Chapter 8: The Girl and the Chariot
“Can you still use the ability of the ‘Lamp Bearer’ like before?”
Hiltina replied, “It needs to cover all the cultists in the main mansion.”
“I can, I can.”
Rast’s gaze briefly paused on Hiltina’s slender shoulders, covered by her cloak.
“But are you sure?”
“Activating that ability is a heavy burden for me, especially extending the target from a single individual to dozens… In this state of mental exhaustion, I cannot provide you with any support.”
“There are thirty-six people in the estate’s main house, more than half of whom are armed… and most of the cultists can ignore pain and continue to act even when injured due to flesh pollution.”
Rast had his guesses about Hiltina’s ability.
Unlike his ‘Tower,’ which is more focused on the mind, Hiltina’s Sequence should be related to combat.
However, even so, the plan proposed by her seemed exceptionally dangerous; Hiltina did not have the unlimited chances like Rast.
“No matter how they can ignore pain, as long as they are still made of flesh, once the heart or head is pierced, they naturally won’t be able to move.”
Hiltina opened her mouth, “Moreover, since you have never changed the outcome of Deep Blue Harbor being destroyed by Divine Descent at dusk over tens of thousands of cycles…”
“That also means the things we have to face are far more than what is before us.”
Given the methods exhibited by Rast, Hiltina did not believe that these cultists in the mansion could hinder his steps.
Something that could trap Rast in this never-ending loop, making it difficult to escape after hundreds of years of reincarnation, must be some other terrifying entity.
“The established history, the ending imprinted in ancient tomes…”
“So-called fate, is it not something that can be easily broken without taking risks and exerting all one’s effort to struggle?”
Hiltina looked calmly at Rast: “I do not want to d*e in the Night World without anyone knowing.”
“Since you said that I am the only variable you have encountered in tens of thousands of cycles…”
“Then why not try to trust me a little.”
Looking into those brown eyes that held no hint of gloom, Rast nodded.
Receiving the affirmative response, Hiltina lifted a strand of hair that had fallen over her forehead, smiling: “Speaking of which, we are about to fight side by side, but I haven’t introduced myself to you yet.”
“You should have guessed, I, like the previous Shadow Sequence dancer, have also reached the Third Tier.”
“As for the name of my Sequence, it is—”
Her words paused for a moment, the corners of her mouth curling up.
“‘Chariot’”
……
Inside the mansion, the lights were bright.
Men and women were exchanging drinks, with empty bottles haphazardly piled on the ground, resembling an ordinary banquet.
However, a closer observation would reveal that the eyes of the people inside the main house, regardless of gender, hid a certain fervent anticipation.
It seemed they had gathered here simply to wait for something to happen.
Clatter—
Sudden hurried footsteps came from outside the mansion’s door.
Approaching from afar, it immediately attracted the attention of everyone present.
Two figures cloaked in black robes finally stopped at the entrance of the estate, the leader bent forward, gasping for breath with half a foot inside the door.
“Vice Cardinal… The secret intelligence from West Street needs to be reported to the leader.”
“Davi? What happened?”
Among the crowd, a middle-aged man referred to as the Vice Cardinal stood up, frowning as he looked towards the out-of-breath figure at the door.
Although it was difficult to see the person’s face due to the darkness outside and the covering of the hooded robe, the Vice Cardinal still recognized his identity by his voice as one of the two guards he had dispatched for perimeter vigilance.
An expression of displeasure crossed his face: “Didn’t I say that the leader should not meet anyone today?”
The person outside bent down for a moment, seeming to catch his breath: “But this intelligence is crucial; it concerns Councilor Talis.”
“West Street’s stronghold has already been taken down by the Inspectorate for transmitting this information.”
The Vice Cardinal’s brows furrowed deeper, like gnarled tree roots.
The Councilor Talis was not unfamiliar to the Vice Cardinal; he could be said to be their greatest enemy in Deep Blue Harbor.
Of course, Councilor Talis’s goal was not simply to eliminate the cult and maintain city order.
Somehow, he discovered the extraordinary nature of the sculpture salvaged by the leader and had long coveted it.
Healing diseases, preserving youth… it was easy to imagine how attractive this was to an aging noble councilor.
However, they have also established a certain influence in Deep Blue Harbor, and since Councilor Talis was worried that the extraordinary nature of the sculpture would be noticed by other powerful figures, both sides had remained in a stalemate phase without large-scale conflicts.
Now, by using his status as a councilor to exert pressure, instructing the Inspectorate to eliminate one of their strongholds, was he preparing to confront the other nobles and completely break relations?
“Go on, what exactly happened on Talis’s side?”
The Vice Cardinal asked in a low voice.
The remaining cultists present also turned their gazes towards the newcomer, their expressions somber.
If only they could get through today, until the leader completed the ritual… everything would be of no concern.
But why did that old man Talis choose to act at this critical moment? Did he receive some kind of news, or was there a traitor within the organization?
Under the scrutinizing gazes, the black-robed man finally straightened his body slowly.
“This is the account from the last survivor of the West Street stronghold. Though I cannot verify its authenticity, the accuracy of the information is very high.”
He raised his left hand from within his long sleeve as if he were about to reveal a great secret, speaking word by word: “The intelligence is…”
“Councilor Talis—”
“He has been stumbling upon the city council.”
?
The overly outrageous statement momentarily left all the cultists who had been concentrating on listening for important intelligence in a daze.
Though it was just a fleeting moment of bewilderment, it was enough for Rast.
The silvery pistol slid from his sleeve into his hand.
Without hesitation, Rast aimed the g*n at his own temple.
Then, in the center of all eyes fixed upon him.
Bang—
The muzzle erupted with a roar.
No bullets were fired in the smoke, but it seemed as if Rast’s head had indeed been pierced by a b*llet, tilting to one side while his ice-blue eyes suddenly lit up.
Immediately after, everyone present, caught completely off guard, saw the tower behind Rast amidst the storm.
And below the tower, the shadow of the Lamp Bearer, with a clean flame shining in the lantern.
The bright firelight illuminated their eyes, causing all the cultists inside the mansion to fall into a moment of distraction as if they had suddenly seen a strong light in a dark environment.
The psychological deterrence of the ‘Lamp Bearer’ was not long-lasting.
Though Rast’s timing of use was quite unexpected, it was ultimately targeting dozens of people and would normally last at most for a few seconds.
At that moment, Hiltina, who had been following behind Rast and trying to lower her presence, suddenly took a step forward, matching his pace.
As if feeling it might affect the battle, Hiltina ripped off the hooded cloak that had always enveloped her, revealing her knight’s attire of pure white and bright red beneath.
Her vibrant chestnut hair spilled down and reflected a golden glow in the night’s torches, brightening even the dim night sky a little, clearing the darkness within the estate.
In a matter of seconds, the gusts raised by the swift swordswoman swept through the entire mansion.
(End of Chapter)
