142 Danger in the Rainy Nigh (1/2)
Late at night, clouds covered the sky and faint thunder rumbled. After the stars and moons had vanished, the only light in the entire city came from the dim streetlamps. The morning drizzle had intensified rather than disappearing. Layers of thick clouds hung over the city. Rain poured into every corner.
Under a streetlamp in downtown was a figure seated on a bench. Clad in a raincoat, he was as still as stone. Droplets of rain rolled down his body into the puddle with soft pitter-patters.
He seemed to melt into the shadows. As the sheets of rain fell, he became more and more unnoticeable. Only the puffs of white air from under his hood showed that he was still breathing.
After who knows how long, Bai Xi arrived with an umbrella. She tossed a bulging parcel onto his lap. ”Here’s what you wanted. I searched through a bunch of shops before I could find it all.”
Ye Qingxuan reached into the leather parcel and scooped out a handful. Feeling the crude sand-like objects, he nodded in satisfaction. Then he rinsed his hands in the rain. Drops of silver light fell from his fingertips, joining the water flowing into the sewer.
”How much longer are you going to wait for?” Bai Xi felt annoyed.
”Until midnight. It’ll be exactly twelve hours,” Ye Qingxuan said lightly. ”The Professor’s breath extracted from the corpse can only be kept for that long. It will be ineffective after that, and the Professor will disappear back into the darkness. The parliament won’t be able to find him ever again. If the parliament can bear it, we’ll wait a little longer too.”
”There’s still more than one hour.”
”It’s just an hour,” Ye Qingxuan replied. Then his shoulder trembled under the raincoat. ”He’s here.”
He heard the distant sound of a carriage. In the deep night, an unmarked carriage rushed out from a mansion, galloping down the street.
”Don’t look up. Stare at your feet. Revelations musicians are really sensitive. Don’t even think about them.” Ye Qingxuan looked down at the puddle beneath him. In the water, he could vaguely see the reflection of a black carriage getting closer. The wheels rolled rolled quickly through the puddles, creating splashes as it galloped away.
The moment it swept past him, a blurry thread soundlessly shot through the heavy rain and stuck onto the carriage. The faint melody and thin rippling of aether were covered by the rainwater and condensation. No one could sense it.
Watching as the carriage went off into the distance, Ye Qingxuan rose and reached out to Bai Xi. ”Let’s go.”
-
On the carriage, Claude suddenly felt unsettled for some reason. He sat elegantly in his carriage. The soundproof walls blocked out the sounds of the rain. He lowered his head, closed his eyes, and fell into deep thought.
A starry sky appeared in his mind. The stars shifted as if reflecting fate. He felt unsettled as he communicated with the aether, but he could not lay a finger on why.
He subconsciously caressed the bone flute in his hands. It was heavy like gold and iron, looked like bone, but felt sturdy like steel. The coldness spread through his hands and the slight ripple in his heart calmed. All was still. He had entered a state of serenity. He was extremely peaceful, but he could burst out with all his strength at any time. His slightly furrowed brows relaxed.
”How enviable. This is the Silver Virgo from the twelve zodiacs. It is a famous weapon created from the blueprint left behind by legendary divine artisan. It’s the most suitable for musicians of the School of Revelations. With the Silver Virgo in your hand, you’ll be at the most perfect state for battle at any time. It can remove any disturbances on your mind. There is neither fear nor panic…With it, your ability will increase at least tenfold, would it not, Mr. Claude?”
At the light voice, Claude furrowed his brows slightly and opened his eyes. Before him was the hovering apparition of the robin.
”Revelations musicians are naturally unsuitable for battle. As per our agreement, I’ve helped you trace the Professor. But why do I have to join the mission?” Claude huffed angrily. ”Can you not find anyone for the dirty work?”
”This is about the Professor. We must be careful. He has always been mysterious and if we slip up in the slightest, he will escape again. Then it will be even harder to find him,” the robin replied smoothly. ”You are the best choice. The Professor is skilled in the Schools of Illusions and Mind, but your Starry Eyes can see through all illusions and influences. He is nothing to fear.”
”But we’ve agreed that I am only responsible for aid and observation. I will not approach the site at all. If it fails, I’m leaving. Don’t think that I’ll continue slaving for you.”
”Of course. Musicians are very precious and cannot be compared to assassins. You are even a Royal Musician with a great future.” The robin gazed at the flute and said, ”But the Silver Virgo is an invaluably precious instrument. The blueprint and material are all quite expensive. We’ve put in much and you must prove that it was worth the cost.”
”I will.” Claude nodded and closed his eyes again. He needed to ensure the most perfect conditions before it all began.
The robin nodded as well and the apparition dissipated.
--
Five minutes later, the carriage stopped. The door opened and a thin figure arrived with an umbrella. It was an old woman clad in a black robe that covered her body, but her beautiful curves still caught one’s eye.
”Mr. Claude? We’ve been expecting you.” She led Claude into an empty room. The only light source was the flame inside an oil bucket.
A sharp and burly figure beside the fire caught Claude’s eye. He gazed at the scriptures tattooed on the old man’s face and the ring on his finger. There was a skull on the band and it seemed crude and worn.
”The Chainsaw Fraternity?” he murmured.