Gun of Ashes

Lorenzo sat on the chair, his hands cuffed behind him. Eve was seated with her back to him, and surrounding them were soldiers holding aluminothermic rifles, the igniters at the muzzles burning softly, indicating that these lethal weapons were ready to fire.

Although Lorenzo was seated in the dark station, the tall walls obstructing his view, the sound of machines roaring in operation echoed through the night, a heavy and distant noise that made Lorenzo aware of the machine’s immense size just by its sound.

Indeed, something significant was bound to happen tonight.

”So, this is your true identity, isn’t it?”

Looking at Bola in front of him, Lorenzo recognized his voice the moment he spoke. The detective’s sharpness in some areas was truly remarkable.

”Don’t speak yet, let me guess.”

Lorenzo said theatrically, contemplating as fragments of Bola’s past pieced together in his mind, finally revealing his true form.

”A member of the Demon Organization, the master of the Lower City District, the secretaries of the nobles...”

His thoughts raced, and he was a step away from the truth.

Blue Jade, feeling uneasy, drew the iron rod from her waist, and with a flick, a blade sprung out from the steel gap—it’s actually a slightly elongated folding blade.

”There’s no need, he’ll figure it out eventually. All we need to do now is make the secret exchange. You have to understand, this detective is worth a lot.”

The moment Lorenzo saw himself, Bola knew that many secrets would become clear to Lorenzo, like everything under sunlight, casting no shadow.

”So what did the queen call you?”

Suddenly, Lorenzo lifted his head, his eyes seemingly piercing through everything, aware of the entire truth.

”These military weapons aren’t something a mob boss could produce. Whether it’s the raw materials or the craftsmanship, even the development, it requires a very strong foundation...only a machine known as the state could achieve that.”

Seemingly coming to an understanding, Lorenzo had an epiphany.

”So, your true identity, Bola, is it? You are not the secretaries of nobles; you are the queen’s secretary. The evidence of those nobles’ crimes in the Lower City District are in your hands. Whenever the queen needs it, it would be the iron hand that strangles them.”

”Lorenzo, the wise tend to die quickly.”

Lorenzo could figure that these were within Bola’s expectations, or rather, if Lorenzo couldn’t figure these out, it would be unusual.

”So I have enough leverage to gain trust.”

”Our trust? You are an uncontrollable outsider. Your words are truly unreliable.”

”At least we now share the same goal.”

”What?”

”The Holy Coffin.”

That is the nightmare within the depths of a nightmare, the center of this chaotic illusion, the source of everything.

Bola’s pupils shrank slightly. He didn’t know how Lorenzo learned of its existence; after all, he never told him. At that time, Lorenzo seemed to be merely a capable detective, not someone intertwined with the Demon Hunting Order.

”Don’t just stand there; didn’t you commission me to investigate the case? So, finding some key information is quite normal, isn’t it?”

”So this is your price?”

”Yes, so why don’t we exchange our current information and work together?”

Lorenzo seemed completely unaware of being at gunpoint. The aluminothermic rifles could melt him in an instant, yet he acted oblivious, swaying on the chair as he spoke.

”Moreover, Bola, you need me; those people don’t want you to obtain the Holy Coffin, as evidenced by the demons on that train.”

In his short career as a Demon Hunter, he had slain many demons, and his professional experience far exceeded that of everyone present.

”To this day, we also don’t know where demons come from, but we are well aware of how humans mutate into demons.”

Lorenzo began his analysis.

”On the train, I initially thought it was a group of demons disguised as humans who infiltrated the carriage, but upon calming down, I realized it wasn’t the case. So many demons converging to take a train didn’t make sense; the only conclusion was that the process of mutating into demons occurred on the train.”

These words seemed to touch on something, and Bola stared intently at this detective before him. Knowing him for almost six years, Bola suddenly realized he had never truly understood this mysterious detective.

”You were there that night in the Underground Palace, weren’t you?”

Lorenzo observed Bola’s expression. You could learn a lot from a person’s expression, and although Bola didn’t speak, Lorenzo already knew the answer.

”They possess the technology to rear demons, even highly toxic substances, capable of making someone mutate into a demon in a short time.”

Lorenzo, like a salesman, finally revealed his true intentions.

”So, Bola, you need me, a professional.”

”...Compared to this, I still think it would be better to either kill you or detain you directly.”

What Lorenzo mentioned, Bola was also aware of. As Ingwig surged and expanded, the Purification Mechanism rapidly expanded too. It was no longer the organization hiding in the shadows; after the dissolution of the Demon Hunting Order, it was the only beacon left.

”Wait... are you... Eve?”

Amid the conversation, Blue Jade, who had been circling, directed her gaze to the girl behind Lorenzo. Her face was grubby yet somewhat familiar. Only when Blue Jade got closer did she realize it was Eve.

”Do you... know me?”

Eve lifted her head. This woman wore a round iron helmet, dressed in tight armor. Eve couldn’t recall this person in her memory.

At this point, Bola also approached. Truth be told, this name was even more troublesome than Lorenzo’s. Looking at the girl, Bola felt his head was about to explode.

”What are you doing here?”

”She’s been entangled by a demon.”

Lorenzo didn’t wait for Eve to speak and said first.

”Her connection to the darkness is deepening... I suppose you are all familiar with this concept, right? Battling demons is like fighting in a swamp; the harder you struggle, the more you sink into that swamp called darkness.”

”The demons discovered her, so she commissioned me to protect her.”

”By protection, you mean bringing her on this damned train?”

Turning back, Bola spoke with anger.

”She came to find me.”

The two exchanged glances, eyes filled with unspeakable meaning, like lions roaring at each other, meeting on a narrow path.

Eve sat behind Lorenzo, completely unaware of what was happening. Although there were so many armed men, she wasn’t afraid at all. Compared to demons, these humans were far more amiable.

”I need to consult my superiors.”

”Then I suggest you hurry, as you seem to be in quite a rush.”

Bola took a long, measured glance at Lorenzo before disappearing into the darkness. Blue Jade gripped the folding blade tightly, the blade pressed against Lorenzo’s throat. No amount of vigilance was too much for this detective.

About five minutes later, Bola returned from the end of the darkness, looking rather unhappy, even a bit sternly somber.

”It seems we’re going to have a brief collaboration.”

”Oh, then let us reacquaint ourselves, shall we?”

With that, Lorenzo stood up; the chains shackling him had somehow already fallen off, and he extended a hand full of goodwill.

”Former Demon Hunting Order Demon Hunter, Lorenzo Holmes.”

Bola’s body and mind were slightly shaken; this detective had already freed himself from the restraints. So what was that conversation for, a gesture of goodwill?

”Purification Mechanism, Upper-Rank Knight, Shrike.”

Their hands clasped together. The last time they did this was when Lorenzo first arrived at Old Dunling, and after that handshake, Lorenzo began his new life.

Suddenly, Lorenzo forcefully pulled Bola closer, and to Blue Jade, it appeared to be a gesture of trust, but during the close proximity, Lorenzo whispered into Bola’s ear.

”You... it’s because of Eve that your superiors changed their minds, isn’t it? Yet she doesn’t recognize you... you must know what’s happening inside her body, right?”

The Secret Blood that had been dormant inside Eve’s body for who knows how long could only have contact with the Purification Mechanism fighting demons in the shadows of Ingwig. But what caused this girl to establish a connection with it?

Bola didn’t intend to answer this question; instead, he responded with one of his own.

”New life means abandoning the past, so what is this, Lorenzo?”

Lorenzo showed a hearty smile.

”Everything has a premise, much like principles... demons must be hunted to extinction.”

Thus spoke the Demon Hunter.