Gun of Ashes

This was a night of madness, the burning manor was the grand stage, and above the dark night, the dirigible, resembling a giant whale, cast down beam after beam of light, focusing everyone's attention on the chaos at its center.

Lorenzo's fiery drive, Eve and Selyu's desperate escape, and Arthur's life-and-death struggle.

Countless events unfolded simultaneously within the manor, not to mention the surging demons and the iron walls forged by soldiers.

This would be the greatest blunder in the history of the Purification Mechanism, a demon invasion erupted directly within Old Dunling, right in the middle of this aristocratic ball. Inside the Broken Dome, Blue Jade repeatedly checked the map, but still couldn't find where the demons came from; it was as if they suddenly appeared there.

Fortunately, after years of expanding the Midcourt Serpent system, the reaction force of the Purification Mechanism arrived there at the first moment. Under the blockade of the Forbidden Guard, all chaos was contained within Salicado Manor.

Various orders were sent down, and even the mounted police of Suyalan Hall were urgently dispatched. The iron whistle of command echoed in the silent night, like the lament of a raven.

The area within a few kilometers radius from Salicado Manor entered emergency curfew to control the demon's erosion and to keep it hidden from the public. Almost the entire Cleaner department was deployed.

Everyone was busily working to the bone, yet in that raging sea of fire, two reckless individuals continued to advance merrily.

As they say, working in pairs makes the work easier; with two women, it becomes earth-ruining and heaven-destroying.

With Selyu and Eve working hand in hand, in no time, the entire castle was engulfed in blazing flames. Logically, it shouldn't have suffered such disaster, but under Eve's destructive nature, it was as if a cataclysm had passed through.

The two of them were wicked arsonists, with countless demons playing the role of police chasing them down. Of course, once caught, there'd be no need for any court trial; it would be immediate execution on the spot.

Despite the joy, both were actually panicking inside, Selyu utterly unclear what those strange creatures were, while Eve was anxious precisely because she knew what they were.

Ever since the action in Ende Town, she had been confined by Duke Phoenix. Forget going to work at the police station, even going out to see the scenery, someone had to accompany her. These days, Duke Phoenix brought a group of teachers to teach Eve—not so much knowledge, but rather how to become a good wife or something.

She didn't understand why Duke Phoenix was so eager to marry her off, as if she was a hot potato. Eve was not so easily subdued; on the surface, she played the good student, but secretly she plotted several escapes from home. Unfortunately, she was caught and brought back before even reaching the train platform.

The scorching air surged, and the demon's erosion was pressing on her mind.

In all honesty, Eve herself didn't know why she suddenly thought of these things, perhaps as a means of protecting her sanity, thinking of something happy during such a deadly moment so as not to be so scared.

But in thinking this way, for once, she truly sensed the arrival of death.

Every time Eve faced demons, there was a strong hand nearby, like Lorenzo, like Red Falcon, and even at worst, she had an aluminothermic rifle or the police station's firearm with her.

But now there was only a Selyu by her side, a frail little girl who obviously wasn't much of a fighter, not to mention her ankle was injured. Without Eve dragging her along, the future Duchess of Stuart would have long been executed on the spot by the demons.

She wore armor that felt somewhat heavy, but this thing was basically unreliable, merely used for decoration, like an unsharpened blade, offering no resistance against demons.

She began to feel some sadness, as a feeling called despair gradually captured her.

The battle between humans and demons had spanned an immeasurable amount of time, the terrifying erosion like a nightmare shadowing them, shaking even the most resolute will, causing them to doubt themselves and spiraling into the darkest abyss.

A single person's strength seemed so powerless amidst this tide of death, each step forward merely delaying the arrival of death, as humans have always been the hunted in every encounter with demons.

"You can let me go."

A cold voice rang out, as Selyu, who had been dragged along by Eve, sternly said.

Eve looked at this ice-like girl, the despairing feelings ignored, she shouted.

"You'll die!"

In Selyu's state, as soon as Eve let her go, she would soon be killed, with no chance of survival.

But she saw it, as she met those sapphire eyes, in the Ice Sea reflected Eve's fear and despair, all the emotions escaped not Selyu's gaze.

Selyu had a pair of magical eyes, like a bizarre psychologist, none of your emotions or thoughts escaping her notice.

"But if this continues, we will both die."

Selyu's voice was very calm, as if death was of little concern to her.

"How can you… be so calm?"

Eve didn't understand why Selyu wasn't panicking at all under such mortal circumstances, facing death so serenely.

"I'm just being rational, continuing like this is just us both dying, you still have a chance to escape!"

Selyu advised that they were all mortals destined to die, it was merely a difference in timing.