Gun of Ashes

The current scene is a bit peculiar, with a rusty metal ceiling overhead and a row of dim lights. Right now, I’m sitting on a chair similar to an electric chair, and who knows, I might be toasted by an electric current the next second.

Lorenzo’s hands were bound to the chair. Although this contraption couldn’t restrain the power of a Demon Hunter and was basically decorative, Lorenzo reluctantly put it on under the strong insistence of the medical staff. As they said, they knew it was useless, but with Lorenzo wearing it, at least the medical staff felt a bit safer.

So, sometimes, humans are really fascinating creatures. Even if something is useless, as long as it adds a little sense of security, they can face these unsettling dangers.

”Mr. Lorenzo Holmes, profession: Demon Hunter, Detective...”

The nurse in a white coat stood in front of Lorenzo, her head lowered, her entire face obscured by the papers she was holding, making it impossible for Lorenzo to discern her appearance.

She carefully read the information related to Lorenzo on the document, while Lorenzo, within his movable range, observed this woman.

She wasn’t very tall and her whole body was tightly protected by medical gear, making her look like a plump penguin. In the corner of her attire, a striking pattern was etched.

A sharp Willow Blade pierced along the gap between the left and right brains, traversing the corpus callosum connecting the two hemispheres. On those split brains, the convolutions resembled a writhing mass of snakes, unsettling to the observer.

”You sci-fi enthusiasts all like snakes, don’t you?”

Lorenzo couldn’t help but ask. The symbol of the Perpetual Motion Pump was also like that, an infinitely looping ouroboros.

”No... at least I don’t like them, and as for why, it actually has something to do with your Evangelical Church.”

The woman put down the papers, a somewhat disheartened gaze met Lorenzo’s through the goggles, then she extended her hand.

”Abigail Brannin, current director of Black Mountain Hospital. I’ll be in charge of your upcoming experimental procedures.”

Lorenzo looked at her with a strange expression, seemingly not expecting that the woman before him was the mysterious director. Yet Abigail maintained her disheartened demeanor, extending her hand as if shaking hands with the air, and then she donned the disinfecting respirator that hung around her neck, which emitted a low breathing sound.

”The Evangelical Church was once the dominant power in the Western world. Under the protection of the Holy Hall Knight Order, those missionaries spread your faith to every corner of the Western world.”

Abigail spoke while tidying up the tools on the side, not sure what she was planning to do next.

”So at first, everyone was your believer. However, with your decline and the localization of faith, people just took it as believers’ fun.

Yet, our initial founder of Black Mountain and the chief technologist of the Perpetual Motion Pump, at first they were defenders of rationality. But as their bodies aged, they began to believe in God, and in the end, even became fervent believers. The Perpetual Motion Pump and Black Mountain Hospital were founded during their fervent years in old age.”

Abigail moved over, rolled up Lorenzo’s sleeve, and took a needle to draw blood from his wrist.

”Interesting, isn’t it? The defenders of rationality ultimately became servants of God. Nobody is quite sure what exactly happened to them since they’ve been dead for quite a while.”

The snake part was their decision during their theological research. In the Gospel, the serpent tempted humans, causing them to be expelled by God. In the many priests’ interpretations, they viewed the snake as the Devil, the sinful desires within humans. Because of it, humans were cast out of the beautiful paradise. But those two old men interpreted it completely differently.”

”What?”

Lorenzo asked somewhat curiously. He had been a priest for a while in the Evangelical Church, familiar with the Gospel’s contents, and he knew quite a few strange interpretations. He was curious about how the founders of these institutions would interpret them.

”They viewed the paradise where humans lived as a cage, and God as the Demon who imprisoned humans. The serpent, considered as the Devil, was instead the Angel bringing hope. It brought the fruit named ’rationality,’ from which humanity would no longer be confined by the illusions of paradise.”

Abigail’s voice became a rumble through the respirator, perhaps feeling that drawing blood this way was too slow, she directly took out a blood bag and hung it on the side of the chair. Maybe she saw Lorenzo’s bizarre look, so this time she asked first.

”The Demon Hunter’s blood production ability is quite strong, you shouldn’t easily go into shock, right?” Abigail sounded like she was inquiring, but she didn’t wait for Lorenzo’s response and just proceeded.

”So under the interpretation of those two old shamans, the snake here is instead a symbol of wisdom, the forbidden wisdom, the wisdom cursed by God.”

”Interesting, isn’t it?”

”Indeed, very interesting.”

Lorenzo calmly replied. In many interpretations, God is sacred. However, in the view of the Purification Mechanism people, the narrative is reversed: God is evil, paradise is illusory, and humanity needs rationality to break free from ignorance, even if it means falling into the hell of the mortal realm.

”Ah... hold on a second.”

Abigail suddenly halted her tasks, removed the filter from the respirator, and replaced it with a new one. Supposedly, this item could be used for a long time in one go, but to Abigail, Lorenzo seemed like some kind of giant virus. Her outfit was a testament to her caution and disdain towards Lorenzo.