Chapter 298: Take Action!

Chapter 298: Move!

Without knowing when it began, Karen had grown increasingly adept at, accustomed to, and composed in the art of impersonation.

There ought to be a specialized department within the Order of Order responsible for espionage and infiltration; Karen had once suspected that Bishop Byrne might be one of its leaders, given that both his father and son had successfully infiltrated the Church of Pamires.

Yet Karen had no desire to draw the attention of such departments within the Order; he usually assumed others' identities merely to handle emergencies, preferring most of the time to remove the mask and breathe his own fresh air.

Take Inquisitor Pavarotti, for instance, who had been out on a mission for so long he had yet to return home.

The Armor of the Sea God was the perfect means of blending in, especially when everyone present possessed a rotting face, practically erasing any distinctiveness in facial features.

Sure enough, upon seeing Karen reveal the Armor of the Sea God, the other black-robed figures instantly averted their gazes and began clearing the corpses.

Karen gathered up a corpse, following several others carrying bodies down toward the basement.

The basement was damp, not from a heaviness of moisture, but from a heaviness of blood.

The lights inside were lit, illuminating six eggs, with the one at the very center being the largest and completely blackened.

The men ahead tossed the corpses into empty barrels lined up against the wall, then immediately turned and sprinted back upstairs.

Karen nearly mistaken this for them discovering his identity and wanting to lock him directly in the basement, but as they scrambled up one by one, the last to leave let out a sigh.

He walked back down and asked Karen:

"Why aren't you running?"

The voice was shrill and thin, sounding as though the throat had not yet fully developed.

Well, it seemed that just as faces lacked distinctiveness here, voices lacked it too.

Karen did not answer.

The other man showed no suspicion, instead producing a knife and a tube to begin draining blood from a corpse.

Seeing several bloody brushes still lying on the ground, Karen understood.

So, the reason those people had suddenly run out earlier was the same as the last two people washing dishes after putting down their bowls?

Karen added a line:

"I know I can't outrun you."

The other man heard this, nodded, and said, "Reasonable."

Imitating the other's movements, Karen picked up a knife and tube from the floor and began draining a corpse.

Though the scene was disgusting and bloody, it remained within the threshold of what the current Karen could endure.

It was just a pity for these men under Mr. Wood; they must have sensed their boss had been captured and devised a way to rescue him, but they had ultimately failed.

Mr. Wood did indeed have a group of desperate outlaws under his command, who possessed some connection to the church circles, but Allen Manor had been so dilapidated before his own arrival that Mr. Wood could not possibly have many powerful subordinates, considering he had once been suppressed to the point of suffocation by the Raphael family's influence here.

This bunch from the Sea God Cult was highly disciplined; seizing an island like Corona was truly effortless for them.

Had they not ambushed Gendi's squad, they could have easily entrenched themselves on Corona Island for a long time.

So, should he thank the captain for acting as the mission contractor?

Otherwise, would it have been their own squad ambushed while handling this escort mission?

Fate was, at times, just that strange.

Just then, Karen saw the other man pick up a brush and begin painting blood onto the eggshells, so Karen also took a brush, dipped it in blood, and began to paint.

With a single stroke of the brush, a dark shadow immediately appeared inside the egg, looking like two hands pressed against the shell, followed by a face in a sucking posture, its mouth as wide as a suction cup.

The applied fresh blood quickly seeped inside, and Karen continued to paint until the creature within had fed to satiety before moving on to the next one.

"You handle the rest."

The black-robed man turned lazy; with only one black egg remaining, he put down his tools and went upstairs first.

Karen walked over to that black egg, an urge rising within him to smash all these eggs to pieces.

Here, one could perceive the darkness within the church circles with absolute clarity; the fundamentalist Sea God Cultists required human blood sacrifices to evolve into the forms they desired, while the people of the Samsara Cult treated the bodies of ordinary people as consumable vessels to carry consciousness.

The Gods sat in the highest positions, and Their believers stood equally high above.

Because of this, even though pieces of trash like Judge Qihexu would appear within the Order of Order, looking at the greater environment, it was undeniable that the Order of Order had indeed brought a different structure to this world in this era.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak..."

A scratching sound came from inside the black eggshell, sounding like a laugh.

Karen raised the brush, continuing to suppress the revulsion in his heart as he painted it with fresh blood.

These things would be destroyed, but not now; his purpose in coming here was to rescue the Wood family.

After finishing the task, Karen tossed the brush onto the floor and walked out of the basement.

Without lingering on the first floor, Karen walked up to the second floor, and then continued up to the third floor.

In the third-floor dining area sat a black-robed man who gave Karen a different feeling from the others; from him, Karen perceived a dangerous aura.

Just then, the man turned his head to look over.

Karen swiftly adjusted his gaze.

"Pour me a glass of rum."

Karen bowed his head to signal his understanding, turning to walk into the kitchen; Mr. Wood had treated him to a meal here last time, and there was a liquor cabinet in the kitchen.

Pouring a glass of wine, Karen presented the wineglass before the man.

The other accepted the glass without a word, merely holding it before him and sniffing lightly.

Although his face was also wrapped in bandages, they were completely soaked through with blood, a crimson wrapping, and those eyes gleamed with a blue light, marking a stark difference from the ordinary black-robed figures.

Just then, the door to an adjacent room opened, and Wood, his body bound by blue ropes, walked out.

"I heard sounds downstairs just now!"

"Yes, it was your men trying to rescue you from this place."

"Where are they?"

"All dead."

"You said if I cooperated with you, you wouldn't kill anyone on this island!"

"But the premise was that you and your men had to be obedient; clearly, they were not, and they even chose to resist."

"The ship arrives tomorrow."

"Too late. You do not wish for us to stay here, and in truth, we also wish to leave this island early for our true destination."

"It arrives tomorrow morning."

"I recall, according to our original agreement, the ship we required should have docked at midnight tonight."

"The ship arriving tomorrow morning is fully loaded with supplies."

"Oh, excellent. Calculated this way, it actually saves us more time. You have done well, Mr. Wood."

"I only hope you keep your promise."

"Of course."

If you do not intend to honor your promise, I expect you to let my wife and daughter go. They have been confined aboard that ship since the very beginning, completely oblivious to your identities. They cannot truly be counted as members of the Allen family.

I must confess, it has always astonished me how a lineage privy to our existence could fall into such a wretched state of decay. When your ancestors commanded the high seas, it likely never crossed their minds that their descendants would see such a day.

Mr. Wood offered a cold smile. I could easily return the sentiment.

Hahaha, the black-robed figure laughed. I quite admire you, Mr. Wood. In this world, there are truly few souls whom I, Ino, can appreciate. Unfortunately, you are a devotee of a familial faith system. Keep transmitting to that vessel; do everything you can to hasten its arrival. I have no desire to linger in this wretched place for another moment.

Ino drained his glass in a single swallow, rose to his feet, and turned his gaze out the window, murmuring as if to himself.

That cat has been watching me from the windowsill for quite some time. I happen to be rather fond of cats.

Hearing those words struck a jolt of alarm through Cullen's heart, yet he forced his body to remain utterly still, avoiding any superfluous movement.

Return our dear Mr. Wood to the communications room. Keep a strict watch on him to ensure he continues urging the ship forward.

Cullen reached out and gripped Wood’s shoulder, but Wood threw a resentful glare at Ino, wrenched himself free from Cullen's grasp, and marched toward the chamber on his own. Cullen followed him inside, drawing the heavy door shut behind them.

Then, Cullen positioned himself flat against the wood of the door, listening intently.

He caught the sound of different footsteps approaching; another black-robed figure had evidently joined the first.

Ino, what are you staring at?

Dart, look at that cat. Doesn't it bear a striking resemblance to my dear Milcy?

Are you referring to the creature you used to keep on the ship? Let me see. Oh, that one’s coat possesses a much finer luster than your Milcy ever did.

A pity, then, that my Milcy was lost to the depths of the ocean during that previous maritime mishap. I suppose the great God of the Sea took a liking to her as well, claiming her for His own companionship. Have you slept your fill? Sit here for a spell in my stead while I step out to retrieve my new Milcy.

Very well, off you go.

Immediately following, Cullen heard the sharp creak of a window being flung open, accompanied by a sudden ripple of magical energy.

Was Pu'er about to be captured?

Had he not expressly forbidden the creature from drawing near this place?

Could Alfred possibly shield Pu'er and the others from harm?

Would there be enough time to utilize the signal flare?

The fluctuation of energy manifested once more, and Ino’s voice floated back into the room.

Oh, look at it, Dart. It is quite exquisite, is it not?

Damnation, caught so swiftly?

Yes, whatever pleases you, Ino. Well then, I shall return to my slumber. By the way, when does the vessel arrive?

Tomorrow morning, a well-provisioned ship will make port. Afterward, we need only round up a few more blood sheep to board with us, and we can set sail.

I should hope it could be done with greater haste.

This is already the absolute limit of speed. I am well aware of what terrifies you, and I share that dread. You have only yourself to blame for failing to thoroughly ascertain their true identities before leading your men to strike. Fortunately, time remains on our side. By the time that colossal entity rouses to react, we shall already be deep within the boundless ocean.

I thought we agreed not to exhume past grievances.

My mistake, entirely my mistake. Go along to your rest now; I intend to keep my new Milcy company. Look at its fur—does it not resemble pristine snow?

A white cat?

The heavy stone weighing upon Cullen's heart finally lifted.

Indeed, he had merely allowed anxiety to cloud his judgment. Though Pu'er carried herself like a pampered lady at home, the cat possessed the seasoned wisdom of an experienced adventurer; there was no way it would commit such a rudimentary blunder.

Unwinding the bandages from his visage, Cullen stepped toward Mr. Wood, who sat motionless before the telephone apparatus, adjacent to an array stone.

Detecting the approaching footsteps, Mr. Wood turned his head. Upon beholding Cullen’s uncovered face, a look of profound shock instantly gripped his features, yet he required no gesture of silence from Cullen; he instinctively understood the necessity of absolute quiet.

Cullen made a steadying motion, pressing both palms downward through the air.

Mr. Wood raised two fingers in response.

Cullen repeated the downward gesture, urging patience.

He had just overheard the black-robed figure mention that Wood's wife and daughter were being held hostage aboard the vessel, while the Captain and the rest of the squad were currently scouring the harbor for that very ship. Barring any unforeseen mishaps, the mother and daughter should soon be rescued.

Deftly reading the intent behind Cullen’s silent signals, Mr. Wood placed a hand over his heart and offered a firm nod of understanding.

Cullen rewound the linen strips around his face and retreated once more to his station by the threshold.

The circumstances ahead promised to be rather intricate.

In truth, he was entirely capable of severing the restrictions binding Mr. Wood's strength right this instant and whisking him out through the window. Given his own capabilities, accomplishing such a feat was well within reach; after all, Mr. Wood himself was no fragile maiden.

Yet if he initiated his gambit prematurely, before the Captain's contingent could locate the vessel and secure the hostages, the outcome might prove far from ideal.

Since he had come this far, he was determined to deliver the entire family unto safety.

Thus, Cullen resolved to tarry a while longer, granting the Captain and the others a broader window of time; it would be best to wait until a signal flare ascended from their position before making his own move.

This vigil stretched onward for nearly two hours.

The town, once brimming with clamor, grew considerably quieter as the midnight hours deepened.

At last, Cullen caught the sound of approaching footsteps. The door creaked inward to reveal Ino.

Would you say it possesses a certain beauty?

Ino inquired of Mr. Wood, cradling a white cat gently in his arms.

Mr. Wood chose to ignore the question entirely.

Heh, you simply lack the refinement to appreciate its elegance. Ino’s gaze then drifted toward Cullen, who stood quietly in the shadowed corner. Is it not beautiful?

Exceedingly beautiful.

Mmm, quite so.

Cradling the feline with an air of profound gratification, Ino turned and stepped back out of the chamber.

Just as Cullen prepared to ease the door shut once more, a sharp, whistling shriek suddenly rent the silence, culminating in the distinct pop of a brilliant firework bursting aloft. Cullen instantly cast his gaze through the glass toward the harbor sky; it was the signal flare!

Shedding all hesitation, a brilliant flame of Order erupted from Cullen's palm as he seized the cords binding Mr. Wood, melting the restraints away in an instant.

Go!

Mr. Wood did not pause to ask whether his wife and daughter had been saved.

Instead, he threw his weight forward without a moment’s reluctance, crashing directly through the windowpane. As his feet struck the ground below, a mantle of protective fire ignited across his form.

Cullen vaulted through the shattered frame immediately after, hard on Mr. Wood's heels.

The sudden ascent of the signal flare had thrown the entire administrative building into a state of alarm, and the commotion within the communications room was instantly detected by Ino.

The moment Cullen touched down, he glanced back to see Ino plunging down from the third-story window, still clutching the white cat tightly against his chest.

In the very next heartbeat, the shimmering Armor of the Sea God materialized over Cullen's form as he bellowed at the fleeing figure ahead:

Do not run! Halt right there! Do not run!

Empowered by the flames coursing through him, Mr. Wood sprinted forward with reckless abandon, utterly heedless of what lay ahead, with Cullen pursuing closely from behind.

Just then, a sudden surge of aquatic energy swept past Cullen's side—it was Ino, effortlessly closing the distance between himself and the fleeing Mr. Wood.

The sole reason they had confined the man with mere rope, without imposing further seals upon him, was partly because his family served as effective leverage, and partly because they deemed any attempt at escape an absolute impossibility.

With his right hand still clutching the cat, Ino extended his left, his figure closing the distance so rapidly that he was on the verge of seizing Mr. Wood’s shoulder, the entire sequence executed with a casual, poetic grace.

Cullen’s eyes instantly flushed crimson; with a violent whip of his arms, the Dark Moon Blade manifested, his body surging forward with an abrupt burst of speed as he sprinted behind Ino, cleaving directly down toward his back!

The calm composure that had graced Ino’s countenance vanished entirely at this moment; he truly could not fathom why the subordinate behind him would undergo such a transformation at a time like this!

Yet a fierce sense of crisis triggered his primal defenses, and the Armor of the Sea God manifested upon his form, though it was far more robust, its sigils and patterns intricately defined.

Even so, Cullen’s Dark Moon Blade forced its way through the armor, plunging deeper inside.

At that precise moment, the cat in Ino’s grasp suddenly ruptured, dissolving into a mist of blood that merged into his armor, causing the protective plates to flush a deep crimson.

Cullen’s Dark Moon Blade finally shattered all resistance, piercing into Ino’s back and passing completely through him.

But Ino’s body suddenly turned liquid, exploding outward!

Boom!

A substitute puppet?

Cullen knew his ambush had not truly succeeded, nor had he anticipated that the purpose behind the man’s affection for the cat lay here.

Not far away, a cluster of water mist coalesced into Ino’s form; he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, staring at Cullen in utter disbelief.

Cullen did not meet his gaze; since the initial ambush had failed, then it was time to... run!

Augmented by the Dark Moon Blade, Cullen’s figure practically transformed into a streak of red light, vanishing in the direction of Mr. Wood’s flight.

Seeing this, Ino’s form dissolved once more into a blue mist of water, giving chase.

Could the speed boost from the Armor of the Sea God truly be this swift?

Cullen felt a flicker of surprise in his heart at his inability to shake his pursuer; immediately, he altered his course to lure the man away, letting Mr. Wood escape first, confident that his prior display made it impossible for the enemy to let him go.

Sure enough, the moment Cullen changed direction, Ino ignored Mr. Wood entirely and turned to pursue Cullen instead.

Right at that moment, a second flare soared into the sky!

And immediately following, a third flare!

One flare meant retreat, two flares meant fight, and three flares meant fight to the death!

Clearly, the Captain had gauged the exact strength of the enemy and issued the command.

Cullen halted abruptly, spinning around to face Ino.

Ino stopped immediately as well, watching Cullen from a distance, blood already seeping from his back.

"Who are you?" Ino demanded.

"Woof!"

Upon a sloped rooftop nearby, a massive Golden Retriever was in full sprint, a rope bound to its torso with the Sword of Alius tied to the other end; as the hound ran, the great sword scraped against the tiles, throwing off a trail of sparks.

At the edge of the roof, the Golden Retriever leaped, hound and great sword tracing a beautiful arc through the air.

Mid-flight, the Golden Retriever snapped the rope with its teeth, and Cullen reached out, catching the Sword of Alius.

Upon landing, the Golden Retriever immediately bared its teeth at Ino, barking furiously: "Woof! Woof! Woof!"

A patch of menacing scales erupted across Ino’s skin, his aura exploding violently.

"Whimper..."

Kevin felt his courage falter slightly at the sight, given his current existence as mere hound.

Yet the moment he turned to glance at Cullen standing behind him with sword in hand, his confidence surged anew, and he began to bark at Ino with even greater arrogance!

Just like old times.