Gun of Ashes

Countless shackles fix that broken body, like a saint nailed to the stage, accompanied by mechanical cutting, and the infuser beside it releases cleaning fluid to keep the cut in the holy silver clear.

Maxwell took out the data from the previous inspection, explaining to Nikola bit by bit.

”Stronger muscles, more solid bones, it seems related to that mysterious Secret Blood... you could say they are an optimized version of ordinary humans.”

”Like some damned super soldier biological experiment?”

There’s nothing divine about it. Nikola used the terms he understood to explain the power of a Demon Hunter.

Maxwell thought for a moment, then affirmed.

”You’re not wrong. Based on our current intelligence, we can know Secret Blood is extracted by demons, through a process called alchemy. In fact, cross-referencing, Secret Blood is like a kind of super soldier serum.”

”But obviously, this thing is even more powerful than the super soldier serum we know about.”

Nikola gently caressed the surface of the holy silver. The Silver Binding Bolt inside Ed completely melted after he breached the critical threshold, the scorching holy silver burned his insides, and finally, the iron coffin made of holy silver sealed the Secret Blood entirely within his body.

”Where did this holy silver come from?”

Nikola observed that the metal stretched directly from Ed’s body, as if someone had poured liquid holy silver into him through his mouth.

”Inside his body.”

”Inside?”

”Yes, according to the cleaners’ report, when they retrieved this Demon Hunter’s corpse, the holy silver was in a liquid state, constantly pouring out from his flesh.”

Maxwell spoke, taking out the cleaners’ report and placing it aside.

”Holy silver and Secret Blood coexist within the same body. We currently speculate this is a form of binding device. Just like our Armor of Original Sin, a Demon Hunter also has a chance to lose control. Once out of control, this binding device will activate, destroying him from within.”

Maxwell looked at the already unrecognizable corpse, he could even roughly guess the Demon Hunter’s tragic death scene.

Molten holy silver released from within the body, burning everything inside, while the immense vitality brought by Secret Blood allowed it to sustain for a while, unable to live and unable to die, gradually dying in this painful torment.

Nikola seemed also unexpected by this result. He initially thought this Demon Hunter was killed by weapons made of holy silver, but hadn’t considered his death caused by himself.

”So did you extract the Secret Blood?”

”That holy silver completely cast his organs into silver blocks, the blood inside must have mixed with the metal.”

Maxwell speculated as he spoke.

”This should be the Demon Hunting Order’s secrecy measure. The molten holy silver thoroughly destroys the Demon Hunter’s interior. Even if the Secret Blood remained, it would mix with the metal. They must have a special extraction technique internally to separate it, but we are unaware.”

”Is that so?”

Nikola couldn’t help but feel a headache, as the Purification Mechanism had long attempted to replicate Secret Blood technology but consistently failed. Now, they finally obtained a Demon Hunter’s corpse, but they didn’t have the key to unlock this treasure.

The cutter began descending, the rapidly rotating blade slicing through the solid holy silver, a dark gap continually widening, like opening a door of ominousness, a strange power surging from the gap.

”Report the Geiger Index.”

Nikola observed the cutting process; they needed to extract a part to try refining and separating, attempting to replicate Secret Blood.

”Geiger Index stable.”

Feedback was given to Nikola’s inquiry from the control room.

In a way, they were dissecting a demon, an extremely dangerous demon at this moment.

The entire piece of holy silver was cut down, revealing what seemed like a cross-section gnawed by some sort of worm, tiny holes with black viscous liquid slowly dripping, which was not human blood, filled with a grotesque feeling, merely staring at it would spawn an indescribable sense of revulsion from the heart, and at that moment, the surrounding indicator lights turned scarlet instantly, the piercing alarm resounding within the protective clothing.

”Geiger Index shows a change, beginning to rise, everyone evacuate the experimental field!”

An urgent voice echoed from the control room, the people around the operating table putting down their instruments in order and starting to evacuate, but Nikola remained unmoved, staring at the dripping liquid, suppressing that strange fear. He picked up a test tube to try and catch it, but was stopped by Maxwell.

”Evacuate, Nikola, this damn thing is contaminating!”

Before the words fell, raging low-temperature gas gushed out from the pipes, the soldiers had prepared outside the glass wall, raising their firearms one after another.

Nikola didn’t say much, deeply gazed at Ed’s corpse, then evacuated together with Maxwell, then the entire Number Three Experimental Field was sealed, time slowly passing by, yet Ed’s corpse remained unchanged.

”Seems like another problem is solved.”

Maxwell removed the heavy helmet, his gaze slightly cold looking at the operation table completely covered by the low-temperature gas.

”What do you mean?”

Nikola asked, his research focus differed from Maxwell’s, Maxwell knew more about demons than he did.

”Regarding why the Geiger Counter couldn’t detect the presence of Demon Hunters, logically their bodies contain Secret Blood, once in contact with Geiger Technology Device, it should expose them, but from that Demon Hunter named Lorenzo, the Geiger Counter didn’t work at all.”

Maxwell explained to Nikola.

”I speculate Demon Hunters must have something that can obstruct Secret Blood’s contagion, letting it remain only within the Demon Hunter’s body. It seems that thing should be holy silver, before cutting the holy silver, the Geiger Index remained stable, but when completely cut, that eerie thing emerged, causing the index to rise.”

”Holy silver can isolate contamination.” Nikola stated the answer.

”It appears so, but we might need more experiments.” Maxwell looked at the Geiger Index beginning to stabilize, once fully stabilized, the experiment could continue, just that this time, they were truly exposed to contamination.

”Actually, I think our experimental progress could have been quicker.”

After a while, the silent Maxwell suddenly said.

”What do you mean?”

Nikola was a bit perplexed, the Demon Hunter’s corpse was already a rare sample, far from time for celebration, but Nikola seemed to think of something, feeling somewhat surprised, then said.

”I think Arthur wouldn’t agree. Their Purification Mechanism has been negotiating with that Demon Hunter.”

”But as long as there’s enough benefit, I believe that Demon Hunter would help us.”

In this aspect, Maxwell appeared extremely confident.

”Moreover, besides these, we also need that Demon Hunter’s help. The development of the Armor of Original Sin has hit a bottleneck, six test pilots have been sent to the neurological recovery institute within this half month.”

Maxwell smiled.

They needed Secret Blood technology, as well as various peculiar knowledge, even saying they needed a test pilot who could endure completing the trial.

In essence, all these problems could be solved by one person, there’s no need to be entangled with the current Demon Hunter’s corpse, since at some corner in Old Dunling, a lively Demon Hunter is active.

Lorenzo stretched, waking up from bed, looking at the poster-covered ceiling, decided to try the dish from the first restaurant poster he saw this morning upon waking.

Starry Gaze? What the heck.

Lorenzo sneezed, looked at the frost-covered glass, winter had arrived.