Returning to the Mysterious Era-Chapter 484 - By Order Of The Director

The third floor of the treasury was situated in an enclosed space.

Cassius glanced at the bronze key, then moved toward the right. He walked unhurriedly, much like a collector browsing antiques, pausing now and then to examine whatever captured his interest.

It was not until half an hour had passed that Cassius finally stopped again in front of the key. His gaze flickered gently as he reached out and picked it up. It was as cold as metal stored inside an ice cellar. Furthermore, it felt remarkably heavy for such a small key.

He rolled it in his palm, and he felt the faint, icy chill emanating from the key. Cassius inclined his head slightly, taking in the overall shape of the key. It started with a circular ring about the size of an eyeball. A bronze shaft about the size of a middle finger extended roughly from the ring. One side of the shaft had three curved offshoots, while the other side had two more.

At first glance, it looked like a tiny bronze tree or perhaps the grotesque metal claw of some strange creature. It vaguely resembled a bird with talons curled like hooks...

Cassius turned it over in his hands for a while before gripping it firmly.

"This is the one," he said, looking toward the distant Chief Mechanist.

The Chief Mechanist nodded, brief glancing at the bronze key in Cassius's hand but giving it no further thought. He turned around and led Cassius out of the treasury.

Tap, tap, tap...

A series of footsteps echoed up the steps of the underground corridor. Before long, two figures emerged from the treasury and stood on the stone-paved clearing.

That day's weather was clear, revealing a boundless stretch of blue sky. Wisps of brilliant white clouds drifted like gauzy strips of cloth at the edges of the firmament.

Cassius and the Chief Mechanist made their way down a secluded road toward the headquarters building.

Five minutes later, they reached the Chief Mechanist's office.

Cassius sat on a brown, cushioned sofa, half his body illuminated by the bright sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling window. Shadows cast by the light highlighted his silhouette, making him appear all the more powerfully built and imposing.

A cup of richly scented black tea steamed gently on a small coffee table before him.

Footsteps sounded from beyond the door, and a figure entered the office. It was Thomas, the Chief Mechanist's assistant who had once accompanied Cassius on his first trip to the Treatment Ward. He held a file in his hands.

The pale-yellow paper cover bore a white sealing band, upon which two red characters were written—Top Secret.

Thomas walked over and stood opposite Cassius, gently placing the file by Cassius's right hand and helpfully turning it face-up.

"Would you like some hot milk with it?" Thomas posed the question as he eyed the steaming black tea.

"No need. I never cared much for sweetness." Cassius answered curtly and immediately began unsealing the file.

Thomas turned around and left to fetch some hot milk from another room. The Chief Mechanist sat behind his desk, attending to paperwork. He too had a cup of black tea so Thomas, of course, had to fulfill his usual responsibilities.

The soft rustle of folding paper echoed in the office as Cassius flipped through the pages impassively. The paper whitened and warmed under the sunlight pouring in through the window.

Flip.

Cassius raised his head when he finished the last page.

"Interesting. The Eclipse Society in the empire's eastern region used the Blood Moon Serum at least five to six times more frequently than the northern first branch. That means they had already normalized its usage in large quantities. Could the Gate Organization's supply site be in the empire's east? Is that their serum-production base? Or were these serums imported from overseas and merely distributed from the prosperous eastern seaboard of the empire..." He spoke slowly, his gaze drifting toward the Chief Mechanist.

"It is possible..." The Chief Mechanist set down his quill and looked up. "If the Gate Organization really has a production facility for serums, then it is most likely in the eastern region..."

"I see..." Cassius nodded, his gaze turning pensive. He pondered for a moment before adding, "Were there any open relationships between the Eclipse Society in the east and the Gate Organization? For instance, did Gate Organization members have frequent contact with the Eclipse Society, or did they conduct joint operations..."

"Yes. Multiple Gate Organization members had been observed frequently in the county where the Eclipse Society's headquarters is located. Furthermore, some Gate Organization operatives did not appear to be from our Hongli Empire but rather from the Southern Reef Continent." The Chief Mechanist clearly kept abreast of these affairs as he recited the intelligence he’d received with ease.

After listening, Cassius nodded, a theory forming in his mind. He suspected the Eclipse Society was likely one of the Gate Organization's pawns, as well as their experimental subjects and hired muscle.

It was reminiscent of the Blood Spirit Society that Cassius had encountered in the past, except that the Eclipse Society boasted greater power and importance. Furthermore, the serum produced through the Gate Organization's collaboration with the Eclipse Society was the Blood Moon Serum. It might allude to the Eclipse Society's trump card—the Moon God statue, and the fallen Moon God.

Cassius could not shake the feeling that the Gate Organization was up to something. He suspected that their cooperation with the Eclipse Society was far from straightforward and went beyond mere experimentation. Cassius felt that the only thing about the Eclipse Society truly worthy of the Gate Organization's focus was likely the Moon God statue and the flesh of the Moon God.

Unfortunately, lack of data left him only able to speculate so far. The rest would have to wait until he traveled to the empire's southeastern counties and investigated in person.

Cassius's thoughts raced as he took a sip of black tea. Not far away, behind the desk, the Chief Mechanist regarded him quietly. He rubbed the golden ring on his left thumb, the corners of his mouth lifting almost imperceptibly.

Interestingly, after reading the details on the Eclipse Society, Cassius seemed unconcerned with the group itself and seemed to be focusing on the Gate Organization instead. Did that mean he had not taken the Eclipse Society's formidable headquarters seriously at all? Did he truly not care about the possibility of retaliation and ambush?

It appeared that this newly appointed Director of the Treatment Ward possessed utmost confidence in himself. His every move was aimed straight at the most dangerous group in the world, the Gate Organization.

In that case, perhaps he could become a valuable ally in the future if the Gate Organization ever harbored ill intentions toward Florence...

Half an hour later, Cassius memorized all the information and departed the Dark Hunter Organization's headquarters, heading back to the Treatment Ward.

After a brief rest, Cassius chose the participants for the operation. Indeed, merely having Nine Serpents and Fog Man as leaders would not suffice. After their operation in the Alphama Mountains, they would also move on to several southeastern counties of the empire.

They faced the Eclipse Society, the Gate Organization, top Hellsing from Black Rain Manor, perils on the Eternal Archipelago, and possibly the remaining forces of the Totem Temple.

They certainly had no shortage of enemies...

After some consideration, Cassius quickly made his decision. He intended to bring Vice Director Odo along, as well as Odo's disciples and several elite doctors under his command. Meanwhile, Hermit would remain behind to guard headquarters. In truth, Odo would have been the best candidate to remain there, given his extensive experience in handling affairs.

However, Cassius needed to observe Odo's cultivation of the Illusory Moon Fist to adjust and refine the newly created fist techniques.

Hence, two carriages departed from the Treatment Ward's main facility.

Cassius sat in the cabin of the first carriage, while Odo and his men rode in the second. Inside the first carriage, Cassius retrieved a pair of interlocked bronze rings from his coat. He separated them with a click. He tossed one of the rings into the shadows at the corner of the carriage.

Instantly, a fair and shapely hand emerged to catch it as the silhouette of Evil Mother materialized in the cabin. She had shrunk herself to the form of an average human woman, draped in a voluminous black cloak that concealed her unusual arm. She revealed only a beautiful face, along with a barely visible totem at her neck.

"This bronze ring can transmit messages over a distance. Keep it with you while you hide in the shadows. If needed, I shall command you through the ring..." Cassius pocketed the other ring and spoke quietly.

Once he finished speaking, he pulled aside the carriage curtains. They were on a rough dirt road, flanked by verdant forests on both sides. The carriage had already departed Florence and was headed toward its destination.

Cassius glanced at the dazzling sun hanging overhead, as though his gaze spanned hundreds of miles to Shire County to observe his subordinates' movements.

***

There was a single residence encircled by white walls in the urban area within Bright Mountain City in Shire County.

A banquet of fine cuisine was underway inside. The rectangular table with gilded edges in the center of the hall was filled with metal goblets, bouquets, fruit baskets, and candlesticks. But the center was taken up by a massive metal platter that was covered by a swath of red, silk-like fabric. Meanwhile, candle flames flickered and danced.

Four gentlemen with graceful manners paced back and forth around the table, completing the final arrangements. They wore faintly proper smiles that conveyed no warmth. These gentlemen were far too pale, as though they had been corpses for three or four days.

Their eyes also appeared strange in the dimly lit space. Their irises were ringed in pitch black, with a spot of scarlet in the center, giving them a bat-like appearance that was eerily chilling.

"May we begin, Ludo?" One gentleman asked suddenly.

"Andy's not here yet. We should wait for him," another older gentleman answered.

No sooner had he finished than a soft knocking came from outside.

Knock, knock, knock...

"Oh, he's arrived." The gentlemen exchanged glances and smiled at once.

Tap, tap...

Suddenly, something beneath the red cloth on the long table began to quiver, as if struggling. Occasionally, it revealed the faint outline of a slender female limb.

"You take care of that. I'll get the door."

The older Ludo shot them a glance, then strode casually toward the entrance. He opened it with a click. "You almost arrived late."

Whoosh!!!

Streaks of crimson wind rushed inside from the open door, surging over one another like fish in a frenzy, swirling into a vortex. A single blink later, the vortex vanished.

Only a single skeleton remained in the corridor after it passed. It was utterly motionless, pallid and silent. The rushing crimson fog resembled knives scraping bone, or perhaps a tongue lined with barbs. It had licked away all of Ludo's flesh. Inside and out—his skin, muscles, and organs—all were devoured.

Crunch, crunch, crunch...

Creak~

The wooden door was pushed open, revealing a black-robed figure standing in the doorway. He possessed a face that consisted of two halves. On one side, there was stark white human flesh, but on the other, an utterly malevolent mass of bloody mist.

At that moment, the swirling fog churned and expanded, forming one vortex after another on its surface. Fragments of flesh or organs seemed to drift within these vortexes.

"Tsk, you were just about to have lunch, were you?" Fog Man's grating voice echoed, a wicked grin on his face. "Friends, mind if I join you?"

Boom, boom, boom!

Suddenly, tremendous pressure shattered every window in the building. Torrents of sanguine mist roared in amid the crash of glass, driving out and displacing the air.

All of the bloody mist converged into a colossal vortex. A crimson mouth stretched open from within that vortex and devoured all of the Blood Race members present with a single snap. frёewebnoѵēl.com

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

The entire house trembled, fractures splitting the walls. When the tremors subsided, Fog Man slowly turned and glanced at the group of rugged, muscular subordinates standing silently in the courtyard.

He grinned as he waved lightly. Immediately, the black-clad doctors of the Treatment Ward advanced, passing on both sides of Fog Man and storming into the building.

Inside the hall, the struggle at the rectangular table reached its finale.

"Aah!" A sudden, piercing scream rang out as the red cloth was abruptly flung aside. A lovely blonde girl with blue eyes half-sat upon the platter, staring around in terror and confusion. She was completely nude, her fair skin and graceful figure laid bare to the air.

"Vampires! Monsters! They want to eat me, they're going to..." Her face radiated fear as she turned her head. She saw three skeletons standing beside the table, locked in expressions of agonized contortion.

One skeleton's shoulder still bore the tattered remains of a noble's outfit, with a white lace flower attached.

"This...It's those vampires! Th-they're dead!!!" It took the girl a moment to react, first jolting with terror and shock before bursting into wild joy.

She was still alive, rescued at last! But that feeling lasted for only a second...

"It's all over." She turned, her gaze filled with despair.

She had noticed the hulking men, as burly as young bulls, searching throughout the hall's right side. A few of them approached her, their broad, brutish faces hinting at ferocity. Their eyes shone red with savage bloodlust.

Out of the wolves' den and into the tigers' jaws!

In the hall, a heavily tattooed man eyed the fair-skinned girl, seemingly brimming with lustful intent. He could barely restrain his urge to tear her apart, as he slowly reached out with a calloused hand.

A glint of cruelty flashed in the eyes of another burly man nearby.

Slash!

He whipped out a beheading sword from behind and chopped the other's right hand clean off at the base. Then he followed up with a punch, sending the offender hurtling through the air.

The victim shrieked in agony, blood spurting from his arm. Half his face was smashed in by the blow as five or six broken teeth tumbled out of his mouth.

The man who struck him stood there, slamming the beheading sword into the ground with a clang. He placed both hands on the sword's hilt as he bellowed in rage, "By order of the Director of the Treatment Ward, if any of our doctors intends harm upon ordinary people, the team captain may carry out punishment at his own discretion! Today I cut off your arm, let it be a lesson you will never forget! If it happens again, this sword will take your head..."

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