novelraw Page 44
Page 44
Chapter 101: Mira Holmes
With a fluffy little bat tucked in his arms, Zhuang Sen rode his new warhorse—the Nine Dragons Horse still hadn't survived—side by side with An Jie, as they entered the forest.
Although many people saw through Anjie's little plan, apart from the jealous Miss Mira, the others didn't necessarily want to follow. Mainly, they all had important work to do, and they didn't want to become mere decorative figures who held Zhuang Sen back—decorative figures weren't qualified to share the essence that could enhance their strength.
As I said before, Zhuang Sen is only fit for the strong!
Zhuang Sen didn't think that much about it, because he fucked them all the same way!
Which bloodline should I specialize in next?
He looked at the system panel in front of him and muttered to himself. Considering that he already had a level 3 bloodline that was about to reach the maximum level, he would definitely prioritize choosing a level 4 bloodline next. He currently only had two level 4 bloodlines: the Tall Dwarf that Nia dropped for him, and the Shadow Lizard that he got during Dantalian's second awakening.
The tall and short people have already experienced it firsthand, so I won't say more. It's basically a fully enhanced version of Nia, plus the Dantalian Special Attack—a cute little boy!
Next is the Shadow Lizard. As the name suggests, he's a lizardman. While his monster girl bloodline certainly wouldn't turn Zhuang Sen into a giant lizard, he doesn't really like lizards... Dragons, on the other hand, are fine. However, considering the team's overall versatility and diversity, the Shadow Lizard is definitely a better priority than the Tall-Dwarf.
However, the top priority should still be to raise the bloodline of the rankless angel to 100% and then evolve it into a higher-ranking angel. Zhuang Sen has already read a bit of the "Complete Book of Angels." The rankless angel has many evolutionary options, after all, it is the origin of all angels. However, the items Zhuang Sen has can only support him to evolve in two directions for the time being.
The [Lower-Rank Angel], which consumes [Holy Scale Fruit] and [Angel's Fry], and the [Scribe Angel], which consumes [Encyclopedia of Angels], are both level four Holy bloodlines, each with its own unique characteristics. But rather than considering which angel to choose, perhaps we should now focus on how to raise our bloodline to 100%.
We can't rely solely on driving silver... right? Probably.
Feeling somewhat guilty, Zhuang Sen began to focus on making the journey.
……
In the evening, they arrived at their first destination: Madwood Manor.
This place belongs to Tam Leon, who awakened the Shadowraven bloodline. He's the same guy who was single-handedly killed by Dantalian, a powerful general who's even ahead of Johnson in the succession order, and is considered one of the most prestigious of Leon's sons.
According to Anjie, he actually surrendered voluntarily, saying he was impressed by Zhuang Sen's feat of killing the War Church and was willing to admit that Zhuang Sen was stronger than him. However, after returning to Madwood Manor, he stopped replying to letters and did nothing, acting as if he were dead. But how could he be dead? Surely the War Church couldn't have assassinated him too?
That's why Ange felt she had been tricked by this guy, and she was very angry. How could she have been fooled by such a fool?! That's also why the first stop was here. Of all the traitors, what Ange most wanted to know was whether Tam had actually lied to her.
Of course, it doesn't matter whether he's a real traitor or a fake one. If Zhuang Sen comes in person, they won't be able to get through as easily as before. They'll have to bleed a lot to prove An Jie's usefulness!
Although Ange never acted like a prisoner, she was very clear about her position and wanted to break free from it to become Zhuang Sen's true ally—she felt that Artemisia alone was not enough.
As they approached the manor gate, Ange leaned close to Zhuang Sen and said sweetly, "Brother~ should we go straight in, or should we have Tam come out to greet us?"
"Let's go inside, don't waste time." Zhuang Sen was used to An Jie calling him "brother." "Speaking of which, are we going to sleep outdoors tonight?"
"Hmm, if you don't want to, brother, we can go to the next manor to rest. There's another little sister there, and maybe... ouch."
Zhuang Sen withdrew his right hand from An Jie's head: "What are you thinking about all day? Do you think I'm some kind of self-propelled estrus machine that's always thinking about Cao Pi?"
Ange chuckled, spurred her horse past Zhuang Sen, and arrived at the gate. Holding up a badge, she shouted at the guards on the low wall of the manor, "I am Ange Leon, here to visit Tam. Open the gate!"
The guards clearly recognized the notorious shrew among the Sons of Leon, especially since Ange had produced her identification. Immediately, someone opened the heavy door, and several guards rushed out from behind it to greet Ange, who had already met up with Zhuang Sen: "Your Excellency Ange, please come in. I have already sent someone to inform Lord Tam, but he has not left his room for several days. I don't know if he will be able to see you."
Although Ange's main concern was Zhuang Sen, she didn't completely let her guard down and immediately caught the key point: "Has Tam not gone out since he came back?"
The guard shook his head: "The morning after the lord returned, he talked to us about future developments, but he didn't come out for dinner. However, he did give an order that we shouldn't send him food for the next few days."
Anjie and Zhuang Sen exchanged a glance, both sensing the oddity in the situation. Those with certain bloodlines are indeed more resistant to hunger than ordinary people, but that doesn't mean they can completely avoid eating—except for those with special bloodlines—and there's no need to. Why deprive your mouth and stomach?
There's definitely something wrong here, and it's probably not a small problem.
Anjie lost her flirtatious mood and frowned slightly, her eyebrows furrowing like a delicate human's: "I understand, I'll go check—you guys just keep watch."
"Yes, my lord."
The guards hesitated for a moment but did not stop Ange. Logically, without Tam's orders, they were supposed to prevent outsiders from entering the main building, but Tam hadn't made a move for several days, making them very anxious. They dared not go to check themselves, and now that someone with sufficient authority had finally arrived, they naturally hoped Ange could help.
So, Zhuang Sen and his two companions sped all the way to the main building of the Madwood Manor. Some more well-equipped guards were scattered here, but they did not stop Zhuang Sen and his group when they saw them coming. They obviously had the same idea as the guards at the gate, probably because the people sent by the guards at the gate had given them the information.
However, a messenger was sent to report that Tamm had still not appeared...
Anjie and Zhuang Sen both sensed something was amiss, but the main building itself didn't seem to have anything wrong with it.
Just then, because the sunlight hadn't completely disappeared, Mira, who had been hiding under Zhuang Sen's clothes somewhat listlessly, suddenly stirred. She gently flapped her wings against Zhuang Sen's chest, indicating that she had something to say. Although she could speak directly, there were outsiders present, and flying out to whisper in his ear while the sunlight was still there was something else.
Upon noticing this, Zhuang Sen was the first to enter the main building's lobby. In the instant the sunlight was blocked, Mira immediately flew out and whispered in Zhuang Sen's ear: "There's a strong, mixed smell of blood. It feels like dozens of animals, including deer, cows, wild boars, and people, have died here."
Chapter 102: The Dead Sons of Leon
"Is this right here?"
Zhuang Sen looked at the ordinary wooden wall in front of him, while Miss Mira, who was whispering in his ear, nodded affirmatively: "This is it. The smell of blood is so strong that it almost overpowers your scent. It's disgusting."
The vampire said the smell of blood was disgusting, but that's alright.
Without hesitation, Zhuang Sen smashed the wooden wall in front of him with a single punch. Behind the thick logs, a huge cavity appeared, from which a nauseatingly pungent stench of blood surged forth. Zhuang Sen and his companions were alright, but the guards and servants of the Madwood Manor who had followed were all instantly vomiting from the stench. The source of this stench was also revealed as the firelight illuminated it.
Tam Leon lay quietly on the ground, his face pale, a stark contrast to the bright red markings that surrounded him. One of his arms was bent irrationally, clearly broken, suggesting that his passing was not peaceful.
Mira whispered in Zhuang Sen's ear, "His blood has been drained, and those patterns are very similar to the magic circle you mentioned before."
Even with the firelight not fully illuminating the secret room, Mira could see the situation inside thanks to her darkvision and remembered the magic circle that Zhuang Sen had mentioned earlier. Zhuang Sen nodded; although he couldn't see the whole picture, the spot where Tam was lying was enough to remind him of the surprise he had received when he first transmigrated.
But did Tahm Kench really need to do that?
Johnson Leon used that strange magic circle because he wanted to awaken his bloodline, but Tam had already awakened the Shadow Raven bloodline and was already among the elite in Leon's territory. What reason did he have to continue doing this? Or was he forced? After all, his hand was broken.
The question is, why didn't the person who could force him just kill him? Or was the sacrifice the goal for him, rather than a means of murder?
Zhuang Sen felt that his target had suddenly shrunk considerably.
At least all non-bloodline individuals must be excluded. Those who cannot defeat Tam or whose fight would be too tumultuous can also be excluded. In other words, the murderer must be at least a bloodline individual who has undergone a second awakening—Leon's son does not fit any of these criteria.
However, it's also possible that this isn't the same person, but rather the same organization...
Zhuang Sen pondered, remaining silent. The others dared not speak either, only staring tremblingly at Tam's body on the floor. As commoners dependent on the manor for survival, they were deeply worried that Tam's death would bring them misfortune, especially since it had been so strange and absurd.
"You guys, guard this place and don't let anyone else in. Then quickly send a message to Starry Night City and Radiant Manor, explaining everything that happened."
Zhuang Sen paused his endless contemplation and gave orders to the guards, who breathed a sigh of relief and immediately began working according to his commands.
After giving the order to protect the scene, Zhuang Sen went inside again and searched the place with Ange and Mira. Although that's what they said, they actually just took a quick look around, because apart from the magic circle and Tam's corpse, there wasn't even a table in the entire room, and naturally, there were no clues at all.
Oh well, at least it didn't waste too much time.
Zhuang Sen looked at An Jie, and before he could speak, An Jie replied knowingly, "The next 'traitor's' manor is very close to here; it takes about two hours by fast horse."
Zhuang Sen nodded: "Let's go."
……
Two hours later, Zhuang Sen reined in his horse before yet another tightly closed manor gate. Ange, holding up her badge, called out to open the gate. The guards rushed forward, saying obsequiously and nervously, "Welcome, Lady Ange, but our master is already well..."
"He hasn't left his room for several days, and he even said he doesn't need to eat?"
The guard stared in astonishment at Anjie, who had interrupted him.
Ange took a breath and, together with Zhuang Sen, spurred their horses toward the main building. Then, in the hall, Mira smelled the same odor again and led Zhuang Sen to yet another wooden wall. The guards who hurriedly followed were startled by the sudden crash of the shattered wooden wall before being overwhelmed by the stench.
In the firelight, Lily Lyon lay on the ground, seemingly without any injuries, and even had a smile on her face. However, the bright red magic circles around her made the scene look even more eerie and terrifying.
Mira whispered to Zhuang Sen, "Her blood has also been drained, and the magic circle is the same as the one before."
So Zhuang Sen gave the same order, and then went in with An Jie to check, but they still couldn't find any clues.
The same secret room, the same magic circle, the same way of dying, but the two victims were completely different. One was a Shadow Raven bloodline user who had been awakened for two and a half years, and the other was an ordinary person who had not awakened his bloodline at all. One had obvious scars, and the other did not show any injuries at least on the surface.
However, the victims also had something in common—they were all Leon's sons.
Was the killer targeting the Leon family?
Zhuang Sen considered a new possibility, but as before, there was too little evidence, so it could only be considered a conjecture. He looked at Anjie again, and Anjie understood and said, "The next one is a bit far, it may take four or five hours to get there, and our horses need to rest."
As she spoke, Ange pouted slightly. She had everything planned out: she would rest at Lily's place that night, and then she could spend some quality time alone with Zhuang Sen, enjoying the moment all to herself. It was bad enough that this wretched Mira was sharing the spoils, but then this ridiculous thing happened. How could she possibly concentrate on enjoying herself now?
Damn it!
“No, Ange, I remember you mentioned before that someone had already ‘disappeared’? Were there any in this area?”
Anjie was taken aback, her expression quickly turning serious: "That's right, some people suddenly stopped participating in the alliance's affairs and became low-key. We even said they were afraid of you and were playing dead..."
Now it seems very likely that he is really dead.
Although the sons of Leon didn't have any genuine brotherly affection, Ange still felt a little uncomfortable at the thought of this possibility: "There is indeed one nearby, only an hour or two away, which is Ron Leon's Red Deer Manor. He seems to be the first one who has stopped showing up."
"Let's go take a look." Zhuang Sen's tone was slightly lower. Amidst the bewildered gazes of the guards, he left the main building and galloped away on horseback once more.
……
after an hour.
Zhuang Sen smashed the cover of the secret room and entered the same secret room as before. He saw Ron Leon, who had begun to decompose. The strong stench of the corpse almost made Zhuang Sen vomit, but he still endured it and searched the secret room. Well, apart from a few more wooden barrels, he still couldn't find any clues.
The only certainty is that the killer started a long time ago, but recently seems to have suddenly sped up the pace. They only killed a few people in the past, but now they have killed almost two months' worth of people in just a few days.
What is the murderer in such a hurry for?
Zhuang Sen shook his head. Regardless of what the murderer was thinking, what he needed to do was simple: to publish the discovery directly, stir up trouble, and use someone else to do the dirty work. Having a cheap father who was the Minister of Intelligence was something he had to make good use of.
If you don't care about what happens to Johnson Leon, what about the deaths of your children? You can't just ignore them either, can you?
Chapter 103: The Serial Murders of Leon's Sons
In the starless night, a few ravens landed on Kross's shoulder, cawing softly. Kross turned his head slightly, revealing scarlet pupils beneath his black feathers, which looked particularly eerie in the darkness.
"How did Zhuang Sen discover the body? The magic array clearly sealed off the smell..."
Count Cross sighed, surprisingly unsurprised by the situation. Every time Zhuang Sen was involved, his plans always went awry. He had only intended to casually eliminate a useless son, but the boy had survived, his blood becoming strangely alluring. He wanted him to go to a remote place and stay out of the way, but instead, the boy attracted everyone's attention. They tried to use the War Church to interfere and test him, but the War Church couldn't even last a single round; they were defeated and almost exposed.
What's most frustrating is that, throughout this process, he hasn't even managed to probe Zhuang Sen's true intentions; instead, he's only uncovering more and more mysteries. Strange bloodline knowledge and weapon inventions, daily indulgence in beautiful women, yet his strength doesn't decrease but increases, and he can even resurrect the beheaded dead! To be honest, if he could, he wouldn't want to be enemies with Zhuang Sen anymore.
But now, Zhuang Sen has inexplicably discovered those corpses that should never have been discovered, those magic arrays that should never have been discovered, not to mention his never-hidden desire for the title of Earl and his hatred for the murderers who sacrificed his bloodline.
At this point, reconciliation is no longer an option.
Fortunately, he was one step ahead.
Kross looked at the corpse on the floor, and for the first time, a genuine smile appeared on his usually gloomy face—he had succeeded! He had successfully broken through the limitations of his bloodline, transforming from a level three Shadow Raven into a level four Shadow Raven Man! The proof was that he was now in his true form, but his appearance was no longer that of a huge, shadow-covered black raven; instead, he maintained a degree of humanoidness!
But he wasn't the weakling of an ordinary person. His head had turned into a crow's head, his hands into wings, and his legs below the knees into sharp claws. Every part of him was filled with immense power, making him feel that he could easily kill five of his former self, before he had transformed, just a few minutes ago! Of course, Kross knew that this was an illusion, just because he hadn't yet adapted to the sudden increase in power. Right now, he could probably kill two of his former self at most.
However, killing five of them isn't impossible. He's only just evolved into a level four bloodline and hasn't completed his fourth awakening yet! Once he fully stabilizes the power of his level four bloodline, both Zhuang Sen and the Falao family will become insignificant troubles.
So now, he should go back and brew his potion.
A shadow flickered, and Kross disappeared into the night. If Zhuang Sen were here now, he would probably be able to see clearly that the black crow above his head had stopped struggling and had grown a pair of wings and two legs.
……
The residents of Starry Night City have been having a lot of fun lately, as there's been a constant stream of big news. First, the Leon family's internal strife escalated to the point of mutual slaughter, then came the heir trials, followed by the revelation that the patricide-mongering madman Zhuang Sen was actually a chosen one of the Church of Vengeance, not to mention the appearance of plate armor that has made mercenaries, adventurers, and other transient populations extremely envious.
Of course, none of this was as dramatic as the War Church's attack on Zhuang Sen, the assassination attempt on Lady Liya, and the failure of the assassination attempt. It can be said that everyone in Star Night City, from the noble lords to the lowly intelligence brokers, felt that this was the peak of chaos and that nothing bigger could happen.
They are wrong.
The swift messengers and swarms of crows brought new news: more than a dozen of Leon's sons had been found dead in a secret chamber in their own manor, and the chamber contained a strange, chilling magic circle, like a cult of evil gods from a storybook.
Although most people can't see the scene in person, this very fact makes the rumors increasingly exaggerated and frightening, which in turn fuels their rapid spread.
As for why no one questioned the authenticity of the matter, it was because the "reporter" was Johnson Leon, and everyone knew that he was almost certainly the next Earl of Leon, so his words naturally carried weight. Furthermore, since Johnson had decided to make the matter public, he naturally didn't forget to send out invitations widely, allowing nobles, high-ranking church officials, and other distinguished individuals to witness the event.
Perfect, this way we can also see if anyone recognizes that strange magic circle. Although we weren't so lucky, all four major churches said they didn't recognize it, and even the Karma Church, which bought that ancient book from Ange—the one with the similar magic circle on it—said the same thing.
Zhuang Sen didn't bother to distinguish whether what they said was true or false. After all, he didn't need to worry about this matter anymore. Although he was already a sure thing to become the next Earl of Leon, he was not the current Earl, and it wasn't his son or daughter who died. Of course, this kind of thing should be left to the respected Earl of Cross.
As for him, he was also very busy, busy trying to quickly raise the bloodline of the Unranked Angel to 100% and then start raising the next bloodline.
……
On the third floor of an ordinary hotel in Starry Night City, a red-haired man with peculiar square pupils leaned against the balcony railing, listening to the patrons below discussing the serial murders of Leon's sons. A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Hey, Wall, are we really not going to do anything about this?"
Inside the room, Wall, with his weathered white hair, pursed his lips, intently carving the wood in his hands. The scars on his face had softened considerably. Hearing his companion's question, he didn't even bother to look up: "Why should I care, Lizad?"
Lizad took a sip from the bottle and said, quite obviously, "What if this makes our Earl afraid to continue?"
But Wall wasn't buying it: "It's none of our business."
Lizad rolled his eyes: "Wal, don't you want to upgrade to level four bloodline too?"
“I don’t have that many bloodlines to use. To be honest, it’s questionable whether we can even have children. Or are you planning to send all your children to the cult to become blood-granting warriors?”
"What I mean is, if this succeeds, wouldn't those big shots be able to develop better bloodline technologies much faster? Just like five years ago, would we have dared to imagine that we could obtain two completely different bloodlines?"
After getting a little talkative, Wall put down the wooden carving in his hand, shook his head and said, "Then we should keep a low profile and wait for the Earl to come out before trying to confirm whether he has succeeded, instead of being stupid enough to expose ourselves and then be fed to the crows."
Lizad stroked his chin seriously and nodded: "What do you mean by waiting for him to come out?"