What is internal injury? It is nothing but a mysterious opportunity disguised under a mask of infinite complexity.
–George Gordon Byron,
For those who study Kung-Fu Forensics, knowledge of anatomy is essential.
Especially as a consulting Kung-Fu detective who investigates Kung-Fu cris, I prided myself on having accumulated considerable research in this field.
Yes. Undoubtedly, human lips possess elasticity.
Soft flesh that stretches and contracts as needed or unconsciously, a surface of comfort and deceit.
But the lips of the monster before my eyes stretched horizontally beyond the bounds of all my accumulated knowledge, almost reaching his ears.
“…Eek, ehee-hee-hee-hee-pukik!!”
The expression and voice that erged from ‘its’ mouth were far from the polite kind of smile commonly called a smile.
Above all, it was very far from the individual I knew as Jane Watson.
“I asked who you are.”
Because the opponent did not seal the mute acupoint, I could speak, but my question lacked its usual force.
Because imdiately after asking a question without spirit, an indescribable sense of alienation overwheld .
This was not simply because the opponent looked indistinguishable from Watson.
The grotesquely elongated lips and the sharp teeth revealed between them insisted to that the word ‘what’ was more appropriate than ‘who’.
Even my exceptional subconscious mind, so often attuned to details too subtle for the waking self to grasp, whispered without pause that the being before was not of the humankind I knew.
It had a human appearance but was far removed from that definition.
Sothing not human.
It was not a strange person, but a monster.
From the strange light dancing in its pupils, and the unique wavelength and scent of its Qi Frequency, I could faintly glimpse its alien Essence.
If the evil fairies from Celtic folklore that bewitch people truly existed, wouldn’t they look this unpleasant?
I even had such absurd thoughts.
“Y-you just asked who I am…”
The unidentified creature leaned its face less than two inches from my head and whispered to in Watson’s voice.
“Y-you are definitely a disciple of the Heavenly Demon…… Little Heavenly…… Demon!”
“…!”
This person. No, this beast knew the relationship between my master and .
There are no clues as yet to deduce its identity.
Amid increasing confusion, I tried my best to remain calm.
No, it’s more accurate to say I struggled.
For now, the important thing is not its identity.
There is no information about this mysterious monster, not even whether it is human.
Now that my body functions are paralyzed by a strange pressure point sealing, sothing else is important.
“I thought you’d be smarter than this…! Hic!”
Though stamring, the creature showed no sign of nervousness.
“If you’re curious, I’ll tell you… I, I am sothing, um, yes. Louise is a big pu, puz…! Puzzle!”
“Louise…?”
A relatively smoother self-introduction than previous sentences.
It introduced itself as a big puzzle, but I had no idea what that ant.
The phrase “big puzzle” sounded vaguely familiar.
“Kik…!”
While thinking that, its eyes gradually took on a bright yellow color.
Now, with the torn lips and strange pupils, its face could no longer be called similar to Watson’s.
It circled my paralyzed body, observing my face from various angles like a cat playing with a bug or small animal.
Does it think of as nothing more than a living toy?
‘Has Watson…already been taken?’
As so confusion cleared, the first thought was the face of my friend.
Unable to turn my head, I was frustrated beyond asure that I couldn’t check if Watson, swapped with the creature, was safe.
Currently, I could not move anything properly except my mouth and tongue.
Except for when training with my master, this was the first ti I’d suffered such a cruel pressure point sealing.
‘What kind of eyes does it have-’
I tried to use the advanced eye technique Indra Net to check the reflection in the beast’s pupils, but it was impossible.
Because the creature disguised as Watson had deep black pupils fragnted into many pieces.
The vision technique that examines reflected visual information in pupils could not confirm if Watson was reflected in its eyes.
‘I hesitate to call such a sham creature a person.’
Focusing my internal energy on my ear to check Watson’s heartbeat also failed.
I don’t know what refined technique it used, but the creature’s Essence absorbed into my body through the pressure point sealing made it difficult to use my internal skill.
Even utilizing hearing and touch was difficult because the monster’s heartbeat matched Watson’s perfectly, and the heartbeat was unnecessarily loud, making subtle sounds or vibrations hard to detect.
‘Though it feels unnatural to call it human, it possesses intelligence and internal skill and applies systematic Kung-Fu Principles. What exactly is it…’
I deliberately steered my reasoning mind toward a more productive direction.
Calming my inner anxiety by believing Watson was alive, I quietly began preparing a counterattack.
From what I had confird so far, though I didn’t want to admit it, that strange creature, whether a spiritual beast or sothing else, was stronger than .
No matter how injured I was or how relaxed I had beco due to needing rest in a high-focus situation, it was clear I was caught off guard.
But if it thinks a few pressure points can hold for long, it’s mistaken.
I am a disciple of the Heavenly Demon.
Just because I’m unable to move my body doesn’t an I can’t execute a single technique.
-Patsh!
Flipping the hand seals and moving my will, my vision flickered like a match igniting, and the Paradox began.
Soon, hidden innate energy filled the space between the Niwan Palace and the Man’s Prognosis (carotid artery) acupoints on both sides of my throat, preparing to release a technique.
Though my Elixir Field might crack slightly, if I strike unexpectedly while it’s careless, what follows will be easy.
The Demonic art that unfolds the mnemonics of Lion’s Roar in reverse.
If the pressure point seals break due to the powerful recoil and shock at the mont of release, I can check Watson’s condition and escape imdiately.
Even if the seals don’t fully break, I can use Poltergeist to force my body to move.
I learned such grappling techniques long ago when my master used to beat .
-Patshoot!
“Anyway… Why do n keep trying useless things…?”
But my plan was thwarted the mont I tried to execute it.
As soon as it sealed three more pressure points including the mute point with movents too fast for my eyes, the innate energy I had raised began returning.
“Wh-what are you trying to do by releasing Lion’s Roar! Did you think Louise would be that surprised?”
It spoke more smoothly than before, without the strange laughter, making it easier to understand.
But despite the calr tone, its hands were even more ruthless than before, as evidenced by my tongue and mouth being sealed.
I concealed the Qi Frequency of my energy to a minimum, but it noticed my attempt to use Demonic arts to burst its eardrums and prepared for it.
It was no ordinary eye technique or speed.
It was a transcendent martial artist, a master in a realm I still found hard to approach.
I couldn’t understand why such a dangerous person wandered the Palace without restraint.
Does it an it’s confident enough to harm , who is treated like a guest summoned by Her Majesty, and escape safely?
If such a high-level master belonged to an Orthodox clan, I would surely know of them. Who could it be?
Louise? I’ve never heard that na before.
“I-I’m stamring because it’s our first eting. Louise doesn’t intend to harm you… Please don’t get scared and act out.”
But the creature looking at my embarrassnt suddenly made a sulky face.
“…?”
An unexpected statent.
Saying it doesn’t intend harm and asking not to act out is a phrase often heard from hostage-takers.
But this creature’s timid and weak tone didn’t sound like a threat to kill if provoked…
“Amazing, as expected of a disciple of the Heavenly Demon. Louise even injected you with Essence, and you’re thinking of breaking it. I’ll give you a little credit.”
The monster calling itself Louise seed to realize what annoyed , as it walked behind , dragged the stiff body of Watson like a wooden block, and sat it in front of .
‘So her pressure points were sealed too… No wonder.’
Fortunately, Watson was alive. Though sealed and blinking her eyes in frustration, she looked at .
As soon as I confird that, an involuntary sigh of relief escaped my lips.
“Sorry for scaring you… Louise was upset about wasting precious dicine on two people and just interfered… Kya. Louise is so kind…truly a fair lady.”
Louise cupped her cheeks with both hands, closed her eyes gently, and imrsed herself in her own world.
anwhile, Watson reacted sensitively to the word “waste”.
In her eyes was the shock of her knowledge being denied, mixed with hope of learning new teachings from the mysterious master.
“Anyway, Louise doesn’t particularly want anything from the Little Heavenly Demon. This is just a hobby… Yes, that’s right. I ca to see the admirable one who humiliated the Zion Clan…”
No intention to harm.
This is part of a hobby.
Hearing that, several clues ca to mind.
Facts I had missed due to being sealed from behind by the mysterious monster.
‘Ah…’
The first thing that crossed my mind was the pill I swallowed earlier.
The pill was given to by Louise’s hand disguised as Watson’s.
Even if my pressure points were sealed, I could feel the energy from the dissolving pill surface filling my stomach.
I can say for sure it wasn’t poison.
This is definitely the second pill of Factor VIII.
If it intended to kill , it wouldn’t have fed such precious dicine.
“W-well, Louise is an Anglican priest, you know? I was feeling good that those annoying flower sellers ran away? Sister Sword Queen looks happy too? So I quietly ca out, no wait.”
Louise rambled on with a chaotic story.
“The red-haired lousy doctor sister and Little Heavenly Demon don’t even know the real way to take the pill, so I disguised as the sister and interfered? Or sothing like that…?”
I had never heard that there was a proper way to take Factor VIII.
“Oh my goodness. Isn’t Louise too kind…? The Abbess With The Lamp told never to talk about this, but maybe Louise will be generous just for today ♪”
“Mph! Mmmph!”
Watson reacted to the unexpected na.
“Be quiet, sister. Can’t you see Louise is talking?”
The Abbess With The Lamp is the nickna of Florence Nightingale, the head of the E-i Clan.
Then this person, who seems close to the head of the E-i Clan, is probably—
“Ehe. Since Little Heavenly Demon did sothing nice, Louise will try especially hard~”
Now that I realized who it was, there was no reason to be anxious.
This eting, perhaps.
“When I finish this, let’s use the dicantum Communionem power to open up your minor ridians?”
Might be quite a good opportunity?
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