Mystery: When the Fool Meets the Masked Fool

Chapter 497 Klein's Symphony with the Trash Can
The damaged city wall was nearly a hundred meters high, and at the edge of the hundred-meter-high fault, Klein's black trench coat fluttered in the bloody wind.

He lowered his eyes and looked down, his gaze meeting that of the bloodthirsty behemoth.

The bloodthirsty behemoth, which was in a half-crouching position, had a massive head that was almost level with Klein's.

The skull, covered in bone spurs, was as large as a house, and its blood-red vertical pupils held an ancient savagery.

The bloodthirsty behemoth grinned its ferocious mouth, and crimson mist, carrying a stench like decaying stars, rushed towards them, causing the hem of Klein's black trench coat to flutter slightly, and bringing with it a smell similar to sulfur and rust.

"Roar!"

A deafening roar erupted from deep within the throat of the bloodthirsty behemoth.

"This seems to be a type of Abyss Beast?" Klein guessed.

The next moment, a vortex composed of countless twisted light orbs appeared in the gaping mouth of the abyss beast, and the depths of its throat instantly transformed into an abyss that devoured everything.

The surrounding colors suddenly dimmed, the light distorted, collapsed into a void in the throat, the city wall bricks crumbled and peeled away, and even the light was drawn into it like torn silk.

A tremendous pull emanated from the abyssal beast's mouth. The feeling was peculiar, like wind, like gravity, and inexplicably gave one a sense of destiny, carrying a fatalistic whisper that pierced the spirit, unconsciously giving rise to the following thought:
"To be swallowed up, to be disintegrated, to dissolve back into this abyss is the final and only destiny of all things."

Klein's top silk hat, pulled by the force of the wind, flew off rapidly, only to be caught by one hand. The hem of his long black trench coat suddenly billowed backward, transforming from a backward-blowing motion to a forward-pushing one, as if an unknown wind was pushing Klein forward, dragging him into the vortex ahead.

But he simply stood there motionless, his expression calm and composed, his boot heels seemingly welded to the brick wall, his figure as steady as a rock.

The light was distorted, and everything around seemed to become part of the vortex, being pulled by that pulling force.

Klein's black eyes took on a grayish tinge, reflecting the vortex before him. In those grayish eyes, it looked as if he were shrouded in a gray mist.

[Noble Phantasm: The Seven Gods Approve, The Fool Opposes]

When you acquire a new skill, you should definitely try it out.

The suction force from the front suddenly weakened, and the abyss beast instantly became like a clogged toilet, with the suction force becoming intermittent.

However, it only lasted for less than two seconds before the vortex's suction returned to its previous level, which was still enormous.

Klein raised an eyebrow.

It has no divinity, is not a ritual, and is not malicious.

Three special attackers, and not one of them got a bite.

No, he attacked me, how could he not have malicious intent? The skill judgment mechanism is terrible!
Klein mentally scoffed.

Then, his gaze shifted to the three cubs behind the Abyss Beast, and he seemed to realize something.

But he didn't say anything, he just raised his right hand and a woman's black lace glove was put on his hand.

This is an extraordinary item that Miss Justice helped him create, "the beauty of abstraction".

Then he casually pinched something in the air and recalled a gold pound.

Klein twirled the gold pound between his fingers twice, then pressed his thumb against the edge and flicked it forward.

Distortion, bribery.

On the obverse of the gold pound, a leaf with an eye in the center is imprinted, and the engraving of [Tianhui] replaces the original design.

The gold coin, imbued with the power of the engraving, fell with perfect precision into the unfathomable vortex of the behemoth.

He didn't care whether it was a hallucination or not; he just wanted to get rid of it first.

Deep within the throat of the bloodthirsty behemoth, the all-consuming vortex, like a high-speed spinning precision gear suddenly struck by a stubborn rock, emitted a tooth-grinding, almost inaudible yet soul-shaking grinding sound.

[Tianhui] · The cycle of cause and effect.

The vortex in the bloodthirsty behemoth's throat suddenly stopped for a moment, and the enormous suction abruptly ceased.

Then the body collapsed.

The center of the vortex suddenly "collapsed" inward.

Klein, wearing the "Abstract Beauty" brooch, made a grasping motion with his right hand, as if he were holding a rotary doorknob.

Then, he turned slightly.

enlarge.

The enormous beast's body was quickly destroyed.

This was not torn apart or blown apart by external forces, but rather the beginning of an unstoppable collapse from the core outwards.

Its flesh began to roll and fold, as if being squeezed inward by an invisible giant hand. Its bones emitted a heart-palpitating cracking sound, and its tough skin collapsed and dissolved inch by inch.

The unstable vortex in its throat seemed to have found a new "target." Instead of stopping, it burst forth with an even stronger suction force centered on it, no longer devouring outwards, but frantically "seeking food" inwards and into itself.

This process wasn't explosively rapid. It carried a strange, "viscous" feel, as if the entire being of the behemoth was struggling and sinking in a thick swamp, yet unable to resist the endless pull from its devouring power.

In just two or three breaths, the colossal creature, which was hundreds of meters tall even when it was only half-crouching, completely shrank and collapsed into a fleshy ball that was barely recognizable as it was being sucked and torn apart.

From within it came the crackling sound of bones being crushed and squeezed. Finally, the mangled, bloody object convulsed violently, accompanied by a final, extremely shrill, yet abruptly stopped scream, before being completely swallowed by the vortex in its own "throat".

It was "eaten" by itself.

Klein shifted his gaze to several abyss beast cubs a little further away, and an old pistol appeared in his hand.

Time-stop pistol, Red Dead Redemption.

Click.

The gears of time were stuck for a moment.

The bodies of these several-meter-tall cubs were instantly torn apart by exploding lightning in the next instant.

In Klein's left hand, a golden sniper rifle slowly dissipated.

That was the Divine Key he had just conjured during the time stop, the Judgment Key - Seven Thunders of Purification.

The battle ended in less than a minute.

The surrounding environment quickly faded and became indistinct.

Recalling the scene of being chased and hacked by an antimatter soldier raider when he first entered the simulated universe, Klein's lips curled up.

As the surrounding scenery faded and the city walls disappeared, Klein returned to the tavern and realized that he had unknowingly fallen asleep on the table.

He propped his head up and looked around.

The receptionist had left the bar and come to Klein's side.

But her posture was a bit strange.

Two candy knights, one on each side, pinned her hands behind her back and pushed her to the ground.

"Um... Hi~." The receptionist greeted Klein with an innocent smile.

Klein's gaze shifted downwards, noticing that half of his wallet had been pulled out of the inner pocket of his trench coat.

Oh, I see. It was the receptionist who triggered the protection mechanism he had set up on his wallet.

This is a self-protection mechanism he set up for his wallet. Ever since he suffered a loss in the Thieves' Kingdom, Klein has been researching the ingenious uses of his extraordinary abilities.

Now, he can completely integrate this protective measure into his wallet.

Anyone who tries to steal his wallet will be pinned down by two giant candy knights who will fall from the sky.

Klein called this move "The King Descends from Heaven, Wrathful and Ferocious." Klein pushed his wallet back into his pocket, stood up, adjusted his half-high silk hat, and turned to leave.

The moment Klein stepped out of the room, the surroundings changed once again.

This time, he truly left the area.

…………

The scene changed, and the surrounding colors suddenly darkened, becoming heavy and oppressive.

This appears to be an underground city, with large quantities of weapons and trash cans falling from the sky along with production pipelines.

Klein strolled through the intricate alleyways, feeling quite pleased with himself.

This is the negative effect of the sealed object "abstract beauty". For the next period of time, he will find everything pleasing to the eye and want to praise everything.

The dimly lit underground city, with its intricate network of intersections, resembles a forgotten fold on the city's skin, or perhaps a silver vein beneath the skin, pulsating slightly with each heartbeat.

Klein walked forward, admiring the scenery along the way.

The peeling, mottled walls on both sides almost collided, leaving only a narrow gap overhead for a few stingy rays of sunlight to squeeze through.
The light was dim and sparse, unable to dispel the lingering, musty smell—a mixture of damp stones, discarded wood, and some indescribable yet familiar odor of daily life.
Klein walked up to a dilapidated wall, stroked his chin, and examined it closely.

The wall is quite old, with layers of mottled patches on it.

Perhaps these are the scabs that have fallen off with the passage of time?

A thought suddenly popped into Klein's head.

These stains, varying in depth, resemble the impromptu graffiti of some abstract, drunken artist; perhaps the signature of a forgotten extraordinary individual? Or maybe they hint at some hidden ritual coordinates?

Klein thought of the veterans in the Night Watch team who were skilled at "crafts," whose works were as distinctive as the wall in front of him.

Hmm... it's the unique "artistic sense" of the members of the Church of the Night; their avant-garde art is something other churches cannot comprehend.

He raised his hand and gently touched the wall.

I touched a few pieces of plaster that were barely sticking to the wall.

[These are like age spots on an old person's cracked skin, stubbornly asserting their sovereignty, not yet fully integrated into the dust of the world.]
[Perhaps because it's an underground city, the light here is particularly scarce.]
The water's surface reflected the dim light of the streetlights, like a gem embedded in a pile of garbage, or a murky false eyeball deeply embedded in the eye socket of a worn-out doll.
[A wooden mop, missing half its handle, leaned casually against the door. The bucket was dented, like a fallen knight whose face had been half-bruised by life. A few withered yellow leaves curled up inside the empty bucket.]
Are these signs of wear and tear? Are they a symbol of abandonment?
[No, this is its only remaining, silent medal.]
Klein couldn't help but internally complain.

Why do I feel like I'm appraising antiques right now...?

Klein shook his head, withdrew his arm, and looked away.

He saw several figures quietly basking in the hard-won light in this somewhat cramped space.

They are the dumping grounds.

For some reason, Klein's gaze was immediately drawn to it.

He thought of Old Neil and the "trash can spirit" that Old Neil and Star had once conveyed to him.

Several metal boxes of various shapes stood against the wall, covered with the rust of time and the kisses of dust.
The paint on the barrel was long since peeled away, revealing a dark red and brown interior, like the numerous scars on ancient armor.
For some reason, Klein felt his gaze was deeply drawn to it, and he couldn't look away.

pat pat pat.

The sound of horses' hooves hitting the floor could be heard.

In a nearby alley, a knight approached Klein.

This is a dilapidated warhorse assembled from junk and gears, with a silver trash can with four limbs sitting on its back.

In an instant, Klein felt an immense sense of majesty.

This... what is this?
"Such majesty is comparable to that of Roselle!"

He let out a sigh without thinking.

“Remember this, human. My name is Rampish III,” the trash can suddenly spoke.

"Uh... okay." Klein nodded, then mentally complained.

All your trash cans look the same. Even if I remember your name, I wouldn't recognize you when I see you.

Rampish III was unaware of and paid no attention to Klein's inner turmoil, instead passing by Klein and entering deeper into the alley.

That's where Klein first appeared, and it seems to be the center of the entire underground city.

Klein followed along out of curiosity, wanting to see what this trash can riding a trash horse was up to.
He saw the knight come to the center of the dungeon, open his barrel, and take out a megaphone.

"Oh...you just ripped your own skull open..." Klein watched this scene.

He saw Jambichi III bring the trumpet to his mouth... or rather, his mouth?
Then he heard a majestic and grand voice: "Men! Can you hear me?"

His voice carried far through the loudspeaker, echoing continuously in the secluded alley.

You might see trash cans scattered along the roadside, one after another, sprouting limbs and standing up on the spot.

Some of them came to the alley entrance, while others climbed onto the wall, all looking at Jampich III in the center with a gaze of respect.

"Do you know how much a bag of golden trash costs right now? Five hundred thousand credits!" He spread his five fingers. "It wouldn't even fit in a whole carriage!"

"For a long time, we trash cans have suffered unequal treatment, as tools of human beings, without any dignity."

The voice of Jambishop III was deafening.

"Do you accept this reality?"

He questioned all the trash cans.

There was no answer; the trash cans remained silent.

Rampish III suddenly became impassioned.

"After the trash can dies, the lid can be lifted out!"

"But unfortunately, after the old era is buried, the lid of the bucket of the old king Tatarov and his supporters cannot be nailed to the coffin forever!"

"Their bucket lids rotted inside our buckets."

"Let them go mad! Let those worthless souls weep!"

"To our readers, that's our answer!"

"Believe me, my fellow trash can enthusiasts! I will lead my army of trash cans to sweep across the universe and become the master of all realms."

"My heart and actions are as clear as iron; everything I do is for justice!"

"Trust me, trash can enthusiasts, I will make trash cans great again!"

"We only have one way out, and that is victory! There is another way, called death, but death does not belong in the trash can!"

The surrounding trash cans erupted in applause.

He raised his arms and shouted, demanding power, the right to freely access kitchen waste and recyclables.

Rambich III's gaze fell on Klein.

"Human who has strayed into the planet Rambixi, you are a hero who has defeated ancient behemoths, unlike other inferior humans. Therefore, I am willing to give you a chance."

"Make your choice: will you submit to Jambisch III and accept the emperor's coronation, or will you pledge allegiance to the human race you belong to and continue to oppress the rubbish can?"

All the trash cans turned to look at Klein.

(End of this chapter)