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nChapter 481 The Thing in the Suitcase

nAnthony Reid clutched the items salvaged from General Philip’s lifeless form, wrapping them in a torn cloak. He avoided direct contact, a cautious move as he moved forward.

n“Found these…” he began to explain, but Lumian swiftly cut him off.

nClear and rapid, Lumian outlined their plan, “We’re heading to the outskirts of the city enveloped by the gray fog. Want to come with us?”

nAnthony Reid’s eyelids twitched. “Okay.”

nHe knew going solo could mean a swift demise, especially if the terrifying roar echoed again.

nLumian wasn’t in a hurry to inquire about General Philip’s belongings. Gripping Jenna and Anthony, he signaled Franca to hold onto his collar.

nA dark light emanated from the black mark on his shoulder as the quartet disappeared, seemingly teleporting to the periphery of the majestic yet crumbling city, just before the thin gray fog.

nWhat they saw was where they arrived.

nLumian attempted to step into the gray fog, but the seal on his chest remained dormant.

nFranca and the others could traverse it without his guidance.

n…

nResembling a hungry bear, Olson fixed his gaze on Gardner Martin’s head, devoid of its helmet. His brownish-red eyes flickered with a sinister light, pinpointing Martin’s vulnerability.

nIn mere seconds, Olson identified Martin’s weakest spot.

nEven if he couldn’t deal a fatal blow, inflicting damage to the party again meant a high chance that the Pride Armor would betray its wearer and kill him!

nSilently, Olson reached into his pocket, retrieving a yellow bullet held between his thumb and index finger.

nA crimson, nearly white fireball rapidly condensed in his palm, leading to a controlled explosion.

nThe violent shockwave propelled the bullet towards the back of Gardner Martin’s head with a thunderous boom.

nGardner Martin staggered, narrowly avoiding the bullet.

nNearly simultaneously, the surroundings were bathed in the bright and holy Sunrise Gleam.

nBlack smoke billowed from Olson’s body as if a long-dead zombie had been exposed to the sunlight created by the Purifiers.

nInstinctively, Olson’s eyes closed against the intense light.

nMeanwhile, Gardner Martin, no longer feeble, donned his helmet with a cold expression and sharp eyes.

nHe ignited, transforming into a blazing white spear of flames, piercing Supervisor Olson’s forehead with a whoosh.

nDespite Olson’s formidable resistance to scorching flames, his skull suffered charring from the impact. As the flames dissipated, Gardner Martin’s figure detached from the burning spear. Clenching his silver-armored fist, he swung it at Olson’s head from midair.

nAs the flames dissipated, Gardner Martin’s figure detached from the burning spear. Clenching his silver-armored fist, he swung it at Olson’s head from midair.

nOlson’s neck snapped, and his head flew up, dragging along a bloody spine.

nGardner Martin’s skull-crushing punch missed, and he landed on the ground once again.

nHowever, a heavy and sharp broadsword of light materialized in his other hand at some point, ready for the next phase of the battle.

nGardner Martin thrust the broadsword into the blackened soil, unleashing a terrifying storm. Countless light fragments filled the air, creating chaos in the vicinity.

nThe Pride Armor swiftly condensed the Sword of Dawn again, the Hurricane of Light forming with a much shorter interval than an ordinary Sequence 6 Dawn Paladin. Only a minute or two had passed since Gardner Martin last wielded this formidable power.

nOlson, reduced to just his head with a brownish-red beard, showed focus in his eyes and attempted to merge with a burning-white spear for a hasty retreat.

nHowever, the storm arrived, its light engulfing him completely.

nAs the Hurricane of Light subsided, Olson’s body displayed severe damage, riddled with cracks, some piercing through his chest and tearing internal organs. His severed head, carried by a bloody spine, bore the marks of destruction—eyes and nose obliterated, skull cracked, and blackened brain exposed.

nGardner Martin, poised and composed, conjured ten to twenty crimson fireballs.

nThey darted toward Olson’s nearly unconscious head, triggering a resounding explosion that shattered the head into fragments and liquid, splattering on the ground.

nWith a chuckle, Gardner Martin raised his visor, surveying Olson’s headless corpse and the scattered skull. He remarked, “I’ve always found you a little odd. This was a good opportunity to test you. I didn’t expect you to really attack me. That’s good too. Not only have I eliminated a hidden danger, but I’ve also counteracted the traitorous curse of the Pride Armor.”

nDeliberately appearing fine while exposing some problems through the details was meant to bait Olson—simple acts of vulnerability could easily raise the other party’s vigilance and suspicion.

nWith a sigh, Gardner approached the battered suitcase that had fallen to the ground and lifted it, on the verge of shattering.

nHe had long been curious about its contents, as Olson had always evaded the question. Now, Gardner could finally open it himself.

nGardner Martin unlatched the suitcase and opened it in front of him.

nInside was a head.

nThe features were unmistakable—deep facial features, brownish-red eyes, slightly disheveled black hair, a few silver strands at the temples, and well-defined facial features. The head which wasn’t considered thin was stained with blood.

nIt was Gardner Martin!

nIt was Gardner Martin’s own head!

n…

nOnce Lumian and his companions traversed the outermost gray fog, the transition from morning to evening seemed to unfold before them. Darkness enveloped their vision, concealing the black asymmetrical buildings and houses that appeared as if splattered with blood. Everything silently melded into the obscurity.

nAs they advanced, the looming, half-collapsed palace drew nearer. The city bore the brunt of colossal damage, as if a giant had delivered a devastating blow, unleashing shockwaves that wreaked havoc on the surroundings.

nDetails eluded Lumian’s scrutiny. The lack of sufficient light and the considerable distance obscured the exact nature of the scene. Various houses obstructed their view, and only the excessively tall palace and surrounding structures, despite their partial collapse, allowed them a glimpse of the peripheral city.

n“Let’s find a nearby hiding spot,” Franca suggested, her gaze scanning the area. She had no intention of venturing deeper into Fourth Epoch Trier.

nThe quartet found themselves on a narrow street, where the houses on both sides were so close that occupants could almost shake hands by extending their arms.

nThe structures, resembling victims of a violent earthquake, teetered but refused to collapse, adorned with ghastly cracks.

nJenna’s attention fixated on a relatively intact house. Iron-black in color, it featured an arched window on the left and a square on the right. Dark-red graffiti adorned one side, while the other remained clean. Not a single weed grew between the rocks.

nApart from the two obvious pots, the house exhibited various asymmetrical details, with centipede-like cracks mainly concentrated on the lower left side.

n“Should we go there?” Jenna inquired.

nLumian shook his head.

n“The more intact, the higher the likelihood of abnormalities. The current state of Fourth Epoch Trier’s citizens is unknown.

n“Let’s find a completely collapsed building to hide behind. At least, everything inside should be buried.”

n“Agreed,” Franca concurred with Lumian’s decision.

nIn Fourth Epoch Trier, she couldn’t fully perform Magic Mirror Divination.

nLumian and his team swiftly reached the center of the dimly lit street. In a setting that could plunge into darkness at any given moment, they strategically maneuvered around the ruins of a dark-red building, seeking cover.

nIt wasn’t until now that Anthony Reid seized an opportunity to extract the Arrow of the Bloodthirsty from his chest, returning it to Jenna.

nWith the dark-stained black cloak spread on the ground, he showcased his findings.

nThere were three items in total:

nThe first, a blackened ulna punctuated by dark-red holes, resembling a rough bone flute that had been kept in storage for ages.

nThe second, a small wooden box painted in dark hues. Compact enough to fit into a concealed pocket, it featured large holes on both sides veiled by swaying, leather-like “curtains.”

nLastly, a collection of gold, silver, and copper coins.

nAnthony Reid gestured toward the “bone flute” and explained, “This formed from the convergence of light spots on Philip’s ulna. It seems something formless has settled on it.”

nConspirer or Reaper Beyonder characteristic combined with his ulna and the power of the Deceased boon? Lumian nodded indiscernibly.

nPhilip hadn’t had a chance to retaliate before, leaving him uncertain about the general’s Sequence—a Sequence 6 Conspirer or a Sequence 5 Reaper. What was clear, however, was the general’s affiliation with the Hunter pathway. This deduction was based on the creation of numerous crimson Fire Ravens, almost white in hue. Moreover, the general wasn’t just a Sequence 7.

nIf it were the latter, Lumian would have been pleased to obtain the main ingredient for his advancement. The issue lay in the mixture of the power with an evil god’s boon, rendering it unsuitable for direct use in potion concoction.

n“What settled on it is the corruption of an evil god. It was a wise choice not to touch it directly,” Lumian informed Anthony.

nWithin the underground seal, the power of an evil god’s boon couldn’t return to its source.

n“This was found on Philip’s body…” Anthony pointed at the dark wooden box. Before he could finish speaking, another frenzied and violent roar echoed from afar.

nThis time, the four of them, having entered the gray fog, only experienced a slight dizziness and remained unaffected.

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