Gun of Ashes

Under the pitch-black night sky, the strong lights indiscriminately swept across the earth, their dazzling beams like the eyes of giants, scrutinizing the strange beings hidden in the darkness.

It was already late at night, and the temperature was indeed very low, yet the surrounding machines roared and operated, releasing massive amounts of steam from the engines, slightly scorching the skin.

Due to Lorenzo's aggressive advance, the ordinary carriages of the Radiant Train were mostly burned to blackened frames. Fortunately, they were never of much use, so the several-meter-high heavy crane came into play, its heavy iron hook smashing down, dragging them off the tracks one by one, and then placing the armored carriages prepared in the dark onto them.

"So many people died, how should we deal with it?"

Looking at the scorched corpses all over the ground, Eve felt a bit saddened. Although they were demons, just a few hours ago, they were all living humans with their own lives, families, and dreams.

But now, none of that matters anymore. They died, and perhaps no one will ever remember them, leaving so silently.

"We have a department specifically for handling follow-up incidents, just leave it to them."

Red Falcon referred to the secret department known as the Cleaner, which always cleaned up the battlefield after fighting demons, eliminating possible contamination and various situations.

Most of them were retired from the Purification Mechanism, retaining knowledge of demons, and living out their years in a department where direct combat was unnecessary.

Truly a "conscientious" enterprise, not letting people go even after retirement.

The girl crouched by the platform, her head lowered, unsure of what she was thinking.

After Lorenzo and Bola's conversation, she began to understand that these people came from a secret organization against demons known as the Purification Mechanism, directly serving Queen Victoria.

Internal rankings were based on Ingwig's mythical stories, graded according to the Round Table Knight Order: Knight Commander, Upper-Rank Knight, Lower-Rank Knight, Apprentice Knight. The ones Eve now saw, like Red Falcon, were Upper-Rank Knights; they possessed resistance to demon corruption and were the core strength.

"So you also need to go to Ende Town?" Lorenzo looked at the busy crowd and Eve, who was crouching in a corner.

"Yes."

Bola was unwilling to elaborate, merely responding briefly.

Lorenzo found this somewhat amusing and said to Bola.

"We need to exchange information, and wasn't it you who entrusted me with all this at the beginning?"

Without Bola's commission, Lorenzo might not have delved so deeply into this event. It could be said that Bola was the architect of all this.

"I've found a clue, that thing is called the Holy Coffin, right? It's lying in the town named Ende, waiting for us to retrieve it."

"I didn't expect you to discover so much."

Bola wasn't overly surprised, merely astonished. His assessment of Lorenzo was consistently high; if Lorenzo couldn't uncover such covert information, it would be uncharacteristic.

"After all, I am a detective, right?"

"Part-time demon hunter?"

"Accurately speaking, a former demon hunter; I've retired."

Bola snorted coldly, expressing distrust at Lorenzo's words.

"Do demon hunters retire?"

"Yes, I grew tired of that life, ran to Old Dunling to start anew; I'm speaking the truth."

Lorenzo lamented, having little fondness for the old life of fighting and killing; it's like an uninteresting novel, read once and then forever shelved in some corner.

"Bola, we need each other's help now; that Holy Coffin is dangerous, really dangerous."

The tone shifted from light-hearted to lethal, carrying a cold edge, prompting some doubt from Bola.

"Why do you think that?"

Neither Arthur nor Galahad knew exactly what this Holy Coffin was when taking on this mission, nor did Bola's superiors.

"Simple, intuition... a former demon hunter's intuition."

Lorenzo looked into the depths of the pitch-black night, where endless demons lurked.

"You don't know what the Holy Coffin is either?"

"Why do you think I know that thing?"

Bola gazed deeply at Lorenzo, deciding, after brief contemplation, to disclose deeper information.

"Because the Holy Coffin originates from the Demon Hunting Order."

A hint of surprise appeared in Lorenzo's eyes, yet he nodded as if he had long expected it.

"So that's how it is; I suspected the Demon Hunting Order when I realized that highly polluting object, only Secret Blood technology possesses such characteristics."

"But you don't actually know what that thing is."

"Which means it emerged after I left the Demon Hunting Order, or it was something beyond my access, or it's just an external codename."

Lorenzo analyzed before adding.

"There are only these three possibilities."

After Lorenzo's analysis, Bola reassessed Lorenzo once again. His resistance towards Lorenzo derived from many factors, primarily him concealing his demon hunter identity for six years; without today's incidents, Bola would never have imagined Lorenzo was a demon hunter.

Additionally, Lorenzo's relationship with Eve, given her peculiarity, compelled Bola to suspect whether Lorenzo had other motives. Moreover, each demon hunter possessed Secret Blood; in the absence of the Armor of Original Sin, Lorenzo's single combat capability within this group was unparalleled, and should he lose control, it would be deadlier than the Armor of Original Sin.

"I hope you won't cause trouble during this brief collaboration."

After deliberation, Bola spoke with some helplessness.

"And what about Eve?"

Lorenzo redirected the topic to Eve, who crouched by the platform, watching the heavy carriage being hoisted onto the rails, a deadly giant serpent slowly forming.

"You value her so much, and she's associated with Secret Blood, does it mean your Purification Mechanism is replicating Secret Blood technology?"

"I hate talking to you; you know too much."

Bola didn't directly answer Lorenzo's question. For this keen-minded detective, there were no secrets in the world, rendering Bola extremely passive.

"I won't delve into it; I can understand you all. On the path against fear, martyrs are necessary, and all present are among them."

Even Lorenzo was one of the martyrs, bearing the lethal Secret Blood, eternally pursued by demons from the darkness.

"Just please rest assured, until those damned demons are slain, we're all teammates."

"That's precisely why I'm unsettled, Lorenzo."

Bola replied coolly.

"You've always craved a new life, for which you cast countless bodies into the Thames River. The entire Lower City District was reshuffled because of you, a foreigner.

But now you've returned to the old ways, bearing the demon hunting weapon, not even fearing us... know that to us, you're merely a source of intelligence; after the event concludes, we might imprison you till death, extracting all discernible information, replicating Secret Blood technology."

In the eyes of the Purification Mechanism, after the Demon Hunting Order concluded, Lorenzo was the only hope to replicate Secret Blood technology, which would lead to a brutal experimental life.

"I am well aware, but as I said, even so, I'm a martyr on the path against fear, aren't I? I don't concern myself with that; I'm only focused on the Holy Coffin now; the so-called demons must be thoroughly purified."

Lorenzo seems to have seen through everything; he gazed at Bola, knowing all the secrets.

"There's actually something you haven't told me, right?"

"What are you referring to?"

"The Demon Hunting Order no longer exists."

Observing Bola's response, Lorenzo nodded in satisfaction; Bola still lacked the art of concealing emotions, at least not perfectly enough, revealing everything Lorenzo wanted to know.

"I've lived peacefully in Old Dunling for six years; with the Order's style, there should've been someone secretly approaching me... Demon hunters don't retire; retirement is dying on the demon hunting path, yet I've survived till now, aside from their disappearance, I can't think of any other result."

With a confident smile, Lorenzo continued.

"The Demon Hunting Order is gone, but demons still exist. That's why I know the conclusion will be this way, but I still stand up."

The shrill iron whistle echoed throughout the night; the armored carriages were assembled, soldiers orderly boarding this massive steel python. Blue Jade held Eve outside the carriage; they looked here, waiting for Lorenzo and Bola.

"So this is your reason?" Bola was somewhat surprised.

"Yes, the world needs a second Demon Hunting Order, that's the purpose of my existence."

Lorenzo patted Bola's shoulder with a grin.

"So, has my noble spirit moved you?"

"To be honest, a dubious lunatic suddenly becoming noble would only be alarming"

Disregarding Lorenzo's crestfallen expression, Bola responded calmly, ending the chat.