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n602 “Surgery”

n602 “Surgery”

nLugano’s eyes remained open as he swung open the door to the suite, his gaze vacant. He stepped into the deserted corridor, where only the sound of crashing waves reverberated.

nIn this moment, everyone, save for the sailor on night duty, succumbed to slumber.

nLugano moved forward, the kerosene wall lamps around him casting an ethereal glow that mingled with the encroaching darkness.

nHe reached the end of the floor and halted in front of a vivid vermilion wooden door.

nCreak. The door groaned open, and the darkness within seemed to swallow every trace of light.

nLugano traversed the obscurity with a blank expression, entering the room. Behind him, the vermilion door was pulled shut by an imperceptible force.

nIt was a suite. The living and dining areas lay shrouded in darkness, devoid of any candlelit glow. The faint crimson moonlight filtered through the curtains, offering minimal visibility.

nAt the dining table stood two shadowy figures. One of them appeared aged, with mostly gray hair and dark, deep blue eyes that seemed to absorb the night.

nDespite the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, the elder’s skin remained well-maintained, adorned in a loose, dark-black robe.

nBeside him stood Enio, the brown-haired, brown-eyed patient who had intruded upon Lugano that night, his pale face devoid of life. His vacant gaze fixated on the unadorned table.

nLugano, as if sleepwalking, stood next to Enio, unusually quiet.

nThe elder in the loose black robe turned his head, fixing his gaze on Enio.

nThe patient ambled towards the dining table, climbed on it, and lay completely motionless.

nThe blond elder brandished a sharp scalpel, unfastening Enio’s tweed coat, cashmere sweater, and cotton shirt. He pressed the razor-sharp blade against Enio’s chest, producing a ripping sound as he sliced through layers of flesh, creating a long wound.

nAs Enio’s chest and abdominal cavity lay exposed to the crimson moonlight, a void greeted the eye.

nNo stomach, no lungs, no small or large intestines, liver, or kidneys. Only a weakly beating bright red heart, accompanied by a few blood vessels extending from it.

nWith a swift motion, the old man in the dark-black robe manipulated the scalpel, his other hand flickering with a faint light as he pressed down.

nIn a sequence too rapid for the eye to follow, he withdrew the still-beating heart in his left hand.

nEnio’s chest and abdomen, now empty, displayed only a few non-bleeding blood vessels.

nThe old man closed the incision with a tight squeeze, sealing it with a flickering light.

nEnio’s stomach returned to its original state, devoid of any scars.

nThroughout this extraordinary procedure, the special patient’s eyes remained open, as if untouched by the surgical ordeal.

nIn that moment, he rolled off the dining table, ambled to the door, and exited the room.

nThe old man opened his suitcase, revealing glass jars containing pale amber liquid, each cradling various organs: spleen, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, and intestines…

nPlacing these items on the dining table in a peculiar order, surrounding the still gently beating scarlet heart, the old man in the loose black robe took a step back. He recited an ancient, malevolent, yet strangely intimate language.

nAs the unknown murmur resonated, the internal organs ascended slowly, upheld by an invisible force.

nTheir final positions varied, resembling the internal organs of a standing human.

nThe heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys emitted a faint glow simultaneously, outlining a form on the dining table. It lacked a head, limbs, or bones, merely a corporeal essence that grew more defined.

nA baby’s cry echoed, faint yet tangible.

nHowever, the body distorted, squirmed, and disintegrated in the end.

nThe old man in the loose black robe sighed with regret.

nStrangely, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were noticeably reduced, and much of his white hair had reverted to light gold.

nIn an instant, he appeared seven or eight years younger.

nSensing his good condition, the elder turned his attention to Lugano.

nLugano, seemingly summoned, approached the dining table and lay down, awaiting with open eyes.

nThe elder unbuttoned Lugano’s linen shirt, took up the scalpel, and gestured as if deciding where to make the incision.

nSuddenly, a loud bang reverberated.

nThe vermilion door swung open, crashing into the wall.

nCrimson flames surged, illuminating the room, climbing the walls and ceiling, transforming the place into a fiery inferno.

nLumian, adorned in black hair, green eyes, a golden straw hat, a cotton shirt, a black vest, and dark pants, materialized at the door and entered the suite.

nHe calmly addressed the old man in the loose black robe, “Don’t you know he’s my servant?”

nThe elder’s eyes narrowed as he readied the scalpel to descend towards Lugano’s neck.

nHowever, his right hand refused to budge, seemingly restrained by an invisible force pushing it upward.

nIn the midst of the rising crimson flames, Lumian paused, displaying no urgency to act. He spoke with intrigue,

n“That surgery was quite fascinating—extracting internal organs while leaving the person alive, albeit gradually dying.

n“And you used those organs for a ritual, rejuvenating yourself. Meanwhile, you nearly brought forth a peculiar lifeform.”

nSurprise flickered in the elder’s dark-blue eyes.

n“How do you know?”

nHaven’t you just arrived in pursuit of your servant?

nAnd no one entered before you!

nLumian emitted a soft chuckle.

n“You don’t need to know.”

nI still have a few hours of Governor of the Sea authority. Isn’t it easy to ‘see’ something in these waters?

nSensing Lumian’s confidence, certainty, ease, and absence of hostility, the elder fell silent briefly before expressing, “Life is the most precious, so life becomes the finest sacrifice and ingredient.”

nHe refrained from divulging details about the surgery or ritual, choosing instead to expound on his philosophy and the truth he sought.

nPraising and blaspheming life simultaneously? Lumian arched his eyebrows, finding it vaguely reminiscent of Lady Moon, Madame Night, and the bestowed of the Great Mother.

nCarefully assessing the black-robed elder behind the dining table, Lumian, upon confirming his gender, temporarily set aside his sudden anxiety.

nGazing down at the motionless Lugano on the dining table, Lumian casually inquired, “How did you control my servant?”

nThe elder fixed Lumian with a penetrating gaze, as if probing the depths of his intentions. He pondered, weighing the decision to preach the truth or engage in a confrontation to eradicate the issue.

nAfter a brief silence, he spoke in a resonant voice,

n“He’s a Blessed of the Great Mother. He heard the cries of the Son of God.”

nGreat Mother? Lumian’s scalp tingled at the term.

nHad it not been for the Sea Governor’s authority, Lumian would have launched a full-scale attack without allowing the elder a moment to react or explain.

nRegardless, even if he eliminated the elder, spirit channeling remained a viable option. Moreover, the elder could be fed to Ludwig!

nThough taken aback by the elder’s possible reference to Lugano as a Blessed of Earth Mother, Lumian swiftly dismissed the apparent meaning.

nHe was certain that Lugano was human and harbored no unusual bloodlines.

nFollowing Lugano’s injury at Solow Motel, Jenna collected his splattered blood and conducted Magic Mirror Divination according to Lumian’s subsequent instructions.

nIn an instant, Lumian deciphered the elder’s true meaning.

nThe Beyonders of the Planter pathway are all Blessed of the Great Mother?

nWhere does Earth Mother stand? Planter is the main pathway of the Church of Earth Mother…

nCould it be… the Great Mother reigns over multiple pathways, akin to the Celestial Worthy and Mr. Fool? Planter and Sower? The names bear a striking connection…

nAs Lumian’s thoughts raced, his focus intensified on the existence of the Son of God. Cordu’s empty infant cradle and the honorific title of Lady Moon nurturing a deity flooded his mind.

nDammit, why is it that the Great Mother seems entwined with children, Sons of God, and babies? Does that entity have a penchant for offspring? Lumian smirked superficially.

n“It seems your Son of God hasn’t truly been born.”

nThe old man in the loose black robe suddenly became fervent.

n“He’s already born in the spirit world, but He’s yet to step into the real world.

n“Don’t you see? Just revealing His form made me a few years younger. If He were truly born, I’d instantly regain my youth!”

nWho knows what malevolent creation you’ve unleashed… Lumian criticized and said, “You plan to shape the Son of God’s body with just this fragment of life?”

nThe elder was taken aback.

n“This is a ritual bestowed by the Great Mother’s revelation. It’s undeniably effective!”

nLumian smiled.

n“That Enio is unmistakably an ordinary person. The ritual’s effects won’t bode well. If it were a Beyonder with a robust life force, the outcome might be entirely different.”

nThe elder instinctively concurred, “Indeed. That’s why I intended to examine your servant’s internal organs…”

nAt this juncture, the elder halted, casting a wary glance at Lumian.

nWith a beaming smile, Lumian proposed, “Have you ever thought of sacrificing your own internal organs?

n“If you don’t offer yourself as a sacrifice, how can you showcase your devotion to the Great Mother and your reverence for the Son of God?

n“Don’t fret; the Son of God will revive you and bestow youth upon you!”

nAs he concluded his words, a dark-green light condensed in Lumian’s right hand.

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