Chapter 206 - Cruelty: Part 3
“Just because of that, they treat human lives like nothing?!” Adolf was getting angry.
“Quite the different sort of justice compared to your ideals, yeah?” Lin Sheng smiled. “But you need to consider that all these officers are also human. They too know fear and will want to avoid trouble at all costs. This is human nature.
“Did you think they’d risk their lives and rush in to fight against Zeon Sr. with that paltry salary they get per month? What would they fight with? Their sense of selflessness and honor?”
Adolf had understood it now, but he still could not accept it.
“This world is formed by the laws made by countless of people with power. You want your justice and fairness, then you need to make them see you as an equal,” Lin Sheng continued.
Adolf’s anger slowly turned into determination, a determination to get stronger. Sensing the change in Adolf’s demeanor, Lin Sheng considered his first goal achieved.
Adolf had excellent attributes with a strong will to go with, plus he was single-minded in his pursuits, thus making his compatibility with the holy light very high.
Now he had Lin Sheng supporting him from behind. Lin Sheng planned to train him to become the next Sarroux.
Xilin was undergoing an upheaval back then, but Xylond, on the other hand, was different. He had plenty of time to slowly nurture Adolf’s growth.
Adolf soon left. His sister, Sheena and his recently-awakened father, Carnie quickly pledged material support once they understood the relationship of their kin and the Holy Sanctum. This was for payment for saving their lives. Carnie, just like his son, did not think twice about spending as he quickly set aside a portion of his wealth, which could easily see anyone through their old age.
After settling some minor stuff, and brainwashing Adolf again, Lin Sheng headed over to visit Zeon Sr. who had been taken captive.
The old man was being locked inside an underground cavern within the hills.
It was an underground base-like cavern that the vault guards had dug out. As this patch of land had already been purchased and given to Lin Sheng with a two hundred year lease, he simply went ahead with it.
Old Zeon Sr. knew very well what awaited him and without any interrogation, spat everything out. Especially details about the Darkblood inherited by his family, as he gave every single detail out to try to show his worth and to seek mercy.
Unfortunately for him, Lin Sheng had detected malice with his Detect Evil skill, and after interrogating, and getting his bank card PIN, he fed the old man to Khadula.
If he was to consider his strength, Zeon Sr., the strongest member of the Zeon Family was merely a two-winged Transcendent. A person of this level would have been a threat to Lin Sheng in the past. But know, it was just that.
After preparing everything, and teaching the Ashen Seal to Adolf, Lin Sheng returned to school and left the rest for Khadula to handle.
...
A swarm of bugs swirled around the dim yellow street light.
Maier and two other officers were standing together as the three circled around a pool of black gooey liquid. No one said anything, but their faces were grim.
This was Shermanton’s northern district, a district of artisans. Ever since Xylond as a whole increased the status of artisans, the area became one of the most developed areas of Shermanton.
Yet, such trouble had occurred in the most developed area within the city.
“After the perfusion, it will be the black cluster. It is almost beyond our ability to contain it. We need to report to those above.” Maier spoke first.
“To think that a black cluster... could simply suck a living being into it and disappear...” A man with a round hat and grey coat said, his voice still in shock.
He picked up a small pebble and threw it over to the glop of black liquid. The pebble simply fell into the liquid before disappearing altogether.
“It may look like a glop of black goo, but it is probably more like a dangerous black hole.” Another man quickly gave his analysis. “Is this the vaunted black cluster?”
“You’ve never seen one before? They appeared in Shermanton last year as well, but about five cases only. But in these six months alone we already have ten!” Maier’s face was stiff.
“Plus the Perfusion... there’s so much trouble abound lately.” He concluded.
*Hiss...*
At that moment, the black goop on the ground hissed and disappeared.
“Right, let’s go.” Maier heaved a sigh of relief as he turned and left.
...
*Tick tock, tick tock...*
Amid the ticking of the clock, Lin Sheng slowly opened his eyes.
He was standing inside the sanctum in Blackfeather City, among the pews to the left.
Within the small Holy Sanctum, sacred power radiated and gave out a familiar and gentle aura.
Lin Sheng stood up and walked out from the pews as he pushed the main door open.
As he got out of the courtyard, he quickly made his way to the Warrior’s Guild once again.
The Warrior’s Guild’s bull head-like structure still stood tall and proud there.
Lin Sheng calmed himself down as he picked up his ax and stepped into the realm of the Iron Lord.
He was here to look for spoils. He had already scoured the outer area around the guildhall, and aside from some armor and weapons, he found nothing.
Now, only the core area was left, and this bull head-like building was the entrance to the core area, through a trapdoor beneath the throne.
That trapdoor was the key to connect the outer area to the inner area.
Lin Sheng had found that the last time, but as he lacked time, he did not manage to have a look. So today he planned to go in to check things out.
“Hopefully there’s some useful knowledge there...”
Lin Sheng stepped through the guild’s metal gate and circled around the crater left behind by the Iron Lord as he entered the main door.
Upon making his way straight towards the throne, Lin Sheng looked down at the exposed trapdoor leading underground.
He then pulled the ring lever outwards. A series of rumbling was then heard as Lin Sheng slowly pulled the lever outwards bit by bit, and about ten seconds later, the trapdoor was fully opened and the entrance appeared before Lin Sheng’s eyes.
Beneath the trap door were rows of clean granite steps that extended all the way underground.
Lin Sheng waited for a moment as he let the stale air out before picking up his ax and entering the tunnel.
As he followed the steps down, a few minutes later, his vision brightened as he entered a room about the size of a basketball court.
The book had piles upon piles of yellowed tomes, and compared to the other places, the tomes were simply just placed on the ground without any shelves or racks in sight.
Lin Sheng even noticed the ashes of burnt books by the corner.
Lin Sheng simply picked up a book from the ground and flipped it open. Upon the yellow page, these words were inscribed: Even before the calamity, our will to fight be eternal.
He then flipped further in but did not expect the notes written on it to be so grim. It was recorded in a diary or in a third-person viewpoint.
“The perfusion, black liquid, black tide, mist. As the end drew near, we had no way to run.
“The border between the living and the dead started to blur as the laws governing the holy and the dark were dismantled. All law and order collapsed as death reaped the land like harvested grain, many falling at a time.
“Find the node... find the node... find the node of the world’s ruin... destroy it, that is the only way to survive...”