Bear School Astartes

When Lann last came to Yan’an, he went straight to the long-sealed Byron Vis.

At the large lake in front of that academy, he slew the time-reversing Spider Rom.

The reversal of time stopped, and what remained was each organization that revered various Ancient Gods, trying to resolve all issues and achieve all goals in this rare night of hunting, endlessly prolonging the night for that reason.

So, Lann had never actually experienced time reversal in Yan’an.

Thus, he was completely unsure if he would be drawn back to the past following the Dream Realm of the Ancient Gods.

Such a matter couldn’t be gambled.

Therefore, Lann strove to uncover the root of the nightmare during this particular nightmare.

He had to seize the time.

As a hunter from out of town, joining the command of the Healing Church was actually quite simple.

After all, the Healing Church already had a complete and expedited process for such matters.

Most hunters arriving in Yan’an from other places were seeking help through [blood treatment] to cure their own terminal illnesses.

Each individual was mentally unstable under the pressure of their terminal illness, and if the process were delayed even a bit, who knows what these dangerous individuals might do?

Thus, after agreeing to become a Yan Nan Hunter, Lann simply registered a form in the Research Hall and received an employment document.

Proving that he was now a hunter of Yan’an.

His only privilege was enjoying regular [blood treatment] supplies, along with receiving a standard set of hunter equipment provided by the Healing Church for support.

If he wanted, he could go to the Hunter Workshop above the Old Yan’an in Church Town to collect it.

However, if he felt his own equipment was more apt, no one demanded he use any particular type.

His sole obligation was to quietly and covertly eliminate those filthy beasts during the night of Yan’an, except for the night of hunting.

”That’s great!” Seeing Lann take the parchment employment document stamped with the Healing Church’s emblem, Edd’s voice was filled with joy and envy.

”Lann has become a hunter, able to cure his illness and realize his own worth...”

Speaking, Edd was silent for a moment but soon shook his head with a smile.

”Ah, someone like me with little talent, at least I’ve helped this time, right?”

”Don’t modest yourself, Edd.”

Maria held a stick of sealing wax, freshly melted to emboss the Healing Church stamp. It was she who processed the paperwork for Lann earlier.

Placing the stick of sealing wax casually amid a pile of documents and books on the table, Maria encouraged Edd with her cool voice.

”You’ve done enough, no one can ask more. You just always demand too much of yourself.”

This area was originally the office for clergy from the Research Hall, temporarily used by Maria to create hunter documents.

”No need to comfort me.” Edd waved with a laugh. ”Luckily, I’ve got a chance now; there’s a new project in the Research Hall needed the Blood Saintess to assist.”

While speaking, Edd showed an ambitious expression, appearing very motivated.

”They said I would uncover some secrets unknown to anyone and hear deep voices that even scholars of Byron Vis couldn’t reach!”

”Though I don’t know what it truly is, I will strive to learn!”

After casually storing away his employment document, Lann frowned a bit as he watched the eager expression on Edd’s face.

Recall not long ago, on the lower level of the Research Hall, those clergy moving their comrades’ lifeless bodies with indifference, and the high-ranking clergy in white robes executing with a single emotionless shot...

”Research project? They need you?” The Demon Hunter cautiously chose his words, wanting to subtly warn Edd, ”You appear to not meet the conditions of a researcher.”

In other words, if not a ’researcher,’ then they are a ’subject of research.’

”I also feel you’d best stay away from them.” Maria nodded in agreement, speaking in a low tone, ”They give me a bad feeling... very bad, Edd.”

Maria referred to ’them’—undoubtedly the clergy within the Research Hall.

According to Edd, Maria couldn’t get along with them, even normal work-style interactions felt uncomfortable, so she normally stayed in the clock tower at the top of the Research Hall.

This was also why she didn’t fulfill her responsibilities immediately during the earlier turmoil.

”You all start to speculate maliciously again.” Edd sighed with a wry smile, ”We’re all part of the Healing Church, would anybody deliberately harm me?”

Maria merely frowned but did not refute.

Although she couldn’t get along with the clergy in the Research Hall, she didn’t go as far as to be hostile toward them.

After all, as Edd mentioned: they all belonged to the Healing Church.

In contrast, Lann, who had just recently arrived at the Research Hall, was actually the one most wary of the clergy.

And now, he was the one keen to uncover all secrets of this elusive plague rampant in Old Yan’an.

”So, my daily job is to patrol the entire research hall to prevent the patients from going mad and losing control, right?”

After finishing the paperwork, Lann, like a rookie eager to showcase his skills, asked Maria.

The Blood Nobility nodded lightly, exuding a distant, cold aloofness.

This was not an illusion.

Although Maria was glad that someone could share the work she was not very willing to do, she still had some wariness towards Lann’s proactive style.

”That’s about right, I’ll tell you some precautions later.”

Maria picked up her tricorn hat from the desk full of papers and books, put it back on her head, and walked out.

Her pace was unhurried, but while steady, her strides were not small.

Lann inadvertently watched the other person’s long and proportionate legs and feet from behind; there was no doubt, Maria was an excellent Hunter.

Although Lann did not yet know how long her hunting career was or how experienced she was in dealing with beasts, just judging from the combat ability displayed by her pace...

Even young Henrik level Hunters would probably find it difficult to touch the hem of her half-cloak fluttering in front of them.

”After all, this is the center for treating and researching Gray Blood Disease, so even if you have to act here, you can’t be as unrestrained as outside.”

Lann followed behind Maria, their boots making light, muffled sounds on the spiral wooden staircase.

As Maria spoke, she nodded to the Sumeru descendants guarding the intersections between floors.

These pallid, corpse-like ancient human descendants, similar in stature to Lann, were extremely indifferent and rigid.

Wearing coats resembling a Priest’s robe, they showed no response to Maria’s nod of greeting, only refraining from attacking Lann who Maria brought up.

”This place is all the Gray Blood Patients’ hope.”

The female Hunter from the Blood Nobility slightly turned her head back, and beneath the brim of the tricorn hat was a indifferent yet beautiful profile and white hair.

”Our duty is to protect the research and treatment work here, not to destroy it due to uncontrollable hunting impulses.”

”So you can’t use flamethrowers here, nor can you use Hunter’s trumpet guns. Even with a Hunter’s Firearm, you must use it cautiously unless you’re sure you won’t affect valuable items or bystanders.”

There was an implicit warning and vigilance in the female Hunter’s tone.

Apparently, she was worried Lann might be like the other Hunters from Yan’an, either becoming abnormal from their terminal illness or having an excessive thirst for blood during hunts.

Neither type of Hunter is suitable for working in the research hall.

”So you were a bit slow earlier?” Lann followed closely behind Maria, climbing the spiral wooden staircase.

At the same time, his eyes looked at Maria’s lower back.

Under the half-cloak lined with blood-red, a barrel with a blood color and ornate carvings was diagonally inserted in Maria’s slender leather belt.

One purpose of the half-cloak’s design was actually this.

It hides weapons and hand movements on one side of the body but doesn’t raise as much alertness as a full cloak.

Being a Hunter likely excellent though Lann wasn’t sure how good, Maria naturally should have a firearm.

Judging by its appearance, this firearm is finely crafted, far superior to standard Hunter’s Firearms.

The reason she didn’t fire at the crazed patient in front of the white-robed clergy earlier was largely because her shooting angle was not ideal.

She refrained from firing to prevent accidental harm and destruction.

Maria did not respond to Lann’s previous inquiry, simply shook her cloak with a ’swish’, completely covering her firearm, ending the earlier topic.

Walking onto the third-floor interface on the spiral staircase, Maria spoke while pointing out the signs on the doors of the research hall’s third-floor hallway for Lann.

”The wards and treatment rooms are key patrol areas. But don’t worry about getting confused by the number of rooms, just patrol the hallway; the frenzied patients... have mostly lost self-control and will scream loudly.”

”As for these doors, you can freely enter any that you can open, but not those that are locked.”

”Those are the clergy’s research and experiment rooms. Their work is crucial, and it’s forbidden to intrude and cause disruption.”

At the end, Maria became much more serious with Lann.

Undoubtedly, this was the regulation for working in the research hall.

”If you’re not allowed in, don’t go in... simple and clear, got it.”

Lann agreed readily, but in the corner of his eye, he had already scanned a circle, memorizing the names on all the door plaques on this floor and entrusted Mentos with constructing an internal layout diagram.

”But I have another question, Lady Maria.”

Walking behind Maria, the Demon Hunter glanced at the open ward and the patients inside, speaking in a lowered voice.

”Those coarse cloth sacks on the patients’ shoulders... what exactly are they for?”