Gun of Ashes

Chapter 394: Chapter 48 Black Mountain

Turning the page, although the newspaper’s depiction is sparse, Samuel can read the chaos and evil anomaly of the scene between the lines, sometimes words possess such strength, using paper as a medium to reconstruct the abominable in your mind.

According to the explanation, Nible was just an ordinary worker, a very ordinary person without any outstanding or repulsive qualities, yet someone like him suddenly went insane, as if having a mental breakdown.

However, according to reports from those around him, Nible had a somewhat introverted personality, which could partially explain his madness. In this gloomy, cold city, many speculate his behavior was a breakdown due to pressure.

Continuing to read, Samuel conjures the scene in his mind, the man kneeling in tears, pleading for redemption.

Mounted officers did not approach rashly, and after dispersing the crowd, experienced officers tried to get closer. Based on visual assessment, the explosive strapped to Nible was a simple timed bomb. They hadn’t encountered such situations often and no one knew if the blast would only kill Nible or blow the entire bank sky-high.

Nible knelt on the ground, crying continuously. From his repeated murmurs and behavior, it seemed that his actions were coerced, as if forced to rob the bank with a timed bomb strapped to him. His attempt had completely failed; Nible had no prior planning for this, or rather, he was entirely unprepared for a bank robbery.

Everything happened so quickly there was no time to evaluate Nible’s character. The watch ticks rhythmically, with every tick Nible cried louder, his face contorted, eyes almost bulging out.

”Help me! It’s all him! It’s all him!” he kept shouting.

As though chased by something eerie, fearsome with clawing fangs, anyone in its presence would lose reason, spiraling into hysterical madness.

Amidst chaotic cries, after much consideration, one officer ventured close at great risk.

”Don’t move, leave everything to me,” the officer warned.

”No, no! He’s a madman! Don’t go!” shouted a bitten man.

For Nible, he wore a face of agony, sincerely saying, ”It’s not my fault, he did it, I was forced.”

This indecisiveness made the officer hesitate but he still decided to approach Nible. Perhaps realizing the danger to his life, Nible seemed cooperative, opening his arms for the officer to dismantle the bomb.

This was a simple timed bomb, overly simplistic, suggesting its maker knew little about bomb construction, considerably reducing dismantling difficulty. If Nible had relevant knowledge and adequate calmness, he could have dismantled it himself.

Everyone’s hearts were suspended, with the ticking of the clock, their hearts thumped powerfully, unaware of what the madman might do, whether he’d suddenly hug the bomb to take everyone down in the next second.

Luckily, everything went smoothly. Nible was very compliant, seeming truly coerced, as the officer wiped his sweat, removing the timed bomb from Nible’s body. The ticking stopped; they were temporarily safe.

Officers swiftly followed, moving the bomb to a vacant area, dispersing surrounding crowds, while another officer cuffed Nible. Though his expression was sincere, suspicion hadn’t been cleared yet.

”What on earth happened here?” an officer asked.

Nible was cuffed at the side, his expression excited yet fearful.

”I... I was coerced, he made me do this.”

”Who is that person?”

Again, the officer queried, this question seemed to trouble Nible, he fell silent before murmuring repeatedly.

”Who... who is it?”

Nible fell into anguish again, trying to recall the man’s face, but such a task seemed to cause him great pain, like someone opened his skull, fingers kneading his brain trying to find what was wanted.

Peeling layers of flesh to reveal, amidst the bloody gore, a familiar yet strange face appears before Nible.

It was himself, but unlike the lowly mundane self, the other him was full of bravado, bloodstained, bearing a wild grin.

The next moment, Nible couldn’t help but laugh as well, tears and blood mingled, he forcefully struggled against the handcuffs, madly proclaiming.

”It’s me! Yes, it’s me!”

The officer immediately drew a gun, Nible seemed a complete lunatic, warning him not to continue trying to break free, but then Nible suddenly ceased all movements.

This man was so uncanny, the officer assumed he adhered to instruction, yet an excruciating sound emerged.

Nible’s thumb bent in an atypical angle, his hand shook with unbearable pain, sweat fell in large drops, then lifting his head slowly.

”Have you ever considered change?”

It was a moment of unspeakable unease, other officers noticed the anomaly, drawing their guns, encircling Nible, who had once feigned innocence and now seemed a calculating perpetrator.