Chapter 11 Uninvited Guests
After making 20 "Storm Gathering" bullets in one go, Angel stopped when he felt his spiritual energy was somewhat exhausted.
The faint crimson glow on the neatly arranged bullets was gradually disappearing with the passage of time. There were also a few failed products lying beside them, most of which were scrapped due to careless mistakes during engraving.
The "Gathering Storm" has been engraved and amplified, making it extremely powerful. It also has a much greater recoil than ordinary bullets. The Templar-style launcher is designed with a hydraulic buffer, which can fire special bullets continuously without being damaged. This revolver with mediocre workmanship and poor maintenance will probably be scrapped before even 20 rounds of bullets are used up.
Even if the gun can withstand it, people probably can't.
20 rounds of bullets are enough for a battle. If these can't kill the enemy, then another 20 rounds will be useless.
She used the remaining spiritual energy to create three more "Phantom Phosphorus Eruptions", which are auxiliary bullets with extremely low direct lethality. The flight trajectory and the final explosion location will scatter phantom phosphorus powder, which will be adsorbed on living things, allowing the user to find the target in poor visibility or track the approximate position of high-speed moving enemies through the trajectory formed by crossing the light powder area.
The production method is similar to that of "Storm Gathering". Glowing lizard scale powder soaked in nitric acid is added to the bullet and propellant. After mixing with calcium carbide, it is transformed into a phantom phosphorescent powder that has no entity and is not affected by wind direction through engraving.
He also prayed to the Goddess of Night to infuse power into the mark and made 0.22-inch ammunition suitable for women's pistols. Angel put these three "Phantom Phosphorus Eruption" and the previous "Storm Gathering" into the bullet box and covered it with oil paper.
Looking at the box of bullets, whose raw materials were worth fifty pounds, she felt a ache all over her body. This body had been depleted of its spiritual energy for the first time. Her temples were throbbing with pain, and the candlelight before her eyes was doubled. Her entire state was similar to when she first crossed over into this body, perhaps even more uncomfortable than before.
Besides slowly recovering over time, the most effective way to quickly recover spirituality was through meditation. Cole remembered this method, but unfortunately Angel didn't have the time.
Pushing open the trapdoor of the basement, she returned to the study. The morning light was already dim outside the window. The crimson moonlight was replaced by golden sunlight, and another sleepless night had passed.
Since coming into this world, Angel has never had a full night's sleep. Every time she finishes her work, she finds it is already the next morning.
After putting the bullet box into the desk drawer, she stretched and prepared to wash her face first to wake up before going to St. Selina Church to ask the bishop yesterday whether he had informed the Beyonder Organization of the information.
If the Church of the Evernight Goddess was slow to respond, she planned to go to the "River and Sea Church" of the Church of the Lord of Storms to try to report it.
Pushing open the door to the living room, Angel was stunned.
On her favorite sofa, which faced the bay window and was bathed in sunlight, sat a stranger.
The man, about forty, dressed in a long black police uniform and a soft cap, sat with his legs crossed, as if taking a nap at home, flipping through a notebook. Angel noticed it was one of the reports she'd put in the police station mailbox. Hearing Angel emerge from the study, the stranger tilted his cap upward, revealing short, light brown hair. His wrinkled gray eyes met hers, a look that struck her as familiar.
"Hello, ma'am," he said politely. "Please take a seat. I need to talk to you."
He pointed at the empty sofa beside him, as if he was the master of the house and the other person was a visitor who had just arrived.
Angel had guessed the visitor's identity from his attire and obediently walked to the sofa and sat down.
"The Tingen City police transferred a case to us last night. They say it might involve a Beyonder." The unfamiliar officer placed his notebook on the table, which was already covered with numerous documents and papers, all from a report. "Earlier, the Romulan bishop of Saint Selina's Church reported to us that a follower of the goddess was being threatened by a Beyonder. She didn't dare confront them directly, but she bravely reported the incident to the church."
The middle-aged police officer said seriously, "Both incidents point to a Tingen University assistant professor named 'Cole Granger.' The address we found is here, 6 Daffodil Street."
He didn't continue, as if waiting for Angel to speak himself.
"Yes, I dropped the report into the mailbox at the police station last night. Then I went to St. Selina Church and asked the bishop for help in the confessional. I hope he can tell the church's Beyonder Armed Forces about this."
The officer nodded. "So here I am. I'm Dunn Smith, Night Watchman." He took off his cap, bent down slightly, and bowed slightly.
The Nighthawks, this should be the Beyonder armament of the Church of the Evernight Goddess. Angel remembered that during the conversation between Justice and the Hanged Man in the Tarot Club, they mentioned such an organization.
"Hello, Mr. Smith." Angel returned the greeting and continued to introduce himself: "I am Angel Granger, a relative of Cole, and I am currently staying at his house."
When Dunn Smith heard Angel's name, he raised his eyebrows and seemed a little surprised.
"There's no such information in the Cole Granger family's files. When did you come to Tingen?"
When he asked this question, his eyes were focused on Angel.
"I just came to Tingen this week, so the files might not have been updated yet." Angel replied. This was a critical moment to gain the trust of the Nighthawks, and she had already prepared for it.
"We'll investigate." Dunn Smith nodded, acknowledging Angel's explanation. He rested his right hand on the armrest of the sofa, tilted his head, and rested his palm on the side of his face. He continued to ask questions in a rather lazy manner, his voice sounding even deeper through the cover of his hand.
"Do you know the whereabouts of Cole Granger?"
"He should be dead."
"...Go on." After a brief surprise, Dunn Smith motioned for Angel to continue.
"You've read those letters. The person who kept in touch with Cole and provided him with the potion was called Sharon Hoy. Cole called her Madam Sharon." Angel spoke faster and faster, appearing increasingly flustered. "On Thursday night, this Madam Sharon came to see Cole. Cole also disappeared that night and has never been seen again. By the way, my 'Assassin' potion also came from her."
"She sent me another letter last night, asking me to go to her on Sunday, which is tonight. I know it won't end well."
The expression was inevitably a bit confusing, but this was exactly the effect Angel wanted. Dunn Smith, who was sitting opposite him, was obviously stunned by this string of information. He sat up slightly, lowered the hand that was supporting his right face, and looked at the position behind Angel with a distracted look. After thinking for a while, he resumed his previous sitting position and continued to ask:
"You seem very scared of Madam Sharon. Did she do anything to you?"
"Fear? No, it's more like hatred. She provided Cole with potions, used charm to control him, and taught him to kill innocent people. Although Cole deserved the punishment, the culprit was Madam Sharon. She also asked me to become an 'assassin'. Why? Did she hope that I would follow Cole's old path and gain promotion from her through killing?"
Although she had prepared these words a long time ago to direct the criticism towards Mrs. Sharon, Angel did add some sincerity to her words in the end.
"Sorry, I got a little emotional."
This was Angel's true feelings. She found that she could not control her emotions when facing Officer Dunn Smith. She answered his questions too straightforwardly. Although these were the answers she had thought of, if she continued like this, she might let something slip.
"It's okay, I understand." Dunn Smith twitched his lips, as if trying to force a smile, but it only accentuated the wrinkles around his eyes. He then adjusted his posture, quickly regaining his stern expression. He clasped his hands together, interlaced his fingers, and changed the subject to a lighter one: "You seem to know quite a bit about potions and Beyonders. Did you learn that from Cole Granger?"
"Yes, Madam Sharon felt that Cole was making rapid progress and taught him a lot of knowledge about the extraordinary world, such as the various paths and sequences of potions and the methods of advancement. I learned this from him."
"Then this conversation will be much easier. Do you know the name and sequence level of Madam Sharon's potion?"
"At least a Sequence 7 'Witch'. I think it's very likely to have reached Sequence 6, but I don't know the names of the subsequent sequences."
Dunn Smith nodded. "Sequence 7 is already mid-Sequence, so we need to carefully consider our actions against her. I will report to my superiors and conduct thorough preparations and investigations before taking action."
"As for you, Ms. Granger, we will protect you during the investigation and operation. You can choose to stay at the Nighthawks' headquarters in Tingen, or temporarily leave Tingen and seek refuge in Backlund. My colleagues will be there to pick you up. After the case is resolved, return to Tingen."
"What about tonight? Mrs. Sharon invited me to her place?" Angel asked with a frown.
Smith shrugged, and his meaning was obvious: You're not really going to keep the appointment, are you?
"If I don't go, it might alert Mrs. Sharon and make her alert. If she makes preparations, destroys the evidence, or even runs away, how are you going to deal with it?" Seeing that Dunn Smith still didn't realize the seriousness of the matter, Angel became a little anxious.
"If she escapes, she'll be a wanted criminal. Not only will the Church of the Evernight Goddess, but the Church of the Lord of Storms and the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery will also be looking for her within their jurisdiction." Dunn Smith acted as if he didn't notice Angel's anxiety and spoke slowly, "But we can't just arrest anyone without evidence. After all, Madam Sharon is a celebrity in Tingen City, and the scope of her involvement is too wide."
"Even if she's from the Witch Cult?"
Dunn Smith's expression grew serious, and he resumed the posture of supporting his right face with his right hand on the chair, as if he were thinking.
"Are you sure about that witch sect that believes in the original witch and whose mission is to spread disaster?"
"I'm not sure, but it's very likely. Madam Sharon once told Cole that she could recommend him to join the Witch Cult, but he would need to be promoted to Sequence 7."
The officer's gray eyes stared at Angel—or rather, at a spot behind her. He pondered for a moment, then nodded as if confirming something. "If she is indeed a member of the Witch Cult, then this matter may not be as simple as it seems. She has been hiding in Tingen City for so many years and has recently started recruiting men. She must be preparing for some action. For the Witch Cult, launching an action often means the deaths of a large number of ordinary people."
As if he had made up his mind, he straightened his police hat and said, "I will apply to my superiors to launch an operation against Mrs. Sharon tonight, but," Dunn pointed at Angel, "you still have to accept the protection of the Night Watchmen."
"No, I will join the fight too." Angel rejected Dunn Smith's proposal.
"I originally planned to face her alone tonight, with or without you Nighthawks."
Dunn Smith held his police cap with one hand and smoothed the hem of his police uniform with the other, then stood up from the sofa. He smiled and shook his head—this was the first time Angel had seen him smile.
"As a Sequence 9, wanting to fight a Sequence 7 or even a Sequence 6 Beyonder alone is far too bold, even in a dream."
"What?"
Is this a mockery of my daydreaming? Or is it...
Angel felt a chill down her spine. She subconsciously reached for her gun, but then remembered that it was in the drawer of the study, so she quickly stood up from the sofa.
The world spun around her, and the scene before her eyes shattered. She was lying on the stone table with her face buried in her arms, and everything around her was dark.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com