Volume 16 - CH 8

Chapter 8: The Secret that was Concealed

Location: Atlantis Time: 10:36PM

After the silence, there was suddenly a clamor.

Amidst the noises, I was brought to a certain place by someone.

My whole brain was filled with a buzzing sound. I didn’t even know if I said anything or was asked anything.

The black robes did not follow us. Only a few people remained in this space. The entire atmosphere was silent. I knew the person next to me was paying close attention to my state, but I didn’t want to speak up.

I still wanted to think about what Andellar just said.

“Di, are you alright?” Someone sitting on the other side suddenly panted several times. His complexion that was originally unhealthy was now paler. I saw Chen half pulling half propping him up, pushing him onto a temporary sickbed nearby. Together with the homeroom teacher who followed us in, they helped force back Di, who still wanted to get up.

Then, I realized that this was the health center.

When night came, only the assistant was on the night shift here, as usual.

“He has a fever, let him lie down and rest.” The assistant quickly took out a few bottles from the medicine rack and retrieved some liquid from each to make a cup of medicine: “He was probably affected by the Ghost Tribe’s aura before. Didn’t I say not to let him face those riff-raff head on? Broken bodies cannot provide a power purification screen and it’ll be easy to absorb harmful toxins in the vicinity.”

“He wanted to go.” Chen snatched that cup of medicine and carefully made his companion drink it.

“Then stop him! Or you could also knock him unconscious, don’t cause more trouble for the health care center. I still have, at least, more than three dozen students waiting to be resurrected outside. Don’t just come and take up beds here.” Walking to a nearby fridge and taking out several beverage cans, the assistant casually tossed them to the uninvited guests around him.

“There are more than three dozen because of you slacking off, stop nagging.” A not-so-polite voice drifted out near me. I slowly turned and saw Senior sitting on the chair next to me. He then passed a drink over to my hand: “Drink and calm down first.”

It’s rare that he actually didn’t smack me or give me a tongue-lashing. After I opened the beverage and took a few sips, my head suddenly cleared up.

“Is Liliya okay!?” I immediately remembered Liliya, who was taken away by Tong Lang first. Her wounds were so severe, I’m afraid something might have happened…

The assistant looked over and “hehe” laughed: “That little girl is fine. This is the school…It’s not that easy to die, it’s just a bit troublesome.” His last sentence was slightly hesitant, which made one feel as if he wasn’t too optimistic.

“It won’t be easy to recover from the damage Andellar caused.” Senior added afterwards.

I nodded, silently staring at the beverage can in my hand before looking up.

Ever since just now, I haven’t seen Hou. Based on reason, she should be here accompanying Di, but I only saw Chen.

Senior didn’t say anything. Even though I knew he heard it, he still didn’t say anything.

I was thinking about the last words Andellar said. Was he trying to tell me that Andy is still alive?…If so, doesn’t that mean Andy still has a chance at being saved?

But if he didn’t eat Andy, why would he have Andy’s appearance and some of his impressions?

I can’t understand, I don’t even know why I want to break my head.

“Year 2 student, this teacher has something to discuss with you.” The homeroom teacher, who had been standing at the side in silence, suddenly beckoned to Senior: “In private.”

Senior stood up and left with the homeroom teacher.

I watched as the health care center’s door closed, and before I could respond, someone abruptly grabbed my hand, causing my beverage to almost fly out.

“You got hurt, didn’t you?”

As I looked up, I saw Chen’s face not far away above me. He gripped both of my hands with strength, and it was only then that I remembered the hand that was injured in Andellar’s attack before. The hand was covered with wounds, but at some point, the blood had stopped flowing and it actually didn’t hurt at all.

“Chen, you mind helping me out? I’m going to check on the girl’s condition.” While throwing a bottle of medicine over, the assistant hurriedly pushed Di into a room, and then he didn’t resurface.

Chen continued to grab onto me like this, narrowing his eyes.

Now there was only the two of us left. If he suddenly pulled my hands right off my body, I wouldn’t have any way to resist.

After a long time, Chen finally let go, then unscrewed the medicine bottle’s cap and crouched down to silently help me apply the medicine.

“Um…Did Hou go back?” Because it was actually too quiet, it made me feel weird, and moreover, I wasn’t too close to Chen. I kept getting the feeling that I should say something or else it’d be too awkward.

After silently putting on the medicine and wrapping the bandage, Chen tidied things up as he rose. Only then did he begin to answer my question: “She would make the current situation more chaotic. I told her to go back first.”

“…”

Now it’s more awkward.

“Di and I…are brothers.”

Just when it turned completely awkward, Chen suddenly tossed out words that made me feel even more awkward.

Don’t suddenly reminisce about the past and tell me what happened before at a time like this, I’ll get scared…

Glancing at me, Chen wiped off the residual medicine on his hands before sitting down on the large table that the assistant had filled with medicine jars: “We were originally the same block of Elfstone and later became three individuals, each taking form by magic. Hou is my second younger sister and Di is my younger brother.”

“Pfft—” I almost spat out the beverage I was about to drink.

Turns out your appearances and ages changed in reverse?

[T/N: Chen looks like a literal child]

Looking at me with a very indifferent expression, Chen played with the jar of medicinal powder in his hand: “If, hypothetically, you are indeed part of the Dark Cult as the Ghost Tribe member said, Hou wouldn’t have to act; I will kill you on the spot.”

I immediately stood up. Sure enough, the hostility I felt from Hou back then wasn’t fake.

“But not right now.” Putting the jar down, Chen jumped off the table and glanced at Di’s room: “We have a long history with the Dark Cult, although Hou isn’t aware of that, and I personally made a promise to a friend, so you better pray that you are not a descendent of the Dark Cult.”

“History?” Gulping, I had a bad feeling.

Chen’s expression hardly changed at all. Without saying another word to me, he pushed open the door of that room and walked in, before slamming the door shut.

I jumped at the sound of that door slam, and then vaguely heard voices continuously apologizing and continuously rebuking from the gap between the door.

I was the only one left in the room.

I don’t know what to do standing here right now. No, right now even if I did do something, I would still feel out of place here.

Something seems to have changed here, which makes me want to go back, back to the original place where I was supposed to live an ordinary life.

Putting the beverage can in the trash bin, I lightly opened the health center’s other back entrance, which didn’t have dead people. Outside was completely deserted, and I could only see the garden.

“Yang Yang.”

Someone suddenly patted my shoulder from behind. I was so startled that I almost fell forward. Upon turning around, I saw Randall, who hadn’t showed up at the scene before, along with his butler behind him.

“Come to my room.” Randall raised his chin.

I didn’t have much choice, or, I should say I didn’t have any choices left now, so I nodded.

A teleportation array instantly appeared on the ground. A blink later and we were back at the Black Dorm, behind the front door of Randall’s room.

“Nile, please prepare something to eat. It’s so late now.” After sending off his butler, Randall walked ahead and opened the doors one by one down a long corridor.

His room was connected to a strange space. The inside appeared even more colossal and vast than from the outside.

After passing through three splendid doors carved with flowers and totems, we walked into a large hall. This hall was like the Western-style castles or villas you’d see in the movies, very luxurious and ornate with oil paintings and elegant wallpaper all around.

“My room is linked to my residence in another world.” Randall snapped his fingers, and the slightly dim hall brightened up. As expected, it really is the layout of a house. There was even a spiral staircase nearby: “It was a tourist attraction of the Church for some time. I heard it was very lively back when Vampires were hunted. Now, apart from subordinates who are needed for work, only some people shooting movies or commercials will occasionally come to borrow the location.”

“It can’t be cheap to borrow this place…” It was dark outside the window. I suppose in this world it was also getting late at this time.

“Ha, how could I possibly let humans take pictures of a Vampire lair so easily? Of course, I refused them all.” Sitting down on the largest of the high-end sofas in the hall with an easy manner, Randall glanced at me, and I had no choice but to sit on the seat next to him.

I know he’s speaking to me so that I can relax a little, but I don’t think I can relax.

Too many things have happened tonight, which made me feel as if tonight’s memories were all fake…In fact, when I wake up tomorrow, it will all be just as usual, right, and Liliya will rush over and kick the classroom door to tell me to fight her one-on-one.

Randall and I didn’t talk to each other. He must be purposely letting me calm down so he didn’t speak.

Not much time had passed when light footsteps that could barely be heard stopped next to me. Carrying a silver tray, Nile helped us place some simple dishes and drinks on the table, with the addition of a glass of red liquid on Randall’s table.

Nile held the tray and stood by the side.

I looked at the food on the table. Nearly all of them were small buns with sausage or ham, things that could be eaten in a bite or two. Almost unconsciously, I picked them up one by one, chewed and swallowed them into my stomach. They were clearly supposed to be delicious, but I felt as if there was no taste whatsoever.

There were only seven or eight bread on the plate but I felt like I’d been eating for almost a century.

“Feeling a bit better now?” After I swallowed down the last bits, Randall finally spoke.

Nodding, I stared at the empty plate, when I suddenly found that my bandaged hand was shaking.

The past few days were so joyful…

“Can I ask what mission Andy was on?” Raising my head, I looked at the Count sitting on the sofa. I knew he would tell me and he really did.

“He went to investigate the Ghost King’s Tomb.” Pausing, Randall pushed the bread on his own table toward me, before his attitude became more serious: “After what happened on your mausoleum class’s field trip, that place was listed as a danger zone, so the Guild set up a basic surveillance team there. However, strange things have occurred recently, that is, our people began disappearing. There haven’t even been any reports, so all news are nonexistent. Later, the same thing happened to the second purple robe dispatched. Student robe levels are not allowed to participate in long-term missions, but Andy isn’t a student so he can. He took on the third in-depth investigation and set out on the day of the sports competition. That night, we lost all trace of him.”

So at that time Senior and senior Gasai…

I suddenly felt as if I knew something and, at the same time, nothing at all.

“And so, we suspect that place has actually become Ghost King Bishen‘s base. Tonight we saw Andellar appear using this method, and now we don’t even need to suspect; it is correct without a doubt.”

Randall stopped talking. He had told me all he could.

“But Andellar said…he was joking. He hasn’t planned on becoming enemies with Jing Lothian yet…” I remember, Jing Lothian should be that Ghost King who often sends out messengers to find Andy.

If Andellar doesn’t want to be enemies with him, then doesn’t that mean what I think is right?

Can I hope, Andy is still alive?

Randall raised his eyebrows slightly: “Are you sure this is what he told you?”

I nodded, then saw him immediately call out to Nile, giving him instructions on something before standing: “I’m going to contact the Guild about this. You rest here. If you want to sleep, have Nile bring you to a room.” He headed toward a door on the other side and looked at me, “I know you do not want to return to the Black Dorm right now. Temporarily living here is fine.”

After that, he left.

“Do you need something to eat?”

After the Count walked off, Nile leaned over and softly asked.

I shook my head and looked at him: “I…”

“You want to know about the Dark Cult.” Interrupting me in a low voice, Nile straightened his body and glanced around, before focusing on a black area outside the window: “If you do not mind, I can bring you to a guest room to rest first. It will be quieter there.” He stared straight at that area, then took off a button from his sleeve and flicked it. That button instantly tore through the glass like a bullet and plunged into the darkness outside.

Faintly, I thought I heard some muffled grunt.

Standing up at once, I followed Nile to the enormous house’s spiral staircase. He walked not too fast but not too slow either, the kind of pace that was easy to keep up with.

He guided me and soon stopped in front of an engraved door, then lit the lamp inside.

It was a sizable room, clean and orderly, and sort of felt like a hotel’s deluxe room.

Nile closed the door only after I walked in. Then he knocked twice on the door and chanted something like an incantation before turning around: “Sorry about that, because of our special identities, there will always be some surveillants of one sort and another outside. I believe you would not wish for a third person to hear our conversation either. A barrier has been laid down here, and no outsiders will be able to disturb us for now.”

“Has it always been like this?” I saw that his movements were practiced, as if it wasn’t the first time.

Nile nodded slightly, then made my bed for me: “Even if we change habits, change our ways, the Church will still keep a close eye on this place, because blood ties and the past cannot be changed. Every now and then, some self-proclaimed exorcists, naturally of ‘this place,’ will come here. In the sealed world, the nightwalker races are recognized races. There wouldn’t be issues like this.”

I listened to him speak without mentioning himself, as if to clarify the Count’s matters.

Oh right, I remember back there Nile was called the Beastmaster Clan, which is a race similar to the five-colored rooster head’s. Looks like the divisions on another world are also quite simple…Beastmen are Beastmaster Clan and the like.

“Um, can I talk to you about something?” For some reason, I suddenly thought that Randall purposely had Nile stay here, an intuition but that was how I felt.

Nile nodded, as if he’d also long known that I would ask, so he stood a few steps away from me: “Please say it.”

I looked at him for a moment and asked him to sit, because being stared at like this was just too imposing. I wouldn’t be able to speak even if I had something to say. Thankfully, Nile didn’t say anything about not being able to casually sit down and whatnot either. He just pulled over a chair and sat down in the same place.

“I want to know about the Dark Cult…I’m referring to what Andellar said about me being part of the Dark Cult.” Pausing, I looked at Nile’s unflinching gaze, then spoke on: “Honestly, someone has once said this to me before, but Senior said that I am not and wouldn’t say a single word more…”

“If it is this aspect, one suggestion I can offer you is to go to the medical team and request verification. The medical team has a complete racial identification procedure, but if the result of the identification is the same as those people say, then you will face a great deal of trouble. And by the same logic, among all robe levels, black robes are the highest rank. The words of one black robe can impact many things.” Nile looked at me for a long while, as if considering what to say so that I won’t be afraid: “The truth will not change; it impacts only people’s thoughts.”

In fact, he didn’t elaborate much in that sentence of his, but I thought about it. What a black robe says will impact many things, so when Senior denied my question that time, he did it because…?…?

“Black robes must be careful in what they say and do. These words can only be told to you from my mouth, and not by my Master. A top ranking robe level represents leadership in certain areas, even if he is just a free agent rather than an assigned worker. You should be able to understand these implications.” Stopping, Nile then told me something very important: “Pardon my rudeness, if you had asked at that time and he gave you a definite answer, due to the special status of the Dark Cult, you would already be in full custody now instead of sitting here. The conduct of that black robe was to protect your identity. It did not carry any bad sentiments.”

So that refusal to answer was to protect me?

I put my feet up and tucked them in the soft chair, thinking about some of Senior’s actions these days, including his answer when asked. I’ve always thought that he didn’t want to answer because he felt it was too troublesome or something, but I never thought of this connection. No wonder I couldn’t get an answer even when I sometimes asked the others.

I thought about those words Liliya helped me translate.

Time was flowing by bit by bit. By the time both of us had fallen silent, the moving hands of the old-fashioned clock in the guest room were so loud that they sounded somewhat like drums. I realized for the first time how obvious and sudden the sound of time was.

It was as if I might inexplicably appear over in that place.

After some time passed, I heard Nile slowly say: “I’ll tell you a story. There are no records of this story even in the books.”

I raised my head to look at him, not knowing what he was trying to tell me…but maybe it has something to do with the Count?

“This story is a secret not recorded anywhere, belonging to our clan.”

That night, Nile told me something no outsider ever knew.

He said, about a few hundred years ago, before they were forced to disappear into the world of darkness, one of his immediate ancestors was a woman named Darina.

At that time, the Vampire Clan and Werewolf Clan were warring over the sovereignty of the dark world as usual. Because the human world on the ground expanded more and more, the space they could survive in grew smaller and smaller. Eternal extinction was welcoming the one that finally loses. Until they could come up with a solution, all they could do was first eliminate the opposing side occupying their living space. Darina was the leader of the Mist Gold Werewolf Clan back then. The Mist Gold Clan already had low numbers from the start. Besides the Church, exorcists and Vampire Clan, even human collectors would participate in hunting them due to the color’s rarity and extract the fur using special methods afterwards. Thus, in order to avoid these killings, she led the remaining clan members away from where they originally lived to the remote mountains in the west.

But news of this was somehow leaked. Upon leaving the main group, a small group lagging behind was immediately pursued by the Vampires. The valiant and skilled Darina was a veteran at fighting the Vampires, so with a few warriors, they stayed behind to cover the retreat and enabled the rest of the clan to escape first.

After painstakingly driving off the Vampires, while already injured and exhausted, they encountered exorcists and collectors’ mercenaries on the way to catching up to their companions. And so, these people thought this time they were destined to be annihilated, wishing only to perish with their opponents. However, at the worst point of this battle, a youth appeared out of nowhere to help them in the remote mountains.

The youth’s fighting style was strange. There was nothing at all on him, but in just an instant, all the pursuers died on the spot. Even a few Werewolf warriors did not know what methods the youth used to help them escape from ruin.

In order to thank the youth, Darina first had her people catch up with the others ahead, herself staying to talk with the youth for a night. Later, she heard from the youth that he was also from a fleeing clan. Due to his blood ties, he had settled down in this remote mountain.

He did not tell Darina his race, nor did he tell her why he was forced into exile.

And so, the youth took in the Mist Gold Werewolf Clan and brought them to a residence that no one would be able to find.

That place was full of barriers, and if you looked in from the outside, you could not discover that there was a habitable place here no matter what.

With the aid of the youth, the Mist Gold Werewolf Clan settled down there and lost all contact with the outside world.

And because the youth’s help enabled them to live peacefully, Darina set the example, and every surviving Mist Gold Werewolf vowed to become the youth’s guards.

But, this was only for a short ten or so years.

Early one morning, when everyone awoke, that youth had vanished. He took nothing and left only a note telling them he must relocate again, or else he would implicate them. Everything here was left to them, allowing them to live without worries.

If they had settled down at that time, perhaps they would have spent all their time in peace.

But, Darina chased after him and all the Werewolves followed.

And like this, the Werewolf Clan that had disappeared for over a decade returned once more to the fighting. After a long time passed again, the Werewolf Clan, whose numbers became even fewer, could not change their way of life like the Vampires had and began to go extinct.

Before Darina died, none of them had encountered that youth again.

Only a few Mist Gold Werewolves know this story and it is only passed down by word of mouth among their direct descendants.

When I heard this part, I could almost tell what the identity the “youth” in the story Nile told me about portrayed.

But this story was completely different from what I had heard before. That clan I knew was the embodiment of slaughter and evil. Everyone felt that it was a clan that should not exist.

Slowly letting out a sigh, Nile, who had been sitting perfectly straight the entire time, looked at me: “I think, what is termed bad is not actually bad. Some facts are not what they seem. Even if you suffer ruin because of this, you can remember, there are people here who have once received blessings, who do not believe that evil is ruin.” He paused and once again spoke: “Maybe you will be, or maybe you will not be, but there are some things that cannot be changed, such as blood ties and people’s impressions, When it all comes to an end, please remember that you have once heard the story of our clan.”

I looked at Nile. His eyes were so blue that they were as clear as the sky.

Then, I suddenly teared up and felt myself relax completely.

Here too, I don’t have to worry