Gun of Ashes

”Because the apocalypse is about to arrive, you’ve been with Lawrence for so long, hasn’t he told you about this?”

The sense of destiny within Lorenzo grew even stronger.

The world had entered a specific moment, so those forgotten monsters dug up their graves, crawled back from the depths of memory, joining this grand carnival.

”Plague Doctor, I can share some information with you, but...”

Lorenzo wanted to say more but was interrupted by the Plague Doctor. Although Lorenzo couldn’t see his expression, he could feel the contradictory sense of greed and calm from him.

”I actually already know what the ’truth’ of the world is?” The Plague Doctor let out a terrifying laughter, ”I’m not joking, Mr. Holmes.”

”The reason I came here is also to see it with my own eyes, to verify if my hypothesis is correct.

Perhaps in these matters, I know more than you do, want to hear it?”

Lorenzo gazed at the Plague Doctor, gray-white fire swirling in his eyes. After a long pause, he replied.

”No, I’ve worked so hard to get this far, I want to open the surprise gift box myself, rather than be told, losing that sense of surprise and accomplishment.”

”Really?” The Plague Doctor asked.

”No, I don’t believe you, Plague Doctor, to be exact I only trust my eyes, until I witness it myself, I won’t believe anyone’s words.”

If Lorenzo were so easily convinced, he would have joined Lawrence’s army long ago, fighting to fend off the apocalypse.

But Lorenzo doesn’t believe, he doesn’t believe anyone’s words. After this long pursuit, he clearly realized that the world is shrouded in one lie after another, who knows if the truth known by the Plague Doctor might be another lie?

The only things Lorenzo trusts are the weapon in his hand, and himself.

”God doesn’t love people, just like people don’t love livestock.”

The Plague Doctor said calmly, as if he had foreseen something, he raised his hand and took off the stifling bird-beak mask, exposing the crimson mutated head directly to the air.

”He is too powerful, so powerful that mortals can hardly comprehend such an existence.”

Countless tentacle-like limbs were crawling over the bloodied flesh, entwining to form the Plague Doctor’s body.

”Mortals can’t defeat Him... When humans can’t defeat an existence, what do they do, Mr. Holmes.”

”Submit to Him, worship Him, regard this abhorrent and unsolvable existence as God.”

Lorenzo continued along with the Plague Doctor’s words.

”But when humans acquire the ability to harm Him, they begin to see Him as an enemy. Think carefully, what’s the difference between a demon and a god? It’s just that demons aren’t as powerful as gods, to make us submit.”

The Plague Doctor revealed a grim and terrifying smile, speaking with a slight implication.

”Just like why a beast that has tasted human flesh must be killed.

These beasts realized while eating people that the humans who seemed so powerful, mastering fire and steel, were so fragile under their claws, easily killable and devourable.”

The flesh on his face writhed, clearly showing the manifestation of Authority·Yanar, this tenacious vitality was bestowed upon the Plague Doctor, allowing him to survive one brutal surgery after another.

The Plague Doctor seemed to be telling a terrifying secret, as if speaking it would trigger some disaster, he could only cloak it in these bizarre, parable-like words.

”So Mr. Holmes, another question.

Do you empathize with others?”

The storm grew ever more intense, the distance between the Horned Whale and the Blood Shark grew closer, the light at the horizon brightened yet was obscured by the raging storm, the stars dimming with the coming of daylight, as if everything was nearing an end.

”Yes.”

Lorenzo replied, it was because he could empathize, that he became more like a human, rather than a cold weapon, it made Lorenzo both fearful and delighted.

”Then would you empathize with livestock?” The Plague Doctor asked.

”No.”

Lorenzo did not hesitate, after all, humans and beasts were different. He could pity the beasts but wouldn’t waver the status of humanity because of them.

”Exactly, then why do some people think that gods would empathize with humans?”

The Plague Doctor looked at the approaching Horned Whale from afar, it was close enough now that neither cannon fire nor storm could halt its advance.

It was at this moment that Lorenzo truly saw the appearance of the Horned Whale, seeing blood-red vines amidst the fractured steel, seemingly nurturing some kind of flesh within the Horned Whale, it’s because of its existence that these shattered steels repeatedly reformed.

Countless arms rose from beneath the waves, as if lifting this huge ship, heading toward the end of the world.

Amidst the boiling turmoil, a distant roar of thunder echoed, yet it wasn’t from the storm, but from the depths of the ocean.

Lorenzo looked beneath the sea surface, reflecting the faces of soldiers and the flames in their eyes, yet the flames expanded rapidly, instantaneously becoming a gigantic fireball.

Then the blazing white light spheres were dislocated.

A pair of glaring white eyes emerged dislocated in the sea surface reflection, one pair so enormous and still growing, burning.

Infinite chill clutched Lorenzo’s breath.

This was not his reflection, those were His eyes.

”God doesn’t love people.”

The Plague Doctor said again, and his voice was drowned by the roaring cannon fire, a scarlet light streak crossed the waters, hitting the Horned Whale squarely, the instant heat completely dissolved and penetrated the hull, tons of fresh blood gushed forth, mixing into the sea, a pungent stench assaulting the senses.