Chapter 177: The Overbearing Nature of Hounds

Chapter 177: The Tyranny of the Hounds

Vanni slid down the slope. Not only did she refrain from asking about the spell Karen had just unleashed, she did not even offer him a word of thanks. Instead, with resolute purpose, she raised her rifle once more, reloaded swiftly, and aimed at the target locked in mortal combat with their captain.

Karen stood up, the Sea God's Armor and the Dark Moon Blades still clinging to his form, unvanquished, though he found himself at a loss as to how to enter the fray.

His relative lack of combat experience was but a minor factor; the primary obstacle was the captain’s chaotic style of engagement, which left no discernable opening for intervention.

It felt like watching a group of childhood companions playing jump rope on the street; one stands at the periphery, wishing to join yet unable to grasp the cadence, poised to leap a dozen times only to hesitate and draw back on each occasion.

Vanni, however, possessed the uncanny ability to strike the perfect moment. Each time Neo managed to wrench a brief expanse of distance between himself and his foe, her bullet would instantly bite into the man’s flesh; though the lead could not pierce his hide, the enchantments woven into the ammunition broke his momentum and wore down his resolve.

"Roar!"

The man's bellow grew increasingly frantic. In truth, the moment his brother’s head had fallen to Karen’s blade, his sanity had fractured into a hysterical frenzy; abandoning all measured control over his power, he began to let his passions dictate his strikes.

Yet the adversary he faced refused to grant him the privilege of a close-quarters execution.

He burned to slaughter the executioner of his brother and the woman who plagued him with constant gunfire, but his direct opponent held his stride in an unbreakable vice, shifting the vectors and distances of their duel so masterfully that escape from the confinement was impossible.

Vanni drew a purple cartridge from her pouch, chambered it, and took aim once more, though she held her fire.

Karen took his post slightly ahead and to her flank, serving as her shield without obstructing her sightline.

Since he could not enter the captain's private theater of war, he would at least attend to the duties within his immediate grasp.

Sparks cascaded continuously across the man’s skin, inflicting immense agony and ruin.

The captain moved with the precision of an elegant virtuoso, refining every minutia of his performance; Karen noted that through the entirety of this desperate clash, the captain's garments remained remarkably unmarred.

If this grueling battle were to endure—no, even now, the verdict was already written. The man was merely offering his final, agonizing throes, resembling a mad bull bristling with harpoons; though his aspect remained ferocious, he was destined to collapse into the dust at any given moment.

Yet the captain chose that instant to offer a swift gesture.

Vanni understood implicitly.

A violet radiance emanated from her flesh, sinking into the rifle until the crimson barrel glowed with an answering purple aura.

The captain’s sign commanded them to hasten the end.

Accelerating the conclusion meant securing a victory already won at an accelerated pace, though it would undoubtedly demand a price.

But considering the commotion of their clash, the distress signals already flung into the sky, the approach of other Whiplash squads, the deployment of different ecclesiastical units, and the inevitable meddling of rival factions—

In short, if they did not conclude this business swiftly, they would forfeit the privilege of picking the bones of the slain.

The legacy of two annihilated Whiplash squads represented a fortune that could not be idly dismissed; the sacred artifacts, the point vouchers, and the esoteric curios they carried would all be harvested. There was no room for shame in this, for it was the righteous wages of a vengeance delivered before the night could age.

As for the remaining deviants and the corrupted, their anatomical spoils would be reaped; that great silver centipede would, in all likelihood, be meticulously dissected once its life ebbed away, its vital essences extracted before the husk was pounded into mire.

The Hounds would never permit a single scrap of flesh to go to waste.

The only sanctuary from their greed belonged to the corpses of the fallen Whiplash members; those, they would leave untouched.

With the tempo forced, Neo's piano composition seemed to ascend into its grand crescendo. He pressed into close quarters with terrifying frequency, and black sparks erupted across the man’s body with violent intensity.

Yet the brute finally grasped an opening—or rather, an opening the captain chose to yield. As a heavy axe-swing clove nothing but air, the man’s left arm liquefied, shaping itself into a jagged blade just as his brother's had done, and impaled the captain through his right shoulder.

The captain hung suspended from the limb like a trophy, but as the man raised his right axe to cleave his prize in twain—

"Bang!"

The violet round screamed from the barrel, striking the arm turned blade. The anatomy that had once been iron-hard proved brittle and frail upon assuming its new configuration.

"Crack!"

The limb snapped clean through. Neo’s form dropped instantly, his hands clamping onto the man’s skull.

In the next heartbeat,

Captain Neo's eyes turned entirely black. He hovered above the earth, borne aloft by an invisible torrent of air.

Karen felt a sudden, blistering heat radiate from the space ahead, the air buckling and warping before his eyes, yet not a single tongue of flame escaped into the open.

For the fire, in that terrible instant, raged entirely within the man's vessel.

The brute struggled to form another motion, but fire began to geyser from his eyes, his ears, his mouth, and his nose.

Presently, his flesh fractured into a web of fissures. Searing tongues of flame licked through the cracks, followed by wider chasms of ruin, until he resembled nothing so much as a brick kiln collapsing under its own internal inferno.

"Boom!"

At last, he dropped to his knees. The fire tore outward from his core, consuming his entire mortal frame; as for his soul, it had been utterly extinguished at the very genesis of the strike.

Neo touched down upon the earth, the severed half of the blade-arm still protruding from his shoulder. His gaze swept the perimeter before settling on Vanni. "Order the squad. Secure the spoils quickly, cache the harvest, and lay down the seals."

Every piece of plunder would be interred in a nearby location, shielded by protective wards to confound any scrying eyes. They lacked the leisure to haul the wealth away now; they would return under the cover of a later hour to transport it and feed it into the black markets.

Evidently, this was a liturgy they had performed many times before.

Vanni loaded a yellow flare into her rifle and fired into the heavens. A bright amber light soared into the sky with a whistling screech, signaling their comrades.

Karen allowed the Sea God's Armor and the Dark Moon Blades to dissolve into nothingness.

It was then that Vanni suddenly threw her arms around him, pressing two swift kisses against his cheek.

"Consider that your reward for saving my life."

Karen, standing right before her, raised a hand to wipe away whatever trace of moisture she had left behind.

He inquired,

"Would any other comrade receive such gratitude for saving you?"

"Oh, certainly not."

"Then it seems I have suffered a loss by rescuing you."

"Indeed. If you have a grievance, you are welcome to lodge a complaint with the captain."

Karen chose to ignore the suggestion entirely, knowing the captain would likely advise them to settle the matter privately in some secluded grove.

"But that armor you wore earlier was magnificent," Vanni murmured, her eyes blinking. "And those two crimson scimitars... that energy signature felt strangely familiar."

"The armor belongs to the Sea God's panoply, a relic of the fundamentalist Church of the Sea God which waned at the close of the last era and perished at the dawn of this one.

As for those twin scimitars, they belong to the very same spell employed by Lady Ophelia—the Blades of the Dark Moon."

Neo spoke as he limped toward them.

"The Dark Moon Blades?" Vanni blinked. "Has your courtship progressed at such a furious pace?"

"It is not... we have not..."

Neo cut in:

"On the first day of your acquaintance, you offer a confession upon the docks.

On the morning of the second, you are seen rolling her dining cart from her private quarters.

By the evening of that same day, you are wielding a secret art that her house would never permit an outsider to learn.

Vanni, I am beginning to harbor grave doubts as to whether it was you two who shared a room with him last night, or if he slipped away to the adjoining chamber to perform some covert work.

Given this rhythm, I should not feel the slightest prick of astonishment if, by the time the Dark Moon Island delegation concludes its business with the Holy See and boards the cruise liner for home, Lady Ophelia discovers herself to be with child."

"Captain..."

"There is no need for explanations. It is mere banter. At the conclusion of a bloody hunt, one always requires a bit of idle gossip to restore the humors."

With those words, Neo reached out, violently tearing the severed arm from his own shoulder and tossing it carelessly to the ground.

Then, Karen watched as the flesh around Neo's shoulder wound writhed rapidly, already showing signs of mending itself.

This was... the lineage of a Bloodthirsty Demon!

"You see, this is my secret. When Elisa saved me, I was actually beyond saving, but she gave me the only First Embrace of her life, which brought me back. Since then, I’ve possessed the blood of a Bloodthirsty Demon, hah.

That count fellow seemed to have noticed it, because even though Elisa is dead, he still has people send me Peace Liquid through the newly established Anavas liaison office in York City."

"So, Captain... will you lose your mind too?"

Neo shook his head. "Elisa needed it, but I don't, and I've never tasted it. I actually quite enjoy chatting with that old fellow who pops up in my head from time to time; his presence solved my bouts of insomnia at night."

Fanny turned her head, looking at Karen, and said, "Now I understand why he was holding that little revolver earlier. Is that little revolver an ornament of yours?"

"No, it's because I didn't have time to procure proper equipment; it came with the basic gear package."

Realization dawned on Fanny. "Ah, no wonder that little revolver looked so familiar."

"Rest assured, in this squad, everyone has secrets, and everyone tacitly protects them," Neo said, reaching out to pat Karen's shoulder. "Moreover, you used your secret to protect your teammates, which proves you value their lives more than your own secrets."

"I'm very touched, Captain," Fanny said.

"Being touched is useless. He probably likes young girls, someone like Miss Ophelia; you and Peige are a bit too old."

"Captain, since you have the Bloodthirsty Demon lineage anyway, you wouldn't mind if I shot another hole in you, would you?"

By this time, the man kneeling on the ground had been burned down to nothing but a skeleton, yet a faint golden light emerged. When this light appeared, it seemed to possess a magical power that drew all eyes to it.

"Fanny, isolate."

"Yes, Captain."

Fanny closed her eyes, first applying a purification onto herself, and then turned her back to the scene.

Neo looked toward Karen and asked, "Don't you need it?"

Karen replied, "Captain, I think I've guessed what's inside."

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot you were involved in the Ziche case."

Neo walked over to the incinerated corpse, extended his foot to kick it over, and subsequently, a copper coin rolled out.

Indeed,

a Laxis copper coin!

Neo stood before the coin and said, "This is the source of all sin."

"Captain, it should inherently be pure, but precisely because of its excessive purity, it easily stimulates the dark side within the hearts of those who touch it."

"Is that so? So that's how it is."

Neo bent down, preparing to pick up the copper coin.

"Captain, you cannot touch it directly!"

"It's fine. I just want to know what it is I desire right now and what the meaning of my existence is. After Elisa died, I pondered for a long time without finding an answer. I feel as though I am currently living merely by inertia."

Having spoken, Neo used his bare hand to pick up the coin, even holding it before his face to examine and toy with it closely.

Karen silently retreated two steps, hesitating over whether to summon the Sea God's Armor once again.

"Sigh."

Neo let out a sigh, tossed the coin back to the ground, and began to apply seals.

Layer after layer of seals enveloped the surface of the copper coin, its brilliance gradually dimming until it vanished completely.

"Captain?" Karen asked cautiously.

Neo flashed a faint smile,

and said:

"The greatest sorrow is not that it awakens the greed within your heart, but that even while holding it, you cannot perceive what it is you actually want."

Huh?

The Laxis copper coin actually had absolutely no effect on Neo?

"Find a piece of clothing to wrap it up. We can't skim this one off for ourselves, because two squads of the Whip of Order lost their minds to it. With the Ziche case as a precedent, the higher-ups will definitely guess what brought this on."

"Shall I do it?" Karen asked.

"Because I worry that if I keep it and hand it over myself, you'll spend a long time wondering if I’ve been controlled by this coin. Therefore, to avoid any tedious speculation on your part, you will be responsible for keeping and surrendering it."

"How could that be? I trust the Captain..."

"Heh."

Karen took off his coat, using both hands through the fabric to touch the copper coin, which had already been bound by many layers of seals.

"If you want to know what you desire and face your own greedy side, I can undo the seals for you again to let you experience it."

"No need, Captain. Sometimes I think being able to deceive oneself is quite nice; tearing away one's own facade is often deeply painful."

"A very fitting reply."

The moment Karen wrapped the coin, a sudden tremor shook his heart. Faintly, he perceived that a certain desire within his soul was being lured out, and his mind began to churn, as if images that could make him lose himself were about to surface.

Even after being sealed by the Captain, the Laxis copper coin still possessed such a terrifying power of temptation!

But right at that moment, Karen suddenly heard a call, like a bucket of cold water splashed directly onto his soul.

...

"Brother Karen?"

A crisp, clear call echoed near his ear.

Karen found himself standing within a dark, spatial void. Within this space stood a series of cubic cages, inside of which many terrifying artifacts were sealed.

Where was this place?

"Brother Karen?"

Karen turned around and saw a cubic blue cage. Inside the cage, resting upon a soft carpet of gold thread, lay a Laxis copper coin.

This was not the one he held in his hand.

"Brother Karen, it really is you."

At that moment, Karen noticed the figure of a girl appearing atop the cage. She was sitting up there, swinging her legs.

"Loya?"

"Brother Karen, it really is you."

So, this place was the sealed warehouse of the Church of Order?

"Did Brother Karen sense me through another copper coin? Well, that coin didn't birth an artifact spirit. Perhaps Ziche himself didn't know that I am not only the spirit of the coin in his hand, but also the spirit of the other copper coins that haven't birthed their own spirits."

"Are you doing well here?" Karen asked.

"Not well, it's very dull and boring.

There are many things sealed here, some of which even frighten me, but not many have birthed artifact spirits. Those spirits have terrible tempers too, plotting all day long on how to break through the seals here and escape."

Heh, this topic, they have probably discussed it for thousands of years, no, perhaps even for an entire epoch.

Hahaha, yet they still indulge in it with unflagging enthusiasm.

But, how did Brother Karen's consciousness manage to enter this place?

I mean, even if you were holding another copper coin, it should still be impossible for your consciousness to penetrate this realm. It seems Brother Karen truly is extraordinary. You certainly live up to being the first handsome young man to catch my eye; you are simply different from ordinary people.

"I..."

"Brother Karen belongs to the Order of Shield too, right? Then you must hurry up and climb the ranks, so that you will have the chance to take me out of here.

Mm, last time I asked how many points it would take to redeem me, and it felt like there were so many zeros at the end. Moreover, points alone are not enough; it also requires a matching status and meritorious service.

But I believe Brother Karen will definitely be able to take me away very soon, right?

Oh, the administrator of the sealed space seems to have sensed an outside consciousness entering. Brother Karen, leave quickly, do not let him discover you."

...

"Buzz!"

Karen's consciousness returned to his body, and he then saw Neo standing right before him, scrutinizing him closely.

"Captain..."

"You were spaced out for fifty-nine seconds."

"I did not lose myself..."

"Mm, I believe you did not lose yourself, because those who are truly lost probably would not remember to count the seconds like making a phone call, knowing that exceeding one minute would incur two minutes' worth of phone charges."

"Uh..."

At that moment, Neo suddenly reached out and patted Vanni on the shoulder, and Vanni opened her eyes.

"I sensed the approach of a Whip of Order squad. Send the signal, we can begin burying the spoils."

"Yes, Captain."

Vanni fired another flare into the sky.

Neo said to Karen, "Rest assured, the spoils will be cataloged first. Utensils and materials that can be utilized will be prioritized for our own squad members. What we cannot use will be sold collectively on the black market, and the proceeds will be distributed within the team."

"Understood, Captain, I have no objection."

"Mm, very good. Now, come with me to intercept that approaching squad, to buy a bit more time for the others to handle the spoils.

We will primarily test their mettle. If they are relatively weak and refuse to listen to reason..."

"What should we do then?"

"Then we will have no choice but to report them as the third lost squad."