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Chapter 788: Lanchi Listens to the Blood Clan's Mournful Cry (Part 1)
Chapter 788: Lanchi Listens to the Blood Clan's Mournful Cry (Part 1)
"Phew, I'm glad you're alright."
With that, Talia set aside half of her worries for now.
After accepting the Undying Eternal Punishment, Lanchi didn't seem to suffer any unimaginable pain as expected and even appeared rather relaxed, as if there was no cost at all.
However, it was precisely because of this that Talia couldn't fully set her mind at ease.
Sometimes, you borrow something, and it's just that the time for repayment hasn't come yet.
"Let's look at the options first."
Lanchi asked Talia not to overthink it. He was fine, and if they wanted to achieve a perfect ending, these choices were necessary.
The options this time were all place names.
Since it was clear that Rankloos wouldn't calmly remain here, he must be heading to a certain place.
If he chose option A, the Nakalis Demon City, he would probably be seeking help from the Desecration Lord Merogus to join forces and attack the Honing Empire together.
If he selected option B, the capital of the Honing Empire, Saint Trick, it would likely fast-forward to directly assaulting the Blood Clan's lair in Blood Moon City.
Option C, Hansa Beck, was the province of the Honing Empire with the most simulated investigations during the previous mission.
"First of all, let's rule out seeking help from Lord Merogus, the Desecration Lord. Although it would be more stable to bring a group of powerful demons to sweep through Blood Moon City, to be honest, time is limited. I've already used the Undying Eternal Punishment on myself, so there's no need to waste time going back to the Demon City, mobilizing the powerful demons for assistance."
During this simulation, Lanchi also understood why he could go to the Demon City.
It turned out to be a substitute option for "using the Undying Eternal Punishment on oneself."
If Rankloos hadn't used the Undying Eternal Punishment on himself, he could have called upon a group of powerful demons, gathered the strongest combat power available, and launched an all-out offensive on Blood Moon City.
But doing so wouldn't guarantee victory, and even if they succeeded, many powerful demons would undoubtedly perish in Blood Moon City. Failure, on the other hand, would shake the foundation of the Demon Realm and might even lead to its destruction.
For Rankloos, the debt he owed to Caliyella was far from repayable. He could gamble with his own life, but he wouldn't bet on the fate of the Demon Realm and the lives of the powerful demons, risking everything with the Blood Clan.
So he would go alone to Blood Moon City to put an end to this conflict.
"Since your condition won't deteriorate, we have more than five days, so it seems there's no need to rush directly to Saint Trick and head to Blood Moon City. We can go to the Hansa Beck province first and continue the investigation from last time, right?"
Talia suggested to him.
She always felt that Caliyella might have seen more in her dying moments than what Lanchi had witnessed in his previous simulation.
If Caliyella were the one simulating, knowing that she couldn't defeat Blood Moon City, she would have chosen a conservative strategy, gathering more intelligence instead of launching a direct assault.
So even if Caliyella had only simulated once, she might have seen more than what Lanchi currently knew.
In the last simulation, Lanchi had chosen to rush towards Blood Moon City, skipping the opportunity to investigate further in the Hansa Beck province.
"No problem."
Lanchi agreed with Talia, and they selected the option to go to the Hansa Beck province.
Everything before his eyes transformed.
He turned into the Ultimate Shadow and sped southward.
The surrounding scenery flew backwards, and after an unknown period, the sky darkened and then brightened as he traversed the Demon Realm, the Land of Eternal Night, and the Saint Pulant Religious Nation, covering a distance of over ten thousand kilometers. The majestic fortress city located at the southern border of the Saint Pulant Religious Nation came into view.
The orderly streets and ancient, sturdy buildings were all within sight.
【You have passed through the southernmost part of the Saint Pulant Religious Nation, the iron fortress of Oberon, where preparations are underway with the border city-state of Seville for the fourth anniversary of the revival of the Seville mainland peace.】
【Continuing southward, you enter the northern province of Helst Rhine in the Honing Empire.】
【In the border area of the Honing Empire after the war, the cold winter sun shines on the main city covered in white snow. The greenhouse sheds, the lush vegetables and fruits, the children playing and running around, the bustling markets and chamber of commerce squares—all the peaceful joy of the winter festival seems like an illusion to you.】
【You are now indifferent to all of this.】
This time, he moved silently through the Honing Empire for an unusually long time.
Along the way, he passed countless city-states and landscapes before his vision finally slowed as the sun began to set.
As far as the eye could see, towering peaks reached into the clouds, and sheer cliffs pierced the sky. Clouds and mist swirled in the valley, and a strong wind blew through, with a deep gray castle standing majestically atop the highest mountain peak.
【When you see the landmark of Lichten's Castle, you know you have successfully arrived in the middle northern province of the Honing Empire, Hansa Beck.】
【You have given up on taking another look at your hometown, the town of Brunswick, because you have more important things to do.】
In the blink of an eye, he passed through the sunny town of Reem and the historic city-state of Soren.
【Based on the experience from the last dream, you head to the southern city of Vioke.】
【This time, your only purpose is the Blood Moon City, but along the way, you decide to investigate information related to the Magi.】
【Throughout the journey, you still can't help but worry about that mother and child.】
【Perhaps you can save them sooner.】
Night fell.
The Blood Moon hung high in the sky, and the cold moonlight draped over the land like satin.
Lanchi, carrying a briefcase, avoided the patrolling knights of the city-state and ventured deep into the dense forest on the outskirts of the city.
【You continue forward, passing through a dense forest in the southeast corner of the outskirts.】
Suddenly.
A strange putrid smell wafted through the air, the scent of blood and flesh left by beasts being devoured.
【You look around, your gaze falling on a bush not far away.】
【You quietly approach the bush.】
【The cold wind is biting, and the tree shadows sway.】
【A red light appears in the darkness.】
【The large and small Magi have twisted and deformed bodies, half-human and half-beast, emitting eerie shrieks interspersed with giggles as they huddle together.】
【Perhaps yesterday, they were still living normal lives in this city-state. The mother struggled to raise her child, and even though life was a bit difficult, the future looked promising. The child would grow up, earn money, and work to make their home better.】
【But everything happened too fast, and the cruel catastrophe shattered their lives to pieces.】
【Unfortunately, they are beyond saving now.】
In the next second, Lanchi clenched his jaw, turned his head to the side, and pointed his finger. A dazzling flame burst forth from the forest floor.
Tongues of fire licked, and ashes scattered.
Only silence remained in the basin.
Everything returned to calm.
"Lanchi, if there's a need for a third simulation, let's not come to this place again next time."
Talia understood that for Lanchi, seeing this Magi mother and child during each visit, being unable to save them, and having to send them off personally was a repeated torment.
"If only I could have been a little faster..."
Lanchi bit his lip, his expression pained.
"You knew the chances were slim," Talia consoled him. "They may have been turned into demons a day earlier, or even longer ago. It's not something you could have changed by being a few minutes or hours faster."
Understanding flashed in her eyes as she recalled the intelligence they had gathered in Soren City earlier. The rumors about the demon in Vioke City had already been spreading for about two days.
Even if their simulation was a day earlier, there was little hope of preventing what had already transpired.
"But the description of the demon in those rumors doesn't match the appearance of that demon mother and child," Lanchi frowned.
Therefore, they couldn't rule out the possibility that there had been other demons before this pair, and if that were the case, arriving a day earlier might have made a difference.
【A feeling of powerlessness washes over you as you are forced to accept reality.】
The bushes around them began to distort, and the trunk of a large tree revealed the words of the Tebiriuss Mirror.
【Your choices are:】
【A. Hunt Demons Along the Way】
【B. Head Directly to the Capital】
【C. Continue the Investigation】
【D. Intervene Personally】
【Remaining Time: 3 days, 22 hours, and 16 minutes】
"We still have plenty of time, and your condition won't deteriorate, so it seems we have one more round to gather information before heading to the capital. Let's choose the third option and continue the investigation, shall we?" Talia suggested.
The last simulation had been about gaining insight and ensuring they could make it to Blood Moon City for the final confrontation, hence the choice to rush to the capital.
But this time was different; they had already uncovered the intelligence they needed for the showdown in Blood Moon City, and the mystery surrounding the demons remained unsolved.
"I think that even if we continue the investigation, we won't uncover much in the way of cause and effect," Lanchi said, his gaze moving upward. "If similar incidents of civilians being turned into demons are occurring across the region, and each one seems to vanish without a trace, then it suggests that whoever is behind this is manipulating the information you're seeing."
His eyes settled on the first option—Hunt Demons Along the Way.
"Do you mean that the information about the transformed residents has likely been erased in advance, and there's some force manipulating the rules of the game?" Talia asked, beginning to understand Lanchi's train of thought.
"Yes. If we remain here to investigate, we're more likely to expose ourselves. On the other hand, if we continue hunting demons along our path, the truth will come to us, and those responsible won't be able to ignore us as a variable." Lanchi's tone was firm.
"So, you're saying that if those who want to get rid of us send their killers, the truth will be revealed. As long as we stay alive, we'll uncover the truth." Talia's eyes widened as she grasped his plan.
This strategy was akin to a gambler's thinking, but with Lanchi's current invincibility, even the strongest assassins sent by their enemies stood no chance against him. It was a sure bet.
Lanchi selected the first option without hesitation.
Hunt Demons Along the Way.
【You continue your journey southward, and whenever you hear rumors of demons, you take action to eliminate them.】
【The name "Randall the Demon Hunter" quickly spreads far and wide.】
【Under normal circumstances, you should have been hailed as a heroic knight.】
【But then, something unexpected happened.】
In the southern central region of the Honing Empire, in the province of Tarberg, lies the city of Salzburg.
A thick fog blankets the cobblestone streets of this ancient city-state, like a heavy blanket enveloping its quaint architecture.
The damp air carries a musty scent, mingled with the faint aroma of freshly baked bread from a distant bakery.
A man dressed in a brown cloak emerges from the mist, his leather boots making no sound as he walks silently across the stone pavement, a ghostly figure in the early morning quiet.
The man appears to be a traveling merchant, carrying a briefcase.
He strides to the center of the square and stops before a large wanted poster.
The lamplight illuminates the poster, its bold black letters stark against the paper:
"Wanted: Randall Reinhardt"
"This office has learned of a dangerous individual calling himself the 'Demon Hunter,' wreaking havoc in the central provinces of the Empire. This man, Randall Reinhardt, aged 29, approximately 6 feet tall, with a sturdy build and brown hair and green eyes, is responsible for creating demons and harming innocents. He is highly skilled in magic and adept at manipulating others. If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please notify the local garrison immediately. Caution: This man is extremely dangerous, do not approach him alone!"
"By order of the Governor of Tarberg Province, Konrad Hoffman, on the 28th day of the 12th month, 614th year of the Imperial Calendar."
The merchant, Lanchi, stares at the wanted poster, his brow furrowed.
He scans the empty square, the mist swirling under the lamplight.
A chill wind blows, rustling the fallen leaves on the ground.
He takes a deep breath, turns, and walks away, his cloak billowing behind him as he disappears into the fog.
【As you hunt demons and help the local residents, you find yourself being wanted by a wider range of provinces, with claims that you are the one creating the demons.】
【You finally understand the true state of the Honing Empire.】
"How did I go from being a demon hunter to the one accused of creating demons overnight?" Lanchi asks, his voice tinged with frustration.
"It seems that corruption runs deep in the Honing Empire, from the capital to the various provinces," Talia replies, her tone resigned, as if she had anticipated this worst-case scenario.
【The government of the Honing Empire is not actively dealing with the demon disaster; instead, they are the true masterminds behind it.】
If anyone discovers the truth about the demons, there are only two possible outcomes: the weaker ones are turned into demons themselves, while the stronger ones are framed as the culprits behind the demon creations.
Either way, anyone who hunts demons will inevitably be associated with the appearance of demons in the area, and this pattern is too consistent to be a mere coincidence. It is all too easy for the public to believe that the hunter is somehow connected to the demons.
The Blood Clan has infiltrated and taken control of the government and media of the Honing Empire, easily twisting the truth to suit their narrative.
The mist parts, and the perspective shifts to a clear view.
The merchant arrives at an inn called the Golden Ram's Horn in Salzburg City.
The three-story wooden structure has a dark brown exterior, and a rusty signboard hangs above the entrance, depicting a pair of golden ram's horns.
He pushes open the heavy oak door and steps into the dimly lit lobby.
The innkeeper looks up from behind the front desk, eyeing the new guest with suspicion.
Lanchi places several Honing silver coins on the counter and requests a room on the top floor.
The innkeeper narrows his eyes, testing the coins with a finger before taking them off the counter. He retrieves a copper key from the key board behind him and hands it to Lanchi.
Lanchi ascends the creaking wooden staircase to the top floor and makes his way to the room at the end of the corridor.
He unlocks the door, steps inside, and closes it quietly behind him.
He walked over to the window, drew the heavy dark green curtains, and the room immediately plunged into darkness.
The merchant lit the oil lamp on the table, and a warm yellow glow illuminated a corner of the room.
He took off his cloak, hung it on a coat rack, and then placed his briefcase on the desk.
"I managed to collect quite a few body parts from the demons I hunted along the way."
He opened his briefcase, revealing a neat arrangement of a dozen glass bottles and jars. Each container held different samples—some appeared to be internal organs, while others looked like skin or muscle tissue.
He took out a glass jar containing an eyeball and held it up to the lamp for a closer inspection.
This eyeball was much larger than a typical human eye, with an eerie purple iris and a vertical pupil like a snake's eye.
The merchant frowned and returned the eyeball to its jar before picking up a bottle containing a grayish tissue sample.
He studied the demon body parts intently, using a magnifying glass to examine them, carefully separating the different tissues with tweezers and a scalpel, and recording his findings in a notebook. Occasionally, he would pause to dip his quill into one of the bottles and draw intricate runes and patterns on a piece of parchment.
【Your examination of the demon's corpse reveals no signs of surgical scars similar to those from the old experimentation facilities in the Honing Empire. Instead, it appears they were easily transformed into demons as if poisoned by an invisible toxin.】
【You cannot pinpoint the principle behind the demons' transformation. It could be a new and improved technique, something even you, a survivor of the Honing Empire's experimentation fields, cannot discern.】
【No matter which town you visit, you are unable to detect the hidden demons among the humans. There seems to be no distinguishable difference between them, as if they are all demons, but you know that is impossible.】
"It's a shame I'm not very skilled in this area. In the brief few decades of Rankloos' life, he didn't have much time to delve into these mysteries."
Lanchi couldn't make head or tail of it.
"I can't figure it out either," Talia said, viewing the scene through Lanchi's perspective.
Even though Lanchi had called her a genius of the Demon Realm, she hadn't specialized in these forbidden transformation experiments. Antanas, the former Demon Realm doctor, and Pranay, the scholar, would likely know more about this area.
"Perhaps only those demons in the Demon Realm who are obsessed with researching forbidden transformation magic would be able to uncover something," Talia sighed.
But there was no time to bring the demon's corpse back to the Demon Realm now.
The Honing Empire was at the southernmost tip of the continent, while the Demon Realm was to the north. Even with his current ninth-stage power, he didn't have enough time left to make such a round trip.
"There's no need to plan on bringing it back to the Demon Realm specifically. Firstly, we don't have the time, and secondly, we can just ask about it directly in Saint Trick," Lanchi said, not discouraged by the lack of progress in his investigation.
As he spoke, the glass bottles in his line of sight began to float, and new text from the Tebiriuss Mirror appeared on them.
【While you have made some gains, your intelligence-gathering has hit a bottleneck, and you are ever closer to the southern capital, Saint Trick.】
【Your choices are:】
【A. Attack the Governor】
【B. Head Directly to the Capital】
【C. Continue the Investigation】
【D. Intervene Personally】
【Time Remaining: 2 days, 19 hours, and 55 minutes】
"Lanchi, do you want to go and take out the governor of Tarberg Province?"
Talia was eager to test their newfound power.
As a ninth-stage Saint Soul Pope, Lanchi could do as he pleased.
This was a freedom she had never experienced before.
"It's possible, but we only have a little over two days left. This might be the second-to-last choice for this simulation, so let's just head straight to Saint Trick," Lanchi replied.
He didn't want to cause too much of a ruckus in Tarberg Province, which was in the southern part of the Honing Empire, and risk alerting the Blood Clan in the capital, Saint Trick.
So, for the past two days, even "Traveling Merchant Randall" had kept a low profile, refraining from displaying any power beyond the sixth stage.
"Let's go!"
Talia couldn't wait to get to Blood Moon City.
As Lanchi lightly touched the glass bottles, the daylight outside began to flicker, growing dim and then bright again.
Once more, Lanchi felt everything around him abruptly change, and he continued flying southward for a long time.
After a full day and night...
He finally arrived at the southernmost capital of the Honing Empire, Saint Trick.
In the morning light, the entire capital of Saint Trick unfolded like a beautiful painting.
From above, the winding Rhine River divided the city into two halves, its surface shimmering with the reflection of the rising sun.
Along the riverbank stood the grand Saint Trick Cathedral that Lanchi had seen in Rankloos' dream, and nearby, in the Honing Empire Square, early risers strolled and chatted, enjoying the peaceful morning.
On the south bank of the river, the iconic Moonlight Tower soared into the clouds, its observation deck glowing with a dazzling array of colors as the sun rose.
【Upon arriving in the capital, Saint Trick, you find yourself on the north bank, the domain of humans, while the south bank is your ultimate destination.】
【You do not rush to the south bank but instead make your way to the northern streets you visited in the previous simulation.】
【Here, you have captured a spatial node that can take you to Blood Moon City.】
【You wait for the Blood Clan to discover your presence, re-enacting everything from the previous simulation. You wander the streets of Saint Trick, asking the residents the same questions.】
"The Blood Clan has always protected us. Why should we be afraid of demons? Hahaha."
The passersby replied with enthusiasm.
【When you bring up the subject of demons, the citizens respond with such positivity.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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