Chapter 259 - See One, Kill One!
A minute later, the sleek black car sped away.
In the back seat, the boy toyed with the black gun barrel in his hands while the girl shot it the occasional curious look. Up front, the old butler with slicked back white hair drove the car through the streets.
"Young Master, did you see that alley behind the three people just now?" He spoke slowly. "Two people recently died there."
"D-dead?!" The boy froze and then looked up. The girl beside him also leaned forward. The butler nodded as he steered the car.
"That blond youth said the gun barrel still smelled of gunpowder and that it had just been used. He wasn't lying. The two dead people in that alley were probably killed by a handgun. The barrel you're holding..." The expression on the butler's face remained unchanged.
However, the boy was a little frightened. Suddenly, the gun barrel in his hand felt heavier and hotter. Although he possessed supernatural abilities that had been passed down through his family, he had never seen blood before. The excitement and curiosity from thinking the others were gangsters slowly turned into fear and an overwhelming sense of dread at the mention of death.
The corner of the butler's mouth lifted slightly as he spoke in a deep, reassuring tone. "Young Master You An, there's no need to be afraid. We came out this time so you could experience the world. The world is not as safe and comfortable as the family estate. But there's no need to worry. Your automatic defenses can easily block handgun fire. And as far as machine guns that could pose a threat to you and Miss Haiman goes, no gang has access to such weapons."
He had brought Young Master You An and Miss Haiman to East Sea County to visit the Tulip Antique Exhibition and travel a bit. As per the lady's instructions, if any controllable incidents arose, he was to allow Young Master You An to see the darker, more brutal side of society beyond the beauty. This would help them grow mentally and prevent them from becoming sheltered flowers. After all, You An would eventually have to take over the family, whether in ten or even several decades.
After half an hour, the black car drove down Camphor Avenue and through a bustling commercial district. It arrived at the famous Blooming Flowers Fountain Plaza in East Sea City, near the prestigious Lilun High-Class Apartments. The car parked, and the group walked toward the plaza.
The dusk sky was a vibrant crimson. The swirling clouds resembled golden-red waves, with fiery streaks visible among the white fluff. Beams of golden-red light fell over the building rooftops, forming halo-like rings. The tiles shimmered brightly, giving off an inexplicable sense of grandeur.
After a moment, another black car drove up. The paint on one side of the car was slightly scratched. A blond young man stepped out of the car, resting one hand on the body of the vehicle as he looked around with a hint of nostalgia.
The familiar sight of neatly arranged blue-and-white homes, small green trees lining the sidewalk at regular intervals, candle-shaped streetlights, and a few scattered pedestrians overlapped with his memories.
Cassius had spent some time here during his last time-travel with the bronze ring, supporting many masters from the Northern Covert Martial Arts community. They had then launched an all-out assault on Black Rain Manor.
If he remembered correctly, that had been in the Year 107 of the Federation calendar. Now, Cassius found himself in Year 110, three years later. A strange sense of disorientation washed over him, as if history itself was crossing before his eyes.
It had been three whole years, or rather, four years if counted from the starting point of his last time-travel experience.
He remembered the Bolt Sect of Black Rain Manor, the Three-Eyed Mad Lion Sect from the Northern Covert Martial Arts community, and Duomo, who had fought alongside him in the ancient ruins occupied by the Blood Race.
And of course, there was Twilight...
Four years...if things had followed their original course.
Julia should have died by now, and Twilight should be leading a group of like-minded rebels against Black Rain Manor while being hunted by the Decaying Knights and Hellsing.
Unfortunately, he had his own matters to deal with, like the mysterious Dead Blood, the powerful Gate Organization, the ruins of Eternal Island, and the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance. Otherwise, he might have gone to witness the original trajectory of those people, events, and histories from the last time he traveled through time.
"Cassius, what are you thinking about?" Feng Liusi stepped out of the driver's seat and turned to ask.
"Oh, nothing." Cassius snapped out of his thoughts. "Tonight, I plan to check out the temporary blood nest those two mentioned."
A cold expression crossed his face. "To be honest, I have a grudge against these creatures. Blood spirits—no, Dead Blood. I'll kill every single one I find!"
Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder. Feng Liusi spoke seriously, "Kid, what are you talking about? It's not just you—it's us. It's been a while since my body recovered, and my Red Falcon Fist hasn't tasted blood in ages."
The peaceful expression on his face turned oddly sinister, and his eyes seemed to glow with a red gleam as they reflected the dusk sky. Feng Liusi had his own thoughts. He believed that any obstacles preventing them from obtaining the antiques from the ancient ruins were hindrances. The Blood Spirit Society, who had previously targeted the Tulip Antique Exhibition, was one such obstacle.
Weakening potential enemies and unleashing his martial arts in a satisfying, violent release... Why not?
Beside them, Saint Feinan strolled over casually. "Count me in. I want in on the action too."
The three had traveled from Wenxia County to East Sea County by train. They had headed straight for East Sea City, the largest city in the county. The Tulip Antique Exhibition was being held in nearby Kura City, the second-largest city in East Sea County. The distance between the two was relatively small. One could take a train from East Sea City to Kura City, or even drive.
It was already dusk. They had planned to stay the night in East Sea City and head to the antique exhibition in Kura City the next morning. Since they had nothing to do in the evening, instead of hitting a bar or watching strippers in a club, Saint Feinan preferred joining Cassius and Feng Liusi to kill—not humans, but dark creatures.
Killing people was dull. After learning about the deeper, hidden side of the world from Cassius, Saint Feinan had been itching with curiosity. He couldn't wait to slaughter a few dark creatures for fun.
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According to Cassius, the two people they encountered near the train station weren't actually dark creatures, but humans under control. The true dark creatures, known as Dead Blood, could replace human blood with their own until they could control every inch of the corpse.
Since they were corpses, they had no sense of pain, and the power of Dead Blood gave them extreme regenerative abilities, making them almost immortal. Some bodies would mutate from the dark creatures’ infection, transforming into forms perfectly suited for combat. They weren't easy to deal with, but that was what made it exciting.
The three quickly reached a consensus. Saint Feinan wanted to satisfy his curiosity, Feng Liusi wanted to vent his bloodlust, and Cassius sought to fulfill his lingering attachment and exact revenge.
The third goal of the Wind Elephant Tusk Pendant was simple: kill every single member of the Dead Blood group that had attacked the Wind Elephant Sect. No one could be left alive.
Originally, this would have been difficult, as the Dead Blood were highly secretive. However, now that they had surfaced and gathered, it was the perfect opportunity for Cassius. Moreover, he didn't need to identify the targets himself.
If he killed the right target, the Wind Elephant Tusk Pendant in his view would automatically light up and flash, and the floating number beside it would decrease. Currently, the number of Dead Blood Cassius needed to kill was seventy-five. Back then, over a hundred Dead Blood had participated in the massacre, and most of them possessed the strength of second-rate pugilists.
Some had been killed during that battle, and others had mysteriously died in the following years. Now, according to his lingering attachment, only seventy-five remained. This was the target Cassius needed to eliminate to complete his revenge.
Due to the large number of enemies and their elusive nature, Cassius had been given ample time when entering the third time-travel node of the Wind Elephant Tusk Pendant. After all this time, about half of the time scale in his vision still remained. Additionally, killing the two members of the Blood Spirit Society earlier had earned him two extra days.
The message was clear—completing this final lingering attachment wasn't going to be easy. He would have to kill other Dead Blood or related entities to extend his time and continue the hunt.
However, the Tulip Antique Exhibition presented a great opportunity. It might not be possible to wipe them all out in one go, but there was a good chance he could eliminate most of them and possibly track the others.
Cassius believed he could fulfill the other two lingering attachments as he worked toward completing the final lingering attachment. Since he had Feng Liusi and Saint Feinan by his side, it was the perfect time to act.
This was especially true since Feng Liusi, his semi-mentor from this time-travel, had returned to his peak as Blood Fist. His strength surpassed that of even veteran combat artists. Even with his increased strength, Cassius wasn't sure he could beat him.
Together, the three would advance and retreat as one. They could do things he wouldn't have dared imagine before. For example, he didn’t need to strategize in order to wipe out the temporary Blood Nest of the Blood Spirit Society in East Sea City! According to the confessions of the men he’d interrogated, the nest was located in the southern district of East Sea City, an area filled with bars, strip clubs, and underground fighting rings. It was a gray area that was well-hidden.
There were plenty of people there, allowing for an endless supply of blood bait. If they were discreet, they wouldn't attract attention for a while. Since it wasn't a residential area, it was the perfect place for Cassius and Feng Liusi to let loose and unleash their Southern Dipper Fist Technique.
The group rented a temporary apartment at Lilun High-Class Apartments and enjoyed a hearty meal. The sky darkened quickly. It didn’t take long for night to descend. The clouds veiled the faint moonlight, which draped over everything like a thin veil of silk.
As the night grew deeper, the streets became quieter. Only the streetlights in Blooming Flowers Fountain Plaza cast a soft yellow glow, illuminating the white marble fountain and the black bench beside the towering statue. Faint lights flickered here and there in the nearby buildings like stars scattered across a dark canvas.
At 10:30 p.m. on the third-floor balcony of a white building, Cassius slowly turned around and walked inside.
In the warmly lit room, Feng Liusi stood in an open space, his feet planted on a black sound-absorbing mat. He wore a hat and held a book in his left hand, while his right hand was slightly extended. Crackling sounds came from his palm as his concentrated Death Fang's Force cut through the air.
Meanwhile, Saint Feinan was leisurely sipping tea at the oak table beside the bed. A rectangular radio softly played a calm melody. His crystal-blue whip was coiled in a circle around the teapot, releasing the occasional gust of cold air to regulate the tea's temperature.
"The time's about right. I think we should head out." Cassius walked over to the coat rack and lifted his black trench coat. With a slight shake, the hem cut through the air and fell gracefully.
Saint Feinan finished his tea in one gulp and slowly stood up. Next to him, Feng Liusi closed his book and tucked it into an inner pocket. Lately, he had been fascinated by detective novels from the United States of Yana, specifically The Holmes Detective Series.
"Maybe I can read a bit more in the car..."
A combat artist like Feng Liusi could read clearly even in the dark.
The door opened to allow the three figures, dressed in their trench coats, onto the street. They headed for the parking lot of the upscale apartment. They looked like gangsters heading out to handle business in the night.
"They look like they're going to kill again, don't they?" You An muttered to himself in excitement as he watched from the fourth-floor balcony of the neighboring building. Though he had been a little scared by the events that afternoon, he found it all quite thrilling. His anticipation for this outing had only grown.
The excitement made it hard for him to focus during his usual evening meditation, causing his mind to wander. After two hours of futile meditation, he had come out to the balcony to clear his head with the night breeze.
There, he had spotted Cassius waiting on the third-floor balcony of the adjacent building, seemingly passing the time as well. You An had considered greeting him, but Cassius had gone back inside before he could. Shortly after, three figures emerged from the building in uniform black trench coats.
When he thought back to the events of the afternoon, You An naturally assumed that these three gangsters were heading out on some murderous business. And to be honest, he wasn't far off, though, they weren't exactly going to kill humans.
On the balcony, You An clenched his fists, feeling a strange thrill wash over him. It was the excitement of having glimpsed a hidden secret, of learning about a darker side of the world.
"Huff..." He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart. It was so late—there was no way the old butler would allow him to follow.
Suddenly, a familiar elderly voice spoke from behind. "Young Master, do you want to follow them and see for yourself? See how that gun barrel he gave you works? How bullets kill? I can make an exception for you just this once..."