Gun of Ashes

Dense black clouds converged over Old Dunling, and though it was daytime, no light could penetrate the gloomy iron curtain, dragging the whole city, and even the entire world, into darkness.

The entire operation of Old Dunling paused today, as the racing gale and piercing rain gathered together. Amidst the flashes of lightning and roars of thunder, Old Dunling was engulfed by a storm that was suffocating and oppressive.

In the torrential storm, there were no signs of life on the streets. Even the factories, which operated day and night, chose to rest at this moment. The voice of the radio host became intermittent, with a few succinct words comforting the citizens and encouraging them to enjoy this rare holiday.

Although the apocalyptic weather echoed over the city, people did not feel fear. On the contrary, they were quite delighted. On this unexpected holiday, families sat by the fireplace in their living rooms, listening to the howling wind and savoring the warmth of home.

But such warmth was not something everyone could have. Through the rain, a figure trudged forward with difficulty as the rain intensified, resembling a deadly storm. The torrential rain curtains elicited a feeling of drowning suffocation. In this challenging environment, the figure arduously reached the shadow of a building, temporarily shielding from the icy rain.

”This is really awful...”

Merlin panted heavily, leaning against the wall and slowly sitting down. The once-mysterious alchemist was thoroughly soaked, appearing extremely bedraggled.

The chaotic sound of gunfire pierced through the rain, and there were indistinct roars of monsters. Under the storm, Black Mountain Hospital was engulfed in fire and brimstone; interference had disrupted communications, and the rain obscured visibility. Everything seemed utterly dire, and no one knew what would happen next.

But at least for the moment, Merlin was temporarily safe. As Arthur gave the order, he and Abigail withdrew in different ways, preserving their strength as much as possible.

Although he had promised Arthur, Merlin’s method of retreat was neither safe nor efficient. After carrying Lorenzo out of the birdcage, the somewhat deranged alchemist displayed extraordinary strength, carrying Lorenzo out of the scientific research area directly.

Perhaps it was the storm, or perhaps because just the two of them were a smaller target, Merlin surprisingly encountered no Demons on the way; he initially thought he could use this opportunity to reacquaint himself with his long-unused swordsmanship.

But as smooth as it was, judging by the intense sounds, and the ongoing spread of the erosion, this battle was likely to be extremely brutal. Coupled with the current weather and the effects of the erosion, Merlin needed to leave the affected area quickly to regroup the forces.

His eyes looked toward the storm beyond the shadows; the entire world seemed to be dragged into the deep sea.

Black Mountain Hospital was indeed immense, and with the rain obscuring visibility, after running for so long, he was uncertain how far he was now from the boundaries of Black Mountain Hospital, not to mention he was carrying an overweight Demon Hunter.

Due to the Silver Binding Bolt in his body, Lorenzo’s weight far exceeded that of an ordinary person, making it extremely strenuous for Merlin, a researcher, to carry. Yet, it wasn’t too big an issue; it instead reminded him of his apprentice days, when he often carried alchemy materials, and at that time, the situation was very similar to now.

His teacher fought with swords and other alchemists behind him, while he ran with precious alchemy materials.

As Merlin thought about these things, he actually laughed; he never imagined he would reminisce about the past in this way, and thinking about it carefully, those days were quite amusing.

He relaxed as much as possible, resting; Merlin still wasn’t safe; he needed to get Lorenzo out of here quickly, and at this time, another man leaning against the wall finally showed some reaction.

Lorenzo slowly opened his eyes; like Merlin, he was drenched, his pale golden hair clinging to his face like he’d just been pulled out of the ocean. From his somewhat bewildered, sorrowful eyes, it seemed this guy had jumped into the sea himself.

”Merlin...”

Looking at the alchemist in front of him, Lorenzo appeared very confused. He remembered being in the birdcage, and as the machine started, he somehow fell into the Memory Palace.

He looked around, unable to understand what had happened, why he was here, and who this bedraggled alchemist was.

As Lorenzo was just about to say something, his memories flooded back, disrupting his thoughts again. As the second gate within the Memory Palace opened, Lorenzo recalled many things, things that he inexplicably forgot, things filled with fear and confusion.

But he didn’t have time to ponder over these as his body felt an extreme cold, and a splitting pain reverberated in his mind.

He looked to be in great pain, but Merlin soon injected the Florun Potion into him. The potion spread through his body, alleviating much of his pain and clearing his mind considerably.

”Merlin, I remembered, those Demons...”

After a brief moment of confusion, Lorenzo immediately recalled some crucial information, ready to share it with Merlin, but as soon as he started to speak, he dared not continue.

Whether it was Shermans or Lorenzo de’ Medici, they both mentioned a similar concept, a concept termed as the ”Boundary.”

The ”Boundary” was like an exquisite, mysterious birdcage present in the cognition of all humans. Once someone became aware of the existence of the ”Boundary” or discovered information beyond the ”Boundary,” they would attract the bizarre Silencers.