Gun of Ashes

Chapter 499: Chapter 97 Patient_2

”I know exactly what you’re trying to do, after all, I’m one of you.”

Moriarty continued speaking, and it seemed like the window was left open, as the icy night wind blew in.

”Mr. Joshua suspects I have connections with the Demons, after all, you seem to hate me,” he said, with Joey remaining silent.

”I understand that; those who left Black Mountain Hospital don’t like seeing us again, but you... Joey Joshua, you are somewhat different. This is your case file. You consumed Hallucinogens, your mental state was disoriented, and you were treated in Black Mountain Hospital for a long time before being discharged. But after your release, you didn’t meet the psychologist regularly as required.

Even though your psychological evaluations were satisfactory, we all know that for those fighting the Demons on the front line, it’s easy to force yourself to be rational, even temporarily relying on the Florun Potion.”

Moriarty spoke as he picked up a medical file from the low table; it was Joey’s and should have been sealed away but was now placed right on the low table.

”What do you mean?” Joey seemed somewhat angry.

”Wait!”

The Night Owl’s cry detected something abnormal.

”James Moriarty, we now have reason to suspect connections with the Demons, but from what you said... there are hidden truths, right?”

Things started to develop in another direction, and Night Owl vaguely guessed, his peripheral vision was warily watching Joey.

”Yes, it was actually by chance. I met Mr. Joshua in the Mutual Aid Association I was in charge of, and perhaps due to my sensitivity as a medical professional, I noticed his mental state was problematic.”

”No! After interacting with you, I carried corrosive contamination!” Joey yelled.

”You could have tested for it, with the Geiger Counter. I know about that thing.”

Moriarty opened his hands calmly. The Night Owl didn’t speak but took action. The Geiger Counter was brought over. Although it was not as sensitive as the larger Geiger Counter, moving it close enough could still detect slight anomalies.

Moriarty cooperatively took the Geiger Counter. Even though it was just a crude test, it was enough to somewhat ease these people’s concerns.

Everyone looked cautiously over here. No matter what was really going on, this instrument would provide the answer.

Minute by minute... The Geiger Counter had no reaction, with no warning clicks, and the green light remained steady.

”Looks like I’m not the problem.”

Moriarty smiled, as a doctor, he had a smile that could drop all defenses, but now, to Joey, that smile was so repulsive. A sudden unnamed fury swelled in him, and he couldn’t understand why.

”What’s going on?”

The Red Falcon, seeing the result, also sensed something was wrong.

He still remembered Joey’s miserable state, but based on the results now, it seemed none of this held up.

According to the attendance record, Moriarty had no abnormal activity recently, nor were any unusual items found in the room. He carried no sources of contamination, unable to release erosion.

The Red Falcon’s gaze slowly shifted to Joey. Even though he didn’t want to, doubt was now directed toward Joey.

The swift action this time was due to trust in Joey, but now there was no evidence proving Moriarty had issues.

Although the follow-up investigation would continue, this situation had already led to other thoughts.

”Then how did you know we would come?”

The Night Owl calmly asked, refusing to let Moriarty off so easily.

”It’s simple, because of him.”

Moriarty pointed at Joey.

”We are members of the Purification Mechanism, just assigned to different departments. Though so, I’m more or less aware of your action protocols, and with Mr. Joshua’s suspicion of me, in accordance with the protocol, I will definitely be inspected.

Of course, I thought it would be a few people coming to make me fill out forms and do psychological assessments, never expecting such a big scenario.”

Moriarty smiled at the Night Owl, seemingly knowing what the Night Owl wanted to ask next, and continued speaking.

”Internal personnel seldom formally bring up such serious doubts, as it would undermine our trust and unity. So, the reason I was so sure that Mr. Joshua would question me...

He’s a patient, and a doctor knows a patient best, doesn’t he?”

”What are you talking about!”

Joey suddenly realized the situation was entirely controlled by Moriarty. Originally, he should have had the gun to Moriarty’s head, demanding he explain all these damn quirks, but now it had changed, completely changed.

”Calm down, Mr. Joshua, you’re very emotional now. It’s normal for anyone to feel this way when suspected, but you’re an Upper-Rank Knight, and you should always remain calm,” Moriarty said.

”I’ve looked at Mr. Joshua’s file, and based on what’s recorded, he did not receive follow-up treatments. This caught my attention, though I’m just a doctor and can’t cross-departmentally demand people, right? So I put it aside until I met Mr. Joshua again in the Mutual Aid Association.”

Moriarty lifted his head, directly looking at Joey, and then raised his hand.

”I’m a doctor, a psychologist. I need to break through a patient’s mental defenses to help them, so I had a short conversation with Mr. Joshua then. From the details of the conversation, I found he hadn’t recovered, still haunted by past nightmares, without the slightest awareness, living a supposedly normal life.

He needs to be cured.”

The damn past, with bloody memories, brought immense pressure every time it came to Joey’s mind.

He would rush into the bathroom, repeatedly scrubbing his body until the skin was scratched, bleeding tiny beads of red.

But Joey could wash away the filth from his body, yet couldn’t get rid of that on his soul.

Moriarty spoke and snapped his fingers. It was a normal gesture, but the crisp sound struck Joey’s heart like a drumbeat.

”Joey had hallucinations, terrifying hallucinations,” Red Falcon said.

”These were indeed due to his mental state. He never emerged from those nightmares and immediately plunged back into larger ones fighting the Demons... Words have Magic Power, and we psychologists heal patients through conversation. And he was like a dam full of holes, ready to collapse at any time. I merely triggered this in advance.

It’s far better to collapse into a mad vision in the bedroom than on the battlefield, isn’t it?”

Listening to Moriarty, instead, he seemed like a good person.

”But how do you explain the abnormal Geiger index?”

Bluebird, who had remained silent, asked, lacking evidence to prove Moriarty was problematic, nor proving Joey was going mad. But the index wouldn’t lie; it provided the key.

”I can’t explain it... Even today, we still don’t know what Demons are, let alone that bizarre erosion? However, I know when erosion acts on the mind, it enlarges all negative emotions, and such negativity in turn expands erosion, a vicious cycle, leading to madness.”

Moriarty suddenly stood up. Others raised their guns involuntarily, but Moriarty was fearless. He walked right up to Joey, facing him.

”Joey, you’re sick.”

This time he referred to him warmly as Joey.

It felt like being watched by a certain monster. Joey lost all ability to act for a moment, as if his skeleton froze, with his muscles no longer obeying his commands.

The clear lenses reflected his face; despite efforts to stay calm, emotions could be seen—anger, fear, hatred...

”You’re sick, refusing to believe you’re ill, hence attributing errors to me, believing I trapped you in hallucinations.”

Moriarty’s voice was very gentle, and as he said, he was a psychologist, needing to in simple words, make the patient relax and open up.

It was a comforting voice, like a soft hand gently pressing against your cheek.

”No, it’s your own ailment. I merely brought it to the surface...”

Lightning crossed outside the window, adding a nameless pressure to everyone’s mind. The Geiger Counter had long turned red, its high-pitched scream never ceasing, but Joey and others were completely unaware.

Their eyes hollow, darkness reflecting those burning gazes.

In reality, Moriarty hadn’t stood up, still comfortably seated on the sofa, smiling at these people stepping into the trap.

A faint smoke rose in the room, Burnt Wind Tobacco mingling with that bizarre Authority, and by the time they arrived, that insane hallucination had already synchronized with reality, sinking them within, entirely oblivious to the impending danger.