Gun of Ashes

Chapter 454: Chapter 74 047_2

Lorenzo was silent, he looked at Arthur, then Anthony, and the others.

Everyone seemed to really take care of him, waiting for Lorenzo to speak to show their sincerity.

”Lorenzo.”

Suddenly someone called out to him, Lorenzo looked towards the owner of the voice, it was Merlin.

”You are an excellent experimental material.”

He said this, the words were a bit cold, yet at this moment there was a ghostly warmth to them.

Lorenzo knew very well what Merlin meant, they had just conducted an experiment yesterday, indicating that Lorenzo possessed the ability to directly reach the Static Holy Temple, and even travel to more places through the Gap.

This was information unknown to the Evangelical Church, and effectively a power against them, it was also Lorenzo’s trump card for survival, as long as he had such power, the Purification Mechanism would not abandon him, and neither would this Alchemist.

After a long silence, Lorenzo slowly spoke.

”Then... let’s begin.”

The attendants beside Anthony left, and the soldiers of the Purification Mechanism also withdrew, until only a few of them remained in the conference room, with the heavy doors closing thereafter.

The atmosphere was solemn, as if engaged in some sacred ceremony.

Outside the door, the soldiers of the Purification Mechanism were vigilantly watching the other side with their weapons, while the demon hunters stood obediently in place, their eyes filled with the same vigilance and uncertainty.

Rather than a conversation, this was more like a ghostly negotiation, long planned, with only Lorenzo unaware of everything, suddenly drawn in, despite being the protagonist of this negotiation.

”Lorenzo Holmes, now a member of the Purification Mechanism, an external detective for Suyalan Hall, previously a demon hunter with the Demon Hunting Order, fled to Old Dunling after the Night of the Holy Arrival.”

Gawain picked up the files on the table, briefly reviewing Lorenzo’s experience and identity.

”Is this information correct, Mr. Holmes?” he asked.

Lorenzo didn’t quite understand what they wanted, but he nodded nonetheless.

”That’s correct.”

”Then... Bola,” Gawain called out next.

Soon, Bola walked over from behind Lorenzo, he hadn’t left the conference room, standing behind Lorenzo all along.

Bola did not sit but stood beside Lorenzo, his face expressionless, very serious.

”Seven years ago, you first came into contact with Lorenzo Holmes, correct?”

Seven years ago, the exiled Lorenzo finally arrived in Old Dunling, wounded and staggered, no one knew where these foreigners came from, and he caused quite a stir in the Lower City District.

It was then that Bola first encountered Lorenzo, not paying much attention to this foreigner; after all, guys like Lorenzo with deep grudges washed up from the Thames River daily.

He just thought the Lower City District needed a few reliable pawns, so he arranged a legal identity for him, in exchange for Lorenzo’s service.

That was the beginning of Lorenzo’s new life.

”What exactly do you want to say?”

Lorenzo couldn’t help but ask.

”Just want to roughly confirm the timing... it all matches up.”

Anthony sorted through the information, looking carefully at Lorenzo, but then, in the next moment, a surging corrosion rose, it was a familiar power, a familiar nightmare.

The Secret Blood momentarily awakened, stirring waves in this somewhat empty conference room, yet Lorenzo remained seated steadily, staring intently at Anthony.

”Confirm the existence of Secret Blood...”

The glimmer in his eyes extinguished, Anthony made a note on the document, then put them away.

”Then let us start with the content of this conversation, Mr. Holmes,” he said.

”The first question.”

Everyone remained silent, only Anthony spoke, staring at Lorenzo, as if to see through those gray-blue eyes to uncover everything Lorenzo attempted to hide.

”Why are you concealing your identity?”

”What identity?”

Lorenzo grew tense, the situation was ghostly, although most of those aware of the Pseudo Holy Grail from the Night of the Holy Arrival had died, given the Evangelical Church’s eerie nature, even if they knew of its existence, Lorenzo wouldn’t be surprised.

But Medanzo, who held the Pseudo Holy Grail, was dead, he was the successor, logically they shouldn’t have traced this point...

”Your original true identity, you deceived the Purification Mechanism with it, and concealed the existence of the Pseudo Holy Grail.”

Anthony directly revealed everything, Lorenzo was somewhat stunned, he expected a verbal battle, but Anthony directly pointed everything out without giving any opportunities.

”Pseudo Holy Grail? What’s that?”

Lorenzo began to play dumb, he couldn’t expose this point, if the Evangelical Church made an issue of the Pseudo Holy Grail’s threat, even the Purification Mechanism couldn’t protect him... maybe Merlin would protect him, but the premise was that the benefit Lorenzo brought was greater than the risk of the Pseudo Holy Grail.

”You should know, that it is also a Messiah-level containment item, something we cannot discuss.”

Anthony continued, he picked up a pen, gently pointing it at Lorenzo.

”At this moment, it’s inside your body.”

”How to prove it?”

Lorenzo couldn’t help but laugh, to be honest, he wasn’t sure where Watson was after all, maybe she was still within his consciousness, maybe she had escaped the cage, but none of that mattered now, Lorenzo had to find a way to get out alive.

Lorenzo is invincible, but invincibility also has its premise, and this situation clearly exceeds that premise.

Anthony was stunned hearing this, his cold face showed a slight hint of doubt for the first time, seemingly not understanding why Lorenzo would say such a thing.

Then he took out another document.

”This is Yanar’s account after the Night of the Holy Arrival, he said he witnessed someone take the Pseudo Holy Grail and leave the Static Holy Temple alive during the battle of that night.”

Yanar?

Lorenzo vaguely recalled that demon hunter, in his memory, he was a devout believer, unlike Lorenzo, a madman only concerned with slaying demons, Yanar was a more ceremonious madman, always earnestly praying before every kill.

”Medanzo, right, but he’s already dead.”

Seeing this situation, Lorenzo realized there was no use in hiding, so he simply mentioned Medanzo, since he was already dead, there was no need to care about those things anymore.

However, Lorenzo was also a bit surprised, though knowing Yanar could fight well, he never thought he could survive the Night of the Holy Arrival...

Anthony was silent, he looked at Lorenzo, perhaps it was so-called disguise and deception, Lorenzo’s expression was indeed sincere, truly, he wasn’t lying, as far as he was concerned, Medanzo was indeed dead.

The awkward silence lasted for a long time, Anthony seemed to realize something, looking at Lorenzo, he asked again.

”Mr. Lorenzo Holmes, who do you think you are?”

”Who am I?”

Lorenzo looked at Anthony’s gaze, somehow, Lorenzo felt... a little bit of pity.

This man in front of him was pitiable, like a doctor looking at a dying patient.

”I am... Lorenzo Holmes.”

This name was Venus, the embodiment of a wish, something Lorenzo wouldn’t abandon, but now saying it gave him some hesitation, Lorenzo couldn’t figure out why.

”Number.”

Anthony asked again, Lorenzo knew what he was asking about.

”042!”

Lorenzo forced himself to be firm, saying it with force.

The sudden reply paused, Anthony looked at Lorenzo with pity, for a moment it felt as if the entire conference room turned into a ghostly funeral, where Lorenzo was the deceased, Anthony was the priest conducting the mass, and the others were family members of the deceased, with truth gradually being revealed, the heavy, damp soil piled onto Lorenzo’s body.

”You have indeed been contaminated by the Pseudo Holy Grail.”

”What do you mean!”

Lorenzo felt an inexplicable confusion.

This was supposed to be his day off, but now so many ghostly things appeared, like sitting peacefully on a train, it suddenly derails, and when you crawl out of the wreckage, you find demons in a dark red world laughing at you.

”Your number is 047!”

Anthony shouted, throwing the documents in his hand.

The documents scattered, but one page slid right in front of Lorenzo, showing a black and white photo, the man in it resembled Lorenzo.

”This is what your name really is.”

Anthony said mercilessly, watching the slightly trembling Lorenzo.

”””