Chapter 183
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Chapter 183: Madmen
No one present, except for Merete Chambers, had ever heard of the so-called “Ruins-level” Relic.
The Civilization-level Relic was widely known as the highest tier, so the mention of a “Ruins-level” one raised questions. But this issue could be set aside for the moment—what mattered now was that Miss Witch was about to take action!
A palpable tension hung in the air as everyone recalled the legends surrounding the “Swordbearer.”
The Swordbearer was an elite unit within the Demon Hunt Agency, formed specifically to handle the most pressing matters related to the Outer Gods. In the past, when facing foreign threats such as the Dark Light Church, they had the support of the Eyes of the Empire, the “Iron Wall” of the Air Alliance.
This time, however, the support was likely to come from the Swordbearer—an elite force that usually focused on domestic affairs.
It was said that every previous leader of the Sword-wielding Troop had ascended to the position of director of the Demon Hunt Agency. Miss Witch herself was a member of the Swordbearer, and she had come to Tatsumi City as a “special advisor” for reasons unknown.
With a swift motion, the platinum-colored page she held transformed into a short-haired teenage boy with silver-gray hair. His appearance, clad in ancient clothes, looked utterly out of place among those around him.
This boy, a half-beast with dog ears, sniffed the air wildly.
“Master, I smell it.”
He extended a hand toward a middle-aged Night Watcher not far away.
“Just over there, that person is the entity!”
Merete Chambers smiled, standing motionless, her demeanor calm as she flicked her finger slightly.
The middle-aged Night Watcher was stunned, then shouted in anger, “How could you have found me? You’re just a mere…”
Before he could finish his sentence, his head rolled from his shoulders, and no one could trace how Miss Witch had done it.
In the next moment, all the controlled Night Watchers around them fell.
Was it over?
The people in front of the Demon Hunt Agency building paused, stunned, before breaking into cheers.
“Hooray!”
“Miss Merete is our shining light!”
“Fantastic, we did it! Miss Merete is amazing! She solved it the moment she acted!”
But Mr. Trap and Raven Reaper, watching from the upper floor, exchanged uneasy glances. Could it be that a Crown-level expert was defeated so easily by Miss Merete Chambers?
“Not likely…” Mr. Trap’s expression remained grim.
Merete Chambers stood silently, her usual smile on her lips, but her eyes held a constant watchfulness.
“It’s better if everyone doesn’t cheer too early.”
Her words instantly silenced the Night Watchers behind her, who turned to her in confusion.
Miss Witch spoke again, her tone serious.
“After all, our opponent is a saint-level figure from an ancient evil cult. Perhaps, he hasn’t completely died. Anything is possible in the supernatural world.”
Her words poured a cold bucket of water over the celebratory mood, and the Night Watchers quieted down, now fully alert.
Mr. Trap stood motionless for a while, then spoke into the team channel.
“Immediately bring items with ‘mental power’ resistance, and control both the living and the dead. Lock them up for a thorough examination.”
The Night Watchers swiftly obeyed the order, handling the aftermath with tense focus. Everyone felt that the enemy might strike at any moment.
However, there was no sign of the Balanced Saint’s return. For now, everything seemed quiet.
Merete Chambers didn’t smile again. She calmly turned and left, heading for the Demon Hunt Agency building.
Looking at the concerned faces surrounding her, she shook her head and wearily said, “I’m a bit tired and need to rest for a while.”
No one stopped her as she entered the elevator.
As the doors closed, a mischievous smile spread across her face.
“You scared me for a moment. You claimed to be part of the Swordbearer? What a foolish, brainless beauty. It was so easy for me to manipulate you. Heh.”
She stared at her reflection in the elevator mirror, her expression souring.
“As a woman, I really hate people who are so much prettier than me.”
“Merete Chambers,” she muttered to herself, squinting her eyes.
“After I leave here, I’m going to ruin your body and sell it to some sick millionaire who collects beautiful women… I love to watch people like you, who think they’re in control, fall into despair!”
A look of ecstatic joy lit her face as she pressed the button for “B6.”
Soon, the elevator began its descent, heading underground.
“It’s unbelievable that a Ruin-level Relic could appear in Noah’s world, and right here in this city! Hahahaha, who would’ve thought?”
She laughed out loud, the sound echoing in the quiet elevator.
There were twenty-four Outer Gods in the multiverse, each corresponding to one of the twenty-four Ruin-level Relics. Possessing just one would grant unimaginable power.
The chances of encountering a Ruin-level Relic were minuscule, so Merete Chambers never expected to find one in Tatsumi City, let alone be so close to obtaining it. This discovery was enough to make even the “Saint of Life and Death” ecstatic with madness.
Finally, the elevator stopped at the sixth underground level.
“Merete Chambers” stepped out of the elevator and quickly navigated the twisting tunnels, arriving at the unguarded room labeled “0000” at the end of the corridor.
A vast, pure white space greeted her—so immense that it seemed endless.
In the center of the white expanse was a massive stone slab, inscribed with numerous black characters.
The Book of Prophecy.
That immense, heavy stone carried the concept of “the future.” It beckoned her closer.
Step by step, she walked toward it, her urgency growing with each movement.
“It’s here… this is it… Mighty Lord of Balance, your prophecy was right… Just shatter this thing and retrieve it…”
Merete Chambers stopped before the Book of Prophecy, her breath quickening with anticipation.
Inside this “Book of Prophecy” lay something even more valuable than its form: a Ruin-level Relic.
The “Saint of Life and Death” had known that, at her current strength, she was unlikely to advance further without external help.
Thus, when the Lord of Balance had given her a divine oracle, the Church of Ruins had come to this city, laying the groundwork for years until they discovered the Book of Prophecy.
The Book of Prophecy, originally the spoils of Ailsa, the “Demon of Justice” who had killed over a million cultists, had become a founding treasure of the Demon Hunt Agency. Ailsa placed it in her hometown—Tatsumi City.
But even Ailsa didn’t know the true secret of the book.
The Book of Prophecy, though a Civilization-level Relic, was merely a container. The true value lay within the boulder itself.
“Great…”
Just then, an alarm blared, interrupting her thoughts.
“Who?”
A man, his black robe slightly curled at the edges, appeared behind her—a noble scholar’s air about him.
Profligate.
“Merete Chambers” was stunned, her eyes widening in disbelief.
How had he gotten here? How had he appeared behind her, just when she was on the verge of success?
Bai Yan spoke calmly.
“I’ve already received your message.”
Just ten minutes earlier, after Bai Yan had sent out the warning to Alan and the others, he received a message from Merete Chambers.
She claimed to have learned the enemy’s “secrets” and anticipated their every move.
He had to come to the Demon Hunt Agency immediately, to play the role of a “knight in shining armor” and assist her in luring someone into a trap.
And, she had added in her message:
“If you don’t come, I’ll die a miserable death.”
Bai Yan had considered her role in Babel Tower, and realized that she had yet to commit any atrocious acts in this timeline.
The “thing” she was about to acquire could not be destroyed by anyone else.
So he came.
“Just as she said, there’s a distance limitation to using your psychic powers for ‘assimilation.’ At that point, all the controlled Night Watchers were marked for targeted attacks, leaving them with no chance to move freely… Your only option to infiltrate the Demon Hunt Agency was to possess her.”
Bai Yan nodded.
“Your behavior didn’t surprise her.”
“Merete Chambers” stared at him in utter disbelief.
She could hardly process the insanity of it.
“What are you talking about?”
“Did this woman let me possess her on purpose? How is that possible? Is she crazy?”
“She is a lunatic,” Bai Yan agreed, his grin darkening.
“And I’m one too.”
“Merete Chambers” faltered for a moment, before a malicious grin twisted her face.
“Indeed, indeed. It’s no wonder she’s a member of the Swordbearer, and you are Profligate of Babel Tower.”
“Your plan is brilliant. The coordination is perfect!”
She clapped, the sound ringing out in the vast white space.
“But you can’t defeat ‘yourselves.'”
Suddenly, an invisible force gripped her neck, tightening like a noose.
She was stunned, her delicate fingers trembling.
“Imagine this,” Bai Yan’s voice echoed, “a girl as beautiful as a work of art, might very well pass away because of your foolish decision.”