From the Ship of Fools to Earl of Wugang

Heinrich jumped off the tombstone: "This feeling is beyond the imagination of mortals; words and speculation are quite inadequate. The world seen through the eyes of the dead is stripped of worldly prejudices; I saw sights that no living person can comprehend."

It became excited.

"What I'm painting now is just a one-in-a-million fragment. Of course, one day I will paint those scenes that boil in eternal silence—that is art! That is the supreme truth that transcends the mundane!"

Star Sword nodded thoughtfully: "So that's why you need that silver powder and sulfur. Are these ritual materials used to communicate with the dead?"

"Oh, it seems your investigation is quite thorough. This will be a valuable quality in your subsequent reflections." Heinrich's gaze was intense.

"The ritual is just the stepping stone; the key lies in 'feeling' and 'preserving.' Actively step into the realm of the dead, let the soul dance with it, and accept the 'colors' of another world. When you truly see it, you will understand that those secrets are the blood of the world, flowing from the empty pupils of the dead."

It took another step forward, its voice like a snake trying to slither into your ear: "Now that you've found this place, you undoubtedly have the passion and the qualifications to unlock its secrets. The good news is, I've just discovered a deeper path. If you're willing to follow, I can show you—"

Starsword, Torrent, and Edmund all took a half step back.

Jiliu sneered, "Your so-called 'exhibition' will probably end up being just like you, won't it? Making us the vessels and containers for your 'art of the dead'?"

Heinrich's smile froze on his face, and a hint of confusion flashed in his green eyes.

It seems to have no understanding of the problem at all; perhaps in its mind, this is an unparalleled gift.

"Vessel and container? No, no, no, you're too hasty!" It wrinkled its withered forehead. "We should start with contact, and then slowly increase the living's tolerance to the aura of the dead. You see, even as cautious as I am, I haven't lost myself. I am still Heinrich Picker, and you should use this technique with the same restraint as I have."

The torrent rolled its eyes without any hesitation, and the Star Sword interrupted its incessant chatter:

"Alright, Mr. Pick. We don't need your 'gifts,' we just need you to share some insights so that this Lane Hall can finish his painting."

Heinrich finally realized that these outsiders had no intention of sharing his "joy".

Its white fur stood on end slightly as it stuffed the stack of drawings in its hands into its bosom.

"So you're just stubborn, ignorant fools! You've rejected the truth, so there's nothing more you can do..."

It pulled out a grayish-white object—a white piccolo about a finger's length, which gleamed ominously in the moonlight.

Heinrich brought the bone flute to his cracked lips and blew a sharp, piercing note.

Ugh!

The sound, like a rusty dagger, instantly shattered the silence of the cemetery.

At the same time, Edmund felt the ground beneath his feet begin to tremble slightly.

"Watch out!" Xingjian shouted sharply, his right hand pressing on the hilt of his sword at his waist.

Suddenly, the nearby graves split open, and from the shadows of the tilted tombstones, withered claws emerged.

The monsters that crawled out resembled Heinrich, but were even more mutilated and ferocious. The state of their severed limbs and mangled bodies varied, but they all exuded a strong stench of decay and a thirst for the flesh and blood of the living.

It's a horde of ghouls!

Xingjian immediately drew the military knife he had bought from the antique shop.

"I'll cover the flank!" he shouted, his blade slicing through the air and slicing into the throat of the first ghoul that had leaped into the air.

With a swift flick of his wrist, Xingjian's blade slashed diagonally, slicing open half of the opponent's neck muscles.

The ghouls roared and retreated, and even more monsters surged forward.

Jiliu also drew her sword, but she chose to wield it dual-wielded—holding another military knife in her left hand and taking a metal stand she had taken from the living room from behind her back in her right hand as a blunt weapon.

She met a ghoul that lunged at the left side of the Star Sword, slicing its belly with her left-hand knife while slamming the iron brace in her right hand onto its skull.

The sound of bones cracking was clearly audible. The ghoul convulsed and collapsed, and Starsword took the opportunity to give up his position as the main attacker.

Edmund's gun was already pointed at Heinrich, but the appearance of the ghoul horde forced him to turn his attention to the nearest threat.

boom!

Gunshots rang out in the cemetery, and the head of a ghoul trying to navigate around the rushing water suddenly turned to the side.

The bullet entered its right eye socket, bringing out grayish-white brain matter and black blood, and it then collapsed next to the tombstone.

Edmund spun the magazine quickly, firing a second and a third shot. Gunfire erupted, opening the way for Starsword and Torrent.

His star-sword flashed like lightning, slicing back two ghouls in quick succession. Each swing of his blade struck a vital point, his movements dazzling yet precise.

But he always maintained his distance from Heinrich, waiting for an opportunity to get closer to the painter.

Edmund understood Starsword's intention. Taking advantage of the lull in the gunfire, he leaned to the left and moved quickly along the shadows cast by the rows of tombstones.

"Swift Steps" was reactivated, and Edmund endured the fog in his mind as he navigated the maze of tombstones.

Heinrich seemed to sense Edmund's approach and pulled the bone flute out of his pocket again.

Waaah—

As the deep flute music faded, the monsters that had been rushing towards Starsword and the torrent suddenly turned and surged toward Edmund.

Edmund only had time to raise his gun and hit the nearest one before the other three ghouls closed to within two meters.

The Star Sword's blade flashed from the side and rear, slicing down one. The torrent's iron support shattered the kneecap of the other.

But the third ghoul's claws were already reaching for Edmund's chest.

Edmund rolled backward, firing again as he fell backward.

The bullet exited the ghoul's abdomen, and it struggled to the ground, its claws still leaving tear marks on Edmund's coat.

Just as Edmund stood up again, preparing to continue approaching Heinrich, the torrent suddenly roared and rushed straight towards Heinrich.

Her charge, like her code name, was an unstoppable torrent.

She feinted with her left knife, the tip slicing a silver arc in front of the nearest ghoul, causing it to instinctively lean back and dodge.

Taking advantage of this brief opening, Jiliu swung his right hand, and the iron support blocked the two monsters blocking his way.

She squeezed through the gap and rushed toward Heinrich, who was in trouble.

The latter was a step too slow. Edmund used the last bullet in his magazine to knock down a monster next to him, and then Jiliu raised his weapon and smashed it hard into Heinrich's head.

"Click—"

The sound of bones shattering was still clearly audible amidst the flute music and screams.

The metal brace struck Heinrich's left shoulder, not his head—the old ghoul dodged the fatal blow at the last moment with a reaction speed beyond his aged appearance.

However, its left scapula completely collapsed under the blunt force, and Heinrich let out an inhuman scream as his hunched body was flung away by the immense force.

The sketches it held were scattered all over the ground, swept away in all directions by the night wind.

Torrent also paid a price; at the same moment Heinrich was knocked away, its five blackened claws tore open a wound on Torrent's right arm.

Three streams of blood gushed out, instantly soaking her sleeves.