Who left their last words here?

Chapter 40: The Dead Sea Scrolls are in hand! (Please continue reading!)

"Catalogue number F-375611 Black Box, [Fragment Echo], stable status, ready!"

The cemetery is filled with countless tombstones.

Several researchers in white lab coats carefully operated a very old-looking projector on a stand.

A clear image appeared before everyone—

"cut!"

Accompanied by a soft shout.

A blinding light screen appeared before everyone.

Even the major, who was wearing sunglasses, couldn't help but close his eyes because of the bright light.

As the light slowly faded, the scene that came into view was that of the one-armed adjutant Han lying on the ground, and...

A handsome young man.

To everyone's surprise, the boy wasn't holding a knife, but rather...

A fire poker?!
The video abruptly ends there.

"—That kid from Wancheng?"

One officer couldn't believe it. "How could it be him?"

Are there any other scenes?

The officer turned to look at the researcher.

The researchers all shook their heads.

"As you know... the fragments that [Fragment Echo] can project are not controllable."

As they spoke, the researchers carefully disassembled the old camera and put it back into the black box.

"perhaps……"

The major's expression was grim, his gaze behind his sunglasses chilling. "All of our eyes have been gnawed by rats."

"They actually let someone like that in!"

"Is it the Blood Worship Cult...?" an officer asked in surprise.

“Such a young extraordinary individual must be at least at level 2; it’s impossible for him to have no connections within the Blood Worship Cult.”

"Sending a genius with the potential to advance to level 6 as an undercover agent? They're insane!"

"Is it a special trial, or... is he targeting our supply chain?"

Upon hearing this, the major shook his head.

"No, just for that pure white holy light..."

"He is definitely not a member of the Blood Worship Cult!"

But the major did not let his guard down.

His expression grew even more grave, and he murmured in surprise and uncertainty:
"Summoning holy light, weapons without blades... these seem to be the style of the [Holy Relic Institute]?"

"【House of the Dead】?"

The officer was stunned for a moment, and it took him a long time to dig out the origin of the name from the depths of his memory. His eyes gradually turned to shock.

Because the name is too old.

So old that it only exists at the bottom of some dusty archives, or in the corner notes of some documents.

But their trademark does indeed seem to be holy light in the left hand and a weapon without blades in the right...

"The Sun Knight of the [Holy Relic Academy] has characteristics that are extremely similar to those of that kid, according to the records."

The major said coldly:

"Otherwise, I can't think of anyone else in Tinghai who possesses the extraordinary means to use Holy Light!"

Those monsters, who spouted nothing but compassion and benevolence, were once the dominant force on the Orderly Side of Tinghai City.

Many extraordinary societies were wiped out by him, and he spontaneously performed official duties as a semi-civilian force.

However, their period of activity was too long ago; they disappeared fifty years ago, before the current Special Administration even existed.

"This white boat, perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't... but it doesn't matter anymore."

"Even if the so-called [Holy Relic Institute] still exists, it's just an old thing that has long been swept into the dustbin of history."

"Times have long since changed."

The major pushed up his sunglasses, his tone resolute and leaving no room for doubt.

"The important thing is that Bai Zhou must die!"

"And it has to be done as soon as possible!"

—Because, the account book that Lieutenant Han was carrying was lost!

As the last person to have contact with Deputy Commander Han, Bai Zhou is clearly the prime suspect.

Not only that,

The white boat escaped through a secret passage in the Parthian cemetery.

Before leaving, there were signs that each tombstone had been disturbed...

—Clearly, Bai Zhou knows too much.

Even without the major saying it, the officers knew the gravity of the situation and were filled with dread.

"Isn't this a tremendous disgrace?"

The major surveyed the group of officers and coldly reprimanded them.

"He deceived us all, and without us even realizing it, he learned many of our secrets..."

"But we know nothing about him!"

The major and other officers were so reprimanded that they couldn't lift their heads; none of them dared to touch his brow at that moment.

but……

Didn't you personally recruit these people?
Some officers secretly grumbled about it.

"do not worry."

At this moment, an officer stepped forward and volunteered:

"I'll personally lead the team to capture them, including the [Sword Bearer]!"

The major's cold expression softened somewhat.

"can."

"But, it's not enough."

He shook his head. "We need to make sure everything is absolutely perfect..."

Suddenly, he turned to look at the officer in charge of logistics beside him.
"Where was Bai Zhou assigned to a dormitory?"

The major suddenly asked,
"Before I lay a trap for him, I need to know exactly what he did here, and..."

"What kind of person is he?"

No one knew anything about Bai Zhou.

The only person in the base who knew him fairly well was dead.

After all, before today, no one had ever taken a small white boat seriously.

The last time I heard this name was when Lieutenant Han chose Bai Zhou as his "new sheep".

—But no one would have expected it.

What was thought to be a weak lamb has, in the blink of an eye, transformed into a black goat with wriggling tentacles, standing upright...

They turned around and ate the shepherd.

"To ensure that you kill a person, you cannot know nothing about him."

"Bring the best psychological analyst over. I need to see Bai Zhou's mannequin within half an hour!"

The major waved his hand, signaling the logistics officer to lead the way.
"Take me to see it!"
……

Tinghai City.

Bai Zhou mingled in the bustling crowd.

He used a map to find his way, and it took him a while to determine his current coordinates.

Then, he discovered a problem—

He only knew that when looking at a map, north was up, south was down, west was left, and east was right.

But they don't know the directions in reality.

Fortunately, there's still a crow.

Bai Zhou turned his head to look to the side.

The petite crow was walking along, flipping through the ledgers as if no one else was around, her head bowed in deep concentration.

Bai Zhou was very worried that she would run headfirst into a telephone pole.

"Most of the ledger's contents are encrypted."

After a while, Crow slammed the ledger shut with a snap, his expression inexplicably cold.

"But inside, I could identify the names of several projects for which the budget was allocated."

"The Shepherd Project, the Talent Development Program, the Industrial Park Development Project, and..."

The crow glanced at the white boat, as if carefully choosing its words.

"Evening City Material Ward Experiment!"

"..."

Bai Zhou's heart skipped a beat.

The worst guess has come true.

The alleyways around the corner are filled with people who watched him grow up.

Uncle Xiang, and the others... how are they now?

"As for the so-called 'industrial park,' it should be an important part of their industrial chain."

"...I'm relatively mobile and have some ideas, so I can go and investigate."

She turned to look at Bai Zhou.
"The pursuers won't catch up for a while, so you can find a place to eat something first."

"Let's meet at the intersection of Dongxing Road, which you mentioned, later."

"Okay." Bai Zhou nodded.

Want to eat something?

I am indeed a bit hungry.

But now is not the time... Just as he was thinking this, the crow disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Her defining characteristic was her elusiveness; now that she's outside the base, she's even more like a fish out of water.

but……

Bai Zhou scratched his head.

A tuft of hair on his head sticks up high like an antenna.

On the bustling, brightly lit street, Bai Zhou stood in front of a convenience store and blinked.

but--

How is he supposed to get to Dongxing Road if he doesn't know the way?
Ultimately, Shirazu was forced to overcome his social anxiety and introversion.

I found a strange couple on the roadside and asked them for directions.

During this time, Bai Zhou couldn't help but take a second look at the girl because her clothes were quite unique.

The girl rolled her eyes, but seemed secretly pleased with her own charm, and tugged at her clothes.

After sincerely thanking the kind people, Bai Zhou left with his suitcase...

Once Bai Zhou was out of sight, the girl finally realized what had happened and turned to yell at her boyfriend beside her:

"Why didn't you remind me that I was wearing my clothes inside out?!"

……

"Ouch, it's so tight."

The white boat, hurrying along, bared its teeth.

The dark gold ring had twelve sharp spikes that were very piercing, and the thorn-like ring was tightly bound to Bai Zhou's index finger.

—He is, of course, the mysterious Crown of Thorns.

For now, however, it has temporarily become the "Thorn Ring".

Originally, Bai Zhou planned to take the risk and steal the crown directly.

But when he took the crown out of the dark room, the Sea of ​​Ignorance within him trembled, and the light runes glowed faintly, causing the crown to react slightly.

—There was some reaction, but not much.

It probably just trembled a couple of times as a token gesture.

Gone.

—But this also shows that Bai Zhou's previous thinking was correct.

To solve the crown problem, we must go to the ruins of that battlefield to find it!
Just as Bai Zhou retrieved the crown from the water tank, lamenting that it was too large to hide—

The thorn crown suddenly shrank, becoming as small as a ring, and was fastened to Bai Zhou's index finger.

—Can it really be like this?
This unexpected change both delighted and alarmed Bai Zhou.

Those twelve phrases, "Not recognized," never rang out again...

This shows that Wang Guan still does not acknowledge Bai Zhou at all.

But the existence of "light" seems to make "Crown" willing to observe White Boat.

Perhaps, in a sense, the existence of "light," or Leia's protection, is also a kind of "qualification."

Although this "qualification" is very, very small, so small that it is only enough to enter the threshold of being an observation candidate.

—But Shiraishu is the only candidate for observation.

That's good.

But the problem is...

After wearing it outside, he found that the ring was like it was grown onto his flesh, and he couldn't take it off.

Unless he's willing to chop off his own fingers...

Without knowing the specifics of the crown, Bai Zhou felt a sense of unease, as if he were carrying a time bomb, while wearing it.

He knew it when he asked the strange question before looking at the crows—

Even crows have never seen anything like this.

Fortunately, for some reason, Raven has always maintained the conventional means of sealing off the Thorn Crown.

It seems that Raven knows something about the Crown of Thorns... but not much.

It is estimated that she was unaware of the so-called "non-recognition" of the twelve tones.

Such a proud and arrogant person has probably never been rejected so many times in his life.

—This crown suggests a somewhat negative personality.

That's Bai Zhou, thick-skinned and with a good attitude.

This matter concerns my own safety. When Crow returns, I need to ask her more about the crown.

Hopefully, I'll gain something from this.

……

After an hour's walk, Bai Zhou passed through several intersections.

As you leave the bustling commercial district, the streets become increasingly deserted, with fewer and fewer pedestrians.

The air gradually grew colder, and even the light dimmed considerably.

Walking on the dark, deserted road, Bai Zhou felt less like a stranger and more like a familiar figure.

The night in Wancheng is much darker than this.

The moon here is too white, making it seem desolate.

It wasn't red enough, not festive enough, so Bai Zhou didn't quite get used to it.

after awhile.

At 2:30 a.m., the daytime heat completely dissipated, and fog gradually rose in the distance.

The traveler, shrouded in the fog of the night, finally arrived at his destination.

We've arrived at Dongxing Road.

This place is like a remote suburb; the roads are not very clean or smooth, there are very few shops with signs along the street, and none of them are open.

Bai Zhou searched along the roadside for quite some time before finally finding the "Yongning Life Care Center".

Actually, before that...

Bai Zhou had always thought that this care center was a place like a nursing home.

But what Bai Zhou saw was a tightly closed door and a black sign.

"This is……?"

Yongning Life Care Center

[Funeral Services, Cremation, Cemetery Customization, End-of-Life Stand-up Comedy Planning]

There was also an advertising slogan pasted on the door:
"Enjoy ultimate and eternal peace, and have the final page of your life customized for you!"

Bai Zhou was dumbfounded.

So, this is what Yongning is like? This is what life care is like?

Eternal peace? Cremation?
I really know this white boat.

The people of Wancheng know this best.

"Is this the naming style of Earthlings?"

No wonder it's located on such a remote street.

But this actually made things easier for Bai Zhou.

I doubt any living person would stroll around near a funeral home in the early morning.

Amidst the rising steam, Bai Zhou looked around, walked to the large tree in front of the door, and glanced at the tree pit.

Then, he pulled out a short black stick...

Half a minute later.

Bai Zhou actually dug a book out from under the tree.

With two quick shakes, Bai Zhou shook off the dirt and perked up.

"Wow..."

The air seemed to turn into flowing water, with a slight stickiness, like a book resisting being picked up.

The heavy, mysterious book is not a perfect rectangular prism like most books; some parts are inexplicably irregular and symmetrical, and staring at it for too long can cause a feeling of spatial dislocation.

On its spine, several thick, dark metal chains, seemingly growing out of the inside, were inexplicably covered.

Its cover is made of a mysterious, almost metallic leather, a deathly blue-green that reflects an eerie luster under the pale moonlight, like the deep sea or aged patina.

A huge, incomprehensible compound symbol was etched on it.

At first glance, it looks like an eye.

"..."

Accompanied by a rhythmic breathing pattern, the earthy smell and the faint scent of deep-sea silt of unknown origin emanated from the book.

It was as if the white boat hadn't dug the book out of the ground.

—It was like a living corpse dug out of the ground.

Such a thing should absolutely not be so hastily buried in a tree pit in front of a funeral home...

Instead, it should be enshrined on a mysterious and bizarre altar, or simply buried as a taboo in some grand ruin!
Undoubtedly, the moment you hold it, you can feel the overwhelming paleness and desolation and the vicissitudes of life, and you will know that it is by no means a fake that can be forged.

This is why the Special Administration and the Blood Worship Cult, and many others, fought to the death for it...

The Dead Sea Scrolls!
"Finally, I got it!"

Taking a deep breath, Bai Zhou opened the book's cover under the bright moonlight.

The words on the title page came into view.

It was a kind of ornate script that resembled symbols, and it wouldn't seem out of place in any mysterious ritual.

But the moment Bai Zhou saw it, he was greatly shaken, and he inexplicably heard a distant, solemn whisper, almost like a dream.

Then, he inexplicably understood the meaning of the words on the title page, because those words overlapped with the whispers that kept echoing in his ears...

It said:
Those who skip this page should know that 'understanding' is the beginning of 'annihilation'.

This is not a realm for fools to know; it is the truth of all things moving about...

It also said—

The moon with a thousand faces awaits you in my dreams.

　Time's up! The new book rankings haven't been revealed yet~ There are still over 300 books on the monthly ticket rankings that are climbing, and we need everyone's help to get Lu on the list!
　　Please vote for me! I'm begging you! You're all I have left!
　　If I were to release it, I'd like to further develop the exciting and grand escape storyline, so I'll write it for free for a few more days and then release it next week.

　　I bow in gratitude!
　　Yours sincerely!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)