Gun of Ashes

As they delved deeper, the team already suffered casualties, beyond those killed by the Demons, there were also stragglers.

They were patients, patients corroded and corrupted; years ago, doctors helped them hold back the spread of the erosion, but today, years later, they encountered the Demons once more.

The long-dormant erosion intensified again. Though unspoken, everyone could somewhat sense it, the cold erosion wrapping invisibly around them like a creeping vine.

Some seemed to anticipate the arrival of erosion. Before fully transforming into Demons, they silently halted their steps, then turned to charge at the oncoming Demons, dying in human form.

In this way, one after another, stragglers left.

”We’re almost there... Ahead is the second Safety house, hopefully, the door is tightly shut, otherwise William might have already been devoured.”

Arthur spoke lightly, which was rare for him.

While running, Arthur gradually slowed down, resting his Folding Blade against the wall, panting heavily.

”Are you okay?” Cole asked.

The sound echoed in the elongated space. Turning back, the dim corridor now only had the two of them left.

”Ahead is the second Safety house. Determine William’s safety, then lock it. The people outside are attracting the Demons, perhaps this way he can survive.”

Arthur spoke weakly; he was very tired, meanwhile, urgent footsteps resounded again from behind, along with the stirring blood scent.

”I need to rest for a while.”

He coughed forcefully. Ever since the outbreak of the Demon tide, Arthur maintained high-intensity combat; the power of Rangers comes at a cost, and he was no longer young. His body was covered in wounds from these battles, and his spirit bombarded repeatedly by this erosion.

Cole was silent; he certainly wouldn’t believe Arthur’s crap. Resting in this damned place only had one outcome, being torn to shreds by the Demons catching up. But he understood too, Arthur didn’t want to admit defeat just like that; he didn’t want to say he could no longer run, as saying so would be acknowledging failure. He didn’t want to concede to those Demons, which was why he persisted until now.

”Ah... Although I just woke up not long ago, this feeling is truly terrible, Arthur.”

Cole said, hauling Arthur by the shoulder, dragging him forward.

”To wake up and find I’ve been crazy for so many years, with precious time wasted in a hospital bed... It’s like waking up to a world turned upside down — panic and confusion, not to mention realizing the erosion was worsening the moment I awoke.

I just woke up, and now I’m facing death again, this is too awful.”

Cole said, looking at Arthur’s blood-stained face, then laughed.

”Of course, the worse part is you waking up to find your familiar friend has become an old wreck.”

”I’m really sorry about that... Let me go, Cole. Go determine William’s fate, then come back for me,” Arthur whispered.

”But I am quite pleased, waking up to find the Purification Mechanism still exists, not destroyed by the Demons, and their understanding of the Demons has become more comprehensive, it’s really not bad, and you haven’t lost your drive despite aging.”

Cole didn’t heed Arthur’s words at all, speaking to himself.

”Earlier I was quite scared, after all, William has gone mad. In such a situation, nobody knows whether he is alive or not; choosing to seek him out for possibly unreachable information, risking one’s life... I feared you’d reject the proposal, but you still took action, came with me to find him, not considering if you’d die as a result, right?”

”That’s great, Arthur, time hasn’t made you timid, but rather more courageous.”

”Are you delivering a last farewell?”

Arthur gathered some strength and asked.

This was a very fitting scenario for delivering a farewell, like some tragic hero,

Arthur staggered, his consciousness wavering, feeling the corridor beneath his feet stretching endlessly, as if it had no end, while the second Safety house they aimed for seemed like an unreachable sanctuary.

”Something like that, after all, I’ve already been corroded, it’s only a matter of time before I become a Demon.”

Perhaps due to the corrosion and transformation, Cole was full of strength at this moment, dragging Arthur along like cargo, his other mutated hand gripping the Folding Blade tightly, casually slashing at the incoming Demons.

”Arthur, listen to me, during the time I was corroded, living like a walking corpse, in a daze... I don’t know how to describe it... I seemed to be trapped in a place.”

Cole shouted loudly; he wasn’t sure how much Arthur could hear and could only raise his voice as much as possible.

Humans knew too little about Demons, and due to the effect of erosion, much knowledge was difficult to pass on. Everyone could die, but they must relay that precious information before death.

This is an unknowable world, and they are fearless seekers of knowledge.

”What did you say?”

Arthur turned slightly, hearing Cole’s words, he bit his lip, sobering up a little more.

Watching the suddenly excited Cole, an indescribable force emerged within him, rekindling the extinguished embers after so many years.

”Remember what William said? Alchemists believed that at the end of darkness, at the end of human consciousness, there is a place called the [Gap].

In the muddled years, I seemed to be trapped in that place called the [Gap]. I couldn’t feel hunger or exhaustion, nor die or get injured. I was trapped in a scene I had seen in memory, unable to reach an end no matter which way I walked.

It’s like...”

”The Boundary, the Boundary of Hell.”

Arthur spoke slowly; hearing Cole’s words, his thoughts momentarily stalled, as if there was no longer anything to fear.

This is what the ”Gospel” mentioned, an area of transition between the world of the living and the world of the dead, called the Boundary of Hell.

Not sure if it’s coincidence or something else, reflecting on those crazy years, Cole felt as if he had always been wandering in a place similar to the Boundary of Hell, or in what’s called the [Gap].

”I guess that’s it, I’m not sure what this is about, but according to the Purification Mechanism’s regulations, suspicious places must be reported, right?”

Cole’s voice blurred, Arthur looked at his face, his blue veins bulging underneath, hideous and terrifying.

”You need to survive, Arthur, only you know this; you need to pass this precious information down, even if you want to die, tell it to the successors before dying, and as for me... I should be falling behind here.”

Cole said, letting go of Arthur, dropping him onto the cold and hard ground. Arthur hadn’t had a chance to say anything before Cole left; he struggled to stand up with his Folding Blade, but all around were just the constantly receding footsteps.

Arthur really wanted to curse Cole. He no longer had the strength to fight, yet Cole abandoned him in this place. Arthur wasn’t sure he could reach the second Safety house.

He tried to step forward, but his weary body could barely move. Overwhelming despair engulfed him, but then Arthur seemed to notice something. He lifted his head, the massive iron door was within reach.