章 4: Chapter 4: Ghost Species
Su Lun's words set off a storm inside Baldy's heart.
He immediately retorted, "Is there really a relic left by 'Sir Isaac' in this manor?"
With great attention to detail, Su Lun spat out another mouthful of blood before responding, "Yes. At least that's what the treasure map I got says."
"..."
Hearing the confirmation again, Baldy's eyes moved rapidly as if he were pondering something.
Excitement, anticipation, conflict, mixed with a few strands of apprehension.
He looked at Su Lun, a glint of suspicion flashed through his eyes, but his killing intent was firmly restrained.
If he didn't know the secret of the manor, killing him would be just that.
But now that he knew there was such a great treasure in the manor, how could he watch and let it slip away?
As a seasoned hunting group leader in "Old Lington," how could he not know the value of "Sir Isaac's relics"?
The legendary Great Alchemist boasted a prolific reputation, said to have taken the study of ancient alchemy to its pinnacle, hailed as a "Demigod." Throughout his life, he created countless new alchemical formulas, numerous peculiar potions, and had numerous patents. Every single one of his alchemical manuscripts could fetch a sky-high price on Lington's black market.
Baldy had personally witnessed at a black market auction where someone paid a whopping three hundred Kroners for a page of useless personal notes, simply because it was a handwritten note left by Sir Isaac.
To think that his own "DH-031 deluxe modified" mechanical arm, including materials and modification costs, was only worth a few dozen Kroners.
Although Baldy knew Su Lun might be hiding something, anything related to that man was worth gambling his life on!
If he actually found any relics left by Sir Isaac, he would make a fortune overnight, and would he still need to risk his life scavenging for the rest of his life?
....
Thinking this, Baldy squinted his eyes and asked coldly, "Kid, who exactly are you?"
"I don't know either."
Playing dumb, Su Lun paused for a moment before adding, "My memory has been wiped."
The information on the retina said the original owner was "memory-wiped," so this answer wasn't problematic.
"..."
Upon hearing this, Baldy pondered for a moment.
It seemed he did not doubt it and didn't ask further questions.
Exiled from the inner city and with a bounty on his head for assassination, his identity was certainly not simple, and the memory wipe explanation made sense.
He didn't inquire further about Su Lun's identity but instead asked, "How did you come across this treasure map?"
Su Lun answered, "I don't know who left it to me."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Baldy frowned but said nothing.
They had already searched him during their previous interrogation and found nothing resembling a treasure map.
He also guessed that Su Lun was certainly holding back; it was pointless to coerce him further. No one would foolishly disclose everything about something that might save their life in one go.
So now, killing him was even less of an option.
The iron-gripped hand around his neck loosened, and Su Lun knew he had temporarily saved his own life.
Although he appeared somewhat disheveled, he remained calm at heart.
To truly survive, he would need to think of other means.
Baldy was clearly wary of him, continuously asking about the details of the "treasure map." But just then, a ghostly wail of utter despair suddenly came from outside the door.
"Leader, where are you… Save me!"
The sudden lament made the atmosphere in the room instantly weird.
Upon hearing it, Baldy's expression immediately turned grave.
He then realized that they were still inside a space suspected to be of "Class A" danger level with a curse!
The manor still harbored unknown dangers.
Su Lun didn't know what terrifying thing had happened to that guy outside, but judging by the tone of despair, he guessed that something extremely horrifying must be occurring.
Baldy's brows furrowed deeply, and with one hand clamping onto Su Lun's neck as a shield, he went to open the door.
"Click" the door opened.
And at that moment, a blood-covered man burst in with a face stricken with panic.
It was evident that Baldy recognized the man dressed as an assassin in leather armor as he frowned and called out his name, "Marcus?"
The man looked at Baldy, and his pale complexion suddenly turned ruddy with ecstasy, exclaiming, "Ivan, the leader!"
After a pause, the terror on his face shifted to relief as if he had survived a great calamity, and gasping for breath, he said, "Oh my God...Leader, I've finally found you!"
Su Lun silently watched this scene and finally learned the names of the two men.
Team leader?
It sounded like some sort of organization.
Su Lun examined the wounds and bloodstains on the man called Marcus, then looked at the musket emitting blue smoke in his hand, feeling somewhat puzzled: "A laceration from a sharp weapon... someone who uses a gun, has actually been slashed by a knife?"
Perhaps, it wasn't a person?
Clearly, things didn't seem too simple.
At this time, Baldy looked at Marcus, who was alone, and peeked outside the door, but didn't notice anything strange.
After closing the door, he asked solemnly, "Where's Deputy Team Leader Mark, Daniel, and the others?"
"The team leader... they're dead, all dead!"
Marcus's eyes were filled with fear, as if recalling something, he said with a sobbing tone, "Just now... just now we entered this cursed space, and as we walked, we got lost. Then we discovered that this house is full of terrifying dolls! It seems like there's also a 'ghostly being' weaving control over those dolls. It's as if it's omnipresent, wanting us to play games with them... hide-and-seek, and those who are found get killed..."
"Ghostly being?"
After listening to his subordinate's stuttering narrative, Bald Ivan's face was filled with gravity.
....
Ghostly being?
Bizarre?
Su Lun picked up on a few words that he understood but that were beyond his original knowledge.
Having a chance to breathe, he tore a strip from his clothes and tightly bound up the wound on his hand.
After seeing the supernatural abilities of this world, it was not difficult for Su Lun to understand that these words should refer to some kind of "supernatural being."
"It" had just killed over ten of Baldy's team members.
The story told by this guy named Marcus was bizarre, but it wasn't too outlandish for Su Lun, a transmigrator.
He did not feel much shock in his heart but instead a strange sense of familiarity: "A horror plot? This seems to be the proper way things unfold."
Vaguely, he was also able to infer some of the "ghostly being's" predilections, like enjoying the torment of humans, fond of childish games...
Now, it appeared the deadly threat wasn't just Baldy, but also included a "ghostly being."
....
Baldy was still carefully inquiring about his subordinate's condition, and in the meantime, Su Lun, whose thoughts were racing, suddenly raised his eyebrows as if he had discovered something.
"Huh..."
His gaze moved away from Marcus and suddenly fell on a nutcracker-looking soldier doll in the study's corner, painted in red, black, and green.
Previously, he had thought it was merely a decorative item in the study.
But he couldn't tell if it was an illusion or not, Su Lun just saw the doll's eyes seemed to tremble for a moment.
And at this time, the doll's pitch-black eyeballs were staring right at the three people in the room.
Upon a little recollection, Su Lun sensed something was off and thought to himself: "I thought I remembered wrong, but it really moved, huh..."
He clearly remembered that when Baldy had pinned him against the opposite wall earlier, the puppet's gaze was to the left, directly on them.
And now, they had moved to the doorway on the right side of the room, and yet the doll's eyes continued to follow them.
It was like this →_→!
So, the people had moved, the doll hadn't moved, but the direction of its eyes had.
This was a habit he had developed from playing horror escape games. In confined environments, his gaze would instinctively collect all "clues" around to break through the situation.
Only then did he notice the nutcracker doll's anomaly.
"So we were being monitored by 'someone' after all..."
Su Lun had discovered something unusual, but a flicker of realization passed in the depths of his eyes.
Originally thinking he had seen it wrong, now that he heard there were murderous puppets in the house, Su Lun immediately confirmed that everything in the room had been under the watch of someone in the shadows.
Perhaps, it was that so-called "ghostly being."
However, even with this discovery, Su Lun showed no signs of surprise on his face.
To him, although still unsure what the "bizarre" inside the house meant, judging by Baldy and his companion's expressions, it was definitely some sort of dangerous entity.
But this didn't mean, to Su Lun, that the "bizarre" was more deadly than Baldy and his companion.
On the contrary, it might even be good news.
To survive in Baldy's hands, this "bizarre" might also be one of the conditions he could exploit.
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