Returning to the Mysterious Era-Chapter 468 - Today, I Will Cut Off Many Heads

There was a wealthy manor district on the western side of Beiyun City near the mountains. Since it was private property, it was forbidden to ordinary people. There were vineyards, stables, gardens, bathhouses, and even playing fields. It even had a resplendent grand cathedral, right next to the garden square.

Some wealthy merchants who were religious often came to pray sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the evening.

For instance, Rachel was currently following her father, Fein, along the wide path toward the cathedral. The walls on both sides of the path were clean and neat, with black metal street lamps spaced at intervals, each topped by a candelabra.

Special staff members were adding oil to these candelabras so that people could see their way even at night.

On the road, ten-year-old Rachel was dressed in a princess dress, her face adorable and full of playful innocence. Her father, Fein, was wearing casual slacks and a brown vest. His hair was neatly combed, and he looked every bit the young, successful businessman.

They walked hand in hand until they arrived at the circular garden square.

Neatly arranged flowerbeds divided up the space, lending the place a leisurely atmosphere. Clusters of red, white, and blue flowers bloomed in profusion, exuding a faint yet captivating fragrance. The flowers were especially dense, suggesting that the cathedral staff had used a great deal of fertilizer and tended them well. When the flowers were in season, the garden square was especially beautiful.

"What a wonderful, familiar scent..." Fein takes a deep breath, marveling, "I really don't know how the priests at the cathedral manage it. It's clearly the same species of flower, but the ones in our back garden never smell this strong..."

Next to him, Rachel covered her nose without speaking. She knew her father loved the floral scent at the garden square, but for some reason, Rachel only detected a foul stench drifting in the air.

It was more like a rotting odor. Thus, whenever she passed the garden square during the blooming season, Rachel always tugged her father along faster, hurrying him along. This time is no exception—she urged her father to head quickly to the cathedral.

However, halfway there, her father ran into an acquaintance. He was a handsome young man wearing glasses, with a refined demeanor. His name was Laurent, and he once did business with Fein, so they knew each other relatively well.

In terms of address, Rachel should call the young man "Uncle Laurent," but she never did. In truth, she had always disliked this so-called Uncle Laurent. There was something about Laurent that made Rachel extremely uneasy, and she instinctively resisted getting too close to him. At sunset, the light was somewhat dim, compounded by the shade cast by the roadside trees beside the garden square.

The corridor was dimly lit, with only scattered yellowish-red beams of light leaving mottled shadows. Fein was conversing with Laurent, apparently discussing some business matters. Meanwhile, Rachel hid behind Fein.

From time to time, her eyes darted past her father's silhouette to observe the young man whose figure was mostly cloaked in shadow. She didn't know if it's an illusion, but the foul smell in the air grew stronger as the sun set and the warm light faded.

Rachel could see the dense flowerbeds in the distance blur, swaying as though dancing in the shadows, apparently stirred by the breeze.

Frightened, she looked away, only to feel someone in the darkness staring at her. That stare felt evil and chilly, like a poisonous snake emerging from hell, full of greed and bloodlust. Rachel quickly looked in the direction she felt the gaze but only saw Laurent who was pointing toward the cathedral as he spoke to Fein. He was not looking in her direction.

Puzzled, Rachel lowered her head, yet she can still sense that sinister gaze. Her eyes suddenly snapped upward and met a pair of scarlet eyes!

Two monstrous red eyes were on the back of Laurent's head, in the gaps between his thick hair. At that moment, those eyes were fixed on her, brimming with malicious greed. It was the gaze of a predator staring at food!

"Da...Daddy..." Terrified, Rachel grabbed her father's jacket, calling out in fear.

"Don't fuss, Rachel. I'm talking business with your Uncle Laurent." Fein pats his daughter's tiny hand, trying to reassure her.

Yet, in his blind spot, a half-face on the back of Laurent's head bulged outward, contorted into a hideous, evil, and maniacal visage. In the darkness, it was as though a tumorous head grew from Laurent's normal one, becoming ever more bizarre!

That twisted head stared at Rachel with a malevolent grin.

"Ahh!" Rachel screams instinctively.

Phweee!

Suddenly, a whistle-like shriek came from one corner of the garden square. It was urgent and piercing, like a call for a charge.

Tap tap tap! Tap tap tap!

The sound of frantic footsteps rang out as three strong, towering figures leaped over the flowerbeds and landed like animals. They hit the ground with a heavy thud that sent a jolt over the ground.

They were all vicious thugs, each standing over 1.9 meters tall, with absurdly broad shoulders bulging with solid muscle, and their necks covered in strange black snake-like tattoos. Their faces were fierce and hardened, with menacing glares and bloodshot eyes. They looked exactly like dangerous murderers.

However these three murderers were wearing matching uniforms. They had black hunting attire with sturdy boots, and a white metal cross pinned to the right side of their chests, indicating that they came from some organization.

One of them carried a massive sword on his back that looked both heavy and over-the-top. The other two wore gauntlets studded with steel spikes. A thick killing intent billowed from the moment they appeared.

It seemed to overpower much of the stench that had been growing in the air.

"Wha... What do you guys want..." Fein snapped out of it quickly, instinctively shielding his daughter behind him as though he was panicked and afraid. He slowly backed toward the flowerbeds.

However, the three thug-like men did not go after Fein. Instead, Laurent was the first to move, lunging with lightning speed. Laurent had intended to seize Fein and his daughter, forcing these threatening men who are clearly here for him to hold back.

Swoosh!

The three tower-like figures spring into motion! Two of the men with gauntlets leaped forth and swung their thick arms, forming a powerful crescent arc through the air.

Boom! Boom!

Their fists slammed into the young man's shoulders.

Crack!

The crisp sound of bones snapping was heard as the young man's arms were broken. Red blood and white shards of bone bounced across the ground. He rolled with a howl, struggling to his feet in pain. But the minute he found his feet, the two men flanked him from both sides, tackling him to the ground and pinning him in place.

Nearby, the man carrying the sword strode forward. He drew the sharp, heavy cruciform beheading sword!

Working together, the other two pushed him down, the terrifying power in their arms forcing the young man to bow his head, revealing that deformed head.

"You want to kill me?! I'm part of the Eclipse Society! Our branch is only a couple hundred meters away!" The hideous face on the back of the young man's head roared, "You're finished! How dare you provoke our Eclip—"

Pui!

The man with the beheading sword spat contemptuously on the young man's head. He sneered arrogantly, "You're the ones who are finished, you bugs! How dare you openly provoke our Treatment Ward by harboring Blood Shark. As doctors of the Treatment Ward, we will efficiently dispose of all patients, and anyone who tries to stop us from dealing with our patients! I have a feeling I'll be cutting off many heads today... Keh keh keh keh keh..."

The man let out a villainous cackle, his eyes glinting red in the dim light, and swung his sword.

Squelch!

The young man's head, along with the monstrous face of the dark creature, was severed cleanly off! The two-faced head tumbled to the ground like a bloodstained ball. It spun around, revealing a look of utter disbelief.

The two men wearing gauntlets released their grip, allowing the headless corpse to fall. Thick blood silently spread across the floor.

Phweee!

One of them took out a black whistle made of bone and blew into it. Figures immediately emerged from the shadows of the roads around the garden square and strode briskly toward them.

Each one was tall, muscular, and fierce. They all wore black hunting gear with a faintly gleaming metal cross on their chests.

These doctors from the Treatment Ward moved with firm, powerful strides; some wearing metal gauntlets, some carrying swords and blades, and others hefting colossal mechanical crossbows of outlandish design. They looked like a special forces unit.

"All targets in plain sight have been dealt with."

"All hidden targets have been dealt with."

"All unexpected factors have been dealt with."

Some twenty or thirty of them reported as they converged on the garden square. Each one exuded a dense killing aura of cold ferocity. Some even had fresh blood on their hands or faces, as though they've only just finished a kill. They stand silently, like steel towers.

At last, one of the men lit a torch and lifted it toward the sky.

Whoosh! Rustle rustle...

A fierce gust of wind swept down from above, causing the surrounding flowers and shrubs to sway as one. In the next instant, a massive, expanding, wicked-looking mass of blood-red mist descended from the sky like a living thing.

Swoosh!

A figure in a voluminous black robe appeared before them. He lowered his hood, revealing a face split in a yin-yang fashion. The left half was as pale as a corpse's human face, while the right half was a mass of blood-red mist in a vague human shape.

Black rune patterns of a Golem totem spread and shifted on both sides of this dual visage. It gave him a sinister, demonic presence.

The newcomer was Fog Man, and his aura was far stronger than it was a week ago. The empowerment of the Golem totem now allowed him to contend with opponents at the level of a Shadow Hunter.

It was a world of difference.

Whoosh...

A gust of wind lifted the Fog Man's cloak.

Crack, crack, crack...

Something seemed to be imprisoned inside that terrifying swirl of crimson mist. Occasionally one could glimpse a blurred, agonized face. The mist was mercilessly chewing and tearing it, consuming whatever's inside it inch by inch.

Bang.

A muffled explosion suddenly sounded from within, and a burst of blood sprayed into the air like rain. Fog Man inhaled, drawing all the blood back into himself, causing the mist's color to deepen to an even more vivid crimson. It took on a rich, glistening shade of scarlet.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Fog Man smacked his lips a few times satisfyingly, as though wanting more. "Now and then, it's good to grab something just right for my palate as a snack—the taste is pretty delightful. Heh heh..."

He was clearly eating some sort of dark creature. Among all the prisoners on the third level of the Savage Beast Den, Fog Man and Nine Serpents were the most sadistic and bloodthirsty. Every time unrest broke out on the third level, it was because these two had gone berserk.

Though his nature had toned down a bit since Cassius purged the essence of calamity from all the prisoners, Fog Man remained as bloodthirsty and brutal as ever. However, he feared Cassius's presence and the rules Cassius set. He wouldn't dare disobey in the slightest, so he focuses his violent impulses on dark creatures.

Monsters aren't allowed to massacre humans? Then massacring dark creatures, which were also monsters, is perfectly fine, right?

All he needed was a punching bag to vent the endless malice that welled up from deep within!

"What time is it now?" Fog Man asks casually, glancing at his subordinates.

"Lord Fog Man, it's 6:28 p.m." One of them replied.

"Mm." Fog Man nodded, but suddenly sensed a familiar presence rushing on the west side of the garden square, along with the sounds of a flurry of attacks.

His expression changed abruptly, and he cursed under his breath. "Damn that Hermit! Making a move early—does he want to claim all the credit first? Damn it..."

Cassius, the Director of the Treatment Ward, had already made promises to them regarding the operation against Eclipse Society. After it was over, rewards would be granted according to merit. Those with greater contributions would receive more power.

They'd gain stronger Golem Seeds, better training speed and even more frightening explosive power from their Golem totems! Rumor had it that the Director had even created special fist techniques suited for unleashing power through the Golem totem!

All four of the Treatment Ward's lieutenants deeply craved these things. Even Hermit, who usually looked quiet and honest like a docile ape, couldn't hold back from striking first.

Naturally, Fog Man was irritated.

He let out a sudden roar in the dim yellow sunset over the garden square, "Brothers...charge in! Slaughter those damn vermin! Then when we tally the credit, everyone gets a share!"

Thud thud thud thud thud!

Some two or three dozen men broke into a sprint, rushing ferociously toward the cathedral. They were like a black torrent, sweeping away anything in their path.

Meanwhile, Fog Man dramatically flipped his cloak, launching himself into the sky like a massive red bat. A swirl of blood-tinged fog manipulated the raging wind from dozens of meters above and crashed down toward the cathedral!

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