765: 284.
The story will eventually co to an end.
765: 284.
The story will eventually co to an end.
Haiweijonar Town.
This town, abandoned during The Ti of Silence, recently beca lively again, not due to the river canal a mile away.
For the sake of developing and monitoring the canal, people gathered in this town, which is neither too close nor too far from The Ti of Silence.
These are only temporary.
As the crusade ended in failure again, the Exorcist organization couldn’t think of a better idea to solve the Third Disaster, and people had to retreat to the coast.
Besides visiting relatives and caravans bringing supplies, the town saw almost no unfamiliar faces.
So near dusk, when Lu Li appeared in the town, his clothes wrinkled and dusty, he drew the attention of many.
The Exorcists protecting the people approached first, used a sensing clock to confirm Lu Li wasn’t strange, then shed their vigilance.
Upon learning of Lu Li’s identity, they beca enthusiastic, and after learning his purpose, they beca respectful.
They warmly received Lu Li, and prepared food and dicine for him.
Lu Li rejected their goodwill because the rchants would arrive in dozens of minutes, bringing clean clothes, food, dicine, ammunition, and four new Spirit-Calling Guns.
Lu Li unloaded the gun chamber and loaded bullets inside.
“What about the news of the Shadow of the Maiden?”
“It hasn’t appeared again.”
Click——
Closing the gun chamber, Lu Li raised his eyes and asked the rchant, “When was the last ti she appeared?”
“Seven hours ago, the victim was a judge.”
Click——
“Is there any news of her elsewhere?”
“No.”
After loading ammunition into the four Spirit-Calling Guns, once the rchant left, Lu Li asked the civilians downstairs for a basin of clean water, removed his clothes, and wiped away the crust of salt left from the dried evaporated seawater on his body.
Knock knock knock——
There was a knock on the door and many chaotic footsteps outside.
Lu Li placed the towel into the basin, letting it sink to the bottom, picked up the shirt folded at the end of the bed, stretched his arms to put it on, buttoned it, and walked to the door, opening it.
People gathered behind the door, at the front was a girl with braids, her mother holding her shoulders.
She was only eight or nine years old, holding up a small straw cat that she made.
“Mr.
Demon Slayer, this is for you.”
“What is this?” Lu Li asked.
“Your purpose is hard to hide.” The Exorcist standing aside said helplessly, “They know you’re here to help people solve the Third Disaster, and they all want to et you…
and wish you well.”
“It will protect you from monsters,” the girl’s voice was clear.
Lu Li glanced over the people’s faces, seeing their sincere blessings and respect…
and a hint of sadness.
“It’s a custom of this land; the straw dolls made by children symbolize blessings and protection,” the Exorcist said.
Lu Li accepted it, placing it together with the straw doll.
“Thank you.”
The happy children and relieved people left the doorway, and Lu Li closed the door, put on a coat, donned the Spirit-Calling Guns, and cloaked himself.
Everything was ready, and Lu Li pushed the door and went downstairs.
“Mr.
Demon Slayer, where are you going?”
A woman preparing dinner asked in surprise, the aroma wafting from the kitchen indicating a delicious al in the works.
“Departure.”
“But it’s getting dark…” She still held a ladle in her hand.
“So dangers accompany , which might bring trouble to you,” Lu Li said.
The woman dared not decide and called the Exorcist who stayed in another room.
“Mr.
Demon Slayer intends to leave now…
He says staying will cause trouble,” she narrated anxiously.
“How much trouble?” The Exorcist frowned, asking Lu Li.
“A newly erged evil spirit.”
“Is it unsolvable?”
“The way to break the ritual isn’t clear enough yet,” Lu Li said, telling the Exorcist about Anna’s ritual and possible ways to break it: “Temporarily making the shadow disappear might evade the ritual, like hiding in darkness.”
The Exorcist pondered for a mont and asked, “Is there no other way?”
There is indeed a way, like letting Lu Li get far enough away from the townsfolk.
But this town isn’t big enough.
The Exorcist sighed as he escorted Lu Li to the door.
Lu Li opened the door, about to step out, when suddenly from the kitchen ca the dull clatter of a pot falling and chaotic footsteps.
He swiftly turned back, seeing the woman appear at the kitchen doorway, fervently shouting at him, “I found a way!”
With the shout, she lted like a candle near the source of the fla, lting into the pitch-black shadow of the maiden on the floor.
Anna ca…
A chill surged through his body, and Lu Li instinctively gripped the oil lamp, only to recall that the “Lighthouse” was lost in the river waters.
“Hide in the darkness.”
Lu Li advised the dazed Exorcist, running out of the house onto the street.
At the sa ti, behind him at the door, the Exorcist’s fervent shout echoed: “I have the way to rid you of the Rope of Descent ritual!”
Lu Li remained silent, running towards the edge of town.
The unaware townspeople on the street gazed curiously, unaware that the elegant shadow of a maiden suddenly appeared in the alley, rging into their shadows.
The man holding firewood shouted at Lu Li, “The Rope of Descent is indeed dead…”
Upstairs, a man with his face encrusted with glass shards shouted down, “But its power was taken away…”
A woman holding a child dropped the fear-stricken boy who began to cry, “It was those followers of the vortex’s religion…”
The child stopped crying, climbed up, and scread, “The Evil God in the vortex…”
Two companions walking together approached Lu Li, “Used that power to curse you…”
The man fleeing abruptly halted and turned around, “It wants to make you a follower…”
Throwing away the sensing clock, the Exorcist shouted, “When you kill the Third Disaster…”
Silhouetted upstairs, soone’s scream accompanied their fall as they smashed to the ground, “You will bring glory and return to belief…”
A figure dashed out from the alley, “The only way to break the curse is…”
Clawing by a window, an old woman scread, “To die!”
The town’s exit was ahead, the vast wilderness appearing in Lu Li’s eyes—along with a little girl standing in the middle of the road, holding a straw cat, tears welling up in her eyes.
“My lover, I wait for you ahead.”
The girl’s clear eyes seed to flow like pulling a ribbon, her lips lting to reveal an ugly gum, then covered by slipping eyeballs, finally lting and collapsing into the maiden’s shadow.
Anna’s shadow elegantly approached, standing in front of the halted Lu Li.
Chaos was spreading within the town behind him.
Yet the shadow gently extended its arms, encircling Lu Li, as if embracing an invisible figure.
A breeze blew, lifting the hem and hair, dispersing the shadow on the ground.
…
The Mist of Strangeness arrived at the appointed ti in the darkness of night.
Ten miles north of Haiweijonar Town, behind a giant rock sheltered from the wind, the Mist of Strangeness bypassed a small area in front of the rock.
Or rather, they surrounded that small area in front of the rock.
A figure leaned against the warm rock, the lit campfire licking at his face.
Murmuring a na.
“Anna…”
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