Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 24: The Mad Monk

[Camouflage: During the skill’s duration, the user can reduce their own attributes by 30%~70%. Note: In actual combat judgment, buffs, item effects, etc., are all based on the “reduced attributes”. Use with caution.]

For half a month, had Teest been suppressing his own attributes? When facing Lich Valdorlock, did he hold back?

Nol was at a loss whether to be shocked, horrified, or…

“Haha.” Nol laughed.

“I thought you would be angry,” Teest remarked with surprise.

“On the contrary, Sir Knight.” Nol, currently half-carried by Teest, tugged at Teest’s cloak. “Thank you for your rescue and trust.”

“Ah, what should I do?” Teest’s voice was tinged with amusement. “I had already thought about how to deceive you.”

“You can try deceiving me later.” Nol’s tone turned serious. “Those two are still after us. We mustn’t let our guard down.”

They did indeed have higher average attributes, but the fact that their pursuers dared to chase them meant they had a backup plan.

“I know what to expect. We’ll probably have to fight soon.”

Teest swiftly leapt across rooftops. “Do you recognize that black candle? Given their attitude, it must be something valuable.”

“I don’t,” Nol admitted with a hint of disappointment.

Even though Teest had managed to snatch the candle, Nol still couldn’t decipher its properties. Since Swain had previously used it to contact the Eternal Church, it probably had some ability to connect spaces… Beyond that, he couldn’t speculate much.

……

Knight Eugene was very decisive, with all of the Investigation Knights key forces focusing on the City Lord. Nol and Teest broke through the encirclement smoothly and reached the edge of the forest.

The two pursuers were like leeches, stubbornly tailing them.

“I thought you’d throw the candle away. How boring,” one of the assailants remarked as they paused at the forest’s edge.

Holding a small hunting knife, Teest retorted, “If we threw it away, would you let us go?”

“Of course not.”

“I figured,” Teest whispered. He was the only one not wearing a mask, but his face was obscured by darkness woven by magic.

[Step to the right and close your eyes,] Nol suddenly said.

Teest reflexively moved to the right. Just as he raised his knife, a fireball the size of a fist shot from behind him—grazing his cloak and striking the assailant.

A basic fireball spell.

The assailant dodged with a sneer, rushing directly at Teest.

Boom—!!!

A blast of wind, mixed with debris and splinters, separated the two pursuers. The sudden explosion caught the assailant off guard, pushing him back.

Nol didn’t intend to give him time to recover, launching multiple fireballs into the night, turning the sky dark red. The scale of one’s magic was directly influenced by their intelligence attribute. Although his magical attack power wasn’t high, it was enough to disrupt the enemy.

While the assailant could mask his presence, he couldn’t hide the strong stench of blood. Every time he tried to attack Teest, flames would burst beside him, and when he turned to Nol, Teest would inevitably be right in front of him.

The area around Teest was constantly lit with flames. Shadows of surrounding objects were cast long, making it seem like countless shadows were bowing to him.

With his mana nearly depleted, Nol summoned skeletal hands from the ground with his other hand gripping the Dragon Corpse Notebook. The hands reached out, trying to grasp the assailant’s ankles.

The assailant was tripped by a skeletal hand, meeting the blade of Teest’s hunting knife. The sharp blade quickly slashed, opening a large gash in his throat and causing blood to splatter.

Without retreating, Teest’s “Betrayer”, glowing with flames, thrust into the assailant’s chest and heart.

The assailant instinctively arched his back. Teest decisively pulled out the hunting knife and, with a turn of the hilt, switched grips, stabbing it forcefully into the assailant’s left eye, stirring it with force.

The sequence was smooth and swift, with no unnecessary moves—a pure killing technique. After the attack, Teest jumped back, lowering his stance and watching the opponent intently like a hunter.

The assailant, drenched in blood with a crushed left eye, stood amidst the burning bushes, clapping. “Well done, both of you.”

As he spoke, the deadly wounds on his body healed quickly with a black glow. Nol looked at the other pursuer and saw a similar black glow.

Caught in the recent chain of explosions, the tall man was covered in dirt and grass. He cautiously knelt halfway to the ground, wrapped in layers of protective shields, with both hands equipped with prop rings.

[What happened?] Teest asked.

Nol quickly responded, [That guy used black magic to transfer injuries. His companion should have abilities like ‘Rapid Healing’ or ‘Damage Reduction’.]

Things were getting complicated.

High attack and agility meant low defense, so the assailant transferred all the damage to his teammate—if that big guy was really loaded with equipment and had astonishing endurance, they would face an indestructible and relentless enemy.

The assailant drew his dagger, laughing as he charged at Teest, his head wobbling dangerously on his neck.

[I have a question,] Teest thought calmly.

[Skip the introduction and just ask!]

[Are you dead?]

[Huh?] Nol’s casting hand slipped, nearly backfiring the magic.

The question was extremely rude, yet it didn’t sound insulting.

[You are dead, aren’t you?] Teest turned and charged towards Nol.

Almost reflexively, Nol wanted to run away, but he just wobbled in place. Teest, with the knife in his right hand, wrapped his arm around Nol and grabbed Nol’s wrist with his left, bringing it to his lips.

Soft lips touched the torn glove.

“I swear,” Teest whispered. “…Now say ‘I permit’.”

Watching the approaching assailant, Nol took a deep breath.

“I permit.”

“Good.” Teest’s voice held a hint of amusement. “Praise you, my generous master.”

Nol recognized this skill.

It was a Knight’s skill [Guardian Oath] — By pledging allegiance to a teammate, once granted permission, the skill took effect and lasted for 8 hours. During this time, the object of loyalty received a 30% attribute bonus, while the casting Knight endured a 15% attribute reduction.

Teest knew his attributes were pitiful, so why would he use this? And why ask if he was dead? Wait, Teest was a Fallen Knight. This wasn’t Guardian Oath!

Suddenly, Nol recalled a malicious skill: a high-level variant of [Guardian Oath] exclusive to the Fallen Knight, [Betrayal Overture].

The first half of [Betrayal Overture] was identical to [Guardian Oath], indistinguishable to outsiders. But it had a second part—

When the object of loyalty died, the Fallen Knight’s attribute reduction would be canceled; if the corpse was within 5m, the Fallen Knight would get a 30% attribute boost.

Fallen Knights would choose masters, deceive them, and eventually kill them. At first glance, this skill seemed despicably cunning, but there was a small loophole.

Some corpses could speak and actively accept allegiance.

Teest precisely exploited this bug. As long as they were no more than five meters apart, Teest could maintain a 30% attribute boost. And the “corpse” Nol, being his object of allegiance, also got a 30% boost.

[How cunning.] Nol clicked his tongue.

[It’s all thanks to you, Mr. Bad-Influence Lich.]

Red sword marks lit up again, as the assailant repeated his tactics to slice Teest into pieces. But before the marks could bloom, they exploded into shards.

Teest blocked all the strikes and countered, drawing blood.

It was time.

Decisively, Nol took his broken staff and thrust it into his chest.

Facing such a resilient opponent, overwhelming firepower was the best approach. If Teest wanted to play with bugs, he was more than happy to comply. The staff, missing its cursed magic core, could be temporarily replaced by cursed magical material instead.

Like a cursed Lich.

[Item: Broken Cursed Staff → Staff of Sacrifice]

[Item effect activated.]

The Staff of Sacrifice doubled the intelligence value. With teammate bonuses, Nol’s intelligence soared to 6,981, almost on par with a level 50 black dragon cub. Holding his Dragon Corpse Notebook, Nol unreservedly activated his summoning skill.

The ceiling of low-level undead—skeleton dire wolves emerged from the ground, their fangs shimmering with a dark glow. Considering the intelligence effect, they were all strong mutant rare individuals.

Under the night sky, amidst the smoke, the pack of wolves stood silently on the scorched earth. Countless ghostly blue eyes lit up in the dark, centered around the alpha wolf and the king by its side—

The blue flames in those eye sockets blazed intensely. Under their illumination, the ruby reflected a bloody brilliance. The horns on the mask were sharp, coiled, and crown-like.

The next moment, Nol, gently touching the alpha wolf’s bones, quietly vanished into the darkness.

[I will stay by your side,] Nol said. He remained invisible, standing next to Teest like a ghost.

[This time, we act together.]

“It’s an honor,” Teest whispered.

The alpha wolf howled, and the undead wolves stirred up the dust. Nol decisively drew power from the notebook and summoned a flock of skeleton raptors.

An exceptionally large bone eagle grabbed Nol and took him into the sky. It was obedient, and Nol felt as if he had an additional set of skeletal wings. Below him, Teest looked like a true knight. The man leapt onto the back of the alpha wolf. His sword sliced through the night, and his dark cloak billowed like a cape.

The undead wolf pack followed Nol’s will, tripping the assailant with their bodies like a swamp. Teest evaded beautifully, with eight or nine out of ten attacks missing him. Even if by chance they did hit, Nol’s healing spell would immediately follow.

Sword light and flames intertwined on the ground, and bone spikes rained from the sky. Despite their advantage, the end of the battle was nowhere in sight.

The assailant continuously lost his eyes and limbs, and his vital organs were destroyed but then regenerated. Even if the sword sliced off his head, and the wolf pack tore his body apart, the fragments would self-assemble and heal rapidly.

It was like attacking a mirage, only causing them pure pain.

The man’s cloak was soaked in blood, his face covered in bits of flesh, looking incredibly miserable. A corner of his mask was missing, revealing a deep red eye. His tone became increasingly delighted.

“God truly loves me.”

With his heart pierced, the assailant casually tore out his damaged heart and tossed it into the mud.

Drip, drip. Blood dripped through his fingers. He stepped on that chunk of flesh and laughed heartily.

“You two are so interesting—too interesting! You deserve a grander death.”

“Hey, this isn’t what we agreed on!” From within the protective barriers, the tall figure warned.

“God has brought them to us. Let’s enjoy the moment, my friend.”

The assailant stepped over numerous undead wolf skulls, widening the gap. “If we continue like this, we’ll just be exhausted. Since Swain has been exposed, let’s make the most out of him.”

He took out a blood-stained small bell from his waist and shook it gently.

The bell trembled and emitted sharp, mournful cries.

……

Inside Whitebird City, in a dark alley.

“We won’t kill you,” Knight Eugene, holding a skull missing its jaw, said in a cheerful tone. “City Lord, you’re an important suspect—for now.”

Behind him stood four Investigation Knights. All of them were expressionless, with long swords in their hands that were stained with blood.

Lord Swain had a wounded right arm, and his mask was missing. Numerous magical circles surrounded him, and his gaze was that of a trapped animal.

“You barbaric hypocrites.” Swain bared his teeth. “You’ll only torture what you want out of me and then burn me alive.”

Eugene’s smile didn’t waver. “Yes, but you can live a few more days. Friend, you’re out of options. Resisting will only make it worse—we just lost a brother, and I’m very angry now.”

He weighed the dead head in his hand and suddenly squeezed it, bursting the skull.

Swain opened his mouth to mock, but he suddenly shuddered. At the same time, the knights showed pain, quickly raising their swords. Eugene’s smile disappeared as he tilted his head, as if hearing something.

“…Looks like it’s going to be a long night.” He sighed.

A few steps away, Lord Swain let out an inhuman scream. A dim light illuminated him, and the air became icy and viscous.

Accompanied by the sound of flesh tearing, the City Lord’s figure rapidly expanded. He swelled larger than the nearby houses. His skin turned gray and bark-like, and his waist bulged with organs. His ribs turned outward, forming thin arms. They shook and gripped the ground, supporting his bloated body.

Steadying himself, Lord Swain slowly opened a massive mouth. It was torn by several eyeballs, which frantically looked outwards.

He lay on the ground, resembling a red spider covered in tumors. A dark red mist surrounded him, and the knights cautiously retreated.

The City Lord paid no attention to them. He emitted a painful shriek and, like a bead, leaped over the night sky, quickly crawling out of the city. The monster’s speed was frightening, and within seconds, it disappeared from the knights’ sight.

“That guy is a ‘Supplement Demon’, conservatively estimated to have consumed over 100 people.” Eugene chased without hesitation. “Leave two to guard the city. The rest follow me!”

When the monster fell from the sky, Nol was stunned.

The art team of “Tahe” had great taste, and every monster had its unique aesthetic. However, what was in front of him was so grotesque that it couldn’t be included in a video without blurring. Nol recognized the skull of the City Lord on the monster, and he felt a churn in his stomach.

Thankfully, he was now quite experienced in “how to suppress the urge to vomit”.

A black and red mist spread out in an instant. The monster, as if maddened, charged directly at Teest.

Nol frowned and ordered the wolves to shield Teest.

The moment the black-red mist touched the skeletons, their bones seemed to dry out instantly, turning to dust. The blue flames in the eyes of the skeleton wolves went out, forcing them to return to death.

This is bad.

Nol immediately summoned more skeletons to block in front of Teest, trying to trip up the monster.

However, the assailant’s onslaught didn’t stop. With the monster wreaking havoc, Nol was stretched thin, and deep wounds suddenly appeared on Teest.

His left shoulder was blasted to the bone by magic, his abdomen was pierced, and half of his right foot was chopped off. If he wasn’t riding on the back of a wolf, he wouldn’t even be able to stand.

Blood gushed, staining the alpha wolf’s skeleton red.

It seemed Teest felt no pain. He looked up, smiled at where Nol was, then reached into his pouch and threw a black candle towards Nol.

[Just in case,] Teest said.

[There is no ‘just in case’,] Nol replied solemnly, catching the black candle. He prepared to summon more flying skeletons to lift Teest to safety.

In a few seconds, Nol had a plan.

The assailant was still lurking nearby. Flying would limit Teest’s movements, but it was worth a try—the main force of the Investigation Knights would soon catch up. They might be able to hold off the assailant. If timed right, they could make a safe retreat.

However, as he was planning, something moved in his hand.

…Moved?

Before Nol could react, the black candle broke free from his grip and floated mid-air. Despite being summer, Teest’s breath became visible in the cold air.

The huge monster stopped moving, and the relaxed expression on the assailant’s face vanished.

“Impossible!” he spat, narrowing his eyes. “How do you have a dragon corpse with you?”

Nol clutched his counterfeit “The Complete Recipe Book” and didn’t reply. He focused intently on the black candle—its black wax tears moved like tentacles of a soft-bodied creature. Among them, a blue vertical eye slowly opened.

“I smell the remains of a dragon, the scent of hundreds of skeletons. Such a strong scent of death…” a deep voice murmured from the candle.

“Are you the one who woke me, mage? I am… Holy shit, this is a fucking battlefield!” After only speaking the second half of the sentence, the voice suddenly became shrill. “What’s that disgusting thing down there?”

Assailant: “.…..”

Teest: “.…..”

Nol: “…?” The sudden shift in tone threw him off.

“You, yes you, the mage with the mask!” The black candle darted towards Nol, repeatedly hitting his mask. “That thing below is hard to deal with. Do you have powerful acquaintances? Bring more!”

Nol sighed and dispelled his invisibility. “How?”

“Don’t worry about it… Oh, there’s a staff here. Great, don’t poke it in yourself. Pull it out quickly!” The candle continued to shriek. “Then imagine the person you want to find and where they are! The more detailed, the better!”

Reluctantly, Nol pulled out the Staff of Sacrifice from his chest. The candle moved its wax tears like limbs, clumsily climbing to the top of the staff and sitting on the magic core.

The Staff of Sacrifice hummed, but its effect remained. It seemed this item also counted as a “cursed magical core”.

Nol pondered the candle’s proposal. He didn’t have acquaintances in this world, but if he were to think of a powerful entity and its location…

He focused on imagining the Dragon Lord Subelbot and its golden cave. Meanwhile, the candle lit itself, and a blue flame shot three meters up.

The flame split open, revealing another space—

The Dragon Lord was sleeping on a shiny pile of gold. As the ring of fire appeared, it woke up and lifted its head, which got stuck in the flame. On top of Nol’s staff appeared a huge silver dragon skull, making it look like he was holding a disproportionately large dragon-headed hammer.

“What the hell is this?!” The stuck Subelbot roared.

Nol: “.…..”

Nol: “Hey!”

While the silver dragon was still enraged, he raised his magic staff, aiming the dragon’s head at the strange creature on the ground. Subelbot was taken aback. With the sudden appearance of a pus-oozing monstrosity in front of it, it opened its mouth and instantly breathed fire.

The dragon leader’s reputation wasn’t unfounded. The black and red mist quickly faded, and the City Lord monster lost half of its body. It let out a sharp scream and retreated.

The next moment, the flame at the top of the candle was extinguished, and the bewildered dragon’s head disappeared without a trace.

“Enough!” The black candle shouted. “Run quickly. I smell the scent of the Investigation Knights!”

Needless to say, Nol also noticed the rapidly approaching Investigation Knights. The remaining skeleton army quickly sank into the mud, with Nol only leaving behind the giant skeleton raptor. He dived down, grabbed Teest, and rushed into the depths of the forest.

The assailant left the monster behind and chased after without hesitation. He had only taken two steps when several ceramic teeth shot into his chest from the woods.

From where the teeth pierced, his skin turned black and purple and quickly rotted away. A few seconds later, the assailant’s head and shoulders separated from his body, falling limply to the ground.

It was the Puppet Witch! Lynn came to help… No, she might have been watching the whole time.

Before leaving, Nol freed up his left hand and gave the assailant the middle finger.

See ya little bastard. The Investigation Knights will beat you up for us.

……

“This distance is about right.”

Deep in the forest, Nol released the giant skeleton raptor. The two collapsed onto the thick fallen leaves, neither wanting to move. After half a minute, Nol calmed himself and struggled to Teest’s side.

“Don’t move. I’ll heal you.” He placed his hand on Teest’s shoulder.

“Don’t overdo it.” Teest patted his hand weakly. “Remember when I was seriously injured in the City Lord’s mansion? It’s best to keep a naturally weak state.”

Nol, who hadn’t recovered much mana, thought for a moment and agreed. He cast several healing spells targeting Teest’s left shoulder and right foot, making them whole again and stopping the bleeding from the wound on his abdomen.

As for the superficial wounds, Nol didn’t address them.

The healing drained Nol’s last strength. He collapsed next to Teest, both of them looking like two pitiful old socks.

…When they returned to the inn, Nol decided he must study pain-relief spells. Teest would need them sooner or later.

‘Fighting indeed helps strengthen bonds,’ Nol thought. This was his first real battle, and the subtle barrier between them seemed to have diminished a lot—

Before, when Nol saw Teest, he first thought “Player”, “teammate”, then “Teest”. Now… he only saw Teest.

“Do you want to meet the witch? Was that her just now? You guys will meet eventually, and it might not be convenient for me to be there.”

After a good rest, Teest finally had the energy for a chat. He removed his hood, revealing sweat-soaked hair. His face showed clear signs of fatigue. “I’ll go back, take a bath, and get some rest.”

‘That’s good,’ Nol thought. Teest was made of flesh and blood and indeed needed rest.

So Nol summoned a skeleton horse. The horse’s steps were steady, and even if Teest accidentally fell off, he wouldn’t get hurt.

His temporary knight stood up and gave a proper salute.

“Goodnight in advance and say hello to the witch for me.”

Teest mounted the horse. He yawned tiredly and looked unsteady. “I’ll avoid the Investigation Knights… When you return, make sure to check on the situation.”

“No problem.” Even if Teest didn’t mention it, Nol planned to do so.

After watching Teest leave, Nol stood up and walked deeper into the forest. Fortunately, before he could find the place from last time, the witch’s puppet came to him.

“Lady Lynn asks you to wait.” This time, the puppets showed no hostility. “She guessed that it’s inconvenient for you both to travel, so she’ll check the situation herself. Once she knows the outcome, she’ll meet you in person.”

‘That’s fine,’ Nol thought, sitting on a prominent tree root to wait. Without Teest, the forest seemed ten times emptier.

He tried talking to the black candle. Its vertical eyes were closed, and it didn’t respond, perhaps because it was exhausted.

Nol could only wait alone. He turned into a human form, took off his goat bone mask, and hung it loosely around his waist.

By the time Lynn found him, the night was still dark.

Her appearance was almost as Nol had imagined—slightly shorter in stature, with a youthful look, dressed in a sleek dark hunting outfit, emanating a modern aura.

Lynn’s hunting outfit was modified with a high collar. A dark red printed scarf was tied around her neck, and she wore thin leather gloves. The joints of the puppet witch were completely concealed, making her look almost indistinguishable from real humans.

Except for the crack on her forehead—a sign of injury for the Puppet Witch. Judging by the depth of the crack, she must have suffered a serious injury recently.

“Building 5, Floor 2, Room 302, Joy Garden, Lin En. Mr. Xu, hello. I believe this is our first meeting.”

Lynn was neither overly enthusiastic nor aloof. Like a skilled business partner, she greeted Nol with a smile, extending her right hand.

Nol hurriedly stood up and shook her hand. He was touched. Having been in this world for so long, he almost forgot this modern courtesy.

“Mr. Xu is too formal. You can call me Xu Yue or Nol… In front of outsiders, better call me Nol.”

Witch Lynn nodded and retracted her hand. “Where’s your knight partner?”

“He was too tired and went back,” Nol replied. “His situation is different from ours. To explain your situation to him, I need your consent first.”

Lynn paused. Her expression was slightly stiff, looking somewhat anxious. “He went back? Did you let him go back to Whitebird City on his own?”

“We hid our identities…” Noticing Lynn’s reaction, Nol suddenly felt an ominous premonition.

“This is a magical world. The Eternal Church surely has many tracking methods.” Lynn’s voice sounded bitter. “Nol, I know you’re from a game company, but are you sure this world aligns perfectly with the game? …You might not feel it as strongly, but to me, this place is undoubtedly real—a deadly reality.”

“In the real world, one can never be too cautious.”

‘Yes,’ Nol thought, stunned. The taste of victory was so sweet that he almost forgot the dangers of this world—this wasn’t just a game where you clear a boss and the battle ends.

Strange. He had always been cautious… Why didn’t he think of it earlier? Was he too exhausted?

“How’s the City Lord?” Nol asked urgently, dropping his casual demeanor.

“The City Lord was captured by the Investigation Knights and is probably being transported back to the city. But that doesn’t mean much. There are certainly more followers of the Eternal Church in the city. With the City Lord captured, they’ll only become more rampant.” Lynn pursed her lips.

Suddenly, a puppet climbed onto Lynn’s shoulder and whispered into her ear. Listening, Lynn frown deepened.

“You should come with me. We have a lot to discuss. By dawn, I’ll try to get a sense of the city’s situation. If your knight has been targeted by the Eternal Church, it’s probably too late. Going there will only lead you into a trap.”

“What do you mean?” Nol remained unmoved.

“Important message from the street urchins—the City Lord, shortly after being taken into the city, was abducted by the Eternal Church’s people. Those scoundrels are still causing chaos in the city… Wait, what are you doing?”

Without hesitation, Nol summoned a skeleton raptor, allowing the giant bird to grasp his back.

“I need to go back.” His tone was firm.

“The city must be on lockdown. You—”

“Let’s talk another day, Miss Lynn.” Nol soared into the sky. “I need to find my teammate… No, my friend.”

Thud. The bone mask slipped from his waist, landing on the ground covered by fallen leaves.

…..

Teest must be safe.

On the streets of Whitebird City, Nol ran breathlessly under an invisibility spell, his heart pounding. Why didn’t he insist on giving Teest a full treatment? Why did he let Teest return alone? He shouldn’t have let his guard down.

He had decided to become genuine friends with Teest, even willing to share the secret of his “transmigration”. Their collaboration was flawless, and Teest was a trustworthy companion.

Nothing should happen to Teest, or he would never forgive himself, Nol thought fiercely.

The night was quiet at the inn, the air filled with the rich scent of flowers. Breathing heavily and anxious, Nol approached that familiar room.

The door was closed, curtains drawn, and no light shone from within.

Taking a deep breath, Nol pushed the door open with a sudden force. The door creaked loudly, echoing in his ears. The dimly lit living room was serene, with fresh roses blooming on the table and a basket of fruit exuding a tempting sweetness. Yet beneath the pleasant aroma, Nol detected a faint smell of blood.

Teest’s bedroom door remained closed as always. He had indeed returned, but…

“Teest?” Nol called out with a hoarse voice but received no response.

The closer he got to Teest’s bedroom door, the stronger the scent of blood became. Nol smelled fat, fresh entrails, and exposed bone marrow.

“Teest—!”

Nol tightened his grip on his staff and burst through the door.

Drip, drip.

First, he saw the blood. Blood was everywhere, pooling and soaking into the carpet, spreading across the floor to his feet. In the blood floated tiny bits of flesh and eyeballs, scattered in small clumps.

Drip, drip. The blood continued to drop.

Then, Nol looked up and saw Teest.

Teest, with his flowing silver-white hair and wearing his long pajamas, stood barefoot in the pool of blood. Except for his feet, there was no other bloodstain on him. He looked out of place, as if he didn’t belong to this world.

The deep and shallow wounds on his body had already healed, leaving no trace.

In front of him, countless golden threads held by magic hung like a web, suspending a large silhouette. Nol recognized the face.

…It was Lord Swain.

The City Lord’s limbs and head were bound by the golden threads, hanging in the air like a marionette. His mutated parts had been cleanly sliced off and forcibly sewn back into human shape with the golden threads. The stitches, meticulous and even, gleamed like gold vines wrapping around him.

Lord Swain hung lifelessly, his eyes full of fear and despair. Yet, his lips were pulled into a smile by the golden threads.

That smile was soft and calm, completely contrasting with the rest of his tragic appearance.

Drip, drip. Blood oozed from the stitches and dripped from the City Lord’s toes.

A ball of unused golden thread rolled out of Teest’s old pouch. It rolled through the blood, causing ripples, before finally stopping at Nol’s feet.

The ball of golden thread brushed against Nol’s boots like an obedient little creature.

“Good evening, honey,” Teest said with a smile, his voice gentle and calm. “You shouldn’t have come back so early… Ah, you caught me.”

Nol tensed up, his fingers twitching on the grip of his staff. Images of them fighting side by side flashed in his mind, making the staff feel heavy as lead.

Teest raised his hands in a casual surrender gesture. In his right hand, he held the “Betrayer” in its hunting knife form. His golden eyes gleamed in the shadows. The room was pitch black, but this didn’t seem to trouble Teest. He slowly approached Nol.

Without thinking, Nol stepped back. Seeing this, Teest playfully flipped his left palm—and with a loud bang, the bedroom door behind Nol slammed shut and was locked.

Just as Nol wanted to back away, his back hit the solid door.

“He’s a psycho, a murderer, a blasphemer. He, she, or it has been running rampant for over a decade. Even the Temple doesn’t know if that guy is human.” 

Mr. Kurt once said.

Finally, Teest stood right in front of Nol. Leaning in so close that their noses almost touched. Teest’s gaze held no malice. It was more like an intriguing observation. The mixture of floral scent, baked biscuits, the smell of blood-soaked wood, and the mild soap fragrance from Teest combined into a peculiar sweet scent.

…A light fragrance tinged with the chill of death.

Nol held his breath, staring intently into those golden eyes. In the silent night, only the system’s prompt kept repeating in his head—

[You have successfully witnessed the “Mad Monk”. Please immediately report to the Temple of Life.]

[You have successfully witnessed the “Mad Monk”. Please immediately report to the Temple of Life.]

[You have successfully witnessed the “Mad Monk”. Please immediately report to the Temple of Life.]

……

Temple of Life, Evergreen Church, Medical Room.

“Failure is also God’s will, everyone. Don’t take it too hard. Although Swain escaped, at least Whitebird City is free from the control of a heretic… Ouch, take it easy, Reverend Father.”

Knight Eugene had already removed his armor. He was lying on the bed as the priest treated his wound.

Other Investigation Knights were also injured to varying degrees, and they were now gathered, lamenting their situation. Knight Manley, who had been recovering, hadn’t participated in the battle. He listened to the complaints with curiosity.

“Captain, I have a question.”

Manley waved his bandaged arm. “Why do you all believe that the City Lord framed the Mad Monk? Couldn’t they be accomplices?”

“You’re new to the team, so it’s understandable that you don’t know.”

Eugene sat up and looked out of the window at the four moons.

“Every victim of the ‘Mad Monk’ has always been a core member of the Eternal Church, without exception. That guy would never lay a finger on a fourteen-year-old girl.”

“Hmm, doesn’t that mean the Mad Monk is kind of on the side of the Temple? Wouldn’t it be better to tell the truth to the public? They firmly believe that he kills indiscriminately and are terrified of him.” Manley sighed.

“On the side of the Temple? That shameless heretic. He desecrates corpses and defiles both the Temple and its scriptures. Even if he opposed the Eternal Church, he harbors just as much malice towards the Temple.”

Eugene’s tone suddenly turned cold. “The fact that the Temple hasn’t issued a death warrant for him already shows we’ve given him some respect. Manley, the truth can’t be made public—people don’t need to know that a mere blasphemer’s investigative skills are superior to that of the Investigation Knights.”

“More importantly, this era doesn’t need an overly mad hero.”

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The author has something to say:

Alright, Teest’s vest has finally fallen off! I’ve read various speculations before, lol.

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