My Apocalypse System Arrives 10 Years Early

Chapter 453: Chapter 303: The Curse and Gift of the Holy Blood Thorn

A milky-white mist drifted through the grove, the moonlight shattering into silver dust between the branches. In the distance, a cluster of Gothic tombstones was barely visible in the dark. An owl beat its wings as it flew past, shaking loose a few dead leaves that happened to land on Erin de Merovingian’s curled metal knees.

The atmosphere was a bit grim and terrifying, but neither of them was easily frightened.

When Erin de Merovingian saw the crown in Li Xiang’s palm, her spirits instantly lifted. It was the Merovingian Iris Gold Crown she had dreamed of. However, when she tried to lift her metallized wrist to take it, her elbow joint emitted a grating ”CLICK.”

She gave a bitter smile. She had forgotten that her hands had turned to metal, a transformation that had already spread to her elbows.

”Could you help me put it on, Honorable Mr. Armored Warrior?” Erin de Merovingian tilted back her long neck, her cobalt-blue eyes glistening.

She actually possessed the Superpower of Metal Manipulation. But now, with the Vibranium Inscription out of control and her body suffering from the backlash, she could no longer use it.

Li Xiang decided to see his good deed through and helped her. He was also quite curious to see what would happen once she wore it.

He had scanned the crown with his Spiritual Power. While it was an artifact, he had found nothing particularly special about it.

If there was anything special, it was its unknown material. It was possibly gold mixed with other precious substances, giving it a strange, dark-golden luster. The tips of its twelve spikes were inlaid with pigeon’s blood rubies, and an eerie blue patina had formed within the carved iris patterns.

But as Li Xiang brought the crown closer to Erin de Merovingian, her hurried breath washed over it. Suddenly, gossamer threads of fluorescent light glowed from within the crown, tracing the outlines of densely packed ancient Latin spells.

Li Xiang couldn’t help his surprise. ’Is this one of those treasures that only reveals itself to the destined owner? It seemed so ordinary in my hands. Does that mean I’m not the one it’s waiting for?’

’However, another possibility seems more likely,’ Li Xiang thought. ’This foreign woman must have a special bloodline. She did say it was an heirloom from her ancestor.’

’The creator probably set a condition: only someone with a specific bloodline can ”activate” it. Westerners place a lot of emphasis on lineage; they can be pretty stubborn about it.’

Li Xiang already possessed many treasures and didn’t covet this particular Extraordinary Item. Thus, without the slightest hesitation, he placed it on Erin de Merovingian’s head.

Erin de Merovingian’s lovely cobalt-blue eyes flickered. She gave Li Xiang a deep look, her voice as beautiful as the music of a Layaqin. ”Thank you.”

’A moment ago, she’d been terrified that Li Xiang would notice the strange phenomenon and snatch the treasure. He might even kill her to tie up loose ends. Or maybe he would force himself on her before killing her—after all, she was a beautiful woman.’

’Of course, he might kill her first and then... defile her body.’

The thought had only flashed through her mind for an instant. But now, she breathed a sigh of relief, feeling deeply ashamed. ’How could I think of Mr. Armor that way? He’s a true gentleman.’

The transformation began.

Erin suddenly arched her back in pain, her spine letting out a series of sharp cracks like popping soybeans. The spells from the crown seemed to come alive, swimming into her glabella and interlocking with the Gothic Runes emerging from beneath her skin to form a complete totem.

The whirring of mechanical gears emanated from her chest, and the metallized parts of her body receded like an ebbing tide. As color returned to her pale skin, she tremblingly pressed her fully restored right hand to her chest. The silver plates of her bodice rose and fell with her gasps. ”Thank you, my Armored Warrior. The Melovanga Clan owes you its life.”

”No need for thanks. Just fulfill our prior agreement,” Li Xiang said calmly.

Erin de Merovingian gently pursed her red lips and immediately extended an invitation. ”Why not come to my home? I’ll pour you a drink, and we can talk.”

From what had just transpired, she was now convinced that Li Xiang was a noble gentleman—the kind of person one could trust and rely on. Besides, he had saved her life.

”Drinks and a story sounds great,” Li Xiang said enthusiastically. This trip to Europe was proving worthwhile; it was a nice little diversion.

Suddenly, the hiss of a depressurizing steam valve echoed from the distance. Orange-red sparks of Alchemy burst from Erin’s fingertips, and a carriage of bronze and Obsidian materialized out of thin air. The eye sockets of two mechanical horses burned with azure soulfire. With every step, their clockwork-inlaid horseshoes bloomed with Magic Array Patterns on the ground. As the hovering wheels rolled over the tombstones, the phosphorescent flames they stirred up were completely absorbed by the Magic Guide Patterns on the carriage’s sides.

”This is the Ghostly Carriage, forged from the Mithril of the Templar Order.” She gently caressed the roaring griffin relief on the carriage shaft, and the grinding of gears softened at her touch. ”Care to experience crossing Paris at midnight?”

Li Xiang flicked one of the humming, vibrating wheels. He watched as a rippling Defense Array spread out from his fingertip. ”More interesting than my Earth Escape,” he remarked. As he leaped onto the gilded shaft, an astrolabe on the roof of the carriage began to turn, projecting the vast Milky Way into the mist and opening up a tunnel of starlight.

Erin flicked the moonstone-inlaid reins. The mechanical horses reared their heads, letting out a long cry woven from steam and soulfire. The wheels crushed the frost on the tombstones as the carriage charged toward the swirling vortex of starlight in the grove.

A marvelous journey had begun. This had a completely different exotic charm than his Earth Escape Technique.

About half an hour later, the bronze carriage crushed the moonlight as it plunged into a thick fog. Li Xiang gazed out the ornate window. Ten Gothic spires pierced the violet sky, and fluorescent vines clinging to the stone battlements outlined the entire ancient castle, making it look like a floating web of light. As the carriage passed through a cast-iron gate fully twenty meters high, Li Xiang noticed that perched atop each bar was a bronze griffin, its wings poised for flight.