Chapter 78: The Hidden One

"Clop, clop, clop." The rapid beat of hooves struck the earth, sending up sprays of mud as a horse surged from the woods, galloping toward the sewer outlet. Charles pressed his hat down, his gaze fixed on the dark aperture.

"So many corpses. Is this where the city guard vanished?" He reined in his mount, vaulted down, and approached the site, though he stopped short of getting too close to the remains.

From a distance, he surveyed the withered, bloated bodies. The foul stench of the sewer mingled with the cloying odor of decay, invading his nostrils.

He frowned, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face, but that was all. For all his seemingly unreliable demeanor, the man possessed a formidable will; otherwise, Father Fang would never have handpicked him for the special operations team.

After a moment’s thought, he flicked a tarot card from his dress coat pocket. Upright: The Wheel of Fortune. With a surge of magic, he tossed it into the air, where it disintegrated into translucent ribbons of light that spiraled outward.

The ribbons clung to the ground, illuminating hidden details. A trail of glowing footprints emerged, stretching from where Charles stood toward a small thicket in the distance, where they abruptly vanished.

He glanced at the end of the trail but ignored it, his eyes narrowing instead on a prone corpse. It lay face-down in a puddle, its flesh pale and waterlogged.

In Charles’s vision, faint, glowing filaments snaked from beneath the body, extending deep into the sewer’s interior.

"What is this? Not dead yet?" Charles muttered. He flipped his palm, magic surging, and caught a Sun tarot card that began to glow and heat up in his grip.

He danced the card between his fingers, then shook his head, dismissing the urge to strike. He knew his role; his primary duty lay elsewhere. Since he had teammates, he would coordinate with them.

"I hope Edward hurries." With a flick of his finger, the card vanished into the air. Charles found a spot to crouch and wait, his eyes fixed on the waterlogged corpse. Patience? He had plenty.

...

A cacophony of hooves and shouting reached Charles’s ears. He stood as the forest foliage shook, and a large party burst forth. Edward led the way, followed by Wang Yu and Avia, with a dozen Nightblade soldiers trailing behind.

"Halt." Charles gestured from afar, signaling for the soldiers to wait while the trio approached.

Understanding instantly, the three dismounted and hurried over.

"Something is definitely wrong. An entire squad of city guards went missing here. I’m not sure if it’s the work of the God of Gods, Elfin, but if there’s a major problem in the sewers, He’s the only one I can think of. In any case, we need intelligence—and we have a lead right here."

Charles summarized his findings, gesturing toward the overturned corpse.

Wang Yu looked but did not release his Ripple; he feared startling the prey from beyond a three-meter range. Since Charles hadn't acted rashly, neither would they.

"Edward and I will pin its limbs. Avia, Charles, be ready to support."

Wang Yu loosened his limbs, his eyes locked on the body in the sewage.

"No problem," Charles agreed, while Edward and Avia gave slight nods.

Without hesitation, Edward and Wang Yu approached with synchronized caution, closing in on the suspicious corpse.

Wang Yu pushed his Ripple to the limit without invoking the Void, his entire focus centered on the body.

Ten meters, five, three. The corpse entered his range, and its full appearance came into view: a face twisted in terror—a face Wang Yu recognized. It was Sam, a middle-aged soldier from the missing city guard squad.

"A missing guard? He’s the only one here. There’s definitely something wrong, and my Ripple can’t penetrate him... he’s alive."

Wang Yu realized the truth instantly. If the Ripple couldn't enter the body, the thing had to be living. He coughed softly, signaling Edward with his eyes. They nodded, and in the next heartbeat, they lunged.

The sudden approach triggered a reaction. The grotesque, bloated "corpse" contorted its joints and sprang up, its head twisting backward to face Wang Yu as it lunged.

As it surged, chunks of rotten flesh fell away, revealing bone devoid of muscle or fat, along with decaying viscera. Its arms whipped out, claws—covered in a strange, grey substance—tearing toward Wang Yu’s chest. Wang Yu didn't dodge, letting the claws strike his breast.

"Crack!" The claws shattered before they could touch him. Three distinct barriers manifested: Charles’s Chariot card, Edward’s Steel Sun Knight technique, and Avia’s Earthly Protection, not to mention Wang Yu’s own invisible Sorcery Barrier.

The four layers held firm. The creature’s claws merely chipped the outermost layer before the bone itself splintered and exploded, sending gore flying.

The thing felt no pain. Without pause, it twisted its neck one hundred and eighty degrees, its rotted mouth snapping toward Wang Yu’s throat.

But Wang Yu was faster. Ignoring the initial strike, he grabbed the creature’s shoulders and slammed it into the mud. The head thrashed, but pinned by Wang Yu, it couldn't reach him.

Edward arrived simultaneously, pinning the creature’s legs. It struggled violently, shedding more putrid flesh.

"What is driving this thing? It can't be muscles!" Edward frowned, holding the thrashing mass down.

"I don't know. Avia, seal it!" Wang Yu called out. The ground beneath the creature began to churn, and a massive hand of rock and earth erupted, gripping the "corpse" tight.

The soil filled the gaps between the fingers, sealing the creature like a cocoon of earth, leaving only its snarling, rotting head exposed and still struggling.

"Tsk, tsk. This thing is truly disgusting." Charles leaned in, staring at the hideous face for a long time before offering a useless observation.

Wang Yu tried his Ripple again, but it still couldn't penetrate. He rubbed his chin, thinking of the grey substance he’d seen on its hands.

"Do you know what this is?" Wang Yu described the substance, but the others shook their heads.

"Aha, this is a job for a professional." Charles snapped his fingers and signaled the soldiers. They moved instantly, two squads encircling the small thicket.

Wang Yu saw the bushes tremble. Something was inside, but there was no escape. Soon, the soldiers dragged out a trembling old man with a mournful face—the same one who had fled earlier.

"Yo, you’re the sewer keeper, right? Why’d you run?" Charles patted the old man’s face.

"The sewer... it’s not right! I warned them, sir!" the old man whimpered, nearly kneeling.

"I see. Fine. Let him go. Tell us, what is this?" Charles pointed to the earth-bound creature.

"I... I don't know!" the old man stammered. He didn't seem to be lying.

"Really?" Charles asked suspiciously.

"Really! I only found these strange bodies this morning, and I reported it immediately!"

"Then what are these bottles?" Charles poked the vials hanging from the man’s belt, which clattered together.

"They’re for antidotes and treating infections," the man explained, nervously opening one and swallowing a bit to prove it.

"Huh, so they are." Charles scratched his head.

"Let me see that." Wang Yu reached for the bottle.

The old man handed it over, but as he did, Wang Yu seized his wrist and pulled with sudden force.

Instinctively, the old man resisted, and his true strength was revealed. He was far stronger than a mere sewer keeper. Wang Yu, not using his Blood-Burning Drive, could barely budge him.

"Hm?" The old man noticed something else—vines had risen to coil around his ankles, though they hadn't touched him yet.

As he wrestled with Wang Yu, the vines tightened. He struggled, snapping many, but the distraction cost him his leverage.

Wang Yu suddenly released his grip. The old man stumbled backward, his feet tangled, and he fell.

He flailed, using his legs to burst through the vines—his strength was clearly formidable. He tried to flip and land on his hands, but he wasn't facing just Wang Yu.

As if waiting for this moment, the ground beneath his hands collapsed. Off-balance, he was met with a glowing shield emblazoned with a lion.

Edward smashed the shield into the back of the man’s head with a sickening thud.

Dazed, the man slumped, and a tarot card flew through the air, striking him.

Reversed: The Chariot. The translucent light became not a shield, but shackles, locking every joint.

He still struggled like a maggot, but it was useless.

Wang Yu and the others surrounded him, their blades pointed at the ground. He finally went still.

"How did you find me?" A hoarse, ugly voice rasped from the old man, filled with fury and disbelief.

"Hah! You think that pathetic disguise fooled me?" Charles smirked, triumphant.

The old man glared, desperate to know how he’d been exposed.

"Why would I tell you? You killed those guards, didn't you? Beat him until he’s half-dead—make it hurt. Just leave him enough breath to talk." Charles’s expression shifted from playful to cold and vacant.

He left the stunned old man to the Nightblade soldiers, who were already rolling up their sleeves.