Gun of Ashes

”Could you bear with me for a moment?”

”Okay, Doctor. Let me tell you, Lorenzo, that guy is really fierce! I shot him, and he didn’t even flinch... Doctor, gentler, gentler!”

”I’m already being as gentle as I can... Please try not to move around.”

”It’s bleeding! Ahhhh!”

In the room, the sounds of wailing like ghosts and wolves resounded.

”The amount of bleeding is massive!”

Red Falcon half-lay on the bed, screaming in agony while describing the bone-chilling battle, grabbing a bottle of alcohol to relieve the stress.

”The injuries aren’t too serious; just gunshots and stab wounds.”

The ship’s doctor seemed like someone who had seen a lot and wasn’t picky. He took out the blood-stained bullet and tossed it into the trash bin, then took out some painkillers from the bag for Red Falcon.

”What do you mean by ’just’?”

Listening to the ship doctor’s description, Red Falcon was extremely displeased; it felt like someone casually saying ’It’s nothing, just an arm snapped off.’

No matter how you think about it, it doesn’t seem right!

”Look, you’re quite spirited; that’s a good thing,” the ship doctor glanced at Red Falcon. ”I’ve been in medicine for many years, and you’re the only one who took a bullet and still spewed nonsense.”

”What reaction do normal people have?”

”They pray, wail, confess atrocious sins to me as if I’m a priest, and such, and I must say, you’re indeed optimistic.”

The ship doctor couldn’t quite tell whether he admired Red Falcon or what, but clearly, someone like him was a first.

”Sounds like you have quite a lot of medical experience...”

”I used to be a black-market doctor, treating filthy gangsters in the sewers,” the ship doctor said, tightening the bandages. ”Don’t make that face, I’m a poor guy who knows a bit about medicine, but practicing in Ingwig requires a license, and you don’t earn much.”

”Then how did you become a ship doctor?”

Lorenzo, who had been silent beside them, asked.

”Well, how else? One can’t kill and fight forever. When I was young, I could hide knives and guns under the operating table. If some bastard didn’t pay up, I’d help him close the wound, but people get old.”

The ship doctor wiped off the bloody stains with an alcohol pad and stuffed the tools back into the case.

”If you need anything else, call me again later, but if possible, I hope you let me rest for a while first.”

The ship doctor stood up and said to Lorenzo beside him. This cruise ship had only been on voyage for a few days, and the ship doctor had already been called over countless times — either seasickness or gunshot wounds, maybe next time he should deliver someone’s baby?

Watching the ship doctor leave, Lorenzo closed the door again, leaving only him and Red Falcon in the room; others were staying in the living room.

Lorenzo looked at Red Falcon; this guy did indeed appear rather miserable.

When Red Falcon returned all covered in blood, he surely frightened everyone, but no one expected this guy to be uncharacteristically calm and start cracking jokes instead.

Of course, this carefree demeanor didn’t last long. As soon as he finished joking, he collapsed, then his composed facade completely shattered.

Lorenzo could vividly recall the situation just now. After Red Falcon fell, he began screaming in agony, endlessly calling for help.

”Phew! Just missed it, just missed it; Red Falcon’s lucky journey ends here!”

Even now, Red Falcon was still feeling fear from everything that had happened earlier; he mumbled, glancing at the always silent Lorenzo. Lorenzo’s expression twitched slightly, as if he was holding back laughter.

”What are you thinking about, Lorenzo?”

”Nothing much.”

Lorenzo coughed a few times, his demeanor becoming serious again.

Honestly, Red Falcon’s injuries weren’t severe. After all, being part of the Purification Mechanism, losing limbs was commonplace.

Perhaps working under such pressure for a long time, their mentality became somewhat twisted. Lorenzo viewed gunshot wounds as nothing, while Red Falcon spoke nonsense, showing no respect for death at all.

Red Falcon’s face was still wrapped with bandages, ones he applied himself, as he fell facedown and his nose slammed directly onto the floor, causing massive bleeding.

As comical as he looked now, Lorenzo wanted to mock him a bit, but considering Red Falcon’s dedication, it didn’t seem right.

”There may still be enemies on the White Tide... hidden ones.”

Having been playful just now, Red Falcon suddenly turned serious, sharing intel with Lorenzo.

”That guy claimed to supervise others. It seems the Choir is aware that mass injections of Secret Blood can lead to a few losing control, so they planted that guy to handle them.”

”You killed the supervisor?” Lorenzo asked.

”Yes, severed head, pierced heart, just like you said.”

Red Falcon confirmed the guy was thoroughly dead before departing. While talking, he demonstrated a few moves, tearing his wound and grimacing in pain.

”Then it doesn’t seem too bad,” Lorenzo analyzed.

”Supervisors can’t be killed by what they’re supervising, so those implanted with Secret Blood must have very low strength; at least, that’s how it looks to me,” Lorenzo said.

Demon Hunters are the elite of elites, containing highly potent Secret Blood, whereas the Choir-made ones en masse are far from capable of resisting a Demon Hunter’s sword strikes.

During that night battle, although Lorenzo killed all the enemies, he was still unclear about their exact power. For him, they were too weak; for a beast, there’s little difference between biting a rabbit to death or crushing an insect.

”Yeah, that regulator can even kill me... but it’s still a threat.”

Red Falcon understood Lorenzo’s point; he inferred the Choir’s combat power from the regulator.

”However, I found this. This might be the main reason Erin is so valued and hunted.” Red Falcon said, moving his tied-up arm to indicate to Lorenzo.

”It’s in the pocket.”

Lorenzo suspiciously reached out his hand.

”Not there, it’s on the right!”

After some struggle, Lorenzo retrieved the item Red Falcon had been protecting. Looking at the familiar liquid, Lorenzo felt a vague heat within his body.

”Secret Blood...”

”Yes, this was supposed to be injected into a soldier, but Erin stole it,” Red Falcon murmured, ”You mentioned that guy Hebdo isn’t very trustworthy, so I didn’t take it out outside.”

Lorenzo was surprised, with a look of ”I didn’t expect you to be smart, Red Falcon.”

”I understand now, take a rest first, but it seems you won’t be able to contribute much this time.”

Lorenzo stored away the Secret Blood and looked at Red Falcon’s injuries.

From this angle, Lorenzo had already embarked on a non-human journey. These injuries would take Red Falcon half a month to recover, but for Lorenzo, it might only take dozens of minutes or hours.

”So can I count this as a holiday this time?”

Though he said this, Red Falcon couldn’t relax internally. He knew the job’s importance this time, risking his life. Yet, before setting foot on Gaulunaro’s land, he was already in this wounded state.

”Rest well, at least you’re still somewhat useful. Although strong, Lorenzo Holmes is only one person, he can’t become two or three.”

Lorenzo said as he pushed open the door and stepped out.

Since Red Falcon returned, quite some time had passed. Everyone understood the crisis’s current situation, perhaps the safest place on the entire White Tide was this room, with Lorenzo here, everyone stayed calm.

Despite this, under pressure, screams from Red Falcon when the doctor operated next door made the atmosphere worse.

Though the one feeling worst was Eve.

Under this roof, everyone harbored different intentions.

Untrustworthy Hebdo, uncertain ally or enemy Erin, and Heracles struggling in bed... this guy’s been lying there for a long time.

Eve felt immense pressure. She knew the internship’s difficulty level had risen several values. Sitting on the balcony edge, checked situations, ready to jump down to the terrace if necessary, with a knife hidden in her sleeve.

Thankfully, this scene didn’t last long. After a while, Red Falcon’s screams stopped, and Lorenzo returned, pushing open the door.

Seeing Lorenzo, Eve’s anxious heart lightened significantly. Though he was usually casual, when it came to serious matters, he was reliable, such as now.

”Erin, I think we can truly talk about everything that follows.”

Lorenzo spoke directly.

Erin seemed to realize something and flashed him a charming smile.

Neither mentioned what was found in that small black bag; Hebdo was unperturbed, silently standing aside, with Erin’s face reflecting in his eyes.

[You know what to do, Hebdo.]

[I know... Must it be this way? We clearly have better solutions...]

[No, it can only be this way.]

[But he...]

[There’s nothing but; he understands his fate and the costs of this.]

The words echoed in his mind; each reminiscence gave Hebdo a headache and anger.

It’s all her, because of this woman, if not for her, none of this would happen, he wouldn’t have come here, Ivar wouldn’t be held hostage...

”Go on, Erin.”

Lorenzo sat before Erin, unafraid she’d deceive him, as he already planted the Beacon in everyone’s Gap using erosion.

It’s an insurance policy; unless necessary, Lorenzo wouldn’t want to wield this forbidden power.

”Corey Ferre.”

Erin said.

”Who is he?”

”Iron Law Bureau Director, my superior, designed the plan for Ivar’s abduction, and is one of the Choir’s... higher-ups?”

Erin thought then showed a helpless smile.

”Sorry, I couldn’t dig up more information before being exposed, and then... ”