Gun of Ashes

”To be honest, Lorenzo, in some aspects, you truly are unexpectedly outstanding.”

In the pitch-dark corridor, Bola mocked Lorenzo.

The great detective leisurely followed behind him, pretending not to understand.

The farce ended with Selyu staying behind to wrap things up. Once Bola realized the identity of Miss Stuart, he called the guards to look after her, allowing her to view the exhibition, while Lorenzo went with him to see the real artifact.

”Is that thing contaminating?”

During the operation in Ende Town, Lorenzo roughly understood the origin of the Armor of Original Sin. The scholars from Jiuxia in the Far East turned demons into armor. Judging from Lancelot, who fought alongside him, with such bizarre agility and strength, its corruption wouldn’t be much less than Secret Blood.

”No.”

”No? How is that possible?”

Lorenzo was slightly surprised; Bola continued forward, not sounding like he was lying.

”Yes, so this matter is being handled by the Broken Dome. Our current task is to transport this thing to the Perpetual Motion Pump in a few hours.”

Bola turned back, the candlelight on the wall slightly illuminating his face.

The destination had been reached. The door behind them slowly opened with a creaking sound of dust and metal, revealing a massive warehouse deep within, where countless sealed crates silently rested. Guards were fully armed, and at the center was a quarantine area, a colossal bronze giant kneeling on one knee.

”The monks didn’t mention the origin of this armor. Perhaps they don’t know either. From what we understand about Jiuxia, they are quite meticulous about their armor technology.”

”An armor smuggled out?”

Lorenzo walked forward slowly. The weathered armor was covered in vibrant green moss, the metal surface oxidized, with most joints rusted shut. There was a massive wound on the chest, a large hole gaping open, with fractured parts bending inward, seemingly pierced through by something.

The decorative cloud patterns had lost their luster, now resembling twisted claw prints spreading over the dead body.

”It’s not contaminating.”

Stopping in front of the dead armor for a long time, Lorenzo spoke slowly.

For demon hunters, demons were always something they were acutely sensitive to, but in front of this armor, Lorenzo felt nothing, just a sheer void.

”No traces of steam technology, and the demon components seem long dead.”

Lorenzo circled around the armor, finally assuming the role of a detective, piecing together the traces to restore its original appearance.

”I think this is likely armor abandoned on the battlefield. Only then could the monks get hold of it, like your cleaners. Jiuxia’s logistics did not find this wreckage.

The demon part long died with the deadly strike to the chest, the metal parts decayed over time, with no steam technology evident. It can be inferred to have been manufactured before Jiuxia made contact… this armor is likely decades old.”

Lorenzo looked over, his eyes slightly cold.

Inside the armor was a complex mechanical structure, but unlike steam technology, it operated in a manner Lorenzo had never seen, requiring a source of energy unlike what a steam engine provided, perhaps… that is what is called a mechanism.

”So what do you think this armor is for? It’s currently nothing more than scrap metal.”

Lorenzo inquired of Bola beside him.

”You’d have to ask those lunatics at the Perpetual Motion Pump, but for now, I do know something.”

Bola seemed somewhat smug. It’s rare to have the opportunity to display knowledge in front of this detective.

”The Purification Mechanism has a set of formulas for demons, just like how you demon hunters rely on that... intuition? But we are different. The former Vice Dean of the Mechanical Institute, Geiger, discovered the weak radiation on demons, created the Geiger Counter, and even derived some formulas from it, like estimating how long it would take for the demon’s contamination to dissipate naturally based on radiation intensity.”

This is the progress of knowledge, unlike the mystical belief in God by the Demon Hunting Order, the Purification Mechanism chooses to trust science. It can be said they are steadfast materialists.

”We can screen based on different radiation levels and then backtrack to determine how long it’s been since this armor was discarded, or even deduce to what extent Jiuxia’s armor technology had developed at that time.”

Bola’s voice gradually grew reverent. To him, it’s a common technological reenactment, yet explaining it to Lorenzo feels odd, as if a devout believer is confronting a skeptical scholar.

Lorenzo remained silent, reacquainted with the technical prowess of the Purification Mechanism, acknowledging it’s indeed the country that invented the steam engine, with new wonders appearing every day.

Extending his hand to trace the back of the armor, where the penetration wound exits; the entire back shattered open, armor fragments strewn around. One could easily envision the scene of that time, the knight inside the armor reduced to a clump of pulp within.

But Lorenzo still felt something was off, caressing the wound, sensing he might have overlooked something.

”Hmm... Do you mind if I have a smoke?”

Lorenzo took out the cigarette containing wind tobacco, though inquiring with words, he directly lit the tip, pondering silently in front of the armor as all the infinite light faded away.

Wind tobacco draws one into that bizarre Spiritual Vision, allowing many to glimpse fragments of reality, a strange memory trail, or perhaps a crucial clue.

But while the herb provides assistance, it also deepens the connection to darkness. Lorenzo had already been deeply plunged; during his time in the chapel, the sudden apparition of the woman was the best testament. Since then, Lorenzo’s depth within the darkness had reached a point where even without consuming the herb, he would occasionally enter a Spiritual Vision state.

By Lorenzo’s reckoning, he had decided to attempt quitting smoking for a year, though he’d only abstained for a week so far.

He knew it would only worsen his condition, yet he harbored a peculiar notion about the armor that he had to confirm.

Bola’s voice became blurred, knowing well what Lorenzo was doing, but before he could intervene, everything elongated under an eerie force. After an endless night, a light appeared, and Lorenzo saw it—a desolate world. He attempted to move forward, but his body felt unprecedentedly heavy. He looked down, seeing reflected in the clear water the heavy armor.

He had entered inside the armor, standing on that long-lost battlefield.