Gun of Ashes

Chapter 395: 48 Chapters Black Mountain_2

”Working in such ridiculous uniforms, working till old, working till death, working till you give your last moment to this damn city.”

Nible continued to bend his thumb, the sound of bones cracking as he broke free from the handcuffs. His body wasn’t strong, appearing somewhat frail, but now that kind of madness had completely engulfed everyone.

”Get down! Immediately!”

The officers fired a warning shot, but their hands holding the guns couldn’t help but tremble, as if they too were affected by an unnamed influence, their thoughts spiraling into madness with Nible.

”Have you really never thought about it? Like leaping off in the dead of night to end your life, or picking up a gun to cast away all restraints and go on a wild adventure?”

Nible didn’t care at all, as if everything he’d done was just a guise, but now the officers didn’t know what his goal was.

Finally, someone couldn’t hold back and shot Nible in the leg. He knelt down weakly, but he seemed to feel no pain, continuing to laugh hysterically.

”Why not give it a try? People make too many meaningless guises to adapt to this society, why not abandon all disguises and show your true self?”

”Why not try truly living once?”

He said this, then a violent explosion sounded, originating from underground.

This wasn’t an unplanned bank robbery, Nible had already made full preparations, merely serving his madness.

The bombs installed underground beforehand exploded, the manhole covers flew off, and the ground cracked under the impact. Mounted police were thrown off their horses, and the officers surrounding them were knocked down by the shockwave. At this time, the well-prepared Nible dragged his injured leg and lunged over, like a beast, biting everyone he could reach.

This was not a bank robbery, just a madman’s self-amusement.

He put down the newspaper, and that was the end of it.

Samuel couldn’t help but sigh, indeed, Old Dunling, where bizarre things abound. According to the newspaper, after the explosion, the timed bomb bizarrely activated again, causing a secondary explosion. Fortunately, the crowd had already been evacuated, with no fatalities, just many officers injured.

The police speculated that Nible planned to escape amid the steam from the explosion, but because his leg was shot, he was ultimately arrested. Since this occurred during the Mission’s visit, the authorities took it seriously. However, no useful information could be extracted from Nible, as though it really was just a madman’s revenge against society.

For this reason, Nible was temporarily diagnosed as mentally ill and sent to Black Mountain Hospital, with further details awaiting official reports.

Samuel found it quite interesting; if it weren’t for so many variables, perhaps this madman would have succeeded.

After all, he viewed these matters with amusement. The server came over quickly, and as Samuel finished reading this story, the dish was served.

”This is our specialty dish, please enjoy.” He said and then quickly left.

Samuel turned his gaze, and then became somewhat dumbfounded.

He stared blankly at the macabre fish heads on the plate.

...

”So he came out just to eat?”

Not far off at the corner, Bluebird put down the disguised newspaper, looking towards the other end of the street, at the bewildered Samuel.

”Probably...”

Red Falcon replied beside him.

With the visit of the Florence Mission, the Purification Mechanism was in full operation. These few unfortunates were working round the clock, with no time for rest.

Red Falcon and Bluebird were responsible for monitoring the embassy’s movements. Of course, there were more monitors than just them, but for confidentiality, the monitors were unaware of each other’s situations.

Arthur had always been suspicious of the Mission’s purpose. To ensure the Revelation’s safekeeping, they needed to be vigilant.

”Something’s wrong with his expression.” Bluebird said.

”What is it?”

Red Falcon thought something was amiss and took out a small binocular to carefully observe, only to see Samuel hesitating, before finally plucking up the courage to take a bite of the fish head.

”Well, maybe he just doesn’t like the local food.” Bluebird shrugged his shoulders.

Red Falcon sighed, saying nothing more, instead putting down the binoculars and picking up the newspaper again. As per their role, they were two unemployed vagrants who pretended to be cultured by reading newspapers.

”But take this opportunity for a short rest, as long as we keep this guy within our sight.” Bluebird said, picking up a teacup, his gaze never leaving Samuel.

Such surveillance was evidently failing, as they followed this visitor from afar like perverts. Bluebird didn’t mind; after all, if the visitor had any sense, he should know he’s being watched, so it was better to make it obvious.

Now that Bluebird watched him, Red Falcon had time to do something else. In this era, there were pitifully few ways to kill boredom, so Red Falcon could only pick up the newspaper to see if there were any strange news.

He hoped he wouldn’t see news like a gas explosion, as those Cleaners never wanted to think of other reasons.

Quickly, his attention was drawn to the mad Nible, rapidly reading through the entire cause and result of the case, while during this time, Samuel seemed easily assimilated, skewering the fish head that, for all its crunchiness, tasted quite good.

”Ended up at Black Mountain Hospital?”

Seeing the case’s conclusion, with Nible’s fate, Red Falcon couldn’t help but shiver.

”Did you see that case too?”

During the shift change, Bluebird also saw the case. He and Red Falcon both knew what kind of place Black Mountain Hospital was.

”Hmm. That guy’s in big trouble.” Red Falcon commented about Nible.

Black Mountain Hospital, a private mental hospital in Old Dunling, and its true identity was actually the Purification Mechanism’s mental hospital. People eroded by the Demon were sent there for recovery, and those who couldn’t recover were subjected to frontal lobotomy, as alongside Black Mountain Hospital, there was a large sanatorium next to it.

Both Red Falcon and Bluebird had been to Black Mountain Hospital. Although it was a life-saving place, they had little fondness for it. Every day, they took strange medications, had their heads shaved, then electrodes inserted, undergoing various tests until tortured to inhuman form, only then declared normal and discharged.

Like the Perpetual Motion Pump, it was a research institution, researching the Demon through many eroded individuals. Their research on mental aspects was reportedly world-leading, and to facilitate the institutions’ research on human biopsies, there was an elevator connecting Black Mountain Hospital’s underground to the Perpetual Motion Pump.

Every time Red Falcon came out of there, he felt like crawling back from the brink of Hell; the place was filled with vacant-eyed lunatics and strange howling at night.

You must pray for your will to remain firm, or according to the Purification Mechanism’s employment contract, once seriously eroded and irretrievable, they are authorized to do many things to you, with frontal lobotomy as the least severe, though it leaves you an imbecile, preserving the human form; otherwise, a simple record is followed by a direct send-off to the furnace.

The will resides in the brain, the fundamental command for a person’s actions, and it is this essence they seek.

Red Falcon folded the newspaper; he dared not read any further.

In Red Falcon’s eyes, it was like a cemetery, filled with death and despair. If possible, Red Falcon hoped never to return there in his lifetime.