Chapter 216
by post_apiChapter 216: The Past Cannot Be Retrieved
The streets lay desolate, devoid of pedestrians. A lone girl with an umbrella navigated the intricate network of streets.
Torrential raindrops cascaded in an unbroken curtain. What had begun as a mild drizzle gained ferocity, drenching the girl entirely. Her face, lashed by the wind and rain, gleamed wet in the dim light.
Mu Ling remained silent.
Something felt amiss between Yin and Professor Carol. She couldn’t pinpoint the exact problem, but her hunter’s intuition—an innate, unerring guide—sounded a silent alarm.
“Boom.”
Lightning ripped across the heavens.
Standing amidst the downpour, Mu Ling tilted her head skyward. Raindrops fell unbidden onto her face as she stared into the oppressive darkness of the sky above.
Her thoughts lingered on a remark Yin had made before their departure:
“The person you trust the most is the one you love.”
“……”
Mu Ling knew exactly who she trusted the most.
So… I’ve fallen in love with the Savior of the Babel Tower?
The very notion felt absurd.
In every conceivable way, it was impossible—impossible that she could harbor feelings for him, impossible that he could reciprocate. And even more so, the Savior himself was impossible—a figure that defied the natural order.
Yet, as the rain poured, she murmured, “But I’ve always felt that the bond we share is no mere coincidence… It surpasses anything destiny could have dictated.”
Blood mingled with rainwater as it trickled down the blade.
Seven corpses lay sprawled in a shadowy alleyway, each bearing only a single fatal wound. There had been no time for resistance—every strike had been precise, merciless.
Mu Ling turned away slowly, her expression unreadable. Under the Savior’s command, she had once again eradicated members of the Black Star Faction.
“The rain is getting heavier…”
She raised her head, allowing the downpour to wash away the blood smeared across her face. Her eyes flickered with a trace of doubt.
How long will this storm last?
Perhaps it would escalate into a flood, a disaster Tatsumi City would struggle to manage. Though not yet a full-blown catastrophe, it had already brought hardship to many.
If a true calamity were to strike…
Everything—every semblance of joy—would be reduced to nothingness.
Instead of returning home, Mu Ling headed to the Platinum Zone.
This district of Tatsumi City housed a man who had once served as a Night Watcher for the Demon Hunt Agency. His residence—a luxurious apartment in a wealthy area—was a stark reminder of the generous pensions granted to those who retired from the agency. However, the harsh reality was that many Night Watchers didn’t survive long enough to reap such rewards.
Inside the apartment lived an elderly couple and their seven children.
Slipping silently through the shadows, Mu Ling entered the home. She paused to gaze at the sleeping children in their rooms, their innocent faces untouched by malice. A faint smile graced her lips before she moved on.
The elderly man from her report lay in his bedroom. His wife, undisturbed, slept soundly beside him.
Mu Ling stood over him, her blade resting lightly against his neck.
The man stirred, his eyes opening slowly. He took in the sight before him with quiet resignation.
“Who are you?” he asked.
Her response was calm, deliberate. “The Hound of Babel Tower.”
Recognition flickered in his gaze, accompanied by confusion.
“Why would someone from Babel Tower come for me? I’ve heard of you Night Watchers… we’ve never been enemies. You stand for order, don’t you?”
Mu Ling’s voice remained steady.
“I purchased some information from the Shadow Association. It concerns an incident from ten years ago—May, to be exact. It involved the smuggling of sinners, and you were the one who dealt with it.”
The old man fell silent, his expression contemplative. After a long pause, he began to speak.
“Yes, that incident… I remember it.”
He recounted the tale.
A little girl had been hit by a car while saving a small animal. Though her injuries were minor, the hospital discovered black markings on her body during the examination. Following protocol, they contacted the Demon Hunt Agency.
“I was the one sent to investigate,” the man admitted.
Mu Ling’s tone remained cold. “And what did you do?”
“According to the Air Alliance’s
laws, sinners crossing the
border illegally have no rights.
As a Night Watcher, I had
complete authority over them.”
He continued, his voice devoid
of remorse. “To extract
information, I resorted to…
coercion. The girl’s father
endured countless methods of
torture but revealed nothing.
Ultimately, I turned my
attention to her.”
Mu Ling’s grip tightened on her
blade as he described the
unspeakable.
“I blinded her,” the man
confessed. “It broke him. He
told me everything I needed to
know.”
The air grew heavy with
tension.
“Don’t you feel any shame?”
Mu Ling demanded. “As a
Night Watcher, you hurt an
innocent child.”
The old man laughed bitterly.
“Sinners are beasts. If I hadn’t
acted, countless lives would’ve
been endangered. So yes, I’ll
do it again if it means
protecting the Alliance’s
citizens.”
In the end, Mu Ling didn’t
strike.
She left the apartment in
silence, her thoughts weighed
down by doubt.
The rain continued to fall,
unrelenting.
Back at home, Mu Ling sat at
her desk, pen in hand. She
wrote a single note, a plea
directed to the unseen Savior:
“I feel lost. Please guide me.”
That night, as she lay in bed, a
voice filled her mind—a
familiar voice devoid of
emotion, yet oddly comforting.
[Be true to your heart.]
Mu Ling exhaled softly, closing
her eyes.
“I understand,” she whispered.