From the Ship of Fools to Earl of Wugang

The room fell silent.

Seeing that Edmund did not answer, Gregory stared at him and continued, "The Southern Liaison Office just issued an order three days ago. All old financial numbers are hereby invalidated, and all existing foreign affairs department ledgers are to be destroyed on the spot."

Corbyn was stunned: "I didn't receive that order."

"Because the telephone lines are insecure, the written notice hasn't been delivered yet." Gregory stared at Edmund. "The order also states that anyone contacting local liaison points under the pretext of checking old accounts must first be verified."

Edmund realized the oversight; he possessed information about the cult before his execution.

After Jacob lost his funds, his old shrewish subordinate had apparently begun to change the internal financial system in an attempt to erase the traces of the past.

Perhaps he was worried that someone would trace the stolen funds through old accounts, or he might suspect that there were still accomplices left behind by Edmund within the cult.

Gregory took a step forward. "Which liaison office did you come from?"

"Sit down," Edmund said curtly.

Gregory did not do as he was told. He had already walked to the other end of the long table, facing Edmund across the table. He slowly raised his right hand, revealing a dark blue tattoo around the inside of his wrist.

"Excuse me, even if you are a first-tier member, you still need to be confirmed first."

Corbyn, standing on the left side of the long table, had turned pale, while Dunn, blocking the doorway, began to pull a gun from his coat.

Edmund inwardly grimaced and took a deep breath.

This was a skill he acquired using the remaining blood of Bacchus after the end of his Dionysian play.

[The Howl of the Banshee]

[By infusing spiritual energy into sound waves through a special breathing technique, the extremely sharp sound transmits fear to the minds of everyone within range, causing dizziness and mental shock to nearby creatures.]

This technique will have a similar impact on the user, causing vocal cord damage and, in severe cases, even temporary loss of orientation and speech. The closer the distance and the more enclosed the environment, the stronger the effect. Preparing to use this technique requires inhalation beforehand, and its effectiveness is limited when facing a target with blocked hearing or a mental intensity far exceeding that of the practitioner.

[Exemption from balance disorder and mental shock is possible, but vocal cord damage is not.]

The chest and throat tighten in a specific way, spiritual energy flows into the vocal cords along with the breath, and a sharp whistling sound suddenly rings out.

The sound lasted less than three seconds, yet it far exceeded the range of normal human vocalization.

The corkboard on the wall trembled slightly, and the flame of the kerosene lamp flickered violently.

Corbyn, who was closest to Edmund, immediately covered his head and knelt down, while Dunn dropped the pistol he had just pulled out halfway onto the floor.

He crashed into the door frame, lost his balance, and blood flowed from his nostrils.

Gregory reacted slightly better; the moment the whistling sound rang out, the bluish-black lines on his wrists lit up rapidly, and his chest swelled up as well.

[The "Tide Breath" is taking effect. Gregory Shaw's body control has been enhanced, and he is resisting the "Banshee's Howl."]

He staggered back two steps, while Edmund slammed his foot on the crossbeam of the old table, the table leg scraping against the wooden floor, and the entire table, along with the ledgers on it, crashed toward Gregory.

The edge of the table struck Gregory's knee, causing him to lose his balance again. Edmund circled around the corner of the table and raised his revolver.

boom!

The muzzle flash illuminated Gregory's face in front of him.

Edmund aimed for the chest, but just as he pulled the trigger, Gregory jerked his body to the side.

"Tide Breath" not only strengthened his muscles, but also allowed him to barely manage to dodge when he had completely lost his balance.

The bullet struck Gregory below his right collarbone as he staggered backward, freezing his movements abruptly before he crashed into the cabinet door behind him.

Blood quickly soaked through his dark coat, a spot large enough to render an ordinary person helpless.

Gregory leaned against the cabinet door, barely managing not to fall, but his mouth gaped open like a fish's.

Gregory Shaw is using "tidal breathing" to suppress blood loss and pain.

Edmund did not pursue further. He noticed Dunn, still under the mental shock of the banshee's howl, reaching out his right hand towards the fallen pistol.

Edmund used his swift steps to bypass the overturned table, strode forward, and kicked the gun.

The pistol slid along the floor into the corner of the wall. Dunn barely managed to lift his head and could only see the dark muzzle of the gun.

The second gunshot rang out in the soundproof room.

The bullet struck him between the eyebrows, and Dunn's body fell backward to the ground.

A heavy gasp came from the direction of the cabinet door, and Corbin, who was kneeling on the ground, finally recovered somewhat from the dizziness caused by the shriek.

He first saw Dunn lying by the door, then Gregory bleeding from his chest, and the blankness on his face immediately turned into horror.

Corbyn realized that he had personally led an enemy into the liaison point.

He scrambled to his feet, stepped over Dunn's calves, and lunged toward the conference room door.

Edmund instinctively tried to stop him, but only a hoarse gasp escaped his throat.

The damage to his vocal cords from the Banshee's howl was far more severe than he had anticipated. He felt a burning pain as he breathed, and he would likely be unable to use the same technique again for some time.

However, silencing him was necessary, and Edmund quickly pulled the trigger.

Corbyn had just grabbed the doorknob when a bullet entered his back.

Just as Edmund was about to confirm the situation, he suddenly heard the sound of shoes stepping on paper behind him.

Gregory moved, pressing his left hand against the area near his wound; his right shoulder was already soaked in blood.

The dampness gave his skin an unnatural bluish-gray hue, and each rise and fall of his chest produced a low, grinding sound.

Edmund had just turned around when Gregory bumped into him.

The two were only a few steps apart. Before the revolver could be fully raised, Gregory grabbed Edmund's wrist with his left hand and pushed the muzzle towards the ceiling.

Despite his severe injury to his right shoulder, his strength remained astonishing.

Edmund was pulled backward, his shoulders and back slamming heavily against the cork wall.

Gregory pinned his right arm down with his body and twisted his left wrist outwards, trying to force him to release the pistol.

"Who exactly are you?"

Edmund raised his knee to strike Gregory in the stomach, but it only made the man stagger.

The enhanced balance from "Tide Breath" allowed Gregory to stand firmly in place, his injured right arm even reaching for Edmund's throat.

Edmund's left hand reached for his waist, and Gregory, noticing his movement, immediately leaned forward.

But Edmund didn't touch another gun; he pulled out a ceremonial dagger plated with cheap gold metal and inlaid with glass beads.

The blade sliced ​​through the coat from below and pierced Gregory's advancing body.

Gregory's body stiffened abruptly, and Edmund struggled free, taking a step to the side.

Gregory looked up and tried to pounce again, but the revolver was already close to his chest.

After the final gunshot, the room fell silent again.

Edmund stood still, trying to catch his breath despite the pain in his throat, while watching the three people lying in different parts of the room.

Considering that these individuals were all eligible for the Path of Death, Edmund was unsure whether such a path contained techniques that required death to activate, and he had no intention of placing his hopes on the few bullets he had just fired.

Fortunately, the information feed did not appear after the three people died, which temporarily put his mind at ease.