Gargoyle Supremacy-Chapter 48: I Run Away From Home

Jasmine’s disheveled appearance remained the same throughout the day. Her messy hair and torn sleeves reflected the struggle during her arrest. She scowled at her captors as she was roughly seated before the table.

Arthur entered the room and took a seat across from her, placing a file of documents detailing her past activities on the table. The knight entity silently followed, leaning against the wall in the corner of the room with his arms crossed, imposing his presence in the room as an observer.

"Hello, Miss Snowcreak."

Arthur studied her briefly, noting her defiant glare and unkempt appearance. Without wasting time, he leaned forward and activated his unique ability, ensuring the interrogation would proceed without deceit or deflection.

"What is your goal? Why did you steal ECD-77?" Arthur asked directly.

Jasmine opened her mouth, trying to lash out at the detective, but no sound escaped her throat. Startled, she clutched her neck, confused.

The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on freёnovelkiss.com.

Arthur raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "I’m using my power, Ma’am. You can only speak the truth, and only in response to the question I’ve asked. Anything unrelated, lie, or half-truth will never come out of your throat. Also…"

As Arthur’s patience was thinner than usual, he lied to Jasmine, "If you don’t speak the truth within one minute, you will be muted forever. Now, please choose your words wisely or be silenced for the rest of your life."

Jasmine’s glare intensified, but she had no choice but to comply due to the threat. Swallowing her pride, she took a deep breath and tried again. This time, her voice emerged.

"Immortality. If you drink ECD-77-7 for seven consecutive days, you gain immortality."

Arthur’s expression remained neutral as he processed the answer. He turned slightly to glance at the knight, who met his gaze and nodded, confirming the partial accuracy of the statement.

The knight’s deep voice filled the room as he added the missing context of the information, "The Sacred Chalice, known in the facility as ECD-77, was once the treasure of the Kirin Kingdom, my former country. It possesses the power to grant eternal youth and enhance physical vitality, but it does not bestow true immortality. She has misunderstood its effects."

Jasmine’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible! That’s not what my research said!"

Arthur smirked and leaned back on his chair, "It seems you’ve been working with incomplete information, or perhaps you had another ulterior motive. Speak, what are your other goals?"

Jasmine gritted her teeth. Instinctively, she tried to hurl insults at Arthur, but her words refused to form. Her throat tightened, and she choked on silence, coughing violently as she struggled for breath.

After a few moments, she regained her composure, biting her lip hard enough to draw blood. Fear and desperation clouded her expression as she finally confessed.

"I’ve made a pact with the devil."

Arthur’s brow furrowed at her revelation. The knight standing in the corner stiffened, and the golden glow in his eyes brightened. Arthur leaned forward and continued with the interrogation.

"Who is the devil? What kind of deal did you make?"

Jasmine hesitated but confessed with her trembling voice, "He appeared one night when I was gathering research materials at the Florida Rift "Bone Mountain". An entity found me there… and offered me a deal. He wanted the chalice and its gold fluid. In exchange, he promised me superpowers, eternal life, and wealth."

The knight’s eyes flared brighter, and a faint hum of suppressed energy emanated from his armored frame. Though visibly enraged, he remained silent, restraining himself. This information was tied to the entity that had ended his mortal life and cursed him to an existence as an undead knight.

Arthur pressed further, "Who is this ’devil’? Be specific."

Jasmine trembled, the memory clearly haunting her. Her knees shook, and her foot tapped uncontrollably against the cold floor.

"It was… a talking skeleton. It called itself… Lich King."

.

.

That night, Han insisted that everyone sleep in the basement as a precaution against the escalating dangers outside and last night’s entity. The newly installed electric system powered bright lights that bathed the room in an artificial sense of safety. The family crowded onto three airbeds, trying to make the best of the cramped quarters.

Carn, however, couldn’t sleep amidst the group. He excused himself, heading to the basement bathroom. After splashing cold water onto his face, he stared into the mirror, looking at his reflection. He then muttered.

"I’m running out of time. I can’t be trapped like this."

His thoughts drifted to the impending threat. The seven undead legions were destined to rise from dimensional rifts. Every passing moment wasted in hiding felt like a betrayal of his mission.

But escaping wasn’t simple. His family might be implicated in the future messes that he would make.

Should he get arrested on purpose?

Sneaking out without his family noticing?

None of it seemed feasible without consequences for his family.

Then his mind wandered to the prophecy, the cryptic verses etched into his memory:

[Fear not the stains on innocence pure,

The blood of virtue, your path’s allure.

For karma’s tide, though dark it sways,

Shall cleanse your soul in judgment’s rays.

When verdict calls, and truth is shown,

The weight of sins shall be atoned.

So walk the shadowed road with might,

And face the dawn that ends the night.]

He sighed, "Maybe I already know the answer. It just feels wrong."

Leaving the bathroom, Carn tiptoed past his sleeping family. Wong and Han were sound asleep.

Carn’s chest tightened as he looked at them. Steeling himself, he headed upstairs to his room, where he sat at his desk and began writing a note.

"Sorry, Mom. Sorry, Dad," he murmured as he wrote. "Let’s meet again after the Undead Covid Outbreak, okay?"

.

At 4 a.m., Carn slung a backpack over his shoulders, filled with spare clothes and survival tools. He crept into the hallway.

But Wong was already in the living room, waiting for him. She was seated on the couch with her phone in hand. She glanced at her son and flipped on her American accent.

"Are you planning to kill that woman?"