Returning to the Mysterious Era-Chapter 454 - Be Useful To Me!

"Teacher...is that really you?" In the chilly corridor, Sigal, the burly, bear-like man covered in scars, felt his emotions surge. He gazed upon his white-haired teacher with joy plainly visible on his face.

Odo was undoubtedly the person Sigal respected most. Two years ago, when Odo showed signs of beast transformation, he had willingly requested confinement in the third level of the Savage Beast Den. Sigal had admired his teacher's decision, believing it exemplified the duty held by every hunter in the Treatment Ward. Nevertheless, he still felt deep reluctance for his fatherly mentor.

After all, entering the Savage Beast Den meant that one's fate would inevitably be the loss of that last shred of reason, succumbing to beast transformation, and facing elimination.

The newly appointed Director of the Treatment Ward, the Number Two Shadow Hunter, Blood Fist, had only been in the third underground level of the Savage Beast Den for a short time, yet those four prisoners had already been subdued? And somehow, through a special method, they had regained their sanity?

From what Sigal could see, Odo was looking at him intently with an elder's gaze, sizing him up.

"You brat, why do you have so many more scars? Didn't I warn you two years ago, before I went in, that while you should give your all on missions, you shouldn't be too reckless. Don't be an idiot rushing to the front all the time, or you'll be the first to die..."

The middle-aged man in hunter's attire walked straight forward, grumbling reproachfully, yet had his arms spread wide. A small smile emerged on his face as he hugged Sigal, who stood there both excited and a bit bewildered.

Since Sigal was so burly, Odo could only loosely wrap his arms around him.

He patted Sigal's arm, as solid as a cement pillar. "Good lad, you look like you've taken plenty of hits, but you're still built like a rock after two years..."

"Teacher! It's really you, Teacher!" Sigal finally snapped out of his daze. A smile spread across his nearly disfigured face. It was unsightly, yet genuinely from the depths of his heart.

Standing there like a simple-minded bear, Sigal let Odo scold him freely.

It was not until Odo paused that he asked, "Teacher, is your condition resolved?"

He glanced at Cassius, then at the spider-like limbs folded behind his teacher.

"More or less," Odo replied quite casually. "Calamity is the hardest poison in this world to eradicate, especially for patients like us who were already critically infected and showing symptoms. The fact that Lord Blood Fist could restore our sanity and even let us temporarily retain human form is already something miraculous. I wouldn't dare hope for more..."

"As long as you've regained your sanity, that's all that matters...that's all that matters..." Sigal nodded. This was exactly the core problem caused by calamity-induced beast transformation.

If the dark creature transformation only made hunters look hideous, that wouldn't be so bad. After all, some hunters' arcane energy also transformed them in odd ways, making them look somewhat bizarre and menacing.

However, losing one's entire mind, mixing up friend and foe, and awakening a dark creature’s appetite for humans; that was the true threat of beast transformation to the Dark Hunter Organization.

"Lord Blood Fist truly deserves to have immediately advanced to Number Two Shadow Hunter upon becoming a Shadow Hunter. My earlier worries were clearly unwarranted..." Sigal revealed his gratitude and admiration toward Cassius.

Nearby, Odo also turned his head to glance at Cassius, who appeared to be giving instructions to Nine Serpents and the other two. His expression was a bit complicated.

The sight of that fearsome Golem's savage ferocity lingered in his mind, crushing each of the four strongest criminals on the third level with a single blow. This man seemed outwardly calm and handsome, but was in truth more ruthless than the fiercest of inmates.

A moment ago, the four of them had been swiftly overwhelmed in unison, and had been lying on the ground like slabs of meat on a chopping board. Once Cassius had confirmed that they had lost all capacity to fight, he employed his Rune of Spirit to siphon a vast portion of calamity from their bodies.

That rare ancient rune seemed to possess its own storage property, accepting any calamity within a certain scope. No one knew what its limit might be. In short, these four criminals who had been deeply corrupted by calamity had been forcibly rescued from the brink of the abyss. Furthermore, their dark creature traits had regressed somewhat, enabling them to maintain human forms under normal conditions.

More importantly, the chaotic malice in their minds had been expelled, letting them return to sanity once again. They still showed a streak of post traumatic response toward Cassius, but even that was precious progress.

None of these four were combat artists, and each had been implanted with a Golem Seed by Cassius, so that he could partially control their actions. In other words, Nine Serpents and the others now served not only the Dark Hunter Organization but also Cassius personally, making them truly usable subordinates.

In one corner of the corridor, Sigal and Odo were catching up as master and disciple, while Cassius was with five others.

Thomas, upon witnessing Cassius genuinely treat the four criminals in the third level, initially felt astonished. His next thought was to report this development back to the Chief Mechanist. His third reaction was to point at the iron powder on the ground and remark in puzzlement, "That barrier door..."

"It's no longer needed." Cassius slowly spread the fingers of his hand, letting the leftover iron dust slip through them like silver-black sand. "Not just this door, but the entire third-level prison, the second level, and the first level... The Savage Beast Den has no reason to exist anymore." His face was as impassive as ever as he suddenly issued his orders.

"Nine Serpents, Fog Man, Hermit. Take Odo and head to the second level. Knock out every prisoner there, then drag them all to the first-level. Thomas, have Sigal gather whatever staff remains in the Savage Beast Den and release all the first-level inmates... Round them all up and drive them into the first-level hall." Cassius finished giving his instructions and turned to stride to the right side of the corridor. He intended to quietly focus on channeling his Golem Covert Martial Arts to replenish his Qi.

Everyone there exchanged glances and then nodded.

***

Five minutes later.

The vicious inmates of the cells of the Savage Beast Den's second underground level were still reeling from the intimidation when Cassius passed by earlier, leaving them much more obedient.

Suddenly, a key turning in the lock sounded outside one of the cells. The door opened with a click, and an emaciated old man walked in, head bowed kindly, like a humble peasant.

In the cell, a muscular hulk of a man leaped down from the iron cot, his feet landing on the floor with a thud. He was nearly two meters tall, and his body was already deformed. There were wisps of black lines crawling like branches across his entire upper torso and half his face.

Those tattoo-like sinister markings, paired with a bald, brutish face, emanated a savage aura from his arms and body.

"Where'd this skinny old monkey come from? Get out!" He glared at the wizened man, his eyes red with bloodshot veins. Though his tone was aggressive, he did not act immediately.

In truth, the shock from Cassius' earlier glance into his cell still lingered, holding him back. Otherwise, had anyone dared enter, he would have attacked at once and fought to the death.

"Did you hear me? Old monkey, you want to die!!!" After waiting a couple of seconds, the brute lost patience. His body swelled, growing noticeably bigger, nearing two meters tall. Bulging veins emerged across his upper body, forming lumps like small tumors. Grinning fiercely, he walked forward step by step.

A second later, he found himself retreating step by step as he was forced back into a corner. A giant black-furred paw slammed down, seizing his head like a ping-pong ball. Then...

Bang, bang, bang, bang...

His towering body was lifted like a doll and slammed repeatedly against the iron wall. Flesh tore and blood spattered. The one committing this brutal assault was a three-meter-tall muscular ape who was still wearing that gentle, kindly expression.

If not for the half of his face warped and hideous from birth, now splashed with bright red droplets, others might not believe he had just committed that savagery. Another round of beating ensued...

Seconds later, the hunched old man trudged out, carrying a bloodied mass of flesh over his back as he left the cell. Holding the key in his hand, he headed to the next cell.

Halfway along the corridor, he encountered Fog Man, whose body was still entwined with crimson mist. Behind him was a half-human-sized vortex that was carrying a prisoner. Large sections of that prisoner's skin had been flayed off, leaving raw, bleeding flesh.

"Fog Man, Hermit, take it easy. Don't kill them—Lord Blood Fist still needs them," said Odo, the eight-legged spider, as he slowly emerged from behind an iron door, walking on seven legs.

His last leg stuck out at an angle, dripping blood as its tip skewered a prisoner's chest. He looked just like a dead pig hanging on a slaughterhouse hook.

*** ƒгeewebnovёl_com

Twenty minutes later, inside the first-level hall of the Savage Beast Den...

A noisy crowd of vicious prisoners was herded into the hall, their hands stained with multiple lives. Perhaps these inmates had once been hunters of the Dark Hunter Organization, but they had yielded to calamity and fallen into depravity.

In the past, if ever given the chance to leave their cells, they would immediately assault the guards and attempt to flee. However, an overwhelming aura enveloped the hall, preventing anyone from taking such action.

A figure stood next to the sealed iron door with his back to them. Dense black air currents surged from his sleeves and collar, billowing like smooth silk around his limbs. As his Qi pulsed in and out, a lethal aura suffused the air.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!...

Several half-dead figures were tossed onto the floor, their blood staining the iron plating red. They joined the second-level inmates who had been gathered there and took up a fair portion of the hall. Behind them, the largest group, the first-level inmates, trembled and cast their eyes at those who had just been thrown down.

They were all the more savage brutes from deeper levels, but now each had been beaten into such a wretched state. The spectacle was shocking.

In truth, Cassius had imposed no special demands beyond rendering the second-level inmates incapable of fighting. However, Nine Serpents and the other three seemed to want to vent their anger after the beating Cassius had given them.

They certainly did not dare provoke Cassius himself, so they unleashed their anger on these mid-tier second-level criminals instead.

The smell of blood hung in the air in the first-level hall as all hundred or more prisoners in the Savage Beast Den were assembled. Heads crowded together as unease and restlessness subtly spread among them.

Sigal and Thomas also strode in quickly from the corridor.

The tall figure who had been facing away slowly turned around. His eyes, veiled by a faint blackish haze, swept swiftly across the crowd.

Cassius slowly raised his right hand, and an inky smoke started to roil like flames, flaring with a malevolent, demonic energy. "Everyone, good morning. From this moment on, I will be the new Director of the Treatment Ward. You will serve me, and in return, I will grant you the chance to leave these cells..."

***

The northwestern corner of Florence District One.

The royal stable in Florence District One had a spacious track, fine horses, and professional riding instructors, all in service to the Hongli Empire's royal family. That morning, several nobles who had made reservations arrived for a horse race. It was their form of recreation. Under the sunlight, a few individuals, clad in aristocratic attire, trotted leisurely around the track.

Among them was a conspicuously familiar figure: Sachi the Silver Pistil Sword, whose usefulness had been supposedly exhausted and who had supposedly been dealt with by Cassius. He chatted confidently away with a few other nobles as they rode.

After completing a lap of the track, they found a spot to come to a halt and dismounted.

"Word has spread within the royal family that Duke Berry has gone missing..."

"We need to come up with a believable explanation to deceive His Majesty. If it doesn't work, we'll just pin it on the dark creatures or the Gate Organization. Their reputations are terrible anyway, so it’s perfect for taking the blame..."

"I can't fathom what happened, but Zhu Hun and the others abandoned the dark creature test site. Duke Berry and Councilman Louis over there both ran into trouble. It's probably as we feared; some other mysterious faction carried out an assault on the Gate Organization. That's bad news..."

"We can rule out ourselves and the Hongli Council. The Dark Hunter Organization is busy with the selection of their new Shadow Hunter, and they haven't made any big moves. I suspect this faction comes from the independent Covert Martial Arts community. Only they have such power and also bear enmity toward the Gate Organization..."

"If it really is the Covert Martial Arts community, we have no way of gathering intelligence from our side. So our priority is to reestablish contact with the Gate Organization and use their network to understand what's going on..."

Those high-ranking nobles conversed for about two hours before eventually leaving the stable.

Sachi the Silver Pistil Sword proceeded alone toward the Royal Fencing Hall, a rapier at his waist whose hilt was adorned by silver-rune designs. It was the hallmark of the rapier expert Constantine's school of fencing.

Sachi walked quietly down the road on his own, but a pair of deeply concealed eyes gradually became visible in the shadows behind him. They tailed him like a specter. But after many days of surveillance, the Gate Organization had expended all their patience and planned to strike while Sachi was alone.

A black shadow flickered down a narrow lane, rapidly tailing him. He failed to notice, however, that Sachi, walking ahead with his head lowered, paused slightly in his stride as a strange smile appeared on his face.

Dense black totems shimmered into faint visibility across half his face...

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