Gun of Ashes

”And then?”

”After being removed from the erosion environment, his transformation began to stop, showing signs of recovery, but his sanity didn’t return, and he remained in a state of madness... Most of our patients at Black Mountain Hospital are in this condition. They were eroded while facing the Demon; even though they survived, their sanity was completely shattered.”

Abigail flipped through the experimental logs in her hand.

”We’ve been pondering why they go mad. I know it might sound dizzying, but Lorenzo, you should have experienced it too. Before you’re completely transformed into a Demon, when suppressed by erosion, your will falls into a state of ’entanglement.’

”Entanglement?”

”Yes, much like lazing in bed in the morning—a voice says to get up, another says to keep sleeping. Facing the erosion from the Demon is somewhat similar; your will is tested—will you submit or resist?”

Abigail shrugged.

”But in the end, when faced with the Demon’s erosion, our only outcome is submission; resisting only delays our transformation into monsters.”

”We’ve conducted numerous tests. Although there’s no clear conclusion, it can be roughly inferred that madness is a kind of self-protection, instinctively blocking the input of external ’information,’ much like a frontal lobotomy. But this method can’t stop the spread of erosion—it’s merely self-deception. To recreate the scenario, after their madness, we placed the death row inmates back into the erosion environment, where their will was reassessed under the pressure of erosion.”

”And they woke up?” Lorenzo asked.

”Yes, precisely, they woke briefly. Facing erosion again merely resumed their interrupted ’transformation’; their self-protection mechanisms broke, like a mesmerizing dream interrupted, waking up only to return to Hell.”

Abigail continued.

”Though cruel, this indeed helped us better understand the relationship between erosion and sanity, providing clues in uncovering the truth of the Red Signal incident.”

Merlin stopped, standing before a vast iron door.

Lorenzo lifted his head; he remembered this door.

As chains tightened, the iron door was mechanically driven, opening bit by bit, revealing bright light through the narrow cracks. Under the illumination, ancient dust danced like moths.

The core experimental zone of the Perpetual Motion Pump, the Workshop.

Just like in memory, large hoists were structured on circular iron walls. Soldiers were ready upon them, with their Aluminothermic Rifles in ignition state. High above on the dome, black silhouettes stood against the light; from the grim outlines, Lorenzo was well aware of what those were.

”Welcome to the Workshop!”

Percival’s voice echoed through the broadcast in this massive cylindrical space, as the silhouette on the dome stood up, towering over, waving to those below.

After enduring a deadly storm, Percival also suffered trauma and erosion. According to the Perpetual Motion Pump’s estimation, she was no longer suitable to drive the Demon-high First Generation Armor. Considering her mental state, Percival’s vehicle is now the latest-producing Third Generation Armor.

The Demon components are only present in critical parts of its structure, the rest being completed with advanced mechanical technology, with its power now replaced by the new energy Lacquered Antimony. After several combat tests, the current Third Generation Armor performance is close to that of the Second Generation Armor.

These are not the key; the most critical aspect is that the Third Generation Armor can be produced in a certain quantity. Lorenzo saw the black frame in the hoist—the central structure of the Third Generation Armor—which imposes minimal mental burden on the driver and can adapt to different battlefields with different equipment exchanges. Now the Third Generation Armor is the foremost project of the Perpetual Motion Pump.

”This time the experiment will be guarded by Knight Commander Percival.”

Merlin said to Lorenzo.

”What, don’t believe I can fight ten at once?”

Lorenzo revealed the Winchester under his coat, jokingly.

”I believe, but didn’t you warn me? We might awaken something terrifying, and no matter how strong you are, Lorenzo, you are only one person.” Merlin stated solemnly.

Above, the sound of clanging iron resounded, steam engines roared and churned. Percival, piloting the Third Generation Armor codenamed ’Lancer Cavalry,’ stepped to the platform’s edge.

Like previous Third Generation Armors, due to mostly mechanical structures, its size resembled a massive iron beast. Critical parts were shielded with External Armor, with a certain amount of fuel tanks on the back for propulsion. But most eye-catching was still its armament on the back.

It was called Lancer Cavalry due to its custom gear. As gears turned slowly, a large, complex gun structure lifted from the shoulder, then descended in front of the Lancer Cavalry. Clasping the large firearm with both hands, it was so colossal it resembled a knight’s lance.

Shells loaded into the top of the lance. Due to technological limitations, it uses a large cartridge, much like a revolver, but with oversized ammunition, it has a four-round capacity.

”The Lancer Cavalry is in position.”

Percival’s voice rang from the broadcast, while Lorenzo gazed at the oddly shaped lance, seemingly the new weapon of the Perpetual Motion Pump. But what its real combat effectiveness was, Lorenzo was yet to know.