Gun of Ashes

Chapter 491: Chapter 93 Reorganize and Rally_2

In an instant, he was fully armored again, a stark contrast to his previous disheveled appearance, as if he were two completely different people.

”So you won’t suddenly drop dead in some alley corner, will you?”

Watching Lorenzo push open the door, Heracles couldn’t help but ask.

Lorenzo opened a black umbrella, appearing out of place in this world, like the Death God descending.

”Who knows? After all, everyone eventually dies, right? But... if I truly die in some alley corner, that wouldn’t be so bad.”

Lorenzo seemed a bit hesitant but still said.

”Thank you for your aid, Heracles. Perhaps I’ll trouble you again soon. I hope your Inferior Rats are ready.”

”Aid is not charity work,” Heracles stated.

In truth, he and Lorenzo had quite a bit in common; Lorenzo chased destruction while Heracles pursued secrets, any kind of secrets would do, anything hidden and unknown could satisfy his pathological need.

”I know... actually knowing those damned secrets isn’t necessarily a good thing. Of course, someone like you wouldn’t heed my advice. If you did take my advice and gave up on the pursuit of those secrets, you wouldn’t be yourself, Heracles.”

Lorenzo said, understanding Heracles’ mindset just as he understood his own.

Advice is useless for people like them; it’s like a curse — even if they abandoned it, it would find them again on a stormy night.

He turned to leave, raising his hand, waving as if saying goodbye to Heracles. The blurry past gradually became clearer, accompanied by increased pain and fury, as if an invisible hammer was striking the sword blade, healing the chips and cracks.

Rain fell, creating a curtain that isolated each umbrella holder, splashing rain soaking Lorenzo’s coat edges.

With the rain’s cleansing, this steam-rising city also became clearer — the towering Dunling Tower stood behind heavy buildings, and Lorenzo could see countless black cables spanning across the city, tangled on an iron tower like a woven bird’s nest.

In truth, most of those were telephone lines, covering the city like a spider web, forming part of the Dunling Plan’s legacy. This legacy pulled the city from mediocrity, becoming a place sought by everyone.

The cold crawled up Lorenzo’s nape along with the water vapor, waking him considerably.

Mounted police draped in raincoats patrolled in the downpour, and following the war airship’s landing, ground patrol forces strengthened significantly, along with maintenance crews, despite Old Dunling’s development approaching perfection, the city inevitably faced issues amidst the incessant rainy season.

Now he was completely exposed to the new Order, who absolutely wouldn’t let the Pseudo Holy Grail carrier escape... Actually, Lorenzo himself wasn’t clear about what the Pseudo Holy Grail was. After experiencing these memory upheavals, he wasn’t even sure if Watson truly existed.

That night was filled with too many secrets and doubts, even though many years had passed, its aftereffects continued interfering with the world.

But what piqued Lorenzo’s curiosity more was what action the new Order would take against him. This was Old Dunling — although the Purification Mechanism was also vigilant against him, at least for now they were on the same side; for whatever reason, they wouldn’t stand idly by as the new Order captured him.

So... a surprise attack?

Lorenzo suddenly halted his steps, standing at the street corner, casually glancing around, and for a moment, the atmosphere beneath the rain curtain seemed full of killing intent.

The Demon Hunters’ greatest advantage lies in their excellent individual combat capabilities; before awakening Secret Blood, they’re indistinguishable from ordinary people, but if these Demon Hunters swarm out hunting him, Lorenzo wouldn’t have much chance of survival.

His strength was against Demons, not Demon Hunters; techniques against Demons temporarily lost their function, not to mention the Demon Hunters had those unpredictable authorities.

Would they do so?

Indeed, catching him like this was possible, but he wasn’t a pushover.

Lorenzo’s familiarity with the environment in Old Dunling far exceeded theirs; as long as he didn’t lose combat capability instantly, he could flee within the complex city.

Large Geiger Counters were scattered across Old Dunling, and under the Peeping Tom System, Demon Hunters burning Secret Blood were like bright beacons in the night. Lorenzo only needed to fully awaken Secret Blood, and then it depended on how quickly the Midcourt Serpent could send Purification Mechanism units into battle.

No... the Purification Mechanism can’t be absolutely trusted either, at least for now.

Humans are so incorrigible; Lorenzo wouldn’t place his hopes on anyone.

Suddenly, a black stallion raced past him, hooves heavily stamping through the accumulated water, splashing drops, wetting Lorenzo’s pants.

The carriage stopped beside Lorenzo, the door immediately opening, a familiar face appearing in front of him.

”Are you just out for a stroll?”

Bola looked at Lorenzo, seemingly wandering, and asked puzzled.

”Bola?”

Lorenzo didn’t expect to meet this guy in such circumstances — with rain this heavy, this wasn’t coincidence; he was looking for him.

”Yes, it’s me, you’re not hallucinating.”

Bola seemed to be teasing him, and then gestured for him to get in.

Lorenzo initially hesitated but climbed aboard nonetheless; no need to worry excessively, he still had confidence in himself.

”You look in good shape.”

Bola scrutinized Lorenzo from top to bottom, recalling Lorenzo looking lost after leaving the meeting; he thought this lunatic might be down for a while but didn’t expect to see him full of energy again.

”You’re not in the Lower City District — is the situation complicated enough to warrant your presence?” Lorenzo asked.

In fact, it was evident Bola held the most power among the Upper-Rank Knights and was the most trustworthy. If not for his Spirit Resistance being below requirements, he might have already become part of the Knight Commanders — but recalling Merlin’s development of the Third Generation Armor, maybe this Spirit Resistance won’t be a constraint soon.

”Consider it... a side job?”

Bola said uncertainly; he was unsure how to explain, yet was accustomed to the Purification Mechanism’s personnel usage — wherever there’s a need, they send someone.

”Thanks to Old Dunling’s damned rainy season, the Lower City District has flooded, roads muddy like swamps, with those oddly structured illegal buildings mostly collapsing under the heavy rain, causing chaos down there.”

Just imagining that scene made him delighted. Despite being the Lower City District’s manager, Bola loathed the place — every day, different outsiders caused differing problems.

”Those folks have no time for trouble-making, scurrying for shelter like drenched dogs; before the rain ends, they’ll likely be quiet.”

”So you’re tasked to find me? You seem to have been searching for quite a while,” Lorenzo directly asked.

Bola displayed a ”you knew it” expression, then continued.

”Don’t you know your own role yet? You’ve become the Purification Mechanism and Evangelical Church’s... pawn. Okay, I realize you don’t like that word; tough luck — we’re all pawns, Fr. Anthony’s a pawn, Arthur’s a pawn, everyone’s manipulated by higher-level players.”

Perhaps due to the rainy chill, Bola unconsciously tightened his collar. He despised rainy days.

”Of course, you’re now considered precious property, though we’re still unsure what exactly makes you valuable. But, as long as there’s value, it’s fine.”

Bola spoke somewhat worriedly.

”You didn’t return to Cork Street 121A; we thought you fled Old Dunling or, worse — perhaps captured by Demon Hunters, yet now you seem fine, those dreadful things haven’t materialized.”

Bola continued to maunder on as Lorenzo suddenly seemed reminded of something, interrupting.

With some suspicion, he asked.

”Bola, do you remember our first meeting?”