Chapter 226: Night Watcher
"Sir, may I inquire as to the nature of your discourse?"
Mr. Trap's pupils quivered intensely, his words betraying a profound incredulity, unable to fathom the contents that reached his ears.
He never expected that Merete Chambers, the shining star among the Night Watchers of the Demon Hunt Agency in Tatsumi City, and the special operatives of the Sword-wielding Troop from the Demon Hunt Agency, would...
She actually chose to betray openly at this particular juncture.
"Why?" his tone was brimming with anguish, as well as perplexity.
The slime was unsure of the current situation, only noticing that the golden hue on its body was gradually fading, causing it to emit a gurgling sound.
After a while, the slime was transported away by a burst of black mist.
"Gurgle!"
This is the poignant phrase it uttered in its final moments.
While Amy plunged into contemplation, she silently examined the current residual functionality of the mecha.
Does the Savior possess anticipation of the present circumstances?
Regardless, Amy can ascertain one thing without a doubt: the severely damaged White Angel is absolutely incapable of defeating Miss Witch, who boldly declares her betrayal.
After a while, she no longer needed to ponder over this matter, for the White Angel was also enveloped by a black mist.
The game of Babel Tower has once again come to an end.
All subsequent events that unfolded didn't belong to the realm of the "game."
Merete Chambers lifted her head and spoke, saying, "..."
"You may wonder why I chose to betray, but the reason is quite simple... Both the Demon Hunt Agency and the Night Watcher were nothing more than stepping stones for me."
She extended her hand with a smile, and one by one, the white pages surrounding her fluttered into the air, only to gracefully descend and vanish into the palm of her hand.
"I have obtained it now, a Ruin-level Relic that surpasses all Civilization-level Relics, so I am about to seek even greater things."
Merete Chambers' tone was remarkably calm and composed, as if reminiscing about past events with an old friend, exuding an utmost tranquility:
"I, unlike you all."
"In my dreams, I can vividly immerse myself in the experiences of past lives, countless lifetimes, each holding a narrative about my very own existence... It is a profound encounter surpassing the immersion of mere films, as if I have truly journeyed back in time."
"Every evening, I undergo the profound experiences they offer."
Merete Chambers smiled and continued, "Now, I am more than just Merete Chambers. Their experiences and tragic outcomes have long become an integral part of my consciousness."
"Many centuries ago, there was once an 'Ultimate Witch' who was just one step away from reaching the Seventh Throne, but she lost everything under the collective suppression from the 'Rainbows'."
She gazed at the sky and uttered, "That is who I am, or rather an inseparable fragment of my memory... In this lifetime, I don't seek to prove anything, but rather, I yearn to reclaim everything that rightfully belongs to me."
Then, Merete Chambers calmly bypassed the elderly person lying motionless on the ground and gently pushed open the door behind him.
She entered the room where the "sealing" ceremony was taking place.
In this relatively small and pitch-black room, an emaciated and dying elderly person sat silently in a chair.
In front of him sat a small table, upon which rested a constantly trembling and intricately inscribed yellow spell, seemingly symbolizing an aerial view of the city. Surrounding the intricate illustration were circular red lines meticulously traced with blood, enclosing it.
"This is the truth, Mr. Trap."
Merete Chambers calmly gazed at the elderly person, who, in turn, chuckled with a hoarse and raspy voice that bore no resemblance to the well-known Mr. Trap familiar to the outside world.
The true him was so frail, aged, as if his life was near its end.
She said slowly, "All along, the Tatsumi City Demon Hunt Agency director known to the public, Mr. Trap, has merely been a puppet manipulated by you... This is your extraordinary power."
"I wasn't wrong, right?"
Mr. Trap sat on the chair, resembling a half-dead corpse, his voice hoarse and barely audible as he reluctantly said, "So, you are here to disrupt the 'sealing', aren't you?"
"Witch."
Merete Chambers smiled and said:
"This depends on how you choose."
"If you intend to have the remnants of the Demon Hunt Agency hinder me from leaving, I will take action to disrupt the 'sealing' and create some pressure for you."
"Otherwise, it would be nice for everyone to gather and part ways peacefully."
After a brief silence, Mr. Trap said, "I don't have a definite reason to stop you, after all, you saved everyone."
"No, no, no, you do have it!"
At this moment, in Mr. Trap's eyes, the Moon Witch appeared as a faceless shadow, and the only thing that could be clearly seen was her maniacal laughter!
This woman is no longer the person he once knew.
Unafraid of the increased dangers on her escape route, she gleefully revealed, "I have destroyed the book of prophecy and taken away the crucial item inside, which is a Ruin-level Relic surpassing the Civilization-level Relic... If the Eyes of the Empire or the Demon Hunt Agency's headquarters were to learn of its existence, they would surely go to great lengths to obtain it."
"If they were to find out that you easily gave up on that thing, they would definitely punish you, Mr. Trap."
"Now you have every reason to capture me, for I have betrayed your trust, using you all as stepping stones, allowing everyone to get hurt... and then seizing the opportunity to take away something extremely precious."
She took a deep breath, and finally smiled contentedly.
"Alright, make your decision!"
The reasons indeed suffice.
Mr. Trap closed his eyes and gently grasped the weathered fist, fully sensing the witch's confident and assured heart.
Do I want to make a final struggle?
Just like Tao Wu, even if it is destined to fail, should we ensure the dignity of the Night Watcher and engage in a relentless battle against evil, fighting until the very last moment?
Any struggle and pain seem to become nourishment for the witch's delight.
The smile of Merete Chambers remained as usual, but it appeared even more radiant than usual, brimming with malevolence.
She lowered her body and continued, "So, what will it be in the end? All along, I have always enjoyed giving people the option... Will you choose to uphold the law and justice, or are you tempted to take a gamble and have everyone catch me?"
She tilted her head, prepared and ready.
Even if breaking the "sealing" could lead to the deaths of tens of millions of people, it is evident that this witch doesn't care. For her, perhaps... it is nothing more than an immensely pleasurable game!
Mr. Trap fell into a prolonged silence. At this moment, he began pondering upon an important matter.
Throughout the ages, numerous predecessors and successors, countless individuals, have failed to comprehend the very matter at hand.
What exactly are we, Night Watchers?
Finally, he spoke.
"You may leave."
Mr. Trap calmly remarked, "Ailsa once mentioned... it's coming back to me now... Demon Hunt Agency is the designated title bestowed by the kings, whereas Night Watcher, initially, was just Night Watcher, nothing more."
"Night Watcher is not an organization dedicated to upholding law and order, but rather a group that exists to safeguard people against countless malevolence and supernatural malice. It is an organization that carries the lantern in the darkness, loudly urging others to escape while doing everything within its power to allow the innocent to survive in spite of their insignificance."
"Our purpose has always been one and the same... to ensure the survival of more innocents."
"As the director of the Demon Hunt Agency, it is my duty to stop you, but as a Night Watcher... I only have this choice."
--
Merete Chambers left.
In the end, she didn't disrupt the "sealing" ritual but simply left the Demon Hunt Agency in a grand manner.
Everyone learned from her own lips that Miss Witch had betrayed, but all the Night Watchers also received orders directly issued by the director through their earpieces.
Do not impede her!
The Night Watchers were shocked and bewildered, finding themselves at a loss when faced with Miss Witch, whom they had once admired and respected.
Why did it turn out this way?
Meanwhile, they also felt perplexed by the directives issued by the director.
This is a compromise.
It is a compromise by the Night Watcher towards evil and betrayers.
Undoubtedly, this is a shame, and the director who issued the compromising orders will undoubtedly become synonymous with weakness in the eyes of the kings of the Air Alliance!
And when all the high-ranking officials become aware that Merete Chambers effortlessly took away the "Ruin-class" Relic, Mr. Trap will also find it difficult to absolve himself of blame.
"By doing so, you must relinquish the position of director."
Stepping out of the Demon Hunt Agency building, Merete Chambers smiled under the night sky and said, "Every choice carries its own destined consequences, Mr. Trap, and it is time for you to retire."
She raised her head and gazed at the nightfall.
An immensely colossal black curtain had appeared in the sky, its timing unknown.
It was so immense that its full extent was invisible, slowly closing in the sky, gradually enveloping the entire city, causing all the stars to vanish from sight.
This is known as "sealing."
An unimaginably massive barrier, completely protects the city of Tatsumi City.
Within each independent city of the Air Alliance, there exists a ritual of "sealing".
The conditions of this ritual are actually extremely similar to the price paid while receiving the "Book of Prophecy"...
However, what it demands is not someone else, but rather the vitality and lifespan of every director of the local Demon Hunt Agency who initiates the "enclosure".
--
The witch, upon witnessing the disappearance of the myriad stars, ceased gazing at the heavens and instead prepared to depart entirely from this place.
At this moment, her countenance underwent a transformation.
An unexpected individual, at this rather inopportune moment, "coincidentally" appeared at the entrance of the Demon Hunt Agency.
It seemed as though he had been waiting for her arrival all along, for an unknown duration of time.
"Ah, my master, I never expected that you would be waiting for me here."
Merete Chambers squinted her eyes and playfully stuck out her tongue at Bai Yan, who was standing not far from the entrance.
Curious.
In theory, he should have been in the midst of battling with "the Undefeated" just moments ago, so why did this fellow manage to find her so quickly?
Unbeknownst to her, Bai Yan possessed the ability to embody the incarnation.
At this very moment, standing here is none other than the incarnation that Bai Yan had long ago crafted.
"Witch."
Bai Yan, with calm composure, turned his gaze towards her and spoke:
"Let's have a conversation, shall we?"
