Chapter 622: The Dragon Mother's Wrath

Chapter 622: The Dragon Mother's Wrath

Cullen had just stepped out of the hospital building when his gaze caught sight of Lord Auggie, who was currently sitting on a bench in the flower garden.

It wasn't that Cullen paid special attention to Lord Auggie; it was purely because a woman of such towering height, once she appeared within your field of vision, made it difficult not to notice her, even with a casual glance.

Cullen walked over and saw Lord Auggie with her head lowered, coughing up blood.

A pool of bright red had already accumulated on the ground, which made Cullen feel a bit of heartache.

If this dragon blood could be collected and put up on the black market, it would surely fetch a good amount of coupons.

Lord Auggie raised her head, looked at Cullen, and asked, "How is Miss Daina?"

Cullen replied, "It seems she won't die."

"When does the investigation begin?"

"I have a piece of bad news and a piece of good news for you. The bad news is, the method I just told you for dealing with interrogation, you probably won't be able to use it."

"What!"

"The good news is, there is a high probability that the person responsible for interrogating you will be me."

"Heh, you snatched an opportunity."

"You could say so. I am going to the Earth Vault Church administrative building now to send a message home and request reinforcements. Can you still move?"

"Fly you there?"

"Yes."

Lord Auggie seemed to think of something again, a look of pain immediately appearing on her face, and she instantly slapped her own forehead, forcefully suppressing that train of thought.

The last time she flew with Cullen was on that night, so that memory could not be triggered.

"Do you treat me as your subordinate?" Auggie asked back.

"I hope you can temporarily cooperate with my work."

"What benefits can you give me?"

"I probably can't give you any benefits, but taking advantage of this opportunity, if I want to mess with you, I can make your life miserable."

Auggie stood up, looking at Cullen: "Just as Miss Daina evaluated you, I also very much dislike your way of speaking."

"Is there a possibility that, in fact, I don't really like... you guys either?"

"I understand."

"Can we fly now?"

"Fine."

Auggie reached out to grab Cullen's shoulder, but Cullen reached out first, grabbing her arm.

Being lifted up to fly was a bit too unsightly, and this fellow also liked to pull people into her embrace; this had nothing to do with that sort of thing between a man and a woman, Cullen knew well, she purely enjoyed that feeling of controlling "ants."

Auggie took off, her injuries seemingly not affecting her speed, and the two of them were wrapped in a layer of frosty air, and soon, their figures appeared in front of the administrative building.

"You can wait for me to come out here."

"Am I your carriage?"

"If you want to be a bus, that works too."

Cullen entered the administrative building, walked to the front desk, and directly took out his credentials:

"I need a communication array located in an isolated area right now, please prepare it for me as quickly as possible."

"Yes, my lord, please wait a moment, we will prepare it with the utmost speed."

Soon, the manager of the hall ran over, bringing Cullen into a separate communication array room, where wine and pastries were even set out.

Cullen looked around the environment, not very satisfied; imagining that the skeleton could freely enter and leave the theater, perhaps the conversation he was about to start would also fall into his ears.

But the problem was that when communicating using a communication array, there was no way to use a barrier or something to screen it.

The communication array was activated, beginning to contact the York City Whip of Order headquarters building, and after an identity confirmation, it quickly bypassed other procedures and connected directly to the regional director's office.

Before Cullen, the desk in the regional director's office was presented.

But Regional Director Sousse didn't seem to be there;

Oh no,

He was,

His head poked up from under the desk, and then he bounced backward, jumping onto the office chair.

"Director, I suggest you could change all the furnishings in your office."

Sousse smiled:

"It seems there is good news to tell me, otherwise with your character, you wouldn't make fun of your superior's height."

"Yes, an assassination case just occurred here in the main city of the Earth Vault Church. Laios, the leader of the Dragon race guards, has died in this assassination. In addition, Miss Daina was also affected and is unconscious from her injuries."

"Wait a moment, who is Miss Daina?"

"She is someone's adopted daughter. Currently, Knight Commander Daan has come here alone to check on her condition."

"Daan? Isn't he stationed at the Temple of Order... Oh, alright, I understand, continue."

Sousse immediately stiffened his already straight back even more.

"I will report the specific details of the incident to you later in a more secure manner. Right now, Commander Daan's intention is to establish a special task force on the spot to investigate this matter."

Sousse's mouth twitched, and then he burst into loud laughter:

"Hahahahahahaha!

!"

While he laughed loudly, Cullen waited silently.

Finally, Sousse finished laughing and said, "Heavens, Cullen, you really are my lucky star. How long have I been in office, and I already get the opportunity to form an external special task force? You should know that in the past, this was always the work of the Dinger Region.

So were my predecessors' brains all filled with Wien bean paste?

How about it, how well did I integrate this Wien quote?"

"I think it's very good."

"Heh, speak up, what support do you need now? The region will definitely support you fully!"

"I request Chief Neo of the Investigation Department to serve as the deputy leader of the special task force, and have him select suitable personnel to be teleported to the Earth Vault Church main city area at the fastest speed."

For things like scraping the land bare, it still had to be left to professional people;

Cullen felt that he still cared about his reputation to some extent, and couldn't maximize interests in his actions, but Neo wouldn't; he didn't care about his reputation at all.

"No problem, I will immediately notify Neo to lead the team."

"In addition, I extra-request to draw an elite team from the regional array department to construct a communication array exclusive to our special task force. Of course, if conditions permit, constructing a teleportation array would be even better."

"The cost of a teleportation array is relatively large, especially for short-term use, it will cause a great waste," Sousse pondered, "But, in the past, even if one wanted to look for this kind of waste, there was no opportunity! I will go make an application to Bishop Delon right away and have him send people over to support immediately. I believe that given the relationship between you and Bishop Delon, he shouldn't make things too difficult for me."

"Lord Delon has been promoted to bishop?"

"Yes, the bishop in charge of formation affairs at the regional administration office had his official appointment announced just yesterday."

"That is truly splendid news."

"So it turns out your foresight was correct after all, taking the grandchildren of those individuals into your own squad in advance. This has provided immense leverage for the unfolding work of our Whip of Order."

"Director, I need this done as quickly as possible. Commander Daan only said he was willing to help us apply, but only if we deploy the personnel and equipment here with the utmost speed can we guarantee that the higher-ups won't replace the special task force."

"Rest assured, the reinforcements are guaranteed to arrive at the absolute fastest speed."

"Thank you, Director."

The communication formation shut down, and Kallen let out a long sigh of relief. Next would be the wait for the personnel to arrive to commence the investigation.

Stepping out of the academic affairs building, Kallen saw Auggie standing on the steps waiting for him.

Auggie spoke, "Is it back to the hotel next?"

"I only know that the replica Spear of Rebellion was taken by the lineage of the Wise Ones. Do you know the exact location?"

"I do not know."

"Then who would know?"

Auggie lifted her head, looking toward the top of the academic affairs building ahead. "Someone up there should know. You could go back inside right now and ask office by office, according to the hierarchy."

"Forget it, too much trouble. Is your father's body still at the hospital?"

"It should still be there. The dragons were scolded into retreat, so his body is definitely still at the hospital."

"Then let us head to the hospital first and secure your father's body."

"So, with the Spear of Rebellion as the murder weapon and my father's body as the deceased, are these the two most important pieces of evidence?"

"No, they are not. Rather, once we control these two things, whatever evidence we want can be gathered at our leisure."

Auggie asked incredulously, "Is this how you investigate a case?"

"Understand it however you wish to understand it."

Was there even a need to investigate?

The situation regarding that skeleton was something he had already told Daan, and shortly this intelligence would be submitted to the higher-ups by both himself and Daan.

The identity of the assassin was already known, but what then?

The other party had plainly told you that he possessed many identities, leaving you to investigate slowly, and the other party had also told you that he was a true believer of the Crypt.

There was no guaranteeing that behind this skeleton there did not actually stand an organization, an organization within the Crypt God Religion that truly believed in the Crypt.

This was a murder case, but the moment factions were involved, it could no longer be treated simply as a murder case.

The one who died was Lyau, not Wolfulun's family. If it were the latter, the Order God Religion, once in possession of real evidence, would inevitably avenge them at all costs to serve as a deterrent. But Lyau, clearly, did not qualify.

It was just that Kallen could not be bothered to explain these words to this female dragon.

...

Returning to the hospital, Kallen saw that Thunderhorn Rhinoceros munching on flowers in the garden.

The residents of the underground world were accustomed to demon beasts and found nothing strange about it. Furthermore, even if not everyone could see what transpired in the sky, merely looking at the armor draped over this Thunderhorn Rhinoceros, its exquisite saddle, and the fine weapons peeking from the weapon bags on both sides, anyone could clearly tell just how noble the identity of this beast's master truly was.

It was merely eating lawn flowers. Even if it truly wanted to eat the demon beasts here, it probably would not be considered very strange, and might even be taken as a matter of course. Many low-tier races within the Crypt God Religion were truly raised to be used as food, and the evolved ones among their tribes were often the best livestock tenders.

However, when Kallen and Auggie passed by this beast, the rhinoceros actually took the trouble to turn around and look over, thrusting its horn toward Auggie a few times while its hooves scraped the ground.

Kallen cautioned, "It is provoking you."

"I know. In essence, there is no difference between it and me; both are ridden by others."

"Do not speak of yourself that way."

"I thought you thought the same way, is that not so?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"Then why did you..."

"But you are in human form right now. Speaking to me like this gives me a tiny bit of guilt and discomfort."

"I did not expect you to actually have such thoughts in your heart."

"Do not misunderstand. Sometimes a tiny bit of guilt and discomfort is like adding ice cubes to a water cup—it is meant to make it taste better."

Auggie: "..."

The Thunderhorn Rhinoceros's gaze narrowed slightly. It turned to stare at Kallen, simultaneously shifting its steps to block his path.

Kallen asked, "What does it think it is doing?"

Auggie smiled. "It is venting its anger on my behalf, I suppose."

"Meaning, you can only be provoked and bullied by it, and it won't allow anyone else to do so?"

"It depends on status."

"Oh, it depends on status."

The Thunderhorn Rhinoceros was massive, and at this moment, it was looking down upon Kallen from a height.

Kallen lifted his hand, gently twisting his neck, and said, "Actually, I have been corrupted lately too, having picked up a few bad habits."

"Bad habits?"

"For instance... like this."

Kallen raised his head, locking eyes with the Thunderhorn Rhinoceros, and spoke very calmly:

"I am the Chief of the Law Enforcement Department of the Whip of Order in the York City Region of the Order God Religion. I do not know if you comprehend this position, but you can probably tell that I am not the kind of person you can just trample to death at will.

Now I give you two choices. Either trample me to death right now, or go back to munching on your grass."

The Thunderhorn Rhinoceros understood. Its eyes began to flush red, and fury was rising.

But it quickly discovered that within Kallen's eyes, there still did not appear any fear, not even a single trace.

The Thunderhorn Rhinoceros snorted white vapor from its nostrils, turned back around, lowered its head, and began to munch on the grass again.

Kallen then walked into the hospital, with Auggie following behind, pressing for answers: "Are you truly not afraid of it?"

"I am not even that afraid of you now, so why would I fear it?"

"You think my status is higher than its?"

"You are of the dragon race, after all."

"But the dragon race of today, does it still look like a dragon race?"

"Therefore, one must be grateful to Order. Because I suddenly realized that once existences like yours lose all restraint, wouldn't this world simply be reduced to your pasture?"

"In your eyes, Order must suppress us dragons to be considered correct?"

"What race am I?"

"Human."

"Yes, I think it is correct."

"That is not fair!"

"I am sorry, but the racism I understand and practice is not quite the same as what you speak of."

The hospital morgue was vast, for the physical dimensions of some clientele could not be measured by human standards, though fortunately, following Rayo's demise, his remains had been bound, preventing the manifestation of his immense draconic form.

Yet as Karen stepped inside, he beheld a woman clad in a long black dress, shrieking in fury at a company of lizardfolk soldiers:

"This is my husband's body, and I must take it away! I am his wife! By what right do you bar me from taking his remains? By what right!"

Behind Karen, Augie gave voice, effectively informing Karen of the woman's identity:

"Mother..."

If the story of Augie's family were to be adapted, it would undoubtedly make for a magnificent drama: struggles for power, a fractured household, perverted ethics, betrayal of one's kin... oh, and the indispensable backdrop of that villainous, shadowy puppet master, the Church of Order.

"What is she... doing?" Augie muttered, unable to comprehend her mother's actions.

Did her mother not know that Order was already aware of her complicity in the murder of her father?

Karen replied, "Your mother has simply entered her role ahead of time."

"Entered her role?"

"In truth, the high officials of Order care little whether your father lives or dies. Moreover, your father's scheme to lead the dragon race away from the Earth Church upon ascending to power was likely known to the high officials long ago.

With your father dead, your mother succeeding him probably aligns better with the interests of Order, who wish to maintain control over the draconic lineage.

Does your mother know this? She knows it all too well.

That is why she has taken to the stage now. If all goes as expected, she will indeed be permitted to bear your father's remains back to the clan, utilizing this chance to bolster her prestige and lay the foundation for taking your father's place next.

Oh, by the way, is the affection between you and your mother deep?"

"Before Father imprisoned her, Mother would occasionally write to me, sending some of the treats I fancied as a child."

"Then go and pull your mother back. Commander Daan himself should not be here at the moment."

"But the Thunderhorn Rhino..."

"If Commander Daan were still in the hospital, that Thunderhorn Rhino would not have stepped forward in an attempt to obstruct me. It is precisely because the master is absent that the pet dares display a bit of its wild nature.

Your mother must have been acting for a long while now; she is likely parched. The third floor holds the convalescent wards. I shall go there to find a room for a temporary office; you may invite your mother up."

Karen turned and ascended to the third floor, finding an office that originally belonged to a doctor. Showing his credentials, he signaled for the occupant to leave, and cleared out the few patients remaining on this level.

Afterward, Karen took a seat behind the desk. A white coat chanced to hang upon the wall; Karen recalled the last time he wore such attire was back in Piaget's psychiatric clinic, though it had since gone bankrupt, and the proprietor himself had gone off to wander with an artist.

Even in his past life, when he wore such a garment, he likely never imagined that he would one day become a clergyman, rising to the middle ranks within a holy church, clad no longer in a white coat, but in black sacred robes.

*Snap!*

Karen snapped his fingers, and a small black flame manifested, pulling his drifting thoughts back into reality.

Yes, this was reality. The various events of his past life seemed more like a dream instead.

In order not to waste this flame of reality, Karen opened the drawer and, as expected, unearthed an open pack of cigarettes. He drew one out, lit it, and took a breath; a rich taste of traditional herbs filled him, akin to a latte laced with ten shots of espresso.

"Hiss..."

The woman in the long dress knocked and entered. Her posture was graceful, her build much like Augie's, though white flowers were tucked into her long hair, crafting the image of a grieving widow.

Showing not the slightest trace of hysterical weeping or resistance, and seeing the cigarette in Karen's hand, she approached of her own accord, took the cigarette from his fingers, drew from it with an elegant poise, and slowly exhaled, an display of utmost allure.

She did not resemble a dragon; she was more like a water serpent, whereas her daughter, by comparison, seemed like a silly goose.

"How should I address you, Madam?"

"You may call me Anser, Lord Karen."

"Very well, Madam Anser."

"What does Lord Karen think of my daughter? I mean, Augie."

"What do you imply by that?"

"I am merely curious. I wonder if Lord Karen would be willing to sire a few half-dragon descendants."

"My apologies, but I have no interest in your daughter."

"No interest in my daughter? Then what of your interest in me?"

"As it stands, I am not intellectually prepared for an interspecies romance."

"That is a pity indeed."

"Madam, let us speak of official matters. You killed your husband."

"I merely participated."

"Very well. You participated in the murder of your husband."

"Yes, quite right. But he deserved to die. He actually dared to conceive of leading the dragon race away from the Earth Church—no, away from the control of the Great Order."

"Whether he deserved to die is not for you to judge."

"Of course, quite right. Everything should be left to the judgment of the Great Order. Yet I ask for Order's understanding; I was released not long ago, having spent all these past years locked away in the bottomless pools of the abyss."

"So, am I to understand that you have confessed to the crime?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Do you have anything else you wish to say?"

"I do."

"Please, speak."

"I require Order to support me in becoming the next speaker for the draconic lineage of the Earth Church."

"Are you proposing conditions?"

"Once I become the speaker, I shall dispatch our clansmen into Order's various research institutes to assist with scientific endeavors, provide our kin to serve as engines of war within Order's knight orders, and implement the population reduction and faith conversion that Order desires. Everything, I shall push to execute."

"Madam, may I ask you a question as an outsider?"

"Naturally. Please do."

"By doing this, do you not fear that your own race will perish?"

Madam Anser blew another ring of smoke,

smiling:

"I wish this filthy race would utterly perish by tomorrow!"