Chapter 222: The Weeping Serpent (Part 12)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 222: The Weeping Serpent (Part 12)
The moonlight shattered.
Amidst the surging, tearing black mist, the countless crimson pupils of the Silent Moon writhed and roared with monstrous fury. They glared with heaven-shaking rage at the old man who stood below, crossbow in hand.
An insect.
Another mere insect.
How dare they?
How did these insects dare?
The ethereal blue moon vibrated violently, the resulting aftershocks twisting the very layers of space. A blood-like hue spread across its surface, and in an instant, the entire bright moon turned a ghastly crimson.
Yet, it was not rage that turned the Silent Moon crimson. It was... poison.
A death poison, meticulously crafted by an Origin-Tier Grand Magister, was spreading rapidly across the lunar disk, relentlessly dismantling that exquisite moonlight.
This was a power of "certain death" that could affect even the true body of an Evil God. How could a mere projection hope to withstand such corrosive toxicity?
Boom—
The countless withered hands of the Withered King extended once more. This time, meeting almost no resistance, they swiftly climbed onto the moon. Crimson flames erupted, and the hideous pupils dissolved one by one within the fire.
The lunar disk distorted. Anyone could see the fury and madness of this high-and-mighty deity.
They could also see its helplessness.
Eroded by the lingering death poison and suppressed by the Withered King’s dragging force, this projection of an Evil God—capable of turning an entire nation into a land of the dead in a single night—was forced, inch by inch, back into the depths of the void.
It left behind only infinite hatred.
What awaited it next was the terrifying cannibalization by another Evil God.
*
The Evil God, the Silent Moon.
To avoid a divine war with the Withered King and to reverse its fate of being devoured, it had calculated everything. It had even been willing to discard its divine body and status, intending to descend with its will and authority into the perfect snake-person body of Anna Kabulin.
But in the end, the plan was shattered by the backlash of these "lowly insects" in its eyes.
Two projections were destroyed, and all its believers were reduced to ashes.
With this as the starting point, the balance between the Withered King and the Silent Moon—two Evil Gods of the same rank—would be completely overturned.
The so-called ending had perhaps been predestined long ago.
*
"I didn't expect even that one to show up."
Outside the dark mist, Jin Ze stood to the side, looking on in shock. His crossbow had been snatched by the old man, leaving him with nothing to do but watch the show.
Though he knew this affair would be massive, he hadn't expected it to reach this scale.
Two Evil Gods rolling up their sleeves for a brawl was truly a once-in-a-century event.
"It’s only natural that he appeared. After all, from start to finish, this was really just a matter between those two. Strictly speaking, everything that happened in Belland was just collateral damage."
The old man tossed the crossbow aside and exhaled a ragged breath. In an instant, he seemed to age another ten years.
To ensure the Origin Stone hit its mark, he had used his full strength for the first time in ages. His half-decayed body was clearly struggling to hold on.
Yet, he looked immensely gratified.
Being able to personally shove an arrow right in that Moon's face was a thrill for anyone—especially for someone like him, who harbored no small amount of resentment and hatred toward the Moon.
Over the past ten years, watching that young girl silently confront despair all on her own... even if his heart had once been made of iron, it would have eventually been forged into the sharpest of blades.
"Huh? This dark mist?"
Jin Ze suddenly let out a cry of surprise.
Even though the projection of the Silent Moon had vanished, the Dark Moon Mist had not dissipated. Instead, the rift torn open by the Withered King was gradually healing, sealing the area off once again.
"It seems things aren't quite over yet."
The old man sat down on the ground and sighed. "However, there’s nothing more we can do to help. The cleanup of the evil cultists is almost finished. We’ll just wait here. With me around, even if there are more surprises, they won't be able to stir up much trouble."
"Understood!" Jin Ze replied.
But then, as if struck by a thought, his serious expression shifted into a frown of confusion.
"Speaking of which, it seems that one was summoned by Muen Campbell. The power of the two Evil Gods was too chaotic just now, so I couldn't see the method he used. Did you happen to catch it, sir?"
"...I didn't either. The pressure from the two gods was too intense. Who would be paying attention to that kid?"
"...Fair point."
Jin Ze sighed with regret. Though he felt a flicker of suspicion, he didn't dwell on it.
There were more ways to draw the gaze of an Evil God than just cult rituals and prayers. As the son of a Duke, it wasn't strange for Muen Campbell to possess some bizarre artifacts.
"But possessing items related to an Evil God is a serious crime. Can I arrest him later?" Jin Ze asked, his tone strictly professional.
"..."
The old man shot Jin Ze a blank look.
"Why don't you ask Her Highness the Princess, the Inspector over there? If she’s willing not to report you to His Majesty for abuse of power later, then I don't care."
"Oh," Jin Ze muttered, falling silent.
Who would be stupid enough to do that?
Even if he was obsessed with his work for the Silence Bureau, he had heard that Muen Campbell was Her Highness's fiancé. Doing that would be asking for her to make his life a living hell.
No matter how rigid he was, he wasn't that brainless.
However...
Jin Ze looked at the Dark Moon Mist, his expression turning strange.
Princess, your fiancé is currently alone with another girl in the most secluded place in the world. No one outside will know what they’re doing in there.
Do you really not care?
*
"What does that have to do with me?"
Celicia stood in a white dress that was strikingly vivid against the night. Though the rain poured down, not a single drop touched her. She looked like an epiphyllum blooming in the night—breathtakingly beautiful.
At this moment, however, she was even colder than usual. She stared at the middle-aged, balding man wiping sweat from his brow, her eyes like chips of ice.
"Viscount Guen, what does the fact that your work is difficult to carry out have to do with me?"
"Your Highness, please, have some consideration for me."
Viscount Guen, the Magistrate of the Lower District, lacked any of the poise expected of a ruler of the district. Instead, he looked like an overworked middle-aged corporate slave. The recent pressure had caused his bald spot and the dark circles under his eyes to worsen significantly.
The heavy rain had soaked him to the bone, yet he continued to wipe sweat from his forehead.
"It’s not that I’m not doing my best, but Your Highness is well aware of the chaos in the Lower District. Even if I follow your orders to investigate, it’s possible, but it requires time."
Viscount Guen looked deeply aggrieved. "Moreover, Your Highness didn't press me before. Why the sudden..."
"I have plenty of consideration for you."
Celicia’s voice took on a meaningful edge.
"Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone over your head and used my own methods to investigate those matters."
"What?"
Viscount Guen’s face turned deathly pale.
"According to my investigation, the number of missing persons in the Lower District has reached a terrifying level, far exceeding the figure I showed you last time.
"And among the underworld gangs of the Lower District, only the Red Fire Gang was foolish enough to collude with evil cultists, engaging in human trafficking behind the scenes to provide sacrifices for an Evil God.
"But how could the Red Fire Gang alone make so many people vanish into thin air?
"So, that brings us to the question."
Celicia looked at Viscount Guen, her lips curving into a cold arc.
"In the Lower District, besides the gangs, who else is in a perfect position to do such a thing?"
There was only one answer.
The Guard Corps... which was firmly under Viscount Guen’s thumb.
What could be more convenient for making people "logically" disappear from this world than an official organization whose stated purpose was to maintain peace and security?
"..."
As her cold words fell, the street—occupied only by the two of them—fell silent, save for the sound of the rain.
Viscount Guen suddenly went quiet.
But in that silence, his body began to grow. His thick muscles twisted and bulged like giant pythons, instantly shredding his clothes as he transformed into... a total monster.
"I see."
Watching the change in Viscount Guen, Celicia nodded in realization. "So you are the 'Sleepless One' from the urban legends."
"I didn't expect Your Highness to find out after all."
Viscount Guen—or rather, the Sleepless One—glared at the girl, his face contorting into a hideous mask as he roared in fury:
"I didn't want to do this, but now that it’s come to this, I’ll have to ask you to die to keep this secret, Your Highness!"
He charged at Celicia like an enraged bull, the ground cracking beneath every step!
"Is that so?"
Celicia showed no hint of panic. Instead, a flicker of mockery flashed in the depths of her eyes.
With a flick of her slender fingers, snowflakes somehow began to mingle with the falling rain.
"Who gave you the courage to speak to me like that... while it's raining?"
In an instant.
A biting chill.
Everything froze.
*
Celicia stood amidst a world of white, letting the breeze flutter her skirt.
The rain had stopped at some point.
The dark clouds covering the city gradually dispersed, and the vast majesty unique to this capital returned to the streets and alleys.
Only occasional snowflakes drifted down, catching on Celicia’s eyelashes and brows like frost on a silver tree in the winter morning.
"Your Highness."
A golden-armored knight knelt behind her.
"Take him back and interrogate him thoroughly. There should be other nobles involved in this. Compile a list and give it to me as soon as... actually, just hand it over to the relevant authorities. I’m just a student now; I don't want to deal with these headache-inducing matters anymore."
Celicia glanced at the ice sculpture beside her.
"Understood."
The knight took his orders and signaled his subordinates to quickly haul the ice sculpture away.
Celicia was left alone to appreciate the approaching dawn.
The sky was beginning to brighten.
The city had returned to silence, and the Silence Bureau’s suppression of the evil cultists was largely complete.
Everything that had happened this night was, as expected, drawing to a close.
Except...
Celicia looked up at the hemispherical dome of Dark Moon Mist not far away.
"You really do show up in the most conspicuous places every single time..."
Celicia whispered softly, her silver-white eyelashes fluttering as she lowered her gaze.
At this moment, the young girl’s thoughts were just like the snowflakes drifting aimlessly in the wind—impossible to grasp.