Gun of Ashes

”Do you know him?”

Old Cole’s voice rang out, and he looked at Eve with a serious expression.

”Hmm...”

Eve nodded. Old Cole’s expression was very serious. For a moment, Eve thought he seemed to have regained his sanity, but then he screamed, his expression full of sorrow that brought tears to the listener’s eyes.

”Traitor! I never thought Major Phoenix would be a traitor! Someone, seize her! Gavin! What are you waiting for!”

Eve felt helpless and embarrassed. She shouldn’t expect anything from these mental patients. As she glanced around at the nurses and guards scattered nearby, they had firmly controlled this area to prevent the patients from leaving, but that was no obstacle to Eve.

Why did Lorenzo come here? What has this guy done?

With these questions in mind, Eve suddenly found this damned life interesting.

Eve Phoenix was never a compliant lamb. Arthur always thought it was Lorenzo’s sudden appearance that led his daughter astray, but he never considered that Eve was naturally like this. She and Arthur had the same blood running through their veins, chasing danger.

Old Cole suddenly felt something ominous, only to see Eve flash him a mischievous smile and then say softly,

”General Cole! The Queen’s secret order.”

Old Cole instinctively straightened his posture and saluted Eve, his expression solemn and full of military spirit. Unfortunately, he wasn’t wearing a uniform, but a white hospital gown, and he raised the wrong hand.

...

With a roar from Old Cole, the patients began to run and fight with each other.

”For Ingwig! Damn Delun, I’ve always thought you were the mole!”

”Vulgar! Vile being!”

The two wrestled with each other, and to other patients, it looked like an interesting game. They joined in, expanding the battlefield. Several patients stumbled into trenches dug by Gavin in the process, further complicating the situation.

The nurses and guards tried to separate them, only to be tackled by more patients. Amid the chaos, Eve sneaked away, heading towards the mysterious building.

Upon arriving at Black Mountain Hospital, Eve had a strange feeling. She seemed to have been here before. Although everything was unfamiliar to her, there was a sense of familiarity in the unfamiliarity. In some forgotten time in the past, Eve must have been here.

Recalling the eerie research of the Purification Mechanism at Black Mountain Hospital, Eve thought of her own anomalies. Her body had issues, not simple as ordinary people. As she recuperated at Black Mountain Hospital, she recalled those strange dreams.

Eve wanted to know what exactly she was, and the secret was hidden in Black Mountain Hospital.

...

”How are you feeling, Owes? You look better than before.”

Arthur pushed open the door, looking at Owes in the wheelchair. The boy’s complexion was better than when Arthur last saw him, but only slightly better. Arthur had just reviewed the boy’s medical report. If not for Black Mountain Hospital’s full treatment efforts, he would probably be dead by now or have transformed into a demon.

”Not bad.”

This time, Owes didn’t remain silent. He and Arthur were in a complex medical room, with various machines buzzing, colorful medicines merging along tubes, finally being injected into Owes’ body. A Geiger counter was mounted on the wheelchair, constantly monitoring Owes’ erosion response.

”Have you found my successor?” Owes asked.

”Not yet. After all, outstanding Knight Commanders like you are rare... You still hold the codename ’Lancelot’.”

Arthur seemed to be comforting the boy, hoping this would make him feel better.

”However, the Third Generation Armor developed by the Perpetual Motion Pump has already started mass production. The Third Generation Armor has little demon content, mainly relying on mechanical operation, with low erosion pressure on the operator. If you can be discharged, perhaps you can continue piloting the armor.”

These words brightened the boy’s eyes slightly, providing Owes with the hope Arthur offered. In this haunted place of Black Mountain Hospital, everyone was in a state of chronic death, needing some kind of damned hope to continue living.

But this hope didn’t sustain Owes for long. He lowered his head, looking at his wrist full of pinholes.

”Thank you,” he said, ”But I probably don’t have the opportunity.”

Owes raised his hand, the crimson blood flowing from the pinhole-like wounds, unable to stop. Arthur saw this and showed a worried expression, sighing.

”The Royal Curse...”

”It’s okay. At least I’ve lived happier than most. Although I may not have lived as long as them, at least I’ve seen the outside world, while their entire life is trapped in the Platinum Palace.”

Owes comforted himself.

”No, you still have hope, Owes. The new Order’s intelligence might alleviate this ’King’s Curse.’ This is also the reason the Queen dispatched me here again. You should know I have unpleasant memories associated with this place.”

Despite the wide age and status gap, the two chatted like familiar friends.

”Because of your wife?” Owes said.

Arthur showed a difficult smile. He wasn’t keen on recollecting these memories. This was precisely why, despite it being affiliated with the Purification Mechanism, Arthur rarely visited here himself.