Gun of Ashes

As the erosion continued to surge, the anti-meme shrouding the entire city finally became too difficult to sustain, collapsing one after another. The madness started to spread, crawling out of the darkness and transforming into one demon of hatred after another.

The world of reason and the world of madness overlapped, the demons marched forward, spreading the erosion as they slaughtered, witnessing mortals grow fangs and claws in their agony.

Fortunately, all of this was still within control. With multiple preparations by the Purification Mechanism and Anonymous, the Peacekeepers and Ghostly Floating Massacre easily resolved the uprising demons, preventing them from forming a terrifying tide of demons until now.

They used outposts everywhere as bases, protecting citizens while confronting the demons. Currently, the Geiger Counter remained stable, and even the anti-meme weapon had yet to be activated. Everything didn’t seem so bad yet.

Inside the Winchester Law Firm, Lorenzo sat expressionlessly on the sofa. He could easily sense the surging erosion and clearly discern the shouting carried by the wind.

Yet, he seemed uninterested in taking action, casually picking up a Nail Sword and gently rubbing its edge with his fingers, feeling its sharpness.

”What are you waiting for, Lorenzo?”

Shao Liangye appeared somewhat anxious, the demons had already emerged in the city, he needed to take action immediately to confront strong enemies.

Lorenzo didn’t respond, his gaze lowered, contemplating something.

The wind and rain intensified, just as Shao Liangye was about to leave, Lorenzo stopped him.

”It’s not the time to act yet, Shao Liangye.” Lorenzo’s voice was cool, carrying a chill.

”Then when is it?”

Shao Liangye retorted, unable to sit idly by due to his Anonymous identity.

”Right now, wandering in the streets are just ordinary demons, even if in groups, they are just ordinary demons. Unless among them there is a demon able to exhibit authority, otherwise leave it to them for now.”

Lorenzo tried to calm his restlessness, despite actually craving for battle more than Shao Liangye, as it stemmed from the hunter’s instinct in his blood.

”Learn to wait, Shao Liangye, wait for the big fish to appear.”

”Are you planning to stay here until Roger Cruz appears?” Shao Liangye questioned.

”No, I’m actually waiting for news from Left Garrison.”

Lorenzo picked up a communicator, showcasing it before Shao Liangye.

”We are facing an almost omniscient enemy, any secret, in front of him, has no possibility of being hidden... the Death Row plan will be exposed sooner or later, no, it might already be exposed.”

Lorenzo continued narrating according to his thoughts.

”Perhaps Roger Cruz is presently racing towards there.”

”Then...”

Unease surged within Shao Liangye’s heart; the Death Row was their core, the final refuge, once breached, no one would survive.

”Then what are we waiting for? Waiting for Death Row to be attacked?” Shao Liangye asked.

Lorenzo didn’t respond, instead squinted his eyes, shortly thereafter taking out a black cube, fiddling with it in his hand.

”I’ve always felt something was off, Shao Liangye.”

His gaze was unfocused, like a fox dozing in the grass in the afternoon.

”Our plan will be exposed eventually. Given Roger’s capabilities, what the Holy Silver Crown and anti-meme can achieve is merely a slight hindrance to him, thus Death Row will eventually present itself before him, leading him to discover that refuge and rush there.”

”What are you trying to say?” Shao Liangye asked.

”Haven’t you noticed the strangeness within it? Why have we established such a refuge on this battlefield, is it truly just to entice Roger to arrive and make him lower his guard?”

Lorenzo tightened his grip on the black cube.

”Besides, compared to these lures, I believe truly worth him risking everything for should be the Echo of the End in my hand. This is the only weapon capable of threatening the Inexpressible.”

Shao Liangye held his breath, calming down after agitation, as Lorenzo narrated, the unnoticed details or intentionally forgotten ones gradually revealed themselves, uncovering these abundant loopholes.

But why hadn’t he thought of these before? Or perhaps...

”Under the Gap’s incursion, the Death Row will be exposed eventually, just a matter of time. We understand this, Roger will also come to understand this, meaning everything we’re doing now is in vain.”

Lorenzo raised his eyebrows abruptly, continuing.

”As the plan’s creators, we couldn’t possibly have been unaware, unless...”

”Unless what?”

”Unless we intentionally did this, executing this plan full of loopholes deliberately, persistently carrying it out, just to ensure Roger is convinced that what we are doing now is indeed our real plan.”

Lorenzo’s gaze fell on Shao Liangye, as time passed and events developed, the peculiar unease within Lorenzo grew increasingly intense, as if the tide covering his consciousness receding, revealing more buried things to the light.

”Shao Liangye, don’t you think there’s a possibility that what we’re actually executing isn’t the Death Row, but rather, the Death Row is just a disguise?”

Shao Liangye froze in place, understanding Lorenzo’s implication, but dared not confirm; it’s truly...

”You’re not certain, are you? After all, all of this seems so illusory... Then why haven’t you Anonymous dared to trust the creed unconditionally? Clearly, that too is something difficult to prove false.”