Gun of Ashes

Lorenzo received the flower, its texture cold and heavy.

”Anonymous’s emblem?” Lorenzo was surprised, probably didn’t expect the mysterious Anonymous to use a flower as a symbol.

”What kind of flower is this?”

For Lorenzo, a rough man involved in battles, every time he interacted with flowers, he would give a wad of cash to the florist and let them choose a few bouquets himself, rarely paying attention to them.

Shao Liangye recalled the name of the flower in the Western world. According to common sense, such vocabulary would not be within Anonymous’s learning scope, but since it was their emblem, everyone naturally learned a bit.

”Forget-me-not,” Shao Liangye explained.

Lorenzo paused, his mind conjuring images of the lush clusters of flowers. Unexpectedly, this flower turned out to be a forget-me-not, his expression became somewhat strange, and before he could say anything, Shao Liangye spoke.

”I know, in your place, this flower symbolizes love, something like lovers never forgetting each other.”

Shao Liangye had very thorough knowledge preparation, sometimes Lorenzo even felt he knew the Western world better than himself.

”In our place, it’s not that complicated, just the literal meaning.”

”Literal meaning,” Lorenzo repeated, ”forget-me-not.”

”Yes, forever remember, never forget.”

Listening to Shao Liangye’s words, Lorenzo couldn’t help but smile, then laughter broke out. He leaned against the wall, returning the emblem, and looking at Shao Liangye with an incredibly complex gaze.

”What’s wrong?” Shao Liangye couldn’t comprehend Lorenzo’s reaction.

”Just found it very contradictory, you are Anonymous, bound by the Anti-Meme, with forgetting shadowing you, yet your emblem is like this.”

Lorenzo whispered.

”Never forget.”

Lorenzo shook his head helplessly, bypassed Shao Liangye, and walked towards the other end of the corridor, waving without looking back.

”Good night, Anonymous, hope you remember who you are when you wake.”

Shao Liangye watched Lorenzo leave, saying nothing.

...

Furnace Pillar, Land of Sorrow.

After years of silence, this desolate land finally stirred, the burning furnace brightening the darkness. Under the radiance, one could see the silhouettes standing in the dark, tall and iron-made, shadows intertwined forming a terrifying shape.

Galahad gazed at the silent machinery, here converging the armored legions from Jiuxia.

”How’s the progress, Mr. Cai?” Galahad glanced and then asked the person beside him.

”The Ghostly Floating Massacre itself has Anti-Meme Protection, now we’re conducting secondary processing on the armor, coating it with Holy Silver, which will greatly enhance its resistance to corrosion.”

Mr. Cai reported the situation.

Since the beginning of the ”Mechanical Deity,” Jiuxia’s troops split into two parts, one under the control of the Purification Mechanism on the bright side, the other hidden in the darkness, led by Cleaners.

A heavy sound echoed, as if some giant object was approaching; following the direction of the sound, an unusual armor was walking towards here.

Unlike the current Third Generation Armor Peacekeeper, this armor’s build was similar to the Peacekeeper, but its armor was more robust, carrying only a few gun ports with no excessive weapons.

Ancient and heavy, like giant moving sculptures, marching in groups, bringing an oppressive iron curtain.

On its shield-like armor, cloud patterns and foreign texts could be seen, marking the armor’s serial number.

Ghostly Floating Massacre.

The armors scattered throughout the Land of Sorrow were all Jiuxia’s Ghostly Floating Massacre, stationed here in the darkness, waiting for the moment they break out of the shadows.

Every time one’s eyes laid on these massive groups, it would inevitably evoke a sense of humility; in comparison, everything seemed so insignificant.

The armor technology of the Purification Mechanism originated from Jiuxia, and over time, both armor technologies diverged, despite Ingwig’s mechanical technology, Jiuxia ultimately started too late.

These Ghostly Floating Massacre are very clumsy, compared to the Third Generation Armor, they have almost no major advantages, but importantly, they are fully mechanical, using no Demon materials, coupled with Anti-Meme and Holy Silver coating, in battles against demons, they can more stably maintain sanity under corrosion, thus turning into heavy fortresses.

As for the shortcomings of singular combat capability, Jiuxia has devised corresponding strategies, thicker armor, complex Anti-Meme bullets, and vast numbers; in group warfare, the cannon-firing Ghostly Floating Massacre offers far more than what Third Generation Armor can achieve.

”How’s the experiment?”

Galahad asked.

”Not bad, there is no trace of Demon materials in it, internally completely ’vacuum,’ with Anti-Meme and Holy Silver, even if I invade it, it takes some effort, but only a bit, once the armor is shattered, the vacuum is broken, making the operators easily collapse.”

Watson’s figure appeared under the Ghostly Floating Massacre, she always stayed beside it.

She herself was an Ascended being, Watson’s assault on these Ghostly Floating Massacre could somewhat deduce the scenario when facing Roger and Ed.

”If dealing with beings like Roger and Ed, it can only ensure these Ghostly Floating Massacres won’t be damaged too quickly, just like the Peacekeeper being eroded before.”

Recalling the report of the assault in the sinking area, the Peacekeepers had no resistance against the corrosion and were instantly disintegrated, whereas these Ghostly Floating Massacre effectively slowed that down.

”What about against ordinary demons?”

Galahad asked again.

”Very effective, demons’ corrosion will be greatly weakened, its armor will also effectively block demons, mainly lacking agility, unable to respond and adapt promptly like the Third Generation Armor... But these weapons are designed for positional warfare, guarding crucial streets, no demon can breach its defenses.”

Watson gently stroked the cold metal, covered in Jiuxia-style carvings.

”Besides, it’s doing enough already.”

Galahad silently agreed with Watson’s words.

When the battle erupts, the battlefield will be divided into two parts, one facing Roger and Ed, finding ways to kill them under high-intensity corrosion, the other is Old Dunling, the aftermath of the corrosion is bound to spread, a large number of humans will mutate into demons. In this densely populated city, a massive army is needed to suppress these rampaging demons.

The existence of Ghostly Floating Massacre is for this purpose, they need to control this city, keeping it perpetually under grasp.

”Have you been to the industrial district?” Galahad asked.

”Yes, it was indeed them fighting, after their physical demise, they began a contest of void, the residual corrosion continuously ascended to the sky.”

Watson cautiously spoke.

”The powers brought by Ascension far exceed imagination, it’s more about turning consciousness into void, even becoming a Spirit Body, altering the world with mere volition.”

”You mean?”

”Just like the Watchers, they are void Spirit Bodies, when needing to intervene in the material world, they condense into physical forms, by then, our enemies might even be the Watchers descending from the heavens.”

Watson was very familiar with those faceless Angels, since the earliest times she had battled with these beings, until later discovering their Truth.

Even as Demon Hunters losing themselves, they still performed their watching duties.

”The next step is to contact the outside world, have you chosen the candidate?” Watson said.

”Yes, I have chosen, actually, you should have met this person before.”

Galahad softly uttered the name, Watson’s iron face stayed silent for a long time, as if realizing belatedly.

”Did you set this plan long ago?”

”How could it be, it’s just this guy wanted to retire, prematurely assigned to the Cleaner department, followed by routine, removing traces, Anti-Meme influence, and so on...”

Galahad showed a difficult smile.

”I suppose he’s utterly devastated now, barely escaped, only to be captured again.”