Gun of Ashes

”I can confirm, there is indeed someone secretly investigating us, but it’s neither the Purification Mechanism nor Suyalan Hall.”

The Plague Doctor approached, speculating about this attack; everything they had done before was perfect, never a mistake, except this time, this very crucial time.

”Suyalan Hall couldn’t possibly have the power to uncover these things, and similarly, if the Purification Mechanism had discovered this, the attackers wouldn’t be these policemen, but rather the descending Armor of Original Sin.”

As Lorenzo and others had predicted, Lawrence had a team, an organization forming in the shadows, not strong enough but sufficient for Lawrence to command.

”These matters can be ignored for now. After all, we are in Old Dunling, the capital of Ingwig, a microcosm of the entire Western world; nothing here should be considered strange.”

Lawrence spoke with a hint of indifference; he seemed to have anticipated this matter or perhaps was completely unconcerned.

Having lived this long, Lawrence knew one truth: no matter how much preparation is made, uncontrollable factors will always emerge when an event unfolds. The preparations merely reduce the impact of the uncontrollable factors.

Just like Lorenzo still being alive.

It wasn’t until the deadly battle concluded that Lawrence understood the reason behind it all—the winner of the Night of the Holy Arrival wasn’t just him alone.

”Lorenzo Holmes... he’s a dangerous guy, extremely dangerous.”

The Plague Doctor was somewhat curious. It wasn’t his first time encountering that Demon Hunter; he seemed very ordinary, even somewhat weak when confronting Lawrence. He didn’t understand why Lawrence described him this way.

”Where’s the danger?” the Plague Doctor asked.

”The danger lies within... I’ve always wondered how he managed to counter me within the [Gap], but now looking back, it all seems so obvious.”

Lawrence spoke with a sense of trepidation; he had almost died at Watson’s hands, just a hair’s breadth away.

The Plague Doctor thought of something and asked suspiciously.

”Who exactly is Lorenzo? Before bearing the name Lorenzo Holmes, who was he?”

Lawrence must surely know something, an unknown secret buried under dust.

But Lawrence refused.

”Hush, Plague Doctor, don’t wake those guys.”

He spoke mysteriously.

”He’s still alive, Plague Doctor.”

”Who’s still alive?” the Plague Doctor asked.

Lawrence offered no further answers; he held the ”Revelation,” more secrets becoming clearer in his eyes.

As a Demon Hunter, becoming a Cardinal was already the pinnacle of his status but even so, the Church remained guard against him; because at his core, he was just a lowly weapon, and weapons need not know these secrets.

”This is a forbidden matter; recklessly engaging will drag us down, and besides him, there’s something more interesting now.”

”Like what?” the Plague Doctor asked.

”Like Cardinal Miguel.”

Lawrence looked at the Plague Doctor, attempting to see something beneath the Plague Doctor’s heavy mask.

”That new Pope doesn’t seem friendly, otherwise, the steadfast Miguel wouldn’t have suffered such defeat,” Lawrence continued. ”I’m quite familiar with him. Unlike others, Miguel is a fanatic, utterly insane. Back when discussing how to handle the Holy Grail, he was the steadfast member of the Faith Faction.”

The Plague Doctor quietly listened; most related to that period in history were dead. Listening to the mysterious past gave the Plague Doctor an odd sense of honor.

”When he heard the War Faction’s ideas, he angrily drew his sword, regarding them as heretics... if no one stopped him, he would have really gone on a killing spree.”

”Sounds like you two get along well,” the Plague Doctor said.

For some reason, even though he hadn’t met the Cardinal, just based on this description, he felt Lawrence and Miguel shared similarities.

”I’m different from him; we just appear somewhat similar,” Lawrence shook his head. ”Miguel and I are both radical, both crazy, but he shows that madness to everyone; I’m different—I release my fury bit by bit in the dark.”

The Plague Doctor couldn’t help but shiver—yes, this was indeed Lawrence; he had forgotten that aspect. No one was sure what Lawrence really intended, but as he said, he was cunning like a viper.

While the Faith Faction and the War Faction were still in endless debate, he had been secretly plotting betrayal, becoming the biggest winner of the Night of the Holy Arrival.

Even at the brink of death, he could also be reborn in another body with that bizarre power.

The Plague Doctor looked at Lawrence; the aged Dean was already dead. Now appearing before him was a young man, nothing particularly significant about him, yet also difficult to forget.

”Youth is wonderful, even the mental state changes slightly.”

Lawrence spoke with some delight; adapting to the new body wasn’t difficult—it felt like being freed from a cage.

”What’s next? I guess the Florence Mission isn’t just made up of those envoys.”

More and more people arrived at this city of steam and mechanics, Old Dunling.

”Everyone is looking for us, or rather, that ’Revelation’.”

This was what concerned the Plague Doctor most; although his combat abilities were impressive, having witnessed the falling heavenly fire from afar, he didn’t think he could survive such scale of firepower.