Chapter 24: Truth and Lies
After Su Xiao reached the end of the underground passage, a massive underground space appeared before him. Many three-meter-tall glass columns were arranged here, containing various creatures suspended in liquid, including first-stage gray-skinned dark demons.
Before he had gone far, several figures appeared ahead. Among them were three people near the wall—two men and one woman—all in a state of extreme tension, with sweat beading at their temples and foreheads.
The two male Transcendents stood guard in front, while the lone woman behind them clutched a glass tube. Inside the transparent solution was the [Watchful Relic], its surface covered in countless tendrils resembling plant roots.
Douglas and Ta·Bald stood facing each other, forming a vague triangular standoff with the three Transcendents. Further away were Amu and Baha, both well aware of their own auras. If they appeared to be allied with Ta·Bald right now, it would severely undermine his credibility.
"Douglas, you haven't succeeded yet? Kill them all. Ghost has been waiting a long time."
Su Xiao leaped onto a glass column, holding his blade in one hand as blood aura spread around him.
Hearing Su Xiao's words, Ta·Bald's heart chilled, but he quickly understood the situation. He aimed his spiral sword at Su Xiao. Bubu Wang, who had blended into the environment, saw this and mentally gave Ta·Bald a thumbs-up. Usually seeming a bit dim, he was surprisingly reliable at critical moments.
"Slaughterer·Kukulin!"
Ta·Bald's aura grew heavy. He sidestepped twice, vaguely positioning himself between Su Xiao and the three Transcendents. Seeing this, the three wavered internally. Looking at Ta·Bald's somewhat bulky back, they felt an inexplicable sense of security.
Whether Douglas and Ta·Bald were good people, the three Transcendents couldn't judge. But Su Xiao—one glance told them he was not. That blood aura could only come from slaughtering tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of beings. Sensing it from afar made them tremble, a shiver that came from deep within their hearts and souls.
Just then, Douglas spoke:
"Bald, take them and withdraw first. We'll settle our differences back at headquarters. This credit goes to you, but don't use private punishment on the way like last time. They don't deserve death."
Douglas raised his hand, then let it fall. A divine hunter's badge appeared, which he hung around his neck. This relic was something he had obtained in "Fog City."
Douglas's words were ruthless. First, he emphasized that he and Ta·Bald had private conflicts. Second, taking the three away involved credit allocation, hence the earlier standoff. He subtly hinted that they belonged to different departments within the Watch Guild.
The cruelest part was Douglas revealing that Ta·Bald was a hunter who enjoyed using private punishment. Hearing this, would the three Transcendents still dare to go with Ta·Bald? What if this "Pumpkin" had special hobbies and tortured them to death halfway?
The three Transcendents exchanged glances. They could no longer tell who was who, their minds about to crash. But they all knew one thing: they couldn't easily hand over the sacred relic. If they gave it to the wrong person, they were finished. Their only leverage now was their ability to destroy the relic.
Su Xiao sat atop the three-meter glass column, watching the drama unfold below. He tossed a soul crystal into his mouth and chewed slowly. Seeing this, not only the three Transcendents but even Douglas's eye twitched almost imperceptibly.
"Two... two sirs, how about you both protect us together?"
The woman among the three Transcendents spoke shakily.
"Fine."
"Of course."
Douglas and Ta·Bald replied one after another. Hearing their agreement, the three Transcendents inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
"But before that, you must choose to hand the relic to him or to me."
Douglas's expression turned serious.
"Don't think you can escape punishment. If you've killed civilians, 'Kain Prison' will be your home for the rest of your lives. And don't threaten us with what you hold. It's important, but not important enough to absolve you. According to Kingdom Law Article 1157, all those involved in murder..."
Douglas recited six relevant kingdom laws in succession, leaving the three Transcendents dumbfounded. They turned to Ta·Bald, who had no idea about the laws of the Rhine Kingdom. After a long pause, he managed to squeeze out: "The heart's fire is not yet extinguished."
Just as the three were still reeling, Douglas pulled something from his chest—his trump card.
"I'm not just a hunter; I also work as a detective. This is my badge. I will give you the fairest judgment under the dual laws of the Watch Guild and the Rhine Kingdom. Your voluntary surrender of the 'stolen goods' will be recorded. After all, this concerns your future."
Douglas tossed his badge over. The three Transcendents clearly had little contact with hunters, only having heard of them. Detectives, however, they dealt with often—outsmarting them was their daily routine.
"The badge is real."
"Then we..."
The three Transcendents hesitated no longer, their gazes all fixed on Douglas.
"Then... we'll give it to you."
The female Transcendent extended her trembling hand. Douglas's expression remained unchanged, while not far away, Ta·Bald's face under his helmet showed clear anxiety.
Just as the female Transcendent was about to hand over the [Watchful Relic], her body jolted, and her pupils rapidly contracted. In her peripheral vision, she saw Su Xiao sitting on the distant glass column, smiling. It was clearly the look of a plan succeeding, as if Douglas obtaining the [Watchful Relic] was exactly what Su Xiao wanted.
Su Xiao wasn't good at verbal deception, but as Monarch·Harold once said, Su Xiao's acting left him in awe.
"You're both hunters?"
The female Transcendent looked at Douglas. Douglas nodded.
"Then I can hand the sacred relic to him too?"
She kept staring at Douglas, observing every expression.
"..."
Douglas said nothing, but he smiled. He was savoring the moment.
"Protect us!"
The female Transcendent shouted softly, clutching the [Watchful Relic] tightly as she ran behind Ta·Bald.
"Of course."
Ta·Bald pointed his spiral sword forward, aiming at Douglas.
"So... exhilarating."
Douglas unbuttoned his collar. A canine beast, its body a mass of bloody flesh, emerged from the air behind his shoulder, spitting out the hilt of a weapon.
Douglas grasped the hilt. With a crackling sound, deep blue lightning surged forth. The weapon he drew was a broad-bladed longsword over 1.3 meters in length, crackling with deep blue electric light. But no sooner was it drawn than it began to shatter piece by piece, until even the hilt crumbled away.
"Ghost, if you don't come soon, you'll be collecting my corpse."
No sooner had Douglas spoken than a black rift appeared. Wild red hair, a body like forged iron, and a bold, unrestrained aura—Ghost had arrived.
"Douglas, you hold off Kukulin. I'll kill Ta·Bald."
Ghost grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth.
Su Xiao leaped down from the glass column, stopping near Bald, facing off against Ghost and Douglas.
"Be careful, White Night."
Ta·Bald nodded to Su Xiao. Hearing this, a fierce-looking one-eyed Transcendent was utterly bewildered—Su Xiao was actually a hunter.
The one-eyed man looked Su Xiao up and down, then thought to himself: "If all hunters have this kind of aura, I might as well turn myself in to the Dark Prison forces."