he say yes  to spite him even more?

    Before the crowd could even think deeper into the issue.

    Hugo bowed his head, sped his hands together, and said in a respectful tone of voice, "With all due respect, sir. But I think that even if you personally went ahead and apanied us back then, we would all die together..."

    "We wouldn''t even be able to reach the Medical Ward and get the keycard from Arthur Chase since we will die on the stairs of the Administration Block adjacent to the main elevators."

    Ria who had a frown on her face all this time suddenly revealed a look of astonishment and shock.

    Romeo, on the other hand, had a look of confusion on his face. This was his third month being a custodian of newbies for Fivecent. There was a lot of information that he still couldn''t ess due to his inexperience. But every information that he couldn''t ess wasn''t really useful.

    So as a custodian, he could ess every information that he needed.

    Of course, the fact that he couldn''t ess some information frustrated him, but when he realized that he already had ess to everything that he needed. Romeo managed to convince himself to forget that issue.

    But now, at this moment, he was reminded of that particr issue.

    It was because he couldn''t understand what Hugo was talking about.

    Was he really bullshitting? Who is that Arthur Chase?

    Why in the hell have I never heard of him until now?

    But it doesn''t look like he is lying...

    He surreptitiously nced at Ria and discovered that Ria''s face was pale with shock.

    What''s with her reaction?

    Romeo thought to himself.

    Meanwhile, the crowd went into an uproar once more.

    "What the fuck is he talking about? Medical Ward? Arthur Chase? Who is that?"

    "Yeah, I think he''s just talking out of his own ass. The ess keycard for the Security Room is located in the Executive Office on the right corridor of the Administration Block, at the western side of the asylum mansion! To get there, we had to solve puzzles from the patient files and convince some of the madmen to answer our questions..."

    "What the fuck is he talking about?"

    It took quite a while, but Romeo finally calmed down.

    He silenced the crowd by addressing them to stop, and afterwards...

    He took a deep breath and said, "You told me that I will not be able to survive if I went through the same experience as you did inside Mount Spirit Sword Asylum. But on what basis? Are you sure that you''re not bullshitting just to cheat everyone out of their well-deserved win?"

    Hugo stared right at Romeo at confusion.

    Romeo was a genuine custodian, but he couldn''t understand what he was talking about?

    Strange...

    Hugo was never a man who relied on his brains.

    Furthermore, he was a straightforward man that disliked beating on the bush.

    As soon as he heard Romeo''s question, he revealed a small smile and said.

    "Actually... I''m not that sure, to be honest..." He awkwardly scratched his head and gave a silly smile.

    Medea, Jane, Zahra, and Scarlette simultaneously facepalmed seeing his sudden change in attitude.

    But in the very next moment, Hugo''s words changed everything...

    Including their fate in the Tutorial Zone of Fivecent here in the world of Las Felipinas.

    In the midst of everyone''s mocking and booing...

    Hugo calmly said, "I mean, I think you can survive in that ce sir if you can handle thebined pursuit of Arthur Chase, the Butcher, and the Benevolent Father at the same time..."

    Hugo''s words made Romeo choke on his own saliva.

    "The Butcher, The Benevolent Father... and that so-called Arthur Chase... at the same time?"

    "Are you serious?!"

    Romeo''s eyes almost bulged out of its own sockets as soon as he heard Hugo''s words.

 Chapter 89: The Ugly Truth Revealed...

    Chapter 89: The Ugly Truth Revealed...

    Romeo''s shout silenced the crowd and astonished everyone.

    Wait...

    That big guy...

    He''s not bullshitting?

    Everyone in the crowd was confused.

    At this moment, Ria cried out, "You... Tell me! When you called down the main elevators toplete the final phase. There should be a prompt that appeared and a countdown before the arrival of the elevator. What did the prompt say about the difficulty of your group''s final phase?!"

    Ria''s voice seemed to be filled with a desperation that thoroughly astonished Romeo.

    But when he heard the word, "difficulty"...

    Romeo subconsciously staggered backward.

    Fear appeared in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.

    He convinced himself that he had done nothing wrong.

    It wasn''t his fault.

    Swallowing his own saliva with great difficulty...

    Romeo forced himself to focus on the discussion that was unfolding.

    Hugo turned to look at Ria and awkwardly scratched his head...

    "Uhmmm... The difficulty? Well... I''m not too sure... I don''t particrly remember..." Hugo scrunched his eyebrows. It was obvious that he was trying his best to remember the specifics of what happened back then.

    But before he could even think any further, Medea was the one who gave the answer...

    Her voice was filled with a detached indifference as she whispered.

    "Congrattions... You have reached the final checkpoint necessary for thepletion of the final phase."

    "However, since your group''s final phase difficulty was set at Impossible. A countdown of two minutes will begin before the arrival of the main elevators. Until the two minutes are up, do your best to survive!"

    "ess restrictions in every area have been lifted. You can now ess the following areas: Prison, Underground Lab, Recreation Area, Vocational Block - Art Room, Watch Tower, and Mount Spirit Sword Asylum Courtyard!"

    "The countdown will start in a few seconds..."

    "Please do your best to survive!"

    "Ongoing objectives have been updated."

    "Current Objective: Survive for two minutes until the main elevators arrived."

    "Good luck, candidates!"

    "Peace, out!"

    Medea''s words were akin to that of a bombshell that exploded in the middle of the crowd.

    Ria hurriedly stepped forward and send a surge of Mana towards Medea''s direction. A sphere of Mana surrounded Hugo''s group as Ria turned her gaze to Romeo and said, "Disperse these newbies and return here. We have something to talk about!"

    Ria''s quick actions astonished everyone, including Romeo.

    But seeing the stern look on her face...

    Romeo knew that it was impossible for him to escape.

    He gnashed his teeth and flicked his wrist.

    A surge of Mana came from his body and another white door manifested. This time, the door was quite wide and it could amodate all of the remaining newbies at once.

    Romeo nced at Ria for a moment before saying, "An investigation will start. For now, all of you should proceed to the Tutorial Zone and follow the guide that will appear at the end of the tunnel beyond this door!" Romeo ordered.

    The newbies were confused, but from the looks on Romeo and Ria''s face. It was clear that what was about to happen was quite serious. They had no business meddling in the affairs of Fivecent. They knew their ce so they obediently nodded their heads and walked towards the white door.

    Some of them nced at Hugo''s group, but that was all that they did.

    Even though some of them were reluctant to leave since they could feel that there was a huge chance that Hugo may take the rewards that they believed that should belong to them. But what could they do? They knew where they stood and they also knew their ce.

    Apart from ring at Hugo, there was nothing that they could do.

    They proceeded towards the white door and soon disappeared into the tunnel beyond the white door.

    Now, within the huge school gym.

    Only the two custodians and Hugo''s group remained.

    "What did you say earlier? Can you repeat it?"

    Ria turned to look at Medea in a somewhat panicky manner.

    Medea repeated the words that she said earlier. Those words came from the system notifications that appeared in front of them when they called for the main elevators. When Medea finished her reiteration, Ria''s shock deepened.

    Romeo appeared beside her and said in a matter-of-factly voice, "I haven''t heard of the so-called Impossible difficulty. Is it even possible for the system to cause such an error? In fact, why would thepany even make an Impossible difficulty when the stage is used for newbies? That doesn''t make sense."

    The others in Hugo''s group agreed to what he had said, but all of them were frustrated. Although Romeo''s words made sense, he was basically saying that Hugo and the others were lying and was just trying to get out of the bottom list among the newbies.

    But Ria had a different opinion.

    She red at Romeo and said, "Just because you haven''t heard of pigs doesn''t mean that they do not exist. The Impossible difficulty definitely exists. The system is set-up so that the newbies would always be in the lowest difficulty, but this time, the system made a mistake and identally ced these newbies in the highest difficulty..."

    Romeo nodded his head, "Well there you go, the system made the mistake." His words were too casual that elicited a frown from the others. It was as if he didn''t care about the lives of these newbies since he ced so little significance on the issue at hand.

    His attitude was undeserving to that of a custodian for newbies.

    Ria made a sidelong nce at him and decided to reveal the truth.

    She had given Romeo a chance to exin himself, but it turned out that he was too full of himself.

    He was probably thinking that even if his actions were discovered...

    Thepany would forgive him.

    Well, thepany may forgive him.

    But Ria wouldn''t...

    The lives of these newbies may not be that precious for Fivecent at this moment, but all of them had thattent potential that would prove invaluable to thepany in the future.

    The loss of lives among the newbies was basically the same as hurting the essence of Fivecent who relied on these newbies to thrive and grow.

    "We are the only custodians in charge of Tutorial Zone No. 1... What does that mean?"

    Ria looked at him and gave a foreboding smile.

    Romeo furrowed his eyebrows and said, "What are you talking about, Ma''am Ria?"

    Romeo was a junior, so he had to respect Ria''s authority.

    "I am the one in charge of signing most of the newbies and these newbies that suffered in the final phase are signed under me. What does that mean?"

    Romeo was still confused, "I don''t understand..."

    "It means that I''m not the one that deliberately caused all of these! Can you still not understand? I already knew that you were trying to manipte the default settings of the system and caused it to malfunction to this extent because you''re so inexperienced in handling it!"

    "Your arbitrary actions caused the death of these newbies..."

    "And for what?"

    "For me to pay you some attention?"

    "What a joke..."

    "You''re a huge joke..."

    "Get out of this Tutorial Zone at this instant!"

    "From now on, you are no longer a custodian of Fivecent!"

    Ria''s decisiveness astonished Hugo and the others.

    Romeo''s eyes widened in shock.

    He had never expected that his downfall would arrive so quickly.

    He was helpless.

    He was unwilling.

    He was just trying to have Ria pay some attention to him since they were colleagues.

    But his efforts of trying to get some attention led to the deaths of the newbies within Hugo''s group.

    It was such a stupid move.

    So stupid that Hugo who wasn''t even that smart understood what was happening.

    He stood up and rushed at Romeo.

    Romeo reacted instinctively and manifested the Mana in his body, but his Mana was immediately suppressed by Ria.

    The immediate suppression became the reason why he was unable to get away from Hugo''s fists.

    Crack!

    A crunchy sound rang out as Hugo directly annihted Romeo''s jaw.

    Thud!

    A dull thud followed, Romeo copsed and lost his consciousness.

    "Hugo, you''ve gone too far!"

    Zahra eximed in panic.

    But Ria held her hand out and said, "It''s fine... This bastard deserves that punch."

    Afterwards, she gave a deep bow towards Hugo, "I am sorry for this incident. I acknowledge thepses in my management and if I had done a better job in my work, this incident wouldn''t happen. However, the rice is already cooked..."

    "I will have Romeo take responsibility and have him resign from Fivecent and I will also offer your group reparations as well as the recovery of the remains of yourrades from Mount Spirit Sword Asylum..."

    "The families of your lostrades would also bepensated and I will ensure that they will be set for life. I request for your forgiveness." Ria, a woman known for her coldness and detached indifference was bowing at Hugo''s group in remorse, grief, and sadness at this moment.

 Chapter 90: In a Blink of an Eye, Six Months...

    Chapter 90: In a Blink of an Eye, Six Months...

    Six months have passed since then.

    Fivecentunched an operation to recover the remains of the newbies who had died within the Impossible Difficulty stage of Mount Spirit Sword Asylum

    However, only the bodies of Rose, Ray, Nichs, Roy, and Philip were recovered. Even though traces of Calvin''s items such as the pen that he received from Ria were found.

    His body was never located.

    The family of the dead werepensated ording to their age minus their age of stipted retirement.

    Calvin was twenty-eight years old and since the retirement age of Fivecent was sixty-years-old.

    His family received a hefty sum as reparations.

    However...

    "We cannot... ept this..." Yvette, Calvin''s mother said amidst her sobbing.

    In front of her was a woman who was incredibly familiar to Calvin.

    It was Ria.

    Ria Nolinon.

    Fivecentunched a deeper investigation six months ago and they concluded that Romeo''s action of tweaking with the system to get her attention was just a part of the reason why Hugo''s group and Calvinnded on the highest difficulty for Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    Fivecent discovered that the true reason was far from everyone''s expectations.

    But unexpectedly, Ria''s authority wasn''t high enough for her to know about the disappearance of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life. In fact, she didn''t even know that such an ancient artifact existed within Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    Ria stared at Calvin''s mother.

    As someone who had investigated Calvin for at least a year, she knew that Calvin''s rtionship with his parents was like oil and water.

    She expected them to receive thepensation money as if it was thest contribution that the disgusting video-game addict like Calvin could give to them, but unexpectedly...

    Calvin''s family wasn''t willing to ept the money.

    Ria secretly swept her gaze across the room and discovered that the house could use some renovations. If they epted this money, then they could fix the gaping holes and the scratches here and there. But to think that they weren''t willing to ept thepensation money.

    Ria didn''t know what to do.

    She just sat there and silently contemted.

    At this moment, Emily came forward and asked, "How was my brother''sst moment?"

    Tears could be seen welling up in her eyes and her trembling figure made it obvious that she was holding all of her emotions back. Her actions were understandable since she was a maiden.

    A young maiden couldn''t possibly act so miserable in front of a guest.

    But...

    "Your brother became a hero..."

    "He''s the sole reason why his friends are still alive."

    "If not for him..."

    "No one would''ve survived."

    ... The moment Ria revealed the circumstances behind Calvin''s death.

    Tears burst from her eyes like a dam.

    She cried out loud before throwing herself into her mother''s embrace.

    Both Emily and Yvette started crying.

    Ria let out a sigh before focusing her eyes on the table.

    "We will ept thepensation money."

    George Vinueva suddenly stepped forward.

    Emily and Yvette turned to look at him in astonishment, but before they could even say anything.

    George sighed and exined, "Before that boy fell into depravity. He was someone that always prioritized others before his own. If we do not ept this money and put it to good use, our boy would probablyin to us once our time came for us to visit him in heaven..."

    "He''d probably scold us, saying why we didn''t ept the money and use it to renovate the house in preparation for Emily''s inevitable future wedding..."

    Yvette stared right at George for a moment before she let out an aggrieved chuckle, "Haha... That''s right... That boy... He was never a man who liked to beat around the bush. He''s straightforward and kind-hearted..."

    "All right, let''s ept thepensation money. But we''ll donate a quarter of it to charity, and half would be used for Emily''s future wedding..."

    "As for thest quarter, it would be used to renovate the house."

    Yvette''s decisive actions made it obvious to Ria that Calvin really was a son of this household.

    In a blink of an eye, the conundrum was solved but when Ria handed over the check for thepensation money.

    Yvette''s eyes widened in shock as she saw the series of zeroes within the check.

    "Fifty million dors?!"

    She gasped.

    Emily was also dumbstruck.

    George walked closer to them and discovered that the check was indeed for fifty million dors.

    "M-M-Madame... Perhaps did you write the wrong digits? Why is it..." George asked in hesitation.

    "No, I did not write it wrong. Your son was valuable to ourpany. It''s really a shame that we lost him." Ria was quick to exin, "Calvin''s friends also donated a lot of their money to your family as a sign of their undying gratitude. I hope that you will ept it so that Calvin''s friends can rest assured."

    Ria smiled.

    George sternly nodded his head.

    Another discussion ensued once more. But this time, it was about Calvin''s heroic actions.

    ...

    Back at the Tutorial Zone.

    The newbies six months ago couldn''t be called as newbies anymore.

    Hugo looked even stronger and he now had an imposing presenceparable to that of a mountain.

    Jane had lost her scaredy-cat attitude and she was now more courageous and braver than before.

    Zahra also lost her indecisiveness, particrly when she found out that she had a Healer Profession that not only suited her college degree but was also quite important for the team.

    Knowing the degree of her importance to the team, Zahra learned that she must never be indecisive. Especially while they were in the middle of battle.

    This mindset made her grow and she was now stronger than before.

    Scarlette and Medea both received their Professions from the Seven Gods and Goddesses and the two of them had professions in the same ssification.

    Both of their professions were ssified as within Mage ss.

    A few months after receiving their profession, they could now manipte the elements to a certain degree to send devastating attacks against their enemies.

    As for Jate...

    Hugo and the others quickly abandoned her like she was the gue.

    Her performance also dropped as fast as a meteor and in the end, she was never given a profession and she disappeared into obscurity.

    Speaking of Jate...

    Hugo turned to look at Medea and asked, "Hey, Medea..."

    "What is it?" Medea who was now even more beautiful and mature-looking than before said in a soft voice.

    Hugo lifted a smile and admired the view in front of him for a moment before he replied, "I''ve just remembered it now, but I''ve always wondered. Why did you stop me from killing Jate six months ago?" Hugo''s question may have made sense for Hugo''s puny brain, but for Medea...

    Medea lifted a bitter smile and said, "Is there any point in killing her back then?"

    Hugo thought for a moment but he couldn''t think of anything.

    In the end, Medea waved her hand and said, "Let''s just get back to training. Let''s call the others and see if we can challenge Mount Spirit Sword Asylum again. This time, on Master difficulty."

    "Oh, master difficulty?" Hugo smiled, "I wonder when we will be able to challenge the Impossible difficulty?"

    Medea lifted a hopeful smile, "When Calvines back to us..."

    "Calvin...?" Hugo turned to look at her in astonishment before he gave a bitter smile, "Do you still believe that Calvin is alive?"

    "Yes..." Medea simply answered.

    "On what basis?"

    Medea shook her head and chuckled, "Nothing..."

    "I can just feel it. I can feel that he''s alive..."

    "A woman''s intuition is often urate, you know?"

 Chapter 91: Caravan and the City of Ashmelion

    Chapter 91: Caravan and the City of Ashmelion

    Spring...

    This season has always been a season that brought joy and euphoric excitement to many races, transcending mere continents and nes of existence. This was also true not only on Earth but also in the world of Las Felipinas.

    A world so beautiful and gorgeous, amazingly fertile, and full of mysteries.

    The Forest of Evesting Light could be considered as a beautiful gem in the jewel-studded fabric continent of Lagreas.

    Even though the continent wasn''t the biggest and the most bountiful, it had a fair share of mysteries. Some say that dozens of hidden independent spaces were present in the Forest of Evesting Light, waiting to be discovered by some lucky, or others may consider as foolish men.

    Of course, rumors were just rumors. But that didn''t prevent the people to venture out and potentially satisfy their dreams of rags to riches by identally running into a treasure trove or meeting the love of their life in the form of Elves.

    Sadly, thest Kingdom of the Elves, the Kingdom of Silvermoon has been lost for several thousands of years already.

    In other words, Elves were considered as exotic and rare amongst the wide variety of demi-human species in the world of Las Felipinas.

    They do exist but in this current epoch. Most of the Elves were half-blooded Elves. None of them had the pure and untainted blood of Elves coursing through their veins.

    A caravan with tens of carriages and more than thirty guards were crawling across thends not too far away from the Forest of Evesting Light. The unhurried and leisurely pace seemed peculiar for most merchants lived by the adage that time was essentially money.

    Spring was the most beautiful season in every world out there in the cosmos.

    This was a season that brought joy and lifted the spirits of anyone. The warm breeze inteced with the scents of various attractive seasonal flowers brought a sense of catharsis to the travelers, carrying away their worries and fatigue.

    The caravan may have a lot of horses, but their individual carriages weren''t that big.

    The marks left on the ground by the wheels of the caravan were also quite shallow. In other words, their goods weren''t particrly heavy. The number of guards surrounding the caravan seemed to be extravagantpared to the number of their goods.

    Furthermore, these guards werepletely made-up of young men dressed in refined armors and topnotch weapons as well as superior saddles for their horses.

    This was clear evidence that this group must not be trifled with, good equipment and weapons were considered as signs of being good fighters in general.

    It was obvious that the employer of these guards wasn''t particrly thrifty for he gave each and every guard protecting this caravan  equipment and weapons that could be considered as far too extravagant in the eyes of others.

    But this small detail meant something, as money and power were inteced in the world of Las Felipinas.

    Those with enough experience could see that this caravan had goods from the Forest of Evesting Light  the flesh and fur of demonic beasts, as well as various materials and rare medicinal ingredients. The individual carriages may be light, but their worth far surpassed the annual ie of most merchant caravans.

    The symbol of a lightning strike surrounded by contrasting white clouds up above the skies made it obvious to every schr as to who owned and ran the caravan. The family running this caravan had deep roots in history, they were ancient enough and had received various merit in past wards.

    This family wasn''t that influential due to the passing of time, but one couldn''t say that they were declining either.

    These subtle hints and clues shouldn''t be able to escape from the eyes of those experienced in rogue professions such as banditry. However, several days have already passed since this caravan had departed from its original location, yet they still haven''t encountered any bandits.

    As for the reason?

    Well...

    It was because of the young man sitting in the most inconspicuous carriage.

    The young man had his right eye missing and his right arm was crippled, dangling lifelessly on his side.

    However, none of the guards dared to mess with him for they had already experienced first-hand as to what the young man was capable of doing.

    Furthermore, there was no reason for them to provoke him. It was because the young man was the reason why the caravan''s travel this time was quite peaceful and uneventful.

    A young man d in the superior equipment of guards yawned loudly and said, "Damn... It''s so boring... Why are there no bandits? Are you really that familiar with the safe routes here, or are they just smarter than before to know that it''s impossible for them to fight against us?"

    The one-eyed young man was obviously the target of his speech for there was no one else within the carriage.

    "No bandits in this ce can possibly be stupid. How else were they able to survive for so long, if they weren''t smart?"

    The armored young man chuckled and then said in a jesting manner, "How about any courageous bandits? I mean, sometimes, courage can take precedence over our minds, you know?"

    The one-eyed young man stared at the other and nodded his head, "Well, you''re right..."

    "But the courageous ones die even faster than the stupid ones."

    He suddenly raised his head and stared nkly at the distance.

    "It seems that we are finally about to meet some courageous ones."

    A smirk appeared on the one-eyed young man''s face.

    The armored young man quickly caught on what he was talking about, "Enemy attack?"

    The one-eyed young man didn''t even bother to answer. He leaned back on the walls of the carriage and continued scribbling on his small and shabby notebook.

    But when the armored young man saw what he was doing...

    A grim look appeared on his face.

    "I can see that you''re revising our ns, Calvin..." He said.

    Yes, the one-eyed young man was Calvin.

    "Yeah... The new record is six days without meeting any bandits. I hope that with this n, I can make a breakthrough and reach seven days without meeting any bandits."

    The armored young man smiled, "Well, if you can do that, then I''ll admit that you''re the best cartographer in the entire Kingdom of Joselian, No  in the entire world of Las Felipinas."

    Calvin stared at him for a moment before heughed, "All right... Take care now, Craig."

    "I will..."

    The armored young man then walked out of the carriage.

    Soon, a battle ensued and the guards of the caravan made quick work with the bandits.

    Calvin then walked out and made a proposal  How about we hang the heads of one of the prominent bandits that we killed and we will kill so that none of the other bandit groups would dare to fight us again? We''re pressed for time after all, the sooner we get to Ashmelion the better.

    His proposal was quickly epted.

    Everyone knew that Calvin''s actions and words were for the benefit of the caravan.

    The caravan continued its journey, stopping at every rest stop to replenish their food and supplies. Even so, the number of goods within the caravan never decreased nor increased. It was still the same old goods harvested from the Forest of Evesting Light.

    Two whole months then passed and the caravan was now nearing the end of its journey.

    In these two months, Calvin did nothing other than write in his diary as if he was writing a novel.

    The guards noticed Calvin''s peculiar habits and some of them even tried to take his notebook away to read it secretly.

    Of course, after numerous attempts, they eventually seeded. But the moment their eyesnded on the words that Calvin wrote in his notebook. They felt their eyes burn. Some of the guards even had their eyes bleed as they immediately rushed to Calvin for help.

    Calvin then gave them serious advice  never try to read the contents of his diary.

    One does not simplyy their eyes on the words written in the ancient notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life.

    This particr characteristic was basically protection for the user.

    What if someone deliberately took his notebook to read some of his intimate secrets and used it to destroy his life?

    Wouldn''t the user of the notebook be screwed up if that happened?

    This was the reasoning behind that particr trait.

    Since then, the guards didn''t dare to do anything strange towards Calvin anymore nor to his notebook.

    Calvin''s life was also quitefortable. He became an honored guest of the caravan after saving the life of the owner of the caravan, which was a pair of beautiful twins, Elena and Luisa.

    In exchange for traveling with the caravan to the distant city of Ashmelion, Calvin became the caravan''s cartographer.

    And he was an effective cartographer.

    Elena and Luisa also frequently visited Calvin to ask for some help regarding Spiritualistic Magic.

    But Calvin advised against learning Spiritualistic Magic.

    It was because even though Spiritualistic Magic was useful and powerful. It was also quite dangerous.

    Having the ability to endlessly haggle with merchants, coerce people into doing something they didn''t want to do, and to randomly increase one''s chances of being lucky was definitely addictive.

    Even Calvin had to admit that it was.

    Fortunately, Spiritualistic Magic followed the Law of Equivalent Exchange.

    But that didn''t mean that the danger still doesn''t exist.

    It was because the sacrifices for using Spiritualistic Magic doesn''t necessarily need to havee from the user.

    In other words, everyone should not learn Spiritualistic Magic.

    Once someone became out of control, then they could easily transform into demons or something that couldn''t even be considered as a monster. Something that shouldn''t exist in this dimension and material ne.

    The caravan continued its journey and they finally arrived at the City of Ashmelion. Ashmelion is a Joselian city located in the south-eastern part of the Joselian Kingdom. This is a bustling city for students, artists, schrs, and freethinkers.

    Like any true metropolis, Ashmelion has a lot of factories and could be considered as home to all manner of craftsmen offering every ware possible.

    Of course, one could find the asional con-men and shady dealers in this city.

    The city also has numerous banks and even has a Zoo for the entertainment of themon popce.

    Never sleeping is the trademark of Ashmelion...

    Home to an unusually colorful group of both permanent residents and tourists here for long or short-term visits.

    The most eye-catching amidst the crowd ofmon townsfolk, stall-keepers, and craftsmen were the unusually high number of loan-sharks and those who practiced the more roguish profession.

    There is no army stationed in this City, so one could consider this City as the freest city in the entire Kingdom of Joselian.

    However, in this city exists a branch of the most terrifying dogs of the Joselian Kingdom.

    The Cavaliers.

    This was the reason why Calvin came here.

    To repair his eye and to fully restore the function of his arm.

    He must make contact with the Cavaliers and be one of them.

 Chapter 92: Departure

    Chapter 92: Departure

    The group proceeded into the city of Ashmelion.

    With the banner of the Fayke family attached to the carriages of the caravan. None of the guards, nor peasants dared to cause any trouble. Calvin took a deep breath, after eight long months. He had family arrived in the City of Ashmelion. The reason why Calvin chose this stupidly distant city was that this city was untainted from the influence of Earthlings.

    Despicablepanies such as Fivecent and the influence of other Earthlings simply didn''t exist in this ce. One couldn''t find any other city that was more vani than the city of Ashmelion.

    Of course, it was probably because the City of Ashmelion was quite far from the capital city of the Joselian Kingdom, Laguna.

    Calvin''s ns also stretched to Laguna, but until he was stronger enough.

    He nned on pretending that the capital city of Laguna didn''t exist. After all, it was a ce full of monsters. If Calvin went there, then he must ensure that he was strong enough or else, he''d be swept up by the tumultuous currents of the capital.

    The carriage eventually stopped and the guards, as well as the other passengers, walked out of the individual carriages.

    Calvin swept his gaze at everyone, particrly at Luisa and Elena.

    Within the past eight months...

    Luisa and Elena always came to talk to him and they brought colors to Calvin''s mundane life. Whenever the two of them came to talk with Calvin, their faces would inexplicably turn red. Calvin had an idea as to what they were thinking but he could only shake his head.

    They were people that belonged in two different worlds.

    It was fate that brought them together, but it was also fate that would separate them.

    On a bridge separating the northern and the southern parts of Ashmelion, Calvin said goodbye to Elena and Luisa. Even though their rtionship and the time that they spent together wasn''t that deep nor too long. The three had grown fond of each other.

    Luisa even bragged that if ever Calvin ran into trouble in the city of Ashmelion, she would personally get her father to act and solve his troubles. Of course, Elena took advantage of Luisa''s bragging to knock her down a notch.

    Afterwards, she gave Calvin a sizeable sum aspensation for helping them reach the City of Ashmelion with the fewest casualties possible.

    Usually, whenever Elene and Luisa went to the Forest of Evesting Light every three years.

    They would always lose dozens of men upon leaving Ashmelion and returning. This exined why they had a lot of guards with them d in extravagant armors and topnotch weapons. It was their effort of reducing the number of casualties as far as they could.

    But this year, Calvin graced them with his presence and bestowed upon them the gift of rtively safe routes in the form of a map.

    The map that Calvin gave to them was incredibly valuable, for it not only marked monster dens and beasts territories, it also had lines indicating the routes that bandits usually took while looking for their prey.

    At first, no one believed Calvin''s bullshit.

    But after the caravan paid a heavy price of blood for not obeying Calvin''s instructions, everyone''s attitude towards Calvin instantly changed overnight.

    Then, the very next morning...

    They followed Calvin''s map and instructions.

    Upon realizing that Calvin''s advice was genuine and he wasn''t trying to show off to the beautiful girls, Elena and Luisa.

    Calvin earned the caravan''s respect.

    But Calvin himself felt that they treated him far better than what he had expected. Of course, Calvin didn''t refuse their grace. It was something that he desperately needed at this moment. After all, he didn''t want to be in the City of Ashmelion without any money to rent a ce.

    Receiving the pouch containing thousands of Joselian Pesos...

    Calvin checked and found that the currency was made out of paper.

    A look of astonishment appeared on Calvin''s face, but it wasn''t because he was ignorant about the existence of paper money in the world of Las Felipinas.

    He just didn''t expect that it would appear so early. Back then, on the previous timeline, it took at least a decade before paper money was widely known and utilized.

    "Is this your first time seeing paper money?"

    Calvin nodded his head out of convenience.

    "All right, let me exin how it works."

    Luisa lightly chuckled and took a paper note from the pouch.

    She held it at the sun and said, "Take a look at the purple watermark shining when the note is ced against the sunlight..."

    "If you can see this watermark guaranteed by the Joselian Royal Bank, then you can rest assured that your money is legitimate and is guaranteed and pegged directly by gold."

    Calvin smiled, "I see... Now, I understand. Thank you, Madame Luisa." Calvin raised his hand and ced his clenched fist on his left chest and slightly bowed. Bowing like this as a sign of gratitude was a tradition in the world of Las Felipinas.

    Seeing his actions, Luisa held the hem of her skirt and spread it to the side while bending her knees and bowing.

    "Your words are wasted on me."

    The pleasantries concluded soon and it was time for Calvin to leave.

    Seeing that Calvin was about to leave, Luisa was suddenly ovee with mncholy.

    From the eight months that she spent together with Calvin, she came to know that Calvin was different from other men.

    Luisa was a beautiful woman and frequently coveted by others. Whenever those men stared at her, she could easily see their desires spilling out of their eyes. But when Calvin''s eyes firstnded on her body  Luisa saw that Calvin''s eyes contained nothing but indifference.

    Either he was a true gentleman, or he was a pervert that knew how to keep a facade.

    Luisa grew intrigued.

    She told Elena and both girls agreed to test Calvin''s integrity and personality.

    But within the past eight months, both girls had discovered that instead of Calvin falling for them.

    What happened was the opposite. It was them that fell in love with Calvin. His ethereal, attractive, and heroic stories, as well as his bad, that seemed to havee from his heart and genuine experiences thoroughly hooked both women.

    They wished that their journey wouldn''t end, but unfortunately...

    It was time for them to awaken from their reverie.

    As both girls stared at Calvin''s disappearing back.

    They took a deep breath and let out a sigh.

    The hot air that they breathed out carried with it the fleeting feelings that they had for Calvin.

    As they turned around to leave with the others, a different glint could be seen in their eyes and their bodies didn''t seem to radiate that air of immaturity anymore.

    "Old Gran, let''s go..." Elena softly uttered.

    "As you wish, Madame..."

    Old Gran, the old butler of the Fayke family tasked to ensure the safety of both women slightly bowed and obliged.

    But as he left, he stared at the direction where Calvin had disappeared and slightly bowed his head.

    "Thank you, sir Calvin..."

    He whispered into the air, though no one around him heard what he had said.

 Chapter 93: Medallion of a Crow Within the Sun

    Chapter 93: Medallion of a Crow Within the Sun

    "All right... My first priority, for now, is to know how much money do I really have... I have no idea how much money I have in this pouch..." Calvin bitterly smiled.

    He approached a random passerby and asked for some directions towards the nearest bank.

    As it turned out, the nearest bank was a few kilometers away from Calvin''s location.

    He swept his gaze around the area and discovered a carriage-stop where people can hail carriage-cabs dragged by tame and modest horses. As far as Calvin could remember, he would need to pay two Joselian Pesos for a few kilometers of travel in a carriage-cab.

    Calvin wanted to hail one of them, but he eventually decided against that idea.

    One, it was because he was certain that the driver wouldn''t have sufficient change when he gave his payment. After all, Calvin was sure that the value of these paper notes that he had in his hands was based on gold pounds.

    ording to Calvin''s memories, a thousand Joselian Pesos was equivalent to a gold pound.

    He had twelve paper notes in his hands which may amount to twelve thousand Joselian Pesos.

    But Calvin wasn''t so sure, this was the reason why he nned on going to a bank and fetch himself a bank-guaranteed check that he could use for anyrge payments, as well as convert some of these paper notes into coins and pennies.

    Calvin followed the directions that he received from the stranger and he soon arrived at the vicinity of the Joselian Royal Bank.

    Upon entering, Calvin discovered a lot of people wearing clothes simr to the eighteenth-century people of Earth. The men wore shirts, waistcoats, coats, and breeches while the women wore shifts, petticoats, and dresses, as well as jackets aimed for the women.

    The women and men within the vicinity of the bank were fashionable, their choice of fabric was silk.

    They also focused on the aesthetics of their essories, usually made with white linen andce.

    Although their sense of fashion was definitely not practical. Calvin reckoned that all of them would wearfortable clothes at home since it didn''t make sense for them to wear these tacky clothes while in thefort of their homes.

    Standing inside the wide-halls of the Joselian Royal Bank...

    Calvin nced at his own clothes and feltpletely out of ce.

    It felt quite awkward for him to be in a ce like this as a man from modern times.

    But since Calvin knew what he must do, he walked with purpose and the astonished patrons of the bank inexplicably made way for him when they saw his scruffed look and eyes radiating seriousness of a particr magnitude.

    Calvin approached the front desk, and standing in front of him was a middle-aged man d in the same fashion as the others, but with a unique monocle over his left eye.

    "What business do you have with us, dear customer?"

    The middle-aged man said these words in thenguage of the people in the world of Las Felipinas.

    Calvin had no problems conversing with the natives here because was proficient in everynguage in existence here in the world of Las Felipinas.

    Of course, he wouldn''t dare to say that his proficiency was at the native level in all dialects and strange tongues, but he could at least converse with anyone in Las Felipinas.

    The officialnguage used by all inhabitants of the world of Las Felipinas was called Universal Speech.

    But this name also referred to thenguages that arose into poprity after the first Cataclysm that brought humans into the world of Las Felipinas named by the sages of the past as the Cataclysm of There was Nothing, Everything was Nothing.

    Of course, Universal Language didn''t mean that it epassed every dialect and unique tongues dedicated to any given region. It was called Universal Language for a single and simple reason.

    Because this speech was widely understood, even for demi-humans.

    Languages that existed beyond the first Cataclysm of There was Nothing, Everything was Nothing were referred to as Elder Tongues.

    For some reason, still unknown even for Calvin who had experienced another lifetime. Any words with proper diction and grammar  if spoken in Elder Tongues could manipte the material world and Mana itself.

    In fact, Calvin even used Elder Tongue with his Runecrafting.

    Whenever he threw a piece of paper, he would say, "Gawas, release!"

    In this case, the word, "Gawas" was a word said in Elder Tongue.

    Any word said in thisnguage must never be underestimated.

    Calvin learned that lesson the hard way and it was one of the reasons why he loved thenguage so much.

    "May I convert most of these paper notes into a single guaranteed cheque? As for the remaining amount, can you convert it into pennies and coins with abined weight of no more than twenty kilograms?" Calvin politely said.

    The middle-aged man''s smile seemed to deepen as he received the pouch from Calvin.

    After verifying the legitimacy of each paper notes and checking the existence of the anti-counterfeit watermarks. He handed over a single nk cheque towards Calvin which could only be considered valid if Calvin''s biometrics were in ce.

    For this to work, Calvin registered his fingerprint to the bank and afterwards...

    He then came out of the bank, carrying a small sack between his underarm inside his jacket to keep it safe from thieves.

    After asking yet another stranger for directions, Calvin walked towards Mapayapa Street. Mapayapa Street was the most peaceful street in the city of Ashmelion. As for the reason why? it was because this street was the center of real estatemerce, pawnshops, and upscale department stores.

    In fact, both ends of the one-way street had guards recruited by these privatepanies based on Mapayapa Street to keep the general peace of the area. They would also sometimes check every individual whom they deemed to be suspicious.

    Calvin experienced this when he was about to enter Mapayapa Street.

    But after shing a bunch of coins and pennies to the guards, he was eventually permitted to go inside.

    Calvin realized from what happened in the bank earlier that he needed brand-new clothes, so he wouldn''t look so suspicious and out of ce.

    But that wasn''t the only reason why he came here. He visited this street for he was interested in renting out a ce that he could temporarily use while trying to catch traces of the Cavaliers.

    Letting out a smile, Calvin thought to himself, "Now that I have some money to use. It''s time to splurge!"

    He then walked towards the nearest department store but he was stopped by a shout of desperation that came from a nearby pawnshop.

    "Sir... Please... That Medallion... that medallion is from myte husband! He told me that it can fetch a thousand Joselian Pesos, but you''re only buying it for fifty? No... I''m not willing! I don''t want to sell it anymore!" The voice came from a woman.

    Calvin couldn''t see her due to the crowd that had gathered, but a frown appeared on his face when he heard what the woman had said.

    "Listen here, bitch... You still owe us quite a lot of money... Did you forget about it already?"

    This time, another voice reverberated.

    But the voice clearly belonged to a man.

    When Calvin heard what he said, enlightenment dawned upon Calvin. It seemed that the woman was a victim of these vicious loan sharks.

    It''s none of my business...

    I can''t afford to cause trouble when I still haven''t recovered...

    Calvin nced at his limping arm and ced his hand over his missing eye.

    Someday...

    He''ll get back against that bastard who maliciously manipted the difficulty of the final phase!

    Calvin let out a sigh and continued to walk.

    Out of curiosity, he made a sidelong nce at the woman.

    But when his eyesnded on the medallion that the man held in his hand as he taunted the woman.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    The humungous sun with eight rays of light depicted in the Medallion was imposing enough, but when the eagle holding a severed hand in its beak was added in front of the sun. The medallion became terrifying to look at. Calvin let out a gasp as his mind madly spun.

    That medallion...

    "The Medallion of a Crow Within the Sun!"

    "That''s the medallion dedicated for the members of the Cavaliers!"

    "When the sun sets in the battlefield, crows descend from the heavens and feed on the dead..."

    Calvin softly uttered.

 Chapter 94: Superman

    Chapter 94: Superman

    Cavaliers, a group funded by the government itself and surrounded by mysteries.

    Some say that they were one of the finest intelligence agencies in the known world, but some say that they were just a bunch of lunatics and barbarians due to their unusually cruel and inhumane way of dispatching enemies and monsters.

    Despite the rumors floating about, there was one thing that everyone agreed on about the Cavaliers  and that was the fact that they were incredibly powerful and a force to be reckoned with due to their frequent dealings with the supernatural...

    But members of the Cavaliers, although, unknown were generally feared by themon popce  mainly because of their reputation for frequent executions of those deemed as threats for the Kingdom and spies, as well as, traitors.

    They also keep the peace of the kingdom by being one of its bastions against the monsters created after the first Cataclysm that brought, not only humans into the world of Las Felipinas, but also monsters.

    If Calvin wanted to recover his missing eye and the functions of his arm...

    He needed to be a member of the Cavaliers.

    As far as Calvin could remember, there was a particrly dangerous but surefire method of gaining the attention of the Cavaliers and potentially joining their ranks.

    It was to encounter a supernatural phenomenon and survive.

    Before Calvin even arrived in Ashmelion, he was already making some ns as to how he could stumble into a supernatural phenomenon and survive.

    This was the only way that Calvin knew in contacting the Cavaliers, for they were incredibly secretive with their dealings and often left no traces of their tracks.

    They were harder to find than a needle in a haystack.

    Calvin took out the ancient notebook of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life and scribbled a few words into it.

    Noticing that there was no reaction at all, Calvin let out a sigh. It has been eight months since Dandelion went into hibernation after he overdrew his power in order to escape from Mount Spirit Sword Asylum.

    But even now, he was still in deep sleep.

    It was unknown, even to Calvin as to when Dandelion would wake up.

    Fortunately, Calvin could still use some of the powers within the Notebook.

    Staring at themotion up ahead...

    Calvin had realized that at least a dozen gangsters had surrounded the woman.

    "Fine... Since I need that medallion, then I''ll make an exception and save an unknown damsel in distress!" Calvin squeezed his way towards themotion, but just as he was about to escape the crowd and save the damsel in distress, a cute, yet defiant voice suddenly rang out.

    "You..."

    "Don''t bully mommy!"

    "Superman wille and beat you up  if you keep on bullying mommy!"

    The loan shark and his men stared in confusion at the young girl.

    "Superman?"

    The loan shark whispered. He felt that the name sounded domineering and intimidating.

    "Th-That''s right! Scared, yet?! Hmmph! Daddy always told me that whenever there are people in need, and whenever there are people being bullied. Superman wille and save us!"

    The young girl who looked to be no more than six-years-old crossed her arms in front of her chest and acted as tough as possible.

    But...

    When the loan sharks and his subordinate gangsters saw how the little girl''s small frame kept on trembling as she stood her ground against them. They boisterouslyughed and said, "Superman? Hahaha... What bullshit! What does that even mean?"

    "Even if he''s Godman or Demon-man, I don''t care! If a man like him reallyes here to interfere, then he''ll suffer the same as you and that mother of yours!" The loan shark and the gangstersughed together before they started to surround the mother and daughter duo.

    "Hand over that medallion right now and I can consider letting both of you go! It''s already good for us to offer fifty Joselian Pesos for that cheap-looking medallion, and you''re actually looking for more? Do you want to die that much?"

    The loan shark arrogantly said.

    The woman wept and sobbed as she swept her gaze around her, seemingly looking for help.

    However, when her eyesnded on the people around her.

    They instantly avoided her gaze. It was obvious from their looks that even though they didn''t want to see injustice like this happen, they weren''t willing to do anything for they were afraid to be the next target of these gangsters.

    As much as they wanted to intervene, they knew their ce and knew that they were not strong enough to defeat these bastards.

    The woman despaired.

    It has been three months since theyst paid their rent and this was thest month for their remaining grace period.

    If they still didn''t manage to pay their rent, then they would be homeless. Once they lost their homes and started wandering the streets.

    It would be an understatement to say that they would die.

    They would definitely die miserable deaths.

    Being a woman and homeless in the City of Ashmelion was never a goodbination due to the number of ve merchants crawling through the city, looking for suitable vagrants that they could capture and turn into their ves.

    More importantly, she couldn''t let herself be captured by one of those brutal and unscrupulous merchants.

    If they were captured, then the merchants would definitely discover her secret, and once that happened...

    It would be game over.

    But what should she do...?

    She had no money to pay her debt that had been racking up interest since three years ago.

    And she also wasn''t strong enough to fight against these ruffians.

    Dear...

    Why did you have to die...?

    Why did Goddess Grace take you away from our lives...

    She stretched her hand out and gave her daughter a tight embrace.

    As the ruffians surrounded them, it was obvious that they would definitely die.

    These gangsters had realized the value of the Medallion, and they were more than willing to do anything just to take it away.

    At least, before she died... She wanted to give her daughter onest embrace and express how much regret she feels for being such a failure of a mother.

    But unexpectedly, amidst her sobbing and cries.

    Her daughter stared at her in confusion and said, "Mommy... Why are you crying? Daddy told me that Superman will save us if we''re in trouble! Are you crying because... Daddy lied...?"

    The woman stared wide-eyed at her daughter.

    Biting her lips, she was about to answer that her father indeed lied.

    But before she could even say anything.

    A voice suddenly reverberated.

    "Nope... Your daddy didn''t lie..."

    Calvin squeezed out of the crowd and casually walked towards the center of themotion.

    He stood between the ruffians and the mother and daughter duo as he said.

    "The Superman is here..."

 Chapter 95: Altruistic Calvin

    Chapter 95: Altruistic Calvin

    "Oh? To think that there''s a busybody out here... From the looks of it, you''re a foreigner, aren''t you? Don''t you know how things work here in Ashmelion? Those who borrow money from mypany shall pay for it properly!" The gangsters weren''t intimidated at all.

    In fact, when they saw Calvin''s closed eye, and his arm that dangled strangely on his side.

    The gangsters realized that Calvin was a cripple.

    Just what could a cripple do against them?

    The gangsters became even more arrogant.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows and nced at the soldiers stationed near both entrances of Mapayapa Street. There, he saw both guards pretending to be asleep with their chins tucked and their heads dangling in front of their chests while they leaned on the walls behind them.

    Damn...

    Calvin bitterly smiled.

    He swept his gaze at the gangsters and asked, "How much does she owe you?"

    The gangsters and the crowd expected a brutal fight to happen.

    They were dumbstruck hearing Calvin''s words.

    The leader of these ruffians stared wide-eyed at Calvin before replying in a strange tone of voice.

    "Uh... A thousand Joselian pesos should be enough...?"

    "All right..." Calvin hurled a pouch containing coins amounting to a thousand Joselian pesos.

    Afterwards, he turned around to help the mother and daughter duo.

    "Are you okay?" Calvin stretched his hand out.

    The woman stared in shock at Calvin.

    She didn''t expect that someone would help her at this moment. What''s more, he just didn''t help her fend these unscrupulous loan sharks and gangsters. He even paid for her debt! Complicated emotions shed across the woman''s face.

    She wasn''t a greenhorn.

    A lot of men offered their help to her, but all of them only wanted one thing from here which was outright disgusting.

    But when the woman saw the light in Calvin''s eyes.

    She realized that he had no desires for her body whatsoever.

    Was he doing this because he''s a phnthropist?

    The woman didn''t think so.

    But at least, it was clear that Calvin''s motive for helping wasn''t her body.

    The woman took Calvin''s hands and stood up.

    Her daughter jumped up and down in excitement and joy as she said, "Mommy! I told you Superman wille to save us! Uncle Superman is here!" She held Calvin''s arm and tugged on it as Calvin and the woman lifted bitter smiles on their faces.

    "You''re safe now. I''ve already repaid your debt, I guess these gangsters won''t bother you anymore."

    Calvin said.

    "Why... Why are you doing this?" The woman asked.

    She was once again reminded as to just what were Calvin''s true motives.

    "Nothing... I just felt like helping someone else today and it just happens that I was passing through this street and saw your plight." Calvin gave a small smile, "And besides, your daughter believes that I''m Superman, so let''s just leave it at that, all right?"

    "That''s..." The woman hesitated. But when she saw the joy and excitement on her daughter''s face, she was suddenly speechless and didn''t know what to say.

    "What''s your name?" Calvin detected her embarrassment, so she promptly switched topics.

    "You can call me Charlotte... She''s Cecilia."

    "Oh, what beautiful names... Really suits both of you considering that you two are beauties."

    "Ermmm..." The woman went speechless.

    A crimson blush appeared on her face and no one knew what she was thinking. However, when she surreptitiously nced at Calvin''s eyes when he said those words.

    She realized that there was no tinge of desire from Calvin.

    What he said about feeling like he wanted to help others today was most likely true.

    "Can you lead me to your home? I''ll escort the two of you, so I can ensure that these bastards won''t follow you home and demand more payment." Calvin made a proposal. He wanted to leave, so he could prepare more of his ns, but Cecilia just wasn''t letting go.

    It was as if she was afraid that if Calvin left, she wouldn''t be able to see Superman anymore.

    The Joselian Kingdom''s tradition ced a lot of importance on purity and etiquette.

    Inviting a stranger, who was also a man with unknown motives into her home, made the woman hesitate on her decision. But at this moment, Cecilia detected her mother''s hesitation and doubts, so she spoke up for her Uncle Superman.

    "Mommy... It''s okay! Daddy always said to me back then that Uncle Superman wouldn''t hurt us! I want Uncle Superman to go home with us! I''m going to give him some snacks!" Cecilia seemed to be incredibly excited with the prospects that Uncle Superman would escort them home.

    Calvin smiled at Charlotte and said, "See?"

    Charlotte let out a sigh and decided, "All right..."

    "Thank you..."

    She said the following words in a voice so low that it sounded simr to a mosquito''s droning.

    Calvin merely nodded his head and he then proceeded to carry and ce Cecilia on top of his left shoulder.

    They then walked side by side with Charlotte on the lead.

    But at this moment...

    "Stop right there!"

    The ruffians and gangsters that they had ignored all this time while they had their small talk in their own world suddenly spoke up with a shout.

    Calvin turned around and stared coldly at the gangsters.

    "..."

    The gangsters subconsciously took a step backward when they saw the cold light within Calvin''s eyes.

    His gaze was so cold that it pierced through their body and made them feel as if they were in a thousand-years-old icy cavern.

    However, when they remembered the fact that Calvin was just a cripple.

    They grew courageous and said...

    "T-The amount you gave for the payment of her debt is too low!"

    "Oh..." Calvin''s eyesnded on the Medallion that was still in the hands of their leader.

    "We almost forgot about taking that medallion back," Calvin said to Charlotte and Charlotte suddenly squealed in panic.

    Everything that happened was so unreal for her that she actually forgot about the fact that the Medallion was still in the hands of the gangsters.

    In an instant, she descended into panic as her breathing grew rough. Tears welled up in her eyes as she pleaded, "S-Sir Superman... Please... Please retrieve that medallion for me."

    Calvin simply nodded.

    He ced down Cecilia back on the ground and dashed towards the gangsters.

    "You bastard... Kill him!"

    The leader realized that Calvin wasn''t willing to oblige to their requests anymore, so he sent out themand to kill.

    Calvin nced at the guards and despite the leader of the gangsters explicitly saying that they wanted to kill Calvin. The guards were still pretending to be asleep.

    "I see that you have some connections in the government, eh? In that case, since these guards are willing to turn a blind eye to your actions. Don''t me me for taking advantage of that and fuck you up!" Calvin took a piece of crumpled paper from his pocket and clenched it inside his fist.

    Afterwards, he appeared in front of the gangsters'' leader and opened his palm.

    "Gawas, release... Aarb!"

    Bang!

    An explosion ensued...

    An invisible shockwave appeared out of nowhere and overwhelmed the leader of the gangsters in an instant. He flew backward from the force of the shockwave that struck his body before eventually stopping when his back struck the wall of a nearby department store.

    "H-H-He... He murdered him!"

    "Guards! There''s a murderer here!"

    The gangsters were quick to change their tune.

    They hurled their bats and weapons high up in the air towards the roof of the nearby houses in an effort to conceal it.

    Then afterwards, one of them let out a scream which awakened the "sleeping" guards.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows and let out a sigh.

    He turned around and saw a pale-faced Charlotte along with the little girl Cecilia who was jumping up and down in joy.

    "Uncle Superman! You taught them a lesson!"

    "Hahaha..." Calvin lightly chuckled and then turned to look at Charlotte, "Shall we go now? Lead the way, mydy."

    "Ermmm... Okay..." It took quite a while before Charlotte nodded her head and agreed.

    Then, she led the way for Calvin.

    But before they could even go far...

    One of the guards shouted at them from a distance.

    "Stop! You''ve vited thew!"

 Chapter 96: Unpredictable Heart

    Chapter 96: Unpredictable Heart

    His shout was ear-piercing and loud.

    His voice was meant to intimidate and Calvin wasn''t happy with his usations.

    "Oh no, the guards are here..."

    "Shit! I''m out..."

    "Yeet..."

    The crowd immediately dispersed upon seeing the guards.

    From the looks on the guards'' faces, it was obvious that they didn''te here to make peace. Charlotte''s expression immediately paled as she started trembling like a sieve.

    She was the reason why Calvin shed against those bandits.

    If Calvin didn''t help her, then he wouldn''t be in such deep shit.

    It was her fault...

    Everything was her fault...

    She stepped forward and was about to confess to the guards that she was the one who instigated all of these.

    But Calvin stopped her with his arm.

    "Let Superman handle this." Calvin gave a mysterious smile before walking towards the guards.

    "I..." Charlotte was still hesitant.

    "Mommy... Just let Uncle Superman handle it for us! Daddy always said to me that Superman can do anything! He can send those guards away!" Cecilia pumped her small fist up into the sky in a gesture of support to Calvin.

    Charlotte didn''t know what to say.

    She just stood frozen on where she was standing.

    Unable to move for she didn''t dare to do anything other than wait for Calvin.

    The Kingdom of Joselian may prioritize etiquette and purity at all times, but none of them were pure at all. At the least, none of these guards could be considered pure. Just from the fact that they pretended to be asleep earlier said a lot regarding their morals.

    Now, in the face of unscrupulous guards like these guards.

    What was the best method if you want them to do what you wanted them to do?

    It was simple.

    Calvin discreetly handed over the nk cheque that he acquired earlier from the bank and whispered into the ears of the guard that looked to be the leader of all the guards in this shopping street, "Can you close one of your eyes for me, right now?"

    "I know that you are stuck in a hard and rock ce, but this amount should be enough for the medical fees of these bastards. As for why would you bother epting this bribe, I''m working for the Fayke family in a secret mission. I can''t afford to reveal my identity, so I''m forced to do this."

    Calvin then took a step back and stared right at the leader of the guards.

    The leader seemed to be a middle-aged man who had seen a lot in his lifetime.

    Seeing the look of confidence on Calvin''s face. He immediately believed Calvin''s words. Even though it was uncertain if Calvin was indeed working for the Fayke family. It was better safe than sorry. The guard would rather offend these gangsters than offend someone from the Fayke family.

    At the least, he could use money as leverage to reason out against these gangsters.

    But if he offended the Fayke family by messing with someone they sent for a secret mission?

    That was basically the same asmitting suicide.

    No amount of money could possibly save him from the wrath of one of the powerful families in Ashmelion.

    Considering these factors, the leader of the guards felt grateful to Calvin.

    He may be a guard for quite a long time now but his sry was trash and his savings were null. If not for the fact that he had an injury that prevented him from working directly in the army, he wouldn''t be serving as one of the guards in such a dull ce full of pretentious bastards.

    He was grateful to Calvin for not only Calvin instantly saw through his worries and read his mind  He even handed out a nk cheque for him to use in order to satisfy the anger and grievances of these gangsters.

    After all, even though being the leader of the guards in this shopping district sounded domineering.

    The waters of Ashmelion ran deep and murky.

    "Cough... Ahem..." The leader let out a cough and then turned around.

    He signaled for hisrades and they quickly dispersed while carrying the injured leader of the gangsters.

    Calvin then turned around and returned to Charlotte and Cecilia''s side.

    "Done and dusted... All right, shall we go now?"

    Calvin lightly smiled.

    "You... What did you do...? You didn''t threaten them to obey you, right?"

    Charlotte mumbled in astonishment.

    "Hahaha..."

    Calvinughed, "Miss Charlotte, we just met, yet why does it seem like you already know so much about me?"

    Calvin''s words were ambiguous and Charlotte immediately blushed upon realizing his double entendre.

    Cecilia was oblivious to what was happening, she was just happy that Calvin was back and she could finally sit on his shoulder again.

    "Uncle Superman! Make me fly!" She eximed.

    "All right, you want to fly? I''ll make you fly." Calvin picked up the little girl with one hand and then ced her on his shoulder.

    Even though the added weight on Calvin''s shoulder made his body ache, he endured it all as he opened his palm and handed over the Medallion of a Crow Within the Sun towards Charlotte.

    "Here... You''re medallion. It''s precious for you, right? You should protect it with your life and not try to sell it like what you have done earlier." Calvin said in a slightly chiding tone of voice.

    Charlotte received the medallion and then she stared coldly at Calvin before saying, "What do you know?"

    "This..."

    "This medallion is indeed valuable to me, but my daughter is even more valuable! Why are you trying to say as if the decision to sell this medallion was easy for me to make? You don''t know anything about me!"

    Calvin''s footsteps came to a halt. He had no answer at all to Charlotte''s sudden outburst.

    Cecilia puffed her cheeks and said, "Mommy! Why did you shout at Uncle Superman?"

    "Cecilia,e down!" Charlotte red at Cecilia and Calvin was forced to put the little girl back on the ground.

    "I''m grateful for what you''ve done to us... I''m sorry... But you shouldn''t have said that..." Charlotte clenched her fists in frustration and Calvin let out a sigh.

    "I''m sorry..." He took the initiative to apologize.

    But to be honest, he didn''t expect that his casual scolding would lead to an argument.

    Charlotte didn''t say anything and she continued to walk towards her home with Cecilia in tow.

 Chapter 97: The Shithole of a City Known as Ashmelion

    Chapter 97: The Shithole of a City Known as Ashmelion

    Calvin took this time to admire the disgusting smell lingering in the air. Back on his previous timeline, the air within the Ashmelion was so thick with pollutants that the fog in the air couldn''t even be considered as fog anymore. It should be called smog. This visible air pollution called smog was created from the hundreds of factories in the city of Ashmelion.

    The group continued their walk without saying anything at all.

    The entire city of Ashmelion was divided into two halves by the Revoir River. Calvin separated from the Fayke family''s caravan on the other side of the Yang bridge which connected both halves of the City of Ashmelion. The Yang Bridge looked imposing due to how wide it was  but the number of vagrants and beggars on its sidewalks diminished its beauty.

    The Yang Bridge had the highest concentration of vagrants and beggars due to the number of carriages that passed through the bridge every day wherein the vagrants and could take advantage of to get some alms that the carriage passengers and sometimes drivers hurled towards them while they were in thefort of their vehicles.

    Both halves of the City of Ashmelion was also separated into five boroughs.

    The Eastern Borough was the center ofmerce. This ce was the headquarters of many smallpanies, and the shopping district of Mapayapa Street along with the Joselian Royal Bank was also located in the Eastern Borough.

    The Center Borough, on the other hand, which was the closest to the Yang Bridge and Revoir River housed the Ashmelion Stock Exchange Commission.

    This ce was also the headquarters of the Joselian Royal Bank as well as the headquarters of railpanies and bulk cargomercepanies due to its close proximity to the river.

    The Church of the Goddess of Compassion and Light, the Lumiere Cathedral was also located in the Center Borough.

    As for the Western Borough, also known as the Capital of Slow Death... People often avoid this borough due to the fact that it housed hundreds of factories. The smell in the air was so thick with chemicals and sulfur that it was incredibly hard to breathe.

    However, even though the air within this Borough was so toxic.

    People suffering from poverty still visit this ce to work in the sweatshops.

    The adults frequented this ce due to its brothels and work, while the children also flocked to this ce so they could work in the various industries located in this ce.

    The boys worked for the textilepanies while the women, adults, or not  often worked as strumpets, while some, worked in the matchstickpanies.

    The Southern Borough served as the main residential district for people whose ie was in the middle-ss range. It also housed a lot of small scalepanies and a wet market, so people from all the other boroughs frequented the Southern Borough to do their shopping for their daily necessities.

    As for the Northern Borough...

    This was the most crowded area in the City of Ashmelion.

    Ashmelion had a total poption of ten million residents, and a preliminary estimate of the poption count in Northern Borough amounted to at least three million people. This was where the poor lived along with the gangsters, petty thieves, and rogues.

    One could consider this part of the city as the most unsafe ce in the city of Ashmelion.

    Calvin gave a bitter smile.

    ''The City of Ashmelion is also known as the City Where Dreams Begin. But from what I can see right now, and what I have experienced back then. This ce is more suitable to be called the City Where Dreams Die Out. You don''t even know when you''ll lose your life from gangsters and thieves in a shithole like this.''

    ''I wonder just how did a pair of mother and daughter live all this while without being captured by the ve merchants and traders...'' Calvin nced at Charlotte and felt a sense of admiration towards this tough woman.

    This city just wasn''t suitable for raising children.

    Calvin knew that Charlotte suffered a lot.

    Just a single look on Charlotte''s yellowish eyes, as well as her unusually paleplexion, made it obvious that she had suffered a lot just for the sake of her daughter. Why? Well, it was because when youpared Cecilia''splexion to Charlotte''s, one could easily see the difference.

    Her daughter looked incredibly healthy while Calvin reckoned that if Charlotte continued on doing whatever she was doing for them to survive in a shithole like this...

    Charlotte would definitely die from an illness in the next five years.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    He wasn''t someone that always saved a damsel in distress.

    But he was always thorough whenever he gave his help.

    Since he had already decided to help both mother and daughter in their plight, he made a promise to himself that he would change their lives.

    After all, Calvin was someone who never finished what he had started.

    The group continued their journey and they then arrived in the Northern Borough proper of Ashmelion.

    Calvin swept his gaze across the houses in front of him and discovered that the cement of houses and how close they were to each other reminded Calvin of the dangerous favs in Brazil.

    Furthermore, the cecked any sanitation.

    There was no sewage system so the people used chamber pots and just hurled their crap and urine out of the window.

    Calvin felt immense disgust as he stepped on the sticky ground of the Northern Borough. No matter where he ced his feet, there was no way for him to avoid the hundreds of feces and urine littering the floor. But Charlotte and Cecilia didn''t seem to mind what they were seeing.

    They merely kicked aside the hardened feces standing in front of them before continuing their journey.

    ''She sure is a tough woman...'' Calvin praised once more.

    Soon, the group arrived in a ce that looked more like a hut made out of cardboard-thin walls.

    The walls and beams supporting the house didn''t even have any nails to support the entire structure. Calvin thought that it was a miracle that the house remained standing for so long without copsing on its residents.

    "Oh, Charlotte... You''re finally back..."

    "Madame Elsa!"

    Upon opening the rotting doors of the house...

    An elderly woman appeared in front of the group and smiled in delight upon seeing Charlotte''s arrival.

    Charlotte also greeted the woman and the two started talking to each other.

    Cecilia dragged Calvin deeper into the house and said, "Uncle Superman! That is where I and Mommy sleeps!" She pointed at a bunkbed ced at the far corners of the hut where sunlight couldn''t even pass through.

    Calvin followed her gaze and realized that Charlotte and Cecilia slept on the second bed above the bunk bed, while Elsa, the elderly woman slept down below.

    It made sense since Elsa was already so old. It wasn''t appropriate for her to climb up the unsteadydder to reach the bed above the bunk bed.

    However, when Calvin''s eyesnded on the young boy sleeping on the bed below Charlotte and Cecilia''s bed...

    He frowned.

    It was because the young boy''splexion was unusually pale and his chest wasn''t moving up and down.

    "He''s dead?" Calvin uttered in shock.

    Cecilia nodded her head and said, "Yes... Eagie died yesterday... we just finished ying, but then he said that he wanted to take a nap and he didn''t wake up again..."

    Calvin directed his gaze at Elsa and asked, "Madame... Is this your son?"

    Elsa shook her head, "No... That''s my grandson... Yes, he died yesterday..." Elsa let out a sigh.

    "Why don''t you bury him...?" Calvin asked in hesitation. He didn''t want another argument to start.

    Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows, she felt that Calvin was being insensitive.

    But for Calvin, his question was legitimate.

    A dead not given any proper burial could transform into a ghoul at any moment and massacre everyone in this room.

    Elsa stared right at Calvin and after realizing that Calvin didn''t ask that question to mock her, she replied, "I would love to bury my grandson, but do you know how much that costs? Five Joselian pesos! It takes me a week to earn five Joselian pesos and that is if I do not buy me some food..."

    "But don''t worry... give me three days... No two days! I will be able to bury him then!"

    Elsa seemed to have gone mad.

    Calvin nced at the corpse once more and realized that the corpse was already rotting.

    A nauseating smell wasing out of it and if it wasn''t buried today or the next day... The smell would intensify to unbearable levels. What''s more, it wasn''t healthy having a dposing corpse out here in the open.

    Calvin looked at Elsa and was about to say that they could probably burn the body as the form of burial. But Calvin remembered that the people of Ashmelion believed in the Goddess of Compassion and Light.

    One of the doctrines said that if the person wasn''t buried six feet underneath properly...

    They would forever be unable to enter the cycle of life and they wouldn''t be able to reincarnate.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    He took dozens of coins from his pouch and handed it over to Elsa.

    "Take this and bury your grandson. You don''t have to worry about paying me back."

 Chapter 98: Charlotte and Cecilia

    Chapter 98: Charlotte and Cecilia

    Calvin didn''t dare to give Elsa too much money.

    In a ce like this, having more money meant dying early.

    It was sinful to be rich than the average people in the Northern Borough.

    Seeing Calvin''s gesture, Charlotte''s impression of him improved.

    After assisting Elsa out of the door with the body of her grandson, Charlotte offered a seat for Calvin and asked, "Why did you want toe here? Do you have something to say to me?"

    Calvin nodded his head, "That''s right, but before we do that. Can we talk about your situation here?"

    "What is there to talk about?"

    Calvin noticed that Charlotte was still angry.

    "Uncle Superman! Mommy is angry at you... You''ve got to make her happy again or else, I''d also be angry at you!"

    "Cecilia, quiet! Go and y on your own. The adults have something to talk about! You don''t intervene in the talk of the adults, okay?" Charlotte directed her embarrassment at Cecilia by ring at the little girl.

    Cecilia gave a bell-like chuckle before she climbed up the bunk bed and stared curiously at Calvin and Charlotte.

    Calvin nced at Cecilia and the little girl immediately pretended to be asleep.

    Charlotte also noticed Cecilia''s antics and she couldn''t help but shake her head and bitterly smile, "I''m sorry about my daughter''s antics..."

    "No, you don''t have to apologize about that, Miss Charlotte. She''s just a child. Let a child have fun in her own way."

    Calvin waved his hand and didn''t seem to be bothered about Cecilia.

    "I want to talk about what made you so desperate that you tried to sell such an important piece of item." Calvin was obviously referring to the Medallion of a Crow Within the Sun. Charlotte quickly caught on what he was trying to say as she let out a sorrowful sigh.

    "Don''t get me wrong... The medallion is valuable for me. But so is my daughter... If I can use that medallion to save both of our lives, then I will do it ten out of ten times!" Charlotte firmly said.

    Complicated emotions shed across Calvin''s face.

    Realizing Charlotte''s determination when she made that decision, Calvin couldn''t possibly say that the reason why he saved them was that he wanted the medallion right? After all, it was that valuable for Charlotte. The least that he could do was to borrow it.

    But if he borrowed it, it surely wouldn''t be returned once he presented it to the Cavaliers.

    Damn...

    It''s bingplicated.

    Calvin felt a headacheing.

    "What do you mean by saving both of your lives? Is it because of those loan sharks?"

    Charlotte nodded, "Yes... But that''s not the only reason. It''s because it''s been three months since we paid rent. Thendlord is already impatient. He already gave us all the grace period that he can give, but... If we wanted another grace period... That would mean..."

    "Wait..." Calvin suddenly interrupted her speech.

    It was because he realized that there were immense sorrow and remorseced within Charlotte''s voice. As far as Calvin could remember ndlords were ruthless and inhumane in the world of Las Felipinas.

    Even if you were onlyte on your payments for a single day, they would decisively kick you out.

    After all, with the immense number of homeless people in Ashmelion... Anyndlord could easily have their ce rented out again after kicking out the previous tenant. In other words, tenants weren''t that precious at all for thendlords.

    They view them as assets that they could rece at any moment''s notice.

    But there was something strange within Charlotte''s voice when she said that thendlord had already given all the grace period that he could give to them.

    Withndlords being so ruthless, it was close to impossible for them to give out any grace period for their tenants. Even when thew of the Joselian Kingdom stated that a person must not be arbitrarily deprived of their homes. Thisw wasn''t enforced at all.

    Then...

    Just how did Charlotte acquire three months of grace periods?

    Could it be that...

    "Yes... I have no choice... The matchstick factory that I''m working in kicked me out for being tardy... I have no ie, the sweatshops, and the textile factories are full of workers. The only industry that I can work in to save our lives is the industry that I would rather die than work in..."

    "I may be poor, but I would never be a whore!"

    "But that shittyndlord... I let him touch my body in exchange for a grace period, but for this month''s grace period. He wants to... He wants to do it with me..."

    "I''d rather die than do it with that disgusting man!"

    "That''s why... Please..."

    "Please don''t..."

    "Please don''t think of me as someone dirty..."

    Charlotte couldn''t take it anymore.

    She cried and sobbed.

    "Mommy...?"

    Cecilia hurriedly descended from the top of the bunk bed and ran towards her mother.

    "Mommy, why are you crying?"

    "Mommy, please don''t cry..."

    Cecilia tried her best to console her mother but Charlotte''s tears wouldn''t stop.

    "Wuwuwu... Mommy... Please don''t cry anymore... Wuwuwu..."

    In the end, even Cecilia was crying.

    Calvin stared at the pair of mother and daughter before he stretched his hand out and ruffled the hair of the two.

    "You''ve done your best... You''ve worked hard... You have all the right to cry..."

    To be honest, Calvin was never a man who knew how to console someone.

    His movements were awkward and his voice was stuttering...

    He didn''t know what to say tofort the mother and daughter pair.

    Eventually, Charlotte stopped crying and she hung her head low in shame.

    Calvin may look to be the same age as her, but he was a member of the opposite sex!

    As a woman, she found it quite embarrassing for her to bawl and cry in front of Calvin.

    "Hahaha..." Calvin found Charlotte''s antics as quite amusing, "Go ahead, cry... No one is around us anyways..."

    "What are you saying..." Charlotte rolled her eyes at him.

    "Mommy... Uncle Superman means you look ugly when you''re crying..." Cecilia took advantage of this opportunity to tease her mother.

    "You... Cecilia!" Charlotte was so aggrieved after being teased by her daughter that she bit her pale and chapped lips.

    "But she''s right, Miss Charlotte. You do look ugly when you''re crying. That is why you shouldn''t cry anymore. You look beautiful when you smile." Calvin said.

    "Beautiful... You..." Charlotte trembled.

    She felt inexplicably happy knowing that Calvin thought of her as someone beautiful.

    The three continued their talk and Calvin found out that even Cecilia was working on a nearby matchstick factory. When Calvin knew about this, he immediately ordered Cecilia to quit and he also promised that he would take care of them from now on.

    "No, that''s not appropriate..."

    "We don''t know you... and why would you... Why would you do something like this to us?"

    Charlotte was quick to express her protest.

    "Didn''t I told you earlier as to why I am doing this? It''s because I feel like helping someone today, and you said that you don''t know me, right? Then, in that case, I''ll introduce myself. Hello, my name is Calvin... Nice to meet you, little Cecilia!"

    Calvin turned to look at Cecilia.

    "Nice to meet you too, Uncle!"

    Cecilia let out a burst of bell-likeughter andically shook her small hand with Calvin''s.

    Afterwards, Calvin retracted his hand and extended it to Charlotte, "Miss Charlotte, my name is Calvin. Just call me by my name, you don''t have to add any honorifics. It''s nice to meet you."

    Charlotte stared dumbstruck at the wide smile on Calvin''s face.

    The man standing in front of him may be a cripple, but his heart was as boundless as the ocean.

    Charlotte didn''t know what to say.

    She subconsciously extended her hand and shook hands with him.

    "Now that you know who I am, I guess I can help you now, all right?" Calvin didn''t wait for Charlotte''s reply.

    He took out the pouch containing his remaining money which amounted to a few dozen Joselian pesos and said, "Take this money and find a better ce to stay at the Southern Borough. I''ll be going out for now. Remember to be careful out there."

    Calvin then turned around.

    "Wait!"

    "Where are you going?"

    "Uncle Superman... Are you going to leave us? Please don''t leave us, Uncle Superman..."

    Cecilia whispered in a wistful voice.

    Charlotte bit her pale lips and said, "Will youe back?"

    Calvinughed, "What''s this? Don''t exaggerate now, all right? Of course, I''ll be back! I''m just going to go out there and find a job..."

    "Find a job...?"

    "But why?"

    Calvin grabbed Charlotte''s calloused and yellowish hands before saying, "From now on. I want you to focus on Cecilia..."

    "You''ve already endured so much, so let me take care of the rest. I''ll make sure to earn enough money so the two of you won''t have to worry about your food and shelter for the rest of your life."

    Calvin solemnly dered.

    Charlotte stared dumbstruck upon hearing Calvin''s deration.

    But in the very next moment.

    She started crying once more.

    But this time, there was something different.

    Charlotte''s eyes seemed to be shining in a greenish light.

    That light disappeared as abruptly as it appeared, but Calvin was sure that the light he saw wasn''t an illusion.

    Holding back her tumultuous emotions, he wiped the tears off Charlotte''s face and said, "I''ll be back in a few hours...

    "In the meantime, use that money to get Cecilia some good food!"

    Calvin then left in a hurry.

    Staring at Calvin''s back, the greenish light within Charlotte''s eyes returned.

    "Mommy?"

    Cecilia whispered.

    Her eyes were also emanating the same greenish light.

    "I-It''s nothing..."

    Charlotte shook her head and the greenish lights disappeared simr to a burst bubble.

    "Let''s get you some food... What do you want? A dirty ice cream?"

    "Yaaay! Ice cream! It''s been a year since I had ice cream! Thank you, mommy!"

    Cecilia was immediately delighted and she quickly forgot about the greenish lights that she saw.

 Chapter 99: Earning Money is Unexpectedly Hard

    Chapter 99: Earning Money is Unexpectedly Hard

    It took Calvin quite a long time before he was able toe out of the fav-looking residential area of the Northern Borough. Afterwards, he checked his pockets and realized that he only had five Joselian pesos.

    The empty cheque which was supposed to be for his own usage so he could buy a residential house in the Southern Borough was now out of his hands. But Calvin didn''t feel any regret using that money to get out of that sticky situation earlier. After all, money was just a tool for him.

    Compared to the hassle that he would experience if he was to be interrogated by those bastards, he considered his decision as wise and correct. The Joselian Kingdom Law states that a person could be arbitrarily incarcerated for not more than 72 hours after being arrested.

    If noint was made in the next 72 hours, the person must be released.

    72 hours wasn''t that long, but for Calvin who was in the hurry to make contact with the Cavaliers.

    It was an awfully long time.

    He didn''t have any time to deal with the guards, so he used that empty cheque as an escape from being imprisoned card. His method worked and he sessfully bribed the guards to turn their eyes away from what just happened.

    But Calvin was now broke. Ten Joselian pesos was about 2 weeks of sry for the poor peasants working in textile and matchstick factories but in the Southern Borough...

    That amount of money was nothing.

    Calvin grew to learn about this difference when he saw that the dishes served in restaurants situated in the Southern Borough was painfully expensive than those served and hawked in the Northern Borough.

    After taking a carriage-taxi to reach the Southern Borough, Calvin was left with eight Joselian Pesos.

    It was at this moment that he felt his stomach rumble in protest.

    Calvin then walked towards a nearby sidewalk vendor, "Can I get a serving of chicken porridge, please?"

    The middle-aged man vendor nodded his head and silently gave Calvin a bowl of porridge.

    Calvin received the bowl and handed over three Joselian pesos, but the sidewalk vendor suddenlyined.

    "It''s not enough..."

    "What?" Calvin doubted his ears.

    The price ced on the que hanging beside the signage of the stall clearly said that the price of a chicken porridge was three Joselian pesos. What did he mean by not enough?

    "The price has changed an hour ago. It''s now four Joselian pesos."

    "What?"

    Calvin was even more confused.

    The vendor stared at him and said, "It seems like you''re a foreigner since you clearly don''t know about the protests that happened in the Center Borough a few days ago. Those bastards in theirfy mansion at the Hilton Borough clearly do not understand the feelings of us, peasants..."

    "They arbitrarily passed that Bountiful City Trade Act which imposes sanctions and quotas to our farmers resulting in prices suddenly going up in a blink of an eye..."

    "Let me tell you how ridiculous it is... A few days ago, the price of a single pound of meat was eleven Joselian pesos. But now... Guess how much it is?" The vendor asked.

    "Uh... Twelve?" Calvin replied.

    "It''s fifteen!"

    "Fifteen Joselian pesos! And it''s still increasing as we speak..."

    "Now, do you understand? Those bastards only think about increasing their own wealth while we peasants  suffer under their selfish sanctions andws..." The vendor let out a sigh.

    Calvin also gave a bitter smile to express that he sympathized with what the vendor was talking about.

    The vendor was obviously a verbose man, he still wanted to talk with Calvin but he found his hands full when the customers here to eat for their lunch suddenly swarmed him for a bowl of chicken porridge.

    Calvin took a seat on the sidewalk and proceeded to eat his own bowl of porridge.

    After paying two Joselian pesos more for a cup of juice...

    Calvinzily stretched his body before taking a look at the two Joselian pesos that he had remaining.

    He noticed that the vendor was now free of customers so he approached the talkative man and asked, "Do you know a ce where I can earn a lot of money as fast as possible here in Ashmelion?"

    To be honest, Calvin had several candidates in his mind, but he knew that it was more effective to ask a local.

    After all, on the previous timeline, Calvin was a tycoon in Ashmelion back then...

    He didn''t bother about trying to earn any money in Ashmelion for he already had a lot of money beforehand.

    But now, since he was as broke as a beggar.

    He needed to earn a living.

    The vendor turned to look at Calvin and said, "I would love to rmend you the Combat Arena, but seeing that you''re obviously not going to survive in a fight against even the weakest fighters in that ce... Hmm... Let me think... Do you perhaps have some money to use as a capital?"

    The vendor noticed Calvin''s bitter smile, "Oops... It seems like I asked a stupid question."

    "But if you have no capital... I have no idea where someone can earn a lot of money in a short time. Most of the ideas that I have required strength for it to work, and if not strength... It requires capital for a chance to earn a lot of money in exchange for that capital..."

    "How about burying the dead in the Fallen Angels Cemetery? It''s in the Southern Borough, so it''s nearby."

    The vendor asked.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    The vendor need not ask about Calvin''s answer upon seeing him sigh.

    "It''s such a shame that you''re a man..."

    "If you were a man, you could be a strumpet and earn a living through your body."

    Calvin simply nodded, "All right, thank you for the time. I must go now and peruse the area for any job opportunities."

    "Okay, okay... Take care now. Remember toe back here if you''re hungry. I can give you a discount seeing that you''re so polite."

    The middle-aged man vendor waved Calvin goodbye.

    Calvin walked through the street in deep contemtion.

    Damn... I have a lot of ns, but I never considered the fact that I needed money to do most of them. Could it be because back then  I nevercked money? Is that the reason why I''ve growncent? Now, how am I supposed to earn money? Sigh... Earning money is unexpectedly hard...

    Calvin lovingly rubbed the deted pouch hanging on his waistband.

    The pouch looked big, but it only contained two Joselian pesos.

    How unfortunate and sad.

    But Calvin didn''t lose hope.

    If worsees to worst, he could just use Spiritualistic Magic to earn a sizeable amount of money.

    After all, he still had the soul of the Butcher, the Benevolent Father, Arthur Chase, and the Mortician.

    He could sacrifice their souls to the God of Infighting and War, Discord in exchange for money.

    But unless Calvin was pushed into a corner, he didn''t n on wasting the souls of the three for money.

    It was too wasteful and uneconomical.

    Calvin thought for a moment and he eventually came across a viable idea.

    But before he could formte ns based on that idea, someone bumped into him.

    "Ouch! Watch out, man!" Calvin red at the young man who didn''t even apologize.

    But in the very next moment, a piercing scream of anger reverberated through the street.

    "He''s a snatcher!"

    "Stop him!"

    Amotion immediately urred in the middle of the busy street.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, annoyed since themotion had interrupted his train of thought.

    But when he realized that his pouch attached to his waistband was missing.

    He was immediately enraged.

    "Fucking hell, you bastard?! You didn''t even spare my two Joselian pesos!"

    He turned around and ran after the snatcher like he had gone mad.

 Chapter 100: A Not So Simple Robbery

    Chapter 100: A Not So Simple Robbery

    The snatcher was surely a fast runner. With his expertise pertaining to the streets of Ashmelion, he weaved through the crowd, and in just a few seconds he vanished from Calvin''s eyes.

    But Calvin wasn''t willing to give up, two Joselian pesos may not be a lot but a million pesos started from one peso.

    Calvin was never someone who disdained the value of a single coin for he preferred the value of a thousand coins.

    He ran after the snatcher.

    His knowledge of Ashmelion was no less than the snatcher.

    His movements were even more practiced than the snatcher, so in a blink of an eye. He managed to catch up and could finally see the back of the snatcher.

    "Stop right there!"

    "Make way, that''s a thief!"

    The crowd had thickened even further, it was understandable since it was lunchtime. The people working in the Center Borough and themercial shops within the Southern Borough flocked towards the nearby wet market where the snatcher was heading.

    The thief was wise, he knew how to use the crowd to his advantage.

    Calvin had never been a thief, so he was baffled with the snatcher''s proficiency in mixing himself to the crowd.

    He stood on an elevated tform and using his wide view angle, he perused the crowd looking for that thief.

    Just where in the hell did he go?

    Damn... His frame is too average whenpared to others and he''s also wise not to use clothes that will make him stand out from the crowd.

    What should I do? Maybe... I can find him by filtering the crowd based on their actions?

    Fuck... There are too many shady individuals in Ashmelion!

    Man, I''m starting to hate those drug smugglers. I can spot a dozen drug mules in this crowd, but none of them is the snatcher! I''m sure of it.

    Damn it, man...

    My two pesos...

    Calvin mourned for his two Joselian pesos, but he knew that it was impossible for him to retrieve it anymore.

    He walked down the tform and let out a sigh.

    But before he could even walk any further...

    Calvin had a brilliant idea in his mind.

    What if I used Spiritualistic Magic to find the location of that bastard?

    Hmmm... I don''t think it''s worth it to sacrifice my blood essence just to retrieve my two pesos...

    But wait... I''m not the only one that had my money stolen from me! If I managed to find that thief and return the item to its owner, there''s a chance that I will be able to get some mary rewards...

    That''s it! I can use this opportunity to get myself some money and use that money as capital to further increase my financial capability...

    And also...

    Calvin lightly chuckled.

    The Cavaliers were a group of mysteries people, but they would certainly investigate a matter once they detected that Spiritualistic Magic was involved.

    If Calvin could use this opportunity to get himself some money and also attract the attention of the Cavaliers onto him for a chance to join their ranks. This would be worth it...

    Calvin let out a smile and decisively bit on his left cheek.

    Blood immediately filled his mouth as he spat it into his palm and chanted.

    "Oh, our Beloved Goddess Grace..."

    "The Magister of Light and the Commander of Compassion..."

    "I invoke your name with my essence, bestow guidance upon your lowly servant..."

    "Show me the path to which leads to the thief..."

    "Tremunt!"

    Upon firmly saying the word, "Tremunt", Calvin sshed the blood that he had in his palm onto the pavement. A sense of fatigue and weakness came over his body as he felt his strength waning due to the effects of Spiritualistic Magic. But this sense of fatigue was also a piece of solid evidence, indicating that the ritual had seeded.

    Calvin turned to look at the blood that he sshed onto the ground and discovered that...

    It was a mess...

    The blood had haphazardly collided against the ground and no message nor guidance could be deduced from it.

    At this moment, Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    Spiritualistic Magic had the Law of Equivalent Exchange. It would never seed if the god or goddess in question judged that the sacrifice wasn''t enough for the request. But since Calvin felt a sense of general weakness washing over his body the ritual should''ve seeded.

    Yet, why was there no message at all depicted on the blood?

    There were two possibilities.

    First, someone directly intervened in the ritual.

    By interference, the thief probably used a great deal of sacrifice to render his location unable to be discerned by another ritual for a certain amount of time. But items necessary for Spiritualistic Magic was expensive in this current Epoch. How could a mere thief afford those items?

    But what if the thief used his blood essence simr to how Calvin used his blood essence every time he did the ritual?

    The chance of that happening was impossible.

    Why?

    It was because Calvin was the one who discovered and pioneered the use of blood essence as a sacrificial material!

    Apart from him, no one knew that one could use their blood essence as a sacrifice.

    In other words, it was unlikely that interference had happened.

    What about the second possibility?

    Calvin used Spiritualistic Magic to find the location of the thief, but what if the thief... Wasn''t that thief anymore?

    What if he changed his identity the moment he disappeared from Calvin''s eyes.

    The First Cataclysm trapped all sorts of unusual monsters in the world of Las Felipinas, so it was not entirely false that a monster that could change appearance existed. In fact, the existence of that monster would exin everything!

    Why did Calvin''s Spiritualistic Magic fail to find the location of the thief despite his substantial sacrifice?

    It was because that thief never even existed in the first ce!

    In short, the identity of that thief must be a doppelganger!

    Doppelgangers, also known as Imitators were monsters that could take the form of anyone, even beasts that they have encountered. The biological sex didn''t matter, so long as the doppelganger was powerful enough.

    It could take on the form of everyone, even the form of one of the Seven Gods and Goddesses!

    Having the ability to take the form of anyone, Doppelgangers were creatures that shouldn''t even resort to stealing.

    Yet, why did this Imitator went ahead and became a thief for the sake of a few Joselian pesos?

    It didn''t make sense.

    Calvin pondered.

    This robbery...

    It''s not so simple!

 Chapter 101: A Not So Simple Coffee Shop

    Chapter 101: A Not So Simple Coffee Shop

    In the City of Ashmelion, there exists a coffee shop located somewhere in the Center Borough. The Center of Borough was the center ofmerce, often frequented by nobles due to the number of luxurious department stores on its streets.

    But despite the number of people passing on the streets, none of them dared to enter this coffee shop.

    Why?

    It was because the prices were too extravagant and exorbitant.

    But the four employees of the coffee shop didn''t seem to be too bothered about theck of customers. In fact, they reclined on their chairs and stared at the ceiling. It was unknown what they were thinking about.

    But one thing was for sure.

    This coffee shop wasn''t so simple.

    The man standing beyond the front desk brewing his own coffee with methods only known by no one but himself looked to be in his thirties. His ck hair, straight nose, and brown eyes made him look simr to a connoisseur of coffee. Although his brewing method was so crude.

    Instead of using a specialized machine on crushing the beans, he crushed them with his hands and then filtered the beans with a cheesecloth. The quality of the coffee beans that he was using was subpar, but the man didn''t seem to mind. Drinking the coffee, his eyes narrowed in pleasure.

    But the three other employees consisting of two men and a woman who saw his actions cringed.

    "Captain... Why do you always slurp the coffee when you drink it? The noise makes me cringe. What''s more, the coffee that you brew always tastes like dirt!" One of the employeesined.

    Compared to the man, he was younger. His ck sideburns and sharp nose, as well as his grey pupils, made him look gorgeous and handsome.

    However, his smile hat seemed to be frozen in a cheeky smirk along with his overall perverted look made him give off the vibe that he was a crude man who could also be considered as a simpleton.

    "What did you say?" Upon hearing the young man''s words the man behind the counter raised his head and stared at the young man.

    However, his words may have sounded intimidating and scary, but his tone wasced in confusion.

    It was obvious from the look on his face that he didn''t hear what the young man was talking about.

    "Why do you always slurp the coffee when you drink it?!"

    The young man, somewhat irritated raised his tone of voice.

    This time, the man beyond the counter heard what he had said and he quickly grew enraged against the young man. But his rage was unlike the employees had expected. Instead of a powerful tsunami that could sweep everything in its path, the man''s rage was more mature.

    It wasn''t simr to a tsunami, but it was still reminiscent of a boundless ocean.

    "Since you don''t want to hear my slurping that much, then I guess it''s time for you to get out of here and work."

    The man flung a piece of paper towards the young man and exined, "An Ashmelion merchant by the name of Sylvester requested for our service from the Church of Lumiere..."

    "It''s a case of catching a thief. I don''t know why the Church sent us this notice instead of letting the police handle this, but since the notice is already here..."

    "We have no choice but to do it. Actually, I''ve been contemting as to who among the four of us should go, and since you don''t want to stay here and hear me slurping my morning coffee..."

    "How about you go out there and catch the thief for us?"

    "..."

    "But Captain... This is just a case of catching a petty thief! Why don''t we hand this over to the police? Why should we bother about this notice? What''s more..." The young man perused the document for a moment and said, "It''s in the Southern Borough! That ce stinks! I''d rather hear you slurp than go to that ce!"

    The man furrowed his eyebrows.

    The other employees were a man and a woman.

    "Stop whining, Bruce... Be a man and do the job properly..."

    "It''s not so wise to keep offending the Captain. I thought you''ve already learned that lesson previously..." This time, the one who spoke was a woman who said these words in a chiding tone of voice.

    Bruce turned to look at the woman and said, "Ashlynn... Even you..."

    "Just go and take the job already... Once you finish and receive the rewards, don''t forget to treat us to a good meal, okay?" Ashlynn encouraged Bruce and when Bruce saw the encouraging smile on Ashlynn''s face.

    He knew that Ashlynn wasn''t really encouraging him so he couldplete his job as fast as possible and as efficiently as he could.

    She was encouraging him, so she could tell Bruce that she did her part and deserved to be rewarded with a meal.

    Damn it...

    A bunch of shameless bastards!

    Bruce inwardly cursed...

    But since he was the youngest member of the team, he knew that he had to do his job to prove his worth to his allies.

    What''s more, catching a petty thief sounds like a simple job. He could use this job to finally brag to these guys that he could do a good job whenever he wanted to.

    And that he wasn''t useless and could finally attend to missions that were moreplicated and had the interference of the supernatural.

    Bruce was a newly-appointed Cavalier who still didn''t have his job-specific Aspect.

    He may not be powerfulpared to the others, but that didn''t mean that he wasn''t strong enough to catch a thief.

    Bruce raised his head high and walked out of the coffee shop with pride.

    Taking the document with him, he headed for the Southern Borough to start his investigation regarding the mysterious creature who kept on stealing the wares and items of the wet market''s stalls. Seeing that he had carried the notice with him, this was the same as saying that he had epted the job.

 Chapter 102: All Clues Lead to the Supernatural

    Chapter 102: All Clues Lead to the Supernatural

    "Are you sure that it''s the right thing for him to investigate that case, Captain? It has been less than a week since he joined our ranks. Well, he sessfully survived through the mutations, but he still doesn''t have his ss-specific Aspect. Will he be fine?" Ashlynn asked.

    Ashlynn was a fine woman ripe with age. She seemed to be younger than the Captain of the Cavaliers for half a decade, but despite the fact that her age wasn''t so far away from the remaining member of the Cavaliers. That man didn''t dare to disrespect her due to her authority.

    The Captain of the Cavaliers, Ron Samuel raised his head and said, "I don''t know... But he will undoubtedly be one of us anyway..."

    "Seeing that he''s so young, there needs to be a whetstone that would make him get used to how we do our jobs, you understand? Small jobs like these that the Church gives to us for some reason is what he needs to adapt."

    "Those that cannot adapt after bing a Cavalier are people that we do not need."

    Ashlynn nodded her head.

    James Branzu who sat on the table across Ashlynn also nodded and gave out a small smile, "Is that the reason why despite having so many candidates. We only have four employees in this coffee shop?"

    Ron Samuel shook his head, "I don''t know..."

    Indeed...

    Cavaliers were a bunch of people that would never die in their sleep.

    Fighting against monsters...

    Protecting the believers of the Church of Lumiere, the Church of the Goddess of Compassion and Light from the supernatural, and the influences of other Predators.

    These thankless jobs were the jobs of the Cavaliers. It was understandable that not a lot of people would willingly abandon their future just to join the Cavaliers.

    "This ce still stinks as always..." Bruce lifted a bitter smile on his face.

    It was past high noon, but the heat of the sun was still as dizzying as ever. Bruce was never a man who liked to be under the sun. As a night owl, he found the night moreforting than the light of the sun.

    Furthermore, though moonlight illuminated the world with its light that could neverpare to the all-epassing light of the sun...

    At least, it wasn''t scorching and it brought him a sense of peace and catharsis whenever it was night and he was basking under the moonlight.

    The Southern Borough in the afternoon was a mess. Most jobs started as early as dawn and ended past noon.

    Of course, sweatshops, matchstick, and textile factories from the Northern and Western Borough was an exception. For some reason, only thepanies within the Southern Borough had the health of their employees in mind.

    The differences were so vast that the Southern Borough seemed to be a different worldpared to the Western and Northern Borough. However, despite these differences, there was still something inmon. It was the perpetual stink of feces and all sorts of crap lingering in the air.

    Most of the people living in Southern Borough were seafarers and seamen working in cargo. They worked from dawn until past lunch and it was an understatement to say that they carried heavy objects more often than they changed their knickers.

    The smell was overwhelming, particrly for Bruce who had a strong sense of smell.

    Suppressing the nauseous sensation rising up from his stomach to his throat, Bruce finally reached the wet market wherein he started the very first steps of conducting an investigation based on the Cavalier''s way.

    First...

    Ask questions.

    Bruce approached the merchant named Slyvester and started asking his questions. He then found out that the reason why he handed over the notice to the Church of Lumiere was after the police''s rmendation.

    It was because when the police and Sylvester had cornered the thief into a nearby alleyway.

    They became distracted for a second, and when they realized it...

    The man had vanished into thin air without any traces.

    It was as if he didn''t even exist in the first ce.

    But when questioned by Bruce as to how he was so sure that the thief exists.

    Sylvester showed him the records of wares that Sylvester bought from his supplier. Comparing the values of the sales and the initial purchase that Sylvester made from the factory. It was revealed that Sylvester had about a dozen wares missing from his stalls.

    All of those items were allegedly stolen by the thief.

    The stories of the merchants that had goods stolen from them by the thief were the same. They all said that whenever they managed to corner the thief, they would be distracted for a brief moment and when they realized what just happened, the thief had already disappeared, simr to a ghost.

    The merchants were so scared of these events that Sylvester lost a few members of his Merchant Coalition. What''s more, the Bountiful City Trade Act dealt a lot of damage against the merchants, so now... Sylvester only had a handful of members in his coalition.

    His previous merchants retired and went to do other businesses unaffected by the Trade Act.

    There were no ring holes in the stories of the merchants. Summarizing what he had heard, Bruce proceeded onto the second step of his investigation using the Cavalier''s way.

    One must do their own research!

    Bruce took out a few vials from his pocket.

    These vials were filled with oils, herbs, and a monster core.

    cing the small vials in his hand.

    A crunchy sound rang out as Bruce simultaneously crushed them with the sheer strength of his palm.

    Afterwards, he walked towards a nearby alleyway and silently prayed.

    "Oh, Beloved Goddess of Boundless Compassion..."

    "The Magister of Light and the Commander of Compassion..."

    "Your lowly servant offers you this sacrifice, Oh, beloved Goddess!"

    "Guide your servant..."

    Bruce took a deep breath before taking out a pair of divining rods out his pocket.

    Wiping the remains of the sacrificed ingredients onto the surface of the dowsing rods. The metal rods started twitching until it pointed in a general direction. Bruce''s eyes gleamed with excitement when he saw that the divining rod had discovered something.

    It was pointing towards the Yang Bridge!

    Bruce promptly stuffed the divining rods back into his pocket and rushed towards the Yang Bridge. Upon scaling the bridge, he walked near the railings and took out the divining rods once again. But as soon as the divining rods came out, they started spinning uncontrobly.

    "Ah!"

    Bruce was so startled that he let go of the divining rods.

    "Oh no!"

    Ssh!

    Being so close to the railings...

    Bruce identally let go of the divining rods out of panic and the rods fell into the Revoir River down below.

    "Fuck..."

    Bruce softly whispered a curse.

    But the shock in his eyes was still evident.

    It was because the uncontroble spinning of the divining rods only meant one thing...

    Something connected to the supernatural happened here!

 Chapter 103: Confusing Course of Actions

    Chapter 103: Confusing Course of Actions

    Calvin walked along the streets of the Central Borough as he took out the inactive Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life and started scribbling on its surface.

    "Humanity''s downfall was caused by a single man..."

    A single sentence was left by his crude quill on the surface of the notebook and in the very next moment. Despite Dandelion being inactive, the notebook was still able to apparently confirm the legitimacy of his words.

    The word, "Verified" appeared next to the sentence before the sentence itself disappeared.

    Now that I think about it... Since the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life can confirm the legitimacy of a sentence. I should be able to confirm if the thief was indeed a Doppelganger.

    After all, the identity of the thief was still a secret and so long as it''s a secret, the notebook should be able to confirm it.

    Calvin thought to himself.

    After careful deliberation, he walked into Mapayapa Street and found a random wall to lean his back on.

    Then, he scribbled on the surface of the notebook.

    "The thief who stole my two pesos earlier was a Doppelganger..."

    Dim light surrounded the sentence, and the word, "Verified" appeared beside it confirming Calvin''s conjectures.

    "A Doppelganger..."

    Calvin mumbled.

    The ancient notebook of the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life was a convenient tool for Calvin whenever he wanted to make a n or arrange his train of thoughts. It was because the notebook never ran out of paper. Taking advantage of this fact, Calvin proceeded to write what he could remember about Doppelgangers.

    "Doppelgangers, also known as Imitators are beings able to take on the form of every living humanoid being or animal they please. This transformation isn''t something that could be detected so easily for this is aplete and authentic metamorphosis, the transformation isn''t an illusion that a simple spell or anti-magic can detect nor break..."

    "In other words, no amount of countermeasures can prepare someone against an enemy Doppelganger..."

    "They emanate the same aura as beings whose form they have assumed. Combined with their intellect and cunning minds. The Doppelgangers are the perfect assassins or thieves..."

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    Doppelgangers were beings that were a pain in the ass to find, especially when they were trying to be sneaky. But just because they were difficult to find didn''t mean that they were impossible to locate.

    However, one thing was for sure.

    With Calvin''s current abilities, it was impossible for him to find this Doppelganger.

    But did that really matter for Calvin?

    Nope...

    It was because the moment that he had used Spiritualistic Magic earlier near the Yang Bridge.

    His ns were already rolling.

    It was now a matter of time before everything fell into ce.

    Closing the ancient notebook.

    Calvin stuffed it back into his pocket before he leisurely walked towards a nearby gambling site.

    The talkative chicken porridge vendor had told Calvin that if he had strength, he could go to the Combat Arena to earn a few bucks. The chicken porridge vendor never told Calvin about his idea if Calvin had money to use as capital. But it didn''t matter for Calvin.

    Having lived for several decades in the City of Ashmelion...

    He knew what the vendor was talking about.

    It was a popr form of gambling called Treasure Chests Gambling.

    The world of Las Felipinas has a lot of dungeons rumored to be filled with "treasures" born from the first Cataclysm of the very first Epoch.

    Supposedly, ording to the merchants that gathered these Treasure Chests for people to gamble. All of the chests contained treasures. But to be honest, not even one percent of them contained genuine treasures. Most of them were fake.

    But knowing that most of the treasures contained within the chests were fake.

    Why was it still so popr?

    It was because of its essibility and cheap price.

    Furthermore, it was also guaranteed by the government and there were a few sess stories of rags to richest.

    A beggar suddenly bing a tycoon overnight.

    Stories such as these gave hope to those that have nothing to lose.

    It was somewhat hical, but who could me the government for tapping onto the desires and fantasies of themon popce?

    Calvin arrived at the Sugal Street of the Center Borough.

    The entire Sugal Street had nothing but establishments dedicated to gambling.

    There was no entrance fee upon entering the street, but if one wanted to enter the buildings.

    They must show proof that they had sufficient funds to gamble.

    Calvin had no money whatsoever, then what was the reason why he came to this ce?

    "Stop... Show us proof that you can gamble." The guards of the building that specialized in Treasure Chests Gambling stood in front of Calvin. Their faces were stern upon realizing that Calvin looked like he was a beggar. His clothes looked as if it hadn''t been washed for months.

    Despite the intimidating looks of the guards, Calvin remained steadfast as he took a piece of crumpled paper and said...

    "You must be confused, I''ve already shown you my proof of funds." He opened the piece of crumpled paper and flung it at the guards. The paper turned into a ray of indiscernible light and it entered the guards'' bes.

    "Oh... I''m sorry... You''ve indeed shown us your proof of funds already..."

    Calvin nodded his head.

    The runes that Calvin imbued in the piece of enchanted runecrafted crumpled paper was meant to confuse.

    This sounded magical but there was a clear limit. For the runes to work, one must not go too far. In short, Calvin could ask these guards for a few Joselian pesos, but he couldn''tpel them tomit suicide or give all of their properties to Calvin.

    "Thanks, by the way... You owe me ten pesos..."

    "Oh..."

    "Here''s my payment..."

    The guards absentmindedly handed over a few pesos which amounted to ten Joselian pesos in total.

    Calvin swiftly received them before he ran into the building.

    He ran because he knew that the effects of the runes would onlyst for half a minute at most.

    But that didn''t matter for Calvin had already achieved the effect that he wanted to achieve.

    He had managed to enter the gambling site and even had a few coins to his name that he could use to gamble!

    A smile appeared on Calvin''s face.

    Afterwards, he wrote something on the ancient notebook and then hurriedly went out of the gambling site.

    Noticing that the sun was about to set.

    Calvin decided to call it a day for now.

    But even though he hadn''t earned any substantial money for today.

    He was still satisfied.

    His actions of entering the gambling site and exiting it with only gambling ten joselian pesos may be confusing to others, but for Calvin. It was a necessary action that would further bolster the attention of those people whose attention he wanted to attract.

    Taking onest look at the gambling site...

    Calvin used the few coins that he had to hail a carriage-taxi that would take him to the Northern Borough, back to Charlotte and Cecilia where he would spend the night.

 Chapter 104: He Is Not Your Daddy

    Chapter 104: He Is Not Your Daddy

    The money that Calvin gave to Charlotte and Cecilia couldst them for months.

    Charlotte was sufficiently happy and Cecilia was the same. In the past few days, Calvin urged the pair to tour the city for it was unhealthy that such a little girl like Cecilia would be confined to a small and disgusting ce such as this house.

    Of course, Calvin wasn''t idle in the past few days.

    He had visited the Yang Bridge, Ouyang''s Genuine Treasure House, United Seamen''s Coalition Ashmelion Branch, Narcista Street, Elmo''s Woodworks, Dannie''s Entertainment Company, Mapayapa Street, and the Epifanio Street. He didn''t stay for too long when he visited these ces.

    He just stood there for a while and scribble on his notebook.

    Afterwards, he would leave and never turn back.

    He only visited these ces once except Elmo''s Woodworks whom he visited twice.

    Calvin stared at the dpidated ceiling of Charlotte and Cecilia''s house.

    It was unknown what he was thinking.

    A knock came from the door and Charlotte came in along with Cecilia.

    They had returned from their small tour thatsted for the entire day.

    Even though they did tour the ce, what they did the entire time was only walking.

    The two didn''t dare to enter any establishment for they were too afraid that they would be unable to pay for the services of those establishments. In other words, these two didn''t visit any restaurant, so when they returned home. They were painfully hungry.

    Fortunately, their roommate, Elsa gave them a few pieces of ck bread to eat.

    Calvin also ate one, and he found that the bread was painful to swallow.

    The flour used for the creation of this bread was too crude that Calvin reckoned that anyone had a high chance of choking if they ate this without drinking any water.

    "Uncle Superman... Thank you..."

    Cecilia suddenly approached Calvin and said these words in a small tone of voice.

    "Oh? What''s the matter?"

    Calvin who had imed the bed that Elsa''ste grandson had been using said with a smile on his face.

    "Mommy told me that if not for you giving us money, then we would be homeless... Mommy told me to thank you." She said with a surprisingly innocent look on her face.

    Calvin ruffled the hair of the young girl and said, "All right, all right, I ept your gratitude..."

    "Come to think of it, did you have fun?"

    "Yeah! Let me tell you this uncle! Mommy walked along the coast of the river and we found small crabs! I took one but they bit my finger and I cried! I cried so loud and asked mommy for help but she was also afraid of the small crabs!"

    "If not for a kind uncle who removed the crab from my finger, I would still be hurting!"

    Cecilia explicitly said that her mother was afraid of small crabs with this innocent look on her face.

    "You..."

    "Cecilia! What are you saying...?" Shocked by the sudden betrayal, a crimson hue immediately suffused Charlotte''s cheeks as she sheepishly nced at Calvin out of embarrassment.

    But Calvinughed out loud hearing Cecilia''s exposition.

    Cecilia, Calvin, and Charlotte talked with each other. Their voices were so loud that Grandma Elsa was forced to cover her head with a few cheap haystack pillows just so she could sleep. Of course, she first wanted to scold the three for being so noisy.

    But when she saw the look on Charlotte and Cecilia''s faces...

    She decided not to intervene.

    It has been several years since she became Charlotte and Cecilia''s roommates, but this was the first time that she saw Charlotte give such a genuine smile andughter.

    Most of the time, she would find Charlotte with a heavy look on her face, worrying about where she could get the money for their next meal.

    Although annoyed by theughter and the voices, Elsa slept with a smile on her face.

    "Calvin... Thank you so much for what you have done to us since that day... I promise you that once I get my lucky break, I''ll pay you back..." After a few hours of continuous talking, even Cecilia who seemingly had an inexhaustible source of energy fell asleep.

    While rubbing the back of her daughter so she could sleep morefortably, Charlotte looked at Calvin and politely thanked him for everything.

    "All right. Then, I wouldn''t be shy. Remember to pay me back once you go big!" Calvin joked with her, trying to lighten the atmosphere but Charlotte merely pouted and smiled.

    The scene in front of Calvin should''ve been incredibly picturesque if not for Charlotte''s unhealthyplexion after years of continuous exposure to harmful chemicals in the matchstickpany where she used to work for a living.

    Calvin stared at the sleeping Cecilia and he was suddenly reminded of the times when he had an option to have a family... Back then, Calvin had the choice to retire. But he chose not to for he had learned about humanity''s impending doom.

    Abandoning his duties when he knew what was about to happen was not something that Calvin could do.

    Thus, he abandoned Ria and the other women whom he loved and wanted to have a family with for the sake of saving humanity.

    But in the end, it was humanity whom he saved that abandoned him.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    Staring at the sleeping Cecilia...

    Calvin hoped that he could turn back into a child and be as innocent and as ignorant as Cecilia.

    If he could, then he would be able to forget about these burdens.

    He could be unfettered once more and have the freedom to do whatever he wanted to do.

    But since he managed to return back to the past and he knew that he had a world to save. He couldn''t possibly abandon the world and let it die along with its inhabitants.

    Like what he had done in the past...

    He would save the world once more.

    But this time, he vowed to never make the same mistakes that led to his downfall.

    Calvin stretched his hand out and lovingly ruffled the hair of the little girl.

    Charlotte raised her head and saw that there was an inexplicably stern look on Calvin''s face.

    It was as if he was deeply thinking about something.

    Suddenly...

    Cecilia raised her plump little hands and rubbed her groggy eyes as she woke up.

    "Daddy!"

    Charlotte was surprised, and before she could react.

    Cecilia threw herself into Calvin''s embrace, "Uwuwuwu... Daddy... I dreamt that you left us again... Daddy, please don''t leave us... Mommy suffered a lot when you''re gone. Sometimes, I would see that she won''t eat just so I can eat... I don''t want to see mommy suffer anymore... Uwuwuwu...."

    Calvin''s expression softened.

    The serious thoughts that he had vanished in an instant.

    He let out a sigh and at this moment, Charlotte finally reacted.

    "Cecilia... You are mistaken. This is your Uncle Superman! He is your Uncle Calvin. Not your daddy."

    When Cecilia fell half an hour earlier, Charlotte heard her talk in her sleep about wanting to see her daddy again. This made Charlotte feel remorse and sorrow.

    But it waspletely out of her expectations that Cecilia would throw herself into Calvin''s embrace and think that he was her father!

    How could this be?

    No, no, no...

    Charlotte was so anxious and embarrassed that she dragged Cecilia and carried her on her shoulders, "You shouldn''t joke like this to your Uncle Superman... Uncle Calvin is your Uncle Superman. You are mistaken, he is not your daddy."

 Chapter 105: Helping All the Way

    Chapter 105: Helping All the Way

    "No... I am not, he is daddy... I can smell daddy''s scent from him..." Cecilia struggled out of Charlotte''s hold with enough strength that Charlotte found it hard to keep her in her embrace.

    Both mother and duo wrestled and struggled as the wooden floors beneath them let out asional protests.

    Eventually, both sides reached a standstill, but Charlotte lost her bnce.

    "Ah!"

    She eximed.

    But Calvin had already reacted.

    He stretched his hand out and took Cecilia before Charlotte could fall onto the ground.

    Thud!

    A dull thud rang out.

    Calvin may have managed to rescue Cecilia in time, but it was toote for him to do anything about Charlotte.

    She fell onto the ground and moaned in pain.

    "Oww..."

    She huffed and puffed as she rubbed her elbows that collided against the muddy floor.

    Raising her head to look at Cecilia, she noticed that the little girl was still pouting.

    "From the first time I met Uncle Superman, I felt it. When we were in danger back then, Daddy showed up and sent the bad guys away. Mommy, didn''t you say that daddy is a hero to the country?"

    "Daddy also told me that Superman is a hero too! Daddy also told me that he will appear when I am in danger. Have you been lying to me all this while?"

    "I..." Charlotte felt heartache and was ashamed. Her eyes reddened out of frustration for she didn''t know how she could exin the situation to her naive daughter without hurting her.

    "Mommy... Please, please let Uncle Superman be my daddy... Let him stay here with me." Cecilia repeatedly blinked her big round eyes and pouted as if she was being wronged. She looked so pitiful as her tears began to fall one drop after another.

    The little girl who was now on Calvin''s embrace tightened her grip around Calvin''s neck as she said, "Everybody else in my circle of friends has a daddy except me. All of them say that I am a wild child and an orphan. They say that I am not mommy''s true child! But that''s not true..."

    "I am not a wild child... I''m also not an orphan since daddy is back now. Mommy, please don''t let daddy go away. Please don''t let daddy leave, all right? I just want a daddy."

    "I just want my daddy... Please..."

    Calvin''s heart was a spectacr mess.

    To be honest, part of the reason why he helped this mother and daughter duo was because of his ulterior motives. He expected this to be a one-time thing wherein after helping them settle somewhere in the residential district of the Southern Borough, he would be able to leave at peace.

    But at this moment...

    Calvin didn''t know what to do.

    For the first time ever after a hundred years, Calvin was thoroughly stumped.

    But despite not knowing what he should do, his hands held tightly around the doll-like child in his arms, seemingly unwilling to let go.

    "Cecilia... I''m sorry... I''m so sorry..."

    Charlotte couldn''t bear to see her daughter crying anymore. Cecilia was a child who always maintained that dignified and strong facade, even in front of her mother. But being her mother, it was impossible for Cecilia to hide everything from her mother.

    Cecilia didn''t know it, but Charlotte could see her crying by herself in the middle of the night.

    Whispering something along the lines of, "I am not a wild child...", "daddy will be back...", "I''m not hungry... Mommy needs to eat more than me."

    Charlotte''s heart would always break into pieces whenever she heard these words from her daughter. This was the reason why Charlotte was so desperate. Even though she knew that working in those matchstick and textilepanies was extremely dangerous.

    She knew that she must do it for the sake of her daughter.

    She was willing to do anything to save her daughter from this nightmare.

    It didn''t matter even if she fell into depravity herself.

    In fact, if Calvin didn''t rescue her today...

    Charlotte was already prepared to sell herself to one of the brothels in the Western Borough just so she could earn a more substantial living for the two of them.

    Fortunately, Calvin came to her life.

    However, everything was just moving too fast that Charlotte didn''t know how she could face Calvin.

    One morning, he saved their life, and in the next few days...

    He was now her daughter''s father?

    Charlotte was unwilling.

    She didn''t want to inconvenience Calvin and have him raise the child of another man.

    But she was also helpless.

    Complicated emotions shed across Charlotte''s face as she hung her head low in shame and didn''t even dare to nce at Calvin.

    But seeing the tears and hearing the whimpers of her daughter, Charlotte''s heart couldn''t take it anymore.

    For six whole years, they depended on each other.

    Nobody understood better than her, the criticisms and ridicule that the two of them suffered all these years and nobody knew about her daughter''s desire to experience fatherly love other than her.

    For six whole years, she struggled to make a living and exhausted all means, methods, and lies just so she could temporarily satisfy the yearning that her daughter has for her father. But at the end of the day, Charlotte still couldn''t give what her daughter wanted.

    Calvin stared at Charlotte and was out of words to say.

    Calvin may not be that good in understanding the human heart, but he was nevertheless a man that wasn''t as dense as anime protagonists or the of pluto.

    He instantly saw through Charlotte''s thoughts and he couldn''t help but let out a sigh.

    Calvin truly didn''t have the leeway to think about anything else, have a family, or even love.

    Why?

    It was because the threat of the invaders was still there.

    He, who knew what was toe had this invisible sense of responsibility towards saving the world.

    He couldn''t just abandon humanity and the world knowing that the end times wereing, right?

    Calvin gnashed his teeth.

    He once dreamed of having a true love and creating a family. But his sense of responsibility drove him to abandon everything just so he could save the world from its impending doom.

    In the end, he may have managed to save the world but his glory was stolen from him by the unscrupulous traitors who branded him as the greatest traitor of humanity.

    But did Calvin regret saving the world?

    Nope...

    But did he regret abandoning everything for the sake of the world?

    Yes...

    Mncholy flitted across Calvin''s eyes.

    He could still vaguely the fairy-like figure of that woman who offered him an escape from this damned world.

    But in the end, he refused and the woman escaped alone to the vast expanse of the cosmos.

    Until the end of Calvin''s life on his previous timeline, he never knew what happened to that woman.

    Not knowing what happened to her, who was once a precious part of his life was one of Calvin''s greatest regrets.

    And so, at this moment...

    Remembering his deepest regrets.

    Calvin made a decision. He stretched his hand out, squeezed Charlotte''s hand and expressed everything that he wanted to express to Charlotte with his eyes.

    I will temporarily be Cecilia''s father.

    Calvin said with his eyes alone.

    His eyes glimmered with determination and resolve. Since he had already decided to change the lives of both mother and daughter duo. He might as well help them all the way. Of course, Calvin still wouldn''t forget about his mission as to why he was in the world of Las Felipinas.

    But would having an adopted daughter get in the way of his missions?

    Probably...

    Having a family was a huge weakness that any of his enemies could take advantage of.

    But so, what?

    The Calvin of the previous timeline may be afraid of having a family for he wouldn''t know how to protect them, but now?

    Having experienced everything that was out there to experience, Calvin wasn''t afraid.

    If those bastards really dare to go after this mother and daughter duo...

    Murderous intent momentarily shed across his eyes.

    Suppressing his killing intent, he blinked and made a sidelong nce at Charlotte.

    No words were exchanged between the two as Charlotte bit her lips, nodded her head, and said with a choked voice.

    "Cecilia... my daughter... Actually, your mother lied to you.."

    "I was angry at your daddy and that is the reason why I hid his identity from you."

    "But now... I have forgiven him."

 Chapter 106: Mysterious Leaver of Clues

    Chapter 106: Mysterious Leaver of Clues

    In a Coffee Shop known as the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop. A group of four people could be seen standing around a wooden table. An ordinary notebook was spread open on top of that table.

    Then, a sturdy hand reached out to that notebook and flipped it open.

    As the pages unfurled, rows of words appeared faintly on the surface of the notebook which elicited a variety of responses from the four people.

    "This is confusing..."

    Ashlynn, the sole woman employee of this Coffee Shop scratched her head in frustration.

    "James, lock the doors for now. We''ll analyze this info together." Ron Samuel, the supervisor of the Coffee Shop ordered and James firmly nodded his head. He walked towards the front doors and flipped the que that said, "Open" to "Close".

    "Is that really necessary? Who woulde and visit our Coffee Shop when our prices are too much. We can just keep our business as open as we speak." Ashlynn lightly chuckled.

    To be honest, she liked coffee and she was the reason why the Ashmelion used a Coffee Shop as the front of their business.

    Ron Samuel turned to look at him and said, "Don''t be so fussy. You already know why we''re doing that..."

    Ashlynn nodded her head and let out a sigh.

    Bruce nced at the others and felt inexplicably proud. In the past few days, he had detected nine unknown mana signatures on the locations written on the surface of the notebook.

    He gathered this intel without telling the others so that he could have as much credit as he possibly could and advance through the ranks of the Cavaliers.

    The Cavaliers had a ranking system.

    Bruce was a Soldier, as well as the others, while Ron Samuel was a Knight. The difference between a Soldier and a Knight could bepared to the difference between heaven and earth. Bruce didn''t hope to defeat and surpass the Captain, but he wanted to be the Vice-Captain.

    Ashmelion''s Branch of Cavaliers only had a Captain, but not a Vice-Captain.

    Bruce didn''t know the reason why, but for some reason. Within the past half a decade, this city''s branch of Cavaliers never had a Vice-Captain. When Bruce discovered this fact, he thought that this was his chance to rise up through the ranks and overlook the world at the summit.

    Feeling good about the sess of his ns, Bruce stuck his chest and chin, looking proud of his achievements.

    "Why did you not report your findings to us as soon as possible?"

    Ron Samuel raised his head and stared coldly at Bruce.

    "Uh..." Bruce abruptly froze.

    One moment he was high up the clouds, and at the very next moment...

    He arrived at the boiler room of hell.

    "I apologize, Captain. I thought that the clues were insufficient and not worthy of our investigation so I didn''t report the initial findings to you hoping that I can gather more clues enough for it to be worthy of our investigations..."

    "But rest assured Captain, I think these amount of clues should be enough for us to investigate it."

    Bruce replied.

    "You''re not even apologetic..." Ron Samuel let out a sigh.

    James Branzu red at Bruce and said, "We will pardon you for now since this is your first mission aftering here to Ashmelion..."

    "But the next time you ignore our standard operating procedure of reporting each and every clue discovered to the home base, then you will be punished based on the Cavalier''s Way."

    Bruce immediately paled hearing James''s words.

    He thought that he had done nothing wrong, but James''s words made him realize how foolish he was. The rules of the Cavaliers must never be ignored.

    Ron Samuel and James Branzu were kind enough to give him amnesty, but the next time this happened...

    Bruce reckoned that the two would personally destroy his Origin.

    The Cavalier''s Way of dealing with rule vitors involved the indiscriminate destruction of their Origin. Once a Predator''s Origin was destroyed, they would more or less be crippled and be bedridden for life.

    Thud!

    Bruce''s knees crashed onto the ground as he banged his head onto the ground and cried out...

    "Captain! I apologize! Please forgive me!"

    Ron Samuel nced at him for a moment, "epted. Stand up."

    His words were sinct but pertinent. Bruce almost immediately stood up the moment he heard the pardon and a bitter smile was stered across his face. Ashlynn turned to look at him and sneered, which further deepened his bitter smile.

    At this moment, he had learned his lesson.

    He took a deep breath and wiped the blood off his forehead. Afterwards, he stuck his chest out and started his report.

    "Approximately four days ago, while I was investigating the contract about that elusive thief..."

    "I discovered an unknown mana signature on top of the Yang Bridge. After further investigation, I found out that the mana signature does not match any mana signature of monsters recorded in the Cavalier''s Bestiary..."

    "In other words, the mana signature shoulde from a rogue Predator roaming the city."

    Everyone became stern at once.

    Most people do not know about the existence of Predators. The authorities, such as the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods, the police, and the royal family were actively trying to prevent ordinary civilians from getting involved with matters rted to the supernatural or the Predators.

    But if somebody were to find out, or they were inadvertently involved.

    Two things could happen to them, first they will have the opportunity to serve one of the Churches belonging to the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods in the city where they belong, or they could also have their memories erased.

    Alternatively, they could also choose to serve the church by bing a Predator through the use of a profession bestowal ritual. The ritual involved a promise wherein one would serve a god or goddess that they have selected wholeheartedly and without anypromise.

    It was basically the same as bing a god''sckey.

    But once deemed worthy and the ritual became a sess.

    The Predator would gain enhanced durability, mental fortitude, as well as a constitution that would allow them to resist things that could easily kill the average civilian.

    A rogue Predator usually meant that the person was a Predator who pledged his or her loyalty to other gods or goddesses not belonging to the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods.

    The Church of the Three Orthodox Gods only involved the Goddess Grace, the God of Eternal Fire, Ezekiel, and the God of Medicine and Poison, Aescpius.

    All other gods apart from these three were considered unorthodox due to their unusually cruel personality and greedy disposition unbing to that of a god.

    The world of Las Felipinas had Seven Gods and Goddesses. But themon popce only knew the existence of the three Orthodox Gods, Grace, Ezekiel, and Aescpius.

    For these three were the only gods in existence that didn''t find it unbing of their dignity to make contact with the humans and demi-humans in the world of Las Felipinas.

    But to be honest, it didn''t make sense.

    These gods require the faith of their followers to continuously exist.

    But the fact that they still existed despite hiding from the eyes of themon popce for several thousands of years made it obvious that these gods had tricks up their sleeves.

    Often, they were in the form of cults, and random revtions to people stricken with grief and desperation around the world.

    These gods were unscrupulous and they knew the hearts of the living beings and their nature too well.

    Perhaps, this was the reason why they existed for so long despite not having a crowd of followers.

    The other Unorthodox Gods, as well as their subordinate Gods, hated the three Orthodox Gods and theirckeys. This was the reason why the existence of a rogue Predator was incredibly perilous, not only to themon popce but also to the church.

    Every member of the Cavaliers swore to protect the church and its residents for their entire life.

    How could they let the existence of a rogue Predator go unchecked?

    At this point, they didn''t even care about the elusive thief anymore.

    Their sights were on this rogue Predator that kept on leaving mana signatures for them to find as if they were ying with them.

    "I really hate this feeling. It''s like we''re puppets dancing on someone''s palm..."

    Jamesmented with a frown.

    Bruce hadpleted his exnation and written within the notebook were the nine locations where he detected those unique and unknown mana signatures possibly belonging to that rogue Predator.

    "Yang Bridge... Ouyang''s Genuine Treasure House, United Seamen''s Coalition Branch of Ashmelion, Narcista Street, Elmo''s Woodworks, Dannie''s Entertainment Company, Mapayapa Street, and Epifanio Street..."

    Ashlynn softly uttered...

    "Aaaah... no matter how I look at it, it doesn''t make sense! What''s so special about these ces? I think he''s just ying with us! He''s randomly leaving these clues to mess with us!" Ashlynn clutched her head and a pained look could be seen on her face as she ranted.

    James, on the other hand, had different ideas, "Do you really think that these clues were left randomly?"

 Chapter 107: My Daddy is Back!

    Chapter 107: My Daddy is Back!

    "What do you mean?"

    "If these clues were left out randomly, then I won''t believe it..."

    "Why?"

    "It''s simple..."

    "Why did the mysterious leaver of these clues bother to visit the same ce twice?" James made a conjecture. Bruce and Ron Samuel fell into deep contemtion. Ashlynn, on the other hand, still had that frown on her face as she pouted.

    "Let me in! Dumb it down for me!" She turned to look at James and protested.

    James was dragged out of his train of thought by Ashlynn and he couldn''t help but bitterly smile.

    "All right..."

    "What I wanted to say is if these clues were indeed left out by that rogue Predator randomly. There should be no need for him to visit the same ce twice. Yet, take a look at this. He visited Elmo''s Woodworks twice..."

    "Right after visiting Dannie''s Entertainment Company, he went back to Elmo''s Woodworks."

    "This is obviously deliberate."

    "But for what reason?" James wondered.

    Ashlynn scrunched up her eyebrows and said, "What if he''s trying to send a message to us?"

    Bruce interjected, "What are you talking about? If he wanted to send a message to us, he can just..."

    "Wait..."

    Brucezily interrupted Ashlynn''s words, but at the end of his sentence.

    He suddenly realized that there was something wrong.

    James and Ron Samuel nced at each other before turning to look at Bruce.

    "The reason why he''s using such a roundabout method to send a message to us is that he''s indeed a rogue Predator! A rogue Predator can''t possibly make contact with the Cavaliers so easily..."

    "After all, we''re the guardians of the three Orthodox Gods and the gods condemned the gods that the rogue Predators worshipped..."

    "There''s bound to be a conflict of interest."

    Ron Samuel nodded his head, "That''s right. It seems that you''re quite smart. Why don''t you use that head of yours often, eh?"

    Bruce awkwardly scratched his cheek out of embarrassment.

    Ashlynn boisterouslyughed and said, "So, I was right? Then, what are we waiting for? Let''s decipher his message!"

    James shook his head, "I wish it''s that easy..."

    "Bruce collected nine days worth of clues. If that rogue Predator wants to send a message to us in this method then we need to know how to decipher it. What''s more, we also need to know if the clues that we received are sufficient for us to understand what he wants us to know."

    "So, you are saying that..."

    "That''s right..."

    "We should closely observe these nine locations to see if our rogue Predator appears in the next few days to give us some clues. If he does, then we will capture and interrogate him. If he doesn''t, then it only means that we already discovered all the clues that he wanted to give to us..."

    "In that case, it''s now up to us to decipher his message."

    "Scout the location for several days?!" Ashlynn eximed before letting out a sigh, "How troublesome..."

    "What did you say?" Ron Samuel turned to look at her.

    Ashlynn abruptly trembled, "I-I said... you''re so handsome..."

    Ron Samuel stared right at her for a moment before he nodded his head and replied, "Quit the nonsense, decide who will go to what location already." He then turned around and walked behind the front desk of the Coffee Shop.

    His expression was coolly and it was hard to know what he was thinking.

    Thus, the three Cavaliers started their investigation. Since there were nine locations, each of them chose their own location to observe as Ron Samuel gave them explicit instructions not to do anything against the rogue Predator until every member of the Cavaliers were present.

    In other words, they were not to capture the rogue Predator alone.

    Meanwhile, the subject of the Cavalier''s investigation, Calvin Vinueva was having the roughest time of his life.

    He looked at the still crying Cecilia andplicated emotions appeared on his face.

    But when he saw the genuine sorrow in the little girl''s heart and Charlotte''s desperation. Calvin let out a sigh and said these words that stunned Charlotte silly, "From now on, I will always be by your side. I will watch you grow up, go to school, get married and have your own family..."

    "We will now be inseparable from now on." Calvin wiped the tears on the little girl''s face and focused all of her attention to her before saying, "Cecilia, daddy''s back."

    "Really? Daddy, Mommy, both of you are not lying to me, right?"

    Cecilia''s huge eyes were full of hope and naivety; she was immeasurably happy.

    Charlotte nced at Calvin and realized that he was telling a white lie.

    She felt aggrieved, yet touched that aplete stranger like Calvin was willing to put up a mask and pretend to be Cecilia''s father. As Cecilia''s birth mother, she couldn''t bring herself to ruin a six-year-old child''s fairy-tale dreams.

    "Yes, it''s true... I''m back, and I will never leave you again, Cecilia."

    "Let''s pinkie swear!" Cecilia stuck out her little plump hand and broke out into a smile.

    Charlotte and Calvin looked at each other before offering a pinkie. Under the moonlight, the three of them held their fingers tightly and the scene looked mesmerizing and romantic.

    "A pinkie promise is never to be broken!"

    Cecilia shouted in joy.

    Her tiny face brimming with happiness and sweetness, "I have a dad now! My daddy is back!"

    A child''s world was always naive and pure. Looking forward to the family dinner that would happen with her long-lost father, Cecilia snuggled deeper into Calvin''s embrace. Sheughed non-stop at Calvin''s silly stories and even neglected her dinner.

    It was only until Charlotte feigned anger did she gave up and finally separated from her father.

    Eventually, Charlotte coerced her to get ready for bed, and the little girl almost immediately fell asleep.

    "Calvin... Thank you. Thank you for helping me out and pretending to be Cecilia''s dad and helping me out of this tight spot. I can''t even imagine what will happen if she knew what happened to his dad..."

    "She will be so sad, and heartbroken..." Charlotte who was carrying Cecilia on her embrace could hear the soft and stable breathing of Cecilia.

    She looked so delicate and peaceful as she slept.

    But she felt conflicted, and grateful at the same time to Calvin.

    This was the first time that she saw her daughter being so happy.

    Now, she understood that Calvin''s actions were right.

    Even if a white lie was still a lie in the end. It was better than the cruel truth.

    This white lie was, after all, to give Cecilia aplete and happy childhood. In this case, white lies were far better than the cruel truth. The moment that Charlotte realized these intricacies, she decided to go with the flow and pretend that Calvin was indeed Cecilia''s daddy.

    All of these were done to give Cecilia a bnced and happy environment to grow up in.

    This was the priority and of utmost importance, at least, for Charlotte.

    But what about Calvin? What does he feel about suddenly being Cecilia''s dad?

    Charlotte nced nervously at Calvin.

    She didn''t even dare to meet his eyes with her gaze.

 Chapter 108: Non-Existent Marketable Skills

    Chapter 108: Non-Existent Marketable Skills

    Calvin noticed Charlotte''s surreptitious nces.

    How could he not notice that she was discreetly checking him out? First, they were the only ones awake in this small hut. Grandma Elsa was asleep, and so was Cecilia. Lastly, Charlotte was literally standing in front of him. Even a blind man would see what Charlotte was trying to do.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    Charlotte misunderstood his sigh as a sign of helplessness and she immediately bit her lips in frustration.

    "I''m sorry... As I thought, I shouldn''t have arbitrarily decided on something like this... I''m sorry, Calvin... But I had no choice, I can''t just tell Cecilia the truth when she''s still so young. But I promise you... When she''s able to understand my plight in the future. I will tell her the truth..."

    "I won''t let you be shackled with a used woman like me for so long."

    Tears threatened to drop down Charlotte''s eyes.

    "I..."

    Calvin wanted to speak, but Charlotte suddenly unfastened her clothes.

    "Stop!"

    Calvin stretched his hand out and clutched her wrist on time before she could fully take her clothes off.

    A look of astonishment appeared on Charlotte''s face, "I''m sorry, Calvin... But I would do anything... I would do anything that you want me to do. I just want you to be Cecilia''s temporary father. This is all that I wish for." Charlotte raised her leg and revealed her snow-white thighs.

    Unfortunately, after being deprived of proper nutrition for so many years, Charlotte''s thigh may have that attractive white as snow color, but ultimately. Her thigh was too thin. She was so malnourished that Calvin was stunned silly after seeing what''s underneath her fluffy pen dress.

    "Do you disdain me for how I look? Is that it? Am I not attractive anymore? Is that the reason why you''re stopping me?"

    Charlotte couldn''t hold back her tears anymore.

    She felt humiliated.

    To be able to attract the attention of an ex-Cavalier, Charlotte was a woman of dignity and pride.

    Calvin''s actions of stopping her from undressing maybe because Calvin was looking out for her, but these actions ultimately hurt Charlotte''s pride since she misunderstood it as his disy of disdain to her.

    "No, you don''t understand... It''s fine... Everything is for the child''s sake. As long as she''s happy and will be happy from now on, then it''s okay." Calvin finally said these words after deliberating about it for so long.

    To be honest, Calvin didn''t want any emotional attachments to anyone until after he had saved the world from the foreign invaders.

    But fate yed him like this and now Calvin had no idea how he should proceed.

    However, after taking into consideration how long he would stay in the city of Ashmelion.

    Calvin decided to lend a hand.

    The uing invasion of the foreign invaders was approximately ten years for now. Of course, that was if he hadn''t somehow messed up the timeline. Ten years was a good estimate, and Calvin wasn''t willing to increase it.

    Calvin couldn''t stay in Ashmelion for several years, but he could stay here for a year.

    In the end, he decided to be Cecilia''s temporary father for the remainder of Calvin''s stay in Ashmelion.

    After all, he won''t leave this city until he had everything that he needed and wanted from this city.

    Calvin let out another sigh and after finally having decided on his next course of action.

    He was at peace once more.

    Charlotte couldn''t decipher what Calvin was thinking.

    She bit her lips and asked, "Calvin, can you please do me a favor and continue this charade as Cecilia''s dad?" There was an ufortable look on Charlotte''s face as she continued, "She now wholeheartedly believes that you are his father..."

    "If we tell her the truth, it would be a big blow to her..."

    "That is why I beg you to stay with us and keep this charade up for Cecilia''s sake. At the very least, in the near future. I want you to be Cecilia''s dad and my... hus...husband..." As Charlotte said these words, she felt embarrassed and her cheeks grew hot.

    But she soon mustered her courage to raise her head once more and continue, "O-Of course, there will be a reward..."

    Charlotte thought hard on how she couldpensate Calvin for keeping up the white lie, but she ultimately couldn''t think of anything. She froze where she was standing and stood there, rooted.

    Calvin couldn''t take it anymore andughed, "Hahaha... you don''t have to try so hard, Miss Charlotte. It''s fine, I don''t need a reward. Just think of this as me being altruistic and treat my actions as a non-profit humanitarian effort, okay?"

    Charlotte clenched her fists in frustration, "A-All right..." It was clear that she didn''t want to have Calvin keep up this farce without nothing in exchange.

    But she had nothing in her name to reward Calvin''s efforts.

    She had nothing but her body.

    However...

    It seemed that Calvin wasn''t at the slightest interested in her body.

    But this made sense for Charlotte.

    After all, who would crave for the body of a woman who had been malnourished for so long that she now looked like a matchstick with no meat nor fat on her body apart from skin and bones? The reason why Calvin stopped her earlier from stripping was painfully obvious.

    Calvin observed the changes in Charlotte''s expression and he couldn''t help but click his tongue.

    Back at Mapayapa Street, when Calvin saved her from the hands of those ruffians. He had already noticed Charlotte''s unique disposition. In the eyes of themon people and some Predators that were not knowledgeable about history...

    They would never discover Charlotte''s true identity.

    But for Calvin?

    Charlotte''s disguise was too obvious.

    The way Charlotte carried herself and her mannerisms as well as her unusually clear skin despite living for several years inside the Western Borough known as the Capital of Slow Death. What''s more, the Joselian Kingdom was located at the equator of the Lagreas continent.

    With how frequent the heatwaves were in the Joselian Kingdom, it was close to impossible to find someone that had skin that was as white as snow simr to Charlotte''s. In other words, Calvin was now certain that Charlotte belonged to that particr demi-human species.

    But Calvin had no intention to reveal this fact to Charlotte.

    Part of the reason why Calvin decided to help Charlotte was because of the fact that she probably belonged to that incredibly kind, altruistic, and self-sacrificial species. If not for them, the world would''ve been conquered in just under a few years after the arrival of those foreign invaders.

    Calvin was greatly indebted to Charlotte and her ancestors.

    This was why he didn''t hesitate to help them back then.

    He stared right at Charlotte and let out a sigh.

    Every member of that species was stubborn.

    Each and every one of them didn''t know when to give up.

    As long as they had their sights on something, they would do whatever they could do for the sake of that thing.

    If Charlotte was indeed a member of that species then words weren''t enough to convince her to stop her from thinking aboutpensating Calvin for his efforts.

    "How troublesome..." Calvin stared at Charlotte and said, "Are you sure that you really want to pay me back?"

    Charlotte was stunned by the sudden question.

    But she nevertheless nodded her head to what he said.

    "Yes... I will pay you back... But I have nothing in my name... I have nothing in me that I can use to pay you back."

    Charlotte said these words in a voice that sounded more like a mosquito''s droning.

    Someone as prideful as her admitting that she couldn''t do anything about an issue was equal to humiliation. She felt embarrassed and ashamed.

    "You have nothing in your name that you can use to pay me back? Are you joking with me? What about your body? A woman so full of pride such as you would never stoop down so low that you''d sell your body on the streets and be a strumpet all these years..."

    "In other words, your body right now must be unused for several years already..."

    "I''m sure, it''d feel as if you''d never given birth..." Ascivious expression appeared on Calvin''s face.

    His personality and attitude made a three-hundred and sixty degrees turn that Charlotte was stunned silly.

    "What''s up? Are you not going to pay me back? What''s the lollygagging? Kneel down and serve me!" Calvin domineeringly shouted.

    Charlotte started crying once again as tears streamed down her cheeks.

    She slowly lowered her body until she was kneeling on the cold and muddy floors of the hut.

    Stretching her hand out towards Calvin''s trousers, she was about to remove it when she suddenly coughed a mouthful of blood.

    "Cough! Cough! Cough!"

    She keeled over and knelt on all fours onto the ground.

    Calvin hurriedly assisted her and calmed her down.

    "Why are you trying to push yourself so far when you know that you can''t handle it? Do you know about that saying that if you can''t handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen?" Calvin exasperatedly said.

    But there was a look of satisfaction on his face.

    Although it pained him to see Charlotte cough a mouthful of blood, he was satisfied for surely...

    Charlotte should''ve understood by now that she disliked such a thing in the first ce.

    Now, Calvin was sure that Charlotte was a woman of integrity.

    He was now rest assured that once he was gone in the future, and given enough ability to survive, she and her daughter would be able to live their life in the fullest.

    But...

    "No... I''m not giving up..."

    Charlotte raised her head and stretched her hand towards Calvin''s trousers once more, but she was stopped by Calvin.

    "It''s okay... You don''t have to do this..."

    "Forgive me, but I was just trying to make you listen. I never had the intention to take advantage of you while you''re struggling like this. All right, I will stop with the silly tests now, all right? If you really want to pay me back, how about you go ahead and find a job?"

    Calvin supported Charlotte to a nearby wooden stool.

    "If I could... Then, I would''ve done that already... But sadly, I know nothing about humans! I have no idea how to apply for a job with the exception of those matchstick and textile factories!"

    "So, in other words, you have no marketable skills to say at the least..." Calvin deliberately ignored Charlotte''s Freudian slip as he pondered for a while and said, "How about I teach you the basics of ounting? Do you know how to do arithmetic? At least, the basics?"

    Charlotte stared at him in confusion.

    "Arithmetic?"

    "What''s that?"

    "Can I eat that?"

    "Fuck..." Calvin abruptly cursed.

 Chapter 109: Sending Off

    Chapter 109: Sending Off

    A long conversation, deep in the night unfolded between Calvin and Charlotte.

    In the middle of the conversation, Calvin found out that Charlotte had no marketable skills at all apart from her several years of experience when it came to cleaning beast hides and assembling matchsticks.

    There wasn''t really any problem with these skills, but Calvin told her honestly that if she kept on working in those factories, then she wouldn''t live long to see her daughter grow up, marry, and have her own family.

    In response, Charlotte merely bit her lips and replied that she understood what Calvin was talking about. But she had no choice since she really didn''t know what to do to earn money. Back when her husband was still alive, he spoiled her a lot and gave her everything that she needed.

    This itself wasn''t a problem, but now that he was gone...

    Charlotte realized that she couldn''t do anything without her husband.

    In the end, she decided to join the textile and matchstick industries just to scrape up an amount to barely live.

    Hearing her story of how she was a previous ve and became her husband''s wife after he saved her from the hands of a ve merchant. Calvin decided to do the extra mile and teach Charlotte basic arithmetic, ounting, as well as some woodworks for he found out that Charlotte was good with her hands and had excellent hand and eye coordination.

    Calvin decided to do all of these for he wanted both mother and duo to be independent and not be too reliant on him so that the tragedy of what happened to them after the death of Charlotte''s husband wouldn''t happen again. Charlotte readily agreed after Calvin exined everything to her.

    The two still wanted to talk, but the gasmp was now running out of juice.

    Gas may not be that expensive in the City of Ashmelion, but it was still an expense.

    Both sides wanted to save as much money as possible, so when they noticed the flickering of the gasmp. They decided to sleep. Charlotte carried Cecilia with her on the second bed of the bunk bed while Calvin tucked himself in the bed just beneath the mother and daughter duo.

    The room became incredibly dark and silent.

    In the middle of this silence, Charlotte was still wide awake and struggling to fall asleep.

    "Hey, Miss Charlotte..."

    Calvin''s voice suddenly rang out from underneath.

    "Wha... What is it?" The astonished Charlotte struggled to calm herself down. To be honest, several years have passed since Charlotte and Cecilia lived in an environment like this, but she was still quite scared.

    Why?

    It''s because not only she was afraid of the dark, those ve merchants would sometimes barge into small huts like these and take the people inside to be their ves.

    Charlotte lived in constant fear for she knew the cruelty of those ve traders and the fact that they had no bottom line whatsoever.

    Calvin could hear the fear in Charlotte''s tone of voice.

    Taking a deep breath, the filthy air of Ashmelion''s Northern Borough rushed into Calvin''s lungs as he lightly chuckled and said, "Aren''t you worried about shooting yourself in the foot? When this so-called charade bes real. Doesn''t that mean that you''ll have to devote your life to me?"

    Charlotte instantly blushed, the crimson hue on her cheeks seemed to be visible amidst the total darkness, "Don''t tter yourself, as if I''d fall in love with you..." Even Charlotte didn''t know if she was refuting Calvin''s ims or she was just convincing herself not to fall in love with Calvin.

    But hearing Calvin''s words, the burden in Charlotte''s heart was significantly reduced.

    Calvin noticed that Charlotte found it hard to fall asleep so under his guidance, he manipted the conversation until it ended up to a point where Charlotte talked about the matters that weighed heavily on her heart.

    Now that she had a listening ear that could listen to her rants...

    Charlotte let go of her worries and started talking.

    The talksted for several hours until Charlotte finally fell asleep.

    Calvin soon followed her into thend of dreams.

    Morning came early for the residents of the city of Ashmelion.

    The crack of dawn still hasn''t arrived, yet the city of Ashmelion was already bustling with activity.

    Indeed, the city was worthy of its title as the City that Never Sleeps.

    Both mother and daughter sat beside each other on the table.

    Calvin gave them explicit instructions to study what he had written on the pieces of paper. Last night, Calvin decided that he would also teach Cecilia some marketable skills that she would definitely need in the future.

    Of course, that included basic arithmetic.

    Education for the marginalized sector of people was basically non-existent in the Joselian Kingdom.

    For some reason, unknown even to Calvin.

    This kingdom wanted to keep their citizens ignorant and uneducated. Calvin despised their practices, but he knew that it was impossible for him to do something to change it.

    In the Joselian Kingdom, those who knew how to write and do basic arithmetic couldnd a well-respected job, while those that didn''t have the opportunity to get any substantial and proper education could only work in the textile and matchstick factories.

    Industries such as these thrived on the existence of the vast uneducated people.

    If these people were educated, these industries would suffer a huge setback when it came to its manpower.

    Calvin had no ns whatsoever to change the despicable practices of the kingdom as of this moment.

    But since he wanted to change the lives of these mother and daughter duo for the better.

    It was absolutely necessary for them to learn skills that could help them earn a living in the future once he was gone.

    "Daddy... I don''t want to do this... I don''t understand... I want to y! Bring me with you!" Cecilia pouted and cried.

    She desperately begged Calvin to bring her with him.

    "Oh, so you want to go with daddy?"

    "Yes!" Cecilia almost immediately replied.

    "How about Mommy? Can we bring her with us?" She continued.

    "Yeah, we will bring her with us. But only when you are able to answer my question. What is this?"

    Calvin stuck out a single finger.

    "Uh... One?"

    "Good!" Calvin lifted a smile and praised the little girl. But he was not over yet. He stuck out five fingers and said, "Now, tell me how much is this?"

    "Uh..." Cecilia thought hard and struggled but she was ultimately unable to find an answer.

    However, she suddenly had an idea as she cried out, "One, one, one, one, and one!"

    "You only know ''one''?" Calvin didn''t know whether tough or to cry.

    "You''re technically right, but you need to work harder! Stay here with your mother, all right? Your daddy will go out now to find some work. I''ll give you some treats once Ie back." Calvin let out a smile and ruffled the hair of Cecilia.

    Even though the little girl didn''t want to part with her father.

    The reward of treats was quite attractive to her, so she nodded her head and said, "Mkay! I''ll stay here with mommy and learn!"

    Calvin nced at Charlotte for a moment and said, "I''ll be going now, dear."

    "O-Okay..."

    The smile on Calvin''s face as he said these words made Charlotte feel as if she was sending off her husband to work.

    This sensation made her feel embarrassed as she stuttered through her reply.

    Fortunately, Calvin didn''t tease her anymore.

    He headed for the Yang Bridge where the elusive thief was supposed to be lurking.

    It took quite a while for the so-called elusive thief to appear once more but in the wake of the curses and the shouts.

    Calvin spotted the figure of the elusive doppelganger as he shot like a bullet towards the thief''s direction!

 Chapter 110: Red Cloud

    Chapter 110: Red Cloud

    "Stop right there, criminal scum!"

    "He''s a thief! Get him!"

    "Somebody stop him!"

    Amotion ensued at the wet market on the Southern Borough. The culprit, a thief d in a peasant''s clothes ran towards the direction of the Yang Bridge. He was so fast and so powerful that the burly seamen that tried blocking his way were sent tumbling backwards.

    "What in the Goddess''s green earth are you doing?! Don''t run! You betterpensate me and my wares!"

    It was an understatement to say that the culprit was fast.

    He was so swift that the seamen who wanted to have himpensate for the losses of the merchants whose wares he destroyed abruptly stopped on their tracks realizing that the man''s speed didn''t seem to be the speed of a human.

    The only person pursuing the thief at this moment was Calvin.

    Realizing that there was no member of the Cavaliers on the lookout in this area.

    He pursued the thief in a leisurely pace that wasn''t slow, but also couldn''t be considered as fast.

    If there was a third-party looking at him right now at this moment, they would think that Calvin was just window shopping through the wet market.

    Although his eyes never left the back of that thief.

    Crossing over the Yang Bridge and arriving at the Center Borough.

    The elusive thief took a turn to a nearby dark alleyway and Calvin stopped his pursuit.

    He abruptly stopped beside a beggar asking for alms and asked, "Do you know any person that acts like a Robinhood these days?"

    "Robinhood? What the fuck are you talking about?"

    "If you''re not going to give me any money, then scram!"

    The beggar suddenly became infuriated and kicked Calvin away.

    Calvin closely observed the beggar and found nothing strange on him.

    But he didn''t go away as per the beggar''s instruction. Instead, he smiled at the beggar and asked in the politest tone that he could muster as much as possible, "Why are you doing all of these?"

    "Huh?" The beggar raised an eyebrow and looked quite irritated at Calvin''s strange questioning. His white beard that looked dark and brownish due to years worth of soot umtion from the smog that circted around the city of Ashmelion made him look like a true beggar.

    But Calvin begged to differ.

    "The sooting from the chimneys of Ashmelion has a distinct smell due to the unique attributes of the widely-popr wood that everyone uses here in their chimneys in the city of Ashmelion. It''s tough being a beggar, not only you''re constantly being exposed to the elements of this shithole, but you would also be quite malnourished..."

    "Yet, you..."

    "Your eyes look perfectly healthy to me..."

    "I can''t see any trace of jaundice. You''re thin, but you are built quite strong. Your skin also doesn''t have the dark shade that most residents of Ashmelion have due to prolonged exposure to the elements and the sun..."

    "Do you want to know what does these mean?"

    "It means that you''re a foreigner..."

    "Who are you?"

    "A foreigner couldn''t possibly be in this city due to the city''s strict rule regarding immigrants and if you managed to bypass that rule then it should be through the use of bribes."

    "But that doesn''t make sense..."

    "A person that could bribe the guards couldn''t possibly be a beggar..."

    Calvin now had a light smile on his face as she said.

    "And being a beggar, you''re awfully inconspicuous."

    "See that Yang Bridge right there? Count the number of beggars that you can see on the sidewalk."

    "You can''t count them anymore, right? It''s because there are too many of them. Those beggars are there for a reason. It''s to increase their presence and visibility to the people passing by..."

    "But you why are you standing near this dark alleyway? It is as if you don''t want people to notice you..."

    "Hehehe..." Calvin let out an evil chuckle, "All of these clues make me think that you''re not a beggar at all..."

    "Am I right, our elusive thieving doppelganger?"

    "You..." The old beggar abruptly froze.

    The anger and irritation on his face were gone.

    It was reced by fear and uncertainty as he turned to look at Calvin and said, "The merchants ced a contract on me?!" He eximed and then pushed Calvin backwards.

    He then stood up and made a break for it to the nearby dark alleyway.

    His movements didn''t resemble an old man at all.

    He was agile and fast, simr to the thief that Calvin pursued earlier.

    "You have nowhere to run, my friend... Just surrender. I have some questions to ask from you."

    "A mighty doppelganger can take on the form of anyone they wish. It shouldn''t be that hard for you to earn a living through other means apart from stealing, yet why are you doing all of these?"

    "Also, are you the one who sacrificed a lot to prevent your location from being discovered through the use of Spiritualistic Magic?"

    "Items, ingredients, oils, and beast cores necessary for the sess of Spiritualistic Magic are not cheap. If you can afford them, I''m sure that there''s no need for you to steal a few loaves of bread and some coins. It''s just not worth it fighting against thew for something like those, you see?"

    "That is why I want to ask..."

    "Who are you working for?"

    "Imitators may be scary due to their innate abilities, but every doppelganger''s nature is pure and kindhearted. All the doppelgangers that I met in the past even offered me to stay in their huts no questions asked for three days, all the while giving me all the food that I needed!"

    "It was only after three days did they ask me about what am I doing in their territory."

    "That is how hospitable and kind doppelgangers are! But what are you doing? You''re not only shaming yourself for doing these petty crimes, but you''re also shaming your parents up to the eighteenth generation of your family!"

    Calvin fiercely scolded.

    "Shut the fuck up!"

    The doppelganger finally couldn''t take it anymore as he turned around and red at Calvin.

    "What do you know about me? You''ve met my kind? That''s impossible! They are long extinct! You can''t fool me with those lies, evil human!" The doppelganger cried out in anger before transforming into a humanoid beast that radiated a strong smell of rust.

    "Oh, you''ve encountered a Vampire in the past, eh..."

    "That''s right, I may not be able to defeat you since I don''t have any silver with me..."

    "Hehehe... You may be a liar, but at least you do know your limits. Without silver, there''s no way that you can defeat me!"

    The doppelganger boisterouslyughed. Madness in the form of red tendrils that formed a cloud-like image appeared within his eyes.

    Calvin scrunched up his eyebrows the moment he saw the red cloud.

    "You..."

    "You made contact with those people?"

    "You''ve made contact with the Red Cloud?!"

    Calvin red at the doppelganger.

    Memories shed across Calvin''s mind.

    In an instant, he had recovered relevant memories rted to the Red Cloud.

    The Red Cloud was a secret organization that believed in an Unorthodox Subordinate God known as the God of Sloth.

    They were madmen who believe that magic is a science and art that changes depending on a person''s perspective and desires. Their philosophy was to take the shortest path possible to their goals. As an analogy, if one of them wanted something from another person...

    They would analyze the shortest path possible to taking that item from the person.

    If the results told them that the shortest path to their desired item was murder, then they would mercilessly murder that person without giving any care to the ramifications of their actions.

    This was the reason why the Red Cloud was a feared secret organization.

    If they desired something, they were relentless in their quest for it and they would do anything just so they could get the item.

    Who knows how many heroes of humanity died from the hands of Red Cloud from the past?

    Knowing that the doppelganger was a member of the Red Cloud...

    Calvin now had no intention of letting this doppelganger go.

    Since everything had already gone too far, then Calvin had to clean the mess up.

    Taking several pieces of crumpled paper from his pocket, he imbued them with the Mana from the air and hurled two of them onto the ground in front of him before chanting...

    "Oh, our Beloved Goddess Grace..."

    "The Magister of Light and themander ofpassion..."

    "I invoke your name with my essence, bestow blessings upon your lowly servant..."

    "Infuse my fist with your might, let your wrath be my strength as I purge the world from tainted beings..."

    "Like I''d let you!" The doppelganger was stunned silly from the sudden chanting.

    When he awakened from his trance, Calvin was already done with his chanting, but this didn''t stop him from flying towards Calvin with a murderous look on his face.

    Calvin bit the insides of his cheeks that had just recovered several months ago. Blood immediately gushed out of his mouth as he spat them onto his only remaining functional arm. Then afterwards, he took a stance and punched out with his left hand.

    "The Rozenstruik Empire''s Hand-to-hand Combat Arts, First Style..."

    "Asalraikum!"

    A fully-concentrated strike was unveiled.

 Chapter 111: Aftermath

    Chapter 111: Aftermath

    The Rozenstruik Empire''s Hand-to-hand Combat Arts was a full-contact martial art that aimed to kill. Every move in this Combat Arts was devastating and almost impossible to defend against. But of course, just how a diamond needed a diamond before it could be scratched.

    To shatter an enemy''s bones, one''s bones must be as strong as the bones of one''s enemy or stronger. Doppelgangers were creatures whose hearts were innately kind and generous. They were pacifists and disliked fighting the most.

    But despite the fact that they hated fighting and bloodshed.

    They were still demi-humans...

    And the bodies of demi-humans were just biologically resilient and stronger than the bodies of humans.

    Calvin was just an average human.

    He had the ancient notebook the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life, but he couldn''t use it other than to confirm some facts or write some diary entry since Dandelion was still in hibernation after that grand escape eight months ago.

    However, despite all of these, Calvin still used the Rozenstruik Empire''s Hand-to-hand Combat Arts.

    But why was he so confident?

    It was because he knew what he was doing.

    Calvin used Spiritualistic Magic to gather all the Mana that he had in his body to a single point which was his left fist.

    Being reinforced by such a massive amount of Mana rtive to the other body parts of Calvin''s body made his fist far stronger than steel.

    He may not be able to use the Rozenstruik Empire''s Hand-to-hand Combat Arts in its full glory, but he was still capable enough to use the first style of the Combat Arts.

    Asalraikum.

    Asalraikum was a straightforward attack.

    No fancy lights appeared around Calvin''s fist as he executed this style, and he also didn''t use any shy moves preceding the execution of the attack. He merely clenched his fist and sent it directly towards the face of his pouncing enemy.

    No tricks, no gimmicks, it was just a in old punch.

    But when that ordinary-looking punch connected.

    It directly shattered the face of the doppelganger.

    Puchi!

    A squishy noise rang out followed by cracking sounds as Calvin''s fist directly went straight through the man''s face and pulverized his skull as well as his brain.

    St!

    Blood and brain matter instantly sttered onto the ground and the nearby walls. Calvin''s clothes and his body weren''t spared by the onught of the pungent blood and greyish brain matter.

    A frown appeared on his face but he didn''t clean up the mess.

    Instead, he took another piece of crumpled paper and pped it onto his forehead.

    The piece of paper contained runes formed into dozens of logical threads. The primary function of the runecrafted piece of paper was to seal and manipte. As soon as the piece of papernded on Calvin''s forehead, he fell onto the ground as his eyes rolled over into his head.

    Before he lost consciousness, he dropped another piece of paper onto the ground.

    The piece of paper had the words, "The trail ends, Red Cloud."

    ...

    Bruce, Ashlynn, and James were assigned to Ouyang''s Genuine Treasure House, Narcista Street, and Elmo''s Woodworks. The Cavaliers paid close attention to Elmo''s Woodworks for this was the only ce where the mysterious leaver of clues or the rogue Predator visited twice.

    At this moment, Bruce was casually chatting with somedies.

    Ashlynn was eating in a restaurant, while James casually perused the merchandise and furniture of Elmo''s Woodworks. All three of them acted as if they weren''t in a mission, especially Bruce who was trying his best to charm thesedies into his bed.

    But in the very next moment.

    All three of them suddenly froze.

    They simultaneously reached out for their pocket and crushed a crystal before they rushed out of the area.

    Bruce didn''t even say his farewells to thedies, Ashlynn directly pped a few paper pounds notes onto her table shocking the waiter silly, while James almost tripped on the haphazardly arranged furniture as he rushed outside and headed for the direction of the Yang Bridge.

    "I can feel it... It''s close!"

    The three deftly squeezed through the crowd and they soon reached the top of the Yang Bridge.

    After taking a look, all three of them nced at each other for a moment before James activated his Predator Senses. In an instant, the world became filled with colorful lights simr to that of a kaleidoscope.

    After locking onto the unique and unknown mana signature that they had been looking for thest few days.

    James slightly nodded.

    It meant that the trace was trackable and the perpetrator was nearby!

    In an instant, James dashed ahead of the three while Bruce sent a signal to the Captain back at the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop.

    Ashlynn went ahead of Bruce, her eyes shining in a faint barely imperceptible light.

    James took a sharp turn to the right and he soon reached the dark alleyway where the unique mana signature wasing from.

    As soon as he stepped a foot inside the alleyway, James abruptly stopped.

    He signaled to Ashlynn and Ashlynn faintly nodded her head and she then closed her eyes.

    Ashlynn''s Predator ss was ssified as Scout.

    She could use her scouting abilities to gain a bird''s eye view of the area in a hundred meters diameter around her. The moment she closed her eyes and scouted the ce from above, Bruce finally arrived along with the Captain of the Cavaliers, Ron Samuel.

    No words were exchanged.

    Ashlynn opened her eyes once more and signaled that the coast was clear.

    Ron Samuel nodded then everyone rushed in.

    But the scene that they saw inside baffled them.

    There were a corpse and a young man whose condition was unknown.

    The corpse looked to be from a humanoid creature, while the young man was definitely human.

    But the problem was that the unique mana signature came from the young man, astonishing the Cavaliers.

    "Check him." Ron Samuel ordered.

    James didn''t say anything.

    He kneeled beside Calvin and ignored the blood sttered on Calvin''s filthy clothes as he checked Calvin''s body for the source of that unique mana signature.

    "There''s nothing on him..."

    "What? Did you check him properly...?"

    "Captain! I found something..."

    Bruce interjected. He gestured for them to look at the ground and the Cavaliers discovered a piece of paper.

    There were words written in blood on the piece of paper.

    "The trail ends, Red Cloud."

 Chapter 112: Spiritual Guidance

    Chapter 112: Spiritual Guidance

    Calvin found himself somewhere deep in the night.

    The familiar smell of mold as well as the noisy creaking of the bed frame and the whispers of the drug addicts out on the street and the coquettish moans of the whores and strumpets made it clear that Calvin was in the Northern Borough.

    He stared right at the ceiling and found that there was no ceiling.

    Yes, there was no ceiling.

    For above him was the upper bed of the bunk bed where he wasying.

    A pair of footsteps rang out...

    What followed afterwards was a small click and the gasmp soon emanated an orange light that illuminated the dimly-lit hut. Calvin turned to look at the source of light, then nced at Grandma Elsa.

    Elsa was asleep with her back turned to Calvin.

    Calvin slowly got out of bed and he was greeted by the sight of Charlotte and Cecilia. The little girl was naked at this moment, she was being carefully wrapped by her mother in a yellowish cloth.

    "Stop moving so much, Cecilia..." Charlotte scolded.

    Upon realizing that Calvin was looking at them, Cecilia''s eyes immediately brightened.

    "Daddy! You''re finally awake! Hehehe, I''m done taking a bath! It''s the first bath that I had after mommy took me to the public bathhouse a few weeks ago! Daddy shoulde with us next time!"

    Cecilia rushed up to Calvin and snuggled to his embrace.

    Calvin let out a smile, "All right... I''ll go with you next time. By the way, does that public bathhouse allow girls and boys to bath together?"

    "Girls and boys bath together...?" Cecilia looked up to Calvin in confusion, "No! It doesn''t... Girls and boys don''t bath together. Mommy told me that it''s not good if they bath together. But if daddy wants to bath together with mommy, then I think it''s okay!"

    Cecilia unknowingly sold out her mother to Calvin.

    "You... Cecilia! What are you saying?"

    "Hahaha..."

    Charlotte immediately flushed red as she rushed at Cecilia and took her from Calvin''s embrace, "You need to wear your sleeping clothes now. It''s already toote..."

    "We will continue studying in the morning. Hmmph, if you still don''t know how to count up to a hundred, then you will have those ck bread for breakfast!"

    "Nooo... I don''t want to eat those ck bread... I want chicken soup!" Cecilia puffed her cheeks and started pouting.

    Charlotte saw the pitiful look on her face and her expression immediately softened, "All right... I''ll get you a bowl of chicken soup tomorrow. Just stay here for now. I''ll get your clothes outside."

    "Yaaay!" Cecilia jumped up in joy.

    Charlotte red at her once more which instantly stifled her excitement. Afterwards, Charlotte then turned around and walked outside of the small hut to fetch Cecilia''s clothes that she hung out to dry under the sun early in the morning.

    Calvin turned to look at Cecilia and said, "Cecilia, you''re being too naughty..."

    "Now, I''m wondering as to how your mother remained sane for so long taking care of such a naughty girl like you." He pinched her nose and Cecilia immediately gave her protest, "I''m not being naughty, daddy! Mommy is just too gullible!"

    "If you beg her and make a pitiful face like this, she''ll immediately give in to your wishes! You should try it too, daddy. If you do it, I think mommy will let youe with us to the bath!" Cecilia even gave a demonstration and assumed her pitiful-looking facade.

    Calvin was rendered speechless.

    To think that a daughter would deliberately manipte her mother like this!

    He didn''t know what to say.

    Fortunately, Charlotte came to save the day.

    It was an understatement to say that any street in the Northern Borough was dangerous.

    Charlotte came out, but she returned in under a minute.

    Judging from the look on her face and the glistening sweat on her forehead. It was obvious that she dashed towards the clothesline and made a break for it back to the house.

    "Huff... Puff..." Charlotte was still trying to catch her breath.

    "Cecilia... Come here, and wear your clothes... You need to sleep now so we can start studying early in the morning."

    Cecilia puffed her cheeks, but she still replied, "Mkay..." Cecilia finally obeyed her mother without saying anyints as she stood up and wore her clothes. Afterwards, she was carried by her mother to the upper bed.

    But before Charlotte could tuck in Cecilia so that she could sleep...

    Calvin''s voice suddenly rang from underneath.

    "Tomorrow, get her a bowl of chicken soup and an ice cream."

    "What?"

    Charlotte uttered in shock.

    Cecilia, on the other hand, eximed, "Yaaay!"

    "Shhh! Keep it down! Granny Elsa is sleeping!"

    "Oops..." Cecilia swiftly covered her mouth and surreptitiously nced at Elsa.

    Grandma Elsa may be a kind-hearted grandma, but she was a demon whenever her sleep was interrupted.

    "D-Did she woke up?"

    "No, it''s okay... She''s still sleeping... And what did I tell you about making noise sote at night? Keep that up, and I won''t give you your bowl of chicken soup and ice cream tomorrow!" Charlotte threatened and Cecilia immediately buckled under the pressure of potentially losing her reward.

    She snuggled into Charlotte''s embrace and soon, no noise could be heard in the room anymore apart from her soft breathing.

    Realizing that Cecilia was now asleep.

    Charlotte spoke up in a soft whisper, "Calvin, you''re spoiling her too much! A bowl of chicken soup costs two pesos, and an ice cream delivered from the Southern Borough to here costs three pesos including the delivery fee! That''s five pesos in just a single meal! That''s a week''s worth of wage!"

    "It''s fine, It''s fine... Didn''t you say that I am her father now? Having been away from her for so long, spoiling her this much shouldn''t be that excessive, right?"

    "Sigh... Whatever you say... But Cecilia will eat anything, you know?"

    "That doesn''t mean that we should give her anything. All the food that she must eat from now on must be sufficiently nutritious. Especially, you! You also need nutritious food so get yourself a bowl of chicken soup, including that ice cream too!"

    "What?! That''s ten pesos!"

    "It doesn''t matter..."

    Calvin shrugged.

    He could feel that he was about to earn a lot of money and his intuition never failed him in the past, so it must be true.

    He should be about to earn a lot in the near future.

    Charlotte let out an annoyed snort.

    Afterwards, she then fell asleep.

    A few hourster, Calvin still found himself wide awake.

    For some reason, he couldn''t fall asleep.

    Bang!

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Poundings on the door awakened Calvin''s spirits.

    He raised his upper body and saw the glimmer of dawn sneaking past the holes of the dpidated wooden door.

    In a daze, he stood up and walked towards the door.

    "Who is it?"

    Calvin nced at Charlotte, Cecilia, and Elsa. He discovered that they were still in deep sleep despite the loud knocking that crashed against the door. Usually, people living in the Nothern Borough were light sleepers.

    They evolved to be light sleepers to protect themselves from thieves sneaking into their houses at night as well as from the unscrupulous ve merchants.

    But despite being light sleepers, the loud knocking wasn''t able to wake them up?

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He felt that there was something strange in his situation.

    He could vaguely remember bits and pieces of his memories, but they were too vague for him to peruse.

    "Open up... I''m from the Local Police Department."

    Calvin opened the door and discovered a brown-eyed police inspector standing in front of him.

    "Who are you?"

    The police inspector lightly smiled.

    "So you have no recollection whatsoever of what happened to you after this night?"

    "What are you talking about?"

    Calvin was even more confused.

    "Nothing..."

    "It seems that we''re sailing on the wrong boat. You were not the perpetrator, but a mere victim."

    "Spiritual Guidance ends..." The police inspector gave a smile that looked more like a smirk. He then turned around and disappeared into the night.

    "What a weird person..." Calvin awkwardly scratched his head and closed the doors.

    "Who was that?" Charlotte''s voice rang out from atop the bunk bed.

    "Oh, you woke up? Sorry about that. The police officer from earlier seemed dignified, but to think that he doesn''t know about the basics of etiquette! Knocking so loudly on the doors in the middle of the night. Does he really expect that he won''t rudely awaken anyone?"

    Calvin muttered aint.

    "A police officer? What does he look like?" Charlotte asked in a weird tone of voice.

    "Huh? What do you mean?" Calvin stared warily at Charlotte and realized that Charlotte had already raised her upper body. Her face was blocked by her waist-length hair but in the very next moment...

    A mysterious force parted her hair, revealing her face!

    "Does he look like me?"

    The face revealed underneath the hair was the face of the police inspector from earlier!

    "Ah!"

    Calvin became flustered.

    Everything suddenly transformed into a blur as the world around him spun and he immediately sat down in response.

    Wait, sat down?

    Calvin looked around in confusion.

    "Was that a dream?"

    He whispered, through bated breath as he clutched his chest and he could still feel his wildly pounding heart.

    "What''s the result, Captain?"

    An unknown man asked.

    The man had a stern and strict look on his face and his expression was cold whenever he nced at Calvin. It was obvious that he had no positive and friendly emotions for Calvin.

    "The results are..."

    "Inconclusive..."

    "My Spiritual Guidance can''t draw out everything..."

    "What?" Everyone in the room let out collective gasps.

    "Does that mean...?" The sole woman in the room said.

    The man who looked to be the leader of this group made a sidelong nce at Calvin as he nodded his head.

    "Yeah..."

    "We need to contact that master."

 Chapter 113: The Master of Spiritualistic Magic

    Chapter 113: The Master of Spiritualistic Magic

    Calvin tried to stand up but he found himself strapped on the chair with chains.

    The look on his face made it obvious that he was still unsure if he was in a dream or not.

    "Calm down, you''re not in a dream anymore..."

    "Let me introduce myself first."

    "I''m Ron Samuel, The Captain of the Joselian Kingdom''s Secret Intelligence Service, the Cavaliers. I''m sorry for the rude awakening." The man standing in front of Calvin looked to be a middle-aged man with a sturdy built.

    He has a messy ck hair, a straight nose, and brown eyes that seemed to be more like ck than brown for one could feel as if they were looking into the abyss itself when they stared right at the man''s eyes.

    Remembering what the man had said earlier, Calvin eximed, "You can enter my dreams? Was that a dream earlier?"

    The Captain of the Cavaliers, Ron Samuel slowly shook his head and said, "Nope, that wasn''t a dream. It was a scene constructed from your most recent memories rted to what happened earlier in the day..."

    "I''m sure that you may not remember about it anymore, but a tragedy happened earlier..."

    "A man was killed and it turns out that you''re the killer."

    "What?! How am I the killer? I literally did nothing other than sleep for the entire day!"

    "Yes, it appears that you''ve done nothing other than sleep."

    "But your memories say otherwise."

    Ron Samuel let out a slight smile.

    The other Cavaliers nced at each other and realized that their Captain was lying.

    Indeed, someone had died early in the day, but it wasn''t a man at all.

    But a monster, a member of the demi-human species doppelganger.

    Was there really a need to lie?

    Yes...

    Spiritualistic Magic pertaining to the mind was quite difficult to pull off.

    Ron Samuel''s lie of branding Calvin as the murderer would definitely disturb his mind enough for his erased memories to surface so that the master and Ron Samuel himself could peruse it. This tactic may be hical and distasteful, but it was quite effective.

    But usually, this tactic wouldn''t be used.

    This incident was just a special exception.

    But why?

    It was because of the words left by that mysterious leaver of clues...

    "The trail ends here, Red Cloud."

    The Red Cloud was a secret organization that the Church of All-Epassing Light had to pay attention to. Wherever their members were present, murder and riot would follow. Realizing that they were here in this city meant bad news.

    To be honest, the Cavaliers already forgot about the case of the elusive thief, but they didn''t realize until now that the thief that they had ignored was actually connected to the Red Cloud!

    After some investigations on the carcass of the doppelganger, James Branzu and Ron Samuel discovered traces of the unique mana signatures that members of the Red Cloud gave off! It was now certain that the doppelganger was a member of the Red Cloud!

    This was also the reason why they became angry at the mysterious leaver of clues.

    The puzzle had been solved and the results could be found if one connected the first words of the ces where the mystery man left his clues. After solving the puzzle, the Cavalier looked for further clues and they discovered the scene at the dark alleyway.

    Calvin had lost his consciousness and after checking, they had discovered that someone affected his consciousness. It was most likely to be a case of possession.

    A member of Red Cloud must''ve possessed Calvin''s spirit and turned him into their puppet in order to distract the Cavaliers and derail the investigation away from the elusive thief which was one of their assets here in the city of Ashmelion.

    Knowing that the Cavaliers prioritized cases involving rogue Predators, they became confident that they could sessfully distract the Cavaliers from what was really happening. They acted smart, but there was still something that didn''t make sense for the Cavaliers.

    If Calvin was indeed possessed, why did he write such a note?

    Why did he write the words, "The trail ends here, Red Cloud?"

    If he was a member of the Red Cloud, then he would try his best to hide their existence until it was time for them to reveal themselves.

    Ron Samuel also had his own doubts and that was the reason why he used Spiritual Guidance through the use of Spiritualistic Magic to create a dream based on Calvin''s memories.

    Interacting with Calvin inside the dream, he discovered nothing strange until a man visited Calvin''s residence and talked with him for a few moments.

    But the results of his Spiritual Guidance turned out to be inconclusive.

    They still couldn''t find out whether the note was written by Calvin himself or the one who possessed him.

    Every member of the Cavaliers wasn''t stupid. They deduced this much after extrapting from missing data, then afterwards.

    They turned to look at Ron Samuel and nodded.

    Ron Samuel also nodded in return before he turned to look at Calvin.

    "Can you remember anything prior that night?"

    "Prior that night? You mean that night when you visited me?"

    "Yes..." Ron Samuel nodded his head.

    Calvin fell into deep contemtion.

    Vague images appeared in his head as he tried his best to recall his memories after that night.

    In his mind, the silhouette of a man could be seen standing beyond the doors.

    Calvin closed the doors and Charlotte''s voice rang from above the bunk beds.

    "Who was that?" She asked.

    "Oh, you woke up? Sorry about that. Some weird guy that doesn''t know about the basics of etiquette! Knocking so loudly on the doors in the middle of the night. Does he really expect that he won''t rudely awaken anyone?" Calvin muttered aint.

    "What does he look like?" Charlotte asked in a weird tone of voice.

    "Huh? What do you mean?" Calvin stared warily at Charlotte and realized that Charlotte had already raised her upper body. Her face was blocked by her waist-length hair but in the very next moment...

    A mysterious force parted her hair, revealing her face!

    "Does he look like me?"

    The face revealed underneath the hair was the vague silhouette of the man''s face!

    "Ah!"

    Calvin suddenly screamed.

    He struggled and then copsed on the ground.

    "Shit..."

    "Calm him down!"

    Calvin seemed to have gone crazy.

    It was only until after a Spiritualistic Ritual did he calm down. Staring at Ron Samuel, the fear in his eyes could still be seen. "No, I don''t... I don''t want to remember... I don''t remember anything. Please don''t make me remember!" The traumatized look on his face made every Cavalier frown.

    James also had a frown on his face.

    Obviously, it was no longer appropriate for them to keep on pressing Calvin for the details of what happened that night.

    But they needed to draw out more information from the deep recesses of Calvin''s mind.

    To do that without further terrorizing Calvin''s mind and causing it to shatter and turn him into a retard.

    They needed the help of the one and only Master of Spiritualistic Magic in the city of Ashmelion.

    They needed the help of the Wise One.

    "Let''s bring him to the residence of the Wise One, now!"

    "Yes, sir!"

 Chapter 114: The Wise One

    Chapter 114: The Wise One

    "The Wise One..."

    Inside the carriage...

    Calvin was sandwiched between Bruce and Ashlynn.

    The Cavaliers were definitely low-key.

    Despite the fact that most of them wore clothes made from high-quality fabric and silk, they rented a carriage from apany situated at the Western Borough for five Joselian Pesos a day.

    Including the horse, the daily rent amounted to eight pesos a day.

    That was a week and a half''s worth of wage.

    But even though the carriage rental was so exorbitant, the carriage was trash. It seemed that the person who made this carriage didn''t fully grasp the concept of suspensions. It was because the carriage kept on jumping up and down even if the roads weren''t really that bumpy.

    This meant that since Ashlynn was sitting beside him. Her breasts keep on hitting Calvin''s arm.

    Ashlynn nced at Calvin and gave a cheeky smile.

    She pushed herself closer to Calvin and asked, "How do you like that?"

    Calvin gave a bitter smile, "Is this some kind of a honeytrap?"

    Smack!

    Ashlynn smacked Calvin''s arm and said, "Hmmph, you really don''t know how to be grateful, eh?"

    "What honeytrap? I just want to know more about what happened that preceded that incident. Hehehe, who knows? What if you suddenly remembered everything after being so close to me?"

    Ashlynn winked at Calvin.

    Calvin let out a dry cough.

    Bruce turned to look at Calvin and he couldn''t help but sympathize.

    Ashlynn may be a beauty and an eye-candy but she always acts like a hooligan!

    The world of Las Felipinas was a world stuck in the eighteenth century whenpared to the modern and urbanized world of Earth. In other words, this was a world that called for women to be modest, virtuous, and always thoughtful.

    The fact that Ashlynn acts like a hooligan and coquettish at the same time was considered strange.

    The look on Bruce''s face alone told Calvin everything that he needed to know.

    "Am I not that attractive? I may be quite old now, but I''m still a maiden. I haven''t done that sort of thing that can only be done by a man and a woman, you know?"

    Peng!

    A dull thud suddenly rang out.

    For some reason, Bruce''s head collided with the ceiling of the carriage.

    "What are you doing?" Ashlynn looked at Bruce and asked with a frown on her face.

    "Uh... Nothing, I just lost my bnce..."

    "Damn, this carriage is too bumpy!" Bruce scolded under his breath.

    "Oh, I see..." Ashlynn softly uttered, and she didn''t think about it anymore.

    "Hey, what do you think...? Am I beautiful?"

    Ashlynn went even closer to the point that her lips were now so close to Calvin''s ears.

    The hot air from her breathing gently tickled Calvin''s nerves.

    But Calvin remained steadfast in her assault.

    He awkwardly scratched his cheek and said, "Well, I guess... you''re beautiful?"

    "What kind of response is that? Just be straightforward!"

    "Am I beautiful or not?" Ashlynn fumed.

    "Y-Yes... You are beautiful..." Calvin almost immediately replied.

    Ashlynn gave a small smile.

    Pushing her arms against her breasts, her assets became even more pronounced and bigger as she asked once more, "Then in that case, do you want to... do it... with me...?"

    Peng!

    Another dull thud rang out.

    Bruce''s head collided with the ceiling once again as he let out another series of dry coughs.

    Calvin and Ashlynn nced at Bruce.

    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry... Ah, goddamned it. This carriage is so bumpy!" Bruce desperately hid the blush on his face as he rubbed his head, seemingly wanting to rub away the pain that inundated his head.

    Calvin faintly nodded, then he turned to look at Ashlynn.

    "I apologize, mydy but I am not the type of person that would do such a thing in broad daylight. What''s more, there are other people around us. My tastes aren''t that heavy..."

    "Oh? Then, what if there are no people around us?"

    "Well..."

    Calvin stretched his arm and wrapped it around Ashlynn''s petite waist, "If thedy is offering herself to me in a silver tter, then I wouldn''t be a man if I don''t take advantage of that, right?" He even winked at him eliciting a furious blush on Ashlynn''s face.

    "Ah! Go away!" She pushed Calvin away in a fluster and Calvin could only let out a few dryughs.

    "You..."

    "Pervert!"

    Ashlynn coldly spat and then proceeded to ignore him for the duration of the trip.

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at Bruce, and when the eyes of the two men met in mid-air. They simultaneously sighed as if they understood each other''s feelings. From what Calvin could infer from Bruce''s eyes. It seemed that he was also a victim of Ashlynn''s antics.

    What a poor guy...

    "We''ve arrived..."

    The Wise One''s house in Ashmelion was a detached house located in the depths of the Hilton Borough. Located at the south-western side of Ashmelion. The entire Hilton Borough was an exclusive region highly protected by the police. This was where most nobles lived their daily lives.

    All other houses in the exclusive residential subdivision of Hilston Borough were decoratedvishly and with patterns reminiscent to that of webs and prisms.

    But this detached house in front of Calvin and the Cavaliers looked different. At first impression, one wouldn''t find anything strange with the house.

    But as soon as they stood in front of the gates, they would feel a shiver down their spines.

    It was as if there was a persistent intangible cold breeze surrounding their bodies.

    Calvin swept his gaze across the street and discovered that there were street lights whose height was about the same as that of an adult male. If these streetmps were ced on the other boroughs, they would most likely be stolen in just under a minute.

    But this was Hilton Borough, a highly protected ce.

    No one would dare to steal anything from here.

    Walking along the pathway nketed by the rays orangey rays of sunrise, Calvin and the Cavaliers entered the Wise One''s residential proper. Facing the main entrance was a cemented road that led straight to the house. The road was wide enough that it could probably fit three carriages at once.

    There was a garden on the left, awn at the right, and a fountain at the center roundabout. The faint fragrance of the flowers and fresh grass whose mildew had just evaporated by the sun rays created a mixture of scent that could make anyone feel refreshed and rxed.

    But as soon as the group arrived at the front doors of the Wise One''s house.

    Ron Samuel suddenly gave out an order.

    "Blindfold him... We can''t let him see those things."

    "Yes, Captain..." James gave his reply and proceeded to blindfold the astonished Calvin.

    Right after Calvin was blindfolded before he could even ask what was going on and why he must he be robbed of his sense of sight.

    An ethereal voice suddenly floated over to the group from beyond the doors.

    "Gentlemen, you''re finally here..."

    "Is he that young man that you lot mentioned in the letter?"

    "Yes, Wise One..."

    "All right,e inside."

    A creaking noise rang out.

    The doors were slowly being opened.

    "Just walk straight," Bruce said to Calvin and he obliged.

    Walking step by step into the residence of the Wise One, Calvin felt as if he was walking into the tiger''s den.

    A few minutes of walking ensued, and soon... Calvin''s blindfold was removed.

    The scene that he saw in front of him left him baffled.

 Chapter 115: The Depths of Spiritualistic Magic

    Chapter 115: The Depths of Spiritualistic Magic

    "Any results rted to that investigation, yet?"

    Calvin seemed to have arrived in some kind of a bedroom.

    The chandelier of the bedroom was unlit, and a set of three leather couches surrounded a coffee table made out of marble. On the table was a crystal ball that emanated a sky-blue glow.

    The light from the crystal ball inundated the entire room. Even the nook and cranny of the room that shouldn''t even be reached by the glow were intruded upon.

    The other Cavaliers sat politely and obediently at the nearby chairs. Only Calvin and Ron Samuel sat on the leather couches, while the Wise One sat on the remaining leather couch.

    Calvin''s gaze was directed to the queen-size bed and discovered that on the walls, just above the bed were all sorts of apparatus. There was a rope hanging on the wall, and what seemed to be a Cross as well as handcuffs, and there was even a whip.

    A strange, amorous smell was also lingering in the air.

    All of thesebined together made Calvin feel a shiver down his spine.

    But before he could even say anything, the Wise One had removed his robe and revealed underneath the robe was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties.

    "Sigh... You sure do know how to work a mule to death, eh? You sent me the carcass of that doppelganger, but to be honest. I don''t discover anything strange. Apart from the fact that the doppelganger was killed with great force that instantly annihted its brain."

    "That''s so obvious, you think that''s helpful?"

    "Of course, not. Come on, Ron... Don''t be too antsy. Didn''t you send this guy for me to investigate him? I''d draw out all of his secrets and make sure that there''s nothing left. After all, this is the Red Cloud that we''re talking about."

    "R-Red Cloud? What is that?" Calvin suddenly interrupted.

    Ron Samuel looked at him and said, "You don''t have to think about it for now. It doesn''t concern you at all. You need to focus on what''s about to happen."

    "What''s about to happen? What''s about to happen? Please... don''t kill me... I have a family to feed!" Calvin immediately kneeled onto the floor and clutched Ron Samuel''s thigh. The fear on his face couldn''t be more genuine.

    The Wise One let out a chuckle and helped Calvin off the floor.

    "Sit down, sit down... Nothing will happen, all right? You are innocent until proven guilty. That''s in the constitution of the Joselian Kingdom. So, until we prove that you indeed have some dealings with the Red Cloud. You are an ordinary citizen, a citizen that these police officers need to protect."

    "Police officers?! They are from the police? They lied to me?"

    Calvin stared wide-eyed at the Wise One.

    "Oh, you already told him?" The Wise One turned to look at Ron Samuel.

    "Yeah, I did... It doesn''t really matter, you see? If he has some dealings with the Red Cloud we''re obligated to dispatch him and if he doesn''t have any rtion to them, then we can turn them into one of us. After all, he''s already experienced the supernatural, and with the churches'' regtions..."

    "All right, all right, I understand." The Wise One stopped him from speaking.

    Afterwards, he sat in front of Calvin.

    Sipped some of his tea and said, "Now, I need your cooperation here. I can''t treat you harshly since we''re potentially going to berades. It''s not good to have bad blood against each other when we''rerades, you see?"

    "What is about to happen may make you ufortable at the least, or it could turn you into a retard at the worst. I will light up some incense and let you inhale some fragrance..."

    "I also have some magical mushrooms here that you can consume to intensify the effects of what is about to happen, but at the same time, lessen its effects on your body."

    Gulp!

    Calvin audibly gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    "Pfft..."

    Ashlynn let out an audibleugh, but she was immediately silenced by Ron Samuel''s death re.

    "J-Just what exactly is about to happen?"

    "I don''t want to die... I still have a wife and a family to take care of!"

    "It''s fine, don''t think too much into it..."

    "His words may be foreboding and simr to a foreshadowing but he''s an expert when ites to this. As for the things that you need to consume such as that mushroom and the fragrance from the incense..."

    "All of them have no bad effects on you whatsoever they are beneficial and will help you out a lot."

    "That''s right, so you need to calm down, all right?"

    The Wise One then stood up and started lighting the incense.

    When the Cavaliers saw his actions, they immediately took masks out of their chest pockets and then put them on.

    Apart from the Wise One and Calvin, everyone in the room including the Captain of the Cavaliers had put on a mask.

    "Seeing you guys put on a mask the moment the incense is ignited doesn''t reassure me at all that it''s safe!" Calvin looked as if he wanted to cry.

    The Wise One then ced a te of magical mushrooms in front of him and said, "I seasoned them well, with some pepper and salt. Though, they are not cooked so I am not sure if they''d taste well..."

    Calvin now wanted to cry but no tears woulde out.

    "Flower of Eternal Sleep, Extract of the Night, and chamomile extract. When youbine these three together along with some seven secret herbs and spices, they smell really good!" The Wise One seemed to be incredibly excited.

    As the candle flickered, the smell of the herbs and flowers scattered throughout the room.

    A pleasant smell inundated Calvin''s nose and he was no longer as tense as he was earlier.

    "The bottle is called the Potion of Clearance. The sap and the branch of the allspice tree arebined with the seeds of the Berbercane Fruit to create this beautiful and incredibly enchanting potion!"

    "Of course, a few incantations in the Elder Tongue are added in, and as a cherry on top, a subus core is crushed and sprinkled like sugar onto the potion."

    "It smells really good, right?"

    "Y-Yes..."

    The Wise One added half of the Potion of Clearance as soup for the magical mushrooms.

    "Eat up... It''s delicious... It will bring you to heaven..." The Wise One gave a devious smile.

    Calvin, entranced by the fragrance of the incense seemed to be hypnotized as he mechanically raised a fork and took a piece of the mushroom soaked in the Potion of Clearance. He put it in his mouth and chewed the instant that he swallowed the mushroom, he found his vision swimming.

    Everything suddenly had their own clones.

    Ron Samuel who stood and observed everything from the side turned into a dwarf.

    A splitting image of him was standing there with the same posture as him.

    Astonished, Calvin looked around and discovered that everything was blurry. The bedroom was fuzzy in his eyes and seemed to be covered with ayer of fog. In a panic, he rapidly turned around and then discovered that the door of the bedroom wasn''t properly closed.

    "Hehehe... I can probably... squeeze through... the gap..."

    Calvin thought to himself, then he suddenly discovered that he was floating.

    Murmurs from an unknown number of people assaulted his mind in droves, these unintelligible mumbles felt as if there were hundreds of thousands of people debating about something in anguage that Calvin couldn''t understand at all.

    But at this moment, his eyes suddenly focused on the image of the young man sitting in front of him with a smile.

    The young man had sapphire-like eyes, fairplexion, a sharp nose, and jet-ck hair. He was the Wise One, but that didn''t matter at all for Calvin. His attention was focused on the fact that the couch that the young man was sitting on looked like a cloud with how blurry it was.

    "Let me introduce myself first before we get into the business, shall we?"

    "My name is Vincent D Cruz. People call me around here as the master of Spiritualistic Magic."

    "Now, just what is Spiritualistic Magic?"

    "A lot of people would say that Spiritualistic Magic is a type of magic that could condemn anyone''s soul to the suffering of the undying fire. But to be honest, I beg to differ. That is just what the Church of Eternal Fire wants you to think..."

    "They do not wantmon people intruding onto their territory, you see? In fact, Spiritualistic Magic is not what everyone thinks at all..."

    "The ability to demand divine intervention from the gods through the exchange of something from the mortal or material ne makes me believe that gods and humans have a strange rtionship of reliance and dependency."

    "As to what exactly is the reason why the gods even listen to the demands of us puny humans?"

    "I don''t know exactly why..."

    "All that we need to know when using Spiritualistic Magic is that we can demand almost anything. So long as the god is willing and the sacrifice is sufficient. In your case, I sacrificed some valuable ingredients so that I would be able to dive into the depths of your consciousness."

    "You may not be able to remember those memories, but it is impossible that your subconscious that exists in the depths of your consciousness could forget about those events..."

    "I induced you into this trance-like state so that it''s easier for me to prate your subconscious and extract information from there..."

    "As to what exactly is the subconscious, you must be confused..."

    "But let me make an analogy."

    "Let us say that your consciousness is a ship somewhere in the middle of the vast ocean known as ''You''."

    "This ship has sailed through the entire ocean that makes up who you are, but can you say for sure that this ship had explored the depths of that ocean known as ''You''?"

    "No!"

    "Why?"

    "It''s because the ship cannot explore the depths of the ocean!"

    "And that is what the subconscious is..."

    "The two of them are different concepts, different entities that would never interfere with each other."

    "However, whatever the consciousness knows... Even if the consciousness eventually forgets about it. The subconscious would always remember it..."

    "And that is the reason for this peruse."

    "Now, tell me... What does your subconscious remember after you met that man?"

    "No..." Calvin let out an agonized whisper, "I don''t... I don''t remember anything... It hurts..."

    Veins bulged on Calvin''s forehead the moment that the question was asked. Vincent immediately stopped the ritual and Calvin was dragged out of his subconscious back to his consciousness.

    He took a sharp deep breath when he awakened after Vincent pped his hands together.

    "Wha... What happened?" Calvin asked in confusion.

    Ron Samuel and Vincent nced at each other before saying, "Congrattions, you passed..."

    "You''re clear of suspicions now. However, you cannot return to your ordinary life anymore..."

    "With the regtions of the Three Orthodox Churches when ites to things rted to the supernatural. There is no way for you to return to society anymore. It''s either you be one of us, or we will forcefully remove your memories."

    "I rmend doing the former since forcefully removing one''s memories from the subconscious is not only difficult but it also has a rtively high chance of failure." Ron Samuel gave a mysterious smile and asked, "So, what are you going to choose? Are you going to be one of us, or are you going to choose the ordinary and average life of a peasant?"

    Ron Samuel stretched his hand out as if inviting him for a handshake.

    "With..."

    "With what you said, sir..."

    "Do you really think that I still have a choice?"

    "This is basically coercion!" Calvin feigned aint.

    But in the end, he took Ron Samuel''s hand and said, "Okay, count me in..."

    "All right, your first job as one of us is to clean the coffee machines. It''s been a few months since they''ve been cleaned and no one wants to take the job to do it."

    "And since you''re a newbie, it''s just appropriate for you to do it for us your seniors." Ron Samuel gave a delighted smile and patted Calvin''s shoulder.

    "What...?"

    "Coffee?"

    Calvin uttered in disbelief.

 Chapter 116: Join Us, Medallion of a Crow Within the Sun

    Chapter 116: Join Us, Medallion of a Crow Within the Sun

    Calvin imagined a life full of adventure where he would fight against monsters and protect themon popce in secrecy. When he heard that Ron Samuel wanted him to join them, he thought that he''d be one of the Cavaliers.

    He thought that he''d be like them who protected the world behind the scenes.

    But contrary to his expectations, he actually became an employee of a Coffee Shop?

    What?

    Calvin didn''t know what to say and was speechless.

    "What''s the lollygagging? You''re free to go home now. Are you worried about thieves? Not even a rat can sneak into Hilton Borough, so you don''t have to worry about criminals being in here. Unless you''re talking about those greedy and unscrupulous nobles, then that''s a different story...."

    "Captain!" Ashlynn immediately cried out.

    The Cavaliers directly served the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods, but they were established by the Kingdom of Joselian.

    In other words, the nobles were people that they couldn''t just easily offend.

    Even though the Church had dered autonomy from the royal family and the Church was now operating in entirely different rules and protocols from the Kingdom.

    They were still fundamentally connected.

    Ron Samuel''s words were akin to insult against the nobles that alone was punishable by death.

    Calvin lifted a bitter smile and asked, "Can I go home now?"

    Ron Samuel didn''t look at him. In fact, he kept on talking with the other Cavaliers.

    Does this silence mean approval?

    He doubted, so he asked again, "Ummm, sir... Can I go home now?"

    There was still no reaction whatsoever from Ron Samuel.

    What?

    Calvin was confused.

    He scratched his cheek and asked once more, "Sir, am I good to go now?"

    Ron Samuel still didn''t reply.

    The Wise One Vincent noticed Calvin''s predicament and he couldn''t help butugh, "Ron''s hard in the hearing. If you want him to hear what you are saying then you need to raise your voice."

    Calvin nodded his head and smiled at Vincent in appreciation. Afterwards, he asked once again. But this time, his voice was a few notches louder than before. "Ummm, sir! Can I go home now?!"

    The instant Calvin''s voice rang out...

    The Cavaliers froze.

    Ron Samuel slowly turned around and asked with a death re, "Why did you have to shout? Do you think I''m deaf?"

    "Uh..." Calvin surreptitiously nced at Vincent, but Vincent immediately turned his head away and started whistling.

    Fuck you, you bastard!

    A thousand mud horses galloped in Calvin''s heart as he lifted a pained smile.

    "Just as I said earlier, you can go home now. If you''re ready to work for us, then you can go to the Center Borough, Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop. Your sry will be five Joselian Pesos a day. Do you understand now?"

    Calvin repeatedly nodded, "Can I really go home now, sir? How can I be sure that I will be free of trouble from now on?"

    Ron Samuel''s expression changed. He turned serious as he said, "Don''t worry... Based on the statistics that we have in the past on incidents like these. More than half of the survivors don''t experience any horrifying after-effects from the incident. But to be honest, I don''t dare to trust it."

    "More than half... Does that mean that I''m notpletely safe?" Calvin asked, there was a trembling in his voice.

    "Yes, that is why I said that you should join us and be one of our civilian staff. This way, if we noticed any symptoms we can act fast and deal with it before everything is toote."

    Ron Samuel thought for a moment, "Or you can also be a Predator like us..."

    "If you be one of us, then you''d be privy to information that you needed so you can help yourself in the case that the bastard from Red Cloudes back to deal with you. I mean, we can''t just keep an eye on you all the time, right?"

    "Really? I can do that?" Calvin doubted the legitimacy of Ron Samuel''s words.

    He didn''t think that it was that easy to be a Predator. There must be something in exchange. If Calvin wanted to be a Predator, then there must be something that he needed to give up so he could be one of them.

    However, if he became a Predator then he would acquire supernatural powers!

    Who didn''t want tomand wind and cloud with the flick of their wrist?

    Who didn''t want to level a mountain with a single snort?

    Who didn''t want to conquer the world under their crotch?

    These were Calvin''s delusions of grandeur.

    But he believed that these delusions coulde true if he became a Predator!

    Ron Samuel let out a sigh.

    He could obviously see the excitement within Calvin''s eyes and he also saw through what he was thinking.

    "It''s not that you can''t... It''s just that it''s too difficult to be one."

    "What? What do I have to do to be one?" Calvin asked once more.

    "You''re asking the wrong questions. Don''t you want to know what you need to give up to be one of us?"

    Ron Samuel let out a bitterugh.

    "No Cavalier would ever die in their sleep."

    "Huh?" Calvin was confused by Ron Samuel''s cryptic words.

    "Nevermind..." Complicated emotions shed across Ron Samuel''s face as he said, "Bing a Cavalier meant losing your freedom. You might think that just because the Cavaliers protect the civilians from monsters and fiends in the dark that we''d be highly praised for our actions?"

    "Nope... You''repletely wrong. It''s the opposite. The civilians are afraid of us. Just as how the police don''t give them that sense of security that they are expecting from the people who are supposed to protect them..."

    "We''re basically simr to the police in their eyes, albeit not known enough for they also consider our existence as legends..."

    "Then, how will they know that a Cavalier is a Cavalier?" Calvin asked in confusion. Being hated by the people meant that they were a target. But how could they be a target when they work in secrecy? If no one could see and notice them, then how could they be targeted?

    "It''s because of this..." Ron Samuel slowly took out a medallion from his pocket.

    The humungous sun with eight rays of light depicted in the Medallion was already imposing enough, but when the crow holding a severed hand in its beak was added in front of the sun. The medallion became terrifying to look at. Calvin let out a gasp as his mind madly spun.

    "That''s..." Calvin felt as if his mind was being sucked into the medallion.

    Ron Samuel hurriedly returned the medallion back to his left chest pocket and said, "When the sun sets in the battlefield, crows descend from the heavens and feed on the dead..."

    "What you saw was the Medallion of a Crow Within the Sun."

    "That was a Cavalier exclusive medallion. Only a Cavalier or a Cavalier''s family member have the right to hold it. Once the Cavalier died, he or she can pass on that medallion to his family member or to other unrted people..."

    "With that medallion, the holder can immediately be one of the Cavaliers, or he could exchange the medallion for arge sum of money. After all, these medallions are rare and they are incredibly difficult to make." Ron Samuel let out a smile, "Does that answer your question."

    "Y-Yes..." Calvin was still trembling. But contrary to his expectations, it wasn''t because he was astonished by the imposing Medallion of a Crow Within the Sun. It was because he could feel something being unlocked from inside his mind.

    He felt as if some missing memories were returning, and they would fully return once he got himself his own medallion!

 Chapter 117: Advanced Payment

    Chapter 117: Advanced Payment

    The Cavaliers waved their goodbyes to the Wise One, Vincent, and then proceeded to exit his detached house.

    The entire group was silent all the way, but when Calvin was about to enter the carriage.

    He paused, and suddenly asked a question to Ron Samuel who was holding the handle and was about to hop onto the carriage, "Sir, I still have a question..."

    "What is it?"

    "What happens when I fail to be one of you, and can I really join your ranks? As you can see, sir. I am nothing but a cripple. I may have survived that supernatural activity, but the person who possessed me might have just disdained from killing me when he saw how miserable I look..."

    "My right arm is severely injured, and my right eye is missing... No matter how you look at it, I''m a disabled man that can''t possibly be useful..."

    The Cavaliers turned to look at Calvin in sympathy.

    But they didn''t say anything for they knew that there were a lot of benefits being a Cavalier.

    Ron Samuel stared at him and said, "Do you have an inferiorityplex or something?"

    Calvin almost keeled over upon hearing Ron Samuel''s words, "N-No... I''m just stating the facts, sir... I''m a realist."

    "Oh?" Ron Samuel faintly nodded, "Then, in that case. You don''t have to worry about anything. When one bes a Predator, I don''t think that they should be even called human anymore."

    "Wha... What do you mean, sir?" Calvin''s face immediately paled. For him, abandoning humanity was the same as bing a monster. Calvin didn''t want to be a monster.

    "Hehehe... Are you scared? It''s not that scary, to be honest. What I mean is that your wounds would heal faster than an average human. Your reflexes and senses would be heightened. You''d gain a considerable amount of strength, and your stamina would also increase. Bing a Predator is simr to bing a superhuman..."

    "Do you understand what I mean?" Ron Samuel asked.

    Calvin nodded his head.

    That wasn''t so bad...

    He thought.

    But the very next words that came out of Ron Samuel''s mouth made him rethink his next course of action.

    "As for what will happen if you fail to be one of us and pass through the initiation ritual."

    "Heh..." Ron Samuel gave a forebodingugh, "Let''s talk about that in the coffee shop. Come inside, it''s so cold out here." He gestured to the stunned Calvin and seeing that the Cavaliers were already hopping into the carriage...

    He had no choice but toply.

    Inside the carriage.

    Ashlynn once again stuck closer to Calvin and said, "So the reason why you''re not that attractive to me is that you already have a wife? Is she more beautiful than me?" Her tone of voice was inviting and coquettish enough that Bruce couldn''t help but audiblyment.

    "You homewrecker!"

    He whispered and a sharp pain immediately assaulted his waist as Ashlynn mmed her elbow on his side.

    He didn''t dare to say anything anymore after having learned his lesson.

    Calvin gave a bitter smile.

    He really couldn''t understand why Ashlynn was still going after him despite knowing that he had a family to take care of.

    "I know what you are thinking... You must be thinking that I must be such a slut, right? But nope... I may be like this, but I''m still an innocent maiden. And touched by no one, an ind visited by no man..." Ashlynn winked at Calvin and the bitterness on his face intensified.

    "Yes... You do look beautiful, Miss Ashlynn..." Calvin couldn''t help but feel a sense of deja vu.

    "Oh, really? Am I more beautiful than your wife?"

    "O-Of course, not..."

    "Oh...?" Ashlynn raised her eyebrow and a threatening aura came out of her body.

    "I-I suppose...?" Calvin gave a pained reply.

    "In that case, then it''s all good..."

    Ashlynn revealed a smile that looked as if she was a child that had her requests fulfilled.

    "Sigh..." Calvin let out a sigh.

    Fortunately, his suffering didn''t continue anymore for the carriage had already arrived at the Center Borough.

    The group alighted from the carriage and proceeded towards the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop. Calvin''s jaw almost mmed onto the ground when he saw the prices listed on the signages outside.

    "A cup of freshly-brewed coffee costs ten Joselian Pesos?" Calvin softly uttered.

    "What? It does?!" Ashlynn eximed in shock.

    She nced at the signage and then turned to look at Ron Samuel, "Did you change the prices again, Captain? How can we do any business if you keep on increasing the prices like this?"

    Ron Samuel shrugged, "Well, intion exists, you know? We''ve got to keep our pricespetitive."

    The Cavaliers and Calvin didn''t know what to say hearing Ron Samuel''s words.

    It was obvious that he had no intention whatsoever in doing any business.

    This Coffee Shop was just a front.

    The important part was what lurked behind this front.

    The group entered the Coffee Shop and James Branzu immediately locked the doors and shut the curtains. Since it was currently high noon, the rays of the sun could still somehow prate the curtains. But it was still incredibly dark inside the house.

    Bruce and Ashlynn clearly didn''t expect this as they asked, "What are you doing, James? I can''t see anything."

    "Just use your Predator Sense if you can''t see anything."

    Ashlynn rolled her eyes, "What''s the purpose of this?"

    James lifted a mysterious smile, "This young man right here is about to hear something shocking and terrifying. I closed the curtains to create the appropriate mood and atmosphere which would amplify his fears. What do you think? I''m such a genius, right?"

    "..."

    Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    "Shut up... Let''s have him hear what he wants to know..."

    Ron Samuel urged the others to close their mouths.

    They immediately obliged and the room became silent.

    "Earlier, you asked me about what will happen if you fail to be one of us?"

    "I will give you the answer."

    "In order to be one of us, you will have to go through an initiation ritual. There is no exception. Everyone regardless of their status needed to go through that initiation ritual before they could officially be a Predator and one of us Cavaliers..."

    "Failing to pass through that ritual means losing control and bing a demon reminiscent to that of the demons that roamed the world after the first cataclysm." Ron Samuel knew that Calvin probably couldn''t understand some of his words, but he didn''t bother exining.

    After all, Calvin would soon be privy to the information rted to these anyway.

    "But you don''t have to undergo the ritual to lose control. Even someone that is already a Predator can still lose control, as for the reason why some Predators lose control? I have no idea. But it should mostly because of stress, unsatisfied desire, and indignance..."

    "When youbine all of these together, you''d be an easy target of the other gods."

    "An easy target of the other gods?" Calvin asked, "What do you mean?"

    "Well..." Ron Samuel cleared his throat.

    He knew that he couldn''t escape from exining this, so he exined, "The gods hate each other. Apart from the Three Orthodox Gods that are harmonious..."

    "The other gods absolutely hate each other to the point that they would direct their hatred of that god to the followers of that particr god..."

    "Let''s put the Goddess of All-Epassing Light for example. ''She'' is hated by the God of War and Infighting. To spite ''Her'', ''He'' looks for ''Her'' followers that have unsatisfied desires, and a lot of stress..."

    "Then afterwards, ''He'' slowly corrupts that follower in the form of damned murmurs, pleas, and whispers..."

    "''He'' would warp his sense of reality and ''He'' would make him believe that something exists even though it doesn''t. If a Predator was exposed to the corruption of a god long enough..."

    "Even with the protection of the god that they are following, it is impossible for them to escape the fate of losing control..."

    "This is the reason why we are so leisurely. The church permitted us to build this incredibly expensive Coffee Shop for fun because they don''t want us to receive unnecessary stress..."

    "Now, do you understand?"

    "Knowing all of these, do you still want to be one of us?"

    "Yes!"

    Calvin almost immediately answered.

    "Oh?" Ron Samuel''s interest was piqued.

    "Why did you decide so fast? Are you thinking that you''d be one of the exceptions that could easily handle the corrupted murmurs of the gods on a daily basis? Hahaha, I know what you are thinking..."

    "But trust me, you won''t be an exception..."

    "Think this through..."

    "I don''t want you to die and be a part of the statistics that make up the number of Predators that lost control and summarily executed by the church." Ron Samuel''s voice was icy.

    It was obvious that he disliked the fact that Calvin almost immediately decided on his path without thinking everything thoroughly.

    "Also, you have a family, right? You still need to bullshit your way so they won''t find out that you''re a Cavalier. You need to remember that the church regtes the number of civilians allowed to know what hides behind the scenes..."

    "That is why you absolutely cannot tell anyone about what you have experienced in the past few days and us..."

    Calvin repeatedly nodded his head, "Then, can I tell them that I will be working in a Coffee Shop?"

    "I mean, this Coffee Shop is your front, right?"

    "I don''t see any problems telling them that I am working here to earn money. In fact, they would definitely think that I''m doing illegal things when they see me earning money without doing any work that they know..."

    Ron Samuel nodded, "That makes sense. In that case, convince them with this..."

    He walked behind the counter and took a pouch from the drawer. He then hurled it over to Calvin.

    Calvin caught it in mid-air and his hands almost copsed from the sheer weight of the pouch.

    "Wha... What is this, sir? Why is it so heavy? Coins?"

    "Yeah... That pouch contains about seventy Joselian pesos in coins. You can go ahead and exchange it to paper notes if you want, but personally. I like the coins than the paper notes. Those paper notes don''t really feel like money. I prefer hearing the nging sound that the coins make when you shake the pouch than those ugly notes."

    Ron Samuel lightly smiled.

    "But uh... Sir, I want to know... Why are you giving this to me?"

    "Why?" Ron Samuel looked at him with a strange look, "That''s your advanced payment. I think that''s about two weeks'' worth of wage. Convince them with that money and I''m sure your wife would be d to have you work in this generous Coffee Shop."

 Chapter 118: Breakfast with Mommy and Daddy

    Chapter 118: Breakfast with Mommy and Daddy

    Calvin spent the night in the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop.

    To be honest, he wanted to go home...

    But Ron Samuel insisted that he stayed here so they could ensure that he wasn''t suffering from the side effects of the Wise One''s Spiritualistic Magic.

    Calvin obliged since it was for his own good.

    When he woke up, he bade his farewell to the others and then hailed a special carriage-taxi.

    By special, the carriage would have no other passenger apart from him. He basically rented out the entire carriage just so the coachman wouldn''t wait for other passengers which would extend the time that Calvin would take before he was able to return to his wife and daughter.

    The Northern Borough was a ce full of people practicing roguish professions and gangsters.

    Coachmen were afraid to march into the Northern Borough, but in the face of shiny joselian coins.

    The coachman uttered not anyint. He let his actions speak for himself as he hopped onto the carriage and deftly manipted the horse to the destination.

    The poorest district among the poor in the Northern Borough, the street where Charlotte and Cecilia lived...

    The Hampaslupa Street.

    Despite being in the Northern Borough and full of people who did anything may it be despicable or not just to live.

    The street actually had a lot of prestige a few hundred years ago before the founder of themonwealth of the Three Kingdoms and the founder of the Joselian Kingdom himself, Jose Yang died.

    After Jose Yang''s death, it was discovered that the person who established the Hampaslupa Street was actually one of the people who greatly opposed Jose Yang''s way of leadership.

    The sessor of Jose Yang, his son Protazio Rizal Yang immediately sent the founder and owner of the Hampaslupa Street to the gallows.

    Afterward, Hampaslupa Street was then given by Protazio Rizal Yang to the people from the marginalizedmunity.

    Even if his actions seemed to be an act of charity.

    It was actually an attempt to further humiliate thete founder of the Hampaslupa Street.

    Before Jose Yang died, Hampaslupa street had a different name.

    Unfortunately, Protazio Rizal Yang ordered the erasure of the street''s name from the records of history so no one knew the previous name of the street in current times.

    All that they knew was that Hampaslupa Street once housed the nobles and the highly-privileged people of the Kingdom...

    One could evenpare it to the Hilton Borough.

    But now? It was not even worth a fart.

    Full of people in the depths of poverty, even the middle-ss citizens of Ashmelion disdained to visit this ce.

    "Kind sir, are you sure that you want me to continue to Hampaslupa Street? How about we stop here? Going in there while you''re in a carriage will easily turn you into a target of those addicts."

    The coachman promptly stopped right after crossing the boundary of the Southern and Northern Borough the Yang Bridge.

    Calvin thought for a moment and realized that the man''s words made sense. Those who unt their wealth without sufficient strength were foolish. Just as how the tallest tree in the forest received the most wind. Calvin let out a sigh and exited the carriage after paying the coachman.

    Carrying bags full of breakfast for his wife and daughter, Calvin continued on his journey in the filthy streets of the Northern Borough. The fragrant smell of canned ice cream and chicken soup attracted the attention of the vagrants.

    But before they could even peruse any further, Calvin would send a death re on their way.

    Calvin soon arrived into the small hut whom he referred to as his own house. He didn''t even knock for he directly went inside. Grandma Elsa was gone she was probably ying cards with the other friendly neighboring aunties.

    The moment Calvin stepped inside the small hut, he immediately saw a pouting Cecilia being coaxed by an anxious Charlotte.

    "You''ve memorized counting from 1 to 10 already! Why stop here? You need to continue, memorize 11 to 20 and I''ll let you go so I can go out and buy you the ice cream and chicken soup that you want!"

    "Nooo! I don''t want to do it anymore... Studying sucks! I want daddy!"

    Cecilia puffed her cheeks and repeatedly shook her head.

    "What''s the matter? Cecilia''s being naughty again?"

    At this moment, Calvin''s voice floated over to the two.

    "Daddy!" Cecilia almost immediately eximed in joy upon seeing Calvin standing near the door.

    She stood up and rushed into Calvin''s embrace.

    Noticing this, Charlotte immediately pouted.

    She was Cecilia''s mother, yet why was it that Ceciilia''s reception to Calvin was far warmer than the little girl''s treatment to her?

    Now she feels as if she was the outsider!

    This guy...

    He didn''t even returnst night...

    Charlotte was annoyed and irritated remembering how much she tossed and turnedst night worrying about Calvin.

    Calvin carried Cecilia on his shoulder before cing her on a wooden stall.

    Afterwards, he then ced the chicken soup onto the wooden table as well as several cans of ice cream.

    Charlotte was wide-eyed seeing the amount of food on the table. She made a quick calction using the arithmetic that she knew and she instantly judged that this amount of food was no less than twenty Joselian pesos. Twenty Joselian Pesos... That was basically four weeks of sry!

    Just where did he get that much money?

    Charlotte red at Calvin.

    Could it be that this was the reason why he didn''t returnst night?

    Calvin let out an awkwardugh.

    Of course, he could see what Charlotte was thinking.

    "Rest assured, I didn''t do anything illegal to get all of these. In fact, I have great news for you!"

    "Oh? What is it?" Charlotte''s interest was piqued.

    "I got a job!"

    "Really? What kind of a job it is?" Now, she was excited. Getting a job in the city of Ashmelion was incredibly hard due to the number ofpetitors. Apart from the matchstick and textile factory, it was difficult to find other jobs unless you were overqualified for it.

    "I''m a waiter for a Coffee Shop! I''m earning five Joselian pesos a day!"

    "Oh, I see... A waiter? You''re earning five Joselian pesos a week wait... a day?!"

    Charlotte almost shot up from her seat.

    "Mommy, why are you so noisy? I''m eating!"

    Cecilia immediately frowned when her happy time of eating ice cream was disturbed.

    "Yeah, that''s why I think we will be able to get out of this ce soon. You don''t have to worry about anything. Just take care of Cecilia, make sure that she''s studying well and make sure that you''re also studying properly. In the Goddess''s time, you would surely be able to enter the workforce of Ashmelion in the future and earn decent money." Calvin said.

    Charlotte was speechless.

    She didn''t know what to say.

    She nced at Calvin and upon seeing his sincere smile.

    She could feel something bubbling from within her. To be honest, even now. She didn''t know what to feel towards Calvin''s sincerity. But after she decided that she should first put all of her attention into Cecilia, she ced these illicit thoughts deep into the darkest recesses of her mind.

    However, her personal feelings and the feelings of gratitude that she had for Calvin were separate.

    At this moment, she didn''t know she could express her thankfulness to Calvin.

    Her defense mechanism activated and she hung her head low in embarrassment as a crimson hue spread on her cheeks.

    "Are you not going to eat?"

    Calvin''s sudden question awakened Charlotte from her trance and she subconsciously replied in a cold voice. "Of course, I am going to eat! Cecilia, you hurry up and eat since we''re still going to study today! We''re going to study until nighttime!"

    "Oh..." Cecilia instantly became disinterested as she bowed her head and gazed away crestfallen.

    Ah, another day of hard work... I''m so sad...

    Calvin gave Cecilia a sympathetic nce.

    At such a young age, she was already subject to so much pressure.

    He turned to look at Charlotte, he wanted to talk to her about letting Cecilia take a break but as soon as he stared carefully at her snowy-whitepletion. He discovered that Charlotte looked incredibly tired. There were dark circles underneath her beautiful eyes.

    "Charlotte, you didn''t sleep well yesterday?"

    When Charlotte heard this, she immediately red at Calvin in anger.

    But she didn''t know how she should exin herself.

    Should she say that she wasn''t able to sleep because she was worried about him all night?

    Wasn''t that tantamount to a confession?!

    Charlotte was conflicted.

    In the end, her brain malfunctioned and she stood up before climbing over to her bed.

    "It seems like your Mommy is angry at me for some reason, Cecilia..."

    "Mmm?" Cecilia nced at Calvin and revealed a disinterested expression. She started slurping the chicken soup and soaked the rice that Calvin brought with the soup. Calvin was also hungry so he sat down beside Cecilia and started eating.

    "Wow... This chicken soup is really delicious! The chicken that they used to make this must be well-fed. The flesh is so tender and the skin is so vorful. Mhmm!"

    Calvin purposely said these words out loud.

    Cecilia''s eyes glimmered in a cheeky light. She took another can of canned ice cream, opened it with a crack, and then started scooping the delectable ice cream with the wooden spoon, "Daddy, you''re right! This ice cream is too good! I like the vani vor the most!"

    "I wonder if Mommy will get mad if we eat all the canned ice cream?"

    "Oh, will she get mad? I mean, she''s already angry at me, what would happen if I anger her more? Let''s just eat all the canned ice cream. I don''t think that she''s interested in it anyway..."

    "Really? Mommy doesn''t want any ice cream?"

    "Yeah..." Calvin surreptitiously nced at the top of the bunk bed, "If she really wants to eat this ice cream then she shoulde back here now or it will be toote!"

    Crack!

    Calvin opened one of the canned ice creams and it became a signal for Charlotte toe down from the top of the bunk bed and rush back to the wooden table.

    "Oh? I thought you don''t want to eat?" Calvin gave a cheeky smile.

    Cecilia was nowughing.

    Sweeping her gaze across the two who worked together to tease her like this, Charlotte didn''t know what to say.

    What''s worse, one of them was even her daughter!

    Calvin and Cecilia nced at each other and bitterly smile.

    They could feel that Charlotte was really angry this time.

    Resolve shed across Cecilia''s eyes as she nced at Calvin.

    Her eyes were seemingly saying the words, ''Leave this to me, daddy!''

    She then stood up and dragged her mother back to the wooden stool where she sat earlier.

    Then, she pointed at the dishes on the table and said.

    "Mommy... Daddy and I were just joking. Look, we purposely didn''t eat this bowl and those can of ice creams. It''s for you! We know that mommy is working hard so you deserve to eat a lot!"

    Charlotte''s expression immediately softened as her anger for Cecilia vanished into thin air.

    But since she was still angry at Calvin.

    She coldly snorted and said, "At least you still know how to be sensible!"

    She then proceeded to eat without paying Calvin any attention.

    Calvin could only let out a bitter smile as the family continued to eat their breakfast.

    The curtains of this eventful breakfast soon ended as Calvin returned to the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop in the Center Borough.

 Chapter 119: Job Description

    Chapter 119: Job Description

    "Wee!"

    Calvin pushed open the doors of the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop. As soon as he stepped inside, he was greeted by the jovial smiles of Ashlynn, Bruce, and James. But when the three saw that the customer was Calvin. Their expressions turned ugly as they whispered.

    "Damn it! I thought it was a legitimate customer!"

    "Fuck..."

    "Captain... We should really go ahead and reduce our prices..."

    James, Bruce, and Ashlynn voiced out theirints to their Captain, Ron Samuel.

    "Shut up. Do you think that the four of us have what it takes to run a Coffee Shop? It''s not so simple! Running a business is not so simple at all!" Ron Samuel scolded.

    "Pffft!" James suddenlyughed.

    "What is it? Was there something funny in what Captain said?" Ashlynn asked in curiosity.

    "N-Nothing..." James immediately froze when he felt Ron Samuel''s re.

    Ashlynn noticed the Captain''s re and she immediately nabbed James to the side and started interrogating him.

    Calvin approached the counter.

    Ron Samuel stared at him and asked, "What would you like to have? The prices for the beverage and snacks are outside. It''s made to order so everything is customizable and made fresh straight out of the oven!"

    "Hahaha..." Calvin let out an awkwardugh, "Captain, I came here to report for work..."

    "Oh? You''ve already convinced your family that this is a legitimate work?"

    Calvin faintly nodded.

    Ron Samuel didn''t seem to mind that Calvin called him, ''Captain''.

    He stood up and walked out of the front desk, "What skills do you have that you think that is useful for us?"

    Calvin pondered, "I know a lot of maths... I can also do ounting. I know bookkeeping too..."

    "Yeah, those skills are indeed remarkable, but do you think that this Coffee Shop needs it?"

    "Then, what do you need, Captain?" Calvin asked in confusion.

    How could he answer the Captain''s question, when he doesn''t even know what exactly does the Coffee Shop need?

    "Come here, follow me."

    "How strong is your grasp of the universal speech?" Ron Samuel asked.

    Universal Speech could be considered as the officialnguage used by all inhabitants of the world of Las Felipinas. But this world could also refer to thenguage that arose into poprity after the first Cataclysm.

    However, Universal Language does not include othernguages or dialects dedicated to demi-humans or for use in any given region.

    But Universal Speech is widely-understood, even for demi-humans.

    Calvin pondered for a moment, unsure as to how he should answer Ron Samuel''s question.

    Noticing Calvin''s hesitation, Ron Samuel didn''t ask any further.

    "All right, you don''t have to worry too much. So long as you can turn theseplicated universal speech texts into texts that we can understand without thinking into it too much, then I guess you can start working now."

    Ron Samuel and Calvin arrived before an unassuming wall in the kitchen of the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop.

    Ron Samuel stretched his hand out and ced his palm on the wall and whispered.

    "Abli, open up!"

    A surge of Mana from Ron Samuel flew towards the wall.

    A ripple followed afterwards, and the wall became seemingly connected to another space.

    Beyond the space was a library.

    "If you were wondering about what Abli means, it''s just an Elder Speech for the word, ''Open''. Do you know anything about Elder Speech? If not then you can peruse the library. This ce has a lot of information vital for the operation of the Cavaliers. This is basically a treasure trove for you who is looking for answers."

    Ron Samuel had a proud smile on his face as he said all of these...

    "When ites to mastery of the Universal Speech. I don''t dare to im that I will be able to do a better job than you and the others, Captain..." Calvin let out a rueful smile.

    He guessed that Ron Samuel probably told him all of these and said that tranting these texts into more an understandable prose was his job just so Calvin would feel as if he was doing something that deserved the wage of five Joselian pesos a day.

    Ron Samuel could feel Calvin''s hesitation as he said, "You don''t understand... Most of us most Predators haven''t evenpleted basic education..."

    "Even if we''re more educated than you, doesn''t mean that we''re more suitable. After all, most of us aren''t good with things that involved books and some had already passed that age..."

    Having said these, Ron Samuel gave a bitter smile.

    It was obvious even for Calvin that he seemed to be mocking himself.

    "What''s more, those dry and boring knowledge immediately puts us to sleep. In the past, we would cooperate with historians and archaeologists, but this has a risk of exposing our secrets..."

    "Mishaps may befall onto those professors and that is why we absolutely need your help to scan through these documents and make them understandable and not-so-boring to us."

    Calvin lightly nodded. He wanted to ask about why wouldn''t they groom someone? But then he remembered the fact that the Church keeps everything involving the supernatural top-secret.

    The Church probably doesn''t want to risk exposing their secrets, so these bunch of Cavaliers couldn''t do anything other than suffer while consuming these books with their cut and dry information.

    But there was something that Calvin had to ask no matter what, "Why does the Church insist on keeping everything confidential? If they want to protect the Church and its citizens from these monsters. Shouldn''t it be a far better choice to let them know what their hidden enemies are?"

    Ron Samuel shook his head, "Nope... You don''t understand... Humans are inherently greedy. If they came to know of the so-called Spiritualistic Magic that could grant them whatever they wanted. Do you really think that they would exercise caution and stop being so greedy?"

    "Humans must never fully put their trust into a god. Relying on faith to survive is basically the same as being a parasite..."

    "Relying on faith to survive is basically the same as being a parasite..." Calvin silently recited, but even after a few recitations. He still couldn''t understand the underlying meaning of the words.

    Ron Samuel saw the frown on Calvin''s face and he pped his hands together as he said, "All right, we''re done here..."

    "If you want to go back to the Coffee Shop just pull that lever there. But I suggest that you spend a few hours here, I also suggest reading the book about the World''s creation myth and the Bestiary..."

    Ron Samuel turned around and left before Calvin could even stop him.

    He had vanished beyond the walls of the library.

    Calvin was left alone inside the dark and cold library.

    A rueful smile appeared on his face as he ignited a gasmp and took a random book from the shelves.

    The words, "World''s Creation" was stered across the front page of the book.

 Chapter 120: There was Nothing, Everything was Nothing

    Chapter 120: There was Nothing, Everything was Nothing

    Once upon a time.

    There was nothing.

    So everything was nothing.

    Then, with nothing...

    A bang!

    Came in...

    A huge explosion.

    Then suddenly, nothing became something.

    Since nothing was everything, something became everything.

    The Seven Gods and Goddesses came from nothing, so they were everything.

    With their great power, they dotted nothingness with the twinkle of the stars.

    Celestial bodies with unimaginable sizes materialized upon their whim.

    Thus, the world was created.

    =Page End=

    ''What the fuck is this nonsense?'' Calvin couldn''t help but curse.

    He flipped open the next page and the title of the page was...

    The First Cataclysm.

    "Oh, I heard Captain mention something about the First Cataclysm..." Calvin''s interest was piqued.

    His eyes were glued to the page as he started reading.

    The world was born but without any creatures. The Seven Gods and Goddesses quickly became bored. But without a prototype to create the very first creatures. They pondered, ''Just how can we create these creatures when we have no idea what they should look like and what they should do?''

    A dilemma descended upon the omniscient and omnipotent Gods.

    But then the Goddess of All-Epassing Light proposed, ''How about we make the very first creatures on our own likeness? Surely, we would be pleased by them too if they look like us?''

    The Goddess''s proposal was epted and thus, the very first creature was made.

    The creature was no man, nor animal, it was a beast.

    A beast made based on the image of the God of War and Infighting It was a beast of enormous proportions and it had the ability to swallow the moon. Thus, it was named Bakunawa.

    With the creation of the Bakunawa came the creation of other creatures based on its image. The world became filled with beasts, and the gods designed an eco-system where the strong would eat the weak, while the weak would eat what was weaker than them.

    But then, millions of yearster...

    Something happened.

    A great explosion urred somewhere out there in the cosmos.

    It created a rift in space which became the reason why there were so many unusual creatures in the world today.

    These creatures were including but not limited to moonwraiths, bloodwraiths, ghouls, and vampires.

    The great cataclysm also, known as the First Cataclysm became the reason why these monsters became trapped in the dimension and material ne where the world of Las Felipinas exists.

    Calvin''s eyes wandered over to the next paragraph but he discovered that there was none.

    "What...?"

    "That was it?"

    "I need answers! Where''s the rest of it?"

    Calvin flipped to the next page but he discovered that the next page was filled with nothing but gibberish and theories from the author as to why the First Cataclysm had urred.

    Seeing the crazy theories that the author made, Calvin felt a headache. So this is what I am going to summarize and turn into more understandable texts, eh? So this is my job?''

    Calvin perused the document and pondered if the author of the book ever thought about how humans came to being.

    Why were the humans created?

    Were the humans also based on the first primordial creature, Bakunawa?

    ''The Seven Gods and Goddesses came from nothing? That sounds bullshit. Someone ought to have created them. You can''t just create things from nothing.'' Calvin rolled his eyes perusing the line that said something about the appearance of the Seven Gods and Goddesses.

    ''But the million pesos question is... Who was it that created the Seven Gods and Goddesses?'' Calvin though hard and long, but he couldn''t find the answer to his question. It was understandable though, for no one maybe even the Seven Gods and Goddesses knew about who created them.

    Calvin felt his head hurt. He stood up and closed the book.

    Then, he approached the lever beside the shelves and brought it down with one fell swoop.

    A few secondster, the wall turned transparent and Calvin hesitatingly passed through it. When he realized what just happened he found himself standing in the kitchen of the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop.

    "Wheeew... I''m back... That was such a weird sensation." Calvin subconsciously shivered. It was obvious that he disliked the feeling of being shifted through dimensions. He walked out of the kitchen and saw Bruce, James, and Ron Samuel ying cards.

    "Oh, you''re back? How is it, can you handle it?" Ron Samuel asked.

    Calvin nodded his head, "Yes, I can handle it just fine."

    "All right, then you can officially start tomorrow." Ron Samuel casually replied. Then, he mmed a card onto the table and cried out, "Reverse Sweep! You lose!"

    "No, no, no... Captain! Using that card is cheating! Where are your morals?"

    "What morals? This is war! There are no morals in war! Hahaha!" Ron Samuel boisterouslyughed and then swiftly collected the coins on top of the table. Turning to look at Calvin, he hurled a few joselian coins at him and said, "Take it, it''s your wage for today. Five pesos."

    Calvin nervously caught the coins in mid-air. It was astonishing, even for him that he managed to catch five simultaneously flying coins while they were in the air.

    "Wow... You sure have some skills." Ashlynn praised with a smile.

    Calvin scratched his cheek in embarrassment, "Well, thank you..."

    "Hehe..." Ashlynn let out a grin witnessing Calvin''s innocent reply. She wanted to tease him even further, but James''s stern words brought her back to the game.

    "What''s with the lollygagging? The second round is already starting! ce your bets!"

    "Ah! Wait, I want to join!"

    Calvin observed the Cavaliers having fun with their cards. Slightly bowing towards their direction, Calvin then existed the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop. But as soon as Calvin came out of the coffee shop. The rowdy group of Cavaliers turned silent at once.

    Ashlynn looked at Ron Samuel and asked, "Captain, did you see that?"

    Ron Samuel nodded, "Yeah... Those movements. He''s not someone ordinary."

    "What do you mean, Captain? Are you saying that he''s still possessed?" Bruce asked.

    Ron Samuel shook his head, "I had my suspicions earlier and that is the reason why I brought him to the Library. But when he came out of the library looking fine. It''s obvious that he''s no longer possessed..."

    "All of you do know about the number of talismans and formations in that Library, right? Not even a rat can get inside that library without permission."

    The Cavaliers firmly nodded.

    But if Calvin wasn''t possessed, just what were those movements?

    The Cavalier fell into deep contemtion.

    At this moment, they all had a single thought.

    Calvin was a man that wasn''t so simple.

    Near the Yang Bridge, Calvin was walking towards the direction of the Northern Borough.

    He forgot to hail a carriage-taxi for he was too shocked as to what had happened earlier.

    Even for him, his movements when catching those coins earlier was too fast.

    It was the first time that he witnessed himself exhibiting such movements.

    Staring at his hands, Calvin thought to himself.

    Just what kind of a person am I before I lost my memories after that possession?

    Am I a human?

    Or am I a monster?

    He carried these thoughts with him as he continued his journey.

    Soon, he arrived at Hampaslupa Street, but upon arrival near the small hut where he lived. Calvin could hear the familiar stifled sobbings of Cecilia. Charlotte''s loud protests and cries could also be heard within the small hut.

    "Please... I''m begging you... I will pay you money... I will pay you double no triple the rent every month. Just don''t do this to us... At least... Spare my daughter! Don''t kill her!" Charlotte''s voice was begging.

    "You should''ve handed it over... It''s been three months since youst paid your rent... I don''t want to force you either, but you know how things work in this shithole... It''s either you die, or you pay!"

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    He directly kicked the wooden doors of the hut and as soon as it copsed...

    The scene that he saw in the house immediately ignited his anger.

    There, on the ground was Charlotte who was being pinned by a man who seemed to be a mountain of fat due to how huge he was. Breathing roughly, the knife he held in his hand was ced close to Charlotte''s neck. His eyes radiated not any other desire than the desire to kill.

    However, he abruptly stopped upon hearing the noise.

    On the other side, Cecilia was also being pinned onto the ground by another man. Her mouth and cries were being sealed by the man''s hand as the man licked the knife that he held in his hand and was about to plunge it into Cecilia''s neck to silence the little girl forever.

    Seeing the despicable scene in front of him...

    Something was unlocked in Calvin''s mind.

    His eyes instantly turned bloodshot as he gave a guttural growl reminiscent to that of a beast.

    "Bastards..."

    "You''re dead!"

 Chapter 121: No Stone Unturned

    Chapter 121: No Stone Unturned

    A few hours earlier.

    Cecilia and Charlotte spent the entire day studying the materials that Calvin gave to them. Usually, study materials for the poor were written in wooden bs carved using a wood with a sharp edge.

    This method worked quite well, but it was troublesome to do and the end result was often disappointing.

    To make sure that the learning environment of both mother and daughter was suitable.

    Calvin went to do the extra mile and bought dozens of yellowed paper pages along with a low-quality ink that may not be enough for record-keeping but sure was sufficient for recording study materials for the two.

    At first, Cecilia was excited at the prospects of studying but as time passed on.

    She eventually realized that studying was incredibly droll and boring. She started protesting, not even a few hours into the studying for she couldn''t count from 10 to 20. She now knew how to count from one to ten. But from 10 to 20, she was still struggling.

    Charlotte fared better even though her materials were far harder than Cecilia.

    Well, the reason why she wasn''t struggling as much as her daughter was that she already knew the basics and could count from one to any number.

    The only problem that Charlotte had was apart from basic arithmetic, she knew nothing.

    Calvin wanted to teach her some high-school maths at first, but then he decided that they had to be practical.

    After realizing that the ountants and clerks of banks in Las Felipinas only wanted their employees to know how to trial bnce and the other basics of ounting as well as some arithmetic.

    Calvin decided to skip some of the fundamentals of math and directly gave the lessons that she could almost immediately use if she needed a job.

    Jobs were abundant in Ashmelion.

    But the people that have the skills needed for the jobs were often non-existent.

    In other words, so long as Charlotte could grasp these lessons then she should be able to use it in the future.

    When both mother and daughter woke up the next day, it was alreadyte. Ashmelion was a city that never sleeps, so its residents knew to ignore the rowdy crowd whenever they wanted to sleep.

    But despite this habit instilled in every resident of Ashmelion.

    Charlotte was still rudely awakened by the sounds of hawkers, arguments, and shouts from outside.

    She groggily rubbed her eyes awake and noticed that Cecilia was still asleep.

    "This girl..." Charlotte softly whispered.

    She''s too cute when she''s asleep, but she''s like a monster when she''s studying...

    Charlotte couldn''t help but inwardlyugh remembering Cecilia''s crocodile tears and tantrums yesterday. But when she remembered that Calvin was the one who gave them those study materials in the first ce, Charlotte feltplicated.

    Those dozens of papers, as well as that bottle of ink and that quill, should cost at least several dozens of Joselian pesos. Just what kind of a man he was to spend such a huge amount of money that a normal worker may not be able to earn in a few months?

    Charlotte thought hard and long, but she still couldn''t find the answer to her questions. It didn''t make sense for her that someone was that altruistic without wishing for something in exchange.

    She had already experienced a lot of betrayals that it wasn''t easy for Charlotte to trust anyone anymore.

    But when she remembered that sincere look in his eyes...

    Charlotte for some reason couldn''t doubt his intentions. At that moment, she thought to herself that this man...

    Calvin... Wasn''t here to hurt them.

    Instead, he was here to help them get out of this nightmare of a ce and improve their overall lifestyle.

    But why?

    Does he really not have any ulterior motives?

    Charlotte stared at the dpidated ceiling of the hut.

    Her eyesnded on her thin and emaciated body.

    Then, what came afterwards was a sigh.

    It was impossible... she thought.

    Turning to look at Cecilia, she woke her up and said, "It''s already toote, yet you''re still sleeping? Are you nning on bing a pig? Did you already forget what I said that people who wake up in the afternoon are pigs? If you don''t want to be a pig, then wake up early!"

    Upon being rudely awakened, Cecilia almost immediately puffed her cheeks and red at her mother, "I''ll be a pig if I wake up in the afternoon? Does that mean that Mommy is also a pig?"

    Charlotte''s cheeks almost immediately blushed out of embarrassment.

    It waspletely unexpected for her to be reverse swooped by her daughter.

    Not knowing how to retaliate, Charlotte could only re at the little girl and said, "Since you''re going too far that you''re even bullying your mother like this. I hope you''re ready for another bout of nonstop studyingter... Hmmph!"

    She crossed her arms in front of her cheeks and Cecilia revealed a heartbroken look.

    "Mommy... You''re a bully!" Cecilia replied and then she rushed down the bunk bed. She was about to report to her daddy Calvin that she was being bullied by Charlotte, but when she jumped off the bed, she found out that Calvin wasn''t on her bed.

    "Mommy... Where is daddy?" Cecilia seemed to have forgotten her grievance with her mother as she raised her head and stared teary-eyed at Charlotte, "Where did daddy go? Did he disappear again? Is he noting back? Why is he not here?"

    Charlotte didn''t know what to say.

    She jumped off the bed and went to console her daughter, "Cecilia... I''ve always told you not to jump into conclusions so casually, all right?"

    "Jumping into conclusions will get you into trouble. I don''t know where your daddy went, but do you really think that he will leave such a cute and beautiful youngss like you? Of course, he won''t!"

    "He won''t be able to resisting back for our... our cutess, Cecilia..." Charlotte pampered Cecilia with sweet nothings, but she suddenly froze in the middle of her sentence.

    Fortunately, she managed to recover from her reverie as she continued with her sentence and even stretched her hand out to rub Cecilia''s head affectionately.

    "Mkay... I''ll believe you, mommy... But I hope you''re not lying to me again, okay? Cecilia isn''t a child anymore! I''ll be heartbroken if I knew that you lied to me again! Daddy will be back, you said, so remember your words, okay? Daddy will be back!" Cecilia repeatedly nodded her head and stared at Charlotte with determined eyes.

    Charlotte felt immense guilt. To be honest, she had no idea if Calvin would even return to their house. She knew that since he practically had no responsibility nor ountability to them, he could just disappear and never appear in their lives again the moment he wanted to.

    It has only been less than a week since Calvin came to their life, but Cecilia was already this attached to him.

    What would happen if he disappeared?

    Won''t the youngss be heartbroken?

    Charlotte didn''t want that to happen.

    She didn''t want to see that scene at all costs.

    But...

    Charlotte felt conflicted.

    She bit her lips until it went pale, but Cecilia''s words awakened her from her trance.

    "Mommy... I''m hungry!"

    "Oh..."

    Charlotte turned to look at her and smiled, "Okay... I''ll go and buy some food outside. Remember to keep the locks closed and never open the doors for strangers, okay?"

    "And the password, don''t forget about it! Unless you recognize that it''s daddy''s voice, never open the doors for anyone if they do not know the password, all right?"

    "Yes, mommy! I won''t!"

    "Okay, that''s a good girl! For now, I want you to do the homework that I have given you earlier... If you managed toplete it before I return, then I will reward you with an ice cream tomorrow!"

    Charlotte encouraged.

    "An ice cream?! Yaaay! Mommy go buy me fried rice outside!" Cecilia urged.

    Charlotte smiled and nodded, "If that is what you want, then today is a fried rice day!" She dered and the little girl instantly became motivated to do her work. Charlotte woke towards the makeshift kitchen and took a chew stick near the stone countertop.

    After washing her face with a little bit of water.

    She took the fragrant chew stick and started chewing on it.

    The people of Ashmelion, particrly in the poorer districts such as the Northern Borough often didn''t practice basic hygiene. But despite the fact that the ce was filthy and disgusting, they still knew how to take care of their teeth.

    With a dietposed of hardtacks, beef jerky, and ck bread... These residents knew that they had to keep their teeth strong and sturdy so they could keep on eating these foods. Toothbrush and toothpaste didn''t exist in the world of Las Felipinas, so the residents of this world had to make do with salt and chew sticks.

    Chew sticks came from a fragrant tree known as the Tree of Humot.

    The people of Las Felipinas believed that the cause of diseases was bad and disgusting smells, so they almost always used fragrant; good smelling herbs and flowers stered across the inner linings of their clothes to protect themselves from diseases.

    The chew stick that Charlotte was chewing on to clean her teeth weren''t particrly high-quality, but it did its job. It was questionable if it could indeed clean a person''s mouth, but it sure could make their breath smell like flowers and menthol.

    Charlotte was soon done with her morning routine and she then went out of the small hut.

    Noticing that Grandma Elsa wasn''t on her bed, she closed the doors shut and ordered Cecilia to lock the doors from the inside. Then, after making sure that everything was in ce and she didn''t forget anything...

    Charlotte proceeded to the wet market.

    She kept her pouch full of money as close to her body as possible. The petty thieves and the rogues in this particr district had hands that were too deft and swift for her dulled reflexes. She could instantly lose all the money that Calvin gave to her the moment she let her guard down.

    But her excessive defensive measures caught the attention of those with sharp eyes.

    One rogue, in particr, let out an evil smirk noticing Charlotte''s jittery movements. After confirming that Charlotte indeed bought several cans of ice cream along with three bowls of chicken soup from the wet market at the Southern Borough.

    The rogue licked his lips and disappeared into a nearby alleyway.

    Back in Hampaslupa Street at the Northern Borough.

    Cecilia was humming a popr tune among the kids as she yed with her quill. She was doing her homework, but it was obvious that her focus wasn''t on her work.

    "Eating... Eating... I will eat..."

    "Chicken, Ice Cream, and anything..."

    "Pork, Gizzard, and intestines..."

    "I won''t eat them since I find them disgusting..."

    Cecilia sang these lyrics as she wrote numbers into the piece of paper in front of her.

    Soon...

    A knock came at the door.

    Cecilia almost immediately stood up.

    Her eyes glittered with excitement as she rushed towards the door, "Mommy! Is that you?!"

    She was about to open the locks of the door when she suddenly froze.

    "Mommy...?" She said.

    No response came from behind the doors.

    She immediately grew suspicious.

    "Who are you? Is that you, mommy?" She asked once more.

    This time, there was a response "No, this is not your mommy, Cecilia... I''m thendlord!

    "Your mother told me to fetch you since she ran into trouble. She wanted me to make sure that you are all right. She''lle backte, so she''s worried. Can you open the door? I just want to make sure that you are okay..."

    Cecilia jolted.

    Mommy ran into trouble?!

    Panic filled Cecilia''s mind as the quill that she held in her hand fell onto the ground.

    She stretched her hand out and was about to unlock the doors when she stopped...

    No... I can''t...

    Mommy told me that I should never open these doors to anyone unless they know the password!

    Cecilia''s eyes shone, "Uncle Landlord... Can you tell me the password?" She said in a tone of voice filled with anticipation. The moment she confirmed the password, she would immediately open the doors so she could go to her mother that supposedly got into trouble.

    "Password...?"

    The voice that came from behind the door seemed to be astonished, "There''s a password? She didn''t tell me that there''s a password. I''m sorry, Cecilia, but I don''t know. Just believe me, okay? Do you want your mother to be there alone without anyone to help her? She''ll be bullied by others!"

    "Do you want that to happen?"

    "No, right?"

    "Then, open the door..."

    "I''ll bring you to her..."

    Cecilia gnashed her teeth.

    The person behind the door was clearly theirndlord. Theirndlord was the owner of their house, so he should be someone that she could trust!

    At that moment, Cecilia made a decision.

    She unlocked the doors and the moment that it was opened.

    Thendlord appeared in front of her with a vicious smirk on his face.

    "Good job, Cecilia... You''re such a good girl..."

    Smack!

    Thendlord sent a p on Cecilia''s cheeks, sending the little girl flying towards the side.

    He then turned to look at hisckeys standing behind him, "Search the house! That bitch should have a lot of money! To be able to buy ice cream and chicken every day... She must be loaded!"

    Theckeys squeezed into the small hut and started their search.

    They left no stone unturned.

 Chapter 122: The Harsh Ashmelion

    Chapter 122: The Harsh Ashmelion

    "Uncle... What are you..." Cecilia held her burning cheeks. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at the Landlord whom she thought to be a good man. Why did her Uncle Landlord p her across the face? Why were they destroying everything inside the house?

    The wooden table, the chairs, the paper that daddy bought for me, and the quill...

    Nooo!

    Cecilia started crying out loud. Her cries were filled with anguish. She started crawling towards the direction of thendlord and hisckeys, hoping to stop what they were doing before it was already toote.

    "Why are there pieces of paper here? As we thought, that bitch indeed struck it rich! To think that she would be able to afford ink and paper! That bitch must be hiding her money somewhere in this house. Find it!"

    "Boss, what are we going to do with these pieces of paper?"

    "Have you gone senile? Of course, we are going to take them for ourselves! We can still use those used paper, we can sell them to merchants albeit at a lower price, but money is still money so don''t you dare leave them!"

    "Copy that, boss!"

    Theckeys licked their lips and carefully tucked the pieces of paper into a pouch that they had prepared beforehand.

    Even though these rogues were uneducated, they still knew what was expensive and what was cheap in the market.

    One of the most expensive items that money could buy in the wet market was paper, inks, and quills. These items were often bought by nobles in bulk, but if someone had money then they could surely buy these items for whatever purpose they want to use them.

    Paper, ink, and quill were expensive in the City of Ashmelion.

    It was questionable if Cecilia even knew about the value of these items, but one thing was for sure.

    She couldn''t let them take these things away for they were given to her by his daddy.

    "Stop... Daddy... Daddy gave that to me!" She crawled her way towards the rogues and grabbed the ankle of the Landlord whom she trusted and opened the doors for earlier.

    The rogues stopped whatever they were doing and the Landlord himself, who looked to be a fat middle-aged man turned to look at Cecilia in amusement, "Oh, your father gave this to you?"

    "Hahaha, so you do have a father? Hahaha, what a joke... You do not even know that your father has died a long time ago?"

    "What a poor girl, to think that your mother could deceive you like this..."

    Thendlord clicked his tongue as he mocked.

    "No... You''re lying! My daddy isn''t dead! He came back and he''s with us!" Cecilia fiercely retorted.

    Thendlord raised his eyebrows and said, "Oh, he came back? All right, I will believe you." A smile appeared on his lips as he crouched and asked, "Can you tell me where your mommy keeps the money? I promise that after you told me where she keeps the money, I will immediately leave..."

    "No! I won''t tell you anything! You''re bad, Uncle Landlord! You pped me earlier and you''re destroying our house! I won''t tell you anything even if I die!" Cecilia dered with a re.

    "Hahahaha..."

    Thendlord''sckeysughed out loud, "Little girl... Do you really think that we do not dare to kill you? If you died, then your mother and father will be sad!"

    "Think about it, and choose what you think is right! Do you want your mother and father to be sad when they found you dead? Don''t be so selfish!"

    "Just tell us where the money and we''ll obediently go away!"

    The City of Ashmelion had harsh sanctions for murders.

    Once convicted of a murder, there was only one way to go and that was an execution. This was the reason why despite the fact that these men could easily kill the little girl Cecilia, they didn''t dare to do so. After all, they came here only for the money, not for the life of the child.

    What''s more, they had their own children to take care of and they really couldn''t bring themselves to kill a child unless it wasn''t absolutely necessary for their own survival or if they had no choice but to do so.

    It would be good if Cecilia bes obedient and tell them what they wanted to know.

    But...

    "No! Mommy told me to never cooperate with bastards like you!" Cecilia replied in protest.

    "What...?"

    The rogue who was trying his best to coax the child into a confession was astonished.

    But in the very next moment, he dashed towards Cecilia and sent another smack towards her cheek.

    The force behind his p was so strong that Cecilia rolled several times onto the ground before she was finally stopped by the wall at the corner.

    "You ingrate! How dare you talk to adults like that! Your parents didn''t discipline you or somethin''?!"

    The rogue was so mad that he wanted to continue on beating up Cecilia but he was stopped by thendlord, "That''s enough... If you continue, then you''ll kill the child!"

    His words were enough to awaken the angered rogue from his reverie.

    "But boss! We''ve already made a deal! If my brothers and I can''t get anything out of this, then we''ll make you pay for the trouble you''ve caused us!" The rogue red at thendlord and thendlord''s clicked his tongue out of frustration.

    He had observed Charlotte and Cecilia for a few days and he had discovered that their lifestyle had significantly improved.

    Charlotte was a struggling mother who couldn''t even pay the rent for the small hut just a few months ago, but several days ago, she suddenly came in with a bunch of money and paid several months of rent in advance!

    She suddenly became loaded!

    Just what did happen?

    Thendlord''s interest was piqued. He was certain that Charlotte must''ve finally sold her body for a price to a random noble who couldn''t keep his lust satiated. That was the only exnation that thendlord had as to how Charlotte suddenly acquired a lot of money.

    At first, he thought that Charlotte used all the money that he got from that noble to pay several months of rent in advance, but after further observations that he made in the following days. He discovered that the lifestyle of both mother and daughter paid had improved!

    Just a few months ago, Charlotte was always listless whenever shees back from the wet market.

    The paper pouch that she held would alwayse from that well-known seller of beef jerky and hardtacks.

    But thendlord saw from his observations that since a few days ago, Charlotte would return from the wet market with several cans of ice cream and chicken!

    Chicken was an incredibly expensive protein in Ashmelion.

    Those that could afford to raise this rare type of protein were loaded with money and likewise, they would sell the meat at a disgustingly high price. The fact that Charlotte could afford such a valuable protein exined that she must be loaded with money!

    This was the reason why thendlord made a decision and enlisted the help of the Yellow River Gang. With their help, it should be easy for them to steal that money from Charlotte and with the Yellow River Gang''s power in the Northern Borough as a deterrence.

    He doubted that Charlotte would even report the incident to the police.

    Thendlord spent quite a bit of money to enlist the help of the Yellow River Gang. If he was toe out of this house empty-handed, then he might pay for their help with his life!

    "Damn it!" Thendlord gnashed his teeth before he pulled out a knife.

    The members of the Yellow River Gang were astonished to see thendlord pulling out a knife. But nevertheless, a smile appeared on their faces. To be honest, these people were used to taking things from other people by force. They were never kind at all, and would never be in the future.

    The only reason why they didn''t resort to this tactic early on was that they had no scapegoat.

    But now that they witnessed thendlord pull out his own knife first.

    It was easy for them to pin all the crimes that they wouldmit in this small hut to him.

    The rogues nced at each other.

    They nodded and then pulled out their own weapons. They might have a family to raise but they were left with no choice. And with a scapegoat such as thendlord? Why would they hesitate any longer?

    "U-Uncle..." Cecilia was now choking with tears. She had been crying so loud ever since the entire ordeal happened, and she was sure that her cries were loud enough that those from the outside could hear it. But no one from the outside even dared to lend their help to her.

    Cecilia felt abandoned.

    Without her mother and father around her at this moment.

    She went pale and started crying once more as her mental faculties copsed.

    But her cries were soon silenced by thendlord''s cry.

    "Shut the fuck up!"

    He brandished his knife in front of Cecilia, "Tell me where the money is and no one will get hurt!"

    His eyes radiated killing intent and it was clear from his voice alone that he wouldn''t hesitate to kill Cecilia if he needed just so he could get that money.

    After all, if he failed to pay the Yellow River Gang, then he might as wellmit suicide.

    Humans were innately selfish and even though he felt pained on killing such a little girl.

    He knew that he wouldn''t hesitate to do such a thing so long as he could save his own skin.

    "T-The money... I don''t know... Mommy always brought the money with her when she goes out to..."

    Cecilia stuttered as she said all of these in a trance. But when she realized that the pressure of dying and making her mother and father sad from her death made her say all of these words, she abruptly stopped and bit her lips.

    "I don''t know... We have no money! We''re poor!"

    Now, Cecilia was regretting the fact that she disobeyed her mother.

    If only she didn''t open that door, then this wouldn''t even happen in the first ce!

    If only she pretended that she wasn''t in the house and didn''t respond to the voice of thendlord, then all of these wouldn''t have to happen!

    Cecilia regretted as she wept.

    But little did she knew that even if she wasn''t in the house nor even if she didn''t open the door, thendlord and the members of the Yellow River Gang would''ve broken the door with kicks and punches so long as they couldplete their tasks and receive their money.

    Obviously, Cecilia was too young to understand all of these, so she started ming herself.

    Having not received the answer that he was looking for thendlord became agitated.

    "So in the end, you''re still being so stubborn..."

    "Is that what you want to happen?"

    "Do you want to die that much?''

    "Then, in that case, let me send you off..."

    "I''m excited to see the expression on your mother''s face when she sees you dead... Hehehe..."

    "She will be so..."

    "She will be so, so, heartbroken..."

    Thendlord approached the little girl and pinned her onto the ground.

    "No! Help... Help... Mommy...Daddy!" Thendlord raised the knife into the air.

    The members of the Yellow River Gang stared at thendlord in anticipation. They wanted to see blood, most importantly, they wanted to witness the moment a person transforms into a murderer.

    Seeing such a moment in a ce like this was incredibly rare.

    As for the reason why they knew that thendlord probably hadn''t killed a single person in his entire life?

    It was because he was trembling.

    That''s right, thendlord''s entire body was trembling with emotions.

    Such a disy of emotion only happened when someone who had never killed before was about to kill a person.

    Such a scene was iparably sublime and divine.

    The gang members licked their lips, their breaths turned rough with anticipation.

    But just as thendlord was about to plunge the knife deep into Cecilia''s heart.

    A desperate and heartstricken cry rang out from behind.

    "No! Don''t kill my daughter!"

    Thendlord''s movements froze and he turned to look at Charlotte.

    The gang members almost immediately stood up and suppressed her onto the ground.

    "Hahaha! We''ve caught the bitch! We have the money in the bag now!"

 Chapter 123: Enraged

    Chapter 123: Enraged

    They immediately started a patdown, looking for that pouch filled with coins and paper notes that they desired so much they were willing to kill in exchange for it.

    But s, they found nothing. Indeed, there was a pouch strapped around Charlotte''s knees covered by her clothes, but it had nothing inside of it.

    "Shit, there''s no money in here! Did you lie to us, Viktor?!"

    The gang members red at Viktor''s direction.

    Viktor, thendlord trembled, "Impossible! She must be loaded with money! How else can she afford ice cream and chicken every day? It doesn''t make sense that she has no money but can still eat those things!" Viktor''s words were said out loud in a desperate tone.

    The gang members agreed to what he had said.

    Viktor''s words made sense, but that didn''t matter at all for the gang members. They came here for the money and if there was no money to retrieve from this pair of mother and daughter, then they will im their well-deserved money from Viktor, thendlord.

    If he was able to pay, then they will let bygones be bygones, but if he was unable to cough up at least the minimum that they needed...

    Then, he would most likely pay for the trouble that he caused them with his life.

    Viktor knew this far too well so he approached Charlotte and sent a p directly across her face.

    Smack!

    "Bitch! Where did you hide the money!" Viktor cried out loud.

    His face became distorted with desperation.

    Money?

    Did theye here for money?

    The cogs in Charlotte''s mind madly spun. How did they know that we have money? She was secretive whenever she went out of the house and the reason why she didn''t buy any brand new clothes was that she didn''t want anyone to know that she had a lot of money.

    Dering that you have a treasure in the middle of a sea of thieves was tantamount to suicide.

    Charlotte knew that at the least, so whenever she went out. She tried her best to hide the pouch containing the money that Calvin gave to her a few days ago.

    She knew that she was being cautious, so how did these people know that she had a lot of money in her?

    Charlotte gnashed her teeth.

    She saw that her daughter was currently underneath the knee of a gang member.

    Biting her lips, tears welled up in her eyes as she said, "No! I don''t have any money! What are you talking about? I don''t have anything with me!"

    "Don''t y dumb with me, you bitch! Did you already forget that you paid several months of rent in advance? It''s obvious that you have a lot of money, so don''t bother acting stupid or else, I''ll cut your tongue out!" Thendlord, Viktor threatened with a ferocious look on his face.

    "Yes... I did... pay for... rent several months in advance... but that was all the money that I had..."

    Charlotte was struggling to breathe.

    She was being pinned down underneath a gang member''s knee. She tried to struggle, but she discovered in horror that the more she struggled, the more painful it became for her to breathe.

    The gang member whose knee was on her chest lifted a smile on his face.

    His interest was piqued, "How did you get that much money in just a few days anyway? Did you go to the Southern Borough and whore your body out there to a random noble?"

    The gang member''s expression was kind, but the force he was using while pinning Charlotte onto the ground was gradually bing stronger.

    Charlotte felt intense pain on her chest, but she endured it all as she answered, "No... I didn''t manage to snag a noble, but... I spent... I spent the few days doing it with... anyone... that can pay..."

    Charlotte wanted to deny their usation at first, but realizing that it was a huge opportunity to derail the topic from any mention of Calvin nor anything about him.

    She made it so that these gang members would think that the reason why she got so much money in a short amount of time was that she sold her body out there to the masses.

    A look of disgust quickly appeared on the gang member''s face. To be honest, he had some desire for Charlotte. A woman with such fair skin was quite rare in Ashmelion. But to think that she was already used by those disgusting bastards from the Southern Borough.

    The gang member''s desire for Charlotte immediately deted.

    As for Cecilia, these gang members had standards. They have their own principles and morals, so even for them, it would be far too despicable and inhumane if they pounced on such a little girl who probably couldn''t even understand what was happening at this moment.

    The gang members looked at each other and decided. Once they got their money, they would immediately leave and wouldn''t cause any further harm to this mother and pair duo. But of course, the condition was that they had to get their money''s worth. If not, then their ns might change...

    Viktor furrowed his eyebrows out of frustration. The other gang members were doing their best, some even dug into the damp muddy floors of the small hut, yet they still couldn''t find the money that they were looking for.

    The gang members then made a sidelong nce at Viktor.

    Viktor gnashed his teeth and he was about to say something when one of the gang members beat him to the chase.

    "Are you sure that you''ve used up all the money that you had after paying several months of rent in advance?" The gang member who looked to be a middle-aged man had a wide smile on his face.

    The smile was kind in nature, and one would feel refreshed when looking at his smile.

    But Charlotte knew that the more kind-looking a despicable person was, the more dangerous they were.

    Staring at the smile on the gang member''s face, Charlotte felt insecure and afraid.

    She didn''t know how to answer the gang member''s question. His tone of voice was confident and his sentence was short and concise enough that Charlotte couldn''t find anything in his words that she could exploit like what had happened earlier.

    Should I tell him the truth...?

    Charlotte thought to herself.

    No... I can''t...

    Once they knew that I still have a lot of money, then they will definitely not let us go!

    But what will happen if I told them that I had no money, but they already knew that I still have a lot of it?

    Will they kill me?

    What should I do...

    Tears threatened to fall down Charlotte''s eyes.

    "You don''t have to worry about anything... We just need the money... We won''t do anything untoward against you and your daughter so long as we got what we wanted. But if you remain so uncooperative, then..." The gang member brandished a sharp knife in front of Charlotte, and he dragged it across Charlotte''s neck, drawing blood in the process.

    He then licked the blood from the de and smiled, "We would be forced to do something that we do not want to do..."

    Charlotte''s pupils constricted.

    She immediately dropped all pretenses and confessed, "Yes... I still have a lot of money..."

    Her words rang like a firecracker inside the small hut.

    "See! If you just told us earlier, then everything wouldn''te to this!" The gang member''s smile deepened, "Where is that money, then?"

    Viktor''s eyes gleamed with excitement.

    Viktor was a middle-aged man who looked like a mountain of fat.

    He stood there, shivering in excitement and the fat on his chin trembled like soft-served ice cream or pudding, "You bitch! You should''ve said that earlier, then everything would''ve been over already! Just tell us where the money and we''ll go now!"

    Thendlord, Viktor had no remorse whatsoever about what he had done.

    Was he not afraid of being sued by Charlotte? Well, of course, he was afraid of being sued. Butwsuits in Ashmelion were incredibly expensive to make since it required not only several documents but also the cooperation of awyer whose services had exorbitant prices.

    It was basically impossible for someone to hire awyer unless their ies were at the upper ss.

    "The money..." Charlotte softly uttered.

    A look of determination appeared on her face. Calvin might''ve only been with them for a few days, but Calvin graced them with a blessing that was enough tost them for quite a long time. She considered Calvin as her benefactor, and thus... How could she betray and sell out her benefactor?

    Even if she died, she would never let these bastards know who Calvin was!

    She would never let them know that the money came from Calvin!

    Calvin was a crippled man.

    His right eye was missing and his right arm''s function was minimal. Such a man couldn''t possibly face off against an entire gang, what''s more. Charlotte saw the tattoo of a flowing river on one of the gang member''s chest.

    That tattoo indicated one thing these guys were from the Yellow River Gang!

    Despair quickly dawned over Charlotte, but she was still unwilling to reveal who Calvin was and his location.

    Gnashing her teeth, she said, "I don''t have that money anymore... It was stolen... Yes! It was stolen from me!"

    "Stop fucking lying!" Viktor lunged forward and sent a p across Charlotte''s face. The p was so strong that it directly made her cheeks swell with fluids and blood. Intense pain covered the entirety of Charlotte''s face as her body trembled and twitched in pain.

    "I... I''m not lying... That money... It got stolen from me earlier when I was at the wet market!"

    Charlotte reckoned that these bastards might''ve been following her since a few days ago and that was the reason why they were so sure that she had a lot of money.

    "You''re lying again, miss... Don''t you know what''s better for you at this moment? Do you really want to force our hand?"

    The gang member whose knee was still on Charlotte''s chest coldly whispered into the air, "If a thief really did took the money out from your hands then why do you still have this pouch strapped around your knees?" The gang member raised a pouch in front of Charlotte, "If your money was stolen, this pouch should''ve been gone along with that money."

    "In other words, you are lying to us once again."

    "Sigh..."

    "This is getting annoying."

    "It looks like you won''t cry until you see your coffin. Then, be my guess..." The gang member gestured to the others and a vicious look appeared on their face. They walked towards Cecilia and amidst the little girl''s struggling.

    They carried her in front of Charlotte and Viktor himself pinned Cecilia onto the ground as one of the gang members held a knife against her hand.

    "I will ask you a question and if you lie, then I will take a finger."

    The gang member gave an ultimatum.

    Tears finally fell down Charlotte''s cheeks.

    She hated the fact that she was too naive.

    At this moment, she finally understood the reason why these bastards caught a whiff that she had a lot of money.

    It was indeed because of the fact that she bought Cecilia ice cream and chicken every day.

    But was she really wrong for doing so?

    She was just a mother who wanted to dote on her daughter.

    This was one of her wishes that she wanted toplete before she died, and now that she had the opportunity to do so. Could one really me her for not thinking about the ramifications of her actions just to dote on her daughter?

    No one knew the answer to this question apart from Charlotte.

    Cecilia was still crying.

    She heard all the words that these bad people said to her mommy earlier and she also realized that the reason why they were in this situation at the moment was because of her greed.

    If she hadn''t requested to eat ice cream and chicken every day, then these bad people wouldn''t possibly notice that they had a lot of money.

    It was her fault.

    She was the one to me.

    Cecilia''s tears were endless.

    Staring at the mountain of fat pinning her onto the ground, she whispered, "Uncle Landlord... Why are you like this? Please let my mommy go, please let her go... It''s my fault. I wanted to eat ice cream and chicken every day, so it is not my mommy''s fault. Please don''t hurt her..." Cecilia begged.

    "What the fuck are you talking about?" Viktor was confused as to what Cecilia had said.

    In his annoyance, he sent a kick directly onto Cecilia''s face causing the little girl''s mouth to be filled with blood.

    Cecilia loudly wailed.

    Charlotte struggled and refused to say anything.

    "You bastards... I hope the police kills you all and feeds your bodies to the dogs!"

    Charlotte violently cursed.

    Her eyes went bloodshot as she swept her gaze at the gang members around her.

    "Oh... It seems like you''re a tough nut to crack, eh? In that case, then there''s no need for you to live anymore. Do you like cursing? Then enjoy cursing us in front of the god of death!" The gang member who had his knee pressed onto Charlotte''s chest took out a knife and inched it closer into Charlotte''s neck.

    Charlotte could sense the smell of death approaching her ever so slightly at this moment.

    She struggled, but the gang members were far too strong. She turned to look at her daughter and realized that Viktor also had a knife in his hand and was about to plunge it into Cecilia''s neck to silence the little girl''s wailings forever.

    My daughter...

    I''m sorry...

    Your mother has been so useless...

    I promised to give you the carefree life that you deserved... But I have failed...

    Charlotte stopped struggling and closed her eyes.

    Calvin, I''m sorry... I hope that you won''t be so devastated by our death, and I wish that you won''t avenge our deaths! I don''t want you to send yourself into a lion''s den! Just forget about us! Forget that we existed! Treat us as a mere speck of dust in this vast world!

    Charlotte wished from the bottom of her heart.

    The killing intent of the gang member in front of her became stronger.

    The knife was raised and time seemed to have slowed down.

    But before the knife could even prate her neck.

    An explosion rang out from behind as the doors of the small hut copsed.

    Before anyone had any idea as to what just happened...

    A guttural growl reminiscent to that of a beast rang out.

    "Bastards..."

    "You''re dead!"

 Chapter 124: Gone in an Instant

    Chapter 124: Gone in an Instant

    The scream startled everyone within the small hut.

    The gang members snapped their heads towards the intruder and discovered that the man who screamed at them was a young man who seemed to be in his mid-twenties.

    He had a murderous and fierce look on his face, but his dangling right arm and the eyepatch on his right eye indicated his condition.

    Needless to say, the young man was nothing but a cripple.

    The Yellow River Gang had always been a tyrant within the Northern Borough. The waters in the City of Ashmelion was murky and deep, it was full of dangers due to the existence of the four supreme gangs reigning in autonomy within their own respective boroughs.

    Apart from the Hilton Borough and the Center Borough...

    These gangs were invincible in their own territory.

    But at this moment, a mere cripple was actually challenging their authority?

    A cripple had sentenced them to death?

    Just what kind of humiliation was this?

    The gang members instantly shot up to their feet and red at Calvin''s direction.

    Thendlord, Viktor stopped whatever he was doing and stared at Calvin. But when his eyes met Calvin''s, he subconsciously shuddered. Calvin''s eyes were just too terrifying. It was as if he was looking at a thousand-year-old ancient beast than a crippled young man.

    "You..."

    Viktor stumbled backward and hid in a dark corner, afraid of Calvin''s retaliation for what he had done.

    "Young man, you might not know who we are. Let me introduce ourselves, wee from the Yellow River Gang. Are you sure you''re not going to take back your words just now?" One of the gang members sized up Calvin from top to bottom and he couldn''t help but let out a smirk.

    "Yellow River Gang?" Calvin stared right at the gang members and discovered the tattoo inscribed on their bodies. The depiction of the tattoo was domineering, yet free-flowing. This was how every member of the Yellow River Gang enacted their activities. Dominant and unfettered.

    They were a scary bunch, but Calvin could care less.

    "Yes, that''s right... The Yellow River Gang dominates the Northern Borough. You are unrted here, so don''t really want to hurt you. But of course, be warned that reporting us to the police will do nothing. You will just hurt yourself." The gang member who spoke earlier replied in a smug tone of voice.

    Evidently, he was proud to be a member of the gang.

    "I see..." Calvin casually said, "Even if I am unrted to what is happening, I would still intervene. Yellow River Gang? Why don''t you call yourselves Piss River Gang and piss off from here?"

    Calvin''s eyes red murderously at the gang members. The moment he saw them about to kill the mother and daughter pair, Calvin already sentenced them to death in his heart.

    "What the fuck did you just say?" One of the gang members approached Calvin with a death re.

    "Calvin... Run... Please... Leave us..." Charlotte weakly said as she struggled her way to Calvin.

    "Daddy... Run... They are bad guys... They are going to kill you!"

    Cecilia crawled towards Calvin in an effort to send him away from this ce.

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at Cecilia and smiled. He took a step forward, much to the gang members surprise, he casually walked towards Cecilia''s direction and when he was about to crouch and carry Cecilia in his arms. A gang member suddenly threw a punch directly at his spine.

    But to everyone''s astonishment, Calvin stepped to the side and caught the gang member''s arm in mid-air. Then, he lifted his elbow and directly dislocated the gang member''s arm from his shoulder with a single strike.

    "AAAHHH!" A miserable shriek rang out within the small hut.

    "Oh goddess!" Viktor let out a gasp seeing the mutted arm of the gang member.

    "You..." The other members of the Yellow River Gang stared right at Calvin in astonishment.

    "Wait..."

    Calvin spat a single word as his reply before he proceeded to take Cecilia off the ground and hold her into his arms.

    His right arm was still crippled and mangled so he could only hold Cecilia with his remaining left arm. What he had done was basically handicapping himself against his enemies, but Calvin didn''t seem to mind.

    "C-Calvin..." Charlotte was at a loss for words. But when it finally hit her that Calvin had the power to punish these bastards, tears streamed down her cheeks, "I''m sorry... It was my fault... I shouldn''t have doted on Cecilia and bought her ice cream and chicken every day..."

    Calvin smiled at her, "It wasn''t your fault at all..."

    "I was the one in the wrong. Instead of staying here, I should''ve found us a suitable apartment in a safermunity as fast as possible. After this, how about we go to the Center Borough and find us a house there?"

    "That ce should be the safest aside from the ridiculously expensive Hilton Borough."

    "I..." Charlotte didn''t know what to say. She owed him too much. He had saved their lives a few days ago, elevated their lifestyle out of his very own pocket without asking for anything in exchange and now he was trying to help them escape the dangers of the Northern Borough?

    Just what kind of a man he was?

    Charlotte started crying once more.

    She really didn''t know what to say.

    She was at a loss on how she should respond, and she was also at a loss on how she should repay him in the future.

    How could Calvin not see her struggles at this moment? A smile appeared on his lips as he said, "If you want to repay me, then be a good mother to Cecilia. That is all that I want you to do." Calvin nced at Cecilia and found that the youngss fell asleep on his shoulder.

    He chuckled before helping Charlotte off the ground, "Stay back. I''ll deal with these bastards for a bit." He said before finally turning his attention towards the gang members who tended to their wounded brother.

    "Young man... No grievances exist between us, why must you go so far?" One of the gang members spoke up.

    To be honest, seeing Calvin''s interaction with Charlotte and Cecilia. He was starting to doubt if Charlotte really did sell his body to a random noble or if she snagged this formidable young man.

    But no matter what the truth was, it was still a fact that Calvin injured a member of the Yellow River Gang. Gangs practiced brotherhood and if someone dared to injure one of their brothers, they would retaliate against that person with the force of the entire gang.

    This was why none of the civilians and even the police dared to attack even the smallest fry in any of the gangs that governed each of the boroughs in Ashmelion.

    Hurting one of them was basically poking a wasp''s nest.

    Your troubles would be endless and you would eventually be forced to escape the city.

    "No grievances exist between us? You''ve hurt my daughter and wife and you tried to kill both of them under my watch. Isn''t that enough reason for me to go so far?" Calvin coldly replied.

    "Your daughter and wife? You''re that bitch''s husband?! That''s impossible! She told me that her husband is dead!"

    Viktor heard everything that Calvin had said and he couldn''t help but exim.

    "Her husband is dead...?"

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at Viktor, "I''m still alive and kicking, dumbass!"

    He took a step forward and leaped into the air. A falling kick descended at the center of Viktor''s chest, directly cracking his ribs as his eyes rolled into his skull before he copsed onto the ground. This took time to describe, but everything happened in a blink of an eye.

    The moment the gang members realized what just happened, Viktor was already on the ground, foaming on the mouth.

    The gang members stared at each other withplicated emotions on their faces. After a while, one of them stepped up and said, "To be honest, we only came here for the money. We had no ns on killing anyone."

    "No ns on killing anyone? I seemed to have caught a whiff of killing intent when you bastards are about to plunge those knives into the neck of my daughter and wife?! Enough talk, tell me yourst words, and who to tell them to, then I will send you off to hell." Calvin coldly spat.

    "Boss... Why are we trying to calm this guy down? Since he wants to fight, then we''ll show him a fight! He already injured one of our brothers, there''s basically no way for us to let him go..." One of the gang members was annoyed as to why their senior brother was trying to cate Calvin''s anger.

    But little did they knew that their senior brother himself also had no idea as to why he was trying to calm Calvin down.

    Was it because of the murderous aura that Calvin radiated when he broke down the door?

    He had no idea, but his instincts were telling him to run away from Calvin as fast as he could.

    Just the look in Calvin''s eyes alone suggested that he had killed not dozens, not hundreds, or possibly not even thousands of men...

    Calvin might''ve evenmitted genocide in the past.

    "You don''t understand... The look in his eyes... I only saw that look in the eyes of Captain... No one else... This young man... He''s dangerous!" The so-called senior brother gang member who kept on talking to Calvin earlier warned the others.

    But they were dissatisfied.

    "You''re just being a coward, Talion. If you are not willing to handle him, then I will do it in your stead." A gang member with a bigger stature than anyone in here stepped forward and red at Calvin, "Brat, you want to send us off to hell?"

    "It seems like the Piss River Gang also has stupid people in their ranks."

    Calvin shook his head and took a fighting stance.

    The fighting stance that he took was incredibly strange in the eyes of everyone, but for some reason it felt natural for Calvin. It was as if he had used this fighting stance in battles for decades and the habit was now ingrained, not only in his mind but also in his body.

    Calvin raised a single leg up in the air, and that was it.

    This was his entire fighting stance and it was full of openings.

    "What a showy stance!" The bulky gang member spat.

    Indeed, Calvin''s fighting stance seemed that it was for a show more than it was for fighting.

    Even Calvin doubted what he was doing at this moment.

    But sensing that familiarity, he started to believe in himself and proceeded to not change his stance.

    For some reason, he had this subconscious thought that this stance was the most appropriate fighting stance that he should use against these bastards if he wanted to defeat them in an instant.

    "Can you handle him, Jeff?" Talion asked, feeling unnerved.

    "I can handle him just fine, just look at his stance. Do you think that a stance like that can fend off my attacks? You know what kind of martial art I''m practicing, right?" Jeff didn''t even look at Talion as he replied.

    Talion nodded his head and stepped backward with the others.

    They didn''t want to get caught in the middle of their battle in this small hut.

    Speaking of this small hut, Jeff had the advantage of fighting in an enclosed ce like this. It was because his martial art was mainlyposed of grappling techniques. So long as he could grasp any body part of his enemy, it was easy for him to subdue them.

    It shouldn''t be a problem for Jeff to defeat this arrogant young man.

    Yet, why was he still feeling so nervous and unnerved?

    Was there something special about this young man that Talion couldn''t fully grasp?

    Talion stared right at Calvin and no matter how he looked at it...

    Calvin''s fighting stance was full of holes.

    His stance was full of openings that Jeff could easily exploit for his victory.

    "Whatever, what happens next will happen..."

    "I don''t think that this brat can even silence all of us here. He won''t be able to do it. Or more urately, he won''t dare." Talion let out a sigh and decided to ce the matter into the deep recesses of his mind. Even if Jeff lost, he reckoned that Calvin wouldn''t dare to kill him.

    After all, he was a member of the Yellow River Gang.

    He regarded Calvin''s conceited attitude earlier as the product of his anger.

    But little did he knew that Calvin really didn''t care about gangs in the City of Ashmelion.

    Apart from the Cavaliers or the other two Judiciaries branch here in Ashmelion, none of them could enter his eyes. But Calvin, who had lost his memories had no idea at all as to why he felt that it was beneath him to pay these gangs any attention.

    But nheless, since he had dered them dead, none of them would leave this ce alive.

    Calvin had always regarded his words as far valuable than gold.

    "Young man, seeing that you''re handicapped..."

    "I''ll give you some advantage. I''ll let you hit me three times. I won''t defend myself nor dodge. Put that child down, and we can start." Jeff was obviously arrogant. Being dominant with the Yellow River Gang for so long, it would be strange if he had a meek andpromising attitude.

    Calvin coldly smiled, "It doesn''t matter, I''ll end your life in a single strike anyway."

    "Bold..." Jeff shook his head andmented that such a young man could be this arrogant, "Let''s stop the pointless talk and get over with it." He said before standing tall in front of Calvin.

    His gigantic stature was incredibly intimidating to look at. Charlotte who stood behind Calvin felt nervous and she stretched her hand out to hold Calvin''s sleeves.

    "Don''t go... He will kill you!" Charlotte said.

    Calvin turned to look at her and smiled, "Trust me. He is the one that will die."

    He then turned to look at Jeff, "Are you sure that you want to give me the first three moves?"

    "Yeah, why not? Feel free to do whatever you want three times. I won''t attack you nor defend, and dodge. What? Do you want me to give you more handicap? How about this? If you manage to move me from where I am standing right now, then we will consider it your win." Jeff smiled and revealed his pearly-whites.

    "Nope..." Calvin coldly spat. Then, he vanished and reappeared in front of Jeff.

    "You..." Jeff''s pupils constricted in shock. He subconsciously extended his arm in front of him to block, but before he could even do anything against the uing attack. It alreadynded, straight onto where his liver was on the right side of his torso.

    "Guah!" Jeff spat a mouthful of blood and copsed.

    Calvin''s kick dug deep into his liver and obliterated it along with the major arteries of his body.

    He died in an instant.

 Chapter 125: Charlottes Nature

    Chapter 125: Charlotte''s Nature

    Calvin had no idea what he just did, but the effects of his actions were as clear as day. He followed his instincts when he moved a few moments ago when he came to it, Jeff had already copsed onto the ground with blooding out of his seven orifices.

    But before he could even think any further, the gang members let out a sorrowful howl.

    "Jeff!"

    The members of the Yellow River Gang rushed to Jeff''s side, but they found him dead.

    He had died on the spot.

    What''s worse, it was because of a single kick.

    A sense of crisis came crashing down onto the remaining members of the Yellow River Gang.

    They turned around and made a break for it to the door, but how could they possibly live when Calvin already decided that they were dead? The judgment has been passed and it was toote for it to be retracted.

    Calvin leaped into the air and sent kicks onto their spines.

    They weren''t even able to fight back nore close to the door for Calvin was just too fast.

    Thud!

    Several dull thuds rang out.

    The corpses of the gang members simultaneously fell onto the ground.

    They died...

    Less than a few seconds, and without even putting out a fight.

    They died on the spot, just like Jeff who stood tall like a mountain earlier and even gave Calvin a handicap.

    "C-Calvin..." Charlotte stared at Calvin in horror.

    Calvin''s breathing was rough and both of his legs felt as if they were on fire.

    Calvin had no idea at all that he had just executed a series of moves from the Rozenstruik Empire''s Hand-To-Hand Combat Arts. This tyrannicalbat art was devastating against the enemies, but it was also damaging to a user whose physique wasn''t sufficiently strong.

    Fortunately, Calvin''s instincts automatically adjusted the strength of his attack against these people.

    Instead of directly crippling his legs from the bacsh, Calvin only suffered a sprain on his legs.

    Even so, the sprain was incredibly painful and it took Calvin quite a long while before he managed to suppress the pain.

    Turning to look at Charlotte, he said, "It''s fine... They are gone now. They won''t hurt you anymore... I won''t let them hurt, you nor Cecilia. As long as I''m alive, no one in this world can hurt you."

    Calvin who had lost some of his memories firmly believed that Charlotte was her wife and daughter.

    He was a man who greatly valued friends and family.

    Those that tried to hurt them never had any good ending.

    This was how he felt, and it must be true.

    Calvin handed over the sleeping Cecilia to the still astonished Charlotte before he turned to look at Viktor''s direction.

    "Now, I just have to deal with a single person."

    Calvin approached Viktor with steady footsteps and thetter felt as if the god of death himself was approaching him. He was unconscious earlier but he had been awakened by the death throes of the members of the Yellow River Gang.

    He started shivering in fear. Earlier, he witnessed the death of the towering Jeff. Jeff was a man who had killed dozens of civilians and rogues in his entire life, yet he was disposed of so easily by a young man like Calvin?

    Just how strong Calvin was?

    Was he still even human?

    Viktor tried his best to remain silent in the dark corner of the hut. He suppressed his fears and even started crawling underneath the bunk bed, hoping that Calvin and Charlotte could forget that he was still here. But just how could Calvin forget his presence?

    In an instant, he dragged Viktor from underneath the bed and pped him across his face several times until his cheeks swole like a pig.

    Then, he hurled her over to Charlotte, and coldly dered, "Kill him for what he had done to you."

    His deration startled both Charlotte and Viktor as thetter directly kneeled in front of Charlotte and said, "Please... Spare me... I admit that I was blinded by greed!"

    "I will not do it anymore. Just give me a chance! Please, give me a second chance!" Tears streamed down Viktor as he repeatedly banged his forehead onto the floor until it bled.

    The mud and the filth of the floor covered his face, but it didn''t bother him at all.

    If he could live, he was prepared to do anything.

    Charlotte stared withplicated emotions at Viktor.

    She was a member of that race and those who came from that race were kind in nature.

    They disliked bloodshed, simr to the doppelgangers, but that didn''t mean that they didn''t know how to retaliate.

    When their hands were forced, they could be as ferocious and as strong as mother nature.

    But...

    Killing a man...

    Charlotte had never done that.

    And she didn''t know if she could do it.

    Calvin could see the struggle that Charlotte had in her heart and he was finally a hundred percent sure that Charlotte did belong to that particr race.

    A smile crept up in his lips as he said, "I''ll do it. Just decide his fate..."

    "You don''t have to bother staining your hands with the blood of such a bastard."

    Calvin''s words were akin to pouring cold water onto Viktor''s head. He shivered and realized that the key for his survival didn''t lie on Charlotte. Instead, if he wanted to survive he must convince Calvin to let him live.

    "Sir... It really wasn''t my intention to kill..."

    "I just came here for the money. You know about how people live in the Northern Borough, so you should be familiar that something like this happens every day. If your wife just handed over the money to us, then everything wouldn''t evene to this..." Viktor expressed his grievance.

    But he was pped across the face by Calvin.

    "Are you trying to pass the me to my wife? Remember that rapists exist in this world not because of women, but because of rapists!" Calvin red at Viktor. Viktor trembled and tears fell from his eyes down his cheek. Calvin''s words made sense, so he didn''t know how to retaliate.

    He kept his silence until Calvin talked again, "But..."

    "You''re right... Something like this indeed happens every day in the Northern Borough. Living in a shithole like this ce, one should expect themselves to randomly die under the hands of a rogue and be eaten by rats without a proper burial..."

    "That does make sense... But is that relevant to the issue at hand?"

    "Your fate will be decided by my wife, so I want you to shut up and prepare yourst words."

    Calvin warned.

    Viktor didn''t dare to talk again.

    Charlotte descended into a spiral of internal struggle.

    One part of her wanted to kill Viktor as revenge, but was revenge really necessary?

    Like her, Viktor was just trying her best to live and earn as much money as he could no matter what the method was. However, when she remembered the scene of her daughter being pinned onto the ground with a knife on her neck earlier.

    Charlotte''s blood boiled.

    She red at Viktor and her breathing turned rough.

    She seemed to be deeply hesitating about the issue.

    But it was clear from her eyes that she would most likely order Viktor''s execution.

    Viktor could see her internal struggle and he begged once more, "Please madame... Give me a second chance. You can put me to jail or do whatever you want to me so long as you do not extinguish my life..."

    "I''m a man of ambition and I knew that I''ve gone too far, but the gospel of the Goddess Grace foretold that one must be able to forgive one''s enemies to attain peace. I''m sure you would be immensely bothered about my death once you''ve passed judgment onto me..."

    "No one among us wants that to happen, so please spare me..."

    Charlotte bit her lips but hearing the gospel of the Goddess Grace. She was finally convinced.

    She turned to look at Calvin and said, "Calvin... I think we should spare him."

    "Oh?" Calvin turned to look at Charlotte in astonishment.

    But his eyes shone in a strange light at the very next moment as he said, "All right... If that is what my wife wants, then we shall spare his life."

    "T-Thank you, Madame, Sir!" Viktor immediately kowtowed as he cried out in excitement in joy.

    The processionsted long enough, but the destination was still the same as he expected. Viktor almost couldn''t contain his excitement and if not for the fact that the god of death, Calvin was still standing in front of him, he would''ve leaped into the air at this moment.

    Calvin coldly red at him and ordered him with his eyes not to move an inch from where he was kneeling.

    He then tended to Charlotte and Cecilia.

    After sending them to an inn at one of the safest locations in Ashmelion, the Center Borough, Calvin came back to the Northern Borough and entered the small hut.

    There, he found Viktor still kneeling onto the ground despite the fact that an hour had passed since he left with Charlotte and Cecilia.

    Calvin couldn''t help but be impressed. At least, the man could keep his words.

    Calvin stood in front of him and said, "Stand up..."

    Viktorplied, but he didn''t dare to raise his head and stare at Calvin. He was still afraid that he might randomly offend this god of death and die miserably and with grievances.

    "My wife has spared your life, so I will spare you. But from now on, you shall work with me. Also, I know that you are probably trying to use me like a borrowed knife to deal with the retaliation of the Yellow River Gang against you, but I advise you against doing that..."

    "I absolutely despise people who try to use me for their own agenda. I hope we can make that clear..." Calvin said.

    He didn''t even give Viktor any chance to exin for he directly exposed Viktor''s ns. Fortunately, the chance that the Yellow River Gang knew that Viktor was the one who hired the services of Talion and his brothers was now incredibly low due to the fact that Calvin killed them all.

    "Y-Yes, sir..."

    With the chance being so low, how could Viktor be afraid of being discovered by the Yellow River Gang?

    He may have the n of using Calvin like a borrowed knife, but at this moment, upon realizing the truth behind the incident...

    He decided against it.

    It was close to impossible for the Yellow River Gang to discover that he was the one who hired Talion and his brothers, so why would he be afraid of the Yellow River Gang?

    On the contrary, if he acted strangely towards the other members of the Yellow River Gang, they might find him suspicious and when that happened it would only be a matter of time until they discovered the fact that it was him who hired Talion and his brothers.

    When that happened, he would most certainly die.

    Viktor stared at Calvin with admiration.

    He was so young, yet Viktor felt as if he was conversing with a hundred-years-old ancestor instead of a young man in his mid-twenties. What''s more, Calvin was so strong! In just a few seconds, he managed to kill all the members of the Yellow River Gang that he hired to deal with Charlotte!

    Speaking of dealing with Charlotte, Viktor deeply regretted the matter.

    If he knew that Charlotte had such a formidable husband, then he wouldn''t even dare to offend her even if he had a tiger''s guts!

    But there was no use crying over spilled milk and it was toote for regrets.

    Calvin observed Viktor and found that the man who seemed to be a mountain of fat was indeed deeply regretting his actions against his wife.

    But Viktor had to suffer the ramifications of his actions. However, since Charlotte spared his life, then Calvin wouldn''t kill him. If he did so, then that was basically the same as trampling on the words of his wife.

    But just because he wouldn''t kill Viktor didn''t mean that he wouldn''t suffer any torment.

    A smile crept up on Calvin''s lips.

    He swiped some pebbles and dust on the wall behind him and then flicked it towards Viktor''s forehead.

    "Ah!"

    Viktor eximed when he felt the sudden pain, but when he touched his forehead, he found no trace of any injury.

    "I have inserted a poison in your be. If you do not drink an antidote from me next month, then you will die a miserable death. I can also trigger the poison remotely, so don''t you dare do any funny business against me nor my wife and child, do you understand?" Calvin coldly dered.

    Viktor''s face fell as he felt a shiver down his spine. He didn''t dare to doubt Calvin''s words as he kneeled onto the ground once more and nodded as if he was a chicken pecking some rice off the floor, "Yes, sir... I won''t... I will do whatever you want me to do. Just tell me..."

    "Good... At least, you are sensible. What I want you to do is to give me any information that you think would be relevant to me from the Yellow River Gang."

    "Report their movements to me. I doubt that they won''t investigate the matter about the death of these guys, and that is why I need your service..."

    "Also, I want you to bury these bastards if you can''t, then just throw them into the river below the Yang Bridge. I don''t want these corpses here, since we''re still going toe back to pack up. As for the payment consisting of several months of rent that my wife gave to you?"

    Calvin hinted at Viktor and he immediately responded.

    "Yes, sir! I will return it... I don''t dare... I don''t dare to hold onto your money..."

    "All right, I like sensible people... Okay, do your job now and I''m off. Remember to remember each and every word that I said to you today since failure to meet them can cost your life..." Calvin left these words in his wake as he walked out of the door and exited the small hut.

    Inside the room, Viktor swept his nce at the corpses around him and he started tough.

    "Hahaha..."

    "Hahaha..."

    "HAHAHA!!!"

    He madlyughed until he was out of breath.

    "I managed to live..."

    "All is well that ends well..."

    "As for the Yellow River Gang..."

    "If they dared to cross paths with that young man, then I doubt that they will be able to remain dominant in this borough."

    "They''ve overstayed their wee, and it''s time for the Northern Borough to change hands..."

    "Hahaha..."

    Viktor kept onughing inside the hut.

 Chapter 126: I Want a Brother!

    Chapter 126: I Want a Brother!

    A few days have passed since then and both mother and daughter had already significantly recovered from the events that transpired a few days ago.

    But this fact didn''t console nor calm Calvin down.

    Instead, it made him sad...

    What kind of grievances these pair of mother and daughter suffered for them to be this numb to events like what happened days ago?

    Calvin felt disturbed.

    But since the two were acting as if they were in a new house, Calvin couldn''t possibly ask them directly about their thoughts rted to that event since that would be too insensitive for him. In the past few days, Calvin acted normally and simr to the actions of both mother and daughter pair.

    He reported to duty at the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop as normal and perused the documents hidden in the library beyond the walls of the kitchen with great interest and curiosity.

    His five joselian pesos daily sry was enough for him to keep the mother and daughter indefinitely within an inn, but the inn where they were temporarily staying was still too small to raise a child.

    The daily amortization for the room amounted to three joselian pesos a day.

    A steep price for a middle-ss family in the City of Ashmelion.

    Of course, Calvin nned on buying them a house.

    At first, he wanted to ask Captain Ron Samuel a sry advance.

    However, it was only less than a week since he started his job. He felt that he couldn''t be that shameless to ask for a sry advance when his work wasn''t even that difficult nor exhausting. Furthermore, Captain Ron Samuel had already given him an advance back then.

    Calvin could only shake his head and let out a sigh, the average cost of housing rental in the Northern Borough was three joselian pesos a week.

    But in the Southern Borough where most of the middle-ss people lived in, the average cost of housing rental was at an astonishing ten joselian pesos a week.

    Adding to the fact that new tenants needed to pay two months in advance, a month''s worth of rent as a security fee, and the amount for the rent of the month.

    The amount stacks up so fast and so easily that it was incredibly difficult for anyone from a different borough to transfer to another borough due to the difference in the cost of living.

    In other words, if Calvin wanted to transfer Charlotte and Cecilia to the Southern Borough in a detached house with a livable space and a front yard as well as some maids and servants along with suitable furniture.

    He needed at least 200 joselian pesos.

    If he saved one joselian peso a day it would still take him 200 days toplete the savings goal.

    Calvin felt a headacheing.

    But since he had decided to change the life of both mother and daughter pair for the better, there was no room for regrets.

    Calvin walked out of the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop and went ahead to Msakit Inn where both mother and daughter pair stayed in the past few days. As soon as he opened the doors to the room, Cecilia came crashing towards his knees with a shout.

    "Daddy, wee back!" Cecilia jumped in joy and bloomed with a smile when she saw Calvin standing in front of the door. It was already eight in the night when Calvin arrived at the Inn.

    As for the reason why he got home sote?

    It was because he painstakingly lined up for some roast beef, chicken soup as well as some ingredients for several bowls of noodles at the night market of the Southern Borough.

    The aroma of the dishes and meat attracted the attention of Cecilia.

    "Mommy! Daddy brought us food! Let''s eat!" She then rushed towards Charlotte.

    "Oh, Calvin, you''re back... Wee... home..."

    Charlotte seemed to be embarrassed saying these words.

    Calvin lightly chuckled, "Yeah, I''m back. I have some food here, so if you can please prepare the table and the utensils?"

    "By the way, what are you doing?" Calvin noticed that Charlotte seemed to be holding a needle and some fabric. A single nce was enough for him to see what Charlotte was doing, but he still wanted to confirm it with her.

    "Errr... I''m sewing some rags... I can sell them to the Northern Borough for some money..."

    Charlotte avoided his gaze, but she still noticed that Calvin was somewhat annoyed when he heard what she said, "Calvin, please don''t stop me. I can''t endure this anymore. I am someone that lived my life in the past few years without any outside help..."

    "I..."

    "I''m just notfortable letting you take on all the work with mezing around doing nothing..."

    "I feel so guilty..." She outright confessed her true feelings and Calvin lifted a smile on his face.

    He stretched his hand out to Charlotte''s head and reassured her, "So what if you''re justzing around and doing nothing? So long as you are taking good care of Cecilia and also ying with her then I''m fine if you don''t do any work..."

    "But..."

    "All right, I understand..."

    Calvin interrupted her before she could even say anything, "You''re the type of person that just can''t stop working for some reason or else you''ll feel bored and useless. I know what you feel. Every well, since you want to sell those rags, then I will permit you under one condition."

    Charlotte''s eyes gleamed, "What is it?"

    "I don''t want you to sell them in the Northern Borough..."

    "Tell me what you need, I just don''t want you to sell them in the Northern Borough..."

    "That ce is too dangerous, it''s just not suitable for a lone beautiful woman like you to hawk your merchandise. Else, why would the wet market be situated at the Southern Borough if that ce wasn''t so dangerous?" Calvin reasoned it out with Charlotte.

    Charlotte fell silent.

    The quality of the fabric that she had in hand couldn''t possiblypare with the quality of rags being sold in Southern Borough. She felt ashamed to sell these rags made out of inferior fabric in the Southern Borough.

    Although she knew that she could ask Calvin for help, she couldn''t possibly be so shameless, can she?

    Charlotte thought to herself.

    Calvin detected her inner turmoil and a frown appeared on his face. But in the end, he didn''t say anything as he dragged Charlotte out of the bedroom into the living room where they could eat their meals. The room that Calvin rented in the Msakit Inn was indeed worth its hefty price.

    It boasted a single independent bedroom, a kitchen with a furnace, a bathroom connected to the sewers of Ashmelion, and a tub with readily avable hot water from a nearby faucet. Light bulbs powered by gas was also present in the room, albeit their light wasn''t really that strong.

    Still, it was enough for the pair of mother and daughter who had once lived in total darkness for two weeks back when they were unable to afford gas for their gasmps.

    To be honest, for them, the existence of these light bulbs was a luxury. In fact, everything in this room was a luxury for them.

    Charlotte was incredibly grateful to Calvin.

    Not only he hauled her out of the matchstick and textile industry, but he was also giving them a new lease in life.

    Words weren''t enough to describe the gratitude that Charlotte felt for Calvin.

    Just how could she repay him in this lifetime in hers? She thought of repaying Calvin with her body, but he seemed to be disinterested with her. It was understandable since she was a woman that everyone considered in Ashmelion as used goods.

    Furthermore, she might only be in her mid-twenties, but the years of malnutrition and working and living in the harsh environment of Northern Borough took a toll on her body. She was so young, yet she looked as if she was already middle-aged.

    Her hands were calloused, and yellowish from the chemicals that she handled in the past few years on a daily basis, and her figure looked as thin as a stick.

    Even though her health had improved when Calvin came to her life, it was still a fact that she was far from a gorgeous woman that Calvin described her to be.

    Thinking about all of these, Charlotte suddenly became dejected.

    She stood up and walked mechanically towards the kitchen.

    Cecilia realized that her mother seemed to be deeply concerned about something so she asked, "Mommy... What happened to mommy? Is mommy sad?"

    The youngss stared at her mother''s back in deep worry.

    Calvin affectionately rubbed her head and said, "Your mommy will be fine. She''s just hungry. Do you know what they say? You''re not you when you''re hungry? After mommy eats, she''ll be back to her original self again. Don''t worry about it too much, okay?"

    "Mkay!"

    The youngss was convinced and the two talked to each other for a while.

    Afterwards, they heard Charlotte call for them and the two proceeded to the living room.

    The living room had a table, so one could call it the dining room, but since the room also had some couches and furniture appropriate for a business meeting Calvin proceeded to call it the living room instead, since with business one could make a living.

    Charlotte had expertly prepared the ingredients that Calvin brought to her and she carried three steaming bowls of noodles with her on her way to the living room from the kitchen.

    The noodle was a specialty in the night market, dedicated to the seamen who worked long hours in the harbor near the Yang Bridge.

    The noodles were called the Ship''s Knot Noodles.

    The noodles were chewy and they sat in a thick and murky brothposed of meat and innards.

    There was ayer of chopped onions on top of the noodles and a poached egg in the middle of it all, as well as three slices of meat for the finishing touches.

    The room almost immediately became filled with the intense and delicious smell of the noodles.

    Calvin also brought with him a can of ice cream for them to enjoy as well as some chicken soup, roast beef, and a serving of egg fried rice. The table was filled with dishes to the brim and Charlotte couldn''t help but tear up.

    This was the first time, in years that she had such a sumptuous meal.

    And this was all thanks to Calvin.

    Charlotte was even more perturbed.

    Meanwhile, Cecilia was holding her wooden spoon and fork.

    "Wow, this smells good!" Cecilia eximed, but before she could even eat.

    "Cecilia, wait!"

    Charlotte interrupted her with a re.

    Cecilia stared at her mother for a moment before she nced at Calvin. Noticing that Calvin had the same look on his face as her mothers, Calvin lightly chuckled and said, "Did you already forget that we still have to pray? Pray to the Goddess for she will bless this meal with nutrition."

    Cecilia pouted but she was afraid of the god''s punishment so she nodded her head and made the sign of the Church of All-Epassing Light.

    Calvin and Charlotte followed suit and the three prayed for the Goddess''s Blessing. The moment they were done with the prayer, Cecilia instantly dived into the bowl of noodles.

    "Hey, your manners!"

    "It''s fine... It''s just the three of us here." Calvin smiled at Charlotte.

    Thetter hesitated for a moment, but she also gave a smile when they saw the look of joy and satisfaction on Cecilia''s face. With her eyes looking like crescent moons, and her mouth bulging with food, Cecilia swallowed them all with one fell swoop and eximed, "Daddy!"

    "It''s so delicious!"

    "Hahaha... As long as you''re happy... Want me to buy it for you every day?" Calvin was gratified.

    "No!" Charlotte interrupted, "We can''t let her eat these greasy noodles every day..."

    "Tomorrow, I think a light meal is better to add some variety..."

    Calvin turned to look at her in astonishment.

    He didn''t expect that Charlotte was also conscious regarding health, "All right, if that''s what you want."

    He then stretched his hand out and ruffled the hair of the youngss, "Is it really that delicious? Daddy can ignore mommy''s words and buy you more of these tomorrow!"

    "Calvin!" Charlotte red at Calvin.

    Calvinughed out loud.

    Cecilia turned to look at her mother and said, "Mommy! You should eat it too! It''s delicious!"

    Charlotte coldly snorted, but after a while, she gave up and decided to eat.

    Indeed, the noodles looked greasy but it tasted and felt quite wholesome.

    The meal was soon over and the three bonded together for quite a while. Charlotte put a pause on her sewing as she and Calvin yed with Cecilia who seemed to have inexhaustible energy in her body. But eventually, the limits of her energy came and she soonined of tiredness.

    Charlotte let out a sigh of relief because she was getting tired too, "All right, then I''ll take you to bed."

    Cecilia shook her head, and then she suddenly clung around Calvin''s arms and dialed up her charms, "No, I want to sleep with both mommy and daddy... I want to sleep with daddy!"

    "What?!"

    Calvin was slightly shocked, but Charlotte who was feeling perturbed since earlier acted as if she was struck by a thunderbolt from the nine heavens.

    Sleeping together? That cannot be! Her rtionship with Calvin was fake, and if the two of them did sleep on the same bed then she was bound to be taken advantage of!

    Calvin was still a young man.

    She refused to believe that Calvin would be able to stay his hand when pushes to shove...

    In a blink of an eye, her face became filled with the deep shade of crimson.

    Under the faint orangey illumination of the light bulbs, her blush became even more apparent and in addition to the visuals of her seductive figure wearing nothing but a tunic with not even a corset underneath, she looked truly stunning.

    Calvin stared at Charlotte for a moment and he instantly saw through what she was thinking.

    Amusement shed across his face and she couldn''t help but stare at Cecilia in disbelief.

    To think that her cute daughter would be such a god-tiered wing woman?

    Charlotte hastily exined, "Cecilia, you be obedient tonight, okay? I''ll bring you to bed now, daddy''s going to sleep on the couch. He''s tired so we need to leave from here so he can rest on the couches here, okay?"

    "Nooo!!! I want to sleep with both you and daddy!" Cecilia pouted and hugged Calvin''s arm tighter, unwilling to let go of her daddy as she threw a tantrum, "Lea does it with her parents! She said that they only got a baby brother together because they slept together!"

    Cecilia eximed with all her might, but after she was done with her sentence.

    Enlightenment suddenly dawned upon her as she jumped up and down in excitement and said, "Daddy! Mommy! I want a brother too! Can you make me a baby brother? If daddy makes me a brother with daddy then someone else can help me with washing the dishes!"

    "I don''t have to do the dishes anymore and clean the house!"

    "I can also have double the snacks and ice cream!"

    Cecilia''s eyes shone as she thought of the endless possibilities.

    Cecilia then dragged Charlotte''s hand to Calvin and turned up her charm to the maximum as she pestered, "I want a brother! I want a brother! Make me a baby brother, please? Mommy? Daddy?"

    Calvin stared at Cecilia and he seemed dead inside.

    Charlotte, on the other hand, was incredibly embarrassed.

    Just what kind of topics kids these days were discussing every day?

 Chapter 127: 1 + 1 = 3

    Chapter 127: 1 + 1 = 3

    Charlotte was so embarrassed she wanted to find a hole to hide into.

    Calvin stared at Cecilia with a deadpan look on his face, his lips repeatedly twitching. Charlotte momentarily nced at Calvin for a moment and her embarrassment became even deeper. She said desperately to Cecilia, "Umm... Cecilia, we''ll talk about getting you a brother in the future..."

    Her patience was thick and her attitude was firm, "You have to listen, all right? Tonight, your daddy is tired. We''ll go ahead and let him rest for now, okay?"

    "No!" Cecilia pouted and doubled on her tantrum, "I want to sleep with both mommy and daddy! I want you both to sleep with me! I want daddy to hug me and fall asleep beside mommy! That''s how all the kids in the neighborhood sleep with their parents!

    Charlotte didn''t know what to say, she felt as if she was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

    Just what kind of topics were the kids discussing these days? Of course, she knew that the kids in the rougher neighborhood of the Northern Borough were often precocious, but she didn''t expect that her daughter would be influenced by them!

    A frown appeared on Charlotte''s face and she hardened her expression. Evoking her authority as a mother, she scolded in a firm tone of voice, "Don''t push your luck, Cecilia. If you keep being stubborn, then I won''t let you eat any ice cream again in the future!"

    Cecilia''s courage immediately deted as she hung her head low in dejection.

    Her puffed cheeks and pout evidently made the scene incredibly heartbreaking. Charlotte was already familiar with this trick that her daughter has up her sleeves, but Calvin was a mere stranger who had been with them for less than two weeks.

    He couldn''t bear to see Cecilia cry so he said, "All right, Cecilia. Don''t you cry now, okay? Daddy will sleep with you together with mommy just like how the parents of the other kids in the neighborhood sleep with their parents like a family, okay?"

    He scooped Cecilia into his embrace and immediately consoled her with a few head pats and head ruffles. Charlotte turned to look at him in shock, but before she could even say anything. He shot her a look that said Let''s pretend to agree for now, shall we?

    Cecilia turned to look at her daddy with tears in her eyes, "Wuwuwu... But the ice cream..."

    "I''ll buy you as much ice cream as you want, don''t listen to mommy. She''s a bad person."

    "Yay! Daddy''s the best! I love you!" Cecilia instantly shot up from her feet and leaped into Calvin''s embrace. She dotted his cheeks with kisses and even threw a smug look at Charlotte as they went to bed as if she was gloating at her mother.

    Charlotte felt so insulted as she watched both Cecilia and Calvin leave in such a good mood, "Who''s the biological parent here? Why do I feel like I''m an evil stepmother in those stories instead?"

    The Msakit Inn had an expensive daily rate, so its amenities must justify the money required for its rental. The bed was huge enough that it could fit three adults.

    Most patrons of the inn were schrs, bards, or even students that came from neighboring rural provinces and cities for the opportunities in existence here at Ashmelion.

    These schrs, students, and bards often didn''t have a lot of money with them since they came from the province.

    As a result, most of them got together in groups of three, or maybe even more just to rent a space in an inn. No matter how expensive the daily rate of the inn was by pooling all of their money towards the rental of the room.

    They did not have to worry about anything.

    Calvinid on Cecilia''s right, while Charlotteid on her left side. She became the third wheel in the middle of the two just like she wanted.

    She was clearly excited for even though she told both Charlotte and Calvin that she was tired, she still kept on speaking and chattering, sometimes even turning things awkward and ambiguous for both Calvin and Charlotte.

    Fortunately, children had limited energy, and Cecilia soon crashed and burned.

    She fell asleep in between the two, yet her hand never let go of Calvin''s arm.

    It was as if she was afraid that once she let go of Calvin, he would disappear...

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    He turned to look at Charlotte and said, "Don''t worry, I''ll just let her sleep for now. I''ll go to the living room once she''s asleep. You don''t have to think about anything. Rest assured, I won''t let you take advantage of me." A smile crept up in his lips as he let out a chuckle.

    "Oh... Okay..." Charlotte instinctively nodded her head towards his words. But when her brain registered what he had said, she directly sent a death re on his way, "What do you mean me taking advantage of you? Is there even something on you that I can take advantage of?"

    Calvin merely shook his head andughed.

    He didn''t say anything as he continued to coax the youngss into sleeping.

    He only said those words to lighten the atmosphere and judging from the look on Charlotte''s face, it seemed to have been incredibly effective. Charlotte rolled her eyes at him and the air around the two wasn''t as tense as before at this moment.

    However, her heart was still beating wildly...

    When was thest time when she got so close to a member of the opposite sex like this?

    To be honest, since the death of her husband she had already started to despite men due to the fact that whenever they approached them, all of them only wanted one thing and it disgusted her immensely.

    But Calvin was different.

    His eyes radiated not a trace of malice.

    But this made Charlotte felt conflicted.

    Does this mean that he''s not looking at me as if I am a member of the opposite sex?

    A wry smile appeared on her face.

    Sure, all of these were just an act to coax Cecilia into sleeping, but she was still a woman with needs.

    How could she not think of that thing when she''s on the bed with a member of the opposite sex?

    Charlotte tossed and turned as she closed her eyes and prayed to Goddess Grace for Cecilia to fall asleep and for Calvin to leave the room so she could finally rest assured and calm her wildly beating heart down.

    But to her astonishment, as time passed by, why was she starting to hear the sound of unfamiliar snoring?

    Wait...

    Calvin...

    He''s asleep!

    Here of all ces?!

    An unmarried man and a woman on the same bed? That was inappropriate! It was lewd! Charlotte shot upright and turned to look at Calvin. She was about to shove him awake, but she paused when she saw the sight of Calvin holding Cecilia in his embrace.

    His sleeping face looked so handsome as he held onto Cecilia. If not for the eyepatch that was covering his right eye, it would''ve been perfect. What''s more, she could also see the sweet smile on Cecilia''s face as she burrowed herself into Calvin''s arms.

    She didn''t know what to say.

    "Calvin is trying to change our lives for the better."

    "He doesn''t have anyscivious thoughts against me, only concern..."

    "Yes, that''s right!"

    "He''s a phnthropist, the embodiment of altruism. Yet, why am I being so heartless as to actually think of pushing him off the bed just because I am having indecent thoughts?" Charlotte bit her lips.

    She noticed that Cecilia was indeed too deep into Calvin''s arms and if she woke Calvin up, then she would also awaken the youngss. When that happened, she would surely throw another tantrum.

    Charlotte took a deep breath andid back onto the bed.

    She faced the other direction with her cheeks puffed, simr to how Cecilia puffs her cheeks whenever she was frustrated. Fine, I''ll just endure all of these for the sake of my daughter... I''ll just pretend that there''s another pillow on the bed. A pillow that won''t dare to do anything to me.

    Charlotte convinced herself.

    Just as Charlotte was in the middle of worrying about such matters.

    Calvin who was fast asleep suddenly reached out his perverted hand andid it right on Charlotte''s soft and slender waist with a gentle tap. The hand was in a precarious position. Charlotte''s stomach was just above it, while beneath it was her backside.

    Charlotte''s expression instantly burned, the heat on her cheeks paled inparison with the frustration and anger that she had at Calvin at this moment.

    He was still in deep sleep at this moment and there was no trace of emotion on his face.

    Charlotte''s sharp eyes instantly saw that he was indeed sleeping, but she was still aggrieved.

    She wanted to raise Calvin''s arm and ce it back where it came from, but she was afraid of waking up her daughter who was a light sleeper.

    "Fine..." Charlotte sucked in a mouthful of air and coldly spat, "I''ll endure this too for my daughter..."

    Her cheeks were still burning red and flushed as she kept on turning around in bed, unable to sleep due to her wildly beating heart.

    Of course, Charlotte was a woman that had astonishing adaptability skills.

    It may have taken her a while, but she still managed to fall asleep.

    Early in the morning, Calvin woke up and he could see a small figure bouncing up and down on the bed amidst his groggy eyes.

    The small figure seemed to be rummaging the nkets, obviously looking for something beneath the sheets. But even as she tried her best to search, she still looked profoundly confused.

    Charlotte soon woke up, she may have not gotten a lot of sleepst night, but taking an all-nighter was all too normal for her.

    In fact, she could even survive with three hours of sleep.

    Back then, there was an entire week where she only took naps for she was afraid that her daughter might be taken by those child kidnapping burrs.

    An all-nighter wasn''t a problem for Charlotte. She only slept for four hours tonight, but the tiredness that she felt yesterday was now gone. Instead, it was reced by confusion as she stared at Cecilia and asked, "What are you looking for so early in the morning? Did you sleep well?"

    "I slept well, mommy... Ah! Daddy! You''re awake!" Cecilia didn''t even turn her head to reply to Charlotte''s inquiry, but as soon as she saw Calvin staring at her direction. She instantly leaped into his embrace, which made Charlotte roll her eyes at Cecilia out of frustration.

    Why do I feel like I am an outsider in this family?

    She thought.

    But then, Cecilia suddenly dropped a bombshell that erased all of her frustrations.

    "Daddy! Where''s my baby brother?"

    "Mommy... Daddy... Both of you slept together so why don''t I have a baby brother, yet? Lea told me that his daddy and mommy always slept together, then one day. She suddenly got a baby brother!"

    Charlotte furiously blushed, while Calvin boisterouslyughed.

    He then stared right at Cecilia and said, "Cecilia, your younger brother is still in your mother''s belly. Only when you''re being obedient and don''t make her angry would your baby brother be safe. That is why I need you to obey your mommy''s words, okay?"

    "Okay..." Cecilia absentmindedly nodded. It was a mystery if she even understood Calvin''s words. Then, all of a sudden, she turned to look at Charlotte and said, "Mommy, you take care of the baby, ah? Watch the baby''s health."

    Charlotte nodded her head before she snickered in amusement. However, she was still quite embarrassed hearing such ambiguous and suggestive words from the mouth of her very own daughter in front of a man whom she considered as their benefactor and nothing else.

    She red at Cecilia and said, "Go wash up and clean your teeth! Wait... We''ve run out of chew sticks, so you go and buy them outside... The money is in the pouch above the countertop in the kitchen. Come back fast, since we''re going to get some groceries afterwards... Hmmph!"

    "Oh..." Cecilia became obedient.

    After hearing her daddy''s words, she chose to believe in him and she was now being cautious as to not anger her mother and unintentionally harm her baby brother in her mother''s belly.

    However, there was still this crestfallen look on her face when she realized that today was another day of grueling studying without y...

    Ah... I want to go back to the Northern Borough...

    Ceciliamented.

    Calvin gave Cecilia a sympathetic nce but he didn''t say anything towards her plight.

    She soon walked of the room and exited the inn so she could buy the items that her mother wanted her to buy. Only two people remained in the room at this moment. Calvin noticed that Charlotte''s face looked tired and she had dark circles underneath her eyes.

    "Charlotte, you did not sleep well,st night?" A smile appeared on Calvin''s lips.

    Charlotte almost keeled over into the ground hearing Calvin''s words.

    "Do you know why I haven''t gotten much sleepst night?" She asked.

    "I don''t know..." Calvin shook his head, "Thest scene that I rememberst night is coaxing Cecilia into sleeping, and when I came to it. It was already morning."

    "What''s wrong?"

    "You really don''t have to worry about anything, I won''t possibly take advantage of you. I have always been a gentleman, you see?"

    Charlotte humorlessly smiled and suddenly said, "Is my waist soft to the touch?"

    "Yes, very soft."

    The question was so sudden that Calvin subconsciously replied with a sincerement.

    But at the very next moment, he trembled for there was already a pillowing his way.

    The buckwheat pillow crashed against his face, sending him staggering backward as he rushed out of the door and didn''t even dare to turn back.

    When he stopped running, he realized that he was already in front of the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop. He huffed and puffed, and when he entered the coffee shop. Ron Samuel greeted him with a smile, "Howe you''re here so early? I''m still cleaning the filters and the machine."

    Calvin bitterly smiled.

    "Well, I suddenly fell in love with the library behind the kitchen..."

    Calvin awkwardly scratched his cheeks and headed for the kitchen. But before he could even enter the door, Ron Samuel stopped him and said, "If you are going to the Library, I advise you to look for the Bestiary and read it..."

    "The Wise One finally unearthed some clues, it seems like the base of that bastard who possessed you is in Ashmelion."

    "What? They are in the city? Howe?"

    "Yeah, unbelievable, right? The forces of the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods are scattered throughout Ashmelion, yet they are still so bold as to set up a base here..."

    "It seems like they are underestimating us. They aren''t taking us, the Cavaliers, seriously at all..."

    Ron Samuel shook his head.

    "Captain... Can I participate in the search?"

    "I feel like I may be able to remember my lost memories if I do..."

    Ron Samuel turned to look at him and sighed, "No... You may have experienced the supernatural, but you are still nothing but a human. After you have undergone the trial and officially became one of us, I will consider it. But for now, I want you to remain obedient as our young schr..."

    "Today, I want you to read the Bestiary and remember as many beasts depicted in the Bestiary as you can. By the end of the day, I want you to recognize the difference between a ghoul and a thrall..." Ron Samuel''s eyes narrowed into slits.

    Calvin felt a shiver on his spine and he directly agreed.

    Heading into the library beyond the walls of the kitchen.

    He soon found the Bestiary that Ron Samuel was talking about.

    And it was an incredibly thick book...

 Chapter 128: The Bestiary

    Chapter 128: The Bestiary

    This was possibly the thickest book that Calvin had ever encountered in his entire life.

    Written on the surface of the book was the word, "Bestiary". The font used to write the word made it look domineering and dashing, but the dust that covered its surface made it obvious to Calvin that the book hadn''t been opened for at least several months now.

    Calvin opened the book and a short introduction was on the very first page.

    [Author Unknown]

    [Let this book be the guide for the lost souls of the future generation. Written within this book are urate information pertaining to the beasts that have appeared after the first Cataclysm.]

    [However, one must never rely on a single source of information for advice when ites to dealing with the beasts described in this Bestiary for mutations do happen...]

    [A Thrall may have consumed the Essence Core of a Ghoul and it could acquire abilities that are far different than what is described in the Bestiary. Nheless, those that aspire to be Predators must start by memorizing each and every beast described in the Bestiary.]

    [A prepared mind is sharper than a silver sword.]

    [Table of Contents]

    [Evil-Type Beasts]

    [Non-Evil Type Beasts]

    [The Untouchables]

    [Draconids]

    [Elementals]

    [Corpse Eaters]

    [Insectoids]

    [Draconids]

    [Giants]

    [Ancients]

    [Specters]

    [Vampires]

    Calvin turned to look at the side of the book and discovered that the information rted to Non-Evil Type Beasts was the thickest. He opened the very first page of the topic in regards to Non-Evil Type Beasts and he was greatly disappointed for he discovered the reason why it was so thick.

    it was because both Non-Evil Type Beasts and Evil-Type Beasts were a collective term referring to beasts without any magical capabilities nor core that could store any amount of Mana. The beasts described within the Bestiary included, but not limited to, Wild Dogs, Bears, Wolves, and Wild Boars.

    The stark difference between the two was the word, "Evil".

    When a non-magical beast stayed long enough in a ce filled with negative energy such as a battlefield. They would be able to gain capabilities far beyond what their species permitted.

    In other words, a wolf whose leap only reached three meters would suddenly be able to pounce for five meters after soaking up these negative energies.

    The author of the Bestiary found them dangerous enough and worthy of being listed in the Bestiary due to the fact that their transformation was far too devastating for rural viges and other city residents who often ventured to the woods near their walled cities.

    "And I have to memorize all of these?" Calvin felt a headacheing. But his interest was still piqued by the vast amount of information contained within the book, so he continued to peruse.

    He flipped to the end of the current topic and reached the topic rted to the Untouchables.

    The Untouchables sounded intimidating at first, but it was yet another collective term referring to beasts or humanoid creatures cursed by Predators wielding evil magic.

    Every being that turned evil due to the result of a curse could be considered as a part of the Untouchables.

    As for the reason why the author deliberately added the Untouchables into the Bestiary... It was because those that fall into this categorization were often weak against silver and medicinal decoctions.

    In the very first Epoch, people relied on decoctions to fight against the Untouchables and other beasts, so the author found them worthy to add as an entry to the Bestiary.

    Calvin skimmed through most of the info regarding the specific creatures first as he flipped over to the next topic rted to Draconids.

    Draconids piqued Calvin''s interest, after all...

    Who didn''t want to see a dragon?

    But when Calvin saw that the bloodline of the Draconids wasn''t even close to the bloodline of True Dragons...

    His disappointment was immeasurable and his day was ruined.

    However, there were a lot of different species of Draconids existing in the world of Las Felipinas at this moment. Both Draconids and True Dragons had inhabited thisnd since time immemorial and they became an important branch of Las Felipinas''s eco-system.

    But unfortunately, the Draconids far underestimated humanity''s reproduction capabilities. As human cities and viges grew, so did the territories imed by humans in thend of Las Felipinas.

    Soon, the Draconids found out that it was far better for them to swoop in for some quick meal on herds of cattle and swine than to fight against other beasts and possibly sustaining injuries that would make them waste their time recovering.

    Unfortunately for the Draconids, their involvement with the humans became the reason why the author of the Bestiary decided to add them as an entry.

    While the creature mostly associated with the Draconids are dragons. The most populous members of this species were actually from a kind of a lesser dragon known as Flood Dragons.

    The Flood Dragons bred Wyverns and Dracolizard. They were easily confused with dragons as they share the same scaly skin or armor made up of bony tes and the reinforcement of the earth.

    Their features such as their reptilian maws, legs, and tails were also the same as the dragons.

    But there was a stark difference.

    Members of the Flood Dragons were known to be less intelligent than the dragons.

    Those dragons were far developed than the Wyverns and Dracolizards and they were the undisputed king of the skies due to their prowess in aerialbat.

    They were definitely a force to be reckoned with, but every problem in the world has a solution.

    As formidable as these dragons may be, they still had a weakness. One of them was once again, silver. They also shared this weakness with the Draconids though it was easier to kill a Draconid with a silver sword than a fully-fledged dragon.

    [Elementals]

    Elementals are fascinating creations made from the manifestation of a Predator''s will. Those that can manipte Mana can create an Elemental, but creating them was far easier than controlling them.

    Elementals have little to no will of their own, but if left on its own, an Elemental is a force to be reckoned and can easily obliterate a human settlement or so if it wished.

    Elementals are incredibly difficult to fight against, but with the usage of a silver sword coated with the dust of a material containing the properties of anti-mana.

    They weren''t insurmountable mountains.

    [Insectoids]

    A collective term for monsters with insect-like traits. They usually lived in woonds and damp forests. They are weak against fire, and one could repel their presence with a mixture of appropriate medicinal herbs and decoctions.

    [Corpse Eaters]

    They are monsters born from the negative energies that haunt the battlefield. Usually, they appear in cemeteries, but if a battlefield wasn''t cleaned up fast enough, then their appearance was sure to be neigh. They are weak against silver, and could easily crumble in the face of fire.

    [Giants]

    Calvin was about to open the page describing the Giants, but he decided against it. The title of the topic alone was enough to describe its contents. After the disappointment that he had with the Non-Evil Type Beasts and Evil-Type Beasts topic earlier, Calvin didn''t even bother.

    Though, he nced at it and discovered that "Giants" was another collective term of humanoid beasts whose figures were so tall and huge that one could mistake them for a mountain from a distance.

    [Ancients]

    Not much information was contained within the Bestiary regarding the Ancients.

    The author said that they arrived in the world of Las Felipinas after the First Cataclysm, but he also cited some references which said that the Ancients were actually one of the very first creations of the Goddess Grace, simr to the Primordial Beast, Bakunawa.

    [Specters]

    Specters are easily confused with Ghosts, but there was a stark difference between the two.

    Specters are usually spirits that swallowed enough negative energy and are tethered to a ce or a person. Ghosts, on the other hand, may or may not have absorbed negative energies, and they generally have a lot of freedom, unlike the Specters.

    Specters could also remain in the material ne due to unfinished business.

    The Church of All-Epassing Light believes that if one granted the wish of a Specter or Ghost, they would be able to gain positive karma which could give them ess to an expressway to reincarnation if they died in their current life term.

    Specters and Ghosts do not usually manifest their physical form apart from when they are trying to harm humans whose bodies exist in the material ne.

    They are weak against silver and exorcism rites belonging to the gospel from any of the Seven Gods and Goddesses.

    [Vampires]

    Calvin was once again disappointed. The word Vampire was also described by the author as a collective term for beasts or humanoid creatures that require the sustenance of blood or life force from other creatures to survive.

    It was obvious to say that it epassed arge number of species, though every beast nor creature belonging to this species had amon weakness.

    Silver, Garlic, and bad tasting blood.

    Calvin saw the end of the paragraph and he didn''t know what to say.

    Bad tasting blood?

    How are you supposed to know if your bad tastes good or bad for a Vampire?

    The advice so far was straightforward but this bad tasting blood was confusing.

    But of course, Calvin knew that there must be something that he could use or consume to turn his blood bad tasting for the Vampires.

    Closing the Bestiary, Calvin exhaled.

    The vast amount of information contained within the Bestiary gave him a headache.

    He walked out of the kitchen and he was greeted by Ashlynn with a smile on her face, "I heard from Captain that you went inside the library to peruse the Bestiary... Did you do it?"

    Calvin nodded his head and squeezed out a bitter smile, "Yes, I did it. I managed to read through all of it."

    "Really?"

    "Umm... I skimmed..."

    "Oh...?"

    "I skimmed through a lot of info..."

    "But I read the introduction paragraph at least!"

    Calvin continued when he saw the smug look on Ashlynn''s face.

    "All right, that''s good enough. To be honest, I don''t find you as a schrly man. Your movements remind me more of a mercenary''s than a schr... Are those books boring for ya?" Ashlynn leaned onto Calvin''s arm and smiled.

    Calvin trembled.

    His adam''s apple bobbed up and down as he turned his gaze away from Ashlynn''s chest, "No... They are interesting... There are a lot of beasts whose names the first time I heard so the book was quite interesting for me..."

    "Is that so?" Ashlynn sized him up with a smile, "Would you like to y a card game with us?"

    She gestured to the table where Ron Samuel, Bruce, and James Branzu was staring at him with smiles on their faces. Apart from Ron Samuel, the other two were smiling, but the light in their eyes seemed to be more hostile than friendly.

    It was probably because they were looking for a scapegoat.

    Within the past few days, Calvin would always hear Bruce and James Branzu''s curses while they were being absolutely destroyed by both Ashlynn and Ron Samuel in the card game.

    At this point, Calvin must be someone that could rece their position as the one being bullied in this card game.

    But Calvin was about to disappoint them for he refused.

    How could he spend an awfully long time with these men and a vixen?

    He had a wife and a daughter to tend to!

    Calvin walked over to Ron Samuel and as always, he hurled the five joselian pesos into the air and Calvin deftly caught them in mid-air.

    Afterwards, he noticed that there was a serious look on Ron Samuel''s face as he asked Calvin, "Did you perhaps ran into some trouble that you haven''t told us, yet?"

    Calvin shivered...

    The Cavaliers had no idea that Calvin had killed several members of the Yellow River Gang and had their bodies float up near the harbors on the Revoir River.

    Calvin wanted to tell them at first, but he was afraid that the Cavaliers may turn in him to the police. In a shithole like this city of Ashmelion, being imprisoned was thest thing that Calvin wanted.

    Mustering his courage, he shook his head and scratched his cheek, "What are you saying, Captain? I haven''t run into any trouble. In fact, my life is even better than before since you''re so generous with my sry. Hahaha, I wonder, how can an employee of this Coffee Shop qualify for a bonus?"

    Ron Samuel stared at Calvin for a moment before he smiled, "We''ll talk about the bonuster. It still hasn''t been a month since you be an employee of the Coffee Shop, yet you are already trying to earn a bonus?"

    "How about you show me some brewing techniques first and actually serve customers with your coffee in the counter?"

    Even though the prices in Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop were exorbitant, the quality of their coffee was indeed up to the task.

    Of course, some customers would beg to differ, but in the end, deliciousness was subjective.

    Especially, when ites to niches beverages in the world of Las Felipinas such as coffee.

    In other words, even though the Coffee Shopcked customers.

    The shop wasn''t entirely idle for they still had to tend to at least ten customers a day.

    Calvin waved the others goodbye and he then walked towards the direction of the Msakit Inn.

    Ron Samuel ced all of his cards on the table, revealing all of his cards in a card game where secrecy was prioritized the most only meant one thing he was giving up the game.

    "Captain?" Bruce absentmindedly asked.

    He didn''t expect their Captain to give up the game when he wasn''t even losing.

    "Prepare for a Spiritualistic Ritual... We will go ahead and divine just what kind of trouble did that young man encounter in the past few days..." Ron Samuel exhaled and gave his orders.

    James Branzu stood up without saying as he noiselessly obeyed Ron Samuel''s orders. Bruce and Ashlynn turned to look at Ron Samuel in confusion as Ashlynn asked, "So he really did run into trouble? How did you discover it, Captain?"

    "I haven''t discovered it..." Ron Samuel shook his head.

    "So you are trying to use Spiritualistic Divination to guess? That''s such a waste of resources, Captain!" Ashlynn was someone who loved and hoarded money. Hearing his words, she couldn''t help but exim in astonishment.

    Ron Samuel nced at her andnguidly said, "The church will reimburse us if we tell them that we''ve used those resources to investigate the Red Cloud..."

    "I-If you say so..." Ashlynn was finally convinced.

    It turned out that it wasn''t that Ron Samuel didn''t care about the waste of resources, it was just because there was no need to worry about wasted resources since the church would reimburse them anyway.

    In other words, at this moment, Ashlynn finally realized that this small team of Cavaliers were tycoons!

    She could finally see some hope ofpleting that dream of hers of bing a wasteful tycoon!

    James Branzu soon returned from the kitchen carrying a deep silver bowl as well as several Spiritualistic Ingredients necessary for the divination.

    Ashlynn ignited the incense to transform the room into a room of concentrated spirituality and she also closed the doors and hung up the curtains.

    At this moment, apart from a candle. There was no other source of light within the room.

    Ron Samuel sat straight and taut in front of the deep silver bowl filled with water.

    His eyes were closed and he ced both of his hands in parallel with each other, with his fingertips barely touching each other.

    Then, after an unknown amount of time.

    His eyes snapped open!

    His brown eyes had vanished, reced by a hue whose color was simr to the night sky!

    This was a Predator

    A Mage-Type Predator!

 Chapter 129: Divination

    Chapter 129: Divination

    Upon the sessfulpletion of the Trial, a civilian would undergo ss bestowal.

    There were a lot of sses in existence in the world of Las Felipinas. However, most of them no matter how strange the ss was would still be ssified by the Church that governs the civilian that had just be a Predator.

    Let us say that you are a civilian that obtained the ss called Magic Swordsman.

    Now, the word Magic alone should be enough for one to realize that the ss could use Magic. Does his ss belong to the Mage-Type, then? Nope! Why? It was because of the Swordsman at the end of his ss name.

    If you add Magic and Swordsman then you would get the two ssifications, namely, "Mage" and "Fighter". In short, the person in question has a dual-affiliated ss. Of course, dual-affiliated sses were rare. After all, a god or goddess could bezy and just randomly give the civilian a niche ss such as Street Cleaner.

    sses whose traits do not fall under any of the ssification categories established by the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods were Golden sses.

    People whose ss belongs to this ssification would either be incredibly overpowered or incredibly weak such as the case of the Street Cleaner ss.

    Of course, these sses weren''t arbitrarily given to the people by the gods.

    The people from the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods believed that the Goddess Grace, God Eternal Fire, and God Aescpius must have their own reasons as to why they bestowed a person an overpowered or useless ss.

    Being their subjects, the believers of the church do not have the right to question the mysterious workings of their gods.

    Else, it would be considered as sphemy to the gods and those that dare to do such a serious crime would be publicly executed as an example to other dissidents or believers of other gods.

    Ron Samuel''s ss was unknown, but one thing was for sure.

    From the dark bluish glow in his eyes, he had a Mage-Type ss.

    Scout or Ranger-Type sses like Ashlynn would have an orange glow in their eyes, while Fighter-Type sses would have the crimson color in their eyes.

    As for the Tank, Assassin, and Healer-Type sses...

    Their eyes would glow brown, purple, and green.

    Those with dual-affiliation ss, the glow of their eyes would be halved depending on which type their sses were affiliated to. As for those whose sses were of the Golden-Type.

    Well, obviously, the glow in their eyes would be golden.

    In the world of Las Felipinas, one could vaguely measure the strength of an enemy using the aura that their enemy was radiating and at this moment. Every Cavalier around Ron Samuel felt their chest copsing. They found it hard to breathe as they gasped for air.

    Fortunately, their suffering didn''tst that long as Ron Samuel retracted his aura andnguidly said...

    "Let us begin the divination..."

    The essential oils, pure water dew, herbs, and other items were already prepared.

    It was time for them to start.

    There exists three nes of reality in the world of Las Felipinas.

    The material ne, the spirit ne, and the astral ne.

    Divinations used all sorts of methods such as tarot cards, poker cards, dowsing rods, pendulums, and dreams. These were the methods avable when it came to divination but each of these methods required a certain amount of Mana and Mana Capacity.

    By tapping onto thetent Mana within the Spirituality of each person, one could demand answers from the spirit ne, and that could be interpreted as an answer.

    But since the endeavor required a substantial amount of mana.

    Those that attempt such rituals without being a bestowed upon a ss and transformed by the blessing of the gods into a Predator would receive minimal and vague revtions.

    Of course, these revtions were still useful. It was just too vague whenpared to the revtions and answers that one could get if they had been transformed into a Predator.

    But just because one was a Predator meant that they would be able to acquire an urate answer.

    Spiritualistic Magic wasn''t omnipotent, it had its limits.

    Not even the Seven Gods and Goddesses would im that they were omnipotent.

    But for Ron Samuel and this group of Cavaliers, a two-part Divination Ritual should be enough.

    The first part would be a Scene Scrying-Type of Divination Ritual, while the other would be a simple coin toss ritual to ascertain the facts through the use of a simple yes or no. Thetter ritual wasn''t thatplicated, but the Scene Scrying-Type Divination Ritual was somewhatplex.

    Nheless, Ron Samuel was confident.

    Having no information about Calvin whatsoever apart from his first name, it was impossible for Ron Samuel to divine what happened to him in the past few days using Spirit Numerology.

    He could use Astromancy, but he reckoned that it would be inurate since Astrolobe Divination required the calction of the states ofs and constetions which wasplicated even for Ron Samuel with decades of experience.

    The Orthodox Divination Path divined answers from the Seven Gods and Goddesses. But what if even the Seven Gods and Goddesses do not have the answer to your question?

    Well, then it was time to use an unorthodox divination ritual such as what Ron Samuel was about to attempt at this moment.

    He nned on using the blessing of Goddess Grace to capture a supernatural entity from the Spirit ne and then ask that entity to provide the scenes or answers that he needed to his question.

    Then, as a contingency n in the case that the supernatural entity lied to him. He would have James Branzu perform a Coin Tossing Divination Ritual.

    The n was set and it was about to get the show on the road.

    The Cavaliers revolved thetent Mana in their bodies in preparation if something went awry.

    Of course, they believed in Ron Samuel''s ability when it came to divination.

    However, it was just much better to be safe than sorry.

    Ron Samuel nced at James Branzu and thetter handed over a candle with a special fragrant wick towards him.

    He received it and then ced the candle behind the deep silver bowl. This candle represented Calvin, and it had his first name on it. Unless he lied about his name which was highly unlikely, this candle representation shouldn''t have any problems.

    Divining the future and glimpsing on the past of a person usually required the presence of that person. But since Calvin wasn''t here, then Ron Samuel had to use a substitute that was why he needed the candle. It represented Calvin since it had his name on it and his scent.

    As for his scent.

    Ashlynn walked over to Ron Samuel and handed over a handkerchief.

    Earlier, when she leaned over Calvin to ask him some questions about the Bestiary.

    She did it with a purpose. Her questions served as a distraction for Calvin so that he wouldn''t notice the fact that Ashlynn was actually rubbing the scent of his body onto a handkerchief damp with the essence of pure water dew.

    The pure water dew became infused with some of Calvin''s sweat and this should be enough to turn the candle into his spiritual representation.

    Ron Samuel took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

    The room that was filled with the floral fragrance of incense was suddenly subject to a formless whirlwind. Ron Samuel still had his eyes closed but the moment he felt that st of air out of nowhere, he opened his eyes once more and he had sessfully entered the state of Divination!

    His eyes that shone in a dark bluish hue suddenly turned into a bottomless abyss.

    He extended his palm andid it atop the candle behind the deep silver bowl.

    "Oh, Goddess of All-Epassing Light..."

    "The Magister of Light and the Commander of Compassion..."

    "You are the most benevolent!"

    As Ron Samuel silently chanted, the candle behind the deep silver bowl suddenly ignited with a pure-white fire. The candle that represented Calvin began to burn. The divination had officially begun and Ron Samuel had to act fast!

    Before anyone could even react, he reached his hand out to the Spiritualistic Ingredients neatlyid onto the table.

    He sprinkled the essential oils onto the pure water dew that filled the deep silver bowl until the oil formed a shinyyer above the water.

    Then, he took the quill that James Branzu prepared beforehand and used his Mana to draw some incantations and symbols to ward off intruders from the astral ne.

    As for the material ne, the Cavaliers were protecting him so it shouldn''t be a problem.

    With all of these done, he took a drop of his own blood and ced it on the pure-white fire of the candle.

    Spark!

    A spark spontaneouslybusted and the room became filled with a faint fog.

    The nerves of the other Cavaliers stretched tautly.

    The appearance of the spirit ne''s fog meant that Ron Samuel was about to open the gates of the spirit ne!

    Ron Samuel remained steadfast and calm.

    He then burned a few types of herbs onto the fire before he once again ced both of his palms in parallel to each other with only his fingertips touching. Next, he began chanting the corresponding incantation for the Scene Scrying-Type Divination Ritual.

    "As benevolent as the mothers that gave life upon thends, you are warmer than the stars."

    "I pray for your loving grace..."

    "I pray for you to show your benevolence andpassion to your devout believer."

    "Your devout believer beseeches you to open the gates of the Spirit ne..."

    "Ablihi!"

    Ron Samuel recited the final word of the incantation in Elder Tongue.

    As soon as the word came out, the still waters of the deep silver bowl suddenly became tumultuous.

    Then, in a blink of an eye, scenes shed on the waters of the deep silver bowl.

    If Calvin was here, then he would surely be shocked.

    It was because the scene depicted on the deep silver bowl was the scene of him killing those gangsters with a kick!

    Each and every Cavalier silently watched the scene unfolding in front of them.

    Calvin had a child in his embrace, yet his attacks were still swift and ruthless.

    A single strike was all he needed to kill every gangster before him, and in a blink of an eye...

    The scene had ended.

    The final image that everyone saw was the consoling smile on Calvin''s face as he turned to look at the injured woman sitting on the floor.

    The images disappeared like popped bubbles and the faint fog that surrounded the room had vanished.

    Yet, the heart of these Cavaliers was wildly beating.

    But before they could even say anything...

    Ron Samuel suddenly infused some of his Mana into a Joselian coin before silently muttering an incantation.

    Then, he hurled that coin into the air with a question.

    "Are the results of his actions depicted earlier detrimental to society?"

    Heads meant true, and tails meant false.

    It took them quite a while to reach this part, but in the end, their next course of action was to be decided with a coin toss.

    It sounded ridiculous, but none of them doubted it.

    The Coin Toss Divination Ritual had the highest uracy rate when ites to questions that could be answered with a yes or not.

    But of course, there was a caveat...

    And that was it was only urate if there were no external supernatural forces interrupting the ritual.

    However, when Ron Samuel hurled the coin up into the air, it never came back down.

    It became lodged deep into the ceiling of the Coffee Shop and the coin showed no heads nor tails.

    The result was inconclusive, so in other words...

    There was an external supernatural force in action, preventing them from correctly performing the ritual!

    Ron Samuel''s eyes dangerously narrowed.

 Chapter 130: Mystical Artifacts

    Chapter 130: Mystical Artifacts

    The result was inconclusive.

    The Coin Toss Divination Ritual was a type of Spiritualistic Divination that was quite urate and reliable. But at this moment, the result was unexpectedly inconclusive.

    "Captain..."

    Ashlynn spoke up.

    Ron Samuel nodded his head, his narrowed eyes disappeared as fast as it appeared as he said, "Receiving an inconclusive result in a Coin Toss Divination Ritual usually means?"

    He swept his gaze at the others.

    They stared at him in confusion, before Bruce absentmindedly answered, "Outside interference...?"

    "That''s right..." Ron Samuel smiled, "We''ve made sure with the Wise One that he''s not possessed anymore, but why is it that we''re still receiving outside interference when we''re trying to divine his fate?"

    He asked once more.

    This time, Ashlynn readily answered, "Is it because of Mystical Artifacts?"

    "Bingo..." Ron Samuel''s smile deepened, "Based on the very first book of the Cavaliers Path Manual, Chapter 3, Verse 16. Mystical Artifacts harboring Mana would almost always interfere with Divination..."

    "However, the caveat is that the Mana contained within the Mystical Artifact must match or overwhelm the Mana used by the seeker of truth for it to sessfully intervene on the Divination."

    "In other words, the Mystical Artifact Calvin has in his person must be something quite powerful... At least, it is something that I cannot possibly subdue..."

    "What...?" The Cavaliers nced at each other.

    James Branzu stared defiantly at Ron Samuel, "That''s impossible! If a Mystical Artifact like that really exists in his person, then why is he still..."

    "Alive? Is that what you want to say?" Ron Samuel interrupted him, "To be honest, I have no idea how he is still alive. But the fact that he''s still sane and not showing any signs of losing control or falling into depravity can only mean two things..."

    "One, he has no idea about the existence of that Mystical Artifact in his body, andstly... The Mystical Artifact in his body isn''t there to harm him. In short, the presence of that Mystical Artifact may be beneficial to him.

    "But Captain... If that''s the case, then why was the result inconclusive?"

    "It''s probably because that Mystical Artifact in his body is trying to protect him from any supernatural interference. He was already possessed once, so how could the Mystical Artifact let that happen to him again?"

    "I''m sure that since the artifact does not know where the enemy is and where he''sing from..."

    "It spread out a."

    "Instead of trying to selectively filter out suspicious interference, it decided to filter everything. If you are asking me if this is something good, then I am not too sure. All that I know is that this artifact isn''t out here to harm us all..."

    "The enemy of the artifact is the one who possessed Calvin... Is that what you are trying to say, Captain?" James Branzu said with a smile creeping up his lips.

    Ron Samuel nodded, "The enemy of our enemy is a friend. In short, we should stay our hand for now..."

    "Stay our hand? Captain, are you even sure that the artifact in his body won''te after us when it''s done dealing with the Red Cloud?" Bruce asked.

    "Bruce... You''re a newbie that does not have that much experience against the Red Cloud, but let me tell you this. I guarantee you that even if he finds the base of the Red Cloud in Ashmelion. He won''t be able to do anything against them. It''s not that easy to defeat the Red Cloud. If he wants to bring them down, then he needs our help."

    "How ironic... Last time, an unknown person left some vague clues for us which says that we need his help, but now... Calvin needs our help... How strange..." Ron Samuel mused.

    "Strange indeed, but I suggest that we also do our own investigation. I bet the Church wouldn''t like it if we just stay put here and continue ying card games or drink coffee..." James Branzu had always been an upright man who did his job properly.

    In all honesty, he had been feeling guilty that he had been spending at least a week without doing anything substantial for the Church, even though he was receiving his sry from their money.

    Now that there was an opportunity for him to do something for the church.

    How could he possibly miss this chance?

    James Branzu almost immediately proposed to work.

    Ashlynn raised an eyebrow, "Are you trying to snitch on us?"

    "What snitch? I was just saying that we should do some work since we''re receiving a sry from the church..."

    Ron Samuel narrowed his eyes and stared at James Branzu, "So you want to work that much?"

    "Captain, don''t be too unreasonable... What I said is right... We can''t just take our sries without doing any work for the church..." James Branzu could feel a sense of foreboding and he immediately cried out as if he was trying to protect himself from the uing apocalypse.

    "All right, say no more." Ron Samuelnguidly said, "If you want to feel like you deserve your twenty joselian pesos daily sry, then you do need to render some work..."

    "How about you go and clean the coffee machines behind the counter as well as the kitchen? The Center Borough has dozens of illustrious shops, yet little did these people know that the Center Borough is directly under Ashmelion''s biggesttrine..."

    "In short, I bet there are hundreds of rats roaming our kitchen now, so you go ahead and clean it!"

    "Captain..." James Branzu let out a heartbroken yelp.

    He wanted to p his lips for talking so much.

    Ashlynn took advantage of this opportunity to jest, "Senior Brother James. Now you know there''s a reason why donkeys do not talk..."

    James Branzu didn''t even talk anymore.

    He just shot her a venomous re before he let out a sigh and resigned to his fate. Sigh, cleaning wasn''t really that bad. So long as he could feel that he deserved his sry, then it was fine.

    He walked into the kitchen and started his rampage against the rats.

    Having relegated some work to James Branzu.

    Ron Samuel turned to look at Ashlynn and Bruce, "Both of you understand what you need to do, right?"

    Bruce and Ashlynn nced at each other before the two of them nodded their heads and simultaneously replied, "Yes, Captain!"

    It was already deep in the night when Calvin arrived at Msakit Inn. It took him quite a long time to return home for he was stuck in line while trying to buy vegetables and delicacies that were suitable for both Charlotte and Cecilia.

    The topography of Ashmelion made it so that vegetables were quite rare, apart from root vegetables such as potatoes, et cetera. But of course, just because it was rare didn''t mean that it was impossible to find. He just needed to fork out more money than usual.

    Calvin didn''t mind doing that.

    His sry was five joselian pesos a day.

    He was earning in a day what most people earned in a week.

    He had the right to do whatever he wanted with his money and he chose to use it in order to buy some nutritious ingredients for both his wife and daughter.

    Arriving at the Msakit Inn, he instantly shot up to the higher floors.

    "Daddy!"

    Cecilia greeted him when he entered the room.

    Calvin noticed the groceries on top of the table but didn''t find any sign of Charlotte.

    Was she asleep?

    He doubted it.

    It was about eight in the night and Charlotte knew that he would usuallye home this time of the night. In other words, she should be awake so she could cook the ingredients that Calvin brought with him to the wet market.

    A frown appeared on his face as he swooped Cecilia off the ground and asked the little girl with a smile.

    "Where''s your mother?"

    "Mommy? Mommy told me that she''ll go back to the old house to fetch something... She told me she''ll be back before youe back home, but mommy is still not here... Where is she, daddy? Is she not with you?" Cecilia replied with a confused look on her face.

    Calvin''s face tightened.

    Charlotte...

    She returned to the old house in the Northern Borough...

    Why did she do that?!

    Didn''t she know how dangerous the Northern Borough is for her when we''ve offended the Yellow River Gang?

    Fucking hell...

    Calvin inwardly cursed.

    He couldn''t help but criticize Charlotte for her actions.

    But as he did so, he suddenly remembered about the existence of a certain medallion that they seemed to have forgotten to take with them from the old house.

    The Medallion of a Crow Within the Sun!

    So she went to the Northern Borough to take it?

    Why didn''t she wait for me?

    Why did she have to go there alone?

    I don''t understand...

    Calvin gnashed his teeth, but he knew that there was no time to waste.

    Handing over a can of ice cream to Cecilia. He coaxed the little girl that he would go out for a while to fetch Charlotte from the old house. Surprisingly, she was obedient. But it could be because of the can of ice cream that she had already opened and was already eating with gusto.

    Calvin took one final nce at Cecilia before he went out of the inn.

    He could only wish and pray that nothing bad had happened to Charlotte at this moment, or else he wouldn''t know what to do!

    The night was rowdy at the Northern Borough for some reason.

    Dozens of people were gathered around holding signboards raised up into the air. Calvin paid them a nce and discovered that they seemed to be protesting against something.

    [Stop violent demolition!]

    [I''ve sacrificed my heart and soul for thend and its people - Jose Yang]

    [Relocation first! Second, demolition!]

    The words carved in expressive calligraphy made Calvin understand what was happening.

    Although he pitied these residents of the Northern Borough. There was nothing that he could do nor he could spend any time doing something for these people. He needed to save Charlotte first before anything else.

    Running past the protesters, Calvin continued on his journey to Hampaslupa Street. He ran and shoved anyone that dared to stand his way. Those that wanted to express theirint faltered upon seeing the hardened look on his face. He was unstoppable.

    If a general blocked his way, he would kill that general, if a devil blocked him, he would kill that devil! Even if a god stood in his way, Calvin would still kill him!

    Time was of the essence and must not be wasted.

    Calvin arrived at the small hut that was their previous house and discovered that it was a mess.

    The wooden bunk bed had been crushed into smithereens, the utensils and even the wooden stools, as well as the table, weren''t spared.

    A frown appeared on Calvin''s face and he knelt onto the ground, "Footsteps are fresh... must''ve left a few minutes to half an hour ago..."

    He mused before walking over to the destroyed bunk bed, "The destruction started here from the bed frame and the epicenter of the attack expands into a circr shape... A blunt weapon... A hammer?"

    He searched around the bunk bed for a while and then discovered that there was something beneath the bed. No, it wasn''t a thing it wasn''t an object. It was someone whom Calvin was familiar with. It was Grandma Elsa!

    "No..." Calvin squeezed a word out of his trembling throat. He dragged the person underneath the shattered bunk bed and confirmed that she was indeed Grandma Elsa! The kind olddy who helped Charlotte with raising up Charlotte in the past few years was now dead!

    Even in death, there was no sorrow on her face.

    Instead, there was this defiant look that disdained to give any answers.

    Calvin reckoned from the state of her body that even as she was being tortured by those that did all of these to her, she refused to give them what they needed.

    That was the only reason why her sufferingsted for so long. She didn''t give the perpetrators the answer they needed, she didn''t sell out Charlotte to those bastards.

    "Requiescat in pace..."

    Calvin stretched his hand out and closed the eyes of the kinddy.

    He then took a nket and covered her body with it before he deliberately left his contact info in an unassuming note mixed within the rubble and mess in the room. This way, the investigators wouldn''t find it strange that his contact info was present.

    He then stood up and walked out of the hut with a stoic expression on his face.

    A few minutes after his disappearance.

    Two figures appeared in front of the small hut. After they made sure that no one was looking at them, they entered the room and discovered that the room was in shambles.

    "What happened here? Did he cause all of these?" Bruce asked with a grim face.

    Ashlynn shook her head, "If he was the one that did all of these, then we would''ve known it..."

    "After all, we''re so close and with our Predator senses, it wouldn''t be that hard for us to notice if there was some struggle going on inside the house. I wonder just who did all of these? It''s obvious that the person in question has a heavy grudge against our newbie..."

    "I mean, they didn''t even bother to erase their presence. That''s a sign that they didn''t care if someone discovers whatever they are doing...."

    "Wait, does that mean..." Bruce suddenly had an enlightened look on his face.

    "That''s right..." Ashlynn let out a smile, "The people who''ve done all of these doesn''t care if the authorities discovered them. In Ashmelion, other than the judiciaries, who else can force thew to turn a blind eye to their actions through the use of bribes and their influence?"

    "The Quads!"

    "Yes, the Quads... If they''ve messed with someone unrted to us, then no one would definitely pay attention to the crime that theymitted. Unfortunately, they''ve touched one of us and they are out of luck for doing that..." Ashlynn shook her head and let out an assured smile.

    "Are we going to make a move? Can we even take down the Quads?"

    "Did you really think that it''s that easy to take down the Quads?"

    "It''s not that the Judiciaries does not want these parasites gone, but in order to crush them all, we need to know where they are! If we do not even know where they are, then talking about crushing them is useless..." Ashlynn patiently exined.

    Bruce may be a senior to Calvin, but he was still a newbie for Ashlynn.

    She didn''t blow off her top when he asked these questions. Instead, she exined and acted like a prim and proper senior. Bruce couldn''t help but feel weird. Was Ashlynn really this kind? Then, what about the annoying Ashlynn that I''ve known in the coffee shop?

    Was that nothing but a mere facade?

    Bruce felt a shiver down his spine and he couldn''t help but think that women were indeed scary.

    Simr to what was depicted in the books of the founder of the Joselian Kingdom. The Hard-to-Understand Heart of Women. Jose Yang was indeed right! Women do have four sides!

    In short, they have four facades!

    This prim and proper senior acting should be one of her facades...

    Then, what about the other two?

    Bruce surreptitiously nced at Ashlynn, but he didn''t say anything.

    The two of them inspected the room, careful not to touch anything so they won''t disturb the ce.

    "What is this?

    Hidden underneath the rubble was a rectangr object covered in nkets and clothes. Bruce walked forward and curiously opened the sheet only to get a shock of his life. Beneath the covers was a corpse! It was the cadaver of an old woman!

 Chapter 131: The Bar

    Chapter 131: The Bar

    The gangs of Ashmelion followed a very simple and crude way of life.

    For them, humans decided right and wrong not ording to legal standards but ording to their own subjective morality.

    As long as you were strong enough, anything you did was an act of thew.

    To most gang members of the Quads, the criteria for whether they should deal with a person wasn''t whether or not they had the right to do so but whether or not they felt like that person deserved to die.

    That judgment of being deserving of death was naturally defined by themselves based on publicly epted ceremonial etiquette among the gangs of Ashmelion.

    This was a universally epted fact in the entire city and even if you didn''t want to ept it. What could you do? An ordinary citizen wouldn''t dare to change the status quo but it didn''t mean that they weren''t unresigned.

    Of course, they had their grievances.

    These gangs were just too domineering.

    But since they were powerless to do anything about it, so why not just embrace it?

    Thus, the gangs became an important part of Ashmelion''s social ecosystem.

    But that didn''t mean that they weren''t scums that the Joselian Kingdom absolutely abhorred. If given the chance, the Kingdom would definitely crush these gangs beneath the soles of their shoes.

    Calvin seemed to be in a daze as he stumbled about in the streets of the Northern Borough. His movements were erratic and his knees seemed to be made out of jelly as they wobbled to and fro.

    Bruce and Ashlynn furrowed their eyebrows, was he drunk?

    "He''s feigning drunkness... Interesting... I wonder why he is doing that?"

    Bruce instantly saw through Calvin''s act.

    Ashlynn heard what Bruce had said and a smirk appeared on her face, "What''s the fastest way to blend yourself in the crowd of people belonging to the Northern Borough?"

    "What''s with the sudden question?" Bruce frowned.

    "Don''t be a buzzkill, just answer me."

    "Well, I guess... To wear those ck coats and act like a shady individual?"

    Bruce stared at Ashlynn in doubt.

    Ashlynn shook her head, "Nope... It''s to act like a drunkard!"

    "Act like a drunkard?"

    Bruce thought for a moment before enlightenment finally dawned upon him, "I see what you did there..."

    "Clean water is generally scarce in Ashmelion. So that they won''t catch any disease..."

    "These people from the Northern Borough decided to drink alcohol instead... That way, any impurities from the water would be purged by the alcohol. But this also meant that they would seem eternally drunk..."

    "Their gaits are unnatural and simr to what Calvin is doing right now..." Bruce repeatedly nodded his head, but he suddenly let out a sigh, "Does this mean that even kids are treating alcohol as their water and are slowly bing the next generation drunkards?"

    Ashlynn bitterly smiled, "There''s nothing that we can really do about that... Well, anyway. Let''s go ahead and follow that guy before we lose him. I''m quite interested as to what is his next course of action."

    "All right." Bruce nodded and the two of them continued to follow Calvin from behind. The only difference was that Ashlynn shamelessly stuck her body close to Bruce and acted like a strumpet.

    Bruce furiously blushed.

    He was a young man on his prime, yet he still hadn''t tasted a woman.

    The matured womanly fragrance of Ashlynn assaulted his nose making him feel dizzy.

    But remembering the fact that one of them might be in trouble made him understand that this wasn''t the time to act like an innocent boy. He steeled his resolve and gulped a mouthful of saliva before he got into the act.

    The Northern Borough was a rough part of Ashmelion indeed.

    Ashlynn had to act like a strumpet if she didn''t want to be harassed due to her beauty.

    Even though most men still turned their necks towards him, there existed a certain concept among the men appropriately named as the "Brotherly code".

    Ashlynn had a vague idea regarding this concept, so she took advantage of it and it became the reason why their journey on following Calvin was rtively smooth sailing.

    They discovered that Calvin had entered a bar.

    Ashlynn and Bruce nced at each other.

    The former was supposed to be a strumpet, so the two of them couldn''t possibly enter a bar when they were already acting as drunkards. If they do, they might be kicked out of the bar.

    However, this realization also puzzled the two.

    Calvin was simrly acting like a drunkard as them, yet he managed to enter the bar without any problems. But when Ashlynn and Bruce tried to enter the bar, they have been barred entry with the guards stating that they should be going to an inn and have fun there instead of going to another bar with how drunk they look.

    Unable to follow Calvin inside the bar...

    The two decided to remain outside and wait for him to go out.

    The inside of the bar was something that one would expect from a bar in the 1400s century Earth. It was rowdy, smelly and people were generally rough. The looks of the women were garbage, though their bodies were gorgeous, except that one couldn''t rate them first-rate.

    Calvin approached the bar and sat there.

    He sat there for a very long time.

    He didn''t order anything.

    Eventually, a strumpet approached him from behind and tried to seduce him into giving her some money but Calvin remained unresponsive.

    The bartender who had been observing Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He had no recollection whatsoever about Calvin but from the look on Calvin''s face.

    He seemed to be looking for someone.

    He approached Calvin and said, "We don''t die, we multiply."

    "Huh?" Calvin stared at the bartender in confusion.

    Once the bartender saw that Calvin was indeed genuinely confused. He said, "It seems that you''re not a gang member... In that case, then this wouldn''t be soplicated. Who are you looking for?"

    Calvin smiled, "I''m looking for a frequent customer of this ce. The guy charges five joselian pesos a week for rentals, but instead of saving those coins, he uses them to flirt with these women and drink in this ce. Just leave me alone, I think he''ll be here soon."

    The bartender scrunched his eyebrows, "I seem to have an idea as to who are you looking for. May I ask, are you someone whose name starts with the letter C?"

    Calvin was pleasantly surprised, "Do you know who I am?"

    "Just answer me." The bartender said, "I''ll tell you everything if you''re indeed that man whose name starts with C."

    "I am!" Calvin almost immediately replied, "Full name, Calvin."

    "Calvin..." The bartender fell into deep contemtion, "Ah! You''re indeed that man that he''s looking for in the past few days. All right,e with me. I''ll bring you to him."

    The bartender brought Calvin into the second floor of the bar.

    When Calvin and the bartender walked into the staircase, some drunkards who had been ying with the trumpets nced at Calvin with cold looks on their faces. But that look on their face disappeared at the very next moment, it was as if it didn''t even appear in the first ce.

    Calvin was brought into a room.

    The bartender was about to knock onto the wooden door when feminine moans along with rough breathing suddenly rang from behind the door.

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at the bartender and thetter noticed what Calvin was trying to imply. Calvin was saying with his eyes that it was better for him to leave this to him.

    After all, he was just a bartender doing his job.

    He didn''t need to be involved in things that were detrimental to him.

    The bartender nodded gratefully at Calvin before he returned to the first floor.

    Calvin was now alone on the second floor of the bar and he directly kicked open the door in front of him.

    "Ah!"

    "What the fuck?!"

    Inside, the intertwined figures of a man and a woman were revealed. The strumpet subconsciously covered her body out of shame while the man who couldn''t help but curse out of surprise revealed a look of shock on his face.

    Calvin didn''t say anything.

    Viktor, thendlord, and the man who had been enjoying himself with thepany of a woman looked frustrated. He had reached the peak and was about to climax, but someone just had to interrupt. Nheless, he didn''t dare to express his frustrations in front of this death god.

    He nced at the woman and she stood up before leaving the room without saying anything.

    She closed the door on her way out and Calvin was left alone with Viktor in the room.

    "I didn''t expect that someone wanted by the Yellow River Gang would still be able to have fun with women. Are you not concerned about your life at all? Have you already forgotten our deal? Did you forget that you still need the antidote from me by next month?" Calvin coldly said.

    "Yes... I know... I haven''t forgotten about it, sir... But you know that I''m also a man, sir... I''ve been so stressedtely and I need an outlet to release it. I can do that at the least, right?" Viktor revealed a wronged look on his face.

    "Do I look like I care if you are stressed? I''ve given you one job! One job! I wanted you to spy on the movements of the Yellow River Gang, yet you failed to report to me that they have taken my wife away! You''repletely and utterly useless!" Calvin dered.

    "What?! They''ve taken your wife?!" Viktor almost shot up from his seat. His eyes almost bulged out of his sockets as he kneeled onto the ground and said, "Please forgive me, kind sir! They must''ve done the deed when I am sleeping in the inn! I promise you that this won''t happen again..."

    "I will buy the service of mercenaries so we can rescue your wife right now!"

    Calvin didn''t have much time to quarrel with Viktor, "All right, just hope that those bastards haven''t done anything to my wife, or else... I will definitely skin you alive!" He directly threatened the man and Viktor tightly closed his eyes out of fear.

    "Stand up! We will go to the base of the Yellow River Gang!"

    "Sir... Are we going there, just the two of us?" A strange look appeared on Viktor''s face.

    "Yes! Do you really think that those bastards are blind enough to not notice the movement of a dozen burly men creeping up to their base?" Calvin rolled his eyes at him.

    The Yellow River Gang definitely had a vast informationwork spread throughout the city of Ashmelion.

    If they wanted to pay a visit to the base of the Yellow River Gang, then they needed to be incognito.

    Needless to say, they couldn''t bring any mercenaries with them.

    "All right... I''ll be right by your side, sir!" Viktor stood up and prepared his weapons.

    Not even a minute had passed since then and the two of them were finally out of the inn.

    Ashlynn and Bruce who had been acting as if they were a passionate couple in the nearby dark alleyway instantly noticed that a few seconds after Calvin walked out of the inn with another man...

    Several drunkards followed them from behind.

    These drunkards were clearly practiced in the art of tracking.

    Their acting was seamless and impossible to see through for an ordinary man.

    If not for the fact that their route was incredibly simr to the route that Calvin was taking, it would be impossible for anyone to notice that they were following Calvin.

    "Thieves?"

    "Most likely... But those movements clearly aren''t movements of thieves... In other words, they must have something different in mind for Calvin." Ashlynn refuted Bruce''s conjecture.

    "A kidnapping?" Bruce absentmindedly mumbled.

    Ashlynn rolled her eyes at him and said, "Kidnappers often run a background check on their potential victims. Calvin is piss poor and lived in the Northern Borough with his wife. How could he be valuable enough to kidnap in exchange for ransom?"

    "Ah..."

    Bruce awkwardly scratched his head out of embarrassment. To be honest, he wasn''t this muddleheaded. But after Ashlynn dragged him to a dark alleyway with her hands touching all over his body as the two of them acted like passionate couples...

    Bruce was still in the reverie of that moment.

    But one couldn''t really me a virgin for fantasizing.

    Ashlynn stared at Bruce in amusement.

    "Did you perhaps thought that I would pop your cherry back in that dark alleyway?"

    Bruce instantly stopped on his tracks, "S-Senior... Teasing me like this is foul..." He turned his gaze away and didn''t dare to stare right into Ashlynn''s eyes.

    "What? You thought that I would do something like that in a shithole like this?" Ashlynn lightly chuckled. But in the very next moment, she said in a coquettish voice, "Maybe once we''re back at the Central Borough."

    "Cough... Really?"

    Bruce almost keeled over from shock, but then he turned to look at Ashlynn and asked, "Are you serious?"

    "Pffft!" Ashlynn boisterouslyughed, "Of course, I wasn''t serious! What? Did you really want me to do it with you? If you were my type, I would''ve agreed but you''re just a cherry boy! I don''t really like inexperienced men. They suck at it and it just hurts doing it with them..."

    Bruce rubbed his nose and didn''t dare to respond to Ashlynn''s words.

    Soon, the two of them arrived near a warehouse.

    Calvin went inside that warehouse along with that man whom he walked out with from the inn.

    "Does he swing that way?" Ashlynn casually remarked.

    Bruce almost coughed a mouthful of blood, "Senior... Please take this, seriously!"

    "I am taking this seriously..." Ashlynn coldly snorted before she crouched beside Bruce.

    "What do we do now, Senior? Those drunkards are still here."

    "Yeah, I can see them. They aren''t even acting like drunkards anymore. This is dangerous..."

    "What?" Bruce asked in doubt.

    "They are obviously hostile to Calvin and once a fight happens, Calvin would be surrounded and that would be the end of him."

    "Y-You''re right..." Bruce nodded his head. A grim look appeared on his face as he said, "What should we do, Senior?"

    "Do we go ahead and assist him right now?"

    "Nope... We''ve got to wait until the fight breaks out."

    "Why do we need to wait?"

    "Silly boy, of course, we need to wait since we need a reason to beat them up!"

    "If they attacked Calvin first, then we can beat them all up and then say that it''s self-defense! Sigh... You really need to know how to scheme, young man." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and shook her head in disappointment.

    She even let out a sigh that rendered Bruce speechless.

    Who was it that was continuously distracting him from doing his job?

    "A-All right, we wait... But are we not going to inform Captain that Calvin is in trouble?"

    Bruce asked Ashlynn."

    "Hmmm..." Ashlynn thought for a moment, "What ssification is your ss under?"

    Bruce didn''t reply.

    A brown glow appeared in his eyes and it served as his reply.

    "A tank-type, eh... Do you have your Aspect, already?"

    "Yeah, I do..." Bruce took a knuckle duster out of his chest pocket and presented it to her.

    "All right, since you already have an Aspect, then it shouldn''t a problem for us to deal with these gangsters."

    Bruce stared speechlessly at her.

    "What? Are you dissatisfied?"

    "Let me tell you this, I may be the only woman in our group but I am more powerful than you think"

    "No, I''m not thinking about that, Senior..."

    "What?" Ashlynn raised an eyebrow.

    "I''m thinking about who will protect you and receive injuries in your stead."

    "Oh, that...?" Ashlynn had a strange look on her face.

    "Well, since you''re the tank, then good luck and be a good meatshield. I guess?"

    "You..."

 Chapter 132: Yellow River Gang

    Chapter 132: Yellow River Gang

    In a detached house somewhere in the southern-tip part of the Southern Borough.

    Two figures could be seen seated on a couch in front of a table.

    There was wine on top of the table and the firece nicely warmed up the room to the right temperature.

    These gentlemen d in suits suitable for their assumed status stared at each other before one of them said.

    "Boss... We''ve discovered some clues from that ongoing investigation. The people who killed Talion, Jeff, and our brothers seemed to havee from the Murky Water Gang." The gentleman who sat on the left-hand side of the room had a respectful look on his face.

    "On what basis did you make such a deduction?" The middle-aged man sitting in front of him replied. The middle-aged man''s skin tone revealed that he was a native Ashmelion citizen.

    However, his posture was unnaturally exceptional for his age. If not for the fact that his sideburns were graying, one would think that he was a man in his mid-twenties.

    "The Murky Water Gang often disposes of the bodies from members of the other gangs into the Revoir River. I also found pieces of fabric belonging to the Murky Water Gang. They must''ve killed one of us to serve as a warning regarding that encounter that we had with them recently at the Western Borough..."

    "Hmmm... The Murky Water Gang is indeed bing quite bold. Have they forgotten that they are the weakest? It seems like the time for us to remind them of their ce is nigh. What are the chances of them being used as a borrowed knife?"

    The middle-aged man posed a question to the other.

    The gentleman seemed to have been astounded by the question for he didn''t manage to answer.

    "I see..." The middle-aged man took the gentleman''s silence as an answer that he didn''t all of the truth behind the incident, "How many times I have told you to not act so fast without investigating things properly?"

    "What if all of these was just a ploy from the other gangs to use us against the Murky Water Gang?"

    "If we end up bing their borrowed knife against the unruly Murky Water Gang, then it would be a disaster!"

    "I-I''m sorry, boss... I''ve made a mistake. This will not happen again."

    The gentleman directly kneeled onto the ground and apologized.

    "It''s all right, it''s all right... I just want you to understand the chess game that''s happening between the Quads for so long since our very first establishment. If you do not want to be a pawn, then you need to be steadfast and have a certain presence of mind."

    "For now, forget about those bodies... I want you to capture that Viktor or any witness to the crime. We''ve got to question them so we can see if we are indeed being used as a borrowed knife, or if all of these were done by the Murky Water Gang."

    The middle-aged man smiled, "Do not forget that there are outside participants in this chess game..."

    "The three Judiciaries from the Church of the Orthodox Gods exist, and those bastards might''ve killed our men to bait us out into attacking the Murky Water Gang. Thus, gaining the upper hand and advantage in this chess game."

    "Remember..."

    "You cannot let your guard down, do you understand?"

    "Yes, boss!" The gentleman fiercely replied.

    Even now he was still in shock. Hearing so many words from his boss made him understand a lot regarding the status quo of the quads. In short, every member of the Quads wanted nothing but to monopolize the entire city of Ashmelion to themselves.

    But the only reason why they weren''t making a move was that they were afraid of being used as a borrowed knife.

    A borrowed knife could easily be abandoned and reced with a knife that had a proper owner.

    If the Yellow River Gang really did fight against the Murky Water Gang, even if it didn''t end up in mutual destruction. The winner would still be grievously injured that the other gangs would be able to take advantage of that opportunity to annex them, or maybe even sell them out to the church.

    The gentleman clenched his fists.

    He stood up and didn''t dally in the ce any longer.

    The boss of the Yellow River Gang had already retired and he was the prime candidate to be the next boss. But until he had proven his capability to his brothers and to his boss. It would be impossible for him to officially be the next boss of the Yellow River Gang.

    He must take this issue seriously and dig deep until he reached the bottom of it.

    Until then, he must not rest.

    A carriage taxi brought him back to the Northern Borough wherein he received the news that his brothers captured a woman who had rented the house where his deceased brothers werest found.

    Upon his arrival at the warehouse near the docks of the Center Borough, the gentleman entered the warehouse and soon discovered the woman in question.

    "Wake her up." The gentleman coldly said.

    One of his underlings fetched a pail of water and he doused it all over the woman''s face.

    "Ah!"

    The woman eximed upon being rudely awakened.

    But her pupils immediately constricted in fear when she realized where she was.

    "W-Who are you? Where am I? What is this?!" The woman started struggling. But it was futile, the ropes that shackled her were ropes that usually kept ships in ce. They were incredibly hard to break, and not even a sword can slice them even after a dozen strikes.

    "Calm down, calm down..." The gentleman took a bowl of porridge and said, "You must be hungry, right? I heard from my men that they took you away in the middle of the night. You must''ve not eaten anything. Come, open your mouth. I''ll feed you."

    The gentleman was so kind that the woman found it strange.

    She wanted to curse at him, but since one couldn''t possibly p a smiling face.

    She didn''t know what to do.

    "Oh, not eating? Then, how about some water? Your lips look awfully chapped, for a woman as gorgeous as you, you should take care of yourself." The gentleman sweetly smiled and brought over a container filled with water up to the woman''s lips.

    But she seemed to be in fear of drinking the water as she closed her lips tight and shook her head around.

    Her concerns were valid though, since what if the water was filled with poison? That would be the end of her. This was why the woman was so determined not to intake anything that they offered to her, no matter how delicious looking the food was, and no matter how thirsty she was for water.

    "You''re such a stubborn woman, eh? You don''t want to drink any water?" The gentleman raised his eyebrow, "Then, don''t drink anything, you bitch!" He suddenly raised his voice and hurled the water container right at the woman''s face.

    The container made out of y shattered from the force and the woman let out a pained shriek.

    Her face bled as the container shattered on her face.

    "You''re screaming... Yeah, you''re screaming! You should''ve taken the path to heaven while it is still avable. Now, since you''re obviously so defiant, then I will wee you to the path of hell..."

    "I''ll cut to the chase now and if you do not want to be that woman whom you tried so hard to protect earlier ording to my men, then you''ve got to answer properly!"

    The gentleman mentioned the old woman whom the woman tried to protect earlier in the scuffle back at that small hut.

    They had killed the old woman, right in the eyes of this woman, so the moment his words came out.

    Fear appeared on the woman''s face.

    She didn''t want to die.

    She was about to turn her life around with the appearance of that man in her life, yet she''s going to die?

    What''s more in a ce like this?

    And with her daughter being so young?

    No!

    She cannot die!

    She regretted visiting the small hut to fetch that keepsake that her husband left for her.

    If she just didn''t go out sote in the night to fetch that thing, then she wouldn''t be in this situation! To be honest, Charlotte knew the dangers of the Northern Borough and she wasn''t so muddleheaded as to actually go to visit the Northern Borough in the night.

    However, when she heard some news regarding the road-widening project and the demolition.

    She steeled her resolve and decided to visit the small hut where she lived in the past few years in order to fetch that medallion. But little did she knew that the gangsters of the Yellow River Gang had coincidentally discovered her entry to the small hut.

    With their interest piqued and having discovered from the locals that she had been renting the ce before the incident happened, the members of the Yellow River Gang decided to kidnap her.

    Charlotte managed to quickly hide the medallion inside one of the inner pockets of her dress as she was being carried away to the warehouse near the docks.

    "Wh-What is it... I will answer... Ask me..." Charlotte became despondent. She was a woman that knew a thing or two, so it wasn''t a problem for her to understand what these people wanted from her. She gnashed her teeth until it bled, and the gentleman in front of her lightly chuckled.

    "So obedient... That is what I like... All right, since you''re being so obedient, then I will release you once you''ve answered my question." The gentleman smiled.

    "Really?" Charlotte''s eyes gleamed with excitement.

    "Of course! I''m a man of my words. My men here can vouch for me in that regard."

    The gentleman turned to look at the others and they revealed smiles on their faces, "Yes, madame... Contrary to what everyone thinks of us, we are people that keep our words. Our boss here is a saint when ites to keeping promises. You can rest assured..."

    "However, if you dare to lie to our boss, then the consequences aren''t so pretty. Have you not noticed that you virtually have no injuries on your body even though it''s been a few hours since we kidnapped you? Well, that''s my boss''s show of benevolence. His kindness will continue so long as you obediently answer his questions without lying..."

    "I hope you know what path to choose, madame..."

    The gang member who spoke up was quite eloquent. The clothes on his body were also higher in quality whenpared to the clothes of the other gang members. In short, this man must be a member of the gang, but his trade was being a merchant instead of being a rogue.

    "Did you hear him? Well, what do you think? Are you ready to answer now?"

    The gentleman smiled at Charlotte.

    Charlotte firmly nodded her head.

    "Nice... So decisive... All right, let''s get this show on the road..."

    The gentleman took a wooden stall and then sat on it in front of Charlotte, "One of my informants said that thendlord of your ce hired my men in order to rob you of money but in the end. All of my men died, but Viktor managed to escape as well as you and your daughter..."

    "I wonder, do you have any idea who killed my men?"

    The gentleman''s eyes narrowed with mirth, but Charlotte felt as if he was staring right into the eyes of the devil.

    "No... I have no idea... I have no idea who killed them!" Of course, Charlotte knew who killed those gangsters from the Yellow River Gang.

    It was Calvin!

    But could she really have the heart to sell out Calvin? Charlotte''s financial and social standing may be piss poor but she was educated enough to know that one couldn''t betray arade.

    "Oh, you have no idea who killed them? Are you sure you''re not lying to me? Back then, my informant said that you were in the room with your family when the scuffle happened. Are you going to keep lying to me?"

    "My patience is thin, I hope you can understand that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity..."

    "Anger me..."

    "And you''re dead..." The gentleman coldly spat.

    "Boss, why are we even trying to talk to that bitch? Just torture the answer out of here and everything would be a lot easier!" One of the gangsters spoke up with a frown on his face.

    The gentleman turned around and took a weapon made out of steel from his chest pocket.

    He pointed it at the gang member who spoke up and then pulled the trigger.

    Bang!

    A resounding p rang out and the presumptuous gang member stared wide-eyed at his boss who decisively ended his life. If he knew that he could die if he spoke up, then even if he was given the guts of a tiger, he wouldn''t dare to speak up!

    A dull thud soon followed and the gentleman casually blew onto the smoke that came out of the barrel of his weapon.

    "Wow... This thing sure is powerful... A single strike can kill a man so easily. I wonder why the military isn''t taking advantage of a weapon like this." The gentleman lightly chuckled.

    The other gang members who had observed everything that had just happened shivered in fear as they stared at the chunk of metal in the gentleman''s hands.

    Never in their wildest imaginations did they think that a chunk of metal could end the life of a person so easily like that.

    They simultaneously gulped a mouthful of saliva and none of them dared to be so presumptuous anymore as to actually question the actions of the boss.

    Tears welled up in Charlotte''s eyes.

    She was terrified, and anxious.

    If that weapon was used on her, then there was no way that she could be saved.

    The gang member that received an attack from the strange weapon had his head split open like a watermelon.

    Charlotte gnashed her teeth.

    The gentleman noticed that Charlotte was sufficiently terrified and he smiled, "Now, are you willing to answer my question? Who was the person who killed my men? Don''t even try to say that you do not know again."

    "My patience is about to run out and my hand is trembling..."

    "I might use this thing to you and not even a god can save you from death..."

    Charlotte clenched her fists until her nails dug deep into her palms.

    She slowly nodded her head and said, "T-The one who killed your men... I-It''s the... It''s thendlord!"

    Bang!

    "You''re lying to me again..."

    The gentleman had pulled the trigger and the bullet struck the ground beside Charlotte''s head.

    Charlotte''s pupils constricted, but she insisted, "No... I wasn''t... I wasn''t lying... I am telling you the truth!"

    "Heh... What a joke..."

    "Thendlord?"

    "That man is already one of us and he has already confessed that the man who killed my men is your husband..."

    "Hahaha... I was just testing you all this while, I never expected you to be such a loyal woman."

    "But it''s a pity..."

    "Since your husband killed my men, then I would have to sacrifice your blood to cate them in their graves!"

    The gentleman raised his weapon and pointed the barrel at Charlotte.

 Chapter 133: Why Do You Have That?!

    Chapter 133: Why Do You Have That?!

    "Y-You... You''re a demon!"

    "Why, thank you...?"

    "Stop!"

    A thunderous voice rang out from behind.

    Charlotte abruptly turned her head to the source of the voice and found Calvin standing there with a solemn look on his face.

    "Wha... What are you doing here?! They are going to kill you!"

    "Then, am I supposed to just let you be killed by these bastards and let Cecilia live without her mother?"

    Charlotte gnashed her teeth out of frustration.

    "You must be the husband. How bold of you toe here by yourself." The gentleman let out a slight smile.

    Calvin fearlessly stared at the man and asked, "Are you the leader of the Yellow River Gang?"

    "Oh?" The gentleman looked to be astonished, "You even know our name. Interesting, you must be capable since you came here alone so confidently."

    "What a joke... Your gang''s basically all over the Northern Borough and you expect me not to know your gang?"

    Calvin scoffed in derision.

    The gentleman approached Calvin and stood in front of him.

    The steel weapon in his hand looked familiar to Calvin, but he couldn''t remember what it was for some reason. All that he knew was that there was something deep inside of him that was telling him that this weapon was dangerous and must never be underestimated.

    The gentleman raised the steel weapon and pushed the still hot barrel of the weapon onto Calvin''s chin, "We may be popr, but we sure as hell ain''t stupid as to reveal our base to an average joe out there. Now, tell me. Just how did you know the location of our base?"

    Calvin coldly stared at the gentleman but he didn''t say anything.

    Charlotte grew anxious, "Calvin! Run! Escape without me! You can still run! I know that you can do it!"

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at Charlotte and he instantly became angry when he saw her bloodied face. He slightly shook his head and gestured to her that he was never escaping this ce alone. It was them or these bastards.

    "Are you saying that he can escape?" The gentleman lightly chuckled after staring at Calvin from top to bottom, "If a cripple like him can escape from our hands so easily after being surrounded by us, then we might as well drown ourselves in the Revoir River!"

    "Hahaha! Damn straight!"

    The gentleman roared in defiance and the other man boisterouslyughed. Indeed, every member of the Yellow River Gang was ruthless individuals and if given the order, they believed that they were capable of doing anything. What''s more, Calvin was nothing but a cripple and he was also alone without anyone beside him.

    To be honest, the gentleman or the leader of the Yellow River Gang could''ve ended his life earlier but he was so amused by the fact that Calvin came here by himself and basically sent himself to be killed that he decided to humor Calvin for a moment.

    For him, Calvin was an iparably stupid man, but nevertheless, amusing.

    "No! Calvin, please! Go! Run! You must live! You''re the only one that can tell my daughter that I love her!"

    Charlotte was now crying.

    The gangsters around her smirked and one of them even whispered, "Oh, she has a daughter? I wonder how old is she?" A ruthless light shed across his face and it didn''t go unnoticed from Calvin''s eyes. Calvin saw the gangster''s face on his peripheral vision and he made a mental note.

    Shaking his head, he replied to Charlotte, "I cannot escape. This guy''s already made up his mind ten minutes ago."

    His expression was so calm and his tone of voice was songuid that Charlotte couldn''t believe what she was hearing.

    "Then, why did you evene here?!"

    "Of course, I''m nning on saving you." Calvin almost immediately replied.

    But his casual reply silenced everyone in the area before they all erupted into boisterousughter.

    "Hahaha!"

    "Holy shit, I like this lunatic!"

    "Just what did he say? He said that he''s going to save her, right under our noses? Hahaha!"

    The gentleman smirked and moved to pat Calvin''s shoulders, "All right, all right... You came to save her, right? Then, you are a man of my hour. Tell me just how exactly you are nning on saving her under our watch with just you alone? Come on, tell me. I really want to know."

    The gentleman acted as if he was Calvin''s best friend.

    The steel weapon in his hand hang beside Calvin''s crippled arm but in the very next moment. Calvin made his move.

    He captured the gentleman''s wrist, twisted it, and snatched the steel weapon from the gentleman''s hand before pulling the trigger.

    Bang!

    A thunderous explosion rang out.

    The bullet from the steel weapon pierced a hole through the gentleman''s forehead and his face was now forever frozen in disbelief. He couldn''t believe what just happened. One moment he was smirking, but the next moment his face became frozen in confusion and astonishment.

    Everything happened so fast that by the time that other gangsters reacted and rushed Calvin with knives and wooden bats, he had unloaded everything from the magazine of the steel weapon onto the foreheads of the gangsters. Of course, he soon ran out of bullets, and soon he was overwhelmed by the sheer number of gangsters rushing up to him.

    "How dare... How dare this bastard..."

    "How dare this bastard kill the leader!"

    "Kill him!"

    The gangsters'' eyes went bloodshot as they collectively let out a shout.

    But before they could finish the injured Calvin, the doors of the warehouse opened and Ashlynn along with Bruce stormed in.

    Their eyes glowing with distinctive lights as they unleashed their wrath over the gangsters.

    The gangsters almost immediately scrambled for their lives. Bruce swept his gaze across the area and discovered that the ce was littered with drug paraphernalia and instruments for the creation of illegal addictive drugs forbidden by the three Judiciaries belonging to the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods.

    A hardened look appeared on Bruce''s face.

    He had decided to veto out the death sentence for each and every gangster in the warehouse.

    "None shall leave..."

    "Copse!"

    Bruce mmed his knuckle dusters downwards and the ground where the gangsters were standing almost immediately caved in and copsed. After their screams, silence ensued and the chaos was suppressed. Ashlynn turned to look at Bruce with a bitter smile and said, "You didn''t even give me a chance to warm up..."

    "Ah..."

    Bruce shot up from his feet and turned to look at Ashlynn, "Uh... Sorry, I didn''t expect them to be this weak."

    "Oh yeah, I forgot that this is your first time fighting against these gangsters. Yep, they really are weak."

    "Then, why are the Judiciaries so wary of them? Why not just send a punitive group to crush these bastards into smithereens?"

    "It''s not that easy..." Ashlynn shook her head, "The waters of Ashmelion is incredibly murky, dear Bruce. Even the Judiciaries wouldn''t dare to tread so casually. These people are weak for they are cannon fodders, but the roots of this giant tree known as the Quads are something that we cannot afford to underestimate."

    "Really?" Bruce found it hard to believe that.

    "What else would be the reason why the Judiciaries and the Church are so wary of them?"

    Bruce didn''t know what to say.

    Ashlynn shook her head and decided to ce the matter in the back burner of her mind. She turned to look at Calvin and the woman whom he was assisting and said to Bruce, "Can you shut these holes on the floor? You can''t expect me to just jump over these holes, right?"

    "Uh... Yeah." Bruce nodded his head.

    With a will, the floor seemed to have gained sentience as it repaired itself.

    The bodies of the gangsters were nowhere to be found, that of course, included the body of the leader of these gangsters.

    "Are you okay there, young man? Is that your wife?" Ashlynn approached Calvin along with Bruce.

    "You guys... How did you know that I was here?" Calvin asked in shock. He then hurriedly hid the steel weapon that he was holding in his hand behind his back.

    "You know that it''s already toote to hide that thing, right? We saw what you did. You looked really cool."

    Ashlynn coylymented.

    Calvin let out a few dry coughs and he didn''t know what to say.

    He nced at Bruce and stared at him for a moment. No words were exchanged but it was obvious from the look on Calvin''s eyes that he greatly appreciated their assistance.

    "Take your wife away, we will have to seal this ce up since this is a scene of the crime." Ashlynn seriously said.

    Calvin nodded without saying anything.

    "Ah, leave that steel weapon with you." She added.

    "Oh..." Calvin paused and then dropped the steel weapon onto the ground.

    Bruce stared at the weapon with interest and then picked it up, "Now that I think about it, Calvin. Why would your wife be the target of these gangsters? Is it because of money?"

    Ashlynn almost keeled over from what she heard. Wasn''t the reason why she ordered Calvin to send his wife away was for them to discuss all of these privately? Yet, what was this Bruce asking this question in the presence of a third-party?

    Damn it, he was really a newbie.

    Knowing that it was already toote to take back his words, Ashlynn turned around and faced Calvin with interest.

    "Calvin, you should know too well how dangerous the Northern Borough. Why did you go back there? Didn''t you tell me a few days ago that there''s a robbery incident that happened in your house in the Nothern Borough and that is the reason why you had to rent an inn in the Southern Borough?"

    "But what is this? Is there really a need for you to return to the Nothern Borough and court trouble? If not for us secretly tailing you, then you would''ve died at this ce!" Ashlynn eximed.

    "What?"

    "You were tailing me?"

    Calvin asked in apparent shock.

    Ashlynn, having realized her Freudian slip immediately covered her mouth. But seeing the look on Calvin''s face, she eventually nodded her head and said while turning her gaze to the side, "We are fellow co-workers at the coffee shop, I was just concerned about, no! We were concerned about your well-being. Yes, that''s right..."

    "We were concerned about you after you told us about that alleged robbery."

    Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    He felt a sour sensation rising up to his chest.

    But at the same time, he felt guilty.

    To be honest, the only reason why Calvin was confident abouting here alone was that he knew that Bruce and Ashlynn were following him. In other words, Calvin used the two as his insurance. If not for the fact that they were tailing him, Calvin wouldn''t dare toe here alone.

    He would''ve enlisted the help of mercenaries and plot a safe route for them to approach the warehouse by pretending as seafarers and seamen. After all, the warehouse was just a few hundred meters away from the Revoir River. What''s more, this was Ashmelion they were talking about.

    A few dockers and seafarers roaming the streets weren''t umon.

    Charlotte who was silent all this while finally spoke up, "I''m sorry..."

    All eyes turned to look at her as she stepped forward and said, "It''s my fault..."

    "I shouldn''t have returned to the Northern Borough..."

    "I knew that it was too dangerous, but after hearing about the impending road-widening project and demolition. I had no choice but to return. I was afraid that the heirloom that myte husband left for me would be buried under the rubble of the demolition and be lost."

    "Ex-husband?"

    "Heirloom?"

    Ashlynn and Bruce uttered at the same time.

    Ashlynn made a sidelong nce at Calvin.

    She didn''t expect that Calvin was someone who fancied widowed women.

    But Bruce''s mind was on an entirely different matter.

    "What heirloom are you talking about, madame?" His interest was piqued.

    Charlotte reached inside her dress and took something out of her pocket.

    "I was talking about this medallion. This is a memento that myte husband left for me. I can''t afford to lose this."

    She opened her palm and the moment the medallion was revealed in the face of Ashlynn and Bruce.

    The two eximed in utter disbelief and shock.

    "T-That medallion..."

    "W-W-W-Why do you have that?!"

 Chapter 134: Interrogation

    Chapter 134: Interrogation

    Depicted in the medallion was the image of a humungous sun with eight rays of light. If this wasn''t imposing enough, then the crow holding a severed hand in its beak was sure to shock anyone. Everyone let out a gasp as the cogs in their mind madly spun.

    Ashlynn and Bruce felt their own medallion vibrate.

    "A resonance!"

    "It''s the same!"

    Bruce eximed, "When the sun sets in the battlefield, crows descend from the heavens and feed on the dead..."

    "It''s really the Medallion of a Crow Within the Sun!"

    Bruce and Ashlynn reeled in from shock while Charlotte stared at them baffled.

    "Do you perhaps know anything about this medallion?"

    "Yeah..."

    Bruce awkwardly replied.

    Ashlynn nced at Calvin and mumbled, "You will being with us. I expect that you are able to exin yourself."

    She then made a sidelong nce at Charlotte and the medallion that she had in her hand, "Madame... You will also being with us." Ashlynn couldn''t help but surreptitiously nce at Calvin once more as she continued, "From now on, this is the matter of the Cavaliers."

    "The Cavaliers?" Charlotte asked in confusion.

    "I''ll exin the detailster, Madame... For now, you will being with us." Ashlynn nodded to Bruce.

    Bruce didn''t say anything in return. He walked up to Calvin and stood behind him.

    "Wait, wait, wait... We are the victims? Why are you detaining us?" Charlotte asked.

    Ashlynn shook her head, "We are not detaining you, madame. We are detaining him."

    Calvin revealed a look of shock on his face, "Wait, what? Why am I being detained?" He turned to look at Ashlynn and Bruce and discovered that they had grim looks on their faces. He took the hint and closed his mouth.

    Although annoyed, he understood that they were trying to disturb Charlotte''s mind in order to extract relevant information from her memories.

    Calvin was now a half-member of the Cavaliers, even though they hated their methods.

    He really couldn''tin about what they were trying to do since it made sense.

    "Go ahead, Charlotte. I''ll be fine. I am sure that these people won''t do anything bad against me." Calvin reassured.

    Charlotte hesitated.

    But since it was now clear that these people knew about the medallion that herte husband left for her, she knew that they wouldn''t do anything illegal to him. She was just genuinely concerned for Calvin.

    "Nothing will happen towards me, just follow her and be obedient." Calvin smiled.

    Ashlynn couldn''t wait anymore and she dragged Charlotte away from the warehouse.

    Bruce also dragged Calvin away towards the nearby docks.

    Standing near the waters of the Revoir River, Calvin couldn''t help but crack a joke.

    "Are you going to tie me up and push me down the river?"

    "Surely, you jest. But I really am curious. Just where did you get the confidence to fight against the Yellow River Gang. What''s more, how did you know that the Yellow River Gang was in this particr warehouse? Could it be perhaps that you are still possessed?" Bruce''s eyes shone in a critical light. His movements were all too normal, but his body was already surging with magical power.

    But Calvin merely chuckled, "I have an informant."

    "Oh?" Bruce didn''t expect Calvin to bepletely honest, "You have an informant?"

    "Yup... My informant was thendlord..."

    "And how did you coerce him to be your follower?"

    "That is what I want to know..." Calvin''s expression changed.

    Both men stared at the filthy waters of the Revoir River, their thoughts were unknown.

    "I have a confession to make." After a certain amount of time, Calvin finally spoke, "I want to tell you, Captain, and the others about what happened that day..."

    Bruce''s eyes widened. He could still remember that scene that he saw through the divination ritual. But he didn''t say anything about it to Calvin. He merely nodded his head and replied, "Whatever that confession is, I suggest you tell it to us back at the cafe. The captain will make a judgment."

    Calvin let out a sigh but he didn''t say anything.

    The two men then continued to walk towards the Yang Bridge into the Center Borough. Along the way, Bruce suddenly stopped at the top of the Yang Bridge and said, "I don''t know what is going on with you, Calvin. But one thing is for sure. if you have gone mad and listened to the whispers of those unknown gods, then I will be the one to end your life..."

    Calvin was shocked by what he had heard. Bruce seemed to be carrying a far too heavy grudge against the gods up above. But in that case, why was he a devout follower of the Goddess of Compassion and Light?

    "I know... I won''t me you if you do that to me as well... But if I was indeed summarily executed by the church, then can I ask you for a favour?"

    Bruce raised an eyebrow. He didn''t understand why Calvin was asking him for a favour when the two of them had just met recently. It was weird, yet it piqued Bruce''s interest.

    "What is it?"

    "Nothing... I just want to ask you if you can ensure the safety of my wife and daughter after I''m dead, that''s all..." Calvin simply said before he turned around and continued to walk towards the direction of the Center Borough, leaving an astonished Bruce behind.

    At the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop, Charlotte could be seen talking to the Captain.

    Calvin walked into the cafe and the first thing that he saw was the Captain handing over a bag full of something over to Charlotte.

    "Thank you for enduring all this while, and I apologize for our insufficient response. I know that this may mean nothing to your loss, but please ept thispensation. The death of your husband is on us and there is no one else to me. He died a hero and he will forever remain in our hearts..." The Captain made a sign with his closed right fist ced over his left chest and with his head bowed onto the ground.

    The others followed suit and the scene immediately became solemn.

    Calvin who was about to inform the Captain about his arrival paused on his tracks. Unbeknownst to him, Bruce had made the same sign and he had apletely grim look on his face.

    The silence continued for a few minutes until it was shattered by the Captain.

    "You''ve finally arrived..."

    It was hard to predict the Captain''s feelings through his voice, but it made everyone in the room inexplicably nervous.

    Charlotte turned around and eximed, "Calvin!"

    Calvin dismissed her with a nod.

    Then, he awkwardly scratched his head and smiled, "I guess I have some exining to do?"

    "You sure do..." James Branzu couldn''t evenugh.

    He gestured to Ashlynn and thetter understood his intentions. She walked towards Charlotte and dragged her to another room. Then, a few minutester, after having finally convinced Charlotte to stay put. She returned with a serious look on her face.

    "All right, close the doors."

    Bruce and Ashlynn nked Calvin from both sides while James stood near the exit. Calvin noticed all of these minute details but he remained steadfast in the presence of life and death. Seeing his calm expression, the Captain''s doubts became deeper. How could he remain so calm? Could it really because he has already gone mad and has nothing to lose?

    The Captain didn''t want to believe that Calvin had listened to the whispers of the other shore, but the signs were clear. Staring right into Calvin''s eyes, he said, "Why did you kill those gangsters?"

    Calvin didn''t even look surprised anymore as he replied, "As expected of the Captain, being able to use superpowers. It shouldn''t be unusual for you to know that I was the one who killed the gangsters. But answering Captain''s question... I killed them because I had no choice but to do so..."

    "You have no choice but to do so?" The Captain audibly whispered. But before he could even say anything, Calvin continued, "Those bastards are vicious, for the sake of money they are able to do anything so why must I spare them? What''s more, I believed that if they didn''t get what they wanted, they would be willing to silence us for their security... And also, Captain... Is this really what you wanted to know?"

    "What are you talking about?" The Captain''s eyes narrowed into slits.

    Bruce and Ashlynn immediately became tense as the energy within their bodies stirred.

    Calvin remained calm and said, "You just don''t strike me as a man who would care about those pieces of shits... In other words, I believe that what you wanted to know is how I was able to kill them with a single strike..."

    "Right?" Calvin deliberately intonated the end of his sentence causing Bruce to almost pounce upon him out of nervousness.

    The might that Calvin had disyed at that time was just so unbelievably strong that even Bruce wasn''t sure if they would be able to take him down without suffering any casualties. After all, those that have fallen into depravity didn''t only have superhuman strength but also immunity against certain supernatural abilities.

    One could say that this particr immunity was the reason why the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods wanted to keep them dead.

    "The three of you, calm down..." The Captain noticed the agitation of the others, "If he has gone mad, then he would''ve already started his rampage the moment he noticed that we know about what he had done. The fact that he''s still senile and can even urately deduce my train of thoughts means that he''s still here... He still hasn''t listened to the whispers of the other shore..."

    With the reassurance of the Captain, the others significantly calmed down.

    "Yes, you are right... That is what I want to know... Just how did you manage to kill those men with a single strike? It doesn''t make sense. I apologize for my words, but it just doesn''t make sense that a cripple would be able to hurt those men much more kill them..."

    "Since you are so smart, then that makes everything easier. Depending on your answer, you will be spared. But if I have judged you to be a ticking time bomb for society, then you will be summarily executed..."

    "You need not worry about your family, I will tell them that you have died as a hero and they will also be properlypensated and given a monthly pension as if you have been a part of us for three decades." The Captain gave a chilling smile.

    The temperature in the room went down and Ron Samuel''s eyes changed into that of a night''s sky. Calvin suddenly found himself standing in a dark space, surrounded by nothing but the innumerable stars up above. Then, as if in a trance, his mouth opened itself and answered...

    "I don''t know..."

    "What?"

    The dark space was shattered along with Ashlynn''s gasp. She just couldn''t believe that even though the Captain himself had hypnotized Calvin with his superior abilities into answering the truth, they still weren''t able to acquire a conclusive answer to their questions.

    James Branzu stared wide-eyed at Calvin as if he was looking at a monster.

    Bruce felt his sweat covering his palm.

    Calvin was even more of a monster than they had thought.

    But the Captain, Ron Samuel didn''t seem to be nervous than the others.

    In fact, a touch of curiosity could be seen in his eyes as he whispered, "Interesting... This is indeed too interesting... Just who are you? Are you really the Calvin that we know? Or are you a monster hiding behind the identity of Calvin?"

    Calvin himself didn''t know what to say...

    He just stood there with an awkward look on his face.

    Ron Samuel saw through his emotions and he chuckled, "I can sense that you were telling the truth just now and I am not doubting it, however..."

    "What if the truth that you know is false?"

    "In that case, then hypnotizing you to tell us the truth wouldn''t work alone..."

    "There needs to be something that must be done so that we''ll get to that truth that we are looking for..."

    "However, is it really worth the effort? Sacrificing so many resources for a crippled man...?"

    The Captain made a sidelong nce to the others.

    "Captain, I think we should just execute him..." James Branzu coldly said. He didn''t feel good that the Captain whom he thought to be invincible was surmounted by a random man who had just recently encountered a supernatural event and had just recently be one of them. How could he feel good about it?

    The Captain has always been his goal and he was doing his best to ovee Ron Samuel ever since he became a Predator. But one day, some random joe was able to surmount the man whom he always thought to be an insurmountable mountain? How preposterous!

    "Not so hasty, James..."

    "There''s still one option left for him..."

    "One option left... Captain! Are you saying that...?" James Branzu''s eyes widened in shock.

    "Yes, that''s right..."

    "We can have him meet the Goddess through that particr Spiritualistic Ritual..."

    "We''ll use that ritual, have him meet the Goddess and the Goddess herself would pass on the judgment to him..."

    "What do you think?"

    The Captain, Ron Samuel smiled.

 Chapter 135: Meeting the Goddess

    Chapter 135: Meeting the Goddess

    "Meet the goddess..." Bruce audibly whispered.

    Ashlynn was also visibly shocked, while James Branzu couldn''t believe what he just heard.

    "Captain... If we did that..."

    "Yeah..."

    James Branzu didn''t need to exin any further for everyone in this room, possibly apart from Calvin knew what would happen if someone suspected to be still under the control of an evil entity entered the presence of a goddess.

    Apart from destruction, nothing good woulde out of it.

    But the fact that Ron Samuel was trying to do this for Calvin meant that he still was unconvinced that Calvin was an evil man. After he heard what Charlotte had to say earlier, Ron Samuel was convinced that Calvin had something inherently good within him.

    Ron Samuel didn''t want to repeat the mistakes that he had done in the past, so he was willing to give Calvin a chance and at the same time, let him undergo a trial by fire.

    Out of the three orthodox churches, the Goddess of Compassion and Light had the most followers. But it was simply because the Goddess was far lenient, less aloof and more willing to help than the others.

    What''s more, she personally benedicts each and every member of the Cavaliers through the Profession Bestowal Ritual, but this ritual itself was actually quite dangerous.

    Meeting a god as a mortal wasn''t unheard of these days, but if one''s heart wasn''t sincere enough then destruction was the only path.

    Furthermore, requesting the benediction of a god was expensive.

    James Branzu didn''t want to waste precious resources into someone whose heart wasn''t clear nor steadfast enough if they were indeed willing to serve the goddess and work for her. This was why the Profession Bestowal Ritual was dangerous, entering the ritual meant that one would be under the mercy of that particr god.

    "It''s fine... Let''s just think of this as a gamble... If his heart is sincere enough and he has no evil within him, then it would be a blessing for us."

    "And if not..."

    "Let''s just say that I did a mistake..."

    "I''ll take all the responsibility for that mistake and I will make sure that none of you guys will be implicated by my choice."

    Ron Samuel swept his gaze across Bruce, Ashlynn, and James Branzu.

    "I object!"

    James Branzu suddenly cried out, "I object, Captain! We must not let you shoulder such an unnecessary risk for the sake of a nobody."

    Bruce also stepped forward and red at Calvin, "That''s right, Captain... I don''t think anyone here knows more than what you do when ites to how the Church punishes those that are corrupt and selfish. If you do such a ritual arbitrarily and it ends up horribly, then you''ll be punished ording to the Cavalier''s Way!"

    Punishment ording to the Cavalier''s way meant the destruction of a Predator''s Origin.

    In other words, it was bing a cripple.

    Considering Calvin''s situation, Ron Samuel''s actions were indeed taking an unnecessary risk.

    "Stop it... I''ve already made a decision." Ron Samuel shook his head dismissively.

    Bruce and James Branzu wanted to argue, but Ashlynn stopped them before they could even say anything.

    "Ashlynn! What are you doing? Are you out of your mind?"

    "Nope... My mind is as clear as ever... How long have you known the Captain, James?"

    "What?" James Branzu replied in annoyance, "Why are you trying to stop us from convincing the Captain to not take such a risk for a nobody? If the ritual fails and this bastard dies under the presence of the goddess, then the Captain will be punished and crippled by the church! Can''t you understand my feelings?! It''s the Captain that we are talking about!"

    "I know... But can''t you also understand the Captain''s feelings?" Ashlynn said with a tired look on her face.

    "What?" James Branzu looked visibly confused.

    Ashlynn let out a sigh and exined, "James, you sure are smart but you''re too blind to see..."

    "Look!" Ashlynn nced at Ron Samuel, "The Captain has already made his decision a few minutes ago. If you still can''t understand what I mean, then I suggest you take a moment to calm down and think about the Captain''s feelings that led to his decision."

    James Branzu went silent.

    "How about you? Are you still going to try and convince the Captain?" Ashlynn turned to Bruce.

    Bruce shook his head, "No... I don''t dare to do so... But it''s just that... What if..."

    "I just need to pass, right?"

    Calvin suddenly interrupted.

    Bruce, Ashlynn, and James turned to look at Calvin.

    "To save the Captain from being summarily executed by the church, I just need to pass through the trial, right?"

    "You..." Calvin''s nonchnt attitude annoyed Bruce, "Do you think that passing through the Goddess''s trial is that easy?! I''ve suffered through it and couldn''t even wake up for an entire month even after I havepleted that trial! How can you be so easygoing? The trial is not a walk in the park!"

    "Yes, I know..." Calvin didn''t deny Bruce''s words, "But in the end, what matters is that I pass, right?"

    James Branzu stared right at Calvin''s eyes and for some reason, he could see that Calvin was incredibly confident of the odds of him surviving the trial.

    "You... Why are you so confident? Just what is the reason why you are so confident?" James Branzu found it unbelievable that a cripple could remain so calm and confident in the face of the prospects of meeting a literal goddess.

    Bruce and Ashlynn also stared at Calvin.

    Calvin let out a sigh and shook his head.

    "I don''t know... To be honest, I don''t know... Something inside me is telling me that I will be able to get all the answers that I needed once I''ve met the Goddess... This is probably the reason why I am so calm, it should be because I am excited. Instead of being nervous, I feel that I can''t wait to see the Goddess... But I don''t know why..."

    The three stared at each other for a moment and eventually, James Branzu let out a sigh.

    "All right... I think I can somewhat understand why the Captain insisted on giving you another chance earlier. I just hope that you won''t waste this chance. Please do not disappoint us. Or else, even if you''re already dead, I will make sure to send spirits from the Spirit World after you so you''ll never find peace even in the afterlife..."

    "..." Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    Ashlynn lightly chuckled, while Bruce alsoughed.

    Calvin took advantage of this opportunity and asked both Ashlynn and Bruce, "You know I''ve always wondered but is James always like this when ites to the Captain?"

    Ashlynn didn''t even deny Calvin''s words, "That''s right, James is a total sucker for the Captain. In fact, if he was from the other gender, then he might''ve already begged the Captain to pop his cherry..."

    "Pffft!" Bruce almost keeled over from the shock of what he just heard.

    "What the hell are you talking about?! Ashlynn! You... I still haven''t forgiven you for what you have done two weeks ago! Don''t you think that I do not know that you''re the one who stole the doughnuts that I made for the Captain?!"

    "Oh, was that for the Captain? I''m sorry, I thought that it was for me. But isn''t it strange? A grown man giving the Captain who is also a man, a handmade doughnut...?"

    "How the hell is that strange? It''s just my way of showing my appreciation for the Captain''s hard work!"

    "Hard work? Well, you are right if that hard work means making those shitty cups of coffees a day that always somehow tastes like boiled dirt even though I can see that the Captain is following a recipe..."

    Ashlynn shrugged, while Bruce suddenly froze as he stared right behind Ashlynn.

    Ashlynn''s expression froze.

    "Do you guys really think that I am deaf? Why are you all talking like I am not in the same room as you?"

    Ron Samuel''s eyes narrowed into slits.

    "My coffee tastes like boiled dirt...? Is that so?"

    "Well... Uhhh..."

    Ashlynn''s eyes darted all over the house until she spotted the room where she instructed Charlotte to stay put until her return.

    Then, as if she had seen a way out of this mess, she instantly made a break for it towards that room while shouting, "I''ll wait for you guys to return! I''ll be with sister Charlotte for now! Take care!" She didn''t even turn around as she mmed the doors shut behind him.

    Bruce''s lips repeatedly twitched.

    He was a newbie in this team and it had always proved nerve-wracking for him to work with his seniors.

    Particrly, when those seniors were his Vice-Captain and Captain.

    "I''ll..."

    "I''ll go prepare the room..." Bruce awkwardly said before he turned around and made a dash for it towards the second floor of the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop. He couldn''t bear to be with those two seniors alone without Calvin nor Ashlynn. At this moment, his heart suddenly had a newfound appreciation for Calvin and now... He was hoping for him to endure through the trial and seed.

    Calvin was now left alone with James Branzu and Ron Samuel. He also felt awkward being around the two of them but without receiving any instructions as to what he should do from now on... He couldn''t do anything other than standing there as Ron Samuel turned to James Branzu and said.

    "Those doughnuts... You made them?"

    "Uh... Yes..."

    "It was tasty. Tell me the recipe and we can add them as an item to the shop. I am sure that it''ll be even tastier if we create a sugar ze based on some honey and sugarcane."

    "Are you sure about that, Captain? You''re going to add those doughnuts into the menu of the cafe?"

    "Yeah, what''s wrong? Why are you acting like that? It''s not like a doughnut isn''t suitable for a coffee shop, innit?" Ron Samuel said.

    "No, it''s nothing... I don''t know... I''m just overwhelmed... I didn''t expect that you''d find my doughnuts to be worthy of recognition and such an honour."

    "Stop exaggerating... Come on, we''ve got to hurry up. Once all of these are done, then we can finally start on brainstorming some special items for our secret menu..." Ron Samuel encouraged.

    Calvin who was standing beside them all this while couldn''t help but bitterly smile.

    ''A secret menu? You need more customers, not a secret menu!''

    "Oh, you are still there? Why are you not going to your wife? Exin to her what is about to happen, then once you are ready. You can go to the second floor and meet us there." Ron Samuel finally noticed that Calvin was standing beside him. After giving out his orders, Ron Samuel walked towards the back of the cafe''s kitchen in order to fetch some ingredients necessary for the uing ritual.

    James Branzu followed suit but before he could leave, he turned to look at Calvin and said, "You better pass through the trial... I wasn''t joking when I said that I''ll contract some spirits from the Spirit World to go after you even in the afterlife. I''ll definitely make sure that you won''t rest in peace if you dare to bring down the Captain with you..."

    Calvin was silent.

    He didn''t expect the Vice-Captain to be this obsessed to Ron Samuel.

    But nevertheless, he nodded his head and replied, "I will not fail. That I promise you..."

    "And also, I still have a wife and family to take care of! Do you really think that I''ll let myself die so easily? Of course not!"

    Calvin tried to lighten up the mood, but James Branzu merely snorted before he walked away and followed Ron Samuel into the back of the cafe''s kitchen.

    "I guess, he doesn''t like me then..." Calvin audibly whispered.

    He then went over to the room where Charlotte was located and told her everything that was about to happen except the part that Calvin could possibly die and bring Ron Samuel down with him to hell. Calvin''s visit to Charlotte wasn''t that long but he managed to hear a piece of good news from Charlotte.

    She said that Ron Samuel was willing to give her a job in the coffee shop as a waitress. If Ron Samuel was to go through with his deal, then it would be ideal.

    But hearing Charlotte''s words, Calvin revealed a bitter smile.

    Now that everything hase to this point, he must make sure that he''d seed in the uing trial or else Charlotte wouldn''t be able to get such a good andidback job.

    Walking out of the room, Calvin made a beeline for the one and only room on the second floor wherein he would meet the Goddess of Compassion and Light and undergo her trial for the chance of receiving her eternal benediction.

 Chapter 136: Return of the Emperor

    Chapter 136: Return of the Emperor

    The ritual was something that Calvin had never seen before.

    When he entered the room, he discovered that the room was empty other than a circle at the centre of the room drawn by a substance that looked suspiciously simr to blood.

    In the middle of the centre were three pirs of seven stones stacked upon each other with a bridge connecting the tip of the three stones at the centre and another huge rock on top of it all.

    In front of this strange statue were herbs, spices, a tree bark, and a crystallized ball that Calvin couldn''t recognize as well as some other ingredients that Calvin''s already strained eyes couldn''t see due to how dark the ce was.

    But judging from the grim look on James Branzu''s face as he ced all of these peculiar items in front of the statue, they must be incredibly expensive for them to hurt James like this.

    "Stretch out your arm..."

    Ron Samuel stood behind the statue with both of his hands raised into the air.

    James Branzu noticed that Calvin had arrived and he gestured to Bruce.

    Bruce received themand and he walked over to Calvin and asked him to stretch his arm out.

    "Which arm?"

    "Are you serious...?" Bruce promptly replied.

    Calvin lightly chuckled.

    There was no need to ask for which arm he needed to stretch out in the first ce since he only had a single functioning arm.

    He stretched his left arm out and Bruce took out a ceremonial knife. The knife was incredibly small, yet sharp. The runes carved on the de made it look fashionable and cool, but the moment its sharp de made contact with Calvin''s arm...

    Calvin had to suppress the yell that threatened toe out of his mouth.

    ''What the hell is wrong with that knife?!'' He eximed to himself as a sharp hiss came from his throat.

    Blood dripped onto the ground and Bruce collected it with his palm.

    Then, he walked over and poured the blood onto the crystallized ball in front of the statue.

    Ron Samuel made a sidelong nce at Bruce and gestured for him to go to the sidelines.

    Bruce obedientlyplied.

    "Come here, Calvin..."

    Ron Samuel turned his attention to Calvin.

    Calvin came over and he was made to sit in front of the strange statue.

    "Whatever happens next is your responsibility... Since we suspect that you still have some traces of possession in your body, you might be instantly annihted the moment you entered the Goddess''s abode..."

    "Does that mean that if I wasn''t annihted the moment I entered the Goddess''s abode, I can be considered as having passed the trial?"

    "I wish it''s that easy..." Ron Samuel gave a bitter smile.

    "Can you tell me more about the trial? I would really appreciate it." Calvin asked.

    "Hahaha... To be honest, those who passed their trials do not have any recollection of it. I have no idea why, but this might be the Goddess''s way of preventing information leaks. If I knew something, then I would''ve told you already. I apologize, but I am also helpless. I can''t do anything other than wait for your good news..." Ron Samuel replied.

    But Calvin noticed something strange in his narrative.

    "If those that passed the trials do not have any memories of it, then how did they know that they passed? What if they just got expelled by the Goddess and pretended that they passed?" Calvin asked with a frown on his face.

    "That is impossible..."

    "And why is that?"

    "It''s because once the trial has started... It''s either you live or you die..."

    "If you managed to wake up after the trial has started, then that means you passed the trial. What''s more, there''s also definitive evidence that a person had indeed passed the trial." Ron Samuel smiled.

    "What is it?" Calvin asked in curiosity.

    "They''ve awakened their supernatural abilities."

    "Supernatural abilities? You mean that they''ve truly be one of the Cavaliers?"

    "Yes, that''s right... This trial is also known as the Profession Bestowing Ritual and it involves a promise. As for what kind of a promise is it, you''ll understand it soon enough..." The smile on Ron Samuel''s lips became cryptic which greatly annoyed Calvin.

    But since it looked like Ron Samuel had no intentions to talk about it at all.

    He had no other choice but to close his mouth and wait for the Profession Bestowing Ritual tomence.

    "It''s about time that we start..." Ron Samuel softly whispered.

    But in this room ever so silent, his whispers rang simr to fireworks at dawn.

    James Branzu''s figure stiffened, while Bruce clenched his fists out of nervousness.

    Nevertheless, they summoned their faiths and tried their best to maintain theirposure.

    At the same time, Ron Samuel opened his mouth and chanted.

    "Oh, Goddess of All-Epassing Light..."

    "The Magister of Light and the Commander of Compassion..."

    "You are the most benevolent!"

    The moment Ron Samuel uttered the final syble of the chant, the crystallized ball in front of the statue started to glow.

    "Oh, Mother of Compassion... I invoke thy name..."

    This time, the crystallized ball started floating in the air and it became simr to that of an airless vacuum, sucking all the other precious ingredients gathered around it as if it was the manifestation of gluttony.

    "Witness the devotion of thy servants! Heed our prayers, and forgive our trespasses!"

    "Show us the path to thy abode, for we shall receive the benediction of your grace..."

    "You are the most benevolent!"

    Ron Samuel pointed at Calvin''s forehead with his index finger and when the final syble of the prayer came out of his throat.

    Calvin''s vision immediately swam.

    He found himself being surrounded by a kaleidoscope of colours. The sensation of free-floating overcame his body as the various smells and aromas of herbs assaulted his nose.

    Euphoria soon took over Calvin''s mind, before he suddenly descended into a dizzying abyss until finally...

    He woke up.

    But he found himself sitting in front of someone else.

    In this dark space where no one elseeven Calvin existed... One figure was seated right in front of the illusory Calvin.

    "T-The Goddess?"

    Calvin uttered, though he had no mouth. He could hear his voice, though he was in a vacuum.

    He looked down to his body and he found nothing other than a kaleidoscope of colours.

    In this emptiness, he was nothing but the void...

    Yet this figure in front of him had a corporeal appearance.

    Light purple hair tied into twin-tails that reached waist height and a braid running on the side of her bangs. Her eyes were of dark amethyst, while her eyebrows were stern and arched. Her skin, fair and light while her outfit consisted of a white sleeveless dress with a dark blue skirt.

    The brilliant gradient of her golden purple overcoat was made even more gorgeous by mysterious trinkets and runes inscribed in its hem.

    Although her sky blue sleeves and the hem of her skirt were ruffled, it didn''t make her look out of ce.

    Instead, it gave her a more passionate look and vour.

    "You are in the presence of the Goddess of Compassion and Light..."

    "Wee, Calvin Vinueva..."

    "I''ve been waiting for you for quite a long time."

    The Goddess, despite being alive even before the beginning of the world spoke in words and proseparable to that of today''s generation of people. A smile was stered across her lips as she waved her hand and summoned a table made out of a kaleidoscope of colours.

    Then, she stared at Calvin who started to slowly walk towards her direction.

    Walking without a physical body felt incredibly strange to Calvin.

    Even without a corporeal body, he felt himself sweating as he desperately tried to bnce his way towards the wooden chair that somewhat existed in this dark space.

    Standing in front of the wooden chair, Calvin slowly sat down his imaginary buttocks and when he felt the wood made contact with his non-existent ass, he heaved a sigh of relief.

    "Good job. You''ve done well... I apologize for theck of physical body, but I cannot manifest any more power than I am already manifesting, lest I destroy your physical body and turn you into a meat paste along with a shower of ketchup made out of the blood."

    "What...?" Calvin mumbled out of astonishment and confusion. He couldn''t imagine that the Goddess was this talkative.

    "What''s wrong? Don''t you already know a lot about me already?"

    "Why do you have to act as if I''m a stranger when you wrote almost all of my carefully hidden secrets in that damned relic of a notebook of yours? We''re both alone here anyway and no one can possibly eavesdrop on us, so why not drop the act?"

    "Let''s get familiar, shall we?"

    The Goddess of Compassion and Light stared right at Calvin and smiled.

    But Calvin was even more confused.

    "Uhmm..." He nervously whispered, "I''m sorry but I have no recollection of writing secrets on a notebook? This is the first time that I am meeting you, madame Goddess, so I do not know what to do..." Calvin didn''t dare to look at any part of the Goddess''s body.

    He was far too afraid that he might be struck by thunder to death if he dared to look at a Goddess''s raw body.

    "Oh?"

    But the Goddess''s reaction caught Calvin''s attention.

    The Goddess of Compassion and Light raised an eyebrow and stared right at Calvin.

    Particrly at the area between his eyebrows.

    "I see..."

    "So that''s the case..."

    "Hahaha..."

    The Goddess put down his teacup on the table and said, "So that is the reason why you are acting like this..."

    "Very well, then... Since you clearly had no intention of hiding the use of that ancient art from me then you surely want me to undo it for you, right? You nned this from the start, am I correct?"

    "You purposely sealed your memories to prevent the Cavaliers from getting any conclusive evidence against you through the use of Spiritualistic Ritual, yet you didn''t bother hiding any traces of that ancient art since you wanted me to detect it once you inevitably came to me when the time for you to undergo the Profession Bestowal Ritual arrived..."

    "In short, you nned on making me remove the seal on your memories so that the real you can return at the opportune moment..."

    "Hahaha... This is indeed a brilliant n." The Goddess of Compassion and Light licked her lips and stared at Calvin with interest, "Very well."

    "Since you wanted to attract my attention that much, then I will hear what you want to say... What''s more, I''m also curious as to why you know so much about me and my dirty little secrets..." The smile on the Goddess''s face wasn''t waning.

    She raised her arm and pressed a finger in between Calvin''s eyebrows.

    "Now, awaken..."

    "Wake up, Calvin Vinueva!"

    A burst of bright light inundated the dark space.

    The appearance of this light followed the appearance of a kaleidoscope of colours that soon formed into archaic runes whichpleted the puzzle on the piece of paper that had been stuck on Calvin''s forehead all this while.

    The piece of paper manifested its physical form for a brief moment before it shattered into innumerable light crystals that soon disappeared into nothingness.

    "Hehe..."

    "Finally..."

    "I''m back!"

 Chapter 137: Commandments

    Chapter 137: Commandments

    "You''re back? So I presume that you''ve indeed nned all of this all along?" The Goddess of Compassion and Light asked with a smirk.

    "Yes, sigh... Now that I think about it, that was so close! If it wasn''t for my quick thinking, then I might''ve been captured by the Cavaliers and possibly summarily executed by the church!"

    Calvin still felt nervous remembering that particr day. Back then, just as he killed that particr member of the Red Cloud, he felt the approaching presence of the Cavaliers.

    Left with no time to waste, Calvin had no choice but to use one of the trump cards that he had made in the carriage on his journey from the Forest of Evesting Light to Ashmelion.

    He didn''t even manage to choose which memories he could seal and as a result, although he had lost most of his memories as to who he was apart from his name and a fake identity created by the fake memories that he left before sealing his true memories...

    Calvin''s muscle memory remained.

    It was the reason why he managed to kill each of those gangsters in a single blow.

    Even though what he had done was a sess thus far, he still couldn''t help but feelfortable about it.

    After all, no one would feel ufortable knowing that their cover could be blown at any moment and they might be immediately executed by the church.

    What''s more, the Calvin that Calvin created from sealing his own memories didn''t have the mental strength and experiences that the original Calvin had.

    His end would''ve surely been gruesome and pitiful if the worse came to worst.

    "What beverage do you prefer?"

    "Uhmm, do you have some Matcha Milktea? I really miss the bitterness of Matcha and if you add in the sweet and milky vour of honey as well as evaporated milk, then it''s heavenly..."

    Calvin acted casually towards the Goddess who offered him to drink something. Calvin didn''t even bother with pretences as he crossed his legs and sat right in front of the Goddess.

    "Matcha Milktea?" Surprisingly, the Goddess of Compassion and Light also didn''t seem to mind Calvin''sidback attitude, "Is that what the Earthlings often drink? I suppose it''s your favourite drink from how you described it."

    "Yes, it is! Just try it and you''ll thank me for it!" Calvin lightly chuckled.

    The Goddess of Compassion and Light stared at Calvin for a moment, "It seems that you also know that I can make anything that I want out of nothingness."

    "Of course..." Calvin scoffed, "If a god isn''t omnipotent, then can he or she even be called a god or a goddess? Well, let''s just say that there''s a caveat to it like how a god or goddess''s omnipotence only works in his or her heavenly abode..."

    He swept his gaze across the dark space and continued, "Can you also change the scenery?"

    "If we are going to talk and do some business, then at least let''s not do it in such a dark ce..."

    "You sure have a lot of requests..." The Goddess of Compassion and Light found it hard to understand Calvin''s mind.

    She wanted to refuse his requests at first but she noticed that Calvin''s words made sense.

    Then, she eventually nodded her head and with a flick of her wrists...

    The scenery abruptly changed.

    There was no prior warning.

    The dark space and the kaleidoscope of colours disappeared so fast that calling it "instantly" would be an understatement.

    "Now this is the real deal... I sure missed this ce..."

    "You say that as if you''vee to this ce already..." The Goddess of Compassion and Light said in a teasing tone of voice.

    Calvin stared at her for a moment before smiling, "A floating ind with stone clouds as stairs..."

    "This ce above the clouds, built on a foundation of the strongest and most wondrous material in the world. No one knows its name nor even if it existed, but the fact that this floating ind exists serves as the greatest evidence of its previous legacy..."

    "Sadly, the material has been lost since the great cataclysm... Hey, Grace... Can you tell me more about that material?"

    "And why should I do that?" The Goddess of Compassion and Light said, "And did you just utter my honourable name so casually?"

    "Come on, don''t be such a killjoy. Since you''ve voluntarily removed the seal on my memories then I am pretty sure that you''ve been paying me your attention for so long already. Let me guess?"

    "Since I came out of that damned asylum?" A smirk was stered across Calvin''s lips as he said all of these.

    The Goddess of Compassion and Light replied, "I understand that you have to write secrets on that relic of a notebook, but why do you have to focus on me so much? If you know that much about me, then it wouldn''t be strange for you to know a lot about the other gods? Why me?"

    "Say, Grace... Can you tell me about what your honourable title is?" Calvin asked.

    "What does my honourable title have anything to do with this?"

    "Just say it to me..."

    "You think I can do that?"

    "Oh, I understand... You must be embarrassed to call yourself with your own honourable title. I get it... Even I would be ashamed to call myself as the Unrivalled Super Hottie." Calvin chuckled.

    "Then, why did you even bother on asking me?"

    "I was just trying to make you say it, but since you''re too embarrassed to do it. Then, I will say it for you..."

    "Your honourable title is the Goddess of Compassion and Light..."

    "Can''t you see it?"

    "Compassion!"

    "Oh, I get it... So are you trying to say that the reason why you focused on my secrets than the other gods is that I ampassionate?" The Goddess of Compassion and Light, Grace, lifted her arched eyebrows. This action, along with the frown on her face made her look iparably terrifying to Calvin who immediately gave up.

    "All right, all right, I understand... I apologize, okay? It''s my fault... I was just desperate at that time and had no one to ask for help. Do you really expect me to ask for the help of that crooked old bastard Discord? Hell no!" Calvin coldly snorted.

    Grace stared at him in amusement, "To think that you would dare to call the God of War and Infighting as a crooked old bastard..."

    "You really are gutsy, eh? Even if we''re in my heavenly abode if that crooked old ba ahem! God of War and Infighting caught a whiff of what you have said today, then you might as well nevere out of my heavenly abode..."

    "Hahaha..."

    "It seems that you''ve also suffered under the anger of that short-fused old bastard..."

    Calvinughed out loud.

    "There you go again calling him an old ba like that..."

    Grace shook her head and continued, "Will you now tell me as to who you really are and why you are targeting me like this as well as why do you know so much about who am I?"

    "Even though I may look like a woman who seems to be at the same age as you, I am still a being who has been living before everything came to, so I am a really old..."

    "A really old grandma?"

    "Hmmm?"

    "Old sister! I meant old sister!"

    Calvin hurriedly waved his hands in the air when he saw how the Goddess of Compassion and Light dangerously narrowed her eyes as she stared at him. Calvin might be acting so familiar with Grace, but she was still a goddess in the end.

    Jokes were good and all, but Calvin knew that there was a boundary and he needed to find that and never go beyond it.

    "Just tell me what your intentions are and who you really are..."

    "Okay..."

    "I came from the future of a previous timeline."

    "The reason why I know so much about you and the other gods is that we''ve been allies for a hundred-long year due to that war involving those Sucklings..."

    Calvin said these words so casually, yet when Grace heard what he had said...

    She froze and didn''t move for quite a long time.

    When she finally returned to her senses, she let out a sigh and said, "Sigh... It seems that you are not lying. But seeing you hop onto this timeline from that timeline can only mean one thing..."

    "Our future is inevitably bleak."

    "In that case, why did you even choose toe to this timeline?"

    "Do you want to change the fate of the world?"

    "Yup!"

    "Are you serious?"

    "Nope, I''m not..."

    "Oh?"

    "Then, tell me how you n on changing the fate of the world?"

    Grace raised her eyebrows, "If the world from the other timeline didn''t manage to survive even with the strength of the other gods and goddesses, then just why do you think that a lone wolf like you can change the fate of the world?"

    "Aren''t you being too arrogant?" She criticized.

    Calvin''s smile still hung on his lips, "It''s not entirely impossible and I also wouldn''t be alone..."

    "Simply put, you''ll be my aplice in saving my world."

    "What?"

    "My dear Goddess of Compassion and Light, you still do not get it?"

    "Just tell me straight, stop beating around the bushes."

    "Fine..."

    "The reason why I chose you is that I know that out of the Seven Gods and Goddesses, you possess the strongestmandment."

    "I want you to bestow upon thatmandment to me and turn me into someone that can save the world..."

    "Bestow upon me the strongestmandment..."

    "The Emperor Commandment."

 Chapter 138: An Unexpected Kindred Spirit

    Chapter 138: An Unexpected Kindred Spirit

    "The Emperor''s Commandment..." Grace''s eyes slightly narrowed, "Now I am even more convinced that you came from another timeline."

    "Convinced? You were not entirely sure that I wasn''t lying?" Calvin said, jesting.

    Grace stared right at him without saying anything forcing him to give up, "I know..."

    "I know..."

    "You and the other gods aren''t exactly the closest of friends. The moment you used your divine will to peer into the lives of humans, then the others would definitely be suspicious. Is that the reason why you weren''t entirely sure about who I am?"

    "Yes, that''s right... But since you know about the Emperor''s Commandment already, then shall I say that there are no secrets that you do not know in this world?" Grace said with a smile on her face.

    Calvin shook his head, "I am not that arrogant, unfortunately..."

    "If I knew everything in this world, then I wouldn''t havee here to ask you to be my aplice..."

    "The Emperor''s Commandment might be the strongestmandment out of allmandments that every god or goddesses can bestow but the responsibilities that I would bear for the sake of carrying thatmandment is far too heavy that if I had a choice, I wouldn''t even ask for it..."

    "Right... I do have the Emperor''s Commandment but it''s both a curse and a blessing. To be honest, the heavy burdens that it bestows upon its carrier is the reason why I haven''t bestowed it to anyone else ever since the start of the First Cataclysm..."

    "The other gods already have devout and zealous followers under their gs through themandment that they have bestowed upon their prophet, but I..."

    "I have nothing..." Grace let out a sigh.

    She might be the leader of one of the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods, but she was the weakest Goddess out of all the Gods and Goddesses.

    In fact, the leaders of the Church of Eternal Fire and the Church of Medicine and Poison were simr in power to the Church of All-Epassing Light.

    These three churches were the weakest, yet why were they still at the forefront of the world?

    If the other gods and goddesses needed faith power to survive, shouldn''t they be scrambling to fight the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods to im their positions for themselves?

    Yes, it would make sense if they did that, but they weren''t doing it.

    Why?

    It was because they found it beneath them to directly establish their own church out of their own efforts.

    As a reason, the other gods and goddesses decided to spread their gospel through the use ofmandments. A god could only bestow upon a singlemandment at any given time. But thatmandment could be considered simr to a seed.

    Once it sprouts, its roots would spread throughout thend and when that happened, it would only be a matter of time until the god received the faith power he needed for his sustenance.

    But there was also an important factor as to why the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods remained deep-rooted in society.

    It was because their existence symbolizes hope for humanity.

    The Church All-Epassing Light emphasizes hope, faith and nonviolence, while the Church of Eternal Fire promotes bravery, persistence and strength. The Church of Medicine and Poison, on the other hand, promotes life and death.

    These three churches could be said to have made the very foundation of society itself.

    If the other gods and goddesses forced them to crumble, then mayhem would happen.

    And since not all of them would benefit from chaos apart from certain gods such as the God of War and Infighting, they''ve all decided to unite for amon cause and allowed the continued existence of the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods.

    "Well, don''t you have me?"

    "Once you bestow upon me thatmandment, then I''ll be sure to spread your gospel throughout thend while saving the entire world in the process! Isn''t that a win-win situation for the two of us?" Calvin lightly chuckled, intending to lighten up the mood.

    His words were apparently effective as Grace lifted a smile.

    "All right, that sounds good. But I really am curious... Just what is the reason why you are trying to save the world?"

    Calvin''s smile stiffened.

    He sat silent for a while before he replied, "To be honest, the reason isn''t that noble as you think, my beloved Goddess, but if I must say so it must be family..."

    "Family?"

    "Yup..." Calvin smiled at her.

    "The connections that humans have, ever since they are born... I would never be able to understand it."

    "I guess, so..." Calvin nodded his head.

    He had no idea where the gods and goddesses came from, but one thing was for sure they didn''t have anything apart from themselves.

    In fact, their rtionship with humanity and the world was only made out of necessity.

    They needed the world and the world needed them.

    If not for this somewhat parasitic, yet symbiotic rtionship...

    Calvin reckoned that these gods and goddesses would''ve long disappeared into somewhere more interesting than the barren and dangerousnds of Las Felipinas.

    "Hey, Calvin..." For the first time ever, Grace, the Goddess of Compassion and Light uttered Calvin''s name, "Will you tell me more about yourself?"

    "With pleasure!"

    Calvin cajoled the Goddess into creating all sorts of food and dishes from Earth so that the two of them could munch on chips, Doritos and drink Mountain Dew as they talked about Calvin''s experience in his previous timeline.

    The two talked for quite a while, Grace''s curiosity was unexpected even for Calvin as she repeatedly asked questions whose answers Calvin thought that she already knew.

    Their talksted for a few hours.

    They stopped, not because Grace''s curiosity was already satiated but because they had nothing to talk about anymore.

    Grace had singlehandedly exhausted the tales out of the master of bullshitting and Calvin had no choice but to give up.

    "So you''ve been betrayed by the world that you''ve saved and you abandoned your humanity..."

    "Then, after bing something that is not even a human nor a monster. You strived to be a member of the Sucklings and after you''ve sessfully infiltrated their barracks and became a high-ranking officer..."

    "You contacted me on that timeline through the Profession Bestowing Ritual and informed me about all of the Sucklings ns? But since it took you toote to be a high-ranking officer within the ranks of the Sucklings..."

    "It was already toote and humanity was already far too gone for you to help them, and in the end, after making ast stand...

    "Humanity was defeated and you had no choice but to ascend to be an Author of Fate and turn around time to return to who you are a hundred years ago to try and change humanity''s inevitable fate in the future?"

    "Yeah, that sounds about right..."

    "I can''t believe it..."

    "What? Is there still something in this world that''s unbelievable for a goddess who should''ve already seen everything?" Calvin smiled.

    "No... It''s just that I can''t believe that you''re so unlucky. Now, I am having second thoughts if I should give you thatmandment."

    "Ah, that''s it...?" Calvin was immediately depressed.

    "Yeah... I''m starting to hesitate if I should give you the Emperor''s Commandment, but since you guided me on the recreation of these snacks and dishes from Earth. I think we have the same hobby so you should be the most suitable for mymandment..."

    The smile on Grace''s lips was deep as she stared at Calvin with expectations in her eyes.

    "We have the same hobby?" Calvin looked confused.

    The rtionship that Calvin had with Grace back then didn''tst that long, but they spent quite a long time talking to each other. Through theirte-night talks, Calvin learned a lot about this Goddess of Compassion and Light.

    This was the reason why he knew so much about her that no one else apart from him and Grace herself knew.

    But a hobby?

    Calvin never heard from Grace that she had a hobby back then.

    Was this also one of those diversions from the previous timeline? Could it be that the Grace from back then and the Grace that I am facing right now is drastically different from each other?

    In that case...

    Calvin had to rethink his approach.

    But Grace''s next words made him understand that he was just being overly-cautious.

    For her hobby was...

    "Games!"

    "Oh, you like to take a walk out what?"

    "My beloved Goddess, did you just say games?"

    "Yup! I really love the games that mankind made in the past hundred years!

    "Especially those gacha games? I sure hate the fact that the rates for a sessful pull are so low, yet the moment I sessfully pulled something valuable I can feel that rush going through my godly veins! You know what I am saying?" Grace suddenly became excited.

    "What...? The Goddess of Compassion and Light is a gacha gamer? Oh no, please... Don''t tell me that the Emperor''s Commandment is..."

    "Yup! I designed it after being inspired by a game!"

    Grace proudly filled up the nks for Calvin. She was an omnipotent being in her heavenly abode, so it was easy for her to read Calvin''s mind.

    "Hey, don''t tell me that..."

    "Nope... I am not that heartless..." Grace could already see what Calvin was trying to say, "I didn''t design the Emperor''s Commandment using a gacha game system. I am not that cruel..."

    "However, the design of the Emperor''s Commandment is truly inspired by a game and I call it the Ascension System!"

    "..."

    Grace eximed so loud that her words vaguely reverberated throughout the mountain ranges around them.

    Yet, Calvin didn''t feel the same as her.

    ''Fuck... This game addict...''

    ''She turned the strongestmandment possible into something inspired by a game?!''

    ''What will happen to the Emperor''s Commandment now...?''

    For some reason, Calvin felt indescribably nervous.

 Chapter 139: Profession Bestowing Ritual

    Chapter 139: Profession Bestowing Ritual

    "Ascension System? What?"

    Calvin stared at Grace in doubt. Even though a goddess like her had enough power toprehend the inner workings of a human being''s mind, Calvin still doubted if Grace really did understand how gaming systems worked and what they really were.

    "Look at you staring at me like that. The Ascension System isn''t really thatplicated. Let me exin..."

    "The Emperor''s Commandment is the strongestmandment avable that can be bestowed by a human being. It is indeed overpowered and the other wanted me to give up my Emperor''smandment in exchange for theirs since they are saying that I wasn''t even using it anyway. But why would I do that?"

    "Thus, to seal their mouths, I decided to fundamentally change the structure of the Emperor''s Commandment. Instead of it being directly given as a Golden ss. I made it into something independent from thews of this world. In other words, it is something that the other gods would find useless since they won''t be able to understand it anyway..."

    "Other than me, of course..."

    "Wait, does that mean that if you gave me the Emperor''s Commandment, I will not be able to obtain my own Golden ss?" Calvin couldn''t help but gasp.

    If his theory was true and he wasn''t able to obtain the Writer Profession or ss in this lifetime, then the sacrifices that he made for the sake of obtaining the Notebook of Secrets that Will Destroy Your Life would all be wasted.

    After all, that notebook could only shine if it was in the hands of someone adept in the inner workings of the Writer ss.

    "No, that''s not it... You can still receive a Golden ss. Wait..."

    "Why are you saying that as if I am going to bestow you a Golden ss?" Grace lifted her eyebrows and stared right at Calvin.

    Calvin repeatedly blinked, "Are you not going to?"

    The innocent look on his face made Grace unable to understand how she should react.

    In the end, she sipped some matcha milk tea from her teacup, cleared her throat and continued, "The Ascension System works independently from a Golden ss, but at the same time, if you have both a Golden ss and the Ascension System, you will need the Ascension System to rise up the ranks."

    "Just think of the Ascension System as a levelling system... It has no limits, but you need various ascension materials every ten levels."

    "It has no limits?" Calvin caught on what was crucial about the Ascension System, "Independent from thews of this world... Is that what you mean?"

    "Yes..."

    "But why?"

    "Why would you give humans the ability to be gods themselves?"

    Calvin didn''t understand Grace''s thought process as to why she created the Ascension System.

    If this system did bestow upon anyone the ability to potentially be gods, didn''t that mean that she was giving humanity the chance to topple the current gods and goddesses'' ruling over the humans?

    But why would she do such a thing given that she was also a god?

    It didn''t make sense...

    "It''s because I want to be free, Calvin..."

    "Do you think that being a god is that awesome?"

    "If I had a choice, I would''ve already disappeared somewhere else!"

    "Also, the Ascension System is still in its experimental phase. Once I am able to confirm that it can indeed break through thews of this world, then I will also be using it for myself..."

    "Don''t you find it strange that why I still haven''t bestowed such a strongmandment to someone suitable when I have the chance?"

    "Well, simply because I couldn''t find anyone suitable. What''s more, the burden of finding the necessary ascension materials would be on the possessor of themandment..."

    "Thisplicates things since originally, anyone can ascend to a higher level just by praying to the gods whom they have received their sses from..."

    "But since the Ascension System promotes independence from the gods, this means that the journey will be far harder for them than the others who rely on the gods for their ascension..."

    "All right, I understand..." Calvin let out a sigh.

    To be honest, he was shocked that the strongestmandment that he had never seen even in his previous timeline had actually turned into a gaming system that Grace, the Goddess of Compassion and Light wasn''t able to bestow upon someone else until the end times.

    But the fact that Grace was a gaming enthusiast and Calvin, a previous game addict was just too perfect.

    It was as if they were made for each other.

    It was as if the system was tailored just right for a person like Calvin.

    "I will ept that Ascension System. But there''s still one more thing that I want to know. Is the Emperor''s Commandment still the strongestmandment now that it had be something like that?"

    "Yes, it is!" Grace mmed the teacup down onto the table and eximed, "You know that everyone in this world only has a single shot when ites to sses, right?"

    Calvin nodded his head.

    Grace''s smile deepened as she continued to exin.

    "Say, a Mage has mage-like skills, but she can never have the skills of a Swordsman unless she evolved into a Mage Swordsman upon her ascension, but even then, the skills that she would be able to use that belonged to the Swordsman ss is limited..."

    "But as for the Ascension System...?" Grace stared right at Calvin with expectations in her eyes.

    "I will be able to use all the skills imaginable as long as it''s within a reasonable range based on my ascension status?"

    "Yes, that''s right! Wow... It feels really good to talk to someone that can understand you."

    Through their long talk earlier, Grace had already known that Calvin was a former game addict. Being a game enthusiast herself, it could be said that she found a kindred spirit whom she could talk to about anything in regards to games.

    But Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, "Isn''t that too overpowered...?"

    "Yeah, I know what you are thinking..."

    "You can use any skills imaginable, but it depends on how strong you are."

    "Say that you are an individual whose ascension status is at the weakest."

    "But with the Ascension System, even when you are at the weakest..."

    "As long as you know how the skill works and understand how that exceptional skill creates that particr phenomenon, then you should be able to recreate it..."

    "However..."

    "The strength of that recreation wouldn''t be as strong as it should be if you used it when you''re at the peak and its duration would also be pitifully short."

    "Nevertheless, an Apex Predator skill is still an Apex Predator skill..."

    "Its strength should never be underestimated or anyone who does would pay a painful price."

    Grace lifted an amused smile on her lips.

    The smile on Calvin''s face looked as if it was about to be turned into a permanent smirk.

    The Ascension System was just too awesome! If he could choose any Apex Predator skill to use at any given time, then that would practically turn him into a being that should only be weaker than a genuine god.

    But...

    Calvin didn''t believe that there wasn''t a drawback in this kind of broken system.

    Grace had said earlier that the Ascension System was still in its experimental phase, so there must be a stupid drawback somewhere.

    Calvin didn''t raise this issue directly as he just stared at Grace as if he was expecting her to talk about it.

    "Oh..." Grace''s lips twitched, "I know..."

    "I know..."

    "The Ascension System is still in its experimental phase, so there is indeed a drawback to it."

    "The number of skills that you are able to imagine and recreate through the Ascension System is supposedly unlimited, but you need to unlock those spots first..."

    "What do you mean unlock those spots?"

    "Sigh..." Grace let out a sigh, "It would be easier for me to show you what it will look like the first time..."

    She lifted her arm and a transparent window appeared right in front of Calvin.

    It said...

    [Skills Avable in Slot: 0/???]

    "Wait why is that number at zero? Is it what I think it is?"

    "Yeah..." Grace felt somewhat embarrassed, "You will need to find a way to manually unlock the skill slots necessary to slot a skill in so that you can recreate it. What''s more, these slots are consumable so once that skill is in the slot..."

    "There is no way for you to remove it."

    "In other words, if you want to use more skills, you need to constantly unlock these slots..."

    "And how do I unlock them?"

    "Hmmm..." Grace pondered.

    "I..."

    "I don''t know...?"

    "..."

    "Are you serious?" Calvin stared right at Grace.

    "I''ve already told you that the system is still in its experimental phase! Why are you looking at me as if I am worthless?!"

    Grace puffed her cheeks and red angrily at Calvin.

    Staring at the Goddess of Compassion and Light and the literal god figure of billions of beings in thend of Las Felipinas acting cutesy as if she was being wronged...

    Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    In the end, he could only let out a sigh as he said, "All right... Let''s just continue the Profession Bestowing Ritual and get me out of here. Also, don''t forget to heal my body and give me that Emperor''s Comma Ascension System, okay?"

    "Why do I have to heal your body for you?"

    "That''s the least that you can do for turning me as your guinea pig! Come on, hurry up!"

    "Fine..."

    Thus, the Profession Bestowal Ritual concluded...

    The Gamer God- no,the Goddess of Compassion and Light healed Calvin''s bodies of all injuries and also bestowed upon him a Golden ss.

    Calvin now had the ss that everyone thought to be the weakest.

    The Writer ss.

    However, an excellent craftsman never med his tools.

    The Writer ss might be the weakest in the eyes of everyone but in his hands it might as well be called a cheat.

    What''s more, he also had the Emperor''s Comma no, the Ascension System in his arsenal.

    Calvin followed the bright tunnel out of Grace''s heavenly abode with utter excitement and anticipation for his future.

    But as soon as he opened his eyes, his pupils massively constricted for he noticed that he was standing in front of the statue of the Goddess of Compassion and Light. Before the statue stood a man whom Calvin recognized to be as the Cardinal of the Lumiere Cathedral.

    ''What...?''

    ''Where am I?''

    ''What the fuck is this?!''

    Calvin tried to move his body but he found himself strapped with chains.

    ''How did I get here? Just what happened when I wasn''t here?!''

 Chapter 140: Santiago

    Chapter 140: Santiago

    A wave of golden light spread in all directions the moment Calvin opened his eyes.

    The wind chimes scattered above the ceiling of the cathedral simultaneously went off. The jingling sounds they made sounded rxing to the ears, but the emotions of those gathered in this cathedral could be described with anything but rxed.

    "Golden..."

    "It''s golden!"

    "A golden ss holder!"

    Waves of gasps and exims rang out throughout the cathedral.

    At this moment, almost every high-ranking member of the church and all members of the Cavaliers, James, Bruce, Ron, and Ashlynn were here. The reason why they were here in this cathedral was the fact that Calvin''s Profession Bestowing Ritual took too long toplete.

    Precisely, a week had passed already.

    His eyes were still closed all this while.

    But when the Wise One came forward and checked Calvin''s body for any anomalies, he discovered that Calvin was perfectly healthy.

    If not for the fact that he couldn''t open his eyes and that his body was stiffly frozen as if he had died, then people would''ve thought that he was just sleeping.

    The Wise One advised the Cavaliers to give Calvin three days.

    If he couldn''t recover after three days, then they must summon the high-ranking officials of the church for help. By doing this, Ron Samuel''s arbitrary usage of the church''s resources without asking for their approval would be revealed, but did it really matter?

    Calvin''s life was far important than a few herbs and powders.

    Even though resources were rare, the life of a candidate member of the Cavaliers was more valuable than any ingredient or herbs out there.

    After all, not everyone had the talent to be a Cavalier, nor had the motivation to be one of these people that frequently dwell in the dark and deal with monsters behind the scenes.

    A smile floated up the lips of Ron Samuel...

    "Golden..."

    "I can''t believe it..."

    "He was bestowed upon a golden ss? What''s more, his injuries..." Bruce gasped, "It''s healing! It''s really healing! Praise the Goddess!"

    Ashlynn and James Branzu stared at each other before they turned their eyes to Ron Samuel whose smirk was now starting to turn into a smile.

    James Branzu was the first one to speak, "It seems that the church wouldn''t dare to find any fault with us..."

    "Even though we used those resources selfishly, we found a great talent for them. I don''t think they would mind a few herbs or two since we''re giving them a golden ss talent in return..."

    "Yeah, right..." Ron Samuel nodded.

    In front of them, Calvin was still struggling with the chains strapped around his body.

    "Calm down, child... Calm down... No harm wille your way... ept the Goddess''s light and favour..."

    "Ah, it''s golden... Truly a magnificent sight..."

    The golden light surrounding Calvin''s body slowly dissipated until it finally dispersed.

    With its disappearance, the chains wrapped around his body loosened and he fell onto his knees on the cold hard floor. The Cardinal, or rather the old man in front of Calvin hurriedly helped him to his feet as Calvin absentmindedly mumbled.

    "Child... You are fine... You are safe... You are in the presence of the Goddess, and you have her favour..."

    The Cardinal whispered into his ears.

    A shiver ran down Calvin''s spine, but he knew that he had to pretend to be confused.

    As far as he could remember, everyone that received the bestowal or the rejection of the Goddess would have their memories removed.

    Calvin had no idea why the memories had to be erased, but he knew that he had to act his part. He had to pretend that he couldn''t remember what happened just now, so he asked...

    "Where am I...?"

    "What happened?"

    "I remember myself falling asleep, then when I woke up... I''m already here..."

    "Where am I?"

    Calvin repeatedly whispered.

    "You''re safe, Calvin..." A familiar voice rang out from behind him.

    "Bruce... Ashlynn... Vice-Captain... Captain? You all... Why are you here?" Calvin asked.

    Utter confusion was visible on his face which made Bruce smirk as he whispered, "Was I really like this after my own Profession Bestowal Ritual?"

    "Don''tugh... You were exactly like him after your ritual. In fact, Ashlynn had it worse."

    "Oh?" Bruce let out a whimper of interest, but before James Branzu could say that Ashlynn almost peed herself from the fear and shock of suddenly finding herself in an unknown ce... A death re came upon him which made him freeze on his tracks.

    It was pretty obvious that even though James Branzu had a higher position than Ashlynn, he was still afraid of the woman.

    Bruce stared at James with sympathy in his eyes. Indeed, it was better to retreat than to fight when facing this troublesome woman. He secretly apuded James Branzu''s decision in his heart. ''A man really knows when to retreat and to fight!''

    "You''ve been asleep for a week since that day..."

    "What?!" Calvin eximed.

    Ron Samuel stared at him before he let out a sigh, "Don''t worry, it''s a paid leave..."

    "Oh... Wait! I don''t really care about the sry! Please tell me if my family is okay! What about Charlotte and Cecilia?"

    "Your wife is incredibly worried about you, but she told your daughter that you are in a ship somewhere to some random ind and you''ll be back after a few weeks..."

    "Strangely, your daughter isn''t worried at you at all, she says that you''ll be just fine since you are Superman. What''s that Superman?" Ron Samuel said with an amused smile on his lips.

    "N-N-Nothing..." Calvin sighed in relief.

    Footsteps soon rang out from behind them as the Cardinal wearing his holy appointed robes.

    The expressions of the other Cavaliers changed as they simultaneously took a step backwards and bowed towards the Cardinal.

    The Cardinal nodded his head towards the Cavaliers before he turned to look at Calvin and asked, "My child, are you fine? Are you still disoriented?"

    "Or are you worried that we are out here to harm you?"

    "In that case, you do not have to worry about that. I''ve heard that you''re still a candidate Cavalier, so you might not know who I am, so let me introduce myself..."

    "I am the 7th Cardinal of the Church of All-Epassing Light."

    "You may call me by my appointed name..."

    "Santiago!"

    Calvin stared at Santiago withplicated emotions.

    Images shed across his mind as he remembered that day when Ashmelion fell under the relentless attacks of the invaders.

    At that time, even though Santiago could easily escape from Ashmelion and regroup with the other Cardinals and the Pope at the Capital City of Laguna, he didn''t leave the city to escape.

    Instead, he stood at the front lines of the battle and faced the invaders without fear. In the end, Calvin personally witnessed the death of this valiant Cardinal with tears falling down his cheeks.

    Crawling his way over to the body of the fallen Cardinal, so that he could at least take a piece of the Cardinal''s body to bury... It was at that moment that Calvin saw the Cardinal''s aspect...

    The Cardinal''s aspect...

    The representation of his ss was none other than a piece of golden chalk!

    His Golden ss was Teacher!

    Having such a mundane ss without any significant fighting prowess, he managed to defeat close to a hundred thousand invaders on his own through the use of his strategies and ideas.

    Santiago, the man whom Calvin thought to be one of the bad guys ended up to be one of the most remarkable heroes in his heart.

    Now...

    He was standing right in front of his hero...

    Right in front of the hero of that time.

    Calvin felt his chest ache.

    A sour sensation surged up his throat as he swallowed a mouthful of saliva and suppressed his emotions.

    "Y-Y-Your Eminence!" Calvin bowed his head. The emotions he was disying at this moment were raw and unfiltered, nothing butplete respect to the man who swore to protect Ashmelion until the end.

    "Raise your head up, child... We are kindred spirits... We are birds of the same feather for you have a golden ss. You need not pay me so much respect, for I am still a human in the end, not a person worthy of worship." Santiago said with a smile.

    Calvin also smiled, ''As expected, Santiago''s still such an honourable man... Any other man would''ve already enjoyed such disy of respect and reverence, yet he pays it no heed and even dislikes it...''

    Raising his head, Calvin didn''t dare to stare right at Santiago''s eyes for he was afraid that he might not be able to prevent himself from crying.

    "Child, you have the golden ss..."

    "Do you mind sharing to all of us what ss did the Goddess bestow upon you?"

    "I... I don''t know..." Calvin shook his head, "I don''t know what''s my ss, Your Eminence..."

    The smile on Santiago''s face deepened, "Child, utter the word, ''Status'' in your heart."

    "Status?" Calvin audibly whispered, but then when he remembered Santiago''s words that he must utter these words in his heart.

    He closed his eyes for a moment and put up a facade of utter concentration.

    The entire cathedral went silent...

    The other high-ranking officials focus their eyes on Calvin.

    Even the Cavaliers were no exception as they didn''t even dare to breathe until Calvin told them what ss he obtained from the Goddess.

    Then, after a few seconds of suspense.

    Calvin opened his eyes once again and whispered into the air.

    "Writer..."

    "What...?" Bruce couldn''t suppress his shock and audibly whispered.

    Calvin turned to look at Bruce and reiterated, "The ss that I got... this floating transparent window is saying that I got the Writer ss?"

    Calvin''s casual words sent the entire cathedral into an uproar.

 Chapter 141: The Glory of a Golden Class

    Chapter 141: The Glory of a Golden ss

    "Writer...?"

    The cathedral was so silent that one could even hear a pin dropping onto the floor.

    Ron Samuel, James Branzu, Ashlynn and Bruce, as well as the other high-ranking officials of the cathedral couldn''t believe what they had heard.

    It was only until a few secondster did gasps and whispers erupted around the area.

    Calvin hung his head low in shame and whispered, "I guess, what I got isn''t that good?" His eyes didn''t even dare to look at the hem of Santiago''s holy robes. But in reality, he put his head so low because he wanted to conceal the excitement within his eyes.

    He got the Writer ss!

    He was really meant for this ss!

    Calvin was so excited that he wanted to exim. This excitement was further exacerbated when he saw the notification that he had sessfully received the Emperor''s Comma no, the Ascension System.

    [Skill Avable in Slot: 0/???]

    There were no fancy notifications whatsoever, but the fact that this transparent window appeared in front of him at this moment meant that he now had the experimental Ascension System that served to be the Goddess of Compassion and Light''s Emperor Commandment.

    Calvin wanted to exim, but he knew that he had to act dumbfounded and disappointed.

    After all, he had no idea what was happening, so he had to do his part and pretend to be ignorant.

    "Writer... A Diary-Scribe..."

    Santiago stared deeply at Calvin before he let out a sigh and announced, "The 7th holder of the Golden ss for the Church of the All-Epassing Light is hereby dered to be of the Writer ss! Let this word be spread along with the teachings of the Goddess!"

    "Praise the Goddess!"

    "Praise the Goddess!"

    The other high ranking officials eximed along with Santiago. They soon stood up and didn''t even bother to nce at Calvin before leaving the Cathedral.

    To be honest, they were incredibly disappointed that the holder of the Golden ss had the weakest ss known to mankind...

    As for why?

    It was because the Writer ss had no offensive abilities whatsoever!

    They only know how to write and create notary contracts!

    "Such a pity..." One high-ranking official who had already prepared himself to lick the boots of the Golden ss holder to ride on his coattails shook his head and sighed.

    After paying Calvin a final nce, he also left along with the other high-ranking officials. At this moment, only the members of the Cavaliers Ashmelion Branch, as well as the Cardinal and his helpers, were left in the Cathedral.

    "Young man, do not be disappointed... The Goddess has ns to each and every one of us. I am sure that someday, you will be able to change everyone''s opinion of you. The weakest ss? Who decided that?" Santiago said with a defiant look on his face.

    Calvin''s throat felt sour once again.

    Santiago''s defiant tone of voice made him remember thatst stand that he made in the front lines.

    "Even if my life ends, I will never abandon my honour! I, Santiago, am not a coward! Death to all invaders!"

    Then, with a final swing of his golden chalk, he rushed at his enemies without a care for his life.

    Calvin suppressed his emotions and smiled at the Cardinal.

    "Thank you, Your Eminence. Your subject will keep your words in his heart." Calvin didn''t say these words out of pleasantries. He was indeed keeping Santiago''s words in his heart. He would never forget it.

    Santiago nodded in satisfaction and he turned to look at the Cavaliers.

    "Yourrade is a cripple no more, and he has a Golden ss."

    "The Writer ss might be the weakest, but never ever forget the Glory of the Golden ss..."

    "In virtue of his presence in your branch, I will increase the funding of the Ashmelion''s Branch of Cavaliers and I will also increase the number of missions appropriate in the jurisdiction of your branch..."

    "Please guide the holder of the golden ss." Santiago slightly bowed his head.

    Bruce took a step backwards out of shock. He didn''t expect the Cardinal to be such a good man.

    "Yes, Your Eminence..." Ron Samuel made the sign of the Goddess and expressed his respects to the Cardinal.

    Santiago paid the others his final gaze before he turned around and left with the helpers.

    With the disappearance of His Eminence, the Cavaliers were finally able to rx.

    Then, Bruce turned to look at Calvin and ced his arm around his shoulder, "Calvin, will you tell me how...?"

    Calvin was astonished by the sudden change, but he still managed to reply, "What do you mean, how?"

    "Tell me how you coerced the Goddess into giving you a Golden ss! Damn, you lucky bastard!" Envy was visible on Bruce''s face.

    "Is having a Golden ss really that great? Why did I feel that everyone was disappointed earlier when they heard that I have a Writer ss, even though its ssification should be golden..." Calvin asked in doubt.

    Ron Samuel let out a sigh and said, "As His Eminence said earlier, your ss is the weakest ss ever. Even the Street Cleaner ss has offensive capabilities for they are naturally efficient in using anything as weapons..."

    "Heck, they could even use a brick as their weapon! But as for the Writer ss? Not only your Aspect is weak, those who have the Writer ss are only efficient as writers! That''s it!"

    "Well, isn''t that pretty obvious, Captain?" Calvin said.

    "What?" Ron Samuel replied.

    "It''s the Writer ss, so wouldn''t it be strange if the owner of the ss isn''t proficient in writing?"

    Ron Samuel facepalmed, "That is not the point here..."

    James Branzu felt pain watching these two talk with each other.

    He couldn''t help but step forward and intervene, "All right. His Eminence had said earlier that our funds would be increased and that is all thanks to you. This is all your glory..."

    He smiled at Calvin.

    James Branzu was someone who had a lot of hobbies that needed funding.

    Especially in the world of the supernatural.

    Now that they had more money that they could use to inject funds into his hobby, it was normal for him to be this happy.

    Calvin awkwardly scratched his head, not knowing how to react.

    Ashlynn could see his awkwardness and she sent him a lifeboat in the midst, "The rewards that Calvin bought for us alone is worthy of a celebration, but the fact that his body is now healed also reinforces the fact that we have to celebrate!"

    "Tonight... No one shalle home sober!"

    "We will drink to oblivion!"

    Bruce''s lips repeatedly twitched.

    His alcohol tolerance was pathetically low whenpared to these monsters.

    Fortunately, Calvin was here and he had no idea if Calvin could stomach his liquor.

    Bruce was fervently praying that Calvin was like him, a person who couldn''t handle his liquor at all so that he wouldn''t be alone in his suffering once the monsters fought against each other in a drunken battleter in the night.

    But before James Branzu could reply positively...

    Ron Samuel intervened and said, "We can surely celebrate, but we should do it at the end of the week..."

    "Calvin had just woken up today after a week of sleeping and he''s also a freshly-minted Cavalier. There''s a lot for him to learn and we should not take too much of his time." Ron Samuel looked reluctant as well but he knew that Calvin had priorities.

    "A... Captain... You''re such a killjoy."

    "Agreed..."

    "No, he''s not a killjoy. He''s just doing what''s right!" Bruce protected the Captain from the criticism of the two.

    But Ron Samuel was bound to disappoint him as he continued, "Well, I did say that we should not celebrate today, but at the end of the week..."

    "However, what''s stopping us from enjoying ourselves with the money that we just got as additional funding for our cause! Tonight, we are going to have a barbeque party!"

    "A barbeque party?!" Ashlynn eximed in excitement, "I always knew that you''re a man that knows how to have fun, Captain!"

    James Branzuughed along with Ron Samuel while Bruce and Calvin stood there visibly confused.

    "But Captain!"

    "Didn''t you say that Calvin has a lot to learn as a newly-minted Cavalier?"

    "Why are we having a barbeque party tonight instead of teaching him the ways of the Cavaliers?" Bruce''sint wasn''t unfounded for new Cavaliers that had just received their ss had to know how to protect themselves from the influence of the supernatural.

    Likes attract likes just how birds of the same feathers flock.

    Those that deal with the supernatural would always attract monsters of supernatural-origins even if they were sleeping.

    The teachings of the Cavaliers that Calvin had to learn in a week included some instructions about certain daily routines that he had to do from now on if he didn''t want to attract strange monsters visiting his house randomly.

    Furthermore, Calvin also had to learn about the Standard Operational Procedure of the Cavaliers.

    All of this was a lot of work to exin to a newly-minted Cavalier. Bruce knew this for every knowledge that a fresh Cavalier needed to know could only be passed on verbally.

    They must never be written down unless given explicit instructions by the church.

    He reckoned that he would have to talk to Calvin until dawn before he could evenpletely exin to him everything that Calvin needed to know as a new member of the Cavaliers.

    In short, if Bruce wanted to drastically reduce this time, he needed the help of the others.

    Yet...

    Why were they having a barbeque party instead of helping me?

    Could it be that...

    "Oh?" Ashlynn stared in schadenfreude at Bruce, "There''s this tradition in the Ashmelion Branch of Cavaliers that the lowest in rank should be the one responsible for teaching fresh recruits. In other words, we will be relying on you, Bruce!"

    "What?!" Bruce cried out, "How could you guys do th"

    "We will be relying on you, Bruce..." James Branzu stared right at Bruce''s eyes.

    Ron Samuel also turned around and eyed him with a serious re, "It''s on you now, Bruce..."

    "Don''t you dare stop us from having our barbeque party..."

    "..."

 Chapter 142: The Cavaliers Way

    Chapter 142: The Cavalier''s Way

    WIth no one daring to stop them, the barbeque partymenced with no problems whatsoever.

    Even though the Cavaliers wanted to have a barbeque party, meat wasn''t really that cheap in the City of Ashmelion.

    Rearing chickens, pigs, horses and cattle for their meat required a lot ofnds. The Cavaliers, even with their connections only managed to get a few pounds of white and red meat. But that didn''t really matter since the centrepiece of the party was the booze.

    The citizens of Ashmelion were frequent drinkers, in fact, they drink more than they change their knickers.

    The favourite of the masses beverage, appropriately named Ashmelion Beer made from Ashmelion''s main staple crop barely has a nice bitter taste.

    Though some might find the Ashmelion Beer as tasting in, the people of Ashmelion believed that in beer was the best booze of all time...

    After all, the more vani the taste of the booze was, the easier one could modify its taste to one''s pleasure.

    A good example of this was the fact that Ron Samuel always chased his Ashmelion Beer with lime, while Ashlynn preferred adding a teaspoon of sugar and salt to her booze.

    James Branzu, on the other hand, preferred the raw vani taste of the Ashmelion Beer.

    He despised those that dare to taint the vour of the favourite of the masses.

    "Oh? You guys already started? Sweet..." A familiar voice rang out from the doors of the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop.

    A slender-framed figure came inside the coffee shop and smiled, "I brought in some more booze. I really did not expect that you would be able to find such a talented individual, Ron..."

    "Hmmph... I''ve always had a keen eye, Vincent D Cruz..."

    "All right, all right..." The young man who came in preferred to be called as the Wise One.

    But privately and among his friends, he detested such pleasantries.

    He wanted to be called by his first name, Vincent.

    Calling him with his full name even in private often attracted his displeasure, but this didn''t stop Ron Samuel from calling him with his full name.

    "Senior... Thank you for gracing us with your presence..." Bruce walked forward and helped Vincent carry the boxes of beverages.

    He had juste out of the Library and was in the middle of a short break in between verbally informing Calvin about everything that he needed to know in the Way of the Cavaliers.

    "Why did youe out?"

    "I''ve got to take a piss, hahaha..." Bruce replied to Ron Samuel''s inquiry.

    Ron Samuel faintly nodded, "You better wrap everything fast, with Vincent D Cruz here, you might not be able to have even the leftovers!"

    Vincent D Cruz was a true foodie, he disliked leaving leftovers and everything that was in his te would always be fully consumed without exceptions. Even if the taste or texture was dislikeable.

    "Now, you''re making me look like I only came here to eat and drink..."

    "Oh? Aren''t you?" Ron Samuel asked.

    "Of course, not! I came here to celebrate, so I also brought in some meat... Can I use your kitchen?" Vincent smiled.

    Ron Samuel walked over to him and ced the back of his hand on Vincent''s forehead.

    "Your temperature''s fine... Are you sure you''re not sick?"

    "What? Do you really think that I am that type of a person who would crash someone else''s celebration just to dine and dash?"

    Vincent raised his eyebrow and frowned.

    Ron Samuel didn''t say anything. Instead, he turned around and gestured to the kitchen.

    "Leave the meat to me..." The smile on Vincent''s face deepened.

    To be honest, he was indeed the type of person who would crash someone else''s celebration and then dine and dash. However, he had changed recently. He noticed that he was able to greatly increase the quality of the food that he was consuming if he was the one making it.

    What''s more, every time he saw someone exim, "Delicious!" while eating his dishes. He would feel strangely liberated and gratified...

    This was why in the past few weeks, Vincent had been more into cooking than mysticism.

    Vincent walked into the kitchen carrying several baskets of meat.

    When the door closed behind him, Ron Samuel approached James Branzu and whispered into his ears.

    It was unknown what he had said to James, but James nodded seriously to his words and then secretly approached the kitchen.

    He sneakily peeked into the kitchen but before he could even see what was happening inside.

    A pair of sapphire-like eyes suddenly appeared and it was staring right at him!

    "In Goddess''s name!"

    James Branzu was so startled that he leapt backwards and entered a fighting stance.

    Vincent D Cruz slowly opened the doors and said, "Do you think that I am out here to poison us all?"

    James Branzu lifted an awkward smile.

    He slightly bowed his head to the Wise One in apology.

    He didn''t even dare to respond as he turned around and made a break for it to his Captain.

    Even though Vincent D Cruz looked to be younger than him, he was a more senior figure in the ranks of the Church.

    In short, Vincent was not someone that he could just casually offend.

    ''This is all Captain''s fault!''

    James Branzu whispered to himself, but he didn''t dare to speak out his thoughts.

    After all, he didn''t want to offend the king for the sake of the general.

    James was a smart man so he kept his mouth shut.

    Soon, the smell of fragrant meat wafted out of the kitchen.

    The alluring smell made both James and Ron forget about their reservations against Vincent when ites to his cooking skills.

    Meanwhile, within the secret Library of the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop, Bruce was in the middle of verbally passing the necessary knowledge that Calvin needed in his career of being a Cavalier.

    "All right, let''s stop for now and refresh. I am going to ask you..."

    "Recite to me the Cavalier Ranking System..."

    "Yes..."

    Calvin took a deep breath and replied, "Cavaliers are ranked as follows. Soldier, Cavalry, Knight, Bishop, and Pope. Each rank is separated even further into three different categories; Low, Mid, and High. The Pope Ranking is the only exception to these categories since it only has a single category, namely... the Apex Predator Rank."

    "How does a person increase their rank?"

    "By gathering enough experiences through killing monsters..."

    "Every time a monster is killed, a Cavalier must do a simple ritual of life force absorption. Absorbing the life force of defeated enemies or monsters will increase the energy contained within their Origin. With the expansion of their Origin, they are able to increase their powers..."

    "And what is an Origin?"

    "An Origin is the source of a Predator''s powers..."

    "If destroyed, the Predator will be crippled or die."

    "I didn''t know that you were such a fast learner! Then, tell me about how can a Soldier be a Cavalry?"

    "It is through ascension!"

    "How can a person ascend?"

    "A person can ascend by praying through their affiliated god and after making sure that their Origin''s capacity is at its maximum. There is also a chance that the person can receive the bestowal of another ss which will turn his ss into a hybrid ss."

    "Good! Then, how are the sses bestowed upon us by the Goddess ssified and exin to me what hybrid sses are..."

    "A person''s ss can be ssified into different categories: Fighter, Healer, Mage, Assassin, Tank, Scout, and the incredibly rare Golden ss... A person can have two sses in two different categories. Let us say for example that the person originally has the Mage ss..."

    "If he or she obtained the Swordsman ss, then she will now have the Magic Swordsman ss affiliated with both the Mage and Fighter categories at the same time."

    "Yes, that''s right! Tell me how can someone distinguish the ss of other Predators?"

    "It''s through the glow in their eyes!"

    Calvin promptly replied, "Those who have the Mage ss would have the glow of the night sky in their eyes, while those with the Scout ss would have the sheen of the sunset in their pupils..."

    "The eyes from those of the Fighter ss would go red. Tank, brown, Assassin, Purple, while those that possess the Healer ss would have the glow of nature in their eyes!"

    "Correct!"

    "Wow... It seems that we can finish earlier than I have previously thought... Keep it up!" Bruce didn''t withhold his praises, "How can someone understand and recognize the strength of an unknown Predator?"

    "Through the use of Predator Senses!"

    "Right, and what is the Predator Senses?"

    "It is the Vision bestowed upon us by the Goddess! Through these eyes, we are able to see the truth from the false! Using the Predator Senses, we will be able to see the width and the length of a foreign Predator''s aura and through that, we will be able to measure his strength!"

    "That''s right! Now tell me about the Predator''s Soul Weapon... The Aspect!"

    Calvin''s smile deepened, "The Aspect is the weapon from the Predator''s soul!"

    "It can never be changed nor abandoned, it will grow along with its owner and it can never be stolen!"

    "However, it can be borrowed to a certain extent."

    "To increase an Aspect''s strength, one must imbue it with the power of supernatural entities. FIght fire with fire, to defeat monsters, one must use a monster''s core as their weapon..."

    "Good! Wheeew... I thought you would fail here... People often mistake the Aspect as some sort of a holy weapon, but obviously, you listened to what I was saying a few hours ago..."

    Bruce wiped the sweat that formed on his forehead, "All right, this will be the final question..."

    "After this, I will judge you to be worthy of being a Cavalier!"

    "Really? Wouldn''t that be too easy?" Calvin asked out of worry.

    Bruce raised his eyebrow out of annoyance, "Too easy? Are you seriously saying that to someone who had to study for an entire month just to remember all of these?"

    Calvin didn''t know what to say...

    Seeing that Calvin had given up, Bruce cleared his throat and asked.

    "If a Cavalier did a serious rule vition, what would the punishment be?"

    There was a serious look on Bruce''s face as he said all of these.

    It was obvious that he was giving Calvin a stern warning.

    Calvin firmly nodded his head before replying, "They will be dealt with ording to the Cavalier''s Way. The punishment would be the destruction of their Origin."

    The Library fell into silence.

    It was only after a few seconds did Bruce smile and pat Calvin on the shoulder, "Congrats... I hereby dere you as having passed the test!"

    "T-Thank you, Senior..." Calvin awkwardly scratched his head and smiled.

    "S-Senior...?" Bruce suddenly stopped on his tracks.

    "Hmmm?" Calvin stared at his back, confused about his reaction.

    "N-Nothing..." Bruce refused to say anything as he left Calvin alone in the Library.

    But once the doors of the Library closed behind him.

    Bruce suddenly lifted his head high and punched his fist into the sky.

    ''I just got a....''

    ''I just got a junior!''

    ''I''m a senior now!''

    Bruce felt iparably proud of himself having obtained a junior for he could now be considered as a senior Cavalier.

    He walked with steady steps towards the rowdy bunch of people that was strangely silent now.

    When he sat down, there was this smug look on his face but when his eyesnded on the emptied tes in front of him. His expression froze.

    "W-Where are the food?" Bruce stammered.

    "Food? What food?"

    "Ah, the food!"

    "We ate it all, already... Hup!" Ron Samuel absentmindedly whispered before he closed his eyes once more.

    The smell of booze radiating from him was far too strong that Bruce''s eyebrows furrowed.

    He was just gone for a few hours, yet the food and booze were already gone!

    Not even a lick of them was left!

    What was even more tragic was the fact that apart from him and Calvin...

    Ashlynn, Ron, James and Vincent were all out cold, drunk.

    James was on the cold floor of the Coffee Shop snoring.

    Ashlynn had her legs dangling on a chair as sheid on the ground.

    Ron Samuelid his head on the table and as he snored, one could even see his drool dripping out of his mouth.

    The Wise One no, Vincent, on the other hand, looked more dignified than the others.

    He leaned on the wall with his back and slept peacefully without letting out a snore.

    This scene was indeed the aftermath of a happy celebration.

    But why was Bruce calling this a tragedy?

    It was because surely he would be the one responsible to clean all of these, even though he hadn''t eaten nor drank anything!

    "Fuck..."

    Bruce let out a rare curse.

 Chapter 143: An Abrupt Assignment

    Chapter 143: An Abrupt Assignment

    "Why do I have to do all of these..."

    Bruce begrudgingly said as he carried several nkets and ced them over the bodies of the drunken Cavaliers. He also made sure that Vincent D Cruz was sufficiently covered andfortable so that he wouldn''t be sick the next day.

    "You say all of that yet, you are still covering them up with nkets..." Calvin couldn''t help butment. A smirk was stered across his face for he couldn''t help but think that Bruce was such a cold and warm person, "Why did you even have to drag me out here anyway... You know that it''s my celebration... It''s my glory, but why am I helping you wash these dishes?"

    Calvin looked displeased.

    "I don''t even want to talk about that..." Bruce let out a sigh.

    "Are you hungry?"

    "After talking to you non-stop for several hours, do you think that I wouldn''t be hungry?" Bruce raised an eyebrow.

    "All right, once we''re done with this, I''ll cook us a simple meal." Calvin smiled and he didn''t say anything anymore. He got to work and cleaned all of the mess that the others made in the coffee shop. While he was at it, Calvin decided to clean the coffee machines and then afterwards, he checked out the kitchen wherein he was greeted with a pleasant surprise.

    There was still uncooked meat within the kitchen!

    And they seemed to be suspended in a strange ball of liquid...

    Calvin poked the ball of liquid and he realized that what he was thinking was right. The ball of liquid was a bubble made to preserve the meat while it was being exposed to the outside air. This way, the meat wouldn''t spoil nor rot. In short, this b of meat encased in this ball of liquid was perfectly fine to cook and eat!

    "Bruce, we''re in luck... There''s are still some meat that we can cook! We won''t go hungry!" Calvin carried the b of meat to show it to Bruce, but Bruce only let out a sigh.

    "And what are we going to do with that b of meat?"

    "Aren''t we going to cook it?"

    "Makes sense, but I can''t cook."

    "Oh, you can''t?" Calvin furrowed his eyebrows. Though the way Bruce carried himself made Calvin understood that he was someone pampered, so this wasn''t strange, "All right, I will cook it for us."

    "Wait, you can cook?"

    "Yeah... Is that strange?"

    "Nope..." Bruce shook his head and turned his attention back to his dishes. But when Calvin returned to the kitchen carrying the b of meat with him, Bruce gnashed his teeth and mumbled, "I''m his senior, but I can''t cook... He''s my junior but he can cook! Where is my dignity going to? Damn it, I need to know how to cook!"

    It wasn''t strange that Calvin could cook, he was an overachiever after all before he became an addict. He could easily whip up a meal or two, but the question was what dish should he make out of these leftovers?

    Calvin scanned the kitchen and he suddenly remembered the recipe for one of his favourite meals here in Ashmelion.

    The smell of meat, herbs and spices soon filled up the air and the aroma was so fragrant that as soon as it wafted out of the kitchen, Bruce couldn''t help but snap his neck to the direction of the kitchen. He subconsciously licked his lips as his stomach growled out of protest. But he was now, ording to him a senior member of the Cavaliers...

    He couldn''t possibly go into the kitchen and beg for food from one of his juniors. He had to keep his dignity in check.

    Bruce took a deep breath. He mustered all of his willpower to suppress the urges that threatened toe out of his heart.

    Fortunately, his suffering didn''tst that long for Calvin was finally done with the cooking.

    The meal that he had prepared for the two of them greatly took advantage of leftovers. The excessive bags of flour that Vincent D Cruz brought over was turned by Calvin into some noodles. Then, he topped those noodles with a thick tomato paste-looking sauce as well as some fragrant herbs and garnishes above it.

    He presented it to Bruce and said, "Good work, senior... You must be hungry... Here you go, and enjoy..." Calvin smiled as he lifted his own bowl of noodles and started slurping away without even waiting for Bruce''s reply.

    "All right..." Bruce stared at Calvin, "If this satisfies me, then I will grant you the permission to call me by my name, Bruce!"

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at him, "Oh, the B-word pass?"

    "B-word pass?"

    "Nothing..." Calvin revealed a silly smile and shook his head as a reply, "Taste it, senior... You won''t be disappointed."

    These words were said by Calvin from his heart.

    The noodles that he made didn''t juste from any random recipe.

    It was a favourite of someone he loved that he had to abandon back then for the sake of humanity.

    Eating this bowl of noodles made him remember that familiar silhouette. The fragrant aroma of the spices and herbs made him feel as if she was standing right beside him at this moment.

    "I''ve disappointed you back then..." Calvin softly whispered.

    "What?" Bruce unexpectedly heard what he had said.

    "No, it''s nothing... I was just thinking of something else..."

    "Oh, could it be that you are worried about what will happen to your life now that you are a part of us Cavaliers?" Bruce stared at him.

    Calvin smiled, ''What a convenient misunderstanding... I really like those people that often jump into conclusions, they make my life way easier than it should...'' He didn''t deny what Bruce had said which made thetter think that he was correct.

    "Hahaha, I know what you are thinking. But to be honest, you should not worry about it. The Captain gave your wife a job here in the Coffee Shop, so we consider her as one of us now. In short, she would have our protection. Don''t worry about the Yellow River Gang taking revenge against your daughter and wife..."

    "But if you are worried about not being an ordinary human anymore... I would say that your worries aren''t farfetched, but you''re exaggerating things. We may look like we are only striving to act like ordinary humans, but we are still humans in our hearts. The blessing that the Goddess bestowed upon us is the proof that she loves us, so we must take responsibility to help keep the world at peace..."

    "You know what they say with great poweres great responsibility..." Bruce winked at Calvin and praised, "Damn, these noodles are good! Did you use tomato paste for the sauce?"

    "Nope..."

    "Makes sense, this doesn''t taste like tomatoes at all. It''s too sweet to be made out of tomatoes! What did you use to make this? I reckon the Wise One would be curious. I heard that he''s recently into cooking." Bruce kept on slurping the noodles as he said all of these, "Do you have another bowl?"

    "No, I only had enough ingredients for two portions. I used bananas for the sauce."

    "You used what?"

    "Bananas..."

    "Then, why is it red?"

    "It''s because I added in some tomato paste..."

    "Ah! So that is why the taste is so refreshing, yet familiar at the same time. Wow, Calvin... You''re a culinary genius!"

    "Hahaha..." Calvin onlyughed.

    No one in this world knew other than him that thisughter contained more emotions than what meets the eye.

    ''I''m sorry, but if I had to choose again... I would choose to save humanity... I just can''t abandon everything to be with you... But If I ever meet you again in this timeline, I would make sure that you''d never be forced to make the same decision that you did in the previous timeline...'' A rueful smile was stered across Calvin''s face, but he was feeling iparably confident.

    He was able to achieve such heights back then without the help of a goddess or god, but now that he had a strong backer and was also given the strongestmandment in existence. There was no way that Calvin couldn''t return to his previous peak or even exceed it. If he couldn''t, then he might as well give everything up and cease to exist.

    The dinner ended quietly. Bruce wanted to wash all the dishes by himself as a gesture of gratitude to Calvin, but thetter insisted that he must help since he couldn''t possibly let his senior do all the work by himself. This made Bruce appreciate Calvin even more. The two talked idly as they worked on a tandem in cleaning up the entire coffee shop.

    When they were done, they proceeded to carry the drunken Cavaliers to the second floor of the coffee shop. Calvin wanted to let Bruce carry Ashlynn at first, but the former profusely refused saying that it would be more appropriate if Calvin carried Ashlynn to the second floor since he was married and no malice would possiblye out if he was the one who moved Ashlynn up there.

    Calvin didn''t say anything anymore and the curtains in this celebration soon ended.

    Calvin fell asleep on one of the tables downstairs. He decided not to return home since it was already too deep into the night and he reckoned that Charlotte and Cecilia must be sleeping already.

    For some reason, Calvin slept exceptionally well that night.

    But when he woke up, he was greeted by the sight of Ron Samuel, James Branzu, Bruce, and Ashlynn gathered on a table directly across him with serious looks on their face.

    "What the hell are they thinking! It''s just his first day being a Cavalier, yet the church is already giving him an assignment?"

    It was from Bruce.

    "Yeah, this is a headache...The mission might be suited for fresh recruits, but the circumstances are too strange. Can he even handle it?"

    Ashlynn chimed in.

    Ron Samuel shook his head, "I have no idea. We saw what he could do back then, but he should be a totally different person now that he has been baptized and blessed by the Goddess. We should consider him to be a nk te."

    "That''s right, so why did the church send him such a mission order so early?"

    "I suppose... It is to test just how strong a golden ss is?"

    "What? Does that even make sense?" Ashlynn retorted. Golden sses might be rare, but it didn''t mean that the church had no records of how strong they were. In short, the actions of the high-ranking official that sent this mission order seemed to be born out of jealousy and spite. It made Ashlynn feel sick.

    "Yes, it doesn''t make sense... What do you guys think? Should we refuse this mission order?" James Branzu asked.

    "Calm down... The mission is rated for Soldiers Low. He should be able to do this."

    "Captain? What are you talking about... This is his first day... His first day!" Ashlynn protested.

    "I know... But we cannot refuse this mission order."

    "Why? We have a good reason to refuse this! Why won''t we do it?" Ashlynn asked.

    Bruce also had a frown on his face.

    James Branzu thought for a moment before he eximed, "Ah!"

    "Is it because we''re being too popr at this moment that we cannot possibly refuse this mission order?"

    "That''s right! If we refuse this mission order, those bastards will probably use that as a basis to lodge aint to the ministry. They will probably say that we are receiving more funds than we should receive and that we should be penalized for overusing our funds despite not rendering a lot of work..."

    "Not rendering a lot of work? What a joke! Are we to me that Ashmelion''s too peaceful? I mean, we are still investigating that Red Cloud incident. In short, they cannot say that we are not doing any work..." Bruce grumbled.

    "Sigh... How troublesome." Ron Samuel mumbled.

    It was at this moment that Calvin finally "woke up".

    "Captain...?"

    "Oh, it''s already thiste... Damn, I overslept..."

    Calvin rubbed his eyes and acted as if he had just woken up, "What''s the matter? Am I interrupting something?"

    Bruce nced at James before James nodded his head.

    Bruce stood up and dragged Calvin into their table.

    "Mhmm? What is it? Calm down, I just woke up. Don''t drag me, I can walk..." Calvin took a seat beside Bruce and Ron Samuel revealed the mission order that he had received from the church for Calvin.

    [This is a mission order for Soldier Calvin Vinueva.]

    [Do not ept without the sealed stamp.]

    [Do not open without the presence of the intended recipient.]

    Calvin saw these words stered on the surface of the envelope, but he couldn''t help but bitterly smile when he saw that Ron and the others opened the enveloped while he was sleeping.

    "I thought this was supposed to not be opened without the presence of the intended recipient?" Calvin couldn''t help butment.

    "What do you mean without your presence? You are clearly here..." Ashlynn said with an innocent look on her face.

    "So my presence doesn''t necessarily mean that I am awake? How shameless..." Calvin chided with a shake of his head.

    "Hey, I am trying to help you refuse this mission order, why are you criticizing me..."

    "All right, all right, I was just questioning your morals." Calvin smiled and turned his attention to the envelope.

    He took out the mission order from within the envelope and as he read the contents of the mission order, a frown quickly spread on his face.

    The target of the mission order was the Vige of Tulog.

    As far as he could remember, the Vige of Tulog was the strangest vige in the entire outskirts of Ashmelion.

    Back then, the vige had swallowed the lives of at least ten Cavaliers before the church decided to send the Cardinal Santiago into the fray.

    Calvin could remember that the vige had been cleansed in the end, but rumours said that Cardinal Santiago almost died trying to kill the mysterious creature in the vige.

    Calvin felt a sense of foreboding.

    The mission order stated that he was to purge an unknown spirit roaming the vige and free the vigers from the curse of sleeplessness.

    ''The curse of sleeplessness... This isn''t wrong! The mission order back then was to purge a monster of unknown origins! Why is the mission order saying that there''s an unknown spirit roaming that''s causing the curse of sleeplessness? Could it be that...'' Calvin froze.

    He vaguely remembered that the reason why this vige got so much attention from the church was the fact that a newly-minted Cavalier had disappeared in its depths.

    Was that newly-minted Cavalier a member of the Ashmelion''s Branch of Cavaliers back then?

    Could it be that he had reced that Cavalier as a member of this branch and that was the reason why he had received this mission order?

    This theory made sense the most, but didn''t that mean that he was going to be the sacrifice which would put the attention of the church onto this vige?

    Calvin took a deep breath.

    He might be a newly-minted Cavalier, but he had the strongestmandment.

    Calvin wasn''t afraid of a fight.

    For the sake of the vigers stuck in the curse of sleeplessness, Calvin knew that he had to ept this mission.

    He raised his head and stared at Ron Samuel, "Captain."

    "I will ept this mission order."

    "Please instruct me on what to do next!"

 Chapter 144: Blessed With Such Good Comrades

    Chapter 144: Blessed With Such Good Comrades

    "Are you sure that you are going to ept this Mission Order?" Ron Samuel stared at Calvin with a frown. It was easy to understand why he reacted as such. This was Calvin''s first day as a member of the Cavaliers. Usually, newly-minted Cavaliers weren''t allowed to take solo Mission Orders like this one that Calvin had just received.

    James Branzu turned his attention to Ron Samuel and said, "Yeah, this doesn''t make sense. If they wanted to know how strong a holder of the golden ss is, then they could''ve just turned to the archives and read the books there, it''s pretty cut and dry. Yet, why did they bother sending a mission order to a newly-minted member of the Cavaliers..."

    "Are they purposely targeting us?" Bruce mumbled out a possibility that made Ron Samuel think hard and long.

    "That is probably the reason..." Eventually, Ron Samuel couldn''t help but agree.

    "Someone is targeting us, and I might know who that person is..." A cold smile appeared on Ron Samuel''s lips.

    "Who is it, Captain? Who dares to target us, the Cavaliers?" James Branzu said in a chilling tone of voice. People seemed to have forgotten that the Cavaliers were a group of people known to be as the executioner of the Kingdom. If those people needed a reminder as to how terrifying the Cavaliers were...

    James Branzu didn''t mind giving them a sample.

    Ron Samuel shook his head, "Don''t even bother. The person I have in mind isn''t someone that you can casually offend."

    "Captain... Are you saying that...?"

    "Yeah, the one who did this is probably one of those sons of bitches that came to observe the spectacle yesterday. But I have no proof whatsoever, so I can''t just raise any usations."

    "Indeed..." James Branzu nodded, "So what should we do now, Captain? If this is indeed the work of one of those bastards, then this mission order would be incredibly difficult to refuse. We''ve already butted heads against them once already and we already know how shameless they can be..."

    "That''s right..."

    "But who said something about refusing the job?"

    "What?"

    "Captain, are you saying that Calvin should go through with this mission order?" Ashlynn almost stood up from the shock. She had read the details of the mission order and even though it wasn''t that dangerous, the danger was subjective. The mission might be easy as pie for Ashlynn, but for a newly-minted Cavalier like Calvin?

    He might as well justmit suicide to save himself from the potential suffering under the effects of the Curse of Sleeplessness.

    Ron Samuel closed his eyes for a moment, but when he opened it. He stared right at Calvin and said, "Calvin, are you sure that you are going to ept this mission order? I asked for more details after pulling some strings here and there. It turns out that this Vige of Sleeplessness isn''t that simple..."

    "Not only is the fog so thick that you won''t be able to see anything a few meters ahead of you, but it''s also impossible to disperse. What''s more, the vigers are unnerving and strange. From the archived records, they seemed to be under the Curse of Sleeplessness. Those afflicted with this curse aren''t able to sleep at all until the day that their body crumbles from theck of sleep..."

    "So, what? Are you still going to ept this mission order knowing that you might turn into one of them? The Curse of Sleeplessness has no cure, so I hope you''ll think about this properly." Ron Samuel said with no emotions on his face.

    "The Curse of Sleeplessness, what a horrible curse... Imagine being so sleepy, but also being unable to sleep until you die due to this curse..."

    "If I was the one that received this mission order, then I would do anything to refuse this mission! Even if I had to go and pay the Cardinal a visit bringing with me some expensive gifts!" Bruce gasped in shock.

    "Speaking of expensive gifts, I remember that I still have that gift that I received from the Captain during that Lantern Rites Festivalst year, Bruce... If you received that mission order, then I would dly let you have that gift so you can bring it with you to the Cardinal!" Ashlynn turned to look at Bruce.

    Calvin was speechless.

    He didn''t know what to say.

    But at the same time, he felt warm in his heart knowing that hisrades even though he hadn''t known them for so long, they were willing to sacrifice their valuables for the sake of his wellbeing.

    "It''s okay, Ashlynn... Bruce... I should be able to do it with the guidance of the Captain. Besides, I have such a prettyidback job right now aside from his asional mission orders. I must do my best to keep it and that includes not offending the big yers in the church..." Calvin smiled at the two, hinting that he appreciated their care for his wellbeing.

    Bruce and Ashlynn stared at each other for a moment before Ashlynn sighed, "Fine... Since you have already decided, then I can only wish you good luck. You better return safe and well, you still have your family waiting for you here..." The time that Ashlynn spent together with Calvin was brief, but she could already tell that Calvin was a loyal and fun person to be with.

    This was why she was willing to go so far as to sacrifice the gift that she received from the Lantern Rites Festivalst year, just so she could save Calvin from epting this hical mission order from one of the church''s bigwigs.

    "All right, now that the decision has been made, then it''s time for me to give Calvin the perks that he deserves as a holder of the golden ss." Ron Samuel gave a mysterious smile to the others.

    "Perks? What kind of perks do I have, Captain?" Calvin asked in curiosity.

    "As a holder of the rare golden ss, then you must already have your Aspect, right?"

    "Aspect?" Calvin pretended to not understand.

    "Yup, your Aspect... You can summon it while closing your eyes and wishing for your Aspect to appear in front of you with all of your heart."

    Calvin nodded and promptly closed his eyes.

    To be honest, his expertise with his Aspect enabled him to summon it at will naturally as if he was breathing. But since he was just a newly-minted Cavalier, he had to pretend that it was his first time summoning his Aspect and he had no idea how to summon it. He closed his eyes and time quickly spanned.

    After judging that it was about time for him to open his eyes, he opened his eyes and a burst of golden light followed.

    A surreal-looking golden quill materialized in front of him and the others.

    Ron Samuel nodded his head and said, "So your Aspect is a quill, as expected of a Writer. Since you have the Writer ss, then I must give you a notebook for you to use... The first ascension ss of the Writer is the Diary-Keeper. You must record everyday things that you see around you so long as you judge them to be significant enough to be recorded. Keep doing this, and you''ll be able to gain experience points."

    "Once you have enough experience points, if you are curious as to how many experience points you have, you''ll be able to see them in your status window. I''m sure you know how to summon your status window, right?" Ron Samuel stared at Calvin as if he was in doubt.

    Calvin nodded, "I''ll try it out now, Captain..."

    He closed his eyes once more and softly whispered into the air.

    "Status..."

    A bunch of transparent windows appeared right in front of him.

    [Skills Avable in Slot: 0/???]

    [Experience Points: 0/1000]

    [1000 Experience Points necessary for Ascension to Scribe.]

    "Ah, there it is! It''s like what I saw in the church, but I see more windows!" Calvin eximed in surprise.

    The others smiled.

    They found Calvin''s actions and reactions as amusing.

    It made them remember of the times when they were still a newly-minted Cavalier like him.

    "Bruce, why are you smiling and looking all mncholic there. You''re also a newbie just like him!" Ashlynn noticed the proud and mncholic look on Bruce''s face, so she couldn''t help butment.

    "What? I am just proud, proud that the child I raised grew to be such a man..." Bruce red at Ashlynn.

    Calvin''s lips repeatedly twitched, "So you are my father now?"

    "Stop ying. Let''s keep this serious."

    Ron Samuel interrupted before the situation could even escte. Fortunately, Bruce and Ashlynnplied as they closed their mouths. But of course, despite their mouths being closed, their eyes were still ring at each other. It was obvious that once all of these was done and over that they might duke it out outside.

    "But Captain, I really am curious... Could it be that perhaps, the ss that I get isn''t that good...?" Calvin suddenly said these words which silenced the others.

    It took Ron Samuel a few seconds of silence before he could reply.

    "There is no such thing as a bad ss, Calvin. The Goddess would never bestow upon a useless blessing to someone. Granted, your ss isn''t suitable for battles, but you can still benefit humanity with your ss in all sorts of ways!" Ron Samuel encouraged.

    Calvin didn''t look so depressed anymore as he asked, "Is that true, Captain? Then, will you tell me how I can benefit humanity with my ss? I heard those people whisper that it''s a waste that I have such a useless ss when it''s ssification is golden. To be honest, I''ve been thinking about their words sincest night.

    "So that is the reason why you want to ept this mission order? You want to prove them wrong?" James Branzu asked with a frown.

    Calvin paused for a moment.

    James Branzu''s misunderstanding was a convenient one, so he had to take advantage of it.

    "Yes... That''s right... Vice-Captain might think that the reason why I epted this mission order is so silly, but I need to prove that I am capable enough for the church''s resources and attention. If I can''t even do that and I stayed mediocre, wouldn''t that mean that I wasted the Goddess''s blessing? That I wasted this golden ss?" Calvin said.

    James Branzu felt his blood boil with determination hearing Calvin''s words. Yes, Calvin''s reason for epting the mission order was immature but who here didn''t want to prove themselves to the masses when they were still young? Who in here wasn''t hotheaded like Calvin when they were still young?

    No one!

    This was why James Branzu could only sigh and say.

    "Fine... I wish you good luck."

    "May the Goddess be with you."

    James Branzu drew the sign of the Goddess on his chest.

    Calvin nodded and responded likewise, "And upon you too..."

 Chapter 145: A Fragment of a Demons Soul

    Chapter 145: A Fragment of a Demon''s Soul

    James Branzu nodded in satisfaction and he didn''t interfere with Calvin''s talk with the Captain anymore.

    Ron Samuel turned to Calvin and said, "Your ss is Writer and your Aspect is a quill pen. It''s obvious that a pen has no offensive capabilities, at all but worry not..."

    "A Predator''s Aspect is indestructible."

    "If you are creative enough, then I guess you should be able to find several ways to use your Aspect''s indestructibility to your advantage."

    "I said that the Writer ss has no offensive capabilities, whatsoever but that didn''t mean that they cannot go on the offensive. There are records in the Library regarding the flexibility and niche of the Writer ss..."

    "I apologize, but I don''t have that much knowledge when ites to the Writer ss given that it is so rare. In fact, out of the thousands of books in the Library, only a handful of them has any useful information rted to your ss!"

    Calvin let out a sigh, "Does this mean that my ss really is useless after all?"

    "Nope, that is not the case... You just have to discover and be creative..."

    "That is probably the reason why the Goddess bestowed upon you the blessing of such a ss!"

    "You might be the creative type of person." Ron Samuel tried so hard to encourage Calvin to the extent that Calvin knew that he couldn''t pretend to be downtrodden anymore.

    A smile appeared on his lips as he said, "All right, I''ll keep Captain''s words in my heart."

    "Now what should I do next, Captain? I will be epting this mission order, do I have to do something so that they will recognize my eptance or just not returning the envelope containing the mission order enough to signify my eptance for the job?" Calvin asked.

    "Yes... It''s considered as an eptance of the mission order if the envelope containing it isn''t returned. But before you go, there is something that must be done. I won''t let you go until we''ve done it." Ron Samuel said with this mysterious smile on his face.

    Calvin pretended to be scared of what was about to happen, even though he already knew what wasing.

    Ron Samuel nced at the others before he stood up and said to Calvin, "Follow me to the second floor."

    Calvin didn''t say anything much, he stood up and walked to that room again on the second floor.

    "Take out your Aspect." Ron Samuel instructed.

    The golden quill pen materialized once again.

    "What are we going to do with my Aspect, Captain?" Calvin asked in curiosity.

    His interest elicited a smile on Ron Samuel''s face, "We will infuse your Aspect with the soul of a demon!"

    "The soul of a demon...?" Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    "Yes, a demon. Or in proper business terms, the soul of an evil-attributed being."

    "We Cavaliers are the spears and shields of the Goddess, to be able to do our job properly we must have the ability to harm those that dare to harm the followers of the Goddess and those who live in thends of Las Felipinas..."

    "Fight fire with fire...This is the most that we can do for we are only humans."

    "By infusing the soul of a demon into our Aspect, our Aspect would possess the ability to vanquish demons that constantly roam thends..."

    "Even if your Aspect does not possess any offensive abilities at all, this part is very important and must not be skipped. However, only you can infuse the soul of a demon in your Aspect." Ron Samuel emphasized.

    "You''re not going to help me, Captain?" Albeit excited that Ron Samuel wouldn''t interfere, Calvin still had to pretend that he was a newbie, thus he must act as if he was worried and scared.

    "As much as I would love to lend you a hand, I cannot do it. Infusing the soul of a demon in your Aspect involves diving into your subconscious..."

    "If I was a Spiritual Medium like the Wise One, I would''ve been able to help you, but s, I am not. But well, I''m pretty sure that you should be able to seed. After all, the holder of a Golden ss should be a man of talents." Ron Samuel praised.

    Calvin feigned worry in his eyes, but in the inside, he was delighted.

    Ron Samuel was correct.

    Diving into the unconsciousness of someone else required expertise that the Cavalierscked.

    Even though they weren''t bad when it came to Spiritualistic Rituals, they stillcked the profound understanding necessary to dive safely into the subconscious of someone else and guide them from the inside.

    However, Ron Samuel was the Captain of this branch''s group of Cavaliers.

    He should be able to guide Calvin in his subconscious, but Calvin reckoned that Ron Samuel mustn''t be that confident seeing that he was purposely withholding such information to him.

    Or could it be that...

    Ron Samuel was testing him?

    Calvin revealed a smile, "It''s okay, Captain... Just tell me what to do and I will do my best in my own way."

    Ron Samuel stared at Calvin for a while before he smiled and approached one of the cabs in the room.

    Opening one of the drawers, he opened his palm and revealed a vial containing a wisp of something floating and squirming in it. The dark colour of the creature contained in the vial made it look sinister, sending a shiver down the spines to those that dare to stare at it directly.

    "This... In here is the soul of a demon..."

    "The soul of a demon...?"

    "Yes, I know what you are thinking. You must probably be thinking about why is it so small. The reason is that this is just a fraction of the demon''s soul..."

    "You''ve recently just be a member of the Cavaliers and you are still too weak to handle even half of a demon''s soul. But since all fresh recruits require the assistance of a demon''s soul to strengthen their Aspect and to be able to do their job properly..."

    "The church is forced to gather the tainted soul of these sinister beings in such small quantities so that the fresh recruits that have no real experience whatsoever would be able to endure the murmurings of these bastards." Ron Samuel patiently exined.

    "Murmurings?" Calvin asked.

    "Yeah, murmurings..." Ron Samuel shed a mysterious smile.

    "Don''t worry... You will soon understand what I mean and why is it so hard to resist the temptation of demons..."

    Ron Samuel hurled the vial towards Calvin''s direction.

    "Ah!" Calvin scrambled to catch the vial in mid-air, but even though he struggled he still managed to catch it.

    "Why did you throw it at me, Captain?!" Calvin couldn''t help but scream.

    "Hahaha..."

    "I was just testing your reflexes..."

    "You could''ve tested it with safer methods! Not throwing a fragment of a demon''s soul so casually as if it was garbage!" Calvin scolded.

    "All right, all right, don''t scold me now. I don''t want you to be the second Ashlynn or James."

    "Oh? Do they scold you like this every day? It must be because you are doing something bad, Captain. Those two do not strike me as people that scold others without any rhyme or reason."

    "Scold you? How so?" Calvin suppressed the urge tough as he probed even further.

    Ron Samuel clicked his tongue and said, "Those two are just picky, especially Ashlynn... She has no idea what a true gourmet coffee tastes at all! And she actually dared to scold me, saying that I have no sense of taste?"

    Calvin maintained the smile on his face and he didn''t dare to ask anymore lest Ron Samuel detected that Calvin was just purposely leading him on. Fortunately, Ron Samuel wasn''t really keen on talking about that topic as he walked towards the door and pped a piece of paper on the four walls of the room.

    "What are you doing, Captain?"

    "I''m adding some Sigil of Protections on the wall."

    "Sigil of Protections?"

    "Yup... And guess who are they protecting?"

    "Well, it should be us...?"

    "Nope! These Sigil of Protections can only contain."

    "I am protecting the outside world so that if some ident happened, say you failed and descended into depravity after listening to the murmurings of the demon soul contained in that vial..."

    "I will be able to eliminate you without leaving any traces nor damaging the outside world, thanks to these Sigil of Protections." Ron Samuel smiled.

    Calvin didn''t know what to say. He gave a dryugh as he watched Ron Samuel stick those pieces of paper onto the wall. Eventually, he nodded his head in satisfaction and turned to look at Calvin, "You may now open that vial and swallow its contents in one gulp."

    "Wait, I''m supposed to swallow it?" Calvin stared at the squirming contents of the vial in his hands in a daze.

    "Yup... That''s the second-fastest way of introducing the demon''s soul into your body."

    "The second fastest way? Then, what''s the fastest way?"

    "Do you really want to know? I''ll give you a hint, that method is simr to introducing medicine into one''s body the fastest way possible."

    "Yes, I would rather do that than drink this vile thing!" Calvinined. But to be honest, he didn''t really mind if he had to swallow this fragment of a demon''s soul. He had consumed all sorts of disgusting things in the previous timeline just to survive. A fragment of a demon''s soul was nothingpared to them.

    However, since Calvin needed to make sure that his acting was on point. He must act like apletely normal newbie.

    Calvin was proud of his acting skills, but no one prepared him for Ron Samuel''s answer to his question.

    "Don''t hesitate, Captain. No matter what it is, I''d rather do it than drink this vial!"

    Ron Samuel stared at Calvin with a strange expression on his face, "Are you sure about that?"

    "Yes! I''m more determined than ever!"

    "All right, then pull down your pants."

    "Yes, I''ll do just tha what?"

    Ron Samuel raised his eyebrows, "What are you doing standing there? Hurry up and pull down your pants, then if you''re a man. Stick that vial up your ass so you can absorb it faster than swallowing it!"

    "..."

 Chapter 146: The Morticians Damned Soul

    Chapter 146: The Mortician''s Damned Soul

    "I''ll... I''ll just drink it up..."

    "Oh? I thought you are more determined than ever?" Ron Samuelughed.

    ''Who in their right mind would shove this thing up their ass? In the first ce, why would people shove something up their ass anyway...'' Calvin could only reveal a bitter smile for he didn''t know what to say. The atmosphere in the room quickly turned strange.

    Calvin knew that he had to do something to disperse this strange atmosphere and since he had no fear of the demon in the vial in the first ce, he quickly opened it up and gulped it down.

    In an instant, Calvin felt his throat freeze.

    It was as if he had swallowed a block of ice instead of a fragment of a demon''s soul.

    "The name of the demon whose soul fragment you swallowed is Valefor..."

    "Valefor is a demon who governs and ice. Right now, you must be feeling as if you have swallowed an ice block, right?"

    "Endure it..."

    "Endure that sensation..."

    "Close your eyes."

    "Ignore it."

    "Pretend that it does not exist.

    "Take a deep breath."

    "Imagine yourself diving into an iparably deep ocean."

    "Yes, imagine it getting darker as you dive deeper into this ocean."

    Ron Samuel had walked over beside Calvin and was whispering these words into his ears.

    Eventually, he took a piece of paper with unrecognizable words scribbled on its surface.

    Then, he pped the piece of paper on Calvin''s back, before he softly chanted.

    "Oh, Goddess of All-Epassing Light..."

    "The Magister of Light and the Commander of Compassion..."

    "You are the most benevolent!"

    A foul wind stirred up from within the room. This vile wind carried with it a biting chill as it circted around the protected room.

    Ron Samuel knew that he couldn''t let his guard down.

    What Calvin swallowed might only be the tiniest fragment of Valefor''s soul, but Valefor was still a noteworthy demon that Ron Samuel couldn''t possibly underestimate.

    Crushing the prepared herbs and spiritual ingredients that he had beforehand inside his palm, Ron Samuel continued with his chant.

    "For the Goddess loved the world so much, that she established the mightiest temple known to man..."

    "Her blessings are abundant, and so does herpassion..."

    "The mightiest temple exists nowhere but in man!"

    Ron Samuel pointed at Calvin with both of his index and middle finger stuck together and the chilling wind howled.

    It intensified.

    The demon was in defiance against the strength of the Goddess, but it was futile. The divine might of the Goddess fully suppressed the fragment of Valefor''s soul, and it was impossible for it to leave its vessel anymore.

    Ron Samuel huffed and puffed as he tried to catch his breath.

    "Sigh..."

    Eventually, he let out a sigh.

    Then, he sat down in one of the chairs in the room and took a cigarette out of his pocket.

    Ron Samuel was never a smoker, yet at this moment, he waspelled to consume one.

    For today was a crucial day in Calvin''s life.

    Calvin found himself standing on a battlefield.

    Screams filled with all sorts of emotions rang out around him. Yet, amidst the chaotic cacophony of sounds, a faint voice could distinctively be heard, and it sent a mind-numbing chill down Calvin''s spine who quickly turned around and found nothing.

    "What was that?" Calvin audibly whispered.

    Suddenly, an earthquake urred.

    The screams on the battlefield stopped and the warriors risking their life against their enemies disappeared like smoke.

    Calvin blinked once and the scenery around him changed.

    This time, he found himself staring at the bloodied figure of a woman.

    The woman had half of his body severed by something sharp.

    She was currently crawling her way over to Calvin with a resentful look on her face amidst her gritted teeth.

    "You..."

    "You did not deserve to live."

    "Why did you have to live, while I die?"

    "Answer me, Calvin..."

    "Why are you alive?"

    "Hey, answer me..."

    "Why?"

    "Kekeke...hehehe..."

    Laughter...

    The woman gave off a child''sughter.

    Mischievous, yet hollow. Theughter reverberated throughout the darkness of the nothingness where Calvin found himself standing.

    Calvin''s expression was now starkly different,ced with both the intention to tease, amusement, and some measure of indifference. Smiling faintly, Calvin stared at the woman.

    ''A Mid-Tier Demon... I really didn''t know that the church had fallen this low... To think that they would bother sealing up a Mid-Tier Demon for the fragments of its soul...'' Calvin shook his head and stared at the woman in front of him, ''I guess it''s time for me to try and use this Emperor''s Commandment that ''She'' gave to me...''

    He lifted his arm and pointed at the woman.

    <em>Boom!</em>

    As soon aspleted these series of actions, a golden light visible to the naked eye erupted from Calvin''s body. At the same time, a majestic and domineering voice boomed through the dark, <em>"By the Emperor''s Command, all shall obey!"</em>

    <em>Swoosh!</em>

    A sudden storm swept up as a powerful shockwave visible to the eyes manifested with Calvin at its centre. As the storm started billowing, the expression on the woman''s face changed as her body twitched out of terror.

    Fear...

    Do Demons feel fear?

    Perhaps... Because right at this moment, the woman stopped whatever she was doing as she stared with constricted pupils at Calvin who had unleashed his Emperor''s Commandment for the very first time.

    The fear that she was feeling was something that emanated from the deepest parts of her soul.

    The darkness''s fear of the light.

    And the demons'' fear of the gods.

    The demon''s reaction was a manifestation of its primal instincts when faced with a qualitatively oppressive force.

    That''s right...

    Against the divine, all demons would disperse.

    And against the holder of the Emperor''s Commandment, all shall obey!

    "T-T-The Emperor''s Commandment! You... W-W-W-Why do you have that?!" The woman on the ground madly howled as she crumbled into dust and transformed into a vortex made up of innumerable strands of ckened evil qi.

    Calvin smiled.

    Calvin knew a lot rted to the world of Las Felipinas, but to be honest, he had no idea that the Emperor''s Commandment existed if not for the fact that he had befriended a demon whom he met in the deepest prison of the Spiral Abyss.

    Back then, after he had just saved the world, he had been framed up by the people whom he trusted the most and was sent to the depths of the Spiral Abyss.

    The demons of the Spiral Abyss were far worse than any church could handle.

    Everyone expected Calvin to die, but he unexpectedly befriended all of the demons on the same floor as him in the Spiral Abyss by showing them that he had the guts to fight them to death.

    In essence, demons respected strength the most, while resilience the second.

    When they saw how defiant Calvin was of his fate, they decided to spare him on ount of him telling them about the recent events upstairs.

    This was when Calvin caught ahold of the information that the Goddess of Compassion and Light wielded the strongest Commandment out of allmandments, the Emperor''s Commandment.

    It turned out that the knowledge about the Emperor''s Commandment wasn''t so hidden in the ranks of demons.

    In fact, some demons even use the Emperor''s Commandment as a way to scare their children by saying something along the lines of...

    "Don''t you daree out in the morning, or the wielder of the Emperor''s Commandment will eat you up!"

    "You better be good, or else I will call the holder of the Emperor''s Commandment to lock you up in the Spiral Abyss!"

    "He''s making a list, and he''s checking it twice. You better be nice, or he''lle and get ya."

    Calvin could still remember that he was almost beaten up for lying by saying that the Emperor''s Commandment didn''t exist. He was only spared by those terrifying demons after he swore an oath with his Origin as a stake and saying that he had never heard of the Emperor''s Commandment before in his entire life.

    It was only until he did all of these did the demons forgave him.

    Remembering all of these, Calvin suddenly felt all mncholic.

    In all honesty, not all demons were bad.

    Simr to how one couldn''t possibly generalize an entire race due to a few douchebags.

    Images of the time that he spent in the Spiral Abyss until the Spiral Abyss''s eventual destruction upon the arrival of the invaders shed across Calvin''s mind.

    "Baal... Astaroth... I really hope that we will meet each other again..."

    "Who knows what will you guys do if you saw me carrying this Emperor''s Commandment that you are so terrified of?"

    "Hahaha, but I really want to express my gratitude to the two of you."

    "After all, both of you are the reason why I am wielding this power at this moment, and I will never forget what happened back then!"

    "Once I am powerful enough, I will give the two of you the freedom that you deserved and wanted for so long." Calvin audibly whispered.

    He was probably the only one here in this world that knew that Baal and Astaroth were wrongly used. They were unjustly imprisoned for the crimes that they hadn''tmitted.

    Calvin continued his mncholic trip while the demon, Valefor was already about to pass out from the fear that he was experiencing.

    ''T-T-This guy...''

    ''Why is he casually mentioning the names of my Great Demon Ancestors? Why is he addressing them as if they were friends?''

    ''Just who...''

    ''Just who is this man...?''

    Valefor sized up the man in front of him and he saw that he was indeed wearing the golden robes embroidered with the holy sigil of the Goddess of Compassion and Light as well as the universal sign of justice and the holy presence of the divine dragon and the nirvanic phoenix.

    These golden robes were the ultimate evidence that Calvin was indeed the holder of the Emperor''s Commandment!

    The Goddess of Compassion and Light was the enemy of evil-attributed beings that roam thends, she was the natural nemesis of all things evil, and likewise the holder of hermandment wielded so much power that he would be able to deal with a Mid-Tier Demon like Valefor almost effortlessly.

    "AAAHHH!!!"

    Valefor let out a wild howl.

    He desperately charged towards the sky, wanting to break free from the presence of the holder of the Emperor''s Commandment, but it was futile.

    A massive palm made out of divine light manifested up above him and pped him back onto the ground.

    <em>Boom!</em>

    A loud explosion urred.

    "I wield the authority of the Compassionate Light, there is no escape from my presence."

    Calvin indifferently dered.

    "But seeing as you govern over ice, you must be somehow connected to the bloodline of the Great Demon Astaroth. Granted, Astaroth governs over Fire, but you''re still a demon simr to him so the two of you must be connected in blood."

    Valefor''s lifeless eyes suddenly surged in life. He felt weak all over after he was pped by that palm made out of divine might.

    He was ready to give up and meet his ancestors in the afterlife when he suddenly heard Calvin''s words. He raised his head, but he only dared to look at Calvin''s feet as he repeatedly nodded his head and replied.

    "Yes, yes, yes... That''s right, you are absolutely correct, honourable holder of the Emperor''s Commandment, I am indeed rted to the Ancestor Great Demon Astaroth."

    Calvin nodded in satisfaction.

    "All right, seeing that you are connected to Astaroth. I will give you a chance. It must''ve been hard for this fragment of your soul to ascend to such heights as a fragment, right? I''ll find a way to spare you if you are able to pass my test." Calvin gave a mysterious smile.

    "I thank the honourable sir for his benevolence." Valefor expressed his gratitude.

    "So are you willing to go under the test?" Calvin asked.

    "Yes, yes, yes... I will do anything so long as the honourable sir spares my life!"

    Valefor abandoned his shame and pushed his forehead onto the floor.

    "Hehehe..." Calvin gave a burst of faintughter, "All right, since you are so agreeable. We will nowmence the test."

    He took a piece of paper out of a mysterious notebook and hurled it over to Valefor.

    As the paper was flying through the air, it suddenly exploded into a burst of mes, and in the very next moment.

    The appearance of a ghastly demon manifested.

    "H-H-Honourable sir, you..." Valefor gasped.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    "That is the test..."

    "Devour the demon standing in front of you and you will pass." Calvin chuckled.

    "But honourable sir, this demon... He''s of a higher tier than me!" Valefor was on the verge of crying. He was just a Mid-Tier Demon, but the demon that Calvin hurled at him was a High-Tier Demon!

    It was basically impossible for him to survive against such a thing!

    Especially when he was this weak.

    Soon, screams reverberated throughout the darkness.

    Valefor stood no chance at all against the Mortician''s Damned Soul that Calvin had nurtured in his notebook nine months ago.

    Before thest vestiges of Valefor''s consciousness disappeared, the smile on Calvin''s face gave him all the hint that Calvin had never nned on sparing him in the first ce.

    Calvin was just toying with him...

 Chapter 147: Departure

    Chapter 147: Departure

    Valefor stood no chance at all against the Mortician''s Damned Soul and he was quickly devoured.

    Calvin watched as thest vestiges of Valefor''s soul consciousness dissipated.

    As the fires of Valefor''s soul disappeared, what remained was the Mortician''s Damned Soul floating in the dark space in front of Calvin.

    The Mortician''s Damned Soul, after being continuously nurtured by Calvin since he got out of the asylum now possessed a lot of power. The evidence to this was the fact that it managed to immediately suppress the fragment of Valefor''s soul.

    In short, the Mortician''s Damned Soul was not something that even the Captain of the Ashmelion''s Branch of Cavaliers could handle.

    But why was Calvin so confident?

    He even had a smile on his face at this moment despite the overwhelming negative energy radiating from the Mortician''s Damned Soul.

    It was because he had the Emperor''s Commandment of the Goddess of Compassion and Light.

    Under the authority vested unto him by the Goddess of Compassion and Light. Calvin reigned supreme over all evil. But this would be another story if the Mortician''s Damned Soul possessed a physical body.

    It was because even though Calvin could vanquish the soul behind the physical body that the Mortician''s Damned Soul was possessing, he might be injured in the process since the soul was empowering a physical body that could physically harm him in the material ne.

    Speaking of the material ne...

    There exists three nes of reality in the world of Las Felipinas.

    The material ne where all beings alive and walking live...

    The spirit ne where souls and all sorts of strange creatures and beings reside.

    No one knows exactly who created the spirit ne and its purpose, but its existence was vastly important for it served as the home of the spirits of the dead.

    Without the spirit ne, these souls would roam the material ne instead and if the living and the dead were to live together, it wouldn''t be long until the world became devoid of life.

    Lastly, the third ne of reality was the astral ne.

    The astral ne was rumoured to be the ce where the Seven Gods and Goddesses lived along with tens of thousands of Subordinate Gods.

    Of course, like the spirit ne, no one knew how the astral ne came to being and its purpose, but its existence was important for it maintained stability and bnce for the material and spirit ne since supposedly...

    The astral ne was where all vanquished spirits go.

    And to be consumed by the nothingness that it possessed.

    The Emperor''s Commandment that Calvin wielded enabled him to rule over the creatures that live or has the power of the spirit ne in their bodies. Since demons had souls and their affiliation was usually evil. Calvin was naturally their natural nemesis.

    Before even Calvin could make his move, the Mortician''s Damned Soul had already prostrated onto the floor and submitted.

    It had no sentience whatsoever, but the intelligence it showed towards recognizing threat astonished Calvin while also making him appreciate the might of the Emperor''s Commandment even more.

    Calvin let out a sigh and he summoned his Aspect.

    The quill pen radiating a golden light calmly floated there as if it was waiting for the wind to urge it to move.

    "My Aspect shall be your new home."

    Calvin dered.

    The Mortician''s Damned Soul obeyed without saying anyints.

    It dove into the quill pen and its golden light seemed to have considerably dimmed.

    Perhaps, this was the influence of the Mortician''s Damned Soul''s evil attribute.

    There was no way that Calvin would let the Mortician''s Damned Soul inhabit his quill pen until the end.

    It was only a temporary recement until Dandelion who was still in hibernation awakened. Calvin''s n was to transfer Dandelion from the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life into his Aspect.

    With the nurturing of an ancient Relic, the experience points that Calvin would get from recording significant daily events in his life onto his diary would probably grow exponentially.

    After all, despite Dandelion''s strange personality, he was still an ancient Relic. He was a creature that could never be underestimated.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    With a will, the Notebook of Secrets That Will Destroy Your Life manifested in front of him and he held it dearly. It had been so long since he sealed his own memories. Ever since that day, he hadn''t written a single diary entry or word.

    His hands felt itchy, it was as if he was a gaming addict once again.

    But this time, instead of games...

    It was writing.

    "Dear Diary, I met with the Goddess of Compassion and Light during the Profession Bestowing Ritual. To be honest, I was pretty scared that my original n would fail simr to how my n of attracting the Cavalier''s attention before I sealed my memories failed..."

    "Sometimes, ns just don''t go well, but thankfully, everything went better than expected..."

    "As expected of a Goddess, she quickly noticed the vestiges of the seal in my memories created from the art of Runecrafting. She also caught on what I was hinting at, and she undid the seal on my memories..."

    "If all of these didn''t happen, then I would still be a clueless, cripple, yet a loving husband..."

    "Speaking of a loving husband, I really did not expect that the me who had his memories sealed would take a daughter and wife!"

    "I just left for like a few weeks and the fucker got me a daughter and wife!"

    "Well, I can''t really say that I didn''t like what he did since the two were indeed pitiful, but oh well... Since the rice is already cooked and there is no medicine for regrets anyway, I can only take responsibility and man up."

    "The Cavaliers are better people than I have expected... Bruce is sometimes childish but reliable, Vice-Captain James seems to be strangely attached to Captain Ron, while Captain Ron is moreidback than I had expected. I can''t feel the aura of a Captain from him at all. As for Ashlynn...?"

    "Fortunately, I had a hand on a lot of women in my previous timeline..."

    "If I hadn''t and I was an inexperienced man, I would''ve probably fallen for her antics already! I really am concerned regarding Bruce''s mental health, especially when he has to handle the teasing of Ashlynn every day..."

    "Yesterday, we celebrated... The Captain and the others drank a lot and ended up getting wasted..."

    "On the other hand, I was dragged by Bruce into the back so he could verbally inform me about everything that a Cavalier should know. He also gave me a tutorial on how I could use my Predator Senses..."

    "It''s quite amusing knowing how I am older than his father and maybe his grandfather, yet I am being taught by him..."

    "It''s a strange feeling."

    "In the end, Bruce and I had to clean after the mess of the Captain and the others. Everything went better than expected. I had a st with Bruce, did some cooking there and here. But the very next morning..."

    "I got a mission order right at the bat, even though it''s just my first day as a member of the Cavaliers."

    "I suspect someone from the church may be targeting me..."

    "The Mission Order had interesting details that I could vaguely connect to what had happened back then, so I epted it."

    "Tomorrow, I should be on my way to the Vige of Sleeplessness."

    Calvin wrote so much that he filled two pages of the notebook. In the end, he scanned through the pages and nodded in satisfaction.

    Then, he closed the notebook.

    [A diary-entry has been detected!]

    [Experience Points + 5]

    [Experience Points: 5/1000]

    [995 Experience Points necessary for Ascension to Scribe.]

    "Wow... I wrote that much, yet I only got five experience points? Talk about unrewarding..."

    Calvin couldn''t help but roll his eyes at the notebook that he held in his hands. But he wasn''t really that dissatisfied. To be honest, it didn''t matter to him how huge or little the reward was since he would still be able to ascend sooner orter with how he liked to write.

    In fact, the little reward was now bing a source of motivation for him.

    "Only 995 experience points yet before I can ascend to Scribe..." Calvin dismissed the transparent windows.

    Calvin''s current ss which was Diary-Keeper didn''t possess any offensive abilities at all.

    But this changes when Calvin ascends to Scribe.

    It was because a possessor of the Scribe ss had the ability to record an ability that they had seen with their naked eye into their notebook and once the Scribe was correct regarding the description and the name of the recorded ability, he would be able to use that ability once.

    But the prerequisite was that he had to see that ability being used with his naked eye.

    Combine that with the Notebook of Secrets That Could Destroy Your Life which had the ability to sacrifice one of its pages to summon the historical projection of any human being that the owner of the notebook fully understood.

    If Calvin summoned the historical projection of some ancient being and he made that ancient being use an incredibly powerful spell then record it as a Scribe...

    Calvin would have one heck of a trump card in his hands...

    A smile crept from Calvin''s lips, he was really interested in solving the mysteries of the Vige of Sleeplessness.

    Eventually, Calvin emerged from the dark space.

    In his hand was the golden quill pen now embued with the Mortician''s Damned Soul. Ron Samuel checked it and fortunately, Valefor''s soul fragment was not so different from any other evil souls. They radiated the same aura signature, sinister and evil.

    The next day, Calvin prepared to go to the Vige of Sleeplessness.

    He didn''t even bother to visit his daughter and wife since he had heard that Charlotte told Cecilia that he would return in the next few weeks. That was such a convenient reason for his disappearance and he didn''t want to break it by visiting the youngss.

    Of course, since Charlotte was an aplice...

    Calvin had to ask Ron Samuel to bullshit his way out of exining Calvin''s disappearance to Charlotte.

    At first, Ron Samuel wanted to refuse.

    But after Bruce, Ashlynn, and James Branzu simultaneously protested that he should do the job since he was the Captain of the Ashmelion''s Branch Cavaliers...

    He couldn''t do anything other than letting out a sigh.

    After this small event, Calvin was finally on his way out to the Vige of Sleeplessness.

 Chapter 148: Village of Sleeplessness

    Chapter 148: Vige of Sleeplessness

    Given that it was Calvin''s first day as the member of the Cavaliers, it was physically impossible for a medallion to be created for him.

    Thankfully, the Mission Order had the stamp of the church and it should be sufficient to prove his identity as a part of the Cavaliers. Ron Samuel, Ashlynn, Bruce, and James Branzu all apanied Calvin to the Southernmost gates of Ashmelion.

    "You take care now."

    "I will..."

    Ron Samuel didn''t say a lot, he was bad with farewells so he had no idea what to say in these moments.

    The wagon that Calvin was about to board had the City of Laguna as its final destination. Laguna was the capital city of Joselian. Travelling there from Ashmelion would take almost six months. This was why the wagon that carried passengers to Laguna from its origin point was significantly bigger from the carriage taxis that one would see scattered in Ashmelion.

    The wagon was almost the size of a studio apartment in modern-day Earth.

    Given how huge it was, it should be prettyfortable to be in it if not for the fact that there were dozens of people in one wagon and the suspension of the wheels that carried the wagon was a little more than garbage. One could still sleep on the cold hard wooden floors of the wagon, but it was pretty much impossible to feelfortable in it.

    The journey to the Vige of Tulog would only take a day for Calvin since he chose this type of carriage.

    After waving his farewell to the others, Calvin quickly boarded the carriage.

    He pulled out his notebook and started scribbling away.

    The scenery was quite boring, it was all green; the same generic assembly of trees so there was pretty much nothing to see.

    Calvin eventually closed his notebook when his wrist started to hurt, he let out a sigh and watched the green scenery pass by.

    "As expected, I really am not someone suitable for slow travels like this... I really underestimated the scale of distances in Las Felipinas and how big it really is... But to be honest, I can''t possibly me myself. Back then, even though I had the weakest ss, when I came out of Ashmelion to explore the world, I was already strong to the point that I could cross distances considerably faster than a wagon like this..."

    "And that is on foot!"

    Calvin let out a chuckle.

    He stared out of the window and he eventually got bored. He couldn''t help but remember the times when he was travelling from the Forest of Evesting Light to Ashmelion. The journey was as droll as this one, but back then, he had someone to talk to. If he knew someone on this trip, or he had someone familiar with him, then he might have started a conversation at the least.

    In the end, Calvin ended up reminiscing about the times that he spent on Earth as well as his ns in the future.

    The wagon continued on its journey and Calvin yawned, he was getting tired.

    His eyes subconsciously shited to the other passengers around him.

    Most of them had the signature darkened skin of the citizens of Ashmelion. But there was one man in particr that attracted Calvin''s attention. It was a person d in the robes of a Priest. As to how Calvin knew that the man was a Priest? It was because of the generic get-up that he had and the discoloured cape on his back.

    From the looks of it, he seemed to be a part of the Church of All-Epassing Light. The crystal orb strapped around his waist served as enough proof that he was a member of the Church of All-Epassing Light. The usage of crystal orbs imbued with the divine light of the Goddess was the signature weapon of choice for the Priest of the church.

    In short, there was no doubt in Calvin''s mind that this man was a Priest from the Church of All-Epassing Light.

    For some reason, this Priest had a particr look of excitement on his face.

    Calvin thought for a while but he couldn''t understand why this Priest looked so excited. In the end, he turned his head away and stared at the scenery once again. There was one young man whom he wanted to have a conversation with beside him, but it seemed that this young man was asleep.

    Letting out a sigh, Calvin turned his attention to the world outside, but before he could even fall into his daydreams and internal soliloquy, the wagon suddenly stopped. They had arrived at one of the checkpoints dedicated for caravans throughout thends of Las Felipinas, yet none of the passengers walked out.

    "Is there anyone in there that wants to have fun for a while?" The driver suddenly asked.

    None of the passengers replied. Aside from the Priest who almost immediately stood up and walked out of the carriage. When he returned, he was dragging with him an attractive woman with a pair of long ck hair. The woman was d in usual clothes ofmoners and there was a scared, yet determined look on her face.

    "Wait, are you nning on bringing her inside?" The driver who looked to be a middle-aged man asked with a frown.

    The Priest clicked his tongue and hurled a banknote to the driver.

    "I don''t ept paper not-"

    "That note is a guaranteed note. I am sure that you know what I mean, right?" The Priest didn''t even wait for the driver''s reply as he dragged the woman into the wagon and amidst the eyes of everyone, he made her sit down on the floor as he asked.

    "What is your name?"

    The Priest''s voice was strangely gentle.

    "Uhmmm... I''m Cherry."

    "Oh, Cherry... What a good name... It definitely fits you, especially when I heard about your circumstances from thedy boss."

    "T-Thank you..."

    "What about it, are youfortable with these dozens of eyes watching you?"

    "I-I don''t know..." The woman averted her gaze, she seemed to be hesitant about something.

    "Don''t worry, I am a disciple of the Goddess, so I would never force myself onto someone. However, considering that I''ve already paid yourdy boss to borrow you for a month''s time while I''m in Laguna, I really hope that you would be considerate towards me, okay?" The Priest moved closer to the woman. His tone was still gentle, but the slight smile on his face made him look sinister.

    Calvin started to frown, ''what was about to happen?''

    He had a lot of experiences in the world of Las Felipinas, but this was the first time that he saw such a peculiar scene. Unsure of what to do, or if he should even do something. He remained as a spectator.

    "Okay... Uhmm, please take care of me..."

    "Good, good, you don''t have to worry about anything. In fact, you are quite lucky. You are about to experience something that not a lot of women are able to experience." The Priest carried the woman in a princess carry and ced her beside the window. Then, the Priest reached out under the woman''s stop and started to fondle, eliciting a small moan from the woman.

    Calvin watched with a frown on his face until he realized that the Priest had removed the woman''s underwear.

    ''What?''

    Calvin was about to stand up to stop what was happening when the sleeping young man behind him stopped him just in time.

    "Don''t do it..."

    "What?" Calvin turned to look at the young man who had woken up.

    By this time the Priest had already started pounding away and the pained moans of the woman were already starting to fill up the wagon. The other passengers didn''t seem to be particrly disturbed as to what was happening, but the other women in the carriage didn''t dare to look at the scene out of courtesy.

    Meanwhile, the hearts of the other men in the carriage began pounding hard.

    Calvin sat back on the floor.

    He knew that prostitution was the norm in the poverty-strickennds of Ashmelion, but he really didn''t expect that they would be this open about it. Eventually, he managed to recover from his shock soon enough but when he turned around to look at the young man and ask him as to why he had stopped him on doing something about it, the young man had beaten him to the chase.

    "I know what you are going to ask me. The reason why I stopped you is that there is no point to it."

    "What do you mean?" Calvin raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued.

    "These girls have no education and apart from basic household work, they have no marketable skills at all! I doubt that they even know basic arithmetic, so they have no choice but to sell their bodies to earn significant money for them to feed their families. I''m sure that you''ll be able to understand since you boarded this wagon from Ashmelion that the matchstick and textile factories in Joselian are the worst!"

    "These women would rather work in the red light district than to struggle for five pesos a week in those sweatshops. I mean, it''s also easier so their decision to sell their bodies does make sense." The young man let out a sigh.

    Calvin also sighed.

    It was sad.

    "Those without education and skills are forced to sell their bodies?" Calvin softly whispered.

    "That''s right, but there''s also another way for them to earn a living. Albeit, it''s incredibly dangerous."

    "Do you mean bing an adventurer?"

    "Yup... But most Joselian women do not like the idea of bing an adventurer. After all, it is in our culture to prioritize our families first and since adventuring involves being away from one''s family in an extended period of time. It''s a job that they do not really want to do unless it''s thest resort."

    "I feel like there''s something wrong in that statement," Calvinmented along with a bitterugh.

    "I know, but Joselian women do not really prize their first times that much. For them, doing it as an inexperienced woman is just a one-time consumable way of earning a tonne of money in just a few hours..." The young man shrugged, "Anyway, where are you heading at? My name is Ricardo by the way."

    "I''m going to the Vige of Tulog, I should be there in a day''s time."

    "Oh, the Vige of Tulog?" Ricardo frowned, "I seemed to have heard some bad rumours regarding that vige. I''m not sure if it is true."

    "What is it?" Calvin''s interest was piqued. No matter how mundane it was, more information was better than less.

    "The Quads seemed to be paying particr attention to that Vige..."

    "The Quads?" Calvin thought for a moment before he stared at Ricardo in shock, "How do you know about the Quads? Wait, how do you even have this information?" He was now suspicious of Ricardo''s identity. Common folks weren''t normally privy to this kind of information, after all, if the Quads wanted to operate, they needed to do it in secrecy due to the existence of the three Judiciaries.

    Yet, how did this guy knew about the Quads?

    "Don''t think too much into it, I''m a member of the other Judiciaries, you must be a member of the Cavaliers, right? I can smell the scent of the church''s mission order from you." Ricardo gave a smirk and at the very next moment, his eyes shone in an orangey light.

    "You''re a Scout?"

    "Yeah..." Ricardo blinked and the orange light disappeared.

    "Why are the Quads keeping an eye out for that vige?" Calvin was convinced.

    "I have no idea what they are doing there, and I do not want to know. That is the job of the Cavaliers and since you are one of them, it''s your job to uncover the truth." Ricardo shrugged and refused to say anything useful which elicited an annoyed frown from Calvin. But Calvin knew that it was most likely true that Ricardo had no idea why the Quads were keeping an eye out for the Vige of Tulog.

    After all, different Judiciaries have different jobs. Though he heard of rumours, it was simply out of his jurisdiction to investigate it.

    Calvin decided to let go of the issue as he sat beside Ricardo.

    "Are you not going to stop that Priest? He''s one of yours, right?" Ricardo stared in amusement at Calvin. He had noticed that Calvin seemed to be pretty disturbed about what was happening earlier, but now his tune had changed.

    Calvin nced at the Priest and the woman, the two of them seemed to be having fun. The woman''s nerves had loosened and she seemed to have gotten used to being watched as her moans started to be more amorous and louder. Calvin could only roll his eyes at them as he turned to Ricardo and replied.

    "Both of them are consenting adults, why should I stop their fun?"

    "Well said..." Ricardo lightlyughed.

    The trip to the Vige of Tulog became a lot less mundane with Ricardo around him, thetter seemed to have be incredibly excited after realizing that Calvin was willing to listen to his stories. Even though he was confused that Calvin would sometimes record what he was saying into his small notebook, Ricardo still kept on telling Calvin his experiences in the world out there and some information about Tulog.

    Night soon fell and the wagon had to stop to give the driver the rest that he deserved and needed. The inside of the wagon was strangely silent since most of the passengers alighted the wagon to catch some fresh air. Calvin remained in the wagon, the Priest and the woman was still going at it even though it was already dark, but Calvin wasn''t bothered by their presence and what they were doing anymore.

    Ricardo had gone back to sleeping, his throat tired from all the talking that he did in the afternoon.

    Calvin let out a yawn and after scribbling some words into his notebook, he decided to lean back and take a rest.

    He turned his head to Ricardo''s direction so he can lean onto the window, but when his eyes met with Ricardo. He found that thetter''s eyes were opened wide. Anxiety seemed to be brimming within Ricardo''s eyes as he signalled to Calvin and said.

    "Stop them..." He pointed at the Priest.

    Calvin quickly caught on what was going on and he moved to the Priest.

    "You need to stop what you are doing right now."

    "What? Haven''t I paid you enough yet? I''ll pay you ten pesos to fuck off."

    "I''ll dly ept that ten pesos, but you will die if you do not stop what you are doing right now," Calvin said in a cold voice.

    "What?" the Priest was finally convinced.

    He pulled out his member and pulled up his pants.

    "What is going on, my dear?" Cherry, the woman who was so hesitant to do the deed early this morning had beenpletely entranced by the Priest''s performance and was now acting as if she was his wife.

    "Be quiet!" The Priest criticized her with a low growl.

    "Ah!" The woman was frightened and she was quick to cover her mouth with her hand.

    The Priest took out his crystal orb and chanted a few words of prayer.

    Then, he crushed some herbs and spices and sprinkled it on top of the orb.

    Swish!

    The crystal orb reacted. It started to radiate the colour of darkness.

    "Certain death..."

    "Shit!"

    "We have to get out of here!"

    The Priest eximed in a panic.

 Chapter 149: Battle in the Night

    Chapter 149: Battle in the Night

    "Driver! Get them all here now or we are going to die!" The Priest cried out to the driver who almost immediately awakened from the scream. His swift reactions and the fact that he was a light sleeper made it obvious that he had a tonne of experience when it came to emergencies. He did not ask for any further information as he went down andmanded.

    "All passengers, board the wagon now! We will depart in thirty seconds! Those that are not in the wagon after thirty seconds will be mercilessly left behind!" The driver''s shout rang loud and crisp. It instantly attracted the attention of the other passengers and as soon as his words fell into their ears, they immediately turned around and made a break for it into the wagon.

    They moved in so fast that Calvin had no chance to react. By the time ten seconds fell from when the driver shouted, all passengers were already inside the wagon, huffing and puffing, in the middle of catching their breath.

    "Wow..." Calvin couldn''t help but gasp in astonishment.

    "First time?" Ricardo asked with a smile.

    "Yeah..." Calvin could only count in one hand the times that he had boarded a carriage in the world of Las Felipinas back then. This was why he was astonished that these passengers could react so fast to danger and to the call to action.

    "We''ve experienced almost a dozen attacks since we left our city of origin, the passengers here are veterans when ites to emergencies, you do not have to worry since they won''t be dead weight." Ricardo proudly smirked. It was obvious that given that he was also a passenger from the wagon''s city of origin, he was also indirectly raising himself onto a pedestal in front of Calvin.

    Swoosh!

    The wagon moved fast, the two creatures pulling it at full speed as they sped through the forest.

    "Hold fast now! Stick to the floor!"

    "Ahhh!"

    The driver gave out a warning and a momentter, the wagon suddenly shook with such force that those who remained standing were thrown off bnce. Ricardo and Calvin had immediately heeded the advice of the driver so they managed to stick thending, but the others who reacted a bitte were thrown onto the ceiling of the wagon, instantly losing their consciousness upon impact.

    "Fuck... Shit''s about to get real when the driver''s all that riled up."

    "Well, the Priest said that we were about to meet certain death, so who wouldn''t be riled up for that?"

    "Don''t you feel nervous at all?" Ricardo found it strange that Calvin could still converse to him so casually like this.

    Calvin saw the pale look on Ricardo''s face. A smile appeared on his lips as he replied, "I do feel nervous. But what use is fearing death when there is only a single oue in life. It''s either you live, or you die..."

    "..."

    Ricardo wasn''t able to reply for a few seconds. The phrase seemed to have oddly stuck on him.

    But he never managed to utter a reply as the Priest''s scream ofint rang through the wagon.

    "Why did you have to use this route to go through the forest?!"

    "Come on, pastor! I''ve been using this route for my entire life! I''ve known it to bepletely safe! Do you really think that I would expect that there''s danger out here?" The driver replied without turning his gaze away from the road.

    "Fucking hell, now what should we do now?"

    "Don''t worry, I guarantee with my career as the stake that I will get us out of here alive!" The driver vowed.

    "You better do it properly..."

    The Priest warned and then he muttered a curse under his breath before he lowered his body and stuck to the floor.

    He swept his gaze across the surroundings and noticed that Cherry was bleeding from her forehead. She was flung to the ceiling earlier when the wagon jumped through the air, caught unprepared and with her reflexes far too slow to react. She mmed to the ceiling and immediately lost her consciousness from the shock.

    The Priest moved closer to her and checked.

    Then, he shook his head and moved away.

    She was dead.

    She broke her neck from the impact.

    It was not that surprising since she was just an average human.

    Calvin saw through a nce that the woman had died instantly when she struck the ceiling. Although he felt bad, the ufortable feeling disappeared as fast as it appeared. There were more pressing matters that he had to attend to. Taking the Notebook of Secrets from his chest pocket, he scribbled some words into it with some pen and paper.

    "Is the danger that is pursuing us something that I cannot defeat?"

    A momentter, the word, "Verified" appeared beside the scribbled statement.

    Calvin''s face fell.

    He nced around him and started to n his escape.

    But before he could even start thinking about his escape n, he suddenly saw the Priest take a seat in front of him and started chanting.

    "Hear us!"

    Most of his chanting was inaudible murmurs, but he eximed when he reached the end of his chant. As soon as his words fell into the ears of those around him, they fell into a deep sleep with their bodies stuck close to the ground.

    "Abination of the Laws of Space and an illusion... This Priest has some weight to throw around." Ricardomented.

    "Yeah..." Calvin agreed.

    The Priest swept his gaze across the entire wagon and that was when he noticed the presence of two unaffected people.

    "Both of you..."

    "Hello, I''m a member of one of the three Judiciaries, an Executor from the Church of Aescpius!"

    "A member of one of the three Judiciaries? I apologize for the rudeness that I have disyed previously."

    "It''s fine, don''t mind it."

    The Priest immediately became polite the moment he found out that Ricardo was a member of one of the three Judiciaries. Then, he turned his gaze at Calvin and signalled for him to speak.

    "I don''t know him." Ricardo was quick to deny that he knew Calvin.

    "Hey..." Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    Ricardo probably said what he had said because he wanted to know Calvin''s true identity through the use of this self-introduction.

    "I''m from..."

    "We''ll do thatter. We do not have the luxury of time." The Priest didn''t even bother to know Calvin''s identity. He decided that he was probably a servant of the Executer from the Church of Medicine and Poison, Aescpius. He had no desire to know the name of a servant much more interact with someone like that.

    Calvin shook his head and shrugged. He wasn''t really offended from what the Priest had done.

    To be honest, he wanted to put all of his attention towards what was about toe.

    "I''ll check where our enemies are. I''m a Scout." Ricardo said to the Priest.

    "Much appreciated, I''ll keep us incognito. I can manipte Space to a certain degree so I can somehow mask the noise of our movements, I can also ce an illusion around us so that we can potentially confuse that beast. However..." The Priest stared right into Ricardo''s eyes, "I can only do so much. If all else fails, I am able to open up a portal for two so we can escape here together... Just do your best to protect me."

    Ricardo was astonished at first, but a smirk soon appeared in his lips.

    "I''ll handle it." He nodded and then turned around.

    The moment his back turned to the Priest, he didn''t notice but when he agreed to the Priest''s condition.

    A chilling smile had manifested on the Priest''s lips.

    Ricardo sat on a lotus position on the floor and started to chant the honourable name of his god.

    Calvin also started to assemble his ns. The Notebook of Secrets had said that the danger that was pursuing them had the ability to kill him, in short, it was vastly stronger than him. This was why he was now preparing his escape. He opened his notebook and started scribbling his ns.

    As the wagon bounced and ran through the forest, the driver''s anxious voice rang in front of the wagon.

    "I can''t handle it anymore, pastor! Decide quickly if we have to stop or not!" The driver seemed anxious toe to a decision.

    The Priest clicked his tongue and turned to look at Ricardo.

    "Any findings yet?"

    "..."

    "Sir Executer! We are running out of time!" The Priest urged.

    "Shut up! I know that at the least! I just can''t pinpoint where they are and how many of them are chasing us right now!"

    "Fuck, Executer my ass! How useless." The Priest couldn''t help but curse.

    "What the fuck did you just say to me, you horny motherfucker?" Ricardo red at the Priest.

    "What? I am just saying that for an Executor, you seem pretty useless." The Priest wasn''t having it.

    It was at this moment that a voice pierced through the wagon.

    "Stop the carriage!"

    It was Calvin.

    "No! Keep running! We have to outpace them!" The Priest protested.

    The moment Calvin''s words came out of his mouth, the driver reacted pretty fast and was about to yank on the reins to stop the wagon, but when the opposing opinioning from the Priest rang out. The driver ended up cursing under his breath as he desperately pped the beast that was pulling the wagon so that it could run at its maximum speed.

    "We have to stop right now. We are in the middle of an illusion! If we want to run away, then we need to stop the wagon and find the formation g to break the illusion! Only then we can continue to run away!"

    "What the fuck are you talking about? An illusion? What nonsense!"

    "If we stopped now, then we will be surrounded by those bastards chasing us!"

    "Trust me, I know what I am doing. As long as we can find the formation g and destroy it in five seconds the moment the wagon stopped, we should be able to escape!"

    "Five seconds? Find the formation g and destroy it in five seconds? Are you mad? You must be one of those junkies in Ashmelion who acts as if they know everything in this world! Why should we even believe you anyway? On what basis?!" The Priest was enraged after being challenged by someone whom he thought was a mere servant.

    "Pastor! You''ve got to make a decision! My babies can''t take it anymore!" The driver let out another groan from the driver''s seat.

    "Fuck it! Force them to run! We must keep running! Only when we run can we escape!" The Priest spoke through gritted teeth.

    "Stop the wagon now! We are about to hit the edge of the illusion and doing that is akin to hitting a brick wall!" Calvin cried out.

    "Stop talking, you piece of shit! A mere servant like you dares to talk over me?!"

    "Yeah, I dare to talk over you, so what?" Calvin took the Mission Order from his chest pocket and brandished it in front of the Priest.

    "You..." The Priest''s pupils constricted.

    "You''re a member of the Cavaliers?" He asked with bated breath.

    "Yeah! That is why this wagon must be stopped, now! Driver! Stop the wagon!"

    Calvin gave his orders and the driver promptly yanked the reins.

    Rumbling noises filled the wagon as the unconscious passengers tumbled as if they were sacks of rice and potatoes. The moment the wagon stopped, Calvin summoned his Aspect and a golden quill manifested in front of Ricardo and the Priest.

    "A golden quill..." Ricardo furrowed his eyebrows. Can a quill really possess enough prating power to destroy a formation g? What''s more, can Calvin even find it in three seconds and destroy it in two?

    Time waited for no one, and while Ricardo and the Priest stood anxious...

    Calvin made his move.

    It only took a second for him to find the formation g.

    The Emperor''s Commandment gave him authority over all things evil, and that included the illusion that was covering the wagon at this moment. The instant Calvin noticed that they were in an illusion. He quickly scanned the area with his Predator Senses empowered by his Emperor''s Commandment and he noticed that the formation g of the illusion was...

    The golden quill flew silently through the air like an eagle swooping down for its prey.

    It flew and pierced through its target.

    The formation g was a living one and it was the driver itself!

    The instant the golden quill ran through the driver''s forehead, the illusion covering the wagon broke and the group found themselves on the same spot where they had stopped to take a break earlier.

    "What the fuck just happened?" Ricardo couldn''t help but curse.

    The Priest was still standing there in a daze.

    Calvin walked over to the driver''s seat and noticed a creature whom he had just recently encountered.

    "A doppelganger." Ricardo took the words out of Calvin''s mouth.

    "Just what the hell is going on?" Calvin stared at the doppelganger and found that its soul had been greatly tainted by the evil attribute, ''So this was the reason why the formation g was also tainted with the evil attribute. It turns out that the lifeline of the formation g itself was the living body of this doppelganger.''

    ''But why...?''

    ''Why would such a docile species suddenly became so hostile against humans?''

    ''Are there some hidden forces behindpelling the doppelgangers to move against the humans?''

    ''Fuck! I should''ve paid more attention to Ashmelion back then!''

    Calvin couldn''t help but inwardly curse.

    It was also he could detect the presence of a strange curse hidden within the body of the doppelganger.

    And this curse seemed to be able to induce sleepiness to those in close proximity to it.

 Chapter 150: Those Who Fall Into a Dream

    Chapter 150: Those Who Fall Into a Dream

    ''Sleepiness... The curse of sleeplessness... This doesn''t make sense. Why is this curse energy inducing sleep to those affected by it, when the curse that is affecting the Vige of Tulog is the curse of sleeplessness. Why is it conflicting with each other?'' Calvin thought to himself.

    "Shit, to think that the driver was a doppelganger! Fuck, what should we do now? I don''t know how to operate these beasts!" Ricardo fiercely cursed. The beasts driving the carriage wasn''t something that anymon man could handle. They weren''t tame at all, and if one wanted to have them obey their bidding, one must be recognized by the beasts as someone with a higher authority than them.

    In short, these beasts weren''t going to obey anyone so easily.

    Calvin heard Ricardo''s curse and he turned to look at the beasts that were pulling the carriage. Now that the doppelganger had disappeared, the illusion that he ced around the wagon had also vanished. The beasts who looked like horses had now returned to their original forms. They weren''t actually beasts simr to horses at all. In fact, they were lizards.

    "Rock-Steady Lizards!" Calvin eximed.

    "Oh, you also know their name?" Ricardo turned to look at Calvin.

    "Yeah..."

    How could he not know anything about the Rock-Steady Lizards!

    The army sent by the Joselian Kingdom to fight against the Rock-Steady Lizards had cavalry consisting of soldiers fighting on the back of these lizards instead of horses! The reason why these Rock-Steady Lizards grew so popr was the fact that even though they were incredibly hard to tame. Once tamed, their stamina and roadworthiness were far greater than the greatest horses.

    But that was in the condition that they were tamed.

    The owner of these Rock-Steady Lizards had just died, and it would only be a matter of time before they realized it.

    When that happened, they would surely go berserk.

    Calvin had to find a way to tame them before that happened.

    As far as he could remember, once a Rock-Steady Lizard go berserk, it was close to impossible to calm them down again. In short, a Rock-Steady Lizard would be due for a mercy-killing once they became crazy and started wreaking havoc to the surroundings.

    This must be one of the reasons why it took so long for humanity to notice the potential of these Rock-Steady Lizard when it came to pulling wagons and chariots, as well as bing mounts.

    Calvin pondered for a while.

    ''If I recalled correctly, the Rock-Steady Lizards started bing popr among the army at the Battle of the Tirad Pass.''

    ''The Battle of the Tirad Pass should happen approximately twenty-years from now after that border at the northwest is breached... Who was it? Who was it that proposed the idea of taming these Lizards? Shit, I can''t remember! Wait, let''s forget about the guy who gave the idea...''

    ''Let''s think about the person who created the technique of taming these Lizards... Who was he? How did he do it?'' Sweat started to form on Calvin''s forehead as he used all of his brainpower to think about who the person was. But then suddenly, something clicked in his head.

    "Hey, man... Are you all right? You''re awfully sweating..."

    Ricardo saw the nk look on Calvin''s face and he couldn''t help but voice out his concerns.

    "He must be starting to lose his mind right now given that we have no way to tame this beast. Sigh... If I had enough Mana, I could probably attempt to hypnotize these beasts so that they could temporarily obey our orders until we can find a suitable beast to rece them that is not as aggressive as these Rock-Steady Lizards, but unfortunately..."

    "I''m out of gas..." The Priest sat hopelessly on the cold floor of the wagon.

    "That''s it!" Calvin eximed.

    He had just remembered the vague minute details as to who was the individual who had been Knighted by the King after offering a significant contribution to the Joselian Kingdom. The reason why Calvin could even vaguely remember this person was that the Knighting event that happened at that time had been pretty popr among themoners and soldiers alike.

    Calvin couldn''t remember the full name of the man, but he knew that the man was a Priest of the Church of All-Epassing Light.

    The moment these details came into his mind, Calvin immediately took out the Notebook of Secrets and yelled out.

    "You!"

    "What is your name?!" Calvin stared right at the Priest.

    The Priest frowned, but he couldn''t be bothered toin, "Heisenberg."

    "Is that the first name or the full name?"

    "Thest name."

    "Then, tell me your full name!"

    "All right, I will just don''t scream, honourable sir, please..." The Priest didn''t know what to say. He nced at Calvin and when he noticed that he was doing all of these for jokes, his expression turned grim as he said, "Walter Heisenberg..."

    "Walter..." Calvin almost keeled over from shock when he heard the Priest''s full name. But he suppressed himself frommenting about it as he scribbled some words onto the Notebook of Secrets.

    "Is Walter Heisenberg the person who had created the techniques of taming the Rock-Steady Lizards in the previous timeline?"

    A momentter, the word "Verified" appeared beside the statement.

    Calvin heaved a sigh of relief.

    He closed the Notebook of Secrets and ced it back into his chest pocket.

    "For a man bearing such an honourable name, you sure are perverted." Calvin couldn''t help but remember the scene where Heisenberg went at it with that woman early in the afternoon.

    "H-Honourable name?" Heisenberg looked visibly confused.

    "Nothing..." Calvin shook his head, "I will supplement you with the Mana that you need. Are you sure that you will be able to temporarily hypnotize these beasts once you have the Mana that you need?"

    "Are you serious, sir?" Heisenberg couldn''t help but scratch his bald head, "Does the honourable sir know the art of Mana Maniption?"

    ''Know? What a joke! I''m a master of it!'' Calvin almost wanted to exim, but he had nothing to gain from it so he only smiled, "It doesn''t matter whether I know it or not, what matters is are you willing to do this gamble with me or not!"

    Ricardo stared at Calvin and he suddenly found the youth unfamiliar. Early in the afternoon, he found Calvin to be an amusing cherry boy after he noticed him staring nkly at the sex scene that had unfolded earlier. But now, he was acting so manly and decisive that Ricardo wasn''t so sure if he was still looking at the same person that he had conversed and talked with earlier.

    "Hey, man... Do you seriously know the art of Mana Maniption? I''ve heard about it before but I have never seen someone use it in my entire life. It''s supposed to be a lost ancient art, how do you know about it?" Ricardo couldn''t help but ask.

    At this moment, Calvin stared at him in the eye and said, "Do you know why the old man next door is able to live for so long in such a shitty neighbourhood?"

    "Why?"

    "It''s because he doesn''t ask questions that he isn''t supposed to ask."

    The coldness in Calvin''s voice was clear and obvious.

    Ricardo swallowed a mouthful of his own saliva as he subconsciously took a step backwards and said, "All right, chill out, man. I am not going to do anything, just spare me, okay?"

    Calvin only smiled at him before he turned to look at Heisenberg.

    Inwardly, Calvin was cursing himself in his heart. The art of Mana Maniption was indeed an ancient art, but after it was discovered by the Joselian Kingdom... They decided to share the art to everyone after the Kingdom realized that it could benefitmoners and Predators alike.

    In the war against the invaders, any help was necessary.

    The elderly even learned the ancient art of Mana Maniption, so that they could fight against the invaders. Manipting the innate mana in their bodies, they were able to achieve superhuman strength, and even though this particr usage of Mana Maniption to greatly bolster one''s strength shortened their lifespan. The elderly knew that they were about to die anyway.

    Instead of dying peacefully in their beds, most elderly in those times decided that they were going to fight for the future of their descendants.

    Thus, the most unique Suicide Squad of the Joselian Kingdom was born.

    Calvin found their stories to be fascinating at that time so he decided to learn the art of Mana Maniption for himself.

    Although he didn''t use it as wantonly as the members of that particr Suicide Squad, he still found the ancient art to be incredibly useful, especially when healing squad members or friends that were suffering from mana deficiency or just slightly reinforcing one''s body by covering it with a thinyer of Mana.

    The usage of Mana Maniption was somon back then that Calvin forgot that it was still an ancient art at this point in time. He wasn''t supposed to share this information with anyone else and that was why he was now cursing himself for this blunder.

    ''Well, since the rice is now cooked, there''s really nothing that I can do about it.''

    "Ricardo, do you want to learn the art of Mana Maniption?" Calvin suddenly spoke out.

    "What...?" Ricardo couldn''t believe what he was hearing, "Are you going to teach me?"

    "Yeah, I sure am... Once we''re done and over with all of this, I will teach you before I alight at my destination." Calvin smiled.

    Heisenberg stiffened from where he was standing. Clearing his throat out with a cough, he stared hopefully at Calvin and asked, "Honourable sir, may I know if I am qualified to learn such an art under you once this ordeal that we are facing is over?"

    Calvin''s lips repeatedly twitched, "Heisenberg, can you stop using such pance? With my age, you are like my father, so can you not talk so formally with me? It''s making mefortable."

    "All right, if the honourable sir says so..."

    "Just call me, Calvin."

    "Got it, Calvin..."

    Calvin nodded in satisfaction and he didn''t dare to waste more time anymore. He had Heisenberg stretch his hand out and a stream of warm current flowed its way from Calvin into Heisenberg''s body.

    "I can feel it..." Heisenberg''s body started trembling like a leaf.

    His face reflected a look of excitement.

    "I can feel youing inside me, Calvin!"

    "Stop shouting, you baldhead!" Calvin couldn''t help but smack his shiny head.

    Heisenberg stiffened and he didn''t dare to say anything anymore when he saw the grim look on Calvin''s face.

    Transferring one''s Mana unto another was definitely an exhausting endeavour. Heisenberg knew not to interrupt him anymore.

    A few secondster, Calvin suddenly fell onto the floor on his butt.

    He crawled near the windows at the bottom right side of the wagon.

    "I''ll leave it in your hands now, bald head!"

    "Yes, sir!" Heisenberg jumped out in excitement, leaving Ricardo and Calvin alone inside the darkness of the wagon.

    Ricardo surreptitiously nced at Calvin.

    ''This guy...''

    ''He already looks so exhausted, yet why do I still feel like I am staring at an unsheathed de?''

    Calvin might be exhausted at this moment but he was secretly holding his golden quill in his right hand concealed by the darkness of the shadows produced by the covers of the window.

    He had judged Ricardo to be a decent man, but Calvin would never trust anyone so easily.

    Especially, when he was this weak and vulnerable.

    A man like Calvin was at the most dangerous when he was weak.

    This was why Ricardo could vaguely taste the killing intenting out of Calvin.

    He was now too scared to approach him, so Ricardo decided to walk closer towards the door.

    He wanted to calm himself down with the breeze of the night.

    "Reeeeeeeeee!!!"

    The signature noise that any Rock-Steady Lizard could make suddenly pierced through the night.

    "Ah!" Ricardo was so startled by the sudden piercing shriek that he jumped into the air and bumped his head onto the ceiling of the wagon.

    "What the fuck was that?!" He cautiously turned around and he found Calvin smiling.

    "It''s the Rock-Steady Lizards. It''s the noise that they make when they are tamed and ready to move. It seems that Heisenberg seeded."

    Ricardo didn''t know if Calvin was telling the truth or not.

    He knew of the Rock-Steady Lizards since the Judiciary where he belonged also had a Beastiary. As a part of his training, Ricardo memorized each and every detail contained within their Beastiary, so he knew about the existence of Rock-Steady Lizards.

    But there was no information in their Beastiary regarding what kind of noises does a Rock-Steady Lizard produce, so it was understandable that he was caught off guard.

    Calvin just found his reaction amusing, so he couldn''t help but let out a smile.

    "But it''s toote, for us to escape..." Calvin let out a bitterugh.

    "What...?" Ricardo furrowed his eyebrows and was about to ask what Calvin meant when he saw his vision swam.

    "What is this...?"

    He quickly caught hold of the door so that he wouldn''t lose his bnce, but his eyelids were just too heavy for him to open and he eventually fell onto the floor asleep and with a loud thud.

    Calvin''s vision was also dimming.

    He took out a piece of paper from his chest pocket and infused enough Mana into it before he rolled the paper into a ball and directly swallowed it down his throat.

    Before he lost his consciousness, thest sound that Calvin heard was the movement of his own throat as it tried its best to force the ball of paper down his stomach where it would rest until the day that Calvin found it handy for use.

 Chapter 151: Pinky Promise

    Chapter 151: Pinky Promise

    "Hey, are you all right?"

    The person that came into Calvin''s vision was Ashlynn.

    "Don''t be too depressed that you got the Writer ss. It''s not totally useless. Once you''ve ascended into Scribe, you will be able to create notary contracts which are basically the same as an oath made to the Goddess with just a lot more terms than the strict and inflexible oath. You are still a great addition to the team. What''s more, with your prestige and the glory that a Golden ss has due to its rarity..."

    "You are basically a walking source of funds for us!" Ashlynnmented.

    James Branzu who had done that long speech couldn''t help but squeeze out a bitter smile, "Don''t refer to him like that."

    Ron Samuel chuckled.

    Bruce also had a smile on his lips.

    Calvin stared at the others and he felt warm in his heart. But he also felt that there was something wrong with this whole situation. Right now, he was seated in front of a table with the others gathered around him. Calvin nced at the kitchen and he frowned when he saw the clean countertops and utensils.

    "All right, the barbeque party will stillmence. Bruce, pass on the knowledge of the Ways of the Cavaliers to Calvin tomorrow once we''re done partying." James Branzu said.

    Bruce didn''t say anything but he nodded his head in agreement to what James had said.

    Ron Samuel also nodded in satisfaction towards the decision that everyone had reached.

    "Calvin, I believe that you should return to your home for now. Your wife and daughter have been worried sick for you and I am pretty sure that they want nothing more than to see you at once." Ron Samuel dered.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    This entire situation felt incredibly strange for him, yet he couldn''t grasp nor understand what was wrong with the situation.

    He stretched his hand out and dipped his finger into the coffee that wasid out in front of him.

    "What are you doing, Calvin? Is that some kind of a ritual that you do before you taste the Captain''s coffee? Are you trying to see if it''s going to burn your finger off as if it''s as lethal as it tastes?" Ashlynnughed as shemented.

    Ron Samuel red at her and she didn''t dare to say anything anymore.

    James Branzu also red at Ashlynn, while Bruce who was about to let out augh, stiffened and sat there frozen.

    ''Vice-Captain James is still a diehard supporter and protector of the Captain... Ashlynn is still annoying as ever, while Bruce is still being smart and opportunistic... The coffee is still absurdly hot, the Captain probably boiled this for too long with purified water. There is clearly nothing wrong with this situation, yet what is this sense of heaviness in my chest?''

    Calvin touched his chest pocket and he could feel his heart pounding like drums.

    He lifted the coffee cup from the table and took a sip...

    "It still tastes like boiled dirt..." He softly mumbled.

    "Pffft!" Ashlynn couldn''t hold it back anymore.

    "Puchi~" Bruce also almost exploded into a burst of full-onughter hearing the sudden insult.

    James Branzu furrowed his eyebrows, while Ron Samuel stared with visible confusion at Calvin.

    "How does it taste like?" He asked.

    ''The captain''s hearing is still...''

    Calvin didn''t answer.

    He stood up and said to everyone.

    "I''ll be returning here tonight for the barbeque party. I''ve been missing Charlotte and Cecilia, so I''ll be going first, Captain, Vice-Captain..." He turned around, closed the door silently and didn''t even look behind him as he left.

    Calvin soon arrived in front of the Msakit Inn. But he didn''t directly enter the inn as he made a U-Turn for the nearest wet market. When he returned, he had brought with him a few cans of ice cream and some chicken soup as well as a few servings of fried rice. He entered the inn and found it inexplicably empty.

    There wasn''t even a single soul in the reception.

    Frowning, Calvin decided to ignore it as he made a beeline towards the room where both Cecilia and Charlotte were staying.

    "Daddy!"

    Before Calvin could even fully open the door, Cecilia had already rushed into his bosom.

    "Cecilia!" Calvin broke out into a grin.

    He carried the little girl and ced her onto his shoulder. Then, as he walked towards the kitchen where the nging of utensils and kitchen apparatus wereing from. He was greeted by Charlotte who had a sweet smile on her face as she said.

    "Wee back... It''s good to see that you are back again."

    "Daddy, did you manage to secure the goods for the coffee shop? Mommy told me that you are going to bring me some cheesecake and berries when you return. Did you bring some for me?"

    "Cheesecake and berries? What did your mommy tell you about where I went?"

    "Huh? Mommy told me that you were with the sailors into the ocean!"

    "And what do sailors do on the ocean?"

    "Uhmm... get cheesecake and berries?"

    "Pffft!" Calvin almost spat out a mouthful of saliva from what Cecilia had said.

    Charlotte came running over embarrassed as she took her daughter from Calvin''s shoulder and said, "I''m sorry, Calvin... Cecilia doesn''t really know where fishes from. She knows aboutkes and rivers, but she has no idea that the ocean also has fishes living in it..." The crimson colour on her cheeks made her look incredibly tantalizing in the eyes.

    ''Damn, I have such a beautiful wife, yet I can''t remember having touched her before... I must be the reincarnation of the buddha with this self-restraint of mine!'' Calvin couldn''t help but inwardlyment.

    But when he noticed that Cecilia looked so confused. He exined, "Cheesecakes and berries do note from the ocean, Cecilia. But don''t worry, once your birthdayes. I''ll be getting you a big cheesecake! It will be so big that you will get tired of eating it!" Calvin proudly dered and the youngss exploded into peals ofughter in excitement.

    "Yaaay! Daddy will get me cheesecake and berries for my birthday! Can you do a pinky promise with me, daddy?"

    "Yes, we will do a pinky promise!" Calvin stretched his hand out and the youngss sang.

    "Pinky promise, pinky promise, vite this and you''ll get stitches!"

    "Pfft! What kind of a pinky promise song is that, Cecilia?" Calvin almost busted his guts once more.

    "Eh? I heard this from Lea! She told me her father sang this to her when he promised that he will be getting her a doll for her birthday!"

    "Ah, Lea... Is that your ymate from the Northern Borough!"

    "Mhmm! She''s my best friend!" Cecilia repeatedly nodded her head.

    "All right, since you told me that your friend will be getting a doll for her birthday, then I will also give you a doll so that both of you can y with each other''s doll!" Calvin smiled at the youngss.

    "Yaaay! Daddy, you''re the best!" Cecilia almost leapt out of Charlotte''s grasp as she reached out for Calvin''s neck.

    Charlotte''s smile sweetened even further as she chuckled and said, "Let me carry those bags for you to the kitchen. I''ve cooked some meal for the three of us. I''ll go and tend to them now since I wouldn''t want them to burn."

    "Oh? You also cooked a portion for me?"

    Charlotte suddenly stopped on her tracks.

    She slightly turned her head to look at Calvin and smiled, "Even when you were gone, I''ve always cooked as if you were here with us."

    Then, without even waiting for Calvin''s reply. She walked over to the kitchen and continued her cooking.

    Calvin ced Cecilia down onto the floor and said, "Go to your mommy for now. Daddy will change her clothes and join you two for dinner."

    Cecilia nodded her head and obeyed without any fuss and she ran over to her mommy to brag about the promise that she made with her daddy.

    It was at this moment that the sweat forming on Calvin''s forehead since he came into this room finally fell down his cheeks.

    ''There is something wrong...''

    ''Why did I say that I''ll buy Cecilia cheesecakes and berries for her birthday when I...''

    ''Don''t even know when is her birthday...?''

 Chapter 152: The One Whom You Truly Hold Dear In Your Heart

    Chapter 152: The One Whom You Truly Hold Dear In Your Heart

    Calvin stood there frozen with his palms sticky with sweat.

    He rushed into his room and took off his clothes, he found the Notebook of Secrets, but when he tried scribbling on its surface.

    No words woulde out.

    He tried everything that he could find and he even spat on the Notebook, but the notebook seemed to absorb his spit and it would disappear into nothingness before it could evennd on the surface of the notebook.

    Calvin looked closely...

    He pressed a pen onto the notebook and discovered that the pen could only get so close to the surface of the notebook''s page before it was stopped by an invisible wall that wouldn''t let it go any further and scribble on its page.

    ''What the hell is going on?''

    Calvin took a coin from one of his pockets and chanted.

    "Oh, our Beloved Goddess Grace..."

    "The Magister of Light and themander ofpassion..."

    "I invoke your name with my essence, bestow blessings upon your lowly servant..."

    "Breathe your might into this coin and allow your servant to see through the pretences!"

    Calvin hurled the coin into the air.

    "Are all of these that I am seeing right now, fake?"

    The coinnded at the same time that Calvin voiced out the final syble in his question.

    Itnded onto the floor, but it got stuck between the floorboards.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    Heads in the Coin Divination Ritual meant a positive response, while Tails meant negative.

    But when none of these two was the result of the ritual, it only meant one thing.

    The result was inconclusive!

    There was something supernatural interfering with the ritual!

    ''Fuck!''

    Calvin let out a curse.

    He took the Notebook of Secrets out once more and he tried to rip off a page from the notebook, but he felt as if he was pulling a mountain.

    The page just won''t budge.

    He tried it again, and again, and again, until finally...

    He gave up.

    Calvin took a deep breath and wore his clothes once again.

    He ced the Notebook of Secrets into his chest pocket and sighed.

    ''I am definitely under something... I just don''t know what it is... If this is an illusion, then the individual who made this illusion is definitely a true expert. But if this is not an illusion, then this must be an independent dimension created based on the reality from within my consciousness...''

    ''But to do such aplex independent dimension based on my consciousness, then they must be able to ess my subconscious.''

    ''It is impossible for anyone to ess my subconscious without me noticing their entry.''

    ''That is unless...''

    ''I am asleep.''

    ''But I don''t recall ever sleeping since I came back from the Cathedral...''

    Calvin sat on the bed and thought, ''All right, let''s do the process of elimination.''

    ''I am certain that this is not an illusion. An illusion can''t possibly be this borate. The fact that the caster was able to recreate even the interpersonal rtionship of the people around me as well as the Captain''s coffee which is a unique feat alone because it always tastes like dirt even though he strictly follows the recipe makes me understand that this cannot possibly be an illusion!''

    ''Then, what is this?''

    ''Am I under a formation? Could it be that I''m actually still in the Cathedral?''

    ''No, that should not be the case...''

    ''Everyone knows that resources for Predators in the church are scarce. It''s not realistic for them to use such a huge amount of resources for a single man, what''s more, I''m a man that has a Golden ss, a ss bestowed personally upon me by the Goddess. Offending me is basically the same as pping the Goddess right across her face...''

    ''Those fanatics cannot possibly do that to me.''

    ''Then, how about those high-ranking officials from the church who doesn''t seem to like me?''

    ''As far as I can remember, they are the ones who deliberately sent that Mission Order to mess with me...''

    ''Wait...''

    ''Mission Order?''

    ''What the fuck is going on?''

    ''What are these memories?''

    ''Mission Order... Vige of Tulog...''

    ''Heisenberg...''

    Calvin started to incoherently mutter under his breath.

    It was at this moment that Cecilia came barging in.

    "Daddy!"

    Calvin stiffened from where he was seating before he turned around and smiled at the youngss, "Oh, darling... Come here, Oh dear, oh dear... Gorgeous." Calvin carried Cecilia and ced her on his shoulder once again before he stood up and walked over to the kitchen.

    He didn''t even ask why Cecilia came into the bedroom since it was pretty obvious that a glutton like her must be getting hungry now, but she didn''t want to eat without her father.

    "Oh my, dear... Why did you not change your clothes?"

    "Hahaha, I was actually about to change, but Cecilia came barging in." Calvin awkwardly scratched his head and squeezed out a smile.

    "Hey, Cecilia... What did mommy tell you before going into a room when there''s a person inside?" Charlotte red at Calvin.

    Cecilia was startled after suddenly being called out.

    "Uhmm..." Cecilia was never a girl that could function properly under pressure. She darted her gaze around until itnded onto the one and only person who could save her from this rock and a hard ce.

    "All right, all right, we don''t have to fight, okay? We''re in front of the food! There''s a saying popr in Ashmelion that fighting in front of the food will shoo the blessings away! We''ve got to keep the peace, okay? And also, Cecilia... The answer to your mommy''s question is to knock... You''ve got to knock before youe into the room, else you might catch me and your mommy doing something under the sheets!"

    Calvinughed out loud and surreptitiously nced at Charlotte.

    But she noticed that not only she wasn''t mad.

    She was actually being excited and she seemed to be even looking forward to it!

    A barely imperceptible light shed across Calvin''s eyes.

    When he blinked, that cold light disappeared and he was once again back to normal.

    "Doing something under the sheets? Daddy!" Cecilia eximed, "Are you and mommy secretly ying behind my backs! Why do you not let me y with you! Do you not want me to y with you? Daddy, mommy?" Cecilia swept her gaze across Calvin and Charlotte.

    Calvin let out a dryugh while Charlotte remained frozen there with a zed look on her face.

    Calvin secretly nced at her once more before he said, "Cecilia... Didn''t you want to have a baby brother? Your mommy and I are doing a secret y that will eventually lead to you having a baby brother!"

    "Really?!" Cecilia almost jumped from her seat, "But why does it have to be under the sheets...?" A frown spread on her face. It didn''t make sense. Why would someone y under the sheets when it''s so hot and ufortable underneath?

    Calvin could see that Cecilia was visibly confused. It was understandable since she was so young, but before he could even exin...

    Charlotte intervened, "You do not have to think about it, Cecilia... Just be obedient, always knock before going into the bedroom and eventually, you will get a baby brother!"

    "Uwaaa... So it''s that easy!" Cecilia quickly forgot her initial confusion.

    With her mommy backing up her daddy''s ims, there was no room for doubt anymore.

    The mood around the dining table improved and the family ate happily as Calvin let out a series of jokes and puns to amuse the pair of mother and daughter.

    The curtains for this dinner soon fell. Cecilia''s energy was significantly higher than normal and it took Calvin a few hours of ying with the youngss before she eventually copsed onto the bed out of exhaustion. Once she fell asleep, Calvin let out an evil smirk. Charlotte saw the perverted smile on his lips and she quickly burst into a furious blush.

    "I''ll..."

    "I''ll take a bath first..." Charlotte seemed to have made up her mind.

    There was no escaping.

    She would have to give up her body to Calvin tonight, but she wasn''t mad.

    It has been such a long time that she had a man inside her and she doubted if she had be a virgin again.

    The hesitation, doubt, and excitement all piled up together until she couldn''t endure it anymore.

    She took a rather short shower before she came walking out of the shower with nothing but a towel wrapped around her waist.

    Calvin was on the bed.

    He still had his clothes on, but the look on his face made it obvious that he was ready for action.

    For the one whom he truly held dear in his heart, he was ready to give up his body.

    "Dear..."

    "I can''t take it anymore..."

    Charlotte hopped onto the bed and crawled over to Calvin.

    The towel that was wrapped around her waist slowly fell off her body and revealed underneath was a figure that any man would fight for.

    It was an understatement to say that Charlotte was gorgeous.

    Despite having a child, her figure seemed to make everyone think that she was an innocent, inexperienced maiden.

    But from her actions, Calvin could see, not an innocent maiden, but an experienced vixen.

    She expertly undid the knot that was tying Calvin''s pants around his waist and with a swift pull, Calvin''s pants were pulled down, revealing his towering member in its full glory.

    "Dear..." Charlotte whispered in a trembling voice.

    She dived into Calvin''s bosom and Calvin took the hint.

    He rolled her to the side and made hery on her back.

    Then, he spread her legs and gave her a tight hug.

    "Dear..."

    "I can''t take it anymore..."

    "Please..."

    "Take me!"

    Calvin let out a smile.

    He embraced Charlotte with all of his might and in one fell swoop.

    He took the knife that he had prepared beforehand beneath one of the pillows and then stabbed her, right through her heart.

    "I would love to take you if you were the genuine and consenting Charlotte, but unfortunately... This dimension that you have made might be intricate and detailed, but your acting wasn''t convincing enough for me to believe that you are the real Charlotte."

    "What...? You..." Charlotte coughed a mouthful of blood.

    "How do you know that I am..."

    "Heh... It was pretty simple... Charlotte and I might be husband and wife, but our rtionship only exists in-name. Also, she''s too caring and paranoid with her daughter and she would never let me crack such a perverted joke in front of her daughter. If you were the real Charlotte and I did such a thing, I wouldn''t be able to run away unscathed."

    "But you...?"

    "Instead of scolding me and sending a few ps my way, you didn''t even look disturbed."

    "In fact, you were excited..."

    "Yes, excited..."

    "Because beings like you are able to devour men by pulling them into a dream and doing it with them by pretending to be their beloved..."

    "If Charlotte was indeed my most beloved, then I might''ve been in danger today."

    "But unfortunately, she''s not the woman whom I truly hold dear in my heart."

    "This is why you''ve lost, Subi. You are facing the nemesis of your species."

    "Men whose beloved ones still do not know who they are... How unfortunate, but I am indeed that kind of a man..."

    Calvin let out a self-deprecatingugh.

    The gorgeous Charlotte had already transformed into a withering humanoid beast with horns simr to a ram''s.

    The Subi didn''t even manage to utter a final scream as its body turned into ashes.

    At the same time, the world around Calvin cracked.

    The crack soon burst into something simr to the shattering of sses and when Calvin opened his eyes once again.

    He found himself staring at a gloomy and overcast sky.

    Standing up, he dusted his clothes off and he noticed a dpidated sign a few meters ahead of him.

    The sign read...

    [The Vige of Tulog]

 Chapter 153: Once You Go In, There Is No Way Out

    Chapter 153: Once You Go In, There Is No Way Out

    Calvin saw the eerie dpidated sign and its strange foreground. He swept his gaze around him and discovered that he had been lying in some tall grasses and wheat. He crouched down, checked the area for any signs of Heisenberg, Ricardo, or the other passengers of the wagon but discovered nothing.

    No one was around him.

    He was alone.

    The overcast skies gave everything a gloomy vibe to it. Something wasn''t right about this ce, Calvin could feel it, yet he couldn''t point it out.

    He didn''t head for the Vige of Tulog.

    He turned around and started walking.

    With a notebook in his hand, he started scribbling down. But it wasn''t words, instead, he was drawing out a map. Every time he took a step forward, he would draw a small line. Eventually, he reached the location where he first started and the notebook now had a circle on its page.

    ''So the vige is in the form of a circle? That''s odd... The architectural ways of the Joselian Kingdom don''t permit the creation of Viges in the form of a circle, since the cultural values of the Kingdom promote camaraderie...''

    ''If a Vige is formed in a circle surrounded by those huge wooden fences that would make everyone feel as if the vige was closing itself away from civilization and also pushing others away, thus harming its tourism...''

    ''Well, I can also give the vige the benefit of the doubt by saying that they have broken the rules, but it wouldn''t make sense for them to harm their own tourism... It''s because the Vige of Tulog has an incredibly attractive tourist attraction. The ind within ake. Such a wonder of nature had always attracted the eyes of nobles, wanderers, and faith believers alike...''

    ''This is why it doesn''t make sense why the vige seems to be in a circle and surrounded by these huge wooden fences...''

    Calvin thought.

    He looked down and the ground was muddy. He seemed to be on a ntation. The ground had marks of farming tools being used, but not a soul was around him. Furthermore, the farnd, despite having marks of farming tools being used was overgrown with grass. The grass was so tall that it was almost at the same height as Calvin.

    The light from the overcast skies appeared amidst the grasses as Calvin swayed them around to move.

    Calvin continued to move away from the farnd, he wanted to take a good look at the surroundings first to see if there was anything or anyone around him. It would be pretty bad if he moved directly into the vige without scouring the area since there might be survivors from any of the passengers from the wagon that needed his help.

    Calvin continued to move and he soon heard the sound of humming.

    The humming had no rhyme or rhythm to it whatsoever, it was arranged haphazardly as if the person didn''t care about how it sounded.

    ''Who is that?''

    Calvin took the golden quill which was his Aspect that had been tucked in his chest pocket the whole time. He bent his knees as he approached the source of the sound. In the distance, an old woman could be seen sitting on a tree stump. The old woman had a fishing rod in her hand, and she seemed to be fishing in the pond in front of her.

    Now, this wasn''t a scene that would normally cause any rm from Calvin.

    If not for the fact that the pond was nothing but a pool of muddy water that couldn''t possibly host any aquatic life.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He didn''t announce himself nor make a sound as he continued to approach the old woman from behind.

    She had a halo of white hair on her head, and her hands were callused. This was a sign that she had been working in the farnds since she was young, yet why was she out here fishing instead of tending to the ntation? Calvin moved diagonally and he was finally able to see the old woman''s face.

    It was nk.

    The old woman seemed to have lost all of her emotions a long time ago.

    Remarkably, above her hollowed cheeks was a pair of eyes devoid of life.

    Beneath those eyes were heavy and distinct eyebags which indicated that she hadn''t slept for a long time.

    Calvin revealed a humorless smile, ''Oh, just a typical olddy in the province, I guess...?''

    He didn''t dare to take another step further for the woman might notice her and she would definitely be startled by him being so close to her.

    She moved a few meters back and then deliberately made noise to attract her attention.

    "Ah! There''s someone!"

    The woman shook hard when she heard Calvin''s voice. She turned around and there was a nervous, and frightened look on her face.

    "Madame... I''m sorry to stumble upon you and disturb your peace... I''m an adventurer from Ashmelion that got lost while I was trying to chase a boar for dinner. The boar ran in this direction and I was about to catch it when it suddenly disappeared among the tall grasses and wheat, hahaha... I apologize..."

    Calvin hurriedly exined.

    The old woman stood up.

    She tightened her hold around her fishing rod and stared at Calvin in rm.

    Calvin gave an awkward smile and said, "I''m really sorry to have disturbed your peace, madame. But I can''t seem to find my way out anymore to Ashmelion. Can you point me in the right direction? Can you please tell me how to get back to Ashmelion?" To make it seem that he was genuinely desperate for help, Calvin reached into one of his pockets and fished out a few Joselian coins.

    The old woman didn''t even look at the coins that Calvin had in his palms. She just kept her eyes on Calvin and stood there with her fishing rod, ready to smash Calvin''s skull in if he dared to even take a step forward. The other was trying to act genuine, while the other was upromising. The situation soon reached an ufortable stalemate.

    Fortunately, the statement was soon broken by the rain that was foreshadowed by the overcast skies earlier.

    "Shit, it''s raining?" Calvin couldn''t help but curse. The rain was innately cold and it had a lot of Yin. This particr type of energy was a type of energy that Spectres and Ghosts liked the most. The Subi who had tried to devour him in his dreams was a type of a Hybrid Beast that naturally siphoned Yin from the surroundings.

    Since they couldn''t control their siphoning of Yin from the surroundings, they had to bnce this out by sucking out the Yang from men and that was the reason why the Subus became so infamous among the poption of men. This particr Hybrid Beast was so hard to locate since they had the ability to pretend to be humans, and their attacks were also carried out through dreams.

    So unless one had a Blessed Artifact that could enable them to counterattack against the Subus in a dream, or unless they could locate the Subi''s true body in the material ne. It was close to impossible to kill them.

    But there was something that didn''t make sense for Calvin.

    The Subus shouldn''t need the help of Doppelgangers to pull men into a dream. What''s more, they could only pull one person at a time.

    Yet, why was it that the Subus that attacked Calvin in his dreams needed the help of a Doppelganger to drag them into a trap?

    It didn''t make sense.

    Unless...

    Someone else was behind the Subus.

    Calvin quickly concluded his train of thought as the cold and heavy rain struck his head and drenched his body.

    He smiled at the old woman and she seemed to have rxed.

    "I have no idea who you are, but you have gone too far from the main road to Ashmelion that is at the foot of the mountain. Even if I point the way out for you, it''d be pretty difficult for you to return to Ashmelion." The old woman took her fishing rod out of the muddy waters of the pond which could be more urately described as a puddle instead of a pond due to its size.

    As she was cleaning her tools up, her body kept on trembling.

    Her legs were still weak from the shock that Calvin had given her by suddenly appearing out of nowhere.

    "Damn it, what should I do now? I really have to get back... I''m sure my family might be worried sick for me already!"

    Calvin looked genuinely disturbed as he distorted his face in frustration.

    "I can apany you to the foot of the mountain instead of pointing out the direction for you, but it will definitely take the whole night." The old woman sighed, "Also, there''s a vige in the direction of the east from where you came from. No matter what you do, never try to wander too close to that vige. It will suck you in, and once it does..."

    "You will never be able to go back."

 Chapter 154: Unable to Sleep, Unable to be in Peace

    Chapter 154: Unable to Sleep, Unable to be in Peace

    Calvin inwardly frowned.

    But he didn''t let any of his emotions out as he asked in a curious tone of voice, "Ah! I actually saw what you are talking about from afar! Isn''t that the strange vige that is corralled by huge wooden fences in a circle? It really is strange, I tried going around it once, but I found not a shadow nor a trace of anyone!"

    "But why can''t I go in there, though? If there are some vigers there, then I would actually prefer to spend the night there since you know what they say... The merrier, the safer."

    The old woman stared right into Calvin''s eyes.

    "Your life is not my responsibility."

    "If you are not willing to listen to what I have said, then fine."

    "But consider yourself warned."

    The old woman then turned around and continued on her journey.

    Calvin shrugged and followed her from behind.

    "Why are you following me?"

    Calvin awkwardly scratched his head.

    "You''ve told me earlier that it would take me the whole night to reach the foot of the mountain... Even if I leave now, I won''t be able to reach Ashmelion. Furthermore, it looks like it''s about to rain cats and dogs soon. I''ll need to at least find a ce to stay in for the night, right?" His words were sensible and the old woman was left speechless for she has no other choice but to agree.

    However, this didn''t stop her from ring at Calvin and a stalemate was once again created between them.

    Eventually, the rain picked up in strength and the old woman had no choice but to sigh.

    "Since it''s going to rain very hard tonight, it would be misty in the morning. If you got lost in the mist and somehow stumble upon that vige again, then that wouldn''t be good..."

    "How about you stay with me tonight?"

    The woman didn''t seem to be joking when she said this ambiguous statement.

    Calvin didn''t know how to react. But of course, he understood what the old woman was saying and he eventually nodded his head to agree.

    The two continued on their journey, but they hadn''t even walked a few meters yet when the old woman suddenly stopped.

    "Are you really an adventurer?"

    "What is there for me to gain by lying?" Calvin looked as if he was tired of exining, "Madame, I was trying to catch a boar for dinner, and it led me to this direction before it mysteriously disappeared from my sight. I would want to give you some proof of who I am, but I''ve left them all in a tent that I''ve pitched somewhere around this mountain..."

    "If you are asking about why didn''t I leave traces when I was hunting the boar so I can backtrack my way if I ever got lost, then I''m sorry! That is indeed my fault. It was my oversight and I admit it, but I really need your helping hand right now, so please..." Calvin slightly bowed his head and made himself as pitiful as possible.

    The woman seemed to have been convinced by Calvin''s antics.

    She turned around and softly whispered into the air.

    "Follow me."

    Calvin and the old woman walked in the opposite direction from the Vige of Tulog. After a few minutes, they came across two wooden huts.

    "Take the one on the right, I''ll take the one on the left. Once the light from the sun disappears and night falls around us. Never evere out of the wooden hut. No matter what you hear, no matter what you feel, and no matter what you see. Never evere out of the wooden hut..."

    The old woman unlocked the wooden hut on the right, but she seemed to be in a rush since she forgot to give Calvin the key to the hut.

    "Damn, that sounds scary... So what if I have to take a piss or number two?"

    "You have to do it inside, there''s a chamber pot. Just throw it out the window."

    "But why is it that I can''te out? Is it because of wolves or some beasts? Well, you do not have to worry about that, Madame. I may look pitiful right now but I am still an adventurer. I should be able to handle a wolf or two!" Calvin stuck his chest out and proudly dered. There was this smug look on this face while the old woman seemed to have grown tired from Calvin''s antics.

    "There are no wolves nor beasts whatsoever around us. Just lie down on the bed and sleep. If you hear anything, just let it pass. If you hear someone call your name, do not turn to look at them. If you hear a woman''s singing. Plug your ears as fast as you can. You should be safe as long as you do note out of the hut and do not listen to that singing voice. Do you understand?"

    The old woman sternly said.

    Calvin obediently sat on a stone bed as if he was a child being scolded by his grandmother.

    "Hehehe... I might be an adventurer, but I am also a coward! Especially, when ites to the unknown out there! I won''t be going out nor listening to anything after I''ve heard you say that... Rest assured!" Calvin let out an innocent smile.

    "All right..." The old woman stared at Calvin, "Rest well. When the fog in the morning after this rain clears up, I will help you reach the foot of the mountain so you can follow the main road to Ashmelion." She bade Calvin farewell and Calvin could hear the sound of a door closing from the wooden hut beside him.

    Calvin looked around the room and discovered that there was a particr word to describe all that he was seeing in this room.

    Strange...

    The room was strange, or maybe unique?

    There was not much furniture in the room, not even a table nor a chair.

    There was not even a nket. Only a stone bed was present on the upper right corner of the wooden hut. There wasn''t even a pillow made out of haystacks. Was he supposed to sleep with his bed on a cold stone floor that seemed to have been carved out of the ground instead of being made outside of the hut and carried over to be installed in the hut?

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows as heid on the stone bed.

    When his eyesnded on the ceiling, dust entered his eyes as he let out a fat sneeze.

    ''What the fuck, there''s dust everywhere...''

    ''How can a person live in a ce like this? Shit, that''s a huge ass spider in the corner right there... Please don''t bite me...'' Calvin was terrified to discover that he was about to sleep in a bed full of spiders just overhead. He stood up and walked towards the door. He closed it shut and was about to lock it when he discovered that there was not even a lock from the inside.

    ''Damn it... She told me to note out of the wooden hut, but what if those things that she''s talking aboutes in instead?'' Calvin felt that the woman was hiding more things from him. He walked over to the direction of the wooden hut beside him and shouted, "Madame! May I know who you are? My name is Calvin! Nice to meet you!"

    "Keep your voice down! Why are you shouting? You startled me!" The old woman seemed to have been frightened by Calvin''s shout, "You can call me Liz."

    "All right, Madame Liz! Nice to meet you!"

    "I told you to keep your voice down!"

    "Okay..."

    Calvin didn''t say anything anymore.

    But after about thirty minutes, he shouted at the top of his voice once more, "Madame Liz! Are you still awake?"

    "What is it?!"

    "Ah! I''m sorry, I was just getting kind of scared, so I just want to know if you are still awake and that I am not alone around here."

    "Don''t be such a coward, you''re an adventurer for fuck''s sake! Go to sleep!"

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    It had been thirty minutes ago since he yelled at the old woman.

    On average, humans usually fall asleep in fourteen minutes the moment they closed their eyes and decided to sleep. But thirty minutes had passed, yet she was still awake! What''s more, her voice didn''t seem to be mixed with any drowsiness at all so it was obvious that she hadn''t been attempting to sleep!

    Furthermore, she even cursed at him in an agitated and shaking voice. The old woman had always struck Calvin as a calm woman who wouldn''t falter at any situation since she was brave enough to live in the outskirts of a supposedly cursed vige alone. Yet, at this moment, what caused her to be so nervous like that?

    Despite all of these signs, Calvin knew that the old woman wasn''t a bad person.

    She had given him plenty of warnings, but her strange actions at this moment were making Calvin worry for his own safety.

    ''The Mission Order and Ricardo''s ount stated that the Vige of Tulog was cursed by the curse of sleeplessness. ''

    ''But was it really a curse?''

    ''Or were they just unable to fall asleep because they were terrified about something?''

    ''But what could possibly terrorize an entire vige from sleeping including both men, women, and children?''

    ''A subus?''

    ''Nah... A subus can only lure men, but not women. They could probably lure children as long as the boy was in the middle of puberty.''

    ''But women and children, as well as the elderly?''

    ''It doesn''t make sense...''

    ''The old woman told me to nevere out of the wooden hut no matter what I hear or see... Is there something in here that can possibly protect me against an enemy from the material ne?'' Calvin looked around and discovered a yellowed piece of paper with some scribblings on its surface.

    ''This pattern...''

    ''I don''t recognize it, but the energy it was radiating seems to be on the positive side...''

    ''This should be a talisman made for protection.''

    ''But what is it protecting me from? Am I being protected against Specters? Or am I being protected against physical attacks from a beast with a body in the physical world?'' Calvin thought hard and long but he couldn''t get the answer that he was looking for. He wasn''t omnipotent after all. Even though he was knowledgeable, his knowledge was far too high-leveled and it didn''t involve low-leveled protection talismans like this.

    But he was sure that this piece of paper was meant to protect him.

    However...

    ''Why would it be here instead of her room? Was she expecting my arrival and is that the reason why there is a talisman in here even though the most logical thing for her to do is to bring this talisman into the room where she was staying instead of cing a talisman in an empty room that no one was using anyway?''

    ''This doesn''t make sense...''

    Calvin scanned the room around him and discovered that there were no traces of past human activity in this room for quite a long time. In short, there was no one else that had lived in this room for a while. Yet, why was there a protection talisman in the room when there was no one for it to protect?

    Calvin''s heart stiffened.

    The rain outside the wooden hut had picked up.

    Calvin curled on the stone bed with his knees pushed up to his chest and his arms around his knees.

    His body was even trembling and his breathing was rough and even.

    He looked genuinely terrified and as heid there, waiting for the arrival of sunrise, unable to sleep, and unable to be in peace...

    Calvin''s ears picked up the sound of something!

    It was the sound of irregr and rushed footsteps like there was a crowd just outside of Calvin''s hut rushing to get to somewhere.

    But it didn''t make sense for a crowd to be there since it was currently in the middle of the night and they were in the middle of nowhere!

    Calvin took a sharp breath and he raised his hands to cover his face. Leaving only a sliver of space for his eyes to peek into.

    He kept both of his eyes at the unlocked door.

    The rain kept falling outside and the sound of rushed footsteps finally disappeared.

    But in the very next moment, the sound of a door being opened rang out, and what followed afterwards was the old woman''s screams!

    ''Shit!''

    Calvin got on his feet and rushed out of the wooden door and into the darkness.

 Chapter 155: An Encounter in the Middle of the Night

    Chapter 155: An Encounter in the Middle of the Night

    Calvin''s eyes were grim as the golden quill in his hand shone in a dim light that served to illuminate the darkness around him.

    He rushed to the old woman''s wooden hut and kicked it open.

    Brandishing his golden quill forward, the light from the quill fell onto the old woman.

    There, she sat on her stone bed, curled in a ball, and continuously trembling from fear.

    "M-Madame, are you okay? I came here to save you!"

    "D-D-Don''te closer! I don''t want to... I don''t want to fall asleep!" The old woman shrieked like a banshee.

    "Why do you not want to sleep? Isn''t it easier if you just fell asleep? Why don''t you just follow the urge to sleep?"

    "No... I can''t... I don''t want to sleep. I don''t want to go with them... I don''t want to sleep!"

    The old woman trashed on her stone bed. She was inexplicably strong, as she moved around, cracks would spread on her bed every time she smashed herself on it.

    Calvin''s expression turned serious.

    He flicked his wrist towards the door and closed it shut. He looked around the room and discovered that the room had a protection talisman, but it obviously didn''t seem to be working.

    Calvin turned to the old woman. A frown was stered across his face. The old woman seemed to be trashing on the bed on her own. There seemed to be no onepelling her to do such a thing, and she also didn''t seem to be possessed.

    Usually, in this case, Calvin would''ve already diagnosed her to be mentally challenged, but since there was this particr curse in the Vige of Tulog as well as the existence of that subus who wanted to devour him.

    Who knew what kind of monsters still lurked in the Vige of Tulog?

    Given that they were so close to the vige, it was entirely possible that a Spectre or two wandered to the outskirts of the Vige to look for someone whose fear they could feed on and be even stronger.

    But Spectres were generally afraid of head-to-head confrontation.

    Unless they deemed it to bepletely safe, they would never manifest their true form.

    Calvin had to bait out the being that was torturing this old woman and if he wanted to do that...

    He had to pretend to be ignorant.

    "Madame!" Calvin lunged at the old woman and pressed her down onto the stone bed, "Madame! Are you okay? What''s going on?! Don''t worry, I''m here... Madame!"

    The old woman suddenly stopped moving.

    An eerie silence filled the wooden hut.

    Calvin could hear the sound of his own heartbeat, and the pitter-patter of the rain outside seemed to have be stronger.

    ... That he was unable to hear the sound of the door''s wooden hut creaking open from behind him.

    "Madame... Are you all right?"

    The old woman stared right at Calvin.

    But there was something strange in her gaze.

    She didn''t seem to be staring at Calvin, but right through him!

    "Why did you open the door... Why did youe here...?"

    "It''s toote..."

    "We will be dragged and cursed into eternal sleeplessness!"

    The old woman let out a maddened shriek before her eyes rolled into her skull.

    Calvin shook her shoulders and she awakened once more. Her eyelids seemed incredibly heavy for her as she intermittently closed them, trying to fall asleep, but she was ultimately unable to be in peace.

    "Toote? Why is it toote? I''m here! I''m an adventurer, didn''t I tell you? I''ll help you! I''ll help you from whatever is making you like this, madame!" Calvin cried out.

    The old woman stared through him once again.

    Within her eyes, terror surged and twirled.

    "It''s toote..."

    "Why?!"

    "She''s here..."

    The moment her voice trailed off, a biting chill came up from behind Calvin.

    He immediately ducked his head to dodge, yet the attack still shaved off a few strands of his hair.

    Turning around, his heart abruptly stopped.

    Floating behind him was the Spectre of a half-bodied woman.

    Her eyes werepletely white, and blood dripped out of her lips while her cheeks seemed to be bloated from something.

    There was a particrly savage look on her face as she opened her lips and let out a shriek.

    "AAAHHH!!!"

    A booming sound rang out, the shockwave created by the noise was so strong that it directly tore off the door of the wooden hut.

    The Spectre seemed to be aggravated that she was unable to execute Calvin with a single attack.

    She dashed forwards while Calvin utilized his footwork to evade the attack to the right.

    ''A half-bodied Spectre created from a resentment so strong that she was able to gather enough power to blow off the door of this hut... I''m lucky that the source of her power is from her resentment against something or someone. If the source of her power was from an unfinished business, then this would''ve been a difficult fight...''

    Calvin nced at the old woman and he discovered that the Spectre seemed to be uninterested in her.

    Then, in that case if she wasn''t out here to hurt this old woman, then why was she haunting her?

    Calvin looked around the area and the half-bodied woman attacked him again.

    He leaped backwards and managed to avoid the attack. While he was in mid-air, he snatched the protection talisman attached from the walls of the room and hurled it over to the woman.

    "Eat this!"

    Calvin crushed the talisman into a ball and threw it at the woman.

    But it unexpectedly passed through her body as if it was broken.

    "What? It passed through her?!" Calvin was rmed.

    He had confirmed that the talisman was working the moment he held it in his hands. Yet, why did it pass through the half-bodied woman?

    There was only one possibility that Calvin could think as to why the talisman was ineffective against the woman.

    The woman was an exception.

    The person who made this protective talisman must''ve made the half-bodied woman an exception that wouldn''t be stopped by the talisman.

    But why?

    Calvin didn''t have any time to think as the woman sent another attack, forcing him to block with his golden quill as he was thrown outside of the wooden hut.

    Calvin deftly rolled on the ground and instantly recovered.

    He stood up and stared grimly at the monster in front of him.

    "You... Who are you? Why are you attacking me?"

    "Why are you haunting that woman? Did she do something bad to you?"

    "Do you know that you''re already dead...?"

    Calvin asked the questions that mattered the most in identifying what kind of a Spectre was the half-bodied woman.

    But the half-bodied woman only floated inside the wooden hut.

    She was staring at Calvin with this savage look on her face that didn''t seem to care for anything other than destroying Calvin.

    Or was it?

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    ''If this half-bodied Spectre was out here to hurt this old woman, then why didn''t she do it before?''

    ''Why does it seem like instead of hurting the woman... She''s protecting her against something far sinister...?''

    A heavy sense of foreboding flooded Calvin''s heart.

    But he had already made a decision.

    The half-bodied woman was a Spectre made from the resentment that she had before she died. Understandably, she was evil-affiliated.

    And since her affiliation was evil...

    "By the Emperor''s Commandment, all shall obey!"

    A majestic and booming deration came out of Calvin''s mouth. The moment his words fell, the half-bodied Spectre started trembling. Terror filled her eyes and the savageness on her face had disappeared, reced by fear as she floated there frozen and unable to do anything nor move.

    By the Emperor''s Commandment, all shall obey!

    This deration wasn''t empty words.

    The Emperor''s Veil covered Calvin''s body in the golden robes of an Emperor.

    He stretched his hand out and Calvin''s weapon of choice, the Polearm manifested.

    "By the Emperor''s Commandment..." Calvin stared at the half-bodied Spectre, "I dere you cleansed!"

    He hurled the Imperial Commandment''s Polearm at the half-bodied woman.

    Under the authority of the Emperor''s Commandment, the half-bodied woman could do nothing other than to stand there and ept her fate.

    Pierce!

    The Polearm pierced a hole through her ghostly body.

    This was the power of the Emperor''s Commandment...

    The ability to harm an evil-attributed Spectre without making them manifest a physical body.

    "..."

    The half-bodied woman stood there with this huge hole on her chest.

    But she still wasn''t dead!

    "What? Why are you not..."

    "Wait, you..." Calvin immediately recovered from the shock.

    "A half-bodied Spectre created from resentment and with the attribute of Undying."

    "You..."

    "You''re not an ordinary Spectre!"

    "You''re an Aswang!"

    Calvin immediately revealed the identity of the half-bodied woman.

    The reason why he hadn''t suspected the woman to be an Aswang was that Aswangs were just too rare!

    In the previous timeline, Calvin hadn''t encountered even a single Aswang in his entire life. Even though he knew of their existence as depicted by the Bestiary''s of the three Judiciaries, he hadn''t expected that he would encounter one!

    Calvin''s mind madly spun. Aswangs were vicious and relentless. Now that he had offended one, he had to see through the end of his decision and destroy the Aswang. But how could he do it when Aswangs had the attribute of undying? Even the power of the Emperor''s Commandment was unable to annihte it, how could Calvin hope to defeat this monstrosity?

    It was true that the Aswang had the attribute of undying.

    But just as there was a solution to every problem, there was also a way to defeat the Aswang.

    Calvin just had to find its lower body!

    If he could find its lower body and purify it through fire or the cleansing of salt, the Aswang should also disappear from the face of this world.

    But the mountain upied by the Vige of Tulog was so huge that finding the lower body of this Spectre was the same as finding a needle in a haystack. It was unrealistic for him to find the lower body of the Aswang so fast and then purify it through fire or salt. Since that was the case, does this mean that Calvin had no options left and he could only ept his defeat?

    Of course not!

    Calvin still had a way.

    And it was a method that he was excited to try.

    The Empire of an Emperor was impossible to make by the hands of a single person.

    In short, an Emperor had a lot of subordinates.

    But Calvin had just recently received the Emperor''s Commandment, so he did not have any subordinates apart from the Mortician whom he forced to submit under the power of his Emperor''s Commandment.

    Now he had two choices.

    One, suppress the Aswang and let the Mortician devour it so that it could grow stronger.

    Two, force the Aswang to submit to him under the power of the Emperor''s Commandment.

    Calvin was quick to reach the answer to his question.

    Standing there, Calvin summoned the might of the Emperor''s Commandment once again.

    "By the Emperor''s Commandment, all shall obey!"

    An explosion of blinding divine light surged from Calvin''s body as the golden robes of the Emperor wrapped around him once more. The only difference this time was that he had a different weapon strapped on his waist. The weapon looked to be a jade-colored sickle with a barbed circle-shaped weight connected with a chain.

    The Soul Reaper!

    A suitable emperor metes out punishment to those that dare to rebel against the Emperor''s Commandment.

    Wisps of divine light surged from the Soul Reaper as Calvin gently ran his fingers across its handle.

    "Existence of such great resentment... Introduce yourself!"

    Calvin''s vocabry changed, but he was still as imposing as ever.

    But he received no response from the half-bodied woman.

    She was still floating there, staring at Calvin with intense terror in her eyes.

    "You, who has such great resentment."

    "Submit under the authority of the Emperor''s Commandment or be dispersed to the wind!"

    Calvin unhooked the Soul Reaper from his waist and stared right at the half-bodied woman.

    "I..."

    The half-bodied woman uttered in a hoarse voice.

    Finally, she was disying some signs of intelligence for the first time.

    She opened her mouth slowly, seemingly struggling to speak, but before she could utter any words of exnation...

    Her expression suddenly twisted, the savage look on her face returned and she unexpectedly broke through the suppression of the Emperor''s Commandment and roared.

    "AAAHHH!!!"

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    "I see, so you are still going to be persistent..."

    "In that case, I''ll force you to submit!"

    He swung the Soul Reaper over his head and then threw it at the half-bodied woman.

    The Soul Reaper made a beeline to the half-bodied woman, but before it could wrap around her...

    A figure unexpectedly appeared in front of the half-bodied woman.

    It was the old woman who had been cowering on the stone bed.

    "What?!"

    Calvin eximed in shock.

    The Emperor''s Veil vanished at that moment and so did the Soul Reaper.

    The suppression of the Emperor''s Commandment also disappeared.

    "Madame... Why are you..." Calvin mumbled.

    "How dare you..."

    The old woman trembled in anger.

    "How dare you try to hurt my daughter?!"

 Chapter 156: That Young Man

    Chapter 156: That Young Man

    ''Her daughter? The Spectre is her daughter?'' Calvin stared at the old woman in shock. Finally, pieces were starting to fall into ce.

    ''So that was the reason why she wasn''t trying to hurt the old woman earlier...''

    ''But if it is really the truth, then what was the old woman so afraid of?''

    ''Is she afraid of the Vige of Tulog?''

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    The enclosed circle-shaped fence system surrounding the Vige of Tulog made it so that the ce was pretty much secluded from the outside world.

    But this seclusion also meant that it wouldn''t be easy for them to harm anyone outside of the Vige since understandably, there was only one single exit where they would being from and that was pretty far from where these two wooden huts were located.

    Calvin stared at the old woman and said, "She''s your daughter?"

    "Oh, I''m sorry..."

    "I have no idea that she was rted to you..."

    "Well, I guess, I could see it since she does resemble your beauty. But anyway, everything was just a huge misunderstanding. I heard you screaming earlier, so I thought that someone out there was here to harm you, and since she just suddenly appeared..."

    "I assumed that she was the one that made you scream like that."

    "Please calm down, madame... My intentions are pure and I bear no harm..."

    Calvin had already dissipated the Emperor''s Veil and the suffocating air, detectable only to those beings attributed with evil had disappeared.

    The half-bodied woman didn''t seem to be that agitated anymore.

    She had calmed down as the old woman was giving her a tight embrace.

    Eventually, she turned to look at Calvin and eyed him from top to bottom.

    It seemed that she had recognized that everything was indeed just a misunderstanding, so she finally calmed down.

    "What do you want?"

    But the question that she asked first was riddled with nothing but coldness.

    "Why did you evene here?"

    "Seeing that you managed to almost harm my daughter, you are not just an ordinary adventurer."

    The old woman''s eyes were strangely full of rity at this moment.

    Calvin turned serious.

    "Madame..."

    "Yes, I am not just an ordinary adventurer."

    "I came here to visit the Vige of Tulog and cleanse the vige from the curse of sleeplessness..."

    He took out the Mission Order from his chest pocket and opened it in front of the old woman.

    "I am a Soldier from one of the three Judiciaries, specifically the Cavaliers."

    "I see..."

    "So you are a believer of the Goddess of Compassion and Light."

    The old woman let out a sigh, "Perhaps it is better if I told you everything."

    Calvin took a sharp breath, "May I take a guess first, Madame?"

    "Oh?" Surprised, the old woman stared at Calvin withplicated emotions on her face, "It seems that you are also quite smart, despite being only a Soldier in one of the three Judiciaries. Go on, guess... I''ll tell you if you are right."

    "I''ve noticed some clues earlier, but I''ve only confirmed it just now."

    "Madame."

    "You..."

    "You''re also a Spectre, right?"

    "Just like your daughter?"

    The old woman stared at Calvin in shock. A smile spread across her lips as her body slowly turned transparent. Then, at the very next moment, her lower body detached from her upper body and dissipated into innumerable light crystals. It turned out that the daughter was not the only Aswang...

    But mother and daughter were Aswangs!

    Calvin''s pupils constricted from the shock.

    He had predicted the old woman to be a Spectre due to the fact that she was able to touch a Spectre despite being supposedly a human. He had noticed that the old woman didn''t seem to have the Vision of a Predator, so to be able to touch a Spectre. She must also be a Spectre herself!

    "Madame Liz..."

    "You must''ve noticed the talisman ced in your hut despite it being no one to be protected in there. Well, since you must be knowledgeable about Specters. I don''t think that I should exin to you why there was a talisman in that room now that you know that I am an Aswang, right?"

    "Ah! Are you saying that..."

    "Yes, it is exactly what you think it is."

    Calvin fell silent.

    He had to take a moment to process this information that he had just received.

    Specters were beings that needed the nutrition of other Specters to involve.

    In short, to be even powerful.

    A Specter must consume.

    Madame Liz was basically saying that she ced that talisman of protection in that wooden hut so that she could protect her vulnerable lower body that any Specter could easily snack on if it was left unattended.

    But where was her lower body located?

    Simple, it was inside the stone bed.

    Her lower body must be inside the stone bed in the wooden hut where Calvin stayed earlier.

    Then, did that mean that...

    Calvin looked up to Madame Liz and she shook her head before saying.

    "I know what you are thinking."

    "My daughter''s lower body must be inside my own stone bed. That is what you are thinking, right?"

    "But no."

    "You are wrong."

    "My daughter... You must''ve already detected her resentment, right?"

    "It''s intense... And the only way for me to quench it is to find her lower body."

    "Only when I find her lower body can she let go of her resentment ande with me to reincarnate." Madame Liz let out a sigh.

    Calvin stared at Madame Liz andpared her to the half-bodied woman.

    Indeed, the wisps of Nether Qi surrounding the half-bodied woman was reeking of negativity, hatred, anger, and hopelessness. Whereas Madame Liz''s Nether Qi was radiating the light of hope, relentlessness, and the burning desire to seed in her goal.

    The stark contrast between the Nether Qi of the two must be the reason why Calvin didn''t notice that Madame Liz was a Specter earlier.

    He had been too focused on evil-attributed beings since he found out that the Vige of Tulog was under a curse.

    He tunnel-visioned and forgot to watch out for beings whose attributes were opposite of the dark.

    Calvin nodded his head and he stared at Madame Liz as if hinting for her to continue.

    "We were originally from the Vige of Tulog. A few years ago had passed since we were exiled from the vige, but the scenes from that day are still fresh in my mind."

    "It was a rainy night..."

    "The Vige was lovely, it was lively and full of life."

    "But all of these ended when that young man came to live with us."

    "One of the hunters from the vige found him unconscious outside the Vige and given our nature of hospitality and kindness to others..."

    "We did not hesitate to bring him back with us so that he could recuperate and recover."

    "But little did we know that bringing that young man would be the worst decision that we would ever make..."

    "The winters are harsh for our Vige, the smog carried by the textile and matchstick factories in Ashmelion are always blown over to our Vige creating harsher winters with snow as ck as charcoal. Whenever that snow appeared, we would almost certainly starve since it would bring with it the death of the nearby wild game that we need to survive."

    "Fortunately, just as the animals around us adapted to survive by mass migration whenever winter was about to arrive. Our Vige also thrived by hunting these games while they were in the middle of their migration. But attacking those beasts mid-migration meant that our hunters would almost certainly face a group of boars, wolves, or even foxes at once."

    "Battles would always be fierce, and not a man was clean of blood when they return from their hunt."

    "Women would cry for their husbands, while children would cry for their fathers. The elderly would help carry those crippled and dead from the harsh hunt, but all of these changed when the young man spoke up, ''Death is not the end.'' He said and with a flick of his hand, those that were crippled had instantly recovered..."

    "Even missing limbs reappeared."

    "It was as if he was a Prophet send to us by the Goddess..."

    "But his kindness wasn''t without an exchange. Every time he would heal someone he needed the sacrifice of a virgin. But since we were a vige that isted itself from the outside world. We quickly ran out of sacrifice. That was when the Vige Head decided to offer my daughter to that young man as his wife..."

    "If I was still as ignorant as I am the first time I saw his miracle, I would''ve readily agreed."

    "But I was an ignorant no more."

    "I saw what he did to those women..."

    "He sucked them all dry, from their neck, he sucked them all of their blood, and once the women were dead. He reconstructed and repaired them as their puppets. Everything fell into ce when I saw what he had done. So that was the reason why the lovely youngdy of the Vige Chief had be so cold and indifferent despite being so cheerful and lively the day before she was about to marry the young man."

    "I knew what was about to happen, so I have to act fast. It was close to impossible for us to escape without causing some kind of amotion, so the night of the wedding ceremony. I deliberately caused a fire. Under the confusion, I got my daughter out of the hall, and I dragged her away from her dream wedding without any exnation, whatsoever..."

    "I know, that was a big mistake. I should''ve told her what I have seen, but I was just too afraid that the young man might notice that there was something wrong with my daughter since she''s the type of person that would wear her heart on her sleeves. If I told her about what I have seen and she bes wary of the young man a few days before her marriage, that would be a catastrophic mistake."

    "But if I had known what she was about to do, then I should''ve told her my ns because right when we were about to escape by riding a boat on the nearby river that I had prepared beforehand. She pulled me back into the vige and told the young man that was trying to kidnap her and mess up the marriage."

    "Obviously, the young man was furious."

    "He threatened to kill me, and only after my daughter begged him to spare me did he finally decide to let go of the matter."

    "But I wasn''t willing to give up when I was so close to seeding."

    "I screamed, I yelled, and I cried out..."

    "I told everyone what I had witnessed, but no one was willing to believe me since the people whom I have seen that had been devoured by the young man was also standing within the hall where I was being punished. I knew that they were already dead. I knew that they were nothing but puppets for the young man, but without any proof. I was swiftly branded as mentally ill and was then sentenced to be exiled."

    Madame Liz stopped her exposition to take a breather.

    The half-bodied woman floating beside her seemed to be more agitated as Madame Liz revealed everything to Calvin.

    "I was unable to ept the punishment given unto me, so I screamed. I screamed all night until I finally attracted the attention of that young man once more who made me witness a scene that I would possibly never forget. Lying on the wedding bedchamber was the lifeless body of my daughter that had her blood sucked dry and her lower half severed from her body..."

    "Her lower half was nowhere to be seen. I assumed that the young man had consumed it for his sustenance and that was when I grew crazy... I attacked the young man but he was far stronger than me. Eventually, I was overwhelmed and I suffered the same fate as my daughter..."

    "I was publicly executed and my body was thrown into the pond just outside the vige."

    "When I became a Spirit, I managed to recover my body from the pond, but it was only after a few years did I realize that the young man might''ve thrown my daughter''s body into that pond too, so I would always go there every day to fish... Despite it being just a puddle anymore, I still go there to fish."

    "I know that what am I doing is futile, but what choice do I have?"

    "If I want to remain sane being so near that cursed vige, I must never lose my raison d''etre."

    Madame Liz let out a sigh.

    Calvin''s face had already turned grim.

    ''So that was the reason why she was trying to fish something out of a puddle... She was doing it to fight against the effects of the curse!''

    ''But that young man...''

    Calvin reviewed the entire Bestiary in his mind, but before he could think deeper into it.

    He suddenly found the old woman bowing in front of him.

    "Madame! Why are you....?"

    "Young man... Since fate led us to each other, please let me ask you for a favor. Since you are going to cleanse the Vige of Tulog from the curse of sleeplessness..."

    "I implore you to please find the lower body of my daughter! Only when her lower body''s found can she possibly let go of this resentment and only when that happened can I possibly be at peace."

    "I''ve wronged my daughter once by letting her marry that monster, so, please... Let me correct my mistake!"

    "I implore you, young man!"

    "Only you..."

    "Only you can help us!"

    The old woman said in a desperate voice.

    Calvin''s pupils reflected deep shock as he stared absentmindedly.

    But he wasn''t staring at the old woman.

    He was staring at a transparent window floating in front of him!

    Ding!

    [S-Tier Quest: Exodus has been unlocked!]

 Chapter 157: The Bloodstone

    Chapter 157: The Bloodstone

    Calvin stared in shock at the transparent window and a bitter smile soon appeared on his face.

    ''Damn it... She really did design the Emperor''s Commandment to be simr to a game''s system! There''s even a quest function!''

    ''But as far as I could remember, quests should have rewards forpletion. I wonder what kind of reward would a Goddess give for an S-Tier Quest. Speaking of S-Tier, this is an incredibly high difficulty of a quest for a newbie like me. What is the basis for this difficulty measurement? Is it the dangers lurking in the Vige of Tulog? That should be it...''

    Calvin gave it a thought and the S-Tier Quest: Exodus was immediately epted. He willed to open the quest information but he was floored to discover that the quest information tab only had these words in it.

    [Uncover the secrets of the Vige of Tulog and free the vigers from the curse of sleeplessness.]

    [Bonus: If you gain at least five followers during this quest, you will be able to receive bonus rewards!]

    ''That''s it?!'' Calvin almost wanted to directly jump into the heavenly abode of the Goddess Grace and give her a good scolding.

    The quest''s difficulty is incredibly high, and since she should''ve been able to see through the secrets of this vige with just a nce, she should''ve provided Calvin with more information regarding this quest, so the quest wouldn''t be so hard on him.

    But Calvin shook his head.

    The quest wouldn''t have the S-Tier difficulty anymore if he did receive the help of Grace.

    Only without her help could this quest possibly have that estimated difficulty.

    But Calvin was asking in his heart.

    Just what was the purpose behind this quest function?

    If she wanted to give him some benefits, she could''ve just sent it over to him directly instead of opening this quest function.

    But maybe...

    Calvin had a theory.

    However, a theory was just a theory until it was proven otherwise.

    The Goddess Grace might''ve created this quest function so that there would be a reasonable reason for her to give Calvin some rewards and benefits without arousing the suspicions of the other gods.

    What''s more, if she gave him rewards this way it would be far easier for her to exin everything to the others when they start questioning her.

    Calvin was so focused on his thoughts that he somehow forgot about the existence of Madame Liz who was still waiting for his reply as she stood there bowing in his direction.

    When Madame Liz noticed that Calvin was taking too long in his reply, she raised her head and coincidentally saw him shaking his head in disapproval.

    Madame Liz let out a sigh.

    A bitter smile spread on her lips as she said, "My request is indeed too great of a burden for someone that we just met. Still, I would like to express to you my gratitude for listening to my woes. I feel like a thorn has been picked off from my chest. I feel relieved that someone is finally able to listen to me."

    Madame Liz smiled gently, simr to a genial old woman next door.

    Then, she turned around and went over to her daughter.

    "Wait..."

    Calvin turned to look at Madame Liz with a frown.

    "Why are you going away?"

    "Hmm? Young man, I thought you were refusing my earnest request?"

    "What? Who says I''m refusing... I was thinking about something else."

    "Ah..." Madame Liz''s lips repeatedly twitched as a bitter smile surfaced on her lips. ''How dare this boy think about something else when I was out here wearing my heart in my sleeves telling him everything that had happened to me and my daughter in the past!'' Madame Liz felt somewhat angry and neglected, but she was still thankful that Calvin wasn''t actually refusing her request.

    It was because even though she didn''t really mind if Calvin refused her request since she knew the difficulty of the endeavor.

    She would still be disappointed if he refused since Calvin was the perfect person to help her in her plight. To be honest, if she wasn''t just so uptight and upright, then she would''ve already forced Calvin to ept her requests by nting a curse in his body or something.

    But Madame Liz just wasn''t that kind of a person, and she knew to respect a person''s decision.

    "I ept your request, and I will see to it that it will be fulfilled. But I have my own conditions, so do not be happy yet." Calvin said.

    Madame Liz smiled, "What is it? I''ll do my best to fulfill your conditions as long as you are willing to ept my request."

    Calvin nodded his head and he turned to look at the half-bodied woman behind Madame Liz.

    "I want your daughter."

    "All right, that is not a... pardon?"

    Madame Liz happily agreed, but she froze when she realized something wrong.

    "You..."

    "You want my daughter?!"

    "Yup..." Calvin nodded with a smile.

    "You... What are you talking about? My daughter is a Specter, she can''t possibly be with the living!"

    "Hmmm?" Calvin stared at her in confusion. But seeing the embarrassed look on Madame Liz''s face and the fidgeting half-bodied woman right behind her who seemed to be in the same mood as Madame Liz. Calvin finally understood what Madame Liz was talking about. He hurriedly waved his hands in the air and patiently exined.

    "No, no, no... Madame... You are misunderstanding something here!"

    "I have no untoward intentions whatsoever towards your daughter!"

    "I just want her to apany me so that it''ll be easier for me to locate her lower body! After all, it is her own lower body. There should be a degree of resonance between her and her lower body once they are close enough to each other."

    Calvin''s exnation was cut and dry.

    Madame Liz heard it nice and clear and the realization that she made such a blunder made her embarrassed once more. The half-bodied woman behind her was also seemingly stunned as she floated there left to right as if she was a leaf in the middle of turbulent winds.

    The reactions of the two to the misunderstanding was quite amusing. But since Calvin was never a man without daintiness, he only let out a smile and kept his thoughts to himself.

    "All right, I will let my daughter go with you... It''s not like she resents the vigers in the vige. She only detests that young man for deceiving her. I am sure that you know what I am talking about, right?" Madame Liz stared at Calvin in a meaningful gaze.

    "Yeah..."

    Calvin nodded his head.

    Madame Liz was basically saying that there was a low chance for the half-bodied woman to spontaneously explode in anger and hatred whenever she was near the vigers since her target of resentment wasn''t them in the first ce.

    In short, it was safe for Calvin to have her follow him inside the vige.

    But this changes when Calvin goes near that young man.

    After all...

    Her resentment against that young man was the reason why she became an evil-attributed Specter in the first ce. She would probably let loose of her hatred and fury once her eyesnded on that young man even for a split second.

    "Follow me, young man... I''ll give you a vessel where she can stay as she follows you around."

    Calvin didn''t say that much and he followed the old woman into the wooden hut where he had stayed earlier.

    Madame Liz stood before the stone bed of the wooden hut.

    She stretched her hand out and since she was a Specter, she was able to prate into the stone bed and take an item from within it.

    "Here, wear it around your neck." The object in question was a ne.

    The ne didn''t look that great, it must be made out of silver due to its luster, but after being submerged deep within the stone bed, it had lost its luster and it needed to be cleaned thoroughly before it could disy its shine once more.

    But the fact that it was made from silver didn''t matter as much as the gem attached to it.

    The gem was called the Bloodstone.

    Calvin instantly recognized it the moment he saw its deep crimson sheen.

    "A Bloodstone! You actually have this?" Calvin stared at Madame Liz in astonishment.

    "Hahaha... Apart from myte husband and my daughter. No one else knows that I have a Bloodstone apart from you."

    Madame Liz let out a pleasant smile after having sessfully astonished Calvin for once.

    Calvin was indeed shocked. The Bloodstone wasn''t an ordinary gem at all!

    The Bloodstone was a mineral that could only be synthesized after the mineral itself has soaked in a pool of negative energy for at least a decade! Once it was created, one could use the Bloodstone for all sorts of things, and that includes the creation of Mystical Artifacts!

    Calvin couldn''t possibly use a Mystical Artifact for he was still too weak.

    But in the future, when he must create his own Mystical Artifact...

    Having a Bloodstone would significantly increase the strength of that Mystical Artifact by two-folds!

    Calvin was pleasantly surprised.

    Just the Bloodstone alone made Madame Liz''s request worthy of eptance.

    "The smile on your face tells me that you seem to know a lot when ites to gems. All right, once you''re done with my request. This Bloodstone shall be yours." Madame Liz let out a chuckle.

    "Hahaha..." Calvin felt awkward after his emotions were read like a book by Madame Liz.

    "All right, I''ll go talk to my daughter." Madame Liz didn''t linger around for so long as she went over to her daughter and exined to her everything that was about to happen.

    Eventually, she returned with the half-bodied woman now floating beside her.

    There was a cold look on the half-bodied woman''s face, but she was obviously nervous as to what was about to happen.

    Her face may not be expressing her emotions, but the way she erratically floated as if she was a wind being blown by turbulent winds made it obvious that it was her first time being with someone else apart from her mother.

    "It''s all right, it''s all right... You''ll be okay, my dear..." Madame Liz coaxed her and she soon agreed.

    Transforming into a beam of dark light, she flew towards the Bloodstone.

    The Bloodstone shook for a moment but it eventually calmed down, indicating that the half-bodied woman had perfectly limated herself to the environment within the Bloodstone.

    "It seems like the rumors were right, the Bloodstone can indeed house a Specter perfectly." Calvin let out a smile. He knew what a Bloodstone was, but due to its rarity and the intensepetition over resources. He was unable to take a hold of one in the previous timeline.

    He heard a lot of rumors about the Bloodstone and he condoned most of them as bullshit. But at this moment, he was able to personally confirm the legitimacy of one of the rumors that he had heard in the past.

    "Yes, you''re right..."

    "The Bloodstone can house two Specters at the same time."

    "What''s more, it doesn''t discriminate whether your attribute is light or evil. It will perfectly limate two opposing Specters until their attributes are bnced out and they also wouldn''t be able to harm each other in any way while they are in the Bloodstone..."

    "Furthermore, the Bloodstone is also indestructible." Madame Liz exined with a meaningful smile on her face.

    Calvin felt a deep sense of foreboding.

    "Wait..."

    "Is that the reason why you gave me the Bloodstone to house your daughter instead of letting her hide in my shadow?"

    Specters could hide in the shadow of every living being in this world.

    In fact, it was easier for them to hide in a person''s shadow than inside a Bloodstone. In short, Madame Liz has a hidden agenda and that was the reason why she made her daughter hide in the Bloodstone hanging around Calvin''s neck.

    "Yup... There''s a huge chance that you will die trying to lift the curse. If you die while my daughter is attached to your shadows, she will also surely perish under the hands of the person that killed you..."

    "That is why I gave you the Bloodstone."

    "With its indestructible nature, it would be impossible for anyone to force my daughter out of the Bloodstone..."

    "What''s more, your soul would also be automatically sucked into the Bloodstone once you die while wearing it, so if you failed... I should be able to revive you through necromancy andpel you to try again."

    Madame Liz stared at Calvin with the same meaningful smile that was slowly bing sinister as the second passed by.

    "That is why you must seed at all costs, do you understand?"

    "..."

    Calvin didn''t know what to say.

 Chapter 158: Reunion

    Chapter 158: Reunion

    There was no way that he could still refuse anyway given that the rice was already cooked.

    He nodded his head and agreed to Madame Liz''s terms.

    But to be honest, he didn''t really disagree that the half-bodied Specter should go with him. She would probably be of use to him at the right time, and with her strength caused by her deep resentment, she should be an incredibly powerful Specter that would most definitely prove useful to Calvin against the dangers of the Vige of Tulog.

    "All right, I can see that you are prepared and ready. Listen carefully because I won''t be repeating what I am about to say. At the foot of the mountain, there is a tunnel. Despite the fact that the tunnel faces the east, it doesn''t receive any sunlight. In short, it would be pitch-ck once you enter the tunnel..."

    "Once you are in the tunnel, keep moving forwards until you are stopped by an obstacle. Now, I will emphasize this. Never ever turn around once you start walking into the depths of the tunnel. My daughter will be protecting you from the Specters haunting that tunnel, but if you voluntarily turned to look at their temptations, your soul will be sucked out of your body and you will certainly die."

    "Do not downy what I am saying..."

    "If you turn back, you will die."

    "Trust me on that."

    Madame Liz sternly warned.

    Calvin faintly nodded, "All right, before I go. Can you tell me what your daughter''s name is?"

    "Why would you want to know her name?"

    "Well, I mean... How am I supposed to call her, then? Miss Beautiful?"

    The Bloodstone around Calvin''s neck abruptly trembled when these words came out of his mouth.

    Madame Liz stared at him for a moment before she chuckled, "Stephanie."

    "Her name''s Stephanie. But she prefers to be called Steph."

    "I got it." Calvin lightly smiled before he turned around and walked towards the door.

    "Wait..." Madame Liz stopped him in his tracks.

    "What is it?" Calvin asked.

    Madame Liz had stretched her hand out and Calvin wasn''t even able to utter a single question as she pped a yellowish piece of paper into his hands.

    "I call this the Sigil of Protection. You should be able to use this thing to block a single malicious attack. Just remember that this can only be used once. Do not waste it, since this can potentially save your life from mortal danger." Madame Liz said with a grim look on her face.

    "I understand..." Calvin maintained the smile across his lips, "I know what to do, Madame... Don''t be so nervous. I will certainlye back alive and with vengeance for your daughter."

    "O-Okay..." Madame Liz didn''t say anything anymore.

    She let out a smile and watched as Calvin walked further and further away from the wooden hut.

    "I wish you luck, young man."

    Madame Liz softly whispered into the air.

    The night was pitch-ck for the moonlight didn''t provide even an inkling of light.

    But Calvin was unnerved.

    Walking alone in the dark? Please... He had experienced far more nerve-wracking situations than this. If he cowered against the dark, then he might as well induce amnesia to himself, since he would''ve just wasted his decades of experience anyway.

    Furthermore, there was really no reason for Calvin to be afraid of the dark with Stephanie hiding in the Bloodstone hanging around his neck.

    Her presence alone should serve as enough deterrence against beings livings in the spirit ne. To be honest, Calvin should be more concerned against sudden ambushes from beasts that inhabit the mountain. However, having lived for at least a decade inside one of the most dangerous valleys, the Valley of Death and Sorrow...

    One could say that Calvin was an expert when ites to keeping a low-key.

    His footsteps were indistinguishable, using the balls of his foot as a cushion and keeping his breathing in a constant rhythm. Calvin was able to traverse the mountain with ease. Soon, he had reached the foot of the mountain. It took him just an hour to get to the foot of the mountain.

    Surprisingly, there was a human settlement on the foot of the mountain.

    Calvin approached the hamlet while maintaining the same precautions that he had maintained while going down the mountain.

    "Hey, Steph." Calvin audibly whispered.

    This was the first time that he was directly addressing the half-bodied woman with her name.

    The Bloodstone vibrated in response. She had heard Calvin''s words.

    "Can you feel danger from this hamlet?"

    The Bloodstone vibrated once.

    "Is that a positive answer?"

    The Bloodstone vibrated once.

    "All right, so you cannot detect any dangering from this hamlet?"

    The Bloodstone vibrated twice in response.

    "Okay, twice for yes, once for no."

    "Nice..."

    "At least, we have a system that we can use tomunicate discreetly with each other."

    "Yeah, this ce is indeed smaller than a vige. The fences are not strong enough and the way they are arranged and made makes it obvious that they are created by the same person. How could there be only a single woods craftsman in a vige? I reckon the poption''s only about a few dozen people..."

    "What do you think should we do, Steph?"

    "Do you want to go over there and ask some questions?" Calvin let out a smile.

    The Bloodstone vibrated twice.

    "Oh, I see... So you are also curious as to what kind of ce is this? Hahaha, I know what you are feeling... Do you want to explore the ce where you lived for decades? All right, let''s do it. Let''s just hope that we won''t cause any misunderstanding." Calvin lightly chuckled and he walked towards the direction of the hamlet.

    But suddenly he stopped.

    Just before he reached the fences surrounding the vige, he crouched and rolled on the floor.

    The dust, rocks, and all sorts of debris that stuck on his clothes and body made him look ridiculous, but pitiful at the same time.

    "All right, that should do it."

    Calvin then walked near the fence. Its height was enough to keep wolves and beasts away, but it was nothing in the face of Calvin''s vertical mobility. Leaping over the fence, hended gracefully inside the hamlet and randomly chose one of the closest houses and then knocked on its doors.

    "Hello!"

    "Is anybody there?"

    A rustling noise rang within the house.

    There were people inside.

    Calvin smiled, "I''m sorry for knocking sote in the night, but is it possible for me to find shelter in your backyard or maybe drink water or two? I''m an adventurer from Ashmelion and our carriage was held hostage by bandits earlier in the afternoon. I have nothing on me right now, and I could really use a drink or two."

    Madame Liz had believed that Calvin came from Ashmelion, so there was no reason for these vigers here to not believe what he was saying. But believing was one thing, trusting was far crucial than believing. If Calvin wanted information out of these vigers regarding the tunnels that Madame Liz was talking about, he had to make them trust him that he wouldn''t hurt them.

    The door went slightly ajar.

    An eye peeked out of the doors.

    Calvin maintained the smile on his face.

    The eye stared right at Calvin for a few seconds before the doors finally opened, revealing a man in a farmer''s clothes.

    "You''re from Ashmelion?"

    The farmer asked.

    "Yes, I am... I can show you my ticket, give me a moment..." Calvin ced his hand into his pocket, but he was stopped by the farmer.

    "You do not have to do that."

    "Why? Are you going to trust me just like that?"

    "Of course not!" The farmer shook his head, "I would never trust outsiders. I won''t trust you, nor those two in my bed."

    "Those two in your bed?"

    "Yes! Come inside..." The farmer gestured, "Take a look and see if you can recognize these two as one of your fellow passengers. I found them near the river a few hours ago. They are still alive, but they are injured."

    "Really?" Calvin was astonished.

    He had thought at first that he was the only one that got teleported somehow into the mountains of the Vige of Tulog. But now, it seemed that every passenger in that ill-fated wagon had been teleported in close proximity to the Vige of Tulog. In that case, what happened to those that were still undiscovered?

    Thinking about the dangers of the mountain, Calvin could only shake his head. If the remaining passengers were still not found in three days, it would be safe to assume that they had perished. There was no way that an average human being could live for so long in the treacherous environment of this mountain range.

    ''Those that are discovered should count their lucky stars...''

    Calvin had this thought in his mind as he stepped into the house of the farmer.

    He looked around the room and discovered that it was modest at best. Apart from a table and a few wooden chairs, there was basically no furniture at all. The bed was also made out of stone, speaking of the bed. The reason why the farmer was still awake despite it being sote in the night was probably that there were two unconscious people lying on his bed.

    "Heisenberg! Ricardo!"

    Calvin softly whispered.

    But since it was so quiet in the hamlet, the farmer heard his whispers, "Do you recognize them?"

    "Yes... They are indeed one of my fellow passengers!"

    "All right, that''s good..." The farmer let out a sigh and he rubbed his exhausted shoulders, "I''m not really used to sleeping on a chair, but I have no choice but to sleep on a chair tonight. I was about to fall asleep when you suddenly knocked on my door, scaring the shit out of me in the process..." A bitter smile escaped on his lips.

    "I''m sorry about that..." Calvin awkwardly scratched his head out of embarrassment.

    "It''s okay, it''s okay... As the Goddess''s Gospel says... Chapter 6, Verse 9: ''One does not need a reason to help someone in need.'' You can say that I am just repaying the Goddess''s grace to us. You do not have to thank me."

    "However! You must bring your friends out of here once they are awake..."

    "Our small vige just simply cannot support even more months to feed."

    The farmer let out a long sigh.

    Calvin asked the farmer out of curiosity, "If that is the case, then why not simply move to therger cities? There''s an abundance of jobs there, and as long as you have the dough to buy goods, you would neverck food."

    The farmer shook his head, "You''re young, so you will never understand. I lived my whole life in this vige, and you want me to relocate? Fat chance! I was born as a viger of this ce, so I will also turn into a ghost of this vige!" Grief shed across the farmer''s face as he said all of these.

    Calvin''s eyes narrowed into slits.

    The man didn''t seem sincere.

    It was at this moment that Calvin noticed the flies flying around in the room.

    "What is that disgusting smell?" Calvin frowned.

    The farmer''s expression changed.

    Calvin followed the path that the flies were taking and his eyes happened tond on the hand of the farmer which was being illuminated by the light of a nearby candle. The farmer''s right hand was severely injured! It was so wounded, that his hand was practically all bones, no flesh!

    The bloodied pus that surrounded the whitish bones of his right hand made his condition look particrly sinister.

    Calvin turned to the farmer and asked, "W-W-What happened to that hand of yours?" His voice sounded nervous.

    Of course, this was just a ploy so that the farmer wouldn''t be suspicious.

    But the farmer didn''t seem to be inclined to talk about what happened to his hand.

    He averted his gaze away from Calvin, obviously hesitant on opening up.

    It was at this moment that Calvin pressed the attack.

    "Sir, do you know anything about the Vige of Tulog that is inside the mountain?"

    When Calvin said Vige of Tulog, the farmer visibly trembled. He turned his gaze away as if to mask his panic as he asked, "Why are you asking that question? How did you even know about the Vige of Tulog? That ce is cursed... Absolutely cursed. I''m sure that the rumors of that vige have probably reached Ashmelion by now..."

    "I want you to know that those rumors are true, and none of them are exaggerated even by the slightest."

    Calvin''s eyebrows scrunched up, "Just what the hell happened?"

    The farmer reluctantly replied, "A strange epidemic of some sorts struck that vige. Those affected are forever unable to sleep until the day that they are consumed by their exhaustion."

    "What''s the connection of the viger''s curse to that hand of yours?"

    "Ah... This hand?"

    "This hand of mine got injured after a scuffle against a viger of that damned ce!" The farmer angrily said.

    "A mere vige did that to you?"

    "Yeah, I know... It''s not believable, but trust me... Every viger in that ce is a madman, and they will do anything to harm you if you dare to go so close to them. My hand became like this after they poured some kind of incredibly hot water onto it. Those bastards... They crippled me!"

    "How did you get out then, if they were that crazy?" Calvin was genuinely curious about this.

    "My fellow vigers rescued me. Even though those bastards are deranged, it was still impossible for one of them to fight a dozen people..."

    "I see..." Calvin spoke calmly, but his gaze was strangely grim, "Since you escaped from that vige, then you must know how to enter it in the first ce. Do you know where it is?"

    "I want to take a quick look at it."

 Chapter 159: King of Burst

    Chapter 159: King of Burst

    "What? Are you crazy? Did you even hear what I said?"

    "Yes... But I am concerned about the well-being of my fellow passengers... What if they were caught by those monsters? Who will be able to avenge them if they died, and who will be able to rescue them if they were still alive? Apart from me, there''s no one else that can do that at the moment! We''re too far away from anyrge city and requesting help from them would most definitely cost an arm or two!" Calvin urged.

    The farmer stared right at Calvin,plicated emotions shing across his face. If he led Calvin into the Vige of Tulog, he would most certainly die. But if Calvin didn''t go there to rescue his fellow passengers, then those passengers would definitely die under the hands of those deranged bastards.

    The farmer hesitated for a moment, but he was finally convinced when Calvin revealed a particr seal.

    The seal was stered on the surface of a piece of paper and it said...

    [For the protection of the people, by the people...]

    "That adage..." The farmer eximed, "You''re part of the police! An Inspector?!"

    Calvin let out a smile, ''What a convenient misunderstanding. The adage used by the Police to remind them that they are serving the people of the Joselian Kingdom is also the adage that the Cavaliers are using for the same purposing. shing this towards civilians along with the official seal of the Church is indeed really useful for subterfuge.''

    "That''s right, I''m a Police Inspector from Ashmelion en route to the Capital City of Laguna for a Mission Order. However, since I am going to a ce that is out of my jurisdiction. I need to pretend that I am a civilian until I properly identified myself to the authorities in Laguna. I know that this is confusing to you, and I will not exin any further."

    "You just have to understand one thing."

    "I am not out here to harm anyone or anybody..."

    "I am here to do my duty to the people of the Joselian Kingdom."

    "To serve and protect."

    Calvin stuck his chest out and his acting was so magnificent that the farmer was visibly moved.

    "All right, I will tell you... I will see to it that the map that I will be making is as detailed as possible."

    "Thank you." Calvin slightly bowed his head in appreciation to the farmer.

    "Your words are wasted on me." The farmer let out a smile.

    He then stood up and made a sidelong nce at Calvin, "Since I am going to make you a map, I will have to talk to the Vige Chief about this. He''s the only one in here that has the materials that I need to make you a map."

    Calvin smiled brightly at the farmer and the two of them walked out of the door. The farmer kept on ncing at Calvin for some reason, while Calvin tried his best to maintain the slight smile on his face. He looked around the hamlet and noticed that it was just slightly smaller than a vige. From afar, it looked small and tight, but now that he was here, the hamlet was actually bigger with more houses inside its fences.

    What''s more, the houses in the inner parts of the hamlet didn''t seem to be constructed out of inferior wooden materials. In fact, they were made out of bricks and from their desire as well as their architecture alone. They wouldn''t lose out against the houses of any of the big cities, such as Ashmelion and Laguna!

    ''Why are such advanced houses here in such a rural vige? What the hell are the people who built these houses thinking?'' Calvin thought.

    The farmer noticed his confusion as he said, "I am sure that you are curious as to why there are those kinds of houses in a ce like this, right? Well, let me tell you this. Our vige was actually a popr tourist spot a few decades ago. We would receive tens of thousands of visitors a year due to the natural hot springs, but all of these changed ten years ago."

    "Our hot springs dried out, and the water running from the top of the mountains down to us didn''t feel warm anymore. It was as if something had taken the warmth of the earth. What''s more, when the drought started. People started disappearing one by one. Until now, no one knows as to what are the final fates of those that disappeared since they had never been found..."

    "Not even a body was found."

    "It was also ten years ago when the poption in our vige started declining. I also sent my daughters and sons away from this vige, since I know that it was only about time until the vige crumbles to dust and forgotten. The only reason why we the old men and women cannot bear to abandon this vige is our attachment to thisnd where we were born and where we lived most of our lives..."

    "As for our daughters, sons, and grandchildren?"

    "We can''t possibly let them live in this kind of environment."

    "That is why I hope that you won''t be shocked to discover that there are no young people in this vige."

    "All of us are old, with nothing to offer but our kind smiles and the stories of our past."

    The farmer let out a mncholicugh.

    The two continued on their journey with the farmer continuously talking while Calvin kept his silence to listen.

    Eventually, the two reached the house of Vige Chief.

    The farmer knocked on the doors and when the owner of the house heard his voice, the door was quickly opened.

    "Who are you?" The so-called Vige Chief was an eighty-year-old man with what looked like a permanent frown on his face.

    "Hello, my name is Calvin." Calvin promptly introduced himself while the farmer quickly exined everything to the Vige Chief before the situation turned sour. After all, he knew more about the Vige Chief than Calvin. He knew too well that the Vige Chief didn''t have the best of attitudes in their small vige.

    "No... I cannot let that happen... Sending him there basically means that we are sending him to die. I cannot let that happen. Besides, how can you be so sure that there are still potentially any survivors from that wagon? What''s more, if they are indeed attacked by the bandits, then how did they arrive here? Wouldn''t it be more appropriate for those bandits to kill them instead of letting them run?" The Vige Chief asked.

    The farmer froze.

    He didn''t know what to say.

    Indeed, he hadn''t noticed the plot hole in Calvin''s story. If their wagon did meet a bandit group, why were they still alive? Wouldn''t those bandits ughter the men, and take the women with them instead of carelessly letting them escape which might potentially make themnd on the radars of the authorities in Ashmelion or even worse, in Laguna?

    "Outsider! Exin yourself! Why did you lie to us?" The Vige Chief directly asked.

    Calvin let out a bitter smile.

    "Yes, it was a lie that we were attacked by a bandit group."

    The farmer stared at Calvin in disappointment. He hadpletely believed what Calvin had said earlier, but it was such a p on his face that some of his words turned out to be a lie.

    "But it is true that we were attacked."

    "Attacked by who?"

    "It''s not who... It''s what..."

    "What?" The farmer mumbled in confusion.

    The Vige Chief stared at Calvin for a moment before he nced at the farmer, "You go out for now. It seems that we can still discuss it. I will talk with this outsider alone. Rest assured that I will tell you everything that he says to me once we''re done."

    The farmer made a sidelong nce at Calvin before he walked out of the door. He was obviously angry at Calvin for deceiving him.

    "What attacked you?"

    "A subus..."

    "A subus?" The Vige Chief raised his eyebrows, "Indeed, with such robust Yang Energy... You are a delicious target for those sluts." He stared at Calvin''s crotch long enough that thetter felt a shiver down his spine. Calvin tried to avert his gaze somewhere else, but he noticed a picture frame with the image of a man embracing another man with smiles on their faces sitting atop a nearby wooden cab.

    "Oh, you''ve noticed? That''s me and myte partner... Yes, my sexual orientation is abnormal. Got a problem with that?"

    The Vige Chief coldly snorted.

    Calvin''s lips repeatedly twitched, "N-Nothing..."

    The Vige chief nodded, "Since you survived the attack of a subus, you must be a member of one of the Three Judiciaries of the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods instead of a Police Inspector. Let me guess, the contents of your Mission Order must be about that Vige of Tulog, am I right?"

    Calvin stared at the Vige Chief, but he didn''t say anything.

    However, his silence was enough for the Vige Chief to confirm the truth.

    "Finally... It''s about time. It''s about time that the curse that haunts the vige is vanquished. It''s long overdue for a reckoning."

    The Vige Chief''s voice seemed to harden. He stood up from his seat and walked towards the direction of one of the cabs. He opened the cab and revealed a twin dagger. The surface of the dagger''s de revealed signs of normal wear and tear, but the overall build quality of the daggers was so good that Calvin could easily see that they were still usable despite their old age.

    "Chief?" Calvin stared at the Vige Chief in doubt when he saw the man take the twin daggers from the cab and insert it into a holster that he wrapped around his waist. He also took four leather armors and trousers from another cab and hurled it over to Calvin.

    "What is this, Chief?" Calvin asked.

    "You go ahead and wear that. There''s no need for a map. I''ll be your tour guide." The Vige Chief let out a sinister smile, "I know that I am old, and I might be physically worse than an average human being, but never underestimate the power of the one who once held the title of the King of Burst..."

    "As the King of Burst... One can say that I am the strongest human out there."

    "For ten seconds maximum..."

    "T-T-Ten seconds?"

    "Yup, ten seconds... Hey,e on now, don''t look at me like that! Even a blink of an eye is enough to end a battle between experts! Don''t you dare scoff at what I can do in ten seconds!" The Vige Chief red at Calvin.

    "Chief... So you are one of who goes in fast andes out fast..."

    "Not exactly..." The Vige Chief shook his head.

    "Oh?"

    "It''s because I am at the bottom."

    "..."

    The Vige Chief burst out into a peal ofughter seeing the dark look on Calvin''s face. Patting Calvin''s shoulder, he said, "All right, enough with the jokes. Take those leather armors with you, and let''s wake yourrades up, so they can apany us to the Vige of Tulog!"

    "So that is why you gave me two excess armor and trousers... Wait, how did you even know that they are fighters?"

    "It was obvious, the unconscious young man had an identification badge from one of the three Judiciaries, while the bald man had a book containing the gospels of the Goddess. There''s nothing to be said about the former, but thetter should be a Priest... Which means, he will be a great help to us once we get into the Vige."

    "I see..." Calvin nodded his head. The Vige Chief was indeed a person of great experience, knowledge, and wisdom. He even knew how to wake up both Ricardo and Heisenberg. Apart from the shock that the two received when they woke up, their conditions were generally fine with only a few cuts and bruises here and there.

    Calvin gave them a rundown of what was going on and what he was nning to do. Both Heisenberg and Ricardo didn''t want to involve themselves at first, but when they heard that the Vigers might have kidnapped some of the passengers from the wagon. The two were finally convinced to join the expedition.

    The Vige Chief then took the three into the mountain.

 Chapter 160: Too Knowledgeable For Your Age

    Chapter 160: Too Knowledgeable For Your Age

    "Calvin, are you sure that we should take this old man with us? I mean, he might be the Vige Chief and his knowledge is what we need, but he''s just a human being! As a fellow member of one of the three Judiciaries, you should know what I am talking about!" Ricardo dragged Calvin to the side and whispered into his ears.

    Calvin nodded his head, "It doesn''t matter, so what if he''s just a mortal? Even if he gets exposed to supernatural events, do you really think that the church would care about some random old man? Besides, he''s already this old. I''m sure he knows what often happens to snitches." A sinister smile appeared on Calvin''s lips.

    Ricardo didn''t know what to say.

    Heisenberg noticed that the two were whispering with each other, and after getting a whiff of what they were talking about. He joined the conversation, "Can we really do this with just the four of us? Goddamned it, I didn''t sign up for this! Why do I have to face a mysterious curse haunting some random vige when my original mission is to just deliver some goods to Laguna..."

    Calvin stared at Heisenberg and noticed that the man was just faking it. Even though he was lecherous and sometimes sadistic, Heisenberg was indeed a man that suited his calling. He deserved to be a Priest of the Church of the All-Epassing Light. He didn''t dare to turn his eyes away from those who were in need.

    "It shouldn''t be a problem. But I''m more concerned about the Vige Chief." Calvin voiced out his concern and both Ricardo and Heisenberg agreed. But after one hour of trekking, they realized that their worries were unfounded. Despite his old age, the Vige Chief was healthier than he looked, his movements were also without waste for he knew the local geography quite well.

    "What are you three doing there?" The Vige Chief asked.

    He turned around and stopped the group from their journey, "We are a few meters away from a tree with an X mark on its stump. Once we reached that three, we will have to make a choice. It''s either we go up, or we go left..."

    "If we go up, we will reach the tunnels in three hours. But if we go left, we can go down the valley and then take a path that will lead us directly towards the tunnels. This path will only take us roughly about an hour toplete. What do you guys think?" The Vige Chief asked.

    "Did you even have to ask us that question?" Heisenberg frowned.

    "What''s the catch if we go upwards?" Ricardo directly caught the issue.

    Calvin nodded to voice out his agreement, but he didn''t say anything as the three waited for the Vige Chief''s reply.

    But the Vige Chief fell silent, but it was soon broken by Calvin who asked, "Are you saying that the shortest path is the most dangerous?"

    "Yeah..." The Vige Chief nodded. On his face was a rare look of seriousness, "The valley is full of impure things."

    "Impure things, like ghosts? Oh,e on, Chief... You already know our identities, are you still doubting our abilities?" Ricardo said, unimpressed.

    The Vige Chief let out a sigh, "All right, you win. Let''s take the path to the valley. I just wasn''t so sure if we should take it, since even I, with my extensive experience in this mountain range... I still have no idea what kind of monster haunts that valley. All that I know is that everyone that dares to enter it withouting out of the valley in a day is definitely dead."

    Calvin narrowed his eyes, "It sounds like you have a story to tell us, do you mind sharing? I mean, even if you do not know the identity of that monster, the clues that you can provide us might help us prepare against that bastard."

    "It''s not really something that I am proud of seeing, but here it goes... The only clue that I can provide is that everyone who died while within the valley had their insides torn off and eaten..."

    "Eaten?" Ricardo''s eyebrows scrunched up.

    His mind was currently browsing through the Bestiary of the three Judiciaries while the Vige Chief continued.

    Calvin was also in deep thought. Having memorized the Bestiaryhe already had a few candidates in mind. But until he could get more clues and narrow down the lists of suspects, there was no way that he could make an urate deduction.

    "Yes, eaten... If you are asking why we knew... It''s because we could see chew marks on the leftover organs of the victims. Oddly enough, the victims seemed to have made such a struggle since the weapons near where their bodies were located had a few dark-greenish bloodstains. We suspect that it might''vee from the monster..."

    "Dark-greenish blood?" Calvin asked once again.

    "Yes, if my memory serves me right, that''s correct."

    "Okay, so that eliminates roughly three-fourths of what I know from the Bestiary... Any notable traits? Aside from the victims'' organs being chomped while they are obviously alive. Is there something strange about their corpses?" Ricardo asked.

    Heisenberg and Calvin nced at Ricardo and also nodded their heads towards what he had said.

    The Vige Chief thought for a moment before he eximed, "Ah! I can also vaguely remember that their bodies were deted! When the vige doctor gave them the autopsy, he discovered that their blood vessels were devoid of all blood!"

    "They''re blood were sucked out of their bodies?!" Ricardo cried out, "How could that be? As far as I know, Vampires do not have dark-greenish blood in their bodies. They should bleed simr to us, humans!" He stared at the Vige Chief, "Perhaps you might have remembered incorrectly, are you sure that the blood wrapped around the des of the victims'' weapons is dark-greenish in color?"

    "Yes..." The Vige Chief grimly said, "I''m sure since one of the victims was my father."

    "..."

    The atmosphere immediately soured.

    Everyone was silenced.

    Even Ricardo felt embarrassed that he questioned the Vige Chief''s memory.

    "I''m sorry..."

    "It''s fine... It''s a long time ago anyway, I''ve already moved on from it. So, what are we going to do? Are we still going to go to the valley and take the shortcut there?" The Vige Chief smiled at Ricardo, indicating that he wasn''t about to me him for hisck of delicadeza.

    "The route up the mountain takes too much time time that we, unfortunately, do not have the luxury to waste. We will go down the valley."

    Calvin quickly made a decision.

    "Calvin, are you crazy? Didn''t you hear what the Vige Chief had said? We still haven''t even identified just what kind of a monster is roaming the valley and you want us to go down there without some kind of preparation?" Ricardo confronted Calvin with a frown.

    Calvin smiled at him, "I''ve already identified the monster. It''s a Vampire."

    "A Vampire?" The frown on Ricardo''s face deepened, "Is there even a monster in the vampire ssification that is simr to what the-"

    Ricardo suddenly stopped. At the very next moment, his pupils widened in shock, "A Sigbin..."

    "Yeah, it''s a Sigbin... There''s no doubt about it."

    "A Sigbin? What is that?" Heisenberg asked. Although Priests from the Church of All-Epassing Light had enough clearance to ess the Bestiary, not a lot of them were willing to memorize the incredibly dry and droll information contained within its pages. It wasn''t strange that Heisenberg has no idea what a Sigbin was.

    The Vige Chief was also staring at both Ricardo and Calvin, waiting for them to open up and talk.

    "It''s basically a creature that looks like a crossbreed between a goat and a bat. It doesn''t have the wings of a bat, and it looks more like a goat aside from the horns that it has on its head that it uses to tear open the abdomen of an unsuspecting victim. They are dangerous, not because of their speed and agility, but because of their ability to turn invisible to anyone that they wish to hide from..." Calvin exined.

    "They can turn invisible? How are we supposed to fight them, then?"

    "Yup, even worse is that they are tenacious bastards. Thus, we must never try to tire one out, for we will certainly die. If we meet one, we must cut it down as fast as possible using all of our power, no holds barred. To be honest, if we have the time we should even burn its body to ashes so that we can ensure that it won''t return in the future..."

    "Fortunately, Sigbins are lone wolves, so we should only meet one Sigbin in this valley."

    "The only real problem is their ability to turn invisible."

    "Fighting one will be a real test of reflexes unless we have the proper lure to attract it to us and then scatter the decoction around the lure so it would be unable to turn invisible in the course of the fight..."

    "But since we obviously do not have that decoction, the only way that we have to fight that monster is to keep an eye out of our surroundings..." Calvin mysteriously smiled.

    "So are you saying that the Sigbin is able to turn invisible, but it will still undoubtedly disturb the environment where it is walking on?"

    "Yup! We just need to keep an eye out on that and once it attacks, the Priest here can suppress it. Then, the three of us will go for the kill."

    "What?! Why me?!" Heisenberg protested.

    The monster that Calvin described seemed to be incredibly terrifying.

    "It won''t be a problem for you as long as you''ve memorized the Gospel. Have you?" Calvin asked.

    "Are you trying to insult me? How can I possibly call myself a true disciple of the Goddess, if I haven''t memorized each and every word, letter, and even themas in her Gospel! Of course, I have it memorized!" Heisenberg proudly dered.

    "Good, good..." Calvin nodded and smiled, "Once the battle starts, I want you to go over to the Book of Light, Chapter 6, Verse 9. Recite everything in that verse and infuse all the divine energy that you can muster into your speech. That should force the Sigbin to appear."

    Calvin''s words were so casual, yet when Heisenberg heard what he said...

    He stared at him with eyes as wide as saucers.

    "You... How do you know about the Book of Light?" Heisenberg pointed at him.

    Calvin shrugged, "Come on, do we really have time to nitpick about the details. Just confirm if what I said is urate ording to your memory."

    "Oh, I also forgot to say..."

    "Take note that even though the Sigbin is a Vampire. Its ability to turn invisiblees from when they were still Specters. After all, Sigbins are creatures born from the improper burial of the innocent..."

    "They were once Ghosts before they became monsters."

    It was now Ricardo''s time to be astonished.

    "Calvin... Are you really saying the truth or are you just bullshitting us?"

    "Of course, I am saying the truth!"

    "Oh, really? Then, why is it that the words you said aren''t recorded in the Bestiary that I remember?"

    "Is that so? Well, it''s recorded in the Bestiary of us Cavaliers... Maybe your Bestiary just isn''tplete..." Calvin casually said this lie.

    Veins bulged on Ricardo''s forehead.

    He wanted to knock the guy out right there and then for he knew that Calvin was obviously lying.

    However, he understood that they had more important things to do.

    But still, being the cautious man that he was Ricardo still confirmed the facts with a simple Coin Divination Ritual. And when the coinnded on his hand while revealing heads, it was now certain that Calvin hadn''t lied to them.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo could only stare at Calvin in shock.

    "Calvin, you..."

    "Why are you too knowledgeable for your age?"

    Calvin simplyughed and turned to the Vige Chief in an effort to divert the attention of the two away from himself, "Chief, are the weapons strapped around your waists made out of silver?"

    "Yeah, they are made out of silver."

    "Good, it seems like you know a thing or two in this business." Calvin smirked, "Now that I think about it, we are about to dive into danger, yet I still haven''t heard your name."

    The Vige Chief stared at Calvin for a moment before he smiled, "Just call me Old Zhong... Yes, I know what to do. After all of these, I will forget about everything that happened and everything that I saw..."

    "Oh? Are you going to follow us into the valley? I nned on just letting you draw a map for us right here, so we can go towards the tunnels on our own?" Calvin asked.

    "Yes... I will go with you... Now that I knew what kind of a monster killed my father a few decades ago, do you really think that I will still be able to sit still and stay here now that I have the opportunity to kill that damned monster by my hands?"

    "There''s no way in hell that I''ll stay here and return to the vige without taking my revenge!"

    "All right... Since you have already decided then we won''t force you to return."

    "However, no matter what the oue of the battle might be. We want you to return to the vige after the battle with the Sigbin. We do not want you to fall into harm''s way since our adage tells us to serve and protect the people." Calvin said.

    Ricardo nodded his head and smiled.

    Heisenberg looked proud.

    But in the very next moment...

    Old Zhong smiled, "Young man... If we met when I was at your age, I would''ve done everything in my power to be your wife..."

    ... Old Zhong''s words sent shivers down their spines.

    Ricardo almost keeled over from shock when he heard Old Zhong''s words.

    Heisenberg also looked incredibly disgusted.

    The two had no idea that Old Zhong swung the other way!

    Fortunately, Old Zhong didn''t tease the three anymore as he led them towards the path on the left.

    Calvin held the Bloodstone hanging around his neck and a smile was on his face.

    "A Sigbin, eh? I wonder how powerful am I against a monster with a physical body?"

    He was indeed curious about how strong he became since he got the Emperor''s Commandment.

    The appearance of this Sigbin was just too timely.

    An excited smile slowly spread on his lips.

    It was a smile that made even the woman hiding within the Bloodstone, tremble in fear.

 Chapter 161: Saintess of Death

    Chapter 161: Saintess of Death

    "We''ve got to hurry up." Old Zhong''s voice was trembling. Despite his vast experience, confronted with his childhood memories rted to the death of his father still riled him up. He looked nervous, but it probably wasn''t because of the monster that they were about to fight. It must be the memories of his youth returning to him.

    The trees that surrounded them around the valley slowly turned several shades darker. The greeneries started to disappear the deeper they went into the valley. Even though the trees didn''t look that off if one didn''t look closely at it. It was a fact for sure, that the forest was changing.

    "Calvin, you should bring up the rear and rece me here," Heisenberg said. He was the second oldest out of everyone here, but he didn''t feelfortable at all staying at the back.

    Ricardo paid Heisenberg a nce but he didn''t say anything. Calvin was in the middle of the pack, arguably, he was at the safest location.

    Heisenberg was just being a shameless cowardly cat.

    "All right, leave it to me." Calvin smiled. Staying at the back was actually the best for him considering his abilities.

    "You be careful out there, Calvin," Ricardo said. But even though he gave Calvin a friendly reminder, he did have a lot of faith in him. After all, the young man was a member of the Cavaliers. Every member of the three Judiciaries could be everything but ordinary. It would be impossible for Calvin to be one of them unless he had a trick or two up his sleeves.

    The group continued on their journey for a quarter of an hour until the path in front of them became narrowed and covered with bushes and branches of smaller trees. Old Zhong was doing his best to cull these obstructions with a swing of his daggers, but there was a limit to what he could do. Furthermore, they eventually noticed that the path they were walking on had several wax figures on the side of the road.

    "What is that?" Heisenberg was the first one to notice a wax figure.

    Calvin followed Heisenberg''s line of sight, while Ricardo and Old Zhong didn''t dare to turn their eyes away from the path lest they got ambushed by the monster that they were about to confront sooner orter.

    "Is that a corpse?!" Heisenberg eximed. He took a crystal orb from his chest pocket and was about to sprinkle some essential oils on it.

    "Don''t move!" Calvin sternly warned, "Don''t be so hasty... It''s just a wax figure..."

    "A wax figure?!"

    "Yes, it''s just a wax figure..." Calvin approached the wax figure on the ground.

    The wax figure seemed to be a woman with her lower body missing. A trail of something that looked to be blood spread from her missing lower body and a look of desperation was stered across her face as she desperately crawled her way towards a particr destination.

    Calvin nced at the others and Ricardo finally turned his way.

    "Is that blood?" Ricardo asked.

    "I have no idea, but I have a way to find out if it is." Calvin smiled.

    He swiped some of the "blood" on the ground and smelled it.

    "Hmm... That doesn''t smell like blood." Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    Then, he stuck his tongue out and licked the blood, "That also doesn''t taste like blood."

    He raised his head and swept his gaze at the others, only for him to find out that they were staring at him as if he was a madman.

    "You..."

    "You licked it?"

    "Yeah, what''s wrong?"

    "Isn''t that unsanitary?" Ricardo almost couldn''t believe that Calvin was a human simr to him. Was he from another or something?

    "Indeed, it is... But how are we supposed to find the one and only truth?"

    Calvin smirked at Ricardo before turning his attention back to the wax figure.

    His eyesnded on the wax figure''s nape and there was a message carved on the wax figure''s nape, wrapping around its neck.

    "Santa sa Kamatayun..." Calvin audibly mumbled.

    "The Saintess of Death?!" Heisenberg''s eyes bulged out of shock.

    The smile on Calvin''s face deepened. The words wrapped around the wax figure''s neck were written in Elder Tongue a powerfulnguage that was nearing its extinction. Only a few groups of people could possibly understand Elder Tongue, so if Calvin tranted it for them.

    How was he supposed to exin the reason why he knew Elder Tongue?

    Was he supposed to say that he found a dictionary about it from a cabbage vendor like those novels that he often read back in Earth depicted?

    Fortunately, Priests of high enough clearance were one of those select few that had the privilege to learn the ever so powerful, Elder Tongue.

    It seemed that Heisenberg''s was sufficient for him to learn it, and now... An incredibly convenient situation had unfolded.

    "The Saintess of Death? What is that supposed to mean?" Ricardo asked with a frown.

    Old Zhong who was surveying the area around them, stiffened. He seemed to be incredibly afraid of the Saintess of Death.

    "The Saintess of Death is the personification of Death itself. Wherever she goes, death will follow. But if one worshipped her right with the correct offering that she desires, she will grant any wish to those that are sessful. However, until now... No one is sessful. Those that dare to take on the challenge of satisfying the Saintess only ends up being corpses on the side of the road like these wax figures..."

    Old Zhong exined, but he didn''t turn his head towards them.

    "So are you saying that you have an idea about this Saintess of Death?"

    "Yes... The cult based around the Saintess of Death is called, Our Lady of the Holy Death..."

    "A cult?" Heisenberg frowned.

    He knew a lot of things and he also knew that Subordinate Gods, under only the Seven Gods and Goddesses existed. However, he hadn''t heard of this Saintess of Death. The reason why he was so shocked earlier was only due to the sinister nature of its name.

    The Saintess of Death...

    It was obvious that a Subordinate God bearing such a name would bring nothing but disaster upon mankind.

    A Priest''s duty was to bring safety to the people and deliver the Gospel of the Goddess to the masses. Knowing that a sinister cult existed within the territory of the Goddess of Compassion and Light, it was normal that he would be annoyed.

    "Let me ask one thing, Old Zhong... Did that cult start ten years ago?" Calvin asked.

    Old Zhong''s expression changed into shock, "Yes! The cult started ten years ago. I can still remember the first day that the members of their cult came down from the top of the mountains to try and recruit us. Unfortunately, they failed. Apparently, they are interested in younger people not on a bunch of elderly men and women who are already on the verge of their deaths..."

    "But ironically, it was us that had a lot of desires... The desire to live even longer... The desire to get richer, and the desire to see the world out there. Who among us didn''t have those youthful dreams when we were still young? And presented with such an opportunity as well as evidence which reassured most of us that their dreams would definitelye true..."

    "Some of us didn''t manage to resist and started to climb the mountain on their knees."

    "On their knees?" Ricardo asked.

    "Yes, on their knees..."

    "To prove that one is faithful enough to the Saintess, we must crawl our way from the foot of the mountain to the Vige of Tulog on the top."

    "Wait, did you just say the Vige of Tulog?" Heisenberg asked.

    "Yes, the Vige of Tulog is the headquarters of the Our Lady of the Holy Death..."

    "Oh, shit..." Heisenberg hissed out of shock. He nced at Calvin and Calvin also nodded his head.

    But he was more curious about one thing.

    "What kind of evidence did they show you, and was the leader of the cult a young man?"

    Old Zhong frowned, "No... It wasn''t a young man. It was a beautiful woman with a veil covering her face. As for the evidence, they showed us miracles... Miracles that reassured us enough that they will be able to attend to our deepest desires once we became one of them..."

    "If not for those miracles, we wouldn''t even take the risk despite the fact that we aren''t going to lose anything since our lives are almost about over anyway..."

    "What kind of miracles, exactly?" Calvin asked once more.

    "Let me think for a while..." Old Zhong whispered. Then, his eyes widened as he continued, "I remember! That day, one of us died after being attacked by a wild boar while he was doing the number two on a nearby river. Coincidentally, his corpse had just been recovered, and guess what the beautiful woman did?"

    "He revived the man!"

    "The man whom the vige doctor dered as dead was resurrected!"

    Old Zhong eximed.

    "Yeah, that sure is enough proof to convince me." Ricardo sarcastically said, "But did none of you ever think that resurrecting the dead is shady, to say the least?"

    "No... I told those bastards not to bite the bait, but they are adamant and even argued with me saying that if I stopped them, that would be tantamount to crushing on their dreams with the heel of my boots while spitting on it at the same time. They just didn''t want to let go of that fleeting opportunity and in the end, they all died miserable deaths..."

    "None of them managed to reach the top of the mountain."

    "So that is why you said that no one is sessful so far?" Ricardo asked.

    "Yes... Since then, none of us dared to talk about that incident anymore and we also do not bother about the people asionallying down from the top of the mountain to our vige."

    "Wait, wait, wait..." Calvin interrupted, "Are you saying that there are still some people from the Vige of Tulog thates down the mountain?"

    "Yup... Theye down here some times to buy some of our vegetables and livestock." Old Zhong nodded.

    "I thought that the Vige was cursed."

    "Yes, it is... That is the reason why every time theye down, we only interact with them minimally. It seems that they also understand that we do not like their presence, but since they know that they need us whenever they run out of supplies. They are putting up with us and hence, our strange rtionship with the cursed ones started..."

    "However... I never saw any of theme down since a year ago..." Old Zhong pondered, "Did something happen, I wonder?"

    Calvin, Heisenberg, and Ricardo didn''t say a thing.

    The curse of sleeplessness, the Saintess of Death, the Sigbin, the Aswang, and that ruthless young man.

    ''Just what the fuck happened in this ce to the extent that it warranted the visit of a Cardinal to annihte whatever existed here in the previous timeline?''

    ''Shit, can we even handle the monster that''s in here?''

    Calvin was also deep in his thoughts, when suddenly...

    He noticed a movement from his left.

    "Ready!" Calvin eximed.

    Old Zhong, Ricardo, and Heisenberg tensed up.

    They had all agreed upon something before going into the valley.

    Once danger presented itself, the one who noticed the danger must say one word and everyone must prepare for battle.

    And now...

    That word has been said.

 Chapter 162: Book of Light

    Chapter 162: Book of Light

    "Ricardo!" Calvin eximed. He had no idea what Ricardo''s ss was, but he knew that his ss was ssified as Scout. In other words, the job of locating the iing enemy was his.

    "Got it..." Ricardo turned around.

    His eyes shed with the orangey hue of sunset. With the appearance of this light, the world in front of Ricardo changed. The darkness seemed to have vanished in an instant, reced by a world where only a single color existed.

    White.

    The trees turned white, the ground turned white, and even the sky.

    This was a spotless world that only existed in the vision of a Scout.

    But there was an impurity in this world...

    A dark shadow simr to that of a dog was running towards their direction.

    Covered in darkness, it was obvious that the shadow wanted nothing but to ambush and kill.

    "There!"

    Ricardo pointed.

    "Affirmative!" Heisenberg yelled out a single word before he immediately sat on the floor. His legs crossed together and a relic of the Goddess of Compassion and Light was held tightly between his palms that he held parallel in front of his chest. Then, he took a deep breath and chanted.

    "The light covers everything and is untainted, unholy creatures roam thisnd; born from the first Cataclysm. But men must never cower or fear for the gospel is here..." A deep and majestic voice came out of Heisenberg''s voice. The voice seemed to possess a strange power and an attractive force for when the Sigbin heard what Heisenberg was saying...

    It immediately stopped on its tracks and focused its attention on him.

    "Ricardo!"

    "You didn''t have to say anything!" Ricardo yelled out aint as he leaped backwards to protect Heisenberg.

    "Don''t you dare turn your back to your enemy!" Calvin stepped forward and barred the Sigbin''s way.

    His eyes shed in a golden light that seemed to melt the darkness of the surroundings.

    "What...?" Ricardo''s movementsgged out of shock. Even Heisenberg''s chanting briefly stopped.

    "He actually has a Golden ss? But doesn''t he have a Writer ss? Why does he have a Golden ss, when his ss is the Writer ss...? That doesn''t make sense, why would the Goddess bestow upon the glory of the Golden ss towards someone while also giving that person the worst ss known to man?" Ricardo mumbled in shock.

    "Heisenberg, you''ve stopped your chanting!" Calvin yelled out.

    Heisenberg jolted from shock and he immediately closed his eyes once more to continue.

    "And the first disciples of the Goddess of Compassion and Light said, spread the all-epassing light to the four corners of the world..."

    Ricardo also awakened from his trance, he summoned his Aspect.

    It was a bow whose crimson color was so deep it seemed to be made out of dense blood.

    As per their agreement, Ricardo''s job was to protect Heisenberg while also providing support for Calvin in his battle.

    Taking aim, Calvin''s battle against the Sigbin was about to begin!

    The Sigbin was a monster ssified to be a Vampire. It looked to be a crossbreed between a goat and a bat. It had supreme agility and speed. It also had immense maneuverability due to its powerful legs, but it mostly used its horns to attack.

    Their way of fighting was to use their horns to incapacitate their enemies first and once they''ve done that, they would use their sharp fangs to siphon the essence of their prey and practically sealing the oue of the fight.

    Calvin was standing on the Sigbin''s way while it was in mid-charge, so it would take a considerable amount of force to stop its onught.

    However, Calvin was prepared...

    A sh of golden light manifested and the golden quill imbued with the Mortician''s Damned Soul that absorbed a fragment of Valefor''s soul appeared right in his hand.

    Calvin was currently a Diary-Keeper, and this meant that he had no offensive skills whatsoever that were rted to his ss.

    But that didn''t matter at all for he had the Mortician''s Damned Soul infused in his Aspect.

    Paired with the innate indestructibility of every Predator''s Aspect, this enabled Calvin to do the impossible.

    Such as...

    Taking his golden quill and stabbing it onto the Sigbin''s forehead.

    Calvin leaped backwards.

    His golden quill was still sticking out of the Sigbin''s head when he gestured with his hands and said, "Soul Manifestation: Drill..."

    The moment this word came out of his mouth, the golden quill let out a blinding radiance of golden light.

    "Ah!"

    "What the hell is that?!"

    At that moment, everyone, including Ricardo and Old Zhong had been temporarily blinded by the brightness.

    They didn''t notice the brief appearance of a sinister shadow that bolstered the strength of the golden quill and manipted it to drill through the Sigbin''s skull and exiting through its back.

    By the time that they had recovered, the Sigbin had fallen on the ground while Calvin''s golden quill had returned in his hands.

    "What just happened?" Ricardo asked.

    He could see that the Sigbin was squirming in pain on the ground.

    Meanwhile, Old Zhong who didn''t possess the vision of Predators was already sweating bullets.

    This battle was just strange!

    Calvin suddenly eximed the magic word, and then a strange golden light appeared, briefly rendering him blind.

    Despite using all of his senses to find the monster that killed his father, he still couldn''t locate the monster.

    "Don''t let your guard down. It''s not dead, yet!" Calvin yelled out.

    Ricardo took aim and sent an arrow flying towards the Sigbin.

    But the Sigbin that was squirming on the ground as if it was about to signal its death knell suddenly stood up and became energetic.

    It avoided the arrow that Ricardo had sent before it turned to the left and charged towards the direction of Old Zhong.

    "Watch out, Old Zhong!" Ricardo gave out a warning before he sent another arrow flying towards the Sigbin.

    However, the Sigbin was just too fast.

    So fast that by the time Ricardo sent his arrow flying towards the beast, it was already a few meters away from Old Zhong.

    And a few meters to a beast like the Sigbin was basically a few steps away.

    "So that you may make your Church serve you freely... Hear us, hear us!"

    "So that you may destroy the enemies of your Sacred Church... Hear us, hear us!"

    "The Goddess of Compassion and Light herself will bestow upon excellence and strength to ''Her'' Own people..."

    "Blessed be the Church of All-Epassing Light..."

    "Glory be to the Goddess!"

    Heisenberg opened his bloodshot eyes and yelled out, "The Domain of Evesting Light and Justice..."

    "Expand!"

    The crystal orb in his bosom shed with the divine all-epassing light.

    In an instant, the Sigbin that was about to impale Old Zhong to his death suddenly froze mid-charge.

    The darkness of the forest that seemed to surround everything in the valley was swept away by a warm andpassionate light.

    The area a few hundred meters around Heisenberg was now enclosed in a domain!

    "Yes, this is it... This is the feeling..." Calvin took a deep breath and he felt power coursing through his veins.

    The Emperor''s Commandment that he held resonated with the domain that Heisenberg deployed and Calvin could feel as if he could do everything in this world, so long as it was within the domain.

    The Sigbin''s horrifying features were now revealed to the naked eye.

    "Ah!"

    Ricardo was about to shoot down the Sigbin when Calvin raised his hand to stop him.

    "Wait..."

    "Why wait? What are we waiting for? We''ve got to kill that disgusting thing and burn it down before scattering its ashes to the four winds!"

    Calvin rolled his eyes at Ricardo, "I know. But Old Zhong deserves to kill that monster."

    "Ah..."

    "I see..." Ricardo agreed.

    Heisenberg finally stood up, "Fucking hell that was so close! Why did you two not stop that monster? It almost killed Old Zhong!"

    Ricardo scratched his head out of embarrassment. He had to admit. He really did underestimate the Sigbin''s speed.

    Calvin turned to Heisenberg and smiled, "I knew that you would make it."

    "How did you know that I would?" Heisenberg frowned.

    "Well, you aren''t so confident of yourself, are you?" Calvin teased.

    "What? Of course, I am confident in myself. Nevermind... Let''s go and handle that bastard now. I really didn''t expect that I would have to deploy a domain just to handle that piece of shit. Let me kill it myself." Heisenberg cursed.

    "Wait up..." Ricardo stopped him, "Let Old Zhong kill it."

    "Why?" Heisenberg asked.

    Calvin lightly chuckled, "You asked the same question as Ricardo did. Did you already forget about what Old Zhong told us earlier?"

    "Ah, yeah right... My bad." Heisenberg drylyughed before stepping aside.

    Old Zhong was standing in front of the Sigbin with aplicated look on his face.

    The Sigbin was stiff frozen mid-charge. The Goddess of Compassion and Light detested all beings impure, and since a vampire was an impure being, it wasn''t an exception. It couldn''t do anything at all under the Domain of Evesting Light and Justice. Threads of divine light were currently suppressings its body to the fullest, so now it was frozen and suspended in the air.

    Its horns were sticking out forward towards the direction of Old Zhong''s heart.

    It was obvious that it wasn''t nning on letting Old Zhong live.

    "Old Zhong, you handle it. You said that your weapon''s de is made out of silver, so you should be able to end its life." Calvin said.

    Old Zhong turned to look at the Sigbin and he gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    Indeed, the Sigbin was incredibly terrifying to look at.

    However, now that it was being forcibly suppressed and unable to move.

    There was a pitiful look in its eyes as if saying that it didn''t want to die.

    But seeing thest posture that it made while it was frozen destroyed allpassion that Old Zhong had for the beast. Since clearly, if not for the fact that Heisenberg deployed that domain. The beast would''ve killed him with no remorse at all!

    But now that it was caught, it was trying to act pitiful in an effort to save its life?

    Where is your dignity?! Aren''t you supposed to be a terrifying beast that''s been haunting this valley for a long time already?! Why are you staring at me like that and pretending to be a helpless puppy?!

    Old Zhong clenched his fists.

    The monster whom he thought to be so strong was now rendered to this state in just a matter of a few minutes.

    "How anti-climactic..." Old Zhong bitterly smiled.

    He stared at the Sigbin and found that it was still desperately begging for its life using its eyes.

    Old Zhong had originally nned on torturing the monster that took the life of so many of his fellow vigers when he had the chance, but now that the chance was in his hands. He found that torturing the monster seemed to be pointless. Seeing that it couldn''t move and it was so helpless like this made him realize that the Sigbin was now as low as an ant.

    "Father..." Old Zhong softly whispered.

    He closed his eyes and when he opened them again, one could see that they were bloodshot!

    Raising his twin daggers, he bent his knees and held the daggers in a reverse hold in his hands.

    Then, he leaned forward and took a deep breath.

    The breathe he took was so thick that it looked partially visible like a mist as they surged into his nose and filled his lungs.

    "King of Burst''s Ultimate: Death''s Knell..."

    These were the words that he left in the air as he vanished right at that very moment...

    When he reappeared, he was already behind the Sigbin and a peaceful smile was stered across his lips.

    "Father, I..."

    Thud!

    A dull thud rang out and the Sigbin copsed with its body separated into four pieces.

    "I have avenged you..."

 Chapter 163: Ascension Points

    Chapter 163: Ascension Points

    "Thank you, everyone..." Old Zhong faced the three and there was a relieved smile on his face.

    Ricardo nodded his head and smiled in return while Heisenberg rubbed his nose and averted his gaze from Old Zhong.

    Calvin also gave a smile and said, "It was long overdue. I''m d you''ve had your vengeance. Now, we must continue. Old Zhong, I think that you should return now. I have a feeling that everything''s going to be more dangerous the closer we get to the tunnels. You just had your revenge, there''s no way that we''ll let you endanger yourself any further without being able to celebrate the fruits of your vengeance."

    Ricardo agreed, "That''s right, Old Zhong. Just give us a map and we should be able to locate it by ourselves."

    Heisenberg didn''t say anything but the way he was staring at Old Zhong made it obvious that he was in agreement.

    Old Zhong had to turn back.

    Only when there were no mortals present could they possibly exert all of their power without any worries for possible coteral damage.

    "I cannot turn back. I''ve already made a decision to lead the three of you into the tunnels. How can I possibly turn back when we''re already halfway there?" Old Zhong frowned. He felt as if he was being treated as an outcast by the three.

    "Heisenberg, do you still have another crystal orb? I''m sure you do, right? There''s no way a Priest woulde out of the Church without carrying any back-ups knowing that those tiny weeny orbs are so fragile they might as well be made out of ss." Calvin smirked.

    Heisenberg coldly snorted, "Yeah, I do have back-ups. What''s makes you think that I would be so careless?"

    "Hahaha,e on, now... Don''t be mad." Calvin smirked.

    "Wait, those aren''t made out of ss?" Ricardo was intrigued.

    But Calvin and Heisenberg didn''t reply to what he had said. The two of them just let out a couple of chuckles.

    "Old Zhong, since you are that serious about keeping uspany until we arrive at the tunnels. Then, fine. But you must never enter the tunnels with us. You''ll go back and we will give you some protection so you can return to the vige safely."

    "Thank you..." Old Zhong felt warm in his heart.

    "All right, let''s save the drama forter! Let''s continue!" Ricardo broke the strange atmosphere that was about to cover the entire group.

    He took the same position that he took earlier while Calvin stayed on the rear.

    Old Zhong, Ricardo, and Heisenberg picked up the pace while Calvin deliberately slowed down his step, so he could put some distance between them and him.

    A smile crept up his lips.

    When Calvin entered this valley, he noticed that the Sigbin was not the only danger that existed in the Valley. Almost every danger in this valley didn''t exist in the material ne but in the spiritual ne. What''s more, most of them were beings created from resentment. May they be a Specter or an Evil-Type Beasts, all of them had one thing inmon.

    They were all evil-attributed.

    Calvin summoned the golden quill, but he ced it deep in his pockets.

    He knew that something was lurking behind him, but he didn''t look back.

    He pretended as if he knew nothing and that nothing strange was happening.

    Calvin continued to walk, he was only about ten meters away from the group and he could barely see their backs through his naked eye.

    Then, suddenly...

    The winds in the valley stilled, and the surroundings turned silent.

    It was as if a barrier had been broken and Calvin entered a whole new world with just a single step.

    The temperature around him dropped, and he felt a shiver down his spine as a cold draft assaulted his back.

    Something wasing behind him...

    Was it because he could still see the backs of hisrades that Calvin seemed to be walking with ease.

    However, when the cold draft was only a few meters away from him. It stopped.

    It seemed to be hesitating.

    Calvin inwardlyined, ''What''s wrong? Are you not going to attack me? Look! I''m out here alone with myrades so far in front of me in the middle of this seemingly endless fog! What are you going to do? Are you just going to stand there and wait? Attack me! Now!'' He really wanted to scream out loud in frustration, but he knew that he had to pretend to be ignorant.

    ''Maybe it''s hesitating to attack me since I am so far away from the others?'' Calvin thought. But ultimately, he decided to just keep his pace and wait a little longer. If he walked backwards, then that would definitely spook the monster from attacking since no ordinary human being would possibly walk into a lion''s den.

    It was impossible that the monsters saw that Calvin had some skills since they had deployed a domain that rendered them invisible apart from those that the domain condemned to be impure. In other words, the monsters in this valley must have no idea that Calvin wasn''t so weak like they had expected.

    In that case, why was this monster hesitating?

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    But his steps nevergged, nor any hesitation showed up on his expression and movements.

    The road eventually narrowed and the incline became steeper. The path was slowly being swallowed by the thick branches and thickets to the extent that Ricardo and Heisenberg had to help on clearing these blockages since Old Zhong couldn''t keep up anymore.

    Calvin didn''t even nce at what was following him from behind as he unhesitatingly moved faster, he was clearly nning on helping Old Zhong and the others.

    But this was the cue that the monster needed to attack...

    As soon as he picked up his speed, the monster seemed to have panicked and out of regret for not making its attack earlier.

    It finally made a move.

    The temperature dropped sharply and Calvin felt as if his neck was submerged in icy cold water. The hairs on his neck stiffened, and the coldness surrounded him, seemingly intent on swallowing him whole.

    The chill congealed into something immaterial, but with weight as Calvin felt something heavy sit on his head.

    Then, a strange yapping noise was heard.

    "Hihihi... Meat... Delicious..."

    "Smells... Good... Meat..."

    The yapping noise sounded feminine, and it was devoid of any emotions apart from excitement.

    Strangely enough, the voice was loud, yet only Calvin could hear it.

    Old Zhong and the others were busy hacking away at the bushes around them as they tried their best to make a path. They didn''t seem to notice nor hear any disturbances around them.

    "Meat... Hihihi... I''m going to eat..."

    "Meat..."

    The coldness that congealed atop Calvin''s head started to wrap around his neck. It had substance, it felt as if it was a pair of hands.

    Then, there came a pulling force.

    The force wanted to pull Calvin backwards, out of sight from the others. The monster that manifested on his head didn''t want to create any trouble at all, it was obvious that it only wanted a quick meal out of one of the foolish invaders that dared to enter its territory.

    But...

    "Can you stop holding my neck like that, my friend? Your hands are really cold..." Calvin coldly spat.

    He raised his head and found that beyond an unkempt hair was a pair of bloodshot eyes!

    "A hag... Interesting..." Calvin smiled.

    "REEEEEEEEEEE!" The hag let out a shriek and it raised its left hand and was about to m a ball of dirt into Calvin''s eyes.

    It was nning on robbing away Calvin''s eyesight, so it could then drag Calvin into the depths of the valley.

    But little did the hag knew that all of these were nned by Calvin himself...

    The moment it let out a shriek, Calvin groped his golden quill and a Specter wearing a hospital gown appeared right behind the hag.

    The Mortician yanked the hag out of Calvin''s back, and before it realized what had happened.

    It was torn into pieces and consumed by the Mortician!

    [Gained 30 Ascension Points for the Mortician]

    [The Mortician''s Ascension Points: 75/100]

    [25 Ascension Points necessary for Ascension to Purveyor.]

    A smile crept up on Calvin''s lips.

    That''s right...

    The Ascension System that Grace bestowed upon him in the form of the Emperor''s Commandment also gave everything that he had in him a system...

    Of course, that included the Mortician.

    Monsters that belonged to the Bestiary have their own rankings, and they were as follows...

    Purveyor

    Emissary

    and Ambassador...

    There were monsters stronger than the Ambassador Tier, but Calvin had no idea what they were ssified. Perhaps, in the future, when the Mortician reached the peak of the Ambassador, he would finally be able to see just what lies beyond the Ambassador Rank. For now, Calvin''s goal was to ascend the Mortician into the Purveyor Rank, so it could gain a foothold in the spirit ne.

    Calvin swept his gaze around him and he was shocked to discover that the monsters lurking in the area had disappeared.

    ''Damn... I didn''t expect that they would be that quick to run... It''s just a hag for fuck''s sake...'' Calvin bitterly smiled.

    He nned on ughtering the others and feeding them to the Mortician, but it was obvious that his n wasn''t going to work anymore.

    The monsters had tucked their tails into their asses and ran away after seeing the gruesome and quick death of the hag.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    He stared at the Mortician and noticed that it seemed to look more imposing than ever before.

    After nodding in satisfaction at the progress of the Mortician, Calvin groped his golden quill and the Mortician vanished like smoke.

    Only 25 Ascension Points left before the Mortician transformed into a Purveyor.

    The Diary-Keeper Calvin that had no offensive skills whatsoever at this moment could finally have someone fight for him in the future.

 Chapter 164: Way of Living

    Chapter 164: Way of Living

    "Calvin! What are you doing over there? Don''t stray too far away from us! This ce is creepy as fuck." Ricardo noticed that Calvin was nowhere to be seen. He stopped what he was doing and walked several steps backwards. There, he found Calvin walking towards them and he couldn''t help but grumble out aint.

    "I''m sorry..." Calvin scratched his head out of apparent embarrassment. He gave the surroundings one final nce before he turned his gaze away and joined Old Zhong and the others on what they were doing.

    "Howe they are so thick?" Heisenberg was already sweating. He was a Priest not a fighter like Old Zhong, Ricardo, and Calvin. There was a limit to how much strength he could exert. What''s more, he had exhausted himself quite a bit when he used that domain in the Book of Light earlier. Of course, Heisenberg would never admit that he was exhausted.

    He stood there, huffing and puffing as his swings gradually became weaker and weaker as time passed by.

    Calvin noticed this and he couldn''t help but smirk.

    "Heisenberg, do you want me to give you a hand?"

    "Do. You. Think. That. I. Need. A. Hand?" Heisenberg red at Calvin.

    Ricardo also let out a chuckle, "You''re not young anymore, old man... Give that de to Calvin. We, young people, have more stamina than you. Unless we''re talking about those things... You are clearly stronger than us when ites to those things." He smirked and winked at Calvin elicitingughter from thetter.

    Heisenberg''s face flushed with crimson out of embarrassment.

    He coldly snorted and reluctantly handed over the de to Calvin.

    After being exposed like that and embarrassed by Ricardo, how could he possibly continue to act tough and be adamant that he wasn''t tired?

    What surprised both Ricardo and Calvin was that Heisenberg didn''t seem to be too depressed by the fact that he got reced by Calvin. In fact, he was standing right behind them with his arms crossed in front of his chests. An imposing look was on his face as he stared at the three, making the scene feel like he was a boss making his underlings work for him.

    "Ricardo, you missed a thicket there, it might hurt us when we move!"

    "Old Zhong! You have to keep an eye out with your swings, are you trying to decapitate Calvin?"

    "Also, Calvin! Your hands aren''t moving!"

    Heisenberg really did start to act like a boss and the three could do nothing other than roll their eyes at them. Ignoring his words, the three continued on their work and eventually. They managed to reach the end of the narrowed path, and ording to Old Zhong. They only needed to trek for twenty more minutes until they arrived at the tunnels.

    Old Zhong sighed in relief when they were finally out of the narrowed path.

    "I''m so d that nothing happened..." He wiped the sweat on his forehead and turned around to look at the others, "We will be able to reach the tunnels in twenty minutes, but before I leave you three near the tunnels. I need you to listen to me. It has been ten years since someone visited the Vige of Tulog. Usually, it''s them thates down the mountains instead of us going up there..."

    "It would be incredibly strange for them to receive visitors from the outside world. But don''t worry, I am sure that they will not harm you so long as you show them this paper..." Old Zhong took out a piece of rectangr paper and handed it over to Calvin.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted when he saw the yellowish paper.

    It was because it looked simr to the Sigil of Protection that Madame Liz handed over to him!

    The only difference between the two was the drawing on their surfaces.

    Apart from that, they were basically the same and even the ink used to write on the surface of the two papers were simr!

    Calvin faced Old Zhong with his stone-faced facade and asked, "You said that it''s been a decade since people visited the Vige of Tulog? If that is the case, then how can you be so sure that they will still recognize us with this piece of paper?"

    "Honestly, I don''t know..." Old Zhong shook his head, "But having that is still better than not having anything, right?"

    "Yeah, that makes sense..."

    "One more thing. I have to ask this question before you leave us once we reach the tunnels."

    "What is it?" Old Zhong smiled, "Ask away."

    Calvin nodded, "If we are able to reach the Vige of Tulog through the tunnels, then what was that vige on top of the mountain?"

    Old Zhong turned serious, "Did you enter that vige on top of the mountain?"

    "Nope..." Calvin promptly replied.

    "I see..." Old Zhong continued, "That vige on top of the mountain is actually a decoy. I have no idea why that decoy is made, and I don''t really want to know. However, we actually do not approach that decoy ever since one of us went missing when he entered that decoy on top of the mountain out of curiosity..."

    "We didn''t dare to send in any rescue to follow that ill-fated man into the vige on top of the mountain, since we were scared."

    "Since then, we do not dare question the existence of that so-called decoy and we also do not dare approach it." Old Zhong didn''t seem to be lying when he said all of these. In fact, there was great fear in his voice. It was as if there was a powerful monster living on the decoy in the vige at the summit of the mountain that he was so afraid of.

    "All right, then..." Calvin could do nothing other than agree. The entire thing about this Vige of Tulog was so strange and confusing that Calvin could do nothing other than agree to what Old Zhong was saying.

    Ricardo and Heisenberg nced at each other before Ricardo asked, "Have you heard anything strange about the Vige of Tulog...?"

    "Like how the vigers live?" Calvin couldn''t help but nce at Ricardo when he asked such a crucial question.

    Knowing how the vigers live would narrow down a lot of things. If the vigers were indeed cursed, then something inside them should''ve fundamentally changed. Those changes must be significant enough that it would be noticeable by anyone and using those apparent changes, the three could create solutions based on that information.

    This was such a piece of easily-missed information, yet would contribute a lot to the investigation. For example, it was easy to deduce that someone had be a vampire if you noticed that they didn''t seem inclined to eating human food. Of course, there were exceptions, but if that person vomited violently whenever their lips made contact with human food.

    Then, one could deduce with a reasonable doubt that the person had be a vampire.

    Ricardo only asked a single question, yet the question meant a lot of things to the three.

    Old Zhong thought hard and long for quite a long time before he stared at Ricardo and replied, "If I recall correctly, the former Vige Chief who visited the vige ten years ago told us that the vige didn''t rear any livestock at all. Thend was barren, and there are not many living creatures in the vige. He says...."

    "Now, I''m not quite sure about this. But there is one thing that I am certain about. I''m sure that it''s the truth since the former Vige Chief always warned me about it almost on a daily basis. In fact, I felt like my ears would grow calluses every time he mentioned to me the taboos and how the people of the Vige of Tulog looked different than the average people!"

    "I mean, isn''t thatmon sense? They are affected by the curse of sleeplessness! How could they possibly look normal when most of them have gone for years without sleeping!" Old Zhong coldly harrumphed.

    He then turned around and continued, "I''ll tell you more about it as we walk towards the tunnels..."

    Despite walking upwards, they still couldn''t see even a single star in the skies.

    No matter where they looked, there seemed to be nothing other than a vast expanse of darkness.

    Speaking of darkness...

    Ricardo and Calvin had their Predator Senses and it gave them the ability to see through the darkness.

    As for the Priest Heisenberg... He should have his own methods up his sleeves.

    But what about Old Zhong?

    How could he see through the darkness?

    Calvin couldn''t help but be curious, "Old Zhong... You know that it''s incredibly dark around here, right?"

    "Hmm?" Old Zhong stopped in his tracks and replied, "What about it?"

    "Nothing... I was just curious... How are you able to move in the dark even though there is no source of light?"

    Ricardo and Heisenberg froze.

    They stared warily at Old Zhong.

    That''s right...

    Just how did they miss such a crucial detail?

    "Hahaha..." Old Zhongughed, "Calvin... Do you want to know why I am called the King of Burst?"

    "Why? Isn''t it because you''re fast?"

    "Nope... Well, you''re right, but that is not the only thing that I have..."

    "I also have a secret." Old Zhong''s lips leaked a mysterious smile, "I can actually use my tongue to navigate through the darkness."

    "Your what?" Ricardo blurted out in shock.

    "Yeah, I can move my tongue like this..." Old Zhong opened his mouth and flicked his tongue onto the top of his mouth, "Then, the sound from that flicking flies around me and I am able to gauge the distance of the objects around me through the use of that sound. Don''t worry if you didn''t hear that sound though... I have no idea why, but only I can hear the sound that I am making with my tongue..."

    "Ah!" Heisenberg suddenly eximed, "So that''s the reason why you were swinging your de so dangerously earlier! I thought that you were just being careless. Damn it, so that is the reason..." A look of excitement then appeared on Heisenberg''s face. The tongue flicking that Old Zhong showed was so fluid and slick that he couldn''t help but want to learn it.

    If he had such a technique, then he would not have any problems creating his harem!

    Women wouldn''t flock to him anymore due to his money, but due to the power of his tongue!

    Heisenberg took a deep breath and approached Old Zhong with courage, "My friend, your tongue technique was superb. I could see that you have honed it through thousands of hours of hard work. I am ashamed to say this, but your tongue technique awed me so much that I would love to learn how you do it... Would you mind teaching this old one the ways of your tongue?"

    Calvin stood frozen the moment he saw Heisenberg approach Old Zhong.

    He wanted to warm Heisenberg at first, but it was already toote.

    Heisenberg had said his piece, and he was now waiting for Old Zhong''s reply.

    Old Zhong stared seriously at Heisenberg and asked, "Can you still get it hard?"

    "W-W-What?" Heisenberg stammered through his reply, "O-Of course, I can still get it hard!"

    For some reason, he felt that Old Zhong''s gaze didn''t seem to be the gaze of someone staring at one another.

    In fact, Old Zhong''s stare felt as if he wasn''t staring at a human being, but a prey!

    "I see..." Old Zhong licked his lips, "If you managed to return alive, then I will teach you the ways of my tongue..."

    "With a demonstration, of course..." He winked at Heisenberg and it was at this moment that the realization dawned onto him.

    Old Zhong was a man who swung that way!

 Chapter 165: Into the Tunnels

    Chapter 165: Into the Tunnels

    "Ahem... We''ve been here far too long, I suggest we move now so we can get there faster." Heisenberg shamelessly changed topics, eliciting a wave ofughter from Ricardo and Calvin.

    Old Zhong also smiled.

    The atmosphere around the group seemed to have lightened.

    Heisenberg didn''t even dare toment nor stay any longer as he moved forward and ahead of the group.

    Old Zhongughed out loud and the group continued on their journey.

    "The former Vige Chief left me some words of advice. He said that if the day that I needed to personally enter the Vige of Tulog came, I must be respectful at all times. There are dozens of taboos in the Vige of Tulog and if I was not careful, I might vite one of them and end up dying..."

    "Dying...?" Ricardo frowned, "Are they that bold to actually kill people?"

    Old Zhong shook his head, "I also asked that question to the former Vige Chief, but he told me that those people are fully capable of killing you without suffering any consequences..."

    Heisenberg snorted, "Well, if they dared to harm a single passenger of that wagon, then we will definitely make them pay the price."

    Calvin was silent. From his memories, he knew that the Vige of Tulog was indeed capable of concealing everything from the Church. If not for that particr information leak, then the church might''ve still been oblivious to their presence. What''s more, when the church discovered their existence, they had already grown so strong that a Cardinal''s power was needed to exterminate them.

    The continued existence of the curse and the so-called cult within the Vige of Tulog was akin to a time bomb for Calvin. If he wanted to feel safe staying in Ashmelion, then he must defuse this time bomb and exterminate all of its members. Calvin had already decided long ago that he must destroy the cult before he left the Vige of Tulog.

    "There is one particr custom in the Vige of Tulog that requires you to only knock a maximum of three times every time you request to enter a person''s house. If you knock more than three times, it''s considered bad luck and you might be punished. I would love to talk to all of you about the taboos of the Vige of Tulog, but it would take too long for me to tell you all of it verbally..."

    "This is why I wrote it in a notebook..." Old Zhong revealed a crafty smile.

    Heisenberg''s interest was piqued and he turned around to snatch the notebook.

    "Hey, old man! We still haven''t read it!" Ricardo asked.

    "I''ll handle it. I''m the older one, so I should lead you kids down the so-called dangerous tunnel." Heisenberg smiled.

    "Are you sure that you can handle being in the front?" Calvin asked with a smile.

    "What? Are you doubting my abilities?" Heisenberg lifted his crystal orb.

    As a Priest, he was indeed suitable against enemies lurking in the dark.

    But for Calvin, Priests might be powerful but they had a weakness. Their chanting takes too long toplete. In such a tight and enclosed ce with nowhere to go but forward and backward. Calvin predicted that Heisenberg might eventually be overwhelmed. But Calvin didn''t give this advice to Heisenberg.

    Why?

    Because he thought that it was amusing.

    Fortunately, the monsters lurking in the tunnels shouldn''t post a security risk since most of them were probably Specters or apparitions. As the holder of the Emperor''s Commandment, they weren''t even enemies to Calvin. At first, he nned on leading the group into the tunnels, so he could annihte the monsters in front of them to ensure a safe passage.

    But since Heisenberg was being so arrogant...

    Calvin nned on giving him a chance.

    "Old man, you better don''t get spooked. You should know what kind of creatures lurk in an enclosed space like the tunnels." Ricardo teased.

    He fished out a bracelet from his pocket and Calvin was astonished to see the bracelet that he casually wore on his wrists.

    "Is that a gem made out of Holy Amber?" Calvin asked.

    "Yeah..." Ricardo turned to look at him, "You sure know your stuff for your age... Now, this makes me think that you aren''t as young as you look... Are you perhaps a hundred-year-old old monster that reincarnated into a young body?"

    "W-What...?" Calvin was startled.

    A cunning smile crept up Ricardo''s lips as heughed out loud and patted Calvin''s shoulders, "Hahaha... Come on, man! I was obviously joking... Don''t be so serious."

    ''Yeah, your joke almost gave me a heart attack...'' Calvin shook his head and bitterly smiled. He criticized Ricardo deep in his heart, but at the same time, he discovered that Ricardo seemed to be more observant than he thought.

    ''It seems like I need to be careful around this guy...'' He whispered to himself.

    The group talked here and there until they eventually arrived in front of three cave entrances. The caves didn''t look any different from each other whatsoever apart from the fact that they seemed to lead to different ces.

    But Calvin begged to differ.

    He was about to open his Predator Senses and look at the cave entrances with his Vision when Old Zhong suddenly spoke.

    "And now, we''re here!"

    "The former Vige Chief told me that there is only one correct entrance that will lead to the Vige of Tulog. It''s the entrance of life."

    "Entrance of life? What does that mean?"

    "I also have no idea..." Old Zhong softly said out of embarrassment.

    Heisenberg furrowed his eyebrows. He looked through the notebook and found no excerpt with any information regarding the so-called entrance of life, "Fucking hell, this is useless!" He couldn''t help but curse, "Are we going to be stopped here after we took such a long journey? Shit, that''s some..."

    "Don''t be so hasty to judge... There must be something around here that can give us clues..." Ricardo seemed to be in deep thought.

    "Clues? Yeah, clues... I mean, just what was the former Vige Chief thinking giving such vague information to the next generation. Does he want them to die?" Heisenberg shook his head and criticized the former Vige Chief.

    Old Zhong, the current Vige Chief also had a frown on his face.

    He wasn''t offended at all by what Old Zhong said. In fact, he was also curious.

    Why did the former Vige Chief leave such a vague clue? He doubted that the former Vige Chief purposely did that...

    Could it be that he had no other choice but to leave a vague clue? But why? Was there something stopping him from revealing the truth?

    Old Zhong fell into deep contemtion.

    But before the three of them could further deliberate their next course of actions.

    Calvin suddenly said, "Ricardo, Heisenberg... Open your eyes and look at the entrances."

    "I''m looking at it!" Heisenberg eximed.

    "You''re not looking at it..." Calvin mysteriously said.

    "What do you mean I''m not looking at it?! I am looking at them! I''m staring at these cave entrances!" Heisenberg continued to make a ruckus.

    Ricardo''s pupils constricted and he immediately understood what Calvin was talking about.

    Without saying anything, he focused his Vision on the cave entrances and then there...

    He saw a few words carved above the three cave entrances.

    "Kamatayon... Kinabuhi... Pagkasaag..." Ricardo mumbled.

    Heisenberg froze.

    He knew a lot of Elder Tongue and he obviously recognized the meaning of those words. Furthermore, he saw the orangey hue in Ricardo''s eyes, so he immediately turned to the cave entrances with his Vision activated, and there he saw the same thing...

    "Kamatayon... Kinabuhi... Pagkasaag..." Heisenberg whispered, "Death... Life... Adrift..."

    "The life entrance is in the middle! Let''s go!" Heisenberg cried out in excitement.

    Old Zhong was also happy since now that they have discovered the true path.

    It meant that he could now enter the Vige of Tulog whenever he wanted.

    Not that he was nning on entering that damned vige in the first ce.

    Since the real entrance to the Vige of Tulog has been discovered. It was now time for the three to bid Old Zhong goodbye. Heisenberg handed over a crystal orb to Old Zhong and told him that the orb would keep him safe until he arrived at home.

    "Remember to keep that orb close to your chest... The orb will continuously function as long as it detects your heartbeat, so never let it wander away from your chest even for a split second! I don''t think that you need a reminder of just how dangerous the valley that we just passed through. Never be arrogant to think that you''ll be able to pass through that valley without this orb! Keep it on you at all times!"

    "Are we clear?" Heisenberg sternly asked.

    Old Zhong smiled and stared right at Heisenberg, "Now that you''re acting so serious like this... It just makes me grow fonder of you... I really hope that you can return alive from that vige, so I can give you a taste of my wonderful tongue." He winked at Heisenberg and the poor bald-headed man just froze right there with his lips continuously twitching out of anger and embarrassment.

    "Hahaha..." Old Zhongughed seeing his hrious expression, "I''m off then..."

    He waved towards Calvin and Ricardo before he turned around and left the group.

    "Heisenberg..."

    "It seems like he likes you now..." Ricardo teased.

    "Fuck off!" Heisenberg coldly spat.

    With Heisenberg so pissed and Ricardoughing out loud, Calvin was the only person who could keep a serious expression on his face.

    As expected, Heisenberg took the lead and without saying anything.

    He walked into the tunnel with Calvin and Ricardo closely following him from behind.

 Chapter 166: Wind Chimes

    Chapter 166: Wind Chimes

    The temperature of the surroundings immediately dropped down the moment they entered the tunnels. For some reason, even though the darkness within the tunnels weren''t so different from the darkness of the outside world. Their Predator Senses seemed to have malfunctioned as they couldn''t see the end of the tunnel.

    There was only darkness at the end of the tunnel, nothing else...

    "Calvin... Is your Vision okay? Or you also can''t see what''s at the end of this tunnel?" Ricardo asked.

    Heisenberg also turned to look at Calvin who was bringing up the rear.

    "Yeah, I also can''t see that far... Heisenberg, do you have anything that we can use as a light?" Calvin turned to look at Heisenberg.

    As if on cue, Heisenberg gave a proud smile, "Coincidentally, I do have something that we can use to provide light around us. However, I need you to be close to me for this method to take effect. At least, you must be within five meters around me, since that is the limit of the light that I can channel through the crystal orb without it shattering."

    "That should be good enough..." Ricardo nodded. As a member of one of the three Judiciaries, Ricardo''s physical abilities were vastly superiorpared to an average person. Of course, it was a given that every Predator out there was stronger than average people, but Ricardo''s abilities were slightly higher than average.

    Five meters should be enough for him to react. Furthermore, as a Scout. If there was indeed a danger, then he should be able to know where it wasing from earlier than Calvin and Heisenberg.

    A confident smile appeared on Ricardo''s lips.

    He turned to look at Calvin and he found that thetter also had a smile on his face.

    "Five meters should be enough. But can you maintain it? If you are just channeling light into a crystal orb, shouldn''t that be a huge waste of Mana?" Calvin asked.

    Ricardo was astonished. He actually forgot about that issue.

    But Heisenberg seemed unfazed, "I can have all the problems in the world and it would never be about Mana... Out of everyone in the cathedral, I am the one with the naturally highest energy recharge stat. If I im second, then no one would dare to im that they were first..."

    "Oh?" Calvin''s interest was piqued. However, he didn''t probe any further since there was something more important that he had to do.

    "What are those?" Ricardo suddenly asked.

    Heisenberg and Calvin followed his line of sight and discovered that there were wind chimes hanging from the stctites of the tunnel. For some reason, despite the cold draft that constantly assaulted the grouping from ahead of them. These wind chimes weren''t moving...

    They weren''t bothered by the wind at all...

    It was as if the wind didn''t exist...

    "Wind chimes...?" Heisenberg also noticed this peculiarity and he gulped a mouthful of saliva to calm himself. Sweeping his gaze at both Ricardo and Calvin, he sternly dered, "Keep close to me now... I''ll deploy some light that can help us navigate..."

    "Okay..." Ricardo softly whispered.

    Calvin moved closer to Heisenberg and Heisenberg took out his crystal orb the moment he saw that the two were ready.

    "Ah, Goddess of Compassion and Light... Your servant seeks your guidance..." Heisenberg briefly chanted and the crystal orb in his hand started glowing with light. The darkness that seemed to be omnipresent around them was pushed backwards and Heisenberg could finally let out a sigh of relief.

    Humans were naturally afraid of the dark for it contained the unknown. Despite being a Priest of the Church of the All-Epassing Light, Heisenberg wasn''t an exception to that rule. Even Ricardo had a pale look on his face that gradually disappeared as the light slowly spread around them.

    Only Calvin wore a faint smile on his face.

    A piece of paper was shining in a faint divine light in his hands.

    Behind him, shrieks filled with madness, pain, and sorrow constantly rang out, yet Heisenberg and Ricardo had no clue about it at all.

    It was because the moment Heisenberg activated the light that illuminated the darkness around them. Calvin had used the border of that light to create a vision and sound blocking illusion. It was an illusion simr to what Captain Ron Samuel utilized back on the second floor of the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop.

    But despite its simplicity, it was quite unbreakable.

    Especially when everyone''s focus was ahead of them instead of behind.

    A faint apparition of a man d in a hospital''s gown was floating near the entrance of the tunnel.

    The Emperor''s Commandment enabled Calvin to see what was happening, and there he saw the Mortician having a feast with the Specters and monsters that wanted to ambush their group from behind.

    These monsters were no match against the Mortician that had just consumed a fragment of Valefor''s soul and the soul of a Sigbin at all. In fact, the fight going on right now couldn''t even be called a fight...

    It was a ughter.

    [Gained 0.2 Ascension Points for the Mortician]

    [Gained 0.1 Ascension Points for the Mortician]

    [Gained 0.3 Ascension Points for the Mortician]

    The smile on Calvin''s face intensified as these notification windows continued on popping out in his field of vision.

    "More... More..." Calvin softly mumbled.

    Then, the system notifications disappeared.

    "Fuck, I jinxed it!" Calvin audibly cursed.

    "What jinxed?" Ricardo turned to look at Calvin in shock.

    "No... Nothing... I was just imagining some scenarios in my head..."

    "You sure are a weird person. Is that what it takes to get the weakest ss in Las Felipinas?"

    "Hahaha..." Calvin let out a dryugh.

    [The Mortician''s Ascension Points: 78/100]

    [22 Ascension Points necessary for Ascension to Purveyor.]

    ''As expected, Specters or monsters that are weaker than the Sigbin or the Hag won''t me that much ascension points. Well, it''s fine... The real deal is in the vige anyway and those small fries are just cannon fodders.'' Calvin smiled.

    He would surely let the Mortician have a feast once he entered the Vige of Tulog.

    "There it is! I can see the end of the tunnel!" Heisenberg eximed. Everyone turned to look where he was looking and Calvin could see the vague silhouette of houses in the distance. They continued to walk towards the exit of the tunnel, but before they actually left the tunnel. They stood near its exit and looked at the scenery around them.

    "Those things in front of their doors are...?"

    "Wind chimes." Calvin gave the answer.

    He looked at Heisenberg and he was quick to understand what Calvin was talking about.

    Pulling out the notebook that Old Zhong gave, he scrolled through its pages for a few minutes before he found the relevant page that talked about these wind chimes.

    "Wind chimes..."

    "There, I found it! Damn the writing on this notebook looks like it was written by a rooster! But here it is... I found it... Let me see what it says."

    "Hmmm... Wind chimes... It says here that the people of the Vige of Tulog use wind chimes to detect danger. They hang it in front of their houses and when it chimes, they would cease all movements in their house and act like frozen statues until the wind chimes stopped moving..."

    "Oh, so you''re saying that if these wind chimes moved... We must stand still like a rock?"

    "Yeah, and we''re also not allowed to tamper with the wind chimes or we''ll receive the curse of unluckiness..."

    "The curse of unluckiness. That does sound like a curse that I would never want to have." Ricardo lightly chuckled.

    He made a sidelong nce at Calvin and noticed that he was in deep contemtion.

    "What''s wrong? Do you want to take a piss?" Heisenberg asked.

    Calvin coldly red at the bald old man and said, "I''m just thinking about something..." His eyes seemed to be staring at the Vige of Tulog, yet it was actually looking at the notification windows that had popped up in front of him the moment they saw the vige for the first time.

    [S-Tier Quest: Exodus is now ongoing.]

    [Quest Details: Uncover the secrets of the Vige of Tulog and free the vigers from the curse of sleeplessness.]

    [Bonus: If you gain at least five followers during this quest, you will be able to receive bonus rewards!]

    [Hint: A follower can be any entity.]

    [Quest Penalty: Death of the Aswang, Stephanie. Death of the Bound Soul, the Mortician. You will be forever unable to sleep.]

    [The quest has already started and cannot be refused. Leaving the vicinity of the quest while the quest is ongoing means the forfeiture of the quest. Please be careful!]

    [Good luck, young man!]

    [Peace out! Ehe~]

    ''What do you mean, Ehe?! You''re enjoying this, aren''t you?! Grace?'' Calvin made a sidelong nce at the horizon and he could seem to vaguely see the image of the Goddess of Compassion and Light cheekily smiling at him with that cunning look of victory on her face. Of course, Calvin wasn''t actually mad at her. He was just annoyed that the quest was basically forced onto him and he was given no choice.

    "Are we seriously going to enter this creepy ce? Don''t you think that we should go back?" Heisenberg wasn''tughing anymore. The vibes that he felt from staring at the Vige of Tulog alone made him feel as if he was alone in the middle of an abyss. He felt that the Vige was a ck hole. Once he entered it, there was no way that he was going out.

    "Old man, where is your integrity? You''re a Priest of the Church of All-Epassing Light for fuck''s sake!" Ricardo scolded.

    Heisenberg coldly snorted but he didn''t argue.

    He also wanted to rescue the others.

    He just said those words for he felt that most of the passengers would''ve probably been dead already if they ended up in this vige on their first day. In short, it was utterly useless for them toe here. However, Heisenberg''s mind wasn''t closed to the possibility of them still being alive.

    Not even a week had passed since the incident, and he doubted that none of them would be alive given how many they were in the wagon.

    That was unless...

    These vigersmitted mass ughter and executed all the passengers at once.

    But if that was the truth, then there was no need for this vige to exist.

    Heisenberg felt his blood boil.

    He seemed to have be bloodthirsty as his eyes briefly went bloodshot.

    Ricardo and Calvin felt the same. If the vigers here did ughter those passengers, then there was no way that the two of them would let the continuous existence of this vige. The quest stated that Calvin must save the vige from the curse of sleeplessness. Furthermore, there was even a bonus if he gained five followers in the process.

    In short, ''She'' did not want this vige to disappear.

    ''The first part of the quest description says that I must uncover the secrets of the Vige of Tulog. There must be a reason for all of these. But still, if these vigers did kill those passengers. I won''t hesitate to ughter them all and spare only those that are proven innocent. Culling the evil from good should also be counted as saving the vige, right?'' Calvin thought to himself.

    "All right, I''ve decided." Calvin softly whispered.

    "What decision?" Heisenberg asked.

    "We''re going into the vige."

    "Are you sure?" Heisenberg grabbed Calvin''s arm for the youngd was already walking towards the vige. He nced at Ricardo as if seeking his help, hoping that Ricardo would convince Calvin to not go into the vige. Unfortunately, Ricardo was a member of one of the three Judiciaries. His duty was to serve and protect.

    Heisenberg was barking at the wrong tree.

    "I agree with Calvin. We should be going into the vige." Ricardo coldly snorted, "Old man, if you''re that scared then you can stay here and wait for us to return. Give us that notebook. We''ll find the other passengers for you if you want."

    Outnumbered 1 to 2...

    Heisenberg had no other choice but to give up.

    But he didn''t show any of his emotions on his face. He maintained a stoic look and calmly replied, "All right, I''ll go with you two. How could I let you kids roam around in such a dangerous environment without the supervision of a guardian?"

    "You''re treating us like kids? You bastard..." Ricardo growled.

    Calvin facepalmed.

    "Stop it, both of you... It should be fine for us to visit the vige. We can tell them that we came from Old Zhong''s. What''s more, I don''t think that the vigers here are that bad. I mean, they are obviously living in a strange ce, but we can''t judge a person''s personality and attitude just because of the environment where he lived, right?" Calvin said.

    Ricardo and Heisenberg weren''t convinced, however.

    But since they were just wasting time if they continued to argue here, the two eventually agreed. The three started walking towards the vige and little did they know that entering this vige would be a decision that they would forever regret.

    This was the start of a nightmare.

 Chapter 167: Knock a Maximum of Three Times

    Chapter 167: Knock a Maximum of Three Times

    "Man, this ce is really strange. I''ve been in a lot of missions rted to the supernatural, but this would be my first time being in such a creepy vige that seems to reek of the supernatural..." Ricardomented.

    Calvin bitterly smiled, "You do know that this is the Vige of Tulog, right? The influence of supernatural forces must exist here. How else can we exin the curse?"

    Heisenberg scoffed, "The curse might be a load of bullshit! I heard some rumors that the Quads were surveying the area around this vige..."

    "So are you saying that the Quads might have some involvement regarding this curse of sleeplessness? Then, how do you exin Old Zhong''s story? Was he lying? Or was the cult just a front for the Quads to do whatever the fuck are they doing out here in the wilderness?" Ricardo sneered.

    "Heisenberg''s ims aren''t entirely false. The Quads might''ve given these vigers some hallucinogens and drugs, and that could exin why they are unable to sleep at night." Calvinmented.

    Ricardo stared at Calvin, "Then exin to me why they have so many taboos? And if they are under the influence of drugs, surely these changes are so drastic, aren''t they?"

    Calvin nodded and Heisenberg seemed to agree.

    Drugs might change the personality and attitude of a person, but would it really influence their way of living for the long term?

    It could.

    But the three of them doubted that it would be to this extent...

    At this moment, the three of them couldn''t even find any livestock in the vige.

    What''s more, there were several scarecrows lining up the road leading to the vige from the cave entrance.

    The scarecrows didn''t look too different from the average scarecrows, but there was something fundamentally different about them.

    It was their eyes.

    For some reason, the eyes of the scarecrow looked as if they were the eyes of a real and living human being.

    ''The scarecrows have eyes...''

    Calvin thought to himself.

    ''I have no idea what will happen if we just use the road like this with these scarecrows beside us...'' Calvin made a sidelong nce at Heisenberg and asked, "Heisenberg, can you check the notebook and see if there''s something in there about the scarecrows?"

    He obliged and after a few moments of checking, he shook his head and replied, "I don''t see any entry about these scarecrows. They must be not that important since they weren''t mentioned in the entry. It should be safe for us to pass through this path." Heisenberg said with a smile.

    Ricardo was staring at Heisenberg with doubt, "Dude... Is your sense of danger not working, or what? Can''t you see their eyes?"

    "What eyes?" Heisenberg''s eyebrows scrunched up.

    "Look!" Ricardo was about to point his finger at the scarecrows when Calvin suddenly moved and stopped his arm from pointing.

    "Wait, wha-"

    "Don''t move..." Calvin mumbled.

    "What is it? Is there an enemy?" Heisenberg tensed up.

    "No... Pointing at something with a finger is amon taboo. Heisenberg, can you check if pointing is a taboo or not?" Calvin asked.

    Heisenberg was quick to react and he flipped the pages of the notebook open, "There! I see it... It''s considered taboo to point at anything with a finger. If you must point, you should point at the object with an opened palm..."

    "There we go..." Calvin released Ricardo''s arm and there was a pale look on Ricardo''s face.

    As a member of the three Judiciaries, he knew what the word, ''taboo'', meant.

    Calvin saw the pale look on Ricardo''s face and he couldn''t help but chuckle, "It''s fine... You haven''t vited any taboos, yet so you should not be worried about any punishments. Just be careful next time. Remember themon taboos."

    "Themon taboos? Are you talking about the taboos associated with Mystical Artifacts?" Ricardo asked.

    "Yeah, just keep those things in mind." Calvin gently smiled.

    Heisenberg didn''t say anything, but there was this nervous and pained expression on his face.

    "I suggest we circle the perimeter for now before we enter the vige."

    "I agree..." Heisenberg was quick to respond, but there was a strange tone in his voice.

    "Are you okay, old man?" Ricardo asked.

    "I''m fine, I''m all right... Let''s go." Heisenberg avoided the question and started walking away of his own volition.

    It was at this moment that Calvin suddenly eximed, "Stop!"

    Heisenberg stiffened with his right leg frozen in mid-air.

    "W-W-What is it?!" Heisenberg slowly turned his head towards Ricardo and Calvin.

    "Heisenberg, why must you act like this? If you are ignorant about themon taboos, then you should''ve set aside your pride and told us. If this happened while we are already in the vige, then what you''ve done might''ve cost us our lives..." Calvin let out a sigh of disappointment.

    Heisenberg''s expression changed. But he then soon sighed in shame as he replied. This time, he was being honest.

    "It''s my fault, all right? I was being full of myself, okay? Yeah, I have no idea what themon taboos are! Am I supposed to be ashamed of my ignorance in that particr subject?"

    "Pfft!" Ricardoughed out loud, "Old man, are you dumb, or what? Not knowing themon taboos is normal for Priests like you! After all, you old men in the cathedral have no idea what it''s like to directly deal with the supernatural. It''s not out of the ordinary for you to not have any knowledge regarding themon taboos! You''re overreacting!"

    Heisenberg awkwardly rubbed his nose out of shame.

    Calvin also revealed a smile.

    For some reason, being around these two made him feel rxed. It was as if he was not about to voluntarily enter a lion''s den. Instead, he felt as if he was on a field trip to an unknownnd.

    "Okay, all right, you win... Just tell me more about themon taboos." Heisenberg didn''t even argue anymore.

    He raised both of his hands up, but as soon as hepleted this action, Ricardo suddenly screamed, "Don''t move!"

    Heisenberg froze once again.

    "Pffft!" Ricardo almost busted his gut seeing the petrified expression on Heisenberg''s face, "You fell to it again, dumbass!"

    "All right, let''s consider that a deration of war." Heisenberg stared grimly at Ricardo.

    He was about to charge at thetter and pummel him down the ground when Calvin interrupted with a bitter smile on his lips.

    "Stop this silly argument, guys. We have to move on." Calvin proposed.

    Heisenberg coldly snorted, but he didn''t disagree with what Calvin had said.

    Ricardo, on the other hand, still had that smirk on his face as he nodded his head.

    The three then proceeded to walk around the perimeter of the Vige of Tulog. There, they discovered that the vige was actually really big.

    In fact, they had to climb a nearby adjacent hill before they could take a good view of the vige.

    "I''ve counted the houses and it seems like there are about several hundreds of vigers living inside this vige. But how are they managing to feed every viger? I don''t see any signs of livestock nor crops..." Ricardo reported his findings.

    "We''ll find out about that soon enough. For now, let''s be careful not to vite any taboos nor get into an altercation with any of the vigers..."

    "Do you understand?" Calvin made a sidelong nce at Ricardo.

    "Why me?" Ricardo was puzzled.

    Heisenberg lightly chuckled, "He obviously thinks that you aren''t so mature for your age. In short, you''re a brat!"

    "Aha? Says the old man who''s too ashamed to admit that he''s ignorant!"

    "What the fuck did you say?!" Heisenberg rolled his sleeves and rushed at Ricardo.

    Calvin was quick to react and he stood between the two with the same bitter smile on his face.

    ''It seems that being with these two isn''t as rxing as I thought...''

    Fortunately, nothing really happened between Heisenberg and Ricardo. The group decided to take a look at the vige from the top of the hill before Calvin dered, "There''s really no use for us to hide. We will avoid the path of the scarecrows, but we will still use the entrance."

    "I agree..." Ricardo nodded. Heisenberg didn''t say anything but the fact that he took the lead and started walking towards the vige told the two everything that they needed to know.

    Thus, the group started to approach the Vige of Tulog.

    From a distance, the vige didn''t look that strange, but when they were about to reach the entrance. They noticed that the houses closest to the entrance were damaged. Strangely enough, the doors of the houses seemed to be destroyed by something with force. What''s more, the oilmp hanging over the front door directly behind the wind chime seemed to be casting an eerie shadow over the group.

    They took a closer look and discovered that the good fortune talismans normally stered above the doors of a house were separated into two pieces. The other half of the talisman was ced on the ground near the doors, while the other half was ced on the ce where one would usually find it on the houses back at Ashmelion.

    "The people here seem to practice the same culture as the outside world. Though, it''s disturbingly distorted." Calvin approached the doors of one of the closest damaged houses. He nced at Ricardo and thetter nodded his head, saying that he could detect that someone was living inside the abandoned house.

    Calvin then nced at Heisenberg.

    Heisenberg stared stupidly at Calvin before he asked with a stammer, "S-S-Should I go inside?"

    Calvin rolled his eyes at the old man, "It''s rude to enter a room without knocking! Of course, you have to knock!"

    "O-Okay..." Heisenberg mustered his carriage and with his crystal orb in tow. He moved closer to the door and knocked twice.

    "Hello! Is anyone there?"

    There was no response.

    He was about to knock once again when Calvin suddenly said.

    "Stop..."

    "W-What is it? I haven''t vited any taboo, right?"

    "Yeah, you haven''t... But only knock a maximum of three times."

    "W-Why...?"

    "Stop with the questions and just do what I say..." Calvin didn''t even have the energy to exin to this old man.

    "A-All right..."

    "I got it... I got it... I can do this... We will eventually meet up with the other vigers since we need to cooperate with them when ites to finding the other passengers of the wagon. I should be able to do this... Come on, it''s just knocking for fuck''s sake!" Heisenberg softly whispered into the air as he criticized himself.

    He raised his arm, and when his hand was about to reach the door in order to knock...

    The oilmp hanging over them suddenly went out.

 Chapter 168: You Can Stay in My Room

    Chapter 168: You Can Stay in My Room

    The disappearance of the me that fueled the light of the oilmp plunged everything into darkness.

    "Wha..." Heisenberg was quick to stifle the cry that was about toe out of his mouth.

    Ricardo''s expression paled. Both Heisenberg and Ricardo were spooked by this sudden change. Calvin''s arm remained hanging in mid-air and a frown was stered across his face as he whispered, "What the hell was that? Why did the light suddenly disappear?"

    "That''s what we want to know too!" Ricardo couldn''t help butment.

    There was no wind, and even though the oilmp was hung directly over the door. It was high enough that anyone would notice if someone was about to close its gas valve and extinguish the mes. The group swept their gaze across the other houses and discovered that the fire in the oilmps hanging over their doors was still alive. Strangely enough, they were swinging in the air even though there was still no wind.

    "What do you think, Ricardo? You''re the Scout here. Are there any Specters around us?" Calvin asked.

    Ricardo shook his head, "I wouldn''t be like this if there was! I can''t detect any malicious presence around us..."

    Heisenberg also turned to look at his crystal orb and shook his head, "There''s nothing in mine either."

    "All right..." Calvin nodded.

    "Should we go back to the tunnels for now?" Ricardo asked.

    This was the first time that he encountered a supernatural event without detecting any supernatural entity around him.

    Heisenberg didn''t answer. Instead, he turned to look at Calvin who also didn''t answer.

    Ricardo took their silence as their agreement, but when he turned around and took several steps towards the tunnels...

    He suddenly stopped in his tracks.

    For the hole in the wall where they came from had disappeared.

    The tunnels that they used to enter the vige had vanished.

    "What the fuck?"

    "Didn''t wee from there?"

    "Did the tunnel that we used just disappear?"

    Ricardo felt as if he was hallucinating.

    He even turned to look at Heisenberg and Calvin just to ask this question as if he was doubting his eyes.

    "Yeah, you''re not the only one that can see that it disappeared. It seems that there is no turning back at all at this point." Calvin smiled.

    "Why does it feel like you''re excited instead of worried that we are not able to get out of this ce anymore..." Heisenbergmented.

    "Hahaha..." Calvin lightly chuckled.

    With the disappearance of the tunnel, it was now futile for Ricardo to try and get out of the vige from where they came from. He walked towards Calvin and Heisenberg, but his eyes caught the faint silhouette of a figure from a distance. His eyebrows scrunched and his Aspect, in the form of a bow manifested in a blink of an eye.

    An arrow was quickly pointed at the faint silhouette as Calvin and Heisenberg trembled.

    "What''s wrong?" Calvin was the first one to ask.

    But his question wasn''t answered by Ricardo, but the faint silhouette that he saw in the distance.

    "That figure... it seems to be beckoning at us?" Heisenberg squinted his eyes to get a clearer look at the silhouette.

    "Yeah, I can see that. All right, we should go and approach it." Calvin decided.

    Ricardo''s expression nched, "Are you out of your mind? That might be a supernatural being, right there! Shouldn''t we first identify what it is before we approach it? Why are you being so reckless?"

    Calvin rolled his eyes and sighed, "All right, you go over and identify it then. Seeing that you''ve already summoned your Aspect. You should be able to handle whatever it is."

    Ricardo didn''t say anything.

    He started walking towards the silhouette and the group was finally able to take a good look at the silhouette''s identity.

    It was an old woman wearing a white one-piece tunic. The color of the tunic was faintly yellowed, indicating that it might have been a long time since it was washed. However, there was no stink whatsoever from the olddy. When Calvin and the others neared her, a kind smile spread on her face as she asked, "The three of you do not look like members of this vige..."

    "Does the three of you alsoe from the outside?" There was this faint smirk on the olddy''s wrinkled face that seemed to be permanent.

    Her tone of voice was weird, and it made everyone in the group ufortable.

    Ricardo nced at Heisenberg and Heisenberg faintly gave a nod.

    This nod meant one thing.

    The crystal orb hadn''t reacted to the olddy''s presence, so she wasn''t a supernatural being.

    She was human.

    Ricardo let out a sigh of relief, while Heisenberg had finally stopped holding back his breathing.

    Calvin, on the other hand, had noticed the olddy''s strange choice of words, so he asked in return, "Also? Was there another party that entered the vige earlier than us?"

    "Yes... More urately, we rescued them from a nearby catch basin. They were injured with some of them even died. we couldn''t just let them go after we saw them being so pitiful, so we dragged them here in the vige. Are they perhaps, your friends?" The olddy was still smiling.

    "Uh... Nope. They are not our friends at all. But we are fellow passengers from that ill-fated wagon, so it''s kind of our responsibility to see to it that they''re safe since we''re ants on the same boat." Calvin politely asked. His eyes were narrowed into slits as it wandered across the olddy''s body.

    But apart from the seemingly eternal smirk on his face that was slowly deepening as time passed by. There was nothing else abnormal about the olddy. That was, of course, if you exclude the fact that her cheeks were hollow and her eyes were sunken due to theck of sleep since she was obviously under the effects of the curse of sleeplessness.

    "Is that so? Do you and your friends have any ce to stay? It''s getting veryte in the night, and it''s cold outside." The olddy''s smile deepened, but this change was barely imperceptible. However, the swaying of the oilmps hanging over the doors of the abandoned houses around them didn''t escape the notice of the three.

    "Actually, we do not have a ce to stay..." Calvin was quick to answer when Ricardo was about to refuse the olddy.

    "I see... The vige is in an upheaval lightly, so I would rmend you to not wander about. Come with me, I have a spare room in my house, so you can stay in my room along with your friends. Tomorrow at daybreak, I will bring you to the other outsiders..." The olddy proposed.

    She was still smiling.

    "At daybreak? Why not we go there and visit them tonight?" Calvin asked.

    But his honest question seemed to have irritated the olddy for she didn''t reply.

    She turned to head back in the direction where she came from. Shockingly, she moved very fast.

    Before the three could even react, she was now heading in the direction of a particr house in the distance.

    "Should we follow her?" Ricardo asked.

    Calvin shrugged, "You can''t just p a smiling face. Since we need it, and she offered. It would be rude if we refused. Just keep an eye out for the taboos and it should be fine for us to follow her."

    "Okay, if you say so..." Ricardo was still hesitant.

    But Heisenberg had already taken the lead.

    "Look at him being so brave, don''t be such a scaredy-cat, Ricardo," Calvin smirked and decided to tease the guy.

    Ricardo became enraged almost instantly but before he realized it. Calvin had disappeared and was now walking beside Heisenberg.

    The temperature in the surroundings suddenly dropped.

    Ricardo felt a shiver down his spine, "Shit..."

    "Don''t leave me out here, you bastards!" Ricardo made a break for it and ran towards the two nonchntly walking in the distance.

    The olddy''s speed was not a joke. Although the three didn''t have to run to catch up to her, they had to walk briskly if they didn''t want to lose her from their sights. The olddy led them deeper into the Vige of Tulog, and after several turns here and there, the group finally reached the olddy''s house where they were staying for tonight.

    "Once you go inside the house, remember to not touch anything inside. Only one person can sleep on the stone bed, the others must sleep on the chair or on the floor. Do not open the window, and do not move any furniture once you''re inside. Sleep and wait for the night to pass..."

    "Once daybreak arrives, I will return and take you to the others."

    The olddy''s smile had deepened to the point that Ricardo and Heisenberg had finally noticed it.

    She didn''t allow them to speak as she opened the doors and led the three inside the house.

    Upon entering the house, the three discovered that it was bare.

    Apart from a stone bed. A table, a few chairs, and a cab. There was basically nothing inside the house.

    The olddy didn''t speak once they were inside the house. She turned around and was about to leave when Calvin suddenly asked.

    "Madame, may we know your name? You''ve been a great help to us outsiders, so it would just be right for us to introduce ourselves. I''m Calvin, while that young man over there is Ricardo. As for that bald-headed old man, his name is Heisenberg." Calvin was polite in this exchange, but the olddy''s face turned ugly upon being stopped in her tracks.

    After a few moments of silence, she eventually answered.

    "Cynthia..." She didn''t linger in the room anymore as she walked towards the exit.

    The others took a good look around the area.

    The room was lit up by candles standing on the table and above the cab.

    However, the candles on the cab seemed to be emanating a sweet stench. Evidently, it wasn''t a candle, but an incense stick.

    "Oh, what is this?..." Ricardo noticed a picture frame in front of the incense stick and what seemed to be a que inscribed with a name on the first drawer of the cab.

    Ricardo took a closer look at the que and his pupils immediately constricted upon reading the words...

    [To the loving memory of our valiant and hardworking mother...]

    [Here lie the ashes of Cynthia Bir]

    [For the darkness exists as the shadow of the light...]

    [Eternity is promised in the afterlife.]

 Chapter 169: Corpse Eaters

    Chapter 169: Corpse Eaters

    "Open it!" Calvin stretched his hand out and was quick to open the first drawer of the cab.

    There was a ceremonial urn inside. But there were no ashes in the urn.

    The three then snapped their heads towards the olddy as Heisenberg roared.

    "Stop her!"

    Calvin didn''t even need to say anything as an arrow slipped past his head, heading for the direction of the olddy.

    "Water Anchor Arrow!" Ricardo was quick to react to the sudden change.

    Calvin wasn''t slow either.

    "Aspect Transformation!"

    He whipped out his golden quill and a burst of golden light exploded in the room. The golden quill transformed into a rod with a hook at its end and Calvin hurled it over to the olddy.

    "Don''t even think about escaping! Heisenberg!" Calvin roared.

    "I know what to do!" Heisenberg was already on it before Calvin''s shout even rang out. He sprinkled a few mystical ingredients on his crystal orb and started to chant.

    "Suppress it!" Ricardo cried out.

    Ricardo''s Water Anchor Arrow formed an anchor that immobilized the enemy struck by its arrow. However, this immobilization wasn''t going tost for a long time. The olddy was unexpectedly strong and Ricardo could feel that his anchor would copse any moment now.

    Fortunately, Calvin''s hook had already arrived and ittched into the flesh of the olddy.

    Before she could even react, Calvin was already dragging her back into the room.

    Heisenberg raised his crystal orb and started chanting, "By the power vested onto me by the Goddess... Impure spirit, be banished!"

    The moment his words fell, the lighting from the crystal orb intensified and the olddy let out a piercing wail.

    "Shit!"

    "I''ve got it!"

    Calvin clicked his tongue out of irritation, but Ricardo had responded even before the olddy yelled.

    He pped a noise-isting talisman on the four walls of the room and Calvin was finally able to let out a sigh of relief.

    "Just what are you?" Heisenberg asked.

    "What''s wrong?" Ricardo approached them with a frown.

    "There''s no response... I can''t exorcise her. The divinity of the goddess is effective, but it doesn''t feel like it''s taking effect."

    Calvin let out a sigh, "The divine might of the goddess will always be effective against any evil-attributed being. But exorcising wouldn''t be effective against this monster, since she isn''t possessed. You cannot perform an exorcism on someone like that."

    "But if she isn''t possessed, then what is this?" Ricardo asked.

    Heisenberg turned to look at Calvin.

    The grimace on the olddy''s face was so terrifying to look at that Heisenberg automatically decided that she was being possessed. It was the only exnation why his crystal orb couldn''t detect the presence of an enemy despite being so near to an actual enemy.

    After all, ghosts that have enough ability to take possession of a human being also have the ability to extinguish their presence.

    It was simply just too difficult to detect them if they didn''t want to be noticed.

    Calvin didn''t respond to the two. He turned to look at the olddy and asked, "Who are you?"

    "Rasgyip, rowc, hojsods..." The olddy muttered under her breath. She seemed to be struggling under something.

    "No sign of intelligence... Unintelligible speech... continuously twitching body, with bulging ck veins. Come on, Heisenberg... This is too obvious for you to not know what kind of a monster this olddy is..." Calvin turned to look at Heisenberg and thetter trembled upon realizing what Calvin was talking about.

    "A Corpse Eater..."

    "A Corpse Eater?!" Ricardo couldn''t help but exim. He formed an arrow made of water with his mana and sent it piercing through the olddy''s heart. An injury like this should kill an average human being and if the olddy was possessed...

    It would incapacitate her body enough to force the ghost possessing her to abandon her body.

    However, despite suffering such a mortal injury her face was still full of unadulterated malice, and her eyes were still shining with that desire to kill.

    "No response to pain..."

    Ricardo gasped, "Aren''t Corpse Eaters supposed to only appear in a ce littered with corpses? Why would there be one in this ce that''s in the middle of nowhere?"

    "We''ll talk about thatter. We should first dispose of this monster." Calvin waved his hand and his golden quill appeared over his palm.

    With a flick of his sleeve, the golden quill flew directly into the eyebrows of the olddy and exited through the back of her head.

    Corpse Eaters might be undying and unable to feel any pain, but a single attack on their brainstem was sufficiently enough to kill any Corpse Eater out there.

    One didn''t have to pulverize their heads. Just attack the brain stem and any Corpse Eater would copse.

    With the olddy dead, Heisenberg couldn''t help but feel a shiver down his spine.

    "What the hell should we do now? Do we still continue our rescue efforts for the passengers? Since there''s a Corpse Eater here, every viger in this vige must''ve already turned into a Corpse Eater! We can''t trust anyone here apart from each other!"

    "That''s a reasonable answer, but your deduction might be wrong." Calvin''s eyes shed with seriousness, "Some of the passengers might not be dead, yet."

    "What do you mean?" Ricardo asked.

    "Isn''t it strange how a monster like the Corpse Eater is able to survive and even gain the ability to temporarily transform into a human? Both of you should know how a Corpse Eater works, so this situation must be incredibly strange for you too." Calvin asked.

    "Yeah... Corpse Eaters aren''t able to survive that long without sustenance. They should only be able to survive for a week at most. Yet this Corpse Eater seemed to have survived long enough that it was able to gain sufficient sentience to be able to transform herself into a human and even deceive us. But what is the point of your words?" Ricardo frowned.

    Heisenberg''s pupils constricted, "Calvin... Are you saying that..."

    "Yes..." Calvin''s expression was grim, "They must be frequently going out in the world to kidnap people and then imprison them for their sustenance. In short, they are treating people as military rations. The attackers that attacked us on the wagon and that Doppelganger must''vee from this vige. Their goal was to probably imprison and consume us all."

    Calvin deduced.

    But Ricardo had his doubts, "Wait, Calvin... There''s a hole in your deduction. If we were indeed attacked to be imprisoned and eventually captured. Why did those attackers deliberately let us go? Wouldn''t it be to their advantage if they also consumed us so we aren''t able to create any report towards the church and possibly threaten their lives?"

    Heisenberg also had a frown on his face. It didn''t make sense.

    Why would you deliberately capture a tiger, and then release it again back to the mountain?

    "There''s only one exnation as to why they let us go. It''s because they aren''t nning on capturing us in the first ce. As for why? It should probably be because they want to lure members of the three Judiciaries into the vige. If we hadn''t ventured into this vige and just went to report to the church directly, the church wouldn''t bother sending a punitive force..."

    "That is probably the reason why a newly-minted Cavalier like me got the mission order in the first ce. The threat level just isn''t enough for the church to send a force like that. Especially with resources being spread too thin..."

    "A mysterious attacker and the disappearance of dozens of passengers? That does warrant a supernatural report, but it does not deserve the action of branch captains, much more the action of a high-ranking official of the church."

    Calvin let out a sigh when he remembered that at least a dozen members of the Judiciaries perished before a high-ranking official of the church went out to exterminate whatever monster was killing their talents. But it was already toote. Calvin had no idea what monster was guing the vige since the church was always trying its best to keep its failure under wraps...

    But rumors were always abundant.

    Calvin had personally confirmed that a Cardinal was sent to exterminate the monster in the vige.

    The monster was dealt with in the end, but hundreds or possibly even thousands of lives had already been lost.

    "Damn it..." Ricardo couldn''t help but stomp his foot on the ground.

    Heisenberg''s expression was grim. Hesitation briefly shed across his face for a moment before he asked, "Are you sure that there are still survivors? How certain are you with your deduction?"

    Calvin bitterly chuckled, "There are no certainties in this world, dear Heisenberg. Who knows? Dozens of Corpse Eaters might fancy a snack or two in the middle of the night, and by the time we knew where they were they are already dead? However, there is one thing that I am certain of..."

    "If we keep dilly-dallying here, we might not be able to recover even the remains of those passengers." Calvin raised his head and swept his gaze across Ricardo and Heisenberg, "I''m able to force open an exit, so the two of you can escape from this vige. However, I will not escape until I have discovered the secret of this vige. If the two of you are going to escape, please make a report to the authorities..."

    "Send a punitive forceing my way as soon as possible," Calvin asked.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo looked at each other.

    These two men weren''t strong at all.

    A single Corpse Eater wasn''t a problem for them.

    A dozen? Doable.

    But a hundred? Or maybe even an entire vige?

    Heisenberg and Ricardo felt shivers down their spines.

    They didn''t want to die.

    None of them wanted to die.

    Especially, Ricardo...

    He was still so young and he was on his way to bing famous in the Capital City of Laguna. He doesn''t even have any business in this vige in the first ce, so why would he bother staying here for the sake of a few passengers that are surely about to die or maybe even already dead anyway?

    Ricardo gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    "Calvin... I... I don''t want to die..." He said. Tears threatened to spill out of his eyes.

    Since Ricardo had already spoken up, Heisenberg was quick to respond.

    "I also don''t want to die... I''m not going to die in this ce. I''m still not done with what I ought to do."

    "I''m sorry, Calvin..."

    Regret and frustration were visible on the faces of the two, but Calvin couldn''t really me them.

    If they stayed here, then they would definitely face an army of Corpse Eaters.

    Calvin understood and knew their will to live far too well.

    He once had to make a decision like them.

    The only difference was he chose to fight instead of running away.

    But despite the fact that they were choosing to run away and preserve their lives, Calvin wasn''t nning on mocking them.

    Taking out a piece of paper from his pocket...

    He summoned his golden quill and started scribbling on the surface of the piece of paper. Calvin then handed it over to Ricardo.

    "I''ve memorized the route that we took when we were led this way. I''ll stay here for now to think."

    Calvin smiled and then took another piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over to Heisenberg, "When you are near the tunnels where we came from. ce this paper on the wall and infuse it with Mana. You''ll be able to see the tunnel again, and you can use it to exit the vige."

    Heisenberg received the piece of paper, and although he was doubtful.

    He didn''t say anything out of respect to Calvin who didn''t mock nor deride them for choosing a path to live.

    Ricardo and Heisenberg stared at each other.

    The duo nodded their heads and Heisenberg walked towards the exit.

    "We''ll be going now, Calvin."

    "Yeah, I wish you luck on your journey. In the Goddess''s Will."

    "In the Goddess''s Will."

    Heisenberg made the divine gesture of the Goddess of Compassion and Light on his chest before he opened the doors and exited the room with Ricardo.

    He took one final deep nce at Calvin before he let out a sigh and turned around to leave...

    He had already made a decision, and there was no room for regrets.

    Calvin was now alone.

    "Again..."

    "I''m alone once again..."

    A sigh escaped out of his lips.

    A sigh of exhaustion and weariness.

 Chapter 170: The Sabbath

    Chapter 170: The Sabbath

    Calvin wasn''t idle either as Heisenberg and Ricardo made their escape.

    There was one thing that he must do now that he had the carcass of a Corpse Eater inside this room.

    Fortunately, Calvin had enough time to do what he must do.

    Corpse Eaters were relentless monsters that know no pain, nor the existence of stamina. They were tireless and ruthless monsters that would chase you to the end until they had eaten your brains out. With this considered, Corpse Eaters were monsters that Calvin had always considered as a pain in the ass to deal with.

    Especially due to their ridiculous regenerative capabilities. In fact, some Corpse Eaters such as the Graved Dead were able to regenerate their entire body so long as their brain stem exists. But despite this seemingly monstrous ability to recover making them an incredibly difficult enemy to deal with. Corpse Eaters still had a defined weakness.

    Calvin had once authored a book about Corpse Eaters detailing his encounter with the living dead. In that book, he had noted and emphasized the existence of a particr concoction that proved so strong against the living dead that a single attack of his sword was enough to slice through their hardened skin and decapitate their heads.

    The name of that concoction was the Corpse Eater Oil.

    ''Corpse Eaters might be tenacious bastards, yet not even the foulest living dead could withstand a de coated with the grease of their kin.''

    Calvin noted in his book back then.

    With how useful the Corpse Eater Oil was against the living dead. Surely, it would be expensive to create them, right?

    But nope...

    The Corpse Eater Oil only required a single ingredient.

    A Corpse Eater.

    More specifically, its skin.

    If one fried a Corpse Eater''s skin with its own fat, and reduce it to a third of its size...

    The foul liquid that would be left behind would surely be the Corpse Eater Oil.

    Calvin would''ve loved to give Heisenberg and Ricardo a share of their own Corpse Eater Oil, but a single vial of Corpse Eater Oil was extremely time-consuming to make.

    If Calvin wanted to make enough Corpse Eater Oil for him, and both Heisenberg as well as Ricardo. It would take him the entire day.

    But ten minutes was enough for Calvin to coat the tip of his pen with the Corpse Eater Oil.

    Unfortunately, the olddy might be a genuine Corpse Eater, but she was not even a Purveyor-Ranked monster.

    Specters and other supernatural beings share the same ranking system coined by the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods. Monsters below the Purveyor-Rank were farmon than those ranked as Purveyor, and if the olddy was indeed at the Purveyor Rank.

    It would''ve been impossible for Calvin to kill her earlier without the support of the Corpse Eater Oil.

    The olddy''s death was a fortunate event for Calvin.

    A smile crept upon his lips as he summoned his Aspect and transformed it into the shape of a dagger.

    He sliced a huge chunk of skin from the olddy''s arm and then carried that skin into a nearby oilmp.

    Calvin took that oilmp, removed its cover, and then ced a stone above the mes.

    Then, heid the chunk of meat above the stone as an ufortable expression appeared on his face. Despite being used to smelling the foulest scent possible back then when Calvin was still roaming the Valley of Death and Sorrow.

    He still felt nauseous being in close proximity with the disgusting flesh of a Corpse Eater.

    As the meat sizzled, a scent that could only be described as the amalgamation of a thousand farts wafted out into the air.

    Calvin had to take a step backward and nce at the olddy Cynthia whoid there with its true identity revealed.

    A Witch...

    Witches were feared by themon folk, not because of their mystical abilities to cause disaster and tragedy. There was no truth to their tales of midnight flights on broomsticks and their houses filled with delicious candies. In fact, themon folk feared them for their hunger and lust for flesh that was warm and fresh.

    Ricardo must''ve immediately recognized the olddy''s identity and that was probably the reason why he had responded faster than Calvin and Heisenberg in the earlier scuffle.

    Calvin wasn''t disgruntled by this though.

    He was even relieved that Ricardo had moved that fast. If they were just a beat slower, then the Witch might''ve turned around and pounced onto one of them instead.

    Witches were known for their speed and their ability to assassinate.

    If ittched onto anyone, they could kill that person in just under three seconds.

    Themon folk feared them for their ruthlessness, for they always tried their best to devour their prey alive and watch them suffer.

    This was why the Witch became so infamous to the extent that parents even use them to scare their child off wandering at night.

    "Fucking hell... Since a Witch exists here, then there must be a Sabbath..." Calvin mumbled.

    Witches frequently gather in groups that themon people call as Sabbath.

    It was unknown how the term itself came to light since anymon people who had witnessed a Sabbath couldn''t possibly live the next day to tell the tale. But the point here was that the Sabbath must be avoided at all costs.

    Calvin opened his notebook and a rough map of the entire vige was revealed in front of his eyes.

    The three of them entered the vige from the main entrance which was located in the southern part of the vige. Then, they went east, and the olddy eventually led them to this part of the vige which was directly opposite to where they discovered the olddy. In short, they weren''t that close to the vige center, but they weren''t that far either.

    A grim look appeared on Calvin''s face.

    The route that he gave to Heisenberg and Ricardo should be safe, but certainties didn''t exist in this world.

    ''What could go wrong, will go wrong.''

    Calvin had survived long enough until the end of the invader''s invasion by living with this principle.

    ''I should probably check on those two just to make sure...'' Calvin''s eyes narrowed into slits.

    He nced at the sizzling meat of Corpse Eater flesh and after noticing that sufficient oil had formed. He took his golden quill and coated its tip with the Corpse Eater Oil. Leaving the chunk of meat to sizzle and produce more oil for him when he returned, Calvin walked out of the small hut and proceeded to use the route that he gave Heisenberg and Ricardo to follow them and ensure their safe exit.

    ...

    Heisenberg and Ricardo silently walked towards the end of the route that they had received from Calvin. None of them spoke at all, apparently embarrassed and ashamed about their cowardly conduct of exiting the vige instead of punishing the evil-doers with their own hands.

    But could anyone really me them for their decision?

    That was up to debate, and at this moment...

    These two had no intentions to think about their pride and dignity at all.

    They just wanted to live.

    They didn''t want to die in this nameless ce without leaving any legacy for their families.

    It was deep in the night, and not even the existence of the oilmps hanging over the closed doors of the houses that they were passing through was able to diffuse the unease in their hearts. Ricardo had his Predator Senses to back him up, and it made traversing through the night rtively easy since he could see through darkness as if he had the eyes of a cat.

    Heisenberg, on the other hand, was struggling to make heads or tails in the darkness.

    He was able to see through the darkness with the blessings of the Goddess, but it wasn''t as strong as the Vision of a Predator.

    If aparison had to be made...

    Ricardo could see everything around him in a distance of a hundred meters in diameter while in total darkness, while Heisenberg could see half of that.

    In short, Ricardo''s vision was limited to a hundred meters around him while Heisenberg could only see roughly fifty meters around him.

    "What are those in the distance?" Heisenberg broke the silence to ask.

    Ricardo followed Heisenberg''s line of sight, and there he saw several old women dancing around a non-existence bonfire.

    "Those women... What are they doing?"

    "Are they dancing?" Ricardo mumbled in doubt.

    "Can you identify them?" Heisenberg asked. Sweat dripped down his forehead. He could feel that the women were dangerous but as much as he wanted to avoid them. It was impossible for them to do so since the women were dancing around the southern entrance where the three of them came from.

    If they turned around to use another exit, that would mean that they had to use the northern entrance which was a few hundred meters away from where they were right now. What''s worse, they would definitely need to pass through the vige center. The vige center must be where all the danger was concentrated. They must never venture there if they wanted to keep their lives.

    "I can''t... I can''t identify them... But they seem to be wearing the same clothes as the Corpse Eater earlier. I think it''s safe for us to assume that these women are also Corpse Eaters."

    "Yeah, no shit detective. I want to know what kind of Corpse Eaters are they! What are they? Graved Dead? Ghouls? Hags? Creepers?"

    "I know... But I can''t identify them when we''re so far... All I know is that they are wearing women''s clothes..." Ricardo squinted his eyes in an effort to take as much light as possible into his retina to take a clearer look at the silhouettes dancing in the distance. But no matter how hard he tried, the silhouettes were still as fuzzy and vague as ever.

    "We''ve got to move closer... I''m positive that I''ll be able to identify them if I can just catch a glimpse of what they look like behind those baggy clothes..." Heisenberg muttered.

    As a Priest of the Church of All-Epassing Light...

    He was more than qualified to deal with Corpse Eaters than Ricardo.

    After all, it was his daily task to check the cemeteries for ghouls and exterminate them if they were present. Heisenberg was confident that he could find a suitable verse to exterminate these monsters in the gospel of the Goddess of Compassion and Light.

    But that was in the condition that he had urately identified them.

    If he couldn''t even identify what kind of a Corpse Eater those silhouettes were...

    They might as well just turn around and regroup with Calvin or try their best to exit through the northern entrance.

    "All right, let''s approach them... Stay clear of the windows and stick close to the shadows of the houses..." Ricardo advised.

    "I know..." Heisenberg rolled his eyes.

    Ricardo didn''t respond to Heisenberg''s clear displeasure as he needed to heighten his senses in order to react as fast as he could to any changes in the surroundings.

    80 meters.

    70 meters.

    60 meters...

    "Now that I think about it, how did you react so fast earlier? You were even faster than me." Heisenberg asked.

    Ricardo revealed a smile, "It was because the moment that I saw that antenna, I was sure that the olddy was a Witch."

    "Antenna?" Heisenberg asked, "Witches have antennas?"

    "Yeah... By antennas, I mean that strand of hair that sticks out of their scalp the moment they abandoned their disguises. That is how you can reliably identify a Witch. That was such a close call earlier, Witches are known for their speed and assassination. If I had moved just a beat slower, then she might''ve pounced on Calvin and killed him on the spot." Ricardo was still feeling nervous about what he had done earlier.

    "Are you sure that she was a Witch?" Heisenberg asked in doubt.

    But his eyes were staring at the group of women dancing in the distance.

    "Of course, I am! I''ve encountered one of them back at my first mission order with my colleagues and the captain... That mission sure was a nightmare, but fortunately, our captain was there and he handled those Witches for us." Ricardo beamed with a smile and looked iparably proud.

    But Heisenberg was trembling.

    Trembling out of fear.

    "D-D-Did you say that Witches have antennas? If I recall correctly, Witches hunt in groups, right...?"

    "What''s wrong with you, old man? Are you bing afraid of the dark? Hahaha, well yeah... Witches do hunt in groups, and themon people call their group as Sabbath. I have no idea how people knew that Witches hunt in groups though since my Captain always said that once anyone attracted the attention of a Sabbath, so long as they weren''t capable enough..."

    "They would definitely not live the next day to tell the tale."

    "T-T-Then, are you capable enough?" Heisenberg asked. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva as the fear in his eyes violently twirled.

    "Capable enough to what?" Ricardo furrowed his eyebrows, "Just what the hell are you talking about? Wait... what are you looking at?"

    Ricardo followed Heisenberg''s line of sight and his pupils immediately constricted.

    His face paled and his lungs seemed to have lost the function to breathe.

    "W-W-Witches! S-S-Since they are in a group... I-I-I-It''s the Sabbath!"

    Ricardo finally discovered the identities of the figures dancing around in the distance. The strand of hair sticking out of their scalps were just too catchy to ignore. What''s worse, the moment Ricardo revealed the true identities of these women. The Witches seemed to have smelled the stench of fearing from their bodies.

    The Witches froze and turned their heads to look right into Ricardo and Heisenberg''s eyes.

    Death...

    The two felt like death itself was staring right into their very soul, making them feel helpless and naked.

    Then, in the very next moment...

    The Witches opened their mouths and let out a piercing shriek that seemed to sound their death knells.

    "WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

 Chapter 171: Frantic Escape

    Chapter 171: Frantic Escape

    "Fear is defeated by courage. In the Goddess, we trust!"

    Heisenberg made the sign of the All-Epassing Light on his chest as a burst of divine light surged from his body. The divine light also covered Ricardo who immediately recovered from his trance upon sensing the warmth of the Goddess''spassion and light.

    But before he could even react, Heisenberg dragged him by his arm, and the two of them made a break for it.

    "Fuck, fuck, fuck..." Heisenberg was running at full speed.

    He didn''t care if Ricardo couldn''t match his pace, he was now relying on his survival instincts to run.

    Fortunately, Ricardo was far more battle-hardened than he had expected. When he woke up from his trance, he had immediately summoned his Aspect and aimed an arrow directly at the Witches chasing at them from behind.

    "Water Anchor Arrow!" Ricardo unleashed a skill and an arrow made out of water flew towards one of the Witches. Water Anchor Arrow was a skill that could temporarily immobilize those that were hit by it.

    However, since this was a single-targeted skill, it could only stop anyone that was struck by it.

    Ricardo knew this skill far too well and he also knew how to take advantage of it.

    He aimed his arrow at the Witch that was the closest to them in hopes that the Witch''s sudden stop would cause the other Witches behind it to stumble onto the ground.

    That would buy them enough time to widen their distance from the Witches and hopefully escape.

    But unfortunately, the Witches weren''t feared by themon people and the Judiciaries alike for nothing...

    They were incredibly agile, and Ricardo''s fast arrow didn''t even manage to touch even the hem of their clothes.

    It couldn''t even cause any disturbance as it slipped past the Witches.

    In fact, the attack even further intensified the anger that the Witches had for these intruders.

    To think that they would dare to interrupt their dancing?

    These Witches were out for blood, and they wouldn''t stop until they saw one.

    "We''ve got to split... We can''t keep running like this. If we do we''ll reach the vige center, and that is where the danger concentrates."

    Heisenberg suddenly broke the silence. It was surprising enough that he was able to keep up with Ricardo despite his old age, but he was also proposing for them to split?

    It has to be known that even though Priest''s were more than qualified to deal with Corpse Eaters.

    Their attacks needed to be chanted and chanting needed time to prepare. What''s more, once the Priest started to chant the gospel of the subject of their faith. They would definitely attract the attention and hate of the impure beings that they were trying to annihte.

    In other words, Heisenberg was saying that he would lure these Witches to his side so Ricardo could escape on his own.

    But how could Ricardo ept that?

    "Old man, you bastard... What the fuck are you talking about? We''re all in this together! How can I escape without you?" Ricardo grumbled.

    "Don''t make meugh, Ricardo. I know that you also want to live. We''re all in this together? What a joke. If you''re that principled, then why did you decide to leave Calvin alone?" Heisenberg coldly mocked.

    Ricardo''s face fell. His cheeks burned with embarrassment as he bit his lips out of frustration.

    The vige center was slowly bing closer and closer in Ricardo''s eyes.

    They had to make a decision.

    They couldn''t possibly go to the vige center since the repulsive aura that the ce was radiating alone made it obvious that the vige center was where these Corpse Eaters ughtered human beings for their consumption. The amount of resentment there was enough warning sign for them to steer clear from that ce.

    A decision must be done.

    "Damn it all!"

    Ricardo was done.

    He had already embarrassed himself once by leaving Calvin alone in that house, yet was he still going to shame himself by abandoning Heisenberg?

    Ricardo couldn''t take it anymore.

    He turned around and faced the Witches with an arrow ced on the strings of his bow.

    "Shit, what the fuck are you doing, you punk?!"

    Heisenberg noticed the change and he couldn''t help but let out a curse.

    He stopped in his tracks and turned around only to realize that Ricardo wasn''t going to make it.

    His arrow was already on the bow, but the Witches were just too fast.

    "You fucking brat!"

    Heisenberg bit his lips and spat a mouthful of blood onto the crystal ball that he was holding.

    The divine white light radiating from the crystal orb abruptly turned crimson, while Heisenberg''s expression paled.

    A resolute light shone in his eyes as he raised the crystal orb into the air and mumbled, "Quagmire!"

    "Ah!" The Witches in the distance simultaneously fell onto the floor as the ground they were running on turned into mud. The mud that Heisenberg had created seemed to be simr to quicksand as the more the Witches struggled, the more they sunk deeper into the mud.

    "WAAAAAAHHH!!!" The Witches let out a soundless shriek.

    But before the sound waves could reach both Heisenberg and Ricardo, thetter had unleashed his attack.

    "Water Arrow of Piercing!" Ricardo fiercely grunted and an arrow of water flew towards one of the Witches in the front.

    But while the arrow was in mid-air, it suddenly stopped for a moment before it separated into three separate arrows, each going into the foreheads of the three Witches that were stuck in the mud.

    Puchi!

    The sound of flesh being prated audibly rang out.

    "Got''em!" Ricardo cheered when he heard this sound.

    "No! Not yet! They''re still alive!" Heisenberg warned.

    As the smoke settled, Ricardo''s pupils constricted upon seeing that his arrow had indeed pierced through the foreheads of the Witches...

    But they were still alive.

    And that wound was visibly recovering right in front of their eyes.

    Fear shed across Heisenberg''s face when he noticed that not only Ricardo''s attacks were ineffective. It only increased the anger that the Witches had for them.

    While the two of them were standing there in confusion, the Witches were doing their best to crawl out of the quagmire.

    When Heisenberg recovered from his initial shock, he noticed that one of the Witches was already halfway through getting out of the mud.

    "Shit, we''ve got to run..." Heisenberg turned around only to find Ricardo cing another arrow onto his bow.

    "Ricardo, we need to run! Now!" Heisenberg cried out.

    "Give me a moment, I will stop them here..." Ricardo frantically ced another arrow on the strings of his bow, and as he took aim...

    He was about to unleash another Water Anchor Arrow when the Witches standing the closest to them got out of the mud, then leaped into the air.

    The Witch''s goal was clear.

    It was to knock down Ricardo and devour him alive.

    "No..." Ricardo despaired.

    But while the Witch was in mid-air, a figure stood in front of him.

    It was Heisenberg.

    "You troublesome brat." There was a smile on his face.

    A smile that looked so dazzling, and heroic, yet full of bitterness at the same time.

    "Evil is in their hearts..."

    "Oh, Goddess of Compassion and Light."

    "Give to them ording to their works done by their hands..."

    "Render to them their reward."

    Heisenberg took a stance with his fist and even abandoned his crystal orb as he dropped it onto the ground.

    "WAAAAAAHHH!"

    The Witch in mid-air seemed to have been agitated by Heisenberg''s chanting as the ck veins scattered throughout its entire body convulsed.

    It raised its hand and revealed its w.

    The Witch''s attention was now on Heisenberg.

    As it neared the two, the Witch stretched its hand above its head, ready to cleave Heisenberg into two pieces the moment it was near enough.

    "Hear my humble supplication..."

    Heisenberg smiled.

    The Witch was finally in range and it sent an attack so fast that Ricardo couldn''t even see it.

    But Heisenberg was even faster.

    Divine light converged in his be as he stepped aside and effortlessly avoided the Witch''s attack.

    Then, he caught the Witch''s arm in mid-air and chanted.

    "The Goddess is my strength..."

    "And my protector."

    Power surged throughout Heisenberg''s body as his right arm doubled in size.

    A crunchy noise then followed as he crushed the Witch''s arm with a single hand before kicking the Witch away, back towards its twopanions.

    "WAAAAAAH!"

    The Witch let out a sorrowful and pained shriek as it collided against itsrades.

    With Quagmire still in effect, she was once again back and sinking into the mud. Herrades that were about to escape were also forced down deeper into the mud.

    Heisenberg was still standing there, with his body radiating the divine light of the Goddess.

    "Heisenberg...?" Ricardo was still in shock.

    Heisenberg trembled.

    "Why are you still here...?" He turned around and when Ricardo saw his face, he was shocked to find Heisenberg slowly being covered by ck veins that seemed to be spreading from where the Witch''s blood made contact with his body.

    "Run..."

    "You''ve got to run, Ricardo..."

    "A-Are you okay?" Ricardo asked.

    To be honest, at this point, Ricardo didn''t even know what he was talking about. It was obvious that Heisenberg wasn''t all right, but he had no idea what to say. He was speechless after seeing Heisenberg''s disy of courage and bravery.

    "Hehehe, do you think that a mere corruption is able to stop me in my tracks now that I am in Combat Form?" Heisenberg''s bald head seemed to have transformed into a mirror at this moment, "You have to run before I run out of time in my Combat Form. Once my Combat Form expires, we will surely die."

    A serious look was on Heisenberg''s face.

    "No, I will not." Ricardo dered.

    "What? Are you trying to waste my efforts?" Heisenberg was getting angry.

    "I''m sorry, Heisenberg. But I will not run anymore."

    "I''ve already abandoned Calvin. And I''ve had enough." An indifferent look appeared on Ricardo''s face.

    He picked up his bow and aimed at the Witches.

    "Hahaha..." Heisenberg startedughing. He was now starting to like Ricardo and the development that he was undergoing. However, a sorrowful look briefly appeared on his face for a moment since he knew that they couldn''t possibly leave this ce anymore.

    It was so unfortunate that they would most likely die in this encounter, but Heisenberg was still hopeful.

    He turned to look at Ricardo and stared at the young man''s eyes.

    "Are you up for a drink once we make it out of here alive?"

    Ricardo was stunned for a while before he responded, "What the fuck are you asking me out for? Do you swing that way?"

    Heisenberg rolled his eyes, "Do you think I''m Old Zhong? I like women, my friend. I''d rather die than look at a guy."

    "Hahaha..." Ricardo was alsoughing now, "Say no more, old man. I understand. If we get out of here alive, we''ll drink to our deaths."

    "Yeah, we''ll make sure to get Calvin toe with us too." Heisenberg smiled.

    "All right..."

    Ricardo nodded his head as he briefly looked at the direction where they left Calvin.

    A mncholic light appeared in Ricardo''s eyes for a moment but it was quickly dispelled and reced by a resolute light that was determined to defy the odds and escape from this vige alive.

    Ricardo soundlessly ced an arrow on the strings of his bow.

    Heisenberg stood in front of the Witches with his body enhanced by the Goddess''s blessing and his Combat Form.

    "Tonight..." Heisenberg smiled.

    What followed afterwards was a roar...

    "We dine in hell!"

    ... a roar of defiance.

    Heisenberg raised his fist and was about to pulverize the Witch''s head in front of him when he suddenly stopped.

    "Water Anchor Arr-" Ricardo also abruptly stopped.

    Their ears trembled as their sharp senses enabled them to hear the whispers of a woman calling their name somewhere far away.

    The Witches stuck in the mud showed fear on their faces.

    They turned around and started to make a frantic escape as they tried their best to crawl in the opposite direction.

    The survival instincts of the three Witches seemed to have been ignited as their strength soared, enabling them to break free from the mud in just under five seconds.

    The Witches quickly fled the scene.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo also took advantage of this opportunity to run and hide in a nearby alleyway.

    "W-What was that...?"

    "Yeah..."

    As the two desperately tried to catch their breaths, their expressions wereplicated as they thought about what just happened.

    The departure of the Witches meant that they had sessfully avoided a battle to the death, but since the voice of that woman was enough to scare those despicable Corpse Eaters away...

    It was obvious that the woman was an existence far scarier than the Witches.

    "Shit... Those bitches are already so strong that we couldn''t even handle one of them. Yet, a woman''s voice that was so faint was able to scare them away from attacking us?"

    "We can''t do this anymore... We can''t..."

    "We have to escape."

    "The evil lurking in this ce isn''t something that we can handle..."

    "It''s not our ce to intervene with what''s going on in this vige."

    "We have to go back to Calvin and tell him about what just happened."

    Heisenberg dered amidst his bated breaths.

 Chapter 172: A Cry

    Chapter 172: A Cry

    "Since there is a Witch here, then there must be a Sabbath. A Sabbath might be dangerous however, they only stay in one ce. I must locate where the Sabbath is, then memorize that location so I can avoid it at all costs. However, a Witch isn''t an existence that pops up randomly in a battlefield like Ghouls or Creepers..."

    "In short, something must''ve brought them here..." Calvin thought to himself.

    He was careful in his movements, cautious of viting any taboo as he followed the route that he gave Heisenberg and Ricardo.

    "The Witch earlier wasn''t even at the Purveyor-rank... If I were to make a deduction, then there must be no Ambassador-ranked monster here, or the church would''ve already noticed this vige earlier and sent a punitive force. But just because there''s no Ambassador doesn''t mean that there are no Emissaries... Furthermore, what if there are a dozen Purveyor-ranked monsters here?"

    "The Mortician''s strength is below that of a Purveyor, but I should be able to forcefully raise his strength by burning the essence that he got from Valefor''s soul fragment. Unfortunately, that would mean that I am risking the Mortician''s death since using that essence that''s already infused in his body meant that I am also burning a part of his vitality at the same time..."

    "I won''t use that method unless pushes to shove."

    "For now, I should investigate the vige and find out just what kind of monsters are in here and how many of them are here..."

    Calvin faintly nodded. He had made his n and a decision was done.

    "But still, discover the secret of the Vige of Tulog? And gain followers? How do I even gain followers when I guess every person in this vige is already dead? Could it be that there are still survivors? That should be the case... I don''t think the Ascension System would give a mission with no rhyme or reason nor any way toplete it."

    "There must be survivors here somewhere..."

    Calvin pondered before an idea came to mind, "The vigers must''ve gathered those passengers they kidnapped to the vige center. We scouted the vige from the high ground earlier, but we haven''t seen any kind of settlement suitable for prisoners around the western, eastern, southern, and northern parts of the vige. In other words, the kidnapped passengers must be in the vige center."

    Calvin made his way towards the southern gate of the vige using the route that he had memorized. A piercing shriek suddenly rang ahead of him and his pupils constricted in shock. The shriek was so loud that it was impossible that it only came from a single being. The sound must be the result of the amalgamation of shrieks and this particr cry could onlye from a single foul monster.

    The Witch.

    Sabbath.

    "The Witches!"

    "Fuck, they must''ve startled the Sabbath!" Calvin cursed out loud as he kicked the ground with his feet and made a dash for it towards the direction where the shriek hade from. Priests might be more than qualified to deal against the Witches, but that was only true if Heisenberg knew where to attack.

    Witches could only be killed by destroying their brain stems.

    Calvin was now regretting the fact that he hadn''t told the two about this particr fatal weakness of the Witches.

    "I''ve been too careless... But damn it, why didn''t I expect that there was a chance for these two to meet the Sabbath? First, why is the Sabbath even at the Southern Gate? Shouldn''t they be gathering at the vige center instead?"

    "That doesn''t make sense, the Witches consume the flesh of the living for their sustenance just like every other Corpse Eater out there, but why are they stationed at the southern gate? Why are they not at the vige center where they can pick and consume anyone they like at any time they desire?"

    "Someone must be controlling these monsters behind the scenes. We came from the southern gate, so we are distant from the northern gate... It doesn''t take a genius to find out that we would most likely exit the vige through the southern gate. Someone must be observing us, I don''t know where, but that someone or something must be toying with us..."

    "If they have the ability to control these wretches, then they must be at least an Emissary. An Emissary in a ce like this is an existence that''s basically equal to a god. Even if the three of usbined our strength, there is no way that we are able to kill that kind of a monster..."

    "Just what kind of a monster is behind all of these? Could it be that it''s the Saintess of Death?"

    A concerned look appeared on Calvin''s face, "If it''s indeed the Saintess of Death, then we''re fucked... A being that''s strong enough to cause miracles and be the subject of faith is basically on the same level as Subordinate Gods. They are only weaker than the Seven Gods and Goddesses. They are peak existences indeed..."

    "Damn it, Grace... Do you consider this as an S-Tier Quest? If we''re facing the Saintess of Death, then this must be a triple S tiered quest! You categorized it wrong!" Calvin couldn''t help but grumble out of irritation. Although he knew that there was a low chance that they were indeed facing a Subordinate God. After all, if that were the case, then the church would''ve already detected its presence.

    But something that wasn''t a Subordinate God meant that it could be an Ambassador.

    Or maybe even an Emissary.

    Both were existences that Calvin couldn''t possibly defeat in his current state even if he used everything that he had.

    A bitterugh escaped from Calvin''s mouth, but then his expression suddenly froze.

    It was because the fire of the oilmps hanging over the doors of the houses around him suddenly extinguished.

    Calvin was instantly plunged into darkness.

    "Fuck!" A low groan came out of Calvin''s throat as he forced himself to stop at such speed. He swept his gaze around the area as a conjecture appeared in his mind, ''My situation might look hopeless right now, but if the ''thing'' that''s controlling everything in this vige is indeed toying with us, then it''s impossible that ''it'' wants us to die prematurely...''

    ''There must be hope within the despair. A light within the darkness.''

    ''Light...''

    ''Where is it...''

    Calvin activated his Predator Senses and the darkness around him was dispelled. Having a Golden ss, he was able to see through the darkness as if it was in the daytime.

    His eyes frantically darted around until he spotted an oilmp hanging over a door a few meters ahead of him.

    Calvin responded immediately.

    He made a mad dash for the door and forced it open with his shoulders.

    Bang!

    A loudmotion ensued, and as the door was opened. A hair-raising aura seemed to have turned its eyes to his way.

    "Close it!" Calvin screamed in his heart.

    He closed the wooden door and as soon as the door was closed. The sinister aura vanished as if it hadn''t existed in the first ce.

    A sigh came out of Calvin''s mouth, but before he could fully rx.

    A woman''s crying voice rang out from the streets just outside the house where he was in.

    "What is that? A woman? Is she a viger here? No, that should not be the case. That resentment that I felt can''t possiblye from a human being... She must be a monster. But just what kind of a monster? The Bestiary depicts at least a dozen monsters who can transform into women and cry, what is she?" A tense look suffused Calvin''s face.

    He stood where he was, unwilling to move for even an inch.

    A paper was in his hand, its surface riddled with ink that formed a mysterious rune.

    Calvin remained rooted on the spot, but his body leaned closer to the small gap in the door.

    His eyes shone in a golden hue as he activated his Vision to look at what was going on out in the street.

    The street was still basked in darkness, the winds howled and chilly, but as soon as Calvin peeked through the gap in the door.

    The winds suddenly stopped.

    Not a noise existed at this moment apart from the woman''s crying.

    ''It''s here!''

    A faint floating silhouette revealed itself in the distance.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted as he focused his gaze in that direction.

    Soon, the silhouette revealed its identity.

    She was a monster wearing clothes belonging to the dead.

    Pale and bald, with a shriveled face and a corpse-like body.

    She was a...

    "Banshee!"

    The Banshee floated out in the streets as it continued to cry.

    Calvin realized that the Banshee wasn''t slow at all, instead, it was flying fast as if it had a purpose.

    It visited each and every house around the block until it eventually reached the house where Calvin was hiding.

    Sweat dripped from Calvin''s forehead as he slowly brought his body down. His muscles tensed like an arrow ready to fly. The Banshee was a terrifying monster simr to a moonwraith. Fortunately, one didn''t need to take advantage of a moment''s weakness simr to the moonwraith to actually attack the Banshee.

    It was because Banshee''s had a physical body.

    It might be a Specter in nature, but they were more of a Corpse Eater than a Specter due to this physical attribute.

    Still, fighting a Banshee was no-joke.

    However...

    Calvin stroked his golden quill and a bloody silhouette manifested behind him.

    It was a young man wearing a hospital gown.

    The Mortician!

    "Bring it on!"

    Calvin screamed in his heart.

    His hair stood on its end, Calvin was ready to engage.

    As the Banshee stopped in front of the wooden door, it seemed to have noticed the gap in between the door.

    It moved closer and stared into the room with its eye that had nothing but an empty socket that looked to be a ck hole.

    When its non-existent eyended on Calvin, it opened its mouth and let out a wail!

    Boom!

    A booming sound rang out as a loud explosion urred.

    The house that Calvin was hiding in was immediately demolished from the force of the Banshee''s Cry.

 Chapter 173: Are You Willing?

    Chapter 173: Are You Willing?

    The attack happened so suddenly that Calvin only had enough time to activate the rune in his hand.

    A barrier of translucent light appeared in front of him and shielded him from the sound wave attack. He managed to escape unscathed, however, the house where he was hiding wasn''t so lucky. It was demolished almost immediately the moment the sound wave collided against it. It was as if the house wasn''t even made out of concrete, but cardboard.

    "Reeee..." The Banshee sharply whistled when it noticed that the enemy whom it considered as lower than an ant had actually managed to survive against its attack. The empty eye sockets that had nothing in it now burned in a crimson light formed from resentment and killing intent.

    ''That was close...'' Calvin let out a sigh of relief. A sound akin to ss shattering rang out in front of him as the barrier that he hastily summoned through Runecrafting finally shattered. It had sufficiently served its purpose. The barrier gave Calvin enough time to prepare the Mortician for a battle.

    The Mortician was unharmed from the attack due to the barrier, but it didn''t mean that it was easy to bully.

    When the Banshee directed its killing intent to Calvin, the stench of formaldehyde and blood surged from the Mortician.

    The Mortician walked forward, meeting the Banshee halfway as a fierce battle unfolded between the two.

    Both existences were only a few steps away from the Purveyor rank, and their battle sure was earth-shaking.

    Calvin stepped backward, he was unqualified to intervene in their battle for his mortal body was just too weak against the Banshee.

    But just because he wasn''t strong enough didn''t mean that he would only remain as a spectator in this battle.

    As soon as the Mortician took to the field, a serious expression appeared on Calvin''s face as he mumbled.

    "By the Emperor''s Commandment, all shall obey!"

    Swoosh!

    A sudden storm swept up as a powerful shockwave visible to the eyes manifested with Calvin at its center. As the storm started billowing, the expression on the Banshee''s face changed as its body twitched out of terror.

    "Reeee!" The Banshee shrieked and was about to retreat when the Mortician appeared right behind it.

    A scalpel manifested in the Mortician''s hands and it looked like he was about to tear open the Banshee to prepare it for its burial.

    The Banshee was a High-Tiered supernatural being simr to the Mortician. This tier was only lower than Purveyor, and since they were of the same tier. The Mortician shouldn''t win this battle so easily. But the Mortician had someone to support him.

    The holder of the Emperor''s Commandment was right there to suppress the Banshee''s abilities through themandment''s natural suppression against evil-attributed beings.

    Banshees fight in a simr fashion to Specters. Even though they were unable to turn incorporeal in the middle of a battle, they were able to use the darkness to confuse their enemies with optical illusions. However, this optical illusion was basically useless in front of a Predator due to the existence of their Predator Senses.

    But the true reason why the Banshees were far scarier than other Specters was because of their core abilities.

    One of them was a strong shock wave attack through their scream, while the other ability was to summon friendly skeletons to obstruct their enemies in the middle of the battle.

    The Banshee possessed quite a bit of intellect. It recognized that it was being overpowered by its enemies so it retreated and used the darkness to scurry away from the battlefield. However, how could the Mortician let his prey go now that the battle had already started? He was quick to pursue and he had caught up to the Banshee in a blink of an eye.

    But the Banshee wasn''t out of cards yet. When the Mortician caught up to it, the earth shook and the shadow created by the darkness coalesced and formed the figures of several skeletons that slowly climbed off the ground. These skeletons surrounded the Banshee in a protective formation and they stared menacingly at the Mortician.

    However, before any of them could even fart.

    A fierce gale of wind swept through their bodies, instantly shattering their skeletal remains as they turned to ashes once again.

    "Reeee!" The Banshee was furious. It nced at Calvin, but once it felt that heart-palpitating auraing out of Calvin''s body.

    It staggered backwards out of fear.

    An opening was made with the destruction of the skeletons.

    How could the Mortician let go of this opportunity?

    The Mortician stepped forward and its scalpel danced through the air.

    Sealed and with no cards left, the Banshee couldn''t do anything other than scream.

    Its fate sealed with the ruthless attacks of the Mortician.

    [Gained 5 Ascension Points]

    [The Mortician''s Ascension Points: 83]

    [17 Ascension Points necessary for Ascension to Purveyor.]

    A smile crept up Calvin''s lips as the veil of darkness surrounding the streets vanished.

    The oilmps that had been extinguished burned with vigor once more.

    It was as if nothing had happened.

    If not for the fact that the demolished house remained demolished, Calvin would''ve thought that he had been in an illusion.

    "You''ve done well." Calvin praised the Mortician. He hadn''t expected that it was able to finish off a simr-ranked supernatural being. It seemed that nurturing the Mortician was now slowly being worthy of consideration for Calvin.

    The Mortician faintly nodded.

    No emotions could be deduced from its empty and listless eyes.

    But as it disappeared, a hint of a smile could somewhat be seen from its lips hidden behind its medical mask.

    Unfortunately, Calvin hadn''t noticed this vague disy of emotion at all.

    The Mortician returned to the golden quill and Calvin was able to continue his journey once more.

    "I have to find more monsters for the Mortician to consume... I must be able to increase his strength to at least the Purveyor rank before I try to dig deeper into the secrets of this vige. Not having a stronger ally doesn''t really make me feel safe." Calvin whispered into the air.

    He followed the route that he had been using and he soon arrived at the southern entrance where he couldn''t find any trace of Heisenberg and Ricardo.

    Calvin even took to a nearby rooftop but he still couldn''t find Heisenberg and Ricardo.

    "Did they really walk out of the vige? Why aren''t they at the previous location of the tunnel?" Calvin pondered. Then, an idea came to his mind as his Predator Senses activated. A golden hue filled his eyes and the previously empty road leading to the southern entrance revealed innumerable clues.

    "Footsteps... these footsteps are toorge for it to belong to an average person. What''s more, the steps are irregr. Some times too wide, some times too narrow. These footsteps must''vee from a Witch." Upon realizing this, Calvin''s pupils constricted, "If these footsteps came from Witches, this can only mean that someone had startled them..."

    "Could it be that Heisenberg and Ricardo disturbed the Sabbath leading to them being chased by the Witches?" Calvin shook his head, "No, I don''t think so... I doubt that they are that stupid to actually dare to disturb a Sabbath."

    Calvin''s deduction made sense, but it was incorrect. He had made a mistake by assuming that Heisenberg and Ricardo had the same visual acuity as him in the darkness as the holder of a golden ss. Fortunately, Calvin wasn''t the type to make such a rookie mistake. He instantly recognized this easily-missed established fact as a grim look appeared on his face.

    "Those two... Are they still alive?" Calvin didn''t dare to dy anymore.

    He chased after the clues revealed to him by his Predator Senses and he soon arrived at the end of the clues.

    It led to a dark alleyway.

    Calvin had just activated the Emperor''s Commandment earlier, and even though the Emperor''s Commandment was an ability that he could use freely whenever he wanted. It still had its own drawbacks. Calvin could use the ability whenever he wished, but consecutive usage of the Emperor''s Commandment would still drain his spirit.

    Being the cautious man he was, Calvin attempted a Coin Divination Ritual but the results were inconclusive.

    In short, divination was useless in the Vige of Tulog.

    Someone or something was interfering.

    Left with nothing, Calvin had no other choice but to summon the Mortician as the faint silhouette of a young man floated behind him.

    The young man looked incredibly cold, yet imposing.

    The scalpel he was holding in his hands, and the indifferent crimson light in his eyes made him look terrifying.

    As Calvin approached the dark alleyway, he didn''t bother hiding his presence nor his footsteps.

    Step...

    Step after step, Calvin was going closer to the alleyway.

    But as soon as he peeked at what was hiding in the alleyway.

    A fist came flying his way.

    "Do it!" The voice of an old man rang out as Calvin hurriedly ducked his head to avoid the fist.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted when he realized that the old man who had sent the punch was Heisenberg.

    Meanwhile, the young man behind Heisenberg screamed.

    "Water Anchor Arrow!"

    The arrow that the young man prepared beforehand was unleashed.

    It was then, that Calvin let out a scream.

    "Hey, hey, hey! Chill! Chill! It''s me, Calvin!"

    The arrow swept past Calvin as he avoided it by a hair''s breadth.

    Heisenberg''s pupils narrowed.

    The nauseating presence that he had detected earlier had disappeared the moment he saw that Calvin was the one walking towards the alleyway.

    Heisenberg looked around and after finding not even a trace of that malevolent presence, he harshly dragged Calvin into the alleyway where he scolded.

    "Why in the fuck did you approach us like that? Are you trying to give us a heart attack?"

    "Yeah, I almost killed you, man... Come on..." Ricardo still couldn''t believe that Calvin had avoided his attack despite the close range.

    "It''s fine, all''s well that ends well. I''m uninjured anyway, so let''s move on from that..."

    "What I want to know instead is why are the two of you hiding in this dark alleyway? Didn''t I already give you two a n on what to do so both of you can escape from this ce?"

    Ricardo revealed a bitter smile.

    Heisenberg looked exhausted.

    "Man, you gave us a path to escape, but it was barred by the Sabbath!"

    "So my deduction was right, the two of you did indeed startle the Sabbath!" A twinkle of enlightenment flitted past Calvin''s eyes as he asked, "Then, if both of you met the Sabbath why are you still alive?"

    "I knew you were going to ask us that question..." Heisenberg sighed. He was still terrified about what happened just half an hour ago, "We weren''t supposed to live. But something saved us."

    "Something saved you?" Calvin asked in doubt.

    "Yeah, I know it''s unbelievable, man. But something did save us. And that thing, that thing is probably scarier than the Sabbath." Fear shed across Ricardo''s face.

    "Scarier than the Sabbath? Just what did happen? Exin to me, right now." A serious expression was now stered across Calvin''s face. If there was indeed something scarier than the Sabbath, then it must be stronger than the Banshee and the Mortician.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo exined everything that happened to Calvin, and at the end of their exnation, Calvin couldn''t help but ask, "Are you sure that it wasn''t the voice of a young man?"

    "No, we''re positive that it was a young woman... She was crying... But her cries weren''t the cries of someone that needed help. She seemed to be crying for something... She''s crying because she needs something." Heisenberg said.

    "She''s crying because she needs something..." Calvin instantly thought of a few supernatural beings such as the Siren.

    However, the Sirens were supernatural beings whose habitat were bodies of water. There was even a legend among sailors, that once any sailor out there heard the cries of a woman in the middle of the ocean. They must turn their ships back at all costs, even if they would barge into a storm.

    This was how terrifying the Sirens were.

    But they were obviously so far away from the nearest ocean, so there couldn''t possibly be any Sirens in this vige.

    In that case, just what were Heisenberg and Ricardo talking about?

    Could it really be the Saintess of Death?

    Calvin thought for quite a while before he reached a final answer.

    The clues that he had gathered so far were insufficient for him to make a proper deduction. In short, to uncover the secrets behind this vige.

    He must venture to a ce of great danger.

    And what ce was more dangerous in this vige than the vige center?

    A decision was swiftly made and Calvin turned to ask both Heisenberg and Ricardo.

    "What are your ns?"

    "Our ns?" Heisenberg bitterlyughed, "I don''t know... We obviously want to escape, but we''re afraid if the Sabbath''s still there. No, it''s obviously still out there looking for us since we injured one of them."

    "Oh, you managed to injure one of the Witches from the Sabbath? Did you only injure one of them, or did you manage to kill?"

    "No, we couldn''t kill them." Ricardo shook his head.

    "Damn thatplicates things... Witches hold grudges and they will remember your scent. They are also ruthless in their pursuit, so I understand why the two of you aren''t willing toe out of this dark alleyway."

    "Yeah, that basically means we''re fucked." Heisenberg couldn''t even hold back his curse.

    "Not necessarily..." A mysterious smile flitted across Calvin''s lips, "I have a way to deal with the Witches."

    Heisenberg and Ricardo revealed shocked expressions on their faces, "Really?"

    "But the question is, will you be willing to do it?"

 Chapter 174: A Ballsy Brat

    Chapter 174: A Ballsy Brat

    "Will you be willing to do it?"

    The question was so simple, yet it forced Heisenberg and Ricardo to silence.

    "Willing or not? Or are the two of you are too scared to do it?" Calvin teased, "In that case, then you should''ve told me sooner."

    "Bastard..." Heisenberg gritted his teeth out of frustration, "It''s not as if we aren''t willing to do it. It''s just not that simple. If you want us to decide, then at least tell us what the n is!"

    "That does makes sense, well... Here''s the n." Calvin moved closer and whispered the intricacies of his n to the two.

    It didn''t take long for both Heisenberg and Ricardo to be astonished by what they were hearing.

    "Are you serious?" Ricardo gasped.

    "You madman... This n is too daring!" Heisenberg almost couldn''t breathe.

    Calvin''s n was just too crazy to the extent that he was doubting his own ears.

    "Well, how''s that for a n? I guess the two of you won''t ept it, right? I mean, in the first ce, both of you left me alone in that house since the two of you didn''t want to die in a ce like this."

    "So surely, it would be impossible for you two to ept this n of mine." Calvin gave a challenging smile.

    "You cheeky bastard..." Heisenberg couldn''t help but shake his head and smile.

    Calvin seemed to be implying that he was okay for them not to ept this n of his, yet he was also mocking them at the same time for acting like cowards.

    With that considered, how could Heisenbergy low and not ept his schemes?

    Heisenberg had already embarrassed himself enough by leaving Calvin in that house on his own! How could he do it again?

    "What a crazy brat..." Heisenberg muttered to himself.

    He then turned to look straight into Calvin''s eyes and dered, "This n of yours... I ept it!"

    "A wise decision." Calvin lightheartedly smiled, "How about you?"

    He looked at Ricardo who was still in an internal struggle against himself.

    Ricardo was a young man whose desire to live was the strongest among the three of them. Heisenberg had already prepared himself to die when they faced the Sabbath earlier, so he was more inclined to agree to Calvin''s ns.

    But Ricardo was different.

    If Calvin wanted to make him agree, then he must entice him with something different.

    And that was what Calvin did...

    "If you agree, then I''ll be sure to mark your name as a huge contributor if we manage to liberate this vige from the curse of sleeplessness."

    The expression on Ricardo''s face changed.

    Being marked as a huge contributor meant that he''d earn a lot of contribution points that he could exchange for resources once they seeded on their goals.

    But the caveat here was that they must seed.

    Considering the danger that they were about to undertake with Calvin''s ns, Ricardo knew that he must not be too hasty in his decision.

    A look of hesitation flitted across Ricardo''s face as a bitter smile appeared on his lips.

    "Can I think about it first?"

    Calvin shook his head, "You can, but once we''re done with the first part of our n, then you have to make a decision!"

    "All right, I''ll give you my decision once we''ve recovered that so-called Corpse Eater Oil that you told us about." Ricardo nodded.

    Calvin also smiled. It seemed that Ricardo first wanted to know just how effective the Corpse Eater Oil was against the Corpse Eaters.

    With his uracy, if the Corpse Eater Oil was indeed as effective as Calvin advertised them to be. Then, the chance of him epting the n would be considerably higher.

    And Calvin was confident that he would be able to convince Ricardo to agree with his Corpse Eater Oil.

    After all, it was a one-of-a kind discovery that humanity only discovered a few years post-war against the invaders.

    That was about a decade and a half from now.

    The group slowly exited the dark alleyway. They were careful not to vite any taboo on their way back to Old Lady Cynthia''s house.

    Fortunately, the Sabbath seemed to have ran to the opposite direction of Cynthia''s house since there wasn''t a trace of them at all.

    The darkness that coated the entire vige seemed to be never-ending. What''s more, the group felt as if the darkness was slowly starting to swallow them.

    It was because Heisenberg noticed that the distance that he could see with his eyes infused with the divine might of the Goddess seemed to be shortening as time passed by.

    Ricardo also discovered the same thing.

    It seemed that apart from Calvin, the abilities of both Ricardo and Heisenberg were gradually weakening the more time they spent inside this cursed vige.

    The group safely arrived at Old Lady Cynthia''s house. When they opened the doors, Old Lady''s Cynthia''s carcass had already been reduced to dust.

    This was given, since she was already dead in the first ce.

    But what attracted the attention of both Heisenberg and Ricardo the most was the b of rock situated above the oilmp.

    That b of rock had a piece of flesh radiating a nauseating stench as it was slowly being fried and drained of its oil.

    "Fuck..." Ricardo had the urge to retch.

    "If you want to vomit, then do it outside." Calvin red at Ricardo.

    Ricardo forcefully swallowed the gastric contents of his stomach that threatened to burst out of his throat.

    Heisenberg also had a disgusted look on his face, "Are you serious? Corpse Eater Oil? Really?"

    "Yeah... I''m not kidding. The Corpse Eater Oil really does consist of only a single ingredient. And it''s the monster that it''s most effective against." Calvin smiled.

    "How can we be sure that it''ll work?" Ricardo asked with a frown.

    But Calvin unexpectedly shrugged, "I don''t know... You just have to take my word for it."

    "What? You have no evidence that it''s effective against Corpse Eaters?"

    Heisenberg almost yelled out loud, "I haven''t even heard of a Corpse Eater Oil before, so this must be your own personal invention. Why are you so confident about this so-called invention of yours, when you haven''t even tried using it in the first ce?"

    "I already told you..." Calvin stared right at Heisenberg. His eyes radiating the coldness of a thousand-year-old icy cavern, "You just have to take my word for it."

    "On what basis?" Heisenberg wasn''t intimidated however, as he insisted on asking for concrete evidence in regards to the effectiveness of the so-called Corpse Eater Oil.

    ''Sigh, this is such a pain in the ass...'' Calvin inwardly uttered. But he was also powerless. As much as he wanted to tell these guys how he personally annihted thousands of Specters and Corpse Eaters in the Valley of Death and Sorrow...

    There was no point to doing it.

    I mean, it would be more outrageous than the Corpse Eater Oil being truly effective against Corpse Eaters.

    The look on Ricardo''s face made it obvious that his hesitation was even stronger than before.

    ''This is bad...'' Calvin thought to himself.

    He had to convince these two to ept his ns, since without them, there was no way that he''d be able to do what he wanted in his ns.

    They were a necessary asset to Calvin at this moment, and they must be convinced.

    Calvin let out a lengthy sigh.

    "Heisenberg, Ricardo..."

    "Have I ever lied to you?"

    "Was there an instance when I lied to the two of you and was there also an instance when I acted confident, despite being incapable?"

    Heisenberg and Ricardo were startled.

    Indeed, whenever Calvin told them something, it ended up to be the truth.

    Calvin had always been that mysterious. Particrly back when they faced that Sigbin.

    Calvin was the one who told Heisenberg the most effective domain against the Sigbin.

    And he hadn''t lied!

    That particr chapter and verse in the Book of Light was indeed the most effective domain to use when facing the Sigbin!

    Calvin was even thoughtful and understanding when they told him that they wanted to leave the vige since they were obviously afraid.

    Did Calvin mock them for acting like cowards?

    No!

    Calvin didn''t even let out a single word of criticism against them.

    Yet now that he needed their help.

    Why were they denying him?

    Why were they doubting him?

    Why were they treating him as if he was the most untrustworthy person among their group?

    "FUCK!" Heisenberg cursed himself for being like this.

    Ricardo was also the same. In fact, Ricardo looked as if he was about to cry due to the guilt that he was feeling in his heart at this moment.

    "I''m sorry, Calvin." Ricardo was the first one to apologize.

    Heisenberg made a sidelong nce at Ricardo before he turned to look at Calvin with the same gaze as Ricardo.

    Apologetic.

    He was wordlessly apologizing for doubting Calvin despite him doing his best to understand their circumstances and wearing the same shoes as them.

    In the face of these, Calvin merely smiled, "I know... It''s fine... I understand..."

    Even now, he was still being thoughtful to them?!

    Even now, he was still being so understanding?!

    Both Heisenberg and Ricardo had never felt this way before.

    This was the first time that they felt that they were worse than animals.

    Heisenberg took a deep breath.

    Ricardo also took a moment topose himself.

    When all of these were done and over, they turned to look at Calvin and said.

    "All right, we''ll believe you... Surely, you won''t be this confident if you were just talking out of your ass."

    Heisenberg turned his gaze away from Calvin out of apparent embarrassment.

    He didn''t even wait for Calvin''s reply as he coldly snorted and walked away towards the stone bed.

    Ricardo was awkwardly scratching his cheeks.

    "I apologize..." These were the only words that he could muster as he turned his gaze to the floor and didn''t even dare to speak.

    Calvin didn''t know whether tough or to cry.

    If these two continued to act like this, then how were they supposed to start their ns when they were acting so awkward?

    In order to diffuse the strange atmosphere of the group, Calvin drylyughed and teased, "What''s wrong with you, acting like a sissy? That bald-headed old man there''s already acting like he wants to swing that way, are you also going to follow his footsteps?"

    "Who the fuck swings that way?!" Heisenberg grimly responded from the stone bed.

    Ricardoughed out loud.

    Calvin was alsoughing.

    Even Heisenberg who was the subject of the joke couldn''t help but reveal a slight smile.

    "Calvin..."

    Thinking about the n that Calvin had told them earlier, Heisenberg felt a shiver down his spine.

    "What a ballsy brat."

 Chapter 175: Kindness, Repaid

    Chapter 175: Kindness, Repaid

    Calvin''s n was ballsy indeed, for it involved luring the tiger out of the mountain.

    The Witches from the Sabbath were monsters that the three couldn''t possibly hope to defeat unless they fought them one by one. Fighting these Witches separately was basically impossible for when Witches were in a Sabbath. They were often inseparable. Of course, there were some exceptions like how Old Lady Cynthia walked away from her sisters.

    But Calvin and the three couldn''t possibly bank on a game of chances.

    They must be certain and there must be no unounted variables whatsoever in the uing scheme that they were about to unfold.

    The fried Corpse Eater Flesh gave three vials of Corpse Eater Oils. Calvin had one, while the remaining two vials were given to Ricardo. At first, Ricardo wanted to refuse, but he was eventually convinced by Calvin to take the two vials since Heisenberg had the ability to cover his fists with the divinity of the Goddess.

    Heisenberg''s fists were basically the bane of all evil-attributed beings.

    Ricardo might be a member of one of the three Judiciaries, but his attacks were purely physical. If he wanted to inflict some real damage to the Witches or any of the monsters that they were surely about to encounter. He needed the Corpse Eater Oil for his arrows.

    "So that''s the reason why that Witch didn''t die after I pierced an arrow through its head..." Ricardo nodded his head. He felt inexplicably strange listening to Calvin''s words. It was because no matter how he looked at it, Calvin was obviously younger than him. Yet, Calvin was giving off this strange vibe of mysteriousness. What''s more, his words were full of knowledge and they didn''t sound like bullshit.

    But there was something that Ricardo couldn''t understand.

    "How were you able to kill this olddy then? You didn''t have this so-called Corpse Eater Oil earlier, right?" Ricardo asked.

    Calvin smiled, "You don''t really need the Corpse Eater Oil against Corpse Eaters. It just makes the battle against them easier, since you''ll be able to pierce or slice through their defenses. In the case of the Witches, you can kill them if you are strong enough to pulverize their brain stem in one fell swoop."

    "But if you aren''t, I advise just decapitating them with a de coated with Corpse Eater Oil or you can also pierce through their heads with an arrow coated with the same oil." Calvin winked at Ricardo.

    "The brain stem...?" Ricardo still didn''t understand. It was understandable, however, since Las Felipinas wasn''t really that knowledgeable when ites to human anatomy.

    "It''s a long story. In short, just coat your arrows with that Corpse Eater Oil that I gave you. Of course, even with that Oil, you still need to attack their heads for it to be effective." Calvin advised.

    "All right," Since Calvin was obviously unwilling to divulge further information, Ricardo wasn''t so tactless that he''d proceed to ask for more.

    "Heisenberg, are you ready?" Calvin asked.

    Heisenberg seemed to be taking quite a while preparing his mystical ingredients. He took several ss bottles from his chest pocket and he ced them into a holster strapped around his waist. After making sure that the holster was strapped tight, he muttered to himself and nodded his head.

    "Yeah, I''m all good."

    "Heisenberg, you sure are prepared for anything, eh?"

    Ricardo couldn''t help butment seeing just how many mystical ingredients he had strapped around his waist.

    "Yeah, I am... As for you, with how low the weight you''re carrying it are you up for a pic in Laguna? Must be nice being a member of one of the three Judiciaries." Heisenbergughingly mocked.

    Ricardo''s face stiffened. He almost exploded in anger when Calvin suddenly raised his hand and intervened, "We don''t have time for jokes, you see? When the two of you are done preparing, tell me."

    Ricardo''s anger was subdued. Though he was now staring at Heisenberg withplicated emotions flitting across his face. He had no idea why, but for some reason, he couldn''t get mad at the old man at all. Especially when he remembered how the old man wanted to sacrifice his life so that he could escape.

    Letting out a sigh, Ricardo decided to treat Heisenberg as if he was his friend.

    "Let''s go, we''ve lolly-gagged here long enough." Heisenberg stood and walked towards the exit imposingly.

    "Lolly-gagged? Your vocabry sure does match your age, old man." Ricardoughed.

    Calvin was also smiling.

    Heisenberg merely shrugged and faked a facade of maturity as he opened the doors and took the lead.

    Ricardo and Calvin made a sidelong nce at each other and they simultaneouslyughed out loud.

    Seriously, this Heisenberg could really act...

    "Are you sure that you''re going to act as bait to lure what is hiding from the vige center into shing against the Sabbath? In the first ce, how will we even attract the attention of the Sabbath? Don''t tell me that we are going to look for them? Dude, this vige is huge and it has a lot of corners and alleyways that I find unthinkable that this ce is still considered as a vige!" Ricardo asked.

    "I should be good enough as a bait." Calvin smiled, "As for the Sabbath... Didn''t you already forget that I told you that the Sabbath bears grudges? Since the two of you injured them, they should be pretty angry at both of you and considering the Witches'' ability to smell fear from their prey and savor it. Those monsters should be able to find you two in just a matter of time so long as you don''t try to run..."

    Heisenberg who was bravely walking in front suddenly stopped from his tracks.

    Ricardo and Calvin also stopped.

    Then, they saw Heisenberg slowly turn his head to look at Calvin and asked, "Are you saying that you are going to use us as bait?"

    Ricardo was also looking at Calvin with this incredulous look on his face. Calvin had told them the gist of his ns earlier and they had already thought that he was crazy for even thinking about it. But now, that n actually involved them being paraded as baits to lure the Witches out of the mountain?

    "Yeah, what about it?" Calvin innocently nodded his head, but the glint within his eyes was basically saying that if they dared to refuse the arrangement. He would forever look at them differently. In short, Calvin would treat them as cowards if they chickened out of the n.

    How could Heisenberg let that happen?

    Someone as prideful as this skin-headed old man couldn''t possibly cower when he''s being baited to do so.

    "It''s nothing. But being bait, eh? You sure are trying to bite more than you can chew. Can you even afford to turn me into bait?"

    Heisenberg threatened.

    "Hahaha..." Calvinughed out loud, "Of course, you sure are expensive given that you are a valuable Priest of the church. Well, how about this? From now on, If you agree to do whatever I want you to do for the sess of this n. I will teach you the art of Mana Maniption. Is that enough price for me to pay for your so-called service, valuable Priest?" Calvin smirked.

    Heisenberg stared at Calvin wide-eyed. Ricardo was also shocked to the point that he almost keeled over onto the ground.

    He could vaguely remember that Calvin told them back then that he would teach them the art of Mana Maniption.

    But both Heisenberg and Ricardo thought for sure that Calvin was just joking with them.

    They hadn''t expected that he was serious.

    But the art of Mana Maniption wasn''t something that could easily be given.

    Was he really going to give it to them, or would he renege after everything was done and over with?

    Traces of doubt appeared on the faces of Ricardo and Heisenberg.

    Calvin lightly chuckled and threw a piece of paper each to Ricardo and Heisenberg.

    The piece of paper had the title, "The Art of Mana Maniption"

    Heisenberg''s pupils constricted.

    He scanned through the information contained in the piece of paper and Heisenberg discovered that it contained a piece of summarized information regarding the art of Mana Maniption and just how it worked. There was even some imagery drawn beside the words highlighting how the breathing technique necessary for Mana Maniption travels through the body of its cultivator.

    "You..."

    Was he crazy?!

    Ricardo''s reaction was the same.

    How could Calvin just casually give such valuable art to people that he only knew recently?

    Does he not have a sense of security?

    Was he not afraid that we''ll steal this?!

    Ricardo and Heisenberg stared at each other.

    The smile on Calvin''s face was so innocent and trusting that the two couldn''t help but sigh.

    The three of them might''ve been strangers when they were still in that passenger wagon, but now that they thought about it. They had actually shared quite a few moments of life and death struggles. Ricardo and Heisenberg almost died under the hands of the Sabbath, while the three of them were almost ambushed by that Old Lady Cynthia back in her house.

    Thinking about all of these, the two seemed to have realized that they wouldn''t have survived those encounters if not for Calvin.

    Apart from the encounter with the Sabbath, Calvin was there whenever they encountered danger.

    The Doppelganger incident.

    That battle against the Sigbin, and that ambush by Old Lady Cynthia...

    If not for Calvin, they would''ve already died three times by now.

    The two suddenly found themselves unable to speak.

    But the fact that Calvin wasn''t urging them to say anything meant that he understood their feelings.

    A smile crept up on Ricardo''s lips.

    Heisenberg seemed to be embarrassed as he turned his gaze away.

    At this moment, a strange connection was made between Calvin, Heisenberg, and Ricardo.

    A transparent window also appeared in front of Calvin.

    [You have gained 2 followers!]

    [2/5 followers necessary to be qualified for the bonus upon thepletion of the quest!]

 Chapter 176: Call of the Veil

    Chapter 176: Call of the Veil

    ''Follower? How did I gain two followers?'' Calvin stood silly staring at the notification floating in front of him.

    A sense of foreboding then came over to him as he slowly turned to look at Heisenberg and Ricardo.

    Ricardo had this teary-eyed look on his face as he clenched his fists and said, "From now on, even if you ordered me to climb a mountain of swords or swim through a river of fire. I wouldn''t hesitate to obey your orders nor question them!" Ricardo had gone all the way out with his disy of gratitude and he even deeply bowed to Calvin.

    With the art of Mana Maniption, Ricardo''s Origin would surely be sturdier. When that happened, then he would be able to gather more mana inside the mana pool of his origin. Having more endurance also meant that he''d be able to ascend even faster than the others. Of course, the scarcity of ascension materials was still there, but having a cheat like this was always appreciated.

    The art of Mana Maniption basically guaranteed the two of them a solid foundation for their ascension.

    Heisenberg made a sidelong nce and he cringed the moment he saw Ricardo''s disy of gratitude.

    ''What the fuck? Am I going to be outdone by a scaredy-cat like this brat, Ricardo?'' Heisenberg started to sweat.

    He was a prideful man indeed.

    ''But am I supposed to bow my head like that and dere simr words? Fuck it... I''m too old for that!''

    Heisenberg lifted a bitter smile and stared at Calvin.

    Calvin noticed Heisenberg''s gaze and a teasing smile swiftly appeared on his lips. Calvin might not be that good at reading the hearts of people, but it didn''t take a genius for anyone to notice that Heisenberg was internally struggling against something. Considering the current situation, it was easy to understand what he was thinking.

    "Old man, are you not going to thank me, yet?" Calvin teased andughed.

    Heisenberg''s face immediately turned red out of embarrassment.

    "Fucking hell, you cheeky brat..." Heisenberg red at Calvin, but there was this awkward look of not knowing what to do on his face.

    In the end, he awkwardly scratched his bald head and said, "Thank you..."

    "What?" Calvin pretended not to hear it, "Did you say anything?"

    Ricardo was about to bust his guts out for trying to suppress theughter that threatened toe out of his mouth at any moment.

    Heisenberg noticed that Ricardo was enjoying this situation as a spectator and he directed a fierce re at thetter.

    Ricardo immediately stood frozen. A bitter smile was on his lips as he turned his gaze away and pretended to be looking at the scenery.

    But what was there for him to look when there was nothing around them other than a bunch of abandoned houses and darkness?

    Heisenberg was exasperated as he stared at Calvin. The look on Calvin''s face seemed as if he wasn''t going to let it go until Heisenberg properly expressed his gratitude. Fortunately, Calvin seemed to have gone a change. He decided to let Heisenberg off as a smile crept up his lips.

    "All right, I understand... Say no more." Calvin patted Heisenberg''s shoulders, "I always knew that you were a man of action, Heisenberg. If you want to show your gratitude to me, you should know how to be sincere, right?"

    There was no hint of malice at all when Calvin said these words, but when itnded into Heisenberg''s ears. He could seem to feel an ominous sense of foreboding. ncing at Ricardo, he realized that thetter had already devoted himself to helping Calvin in this crazy n of his.

    "Shit... The brat''s gone crazy for Calvin..." Heisenberg muttered to himself.

    The three soon settled for a n and they walked towards the direction of the vige center. Heisenberg was still on the lead, the only difference was that he was holding a piece of paper in his hands. The paper contained various information about the taboos in the Vige of Tulog that must never be vited.

    One of the taboo was to never walk with your left foot first, so the movements of the three were in sync. With Heisenberg at the helm, Calvin in the middle, and Ricardo bringing up the rear. The three looked as if they were a bunch of burrs about to break into a house and steal some valuables.

    Of course, they weren''t here for such things.

    They had a n to do and it was about tomence.

    The three soon reached the ce where Heisenberg and Ricardost encountered the Sabbath.

    No words were exchanged between the three as Heisenberg took the initiative and started chanting.

    Several jade bottles were in his right hand as he crushed them in an instant. Then, he wiped the blood that dripped out of his hand as he made the sign of the All-Epassing Light on his chest.

    Three dots and a chant...

    "The faith in the All-Epassing Light shall be eternal and its devotees need not fear the darkness."

    "Emerge, the veil that which blinds those that do not believe..."

    "Emerge, the veil that which hides the truth from those who deliberately seek..."

    "Emerge, the veil that conforms with the light and so with the darkness..."

    "I summon thee!"

    Heisenberg''s eyes opened and a spark of divine light surged from his pupils.

    The mystical ingredients dotted at three separate locations on his body seemed to burn with a crimson hue as a ball of darkness manifested above the skies of the Vige of Tulog. The ball of darkness squirmed, it felt and looked eerie, yet if one stared at it long enough. They would notice that the ball of darkness was nothing but a speck of dust whenpared to the light that cast its shadow.

    Yes, the ball of darkness was a mere shadow of the All-Epassing Light.

    And its name was the veil.

    Heisenberg had just done the Call of the Veil.

    While the Emperor''s Veil turned Calvin invisible in the eyes of every being unaffiliated to evil...

    The Call of the Veil separates an area from the rest of the space. Veils were mostly used by Predators and Priests to hide their activities from the world by rendering the area surrounded by the veilinvisible from the outside.

    This was done to obscure any activities done by the Priests and Predators alike against the supernatural so that the civilians wouldn''t witness supernatural beings in ordance with the church''s strictws in regards to the regtion regarding the exposure of civilians to the world of the supernatural.

    The Call of the Veil was indeed a convenient technique for the church to hide their antics, but what did the veil have to do with Calvin''s ns?

    It was everything!

    The effect of the Call of the Veil might''ve sounded unselective, but conditions could actually be added upon the activation of the veil in order to cater to a specific goal. This condition was the key to the sess of Calvin''s ns. Since he wanted to lure the tiger out of the mountain and turn into the oriole behind the mantis and the cicada, they must be able to deploy a veil with certain conditions.

    The woman''s crying voice was able to scare the Witches from attacking Heisenberg and Ricardo.

    In short, the woman''s presence alone was terrifying enough for the Witches that they were forced to abandon their prey in a panic.

    If the woman''s crying voice alone was able to elicit such a reaction from those Witches, then they must use the Call of the Veil to prevent the Witches from hearing the woman''s crying voice.

    Once that was done, then the first half of Calvin''s n could be considered to be a sess.

    What would happen afterwards would depend on the eventual result of the sh between these two tigers in a single mountain.

    Yes...

    Since Calvin and the three couldn''t possibly beat the owner of the crying voice.

    They were nning on luring the owner of that crying voice out, then have her meet with the Sabbath.

    Supernatural beings like the Sabbath were the representation of resentment, cruelty, and violence. Even if they were scared, as long as the enemy was already in front of them and they knew that they had no chances of escaping. What other choices could they possibly make other than to fight to the death?

    This was the situation that Calvin wanted to create, and honestly...

    He felt incredibly excited.

    ''I wonder how much benefits I can squeeze out from the sh of these monsters... Will I be able to let the Mortician ascend into Purveyor once this n seeds?''

    The smile on Calvin''s face was deepening as time went by.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo stared at each other.

    They really couldn''tprehend what was going on inside Calvin''s head.

    He was about to go into the territory of a monster that was even more terrifying than the Sabbath, yet he could still have such aidback smile?

    Does he really know what he''s getting himself into?

    Does he even have a sense of danger?

    Heisenberg could only shake his head.

    Ricardo also couldn''t do anything other than prepare for the uingmencement of the n.

    The ball of darkness overhead started squirming as it spat out a veil of dimmed light that covered half of the vige.

    Heisenberg could forcefully cover the entire vige, but since it wasn''t necessary. He knew better than to carelessly squander his stamina.

    When the veil of dimmed light struck the ground, Heisenberg and Ricardo turned to look at Calvin''s direction.

    He was gone. He was now invisible to the eyes of the world outside.

    The veil was now in effect.

    From now on, unless Calvin exited the boundary of the veil...

    Heisenberg and Ricardo wouldn''t hear his screams for help.

    "You''re on your own now. I wish you luck, Calvin." Heisenberg silently prayed to the Goddess.

    Ricardo made the sign of the God of Medicine and Poison, Aescpius on his chest.

    "Bless you, Calvin..." He whispered into the air.

    The two inwardly prayed for the wellbeing of Calvin in their hearts, but they soon discovered that they should''ve prayed for their own safety.

    It was because at this moment...

    A piercing shriek rang through the night.

    A shriek filled with anger, fury, and resentment.

    Three silhouettes made a mad dash towards the two from the corner of the street.

    It was the Sabbath...

    They were here atst!

 Chapter 177: Luring the Tiger Out of the Mountain

    Chapter 177: Luring the Tiger Out of the Mountain

    As soon as the veil took effect, Calvin activated the Emperor''s Commandment.

    <em>"By the Emperor''s Commandment, all shall obey!"</em>

    A booming voice reverberated throughout the sealed space as a majestic aura sprung up from Calvin.

    At that moment, he turned into someone worthy to be called an "Emperor".

    The golden robes decorated with dual dragons wrapped around his body gave him the air of nobility.

    Transcendent and out of reach.

    Calvin looked out of this world.

    "Come out..." Calvin whispered.

    A crimson light burst from his golden quill and the faint image of the Mortician appeared behind him.

    The Mortician might be taller than Calvin due to the fact that he was floating over Calvin''s head, but he was ultimately unable to overturn Calvin''s majesty.

    He looked imposing and scary, yet whenpared to Calvin''s air of nobility. It was as if he was a meremoner in the presence of the Emperor.

    But everything wasn''t over just yet...

    Calvin grasped the Bloodstone hanging around his neck and whispered.

    "Stephanie..."

    A blood-red light sparkled from the Bloodstone and a beam of crimson flew behind Calvin.

    A half-bodied woman with pale skin and a terrifying look of resentment vaguely manifested beside the Mortician.

    Monsters of great resentment hate each other simr to how mas with simr poles repel each other. But strangely, these two monsters seemed to be in tacit understanding.

    The Mortician coldly nced at Stephanie and thetter also made a sidelong nce at the Mortician.

    There seemed to be no hatred in their eyes as they stared at each other, but it didn''t mean that they like each other''spany.

    Calvin observed the reaction of both monsters while in the presence of one another. He was ready to react to any changes. But he was pleasantly surprised to discover that they were in mutual agreement.

    ''That''s one less thing to worry about...'' Calvin let out a sigh as he continued his journey towards the vige center.

    The vige center was only three blocks away from where the boundary of the veil was. Yet, it seemed to be so far for Calvin who walked ever so slowly.

    ''Looking at the vige like this, there seemed to be no problems at all. The oilmps hanging over the doors signify the presence of humans, yet why is it that I feel no warmth at all? It feels as if there are no humans in this vige anymore... only monsters.'' Calvin sighed.

    "Hide in my shadow..." Calvin ordered.

    The supernatural beings imposingly floating behind him quickly turned into two beams of light that dived into his shadow. For a moment, the shadow he was casting on the ground seemed to tremble and twitch. Did the Mortician and Stephanie finally got into an argument without his presence?

    Calvin lightly chuckled and shook his head, ''That would be so silly...''

    The Mortician and Stephanie failed to invoke any reaction from the owner of the woman''s crying voice.

    ''Could it be that these two are too weak to enter the eyes of the owner of that voice? That''s possible with the Mortician since he isn''t even at the Purveyor rank yet. But for Stephanie? I can feel that Stephanie''s at least at the Low-Purveyor Rank...'' Calvin pondered.

    ''The presence of Corpse Eaters means that there should be no humans in this vige anymore. But why do they still use oilmps? Corpse Eaters are like fishes in the water when they are surrounded by the dark. I see no point in using oilmps. What''s more, the houses in this vige doesn''t seem to have any ce to cook...''

    ''There isn''t any oven, nor a furnace to ce a pan or wok over...''

    ''Without a ce to cook meals, people can''t eat... Or do the vigers not need to eat? In that case, it is certain that they are not human anymore. But even Corpse Eaters need constant nutrition or they would die from either dehydration or starvation. Old Zhong told us that it has been years since someone visited this vige and half a year since someone from the vige came out to buy supplies...''

    ''Was the person who came out and bought supplies from Old Zhong''s vige human? Or was that person already a monster? In that case, if the monster is able to transform into a human, then he must at least be at the High-Purveyor Rank or even at the rank of Emissaries. I can still probably handle a High-Purveyor Rank supernatural being, but an Emissary?''

    ''There''s nothing else that I can do other than run...''

    Calvinmented how weak he was at this moment, but he wasn''t disheartened.

    He had faced greater odds than this, so why should he be afraid?

    He wasn''t even afraid when he was sent by that unscrupulous general into the front lines with only a thousand men against ten thousand!

    In the end, he managed to win against ten thousand albeit there was only a single survivor in his ranks.

    It was him.

    He was the sole survivor.

    The odds that Calvin had to fight to survive in that battle back then was too overwhelming.

    He had to do every shameless trick in the book to fight and survive.

    In the end, he seeded but he was still branded as a shameless man who sacrificed a thousand of his men to survive!

    That fateful battle taught him a lot of things.

    It was to never give up so long as there was a glimmer of hope.

    Calvin could still see some hope fighting against a High-Purveyor Rank supernatural being.

    But Emissaries were on a whole new world than Purveyors.

    They were not only stronger than Purveyors out of any attribute possible, they also had the ability to summon spirits from the spirit ne to aid them in battle. These spirits were creatures of lesser intelligence that an Emissary could easily manipte. For example, they could create a spirit stampede consisting of a horde made out of spirits to mercilessly trample on their enemies.

    But this wasn''t actually the most terrifying part about Emissaries.

    Calvin could still deal with a spirit stampede, but Emissaries were supernatural beings whose intelligence was equal to humans.

    Fighting against monsters like that with Calvin''s current strength was basically the same as suicide.

    Calvin predicted that there would be no glimmer of hope at all.

    This was why he had decided that the moment he discovered that the monster was an enemy that he could not hope to defeat. He would abandon everything and retreat.

    Of course, he would not let such a monster grow unhindered. Upon his return to Ashmelion, he would immediately report the Vige of Tulog''s situation to the church so they could send a punitive force to cleanse this filthynd of impure beings.

    With a contingency n made and his current n still in motion... Calvin continued to walk towards the vige center.

    it was at this moment that his eyes caught something glimmering near an alleyway.

    It was half a human face staring at him behind a wooden fence.

    "All right, finally there''s someone else." Calvin lightly chuckled and went after the figure.

    He followed and soon discovered that the figure had entered a house with an oilmp shining over its doors.

    Calvin approached the house, but he didn''t enter.

    Instead, he observed the house from the outside and noticed several peculiar things.

    First, the house smelled like charcoal and spices.

    Second, there seemed to be traces of human activity since there were panicked footsteps on the mud near the house. This was clear evidence that the person who left these footsteps was a human being and not a Corpse Eater. It was because, despite the fact that Corpse Eaters could masquerade as humans, they would forever be unable to feel any emotions.

    In short, it was unthinkable for them to leave such panicked footsteps.

    Lastly, Calvin couldn''t feel any resentment from that gaze that stared in his direction earlier.

    Instead, what he felt was uncertainty, fear, and excitement.

    A mixture of emotions that could onlye from a human being.

    But Calvin knew not to let his guard down.

    He approached the front door in a careful manner, but before he could even knock on the door.

    It opened by itself and a figure wearing ash-gray graveclothes stood behind the door.

    In the middle of the night, a door had opened by itself, and a figure wearing graveclothes stood alone beyond that door. Anyone would''ve shat their pants right at this moment, but Calvin was clearly different.

    A cid look was on his face as he asked.

    "Why were you staring at me earlier?"

    Calvin''s shadow created by the light from the oilmp seemed to have gone alive as it subtly twitched.

    Of course, no one noticed the shadow''s movements.

    Not even the owner of the shadow itself.

    "Are you human?"

    "Or are you a monster?"

    The person stood still and judging from the slight tremors coursing through his body, he seemed to be struggling a lot before he finally came to a decision. The graveclothes wrapped around his body unraveled itself and a figure that looked even more monstrous than the ugliest Corpse Eater out there was revealed in front of Calvin.

    The person behind the graveclothes was a man whose age seemed to be between a toddler and a middle-aged man. His height looked simr to a teenager, and his facial features were a mess. His right eye was bigger than his left eye. His nose was missing, leaving only two holes that constantly dripped with mucus.

    His left ear was missing while he also had a cleft lip.

    Furthermore, there was some fabric wrapped around his mutted left arm.

    Strangely enough, despite all of these deformities... The man was still alive. Although Calvin''s pupils constricted the moment he saw the b of meat on the man''s cab. The shriveled piece of meat just looked too simr to the man''s mutted arm. It turned out that to survive, the man had cut off his own arm and rationed the rotting meat for as long as he could.

    ''So that was the reason why the house smelled like charcoal... He was roasting his own rotting flesh to get rid of its impurities and cook it as much as possible so it''s at least edible...'' Calvin was now staring seriously at this man of sheer resolve and fortitude. To be able to survive and remain human for so long in this cursed vige. This feat alone was a testament to his willpower.

    But just what was the reason why he was clinging to life?

    With his current condition... wouldn''t it be better for him to die?

    Calvin''s eyes narrowed.

    He felt that he was slowly getting closer to the secrets behind this cursed vige.

    And he was right.

    For when the man spoke, these were the words that he uttered...

    "You..."

    "You were looking for the owner of that crying voice, right...?"

    Calvin stared at the man in astonishment.

 Chapter 178: The Secret of the Village of Tulog

    Chapter 178: The Secret of the Vige of Tulog

    "How do you know that I''ve been looking for that crying voice?"

    "You..."

    "You''ve been following me?"

    Calvin stared at the person with this smile on his face.

    Seeing this smile, the person seemed to be a little bit flustered as it took him quite a while to reply.

    "Yes, I did... But I followed you not to cause harm, but to help."

    "All right, so you want to help me... Why do you think would I believe your words so easily?" Calvin said with narrowed eyes.

    The man replied, "You do not have the obligation to believe me. I am scared of what is out there. I only came out because I was afraid that you''d be walking into your death." The man spoke in a cold tone that whenbined with his deformities, it made give off this terrifying vibe that could instantly make anyone who was listening to him shit their pants.

    "What bold words..."

    But Calvin was unfazed, "You haven''t answered my question, yet."

    "Are you human?"

    "Or are you a monster?"

    "Hahaha..." The man bitterly smiled, "I''ve lost the right to call myself human ever since I turned a blind eye to that incident. But it is not a crime to dream." The man''s tone turned mncholic and strange, "I wish to forget the past, but I doubt that my sin can be forgiven. It will always haunt me, making me unable to sleep at night..."

    "I followed you because I saw you walking into certain death, and I want to save you." The man said, straight to the point.

    He sounded sincere, but Calvin was calling bullshit. He had experienced too many betrayals and plot twists in his previous life that he was now a firm believer of the adage that there was no free lunch in this world. In other words, he was denying the credibility of the man''s words.

    Calvin sneered, "You followed me to save me?"

    The sarcastic tone in his voice was thick and it didn''t go unnoticed.

    "I am saving myself by saving you. I know that my words are unbelievable, but if you do not escape this vige tonight then you will certainly die..." The man didn''t want to argue as he lowered his voice and humbled himself. There was this particr tinge of anxiety and fear in his voice as he continued, "That man will return tonight... He always returns here every full moon, and tonight is a full moon."

    "He''ll return here by daybreak and when he does, it will be all over for you... You''ll be a part monster part human, no one will ever ept you since you will be a carrier of diseases. You will be the definition of a curse." The man seemed to have gone mad as his eyes went bloodshot. His pus riddled body trembled as blood dripped out of the innumerable wounds on his body.

    A disgusting stench also wafted out of the man''s body, but Calvin remained calm and unfazed.

    "What do you mean saving me is saving yourself? What does my safety have to do with you? And who is that man?" Calvin asked three questions at once. He was afraid that the man might suddenly lose his consciousness for Calvin could see the early signs of hypoxia from the man''s fingers. Something inside his body was depriving him of oxygen, and if these tremors continued.

    He might fall unconscious at any moment.

    "Hahaha... You sure want to know a lot..." The man bitterlyughed, "If I knew who that man was I would''ve already told you. All that I know is that he came here ten years ago and from now on. This vige wasn''t the same anymore. The Vige Chief stumbled upon him unconscious on the riverside, and with how charitable and kind our Vige Chief washe carried the man over to our vige so that he could recover."

    "But little did we know that this was the start of our nightmare..."

    "That man was just too handsome."

    "The women in our vige seemed to go into a trance the moment theyid their eyes onto his figure."

    "He was too handsome."

    "So sinfully handsome that the Vige Chief decided to hide him away from the hides of the other vigers while he was recovering."

    "But that istion didn''tst long..."

    "The winters are harsh for our Vige, the smog carried by the textile and matchstick factories in Ashmelion are always blown over to our Vige creating harsher winters with snow as ck as charcoal. Whenever that snow appeared, we would almost certainly starve since it would bring with it the death of the nearby wild game that we need to survive."

    "Fortunately, just as the animals around us adapted to survive by mass migration whenever winter was about to arrive. Our Vige also thrived by hunting these games while they were in the middle of their migration. But attacking those beasts mid-migration meant that our hunters would almost certainly face a group of boars, wolves, or even foxes at once."

    "Battles would always be fierce, and not a man was clean of blood when they return from their hunt."

    "Women would cry for their husbands, while children would cry for their fathers. The elderly would help carry those crippled and dead from the harsh hunt, but all of these changed when the young man spoke up, ''Death is not the end.'' He said and with a flick of his hand, those that were crippled had instantly recovered..."

    "Even missing limbs reappeared."

    "It was as if he was a Prophet send to us by the Goddess..."

    "But his kindness wasn''t without an exchange. Every time he would heal someone he needed the sacrifice of a virgin. But since we were a vige that isted itself from the outside world. We quickly ran out of sacrifice."

    "This was the start of everything..."

    The man turned to look at Calvin.

    Calvin''s eyes widened in shock.

    The man''s story ovepped with Madame Liz''s!

    But...

    "Are you guys... Are you guys not afraid of sacrificing yourself off to extinction?"

    ... Calvin just couldn''t understand why they would sacrifice life for life.

    "Hahaha..." The deformed man bitterlyughed, "We will never run out of sacrifice... We are not supposed to run out of sacrifices. The Vige Chief consoled and convinced us all to obey that man''s instructions since he and the elders believed that the man was the blessing that their vige needed to survive independently from the damned Joselian Kingdom who forced us the natives out of our ownnd..."

    "That man needed the sacrifice of young virgins for his miracles, and we will never run out of them..."

    "Aren''t you curious as to why we haven''t gone extinct and why is there such diversity when ites to our technology and culture whenpared to Ashmelion? You''ve seen how we built our fence, right? And you''ve also seen how we have oilmps over our doors and the fact that we do not have stoves or any fire starters inside our houses as well as the fact that we sleep on stone beds instead of soft mattresses..."

    Calvin''s pupils constricted the moment he heard what the man had said.

    Finally...

    At this moment, he had discovered that these bunch of vigers from the Vige of Tulog came from the n of Sinners!

    The Dvalin n!

    If that was the case, then it made sense for them to never run out of virgins.

    It was because simr to the Kyrgyz people from Kyrgyzstan back on Earth...

    The Dvalin n also practiced the culture of Bride-Kidnappings!

    In fact, this was the reason why the Joselian Kingdom condemned them as a n of Sinners!

    No one knew how the Patriarch of the Dvalin n had the balls to be so daring that he kidnapped a Princess of the Joselian Kingdom and impregnated her. When his Majesty discovered what the Dvalin n had done, he wanted to kill every member of the n!

    However, out of respect for the contributions of the ancestors of the Dvalin n to the establishment of the Joselian Kingdom after the first Cataclysm.

    The King decided to exile them to and so far away that Calvin only heard of their names from books, rumors, and stories.

    To think that they would be here...

    To think that they would be so close to a city of the Joselian Kingdom!

    ''The King really did took advantage of the adage that advises on hiding a tree inside a forest!''

    Calvin couldn''t help but express his astonishment over this discovery.

    "From the looks of it, you seem to know who we are..." The man chuckled.

    Despite being branded as a sinner, he seemed to be still proud of his n.

    Calvin shook his head, "I do know who you people are now. But I don''t think that your story rtes to that crying voice that I am looking for."

    "You sure are hasty..." The manmented and sighed, "Well I guess, if we are unable to leave here by daybreak we would die anyway. I should just tell you what you need to know."

    "Like you already know, we practice the art of bride-kidnapping. Before we were forced away from our nativend, we abhorred this idea. But since we are not allowed to go anywhere apart from a few kilometers around the base of the mountain. The elders soon discovered that it would only take us a hundred years before we will go extinct..."

    "We had no other choice but to embrace this culture that our ancestors had practiced even before the first Cataclysm."

    "Our strategy involved creating fake safe route maps to Laguna from Ashmelion. Then, we would sell these maps to the merchants who would then sell these maps to people who often travel from Ashmelion to Laguna. This n of ours was sessful. Every time a passenger wagon passed through the route that we made in our fake maps, we would stop them... rob them blind, then kidnap the women..."

    "It didn''t matter whether they were young or old, we would kidnap and impregnate them for the sake of propagating our bloodline. Of course, we do have standards. We won''t bother with the too young and too old. They would just be extra mouths to feed if they failed to sessfully give us children..."

    "Everything was going well for the first few times. If the women refused to obey we would lock them up, beat them up, and sometimes even starve them until they were about to die. Eventually, the women knew their ce and learned to listen."

    "However, this n of ours didn''tst long..."

    "First, people soon discovered that the fake route we made weren''t safe. Thus, we were banned by the merchants and even with bribes, they refused to ept our maps..."

    "Second, the man''s demand for women seemed to be growing as he performed more miracles."

    "Lastly, winter was approaching..."

    "Fortunately, the man was understanding and he permitted us a hiatus from bride-kidnappings. But this hiatus only happened after the elders begged him that they should stop after the death of that gentle youngss, Stephanie."

    "Sigh, she was such a wonderfulss. It was her misfortune to be born in a ce like this."

    The deformed man took a moment topose himself.

    Calvin''s figure trembled.

    He seemed to have noticed something stirring within his shadow when the deformed man said something about Stephanie.

    ''It seems that Stephanie still had to die before these elders knew when to stop. How unfortunate...'' Calvin also sighed in his heart as he consoled Stephanie who was hiding in his shadow.

    His consoling words seemed to be effective as the stirring stopped.

    The deformed man''s expression turned abruptly serious as he continued, "We had a hiatus, but it didn''tst that long. It onlysted a week before that man seemed to have gone crazy and demanded a woman. Unfortunately, he had already deflowered all the pure women in the vige, so there was no one for him to satisfy his carnal desires..."

    "What''s more, the elders weren''t stupid and they were already suspicious of him killing the women whom he bedded. It was because they finally discovered that the deaths of those pure women seemed to have one thing inmon."

    "It was that they had been deflowered by the young man."

    "Furthermore, their manner of deaths were the same. They had been sucked dry out of their blood and essences. Only a hollow husk remained from what was once a beauty."

    "When confronted, the man denied all allegations and threatened to leave the vige."

    "But how could the Vige Chief let him leave when he had already recognized the man as the person who would cause the rise of the n?"

    "If he left, then there would truly be nothing left of what was once the strongest n in the world!"

    "An argument ensued and soon a concession was made..."

    "The young man was allowed to take one final woman. If she died, the Vige Chief and the elders wouldn''t allow him to bed any woman anymore."

    "Strangely, the man agreed."

    "But where were they supposed to find a woman when the vige was in the middle of a harsh winter?"

    "It was at this time that the Vige Chief turned their eyes to another vige at the base of this mountain."

    "They hatched an ingenious n..."

    "They kidnapped the youngdy from a hunter''s family. This youngdy was stubborn and refused to submit. The Vige Chief forced the youngdy to write a letter to his family saying that she wants to explore the world by herself and she would never being back. But little did we knew that this youngdy had a lover..."

    "But this young lover of her was ultimately unable to find her as the Vige Chief executed his masterful n."

    "We scattered pieces of the youngdy''s clothing throughout the mountain in order to pretend that the youngdy had been devoured by a beast somewhere in the mountain. Our vige even pretended to help in the search efforts, and when we ''discovered'' those articles of clothing, the search for the youngdy was stopped..."

    "The n had seeded and the man now had a new wife to satisfy him until the end of winter."

    "But this youngdy was still incredibly stubborn even after suffering several beatings and forced starvation. She managed to escape several times and she was also almost beaten to death every time she escaped. It was only when she got pregnant that she finally stopped running away and all of us thought that this would be the end of her struggle..."

    "But when we were finally able to let out a sigh of relief and celebrate the union of the man and that youngdy..."

    "She hanged herself in front of the wooden tform at the vige center."

    "Her death was her ultimate disy of defiance as well as the beginning of the curse of sleeplessness."

 Chapter 179: The Secret of the Village of Tulog(2)

    Chapter 179: The Secret of the Vige of Tulog(2)

    "She had died from hanging, but when the young men of the vige went over with the elders to take her body down the tform. They discovered that the dead person''s face was soaked until it was all wrinkly and white. Her eyes were bulging and her face filled with ck varicose veins..."

    "With guilt flooding the hearts of the men, none of them had the courage to take her body down the tform."

    "But they couldn''t just leave a corpse hanging over in the open air. Setting aside the fact that it would lessen the morale of everyone in the vige, a rotting corpse could also be the start of an epidemic. Eventually, they had to take down the body and then bury her in ordance with the Dvalin n''s culture..."

    "We carried her body to the riverside and after making sure that her belongings were with her and that she wouldn''t identally drift over to the river''s side of that vige on the base of the mountain. We started the burial as her body drifted down the river atop a mattress made out of sandalwood. Her burial sure wasvish for her death exacerbated the guilt of the vigers as well as the Vige Chief''s remorse."

    "But the next day, one of our hunters discovered her body stuck in between a slippery rock upstream."

    "The person who saw this reported the matter to the Vige Chief. But there is no smoke without fire, so to prevent panic. The Vige Chief informed everyone that there was nothing amiss. The body might''ve only been carried by wild game hunting for food in the middle of the night and it was left carelessly by those animals at the riverside when they went over to fetch a drink..."

    "Of course, no one bought this excuse... The Vige Chief proceeded to throw the body downstream by himself, but the next day! The body was upstream once again!"

    "What''s more, the hunter who had stumbled upon this body realized that the Vige Chief was indeed talking bullshit. There were no traces of bite marks from animals or beasts that wanted to feast on the corpse. In fact, even though the body had been dead for two days now. There still wasn''t any trace of dposition at all!"

    "Furious, the Vige Chief decided to burn the body before letting it go down the river. The next day, the body hadn''t returned and it was nowhere to be found. Even the wood used to carry the body down the river in ordance with the culture of the Dvalin n had disappeared along with the body."

    "Everyone was relieved. Finally, everything was over and done with. But then weird things started to happen. The water from the one and only riverside where the vigers fetch water for their daily consumption seemed to have this strange astringent and metallic taste. The water looked normal and there didn''t seem to be anything out of the ordinary..."

    "But when this water is used for cooking, the vigers would discover that the water had this oily sheen that turned the taste of food pungent and disgusting. What''s more, someone even discovered several strands of a woman''s long hair from the water that they used to cook their chicken stew. A few weekster, some vigers reported that they could seem to hear a voice calling their name from the vige center."

    "That voice came from a woman."

    "She was crying and her voice sounded incredibly familiar."

    "One night when everyone in the vige heard the woman''s crying voice, the Vige Chief gathered everyone in the vige center before they headed for the riverside to see what was going on. But the moment they neared the river, the crying voice abruptly disappeared. When the voice appeared again, she was now crying from the vige center!"

    "The crowd dispersed in horror and even Iwasn''t able to suppress my fear. I gave a suggestion that the Vige Chief should seek help from the vige at the base of the mountain and confess everything that had happened, but I was ostracized. They said that I was someone who didn''t care about the well-being of the vige. Well, they were right."

    "If the King discovered what we had done, then we would be executed on the spot."

    "But which death was better?"

    "Dying in the hands of a vengeful spirit? Or dying under the de?"

    "I was a warrior before I became a criminal because of my bloodline, I was more than willing to die under the de but these elders weren''t!"

    "The following day, we discovered that the Vige Chief and the elders seemed to have gone a change overnight. Their cheeks were hollow, and their eyes were sunken. They were also listless and they would only respond after you call their names several times. At first, the vigers thought that the elders and the Vige Chief were just sleepless due to the guilt that they felt for the youngss''s death."

    "But in the next few weeks, they finally discovered that everyone in the vige couldn''t sleep..."

    "Those that couldn''t sleep eventually killed themselves, while some with strong willpower persisted for eleven days before they mysteriously died with blood dripping out of all their orifices. Strangely enough, the elders and the Vige Chief himself were still alive and they suggested calling a doctor from the outside world to take a look at what was happening in the vige..."

    "But when one of the vigers unaffected by the curse walked out of the vige, he never returned..."

    "More messengers were sent to call over a doctor, but those messengers also never returned."

    "The vige was in an uproar by this time thinking that the messengers decided to abandon the vige to die. Some families also followed suit and left the vige. However, the scariest thing was that when the Vige Chief followed these deserters out of anger. He discovered that all of them were lying dead at the valley just in front of the vige with various causes of death..."

    "By this time, the vigers discovered that a gue must be spreading throughout the vige. Some smarter ones deduced that the gue must be caused by drinking that tainted water contaminated by the corpse of that youngdy. With the number of deaths rising day by day, there wasn''t enough time nor materials to bury the dead..."

    "But since the Dvalin n emphasizes the proper burial of the dead to prevent misfortune. The elders had no choice but to abandon dozens of houses and use their materials to create wooden nks in order to send the dead off to the afterlife in ordance with the tradition of the Dvalin n..."

    "This was why most of the houses at the southern entrance of the vige are abandoned and scrapped."

    "There was no way to go around the woman''s resentment... Escaping the vige and staying meant certain death. The elders, the vigers, and the Vige Chief did everything that they could, but the woman''s anger and hatred were so strong that they were helpless. Furthermore, the man whom they thought could rid them of this curse had also mysteriously disappeared when the curse was at its peak..."

    "A mere monthter and most of us have sumbed to the curse of sleeplessness. The elders were dead and only the Vige Chief remained. There were still several hundreds of vigers, but most of us could do nothing other than to fight against the effects of the curse of sleeplessness."

    "But it was at this moment that the Vige Chief gained a revtion."

    The deformed man stared at Calvin as if checking if he was still listening.

    Of course, Calvin was listening intently.

    "The Vige Chief said that the key to getting rid of the curse was to create the shrine of the Our Lady of Holy Death. The vigers were tired and exhausted to listen to the Vige Chief''s bullshit, but since they had nothing left to lose. They followed the Vige Chief and created the shrine of the Our Lady of Holy Death..."

    "The first sacrifice was soon held, the Vige Chief sacrificed the life of a live chicken to the Our Lady of Holy Death and he reported the next day that he wasn''t suffering under the effects of the curse anymore!"

    "Rejoiced after having finally discovered a cure, the vigers sacrificed all of the livestock in the vige to the Our Lady of Holy Death in exchange for the disappearance of the curse. And it worked!"

    "The curse of sleeplessness was no more, although its effects were still visible on everyone''s faces."

    "The vige celebrated, one of us went down to visit the vige at the base of the mountain. In fact, the Vige Chief even wanted to convert those people to our religion, but they vehemently refused. The Vige Chief branded them as ungrateful before he ordered that they would not seek anymore help from those heretics."

    "A huge banquet was held at the vige center."

    "But this was the moment when everyone discovered the ugly and horrifying truth."

    "The reason why they weren''t suffering under the curse anymore..."

    "Wasn''t because they managed to get rid of the curse."

    "It was because they were already dead."

    "They died the moment the Our Lady of Holy Deathid ''Her'' eyes on them."

    "But why would I say that they were dead when they were still walking?"

    "It was because they had turned into the living dead."

    "This was discovered when the Vige Chief found out that the food he made for the banquet didn''t taste right.

    "The chicken meat, boar meat, and even the vegetables tasted fishy, pungent, and astringent."

    "No matter how much seasoning the Vige Chief added... even dumping an entire jar of salt onto the food. It tasted the same."

    "Fishy and disgusting."

    "Then, hunger came over the Vige Chief."

    "His eyes turned bloodshot and he rushed at one of the vigers who hadn''t praised the Our Lady of Holy Death yet and took a bite of his neck."

    "Delicious... He said."

    "When the other vigers who had be the followers of the Our Lady of Holy Death saw and smelled the fresh blood that spurted out of that viger''s neck. They went crazy... just like the Vige Chief."

    "They became monsters... and I am not an exception."

    The deformed man stared right at Calvin causing thetter to take a step backwards out of instinct.

    "Are you like them?" Calvin explicitly asked. His eyes wandered at the wound on the man''s arm.

    The deformed man replied, "I am like them, but at the same time I am not... I haven''t consumed the flesh of another human being. To survive, I used myself as sustenance. I sealed myself up in my own house. Years have passed since then and the vige had only grown worse. This is the first time that I came out of the vige since that fateful night."

    "You''ve been in that house for more than half a decade?" Calvin couldn''t believe what he was hearing.

    The deformed man simply nodded his head.

    ''What a man of focus,mitment, and sheer fucking will...'' Calvin inwardly praised.

    Then, he turned to look at the man and said, "I still have some friends outside. Can I fetch them before we listen to your n?"

    "Ah? You have friends outside?" The deformed man asked in doubt. He could only see Calvin in the entire street.

    And what did he mean outside?

    Calvin lightly chuckled, "What''s there for me to lie?"

    "All right..." The deformed man nodded, "I''m convinced but I want you to return as fast as possible. I think we only have about eight hours until daybreak."

    "I understand." Calvin nodded and then turned around to walk towards the direction where he came from.

    When Calvin walked away, the deformed man also returned to his house.

    ''This is the worst... If what the man said was true, then we would be fighting against the Saintess of Death. Fortunately, the man said that the religion, ''Our Lady of Holy Death'' was only made after the youngss''s death. Could it be that there''s a possibility that this Saintess of Death is that youngss? If that''s true, then I might be able to do something else other than fighting...'' Calvin''s eyes gleamed.

    ''But I need to confirm the identity of that so-called crying voice first and see if she''s really the Saintess of Death. If she is, then I need to find out what kind of a monster she is so I can ascertain if there''s a possibility for negotiations or only a battle to death can save this vige from hell...''

    ''Speaking of saving, if everyone in this vige had already turned into monsters... How am I supposed to save them when they''re already impossible to save given that they are dead?''

    ''Fucking hell, Grace... just what do you want me to do?'' Calvin nced at the skies above and he couldn''t help but inwardly curse.

    In the end, he could only shake his head and continue his jog towards the boundary of the veil where a fierce fight between Heisenberg, Ricardo, and the Sabbath was ongoing.

    ''Please be safe, you two...'' Calvin silently prayed.

 Chapter 180: The Secret of the Village of Tulog(3)

    Chapter 180: The Secret of the Vige of Tulog(3)

    It had been a few minutes since Calvin entered the boundary of the veil and the Sabbath had already appeared.

    Their growls full of hatred resounded in the distance, shaking the heart of Ricardo who couldn''t help but tremble upon remembering the earth-shattering might of the Sabbath.

    "Are you afraid?" Heisenberg asked. There was this mocking smile on his face as he made a sidelong nce at Ricardo.

    "You''re thinking that I''m afraid? Shitty old man?"

    Ricardo coldlyughed, "Of course, I am! Who in this world aren''t afraid of death? No matter how experienced anyone bes, it''s impossible for them to bepletely numb of fear unless they abandoned their seven emotions and six desires and became one of those bald-headed monks or maybe even a demon."

    Heisenberg stared at Ricardo in a new light.

    "I didn''t expect you to be so eloquent."

    "Such a prideful monk like you praising a lowly one like me? Your words sure are wasted." Ricardo sneered.

    "Who are you calling a monk?"

    "No one..." Ricardo lightly chuckled.

    The mood seemed to have turned for the better.

    But of course, this was just a false sense of security for the Sabbath was nearing their way the more time they wasted talking like this.

    With one being a member of the church and the other a member of one of the three Judiciaries within the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods.

    It made sense that these two knew what the Witches were. Unfortunately, these two didn''t have an eidetic nor photographic memory. In short, they weren''t able to remember the characteristics and weaknesses of the Witches in detail.

    But there was one detail that they hadn''t forgotten.

    It was to never underestimate the speed of these foul olddies.

    "Can you buy me some time?" Ricardo turned to Heisenberg.

    "Oh, are you about to coat those arrows with that disgusting oil?"

    Heisenberg saw that Ricardo had opened up the vial that Calvin gave to him earlier.

    "Yeah, hopefully, this works..." Ricardo nodded.

    "Well, I''m sure thatd has no reason to lie to us. It should work. Just be urate in your shot, and don''t waste your arrows."

    Heisenberg said with a tinge of sarcasm.

    "For an old man, your tongue sure is sharp. Are you sure that you want to keep on doing that? I mean, you''re a priest. If you keep talking in such a tone, do you really think that you''d be everyone''s favorite in the church?" Ricardo mocked.

    "All right, all right, you win... Just remember to not waste those arrows."

    Heisenberg rolled his eyes at Ricardo and he didn''t even have the energy to argue anymore.

    "Sure, you might have seen my active skill, but I haven''t revealed everything in my arsenal, yet..." Ricardo gave a confident smile.

    Heisenberg stared at Ricardo in intrigue.

    The Sabbath was now about thirty meters away from the two, yet Heisenberg was still acting so calm and rxed.

    "What a coincidence..."

    "I too, haven''t revealed everything in my arsenal yet..." Heisenberg smirked and turned around to meet the Sabbath.

    His body suddenly burst into a divine radiance as the aura in his body surged.

    Heisenberg''s body bulged followed by that surge of divine energy as illusory armored scales that resembled frozen ice wrapped around his body and a pair of violent eerie-blue dragon reced his dark pupils.

    The temperature in the area immediately dropped to the point that Ricardo could even see his own breath forming a mist in front of him.

    Heisenberg dered in a deep and booming voice.

    "Ultimate: Divine Azure Dragon Transformation..."

    He then briefly nced at Ricardo and said, "I can buy you a minute at most."

    His meaning was clear...

    Heisenberg''s transformation would onlyst a minute.

    For the next minute, he would be able topletely dominate the Sabbath in a battle, but when his transformation ended...

    The tables would turn.

    Ricardo had to sufficiently anger these monsters in under a minute or the two of them must run and retreat to Calvin''s side.

    "Hahaha... You bald-headed old man... I didn''t know that you can transform into a dragon. A bald-headed dragon... Hrious." Ricardo softly chuckled and nodded his head as he saw Heisenberg meet the Sabbath in mid-air in a head-on collision.

    Heisenberg''s ss originated from the Goddess of Compassion and Light.

    Naturally, he possessed a slight advantage against monsters tainted by evil and the dark.

    With a single punch while in his transformed state, the three Witches flew backward and crashed harshly onto the ground.

    But Heisenberg wasn''t over just yet.

    He dashed at the three and sent uppercuts at insane speeds towards the jaws of the three Witches.

    "REEEE!"

    The Witches shrieked in pain as their eyes turned bloodshot.

    Cracking sounds came out of their backs as their wings manifested behind them.

    But Heisenberg knew that the Witches had the ability of flight.

    He was prepared for this change, and he wasn''t about to let them have their way.

    Almost at the same moment as the wings appeared, Heisenberg opened his mouth and spewed out a distorted icy-blue beam that flew towards the Witches.

    The speed of the beam was simr to a bullet.

    With his distance to the Witches, it was basically impossible for the three to dodge Heisenberg''s attack.

    BOOM!

    The icy-blue beam had frozen everything in its wake and the Witches who had received its wrath weren''t an exception to this devastation.

    Seeing the three icy sculptures in mid-air, Ricardo knew that it was his time to act.

    "You sure are really impressive, old man..." Ricardo couldn''t help but praise seeing how strong Heisenberg was in his transformed state.

    But at the same time, Ricardo was confident that he could surpass the old man''s performance.

    It was because the moment the Witches turned into icy sculptures...

    Ricardo made his move.

    "Ultimate..." He mumbled into the air as he genuflected with his knees and took a deep breath.

    The bow that he was holding in his hands as well as the arrows transformed into a sword made out of water.

    At the very next moment, Ricardo had vanished.

    When he reappeared, the sword that he was holding in his hands was nowhere to be seen.

    It was as if the scene had been an illusion and wasn''t real.

    But what happened wasn''t smoke and mirrors. It was reality.

    Ricardo had moved so fast in that instant that he instantly shattered the ice sculptures and smashed apart the heads of the Witches in one fell swoop.

    And it was because of his ultimate.

    "Sealed Fate."

    Blood madly spurted onto the ground as if there was a fountain of blood from the smashed heads of the Witches.

    Heisenberg turned to look at Ricardo in astonishment, clearly not having expected the disy of skill that he had just witnessed.

    "Dude, what the fuck..." Heisenberg couldn''t help but curse.

    But in the very next moment, he saw the bodies of the Witches twitch.

    His pupils constricted as he ran towards Ricardo and dragged him towards the boundary of the veil.

    "What the fuck are you doing, old man?!" Ricardo was shocked and angry after being suddenly princess-carried by an old man.

    But his anger was extinguished upon hearing Heisenberg''s exnation.

    "Did you already forget the n that the two of us talked about? The n was to lure these bitches towards the owner of that crying voice and let them explode right in the face of that monster from the vige center. Calvin must''ve already lured that monster to us. We''re going to duck towards the nearest cover when we''ve entered the veil so we can let Calvin handle the rest..."

    "I''m sure a monster explosion in a scale of three Witches would be far horrendous for that monster from the vige center to deal with."

    Heisenberg was still in his transformed state and he was even faster than the crazed half-dead Witches. He ran straight through the boundary, and he quickly spotted Calvin who was also running towards their direction.

    But there was something wrong.

    Calvin wasn''t being followed after by a monster.

    In fact, there was no monster behind him.

    "What the fuck are you doing, Calvin?! Did you cower from fear? Where''s the monster that you were supposed to lure for us?"

    Calvin''s expression immediately brightened the moment he saw the duo.

    "I apologize, but there''s a change of ns. I''ll exin everything to youter. I suppose you''ve already dealt with the Sabbath? I''ve given you both the vial necessary to leave them half dead and with your capabilities, it shouldn''t be that difficult anymore." Calvin asked with a frown.

    He noticed that despite speaking to him, the two still continued to run and there was this desperate look on their face.

    Calvin immediately discovered that there was something strange, and he was right.

    There were three crazed half-dead Witches following the two!

    "Fuck, why did you not let them explode outside the boundary?"

    "We were nning on letting these bitches explode on the face of the owner of that crying voice!"

    "Yeah, that was indeed the n, but now that there are changes to our ns. We do not need these Witches anymore... Lure them out the boundary and let them explode there!" Calvin was exasperated. This was the first time that he had been so annoyed whenever his ns didn''t go ording to his expectations.

    Of course, Calvin knew that ns wouldn''t always go ording to the direction that he wanted them to go.

    He was a firm believer of Murphy''s Law after all.

    But the reason why he was so annoyed was that he hadn''t expected these two to lure the Witches into the boundary instead of running in the opposite direction. After all, in the n that they had discussed. Calvin and the owner of that crying voice were supposed to be the ones that would meet them halfway at the boundary of the veil, not inside.

    Calvin made his move.

    He dashed towards the duo and forcefully dragged them out of the boundary and into a dark alleyway, luring the Witches to run after them in the process.

    Then, Calvin moved close to the Witches and opened his palm.

    stered on his palm was a piece of paper...

    "Aarb, gawas!"

    BANG!

    Calvin muttered in Elder Tongue and the piece of paper burned before a telekic force sent the Witches flying towards the horizon.

    "REEEE!"

    At the very next moment, the Witches let out their final death throes as their bodies violently exploded in a burst of foul blood that covered the abandoned houses in the street.

    Fortunately, Calvin had leaped into the protection of the veil''s boundary in time before the Witches exploded so he came out unscathed.

    He then smiled at Heisenberg and Ricardo before saying.

    "Done and dusted..."

    "Let''s go, I have to show you something." Calvin casually walked away.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo stared at each other as they shared the same thoughts.

    "What a ballsy brat."

    "I''ll be sure to never offend him in the future."

    The two had seen the decisiveness that Calvin disyed moments before he sent the Witches flying towards the horizon. Despite not knowing when the Witches were going to explode, Calvin chose to make his move regardless of the danger. This was a risky move indeed, but the result justified the means.

    Calvin had seeded so there was nothing that the two couldin about, however...

    "He''s too reckless!" Heisenberg softlyined.

    "I agree..." Ricardo sighed.

    As much as he liked Calvin as a friend, he would definitely stay away from Calvin in the future given how reckless thetter was. Ricardo didn''t want to die young after all, so it was natural for him to avoid a gutsy young man like Calvin.

    The two hastened their pace and the group met up with the deformed man.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo were astonished to see the man''s horrifying state, but their astonishment turned to terror upon hearing the secrets that he had divulged to Calvin earlier.

    "To think that such an isted vige would have such a deep history..." Ricardo gasped.

    Heisenberg was speechless. He could only nod his head to concur with what Ricardo had said.

    But...

    "How can we be sure that you''re not lying?" Heisenberg eventually spoke up. He felt ufortable trusting a man that had nothing to lose who had lived in such a terrifying environment for close to a decade.

    The deformed man sighed, "I''ve already told you everything and I swear with the Goddess''s name that all I said was the truth and nothing but the truth. What more do you want from me, Priest?"

    Heisenberg was taken aback.

    The deformed man was decisive indeed.

    But what''s more important was the pleading light in the deformed man''s eyes.

    It didn''t seem to be fake.

    "Well, I understand your doubts, but please hold your judgment... You''ll soon find out if I am speaking the truth or not." The deformed man turned around and started to walk in the direction of the vige center.

    "Wait, where are we going?" Calvin asked.

    The deformed man stopped on his tracks and made a sidelong nce at the three with a smirk on his lips.

    "We are going to meet ''Her''..."

 Chapter 181: Origin of the Curse

    Chapter 181: Origin of the Curse

    Ricardo and Heisenberg gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    The things they had heard from this deformed man were just too outrageous that they didn''t know if they should believe it or not.

    Ricardo nced at Calvin, noticing that there was not a single expression on his face. He was calm as a cid river.

    Calvin noticed Ricardo''s gaze and he smiled, "Don''t worry, he seems trustworthy."

    Seems?

    Dude,e on! We''re in a cursed vige full of living dead!

    Ricardo couldn''t help but inwardly curse.

    But since Calvin had already be some sort of a leader between the three of them and Ricardo didn''t want to be that one person who couldn''t get along with the group. He could only hang his head low and walk alongside the others. However, at this moment, a strange thought came up to his mind.

    ''Just why am I treating Calvin as if he was my superior even though I''m younger than him...''

    Ricardo felt weird and he couldn''t help but take a second nce at Calvin.

    "What? Am I that handsome?" Calvin teased.

    "Handsome your ass!" Ricardo rolled his eyes at the former and proceeded to ignore him.

    Calvin shook his head and chuckled. Ricardo was indeed an amusing young man.

    The deformed man led them to a shack a block away from the vige center.

    "What are we doing here?" Calvin asked.

    The deformed man indifferently swept his gaze across the three and asked, "I thought the three of you would like to hear as to how I survived for so long alone in this vige."

    "Oh, so you''re going to let us in the secret? As long as it doesn''t involve getting cursed, then we''re good to go." Heisenberg smiled.

    Ricardo nced at Heisenberg and asked, "Were you always that brave, old man?"

    "What?" Heisenberg scowled.

    Calvin shook his head and said, "Does your secret for living so long in this vige include your clothes?"

    The deformed man''s hideous facial features underwent a change. He was evidently surprised by hearing Calvin''s words.

    "How did you know?"

    "It was pretty obvious, the monsters we''ve encountered so far were wearing the same graveclothes. You must''ve worn the same clothes as them and pretended to be dead even though you''re one of the living..." Calvin smiled.

    The deformed man nodded.

    A smile of amusement briefly shed across his eyes.

    "You''re quite intelligent for someone your age."

    "Hahaha..." Calvin didn''t fail to take notice of that amusement flitting across the deformed man''s eyes as he awkwardlyughed and said, "It is just the power of deduction."

    The deformed man took another look at Calvin before he opened the doors of the shack and went inside.

    There they saw the deformed man wrapping every nook and cranny of his body except his eyes with the graveclothes that he had in one of the cab''s drawers.

    He then handed over the clothing intended for Ricardo, Heisenberg, and Calvin, "Remember to make sure that there is no exposed part of your body apart from the soles of your feet, everything above your wrists, and your eyes!"

    This sure was a stern warning that Ricardo and Heisenberg didn''t dare to ignore.

    Calvin was wrapping himself up with the graveclothes when he noticed that there was a separate room in the shack.

    "Hey, can I use that room over there?" Calvin asked the deformed man.

    Thetter didn''t seem to hear what Calvin had said while Ricardo took advantage of this opportunity to tease.

    "Calvin, we''re all men here... Why are you acting so shy for? Could it be that underneath that strong exterior of yours lies a woman?"

    "Dude, stop reading those fantasy novels from the Dream Heart Publishing House..."

    "Wait, how did you know that I''m an avid reader of their publications?"

    "It''s obviously because you quoted what you said from the book, ''The Prince of the Kingdom is a Girl.''." Calvin lightly chuckled, "Let''s stop this farce for now. Both of you, follow me to that room. Hey, bro... You don''t mind us using that room, right?" He once again turned to the deformed man, but the man was still so engrossed and being so meticulous with wrapping the graveclothes around his body.

    Calvin took his silence as agreement as he turned around to walk into the adjacent room with Ricardo and Heisenberg.

    "What is this..."

    "Howvish... To think that a vige that''s in the middle of nowhere could afford to decorate their beds and utensils with gold."

    The insides of the room were out of the three''s expectations. Of course, the bed was still a stone bed, but the cup with some leftover juice and a few empty tes were clearly made out of y mixed with gold.

    It was strange enough that the shack had an adjacent room given that the abandoned houses they had visited so far only had a single room simr to that of a studio apartment in modern-day earth, yet the decorations were also this extravagant?

    Just who was the owner of this room?

    Calvin fell into deep contemtion and an idea came to his mind as he nced in the direction of the deformed man.

    "Calvin, you''re thinking that the deformed man owns this house?"

    Heisenberg wasn''t so dull given his age and he immediately caught on to what Calvin was thinking.

    Calvin shook his head, "I don''t think that it''s the case, I mean I found him a few blocks away from this house. If he really owns this ce, then why wouldn''t he stay in that house instead of in this ce?"

    "That makes sense..."

    Ricardo nodded, "We should probably stop overthinking and get this over with. My god, these graveclothes smell disgusting."

    Everyone echoed Ricardo''s sentiment.

    The three quickly wrapped their bodies as tightly as they could and realizing that they now looked like mummified human beings, the three couldn''t help but let out bitter smiles on their faces. Even their noses were covered by the graveclothes.

    Its putrid smell continuously inundated their senses.

    Before the three walked out of the room, Calvin handed over a piece of paper to Ricardo and Heisenberg.

    "What is this?" Heisenberg asked. He could see that there were some scribblings on the piece of paper, but they looked vague as if a chicken had scribbled these words with its beak.

    "Do both of you know Elder Tongue?"

    "A little bit." Ricardo was the one who answered.

    "Then, remember what I am about to say nextwhen you are in absolute mortal danger. When you are in a dangerous situation that you could never hope to deal with even with your power. Hold this piece of paper with your hand and shout the word, ''Release'' in Elder Tongue."

    "Release? What''s release in Elder Tongue again?" Ricardo furrowed his eyebrows.

    "It''s ''Gawas''," Heisenbergmented.

    "You really do know a lot, old man. It seems that the adage, ''with agees knowledge.'' is true." Ricardo snickered.

    "Sure, sure..." Heisenberg was sozy to respond to Ricardo''s obvious baits, "I heard you shout that word earlier when you sent those Witches flying away."

    Calvin stared at Heisenberg and merely smiled.

    Heisenberg noticed the mysterious smirk on Calvin''s face and he couldn''t help but sigh, "All right, whatever secrets you have I won''t dare to delve any further. In fact, I''m already grateful enough that you gave us the manual for the art of Mana Maniption. What''s more, you''re also giving us a life-saving talisman, or whatchamacallit what is this."

    "I can''t impose on you any further," Heisenberg said these words with a tinge of shame.

    Calvin didn''t fail to notice that brief sh of emotion as he teased, "It seems that you really do know how to feel embarrassed, eh? If you''re really that grateful, then you can pay me in exchange for giving you that manual. Of course, I only ept gold, pesos, or cheques from the Joselian bank."

    Heisenberg almost keeled over from what he had heard.

    Ricardo also turned his gaze away and pretended to not hear anything.

    But inside, he was dying...

    If Calvin really did make them pay for the art of Mana Maniption, then not even the wealth of their entire households would be enough to pay for it!

    Ricardo''s lips repeatedly twitched.

    Heisenberg was also grim.

    Calvin swept his gaze at the two and patted their shoulders before heughed in a light-hearted manner.

    "What''s up with you two? Come on, man! I was just joking... We''re friends, so why would I make you pay?"

    "But of course, if you want to pay, then who am I to refuse money when it''s offered to me?"

    "Ahem..." Heisenberg let out a dry cough, "I suggest we go now. The more time we spend here the closer it gets to daybreak. Anyway, Ricardo. I''ve noticed that your Aspect is a bow, yet your Ultimate Skill is a sword attack? What''s up with that?"

    Calvin stared at Heisenberg in astonishment.

    What a smooth way to change topics.

    Ricardo caught the signal and he also cleared his throat before replying, "Well, to bepletely honest with you two. My dream had always been to be a master Swordsman. You know the story of the, ''Rising of the Sword Hero'', right?"

    Calvin faintly nodded. The story, ''Rising of the Sword Hero'' could be considered as a popr legend in thends of Las Felipinas that parents used to inspire their children to work harder and never give up. It was because this story depicted the real struggle that the Sword Hero endured back when the world still hadn''t experienced the First Cataclysm.

    In a nutshell, it was a ''weak to strong'' story that inspired a lot of people.

    It turned out that even Ricardo was one of them too.

    "Your dream had always been to be a master Swordsman? Then, why were you given the Scout ss? What''s more, your Aspect is also a bow?" Calvin asked.

    But the moment he finished his words he felt the piercing re of Heisenberg.

    He could already predict that Heisenberg was about to say in response to what he had said.

    "Never question the Goddess''s n!"

    "Now, I''m convinced that you''re indeed a true devotee of the Goddess. But are you not afraid of being expelled from the church with your perverted acts?" Calvin recalled what had happened in that passenger wagon between Heisenberg and that young woman.

    Heisenberg slightly smiled, "Not discovered, no recourse."

    "Shameless!" Calvin criticized.

    The threeughed out loud before Ricardo went back to the topic.

    "I really have no idea why the Goddess gave me a bow as my Aspect when other Scout-Type Predators have daggers or even slingshots for their weapons. Why is it a bow out of all the possible weapons out there?" Ricardo said, "No, I don''t dare to question the goddess''s judgment... I am just confused." He added when he felt the killing intent from Heisenberg.

    "Are you also good at the bow?"

    "Nope... I have no prior experience with the bow before I got it as my Aspect."

    "Now that exins why you can''t hit anything with your arrows."

    "Shut the fuck up, shameless old man." Ricardo scowled.

    "Hahaha..." Calvin light-heartedly chuckled, "All right, we''ve spent quite a long time here. It''s about time that we go out."

    "Agreed."

    The three walked out of the room and saw that the deformed man had already wrapped himself to the point that he looked like a genuine mummy out of a pyramid from modern-day earth.

    "Let''s go..." The deformed man simply said.

    Calvin and the others followed him outside the shack.

    "Careful now... act as if you belong. Follow me closely or you might run into monsters that can take your life in a blink of an eye."

    A crazed smile suffused on the deformed man''s lips.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo could only offer a nod in return, doubting if it was the right decision for them to trust this stranger.

 Chapter 182: Origin of the Curse(2)

    Chapter 182: Origin of the Curse(2)

    "We''ll go directly to the vige center. Once we exit this alleyway, remember to act as if you belong." The deformed man still had that crazed smile on his face as he nced at Heisenberg, Ricardo, and Calvin.

    The three didn''t react that much for the deformed man didn''t even give them the chance to reply.

    He walked out of the alleyway with the three and the others realized that the vige had undergone a huge change.

    "There are vigers!" Ricardo almost eximed, but his words were muffled by Calvin who was quick to react.

    "Shhh... Don''t make a sound. Act as if you belong here..." Calvin said.

    Ricardo nodded his head in a serious manner before he swept his gaze at the other vigers. Most of them were women and there was this deadpan look on their faces. Their cheeks were hollow, while their eyes were sunken. Their lips were cracked and dry, yet one could vaguely make out a few emotions from their indifferent eyes.

    It was longing, thirst, and devotion.

    Then, all of a sudden...

    The vigers dropped onto the floor with their bellies stuck close to the ground.

    The deformed man was also quick to join the vigers followed by Calvin, Heisenberg, and Ricardo.

    "Are we also going to crawl like this to the vige center?" Ricardo asked in a soft voice.

    "Fewer questions, more actions... Read between the lines..." Calvin scolded.

    Heisenberg also stared at Ricardo as if he was staring at a dumb man.

    The vigers started to chant.

    "Way kamatayun... Way kamatayun... Way kamatayun..."

    When their words fell, the streets outside started to change. All the oilmps extinguished at once, plunging the entire vige into darkness.

    In the silence of the night, only the unceasing chanting of these crazed vigers and the sound of their graveclothes rustling up against the dusty road could be heard.

    "There is no death... There is no death... There is no death..." Heisenberg mumbled.

    This was the direct trantion of what the vigers were chanting.

    "Fucking hell, man... Shit''s about to get real..." Ricardo who knew a little bit of Elder Tongue understood what the vigers were chanting.

    Calvin didn''t say anything at all as he tried to feel the presence of the Mortician and Stephanie lurking within his shadow.

    He sighed in relief, they were still in his shadow. He could feel their menacing presence.

    But even these two made from the amalgamation of resentment felt perturbed about what was happening. They could feel that the presence these vigers were worshipping seemed to be on a whole new levelpared to them. Of course, this difference might not be a dichotomy of their strengths but the difference between their origins.

    If an analogy was to be made.

    It was how flood dragons felt fear in the presence of a true dragoneven if that true dragon hadn''t matured yet.

    Calvin started to wonder about what was the meaning behind the vigers chanting.

    There was no death?

    Well, now that they have be one of the living dead, then one could say that they could not die anymore since they were already dead.

    But was that really it?

    As for the owner of the crying voice? It''s highly likely that the owner of the crying voice is this so-called Our Lady of Holy Death...

    "Wy kamatayun... Wy kamatayun... Wy kamatayun!"

    The chanting intensified and a woman''s crying voice rang in the dark.

    She seemed to be calling someone''s name as if she wanted to vent her grievance onto that person, yet she also deeply longed for that person''s presence like she didn''t want that person to part with her.

    But before the three could even think deeper into the meaning of the crying voice...

    The doors of the houses around them were opened.

    Footsteps echoed on the streets before a dull thud followed, indicating that the owner of those footsteps had dropped onto the floor like them.

    Ricardo had heard someone vaguelynd on his right side and when he turned around to curiously look at the person who was crawling beside him...

    His face nched in horror.

    It was because the eyes, nose, and mouth of that person had been reced by seemingly infinite ck holes that threatened to swallow Ricardo in one big gulp!

    "Aaa..." Ricardo froze on his tracks and the ''person'' seemed to frown as it stared at Ricardo in doubt.

    Calvin and Heisenberg had noticed what was going on and their expressions quickly changed.

    The first one to react was Calvin since he was the closest to Ricardo.

    He pinched the web between Ricardo''s index and thumb finger.

    "Ah!" The sharp pain made Ricardo gasp a mouthful of air as he awakened from his stupor.

    He realized what had happened and he couldn''t help but gratefully stare at Calvin.

    The ''person'' swept its gaze at the three before it ultimately lost its interest and continued to crawl towards the vige center.

    As he crawled away, he left a trail of ck, sticky, and pungent liquid which almost made Ricardo vomit the contents of his stomach.

    "What the fuck was that all about?" Ricardo asked. For some reason, he turned to look to Calvin, seeking the answer to his question.

    But Calvin seemed serious and taciturn. He didn''t even nce at Ricardo as he continued to slowly crawl his way to the center.

    Heisenberg was the same. He ignored Ricardo and crawled side by side with Calvin.

    It was at this moment that Ricardo finally realized why the two weren''t talking.

    ''Act as if you belong...''

    This was the key to their actions.

    Ricardo had to act as if he belonged if he wanted to remain low-key as the living amidst the dead.

    ''From now on, I should talk less, and do more... I''ll remember this adage...'' Ricardo whispered to himself.

    Then, he crawled his way upward and caught up with the others in no time.

    Calvin didn''t dare to open his Predator Senses since the vigers might notice the golden hue in his eyes.

    Ricardo and Heisenberg did the same, but this brought more anxiety thanfort to the two.

    Of course, Calvin was an exception.

    He might be effectively blind at this moment, but his senses were as sensitive as a bat.

    Since he was so close to the ground, he was able to effectively distinguish every footstep that rang out and attached those footsteps to a single individual.

    Calvin counted.

    One, two, three...

    A dozen...

    Several dozens.

    A hundred...

    Several hundred!

    There were several hundreds of unique footsteps echoing through the ground at this moment!

    Calvin''s scalp went cold.

    They have been surrounded!

    There are monsters everywhere!

    But Heisenberg and Ricardo didn''t seem to notice the gravity of the situation as they focused all of their attention on crawling.

    The evesting darkness cast by the moonless night suffocated those underneath it. Bloodstains started to drip on every surface of the vige''s walls, and scratch marks, as well as knife marks, appeared on the ground. Though apart from Calvin, no one else seemed to have noticed this change.

    But he was now certain that the things that happened in this vige were far scarier and bloodier than what the deformed man had described. The story he had told was probably only a part of the entire truth that epassed this vige. The darkness was soon broken, but not by any natural light but an ethereal glow that stood out amidst the darkness.

    The glow came from an elevated tform in the distance.

    Hanging over the tform from a wooden pole was the glowing body of a woman and as soon as Calvin''s eyesid on her.

    The woman''s voice that had unceasingly rung earlier came to a halt.

    Everyone stopped.

    The deformed man crawling ahead of the three also stopped.

    Calvin, Ricardo, and Heisenberg didn''t dare to move.

    A terrifying silence nketed the vige.

    Then, as if in a trance...

    The vigers that had been crawling stood up.

    They were like soulless puppets as they stood in front of the tform where the glowing body of a woman was hanging.

    The glowing from the woman''s body seemed warmed and full of life but in the very next moment... it was tainted ck!

    Twitching veins as dark as the evesting night started to spread and cover the glow of the woman''s body.

    These veins were invasive and ruthless. In a blink of an eye, it had squashed the warm and ethereal glow from the woman''s body, and darkness engulfed the entire vige once again as the beacon in the darkness disappeared.

    But Calvin was shaken at this moment.

    It was because those dark and twitching veins looked familiar.

    He felt a sense of deja vu... as if he had already encountered those veins in the past.

    But he couldn''t seem to remember it at this moment, and there was no time for him to continue his thinking as the ceremonial ritual to praise the Saintess of Death... the Our Lady of Holy Death officially begun!

 Chapter 183: Origin of the Curse(3)

    Chapter 183: Origin of the Curse(3)

    Snap!

    The rope wrapped around the woman''s neck had snapped as a dull sound rang out the moment her body struck the ground.

    Then, she stood up...the vibe surrounding her made everyone feel as if she was a majestic Goddess that had just descended from her heavenly abode to the mortal realm.

    However, she was most definitely not a Goddess.

    The aura surrounding her was too sinister and undivine that no one would possibly think of her as a Goddess.

    If she was to be described, then it would be deserved for her to be called as the Saintess of Death!

    As if on cue and true to her nature, a change urred at that moment.

    The pungent smell of rotting flesh washed over through the entire vige as Heisenberg and Ricardo did everything that they could to stop themselves from vomiting. They had to pretend that they were dead, and how could the dead still vomit? In fact, it was questionable if the dead had a sense of smell!

    "Shit..." Ricardo''s teeth were chattering from fear and his throat continuously swallowed mouthfuls of saliva as it forced the bile that was about to burst from his throat.

    Heisenberg was doing pretty well considering his age.

    Although he was stricken with fear, he managed to hold fast on his wits and his teeth weren''t chattering like Ricardo.

    Calvin tapped the shoulders of the two and said, "Calm down... Hold your wits... Act as if you belong here..."

    "I know... I know..."

    Heisenberg mumbled a reply.

    Ricardo didn''t say anything but Calvin''s words made him remember their current mission.

    They had to act low-key until it was time for them to act.

    Calvin nced at Heisenberg and Ricardo.

    He couldn''t help but sigh.

    To be honest, he couldn''t really me the two of them for being so scared in front of such a monster. Even hewasn''t an exception to the fear, although he managed to recover faster than these two, he was still afraid. After all, every human out there had this innate fear of monsters, especially monsters whose strengths were iprehensible.

    "Hey, bro... What do we do next?" Calvin decided to scratch the ankles of the deformed man to attract his attention.

    "We will stay here until the ceremony ends. Don''t worry, this ceremony will end shortly. This is amon ceremony that happens at the darkest hour of the night. The true nightmare is once the ceremony that only happens every full moon urs. That is when all hell will break loose..."

    "Just what is this ceremony, anyway?" Calvin asked.

    "This is a ceremony of conversion... The vigers had kidnapped outsiders a few days ago. They''ve already converted quite a few of them, but there are still about a dozen survivors remaining."

    ''The passengers!'' Calvin was rmed hearing the deformed man''s words, "Conversion? What do you mean?"

    A crazed smile once again appeared on the deformed man''s lips, "It''s simple... They will either be turned into an eternal devotee of the Saintess of Death, or they will turn into meat that the vigers will consume! A person''s conversion depends on their faith. If their devotion is stronger than their will to submit to the Saintess, they''ll be turned into meat for consumption..."

    "If not, then you should be able to guess their fate." The deformed man mysteriously smirked.

    But his words weren''t much for a mystery since the implications hidden behind it were too clear for anyone to miss.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo were shaken.

    "Are those passengers already dead?"

    Ricardo still had this hope in his heart.

    Heisenberg also had the same thought, but his experience enabled him to think into this matter even deeper than Ricardo.

    What would they do if those passengers were still alive?

    Save them?

    What a joke!

    Their teeth were already chattering from fear upon seeing that monster, and they would obviously need to fight her to save those passengers.

    If they fought her, could they really survive and seed?

    Let alone seeding, even escaping from this vige was now a difficult endeavor.

    "Hahaha..." The deformed man merely chuckled in the face of the question.

    Ricardo''s expression changed.

    He clenched his fists out of frustration and he started to me himself that despite being a public servant, he was ultimately unable to save those passengers from their terrifying ends.

    Calvin nced at Ricardo.

    He could catch a glimpse of his past self upon seeing how frustrated Ricardo was knowing the fates of the passengers.

    Back then, he had also be like this when the trench he was holding with hisrades in the front lines were subdued by those monsters.

    Since he had the weakest ss, the others forced him to escape.

    In the end, he was the only survivor from that batch of soldiers loyal to the Joselian Kingdom.

    His friends and even his best friend back then had died under the ws and jaws of those monsters.

    Calvin had med himself a lot at that time and he almostmitted suicide due to Survivor''s Guilt.

    "Sigh..."

    Calvin let out a sigh and shook his head.

    This wasn''t the time to reminisce about the past.

    He stretched his arm out and ced his hand on Ricardo''s shoulder.

    "Calvin..." Ricardo nced at him.

    But Calvin refused to say anything and after a good while, he eventually retracted his hand.

    "Focus on the task at hand."

    "A-All right..." Ricardo didn''t know what to say.

    Was this guy trying to encourage me?

    He had no idea what the answer was, but Calvin''s encouragement sure did bring a smile to his face.

    What an awkward bastard.

    He doesn''t even know how to console someone!

    Sniggering to himself, Ricardo soon recovered from his trance.

    The terrifying woman was now wrapped in a dress made out of darkness itself.

    She walked down the wooden tform and one of the vigers wheeled in a cart full of corpses.

    The corpses wore clothes simr to what the three could remember. Furthermore, their faces were also familiar.

    Heisenberg even saw the body of the woman he shagged in that passenger wagon!

    "They''re dead..."

    Calvin dered.

    Heisenberg immediately calmed down.

    There was no use acting so wronged for the sake of a dead person.

    "Calvin... Since we''ve already confirmed that the passengers are dead. Shouldn''t we n on how we can make our escape by now?"

    Calvin didn''t even turn to look at Heisenberg for he raised his head and stared at the vast expanse of the skies above them.

    "Escape...? Hahaha, it wouldn''t be that easy, Heisenberg..."

    Calvin''s eyes seem to emit a faint golden light as he activated his Vision.

    The calm skies seemed to be pure, not hiding anything from the eyes of those who stared at it.

    But being the possessor of the Emperor''s Commandment, Calvin saw that there were countless locusts and a swarm of flies beating their wings up above the clouds!

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    How could these locusts and flies survive so far up above the skies?

    There was only one exnation.

    This Saintess of Death wasn''t a Subordinate God, but a disciple!

    She might possibly be the disciple of the Goddess of Pestilence and Famine, Pisti!

    "Shit..." Calvin audibly cursed.

    ''Now I know why this mission is S-Tier...'' A bitter smile appeared on Calvin''s face. Facing a disciple of the Goddess of Pestilence and Famine in battle would be a foolish endeavor for Calvin, but was this so-called Saintess of Death really a true disciple of the Goddess of Pestilence and Famine?

    If that was the case, then she was too weak!

    Far too weak to be considered as a Goddess''s disciple...

    If Calvin''s memory served him right, then one could only be considered to be a Goddess''s or God''s disciple if they were at the Ambassador rank at least!

    But this woman.

    She seemed to be only a High-Tier monster with strengthparable to the fragment of Valefor''s soul!

    Calvin had the Mortician and Stephanie, both High-Tier monsters hidden beneath his shadows, so he wasn''t that afraid.

    But Calvin knew that this wasn''t the time to act.

    He still needed to know how to remove this curse of sleeplessness from the vigers, and for him to understand how to remove the curse. He must follow the instructions of the deformed man and remain low-key until the end of the ceremony.

    The woman was now starting to move to the cart. She opened the steel gates and the stacked corpses tumbled onto the ground. A distorted smile crept up her lips as she picked a random corpse off the ground and held the body on its head with a single hand. A burst of Nether Qi visible only to Calvin who had his Vision activated assaulted all of the person''s orifices.

    In the very next moment, the same veins that had covered the young woman''s body appeared on the corpse. These veins were incredibly invasive that in just under five seconds, they had upied every nook and cranny of the corpse''s body. Then, the veins wrapped the corpse in a cocoon of darkness before that cocoon eventually cracked open to reveal another monster d in the graveclothes of vigers.

    The sight of this made the other vigers cheer.

    "Wy kamatayun! Wy kamatayun! Wy kamatayun!" They chanted. Some of the vigers even copsed right there and then and bawled their eyes out thanking the young woman for supposedly giving ''salvation'' to these outsiders.

    Indeed, the person that hade out of the cocoon would not die anymore for he had already be a living dead.

    The ceremony of conversion continued and the young woman converted these corpses into monsters. The women were turned into Subi, Dryads, Hags, or Witches, while the men were turned into ghouls, creepers, and devourers. No matter what monster they transformed into, it was now impossible for them to die.

    In a sense, they had attained eternal life.

    The eternal life that the Our Lady of Holy Death advocated through ''Her'' prayers.

    About a quarter of the corpses were sessfully converted into monsters, while the others would be turned into meat that the vigers could share and enjoy with their families.

    Seeing the sickening sight of these vigers excitedly carrying the corpses to be washed and skinned for their consumption almost made Ricardo vomit once more.

    No words were exchanged among the four of them as the deformed man started crawling his way to a dark alleyway.

    Ricardo and Heisenberg along with Calvin quickly followed suit. They wanted to leave this ce as fast as possible.

    When they reached the dark alleyway, the deformed man had this crazed smile on his face as he said.

    "In a few minutes, these vigers will return to their homes and they won''te out again until daybreak. We should do our best to break the curse of sleeplessness before daybreak."

    Calvin nced at the dark skies as if he was checking the time.

    Noticing that the swarms of locusts and flies had disappeared along with the vigers, he let out a sigh of relief as he said, "Break the curse before daybreak? We''re mere weaklingspared to our superiors. Why not we lead our superiors here so they can break the curse for you in our stead?"

    "Once we''ve reported everything that had happened here to the church, then they should be able toe here and cleanse this vige."

    Calvin asked as if he was probing for more information, but the deformed man''s expression distorted out of anger.

    "The church?! No, not the church! They are not allowed to step a single foot into this vige! I''ve already had enough of their help... Do you think that I can still trust those ipetent fools to help me when even a child is more courageous than them?!"

    The deformed man was so angry that he eximed.

    Fortunately, the other vigers were already in their houses, so no one was out in the streets to hear his shout.

    "Shut it, man! You''re too loud!" Ricardo burst into a panic though as he scolded the deformed man.

    The deformed man seemed to have realized that he had gone overboard.

    But there was still this defiant look on his face as he patiently exined.

    This time, in a soft voice, "I apologize for being angry, but I can''t just trust those bastards who insist on spreading their gospels and putting themselves on a pedestal as if they are holier than thou... Much more, I''ve already experienced the help of one of their judiciaries."

    "Oh?" Ricardo and Calvin stared at the deformed man in surprise.

    "Yes... Yes... It''s been a year, but I still remember that the man seemed to havee from a judiciary called, what was it again? Uh... Cabal?"

    "The Cavaliers..."

    "Yeah, that''s it..." The deformed man nodded to Calvin''sment, "I thought he would be able to cleanse this vige once and for all but it turned out that he was too scared to do it! He tried to escape the vige without my guidance even though the ceremony had already started..."

    "In the end, he was killed by that woman..."

    "He was killed by that amalgamation of curses."

    The deformed man seemed to still be afraid of what had happened at that time that his body kept on shaking as if he was a leaf.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo were shaken after hearing the deformed man''s words.

    But Calvin seemed to be in deep thoughts about something else. He nced at the deformed man and noticed that the trembling and the twirling fear in his eyes didn''t seem to be fabricated. Yet there was something off in his words that Calvin felt at the back of his head.

    "He died while trying to escape the vige without your guidance? Are you saying that if you''ll guide us, we''ll be able to escape the vige?"

    Ricardo asked in excitement.

    Calvin and Heisenberg turned to look at the deformed man as if they were waiting for his answer.

    The deformed man nodded his head, "I will give you a map that you can use to avoid all the hidden monsters and traps in this vige as well as the taboos as long as you promise to save this vige from the curse and free my fellow vigers from this curse of immortality." The man''s words were steady and serious. It would be hard for anyone to refuse.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo were still thinking about their response when Calvin stepped forward with this cryptic smile on his face.

    "I''ll take you on that offer."

    "I promise to rid this vige of the curse."

    The expression on Calvin''s face was so sincere that anyone couldn''t possibly find any fault in it.

    But Calvin''s mind had already hatched a n.

    The so-called young woman was just too weak to be a disciple of one of the Seven Gods and Goddesses.

    In that case, why were there locusts and flies standing by above the clouds in the skies of the Vige of Tulog?

    There was only a single answer to this question.

    The young woman wasn''t the disciple of the Goddess of Pestilence and Famine.

    It was someone else...

    The mysterious smile on Calvin''s lips deepened.

    He was now getting closer to having the answer to this question.

 Chapter 184: An Underground Army

    Chapter 184: An Underground Army

    "That woman is probably in the ancestral home along with the newly-converted monsters. What we can do at this moment is to wait. When shees out, she will hang herself again over the wooden tform and that is when we make our move..."

    The deformed man handed over a piece of crumpled paper to Heisenberg.

    "If you must leave, use this map."

    Heisenberg received the map without saying anything else.

    Calvin turned to look at the deformed man and asked, "Are you going to apany us?"

    "Yes, I''ll be with you... That''s the only way that the woman won''t kill you at first sight."

    "How can you be so sure that she wouldn''t kill us if she sees us with you?"

    Calvin smirked, "Could it be that you are rted to the young woman, one way or another?"

    "Speaking of this, I can see that despite your wretched appearance. If we arrange the symmetry of your facial features, I can make out a very handsome man that would surely be the target ofdies..."

    "Are you perhaps... a lover of the young woman before she died?"

    The deformed man''s pupils constricted. He grew agitated as his eyes went bloodshot, sending rm signals to Heisenberg and Ricardo who quickly took a fighting stance. They were ready to react if the situation escted to the worst.

    "Calm down..." Calvin gged them down and said to the deformed man, "You don''t really have to answer if you are not willing to..."

    "I was just curious..." A chuckle came out of his mouth when he finished his sentence, "Let''s go... we have a job to do."

    Before leaving the dark alleyway, Calvin borrowed the map from Heisenberg and took a quick nce at it. It was just a simple map for the Vige of Tulog, but there were multiple spots marked with the ''X'' sign colored in red.

    "Have you taken a look at it? What do you think?"

    For some reason, Heisenberg was now relying on Calvin''s opinion even though he was the oldest one in the group.

    "Hahaha..." Calvin lightly chuckled, "It seems genuine, but do you really think that I have a way to check? It''s my first timeing here to this vige, how can I possibly be more knowledgeable about this vige than him?"

    "Makes sense..." Heisenberg sighed, "So in the end we have no other choice but to trust this guy? To be honest, he feels off to me. It''s as if he is hiding something..." He whispered the second part of his sentence to Calvin.

    Ricardo and the deformed man hadn''t noticed them whispering since the two of them were busy scouting the streets.

    Calvin stared at Heisenberg for a moment before he shook his head andughed, "Come on now, old man..."

    "Do you really think that a man like him would betray our trust? He has been waiting for us for more than five years now! I bet his desire to leave this vige is even stronger than yours!"

    Heisenberg seemed to have been convinced by Calvin''s words as he nodded and didn''t say anything anymore.

    The group walked out of the dark alleyway and positioned themselves in an area where they could see the ancestral hall right behind the wooden tform.

    The doors of the ancestral hall were closed, but the sinister auraing from behind the doors sent shivers down the spines of everyone in the group.

    The ceremony of conversion had finished, but to think that there was still a second part to it!

    "This second part of the ceremony is only known to the few since it''s customary for us vigers to lock ourselves in our houses once the ceremony of conversion had ended. This is why only a handful of people knows what happens to the converted devotees after the formal conversion ceremony."

    "This is where takes a turn for the worst... not only those people are converted into monsters. They are also going to be given the curse of sleeplessness... I have no idea why these monsters are given the curse of sleeplessness, but all I know for sure is that woman is gathering hundreds of monsters underneath the ancestral hall..."

    "H-H-Hundreds of monsters?!" Heisenberg was unable to retain hisposure anymore.

    "Yes... I have no idea why, but I identally stumbled upon that underground storage of monsters when I was holding an olddy deliver a letter to the Vige Chief. It was an ident since it was never my intention to open that door. My curiosity got over me and when I pushed that door opened, the horrors that I saw beyond that door would be something that I would never forget."

    "Those monsters... Hahaha..." The deformed man''s facial features distorted into something sinister as he let out a vile cackle, "If those monsters... If those monsters got out of this vige into the outside world... I can only imagine what will happen. It would be absolute chaos!"

    "Perhaps that is the goal of the monster behind the facade of that woman... Gather enough monsters to take the cities of Joselian in one fell swoop! Indeed, it''s a brilliant n! Hahaha!" The deformed man continued tough as Heisenberg, Ricardo, and Calvin frowned.

    The deformed man didn''t seem to be lying.

    Heisenberg scoffed, "You sure are underestimating the churches of the three Orthodox Gods as well as the Judiciaries. Do you really think that a few hundred monsters would be enough to defeat us and take over our cities? What a joke! But well, I should thank you for giving us this information. Once we''re out of here, I will report everything without glossing over any detail."

    "I''ll be sure to eradicate those so-called monsters that you are talking about."

    "Sure, sure, sure... But don''t get too excited yet... We still don''t know if we''ll be able to get out of here." The deformed man was amused by Heisenberg''s deration as he chuckled and repeatedly nodded his head like a chicken pecking rice.

    "Shut your trap... Remember that we can leave whenever we want to." Heisenberg wasn''t afraid of the deformed man at all.

    "Oh, so you''re reneging on your promise?" The deformed man raised his burned eyebrows as a chilling air radiated out of his body.

    ''W-W-What''s wrong with this guy?'' Heisenberg was intimidated to the point that he had to take a step backward.

    "They are not reneging on their promise if they left. Did you already forget what I said? I told you that I promise to rid this vige of the curse."

    "I did not say, ''We''..." Calvin smirked.

    "Hahaha..." The deformed man coldlyughed before he proceeded to ignore the two and turned to stare at the gates of the ancestral hall.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo were annoyed, ''What''s up with this guy?''

    A serious look suffused on Calvin''s face.

    There were some changes happening to the ancestral gates.

    "Is that blood?" Ricardo''s eyes shone in an orangey-hue as his Predator Senses activated. With his Vision, he was able to see something dripping out of the doors of the ancestral hall. It was a crimson fluid that looked simr to blood.

    "Did she kill the corpses that she transformed?" Heisenberg asked.

    Calvin also had a frown on his face.

    If the woman was supposedly gathering monsters in preparation for taking over the major cities of Joselian. Why would she kill those monsters that she was supposed to turn into her soldiers? It didn''t make sense.

    "Nope, she''s shedding them..."

    "Shedding?"

    Calvin, Heisenberg, and Ricardo turned to look at the deformed man.

    "Yes, as you have seen earlier... Those monsters do not possess the features of humans anymore. However, through the process of shedding. They would temporarily possess a human body that they could use to infiltrate the ranks of the Joselian Kingdom. Their intelligence would also be raised until they are able to function as human beings."

    "But since they aren''t really humans... I''d like to call them ''Pseudo-humans.''..."

    "However, the drawback of this transformation is the curse of sleeplessness. Despite having the capability to sleep like other humans. They would be unable to do so since their brains would be fully engaged in keeping their disguises around the clock..."

    The deformed man exined.

    "So that''s the reason why despite being monsters, the vigers here still look human?"

    "What about you?" Calvin asked the deformed man.

    "Hahaha..." The deformed man bitterlyughed, "I don''t even know if I am still human or not."

    Calvin smiled, "You seem to know a lot about this so-called woman and the curse of sleeplessness."

    The deformed man shrugged, "I can guess you can say that I haven''t spent all these years in this damned vige in vain."

    Suddenly, the ancestral gates shook.

    Even the ground itself had been affected as a mini-earthquake started.

    "They''re about toe out!" The deformed man signaled to the others.

    As soon as his words fell, the doors of the ancestral halls were mmed open.

    Then, the figures of the corpses that had been turned into monsters came out of the ancestral hall.

    They didn''t look like monsters anymore. In fact, they looked like humans apart from the fact that their cheeks were hollow, eyes were sunken, and their movements seemed to be mechanical like puppets.

    Calvin counted the number of individuals that came out of the ancestral hall and noticed that about a quarter of them was missing!

    ''So this man wasn''t lying? The woman has been selectively choosing monsters and keeping them underground?''

    Calvin''s expression turned serious.

    He turned to look at Ricardo and Heisenberg before noticing that the two didn''t seem to have noticed the discrepancy between the number of corpses that were converted into monsters to the number of monsters that came out of the ancestral hall.

    ''It seems that in the end, I can only rely on myself. But for now, I should first check out what this man meant about lifting the curse from the vige... If there''s indeed a way for us to lift the curse without fighting, then that would be for the better. But if not, it''s not like I don''t have a few cards up my sleeve...''

    Calvin contemted before he made a decision to follow the deformed man who had already walked ahead.

    The sinister woman hade out of the ancestral hall and was now heading to the wooden tform to hang herself once more. The rope around her neck tightened and the darkness that covered her body seemed to be going away as it was being reced by an ethereal glow.

    Unfortunately, the vessel that contained the ethereal glow was eventually suppressed by the suffocation that its body was undergoing.

    But just as she was about to lose her consciousness, she saw a few figures rushing towards her as well as an arrow that urately struck the rope wrapped around her neck, sending her plummeting onto the ground where she was caught by Calvin who had reacted quick enough.

    "Who..."

    "Who are you people?"

 Chapter 185: The Path to Redemption

    Chapter 185: The Path to Redemption

    "She''s alive?" Ricardo audibly gasped.

    Calvin shook his head. The woman''s body felt as if it had substance, but at the same time, she was too light.

    In short, Calvin was holding the woman''s spirit.

    She was dead...

    Long dead.

    "Who are you?" The woman asked once more.

    She swept her tired gaze across the four and when her eyesnded on the deformed man, she grew terrified.

    "You!"

    "A monster!"

    She pointed at the deformed man and Heisenberg couldn''t help but chuckle.

    "He sure does look like a monster, but he''s not a monster. He''s a human being... just a tad more unfortunate than the others out there."

    The deformed man didn''t say anything. Although from his trembling body, it was obvious that he was shaken and nervous.

    He didn''t even dare to look at the woman as intenseplicated emotions shed across his face.

    The woman stared at the deformed man for quite a while before she awakened from her trance.

    When she was back to herself, she realized that she was still in the arms of Calvin.

    "Put me down, please..."

    "Oh..."

    Despite being dead for a long time, she still seemed to have intelligenceparable to that of a human being. She sure was a remarkable spirit. However, Calvin couldn''t ssify if she was indeed a spirit or an unidentifiable Spectre.

    "What is it that you want from me?" The youngss cut to the chase.

    Calvin wasn''t about to be outdone as he replied, "Do you realize that you''ve died a long time ago?"

    "Hmmm?" The youngss stared at Calvin in a frown. Her beautiful facial features frowned, "Dead...? I''m dead?"

    "No, that cannot be... I''m not dead... I''m still alive! Look. I can even touch you!" The youngss stretched her arm and touched Calvin''s cheek, "How can I be dead if I can still touch things? If I''m actually dead, then my hand would''ve gone through your face." A smile crept up her lips.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo stared at each other.

    "Calvin..." Heisenberg was the first one to speak. As a Priest, he seemed to have recognized what was going on with the youngss.

    "I know... she''s in a state of denial. We need to make her realize that she is already dead, but to do that... She must remember everything."

    "In a state of denial? That doesn''t make sense! How can she deny the current state of the vige?" Ricardo retorted.

    Calvin shook his head, "She cannot see what we are able to see. Until she epts the truth that she''s dead. She''ll continuously deceive herself. Have you heard of the cebo effect?"

    When Calvin''s words fell, he suddenly realized that he made the wrong decision.

    How could these people know about the cebo effect when they were native residents of Las Felipinas?

    The deformed man''s distorted ears twitched as if his interest had been caught by Calvin.

    Calvin took notice of the deformed man''s attention, but he didn''t say anything as he proceeded to exin, "It''s a medical term which convinces your brain that a fake cure is real by making the fake cure look like the real cure..."

    As expected, Heisenberg and Ricardo were still confused but they soon got the gist of what Calvin was talking about.

    "So are you saying that we must let her understand that the world she''s looking at is fake and that the world we are in is the real one?"

    "Yup, that''s basically it," Calvin replied to Heisenberg''s question.

    "Then, how do we convince her that the world she is looking at is fake?" Ricardo chimed in.

    "Leave it to me..." Calvin confidently said.

    He had remembered the ritual that the Wise One did into his previous self that involved unlocking memories by diving into the subconscious...

    Calvin could simte the same effects with fewer materials, but this included the cooperation of the youngss. If she did not cooperate, then it was impossible for anyone to enter her subconscious.

    Calvin nced at the youngss and noticed her confusion, ''Damn it would be a huge pain in the ass to convince her to let me go inside her body...''

    "What are you people talking about?" The youngss finally spoke up.

    "Before we answer that, what were you about to do earlier? Killing yourself?" Calvin riposted.

    "Killing myself? Why would I do that?" The youngss''s confusion intensified, "Wait... what was I about to do earlier? Killing myself? No, I can''t possibly do that! But why... why can I remember..."

    Her eyes darted around until she saw the rope on the ground, "W-W-What is that?! Is that the rope that I used to try and kill... myself?"

    "No, that doesn''t make sense! Why would I... Why would I kill myself? I have a loving family... I have a family to..."

    "Family..."

    "I have a family...?"

    The youngss stood in confusion.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, "Are you okay?"

    The youngss heard his voice and she stared at Calvin, "I am... I am okay... No, I''m not!"

    "What is going on...? Why can''t I...? Why can''t I remember?" She muttered under her breath.

    Calvin turned to look at Heisenberg and asked, "Do you have any mystical ingredients there that can affect the subconscious?"

    "No..." Heisenberg was quick to reply, "I''m a Priest, why would I carry those ingredients in me? Do you think that I''m an Illusionist?"

    Calvin didn''t reply to Heisenberg''s question.

    Instead, he approached the youngss and pressed on her shoulders, "Listen..."

    "You''ve been dead for more than five years now and you died because of a particr young man. You need to remember everything. You''ve got to fight back against something sinister hidden inside you..."

    Calvin couldn''t detect any resentment at all from the youngss. However, he noticed that she seemed to be longing for something. But this longing was incredibly faint. Although it was tenacious, it was slowly being ovee by her confusion.

    ''There''s a stark difference between her current attitude and her previous personality when we were looking at her from afar... Could it be that she''s a Spectre that developed another personality due to her high intelligence?''

    ''That can be possible!''

    ''Speaking of dual personalities, there should be one particr being described in the Bestiary that has the tendency to develop a dual personality... But shit... I can''t remember it!''

    Calvin started to desperately wrack his brain for the information that he needed, but there was just too much information in the Bestiary and he needed time to filter them all.

    It was at this moment that the deformed man spoke.

    "Freya..." He said.

    The youngss quickly froze, "Why... why does that word sound so familiar?"

    "Is that... is that my name...?"

    The deformed man gnashed his teeth and replied, "Yes... Freya. It''s your name."

    "You... You know who I am?" Freya muttered.

    "Yes, I do... I know you far too well! These gentlemen are correct. You''ve been dead for more than five years."

    "Dead..." Freya nked out.

    "No... I''m not dead! That''s impossible! If I am dead, then why am I able to touch things, and why am I walking on foot? Shouldn''t I be floating if I was dead? And you shouldn''t be able to talk to me like this too!"

    The youngss was headstrong and refused to believe that she was long gone from this world.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    "You''re long dead, youngdy. The only reason why we are able to converse with you like this, and why you are able to touch us as well as walk on foot is that your desire to stay in the material ne is too strong than the attraction of the astral ne to your soul..."

    "In short, you are subconsciously refusing the summon of the astral ne because you still have an unfinished business in this world..."

    "As for that unfinished business, only you know what it is... We want to help you finish your final business in this world, so you can finally reincarnate." Calvin exined.

    Heisenberg nodded his head. He had suspected this much when he saw how the youngss''s spectral figure was almost fully materialized.

    The only answer to this question was that her desire to stay in the material ne was just too strong than her desire to move on.

    And moving on involved finishing every business in this world...

    So the answer that Heisenberg reached was the same as Calvin.

    But he couldn''t help but feel impressed that Calvin had been faster than him to reach the same conclusion.

    He was starting to doubt if Calvin was the real Priest of the Church of the All-Epassing Light, and that he was just a fraud.

    "Unfinished business...? I don''t know... I don''t remember..." The youngss seemed to have started to believe that she was indeed dead. But the missing parts in her memories made her feel doubtful about her very own existence and reason for persistence.

    It was at this moment that the deformed man spoke up once again, "Do you have a lover from the Kingse vige...?"

    "Kingse..." Freya''s figure stiffened.

    She stood frozen for a while until her pupils constricted in shock.

    Eventually, she started tough, "Hahaha..."

    "I''m dead..."

    "I can remember it now..."

    "Yes... I''m dead..."

    "I''ve been dead for a long time!"

    "Why is it that my memories are only starting to resurface now?"

    "Hahaha... now I remember what I''ve done to the vigers of this damned ce..."

    "Yes, I''ve done a lot of wrong things, but the people here deserve it!"

    She seemed to be reasoning against something inside her mind as she muttered to herself in a crazed manner.

    "This is their retribution!" Freya stretched her arms out andughed out loud.

    "Don''t you think that this is enough?" Calvin suddenly spoke, "You''ve already turned all the vigers into undying monsters that are forever unable to die nor sleep. Shouldn''t that revenge be enough?"

    "Why are you still unsatisfied?"

    "What more do you want from these vigers?" A frown was on Calvin''s face when he felt that Freya seemed to be enjoying the memories that were rushing through her mind at this moment.

    "Enough...?" Freya''sughter came to an abrupt halt.

    She swept her gaze across the vige and something seemed to have shattered inside her mind. The vige that she was able to see in her eyes underwent a rapid change.

    The sturdy buildings quickly turned dpidated, while the properly maintained road started to be filled with holes...

    The scent of flowers that constantly inundated the air of the vige due to the vigers'' fascination towards scents disappeared and was reced with the disgusting stench of decay, rust, and grime.

    "Wha... What is this..." Freya muttered.

    "This is the result of your vengeance. And I think you''ve done enough." Calvin responded.

    "I did all of these...?" Freya absentmindedly stared at the once quiant and tranquil vige that had now been transformed into something that one could only find in their deepest nightmares. She couldn''t believe that all of these were the result of her actions.

    "Don''t you think that it''s enough?" Calvin asked once more.

    Freya clenched her tiny fists.

    She could still remember what had happened on that day when she was kidnapped by the vigers of this vige.

    She had been angry at them, but even though some of these vigers were scum.

    Not every viger was the same as the bad ones. In fact, she could still even remember the smiles of the aunties who had tried their best tofort her every time she was beaten up for trying to escape.

    Not everyone in the vige had been bad eggs.

    She could now remember that it has been more than five years since she died.

    The current situation of the vige was the result of her resentment and vengeance.

    Furthermore, the main perpetrators of her kidnapping had already suffered a fate worse than death.

    "This should be... enough?" Freya stared at Calvin in doubt.

    "But how do I move on?"

    "You must remember your unfinished business. Tell us what it is, and we''ll fulfill it for you. Then, you can finally move on." Calvin smiled.

    Freya thought hard and long but she was ultimately unable to remember just what was her unfinished business.

    It was at this instant that the deformed man spoke once more and pointed at her left hand, "Your business must be rted to that ring around your finger."

    "Ring?" Freya was astonished to hear the man''s words, but when she turned to look at the ring finger of her left hand.

    Her pupils constricted as the sealed memories in her subconscious rushed into her mind once more.

    "I know... I remember... I know what it is! I know what must be done for me to move on!" Freya eximed.

    Ricardo and Heisenberg smiled. They were obviously happy that they could finally see the end of their journey. After all, once the curse was lifted then the suffering of these vigers must also be over. It was an ending that couldn''t be better.

    But Calvin was staring at the deformed man with this doubtful look on his face.

    However, before he could think deeper into the problem.

    Freya spoke once more, "It''s my lover... Presto."

    "I remember when I was about to die... I seem to be calling his name. That deplorable man tainted my bodyhe tainted what I''ve reserved for the love of my life... I can never forgive that man, but I swore back then that I would do everything that I can to at least say my farewell to my lover before I leave this world..."

    "I knew he was a part of the search party that looked for me when I disappeared. I was about to escape at that time, but the Vige Chief caught onto my ruse and prevented my escape. In the end, all that I could see was Presto''s despairing look as he hugged my bloodstained clothingthinking that I have been devoured by a beast..."

    "Please... bring Presto to me..."

    Freya prostrated on the ground and implored Calvin with everything that she had.

    "I must tell him onest time that if there was ever a next life."

    "I would still be willing to be his wife."

 Chapter 186: Unstoppable

    Chapter 186: Unstoppable

    "Presto..."

    "Where can we find this Presto?"

    Heisenberg mumbled.

    "Isn''t it obvious? That Presto guy is probably at the vige where she lived."

    "Yeah, that makes sense." Heisenberg agreed with what Ricardo had said.

    "If we brought Presto over to you will you remove the curse that''s haunting this vige?" Calvin stared right at Freya''s eyes.

    "Curse...?" Freya looked confused, "Curse? I''ve never cursed anyone! In fact, I would never curse anyone!"

    "All right, let me rephrase itwill you still forgive these vigers and move on after we bring you over Presto?" Calvin asked seriously.

    "Forgive these vigers?" Freya''s face distorted in anger, "You''re asking me, to forgive these monsters? No! That''s a deal-breaker, I would never forgive these monsters." Fortunately, she managed to control her anger once she was done with her spiel.

    "Okay, I won''t ask you to forgive them, but you must let them go. You''ve done enough, right?" Calvin replied.

    He started thinkingif he brought Presto over here and nothing would changethen it would be a worthless endeavor.

    First of all, Calvin wasn''t even sure if this Presto guy was still alive.

    What if he had died years ago?

    Was he supposed to dig his grave and bring over his remains to Freya?

    Freya didn''t say anything, but it was obvious from her expression that she was willing topromise.

    Calvin had to make a decision eventually, so in the end, he gave a long sigh and said, "I''ll bring your lover over to you."

    "Great!" Freya''s expression disyed her delight, "I''ll be waiting for you."

    It was at this moment that Ricardo interrupted, "Wait, wait, wait... You''re going out by yourself to that Kingse Vige?"

    "Yeah." Calvin simply answered.

    "Okay, well do you even know where it is?" Ricardo asked.

    Calvin smiled, "If a vige like the Vige of Tulog hadn''t disappeared yet despite being overrun by monsters, do you really think that Kingse Vige is already gone? It should still be here, and we stayed there before we went over here."

    "Wait, are you saying that..." Ricardo''s frown turned into a look of understanding.

    "Yup, it''s that vige." Calvin nodded.

    "I see..."

    "But why are you going to go out of this vige by yourself? Can''t you bring us with you?" Heisenberg asked.

    "Nope..." Calvin shook his head.

    "Why?"

    "It''s because it''d be faster if I was alone."

    "Are you saying that we''re dead weight?" Heisenberg knitted his eyebrows.

    "No, no, no..." Calvin''s lips repeatedly twitched, "My style just doesn''t seem to fit being with you guys. Don''t take it personally, all right?"

    Seeing Calvin acting so frantic, Heisenberg could only let it go, "Okay, so what are the two of us going to do while you''re gone?"

    "I''m sure that despite being at your age you should still be able to jump high enough to reach a rooftop, right?"

    "All right, so that''s what you want us to do? I get it, say no more." Heisenberg smirked.

    "Well, if you say so." Calvin shrugged.

    Heisenberg lightly chuckled and he turned around to inform Ricardo of the arrangement.

    "Wait." Calvin stopped him in his tracks.

    "What is it?" Heisenberg asked.

    "Keep an eye out for this deformed man," Calvin said these words in Elder Tongue.

    Heisenberg''s figure stiffened and he didn''t dare to nce at the deformed man after seeing that Calvin''s grim expression.

    Was there something off about this deformed man?

    Damn, I can''t even rx?

    Heisenberg couldn''t help butin in his heart.

    "All right," Heisenberg replied in Common Speech.

    Calvin smiled at Heisenberg before he turned to look at Freya, "You can rest assured, youngdy. I''ll bring your lover over to you, so both of you can finally be reunited."

    "Take the map with you." The deformed man said after seeing that Calvin was about to leave.

    "I''ve already memorized it," Calvin smirked before he dashed towards the direction of the vige''s southern gates.

    The deformed man could only shake his head, "What a naive young man. I hope he manages to return."

    "What?" Heisenberg heard what the man had mumbled to himself, "Are you saying that Calvin''s going to die out there?"

    The deformed man stared at Heisenberg for quite a long time before a crazed smile surfaced on his lips, "Who knows? The outside world is a dangerous ce, full of unexpected dangers. I sure hope that hees back. He''s such a talented young man. It would be a waste if he dies."

    Heisenberg and Ricardo stared at each other.

    They were quickly growing unnerved by the deformed man''s unusual and unstable personality.

    "He''s s " Heisenberg was about to inform Ricardo about what Calvin had told him earlier, but he decided to hold back. He knew how unpredictable Ricardo could be. However, he wasn''t actually that bad. His reactions were fast when ites to emergencies, but he seems to be the type of person that panics in the middle of a fight.

    But remembering Ricardo''s performance in the fight against the Sabbath earlierhis performance was excellent.

    Heisenberg just couldn''t trust someone as unpredictable as Ricardo with such an earth-shattering secret that still wasn''t even confirmed. Who knows if he panicked and a Freudian slip mighte out of his tongue?

    "What is it?" Ricardo asked.

    "Nothing... Calvin told us that we should probably go to the rooftops. Can you bring that man over with us to the rooftop? I don''t think he''ll be able to jump as high as us." Heisenberg replied with an awkward smile.

    Ricardo raised an eyebrow at Heisenberg''s strange reply. But he neverthelessplied with Heisenberg''s demands.

    After all, despite the fact that Ricardo didn''t feel that much respect for the old man considering what he had done back at the passenger wagonhe was still older than him.

    Furthermore, the culture of Joselians demanded that they must respect their elderlies at all times.

    In fact, Ricardo was actually feeling guilty about how he was teasing Heisenberg, especially after seeing Heisenberg''s performance in that battle against the Sabbath earlier.

    Heisenberg sure was strong, and Ricardo knew to respect the strong.

    He walked over to the deformed man and informed him of what was about to happen. Surprisingly, the deformed man readily agreed to the arrangement. He uttered not anyint as he silently walked over to both Heisenberg and Ricardo.

    "Do you have any injuries that may cause you any pain? I''ll be wrapping something around your body so I can carry you up to the roof with us. I''ll do my best to be as gentle as possible, but that is not always possible." Ricardo asked.

    The deformed man shook his head, "What pain can be worse than what I am feeling right now? Next time, don''t bother asking. Just do it."

    Heisenberg and Ricardo stared at each other as Heisenberg gestured for Ricardo to proceed.

    Without saying any words more, Ricardo summoned his bow and pointed an arrow at the deformed man.

    "Water Anchor Arrow." A whisper came out of his mouth and what followed next was the appearance of a water shaped beam that deftly wrapped around the deformed man.

    Heisenberg was shocked.

    To think that he''s able to change the trajectory of an arrow in mid-air?

    What is this guy? Did he lie to me when he said that he''s not that good with bows?

    "I''ll be lifting you up now, sir." After seeing that the arrow had dug a deep foundation into the ground. Ricardo carried the deformed man onto a nearby rooftop wherein they could see everything around the vige center without much effort.

    Heisenberg followed suit with a simple jump and hended on the roof without causing any tremorsevidence that his mastery of his own strength had reached an unfathomable height.

    As the three sat on the rooftop, they were settled and quiet. Not a lot of words were exchanged between the three as both Ricardo and Heisenberg closed their eyes to meditate.

    However, Heisenberg''s eyes weren''t really closed. In fact, he was only pretending to be meditatinghis eyes were focused on the deformed man, ready to react whenever he acted strangely or did something outrageous.

    Unfortunately for Heisenberg the deformed man remained seated obediently on the rooftop. He was staring a thousand miles ahead for his pupils were nk, seemingly in deep thoughts.

    Noticing that the deformed man would probably never dare to do anything right in front of their eyes, Heisenberg finally calmed down as he took a deep breath and meditated.

    Meanwhile, on Calvin''s side, he had already reached the southern gate of the Vige of Tulog.

    "Was I too cautious?" Calvin furrowed his eyebrows as he stood there with four pieces of paper attached to his four limbs. These papers were engraved with runes through the art of Runecrafting and they were set to activate with his voice. If Calvin met significant danger, then he was to use one of the papers on his legs to run away.

    But if the danger was something that he could handle and would not dy his arrival to Kingse vige, then he would annihte that danger and break straight through it in order to reach Kingse vige faster than if he took another route by avoiding danger.

    Calvin swept his gaze across the southern entrance and he discovered not a soul roaming about.

    "All right, I''ll just go ahead. But as a precaution, I''ll add another one." Calvin decided and he pped another piece of paper on his body. This time it was on his forehead.

    The paper hung loosely at his be but just as the brain always ignored the nose. His brain also automatically ignored the piece of paper, so Calvin''s vision wasn''t affected at all.

    If he was going to be nitpicky, then it would be that the paper made his nose itchy. But that was it.

    The darkness of the night didn''t serve as an obstacle to Calvin who had his Predator Senses activated. Realizing that he was just wasting time being so cautious when there were no enemies in sight. He decided to speed up and he eventually reached the walls where the tunnel that they had used to go into the Vige of Tulog had disappeared.

    Calvin immediately pped a paper on the wallsfor he knew that the disappearance of the tunnel was nothing but an illusion.

    "Break!" He grunted and a bright light emerged from the piece of paper, shattering the illusion that had covered the tunnel in an instant.

    "Up we go..." Calvin ran up to the wall and made a mad dash towards the other side.

    The Vige of Tulog was strangely quiet at this moment, but the tunnels were full of monsters that awakened the moment Calvin walked into the entrance.

    Their crimson eyes eerily floated in the darkness, but Calvin was never spooked. It was because he had twopanions that were far scarier than these monsters.

    "Stephanie, just scare them with your presence. Let the Mortician handle these small fries."

    Calvin swept his gaze across the monsters and he discovered that they were nothing but Low-Ranked monsters that were unworthy of his attention.

    To be honest, he was more worried if these monsters proved beneficial for the Mortician especially in regards to thetter''s ascension.

    In the terrifying abyss-like darkness of the tunnels, one could hear the cries and screams of the damned. Yet, these screams seemed to be superseded by fear as the monsters lurking in the shadows all sumbed one by one under the scalpel of the Mortician. Unfortunately, just as Calvin had expected, these monsters didn''t bring that many points for the Mortician''s ascension.

    When Calvin came out of the tunnels, the Mortician had dispatched roughly a few dozen of those lesser monsters.

    But he only got about 2 ascension points.

    The valley between Kingse Vige and the entrance to the Vige of Tulog was still as creepy as ever. But Calvin knew that there was no more substantial danger in the valley after he had defeated the Sigbin and the hag. In short, there was nothing else that could stop his approach to Kingse vige as he knocked on the doors of Old Zhong.

    "Who is that?!"

    Old Zhong asked in a fierce voice. He was unnerved for who would knock on someone else''s door thiste at night?

    "Old Zhong, it''s not even a day since we separated. How could you be so cold to me now?" Calvin teased.

    "Calvin?" Old Zhong''s figure stiffened.

    He slowly opened the doors and his pupils constricted when he discovered Calvin standing there unscathed, with no injuries whatsoever.

    "Is that you?" Old Zhong asked once more.

    "Yeah, it''s me." Calvin smiled, "What? Did you expect to me give you a hug or what? Hell no."

    "Oh, so it''s really you..."

    Old Zhong slowly made his way to Calvin, and just as he was about three meters away from Calvin... he leaped forwards and unveiled his twin daggers. The daggers shone coldly under the moonlight as it flew directly towards Calvin''s neck in break necking speeds!

 Chapter 187: Caretaker of Monsters

    Chapter 187: Caretaker of Monsters

    Calvin was quick to react, just as the twin daggers revealed their cold sheens. He ducked his head and dodged the attack. Then, he kicked Old Zhong back while retreating and saying, "What the fuck, Old Zhong, it''s me! Chill! Chill! Chill!"

    "Who are you?!" Old Zhong was knocked against the wooden walls of his house. His eyes were bloodshot as he growled at Calvin. He didn''t seem to believe that the Calvin standing in front of him was the genuine Calvin that he had apanied earlier to the tunnels.

    "I told you already, it''s me! Calvin!" Calvin didn''t know whether tough or to cry.

    "You''re lying! If you''re Calvin, then how did you get out of that vige so fast? Even the Vige Chief only managed toe out of the vige after a month!" Old Zhong roared.

    "Sigh..." Calvin let out a sigh, "Then, how do I prove it to you that I am the real one?"

    "I haven''t heard of monsters that can steal the memories of the deceased. In that case, tell me everything that happened before I left you in the tunnels. If you''re the real Calvin, then this shouldn''t pose a problem. If you''re not, theny down your life! How dare you try to pretend that you''re a human being in front of me? Monster!" Old Zhong cried out.

    Calvin awkwardly scratched his head and he didn''t protest any further. It was because he could see that Old Zhong was serious. Calvin couldn''t afford to offend this so-called King of Burst. If he did, then he might find his head rolling on the ground the next moment.

    Having made a decision, Calvin started his spiel and told Old Zhong every detail that he could remember as to what had happened earlier.

    It didn''t take long for Old Zhong to be convinced.

    "Calvin..."

    "Yeah? Now, do you believe that it''s me?"

    "You''re alive... Wonderful, I didn''t expect that you''de back so fast!" Old Zhong gave Calvin a hug.

    Thetter wanted to avoid the hug at first, but Old Zhong''s movements were faster than he had expected. Before he knew it, he was already wrapped around the arms of Old Zhong.

    "All right, all right, I understand that you''re relieved to find me alive, but can you not hug me so tight?"

    "Ah, my apologies..." Old Zhong drylyughed as he took a step backward.

    Old Zhong noticed that Calvin was alone. His expression turned serious and he couldn''t help but ask, "Where are the others?"

    "They''re dead..." Calvin let out a deep sigh.

    But before Old Zhong could react, Calvin beamed into a smile and added, "Nah, they''re still alive. I just came back because I need someone to apany me back to the Vige of Tulog."

    "What?" Old Zhong was floored. He became confused, "Are they dead or what?"

    "They are still alive. I was just kidding with you."

    "Oh..." Old Zhong didn''t know what to say. But he was relieved that Ricardo and Heisenberg were still alive, "What did you say again? You came back because you need to drag someone with you back to the Vige of Tulog?"

    "Yup." Calvin smiled, "You see, my friends are alive, but they are being held hostage by a vengeful ghost who demands the presence of her lover so that she could move on."

    "What?!" Old Zhong was startled, "Are you saying that you''re going to sacrifice one of us to that vengeful ghost, so you can ensure the safety of your friends?! No, no, no... I cannot let you do that at all costs. Who are you to sacrifice my fellow vigers?"

    Calvin hurriedly shook his head, "No, you misunderstood me, Old Zhong. I am not out here to sacrifice anyone. Remember that I''m a member of one of the three Judiciaries serving under the Church of the three Orthodox Gods..."

    "Why would I sacrifice anyone? In fact, I wouldn''t evene back here if I can''t ensure the safety of that person under the presence of that vengeful ghost!"

    "I see..." Old Zhong calmed down significantly after hearing Calvin''s words. He trusted every member of the three Judiciaries as a devotee of the Goddess of Compassion and Light, "Who is that person that you''re after? If he''s really in this vige, then I can convince him toe with you. Despite looking like this, I still hold quite the authority, you see?"

    "Ah, right..." Calvin nodded his head, "I''m looking for a man whose name is Presto. Can you convince him toe with me?"

    "What?" Old Zhong''s pupils constricted, "Say that again?"

    "I''m looking for someone named Presto."

    "Presto?"

    "Yeah..."

    "Shit. Your friends are going to die." Old Zhong''s figure shook as he was quite rattled by what he had heard.

    "What are you talking about? Could it be that the young man''s already dead?" Calvin asked.

    "Yeah... He''s dead. He killed himself the next morning after we discovered some parts of clothing that belonged to Freya."

    Old Zhong rubbed his be, "Speaking of Freya.... what a pitiful youngss. To think that she would be a vengeful ghost. Unfortunately, her lover is already dead... what should we do now? Can we still rescue your friends with the bones of Presto?"

    "The bones of Presto?" Calvin''s expression changed, "You have his bones?"

    "Of course, not!" Old Zhong snorted, "Joselian traditions say that one must be buried under the shade of one''s favorite tree. Unfortunately, Presto''s favorite tree unexpectedly withered the moment he died so we have no choice but to bury him under the favorite tree of his lover so that we areforted that both of them can be lovers once more in their next lives."

    "I see..." Calvin nodded his head, "Can you bring me to the bones of Presto? It''s in the middle of the night, so we should be able to retrieve his bones without letting anyone notice what we are doing."

    "That could be difficult." Old Zhong shook his head.

    "Why?"

    "The family of the youngss, Freya reared hunting dogs whose senses are sharper than my daggers. It would be difficult for us to avoid their detection, much more unearth the bones of Presto."

    "Hunting dogs? Yeah, they are indeed difficult to hide from. But difficult doesn''t mean impossible. I have my own way. Just point me in the right direction and I''ll retrieve the bones for us." Calvin gave a mysterious smirk.

    "Hahaha..." Old Zhong boisterouslyughed, "The adage that the young would always surpass the old is really not unfounded. To think that being so youngyou already have so many tricks under your sleeves!"

    "All right, I shall apany you to the gated fence of the youngss''s family." Old Zhong took the lead and both of them hurried towards the southern part of Kingse vige. It didn''t take long for them to arrive at the gated fence.

    Since it was also in the middle of the night, there was not a soul in sight.

    Calvin was confident that he could retrieve the bones without any problems, but as soon as he stepped inside. He heard the ghastly growls of a sinister creature that he had never expected to hear inside Kingse Vige.

    "Ghouls growl and wail at night."

    "Eating everything alive in sight."

    "If you see one, try to run and escape."

    "But good nightfor they leave; no one alive!"

    Calvin was instantly reminded of this particr children''s rhyme that parents often used to scare their children at night.

    The rhyme was terrifying indeed, but what was more horrifying was the fact that the rhyme wasn''t inurate at all.

    It was the most urate description of what Ghouls were.

    But visually, they were difficult to describe.

    A part of them resembled humans, but if one looked closely at them.

    They would see that Ghouls never resembled humans at all. Though they had arms and legs like men, they walk on all fours like dogs and foxes. Though their faces eerily resembled humans, one would find it hard to find any vestiges of humanity on their distorted faces, for they were driven with nothing, but one thing onlyan insatiable craving for anything alive.

    Calvin turned to look at the Ghoul that stood in front of him and without saying anything.

    He summoned his Aspect sent the Corpse Eater Oil covered tip of the quill flying towards the Ghoul. Ghouls were also Corpse Eaters, though they were farmon than other variations of Corpse Eatersthey weren''t less powerful than their lessmon counterparts such as the Creepers and Graved Deads.

    The quill drew a golden arc in the air as it whistled through the skies flying towards the Ghoul''s forehead.

    But before it could even prate the Ghoul''s brainstem...

    "Stop!"

    ...A voice halted the golden quill in its tracks.

    It was also at this moment that Calvin discovered the peculiar existence of a cor wrapped around the Ghoul''s neck. Nohe had already noticed the cor before he sent an attack. He just decided to ignore it for he thought that it held no significance. But now that he was acknowledging the presence of the cor, Calvin suddenly realized where he was.

    He was in the middle of Kingse vige!

    How could there be a Ghoul here?

    If there was, then shouldn''t Old Zhong already dispatched of it?

    With his experience in battles, a Ghoul or two shouldn''t be a problem.

    Yet, this Ghoul was still alive and judging from its size, it must be several years old already...

    What was going on?

    Calvin sucked a mouthful of cold air as he reeled his shock in and turned to look at the olddy who stopped him in his tracks.

    The golden quill reappeared in Calvin''s hand, it was ready to redeploy at any moment.

    "Young man, I am grateful that you have such control over your strength."

    The olddy''s voice sounded off, but this was probably because she had no teeth.

    Calvin scanned the hunchbacked olddy from head to toe and after noticing that the olddy didn''t seem to pose any danger nor have any intent to harm him, he dispersed his golden quill but maintained a degree of cautiousness against the Ghoul in front of him.

    "Who are you?"

    Calvin asked the olddy.

 Chapter 188: Presto and Freya

    Chapter 188: Presto and Freya

    "Hahaha." The olddy drylyughed, "I''m nothing but an old woman with a foot in her grave. Besides, I should be the one asking you that question, right?"

    Calvin nced at the Ghoul before he turned to look at the olddy, "Why do you have such a repulsive creature in your backyard?"

    "Why are you in my backyard?" The olddy retorted with a question.

    Calvin bitterly smiled. It seemed that he must answer the olddy first and satisfy her with his answer before she would respond to his questions.

    "I came here to retrieve something." Calvin vaguely said. Honestly, he had no idea what to say.

    "Retrieve? Are you here to retrieve Presto''s bones, perhaps?" The olddy smiled. Her mouth went slightly ajar, revealing her unsightly ckened gums that had no teeth attached to them.

    "How did you know?" Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    "Young man, do you believe in divination?" The olddy asked.

    "Divination?" Calvin nkly uttered, "Are you saying that you divined my arrival here?"

    "Nope... You''re half right and half wrong. Your arrival was indeed divined, but I was not the one who did it."

    "Who predicted my arrival?" Calvin frowned.

    The olddy shook her head, "I have no idea. But he knew that you are going to arrive. At first, I didn''t believe his words, but when he told me that I have a rare constitution that gives me the ability to tame monsters as if they are my pets. I became a believer in his words."

    The ability to tame monsters as if they were her pets?

    Calvin thought to himself.

    He knew a lot of orthodox and unorthodox information with his decades'' worth of knowledge, but this was the first time that he heard that there was a rare constitution out there that could let someone tame monsters and treat them as if they were household pets.

    But Calvin was willing to give the olddy the benefit of the doubtafter allit wouldn''t be strange if he hadn''t heard of them since they were ''rare''.

    But...

    "How can I be so sure that you are not lying to me?"

    Calvin asked.

    The olddy smiled before she turned around and started walking into her house, "Come inside. I''ll show you my collection of pets."

    "No thanks."

    He wasn''t stupid.

    If the olddy did have a collection of monsters as her pet inside her house, then it was tantamount to suicide if he went into that house.

    "I am not going to harm you." The olddy added, "If I wanted to harm you, you would''ve died already."

    "Oh?" Calvin raised an eyebrow, "How certain you are that you''ll be able to kill me so easily?"

    "This is not a matter of certainty, young man. It''s an irrefutable fact." The olddy simply shrugged.

    "Interesting." Calvin let out a smile, "Since you''re that powerful, then I will surely not go into that house!"

    The olddy stopped in her tracks. Then, she startedughing, "Hahaha... It sure was foolish of me to invite you to go into my house after I''ve told you that I am powerful enough to end your life. Of course, you''ll have your guard up!" She raised her arm and all of a sudden, a chair came flying from inside the house into her hand.

    The olddy handed over the chair to Calvin and gestured for him to sit, while another chair flew towards her hand.

    "Okay..." Calvin took the seat and he sat a few meters away from the olddy. He focused his senses on the olddy''s arm, then he discovered that despite the chair weighing at least ten kilograms. The olddy''s arm didn''t even tremble as she caught the chair in mid-air!

    What did this mean?

    It meant that she was physically stronger than she looks!

    Calvin ced one of his hands into his pocket as he clenched a few pieces of crumpled paper under his palm. He was ready to react at any moment and if the situation soured, he was confident that he could escape.

    He sat there staring at the olddy as the olddy let out a sigh and said, "Seeing that golden light that you threw earlier to Chad, you must be a member of one of the three Judiciaries of the Kingdom, am I right?"

    "Yes..." Calvin nced at the Ghoul and he didn''t know whether tough or to cry knowing that it had such a name as ''Chad''.

    "In that case, then I shall find sce to the fact that not any soul would ever find out as to what had been the topic of today''s discussion."

    The olddy chuckled.

    "The topic of today''s discussion?"

    "You came here for Presto''s bones and that is enough for me to know that Freya..." The olddy sighed, "Let''s not talk about that anymore."

    "I made you take a seat because I want you to know that the Vige of Tulog has a danger that you could not possibly hope to defeat. If the danger in that vige is only in the form of a few Corpse Eaters and monsters, then it would be fine..."

    "But that is not the case when ites to that vige."

    "I''m sure you know about the Our Lady of Holy Death, right?"

    "Yes, I''ve heard its origins from one of its residents."

    "From one of its residents?" The olddy''s pupils constricted, "There''s still someone alive in that damned vige?!"

    "Yes, he''s part human, part monster. He managed to survive by eating his own flesh and relying on the regenerative properties of his cursed body to recover that consumed flesh."

    "My goddess..." The olddy gasped in shock.

    "But since he''s already affected by the curse, there''s only one way left for him. I''m sure you know what I''m talking about."

    Calvin nodded, "He''s going to be eliminated in the end. There''s just no way that the church would give him sanctuary given that he possesses a curse whose means of infection isn''t even known as well as its origins."

    "Then, knowing that he''s still going to die in the end. Why is he struggling to live?" The olddy asked.

    Calvin turned to look at her and replied, "That is also what I am perplexed with. If I were in his position, I would''ve already killed myself, yet he''s still hanging to life..."

    "Earlier, I noticed that he seems to know a lot about Freya and he''s even the catalyst that led to Freya''s recovery of her own memories. He sure is not a bad apple from what I can see."

    "Do you really think so?" The olddy raised an eyebrow.

    "Nope..." Calvin lightly chuckled, "But prima facie says that he''s innocent and the victim." A mysterious smirk stered across Calvin''s face as the olddy also let out a chuckle.

    "How clever, so that''s what your n is. If the other members of the church possess your brains instead of muscles, then they would''ve already conquerednd for their own instead of relying upon a derelict Kingdom with a dumbass King."

    Calvin revealed a look of astonishment on his face hearing the olddy''s words. For someone her age, she sure talked as if she was a member of a contemporary neighborhood.

    "Now that I think about it, tonight should be a full moon. Yet you managed to escape from that vige unscathed? Wait, did you take advantage of the downtime between the conversion ceremony and the ceremony where ''He'' returns?" The olddy asked.

    "Why do you know so much about the customs of the Vige of Tulog, madame?" Calvin decided to retort with a question.

    "I am a previous resident of the Vige of Tulog." The olddy directly dropped a bombshell onto Calvin''s head.

    "What?"

    "I knew everything that happened from the beginning until the end. If you are asking how I managed to escape the vige. It''s because I''ve been good to ''that'' Freya."

    "You''ve been good to ''that'' Freya? What do you mean?" Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    The olddy nodded, "You see, I am one of the maidservants assigned to take care of Freya when she had just been kidnapped. I detested the culture of the vige, so I helped her escape multiple times behind the scenes. The assistance I gave her when she was in need might be the reason why that damned monster spared my life and exiled me from the vige..."

    "That monster? Are you talking about the monster that''s been converting monsters into people?"

    "Yes! It''s that monster!" The olddy grew agitated and the Ghoul sat restlessly beside her, "The day before Freya died, ''he'' brought her over to a hill adjacent to the vige. I was afraid of Freya''s safety so I followed them. However, I wasn''t able to follow them into the hill since it was being blocked by veins that continuously squirmed as if they were alive."

    "The hill had a warehouse where we store our food in preparation for winter, but the doors of the warehouse had been changed into something else! I saw it... It had be a cocoon of some sorts and Freya was fed into that cocoon against her will by that young man!" The olddy''s eyes went bloodshot and the Ghoul stood up before growling at Calvin.

    It seemed to have misunderstood that Calvin was the reason why its owner grew so agitated.

    "When she came out of the cocoon, she had no injuries on her whatsoever, but the young man became agitated. She beat her up so badly, and in the end, he left her battered body outside of the vige before he called over the elders and told them that she had ''escaped''..."

    "When they found out where she was, the young man acted incredibly angry that she wanted Freya hanged at the vige center."

    "The elders didn''t want it to happen at first, but they were afraid that the young man''s miracles might turn against them! I was vocal about my rejection of the idea at first, but when I noticed that Freya had be an entirely different person. I thought that... I thought that it was better for her to be dead than to be nothing but an empty shell."

    "That was when the nightmare started''she'' contaminated the water supply of the vige and forced everyone to drink the water tainted by her curse. Everyone quickly became her ves and she controlled their life and death..."

    "I have no idea what happened when she was still in the cocoon, but I knew that she was never the person that she once was when she came out from that cocoon."

    "After cursing the vige, she controlled them and made sure that they often kidnapped outsiders for their sustenance and sacrifice. I wanted to stop her. I really wanted her to stop."

    "But I was powerless under her might..."

    "Eventually, I was about to be executedwhen Freya came to her senses."

    "When her eyes riddled with resentment became reced with tenderness, I knew it was Freya."

    "The real Freya."

    "Freya then sent me away."

    "Apparently, she had made a deal with the sinister being in her soul that I must be spared and exiled if the sinister being didn''t want Freya tomit suicide. It seemed that the sinister being cannot survive without Freya''s nourishment, so itpromised..."

    "That is the reason why I am here right now... and as for the reason why I chose to live in this vige? It''s to atone for my sins. You see, before Freya let me go, she told me to inform her lover that she was alive and that Presto was the only person that could save her from the depths of despair and from the clutches of this sinister being."

    "At first, I didn''t believe her, since what can a mere power of love do against a devil?"

    "But when I discovered that her love for Presto was the only reason why she was awake at this moment... I turned into a believer and did not dare to dy my journey back to Kingse vige anymore."

    "Unfortunately, I was toote..."

    "I traveled as fast as I can but I have an irrational fear in regards to monsters and since I used the shorter valley-route which was filled to the brim with ghosts and monsters... I fainted the moment I saw one."

    "This was a fatal mistake, for when I finally returned to the vige. Presto had already killed himself. In the end, it was me who had let Freya down. It was me who let Presto down. And this is why I am living right now in Presto and Freya''s matrimonial house-to-be."

    "Ever since that day, my irrational fear of monsters disappeared..."

    "I also gained this change constitution and that is why it is now my hobby to dominate these monsters into submission." The olddy nced at the Ghoul and it immediately turned submissive.

    Before Calvin could recover from his shock after knowing that the olddy had such a hardcore hobby, the olddy spoke up: "The reason why I told you all of these is that I want you to know that if you really want to rescue Freya from the hands of that sinister monster..."

    "You must bring Presto''s bones with you to her and you must also burn that cocoon into cinders!"

    "By the time you''ve returned to the vige. It must already be in the middle of changing. The tormented souls of the deceased residents will probably attack you to take over your body and escape the vige, so I will give this to you." The olddy wrapped a beaded bracelet around Calvin''s right arm

    The bracelet was made out of an unknown material, but Calvin knew that it wasn''t something sinister.

    "This will protect you once. The keyword is ''once'' remember that!" The olddy emphasized.

    "Young man, I wish you luck. If you managed to cleanse the vige of the curse, then I can finally be at peace."

    The olddy smiled before she disappeared into her house along with Chad.

    "Remember this when you return to that vige..."

    "There is a thin line between illusion and reality."

    "Do not be easily deceived!"

 Chapter 189: A Sinister Heart

    Chapter 189: A Sinister Heart

    Calvin swiftly retrieved Presto''s bones as he rushed to inform Old Zhong that he was leaving.

    "Take me with you!"

    "Take, your ass! You haven''t even seen the danger of that vige yet for yourself and you want toe with me?" Calvin retorted.

    Old Zhong was instantly silenced and he didn''t know what to say.

    He knew that he was unqualified to intervene in supernatural matters as a civilian, but...

    "I know what you are thinking. But I can''t let you go with me. Trust me, what is about to happen isn''t something that can be endured with willpower alone. I know you''re tough, but toughness wouldn''t cut it out against what we are about to face." Calvin bitterly smiled.

    The more time he spent outside the Vige of Tulog, the more he would be in danger.

    If he didn''t manage to return before the changes of the vige ended, then he might be assaulted by monsters as soon as he stepped foot into the vige''s outskirts from the tunnels.

    "All right, since you''re being like that, then I guess I can''t be with you at all." Old Zhong shook his head andmented, "I wish you luck."

    "Wait for our good news!" Calvin lightly chuckled as he waved his hand towards Old Zhong and dashed towards the valley. His speed was so fast that it turned the smile on Old Zhong''s face bitter.

    "With how fast he''s going, he''s already in the realm of superhumans... Damned it, why was I unable to pass that exam so that I could be a member of the three Judiciaries when I was still young?" Old Zhong started to reminisce about the past.

    Calvin didn''t hold back anything on his way back to the vige.

    The pieces of paper stuck on his legs shone in dim lights as the runes engraved on its surface manifested its power. He immediately felt his body turn as light as a feather as he leaned forwards and increased his speed. He had already memorized the terrain after passing through the same location twice so it wasn''t difficult for him to reach the tunnels in under ten minutes.

    As for the monsters that lurked inside the tunnels?

    The moment they recognized who he wasthey immediately scattered like smoke and didn''t even dare to stick their heads out to look.

    The tight and narrow tunnels that they had always taken advantage of in order to capture their prey was now their number one enemy as the terrifying presence of the Mortician and Stephanie flooded the tunnels and made them tremble in primal fear.

    In contrast to these scared monsters hiding in the shadows, Calvin''s pace was leisurely, yet it wasn''t slow at the slightest.

    The only reason why he had changed his pace was that he had no idea if the terrain within the tunnels remained the same. He didn''t want to run as fast as he could only to m his body onto a wall after realizing that the straight tunnel suddenly had a T-junction.

    But despite jogging in a careful manner, Calvin was still faster than an average human''s running pace.

    It only took him ten minutes to reach the end of the tunnel and when he stepped a foot into the outskirts of the Vige of Tulog. He immediately held his breath and extinguished his presence. He stuck close to the ground and made himself as small as possible so that he wouldn''t attract unwanted attention from anything sinister in the area.

    It was because he knew that if he attractedeven the attentionof a single monster. The others might swarm to his location and he would quickly found himself overrun by monsters.

    Calvin turned his head to look at the adjacent hill. It was the hill that they used to survey the entire vige before they entered. There was nothing suspicious about the hill.

    To be honest, it looked incredibly ordinary.

    But after hearing the olddy''s words earlier, Calvin was convinced that this ordinariness in the outskirts of a vige that contained not any ordinary beings was conspicuous.

    How did he miss such a huge clue in the beginning?

    Calvin couldn''t help butment.

    He approached the hill in a cautious manner.

    In fact, he wasn''t even walking nor running anymore.

    He stuck close to the ground and crawled his way to the hill where he saw nothing.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, ''It can''t be like this, there must be something...''

    He then remembered the words of the olddy.

    "Remember this when you return to that vige..."

    "There is a thin line between illusion and reality."

    "Do not be easily deceived!"

    A look of firm resolve shed across Calvin''s face.

    He took a deep breath and manifested his Aspect.

    The golden quill materialized in the air as Calvin caught it in his hands.

    Then, without any warning... he hurled the quill towards the hill!

    The quill streaked through the air and the force it contained was inhibited. But the moment it struck the hill, it was as if it struck a piece of cotton. The golden quill lost all of its strength and bounced off the hill.

    Calvin immediately realized that the hill was nothing but an illusion!

    If it was a real hill, then his quill should''ve lodged itself into its soil.

    Yet when he threw his golden quill with the intent to destroyit bounced off!

    Clearly, there was something fishy.

    Calvin stood up as the sinister beings hid in his shadow throbbed. They were ready to react at any moment if the situation turned sour. It seemed that even the Mortician and Stephanie knew that there was something horrifying hidden behind the illusion that covered the hill.

    Illusions in the world of Las Felipinas might be scary, but they weren''t invincible.

    After all, an illusion required a foundation for it to be made and as long as one discovered where the foundation was located.

    They could easily destroy that illusion.

    Calvin''s knowledge regarding illusions was second to none in the current era. However, even he couldn''t locate the foundation of this illusion that had fooled him earlier that easily.

    But it didn''t take him that long to pinpoint where the illusion boundary was located.

    He summoned his golden quill again and sent it flying towards the core of the illusion, and at the very next moment...

    Cracks spread on the surface of the entire hill as if it was made out of ss.

    Calvin stared as the illusion was about to be destroyed, then a thought came to his mindif he destroyed this illusion just like that, then wouldn''t the person who made this illusion realize what he was doing?

    Calvin''s pupils constricted when he discovered these consequences, so he immediately stopped the golden quill from going any deeper into the core of the illusion.

    Fortunately, unless the owner of the illusion physically inspected the illusion for damages.

    He shouldn''t be notified that the illusion had been damaged.

    As for the reason why the owner of the illusion wouldn''t know that his illusion had been damaged? It was because Calvin found out that the illusion wasn''t connected to any spiritual traces that could point towards who was the owner.

    This was a cautious move from the owner since no one would find out who he was in case the church discovered the existence of the illusion.

    But now that Calvin hadn''t destroyed the illusion, how was he supposed to enter what was hidden beyond it?

    Calvin smirked.

    He took a page out of the notebook of secrets and started scribbling down the method that he used to reveal the illusion that had covered the walls of the tunnels, albeit the method wasn''t so forceful, and that it didn''t involve the destruction of the illusion.

    The logic was that using a brute-force method, Calvin would create a small crack enough for him to go through without disturbing the entire core of the illusion.

    It took him ten minutes to inscribe the runes necessary and when he was done, he immediately pped it on the illusion.

    The piece of paper shone in a dimmed light as the sound of ss being broken rang out.

    A hole was made and Calvin didn''t hesitate to go inside.

    "By the Emperor''s Commandment, all shall obey!"

    The moment he stepped foot beyond the illusion, Calvin immediately activated the Emperor''s Veil.

    d in golden robes, Calvin''s entire being seemed to shine the same light as gold as he walked deeper into the warehouse step by step.

    Stephanie and the Mortician grew restlesssomething was riling up their resentment, Calvin could feel it.

    Calvin''s Predator Senes spread through the entire warehouse and he quickly spotted something that caught his eyes.

    On the doors of an adjacent room inside the warehouse, something simr to a cocoon was throbbing!

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    The cocoon''s color was as dark as the abyss itself and the stench that it emanated was so foul that Calvin found it hard to approach.

    But his disgust disappeared when he realized the identity of the cocoon.

    This cocoonsurrounded by locusts, flies, and waspswas born from a technique that only a disciple of the Goddess of Pestilence could do!

    "Sinister Heart!"

    Calvin took a step backward and retreated.

    Sinister Heart was an unorthodox art from the school of Pestilence and gue. It involved the sacrifice of an entire city to the cocoon so that an Ambassador-ranked monster could be summoned.

    But since this cocoon was so small, Calvin reckoned that the sacrifice made so far couldn''tpare to an entire city.

    But its size which was already as huge as an entire housewas still enough to summon an Emissary-ranked monster!

    An Emissary-ranked monster was something that Calvin could never hope to handle!

    "As far as I can remember, a Sinister Heart needs a host... and considering what the olddy had said. The host can only be her!"

    "Freya!"

    "Shit, this is something that we handle anymore... I must inform the captain and let them send the high-ranking officials of the church as a punitive force to purge this vige!"

    Calvin immediately turned around and made a mad dash towards the Vige of Tulog.

    "Heisenberg and Ricardo are in danger!"

 Chapter 190: Reunion of Lovers

    Chapter 190: Reunion of Lovers

    Calvin''s mad dash towards the Vige of Tulog wasn''t done without any caution.

    He extinguished the Emperor''s Veil and activated two of the pieces of paper pped on his legs. When their lights shone, Calvin''s speed increased, though he made sure to keep an eye out in case a monster wanted to ambush him.

    Calvin''s journey to the vige center ended up uneventful. This was perhaps due to the fact that the vige was still in the middle of changing and it hadn''t fully changed yet. But Calvin knew that deep within this facade of peacefulness was a storm ready to burst at any moment.

    He reckoned that once the bnced tipped over in favor of the disciple of Pestilence and Famine, the disciple would immediately unleash this storm.

    He could only imagine the consequences if these monsters got out of the outside world.

    Considering how not even a fraction of the poption knew about the supernatural due to the church''s strict regtions, themon people would definitely suffer. Calvin couldn''t let that happen at all costs.

    Thinking about the possible damages, Calvin was suddenly reminded of that particr eye-catching news that he had read in the Joselian Times newspaper back at the previous timeline.

    The space upied by that news in the column was only as big as Calvin''s fist, yet the news it contained was as earth-shattering as the invasion of the Sucklings.

    If he recalled correctly, the news depicted the invasion of a strange epidemic that turned every human being into mindless monsters with nothing but an insatiable desire for human flesh as their sustenance.

    Calvin had thought back then that the Joselian Times newspaper must''ve exaggerated the issue since the Joselian Times was known throughout thend for its deceptive nature when ites to journalism.

    But now that Calvin was in this Vige of Tulog and when he saw the existence of that Sinister Heart.

    Calvin was now convinced that they weren''t just bullshitting at that time.

    And he couldn''t help but curse.

    "Fuck."

    "If a Cardinal annihted the vige, yet it still managed to spread an epidemic, then this vige must definitely be cleansed before it grows even further. What''s inside that cocoon must never be born. Or else, it would be a huge disaster." Calvin thought to himself.

    Using the route that he had outlined, he made a beeline for the vige center, and there he saw both Heisenberg and Ricardo once more.

    "Hey, old man... Is that Calvin?"

    "Calvin? What are you talking about? He can''t possibly be here so fast!" Heisenberg rolled his eyes at Ricardo. But when he saw Ricardo''s serious expression, he followed Ricardo''s line of sight, and there he saw Calvin waving his hand towards them.

    "Shit, it''s actually Calvin?"

    Calvin was carrying with him a rucksack bag and as he leaped onto the rooftop, Heisenberg and Ricardo greeted him.

    "Howe you''re here so fast?"

    "That''s a trade secret, old man." Calvin smiled.

    "Where''s that Presto guy?" Ricardo asked.

    "Here he is..." Calvin patted the rucksack bag that he was carrying and turned to look at the deformed man, "I have the bones with me, what do we do now?"

    The deformed man smiled, "All that we have to do is to talk to her again. We can summon her right now." Not any emotion could be derived from the deformed man''s eyes as he said these words.

    "All right, let''s act fast. The vige is already changing. I can feel it." Calvinmented.

    "You can also feel it too? I thought I was the only one." Heisenberg stared at Calvin with wide eyes.

    "Yeah... there''s something sinister in the air and it''s intensifying as the minute passes by." Calvin nodded.

    Ricardo''s expression was grim. Of courseas a member of one of the three Judiciarieshe knew what the three was talking about!

    "Wait, wait, wait... Can we stop just for a moment?" Ricardo interrupted. He turned to look at Calvin and asked, "Calvin, miss Freya told you to bring over her lover to her, but what did you bring here? The bones of her lover? Have you ever considered what would happen if she realizes that her lover was long dead?"

    Calvin let out a sigh and shook his head, "I know what are the consequences if she gets mad, but I don''t think that lying to her would be a good solution either. It''s better if she faces the truth and epts it so that she could move on from her resentment and finally travel through the Yellow Springs."

    Ricardo couldn''t say anything anymore.

    Calvin''s words made sense. First of all, if they decided to lie to Freya. It would be discovered in an instant. After all, if she loved Presto so much, then it was impossible for her not to recognize who he was with a simple nce. In short, it was useless to bring a body double.

    Unless Calvin had the ability to revive the dead, there was no way that they could deceive Freya that Presto was still alive.

    Ricardo let out a sigh.

    He felt that Freya was just too pitiful.

    Drawing the sign of the God of Poison and Medicine on his chest, Ricardo prayed that the lovers could reunite in their next lives.

    Having made a decision, Ricardo turned to look at the deformed man and said, "I''ll bring you down again with the same method I used to bring you up here."

    He took out his bow and used another Water Anchor Arrow to soften the deformed man''snding.

    Calvin and Heisenberg jumped off the rooftop, with their physical capabilities... this feat wasn''t that special.

    Although Calvin had said that the vige was starting to change...that change couldn''t really be seen by the naked eye.

    Only those that had exposure to supernatural activities could possibly sense it.

    And which of them hadn''t been exposed to the supernatural?

    These four must''ve noticed that the vige was starting to grow more sinister as time went by.

    Their faces were solemn as they walked closer to the wooden tform at the vige center.

    "Miss Freya, I''ve done what you''ve asked me to do." Calvin softly mumbled.

    There was no need to scream for Freya might think that he was being disrespectful.

    When his words fell, a cold draft suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

    The skies seemed to have darkened as the ethereal figure of Freya materialized above the wooden tform.

    She was still floating in mid-air and her eyes were closed at this moment.

    But as soon as her eyes opened, her gaze focused on Calvinspecifically, on the rucksack bag that Calvin held in his arms.

    "P-Presto...?" Her voice was hoarse as her figure trembled. She could feel a familiar presence inside the rucksack bag, yet she wasn''t willing to believe it.

    "W-Where is he? Didn''t I ask you to bring him over here?"

    Freya''s eyes turned nk, the ethereal light that covered her body seemed to have turned dim as she quivered like a sieve. The cold draft became even colder to the point that Ricardo and Heisenberg could see their breaths turning into mists in front of them.

    Noticing that Freya was powerful enough to make the temperature in the area drop several degrees lower...

    Heisenberg and Ricardo couldn''t help but feel nervous.

    They wished that Calvin could go about informing Freya of Presto''s fate in an empathic and gentle manner. But as soon as Calvin''s next words rang out... the two almost keeled over onto the floor from shock.

    "I brought him with me."

    Calvin calmly announced as he presented the rucksack bag in front of Freya.

    "No... you''re lying... Where is he? How could he fit in a bag when he''s a grown man full of dreams and ambitions? You''re lying... give him to me!" Freya''s pupils turned darker than ck as the cold draft seemed to have turned into a fierce gale.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo staggered backward as the Mana inside their bodies churned and protected them from the onught of the wind.

    Only Calvin remained steadfast in the face of the fierce winds. He stood there, without even protecting himself as the sharp winds scratched him all over his body.

    "You... Why are you standing there? Why are you not trying to protect yourself?" Freya asked with a look of astonishment on her face.

    She knew just how powerful she was, so she understood that an average human being would be shredded to pieces if they stood just for a fraction of a second inside the winds that she had created.

    Clearly, Calvin wasn''t an average man since he was still standing. But not being an average man didn''t mean that he was invincible.

    For Freya, Calvin was just a sturdier man than the others. In short, he was still human and could crumble at any second under her might. Yet, what was he doing just standing there?

    Does he want to die?

    Freya was asking this question in her mind.

    "This is because I want to show you my sincerity, miss Freya."

    "Your sincerity?" Freya was confused.

    "Yes..." Calvin lightly smiled, "I came here not to cause trouble and to lie. My intention is nothing but to reunite you and your lover in the afterlife. This is why I brought him over here."

    "Presto, your lover..."

    "He loves you so much that he med himself for your disappearance. In the end, he couldn''t handle the grief and he hanged himself the next day."

    "His parents tried to bury him under the shade of his favorite tree, but the tree that he painstakingly cared of since he was young unexpectedly withered so his parents could only bury him under the family tree. I''m sure that Presto''s dissatisfied and he doesn''t want to be buried under his favorite tree if you are not beside him."

    "It is his wish to be with you and that is why he refused to be buried," Calvin said, nary a trace of deceit and subterfuge on his face.

    "P-Presto..." Freya''s expression changed into a heartbroken one as the winds that battered the group mysteriously disappeared.

    Heisenberg and Ricardo let out a sigh of relief as they watched Freya take the rucksack bag from Calvin''s hands and hold it in her arms.

    There was a loving look on her face as well as joy.

    s, it might''ve taken too longbut the two were finally reunited.

    "Old man, are you tearing up?" Ricardo noticed that Heisenberg seemed to be emotional.

    "Tearing up? What are you talking about? Some dust just got in my eye."

    Heisenberg red at Ricardo.

    Freya held the bones of her lover in her arms. Presto seemed to have recognized the warmth that wrapped around his bones as they started to slowly disintegrate into dust and fuse with Freya.

    "Presto... I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have been headstrong into going out for a hunt that day... If I acted more feminine, then all of these wouldn''t happen... It''s my fault, Presto... I hope that you can forgive me."

    Calvin let out a smile on his face.

    He was happy that the lovers were finally reunited.

    Freya could also finally move on, and with her disappearancethe curse should vanish with her.

    "Thank you..." Freya stared at Calvin.

    Havinge to terms with the reality of her situation, Freya was now prepared to travel through the Yellow Springs. In fact, there was this tinge of excitement on her face as if she couldn''t wait to reunite with her lover on the other side of the shore.

    Calvin simply nodded as a response to her words as Freya''s ethereal body seemed to be more transparent.

    Eventually, her body shattered and turned into innumerable light crystals that vanished towards the skies.

    Reunited with her lover and her unfinished business done, the so-called Saintess of Death had finally moved on.

    Except...

    The deformed man startedughing.

    "Hahaha..."

    "To think that for a member of the Cavaliers, you would be so stupid as to make a decision to actually bring over Presto''s bones to her and let her move on." A crazed look surfaced on the deformed man''s face as he continuously trembled amidst his wildughter, "Really... I should thank you for what you have done."

    "To be honest, when I fused that woman with that thing... I hadn''t expected that she would be able to ovee the influence of that thing with her willpower alone and her desire to reunite with her lover. I was actually trying to find a way to recover Presto''s bones by myself, but I made that pact with that hateful woman!"

    "If I tried to retrieve Presto''s bones, then she would definitely stand in my way..."

    "But fortunately..."

    "You were stupid enough to do the job that I always wanted to do and that is why I must express my gratitude to you, Calvin Vinueva..."

    The deformed man gave Calvin a meaningful look.

    "I knew it, so you are the disciple of Pisti?" Calvin chuckled.

    The deformed man''s pupils constricted as he instantly raged, "You do not have the right to speak ''Her'' name like that!"

    "I already knew what was going on... You had blown your cover by not doing a good job of hiding those things up above the clouds. But are you sure that you are going to use them?"

    "The Goddess of Pestilence and Famine''s aura signature is too recognizable..."

    "Are you not afraid that the Cardinal himself wille here to cleanse everything in this vige? I don''t think that you would be willing to see all of your ns destroyed given that you have prepared them for a long time." Calvin smiled.

    The deformed man boisterouslyughed, "That''s right, I will not be using those pests up above. But rest assured, the army that I had prepared beforehand and her help is enough to defeat you!"

    When his words fell, the vige suddenly came alive. The doors of the houses in the area swung open as the vigers walked out one by one with this crazed look in their eyes.

    Furthermoreabove the wooden tformthe image of a woman was slowly taking shape.

    "Impossible!" Heisenberg gasped in shock, "I know for sure that she had already moved on! Why is she still..." Heisenberg couldn''t continue his sentence anymore as a woman who looked terrifyingly simr to Freya materialized in front of them.

    The only difference that this woman had from Freya was that her body was covered with a nauseating jet-ck Nether Qi and that there was a swarm of locusts around her body.

    "I knew it... The sinister being hiding in Freya''s body all this while is the Queen of gue!"

    A grim look appeared on Calvin''s face as he bitterlyughed.

    The Queen of gue was the symbol of death and disease in spirit form. In essence, she deserved to be called the Saintess of Death!

    [S-Tier Quest: Exodus has been updated]

    [Survive until daybreak.]

    [Bonus: Destroying the ns of the disciple of Pestilence and Famine as well as revealing his identity will grant massive rewards!]

    [Additional Rewards: Cleansing the entire Vige of Tulog from all impurities will grant another reward in addition to the bonus. Completing this condition will automatically grant the user the massive rewards from the bonus!]

 Chapter 191: Trapped in a Land of the Living Dead

    Chapter 191: Trapped in a Land of the Living Dead

    Ricardo and Heisenberg stood frozen at where they were.

    Of course, they knew what a Queen of gue meant. Despite Ricardo''s low clearance, as a member of one of the three Judiciaries. He still had enough ess to the Bestiary dedicated for monsters that were at Emissary-Rank and above.

    Ricardo had made sure to remember each and every monster that was written in that particr Bestiary, so he knew what exactly a Queen of gue was...

    "This is bad..." Ricardo''s mind was screaming for him to escape as every cell in his body urged his body to move.

    But his body''s survival effort was to no avail.

    The primal fear that overcame his mind and body upon witnessing the Queen of gue''s appearance was just too strong for him to recover from.

    Heisenberg was also in the same situation as him. Although he had managed to take out a crystal ball that constantly emanated pulses of divine light that tried its best to soothe his heart, it was futile since the Queen of gue was just too strong for any of them to handle.

    Calvin turned around and immediately hurled two pieces of crumpled paper towards Heisenberg and Ricardo.

    "Gawas, release!"

    When his words fell, the pieces of paper shone in a blinding light as the power it had contained transformed into a force that pushed Ricardo and Heisenberg far from the petrifying influence of the Queen of gue.

    As they flew through the air, the fear that gripped the hearts of both men disappeared. Ricardo looked around absentmindedly and he couldn''t help but scream upon noticing that he was already in the air.

    "What the fuck?!"

    "Calm down!" Calvin warned Ricardo before he looked at Heisenberg, "Book of Light, the Domain of the Brave."

    "O-Okay..."

    Heisenberg was floored when he realized that Calvin looked as if he wasn''t even affected by the Queen of gue''s influence.

    Was the difference between the two of them really this huge?

    He was older than Calvin, yet he felt as if he was the one who was younger with how pathetic he wasfreezing up in front of an absolute monster.

    Fortunately, with Heisenberg''s age and experience, he knew not to think about nonsense things in a life and death situation. He quickly closed his eyes and chanted the necessary prayers for the Domain of the Brave.

    The Domain of the Brave wasn''t like the Domain that he had used against the Sigbin. That domain epassed everything in a circle around him, but this Domain of the Brave only affected those that he considered as allies.

    In a way, this Domain of the Brave could be considered as a buff and its effects were to reduce the influence of fear in the hearts of men and dispel curses.

    Heisenberg didn''t even need to open the gospel of the Goddess that he had always kept in his person, for he had already memorized the prayer necessary for the Domain of the Brave.

    Barely audible words came out of his mouth as he seemed to be speaking in tongues.

    Calvin nodded his head as he dragged Heisenberg away, leaping onto rooftops after rooftops.

    Ricardo sure was young, and his agility proved that to Calvin. Although he wasn''t having any trouble keeping up with Calvin''s pace, Ricardo had noticed that the vige seemed to be waking up from slumber.

    The vigers who had walked out of their huts had this crazed look on their faces as they swept their gazes around, seemingly looking for something. Ricardo turned to look at the direction of the deformed man and the Queen of gue. The deformed man had this look ofcency on his face and he didn''t seem to be in a hurry.

    The Queen of gueon the other handhad raised her bony hands into the air as the foul Nether Qi surrounding her body surged.

    The locusts, flies, and all sorts of pests around her body flew into the skies and parted the clouds. Ricardo''s Predator Senses enabled him to see what was beyond the clouds amidst the darkness and his expression paled when he saw no less than a thousand swarm of locusts!

    "C-C-Calvin!" Ricardo called out.

    Calvin abruptly stopped in his tracks, "What?"

    "Look!" Ricardo pointed towards the skies.

    Calvin followed his line of sight and his pupils constricted for he immediately understood what the Queen of gue was nning on doing.

    "A veil!"

    "A veil?!" Ricardo turned to look at Calvin in horror. How could he not know what a veil meant? Although he was doubtful that a monster could deploy a veil, the look on Calvin''s face didn''t seem as if he was joking.

    "Shit, we''ve got to move! Once she''s done calling for the descent of those locusts swarm, then we''re all going to be trapped here!" Calvin eximed as he carried Heisenberg on his back and turned to look at Ricardo, "I''m going to speed up."

    "You''re kidding me, right?" Ricardo asked. He still couldn''t believe Calvin''s words.

    "When have I ever lied to you? If you aren''t going to believe me, then stay here!" Calvin was irritated. He hadpleted the quest and removed the curse of sleeplessness from the vige, yet little did he knew that the existence of that curse itself was the stopper that prevented the Queen of gue from taking over Freya''s consciousness.

    Now that Freya''s spirit had moved on, the Queen of gue had taken over.

    And the result was this mess.

    To be honest, Calvin knew that something was about to go wrong. But he hadn''t expected that it would be the Queen of gue.

    After all, the Queen of gue was a monster that was incredibly risky to nurture.

    It required continuous sacrifice in an extended amount of time and if one made a single mistakeno matter how minor the mistake was, the Queen of gue would die before it could even mature.

    There were three stages to the Queen of gues lifesparva, pupa, and adult.

    Therva stage was the most sensitive out of all stages for it required immense resources to raise the Queen of gue fromrva to pupa.

    However, once the Queen of gue became a pupa.

    She would be as powerful as an Emissary-rank monster and capable of controlling a thousand swarm of locusts, and pests, as well as the gue of pox.

    Fortunately, she still wasn''t an adult yet.

    But the bad news was that the deformed man must be nning on using the Sinister Heart to amplify the Queen of gue''s growth, so she could be an adult tonight.

    Once she became an adult, who knows what the deformed man would do to her? After all, despite being such a strong monster, the Queen of gue was still obedient to those that had formed a bond with her by feeding her with her sustenance while she was still arva.

    It would most definitely follow the deformed man''s orders and wreak havoc throughout thend, killing millions of civilians through famine and gue.

    Calvin and Ricardo made a mad dash towards the vige''s southern entrance. Heisenberg was still chanting the Domain of the Brave as pulses of divine light emanated from his body, giving warmth to both Calvin and Ricardo and easing their worried hearts.

    "There it is! I can see the exit now!" Ricardo looked excited as he made a mad dash towards the southern entrance. When suddenly, a series of weird-sounding footsteps rang out from the next junction up ahead of them. Calvin''s ears perked and his expression changed.

    He summoned his Aspect and hurled it at Ricardo, a golden light covered the golden quill as it transformed into a hook which dragged Ricardo back to where he was standing.

    "What is this?!" Everything happened so fast that Ricardo was still in a daze.

    He was startled upon seeing that he had returned to Calvin''s side.

    "You were about to die!" Calvin nced at Ricardo. The golden quill that had transformed into a hook had returned to its original form and it was now sitting in Calvin''s palm. He turned his gaze towards the fork about twenty meters ahead and what came from the fork were four figures carrying a wooden nk above their heads.

    The clothes wrapped around the bodies of the figures indicated that they were the vigers. They looked like normal vigers, except for the fact that their eyes were burning with greed as if they weren''t carrying an object above their heads but food that they were about to consume.

    "W-What is that?" Ricardo gasped.

    "It''s the Undertaker''s Procession." The Undertaker''s Procession was simr to the New People''s Revtion cult back in the asylum, but the only difference was that the monsters carrying the nk in the Undertaker''s Procession were far stronger than the cultists.

    What''s more, the creature above the wooden nk surrounded by fog was a peak High-tier monster that could only be handled by the Mortician.

    If you add the four monsters carrying the wooden nk, it would indeed be suicide if they met the Undertaker''s Procession in battle.

    "What the fuck are you talking about?!"

    Ricardo hated being in the dark, he wanted more than anything to know about what exactly was going on with this vige. Veins bulged on his face as he summoned his Aspect and swiftly fired an arrow at the Undertaker''s Procession out of anger.

    "Get the fuck out of there you bastards, or I''m going to fucking murder you all!" Ricardo seemed to have gone crazy as Calvin turned to look at him in astonishment.

    Ricardo''splexion was very strange right now as ck veins started to spread from his neck towards his brain. As the veins inched closer to the crown of his head, Ricardo''s aura itself seemed to be transforming into something sinister.

    "Heisenberg!"

    But this time, Calvin had predicted that Ricardo would be affected by the innate curses of the Queen of gue.

    One of the curses that she constantly emanated was the so-called Curse of the Berserkers.

    Once affected, one would lose all sense of reasoning and turn into an amalgamation of anger and destruction.

    Fortunately, there was a counter to the innate curses of the Queen of gue.

    It was the Book of Light, Domain of the Brave.

    "Clear the hearts of men, for their faith is steadfast..."

    "Let them shun all impurities in thy honorable name."

    "Oh, Goddess of Compassion and All-Epassing Light."

    "Hear us!"

    Heisenberg''s eyes snapped open as he let out a guttural growl, "The Domain of the Brave and Courageous..."

    "Expand!"

    The crystal orb in his bosom shed with the divine all-epassing light.

    Ricardo''s crazed look slowly disappeared as the bloodshot color in his eyes disappeared. As the warm andforting light of the Goddess covered her body, he repeatedly blinked his eyes and stared at Calvin and Heisenberg.

    "W-W-What have I done?!" It seemed that Ricardo could still remember that he had attacked the Undertaker''s Procession with an arrow.

    The arrow that he had sent was infused with his Mana, so it was impossible for Calvin to stop it while it was in mid-air. Furthermore, how could he possibly stop such a fast arrow in flight? Calvin might be able to do the impossible sometimes, but there was a limit to his plot armor!

    "Get ready to get the fuck out of here!" Calvin gnashed his teeth.

    Heisenberg hopped off his back and ran towards the eastern part of the vige.

    Ricardo was also quick to react and ran after him.

    The arrow struck the wooden nk and the force it carried shattered the nk into smithereens.

    All four vigers abruptly stopped in their tracks.

    They slowly raised their heads. The smiles on their lips remained frozen as they looked at the destroyed wooden nk. The fog that had surrounded the creature above the fog had vanished. In an instant, anger surfaced on the pale faces of the four!

    Shrill screams filled the junction as the four Undertakers chased after Calvin.

    The creature above the wooden nk seemed to have been freed and cleansed as they formed the vague images of lingering spirits that looked simr to some of the passengers of the ill-fated passenger wagon. They expressed their gratitude to Calvin with a bow before they disappeared into innumerable light crystals.

    Unfortunately, Calvin was not able to witness their sincerity for he had already escaped as fast as he could towards a nearby dark alleyway.

    Entering the dark alleyway, Calvin seemed to have forced himself to a dead-end as the four vigers nced at each other with crazed ecstatic looks on their faces.

    But as soon as they surrounded Calvin inside the dark alleyway, the emerging sinister being from Calvin''s shadow made them realize that it wasn''t Calvin that was trapped with them.

    They were the ones trapped with Calvin.

    "Enjoy the feast!"

    Calvin signaled as the Mortician leaped onto the four vigers and started a one-sided massacre.

 Chapter 192: The Final Destination

    Chapter 192: The Final Destination

    The four Undertakers weren''t even enough to serve as the Mortician''s appetizer.

    His scalpel drew a cold light through the air and with a flick of his wrist, the four vigers were incapacitated.

    The Mortician didn''t hesitate at all, and the four couldn''t even let out their death knells as the Mortician swallowed them whole.

    "Wow..." Calvin was amazed at the Mortician''s capabilities.

    If only he doesn''t look so cold all the time, he could be immensely popr with thedies.

    The Mortician''s chiseled features and the indifference that he held for all life made him give off the vibe of a bad boythe kind of bad boy that women often wanted to convert into nice men.

    "Fuck." Calvin cursed under his breath. If only he could summon Stephanie at this moment, then he wouldn''t summon this Mortician at all.

    As a man, there was nothing more mortifying than realizing that there was a man more handsome than he was. Calvin had to admit that the Mortician was indeed a fine specimen amongst men. Unfortunately, he couldn''t possibly summon Stephanie right now, since he was already sure that the young man was that deformed man.

    The fact that the deformed man knew Freya''s background story despite not being a viger of Kingse vige was prima facie evidence that he was that young man who Stephanie hated to the bones, all the way to her bone marrow.

    If he summoned her right now and she detected his sinister presence that he wasn''t even trying to hide at this point in time...

    Calvin was sure that Stephanie would rebel against his control and turn berserk.

    If she went mad and attacked the deformed man in a crazed attempt to take his life, then she would be easily controlled by the Queen of gue''s curses.

    After all, the Domain of the Brave and Courageous didn''t cover a Specter like her whose heart was filled with resentment to the brim.

    Without the support of the Domain of the Brave and Courageous, Calvin wasn''t so sure if she could endure the constant mental assault of the Queen of gue''s curses.

    [The Mortician''s Ascension Points: 91]

    [9 Ascension Points necessary for Ascension to Purveyor.]

    "Damn, so that still wasn''t enough?" Calvin couldn''t help butin in his heart.

    For some reason, he felt that the ascension points being gathered from each and every monster that the Mortician was consuming seemed to be going down the more points he had.

    If this trend continued, just how many monsters would the Mortician need if he wanted to have that final nine points?

    "Come on, Grace... You can''t be this stingy." Calvin nced at the skies, seemingly peering through the clouds into the heavenly abode of the Goddess of Compassion and Light.

    Of course, he received no response but there was no harm inining. As Calvin stood in the dark alleyway, he heard the approaching footsteps of Ricardo and Heisenberg.

    He immediately dismissed the Mortician as Calvin hid behind one of the wooden pallets in the dark alleyway. His expression grim and his figure subconsciously trembling from apparent fear.

    "Calvin! Where are you?" Heisenberg was in the lead, the crystal orb in his hand shone in a dimmed divine light that illuminated the area.

    "There he is!" Ricardo''s sharp eyes as a Scout instantly saw Calvin hiding behind the wooden pallets. He summoned his bow and carefully approached. Using one of the techniques that his Judiciary used to assess the situationlook, smell, and questionRicardo soon discovered that the person hiding behind the wooden pallets was indeed Calvin.

    "What the hell are you doing there, Calvin? Why did you separate from us?" Ricardo asked in concern, "I seem to have heard a shrill screaming from this area earlier? Did those Undertakers chase after you?"

    "Yeah... I managed to shake them off, though. But as you can see, it wasn''t that easy." A bitter smile suffused Calvin''s face. Indeed, he looked pitiful and bedraggled as he emerged behind the wooden pallets. Ricardo was convinced by Calvin''s current appearance that it had been difficult for him to escape from those monsters.

    "I''m sorry, Calvin... It''s my fault. I..."

    "Stop it." Calvin interrupted, "I am never going to me you for a mistake that you didn''t do intentionally. Come on, we''re basically buddies now. Didn''t we promise to each other that we are going to get drunk the moment we get out of this ce?" He lightly chuckled as he patted Ricardo''s shoulders.

    "We did?" But Ricardo looked confused.

    "We didn''t? Now, we did! That''s a promise!" Calvin merelyughed it off as Heisenberg started to frown

    They were spending too much time in this dark alleyway where there was only a single entrance and exit.

    "We''ve got to move." Heisenberg interrupted.

    Calvin nodded his head and walked out with the others from the dark alleyway.

    The three raced through the road and several dozens of orbs appeared in the distance.

    "What are those?"

    "They''re just fireflies! Rush through them!" Calvin roared.

    His expression was serious, yet it excited for he knew that the floating orbs were Santelmos.

    Santelmos were considered to be Mid-Tiered monsters that the Mortician could easily deal with. Considering the Mortician''s need for more ascension points, it would be good if he could convince Heisenberg and Ricardo to bulldoze their way through the orbs.

    The group continued to run through the road and as they got closer to the light, Heisenberg sensed that there was something wrong. He couldn''t recognize what the floating orbs were, but the ancient vibe they were radiating from their bodies give him a hint of what they were.

    "Are you sure that these are just fireflies?" Heisenberg cried out.

    He and Ricardo had no idea that the Undertakers had already been taken care of, so they had been running all this time with the looming threat of the Undertaker chasing after them.

    Heisenberg didn''t dare to slow down.

    "I''m sure of it! Just run past them!" Calvin dragged Ricardo and Heisenberg into the depths of the Santelmo''s formation.

    Ricardo whose Predator Senses were activated constantly saw through the tortured souls hidden within the floating orbs and his expression quickly paled as he let out a scream, "What the fuck, Calvin?! These are Santelmos!"

    "What?!" Heisenberg also let out a yelp.

    "Don''t think too much about it! Just run!" Calvin knew that his cover wasn''t going tost that long, but he had to take a gamble.

    His shadow throbbed as the sinister aura of the Mortician manifested behind the three.

    "W-What''s behind us?!" Ricardo felt a shiver down his spine.

    Something malevolent had just appeared right behind them at this moment, yet they didn''t even notice its approach.

    "Don''t turn back! Just keep on running!"

    "A-All right!"

    Ricardo decided to close his eyes and ignore everything that was happening around him in order to focus all of his attention on running.

    Heisenbergon the other handhad a different n.

    His fists shone with the divine light of the Goddess as he smashed every Santelmos that dared to stand his way. He was radiating a domineering aura at this moment as his legs moved as fast as both Ricardo and Calvin. He sure did look impressive to the eyes of everyone, but Calvin was inwardly cursing him right now.

    "What the fuck, old man. I told you to run! Not to fight them!" Calvin was mad at him, not because of the fact that Heisenberg was showing off.

    It was because Heisenberg''s attacks were just too strong that he instantly annihted every Santelmo that stood in his way. With the Santelmos turned into nothing but innumerable light crystals, the Mortician couldn''t consume their soul in exchange for ascension points. So, he effectively ruined Calvin''s ns.

    "What in the Goddess''s name do you want me to do then? Just let them nibble on my flesh? Wake up, Calvin! Don''t be stupid." Heisenberg wasn''t willing to back down in an argument and Calvin could only let out an exasperated sigh as he stared at the transparent window floating in front of him.

    [1 Ascension Points obtained.]

    [The Mortician''s Ascension Points: 92]

    [8 Ascension Points necessary for Ascension to Purveyor.]

    The dozens of Santelmos blocking their way had been mostly consumed by the Mortician, yet they only gave him a single point.

    ''Even though a Santelmo is only a Mid-Tier monster, wasn''t that too low?'' Calvin inwardlyined.

    The group continued to move without pause, but when they turned deeper into the eastern part of the vige. They suddenly heard the sound of crying and the hooves of horses.

    Calvin took out a small piece of paper from his person and there he saw that on the map made by the deformed man, the next street that they were about to go into was marked with the sign of danger.

    Calvin took a peek at what was happening in the street, and there he saw a carriage being pulled by a jet-ck horse with two horns.

    The man at the helm of the carriage was a y figurine of a corpse and the sounds of crying came from a group of people wearing mourning clothes. They wailed and wailed, yet no tears woulde out of their eyes for they were already dead.

    The mourning clothes that they were wearing was stained red with the blood of the innocent that they were about to bury, yet there seemed to be something missing.

    "The hearse and the moirologists are here along with the body, yet why are they still here? Shouldn''t a funeral be about delivering the deceased to their final destination?" Ricardo saw what was happening and he couldn''t help butment. A frown appeared on his face as he stared at the funeral in suspicion, "Where are the undertake-..."

    Halfway through his sentence, Ricardo suddenly realized that something was amiss in his sentence.

    "Could it be that..."

    "Yeah..." Calvin bitterlyughed, "The body of the deceased is here, yet the soul is missing. The Undertaker''s Procession earlier was meant to simte the passing of the deceased through the Yellow Springs before the funeral. But now that we interrupted the Undertaker''s Procession, the funeral cannot bepleted."

    "Hence, the deceased cannot be delivered to his final destination."

    "Since the attendees are already dead and they had no soul..."

    "What do you think are they going to do just toplete the procession?" Calvin asked Ricardo.

    "Find a soul substitute?" Ricardo''s expression turned weird, "But how are they going to find a substitute, when this is thend of the dead?"

    "Shit..." Heisenberg cursed, "This is the ritual of the Final Destination..."

    "We cannot stay here any longer."

    "As long as they do not detect that there are still living people in this vige, they will stay there until a suitable soul is nearby. We have to go around and take another route towards the southern part of the vige or we could also turn back and risk stumbling upon those crazy Undertakers."

    Ricardo nodded his head.

    Calvin gestured to them, "Then, what are we waiting for here? Let''s go and run!"

    He turned around and took the lead, but as he didhe abruptly froze in his tracks.

    "Calvin...?" Ricardo asked in concern as he and Heisenberg hid behind a wall.

    "They saw me. Both of you, hurry up! Go onto the roof and take another route!"

    Calvin didn''t dare to move as Heisenberg and Ricardo''s expression changed.

    "No, we aren''t going to run without you! Are you saying that we must abandon you again?!" Ricardo''s eyes went bloodshot.

    "Fucking hell, just run! They''reing!"

    Time waited for no one and as Ricardo voiced out his refusal, the attendees of the funeral had already stood up and were running towards Calvin''s direction.

    "I''ll buy us some time. We''ll meet again somewhere on the eastern entrance." Calvin handed a small piece of gem towards Ricardo, "I''m sure that you know what this thing is, and since this gem is connected to my medallion which is connected to my soul. As soon as the gem shatters, it could only mean that I''m already dead..."

    "Forget about me once the gem shatters."

    "Just run for your lives and survive for my sake!"

    Calvin sternly advised as he felt ufortable with the hatred being directed onto him by the monsters. Summoning his golden quill, he kicked Ricardo towards a nearby rooftop as he faced off against the funeral attendees.

    "No!" Ricardo was still in disagreement.

    "We don''t have any time to argue. Just go!" Calvin red at Ricardo.

    He made a sidelong nce at Heisenberg and smiled before he charged into the fray.

    His figure looked simr to a moth flying towards the mes. Seeing Calvin being submerged in the sea of monsters, Heisenberg''s figure continuously trembled. If he just hadn''t used his ultimate skill against the Sabbath, then he could''ve been useful to Calvin at this moment! If he hadn''t used his ultimate at that time, then perhaps the oue would be different!

    But there were no ''ifs'' in this world.

    Heisenberg knew that too well as he turned around and dragged the crying Ricardo towards the direction of the vige''s eastern entrance.

 Chapter 193: The Veil of Slaughter

    Chapter 193: The Veil of ughter

    "Aspect Transformation."

    "Polearm."

    "Expand!"

    Calvin''s golden quill shone in a burst of golden light as it transformed into a polearm that was as long as a person.

    The moment Calvin saw the number of monsters chasing after him.

    He knew that conventional weapons such as the sword wouldn''t be enough to hold back these monsters. But a polearm, on the other hand, extended his fighting range without sacrificing the power of his strikes, so it was indeed suitable for this battle.

    Furthermore, these funeral attendees were Corpse Eaters. Calvin couldn''t possibly let them get close to him since if they managed to take a single bit off him, that could be the end of the battle.

    "Come!" Calvin faced off against the first wave of monsters. His polearm swept horizontally in front of him as the mindless funeral attendees were flung aside like dust on the floor.

    However, there were just far too many of them that Calvin realized that he was going to be overwhelmed one way or another.

    "Mortician!"

    Calvin audibly mumbled and a sinister being manifested from his shadow.

    A tall and cold-looking young man d in a hospital gown appeared right above Calvin''s head as he swung his scalpel. In an instant, the monsters trying to ambush Calvin from the side were instantly beheaded.

    They all fell onto the ground with a dull thud, never to move again.

    Corpse Eaters were undying creatures that could only be killed through a special method such as crushing their brain stem at once. But despite this apparent weakness, the reason why they became creatures that every Predator dreaded to fight against was due to the fact that their bodies were incredibly sturdy.

    But it seemed that their durability didn''t matter at all in the face of the Mortician as he severed heads after heads from the shoulders of the monstersing their way.

    "Damn, there''s no end to these bastards. I would love to let the Mortician consume all of their souls for his growth, but I''m running out of time..."

    "I have to dispose of them as quickly as possible without startling the disciple of Pestilence and Famine and letting him take notice of me before he starts whatever ritual he''s trying toplete," Calvin mumbled to himself.

    The polearm in his hand never stopped as he spun, danced, and even somersaulted in the air.

    His fancy movements might look like itcked any substance to ayman, but a true expert would be able to see how efficient Calvin was using each and every muscle in his body. But this efficiency also came with a side-effect.

    Even though Calvin was properly conserving his strength in the right way, his current body was just too weak for the level of expertise he was disying. If he didn''t dial down his actions, then he might possibly amass a lot of internal injuries.

    Of course, Calvin knew this fact too well.

    He knew that he had to cool it down a notch.

    But in his current situationwith over a dozen monsters rushing at him from all sideshe couldn''t possibly take it easy.

    The Mortician was currently wreaking havoc on the battlefield.

    His scalpel danced in the air, leaving a silvery light that would always end up in a shower of blood. The more heads he decapitated, the more agitated the Mortician seemed to be.

    Calvin noticed this anomaly and his pupils constricted when he discovered that the Mortician seemed to be going berserk over the rain of blood in front of him.

    "Shit, I''ve got to retreat..." Calvin knew that he had to retreat sooner orter, but he hadn''t expected that it would be so soon.

    After all, the primary reason why he even attracted the attention of these monsters was to gather them for the Mortician''s consumption. But right now, it turned out that the Mortician might lose control of his emotions before he could reach a hundred ascension points.

    Upon weighing the odds, Calvin couldn''t possibly let the Mortician go berserk.

    After all, he was the only reliable member of his team at this moment aside from the temporary member, Stephanie.

    If the Mortician lost control of himself, then he would be forced to abandon thetter. If that happened, then he would only be one of the monsters that haunted this damned ce.

    Calvin couldn''t let such a talent go to waste.

    "If I run away, where should I go?" Calvin mulled and mumbled, "I could go and reconvene with Heisenberg and Ricardo, but that would be tantamount to bringing danger over to where they were. If that happened, then they might not be able to survive until daybreak. In that case, then there''s only one thing that I can do..."

    "The deformed man is busy with the ceremony at the vige center. He''s probably trying to let the Sinister Heart bloom. But how is he going to do that exactly? I know that the host would be that woman, but a host isn''t enough to awaken the Sinister Heart..." Calvin continued to whisper into the air as he danced and skipped around the street.

    Eventually, he sent two pieces of paper flying in front of him before he flung his polearm behind him as he called out, "Gawas, Release!"

    Boom!

    The pieces of paper shone in dimmed lights as it created a force out of nowhere that shoved the monsters away from Calvin. Behind him, Calvin cleared a path with his polearm as he turned around and ran into the next alleyway. The Mortician had been dismissed and Calvin was now alone with about a dozen funeral attendees chasing after him.

    His golden polearm shook off the blood that drenched its body as it transformed into its original form. Calvin held it in his hand as he raced into another street. In the battle thatsted for only a few minutes, the Mortician sure had a harvest.

    [The Mortician''s Ascension Points: 94]

    [6 Ascension Points necessary for Ascension to Purveyor.]

    Calvin clicked his tongue, he sure didn''t expect those funeral attendees to only give two points after the Mortician killed at least a dozen of them. But it didn''t matter to Calvin any more. His current game n was to survive and gather as many ascension points for the Mortician.

    It was only until he had done all of this would he face the deformed man.

    As for why he was thinking that the deformed man would probably not go after him before the awakening ceremony ended. It was because he knew that the deformed man wouldn''t dare to leave the Queen of gue on her own.

    After all, even though it would obey the deformed man''s words. If he wasn''t there to supervise its actions, it would definitely adlib. If he wasn''t there, then it might inadvertently ruin his ns.

    This was why until the awakening ceremony was over, the deformed man wouldn''t deliberately look for him.

    ''Now that I think about it, the Sinister Heart is located on the hill on the outskirts of the vige, but the awakening ceremony is being held inside the vige?''

    ''That doesn''t make sense....''''

    Are they supposed to transfer the Sinister Heart over from that hill to this ce? Well, that is certainly possible but that would be a great endeavor that I doubt that the deformed man would do.''

    ''Unless...''

    ''He has people working under him.''

    ''And these people must be absolutely loyal.''

    ''In this world, where the hell can he possibly find people that are absolutely loyal to his cause?''

    Calvin thought.

    ''Wait...''

    ''Does this mean that...''

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    "By the Emperor''s Commandment, all shall obey!"

    Calvin immediately activated the Emperor''s Veil as his body became wrapped with the golden robes of an emperor. He was now invisible to the eyes of the living, but he was still visible to those who were evil in nature. The deformed man could probably see who he was, but hisrades who were certainly human couldn''t possibly see him.

    Calvin leaped onto a nearby rooftop.

    He stared coldly at the funeral attendees as he exerted a little bit of his Authority over evil-attributed monsters.

    Exerting his Authority was exhausting. Calvin didn''t want to do this unless he was forced to, but he had a fact that he needed to confirm.

    "Mortician!" Calvin whispered in his heart and the Mortician appeared with his bloodshot eyes.

    Instructions were unnecessary as the Mortician leaped into the fray and started a massacre against the dazed funeral attendees.

    [The Mortician''s Ascension Points: 97]

    [3 Ascension Points necessary for Ascension to Purveyor.]

    "Fuck! That still wasn''t enough?" By the time the Mortician was over with his rampage, the funeral attendees had all perished. Yet, the Mortician still required three ascension points before he could ascend to Purveyor.

    Seeing the number greatly irritated Calvin as he couldn''t help but think coldly in his heart, "If we meet again, then I would definitely scold her for being so stingy!"

    It was at this moment that another monumental change happened within the vige.

    Thousands of locust swarms gathered over the clouds as they formed a dome of death that would turn everything that tried to escape the vige into mincemeat.

    Calvin''s expression turned solemn, it turned out that the reason why the veil was taking so long to set-up was due to the fact that it could kill!

    A veil''s primary purpose was to obfuscate, yet the Queen of gue used one that could not only hide but also kill.

    ''It seems that the deformed man isn''t nning on letting us go. I just hope that Heisenberg and Ricardo know that this veil can kill''

    Even though Calvin knew that both Heisenberg and Ricardo weren''t stupid, he was still worried that they might try to cross the veil in a hurry.

    After all, this veil didn''t look that different from an ordinary veil used by a Predator.

    Calvin was just hoping at this moment that they would be able to see the minuscule locusts and wasps serving as meat grinders hidden in the thin sheets of the veil.

    ''Now that he has the city surrounded with this kind of veil, I wonder how he''s going to let hisrades enter the vige?''

    ''If he''s supposed to house the Sinister Heart within the Queen of gue, then he needs to let her stand in front of it. As far as I can see, the vige center is just too far away from the hill on the outskirts of the city.''

    ''Just how is he going to let hisrades inside?''

    Calvin didn''t wait for too long to receive the answer to his question.

    It was becauseat this momentthe veil at the southern entrance of the vige was starting to get disturbed.

    Then, what emerged from behind the veil were four incredibly beautiful women carrying with them a heart the size of a dolphin''s heart!

    ''That''s the Sinister Heart!''

    Calvin stared at them in shock.

 Chapter 194: A Boiling Crowd

    Chapter 194: A Boiling Crowd

    "Shit! Howe they''re already here so fast?!" Calvin yelled in his heart. He was now forced to admit that the deformed man had indeed nned everything that was about to happen in this vige for a long time.

    The four women were absolute beauties and there were resolute looks on their faces.

    It was then that Calvin remembered Old Zhong''s story about a group of women trying to recruit people from the Vige of Kingse to their cause.

    These women were probably from the same group.

    But their beauty wasn''t that important for Calvin at this moment.

    What he was worried about was the heart that they were carrying, ever so slowly, but surely towards the vige center. The heart was huge, it wasn''t pushing out any blood, yet it throbbed as if it was alive.

    Calvin swept his gaze across the women and found out that they were humans.

    Unlike the deformed man who had already sold himself to the Goddess of Pestilence and Famine. These women were genuine humans. But in that case, how did they get through the veil that was supposed to turn everything that it touched into mincemeat?

    ''Was it malfunctioning?''

    Calvin doubted.

    But for the sake of his curiosity, he picked up a severed finger from one of the monsters and hurled it over to the veil.

    The finger sunk directly into the veil and not even a sound rang out, nor a ssh of blood as the finger was immediately consumed.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    ''The veil sure was working, yet how did these women go through it?''

    Calvin took a second nce at the four women and he finally discovered the answer to his question.

    It was the Sinister Heart!

    It naturally radiated a Nether Qi that was so strong, it covered the entire body of the four women.

    But the answer that Calvin arrived at posed another problem.

    Nether Qi was corrosive to life.

    If these four women were genuine humans. How did they withstand the influence of the Nether Qi? This was the question that Calvin couldn''t find the answer to. No matter where he looked, the women looked clean, yet they weren''t influenced by the Nether Qi at all.

    Calvin had an idea or two as to why these women seemed to be immune to Nether Qi.

    It involved a particrly rare constitution. But Calvin didn''t even consider that as a legitimate answer for something so rare like that couldn''t possibly be gathered in one ce. Moreover, there were four of these women.

    Was he supposed to ept that four owners of an incredibly rare constitution just happened to be serving the deformed man?

    Calvin refused to even think about this theory.

    If that was the truth, then this deformed man sure did have the luck of a light novel protagonist.

    The rock he happened to pick up was actually a thousand-year-old jade. How was Calvin supposed to ept that?

    But still, Calvin''s question was legitimate. The fact that these four women managed to go through the veil meant that they were extraordinary, or they had something extraordinary on their bodies.

    The four women continued on their procession as Calvin watched their every move while he was being hidden by his Emperor''s Veil.

    To be honest, with the invisibility granted to him by the Emperor''s Veil, he could probably try to kill them with a sneak attack. But of course, the fact that Calvin hadn''t done such a thing meant that it would be a futile endeavor.

    First of all, Calvin''s ss wasn''t an offensive ss at all.

    He might be able to defend himself, but he was ultimately unable to deal any substantial damage to them.

    If this trend continued, then the deformed man only needed to keep him in one ce and he would be uninterrupted throughout his ritual.

    "Fucking hell... I have to stop them somehow. Is there anything that I can do?"

    Calvin swept his gaze across his surroundings.

    He then discovered that the vige had fully awakened.

    There were all sorts of monsters walking on the streets and wherever Calvin turned his head, he would discover a variety of Corpse Eaters as well as Specters. There was even a battalion of a hundred Santelmos at the next junction ahead of him!

    "What in the actual fuck did this vige actually go through in the past few years that it amassed so many of these monsters."

    Calvin couldn''t help but curse.

    "Shit. Is that another fucking Sabbath?!" Calvin''s scalp tingled when he saw a group of women crying and dancing about in the distance. The vige was now getting more dangerous as time went on to the extent that Calvin doubted if the entire vige could even contain these many monsters.

    After all, despite being a member of the same species, there were variations to Corpse Eaters.

    Just how Hags, Ghouls, and Witches belonged to the same species but in a different variation. If one gathered these same species, yet different variation monsters in a single room...

    They would fight each other to death.

    This was a widely-known phenomenon, and in fact, some people even used this method to nurture an incredibly strong monster.

    They would gather powerful monsters in a battle royale and the sole champion of this ughterhouse would be the monster that they would use against their enemies.

    It might not be that efficient, and it was also expensive, but it sure was effective.

    Its results were also guaranteed since there would always be one champion among the group of monsters.

    But seeing the number of monsters gathered around Calvin, an idea suddenly came to his mind.

    He dropped down the roof while he was still in his Emperor''s Veil.

    The moment he made a loud noise upon hisnding, the monsters turned their heads towards him. A greedy look was on their faces as they let out shrill screams and chased after him.

    "All right,e to papa," Calvin smirked and taunted as many monsters as he could.

    The most dangerous of these monsters was evidently the Sabbath.

    Normally, Calvin wouldn''t dare to provoke the Sabbath into action, but he had a n in his mind that he wanted to execute. He knew that rewards apanied risks, so how could he not execute his ns just because he was scared of a few unwanted risks?

    A determined look appeared on Calvin''s face.

    The Sabbath might be a dangerous enemy indeed, but in this case, they would be his strongest sword against these bastards.

    Calvin summoned his golden quill and hurled it at the Witches.

    "REEE!" In an instant, shrill screams filled the entire street as the Sabbath was spurred into action.

    Calvin had sessfully startled the Witches and they were now hot on his trail.

    But the show wasn''t over yet; Calvin also rushed through the group of Santelmos and the flying orbs also fervently chased after him.

    Oh, a group of zombies casually snacking on each other?

    Calvin also lured them over to chase him.

    Oh, are those Sigbins chilling near a dark alleyway?

    Calvin stuck his tongue out and even patted his ass in the direction of the Sigbins. In an instant, they grew enraged and ran after him.

    Wait, are those a bunch of hags seemingly gossiping with each other?

    Calvin ran towards them and raised a middle-finger.

    At the very next moment, the hags were almost bursting in anger as they chased after Calvin, leaving behind them a cloud of dust.

    The four women noticed the disturbance and one of them wanted to do something about it before she was stopped by herpanion.

    "Don''t bother, it''s just a bunch of monsters that have nothing to do. As long as they do not interrupt the awakening ceremony, then we''re gonna let them do whatever they want. They''re still going to be gone at the end of this anyway."

    The woman that stood at the helm of the formation had fair skin and a stunning body. In fact, she was the most beautiful woman in the group.

    Her voice was also charming and it had a maic charm to it that could seem to hypnotize anyone that dared to listen to her voice.

    "I understand." The woman she was addressing nodded her head and stayed her head.

    She took one final nce at the boisterous crowd of monsters and she discovered that they seemed to be chasing after something.

    However, when she looked closer...

    She was even more convinced that these monsters were just bored.

    It was because they were indeed chasing after something, yet it was non-existent!

    The woman shook her head and thought that she was such a fool for even trying to raise her hand against these pitiful beings.

    Having made a decision, she continued to walk with the others as they proceeded to carry the Sinister Heart into the vige center where its vessel was waiting for its arrival.

    Calvin ran in a circle, making sure to avoid the innermost section of the eastern part of the vige where Heisenberg and Ricardo were probably taking refuge.

    He was also making sure that the deformed man wouldn''t see him at the helm of these monster horde, since if that happened, the deformed man might take pre-emptive actions against him.

    After all, only hewho was the disciple of Pestilence and Famine could see him.

    In short, he was the only one that had the capability to stop Calvin''s ns.

    The pieces of paper stuck on Calvin''s thighs constantly shone in this dimmed light that provided power to his legs. But even though he was able to keep his legs from feeling sore and jelly. His lungs were now on the verge of copse.

    These Corpse Eaters didn''t have the concept of exhaustion in their bodies, so this was an endeavor stacked against him in the first ce.

    At the next turn, Calvin momentarily leaned against the wall as he sucked in huge mouthfuls of air. When he took a peek at themotion behind him, his scalp tingled as he cringed upon seeing the unbelievable quantity of monsters chasing after him!

    Inside that monster horde, even if Calvin used everything that he had and also summoned Stephanie on top of that, there was no way that he could survive.

    There were still a few hours before daybreak and Calvin had to survive until then. Under the looming threat of death upon the failure of his ns, Calvin gained the strength to move his exhausted body as he ran once more with the monsters on hot pursuit against him.

    He forced himself to reach the next junction where he subconsciously nced at the four women that were already halfway through their journey. The scene that he saw astonished him for he could see, clearly with his two eyes that the four women had the mark of a river and a rising sun on their exposed thighs!

    Seeing the symbol, Calvin had finally confirmed the theory that he made based on Ricardo''s words from the passenger wagon.

    ''The Yellow River Gang!''

    ''So they are really the ones behind all of these!''

    Calvin yelled in his heart.

 Chapter 195: Herscher

    Chapter 195: Herscher

    Calvin spread out his Predator Senses and he instantly knew just how many monsters were trailing him from behind. There were 203 monsters chasing after him and most of them were Corpse Eaters.

    The Specters only ounted for less than a quarter of the monsters chasing after him, but it was understandable since more often than not, Specters were bound to the location where they died.

    Speaking of being location-bound. If Freya was indeed the owner of that crying voice, then she should not be able to leave the vige center.

    But if that was the case, then what was up with the deformed man story about the tainted water?

    The riverside was a few hundred meters away from the vige center. If she was indeed location-bound Specter, then she should not be able to leave the vige center. Hence, she shouldn''t be able to influence the water of the vige and taint it.

    Could it be that...

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    The Sinister Heart? Shit, those bastards... So, they really are nning on creating an army of the undead! That is why they purposely tainted the water source of the vige and made the vigers drink that tainted water! It''s to bind those vigers to them after death! Calvin''s eyebrows scrunched. How unscrupulous! I will never let them go!

    He had already decided back then, that he would definitely cleanse this vige from the top to its roots.

    The discovery that he had made only further reinforced his opinion as Calvin seemed to have momentarily forgotten his exhaustion.

    But then another crazy theory came to his mind.

    If Freya who had be the deformed man''s wife had turned into such a vicious monster of resentment. I wonder what had happened to his previous wives? I don''t believe that the deformed man just killed them outright. I don''t think that he''s that kind. Calvin thought hard and long before he repeatedly blinked his eyes and eximed.

    Yes, that''s right...

    The deformed man couldn''t possibly be that kind.

    In other words, he must''ve transformed his previous wives into monsters like what he had done to Freya.

    But in that case, where were those women? Howe I haven''t encountered them, yet?

    There was only a single exnation that Calvin could find to his question.

    It was either the deformed man really did kill them outright.

    Or...

    He was their trump card.

    "That''s it!" Calvin found it more believable that the deformed man would keep his previous wives as trump cards instead of bestowing upon them the mercy of death.

    However, if they were indeed transformed by the deformed man as monsters.

    Where were they located?

    Could it be that they are in the ancestral house behind the vige center''s wooden tform where that basement full of monsters was located?

    No...

    Calvin shook his head.

    Most monsters were territorial creatures after all. If a Specter discovered that a Corpse Eater was living under the same roof as her, then she would definitely fight that Corpse Eater to the bitter end.

    The women also couldn''t stay close to the Sinister Heart, since the Sinister Heart had a fatal attraction to Specters. In fact, that was the reason why the deformed man didn''t seem to be worried that the fusion between the Sinister Heart and the evil being inside Freya would fail.

    He was confident that it would seed since no Specter created from resentment could possibly endure such an attractive treat.

    But of course, once the sinister being fused with the Sinister Heart.

    She would forever be a ve under the deformed man.

    But did that even matter when the resentment within the woman seemed to be resentment against all life? Calvin could only imagine just what kind of injustice did the evil being from within Freya had experienced when she was still alive.

    Calvin shook his head and brought his head back to the current problem.

    Where are the deformed man''s previous wives?

    They must be in here somewhere...

    Calvin''s mind ran on overclock as he thought about ces that the deformed man would find suitable to hide his trump cards. It must be a familiar ce to him and that he must also know that ce like the back of his hand. Speaking of a ce that suited these factors. There was indeed a single location that aligned with these requirements and that was...

    The deformed man''s house!

    Calvin was quick to react as he took a right turn to the next junction.

    There it is!

    His eyes gleamed when he discovered a house that looked more extravagant than the other houses. This was understandable since the person who had lived in this house was an honorable guest of the Vige of Tulog. Indeed, this was that young man''s house. Precisely, this was the deformed man''s residence.

    "Aspect Transformation..."

    "Polearm."

    "Expand!"

    Calvin summoned his golden quill and it transformed into a polearm.

    He was quick to p several pieces of paper onto the surface of the polearm as he hurled it towards the house.

    A streak of golden light tore through the air as it crashed against the house. The power it contained shredded everything in its path until itnded on an ordinary-looking stone bed. The polearm reinforced with Calvin''s runecrafted pieces of paper was unable to pierce through the stone bed.

    Evidently, there was something special with this stone bed.

    "Help..."

    Calvin was only a few meters from the stone bed when a voice sounded in his ears.

    His expression immediately changed as he took a step backward.

    When he turned around, the monsters that had been chasing him had all stopped fifty meters away from the house.

    "What? Why did they stop?" Calvin couldn''t help but mumble. He was nning on using the force of this monster horde to demolish this house and find where the deformed man had kept his wives. But now that the monsters were unwilling to follow him into the deformed man''s residence, Calvin''s n had evidently failed.

    The monsters were still staring at him with thick venom in their eyes, but they were undoubtedly afraid of getting close to this house.

    Fortunately, Calvin was a man who always had a back-up n.

    ''So the reason why this house still looks so pristine than the other houses around here is that the monsters are afraid to taint this ce?''

    He went into the house with the golden quill transformed into a pair of brass knuckles on his right fist.

    "Calvin..."

    This time, the woman started to cry.

    She was sobbing while whispering Calvin''s name into the air.

    "Shit..." Calvin immediately understood what was going on. The deformed man had lied to them when he said that Freya was the owner of the crying voice! Calvin couldn''t possibly make a mistake since the sensation that he was feeling right now was akin to a moth being attracted to a me upon hearing the woman call his name!

    Calvin walked upstairs and he discovered an inner room that wasvishly designed. All sorts of valuable gems decorated the ce and the utensils on the table were minted in gold. Speaking of utensils, there were candles lined up on the table and there were also two pairs of tableware as if a dinner date was about to happen tonight.

    "Calvin..."

    As Calvin walked into the room, the crying voice became even stronger. Her voice seemed to be capable of drilling into his heart through his ears and tugging around his heartstrings.

    "Why is she crying? Does she want to escape? If that''s the case, given how powerful she is... can''t she escape right at this moment?" Calvin found it difficult to believe that the woman had no idea about the ceremony that was about to begin. If she took advantage of that ongoing ceremony, she should be able to escape this vige.

    A Specter that had the ability to influence the minds of people couldn''t possibly be weak.

    The veil of locusts, wasps, and mosquitos might be able to injure her, but she wouldn''t die just because of a veil.

    Just as Calvin was thinking about just what exactly the woman''s intentions were, the candles on the table were lit on their own. An eerie red light enveloped the entire room.

    Cast in the light, a woman in a bright white wedding dress materialized in the air before Calvin in the midst of smoke and haze. She was wearing a gem-studded ne around her neck, but her face looked rather scary.

    Calvin took a step backward and his brass knuckles radiated a faint golden light.

    He didn''t want to fight, but if the Specter wanted to throw hands, then Calvin was prepared to meet her in battle.

    The candles on the table not only radiated an eerie red light but also carried with them a stench simr to rotting corpses. Calvin''s attention turned to one of the candles and his pupils constricted when he discovered that the wick of the candle was made out of human hair! What''s more, the body of the candle itself was a severed finger!

    Calvin took another step back, the woman opened her decayed lips and a voice echoed in Calvin''s mind. The scene around him turned hazy as if everything that had happened and what was happening were now irrelevant whenpared to the woman in front of him.

    Yes, there she was...

    Her figure still looked as beautiful as ever.

    But the moment she turned around, it would be thest time that they would meet.

    They would never meet again, until the end.

    Yet...

    Why was she here?

    Calvin stared at the woman in front of him and her face had changed.

    The contours of her body andplexion formed a general outline of what she looked like, but she was slowly turning into that familiar, ethereal beauty that Calvin had abandoned for the sake of humanity. The wonderful image was sewn together by blood threads that were slowly closing into Calvin.

    "Herscher.."

    Calvin whispered into the air.

    The dead woman revealed a smile of confidence and excitement as the blood threads closed in, aiming to sever Calvin''s head from his neck.

    But...

    "How dare you..." An angry guttural growl came from Calvin''s throat.

    "How dare you impersonate her!" His eyes went bloodshot as a burst of divine light covered his body.

    d in the golden robes of an Emperor, Calvin''s presence looked incredibly imposing.

    His eyes that had been filled with mncholy earlier had vanished, reced by cold indifference.

 Chapter 196: Daylight Bride

    Chapter 196: Daylight Bride

    Witnessing Calvin''s transformation, the woman was dumbstruck.

    She used her ultimate ability to transform into the most memorable person in Calvin''s mind.

    She used that person to create a trap for Calvin to walk into. Everything was going ording to n. He was under her full control, but she couldn''t understand why, when Calvin saw the most memorable woman in his memory, why did he be angry?

    How did her power break so easily in front of Calvin?

    Did she do something wrong?

    Calvin took a step backward as he fell on his knees.

    This was the first time that he hade so close to death ever since that grand chase of the world against him back in the previous timeline. He didn''t expect that another rare monster like this woman existed in the Vige of Tulog.

    Just what was wrong with this vige?

    A monster whose rarity made it so that they only appear once out of a thousand Specters.

    Why would a monster like her be here?

    Was this the secret power of the Goddess of Pestilence and Famine? To be able to create rare monsters on a whim?

    Calvin stared seriously at the woman.

    He had now identified what kind of a monster she was.

    A Daylight Bride!

    The Bestiary ssified the Daylight Bride as a whole new Specter whenpared to other Specters due to the fact that they died before or after their wedding.

    What''s more, a woman''s expectations would always be the greatest when there was an uing wedding, so their Yin would also be at its peak.

    If she died in such a state and her death was rather gruesome at that.

    She would be unable to ept her death and as a result. Her resentment and grievance would transform her into this rare Daylight Bride.

    As for why this particr Specter was named as such.

    It was because of the fact that Daylight Brides haunted their enemies in the middle of the day.

    It was amon misconception that Specters can only roam on the mortal ne at night. Yes, that might be true to a certain degree.

    But the restrictions around Specters that had enough ability to roam the mortal ne during the day despite not being a Daylight Bride didn''t exist for the Daylight Bride.

    In short, a Daylight Bride''s roaming ability wasn''t restricted during broad daylight.

    However...

    They would enter a weakened state at night.

    A lot of theories were born as to why the Daylight Bride possessed such a strange attribute.

    But none of those theories were proven due to the fact that Daylight Brides were just too rare. Furthermore, it was incredibly hard to capture them since they had the ability to enter the minds of anyone and damage them from within.

    Calvin thought that what she had done earlier must''ve been her ultimate ability.

    Not only she was powerful, but her voice also carried her own memory so that she could enter a person''s mind without them noticing her entry. This was an ability that not everyone could guard against. To be honest, Calvin felt incredibly lucky that the woman decided to pretend to be the most memorable woman in her heart.

    If not, then Calvin didn''t know what would''ve happened.

    After all, only sheHerscher was someone that Calvin could never forget.

    Furthermore, she was a person that belonged to that ce. No one could possibly try to pretend that they were ''Her'' in front of Calvin.

    Calvin stared angrily at the woman. When he escaped her control, she had be injured. Her sobbing stopped and a part of her memory was left in Calvin''s mind for she had retreated earlier in a hurry. In an instant, she had gained a new understanding of this Daylight Bride that had the potential to be even stronger than the Mortician due to her rarity.

    She was the daughter of one of the vigers and she dreamt of exploring the world outside of the vige one day. She fell in love with the young man at first sight due to the intricate stories that he told everyone about the outside world.

    However, on the day of her wedding.

    She had curiously opened the young man''s closet and she stumbled upon the dismembered remains of the young man''s previous wives!

    She wanted to escape.

    She wanted to run away.

    But she truly loved the young man so much that she didn''t believe what she had just seen in the closet. Later, when the young man arrived in the bed chambers. He carried her onto the bed so they could consummate their marriage. In the midst of their glee, the young woman had blurted out what she had seen in the closet as she asked him.

    "I must''ve seen wrongly, right? I apologize... I''ve always been in a daze since I received the news that you were taking me as your new wife."

    She gave a sweet smile but what she received in return was a murderous one.

    The true identity of the handsome young man was a deformed monster surrounded by locusts and flies. In the end, she was devoured and not even a scream came out of his throat and her family also died under mysterious circumstances.

    Of course, as a spirit. She believed that her family''s death was the young man''s doing.

    Her resentment grewrger andrger until she eventually became a Daylight Bride.

    Unfortunately, when she was about to take the young man''s head.

    She found out that she would be forever unable to take her revenge.

    It was because she drank the water tainted by his curse.

    She was destined to be his ve forever.

    The scenes rapidly shed in Calvin''s mind as he stared at the Daylight Bride in shock.

    <em>What a pitiful woman.</em>

    Calvin thought to himself.

    But his thought onlysted for a moment before the woman let out a shrill scream.

    She was angered that Calvin had managed to escape her control.

    Her hands reached down the hem of her dress as threads of blood manifested throughout the entire room.

    "Polearm!"

    Calvin was quick to react and his golden quill expanded. Its indestructibility attribute was now showing its purpose as it shredded the threads around Calvin into two halves. The door was sealed and if he ran, he might meet the monsters that were still angry at him outside. This was why Calvin had no other choice but to fight.

    "Mortician!" Calvin called out in his heart as the Mortician appeared.

    He took a step backward and let the Mortician handle the woman as a fierce battle urred between the two of them.

    The red threads prated the Mortician''s flesh, but it did nothing to stop the dance of his scalpel. It seemed that both the Daylight Bride and the Mortician were equally powerful.

    "Damn it." Calvin inwardly cursed. He circled the outskirts of the battle in order to find an opportunity to suppress the Daylight Bride under the Authority of his Emperor''s Commandment. When the Mortician had just unraveled the threads that wrapped around his body, the Daylight Bride was astounded as she took a step backward.

    "Now!" Calvin took her retreat as the signal to attack.

    Pointing his middle and index finger to the Daylight Bride. The Emperor''s Commandment enabled Calvin to deal with Mid-Tier monsters rather effortlessly, but the Daylight Bride was at the peak of the High-Tier.

    Furthermore, she had a physical body on the mortal ne, unlike Valefor whose soul was fragmented.

    The two couldn''t bepared at all.

    But that didn''t mean that Calvin''s Emperor Commandment had no Authority over the Daylight Bride.

    "Stand down!" Calvin called out and an indescribable power washed over the Daylight Bride''s figure as her body momentarily stiffened.

    The Mortician''s scalpel coldly gleamed as his attack streaked through the air and instantly cut off the Daylight Bride''s four limbs.

    When he was about to pierce through her skull and shatter her brainstem, Calvin yelled out, "Stop!"

    The Mortician''s scalpel halted abruptly.

    He turned to look coldly at Calvin as if he was asking, ''What''s the matter with you?''

    Calvin merely chuckled as she stepped forward and carried the powerless torso of the Daylight Bride onto a nearby chair.

    She made her lean on the chair, so she wouldn''t fall onto the ground before he asked, "Do you know who you are?"

    The Daylight Bride''s resentment was thick in her eyes.

    She didn''t want to do anything at this moment other than to kill Calvin and consume his flesh for her sustenance.

    The Mortician saw her disrespect and he uttered in a hoarse voice, "Gluteus maximus."

    "What?" Calvin and the Daylight Bride turned to the Mortician in shock, "Wait, you can speak?"

    The Mortician simply stared at Calvin as if he was a dumbass, "Biceps femoris."

    "Oh, you can? That''s a pleasant surprise. Wait, why are you speaking in anatomy?"

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows before he proceeded to ignore the Mortician.

    "Do you know who you are?"

    The Daylight Bride refused to speak.

    Calvin let out a sigh and nced at the Mortician.

    Both monsters were incredibly rare. But the Daylight Bride had more potential than the Mortician. However, Calvin was unsure if he could bring the Daylight Bride into his control. If not, then he might as well just kill her and feed her to the Mortician, so he can save himself from the trouble.

    But it would be a waste if she died.

    "Damn, what should I do now..." Calvin thought to himself.

    It was at this moment that the Bloodstone hanging over his neck vibrated.

    "Stephanie?" Calvin mumbled as he picked the Bloodstone up with his hand and stared at it for a while.

    It kept on vibrating as if it was trying to say something.

    "Wait, the Bloodstone?"

    "Oh, shit the Bloodstone!" Calvin eximed in joy.

    As far as he could remember, the Bloodstone had the ability to house two Specters at the same time. Since the Mortician was always hiding in his shadows, it had another spot for the Daylight Bride!

    Calvin smacked his own forehead. As he scolded himself, "How did I forget about the bloodstone?"

    Staring at the Daylight Bride, he said with a smile, "I''ll be bringing you now into a ce that you''ll be sharing with your fellow sister! Be nice to her, all right?" Without even consulting the Daylight Bride, he activated the Bloodstone''s hidden ability and sucked her into the independent space inside it.

 Chapter 197: Leave Nothing Behind

    Chapter 197: Leave Nothing Behind

    The Bloodstone fiercely quivered, it was as if a great battle was happening inside of its independent space. After a few seconds, it abated. The shaking it caused didn''t seem to have happened as the Bloodstone went quiet.

    ''Has she been domesticated?'' Calvin chuckled.

    A system notification hadn''t appeared, so Calvin assumed that for anyone to be considered as his follower, they must think of him as a respectable person in the depths of their hearts. The Daylight Bride had been probably overwhelmed by Stephanie''s Peak High-Tier strength to submission but that didn''t mean that she was now going to follow Calvin''s orders.

    ''I''ll find some time in the future to tame this Daylight Bride. It would be a shame to keep her dormant when she''s such a rare talent. Also, I wonder if I can capture the Witches of the Sabbath? I could probably use the Emperor''s Veil to suppress them, but I cannot possibly make them go into the Bloodstone since it''s already reaching its limits housing these two powerful monsters.'' Calvin thought in his heart.

    He didn''t refuse the possibility that the Witches of the Sabbath could be tamed. He knew that it was possibleit was just too risky.

    Calvin couldn''t take any kind of risk at this moment.

    ncing at the Mortician whose body was still covered in that murderous aura.

    Calvin bitterly smiled and thought to himself.

    ''My apologies, Mortician. I had to take such a talent with me. It would be a waste if I just fed her to you. What''s more, I have no idea if she would be enough for you to gather enough points to Ascend.''

    ''Grace would probably not permit you to ascend so easily... She''s just that kind of a Goddess...''

    Calvin knew that the Goddess of Compassion and Light possessed the attribute of all-knowing through every mention of ''Her'' honorable name. He purposely thought about ''Her'' honorable name in an act of spite andint. In an instant, Calvin felt a strange pressure boring down his head. A bitter smile leaked on his lips as he nced towards the skies.

    ''So she''s looking at me at this moment... Is she enjoying my suffering right now?''

    No one knew the answer to Calvin''s question other than himself.

    Walking out of the devastated house, Calvin suddenly stopped in his tracks before turning around.

    ''How silly of me to forget these things!''

    His eyes shone as it swept across the expensive silverware and fixtures.

    Everything in the house screamed luxurious and expensive.

    Calvin had been a pauper his whole life after being on the run when he was still deemed as a sinner and a criminal. He had developed a personality of not wasting anything possibly valuable, so the moment he remembered that each and every item in this room looked incredibly valuable and extravagant.

    He immediately turned back and started to n.

    ''Damn, that bastard really knows how to have fun, eh? The vige''s clearly rundown, yet this house is theplete opposite of all the houses in its surroundings! Being so despicable, yet so wealthy is a sin! How can there be justice in this world when such an evil man''s even richer than the heroes?''

    ''So be it, I''ll be that vignte who will serve justice to the broke heroes of our time...''

    ''I''ll take everything in here for me and make sure to sell them to the masses so that these hoarded items will circte throughout the world once again!'' A look of excitement surfaced on Calvin''s face as he summoned the Daylight Bride.

    A few momentster, the Daylight Bride manifested amidst a hazy fog.

    The murderous look on her face had all but vanished. Instead, she looked listless and her eyes had this trace of fear lurking in their depths.

    "Can you do that thing that you''ve done to me earlier?" Calvin asked with a smile.

    "..." The Daylight Bride stared at him in confusion. What was she supposed to do again?

    "Oh, let me specify. Can you cover everything in this house with your threads? You can summon and de-summon those threads at will, right? I want you to carry everything valuable in this house into the Bloodstone. I''m sure that you also know how to keep physical items in your shadow." Calvin patiently exined.

    "..."

    The Daylight Bride couldn''t speak, yet she found herself speechless. The prison of threads earlier was her ultimate skill. Was this man trying to say that she should use her ultimate skill to collect these garbages?!

    Her eyes abruptly filled with murderous intent as her figure coalesced into a bloody haze.

    But just as her killing intent manifested, an even stronger resentment flew from the Bloodstone hanging around Calvin''s neck towards her at great speeds! When it appeared, the Daylight Bride''s figure immediately quivered in fear.

    She retracted her murderous aura and the beam made out of resentment stopped just in time a few inches from her forehead.

    If Specters could sweat, her back must be dripping at this moment.

    Calvin simply smiled, ''Stephanie''s such a thoughtful girl. To think that she easily understood what my intentions are!''

    He started to appreciate Stephanie''s presence even more.

    Having no other choice, the Daylight Bride went ahead and activated her ultimate skill. Prison of Threads.

    In an instant, hundreds, if not thousands of red threads manifested around her.

    These red threads flew and stuck to each and every valuable-looking object in the room. Calvin repeatedly nodded his head in glee upon seeing what was happening. But a frown soon spread on his face when he realized that there was something missing.

    The Daylight Bride''s red threads could lift the golden cups and spoons, but it couldn''t lift heavy fixtures and furniture.

    ''That furniture has a lot of gold on its surface. It should be very expensive in the market. I can''t just leave them here...''

    Calvin nced at the Mortician.

    The Mortician also couldn''t possibly bring those pieces of furniture with him to hide in Calvin''s shadow. It was an impossible thing to do.

    But Calvin still had a n.

    He hadn''t lived the life of a pauper back then for nothing.

    It might be impossible to physically carry them, but what if Calvin pulverized them into fine pieces?

    Calvin smirked and turned to look at the Mortician, "You. Go over there and crush those things into pieces. Leave nothing behind. Bring them over here once we''re done. I''ll let the Daylight Bride take it with her into the Bloodstone."

    "Lattisimus Dorsi." The Mortician coldly spoke before he walked towards a nearby piece of furniture.

    "Why are you speaking in anatomy?" Calvin couldn''t help but ask hearing the Mortician''s words.

    The Mortician didn''t even turn to look at Calvin as he got to work and summoned his scalpel.

    "What a cold guy... You won''t be popr among women if you keep on doing that!" Calvin scolded.

    The Mortician was still silent.

    But his movements against the furniture and fixtures were strangely deadly. A single swing was all it took for him to dissect an entire piece of furniture and then crush the gold embedded on its surface into fine pieces.

    "Wow..." Calvin was awed by his efficiency. But the coldness radiating from the Mortician at this moment made him think.

    ''Is he venting out his anger on those pieces of furniture?''

    With thebined efforts of the Daylight Bride and the Mortician, it only took about two minutes before the entire ce was cleaned. Calvin didn''t even spare a golden spoon coated in a spoiled soup as the Daylight Bride carried it in her person with anger visible on her face.

    Of course, Calvin knew that she was angry at him, but what could the Daylight Bride do to him when Stephanie was there to suppress her?

    "All right, don''t be angry at me now, okay?" Calvin walked over to the Daylight Bride. He was nning on grooming the Daylight Bride into one of his own so that he could eventually build an army of Specters and monsters in the future. In order to do this, he must be a respectable master and friends to these monsters.

    Stretching his hand out, he rubbed the hair of the Daylight Bride as a smile appeared on his lips.

    His sincere smile made him look dashing as the Daylight Bride stared at Calvin in shock and obvious confusion.

    ''Was this man not afraid of me at all?'' This was the thought that came to her mind the moment Calvin approached her so close.

    She also had the idea of assassinating Calvin with her threads the moment he came to her attack range, but when his handnded on her head. The feelings of killing Calvin right there and then, mysteriously vanished.

    Even until the Daylight Bride returned to the Bloodstone...

    She still had no idea why she couldn''t raise her hands against Calvin when he stood so close to her.

    The Mortician observed everything that had happened in the side and he noticed that Calvin was holding a concealed piece of paper in his left hand just as he was rubbing the Daylight Bride''s hair in praise.

    ''Wheeew... Shit that was nerve-wracking.''

    Calvin was a cautious man and after experiencing betrayals after betrayals. He would never trust anyone so easily. He was sincerely thankful for the Daylight Bride''s help, but he wasn''t so stupid to forget that the Daylight Bride was still a Specter made out of resentment.

    In short, she was like a wild beast.

    One could tame a wild beast, but they must never forget why they were called ''wild'' in the first ce.

    The Mortician was still staring at Calvin.

    "Why are you looking at me? What? A grown man like you also wants some head pats?"

    "Digitus Medius!" The Mortician coldly spat before disappearing into Calvin''s shadows.

 Chapter 198: A Dream About to Come True

    Chapter 198: A Dream About to Come True

    Calvin walked out of the devastated house and immediately activated the Emperor''s Veil.

    He was now invisible to the eyes of humans. Only the deformed man could possibly see him with his naked eye now.

    But the crowd of monsters had eyes and when Calvin walked out of the house. Their ire was lit once more.

    Shrill screams filled the air as the silenced rage rekindled.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted, yet there was this enthralled light in his eyes.

    "REEE!"

    The monsters screamed.

    Their cries pierced throughout the entire vige as the four women and the deformed man turned their heads to look in Calvin''s direction.

    "What was that all about?" said one of the women as she furrowed her eyebrows. These women all had one thing inmon. They were beautiful. But they also had distinct differences. It was their dresses.

    The one-piece dress that d their bodies were in different shades of color.

    Green, red, white, and ck.

    Green symbolized nature, while red symbolized blood.

    White symbolized light, while ck symbolized the darkness of the abyss.

    "Ignore them. Those flies are probably attracting their attention. Focus on the task at hand." The deformed man coldly spoke.

    "Yes, Sum Jin."

    The four solemnly bowed their heads as they gnashed their teeth in reverence.

    This man in front of them, this deformed man known as Sum Jing-Woo was a monster that they could never defeat.

    But they didn''t have to defeat him.

    He was their allies, and furthermore. It was already toote for them to try anything.

    They had been in this industry for far too long and despite knowing that they were going to die tonight. These women were resolute. The moment they took out those loans, they knew that they would forever live under the shadow of the Yellow River Gang.

    They worked tirelessly, day and night, yet the interestpounded faster than they could even pay the principal.

    In the end, they were buried underneath.

    Tonight, they would also be buried.

    But this time...

    It would be six feet underneath.

    They might die tonightbut at leasttheir families would be able to sleep well knowing that they didn''t have that guillotine hanging over their heads anymore.

    "Mother, father... I will be going first. Please have a long life." These women uttered to themselves as they cast their decision in stone.

    The four women gently ced the wooden nk down the tform.

    "Take the four cardinal positions. Stretch your hands into a ''T'' once I said so."

    The deformed man seriously said.

    The ritual to fuse the Sinister Heart into the Queen of gue had already been given unto him by the Goddess of Pestilence and Famine. But knowing the ritual didn''t mean that he was an expert on it. This was the difference between theyman and the educated.

    And the deformed man was ayman.

    Mistakes weren''t permitted.

    The corresponding technique required a windless area. Thus, the deformed man summoned another veil. This time, it surrounded him, the Sinister Heart, and the four women inside. Using this method, the deformed man could eliminate disturbances. After all, no human being could possibly pass through this veil of locusts and wasps.

    Of course, that was unless they wanted to die a gruesome death.

    A hideous smile appeared on the deformed man''s face.

    His eyes gleamed with excitement as the dream that he had been nurturing for so long was finally about toe to fruition.

    There must be no disturbances at all.

    The deformed man nced in the direction of the shrill screams and muttered.

    "Wasp, go check that disturbance out. Silence those motherfuckers. But do not kill them. Remember that they will be the stepping stone for the Queen of gue. So that she''ll reach an even greater height! Do not fuck this up, do you understand?"

    The deformed man''s voice was cold as his shadow trembled under his message.

    Then, the quivering of his shadows came to an abrupt halt as his shadow grew wings as it detached from the deformed man. With the deployment of Wasp, the deformed man''s shadow returned to normal as a cruel smile flitted his face.

    ''Wasp is a High-Tier monster. Those ants can only hope to defeat Wasp. They can''t even handle the Sabbath without using their ultimates, so what makes them think that they are able to eliminate Wasp?''

    ''Everything is in the bag...''

    ''Ashmelion... I hope you are prepared for the horror that I am about to unleash.''

    ''Shadis, you bald-headed motherfucker. Wash your neck. Didn''t you enjoy removing each and every one of my nails? Didn''t you enjoy feeding me cockroaches and making me drink my own piss?''

    ''Shadis... you bastard... you forced me to do all of these!''

    ''I didn''t want to do this! I don''t want to be like this! I didn''t want to be like this!''

    ''Shadis... I hope that you''re still alive. If not, I will make sure that you''ll rise from your grave, so I can beat you to ashes myself!''

    ''Dear, your death has been unjust. This time, I''ll sacrifice the blood of the entire Ashmelion in your memory!''

    "You''ve always hated that city, right? So, what if you were a demi-human? What gives them the right to sentence you to death like that when you also have their blood coursing through your veins?!"

    ''Those naturalists... no... Everyone in the city... They shall apany you on your trip.''

    ''Dear, please do not me me for taking this long. I''ve never ever told you of my origins. But I came from this ce called Earth. It''s a world connected to this world and in that shitty ce. We have this popr idiom... that ten years aren''t toote for a gentleman''s revenge. It must be served cold and the problem must be uprooted from its roots.''

    ''Since the Joselian Kingdom doesn''t care about the corruption of theno... who are you? What are you doing? Who are you that is hiding in the depths of my heart?! Come out! Show yourself!'' The deformed man''s eyes bulged until they almost fell out of their sockets.

    There seemed to be a soundless scream echoing from within his soul, yet that soul itself was being constricted by filthy, yet famished chains.

    The chains looked thin and brittle, but the moment the deformed man made contact with it.

    He would forever be unable to break free from the chains.

    He would forever be a ve.

    "S-S-Sir..." One of the women hesitated as she spoke up.

    "Shut up!" The deformed man roared at her, "I didn''t permit you to speak!" A deranged light surged in his eyes. But then it was quickly reced by kindness, "Ah! I''m sorry... I shouldn''t have shouted at you... Hahaha. My apologies, fairdies. All right, let''sBEGIN!" The deformed man yelled in madness once more as the four women started trembling in fear

    "Oh no, look what you have done! You scared thedies!" The four women stared in fear at the deformed man. It was because they couldn''t understand what was going on. The deformed man seemed to be scolding someone, yet at the same time, his words seemed to be only aimed at himself.

    His attitude at this moment was so strange that the four women felt unnerved.

    Would he renege on his promise?

    The women thought.

    But this thoughtsted but a brief moment.

    For it didn''t really matter anymore.

    So, what if the deformed man renege?

    Their fates were sealed anyway, so they might as well bet on the chances that the deformed man would honor his promise!

    The four women gnashed their teeth as they awaited further instructions.

    "Now!" The deformed man gave the signal and the four women raised their hands in a ''T''.

    "Prayer for a windless night!" Anothermand was sent out and the women started chanting words in Elder Tongue.

    "Kaluy-i kami o panganud... dunggi ang among pagdayig... tagai kami''g gabii nga wy kahanginan..."

    "Oh, the one that hides beyond the clouds... Hear our pleas, bestow upon us a windless night or so we dream..."

    While the chanting was ongoing, the deformed man wasn''t idle at all.

    He took out several ''candles'' from his chest pocket and ced them atop the head of the four women.

    A crazed smile suffused on his lips.

    "I''m sure you four understand that all of you will die tonight, right?" He asked a question, but his expression changed at the very next moment, "Don''t you dare respond! Stop the prayer and you will die for naught!"

    The four women abruptly trembled and they didn''t dare to move their bodies at all.

    Their chanting never stopped as the deformed man continued.

    "Good, good, good... I will give the four of you a chance. If you managed to keep the candle above your heads from falling. Then, I will consider sparing your lives." The deranged smile on his lips deepened as the four women''s eyes flickered in expectation. No one in this world wanted to die, after all, soif given the chance. These four women would choose to live.

    "The four of us spent quite a long time together, and I would miss the sensation of your bodies. I knew we got off on the wrong foot when I married these filthy vigers, but you understand, right?"

    "All of this is for the cause. The cause that the four of you wanted to support. I know you hate Ashmelion. Specifically, you hate those bastards sitting up so high that they choose to close their gentry just to keep themselves alive! While what?! While their people starve!"

    The deformed man smirked.

    He stretched his hand out and caressed the cheeks of the white-dressed woman. Eventually, his hand groped all over her body until it reached her buttocks. The woman wanted to scream in pain as the deformed man pped her ass, but she knew that she couldn''t abandon the prayer. If she did, then she will die right there and then. If she didn''twell, there was a chance that she could live to see the other day.

    But...

    Hearing the deformed man''s words.

    The four women started crying.

    It was because they knew that even though the deformed man wouldn''t renege on his promise and that he would spare their lives. Living meant being nothing but a mindless sex ve for the deformed man. None of them wanted to live a life like that. But none of them could possibly sabotage the ritual, since that would mean the annihtion of their families as well as their cruel deaths.

    The women cried as they chanted.

    A soundless scream echoed in their hearts.

    "Please... if there is exists someone out there looking at us from beyond the clouds."

    "Please..."

    "Save us."

 Chapter 199: Shadow Assassin

    Chapter 199: Shadow Assassin

    The Mortician''s understanding of the human body gave him the ability to inflict fatal strikes in just a few attacks.

    However, The Mortician''s attacks might be devastating, but it had a clear weakness.

    His weapon was too short. Its attack range couldn''t evenpare to a dagger''s reach. In order for him to unleash his full potential, he must be given enough space and protection to dispose of the enemy.

    One could say that the Mortician was suitable to be an Assassin, but his presence was just too cold. His coldness could probably freeze an entire city if he grew stronger enough and considering the fact that assassins needed to be incognito most of the time...

    The Mortician just didn''t fit such a specific role.

    But there was one role that the Mortician was perfectly suitable with.

    It was the role of a ss cannon.

    ss cannons were powerful but brittle.

    If not given sufficient care, then they could easily shatter.

    What''s more, they required immense support before they could unleash their full potential.

    But this wasn''t a problem for Calvin.

    It was because his Writer ss might not have any offensive skills, but most of his abilities were utility skills that could support the Mortician in battle.

    One of them was the skill, Log.

    Log.

    Calvin records true to the facts paragraphs containing information about a certain enemy.

    He could then drill that particr information into the minds of hisrades with theirrade''s permission. Then, they would instantly understand what Calvin had written on the piece of paper.

    This skill was indeed incredibly useful, but it was useless for people without sufficient knowledge or without enough time to analyze what their enemy was.

    Furthermore, it also had a drawback.

    Only a single Log could be made in a day.

    After all, forcing information into the consciousness of someone else was an exhausting endeavor, and even Calvin couldn''t bypass this drawback.

    This was why after all this time, he hadn''t used a single skill rted to his ss at all.

    Every ss in the world of Felipinas had a single active skill and an ultimate skill dedicated for that particr ss, tailored to the personality archetypes of the ss owner.

    Say for example that one had the Assassin ss, yet his personality made him more suitable for an all-in or all-out fighting style. Then, their ss would give them two skills rted to that fighting style.

    This was why even though sses might ovep, each and every one of them was truly unique on their own.

    ''I can probably use Log to help the Mortician or Stephanie in the uing battle.''

    ''But I''m leaning on helping the Mortician more than Stephanie...''

    ''I have no idea what will happen to her the moment she realizes that the identity of the deformed man was that same young man who was the subject of her resentment. Will she be able to retain her senses that she''ll be able to remember the details of the information that I would pass unto her?''

    Calvin gnashed his teeth.

    ''I should use this Log to assist the Mortician!''

    Time was running out.

    Calvin had to decide.

    In the end, he chose the Mortician.

    The Log was a one-time usage skill after all.

    Even if it refreshed daily, there was no guarantee that Calvin would still be alive by the time daybreak came.

    This was why he had to eliminate any uncertain variables.

    Since Stephanie was a part of that variable, then he had to choose the Mortician.

    The monsters were fast approaching and Calvin knew that he couldn''t dy things any longer. He took a turn and changed directions to the vige center where he discovered another veil made out of locusts, wasps, and mosquitos.

    ''Shit...'' Calvin clicked his tongue.

    ''The deformed man is definitely a cautious man. There''s just no way that I can go through that veil without dying.''

    ''But that doesn''t mean that I do not have a n.''

    Calvin emerged from his Emperor''s Veil as he felt his chest pocket.

    ''Six... Only six runecrafted papers are left... One for Aksi, two are for Borg, and three is for Arb...''

    Borg meant defense, Aksi meant confusion, while Arb meant to push.

    Calvin had tallied his remaining resources and he quickly came to a decision.

    Emerging out of his Emperor''s Veil, Calvin ran towards the Veil of ughter.

    The monsters shrieked behind him as Calvin eyed a nearby building near the vige center.

    He was about to do an incredibly dangerous maneuver that involved a vertical climb with his legs, so he had to be focused.

    Arriving in front of that building, Calvin hurled a piece of paper directly below him as he called out.

    "Arb, release!"

    Bam!

    An explosion burst forth as a shockwave sent Calvin flying up to the roof

    "REEE!"

    The monsters rushed after him, but they weren''t as agile as Calvin.

    Their speed didn''t permit them to make an abrupt stop as they crashed on the wall of the building before falling into the veil.

    Calvin had lured a few dozens of monsters into chasing after him and most of them crashed into the veil.

    But as Calvin had expected, these monsters were just too weak to cause any significant damage to the veil.

    ''Damn it, that Veil of ughter is indeed too horrifying! To think that it could easily shred through the flesh of these Corpse Eaters! I don''t believe that this veil won''t crack. If a dozen of these monsters aren''t enough to create an opening in this veil, then I''ll sacrifice a few dozens! If not, then a few hundred!''

    ''I don''t believe that I can''t fill the stomach of these wasps, locusts, and mosquitos to the brim!''

    The Veil of ughter was a living veil.

    It sure was a sinister veil, but it had a particr weakness.

    Once the stomach of the monsters that formed the veil became full, they would be unable to consume any more flesh.

    When that happened, then the Veil of ughter would be overwhelmed. However, Calvin believed that the deformed man wouldn''t possibly make such a rookie mistake. He must have some tricks up his sleeves that would prevent that imminent copse of this veil.

    ''This isn''t going to work... I''ve got to do something else.''

    Monsters after monsters kept crashing against the veil, but all of them were reduced to bones and ashes in just a few moments. Calvin clicked his tongue after noticing that he hadn''t done any substantial damage to the veil at all!

    He had to change his ns.

    But before he could even revise his ns, several dull thuds rang out on the same rooftop he was on.

    Calvin turned his head and discovered the three members of the Sabbath staring at him with murderous intents.

    "I knew that the three of you wouldn''t be as stupid as these Corpse Eaters."

    Calvin lightly chuckled.

    "REEE!" The Witches were angered by Calvin''s cheeky words as they immediately dashed at him.

    "Watch your step." Calvin smiled.

    The Witches were fast indeed.

    A distance of a few meters only took them two seconds to close-in.

    But just as they raised their hands to tear Calvin apart... thetter suddenly smirked.

    "Gawas, release."

    He muttered and a piece of paper stuck on the rooftop exploded.

    "REEE!"

    The shockwave that it carried sent the Witches flying towards the veil. Their bodies immediately disintegrated the moment they made contact with it. Not even their ashes were left.

    ''Wheeew, that was terrifying.'' Calvin rubbed the sweat on his forehead as he muttered to himself. He wasn''t at his previous peak, so fighting against the Sabbath was something he couldn''t possibly do.

    Well, Calvin''s knowledge could probably give him an advantage in battle which would let him fight against a single Witch.

    But three?

    Calvin shook his head.

    The very next moment, his pupils constricted.

    He hurriedly ducked his head into his chest as a fierce wind swept past where his head was originally located.

    Turning around, Calvin discovered the existence of a monster d surrounded by darkness.

    "A Shadow?" This was Calvin''s first impression of the assant. But his thoughts quickly change the moment he saw the wings attached on the back of the shadow. Furthermore, there was a stinger on the rear-end of what looked like an insect.

    "A wasp... and shadow?"

    "The Shadow Assassin!" Calvin finally realized the identity of the monster standing in front of him.

    The Shadow Assassin moved once more. Hiding between the shadows in the cracks of the rooftop, he emerged behind Calvin''s shadow only to be pped across his torso by a cold young man holding a scalpel in his hands.

    The Shadow Assassin crashed against the roof, but he quickly recovered with a p of his wings.

    "Damn it, you saved me, Mortician!" Calvin didn''t forget to praise the Mortician''s timely arrival.

    "Splenius capitis." The Mortician coldly spat as he stared at the Shadow Assassin. His body shone and became surrounded with a navy-blue aura.

    Calvin''s expression changed in surprise. Just as he was expected, the Mortician''s aura that he was radiating at this moment was at the Peak High-Tier!

    This was the first time that the Mortician released his aura. A grim look was on his face as he stared at the Shadow Assassin.

    "..." The Shadow Assassin also silently released his aura. But it was evidently weaker whenpared to the Mortician. The measurement of one''s aura was a pretty urate indication of strength. In short, the Shadow Assassin was the underdog in this fight.

    What''s more, he was alone.

    But does he really have to fight against the Mortician?

    No!

    The Shadow Assassin was intelligent enough to understand that he would only suffer a beating if he fought the Mortician head to head.

    However... what would happen if he targeted the young man whom the Mortician seemed to be attached to?

    A smirk appeared on the Shadow Assassin''s barely distinguishable human face.

    He was half-human and half-insect.

    Having made a decision, the Shadow Assassin dove into the shadows once more.

    When he reappeared, he was right in front of Calvin as his stinger flew directly to Calvin''s head.

    "I thought Shadow Assassins are supposed to smart? Why did you make such a stupid decision?"

    Calvin shook his head in derision as the Mortician''s scalpel sliced through the air, blocking the Shadow Assassin''s stinger.

    Sparks flew, and the sound of metal shing against metal rang throughout the silent night.

    But when the Mortician''s scalpel shed through the Shadow Assassin. His body disappeared into a puff of smoke.

    "That was a dummy!" Calvin called out and the Mortician hurriedly turned around.

    But it was toote.

    The Shadow Assassin had reappeared behind Calvin just as thetter leaped into the air in order to try and dodge the attack.

    "Stupid..." The Shadow Assassin inwardly muttered. By jumping into the air, Calvin had essentially limited his own movements.

    ''This should be an easy catch''

    The Shadow Assassin thought to himself as his Stinger struck Calvin''s heart.

    Yes, struck.

    Not pierced.

    It was because something incredibly sturdyno, indestructible had prevented his Stinger from piercing through Calvin''s heart.

    "..."

    The Shadow Assassin was dumbstruck.

    But before he could process what had happened, Calvin started his counterattack.

    Summoning his golden quill, Calvin mumbled.

    "Aspect Transformation.

    "Chains!"

    The golden quill transformed into a pair of chains that quickly wrapped the Shadow Assassin.

    But the Shadow Assassin had the ability to dive into any nearby shadow to escape and this was why they were known to be the King of the Night.

    Unfortunately for the Shadow Assassin, Calvin knew his abilities the moment he recognized that he was a Shadow Assassin. After wrapping the Shadow Assassin with the chains, Calvin immediately activated his Emperor''s Veil and suppressed his enemy with primal fear.

    The Shadow Assassin was too scared under Calvin''s presence that his resistance basically became non-existent.

    With his ability to escape crippled by fear, the Shadow Assassin''s fate was sealed.

    But just as he was being consumed by the Mortician, he saw that behind Calvin''s chest pocket situated above his heart.

    There was a particr notebook sitting in his pocket.

    Not even a dent was on the notebook, but the shirt was torn when his attacknded on Calvin''s chest.

    The Shadow Assassin then realized why Calvin made that stupid decision to jump into the air earlier.

    ''Now I understand... So that''s why he turned around and leaped into the air. It was to persuade me to attack his heart instead of his head!''

    The Shadow Assassin felt bitter.

    Just as his consciousness darkened, a single thought of regret sprung up in his mind.

    ''If I had attacked his head instead of his heart... I would''ve won the fight!''

    Sadly, there were no ''ifs'' in this world.

    The Shadow Assassin had been defeated and he was now being devoured.

 Chapter 200: The Outcome Isnt Decided Yet

    Chapter 200: The Oue Isn''t Decided Yet

    A smile crept up Calvin''s lips.

    ''Here it goes, he''s going to ascend... he''s going to ascend... he''s going to ascend!''

    He screamed in his heart.

    The navy-blue light that surrounded the Mortician''s body seemed to be even stronger as he devoured the Shadow Assassin''s soul.

    The Shadow Assassin was a High-Tier monster, so the value of his soul must be higher than the small fries that Calvin had lured earlier.

    ''Purveyor... Purveyor... Purveyor...'' Calvin chanted in his heart as if he had gone mad.

    His eyes even went bloodshot as he nced at the skies beyond the clouds. His gaze held a threatening threat to it.

    ''Grace, I swear if you don''t let the Mortician ascend to Purveyor rank right now, then I will definitely going to do ''something'' the next time we meet!'' He whispered to himself as the navy-blue light around the Mortician''s body reached a peak.

    "How strong!" Calvin eximed as he took a step backward to dampen the shockwave that struck his body.

    The height of the navy-blue aura surrounding a monster when they were ascending to Purveyor was usually an urate metric to predict their potential.

    The higher their aura flew to the skies, the stronger the potential of the monster was.

    Calvin had once seen a monster ascending to Purveyor whose aura pagoda reached a height of a hundred meters!

    That was a shocking sight indeed and when Calvin returned to that forest.

    He discovered that the forest now had a new king after almost a millennia of waiting.

    And just as he had expected, the new king was that same monster whose ascension was witnessed by Calvin.

    Several decadester, Calvin caught wind that the king of the forest had finally reached the Peak of the Ambassador Rank.

    Unfortunately, instead of helping humanity, the monster turned against humans and created a ughter in which a Pope from one of the churches had to be involved in order to stop the monster''s rampage.

    Until now, Calvin still had no idea just what kind of a monster was that monster.

    But now that he thought about it. That monster must still be a baby trying its best to survive in that ruthless forest. ''One day, I must go and visit that forest. What if I managed to tame that monster? If that happened, then I would have one hell of arade!''

    Calvin thought to himself.

    Bam!

    A loud explosion urred as the navy-blue aura around the Mortician''s body surged.

    ''Fly! Fly! Fly! Go high!'' Calvin prayed in his heart as he watched the Mortician''s ascension in rapt attention.

    But the navy-blue aura of the Mortician didn''t take flight.

    Instead, it simmered down before disappearing in a blink of an eye.

    ''What?''

    Everything happened so fast that Calvin doubted if he was seeing things.

    ''Where was the aura pagoda?''

    ''Did he ascend or what?''

    A system notification appeared to answer Calvin''s doubts.

    [Congrattions!]

    [The Mortician has ascended to the rank of Purveyor]

    [The Mortician''s Ascension Points: 5]

    [995 Ascension Points necessary for Ascension to Mid-Purveyor.]

    [The Mortician''s active and ultimate skill has been unlocked.]

    [Active skill: A Steady Slice]

    [Active skill description: The Mortician''s knowledge of anatomy is vast. He is able to take advantage of his enemy''s weaknesses to decisively end a fight. A Steady Slice consists of a single devastating attack. If itnds perfectly, it is able to execute an enemy in an instant.]

    [Skill Cooldown: 12 seconds.]

    [Ultimate skill: Flowers for the Deceased.]

    [Ultimate skill description: The Mortician might be a man of few words, but he honors the deceased like no other. In dispatching soon-to-be deceased enemies. The greatest honor that the Mortician can offer is the blooming of flowers on the battlefield. Gathers nearby Nether Qi at the tip of his scalpel for an incredibly devastating attack that blooms like a flower.]

    [Skill Cooldown: Once a day.]

    Calvin quickly took in the information disyed by the system notifications as he dismissed them all at once.

    He felt gratified at this moment.

    The efforts and resources that he gave unto the Mortician were finally paying itself off.

    But...

    There was something strange.

    Why was the Mortician staring at him right now with this thick intent to kill?

    ''Shit...'' Calvin gasped as he suddenly remembered the fact that the Mortician was also a monster created by resentment.

    Monsters like the Mortician could be tamed, simr to the Daylight Bride, but one must remember that they had no master before they died.

    Calvin gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    Now that the Mortician was stronger than him... was he going to kill him now?

    Calvin took a step backward as he bent his knees in preparation to escape if everything went awry.

    He knew that there was a chance that the Mortician might rebel against him, but Calvin didn''t expect that it woulde so soon.

    He had originally predicted that the Mortician might rebel once he reached the Ambassador rank, yet he wasn''t even close enough to that rank but he was rebelling now?

    Calvin gnashed his teeth.

    Staring at the Mortician, he waited for thetter''s next course of action.

    The Mortician vanished into thin air.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted as he took prepared to leap into the air.

    But before he could even try to escape, the Mortician appeared right in front of him with this cold look on his face.

    "Brachialis." He spat these words before sinking into Calvin''s shadows.

    ''W-What was the deal with that guy...'' Calvin bitterly smiled as he stared at his own shadow.

    The Mortician had already grown strong enough that he could probably assassinate Calvin whenever he wanted.

    As a cautious man, Calvin felt ufortable carrying a ticking time bomb, yet for some reason.

    He had no idea why, but he felt as if the Mortician was a man that would never betray his trust.

    Despite being created from resentment, the Mortician seemed trustworthy to Calvin.

    ''Damn it, are my thoughts due to the fact that I once befriended three demons in that abyss?''

    ''Sigh... If the Mortician decides to betray me, then that would really be unfortunate...'' Calvin knew that the Mortician had the right to rebel since he wasn''t really bonded with any contract.

    Speaking of contracts, it wasn''t that Calvin didn''t want to bind the Mortician with one. He simply didn''t have the ability to create a Notary Certificate for he was still a Diary-Keeper.

    If he was a Scribe, then he would''ve given the Mortician a contract and asked him to sign.

    ''All right, there''s no other way around it. Let''s just hope that the Mortician won''t suddenly stab me in the back.''

    Despite saying these words in his heart, Calvin still felt ufortable. He always hated situations that he couldn''t control. At first, he thought that Stephanie was more dangerous than the Mortician, but now that Calvin had no idea just what were the Mortician''s intentions.

    He was now on guard against the Mortician''s sudden betrayal.

    Sticking a piece of paper on his back, Calvin felt somewhat reassured. The piece of paper had the instructions to automatically activate once an attack from behind was detected. It was a runecrafted paper named Borg, which meant defense in Elder Tongue.

    ''Now I only have one Aksi, one Borg, and one Arb... One for each category...'' Calvin let out a sigh.

    To be honest, he wanted to create more of these pieces of paper but he simply didn''t have the time to do anything else. He must break that veil and interrupt the ceremony before it was toote. Speaking of the veil, it was still as strong as ever.

    The streets were already silent and the monsters were but stains and pieces of flesh on the ground after they were annihted by the innumerable locusts, wasps, and mosquitos that formed the veil.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    His mind madly spun as he tried to think about a solution to this problem.

    He understood that a disturbance would interrupt the ritual.

    Of course, he wasn''t a hundred percent sure, but it was most likely that the deformed man was using the Fusion of the Candles as the corresponding technique to fuse the Sinister Heart into its physical vessel. As for why Calvin knew what the corresponding technique was?

    It was because of those four women.

    The Fusion of the Candles required four sacrifices with rich Yin energies in their bodies.

    Yang was for males, while Yin was for women.

    Naturally, women had an abundance of Yin in their bodies making them a perfect sacrifice for the Fusion of Candles.

    As for how Calvin knew that the four women were the sacrifice for the ritual?

    It was due to the fact that the four women managed to slip through the Veil of ughter without being injured. Calvin just didn''t believe that the Sinister Heart would be so kind to spare the four women from death. This was why Calvin was certain that these four women must be already tainted by the aura signature of the Sinister Heart.

    If not for that, then how else would they be able to carry that wooden nk as well as receive the protection of the Sinister Heart?

    Speaking of the ritual...

    ''Will I really not be able to do anything other than watch as the ritual is beingpleted?''

    Calvin gnashed his teeth.

    ''There''s just nothing else that I can do...''

    ''If I cannot pass through that meat grinder, then there''s no use! If that meat grinder of a veil is there to block my way then I really can''t do anything other than just stand here and watch. After all, I''m only human. I can die and my flesh isn''t made out of an indestructiblewait...''

    Calvin''s line of thought was suddenly cut off by a sudden epiphany.

    ''If my body was indestructible, then I can pass through that veil!''

    The scenes of the Shadow Assassin attacking his heart shed across Calvin''s mind. Back then, he had secretly positioned the Notebook of Secrets over his heart for he knew that the Notebook of Secrets had the attribute of indestructibility.

    It was the perfect shield for that situation.

    Yes, for that situation.

    But standing in front of the Veil of ughter.

    Calvin now had a sudden thought, ''What if I threw the Notebook of Secrets beyond that veil?''

    ''No that still wouldn''t work... Dandelion is still asleep. Fuck, that bastard... just how long does he nning on sleeping?''

    Calvin couldn''t help but curse Dandelion in his heart, but then his pupils suddenly constricted.

    ''Wait... why am I thinking of sending the Notebook of Secrets beyond the veil? Yes, the Notebook of Secrets is indestructible. But there is also one thing that cannot be destroyed simr to the Notebook of Secrets!'' Calvin''s eyes gleamed with enlightenment as he took the Bloodstone hanging around his neck into his hands.

    ''It''s about time for me to see how Stephanie will react if she sees that bastard!''

    A smirk flitted across Calvin''s lips as he hopped down the roof and arrived in front of the veil.

    ''Bastard, I bet you''re probably so smug right now thinking that there''s no one else that can stop you anymore since you''re hiding in that shell.''

    ''But I''m sorry to tell you this...''

    Calvin raised his hand into the air.

    ''The oue isn''t decided yet!''

    .. and threw the Bloodstone into the veil.

 Chapter 201: The Fight for Superiority

    Chapter 201: The Fight for Superiority

    The locusts, wasps, and mosquitoes swarmed the Bloodstone.

    But their efforts only led to their own injuries as the Bloodstone was simply indestructible.

    When itnded, a clear sound rang out as the four womenas well as the deformed manstared at the ne in shock.

    "Stephanie,e out!"

    Calvin''s voice rang out from behind the veil as the Bloodstone shone in a crimson light.

    A sinister being slowly emerged from the Bloodstone. Her eyes carried with it an intense hatred that could only be abated by ughter.

    The four women felt a chill run down their spines as their knees trembled in fear.

    The deformed man also stared at the woman who had emerged from the Bloodstone in shock.

    "You..."

    "Stephanie?"

    What the deformed man got in reply was nothing but a freezing coldness and a fiery ire.

    Stephanie let out a shrill scream the moment she fully materialized as wings sprouted on her back. She rushed towards the deformed man in a frenzy with her ws, ready to im the deformed man''s head.

    "Shit... Wasp!" The deformed man called out for hispanion, but he received no response.

    "Wasp?! What the fuck are you doing? Where are you?"

    The deformed man quickly looked around him. His eyes wanted to peek through the thick veil of insects to no avail, "Where did that bastard go?" Annoyed, the deformed man gnashed his teeth and took something out of his chest pocket.

    The object was made out of steel and it shimmered with coldness reflected in the eyes of Stephanie.

    <em>Bang!</em>

    The barrel of the steel object roared with fire as a silver bullet flew from its depths flying straight towards Stephanie.

    But just as the bullet was about to hit her, Stephanie''s crazed eyes turned resolute. She trusted her instincts for danger as she raised her ws and instinctively blocked the iing bullet.

    <em>Peng!</em>

    The sound of metal shing against metal rang out.

    Amidst a loud noise, the bullet buried itself into the ground as the four women abruptly froze.

    They didn''t dare to stop their chanting though, for even though they might be afraid of the mysterious woman.

    They were more scared at the deformed man.

    They knew his methods far too well. And as someone who had stayed in this vige for an extended period of time just so he could hold out andplete his ns to perfection.

    The deformed man was a scarier opponent than the woman.

    Thus, the four didn''t dare to do anything nor move.

    They just kept on chanting as the candles above their heads burned, its wax continuously dripped down their cheeks.

    Disfiguring them, all the while also tainting their blood with evil.

    These four women felt the pain, but their endurance was noteworthy. Despite the searing heat from the candle burning their scalps and its wax ruining their faces. They gritted their teeth and determined to endure it all for the sake of freedom.

    Yes, all of these were for the sake of that freedom that would nevere.

    Stephanie went on a rampage.

    Her vertical mobility as well as her agile practiced movements made it tough for the deformed man to hit her with any bullet.

    The deformed man gnashed his teeth, "This bitch, how the fuck is she even here? I''m sure I sealed her soul in that urn!" Anger filled the deformed man''s eyes as he stretched his other hand into his chest pocket and took out another pistol from nowhere and pointed it at Stephanie.

    <em>Bang!</em>

    Stephanie raised her ws once more to block the attack, but her pupils suddenly constricted when she realized that the force within the bullet wasn''t something that she could block with her ws.

    Forcibly turning her body in mid-air, she twisted herself and she barely managed to dodge the attack.

    However, this sudden evasive maneuver left her unable to control her body as she crashed onto the ground and created a cloud of dust.

    The deformed man let out an evil smirk.

    He was quick to point his pistols at where Stephanie had crashed as he pulled both triggers.

    <em>Bang! Bang!</em>

    Two consecutive gunshots rang out.

    The bullets pierced through Stephanie''s body as her tainted blood scattered on the ground.

    "Hahaha!" The deformed man maniacallyughed, "Stephanie, Oh, dear... Stephanie!"

    "Since you''ve managed to escape that ceremonial urn, why did you even return? Don''t you know that since I am the one that ended your life back then, I could also do it again?" A cocky smile flitted across his lips.

    But as the dust cleared up, his pupils widened in shock.

    Yes.

    The bullets had pierced through Stephanie''s chest and stomach.

    But the wound it had created was visibly healing in front of the deformed man.

    "That''s... the property of undying! You... just what are you...?" The deformed man hissed as he stared at Stephanie.

    Stephanie stood up without saying anything.

    Frightened, the deformed man sent a salvo of bullets in her direction and Stephanie was quick to defend herself from those bullets.

    <em>Peng! Peng! Peng!</em>

    The sound of metal shing against metal continuously rang.

    Stephanie was unable topletely defend herself from the rain of bullets, but it was understandable since bullets were just too quick whenpared to anyone''s flying ability.

    Even though she was an Aswang, a species of monsters known for their formidable flying techniques...

    She still wasn''t at her peak.

    After all, she was still at the Peak High-Tier.

    She hadn''t even unlocked her active and ultimate skill yet, unlike the Mortician who was now a Purveyor.

    Aswangs were undying beings that could never be destroyed unless their lower body was found. This was a weakness that the deformed man could never take advantage of since he was in the confines of his turtle shell known as the Veil of ughter.

    However, just because Stephanie wouldn''t die without her lower body being destroyed didn''t mean that there was no other way for her to be defeated.

    Stephanie might be ssified as a Specter, but she still had a physical body in the material ne.

    A physical body couldn''t possibly function with a central nervous system.

    If the deformed man destroyed Stephanie''s brain stem, then he would immediately win the fight. No questions asked.

    Stephanie was quite intelligent even though she was still so weak.

    She knew how to protect herself and that she must guard her brain stem at all times.

    The brain stem of a Corpse Eater was located beneath the tip of their noses. But as for the brain stem of a rare Specter like the Aswang? Honestly, even Calvin had no idea. The Aswang was just so rare that information rted to them were scarce or close to none.

    The Bestiary had a record of them, but other than a general introduction of their origins and their capabilities. There was nothing else.

    Stephanie sent a death re at the deformed man as she pped her wings and floated into the air. Resentment-filled Nether Qi gathered around her body and a tornado made out of Nether Qi soon formed in front of Stephanie.

    The sharp winds of the tornado quickly colored the deformed man''s expression green.

    He gnashed his teeth in anger and shouted, "Stephanie! Don''t you dare force me!"

    The deformed man nced nervously at the four women.

    Upon seeing that the candles on the four women''s heads had already stuck to the crown of their heads as if it had been welded with the wax from the candlesa smile emerged from the deformed man''s lips. The ceremony was already in itster parts.

    He predicted that if he was able to endure for another half an hour, then the fusion would definitely seed.

    Unfortunately, theter parts of the ceremony might be harder to interrupt, but sessfully interrupting the ceremony meant dealing a devastating blow against the Sinister Heart and its vessel.

    Since the Sinister Heart was made from the blood, hatred, fury, and resentment of the sacrifices that it had consumed. It meant that at its core, the Sinister Heart wasn''t really that sinister considering the fact that its sacrifices were innocent people.

    In short, there was a certain amount of rejection that was bound toe at theter parts of the ritual. The deformed man considered that rejection as the most crucial stage that the four women had to endure.

    They must never stop their prayer chants at that stage, or else everything would be for naught.

    Even if the deformed man managed to forcefully fuse the Sinister Heart into its vessel.

    It wouldn''t be as strong whenpared to if he had organically fused it into its vessel.

    This was why the deformed man roared angrily at Stephanie.

    "Stephanie! Stop whatever you are doing right now, and I will listen to whatever you want to say! Whatever you want to do to me, I''ll do it. But you must disperse that tornado, now!"

    The deformed man was now agitated. His eyes went bloodshot when he saw the four women suffering under the wrath of the piercing winds.

    In fact, one of the four women was already on the verge of copse.

    It wouldn''t be a problem if she copsed in the middle of the most crucial stage, since it was a risk that the deformed man had expected.

    Furthermore, the chant for the corresponding technique was no longer required in that stage.

    But before the ceremony reached that part, the deformed man had to protect these four women at all costs.

    The deformed man gnashed his teeth.

    Using the abilities granted to him by ''Her Majesty'' meant that he must disperse the Veil of ughter around them and around the vige. But if he did that, then the unique fluctuations of the Sinister Heart would definitely not go undetected in the eyes of the church.

    The moment he removed the veil that surrounded the vige was the start of a countdown.

    A countdown of two hours.

    It was because he estimated that it would take at least two hours for the punitive forces of the church to arrive at the scene.

    Two hours might not be that long, but it was good enough for the deformed man.

    If the deformed man''s enemy was only Stephanie, then he would''ve removed the veil already.

    However, Calvin was still out there with Heisenberg and Ricardo.

    Those three might not be able to kill him, but they could surely interrupt the ritual.

    "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" The deformed man violently cursed. Left without a choice, his eyes went bloodshot as he spread his arms wide and summoned the countless locusts, wasps, and mosquitos that formed the Veil of ughter to his side.

    The sight of thousands of pests forming a cloud hovering over the vige was a spectacr sight indeed, but it only sent shivers down the spine of those looking at it.

    Including Calvin.

    But after the initial shock, a smirk appeared on his face.

    With the disappearance of the veilthere was no stopping Calvin as he immediately activated the Emperor''s Veil and summoned his golden quill.

    "Aspect Transformation."

    "Slingshot!"

    A golden slingshot manifested in his hands as Calvin randomly took a rock off the ground and fed it to the slingshot.

    <em>Swoosh!</em>

    A rock instantly crossed the distance of about twenty meters between Calvin and the deformed man.

    <em>Puchi!</em>

    The rock buried itself into the deformed man''s forehead as thetter turned to look in Calvin''s direction in rage.

    "How dare you... How dare you insult me?!"

    Sum Jing-Woo roared in anger and a cloud of pests flew towards Calvin at breakneck speeds.

    "Oh, why are you screaming at me like that? Do you feel insulted that I used a rock against you? What? Was it actually painful? Or did I only hurt your ego?" Calvin lightly chuckled.

    He turned around and ran in the opposite direction before he scaled a nearby rooftop, narrowly avoiding the cloud of pests.

    ''Wheeew, that was dangerous.'' Calvinmented to himself.

    His golden quill shone in a brilliant light once more as it changed its shape.

    From a Slingshot, it transformed into a fire thrower that Calvin immediately used to burn the cloud of pests into ashes.

    The smell of burned rotting flesh wafted into the air.

    "Ugh... that''s actually really disgusting. As expected of Pisti, she sure does stink like she hadn''t taken a bath since the beginning of the world." Calvin cheekily whispered.

    The Goddess of Pestilence and Famine might be able to hear his words at this moment, but Calvin didn''t really care if she got mad.

    In fact, if she really got angry and sent an avatar to kill him, then it would be for the best.

    After all, Calvin doubted that Grace wouldn''t assist him if Pisti went over the line and sent an avatar down the material ne to kill him.

    The cloud of pests had burned into ashes and Calvin felt a sense of vertigo assaulting his senses.

    ''Damn, using my Mana wantonly like this isn''t really optimal...''

    The foundation of Calvin''s Aspect Transformation relied on the art of Mana Maniption.

    Aspect Transformation basically used Mana to instantly mold the shape of one''s Aspect ording to one''s designs. This, in itself, wasn''t that exhausting. But Calvin had not only simted a fire thrower from Earth, but he also made it spew fire.

    Turning intangible to tangible was a signature move of those at the Second Ascension Stage.

    Calvin was still a Diary-Keeper and this was his ss''s First Ascension Stage.

    If he was already a Scribe, then making that fire thrower spit real fire wouldn''t be that taxing.

    But since Calvin was still incredibly weak, he had no other choice but to endure the dizziness that tried to ovee his senses.

    Steadying himself, he nced at the fierce battle up ahead.

    When the deformed man sent the cloud of pests after him, he had ignored Calvin''s presence and devoted all of his attention to stopping Stephanie''s tornado.

    But little did the deformed man knew that he had just done a huge mistake.

    It was because Calvin in his Emperor''s Veil was invisible to the eyes of the four women

    A smirk appeared on Calvin''s face as he crept up to one of the four women.

    With a will, a weapon materialized in his hands.

    The Soul Reaper!

    The jade-colored sickle seemed to shimmer in a mysterious light amidst the moonless night.

    As Calvin walked closer to one of the four women, he set his sights on the candles on the four women''s heads. He knew that those candles were keys to the sess of the ceremony.

    Stopping the ceremony meant destroying those candles.

    "All right..."

    Calvin took a stance with the Soul Reaper before he sent it flying to one of the candles.

    The candles above the four women signified their presence in the ceremony. In a way, it represented their very being.

    As the Soul Reaper cut through the air, the deformed man finally noticed the disturbance as he turned around and screamed.

    "NOOO! Get down!"

    His urgent scream was so loud that the four women jolted awake from their trance.

    Visible confusion was on their faces as the woman who was the target of the deformed man''s scream trembled in fear.

    ''Did I do something wrong?''

    ''Wait, Sum Jing said get down...''

    The woman furrowed her eyebrows as she continued to chant. But just as she was about to understand what the deformed man meant by his words.

    Her eyes suddenly went nk.

    Her body stiffened as she abruptly copsed onto the floor.

    "NOOOOOOOO!" The deformed man roared towards the skies.

    The remaining three women stared at him in shock.

    "You..."

    The deformed man said to Calvin in a hoarse voice.

    "I will destroy you!"

 Chapter 202: Chaos

    Chapter 202: Chaos

    [Congrattions for absorbing a soul through the Soul Reaper for the first time!]

    [As a reward, you are granted [1] Avable Skill Slot.]

    [Skills Avable in Slot: 1/???]

    [Skills Slotted: 0/???]

    [You have gained 325 Experience Points.]

    [Experience Points: 788/1000]

    [212 Experience Points necessary for Ascension to Scribe.]

    Just as system notifications flooded Calvin''s vision...

    The deformed man snapped with his fingers and the expressions of the three women suddenly paled.

    The candles on their heads sunk into their skulls as their shrill screams filled the air.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    He wasn''t even done reading the system notifications that appeared right in front of him, yet when changes came over the battlefield.

    "Come out, Mortician!" Calvin eximed in his heart as his shadow throbbed.

    The figure of a cold and distant young man holding a scalpel and d in a hospital gown manifested behind him.

    The Mortician''s eyesnded on the three women. His expression turned a little serious.

    It seemed that he felt the foul strength coursing through the veins of the three women right now.

    "What? Are you scared?" Calvin smiled.

    The Mortician nced at him in confusion.

    He had no idea what to feel seeing Calvin''sidback attitude in the presence of these five monsters.

    Stephanie was included, of course.

    After all, it didn''t take a genius for one to find out that Stephanie was already losing control of herself. The sight of the deformed man alone was enough to make her anger boil over as she rushed at the deformed man in hopes of capturing him and ending his life in her own hands.

    "Sigh... She''s hopeless." Calvin whispered into the air, "Mortician, you go and handle those three women."

    The Mortician stared at Calvin, but he didn''t say anything.

    "Are you trying to say that you cannot handle them?"

    "Well, I understand... I mean, I know that you''re still not that confident about yourself."

    "Bute on, you''re stronger now."

    "Also, I''m not really expecting you to defeat them. I just want you to hold those three back while I assist Stephanie in her battle, do you understand?" Calvin patiently exined.

    The Mortician looked as if he understood what Calvin had said, but now. His eyes gleamed with doubt.

    It was as if he was saying...

    ''Just how can this weakling assist such a monster in battle? Does he want to die?''

    He was about to say something when he suddenly remembered the humiliation that he had suffered back in the asylum.

    The Mortician''s gaze went cold.

    He didn''t try to think about giving Calvin a warning anymore as he turned around and walked towards the three women.

    Calvin chuckled in his heart.

    ''This guy... I never knew that he''s that type of a person who''s cold on the outside but hot on the inside.''

    ''Nevermind. His attitude is working out for me in the end, so why would I bother changing the status quo? But knowing his personality, I now have no idea if I can still safely talk to him about that after all of these...'' He sighed in his heart.

    The battle between Stephanie and the deformed man was heating up.

    Having used his Authority as the disciple of Pestilence and Famine, the deformed man''s strength soared to greater heights. But this increase in strength didn''te without a drawback.

    The moment he revealed his true power, an immense hatred and rage overcame his senses and reasoning.

    He wanted nothing else at this moment but to kill.

    "AAAHHH!"

    The deformed man rushed at Stephanie, the cloud of pests protected his body from all directions as Stephanie flew backwards in order to dodge the attack.

    A seemingly annoyed expression appeared on Stephanie''s distortedplexion as she repeatedly jumped backwards to widen the distance between her and the deformed man.

    But the deformed man would never let Stephanie escape from his clutches.

    He red at thetter and audibly chanted.

    "Our Lady of Pestilence and Famine, the representative of hunger, and the origin of sickness."

    "Thou heart is ruthless."

    When his words fell, an indescribable presence washed over the battlefield.

    Stephanie''s flying ability seemed to have been restricted by this indescribable presence as her speed came to a screeching halt.

    "Heh..." The deformed man coldly snorted.

    He leaped over to Stephanie''s side and sent an attack towards her head.

    The force that his attack carried was enough to pulverize Stephanie''s skull into dust.

    But there was something even faster than the deformed man''s fist.

    It was an object that looked to be a medallion of a crow basking beneath the sun.

    Bam!

    The deformed man''s fist collided with the medallion and the strength of his fist instantly crushed it into ashes.

    "What?"

    He eximed in shock.

    It was because the medallion had managed to absorb almost the entire force of his attack, giving Stephanie enough time to collect herself as she mmed both of her palms onto the ground and took flight once more.

    "Shit, shit, shit!" The deformed man violently cursed.

    He whipped his head in Calvin''s direction and there he saw the young man holding a Slingshot in his hand.

    A mocking smirk was on Calvin''s face and it further incensed the deformed man, "I should probably kill you before anyone else!" He cried out in anger before he made a mad dash towards Calvin''s location.

    The deformed man chased after him, but Calvin wasn''t so stupid as to wait for the deformed man''s arrival. As soon as the deformed man focused his attention on him. He made his retreat and lured the deformed man away from the vige center.

    Stephanie seemed to have regained some of her senses as she didn''t chase after the deformed man.

    Instead, she carried an attack on the three women along with the Mortician.

    "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!" The deformed man noticed the disturbance happening at the vige center. His anger against Calvin was now so towering that it could probably pierce through the heavens, "You slippery cunning bastard. I''ll deal with youter. Once I''m done with those cheekypanions of yours, I''ll make sure that you''ll wish you were dead!"

    He then turned around and assisted the three women in their battle against the Mortician and Stephanie.

    Calvin smirked as heughed to himself.

    The scenario that was happening right now was what exactly he wanted to happen.

    Calvin was the weakest of them all, but that didn''t mean that he was easy to kill.

    His experience gave him enough knowledge to the point that he could probably escape the deformed man even without his abilities and mana, so long as he had legs.

    Summoning his Slingshot once more, Calvin randomly picked a rock off the ground and he would asionally send stones flying over to the battlefield.

    Calvin was using nothing else but pebbles.

    This shouldn''t deal enough damage, no?

    Yes.

    The pebbles all turned into ashes the moment they collided against the deformed man.

    But one had to keep in mind the corruption that the Sinister Heart had over those that dare to stand in its presence. Anyone would find it hard to manage their anger under the influence of the Sinister Heart''s corruption.

    What''s more, Calvin had ruined the deformed man''s ns, so thetter''s anger at him was probably stronger than the Kingdom''s desire to eliminate very and erase the poverty line.

    In short, the deformed man found it hard to suppress his anger whenever Calvin attacked him with pebbles.

    He wanted to rush at Calvin and pluck his head off his shoulders so bad, but he knew that he had to remain steadfast. The three women had already transformed into Corpse Eaters under hismand. In short, there was no way that the ceremony could be continued anymore. But the deformed man didn''t look that disheartened.

    It was because he had a back-up n.

    He hadn''t prepared all of these for so long without multiple back-up ns.

    In case the main ceremony failed, the deformed man was prepared to forcefully fuse the Sinister Heart into its vessel.

    Even if the Sinister Heart wouldn''t be as powerful as he wanted, then at least it would still be usable. He could then reason out to himself that his n hadn''t failed. He could convince himself that his n had been sessful, albeit he had encountered some roadblocks preventing him from realizing the true peak strength of the Sinister Heart.

    The deformed man gnashed his teeth.

    Aplicated light flitted across his eyes at this moment as he nced at the three women. The three were currently locked into a battle with the Mortician. They had just transformed into monsters, so they were naturally at a disadvantage against the experienced Mortician.

    His cuts and slices urately struck where it hurt and the three women couldn''t stop themselves from crying tears of blood from the pain.

    The deformed man leaped into the skies as the cloud of pests around his body surged in numbers. With a shout, the cloud of pests flew towards the Mortician and Stephanie. The swarm that the deformed man had gathered was so thick that the Mortician seemed to be being overwhelmed.

    Stephanie wasn''t spared.

    Her wings became filled with bloody holes as she audibly grunted in pain.

    Another stone came flying towards the deformed man at this moment.

    "Are you really thinking that the same trick would work at me twice?"

    He smirked in disdain as he raised his arm and caught the stone in his hand.

    <em>Crunch!</em>

    While staring at Calvin, he crushed the stone into ashes but Calvin seemed unperturbed.

    In fact, there was a mysterious smile on his face at this moment as a whisper came out of his mouth.

    "Arb... Gawas, release."

    When his words fell, the deformed man discovered a piece of paper in his palm.

    That piece of paper shone in a rtively dimmed light as a shockwave burst forth and sent him crashing towards a nearby abandoned house.

    Bang!

    A loud explosion urred.

    The deformed man''s surprise caused him to lose his focus as the pests swarming around Stephanie and the Mortician froze in mid-air.

    Both took advantage of this opening to escape, the Mortician even sent a parting gift in the form of a Steady Slice towards the frozen locusts, wasps, and mosquitos.

    Calvin stared at the abandoned house where the deformed mannded.

    A pensive look was on Calvin''s faces as the deformed man slowly stood up.

    "I''m done..."

    "I''m done with you all..."

    "I don''t care anymore..."

    "Even if the results aren''t what I wanted them to be, I don''t care anymore... I just want you, and yourpanions dead!"

    Intense killing intent radiated from the deformed man''s bloodshot eyes as he stared at Calvin.

    Spreading his arms wide, he seemingly disappeared amidst the cloud of pests before reappearing behind the Sinister Heart''s vessel. Then, without any pause. He held the Sinister Heart in his hand and forcibly stuffed it into the body of its vessel.

    "You madman!"

    Calvin cried out, "Are you not afraid of the consequences of doing that? Don''t you want to control the vessel of the Sinister Heart? Why are you doing that?!"

    The deformed man''s methods basically skipped a few steps that were necessary if he wanted to have absolute control over the Sinister Heart.

    "Hahaha..." The deformed man bleaklyughed, "Do you think that I would do this if you didn''t force my hand? You''re the one that made me do this! You''ve sufficiently angered me and now, you will suffer the consequences..."

    A serious expression appeared on Calvin''s face.

    Being unable to control the Sinister Heart meant that it would probably follow its instincts and go on a rampage where people concentrated.

    In a way, if the deformed man had nned on using the Sinister Heart to cause chaos in Ashmelion. Letting it go berserk also had simr results as if he was controlling it.

    In other words, this wasn''t such a bad deal for the deformed man.

    But it spelled bad news for Calvin.

    There was no way that he could stop the deformed man anymore since the Sinister Heart was already inside the vessel.

    The only thing that he could do right now was to distance himself from the Sinister Heart and watch.

    Yes, watch.

    He was watching intently, hoping that a rejection would ur between the Sinister Heart and the vessel.

    But he was bound to be disappointed.

    It was becausein the very next momentthe vessel of the Sinister Heart had opened her eyes!

    "Hehe..."

    The vessel of the Sinister Heart that was once the Queen of gue let out a creepyugh.

    Upon sessfully absorbing the Sinister Heart, it was now a monster at the Mid-Purveyor Rank. Considering that Stephanie wasn''t even at the Purveyor rank and the fact that Calvin was even weaker than Stephanie, fighting against this monster was a hopeless endeavor.

    However, just because it would be a hopeless battle didn''t mean that Calvin would be willing to let someone go.

    A resolute look shed across Calvin''s face as he ignited the Emperor''s Veil once more and rushed towards the deformed man.

    No matter what...

    As a confirmed disciple of Pestilence and Famine.

    ...He had to die!

 Chapter 203: Wrath of a Branch Captain

    Chapter 203: Wrath of a Branch Captain

    Today was a good day.

    Having been working as a cashier for the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop, Charlotte now looked healthier than she was before she met Calvin. There was always this vibrant smile on her face that truly represented the essence of the Coffee Shop''s name. Yes, it was captivating.

    Furthermore, the changes that she proposed for the sake of the coffee shop brought a lot of improvements to the coffee shop''s foot traffic.

    She proposed to abolish the ridiculous pricing to cater more to the masses and even though Ron Samuel was adamant to keep the coffee shop strictly for those that could afford its prices. It just didn''t make sense to Charlotte.

    Sensing that she was starting to feel suspicious as to why the coffee shop wasn''t trying to make an effort to actually make money.

    Ron Samuel had no other choice but to bitterly smile and ept the changes that she had proposed.

    James, Bruce, and especially Ashlynn were delighted with the changes.

    Finally, customers were pouring in. After a few days of adjustment, it wasn''t that hard for them to handle the influx of customers anymore and Ashlynn would always have this wide smile on her face whenever she was counting the coins that they had earned for the entire day.

    The next morning, the staff members of the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop came early to prepare for the morning rush.

    Charlotte was also there, and despite the fact that her job was being a cashier.

    She still went the extra mile and helped the others clean the store by wiping the tables and chairs

    "Charlotte, you don''t have to help us with this... Aren''t you still going to make an ount of our inventory for today?" James stared at Charlotte with embarrassmentded on his face.

    He was doing his job, but he clearly wasn''t doing it as well as Charlotte. To be honest, he was starting to think that Charlotte was the manifestation of a cleaning god.

    No surfaces were safe against the onught of Charlotte and her damp cloth.

    "It''s okay. I''m quite used to making an inventory now, so I might as well help you with this." Charlotte smiled at James, "Ah, did you add ammonia to that bucket of water?"

    "Oh... Ammonia?" James asked in confusion.

    "Yes, it''s quite useful for cleaning surfaces." Charlotte nodded.

    "Are you sure? Doesn''t that thing have such a strong smell? Why would you use something that smells so strong to clean things?"

    James frowned.

    "I was also as confused as you, sir James. But I learned these cleaning tricks up my sleeves back when I was still working at a matchstick factory in the Western Borough..."

    "Most of us women even use ammonia in our underwear when it''s that time of the moah! What am I saying!" Charlotte suddenly blushed in the middle of her sentence as she held her cheeks in embarrassment.

    "Well anyway, if you mix a quarter of a cup of ammonia in a bucket of water. It''ll clean these ss faster." Charlotte cleared her throat and continued, "But don''t ever add any other cleaning solution to that bucket of water, okay? If you do that, then you''ll create poisonous fumes that will haunt you for the next two weeks. Trust me, I''ve learned the hard way."

    Charlotte lightly chuckled.

    James Branzu stared at her in shock.

    "Madame, you sure are quite knowledgeable."

    Charlotte waved her hand, "Not really. I just had a rough life."

    The smile on James''s face deepened, "Now that I think about it, it''s been a few days since that youngss visited the shop. Where is she?"

    "Ah, Cecilia? I enrolled her in one of the schools a few blocks away from us so she''s not really that far from the shop. I thought it was better for her to learn things from a proper teacher than me." Charlotte promptly answered.

    "James! What''s the lolly-gagging there? Hurry up ande here! You still don''t know how to create that creamy foam for a coffeette, right?" Ron Samuel''s voice could be heard from the inside.

    James Branzu revealed a bitter smile.

    He didn''t know what to say.

    Charlotte noticed his awkwardness and she stared at him with a smile, "It''s okay. You can leave the cleaning out here to me."

    "I''m really sorry..." James apologized while awkwardly scratching his head as he stood up and went inside the shop.

    But his expression changed the moment he stepped into the store.

    <em>Crash!</em>

    A crashing sound akin to a shattering ss rang out from outside the shop.

    James turned to look at the source of the sound and it came from Charlotte who had identally dropped one of the potted nts while she was relocating it to one of the nearby elevated shelves.

    "Ah! I''m sorry!" Charlotte opened the doors of the shop and fervently apologized, "I didn''t mean to do it... my hands slipped."

    "It''s okay, it''s okay... Just clean it up before the morning rush starts." James said these words as slowly as he could. It was as if there was something stuck in his throat for he found it hard to speak in front of Charlotte.

    "I really didn''t mean it... All right, I''ll go clean it up!" Charlotte was quick to leave the shop with a broom and dustpan in her hands. Then, she got to work and cleaned the mess that she had created as if nothing had happened.

    Meanwhile inside the shop.

    Ron Samuel was trembling.

    The atmosphere in the shop was thick with killing intent.

    Ashlynn''s eyes werepletely cold.

    In her hands was a crystallized gem that had shattered.

    "Ashlynn, didn''t I tell you to bring over the mop to me here in the kitchen? What''s taking you so long?"

    Bruce walked out of the kitchen with his eyebrows furrowed. Upon noticing that everyone was gathered behind the counters, he walked over and asked, "What the hell are you guys looking a"

    He didn''t manage toplete his sentence.

    It was because he saw the shattered crystallized gem and he knew what it meant.

    "S-S-Someone died?!" Bruce sucked a mouthful of cold air as he hissed in shock.

    His eyes eventuallynded on the name above the wooden que of the crystallized gem and his pupils constricted when he saw it.

    "C-C-Calvin!" Bruce eximed.

    "Shut it." James coldly spat.

    Charlotte was just right outside the shop and if she heard that they were talking about her husband. She would definitely join the discussion.

    After all, everyone here was a witness of how much she loved to talk about her husband.

    "W-What should we do...?" Bruce absentmindedly asked.

    This was the first time that a Cavalier died in his team.

    Bruce had absolutely no idea what must be done.

    "Those bastards..." James clenched his fists.

    Ron Samuel raised his head and his eyes were bloodshot.

    Of course, he knew what James was talking about!

    Ashlynn also bit her lips until her teeth almost dug into them.

    "The higher-ups... Why did they set the difficulty of the mission to the lowest, when it''s clearly dangerous enough to kill one of us?!"

    Bruce took the words out of everyone''s mouth.

    "All right..." Ron Samuel finally spoke.

    He opened a secret drawer from one of the nearby cabs.

    A gun was inside the cab with a few bullets.

    "Let''s go and kill those higher-ups." Ron Samuel simply said.

    "What?" Bruce doubted his hearing.

    <em>''D-D-Did he just said that he''s going to kill the higher-ups of the church?!''</em>

    He eyed the others as if asking for their help but to his dismay, James and Ashlynn didn''t seem to be concerned with the idea of killing one of the high-ranking officials of the church.

    "W-W-Wait! Please don''t be hasty, Captain! Don''t cloud your decisions with emotions! You''re going to kill the high-ranking official that sent this order out, then what''s going to happen next?"

    "The Tribunal would definitely treat our actions as treason against the state and we will be executed ording to the Cavalier''s Way! Do you want that to happen, Captain?"

    Bruce seemed to be the only sane person in the room.

    But Ashlynn coldly scoffed, "Are you a coward, Bruce?"

    "No? Of course, not! I''m not a coward! It''s not like I do not want to bring justice to Calvin, but you guys clearly aren''t thinking straight!"

    Bruce retorted loudly.

    "Bring justice to Calvin?" Charlotte walked in with a bucket of water in her hand.

    James, Ron Samuel, Ashlynn, and Bruce all turned to look at her with their eyes widened like saucers.

    Charlotte noticed their stares and she couldn''t help but awkwardly scratch her head, "Hahaha. I''m sorry to have intruded in your conversation, but I forgot the ammonia. I''m here to retrieve it so I can clean the ss."

    "But don''t worry! I''ll be quick!" She smiled and continued, "But what is it about Calvin? Bring justice to him? What does that mean?"

    Bruce''s legs started trembling.

    Not any of the Cavaliers spoke as they just stared at Charlotte in shock.

    "Nothing..."

    "Nothing bad happened, right?" Charlottle slowly asked.

    Ron Samuel smiled.

    He walked over to Charlotte and reassured her, "Nothing happened. We were talking about the wage that Calvin should''ve received. You seethe addition of Calvin in the shop really helped us a lot..."

    "That''s why we were thinking of increasing his wage and bring justice to him after that injustice that he had suffered for having such a low wage despite hisrge contributions to the shop''s well-being."

    Ron Samuel was unusually talkative at this moment.

    But those who truly knew him as a person understood that Ron Samuel was always a talkative person whenever he was lying.

    It was because he was afraid that someone might find a hole in his narrative.

    Charlotte seemed to have epted Ron Samuel''s exnation and the members of the Cavaliers simultaneously walked out of the shop with grim looks on their faces.

    Ashlynn couldn''t help but make a sidelong nce at Ron Samuel.

    "Captain..."

    "You sure are a bad liar."

    Yes, Ron Samuel had never been a good liar.

    The entire Ashmelion Branch of Cavaliers started walking towards the Cathedral with their weapons holstered on their waists.

    Bruce was still uneasy knowing that they were going into the church to deal with someone, but he had always been a loyal person.

    Even if the orders were morally bugging him, so long as it was an order from the person whom he trusted the mosthe would surely do it without asking any further.

    Thus, the Cavaliers of Ashmelion came crashing against the doors of the Cathedral.

    They kidnapped the high-ranking official who issued that erroneous mission order and they had a single demand for that official''s release.

    The church must send a punitive force to deal with what had killed Calvin and also retrieve his remains if possible.

 Chapter 204: Awakening

    Chapter 204: Awakening

    Calvin rushed towards the deformed man to battle.

    "What is that disgusting presence?!" The deformed man cried out in a panic as he rapidly retreated backward. But he changed his course when he realized that he was getting closer to Stephanie and the Mortician.

    What a joke...

    Stephanie was a Peak High-Tier monster while the Mortician was already a Low-Purveyor tiered monster, he couldn''t possibly face both of them in a 1vs2 battle.

    It was because he knew he would lose.

    He would definitely lose.

    He could still handle Stephanie, but if the Mortician and Calvin intervened in the battle, it would be a huge mess.

    "All shall obey!" Calvin yelled out and the golden robes wrapped around his body shone in a golden light. The deformed man felt his skin crawl, the presence of the All-Epassing Light felt too disgusting for himwho was a disciple of Pestilence and Famine.

    He wanted nothing more than to run away from Calvin at this moment, but he knew that it was impossible.

    "Bastard... Get him!"

    The deformed man finally stopped running after he was a few dozens of meters away from the battle happening at the vige center. He flicked his wrist and sent the clouds of pests flying towards Calvin in an effort to overwhelm him with the locusts, wasps, and mosquitos.

    "Hmmph." Calvin coldly snorted. His golden quill transformed into a that he immediately hurled towards the clouds of pests.

    "Stupid. Do you really think that my pets can be stopped by just a? You''re dreaming!"

    The deformed man sneered in disdain.

    "Are you saying that because of how small your pets, are? Well, you''re bound to be disappointed. The holes in the that I cast is so small that it could probably trap dust particles in it." Calvin coldly chuckled.

    As the soared through the air, the pests stared at it in disdain. They didn''t even try to dodge the as they just continued to p their wings as it descended onto them.

    But little did these critters knew that they had just made a fatal mistake.

    In an instantbefore their tiny minds could evenprehend the meaning of regretthe had already covered the entire swarm and Calvin was quick to follow up with a singlemand.

    "Clench!" He called out and the transformed into a cube.

    It squeezed everything that it had captured into a burst of tainted blood that scattered on the ground.

    "I''ll kill you!" The deformed man was enraged. Seeing Calvin kill one of the swarms that he carefully tended to, he couldn''t see anything other than red in his vision.

    He rushed up to Calvin, taking advantage of the fact that Calvin had thrown his Aspect away.

    The deformed man leaped into the air as his ws emerged from his knuckles.

    "Die!" He roared in fury.

    Calvin stared calmly at the iing attack.

    "The Rozenstruik Empire''s Hand-to-hand Combat Arts, Third Style..."

    "Waterfall."

    Taking a deep breath with his diaphragm, Calvin manipted the mana circting throughout his body to a single point in both of his palms as he took a step to the side and avoided the ws.

    Then, without any warning.

    He held the deformed man''s wrist and twisted it before his other palm struck the deformed man''s sr plexussending him flying into the air.

    "AAAHHH!" The deformed man cried in pain as a mouthful of blood came out of his throat.

    The attack that he had just sustained didn''t even look that strong, but behind that simple strike was a force simr to that of a waterfall. Yes, a waterfall. It was because despite looking so calm upstream, it was a raging tide downstream.

    This was what the deformed man felt when he received Calvin''s attack.

    "What have you done to me?!" The deformed man growled in anger upon seeing that his skin had erupted into a bloody mess.

    Calvin revealed a smile, but he was obviously starting to get exhausted.

    The Rozenstruik Empire''s Hand-To-Hand Combat Arts sure was usable and powerful enough, but it had its own drawbacks.

    One of them was the fact that it exhausted the user''s entire body.

    Right now, Calvin was barely able to contain the trembling of his knees as he stood there and toughed out the pain that kept on echoing throughout his entire body.

    "Stop yapping. If you want to die, thene forward. But if you''re a coward, then stay back and let me purge that monster of yours..."

    "Didn''t you nurture that bad boy for so long? It would be a shame if I destroyed it, right? The disciple of Pestilence and Famine, and probably the leader of the Yellow River Gang?" Calvin casually revealed the deformed man''s identity.

    "What are you talking about?" The deformed man denied.

    It would be bad if his identity came to light to the church.

    It was because the church was a wasp''s nest. If one poked at it and provoked its anger, then one must expect to be burned to ashes. The church was just this powerful, and the deformed man couldn''t afford to reveal his identity to anyone.

    "Don''t you even dare to lie in front of me... If you''re really that serious about hiding your identity, then why do those women have tattoos of the Yellow River Gang''s insignia? Or could it be that you''re saying that you''re being framed-up by your enemies? Then, that would definitely be a huge joke." Calvin provoked.

    "I have no idea what you''re talking about." The deformed man remained tight-lipped.

    Calvin lightly chuckled, "Is that so? Well, it doesn''t really matter. You see, the Quads had always been a parasite in Ashmelion. I know they''re the ones running the underground ve trade and I also know that they are running those lendingpanies which is just a disguise of how hideous they are from behind."

    "It doesn''t really matter if you''re not connected to them," Calvin stared at the deformed man, "I would still frame them up and tell the Captain that everything was the fault of the Yellow River Gang."

    "Of course, they would believe me. After all, I''m on their side. When that happens, the Yellow River Gang would still be annihted by a punitive force from the church."

    "The process is different, but the results are the same."

    "Isn''t that nice?" Calvin raised an eyebrow and stared mockingly at the deformed man.

    "It''s not!" The deformed man roared, "There''s no way that you can make that report when you''re dead!"

    Spreading his arms wide, the deformed man sent amand, "Gather!"

    The thousands of pests that formed into dozens of dark clouds converged into one, creating the image of a gigantic whale.

    Calvin felt his scalp go numb.

    The sight of this towering beast being madepletely out of insects made him feel uneasy.

    "Aspect Transformation."

    "Spring..." Calvin hurled the golden quill in his hands onto the ground and it transformed into a spring that he stepped his foot on and leaped into the air from at the veryst moment. The Mana contained within the spring propelled him high up in the air.

    "Stupid!" The deformed man boisterouslyughed when he saw Calvin up in the skies.

    <em>''Has he gone mad?''</em>

    <em>''Why did he limit his own mobility by jumping into the air?''</em>

    The deformed man raised his arm and the whale made out of locusts, wasps, and mosquitos recovered from its dive as it flew towards Calvin at a slow, yet measured speed.

    Judging from how fast Calvin was falling onto the ground, he would definitely end up in the belly of this monster and if that happened, he would definitely die without leaving any remains.

    Furthermore, the deformed man had deduced that the Mortician and Stephanie must be connected to each other, one way or another. If Calvin died, the Mortician would most likely disappear.

    Although he wasn''t so sure what would happen to Stephanie once Calvin died. It was still worth it to silence Calvin in the end. After all, his original n was to leave no witnesses once the Sinister Heart had fused into its vessel.

    Speaking of the Sinister Heart, the deformed man nced at the vessel and he noticed that even though the heart had been sessfully fused into its body.

    The degree of rejection was greater than what the deformed man had expected.

    Resolving this rejection needed enough time or his attention, so he must end this battle with Calvin as soon as possible in order to clean up the battlefield and focus his attention on waking up the Sinister Heart in its vessel.

    He only had roughly an hour and forty minutes left.

    He couldn''t possibly waste any more time.

    The deformed man quickly made a decision and he took out his pistols to supplement his whale''s attack against Calvin.

    But the moment he turned around, a piece of crumpled paper with a rock inside of it struck his forehead.

    "Aksi, gawas, release!" Calvin pointed at the piece of paper from mid-air.

    "What?"

    The deformed man absentmindedly uttered as the piece of paper shone in a dazzling, dizzying light that briefly took his consciousness away from his body.

    "???" The deformed man could think, but he couldn''t move. He could see, but he couldn''t close his eyes. He suddenly found himself locked inside his own body as the swarm of pests that he had gathereddispersed when it couldn''t receive further instructions from him.

    Of course, with the disappearance of the whale, Calvin safelynded on the ground.

    A bitter smile was on Calvin''s face as he uttered to himself.

    "Fuck, that was thest of my Aksi!" Aksi was the Elder Tongue equivalent of the word, ''Manipte'' in Common Speech. It was the hardest runecrafted function that Calvin was able to carve in a piece of paper the size of a notebook''s page.

    This served as the limit of his abilities in Runecrafting but despite that.

    Its effects must never be underestimated.

    It was because Aksi had the ability to forcibly stun an enemy for a few seconds if it sessfully made contact with the enemy''s body before the moment of its activation.

    Hitting an enemy with a piece of paper from a distance of a few meters was an impossible task without the help of weights. This was why Calvin added a rock inside the paper, the rock served as additional mass so that it wouldn''t be interrupted so easily by air resistance.

    Calvin immediately rushed over to the deformed man the moment hended on the ground.

    But he was too slow... just as he stood a few meters away from the deformed man, thetter had already awakened from his trance. He raised his arm and pointed both of his pistols at Calvin before pulling the trigger.

    <em>Peng! Peng! Peng!</em>

    Three bullets flew and Calvin was once again forced to use one of his trump cards.

    "Borg!" A piece of paper turned into a brownish-translucent barrier that shattered the bullets into pieces at the moment of contact.

    However, the deformed man knew that Calvin couldn''t possibly use these tricks simultaneously.

    He had to eventually run out of those pieces of paper, so he kept on shooting at Calvin.

    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>

    The rain of bullets never stopped.

    Calvin didn''t dare to approach so casually as he hid behind one of the wooden walls near an abandoned house. He stood there with a pensive look on his face, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Eventually, the deformed man had to reload.

    The salvo of bullets stopped and Calvin finally came out of hiding.

    "Hah... Gotcha!" The deformed man revealed an evil smirk when he saw Calvining out from behind the wooden wall. He had faked his reload, so he still had several bullets in his pistol as he aimed it at Calvin and swiftly pulled the trigger.

    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>

    "Aspect Transshit, I won''t make it!" Sweat dripped down Calvin''s forehead as he forcibly turned to the side. However, the deformed man was more cunning than he had expected. He sent three bullets flying at Calvin in two different directions.

    One was aimed at Calvin''s head, while the other was aimed at his heart.

    Calvin managed to dodge these two, but what about the third bullet?

    It was actually hiding behind the bullet aimed at Calvin''s heart!

    Calvin turned his entire body to the side, but he failed to dodge the third bullet that hid behind the second bullet.

    The bullet grazed Calvin''s shoulder, the third bullet''s trajectory was also slightly tilted to the side!

    It was as if the deformed man had predicted his next course of actions!

    "Fuck!" Calvin inwardly cursed.

    He took the impact and he used the momentum of the attack to propel himself backward.

    "Why are you running?" The deformed man grinned.

    He readjusted his aim, but his pistols jammed.

    He had run out of bullets.

    "Damn it! You cockroach! Come back here!" He quickly reloaded and went after Calvin. Thetter had made a turn inside a narrow alleyway and the deformed man made a mistake ofing into such a narrow ce.

    "Dagger!" Calvin emerged from the darkness with a golden dagger in his hands.

    Running towards the deformed man, he abandoned stealth as he raised his dagger into the air and made a gamble.

    Which was faster?

    The knife or the gun?

    The answer was about to be revealed!

    The deformed man saw Calvining out from the shadows and he immediately pointed his gun at him.

    However, Calvin was just a meter away from him!

    Calvin was so close that before he could even pull his trigger, Calvin had already slit his throat and kicked him flying into the wall.

    "Gah!"

    The deformed man spat a mouthful of blood as he held his neck and writhed on the ground in pain.

    "Shit, you''re still alive?"

    Calvin wiped the sweat on his chin as he raised his dagger and sent a killing blow.

    But before his dagger could even pierce through the deformed man''s head, he abruptly froze.

    It was because a creepy cackle rang in his ears.

    "Hehe..."

    If Calvin wasn''t mistaken, thisughter came from the vessel of the Sinister Heart!

    "Hahaha..." The deformed manughed out loud, "It''s toote... You bastards are toote. The Sinister Heart is already waking up in its brand-new vessel. Hahaha, it''s toote... You will not be able to do anything about it anymore!" ck veins bulged on the deformed man''s face.

    Calvin was quick to react to these changes as he sent his dagger into the deformed man''s face. But his expression fell when he noticed that the deformed man''s entire body was ballooning up.

    "He''s trying to self-destruct? Fuck me!"

    He immediately discovered what was going on as he ran out of the dark alleyway and leaped onto the ground.

    At the very next moment, a loud explosion urred.

    The self-destruction of the deformed man ttened the entire western part of the Vige of Tulog.

    Fortunately, Calvin had dropped t on the ground at the right moment so he wasn''t really injured or anything.

    When the dust settled, Calvin looked up into the air.

    "Stephanie!"

    He called for Stephanie in his heart, and the Aswang who had been engaged in a battle against the four women all this time trembled.

    She looked up to the skies and immediately noticed the escaping soul of the deformed man.

    Rage immediately filled her eyes.

    She ran up to the Mortician and she used his shoulders as stepping stones, boosting her flying ability to catch up to the escaping soul of Sum Jing-Woo.

    "AH!" Sum Jing-Woo cried out in horror as he quickly made a decision.

    Sacrificing a quarter of his soul, he used it as fuel to rapidly escape from the Vige of Tulog''s airspace. But he was still too slow against Stephanie. Before he could even start to sacrifice his soul, Stephanie had already bit and consumed half of his soul.

    When he escaped, only a fourth of his soul remained.

    "C-C-CALVIN!!!"

    Sum Jing-Woo''s scream echoed throughout the entire vige.

    His howl was full of anger and hatred that could never be abated until the day he killed Calvin with his own hands.

 Chapter 205: The Punitive Force Descends

    Chapter 205: The Punitive Force Descends

    "Damn it, that motherfucker escaped!"

    Calvin violently cursed seeing the remaining quarter of the deformed man''s soul escaping towards the horizon.

    Anger filled his heart for he couldn''t help but me himself for being so weak.

    If he had just been a Scribe, then there was no way that the bastard could''ve escaped!

    If he had been more powerful before this encounter, then he would''ve managed to end everything the soonest as possible.

    Sadly, there were no ''ifs'' in this world.

    It was an irrefutable fact that the deformed man had sessfully escaped.

    "Fuck!" Calvin cursed once more.

    He was fuming.

    But when he realized that Stephanie had taken a chunk of the deformed man''s soul, he suddenly felt a little bit better.

    At least that bastard didn''t manage to escape without paying a heavy price.

    Calvin estimated that it would at least take the Goddess of Pestilence and Famine about a year to reconstruct the physical body and another year to repair the soul of her precious disciple.

    A smirk soon spread on Calvin''s face.

    He turned to look in Stephanie''s direction and asked.

    "Are you okay?"

    Stephanie remained muted, she seemed to have all of her senses closed as she focused on digesting the energy from the deformed man.

    Calvin turned his attention away from Stephanie towards themotion that was happening at the vige center.

    The Queen of gue had awakened and it was now being housed by the Sinister Heart.

    A monster of such proportions wasn''t something that the Mortician could hope to defeat.

    But the Mortician remained steadfast in the face of its sinister presence. However, Calvin knew that what he was doing was incredibly dangerous.

    The deformed man''s ns included the fact that he wanted to sacrifice the entire vige of monsters to boost the Queen of gue''s growth when she finally fused with the Sinister Heart.

    Since the Mortician was also a Specter and in a way, he was also a monster.

    He might be attacked by the Queen of gue and consumed.

    "Return!"

    Calvin called out and the Mortician turned into a ray of navy-blue light that flew and sunk into his shadow.

    "We''ve got to leave this ce, pronto!"

    He looked around and soon discovered the Bloodstone.

    Taking it into his hands, he forced Stephanie to take shelter into it. Then, without even turning to look at the Queen of gue that was already in the process of adjusting with the Sinister Heart in its body, Calvin made a mad dash towards the southern entrance.

    He had predicted that the Queen of gue would probably target the monsters inside the basement of the ancestral house first. Without the deformed man controlling the actions of the Queen of gue, it would be impossible for her to recognize friends from foe.

    And with the overwhelming desire for consumption washing over her desire for anything else, she would probably consume those monsters first.

    Until then, Calvin had to escape.

    But first, he needed to group up with Heisenberg and Ricardo.

    "I hope those bastards are still alive."

    Calvin leaped onto a nearby rooftop and scanned the part of the vige where the three of them parted ways.

    "They must still be alive. There''s no way that they''ll die against these small fries."

    Calvin thought to himself.

    Heisenberg might look like just an ordinary perverted old man to the eyes of an outsider, but he was actually a sufficiently capable Priest of the Church of All-Epassing Light.

    His knowledge and experience in battles against oddities must be enough for them to survive in this environment.

    <em>Bam!</em>

    An explosion rang out in the distance.

    "Is that Heisenberg?" Calvin noticed a milky-white divine lighting from the same ce where the explosion had urred. Without wasting any more time, Calvin leaped on rooftops after rooftops as he approached the location where he saw the divine light.

    Only a single explosion had urred and the world had be quiet once more.

    Calvin felt worried that Heisenberg and Ricardo might''ve fallen into danger that they couldn''t solve by themselves.

    Descending from the rooftop, Calvin found Heisenberg and Ricardo hiding inside a narrow alleyway as if they were scared that they might be discovered by something sinister.

    "What the hell are you guys doing in there?"

    Calvin asked as he casually approached the two with a smile.

    "Shit! Ricardo!"

    But Calvin didn''t expect that the two would freak out by the sight of him. Heisenberg immediately issued an order and Ricardo took out his bow, cing an arrow on its strings, he didn''t hesitate to attack.

    <em>Swoosh!</em>

    The arrow flew and Calvin was quick to jump to the side. He had avoided the arrow but an angry look was now on his face.

    "What the fuck? It''s me! Why are you attacking me?"

    "Shut up, foul creature! You can''t fool us by pretending to be Calvin! In fact, how dare you impersonate him!" Ricardo scowled and retorted.

    He nocked another arrow on the strings of his bow, but before he could even send it flying towards Calvin.

    Thetter had disappeared from where he was standing and he reappeared beside the two.

    "Guys. It''s really me."

    "Ah!" Heisenberg cried out loud. He reflexively sent a punch towards Calvin''s face as Ricardo leaped backward and prepared to battle.

    "You bald geezer and an immature bastard. It''s really me! I''m not dead yet!"

    "Save your words!" Heisenberg refused to believe.

    His eyes shone in a faint azure light as his fists became covered with the divinity of the All-Epassing Light.

    Ricardo had also aimed an arrow at Calvin from behind.

    With an attack from the front and from behind, Calvin waspletely surrounded.

    "Are you guys retarded or what? Can you at least let me ex"

    "Do it!" Heisenberg sounded the attack.

    "Water Anchor Arrow!"

    <em>Swoosh!</em>

    Ricardo''s arrow became infused with water as it made a beeline for Calvin.

    Heisenberg slightly bent his knees before sending his punch. Both attacks were swift and decisive, they aimed to incapacitate not to kill. It seemed that these two were probably nning on making the monster who dared to imitate Calvin beg for its life.

    "Tsssk. Tsssk. Tsssk." Calvin inwardly sighed when he noticed their ruthlessness.

    If an outsider looked at the current situation, then they would conclude that it was impossible for Calvin to dodge this pincer attack. However, Calvin''s trained eyes didn''t fail to see the fatal ws present in the attacks that the two had sent.

    Sure, their attacks were fast but both of them were aimed at Calvin''s upper body.

    In short, if Calvin dropped t onto the ground.

    He could dodge these attacksand that was what he did.

    In an instantbefore Heisenberg and Ricardo could even process what had happenedCalvinid t on the ground. This maneuver enabled him to dodge the punch that came from Heisenberg, while at the same time...

    The Water Anchor Arrow from Ricardo sped past his figure, striking nothing but a wooden pallet at the end of the dark alleyway.

    "What..."

    "What the fuck?!" Heisenberg couldn''t help but cry out in surprise.

    He was quick to recover though as he raised his knee and was about to stomp on Calvin''s head, but thetter was even faster.

    Calvin immediately rolled to the side and dodged Heisenberg''s stomp. Then, after rolling once more, he stood up behind Heisenberg and then patted his shoulder.

    "It''s really me, man. Come on. If you won''t believe me, then fine. I''ll tell you right now that I am the one who apanied you here. We even made Old Zhong avenge his father by killing that Sigbin." Calvin let out a sigh.

    The expression on his face looked so casual, yet he was already shitting himself inside as his back felt sticky with sweat.

    <em>''Fucking hell that was dangerous...''</em> Calvin muttered to himself.

    Heisenberg sucked a mouthful of cold air.

    <em>''W-W-We... We almost killed him!</em>'' He yelled out in his heart.

    "C-C-Calvin?! Is that really you?" Ricardo stared at Calvin with wide eyes.

    "Come on guys, didn''t we already go through all of these already? There''s a sense of deja vu to this whole situation." Calvin lightly chuckled.

    "Yeah..." Indeed, they had already mistaken Calvin as dead once before the crystallized gem that they were holding that represented his life shattered. Furthermore, Corpse Eaters couldn''t possibly disguise as another person with that person''s memories. That was unless...

    They were doppelgangers.

    Nope...

    Heisenberg shook his head.

    Doppelgangers aren''t Corpse Eaters.

    A smile of relief spread on his lips.

    "Damn it, so it''s really you... Hahaha, how ironic. To think that you''d turn out to be alive now that we''re about to die. Can you tell me? Why did this gem shatter when you''re still alive?" Heisenberg presented a crystallized gem that had already lost its hue to Calvin.

    "It''s because that gem is connected to my medallion. If my medallion shattered, then that gem would lose its color. Usually, the shattering of one''s medallion in the three Judiciaries meant that the person had encountered a danger greater than what they could defeat..."

    "After all, the durability of one''s medallion would always be stronger than their current strength as determined by the church." Calvin patiently exined.

    But then a frown spread on his face as he asked, "Wait, what did you say? We''re about to die? What are you talking about?"

    Heisenberg and Ricardo stared at each other for a moment before they sighed.

    "It''s the monsters... We will not be able to escape from them anymore. The mana that we have remaining is only probably enough to save our lives twice or thrice."

    "But escaping this ce?"

    "We have no idea if we can still do that anymore... Damn it, I don''t really want to die. I still have a lot of things to do! Why? Why did a simple journey to Ashmelion turn into a nightmare that I would never forget in my life!" Ricardomented.

    Heisenberg agreed, "Yeah... I will never forget what happened here even if I''m already dead."

    Calvin let out a chuckle, "Are both of you sure that you aren''t overreacting? I mean,e on... Really? Both of you are just going to give up like that?"

    "What do you mean?" Ricardo raised his head to look at Calvin and he noticed that Calvin was staring at the horizon. Following his line of sight, Ricardo''s pupils widened in surprise upon seeing what Calvin was looking at.

    "What''s wrong?" Heisenberg noticed the abnormality in their expressions and he couldn''t help but look at where they were staring.

    "That''s..." Heisenberg hissed.

    "A high-ranking official from the church!" Heisenberg was thest one to notice, yet he was the first one to scream.

    "Yeah... They''ve finally arrived..." Calvin sighed in relief.

    He had purposely used his medallion to block that attack earlier so that it would shatter which in turn would inform the church that there was something wrong about the mission order that they had issued.

    To be honest, Calvin had only expected the arrival of hisrades, but he didn''t expect that the Cathedral of Lumiere would actually send a legitimate punitive force after the one that had "killed" him.

    "Damn, I didn''t expect the church to be this generous." Calvin inwardly praised the church''s actions in his heart. He made a decision to visit them more frequently in the future and also donate some of his sry for the church''s cause.

    But little did Calvin knew that his thoughts were wrong from the very beginning.

    Yes, the church had indeed been generous for sending a punitive force after the one that had "killed" Calvin.

    But...

    This wasn''t a choice that they voluntarily made.

    All of this was the result of the Ashmelion''s Branch of Cavalier''s actions!

    Calvin still had no idea about the upheaval that happened in Ashmelion as he stared at the horizon with a smile on his face.

    As the punitive force from the church descended, the darkness of the horizon was slowly being forced away by the first rays of the sun.

    Finally...

    Daybreak has arrived.

 Chapter 206: Return of the Hero

    Chapter 206: Return of the Hero

    [The User had indirectly ruined the ns of the disciple of Pestilence and Famine by calling over a punitive force from the church.]

    [Congrattions to the User forpleting the S-Tier Quest: Exodus!]

    [The punitive force that the User had summoned shall cleanse the Vige of Tulog]

    [The User is deemed qualified to receive additional rewards!]

    [The additional rewards will be deposited in the User''s inventory after the Version Update!]

    [The System will be undergoing a Version Update.]

    [The User might experience a few bouts of headaches throughout the day while the Version Update is ongoing.]

    [A Patch Note will be avable after the Version Update for the User''s perusal.]

    "Hahaha..." Heisenberg fell on his knees. The expression on his face distorted with relief.

    Ricardo''s eyes teared up.

    Finally, it was over...

    The nightmare was done.

    They could finally go home.

    To their families.

    And to the ce where they belonged.

    "Calvin..."

    "Are you all right?" Ricardo asked with this lingering smile on his face.

    "Yeah, I am..." Calvin returned Ricardo''s gesture with his own smile, "So, it''s finally over. Eh... We can finally go home."

    "Why do you look so shocked as if you didn''t expect the church to send a punitive force after us?" Ricardo teasingly asked, "What? You didn''t want us to survive?"

    "No, no, no." Calvin hurriedly waved his hand, "Don''t you find it strange how awfully quick they are to send a punitive force towards a vige situated in such a deserted ce like this?"

    "Now that I think about it, that''s actually quite confusing." Heisenberg interrupted their conversation as he fell into deep contemtion, "I wonder, just what is the reason why they came here in the first ce? Is it because they''ve detected the sinister aura of that monster there in the vige center?"

    "What do you think?" Calvin mysteriously smiled, "I already know the answer though. Perhaps, maybe even Ricardo knows about it too."

    "Damn it, you sure do know how to tease your seniors, eh?" Heisenberg red at Calvin.

    "Senior? Do you mean the elderly?" Calvin retorted.

    "Shut up!" Heisenberg hissed.

    He turned his attention to Ricardo and asked, "This guy says that you know the reason why the punitive force of the church came here. Since it seems like this guy is not going to talk, can you answer the question in his stead?"

    Heisenberg''s tone of voice as he said all of these was verymanding.

    Ricardo raised an eyebrow and said, "Hmmph. Is that the tone that you should use when you''re asking someone a question, old man?"

    "Goddamned it, just answer me already! I''m about to die of curiosity here!" Heisenberg cried out, annoyed.

    "Hahaha, keep him in the dark, Ricardo. It would be more amusing to look at his astounded faceter when the punitive force discovers us."

    Calvin fanned the mes.

    "What the fuck? You dare?!" Heisenberg red at Calvin once more.

    "Old man, are you really a Priest of the All-Epassing Light? Howe your curses are so crisps and sinct?"

    "Fuck off, it''s none of your business."

    Heisenberg rolled his eyes at them, elicitingughter from both Calvin and Ricardo.

    Calvin and Ricardo understood that Heisenberg was a straightforward man who never really liked to put pretenses. But of course, since he had a professional job, then he had to put on a respectable air around him.

    Right now, he didn''t really have to do that though since the three of them could already be considered as buddies that had survived through a life and death ordeal.

    In short, their rtionship was the closest as friends could be.

    "Hey, why do those people around there seem to be holding someone familiar?"

    Heisenberg audibly muttered.

    The punitive force had descended onto the vige center and was now in a battle against the Queen of gue.

    At least a dozen high-ranking members of the Cavaliers were present.

    Not to be outdone by the Cavaliers, the remaining two Judiciaries also sent their members to join the punitive force.

    "The Missionaries and Evangelists are also here?" Ricardo asked in confusion.

    This was the first time that he saw a punitive force of such scale. To think that high-ranking members from all three Judiciaries would join hands together just to purify this vige! This was indeed an unprecedented scene.

    "Now that I think about it, Ricardo... You''re an executor from one of the three Judiciaries, right? Which one?" Heisenberg asked.

    Ricardo''s footsteps froze.

    He turned around in a dramatic fashion to face Heisenberg before he lifted his arm and drew the symbol of the God of Medicine and Poison on his chest, "I''m a member of the Missionaries and a firm believer of the Merciful God of Poison and Medicine, Aescpius!"

    Heisenberg''s pupils constricted.

    "You..."

    "You bastard..."

    "You arerades with those bunch of ingrates in Ashmelion?!" He pointed a finger at Ricardo and continued, "Fuck, fuck, fuck... I thought for sure that you''re a believer of the Goddess of All-Epassing Light! Fuck you, man. How dare you deceive me like this?!"

    "Hey, calm down... Heisenberg. It''s just a difference in faith, you don''t have to be so radical."

    Calvin interrupted with a frown.

    "I don''t have to?!" Heisenberg''s fury exploded.

    He red at Calvin and said, "You bastard, do you even know how much these Missionaries mock me when I''m on my patrol to clean the cemeteries in Ashmelion?!"

    "Dude, you won''t believe it..."

    "Those bastards are always sitting on the entrance of the Angel''s Cemetery just to mock me whenever I am doing my job!"

    "Let someone else handle the dirty work, they say. But bitch, please! They can''t even handle the wraiths, and Corpse Eaters popping left and right in their own cemetery! Yet, they''re mocking and trying to provoke me every day?!"

    "Damn, they are a waste of taxpayers'' money!" Heisenberg huffed and puffed as he tried to catch his breath when he ended his spiel.

    "Heisenberg... You... You do realize that it''s a part of your job description to frequently cleanse the cemeteries, right? Why are youining?" Ricardo asked in doubt.

    "Did your mother drop you on your head when you were a baby or what?! Didn''t you even understand what I said? I''m so frustrated by you freeloaders because not only you do not appreciate the job that our Priests do, your friends alsoe to pester us every day!"

    "All right, we get it..."

    "Your Priests are stronger than us, but that''s because we specialize in cleansing. Not killing! Unlike you murderers!"

    "Enough!" Calvin shouted.

    Heisenberg''s figure stiffened. He turned his head to look at Calvin and he noticed that there was a cold expression on his face.

    "Heisenberg. Did Ricardo do to you whatever hisrades did to you?"

    "Umm... No?"

    "Then, why the fuck are you venting your anger out on him?!" Calvin scolded.

    Heisenberg''s expression changed, "Yeah, that''s right... Damn it... The sense of relief that I felt and the frustration washing over me after those close-calls in the battle earlier must''ve made me erupt. I''m sorry, Ricardo."

    He was quick to apologize as he slightly bowed his head in Ricardo''s direction.

    "Ah, it''s okay, it''s okay... You don''t have to do that. It''s not like you did it on purpose."

    Calvin smiled when he noticed that Heisenberg seemed to have calmed down.

    "Just why did I explode in anger?" Heisenberg stared at his own hands.

    He stood there frozen and unbeknownst to Calvin and Ricardo...

    A ray of sinister aura briefly flitted across his eyes.

    If Calvin had noticed this sinister aura, then he would''ve immediately recognized what it was.

    It was because that aura was incredibly simr to the Sinister Heart!

    The group continued on their journey in apletely rxed state.

    In fact, they looked so rxed to the point that if an outsider was looking at them at this moment. That person would feel as if he was staring at three friends casually walking on the street while chatting andughing with each other.

    Calvin was wondering as to why Heisenberg suddenly burst into anger.

    But when he recalled how the Missionaries, Evangelists, and Cavaliers were always against each other andparing notes. He shook his head and thought that Heisenberg''s resentment against the Missionaries and his stories about them were probably true.

    Though, it was unknown whether Ricardo was one of those people that often harassed the Priests of the All-Epassing Light.

    "Wow, wow, wow... This ce sure is lively, isn''t it?" A man with a towering stature casually floated above the Vige of Tulog. On his feet was a mystical artifact from the church. It looked like an ordinary rag, yet it actually had the ability to carry a person up in the air.

    "Cain, would you like to take over in cleansing this vige? Fighting''s the only thing that you''re good for after all." Another manmented.

    If Calvin was here, he would immediately recognize him. It was because the person who replied was Ron Samuel. Behind him were the remaining members of Ashmelion''s Branch of Cavaliers. All of them had serious looks on their faces.

    "Oh? Ah, I remember... But to think that you''d actually be so caring for your juniors. You sure did change, Ron. Is it because you''ve gone rusty from the peacefulness of thend?" Cain Abraham was the name of this buff and towering man.

    He was also the leader of Ashmelion''s Branch of Evangelists.

    And as a member of one of the three Judiciaries, he strongly believed in the power of the Eternal Fire.

    "Do you think I would''ve sessfully done all of theseif I had gone rusty?"

    Ron Samuel mocked.

    "Ah, yeah. That makes sense."

    Cain nced at the man that Ron Samuel was holding with both hands.

    The poor man was that high-ranking official that had issued that erroneous mission order to Calvin, Rosales Ay. The poor guy was scared shitless when Ron Samuel and hisrades suddenly descended onto him and demanded his obedience or else, he would be killed.

    Rosales was never a confrontational person.

    Furthermore, with a knife against his neck. He had no other choice but to bey. Using his authority and sacrificing several of his rights to some of the church''s limited resources. Rosales organized an unprecedented punitive force, and for what...?

    Just to recover the remains of an already dead member of the Cavaliers?

    Sure, Ron Samuel''s actions were indeed noteworthy as a leader of the Cavaliers.

    But someone in this group had much to say.

    It was the leader of Ashmelion''s Branch of Missionaries, Jose Panganiban.

    "I say, you went too far, Ron. Don''t expect that you''ll go unpunished once His Eminence, the Cardinal, hears of what you have done."

    Jose coldly spat. He swept his nce at Ashlynn and stared in disdain at the shattered crystallize gem that she was holding.

    "Going this far for a dead man, do you want to go down the annals of history as the most selfless leader among the three Judiciaries of all time?"

    "What a joke!" Jose mocked.

    The Cavaliers turned their cold gazes at Jose.

    But the Missionaries behind Jose were not to be outdone.

    They stood stiffly behind their leader and their gazes were incredibly sharp. It was obvious from the churning mana in their bodies that the moment the Cavaliers did something fishy against their leader. They would immediately retaliate with their strongest abilities.

    Ron Samuel remained muted. He had no time to waste on such a person.

    "All right." Cain pped both of his hands, "I''m off to handle that monster with my team. Are you going with us, Jose?"

    "Of course. I can''t possibly let you steal the limelight."

    "Hahaha, you''ve got to try harder than that if you want to get the limelight from us!" Cain boisterouslyughed in response to Jose''s words.

    Ron Samuel turned around and was about to leave with hisrades when Rosales suddenly spoke.

    "Umm... Sir, can you let go of me now?" Ron Samuel''s arms were still around his neck.

    The reason why he hadn''t spoken at all throughout this entire ordeal was that he was afraid that Ron Samuel might squeeze his arms too tight, forcing him into a world of agony and possibly in aa.

    "No..." Ron Samuel simply said, "You''re going to stay with us until we recover Calvin''s remains."

    "But please... we''re already here! I''ve already done what you sa"

    "Are you going to shut up, or do you want me to shut you up?" Ron Samuel interrupted the poor guy with a death re.

    Rosales immediately cowered and he didn''t dare to say anything anymore.

    Ashlynn felt Ron Samuel''s gaze and she softly nodded her head before starting a divination ritual.

    With the shattered crystallized gem serving as the catalyst for the ritual, an arrow made out of divine light soon manifested in front of the group.

    "It''s there!" Ashlynn gestured and the Cavaliers followed the pointed arrows.

    Eventually, the arrows pointed towards a dark alleyway.

    "His remains are in that alleyway?" Bruce muttered in anger, "Damn, how dare that bastard dump Calvin''s body in such a filthy ce!"

    "Be quiet. Let''s go." Ron Samuel warned before the group continued to follow the arrows.

    However, the moment they took that turn into the dark alleyway.

    The scene that they saw surprised them to the extent that their hearts figuratively leaped out of their chests.

    It was because the reason for thismotionand the subject of their searchthe supposedly deceased member of their group...

    Was casually standing there with a smirk on his face.

    Calvin turned his head to look at hisrades and asked with a wink.

    "Yo!"

    "What''s up?"

 Chapter 207: A Farewell, Once More

    Chapter 207: A Farewell, Once More

    "..."

    "Calvin...?"

    Ashlynn was the first one to awaken from her trance.

    "Is that you?"

    "Yeah, it''s me... Are you guys doing well back in Ashmelion? I really didn''t expect everyone toe here." Calvin maintained the smile on his face, "Damn it, even Captain is here!"

    Ashlynn made a sidelong nce at Ron Samuel.

    Thetter nodded and both sides seemed to have reached a mutual understanding.

    "Is that really you?"

    "I told you, it''s really me... Sigh. You know what, how can a Corpse Eater take on the form of someone as handsome as me? What''s more, if I am indeed an imitation, then why is it that I can still remember how foxy and sly you are, Ashlynn?" Calvin lightly chuckled.

    Ashlynn''s pupils constricted.

    Corpse Eaters could take on the form of anyone they wished, but the subtle cues of the original owner of the body such as their bodynguage along with their memories weren''t something that Corpse Eaters could take.

    In short, it was highly likely that the person standing in front of them was the real Calvin.

    "Hold up." James Branzu spoke up, "I''m not convinced that you''re the real Calvin. The medallion which is connected to Calvin''s soul had shattered and that is the reason why we''re even here in the first ce. The shattering of that medallion means that Calvin had died. After all, don''t we know that the medallion is indestructible?"

    "Uhmm..." Calvin raised his hand, "The medallion isn''t actually indestructible."

    "Shut up, see? You don''t even know the indestructible nature of the medallion, yet you''re here trying to say that it''s not indestructible? It seems that my hunch is right... You''re a fake! How dare you try to imitate the image of o"

    "Calm down, James." Ron Samuel interrupted.

    He made a sidelong nce at Calvin and asked, "Why do you say that it''s not indestructible? Is there a way to destroy the medallion without the death of its owner?"

    "Yes, of course..." Calvin smiled, "The indestructible nature of the medallion is nothing but an illusion. There''s a way to destroy the med"

    "What?!" Someone interrupted Calvin''s words. It was Rosales whose neck was still being constricted by Ron Samuel''s arms, "You''re lying! I don''t believe you! How can you spheme a mystical artifact of the church?! That''s treason! I will report you for this when we get back!"

    He might not be a confrontational person, but Rosales''s faith in the Goddess was somewhat radical and extreme.

    Well, it was understandable since he was a high-ranking official of the church.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows and nced at the person who interrupted his words, "Captain, who is that?"

    "A hostage. Don''t mind him."

    "A what?"

    "Continue..." Ron Samuel refused to exin any further.

    "Ahem... All right, let me continue." Calvin took a moment to clear his throat before saying, "It makes sense that the indestructible nature of the medallion is nothing but a mere solution since I want you to think of this. Will the church actually spend enough resources to turn an item that''s mostly kept away indestructible? That doesn''t make sense, right?"

    "However, the church likes to put on airs. In the end, they tricked everyone into thinking that the medallions are indestructible!" Calvin said.

    "Nonsense! How dare you s"

    Smack!

    Rosales couldn''t even continue his words as Ron Samuel directly struck him on his nape, rendering him unconscious.

    Bruce and the other Cavaliers stared at Ron Samuel in horror. Rosales was a high-ranking official of the church, so they thought that Ron Samuel would only intimidate him. They hadn''t expected that he would actually go so far as to hit him unconscious!

    "Go on." Ron Samuel casually said with the same serious look on his face.

    "Uh... Okay." Calvin was speechless. Ron Samuel was really acting out of his character.

    To think that he would be this decisive as to actually hit a civilian!

    Unbeknownst to Calvin, the horror that hisrades felt in their hearts was far greater than his surprise.

    "The illusion is based and is maintained by the fact that the holder of the medallion would never be able to break it with his own strength. If someone that is stronger than the holder of the medallion attacked the medallion with a concentrated strike in a single point. They would be able to shatter that medallion."

    Ron Samuel frowned, "If that''s the case, then why we''re still in the dark about this particr property of the medallion?"

    Calvin lightly chuckled, "It''s because everyone is thought by the church that those with shattered medallions are definitely dead. In fact, there''s even an anomaly such as that medallion that Charlotte had. It wasn''t shattered, right? Even though the death of that holder is already confirmed. There are still some anomalous events which led me to think that the church is indeed struggling to maintain quality control."

    "They''re probably using materials that are out of their league, but still readily avable in order to create this illusion." Calvin smiled.

    "Yes, that''s right..." A voice came from behind.

    The owner of the voice was familiar to Calvin, but it was foreign to the Cavaliers. As a result, they immediately went into their fighting stance.

    "Calm down, Captain... Both of them are my buddies."

    "Both?" Bruce raised his eyebrow.

    Ron Samuel remained pensive as Heisenberg and Ricardo emerged from the darkness.

    "No wonder it''s taking you too long to return. It seems that the punitive force has already discovered us. Sigh, I thought you stumbled upon some monsters or something." Ricardo had summoned his bow and was ready to go to battle at any moment.

    But his taut nerves calmed down when he saw that Calvin was talking to the Cavaliers who were a part of the punitive force.

    "A Priest of the All-Epassing Light? Howe you''re here?" Ron Samuel furrowed his eyebrows when he noticed Heisenberg''s get-up.

    "Hahaha, it''s a long story, sir..." Heisenberg awkwardly scratched his head. His eyes swept across the people in front of him, until his gaze eventuallynded on...

    "S-S-Sir Rosales?!"

    Heisenberg''s pupils almost popped out of their sockets when he saw the limp Rosales leaning on the filthy walls of the abandoned alleyway.

    "W-W-What happened to you, sir?! Sir? Wake up!" Heisenberg shook Rosales''s shoulders as his expression paled in fright. The Cavaliers might know Rosales as a high-ranking official of the church, but Heisenberg knew him more as a mentor.

    Yes, Rosales was the one who led Heisenberg on the path of righteousness and on the path of the All-Epassing Light.

    He was the one who shaped his faith in the Goddess.

    Yet, why was his mentor lying on the foul soil of this disgusting vige?!

    Had he been kidnapped by the monsters here too?

    No, that''s not possible.

    If that was true, then the church would''ve already sent a punitive force the moment they noticed him missing.

    After all, a high-ranking official of the church was more valuable than a member of the three Judiciaries.

    But why was he here?

    There could only be one answer.

    Heisenberg stared at Ron Samuel and asked, "You..."

    "What did you do to my mentor?"

    Ron Samuel''s expression remained as cid as ever as he retorted with the same words as Heisenberg had used, "It''s a long story."

    "Heisenberg, calm down." Calvin interrupted, "You''ll still know what had happened in Ashmelion while we''re missingter anyway, so you have to calm down for now."

    "Okay." Heisenberg faintly nodded as he took the body of his mentor into his embrace.

    "Oh, there''s also a member of the Missionaries?" James Branzu said in a mocking tone of voice.

    The expressions of the Cavaliers immediately went cold.

    Calvin hurriedly waved his hands to the others. He also knew about the love and hate rtionship between the Cavaliers and Missionaries.

    "He''s my friend... He''s my friend. He''s not hostile to us."

    "Oh..." Ron Samuel simply nodded, "All right, can you continue to exin to us what we''re talking about earlier?"

    "Ah yes... Well, basically... The medallions are made from Deep Sea Gold. This is a widely-avable resource that the church can easily gather, but since its properties are still unknown and it''s too difficult to use. There are bound to be some imperfections simr to that medallion that Charlotte presented to you." Calvin exined.

    "All right." Ron Samuel seemed to be convinced with Calvin''s exnation, "So, you''re truly Calvin? Okay,e with us..."

    "We''re going to go back."

    "I can''t go back yet, sir..." Calvin shook his head.

    "What?" Ron Samuel stared at Calvin in astonishment.

    The others looked at him the same. Even Ricardo and Heisenberg were confused.

    Didn''t we want to escape from this ce, so badly? Yet, what was he doing now trying to stay here?

    "Zsknsnxmji gzxnsjxx," Calvin replied by carefully intonating these letters.

    The Cavaliers stared at each other for a moment before they nodded, "All right, we''ll go and apany you."

    "Thanks, Captain." Calvin smiled.

    "Wait, what did he just say?" Heisenberg turned to Ricardo in confusion.

    Ricardo shook his head.

    "It''s a coded sentence that can only be understood by the Cavaliers."

    "Oh... Damn it, how dare that brat act so secretive in front of us!" Heisenberg feigned anger, but he knew that there were some official matters that Calvin just couldn''t share with outsiders as a member of the Cavaliers.

    "Old man, Ricardo. I''ll be going now. I hope we''ll see each other again in the future." Calvin stared at Heisenberg and Ricardo. He couldn''t help but feel somewhat disturbed. The time that they had spent together might not be that long, but it still was long enough that Calvin couldn''t just say that it was insignificant.

    Fortunately, Calvin had already experienced countless farewells that were far more heartbreaking than this.

    Turning around, he left decisively with the others.

    But little did he knew that when his figure disappeared from the eyes of both Ricardo and Heisenberg.

    The two started to argue with each other.

    "Howme... To think that an old man like you would actually start crying over some farewell." Ricardo coldly mocked.

    Indeed, a tear had dripped from Heisenberg''s right eye down his cheek.

    "Shut up! What do you know about me, huh?! I might look like this, but I''m still an emotional and soft person, you kn"

    Heisenberg fiercely turned his head in Ricardo''s direction, but his sentence came to a sudden halt.

    It was because he saw that Ricardo''s face was a mess, riddled with tears as he cried his heart out.

    "Damn it, you bastard."

    "How dare you..."

    "How dare you criticize me for crying, you crybaby."

    Heisenberg chuckled.<ol><li>You can decode this code with a caesar shift decoder. Shift 5 :) </li></ol>

 Chapter 208: Unfinished Business

    Chapter 208: Unfinished Business

    "What is this unfinished business that you''re talking about, Calvin?" The Cavaliers finally left the scene. On their faces were pensive looks that sought for answers.

    James Branzu couldn''t help but ask this question with a frown on his face considering that Calvin even replied to them in code. In short, this unfinished business of his was probably something that shouldn''t be revealed to others.

    But just what exactly was that unfinished business that he would be so secretive?

    "You''ll understand what I''m talking aboutter, Vice-Captain. Just follow me for now, and I''ll lead the way." Calvin mysteriously smiled. Ashlynn and Bruce nced at their Captain and seeing that he didn''t seem to be perturbed. The two of them didn''t try to say anything anymore as they obediently followed behind Calvin.

    The path was narrow at first.

    Then, they arrived at a valley.

    Afterwards, they reached a vige simr to the Vige of Tulog, but when the Cavaliers thought that Calvin''s so-called unfinished business was in this vige.

    Calvin didn''t even spare the vige a nce. Instead, he climbed up to the top to another vige with signage that said, <em>''Vige of Tulog''</em>.

    "What?" Bruce muttered in confusion, "Why did that vige transfer to the top of the hill? Did it teleport or something?"

    "No..." James Branzu stared at Bruce in amusement, "That vige is an illusion. I reckon if someone goes inside that fake vige, they will forever be unable to escape. Damn, this ce is even more sinister than I thought."

    Bruce felt a shiver down his spine. How could he not be shocked when the vige in front of them looked incredibly normal and simr to a proper hamlet as the world knew? To think that it would be a death trap... Bruce was now starting to get spooked by the eeriness of the ce as he stuck closer to the Vice-Captain.

    Ashlynn noticed this and she couldn''t help but mock, "Bruce... Stop acting like a sissy. Are you scared about something that isn''t even able to hurt you?"

    "Shut up..." Bruce rolled his eyes at her, eliciting Ashlynn''s bell-likeughter.

    The mood of the group seemed to have lightened somewhat as Calvin took advantage of this opportunity to ask.

    "Captain, mind if you tell me? How''s Charlotte and Cecilia doing?"

    In the entire time that Calvin had been in the Vige of Tulog. He had never been worried about Charlotte and Cecilia. It was because he knew that they were in good hands. No ce was safer in Ashmelion than the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop.

    "..." Ron Samuel stopped in his tracks.

    Weird expressions appeared on the faces of everyone else aside from Calvin who looked utterly confused.

    <em>''Did I say something wrong?''</em> He thought to himself.

    But at the very next moment, he was enlightened.

    "You see, Calvin... You sure do have a capable wife."

    Ron Samuel''s tone of voice turned weird, "The Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop is supposed to be a front for our operations. You can''t expect us to do our modus operandi in some random basement in Ashmelion, right? And that is where the coffee shopes in."

    "We built that coffee shop to serve as the front for our operations. I''m sure that you''ve already caught the hints, but we don''t really care if the coffee shop earns money. Besides Ashlynn, no one really cares if we get any customers or not. That''s why our coffees are expensive..."

    "Of course, there are some stupid young masters who want to prove to themselves that they''ve found a hidden gem of a shop."

    "Still, they''d be disappointed in the end, since we aren''t really using expensive materials to make our expensive coffees. In short, we basically don''t care about the business."

    "However..." Ron Samuel averted his gaze away from Calvin, "Your wife..."

    "What?"

    Calvin stared at Ron Samuel in confusion.

    "Did she do something wrong? What happened to her?"

    "No, no, no..."

    Ashlynn was the one who answered Calvin''s question, "Sister Charlotte is doing good and she''s been a massive asset to us, the changes that she brought for the improvement of the coffee shop when she started to work with us had given us nothing but endless benefits, however..."

    Ashlynn felt awkward to continue but under the urging eyes of the others. She had no other choice but to gulp a mouthful of saliva and continue her words from earlier, "You see..."

    "She made us popr."

    "Hmm?" Calvin was still confused, "Is it bad if we''re popr?"

    Ashlynn gnashed her teeth, "Damn it, Calvin! Can''t you see these dark circles under our eyes?"

    "Being popr isn''t really a problem, but she gave us too much poprity!"

    "She revamped the prices of the coffees and even added some ingredients such as honey to improve the tastes of our products to the extent that our coffees didn''t taste like they were made out of inferior materials anymore!"

    "What''s more, since our products are made cheaply, she also proposed for us to lower our prices. Obviously, since we''re trying to hide from her the fact that the coffee shop is just a front for our operations..."

    "We had no other choice but to follow her proposal since her words actually make sense and it would be strange if a business such as our coffee shop isn''t actively trying to make money."

    "Wouldn''t that make us garner her suspicion?" Ashlynn ended her spiel as she took several deep breaths into her lungs, "Since you disappeared, she has be considerably active in the coffee shop. It feels like she''s trying to prove a point to you."

    "Trying to prove a point?" Calvin muttered to himself.

    Soon, after pondering about it for a few minutes.

    A smile crept on his lips.

    "Charlotte... What a silly woman." He shook his head and the smile on his face deepened under the gaze of Ashlynn and the others.

    "Damn, he''s too deep in the rabbit hole!" Bruce eximed.

    "So, that''s how a man would look like when he''s in love."

    Ashlynn surreptitiously nced at Ron Samuel.

    "What do you want me to do, Captain?" Calvin turned to look at Ron Samuel and asked.

    Ron Samuel was about to answer when he was held back by James Branzu.

    "Can you tell your wife to hold back her proposal for changes?"

    "Don''t misunderstand my words, all right?"

    "It''s not like what she''s doing is detrimental for us..."

    "It''s just that if she keeps on proposing those changes and we keep on doing the changes that she wants to happen, we will soon find ourselves unable to keep the coffee shop running with the number of customers pouring in." James patiently exined.

    Ashlynn let out a sigh, "Yeah, that''s right... It''s such a shame since Sis Charlotte''s proposals are actually quite good."

    Calvin revealed an awkward smile. He really didn''t expect that the addition of Charlotte would cause such a headache to these Cavaliers.

    "I''ll keep that in mind, Vice-Captain. How about Cecilia? Is she doing good?" Calvin asked.

    James Branzu nodded his head, but Bruce was the one who answered.

    "Actually."

    "What? Did she also do something wrong?" Now, Calvin was starting to get concerned.

    "No..." Bruce shook his head, "It''s not that she''s doing something wrong." He furtively nced at Ron Samuel and continued, "The Captain seemed to have taken a liking to her..."

    "What?!" Calvin stared at Ron Samuel in horror.<em> Could it be that this cold middle-aged man who looks like the perfect gentleman is actually a lolicon in the closet?!</em>

    "Pffft!" Ashlynn almost keeled over onto the floor when he noticed the weird look on Calvin''s face, "You''re misunderstanding something here, Calvin."

    "The Captain is not a lolicon... Although, I don''t know if he''s actually interested in girls."

    Ashlynn said these words ambiguously as she stuck both of her elbows together, emphasizing the valley between her chests as she boldly stared at Ron Samuel.

    "Hmmph!" Ron Samuel scoffed, "I''m just not interested in those pimples."

    "What...?" Ashlynn''s figure froze, "Captain..."

    "Did. You. Just. Call. My. Breasts. Pimples?" Ashlynn asked, carefully intonating each word in her sentence.

    James Branzu facepalmed.

    Bruce also looked as if he was in pain as his shoulders kept on shaking, desperately trying to contain theughter that threatened toe out of his throat at any moment.

    Calvin was also speechless.

    <em>''Is the Captain just as dense as a natural satellite, or is he really not interested in Ashlynn?''</em>

    No one knew the answer to Calvin''s question other than the Captain himself.

    In the end, Calvin had to interrupt the banter of the two as he pleaded, "Please tell me about what Cecilia had done."

    "Ahem." Ashlynn recovered from her trance and stared strangely at Calvin, "You have a really smart daughter."

    "Huh? Isn''t that a good thing?"

    "Yeah. Normally, it is. But your daughter is taking advantage of the Captain''s fondness in children!"

    "What?" Calvin stared at Ashlynn in confusion, "Just what the hell are you talking about?"

    Ashlynn didn''t know whether tough or to cry as she continued to exin, "You see, your daughter is treating the Captain as if he was her Uncle. With that in mind and considering the Captain''s soft heart towards children..."

    "Your daughter would always have the Captain buy her treats and sweets from a nearby bakery shop."

    "Pffft!" Calvin almost busted a gut as he tried to contain hisughter, "Really? What''s wrong with that, then? It''s just some treats, right?"

    "Well, yeah... But the thing is..."

    "The Captain is broke."

    Ashlynn momentarily closed her eyes as if she was paying respects to the Captain.

    "Ah." Calvin let out an exim of understanding, "I see..."

    "All right, I''ll go and reimburse the Captain with my sry once we get back."

    "Are you sure? I''ve calcted and your daughter has already taken about five hundred Joselian Pesos from Captain in treats alone."

    "Oh, fifty Joselian Pesos? That''s not awhat?! Five hundred Joselian Pesos?!" Calvin''s scalp turned numb in horror.

    "Yeah." Ashlynn nodded.

    Calvin nced at Ron Samuel and he closed his eyes for a moment as if he was paying his respects to the Captain''s wallet.

    Ron Samuel stared at Calvin and asked, "Now that you''ve heard the values, are you going to reimburse me or what?"

    "Ah! We''re already here? Damn the journey took longer than I thought. Sorry for dragging you all the way over here." Calvin looked apologetically at the others.

    Ron Samuel knitted his eyebrows and asked once more, "You still haven''t answered me yet, Calvin." His tone of voice had gone cold.

    "The unfinished business that I was talking about is here, and it involves..." Calvin mysteriously smiled at the others as he purposely ignored Ron Samuel''s words. Taking off the Bloodstone hanging around his neck, Calvin whispered Stephanie''s name in his heart.

    <em>''Stephanie!''</em>

    He called out and the temperature around the area immediately dipped.

    "What?!" Bruce was so startled by this sudden change that he couldn''t help but exim.

    Ron Samuel and James Branzu immediately bent their knees.

    The mana in their bodies churned as they stared at Calvin in shock.

    "What are you doing?" Ron Samuel asked.

    "I''m going to take care of an unfinished business, Captain."

    Ron Samuel furrowed his eyebrows.

    At the very next moment, a half-bodied Specter manifested behind Calvin.

    The Specter was the image of a beautiful woman.

    Though her eyes were closed, one could still feel the coldness within them.

    Evidently, she was a powerful Specter that could only be defeated by the Vice-Captain or the Captain.

    Ashlynn and Bruce looked nervous.

    "What''s the meaning of this, Calvin?" James Branzu asked with a frown.

    "This is the unfinished business that I was talking about, Captain." Calvin mysteriously smiled.

 Chapter 209: Bring Her With You

    Chapter 209: Bring Her With You

    <em>Thud!</em>

    A dull thud echoed from behind.

    Bruce had copsed on his knees as his teeth chattered unceasingly.

    Ron Samuel quickly took a vial of essential oil from his pocket and he crushed the vial in his hands before chanting...

    "The hearts of men are with the Goddess, their body is her temple, and thuswe are under her protection." A burst of divine light enveloped the oil in his hand as Ron Samuel sttered it onto the others.

    When the oilnded on Bruce''s body, it sunk deep into his skin, and the fear that gripped his heart mysteriously vanished.

    "Thank you, Captain..." Bruce said apologetically as he calmed his nerves and prepared his fighting stance.

    "What''s with this Specter, Calvin?" Ron Samuel asked, "Could it be that you have gone mad?"

    The expressions of Ashlynn, James, and Bruce nched. It has to be known that those that had frequent dealings with the supernatural had the tendency to go mad and cross over to the other shore. After all, if one had the resolve to believe in a god, they must endure the whispers and murmurs of evil gods that wanted to bring them over to their side.

    Ron Samuel was asking if Calvin was now on the side of monsters, simr to the owner of the monster that had tainted the Vige of Tulog.

    Calvin shook his head, "You''re misunderstanding me, Captain."

    "I''m not on their side."

    "Stephanie might be a Specter, but she sure is not evil."

    "Not evil?" Bruce raised an eyebrow, "Are you joking, Calvin? A Specter is a monster! It''s a beast! That''s why they are in the Bestiary! It''s because they are beasts! Wild beasts!"

    "Sigh..." Calvin let out a sigh, "Can we set aside our differences first? A Specter is not a pure-bred monster simr to the Ancients and Elementals. They were once human too."

    "That''s right, they were once humans." Bruce mocked, "But they''ve abandoned their humanity the moment they were taken over by their resentment."

    "Really? I didn''t expect you to have such a narrow mind, Bruce." Calvin retorted.

    "Calvin!" James Branzu cried out, "Exin to us, what is going on... Right now! Or else, we will have to dispose of you along with that monster that you''re rearing!"

    Calvin let out a sigh, "Madame Liz, can youe out now? I''m afraid if you continue to stay in hiding, myrades will probably take my head off my shoulders for being a traitor..." There wasn''t a look of anxiousness on Calvin''s face at all. It was because he was confident that the others would understand everything the moment they saw Madame Liz.

    "Hahaha..." Someoneughed from one of the three shacks behind them.

    Then, another transparent figure came out from one of the shacks. The transparency of the figure made it obvious as to what was her identity, but the moment she came out of the shack, the pupils of everyone aside from Calvin constricted.

    "A Specter?"

    "Wait, that''s strange..."

    "Why can''t I feel any resentment from her?"

    Bruce muttered.

    Ron Samuel furrowed his eyebrows.

    His mind furiously scanned through the countless entries written in the Bestiary until he finally reached the answer he was looking for.

    "A White Lady!"

    "That''s right...?" Calvin nodded his head, but there was confusion on his face.

    A White Lady was still a Specter, but they were unique due to the fact that they weren''t made out of resentment.

    Instead, they were created from the strong emotions of their previously living self.

    White Ladies were one of a kind Specters because they weren''t made out of resentment. In short, they weren''t as unstable as other Specters made from hatred.

    "Calvin... Are they your friends?"

    "Yes, Madame Liz. We came here to return your daughter to you." Calvin gave a good-natured smile.

    "Captain...?" Ashlynn asked in doubt.

    She had already prepared a spell to use if things went awry.

    Ron Samuel shook his head in response.

    Ashlynn let out a sigh in relief as she dispersed the spell that she had prepared.

    Bruce and James Branzu also let out sighs of relief.

    To be honest, it wouldn''t be a problem for them to fight, but if a fight could be avoided... Why bother fighting?

    These Cavaliers liked fighting, but they weren''t barbarians. They knew decency and when they saw how the White Lady didn''t seem to be out here to harm them. Their expressions softened as they followed Calvin and the White Lady into a wooden shack. The insides of the wooden shack and its design were within the expectations of the Cavaliers.

    Since there were no seats aside from the stone bed that Calvin had upied, the Cavaliers remained standing.

    "Madame, I''m here to return your daughter to you. She has been a great help to me and honestlyif not for her, I would''ve died countless times back in that damned vige." Calvin handed over the Bloodstone to Madame Liz.

    But she didn''t take it from Calvin''s hand. She just stared at Calvin with this mysterious smirk on her lips.

    The Cavaliers stared at each other in astonishment.

    A Specter had helped Calvin survive in that vige?

    This was unprecedented!

    This was the first time that the Cavaliers heard of such a thing!

    So that was the case.

    We actually misunderstood everything.

    It wasn''t that Calvin had gone over to the other shore.

    The reason why he was able to summon that Specter was that she was helping him survive in the vige!

    After looking at each other, the Cavaliers weren''t so hostile to Stephanie anymore.

    They were staring at her with renewed and apologetic light in their eyes.

    Madame Liz seemed to have detected the changes in their expressions as sheughed once more, "It''s okay... My daughter will not hold such a petty grudge." Then, she swept her gaze across her daughter before her eyesnded on Calvin, "To think that you would actually be sessful. That young man sure was powerful, but you were able to defeat him and let my daughter consume half of his soul."

    <em>WHAT?!</em>

    The eyes of the Cavaliers almost bulged out of their sockets.

    <em>What the fuck was going on?</em>

    <em>That young man? Defeated him? Let my daughter consume half of his soul?</em>

    Ron Samuel and the others nced deeply at Calvin. At this moment, Calvin seemed to have be a foreign person in their eyes.

    "Yes, but I''ve ultimately failed. I wasn''t able to let Stephanie solve her grievances and I also wasn''t able to find her lower body. Now, the vige is no more. The punitive force of the church is going to cleanse that vige of everything and with their arrival. I would probably never be able to find your daughter''s lower body anymore." Calvin let out a sigh.

    Yes, this was one of his regrets.

    if he returned Stephanie to his mother without solving her grievances and finding her lower body, then she would probably be never able to return to the cycle of life. In short, Stephanie would forever be bound to this location.

    <em>Wait...</em>

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    Aswangs are unique due to the fact that they were able to travel anywhere so long as their lower body was within a certain distance from them. If the young man had consumed Stephanie''s lower body, then she would''ve disappeared the moment the young man escaped.

    But since that didn''t happen, then it obviously wasn''t the case.

    So, what was going on?

    Just where was Stephanie''s lower body?

    Furthermore...

    How did Madame Liz suddenly be a White Lady when she was an Aswang?

    Calvin''s eyes widened.

    <em>So that''s how it is...</em>

    Madame Liz boisterouslyughed.

    "Finally, from the look on your face. It seems to me that you''ve discovered the truth?"

    "Hahaha..." Calvin facepalmed asughter came out of his throat, "You''ve really yed me well, Madame Liz. To think that your intentions all along wasn''t to actually let your daughter reincarnate but to let here with me!"

    <em>What?!</em>

    Ron Samuel and the others were dumbfounded once more.

    But before they could even ask what was going on, Madame Liz stared at Calvin and nodded, "Took you long enough to notice, young man..."

    "Why else would I give you that Bloodstone?"

    <em>B-B-Bloodstone?!</em>

    The brains of Ron Samuel and the others didn''t seem to be functioning anymore as they suffered several surprises.

    "I guess the reason why you are a White Lady right now is the fact that you weren''t even an Aswang in the first ce? In short, if my theory is right. The lower body that you have right now must be the lower body of your daughter."

    "Sigh, I really don''t understand, Madame. Why go to such lengths? Why didn''t you let your daughter reincarnate if her lower body was with you all along?"

    "Furthermore, just how much of what you''ve said to me previously are lies?" Calvin stared at Madame Liz seriously.

    Madame Liz let out a sigh and replied, "Our backstory was the truth and nothing but the truth."

    "As to why I didn''t let her reincarnate is that I know that she''ll suffer in the afterlife carrying so much resentment with her. She must kill that young man first before I could let her reincarnate. Only when that happens that I can be assured that she''ll be in good hands when she goes back to the cycle of life."

    "Oh, are you talking about the concept of Karma?" Calvin looked at Madame Liz in surprise.

    "You know about the concept of Karma?"

    Madame Liz was likewise surprised by Calvin''s words.

    Calvin simply nodded his head, "Her lower is with you, but you want Stephanie to kill that young man first before she can reincarnate. But since that young man had escaped and he''ll probably never return to this ce after I uprooted his ns to its very foundation. What should we do now?"

    Calvin nced at Stephanie and noticed that she still had her eyes closed.

    Madame Liz gave a yful smirk and asked, "Young man, are you in a rtionship with someone? Are you married?"

    "Yes!" Calvin replied almost immediately.

    Madame Liz''s expression sunk.

    Stephanie seemed to have heard Calvin''s words and a frown spread on her eyebrows.

    "All right, you should just go and take her with you. It''s about time for me to leave this world and return to the cycle of life. I''ve been here for far too long already, waiting for the right person to help her enact her vengeance." Madame Liz deeply sighed, "Young man, I might be gone but if you dare to bully my daughter, I would definitely haunt you in the afterlife!"

    "Wait, wait, wait!" Seeing that Madame Liz''s body was starting to glow and be transparent, Calvin hurriedly waved his hand and interrupted her, "Madame, aren''t you being too selfish? What you want for your daughter doesn''t mean that she wants it too! Just because you want her to stay with me, doesn''t mean that she wants that to happen!"

    "Oh?" Madame Liz cheekily stared at Calvin, "Stephanie, my dear. Do you want to stay with him?"

    When Madame Liz''s words fell into Stephanie''s earsher eyes snapped openstartling the Cavaliers who had been observing everything from the sidelines since they had entered the shack.

    Stephanie was quick to nod her head in approval.

    "Hey, hey, hey..." Calvin couldn''t do anything other than facepalm, "Give me a break..."

    Madame Liz chuckled, "There you have it, young man. Since my daughter wants to stay with you, then go ahead and bring her with you."

    "I''ll be going now~"

    "Adieu!"

    "Wait!" Calvin eximed to stop her, but it was toote.

    Madame Liz had already dissolved her own spiritual body as the fragments of her soul floated towards the skies.

    A dull thud rang out and the reason why Calvin didn''t want to take the AswangStephanie with him was finally revealed to the Cavaliers.

    It was because when Stephanie wore her lower body... her transparent body gradually became real.

    In just a few moments, she transformed from a Specter into a genuine human being.

    "..."

    Calvin stared at the detached and indifferent Stephanie as he turned to look towards Cavaliers as if asking for their help.

    "How..."

    "How am I supposed to exin this to Charlotte and Cecilia?"

 Chapter 210: The Incredibly Popular Coffee Shop

    Chapter 210: The Incredibly Popr Coffee Shop

    Today was a good day in Ashmelion.

    Businesses were booming as usual, and there were a lot of people gathered outside of their houses for a stroll.

    However, for the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop...

    Today was more than just a good day.

    Well, supposedly...

    If not for the fact that the Cavaliers aside from Calvin had been sanctioned and they were now in prison for the crime of mutiny.

    Yes, it should''ve been a good day.

    But now it was the exact opposite.

    The Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop had be so popr to the masses of the Center Borough that they even had to add some chairs and tables on the second floor of the shop to amodate all of the customers.

    Furthermore, since Calvin was the only member of the Cavaliers avable...

    This meant that only two people were working in the shop.

    Calvin and Charlotte were doing the brewing, while Cecilia was serving the customers as the waitress.

    At first, Calvin didn''t want to let Cecilia do any work. But the youngss was strangely insistent, saying that she wasn''t a kid anymore. She wanted to try to do a job that adults often do, and even at this moment... She was doing the best that she could, carrying trays with coffee and desserts on top of them for the customers.

    "Charlotte, you sure did improve the foot traffic in this ce, eh? To think that we would have this many customers even though we had just opened..." Calvin wiped the sweat that formed on his forehead.

    Charlotte handed him over a towel and Calvin nodded his head, expressing his gratitude with a smile.

    "I just find that the way sir Ron runs his business doesn''t make sense... Hahaha, did I go overboard with my meddling?" Charlotte smiled.

    Calvin shook his head, "Nope, you did the right thing. I''m really proud of you that you managed to propose these changes. Although it''s a bit more ofmon sense than something that should be learned..."

    "The fact that you are now able to calcte profit margins from someone who didn''t even know what arithmetic is when we first met, is such a tremendous improvement..."

    "I''m proud of you, Charlotte."

    Charlotte hung her head low, the smile on her face became tinged with sweetness as she softly asked, "Hey, dear..."

    "Can you not call me by my name?"

    "Oh? What do you want me to call you then?" Calvin raised an eyebrow.

    "Well, just call me anything aside from my name."

    "Hmmm..." Calvin thought for a moment before replying, "How about ''fantastic woman?''"

    "That sounds like a title..." Charlotte bitterly smiled.

    "Hahaha..." Calvin boisterouslyughed. He stretched his hand out and patted her head as he replied, "I shall refer to you as ''Dear'' then."

    "Will that be okay?" He stared right at Charlotte who became increasingly embarrassed.

    Her cheeks flushed crimson as she stood there before softly nodding her head.

    "Daddy! I got orders from customers! One Latte, two Honey Coffee, and pancakes with syrup!"

    Cecilia interrupted the conversation of the two as both Charlotte and Calvin awakened from their trance. She was now standing right in front of the counter with her hands akimbo.

    The waitress dress that Charlotte seemed to have made specifically for her really did make her stand out amidst the crowd.

    "Dear, were you nning to let Cecilia work in the coffee shop? I don''t think that a dress like that can be made in just a single day." Calvin nced at Charlotte''s fingers and noticed that she had several slightly deep wounds made by needles.

    Charlotte quickly hid her hands and replied, "Dear, you''re bing too smart for your own good!'' She puffed her cheeks as she said, "How am I supposed to surprise you with things in the future if you''re so observant?"

    Calvin lightly chuckled, "All right, I''ll pretend to be surprised then."

    "That''s not allowed!" Charlotte pointed a finger at him.

    "Daddy!" Cecilia interrupted once more, "I have another set of ordersthreette, one pure-ck coffee, three pancakes with syrup, and a hotcake to-go." The youngss recited the words so fluently that Calvin doubted if his ears were malfunctioning.

    Charlotte couldn''t help butugh when she noticed how dumbfounded he was, "Cecilia, it seems that we''ve sessfully surprised your daddy... Look at him, he really didn''t expect you to reach such a degree of fluency after such a short period of time."

    Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    He coldly snorted and waved his hand, "Enough with the nonsense. We have customers to serve." He turned around and both Charlotte and Cecilia felt as if he had tucked his tails and ran away to escape, elicitingughter from the pair of mother and daughter.

    "Damn there''s no end to them..." Calvin was in the middle of brewing fresh coffee for the pending orders when he noticed another pair of customers walking into the shop. However, his eyes widened in astonishment when he saw who were the customers. The two customers that had just entered seemed to be sisters due to how simr they looked...

    When the customers saw the crest on the ne hanging around the necks of the sisters, all of them stepped aside and made way.

    It was because these two sisters were from the Fayke Aristocrat Family.

    Elene Fayke and Luisa Fayke!

    These two women were apanied by a butler and a young man who looked to be the same age as them. With sideburns that emphasized his facial features, the young man sure did look attractive by the standards of nobles. Furthermore, the way he carried himself also made everyone feel subconsciously submissive to him.

    Calvin couldn''t possibly be mistaken.

    <em>This young man...</em>

    <em>Is a young master!</em>

    Calvin eximed in his heart.

    He had met countless young masters in the previous timeline and all of them spelled trouble.

    <em>''Damn it, I hope this young master isn''t as arrogant as those that I have met!''</em> Calvin had just said these words in his heart when the young man in question suddenly kicked amoner out of his seat and shouted.

    "Scram!"

    "Hieeek!" The middle-aged man was so startled and scared that he quickly got out of the coffee shop. Sensing the smell of trouble, the other customers also made their escape. Some of them hadn''t even paid yet.

    "Ah! They ran!" Cecilia''s eyes widened and she ran to Charlotte in shock, "Mommy, why did the customers run? They still haven''t paid yet!"

    "It''s okay, Cecilia... They''ll be back..."

    Charlotteforted Cecilia as she rubbed the youngss''s back, "They''ll return once the trouble has passed."

    "Hey, hey, hey!" The young man''s eyes narrowed into slits. It seemed that she heard Charlotte saying that he was ''trouble''.

    "Are you insulting me?" The young man stared right at Charlotte as Cecilia started trembling in fear. Her eyes nked out as if she could remember the times when she was being beaten up by loan sharks along with her mother back in the Northern Borough.

    "My friend, if you came here to drink and eat our delicacies. Then, I''ll be wee to serve you. But if you came here to shove our customers away and terrorize my mother and daughter, then that would be a problem." Calvin''s cold voice rang from behind the counter.

    When he revealed himself, Elena and Luisa stared at each other for a moment before they eximed in surprise.

    "Calvin?!" Elena was the first one to speak, "Have you been working here?"

    Calvin simply nodded.

    He noticed that this young man seemed to be infatuated with the sisters.

    A sneer came out of Calvin''s mouth as he said, "I''m giving you another advice like what I''ve done before we arrived at Ashmelion, Elena. You''ve got to stop meeting this guy. If you ever get into a rtionship with him, then you''ll regret it."

    "What did you say?!" The young man roared, enraged.

    Calvin merely nced over him with a cold look and released a little bit of his killing intent, "Young man,e here if you must eat or drink..."

    "You can try to ruin our business or what,e at me with whatever tricks you have up in your sleeves."

    "But nevere here to take it out on my mother and daughter..."

    The coldness in Calvin''s eyes seemed to be simr to that of a thousand-year-old icy cavern as the young man''s expression nched. He surreptitiously nced at his butler and noticed that the old man was also frozen stiff, like a helpless prey waiting to be eaten.

    <em>''Impossible! This butler of mine is a retired officer from the Ashmelion Border Territory!''</em>

    <em>''Why... why does he look like he''s afraid of this person?''</em>

    The young man might be arrogant, but he sure knew how to submit to the circumstances.

    Gnashing his teeth, he coldly snorted and turned around to leave.

    "Wait up." Calvin''s cold voice rang out, "You forgot something."

    "What is it?" The young man stared at Calvin seriously.

    "To pay." Calvin simply replied.

    "To pay?! I didn''t even order anything!" The young man didn''t know whether tough or to cry.

    "I know..." Calvin nodded, "But you forced out customers out of the shop, basically crippling our profits for the day. You mustpensate us for this loss, or I will have you pay more than what you can afford."

    The look on Calvin''s face when he said all of these was so cold that the young man knew that if he forced the butler to fight against Calvin; the former would definitely lose.

    "All right!" The young man gnashed his teeth and hurled a pouch of coins over to Calvin.

    Calvin felt the pouch for a moment before he handed it over to the excited Cecilia.

    "You might take your leave now." Calvin waved his hand, "I hope you''lle again."

    The young man who had already walked out of the coffee shop almost stumbled onto the ground when he heard Calvin''s words.

    Come again? Fuck you! I''d nevere back here again!

    He grumbled in his heart as he paid another nce to both Elena and Luisa.

    These two women might be somehow useful to his quest of obtaining the inheritance of his family, but they weren''t so important to the point that they couldn''t be reced. Snorting in his heart, the young man seemed to havee to a decision as he walked away and returned to his residence.

    Back in the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop.

    Elena and Luisa stared at each other with bitter smiles on their faces.

    Calvin saw their bitterness and he chuckled to lighten the mood, "I apologize for that. With what I''ve done, both of you would definitely lose one of your countless suitors today!"

    "Hahaha..." Elena and Luisaughed, "It''s fine. You did us a favor for helping us getting rid of that pesky guy."

    "I can only imagine how irritating he is when he''s with both of you considering how arrogant he was earlier." Calvin smiled.

    "Yeah..." Elena''s eyes darted to the youngss sitting before a table. The youngss was focused on counting the coins that the pouch contained and the glimmer of gold seemed to be reflected in her eyes, "I heard her call you... daddy, earlier. Is she your daughter?"

    "Yup." Calvin was quick to nod his head. How could he not know that these two sisters were fond of him? Ever since the disy of skills and knowledge that he had done back in that carriage, Elena and Luisa seemed to have fallen for him. But Calvin knew that their infatuation would never bear fruit. This was why Calvin has to end their love to him right now thanter.

    "I see..." Luisa and Elena''s eyes seemed to have dimmed, "All right, we''ll be going then."

    "Oh, are you not going to order anything?" Calvin stopped them in their tracks.

    Elena turned around and stared at him, "Nope... We don''t have our wallets with us."

    "I see..." Calvin smiled.

    The light in Elena and Luisa''s eyes became even more sorrowful. How could he not offer them to drink or eat for free?

    This could only mean one thing.

    Taking a deep breath, Elena and Luisa forced themselves to ept the cruel truth.

    Mustering a smile on their faces with all of their courage, the two of them smiled at Calvin one more time and said.

    "Thank you, we''ll be off, then."

    "Goodbye."

    The two soon disappeared in Calvin''s eyes.

    They would probably never meet anymore in the future considering their statuses.

    The Fayke Aristocrat Family might look stable in the eyes of themoners, but not in the eyes of the nobles.

    As someone that had explored Ashmelion''s depths and knew of its murky politics back in the previous timeline, how could Calvin not understand the anxiousness and worry that both Elena and Luisa had in their hearts? As members and daughters of the Fayke family, there could only be one fate for the two of them.

    It was to be a marriage tool in order to strengthen the family.

    Such was the fate of these two women.

    If Calvin wanted to save them from this inevitable fate, then he would have to fight his way up the ranks of the nobles and be someone worthy of their hand. But Calvin was never good in politics and he also couldn''t let these two women stay with a man like him who would inevitably suffer countless arduous hardships in the future.

    Shaking his head, Calvin could only pray that destiny wouldn''t be so harsh on both Elena and Luisa.

    Charlotte observed the changing expressions on Calvin''s face and she seemed to havee to a decision.

    "Hey, dear... what do you think if I let Cecilia sleep at my friend''s house tonight?"

    The voice that she used when she said all of these sounded so low that it wasparable to a mosquito''s droning.

    Calvin turned to look at her and he was greeted with a tantalizing sight.

    Her cheeks were flushed so crimson that the redness encroached upon her neck. Furthermore, the slight trembling of her shoulders emphasized her nervousness as she bit on her lips, seemingly having made a tough decision.

    But Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, "What? Why would you let Cecilia go sleep somewhere else when we have the entire coffee shop for us?"

    Charlotte was shell-shocked and dumbfounded.

    He hadn''t expected Calvin to be this dense.

    Puffing her cheeks, she turned her head away and grumbled, "Dear husband, why are you so insensitive?"

    "I hear you..."

    Calvin was a Cavalier whose body had undergone a mutation; his senses were so sharp that Charlotte''s incredibly low sounding voice didn''t escape his ears.

    "Ah!" Charlotte cried out in embarrassment. She didn''t expect that Calvin would hear herints to herself.

    "Dear wife, why must you be so dense?"

    "Hey, that''s my line!" Charlotte interrupted.

    "Hahaha..." Calvin chuckled. He moved closer to Charlotte, grasped her hips, and whispered into her ears, "The entire building is ours for tonight. I can just carry Cecilia into another room when she falls asleep."

    The hotness of his breath stained Charlotte''s ears crimson as she felt her knees going weak.

    Cecilia who was still counting the coins on the table smiled to herself.

    ''It seems that Mommy and Daddy are going to sleep together tonight...''

    ''Lea told me that to have a baby brother, I must let Daddy and Mommy sleep together on their own.''

    ''All right...'' Cecilia came to a decision, ''I''ll sleep in the other room tonight!''

 Chapter 211: Heavenly Abode Visitation

    Chapter 211: Heavenly Abode Visitation

    "Oh? It was a sess? That''s pretty neat."

    A feminine voice rang from beside Calvin.

    His eyes immediately shot open the moment the voice fell into his ears.

    ''Who was the owner of that unfamiliar voice?'' He thought in his head as he raised his upper body and discovered...

    ...A woman who looked to be the same age as him, but with azy look on her face.

    The woman''s expression might look cid, but the aura she was emanating was out of this world.

    The majesty that she possessed couldn''t bepared to the raging tempest of wind. Instead, it was simr to the boundless oceancalm, reserved, yet at any momentit could unleash strength that no mortal could hope to contend.

    Yes, this woman was...

    The Goddess of Compassion and Light, Grace.

    "What the fuck?" Calvin couldn''t help but curse out of confusion. The world around him was filled with darkness as if the light had been consumed by this woman standing in front of him.

    "Wake up, Calvin."

    "We have to talk."

    Grace lifted a smile on his lips. A smile so dazzling that it took Calvin''s breathe away temporarily.

    "You brought me into your Heavenly Abode?"

    "For what reason?" Calvin still felt his body ache after that vigorous activity in the middle of the night. Charlotte seemed to have transformed into something else as she devoured himpletely. His legs were still wobbly and after about three hours of <em>"exercise"</em>, Calvin was happy that he was finally free and could finally sleep.

    However, he hadn''t expected that just as he had fallen asleep.

    Grace would drag his consciousness into her Heavenly Abode.

    "Hey, you''re the first mortal being that I have ever personally dragged into my Heavenly Abode. Why do you sound so ungrateful?"

    Grace stared at Calvin with a frown.

    But Calvin merely shrugged, seemingly not having any intention to exin himself.

    "Please hurry up, I have something to do by daybreak. I still need to visit the Captain and the others in prison before the Coffee Shop opens for business." Calvin stood up and rubbed his be. He still felt dizzy and weak. Charlotte had crawled up to her after she brought Cecilia to sleep in the other room.

    He had expected that Charlotte wouldn''tst that long, but he clearly underestimated the stamina of a frustrated woman.

    "Don''t worry, this won''t take long. Moreover, I can always manipte the concept of time in my Heavenly Abode. I can let you stay here for even a thousand years and only an hour would pass in the outside world." Grace proudly exined.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted, "What the fuck?!"

    He found himself out of breath, "Are you serious?!"

    "Yup, why would I lie to you?" Grace stuck her chest out and looked incredibly proud.

    "Then, can I stay here for a long time? I could use that time maniption of yours to train here for a thousand years. I mean,e on. Just imagine the possibilities!" Calvin proposed.

    Grace stared at him and smiled, "The topic of our talk right now involves that. That''s why I want you to stand up and follow me."

    "All right!" Calvin was now as energetic as an ox. The smile on his face deepened as he followed Grace into a room inside a white cube.

    "What kind of a ce is this?"

    "This?" Grace stared at Calvin. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and dered, "This is a God''s Sandbox."

    "A Sandbox? Does that mean that when you''re in here, you can practically do anything?" Calvin stared at Grace in shock, "As expected of one of the Seven Gods and Goddesses, you really are as OP as I thought."

    "Hahaha, it would be strange if I wasn''t overpowered. I might be like this, but I''m still a goddess, you see?" Grace lightly chuckled.

    She waved her hand in front of her and the world inside the cube drastically changed.

    An 80-inch t-screen television appeared as well as thetest ystation X.

    A couch also materialized out of nowhere and Grace sat on it with thiszy look on her face.

    Calvin stared at her speechlessly, "For a Goddess, you sure do lookzy... What will your followers think if they knew that their Goddess of Compassion and Light is nothing more than a game addict, and azy person that makes other people do their bidding?"

    Grace stared right at Calvin for quite a long time.

    Just as Calvin thought that Grace would be angry at him... thetter suddenly asked.

    "If you are in my positionare you going to be proactive in the world down there and dabble in theplicated politics of the Seven Gods and Goddesses?"

    "Nope..." Calvin immediately shook his head, "That sounds troublesome."

    "Exactly." Grace beamed with a smile, "A fellow addict sure does understand a fellow addict, eh? Do you want to take a seat down here beside me and y a game or two? Don''t worry about the passage of time, I may not be able to reverse it, but I sure can slow it down for you."

    "Don''t mind If I do..." Calvin was still a gamer at heart.

    Even though he had a lot of questions that he wanted to be answered, it didn''t mean that he was able to ignore the itching of his hands whenever he was offered to y a game. Taking a seat beside Grace, both people yed furiously in the world of Grand Turismo. Grand Turismo was a racing game and Grace had just chosen the Duel Mode.

    "Oh? You chose Duel Mode instead of the Arcade Mode?" Calvin furrowed his eyebrows.

    "Why? Are you scared of me?" Grace provoked.

    "Scared? That doesn''t exist in my dictionary, young miss." Calvin sneered, "I''m just not going to bother ying without any stakes."

    "Stakes? Is there even anything that you can offer me that I''ll find it hard to refuse?" Grace mocked, "Let me give you a word of advice. I have been ying Grand Turismo for more than a decade now. I know every nook and cranny of all the tracks and the advantages and disadvantages of any car. Considering all of these, do you still want to fight me?"

    "Hey, aren''t you the one who opened up the Duel Mode? Why are you asking me that question?" Calvin stared at Grace in bewilderment. "

    "Hahaha, I was just trying to confirm if you''re going to chicken out or not." Grace lightly chuckled. Her phoenix-shaped eyebrows, paired with her white sleeveless dress and dark purple skirt sure did make her look attractive. Furthermore, her dark amethyst eyes that stared deep in Calvin''s eyes seemed to carry a tinge of mocking in them.

    "Say no more. I hope you don''t regret your decision." Calvin''s gamer heart rekindled in fury, "What are the winning conditions and the rewards as well as the limitations and restrictions?"

    "No holds barred, do whatever you want to him. As for the winning conditions, the first one to finish the entire track andp will win. If you''re asking me about the rewards, let''s just say that I haven''t thought of anything yet." Grace stuck her pink tongue out and teased.

    Her words basically meant that she didn''t believe that Calvin would win against her in a game that she had continuously yed for and mastered for a decade.

    "What a cheeky girl." Calvin discovered that the Goddess of Compassion and Light didn''t look to be as solemn and as divine as he had previously expected.

    In fact, Grace seemed to be simr to a teenage girl that wanted to explore the world and the excitement that it could produce and contained.

    Stretching his hand out, Calvin pinched her cheeks in a daze.

    "What are you doing?" Grace turned to look at her with a gaze so coldit might as well freeze the world.

    Calvin was quick to retract his hand and hurriedly waved his hand, "N-N-Nothing..."

    "Hmmph." Grace coldly snorted. She turned her head away from him and mumbled amidst her chaotic heartbeats, "Let''s start!"

    "WELCOME TO GRAND TURISMO!"

    These bold and striking words shed on the screen.

    At the very next moment, it disappeared and was reced with the car selection screen.

    "Wait up!" Grace suddenly interrupted, "Let me choose a car first!"

    "What? Can''t we just choose at the same time? It''s not like we can''t do that." Calvin looked at her in doubt.

    "No! Let me choose one first!" Grace puffed her cheeks and cried out.

    "All right, all right, whatever makes you happy." Calvin waved his hand and he ced his controller on a table in front of him.

    Grace''s expression underwent a subtle change.

    The light in her eyes radiated mirth, yet there seemed to be a hint of schadenfreude in them.

    Grace chose a Ferrari Tributo, while Calvin chose a Ford Mustang.

    "Why choose such a generic car?" Grace sneered at Calvin.

    "The looks don''t matter, the stats does." Calvin retorted, "Your Ferrari might look imposing, but its maneuverability stat can''t evenpare to mine. What? For someone like you who yed this game for a decade, do you still think that speed is everything?"

    "Of course, not." Grace coldly chuckled, "Enough with the banter. Let''s choose a map. You go and choose for us."

    "Why me? Shouldn''t the host choose the map?"

    "That''s because I don''t want you tointer that you lost because the map is bad!"

    "You sure are hell-bent and meticulous on making me humiliate myself, eh?"

    "I''m apetitive gamer, Calvin. I''d like to knowonce and for allwho''s the better gamer between both of us?" Grace dered.

    "Sure, sure, whatever makes you happy. But you better not renege on rewarding me if I managed to defeat you in this game." Calvin sneered, "I hope that Grace here remembers her dignity and face when she losester!"

    "Hahaha, what a funny joke." Grace lightly chuckled, "Start the game now!"

    "All right." Calvin quickly chose a random map.

    The loading screen came in and the map that Calvin happened to choose was the London Bridge.

    The London Bridge map was four kilometers long and it had the shape of an oblong.

    It had two U-Turn turns that one needed to take in order to reach the finish line.

    At one nce, the map didn''t actually lookplicated.

    But since there were A.I drivers and cars on the same road as them, this map would test the yer''s car maneuverability skills, as well as their ability to be decisive at any moment.

    "3"

    "2"

    "1"

    "Start!"

 Chapter 212: Well-Deserved Rewards

    Chapter 212: Well-Deserved Rewards

    The screen shed and the roaring engine of a Ferrari Tributo sped ahead of Calvin. The Ferrari was immediately met with a crowd ofputer-generated and controlled cars, but Grace made an ornate drift to avoid them all.

    Despite the Ferrari''s speed, it still managed to make a horizontal drift into an empty slot in the road, positioning itself in a way that not only gave it an advantage but also blocked Calvin''s route in the track.

    "Hahaha, how are you going to prate this phnx of cars?" Grace chuckled in glee.

    "I don''t have to. There are fiveps left in this track, why the rush?" Calvin remained nonchnt as ever as he sped up behind Grace.

    In front of his Ford Mustang was an array of cars moving at a constant, calcted speed.

    Since all of the cars were in all of the avablenes, Calvin needed to skillfully insert himself in between the cars so he could overtake them and rush ahead.

    However, Calvin wasn''t doing all of these. He remained behind the crowd of cars and Grace was having the time of her life as she continued to mock Calvin.

    "What now, Calvin? Your tone of voice earlier was filled with confidence, yet what are you doing now?" Graceughed out loud, "You still haven''t passed this phnx of cars? Are they really that hard to overtake?" Grace even added salt to Calvin''s wounds as she maneuvered her car out of the slot and wiggled the backside of her car to Calvin.

    "Here, here,e here..." Grace teased, "Fat chance!"

    At the very next moment, she went back to the avable slot and blocked Calvin''s way.

    "Hahaha..."

    Grace boisterouslyughed, "This is enjoyable indeed!"

    "Stay there and be defeated! I''ll end your misery, now!" All of a sudden, Grace sped up and left the phnx of cars. Since she had left the blockage, Calvin was now able to insert himself and overtake the cars ahead of him.

    Calvin couldn''t help butment, "Grace, are you sure you won''t regret your decision of letting me overtake those cars?"

    The road was now empty as theputer-generated cars vanished.

    Only Calvin''s Ford Mustang and Grace''s Ferrari Tributo existed on the roads of London Bridge.

    "Why would I regret my decision? I''m giving you a handicap? It would be bad if you lost too badly andined to me that I was too ruthless." Grace waved her hand in a nonchnt manner as her Ferrari continued to race on the track.

    Up ahead was the first of the U-Turn turns, Grace deftly drifted over it to ovee the steep curve.

    By the time the second U-Turn had arrived, Grace had almost busted her own guts forughing.

    The race was now on its finalp.

    Calvin started to speed up.

    "Oh? You''re finally taking this seriously, eh? But are you sure that it''s not toote?" Grace stared at Calvin with a sneer.

    "It''s not done until it''s game over," Calvin said with this mysterious smirk on his face, "I have to win this for the sake of that reward."

    "Well, I hope you''ll do your best and struggle," Grace''s smile deepened, "Entertain me until the end!"

    Gradually, the distance between the two cards grew closer and closer.

    The Ford Mustang''s maneuverability had earned it enough speed that it was now about to ovee Grace''s Ferrari Tributo.

    However, Grace was far cunning than Calvin had expected.

    Seeing that she was about to be overtaken, she swayed the bottom-end of her Ferrari and took a sharp position for the next U-Turn.

    Her actions slowed down the Mustang...

    Calvin was forced to take a disadvantageousne since Grace was blocking his way.

    "Not bad, not bad, I didn''t expect you to actually catch up to me. But as long as I''m still in the lead, victory will still be mine in the end!"

    Grace dered.

    The two cars started running side by side.

    Up ahead of them was the final U-Turn curve that they needed to take in order to decide the victory.

    As they moved about, Grace deftly controlled her Ferrari, not allowing Calvin''s Ford Mustang to overtake her car.

    The U-Turn was fast approaching.

    Grace''s pupils shed in a sinister light.

    Every U-Turn in London Bridge needed a sessful and powerful drift for a car to ovee it.

    In other words, if Calvin''s drift was even a beat slower than hers, then she should be able to take this victory.

    <em>No, she will definitely win this!</em>

    Grace''s eyes surged with schadenfreude.

    "Here it goes!" She suddenly roared as the controller in her hands creaked the instant Grace exerted her strength.

    "Sure enough, the break is malfunctioning..." Calvin didn''t know what to say as he nced over at Grace.

    She was the Goddess of Compassion and Light. A legitimate subject of worship for the people of Las Felipinas yet little did they know that their Goddess was someone who would do anything that she couldto win.

    Calvin''s expression turned serious.

    He stared at the U-Turn up ahead and realized that he definitely needed his brakes and create a drift if he didn''t want to m his car on the cliffside.

    But with his brakes malfunctioning, how could he possibly do a drift?

    Calvin scanned the cliffside and his serious expression suddenly beamed into a smile.

    ''I actually don''t need my brakes!'' Calvin screamed in his heart.

    Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for anyone to do what he was nning to do. However, the car that he chose had the highest maneuverability stat out of all cars in Grand Turismo.

    Furthermore, Calvin wasn''t that much of a greenhorn when it came to racing games.

    He predicted that precise adjustments were necessary if he wanted to win.

    And that was what he nned on doing!

    "Oh, you''ve finally discovered that you can''t slow down? Hahaha! I''ve won thispetition!"

    Grace noticed the veins popping on Calvin''s forehead as his fingers subtly trembled on the controller.

    Grace could see that Calvin had dedicated all of his attention to the game, but what could he do without his brakes? Drifting was impossible with a malfunctioning brake in this game!

    In her heart, she had already won.

    Grace deliberately slowed down and enjoyed watching the struggle on Calvin''s face as his Ford Mustang arrived at the U-Turn!

    "You''re dead!" Grace boisterouslyughed.

    But the scene that she had expected didn''t happen.

    Instead of crashing against the cliffside with his car bursting into an inferno of mes...

    Calvin''s Ford Mustang struck the railings and flew towards the cliffside.

    Then, with an incredible disy of defiance against physics...

    Calvin''s Ford Mustang ran across the cliffside and followed it to eventually make it out of the U-Turn!

    "Impossible!" Grace abruptly stood up from the couch as she stared at Calvin with wide-eyes.

    "Heh, nothing is impossible. Hey, the game is not over yet, why are you standing up?" Calvin sneered. He gave a warning and Grace immediately went back to her seat and pushed her car forward, but it was toote...

    Calvin had umted so much speed and momentum that even her Ferrari Tributo that had the fastest speed stat in the game wasn''t able to overtake Calvin''s Ford Mustang in the finalp.

    Eventually, the Ford Mustang crossed over the finish line, and bold striking words shed across the screen.

    "VICTORY!"

    "Impossible..." Grace dropped the controller onto the floor.

    The moment it struck the ground, it dissipated into innumerable light crystals as Grace was unable to maintain the form of the cube anymore due to the emotional turmoil that she was currently experiencing.

    "How? How did you do it?" Grace stared at Calvin, "Did you cheat?"

    "Cheat?" Calvin almost keeled over onto the floor, "That''s my line! You made my brakes malfunction there, right?"

    "What?!" Grace awakened from her trance and denied his allegation in a fluster, "Why would I cheat? Why would Ithe Goddess of Compassion and Light, go so low as to cheat in a video game?"

    "You were just unfortunate. That''s it."

    "Oh? Are you saying that you didn''t cheat?" Calvin lifted an eyebrow.

    "Yes!" Grace stood her ground.

    "Well, in that case, do you want to race again? Give me the Ferrari Tributo and you can choose whatever car you want." Calvin snickered.

    "No, no, no... I won''t race anymore! You''re a dirty yer, so I won''t y with you anymore!" Grace pointed a finger at him.

    "Madame, you''re the one that''s dirty..."

    "The reason why you probably wanted to choose your car first earlier was that you''ve rigged this game from the start, am I right?"

    "If my theory is correct, then every car in Grand Turismo apart from that Ferrari Tributo of yours probably have malfunctioning brakes!" Calvin red at Grace.

    Grace was so stunned and shocked by Calvin''s deductions that she had to take a step backward. The sight of her face going pale made her look incredibly pitiful as Calvin walked over to her and said, "Don''t worry, just admit it. I won''t criticize you for it. Every gamer out there had once cheated in a game. Of course, that includes me..."

    "I won''t pretend to be a thief to rebuke the prostitute since that would be the same as the pot calling the kettle ck."

    Calvin reassured her.

    Grace puffed her cheeks and sighed, "Okay, I cheated, okay? Are you happy now?"

    She crossed her arms in front of her chest and continued, "Yes, I''m a cheater! I y games, but I always cheat because I can''t win in a normal game! I can''t even win against bots, I''m that pathetic, all right? Are you happy now?"

    Calvin shook his head, "I am not going to deny your words, nor I would console you. It''s true that you''re a shitty and pathetic gamer, but that''s only because you haven''t had a realpetitor and a mentor to learn from."

    "You''ve probably peeked at Earth once and saw their way of living, but as a Goddess... I know that you cannot possibly go there and mingle with the Earthlings since your presence alone would copse the from inside out with your power..."

    "So, how about this?"

    Calvin stared at Grace with a smile.

    "You give me my rewards from that quest and also the rewards for the duel. Then, I might find it in my heart to teach you how to y games the genuine way, without any cheats whatsoever, so you can experience the rush of winning in a legitimate manner."

    Grace was moved by his words.

    "Really?"

    "Yup... But of course, you should also let me train here for a thousand years since you know... You said that time flows slower here whenpared to the outside world, right?" Calvin replied.

    "No, I can''t do that..." Grace shook her head, "It''s true that time flows slower here than in the outside world. I could make it so that a thousand years here is only a day in the outside world, but that doesn''t mean that your body won''t grow older as time passes by here in my Heavenly Abode..."

    "In short, only a day might''ve passed in the outside world, but you would experience a thousand years in my Heavenly Abode..."

    "As a mortal with an ordinary lifespan, you might not evenst a hundred years."

    Grace stared at Calvin in certainty.

    "Fuck! And here I thought I could take advantage of that slowed time! I knew it was too good to be true!"

    Calvin couldn''t help but curse.

    "All right, let''s forget about that."

    "Can you just give me my rewards?" Calvin requested.

    Grace nodded her head, "Yes, I''ll give it to you. It is what you deserve for your efforts, and you''ve done a great job putting the disciple of that bitch in his ce."

    "B-B-Bitch?"

    "What?" Grace raised her brows. She seemed to be in a bad mood.

    "Nothing... I just didn''t think that you''d be capable of swearing."

    "Are you mocking me?"

    "Of course, not..." Calvin bitterly smiled.

    Grace proceeded to alter the world within the cube and an entire house was built right under Calvin''s eyes.

    In just five seconds, he was now inside the living room of avish house.

    "Follow me upstairs." Grace signaled.

    Calvin followed suit and the two reached a bedroom that was so huge it had everything that a gamer cared about.

    Consoles, massage chairs, ergonomic gaming chairs, and gamingputers...

    Everything was in this room.

    Grace then turned around to look at him, "You need toe here at least once a week."

    "What?"

    "Didn''t you say that you''re going to teach me how to y games?"

    "Ah, yes... Sorry, I didn''t expect that you''d agree to it so easily."

    "Well, why would I refuse such a good offer?" Grace crossed her arms in front of her chest, "But you better do a good job of teaching me."

    "Of course, of course, just leave it to me..." Calvin nodded his head, "And my rewards?"

    "Oh..."

    Grace let out an absentminded response as she nonchntly waved her hand in front of Calvin.

    A beam of concentrated divine light buried itself into Calvin''s be as numerous system notifications appeared in front of him.

    [You have received 2 Skill Slots]

    [You have received Heavenly Abode Visitation Pass - With the corresponding technique, you are able to enter the designated Heavenly Abode at will with your physical body. There is no cooldown to the entry, but it is rmended that the user does not enter the Heavenly Abode more than three times a week to prevent any adverse effects in the body.]

    [You have received 415 Experience Points]

    [Congrattions, you have ascended to Scribe!]

    [ss: Golden ss-Scribe]

    [Skills Avable in Slot: 3/???]

    [Skills Slotted: 0/???]

    [Experience Points: 1203/10,000]

    [8797 Experience Points necessary for Ascension to Historian.]

    [Ultimate Skill: Reversal of Fate is now avable!]

    [Ultimate Skill: Reversal of Fate - Copies the skill that the enemy is using. The strength of the copied skill is half of the original''s, but its duration is as long as the original. There are no restrictions to using [Reversal of Fate] but the stronger the skill being copied, the less its strength and duration would be...]

    [A skill can only be copied if it is being used by the original owner and the user saw it being used. When [Reversal of Fate] has been activated sessfully, the original owner of the skill would temporarily be unable to use the skill until the duration of the copied skill ends.

    Cooldown: Once a day, resets every 5 am.]

 Chapter 213: A Hard-To-Refuse Offer

    Chapter 213: A Hard-To-Refuse Offer

    Before Calvin could process the information contained within the system notifications, Grace forcefully dismissed them as she said.

    "You can take a look at themter.

    "Your formatting sure is confusing. Can you at least word these things carefully?" Calvin couldn''t help but criticize.

    "Sure, sure, I''ll remember your feedback." Grace dismissed his words with a nod as she dragged him into the room, "What do you think?"

    "What do I think of this room?"

    "Yup!" Grace beamed with a smile.

    "It''s fantastic. I could live my entire life in this room, as long as I have inte, of course..." Calvin approved with a thumbs-up.

    "I''m d that it''s to your liking. I wouldn''t want my instructor to hate our ce of learning." Grace chuckled.

    "Yeah, that makes sense... However, I don''t think that I have received my reward for defeating you in Grand Turismo earlier."

    "Ah, yeah, about that... I still haven''t thought of what kind of reward should I give you. I''m sure that you already know how sensitive the politics of the Seven Gods and Goddesses by now, right? I think you already know why I''ve given you that quest for the Vige of Tulog."

    "It''s to knock the Goddess of Pestilence and Famine down a notch, right?"

    "Yup. That''s the main goal."

    "Wait, so the main goal wasn''t to cleanse and rescue the vigers of Tulog?"

    "What?! Of course, that''s the main goal! Pisti is just a side-chick! How could I possibly abandon my people? Yes, that''s the reason why I sent you to the Vige of Tulog."

    "You know what, Grace? You don''t actually sound convincing..."

    "..." Grace didn''t know what to say.

    "Ahem, anyway. I really have to go back now. I want to sleep for a few hours more."

    "So, that''s why you wereining when I dragged you here..." Grace raised smirked, "I didn''t expect for you to actually take that girl as your wife, are you that kind of a person who would do it with anyone if there''s a hole?"

    "Of course, not. I''m not that low..." Calvin chuckled.

    "I see, I see..." Grace stared at him in a renewed light. "So you also noticed the abnormality within that so-called wife of yours."

    "Yeah..." Calvin didn''t deny it, "Let''s not talk about Charlotte, okay? Just give me my rewards, so I can get out of here and have some sleep."

    "What''s the rush? I''ll still give you what you deserve, no matter what." Grace dismissed him as she continued, "Are you going to take advantage of Charlotte''s abnormality?"

    "Is that why you pitied her and took her as your wife?"

    "So you could absorb that thing from her and be even stronger. Seriously, Calvin... You really are someone that believes in ''the result justifies the means'' eh?"

    "What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I take advantage of h"

    "Oh, really I''m wrong?"

    Grace interrupted his words, "Then, in that case, will you have sex with me?"

    "Yeah, you''re wrong... She might hawhat?!" Calvin almost keeled over from shock.

    "Are you serious?"

    Calvin stared at Grace as if he was looking at a monster, "Did I hear you correctly?"

    "Yes, you did..." Grace yfully smiled, "I knew that you were circting a dual cultivation technique when you are doing it with that so-called wife of yours. Do you not feel guilty taking away something so precious from her?"

    "I''m not taking it away from her!"

    Calvin suddenly grew enraged, "I am helping her suppress it!"

    "Suppress it? What a joke..."

    "It''s her true nature! It''s impossible for you to suppress it with your puny strength!"

    "If one dayCharlotte bes a monster and attacks Ashmelionare you confident that you''ll be able to stop her?" Grace asked.

    "No..." Calvin shook his head, "I am not that powerful, yet... But I''m slowly getting there."

    "It would be toote by then," Grace shook her head, she clicked her tongue and asked, "In your previous timeline, was there a mention of Ashmelion getting destroyed?"

    Calvin''s eyes repeatedly blinked, "Nope..."

    "There you go. That''s the answer."

    "You''re the one who started all of these, Calvin."

    "If you didn''t save her that day, she would''ve died in the hands of those gangsters. If you didn''t save her that day, then she would''ve been unable to nurture that nature that''s inside of her into something even greater."

    "But since you made her avoid her fate of death, you are now handed over this hot potato that you must control and contain if you don''t want to see the destruction of Ashmelion," Grace revealed the worry lingering in the deep recesses of Calvin''s mind that he always tried his best to hide whenever he was facing Charlotte.

    "Fuck..." Calvin couldn''t help but violently curse, "Is this your payback? Are you trying to get back to me after I''ve stomped you down the ground in a game of Grand Turismo?"

    "Of course not, I''m not that childish. I''m just trying to help you, Calvin..."

    "You want to get stronger, right? Then, I shall give you a reward."

    "Since you know how to use a dual cultivation technique..."

    "Why not use it with me?"

    "Surely, you will be able to extract more power from a Goddess like me with that selfish dual cultivation technique of yours than from your wife who is currently nothing but a mortal?"

    Grace moved closer to the bed and started to remove her clothes.

    She removed her gloves, bent over, and then removed her heels...

    She then sat on the bed with her legs crossed over each other. The stockings that she was wearing consumed the entirety of her thighs and legs as she sat there with her dark amethyst eyes looking amorously over to Calvin.

    "Is this the reward that you''re going to give me for the duel?" Calvin asked.

    "Take a guess." Grace winked at him and said, "Will youe over here, or what?"

    Calvin steeled his resolve.

    He stared right into Grace''s dark amethyst eyes and a smirk suddenly appeared on his face, "It''s an honor for a mortal to do it with the Goddess of Compassion and Light!" Calvin removed the clothes on his upper body and walked over to the bed.

    He pushed Grace underneath him and raised his hand to hold her right thigh.

    "Ah!" Grace let out a yelp.

    The voice that came out from her mouth sounded so sexy that Calvin couldn''t help but tickle her more.

    "So, you like it here? Let me rub it more."

    "No... Stop it!" Grace protested as her cheeks became flushed red out of embarrassment.

    She was the Goddess of Compassion and Light, the subject of worship in the eyes of countless mortals, but at this moment... She was being pinned down by a mortal. But not because she didn''t want it, it was because she offered herself to Calvin on a silver tter.

    And Calvin was definitely not a greenhorn when ites to sex.

    It wasn''t his intention to do it with Grace, but since she gave the offer, how could he refuse?

    Furthermore, Grace was right...

    Using that dual cultivation technique with a Goddess like her would definitely give him more power than using it with Charlotte.

    This was why...

    "Don''t mind me if I do..."

    Calvin traced Grace''s thigh as his hand slowly approached over to her upper thigh.

    Grace tightly closed her eyes.

    But before Calvin could touch her most precious ce, he suddenly stopped andughed.

    "Hahaha..."

    "W-W-What?"

    Grace was so shocked by the sudden turn of events that she couldn''t help but raise her upper body and stare at him in doubt.

    "Why are youughing?"

    "It''s nothing..." Calvin tried his best to suppress the trembling of his shoulders, but he found it incredibly hard to do so.

    He kept on trembling as heughed before he patiently exined, "You sure deserve the title of the Goddess of Compassion and Light, eh? To think that you would sacrifice yourself for a mere mortal?"

    "What are you talking about?" Grace pointed a finger at him, "You''re not making sense here, I don''t understand!"

    "Don''t y dumb with me anymore, Grace..."

    "Since you mentioned Grace''s abnormality, you must already know about her true identity, right? Is that the reason why you''re trying to let me use the dual cultivation technique with you instead of with her? You do not want me to deprive her of that identity?"

    "But for what reason?" Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, "I find your actions very irresponsible, why would you keep a ticking time bomb? I''m doing everything that I could doto slowly shave it off away, but here you are trying to stop me from what I am doing!"

    "It''s because it''s not right, Calvin." Grace replied, "Your actions sure are questionable, but you want to justify it with the result, am I right?"

    "But well, I don''t agree."

    "We''ve wronged her kind for too long already. It''s about time for them to feel our kindness. If I let you have your way with her and eventually disperse that nature of hers, that would be the straw that would break the camel''s back..."

    "As a member of the Seven Gods and Goddesses who witnessed everything before the First Cataclysm, I would forever lose my dignity If I let you take that away from her..."

    "I see, I see... I understand now..." Calvin sighed, "Just as I expected, you really deserve your title as the Goddess of Compassion and Light."

    "From now on, I would punch whoever dares to say that the Seven Gods and Goddesses arezy bums who do not even care about the world anymore..." Calvin lifted his hand and rubbed the crown of Grace''s head, "But still, even if you''re a Goddess who can practically do whatever you want in this world, you should value yourself more..."

    "You shouldn''t offer to do such a thing with a stranger, especially with a mortal like me."

    "It would be a lose-lose situation for you."

    Grace was moved by his words.

    "All right," She nodded her head and asked, "But are you still going to teach me how to y games? I''m sorry if I tried to seduce you..."

    "No, no, no... It''s okay. I might be so casual about all of these, but I know that you struggled to make that decision in your heart."

    Calvin hurriedly waved his hand.

    Grace bit her lips as tears seemed toe out of her eyes, "Actually, I''m still a virgin."

    "Yeah, you go ahead and wear thowhat?!"

    "Heh," Grace yfully chuckled, "What? Do you want to do it with me now? I''m sorry, but I''ve changed my mind!"

    But Calvin didn''t seem to hear her teasing as he couldn''t believe what he just heard, "You''re still a virgin? How old are you again?"

    "Approximately, at least a million years old?"

    "Holy cow..." Calvin gasped, "I had thought for sure that Discord, the Great Chief of War and Infighting had been courting you."

    "Yes, you''re right... He''s courting me. Even until now, he''s still adamant that he wants to take me as his wife..." Grace puffed her cheeks in annoyance, "He''s really so irritating to deal with!"

    "Motherfucker, are you serious?! Then, why the hell did you offer to have sex with me? Doesn''t that mean that If I do the deed with you that is basically the same as cucking the Great Chief of War and Infighting?"

    "Wouldn''t that be the same as putting a green hat on The God of War, Discord?!"

    "Ahem..." Grace lightly coughed. She averted her gaze away from him as she nodded, "Yes..."

    "Holy... I wonder what would happen if we did the deed and he noticed that I cucked him..."

    "Well, he''s the God of War and the Great Chief of War and Infighting, so he would probably do everything that he could to kill you." Grace''s lips lifted into a teasing smirk.

    She sat closer to Calvin and pressed both of her elbows together to emphasize her modest chest, "But he doesn''t have to know, right? As long as we''re in my Heavenly Abode, there''s no way that he''ll find out about it..."

    "HELL NO!" Calvin was so startled that he stood up abruptly from the bed. It was impossible for mortals to fight against a god. Furthermore, Grace wanted to make him fight against an enraged God of War? Wouldn''t that be the same asmitting suicide?

    Sure, it might feel incredibly good to do it with a Goddess and his ego might inte to the heavens.

    But living under the constant threat of being visited by the God of War himself wasn''t something that Calvin wanted to have.

    "Hahaha..." Grace was so amused by his reactions that she couldn''t help but let out a burst of bell-likeughter, "All right, let''s forget about it."

    "But it seems that you''re really underestimating me, eh? If I wanted to hide something from that old geezer, then he''ll never be able to discover what it is!"

    Calvin nodded his head. Grace was right.

    How else was she able to hide the Emperor''s Commandment back then from the eyes of the other Gods and Goddesses?

    But still...

    Putting a green hat on the Great Chief of War and Infighting... that was too much of a risk.

    Calvin didn''t say anything anymore, afraid that he might trigger the yful side of Grace.

    "Can I get my rewards, please?" Calvin requested.

    "Okay," Grace nodded with gusto, "Can you bring me that Bloodstone around your neck? And also, can you lend me the Mortician?"

    "What? What are you going to do with them?" Calvin stared at Grace in doubt. The Goddess of Compassion and Light trying to borrow hisrades that were made out of darkness and resentment. Surely, there was only a single answer to his question, right?

    "Fool," Grace criticized, "I am the Authority behind Light."

    "Light and Darkness are on both sides of the same coin..."

    "Just as how I have the Authority over Light, I am also able to nurture darkness by taking away Light. In short, I am able to make it more convenient for you to have these peeps..."

    "I''m sure that it''s not thatfortable for both you and yourrades to have them stay in your shadow and in the Bloodstone, right?"

    Grace asked.

    Calvin nodded his head, "Okay... But I hope you take care of them."

    "Sure..." Grace''s smile deepened. Her dark amethyst eyes seemed to radiate coldness as she continued, "That is if they behave properly..."

    Calvin felt a shiver down his spine.

    "Now, I''m starting to have second thoughts if I should leave them with you or not."

    "Just leave them with me and get the hell out of here already!"

    Grace waved her hand and the Bloodstone hanging around Calvin''s neck flew over to her.

    Furthermore, Calvin''s shadow trembled as the Mortician''s soul also floated over to her.

    "You cane back here tomorrow or whenever you are free this week. I''ll inscribe the information regarding the Heavenly Abode Visitation Pass''s corresponding technique in your mind, so you cane here any time you want." Grace smiled.

    "Bye, bye!" With a flick of her wrist, Calvin instantly vanished from her Heavenly Abode.

    When Calvin opened his eyes once more, he found himself on the bed with Charlotte sleeping soundly beside him.

    "Damn, that sure was one hell of an experience..." Calvinmented in his heart before he fell asleep once more a few minutester.

    He woke up a few hourster before daybreak as he exited the Coffee Shop and walked in the direction of the Hilton Borough.

    He had to visit the Captain and the others before the opening of the coffee shop for the morning rush.

    As Calvin had expected, the Cavaliers might''ve been sessful to force the church into sending a punitive force to the Vige of Tulog, but their actions were still inexcusable and now they were being imprisoned for the crime of mutiny against the authorities.

    If they were sessfully convicted, the Cavaliers would be punished ording to the Cavalier''s Way which basically meant the destruction of their Origin as a Predator.

    In short, they would be crippled and paralyzed from the waist down for their entire life.

    Calvin couldn''t possibly let that happen, so he went to the Hilton Borough to rescue the Captain and the others from their grim fates.

 Chapter 214: Fellow Holder of the Writer Class

    Chapter 214: Fellow Holder of the Writer ss

    Hilton Borough might not be as rowdy as the other Boroughs, but it also had its own boisterous activities. Unlike the Center Borough that could be considered as the melting pot of all sorts of activities from the other Boroughs. Hilton Borough was unique due to the fact that the restaurants and shops here only sold items that catered to the nobles.

    With how they were marketing their wares, it would obviously be very expensive.

    But Calvin wasn''t here to shop.

    He was here to visit the Department of Justice.

    The City of Ashmelion was under the control of the Joselian Kingdom. But since the Capital of the Joselian Kingdom was so far-away from the city, the King decided to appoint regional governors that would reign over a set number of cities. Ashmelion wasn''t an exception.

    Ashmelion was a city under the banner of the Governador-General Lothar. The Governador-General reigned over the entire Region 7 and he gave each city a mayor which would preside over the entire city. The mayor then created various departments to handle specific works in the city which included the Ashmelion Police Department and the Department of Justice.

    The Cavaliers had been arrested under the crime of mutiny.

    Normally, criminals were always sent to the underground prisons which were under the jurisdiction of the Ashmelion Police Department.

    But given the special identities of the Cavaliers and the church''s secrecy regarding supernatural events. The Cavaliers were directly arrested by the Department of Justice.

    This was why Calvin was heading to the Department of Justice.

    However...

    He lost his way.

    Awkwardly scratching his head, Calvin nced at the sky and decided that if he wanted to return to the coffee shop before daybreak. He must arrive at the Department of Justice in ten minutes.

    Unfortunately, Hilton Borough''s design made it incredibly attractive to the eyes of the nobles, but it also made traversing the Hilton Borough, quite convoluted to those that weren''t in the know.

    "Fuck it, I''ll go ride a carriage-taxi." Calvin gnashed his teeth and eventually made a decision.

    He didn''t want to rent a carriage-taxi at first since the prices would surely be exorbitant. It was because carriages that were allowed to step foot on Hilton Borough had special permits that gave them the privilege to raise their prices.

    Left with no other choice, Calvin bit the bullet and rode in one.

    Fortunately, the driver was more skillful than he had thought. Calvin arrived at the Department of Justice''s entrance five minutester.

    "Do you have an appointment, sir?" A male attendant smiled at Calvin when he saw thetter approaching from the distance.

    "I don''t have one, but I have this," Calvin brandished his medallion in front of the attendant.

    "Ah..." The male attendant lightly gasped, he hadn''t expected that such a young man would be a member of the Department of Justice''s Special Corps Division.

    Yes, this was how the outside world knew the Cavaliers, Missionaries, and the Evangelists. For them, these people existed under the all-epassing umbre of the Department of Justice.

    "To think that I didn''t recognize the honorable sir... Please pardon my mistake." The male attendant quickly apologized.

    "You did nothing wrong," Calvin smiled at him, "You were just doing your job."

    "Anyway, can you bring me over to the Chief Executor? I guess he''s already awake now, right?"

    The male attendant stared at Calvin in a renewed light.

    At first, he thought that Calvin had brought in a fake Special Corps Medallion, but when he heard Calvin casually mention the Chief Executor and the fact that he even knew of the Chief Executor''s daily routine. It was now very clear that he was more than legitimate.

    "As you wish," The male attendant deeply bowed.

    He went back into the lobby and turned right.

    A few momentster, he returned with a smile on his face, "The Chief Executor is absent, honorable sir, but we do know his location. He''s at the Maximum Security Penitentiary at this moment, he seems to be in the middle of interviewing some high-profile criminals."

    "All right," Calvin waved his hand at the male attendant.

    His brows furrowed when he heard the male attendant mention that the Chief Executor was interviewing some high-profile criminals. It was pretty obvious who among the criminals in that Penitentiary deserved the attention of the Chief Executor.

    Calvin wasn''t reallyining at all, he was just frowning at the fact that the attendant called them criminals.

    Technically, they were criminals.

    But what they had done didn''t make them criminals in Calvin''s eyes.

    Calvin turned around and left, but just as he stepped a foot outside the Department of Justice''s entrance.

    He turned back and approached the male attendant once more.

    "How may I help you, sir?" The male attendant respectfully asked.

    "Can you tell me where the Maximum Security Penitentiary is?" Calvin brandished an awkward smile

    "Oh..." The male attendant was perplexed.

    As a member of the Department of Justice''s Special Corps Division, shouldn''t he knew the city of Ashmelion like it was the back of his hand?

    Still, the male attendant had no right to question Calvin''s actions and questions as he slightly bowed and raised his hand to lead the way, "This way, honorable sir."

    The Maximum Security Penitentiary was located at the South-western side of the Hilton Borough.

    Since that side of the Hilton Borough was closest to the Western Borough which was known as the Capital of Slow Death, not a lot of people frequented this side of the Hilton Borough.

    As a result, the government took advantage of the nobles'' aversion tomoners in order to create a penitentiary where they could house powerful and high-profile criminals.

    The male attendant seemed to be well-known in these parts as the journey towards the Maximum Security Penitentiary went smoother than butter.

    "I can only apany you up to here, sir." The male attendant slightly bowed in Calvin''s direction. His clearance just wasn''t enough to get past the building''s entrance in from of them.

    "You''ve done a great job. I appreciate it." Calvin faintly nodded to the male attendant before he turned around and walked into the building.

    As soon as Calvin entered the Penitentiary, he was startled and astonished by the scene that he saw.

    The inmates in the Maximum Security Penitentiary weren''t treated badly as he had expected! In fact, most of the inmates in their own independent cells had a soft andfy bed as well as some amenities such as newspapers, slippers, and nightwear!

    What the heck? Did I really enter a prison?

    Calvin''s dumbfounded face attracted the attention of the Jail Warden.

    "Is this your first time visiting the Maximum Security Penitentiary, honorable sir?" Calvin had met the Jail Warden in the entrance, so thetter knew that Calvin wasn''t someone that he could afford to offend just like the prisoners in this ce.

    "Yeah. But I must say that I am amazed at how the inmates here are being treated. Instead of being tortured, they''re being treated as if they are VIPs!" Calvin sarcastically said.

    The Jail Warden bitterly smiled, "Since this is the honorable sir''s first time visiting the Penitentiary, I will exin..."

    "The inmates here aren''t really people that we can afford to offend, honorable sir. Yes, we might be able to torture or y with them, but once their families outside knew of what we had done, they would definitely retaliate against our families..."

    Calvin stared at the Jail Warden with blinking eyes.

    He could see the conflicted emotions in the Jail Warden''s eyes. Indeed, the people here were criminals and they shouldn''t deserve this kind of lifestyle while they were incarcerated. Yet, they were living like this due to the support of their families from outside the prison.

    ''Damn, there''s no respect in here...''

    Calvin even saw a prison guard being punched by an inmate on the face since thetter had brought in a slipper made out of sandalwood instead of slippers padded with cotton.

    The Jail Warden saw what was happening and he could only let out a sigh as the two of them continued their journey towards the depths of the Maximum Security Penitentiary.

    "Is this the ce?" Calvin turned to look at the Jail Warden.

    "Yes, the Chief Executor should be there," The Jail Warden nodded, "I''ll be going now, honorable sir. I don''t have enough clearance to enter that room with the Chief Executor still in there."

    "All right, you may go back now." Calvin nonchntly waved his hand as he received the keys to the room from the Jail Warden.

    "Damn it, old man! Can you at least provide us with a cup of coffee?" Ron Samuel''s voice reverberated just as Calvin entered the room.

    Ron Samuel was standing in front of a middle-aged man who was looking at him with this casual smile on his face.

    "I came here in a hurry since you told me that he''s going toe here today for sure."

    The middle-aged man let out a sigh, "If I knew that you would be this noisy, then I wouldn''t havee here." He shrugged and he happened to see Calvin entering the room in his peripheral vision.

    "Oh? Who are you?" The middle-aged man furrowed his eyebrows at the sight of Calvin.

    They were in the Maximum Security Penitentiary, so a random joe shouldn''t be able to enter the facility.

    Much more, since they were in this special room that he specifically asked from the Department of Justice to house the arrested Cavaliers, special clearance was necessary before someone could enter this room.

    But the middle-aged man swore that he had never seen this young man.

    Fortunately, the answer that he wanted soon arrived faster than he had expected.

    "Speaking of the devil..." James Branzu smiled, "Old man, didn''t you say that you wanted to meet that kindred spirit of yours?"

    "Ah!" The middle-aged man''s face brightened, "Could it be that he''s that young man?"

    "That holder of a golden ssified writer ss..."

    "Calvin Vinueva?"

 Chapter 215: The Compassionate Newbie, Calvin

    Chapter 215: The Compassionate Newbie, Calvin

    "Reporting to the Chief Executor. It is indeed me, Calvin Vinueva." Calvin was quick to make the sign of the Goddess on his chest as he stood tall in front of the middle-aged man.

    "Nice to meet you," The middle-aged man stood up.

    A somewhat fanatical look was on his face as he stretched his hand and said, "My name is Martin Lothar, the Chief Executor for the Department of Justice..."

    "It truly is a pleasure to meet you, my kindred spirit." Marin Lothar''s eyes seemed to ze over as he stared thirstily at Calvin.

    "Uh..." Calvin had stretched out his hand to receive the handshake, but he found himself unable to retract his hand as Martin held it tightly.

    "Indeed, indeed... such calloused hands... Especially around the second and first joint of your index finger and the first joint of your thumb. I see, so you are right-handed?"

    "Yes, right-handed people aremon in the world, but I am more inclined to believe that left-handers are more special than those who can only use their right hand."

    Martin repeatedly nodded his head as he stared at Calvin like thetter was a rare specimen.

    "I can use both of my left and right hand though..." Calvin nonchntly dered.

    Martin''s figure froze.

    "What?"

    He blinked his eyes and stared at Calvin for a while before he eximed in shock, "Oh Goddess of Light! Are you serious?"

    "Yes, I am... I can show you." Calvin stared in confusion at Martin.

    <em>Was it really that surprising to be ambidextrous? </em>

    Back then, so many people have been left disabled on the battlefield, so it became part of their regiment to learn how to effectively use both of their arms.

    After all, it would be depressing if you lost your right arm in the battle, and now you suddenly couldn''t function properly with your left hand.

    Martin handed over a piece of paper to Calvin.

    "No, give me two pieces of paper and a quill. It would be faster if I demonstrate it." Calvin interrupted.

    "Oh..." Martin absentmindedly handed over another piece of paper and two quill pens.

    Then, Calvin started writing on the pieces of paper with both of his hands at the same time.

    "You..."

    "Wow..."

    Martin gawked at Calvin while the other Cavaliers seemed to be impressed.

    "Art on the left; literature on the right... This is the way of the dual dragons! You... How did you know how to do this? Did you train for it, or are you just simply a natural when ites to this?" Martin stared at Calvin.

    Calvin stopped whatever he was doing and smiled, "I''m a natural."

    "I''ve discovered this niche talent of mine when I injured my right hand when I was young."

    "Oooh! So that''s how it is..." Martin crossed his right foot over to his left foot as he asked, "Are you interested in literature?"

    "Not particrly..." Calvin shook his head. Well, he was interested in writing but as for painting and other literature-rted arts that didn''t involve writing, he didn''t have any interest in them.

    "I see, I see... Are you interested to join the Club of Calligraphy, perhaps? I''m quite a high-ranking senior in that club, and maybe. You could maybe help us elevate the club to a higher pedigree. Who knows, you might even be our representative for the yearly scrim against those calligraphy fanatics from Laguna?" Martin asked with shining eyes.

    Calvin''s lips twitched.

    <em>I came here to discuss with you the release of the Captain and the others!</em>

    <em>Why are we talking about things like these?</em>

    "Well, maybe some other time in the future..." Calvin awkwardly scratched his head and nced at the Captain and the others.

    "Hey, old man. He didn''te here for idle talk. If you want to continue such talk, then it is better if you go to the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop." Ron Samuelined, "Why did youe here sote, Calvin? The sundial says that there''s only about half an hour before the shop opens. Could it be that you closed the shop while we''re gone?"

    "No, no, no..." Calvin hurriedly waved his hand, "If I closed the shop, then those nobles would probably riot given how many Cafe Latte they drink in our shop every day." A smile appeared on his face, "The shop is still open for business. I should be able to make it in time. As for why I came herete, I know it''s embarrassing but I actually lost my way."

    "You lost your way?" Ashlynn couldn''t help but boisterouslyugh, "Now I can see how you stumbled upon the creepy secrets of that vige, you must''ve lost your way up to that sinister thing and prematurely awakened it, right?"

    Ashlynn wasughing, but no one else had a smile on their face.

    It was because they knew just how dangerous that sinister being was.

    If not for the fact that Ron Samuel and the others forced the church into action, that sinister being would''ve fully awakened and could''ve been roaming thends by now.

    "Calvin, do you have any leads as to who are the masterminds? We can''t seem to find those tworades of yours for an interview. The Missionaries and Evangelists had probably gotten to them faster than we did." Ron Samuel asked.

    Calvin nodded his head, "Yes, I know everything... I know who is involved and I know just what to do."

    "But before that, I have a question to ask the Chief Executor of the Department of Justice." Calvin made a sidelong nce at Martin, "What should do if I wanted to release the Captain and the others from prison?"

    "Hmmm..." Martin seemed to fall into deep contemtion, "The crime that the Cavaliersmitted except you is the crime of mutiny and treason against the crown. From their names alone, I''m sure that I do not have to exin to you how serious these usations are, right?"

    "Yes..." Calvin clicked his tongue.

    He hadn''t expected that the crime of insubordination would suddenly level-up to mutiny. Moreover, the crime of treason against the crown was also involved. Now, it became moreplicated to legally let the Captain and the others get out of prison.

    "However, just as the church punishes those that vite thew. They also reward those deserving of rewards. Since you''ve uncovered the secrets of that godforsaken vige and even pretended to be dead to alert the authorities..."

    "The church has decided to give you ten thousand merit points." Martin surreptitiously nced at Ron Samuel and the others to see their reactions.

    "T-T-Ten thousand merit points?!" Ashlynn was the first one to react, "How did the church suddenly be so generous? I''ve been here for years now, but I don''t even have a hundred merit points yet!"

    Martin nodded his head.

    He seemed to be in a good mood as he exined, "The threat level of that sinister being was so severe His Eminence himself had to go there and cleanse thends. Now, do you think that Calvin''s discovery is still not worth ten thousand merit points?"

    "I''m sure that I don''t have to exin to all of you the severity of the situation when His Eminence had to be involved."

    The Cavaliers sucked a mouthful of cold air.

    "Damn..." Even the usually uptight James Branzu couldn''t help but curse in amazement, "It''s a good thing that Calvin discovered that thing before it fully awakened. Or else, we wouldn''t know how many cities it would destroy before the church catches up to it."

    "Yeah, the Queen of gue has always been troublesome. Then, fused with that Sinister Heart. It''ll be an Ambassador-Ranked monster. Something that not many of us here can basically fight against." Martin let out a sigh as he shook his head.

    He then directed a gaze of admiration to Calvin, "I really apud you for your bravery, young man. To think that you''d be able to survive a night in that vige."

    "Thank you, sir..." Calvin slightly bowed his head as a return of gesture as he asked, "Since sir Martin told me that I have ten thousand merit points now. I wonder if I can use that for the release of Captain and the others?"

    "What?" Ron Samuel stared at Calvin in bewilderment.

    "Wait, what did you say?" Martin was also looking at Calvin in shock, "You... Do you now know what ten thousand merit points mean? With so many merit points you will be able to peek at the secrets of the church!"

    "You could also exchange these points for Ascension Materials, or maybe for some mystical artifacts that would surely help you more than releasing these bunch of fools!"

    "Shut up, old man." James Branzu coldly snorted.

    Martin lightly chuckled, "Are you sure that you''re going to use your merit points for their release?"

    "Yes..." Calvin nodded resolutely. He didn''t have to peek at the secrets of the church since he had ess to the Heavenly Abode of someone that knew the Church of All-Epassing Light as if it was on the back of her hand. In regards to mystical artifacts, Calvin should be able to convince Grace to make one for him, and in regards to Ascension Materials.

    Did he really need them when he had the Ascension System?

    "Hahaha..." Martin boisterouslyughed, "It seems that you didn''t make the wrong decision of rescuing this newbie of yours, Ron!"

    Ron Samuel didn''t say anything in response, but there was a slight smile on his face.

    Ashlynn boldly approached Calvin and whispered into his ears, "If you weren''t married, I would''ve let you do it with me once or twice."

    Her words carried with it her hot breath and it made Calvin''s heart tremble as he cursed in his mind, ''Damn it, this vixen!''

    "All right, since it looks like you are not going to change your decision so soon. I guess it''s final." Martin smiled, "Give me your hand."

    Calvin extended his arm and Martin took out his own custom-made medallion that signified his authority in the Department of Justice.

    Clicking a button on his medallion, a needle appeared out of nowhere and Martin pricked Calvin''s thumb with that needle, drawing blood from within Calvin''s body.

    A dim light covered Martin''s medallion and he turned to look at Calvin and said, "Repeatedly say the words, ''I permit the extraction of ten thousand merit points'' in your head until the light disappears."

    Calvin nodded, ''I permit the extraction of ten thousand merit points.''

    He chanted in his head.

    The dim light soon disappeared and the transaction waspleted. Calvin''s medallion somehow didn''t feel as heavy as it did before.

    "Congrattions, Ron. You and yourrades are good to leave." Martin smiled at Ron Samuel before he turned to look at Calvin, "I really admire yourpassion towards your friends, young man. It might be going over the boundary, but I want to ask you this. Would you be interested to work with the Department of Justice in the future?"

 Chapter 216: The Yellow River Gang Must Be Destroyed!

    Chapter 216: The Yellow River Gang Must Be Destroyed!

    "Hahaha," Calvin drylyughed, "I sure can visit the Department of Justice if I do have the time in the future."

    "Well, visiting is still good. We can talk about things rted to our ss." Martin smiled.

    "Oh, sir Martin also has the Writer ss? So, that is the reason why you were calling me your kindred spirit earlier." Calvin nodded in understanding, "I guess, we truly are kindred spirits."

    "Hahaha, you sure know how to coax, eh? Yes, I do have the Writer ss, my ss specialization, or should I say, second ss, is Arbiter."

    "Arbiter?" Calvin stared at Martin, "Now I understand why sir Martin is working as the church''s Chief Executor..."

    "With such a rare ss specialization, your abilities are really attractive to the church."

    "You seem to know a lot about my ss?" Martin stared at Calvin in astonishment.

    "Reading makes the world go round, sir. I''m just an avid reader of books." Calvin reasoned out.

    "I see, that makes sense." Martin nodded his head, "Your friends here are free to go, but their crimes aren''t actually absolved..."

    "The best that I can do with your ten thousand merit points is to sign their release papers on bail. Six monthster, they still have to attend their criminal trial so you only have six months before the fates of yourrades are decided." Martin smiled at Calvin.

    Thetter nodded his head, but his expression quickly changed. It was because he realized the meaning hidden deep within Martin''s words.

    "Sir Martin, are you saying that there is a way for me to make the churchpletely forget the crimes that the Captain and the othersmitted?" Calvin asked in delight.

    Ron Samuel and the others perked up their ears to listen.

    "Yes." Martin nodded, "Money makes the world go round..."

    "That adage is still true to us Predators, but instead of money. It''s resources."

    "If you are able to pay the price, then the church should be able to drop the case against your fellow Cavaliers. As for what kind of price, it could be more than the discovery that you did in the Vige of Tulog."

    "Do you have any idea as to what kind of meritorious deeds could match what you have contributed to the church so far?" Martin asked.

    Ron Samuel and the others turned to look at Calvin.

    "Would destroying the organization that is behind everything that happened in the Vige of Tulog be enough to pay for it?"

    Calvin nonchntly asked.

    Martin stared at him, wide-eyed, "Are you serious? So that is the reason why you said earlier that you know who is involved. But since you said that they are an organization. How could you be so confident that you are able to destroy them? On what basis?"

    Calvin didn''t back down as he also stared at Martin, "I need six months and a little bit of help from the Department of Justice."

    "Well, I can surely lend you that help," Marin shrugged, "But what is in there for me? You don''t expect me to just help you, right? You might be a kindred spirit, but I am not so altruistic that I would help you without any benefits in return for me."

    "Martin, you''re such a cunning old geezer." Ron Samuel couldn''t help but criticize from the side, "He''s just joking with you. There''s no way that the Department of Justice can help you with such matters when the eyes of the Missionaries and that bastard Jose is on us..."

    "If we dare to use the help of the Department of Justice, then he will surely lodge aint andplicate matters even more."

    "Hahaha," Martin chuckled, "Why be a wet nket and reveal me right there, Ron?"

    "Yes, I might not be able to let him use the identity of the Department of Justice''s Special Corps Division when he''s about to destroy that organization, but I sure can push him to the other departments in this city, you know?"

    "Ah..." Bruce uttered in understanding.

    James Branzu squeezed out a smile.

    Ashlynn only shook her head, while Ron Samuel nodded, "I guess that''s the only way then."

    "Captain, sir Martin. What are you two talking about?" Calvin couldn''t help but ask.

    Martin patiently exined, "The Department of Justice will not be able to help you due to someplicated politics, but there is a way for you to legally destroy the organization behind what happened in the Vige of Tulog..."

    "I should be able to lend you a hand on registering for it, and coincidentally, they are currently in the process of recruiting fresh recruits for the position of Auxilliary Policemen."

    "I can give you a letter of rmendation and by next week, the training should start. In approximately, three months, you should already be an Auxiliary policeman, so you would only have three months left to destroy that organization..."

    "I know that the timings are tight, but beggars can''t really be choosers, you see? How about it? Do you want to try your hand at it?"

    "Do you want to join the Ashmelion Police Department?" Martin asked with a smile.

    "The Ashmelion Police Department?" Calvin furrowed his eyebrows. It was indeed troublesome that he had to spend three months toiling for a ce in the police department. Since he was under the Department of Justice''s Special Corps Division.

    He should''ve been able to skip past these contrivances, but unfortunately, the Missionaries and some high-ranking officials of the church must be on guard against Calvin''s actions.

    The deadline was six months.

    Three months would be spent for training, while the other three months would be spent on destroying the Yellow River Gang.

    Calvin thought about it for a while and remembering the grievous injuries that the bastard had sustained in the Vige of Tulog before he escaped, Calvin started to feel confident that he should be able to uproot the entire Yellow River Gang in three months.

    However, he was concerned if destroying the Yellow River Gang was enough contribution, so that the church would forget about what the Cavaliers had done.

    "Are you concerned that the church would deem your efforts insufficient for the acquittal of yourrades? Well, that is a legitimate concern..." Martin let out a sigh, "I also do not know how the church will react, but let''s see... what''s the name of the organization behind what happened in the Vige of Tulog?"

    "Depending on that organization''s scope and how huge it is, I should be able to predict the church''s next course of actions once you''re done with that organization." Martin gave a confident smile.

    Calvin nodded, "It''s the Yellow River Gang."

    "Ah, the Yellow Riv"

    "What did you just say?" Martin was once again shocked by Calvin''s words, "The Yellow River Gang is behind all that happened in that vige? How can you be so sure?" A frown appeared on his face, "For the church, the Quads in Ashmelion are just a bunch of ragtag ruffians with little precious in their heads. Are you sure that they are the ones behind everything?"

    "Yes, I''m a hundred percent positive. In fact, I fought against their leader but the bastard managed to escape in time before the arrival of the church''s punitive force." Calvin exined.

    "I see..." Martin took a deep breath, "Now it makes sense why you had to destroy your medallion. At first, I thought that you made an unnecessary decision since I don''t really believe that you wouldn''t be able to escape that vige if you wanted tosince the sinister being is still in the process of awakening. But right now, it all makes sense."

    "You were forced into a corner by the leader of the Yellow River Gang, am I right?"

    Martin asked.

    "Yes..." Calvin nodded seriously, "That is what happened."

    "All right,'' Martin softly nodded, "But even if you are a hundred percent sure that it''s the Yellow River Gang. You can''t just expect the church to believe in your words so easily, right?"

    "I understand." Calvin replied, "It should be enough if I brought a trophy would me which would prove that everything that happened in the Vige of Tulog was the doing of the Yellow River Gang."

    "Yes, that is enough." Martin smiled, "I''ll be going first and prepare that letter of rmendation. There will be a medical examination on Thursday, you better not bete."

    "I''ll order someone to deliver the letter to youter in the afternoon..."

    "For now, I''ll go and retire first."

    He waved his hand towards Calvin and the Cavaliers, "See you guyster."

    Of course, Martin didn''t forget to inform the Jail Warden of the Cavaliers'' release on bail.

    Ron Samuel stared seriously at Calvin and he couldn''t help but speak.

    "The Yellow River Gang..."

    "Even if they are not the true culprits behind what happened in the Vige of Tulog. Uprooting them from this city should still be a good enough contribution that the church would turn a blind eye to what we have done."

    "To be honest, I don''t think that the church is that willing to punish us. I bet if we manage to shut the trap of that bastard Jose and the other high-ranking officials rallying behind Rosales''s banner, the church should forgive us for what we have done on the ount of your contributions." Ron Samuel exined.

    "Captain, are you saying that everything has just beplicated due to the efforts of those that hate us?" Bruce was the one who spoke, a frown was on his face as he asked, "Why are they doing this to us when we''re all under the banner of the Church of the Three Orthodox Gods! We''re basicallyrades living under the same roof!"

    "Hahaha," Ashlynn coldlyughed, "You don''t understand, Bruce..."

    "But someday you will."

    "You just have to understand right now that even though the Missionaries are not our enemies. They sure are not ourrades either..."

    "If we are on a battlefield, you should not actively help them. But if they are specifically asking for your help, you should help them on the ount of us being under the same banner."

    "I got it..." Bruce softly nodded.

    "Forget about that issue for now. I don''t think that we would be able to do anything anyway since we are on bail." James Branzu waved his hand, "Let''s just think that we are on vacation for the next six months..."

    "Of course, that''s really not the case since we are now criminals that cannot possibly go out of the city of Ashmelion. In short, we will spend the next six months in the coffee shop!"

    "OOOH!" Ashlynn eximed, "Yeah, that''s not a problem... Let''s make our coffee shop, the number one coffee shop in Ashmelion!" Her eyes beamed with the light of gold. It was as if she was starting to imagine the money that they would earn in the next six months.

    Staring at the Cavaliers, Calvin felt at peace.

    Ron Samuel stared at Calvin and asked, "I''m sure that you know what''s your priority right now, right? Leave the coffee shop to us. As for your wife, I''ll make sure to reward her properly with a raise that she deserves."

    Calvin nodded, "Thanks, Captain."

    "Yeah, I know what to do..."

    "The Yellow River Gang must be destroyed!"

    Calvin dered in his heart.

 Chapter 217: Enemies Are In Abundance, But So Are Friends

    Chapter 217: Enemies Are In Abundance, But So Are Friends

    Somewhere in Ashmelion...

    The Cathedral of Lumiere had a council that supervised all of the decisions made by the Church of All-Epassing Light in the city of Ashmelion. Without the approval of the seven high-ranking officials. A radical change couldn''t be made.

    And the execution of a Cavalier was considered a radical change...

    After all, talents were hard toe by.

    No matter how insignificant the rank of a Cavalier was, he was still a member of the three Judiciaries.

    This was something that couldn''t be scoffed at.

    Today, inside a secret room somewhere in the Cathedral of Lumiere. All seven sufficiently high-ranking individuals were present. The Cardinal, Santiago was also in this room and his job was to be the overseer for today''s meeting.

    However, he was only a figurehead for today''s meeting since the Chief Executor of the Church of All-Epassing Light was here.

    The topic of today''s meeting was the mutiny that the Cavaliers had conducted against a high-ranking official. Naturally, that high-ranking official was also here.

    The Church of the three Orthodox Gods had always managed to maintain their solidarity due to the concept of camaraderie...

    With that, they had to take the mutiny of the Cavaliers seriously.

    "Dispose of them through the Cavalier''s way." A high-ranking official stated.

    Obviously, he was Rosales Ay. He was usually a timid man, but in this meeting, he looked strangely determined to dispose of the Cavaliers, "They have gone too far! We cannot let them go scot-free, they must pay the consequences of going against a church official!"

    "We must set an example! I propose that the Cavaliers are to be executed!"

    Rosales Ay dered.

    "Don''t you think that you''re being too hasty in that decision, Rosales?" A middle-aged man spoke up. He was the Patriarch of the Fayke Aristocratic family in Ashmelion.

    Even though it looked strange that the leader of a merchant family was also a high-ranking official of the church...

    It wasn''t really that peculiar.

    The church often relied on their merchantworks to earn a little money on the side and also acquire information regarding rare resources and materials.

    The middle-aged man''s name was Ruiz Fayke. In terms of position and authority within the church, one could consider him to be the 2nd among the seven.

    "How could you say that? Can you imagine yourself in my shoes?! They''ve gone too far, and that''s it! They must be executed!"

    Rosales Ay fumed in fury. He couldn''t help but point a finger at Ruiz.

    "I know that you are angry at them, but we can''t just turn a blind eye to their aplishments. They''ve uncovered the secrets of that vige and it turned out that a Queen of gue holding the Sinister Heart was in the vige!"

    "If not for the Cavaliers'' actions then the church might not even know of that imminent threat until it''s toote!" Ruiz Fakye reasoned out with equal determination in his tone of voice.

    The other council members stared at Ruiz Fayke in astonishment.

    Among the seven council members, the stance of the Fayke Aristocratic family had always been ambiguous. But this was understandable since the council members had always tried their best to maintain equilibrium among its members.

    Back then, they often quarreled against each other whenever there was a chance...

    But now, they had perfectly divvied up Ashmelion''s territory and their own interests.

    As a result, they no longer interfered in each other''s actions.

    However, whenever an external influence threatened their interests, they would always unite to resist it.

    The council members considered the Cavaliers'' actions as a threat to their own personal interests...

    This was why the meeting was convened.

    The Cavaliers were still under their jurisdiction. Usually, if a member of the church''s judiciaries did such a severe crime like what the Cavaliers had done, they would always be executed on the spot without a trial.

    But this time, a summary execution couldn''t possibly be done. It was because the individuals involved were the entire Ashmelion Branch of the Cavaliers. Setting aside the expected opposition and outrage that a summary execution would invoke from the Headquarters of the Cavaliers in Laguna...

    Ron Samuel and the others were also valuable assets to the church.

    The entire issue became a dilemma for the Church of Lumiere that a meeting had to be called.

    "Ruiz is right, the actions of the Cavaliers were deplorable indeed, but the result wasn''t that bad. Also, no real casualties happened, so I suggest that we should just let them go as a recognition for their efforts." A council member proposed.

    Rosales shook his head, "If we let them go, will the others even respect us? Where would our dignity go if we are not even willing to punish those that deserved to be punished?"

    "That''s correct," A voice floated over.

    The voice sounded unfamiliar to the council members. But it wasn''t because they didn''t know who was speaking; it was because the person who spoke just now seldom stated his thoughts in a meeting.

    "Rosales''s words are correct. I also approve of the execution of the Cavaliers. On grounds of mutiny, they must be executed!"

    "Mr. Park..." The other council members stared in astonishment at the person who just spoke.

    Even the Cardinal, Santiago, and the Chief Executor Martin Lothar were staring at the man in shock. This was the first time in years that the man spoke a word in meetings and he was in agreement for the execution of the Cavaliers?

    Also, why did it seem like he has a specific hatred against the Cavaliers?

    Ruiz turned to look at the council member and sneered, "Park Hoong-Jun. It''s been years since you''ve spoken in a meeting like this..."

    "Now that I think about it, that strange ent of yours is still present, eh? You sound like you''re out of this world!" Ruiz Fayke observed the changes on the man''s face, but thetter remained indifferent, "Would you like to exin your stance?"

    Park Hoong-Jun shrugged, "It doesn''t matter..."

    "My decision will not change."

    "All right..." Ruiz shook his head. He was wary of Park Hoong-Jun.

    Ruiz was the only non-Predator member of the church, so he knew that he had to know his fellow council members more or he would be at a disadvantage in future discussions.

    As a result, Ruiz had investigated every council member, but there was one person whose information seemed to be covered in an endless void.

    Park Hoong-Jun.

    Everything about this man was strange.

    His ent sounded stiff, and his name was something that Ruiz had never seen before.

    But no matter what, the fact that Park Hoong-Jun was able to be a high-ranking official of the church and a member of the council meant that there was nothing wrong with his identity. However, the fact that he was able to keep his identity hidden from the others for so long was a piece of rock-solid evidence in regards to his abilities.

    Park Hoong-Jun was a man that must never be underestimated.

    Ruiz cleared his throat and continued, "How about the other council members? What do you think?"

    "Can''t we be a little optimistic and say that the Cavaliers only did what they have done due to the ipetence of a certain someone?" The council member who spoke was a woman who looked to be in her twenties.

    The pure white one-piece dress that she wore expressed her purity without lessening her dignity and presence in front of these battle-hardened and experienced men.

    "Sistine Santin. Shouldn''t you go and handle the matters of the Convent instead of trying to influence the decision of us, men?"

    Rosales sneered.

    "Hahaha," Sistine coldly chuckled, "I won''tment about what you had said just now, but remember thatwhat can you do... I will be able to do it better. Especially when you are that ipetent."

    "What did you say?!"

    Rosales stood up from his seat as his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.

    Staring at Sistine, indescribable fury welled up in his heart.

    To be honest, he hated the fact that there was a woman in the council.

    But no matter what, he had to admit that Sistine Santin was indeed a capable woman.

    Her influence was even stronger than the Mercenaries Guild, or maybe even the Fayke Aristocratic family.

    But why?

    It was because Sistine had always been the symbol of light andpassion in the eyes of themoners.

    In a way, she was the symbol of themoners.

    This was why she became a high-ranking official of the church.

    Her charisma and charm was an incredibly powerful weapon that she could use any time she wanted to sway the public''s opinion against a particr member of the church.

    This was how powerful Sistine was...

    Indeed, the so-called Energetic Sister of Hope and Light couldn''t be underestimated at all.

    "Take your seat, Rosales. Order in the meeting must be upheld at all times." A middle-aged man''s deep and bassy voice rang out.

    "Y-Y-Your Honor! Please forgive me for my rudeness!" Rosales quickly stiffened as he cowered and immediately took his seat.

    Sistine also wore a grave look on her face as the middle-aged man stared at her, "7th. Your opinion is highly regarded. But it is true that the Cavaliers had vited a rule and disrespected the church..."

    Everyone turned their attention to the middle-aged man.

    His opinion would decide everything.

    It was because this man was the most valuable member of the church, the owner of the 1st seat in the council, and the future 8th Cardinal of the Church of the All-Epassing LightMikael Gonzaga.

    Every person in this council respected his opinion to the point of subservience.

    Martin stared at Mikael with a serious look on his face.

    If Mikael decided that the Cavaliers deserved to die, then they would never be able to see the next day!

    His words were crucial to the final decision of the council.

    This was a do or die situation for the Cavaliers!

    "But I also cannot deny their achievements. This is why I will be giving them the benefit of the doubt and say that I will not voice out my opinion this time. Feel free to discuss the specifics among yourselves." Mikael directly stated his opinion and immediately went silent.

    Martin let out a sigh of relief.

    It was good as long as Mikael didn''t say that the Cavaliers must die.

    At least, the Cavaliers still had a chance to survive without Mikael''s support or opposition.

    "Point taken..." The Chief Executor, Martin Lothar quickly took advantage of this opportunity to speak, "The 1st has a neutral opinion..."

    "How about you, 2nd?"

    "Shall we execute the Cavaliers for the crime of mutiny?"

    Ruiz Fayke nodded, "I oppose the idea!"

    Martin Lothar turned to look at Rosales Ay, the holder of the third seat, "How about you, 3rd?"

    "I agree to it! We must execute them!"

    Martin nodded. He turned to look at Park Hoong-Jun and asked.

    "I presume that 4th has the same idea as the 3rd, am I right?"

    Park Hoong-Jun softly nodded without saying anything.

    "5th?" Martin Lothar turned to look at the man who had never once voiced out his opinion throughout the entire meeting. But the other council members didn''t really think that much of the 5th''s opinion.

    It was because he was the definition of a muscle-head who only wanted to fight.

    In fact, it was a mystery how he was able to join the council with his brains.

    "Me? I don''t really understand what you guys are talking about, but I believe that we cannot just execute people randomly. So, I''ll object!"

    Jayson Chad, the holder of the 5th seat, and the leader of the Mercenaries Guild replied.

    "Wait up!" Rosales interrupted, "Jayson, why are you wasting your opinion so easily? Support me and agree to the execution of those bastards?"

    "Those bastards?" Jayson nkly stared at Rosales, "Who are we talking about anyway?"

    "You... Did you even listen to what we talked about earlier?!" Rosales pointed a finger at Jayson as he sucked in several mouthfuls of air to calm himself down...

    Then, he patiently exined, "Support the execution of those bastards who dared to take me a hostage. People like them cannot be allowed to live. They are those people that often disrupt the order and thew of thend, so they must be punished!"

    "That''s right..." Another man spoke. The man looked to be in his mid-twenties. A schrly vibe surrounded his body and the pair of sses that he was wearing gave everyone the feeling that he was a studious and smart young man.

    "The Cavaliersmitted a crime. That''s it. End of the story. Those thatmit a crime in thends established by his Majesty shall be punished. Therefore, I agree to their execution." The young man was the leader of the Lawyer''s Guild.

    His name, Gilbert Quarentas. He held the 6th seat in the council.

    "Gilbert! I see you''re still a sensible andw-abiding young man! I owe you one!" Rosales nced at Gilbert in joy.

    Gilbert coldly shrugged, "I only did what I think is right, old man. I don''t need your favor."

    "Oh... Okay." Rosales was stunned by the sudden rebuke.

    Then, he turned his attention to Jayson.

    The current decision was in the favor of the prosecutors.

    The holder of the 3rd, 4th, and 6th seats agreed with the execution of the Cavaliers.

    The 5th and 2nd seat holders didn''t agree to itwhile Mikael Gonzagathe holder of the 1st seat had a neutral decision.

    Everything was now in the hands of Jayson Chad, the only member of the council that had muscles for brains.

    With all eyes on him, Jayson remained steadfast as he asked, "Rosales, are those people strong?"

    A peculiar look appeared on Rosales''s face.

    He didn''t know how to answer the question.

    He thought that Jayson''s question must have a trick in it, but Jayson had always been a muscle-head.

    How could he possibly have the brainpower to think of a trick question?

    This was why as a result, Rosales surmised that honesty would probably be the best to convince this straightforwardd into his side.

    "Yes, they are strong... They are so strong that they managed to injure my bodyguards and even take me as a hostage." Rosales replied.

    "I see..."

    Jayson crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned back against his seat, "In that case, I don''t agree that they should be executed!"

    "All right! So you agree towhat?!" Rosales boisterouslyughed, but then his figure abruptly froze when he realized what Jayson had just said.

    "Did you just say that you don''t agree with their execution?"

    "Yes!"

    "But why...?" Rosales couldn''t understand it.

    "Why, you say? It''s because they are strong!"

    "It would be a tragedy if we just kill off strong people when there''s ack of people like them in the world. Also, I would love to meet and duel them in the future, so it''s not good if they are dead." Jayson shrugged.

    "HAHAHA!" Sistine couldn''t hold it back anymore as sheughed out loud.

    Staring at Rosales, the mocking in her eyes was thick.

    "You..." Rosales red at Jayson, "You tricked me, you bastard!"

    "What? Do you want to fight?" Jayson immediately took a stance, intimidating the usually timid Rosales into submission.

    "Take your seat, Rosales..." Martin Lothar spoke, "Since the council cannot agree to a one-sided decision this time. How about we go ahead and postpone the next council meeting that will decide their fate to next year?" He made a proposal to the council members.

    The holder of the 4th seat, Park Hoong-Jun shook his head, "Six months and I''ll agree."

    "All right..." Martin Lothar rejoiced in his heart.

    He had predicted beforehand that those in agreement with the Cavaliers'' execution would definitely want them to be executed as fast as possible.

    This was why he proposed a year instead of directly stating six months. If he said thetter, then the council members would inevitably bargain it down to three months.

    "Since a decision has been made."

    "I hereby dere this meeting..."

    "Adjourned!"

    Cardinal Santiago mmed his walking stick onto the marbled floor.

 Chapter 218: The Complicated Matters of the Heart

    Chapter 218: The Complicated Matters of the Heart

    Today was Wednesday.

    In the early hours of the morning, the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop was as popr as ever.

    But with the return of the Cavaliers from the Maximum Security Penitentiary, the workload that was under the shoulders of Charlotte, Cecilia, and Calvin had significantly lessened. All was going well. The youngss Cecilia had now be a favorite of the shop''s patrons.

    it was because the youngss was not only smart, she was also quick-witted.

    The patrons often found themselves ordering food items that they didn''t know they needed.

    An example of this was a young teenager living from one of the apartment buildings situated in the Southern Borough. At first, the young man disliked the taste of the coffee.

    Apparently, it was too strong and bitter for his taste.

    However, he didn''t voice out his thoughts and just sat there with a look of contemtion on his face.

    That was when Cecilia approached him and said, "Mister, would you like to add half a cup of milk and a teaspoon of honey to your coffee?"

    Setting aside the young man''s amusement from being called a Mister, he was intrigued by the youngss''s proposal.

    As far as he could remember, it was unprecedented that one would add a cup of milk to one''s coffee since the adults always liked their coffee, bitter and strong-tasting.

    Without expecting too much, the young man agreed and with a sip...

    He fell in love with the coffee.

    Coffee and Milk, this was a simple concoction indeed, yet it made the young man wonder why this was the first time that he heard of such a thing.

    Cafe Latte was its name and it was now his favorite. He had been converted into a frequent customer of the shop, not only because of the youngss but also because of its products.

    "Calvin, you are free to go somewhere else today." Ashlynn suddenly approached the counter.

    As always, Calvin stood behind the counter as he served the customers with their freshly-brewed coffee.

    "It''s okay, I can still handle it." Calvin waved his hand at Ashlynn and smiled.

    Ashlynn nced at Charlotte who was currently entertaining a customer and a smile spread on the former''s face.

    "Are you really that dense?" Ashlynn teased.

    "What?" Calvin looked genuinely confused, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

    "Seriously? Dude! Your wife! I was trying to hint at you! Take her with you somewhere else!"

    "Let us handle this ce for the day! What''s more, you are due for the Auxiliary Police Training starting tomorrow for the next three months, right? Are you really just going to let the day be over without spending some quality time with your wife?" Ashlynn scolded.

    Calvin revealed a bitter smile.

    He nced at Charlotte and guilt couldn''t help but appear in his eyes.

    How could he not understand what Ashlynn was talking about?

    But after Grace shamelessly revealed what he was trying to do with Charlotte, Calvin felt that he didn''t have the face to talk to her anymore.

    "Calvin, you..." Ashlynn Celestia dragged Calvin into the kitchen, "Char, I''ll leave the counter to you for now. I have to lecture Calvin about the preservation of perishable goods..."

    "Give us a minute or two, okay? We''ll be back!" Ashlynn waved in Charlotte''s direction and thetter nodded her head with a sweet smile on her face.

    "Just what the hell is wrong with you, Ashlynn?"

    Calvin''s cor was being held by Ashlynn as she pushed him onto a wall.

    <em>Thud!</em>

    A dull thud rang out. The impact was quite strong and Calvin couldn''t help but wince in pain.

    "Seriously, what are you doing?"

    "You..."

    Ashlynn red at Calvin, "Why did your eyes look so guilty earlier when you stared at Char? Could it be that... could it be that you have another girl outside?!" The look on Ashlynn''s face was severe and she didn''t seem to be joking.

    Calvin deduced that if he gave the wrong answer, then he might be summarily executed in this kitchen, and his remains fed to the fishes in the Revoir River.

    "No... it''s a misunderstanding..." Calvin hurriedly waved his hand. His mind quickly spun as bullshit came out of his mouth, "I was just feeling guilty to Charlotte. She must''ve suffered a lot when I was missing."

    Ashlynn stared at him for a moment before she sighed in relief, "You shouldn''t really worry about that anymore, Calvin."

    "That girl..."

    "She''s stronger than you think."

    Ashlynn then turned around and left the kitchen.

    "It''s not like I don''t know that..."

    Calvin bitterly smiled as he arranged his cor and returned to the counter.

    Charlotte was still as busy as always, while the youngss Cecilia was taking a break on a small table behind the counter.

    Calvin approached her and he peeked at what she was doing...

    "Cecilia! You''re doing that right now?" The youngss was holding a quill pen in her right hand and was currently filling in the nks.

    Up above the piece of yellowish paper were the words, "Arithmetic in Daily Life".

    "Ah! Daddy... You scared me!"

    Cecilia was apparently absorbed in what she was doing as she was jolted awake from her trance by Calvin''s words.

    "Wow, you''ve progressed so far, youngss!" Calvin rubbed the crown of her head.

    "Hehehe, let me show you this, Daddy!" Cecilia looked proud as she pointed at the piece of paper with her quill, "Mommy was teaching me percentagesst night and I discovered a trick on how to do it!"

    <em>[x% of y = y% of x]</em>

    "What is that, Cecilia?" Calvin was intrigued.

    "Daddy, daddy!"

    "This is how it works!"

    "Mommy asked mest night about what is the 4% of 75..."

    "I was really confused and I didn''t get to answer it since Mommy didn''t let me use paper and pen."

    "But when I was trying to sleepst night. I suddenly thoughtwhat if I flip the percentages and find the 75% of 4 instead?"

    "Ah!" Calvin eximed in shock.

    "See!" Cecilia looked so excited and proud that she was practically bouncing up and down.

    Calvin stared at the youngss with widened eyes as if he was looking at a genius. It has to be known that even though the form she just used wasmonce on Earth.

    Most people in Las Felipinas didn''t even know how to read nor write.

    This was why Calvin thought that she had done a remarkable feat, enough for her to be considered as a child genius.

    "Wow... Cecilia, you''re a genius!"

    Calvin carried Cecilia onto his shoulder and the youngssughed.

    "Daddy, you better give me some rewards, hmmph!" Cecilia teased.

    Charlotte noticed themotion and she stared at the scene in shock, "Calvin?"

    "It''s fine, this youngss isn''t that heavy at all." Calvin snickered.

    Charlotte didn''t know what to say but a sweet feeling started to surface in her heart.

    "Wheeew~" Someone whistled from upstairs. It was Ashlynn who couldn''t help but tease, "It''s still so early in the morning, yet the family''s already showing some public disy of affection, eh? What about us singles? Are you trying to universally mock us for being single dogs?"

    "Hey, shut up, Ashlynn!" Calvin red at Ashlynn.

    "Yeah, that''s right, Calvin! If you are going to flirt with your family, bring it outside! I''m trying to drink a cup of coffee in peace here!"

    A frequent customer also took advantage of this opportunity to cajole.

    "All right, fine. Shut up now, okay?" Calvin swept his gaze across the rowdy customers, "Say one more thing and I''ll make sure to remove the buy two get one more cup of coffee promo!"

    "I-I want to apologize..."

    The man who cajoled quickly apologized, eliciting a wave ofughter from the other customers.

    Withughter from here and there, the scene became picturesquely beautiful for Calvin.

    Back then, didn''t he also wish for peaceful times like this?

    But it''s not like Calvin didn''t want that to happen anymore on the current timeline.

    It was just that... the status quo needed to be changed first.

    Calvin had to annihte the invaders, or he must do something that would prevent them from going into the world of Las Felipinas. Until Calvin had done all of his duties, he knew that he couldn''t rest and indulge himself in scenes like this.

    But...

    Why does it feel so good?

    Why does it feel so good to be surrounded by people whom you liked and also loved you?

    Calvin shook his head.

    Looking at Cecilia, he said, "Since my daughter here has done so well in her studies. It''s about time that she gets her reward..."

    "Oooh!" Cecilia pped her small hands together and replied, "Daddy! Daddy! What''s my reward going to be?"

    "Let''s see..." Calvin thought for a while.

    But his thinking bore no fruit, for he truly had no idea where to bring a child to have fun in Ashmelion.

    If Cecilia was a middle-aged man, then he knew just where the two of them could have fun.

    But Cecilia was only a six-year-old girl, so Calvin found himself unable to think of any answer as to where he could bring the youngss for fun. Now that he was thinking about it, was there even a child-friendly ce in Ashmelion? In this City that Never Sleeps?

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at Charlotte. A smile quickly spread on his face.

    He found his scapegoat.

    "Wife, would you like to go out today and have some fun?" Calvin said these words with a kind-natured smile on his face, but Charlotte abruptly froze when she heard what he had said.

    "You... Calvin! What are you doing saying those things so early in the morning and with so many people around us!" Charlotte hurriedly rushed over to Calvin''s side and pinched his waist.

    "Ah! Ah! AAAH! What did I do?!" The pain that washed over Calvin''s body came so suddenly that he couldn''t help but shout.

    Ashlynn and Bruceughed upstairs as they observed the two from the loft.

    Ron Samuel also had a smile on his face while James Branzu shook his head, "What a farce."

    The former heard what he said and Ron Samuel couldn''t help but ask, "Are you jealous of them, James?"

    "C-C-Captain?!" James Branzu was startled by Ron Samuel''s words that he couldn''t help but take a step back.

    "Hahaha, nevermind." Ron Samuel chuckled and he couldn''t help but nce at Ashlynn.

    It probably never crossed Ashlynn''s mind before but Ron Samuel wasn''t as dense as she had thought.

    The former knew that Ashlynn liked him.

    But he also knew that James Branzu had some feelings for the rowdy and boisterous Ashlynn.

    Letting out a sigh, Ron Samuel muttered to himself.

    "What a pain..."

 Chapter 219: The Popular Cecilia

    Chapter 219: The Popr Cecilia

    "Captain, are you sure we can knock ourselves early today?"

    "Yeah, knock yourself out!" Ron Samuel didn''t even look in Calvin''s direction as he continued, "Leave the coffee shop to us, don''t tell me that you don''t expect us to handle the shop better than your wife and daughter?"

    Calvin lightly chuckled, "It''s not that I am underestimating you, Captain..." He rubbed the crown of Cecilia''s head as he stated, "Our youngss here is just more capable and charismatic than all of youbined..."

    A death re immediately came his way; it came from Ashlynn.

    "Of course, Ashlynn is an exception." Calvin cleared his throat and corrected his words. The killing intent receded in an instant.

    "I don''t believe you," James Branzu came down the stairs and stood before the counter. He made a sidelong nce at the ounts behind the counter and said, "Today, the shop earned about a hundred pesos in just six hours. We''ll surpass that hundred pesos in three hours."

    A smirk spread on his face.

    "Oh? Why do you look so confident, Vice-Captain? Do you have a secret weapon up your sleeves?" Calvin asked, intrigued.

    "It''s not that much of a secret weapon..." James Branzu shrugged.

    He swept his gaze across Ashlynn''s and continued, "Your adorable daughter might''ve won the hearts of the customers due to how cute she is, but our strategy is different. We will win these customers with sex appeal!"

    James dered with passion.

    Calvin couldn''t help butugh, "Sex appeal? Come on, the shop only has two women and one of them is my wife! Do you really think that I am going to let my wife serve customers as a waitress? Well, it could work but this youngss here would definitely not allow it!"

    "You''re right..." James nodded, "Charlotte will not work since she will definitely be always on your side and Cecilia also wouldn''t allow her mother to steal her job, so that is why..."

    He stared greedily at Ashlynn, "It''s your time!"

    Pointing a finger at thetter, he dered, "You will attract these customers with a honeytrap!"

    "W-Why me?!"

    Ashlynn jolted in shock, "No! You are not going to make me wear those flimsy clothes!"

    "Really?"

    James Branzu smirked, "What if I told you that if you do everything that I say I will give you twenty-percent more of your cut for today''s earnings?"

    "Do whatever you want to do with me, and do it until you are satisfied!"

    Ashlynn immediately agreed in a heartbeat.

    Gold coins seemed to be sparkling in her eyes.

    Calvin''s lips twitched...

    <em>Girl, where is your dignity?!</em>

    Letting out a sigh, he heard Charlotte''sughter echoing from beside him.

    "Ashlynn sure is an interesting person..." Charlottemented under her breath.

    "Now that I think about it, dear... You seem to have be quite close to Ashlynn,"

    Calvin couldn''t help but ask.

    "Really?" For some reason, when Calvin mentioned AshlynnCharlotte''s face abruptly reddened, "Yeah, I guess... I mean, Ashlynn''s the only other woman in the coffee shop and I don''t really know how to socialize with others, so..."

    "You don''t know how to socialize with others? Then, how were you able to serve the customers as the cashier all this time?"

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows. Charlotte''s words didn''t add up.

    "I actually learned the trick on how to do it from Ashlynn, dear... When you were gone, I was having a hard time limating myself to how the shop worked and she gave me a hand..."

    "When she noticed what was happening with me, she told me that I would be less embarrassed if I pretend that the customers are scarecrows..." Charlotte patiently exined.

    "Scarecrows? Why such a strange selection?" Calvin''s eyebrows scrunched up tighter, "I could understand it if you pretended that the customers are a bunch of cabbages, but why scarecrows?"

    "Pfft!" Charlotte''s figure trembled as she tried her best to suppress herughter, "Cabbages? Why did I not think of that?"

    "Hahaha, well I chose scarecrows because you knowhave you seen what scarecrows look like? They are very menacing at night or in the distance, but the way they are propped up with poles and the hasty and flimsy manner they are made makes them look hrious to me..."

    "This is why I am able to maintain my smiles throughout the day..."

    Charlotte lightly chuckled, "But you just gave me an idea, dear! Tomorrow, I will go ahead and pretend that the customers are cabbages."

    "Will that really work?"

    Calvin asked Charlotte, "Are cabbages as hrious as scarecrows for you?"

    "Well, not really..." Charlotte thought for a moment before she squeezed out another smile, "But do you know that every Saturday there would always be a huge sale of vegetables in the Southern Borough? I always make sure to never miss a day of that sale, since it often means that I''ll be able to buy a week''s worth of groceries for just a few pesos..."

    "Then, you see, the most popr vegetable in that wet market is the potato... While the most expensive one is the cabbage, and they rarely go on sale. But when they do go on sale... It always brings a smile to my face." Charlotte leaned her head on Calvin''s shoulder.

    The sweet smile on her face looked incredibly picturesque.

    Cecilia also leaned on his other shoulder.

    "I see..." Calvin also broke out into a smile, "If that''s really how it is for you, then I don''t see why you shouldn''t do it. Try it out at least and see if it''s really effective."

    "Yeah, I''ll try it tomorrow," Charlotte said, "By the way, why did sir Ron gave us a day off today?"

    "Didn''t I just tell you about it earlier? That we should go out and enjoy ourselves?"

    Calvin dragged Charlotte out of the coffee shop.

    "Eh? Are we going to bring Cecilia with us?" Charlotte nced hesitantly at Cecilia and her cheeks blushed out of embarrassment.

    But only Charlotte herself knew what she was thinking...

    Calvin looked at her in confusion as he teased, "Charlotte, what are you talking about?"

    "Are you trying to not let this youngss have some fun with us?"

    "Cecilia!"

    "Look at what your Mommy is saying! She doesn''t want you to join us in the fun!"

    "EEEH?!" Cecilia eximed. Puffing her cheeks, she red at her mother, "Mommy, mommy... do you not want me to join and have fun?"

    "No, no, no..." Charlotte hurriedly waved her hand in shame, "That is not what I meant, Cecilia!"

    ring in Calvin''s direction, Charlotte appeased her daughter as a bright idea came to her mind.

    <em>Calvin had shamed her in front of her daughter, and now it was time for him to be embarrassed in my stead!</em>

    She thought in her head.

    "I was trying to bring your Daddy somewhere else, so we can get you a baby brother, but it seems that your Daddy doesn''t want to give you a baby brother." Charlotte sneered as she stared right at Calvin.

    "Wha?! You..." Calvin was dumbfounded by Charlotte''s words.

    But before he could even say anything...

    Cecilia''s re descended upon him as sheined, "Daddy, why do you not want me to have a baby brother?!"

    "I want a baby brother!"

    "If I have a baby brother, I can let him help me with the customers. If I have a baby brother, he can also give me some of his snacks! Hmmph! Daddy, you better give me a baby brother, hmmph!"

    Calvin awkwardly scratched his head.

    A strange feeling welled up in his heart. After that eventful night back then, Charlotte seemed to have be bolder when it came to intimate matters between a husband and wife.

    Surreptitiously ncing at thetter, Calvin noticed a faint blush spreading on Charlotte''s neck.

    Calvin inwardlyughed. He instantly saw through what was going on.

    <em>It seemed that she isn''t as shameless as I have expected!</em>

    <em>There''s a chance for a counter-attack!</em>

    Wrapping his arms around Charlotte''s waist, he whispered into her ears, "Wife, it seems that Cecilia wants a baby brother, badly. With her being so insistent, we have to try harder!"

    He observed the minute changes in Charlotte''s expression, but the change he wanted didn''t appear. InsteadCharlotte even turned her head and whispered her reply into his ear, "I told you to finish inside... You dummy!"

    "Fuck..."

    Calvin was rendered speechless by her words that he stood frozen right there on the sidewalk.

    "Hehehe... Shall we try again, tonight?" Charlotte even winked at him which made Calvin repeatedly cough in an effort to calm his nerves.

    <em>What in the Goddess''s name happened when I was gone?!</em>

    <em>How did Charlotte suddenly be so fierce from an easily shy maiden?!</em>

    While Calvin was panicking in his heart, he didn''t see Charlotte ncing in Ashlynn''s direction.

    Ashlynn raised a thumbs-up and Charlotte responded with a sweet smile and a nod.

    Meanwhile, the youngss who thought that she had been sidelined by her Mommy and Daddy,ined.

    "Daddy, I want to eat!" Cecilia''s brain seemed to have forgotten the request that she made earlier when she felt her stomach rumble.

    "Ah, yeah. Let''s go and eat somewhere. It''s about high noon, so how about we go to the Hilton Borough?"

    "If we go there, we can avoid the rush," Calvin suggested.

    "The Hilton Borough?" Charlotte looked intimidated, "Isn''t that ce incredibly expensive?"

    "It''s fine," Calvin casually waved his hand as he pulled up a purple card out of his pocket and showed it to Charlotte, "Boss Ron just gave me a bonus after that business trip, so I am pretty loaded." He bragged.

    Yes, Calvin''s journey to the Vige of Tulog was disguised as a business trip so that Charlotte and Cecilia could understand it.

    But Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows to the idea, "Dear, I''d rather take that money and save it for future emergencies... Do you know how expensive a medical emergency isin this city?"

    "What''s more, if we want to give Cecilia her baby brother, then we must prepare a lot of money..."

    "I am already saving up for it since I started working in the coffee shop, but since the average delivery in a reputable private hospital here in Ashmelion costs at least five hundred pesos... I''m still too far from there with my savings rate of five pesos a day..." Charlotte deliberated.

    The woman who didn''t know the concept of arithmetic not too long ago was now adept in the art of multiplication, addition, subtraction, and division.

    Calvin''s lips repeatedly twitched. He wanted to argue, but he ultimately found it tiring. He just wanted to have a good meal, so he decided to let Charlotte hold the purple card that contained all the money that he earned and he was earning at this moment.

    "From now on, you will handle all of our finances!" Calvin revealed a proud smile as he patted Charlotte''s shoulder, "You can do it!"

    "All right!" Charlotte was pumped up and the three became harmonious once more.

    However, the three of them ended up not going to the Hilton Borough for a meal.

    Instead, they visited a random restaurant near the Center Borough. As expected, Cecilia stuffed herself as much as she could, while Charlottewho always ate her food properly was now radiating an intensified air of delicadeza around her.

    Calvin had noticed it just now, but Charlotte inexplicably underwent a great change.

    The way she was carrying herself even in front of the dinner table made everyone feel that she had a higher pedigree than others. Of course, Calvin didn''t really mind this change.

    Charlotte could be whatever she wanted. But it was obvious from her trembling shoulders and the beaded sweat on her face that she wasn''t really used to what she was doing.

    "Charlotte, why bother keeping pretenses in front of me?" Calvin pointed it out.

    "Ah! Pretenses? What are you talking about? I''m not..." Charlotte immediately panicked as she frantically waved her hand.

    Calvin instantly saw through her flimsily covered lie as he chuckled, "Let me guess. Someone told you to do whatever you are doing right now to be a better woman, right?"

    With her cover blown, Charlotte didn''t dare to lie anymore as she sheepishly nodded her head, "Yes, it''s Ashlynn... She told me thatdies should always act like properdies, at least whenever their husbands are around."

    "And why is that?" Calvin retorted with another question.

    "Well, she told me that since I''m older than you and that younger guys are prone to having affairs... I must act like... I must act like someone whose age is simr to you, so..."

    Charlotte didn''t know where to ce her gaze as she looked around the surroundings, trying her best to avoid making eye contact with Calvin.

    "Pfft..." Calvin pped his thigh, "That''s so silly! I have no idea if you are indeed older than me, but that does really make a difference?"

    "Wait, how old are you anyway?" Calvin asked in curiosity.

    He had just noticed that he really hasn''t asked for Charlotte''s age.

    "I should be about 27 years old by this year..." Charlotte replied in embarrassment.

    "What?!" Calvin almost stood up from his seat.

    "See! I''m old, right? That''s why I was trying to use Ashlynn''s advice, and it seems to be working..."

    "Working, my ass! You''re younger than me! I''m 28 years old!"

    "Eh?!" Charlotte was shell-shocked by what she heard that she couldn''t speak for a while.

    But the silence was interrupted by the youngss who hopped into the discussion.

    "Daddy, Mommy! I''m six years old!"

    The specks of rice and the mess that was painted on Cecilia''s face as she said these words out loud elicitedughter from both Charlotte and Calvin.

    "Pfft!"

    "Yeah, you are six years old! That''s right, our Cecilia here is still a youngss!"

    "She''s still so young, yet she''s already working! Do you know? Our youngss here earned three Joselian Pesos in her first day at the job!"

    Calvin was obviously bullshitting with the numbers, but he did all of these to praise the youngss.

    "Really?" The customers around them heard what he had said and they couldn''t help but turn to look at Cecilia.

    "That little girl earned three pesos in her first day at a job? Where is she working?"

    "Wait, she looks familiar!"

    "Isn''t that the cute and adorable little waitress of the Captivating Fragrance Coffee Shop?"

    "Yeah, she''s that young kid!"

    An uproar quickly urred in the restaurant as the customers walked over to Calvin''s side and praised the youngss.

    It wasn''t umon to see children working in the factories of Ashmelion, but it sure was umon for such an adorable young child such as Cecilia to be working as a waitress in a coffee shop that catered to the masses.

    Some kids who seemed to be frequent customers of the shop due to the puffed pastries that the coffee shop was selling even approached Cecilia and the children talked andughed among themselves.

    Cecilia seemed to be having a good time.

    Charlotte and Calvin stared at each other and smiles slowly broke on their faces.

    "Having children around sure livens up the mood, eh?" Calvinmented in jest.

    Charlotte nodded in agreement, "That''s right, would you like to give Cecilia what she wants?"

    "What she wants?" Calvin retorted with a question.

    "Yup!" Charlotte''s smile turned sweeter, "A baby brother!"

    "..."<ol><li>kind of like an air of nobility or some shit</li></ol>

 Chapter 220: Way to Wealth?

    Chapter 220: Way to Wealth?

    Thursday finally arrived and Calvin received a mail from the Department of Justice stating that he had to report at the 3rd District Police Station located at the southern tip of the Southern Borough.

    Just like how thends of Joselian were divided with their own region governors and city mayors, thends of Ashmelion were also divided into smaller districts...

    Each Borough has seven districts with equalnd distribution.

    Of course, the amount of wealth concentrated in a particr district wouldn''t always be equal due to how wealth was divided among the wealthy and themoners. But in terms ofnd, the districts were roughly equal to each other.

    The 3rd District of the Southern Borough was quite far away, but it wasn''t a problem to the well-off Calvin.

    He was tasked to report to the police station by noon for a medical examination along with other recruited auxiliary police trainees in preparation for themencement of the special training program.

    This special training program wouldst for three months, and it would be based entirely on police training.

    All activities would be carried out inside the barracks prepared by the Government of Ashmelion beforehand, and thus...

    The trainees would bepletely isted from the outside world.

    Calvin let out a sigh seeing the letter of invitation.

    "Is that it?" Charlotte asked with worry on her face.

    "Yeah... It seems that today is really the day that I''ll be gone again." Calvin quickly put away the letter. He had informed Charlotte that he was about to join yet again another business caravan. The only difference was that his trip this time was longer than the previous.

    "With how you''ve improved so far, I am confident that you''ll be able to make it far without me supporting you, Charlotte." Calvin smiled.

    Charlotte shook her head, "Don''t say that, dear. Meeting you is my luck. If not for you, would I be able to reach where am I today?"

    "Silly..." Calvin chuckled, "You should try to treasure your efforts more. I only showed you the way, I didn''t hold your hands all the way there."

    "Hehehe..." Charlotte felt good while Calvin was rubbing the crown of her head.

    At first, she found it awkward that someone who was supposedly younger than her was rubbing her head. But now that she knew that both of them were roughly at the same age.

    The awkwardness seemed to have disappeared as Charlotte became more open and bolder.

    "Take care of Cecilia while I''m gone... When I return, we''ll go out and take a long vacation with her together."

    Calvin smiled and he got off the bed.

    He looked down for he seemed to have stepped on something.

    It was Charlotte''s corset.

    "Oh, your clothes... I stepped on it, I''m sorry." Calvin quickly handed her the corset.

    "Ah! It''s okay..."

    Charlotte was swift to snatch the corset away from him as a furious blush spread on her face.

    "Say, don''t you feel very ufortable wearing something so tight like that?" Calvin couldn''t help but ask.

    "Yeah... But I can''t afford to not wear this, since I don''t want to be arrested..." Charlotte revealed a bitter smile.

    Calvin nodded.

    Indeed, aw that didn''t make sense existed in Ashmelion. Women weren''t allowed to go out without a corset, but prostitutes were legal as long as there was consent and they were paying their taxes. Furthermore, thew was only focused on a woman''s upper body.

    As long as the woman had something to cover her jugs, she could gomando underneath which didn''t make sense to Calvin.

    "Would you like something that''s not as restricting as that?" Calvin mused for a moment before he proposed.

    "Something that''s not as restricting as the corset? Does something like that even exist?"

    Charlotte stared at Calvin in intrigue.

    "Yup... Do you want me to draw it up for you? Here''s what it looks like..." Calvin nodded.

    He took a pen and paper from a nearby cab as his hands danced on the piece of paper. In just three minutes, the design of underwear for thedies waspletedit was none other than the bra!

    "Interesting... So this bowl-like contraption covers it? And the strap, why is it so thin? Will it really be able to hold them down together?"

    "Yeah... Wait, why do you look like you can make this?"

    "Because I can!" Charlotte proudly dered, "I''ve always made the clothes that Cecilia and I were using back then at the Northern Borough. I couldn''t really afford proper clothes back then, so I have to make do with sewing rags together and make sure that they resemble something simr to clothes in looks..."

    "But this one looks easy enough, I can probably copy it!"

    "Really?" Calvin looked at Charlotte in astonishment, "Well feel free to try and create this thing. You can probably turn this into a hefty sideline once you master its creation. Do you like a capital? I can give you some money for you to start a clothing line."

    A smile spread on Calvin''s face as he beamed in excitement. How did he forget that the world of Las Felipinas was still an archaic civilizationpared to Earth?

    If he <em>"invented"</em> some of the convenient tools from Earth to Las Felipinas, then he could probably sell them like pancakes here...

    What''s more, since it has not even been a decade since the world of Las Felipinas was discovered. The Earthlings still hadn''t started their cultural revolution.

    If Calvin "invented" these things in Las Felipinas and got ahead of them, he could probably be the richest man in Las Felipas and Earth at the same time!

    Well, there was a bit of an exaggeration there.

    But if Calvin did all of these, then he could guarantee his retirement in the future.

    Smiling in Charlotte''s direction, he instructed, "All right, dear... I''ll give you a capital that you can use to start a clothing line. Then, I''ll create the designs for us. Once I''m back from my business trip, we can go and start our ownpany together!"

    Charlotte nodded her head. She looked thrilled and excited. Having discussed a n of action for the future, the couple wanted to sneak in a few rounds of intimacybut s, a youngss woke up...

    Cecilia barged through the door with a kick and she was yawning as she hopped onto the bed with the still naked Charlotte and Calvin before sleeping in between the couple.

    Only a few seconds passed since Cecilia opened the door, yet she had already disyed a magnificent disy of skills in the art of cockblocking!

    Calvin bitterly smiled.

    Charlotte also didn''t know what to say.

    In the end, the couple got off the bed and started to prepare for the coffee shop''s morning rush.

    Calvin was unable to join both Cecilia and Charlotte for breakfast since he was summoned by Ron Samuel to the second floor.

    "Hello, there Calvin! Are you prepared to go over to the 3rd District today and start your exciting dormitory life with the other trainees for the next three months?" Ashlynn almost immediately teased the moment she saw Calvin walk into the room, "Did you at least give Cecilia a baby brother before you are going to leave for police training?"

    Calvin red at her, "Why would I do that when that''s such an obvious death g?"

    He rolled his eyes at Ashlynn and proceeded to ignore thetter.

    "D-Death g?" Ashlynn was baffled.

    "Calvin, look at this guy here! He actually decided to let Rosales go after he gave you an erroneous mission order!" James pointed at Martin.

    Martin bitterly smiled, "Don''t say it like that, James. You''re making me look like I didn''t do my best to help Calvin in my own way. There''s really nothing that I could do about it, all right?"

    "It''s true that the mission details were erroneous but I cannot find any evidence that says that the mission order was discovered erroneous right before it was issued..."

    "In short, since the problems were discovered right when the mission order was received and epted. Rosales is indemnified from any responsibilities or crimes since his actions weren''t born out of malice..."

    "Instead, it was an honest mistake and aplete identand that is what the leader of the Lawyer''s Guild, Gilbert Quarentas said when we fought earlier in the Tribunal..."

    "Sigh, it''s such a headache to quarrel with that bastard." Martin rubbed his be.

    "So are you saying that we cannot legally punish that bastard for his mistake?"

    James asked with a frown.

    Ron Samuel nodded, "Just let it go, James. That old coward''s time will soone."

    "That''s right!" Martin raised a finger and presented it to the Cavaliers, "Don''t do anything stupid in the next six months. I beg you to please not do anything stupid!"

    "I''ve barely managed to bargain something from the council meeting earlier and if you guys do something drastic that''s damaging to the church or to the church''s reputation, then it would be over for all of you!"

    "I know..." Ron Samuel let out a sigh, "What a pain..."

    "Wait, sir Maritn... Did you just say that you''ve managed to bargain something?"

    Bruce asked in curiosity.

    "Yup!" Martin swept his gaze across the Cavaliers in delight, "I''ve managed to convince his Eminence and the holder of the 1st Seat, Mikael to help you!"

    "I''ve told them that if you are able to uproot the organization behind what happened in the Vige of Tulog then they will forget about the crimes that the Cavaliers hadmitted!"

    "Impossible..." Ron Samuel furrowed his eyebrows, "Every crime that a member of the Judiciaries havemitted will always be sent over to the Headquarters of the Judiciaries and the Supreme Court of Justice..."

    "A mere Cardno his Eminence shouldn''t be able to influence secr matters to that extent."

    "Yes, you''re right..." Martin smiled, "I didn''t expect you to be quite knowledgeable in regards to theplicated workings between the church and the government, but have you already forgotten about ''Clemency''?"

    "Clemency..." Ron Samuel fell into deep contemtion and a grave look appeared on his face, "Will His Eminence really use his one and only appeal for Clemency for the sake of this branch''s Cavaliers?"

    "Well, it''s not that easy to convince his Eminence... Of course, he didn''t agree with my proposal at first. However..." Martin chuckled, "I pulled some strings behind the scenes and I got him to agree."

    Ron Samuel furrowed his eyebrows, "Martin, you..."

    "What?"

    "Nothing..." Ron Samuel shook his head. A smile soon spread on his face.

    He noticed that the stripes on Martin''s armband had gone from five stripes to four!

    In short, Martin had sacrificed quite a bit in order to convince Cardinal Santiago into giving his support to the Cavaliers!

    "Why are you looking like me that way? You''ve got to remember this, but I would never swing that way! I like women! With titties and a pussy!" Martin pointed a finger at Ron Samuel.

    Ashlynn was shell-shocked by what she had heard.

    A blush couldn''t help but spread on her cheeks.

    The Chief Executor of the Department of Justice whom Ashlynn thought to be a cultured and honorable middle-aged man was actually a crass and perverted man in secret!

    <em>What the hell was going on?</em>

    Ashlynn suddenly found the world around her iprehensible.

    "Old bastard, you''ll stay here for the night."

    "Oh?" Martin smiled, "It''s rare for you to send invites. Did something good happen?"

    "It doesn''t matter," Ron Samuel shook his head, "We''re going to drink ourselves crazy tonight!"

 Chapter 221: Purer Than Nature

    Chapter 221: Purer Than Nature

    It was now an hour before high noon.

    Calvin had just finished packing his luggage for the three-month-long exodus.

    Staring at the clothes that he had prepared for his brand new life, Calvin couldn''t help but inwardlyment.

    <em>How troublesome...</em>

    Furrowing his eyebrows, he had thought for sure that he would be able to use the concept of nepotism to directly be a police officer.

    But sadly, he had forgotten that the Ashmelion Police Department might be under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justicebeing a member of the Department of Justice''s Special Corps Division still wouldn''t give him any tangible benefits.

    First of all, the Cavaliers were currently under a lot of k at this moment.

    In fact, the Headquarters of the Cavaliers in Laguna even criticized Ron Samuel for what he had done.

    Fortunately, those in the top brass didn''t actually care that much about what was going on in a rural region like the City of Ashmelion.

    But Calvin was convinced that even the tiger would run out of patience against an ant.

    If the Cavaliers tried to push the envelope even further, then they would definitely be severely punished.

    This was why Martin didn''t allow Calvin to use his identity as a member of the Department of Justice''s Special Corps Division...

    <em>It can''t be helped... </em>

    <em>At least, if I don''t use that identity then people might not think of me as someone that''s too suspicious. After all, I am applying to be an auxiliary police officer with the identity of amoner and a regr rmendation from the Department of Justice.</em>

    <em>No matter what, the primary goal is to find and kill that bastard. Only by killing him would I be able to free Stephanie from her resentment and only with that bastard''s death would the Yellow River Gang''s influence in the City of Ashmelion truly disappear.</em>

    Calvin made a decision in his heart.

    Carrying his luggage with him down to the first floor of the coffee shop, Charlotte and the youngss greeted him right outside the door.

    "Daddy, will you be gone for long?" Cecilia was downcast. The youngss was obviously unhappy that Calvin would go away once more.

    "Yes, your daddy here needs to work to make a living. How else can I spoil my youngss to the limits if I do not work hard?"

    Calvin coaxed the child and rubbed the crown of her head.

    "Dear, please take extra care on the road. I''ve heard on the news that there are a lot of thievestely around the outskirts of Ashmelion. It''s said that they are from the Quads!" Charlotte warned severely.

    The look on her face was grave.

    Obviously, she was still very afraid of what had happened to her back then in the hands of the Yellow River Gang.

    "Charlotte, you don''t have to worry... I''m somewhat capable myself, and if I am not able to fight... Do you think I won''t run?" Calvin winked.

    "Still, I''m worried..."

    "It''s fine, it''s fine..." Calvin also rubbed the crown of Charlotte''s head and reassured, "I''ll be back once I''m done with everything. Stay here and wait for me."

    "Okay..." Seeing the determined look on Calvin''s face, Charlotte knew that if she insistedit would be a grave insult against Calvin''s resolve.

    In the end, she could do nothing other than stare at Calvin''s back as he disappeared in the distance.

    "Mommy?" Cecilia stared at Charlotte and she noticed that a greenish light seemed to have filled Charlotte''s eyes.

    What''s more, her ears turned visibly pointy as a sweet smile stered on her face, "May the will of the Goddess of Prosperity and Gold be with you, my dear Calvin..."

    As Cecilia was staring at this scene in confusion, unbeknownst to herthe same greenish light also existed within her own bright eyes.

    Only it was exponentially purer than Charlotte''s...

    ...

    The air above Ashmelion had always been disgusting due to the smog.

    But there was something far worse than the smell of sewage in thete morning.

    It was the scorching heat of the sun...

    Calvin''s body might''ve been strengthened after he became a predator, but it didn''t mean that he was now immune to the heat of the sun.

    The carriage-taxi that had a route to the 3rd District of the Southern Borough was located at the terminal behind the wet market.

    In short, since he was from the Center Borough. He still needed to cross the Yang Bridge and walk a few kilometers to reach his destination.

    Of course, Calvin could''ve just gged down a carriage-taxi and go directly to the 3rd District.

    But Calvin refused to do so.

    Why?

    Was it because he had no money?

    Of course, not!

    It was because the drivers around the area were shameless!

    They wanted five joselian pesos which were a week''s worth of wage for the poorest of the poor in the Northern Borough.

    Calvin might have money, but he wasn''t stupid as to let himself be ripped off.

    However, he finally discovered how foolish his money-saving technique was when he remembered that he didn''t have to spend any money in the training facility provided by the Ashmelion Police Department.

    Unfortunately, it was toote.

    Most carriage-taxis in the road he was in weremunal and didn''t take private trips.

    Left without a choice, Calvin was forced to go to the terminal behind the wet market of which he reached after half an hour of walking.

    "Fucking finally..."

    Calvin paid for a special rush trip and his driver literally took him for the ride of his life.

    After weaving through the crowd and the traffic, a nauseous and sickened Calvin walked down the carriage with a sorrowful look on his face.

    He had indeed managed to save a few pesos because of the fact that he walked all the way to the terminal instead of taking an express trip from the Center Borough''s carriage terminal...

    But was it really worth it?

    The answer was obvious on Calvin''s face.

    After taking a short break at a roadside stall, Calvin walked into the barracks of the police station.

    In the barracks, Calvin saw many prospective auxiliary police officers taking part in the uing medical examination.

    There were both women and men, totaling about forty people.

    Upon entering, they presented their proof of identities and certificate of rmendations to the two officers in uniform standing on a podium.

    One of the two officers used his sundial and stated, "It''s about the thirteenth hour of the day, are there any candidates that aren''t here, yet?"

    "Yeah, there is one..."

    "How many minutes do you think are there left before the thirteenth houres?"

    "Many... five minutes?"

    "Okay, we will eliminate that candidate if he''ste by even a minute. Someone who does not have a sense of punctuality is not deserving to be a police officer. We already have all the delinquents that we can possibly have. The best that we can do is to reduce their numbers. Let''s start with the obvious ones and eliminate those that are showing warning signs."

    The two didn''t bother lowering down their voices. It seemed that they were trying to set an example to the newbies today.

    The trainees couldn''t help but shake their heads in pity to that person who was about to be eliminated for tardiness. It sure was pitiful that he was about to be disqualified from being an auxiliary police officer just because he waste for even a minute.

    But since this was just how everything worked; the trainees knew that they couldn''t do anything to their unseenrade.

    "Ladies, how are you today? The weather sure is hot, eh?"

    "Bro, I can see that you don''t seem to be a resident of the Southern Borough. Are you perhaps from the Eastern Borough? Damn, you must be rich if you are living there!"

    The trainees that had nothing to do until the thirteenth hour came started to introduce themselves to each other.

    The ce soon became rowdy, but the two officers didn''t do anything to it.

    They kept waiting and soon, they started a countdown.

    "Five..."

    "Four..."

    "Three..."

    "Two..."

    "One..."

    "Elimina"

    "Sorry, I''mte!"

    A young man with a rounded face, average height, chubby cheeks, and cauliflower ears came rushing in from the entrance of the barracks.

    He was wearing an oversized washed-out shirt and a pair of jeans that looked dirty all over.

    Obviously, he had an arduous journey while he was on his way to the barracks as he was panting like a dog and sweated all over his body.

    "Officer! Fatty Zo! Zachary Casas reporting for duty! I apologize for my tardiness!"

    The young man made a ny-degree bow as he handed over an envelope to the two officers.

    "Hmmm," One of the two officers opened the envelope and a look of surprise appeared on his face, "Sir... This fatty has a rmendation letter from the Department of Justice!"

    "Oh..." The officer with an X-shaped scar on his right cheek revealed an intrigued look, "Since I didn''t manage to finish my words earlier, I''ll say that you''ve barely managed to arrive here on time. Do not bete ever again, or else I won''t be as merciful as I was today!" He red at Zachary Casas.

    Zachary fiercely responded, "Sir, yes, sir! I will never do it again!"

    "Go back in line!"

    "Yes!"

    Since all the listed trainees this time had arrived, the medical examination soonmenced...

 Chapter 222: Christine Allana

    Chapter 222: Christine Ana

    The medical examination went smooth and it didn''tst that long. When it was done, the trainees were brought over to the training base of the 3rd District Police Station. The base was located in the outskirts of Ashmelion, on the base of a mountain near the hamlet of Azucar.

    Even though the ce was only a training ground for the trainees of the 3rd District Police Station so that they could improve their physical condition. The ce looked more like a military camp than a police station base.

    "Man, this ce is awesome! Look! Is that an archery range over there?"

    "Oh man, they even have an obstacle course and a manmade cliff for mountain climbing training!"

    "I never expected that a mere police station branch would have such a ce like this to their name..."

    When these trainees saw how intricate and detailed everything that was in the training basethey were obviously intrigued and thrilled about everything that they saw as they nitpicked andmented. The mud pools, sandpits, and the marked running fields as well as the garden, piggery, and the manmade cliff.

    All of these made their hearts race in excitement.

    But there was one person who wasn''t thrilled with the sight of these...

    "I think I will definitely lose a lot of weight here..." It was Zachary Casas. He was the only one who wasn''t enthusiastic about the base.

    "Change into your uniforms! Remember that we are not done for today, yet!"

    The police officer that had apanied the officer with an X-shaped scar on his face gave out his orders.

    Everyone quickly dispersed and headed for the closest changing room.

    Once they were done changing into their trainee uniforms, they returned to the training grounds.

    Upon their arrival, only a single police officer was waiting for them.

    It was that middle-aged man that had an X-shaped scar on his face.

    "I know that we have already met, but I still haven''t introduced myself..."

    "Surnamed Chavez, the first name Lawrence..."

    "I will be your instructor from today for the next three months. I am once amander in one of the Border Territories of Joselian but after some unforeseen events. I found myself in this ce."

    "I have alreadye to terms with what had happened back then. I won''t say anything about it anymore, since we are not here for idle talks..."

    Lawrence cleared his throat, "Remember to do what that fatty had done earlier. If you want to say something, you must always shout the word, <em>''Report''</em> and then address the superior that you are talking to if the person is of a higher rank to you..."

    "Only when you''ve done all of these can you express your statement."

    "Sir, yes, sir!"

    The trainees responded in unison.

    "Good!"

    "In the future, I only permit you to answer my inquiries with either yes or no. I don''t wish to hear any extra information unless I specify that you exin any further. Do you understand?" Lawrence''s manly and bass voice reverberated clearly throughout the training grounds.

    The trainees straightened their backs and responded, "Sir, yes, sir!"

    Lawrence swept his gaze across every trainee for a moment. His eyes seemed to be probing them before he eventually sighed, "Take over."

    "Yes..."

    A fatty who seemed to be even fatter than Zachary Casas stepped forward.

    "Deputy, let them have some fun on the track field," Lawrence instructed.

    "I understand." Deputy Instructor Eutem Gahi nodded his head and sternly dered, "All of you shall turn around and go to the track field on your left and start running! No one shall stop until I tell you to stop! Those who dare to stop without receiving any orders to stop will not be able to eat their dinner tonight, do you understand?!"

    "Sir, yes, sir!" The trainees still had determined looks on their faces as they shouted and started their jog.

    Seeing the trainees run with excitement on their faces, Lawrence Chavez shook his head, "The requirements for auxiliary police trainees are getting lower these days. Just look at them run with those postures and stance. They don''t even have an idea how to run properly! None of them have any civil service background, even their parents do not have one!"

    "What''s more, there are two that even dares to be a trainee through nepotism... One is that fatty and that guy who seems to be dead inside. But does that even matter when they are clearly just regr townsfolk?"

    "I might be able to turn these trainees into proper police officers in a year but in three months? Have the higher-ups gone senile, or what?"

    Deputy Instructor Eutem Gahi chuckled, "There''s really nothing that we can do about it, Lawrence. The demand for police officers is only going higher the more Ashmelion expands itsnd..."

    "If the higher-ups kept their incredibly strict recruitment process, then we might not be able to find a few qualified people to be a police officer in a year!"

    "This is why I can understand what the higher-ups are trying to do..."

    "I also understand what you are talking about... But this is not the proper way of introducing more police officers into the force."

    "The requirement is too low!"

    "It will drag down the overall quality of our police officers! Have they not learned their lessons from what had happened a few years ago in that massacre? The reason for that massacre in the first ce was the ipetence of our police officers!"

    "If they hadn''t attacked those farmers and acted strictly based on the standard operational procedure, then that atrocity wouldn''t even have to happen!" Lawrence''s mood seemed to have be worse as an angry look appeared on his face.

    Deputy Instructor Eutem Gahi stared at this brother of his and he couldn''t help but sigh.

    It seemed that even an experienced and battle-hardened man like Lawrence still had the ability to be sentimental sometimes.

    Or could it be that he still hasn''t moved on from the events of that day?

    Deputy Instructor Eutem Gahi wouldn''t possibly know the answer to this question.

    "Let''s not think about thesemon people... This batch of trainees isn''t that bad considering that she''s under our district."

    Deputy Instructor Eutem Gahi chuckled.

    He pulled out a brown envelope and handed over the file to Lawrence Chavez who then furrowed his eyebrows.

    "Christine Ana?"

    "Why does this surname sound so familiar?"

    "Is it?" Eutem patiently exined, "It''s because she''s the young sister of the leader of the Front-line Taskforce of the Ashmelion Police Department!"

    "In other words, her older sister is our senior! Influenced by her sister and after having been raised in a martial family like the Ana family, she decided to be a police officer and follow the footsteps of her sister..."

    "But there is something that makes her vastly different from her sister."

    Eutem deliberately stopped the exposition to create a sense of suspense.

    "What is it?" Lawrence stared at Eutem in a gaze that wanted to kill.

    Eutem bitterly smiled.

    He didn''t dare to y any more games as he continued, "She started to train under the Ana family''s teachings since she was six years old. Her fundamentals are perfect and she is unmatched in all things..."

    "At least, whenpared to these trainees."

    "I really think that she''s a worthy candidate to be trained into a proper police officer. It would be a waste if she bes a delinquent."

    "I see..." Lawrence could finally smile, "At least, there''s a single good seed among these trainees. That gives me some hope."

    "Yeah... She''s destined to be someone that''s even greater than her sister. That''s a guarantee, I tell you, Instructor." Eutem stated.

    "Yeah, right..." Lawrence stared at the elegant and detached girl running at the front of the group.

    A solemn expression was on Christine Ana''s face, but the grave look on her face didn''t diminish her beauty in the slightest.

    Instead, it elevated it to a level that made her seem untouchable. Along with the confident way that she carried herself as she jogged, her attractiveness was off the charts.

    Her body was slender, while her countenance cold, and delicate.

    Her eyes were deep and gorgeous.

    Even though she was d in the same generic trainee uniform as the others, her natural disposition still made her stand out from the crowd.

    Lawrence described this scene with a single sentence.

    "As expected of a member of the Ana Martial family!"

    The trainees had no idea that their instructors had already judged them as garbage.

    They continued to run like sheep on green pasture. At first, they thought that they would only run for a few minutes.

    But when that few minutes became quarter to an hour, and that quarter to an hour became half an hour...

    The trainees started toin.

    "When are we going to stop? I can''t feel my legs anymore!"

    "Damn it! It''s our first day in the training camp, but the instructors are already this ruthless... Can we even survive the next three months?"

    "I have no idea man, goddamned it. I can''t... I almost can''t do it anymore..."

    The enthusiasm of the trainees was snuffed out after just a fewps. Everyone was staring intently at Deputy Instructor Eutem Gahi. It seemed as if they were ready to just copse onto the ground the moment they heard the word, "Stop"e out of his mouth.

    Meanwhile, Calvin who was trying his best to keep up with the others didn''t look as if he had exerted himself. What a joke, if his body that had been enhanced after bing a Predator couldn''t keep up with themon people...

    He might as well stop whatever he was nning to do in the future.

    Calvin continued a leisurely pace beside Zachary who was already panting like a dog.

    The Fatty even had his tongue stuck out of his mouth as he desperately gasped for air.

    "Run, you fools! Hey, you Fatty! Are you trying to imitate a dog?"

    "Keep that tongue in your mouth and speed up!"

    "What are you doing? Are you even a man? Look at yourselves! You are being outrun by a girl! Do you guys feel any shame? Speed up! Go faster, and do not stop! Those that dare to stop will not receive any dinner tonight!"

    Lawrence stood up and started to shout at the newbies.

    His words made the trainees realize that a girl was indeed up ahead of them. Sadly, no matter what they did.

    They seemed to be unable to catch up to Christine.

    It was as if she was going faster the more they tried to catch up to her!

    Interesting...

    Calvin stared at Christine and noticed the faint fluctuations of Mana in her body.

    That technique...

    It seems to be a rudimentary version of the Art of Mana Maniption.

    Calvin himself was using a technique to keep his breathing stable while running. With his breathing stable, blood enriched with oxygen was able to constantly flow through his organs and as a result. He wouldn''t feel exhausted so easily.

    This was what Christine was doing.

    The reason why she still looked as if she had just gone out of a shower instead of jogging under the intense heat of the sun was because of the technique she was using...

    "This girl... I wonder if she''s a member of tha"

    "Stop!"

    Before Calvin couldplete his mutterings, Eutem shouted at them from behind.

    The newbies immediately came to a screeching halt.

    Their knees copsed beneath them and Fatty Zachary even rolled like a ball on the ground.

    Calvin shook his head at Zachary, "Man, you should really go on a diet."

    Zachary didn''t know what to say.

 Chapter 223: Combat Training

    Chapter 223: Combat Training

    It was only until the traineespleted tenps did Deputy Instructor Eutem Gahi called them to rest. Most of the trainees werepletely exhausted and by the time they were asked to return by Eutem...

    Those that had weaker constitutions than the others outright copsed and had to be sent to the infirmary.

    This was their first day in the special training program, but they were already thinking that they might not be able to survive until the end of it.

    But Deputy Instructor Eutem Gahi and Instructor Lawrence had smiles on their faces.

    It was because even though what they did was truly brutal. It had achieved its intended effect.

    The reason why they made the trainees run like dogs on their first day was to make them think that the special training program must never be underestimated!

    But both Lawrence and Eutem didn''t expect a pleasant surprise toe to them other than Christine. There was a single trainee other than her that was still standing tall without any signs of exhaustion at all.

    He looked perfectly fine and he even had a smile on his face as he talked with his fellow trainee.

    "Who is that young man?" Lawrence asked.

    He turned to look at Eutem and then pointed at Calvin, "Bring up the files that we have on that young man."

    Eutem Gahi hurriedlybed through several envelopes until he finally reached the envelope that contained Calvin''s file.

    He handed it over to Lawrence and exined, "This guy... His name is Calvin Vinueva. He seems to be the son of a farmer, someone at the bottom-rungs of the society. But he managed to earn a rmendation from the Department of Justice because..."

    "Ah!"

    Eutem leaned closer to Lawrence and whispered into his ears, "He''s from the Vige of Tulog!"

    "Oh?" Lawrence looked intrigued, "He''s from that rumored cursed vige? Interesting. His physical fitness isn''t bad. As expected of a farmer''s son. Now, I am thinking... this batch of trainees doesn''t seem to be that bad at all." Lawrence made a sidelong nce at Calvin''s information sheet and a delighted smile flitted across his lips.

    At this moment, it wasn''t only the Instructor and the Deputy Instructor that was observing Calvin.

    Christine was also observing him with her bright and curious eyes.

    She wanted to know how and why Calvin still looked as leisurely as ever as if they hadn''tpleted a jog thatsted for tenps.

    She felt curious and thought if Calvin must''ve undergone the same martial training as she did but after a short moment of thinking, she suddenly thought of something and decided to let out a sigh.

    In the end, she still wasn''t able to hold her curiosity back as she curiously nced in Calvin''s direction and surreptitiously sized him up.

    If he was indeed someone that had undergone the same martial training as her, then he could be a worthy opponent!

    She thought...

    ...

    For the next seven consecutive days, the trainees were subjected to a harsh physical fitness routine. The arduous and physically testing drills took a toll on everyone. Most of them would even find it hard to work properly at the end of the day due to the exhaustion and the soreness that seemed to be spreading throughout their entire body.

    To be honest, most of them felt so sore that even going to the bathroom became an incredibly difficult task.

    Fortunately, Eutem noticed this issue and he added railings on the doors of the bathrooms that the trainees could use to support themselves in a squat while they did their business.

    However, despite this disy of kindnessthe trainees had long lost their passion for the training camp.

    They weren''t looking forward to their everyday experiences in this camp anymore.

    Instead, the only desire that burned fiercer than ever in their hearts was the desire to get the hell out of this nightmare.

    What was even worse was that on top of their daily physical fitness training, they also had to study and memorize various regtions and guidelines as to how a police officer must conduct themselves on a daily basis.

    There was also a daily Language and Comprehension test, and on top of that was an arithmetic test.

    But not every trainee hated this part of their daily routine.

    It was because some of the trainees were so poor and unprivileged that the concept of receiving free education made them exim in joy.

    Calvin even discovered that some trainees only joined the police force, so they could harvest credits from the free education here that they could use when they finally migrated to Laguna for the sake of higher education.

    Of course, migrating to the Capital City wouldn''t be that easybut wasn''t that the reason why they joined the police force in the first ce?

    For them, the Ashmelion Police Department was a mere stepping stone.

    This was a fact that Calvin realized and had always made Lawrence bitterly smile.

    With achievements came rewards, but with failures came punishments. Every time a trainee didn''t manage to earn enough points for the passing mark, they would suffer from it.

    For the males, the punishment varied. It could be a well-aimed kick on their buttocks, or it could be a punishment of tenpsalthough the former was more popr for the trainees.

    As for thedies, their punishment was only three reps of 15 push-ups which created an uproar among the males.

    But it was mostly Fatty Zach that kept onining by crying foul and stating that the police officers must exercise gender equality and also smack thedies on their asses.

    Speaking of Fatty Zach, the poor guy was not only physically unfit for trainingbut he also didn''t seem to have any brains inside his skull.

    Throughout the Language and Comprehension, Arithmetic, Guidelines, and Regtion Test...

    He magnificently scored less than the passing points for all of these tests.

    And this continued for the next three days until Fatty Zach finally managed to receive passing marks for all of these subjects aside from Arithmetic.

    "It takes skill to be as stupid as this..." A traineemented on the side as he stared at Fatty Zach in schadenfreude.

    Calvin wanted to sigh, but he was also in agreement with the trainee.

    How could he not?

    It wasn''t that Fatty Zach wasn''t trying hard enough... it was that no matter how he tried, his improvements seemed to be minuscule whenpared to the effort that he was putting.

    <em>''He''s truly the epitome of having no talent!''</em> Calvin could onlyment like this in his heart.

    But the trainees sure did found out in the past seven days that Instructor Lawrence was a true demon. There were times when Calvin found himself so angry at Lawrence''s unreasonable demands for Fatty Zach''s sake to the point that he wanted to kick the former''s ass.

    But there was really nothing that Calvin could do for these were the demands of the special training program.

    He could only grit his teeth and continue to feel sorry for the Fatty.

    Fortunately, the heavens were merciful to those that were suffering.

    After seven days, Fatty Zach seemed to have sessfully limated himself to the harsh environment of the training camp and he wasn''t suffering so much as he did in the past seven days.

    He was now able to pass the tests and examinations in flying colors giving Calvin a pleasant surprise.

    After a day of rest, the trainees were summoned by Instructor Lawrence to the training grounds.

    Wearing their uniforms, they reported to the training grounds and discovered that there was a wooden podium on the grounds.

    Scanning his gaze across the trainees, Deputy Instructor Eutem walked up the podium and announced, "Listen, you bastards have done well in the past few days..."

    "But this doesn''t give you the right to becent! You lot may be better than average garbage, but you are still considered as garbage!" Eutem Gahi criticized.

    The trainees bitterly smiled.

    <em>''What was he nning to do, trying to intimidate us like this?''</em>

    "Combat is one of your core lessons in this training camp. Your bodies might be stronger now, but fighting techniques are still necessary to survive out there in the wild..."

    "Each and every one of you here must be at least capable of suppressing criminals once you run into them. "This is why today, you bastards will learn the right way to fight an enemy..." Deputy Instructor Eutem Gahi smiled.

    <em>''LET''S GOOO!''</em>

    The trainees were hyped inside, but they didn''t dare to express this on the outside.

    They remained standing steadfast like statues with not a single change on their faces.

    Instructor Lawrence nced at the trainees before he dered, "Who among you has the guts to cross blows with Deputy Instructor Eutem?"

    "If you manage to withstand at least five blows inbat with him, then I will permit you to have a day off! You can go to the nearby hamlet and shag some girls for all I care!"

    Most of the trainees were already trying their best to calm down their excited hearts, but there was one person that couldn''t hold himself back.

    "Sir, are you serious?!"

    It was Fatty Zach.

    Lawrence immediately sent him a dere.

    Fatty Zach was quick to correct himself, "Reporting! Sir, are you serious?!"

    Lawrence didn''t look amused, but he didn''t scold Fatty Zach this time as he nodded, "Yeah, I am."

    "All right, say no more, sir..." Fatty Zach coldly snorted and walked up the wooden podium without even asking Lawrence for permission.

    "Hey, Fatty. Are you sure that you are going to do this?" Calvin looked worried.

    "My good brother, do not stop me..."

    "I''ve heard from some of the officers that replenished our food inventory in the kitchen that the nearby Azucar Hamlet is famous for their oriental babes. As a man, how could I let such a precious opportunity passright before my eyes?!"

    Fatty Zach''s eyes burned with a determination that seemed to be fiercer than Calvin''s determination to save the world back then.

    "Besides, it''s only five blows... Even someone as weak as me should be able to withstand it."

    "Why else do I have all this fat on my body?"

    Fatty Zach patted his bosom and a proud smile spread on his face.

    "Wait for my good news, brother!" Fatty Zach didn''t even warn his enemy.

    His figure dashed with heavy footsteps towards Deputy Instructor Eutem, his gaze held a fire that burned fiercer than ever while his fist was clenched and was ready to meet the face of its enemy, but...

    <em>Boom!</em>

    In a blink of an eye, dust swept up the skies and clouded the vision of everyone.

    No one knew what exactly happened the moment Fatty Zach made his move, but someone was defeated in an instant.

    It was none other than...

    Fatty Zach!

    <em>Wha...</em>

    <em>What happened?!</em>

    The trainees simultaneously cried out in their hearts.

    But Calvin and Christine knew more than anyone as to what happened at that particr moment.

    When Fatty Zach raised his arm, clenched his fist, and sent out his punch.

    A fist that was even faster came crashing onto his cheek.

    He spun on the spot, twice, before falling onto the ground.

    The momentum that the force of the punch carried made him roll several times on the floor before he managed to stop.

    Fatty Zach''s ears were drowned out by the tinnitus that the punch had caused and he found himself disoriented as his face stung in pain.

    <em>How ruthless!</em>

    Calvin lightly chuckled while Christine wore a grave look on her face.

    The former had experienced something like this in the past, so he wasn''t really surprised.

    But Christine had never expected that an instructor would be so ruthless as to knock their trainees in one punch.

    Christine''s righteous heart became filled with indescribable fury for Fatty Zach.

    Sure, Fatty Zach might be a perverted bastard who has relentlessly tried his best to sneak a peek into thedies'' bathing area, but he didn''t deserve to suffer like this!

    Christine dered in her heart.

 Chapter 224: The Inevitable Future

    Chapter 224: The Inevitable Future

    The trainees were dumbfounded.

    They didn''t know what to say.

    Their expectations were low in regards to Fatty Zach''s performance, but holy shit. They didn''t expect him to be defeated in just a single blow!

    Calvin shook his head and inwardly chuckled. This was within his expectations.

    "Don''t even think that Deputy Instructor Eutem is being unreasonable here..."

    "In fact, he deliberately went easy on the Fatty. The ruthless criminals that are around Ashmelion would never spare you any mercy like what Deputy Instructor had done..."

    Instructor Lawrence continued with this serious look on his face, "If you don''t want to stay as cannon fodders, then all of you better do your best and train your skills well!"

    "Sir, yes, sir!" Inspired by Instructor Lawrence''s words, some confident trainees walked up the podium and challenged Eutem Gahi to a fight.

    But none of themsted the necessary five blows.

    The one thatsted the longest only managed to withstand a measly three blows before being sent out of bounds by Eutem.

    These trainees had never thought about Deputy Instructor Eutem that much, but now that they had experienced his might. They were humbled and realized that Deputy Instructor Eutem seemed to be stronger than Instructor Lawrence!

    But of course, they knew that this had to be a facy...

    After all, if the former was stronger than thetter, then wouldn''t he be ranked higher than thetter?

    "Fatty, are you all right?"

    Calvin approached Fatty Zachary and thetter turned to look at him with bitterness on his face.

    "Man, that was embarrassing... I didn''t even manage tost a single blow." Fatty Zachary sorrowfully held on his burning cheek.

    "Yeah, your performance sure was disappointing but I wouldn''t call it embarrassing..."

    "Have you already forgotten the disy of bravery and the speech that you made earlier before you jumped into the fray? Who knows if a girl or two are now attracted to you after that courageous disy?" Calvin teased.

    "You''re right..." Fatty Zachary''s vigor was suddenly ignited, "I can only stay downcast like this for so long. I cannot disappoint those women who now hold me in such high regard." He stood up and started to observe the fight happening above the podium with gusto.

    <em>''I was only joking though...''</em>

    Calvin wanted to say these words out loud, but he was afraid that he might hurt the feelings of the fatty.

    "Are there more challengers?"

    Lawrence dered as he scanned the crowd.

    But to his disappointment, the trainees ducked their heads and stared directly onto the ground the moment his gaze flitted across them. Deputy Instructor Eutem Gahi was an absolute killing machine... who would dare to challenge him?

    A man could be courageous, but they could not be stupid!

    Yes, a wise man knows when to advance and retreat...

    The trainees consoled themselves with these aged adages as they remained standing where they were out of embarrassment.

    They couldn''t think of any rebuttal. They simply looked down; their faces red in shame.

    "How about I try?"

    A pleasant voice broke the silence of the training grounds.

    Instructor Lawrence immediately broke out into a smile.

    Everyone turned to look at the origin of the voice and they discovered that the one who spoke was Christine Anathe consistent holder of the number one spot in all things among this batch of trainees.

    When the eyes of the other traineesnded on her, they couldn''t help but feel subconsciously inferior.

    The halo around Christine was just too dazzling, especially when they discovered her identity.

    Thesemoners found it hard to raise their heads to look at her, and as a result...

    She became unknowingly isted from the others.

    Even the girls were afraid and wary of her.

    They couldn''t treat Christine as a normal person since they were afraid that Christine might kill them and annihte their families once they said something wrong.

    This was how scary a martial family was in the eyes ofmoners.

    But both instructors didn''t care about what thesemoners thought.

    For them. they only had a single desire at this momentto know the extent of Christine''s capabilities.

    But aside from Christine, there was also another trainee whose capabilities both instructors wanted to ascertain.

    It was none other than Calvin.

    Instructor Lawrence saw at first nce that Calvin seemed to be trying his best to hide his capabilities for reasons unknown.

    But the fact that he was so insistent in staying low-key elicited a burning curiosity in Instructor Lawrence''s heart.

    It made him even more curious to see just how powerful Calvin was!

    Little did Instructor Lawrence knew that his own theory was true.

    That''s right, Calvin didn''t n on making any waves for the next three months.

    He had decided that he would only obtain the necessary passing marks to be an auxiliary police officer without drawing too much attention to himself.

    He was only nning on doing whatever was necessary without anything extra.

    After having received the agreement of both Instructors, Christine Ana leaped over the wooden podium in a single leap. Shended gracefully on the floor and the trainees couldn''t help but gawk at the sight of her magnificent disy of skill.

    "Why do I feel like she might be able to defeat Deputy Instructor Eutem?"

    "Yeah, did you see her moves? Man, that was so smooth."

    The trainees focused all of their attention on the podium, all of them felt that Christine Ana might be able to turn the tides in the favor of the trainees.

    "What a beauty..." Fatty Zachary admired from a distance, "Sadly, she is someone thatmoners like us will never be able to get along..."

    "Why?" Calvin asked out of curiosity.

    "It''s because she belongs in a Martial family!"

    "A martial family?" Calvin''s eyes brightened, "Are you talking about the Ana Martial family of Ashmelion?"

    "Yeah! Wait, I thought you didn''t know?" Fatty Zachary stared suspiciously at Calvin.

    "I had my hunch due to her surname."

    "I see, that makes sense."

    Fatty Zach nodded, "But now that you know her identity, I suppose you must also know the difference between us and her?"

    "Yeah..." Calvin absentmindedly replied.

    His mind wasn''t on the topic at this moment because he was currently reminiscing about the past.

    Surrounded by thick fog in the middle of a deep valley, a lone woman was standing with this look of hatred on her face.

    She was a woman whose surname Calvin had never known until the start of the war against the invaders. But when she came to the fore, her might and name resounded throughout the entire continent.

    The concept of the Seven Gods and Goddesses had been shattered back then, and this woman became a demi-god after ascending to the ranks of the Apex Predators.

    The Goddess of de.

    Despite acquiring might rivaling to that of one of the Gods and Goddesses, she still perished with a single word from that charming man.

    That charming man was just too terrible.

    After having shattered the Primordial Cradle, he invaded thends of Earth and Las Felipinas.

    His schemes just ran too deep at that time that there was nothing that the Seven Gods and Goddesses could do apart from being devoured.

    Yes, devoured...

    The Sucklings were masters in the concept of Devouring, thus they were named as such.

    The Goddess of de had acquired themandment of the Goddess of Prosperity and Gold, Nuwa, and with thetter''s sacrifice...

    She managed to leave the mortal coil and reached a realm higher than Apex Predators.

    But what could a woman supported by only a single Goddess do against a monster that had triumphed against the other Gods and Goddesses?

    Even the Goddess of All-Epassing Light perished after a heaven-rending battle against him back then...

    But this grim truth didn''t be an obstacle as it ignited the hearts of humanity. The Goddess of de quickly became the symbol of hope and she became even stronger with the aid of the people''s <em>"faith</em>".

    Unfortunately, in the end...

    It was toote.

    She was just toote.

    Calvin still remembered that heartwrenching moment when she condemned him for causing everything to happen.

    "You..."

    "You''re that..."

    "You''re that coward!"

    "How are you alive?"

    "Howe that you''re alive?"

    "Everyone''s already dead, but you''re still alive?"

    "On what basis?!"

    "How is a coward like you still alive?!"

    The fury and hatred in her eyes at that moment was thicker than the rivers of blood that had formed in that deep valley that day.

    "..." Calvin shook his head.

    He found himself unable to breathe.

    That scenewas still haunting him to this day.

    He could still remember how she became so hysterical when she saw him working under that charming man...

    He could still remember the look of disbelief and sorrow in her eyes when that charming man severed her head with a single word.

    But remembering that scene right now...

    Why did the Goddess of de seem relieved when she died in that valley?

    Calvin didn''t know the answer to this question and knowing it was an impossible feat.

    Letting out a sigh, at least... he still remembered the surname of that woman.

    Yes, she was this woman.

    Christine Ana.

    The Goddess of de whom the Goddess of Prosperity and Gold sacrificed her life for in hopes of turning the tides over in favor of humanity.

    Back then, Calvin only knew of her surname.

    After all, it was taboo to directly state the honorable name of a Goddess.

    But now, Calvin was sure.

    He had his suspicions when he first met her, but now he was certain after hearing her surname.

    If nothing was done, Christine Ana would be the future Goddess of de!

    "Hahaha..." Calvin inwardlyughed.

    "The Goddess of de... Back then, she was the epitome of coldness..."

    "But I never knew that she had always been this cold since she was young."

    "Nevermind..." Calvin shook his head, "I can see that the current version of the Ana Martial family''s Art of Wind-Chasing is still incredibly unpolished. They are still using unoptimized routes in circting thetent mana hidden in their bodies..."

    "I bet right now, the current Ana Martial family have no idea about the true potential of their Art of Wind-Chasing and the levels above what they currently know."

    The Goddess of de might''ve turned her back to him at that time, but it was mostly because of his own fault and mistakes.

    Calvin stared at the future Goddess of de in appreciation as a n slowly hatched in his mind.

 Chapter 225: Forced to Fight

    Chapter 225: Forced to Fight

    The ruckus created by the trainees attracted the attention of the other officers in the area.

    Since the training base was so huge, it wasn''t actually solely used by the trainees.

    There were a lot of officers that frequented the ce due to its somewhatvish facility and the fact that it was so close to the Hamlet of Azucar.

    "Oh, Deputy Instructor Eutem is going to fight a trainee?"

    "Wait, it''s a girl..."

    "Really? Damn, we all know that Deputy Instructor Eutem never holds back in a fight... Will she be able to withstand it?"

    "I have no idea, but I sure am certain that Eutem will probably not go too far."

    The officers started discussing among themselves, some of them even started betting their lunch money for the day.

    The odds were stacked against Christine.

    It was because these officers didn''t know who she wasthey only knew that she was a woman and they made their judgment based on that.

    The trainees followed the example of the officers and they started their own betting rung.

    Most of them also supported Deputy Instructor Eutem.

    After all, it was the decision that made the most sense.

    "Who are you going to support, Calvin?" Fatty Zachary asked out of curiosity, "I am going to bet my fifty cents for Instructor Eutem''s win!"

    "Oh, really?" Calvin took a peso coin out of his pocket and handed it over to the fund manager, "I''ll bet on Christine."

    "Wait, you''re going to support Christine? Are you confident that she''ll win?"

    Fatty Zacharymented.

    He seemed to be starting to regret the fact that he supported Eutem.

    But at the same time, he couldn''t understand why Calvin wasn''t supporting Eutem when he will obviously win this fight based on the fact that Eutem looked and fought like an absolute monster.

    Christine, on the other hand, looked so elegant and thin that she could probably be knocked over by a single breeze.

    "I am not confident that she''ll win." Calvin shook his head.

    "So you are saying that you are just throwing away your money?" Fatty Zachary furrowed his eyebrows, "Man if you are going to throw away your money, give them to me instead! One man''s trash might be another man''s treasure."

    Calvin rolled his eyes at the Fatty, "Is that the reason why your eyes look jaundiced?"

    "What?"

    "Nothing... I was just saying if you can only see nothing but gold! I''m supporting her in an effort to support ourselves! After all, she''s our representative so if I didn''t support herdoesn''t that basically mean that I am not confident with ourselves?" Calvin reasoned out.

    "All right, man. Whatever you say..." Fatty Zachary didn''t even want to argue anymore, "Since you''re my good brother, you can juste to papa if you end up broke for the next three days after losing this bet."

    "Likewise..." Calvin scoffed, "Oh, the battle is about to begin. We better shut up."

    "Yeah..."

    Christine stood in a rxed, high stance with her feet spread wide as her shoulders.

    Then, evenly bncing the forces on her feet... She moved forward and made the first move.

    She moved lightly across the wooden floor and swiftly closed the distance between her and Eutem.

    Eutem wasn''t idle either as he took a simr wide stance, but with both of his feet nted firmly onto the floor.

    "Oh, the Joselian Kingdom''s Basic Martial Art: First Stance?"

    Calvin muttered to himself.

    Simr to the Rozenstruik Empire that had its own imperial martial arts.

    The Joselian Kingdom also had their own martial arts. The only difference between the two was that the Joselian Kingdom had their own sets of martial arts for those that worked under the departments ofw and security.

    This was why no one reacted strongly when Eutem took the first stance of the Kingdom''s Basic Martial Art.

    Being able to use this Martial Art had be a necessary requirement before someone could be a true Police Officer or upholder of justice for the Kingdom.

    Eutem waited patiently like an immovable mountain while Christine observed her enemy like a hawk.

    But Eutem knew that someone must make the first move one way or another...

    If not, this standstill wouldst for too long.

    Raising his foot forward, Eutem wanted to create a reaction.

    But the moment he ced his foot forward, Christine moved...

    She bent both of her knees and thetent Mana in her body circted to its limits.

    Christine knew that she could not underestimate the Instructor. This was why she was about to fight the former like her life was on the line.

    "Gathering Breath... Intermediate Level?"

    Calvin whispered to himself.

    "Not bad..." Calvin repeatedly nodded his head and observed the fight with a renewed interest.

    The wind seemed to have be Christine''s ally as her movement considerably lightened.

    Raising her foot, sheshed a kick directly on Eutem''s right nk.

    The kick was aimed at Eutem''s liver, clearly... this was an attack that aimed to incapacitate.

    "How cunning..." Eutem''s pupils constricted. No human being in this world could possibly stand a direct and clean hit on their liver.

    This was why despite using the First Stance of the Joselian Kingdom''s Basic Martial Art...

    Eutem had to step backward and actively avoid the uing attack.

    "Hmmph..." Christine snorted in contempt.

    She immediately retracted the attack that she had just sent.

    Instead, she leaped to the side and quickly made her way behind Eutem who had just destroyed his own stance.

    With Eutem''s stance destroyed, there was no way that he would be able to dodge the iing attack...

    His pupils constricted.

    Raising his arm, he positioned himself to parry Christine''s fist with both hands.

    He nning on redirecting the force of the attack just below Christine''s knee in order to mess up with her momentum, but...

    The Art of Wind-Chasing was just too powerful.

    <em>Peng!</em>

    Eutem had made a timely decision, but his body was just physically too slow to make the appropriate changes.

    Christine''s fistnded on his chest and he flew out of the podium and crashed onto the ground.

    The victory has been decided.

    But Christine''s face didn''t look that good either.

    The trainees looked at each other in confusion.

    <em>Who won?</em>

    <em>Christine won, right?</em>

    <em>But why does she look like she''s in pain?</em>

    The trainees wondered.

    "They both lost," Calvin stated, "Christine sessfullynded an attack on Instructor Eutem''s chest, but Instructor Eutem is clearly smarter than what we have expected..."

    "He had hidden a steel te on his chest even before he made us challenge him." Calvin''s voice was low, but it rang clear enough that the other trainees heard what he had said.

    Instructor Lawrence stared at Calvin in astonishment.

    <em>How did this young man notice the steel te?</em>

    Christine''s expression didn''t look so good, "Shameless!"

    She scolded Instructor Eutem.

    "Hahaha..." Instructor Lawrenceughed.

    "Young miss, I apologize for what my instructor here had done, but she only used a steel te because he had recently broken his rib, you see?"

    "If he wasn''t wearing a steel te, then his lungs would''ve copsed once more under your fist!" Instructor Lawrence went over to Deputy Instructor Eutem and noticed that thetter seemed to be shaking his head.

    "Yeah, that''s right... I apologize for the misconduct."

    Deputy Instructor Eutem quickly took the me and said, "You''ve clearly won this battle."

    "As for the injuries that you''ve sustained from attacking me, you''ll be appropriatelypensated by our Police Station."

    "Okay..." Christine coolly said, "Your apology is epted, but I also want you to apologize to someone else!"

    "What?" The trainees stared at each other in confusion. <em>What was this girl talking about?</em>

    <em>She''s going to force the instructor to apologize to someone else?</em>

    Eutem Gahi furrowed his eyebrows, "I don''t know if that''s appropriate, young miss."

    "No, since you''ve wronged me then you must obey my words! I want you to apologize to the fatty!"

    "The fatty?" Eutem briefly nced at Fatty Zachary.

    "W-W-What?!" Fatty Zachary was panicking at this moment, "Shit, what do I do? What do I do, man?! If Instructor Eutem actually apologized to me, then I''ll definitely be his target in the future!"

    Calvin also had a frown on his face.

    He was thinking...

    <em>Was this woman deliberately making Zachary stand out of the crowd so that he''ll be the target of bullying from the other trainees and Eutem?</em>

    <em>Or was her intentions really pure, but it''s just that she clearly doesn''t understand the ramifications of her actions?</em>

    <em>But it''smon sense that forcing an instructor to apologize to a trainee for no reason would inevitably make that trainee a clear target for bullies. What is she thinking?</em>

    Calvin thought about it hard and long, but before he could reach the answer that he was looking forInstructor Eutem said once more.

    "I don''t remember doing anything to this fatty that is worthy of apologizing for?" Eutem asked. He looked genuinely confused.

    "You humiliated him earlier! You know that he was weak, so why did you not hold back?"

    Christine pointed at him, "I am not saying that you shouldn''t have sent him away with a blow, but you could''ve avoided his face! You could''ve just kicked him off the podium!"

    "G-G-Goddess..."

    Fatty Zachary was so moved that he wanted to cry. But knowing what would happen to him afterwards if Eutem was indeed forced to apologize, Fatty Zachary didn''t know whether he should be grateful or not to Christine.

    <em>''C-C-Could it be that she''s secretly in love with me? I knew it! So that''s why my mother refers to my folds of fat as love handles!''</em>

    "This clearly isn''t a good thing, fatty... Stop with your fantasy." Calvin rolled his eyes at him.

    Eutem stared at Christine in amusement.

    "Hahaha... Are you joking, young miss?"

    He clearly hadn''t expected the daughter of a Martial family like the Ana family to be this naive. But then, the Ana family was still an Aristocratic family despite the fact that they were more of a Martial family than an Aristocratic one.

    It was understandable that Christine was a sheltered girl that knew nothing about the outside world.

    However, the fact that Eutem didn''t expect this attitude toe from Christine meant that he was using Christine''s domineering elder sister as a baseline of measurement for her. But now that he knew that she was this kind of person, Eutem didn''t know what to say.

    Even Instructor Lawrence was speechless.

    But an idea soon came to Instructor Lawrence''s mind as he snickered and proposed, "All right, I''ll have Instructor Eutem apologize."

    "But there is a condition."

    "Condition? Do you want me to fight him again? He''s clearly not my match!" Christine scoffed.

    Eutem almost coughed a mouthful of blood from what he had heard.

    <em>''Just what... just what did this sheltereddy say?!''</em>

    <em>''Fucking hell, I wasn''t taking you seriously earlier, you know!''</em>

    Eutem screamed in his heart.

    But Instructor Lawrence wasn''t out here to argue.

    He shook his head and exined, "No, you don''t have to fight him again. But you have to win against someone from this batch of trainees."

    "What?" Christine looked baffled and confused.

    The trainees were also in an uproar.

    <em>What the fuck?</em>

    <em>Does their instructor want to send them to their deaths?</em>

    Calvin also found the notion iprehensible, but when Instructor Lawrence''s eyesnded on him.

    He finally understood what was going on.

    Instructor Lawrence was setting him up!

    He had set him up so that he could see his true abilities!<ol><li>Liver shot</li></ol>

 Chapter 226: Coaching During a Fight

    Chapter 226: Coaching During a Fight

    "What about it, Calvin? Would you like to fight?" Instructor Lawrence asked, "It''s umon to be able to throw hands with a woman. Especially when she is as beautiful as the daughter of the Ana Martial family."

    Calvin shook his head, "Instructor, I''ll pass..."

    "Look at me!"

    "I''m as thin as a matchstick, do you really think that I''ll be able to survive a blow against Christine?" He jokingly said.

    "I''m not as strong as you think, Instructor."

    The following words were meant to serve as a warning which only further served to increase Instructor Lawrence''s curiosity towards him.

    Christine was staring at Calvin with a frown on her face.

    She couldn''t help but speak up, "Is the fatty there, your friend?"

    Calvin nced at Fatty Zachary and replied, "Sort of?"

    "What do you mean, sort of! You''re terrible, Calvin! You''re my first boy, and you''re just going to abandon me like this?"

    Fatty Zachary interrupted and acted like an abandoned woman as he imitated a weeping widow.

    The trainees stared at the scene in shock as they started to murmur with each other.

    "Wait, Calvin is gay?"

    "No, I don''t think so, the fatty''s probably lying."

    "Yeah, that makes sense."

    Calvin was so annoyed by what he had heard that he turned to look at Christine and said, "He''s sort of my friend recently, but now he''s not."

    "What?!" Fatty Zachary stared at Calvin in shock, "You... How could you just abandoned me like this so ea"

    "Shut up!" Calvin red.

    Fatty Zachary finally closed his mouth and he didn''t say anything anymore.

    Christine was utterly confused at what was happening, "Is he your friend, or not?"

    "He''s sort of a friend, I guess?" Calvin replied.

    He had primarily talked with the Fatty in the past seven days since he discovered that no one seemed to actively approach the fatty.

    The scenario was favorable to Calvin who wanted to stay low-key to avoid the eyes of the other Judiciaries.

    This was the primary reason why he started talking to the fatty in the first ce.

    But the more he talked with the fatty, the more he realized that thetter was somewhat pitiful.

    He came from a family of civil servants and it was expected that Fatty Zachary would also be one in the future.

    However, instead of studying the four primary arts of the Kingdom: Calligraphy, Arithmetic, Etiquette, and Logic...

    He lived a life of debauchery instead.

    As a result, he was forced by his family to be an auxiliary police officer.

    At least even though he wouldn''t be involved with any politics, he could still be considered as a civil servant.

    In a way, the family line still hadn''t strayed from the path that they had chosen.

    "Let''s just say that you are his friend; are you not willing to help him get his justice?" Christine asked once more.

    "I am very much willing to lend him a hand," Calvin replied.

    "I don''t need a man to lend me a hand!" Fatty Zachary interrupted.

    "Shut up!" Christine red at him. Fatty Zachary was now bing annoying in her eyes.

    "Are you willing or not?"

    "I am!" Calvin promptly replied.

    "Then,e up here and take a beating for him!" Christinemanded.

    "No, thank you..." Calvin politely refused, "It''s a lose-lose situation for me and a win-win situation for you."

    "What are you talking about?" Christine furrowed his eyebrows, "How about you just say that you''re a coward?"

    "I might even start to respect you if you admit that you are one instead of going about it in such a roundabout manner!" Christine rolled her eyes at him which made Calvin bitterly smile inside.

    <em>''The future Goddess of de sure is a spicy individual...''</em>

    Calvin didn''t show any of his emotions outside as he patiently exined, "This is a lose-lose situation for me because if I win, people will say that I won against a girl, and if I lostpeople will say that I lost to a girl..."

    "Wouldn''t I still lose my honor either way?"

    "This is why I shall politely refuse the kind offer." Calvin nced at Instructor Lawrence.

    <em>''What a cunning brat!''</em>

    Instructor Lawrence inwardly said.

    Calvin''s words made sense and there was a coherent logic in them.

    However, Instructor Lawrence still had a way to force him to fight.

    "My intuition tells me that you can do it. Go up and impress us."

    Calvin shook his head.

    "What a wimp. Almost all of the trainees had gone up. Only you haven''t disyed your skills to us, yet! What did you evene here for? It would be a huge embarrassment if someone as cowardly as you bes an auxiliary police officer!"

    Instructor Lawrence used his charisma to force the crowd to support his opinion.

    Calvin quickly found himself pressured by the k.

    "That''s right, Calvin! Why are you being such a coward? She might be a woman, but she''s a member of a Martial family!"

    "Yes, that''s right! We won''t disdain you for it even if you lose against her! It''s a matter of course! It''s natural to lose against someone like her!"

    "Yeah, we won''t mock you for losing Calvin..."

    "But we will surely criticize you for being such a coward!"

    "That is why we want you to go up there and fight!"

    "Fight for your sake!"

    "Fight for us!"

    "You can do it!"

    The trainees eximed with Fatty Zachary in the lead.

    At first, Calvin felt somewhat moved to hear their words.

    But when he noticed the gloating looks on the faces of the trainees...

    Calvin discovered that they weren''t sincere in supporting him.

    They just wanted to see him getting his ass handed over to him by Christine.

    ''<em>T-T-These bastards...''</em>

    "Hey, Calvin! Go ahead and fight her! I''ll go and bet for your victory!"

    Fatty Zachary eximed as he took a peso coin from his pocket and muttered towards the betting agent in a low voice, "Christine. All-in."

    "Wait, didn''t you just say that"

    "Shh! That was obviously a lie! Do you think that bastard will be able to defeat a daughter from a Martial family?"

    "I was just making him feel good, that''s all." Fatty Zachary rolled his eyes at the betting agent.

    "But why bother being so dishonest?" The betting agent couldn''t understand.

    Fatty Zachary shrugged as he casually exined in a low voice. "Well, this is what friends do to each other. That''s all."

    The voices of the two were low that the others couldn''t possibly hear them.

    But who was Calvin?

    Calvin was a Predator whose senses had been enhanced!

    The other trainees might not be able to hear their conversation, but Calvin could hear it as clear as day.

    Hearing the fatty''s words, Calvin didn''t know whether he should be happy or sad.

    "All right, I''ll go and fight, okay? Are you guys satisfied now?" Calvin rolled his eyes at the other trainees and they rejoiced in excitement.

    Instructor Lawrence secretly hopped over to the betting agent and he made a bet to Calvin''s victory, much to the excitement of the students who were worried that their betting system might copse due to theck of betting supporters behind Calvin.

    But with Instructor Lawrence betting twenty pesos at once...

    The betting agent felt at ease and business became booming once more.

    Calvin was aware of all of these and the idea in his mindthat Instructor Lawrence was suspicious of his true power was further reinforced.

    He couldn''t help but let out a sigh.

    <em>''How troublesome...''</em>

    <em>''Wait...''</em>

    As Calvin was walking up the wooden podium, he suddenly thought of an idea.

    <em>''The Ana Martial family''s Art of Wind-Chasing is still an unpolished martial technique...''</em>

    <em>''Perhaps I might be able to help Christine find the true path to the peak of the Art of Wind-Chasing through this fight?''</em>

    <em>''But how?''</em>

    <em>''I can use the Art of Wind-Chasing to guide her, but it would be incredibly suspicious if I just suddenly used the same martial art as her despite not being a member of the same family.''</em>

    Calvin thought hard and long and he didn''t realize that he had just stepped inside the ring.

    It was when Christine made her move did Calvin awaken from his trance.

    "Don''t you dare turn your attention away from me!"

    Christine closed the distance of five meters in a blink of an eye.

    Calvin raised his head and he could vaguely see the faint movements of Mana underneath her skin through his Predator Senses.

    The Art of Wind-Chasing was a destructive martial art that not only brought devastation to its enemies but it also greatly enhanced the movement capabilities of its user.

    However, this particr attribute of the martial art made it so that it was incredibly difficult to learneven when one was particrlypatible with the art.

    Being the rudimentary version of the Art of Mana Maniption, the concept used in the Art of Wind-Chasing was more vaguely defined than the concepts used in the Art of Mana Maniption.

    But both of them were basically the same, although the Art of Mana Maniption was more of the Art of Wind-Chasing''s parent.

    And as a master of the Art of Mana Maniption...

    Calvin was obviously more powerful than Christine.

    But he wasn''t out here to prove that point.

    He was out here to impart some valuable knowledge and insights to Christine.

    And what other way was less suspicious than imparting insights in the middle of battle?

    Calvin took a step backward to dodge the iing kick.

    "Too slow!"

    Christine sneered.

    Sheshed out with a kick towards Calvin''s ankles.

    She was clearly trying to make him slip and fall to the ground.

    But Calvin dodged it with a simple hop.

    "What?"

    Christine was astonished by the steadiness and calmness that Calvin disyed in the face of her attack.

    But she had no time to marvel at what she had seen as Calvin twisted his body and sent a kick directly at her chest.

    "That''s futile!" Christine raised her arms to block the kick.

    She circted thetent Mana in her body to help her block the iing attack, however... when Calvin''s footnded on the back of her forearm. He struck one of her acupoints in a stroke of luck, causing the Mana in her body to seize up and malfunction.

    As a result, her forearm didn''t receive the reinforcement of her Mana.

    <em>Pak!</em>

    A crisp sound rang out as Calvin''s naked footnded squarely on her forearm.

    "Ah!"

    The force that Christine received made her exim in shock and pain as she stumbled backwards.

    <em>''What?''</em>

    The trainees stared at this scene, dumbfounded.

    <em>''What just happened?''</em>

    Even Deputy Instructor Eutem looked confused.

    He nced at Instructor Lawrence and found that thetter was also in deep contemtion.

    "You..."

    "What did you do?"

    Christine knew more than anyone as to what happened the moment Calvin''s foot made contact with her forearm.

    Calvin simply smiled. Instead of answering, he responded with a kick.

    Christine raised her arm once more to block the attack, but the same thing happened.

    The moment Calvin''s naked foot made contact with her arm, her Mana would seize up and cease to function.

    <em>''What is going on?!''</em>

    Christine started to panic.

    Calvin''s attacks were starting to make her feel the pressure.

    It wasn''t that Christine wasn''t doing her best to fight.

    She was doing everything that she could to resist Calvin''s attacks, but every time his fists or feet made contact with her body.

    Her Mana would strangely malfunction, rendering her helpless.

    Calvin was staring at Christine with a helpless look on his face.

    <em>''How dense was this girl?''</em>

    <em>''He had sent no less than twenty attacks since their fight started, yet she still can''t understand?''</em>

    <em>''Take a hint, young miss!''</em>

    Calvin screamed in his heart.

    He closed the distance once more and started an attack with his palm opened wide.

    Christine retreated backward, but Calvin pursued her to the corner of the wooden podium.

    Gnashing her teeth, Christine inwardly cursed, "Damn it! Am I going to be forced to use that?"

    Seeing Calvin moving closer to her, Christine knew that she had to make a decision.

    Taking a wide stance, she raised both of her hands into the skies before she brought them down at the same time.

    "Ultimate: Wind des!"

    Calvin''s pupils constricted. <em>''This girl... did he just use a killing technique in a sparring match?''</em>

    He was about to get off the wooden podium and retreat when he realized that the Wind des didn''t seem to contain the lethality that it originally had.

    <em>''This girl... She has excellent and fine control over her Mana!''</em>

    <em>''To think that she could reduce the strength of a killing technique to the point that it would be non-lethal!''</em>

    Calvin instantly saw through what she was nning to prove by using a killing technique.

    She was nning on proving something!

    She wanted to prove that Calvin''s neutralization of hertent Mana was only a coincidence!

    <em>''Did this girl already forget that we have already exchanged close to thirty attacks now? How could there be such a coincidence in this world?''</em>

    Calvin shook his head.

    But he could somehow understand what Christine was going through right now.

    It was probably shocking for her to know that someone else knew her body and technique more than her.

    Yes, she was thinking that Calvin knew every nook and cranny of her body due to the fact that he was able to neutralize each and every gathering point of her Mana to the extent that he was rendering her Art of Wind-Chasing useless in the fight.

    Christine wanted to prove that she was stronger than Calvin''s assumptions...

    She wanted to prove that she wasn''t someone that could be underestimated.

    But both Instructors didn''t know that Christine was using a non-lethal version of a killing technique.

    It was because the moment they saw the faint circting winds around her body, they instantly realized what was about to happen.

    <em>''She''s using Wind des?! Is she crazy?!''</em>

    Deputy Instructor Eutem cried out in his heart.

    Instructor Lawrence awakened from his stance faster than Eutem.

    He leaped onto the wooden podium, but even his swift reaction was too slow in the face of the Wind des.

    By the time he appeared in mid-air, Calvin''s palm was already flying towards Christine.

    <em>''Shit!''</em>

    <em>''He''s going to die!''</em>

    Instructor Lawrencemented in his heart.

    <em>Bang!</em>

    A huge explosion rang out.

    A cloud of dust dotted the skies as the trainees and the officers observing the fight found themselves unable to see what was happening on the podium.

    They also found it hard to breathe.

    "What the fuck just happened?" The trainees were confused.

    "Are we being attacked by an enemy?"

    "Are you retarded? This is a training base full of armed personnel. What kind of enemy would do such a bold attack?"

    A ruckus descended among the crowd, but as the dust cleared up...

    The scene above the wooden podium shook them to their very core.

    Christine was standing in front of Calvin, while thetter''s palm was pushed onto Christine''s sternum.

    His palm was dangerously close to Christine''s modest bosom.

    "Can you understand?"

    Calvin asked with a smile.

    Christine''s lips twitched, "Yes..."

    She stared at Calvin as if she was staring at a monster.

    Then, she suddenly blushed as she politely asked, "By the way can you move your hand off my chest?"

    "Oh, my bad..."

 Chapter 227: An Easily Deceived Lass

    Chapter 227: An Easily Deceived Lass

    "He won! Calvin won!"

    Fatty Zachary''s piercing voice reverberated throughout the area.

    When his words fell, the trainees and the officers around him finally awakened from their trance.

    "Just what happened?"

    The betting agent stared at the scene above the wooden podium.

    "Calvin won?" He couldn''t help but mutter to himself seeing the scene above the stage.

    Indeed, Calvin seemed to have won given that his hand was ced on...

    Christine''s chest?

    "Holy shit!" Fatty Zachary finally saw the scene up above the podium and his pupils constricted.

    But then what followed afterwards was a piercing scream, "Brother! You won! Congrats!"

    "Calvin actually won?!"

    Fatty Zachary might be delighted by the turn of events, but the trainees were in despair.

    The betting agent''s eyes shone in an avaricious light. Most of the trainees had bet on Christine''s victory. Even if he had topensate Instructor Lawrence double than what he had staked, the betting agent would still earn about a hundred pesos. As a fellow trainee who had no source of ie for food other than the government rations, hand-outs, and allowance...

    A hundred pesos was a significant amount of money.

    Furthermore, he didn''t have to worry about anyone stealing his money.

    How could people try to mug him when his status as the betting agent seemed to be legitimate...

    Yes, legitimate.

    People saw Instructor Lawrence bet on Calvin''s victory on him, so the trainees thought that he must be a legitimate betting agent for the officers.

    But even though the trainees were already thinking that Calvin had the victory on the bag, the betting agent still needed to wait for the authentication and recognition of both instructors. Unless they announced who had won the match, it was still unclear if he would really get the rewards that he deserved for his quick-thinking earlier.

    "Instructor, sir! Who won?!" A trainee who had nonchntly bet a peso coin for Calvin''s victory earlier asked excitedly.

    Instructor Lawrence didn''t reply.

    It was because he had no idea who won!

    He leaped into the air, thinking that he had to forcefully stop the battle due to Christine''s vition of using a lethal technique in a sparring session. But did she really use a lethal technique, or not? Because if she did, then Calvin would automatically im the victory. Although it would probably be physically impossible since if Christine had indeed used a lethal techniquehe would''ve probably been dead by now.

    But since he was still standing.

    Instructor Lawrence and Deputy Instructor Eutem were more inclined to believe that they had been mistaken.

    However, they could swear with their lives on the line that the fluctuations they had witnessed and the wind that surrounded Christine earlier must be the result of the Ana Martial family''s Art of Wind-Chasing''s ultimate skill!

    Left without a choice and under the threat of losing their face in front of the other trainees...

    Instructor Lawrence turned to look at Christine and a gaze that seemed to be asking for help appeared in his eyes.

    Christine let out a sigh. No matter what, she couldn''t possibly be a sore loser and say that she won when she clearly lost.

    In that battle, Calvin had thoroughly dominated her.

    But she was dominated in a way that she couldn''t understand at all in the entire fight.

    It was only when Calvinnded that final palm strike did Christine understood.

    Calvin was...

    Calvin was using a Martial Art that seemed to be simr to the Art of Wind-Chasing but was actually even stronger than it!

    Christine became filled with curiosity towards the young man. She wanted to know if Calvin stole the Martial Art from her family, or if he made it herself through a series of enlightenment and inspirations. If it was thetter, then Calvin was a genius that only appeared once every thousand years, but if it was the former...

    Christine would definitely report her to the family patriarch!

    But the question was, how was Christine supposed to ascertain which among the two choices was correct?

    Well, there was a way to find this answer once and for all.

    But it required Calvin''s consent.

    And Christine would never do the test without Calvin''s contest after having received a boon from him.

    "Calvin won..." Christine said these two words and the trainees erupted into cheers.

    "Seriously...?" Deputy Instructor Eutem looked like he couldn''t believe the words that came out of Christine''s mouth.

    Instructor Lawrence let out a sigh before he eventually erupted into a peal ofughter, "Eutem! Remember what you said before the match started! You''re the one that''s going to pay for everything that I will eat and fuck in Azucar for the next two weeks! Hahaha!"

    "Damned it..." Deputy Instructor Eutem gnashed his teeth in frustration but there was nothing that he could do.

    Calvin''s lips repeatedly twitched.

    These bastards...

    Are they really instructors?

    How could they bet on who will win in a battle between two trainees?

    As for this Fatty, damn. This guy is shameless.

    He obviously made a bet in support of Christine but he''s acting like he''s won the jackpot because of me.

    Calvin could only shake his head.

    The eventful morning soon came to a close.

    Evening came and while Calvin was wandering the training grounds to go to thevatory which was a few hundred meters away from their sleeping dormitory, a silhouette came descending upon him.

    Calvin subconsciously entered a fighting stance.

    "You..."

    "Christine?"

    "Why are you here? Damn, you scared me." Calvin sighed in relief.

    "I''m here to find you."

    "Oh? So straightforward, for what reason?" Calvin lightly chuckled.

    "Fight me."

    Christine calmly said, "I came here to ask you to fight me."

    "Later, I''m about to go and visit the Instructor right now to ask some questions."

    Calvin wanted to lie his way to escape Christine, but thess was insistent...

    "I''ll apany you, then."

    "Sigh..." Calvin didn''t bother with her anymore as he continued to walk in the direction of thevatory.

    But halfway through there, he stopped and asked, "Why are you following me?"

    Christine raised her brows, "I just said that I''ll apany you to the Instructor''s Quarters. Why does it feel like you are trying to avoid me?"

    "Oh, finally you can take the hint? Also, let us say that I''ll ept your invitation to fight. But a sparring session requires that both participants must be in their peak physical condition to prevent inconsistencies in their performance..."

    "Do you really want to fight me right now even though I am so tired?" Calvin asked.

    "Really? You''re tired?" Christine sized him up, "Why did you react subconsciously when I appeared out of nowhere earlier? The fast movements that you disyed didn''t seem to say that you''re tired. Furthermore, your actions are also quite trained. Calvin, just who are you?"

    "Hey, it''s rude to ask for the identity of someone that you barely know!" Calvin retorted.

    "How else am I supposed to know that person then, if I don''t ask for his identity?" Christine cheekily replied.

    "That actually makes sense." Calvin nodded his head, "But I still don''t want to spar right now."

    Calvin turned around and tried to continue on his way to thevatory, but Christine stood in his way.

    Fuck... I have to be in the shitter in five minutes or else I might not be able to hold this back...

    Calvin started to sweat bullets and he was now getting annoyed with Christine.

    "Really, just tell me what you want from me, please..." A pleading tone was nowced in his voice.

    Christine who was acting like a stubborn duck that had just imprinted on Calvin promptly replied, "I want you to fight me."

    "Out here in the middle of this training grounds?" Calvin asked, "Lass, it''s the middle of the night... Are you sure that you want to fight when it''s too dark? You might never know what will hit you once we fight."

    "It''s fine, I can use the wind currents to find out where you are." Christine confidently replied.

    "It''s not fine! It''s too dark! How about wepete in something else for now instead of Martial Arts?" Calvin made a proposal.

    "That will do, I guess?" Christine replied in doubt.

    "Okay." Calvin nodded his head, "The stakes are as follows. Can you see the female dormitory area over there?"

    "On the count of three, the first person to reach that area will win."

    "If you managed to win against me in speed, then I will spar with you tonight. If not, then you will not bring up this sparring session again for the rest of the week..."

    "Do you understand?"

    Christine didn''t even say anything. She simply nodded her head in response.

    Calvin immediately crouched and prepared to run.

    Christine also did the same and she stood beside him, exactly a few meters away.

    "On my mark!"

    "Three..."

    "Two..."

    "One..."

    "Go!"

    As soon as his words fell, Christine immediately rushed out towards the female dormitory area with the fastest speed that she could muster.

    She even activated the Art of Wind-Chasing as hertent Mana rushed towards her lungs and legs.

    "Heh..."

    "She''s too easy to deceive!"

    Calvin mumbled in his heart.

    He was somewhat surprised that the youngest daughter of the Ana Martial family of Ashmelion and the future Goddess of de had once been an easily deceivedss when she was young.

    Christine Ana really seemed to be an innocent child that was untainted by the filthy environment of Ashmelion.

    To think that she could easily be deceived!

    Calvin inwardly chuckled.

    Then, his expression suddenly paled as his stomach started rumbling.

    Immediately afterwards, he ran and made a break for it towards the training camp''svatory.

 Chapter 228: Meeting the Goddess Once More

    Chapter 228: Meeting the Goddess Once More

    it was only after two hours did Calvin came out of thevatory.

    <em>''Fuck man, the food here is lethal... To think that a single serving of their spicy bread-wrapped boneless chicken would turn me like this...''</em>

    Calvinmented.

    ''I''m really sorry for Deputy Instructor Eutem now. He''s such a good guy for installing those railings on the bathroom doors. But to think that I made him lose so much money...''

    ''Well, it''s partly his fault for not believing in me anyway...''

    Calvin inwardlyughed.

    As he walked out of the doors of thevatory, his footsteps suddenly came to a halt.

    It was because he seemed to have forgotten something crucial.

    "Christine!" Calvin''s pupils narrowed.

    He immediately extinguished his presence and suppressed his breathing.

    But every user of the Art of Wind-Chasing not only had superior movement and destructive capabilities. They were also great scouts.

    It was due to the fact that they were able to recognize every minute changes in the surrounding air currents. Furthermore, those that were more skilled in the art were able to properly distinguish air current movements that were relevant or not.

    Obviously, being at the lowest realm of the Art of Wind-Chasing, the Gathering Breath RealmChristine must still be able to detect minute changes in the surrounding air currents...

    But it should be impossible for her to distinguish between negligible and relevant air current movements.

    This was why...

    Calvin randomly picked up a rock and he hurled it in the direction of thedies dormitory area.

    Immediately afterwards, he ran with the balls of his feet and lightly flitted across the training grounds towards the male dormitory area.

    Upon having arrived at his own room inside the dormitory area, Calvin was finally able to sigh in relief.

    "Damn that was a hectic run..."

    He couldn''t help but inwardlyment.

    "All right. let''s call it a day."

    Calvin tucked himself underneath his nket when his eyes suddenly opened widened.

    <em>''I came herest Thursday, so today must also be Thursday...''</em>

    <em>''But since it''s already about midnight, so today must be Friday!''</em>

    <em>''It''s the end of the week already!''</em>

    Calvin cried out in his heart, "I have to go and visit Grace''s Heavenly Abode!"

    He closed his eyes and called out for the corresponding technique that would activate the Heavenly Abode Visitation Pass.

    In an instant, a flood of information washed over Calvin''s brain.

    This bestowal of information was transient, so it didn''t cause Calvin that much harm nor pain.

    He stood up and looked for his backpack.

    His backpack contained some essential oils and staple mysticism ingredients that he would definitely need to use the Heavenly Abode Visitation Pass.

    After only a few seconds of rummaging, Calvin retrieved a vial of menthol oil diluted with half parts mineral oil. A pinch of Ladies'' Dust, a few drops of Pure Water, and a drop of Calvin''s blood as the evidence and personification of his true identity.

    The ingredients for the activation of the Heavenly Abode Visitation Pass seemed mundane, but if one didn''t have a crucial ingredient, then one would never be able to enter the Heavenly Abode of the Goddess of All-Epassing Light.

    That crucial ingredient was the Emperor''s Commandment.

    After confirming that he had sessfully gathered the necessary items.

    Calvin stood at the center of the room and dropped a single drop of Pure Water at the center of the room. Then, he dropped another one, then another one, and another one... until when the dots were connected, they would vaguely form the sign of the All-Epassing Light.

    Afterwards, Calvin crushed the vial of menthol oil that wasbined with equal parts mineral oil.

    He then rubbed the slippery substance on his be, then patted it dry with a pinch of Ladies'' Dust.

    The fragrance of menthol and Ladies'' Dust assaulted Calvin''s nerves.

    The menthol made him indescribably calm, while the Ladies'' Dust seemed to elevate his senses into a higher dimension.

    While he was drunk in the sensation, Calvin started to chant.

    "Oh, our Beloved Goddess Grace..."

    "The Magister of Light and themander ofpassion..."

    "I invoke your name with my essence, bestow blessings upon your lowly servant..."

    "For my authority came from thee, upon the gates of thy abode for me!"

    The Visitation Pass was activated the moment Calvin''s sentence waspleted.

    Immediately, he was surrounded by the dizzying sensation of crossing through the void, but it onlysted for a short while. It was because when the effects of the numbing Ladies'' Dust finally disappeared, he found himself standing inside avishly-decorated mansion.

    "Oh, I felt a disturbance in the space from outside the cube. It turns out that it''s you..." Grace approached him with a smile on her face.

    She was wearing a in white t-shirt paired with pink short pants that greatly emphasized her long legs.

    "What are you staring at?" Grace raised her brows.

    Calvin immediately turned his gaze away and stood up.

    Coughing, he cleared his throat and asked, "I apologize for arriving here sote."

    "It doesn''t matter, time and space is an easily manipted concept in my Heavenly Abode." Grace nonchntly waved her hand.

    "I know, but you probably waited a week for me, right?"

    "Why do you say so?" Grace looked at him in intrigue.

    "It''s pretty obvious..."

    "Myrades are here with you, and considering their affiliation to evil due to their resentmentyou must''ve been unable to exert too much of your divinity, or else they might randomly turn to dust while they are close to you."

    Calvin had just arrived in the Heavenly Abode, yet he had already discovered the root of Grace''s worries in the past week.

    "Yeah, it''s a pain in the ass. I''m thrilled that you''re here now so they can finally return to the Bloodstone."

    "What did you do to the Bloodstone?"

    "Nothing much, I just manipted its empty space so that it''ll resemble a house instead of just an empty void. You wouldn''t want your friends to be depressed while waiting for you to let them out, right?"

    "At least they can have some entertainment while they are inside the Bloodstone..."

    Grace looked proud as she said all of these.

    She even stuck her chest out and seemed to be expecting something from Calvin.

    "Grace, did you really exist ever since the world was created?" He couldn''t help but ask.

    "Yeah, why? Are you doubting my power?" Grace coldly scoffed.

    "No, no, no..." Calvin hurriedly replied.

    "What is it then?"

    "N-Nevermind..." Calvin didn''t dare to voice his thoughts out loud anymore as he continued, "You did a pretty good job."

    "No, don''t get too excited yet." Grace raised a finger and shook it left and right, "I made one more modification that you would definitely find convenient!"

    "Oh?" Calvin was finally intrigued, "What is it?"

    "The attribute of ever-changing!"

    "What is that?" Calvin stared seriously at Grace.

    "Well, it''s not that of a big deal actually. I just gave the Bloodstone the ability to change its size ording to the user''s will."

    "I see..." Calvin lightly chuckled, "Wait, why are you staring at me like that?"

    He furrowed his eyebrows when he saw Grace staring at him with her cheeks puffed.

    But Grace didn''t say anything. Instead, she kept on staring at him with this look of expectation in her eyes.

    "Fine..." Calvin bitterly smiled and said, "I''ll y a game or two with you before we leave."

    "Yes!" Grace jumped in joy, "It''s a promise! You aren''t getting out of here until you won a match against us!"

    "Interesting... So you''re that confident?"

    "What are we going to y anyway?"

    "It''s a secret! Come upstairs if you want to see what we''re ying!"

    "Tssk, why bother trying to keep it a secret?" Calvin didn''t know what was going through Grace''s mind right now.

    But the moment he opened the doors to the game room upstairs, he was stunned to see the Mortician, Daylight Bride, and Stephanie ying a game of Grand Turismo!

 Chapter 229: A Year of Training Inside the Heavenly Abode

    Chapter 229: A Year of Training Inside the Heavenly Abode

    "Guess, what we''re going to y today?" Grace asked with this cheeky smile on her face.

    "Grand Turismo?" Calvin replied almost immediately. The answer that he stated was the most obvious one given that the Daylight Bride, the Mortician, and Stephanie were ying the game right now.

    "Yup~ But there''s a twist!"

    Grace leaned over to Calvin and continued, "You''ll have to y by yourself and you have to defeat all of us if you want to take the victory!"

    "What?" Calvin furrowed his brows, "What are you nning this time making me y a game that''s heavily stacked on me. Do you think that I am stupid to y a game like that when I''m more likely to lose? I''m going to refuse this time."

    Calvin rolled his eyes at her and shrugged.

    "No!" Grace took his arm and held it between her chest, "Can we please y the game?"

    "Not today, I''ve got to go and sleep! I''ve been so tired in the past few days, at least give me some proper sleep." Calvin shook his head.

    "Did you already forget the effects of the Heavenly Abode Visitation Pass?" Grace asked Calvin with confusion visible on her face.

    "What are you talking about?"

    Calvin asked, "Is there some kind of a hidden condition whenever I use the Heavenly Abode Visitation Pass?"

    "No, no, no..." Grace hurriedly denied the allegations, "It seems that you actually forgot that you are physically in my Heavenly Abode..."

    "Wait, really?" Calvin stared at Grace in shock and delight, "Are you serious?"

    "Yeah, go and take a look at the item description." Grace nonchntly replied.

    Calvin tried to summon the Ascension System, but an error prompt popped up.

    [Version Update is in progress.]

    [System unavable.]

    [Please check back at ater date!]

    A sharp pain immediately assaulted Calvin''s words as the transparent system notifications vanished in a blink of an eye.

    "What''s wrong?" Grace asked in concern.

    She seemed to be somewhat nervous.

    It was understandable since Calvin was the very first mortal to step into the Heavenly Abode of a creation Goddess. Even though Grace had made sure that the environment was safe for a mortal being, idents could still happen in ordance with Murphy''s Law.

    "I''m fine, but what is this so-called Version Update?"

    Calvin could vaguely remember seeing the words, Version Update back in the Vige of Tulog but he couldn''t remember it properly due to the bout of headache attacking his nerves at this moment.

    "Ah!" Grace eximed in enlightenment and shock.

    She immediately raised her hand and Calvin''s headache disappeared as if it hadn''t even happened in the first ce, "I''m so sorry!"

    Grace looked apologetic.

    "What is it?" Calvin asked with a frown.

    "I forgot the Version Update!"

    "I was supposed toplete itst Friday, but since you didn''t arrive I decided to postpone the final version that was already in production..."

    "But now that you''reining of headaches, I finally remembered what I have forgottenst week! This is really not my fault, all right? It''s the fault of your friends!"

    "They are too pure and innocent! They had no idea what the world of gaming was, so I had to educate them!" Grace painstakingly exined.

    "All right, it''s okay, it''s okay... Can you just finish the Version Update already now that I am here?" Calvin asked.

    Grace abruptly froze.

    "Well, that is not entirely impossible but there is one thing that we must do first before that."

    "Please tell me..." Calvin replied.

    "We''ve got to y a round of Grand Turismo with your friends!"

    "Let me guess, the conditions are still the same?"

    "Yup~"

    Grace proudly stated, "You''re quite good at the game, so it''s just normal to let you have multiple opponents to even out the ying field."

    "Even out the ying fieldmy ass!" Calvin red, "I told you that I won''t y a game like that!"

    "Wait if I don''t use my cheats?"

    "Not enough!" Calvin shook his head.

    ''What if I gave you a reward?"

    Calvin thought for a long while before he asked out of curiosity, "What kind of reward are we talking about?"

    "I will use some of my stored-up divinity to pretend that I''m doing some maintenance on my Heavenly Abode. But instead of actually doing some maintenance, I am going to manipte time and space to make it so that a year here is only a few hours in the outside world..."

    "Then, I''ll let you stay so you can train here for the entire year..."

    "Of course, you''ll be a year older when youe out but there''s always a way to make you look like you just woke up from sleeping."

    "Oh?" A smile was finally on Calvin''s face.

    A year of extra time against the invaders sure was valuable.

    This was indeed a hard-to-refuse offer.

    But Calvin knew that he had an advantage against the Goddess who desperately wanted to y with someone else other than herself.

    "All right, that sounds good. But during my entire stay here, I must be able to ask you questions."

    "Okay, feel free to ask whatever you want to know. However, I will still retain my right in refusing to answer..."

    "After all, I don''t want you to ask me about private and lecherous things..."

    Grace turned her gaze away from Calvin and thetter couldn''t help but bitterly smile.

    <em>''As if I''d do that and willingly be an enemy of the Great Chief of War and Infighting!''</em>

    <em>''Hmmph!''</em>

    Calvin couldn''t help but criticize in his head.

    "Are you ready?" Grace asked with a smile.

    "Wait," Calvin interrupted, "What will happen to the Mortician, Daylight Bride, and Stephanie? Will they be able to withstand your divine might once you start using it to disguise some maintenance work on your Heavenly Abode or something?"

    "It''s fine," Grace casually said, "I''ll make them stay in your Blood Stone whenever I am trying to maintain that disguise, so rest assured."

    "All right, if that''s the case, then I won''t ask anything about it anymore. I doubt that you''ll even harm them in the first ce considering the fact that you''ve basically converted them into members of the cult of gaming in just under a week."

    Calvin lightly chuckled, "To be honest, I would''ve been impressed by this feat if there''s actually something else that we can do other than gaming in this mansion."

    Calvin shrugged.

    "What are you talking about? Is there even an activity out there that''s worthy for a Goddess like me to do, other than ying games?"

    "How about a bath?"

    Calvin raised a finger and proposed, "A true gamer would dedicate most of his or her hours into gaming, but basic hygiene must still never be forgotten. It would be terrible if you lost a duel due to an itch that you just had to scratch caused by not taking a bath for a long time..."

    "That makes sense. Okay, I''ll make us a bath."

    Grace nonchntly replied, but just as she was about to wave her hand and create a bath.

    She suddenly paused and stared at Calvin in doubt, "Is this you hinting that you want to take a bath with me?"

    "No! Get your mind out of the gutter, Goddess of All-Epassing Light! My goodness!"

    Calvin almost immediately replied in a half-scolding manner.

    But Grace remained unaffected by Calvin''s words...

    Instead, she even winked at him and smiled, "I don''t really mind it though~"

    <em>''Fuck...''</em>

    Calvin cursed in his heart.

    Before he could even verbally say anything though, Goddess Grace already disappeared from his sight.

    <em>''The Goddess of Compassion and Light... ''</em>

    <em>''What a troublesome woman.''</em>

    Calvin could only sigh.

 Chapter 230: A Year Later, Still Unconquered

    Chapter 230: A Year Later, Still Unconquered

    Inside this room filled with neon lights to the brim, several figures could be seen sitting on a couch.

    Each of them held a controller in their hands, but only two were currently ying.

    But despite being eliminated from the game, these figures didn''t speak a word nor move. All of their attention was focused on the shing disy right in front of them wherein two figures could be seen duking it out head-to-head in a fierce battle.

    The number of health bars on the upper left corner of the screen indicated that these four figuresmore specificallythree ghosts and a Goddesses had ganged up against a mortal man.

    Yes, this was the situation.

    Yet, despite the overwhelming odds. The mortal manwith the nameCalvin remained rtivelyposed.

    Sure, a frown was on his face as his fingers constantly trembled while he was holding the controller, but the character he was controlling in the game remained healthy.

    The health bar of his character was still above 50%, whereas his enemy only had about 30% of her health bar remaining.

    A single nce was enough to see who was currently winning.

    But the woman beside Calvin remained steadfast.

    This gorgeous woman with dark amethyst eyes and light purple hair was d with nothing but a white shirt.

    With her beauty, the way her nakedness emphasized her fair long legs sure was distracting.

    But Calvin''s eyes had never oncended on any part of her body ever since the game started.

    This was a true gamer.

    His mind and soul, heart and body were focused on one thing and nothing else.

    It was winning this battle.

    The gorgeous woman had already noticed that her distraction tactic wasn''t working.

    But she wasn''t willing to give up just yet.

    Earlier, she was seated quite a distance away from Calvinbut now she was not even a meter away from him.

    The values that this gorgeous woman bestowed upon her subjects included leniency, propriety, altruism, and mercy.

    In addition, the fact that Calvin was able to enter her Heavenly Abode meant that he was a believer of the Goddess of Compassion and Light.

    But in this fight...

    He showed no mercy whatsoever in this battle.

    The gorgeous woman remained standing against the overwhelming might of this mortal man, but not even her swift APM was able to salvage her from her disadvantageous position.

    In the end, Calvin exchanged the health of her character for the health of the gorgeous woman''s character and the fight soon came to a close.

    Game!

    "Goddamned it!" The gorgeous woman abruptly stood up from her seat and smashed the controller onto the floor.

    The controller abruptly shattered and dissipated into innumerable light crystals the moment it made contact with the ground. Sure enough, this gorgeous woman might look frail and delicate, but inside of her body was a might that not any mortal could withstand.

    Calvin was speechless.

    He didn''t know what to say.

    "Grace, are you all right?" Calvin squeezed these words out after a long time.

    "Do I look like I am all right?" Grace red at him, "How are you so good at any games? I don''t understand. Okay, I''ll admit that you''re awesome at Turismo, but are you saying that you''re also invincible at Let Us Smash Bros?!"

    "What is going on? I don''t understand why I can''t beat you at all!"

    She pointed a finger at him and continued, "Also, didn''t you say that you are going to teach me how to be a better yer? Why am I still so bad at this game? You''re really not a good teacher!" Her cheeks puffed and blushed with crimson as she panted for breath.

    "Am I not teaching you?" Calvin furrowed his eyebrows. He looked as if he couldn''t understand what she was talking about. "Aren''t I teaching you while we''re ying?"

    "Don''t you find it strange how you were able tost this long against me? I was teaching you in-game! Could it be that you didn''t see me doing those short jumps and animation canceling? I was demonstrating them to you, so you can learn!"

    "Oh..." Grace was dumbfounded.

    She didn''t know what to say.

    The look on her face made it obvious that she could recall what Calvin was talking about, but she clearly didn''t get the clue that what he had been doing in the game were actions that she could follow to improve!

    "Wait... Could it be that you didn''t notice that I was"

    "No!" Grace hurriedly waved her hand, "Of course, I noticed! I just didn''t feel like following what you were trying to teach me! I''m going to be a better yer in you know... unconventional ways?" Her pink lips twitched as she said all of these.

    Obviously, she wasn''t expecting Calvin to fall into her lies, but he did anyway...

    "I see. I understand. It''s not strange that my way of teaching you is somewhat on the strange side, but this is the most effective way!"

    "If you want to beat me in a game within the next three years without the use of cheats, then this is the only viable way that I can teach you!" Calvin righteously dered, "Let''s analyze what happened in that game."

    "The character you have chosen sure was interestingZhuge Liang is a powerful character in the game, but he is a ss cannon!"

    "His animations take too long to start andplete. On top of that, since you are barely taking advantage of I-frames in between the animations and the art of animation canceling, it is not strange that you''ve lost against me!"

    "With your ystyle, you should''ve really used a supporting character and supported the others in that fight. The Mortician is a better DPS user, and as for utilities, Stephanie and the Daylight Bride is also better than you..."

    "In short, there is no other suitable role for you in that fight other than to stay in the backlines and heal your friends in the distance." Calvin shook his head.

    Grace puffed her cheeks once more and muttered, "If I used a supporting character, you would''ve definitely killed me first!"

    Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    Let Us Smash Bros might be a game that was primarily yed by two yers in a 1v1 scenario.

    But its core mechanics still encouraged team y.

    With that in mind and being the only yer in his own team, Calvin must target the healer first if he wanted to im the victory.

    Yet, this Goddess of Compassion and Light here didn''t use a supporting character because she didn''t want to be the one to die first?

    How selfish was this girl?

    Calvin could only shake his head.

    He stood up and walked outside the neon-lights filled room.

    Grace followed suit and the two of them soon reached the living room.

    "Can you at least wear something else..."

    Calvin bitterly smiled when he saw that Grace was still half-naked.

    Her upper body only had a white shirt, and she wasn''t even wearing a bra to boot!

    "What? I''m wearing panties though."

    Grace lifted the hem of her shirt and casually showed what was underneath to Calvin.

    Thetter immediately facepalmed, "Panties aren''t that powerful to suppress my raging hormones, though..."

    "Calvin, have you already forgotten that you are in my house? I can do whatever I want since we are in my residence." Grace sat on a chair.

    She tied up her light purple hair in a bun and continued, "Also, it''s been almost a year since you''re here. I thought for sure that you''ve gotten used to this scene."

    A cheeky smile appeared on her face as she observed the changes on Calvin''s face.

    Even though both of them had stayed for almost a year under a single roof, she had never gotten used to the look of embarrassment on Calvin''s face.

    To be honest, she was starting to like it a bit.

    The way a blush would faintly spread over his cheeks the moment she did something unbefitting to that of ady in front of him...

    A year was as fleeting as a passing breeze to a Goddess like her.

    But for some reason, this year seemed to havested even shorter while Calvin was close to her.

    "Are you going out soon?" Grace asked with a faint smile.

    "Yeah. I have to go out. Besides, I''m already getting sick of this ce. Can''t you at least create a resort or a mini ind or something?" Calvin couldn''t help but ask.

    The amenities in this house that Grace had made with her divinity wasn''t that bad. In fact, it wasparable to a five-star hotel. But no matter how much of a shut-in Calvin was, he had gotten too sick of the environment.

    He wasn''t even allowed to go out, nor there was something out there that was worthy of his visit.

    Grace lightly smiled, "I sure can do that. Did you already forget what I''ve told you before? This is my Heavenly Abode. I can do whatever I want in this ce, whenever I want." A proud look suffused on Grace''s expression, but Calvin wasn''t impressed.

    "Then, why haven''t you done it yet? Why did we stay here for so long without a change of environment?"

    "Well, it''s because you didn''t really suggest anything. This is the first time that you said that you wanted to go to a resort or an ind!"

    Grace retorted.

    Calvin was speechless. She was right.

    It was only when he was about to leave did Calvin realized that he also had to give himself some time to rx.

    But recalling Grace''s words, Calvin suddenly realized something that he had thoroughly ignore up to this day.

    "Grace," Calvin called out, an incredulous look was on his face as he said, "Since you can do whatever you want in this ce. What''s stopping you from turning me into an overpowered killing machine before Ie out of this Heavenly Abode? Wouldn''t that be for the best?"

    Grace simply shook her head. "I would''ve done that already if I could. This is the best that I can do. It''s not that simple, Calvin."

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows for a moment.

    But before he could reply, Grace spoke once again.

    "Since you came here from the future, I am certain that you already know what I am talking about." A smile appeared on her face.

    Grace''s words confirmed Calvin''s theory.

    "The Primordial Cradle."

    "You..." Grace stared wide-eyed at Calvin, "To think that you would even know of its name... I am sure that you must''ve had quite the aplishment in the previous timeline. Would you like for us to talk about your past? I might be able to help you."

    Calvin shook his head, "Honestly, I don''t know. I don''t know if I am allowed to say anything to you. I might have been able to turn back time to return here to the past, but the events whom I thought I knowhad already changed."

    "Changed? What do you mean?" Grace furrowed her eyebrows.

    The Concept of Time and Space sure wasplicated, but she was one of the Seven Gods and Goddesses who had created this world. If she imed second in regards to the understanding of that concept, then no one would dare to im that they were first!

    Calvin also realized this, so he continued. "More uratelyit didn''t actually change. It''s just the dates seemed to have been pushed forward, and the stakes seem to be higher."

    Calvin recalled what had happened back in the Asylum, "Could it be that my very own presence in this world is causing it to change? Will the cataclysm that will eventually happen in the future be harder to ovee than I expected?"

    Calvin stared at Grace.

    He seemed to be looking for answers.<ol><li>Actions per minute</li></ol>

 Chapter 231: Lone Hero

    Chapter 231: Lone Hero

    Grace shook her head, "That''s right."

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    "So I didn''t actuallye here to help humanity, but only to hasten its death?"

    "No..." Grace smiled, "No one knows for sure as to what kind of impact you''ll bring..."

    "But I sure am certain that it is positive. Besides, now that you already know that your presence alone is hastening the death of humanity, wouldn''t that mean that you don''t have to hold back anymore? I can feel it, Calvin... You''re holding back."

    "You might look okay on the surface, but you are suffering inside, right?"

    "It must be tough having no one to talk about your worries. It''s okay, you can tell me what you feel. Tell me what you''re nning to do, and tell me everything that had happened to you in the past..."

    "You have my Commandment, and I can say that we arerades with the same goals and minds. Why not we support each other in these hard times?"

    Calvin stared absentmindedly at Grace.

    That''s right...

    He had always been alone.

    Sure, he had a lot of friends andrades, but he had always been alone whenever shit goes south.

    When his ns seeded, he earned the praise of everyone.

    But whenever it failed, they would seem to forget his previous achievements and only criticize him based on his failures.

    A single failure was enough to condemn a genius as a mediocre man? What kind of logic was that?

    Calvin had always been alone.

    Even more so now that he was the only person that knew of the uing invasion of the invaders.

    With the burden of action on his lone shoulders, it was slowly proving too difficult for him to endure.

    But Calvin had always been enduring.

    His persistent heart had be his sole coping mechanism.

    It didn''t matter if he was alone. He was a man on a mission. He didn''t need anyone''s recognition.

    So long as there was a peaceful world after his demise, everything didn''t matter.

    But now that Grace had revealed the apprehension that he had tried his best to hide, Calvin felt naked.

    He didn''t know what to do.

    For the first time in decades, he was genuinely confused.

    Afraid of betrayals, Calvin was hesitant to say anything, but his overburdened heart begged to differ.

    <em>What should I do?</em>

    Calvin inwardly mumbled.

    Grace saw the confusion on Calvin''s face and she moved closer to him.

    Without saying anything, she brought Calvin into her embrace.

    "You don''t have to hide anything from me. Tell me the details. I know that we''ve already talked about your past once, but I know that you haven''t told me <em>everything</em>,yet." Grace''s gentle voice resounded.

    Her divinity seemed to have awakened as Calvin felt a gentle warmth coursing through his entire body.

    This warmth...

    It seemed simr to the warmth that anyone could feel while they were in the bosom of their most beloved ones.

    "You must be worried that your actions of telling me everything would drastically change the future, right?"

    Grace rubbed the crown of Calvin''s head, "But does that even matter? The future is always changing. The oues would always be different. There is no such thing as pre-destined fate. At least, that''s how it always has been."

    "Since the future is constantly changing anyway, why should you be afraid of change? Why should this lone, and unknown hero... be afraid of change?"

    Calvin''s figure trembled for a moment before Grace felt something wet on her chest.

    A smile spread on her face.

    But she didn''t say anything.

    She just stood thereholding the trembling figure of the lone, unrecognized hero who had once saved the world but had his glory stolen from him after a series of betrayals.

    Calvin''s words that had turned to ice seemed to have been thawed.

    He spent the entire night telling Grace the details that he had hidden when they once talked about his past.

    Of course, he hid some details that were just too sensitive for them to talk about.

    But most of them were only rted to Herscher.

    Calvin still found it hard to talk about her even now.

    "I see, so that charming man''s goal is to take down the Primordial Cradle..."

    "His estimated arrival is ten years from now, and he''ll take at least a century before he takes down the Primordial Cradle."

    "That''s not a lot of time." Grace wore a serious look on her face.

    "What exactly is the Primordial Cradle?" Calvin asked.

    "The Primordial Cradle houses an infant," Grace replied.

    "An infant?" Calvin was confused, "What do you mean?"

    "The infant housed within the Primordial Cradle is the genesis of the naturalws. Taking the Primordial Cradle down means that the previously infinite and omnipresent naturalws will be finite..."

    "What''s more, I guess their goal is to tame that infant within the Primordial Cradle and monopolize the naturalws for their own use."

    "But why would they even do that? Wouldn''t turning the naturalws into a finite concept be disadvantageous to them?" Calvin asked.

    Grace bitterly smiled, "That''s right. But since they are trying to take down the Primordial Cradle. The naturalws of the world must be useless to them..."

    "In short, since they do not care about the naturalws of the world. They must be ounders from another world. That''s the only exnation that I can think of which actually makes sense in the long run."

    "Ounders from another world? Wait!"

    Calvin suddenly interrupted, "Just what are these naturalws? Could it be something that has a lot of mass and energy?"

    "That''s right." Grace nodded, "We''ve created the world of Las Felipinas through the Primordial Cradle. However, the Primordial Cradle has intelligence. They probably failed to tame the Primordial Cradle and as a result, they were forced to destroy it."

    "As for the reason why they destroyed it, it should probably because they didn''t want their enemies to get a hold of the Primordial Cradle."

    "Enemies?" Calvin stared at Grace in shock, "There are more ounders than the Sucklings?!"

    "Yup..." Grace nodded, "Setting that aside, the world of Las Felipinas is under the protection of the Primordial Cradle. It stands at the highest ne of existence that we can currentlyprehend..."

    "That is why I told you earlier that I can''t just directly turn you into an overpowered killing machine. The Primordial Cradle follows logic, as well as equal rewards, and equal punishment."

    "No matter how much I want to turn you into an overpowered monster, the Primordial Cradle wouldn''t allow it at all!"

    Grace let out a sigh.

    Calvin was still in shock from what he had heard from her. Honestly, he could care less about Grace''s revtions.

    For now, what was more important to him was the reason why the Sucklings wanted to monopolize the Primordial Cradle.

    His eyebrows were knitted as he fell into deep contemtion.

    <em>What kind of world requires the energy and mass of the naturalws to sustain itself?</em>

    He thought hard and long about the answer, but Grace interrupted him, "You don''t have to think so much about it for now. It is not that easy to take down the Primordial Cradle..."

    "Granted, I was shocked by what you''ve said that they managed to seed in just a century."

    "But it is probably because we were caught unprepared."

    "But since you told me everything, I am confident that I will be able to fight against them at least, the fall would take much longer than a century."

    Grace stared right at Calvin.

    "What''s more, I also have you..."

    "You will forever be always on my side, right?"

    "Yeah..." Calvin answered without thinking too much about it.

    "I''m d." Grace simply replied.

    Then, she stood up and pped her hands together, "All right, it''s about time. Let''s go, let''s go!"

    "About time for what?" Calvin stared suspiciously at the over-excited Grace.

    "Isn''t it about time for the final phase?"

    "The final phase?! Isn''t it going to take ce, ten days from now? What''s the hurry? I''m still in the process of recovery."

    Calvin started to sweat.

    "Oh,e on. Don''t be such a coward. Don''t you want to get out of here faster?"

    "We''ve got to do it for thest time before I send you out of here!" Grace then dragged Calvin into a well-hidden room near the living room.

    Calvin didn''t spend the entire year of his stay here for leisure.

    Sure, he might not be able to gain any substantial Experience Points without being inbat. But he didn''t stay here for that.

    He came here to seek Grace''s!

    And it was precisely what they were doing in that well-hidden room right now!

    Fortunately, the well-hidden room had soundproof walls.

    If not, then Calvin''s scream would''ve probably reverberated throughout the entire residence.

    "Even though we have been doing this every month for the past eleven months, I''m still quite astonished that you''re actually this knowledgeable in this art. To think that you would propose for me to do it."

    "Is it really that unexpected? How am I supposed to do this alone? I''m not that flexible!" Calvin retorted.

    "Hahaha, but I sure am surprised that your body is able to take this much. It makes me think that you''re a natural-born masochist."

    "Shut up!"

    With a sharpened needle-like quill in her hand, Grace made her move and Calvin''s horrendous screams resounded once more.

    Calvin''s Writer ss was a ss that didn''t have a lot of offensive abilities, nor it was suited forbat.

    Sure, the Rozenstruik Empire''s Hand-to-Hand Combat Arts might be helpful to Calvin.

    However, that Combat Arts was only developed after the copse of the naturalws.

    In short, this Combat Art suited mortal humans whose enemies were the physically stronger Sucklings.

    Granted, Calvin could still use this Combat Art in tandem with thetent Mana in his body.

    However, that wouldn''t be an efficient use of his Mana since the Combat Art was optimized for the use of mortals, not for the use of Predators.

    In other words, Calvin still had to find a way for him to be able to hold his own in a battle against enemies that were stronger or equal in strength to him.

    And the method that Calvin chose was tobine three skills into one with the Art of Runecrafting holding them in one ce.

    But since Runecrafting requires the use of runic characters, and he needed to contain the three skills into one.

    He had to carve the countless runic characters necessary onto his own skin.

    Inyman''s terms, Calvin had to tattoo the instructions necessary for the runes to workdirectly on his skin.

    This was a painful process with high stakes.

    Calvin didn''t even dare to perform this feat by himself.

    This was why he was overjoyed that he hadpleted that previous quest with the highest possible rewards.

    If not, then the Primordial Cradle wouldn''t have allowed Grace to assist him in this endeavor.

    Calvin might''ve used up the favor that he had from Grace, but it sure didn''t go to waste.

    The skills that he chose tobine into one were...

    [Enduring Heart of the Azure Dragon]

    [The Golden Crow''s Burning Heaven]

    [The Bakunawa''s Fleeting Mirage]

    With the Enduring Heart of the Azure Dragon on his chest, the Golden Crow''s Burning Heaven on his torso, and the Bakunawa''s Fleeting Mirage on his lower body. One could say that Calvin was trying to turn his body into a museum of legendary creatures.

    Of course, he would not be able to fully unleash the capabilities of these monsters.

    Preciselyhe was only able to infuse a skill from each of these legendary creatures onto his body.

    But it was still worth it.

    After all, they weren''t legendary creatures for nothing.

 Chapter 232: It Was Only Just a Dream

    Chapter 232: It Was Only Just a Dream

    Calvin''s screams continued within the well-hidden room for quite a long time.

    It has always been like this. The ink that was used to carve the runic characters on his body must also prate his muscles, bones, and nerves. One could only imagine the excruciating pain that he had to endure for every character carved on his body.

    In fact, at first, Grace thought that Calvin had lost his mind in pursuit of power.

    Just what kind of mortal could possibly endure the pain of literally having words written on their muscles, bones, and nerves?

    Grace didn''t want to go through with this n, but when she saw Calvin''s determination...

    She knew that she had to assist him.

    It was obvious that if Grace refused his request, Calvin would probably go through his n and carve the characters on his own which would be far more dangerous than if the procedure was done in her Heavenly Abode.

    First of all, no one could possibly die in Grace''s Heavenly Abode if she didn''t want that person to die. She could also heal Calvin''s wounds an infinite number of times. In other words, if the procedure was done in her Heavenly Abode. Calvin''s recovery period would be vastly shortened, and the sess rate would also be significantly higher.

    Calvin knew this fact and this was why he was grateful for Grace''s assistance.

    "The Enduring Heart of the Azure Dragon..."

    "The Golden Crow''s Burning Heaven..."

    "The Bakunawa''s Fleeting Mirage..."

    Grace mumbled. "I really didn''t expect that you would have such a deep understanding of these legendary creatures."

    Calvin raised his upper body off the bed and revealed a pained smile. "Do they still exist?"

    "Do they? You''re that confident that they existed?" Grace replied with a smile, "I know the answer to that question, but why should I tell you?"

    Calvin''s eyebrows furrowed. "Just drop the mysterious act, will you?"

    "Since you know everything in this world, why not just answer my question?"

    Grace simply shook her head. "As if it''s that simple. Did you already forget about the Primordial Cradle? The Primordial Cradle is omnipotent and it has eyes everywhere..."

    "I might be able to answer your question, but the price that I have to pay for giving you such information might be something that I cannot bear..."

    "Wait!" Calvin suddenly interrupted, "That''s a facy."

    "What?" Grace stared at him in astonishment.

    "How could you say something about paying a price when you''ve already told me everything about the Primordial Cradle?" Calvin stared right at Grace, "Could it be that you have some kind of a hidden agenda and that is why you are not going to tell me the answer?"

    "It''s not something as bad as what you make it to be."

    Grace shrugged, "It''s just that... one of those three legendary creatures had been mypanion back then."

    "Oh?" Calvin was intrigued, "Let me guessis it the Bakunawa?"

    Grace was astonished, "How did you know?"

    "Well, you were three times faster when carving the runic characters that signified the Bakunawa, so you''re obviously incredibly familiar with that legendary creature." Calvin deduced.

    "I see..." Grace let out a sigh, "Yes, the Bakunawa has been my creation."

    "Do you know how hard it was for us to create intelligent humans? There was a lot of trial and errors and in the process, there was this time when the world was filled with nothing but apex predators and absolute monsters."

    "What?" Calvin was so shocked by what he had heard, "Really?"

    "Yeah. When we finally realized just how we should make the humans. It was when that time happened did we discover what we had done."

    "Obviously, we cannot just ce the humans on the ground below us with those monsters roaming thend."

    "And that is when each of us gave birth to the strongest monster that we can possibly create."

    "I made the Devourer Bakunawa..."

    "Those were some great times. The Bakunawa was able to swallow thousands of great whales in the ocean at once, so it was fun testing its limits as to how much it could actually contain in its stomach."

    "..."

    Calvin was speechless.

    He couldn''t help but feel pity for the Bakunawa that had just been born, yet was immediately forced to swallow a thousand whales.

    "What do you think? It''s pretty strong, right?" Grace beamed with a smile.

    "Yeah... It is actually pretty strong. It can swallow a thousand whales? With its strength, where is it right now? I don''t think that there''s anything that could defeat such a monster in this world. In other words, it must still be alive, right?" Calvin asked.

    "..." Grace immediately became somber.

    A depressing look appeared on her face. "It died."

    "Oh, I''m sorry..." Calvin felt that Grace was somewhat pitiful seeing the current look on her face.

    "Would you like to know how it died?" Grace asked.

    "Wait, why would I want to know how it died? Won''t it hurt you if I asked?" Calvin stared at her in astonishment.

    "It''s fine, it''s been so many years I''ve already moved on from it." Grace nonchntly waved her hand.

    ''Says the one who looks so depressed right now remembering the past!'' Calvin just couldn''t understand Grace''s thoughts.

    But he sure was curious as to just how did such an absolute monster died in a world that was filled with monsters just like itself.

    "How did it die? Did it get into a fight with the others?" Calvin asked.

    This was the only sensible way of dying for a monster of such scale. An existence like that wouldn''t possibly die a natural death for millions of years, so it only made sense that Calvin assumed that it had died under the hands of monsters that were as strong as itself.

    "Nope, it died by indigestion." Grace calmly replied, "You see, Las Felipinas actually had two moons when we made it. But that gluttonous worm thought that one of the moons was a delicious candy so it ascended into the heavens and ate the moon in one gulp..."

    "It didn''t even chew!"

    "It just directly swallowed one of the two moons, and as a result. It couldn''t digest what it had swallowed, so it died overnight."

    "Oh..." Calvin was speechless.

    The piece of information that he had heard was interesting, but he didn''t expect that such a monster would die after doing such a stupid mistake.

    Looking at Grace now, Calvin could somehow believe that Grace actually made the Bakunawa.

    After all, Grace also had the tendency to do stupid things such as using cold water to boil water because cold water was supposed to boil faster than hot water.

    After hearing Grace''s testimony, Calvin was starting to regret why he chose the Bakunawa as his utility. If the Bakunawa could indeed devour anything in this world apart from celestial bodies, he would''ve chosen it to house an offensive skill.

    But to be honest, he couldn''t really me himself since this was the first time that he heard that the Bakunawa had the ability to devour objects.

    The legends that surrounded the Bakunawa only mentioned that it was a magnificent and transient Serpent.

    Records showed that the Bakunawa had a movement ability that was so good that it managed to hide from the eyes of the Seven Gods and Goddesses for 69 days before it was discovered.

    It turned out that in that game of hide and seek, the Bakunawa hid in the shadow of the Goddess of Compassion and Light.

    Calvin made a sidelong nce at Grace before a bitter smile appeared on his face.

    He deduced that Grace might have deliberately let out this fake legend of the Bakunawa to prevent the monster''s humiliation once themonfolk discovered how it actually died.

    After all, for an existence like the Bakunawa, dying of indigestion was more than embarrassingit was tantamount to humiliation.

    But he didn''t voice out his thoughts as a respect to the dead absolute monster and also a form of respect to Grace.

    "All right, it''s about time for me to leave." Calvin and Grace walked out of the well-hidden room into the living room. Apart from the fact that Calvin was still sweating buckets, there was nothing strange nor anything out of ce. Grace also had a light smile on her face as they faced the Mortician, Stephanie, and the Daylight Bride.

    The Daylight Bride and Stephanie were staring right at Calvin.

    The Mortician, on the other hand, remained steadfast on his own way. In fact, he seemed to be staring a thousand miles out.

    They had stayed in this room for a year, yet these three didn''t seem to have experienced a change.

    Granted, the Daylight Bride didn''t seem to be so hostile against him anymore, but that could barely be counted as a change.

    "I have already modified the Bloodstone and it now has three independent spaces for each of them. They could also modify those spaces ording to their wishes. For example, if the Mortician wants a morgue. He could just will it and a morgue would appear."

    Grace presented the Bloodstone to Calvin.

    Calvin received it with a smile.

    "Are the three of you ready to go out with me?" Calvin turned to look at the three.

    "Calvin, I feel like you''re missing out on something. There seems to be something that you have forgotten." Grace hinted.

    "Hm?" Calvin stared at her in confusion.

    Grace couldn''t hold it back anymore as she sighed. "You forgot to bestow them a name!"

    "Steph Steph doesn''t need a name since she already has one, but the Mortician and the Daylight Bride needs their names for you to be able to call upon them from the Bloodstone whenever you need them!"

    "You can''t just use their titles, right?"

    "It''s the etiquette for you to call them by their name!" She scolded.

    "Oh..." Calvin awkwardly scratched his head.

    It wasn''t that he didn''t know about this issue.

    The Spiritualistic Ritual of Name-Bestowal was basically the same as what humans often used to summon demons on earth to do their own bidding.

    Names were often taken for granted but in the realm of mysticism...

    Names were important and they could often decide whether a ritual involving a demon or moremonly known as familiars would seed or fail.

    Yes, Calvin hadn''t forgotten about this important issue.

    But there was a problem that he had to face if he wanted to grant them a name.

    It was the fact that Calvin had a bad naming sense!

    "Uh... The Mortician has dark hair, so I guess I can call him Darkie?"

    "The Daylight Bride has pale skin. Whitey suits her I guess."

    "..." Grace stared at Calvin as if he was looking at an idiot.

    "Are you serious?" Grace asked. She seemed to be doubting her sense of hearing.

    "Wait, is there something wrong about it?"

    "You''re asking me if there''s something wrong about it?" Grace''s lips curled upwards and she slowly raised her hand. Then, with her fist clenched. She sent a punch directly at Calvin''s abdomen and shouted, "Of course, there''s a problem with it, you asshat!"

    "Pfft!" Calvin immediately curled into a shrimp. Fortunately, the Enduring Heart of the Azure Dragon had further fortified his body.

    In addition, Grace wasn''t really punching him with her strength.

    But of course, the punch of a Goddess would still inevitably hurt...

    Calvin had to take a step backward and cough a few times before he recovered.

    "Darkie... Whitey, what''s wrong with those names?" Calvin said, "Look they aren''t evenining!"

    "That''s because they cannot properly articte their feelings yet, you asswipe!"

    Grace sent another punching his way, but Calvin dodged it by stepping to the side.

    "What do you want me to do, then? I suck at naming things!" Calvin retorted.

    "Ugh..."

    Grace felt a headacheing her way. "Fine, you don''t have to name them right now. Let me just engrave the corresponding technique for the Name-Bestowal Ritual in your brain, so I can finally kick you out of here!" She lifted her hand and pressed a finger on Calvin''s forehead.

    In an instant, streams of information flooded Calvin''s brain as he directly fainted and copsed from the influx of information

    The Daylight Bride, Stephanie, and the Mortician stared speechlessly at what just happened when Grace swept her eyes across them and gestured with her finger.

    In the very next moment, the three vengeful spirits were sucked into the Bloodstone, and in one fell swoopGrace also made a tunnel out of her Heavenly Abode and she kicked Calvin into that tunnel wherein he immediately disappeared from her eyes.

    "Wheeew." Grace heaved a sigh of relief when she was done. "I can finally game at peace."

    She immediately ran upstairs and started to y.

    Meanwhile, outside the Heavenly Abode.

    Fatty Zachary woke up to find a half-naked Calvin with his ass pointed up to the ceiling.

    There was a faint blush on the Fatty Zachary''s face for he had just dreamt of a dozen women bending over for him.

    Unfortunately, everything was just a dream.

    The women eager to ce themselves on a silver tter for him was just a dream.

    But...

    There was actually someone bending over in his direction at this moment.

    Albeit, it was a man namedCalvin.

    "Fuck, am I still dreaming?" Fatty Zachary scratched his head and judged that he must be seeing things.

    How could Calvin be sleeping on the floor when the floor was so filthy?

    He turned his back to Calvin''s direction and fell asleep once more.

 Chapter 233: Legolas Aurum

    Chapter 233: Legs Aurum

    Calvin''s exhausted body slowly awakened.

    <em>Where am I?</em>

    He stood up and found himself in an unfamiliar room.

    He had no recollection of this room whatsoever.

    In fact, the arrangement of the bunk beds waspletely opposite to the room where he spent the past week on the outside world.

    "Wait... Could it be that Grace made a mistake? Could it be instead of overnight, I was actually missing for an entire year?"

    Cold sweat formed on Calvin''s forehead and it dripped down his back as he stood there frozen.

    Fortunately, his theory was crushed as soon as he saw the familiar plump figure on the bed behind him.

    It was Fatty Zachary.

    "Fuck... So that is where the rumbling I''ve heard came from. It''s this bastard snoring while he''s sleeping!" Calvin bitterly smiled.

    Staring out of the window, Calvin noticed that it was still in the middle of dawn.

    Although the rays of the sun were already visible up above the skies, it was still unmistakably in the middle of daybreak.

    Calvin silently walked out of the door.

    Activating his Predator Senses, he noticed that he had indeed arrived at the other end of the corridor.

    ''Why did Grace made me appear here instead of my room? That doesn''t make sense.'' Calvin inwardly muttered aint.

    He started walking towards the other end of the corridor and his heightened senses could vaguely make out the sound of his sleeping roommates. The sound of their sleeping was faint, not simr to the rumbling sounds that exited out of Fatty Zachary''s mouth as he slept.

    Calvin and Zachary were roommates for the first three days of their stay in this training camp.

    Unfortunately, Calvin hadn''t expected that Zachary had the ability to snore so loud, his snoring could probably infiltrate your dreams and disturb you there. After lodging aint, the Instructors honored Calvin''s request and gave Zachary his own dormitory.

    At first, the Fatty was depressed that he was being kicked out of the room where he was able to talk with the others.

    But after the Instructorspromised and told Zachary that he could visit the others as long as it wasn''t toote into the night, the Fatty finally agreed with the arrangements and Calvin had another roommate to share his room with.

    Legs Aurum.

    This was the name of his roommate for the next three months.

    He was a member of the noble Aurum family of Ashmelion.

    Calvin could already predict the headache that he would endure staying with the child of a noble family. After all, no matter what age it was, or what world it wasthe offspring of noble families would most often be as arrogant as their parents and rtives.

    Calvin silently slid into the room and dispersed the dummy that he had prepared beforehand. cing himself on the bed, he was about to close his eyes and sleep with an ear-piercing sound resounded throughout the training camp.

    "Fuck!"

    Calvin could only let out a curse as he hurriedly stood up and prepared the appropriate clothes that he had for the morning training routine.

    Legs also woke up from his slumber.

    "Who are you?" The blonde-haired young man asked with a frown on his face.

    Calvin turned to look at him and saw that the young man truly had the blood of a noble family coursing through his veins. Setting aside his rare blonde-hair, the man''s phoenix-shaped eyebrows and his bluish eyes truly made him stand out among the masses.

    But Calvin felt a sense of foreboding when he saw the displeased look on Legs''s face.

    "Are you deaf? Who are you?" Legs asked once more.

    "My name is Calvin, you should''ve heard me from the Instructors." Calvin casually introduced himself.

    "Calvin. I see, so you''re that guy whom the Instructors told me to not underestimate." Legs snickered. "Granted, I''ve just joined the training camp and I used my connections to join the training to be an auxiliary police officer, but that doesn''t matter to me at all..."

    "I only came here for no one else, but Christine Ana."

    "I''ve heard that you''re close to her. I advise you to take a step back while it''s still too early. Else, if it''s already toote, I may not know what I will do to you, and whether I will be able to control myself." Legs sneered.

    He stared at Calvin with the same firm gaze and his phoenix-shaped eyebrows knitted. There was an overwhelming auraing out of his person, but Calvin was not even intimidated, to say the least.

    "I see. So you like Christine?"

    "Her name isn''t something that you can just casually utter, youmoner!" Legs immediately exploded into anger.

    He stood up and his height seemed to be equal to Calvin as both men stared at each other in the eyes.

    "Oh, really? Well, do you like her?"

    Calvin decided to ignore his words and go straight for the jugr.

    "Wha..." Legs was astonished. His cold demeanor seemed to have gotten a few cracks there and here as he turned his gaze away and replied, "It''s not like that at all!"

    "I just want you to stay away from her. Amoner like you will just be a stain on her life if she decides to befriend you." Legs pointed at Calvin.

    Calvin raised his eyebrows and revealed a cold smile. "You know what? I''ve always hated it when people pointed at me with their fingers. Do I owe you something? What gives you the right to point at me like that? Retract your fingers right now, or say kiss it goodbye to it."

    Legs was dumbfounded.

    This intimidation technique of his by ring at his enemies often worked. But this time, it had obviously failed for not only did he fail to force Calvin into submission, but the other party even threatened and intimidated him instead.

    "..." Legs unconsciously retracted his finger.

    "That''s more like it." Calvin smiled before he turned around and walked out of the doors.

    Legs, who was left alone in the room stood there frozen until a smile crept up his lips.

    "I see... This won''t be interesting at all if he doesn''t have the balls to talk to me like that."

    Legs memorized Calvin''s face and name in his heart before he went out of the dormitory.

    On the training grounds, Instructor Lawrence and Deputy Instructor Eutem gathered the newbies for a while to introduce Legs Aurum to everyone.

    "All of you, listenfrom today on, you will be having anotherrade. Legs Aurum is his name!" Deputy Instructor Eutem announced.

    The other trainees started to whisper with each other. The girls seemed to be delighted seeing Legs''s looks and the way he carried himself as he walked. On the other hand, the boys were irritated by the arrogant and pampered look on his face.

    A single nce was enough for them to see that Legs was an arrogant young master that definitely relied on his connections to get into the training camp a weekter after it had started.

    Instructor Lawrence was obviously dissatisfied with Legs. He had always hated nepotism, but as much as he hated this concept...

    He knew that there wasn''t something that could realistically be done against noble families that often took advantage of their statuses for their own benefits.

    But to be honest, this wasn''t that huge of a problem. What irked Instructor Lawrence the most wasn''t the fact that these noble families were taking advantage of their standing in societyhe was dissatisfied with their descendants.

    The kids that these noble families birthed were pampered and spoiled to the point that they would often use their status that they didn''t even fight for to obtainin order to take advantage of benefits that should''ve been given to the masses.

    There was a particr incident that Lawrence would never remember. That incident had shaped most of his character for it was dubbed as the Southern Borough''s Catastrophic Flood of Stink.

    This flood happened in the middle of a typhoon, and it happened after the drainage and sewage systems of the Southern Borough all failed at once, resulting in the umtion of floodwater that contained all sorts of filth in it.

    Back then, Lawrence had the chance to rescue a pair of mother and daughter stuck on the roof of their house close to the Revoir River.

    Unfortunately, he was threatened by a rtive of a noble family member that if he went ahead and rescued that pair of mother and daughter...

    He would make sure that Lawrence would be kicked out of the police force and his career, ruined. Lawrence couldn''t afford to lose his job for he had a family to feed.

    In the end, he chose to abandon the pair of mother and daughter which remained as a decision that he would deeply regret for the rest of his life.

    It was because the person who had threatened him wasn''t actually rted to any noble family at all!

    The pair of mother and daughter died in vain...

    Lawrence had the chance to save them, but he didn''t do so for he believed the words of that bastard.

    Since then, Lawrence would often repeat the scenes of that day in his mind with what-ifs.

    <em>What if I didn''t believe that person?</em>

    <em>What if I went ahead and rescued them?</em>

    <em>What would''ve been their lives by now?</em>

    Unfortunately, there were no what-ifs in this world, and what happened couldn''t be reversed anymore.

    It was after that realization did Lawrence grow to hate arrogant young masters.

    "Uh, Legs. Introduce yourself to yourrades."

    Deputy Instructor Eutem''s words rang out.

    Instructor Lawrence awakened from his trance.

    He stared at Legs and waited for thetter''s response to Eutem''s words.

    "There''s no need for me to introduce myself to these people. I am nning on going up the ranks as fast as possible, and I heard that I can challenge those that are at a higher rank than me, and if I won. I will be able to im their rank for myself?" Legs cidly said.

    His words created an outrage among the newbies.

    The girls who had admired her earlier had also awakened from their puppy love and were now staring at Legs in a re.

    Legs remained standing there with his holier than thou look on his face.

    Instructor Lawrence was immediately angered, but he was quick to suppress it as he cleared his throat and replied, "That is true. However, you''ve juste to this training camp. Are you sure that you want to fight against yourrades so fast?"

    "It doesn''t matter. I''ve been training since I was five-years-old. As for thesemoners? I bet that it''s even the first time that they''ve heard about Martial Arts!"

    Legs arrogantly dered.

    "What the fuck, you bastard!"

    "Hey, take that back!"

    "Do you seriously think that we''re that clueless? Fuck off!"

    As expected, another uproar resounded.

    "I see. Then, who are you nning to fight?" Instructor Lawrence asked.

    Legs immediately stared at Calvin and asked, "Is thatmoner ranked higher than me?"

    "Yes." Instructor Lawrence calmly replied.

    "Then, I''m going to fight him."

    "Are you sure about that?" Instructor Lawrence''s expression turned somewhat weird.

    The crowd also stared at this scene with frowns on their faces.

    Legs naturally assumed that they were trying to dissuade him from fighting since Calvin was probably too weak whenpared to him.

    "It''s fine, I will hold myself back. No matter what, I cannot possibly kill anyone here, right?"

    Legs shrugged.

    A confident smile was stered on his lips.

    He had bribed a Police Officer earlier to measure his skills, and that Police Officer said that he was strong enough to be able to at least be in the top five among the newbies when ites to strength.

    Legs was surprised that there were newbies other than Christine that was stronger than him.

    But since the world was huge, he thought nothing of it and remained as confident as ever.

    After all, being able to enter the top five meant that he could defeat most of the trainees aside from four people.

    Speaking of the top fives... Legs had forgotten to ask for the names of those people as he was basking in his arrogance. But well, it didn''t really matter. Legs only nned on giving one person here a lesson that he would never forget.

    And it was to never try to eat the meat of a swan, while he was nothing but a frog in a well.

    The newbies quickly formed a circle.

    Legs and Calvin stood in front of each other.

    "Legs Aurum, a member of the noble Aurum family. May the Goddess bestow eyes to our fists and feet, so that there will not be any untoward ident in this sparring."

    "In the Goddess''s will!" The trainees cried out in excitement.

    "In the Goddess''s will."

    Calvin also softly mumbled into the air as he took a step backward and prepared a stance.

    "Are you not going to introduce yourself?" Legs took a stance and stared at Calvin in disdain, "As expected of amoner, you don''t even know the etiquette of exchanging names and rank before the fight begins? What a joke!"

    Calvin simply smiled. "An introduction? Let''s do it after the fight."

    "Heh, as if you will still be awake to introduce yourself by then!" Legs barked.

    Instructor Lawrence stared at the two and with a shoutthe battle officially began!

    Right as the final syble of Instructor Lawrence''s words fell, Calvin appeared right in front of Legs.

    "Fast!" Legs bent his knees and took a step backward, narrowly avoiding the punch.

    But before he could even start to think about his next move, Calvin had already appeared beside him and a kick came flying towards his torso.

    "Shit, I won''t be able to dodge it!" Legs muttered in horror.

    Calvin had perfectly executed this attack and he even yelled out its name.

    "Pride Crushing Kick!"

    Calvin''s body moved and his left fist made contact with Legs''s liver, causing thetter to instantly copsed onto the floor in great pain.

    "AAAH!" Legs miserably shrieked. "You bastard... that wasn''t a kick!"

 Chapter 234: The Outside World Is... Scary

    Chapter 234: The Outside World Is... Scary

    "You bastard... that wasn''t a kick!"

    Legs held his stomach. He directly copsed from the pain.

    He didn''t even manage to showcase the Aurum family''s Martial Arts before he was knocked down by his opponent.

    The pain was unbearable, Legs wanted to stand up but when he saw the sinister look on Calvin''s face that seemed to warn him that if he stood uphe would experience more pain.

    Legs obediently lied down

    Damn it

    I came here to show off not to have my ass handed over to me!

    Inspector Lawrence and Deputy Instructor Eutem stared at each other. They were unsure if they should dere that the fight was over, or let it continue and run its course.

    Inspector Lawrence stared at Calvin for a moment.

    Thetter immediately understood what he meant.

    Kick his ass more while you have the chance!

    Calvin was in tacit agreement with the instructors. Someone as arrogant as this Legs Aurum would harm the overall quality of the police force. However, if someone managed to bring his arrogance down to a notch and force him into submission.

    The police force could surely use someone as talented as Legs.

    Yes, talented

    The Aurum family might not be able to contend with the Ana family in regards to Martial Arts. Their members surely were on par with the talents of the Ana family. To be honest, the only difference between the two was their Martial Arts.

    Martial Arts in the Joselian Kingdom were ranked as follows: White, Orange, and ck.

    Each of these levels had its own small levels separated with Low, Mid, and High.

    The Ana family''s Martial Arts could be considered to be at the High-Orange Level, while the Aurum family''s Martial Arts was at the High-White Level. Now, one might say that the Martial Arts of the Aurum family seemed to be incredibly weak, but that wasn''t the case at all.

    These Martial Arts ssifications were decided by His Majesty, the King himself. Furthermore, the strength of the Martial Art wasn''t the only thing that His Majesty had in mind whenever he judged a Martial Art''s strength.

    The Ana family''s Art of Wind-Chasing was stronger than the Aurum family''s Oriental Fist in overall capability due to the fact that the Art of Wind-Chasing could do a variety of things.

    The control over the wind that the Art of Wind-Chasing granted unto its user made it incredibly useful in battle since it could be used defensively, offensively, and in escaping.

    The Oriental Fist of the Aurum family on the other hand only had a single purpose.

    And it was to kill.

    They were indeed stronger than the Ana family as killing machines, but it has to be known that strength alone wasn''t enough to win battles.

    There were a lot of factors that could easily decide who would be victorious in a battle, and the Oriental Fist just wasn''t covering enough bases that it could be ranked higher than its current rank.

    Calvin received the signal from Instructor Lawrence and he moved forward for the finisher.

    "Wait!" Legs raised his head and shouted.

    But the word he yelled out wasn''t the word that Calvin was looking for, so Calvin continued his attack.

    "I"

    Legs lifted both of his arms and was about to surrender when Calvin''s fistnded on his sternum.

    <em>Swoosh!</em>

    The impact from the attack sent him rolling a few meters away.

    "D-Did he just surrender?" Calvin stood dumbfounded and stared at the trainees.

    They immediately shook their heads.

    "Oh, so he hasn''t surrendered yet? He sure is a tough cookie, eh?"

    Calvin casually remarked and he started to approach Legs.

    "No, please! Let me say some"

    <em>Swoosh!</em>

    Legs rolled backwards once more.

    "Why are you not letting me speak, you"

    <em>Swoosh!</em>

    This time, an uppercut sent him flying into the air.

    While he was in the air, Legs could see the mocking look of the other trainees.

    His fury was ignited.

    The Oriental Fist of the Aurum family was only supposed to be used in life and death battles, but Calvin had gone too far. Not only did he humiliate him, but he also wasn''t allowing him to say anything! This was an unforgivable crime!

    Legs cried out in his mind as a crimson aura enveloped his fist.

    Instructor Lawrence, Deputy Instructor Eutem, and Christine''s pupils constricted.

    The Oriental Fist of the Aurum family!

    The three of them moved at once. This punch must nevernd, or else someone will die!

    <em>How brazen!</em>

    Instructor Lawrence was furious.

    But Legs was just falling down so fast as he brought down his fist directly towards Calvin''s head.

    There was no mistaking itif this fistnded, then Calvin''s head would burst like a watermelon.

    He would die instantly.

    <em>''The Oriental Fist of the Aurum family It''s been so long since I saw that Martial Art."</em>

    Calvin felt mncholic in his heart. He could still vaguely remember the scene when the Aurum family made theirst stand against the invaders. Their berserker-style of fighting inspired the hearts of thousands, but s the Aurum family still lost in the end and Ashmelion finally fell.

    Calvin was already at the Capital City of Laguna when he heard the news about Ashmelion''s copse. He could still distinctively remember the ounts of witnesses as to how the Aurum family remained on the battlefield until the bitter end.

    At that time, his Majesty himself posthumously honored the Aurum family and carved their names on the Ancestral Tablet of the Joselian Kingdom.

    The members of the noble Aurum family might have been arrogant, but they sure were honorable people that was worthy of his respect. This was why Calvin knew that he couldn''t dodge this attack. This member of the noble Aurum family was unbridled, disdainful, and arrogant.

    For the sake of the Aurum family''s future, he had to teach their descendant a lesson!

    And that harsh lesson was

    The fact that there was always a higher mountain!

    Calvin bent his knees and with the Art of Mana Maniption, bountiful mana filled his fingers and his lower body as he moved swiftly to the side and narrowly avoided the fist.

    Then, raising his arm...

    He stuck his index finger out and poked at the web between Legs''s index and thumb fingers.

    That was where the core of the Oriental Fist was located.

    The reason why the Oriental Fist was a technique to be feared on the battlefield was that it was an incredibly stable Martial Art Technique that could be used with even the slightest mana avable.

    The Martial Art was so optimized and stable that it was highly-sought after the copse of the Aurum family.

    Calvin himself got a copy of their Martial Art and he curiously experimented with it for a few months until he discovered the reason why this Martial Art was so optimized and stableit was actually because the core of the technique was located so close to where the impact urred!

    This sure was a dangerous approach to technique optimization, since one might inadvertently shatter the core of their own technique. However, the mana cirction routes and methods that the practitioners of the Oriental Fist used made it incredibly safe to use the art.

    Yes, the core was the reason for its poprity, but it was also the greatest weakness of the technique.

    No wonder the noble Aurum family was so secretive of their techniques even until their thorough demise.

    Calvin''s index fingernded directly on the core of Legs''s Oriental Fist and in an instant, the crimson aura that surrounded Legs''s fist retracted. It seemed as if his fist had gone numb as Legs stared wide-eyed at Calvin before his face crashed onto the ground.

    <em>Boom!</em>

    A boom resounded.

    Christine Ana, Instructor Lawrence, Deputy Instructor Eutem, and the trainees stared in shock at what just happened.

    But the shock that Christine Ana felt was far greater than the shock that the others experienced.

    Well, it was to be expected since these people could be considered asymen in regards to the Martial Arts of noble families. But Christine Ana was an exception. As a member of a noble family herself, she saw that Calvin had instantly neutralized Legs''s attack.

    She had to know the method that Calvin had used to do such a thing!

    And what''s more, she also had to report this to her family!

    The coaching during the battle, and the fact that Calvin was so familiar with the cirction routes of the Ana family''s Art of Wind-Chasing, Christine had to report all of these to the Ana Martial family!

    "You" Christine stared at Calvin.

    Instructor Lawrence and Deputy Instructor Eutem stared at each other for a moment.

    They didn''t know what to do.

    Fortunately, Calvin gave them a clue.

    "I guess it''s my victory now?" Calvin casually said.

    "Uh, yeah" Deputy Instructor Eutem replied with a weird look on his face.

    "I hereby announce that the victory belongs to Calvin! The challenger has failed and Calvin will stay in the first ce!"

    "Let''s gooo!" The trainees were riled up with Deputy Instructor Eutem''s words.

    Even Fatty Zachary was shouting his lungs out.

    Only Legs felt as if he was living in a fantasy world.

    The guy I mocked was actually the strongest one among thesemoners?

    And since he is number one, he''s stronger than Christine?

    <em>How could that be possible?!</em>

    <em>Scary</em>

    <em>The outside world is scary</em>

    <em>I never should''ve reallye here.</em>

    Legs fainted with these thoughts in his head.

    But it was unfortunate that he fainted. It was because if he hadn''t, then he would''ve died from a heart attack if he witnessed what happened next.

    Christine approached Calvin and she directly held his hand.

    "What are you doing?" Calvin found himself being dragged by Christine.

    "Hey, Christine! Morning routine''s not done, yet!" Instructor Lawrence furrowed his eyebrows.

    The other trainees saw what was happening and they were confused.

    What was going on?

    Only Fatty Zachary had an idea as a lecherous expression appeared on his face.

    "I''ll do double the morning routine tomorrow, Instructor! Please grant me this favor! I have to take him away today at all costs!" Christine replied.

    Instructor Lawrence felt helpless.

    But Calvin wasn''t having it.

    "Hey, can you at least tell me where are going?"

    Calvin asked with a loud voice.

    The ears of the trainees perked up.

    Christine stared at Calvin with an irritated expression on her face. "Isn''t that obvious? We''re going to my room, of course!"

    Then, she activated the Art of Wind-Chasing and swiftly dragged Calvin in the direction of the female''s dormitory.

    When the trainees, Instructors, and Fatty Zachary realized what just happened.

    They all erupted into cheers.

    "LET''S GOOO!!!" Fatty Zachary led the crowd and unleashed his war cry.

 Chapter 235: Ascension to Adulthood

    Chapter 235: Ascension to Adulthood

    ''As expected of a member of a renowned Martial family, her grip strength is astonishing despite not having any callouses.'' Calvinmented in his heart.

    Although Calvin knew that there were some methods that could prevent callouses from growing, it was still worthy of praise that she would be willing to dedicate some of her time in taking proper care of herself instead of just constant training.

    Calvin knew how easily it was for anyone to get drunk in the prospects of bing even stronger. After all, he had once been a maniac when ites to Martial Art.

    Furthermore, as a gamer. Calvin could be considered as a perfectionist and apletionist.

    He had this lofty goal of gathering as many Martial Art copies as he could in the middle of the invasion of the Sucklings.

    This was why Calvin was so knowledgeable. He not only liked to write things, but he also liked to collect things of which he had always jotted down in his trusty notebook back then.

    Remembering the past, Calvin felt mncholic.

    But there was no more time for him to reminisce as Christine brought him over to her room.

    "Ahem." Calvin coughed, "Miss Ana, can you please exin yourself?"

    Christine''s eyes momentarilynded on the ne around Calvin''s neck before she stared at Calvin with a frown. "You lied to me!"

    "What?" Calvin was thoroughly dumbfounded.

    He couldn''t remember just when he lied to this woman.

    Anger burned in Christine''s eyes. "You already forgot about what you have done to me,st night? You''re not going to take responsibility for it?" Christine said these words out loud.

    Calvin''s heightened senses instantly discovered Fatty Zachary''s presence. The bastard had actually followed them here despite the fact that morning routine was ongoing? Did he want to die?

    Instructor Lawrence was a ruthless man that wasn''t the type to show mercy to anyone.

    Even Christine had to do double the morning routine tomorrow since she was nning to skip today''s morning routine.

    <em>Could Fatty Zachary even handle double the morning routine?</em>

    <em>The bastard will probably die...</em>

    Calvin inwardly muttered.

    But then his pupils suddenly constricted. "You You''re going to do double the morning routine tomorrow, since you escaped today''s routine, right? What about me? Am I also going to apany you to do double the morning routine?"

    Christine stared dumbfounded at Calvin. She was incensed that Calvin''s focus was actually on the morning routine instead of how he should take responsibility for the lie that he had done, and the scheme that he had executed.

    But since Christine wasn''t really that angry with him, she still replied in doubt. "Yeah?"

    "Damn it!" Calvin couldn''t help but curse. But since he had never been a man that liked to dwell in the past andment about things that could never be changed anymore. He raised his head and asked Christine with a frown. "Yesterday? I lied to you yesterday?"

    The frown on his eyebrows grew tighter, and his pupils constricted once more when he realized

    <em>''That wasst year!''</em>

    Yes, for the Calvin that had spent a year inside the Goddess of Compassion and Light''s Heavenly Abode wherein a year''s passing of time equaled to a single night in the world of Las Felipinas It wasn''t strange that he couldn''t remember when he had wronged Christine.

    But

    "Okay, but is that really the only reason why you dragged me here? I don''t believe that you do not have any other reason other than this nonsensical talk." Calvin shrugged.

    Christine stared at Calvin with a serious look on her face. "How do you know so much about the Martial Arts of Ashmelion''s noble families? You even taught me how to further optimize the mana cirction routes of the Art of Wind-Chasing"

    "What''s more, earlier You neutralized Legs''s Oriental Fist, so easily."

    Christine was still obviously visibly shock and shaken from the scene that she had just witnessed.

    "Hey, it wasn''t that easy!" Calvin lightly chuckled. "It wasn''t that easy to neutralize that attack which was basically the same as facing a huge mass of energy! If I made a single mistake, then my arm would''ve been torn off from my shoulders!"

    "The Oriental Fist sure is a powerful Martial Art. It approaches the limits of Mortal Martial Arts."

    Calvinmented.

    "Mortal Martial Arts?" Christine raised an eyebrow.

    Calvin almost choked in his own saliva when he realized that he had just made a Freudian slip.

    "Never mind that, anyway. I am also practicing a Martial Art simr to the Art-Chasing Technique. It just happens that you do not have the knowledge that I have, and you have the knowledge that I needed. Do you understand what I mean?" Calvin smiled.

    "Oh" Christine paused for a moment before she asked, "Are you saying that we mutually benefitted from each other in that fight? I thought for sure that I was the only one learning!" A look of relief flitted across her face.

    Calvin guessed that she was probably someone that disliked owing someone a favor.

    <em>''This future Goddess of de sure is a handful.''</em>

    <em>''Speaking of the Goddess of de I can seem to remember that she was able to control a hundred thousand swords at once at her peak, and a thousand swords whenever she wanted it. She seemed to be also using the Art of Wind-Chasing to control those swords''</em>

    <em>''I wonder Just how did she do it?''</em>

    <em>''I understand the mana cirction routes that lead to it, but until now, I still have no idea how she was able to control so many swords with such fine controls to the point that the people named her the Goddess of de due to her terrifying prowess in the battlefield. ''</em>

    "Yeah, that''s right. I''ve learned a lot from you." Calvin simply smiled.

    Christine looked at Calvin in excitement. It seemed that this was the first time that she met someone else that was familiar with simr techniques that weren''t a member of the Ana family.

    "Mind telling me what Martial Art you''re practicing?" Christine asked.

    "My Martial Art?" Calvin thought for a moment and deliberated.

    Christine didn''t rush him for answers though as she stood there and patiently waited.

    After about half a minute, Calvin finally found the most domineering Martial Art name that he could find.

    "The Art of Commanding Wind and Cloud."

    "OH!" Christine was so shocked when she heard such a powerful name.

    In fact, she almost couldn''t even believe what she had just heard.

    "Commanding Wind and Cloud To control nature itself that sure is a terrifying technique. I assume the peak of that technique lets youmand wind and cloud ording to your whims?" Christine asked with excitementded on her face.

    "Yeah, but only the first ancestor of the technique had apparently reached the peak of this technique."

    Upon seeing that Christine believed his bullshit, Calvin immediately moved to cover his bases.

    "Apparently? You''re not sure about it? You''re not confident?" Christine asked in doubt.

    Calvin softly nodded, "Yeah, I am not confident. I actually just identally found this technique in an antique bazaar. I casually bought a scroll of painting from a starving pair of mother and daughter. Little did I know that the scroll would actually contain something so valuable such as this technique?"

    "At first, I wanted to return the painting along with the scroll. But the mother and daughter pair were long gone. The leader of the bazaar thought that I had been scammed by those vagrants, but he had no idea that those vagrants were the ones that changed my life."

    A sincere light flitted across Calvin''s eyes.

    Christine was now convinced that he was speaking the truth and nothing but the truth.

    "Can I tell my father about what you have taught me in that fight? The Ana Martial family would forever be grateful for this favor if you let me." Christine slightly bowed her head in Calvin''s direction.

    Their family was constantly searching for ways to further optimize and improve the technique without changing its rudimentary foundation.

    However, the Art of Wind-Chasing was just too archaic for them to decipher. It has been a decade since they made theirst breakthrough, and it was also the biggest breakthrough in the history of the Ana Martial family.

    But even though it was called the biggest breakthrough, it wasn''t actually worth that much.

    Aside from increasing their morale, the breakthrough did nothing but confirm that there were realms higher than Tempest. As for how they would be able to reach such a realm, this was something that the Ana Martial family was still researching about.

    This was why Christine dragged Calvin into her room.

    It was to privately talk about this matter.

    Calvin had granted her an unprecedented and unexpected boon.

    She couldn''t betray his will by arbitrarily making a decision on her own.

    After all, her knowledge came from Calvin and it was thetter''s right to tell her what to do with that particr knowledge.

    Calvin stared at Christine with a smile.

    The Goddess of de might''ve hated me to the core back then, but she truly wasn''t a bad person at all.

    "All right, tell your family about it. I will also try to spar with you more often." Calvin smiled.

    "Really? Thank you!" Christine beamed with a smile, "Then, can we do it every day?"

    "Yeah, we can do it every time. But I may not be able to fight you at any time of the day. As for where we are going to do it, that is also going to be a problem since I don''t think that we can just randomly do it outside. The dormitories are a no-go too, considering there''s a lot of people there."

    "I see" Christine hung her head low. Her mind madly spun as she looked for solutions.

    In the end, she found one as she said. "How about the outskirts of the training camp?"

    "What? Didn''t Instructor Lawrence say that we aren''t allowed to go outside the camp?"

    "Yeah, but I have a route that we can use so that we can go out. It''s also safer for us to do it outside the training camp than inside. It would be too risky to do it inside."

    "That makes sense, all right. It''s decided. I''ll see youter."

    "Where are you going?" Christine asked.

    "I''m going back to the dormitory, I guess? I don''t think that we are allowed to go back to do the morning routine now that we have already skipped it." Calvin lightly chuckled.

    Christine hesitated for a moment before she asked, "Can Ie with you?"

    "Oh? I''m going to the male''s dormitory area, I don''t think you''re allowed to go there"

    "You''re inside the female''s dormitory area, right now" Christine interrupted.

    "Oh"

    "I guess, as long as no one sees us, then it''s fine."

    Calvin shrugged and he walked towards the door.

    He talked as he spoke, "Speaking of dormitories, I didn''t expect for your ce to be this tightly squeezed. My dormitory room is three times bigger than yours. But it''s probably because Legs is my roommate"

    "That bastard would probably not be able to sleep if the space is smaller than what we have now."

    Christine lightly chuckled.

    She was amused that amoner would actually dare to address a noble in such a manner.

    Then, she suddenly realized.

    "Wait, since your dormitory room is bigger than mine We can probably do it there!"

    "Ah" Calvin paused, "Yeah we can do it today since Legs is at the infirmary. I bet that guy won''te out of the infirmary until it''ste in the night. I know a lot of people like him and based on my experience that is probably what he would do..."

    "Stay there until dark, then secretly return to the dorms."

    "I see, so he won''t return until dinner? Then, can we do it until night?" Christine earnestly asked.

    Calvin stared at thess with amusement, "I don''t know You sure you can handle doing it constantly until dinner? I don''t know if you have that kind of stamina"

    Calvin opened the door and was about to continue speaking when he discovered that about a dozen trainees were eavesdropping on their conversation from the outside.

    The way they stood frozen right outside the door and the blushes on their faces indicated that they were shell-shocked by what they had heard. The few girls that were among the trainees that came here to eavesdrop were even darting their gazes between Christine and Calvin.

    Fatty Zachary had a full-blown lecherous look on his face.

    "My brother!" He snapped from his trance and gave Calvin a hug.

    "I have no idea about your ascension status, but I am here to help you have a good time. From now on, those that dare to climb up the third floor of the male''s dormitory area will have to step on my corpse before they can pass!"

    "No one shall intervene with my good brother''s happiness and ascension to adulthood!"

    Fatty Zachary boisterouslyughed.

    The other trainees whispered among themselves.

    "Shit, did we hear them right?"

    "Yeah, they said that they were going to do ''it'' until tonight."

    "Holy fuck, who said that?!"

    "It''s Christine!"

    "Oh my"

    The men anddies among the crowd started whispering among themselves.

    It was at this moment when Christine finally realized what they were talking about.

    "Nooo! It''s not something like that! We were talking about training! We''re going to train every day from now on, and we are going to train until night today!"

    Christine desperately exined her side, but her credibility was incredibly low due to the fact that her face was flushed crimson that reached up to her neck. Besides, these trainees had heard it themselves!

    They were fully convinced that a ''training'' would happen tonight, but it would be ''that'' kind of training!

    "All right, motherfuckers! No one shall go up the third floor of the male''s dormitory room! I will stand guard at the staircase and those that dare to vite this rule will have to step on my corpse fir!"

    "Zachary, shut up!"

    Christine exploded in anger and chased Fatty Zachary out of the female''s dormitory area.

    Calvin also stared at the crowd and dispersed them with a re.

    Staring at the thoroughly embarrassed Christine, Calvin teased.

    "What now? Are we still going to do <em>''it''</em> today?"

    "You"

    Christine''s embarrassment was further exacerbated and her figure started trembling like a sieve.

    Amidst her emotional turmoil, Calvin''s boisterousughter echoed throughout the entire female''s dormitory area.

    Of course, what came afterwards was a smack on his head from the embarrassed Christine.

 Chapter 236: Fatty Zacharys Tears

    Chapter 236: Fatty Zachary''s Tears

    With the show that urred in this corridor of the female''s dormitory area, how could Christine still have the face to remain?

    Amidst the dazed looks of the crowd, she ran away and made her escape.

    Calvin stretched his hand out and smacked the Fatty Zachary on his head, "Look at what you have done!" He scolded.

    Fatty Zachary awkwardly scratched his head, "Well, well, well. You don''t have to be that harsh on me, brother. I only did what I mustsupport you in your ascension to the stairs of adulthood."

    "Stairs of adulthood, my ass!" Calvin rolled his eyes at Fatty Zachary.

    "The show''s over guys, why the hell are you guys even here for? You a lot sure have the balls to skip the morning routine!"

    Calvin swept his gaze across the other newbies and they revealed bitter smiles on their faces.

    Fatty Zachary spoke up for them, "The morning routine got canceled for some reason. Instructor Lawrence and Deputy Instructor Eutem got summoned to the 3rd District Branch at the Southern Borough. So we are kind of free today."

    "Oh, really?" Calvin raised an eyebrow.

    He couldn''t believe that a strict and disciplined man like Instructor Lawrence wouldn''t leave any instructors before he left these trainees for the Southern Borough.

    Fatty Zachary''s smile remained on his lips. "Uh, yes. He did leave some instructions to us such as do the entire morning routine even while he''s gone but do you really think that we''re stupid enough to do that? Since he''s gone, why don''t we have fun?"

    "The Hamlet of Azucar isn''t that far from here and I''ve heard that everything that you want is in that ce."

    Calvin was intrigued.

    "Everything that we want is in there? Is that ce some kind of a hub for businesses?"

    Calvin asked.

    A lecherous look appeared on Fatty Zachary''s face, "Yes, it''s a hub for <em>''businesses''</em>. You surely are correct."

    "..."

    Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    The female trainees who were obviously near them could hear Fatty Zacharys''s look.

    Disgust flitted across their faces as they rolled their eyes at Fatty Zachary before leaving.

    But even though they were looking at him in disgust, these girls were also nning on paying the Hamlet of Azucar a visit.

    After all, they had been stuck here for a week. Going to such a bustling ce could be a great change of pace.

    The male trainees seemed to agree with Fatty Zachary''s mindset though as they shed each otherscivious smiles.

    Calvin was the only one wearing a strange smile on his face.

    "I''m not going with you guys." He said.

    "What? Why not?" Fatty Zachary stared at Calvin in astonishment, "Wait! I think I can understand. It must be because you want to stay loyal to Christine, am I right?"

    "Well,e on now, Calvin. Are you serious? Both of you aren''t married, yet so you are allowed to do whatever you want! That includes ying with girls as much as you want!"

    Calvin stared at Fatty Zachary with a look that said, <em>''Are you serious, bro?''</em>

    But he didn''t voice out his thoughts as he simply stated. "I''m just too busy right now."

    "Busy? Busy with wha" Fatty Zachary was about to ask when he saw the stern look on Calvin''s face.

    It was obvious that Calvin didn''t want to be questioned.

    "All right, since that is your decision, then I won''t impose on you anymore. We''ll be going now, but don''t worry. I''ll get you some souvenirs."

    Fatty Zachary smiled.

    He told the others that they would meet at the backdoor on the southern part of the training camp before he walked alongside Calvin and walked towards the male''s dormitory area. Climbing up the stairs, both men remained silenced all the way.

    Fatty Zachary went to the other side of the corridor, while Calvin walked into his room that he was sharing with Legs.

    But as soon as he opened the doors of his room, his pupils constricted when he saw Christine standing inside the room."

    "What are you doing in here?" Calvin asked with a frown.

    "Your room sure is bigger than mine, we can do itrain! We can train here together while Legs is gone." Christine was about to say, <em>''do it''</em> when she was suddenly reminded of that scene in the female''s dormitory area. She was so embarrassed that she eximed as she changed her words before directly going into the topic.

    "Speaking of Legs, he told me that he came here for you. Is he going after you or something? In a romantic way?"

    Calvin had never been an indecisive man. He went for the jugr and asked.

    "Calvin, can you please be more tactless?" Christine sarcastically replied, "Yeah, Legs is from the noble Aurum family, so it is just right that he persues someone like me who is also from a noble family."

    "I see..." Calvin lightly nodded his head. He heard what he wanted to know, so he didn''t say anything anymore.

    He went for his bed and sat cross-legged. Then, he closed his eyes.

    "Oh, that is how you meditate? Interesting, it''s the same as how we do it in the family. But waitwhy are you meditating?"

    "Aren''t we supposed to be sparring?"

    Calvin opened his eyes, "A sparring or a training? Make up your mind!" He scolded.

    Christine pursed her lips. She took a chair and sat on it before continuing, "I am really curious as to why you were able to neutralize Legs''s punch so easily despite the fact that it was executed with the Oriental Fist."

    Calvin shrugged, "Do you really want to know?"

    Christine almost immediately replied, "Yes! I want to know! Are you going to tell me?"

    "All right." Calvin lifted his upper body and asked, "What do you think did I do?"

    "You found the weakest link of the Oriental Fist''s cirction routes that he was using at that time, and with a poke using you Art of Commanding Wind and Cloud. You sessfully neutralized Legs''s attack." Christine confidently replied.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, "Commanding Wind and Cloud?"

    Christine stared at him in confusion, "Didn''t you say that you are practicing the Art of Commanding Wind and Cloud?"

    "Oh..." Calvin was suddenly flustered as he swiftly changed the subject, "Your assumptions are good; you have a pretty good imagination. But your theory is too rudimentary. Yes, you''re right that I''ve sessfully located the weakest link..."

    "But is it really that simple?"

    "Martial Arts are simr to steel chains. It is only as strong as its weakest link."

    "However, what if none of those chains are weak?"

    "Your Martial Arts foundation would be stable?" Christine replied in uncertainty.

    "Correct." Calvin smiled, "If that''s the case, then will I still be able to neutralize Legs''s attack if his foundation was incredibly stable?"

    "Um... Yes?" Christine asked in doubt.

    "You don''t look confident, eh? Let me just give you the answer. Yes, I will still be able to neutralize Legs''s attack since the Oriental Fist is a unique Martial Art with its core being the nearest to the ce where it is being executed. But if my enemy was youand your foundation was stable. I would still be able to neutralize your attacks!"

    "As for the reason why?" Calvin stood up and poked Christine''s elbow.

    In an instant, a shiver ran down her spine as her entire arm felt numb.

    "Hieeek!" She screamed.

    The sudden dull pain that washed over her body had surprised her a lot.

    "Why did you attack my funny bone like that all of a sudden?" Christine red at Calvin.

    "That is the reason why I will still be able to neutralize your attacks despite your stable foundation. Just like how every human had a funny bone, every Martial Art had their own weaknesses that could only be covered up but never removed."

    "But of course, since these are what we consider as weakest links, there are ways that we can protect them and even take advantage of them..."

    Calvin smiled and asked, "Circte your Art of Wind-Chasing for me."

    Christine faintly nodded and wind seemed to have appeared in the room out of nowhere.

    Her training clothes fluttered in the wind, while Calvin squeezed out a smile on his face.

    He stood behind her and stretched both of his hands out.

    "I can see that you are mostly using your Art of Wind-Chasing for the sake of fast movements?" Calvin asked.

    A blush spread on Christine''s face as she trembled and stammered, "H-H-How did you know that?"

    "It''s pretty obvious." Calvin remained unperturbed.

    He stuck a finger out and poked Christine''s thigh. "Your Mana''s primarily gathering here above your hamstrings, and your calf is also being passively reinforced. This is good if you want to maintain your form when you grow old, but I say it''s not a really efficient way to using your Mana. In short, you are wasting your energy."

    He traced the body parts that he said with his finger.

    Since he was standing behind Christine...

    The way he was reaching his hand out from behind made it look like he was intimately hugging her from behind.

    Christine''s small figure was akin to that of a bunny that had been cornered by a wolf. Her snow-white ears turned red from the embarrassment and as Calvin traced his finger on her sensitive leg, her figure trembled along with each movement he made. But for some reason, Christine wasn''t doing anything to stop him.

    She nced at Calvin and noticed that there was a serious look on his face.

    It seemed that he was doing his best to teach her.

    If she forced him to stop, then wouldn''t she look like she was the one having indecent thoughts?

    Wouldn''t that make Calvin look at her as if she was a dirty girl?

    Christine held her emotions back as her long eyshes fluttered with every trembling of her body.

    But Calvin didn''t seem to have noticed all of these as he continued, "You are too focused on maintaining this constant supply of Mana, the best way to optimize your usage of Mana is to use them in short bursts. Although that requires a lot of finesse that you have to train for. Also, your foundation is quite stable. But you still have a weakness..."

    Calvin''s eyes seemed to be able to see through everything that she had as Christine kept on trembling.

    "There it is."

    Calvin casually said before he lifted Christine''s shirt and poked at her Dimples of Venus.

    "Ah!" Christine''s knees immediately went weak.

    The cirction of Mana around her body was immediately forced to a halt.

    "Are you okay?" Calvin looked at Christine in worry.

    Tears seemed to be welling up her eyelids as she slowly stood up and replied, "I''m fine..."

    Her legs were quivering ever so slightly as she supported herself on the nearby wall.

    "What the hell happened to you? Was the information I gave really that overwhelming?" Calvin asked in confusion. He couldn''t believe that the future Goddess of de would make a big deal of the information that he just gave her since she had always been a knowledgeable woman back then.

    <em>Wait...</em>

    Calvin realized that he hadmitted a facy.

    Indeed, the Goddess of de in the past was a figure of knowledge and wisdom.

    But Christine was still a youngdy of the Ana family!

    <em>Damn, how did I not realize it...</em>

    He facepalmed.

    Christine saw the look on Calvin''s face and she thought that he had finally realized what he had done to her.

    <em>Is he going to apologize?</em>

    As expected, Calvin stretched his hand out and said, "I''m sorry about that. I won''t give it to you in such an overwhelming manner next time..."

    "Your head must''ve hurt, right? Trying to cope with it."

    Christine supported herself with Calvin''s hand and said, "It''s fine... Just tell me that you are going to do it next time. I''m a youngdy of the Ana Martial family, I can endure that much."

    Calvin nodded, "Let''s not think about training for now. Would you like to eat something? It''s about time we eat our breakfast."

    "Yeah, let''s go out. I wonder if there would be something special in the cafeteria."

    "Hey, do you really expect special dishes in the cafeteria? That is like wishing that pigs could fly!" Calvinmented.

    "Hahaha, you''re right." Christine''s bell-likeughter rang out.

    The two of them walked out of the room and descended down the stairs.

    But while they were walking down, they saw Fatty Zachary leaning on the walls near the stairwell.

    He was holding a letter in his hand and tears were flowing down his cheeks!

 Chapter 237: The Reason For Her Diligence

    Chapter 237: The Reason For Her Diligence

    Christine immediately made a move. She stretched her hand out and dragged Calvin behind the wall.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Shh!"

    Christine silenced him with her pursed lips and said, "That Fatty Zachary is crying!"

    "Yeah, I saw that." Calvin casually replied, "Is there anything wrong with that shameless guy crying? Didn''t you hear what he said earlier about visiting the Hamlet of Azucar? That guy''s probably crying because of a woman!"

    Christine stared helplessly at Calvin, "Are you really his friend?"

    "Hey, I''m not that heartless." Calvin raised both of his hands and surrendered, "It''s indeed very strange that someone asedic as that bastard can actually cry. I wonder what is the reason?"

    "Didn''t you just say that it''s because of a woman?"

    "Hey, I was being sarcastic."

    "That''s even worse..."

    Christine facepalmed. Calvin said that he was being sarcastic.

    Did that mean that he believed that Fatty Zachary would never be able to woo a woman in his life?

    Was this guy really his friend?

    Christine could recall that the two of them seemed to be the best of friends, yet they were casually insulting each other like this.

    ''Is this how men create their friendships? How strange...'' Christine mumbled in her heart.

    "Are you not curious as to why he is crying?" Christine asked.

    "I sure am, but I won''t lend him a hand if he doesn''t need my help," replied Calvin.

    "I didn''t expect you to be that heartless," Christine added.

    "I was just trying to protect the Fatty''s ego." Calvin shrugged.

    "Ego, here, Ego that... What''s that? Can that be eaten?" Christine rolled her eyes at him.

    "Wait, he''s going out!" Calvin interrupted.

    Fatty Zachary had crumpled the letter that he was reading and stuffed it into his pocket.

    Then, without looking in any direction. He walked down the stairs and exited the dormitory area.

    "Hey, isn''t it quite suspicious that we are acting like this?" Calvin asked.

    Both of them wore oversized coats as they discreetly followed the Fatty.

    "He''s heading for the backdoor? He''s going out? Where is he going?" Christine ignored Calvin''s question and retorted with her own.

    "The Southern Borough is quite far away from him, so he is probably going to the Hamlet of Azucar," Calvin replied.

    "The Hamlet of Azucar?" Christine was astounded, "Why would he be going there? Isn''t that a ce a hub for that kind of thing?"

    "A hub for what?" Calvin stared at Christine and revealed a teasing smile, "What kind of ce is Azucar?"

    "N-Nothing!" Christine sent a jab at Calvin''s side and thetter almost keeled over and copsed onto the floor.

    "Damn, you''re being so violent!"

    "Serves you right!" Christine rolled her eyes at him, "Let''s go, he''s moving!"

    Fatty Zachary was more agile and fast than the two of them had expected. The former had just vaulted over the wall, but he was already a few meters away from the training camp''s wall.

    "That''s the direction of the Hamlet of Azucar. It seems that I was right!" Calvin pointed out.

    "Is there something else that''s in Azucar apart from those ''those'' establishments? It just doesn''t make sense for someone like him to cry for a woman. I don''t think that he''s that kind of a person," Christine asked.

    Calvin stared at Christine in shock. "How did you know that he''s not that kind of a person? Do you know that Fatty?"

    "No! It''s just that..." Christine hurriedly waved her hand and denied, "It''s just that I''ve always observed everyone and from what I sawhe''s not that kind of a person."

    "I see..." Calvin nodded. A smile spread on his face. Perhaps one of the reasons why the masses loved this so-called Goddess of de back then was due to the fact that she was this observant and thoughtful of everyone around her? Indeed, people like her had this ability to form a halo of positivity that always inspired the hearts of everyone around them to do good.

    "It seems that the Fatty is about to ride a carriage-taxi." Calvin saw that Fatty Zachary stopped at a T-junction.

    Calvin could also vaguely hear the sound of hooves through his Predator Senses.

    "Where? There isn''t even a car" Christine was doubtful at first, but right as she finished her sentence. The air around them vibrated and the sound of hooves entered her ears. She turned to look to the right and saw that there was indeed a carriageing in Fatty Zachary''s way.

    Fatty Zachary gged down the carriage-taxi and went inside.

    "What should we do now?" Christine asked.

    "Oh, you can''t keep up with that carriage-taxi?" Calvin teased with a smile.

    But Christine stared at him as if he was dumb.

    "That''s a horse right there, do you expect that a human being like me can catch up to a horse?"

    "You sure are underestimating the Art of Wind-Chasing. It is a formidable art that should be able to let you do what an average human being cannot doone of them is overtaking a horse."

    "Ah, I know what you are talking about. You''re saying that I should try to use the Art of Wind-Chasing to lighten my footsteps? No, no, no. It wouldn''t work, well it technically does work but I would still be exhausted. If I did this, then I should be able tost halfway to Azucar. But catching up to that horse? It''s basically impossible."

    Christine shook her head firmly.

    "Also, my leg will get too sore if I do that. Since I will be doing double the morning routine tomorrow as punishment, then I can''t be so reckless or I might die of exhaustion." A bitter smile escaped on Christine''s lips.

    "Who said something about running?" Calvin teased.

    "What? Are you trying to say that I am supposed to fly?" Christine furrowed her eyebrows.

    "Not exactly. Well, you are smart. I guess I should just let you watch and learn." Calvin smiled.

    Christine stared at him in intrigue.

    Calvin bent his upper body forwards and ced both of his hands behind him and parallel to the ground. With his knees bent, the Art of Mana Maniption or the so-called Art of Commanding Wind and Cloud in Christine''s eyes circted throughout his body. A breeze seemed to have appeared out of nowhere as Christine stared at Calvin in shock.

    It''s simr!

    It really is simr!

    Calvin''s so-called Art of Commanding Wind and Cloud is really simr to the Art of Wind-Chasing!

    Christine eximed in her heart.

    But before she could even say anything, Calvin looked at her with a teasing smile. "Make sure to keep up, or you''ll be eating my dust!"

    A booming sound resounded as Calvin kicked both of his feet off the floor and leaped high up into the air.

    Christine stared at him in shock, "Hey, that''s too hi" She was about to criticize when her pupils suddenly contracted.

    It was because she saw that a breeze seemed to be enveloping Calvin''s ankles, calves, and thighs.

    Before she knew it, Calvin had leaped about three meters into the air and eight meters forward.

    In just five seconds, he was now about twenty meters away from Christine.

    "What the hell are you doing there? We''ve got to hurry up!" Calvin chided from afar.

    A smile spread on Christine''s face.

    To be honest, Christine had no idea why Calvin was helping her so much.

    But there was something that she was sure of...

    Calvin had no bad intentions for her at all.

    In fact, he wasn''t even looking at her in a way simr to the young men that Christine had met and interacted with before from those noble families.

    Yes, he was looking at her like she was a human being.

    Not a woman whose only purpose was to give birth to a child.

    Christine gnashed her teeth.

    The outside world knew that she was being diligent because she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her elder sister.

    But they were wrong.

    She was only being diligent and doing her best in all things because she wanted to prove to anyone that she was valuable like her sister.

    As someone born from a noble family... If she didn''t prove her worth, she would undoubtedly be nothing but a marriage tool.

    Christine didn''t want to be like that.

    She always hated things that she couldn''t control.

    And this was why she hated her life back then.

    But when she saw from her elder sister Thea that there was a way out from the destiny of being a breeding tool.

    Christine knew that she had to do her best.

    And so she did.

    But her diligent training was always apanied by lonelinessher parents were always busy, while her sister was the same.

    Furthermore, as a child wiser than her age. Christine had always seen through the facade of those young men from noble families.

    She had always known the reason why they were looking at her in admiration. She knew that it wasn''t because of her capabilities, and the fact that she was excellent with everything. It was because she was a woman that could birth a child. Since then Christine hated the concept of childbirth. Her belief was further reinforced when she saw just how many children were living in the slums.

    If you cannot afford to feed your children? Why even bring them to this world in the first ce?

    This question was a mystery for Christinea mystery that she could never answer.

    It was on that day when Christine decided to remain childfree in her entire life. But it wasn''t that this decision wouldn''t change. In fact, Christine was still very interested in having a child despite hating the concept of childbirth, but she made a vow to herselfuntil she was strong enough, or until she found a husband who was strong enough to give her the life that she desired for her and her children.

    She would never birth a child on her own.

    And thusthe woman who chased relentlessly after strengthwas born.

    The smile on Christine''s face deepened.

    Calvin''s actions enlightened her that there was more to the Art of Wind-Chasing than what was known.

    She felt as if she had justpleted a puzzle, yet there was an even harder puzzle after it.

    But was she afraid?

    Of course, not!

    She would solve this puzzle by herself and be stronger than anyone!

    Swoosh!

    The Art of Wind-Chasing circted.

    A faint breeze surrounded Christine''s body.

    With a single leap into the air, she caught up to Calvin who was waiting for her in the distance at once!

    The wind softened hernding and Christinended gracefully in front of Christine.

    "What''s with that smile on your face?" Calvinmented.

    Christine held her face. "I''m smiling?"

    "Yeah." Calvin looked at her strangely, "How could you not notice yourself that you''re smiling?"

    Christine merely chuckled at his words and asked, "Calvin."

    "Can we be friends?"

    Calvin was taken aback by her words. But inside, he was already trembling in excitement.

    The future Goddess of de herself was actually expressing her intention to be his friend? What kind of luck was this!

    Of course, Calvin didn''t show any excitement on his face.

    In fact, he was even staring at Christine with a weird look on his face.

    "Aren''t we already friends? What are you talking about? Are you nning on taking this friendship to a whole new level?" He teased.

    "W-W-What?! It''s nothing like that!" Christine hurriedly waved her hand.

    A blush spread on her cheeks as she stammered through her words. "I-I-I was just asking if we can be friends... I never had any friends before, so please don''t me me if it sounds wrong?"

    The blush that spread on her neck up to her cheeks made her look iparably adorable.

    But a frown spread on Calvin''s face as he asked, "Wait, you seriously never had any friends?"

    Christine nodded in embarrassment, but she didn''t say anything in the end.

    A teasing look appeared on Calvin''s face. "Damn, you''re so pitiful!"

    "All right..."

    "ICalvinwill <em>reluctantly</em> take you as my friend!"

    "S-S-Shut up! I''ll take it back! I won''t be your friend anymore!" Christine pounced at him and pounded hard on his chest.

    Calvin''s boisterousughter resounded afterwards.

    The two soon settled down after a moment of bickering.

    They walked for a few minutes to rest until Christine broke the silence with a question...

    "Hey, Calvin. Since we''re already friends, can you teach me how to improve my Art of Wind-Chasing every day?"

    "What?" Calvin turned to look at her before his face changed in shock, "Y-Y-You woman! Could it be that you only befriended me because you want to take me as your mentor?!"

    Shockingly, Christine didn''t refute his ims.

    Sticking out her tiny pink tongue, she pulled on her eyelid and made a wacky face.

    "Yeah, so what? You''re my friend, so you should help me as a friend, all right?"

    Calvin was rendered speechless.

 Chapter 238: An Unreasonable Woman

    Chapter 238: An Unreasonable Woman

    "Why are you being so sloppy? I told you that''s not how it works!"

    "Use your Mana wisely!"

    "Why are you circting it while you''re in the air?"

    "Use it when you''ve reached your vertical peak in preparation fornding!"

    Two figures could be seen jumping up and down across the woods.

    The one in the lead seemed to be scolding the one behind him.

    A flushed look of embarrassment appeared on Christine''s face.

    This was the first time since long ago that she was being scolded like this.

    Back then, her father scolded her like this because she pped the son of a noble who tried to cop a feel of her body.

    Yes, this scene was iparably simr.

    But they differed a lot.

    That time, she felt humiliated.

    But now, she felt nothing but embarrassment.

    With the way she was being scolded by Calvin, she felt as if her years of training had gone to the donkeys.

    The foundation that she had painstakingly built up seemed to be crumbling in the face of Calvin''s teachings.

    But to be honest, she couldn''t really be med.

    After all, the cirction routes that Calvin was teaching her was something that was unfamiliar to her.

    It was understandable that she found it hard to cope.

    "You''re being sloppy again? Have you had your breakfast? Faster! Keep that up and you are going to eat my dust!"

    Calvin scolded once more.

    "We obviously haven''t eaten our breakfast yet! What are you talking about?" Christine couldn''t hold it back anymore as she red at Calvin.

    Calvin was speechless. He was obviously talking figuratively. He didn''t expect that Christine would take his words quite literally.

    "Less talk, move more!" He scolded again.

    "Shut up!" Christine retorted.

    Calvin didn''t say anything anymore.

    The two jumped up and down as they tried to catch up to the carriage-taxi.

    Unfortunately, they had underestimated the terrain.

    The ground was too muddy for them to gain enough foothold and what annoyed Christine more was the fact that she was now dirty all over her body. The sight of her white tunic stained by mud made the scene look as if she was a tainted maiden. How ironic.

    "How about we stop first?"

    Calvin noticed Christine''s apprehension and he couldn''t help but ask, "We should be able to find a stream of water somewhere in this forest, would you like for us to take a rest?"

    "I don''t think that we''ll be able to catch up to that carriage considering how we are only using our feet in this kind of terrain while that carriage has an entire suspension and wheels."

    Christine''s movements came to a halt.

    She huffed and puffed as a faint blush spread on her cheeks. Sweat was thick on her body and caused her tunic to stick close to her body. It emphasized her snow-white skin and the ck breast band that wrapped around her supple chest. This world didn''t have the concept of the bra, so most women often wore corsets or breast band.

    Christine''s lower body was covered with stockings that seemed to reach well over her upper thigh. There was an additional fabric on the soles of her hosen which seemed to further cushion both of her feet and ankles whenever she walked.

    Usually, hosens limited one''s flexibility but Christine wasn''t a member of a noble family for nothing. The fabric of even her simplest clothes was made of a material that even Calvin couldn''t recognize.

    A garter was wrapped around both Christine''s thighs, securing the dark stockings that seemed to be thin enough that someone could vaguely make out what''s underneath.

    A frown spread on Calvin''s face.

    Christine was covered with mud all over.

    Since she was wearing such thick clothes and it didn''t seem like she was carrying anything with her that she could change into.

    How was she supposed to clean herself?

    Calvin had always been a survival expert, so it wasn''t that difficult for him to locate a stream of water.

    They found a small waterfall that was about waist deep.

    Calvin looked forward and noticed in the distance that there was an animal drinking near the waterfall.

    "This water is safe to drink." Calvin judged and looked at Christine, "What do you want to do? I can strip off, wash my clothes, and then dry them using the wind. But how about you? You''re a woman, I can''t just expect you to get naked, right?"

    Christine nodded her head.

    She bit her lips and trembled.

    Obviously, she didn''t want to strip naked in front of somebody else.

    But her body felt so itchy as the mud had irritated her skin to the point that she couldn''t bear it anymore.

    Calvin pondered for a solution.

    Then, he proposed, "How about I go upstream? I can go above that waterfall. I''ll take a bath there and you take yours here!"

    His solution made sense since with this ideaboth of them could do their business with some degree of privacy.

    But unexpectedly...

    "No, no, no!"

    ... Christine refused his proposal.

    "if you took a bath upstream, wouldn''t that mean that I''ll be bathing in your bathwater? That cannot be! It''s lewd!"

    Christine hurriedly waved her hand and refused.

    Calvin facepalmed. He didn''t know what to say.

    Come on, it''s not as if she would actually be bathing in his bathwater! This is a stream of water, for god''s sake! The dirtied water that I''ve bathed in would probably be purified the moment it goes down the waterfall!

    "All right, then what do you want to happen?"

    "You''ll go up, and wait for me to be done with the bath. You better not peek at me or else, I''ll let you taste my wrath!" Christine warned.

    "Sure, sure..." Calvin rolled his eyes at her before he leaped above the waterfall and disappeared in Christine''s eyes.

    Christine let out a sigh of relief when she saw that Calvin had indeed followed her instructions.

    But there was still a hint of doubt in Christine''s heart, she couldn''t help but feel suspicious that Calvin might just be kind to her because he had an ulterior motive.

    Christine couldn''t exin why she was feeling this way, but her gut feeling had never betrayed her even once. She was convinced that Calvin had an ulterior motive for approaching her and being so kind to her like this.

    Indeed...

    Calvin had an ulterior motive.

    But it wasn''t as sinister as Christine thought it to be.

    Calvin was convinced that Christine would definitely be the future Goddess of de.

    Her fundamentals were excellent, and her mind was set. Sure, he had no idea what kind of motivation did Christine had in her mind to pursue such a radical path back then, but he was convinced that what would happen in the past would happen once more in this timeline.

    This was why Calvin had to get close to Christine.

    He wanted to have the future Goddess of de in his side.

    Calvin sat cross-legged near the bank of the stream of water. His breathing was even as he meditated.

    But then, he suddenly remembered the matter about the Ascension System''s Version Update.

    [Version Update has beenpleted]

    [Patch Notes 1.1: Inventory System has been added.]

    [There is an upper limit of 100 kilograms worth of items. Non-living items are not allowed in the Inventory. Items that aren''t taken out of the inventory once every month might experience significant deterioration of their quality. Please be advised.]

    "An inventory system?"

    "How does that even work?"

    Calvin thought for a moment.

    He took a random rock nearby and held it in his hand.

    "Insert Inventory."

    He mumbled in his heart and the rock dissipated into innumerable light crystals.

    [Igneous Rock(x1) has been added into the Inventory]

    "Remove Igneous Rock; Quantity one," Calvin whispered and the rock slowly materialized in front of him.

    "Damn, can this be any quicker?" The rock took about three seconds topletely manifest.

    That was too slow for Calvin''s standards!

    What if he wanted to use the Inventory System to hide his hidden weapons? If it would take them three seconds to manifest, then that would be too slow indeed!

    Unfortunately, even though the number of seconds in which the items manifested remained a consistent three seconds.

    There was no way for it to be quicker.

    It was always three seconds, no more, no less. Regardless of the item''s size nor mass.

    Letting out a sigh, Calvin activated his Predator Senses.

    He could still hear the faint movements of Christine downstream. It was obvious that she wasn''t done with her bath.

    "Damn, it''s been an hour! What''s taking that girl so long?" A frown spread on Calvin''s face.

    ''Let me open up my status window real quick, it''s been so long since I''ve taken a look at my stats.'' Calvin thought to himself.

    "Status."

    Whispering into the air, several transparent windows quickly appeared in front of him.

    [ss: Golden ss-Scribe]

    [Skills Avable in Slot: 3/???]

    [Skills Slotted: 3/???]

    [Experience Points: 2563/10,000]

    [7437 Experience Points necessary for Ascension to Historian.]

    [Passive Skills: Enduring Heart, All-Consuming mes, Transient]

    [Active Skills: Metamorphosis, Bane of All Beneath the Sun, sh Series, Log]

    [Ultimate: Reversal of Fate]

    "This is quite organized..." Calvin smiled in glee.

    He stretched his hand out and tapped on the name of the skills, but a description window didn''t appear. "Damn, the skills aren''t being described. Does this mean that I have to find out what kind of skills did I get from those legendary creatures?"

    Calvin held his chin and started to imagine.

    "Metamorphosis seems to be something that includes transforming into something. I would love to try what kind of transformation would happen, but I cannot obviously do that with Christine so close to me..."

    "As for this, Bane of All Beneath the Sun... Wow, that sure is a domineering name. This is probably from the Golden Crow..."

    "As for this sh Series, I cannot think of anything other than it''s from the Bakunawa..."

    Calvin nced in Christine''s direction.

    "How can I test these skills without Christine noticing it? Is it even possible?"

    He thought for a while, but before he could even make a decision.

    Christine''s voice rang from downstream.

    "I''m done!"

    A breeze swept past and Christine''s figure suddenly appeared in mid-air.

    Landing gracefully, a smile was on her face.

    "You can go down and take a bath now."

    "What took you so long? You were in there for like an hour."

    "What?!" Christine was astounded.

    An embarrassed look appeared on her face as she said, "It''s probably because it''s been such a long time since I''ve taken a proper bath. And the water here is not too cold and too hot. It''s just right, so I must''ve forgotten to keep a track of time. I apologize, are you angry at me?"

    The look on Christine''s face changed from an embarrassment into uncertainty. The way she stared at Calvin with her dark brown pupils opened wide made Calvin think of a puppy that didn''t want its owner to get angry at it.

    "No... It''s okay." Calvin couldn''t get angry anymore.

    "All right!" Christine beamed with a smile. "I''ll give you fifteen minutes to take a bath, that should be enough."

    "What? Why am I getting fifteen minutes, while you got an hour?"

    "Do you expect me to wait that long for you? There are a lot of mosquitoes here and I don''t want them nibbling on my flesh! If you take too long I''ll go ahead and drag you to Azucar buck-naked, do you want that to happen?" Christine red at Calvin.

    "A-All right... Chill out, okay?" Calvin gave up arguing with this unreasonable woman.

    He leaped from the waterfall and took his bath.

    At exactly fifteen minutester, he came up with his clothesalready dried up using his Mana.

    Then, the two continued their journey to Azucar.

 Chapter 239: Universal Constant

    Chapter 239: Universal Constant

    The thousands of forest ranges outside any city were dangerous due to theck of people that hunted monsters to cull. However, both Christine and Calvin had never met any monster in their journey to Azucar.

    Needless to say, their journey went smooth and they soon arrived at Azucar with refreshed looks on their faces after having taken that bath.

    The Hamlet of Azucar didn''t seem to be a Hamlet.

    It was more like a small city than a quaint little vige. The number of people scurrying around in the area seemed to be even greater than that of the Hilton Borough. But there was a stark difference between Ashmelion and the Hamlet of Azucar.

    That difference was that...

    "Wha-What is with this city? Why are there naked people everywhere?" Christine covered her eyes with both of her palms.

    ... the city had an abundance of male and female prostitutes.

    Fortunately, the male prostitutes were dressed properly, or else Calvin might also do what Christine was doing right now.

    Sweeping his gaze across the entrance, Calvin saw that there was no security whatsoever.

    Yet, why was it that this ce managed to maintain its peace?

    if Calvin had to take a guess, then this ce definitely had an underground powerhouse that secretly managed the matters of Azucar and maintained its order, as well as the bnce between all things.

    They probably were controlling Azucar''s reputation to the extent that the ce would seem incredibly dangerous, but with great rewards.

    As for the reason why?

    Well, it was obviously marketing.

    After all, the men of Las Felipinas were often hot-headed and risk-takers.

    Taking advantage of this innate cultural trait of theirs, the group that was behind this ce seemed to be a lot more knowledgeable than Calvin had expected.

    Walking towards the entrance, a thought suddenly appeared in Calvin''s mind and he immediately took off his coat and covered Christine with it.

    "What are you doing?" Christine looked annoyed.

    "You''re too beautiful!" Calvin firmly said.

    "What?" Christine was dumbstruck. Her heart seemed to tremble as she stared right at Calvin.

    <em>''W-What was this guy doing flirting with me so openly?''</em> Christine thought to herself.

    "I said, you''re too beautiful! The tallest wind attracts the most wind..."

    "Since we are here to help that Fatty, we must not cause any trouble for him."

    "Oh..." Christine instantly understood what Calvin was talking about.

    In this ce where all sorts of debauchery were everywhere, a woman like her would definitely attract unwanted attention.

    Calvin''s words made sense, but she felt disappointed for some reason.

    "Purpose?" The entrance guard nonchntly said. They didn''t seem to be collecting any fees. It was as if they were only here as a decoration since they weren''t even inspecting any goods nor doing anything for Azucar''s security.

    A lecherous smile appeared on Calvin''s face. "My friend, must you ask why I came here?"

    The guard was taken aback. A smirk appeared on the corner of his lips. "Say no more. Next!"

    Christine walked forward and the guard asked once more. "Purpose?"

    "Uh..." Christine was surprised that she was asked this question even though she was Calvin''spanion.

    She kept her head hung low underneath her coat and surreptitiously nced at Calvin.

    Calvin was signaling using his finger that she should follow what he had said, but Christine was hesitating.

    "I asked you a question! Why did youe here?" Christine''s figure visibly trembled.

    A frown spread on the guard''s face. "Can you raise your head and look at me for a moment?"

    The guard requested.

    ''This is bad.'' Calvin thought to himself.

    He stepped forward and rescued Christine from her situation.

    Flicking a peso coin to the guard, Calvin winked at the former. "This is my friend, Christian. He''s a cherry-boy, and we came here to get him popped..."

    "This guy''s easily embarrassed and intimidated, and you might have scared him off with your question. Just know that we''re here to pop and nothing else."

    The guard received the coin and kept it in his pocket.

    But a sneer appeared on his face as he continued his line of questioning, "I understand what you are talking about, but that doesn''t make him less suspicious!"

    "If you really came here to pop this cherry-boy, then where are you going? Name an establishment in Azucar, and I''ll believe your words..."

    The guard''s words were loud and it attracted a lot of attention from the crowd.

    Christine grew nervous. Sweat appeared on her forehead and her back became drenched with perspiration.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows. "Must you go so far, my friend? We came here to have fun in the House of a Thousand Thrusts!"

    The guard was surprised by Calvin''s words.

    To be honest, he thought that both of them were first-timers in Azucar. In addition, Calvin was so generous as to actually give him a peso coin. As a result, the guard thought that Calvin was loaded, so he schemed to squeeze them dry of their money under the threat of detention.

    But to think that his n would fail...

    He really misjudged the two of them!

    "All right, all clear. Go in." The guard knew that his scheme was a lost cause, so he didn''t bother about it anymore.

    "My thanks, friend." Calvin smiled and dragged Christine with him into Azucar.

    "Wheeew... That was close." Calvin stopped near an alleyway as he heaved a sigh of relief.

    Christine was staring at him in disgust.

    "What''s with that look? Did I do something wrong?" Calvin asked with a frown.

    "Men will always be men, they always want to do those sort of things! They are like animals!" Christineshed out.

    "What?" Calvin was even more confused. "What are you talking about?"

    "I am talking about you, you animal!"

    Christine criticized, "It''s clearly not the first time that you came here... Otherwise, how could you possibly know the name of a brothel?"

    Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    But then an idea appeared in his mind and he retaliated, "How did you know that the establishment I told that guard earlier was a brothel?"

    A smirk appeared on his face as he teased this so-called maiden who desperately wanted to remain untainted.

    "S-S-Shut up! Let''s go and find that Fatty!" Christine didn''t dare to stare at Calvin straight for she was afraid that he might see the crimson blush that was on her face at this moment.

    Recalling the words,<em> ''House of a Thousand Thrusts''</em> how could an establishment with such a name be something different other than a brothel?

    The world ''thrust'' alone made it very clear... <em>''Ah! What am I thinking!'' </em>Christine furiously shook her head to clear her thoughts of lewd things.

    "Speaking of that Fatty, I wonder where that bastard went," Calvin asked.

    "He probably came here to do those things!" Christine softly, yet firmly responded.

    "I don''t think so... He was crying while holding that letter, so how can he possibly visit a brothel after reading that traumatic letter?"

    "Well, maybe he wants to release his stress?" Christine replied. But then the blush on her face was further exacerbated.

    "That makes sense. All right, let''s go and ask a local where the House of a Thousand Thrusts is located." Calvin decided.

    "W-Wait!" Christine stopped him in his tracks, "How can you be so sure that he''s in the House of a T-T-Thou"

    "House of a Thousand Thrusts?" Calvinpleted the sentence for her.

    "Yes, that''s it!" Christine almost eximed.

    "Well, that Fatty might be shameless but I don''t think that he''ll settle for less with his personality. Have you already forgotten how he tried to fight Deputy Instructor Eutem for the sake of getting the authority to go out?"

    "That battle was hopeless, but for the sake of his goals. That Fatty seems to have the resolve to do anything that he could to achieve it," Calvin exined.

    "Calvin..." Christine stared at him in shock, "Some times. I feel like you''re more observant than me."

    "Doesn''t that make us kind of a kindred spirit?" Calvin lightly chuckled.

    "Uh... yeah..." Christine was taken aback by his smile and she took a step backward in retreat.

    "Hey, watch where you''re stepping a"

    "AH!"

    A pained scream rang out behind Christine.

    Turning around, both Calvin and Christine saw a rugged, half-naked middle-aged man let out a shrill cry of pain.

    Christine had unknowingly stepped on his foot when she took a step backward.

    "Ah! I''m so"

    "If sorry is enough in this world, then we would be able to do anything that we want!"

    The middle-aged man scolded as he copsed onto the ground and started squirming on the ground while holding his foot.

    "Shit! That hurts, that hurts, that hurts! What the fuck did you do! I feel like I broke a bone!" The middle-aged man cried out.

    "Brother!" A man came running towards them from the distance. He inspected the wounds of the middle-aged man and a serious look appeared on his face, "He broke his ankles and the joints of his foot. You injured him!" The man red at Christine, further exacerbating the nervousness of thetter as she took several steps backward and trembled.

    "N-No... I didn''t... I wasn''t using any strength"

    "Shut the fuck up! if we said that my friend got injured, then he got injured!" The man stared dangerously at Christine.

    Calvin finally understood what was going on.

    A single nce was all it took for him to notice that these men were scammers.

    "What a bore..." Calvinmented. It seemed that in every world, scammers existed.

    Back on Earth, scammers like these people were abundant. Of course, the methods of the scammers on Earth were far more sophisticated than the primitive methods of these scammers, but their goals were the sameit was to squeeze as much money as they could from their victims.

    Scammers seemed to already be a universal constant.

    They existed where life existed.

    "W-W-What should we do, Calvin? I don''t... I don''t have a lot of money with me, and I clearly didn''t use any strength!"

    Christine was nervous and doubtful. Even though the situation didn''t sound so convincing, the fact that she was a martial artist from a noble family meant that her body was far stronger than the average human. In short, she was convinced that she might be able to easily break the bones of an average human just by lightly stepping on their bodies.

    This was why she was both nervous and doubtful. She wasn''t sure if her walking strength was strong enough to break the bones of people.

    The two men heard what Christine had said and the man who inspected the middle-aged man''s ''wounds'' pointed a finger at her.

    "You clearly didn''t use any strength? My friend''s foot is swollen and purple! What? Are you still going to deny it?"

    Indeed, the middle-aged man''s foot looked swollen and purple.

    Christine was taken aback.

    "I see..."

    Calvin''s words resounded in the area.

    All eyes focused on Calvin.

    Christine hid behind him, while the eyes of the onlookers revealed amusement within their pupils.

    Obviously, they knew that the climax was about toe.

    <em>Was this young man going topensate them?</em>

    <em>Or was he going to fight them?</em>

    Both choices were foolish, and this was why the situation was interesting to the onlookers.

    Although personally, Christine wanted Calvin to beat these thugs up.

    But her eyes dimmed when she saw Calvin taking out his money.

    "C-Calvin..." She muttered in disappointment.

    The eyes of the two men brightened when they saw the paper notes and the coins that Calvin was taking out of his pocket.

    ''W-W-We''ve hit the jackpot!'' Both men inwardly screamed in glee.

    "How much do I have topensate?" Calvin calmly asked.

    "Uh..." The two men clearly still hadn''t recovered from the surprise that they had received.

    It took them quite a while to reply with an answer.

    "F-Fifty, no! A hundred pesos is enough! Fifty is for the doctor''s fee and fifty is thepensation for my brother''s trauma."

    One of them shouted.

    "I see, so a hundred for one of you. How about I make it two hundred?"

    "T-T-Two hundred?!" The man was astonished. "Y-Yeah, that works best! Give us two hundred and we will forget about what happened."

    Calvin softly nodded and he took out peso notes worth two hundred pesos.

    Handing it over to the man, thetter received it with a look of glee on his face.

    "K-Kid! It''s good that you are sensible enough! All right, we will let you go!" The man quickly stuffed the notes into a bag.

    "You''re going to let us go? But did I say that I am going to let you go?" Calvin asked with a smile.

    "What are you talking about?" The man furrowed his eyebrows.

    Calvin stretched his neck and cracked his knuckles. "It''s not easy to extort money from me without paying the price! I''vepensated you for your brother''s injuries, but he wasn''t even injured in the first ce so that two hundred pesos that I gave you is to pay for your time in the hospital!"

    Calvin lunged forward and held the man''s wrist.

    With a twist, a piercing cry rang out which shook the hearts of the onlookers.

    "Brother!" The middle-aged man who was lying on the ground this whole time reacted.

    He was about to stand up when Calvin arrived in front of him and said, "Didn''t you say that mypanion here injured you? Why are you about to stand up? Could it be that you really weren''t injured in the first ce?"

    "Arrogant brat!" The middle-aged man brandished a knife.

    Christine''s face paled in horror, "Calvin!"

    "I''ll be fine!" Calvin sneered. Taking a step backward, he dodged the knife and retaliated with a palm strike.

    The attack looked simple, but it was sent towards the middle-aged man''s foot that Christine had supposedly injured!

    "AAAH!" The middle-aged man shrieked in pain.

    Calvin followed up with two more attacks and both men copsed unconscious onto the floor.

    Dusting his clothes, Calvin casually retrieved the two hundred pesos and swept his gaze across the crowd.

    In an instant, the hostile eyes that had been targeting them since they entered Azucar seemed to disappear out of nowhere.

    Calvin let out a sigh of relief.

    <em>''There should be some peace after this.''</em> He thought to himself.

    Indeed, Calvin''s actions had sufficiently proved to these thugs that he wasn''t someone that would go down without a fight!

    That he wasn''t someone to be trifled with!

 Chapter 240: House of a Thousand Thrusts

    Chapter 240: House of a Thousand Thrusts

    Both Calvin and Christine casually walked into a somewhat high-end restaurant.

    Taking a corner table on the highest floor of the restaurant, it was only when Christine noticed that there wasn''t someone else on this floor did she sigh in relief and removed the hood that hid her face.

    "Wheeew... That was so scary! What were you thinking?!" Christine immediately criticized.

    "Now, now... What was done was already done. Also, can we not fight in front of the food?" Calvin patiently asked.

    "A-All right..."

    Having learned the art of etiquette, Christine knew that it was rude to fight in front of the Goddess''s grace since the Goddess might not be more inclined to give them any grace in the future.

    Speaking of the Goddess, Christine didn''t dare to forget to say her prayers as she closed her eyes and took the lead in praying.

    "In the Goddess''s name!"

    "In the Goddess''s name!"

    The two ended the prayer and they were finally able to feast.

    The culinary culture of Las Felipinas and Earth greatly varied due to theck of existing spices and seasoning.

    Right now, salt was somewhat of a raremodity since it has to travel all the way from Laguna to Ashmelion, which often took a lot of time due to several other factors such as bandits, weather, and unforeseen idents.But in short, most restaurants in Ashmelion, or even home-cooking recipes didn''t call for the use of salt.

    The appetite of the Joselian people mostly consisted of meat and grain.

    Surprisingly though, they often mixed their water with some kind of alcohol.

    Even Charlotte and Cecilia consumed watered-down wine on a daily basis.

    It was to be expected since water without alcohol was often toxic and caused a lot of problems such as diarrhea and even dysentery. This restaurant wasn''t different. The meal on Calvin''s table was white bread with fish sauce. It was pretty tasty, although it smelled quite disgusting.

    Calvin was able to stomach this food, but Christine frowned upon it.

    But it wasn''t that she found the food unworthy of her statusit was simply because she found it unptable and disgusting.

    "I really have tomend your stomach, Calvin... To think that you''d be able to eat Ginamus!"

    Christine smirked, "Do you know that Ginamuswhich is what you are eating right now is literally made from fermented fish guts?"

    "Are you trying to disgust me to death? Don''t even try, my stomach can handle a lot worse than this!" Calvin retaliated.

    A smirk also appeared on his face as he said, "Do you also know that the sweet and tangy chicken that you are eating right now has Ginamus added into it in the cooking process?"

    "WhaImpossible!" Christine''s eyes widened in shock, "You''re lying! How could this deliciously sweet and tangy chicken have any Ginamus in it?"

    "Ginamus is made from fish, and I can''t taste any fishiness in this dish! You''re deliberately trying to attack me while I''m eating! That''s cowardly! You''re shameless!"

    "Oh, you don''t believe me?" Calvin wasn''t provoked at all. "Cover your head, I''ll call the waitress over, so you''ll understand!"

    Christine''s provocationsnded on deaf ears. Instead, she was the one that got provoked as a serious look washed over her face.

    "All right, call a waitress over, right now! I will prove you wrong!"

    "Hehehe, I wonder if you won''t regret it?"

    "Why would I? Just call someone over here that can confirm the recipe!" Christine red.

    "As you wish, mydy." Calvin sarcastically said.

    Then, he walked downstairs and returned with a waitress who seemed to be in her mid-twenties.

    The waitress and Calvin returned to a hooded Christine who didn''t dare to raise her head.

    "Mister?" The waitress asked in doubt.

    "Oh, don''t mind him, miss. He''s a cherry-boy that hasn''t touched a woman since he was born." Calvin stared at Christine and teased.

    Christine''s figure trembled. She repeatedly cursed Calvin in her heart, but what happened next further exacerbated her anger.

    "A cherry-boy, eh?"

    The waitress walked forward and ced her supple thigh onto the table, "So this is why you deliberately came to the highest floor to eat, young boy. You were too embarrassed to ask for ''those '' services with so many people downstairs, eh?"

    "Don''t worry, Elder Sis here will be patient and guide you in the pleasures of adults..."

    The waitress even hooked her arm around Christine''s neck.

    Calvin was observing all of these in the side as his shoulders constantly trembled, trying his best to suppress theughter that was about toe out of his mouth.

    Unfortunately, the show ended too soon for Calvin could already feel the freezing re that threatened to spill out of Christine''s eyes and inundate him entirely.

    "Ahem..." Calvin cleared his throat and interrupted. "Miss, we came here not to ask for a service. But we came here to ask you if our guesses regarding the recipe of this sweet and tangy chicken are right."

    "You came here for that?" The waitress was exasperated.

    She didn''t look bad, to be honest. If she was to be rated, then her looks would be seven out of ten. But these men summoned her here, not for her service but to solicit information about their well-guarded recipe?

    Thepetition was fierce in the food industry of Ashmelionno, throughout the entire Joselian Kingdom.

    But it wasn''t that people were just stingy of their recipes, but it was because food had always been a part of their culture. One of the teachings of the Goddess of Compassion and Light was to treat one''s guests with a lot of food and to empty one''s te after every meal.

    This was why the people of the Joselian Kingdom valued food a lot, and sothe restaurants'' always valued their recipes.

    It was a vition of etiquette for someone to ask about the recipe of a restaurant.

    The waitress coldly red at Calvin and Christine. "I apologize but I will never divulge the recipe of this restaurant to anyone, please look for someone e"

    The waitress abruptly stopped in the middle of her sentence.

    It was because Calvin had brandished a peso note to her and smirked. "Does it really matter? Come on, it''s just for apetition. You''re not going to divulge the entire recipe anyway."

    "Just tell us if our guesses are right."

    The waitress stared at Calvin for a moment before she hurriedly stuffed the peso note into the ravines of her exposed chest.

    "O-Okay... But I''ll only answer one question!"

    Calvin softly nodded, "My question isdoes the recipe for this sweet and tangy chicken includes Ginamus?"

    The waitress was quick to nod. "Yes. Most of our dishes include Ginamus for seasoning."

    "Hahaha! See! I told you!" Calvin boisterouslyughed.

    Christine mmed both of her hands onto the table and said, "Impossible! You don''t use salt and pepper to season, but Ginamus?!"

    All of a sudden, the delicious sweet and tangy chicken on her te didn''t look as appetizing as it did before.

    The waitress quickly retreated in fear after she realized that she had been bribed and coerced to reveal a part of the restaurant''s recipe.

    Sitting down once more, Calvin exined. "The reason why you cannot taste any fishiness is that they add a lot of things to hide the fishy taste. They add dill, citrus, and some herbs and spices that are readily avable..."

    "Thus, they managed to hide the fishy vor. But it''s always there, you cannot avoid it. Heck, your white bread might even have Ginamus in it for all I know!"

    "Shut up!" Christine red at Calvin, "Are you trying to disgust me until I be a vegetarian?"

    "Hahaha..." Calvin boisterouslyughed once more.

    "Are you still going to eat?"

    A teasing look appeared on Calvin''s face.

    Christine gulped a mouthful of saliva. She stared at the sweet and tangy chicken. A firm look was on her face and as if enticing her even further, the fragrant smell of the chicken wafted over and rushed into her nostrils.

    With eyes wide open, Christine squeezed out a bitter smile and said, "I... It... It doesn''t matter... As long as I don''t taste the Ginamus, then it''s all good!"

    Having created a justifiable reason to act, Christine made her move and devoured the sweet and tangy chicken in no time.

    An amused look was on Calvin''s face as he watched Christine wolf down her meal. This so-called future Goddess of de sure is interesting!

    With their stomachs full, the two strode out of the restaurant.

    A disgusted look was on Christine''s face but she tried her best to hold back her urge to vomit.

    Indeed, the hate of Ginamus was still deeply engraved in her heart.

    Calvin felt somewhat guilty about revealing the truth to Christine, so he said, "Are you okay? You can lean on me if you want. You look like you''re about to fall down."

    "I-I''m finAh!" Christine eximed in shock. Her foot struck a rock and she was keeled over forwards.

    Fortunately, Calvin was quick to react and he quickly brought her to his embrace.

    "Be careful now, all right?"

    "T-Thanks..." Christine stammered.

    "Don''t act tough, when you''re not." Calvin criticized.

    The good feelings that Christine felt for Calvin at that moment dissipated in an instant.

    Opening her mouth, she bit on Calvin''s shoulder, eliciting a scream from thetter which caught the attention of the onlookers.

    "Oh shit, what are those two men doing?"

    A crowd of young men and women saw what happened in the distance.

    The men were frowning while the women were excited.

    "My Goddess! Men to men? And they are flirting in public?!"

    The young women among this crowd of what looked like students yelled out in excitement.

    The men stared at the women in disgust.

    "L-L-Let''s follow after them! Let''s also bet! I bet a peso that they''re going to the House of a Thousand Thrusts!"

    "H-H-House of a Thousand Thrusts?! How did you know about that ce?" The men stared in shock at the women.

    "Ohe on, it''s not like we''re kids. Let''s go and follow them. Hehehe..."

    With the persuasion of the women, the men followed behind Calvin and Christine.

    "This should be the ce," Calvin said to Christine, "Are you still feeling nauseous? I can request a room for the two of us to rest."

    He raised his head and eyed the sexy attendants standing near the entrance.

    "Miss, can you get us a room?"

    "Eh?" The attendant was astonished, "Um... A room for both of you... men?"

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, "What''s with the questions? Just get us a room!"

    He knew that if Christine''s cover was blown, it would attract a disaster.

    Christine was just too beautiful that her presence would immediately attract the attention of the people in Azucar.

    "Y-Yes!" The attendant quickly turned around and left for the front desk.

    Meanwhile, Calvin removed Christine''s arm around his neck and let her lean on the nearby wall.

    "Stay here for a while, I''ve got to go and pay."

    With this, he walked inside the House of a Thousand Thrusts that looked more like a pavilion instead of a house.

    "W-W-Was that... Was that Calvin?!" The men and women that were following Christine and Calvin were floored.

    It was because they saw that one of the men whom they were following from behind was actually Calvin!

    Yes, Calvin!

    The holder of the number one spot in the training camp.

    Indeed, these men and women were candidate auxiliary police officers that escaped from the training camp due to the absence of the two Instructors that were supposed to keep them in check.

    On a whim, they decided to visit the Hamlet of Azucar since the Southern Borough was just too far from the training camp.

    But little did they expected that their casual stroll would result in such a shocking, and devastating scoop!

    Calvin walked into a brothel while bringing with him a man!

    Calvin swung that way?!

    In an instant, the women that had some feelings of admiration for Calvin were stumped.

    The figures of the men also trembled.

    It was because they could remember that Calvin seemed to be looking at them with glistening eyes when thetter was trying to assist them in their practice.

    "F-Fuck... We''ve got to run."

    "Y-Yeah..."

    "Everyone shall stay quiet of what we have seen here today, all right? No one shall mention it to Calvin or to anyone else! Keep your trap shut! Let''s just pretend that nothing happened today."

    "U-Understood..."

    The crowd of students quickly left the scene as if they were fleeing from something.

 Chapter 241: Patron of Luck and Fortune

    Chapter 241: Patron of Luck and Fortune

    Calvin had never noticed the trainees behind him for his attention was on the surroundings of the House of a Thousand Thrusts. The strange looks of the onlookers and the female attendant that was guiding him didn''t escape his attention, but he could only reveal a bitter smile. He wanted to exin so much that he didn''t swing that way for Christine was a woman.

    What''s more, he didn''t even have that kind of intention in the first ce. He just wanted to let her rest after an exhausting round of eating.

    The room was soon arranged and Calvin returned to fetch Christine from the entrance.

    There, he discovered that she had been vomiting.

    The smell of vomit wafted over to Calvin, yet not a frown appeared on his face.

    "Sorry..." Christine''s soft voice resounded beneath the hood that covered her visage.

    "It''s not a problem, don''t worry about it." Calvin smiled at her.

    The two soon arrived in the room that Calvin booked.

    "Wow, you can really have a lot of fun in this room." Calvin couldn''t help butment.

    Especially when he saw the wooden leg spreader above the bed with chains supporting it from the ceiling.

    Christine''s cheeks blushed.

    There were all sorts of items and paraphernalia here that people most definitely used for doing that kind of thing. Fortunately, Christine felt too nauseous to feel self-conscious. She went over to the bathroom where a hot bath was prepared and started to vomit once more. It was only after half an hour did she leave the bathroom to find Calvin sitting on the bed with a contemtive look on his face.

    "Oh." Calvin raised his head. "Are you okay now?"

    "Yeah..." Christine shyly said, "Did I make you wait for too long?"

    "No, it''s fine." Calvin waved his hand. "I was thinking as to where we can find that Fatty here."

    "Are you really sure that he''s here?" Christine expressed her doubt.

    Calvin shook his head. "I have no idea. But he is most likely here, or maybe... he often visited this ce in the past. That guy kept bringing up Azucar whenever we had a conversation regarding the world outside the training camp."

    Christine furrowed her eyebrows. "That Fatty was crying earlier, so shouldn''t we assume that he''s probably in a hospital visiting a family?"

    "That makes sense, but you seemed to have forgotten that there is no hospital in Azucar?" Calvin replied.

    "What?" Christine was now confused. "How could there be no hospital in Azucar when it''s so far away from the Southern Borough?"

    Calvin slightly smiled. "Have you ever noticed any beggar or any disease-ridden person in this ce?"

    Christine''s bafflement turned into shock.

    "Now that I think about it."

    "I haven''t noticed any beggar in this ce. What''s more, everyone that we''ve meet looked healthy. It''s questionable if their minds are healthy, but they truly look healthy. Even the Center Borough which is frequently cleaned has a lot of beggars. I wonder why there are no beggars in Azucar? Could it be that they keep all of them out?" Christine asked.

    "That''s not possible. With the number of people going in and out of Azucar, they couldn''t possibly keep out all of the beggars. Furthermore, from what we have experienced earlier in regards to their security, It''s obvious that they actually don''t care." Calvin added.

    "Then, what is the answer?" Christine continued to ask, "Why is it that the people of Azucar are far healthier than the people of Ashmelion considering the fact that this ce has a lot of degenerates and all sorts of criminals?"

    Calvin fell into contemtion.

    In the end, he let out a sigh and said, "I have a conjecture. But I can''t tell you about it until I have confirmed the truth."

    "For now, I suggest we look for that Fatty and get him the hell out of here along with his rtive. If my theory is right, he has to get out of here as fast as possible." A grim look appeared on Calvin''s face.

    Christine was taken aback by the seriousness of Calvin''s visage.

    But...

    "Just tell me what it is! I''m curious to know! Aaah! You shouldn''t have told me about your so-called conjecture in the first ce if you''re not even going to exin it to me!" Christine looked as if she was about to explode from curiosity.

    Calvin bitterly smiled. "All right, but promise me that you won''t violently react, all right?"

    "I won''t! I won''t react violently or do something stupid! Trust me!" Christine reassured.

    "The expression on your face looks untrustworthy..." Calvinmented.

    "Just tell me!" Christine was almost about to hold Calvin''s cor to force the answer out of his throat.

    An amused smile lifted on Calvin''s lips as he said, "Patron of Luck and Fortune."

    Christine''s eyebrows immediately furrowed. "What is that? One of the Seven Gods and Goddesses? I''ve memorized their honorable titles, but I don''t think I''ve heard anything about that so-called, ''Patron of Luck and Fortune''..."

    "Really?" Calvin mysteriously smiled. "Think about it even more. I''m sure there''s one of the Seven Gods and Goddesses that you can associate those two concepts with..."

    Christine held her chin.

    A contemtive look appeared on her face as she thought hard and long about the answer to Calvin''s question.

    Fortunately, she truly was a daughter of one of the noble families for her education gave her sufficient leverage to find her answer.

    Surprise shed across her face as she shouted. "T-T-The Goddess of Prosperity and Gold, Nuw"

    "Stop!"

    Calvin was quick to plug Christine''s mouth with his hand.

    Sweat dripped down his forehead as he stared at Christine as if he was looking at an idiot.

    "What are you trying to do? Don''t you understand that each of the seven has the ability to detect every mention of their names?"

    "I-I''m sowwy..." Christine apologized with a muffled voice.

    "I-It''s fine... Just don''t be stupid next time." Calvin removed his hand from her mouth."

    When Calvin''s hand was finally off her mouth, Christine red at him for she could still taste the sweat off his palm.

    A furious blush spread on her cheeks as she thought that they had just casually exchanged bodily fluids.

    Now that I think about it... S-S-Saliva is also a bodily fluid like sweat... Does this mean that we''ve basically kissed indirectly?!

    Christine started to panic.

    But before she could even say anything, Calvin spoke with furrowed eyebrows. "What kind of degenerate ideas are you thinking right now?"

    "Pfft!" Christine almost busted a gut from Calvin''s words.

    Waving her hand, she hurriedly denied. "W-W-What degenerate ideas? I''m not thinking of anything bad!"

    "All right, all right..." Calvin shrugged.

    Christine hurriedly wiped her lips with her coat before sheposed herself by clearing her cough.

    "Ahem, ahem, ahem..."

    "How can you be so sure that it''s NuwThe Patron of Luck and Fortune''s doing?"

    Calvin lightly smiled. "Are you also in the know about things regarding the other shore?"

    A serious look appeared on Christine''s face when she heard the words, "other shore".

    "Calvin... Are you perhaps connected with the church?"

    Calvin brandished his medallion and Christine reeled back in astonishment.

    "You''re a Cavalier? What are you trying to do by pretending to be a trainee?" She questioned.

    "It''splicated, but I didn''t apply to be an auxiliary police officer with bad intentions. It has something to do with my mission. This is why I hope that you can keep everything that happened and will happen between us today as a secret." Calvin smiled, "I''m revealing my identity to you as a gesture of my sincerity."

    "I need your help, Christine."

    "I need you to help me with that Fatty''s matter and this so-called Patron of Luck and Fortune."

    "What about it?"

    "Are you in?"

 Chapter 242: Luck Is but a Probability

    Chapter 242: Luck Is but a Probability

    Christine stared at Calvin for a moment before she confirmed that he was more than serious about this so-called Patron of Luck and Fortune.

    As a member of a noble family, Christine knew about the matters of the other shore.

    It would be a lie to say that she wasn''t interested, but her family was more than willing to keep her out of the supernatural path.

    "The other shore is a rabbit hole. There is no going back once you''vended on that path. I''d rather let you suffer in the martial path than let you understand the secrets of the supernatural and peek at what lies beyond mortality."

    These were the words of the Patriarch of the Ana family when Christine confronted him about the mysterious deaths of themoners in one of their vige territories.

    The look on her father''s face back then seemed to be the same as the look on Calvin''s face at this moment.

    "Is the other shore, really that dangerous? Just what kind of a concept is it? Just what kind of battles are being fought on the other shore?"

    Christine asked.

    Calvin replied, "How are wars won? How does a country win their wars?"

    "Because of the strength of its people?" Christine promptly replied.

    Calvin shook his head. "Your answer is partially correct..."

    "But victory and defeat are all decided behind the scenes..."

    "Just how going into war or entering a peace treaty is secretly decided by the figures lurking behind the scenes in the first ce."

    "That is the other shore."

    "People may disdain, or stay away from us. But they cannot deny our contributions to the peace that this world has been enjoying since the First Cataclysm," Calvin exined.

    "Am I... Am I allowed to be a part of the other shore?" Christine hesitantly asked.

    Calvin replied, "The decision is ultimately up to you. But don''t worry, I am asking for your help, not because I want you to be a part of the other shore. But because I want you to be my aplice on the surface."

    "But how?" Christine was baffled. She was currently going undercover and was even pretending to be a man to keep herself away from the trouble, so how was she going to help Calvin using her identity as a member of the Ana family?

    "You should be holding the Ana Family Medallion with you, right? That should be the case since every member of a noble family is tasked to always carry with them their medallions in case of any idents." Calvin smiled.

    "Y-Y-Yes..." Christine replied.

    She was about to take out her medallion when Calvin stopped her and said, "Take it out only when it''s absolutely needed. You know how a cornered rat will eventually fight back against a tiger, right?"

    "If we leave them that impression, then they might be more than willing to withdraw. But to be honest, I have no intentions of letting them go..."

    "Them?" Christine asked with furrowed eyebrows. "Who''s them?"

    "You''ll understand soon enough. For now, we''ve got to get the hell out of this room and find that Fatty." Calvin ruffled Christine''s hair before changing the topic smoothly. "How''s your condition, are you still feeling unwell?"

    "W-W-What are you doing all of a sudden?"

    Christine pped his hand away and sent a re.

    "I''m doing fine... I should be able to move now."

    "Do you have an open mind?" Calvin decided to ignore her death re and asked.

    "An open mind?" Christine was confused for a moment before she replied, "Yeah, I am pretty liberal in my views."

    "I see..." Calvin nodded, "I''m just asking since I don''t want you to kick up a fuss when we''re out there."

    Christine suddenly felt nervous. "Will something bad happen out there?"

    "Something bad?" Calvin mysteriously smiled. "That depends on the reaction of the other party."

    Christine''s lips repeatedly twitched.

    Seeing the vague look on Calvin''s face, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of foreboding that something bad would definitely ur.

    But since they were already here, it was far toote for them to go back.

    "So, what''s the n?" Christine asked.

    "I''ll tell you more about it once it starts..."

    "I can''t just go and tell you everything when I am not even certain if everything would go ording to my expectations," Calvin replied.

    "All right..."

    The two conversed for a moment as Christine prepared her so-called disguise.

    Then, the two walked out of the room with Calvin''s arm wrapped around the waist of the furiously blushing and embarrassed Christine.

    She was never a woman that was easily flustered. But for some reason, Calvin just made her feel panicky in a way that she couldn''t quite grasp herself.

    In a few minutes, the two had reached the front desk and approached the female attendant who had helped them at the entrance earlier.

    It seemed that it was now her time to look after the front desk.

    A smile was stered on her face as she ced her hair behind her ears and exposed her nape. Then, she casually raised her wrist and revealed it to her guests.

    Indeed, this sure was a picturesque scene that every man would definitely enjoy.

    Apart from Calvin and Christine...

    The former had enjoyed thepany of a lot of women in his previous life, while thetter was not even a man in the first ce.

    Calvin''s poker face remained as he casually ced his arm on the front desk and leaned over to ask...

    "Is the Paradise Room avable for use?"

    The female attendant''s face froze when she heard the words, <em>''Paradise Room''</em>.

    The House of a Thousand Thrusts had tiered rooms catered to every people from all walks of life.

    Man, Heaven, and Paradise.

    Themon people''s knowledge regarding the rooms in the House of a Thousand Thrusts was only limited to the two rooms...

    Heaven and Man.

    The Paradise Room existed but it only catered to VIP clients with special requests or fetishes.

    This tier had always been hidden from the eyes of the public since their high-profile clients would never want the world to know their hobbies.

    <em>[To provide exclusive pleasures to exclusive guests, away from the minds and the sight of the public.]</em>

    This was the raison d''etre of the Paradise Room.

    Aside from the staff members of every House of a Thousand Thrusts branch, no one knew its secrets and those that dared to divulge the existence of this Paradise would often end up dead before the issue could fully expand.

    This was why even Christine had no idea what Calvin was talking about. But judging from the look of shock on the female attendant''s face, it seemed that he wasn''t bullshitting.

    Calvin really knew his way in the House of a Thousand Thrusts.

    But...

    <em>Just how?</em>

    Christine looked suspiciously at Calvin. A frown of displeasure spread on her face.

    The female attendant finally managed to recover her wits as the smile on her face deepened.

    Delight twinkled within her eyes. High-profile clients always gave her good bonuses, so it was in her best interest to satisfy them. Even if she had to serve them herself.

    But a conflicted look appeared on her face at this moment.

    It was because the Paradise Room was currently upied!

    Every branch of the House of a Thousand Thrusts only had a single Paradise Room.

    The rules of etiquette in this establishment said that one couldn''t possibly kick out another guest for the benefit of others...

    But this was the Paradise Room!

    A room dedicated to exclusive high-profile, and VIP clients.

    The female attendant knew that she had to tread carefully, or she might end up dead by sunset.

    Calvin saw through the female attendant''s thoughts.

    His hand that was wrapped around Christine''s waist reached for the chest pocket on her right side.

    "Ah!"

    A muffled scream came out of Christine''s mouth, but it was instantly silenced by Calvin''s left hand.

    Tears welled up in Christine''s eyes as she red at Calvin.

    <em>This rascal...</em>

    <em>Did he just take advantage of me?!</em>

    Anguid and undisturbed look remained on Calvin''s face.

    But Christine was unwilling to put down the issue as she stretched her left hand over to Calvin''s waist and pinched.

    "Ah!" Calvin almost screamed from the sudden pain.

    He red at Christine but thetter merely stuck her tongue out and looked at him mockingly.

    <em>This girl...</em>

    Veins bulged on Calvin''s forehead as his expression immediately went cold.

    Taking out the medallion that he took from Christine''s chest pocket, he briefly shed it to the attendant and smiled.

    "You know the rules, and so do I..."

    "Do you understand?" Calvin chuckled.

    His eyes couldn''t help butnd on the wristband around the female attendant''s right hand.

    The wristband seemed to be made of wood and it had red beads in between the wood.

    Looking at the wristband with his Predator Senses, Calvin''s pupils constricted and he found himself out of breath.

    <em>That sinister and pungent aura of rotting flesh...</em>

    <em>It could onlye from ''Her''!</em>

    The shock on the female attendant''s face was exacerbated when she saw the medallion.

    She had a lot of experience in this field, and her years of experience told her in that brief moment when she saw that medallionthat the medallion definitely came from a noble family!

    In other words, this person standing in front of her had a higher status than the person that was currently using the Paradise Room.

    In short, she could legally kick that person out of the Paradise Room.

    But...

    Worry appeared on the female attendant''s face.

    "Tell them that I am willing to share the room with them, so we can have fun together," Calvin reassured.

    The worry on the female attendant''s face hadn''t escaped his notice.

    "Thank you, esteemed guest." The female attendant briefly bowed.

    Then, she turned around and was about to leave when Calvin asked.

    "What is that bracelet on your wrist? It looks beautiful."

    The female attendant blushed. "It''s a totem of the Patron of Luck and Fortune. Ever since I started wearing this, I found myself increasingly luckier every day..."

    "I see..." Calvin smiled. "Perhaps that wristband gave us this opportunity to meet."

    "Oh, my Goddess!" The female attendant was moved.

    Another wave of sharp pain assaulted Calvin''s waist.

    Christine red at him when she saw him flirting with the female attendant.

    But now that she thought about it...

    <em>What right did she have to ostracize his actions?</em>

    <em>What right did she have to be jealouno! I''m not jealous! I was just criticizing him for being such a rascal!</em>

    Christine internally debated against herself.

    Meanwhile inside the Paradise Room of the House of a Thousand Thrusts Azucar Branch.

    A young man who looked to be a mountain of meat could be seen hanging upside down like a kebab.

    Bruises were all over his body as the men surrounding him wore sinister looks on their faces.

    "Zach... You''re smart. I know you are smart. Isn''t that the reason why you chose to go to the training camp in order to escape from our hands?"

    "Yes, the move you''ve made was a smart one. But it was foolish for you to think that we don''t have eyes everywhere. In fact, ourwork might even be more powerful than the gover"

    "Enough..." A rough and hoarse voice reverberated throughout the room.

    "That''s enough Charles, if you keep on talking, then you might as well tell him all of our ns."

    "M-M-Mister Shadis! My apologies..."

    The man named Charles immediately retreated and cowered in fear.

    He deeply bowed to the person that had just spoken his thoughts.

    "Charles, it really baffles me how a man that''s so talkative managed to live for so long in this line of work. You''re impressive. Impressive just because you haven''t died yet because of that stupid mouth of yours!" Shadis criticized.

    Shadis sat on the couch with his legs crossed over the other. He was bald with a head shining so bright under the light that he could probably blind people with his head once he exposed himself to the sun.

    "M-M-My apologies..." Charles''s figure started to tremble in fear.

    "epted." Shadis waved his hand and dismissed Charles with a single look. "How''s the n going? How many of those things have you sold to the general public under that ruse?"

    Charles retreated to the side before he replied, "Reporting. Approximately twenty-thousand units have been sold to the general public."

    "Twenty-thousand..." A sinister grin suffused on Shadis''s lips. "Good, good... All of you have done a good job."

    Shadis eyed the bracelets that Charles and the other men in the room had around their wrists.

    He shook his head for a moment and thought. <em>''They are so efficient, but it''s a pity that they are so stupid.''</em>

    <em>''The Patron of Luck and Fortune? What a joke, if something like that actually exists. Why is everyone not openly worshipping it?''</em>

    <em>''Nevermind... It''s already toote to salvage the situation.''</em>

    Shadis cleared his thoughts before he turned to look at Fatty Zachary. "Give him a totem."

    "G-G-Give him a totem?!" Charles was astonished. The totem of the Patron of Luck and Fortune gave everyone immense luck.

    <em>Why was Shadis trying to give this Fatty a totem?</em>

    <em>Wouldn''t that be a risky move, since Fatty might be able to escape from this room through sheer luck?</em>

    "It''s not that easy..." Shadis said as if he had read through Charles''s thoughts. "Luck is but a probability, not a certainty."

    "M-M-Mister Shadis sure is wise!" Charles immediately praised.

    Then, without saying any more words, he approached Fatty Zachary and attached a wooden and beaded bracelet around Fatty''s wrist.

    "W-What is this?! What have you ced on me?! Take it out!"

    Fatty Zachary desperately yelled out as he forcefully twisted his hanging body in order to take the bracelet off his wrists.

    "It''s the totem of the Patron of Luck and Fortune? Don''t you want to be lucky and fortunate enough to escape from this ce?"

    Shadis mocked.

    "Fuck you!"

    Fatty Zachary gargled a mouthful of spit from the depths of his throat and he spat in Shadis''s direction.

    The spit, despite the fact that Fatty Zachary wasn''t infected with themon cold, looked disgusting and was filled with pus.

    <em>Puchi!</em>

    The mouthful of salivanded on Shadis''s face.

    At that moment, time seemed to have frozen.

    But Shadis calmly cleaned his face with a nearby towel.

    Then, under the gazes of everyone including the Fatty...

    He stood up and sent a punch, directly towards Fatty Zachary''s head!

    "DIE!"

    Shadis let out a guttural roar. His eyes had gone bloodshot from the humiliation.

    But before his attack could pulverize Fatty Zachary''s head, a knock came from behind the doors of the Paradise Room.

    Shadis''s movements came to a sudden halt.

    Everyone turned their attention to the door as the voice of the female attendant wafted over.

    "Esteemed guests. There is something of utmost importance that I must discuss with you. Please open the door."

    Fatty Zachary himself couldn''t believe what just happened as he stared wide-eyed at the bracelet wrapped around his wrist.

    <em>Did this bracelet really just granted him the luck of a protagonist?</em>

    <em>How else did he manage to escape certain death just now?</em>

 Chapter 243: A Hanging Sausage

    Chapter 243: A Hanging Sausage

    Shadis eyed the other men.

    In an instant, they made their move and immediately took down Fatty Zachary from the ceiling.

    A tape was also stered across thetter''s face as three men carried him inside one of the rooms in the Paradise Room.

    While all of this was happening, Charles was quick to clean the room.

    In just three minutes, the room was now free of any blood, nor any signs of struggle or battle.

    "You maye in." Shadis''s voice rang out and the female attendant twisted the door handle. It wasn''t even locked in the first ce.

    Entering the room, she discovered that the room lookedpletely ordinary, aside from the fact that it was strange how there wasn''t any woman inside the room. Turning to look at one of the adjacent rooms, the female attendant seemed to have detected a few muffled noises from unknown sources.

    A smile crept up her lips as she thought. <em>This Shadis sure knows how to enjoy himself.</em>

    <em>He brought in quite a few women, are they his mistresses?</em>

    Of course, the female attendant knew not to ask questions about anything that didn''t directly concern her nor the establishment. Slightly bowing to both Shadis and Charles, she said, "An esteemed guest wants to discuss things with you, esteemed guest."

    "Another esteemed guest?" Shadis furrowed his eyebrows. "Who does he think he is?"

    The female attendant was astonished.

    Worry appeared in her eyes since she knew that she might end up offending one of them which was something that she most definitely didn''t want to happen.

    Raising her head, she mustered her courage and softly whispered. "He seems to be one of those prestigious families..."

    A look of surprise appeared on Shadis''s ce.

    "A member of a noble family..."

    "M-M-Mister Shad" Charles started to panic.

    "Silence!" Shadis criticized in a guttural voice.

    The female attendant was startled. She immediately bowed her head and didn''t dare to stare directly at Shadis.

    Shadis started to ponder. It wasn''t impossible that a member of a noble family woulde into this establishment, since this Paradise Room was specifically catered to them.

    However, they were in the Hamlet of Azucar! Considering how there was a branch of the House of a Thousand Thrusts at the Center Borough, why would they purposely go to this ce that was in the middle of nowhere?

    Unless...

    Shadis nced in the direction of Fatty Zachary.

    <em>Could it be that this is his family''s doing?</em>

    <em>No, that''s impossible.</em>

    <em>He has the lineage of civil servants. How could he possibly be a member of a noble family?</em>

    <em>But what was going on?</em>

    <em>Could it be that this noble came from the distant border territory of Ashmelion that is the closest to this hamlet?</em>

    Shadis nced at Charles.

    Charles shook his head in tacit understanding.

    <em>I see...</em>

    Shadis raised his head and asked the female attendant, "Did you tell that esteemed person that the Paradise Room is upied?"

    The female attendant was about to say, ''yes'' when she realized that she didn''t say anything about the Paradise Room being upied.

    The other party only shed his medallion towards her and assumed that the Paradise Room was upied.

    <em>Could it be that the other party knew that there was someone else using the Paradise Room? And that was the reason why he even came to this ce?</em>

    "N-No..." The female attendant hesitatingly replied, "The esteemed person seems to know beforehand that the room is already upied."

    "I see..." Shadis took his hand out of his chest pocket and waved his hand. "You''re dismissed. Tell the esteemed person that we are going to give way for his enjoyment."

    "A-All right!" The female attendant immediately bowed and turned around to leave the room.

    When the door was closed once more, Shadis took out the pistol that he had pointed at the female attendant out of his chest pocket.

    Charles stared at Shadis in astonishment. "Mister Shadis, are we just going to let some random noble kick us out like this?"

    Shadis turned to look at Charles. "We don''t want any trouble for now. The priority is to sell as much totem as we could until the opportune moment. We cannot be distracted..."

    "What''s more, that noble came here specifically for us. His intentions are clear. We have to avoid trouble and escape here as fast as we could."

    Charles was confused with Shadis''s words.

    "If you don''t mind me asking, Mister Shadis..."

    "But how did you know that he came here specifically for us?"

    "What if he only came here to have fun?"

    "Your words make sense, but it''s unlikely to happen..."

    "The members of those prestigious families are always arrogant. They despise themon people, and hate filth more than anything else."

    "In that case, how could a member of a noble family be in this disgusting ce? That goes against their culture and it doesn''t make sense!"

    Charles was finally enlightened. "S-S-So Mister Shadis is saying that..."

    "That esteemed person is an enemy. He came here for us." Shadis calmly stated.

    "But why?" Charles asked once more.

    "Why do you have so many questions? If you just observe, you''ll discover the answer to your question anyway. The most important thing for us to do is to get the hell out of here and leave that fatty in this room." Shadis instructed.

    "A-All right!"

    Charles still had some questions in his mind, but he didn''t dare to ask after seeing the displeased look on Shadis''s face.

    Charles stood up and gave hismands to his underlings.

    Shadis observed the movements of the frantic Charles as a sinister smile appeared on his face.

    "It doesn''t matter if they are looking for that fatty. That bastard will soone to seek us out anyway. By then, he would be forced to agree to our conditions. If he doesn''t, then he''ll wish he was dead!"

    Shadis mumbled into the air.

    He was confident that Zachary would definitely seek them out after today''s events.

    As for where he was going to seek them out?

    Well, Fatty Zachary himself knew the answer to that question.

    At the same time, the female attendant had finally returned to the front desk.

    "The esteemed guest in the room has decided to surrender the room for your use, esteemed guest." The female attendant smiled.

    "Good..." Calvin nodded.

    But he was secretly mocking the actions of the person that was inside that Paradise Room.

    It was because he had inadvertently confirmed Calvin''s theories.

    If Calvin was still unsure about their identities, then he was now certain as to who they were.

    "Will you be taking the room for your use, sir?"

    "Yes." Calvin nodded.

    Christine stared at Calvin in confusion.

    Didn''t theye here for the esteemed guest inside the room instead of the room itself?

    Why was it that he was still going to take the room for himself even though the female attendant had made it clear that the person whom he wanted to meet was going to run away?

    <em>Could it be that he ns on doing that kind of th</em>

    Christine didn''t dare to imagine what was about to happen.

    Calvin had taken advantage of her earlier.

    Now, he was going to make her enter an isted room where no one could possibly hear her screams?

    Christine gulped a mouthful of saliva.

    The sound of her swallowing her own saliva didn''t escape Calvin''s ears as he turned to look at her in curiosity.

    In an instant, a bitter smile spread on Calvin''s lips.

    <em>What the hell was this girl thinking?</em>

    "Don''t worry... I won''t do anything indecent to you."

    Calvin moved closer and whispered into her ears.

    Christine''s knees trembled.

    Her ears turned crimson.

    The female attendant couldn''t help but blush.

    She was usually calm andposed, but at this moment...

    She couldn''t help but blush in embarrassment.

    Seeing a flirtatious couple wasn''t out of the ordinary for her, but the problem was these two were both men!

    Suddenly, the female attendant felt depressed.

    <em>If only this noble guest liked women!</em>

    <em>She would''ve made her move right there and then!</em>

    Left without a choice, she could only lead the way to the Paradise Room.

    Christine''s cheeks were still puffed in apprehension.

    She couldn''t believe Calvin''s words that he wouldn''t do anything to her after he casually took advantage of her earlier!

    Gnashing her teeth, she made her voice deep with the use of her Mana and spoke, "Miss, don''t you need to ask us for any proof that we are real VIP clients?

    The female attendant''s footsteps came to a halt.

    Calvin''s pupils constricted.

    He red at Christine but thetter had once again stuck her tongue out and teased.

    <em>Hmmph!</em>

    <em>You took advantage of me earlier, so you better find a way to keep me safe from this mess!</em>

    <em>This girl...</em>

    Calvin was once again incensed.

    Veins bulged on his forehead as he swore in his heart that he would definitely punish this unruly girl in the future!

    The female attendant stood frozen in the hallway.

    She couldn''t understand why the partner of the esteemed guest asked such a stupid question.

    <em>Could it be that he doesn''t know that this esteemed guest was a member of a noble family?</em>

    The female attendant pondered. Then, an idea came to her mind.

    Ashmelion was a city that could be considered as having liberal views. However, homosexuality was still frowned upon.

    <em>In other words, this man beside this esteemed guest must be a mistress!</em>

    <em> He must have no idea as to just how powerful or influential this esteemed guest is! </em>

    <em>Yes, that must be the reason why he was asking this stupid question.</em>

    <em>But what should I do?</em>

    Should I ask for proof?

    <em>But the medallion and the knowledge that the Paradise Room even existed in the first ce are already sufficient proof to prove that this esteemed guest is indeed a VIP Client of our establishment! </em>

    <em>Wouldn''t asking for more evidence the same as offending this esteemed guest since I''ll be basically making him look like a liar?</em>

    The female attendant turned around and saw that there was a firm look on Calvin''s face.

    <em>''Don''t you dare to ask for more proof! I don''t have anything to give you! Shouldn''t be my knowledge in regards to the Paradise Room and that medallion sufficient proof to prove that I am a VIP Client of this ce?''</em>

    Calvin used his gaze to warn the female attendant.

    But he didn''t dare to voice these thoughts out since there was a risk that the female attendant might discover that he was pretending.

    The female attendant saw the serious look on Calvin''s face and delight soon spread on her face.

    <em>I get it!</em>

    <em>He''s trying to say that I should help him let his mistress understand how influential and powerful he is!</em>

    <em>Well, if it''s pretending... I should be able to help him!</em>

    <em>I''ll go and ask him for more proof. </em>

    <em>If I do this, then that would make his mistress realize that he is infallible and influential!</em>

    A cold look appeared on the female attendant''s face.

    <em>I''ll pretend to be angry and cold, then if he humiliates me with words...</em>

    <em>That would make him bigger in the eyes of his mistress!</em>

    <em>I''ll be helping him, and I will also be able to earn his favor! This is two birds in one stone!</em>

    The female attendant was so excited that her acting skills shot through the roof.

    "I apologize for this oversight, esteemed guest. May I request further proof of your membership?" The female attendant asked.

    Calvin furrowed his eyebrows, "I do not have any identification with me right now. Is the medallion not enough?"

    The female attendant was astonished.

    <em>He doesn''t have any identification aside from the medallion?</em>

    Doubt started to appear on the female attendant''s face, but then she suddenly realized what was going on.

    <em>I see!</em>

    <em>Now, I understand!</em>

    <em>He''s trying to make himself look smaller while making me look more threatening so that when he humiliates me, it would be more satisfying!</em>

    <em>In this case, I must press him for more proof.</em>

    "Esteemed guest, your medallion is sufficient proof of your affiliation. But our policy says that we are allowed to request more identification to prevent fraud and identity thief." The female attendant respectfully said.

    Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    He had no idea why, but he felt as if this female attendant seemed to be misunderstanding something.

    The look on her face was cold, yet excitement was thick within her eyes.

    Pondering for a moment, Calvin recalled the identification card that he had back then as a VIP Client of the House of a Thousand Thrusts in his previous life.

    Christine was now starting to get worried.

    She had no idea that the situation would escte to this point.

    Just as she was about to confess and tell the female attendant everything, Calvin suddenly spoke.

    "I saw, I came, I ran."

    The female attendant''s pupils constricted.

    Christine looked at Calvin in shock.

    <em>What was he saying now?</em>

    But then all of a sudden, the female attendant bowed her head in defeat and revealed an apologetic smile.

    "I apologize for doubting your identity, esteemed guest. I shall not be holding you back any further."

    Calvin revealed a smile. "It''s not a problem. You are just doing your job, that''s all."

    The female attendant bowed once more before she left with a look of excitement on her face.

    Christine stared at Calvin in doubt. "Why do I feel like what you''ve said just now sounded lewd?"

    "It only sounds lewd in the ears of degenerates."

    "Are you saying that I am a degenerate?" Christine retorted in anger.

    "Heh..." Calvin casually chuckled.

    <em>"Nom!"</em> Christine bit on his shoulder.

    "Ah!" Calvin yelped in pain. "Just what the hell are you doing?"

    "I''m taking my revenge!" Christine scowled.

    "Taking your revenge? You almost messed everything for us earlier, and you''re the one that should take your revenge?" Calvin was angered.

    He scooped Christine off the floor and carried her into the Paradise Room.

    "You..."

    Realizing that she was now being carried by Calvin and that he was walking straight into a bedroom, Christine started to panic. "You rogue!"

    "Where are you taking me?!"

    "What are you going to do?!"

    She struggled incessantly in Calvin''s arms.

    "Shh!" Calvin silenced her with his serious look.

    Opening the doors of the adjacent bedroom, Calvin saw the naked Zachary hanging upside down from the ceiling.

    "AAAHHH!"

    Christine shrieked.

    It was because when the door was openedthe first thing she saw inside the room was none other than a hanging sausage!

 Chapter 244: Not An Overly-Ambitious Man

    Chapter 244: Not An Overly-Ambitious Man

    "What the hell happened here?"

    Even Calvin who had seen a lot in the course of his life couldn''t help but frown upon seeing the scene inside the room.

    "T-This..."

    Christine hurriedly covered her eyes. She had caught a glimpse of that ''sausage'' and the sight of it alone thoroughly embarrassed her.

    "You can go out, for now, Christine. It''s not convenient for you to be here." Calvinmented.

    "Right..."

    Christine awkwardly took a step backward before she turned around and left the room.

    When the doors were closed, Calvin flicked his wrist and the rope that suspended Fatty Zachary was split into two.

    He immediately fell onto the floor with a dull thud.

    "Several hematomas and some fractures and a sprain on his ankle. He must''ve tried to run but failed." Calvin deduced.

    He lifted Fatty Zachary''s eyelids and noticed that his pupils were still responsive to light.

    This was a good sign.

    Pinching on an acupoint, Fatty Zachary''s eyebrows furrowed and he soon came to his senses.

    The first scene that he saw greatly startled him.

    "C-C-Calvin?!"

    "Why are you here?"

    "Am I dead?"

    "Am I already dead?"

    "Is that why you''re here? Because I am in hell?"

    Smack!

    Calvin immediately sent a smack on the back of his head as he said, "We saw you crying on the staircase of the dormitory area earlier. We followed you, and we found you here. What the hell is going on? What are you doing in this exclusive room of the House of a Thousand Thrusts?"

    Calvin''s exnation was sinct and contained everything that Fatty Zachary needed to understand the situation.

    "Wait!"

    A chill enveloped Fatty Zachary''s body as his pupils constricted.

    "We''re in the House of a Thousand Thrusts?"

    "W-Where are those bastards?!" He stood up, startled.

    "Calm down, my guy. Take a seat. Your injuries are too severe for you to move wildly like that. Also, wear some clothes. We''re not the only one here." Calvin was displeased seeing Fatty Zachary dangling his <em>"sausage"</em> so tantly in front of him.

    "Oh..." Fatty Zachary immediately realized what was going on.

    An embarrassed look appeared on his face as he sat down and wrapped his body with a towel.

    "You sure are quite tolerant when ites to pain." Calvin couldn''t help butment.

    The injuries that Fatty Zachary sustained were severe enough that any ordinary person with such injuries would definitely be in a world of pain. But Fatty Zachary was able to move so abruptly and with such vigor as if he wasn''t in pain.

    Fatty Zachary bitterly smiled. "I''ve always been tolerant to pain. I have to."

    Calvin saw the turmoil within Fatty Zachary''s eyes and he couldn''t help but let out a sigh. "I guess even someone like you also has his own secret stories to tell."

    "Heh." Fatty Zachary snorted in a half self-deprecating and half-proud manner.

    "What happened here, Fatty?" Calvin asked.

    Fatty Zachary''s figure trembled for a moment before he returned Calvin''s question with a question of his own. "You said, <em>''We''</em> earlier. Is there someone else out there? You didn''te here alone?"

    Calvin nodded. "Christine''s out there. She''s outside the room. I don''t think that I still have to exin why I had her stay outside, right?"

    "T-T-Thanks..." Fatty Zachary awkwardly scratched his head.

    Even someone as shameless as him still knew how to feel embarrassed. He had never been proud of his pecker and if a girl saw it while he was in such apromised and vulnerable state. He didn''t know if he would still have the strength to live and see tomorrow''s sunset.

    Calvin instantly saw through what Fatty Zachary was thinking and he couldn''t help but think to himself.

    <em>''I should probably tell Christine to forget everything that she saw in this room. If Fatty knew that she saw everything, this poor guy would definitely be devastated to the point of depression.''</em>

    "Take a bathrobe out of that closet ande to the living room. We have a lot to talk about."

    Calvin eyed the wristband that signified the Patron of Luck and Fortune around Fatty Zachary''s wrist. A grim look appeared on his face as he walked out of the door and headed for Christine.

    "What''s going on? Is he alright?" Christine asked.

    "Yeah, he is. But he won''t be once he knows that you''ve seen everything that he has to offer."

    Calvin teased.

    Christine''s cheeks abruptly blushed. "You rascal..."

    Thinking of the scene earlier, she couldn''t help but softly whisper. "I didn''t expect that men could be that small..."

    "Hey, don''t be like that. He has a legitimate medical condition." Calvin criticized.

    "Eh? That''s a disease?" Christine was shocked.

    "You can''t really call it a disease. It''s not something that can be treated. In my hometown, we call this gic predisposition as having a ''micro-pener''."

    Calvin exined.

    "I-I see..." Christine''splicated emotions about the scene that she had seen had finally turned cohesive and into pity. She was now pitying Fatty Zachary because even though she was mostly ignorant in the matters between men and women.

    She was still knowledgeable enough to know that <em>''bigger''</em> was supposedly better.

    Calvin stared speechless at Christine.

    How could he not understand what she was thinking?

    But since her feeling of pity towards Fatty Zachary''s plight was advantageous due to the fact that she would now be less likely to tell anyone else about what she had seen...

    Calvin decided to close his mouth and didn''t say anything.

    "Hey, Calvin... do you have any idea in regards to Zachary''s situation? What happened to him? Why did someone string him up like that?"

    Christine asked.

    "I am as clueless as you, Christine. We have to wait until that Fattyes outspeaking of the devil, here hees." Calvin smiled. He saw the doorknob being turned and as the door opened, Fatty Zachary came walking out with an indifferent look on his face.

    He quickly found a couch to take his seat before he turned to look at Christine and said.

    "Thank you."

    "What is this all of a sudden?" Christine beamed with a smile.

    A teasing look was in her eyes. To be honest, she felt as if she couldn''t suppress her urge to tease Zachary of what she had seen in the room earlier.

    Fortunately, Calvin shot her a re.

    His re made her realized that there were some matters that shouldn''t be taken lightly at all.

    Especially when it concerned that <em>"thing"</em>.

    After all, <em>"that"</em> was a man''s joy and pride.

    "Calvin told me that both of you saw me crying and decided to follow me here to take a look."

    "Thank you." Fatty Zachary expressed his gratitude.

    "Gratitude epted..." Christine casuallymented, "But if you really appreciate what we have done, why don''t you tell us why you even came here in the first ce?"

    "It''s my father..." Fatty Zachary replied.

    A bitter look was on his face as he exined, "As you all know, I came from a family of civil servants..."

    "But to be honest, the government has been really muddytely and my father decided to invest some of his money into creating his ownpany. Unfortunately, since he dedicated most of his life to clerical works within the government."

    "He haspletely no idea as to how the real estate market works..."

    "He bought amercial property at an exorbitant price only for thend''s value to decrease overnight due to the creation of andfill close to thatmercial property."

    "What''s worse was that the agent who sold my father that property unscrupulously manipted some terms of the contract that my father, for some reason, didn''t bother to read properly..."

    "He must''ve thought that as long as it wasnd property, it would always be valuable and expensive. But now that the government decided to create andfill near that property, who would be willing to buy that property?"

    "In addition, he can''t possibly establish his ownpany in a ce like that! How can he endure the stink then?"

    "In the end, my father was forced to sell that property at a loss."

    "But the next day, it turned out that the news he received about the establishment of andfill near his property was actually fake!"

    "The newspaper that he received from his monthly subscription that day had been tampered unbeknownst to him!"

    "Enraged, my father looked for that agent, raring to beat him up. But he was led underground and had his ass handed over to him."

    "But despite being beaten up, my father even had to pay those bastards since my father allegedly caused them <em>''emotional damages''</em>!"

    "My mother paid them, but she used the money that we were supposed to remit to the government for tax purposes."

    "The deadline for the tax payment had long passed. My mother used the services of a loan shark to pay our taxes incurred from the selling of thatnd property at the market value..."

    "At the market value?" Calvin asked, "I thought your father was forced to sell that at a"

    "That''s right!" Fatty Zachary suddenly eximed. "It doesn''t make sense!"

    "Apparently, there''s some obscure Joselianw that states that the taxes we have to pay for the selling of properties will always be based on the market value of that property at the time of selling..."

    "This wouldn''t normally be a problem, but we didn''t manage to sell that property at market value!"

    "We had to pay more than the amount we had gotten from selling that property." Fatty Zachary''s eyes went bloodshot. "As expected, my mother wasn''t able to pay those loan sharks..."

    "The death threats she received on a daily basis since then caused her health to fail. In the end, she was admitted to the hospital and I only knew about all of these today!"

    "I was supposed to meet my father here in Azucar, but I should''ve known that there was something strange."

    "My father had always been a proud person, yet why did he write in that letter that he wants to apologize to me?"

    "How could that man possibly apologize?!"

    "I was too emotional! Knowing that my mother was hospitalized, I had no doubts and obediently came here to Azucar."

    "I didn''t see my father at all. When I turned towards that alleyway, something hard struck my head. When I woke up, I found myself here with that bastard pointing a strange steel weapon at me that can even pulverize stones..."

    "They demanded that I give them the properties that are under my name, and in exchange, they will forget about the debts that my mother incurred."

    "And you gave their demands?" Christine asked.

    "Of course not!" Fatty Zachary retorted, "Those properties will be the basis of my dreams in the future! How else can I possibly retire early and have as much fun as I can with thedies if I do not have those properties to serve as my passive ie?" Fatty Zachary snorted.

    A dignified look appeared on his face.

    But Calvin looked awkward.

    As well as Christine.

    <em>''Have fun with thedies? Can he even have seno, d-do it with them with that small thing...?''</em>

    Christine thought to herself.

    Calvin saw what the youngss was thinking and he couldn''t help but chuckle.

    "What are youughing about?"

    Fatty Zachary frowned, "Are you trying to imply that my dream is bad?"

    "How can it be bad? A man must be ambitious, but happiness can only be discovered after satisfaction! If I will never be satisfied and chase after lofty dreams, with my capability, do you really think that I''ll be able to seed?"

    "Uhm... No?" Calvin responded.

    "See!"

    "That''s why I don''t bother about being overly-ambitious."

    Fatty Zachary crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking proud.

    "What are you going to do now?"

    Christine asked, "Are you not going to get back at them for what they had done to you?"

    Fatty Zachary bitterly smiled. "As much as I would love to do that, I am not stupid, Christine."

    "I know my limits..."

    "Fatty..." Calvin suddenly spoke up.

    Shaking his head, he said, "You told us that they wanted something from you..."

    "Do you really think that they will let you go so casually after you''ve interacted so close with their members? What''s more, since you hold something that they desire, they will definitely do everything to take everything that they wanted from you."

    "In short, they will never let you go!" Calvin sternly warned.

    Christine nodded her head in agreement.

    Unscrupulous gangsters would always go to any lengths to satisfy their desires.

    Fatty Zachary''s expression quickly paled. "How..."

    "How did I not think of that?"

    "Shit!"

    "What should I do now, Calvin?"

    Calvin smiled. "What you should do right now is to go back to the training camp and make some excuses for me and Christine. The two of us will stay here and take your revenge for you."

    "..." Fatty Zachary didn''t know what to say.

    "Calvin is right. You are too injured to do anything. I doubt that those people will be able to do something bad in the training camp. You''ll be safe there." Christine persuaded.

    "But..." Fatty Zachary was reluctant.

    "No buts. Just go." Calvin handed over a dozen Joselian Pesos to Fatty Zachary and smiled while holding his wrist. "Hire a special carriage to take you to the training camp. This should be enough..."

    "You better be obedient and actually return to the camp! We need you to cover our asses!"

    "A-All right!"

    Fatty Zachary fiercely nodded his head.

    He had no idea that the wristband wrapped around his wrist seemed to have been purified with the divinity of the Goddess of Compassion and Light.

    Walking towards the door, Fatty Zachary took one final nce at Calvin.

    "Immediately return once you''re done. Don''t go too far." He said.

    "Of course, we won''t. We''re just going to make them feel the sting, that''s all." Calvin smiled.

    Fatty Zachary was finally convinced. He left the room and closed the door behind him.

    With Fatty Zachary''s disappearance, Calvin started to walk over to Christine and teased.

    "All right. Now that the third wheeler is gone, why don''t we have some fun?"

    "Take another step and you''re dead."

    "..."

 Chapter 245: Have Faith in the Dark Crow

    Chapter 245: Have Faith in the Dark Crow

    "What was that all about? We''re going to get back at them?"

    "Yup."

    Calvin casually nodded his head.

    He took a seat on the couch and fiddled around the nearby armrest with his hand. Something clicked and the table in front of them suddenly rotated before burying itself deep into the floor. When it came back, the table was now a cab filled with cold and hot drinks.

    The world of Las Felipinas didn''t have refrigerators, but they had their own methods to keep beverages cold and hot.

    Calvin had no idea as to what sort of method was the House of a Thousand Thrusts was using to keep their beverages cold. The important part for him was that it was working.

    Of course, he knew that this method was wasteful due to the fact that keeping beverages cold and hot always required a lot of energy.

    "Interesting, so they are using the evaporation of this strange vtile liquid to keep the temperature down in this cab?"

    "This is some neat stuff," Calvinmented.

    "Vtile? Evaporation?" Christine furrowed her eyebrows. She couldn''t understand what Calvin was talking about.

    "Nothing..." Calvin waved his hand and dismissed Christine''s question.

    "You still haven''t told me about how are we going to get back at them. In the first ce, how do you even know the identity of those people that injured Zachary?" Christine asked.

    "Oh, you''re calling him Zachary now? Is he really that pitiful for you?" Calvin teased.

    "Shut up! Just tell me everything!"

    "All right, all right, I will tell you, okay? Don''t kick up a fuss."

    It was only when Calvin told her that he was willing to share his ns with her did she finally stopped kicking up a fuss.

    "Fatty told us that the reason why he was beaten up was that he didn''tply with the demands of those loan sharks."

    "In other words, the reason why everything escted to this point was that Fatty still hadn''t paid the debt that his mother incurred from those loan sharks..."

    "What if I told you that I have a way for us to hurt them while letting us earn enough money for the Fatty so he can pay his mother''s debts?"

    "Really? We can do that? Let''s do it then! Right now! Let''s do it!" Christine was delighted.

    How could she not be? A way to pay the debt of Zachary''s mother while also letting those gangsters feel the heat a tinge in their hearts at the same time?

    How could there be a better deal in this world other than this? She was more than willing to execute Calvin''s ns knowing that these were its possible oues!

    "It''s not that simple," Calvin replied, "I have to make sure that we are barking at the right tree. It wouldn''t be good if we suddenly attacked an establishment, but it turned out that it had no connection whatsoever to those unscrupulous bastards, right?"

    "I suppose..." Christine softly nodded.

    She couldn''t help but feel slightly embarrassed.

    She had been too hasty in her decision that she grew short-sighted, unable to see the intricacies of their ns and the conditions that needed to be met before they could make their move.

    One of those conditions was that the establishment that they were going to attack must be rted to those gangsters.

    <em>''Wait, attack?''</em>

    Christine suddenly caught the crucial part of Calvin''s words and she asked, "Attack? Are we going to attack them? No, no, no. We cannot do that. I can''t possibly harm other people for my own benefit..."

    "What the hell are you talking about?"

    Calvin raised his eyebrows. "Are you thinking that I am nning on going to one of their establishment with weapons zing? I''m not that stupid."

    He coldly snorted and exined, "In the first ce, if I was truly that powerful, then do you really think that I wouldn''t have done that already? I hate those bastards as much as Fatty does!"

    "Those bastards?" Christine looked at him. "So you really know who they are?"

    "I have a hunch. But I still need to confirm it."

    "How are you going to confirm that hunch? Wouldn''t it be better for us tounch a pre-emptive attack?"

    "Also, what kind of attack are we talking here?"

    Christine asked in curiosity.

    "Hmmm..." Calvin thought for a moment before a smile escaped on his lips. "That depends on what we are facing against. Well, just wait. Let me confirm the facts first, then I''ll satisfy that curiosity of yours by telling you everything!"

    Without any more words, Calvin fondled the couch once more before pressing a button.

    Then, a dim light manifested in front of them.

    "W-What is that?" Christine was astonished.

    "This is amunication method between the customers of this exclusive room and the manager of the establishment itself. It''s impossible to eavesdrop on conversations done using this method ofmunication, so it is incredibly safe..."

    "What''s more, the connection is also stable."

    Back then, Calvin frequented the House of a Thousand Thrusts not only because he wanted to have fun, but also because only the House of a Thousand Thrusts had a robustmunication service that could handle the load and connect with the frequencies that <em>''those people''</em> often used when conversing with the outside world.

    If Calvin wanted to find the truth, then there was no other choice but to use supernatural means.

    However, the use of supernatural methods required mystical ingredients that were impossible to find in ces like this Hamlet of Azucar.

    This was why Calvin had to contact them if he wanted to have what he needed in half a day.

    As for how was he supposed to pay the price of contacting those people and their fast delivery services, as well as the prices of the ingredients themselves?

    Well...

    Money might make the world go round, but for those people that were already too rich to the point that for themmoney might be, but a social construct.

    Yes...

    Those people only looked at money as a mere tool to increase their hidden influence throughout the world.

    What they wanted the most was information.

    And as someone who had already lived a single lifetime.

    Information wasn''t something that hecked.

    Calvin smiled.

    He lifted his hand and slightly manipted the inner workings of themunication device using his Mana.

    Soon, a cold voice rang from the other line.

    <em>"Sino to?"</em>

    The other party was speaking in anguage that was neither Elder Tongue nor Common Language.

    But the moment the wordsnded in Calvin''s ears, a smile crept up his lips.

    A smile of excitement.

    The rarity of thenguage that the man was speaking, as well as its age, was simr to Elder Tongue. However, it wasn''t as powerful as thetter due to the fact that the deity that had established thisnguage had never be a true god.

    But in the hearts of its believers, it was the one and only true creator of the world...

    The Father of Shadows and the Creator of the Sun.

    Dark Crow.

    "Have faith in the Dark Crow, and there shall be no sadness..."

    "Have faith in the Dark Crow, and the light shall be forevermore..."

    "Have faith in the Dark Crow, gain eternal life."

    "Have faith in the Dark Crow, the Father of Shadows, and the Creator of the Sun..."

    "Bestowed upon thee shalt be eternal life."

    Calvin''s throat vigorously trembled as he manipted his vocal cords to squeeze these words out of his mouth using the dialect of the Dark Crow.

    "..."

    Yet not a response came from the other line.

    Calvin patiently waited.

    "What was that?" Christine asked.

    She was horrified when she suddenly saw Calvin saying strange guttural words that sounded scary to the ears.

    Calvin didn''t respond to her question.

    He raised his hand, extended his index finger, and ced it in front of his lips indicating that Christine shouldn''t speak.

    Fortunately, the youngss instantly understood what he was trying to say.

    A few momentster, a voice finally came from the other line.

    It was a voice of acknowledgment.

    After being acknowledged, Calvin was finally able to ce his orders.

    "How are you going to pay for your order and the express delivery fee?" The voice on the other end of the line had finally calmed down.

    It returned to its previous indifference as it coldly asked for Calvin''s payment.

    "As expected, it''s really easy to talk with you people. All right, I''ll pay with information."

    "Information?" The cold voice was dumbfounded. It didn''t expect that Calvin would try to pay with information instead of money.

    This was strange since how could the people who know about the Dark Crow Merchant Guild''s existence not understand how deep its foundations were?

    With its foundation, what kind of information itcked? Any information that was valuable enough that it could be considered for payment was incredibly rare.

    In fact, those that knew of this Merchant Guild''s existence don''t even bother paying with information.

    <em>What a joke!</em>

    If this merchant guild didn''t know a particr knowledge, how could they possibly know it when they do not have the same foundation as this merchant guild?

    Yet...

    This man was actually demanding to pay via information?

    The owner of the voice on the other end of the call was amused.

    <em>Very well, then...</em>

    "Am I allowed to pay with information?" Calvin asked.

    "Yes, you are. Please proceed."

    The voice on the other end of the call seemed to be mocking Calvin for his futile efforts.

    But in the very next moment, the information that he had heard seemed to have sent a shiver down his spine.

    "The second part of the map rted to the Mystical Artifact, Time-Keeper Sword isn''t at the Oriental, but at the peak of a volcano with a perfect cone in the south."

    "..."

    "You..." The cold indifference of the voice was finally broken. It was reced with disbelief.

    But Calvin couldn''t really me the listener.

    The Time-Keeper Sword was just far too valuable for the leader of the Dark Crow Merchant Guild.

    In fact, it was the basis of their faith itself.

    It has to be known that despite being their subject of faith, the Dark Crow was never immortal.

    Sure, it had a long lifespan but its lifespan would still end someday in the future.

    It might not be today, nor tomorrow.

    But it might be in a few thousand years.

    This was why the Time-Keeper Sword was necessary.

    Legends say that the holder of the Time-Keeper Sword would have their <em>"time"</em> stopped by the sword. Thus, bing immortal.

    The Time-Keeper Sword was a necessary instrument for their pursuit of immortality.

    "How can I be so sure that you are not lying to us?" The man couldn''t believe what he had heard.

    The value of any information in regards to the Time-Keeper Sword was far more valuable than these random herbs that the other party had requested from their merchant guild.

    Calvin lightly chuckled. "I will never burn my bridges."

    "..." The man on the other end of the call didn''t respond for a while. But eventually, he spoke up and said, "We cannot confirm the legitimacy of your information, so we will be putting the payment for the ingredients that you have requested and will request in the future in an indefinite postponement..."

    "However, if the information is proven false."

    "You will be prosecuted ording to the Dark Crow''s Code."

    "Are we clear?"

    "Of course. Just give me a guarantee that the ingredients will be here early in the morning."

    Calvin smiled.

    "Your request is noted."

    The call was cut short.

    "Wheeew..." Calvin heaved a sigh of relief. He stood up and opened a cold beverage.

    Then, he downed it in a single gulp.

    "Ah... That hits the spot."

    Christine stared at him with this incredibly curious and frustrated look on her face.

    She knew that something good had happened, but she had no idea what it was since she couldn''t understand thenguage that Calvin was using when talking to the person on the other end of the call.

    However, when she remembered that themunication device was connected to the management of the House of a Thousand Thrusts...

    <em>Could it be that Calvin had ordered some special perverted things for his own pleasure?</em>

    <em>Or maybe... he ordered... a few women with specialized skills to fulfill his fetishes?</em>

    <em>And that was the reason why he talked in such a strange dialect?</em>

    <em>To hide it from me?</em>

    Christine felt a shiver down her spine.

    She was still a woman!

    She might be masquerading as a man right now, but she felt that it would be too much if Calvin did that and actually called in a few women in this room to have fun!

    Noticing the pale look on Christine''s face, Calvin couldn''t help but ask.

    "Are you okay?"

    Christine refused to speak.

    A contemtive look appeared on Calvin''s face before he suddenly revealed a teasing smile.

    "Let me guess..."

    "You''re jumping to conclusions again?"

    "You..." Christine''s cheeks flushed upon being seen through by Calvin.

    "Wait, I''m correct? Hahaha," Calvin pped his thigh as he chuckled. "It''s okay to jump to conclusions. I won''t ask you to change your nature... Just keep those perverted thoughts to yourself, okay?"

    "You''re the one having perverted thoughts! Your entire family is having perverted thoughts!"

    Christine retorted.

    Calvin''s boisterousughter unceasingly reverberated throughout the entire room.

    Soon, Christine''sughter also resounded through the room.

    Everything seemed harmonious until Calvin dragged Christine to a room.

    "Why did you drag me here?"

    "Well, I just don''t think that we should spend our time in idle chatter..."

    Calvin teasingly smiled, "How about we do <em>''it''</em>?"

    "Wha" Christine let out a yelp. "You..."

    "What? Shouldn''t it be better if we do some training instead of small talks? What were you thinking anyway?"

    Calvin stared at Christine in a disgusted manner which greatly irked Christine for his gaze made her feel like she was the perverted one.

    "Wait, why are you locking the door?"

    Christine suddenly spoke upon noticing that Calvin had locked the door.

    "Oh..."

    Calvin promptly unlocked the door, "It''s just a habit of my cautious self."

    "Take no offense, please."

    "A habit?" Christine stared dubiously at Calvin.

    She couldn''t believe that his actions of locking the door were born of just a <em>''habit''</em>.

    She was convinced that this rascal definitely dragged her here so he can take advantage of her!

    But in that case...

    What can she do if he actually took advantage of her?

    He seems to be stronger than her...

    If a fight broke out, Christine wasn''t confident that she could defeat him.

    <em>Am I supposed to just give it up?</em>

    <em>But...</em>

    <em>Mother told me that I should reserve my first to the one I love the most...</em>

    <em>I might not hate him, but love?</em>

    Christine''s cheeks flushed.

    She stared at Calvin that was already working out a sweat doing some stretches in the middle of the room.

    <em>No!</em>

    <em>I won''t give it up so easily!</em>

    <em>Who is he for me to give it to him?</em>

    <em>If this rascal dares to take advantage of me again, I''ll fight it out with him!</em>

    <em>If I lose, I''ll kill myself before he takes me!</em>

    <em>If I win, then I''ll cut his thing off!</em>

    And thus...

    Christine turned to her defense mechanism and became a tsundere.<ol><li>Who is this?</li></ol>

 Chapter 246: Stay Here for the Night

    Chapter 246: Stay Here for the Night

    "Ah... I can''t take it anymore..."

    "It''s too much."

    "This is just my first time, yet it''s already so tough.

    "Please, spare me."

    With the doors locked and no one else to disturb them inside this exclusive Paradise Room in the House of a Thousand Thrusts, Christine''s pained moans reverberated throughout the room.

    "Is that it? Are the daughters and sons of Martial families this weak? It''s only been half an hour since we started but you''re alreadyining that you cannot take it anymore?" A masculine mocking voice resounded in return.

    Christine bit her lips. A crimson blush was on her face as her hips moved up and down. Both of her hands were raised in front of her chest which made her unable to use them to support herself against the wall as she executed the exercise that Calvin forced her to execute.

    "This is the ''Stone Horse Gallops Over the Fence'' movement..."

    "If you are able to do this movement a thousand times in one sitting without feeling exhausted, then it is safe to say that the meridians on your lower body are robust enough for you to make a breakthrough..."

    "Remember, the foundation of a martial artist is of utmost importance. You should never make a breakthrough if I deem your foundation to be insufficient!"

    "W-What? A-a thousand times?" Christine''s figure trembled. Her legs quivered with her body and the fat on her thighs seemed to be jiggling unceasingly in ordance with her movements.

    To be frank, the Stone Horse Gallops Over the Fence movement wasn''t really difficult to execute. However, Calvin had sealed some of Christine''s muscles through acupuncture.

    As a result, the movement had be ten times more strenuous than when it was usually executed.

    Of course, Christine had no idea that some of her muscles had been sealed by Calvin.

    She only noticed that she seemed to be too weak to even execute such a simple movement which made her frustrated.

    In an effort to prove to Calvin that her years of training hadn''t gone to the donkeys, Christine had been unceasingly executing the movement with her everything which honestly earned the praise of Calvin.

    <em>"I wonder what she will do to me when she finds out that I''ve sealed some of her muscles which made this movement incredibly hard to execute...''</em> Calvin mused to himself. <em>''Well, it doesn''t matter. No harm will be done as long as she remained ignorant about it.''</em>

    A smirk spread on his lips.

    "Stop."

    Calvin pped both of his hands together.

    "Wheeew..." Christine let out a sigh of relief as she copsed on her buttocks.

    "You''vested about a quarter to an hour. Not bad. But not good either."

    Calvin took a notebook out of his [Inventory].

    It was the Notebook of Secrets that he hadn''t taken out for more than a year now.

    Dandelion stillid dormant for some reason.

    Without Dandelion, the Notebook of Secrets was basically useless aside from the fact that it was indestructible which could be taken advantage of depending on one''s creativity.

    Calvin tore a page from the Notebook of Secrets.

    Then, he returned the notebook back into his [Inventory].

    He did all of these unbeknownst to Christine.

    Speaking of Christine, the youngss was currently huffing and puffing on the floor.

    "I''ll take some drinks outside, what do you want? Cold or hot?"

    "Cold or hot what?" Christine impatiently asked.

    "Water."

    "Wait, water? Can we drink anything else?"

    "No. Water is the best. Nothing else." Calvin paused, "A booze could be better than water but in this context, it''s not."

    "Wait..." With his eyebrows raised, Calvin asked, "Do you even drink?"

    "I do... But I don''t drink often. I hate being drunk."

    "I see..." Calvin simply nodded. "You can go ahead and take a bath. We''ll be done for now. I''ll order some dishes for us to eat. It''s already gettingte, so I guess we should have our dinner prepared for us for the night."

    Christine nodded her head. But then she suddenly noticed the hidden meanings within Calvin''s words as her cheeks flushed red.

    "W-We..."

    "What?" Calvin stopped in his tracks. He stared at Christine.

    "Will we really stay here for the night? Only the two of us?" It took quite a lot of strength for Christine to say all of these.

    "It''s okay. This Paradise Room has a lot of bedrooms. I can take the bedroom on the opposite side." Calvin exined.

    "I see..." Christine significantly calmed down. She might have some good feelings for Calvin but she wasn''t willing to share a room with him just yet. Fortunately, Calvin was more thoughtful than she had expected. As long as they weren''t in the same room, Christine found it eptable for her to stay with him under the same roof.

    Besides, they were here for official business.

    <em>''Yes, official business!''</em>

    Christine convinced herself.

    Calvin walked out of the room and sat on the couch.

    Fiddling with the armrest, themunication device was activated once more as he spoke into the air.

    "Can you call over the female attendant who helped me check-in earlier?"

    "Sure, please give us a moment." The voice from the other end of the call came from a young woman who sounded disappointed. Her tone of voice was still polite, however, for she knew that Calvin was a VIP client of their establishment.

    The young woman on the other end of the call acted swift and a knock came from behind the doors of the Paradise Room.

    It was the female attendant.

    She was skimpily-dressed and there was a blush on her face.

    A single nce was all it took for Calvin to see that she was quite young. Probably in her mid-twenties.

    "Come in." Calvin gestured with a smile.

    The female attendant gave a bow before lifting her skirt up in respect.

    Her movements were reminiscent of that of a nobledy. Aside from the fact that she wasn''t wearing any underwear and the way she lifted her skirt made Calvin catch a glimpse of the shaved pleasures underneath.

    Calvin maintained hisposure and gestured for her to take a seat.

    "Esteemed guest, you''ve called? Is there something that I can do for you?"

    The female attendant smiled. She was on her best behavior at this moment for she knew that if she obtained the favor of this young master.

    Even if she wasn''t able to be a concubine, being one of his hidden lovers would be beneficial enough so that she could quit this line of job and retire happily ever after.

    "Surely ady as pleasant and as beautiful as you wouldn''t refuse a drink?" Calvin lightly chuckled. He took a bottle of alcohol from one of the cold cabs. Opening it up, he took two artisan sses and poured the female attendant a drink.

    "It''s my pleasure." The female attendant was delighted. Her smile seemed to be able to reach her ears.

    She raised her leg and poked Calvin''s leg with her own.

    Calvin couldn''t help but smile.

    There was indeed a vast difference between the women of the House of a Thousand Thrusts than ordinary prostitutes. Thetter''s methods of seducing were crude due to the fact that they had to do it with a lot of men on a daily basis.

    Thedies of the House of a Thousand Thrusts were indeed far more refined, proven by the female attendant''s actions of poking him with her leg instead of grabbing his hand outright.

    Such actions would make anyone feel that the woman they were sitting with was dignified and worthy of respect. It was also aligned with the culture of propriety among the women of Joselian.

    But to be frank, the women here and the prostitutes outside were basically the same.

    The only difference between the two was how they conducted their services and the number of perfumes and make-ups they used.

    Calvin maintained hisposure as he asked, "How often do you dream? Have you had any dreamsst night?"

    "D-dreams...?"

    The female attendant was baffled.

    She thought that she came here to have some up and down action with this young noble.

    But instead, he was asking such a strange question from her?

    Even though she was confused, the female attendant answered. "I haven''t had a dream for such a long time. It''s probably because I never had a good night''s sleep since I was transferred to this branch." A wistful look was on her face as she stared at Calvin with puppy eyes.

    Calvin smiled. He saw through what the female attendant was thinking.

    She was obviously hoping that Calvin would put it in a few good words for her to the management of the House of a Thousand Thrusts.

    This way she would receive some favors from the House and be transferred into another branch that had an abundance of young nobles that she could potentially have flings with.

    Calvin simply ignored her hints and proceeded to ask, "Does the House do not let you sleep in one of their rooms? Or are the attendants also one of theirdies that can be asked to serve customers?"

    The female attendant nodded. "Yes, I also serve customers. I do it any time of the day so long as a customer asks for my service. It''s because of this that I don''t get a lot of sleep." Since their topic was about sleeping and dreams, the female attendant felt sleepy for some reason.

    She started yawning.

    "Ah, I''m sorry!" She quickly covered her mouth.

    In Ashmelion, it was considered shameful for a woman to yawn in front of a man.

    "It''s okay. I see so that''s the case. Even an attendant like you has it rough, eh? How about you stay here for the night and rejuvenate? I''ll talk with your manager, and I am sure that he will be willing to grant me this favor."

    Calvin smiled. "Who knows what kind of dream you would have when you sleep here."

    After saying all of theseCalvin took a sip of the winelooking as refined as ever.

    The female attendant was astonished. She didn''t expect this sudden change. Of course, she anticipated that she would be able to sleep with this young noble, but she didn''t expect it to be this easy.

    A look of excitement washed over herplexion, but her training forced her to create a pretense of calmness as she simply nodded.

    "If that is what the young noble wishes, then please take care of me." Slightly bowing her head in apparent embarrassment that made her look like an innocent young maiden, the female attendant suddenly thought of something as she said. "Young noble, will I have to serve both you and your friend at the same time?"

    "Pfft!" Calvin almost spat out the wine that he was drinking.

    <em>''How indecent was this woman?!''</em>

    <em>''Well, we''re in that kind of ce, so I guess it''s me that was too naive.''</em>

    Calvin took a swig of cold water before he replied to her question with a meaningful gaze.

    "It''s gettingte. Can you fetch us some food?"

    "Uh... yes! Your Paradise Room includes ess to an excellent three-starred chef that will cook ording to your tastes!" The female attendant responded.

    "It doesn''t matter... Just send some dishes here that will help us" Calvin thought for a moment and remembered that Christine had exhausted herself earlier, "Just send here some dishes that will help us recover our strength. Something refreshing, not too strong in vor. It must also not have any Ginamus in it!" He sternly warned.

    The female attendant acknowledged and a few hourster, she returned with a tray of dishes that brought a blush on the face of Christine.

    Even Calvin had a bitter look on his face when he saw the dishes that the beaming female attendant had presented.

    "This is uh... Rocky Azucar oysters. It''s made out of a bull''s testicles and appendage."

    "This is Soup Number Five. It''s also made out of a bull''s appendage."

    "As for this dish, this is made from a female pig''s reproductive organ..."

    "This is a popr dish in our House with a chewy texture. It''s called Bt."

    "As for tonight''s beverage, this is lemon juice with a ssh of the Rock-Hard Snake''s venom. It''s not dangerous when consumed since the snake is venomous, not poisonous. Please rest assured!"

    The female attendant looked somewhat embarrassed as she exined these dishes to the baffled Calvin and Christine.

    "Um... Were these dishes not to your liking? I ordered them ording to your instructions, young noble." She looked in Calvin''s way. Afraid that she might have done a fatal mistake that might end her life.

    This was understandable given how tyrannical were the children of noble families that this female attendant had once interacted with.

    In fact, she could still even remember that time when an attendant identally spilled tea on a young master''s clothes.

    The next day, that woman was discovered dead.

    She had been vited by drug addicts until she was dead.

    The female attendant didn''t want the fate that happened to that woman to fall to her.

    This was why she looked so scared and afraid at this moment.

    Calvin saw her worried look and he waved his hand in dismissal, hinting that everything was fine.

    Christine, on the other hand, was fuming.

    If she had her doubts that Calvin didn''t want to take advantage of her earlier...

    She was now certain after seeing these dishes that this rascalCalvinnned on taking advantage of her!

    After all...

    Who would order these male-enhancing dishes knowing that she wasn''t a man, but a woman?!

    He was clearly trying to energize forter!

    Christine red at Calvin.

    Thetter let out a few dry coughs and acted angry at the female attendant.

    "Why did you send these dishes to us? Are you mocking our vitality? Do we look that old to you? We''re still young! We''re not like those old men that can''t even keep it up for round one!"

    "Change these dishes... right now!"

    Calvin dered.

    However, his actions didn''t seem to be that domineering considering that he looked to be on the verge ofughing as he stared at the furious Christine.

    "Y-Yes!"

    The female attendant was scared out of her wits. But at the same time, she was confused by the mixed signals that she had received.

    Calvin had signaled to her that everything was okay but in the very next moment.

    He was suddenly angry at her?

    <em>''What was going on?''</em>

    Knowing that she couldn''t possibly question the customers, the female attendant buried her frustration and proceeded to obey the order.

    Back in the room, there was nothing else but silence.

    Calvin looked at Christine.

    "We''re not sleeping in the same bedroom tonight." She suddenly spoke.

    "Wasn''t that my intention in the first ce, though?" Calvin was confused.

    "Uh... yeah..." Christine was at a loss for words realizing her blunder.

    The panic on her face made Calvin realize what just happened.

    And how could Calvin be still Calvin in front of Christine, if he didn''t go ahead and tease her?

    A cheeky smile suffused on his lips as he said, "Youngdy, were you expecting something?"

    "No one will think you''re mute if you don''t speak!"

    Christine shot up from her seat and started smacking Calvin on his arm.

    Calvin''s boisterousughter soon resounded throughout the room as the two bickered one after another.

    Tonight concluded harmoniously until Christine woke up the next day and noticed that Calvin had brought in the female attendant to his bedroom for the night.

    "You..."

    Christine spoke in horror.

 Chapter 247: A Step Into the Past

    Chapter 247: A Step Into the Past

    "You brought her into your bedroom?"

    "You spent a night with her?"

    Christine was dumbfounded.

    Even a child could easily deduce what had happened during the night.

    A skimpily dressed female attendant with pleasant looks.

    A half-naked Calvin.

    A man and a woman inside a roomalone...

    Christine''s eyes reddened. She felt stifled for some reason.

    She knew that she had no right to intervene in what Calvin wanted to do.

    If he wanted to satisfy his carnal desires, then who was she to stop him?

    She didn''t have the right to do so!

    But for some reason, her heart hurt.

    She felt dizzy as she took a step backward to retreat, but Calvin was even faster.

    He swung his wrist and a breeze blew, mming the doors shut behind her.

    "Why do you look like you''re jumping to conclusions, again?"

    Calvin saw her bloodshot eyes and he couldn''t help but bitterly smile. "Nothing happenedst night. I only let her sleep here because she is a necessary ingredient for us to confirm the identity of those bastards so we can finally strike." He quickly exined.

    "A necessary ingredient?"

    "Confirm the identity of those people?"

    Christine found that Calvin''s words seemed to beughable.

    Especially when she saw how the female attendant was currently wearing nothing beneath her nightgown and the fact that her clothes seemed to have been disturbed by a pair of perverted hands.

    "I-I can''t stay here anymore!" Christine finally exploded.

    She wanted to open the door, but she found that it had been sealed by something unknown that she couldn''t triumph against despite the usage of Mana.

    "It''s futile. Every door in the Paradise Room has steel mechanisms as locks to protect the upants inside the room when there is an emergency. There is no way for you to open that door unless you have the control panel."

    Calvin picked up a wooden b beside him and he presented it to Christine. "The control panel is with me, so you better stay put while I exin to you everything that is about to happen."

    Christine stared at him in doubt.

    Fortunately, she seemed to have calmed down after realizing that there was no way for her toe out of this room.

    She took a seat at one of the couches. A contemtive look appeared on her face.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    He went to the kitchen and returned with a te of dishes that he seemed to have prepared beforehand.

    "It''s not much, but it''s honest work. I hope you''ll find it ptable at least." Calvin offered.

    Christine nced at the tes.

    Her nose quivered, forcing the aroma that lingered in the air into her nostrils.

    In an instant, her appetite awakened.

    She seemed to have forgotten what just happened as she excitedly asked, "What is this? Why does it smell so good?"

    "It''s just a basic meat dish that has a lot of aromatics. Taste it." Calvin simply smiled.

    Christine nodded. Tasting the dish, her eyes widened in shock. "You can cook this good? Howe you''re so good at everything? Are you perhaps an old ancestor? You''re a hundred-years-old, right? Not in your mid-twenties?" She teased.

    But her words made Calvin''s heart shudder.

    <em>''Did she say that intentionally or is she hinting at me that she knows everything about my identity?''</em>

    <em>''No, that cannot be...''</em>

    <em>''It has to be a coincidence.''</em>

    "Ahem." Calvin cleared his throat.

    "Ah!" Christine was quick to cover her mouth.

    She realized that she had just spoken while her mouth was open.

    A grave vition of the etiquette rules concerning young maidens in the Kingdom of Joselian.

    Furthermore, her words just now had been somewhat rude.

    Calvin was clearly young, why did she say that he was a 100-year-old ancestor?

    "Are you not hungry?" Christine asked while eyeing the female attendant on the bed.

    She was obviously trying to imply if bedding the female attendant exhausted him or not.

    A helpless look appeared on Calvin''s face as he responded. "I told you, nothing like what you are imagining right now happened. I brought her here because we need her..."

    "That''s all."

    "In fact, your usations do not even make sense. If I need to be satisfied, then I can just use my hand! Why would I bother with women when I''m this busy? It''s too troublesome!"

    Calvin''s words surely made sense, but when Christine heard them. She couldn''t help but blush.

    She blushed at the mention of <em>"hand"</em>.

    It was because she found it rtable.

    On her sleepless nightsshe often used her hand tofort herself.

    The second-hand embarrassment was inevitable.

    "Can you please stop being so perverted in front of the food?" said Christine.

    Calvin only chuckled.

    He took a seat in front of Christine and the two of them ate their breakfast.

    Fortunately, the dishes that Calvin made were just too good that Christine didn''t kick up a fuss anymore.

    When the meal was done, Calvin finally exined what was about to happen.

    "The crux of the matter right now is to confirm the identity of the people who harmed Fatty. To do that, we need this female attendant..."

    "Aren''t you curious about the matters of the other shore? Do you want to know what it''s like to be a part of the other shore? I can let you experience being a member of that side. But that is only if you are willing to do so." Calvin exined.

    "The other shore?" Christine''s eyes widened. Her father had once told her that the other shore was a dangerous rabbit hole. Yet, why was Calvin acting so casual in regards to the other shore if it was as dangerous as her father described?

    Could it be that her father lied to her by saying those words back then so that he could keep her out of the matters of the other shore?

    "That''s right. In a moment, we will be traveling to the past. If we want to confirm the identity of those bastards, then we can only do it by traveling to the past..."

    "I''ve already done the necessary preparations yesterday. We should be able to do it by today. However, it must be done today since the chances of sess would diminish the more time passes." said Calvin.

    "Travelling to the past? We can do that?!" Christine was startled.

    Her curiosity seemed to have burst forth at this moment as her eyes gleamed in excitement.

    "It''s not exactly traveling to the past. Precisely, we''re going inside her dream. "

    Calvin nced at the female attendant.

    Her eyes seemed to be moving fast underneath her eyelids.

    Rapid-Eye Movement had always been a reliable sign for dreams.

    Obviously, the female attendant was in her dream world at this moment.

    "Inside her dream Is the other shore really that mystical? You can just randomly go into anyone''s dreams? Will she know that we are in her dreams?" Christine was bewildered and surprised by Calvin''s revtions.

    "Yes, she''ll know that we are in her dream. But does that really matter? She knows that she is dreaming and since everything is just a dream, does that matter? After all, everything that happens inside the dream won''t affect reality" Calvin smiled.

    Christine stared right at Calvin for a moment before she asked, "I must know... Are you able to enter the dreams of anyone? And what can be done while inside the person''s dream? Can you do anything, like establish your own country, or be a bandit?"

    Calvin nodded. "Yes, everything is possible in the dream world. But remember that since you are an intruder. The owner of the dream world can kick you out of her dream world at any time the owner wants. You can do everything, but it''s not advisable."

    "I-I see" Christine took a step backward and stared warily at Calvin.

    "Why are you getting further away?" Calvin asked.

    "I don''t want you entering my dreams!"

    "Hey, it''s not that easy" Calvin couldn''t help but chuckle. "First, the subject has to dream. To do that, autosuggestion is necessary. Yesterday, I called her over for a drink and I made sure that the focal point of our topic was about dreams."

    "This method of autosuggestion is quite useful and reliable..."

    "But it''s not exactly discreet, you know?"

    "What''s more, did the two of us even talk about dreams in the first ce? Without talking about dreams, there is no way that I can autosuggest you to be in a dream."

    "In addition, why would I even want to invade your dream world?"

    Calvin asked with furrowed eyebrows.

    "I-I don''t know!" Cornered, Christine darted her gaze around the room and said, "Maybe"

    "You want to do some lewd stuff with me in my dream?"

    "Pfft!" Calvin almost keeled over from what he had heard.

    This future Goddess of de, Christine Ana sure was hrious.

    The difference in her personality todaypared to her personality in his previous timeline made Calvin think as to just what exactly happened to Christine back then.

    <em>''Just what made her change so much?''</em>

    Setting these unanswerable questions aside, Calvin stared at her. "Did you already forget what I said earlier? The owner of the dream world can kick the intruder out at any time! It''s their world after all"

    "If I invaded your dreams and I did something that you didn''t want, you can just easily snap me out of existence."

    "Oh, I see" Christine seemed to have finally understood Calvin''s words. "But that doesn''t mean that I permit you to invade my dreams, okay?"

    "I won''t!" A helpless look suffused on Calvin''s face. <em>''This girl, seriously''</em>

    "All right, what do we do now?"

    "Oh, are you ready for us to start?" Calvin asked yfully.

    "What? I''m always prepared for anything." Christine rolled her eyes at him

    "Okay." Calvin simply nodded.

    He took the leather bag that he had hidden beneath the bed and started to take out a few objects from inside the bag. cing them above the table, a serious look appeared on Calvin''s face as he started to sort out the ingredients.

    "Dawn Driftwood a quarter of the entire nk."

    "Rosa Banksiae a pinch of its petals."

    "Pure Water a ssh."

    "Holy Water a drop."

    "And then finally, an item with mystical properties to serve as the catalyst for the ritual."

    Calvin took out the page of the Notebook of Secrets that he had prepared beforehand. When the ingredients were prepared, Calvin started to mix them inside a y bowl.

    Pounding at them, Calvin pulverized the Dawn Driftwood first before he added the other ingredients.

    When the piece of paper with mystical properties was added into the concoction, Calvin took Christine''s hand.

    "Ah!"

    "What?" Calvin frowned.

    "Why are you suddenly holding my hand?"

    "Come on, don''t kick up a fuss. It''s just holding your hand. It''s not like I''m stripping you naked." Calvin rolled his eyes at her.

    Christine was speechless. She was at a loss for words as she watched Calvin poke a needle at the tip of her left hand''s ring finger.

    "All right." Calvin also extracted a drop of his own blood.

    Upon seeing that the concoction was finallypleted, Calvin let out a sigh of relief.

    "Mana is a form of spirituality. It is the basis of all things supernatural. Martial arts and mysticism are on opposite sides of the same coin. One might be able to ignore the other, but their nature is the same!" Calvin domineeringly stated.

    There was a sudden change in the atmosphere.

    Christine suddenly found it hard to breathe.

    Calvin took several vials of essential oils from the leather bag. Then, he ignited a candle on the center of the table. The vials that contained the essential oils were instantly crushed in his hand with a kacha.

    On his left was the Dawn Driftwood, while on his right was the Rosa Banksiae.

    Both were mystical ingredients, yet their nature was the opposite.

    Dawn Driftwood was the definition of Hot, while Rosa Banksiaecold.

    Calvin''s eyebrows twitched.

    He summoned his golden quill and ced it beneath the y bowl that contained the Pure Water and Holy Water. Then, he drenched his right hand with the water andid it against the candle in the middle of the table.

    A solemn look shed across his face as he closed his eyes and chanted.

    "Oh, Goddess of Compassion and Light!"

    "The Magister of Light and the Commander of Compassion"

    "You are the most benevolent!"

    As thest syble fell, Calvin stabbed the golden quill on the back of his right hand''s palm with his left hand.

    Blood instantly dripped into the candle.

    But its me wasn''t extinguished.

    Instead, from an orangey-hue, the dancing me on the wick changed its color to crimson.

    "Ah!" Christine was so spooked by what she had seen that she couldn''t help but yelp.

    "Circte your Mana!" Calvin harshly spoke.

    "O-Okay!" Christine yelled out in response as she closed her eyes and meditated on the spot.

    The Mana inside her body rotated ording to the Art of Wind-Chasing.

    Strangely enough, she felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders the moment she started to circte her Mana.

    "With your light more powerful than the universebined, and apassion that could cover the world if you willed"

    "Your humble follower prays for your blessing"

    "With a catalyst in hand, please allow the usage of this incantation!"

    "Rosa Banksiae, a herb that signifies the strength of women! Please be merciful!"

    "Dawn Driftwood, an ingredient that signifies the dawn of men! Please be merciful!"

    "With our blood as the anchor, and with a catalyst in hand"

    "Please allow the usage of this incantation!"

    Calvin raised both of his hands. The Mana inside his body wildly churned as the crimson me of the lone candle atop the table violently danced against an invisible tempest.

    Calvin repeated the incantation seven times, and once he was done

    His eyes snapped open.

    But the world in front of him had changed!

 Chapter 248: Payback

    Chapter 248: Payback

    Calvin found himself standing in front of the gates of the House of a Thousand Thrusts.

    He was too close to the gates that the que above him couldn''t be seen, but it was obvious that the establishment in front of him was the House of a Thousand Thrusts due to the fact that the walls were painted with naked bodies intertwined with each other.

    Depicted on the walls were all sorts of debauchery.

    Other than the House of a Thousand Thrusts, where could he possibly be?

    "C-Calvin..." A soft whisper came from behind him.

    It was a feminine voice that sounded familiar.

    "Thankfully, you appeared close to me."

    As expected, it was Christine Ana.

    But there was a pale look on her face as if she had just seen a ghost.

    "Calvin. I-I..." Christine hesitantly said.

    "What''s going on?" Calvin asked in concern.

    "Look..." In the end, she decided that it was better to show than to tell.

    Stretching her hand out, she tried to touch a young woman who was walking past them but unexpectedlyher hand went right through the woman!

    "Oh..." Calvin let out a small voice of acknowledgment.

    "What do you mean, <em>''Oh''</em>?! Didn''t we travel to the past? Howe we became ghosts instead?" Christine retorted.

    "It''s because that is what I want to happen. What? Do you want for us to transform into humans instead of being ghosts that can conveniently pass through walls?" Calvin raised his eyebrows.

    "No, I don''t want to pass through walls. Who knows what kind of disgusting things are between the walls of this ce!"

    Christine was insistent.

    Calvin might be confused by her relentless attitude, but Christine couldn''t really be med. With her status, she had stayed with a lot of hotels, or luxurious ces before.

    But most of them were created in a way that the walls had these strange cavities in them.

    The poor Christine had once discovered a pair of blood-soaked gloves in one of the walls in a hotel at Laguna.

    Since then, Christine started to dislike hotels and inns.

    "Okay." Calvin didn''t really mind. "You go and change into a human being first."

    "How do I do that?"

    "Just close your eyes and focus on the word <em>''Human''</em> in Elder Speech."

    "O-Okay..." Christine had no idea why the Elder Speech was necessary, but she wasn''t here to argue. Closing her eyes, she followed Calvin''s instructions and imagined the word <em>''Human''</em> in Elder Speech floating right in front of her.

    "You can open your eyes now." Calvin softly said.

    Christine opened her eyes and the world around her finally regained its colors.

    "How''s the experience of being a ghost?" Calvin asked with a smile.

    "I-It was scary..." Christine remarked.

    "How could a ghost be scared? I say you''re just being a coward." Calvin teased.

    "All right, I''m a coward now, okay? You''re happy?" Christine replied in irritation.

    "What''s wrong? Why the long face?" Calvin noticed that there was something wrong with Christine. Usually, she would kick up a fuss after being teased like this, but why was she being so obedient? Did the sun rose from the west yesterday?

    Christine let out a sigh. Recalling the monochrome world that she had seen through the eyes of a ghost. She started to wonder if that was truly the world of ghosts. In that case, what would happen to her grandma that had always liked shy colors as an artist?

    Would the world in her eyes also be monochrome as a ghost?

    "How silly... I''m silly... I shouldn''t think about this anymore. It''s been such a long time. I should move on." Christine mumbled to herself.

    Of course, her words didn''t escape Calvin''s ears.

    But this time, he didn''t say anything nor tease her.

    Calvin stretched his hand out and flicked his wrist. A handkerchief appeared all of a sudden.

    It was clean, untainted, and pure-white in color.

    "How did you do that?" Christine was wide-eyed by what she had just witnessed. "Wait, why a handkerchief?"

    "Aren''t you about to cry? Here, take it and wipe those tears before I see them. If I do see them, then I might tease you for a long time. I''ll say that you''re a cry-baby and such." Calvin casually handed over the handkerchief to Christine before he turned around.

    Christine wiped the tears that welled up in her eyelids with the pristine handkerchief.

    Looking at Calvin''s back, she felt as if he wasn''t as unpleasant as before anymore.

    But upon remembering what he had said about teasing her for a long time, she was suddenly ovee with fury as she raised her leg and kicked the back of Calvin''s kneecaps, forcing him to almost stumble onto the floor.

    "What the hell are you doing?" Calvin scolded.

    "N-Nothing." Christine turned around and refused to answer.

    <em>''What''s with this unreasonable woman?''</em>

    Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    But upon seeing the light smile on Christine''s face, a smile also appeared on Calvin''s lips.

    <em>''It seems that her mental state is finally stabilizing...''</em>

    <em>''That''s good...''</em>

    ''Entering someone else''s dream world with an unstable mental state is always never good.''

    "Hey, Calvin..."

    Christine suddenly spoke up.

    "What is it?"

    "Can I keep this handkerchief?"

    "What? Do you think we''re in a department store? We''re in a dream world for god''s sake. Of course, you can''t keep it!" Calvin snorted in derision.

    "Hmmph. Why are you scolding me? I was just asking." Christine was displeased.

    "Hahaha." Calvin suddenlyughed.

    "Now, you''reughing at me?"

    "Not really..." Calvin waved his hands in dismissal. "I was just happy that the good ol'' Christine''s finally back."

    "You..." Christine was astounded.

    A furious blush soon appeared on her cheeks as she clenched both of her hands into fists and furiously pounded against Calvin''s chest.

    "You idiot... Why do you have to say something so embarrassing?"

    The two quarreled for a while until it was finally about time for them to enter the House of a Thousand Thrusts.

    As for how they knew it was about time?

    It was because they saw the female attendant walking into the establishment with a smile on her face. She seemed to have had a good night''s sleep as she walked into the House of a Thousand Thrusts while greeting every employee that she knew.

    "Do you have your family''s medallion with you?" Calvin asked.

    "No..." Christine patted her pockets for a while before she replied, "No, I don''t seem to have it with me."

    "Oh, goddamned it. We have to turn into ghosts if we want to bypass this security."

    Calvin scanned the area around him and noticed that the ce was teeming with guards.

    "You''re right... Howe there are so many guards right now?"

    "Take a guess."

    "Is it because there''s a VIP customering in?"

    "Bull''s eye! That''s right. The person who rented that Paradise Room ahead of us and injured Fatty is a VIP customer. Of course, that person itself might not be the true VIP customer."

    "What are you talking about?" Christine felt a sense of foreboding.

    "I''m just saying that it''s not that easy to be a VIP customer of the House of a Thousand Thrusts. For ordinary civilians, if they wanted to be one of the VIPs. There is a spending requirement of at least ten thousand Joselian Pesos..."

    "But it''s different for nobles. As long as you have the medallion of a noble family, then you will automatically be a VIP customer of the House." Calvin exined.

    "Wait, why is the treatment so different." Christine furrowed her eyebrows. "That doesn''t make sense. Wouldn''t it be better if they imposed the same requirement on the members of noble families?"

    "Wouldn''t they earn a lot more if there was a spending requirement before one could be a VIP?"

    "After all, a noble may not necessarily spend ten thousand Joselian Pesos in a ce like this..."

    "But if there is a spending requirement, they would bepelled to spend a lot of money for the sake of their face."

    "It doesn''t make sense..." Christine looked at Calvin.

    "It makes total sense if you knew how many nobles of Joselian are VIP customers of the House. In a nutshell, there is basically a deal between the nobles of Joselian and the House. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. That kind of thing." Calvin winked at Christine.

    "How do you know so much about the House?"

    Christine was even more baffled by the range of Calvin''s knowledge.

    "I read books," Calvin smirked. "The more you read, the more you know. That''s how the world works, youngdy."

    "The more you readmy ass!" Christine furiously cursed.

    The sudden outburst of profanity attracted the eyes of the people around the area.

    Calvin also looked at Christine in shock.

    "T-T-This is your fault!" Christine pointed a finger at Calvin.

    Then, she once again pounded his chest with her small fists.

    Calvin caught one of her hands in mid-air and said, "Stop kicking a fuss, all right? We have to turn into ghosts now and head for that Paradise Room to ambush those bastards and find out once and for all as to who they really are."

    A blush lingered on Christine''s cheeks, but she knew that she couldn''t be unreasonable anymore.

    Following Calvin''s example, the world around them turned monochrome once more.

    They soon arrived at the Paradise Room and found that it was empty.

    "Where are they?" Christine asked.

    Calvin casually took a seat at one of the couches at the far corner of the room before he replied, "They''lle here sooner orter"

    "Ah!"

    "They''re here."

    Christine abruptly paled.

    She was startled by the sudden revtion as she crouched down and frantically tried to hide behind one of the seats.

    "What are you doing?"

    "Hiding."

    "Why?"

    "Because I don''t want them to be discovered?"

    "Are you retarded? You''re a ghost, remember? As if they can see you..."

    Calvin rolled his eyes at her.

    "Oh..." Christine facepalmed.

    But then realizing that she couldn''t actually be seen by the naked eye...

    She started to becent.

    She even stood up andid on one of the couches that directly faced the front doors of the room.

    "Why aren''t youing here?" Christine asked Calvin.

    "I might be a ghost, but I don''t want to get sat on by a guy."

    "Ah!" Christine abruptly stood up.

    Calvin was right. If those people were toe here, then they would take a seat.

    But since she was sitting on their seats, wouldn''t she get crushed by their buttocks?

    Realizing this, Christine decided to take the seat next to Calvin.

    A few minutester, footsteps rang out from behind the doors of the Paradise Room.

    The doorknob twisted and as the doors openedthe figures of six men came into view.

    Standing in front of the other men was a bald-headed middle-aged man whose head seemed to be more resplendent than the sun.

    His facial features would probably make him look like a generic kind old man next door, but sadly...

    His permanent re paired with his facial features made him look terrifying instead.

    But this wasn''t the feature that attracted the attention of both Christine and Calvin.

    It was the insignia on their chests.

    "A-A-Ashmelion Police Department?"

    "They are police officers?"

    As Christine gawked in shock, she saw the men carry with them a huge rucksack.

    The smell of blood assaulted Christine''s nose and in an instant, she understood what was inside the rucksack.

    It was undoubtedly Fatty Zachary.

    "They are police officers... Police officers who swore to protect the people and thews of Joselian! Why are they here beating people up?"

    Christine was enraged.

    She stood up and was about toe out of her ghost form when Calvin pped with both of his hands.

    <em>Pa!</em>

    The monochrome world crumbled in an instant.

    "Ah!"

    Christine sucked a mouthful of cold air as the crimson candle in front of her abruptly extinguished.

    "W-We''re back?"

    "Yes..." There was a grim look on Calvin''s face.

    "But we still haven''t found out who they are! We know that they are police officers, but we don''t know about their identities, yet! What if their insignias are stolen? We might be barking the wrong tree here!" Christine was worried.

    "It doesn''t matter if this is a case of an identity thief, What matters is I finally know who we are fighting with," Calvin exined.

    "Who are they?" Christine asked with a solemn look on her face.

    "Didn''t you see the tattoos on their bodies? That image of a river flowing..."

    "We''re fighting none other than the Yellow River Gang!" Calvin revealed.

    Ding!

    [An A-Tier Quest has appeared and has been automatically epted.]

    [A-Tier Quest: Payback]

    [You have correctly identified the identities of those that harmed Zachary Casas. As the holder of the Emperor''s Commandment, you are of a noble heart. You cannot afford to let this injustice run its course, so you set off to take revenge for the sake of Zachary Casas and the residents beneath the banner of the Joselian Kingdom.]

    [Quest Completion Conditions: Deal significant damage of any kind to the Yellow River Gang.]

    [Additional Rewards: Purify 0/20,000 Totems of Pisti.]

    [Note: There is no deadline to this quest. But the more time passes, the numerical requirement for thepletion of the ''Additional Rewards'' might increase exponentially.]

 Chapter 249: Legal Robbery

    Chapter 249: Legal Robbery

    "Why are you nking out? What are you staring at?"

    Christine followed Calvin''s line of sight, but there was nothing in sight.

    Calvin silently dismissed the system notifications floating in front of him.

    "Heh..." An ominous smile painted his face.

    Then, all of a sudden...

    The extinguished candle lit up!

    "Ah!" Christine was so shocked and startled that she stood up and turned around to run.

    "Wait!" Calvin caught her arm and stopped her in her tracks.

    Christine then turned around and looked at Calvin.

    Her eyelids seemed to have been drenched in tears.

    "I was just joking, what the hell are you crying for?" Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    Seeing her teary-eyed look, he wanted to tease her at first, but now he didn''t have the heart to do so.

    "Where''s the handkerchief?" Christine suddenly asked.

    "Handkerchief?" Calvin''s eyebrows knitted. Fortunately, he soon connected the dots as he opened his palm and exaggeratedly gestured.

    "Pa! There it goes!" He abruptly opened his palm before he sneered in Christine''s direction.

    "What? Were you expecting something? Did you think that I was some sort of a magician?"

    "A magician?"

    "Oops."

    Calvin realized that he had used an Earthling term that Christine wouldn''t possibly understand.

    Smiling, he decided to change the topic.

    "Let''s set that handkerchief aside for now and think about if you are ready to take them on right now."

    "Ready? Who do you think I am? I''m always ready." Christine coldly snorted in derision.

    Calvin let out a sigh of relief seeing the energetic look on Christine''s face. It was a good thing that this woman''s attention span was lower than a goldfish.

    He really didn''t want to exin Earthling terms to a native Las Felipinas person for he knew that it would be an uphill battle that would end up being a pain in the ass.

    "Have you grown tired of pretending as a man? Would you like to be able to use your true identity? How''s the situation in your family? Do you have any enemies that will be able to take advantage of your presence in a ce like this?" Calvin suddenly asked.

    Christine thought about it for a moment.

    She couldn''t think of anything bad that would happen if she revealed her identity.

    In fact, she thought that it would be more advantageous for them if she revealed her identity as a member of a noble family. After all, if she did such a thing then people would respect them and give them various benefits that they didn''t know they could have.

    This was why...

    "Yeah. I don''t want to keep up with this pretense anymore. It''s so tiring!"

    ... Christine answered positively.

    "You haven''t answered my question yet." Calvin hinted.

    "Oh..." Christine recalled what Calvin had said just now. Then, she shook her head. "Elder Sis will definitely be angry at me once she finds out, but mother and father had always been easygoing. In fact, both of them might even be happy to find that I am in a ce like this."

    "What?" Calvin was confused. "What kind of parents would be happy to find that their precious daughter had visited a ce dedicated for degenerates?"

    "My parents..." Christine wore a look of amusement. "You''ll understand what kind of people they are once you''ve met them."

    "Oh? Is there a reason for them to meet me?" A teasing look was on Calvin''s face. "Young miss, have you perhaps fallen for me?"

    "Wha" Christine was shell-shocked.

    In a fit of mixed panic and fury, she brandished her fist towards Calvin''s chest and pounded against it hard as she eximed. "Who would fall in love with the likes of you?!"

    "Yeah, that''s right... Pound on me harder."

    Calvin lightly chuckled. "You can''t fall in love with me young miss. I already have a wife and daughter."

    "Oh, you already have a family?" Christine looked astonished. But then her fist came crashing down Calvin''s chest once more. "As if there''s a woman out there that''s going to fall in love with such a cheeky person like you!"

    As he was being beaten up, Calvin didn''t know what to say.

    He was telling her the truth, but it seemed that Christine wasn''t willing to believe it.

    Anyway, it didn''t really matter right now, so Calvin decided to let the matter pass.

    However, Christine''s heart was still in turmoil.

    <em>''Love...''</em>

    <em>''Have I really fallen in love with this person?''</em>

    <em>''Impossible... that cannot be... It cannot be this fast!''</em>

    Christine wasn''t willing to believe it as her heart thumped violently against her chest.

    As for the matter about Calvin having a wife and daughter? She didn''t believe it in the slightest.

    <em>How could he have a wife and a daughter when he was still so young?</em>

    In the end, she felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment as she stood up and decisively left the room.

    "Where are you going?"

    "To the bathroom! I''m going to take a bath. Don''t you dare follow me!" Christine stomped her way out of the room.

    Calvin was left alone in the bedroom as a sigh escaped out of his mouth.

    Turning to look at the female attendant, he decided to take out a pouch of Joselian Pesos. Then, he inserted it between her ruffled clothes.

    "That should handle it."

    Walking out of the room, Calvin approached the door of thergest bathroom in the Paradise Room and said. "You don''t have to pretend anymore. You can wear yourdy-like clothes now. In fact, I want you to wear your most expensive clothes since we have to put on some airs for our attack today."

    No reply came from the other side of the door.

    Calvin shrugged and took a seat at one of the couches in the living room.

    Taking a drink out of cold storage, he suddenly thought about a crucial thing.

    <em>''Since the Ana Martial family will be billed for our visit today... Doesn''t that mean that everything I eat and take out of here is free?''</em>

    Calvin stared at the lineup of beverages and wine inside the cold storage.

    A smirk appeared on his lips.

    He may not be able to put living creatures and beings inside his [Inventory].

    But he should be able to put in a few bottles of wine.

    <em>''Cardano... Bacardi... Nano... Wow, these are some expensive liquors...''</em>

    <em>''As expected of the most exclusive room in the House of a Thousand Thrusts. But will they suspect anything if even the bottle is missing? Well, I don''t think that really matters since I am not going to pay for this anyway.''</em>

    Calvin happily swiped the bottles of wine from the cold storage into his [Inventory].

    Afterwards, he casually closed the cold storage and took out a bottle of wine for his own consumption while he was waiting for Christine.

    Of course, he didn''t forget to prepare a pitcher of juice for the youngss.

    An hourter, Christine finally came out fully-clothed from the bathroom.

    Calvin looked as if he was disappointed.

    "What? Were you disappointed that I came out clothed instead of naked? You pervert!" Christine instantly saw through what he was thinking.

    "What nonsense are you spouting?" Calvin looked as if he had been wronged. "I was frowning not because I was disappointed. It''s because I was thinking why it took you so long toe out! I thought for sure that something happened in the bathroom! I was this close to barging inside!" He gestured with his index and thumb fingers.

    "<em>Something</em> bad would''ve happened to you if you actually barged inside." Christine''s expression went cold. Then, it softened when she saw the pitcher of orange juice on the table.

    Walking towards it, she casually downed a ss of juice before taking her own seat directly across Calvin. "Are you not going to take a bath?"

    "I will..." Calvin ced the wine ss back on the table as he stood up and headed for the bathroom. "Don''t worry, I won''t take too long."

    "Wait, why are you taking a notebook with you to the bathroom?" Christine saw a strange notebook in Calvin''s hand.

    "I just want to organize some things." Calvin simply smiled before he disappeared behind the door.

    When he came out half an hourter, he looked invigorated and excited.

    "I found a way that will help us hit three birds with one stone."

    "Three birds? I thought it was two?"

    "Guess the other one." Calvin mysteriously smiled.

    "Two birds one stone. We will be able to hurt them while taking revenge for Fatty at the same time. But what is the third one? We will be able to take something valuable from them? If that''s the case, then what is that valuable thing then?" Christine pondered.

    "As expected of a member of a noble family, your head isn''t just full of muscle, eh..." Calvin praised.

    "How can you say that to me with such a sincere look on your face?" Christine was speechless in front of Calvin''s shamelessness.

    "You haven''t taken a guess, yet." Calvin pointed out.

    "Is it money? Are we robbing them blind?" Christine replied.

    Calvin''s smile deepened. "Just follow me. I''ll show you what I''m talking about."

    With the curious Christine in tow, Calvin approached the front desk and checked-out.

    Of course, the bill would be given to the Ana Martial family.

    While Christine was distracted by the flow of people into the House, Calvin took advantage of this opportunity to ask the front deskdy a question.

    "I hope you have enjoyed your stay, esteemed guest. Do you want an armed escort to your establishment of choice? We also have a carriage for you to use." The front deskdy offered with a smile.

    "Will I have to pay for them?" Calvin retorted.

    The front deskdy was taken aback.

    The concierge service for esteemed VIP guests was free, but this was the first time that she had heard such words from a supposedly filthy rich client. For a moment, she didn''t know what to say. Fortunately, her training allowed her to recover at a moment''s notice.

    Bowing her head, she replied, "Our concierge service is free of charge for esteemed guests of nobility. Would you like to avail it?" She nced at Christine who seemed to be having a lot of attention on herself. Well, Christine couldn''t really be med for this. She was just so beautiful that her beauty would surely bring about trouble in a ce like this.

    "You''re more considerate than I thought." Calvin praised the front deskdy''s attentiveness.

    "It''s my pleasure." The front deskdy bowed.

    Half an hourter, an entourage of armed guards, as well as avishly decorated carriage pulled by a magnificent steed, stopped in front of a resplendent-looking store.

    The driver of the carriage knocked on the door. "Esteemed guest, we''ve arrived at your destination."

    Calvin and Christine alighted, then the former''s eyes widened in shock when she saw the words, "Rags to Riches Casino", written in bold words right above the gates of the establishment.

    "You brought me to a gambling den?"

    "Indeed..."

    Calvin nodded. A look of anticipation appeared on his face.

    "You were right earlier. We are going to rob them blind. <em>Legally</em>, of course!"

 Chapter 250: Came Here to Have Fun

    Chapter 250: Came Here to Have Fun

    Calvin strode in confidently into the Rags to Riches Casino.

    Christine followed suit but there was a worried look on her face.

    "Wait, isn''t that the youngdy of the Ana Martial family?"

    "Now that you''ve mentioned it... she actually looks like that youngdy from the Ana Martial family!"

    "What do you mean she looks like? She''s that youngdy in the flesh!"

    "What?! That''s impossible... How could a member of the Ana Martial family be in a ce like this?"

    "Miss Christine from the Ana Martial family? Oh no, this is a scoop... How could she be here?"

    The discussions from the crowd sounded strange in Calvin''s ears.

    He stopped and turned to look at Christine. "Is there something that you are hiding from me?"

    Christine looked ufortable as she looked around. "No... It''s nothing."

    "Oh?" Calvin raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure that you''re not afraid and worried of being scolded and punished for being in a ce like this once you are back in your family?"

    "Ah..." Christine let out a yelp of shock. She didn''t expect Calvin to be so sharp. "Do you always read people''s hearts as if they are a book?"

    "Is it bad?" Calvin smirked. Then, he attacked the crux of the problem. "So, I was right? Is there some kind of an obscurew in your family that forbids you to be in a ce of debauchery? Well, I can say that such aw will make sense. I mean, who would want their youngdy to appear in a ce of absolute filth like this?"

    Christine looked aggrieved. "Since it looks like you already knew about it beforehand, why did you still proceed with this n?"

    "Sigh..." Calvin let out a sigh of relief. "Look. I am a person without status nor money. How else can I possiblye here with guns zing without the backing of a noble family? You''re already here, so I might as well put your status to use."

    "So you only included me with your n because of my status?" Christine looked at him with knitted eyebrows. The way her phoenix-shaped eyes turned into slits made her look sinister, yet the make-up that she had used on her face made her look adorable at the same time. As expected of the junior sister of that member of the Ashmelion Police Department.

    Speaking of the Ashmelion Police Department, Calvin decided to ask. "Are you not worried at all?"

    "Worried about what?"

    "Are you not worried that after we''ve done all of these, we''ll find out that in the endyour sister had a hand in this corruption?"

    Christine''s face went pale. She didn''t know how to answer Calvin''s question for a moment, but in the end, she let out a sigh and said.

    "We all reap what we sow. I just hope that it''s not the case."

    "Oh?" Calvin was intrigued. "Why are you saying that as if you do not trust your sister''s attitude and personality?"

    "People can change, Calvin." Christine suddenly looked straight at Calvin. "People do change."

    Calvin was taken aback by the pained look in her eyes.

    "My bad." He apologized. "I shouldn''t have asked you that question and opened this can of worms."

    "It''s okay."

    "Really?" Calvin was surprised. "Would your father not beat you up once she knows that you are in a ce like this?"

    Christine smiled. "You told me that you have a wife and a daughter, right? What would you do if your strict and disciplined daughter suddenly acted in a rebellious manner?"

    "I would be worried..." Calvin immediately replied, "Shouldn''t that be the case."

    "An interesting answer, but far from the mark." Christine lifted her finger and winked. "If I were you, I would be excited."

    "Wait, why would I be excited if my daughter suddenly turned weird all of a sudden?"

    Christine lightly chuckled. "That''s because your daughter has finally decided to spread her wings and grow up."

    After she said these words, Christine turned around and went into the Rags to Riches Casino by herself.

    She left behind a baffled Calvin who mumbled to himself. "Why does it feel like her words make sense, yet not, at the same time?"

    Calvin hurriedly caught up to Christine and their appearance walking side by side attracted the hostility and envy of the men inside the Casino.

    "Why are you sticking so close to me? Are you not afraid of people getting the wrong idea? You have a wife and a daughter, right?"

    Christine stared at Calvin in disdain.

    "Shouldn''t you be the one that should be worried? I heard that the daughters of noble families often have child engagements. If that''s the case, then shouldn''t you have a fiance already? Wouldn''t he be mad at me if he finds out that I''m sticking so close to you like this?" Calvin retorted.

    "Your words do not make sense. If what your saying is true, then shouldn''t you be the one to stay away from me? Also, you don''t have to worry about me having a child fiance. Our family doesn''t work like that." Christine lightly chuckled.

    Calvin''s words were right. Most noble families often betrothed their children to each other while they were young.

    But the Ana Martial family was different.

    Its core values and its family culture were drastically different from other noble families which made it somewhat of an aberrant among the circle. This abnormality often isted them from the others, but the noble Ana Martial family never once cared about what the others thought about their culture.

    They had this mindset of "whether you ept us or not, it doesn''t matter".

    Their mindset, core values, and family culture had earned the praise of a lot of stronger noble families.

    In short, one could say that their position in the noble circle was quite solid and deep.

    But Calvin''s tongue was quite poisonous. "Why should I be worried? Did you expect me to woo you or something?"

    Christine almost keeled over into the floor when she heard Calvin''s words.

    She wanted to curse right there and then, but then she realized that everyone''s eyes were on her.

    She might not care about what others thought of her, but she had to uphold the family''s reputation in front ofmoners.

    "Hmmph!" Christine coldly snorted and red at him. ''This guy was obviously doing this purposely since he knows that I cannotsh out at him under the eyes of so many people!'' Christine swore to get back at him once they were done with what they were about to do here.

    Calvin swept his gaze across the crowd and a look ofcent was on his face as he took on the praises and envy of the people around him. Recalling Christine''s words about the Ana Martial family having different core values and family culture than other noble families, he stuck closer to her and appeared to be intimate.

    "Did you make me assume my true identity, so that you can bask in this glory and satisfy that shallow pride of yours?"

    Christine saw through Calvin''s actions and she immediately took advantage of it to mock him.

    "Rx, this is all part of the n. I have to make them let their guard down against me. I have to let them think that I am nothing but an arrogant young master who came here to have fun and waste his money." Calvin smirked at Christine, astonishing thetter.

    In the end, she pursed her lips and decided to suck it up.

    Calvin looked at her and asked, "Does the Ana Martial family have some internal rules regarding gambling?"

    Christine stared at him for a moment before she nodded her head. "Yes, we once had an heir who was obsessed with gambling. He used his status and almost gambled the entire n''s fortunes away. It took us many generations of diligence and wise leadership to recoup the loss that we had suffered under his obsession. Since then, our family forbids us to gamble."

    "I see..." Calvin let out a sigh. "It seems that I ended up hurting you to advance my own agenda. This will not do. I cannot possibly hurt a friend to seed."

    "Oh?" Christine was taken aback. "So you still have some humanity left in you? What now? Shall we go back?"

    "Nope..." Calvin mysteriously smiled. "The internal rules of the Ana Martial family concerning gambling is not something that we cannot change nor challenge indeed. But what if we say that we came herenot to gamblebut to take our revenge for the sake of our friend? I''m sure that the Ana Martial family wouldn''t punish us if they knew the reason why we came here."

    "You..." Christine''s pupils constricted. She thought about it for a moment and her worries seemed to have vanished in an instant.

    It was doable!

    <em>''That''s right... this reason might be suspicious, but if we say that we gambled for the sake of our friend and our honor...''</em>

    <em>''Father and Mother wouldn''t possibly punish me too harshly. What''s more, I don''t think that they would actually punish me that hard in the first ce since they''ve always been wanting to see me do something different other than training in the family and in the four arts. I guess I can just say that I am widening my horizons about the world.''</em>

    Christine let out a smile.

    The smile on her face made her look iparably beautiful as she proceeded to wrap her hand around Calvin''s arm.

    Having let go of her worries, Christine was now unfetteredfree to do whatever she wanted.

    Dragging Calvin deeper into the Rags to Riches Casino, her smile deepened as she said.

    "Okay... Let''s go and have fun!"

 Chapter 251: Uncompressed Fury

    Chapter 251: Upressed Fury

    "Yes, let''s go!" Calvin followed her example.

    But then Christine suddenly stopped in her tracks.

    "Who''s going to pay for the tab?" She looked at Calvin.

    "Do you think I have the money?" Calvin looked away and avoided her gaze.

    "Wait, you were serious when you said that you''ll let the Ana Martial family pay for your gambling?" Christine furrowed her eyebrows. "My dear, Calvindon''t you think that you''re going too far?"

    "Hey, don''t call me<em> ''dear''</em>. People might get the wrong idea and think that we''re husband and wife. Besides, I won''t actually be using the money of the Ana Martial family. This is only gambling if there is a risk involved. But what if we win in every move that we do? Wouldn''t our actions be called, <em>''withdrawing money''</em>, instead?" Calvin cheekily smiled.

    Christine was doubtful.

    But noticing the look of absolute confidence on his face...

    Her curiosity was triggered and a look of intrigue appeared on her face.

    However, she wasn''t stupid.

    If Calvin wanted to take advantage of their friendship to gamble the money of the Ana Martial family, then he must take a certain risk.

    "Sign a promissory note."

    "A promissory note?" Calvin was taken aback.

    "Look at you treating me like some kind of a stranger. Aren''t we friends? Why the promissory note?"

    Christine looked at him as if he was stupid. "How else am I supposed to exin to the family if you ended up incurring us a huge debt?"

    "A promissory note is a must!"

    "This is a guarantee that if you caused the family a huge loss. I will then be able to do whatever I want with you!"

    A smile suddenly appeared on Christine''s face and a dreamy light suffused in her eyes.

    "Why do I feel like you''re starting to imagine me as your training ve?"

    Calvin couldn''t help butment.

    "Ahem..." Christine''s cheeks abruptly blushed. Calvin''s words were too ambiguous in the ears.

    Of course, she might be imagining something but it was turning him into her training partnernot something as insidious as turning him into a training ve.

    Taking a deep breath, she regained herposure and retorted. "Are you going to sign a promissory note, or not?"

    "Cough..."

    Calvin cleared his throat with a cough and looked at her in a fawning manner. "Young miss of the Ana Martial family, can you please let grant amoner a favor and let him go?"

    "No!"

    Christine sternly refused.

    "Are you going to sign or not? If not, then I''ll get out this instant."

    "Please?" Calvin was still insistent. "Think about the Fatty?"

    "Why would I think about that Fatty?" Christine was immediately furious.

    She turned around and was about to leave when Calvin held her arm and stopped her in her tracks.

    "I''ll sign, all right? I''ll go ahead and sign. Geez, don''t be so hasty... I was just testing your reaction, that''s all!" Calvin hurriedly said.

    "Testing, eh?" Christine mocked.

    Then, she took a piece of paper out of nowhere and said. "Here, we''ll use this."

    Calvin received the piece of paper and noticed that it was nk.

    "Where are the terms for the promissory note?"

    "Write it yourself!" Christine simply replied.

    "Really? That''s quitex? What will you do if I write that you must get married to me if I managed to gamble your n''s fortunes away?" Calvin teased.

    Christine stared hard at him. "Do you dare to do so?"

    "O-Of course, not..." Calvin was speechless.

    Christine''s attitude really was hard to grasp.

    Sometimes she would be as strict as a teacher when she was being teased, but sometimes she would get easily embarrassed. Anyway, it didn''t really matter.

    Calvin casually wrote on the promissory note that he would take responsibility for his actions and he wouldpensate the Ana Martial family appropriately if he mishandled their funds and ruined their reputation.

    "Satisfied?" Calvin dangled the piece of paper in front of Christine.

    The youngss snatched the paper away from him and she finally revealed a smile.

    "Let''s see if you won''t regret writing such terms on this promissory note!"

    Seeing the look of anticipation on her face, Calvin couldn''t help butment. "Do you really want me to lose that much? We came here for the Fatty, at least try to act like you want me to win or something."

    "S-Shut up! Of course, I want you to win! It''s not like I want you to lose. You''re just putting words in my mouth!" Christine abruptly blushed.

    "All right, all right, let''s just go in." Calvin waved his hands in dismissal and the two of them walked deeper into the casino.

    Shortly after entering the Rags to Riches Casino''s Main Hall, the two of them immediately garnered the attention of everyone.

    Given Charlotte''s outstanding appearance, no one was to me for why the people had their eyes on them. Her wless looks, graceful silhouette, and bearing, as well as her impable disposition, were all but strange against the crude bustle in the casino.

    After all, those who frequented the casino were most often dirtbags and vulgar people.

    Seeing Christine''s looks activated their lusts.

    Some of them even started to catcall.

    However, there were some people that were worth their salt in terms of the knowledge that they possessed. In an instant, they identified Christine and warned theirrades not to do something stupid.

    "At least, they know whom they can and cannot offend."

    Calvin couldn''t help butmend these hooligans for their quick actions and swift change of attitude.

    But he almost keeled over into the floor when he heard someone in the crowd say...

    "Who in the Goddess''s name is that fellow standing beside her?"

    "I don''t know, he looks like a wastrel considering how he dared to bring the young daughter of the Ana Martial family in a gambling den."

    "Could it be that they are lovers? What the hell? He looks pretty average to me. How did he manage to win the youngdy''s favor?"

    "Goddamned it, this son of an ugly bitch sure is lucky..."

    Christine looked at Calvin in amusement. She couldn''t help butment. "They called you ugly."

    "Hmmph. Doesn''t matter, I''m not that petty." Calvin flicked his sleeves and righteously said.

    Although he said so, the look of displeasure on his face was a stark contrast to his words, elicitingughter from the youngdy.

    In return, the crowd got angrier.

    "Damn, look at them acting so lovey-dovey in a ce like this!"

    "Fuck, I''ve got to go. I''ll get myself a woman to cuddle."

    "Me too..."

    Some of the customers outright left from the frustration of being showered by dog food.

    A lot of people didn''t have a good impression of Calvin for bringing in a beauty in a ce full of boorish men, with nary a woman in sight.

    But Calvin relished in their anger, not because he was a masochist, but because it would make those people lower their guard against him.

    "Young miss of the Ana Martial family, may I know how may I help you?"

    The manager of the Rags to Riches Casino stepped forward. A respectful look was on her face. Yes, the manager was a woman. To be frank, she actually looked quite beautiful if not for the fact that she had a scar on her left cheek that seemed to be in the image of a flowing river. It was obvious that she was a servant for the Yellow River Gang.

    But this wasn''t really surprising considering the status of women in Joselian.

    Although seeing a fellow woman being abused like this left a bad taste in Christine''s mouth.

    "Are you the manager here?" Christine asked.

    "Yes, Young miss. This one''s name is Aurelia Alvarez. Please call me Bloom. I''ll be your guide in our establishment."

    Aurelia looked to be in her mid-thirties.

    Her outfit made her look refined and respectable in contrast to the people that frequented her establishment, yet it was obvious from the purple bruises on her body that her life behind the scenes wasn''t as morous as people thought it to be.

    Christine felt sympathy.

    She had always abhorred men that hurt women.

    The look in her eyes softened.

    But Aurelia had different thoughts. She quickly rushed out with her most professional smile the moment she heard that a member of a noble family had arrived in her establishment. However, she didn''t expect that member of a noble family to be a woman and that she was also a member of the Ana Martial family that had strict rules concerning gambling.

    Considering all of these, just what was the reason why Christine was here?

    Aurelia grew even more uneasy when she remembered that Christine had a sister that worked closely with thew enforcement.

    <em>''Was she here to collect protection fees or bribes from us?''</em>

    <em>''But I don''t think that she''s that kind of a person.''</em>

    <em>''She most likely came here to gamble.''</em>

    <em>''But that doesn''t make sense considering their family rules...''</em>

    Aurelia thought hard and long until Christine spoke up.

    "I''m not here to y. I''m here to be with him."

    She pointed at Calvin.

    Aurelia finally noticed the presence of an arrogant-looking young man standing beside Christine.

    Sheposed herself and looked at Calvin with a smile.

    "Young noble"

    "Calvin. It''s Calvin."

    Aurelia was taken aback by the interruption, but she quickly recovered. "Right. Young noble Calvin, may I know how can I help you?"

    "I came here to gamble." Calvin simply replied.

    "Oh..." Aurelia slightly nodded her head. "In that case, then let me bring you to the VIP room where you can have fun and have some privacy at the same time."

    She offered to give Calvin a VIP Room for she knew that if some ident happened, it had to be away from the prying eyes of the public. After all, Calvin was with a member of a noble family. Someone that she couldn''t possibly afford to offend.

    "What VIP Room?"

    But little did she knew that Calvin had other intentions.

    "There''s no need for a VIP Room. The bustle here feelsfortable and fitting for the asion."

    Calvin''s n required the eyes of a lot of witnesses.

    After all, he knew in his a hundred years of existence that Casinos in the world of Las Felipinas often reneged on their payments.

    Only when the crowd was present and with the presence of a member of a noble family would he be able to guarantee his own safety and to make sure that they wouldn''t renege on their payment.

    "U-Understood..." Aurelia revealed a helpless smile. "Please follow me."

    Since she couldn''t possibly force the customers to change their decision, she had no other choice but to guide them.

    Meanwhile, inside a room somewhere in Azucar, a bald-headed middle-aged man could be seen standing behind a woman who was bent over onto the bed.

    Their movements made it obvious what they were doing, but at this moment, someone barged into the room.

    "Did I stutter when I said not to interrupt me?" The bald-headed middle-aged man was displeased.

    "My apologies for the interruption, sir Shadis, but I have some news!" It was Charles who interrupted his pleasure.

    "What news?" Shadis raised his eyebrows.

    He was still thrusting in and out of the woman as he casually looked in Charles''s direction, unperturbed.

    The woman who was bent over frantically covered thest vestiges of her shame with a pillow.

    But Charles didn''t even spare her a nce as he exined. "That member of a noble family who is targeting us... is at one of our establishments! He''s at Rags to Riches Casino, right now!"

    "Oh?" A look of interest finally appeared on Shadis''s face. "Have you found out his identity?"

    "Yes... But it seems that we were mistaken. He''s not a member of a noble family at all. Instead, it''s his woman! He''s with Christine Ana!"

    Charles answered.

    Shadis''s movements came to an abrupt halt.

    Then, his pupils suddenly constricted.

    "Investigate whether that Fatty has any connection with Christine Ana. I''ll give you an hour to give me a report. If you fail to do so, then you better start washing your neck so it''ll be clean once I cut it off!" Shadis fiercely warned.

    "Y-Y-Yes, sir Shadis!"

    Charles felt a shiver down his spine, but he didn''t dare to say anything as he immediately turned around and left.

    The woman on the bed seemed to have been terrified by his words.

    Fortunately, Shadis didn''t seem to be nning on doing anything bad to her as he continued to thrust inside of her. There didn''t seem to be any difference aside from the fact that he was now going to it rougher whenpared to before.

    However, little did the woman know that it was her fortune that she was bending over.

    It was because unbeknownst to her...

    There was a grim look on Shadis''s face that radiated an upressed fury for that member of a noble family!

 Chapter 252: A Game of Luck

    Chapter 252: A Game of Luck

    A gambling den always had odds stacked against its yers.

    The persistent existence of a house edge on all games meant that every yer was mathematically likely to lose their money in every game that they yed against the house.

    But to be frank, ying at the casino was one of Calvin''s favorite past times.

    He was always someone that often like to reverse-engineer things and find out how exactly a certain object or a concept worked.

    Back then, he was a fledgling yer that had no idea how casinos operated.

    He had to pay a huge price before he understood that in order to seed in the casino, he must work on maximizing his winnings while cutting his losses as soon as possible.

    Of course, he learned not to cut his winnings short while he had the momentum.

    But despite his best efforts in finding out the best strategies in winning against the house in the casino, Calvin hadmitted the blunder whom he still considered to be his most shameful mistake of all time.

    It was because after using at least six months of his life researching on how he could beat the house, Calvin had been negligent and forgot the existence of something so crucial, yet was everywhere in Las Felipinas.

    <em>Mana!</em>

    Fortunately, Calvin had always cut his losses whenever it crossed the threshold of his personal risk tolerance.

    As a result, he didn''t lose that badly.

    Then, after he knew that he could use Mana to influence the oue of the games.

    He was now basically using the same technique as the house, albeit he was working against them.

    A year passed and Calvin had basically mastered the techniques necessary for him to win a hundred percent of the time.

    Of course, he was sensible enough not to actually win a hundred percent of the time.

    With his prudence, Calvin walked awaya hundred thousand Joselian pesos richer after about a year and a half in the casino.

    No one had any suspicions against him due to his enormous winnings, after all... most of them saw how he struggled for such a long time before he got a lucky break.

    In fact, even the Manager of the casino itself even congratted him for his winnings and jokingly told him to nevere back.

    Calvin knew that it wasn''t a joke, the Manager actually wanted him to return and spend all of his winnings in the casino.

    But Calvin understood that he had to leave sooner orter.

    Thus, he left.

    A hundred thousand Joselian pesos richer and with a treasure trove of knowledge concerning popr games in the casino.

    Calvin revealed a smile. But recalling his role in the Rags to Riches Casino, his smile quickly turnedcent and arrogant.

    Aurelia had finally led them to their destination.

    It was a round table in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of the casino. Needless to say, their arrival attracted the attention of the boorish people in the casino.

    Albeit, most of them had their eyes on Christine instead of on Aurelia or Calvin.

    Aurelia walked behind the counter.

    She donned a long-sleeved suit jacket that seemed to be tailored for her and simr to the outfits worn by the other dealers in the casino.

    Calvin was surprised by her outfit.

    It was because she was actually wearing threeyers of clothinga white long-sleeved tunic, a waistcoat, and a vest that seemed to be solid enough to protect her from the sudden attacks of enraged boorish losers. Calvin suddenly recalled the name of that ''young man''.

    <em>''Sum Jing-Woo.''</em>

    <em>''A Korean name.''</em>

    <em>''It seems that he really is an Earthling. There is no doubt about that.''</em>

    A stern look appeared on Calvin''s face.

    Earthlings would soone into the picture sooner orter.

    But he didn''t expect that they actually had their hands in the inner workings of Joselian earlier than what Calvin had once thought.

    <em>''Damned it...''</em>

    <em>''Did the timeline change after all?''</em>

    Calvin''s expression went cold.

    No matter what, even if the timeline changed, his goals hadn''t changed at all.

    "Calvin?"

    Christine suddenly spoke up. "What''s wrong? You have such a scary look on your face..."

    "Ah." Calvin let out a surprised yelp. Then, he woke up from his trance and saw both Christine and Aurelia staring at him in confusion.

    "My apologies, I was revising my strategy." Calvin casually waved his hand in dismissal and made a random excuse.

    Aurelia''s lips twitched.

    <em>Strategy?</em>

    The word <em>"Strategy"</em> was all too familiar for Aurelia.

    This was a word that most of their customers often used as their excuse whenever they talked to their families about them losing everything that they had.

    <em>''I have a strategy that I can use to recoup my losses! Don''t worry, I''ll take back everything that they took from us! Just give me this chance!''</em>

    <em>''Please, just give me this chance!''</em>

    Then, that was thest time that they would ever see their families.

    Some of them ended up as one of the beggars near Yang Bridge, while some of them died under the guilt of their own sins.

    These people might not have a lot inmon, but they had a word that they always used.

    "Strategy."

    Christine looked at Calvin in astonishment.

    He was never the type of person to joke around when it mattered, so she was full of curiosity hearing his words.

    "Yup."

    "What kind of strategy is it? Does it work all the time?"

    "Well, I won''t say that it works all the time." Calvin awkwardly scratched his head. "I''ve always been lucky since I was a child. I guess if we y a game that relies heavily on luck. We should be able to win most of the time!"

    He then turned to look at Aurelia who was staring at him as if he was an idiot deep within her eyes.

    "Manager, which game is the most dependent on luck?" Calvin looked around the casino with this curious look in his eyes.

    A single nce was all it took for everyone to judge him as a greenhorn to casinos.

    Some people were already judging him as a retard that came here to <em>''donate''</em> his money to the casino.

    If not for the fact that he was being backed by the gorgeous young miss of the Ana Martial familyChristine Anathese people would''ve probably already spat harshly onto the floor with disdain.

    Especially, when they heard that he had a <em>''strategy''</em> that he was nning on using against the house.

    Sure, the word ''strategy'' intrigued them.

    But after hearing that his so-called ''strategy'' was his ''luck'' since he was a child.

    These boorish men weren''t so stupid as to actually believe him.

    They immediately called his bullshit deep inside their hearts.

    "The game that''s the most reliant on luck in our establishment is the Dance of Dices!" Aurelia replied with a smile.

    But inside, she was already imagining herselfughing all the way to the bank.

    While the Dance of the Dices mostly relied on the surface, she was actually skilled enough to manipte the oue by virtue of special rocks inside the dices. The rocks embedded deep in the dices were so small, yet their effect was subtle and impactful.

    Those strange rocks were attracted to metal, so Aurelia simply had to manipte the contraption made out of metal beneath the table and the dices would briefly <em>''dance''</em> before sticking into the numbers where she wanted it tond.

    With these thoughts in mind, Aurelia looked at Calvin and observed the minute changes in her expression.

    To be frank, she was still unconvinced that the youngdy of the Ana Martial family would bring in a prodigal young master to waste their money.

    After all, the Ana Martial family was a strict family with tight rules and strict culture. This was why Aurelia still couldn''t believe that this young man beside her was truly a good-for-nothing.

    No matter what, this person must have some tricks under his sleeves!

    Aurelia thought to herself.

    However, there was nary a change in Calvin''s expression.

    In fact, he even looked somewhat confused as he asked. "What''s Dance of Dices?"

    Aurelia was rendered speechless.

    <em>''Could it be that this guy is truly a dumbass?''</em>

    <em>''Then, why was the youngdy of the Ana Martial family with him?''</em>

    <em>''Wait, what if she came here to have fun without caring for the money?''</em>

    <em>''After all, those members of the Ana Martial family are rumored to be so uptight and strict that they seldom entertained themselves.''</em>

    <em>''What if this was the youngdy''s way of entertaining herself?''</em>

    <em>''But entertaining herself by losing money? That doesn''t make sense!''</em>

    <em>''However, it also doesn''t make sense why would she bring in here a dumbass good-for-nothing man that obviously only came here to spend her family''s money like water?''</em>

    Aurelia wracked her brains hard to think of the answer why Christine brought with her such a brainless man in a ce where one''s brain was a necessity for survival.

    In the end, without ever reaching an answer...

    Aurelia returned to her senses and swiftly assumed a professional tone of voice and posture before she replied, "The house will hurl two dices up into the air. On the table will be eighteen slots with numbers. You just have to guess which among the eighteen numbers would the two dicesnd..."

    "What?" Calvin revealed shock and delight. "Two dices? Only eighteen numbers? Isn''t that too easy?"

    ''Shit, this guy really is a dumbass...'' Aurelia thought to herself.

    Christine also had her doubts as she stared at Calvin.

    Letting out a sigh, Christine could only hope that Calvin wouldn''t lose so badly against the house as to affect her family''s reputation.

    Else, the repercussions would be something that she would have to pay a huge price to endure.

    "How about the payout?" A somewhat greedy look appeared on Calvin''s face.

    Aurelia hid her disdain and exined. "There are two modes in the Dance of Dices. ssic and High-risk."

    "In ssic, there would be two dices. To win, you only have to correctly guess onending number for the dices."

    "As for High-Risk. The payout ratio is 1:10. But to win, you have to correctly guess bothnding numbers for the two dices. The payout ratio for the ssic mode is 1:2. Which mode do you want to y, young noble?" Aurelia revealed a sweet smile.

    Christine looked at Calvin, waiting for his decision.

    The crowd also focused their attention on Calvin at this moment.

    This was the moment where they would find outonce and for allwhether Calvin was truly a dumbass or not.

    And Calvin truly did deliver ording to their expectations.

    "High-Risk! Go big or go home has always been my motto!"

    "I rather bet my entire life to win it big, than to be a coward in the face of opportunity!"

    His words sent the crowd into an uproar. It has been years since someone was actually stupid enough to y High-Risk Dance of Dices. But what angered the crowd the most wasn''t actually Calvin''s decision. It was his words.

    <em>''Than to be a coward in the face of opportunity.''</em>

    These words of his were basically the same as pping the faces of those that chose to y the ssic Mode in the past.

    It was tantamount to calling them cowards!

    In an instant, some people stood up and headed in Calvin''s direction.

    Fortunately, the security of the casino seemed to have be tighter with Christine''s arrival.

    A cordon was soon made around Calvin, Christine, and Aurelia as thetter lightly chuckled and praised.

    "Young noble sure is a daring and bold person. All right, let''s start the game. Please ce your bets." In her mind, Aurelia was already thinking of a n that she could use to keep Calvin for as long as he could inside the casino.

    It would be better if he walked out of here in debt.

    After all, he had always hated men that only knew how to brag but had no evidence whatsoever to support their ims.

    She wanted to teach him a lesson.

    Calvin took one nce at her and said, "Don''t bother about letting me win the first few rounds. I know that you are nning on doing that so I don''t get scared of the casino. But don''t worry, I came here to go big, so I definitely won''t being home without winning something big!"

    In the very next moment, Calvin ced Christine''s family medallion and dered.

    "With this medallion as the backing, I bet a thousand Joselian pesos at once! Let''s roll!"

    The expressions of everyone in the casino immediately changed upon hearing his deration.

    Christine almost had a heart attack hearing him bet a thousand Joselian pesos in a single round.

    Has he gone senile?!

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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!